For any who may be interested in a brief history of the King James Bible by Dr. Laurence M. Vance, click here . You may learn why many consider it to be the truest word of God.

The most common excuse that leads most baby Christians astray is: “The King James Version is hard to understand, and this version makes it easier for me.” In innocence they are taking a very dangerous step into an evil realm. “Do you pray and ask God’s Holy Spirit to give you understanding before you read?” There are also wonderful tools to help with understanding  words and their origins. For example, “The Strongest Strong’s Concordance for the KJV” and “The Interlinear Bible – Hebrew, Greek, and English”. The Interlinear Bible points to the Strong’s Concordance as well. I have found a wonderful KJV Life Application Study Bible that I find very helpful.

Most people are not doing the needed research to learn the truth about these other versions. There are words, phrases and complete verses left out. They have also twisted some of God’s word becoming blasphemous.

When my eyes were first opened to the deceit in these other versions, it was to this scripture that is tainted in the NIV version, for one: Isaiah 14:12 (NIV) “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!” Compare to the KJV: “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!” I have one NIV Bible so that I can see for myself the great distortion. It is completely obvious when you compare it with KJV.

Who does the true word of God say is the Morning Star: Revelation 22:16 “I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.” The NIV has changed scripture to read that satan is the morning star. What blatant blasphemy! Again, it serves satan’s purpose. For more on how the NIV perverts the word of God click here.

The NIV removes 63,625 words. That is equal to removing Obadiah, Jonah, Haggai, Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, Hebrews, James, 1 & 2 Peter, 1, 2, & 3 John, Jude and more! Go Here for more facts about this and other versions or Here. Do not just take my word for it.

I would give a strong reminder: Deuteronomy 4:2,3 “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you. Your eyes have seen what the Lord did because of Baal-peor: for all the men that followed Baal-peor, the Lord thy God hath destroyed them from among you.”

AND

Revelation 22:18 “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: and if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”

We HAVE to treat God’s word with great respect so that we do not alter its message, even accidentally. I believe those who intentionally distort the word of God will stand and give account to God for doing so. This is very serious indeed.

“I must under God denounce every attachment to the New American Standard Version. I’m afraid I’m in trouble with the Lord . . . I wrote the format . . . I wrote the preface. When you see the preface to the New American Standard, those are my words . . . it’s wrong, it’s terribly wrong; it’s frightfully wrong . . . The deletions are absolutely frightening . . . there are so many . . . Are we so naive that we do not suspect satanic deception in all of this?” The words of Dr. Frank Logsdon, Co-founder, New American Standard Version.

I have seen “The Greatest Story Ever Told” many times over the years, and though it is a beautiful rendition of Jesus’ adult life and death, I know that it is a watered-down version of what He really went through. The part where they have Jesus nailed to the cross and stand it up and thump it into its whole brings me to tears every single time I see it. So I was not sure I would be able to make it through such a graphic portrayal as The Passion until now. Or so I thought; sigh.

I learned years ago that Jesus was literally beaten to an unrecognizable state, but to watch this take place for nearly two hours was totally devastating for me. I could barely breathe when He lay on his stomach; one arm chained to a stump, as they ripped his flesh on the back of his body open with the Cat of Nine Tails, and then turned him on his back and did the same to the front of him. He never once cried out. The actor played Jesus to a T as far as I am concerned. The look of love in his eyes when he caught the soldiers’ eyes as he took our stripes, clearly spoke, “I do this for you.”

I made myself sit through the movie, trying to choke back the sobs, while yelling, “Stop! Stop! Enough!” at the Romans who were spitting on Jesus, kicking him, mocking him, and whipping him all the way down the road to Golgotha. I tried to tell myself that this was a stark reminder of how really filthy and heinous our sin is to God and that our sin requires a sinless blood sacrifice. I contemplated the fact that they sacrificed animals in Old Testament times, but I thought, “They did not torture those animals, they just killed them. Stop torturing my Lord!”

