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Books by the author:
Listening to Ourselves: The Key to Everything that Matters Discover Truth and Be Free Life’s Greatest Lesson: The Message Jesus Intended for Us Commune With Your Heart: The Only Way to Find Peace, Joy and Happiness The Truth About The Gospel: How to Find Peace, Joy, and Happiness Peace, Truth, Love and Joy: What the Bible Is All About For Information about these books, click here: Book Information
<<>> To see what readers have said about the author's previous writings, click the following link. Unlike testimonials some publishers use, these comments were unsolicited. Click here: Comments
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The Gospel that Jesus Intended for Us
The gospel Jesus preached would bring us peace, joy, and happiness if we understood, believed and did what Jesus said. Unfortunately, fundamentalism has had a stranglehold on the teachings of Christianity for about 2,000 years, leading people astray from the gospel of the kingdom of God that Jesus preached. Fundamentalists say the gospel is the good news about the man Jesus. Simply put, the gospel is what Jesus preached and what he commanded his disciples to preach. Jesus said to his disciples, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned” (Mark 16: 15-16). What Jesus said is worth emphasizing: If we believed and did what Jesus said, we would be saved; we would have inner serenity, peace, joy, and happiness … what everyone inherently desires. Jesus also said to his disciples, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations … teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you” (Mathew 28:19-20). Note that Jesus said, “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” Jesus did not command his disciples to teach things fundamentalists teach. As it is, people are doing today what Jesus said people were doing about 2,000 years ago: “People honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups, and many other such like things ye do. … Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition” (Mark 7:6-9). Jesus said, “The law and the prophets were until John; since that time the kingdom of God is preached” (Luke 16:16). One of the things that Jesus made clearer than any other biblical teacher is that the kingdom of God (heaven) is within us. Jesus said, "The kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:21). Does your religious teacher make this clear? Or, does he/she make it seem that Jesus meant something other than what he said? The apostle Paul said, “The kingdom of God is righteousness, and peace, and joy” (Romans 14:17). Where else can we find peace — where else can we find heaven — except within ourselves? Remember Jesus said heaven is within us. And heaven is characterized by peace and joy ... what everyone inherently desires. Jesus said, “Seek, and ye shall find” (Luke 11:9). Jesus also said, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all things will be added” (Matthew 6:33). All things include peace and joy. Think about it: If the gospel of the kingdom of God — the gospel of peace — that Jesus preached had been taught during the past 2,000 years, it is possible that we would have peace and harmony within us, our families, our nation and the entire world. After all, an abundant life of peace and joy is the kind of life that Jesus and other biblical teachers wanted their followers to live—the kind of life that everyone inherently desires to live. As a reminder, Jesus said, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones who believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). Aren’t we long overdue for knowing the truth about the following topics?
Note what Jesus said. Simply put, if we do not believe — and do — what Jesus said, we are not a Christian. Have your religious teachers taught you how: To clean the inside of the cup and the platter? How to seek ye first the kingdom of God? How to purify your heart? How to wash your heart from wickedness? How to be transformed by the renewing of your mind? How to cast the devils from your heart? How to discover the truth that makes you free? We would be saved, we would be perfect, and we would have inner serenity, peace, joy, and happiness if we did any one of those things. And to put things in perspective, we would be saved if we believed and did what the prophets of the Old Testament said. For example, we would be saved if we did what Jeremiah said, “Wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved” (Jeremiah 4:14), or if we did what Moses said, “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and ye shall be holy.” (Leviticus 20:7). To be sanctified is to be saved, and notice that we would be holy ... we would be perfect. The apostle Paul said: “All scripture [the entire Bible] is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Note the purpose of all scripture: That the man of God may be perfect. The man of God is one who believes and does what Jesus and other biblical teachers said. When we are perfect, our heart is pure. When our heart is pure, we are saved, and we have inner serenity, peace, joy, and happiness. And that is what the entire Bible is all about. This is all made abundantly clear in the book, Peace, Truth, Love and Joy: What the Bible Is All About. For information about this book, click here: Book Information When you read that book, you might realize that for about 2,000 years fundamentalism has impeded people from finding their way to God. Aren’t we long over due for understanding who sent Jesus and why he was sent? For understanding clearly why Jesus died on the cross? For discovering the truth that makes us free? For knowing what will save us? For understanding that we must be as perfect