Fall, Year of Our Lord, 1999
Number 995
Do you know how to make God laugh? Do you know what makes Him chuckle in the heavens? The answer is to tell God your plans! That's right. He does not want to hear what your plans are. He has a plan of His own for you. So if you really want God to belly laugh, just tell Him your plans.
How is your life right now? Are you frustrating God? Are you always grumbling to Him about the way things are? Are you constantly telling God your plans instead of accepting His plans? Do you really think you are smarter than God? God laughs at such ideas.
The Good Book represents God's desire. He wants you to learn of His plans and build on His foundation. He doesn't want you coming into the Kingdom of Heaven with all your Statist ideas. He doesn't want you bringing in your religious doctrines and philosophies. He's not interested. He doesn't want your riches. He doesn't want your debt. He wants to take you, strip you down to zero, and start with nothing.
If you're not willing to come down to nothing, God can't use you. "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:26-27).
Jesus wants you zeroed out. Then He wants you to take on the cross. How humiliating. Yet how can we walk in Jesus Christ unless we put everything else aside. He doesn't want "hair on the deal." He wants you stripped of all things including your very self. "So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:33).
Paul Revere, Pastor
Once
upon a time there was an island full of happy natives. They had
only one law, "Be kind to one another."
Each family had a small plot of land where they grew pineapples and bananas. The sea provided a bountiful harvest of fish which they prepared in their little straw huts. Everyone was content until one day when a ship arrived from a distant land.
The natives ran to the shore to meet these clever men from afar, welcoming them with smiles and showering them with orchids.
The clever men did not smile, but with solemn faces began telling the natives how backward they were. "The reason you people are so miserable," said the clever men, "is because you have no money to buy the things that make you happy."
The carefree natives were puzzled by the startling news. They had not known until now that they were not happy.
"Can you give us those things that will make us happy?" asked the natives.
And with that invitation, the clever men began telling them of all the wonderful things they could have. They painted glowing pictures of the natives' humble huts being transformed into grand villas with many hallways and staircases. They told of marvelous machines that would speed them around the island. The women were captivated by the beautiful silk and linen gowns that the clever men brought for them to try on.
"Oh, what can we do to have these wonderful things that will make us happy?" cried the natives.
At these words the somber men smiled and revealed their plan. "We will lend you shiny red pieces of paper that you can trade for these wonderful goods. We'll give you each 120 pieces of this special paper to trade with. And there are only two requirements: You can't make any of these shiny red pieces of paper yourself and you must give us 120 red pieces back, plus 10 more red pieces in interest for a total of 130 pieces."
The natives were so excited at their good fortune that they readily agreed to the terms and the clever men sailed away.
Soon ships arrived carrying elegant clothing, jewelry, building supplies, automobiles and many other delights to the eyes. The natives eagerly traded their red paper for these goods. They had also begun trading the red paper among themselves. When one native would help his neighbor expand his hut, he was paid with the red paper.
A year later the clever men returned and demanded 130 pieces of red paper from each native. Those who had traded well paid back the clever men, but some could not make payment. These unfortunate souls were thrown off their land and their goods seized.
The clever men had another idea. They would lend the natives more red paper under the same terms as before. But, when they returned the following year, there seemed to be an even greater shortage of red paper.
The clever men continued lending the red paper to the natives, always requiring more red paper back than they had lent. After 12 years, it was impossible for ANY of the natives to pay back the red paper. The clever men now owned the island and the natives were reduced to working as their slaves in factories set up by the clever men. . . .
The only way to keep this money system going is to lend more red paper into circulation. By the second year, each native must return 20 more pieces than they were lent. By the twelfth year, they owed as much in interest (usury) as they originally borrowed. It becomes so difficult to pay the clever men all that is owed, that the natives start stealing and killing to obtain the red paper.
You see, the clever men have made it impossible to ever pay back the debt. There will always be a shortage of red paper to pay back. The more time goes by, the bigger the debt becomes.
