GoBeDo Ministries

Weekend of Prayer and Fasting and Guest Post from Kay Marshall Strom

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:49:00 +0000

Salvation Army Sponsors

4th Annual International Weekend of

Prayer and Fasting

for Victims of Sexual Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery

September 25-27th concerned individuals across the world will join in prayer and fasting for the victims of sex trafficking and modern day slavery. In an effort to raise funds and awareness for this project, the Salvation Army is raising hands and hearts together in a special weekend dedicated to praying and fasting for the social injustices forced upon many individuals in our world today. For more information about this important project and other organizations partnering with The Salvation Army, go to the Salvation Army homepage.

For years, author Kay Marshall Strom has visited countries where human trafficking and modern day slavery run rampant. Her recent fiction release, The Call of Zulina, draws attention to the historical issues of slavery, that unfortunately continue today across the world and even in the United States of America. Through her diligence and commitment to help resolve inhumane issues revolving around slavery and trafficking Strom has become an expert in the field.

Stolen Identity
by Kay Marshall Strom

Enormous eyes in a bony-thin face, and a baggy green dress that dragged the ground. Because of all the cast-off children at the village school in India, the raggedy girl stood closest to our translator, he gently asked her, "What is your name?"

The girl stared.

"Your name. What is it?" the translator asked again.

The girl whispered her answer: "I have no name."

A child with no name. A little girl abandoned so young she could not even remember what her parents had called her. She grew up begging at the train platform, snatching up the scraps harried passengers dropped, watching other children picked off by traffickers. Now that she was seven or eight--perhaps even a scrawny nine--the traffickers had come for her. But the girl screamed and kicked and clawed so ferociously that someone called the police. Someone with clout, evidently, because the police came and pulled her away from the traffickers. Somebody in the crowd suggested that instead of putting the child in jail, the police might take her to the village school, which they did. They dropped her at the door and left.

Human trafficking, especially sex trafficking, is rampant around the world. We think of it as an eastern European problem, or Indian or Nepalese or Thai. It is. But it's also a Western problem. The U.S. State Department estimates between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the Untied States each year, but concede that the real number is far higher. According to the U.S. Justice Department's head of the new human trafficking unit, there is now at least one case of trafficking in every state.

The little girl with no name was fortunate that someone responded to her screaming pleas. What would you do if you heard a child shriek for help? Of course, if she were a trafficking victim in this country, she wouldn't likely scream or kick. She would probably shrink away in terror, or act submissively. You might see wounds--cuts, bruises, burns. Perhaps what would catch your attention would be the constant work: babysitting, cooking, washing dishes, scrubbing floors--never just being a child. Or maybe you couldn't say exactly what was wrong--only that something about the child's situation made you profoundly uneasy.

Please, please, if you suspect a person is being trafficked, call 911 and report it. Yes, it is okay. Yes, even it you are mistaken. In fact, eighteen states require citizens to report possible child abuse or neglect of any kind.

In the 1700s, Quakers led the fight against the African slave trade. In 1885, the Salvation Army took up the abolition banner, and since then it has led the fight against a different kind of slavery. More and more, 21st century abolitionists are followers of Christ determined to see slavery of all kinds ended in our day.

Oh yes... Before I left the school in India, I asked if we might give the little girl a name. She is now Grace.

About the Author:

Author Kay Marshall Strom has two great loves: writing and helping others achieve their own writing potential. Kay has written thirty-six published books including Daughters of Hope: Stories of Witness and Courage in the Face of Persecution and In the Presence of the Poor. She's also authored numerous magazine articles, and two screenplays. While mostly a nonfiction writer, the first book of her historical novel trilogy Grace in Africa has met with acclaim. Kay speaks at seminars, retreats, writers' conferences, and special events throughout the country and around the world. She is in wide demand as an instructor and keynote speaker at major writing conferences. She also enjoys speaking aboard cruise ships in exchange for exotic cruise destinations.

Schedule Kay for an interview or request her book for review by contacting Kathy Carlton Willis Communications at WillisWay@aol.com or call 956-642-6319.

Should Christians Drink? Wine in the Bible

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 10:53:00 +0000

There are many arguments among Christians about the use of alcohol. Some believe in total abstinence while others believe that alcohol can be used moderately. So what does the Bible say about the use of alcohol? One thing is certain, nothing has snapped more wedding rings, caused more violence in the home, crime, sickness and death.

As when we approach any study of a particular subject we must be careful not to build a doctrine on the basis of one or two scriptures. We have to look at all that God says on any one thing and take the sum of all the parts. We must also look at the context in which it is used.

In William Patton's book, Bible Wines, pg. 46 we quote: It should be constantly borne in mind that the Authorized Version was translated when the drinking usages were well-nigh universal. The translators, with the most honest purpose, faithfully according to their ability, rendered into English the original scriptures, but were nevertheless unintentionally and unconsciously influenced by the philosophy and usages of their day. We would not distrust, much less weaken, confidence in the Word of God. We should, however remind the reader that ONLY THE ORIGNAL TEXT IS INSPIRED; that no translation, much less no mere human interpretation, is ultimate authority.

The confusion is that on one hand God gives the wine as a blessing and also calls it a curse. How can something be both a blessing and a curse? Does this mean that one can drink in moderation? As long as we partake of a little then it's okay? So why doesn't the Bible say how much we can drink?

The wine that is a blessing
Isa 65:8 Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine (tirosh) is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it: so will I do for my servants' sakes, that I may not destroy them all.

The Hebrew word for harvested grape juice is tirosh and should be translated in every one of its 38 Old Testament occurrences as either fresh grape juice or harvested grape juice. The Authorized Version translated as 'wine' or 'new wine' are both misleading translations. The new wine that is a blessing was the product of the land in its natural state, the grape and its juice. It is unfermented.

Isa 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

Here God is giving milk and wine, both are blessings and nutritious. Both the milk and the wine (grape juice) are good for you.

Would the Lord give us something meant to be a blessing in the form of an intoxicating beverage? The Lord's Prayer: Mat 6:13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

The Temperance Bible Commentary by F. R. Lees and D. Burns pg. 24 "Tirosh is not wine at all, but the fruit of the vineyard in its natural condition."

Was fermented wine used at the Lord's Supper?
On the night of His betrayal, when celebrating the Passover with His disciples, Matthew 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
The wine represents the blood atonement at the Lord's Supper. It was the symbol of His shed blood for our sins. The bread representing His body was unleavened bread. All leaven and fermentation is excluded from the Passover for seven days, it is forbidden.

Psa 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Would the Lord allow a fermented wine to be used as the symbol of His atoning blood, He who saw no corruption? "Fermentation is to them always a symbol of "corruption."

Easton's Bible Dictionary
Heb. seor (Ex. 12:15, 19; 13:7; Lev. 2:11), the remnant of dough from the preceding baking which had fermented and become acid. (2.) Heb. hamets, properly "ferment." In Num. 6:3, "vinegar of wine" is more correctly "fermented wine." In Ex. 13:7, the proper rendering would be, "Unfermented things [Heb. matstsoth] shall be consumed during the seven days; and there shall not be seen with thee fermented things [hamets], and there shall not be seen with thee leavened mass [seor] in all thy borders." The chemical definition of ferment or yeast is "a substance in a state of putrefaction, the atoms of which are in a continual motion."
Fruit of the vine:
(2.) The fruit of the vine, "vintage-fruit" (Heb. tirosh); grapes, whether moist or dried.

Josephus calls the freshly squeezed grape juice the "fruit of the vine."

Pro 20:1 Wine (yayin) is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.
Notice that the quantity consumed is not mentioned only that wine in itself is a mocker.

The problem lies in the word wine, which can mean either fermented or unfermented grape juice.

In Wine The Biblical Imperative: Total Abstinence by Robert P. Teachout he writes: Not only have contemporary Bible scholars failed to consult the older reference works which would refute their superficial conclusion; they have also neglected to do adequate research in the primary sources themselves. Instead of making a person search through the classical Greek and Latin writings to see (for example) how oinos and vinum were used by the ancient authors they have simply assumed that the modern lexicons are correct. It is initially important to recognize that lexicons are, ideally based on such primary research. However, lexicons are inerrant. If the research on which they are based is not thorough, or if it is biased, then important information is omitted. Thus, an adequate investigation f the meaning of any word especially if the meaning is disputed) must include actually studying it in the context in which it occurred in the original literature rather than simply assuming that the modern lexicons have done a thorough job of presenting the evidence. The difficulty of doing such primary research should make those who take an opposing position more careful about being dogmatic concerning matters, which they themselves are unwilling or unable to thoroughly investigate. (Pg. 40-41)

Mertereologica by Aristotlerefers to a sweet grape beverage (glukus), which Though called wine [oinos], it has not the effect of wine, for it does taste like wine and does not intoxicate like ordinary wine. (388.b.9-13)

Definitions of "Wine"
oinos- grape juice or wine
gleukos- fresh grape juice
oxos - vinegar
tirosh- harvest grape juice
shekar- wine or strong drink, (Hebrew) to drink copiously
yayin- grape juice, wine

Kitto's Cyclopaedia, article Wine: "Yakin in Bible use is a very general term, including every species of wine made from grapes (oinos ampelinos), though in latter ages it became extended in its application to wine made from other substances."

Did Jesus use alcohol? Some say that the new wine that Jesus made was alcohol in His first miracle at the wedding at Cana. John 2:1 - 11

Now we know that Jesus is our High Priest who makes intercession for our sins and the priest is forbidden to drink fermented drink.

Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. We also know that the Lord forbids the priests to drink alcohol.

Lev 10:8 And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, 9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: Can Jesus break His own rule? Jesus is our High Priest. Jesus made new wine. New wine is pure grape juice. It has not been allowed to ferment. The Lord would not further the act of making an intoxicating wine to people who were presumed to be already drunk!

1Ti 3:8 Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre;

Tit 2:3 The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;

Do you not also know that when you accept Jesus as your personal Savior you become part of the royal priesthood?

1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;

1Pe 4:1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; 2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. 3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

Jesus was accused.
Mat 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

The scripture says Jesus came eating and drinking, not that He came drinking alcohol, just eating and drinking. He befriended those who needed Him. There were those who would have liked to destroy the reputation of our Savior.

Mat 9:12 But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.

John too was accused of being of the devil. Luk 7:33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine; and ye say, He hath a devil.

We are to bring glory to God!
1Co 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Eph 5:18 And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit…

But the Bible says a little wine is good for us.
Did Paul tell Timothy to drink a fermented wine for his stomach?

1Ti 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine (oinos) for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.
Earlier in the same Epistle Paul states: Tit 1:7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

Grape juice was used for medicinal purposes during Bible times. Athenaeus (AD 280) makes the suggestion to use unfermented grape juice for stomach disorders.

Is this contradiction? No. Pure grape juice is known to be beneficial for our health. Onios- The juice of the grape in all conditions.

Problem verse
Deuteronomy 14:22-26 contains an ordinance stating that those who live a long distance from the sanctuary can use part of their tithe money on their annual journey to the sanctuary as follows:
And spend the money for whatever you desire, oxen, or sheep, or wine (Yayin) or strong drink, (shekar) whatever your appetite craves; and you shall eat there before the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household. Deut. 14:26 (RSV)
The phrase "strong drink" is from the word shekar. Shekar was condemned by Solomon as "raging" (Prov. 20:1), and Isaiah pronounces a woe upon those who "follow after strong drink [shekar]" (Isa. 5:11). Strong drink was also forbidden for the priests (Lev. 10:9-11) and Nazarites (Num. 6:2-4; Jud. 13:3-5). Would God condemn the use of "strong drink" in one place in the Bible, and yet approve of it in another place?
Like yayin ("wine"), shekar is a generic term that could refer to either an alcoholic beverage, as noted above, or to a sweet, unfermented drink as is indicated in Isa. 24:9. Shekar is defined by The Popular and Critical Bible Encyclopedia as: Sweet Wine or Syrup.
Shatter, luscious, saccharine drink or sweet syrup especially sugar or honey of dates or of the palm-tree
Date or Palm Wine in its fresh and unfermented state.
Our English words "sugar" and "cider" derive from the word shekar. Therefore, since shekar could mean either a sweet unfermented drink, or an intoxicating drink, we must interpret the word according to the context of the verse. Would God encourage the use of tithe money to purchase a beverage that causes intoxication, health problems, and diminishing of moral capacities? The only reasonable conclusion is that this verse is referring to the sweet palm-wine beverage in its fresh and unfermented state.

