Monday 26 March 2012
The Truth About Armageddon
Where's Armageddon
Most of the world views this end time battle as some catastrophic event that will take place at the end of time. Christ is going to come back to the earth and defeat the Antichrist in this battle. Vernard Eller a retired college professor suggests selling tickets to this battle; it would bring in millions.
In Hebrew the term is Harmageddon and is known as Armageddon in several versions of the Bible. Harmageddon means mountain (or hill) of Megiddo or Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible reads Mount Megiddo. It is a battleground situated at the south rim of Esdraelon. Megiddo is a plain situated between two mountains. It was a place for many bloody battles throughout history. Not just biblical history but secular battles as well. Let's take a look at some of the Old Testament accounts on the battlefield.
The bible first mentions Megiddo where a king was defeated by Joshua. (Joshua 12:21).
Another war that took place near the waters of Megiddo that Deborah and Barak defeated the Canaanites. (Judges 5:19).
Gideon won over the Midianites on the plains of Megiddo. Judges 7.
Ahaziah died on Megiddo after being stabbed by Jehu's arrow. II Kings 9:27.
Megiddo is where the Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt killed King Josiah. II Kings 23:29-30.
Another battle during in the last few decades and in some of our readers' lifetime was fought there. In 1918 the allied forces under General Allenby entered northern Palestine, through the Megiddo pass to take it from the Turkish forces, after which the British commander was named Viscount Allenby of Megiddo. So it can be concluded that it is a battlefield used during bible times as well as during some of our life times. This is the verse below that most take this doctrine from.
And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the almighty. Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his garments, lest he walk about naked and men see his shame. And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Harmageddon. Revelation 16:13-16.
Can we conclude there is going to be a great battle on the last day just from these few verses? Is there some doubt here to what this means? Does this actually make any sense at all? What are these frogs coming out of a beast and then out of a false prophet? Sounds like some movie in Hollywood. We may not know the answer to all the questions but if you consider who this was actually written for the truth will become clear.
This verse about Harmageddon is found in the highly symbolic book of Revelation. To try and make this verse something that will happen in our life time goes against the real message of the book of Revelation.
The Christians of Asia Minor were being severely persecuted by the Roman Empire and the whole book is based on the hope that they will have victory over their enemy and that their relief from persecution would come swiftly. Do you think these first century Christians were thinking of a war in Iraq while trying to persevere through the most trying of times?
I don't want to cover too much into about the book of Revelation as we will cover some on that later. But I must tell you of the when, the audience and why. The book of Revelation was written by the apostle John sometime in the latter part of the first century. John was exiled to the isle of Patmos because of his belief in Christ. Rev 1:9. Being exiled was the lesser of the punishments that Rome would inflict on Christians. He was made to work in the rock quarries and they were basically starved to death with little food, water and rest. However this book was meant to fall in the hands of the early Christians and more specifically the seven churches of Asia. They were the audience. They too were being persecuted for what they believed. Some were tortured and put to death in an inhumane manner. Nero an emperor in the middle to latter part of the century use to put animal skins on the privates of Christians so that the animals would attack them. Church historians say that even for some who were involved it was too much for them. This is the under what conditions. The book was written kind of like a code. The book of Revelation is very deep in the Old Testament roots and Hebrew. The purpose was to conceal and reveal to the intended audience. The Romans if they came across it would not understand because of the Hebrew roots. This is no different then other codes used in secular history.
The African slaves use to sing while working. Their masters must have thought they were very religious people. The songs they use to sing meant something to the others. Wade in the Water was one of them and there were many more. They sung about escaping slavery and traveling north to freedom. Unless I was the recipient of the message then I wouldn't understand. Since we weren't the actual recipients of the book of Revelation, it too would be and is hard to understand. Take a first century Christian and sing to him, Wade in the Water and see if they would understand. Show them a road sign on one of our major highways or tell them that someone has "road rage" and see if they would be quite perplexed. This is how Christians today are concerning the battle of Armageddon.
If there is no battle of Armageddon and it is totally symbolic then does it have any meaning at all? How do we go about figuring it out? One correct interpretation that no one can deny is, Whatever it meant to them (i.e. First Century Christians) is what the battle of Armageddon was or is or shall be, (W.B. West, Revelation Through First Century Glasses, [TN: Gospel Advocate], 109).
What was the message to first century Christians? Just like a battleground in Palestine it is a battleground in the heart. It is the war of and in the heart. It is not a physical war with guns and tankers. It is a spiritual emotional war. God shows us in the book of Revelation who is victorious. The church is victorious and is so prophesized by the prophet Daniel as well as Jesus saying the same thing about the kingdom. See Daniel 2:44 and also Matt 16:18. Jesus on trial says that his kingdom is not of this world. John 18:36. If Jesus kingdom is not of this world then why would anyone believe that the battle is of a physical nature? Additionally it isn't a question of who wins the war but rather how many Christian's God will take with him.
Christ foretold that some would fall away from the faith because of the persecutions. Their love would grow cold. Just read about the seven churches and their struggles in the first chapter of Revelation. The ones who stayed fought this battle of Armageddon everyday. Christians today fight the battle of Armageddon everyday, the battle between right and wrong. God's battle didn't have anything to do with a physical battle, but a spiritual one. II Cor 10:3-6. "Perhaps it suggests the place of decision," (James Burton Coffman, Revelation [TX: ACU Press], 367). This battle is much more stressful then a physical battle in which it's an emotional type of battle within the hearts and minds of Christians.
Author Bio
This an excerpt from the book titled End Time Secrets written by Christine Bettridge and she also is the editor of the article directory, aboveallcontent.com, Above All Content. Visit her blog at: biblesound.blogspot.com, The Bible Sound Blog.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Saturday 24 March 2012
Why Faith is Important in a Believer's Walk With God
Developing Faith - Using Faith to Find Your Life's Purpose
Call Zimbabwe With O2 O2.co.uk/InternationalSim Calls Just 10p/minute. Texts 10p. Order Your Great Value O2 Sim Now
UK Christian Singles www.be2.co.uk/Christian Compare How Compatible You Are With Christian Singles In Your Area
Faith is defined in Hebrews 11:1 as "Being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. "(NIV). Faith is the foundation of a Christian's life because without it we cannot please God. To be called a Christian, one has to have a level of faith because we believe in an invisible God who we cannot perceive with our naked eye.
When we accept the Lord Jesus in our lives we are professing our faith in him and it is the first step to finding our life's purpose that is in line with His will. However,we cannot remain complacent once we have received him in our lives because we have an enemy who will endeavour to uproot us from our faith and bring us back to the world. It is fundamental to develop our faith once we have made a decision to follow Christ.
Faith can be developed by hearing the word of God, as Paul wrote in Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of God" Saints, we need to hear the word through preaching, teaching and reading the word. If we remain in the word, we will surely cultivate our faith and be able to stand firm against the wiles of the enemy.
When we are operating according to God's will for our lives we can, by faith, achieve our goals by believing and not allowing doubt to enter our minds. An example we can take from the Bible is that of Joseph who suffered many hardships but remained faithful to the Lord and consequently reached his full potential by becoming the second in command over the government of Egypt.
When faced with trials and tribulations, we must stand firm, because this is when our faith is being tested. Many believers are aware that when the situation seems unbearable, that is when we have to keep pressing on and that our breakthrough is eminent. Many Christians fall at their point of breakthrough because they give up too soon and lose their faith in God.
Christians, we can only reach our full potential if we put our trust in the Lord and fully submit to him. In addition to this, we have to do all things according to his will and the will of God is found in the living word.
In conclusion faith is the corner stone of a Christians life and without it, we are cannot please God. Our faith can be developed through hearing the word of God and when we have faith that is unmovable,steady and secure,we can achieve our life's purpose through the grace that comes from our Lord Jesus Christ.
When we accept the Lord Jesus in our lives we are professing our faith in him and it is the first step to finding our life's purpose that is in line with His will. However,we cannot remain complacent once we have received him in our lives because we have an enemy who will endeavour to uproot us from our faith and bring us back to the world. It is fundamental to develop our faith once we have made a decision to follow Christ.
Faith can be developed by hearing the word of God, as Paul wrote in Romans 10:17 "Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message and the message is heard through the word of God" Saints, we need to hear the word through preaching, teaching and reading the word. If we remain in the word, we will surely cultivate our faith and be able to stand firm against the wiles of the enemy.
When we are operating according to God's will for our lives we can, by faith, achieve our goals by believing and not allowing doubt to enter our minds. An example we can take from the Bible is that of Joseph who suffered many hardships but remained faithful to the Lord and consequently reached his full potential by becoming the second in command over the government of Egypt.
When faced with trials and tribulations, we must stand firm, because this is when our faith is being tested. Many believers are aware that when the situation seems unbearable, that is when we have to keep pressing on and that our breakthrough is eminent. Many Christians fall at their point of breakthrough because they give up too soon and lose their faith in God.