The money supply is fixed, but the interest owed is always growing. If everyone on the island surrendered all the red paper, it would still be impossible to pay off the clever men. Therefore, the islanders are hopelessly in debt.
Today, if you visit the island, the natives will no longer run out to greet you with smiles and flowers. They are stuck inside sweat shops, grimly laboring for those things that will make them happy.
Dear Pastor Revere,
I have left the traditional Protestant church after coming to the realization seven years ago that they preach a different gospel than that which was delivered originally.
I just read your Statement of Beliefs on the Internet. I must say it was concise and to the point. I wholeheartedly agree with ALL that was said there and its interpretation.
I also have come to the conclusion that a complete severing of ties of "fealty" to another Master is necessary to be a true Christian! That "other master" is the State wherever you live, and the Federal Government. If you had said this to me five years ago, I would have thought you insane, and on the "fringe." I know better now.
I do not know how you came to your conclusion, though I can guess that the Spirit of Christ was involved. Allow me to say you are NOT insane, nor are you a subversive! You believe in dwelling in the CURRENT Kingdom of God that exists NOW on the Earth, and will continue until it FILLS the Earth under the leadership of the Firstborn Son of the Great Sovereign, His Majesty, Jesus the Christ!
I also have come to this conclusion, ALONE. I have only ONE brother in Christ as a supporting companion plus my wife who initially tolerated but now embraces the Truth.
Yours is the first place
that I have found that seems to have also come to the conclusions
we have. They are briefly as follows in so much as I understand
them now:
I am trying to figure a way out of the Federal Reserve System Debtnote - a way of conducting business, but we are stymied at the present.
I hope I do not appear like a madman to you, as some of the above points you may not embrace at the moment. But you sound like a person who is unafraid, and is trying to practice what the Bible says to do.
Godspeed to you and those with you,
John
Dear John,
As far as using the Federal Reserve notes, the key is not to make any agreements as to their usage (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). We don't sign bank signature cards promising to obey all the banking rules because that joins us with them in their sins of usury. We don't use credit cards because we are to "owe no man any thing, but to love one another" (Roman 13:8). Cash and postal money orders can be used for financial transactions.
When we receive funds, we immediately take them out of the world system and put them into Christ's treasury. The Fed notes are merely used as a convenient medium of exchange, just as salt and shells have been used in the past. If we merely pass Fed notes around when we make cash transactions, we do not become indebted to the ones who created the notes.
If you were to travel to Rome and used the Italian lira when making purchases, that in itself does not make you subject to the tax laws of Italian citizens.
The same is true in America. We are Christ's pilgrims and ambassadors in this land. We use the currency that is available, but we remain separate by not becoming members of their banking system.
One of our ambassadors did handyman work as part of his ministry. He became convinced that he could not have a bank account and could no longer accept checks from his customers.
At first, he was concerned that accepting "cash only" would cause him to lose many jobs. Though he did lose a few, he now announces up front that he accepts payment in cash only. If customers wonder why, it opens the door for him to do a little preaching on separating from the world order.
Readers RespondDear Pastor Revere;
I spoke with you a few weeks ago about your "Cleansing or Surgery" book. Already we have nine people who want copies. These people include two Pastors, a Chiropractor and a Medical Doctor.
I have read different materials over the years about cleansing, but we have been most impressed with your book due to its straightforward approach, sound information, and use of scripture. We especially appreciated the warning not to go "overboard" and make cleansing an idol.
My husband has just completed the Lemonade Diet. He began to show symptoms of fighting a virus and decided to go on the diet to clear things up. He is a painting contractor and was able to work hard the whole time he was on the Diet. He will just begin coming off the diet today.
All
virus symptoms cleared up, a soreness in his elbow, which he has
had on and off since last October, also cleared up. With his
constant exposure to toxic fumes from paint, he is excited to be
able to do this for his body. He is also interested to see how
this cleanse will help his system out in regard to seasonal
allergies. We have been very proactive with our health, and his
allergies have greatly improved over the years, but we are excited
to see how these cleanses can go much further in balancing his
system.
