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THE CROSS ROADS
If ever there was a time that we need to ensure that we are on the “good way” it is now. We cannot afford to be on a side road and we owe it to ourselves to ensure that we are on the “good way.”
To start we need to be reminded what Jesus said:“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:1-3). Come like children without preconceived ideas and eager to search for the truth. We cannot accept that all that we know and all that we have been taught is the truth. Those that taught us are also humans like us and they only knew what other humans have taught them. It does not mean that they lied to us but it does mean that we must go back to basics and ensure that we are on the right way. The Bible tells us that we must go back to the ancient cross roads, look for the ancient path, and walk in it. The Bible does not say “ask you parents” or “ask your pastor” or anybody else. It says YOU must go and find it. This is one of the biggest misunderstandings of the Bible. The process of going, searching and finding the truth is one of the most important fundamental principles we must do in our walk with God. It is in this process that God speak to us, teach us and help to learn and know His voice. We cannot join this walk with God the way we want to, we must be obedient and do what God tells us to do.
Jeremiah 6:16-17 ““Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is,(ask God) and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
One definition for being a faithful servant, according to the Bible, is to be a devoted and helpful follower, to be humble before God, to be ready to act as God nudges and inspires us, to help meet the needs of other people, and to remember that it is not about money or reward. To be obedient, loyal, dedicated, sincere, submissive, enthusiastic, willing, loving, and caring.
What does the word Lord means?
According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, the etymology of the word can be traced back to the Old English word hlāford which originated from hlāfweard meaning "loaf-ward" or "bread-keeper", reflecting the Germanic tribal custom of a chieftain providing food for his followers.
This definition challenges what we have been taught and shows that the word lord or Lord or LORD as it appears in the Bible is a word given by humans to describe other humans and originated in the 1600’s. The Bible translators decided to call ‘our Father in heaven” Lord or LORD. God Himself said: “I Am.” and Jesus said; “our Father in Heaven.” The original scriptures do not use the words Lord. LORD, or God.
Who invented the word God?
The earliest written form of the Germanic word "god" comes from the 6th century Christian Codex Argenteus, which descends from the Old English guþ from the Proto-Germanic *Ȝuđan. The Proto-Germanic language most probably developed as Proto-Indo-European speakers moved westward into Europe. The idea is that this arose in southern Scandinavia or that Proto-Germanic arose on the mainland, somewhere around Denmark and the Elbe River.
In Hebrew Lord GOD is written in Hebrew as; אדני יהוה, which transliterates as; Adonai YHWH. The word Elohiym is the Hebrew word for “God.” But in Genesis 15:8 the word “god” is written in all upper-case because it is the KJV’s translation of the name Yahweh. Because the word Adonai means “lord,” they couldn’t translate this as “Lord LORD,” so they chose to use the word “god” for Yahweh and wrote it in all upper-case letters. This is but one example where a translation disregarded the actual Hebrew text). Even Yahweh is wrong it should be YHWH. (If you breath in -YH and breath out -WH OR breath in – I and breath out - AM)
Is the Hebrew word Adonai and Elohiym the correct name of our Father. NO. Our Father in heaven has no name. God told Moses - “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you'” (Exodus 3:13–14). Our Father is the “I Am” and who is “I Am”
Jesus said: “I am the bread of life … I am the light of the world … I am the gate [for the sheep] … I am the Good Shepherd … I am the resurrection and the life … I am the way, the truth and the life … I am the true vine …I am love”
Why do the Hebrews use these words?
The Tetragrammaton was considered so sacred by the Second Temple Period
that the very pronunciation of the Name YHWH became restricted to the High Priest and
was only permitted in special religious rituals, such as the Day of Atonement. They therefore replaced YHWH with names such as Elohim or Adonai to not be guilty of blasphemy.
Even the name of Jesus is actually “Emanuel” (YHWH with us). Keep in mind that Emanuel was always there from the beginning. Emanuel created everything and appeared to many people in the Old Testament. John said: “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.”
The next one shows how cunning Satan is in influencing the translators of the Bible:
Many psalms/ songs and elsewhere in the Bible we read: “The God of Jacob.” we pray and sing “I believe and worship the God of Jacob.”
Now go back to the history of Jacob. Why was he called Jacob? The name Jacob means "Deceiver" and what is unveiled in Genesis is the life of Jacob and his family filled with issues of deceit and deception. Who else is the “deceiver” Yes – Satan.
If Jacob was a deceiver the “spirit” of deceit was in him. Who is the spirit of deceit? Satan. If the spirit of deceit is in a person who is the father of that person?
John 8:44 “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. “
God changed Jacob’s name to “Israel” and since then God is the God of Israel NOT the God of Jacob.
These examples are sone of many and is used to show that what we have been taught is not exactly the truth. You will ask; does it matter? The real issue is that humans have changed and diluted the magnitude of who our “Father“ is. Many people have more respect for a British lord than for our Father in heaven. Again you will argue: “but I know who I am talking about.” Yes you might, but most people do not know who you are talking about. Even the word god is used by many people to describe many different gods and idols. Someone might say;”O my god.” and you would not know who the person refers to because you do not know what religion he belongs to.