Robert P Teachout Wine The Biblical Imperative pg. 66 reads: The Hebrew verb, which is, related etymologically, shakar, means to 'drink deeply' rather than 'to become drunk,' as many lexicons imply. (Note especially Song of So 5:1). The idea of drunkenness so often associated with both the noun and the verb is dependent upon the context (and the beverage that is imbibed), then, and not an innate meaning of the word, despite the simplistic rendering of Hebrew lexicons. The two words yayin and shekar together give the one idea in Deu 14:26 of 'satisfying grape juice' (a anendiadys). The context demands this understanding, since it specifically indicates that the beverage was to be imbibed' before the Lord over what He has provided, one would have to be sober. Since God had explicitly denied intoxicants (on pain of death-Lev 10:9 to the priests serving in His presence, it would be totally out of character for God to command the use of these intoxicants by the worshippers in one of their infrequent appearances before him, especially when they were in the company of those priests.

But I need a few drinks to help me relax. It makes me happy.
Our happiness is in Christ. He is our joy!

Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Mat 25:21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Alcohol can have a great cost.
We see the first recorded incident of drunkenness and immoral behavior and the result of a curse being placed on Canaan:
Gen 9:20 And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard: 21 And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent. 22 And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.23 And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father's nakedness. 24 And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him. 25 And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren. Gen 9:26 And he said, Blessed be the LORD God of Shem; and Canaan shall be his servant.
The result of Lot's drinking was incest. Gen 19: 32 Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 33 And they made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 34 And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father: let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father. 35 And they made their father drink wine that night also: and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose. 36 Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.

Drinking causes a lack of concern for others:
Amos 6:6 That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

Drinking causes shame and humiliation:
Hab 2:15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! 16 Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the LORD's right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.

Exo 34:7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
Seventy-five percent of the children of alcoholics either become drinkers themselves or become codependents.

Hos 4:11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

Luk 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Luk 12:45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

1Co 6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

When is it all right to drink?
Pro 31:6 Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, and wine unto those that be of heavy hearts. Give to those who are dying or in great pain.

Parents, when you drink you are teaching your children to drink.
They are learning from you. They are not learning coping skills. It does not teach them to control themselves. Did you know that 90% of those on death row came from homes where alcohol and drug abuse was a prominent part of their lives? Your attitude toward alcohol and drugs directly affects how your children will view them. If you need to have a few drinks to cope with stress then you are teaching your child this is how to deal with stress. Think about it parents. Remember your children are a gift from God and they are on loan to you. Your job is to lead them to Christ and how to walk in His ways. You are responsible for their welfare.

There are many warnings about the use of alcohol in the Bible.
Pro 21:17 He that loveth pleasure shall be a poor man: he that loveth wine and oil shall not be rich.

Pro 23:20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:
Pro 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.

Pro 23:29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright (fermented wine). 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. 33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. 34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. 35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

Isa 5:11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

Isa 5:22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:

Isa 28:7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.

Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Rom 14:21 It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

Many Christians justify their drinking because they believe they have God's approval because the word wine is used in the Bible. Being drunk is clearly condemned as sin.

Gal 5:21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

1Co 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. God clearly tells the Christian not to even associate with one who claims to be a Christian and they drink.

The word "wine" is also used to denote God's wrath or judgment
Easton's Bible Dictionary
1) wine 2) metaph. fiery wine of God's wrath
The "treading of the wine-press" is emblematic of
divine judgment (Isa. 63:2; Lam. 1:15; Rev. 14:19, 20).
Also see Revelation 14:8& 10; 16:19; 18:3.

We have by no means covered all that is available on the wines of the Bible. I can only encourage you to study for yourself and pray for understanding. We must each stand before the Lord and ask Him what He would have us to do.

For those who use to justify drinking in the Bible because they believe that there was no way to keep the grape juice from fermenting during Bible times I suggest you read The Laws of Fermentation by William Patton.

Suggested study materials:
Kitto's Cyclopaedia
Bible Wines by William Patton
Wine The Biblical Imperative by Robert P. Teachout
The Jewish Encyclopedia
Dr. William Smith Dictionary of the Bible Wine in the Ancient World by Charles Seltman
The Temperance Bible Commentary by F. R. Lees and D. Burns
Antiquities of the Jews William Whiton's translation
The Laws of Fermentation by William Patton
Language Helps
A Concordance of the Ugaritic Literature by Richard E. Whitaker
The Englishman's Greek Concordance of the New Testament.
The Englishman's Hebrew and Chaldee Concordance of the Old Testament
The Septuagint intertestament translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek

Heavenly Father, Help us to be more like You. Give us understanding of Your Word. Help us to be overcomers so we might spend eternity with You. Amen

Read Revelation 2, 3 to see what overcomers inherit!

Little Sins Don't Count

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:52:00 +0000

"Little sins don't count." We sometimes flirt with sin just to see how close we can come before it overtakes us.

Sin is like a small hole in the side of a hill. Each time the rains come it washes out a little more soil making it slide down the hill to the bottom. Each time It grows deeper and wider until it runs like a river.

The little sins in our lives grow until it will finally destroy us. Each time we sin and think we have gotten away with it, it becomes easier the next time. We even sometimes think that God doesn't see nor even cares about it. We justify that, "Everyone else does that anyway." " Besides these are modern times and God understands that things are different now." "That was just the Old Testament ways. He doesn't care about that now, besides I go to church."

Malachi 3:6 "For I, the Lord, do not change…….

James 1:15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

Galation 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.

We all sin, but the key is repentance. This does not mean just to say, "Oh, I'm sorry", and then go out and do again. To repent is to turn away. We take that sin and go to God with a broken heart and ask Him to cleanse us and to help us to turn away and overcome that sin. I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Today we have couples living together with no real commitment. If it doesn't work out, just move out and go on to the next one. And we have those who have sex with multiple partners without a second thought. One said to me, "God understands I need sex." That's right He does understand that some cannot control themselves. In 1 Corinthians 7:8-9 But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn. "I'm only looking what's the matter with that.?" ..but I say to you, that everyone who looks on a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her already in his heart. Matthew 5:28

We tell little lies, so we won't get caught in something. We tell little lies to get what we want. We tell little lies to make ourselves look good to others. Yet God says liars won't be allowed in heaven. In the book of Revelation in 21:8. "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters, and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

And in verse 27, and nothing unclean and no one who practices abomination and lying, shall ever come into it, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life. God will not allow sin in His kingdom. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices. Colossians 3:9

Even within the church there is sin. We overlook sin many times because one goes to church.

I Corinthians 5: 6 …Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough? 11-13 …not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler-not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Do you not judge those who are within the church? But those who are outside, God judges. Remove the wicked man from among yourselves. When sin within the church is allowed to continue it can contaminate the whole bunch. "Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him." Luke 17:3

You take a "little something" that is not yours. "They'll never miss it." "They have plenty and besides they'll never use it anyway." "They'll just throw it away." If it's not yours and it wasn't offered to you and you didn't ask permission to take it, then you are stealing. The Bible is very explicit. "You shall not steal." Exodus 20:15 One of God's commandments.

Many are taking chances with their very souls everyday, failing to realize that they only have one. They continue to do the things that are done in the world. Watching TV programs with sex, violence and other inappropriate behavior. Listening to dirty jokes that others are telling. All these things will have an affect on your life.

I John 2: 15-17 Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

We are to be a witness to the world. Everything we do or do not do, what we say and how we act are all the things that make up our testimony for Jesus. Many make their decision for Christ by what they see those that claim to be Christians do. Many are turned off to Christ by what these Christians do. Being a Christian carries a responsibility. You are a representative of Christ. your are His body and His mouthpiece. A Christian is Christ-like. For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. I Corinthians 6:20

There are no "little sins" in God's eyes. Sin is sin. unconfessed sin blocks our communication with God. Your prayers go no higher than the ceiling when ther5e is sin in your life. "We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God fearing, and does His will, he hears him."

Fools mock at sin, But among the upright there is good will. Proverbs 14:9

Ask God's forgiveness today. Ask Him to help you overcome any sin in your life. I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Luke 15:7

Every Christian's goal should be to over come the sin in their life for there is a glorious promise made to all overcomers.

"He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will by My son." Revelation 21:7

The overcomer will inherit the kingdom of God and he will be His child forever and ever. What a promise to the child of God ! ! Claim it now.

Sex for Christians: Adultery & Fornication

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 10:50:00 +0000

Everywhere we look there are images that play on our sexual desires. Our society says that if our sexual desires are fulfilled we are happy. It doesn't matter how many we have sex with either, or if we are married, as long as it feels good. Even small children are dressed to look sexy. We have sexy toothpaste, shampoo and clothes. Let's face it, sex grabs our attention, it sells.

God told man and woman to have sex and plenty of it. He made it and made it to be enjoyed.

Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created He them.

1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.

Sexual relations are restricted to those that are married.

Mark 10:6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.

10:7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife..

10:8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh.

10:9 What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.

Hebrews 13:4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

Sex outside of marriage is sin.

Therefore, to one who knows the right thing to do, and does not do it, to him it is sin. James 4:17

One of God's commandments.

Exodus 20:14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints…

Adultery

Voluntary sexual intercourse on the part of a married person with any person of the opposite sex other than the lawful spouse.

Idolatry, covetousness, and apostasy are spoken of as adultery spiritually (Jer. 3:6, 8, 9; Ezek. 16:32; Hos. 1:2:3; Rev. 2:22). An apostate church is an adulteress (Isa. 1:21; Ezek.23:4, 7, 37), and the Jews are styled "an adulterous generation" (Matt. 12:39). (Comp. Rev. 12.)

Fornication

Voluntary sexual intercourse on the part of an unmarried person with a person of the opposite sex.

But this word is more frequently used in a symbolical than in its ordinary sense. It frequently means a forsaking of God or a following after idols (Isa. 1:2; Jer. 2:20; Ezek. 16; Hos. 1:2;

2:1-5; Jer. 3:8,9).

Greek word for fornication

4203 porneuo {porn-yoo'-o}

from 4204; TDNT - 6:579,918; v

AV - commit fornication 7, commit 1; 8

to prostitute one's body to the lust of another 2) to give one's self to unlawful sexual intercourse 2a) to commit fornication 3) metaph. to be given to idolatry, to worship idols 3a) to permit one's self to be drawn away by another into idolatry

Our word pornography is related to this word.

We would be astonished at how much money is spent on this expression of sex alone.

Proverbs 30:12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.

One does not have to have sexual intercourse to commit adultery or fornication.

Matthew 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Also see Exodus 22:19; Leviticus 18 & 19; Acts 15:20; Romans 1, 13:13; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Corinthians 7:4-5

Galatians 5:19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;

1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

It is better to have self-control.

1Corinthians 7:2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

1Corinthians 7:9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.

1Corinthians 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

1Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind….

1Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Our thoughts need to be brought under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Mark 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:

7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

James 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

2Timothy 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy…

It all began with a look.

2Samuell 11:2 And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.

11:3 And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?

11:4 And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.

11:5 And the woman conceived, and sent and told David, and said, I am with child.

David tried to cover his sin hoping that Uriah would sleep with his wife Bathsheba, but Uriah would not.

2Sa 11:13 And when David had called him, he did eat and drink before him; and he made him drunk: and at even he went out to lie on his bed with the servants of his lord, but went not down to his house.

11:11 And Uriah said unto David, The ark, and Israel, and Judah, abide in tents; and my lord Joab, and the servants of my lord, are encamped in the open fields; shall I then go into mine house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? as thou livest, and as thy soul liveth, I will not do this thing.

David caused Uriah's death by sending him up front in battle.

11:15 And he wrote in the letter, saying, Set ye Uriah in the forefront of the hottest battle, and retire ye from him, that he may be smitten, and die.

11:26 And when the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned for her husband.

11:27 And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD.

There are always consequences for sin. David's child born from adultery died.

2 Samuel12: 15 And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.

12:18 And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died. And the servants of David feared to tell him that the child was dead: for they said, Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spake unto him, and he would not hearken unto our voice: how will he then vex himself, if we tell him that the child is dead?

12:19 But when David saw that his servants whispered, David perceived that the child was dead: therefore David said unto his servants, Is the child dead? And they said, he is dead.

Psalm 51 is a Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

David is broken.

Psalm 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of Thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.

51:2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.

51:3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.

51:4 Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that thou mightiest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.

51:9 Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

51:11 Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not Thy Holy Spirit from me.