God's blessings on you as you equip the Body in this much needed area of internal cleansing.
Sincerely in Christ,
D.S. Colorado
Dear Pastor Revere;
Just a few lines to let you know you are in my prayers. My wife just took the gallbladder cleanse. Praise the Lord for your sharing such knowledge. Needless to say, she expelled numerous stones and cheated the surgeon. Pastor, keep the faith. We're so glad for your testimony.
Love,
Ray & Chris
Click here for more information on "Cleansing or Surgery."
If you want to destroy a people, what is the most obvious way to do it? The obvious way is to march in with armies. Overwhelm them. Beat them up. Burn their land. Throw all the rebels in prison.
This method is a big bloody mess. A more subtle method is to conquer from within. Start changing the people's laws. Use the media to promote your ideas. Enslave the people with debt. With this method, you have not fired a single shot, yet you have conquered them.
How do you destroy a Bible-thumping people? How do you convince these people to abandon their allegiance to God and follow you? The most obvious way is to burn all the Bibles. Send troops to search everyone's house and imprison anyone caught with a Bible.
The problem with this method is that people will hide their Bibles. Printing presses will keep running secretly. It's impossible to destroy every Bible.
Here's a more subtle method. Let people have the Bible, but change the wording. Teach that the words mean something else. Introduce false doctrine. Omit from the text certain doctrines that are offensive. Make scores of translations so that there is confusion about what each verse means. Soon there will be so much derision that no one will know what the Bible teaches.
Today the market is flooded with new Bible translations. Some versions are so inoffensive that even non-Christians are using them.
The Lord's prayer in Luke has been so mutilated in the NIV version that Satanists use it to pray to their god. There is no mention of heaven, or doing His will, in heaven, as in earth, nor any plea for deliverance from evil. That way, the NIV Lord's Prayer is not offensive to Satan worshipers. It can be used to pray to any god, not just to Our Father in Heaven.
Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
Colonel
Sanders arranges to visit the Pope. After receiving the papal
blessing, the Colonel whispers, "Your Eminence, do we have a deal
for you. If you change The Lord's Prayer from 'give us this day
our daily bread,' to 'give us this day our daily chicken,' we will
donate 500 million dollars to the church."
The Pope responds, "That is impossible. The Lord's Prayer is the Word of God and it must not be changed."
"Well," says Colonel Sanders, "we are prepared to donate 1 billion dollars to the church if you change The Lord's prayer from 'give us this day our daily bread,' to 'give us this day our daily chicken.'"
Again the Pope replies, "You know that is impossible. The Lord's Prayer is the Word of God and it must not be changed."
Finally, Colonel Sanders says, "This is our last offer. We will donate 5 billion dollars to the church if you change The Lord's Prayer from 'give us this day our daily bread,' to 'give us this day our daily chicken.'" Then the Colonel gets up and leaves.
The next day the Pope meets with the College of Cardinals to say that he has good news and bad news.
"The good news is that the Church has come into 5 billion dollars. The bad news is that we are losing the contract with Wonderbread."
Bet you can't find answers to the following questions using a New International Version (NIV) bible! Answers must be found in the text, not in the footnotes. This is an easy test, because it is open book. But it is an important test. Your salvation is at risk!
1. According to Matthew 17:21, what two things are required to cast out this type of devil?
NIV: Matthew 17:21 is entirely missing.
KJV: "Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting."
The only way certain devils will go out is through prayer and fasting. Yet, this vital information is missing from the NIV text.
2. According to Matthew 18:11, why did Jesus say He came to earth?
NIV: Matthew 18:11 is entirely missing.
KJV: "For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost."
What a tragedy. This important verse on the reason Jesus came to earth is lost to the readers of the NIV.
How can you properly study the Bible when vital passages are missing? Even the command to "study" is missing from 2 Timothy 2:15 in the NIV.
NIV: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
KJV: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
3. Who commits adultery by marrying a divorced woman, according to Matthew 19:9?
NIV: "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."
KJV: "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery."