Christians, we can only reach our full potential if we put our trust in the Lord and fully submit to him. In addition to this, we have to do all things according to his will and the will of God is found in the living word.
In conclusion faith is the corner stone of a Christians life and without it, we are cannot please God. Our faith can be developed through hearing the word of God and when we have faith that is unmovable,steady and secure,we can achieve our life's purpose through the grace that comes from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Sharone Mlenga
I am a committed Christian and I constantly seek after the truth, I have been saved for 7 years and my passion for Christ has increased. I long to walk with Him all the days of my life
My Blog is: http://findingthetruthaboutchristianity.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sharone_MlengaI am a committed Christian and I constantly seek after the truth, I have been saved for 7 years and my passion for Christ has increased. I long to walk with Him all the days of my life
My Blog is: http://findingthetruthaboutchristianity.blogspot.com
Saturday 17 March 2012
Child of God, You are Protected!
God's Miracle of Protection
by Nancy Quinn
3/07/2008 / Miracles
The multi-lane
interstate was busy during evening rush hour and I checked each time I had to
move over to the next lane. I had a couple miles to go before I had to merge
onto the interstate that veered south toward home. As always, I checked before
moving over into each lane and saw a grey car such a great distance away that I
started to turn my wheel to the left to shift lanes again. The steering wheel
suddenly jerked in my hands and moved me back to my lane. As I briefly glanced
down in panic at my wheel wondering what was wrong with my car, a grey blur
passed on my left going in excess of 100 miles per hour and I felt an evilness
emanating from the car. This memory will stay with me for the rest of my days as
I treasure this event as one where my guardian angel actually took a hold of my
wheel and saved me from certain death. Another time a massive truck blocked my
view in the lane next to me and when the light turned green, I poised to take my
foot off the brake when his loud horn scared me. Just as I wondered who he was
honking at, an SUV ran through the red light at top speed. The Lord once again
protected me, this time using one of His children to warn me.
Have there been times in your life where you knew the Lord saved you from certain death? Knowing He loved me and intervened those times are still treasured memories to me. And even if you don't remember any distinct situations, that doesn't mean the Lord hasn't intervened. I'm sure there's been many times where He has been at your right hand and protected you without your knowledge. Who knows that the times we've been delayed going to work by an annoying phone call, or a slow car ahead of us as we're going home hasn't been the Lord's incredible timing to keep us out of the wrong place at the wrong time.
If you look up the word "protection" in the Bible you will discover a treasure trove of comforting verses. Isn't it a beautiful thought to know that the Lord loves us so much that He sends his guardian angels to watch over us? I love the comforting verse from Psalm 91:4 "He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection." As you go through your busy day, remember to thank the Lord that you are sheltered, protected and greatly loved.
Psalm 18:2 "The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety."
Luke 12:7 "And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows."
May God bless these words as I strive to encourage others in their walk with Christ. I'm also blessed with the opportunity to be a contributing writer to www.CalicintoRanch.com, www.OpenDoorMission.org, Full Spirit Magazine and www.JournEzine.com - wonderful ministries that reach others for Christ!
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
by Nancy Quinn
3/07/2008 / Miracles
Have there been times in your life where you knew the Lord saved you from certain death? Knowing He loved me and intervened those times are still treasured memories to me. And even if you don't remember any distinct situations, that doesn't mean the Lord hasn't intervened. I'm sure there's been many times where He has been at your right hand and protected you without your knowledge. Who knows that the times we've been delayed going to work by an annoying phone call, or a slow car ahead of us as we're going home hasn't been the Lord's incredible timing to keep us out of the wrong place at the wrong time.
If you look up the word "protection" in the Bible you will discover a treasure trove of comforting verses. Isn't it a beautiful thought to know that the Lord loves us so much that He sends his guardian angels to watch over us? I love the comforting verse from Psalm 91:4 "He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection." As you go through your busy day, remember to thank the Lord that you are sheltered, protected and greatly loved.
Psalm 18:2 "The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety."
Luke 12:7 "And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows."
May God bless these words as I strive to encourage others in their walk with Christ. I'm also blessed with the opportunity to be a contributing writer to www.CalicintoRanch.com, www.OpenDoorMission.org, Full Spirit Magazine and www.JournEzine.com - wonderful ministries that reach others for Christ!
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
The Gift of Tongues
Gentle is the Lord
by Marijo Phelps
3/13/2009 / Miracles
Two weeks later, through a series of miracles, I was on my way to a Women's Aglow retreat in Oakland. I had BUTTERFLIES and tried to figure out how to stay home. After the Lord reminded me of all He did to get me there, I resigned myself to His will and went.
Shortly after my sister-in-law and I arrived we met her friend, Florence. Soon I began badgering her with "20 questions". It reminded me of the time right before I got saved when I wouldn't go down without a good fight! Her method reminded me a lot of the way I tease, but really get down to business, with anyone who is defensively questioning things of God. She was a kick!
So far, all ladies that I had met seemed really friendly, smiling and genuinely warm. I am not sure what I expected, perhaps a lot of hyperemotional, flighty ladies. Celia (my sister-in-law) might have the gift of tongues but Celia was different, or so I thought. It was probably because she was a relative and I knew her as a person and not as "one of those".
At our first worship session I really enjoyed the songs, prayers and praise. When someone started singing in tongues, the rest joined in briefly, it sounded just like a choir. I concentrated very hard on singing "hallelujah" and "thank you Jesus". We sang more choruses and more prayers were offered.
All the ladies leading this time were attractive and spoke in soft, moderate voices. I had imagined something out of Halloween perhaps?
All of the sudden, some lady in the front row, just a little way down from us, let out a screech and fell on the floor. The nurse in me wanted to go over and see what the problem was, but not very much. That was it! I was going home! But wait a minute, the speaker was saying that confusion was not of the Lord and that we were going to have scriptural order. The song leader started a new song and things went on, in order.
The next morning the Lord used a guest minister to reassure me again. He stated very strongly that in any service things needed to be done in order. He wouldn't even allow the gifts to be used without the strictest Biblical order.
Ok, Lord I guess there are some who speak in tongues who follow Your Word about order too.
The other major concern I had was about hyper emotionality. I was just sure that all of this "tongues business" was just a matter of getting worked up into an emotional frenzy. I observed people singing, very quietly in tongues with joy and happiness. Then, as if the Lord was trying to calm me, the speaker said we use the gifts to worship the Lord in the Spirit. She cautioned against getting into the flesh or the emotions saying we would only cheat God and ourselves. It sounded reasonable to me, but not what I had expected.
I must admit at this time that I was not too hot on a lot of singing, one or two songs and I was at my limit and started fidgeting.. At this meeting we could sit if we wanted to or stand, some clapped their hands, others folded them or raised them over their heads to the Lord, some even had tambourines, but in it all as a radiance of adoration for Jesus like I had never witnessed before. We were truly one in the Spirit and one in the Lord. We sang choruses, prayed little prayers, heard scripture and then a message which was super.
I thought about forty-five minutes had gone by. It was 10:00PM and we had started at 7:30PM! Praise the Lord! Everyone was so sincere. They really praised Jesus and loved Him, reaching out to each other. It was neat! Don't tell me I was starting to like this in spite of myself!
Gradually the Lord started unraveling the big knot within me. It was scars left over from the church I was saved in three and a half years before, which eventually split right down the middle, destroying many individuals in the congregation also. Jesus was touching my fears of big, old hotels and fires, frustrations of not being able to cry and express my sad emotions. He touched feelings left over from childhood of being on the outside looking in.
I was sharing these areas with Celia and Florence for prayer, when we all heard the sound of rain outside. I praised the Lord, if it was raining and I didn't have to worry about fire. The Lord could take care of and keep us! Intellectually, I knew this all the time, but try to convince my emotional "what if" part. I had already figured out a way to tie sheets together for a hasty escape out the window, only we were on the 8th floor and didn't have enough sheets. Ever notice what the devil will get you obsessing about to keep you from paying attention? I had also spent too many years as a burn unit RN.
We three shared in prayer. When we looked out the streets were dry. It had not been raining even though all three of us heard it. I already had the faith that God could handle my fears and was able to sleep soundly that night.
At breakfast we all shared with ladies we'd never seen before. We were open and really shared our hearts. I was being a "critical fruit inspector", really just waiting to see something negative. However, everyone seemed to sincerely love the Lord, there was just no way around that. Also, they seemed to be serving Him too. At this point the Lord began to take me out of denominationalism and doctrinism and into worship with the Body of Christ! How blind had I been, how stubborn and negative!
Before the retreat, the flier had mentioned special interest groups. Those groups included intercessory prayer, gifts of the Spirit, counseling etc. I knew from the outset which one I was NOT going to, you guessed it, the one on gifts of the Spirit. They had been pretty coy so far but I was not going to set myself up to get attacked and have someone insist I pray in tongues.
