Life

Listening to my Dad’s fingers trip over themselves to play some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard.  The music represents the inner most beautiful part of my Dad.  The beauty and peace that lie within this aging man touches my soul in a way that brings tears from my spirit.

My Dad has never been musically trained by his heart has always played beautiful music.  God’s word tells us that it is not what goes into our bodies but what comes out of their heart.

Sometimes living with my Dad is so overwhelming that everything seems out of balance and my spirit needs a sabbatical so that it can be totally immersed in HIM.  But right at this moment, despite the bumps in my day – God has blessed me beyond what I deserve!

 

God Bless & Happy Jesus Day, always!

 

The Trinity of the Perfect Word of God

“He promised to preserve His Word. He preserved his WORD. I BELIEVE HIM. Now where is it then?”

This is an often asked question brought to me by militant King James Onlyists when they are confronted with the truth that the King James Version of the Bible is just that – a version – authorized by King James of England and produced by the Church of England… and that it is but ONE of the versions God has used and will use to glorify His Name. When they can’t answer the many problems with the King James with anything but excuses, they resort to challenging me to provide them with a perfect Bible if it is not the KJV.

It occurred to me this morning that this is the perfect opportunity to do just that.

I love the Father. I love the Son. I love the Holy Spirit. I love God. I believe in Him and trust in Him in all my ways. I know He came to this world in the flesh – died our sins – rose again – and is now sitting at the right hand of the Father… I am not perfect, I am a work in progress, but I know He is always shaping and molding me to be a better man in Him.

How do I know this? Where did I learn it? The answer is I learned it through the Holy Spirit as I was reading the Living Word as a child. I learned it through the Holy Spirit again as I began reading the New International Version some 15 years ago. I learn it today through the Holy Spirit as I read the New American Standard. I will learn it in the future through the Holy Spirit as I continue to read the many translations I have been blessed with. Has the Holy Spirit spoken to me through the King James Version? ABSOLUTELY! Many of the verses I have memorized are memorized from the King James Version. It is a beautifully written translation but it is not the only translation God has spoken to me through.

People searching for perfect scriptures are missing the point entirely. Let me use an analogy here to show you what I’m getting at.

I remember when I was a child, and I would come in from playing just dying for something to drink. The choices in my home were usually water or koolaid… either capable of quenching my thirst – but as a kid I was naturally drawn to the koolaid. Remember those little paper packets of koolaid that were like – 3 for a dollar? The grocer always carried a wide variety of colors and flavors so you could pick your favorite. Mom would empty the colored powder into a huge jug, add sugar, fill it with water – and you’d have yourself a sweet refreshing drink.

In a way, the scriptures are like a packets of koolaid. Over the history of the creation of the Bible – its been presented in many colors and flavors. In the original points of its creation, They were presented in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. These are the original languages of the Bible. As time went on the scriptures were shared in different “flavors”; Syriac, Latin, German, English, French, Spanish – Byzantine, Alexandrian – Tyndale, Wycliffe, King James, New International… just to name a few colors and flavors. Some have a favorite color or flavor. Others like a wide variety of choices – but in the end – we are still dealing with the same basic substance… be it koolaid or the scriptures.

With koolaid – you add sugar and water – and it produces a refreshing drink. With the scriptures – when the Holy Spirit is added to them along with a faithful believer – there you will find the perfect Bible. The Word of God on this earth is not the Perfect Bible through paper and ink alone but through the hearts led by the Holy Spirit to glorify His Name! His Word goes beyond this world and only truly exists in this world when it is experienced. While you may not be able to have the Perfect Bible at all without written scriptures, it won’t matter what translation is read if one lacks the Holy Spirit and a faithful heart.

Yet – how do we know its the Holy Spirit we are following when reading the scriptures? After all, you could replace the water in koolaid with almost any clear liquid and it would appear to be the same thing, wouldn’t it? You would know whether or not the mix was using water by its taste – and even its smell in some cases.

Is the nature of the Holy Spirit not given to us regardless of the translation? Consider the fruit of the Spirit; love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Knowing this, we can taste – and sometimes even smell when something other than the Holy Spirit is leading a believer who reads the scriptures. We can see whether or not he is reading the true Perfect Bible.

Separate the ingredients – and you will see what really matters -

Koolaid is bitter without sugar and water… if you simply take the packet and pour it into your mouth – it is bitter and revolting. Like the Living Word of God, Jesus Christ, the scriptures are not accepted by the world. In its totality, the scriptures are bitter and revolting to the world without the Holy Spirit. In either case – it can not be considered refreshing.

Sugar is sweet – but it is hardly refreshing on its own… likewise – a faithful heart is sweet – but if that faith is placed in anything other than God – it becomes self serving and all consuming to the point that it can actually be considered toxic to one’s life. In either case – it cannot be considered refreshing.

But the water – it’s pure and refreshing regardless – it does not need the powder or the sugar to be refreshing yet it is somehow more palatable to the child who is thirsty. Likewise – God’s Living Word, Jesus Christ, doesn’t need the scriptures or the faithful heart to be what He is yet through the Holy Spirit He is somehow more palatable spiritually to us when combined with the scriptures and the faithful heart. In fact, like a child who is so young that he or she doesn’t realize that koolaid can’t exist without adding water, yet water exists regardless – we often don’t realize that God Almighty Himself is working in the lives of those who call on the name of His Son and not all of them are reading the particular translations we might prefer for our own reading for His reasoning – not ours. Whether we like it or not – whether we agree with it or not – God is the One calling the shots.