51:12 Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with Thy free spirit.

51:13 Then will I teach transgressors Thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto Thee.

God said that David was a man after His own heart because he was repentive.

Acts 13:22 And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave their testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfill all My will.

Couples many times live together with no real commitment.

This is a sexual relationship, not a committed relationship.

1Thessalonians 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication

If one is committed to Jesus Christ and the other is not.

Matthew 12:25 And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:

What about homosexual relations?

The Bible is quite clear on homosexuality.

Leviticus 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.

18:23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.

18:24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:

18:25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.

Romans 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was met.

Some have sex to fill loneliness.

The bars are full of lonely people looking for love. Surround yourself with Christian friends who are devoted to Christ who will fill your loneliness and encourage you.

Proverbs18:24 A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

Those who continue in immorality after receiving the knowledge of sin will have no place in the kingdom of God.

Hebrews 10:26 For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

10:27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

1Corinthians 6:9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

6:10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God

6:16 What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

Sexual immorality is a sign of the last days.

2Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

3:3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

3:5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

If you have found yourself in sins of immorality. Or if you have been sexually abused.

Our sexuality involves not just our bodies, but our hearts, minds and spirits. When we go outside the boundaries of God's perfect plan for our sexuality it hurts us as a person. We need to come to God daily with our sin, guilt and temptations with brokedness. God will restore us to fellowship with Him for He loves us no matter what. He takes away the dirtiness and the hurt. He heals us.

He will help us deal with our past or when we have been abused in childhood and take away that hurt. He can take all that pain and turn it into something good.

God can even restore our broken relationships that have resulted from misused sexuality.

1John1: 9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Psalm 25:11 For Thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for it is great.

Proverb 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

Psalm 32:5 I acknowledge my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

The 7 Seals of Revelation

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:48:00 +0000

The study of the seals has brought many interpretations, but I have found as with the trumpets they do not meet the specifications of a fulfillment of the prophecy. Many believe that the seals occurred sometime in the past. For there to be a fulfillment there must be a beginning and ending point of the apocalyptic prophecy. All the specifications must be met and they must occur in chronological order. And as with any apocalyptic prophecy it can only be fulfilled once.

The Father wrote a book before He created humans or angels. This book contained all the names of anyone who would ever live and all the things that would ever happen. He then sealed it with seven seals. As each of these seals are broken it reveals more about Jesus and this revealing is what the book of Revelation is all about. As each of the seals are broken certain events correspond on the earth. These events help us to pinpoint where we are in time.
The first 3 of the seven seals are causes. Webster's dictionary gives the definition: one that produces an effect, result or consequence. The next 3 seals are the effects or the results of these causes.
The 1st Seal

And I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, "Come." And I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him; and he went out conquering, and to conquer. Revelation 6:1-2

Who are these 4 living creatures. We see a description of them in Revelation 4:6-11 These creatures have omnivision, they can see everything in God's universe. One is described like a lion, one like an ox, and one had a face like a man and the last was like a flying eagle. These faces represent characteristics that were appreciated in John's day. The lion is unchallenged with authority. He is the king of beasts. The ox had great value and was full of strength. The man is a free will moral being, and the eagle has wisdom, he is silent and swift but he can be deadly when it is necessary. These creatures day and night say, " Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord God, The Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come." These creatures are God's senior angels and they see to it that all God's orders are carried out.
Zechariah saw these same colored horses. …….. "These are the four spirits that are of heaven, going forth after standing before the Lord of the earth. Zechariah 6:5 And in Zechariah 1:10 …… "these are those whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth." In Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10 you can find detailed studies of these four creatures.
The rider of the white horse goes out to conquer, but he does not conquer anything at the time of the opening of this seal. The 1st seal represents the knowledge that Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ, not the church. The timing of this seal was shortly after 1798. For 1,260 years the Roman Catholic church (little horn power) had claimed that salvation, the power of life and death came through the church. The little horn power was brought down. History proves that this world power was the Church of Rome. When Jesus opened this seal a revival message went throughout the world that Salvation came by faith through Him and this event on earth was called the "great awakening" during the 19th century in America and Europe. Never has there been such a spiritual revival. The effect of the mission of this angel is not completed until the 6th seal, the effects of the seals are cumulative.

And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and He has a name written upon Him which no one knows except himself. And is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. And from his mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations; and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God the Almighty. And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, "KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." Revelation 19:11-16 Jesus returns with all of heaven with Him !
How do we know when these seals began to open? The Bible answers our question.

"I kept looking Until thrones were set up, And the Ancient of Days took His seat; His vesture was like white snow, And the hair of His head like pure wool. His throne was ablaze with flames, Its wheels were a burning fire. A river of fire was flowing And coming out from before Him; Thousands upon thousands were attending Him, And myriads upon myriads were standing before Him; the court sat, And the books were opened. Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn (little horn power) was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. As for the rest of the beast, their dominion was taken away, but and extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time (In other words their descendents would remain.). I kept looking in the night visions And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man (Jesus) was coming, And he came up to the Ancient of Days (the Father) And was presented before Him, And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations , and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away. And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed. Daniel 7:9-14 We see the Father take His seat in the heavenly court room and Jesus is given dominion, glory and a kingdom and subjects.

"As I kept looking, and that horn was waging war with the saints and overpowering them until the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was passed in favor of the saints of the Highest One, and the time arrived when the saints took possession of the Kingdom. Daniel 7:21-22 The horn power is the church of Rome, the first Christian church, who persecuted the saints for 1,260 years Daniel 7:25 And he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alteration in times and in law; and they will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. A time is one year, times is 2 years and a half time is ½ year equals 1,260. A day for a year principle applies here so we are dealing with 1,260 years. We see that God declared a restraining order against the little horn (Church of Rome) in favor of the saints. The timing is shortly after 1798 when the little horn power was brought to its end. The deadly wound was inflicted upon the Papacy when Napoleon captured the pope in February 1798.
The 2nd Seal

And when He broke the 2nd seal, I heard the second living creature saying, "Come." And another, a red horse, went out; and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men should slay one another; and a great sword (the Word) was given to him. Revelation 6:3-4

The Bible must interpret itself. The sword that this rider carries is the "Word of God". In Jesus' messages to the churches:

'Repent therefore; or else I am coming to you quickly, and I will make war against them with the sword of My mouth. Revelation 2:16 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

When God removed Rome's authority the gospel commission was given to the Protestants (protestors.) Bible Societies were formed and Bibles were printed and distributed all over Europe and America. The work of this angel was to release the Word of God. The people of the world began to hear about the Salvation of Jesus. Bible's, the Word, had been kept from them during the dark ages, (1,260 years). It is said that over 50 million people were killed by the early church. From the work of this angel the Bible Societies grew all over America and Europe. Never has the gospel spread so far and fast as in the middle of the 19th century. The Word was finally available to all those from whom it had been withheld. This cause will be the source of a great war under the 5th seal.

The 3rd Seal

And when He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, "Come". And I looked, and behold, a black horse; and he who sat on it has a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard as it were a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, " A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine." Revelation 6:5-6

We see this rider go out with a pair of scales in his hand. Even in our own judicial system, scales represent judgment. This rider went out to carry a message so that the people of earth might understand what Jesus was doing in heaven, for He had began to judge the dead and the year is 1844. Many still do not understand the pre-advent judgment, in fact most have not even heard of it or if they have, they rejected it because of an incomplete understanding. It is kind of like throwing the baby out with the bath water. In my own background in the church, if it is different then we don't believe it, and then it is a cult and we reject anything new as if God can't reveal anything new. Yet the books of Daniel and Revelation are only now being understood. We now have history behind us so that we can see exactly where we are in God's plan as new truth's unfold.
It is helpful if you will study the sanctuary service in order to better understand what Jesus is doing in heaven, for He is now our High Priest. The sanctuary service on earth was a model of what was going on in heaven. God has not left us to our own imaginations
The idea of a preadvent judgment is hard for some to accept. But think about it. When Jesus returns the Bible tells us the dead in Christ rise first and those who are alive will meet the Lord in the air. 1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18 So the records of the dead have to have been examined before the 2nd coming. The differences in the wicked and the righteous have been determined, otherwise we would see the wicked headed straight for heaven.

We know that Jesus received the Book of Life in 1798 and began opening the first seals. We also saw in Daniel 7:9-10 a heavenly court scene and that the books were opened. These books were the books of deeds or records. These books contain every thing that we do or say and every opportunity that we have had to come to Christ. God is fair in His judgment and every thing that we know or do not know is taken in consideration. All this is recorded by the recording angels. We are judged from these records as to whether we will receive everlasting life or death. We are judged by Jesus Christ Himself. It is important to realize that we are not judged from the Book of Life. The seventh seal will not be removed until after the 1,000 years of Revelation 20. What Daniel was witnessing was the judgment. This process began in 1844. Jesus began to investigate the records of the dead but, the living will judge themselves as to whether they take the mark in order to survive or live by faith in Jesus.
An interesting point is when Jesus was on earth He cleansed the earthly temple. It took 46 years to build this temple. It also took 46 years to prepare the way for understanding the pre advent message, 1798-1844. Just a little food for thought.
So how do we arrive at 1844.

In Daniel 8:14: And he said to me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings (years) ; then the holy place will be properly restored (cleansed)." Now Daniel wanted to understand this vision and he was answered by Gabriel, ………"Son of man, understand that the vision pertains to the time of the end. Daniel 8:17 We see in these verses that it pertains to the end times. We also see the process begins after the 2,300 years. The 2,300 years began with the decree to rebuild and restore Jerusalem in 457 BC and ended in 1844. Actually we can see that 2300 - 457 would be 1843, but there is no year 0 to span BC to AD so 1843 + 1 = 1844. Every sin is recorded in heaven's sanctuary just as the sins of Israel were recorded on the horns of the altar in the earthly sanctuary. On the Day of Atonement these sins were removed and the sanctuary was cleansed. In 1844 Jesus began this process in heaven and He began to examine the books of record.
Is there an event on the earth in 1844. Yes. This year certainly did not go by unnoticed. God raised up groups of people in America and Europe who had prophetic understanding about the 2,300 days in Daniel 8:14. One of these was William Miller a Baptist preacher, but Miller thought the cleansing was that of the earth and that the 2nd coming would occur when the 2,300 days expired. .Many people in many denominations believed that Jesus was about to return. There was a great revival. The followers of Miller became known as the Millerites. When Jesus did not return the Millerite revival died. But the understanding of the 2,300 days continues to unfold.

Those who built the sanctuary in Solomon's day were paid with wheat and barley (2 Chronicles 2:10, 15). Those who first tried to build the understanding of heavens sanctuary are promised wages. Those who first carried this message believed that most of Revelation was fulfilled. They did not carry a complete message as they did not have full understanding but, God will give them a full reward for their services. There is also a warning in this seal. Don't harm the oil or wine. The oil represents the Holy Spirit (Zechariah 4), the wine symbolizes doctrine or teaching. (Revelation 17:2) Receive the Holy Spirit, don't reject this teaching of the ministry of Jesus. New truths continue to unfold in prophecy as we come closer to it's fulfillment. We need to be open to the Spirit so He can reveal these deep things of God.

The 4th seal

And when He broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying,, "Come." And I looked , and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death; and Hades was following with him. And authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. Revelation 6:7-8

We see this rider go out and he brings death and Hades meaning the grave with him. The opening of this seal brings devastation upon the earth with these four judgments of God, sword, famine, pestilence and wild beasts. Twenty-five percent of the people of earth will die during these judgments.
The fourth seal is chronologically the next to be opened. To those claiming that these seals were all opened in the past, where in history can we find that ¼ of earth's population has died from these judgments. We are not speaking of ¼ of an area but of the earth.

God has used these four judgments before when man has filled his cup of iniquity.
Ezekiel 14:13 "Son of man, if a country sins against Me by committing unfaithfulness, and I stretch out My hand against it, destroy its supply of bread, send famine against it, and cut off from it both man and beast….

15 "If I were to cause wild beast to pass through the land, they depopulated it, and it became desolate so that no one would pass through it because of the beasts…

17 "Or I should bring a sward on that country and say, 'Let the sword pass through the country and cut off man and beast from it,……

19 "Or if I should send a plague against that country and pour out My wrath in blood on it, to cut off man and beast from it…..

21 For thus says the Lord God, " How much more when I send My four severe judgments against Jerusalem: sword, famine, wild beast, and plague to cut off man and beast from it!