It was time to sign up and I had already narrowed it down to intercessory prayer vs counseling, then the leader threw in a clinker and suggested we pray about which one we were to attend. There went counseling, now it was between intercessory prayer and (gulp) gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Okay Lord, I really need a definite sign on this one. Let me open my eyes and have an "X" appear by the right one so I really know it is Your will.
And that small, still voice inside me said I should ask Celia to go to the one on the gifts with me.
Right about then the leader said "don't ask your neighbor to go to the one you just signed up for just because you are going".
Rats! I opened my eyes and my thumb was on top of the box marked "gifts of the Spirit", big deal, I was looking at that box before I started praying.
Bet if my thumb had been over the box marked intercessory prayer I would have leaped at the chance to go to that workshop, ahem.
The lady came by to collect the papers and I hadn't signed up for a workshop yet. I was reprieved for awhile.
When we got to the room Celia piped up and said, "Jo, I really felt the Holy Spirit telling me to go to the class on the gifts of the Spirit and take you with me but I wasn't sure how to tell you.."
I ran over and hugged Celia, then got nervous as all get out. We signed up for that class together.
OK, Lord, that was the definite sign I asked for, now, You protect me and don't let anyone attack me!"
All too soon it was the next day and time for the class. I was ready to fight until death the "tongues brainwashing" I just knew was about to begin. We got into the group, second from the last row, you know, the one by the door. There was a soft spoken, ageless lady who introduced herself and gave her testimony.
I tuned in to hear "raised Methodist then Nazarene, saved at age 9 and filled with the Holy Spirit 22 years later.."
Quick calculations told me she must have been filled with the Spirit at age 31. I was 31 sitting there that day. I had been raised Methodist, then was a professing atheist for 9 years, then got saved and became a Nazarene. She was fluent in Spanish and so was I right on down the line her testimony went SO similar to mine.
Now what, Lord, I know You want me here, at this retreat and in this particular interest group.
Then someone asked her a question about speaking in tongues. She had been lecturing for about a half an hour on the gifts of the Spirit and hadn't even mentioned tongues. This was hardly the brainwashing I had expected.
Later, we broke up into groups of three to pray. My request was that the Lord would refuel me, have His way in my life and give me anything He wanted me to have. I knew I was filled with His Spirit prior to this time; a distinct, one point in time infilling.
That day I wanted to rededicate and yield myself to whatever plan the Lord had for me. I prayed that I wanted any gift that He wanted me to have and then felt that nudge to pray more specifically. I did. I poured out my heart to Him while holding Celia and Linda by the hand. Then we stopped and they were both grinning at me, like cats who swallowed canaries, I thought.
"What are your grins about?"
"Jo, you've been baptized, Jo, you've got it!"
I knew I had Him and He had me, that happened over three years ago and I didn't speak in tongues then either. In fact, the only time I even came close to speaking in tongues was two weeks ago, the night after I had been taken through Corinthians by the Lord. I really prayed and while asleep that night I dreamed I spoke in tongues. Also, just the night before the class I was saying my nighttime prayers. Then I sang a chorus to the tune "Thank You Jesus, Thank You Lord", only the words were ones I didn't understand except it ended in Rabboni, which I knew was teacher, so I decided I made the whole thing up.
Besides, since I understand Spanish and a very little French, German, Hawaiian and Italian what if I made words up, that would be ridiculous.
But little sounds kept floating through my head that I wasn't making up, in fact, I would just as soon they weren't there! I didn't feel electric, ecstatic, or even excited, which isn't my usual style, not feeling excited I mean. I felt rather soberly peaceful and calm, subdued but not down. I certainly wasn't tingling from head to toe, or giggling, nor jabbering non-stop.
Lord, there are so few words in the English language with which to praise You and my love is so much bigger than that! Lord, I want only what You want for me, I don't want anything that isn't of You.
And when Celia and I prayed that night, in English, all kinds of little sounds kept coming into my head and they weren't Spanish, English, German or anything else that I knew. I wasn't conjuring them up, more like choking them down.
I Cor 14:2 "For one who speaks in tongues speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit"
A language the Holy Spirit prays through me and Satan will not be able to understand or intercept? A hotline to heaven, hum.
I still had a thousand questions, but I knew one thing, the Lord was delivering me from my prejudices, negativism and my SELF, that large chunk of me which said "if you don't do it my way, you aren't right!" Did I really think that way? Something like that, because I used to avoid everyone who spoke in tongues like they had leprosy.
I was running the water in the hotel bath tub and accidently hit the shower button. I got my hair and night gown soaked and just couldn't resist the urge to run down the hall and tell Florence I got "baptized"
And the Lord kept blessing and liberating. I started getting a picture of just how BIG He was and how very small and limited I had Him in my mind. Wow! I went from negative to positive. The Lord has delivered me from my SELF. There were still no fireworks, but a sober "feet on the rock" peace; deep and calm within me.
I am praising Him in every language I know and a new one that I don't know. But, after all, who am I to refuse a gift from the Lord? Even though He had to almost kill me to give it to me. I actually thought I was doing to die several times in the process and hopefully a part of me did!
My blog is: http://myincrediblelord.blogspot.com/
(C) Marijo Phelps all rights reserved. Use with proper credits.
About Self
Saved by His grace in 1974, from 9 years of professing atheism into His loving arms. RN for 23 years, missionary with YWAM then statistical analyst for Every Home for Christ over 9 years. Living with my husband in the middle of a mountain meadow. GRIN! Wanting to spread the good news
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
What Are we Waiting on?
What are You Waiting on?
by Debbie Kay
10/22/2009 / Miracles
"Well, I'm just
waiting for a miracle." How often have you heard someone say that? How often
have you said it? "If God wanted me to have a new car he would give it to me?.
If it's in his will for me to have a good job he will make it happen" If your
staring out the window waiting for that shiny new sports car to come tearing up
the drive, then you should probably get comfortable, since my best guess is your
going to be sitting there looking down the road for a long time. By the same
token if you are waiting everyday for someone to knock on the door and say "Your
Hired!" your probably going to get mighty hungry before it happens.
You can insert here whatever problem or situation you may be waiting on God to take care of. You might say, well of course you can't just pray up a new car or a new job, but I'm very sick, or I'm believing in God to pay off my bills, or fix my children.. Any one of a thousand scenarios would fit, and there are just as many excuses as to why we are still sitting by the window waiting for God to take care of it.
So if God wants us to be financially secure, healthy with happy secure and healthy children, why is it that we are still waiting? What exactly are we waiting on?
John tells of a man in Jerusalem that was very sick and had been so for thirty eight years. There was a pool there known as Bethesda. It was known that in certain seasons an angel of the Lord would come and stir up the waters. The first person to step in would be completely cured of whatever ailment he was afflicted with. The Lord set up the situation in which the problem of those around could be "fixed" but there was a stipulation that must be met in order to get the miracle the man had spent thirty eight years waiting for. He had to be the first in the pool.
Now Jesus came by the pool one day and saw the man, knowing he had been there for a long time, just waiting on the side of the pool, (looking out the window and waiting) He asked the man, "Do you even wish to be well?" I kinda wonder if Jesus might have been shaking his head thinking, well, I've stirred up the waters over and over for you and I've sent my angels to show the way to your healing, but your still sitting here, just waiting. What are you waiting for?
The man answered Jesus by saying that he did indeed want to be healed, but each time opportunity knocked, or the waters were stirred, someone would step over him and get there first. Someone else always got ahead of him. He complained that there was just never anyone there to put him in the pool.
Are we complaining that if someone else would just do something or the other, the problems in our lives would be fixed? Are we saying, well God of course I want to be financially secure, and I'm waiting on that great opportunity, but you see when it happens, I just never have anyone that will help me take advantage of it first. Then someone else steps over me and I just keep on waiting.
Now the man waiting at the pool surely believed there was miraculous healing powers in the water when the angel stirred it up. After all he had been waiting and watching for thirty eight years and had no doubt seen the many other sick stepping over him and being healed. He believed God could fix his problem but he was never quite ready to step into the water when God prepared it for him. Now maybe he couldn't walk, maybe he was so very sick and weak that he was just always beaten to the water by those not quite as sick as he. I just believe in all that time, I would have squirmed my way to the edge of that pool, and been hanging on the edge with one finger for the moment God presented the solution so I could jump on it before anyone else could even blink! Thirty eight years is a lot of time to ready yourself for action, when God presents the way.
When the man told Jesus he just couldn't get to the water. Jesus told him to get up, pick up his mat and walk. Take action!! Get up. He told him to get away from the window and Get UP!
"Pick up your mat." Clean up your mess. Now my Mother might argue that this is a biblical commandment to make up your bed and maybe it is. Maybe Jesus was telling us to clean things up around us and be ready when I tell you what to do. Pick up your mat and get ready! Get your affairs in order so that you are ready to walk when Jesus says to walk. You'll notice so far he didn't say lay there and wait until the water comes to you!
"Arise pick up your mat and Walk!" Step out and start walking. Stop sitting by the window waiting for your miracle to run up in the front yard like Ed McMan with a big check! Start walking. God can't guide you in the right direction if you are sitting still. You might make some wrong turns, but as long as you are walking God can guide your steps, even turn you around if you get off track.
Stop now waiting on someone else to change so that your circumstances get better, begin changing yourself. Don't wait and pray that God instructs someone else to put you in the pool, begin praying that God will give you the strength and wisdom required to 'get in the pool' yourself, so to speak.
Don't sit in front of the TV day in and day out waiting on the right numbers to come up in the lottery so that your bills are paid off. Get a job, even if you are flipping burgers, your on your way to paying your debt. Who knows, God could have already stirred the waters at McDonalds and the man waiting to give you your dream job eats BigMacs daily! You just need to jump in the pool to meet him!
If your hurting, find someone that is hurting worse and lift them up. There is no greater blessing than to be a blessing to someone else.
The bottom line is, stop looking out the window daydreaming about the day that your miracle appears. Get up, pick up your mess and start walking!
Visit us at http://www.littleseedsoffaith.com
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
by Debbie Kay
10/22/2009 / Miracles
You can insert here whatever problem or situation you may be waiting on God to take care of. You might say, well of course you can't just pray up a new car or a new job, but I'm very sick, or I'm believing in God to pay off my bills, or fix my children.. Any one of a thousand scenarios would fit, and there are just as many excuses as to why we are still sitting by the window waiting for God to take care of it.
So if God wants us to be financially secure, healthy with happy secure and healthy children, why is it that we are still waiting? What exactly are we waiting on?
John tells of a man in Jerusalem that was very sick and had been so for thirty eight years. There was a pool there known as Bethesda. It was known that in certain seasons an angel of the Lord would come and stir up the waters. The first person to step in would be completely cured of whatever ailment he was afflicted with. The Lord set up the situation in which the problem of those around could be "fixed" but there was a stipulation that must be met in order to get the miracle the man had spent thirty eight years waiting for. He had to be the first in the pool.
Now Jesus came by the pool one day and saw the man, knowing he had been there for a long time, just waiting on the side of the pool, (looking out the window and waiting) He asked the man, "Do you even wish to be well?" I kinda wonder if Jesus might have been shaking his head thinking, well, I've stirred up the waters over and over for you and I've sent my angels to show the way to your healing, but your still sitting here, just waiting. What are you waiting for?
The man answered Jesus by saying that he did indeed want to be healed, but each time opportunity knocked, or the waters were stirred, someone would step over him and get there first. Someone else always got ahead of him. He complained that there was just never anyone there to put him in the pool.
Are we complaining that if someone else would just do something or the other, the problems in our lives would be fixed? Are we saying, well God of course I want to be financially secure, and I'm waiting on that great opportunity, but you see when it happens, I just never have anyone that will help me take advantage of it first. Then someone else steps over me and I just keep on waiting.
Now the man waiting at the pool surely believed there was miraculous healing powers in the water when the angel stirred it up. After all he had been waiting and watching for thirty eight years and had no doubt seen the many other sick stepping over him and being healed. He believed God could fix his problem but he was never quite ready to step into the water when God prepared it for him. Now maybe he couldn't walk, maybe he was so very sick and weak that he was just always beaten to the water by those not quite as sick as he. I just believe in all that time, I would have squirmed my way to the edge of that pool, and been hanging on the edge with one finger for the moment God presented the solution so I could jump on it before anyone else could even blink! Thirty eight years is a lot of time to ready yourself for action, when God presents the way.
When the man told Jesus he just couldn't get to the water. Jesus told him to get up, pick up his mat and walk. Take action!! Get up. He told him to get away from the window and Get UP!
"Pick up your mat." Clean up your mess. Now my Mother might argue that this is a biblical commandment to make up your bed and maybe it is. Maybe Jesus was telling us to clean things up around us and be ready when I tell you what to do. Pick up your mat and get ready! Get your affairs in order so that you are ready to walk when Jesus says to walk. You'll notice so far he didn't say lay there and wait until the water comes to you!
"Arise pick up your mat and Walk!" Step out and start walking. Stop sitting by the window waiting for your miracle to run up in the front yard like Ed McMan with a big check! Start walking. God can't guide you in the right direction if you are sitting still. You might make some wrong turns, but as long as you are walking God can guide your steps, even turn you around if you get off track.
Stop now waiting on someone else to change so that your circumstances get better, begin changing yourself. Don't wait and pray that God instructs someone else to put you in the pool, begin praying that God will give you the strength and wisdom required to 'get in the pool' yourself, so to speak.
Don't sit in front of the TV day in and day out waiting on the right numbers to come up in the lottery so that your bills are paid off. Get a job, even if you are flipping burgers, your on your way to paying your debt. Who knows, God could have already stirred the waters at McDonalds and the man waiting to give you your dream job eats BigMacs daily! You just need to jump in the pool to meet him!
If your hurting, find someone that is hurting worse and lift them up. There is no greater blessing than to be a blessing to someone else.
The bottom line is, stop looking out the window daydreaming about the day that your miracle appears. Get up, pick up your mess and start walking!
Visit us at http://www.littleseedsoffaith.com
Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS
Miracles
|
I Believe In Miracles by Cindie York 5/24/2010 / Miracles Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he does for his people! Miracles are awesome unexplainable events that occur by the divine power of God. The purpose of a miracle is to show the wonderful, mighty power of God. They provide great opportunities for testimonies and witnessing about God's mercy, power, and love. Miracles are life-changing events and can come at any time and in different forms. The type of the miracle depends on the individual need. Healing of an illness, deliverance from an addiction, and financial miracles are just some examples. The possibilities are endless. Regardless of the type of miracle given, it will always increase faith in God. The witnessing of these miracles has a strong impact on the doubter, who finds it necessary to see before they will believe. Miracles provide opportunities for second chances, new outlooks, and better qualities of life. Miracles occur by faith, through prayer, and the moving of God's Spirit. There are countless miracles mentioned in the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, from a donkey that speaks, to the resurrection of the dead. God is still in the miracle working business. There are still blinded eyes receiving sight, crippled legs that are walking for the first time, and yes, even people being raised from the dead. Not just healings, but every sort of awesome event. God has no respect of persons, so if He is healing one person, one group, one area, He can surely do it for another. If God is transforming situations in one place, He can do it in another. We are the ones who put the limits on an unlimited God. We are the ones that tend to bind the hands of the Miracle Worker with doubt and unbelief. We must have full trust and faith in God to meet us at our needs and to answer our earnest prayers. We have to expect that He is going to work these miracles. Faith is the essential aspect in which these miracles can occur and be performed. Believe that God will deliver. Believe that the Great Physician can accomplish any task, and bring restoration to any broken area. We serve an amazing God, who can do anything, at any time. The scriptures tell us that with God all things are possible, not some things, not the simple or easy things, but all things are possible. Never look at a situation, illness, or need as hopeless. Personally, I have witnessed miracles. I have been a recipient of miracles. Members of my family have received miracles of divine healing and deliverance, among other extraordinary interventions from the Lord God Almighty. Was the power of God made manifest with strong impact? Absolutely! Was the experiences life-changing? Definitely! Do I believe in miracles? You better believe I do! I have been a Christian for 21 years. I am one of the Sunday School teachers at our local church. I enjoy Bible study and growing in the knowledge of God's word. I literally want to soak up God's Word like a sponge. Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS |
Wednesday 14 March 2012
Understanding Matthew Chapter 24
Matthew Chapter 24
The chapter of Matthew 24 is one of the most misunderstood chapters in the Bible. Most believe that this chapter has to do with our wars, day and age however this is not the case. In fact Billy Graham use to say, "Matthew 24 is knocking at your door." When trying to understand scripture you must be careful how you apply the message. Trying to make everything in the Bible to fit to these days and times will surely get you into trouble. In this article we will be discussing the first part of the chapter which deals with the destruction of Jerusalem that happened around 70 AD; several years before the United States was a country. It was written by Matthew about the events that would happen in the apostles' future. It would be helpful for you to read the first part of the chapter in Matthew 24 to understand the article.
The ministry of Christ was in full force. Some Jews believed and began following Jesus however most didn't. Even the ones that thought it might be possible that Christ was their expected Messiah still went against him. Christ forewarned the apostles and all those present, when you see the abomination of desolation as spoken by the prophet Daniel, meant it was time for them to get out. See Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. The abomination that causes desolation. (cf. Lk 21:20.). The abomination would be the order that came from the Emperor to place statues in the temples of themselves to be worshipped. The temple would be desolate, as there will be no more worship in it. It would be the end of the Jewish state.
Fleeing to the mountains would be a great place to hide but if it's a nuclear attack in the United States it wouldn't matter if you hid in the mountains. The rooftops were flat in those days and often traveled on by foot making escaping easier. There was not time to come down from the roof top to get your things. Some also slept on the rooftops in those days and if they did it would be easier to get up and flee. Do not go back and get your clothes. Get out of dodge. Mothers with children would make it even harder to leave. It would be better for the war not to take place in the winter as the rivers would be frozen and impassible. With modern day transportation we can get anywhere in the winter so what would it matter if the attack happened in the winter? So then it doesn't make any sense when you apply it to the 21st century. Hopefully the Romans didn't make their attack on a Sabbath because the city gates of Jerusalem would be closed as always on a Sabbath. Neh. 13:19. The darkened moon and falling stars are signs that a nation has fallen or great political change. This figurative language is used in the same way with the fall of other nations. Is. 13:10; 34:4-6; 51:5-6 Jer. 4:1-6; 23-28; Ezek. 32:7-8; Joel 3:15-16; Nin. 1:1-5; Amos 8:1-2, 9. The destruction of Jerusalem was predicted by the Old Testament prophets. Micah 3:12; Zech. 14:4. There was about to be a great change in the law that would change their lives and the lives of the Jews forever. Why the war?
First off we cannot forget the mighty hand of God. The Jews for years had been going against God. They wouldn't listen to God anymore and many Jews were committing murders, persecutions and idolatry. Any nation that forgets about God will be its demise. Prov. 14:34; Ps 9:17. Because of the Jews defiance and rejection of their own Messiah, the war happened just as the prophets predicted it would. Is. 53:3.
The Jews hated the Roman Empire and this is the reason they started the war. As far as they knew they weren't thinking about the hand of God. The Jews wanted political and religious liberty. Rome wanted to have control over everything. Rome wanted to oversee the day to day life of the Jews. The Romans would come in and steal from the temple as well as the procurators who would collect all the taxes for the entire empire. In collecting the tax whatever they collected over the amount due and would line their pockets with the rest. The political tension and religious expectations grew. Finally in 70 AD Titus led the revolt to siege Jerusalem and later became emperor. Some were killing themselves in a suicide battle as it would be better to be dead then to be taken and sold into slavery. What happened to the Christians?
Eusebius and his book Ecclesiastical History, wrote that the Christians fled to Pella. Pella is located in the modern day Jordan, which is about two and a half miles east of the Jordan River. He also said they fled because of divine revelation in which they received. This would mean the warning that is recorded by Matthew in chapter twenty-four as well as the other gospels. Jesus did say that some would be put to death, (Lk 21:16) but this he says would happen before the siege of Jerusalem. It is possible that not many perished because they remembered and heeded the warnings given by the Lord.
Author Bio
The is an excerpt from the book titled End Time Secrets written by Christine Bettridge and she also is the editor of the article directory, aboveallcontent.com, Above All Content. Visit her blog at: biblesound.blogspot.com, The Bible Sound Blog.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Sunday 11 March 2012
Let God Direct Your Path
Having Faith In God’s Word And His Healing Power
"WHAT EVER YOU DO IN LIFE LET GOD DIRECT YOUR PATH, FUTURE AND YOUR DESTINY."By Yvonne Lee Brown November 18, 2005The Word of God cannot work without ...
Yvonne Brown
"WHAT EVER YOU DO IN LIFE LET GOD DIRECT YOUR PATH, FUTURE AND YOUR DESTINY."
By Yvonne Lee Brown November 18, 2005
The Word of God cannot work without Faith. You cannot understand without Faith. Speak the word of Healing and you will be healed. Faith is certain of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. God’s word is living and active. It penetrates to driving our Body, Mind and Soul.
Praise the Lord in the mist of the Problem.
Ask God for his Help.
Listen to the Lord.
Pray for deliverance.
Always think Positive.
Raising the bar is getting closer to God.
Every Season in your Life has a Purpose.
Our Lives are determined by the Season’s.
Go from Pain to Power.
God cannot Heal a thing by saying it is not there.
You must admit your Present Condition.
Your true Beauty is in your Inner Self.
Life and Death are in the Power of the Tongue.
Your Mind plays an important role in your Victory.
Nothing is to Hard for God.
Life is Lived from the Inside Out.
All we have is Today
The Future is the Past that has not happen Yet.
God is in Control of History he Work out everything for his Purpose.
God never brings you Out without bringing you Into.
"WHAT EVER YOU DO IN LIFE LET GOD DIRECT YOUR PATH, FUTURE AND YOUR DESTINY."
If we believe, you will receive. Whatever you ask for in prayer. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, Believe that you have received, and it will be YOURS. !!!!!
About Author: Retired Verzion Telephone Company employee. I am a entrepreneur at heart and Network Marketer. A new web site owner of www.MyHealingPrayer.com This website is about cancer and how Prayer Heals. Trusting God in all things that he will work it out. This is a exciting new site with lots of cancer information and products and shopping. Stop bye and visit with us soon. !!! Our E-mail myhpwork@aol.com
By Yvonne Lee Brown November 18, 2005
The Word of God cannot work without Faith. You cannot understand without Faith. Speak the word of Healing and you will be healed. Faith is certain of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. God’s word is living and active. It penetrates to driving our Body, Mind and Soul.
Praise the Lord in the mist of the Problem.
Ask God for his Help.
Listen to the Lord.
Pray for deliverance.
Always think Positive.
Raising the bar is getting closer to God.
Every Season in your Life has a Purpose.
Our Lives are determined by the Season’s.
Go from Pain to Power.
God cannot Heal a thing by saying it is not there.
You must admit your Present Condition.
Your true Beauty is in your Inner Self.
Life and Death are in the Power of the Tongue.
Your Mind plays an important role in your Victory.
Nothing is to Hard for God.
Life is Lived from the Inside Out.
All we have is Today
The Future is the Past that has not happen Yet.
God is in Control of History he Work out everything for his Purpose.
God never brings you Out without bringing you Into.
"WHAT EVER YOU DO IN LIFE LET GOD DIRECT YOUR PATH, FUTURE AND YOUR DESTINY."
If we believe, you will receive. Whatever you ask for in prayer. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, Believe that you have received, and it will be YOURS. !!!!!
About Author: Retired Verzion Telephone Company employee. I am a entrepreneur at heart and Network Marketer. A new web site owner of www.MyHealingPrayer.com This website is about cancer and how Prayer Heals. Trusting God in all things that he will work it out. This is a exciting new site with lots of cancer information and products and shopping. Stop bye and visit with us soon. !!! Our E-mail myhpwork@aol.com
About Author: Retired Verzion Telephone Company employee. I am a entrepreneur at heart and Network Marketer. A new web site owner of [www.MyHealingPrayer.com] (link: http://www.myhealingprayer.com) This website is about cancer and how Prayer Heals. Trusting God in all things that he will work it out. This is a exciting new site with lots of cancer information and products and shopping. Stop bye and visit with us soon. !!! Our E-mail myhpwork@aol.com
Friday 9 March 2012
A Christian's Guide on Overcoming Hardships
Essentials for Enduring Well
Usually, whenever people get sick their overall attitude about the world turns from rosy to gloomy. When feeling ill most people are not excited about anything and look at most tasks as a chore. They do not talk much. They feel pessimistic. They dwell on their misery, pity themselves and feel there is no escape. This is exactly how Satan wants us to feel. He wants us to be miserable, just like he is. By adding a positive perspective and focusing on our eternal destiny, we can rise above this despair, knowing that such privations are minuscule and benefit us by strengthening and refining us.
Strong faith is the foundation on which a strong will to endure must be built. By developing unwavering faith in Jesus Christ, we will be better able to endure adversity well. Coupled with faith we must also have determination. Webster's Unabridged Dictionary defines determination as "the mental habit of settling upon some line of action with a fixed purpose to adhere to it; adherence to aims or purposes; resoluteness." The phrase the dictionary uses to put the word in context is "a man of determination." Let us be men and women of determination, strictly obeying the commandments of our loving God; determined to succeed no matter what obstacle is placed in our paths.
In order to endure trials well, we must have discipline. We must not let ourselves become enslaved to TV, the Internet, video games and other frivolous pursuits. By engaging excessively in such distractions, we are idling away our precious time. With discipline, we can refrain from such amusements and engage in more worthwhile activities. By instituting stricter discipline in our lives, we will be better able to withstand the vices we could fall into in attempts to escape our trials.
Prayer is also essential in endurance. We must humble ourselves, get on our knees and thank Heavenly Father for all of our blessings, even our trials. Furthermore, in the midst of our trials we should pray for the strength to endure. If we have the necessary faith, determination and discipline, our prayers will be answered and we will receive the strength we seek.
At the end of the movie Return of the Jedi, Luke Skywalker demonstrates many characteristics essential for endurance. First, he obeys the command of both Yoda and the ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi by facing his father, Darth Vader, so that he can complete his Jedi training. While on the forest moon of Endor, Luke surrenders himself to The Empire's guards, who take him to Darth Vader and The Emperor. He shows the courage of faith in the encounter, not knowing beforehand how the meeting will end or even if he will make it out alive. He has a determination to succeed, faith in The Force and faith that there is still good in his father. As the meeting begins, the Emperor tries to incite anger in young Luke by showing him the beating the Rebel force is taking outside the Death Star. The Emperor's tactics work for a little while as Luke engages his father in a duel with their light sabers. After cutting off his father's hand, Luke allows discipline to take over, throws his light saber to the ground and announces to The Emperor that he will never turn to the Dark Side. Seeing this, The Emperor tells Luke that since he will not turn to the Dark Side he will die. The Emperor then starts shocking Luke with what looks like lightning coming from his fingertips. Luke exhibits longsuffering in enduring The Emperor's wrath. Unable to watch The Emperor kill his only son, Darth Vader feels compassion and with his last ounce of strength picks up The Emperor and throws him down a seemingly bottomless shaft of the Death Star. Luke's faith, determination, discipline, obedience and longsuffering help him endure and succeed.
Seldom will we know the reason we undergo specific trials while they are happening. Later on, when the tribulation has passed, looking back we realize why we needed to go through it. In this life we will constantly be tried. We will be given line up on line the experiences necessary to prove ourselves faithful and strengthen us while on our eternal course. Whenever discouraged, we need only to remember the supreme example of endurance, Jesus Christ, who suffered more than anyone of us will ever will without a single complaint.
Author Bio
Christine Bettridge has had a love for writing since early childhood. She has written plays, poetry and many articles on various subjects. Her book recently released by Cypress Street Publishing End Time Secrets, can be purchased at endtimesecrets.com
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Monday 5 March 2012
The Differences between the 2 books of the Bible
Differences: The Old and New Testament
The Bible is a Book that has two main divisions in - the Old Testament and the New Testament. Even though there are these distinct parts of the Bible - it still has only one theme - redemption. This is necessary to understand because the whole Bible revolves around this theme, and some have said that there is a scarlet thread (of blood) that runs form cover to cover.
Other Similarities
Before the differences are looked at, let's consider some other similarities that exist between the two halves. The books were all written by men - even the two books that bear the names of women - Ruth and Esther. The theme of both Books is redemption, and in both Books redemption occurs through faith. The Redeemer is the same in the Old Testament and the New - though it was not as clear in the Old. God always had the plan of sending His Son to become the Redeemer by dying for the human race (see Isaiah 53, and Psalm 22). Also, in both the Old Testaments and the New, the blood of sacrifice is necessary for redemption (Leviticus 17:10 and Hebrews 9:22)
Another similarity is that the Bible begins with a tree, the Tree of Life - from which mankind is forbidden to partake after they sinned, and the Bible ends with the Tree of Life - offered freely to the redeemed to partake of its fruits. It also begins with man and God walking together in fellowship in the beginning, and once again, after God's working to redeem man, in the end, forever.
The Main Difference Between The Two
All of the differences can be summed up by saying that the Old Testament begins the teaching, or revelation, while the New Testament finishes (or completes) that same revelation. In other words, the story is incomplete without the New Testament. The completion that is accomplished here is not just referring to a completed Book, but something more. The complete revelation of God to man, and of God's finished work of man's redemption, is completed in Christ - Who is God in the flesh. The New Testament is God's infallible record of what Christ has done - and will yet do.
Other Differences Between the Two
1. The Old Testament deals largely in pictures and types.
Much of the truth about Christ that is in the Old Testament was hidden or unknown until Christ came. While they did know that everything relating to the Tabernacle and the Temple was to be made "according to the pattern," most of them probably did not understand that the Pattern referred to was Christ Himself. The New Testament, however, reveals what many of the things in the Old Testament meant.
A couple of the events of the Old Testament were prophetic through their illustrated truth, and of which the New Testament tells us that they were types (pictures) of Christ:
Abraham's offering of Isaac - pictured the Father Who willingly offered His only begotten Son; and of the Son Who refused not to die - both believing that God would raise him up - which is exactly what happened in Christ's case
Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness - pictured Christ being lifted up for us, and putting Satan and his power to death.
Moses striking the Rock - he was to do it once because it pictured that Christ would be smitten once, and from Him would flow living waters.
2. In the Old Testament, once the Temple was built, God dwelt in the Temple - distant (the place of His revealed presence), but in the New Testament, God lives in the heart of each believer - close and personal, showing that the fellowship with God has been restored.
3. The Old Testament begins with God calling out a people-nation to Himself (Genesis 12), while the New Testament shows Him beginning with that nation, through 12 Jewish apostles, and calling unto Himself the whole world.
4. The Old Testament largely deals with the Law of God, but in the New Testament, the focus is on the grace of God. This is not because God had changed in any way, but it was because the complete Sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins had been accomplished - Christ died for our sins.
5. The Old Testament shows God remaining largely hidden, and access to Him could only be gained through the Temple, and with an animal sacrifice. The New Testament shows that Christ has given every believer free access to the Throne of God.
The difference between the two is further illustrated in the Bible by an incident that occurred just after Christ died on the Cross. In the Temple, there was a thick curtain, behind which only the High Priest could enter once a year. When Christ died, this curtain was ripped from the top to the bottom without human hands. This miracle showed to all who saw it that God would no longer remain hidden away behind these pictures, but now every man could have full access to God through Christ by faith.
Author Bio
Christine Bettridge has loved writing since childhood. She has written Plays, poetry and many articles. Her latest e-book End Time Secrets recently released by Cypress Street Publishing has caused an order craze in the religious world. It can be ordered and downloaded right now through the publishers website at End Time Secrets and she also is the editor of the article directory, aboveallcontent.com, Above All Content. Visit her blog at: biblesound.blogspot.com, The Bible Sound Blog.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Sunday 4 March 2012
The Bible- Fact or Fiction?
Is the Bible Reliable
The Bible is a Book that is loved around the world. Its followers live in every country and in every climate. Those who read it regularly love its pages and often do not get enough of it. Many even devote their life to the study of it, going after many degrees. But is it a love well-placed, or is it an obvious blind-sidedeness? Is there some real proof that the Bible is reliable? Is it for the people of today?
If one is honest, and will take the time to honestly learn the truth, the answer is that there is plenty of proof about the veracity of the Bible. While there are many books that deal with the subject (apologetics), most know very little about them. This article will deal with how you can know that the Bible is reliable.
Its Claim To Reliability
This is most important, simply because if the Bible claims to be true and it isn't, then it is not reliable. One of the many places that the Bible claims to be infallible is in Psalms 12:6,7, which says: "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever" (KJV). Here the Bible is spoken of as being as purified silver - having been refined seven times. In that day, a seven-fold purification process meant the silver had no dross, or error, in it. The next phrase shows how long it will be kept that pure - for ever.
After having studied the Bible for many years, and looking at it with open, and believing eyes, many find it to be just as was predicted - without error. Here are some ways that we can know the Bible is indeed the Word of God.
It Is Reliable In...
1. Its Theme
From cover to cover the Bible has but one theme - redemption. To have this degree of unification of thought, by 40 different men, who spanned over 1600 years of time, is most incredible. Redemption is always by faith, through blood.
2. Its Historical Records
For many years scoffers mocked the Bible because it mentioned a large and very powerful nation called the Hittites. They mocked because there was not one shred of evidence archeologically that they ever existed. But one day, archeology caught up with what the Bible taught, and shovel full after shovel began, around the turn of the last century, to uncover the truth. Others have also wondered about Sodom and Gomorrah - until recently. These cities have been found - and yes, they were burned by sulfur and brimstone, near the edge of the Dead Sea, just like God said. Other archeological findings have revealed seashells at the tops of mountains - all around the earth - sounds like evidence of a world-wide flood - just like the Bible says.
3. Its Scientific Facts
While it is true that the Bible is not a textbook for a science class, where it does mention science, it is always scientifically correct. Interestingly, many of the facts of science that are referred to, were written more than 700 BC! The Bible speaks of the "circle of the earth" (Isaiah 40:22 - written around 700BC); of the hydrologic cycle (Ecclesiastes 1:6,7 - about 1000BC); of the wind traveling in circuits (cells) - Ecclesiastes 1:6; and physiology, "the life of the flesh is in the blood" (Leviticus 17:11 - around 1460BC!) - which if man only believed its truths, they would not have bled George Washington to death!
4. Its Prophecies
Many of today's so-called astrologers make very general predictions - simply because that makes it harder to show that they are ever wrong. But the Bible is very different here. First, the Bible declares that if any so called prophet is ever wrong - then they were not sent by God (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). God is not afraid that He will ever be shown to be wrong. A second thing is that the Bible gives very detailed prophecies. Concerning the life of Christ, there were many prophecies. Peter Stoner, once Chairman of the Departments of Math and Astronomy at Pasadena City College and at Westmont College however, in his book Science Speaks, wrote of the probability of just eight of these coming to pass. The odds that he calculated, which was verified by the American Scientific Affiliation, was said to be 1 in 10 to the 17th power! This means a ten followed by 17 zeroes; or, to put it in plain English, only one man in 1X1017 could possibly have fulfilled just eight of those prophecies! And when you think about it, there are currently only 6 billion people (6X108) on earth now. But there were actually more than 400 prophecies, not just 8!