The entire clause on marrying a divorced woman is omitted in the NIV. Someone might be deceived into marrying a divorcee and not realize he is committing adultery. The NIV does not tell him about the sin he is committing.
This is a grave omission because, according to 1 Corinthians 6:9, adulterers shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
4. At Matthew 23:14, who are the ones who devour widows' houses?
NIV: Matthew 23:14 is omitted in its entirety.
KJV: Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretense make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
That's a harsh indictment against the scribes and Pharisees. But you won't find it at Matthew 23:14 in the NIV because that verse has been stripped out.
The NIV makes Jesus a little more polite. He has been toned down. Jesus is made more palatable to everybody in the NIV. He's not so offensive. Maybe now more people can carry the Bible. Maybe the Way is not so narrow. Maybe the Way is much wider now than when Jesus preached. If you look back at Matthew 16:3, Jesus calls the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites in the King James Bible. But in the NIV, the phrase "O ye hypocrites" is omitted.
5. According to Matthew 25:13, we don't know the day or hour of what?
NIV: Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
From this verse, it is impossible to know what we are supposed to be watching for. How can we watch for something when we don't know what it is? The King James Version tells us we are to be watching for the coming of the Son of man.
KJV: Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
6. Fill in the missing words of Jesus in Mark 2:17, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners ________________" to what?
NIV: "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Jesus is calling sinners, but to what? For all we know He is calling them to dinner.
KJV: "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
7. At Mark 3:15, Jesus gave the apostles power to cast out devils and to do what?
NIV: "And to have authority to drive out demons."
It doesn't say anything else. That's the only power you receive, according to the NIV at Mark 3:15.
KJV: "And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils."
Jesus Christ gives His followers power to heal sicknesses. Today we have plenty of doctors. Still it concerns us that the NIV threw out that passage. What if a doctor is not around? We would rather have the power from on High so that we can heal the sickness.
8. There's another verse about healing sickness at Luke 8:43. According to this verse, how much did the sick woman spend on doctors?
NIV: "And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her."
NIV does not mention physicians or how much she spent trying to get well. But the KJV tells us:
KJV: "And a woman having an issue of blood twelve years, which had spent all her living upon physicians, neither could be healed of any,"
Maybe the NIV translators did not want to offend the physicians so they left this phrase out.
9. Here's an easy one. According to Mark 6:11, it shall be more tolerable for which two cities in the day of judgment than for that city?
NIV: "And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them."
No cities are mentioned.
KJV: "Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city."
This is a warning to the cities that refuse to receive Christ. Yet NIV readers are not aware of the condemnation that comes to entire cities.
10. According to Mark 11:26, is it required to forgive in order to be forgiven?
NIV: Entire verse is missing.
KJV: "But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses."
This is another critical doctrine. If you don't know you must forgive in order for the Father to forgive you, you could be shut out of the Kingdom.
11. What old testament prophecy did Jesus fulfill at Mark 15:28?
NIV: Entire verse is missing.
KJV: "And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors."
Here's a major Bible prophecy that is missing from the NIV. Check out Matthew 27:35 where another Bible prophecy about the parting of Christ's garments is fulfilled - but is missing from the NIV.
12. At Luke 4:4, what shall men live on besides bread?
NIV: "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'"
That's the end of the verse. It does not state what man lives on besides bread.
KJV: "And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God."
The NIV leaves out the fact that we are to live by every word of God. Yet, over 64,000 words have been removed from the NIV which were originally in the King James. There are also many verses that are entirely missing. Won't NIV readers be left starving because they do not have "every word of God?"
Did you notice the setting for the above verse? The devil is tempting Jesus in the wilderness. I wonder if the devil had a hand in writing the NIV. Later in the same chapter, at verse 8, Jesus said to Satan,
"Get thee behind me, Satan."
However, that phrase is entirely missing from verse 8 in the NIV.
13. According to Acts 8:37, what is the requirement for baptism?
NIV: Entire verse is missing.
KJV: "And Philip said, If thou believeth with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God."