22 " Yet, behold, survivors will be left in it who will be brought out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they are going to come froth to you and you will see their conduct and actions; them you will be comforted for the calamity which I have brought against Jerusalem for everything which I have brought upon it.

23 "Then they will comfort you when you see their conduct and actions, for you will know that I have not done in vain whatever I did to it," declares the Lord God.

We also see where God used these judgments in Deuteronomy 32 and Leviticus 26.

For those who claim the seals have already been broken, this one seal proves that they have not. When in the history of this world has ¼ of the world been killed. This does not say one area but ¼ of the whole earth by sword, famine, pestilence and wild beasts.
This seal is the next to open. Man is so busy all the time that He has forgotten his Creator. God is going to get his attention and His wrath is going to be poured out on this earth. Many will be ready to hear the gospel when all the props are knocked out. Everything we put our faith in, all the material things that we worship are gone. God has people everywhere and He will reveal His truths through His servants during this times. Many will come to Christ upon hearing truth with all man's traditions removed.

The 5th seal

And when He broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, wilt Thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, should be completed also. Revelation 6:9-10

There will be many martyrs during the 5th seal because of the Word of God. Satan himself will be on the earth claiming to be God and many will believe him because of the miracles he performs. God's people will be faithfully witnessing, true to their faith. They would rather die than accept the mark. With the pressure on God's people they will shine and those who claim to be His and are not will be exposed. They will be no more straddling the fence, no more pretense.

The 6th Seal

And I looked when He broke the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth made of hair, and whole moon became like blood; and the stars of the sky fell to the earth, as a fig tree casts its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind. And the sky was split apart like a scroll when it is rolled up; and every mountain and island were moved out of their places. And the kings of the earth and the great men and the commanders and the rich and the strong and every slave and free man, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains; and they said to the mountains and to the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the presence of Him who sits on the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb; for the great day of the Lamb; for the great day of their wrath has comp and who is able to stand?" Revelation 6:12-17

The opening of the 6th seal brings Christ's return for His people, but notice too that others come with Him. Just as the work of the 1st seal began on a white horse it's conclusion brings our Lord and Savior to our rescue on a white horse. Many do not realize that Christ does not return for us alone. God Himself comes with Him along with all the angels in heaven. What a sight!

And I saw heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and He who sat upon it is called Faithful and True; and in righteousness He judges and wages war. And His eyes are a flame of fire, and upon His head are many diadems; and he has a name written upo0n Him which no one knows except Himself. And He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood; and His name is called The Word of God.. And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. And from His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may smite the nations; and he will rule them with f rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. Revelation 19:11-15

The 7th Seal

And when he broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Revelation 8:1

There is only one place in the Bible that tells us when the 7th seal is opened and the contents of the Book of Life are revealed. Jesus opens the 7th seal at the end of the 1,000 years. Everyone who has ever lived will be alive at the same time. Can you imagine this scene.

The rest of the dead ( the wicked) did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. Revelation 20:5-6

Verse 12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds.

Verse 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

I pray that I will see each of you in heaven for that 1,000 years. It will be great getting to know you!

What of the Watchman?

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 10:47:00 +0000

Once upon a city

With watchman on her walls,

The stealthy blight of treason

Just short of midnight falls.

Upon the gate called Doctrine

A watchman hears a sound;

The rattle of the latch

Comes through the arch and round.

"Who goes?" he cries, in startled fear,

"What business do you bring?"

"Don’t worry," says a voice below,

"‘Tis but a simple thing.

"We are nobles of the court,

On us you can depend,

We simply want to visit

With one the king calls friend."

Peering o’er the outer edge

The watchman strains his eye,

Expecting just one shadow

He instead sees four or five.

"Hold up," he says to those inside,

"‘Tis more than one who wait!

Are you sure of those outside

Who would enter at this gate?"

"What difference?" came the curt reply,

"Whether it be one or five?

Even a friend of a friend of the king

Is still a friend of mine!"

The watchman reached for his trumpet,

For in his heart was alarm. . .

When a warning hissed from the gateway

That worked its deadly charm.

"I will see to this thing in the morning

If you keep not your silence tonight.

We will give your post to another

If you cause all for nothing a fright."

So the watchman put down his trumpet,

His wife and children must eat.

He sounded not the warning that night,

And the city suffered defeat.

I ask you, "What of the watchman?

How would you reason his plight?

Would you want to sleep on in silence

For the reasons he was silent that night?"

I ask too, "What of the people

Who had put their trust in man;

Who’d remove a watchman for a false alarm

When he is doing the best that he can?"

The Word would condemn the people;

They too shared in his shame,

For, ". . .except the Lord keep the city,

The watchman waketh in vain."₁

"Put not your trust in nobles,"₂

Ask, "Watchman, what of the night?"₃

Put your mind in the care of the Lord

And study with all of your might.

Then when comes the deceiver

Or comes the terror by night,

There will be no reason to worry

As for you it will be all right.

Footnotes:

(1) Psalms 127:1

(2) Psalms 146:3

(3) Isaiah 21:11; Ezekiel 33:4-6

Money: The Tithe

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:46:00 +0000

The buck grabs us all by the rear. When we don't have any, we pray for some. When we have it, we forget we prayed for it. Lately I've been watching the money thing and what it does to people, and I pray the dollar doesn't get to me. Sure, I could do with more cash (couldn't we all?) but my prayer is that I keep in mind what it is, and what God expects me to do with it.

First, it's like cocaine. It never satisfies although it promises to.

Second, it alienates us.

Third, it puts us on a pedestal and moves us away from God.

Having money is akin to a dog with a bone. He's afraid to walk away from it although he doesn't want it, so he guards it with his life. When he has to go relieve himself it worries him, so he holds it as long as he can. When he finally succumbs to the urge, another dog tries to steal the bone and the fight is on. He knew it would happen and it did. We always thought we were better than the animals, but all you have to do is turn your back on your bone (or cash) for a moment and somebody'll be there to take it from you. The worry never ceases, it's true. The more is at stake, the longer we'll stay up at night being worried or suspecting our best friends of coveting our bone. It just isn't worth it.

Our Master, our King by the way, didn't have so much as a coin on Him. Matthew 22:19 "(Jesus said) 'Show me the coin used for the poll tax.' And they brought Him a denarius." If He had the cash in His pocket, surely He would have dug out a coin and made His point, instead of waiting for 2 or 3 minutes for somebody to ante up one. It is no coincidence that Jesus never carried money. If you have noticed, Jesus always had money EXACTLY when He needed it. We're promised the same thing, too! Jesus was a human with a need for money just like the rest of the world. It just wasn't His point of interest, except when it was needed. Our Master, our Example, took His need to the Father and it was done.

Jesus guarantees us that God loves the little sparrows so much He feeds them, and He actually means to put it to us in our minds like we think of sparrows... worthless little birds. He goes on with if God the Father loves them enough to make sure they don't die of hunger, neither will He let us die. We are not ensured caviar and imported wine. The children of Israel in the desert got tired of manna. I guess it didn't taste like a steak dinner, but nobody died of malnutrition, either.

Personally, I was reared to believe that God is a fat man wearing a red suit going ho-ho-ho. Years later I find out that God isn't real interested in what kind of car I drive or what kind of after dinner wine I serve. It boils down to the book. He only wants 10 percent of what He gives me. Don't think for a minute He needs it. The Creator owns all of this anyway. He wants me to want to give it up willingly and without worry. The rest, He leaves me in charge of to do what I think is right. I find that if I live by the greatest Commandment, I will do what is right. "Love the Lord thy God with all your heart."

From a Go'er - Be'er - and Do'er

(But usually a Walk'er - Try'er - and Pray'er)

Jesus: the Nature of Christ debate!

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 10:38:00 +0000

Jesus the synthesis of the nature of Christ debate!
Jesus Is > v	In Life v	In Death v
Physically >	Our Example	Our Substitute
Spiritually >	Our Substitute	Our Example

A truth about our human nature is that we have two natures: a physical nature and a spiritual nature. The argument over whether Jesus is our substitute or our example is really quite unnecessary because He was both! The important thing to understand is what He is in which nature.
Please test the following statements drawn from the table above.

In life, physically speaking, Jesus is our example. We are to live our lives just as He did, by explicit obedience to our Heavenly Father.
In death, physically speaking, Jesus is our substitute. He died the second death for us if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior.
In life, physically speaking, Jesus is our substitute. Jesus wants to occupy the throne room of our life, in our place.
In death, spiritually speaking, Jesus is our example. We must die spiritually (so we can be spiritually born again) before He can reign in our life.
This is Gospel truth! To say that Jesus is one and not the other is to split the Gospel. One of the greatest problems in God's church at large is most people are going around promoting half of the Gospel and saying they have the full Gospel.

Those who recognize that the law has not been done away can usually point out the end result of saying that Christ is only our substitute. If Jesus lived by His own God-power as our substitute then there is no reason for us to live holy. We need then to only live as we please, accepting Him, and we're in. I believe the term for this kind of thinking is "cheap grace." On the other hand, to say that Jesus is only our example leads to an extreme in the other ditch. If we say that Jesus came just as we arrive, in a total sinful nature, then we must somehow live a righteous life by only "doing" as He did. Test: Did Jesus need spiritual rebirth as we realize we do? If not, then He didn't seek spiritual rebirth. If we follow that example (not needing and seeking spiritual rebirth) we are stuck in a hopeless, miserable state. This is called legalism.
When we put the two halves of the Gospel back together in Christ, a most beautiful picture emerges. Jesus did come in the fallen, sinful, physical nature of man after four thousand years of the ravages of sin. But He also had the unfallen, righteous, spiritual nature of man, that Adam had prior to his fall. It was in these natures that He passed over the same ground upon which Adam fell yet without falling to sin. It is only by grasping the full Gospel that we can become righteous! What a wonderful Savior is Jesus our Lord!

The Power of One to One Evangelism

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 10:37:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered what it takes to give the gospel to the whole world and how long that might take to be accomplished? Let's look at some figures and see if we can get an idea.

The human population of planet Earth is somewhere in the neighborhood of 6 billion people. That is probably the highest number to ever be alive at one time, for sure, the highest since Jesus walked the Earth. Jesus said that the gospel would be preached to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people before the end of the reign of sin. I grew up with the idea that it was our job to co-operate with God to get the gospel out so Jesus could return. Now that concept may or may not be correct, but a nagging problem is still with us. Jesus has still not returned, neither has every person heard the real gospel.

One reason for the problem I've just mentioned, is perhaps that the majority of Christians don't know what the gospel is, and that shows in their willingness to let a few evangelists do their work for them. This writing is not about what the gospel is or even what our duty consists of, but rather the astounding mathematical potential of one to one evangelism.

I will start with myself, for I need to apply this simple math just as we all do. If I were to share Christ's gospel with one other person successfully every week on a continual basis and everyone with whom I shared were to do likewise, and in turn everyone with whom they shared and so on; each week that went by the number of one to one evangelists would double. It is hard to believe but somewhere in the 32nd week all the people on earth would have heard the gospel.

Now I know, that everyone on Earth is not going to accept the gospel, so that will never happen just that way, but look at the potential! You can figure any time frame you want, such as one person a week, month, year, or decade, and we still have failed miserably at the gospel commission. Whether it be 32 weeks, 32 months, 32 years, or 320 years it still doesn't add up to the approximately 2000 years since Jesus gave us our marching orders.

I don't want to go into a negative tailspin here but rather realize the short time God intended for the work to take. If we will remember that God must do His work through us and then ask Him to do it, making ourselves available for His use, He can make the math I've just mentioned look like sand box arithmetic.

The Gospel will be given, and that very soon! The question is, are we willing to be a part of it? If you are not sure what the gospel is, I challenge you to ask God to teach you, make yourself available for His use, and pick a goal, whether it be a soul a day, week, month or year. Then watch God's math explode!

The 7 Seals of Revelation

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:35:00 +0000

Hands

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:31:00 +0000

Hands, hands, beautiful hands

What a vital role they play.

If you have never noticed hands,

Look at some today.

Some people look at others eyes

To see the heart within.

I have always studied hands,

So picture if you can:

------------------------

Tender touching lover's hands

That bring the thrill of bliss.

Tiny dimpled baby hands,

So sweet to hold and kiss.
Clumsy, growing children's hands

That learn to work through play.

Mischievous, exploring hands

Challenge a mother's day.
Deft and agile artist's hands

Bring music from the spheres.

