Happy Reformation Day

Greetings from HomeWorship 101™

“Unless I am convicted by scripture and plain reason,

I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils,

for they have contradicted each other,

my conscience is captive to the Word of God.

I cannot and I will not recant anything

for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. God help me. Amen.”

- Martin Luther’s defense at his Catholic inquisition, April 1521.

The western world knows October 31 is Halloween, but what is seldom mentioned is that it is also the day the Protestant Reformation began. In the Protestant world the day should be a celebrated because the birth of all the Protestant/Sabbath keeping/Sacred Name/Messianic, etc. churches was made possible by the unfolding events beginning on this day in 1517. Unfortunately, this day is hardly mentioned, because the idea of turning away from bad habits and adopting new ones is probably one of the hardest Biblical mandates to accomplish – that is because Satan hates people getting closer to their CREATOR YHWH.

I often say, critically thinking is a lost art. Think about it, what does the term “Protestant” Christian mean? Most do not even know that October 31, is their holiday. It’s really a shame because so much blood was spilt to break the chains of religious dictatorship, give the world the Bible, and give most of the western world religious freedom. America was founded as a Protestant nation, and it was a very important step in government, but watch the news today; you will not hear anything regarding the great Reformation movement – not even from the pulpits of the American Christian churches! In my humble opinion, at the very least this day should be called Religious Freedom Day! Unfortunately, the only thing you will hear a lot about is Halloween, and that’s pitiful. (The stories of the Bible translators and Protestant reformers are heartbreaking, read through chapters 9-20 of Fox’s Book of Martyrs for the complete story.)

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world,

the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.

Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

- George Bernard Shaw

Most know of the story of Martin Luther the lawyer/scholar turned Catholic monk, who in 1517 C.E. sounded the call to religious change in an unchanging world by calling for a debate on his 95 theses of church reform. To make his theses public, he daringly posted them on the castle church door in Wittenburg, Germany, and by his act he unknowingly ignited a religious explosion called the Protestant Reformation. His 95 points of reform rebukes various traditions added on to YAHWEH’S Law by the feudalistic Roman Catholic Church. As always, challenging the Roman status quo was done at your own peril. Luther would have been branded a heretic and swept away to a dark jail cell like many before him, but paper making and moveable type were invented in his time, and his open letters of debate appearing in print for all to see helped fuel the protesting movement against the dogmatic Roman Catholic rule.

All of today’s New Testament Believers owe the unreasonable Martin Luther a debt of thanks or we would all still be Catholics. Unfortunately, most of the churches have forgotten their history. The term Protestant Christian means, “protesting Christians.” They protest against the dictatorial rule of a centralized religious authority. They protest against any human being placed between them and GOD. And they stand for the right of anyone to have a copy of the Holy Scriptures in their native language for personal study.

“I hate, I despise your feast days,

And I do not savor your sacred assemblies.

Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,

I will not accept them,

Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.

Take away from Me the noise of your songs,

For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.

But let justice run down like water,

And righteousness like a mighty stream.”

- Amos 5:14-15, 21-24

Protesting against dictatorial religious leadership goes way back. Martin Luther is only one man in a long line of religious leaders pleading with the faithful and religious hierarchy to reform their pagan tainted spiritual habits and festivals. Reformation was a common topic preached by the Prophets YHWH sent to ancient Israel. Unfortunately, like today, the people didn’t want to hear it. They mostly ignored their Prophets, and sometimes the ancient Israelites even killed them for suggesting it. Yahshua was also a Prophet of His FATHER YHWH with a startling frank message of reform to His contemporaries. In my strange way of looking at the world I believe that Christ, His Apostles, and the very-first Christians, were Protestant - protesting - Jews! Most Christians forget that Christ and the Apostles also protested against the dictatorial rule of the rabbis. They believed in an educated laity, not a subjugated one. They believed in building a personal relationship with YHWH, as opposed to the rabbi’s demand for mute obedience to ritual purity.

"My greatest thought is my accountability to God."

- Daniel Webster

Martin Luther began the Protestant revolution and America was founded as a Protestant nation that honored our CREATOR instead of an earthly king, our founders boldly answered the GOD question for all the world to hear, but few today even know what the word Protestant means or represents. Generally, the religious powers to be do not like any talk of a protesting laity, being lovers of their own words the religious scholars, over time, covered up and smothered the original meaning of the Reformation movement. As regular readers of my work know, I specialize in removing the layers of tradition and get down to the pure original truths. The pure Protestant beliefs or concepts are a philosophy not a religion, and the Protestant philosophy still causes some hand ringing amongst the traditional Jews, Catholics, and other religious leaders who want to control people via dogmatic purity and mute obedience.