Jesus warned that we should be on the look out for people that will pretend to be Jesus. This false Jesus has crepped into so many churches, books nad even Bibles, where people use a picture of a man to depict Jesus. This picture becomes Jesus to so many people while it is not Jesus. These people then worship, pray to and glorify an Idol – a human.
The point is we must go back to the cross roads and make sure we take the good way. We cannot simply except what others tell us. The above examples are very important and there are so many other examples where we were either misinformed, or even lied to. The tragedy of it all is that many people calling themselves Christians are not our Father’s children. Even Jesus warned that many so-called believers are not our Father’s children.
We even ignore the instruction of Jesus:”do not call anybody on earth your father.” (Matthew 23:9) Even the Bible do not adhere to this instruction.
18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers.(Ancestors)
Why do people do this? The power and influence of Satan has been and still is totally underestimated by most people. People including some of the Bible translaters were and still are influenced by Satan to confuse people.
Just to emphasise what has been said, you find this example in Revelation 22, Jesus is referred to as the bright morning star and in Isaiah 14, Satan is called the “bright morning star.” Just for one moment think how anybody could reduce the magnitude of Jesus to a morning star while we know that Jesus is the Light of the world. The morning star as referred to is not even a star it is a planet by the name of Venus and Venus in Latin means Lucifer. It was introduced by Constantine for people to worship the Sun god – that is also why we have Sunday – to worship the Sun god. (If you keep Sunday as a special day you do it for theSun god not for YHWH.
A more recent example is where so many church going people were being mislead by church leaders to accept the Covid vaccine. A lie that will cost them their lives. The moral of the storey. Trust no one but God.
Why go back to the ancient crossroads? Why the ancient paths? Over the years people have deviated from the ancient paths. They have allowed external influences to influence them. Little by little have they started to walk next to the ancient path and eventually made their own paths which they thaught to be the correct path.
What we say is that we must go back and take the original map and work from there. We cannot accept that what others have told us and are telling us is correct, it might be, but we owe it to ourselves to make sure it is. At the end we will answer for ourselves and will not have the luxury of blaming others for misinforming us. This is far to serious to take a chance. God said: Deuteronomy 13:19: “ I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live ”
This is not a verse that was for the Israelites only, it is a verse for each and every one of us. It is not a once in alifetime event, it should be a daily event. At some point in time we all chose God and rejected Satan but we must check our compass and map everyday, compare it with the ancient path and choose to stay on the straight and narrow path.
Each one of us must therefore today, ensure that we individually go back to the cross roads and ensure that we make the right choice. I can hear people saying “I made that choice long ago, I am not going back.” By saying that, you do exactly what the last section of the verse says, “I will not do it.” You disobey God and worship yourself.
God expect obedience from us. Several scriptures in the Bible emphasise that obediance is far more important than anything else. If God says do it, then you do it, no if’s or but’s. And this applies to the whole Bible. That is why there are so many denominations- They each want to do it their way. There is only one way and if all church denominations were serious about what they are doing, they would all agree that there is only one way and that is God’s way. That is why we must go back because so many before us had decided that they know better and that is why so many people are on the wrong path.
If you are not prepared to go back to the cross roads and find the ancient paths (please do not assume you know what the ancient paths mean) then you might as well stop right here, because you have already chosen death and rejected life. For centuries people have played the religious game, stop wasting your time, this is not a game, it is a choice between life and death. Eternal life or eternal death. I child of God will have no objection to go to the crossroad and ask for the ancient path and walk on it. Who must you ask? Ask God, do not put your trust in anybody but God. God knows your heart and what you think and if you are serious and have the right motives then God shall guide you, help you and direct your steps.
Psalm 25
1 In you, LORD my God, I put my trust.
2 I trust in you; do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame, but shame will come on those who are treacherous without cause.
4 Show me your ways, LORD, teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you, LORD, are good.
8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.
12 Who, then, are those who fear the LORD? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
13 They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land.
14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.
16 Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish.
18 Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.
19 See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me!
20 Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, LORD, is in you.
22 Deliver Israel, O God, from all their troubles!
As we read through scripture, both Old and New Testament, we see the same pattern of human behavior rise up and fall. A time of great morality and prosperity, then a time of great rebellion leading to oppression and suffering. When society begins to turn away from the Lord's moral law and starts following the customs of other nations, (ie, "other gods"), the Lord turns his face away from us for a time and watches as we begin to suffer in our blindness. The Lord calls this suffering process "the furnace of affliction" and its intended purpose is to burn the impurities out of us so we can return to him.
So many Christians do not realise that these impurities are “evil” or “demons” attaching themselves to us. The slightest act of disobediance or idoletry and other sin, allows these demons to attach themselves to us. They are parasites and if a person allows them they will grow bigger and bigger until they take full control of that person.
Isaiah 48:10
See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
We don't see many people refining silver today but the way it works is by putting silver in a furnace and when it melts the impurities float to the top. The refiner skims off the dross until he can see his image reflected in the silver, then he knows the silver has been purified. All evil has been removed and the person has been delivered and set free from all bondage.