In conclusion, it should be easy to say along with David, "Thou art near, O Lord; and all thy commandments are truth. Concerning thy testimonies, I have known that thou hast founded them forever" (Psalm 119:151,152).
Author Bio
Christine Bettridge has loved writing since childhood. She has written Plays, poetry and many articles. Her latest e-book End Time Secrets recently released by Cypress Street Publishing has caused an order frenzy since its release. It can be ordered, downloaded and read right now through the publishers website at End Time Secrets She also is the editor of the article directory, aboveallcontent.com, Above All Content.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
Saturday 3 March 2012
Faith in God and His Healing Power
Having Faith In God’s Word And His Healing Power
"WHAT EVER YOU DO IN LIFE LET GOD DIRECT YOUR PATH, FUTURE AND YOUR DESTINY."By Yvonne Lee Brown November 18, 2005The Word of God cannot work without ...
Yvonne Brown
"WHAT EVER YOU DO IN LIFE LET GOD DIRECT YOUR PATH, FUTURE AND YOUR DESTINY."
By Yvonne Lee Brown November 18, 2005
The Word of God cannot work without Faith. You cannot understand without Faith. Speak the word of Healing and you will be healed. Faith is certain of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. God’s word is living and active. It penetrates to driving our Body, Mind and Soul.
Praise the Lord in the mist of the Problem.
Ask God for his Help.
Listen to the Lord.
Pray for deliverance.
Always think Positive.
Raising the bar is getting closer to God.
Every Season in your Life has a Purpose.
Our Lives are determined by the Season’s.
Go from Pain to Power.
God cannot Heal a thing by saying it is not there.
You must admit your Present Condition.
Your true Beauty is in your Inner Self.
Life and Death are in the Power of the Tongue.
Your Mind plays an important role in your Victory.
Nothing is to Hard for God.
Life is Lived from the Inside Out.
All we have is Today
The Future is the Past that has not happen Yet.
God is in Control of History he Work out everything for his Purpose.
God never brings you Out without bringing you Into.
"WHAT EVER YOU DO IN LIFE LET GOD DIRECT YOUR PATH, FUTURE AND YOUR DESTINY."
If we believe, you will receive. Whatever you ask for in prayer. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, Believe that you have received, and it will be YOURS. !!!!!
About Author: Retired Verzion Telephone Company employee. I am a entrepreneur at heart and Network Marketer. A new web site owner of http://www.myhealingprayer.com/ This website is about cancer and how Prayer Heals. Trusting God in all things that he will work it out. This is a exciting new site with lots of cancer information and products and shopping. Stop bye and visit with us soon. !!! Our E-mail myhpwork@aol.com
By Yvonne Lee Brown November 18, 2005
The Word of God cannot work without Faith. You cannot understand without Faith. Speak the word of Healing and you will be healed. Faith is certain of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. God’s word is living and active. It penetrates to driving our Body, Mind and Soul.
Praise the Lord in the mist of the Problem.
Ask God for his Help.
Listen to the Lord.
Pray for deliverance.
Always think Positive.
Raising the bar is getting closer to God.
Every Season in your Life has a Purpose.
Our Lives are determined by the Season’s.
Go from Pain to Power.
God cannot Heal a thing by saying it is not there.
You must admit your Present Condition.
Your true Beauty is in your Inner Self.
Life and Death are in the Power of the Tongue.
Your Mind plays an important role in your Victory.
Nothing is to Hard for God.
Life is Lived from the Inside Out.
All we have is Today
The Future is the Past that has not happen Yet.
God is in Control of History he Work out everything for his Purpose.
God never brings you Out without bringing you Into.
"WHAT EVER YOU DO IN LIFE LET GOD DIRECT YOUR PATH, FUTURE AND YOUR DESTINY."
If we believe, you will receive. Whatever you ask for in prayer. Therefore, I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, Believe that you have received, and it will be YOURS. !!!!!
About Author: Retired Verzion Telephone Company employee. I am a entrepreneur at heart and Network Marketer. A new web site owner of http://www.myhealingprayer.com/ This website is about cancer and how Prayer Heals. Trusting God in all things that he will work it out. This is a exciting new site with lots of cancer information and products and shopping. Stop bye and visit with us soon. !!! Our E-mail myhpwork@aol.com
About Author: Retired Verzion Telephone Company employee. I am a entrepreneur at heart and Network Marketer. A new web site owner of [http://www.myhealingprayer.com/] (link: http://www.myhealingprayer.com/) This website is about cancer and how Prayer Heals. Trusting God in all things that he will work it out. This is a exciting new site with lots of cancer information and products and shopping. Stop bye and visit with us soon. !!! Our E-mail myhpwork@aol.com
Is There Life After Death?
Your Eternal Destiny
Life After Death
Jack Viljoen
Have you ever given any thought about what tomorrow holds, or as a matter of fact even today? Have you considered that today may be your last day on this planet? Maybe the next hour may be your last. Your age has nothing to do with when it could happen. A run away truck, a drunken or careless driver, a freak electrical storm, sickness, the list of causes goes on and on. Sounds grim, but it is very factual.
Your life is not in your own hands. Call it what you want to, providence, lady luck, departure time, etc. The point is that at sometime your life is going to come to an end.
No matter which religion you follow you still have no guarantees as to how long you still might have. Lifestyle gives no guarantees. Smokers live to ripe old ages and abstainers from both tobacco and alcohol die young. Motor manufacturers have come a long way in building safer vehicles. Accidents happen. Still no guarantee.
The only thing that is guaranteed is that one day you will depart this life as we know it.
What then? Knowing that we are destined to die what should we be considering? Surely it is the quality of life that we currently enjoy? Or perhaps it is how much good I can do for others? Maybe it is to try and be a better person? All of these are good motives but should our question not be Where will I spend eternity? Most religions have some kind of belief in life after death.
There are various responses to the life after death issue. Besides the religious answers, some people say that they dont believe in a life after death and that when you die thats it its over. No more feelings or consciousness, you are just dead. Strangely enough though, these same people, when faced with death quickly change their minds.
I watched a programme on National Geographic about an Airbus that ran out of fuel over the Atlantic Ocean en route to Portugal. The picture of fear, panic and hopelessness on the faces of most passengers told its own story. When actually faced with death the true beliefs come out. Why fear when after you die there is nothing? Why panic when you believed that after death there was no feeling? Why hopelessness when you never hoped in anything anyway? The Airbus never crashed but landed safely on some island. Everyone survived. But what now? Will they continue in denial now that the panic is over, or will they reconsider?
The truth is that all these brazen responses to the issue of death are merely fronts because most people dont really have any real answers. Deep down inside they know that there is more but they dont know what it is. They do not actually believe what they say.
I am sixty three years old and have had occasion to be at the bedside of a number of people during their last few hours on this earth. For some the fear, emotional agony and anxiety that manifested in the one breathing his last and also in family members, was quite disturbing. For others, the absolute atmosphere of peace that pervaded the room was beautiful. This included my own father. What made the difference?
The answer is: YOUR INNER HEART CONVICTION CONCERNING LIFE AND DEATH.
Let us go back to what people believe concerning life after death. I am not going to enter into a lengthy discussion on the various religions. Most beliefs are centered in one or other religion. Then there are those who do not believe in any form of after life. They have no belief system whatsoever, denying the existence of any form of higher being such as a god.
I have studied all of the main religions and can only come to one conclusion. There is only one that offers a definite answer and that is Christianity. Many would disagree with that statement and for good reason. It would appear that Christianity is very disjointed with all the hundreds of different denominations and none agreeing with one another. The reason for this is very simple. They have a form of Christianity founded upon human principles which do not line up with the Truth. Each holds to a part of the truth and have then added rules and regulations according to their denominational stand. But true Christianity is not rules, regulations, rites and rituals controlled by man. It is a relationship built on love and trust between an almighty God and mankind.
If one goes back to the root of Christianity you will find it in the heart of God. The God of all creation. The God of the Bible. A study of the word Christian will reveal that it was first used in Antioch in about 45 AD to describe the followers of Jesus Christ. It never had a capital letter C and was actually a derogatory term used to mock those who believed in Jesus as the Messiah. God never called anyone a Christian. That term is used in a very broad sense today and it denotes people who go to a church. Another misconception. For further enlightenment on the subject go to www.tcitfh.co.za. For the purposes of this article God has made certain promises to His church concerning eternal life.
Back to your eternal destiny. Many people do not believe what is recorded in the Bible. This again comes from mans various interpretations of the Bible trying to make it justify his belief system. Thus all the denominations, disagreements, confusion etc. None of this negates the validity of the Bible as Gods word to us. All through the years people have been trying to discredit Gods word but it has stood the test of time and its integrity still holds true. Written by many authors over many years yet all their writings blend into a beautiful love story. The infallible word of a loving God. A story of the unconditional, sacrificial love of God towards His creation.