If you think about it, it really doesn’t matter if the majority of a nation is Jewish, Christian, or Muslim, the Protestant concept that GOD equally grants rights ‘directly to every human’ which no mere mortal can take away, and free people join together to form a representative republic government, can be applied to any nation – Israel, Iran, Iraq, etc. - regardless of their religious affiliations. Unfortunately today, as in ancient times, the majority of the political and religious leadership is reluctant to give up their control over the people, and therein lays their hypocrisy. They are in business for themselves, and not for the good of the people – nor our CREATOR & Messiah.

America’s founding principles and documents were the result of powerful, GOD-fearing politicians along with powerful preachers. They boldly stood up for Biblical principles, they boldly preached them, they struggled to live by them, and they refused to back down from them – even in face of death. America’s revolution has been called a “pulpit revolution,” because it was inspired by great men (and women) of GOD who recognized evil and boldly preached about it. There was no gray area, only the black and white of Biblical truth (log on: http://www.gracegems.org/ ). The nagging question is what happened to these great preachers who motivated the masses to our CREATOR? What a difference two centuries makes – Satan has been busy, and the church leaders combined with affluence and the corporatization of the 501(c)3 church culture, have lost their way. The sad facts are, that today, surveys report more America’s have no religion. I’ll quote some of the headlines:

By Pastor Chuck Baldwin, June 11, 2005, NewsWithViews.com

We often hear pastors, radio preachers, and televangelists refer to the great prophets and Apostles of the Bible. Rightly, these Bible characters are lauded as examples for today's Christians. The problem is, hardly any of those giants of history would be welcome in America's churches today!

On the whole, America's Christians today do not want to hear the truth. They want a place where they can be made to feel good, where they can be entertained, where they can socialize and make business contacts, and where their children can have a place to play.

To many Christian parents, it is far more important that their church have a gymnasium and constant youth programs than it is that their children hear the truth of God's Word and learn the rigorous disciplines of a Christian life. Recreation is far more important to them than Bible study. In fact, most parents seem to believe that the only way to "keep the kids in church" is to have constant, non-stop entertainment. Of course, it doesn't work.

Furthermore, it seems that most of today's sermons amount to little more than "Positive Mental Attitude," feel-good drivel: "How to think better about yourself," "How to squander more money on yourself," "How to 'find yourself,'" "How to pamper yourself," ad nauseum, ad infinitum. Comparing the preaching and philosophy of most churches today to that of Bible characters will quickly reveal how unbiblical our churches have become.

"The DEADLY VIRUS of CELEBRITY CHRISTIANITY"

-by J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma magazine (July 27).

Some bigheaded preachers demand rock star treatment. If the apostle Paul were around today he might throw rocks at them.

Just when I thought we charismatics had finally taken enough abuse from the egomaniac ministers in our midst, I've learned that some of our leaders are taking things to a new extreme. We've moved beyond the red carpets, limousines and entourages of the 1990s. A new strain of the celebrity virus is spreading in large segments of the church.

"What is this sickness spreading in the body of Christ? All I know

is that God is grieved by all of this shameful carnality."

Some Churches concerned with their fading ranks now believe it is a marketing issue - oy vey, the mishegoss of religion.

Churches Get Religion on Marketing

Number of Nonbelievers Is Rising,

but Is Marketing the Solution or Problem?

By Beth Snyder Bulik, published: May 11, 2009, (AdAge.com)

"We're so used to having our products created for us that fill our needs ... that it makes all of the sense in the world we'd expect the same from our faith," – Mara Epstein

Faith as brand
"Look at the parallels between religion and marketing, and it's almost identical. People become attached to a religion in the same way someone takes on a brand," said Mara Epstein, author of "Brands of Faith," and associate professor of media studies at Queens College. She and others contend that it is marketing, and our consumerist society, that has given people the idea they have a divine right to choose whatever they like -- and to treat faiths just like they'd treat any other brands, switching religions or choosing to have none.

Hate crimes legislation is a method used to control those who would be prone to use violence against those they disagree with regarding race, religion, and sex orientation. Violence is wrong, there are laws against it no mater what the provocation, but hate crimes laws silence free speech and that is also problematic. Reasonable people should be able to discuss, debate, and argue their point – that is freedom of speech, but the real motive is to silence the pulpits.

Obama signs 'hate-crimes' bill into law
'It's a very sad day for America and for religious liberties'

By Chelsea Schilling, WorldNetDaily (wnd.com), October 28, 2009.