If you say “no evil or demon is attached to me.” without having been delivered and cleansed from all bondage, you should know that your mind is being influenced by some evil source. You are spiritually blind. Paul said: Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned’. The moment we sin, we open the door for evil to come in and attach themselves to us. If you say you have not sin, you are a liar and remember that a person will be known by the fruit of the spirit that is in that person. Satan is a liar and by lying a person submits to Satan’s control. The person allows Satan to speak through him/her. Anger, addictions, obsessions, phobias, in fact all that is not of the Holy Spirit are symptoms of evil controlling that person.
Malachi 3
For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness.
The Bible teaches us that it's these impurities in us, our sins, that are leading to our suffering. But where did these impurities actually come from?
1 Peter 1:18
For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors.
We are born in sin. To be born in sin means we were born with unclean spirits attached to us. Familiar spirits that came from our ancestors. This is where the idea of reincarnation comes from. These familiar spirits reincarnate from one family member to the next.
Isaiah 9:18
Surely wickedness burns like a fire.
Matthew 15:14
Leave them; they are blind guides. If the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.
The Lord knows that we have been blinded into this empty way of living by our ancestors, our pastors, teachers and leaders. They did not instruct us to live according to the ways of our God, which would have lead to peace, happiness, good health and great contentment. This loss of understanding, referred to as spiritual blindness, prevents us from recognizing the root cause of our suffering.
Isaiah 52:3
For this is what the Lord says: “You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed.”
You won’t have to pay God for His advice, teaching, guidance and help. All He ask for is obediance, unconditional obediance.
Deuteronomy 4:29-31
When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the Lord your God and obey him.
Isaiah 30:15
This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation,
What actually is salvation? We hear this word used quite often but do we really understand it? In Hebrew, "Yeshuah" means salvation.
Salvation means deliverance from sin or harm, rescue from Satan and his demons.
Psalm 119:155
Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes.
Psalm 51:12
Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.
Here we find another misconception. As a human I have a body, a soul and a spirit. Many bible translations refer to “spirit” while it should be soul. Our soul is our mind, feelings and emotions. Our spirit comes either from God – the Holy Spirit or we might have an unclean/evil spirit. Look at the above scripture. A pure heart should be “a pure soul and a steadfast soul.” It cannot be “renew a steadfast spirit” within me because that implies that the Holy Spirit is not steadfast. I cannot have my own spirit and the Holy Spirit. I must crucify my spirit (get rid of it be delivered from it) and allow God to “renew” me, I must be born again with a new spirit, the Holy Spirit of God. The second line confirms that my spirit is “the HolySpirit.” The third line confuses us because the Holy Spirit is a willing Spirit and there is no need to make it willing. It should read “ willing soul.” the last sentence means that the Holy Spirit will work through me and teach the transgressors. Humans can not teach other humans, only God -the Holy Spirit can do that.that is why we must be obedient and allow the Holy Spirit to work through us. Why can’t we? So that no human can boast and become trapped in pridefulness.
This nullifies the concept we have about the modern church. Pastors cannot teach people and pastors cannot convert people only God can. Pastors teach their own ways and their own ideas, their own denominational rules and regulations and interpretations with the result that the blind leads the blind and that is why we need to go back to the cross roads. .
So in order to turn our life and even our society around, the we must first know the word of God. The Bible tells us that God’s people perish due to a lack of knowledge. Knowledge will then enable people so they can hear the true words of God again, as false teachers over the generations have corrupted it. Then the eyes of the people will be opened and they will finally understand why they are suffering. This enlightenment leads to repentance and the spiritual returning to God.
Who do you run to when you have a problem? To drugs, to alcohol, to the pastor or to God? If you run to anything else before you run to God means that you regard that more important than God. You believe that you cannot go directly to God. You idolise that which you run to and is guilty of idoletry.
Psalm 40:1-3
I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifited me out of the slimy pit, (saved me) out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock, (Jesus) and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth,(the Holy Spirit) a hymn of praise to our God. Many will fear the Lord, and put their trust in him(. Not just believe in Him but TRUST Him)
Acts 9:31. Then indeed the churches throughout all of Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being edified. And going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied. (Jesus will build His church – not humans)
Ezekiel 36:28
I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
Psalm 40:8
I desire to do your will, (not my will, I sacrafice “me” and my will)) my God; your law is within my heart.”
1 John 3:8
The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, (deliberate and willful sin -controlled by a demon) because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
1 Corinthians 1:19
For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise" Real Godly wisdom comes from the Holy Spirit – human wisdom comes from Satan)
Isaiah 44:25
Who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense.
Jeremiah 1:4-9
The Call of Jeremiah
The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.” (The Holy Spirit)
Ezekiel 36:25-27
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols . I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; (meaning your old spirit will be removed) I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (I will change your soul) And I will put my Spirit in you (new spirit) and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.
Deuteronomy 30:19
See, I set before you today life and prosperity or death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Israel.
Zechariah 1:3
Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, ‘and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty.
Jeremiah 24:7
I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.
Isaiah 42:16
I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.
Isaiah 44:22
I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.”
Exodus 15:26
He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”
2 Chronicles 7:14
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.