Skillful and creative hands

Build visions of the seers.
Willing, ready, helpful hands

Always doing good.

Rough and weathered outdoors hands

Tough from chopping wood.
Adroit, exacting surgeons' hands,

Steady, sure and quick.

Soothing, caring nurses' hands

Pledged to help the sick.
Wrinkled, loving, aged hands

With years of toil and care;

Mother dear and father's hands,

The dearest anywhere.

There are mean and slapping hands,

Or hands that push and shove.

Then there are happy clapping hands,

That praise the Lord above.
Precious nail scarred Jesus' hands,

Pinned to the cross for me;

These above all other hands,

I long some day to see!
Hands, hands, beautiful hands,

They all can say so much.

I long to see my Savior's hands

And feel His loving touch.
The future is uncertain,

The pathway hard to see.

So I put my life in Jesus' hands

For they will be leading me.

I Was Cooler Than You

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:30:00 +0000

When I was cool, I could outdrink you... I could play the best game of pool... I could hang out with the guys 'till 4 a.m. "and I always staggered to the house" But nobody was waiting up...

And when I was cool, You couldn't make me cry... I couldn't be touched... I was a rock "and I never showed my true feelings" Not even to my wife...

You know I was so cool, It was all about image... All about me, and me alone... I thought I was the greatest "and I could do anything" But I was so lonely...

...THEN I FOUND OUT I WAS WRONG...

I thought it would be the end of it all It was just the beginning

I thought nobody would respect me And nobody did in first place

I thought only a sissy would cry But it feels soooo good

...................................................................

I am saved, I drink Dr. Pepper with my kids... I play Candyland like a pro... I hang out with the family 'till 4 a.m. "and now my house is a home" And I kiss my family good-night...

And HE saved me, I have learned cry... I want to be touched... HE is my rock "and HE created these feelings" So I share them with my wife...

You know HE is so cool, It is all about image... All about HIM, and HIM alone... I think HE is the greatest "and HE can do anything" And I'll never be lonely...

..................................................................

Okay, here's the real truth... 1. It really isn't easy, but it's darn well worth it. 2. It's a constant battle to keep from slipping back. 3. I could NEVER have done it without the Master. 4. I could NEVER do it tomorrow without the Master. 5. Through HIS power, I can see the real me. 6. Through my power, I could NEVER see ANYTHING.

And the goodies????? 1. My kids love me. 2. My wife loves me. 3. I have COOLER friends that are there when I am down. (Friends were never really there before.) 4. I know how to love; myself and others.

There is a stigma attached with this self-discovery of being "wrong" all ones life. It really tends to scare a lot of people away. A lot of truth comes out into the open, when one accepts Yahweh at His Word. I feels good to "get it off your chest". To be forgiven, and to know, really know you're "let off the hook" is the coolest feeling and the greatest gift, no doubt. Adonai has shown me that having this self-centered view of "Id" or "dogma" (whatever you choose to call it) isn't being wrong. Lucifer dreamed this up and has been poisening the world with this idea for centuries. It is a sickness. It is a cancer. We are all people dying of this disease, for which there is no penicillin or herbal cure. Abba and He alone has the cure. Go to the Doctor. He makes house calls, and doesn't charge!

In His Mercy,

A Brother

Is the Celebration of Easter Biblical?

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 10:01:00 +0000

It is March 1st and the stores are full of Easter bunnies and chocolate eggs and all sorts of advertisements for new Easter clothes. Something for every member of the family. Even many of those who never attend church go at this time.

We often talk of the traditions of men in the church. …..This people honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men. Neglecting the commandments of God, you hold fast to the traditions of men Mark 7:6-8

Is Easter a tradition of men or a commandment of God? We use the term Easter as a celebration in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ, but is in the Bible? In the King James version in Acts 12:4 we read: And when he (Herod) had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him to bring him forth to the people. "Easter" is actually the Greek word pasha or Passover, but Easter is not another name for Passover. The American Standard translates Passover in verse 4.

According to Webster’s dictionary we read: Easter had it’s origin in pagan times. Eastre or Eostre, the old English spelling of Easter, was originally the name of a Germanic goddess who was worshipped at a festival at the spring equinox. Her name is closely related to Latin aurora and Greek eos, both of which mean "dawn".

Just as satan has managed to infiltrate the church with other pagan customs, this too what we call Easter is pagan in origin. In Genesis 10:8-10 we see the grandson of Noah, Nimrod, and we learn the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad and Calneh in the land of Shinar. Nimrod lead his people in rebellion against God and they practiced a form of satanic worship. Every kind of perversion and evil was used in this religion. They worshiped the sun, moon, stars and even offered human sacrifices as well as animals. Their practice in their ceremonies were things that are unspeakable.

Most of these practices originated at Babel. Most of us know the story in Genesis 11 of the tower of Babel and how the tower was to be built reaching into heaven. And the Lord said, "Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing which they purpose to do will be impossible for them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand on another’s speech." So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. Genesis 11:6-8 This is perhaps how this religion was scattered also.

Nimrod married Queen Semiramis who was even more wicked than he. When Nimrod died the mystery religion continued on and the Queen deified him as the Sun-god.. He was later known as Baal, the Great Life Giver, the god of fire, Bel, Baalim, Molech as well as others. Semiramis had an illegitimate son Tammuz, she claimed was an immaculate conception and that he was the savior promised by God in Genesis 3:15. He was also worshiped as the reincarnate of Nimrod. She was then the goddess of fertility and the moon. Tammuz was worshiped in the spring. After he was killed through the weeping of his mother he was revived in the springing forth of the vegetation in the Spring. Every Spring represented this supposed resurrection from the underworld.

In Ezekiel 8:13-16 we read: And He said to me, "Yet you will see still grater abominations which they are committing." Then He brought me to the entrance of the Lord’s house which was toward the north; and behold, women sitting there weeping for Tammuz. And he said to me, "Do you see this , son of man? Yet you will see still grater abominations that these." Then He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house. And behold, at the entrance to the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were bout twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east; and they were prostrating themselves eastward toward the sun.

Israel had turned their back on God and had turned to idolatry. Worship of the sun. Tammuz was a Babylonian god. Like Christ Mass and New Year’s and Easter, all began in Babylon.

Some called this evil woman the Mother Goddess, "Ishtar" originally pronounced Easter, wife of Baal, Eostre, Ashtartoth or Astoreth, Queen of Heaven etc. She was also worshiped as a mediator between God and man. To gain her favor there were sexual orgies and temple prostitutes.

In 325 AD the Nicean Council decreed Easter be celebrated on the 1st Sunday after there vernal equinox, anywhere between March 22nd to April 25th.

In the 4th century Easter became a Christian festival. All early Christians celebrated Passover on the 14th day of the 1st month. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the Lord’s Passover. Leviticus 23:5 We cannot confuse the pagan holiday of Easter with the Passover.

THE EASTER RABBIT

The Easter rabbit is actually a hare. The hare was sacrificed to Eostre. The hare was the symbol of fertility and the return of spring.

EASTER EGGS

The egg goes back to some of the oldest known civilizations. It was believed to have played an important part in mythical accounts of the creation of the world. The Easter egg is a symbol of continuing life and the resurrection. Pope Paul V appointed a prayer that the eggs be blessed. The eggs were then eaten in thankfulness for the resurrection of the Lord.

HOT CROSS BUNS

The hot cross bun is eaten on Good Friday. They too are pagan in origin.

"The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out libations to other gods in order to spite me. Jeremiah 7:18

We read in Jeremiah 44:17-19 "But rather we will certainly carry out every word that has proceeded from our mouths, by burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and pouring out libations to her, just as we ourselves, our forefathers, our kings and our princes did in the cites of Judah I and in the streets of Jerusalem; for then we had plenty of food, and were well off, and saw no misfortune. But since we stopped burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven and p9uring out libations to her, we have lacked everything and have met our end by the sword and by famine." And, said the women, when we were burning sacrifices to the queen of heaven, and were pouring libations to her, was it without our husbands that we made for her sacrificial cakes in her image and poured out libation to her?

The celebration of Easter has nothing to do with Christianity. It is an abomination to God. It is not a celebration of the resurrection. It is a pagan custom that has been brought into the house of God with the traditions of men , not of God and not a command from the Bible. God gave us a celebration for the resurrection and it is called Baptism. Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4

"You shall have no there gods before Me. Exodus 20:3

Have You Had an Examination Lately?

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 10:59:00 +0000

Americans have become very aware of self examination in the preventing of cancer spreading until it is untreatable.

When we are sick we go to the Doctor and allow him to examine us so he might treat what ails us. We go for a yearly exam to prevent any problems in our health.
When we have a toothache we go to the dentist for an exam to see how to treat us. Or we go for our yearly exam and cleaning.
Women do a breast self exam in order to find lumps that might be cancerous.
We exam all sorts of things in order to prevent problems.
The problem with most of us is when we are not presently experiencing any major difficulties in our lives we often neglect self examination. We need to examine ourselves daily. We need to honest with ourselves and God. We need to be honest about how we have dealt and reacted to people and situations. Were we a living testimony for Christ.? Was our speech glorifying to God? Were we helpful to others? Did we do something nice for someone else? Did we put someone else's feelings before our own? Were we honest in all our dealings? Do we owe someone a thank you or is there a need of an apology?
We need to set a time aside every day for self examination. We need to confess our faults and seek solutions in prayer and God's Word.
Let us examine and probe our ways, and let us return to the Lord. Lamentations 3:40 Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much. James 5:16 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9
Father God, help us to always see ourselves as You see us. Help us to see with our hearts. We ask that You help us to change those things that are not pleasing to You. Amen

No Damn Good

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 10:59:00 +0000

No, to my knowledge, these words were never spoken but their message was perceived by the child.
I'll call her Brenda. A bright, talented, energetic, twelve to fifteen year old growing up in a "Christian" home. I say twelve to fifteen years old because under "normal" conditions it can take more than one year to break a child of a positive attitude.
Brenda had art talent. She could look at something and sketch it's likeness on paper better than the average person. Seeing her potential, some friends purchased some basic drawing supplies for her so she could practice and develop her talent. With great enthusiasm she set out to become the artist she was gifted to be. Be it a vase on a shelf, or something else around the house, Brenda received great satisfaction in applying her talent to recording its likeness on paper. So enthused was she about becoming an artist that her whole family no doubt heard plenty of it. I'm sure a good bit of her time also was spent pursuing her newfound aspiration.
It was probably the time involved that disturbed her father the most. Time that I'm sure he thought could be put to better use reading the Bible. With the end of the world upon us, to him, it was useless to waste time drawing. Besides, "You'll never be able to make a living drawing pictures!" he would tell her. It wasn't long before she put the pencils away. What was the use?
It was much the same way when she enthusiastically brought a musical instrument home from school. She was going to play in the band! As you can imagine, there were some pretty terrible sounds coming out of her room after school. And I'm sure by now you can imagine what her father would say. You know it would be hard to study ones Bible with all that noise. "By the sounds of it you will never make the band! Stop making so much racket and do something constructive like studying your Bible."
The music went the same way as the drawing pencils. Brenda gave up on the good things she was interested in. That in itself was sad but something sadder still was to follow. If she could not take time to develop things that required practice she soon turned to things that were easy. Things like hanging around with poor role models and their bad habits. Bad habits, you know, don't take any discipline or hard work to develop and she was out of sight and sound of her father. Brenda found she was naturally good at things like running away from home, stealing a car, getting caught, ending up in a reform school, and getting pregnant. I don't think I have to say any more about Brenda. Her life was seriously altered by a well meaning parent who had grown up in an alcoholic home, beaten and unloved, who didn't understand that the things he was saying were being heard as "Your no damn good." She simply started to live out that message.
As Brenda's father read his Bible I don't think he understood these verses: ". . . I the LORD thy God am a Jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me." Exodus 20:5 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4 ". . .whosoever shall say to his brother Raca (worthless one), shall be in danger of the council but whosoever shall say, Thou fool (stupid), shall be in danger of hell fire." Matthew 5:22 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which 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. Woe unto the world because of offences! For it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh! Matthew 18:5,6,&7
This is not written to judge or shame Brenda's father, rather that we might learn from his mistakes! Here are some suggested lessons we might glean from Brenda's story: A person's value is not determined by how many religious things they do but that Christ died to redeem them. His Spirit will decide which gifts they are to use to God's glory. We cannot read the Bible all of the time and to develop ones physical talents is a worthwhile endeavor. Just imagine how the cause of Christ would suffer had none of God's children developed the talents He gave them such as graphic art, music, dance, drama, etc. We may be living in the end time but if we have Christ in us we are living eternal life! In eternal life there is plenty of time to develop our God given talents!

Brenda suffered from religious and mental abuse which stemmed from her fathers background. Are we passing on an abusive family legacy? By God's grace we can stop the cycle of abuse! Be kind! Think before you speak! Make sure your intended message is being perceived correctly by others. Let's build others up with positive reinforcement! They too can do all things through Christ who strengthens them!

Dear Father in Heaven, Please forgive us our blindness. Help us all to recognize the tremendous value you have placed on every person. Work in us to encourage and build up others to thy name's honor and glory.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

The Seven Last Plagues of Revelation

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 10:57:00 +0000

Revelation 15:1 And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.

When the 7 last plagues begin, mercy is ended. God’s wrath will be poured out full strength. Everyone has made his decision and is sealed in that decision. The 7 last plagues are poured out on the wicked, but the people of God will not affected by these plagues. Like the closing of the door of Noah's ark, God will protect and provide for His people. He will send hamburgers from heaven if necessary. The wicked have received the mark of the beast, broken God’s law and they are the recipients of these plagues. The remnant of God are those who have lived by faith and have kept the commandments of God.

Let's take a look at these plagues.

Revelation 15:6 And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles.

15:7 And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.

15:8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.

Revelation 16:1 And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.

Revelation16: 2 And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.

16:3 And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea; and it became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.

16:4 And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood.

16:5 And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus.

16:6 For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.

16:7 And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.

16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire.

16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.

16:10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain,

16:11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.

16:12 And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.

16:13 And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.

16:14 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.

16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.

Notice the close parallel of the destruction of the first 7 trumpets. The first 4 trumpets affected 1/3 of the earth and the 7 last plagues affect the whole world. The 5th trumpet announces the arrival of satan and the 5th plague marks the unmasking of satan. Satan blames the trumpets and the 1st 4 plagues on the saints and when Jesus pours out the 5th plague the wicked see the person claiming to be God isn’t their God, for God wouldn’t destroy His own throne. Their deceiver is satan himself.

The 6th plague is the battle called Armageddon.

Revelation16: 16 And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon. Not one saint will die here.

The 7th angel announces the coming of Jesus.

16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air, and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.

Revelation 16:18 And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.

The wicked people of earth cry out:

Revelation 6:16 And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb:

6:17 For the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Revelation16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.

16:20 And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.

16:21 And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great.

Man still in the end denies the authority of God.

2Thessalonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming:

The great hail that falls upon the earth at the coming of Christ can be compared to the fiery hail that fell during the 1st trumpet. The difference is in the devastation and size. During the 1st trumpet 1/3 of the earth, grass and tress are burned up. The hail of the 7th plague burns Babylon up.

Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.

19:21 And the remnant were slain with the sword of Him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of His mouth: and all the fowls were filled with their flesh.

The rider is none other than the King of Kings!

Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war.

19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His name is called The Word of God.

19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed Him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

19:15 And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

19:16 And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

The saints will then be taken to heaven!

1Thessalonians 4:16 For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Revelation 20:4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

20:5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.

Satan and his army will be defeated at the Second Coming and the saints return to heaven with King Jesus for 1,000 years. The saints will determine the punishment of the wicked. The saints will then descend within the New Jerusalem to the Earth to live with Christ for eternity.

Our prayer is that you will accept Jesus Christ as your Savior TODAY and learn to live by faith in Him. He is trustworthy. It is His wish and ours that no one would have to face this final wrath.

A Tale of Lonliness

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 10:57:00 +0000

Across the dismal chasms of ones
Fog enshrouded mind,
A wretched bird in silence steals,
In search as if to find,
A friend to thwart off loneliness,
Sword to conquer fear;
It's scream oft breaks the silence
But there's no one there to hear.

The cold engulfs it's visage,
Creeps into its hollow bones,
Instilling deep within it, through
Chilled and dampened tones,
The memoirs of the years gone
By, the basis of all fears,
The reasons for all sadness, the
Wellspring of all tears.

It's weary search is fruitless, it's
Cries are all in vain.
As deep within the void of its soul
It feels the pain.
It's naked body shivers in defiance
Of the cold,
As the elements of all mankind, it
Tries its best to scold.

Then the death toll, heard at last,
When God retracts His breath,
Consumes the silent blackness there,
The bird now meets its death.
No more those shadowed chasms will
Those once proud wings ere fear.
No more those screams of searching
Will those misty caverns hear.

The bird was but the soul of man,
The chasms common sins,
Eroded in the conscience,
The intellect thus dimmed.
With only mist within the mind,
Destroyed by satan's wave,
The soul could feed from nothing;
There was nothing there to save.

With sadness and concern too late,
The story now is told.
How God the Father looses grip,
How satan gains his hold.
Oh friend of mine, don't let your soul,
To satan's ground ere wander,
For many a man has lost his way
When life in prime he squandered

I'm Different

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 10:56:00 +0000

I wasn't like everyone else, I was different. I wasn't the kind of person they were making me out to be. All I wanted to do was work, have a little hobby, feed my family and provide for their needs. I wanted to have a loving family, and eat supper at the table, and all the things that one would be and do. The only other thing other than that was I wanted to drink. Love peace, prosperity, work, good school grades, happy smiling faces, and alcohol.

I wanted it all and did seem to have it, for awhile, at least. I kept up the charade for many years, until I got drunk and wrecked the car with my family inside. It is a thousand wonders no one was hurt, and I did thank the Lord for that, right after the next drink. You see, I wasn't like that. I wasn't like the other drunks running around. I was different. I didn't have a problem with drinking. Nobody was fighting like on "Cops". I didn't get drunk and go crazy and forget everything. I wasn't one of those people.

So there I was. On probation just like those losers I have met at the lake, getting drunk and talking about how much a DWI was a drag. There I was, at some kind of meeting, ordered by the judge, listening to all those people whining about how alcohol has wrecked their lives. It's a good thing that I wasn't like them. I despised those meetings. I wasn't like them. I was different. I didn't like them stuffing their Christianity down my throat. I didn't like them trying to get me to talk to them. They couldn't understand me. I just went back home, kissed my wife, played with my kids, put them to bed, and got drunk.

You see, they got drunk because they were weak individuals.
They kept drinking because they had to have it. They couldn't resist it. I kept drinking because I wanted to. I was different. I fooled them all. I kept my private life to myself.

I met a group of people at work attending a little prayer group during break, and felt compelled to join in. I guess any Christian would. I remembered the Master saying something like "Deny Me before men, and I'll deny you before the Father." I thought I was still a Christian, since I walked down the aisle when I was nine. Never mind that I still drank, that was my private life. I just didn't talk about it, so it didn't exist. So, I began to meet every day, and spill my guts to God right there in front of other people. I had to be careful of what I would say, because people had no business knowing me. The more I prayed, the more I wanted to say. It was kind of compulsive.

There was one member whom I felt I could confide in though. This was very foreign to me,because (like I said) nobody had any business knowing me or my doings. We would discuss many things about my private life over the next few months. At first there were the questions. My question. I had studied many (and I do mean many) religions over the years, and I wanted to know what made Christianity the true religion. I mean, I thought prayer to any god (no capital) was sufficient, it is a theory called "Universalism", where all religions are right and all people (except Hitler and Charlie Manson, etc.) are going to Heaven.

I began to pray for a real understanding of the Holy Trinity, and to feel the effects of Him. I felt Him and it was a trip unlike any subatance I had ever embraced. It left me wanting another "high". I learned very quickly that I could achieve another feeling of the Holy Spirit by giving up another part of myself and to Him. Sort of like a junkie giving up the things he really loves for another hit, the only real big thing I had to offer was the truth about me and drinking. It was really worth the knowledge I received, and the Holy Spirit gave me a real feeling of a "high".

Next, I began to see the change in my family. I never saw a change in me, but I have heard about it.

Now, I'm not like everyone else, I AM DIFFERENT. I'm not the kind of person they're making me out to be. All I want to do is work, have a little hobby, feed my family and provide for their needs. I want to have a loving family, and eat supper at the table, and all the things that one would imagine a regular family would be and do. The only thing other thing that I want is to please my Master. Love, peace, prosperity, work, good school grades, happy smiling faces, and my LORD.

A CHRISTIAN BROTHER

Lukewarm: GoBeDo's Message to the Church

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:09:00 +0000

Revelation 3:14-16 And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this: I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
Beginning in the 2nd chapter of Revelation we see the letters given to John to write to the 7 churches. These churches existed simultaneously then and now. Does this in any way describe your church or you. Are we sitting on our blessed assurances in a pew somewhere every Worship day, Wednesday nights, at Bible studies, prayer groups and all the fun things at Church activities? Are we eating the deliciously prepared meals of a church social? We are loyal in our attendance. But, what are we doing beyond the walls of the comfortable air-conditioned padded pew.
Do you enjoy the sermons prepared by your pastor with his added humor that you laugh at. Have we been properly entertained when we leave. Are we being fed week after week with exquisite morsels from the Word. But, did you pick up your Bible this week and study. Did you study, not just read a few scriptures here and there. Did you research everything you heard. Did you look up the other scriptures that might pertain to that subject so that you have a clear and accurate understanding of what we heard.

God gave you a mind and the Holy Spirit to help you to understand what He has to say to you. You don’t need to be a scholar, all you need is a willingness to listen to the Spirit of God. He is eager to teach you. You need only ask. In James 1:5-7 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord
Hebrews 5:12-14 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. How many sermons do we need to be weaned form the bottle and take solid food?

Praise God for those shepherds (pastors) who get down on their knees everyday asking God for guidance in the giving of his sermon that week. Who study continuously in God’s Word instead of pulling a sermon out of a text book. Those who have discerned truth themselves in the Word of God. Those who pray and encourage their sheep to study and pray for themselves for the will of God in their own lives. That equip their sheep to go out into the world as witnesses for Christ.

Has your church reached out to your community. Is there a person in need anywhere near your church, perhaps across the street or maybe in the church building itself. Is your church seeing miracles, God still does them) changed lives, and love for one another more than self. Are you willing to give up something for another of God’s children. Does your pastor preach the gospel.? Many do not even know what the gospel is. Romans 1:16-20 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in righteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident with them; for God made it evident to them.
Most will say they believe these are the last days but, are we living like it. Or are we more concerned with what we want, rather than sharing the gospel. Is the Church on fire for Jesus and do we desire His truth above all else in this world

Are we prepared for the things that are quickly coming upon this world or have we been lulled into a false sense of security. Has your pastor prepared you so you might understand all that God is doing and why. Can you share these things with others. We are not exempt from the tribulation and the urgency of the Antichrist’s appearing. Has your church prepared you for this. If your church has mislead you on this issue, could there be other areas too?

STUDY HIS WORD FOR YOURSELF, LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER STUDIED BEFORE. GET INTO HIS WORD WITH THE HELP OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. TIME IS SHORT MY FRIENDS, STOP BEING LUKEWARM AND GET ON FIRE FOR JESUS AND HIS REVEALING.

The Law of God

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:53:00 +0000

Matthew 5:17-18 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Jesus said he came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it. If there is to be a society, there must be laws. If everyone was allowed to do just as he pleases, imagine the consequences. There would be no respect for others property nor for one another. There would be no morals and the world would be in complete chaos.

God wrote the perfect laws. Laws about how to love Him and our neighbor. Yet today most say the laws are no longer in effect because we are under grace. Some keep the law as a necessity of salvation, legalism.

Could our throwing out of the law be part of our problems in America today. Have we totally forgotten God. Has He been left out of most everything, our government, our homes, schools, even our worship.

We cannot keep the law within ourselves. But in our acceptance of Christ in us, it is possible. Yet we believe that one of God’s laws has been changed. We completely throw out His 4th commandment , but on what authority. Can you find anywhere in the Bible where God tells us He has changed the 4th commandment from the 7th day Saturday to Sunday the 1st day.

"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God."

When and how did Sunday observance begin?

The change of the 4th commandment was a gradual process, yet Satan has finished his work. The following are statements by church authorities and are totally documented.

"Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern religionists agree with her - she could not have substituted the observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh day, a change for which there is no scriptural authority." A Doctrinal Catechism, by Stephen Keenan, pg 174.