as Jesus said to be? … all made clear in the subject book. In a way, it’s understandable why fundamentalists believe what they believe. Old beliefs have been drummed into us since childhood; they are so firmly embedded that many people become stiff-necked, a biblical expression referring to people who are closed minded to the truth teachings of Jesus and other biblical teachers. One thing that helped me correct some of the false beliefs of fundamentalists is using a computer and software with the Bible on it. I searched for selected words and phrases. For example, I searched for the words peace and joy and related words such as: rejoice (rejoicing), happy, gladness, bless (blessed) and salvation. These words appear more than a thousand times in the Bible. Clearly, being perfect and finding peace, truth, love, and joy is what the Bible is all about. I also searched for the words heaven, hell, and the phrase kingdom of God (same thing as heaven). These words and the phrase kingdom of God (heaven) appear 815 times in the Bible. I did not find any passages that indicate that heaven and hell are places where people go after they die … what fundamentalists teach. Remember, Jesus said, “The kingdom of God [heaven] is within you.” The book mentioned above explains clearly what we must do to discover the truth that makes us free. It also clarifies some old false fundamentalist beliefs that have been handed down for generations—false beliefs that impede us from finding our way to God ... that impede us from discovering the truth that makes us free. For example, learn the truth about the passage in John 3:16, perhaps the most often quoted — and the most misinterpreted passage — in the Holy Bible. As things are today — in this 21st century — there are those who believe that Jesus actually walked on water. In all their studying, fundamentalists do not seem to understand that the passage about Jesus walking on the sea is based on a vision. The contents of visions are not reality. Visions are similar to dreams. Biblical teachers learned considerably from visions. We too could learn from visions, if only we would be still and commune with our heart—what David the Psalmist said to do. Learn the truth about the end of the world. To begin with, end of the world is not the end of the world as we typically think about the end of the world. Jesus let us know when peace and harmony will permeate the entire world … if only fundamentalists and other religious teachers began teaching what Jesus and other biblical teachers said. Peace begins when suffering ends. We have peace when we understand, believe — and do — what Jesus and other biblical teachers said. Let’s face it: Our troubled, fragmented, dysfunctional families, our troubled nation, and the very world itself are in need of a healing. Our families and our nation are in decline spiritually, socially, and morally. Biblical teachings would heal us if only we understood, believed, and did what biblical teachers said to do … what we must do to enjoy the kind of life everyone inherently desires. Truth has the power for transforming our families, our nation and the very world itself ... if only we would discover the truth that makes us free. Truth would heal us; truth would save us; truth is the way. Jesus said, "I am the way." If we do an in-depth study of the sayings of Jesus (and what other biblical teachers said), we realize that we can substitute the word truth for the personal pronoun I. Again, it’s all made clear in the book, Peace, Truth, Love and Joy: What the Bible Is All About. For information about this book and other books by the author, click here: Book Information To see a review of the book, Peace, Truth, Love and Joy: What the Bible Is All About, click here: Review
The following article is must reading. As it is, we are headed toward being utterly wasted (language of Isaiah). Changing the direction in which we are headed could be one of the easiest things our leaders have ever done.
Peace Versus War — We Have the Choice
Peace begets peace. War begets war. The only way to achieve a lasting peace is by peaceful means, rather than trying to achieve peace by war and the threats of war. We will never achieve a genuine, lasting peace by negotiating with clinched fists and keeping all options on the table (a form of threat).
Learn the truth! Our leaders would have us believe that they are looking out after us. In the name of doing things in the interest of national security, they are leading us down the path to being utterly wasted (language of the prophet Isaiah). Think about it: We like to think that we are a peace loving nation. Why are we in the crosshairs of more nuclear weapons than any other nation in the world. The same explanation for being in a threatening position with Iran is the same explanation for many nations despising us and the explanation for us getting into one messy morass after another.
Learn the truth! Iranian President, Ahmadinejad, could be our friend rather than an enemy—if we let him be. He would like for all nations to get rid of nuclear weapons. Further, he did not say that Israel should be wiped off the map ... all made clear in the subject essay.
To read the entire article click here: Peace versus War
Disclaimer The opinions expressed in this website are for informational use only. They are not intended as a substitute for professional help. Anyone seeking or in need of help regarding physical and/or mental health are advised to seek the services of professionals. The publisher and author of this website disclaim all liability for the use of the information contained on this website. Copyright © 2007-2010 by Dwight Nichols Comments and questions are welcome. My email address is:
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