For a while I was angry because I felt that God let it go on for too long. He is, after all God, He could have stopped it. Then I was furious that the Roman general only gave Jesus temporary reprieve when he told the other soldiers, “I said to punish him, not scourge him to death.” I have never had such a difficult time watching a movie before in my entire life. It is beyond amazing to me that He even lived to make it to the top of the hill. Yes, I know, He rose again on the third day, and I am oh, so happy that He did. I just wish He did not have to suffer as He did.

I shared my feelings (very strongly) with some dear sisters in the early morning ours of our recent church Ladies Retreat. Miss Bonnie gently reminded me that had Jesus just simply been put to death, it would not have the impact it does to save souls. I had to agree with her, but gee what does that say about us. Another sweet sister said something that finally got through to me, duh. It was something like this, “Remember that Satan was controlling those Romans and others who wanted Jesus crucified. He had many blinded. BUT, Jesus has the victory. He rose on the third day.” It was like it was the devil’s party. He is pure evil and what they did to my Lord was pure evil. Our sin is also pure evil.

I am overwhelmingly grateful that Jesus Christ paid the price that I could never pay for my sins. At the same time, I am so utterly sorry that I have such a sinful nature that required Him to go to such lengths for me. I am devastated to sobs when I think about the horrible beatings and mutilation He endured for my sake, but I will not dwell on that. I will be ever so thankful to the point that there are just no words to express my gladness that He thwarted that devil’s party and came back to life.

I find this scripture a great comfort, especially at this time of the year:

John 14: 1-3 (KJV) “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

Jesus was the first to die and rise again, and when I die, I will rise to be with Him. With the signs we see in our world today, I may not even have to die, but be caught up to Him with The Rapture. “Even so, come Lord Jesus.”

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL!

Please enjoy this wonderful video set to “How Great Thou Art” sung by Alan Jackson. My Blessing to all this day: Ultimate Freedom

I know that the Bible says there will be a great “falling away” in 2 Thessalonians 2:3, then it states, “that man of sin be revealed”. My heart pleads for people on this earth to turn from their sin and turn to God before it is too late. I just am not convinced that we are going to see the needed revival, especially in this great United States, before the Rapture of God’s church.

I do not believe that the “Emerging Church” that Rick Warren, Dan Kimball, and Dr. Robert Webber are so excited about is offering true revival either. I rather agree with Roger Oakland from Understanding the Times:

“It appears to me the “Emerging Church” of the present era and the church that emerged after the New Testament was written are one and the same. Remember the words of Paul as recorded in the book of Acts: “For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them” (Acts 20: 29-30).” Click here to read more. It would appear that these ‘modern’ church leaders are actually wolves in sheep’s clothing.

As Christians we are told to ‘Watch for the Lord’. If we  listen to the daily news and compare it to what God’s Word tells us to watch for, we can see that the world is poised perfectly for the Rapture of the Church, the days of great tribulation, and Jesus’ return to fight and end the Battle of Armageddon.

Not only are we to be observing the times, but we are told to be ready for the Lord’s return. Luke 12:35-40 (KJV) “Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.”

“Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.”

“And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.”

What signs are we to look for? Jesus said in Luke 21:10, 11 “Then said He unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:” (Over the years we have seen World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam, and the latest in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and pending Iran as well as the situation with Israel.)

“and great earthquakes shall be in divers places” (in 2004 Southeast Asia was hit by a great tsunami, then another one hit Samoa in 2009, California is always experiencing earthquakes, and the recent one in Haiti will claim hundreds of thousands of lives.)

“and famines (the UN’s World Food Program says that more than 800 million people are starving every day, and tens of thousands die from hunger), and pestilences (HIV pandemic in Africa, SARS, Bird Flu, Swine flu); and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from Heaven.”

“He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.” Revelation 22:20 (KJV).  Only God knows for sure when Jesus will return, but if we pay attention to what is happening in the world today, we can expect for Jesus to return at any moment.

Next time – Spiritual Deception, Persecution of God’s Church

Christians: get on our knees and pray in earnest and leave things in God’s hands. He is in control and He has a purpose.

Enjoy the video: