IF SAVED BY GRACE IT CAN NOT BE BY WORKS!- Rom.11

As in all of Paul’s letters, here too he is emphasizing that salvation is by grace and not by works. Doing so because the flesh naturally gravitates toward works when trying to attain anything. So the problem with the flesh is that it works to attain what it wants. And not that it is evil in and of itself as so many falsely proclaim. And this works oriented nature is why Paul says in Rom.8 the flesh is at enmity with the spirit. And why in Rom.9 Paul cites where God said Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated to illustrate this enmity. So in vs.1 what causes Paul to ask whether God has forsaken Israel in the first few verses of this chapter? It is because he is following up on what he said in ch 10.…

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Edward O’Hara: WOLVES IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING; QUESTIONS WE MUST ASK- 2Cor.5:19

By Edward O’Hara, The idea of questioning long held political and religious beliefs is happening now more than at any other time in history. The question is, is this a good method to use for finding truth? My answer to that is, what other way is there? Not in a hateful or rebellious way. But, in an inquiring way. Because we have to question things to know whether they are true. Especially the things we may have come to believe are true before we came to trust in Jesus. This is why Paul says we need to renew our minds in Rom.12:1,2. And in this endeavor I have found the Bible to be 100% accurate 100% of the time. In all areas of study, everything the Bible says has so far for me proven itself to be absolutely and unequivocally…

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Watchman Daily Devotional: Everything We Have Is a Gift From the Most High God. All We Accomplish Is Because of Him. All the Good We Do Is Because He Made It Possible. In Everything Good That We Do, the Honor Should Go to God Alone

Genesis 14:22-23 Abram told the king of Sodom that he had made a promise to God Most High not to accept anything from him, to prevent any accusations of being benefited by the king. A group of foreign rulers conquered and looted the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot and his family were taken captive. Abram’s men and his allies chased down and defeated the enemy in a battle under the cover of darkness. All the treasures seized from the city were retrieved, along with the captives, including Lot and his family. Upon Abram’s return, the king of Sodom asked for the people but permitted Abram to retain the goods. Abram refused the gifts as he had made a commitment not to accept anything to avoid any accusations of being enriched by Sodom. Abram received the Lord’s blessing. Abram was…

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WHY BELIEVING YOU MUST KEEP THE LAW MEANS YOU ARE SHUT UP FROM A SAVING FAITH- Gal.3:23-26

By Edward O’Hara , As I have said many times before. If you are defining sin by what the law says you are in the wrong covenant. The reason this is so very important for we who profess to believe in Jesus is that being in the wrong covenant keeps us from knowing Him and having the eternal life that is only made possible by knowing Him. This is why Paul said in Gal.3:23 while Israel was under the law they were “shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.” A faith that Paul says in Rom.10:17 “comes by hearing. And hearing by the word of God.” To show that faith for eternal life is only found in the New Covenant. And could not be found in the Old. Which is why we see that those in the…

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THE ‘HOW TO’ AND ‘HOW NOT TO’ OF THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION!- 2Cor.5:19

By Edward O’Hara, Adam was only flesh when he was made. Even with the knowledge of good and evil he was still only flesh. This is why God wouldn’t allow him to continue to eat from the tree of life to live forever. Because…. “Flesh and blood can not inherit the kingdom of God”. 1Cor.15:56 Adam was an earth suit. A living soul that was only equipped to live here on earth. Made of flesh alone and without spirit. But, because God ultimately wants man in heaven with Him. And heaven is a spiritual kingdom. This is why Adam was placed in circumstances where he was to most likely eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This would give to him free will and dominion, in a place surrounded by choices he was not yet fully…

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“The Fall”? “The Curse”? What Does The Bible Really Say? A “Curse”? A “Fall”?

Edward O’Hara Why is it that we hear so many using such hyperbole? Is it hyperbole? Or is it Biblical language? Is this language found anywhere in the Bible from which we may conclude anything like this? When we read the Genesis account do we ever see God using this language? Do we see God using “The curse” or “The fall” in connection to what happened to Adam and Eve? Does God say Adam and Eve were cursed? Or that they “fell” from anything? Do any of the writers of the scriptures use these terms to describe what happened to Adam and Eve? Let’s take a look. You may be surprised at what we find. We’ll start with Genesis and then also see what Paul says about this.  But first, let me give you something to consider that will be answered later…

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WOLVES IN SHEEP’S CLOTHING; ANOTHER QUESTION, NAUGHTY VS NICE? OR NATURAL VS SPIRITUAL?- Gen.2:7

By Edward  O’Hara In this message I am going to give one more example of the many questions I asked of the scriptures that led me to the truth about why we need Jesus and what the atonement was really for. It’s so important that we know it’s ok to ask questions. Whether it be of the overseer or bishop. Of Jesus. Or of anyone regarding the things of God. These questions will help us make informed decisions about the truths we are learning. After which we will look at the main progenitor of the false doctrine of original sin that all churches teach. And why even according to his own disciple’s interpretation of the scriptures he could not even have been a believer. As I continued seeking the Lord about the things that just didn’t add up Biblically between…

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HOW THE “MYSTERY HID FROM ALL AGES PAST” TELLS US WHEN THE CHURCH WILL BE “CAUGHT UP”

Edward O’Hara Did you know that Paul’s teaching that he calls “the mystery that was hidden from ages past” in Col.1 speaks of the church leaving this place for heaven?  We can only see this when we understand correctly who the “he who withholds” is that Paul says holds back “the man of sin” so he will be revealed “in his time” in 2Thes.2:6-9. This is a clue to the timing of the “caught up” that is our blessed hope. Because only in this dispensation do men have the indwelling Holy Spirit. So when that is to be no more then the rapture happens.  When we add to this the message in John16:7-11 where Jesus told the disciples He had to leave or the Holy Spirit could not come we see another clue to this timing. It is from this message, coupled…

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Watchman Daily Devotional, Be Joyful; Pray Always; Give Thanks; Yield To the Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; The author of the New Testament letters lists numerous imperative, present-tense demands multiple times. The Greek verb tense indicates that we need to follow each of these directions immediately. We are to be happy now and forever. It is a spiritual fruit. Happiness is not the same as joy. How could you be happy and cry with others who cry? Joy is considerably more than just your current emotional condition. It is the feeling you get when you think your loving Father is in control of everything. Happiness in the face of adversity is a potent sign that your faith is genuine. The second directive is…

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SEEKING TRUTH? DON’T FALL FOR THE HARLOT’S GNOSTIC LIES- MT.12:33-37

By Edward O’Hara Fruit is not works and works are not fruit. So when you read Mark4 or Mt.13 or Luke8 where Jesus taught about the sower sowing the word, or anywhere fruit is spoken of in the Bible in regard to what believers are expected to produce, we need to be aware of this. The gnostic believes that his flesh is evil. And there is no redemption for it. When he is done with it he believes he will have ascended from it to become one with the divine. As a gnostic Augustine read this belief directly into the Genesis narrative. This is what Pelagius, a contemporary with Augustine and his most ardent protagonist, discovered as he heard Augustine proclaiming his beliefs. Finding that it was when Adam sinned by eating the fruit that his flesh and all of…

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