A "hate crimes" bill opponents claim will be used to crack down on Christian speech, even the reading of the Bible, was signed into law today by President Obama. Prior to signing the act into law, Obama spoke briefly of the hate crimes bill. "After more than a decade, we've passed inclusive hate-crimes legislation to help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love, how they pray or who they are," he said. "I promised Judy Shepard when she saw me in the Oval Office that this day would come, and I'm glad that she and her husband, Dennis, could join us for this event. I'm also honored to have the family of the late Sen. Ted Kennedy who fought so hard for this legislation. I just want you all to know how proud we are of the work that Ted did to help make this day possible."

American Family Association President Tim Wildmon warned that the new law "creates a kind of caste system in law enforcement, where the perverse thing is that people who engage in non-normative sexual behavior will have more legal protection than heterosexuals. This kind of inequality before the law is simply un-American."

Wildmon said the legislation creates possible situations where pastors may be arrested if their sermons on sexuality can be linked in even the remotest way to acts of violence.

"It threatens free speech and freedom of religion and is totally unacceptable," he said.

It a sad fact that today, the colonist preaches and our founding fathers would be considered ultra right wing radicals and marginalized, if not imprisoned – YHYW help us.

Do not let your religion keep you from a truth!

The spiritual goal is to return to Biblical Christianity, as modeled by Yahshua and the Apostles. Today the mainline Protestant churches may have some slight variation on theology, but generally they still mirror the holidays and habits of the Catholic Church. For example, the Easter and Christmas holidays, Sunday worship and the design of the service, church buildings, special robes, pulpits, browbeating sermons, using fear of damnation, etc., are from the Roman church, not from Yahshua’s’ first-century church. Even the spirit of Roman-control still manifests itself in the Protestants bishops. The laity may elect them, but once elected many backslide into becoming protestant dictators over their followers. Surely in the past 480 years there has been enough time to study the Bible, learn from Biblical archeology, and find more points of reform – but Satan has been busy.

The early believers would say: When I pray, I talk to GOD; when I study, GOD talks to me. They would verify their teachers lessons, as it says in Acts 17:11 “. . . in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so;” only then would they share their new found truths with others. They would trust no one with their spiritual guidance but YHWH! And wants it that way, it is the lesson of Palm Sundays, GOD-test, examine your doctrine carefully.

“… come let us reason together.” – Isaiah 1:18

We do not change Yahweh's message - His message changes us! One must remember we are learning about YHWH’s plan of salvation – not mans idea of salvation. Learning YHWH’s higher spiritual truths shouldn’t start wars or break families apart – that only happens when the influential are afraid of losing their power over the people. I named my company “White Stone Communications” because when I learned of YAHWEH’s real spiritual truths and mysteries I discussed them with my wife and then we adopted them (we put off our old life and began anew). For my wife and I it has been a fascinating journey of learning. Learning about YHWH’s Covenants, learning about YHWH’s Holy Days, learning about YHWH’s Spiritual Power-tools, and learning about YHWH’s plan to save us from the evil chaos of this world has been a great comfort to us. All the spiritual lessons point to YHWH’S Kingdom and understanding them brings us peace. Peace of the mind, peace of the heart, peace for the growth of the spirit, peace in our house, peace in our community, and peace to our nation. The greatest joy any soul can experience is sharing this knowledge with someone else.

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”

- IIIJohn 4

Enjoy the journey of learning…

Ø Belief in GOD is NOT a Religion: http://www.homeworship101.com/NL_2003_11.htm

Ø Ego Religion: http://www.homeworship101.com/wp_ego_religion.htm

Ø Thinking Persons Religion; http://www.homeworship101.com/NL_2005_01.htm

Ø Spiritual Warfare: http://www.homeworship101.com/bkspirtural_warfare.htm

Ø Covenant Theology: http://www.homeworship101.com/NL_2006_02.htm

Please remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and for all those who stand with Israel (Ps.122).

Take care. Peace and blessings, Errol.

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Errol Mueller, chronicler extraordinaire

e-mail: errol@homeworship101.com

website: www.homeworship101.com

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WSC Newsletter 2009-12, posted 10/30/09.

Copyright © 2009 Errol Mueller. All rights reserved. Short quotations, page copying, or redistribution for personal or non-commercial group study is permitted and encouraged, provided they are copied in total with no alterations or deletions. Author’s name, website address, and copyright notice must be included. If any other use is desired, written permission is required.

For information, email or call (334) 678-0913. White Stone Communications (Rev.2:17), Dothan, AL.

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Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible.

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Reformation - Religious Freedom - Day

Greetings from HomeWorship 101™

"The DEADLY VIRUS of CELEBRITY CHRISTIANITY"

Churches Get Religion on Marketing