Choose Life by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2015, all rights reserved. Chapter 1 Consider this scripture verse-- "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose life, so that both you and your descendants will live..." (Deut 30:19) God gives us a choice. We can choose life or death. If you choose to live for pleasure, you're choosing death. If you choose to claw your way up the ladder of success like most of the world, you're choosing death. But if you choose to be God-fearing, and choose to live a life pleasing to God, you're choosing life. But, of course, we must read the Bible to find out what is pleasing to God. But, it's well worth the effort. People who can't find time for the Bible are putting their souls at risk. And after a lifetime of no time for the Bible, the most probable destination is hell. No one just accidentally goes to heaven. Jesus said, "You MUST be born again." (John chapt 3) More on this at the end of chapter 2 in this book. If you'll get born again, and build your life on the foundation of the words of Jesus, you're choosing life, and you'll wind up in heaven, instead of a nasty place called hell, where their worms don't die, and where the fire is never quenched, where there's crying and gnashing of teeth (says Jesus). And, according to the Bible, we will all go either to heaven or hell. In fact, Jesus said that most people go to hell-- "Enter in at the restricted gate, because wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and there are many that go in there, Because the gate is restricted, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." (Matt 7:13,14) The Lord went through a lot with the Children of Israel. He put up with their grumbling and murmuring and complaining. In fact, they got their leader, Moses, in trouble with the Lord by provoking Moses to anger, so that he spoke words displeasing to God. And the Lord wouldn't let Moses go into the promised land, but took him instead to heaven. God said that he wanted the kingdom of Israel to be Priests to the rest of the world. But they seem to have fallen short of that. Regarding a statement that Teacher Kenneth E. Hagin had made, I wanted to ask a Jew a Theological question. I already knew the answer, but I wanted to see what a Jew would say about it. A man wearing a Yarmulke on his head was riding the same bus that I was riding, and I asked my question. He gave me an evasive answer. Perhaps he thought I was trying to entrap him somehow. No, I just wanted an answer to my Theological question. I think about three Jews answered that way. They wouldn't give me a straight answer. And yet they were supposed to be Priests to the world. Finally, I met a "Jews for Jesus" man (a Christian Jew, a Messianic Jew.) That man gave me a straight answer. He gave me some information that I had been unaware of. That information helped to explain how Kenneth E. Hagin had blundered by saying that God never killed anyone yet. (Please see my book, "Does God Kill People?") Chapter 2 The Jews for Jesus man told me that a group of Jewish leaders and scholars had gotten together to see what they could do to avoid stepping on God's toes as much as they had in the past, and thus avoid unpleasant consequences. So, what they came up with was to dumb down the Hebrew language. So when this Howard something came into contact with Kenneth E. Hagin, Howard was probably talking in terms of the dumbed down Hebrew language, causing Hagin to think that there was no active tense of the verb "to kill" in the Hebrew language. But in the real Hebrew language, there has to be an active tense of the verb to kill, otherwise the one of the Ten Commandments (Exo chapt 20) that says, "You shall not kill" would be meaningless. And God wants everyone in the world to know that murder is sin. But dumbing down the Hebrew language is the wrong solution to the problem. The proper solution to avoid provoking God to anger is simply to do what God says to do in his book, the Bible. If you'll live according to the Bible, you'll do just fine. There's a long list of blessings and curses in Deut chapt 28. Here is the first verse of that chapter-- "And it shall occur, if you'll listen diligently to the voice of the Lord your God, to observe and to do all his commandments that I command you this day, that the Lord your God will set you on high above all nations of the earth... If we diligently do God's will, we get the blessings. Otherwise, we get the curses. Is that so complicated? You don't dumb down the language, you just choose to live pleasing to God. The Bible says that Moses was very meek. And regarding God, Moses said, "I exceedingly fear and tremble." Jesus said, "But I will warn you whom to fear, fear him, who after he has killed has the power to throw you into hell, yes I say to you, fear him." (Luke 12:5) A man might kill another man, but a murderer can't send anyone to hell. BUT GOD CAN AND DOES SEND PEOPLE TO HELL. The Bible says, "The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." (Psa 37:11) Moses' meekness was pleasing to God. May we all be pleasing to God, so that it goes well with us on the approaching Judgment Day. (book of Revelation) But Jesus summed up the Old Testament commandments with just two commandments. 1) You shall love the Lord you God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. 2) You shall love your neighbor like you love yourself. 35 Then one of them, who was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, 36 "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?" 37 Jesus said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it, you shall love your neighbor like yourself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matt chapt 22) I notice that the word strength doesn't appear in this passage in Matt chapt 22, so I'm remembering it from another of the four gospels. And that would be Luke chapt 10. But let us look in particular at one point of the Mosaic Law. Lev 17:11, ("...for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.") God requires the shedding of blood for our sins, to make us righteous, so that we can go to heaven. In the Old Testament (The Old Covenant), they killed and sacrificed animals for their sins. But we need not do that anymore because Jesus (Yeshua, Ha Meshia) is the ultimate, once and for all sacrifice, for the sins of the world. He knew no sin, but his blood was shed for the sins of the world. This does away with animal sacrifices for those who are born again Christians. A Jewish Christian is called a Messianic Jew. I met a man passing out literature in front of Macy's Plaza at 7th and Flower in Los Angeles. He was a member of an organization called Jews for Jesus, Messianic Jews. Thank God for their efforts to win Jews for Jesus. But it is my personal opinion that when God found fault with Moses for Moses' words, and wouldn't let him go into the promised land, the Lord latched onto a technicality, in mercy to Moses, to spare Moses from more grief from the Children of Israel. Troubles that the younger man, Joshua, had to deal with as Joshua led the Children of Israel into the promised land. The Lord gave Moses a better place to live. A wonderful place called heaven, where there's no sickness, and no pain, no more death, and nothing that defiles. No matter how good the promised land was, heaven beats the promised land. And when Moses arrived in Heaven, I'm sure that he immediately perceived that he was in a much better place than any place on earth. Psa 111:10 tells us that-- "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, a good understanding have all of those who do his commandments, his praise endures forever." If we'll be like Moses, and choose to be God-fearing, we'll be joining Moses in heaven. Jesus said, "You MUST be born again." (John chapt 3) To become a born again Christian, obey Romans 10:9,10-- "That if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you're saved. For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made for salvation." ___James chapter 1 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings. 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations, 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away. 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man, 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God. 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror, 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. ___James chapter 2 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also, 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool," 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have despised the poor. Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats? 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called? 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well, 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill." Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law. 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food, 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that? 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God." 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. ___James chapter 3 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies. 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants. 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a matter a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind, 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be. 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries? Or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh. 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace. ___James chapter 4 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members? 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask. 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts. 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God. 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?" 6 But he gives more grace. So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up. 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers. He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else? 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit," 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that." 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin. ___James chapter 5 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter. 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you. 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near. 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door. 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 See, we count them happy that endure. You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation. 13 Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven. 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good. 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him, 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.