The Catholic church, "declared Cardinal Gibbons, "by virtue of divine mission changed the day from Saturday to Sunday."

"We observe Sunday instead of Saturday because the catholic church, in the Council of Laodicea (AD 364). Transferred the solemnity from Saturday to Sunday." The Convert’s Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, pg. 50, third edition.

The Catholic Cardinal Gibbons, in Faith of Our Fathers pg. 111 said, "You may read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and you will not find a single line authorizing the sanctification of Sunday. The Scriptures enforce the religious observance of Saturday, a day which we never sanctify."

In Matthew 15:9 "But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men."

Daniel 7:25 "And he will speak out against the Most High and wear down the saints of the Highest One, and he will intend to make alterations in times and in law.

The Council of Trent (1545 AD), the church leaders ruled that "tradition" (human teachings) is as of great authority as the Bible!

In 321 AD the first Christian emperor, Constantine passed a Sunday law. "Let all judges and town people, and the occupation of all trades rest on the venerable day of the sun". Edict of March 7, 321 AD Corpus Juris Civilis Cod. Liv. 3, tit. 12 Lex. 3.

He passed this law with the intent to satisfy the sun worshiping pagans and to unite them with Christians and the Roman empire. This way they could make it easier for the pagans to come into the church. And thousands of them did. Some of the Christians resisted this and paid the penalty.

The Christians were told that worshiping on Sunday was because of the resurrection of Jesus.

Find one verse in the Bible that tells that the day of worship was changed from the 7th day to the 1st day of the week, Sunday because of the resurrection.

Bibles were forbidden by the priests and as the years went by the Sabbath of the Lord was forgotten. If starting this year we were to not even mention the 4th of July anymore, how long do you think it would take for the significance of this date be forgotten? Sunday worship has become fully established.

The 2nd commandment, "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth." "You shall not worship them or serve them…" The making of, and bowing down to images, is omitted in the Catholic catechisms, and the tenth, which forbids coveting, is divided into two. "Bible Readings for the Home, (Washington: Review & Herald Pub. Assoc., 1942) pg. 221.

Anyone keeping the 7th day Sabbath of the Lord today is called a cult. No one is condemned by God for not keeping the Sabbath if they truly do not know. But, he that know has willfully committed sin.

Study the Scriptures, look into history and see for yourself if God changed the laws. Make a decision if you are willing to keep the commandments of God.

Revelation 14:12 Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

The Ten Commandments : Exodus 20: 1-18

I Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.

II Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me; and showing mercy unto thousands of them that love Me, and keep my commandments.

III Thou shalt not take the name if the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.

IV Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor they son, nor thou daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, not thy cattle, nor they stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day; wherfore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.

V Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

VI Thou halt not kill.

VII Thou shalt not commit adultery.

VIII Thou shalt not steal.

IX Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

X Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.

Exodus 20:1-18

AS CHANGED BY THE PAPACY

I I am the Lord thy God. Thou shalt not have strange gods before Me.

(Notice that the 2nd commandment as found in the Bible is left out.)

II Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.

(Notice the day of worship, the 7th day is left out.)

III Remember that thou keep holy the Sabbath day.

IV Honor thy father and thy mother.

V Thou shalt not kill.

VI Thou shalt not commit adultery.

VII Thou shalt not steal.

VIII Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

IX Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife.

X Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s goods.

Christians and Depression

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:52:00 +0000

Being a Christian does not make us exempt from troubles and depression. Let's face it; everyone is depressed at some time or another. Even Jesus was depressed and had anxiety before going to the cross.
Luk 22:42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be one. 43 And there appeared an angel unto Him from heaven, strengthening Him. 44 And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Don't let anyone tell that your depression is not real or that if you just had enough faith you wouldn't have it. Although some depression is because of sin not all is. The causes of depression can be both physical and psychological and spiritual. If we can find the cause of the problem, there is a good chance of being able deal with it or remove it entirely. Merely treating our symptoms with pills and or alcohol may bring some temporary relief, but recognizing the cause could help bring about a more permanent solution.

Our greatest enemies are those of fear, guilt, anxiety, depression, discouragement and loneliness. Satan will use these things against us. But realize he is powerless to do anything unless we give him that power. The greatest sin is not believing that God has the power to deliver us. Satan wants you to let go of your faith. He wants you to believe that no one cares and that there is no hope for you. If he can fill you with unbelief then he has succeeded in his mission to destroy you. God never walks away from you, YOU walk away from HIM!

Depression can stem from guilt.
David had committed adultery and was depressed until he confessed his sin.

Psa 32:1 Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. 3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. 4 For day and night thy hand was healed.

Psa 51:1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightiest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. 5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. 9 Hide Thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from Thy presence; and take not thy Holy Spirit from me 12 Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit 13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation:and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. 15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. 16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

David went to the Lord with a broken heart and confessed his sin. If our depression is from guilt, go boldly to the throne of grace and confess your sin and deal with it.

1Jo 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The Holy Spirit responds to your broken heart.

Heb 12:1 .. . . let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

What can we do when we have depression?
Call upon God. Keep your eyes upon Jesus, not the circumstance. If we let the circumstances overwhelm we limit God.

2Co 5:7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Psa 50:15 And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.

Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

When we call upon the Lord we can be assured that He hears the cry of every child of God.

Do not isolate yourself and close yourself in darkness. The devil wants to isolate you. He can bring you down to the very bottom when we do not have contact with other Christians to encourage and pray for us. Talk with someone in your family or a friend that you trust. Ask them to pray with you. Choose someone who understands. Sometimes God will use our loneliness for us to reach out to Him. So sometimes loneliness can be a good thing. Dr. Carl Menninger once gave a lecture on mental health and was answering questions from the audience. Someone said, "What would you advise a person to do if that person felt a nervous breakdown coming on?"Most people thought he would say, "Go see a psychiatrist immediately," but he didn't. To their astonishment, Dr. Meninger replied, "Lock up your house, go across the railroad tracks, find somebody in need, and help that person." To overcome discouragement, "Don't focus on yourself, get involved in the lives of other people."

Light has a definite impact on our lives.
Christ and the word are often referred to as light. Let us be reminded that there will be no darkness in the new heaven and earth.

Rev 21:23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Stop thinking Negatively
Depression can be caused by always thinking negatively, flesh controlled thinking. Reach up and turn that little radio off in your ear that keeps playing the same tune over and over. Make this a conscience choice that you will not listen to negativity.

Phi 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Rejoice even when you don't feel like it.
Nothing can make the devil flee from you faster than praising God. He will take advantage when you are down. Get the body in gear and the mind will follow.

Phi 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.

Jam 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.

Remember the devil doesn't mess with those he already has.

Choose to be thankful.
Have an attitude of gratitude. Make a list of all your blessings. And thank God for each one. Sometimes when we see all the blessings we do have it can be uplifting.

Sing and give praises to His name.
Singing and worship music can be very uplifting when we are down. It is hard to be depressed when we are singing. Stay away from old music that brings unpleasant memories to you.

Psa 9:2 I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

Psa 21:13 Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.

We can sometimes procrastinate about things that are not even going to happen.
Give God time to move in our situation. Mat 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Let go of self-hatred and anger with others.
Depression is anger turned inwards.

Eph 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Many diseases are caused by an unforgiving spirit. We need to learn accept ourselves as God made us. If we cannot love ourselves then we cannot love someone else.

Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Remember you are made by God in His very image. To reject yourself is to look upon what God has made in criticism. Accept yourself as God does.

Stop looking to self and others or things in which to place your hope and happiness.
When we buy things to bring us happiness it is only a quick fix. We should not depend upon people to bring us happiness. All these things will forsake you but hope in Christ is everlasting.

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

Isa 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. 4 Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength:

When our happiness is dependent upon human relationships and that person fails to meet your needs you will be unhappy again. Your needs are spiritual and only God can fill them. The truth is until you are a whole person within yourself you will make the same mistakes over and over again in all your human relationships. So many marriages end with each trying to fulfill their needs by leaning on the other. When your relationship with God is not right then all your relationships will be affected. We do need one another, the comfort and love of our families and friends, but they cannot make our happiness last. Only God can do that.

How often I have heard, "If God would just put someone in my life I would be happy. I wouldn't be lonely anymore." Until we come to the realization that our happiness is not dependant upon someone we will repeat the same mistakes over and over.

Forget the past.
We should not constantly be living in the past. Although we should remember and learn from our pasts we should never live there for it can be depressing. Christians go forward not backward. Remember you have a whole new life before you in Christ and he can heal all those past hurts if we let Him.

Phi 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, Phi 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Learn from your depression, and when you have come out of it God will be able to use you to minister to others. You can't understand depression until you have been there. Let it produce love in your heart for others instead of bitterness and an uncaring attitude. Would you turn your back on someone with diabetes or cancer? Depression and mental illness is just the same!

Mental illness and depression
Depression is sometimes caused by chemical imbalances. God sometimes uses medicine to heal but, drugs can mask the symptoms instead of getting to the source of the problem. Seek help immediately for prolonged depression or if contemplating suicide. Seek professional help. Have a good physical to rule out any medical problems. And pray for God to lead you to the right sources. God loves you and He will supply those you need if you only ask.

Those who suffer need Christian support and the love of their families and friends. It could happen to any of us. A lack of support and encouragement is the last thing one needs when faced with emotional problems that have overwhelmed them. Find someone who understands that you can confide in. Be careful when choosing someone. They need to be Godly people that can be trusted. The last thing you need is a fair weather friend who will abandon you. The devil uses people like that to bring you even further down.

We can look at the book of Job to see how the wrong friends and an insensitive family can make things even worse. Few of us will ever enter into sufferings like Job did. Job lost all his possessions. His children were killed and his body was racked with horrible sores and his friends judged and condemned him, and his wife told him he should curse God and die. Job's pain was almost unbearable. Yet when his trial was over God increased
everything to Job two-fold. Would your character stand if satan were to challenge God over your reasons for serving Him.

The problem is that many are not sensitive enough to the emotional problems of others. They are too wrapped up in self. I pity these people for they may find themselves alone some day. Look at what friends and family did to Jesus. The devil will use other human beings. We need to love one another no matter what!

Some Biblical instances of depression.
Isa 16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. 15 And Saul's servants said unto him, Behold now, an evil spirit from God troubleth thee. 16 Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil spirit from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand, and thou shalt be well. 17 And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me. 18 Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a man of war, and prudent in matters, and a comely person, and the LORD is with him. 19 Wherefore Saul sent messengers unto Jesse, and said, Send me David thy son, which is with the sheep. 20 And Jesse took an ass laden with bread, and a bottle of wine, and a kid, and sent them by David his son unto Saul. 21 And David came to Saul, and stood before him: and he loved him greatly; and he became his armourbearer. 22 And Saul sent to Jesse, saying, Let David, I pray thee, stand before me; for he hath found favour in my sight. 23 And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed.

In 1 Kings 19 we see Elijah's depression and how it was dealt with. Elijah's mind was focused on Jezebel instead of the LORD. He took his eyes off the Lord and focused on his problem. He got on his pity pot with a poor me attitude. Self pity leads to depression. In reality God had many other faithful believers. Elijah was not alone as he imagined. Instead of trusting in God as he had done in the past years, he ran for his life. He left God out of the picture. He wasn't thinking rationally. But God provided for Elijah and lifted him out of his depression. In his time of need God gave him a friendship with Elisha. When we have mistaken thinking then we have all the wrong emotional thinking.

Look at Jonah 4. Jonah became depressed and angry when God had mercy towards those of Nineveh when they repented after Jonah had prophesied their destruction because of their evil ways. He wanted to die. He was more concerned that he might be losing his credibility as a prophet. Jonah did the right thing but with a wrong attitude. God will deal with rebellion in our lives. He works in our lives in order to work through our lives to other people. A burden for the lost.

Our hope is in God.
Psa 42:5 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

Pro 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths 6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you. 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

2Co 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Even when your family and friends forsake you, God never abandons you. God remembers you. Tell the Lord you are going to wait upon Him. You will come out a better and stronger person in the long run.

The apostle Paul was focused on the eternal rather than the temporal.

2Co 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often. 24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

You were not created to live a life of discouragment.
Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.

Don't let your circumstances bring you down.
His will can be revealed to you in these circumstances.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

2Co 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

We cannot trust in self, but we can trust in Christ.
Lam 3:40 Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

Jer 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

You are valuable to God.
Mat 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

You will never be released from discouragement and depression until you have a truly personal relationship with Christ.

Psa 84:2 My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.