The omission of this verse makes baptism easy. There are no requirements to believe in the deity of Jesus Christ.
14. Who was manifested in the flesh, according to 1 Timothy 3:16?
NIV: "Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory."
NIV does not mention anyone specifically who did these things. That way if you are not a believer in Jesus Christ, you could fill in the name of your favorite deity.
KJV: "God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."
It was God who was manifest in the flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. But you won't find that in the NIV at 1 Timothy 3:16.
These are just a few of the many omissions and distortions we found in the NIV. Can the NIV and other modern translations even be called the Christian Bible with so many doctrines missing or mutilated?
All these different translations have added confusion to the Church. Just try having a Bible study on John 7:53-8:11. It is the story of the woman caught in the very act of adultery. Some modern versions have deleted it from the text. Others like the NIV, cast doubt upon it by saying, "The earliest and most reliable manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have John 7:53-8:11."
The translators of the King James Bible knew about these earlier manuscripts, but they rejected them because of their questionable source and accuracy. They have been kept in the custodial care of Rome and they originated with Constantine.
The NIV was translated by scholars, but not necessarily by men called by God. One NIV translator is a confessed lesbian. She doesn't confess Jesus. She confesses lesbianism.
Those who put together the NIV did it to make money. The NIV bible is a copyrighted book.
The King James Bible, on the other hand, is 80 to 90 percent the work of William Tyndale. He received revelation from God to translate the Bible into English so that even the plowboy could understand the scripture.
He tried to obtain a license from the State church, but was turned down. Because God was calling him to do it, he fled England and went to Germany. He secretly translated and printed the Bible, often fleeing for his life.
Tyndale's concern was not making money or copyrighting the text. Even today the King James Bible is not copyrighted. Tyndale was driven by God to do the translation and was eventually strangled and burned for his efforts.
Matthew 17:21; Matthew 18:11; Matthew 23:14
Mark 7:16; Mark 9:44; Mark 9:46; Mark 11:26; Mark 15:28
Luke 17:36; Luke 23:17
John 5:4
Acts 8:37; Acts 15:34; Acts 24:7; Acts 28:29
Romans 16:24
The rich young ruler couldn't follow Jesus because he would not give up his riches. Jesus tested this young man's heart and found that his real love was for his possessions, not God (Mark 10:17-31).
Let's look at the negative side, those who are in debt. Proverbs 22:7 says, "The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender."
How can you promise your heart to God when you are in debt and obligated to someone else?
The solution is to get out of debt. God wants you zeroed out. Owe no man anything but the continuing debt to love one another (Romans 13:8). Only zero will do.
Don't make those long-term obligations to make payments. When you promise your future wealth to someone else, you're leaving Jesus out.
"Sorry Jesus, I can't do what you are asking. I've made prior commitments." What a sorry excuse!
Where did you get your riches anyway? Almost everybody that has obtained riches, received the riches of the world. It is the devil who is handing out all that wealth. He is convincing people it is okay to bow down to the kingdoms of the world.
But Jesus turned down those same riches. He had the opportunity to obtain all the kingdoms of the world, but He said, "Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve" (Luke 4:8).
Remember,
gifts blind the wise (Deuteronomy 16:19). If you're receiving
benefits from the devil, then sorry, Charlie, you'll stumble right
past the Kingdom of Heaven.
Imagine going to God and saying, "Use me. I am a finished pot. I'm beautifully glazed with circles and swirlies all over me."
You present yourself to God as a perfect pot. And God looks at you and sees that you are not made in His image. "What! I can't use you. You're a finished pot designed for another purpose. Where's a lump of clay? Give me the raw clay and then I'm interested" (Jeremiah 18:6).
Jesus opened His ministry by saying, "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." And what does repent mean? It means to strip it all away. Get rid of all your sins. Get rid of your attachments. Get rid of your debt. Get rid of your concerns. Start over. You're not going to enter the Kingdom unless you are willing to leave it all behind. Zero is what Jesus wants. Only nothing will do (See Luke 12:32-34).