My friend are you prepared to lay aside all of your prejudices, philosophies and pre-conceived ideas? Remember it is your eternal destiny we are talking about. Read on.
Now comes the most beautiful part of lifes dilemma Jesus. Yes, Jesus Christ the Son of the living God. He, and only He, is the guarantee of a secure haven of peace for all eternity. Governments are passing laws forbidding the use of that Name. It is being removed from constitutions. They may be able to remove the Name, but the Person lives on for all eternity. A wise teacher and philosopher of old once said to a government trying to stop the use of the name of Jesus, Let it be, because if this is from man it will soon die out, but if it is from God no one will be able to stop it. And no one has.
From His virgin birth to His death by crucifixion and subsequent resurrection many have tried to bring doubt into peoples minds concerning the truth about Jesus Christ. Many have been deceived into believing the lie but many have also believed the truth. If you are one of those who have been deceived, remember this: a lie can be changed but truth is truth and endures for ever.
Are you prepared to go through life being deceived or are you going to exchange the lie for the truth? It is your choice. Should you choose Jesus Christ then you have also exchanged death for life. With Him there is eternal life in which there is no longer any fear of death, for you will be with Him for all eternity. Each day can be lived to its fullest with no anxiety, fear or hopelessness.
Jesus said,I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?
Should you choose Jesus you are in for the most exciting journey of your life. I made the choice at age 35. Today at age 63 I can say that I have never looked back I have a hope and an eternal future, and his name is Jesus.
There is a cost involved. You will have to surrender control of your life to Him. Think of it this way. He created you, so who better to direct your life than the author of life. The long term benefits far outweigh the cost. Think about it, long and hard. It is not a decision to be taken lightly. Your choice will determine where you will spend eternity.
Once you have made your decision to trust in Jesus then you need to visit www.tcitfh.co.za and read the article on Relationship with the Father. This will help you with what to do next.
Should you decide that it is just too much for you to believe then you have sealed your own fate for now. I say for now because God is patient and is waiting for you to have a change of heart. He does not want anyone to be left out of sharing in His wonderful promises. He has not written you off, because He loves you. I invite you also to visit us on www.tcitfh.co.za. I am not part of any denomination. I am simply proclaiming the truth about a loving God, creator of the universe, and His plan for your life. It does not matter what you believe in now or your station in life and not even the lifestyle you are in at present. Forgiveness and acceptance are yours. God has no favourites.
Jesus reigns over all the earth. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Know that in your darkest hour you can always call out to Him. JESUS LOVES YOU.
With much love,
Jack Viljoen.
Your life is not in your own hands. Call it what you want to, providence, lady luck, departure time, etc. The point is that at sometime your life is going to come to an end.
No matter which religion you follow you still have no guarantees as to how long you still might have. Lifestyle gives no guarantees. Smokers live to ripe old ages and abstainers from both tobacco and alcohol die young. Motor manufacturers have come a long way in building safer vehicles. Accidents happen. Still no guarantee.
The only thing that is guaranteed is that one day you will depart this life as we know it.
What then? Knowing that we are destined to die what should we be considering? Surely it is the quality of life that we currently enjoy? Or perhaps it is how much good I can do for others? Maybe it is to try and be a better person? All of these are good motives but should our question not be Where will I spend eternity? Most religions have some kind of belief in life after death.
There are various responses to the life after death issue. Besides the religious answers, some people say that they dont believe in a life after death and that when you die thats it its over. No more feelings or consciousness, you are just dead. Strangely enough though, these same people, when faced with death quickly change their minds.
I watched a programme on National Geographic about an Airbus that ran out of fuel over the Atlantic Ocean en route to Portugal. The picture of fear, panic and hopelessness on the faces of most passengers told its own story. When actually faced with death the true beliefs come out. Why fear when after you die there is nothing? Why panic when you believed that after death there was no feeling? Why hopelessness when you never hoped in anything anyway? The Airbus never crashed but landed safely on some island. Everyone survived. But what now? Will they continue in denial now that the panic is over, or will they reconsider?
The truth is that all these brazen responses to the issue of death are merely fronts because most people dont really have any real answers. Deep down inside they know that there is more but they dont know what it is. They do not actually believe what they say.
I am sixty three years old and have had occasion to be at the bedside of a number of people during their last few hours on this earth. For some the fear, emotional agony and anxiety that manifested in the one breathing his last and also in family members, was quite disturbing. For others, the absolute atmosphere of peace that pervaded the room was beautiful. This included my own father. What made the difference?
The answer is: YOUR INNER HEART CONVICTION CONCERNING LIFE AND DEATH.
Let us go back to what people believe concerning life after death. I am not going to enter into a lengthy discussion on the various religions. Most beliefs are centered in one or other religion. Then there are those who do not believe in any form of after life. They have no belief system whatsoever, denying the existence of any form of higher being such as a god.
I have studied all of the main religions and can only come to one conclusion. There is only one that offers a definite answer and that is Christianity. Many would disagree with that statement and for good reason. It would appear that Christianity is very disjointed with all the hundreds of different denominations and none agreeing with one another. The reason for this is very simple. They have a form of Christianity founded upon human principles which do not line up with the Truth. Each holds to a part of the truth and have then added rules and regulations according to their denominational stand. But true Christianity is not rules, regulations, rites and rituals controlled by man. It is a relationship built on love and trust between an almighty God and mankind.
If one goes back to the root of Christianity you will find it in the heart of God. The God of all creation. The God of the Bible. A study of the word Christian will reveal that it was first used in Antioch in about 45 AD to describe the followers of Jesus Christ. It never had a capital letter C and was actually a derogatory term used to mock those who believed in Jesus as the Messiah. God never called anyone a Christian. That term is used in a very broad sense today and it denotes people who go to a church. Another misconception. For further enlightenment on the subject go to www.tcitfh.co.za. For the purposes of this article God has made certain promises to His church concerning eternal life.
Back to your eternal destiny. Many people do not believe what is recorded in the Bible. This again comes from mans various interpretations of the Bible trying to make it justify his belief system. Thus all the denominations, disagreements, confusion etc. None of this negates the validity of the Bible as Gods word to us. All through the years people have been trying to discredit Gods word but it has stood the test of time and its integrity still holds true. Written by many authors over many years yet all their writings blend into a beautiful love story. The infallible word of a loving God. A story of the unconditional, sacrificial love of God towards His creation.
My friend are you prepared to lay aside all of your prejudices, philosophies and pre-conceived ideas? Remember it is your eternal destiny we are talking about. Read on.
Now comes the most beautiful part of lifes dilemma Jesus. Yes, Jesus Christ the Son of the living God. He, and only He, is the guarantee of a secure haven of peace for all eternity. Governments are passing laws forbidding the use of that Name. It is being removed from constitutions. They may be able to remove the Name, but the Person lives on for all eternity. A wise teacher and philosopher of old once said to a government trying to stop the use of the name of Jesus, Let it be, because if this is from man it will soon die out, but if it is from God no one will be able to stop it. And no one has.
From His virgin birth to His death by crucifixion and subsequent resurrection many have tried to bring doubt into peoples minds concerning the truth about Jesus Christ. Many have been deceived into believing the lie but many have also believed the truth. If you are one of those who have been deceived, remember this: a lie can be changed but truth is truth and endures for ever.
Are you prepared to go through life being deceived or are you going to exchange the lie for the truth? It is your choice. Should you choose Jesus Christ then you have also exchanged death for life. With Him there is eternal life in which there is no longer any fear of death, for you will be with Him for all eternity. Each day can be lived to its fullest with no anxiety, fear or hopelessness.
Jesus said,I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?
Should you choose Jesus you are in for the most exciting journey of your life. I made the choice at age 35. Today at age 63 I can say that I have never looked back I have a hope and an eternal future, and his name is Jesus.
There is a cost involved. You will have to surrender control of your life to Him. Think of it this way. He created you, so who better to direct your life than the author of life. The long term benefits far outweigh the cost. Think about it, long and hard. It is not a decision to be taken lightly. Your choice will determine where you will spend eternity.
Once you have made your decision to trust in Jesus then you need to visit www.tcitfh.co.za and read the article on Relationship with the Father. This will help you with what to do next.
Should you decide that it is just too much for you to believe then you have sealed your own fate for now. I say for now because God is patient and is waiting for you to have a change of heart. He does not want anyone to be left out of sharing in His wonderful promises. He has not written you off, because He loves you. I invite you also to visit us on www.tcitfh.co.za. I am not part of any denomination. I am simply proclaiming the truth about a loving God, creator of the universe, and His plan for your life. It does not matter what you believe in now or your station in life and not even the lifestyle you are in at present. Forgiveness and acceptance are yours. God has no favourites.
Jesus reigns over all the earth. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Know that in your darkest hour you can always call out to Him. JESUS LOVES YOU.
With much love,
Jack Viljoen.
Jack Viljoen The Church in the Father's Heart. jack@tcitfh.co.za http://www.tcitfh.co.za/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)