Without God in our lives we are lonely and depressed for we were made for God.

2Th 2:16 Now our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, God can use our sufferings to prepare us to be in His service of helping others.

Precious promises
Joh 14:18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Joh 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

2Ti 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

1Pe 3:13 And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

1Pe 3:14 But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

1Pe 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Psa 34:18 The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

Psa 34:19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Psa 27:5 For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. 6 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

Psa 40:17 But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.

Psa 126:5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

Psa 126:6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Isa 58:9 Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;

Dear Christian, if you are at the point that you are hurting so badly that you are crushed under the load then reach out to God. He will show Himself strong in your weakness. The Holy Spirit will impress someone into your path that will reach out to you and help you with your burden.

Heavenly Father, Help me to remember that I am created in Your image and that I am a somebody. Help us to turn to You in simple childlike faith, knowing that we will find You all sufficient. We pray for those who do not know that they can rest and trust in You, and who may not be able spiritually and physically, and we pray that You will give us an opportunity every day to do good in Your name. Let us be Your messenger of hope to this lost and dying world.
Amen

It's a Dead Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 10:51:00 +0000

"I am a Christian."

Does your speech portray that you are a Christian? Can others know by how you talk?
When Peter tried to deny Jesus they said to him .Matthew 26:73. And a little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; for the way you talk gives you away."
How you speak says a lot about you. When Jesus is active in your life, others can't help but know that you are a Christian. Jesus can't stay inside those who are filled with His spirit. It just comes bubbling out so it can make room for more of Him. Your talk should always glorify God.
When we take the Lord's name in vain, curse, tell dirty jokes, or speak about others in an unkind way we are not spirit filled.
May it be our prayer that we be spirit filled and that our speech says to the world, "I am a Christian."

The Seven Churches and The Overcomers

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:45:00 +0000

The messages to the 7 Churches were given to John around 95 AD. These 7 churches in Asia all existed at the same time in John's day. It is important that we realize these messages are timeless. They may not be in the same place or with the same people but they remain just the same. They represent the body of believers in Christ!
The condemnations and the promises that Jesus gave to each church still stand. They are timeless because the problems with sin still exist within the church today. In fact, Jesus concludes His message to each church saying, "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." Who is the church, is it a building or a denomination? No, it is every believer. Each of us that have accepted Christ. The church is not a place we go to worship; it is all the children of God. 1Co 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

The 7 churches are not numbered one through seven and they are not sequential or chronological in order. They are not apocalyptic and they do not represent seven time periods since the ascension of Jesus. They all existed at the same time in John's day and they still exist today.

We need to notice what Jesus said to each church and see, which church applies to our own experience in the Lord. Notice what Jesus says to each church.

1. Ephesus: Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

Rev 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

2. Smyrna: Rev 2:9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. 10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Rev 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.

3. Pergamum: Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. See Numbers 22-24 (Balaam style refers to immoral sins committed with heathen who don't know better.)

Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

4. Thyatira: Rev 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols Compare with 1 Kings 21 and 2 Kings 9 (This refers to sins committed within the church by those knowing better)

Rev 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:

5. Sardis: Rev 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

Rev 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

6. Philadelphia: Rev 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Rev 3:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

7. Laodicea: Rev 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Rev 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

What does it mean to overcome?

Strong's Concordance 3528 nikao {nik-ah'-o}

from 3529; TDNT - 4:942,634; v

AV - overcome 24, conquer 2, prevail 1, get the victory 1; 28

to conquer 1a) to carry off the victory, come off victorious 1a1) of Christ, victorious over all His foes 1a2) of Christians, that hold fast their faith even unto death against the power of their foes, and temptations and persecutions 1a3) when one is arraigned or goes to law, to win the case, maintain one's cause

Do you see that? God wants a people who have overcome their sins, they are victorious. He wants a pure and holy people to take with Him to heaven. He didn't say join the church and get baptized and go out and keep on sinning. He didn't say I know you can't help it and I don't care. If you are not happy here on earth overcoming your sins then you will not be happy in heaven! God will take no one to heaven that would not rather die than to sin. Do we not have enough faith in the power of God to help us overcome sin? Do we accept the doctrine of cheap grace taught by many that we cannot and do not have to overcome sin? By the shed blood of Christ we can overcome. But, before we can overcome anything we have to first acknowledge what is sin in our own lives and be willing for God to remove it.

Rom 6:2 God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Rom 6:15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.

1Jo 4:4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.

We many times we overlook things in our lives that to God is SIN. We cannot overcome sin on our own. It must be Christ in us. In giving ourselves to Him DAILY, trusting Him to do the work in us and through us. Our part is laying down our lives to Him. Placing ourselves on the altar and allowing Him to work in us. I call it spiritual surgery and sometimes it hurts, but it is always with His love that He corrects us.

God will reveal your sin to you if you ask. He knows things within us that we might not even see ourselves. Remember the story of the rich man. Mat 19:16 And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? 17 . . . . but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 18 . . . . Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet? 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.24 And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Now God didn't need this man's money. But God knew this man loved his money more than he loved God. God wants all of you and He will reveal to you things that are inside you. He knows the very depths of our heart and the sin within. Only then can He use you. He wants to do a work in you so you can be Jesus with skin on.

The devil wants you to disobey God and he will use whatever means works. It can even be done in the name of religion. There are those sitting in the pews now that have no idea what sin is. They believe as long as they go to church and do their duty and are baptized that is all that is necessary. Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. These are those who claim to be religious. What is their problem? They have not done the will of God.

Mat 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, 8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.10 And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand 11 Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.

Satan wants you to believe that you cannot overcome sin. And you can't in your own power because the flesh will win out every time.

What does God want?

Eph 4:22 That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23 And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.25 Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another. 26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: 27 Neither give place to the devil. 28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labor, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. 30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

There is a time and God only knows that time when we have rejected the prompting of the Holy Spirit to see truth and the sin in our lives. When that time has been reached God will turn one over to the devil. This is called the unpardonable sin. The heart is so harden that you do not hear God anymore. There is no guilt over sin. The work of the Holy Spirit is to lead us into all truth.

Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Jo 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 5 And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins; and in him is no sin.6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. John is saying that no one who is walking in disobedience to God can be righteous. He even says that one who is not is of the devil. Strong words!

Does this mean we will never sin. No! But it is what we do with that sin. Do we stay in it or do we go to God and ask forgiveness and ask Him to help us overcome that sin. When we sin we have to lay Jesus aside. We cannot sin when Jesus is abiding in our heart. If we close Him out we will sin. It is always a matter of choice.

What is sin?

We cannot be good enough on our own to deserve salvation. No one can obey the commandments of God on his own. You cannot earn your way to heaven. Do not let any one tell you that you still have the assurance of salvation if you are walking in willful disobedience to God! This is a false doctrine. Truth faith in Christ will overcome sin. In God's sight it is non-negotiable. God didn't say, go to church and be baptized and go on sinning. John 8:11 . . . . And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Rom 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

1Co 6:18 Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.

1Co 8:12 But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

Jam 1:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Eph 4:26 Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

The Lord sends each of us people and circumstances to speak truth into our lives to bring us to Him. He speaks to our hearts, but if we willfully reject His drawing there is no sacrifice for our sins. We need to pay particular attention to this one. How often has God sent someone to you?

1Jo 2:16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

1Jo 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

What is the law? It is the Ten Commandments. Don't let anyone tell you they were nailed to the cross with Christ or that God changed one or left it out. This is a lie straight from hell.

1Jo 5:17 All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.

Overcoming sin

Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Jam 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Phi 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Heb 11:25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

We need to be constantly aware of what we say, what we do and what we watch. What we feed our mind and bodies have a direct effect on our hearts. We are His lips, hands and bodies. We the church represent Christ to others. How can we expect the world to be drawn to Christ if we act like the world?

1Jo 3:6 Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

1Jo 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. 5 Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

In Psalm 119:10 "For I have hidden Your Word in my heart that I do not sin against You".

We need to know the Scriptures and to apply them to our lives. We cannot know God if we do not know what He has to say. We need to keep in constant communion with Him to know His will and to ask Him to help us to overcome our sin. He forces know one.

The judgment and works

True faith in God will produce good works of obedience. Jam 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Many believe it is legalistic to say that we are judged by our works, but the Bible does not support this.

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

Our works do not save us, but they are evidence of the Holy Spirit abiding within us. Man cannot save himself by works of the flesh. Our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ will produce works.

The bottom line is if one has truly come to Christ, he will live a life of obedience. He will strive to overcome his sins and will not live in willful disobedience to the commandments of God.

Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

There is not one thing that we might have to give up or go through on this earth that will even compare with what God has for each of us who overcomes. May we each be found among the overcomers when Jesus returns.

There's an important question. When will the promise to each church be given? Answer: When Jesus comes. This little point is very important. Rev 22:12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. We have the promise of salvation, but we will only receive it at the time of the Second Coming. Church it is time to take a stand. Christ will come for His church. Will you be among those He finds to have faith? Will you live eternally with HIM or will you be destroyed with satan?

Rev 6:17 For the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Luk 18:8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?

Heavenly Father how loving is Your chastening. I hunger to know more of You, Lord. In all times of temptation may I remember Your example. I praise You for Your Word, which tells me how I should live my life. Make my heart completely devoid of self so I may be filled with Your Spirit. There are times that I may slip once again into the mire. Cleanse and strengthen me for Jesus' sake.

Amen

One By One

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:43:00 +0000

One by one the gospel goes

O'r hill and vale and waters deep.

One by one the Spirit flows

Through consecrated souls to keep

The trust passed on. The flame of truth

Is ours to share until in death we sleep.
One by one, could we start in youth

With mind uncluttered and muscles strong

How many flames from the torch of truth

Could blaze in darkness, dispelling wrong.

One by one (through holy zeal)

To know God's love, to His church belong.
One by one, when age we feel,

When youth has flown and gray hairs last

(The truth is still alive and real,

In future days as in ages past,)

We gain from age its wisdom too

As we notice the sand in the hour glass.
One by one, though the days be few

Mourn not for time ill spent.

Each day is ours, each day is new.

Each face we meet is heaven sent.

God would have us share His love,

To us, for this His life is lent.
Just remember, one by one,

(Though we would deal with many,)

Is where God's brightest work is done

For He counts few as plenty.

What a shame if one we pass

While waiting still for many.
One by one, when lots are cast

When God's verdicts are finally known

Will your fruits forever last

Or be into the fire thrown?

One by one, is how it is done

From Eden to final home.

When It's Time to Die

noreply@blogger.com (Crystal Arcand) — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:44:00 +0000

I am a death row inmate in the State Prison here at Indiana. I have often given many thoughts about death and how I can prepare myself for dying by execution. I'm sure I am not the only one who has thought about dying. I hear many things. Some say they are not afraid but, I know that they don't mean that deep down, I can see it in their face and eyes. No one wants to die. But everyone must die at some point in life: Hebrews 9:27 says, For it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgment.
I believe that any one with half a mind believes in God and thinks about his soul and the judgment day. I sure do. When I was in Viet Nam I was always afraid of death, dying was not on my list of good things to do. Now I find myself in a new but different battle, Death Row. Do I still have the fear of dying? NO, I do not. I am a born again Christian, a child of God/Jesus and have received the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. How can I be afraid? For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of Love and he that dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein our love is made perfect, That we may have BOLDNESS in the day of judgment because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear. 1 John 4:15-18 Love is I know, the greatest gift of all. And I know that God loves me and has forgiven me of all my sins and unrighteousness 1 John 1:9
I know that when I depart from this world I shall be with the Lord Jesus. God has promised me life everlasting 1 John 5:13 so I shall not be afraid of what men can do to me, For I live in Christ.
Now I must be honest, I don't always feel good nor do I always feel like singing and praising God, but I don't go by feelings, I live by faith. You see I am Blessed For I know that death will come some day, ah it could be closer than I knew. But, I have victory in that I have a chance to prepare myself, get right with God and confess my sins, and repent of the things I have done. Some people may not have a chance to prepare if they wait too long! Death could come at anytime, any place and catch you unprepared. So listen, Open your heart to Jesus NOW. Make a way for your soul to receive the gift of life everlasting with Jesus…Read your Bible and study and know the Word of God, that you may be able to receive His blessings. Only you can do it, no one else can do it for you. Now is the chance of your life time, now is the day of Salvation. Receive it through Jesus Christ our Lord and our Savior. It's your choice.
The Michigan City Gobedoer
Because of Calvary