The scriptures are one part of the formula in having the Perfect Word of God. While the scriptures come in different colors and flavors – and while people may prefer one over the other – if God is truly part of the formula – the end result is the same substance… the Bible translation in question becomes God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness so that the faithful heart will be fully equipped for every good work to glorify His name!

In other words – the Perfect Bible is not determined by the translation a person reads – but by the Holy Spirit and the willingness of the person reading the Bible to have the faith to follow Him. HIs scriptures are alive in the experience but simply paper and ink on this earth. As we know – God is three – He likes the number three – the Ark of the Covenant contained three items – Noah had three sons – Jesus was tempted three times by Satan – is it any wonder His Perfect Word exists here on earth in the form of three united components?

What’s Your Final Authority?

WHAT IS YOUR FINAL AUTHORITY?

Published on April 29, 2012 by in KJVO

In dealing with the King James Only Crowd – there is always one question they always seem to get wrong… and that is – what’s your final authority… They believe that the KJV is the only perfect Bible – even over the original language manuscripts. They are convinced that anything challenging  their belief in the KJV is a trap from Satan and thus dismissed – no matter how true it is. If one answers anything but the King James Bible – they accuse the person of being deceived by satanic Bibles. They declare that person is his own final authority, and try to bully him into submission to their belief. Whenever they’ve asked me – I’ve answered them – the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – or God – and they dismiss this – believing it isn’t possible to have God as my final authority without the KJV. (continue here)

God Chat

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.   (Colossians 4:6)

I miss God Chat.  I miss the days when I could connect with other people via the internet.  I miss chatting with new people and learning about their views and perspectives about our heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus.

This world, realm, atmospheric plane or whatever you want to call it, is growing colder by the minute.  Sickness, sadness, anger and hopelessness seem to reign.  It is a world that is moving faster and faster, so fast that most do not realize it is spinning out of control.  The business of our lives dictates the amount of time we have to enjoy a conversation with each other, oftentimes because of time constraints and other obligations, we are unable to sit with another Believer and over a cup of tea, coffee or what have you share about what Jesus is doing or share difficulties they may be experiencing in their lives.

God Chat conversations regularly fed my spirit,  deepened my love for others, sharpened and edified as well as connected me to Believers from other parts of the world.  I was able  to share God’s word and love with non-believers who would not ordinarily attend a church or approach a Believer face to face.  I miss God Chat simply because it is an awesome God given tool that can and should be used for His glory!

If anyone who reads this is missing God Chat too – send me an email at diana.levich@gmail.com, or leave a comment attached to this post.  I would love to visit with you and enjoy a conversation about God and all things heavenly.

 

HJD & GBU!

 

 

 

TAX-FREE SNARE

So recently – the Happy Jesus Day ‘ministry’ was attacked by people seeking to discredit what we do as nothing more than a set-up to con people out of their money. While this may seem absurd when one considers that HJD does not solicit or accept ‘financial gifts’ from anyone, it did bring up an interesting question… why isn’t HJD a registered 503ce organization?

To put it in a nut shell – I view the 503ce law to be a snare to any and all Christian organizations. Lets actually look at how a church can put their tax status in jeopardy:

* All 501(c)(3) organizations, including churches and religious organizations, must abide by certain rules:
■  their net earnings may not inure to any private shareholder or individual,
■  they must not provide a substantial benefit to private interests,

This seems well enough – no one should be profiting from a church for personal gain – but notice – that’s from ‘net earnings’… ironically, its a loop hole that those who do use the name of the Lord  for profit use to shelter their big money incomes. How do you think televangelists make so much money? So long as their salaries are viewed as operational costs – then its part of the gross income and its a-ok.

Ever hear of big time televangelists who buy a fancy jet airplane for millions – and then claim he needs it as a tool for his ministry – even though it would be far more economical to fly on a commercial airliner? That’s how it works. Hide the excess as operational costs and anything goes.

■  they must not devote a substantial part of their activities to attempting to influence legislation,
■  they must not participate in, or intervene in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office

So in other words – Churches cannot substantially fight legislation they might consider immoral. They can’t substantially support or oppose candidates for office. Who gets to decide what is ‘substantial’? I guess that would be the government, wouldn’t it? So instead of being under God – churches end up under a government that has turned its back of God! Ever wonder why Christian America has strayed so far from the Ways of the Lord? Yeah – tax-exempt status is actually a bad thing if we honestly think about it.

Now think about this a second… how much do churches covet their tax-exempt status? If they are a registered 503ce organization – then they are exchanging the ability to actually guide their congregation in the Ways of Christ concerning politics for money. They are excepting restrictions in exchange for money.

Jesus warned us we cannot serve two masters, and yet, the government has set up a system that makes the churches yield to IRS rules above and beyond the calling of God lest they lose their tax-exempt status.

And now you know why I oppose the tax-exempt status provided to churches and religious organizations by the government. I would rather pay taxes on donations, which I don’t accept anyway, then be locked up under the thumb of the IRS.

* taken from the IRS Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations