Three Incredible Stories

There is a good chance you have never heard the name Yi Sun Shin. There are great men in every culture of which Americans are unaware. Understandable, but here is one you would truly have profited in knowing. Easily equal to the likes of Sir Francis Drake and Lord Nelson - some say superior to these western naval stars - Yi towered above the petty power-seekers of his day and became a hero beloved of all.

Imagine it. Twenty three major naval clashes with the Japanese who had invaded Korea in the late 16th century. Twenty three victories. After the Japanese landed and destroyed village after village, even to the taking of the capital, the first positive news that came to the King of Korea, in exile, was that of Yi's first battle that crushed a fleet of Japanese vessels.

So you expect me to say that Yi's popularity landed him titles, riches, honor. In fact, jealousy among the ranks led him to prison in the midst of his finest triumphs. That, to me, is the most unbelievable and awe-inspiring part of his story. The seeming failure in the midst of all the triumph.

Consider one Jesus. Healer, comforter, gentle Teacher. Blind eyes made to see, broken hearts forgiven, hungry mouths fed, all by His compassion. Anyone who had faith to receive something from Him, did. Victory after victory. Never defeated.

Then hung on a cross.

Hmmm. That last line doesn't seem to fit either. Seems like we should rip that part of the story out, as Peter tried to do before it even happened. "Not you, Master! Stop talking negative things!"

Incredible stories, these. Yi Sun Shin, Jesus Christ. No, they are not in "the same boat" in terms of significance, I know. Yi Sun Shin's resurrection from prison to return to the battle front and continue his unbroken string of victories is great history and very inspiring, but cannot be compared to Jesus' rising from the grave to give life to all who will receive Him forever and ever. But the parallel is there.

But my title promises three incredible stories. Stories of persons who were incredible in their feats, incredible in their defeats, but somehow rose again. The third story is being lived out as I write. It's going on in North Korea, among those we label the "baekjeong", the low class, because we do not have the same sense of high and low as Heaven does...

The lowly Christian believers of that land do exploits every day. Finding enough food to eat. Working long and hard hours in a mine for money that is not sufficient to support their families. Worshiping carefully and hidden, so as not to incur the wrath of a hostile government. Hiding Bibles and guests. Yet victories. You would expect that someone somewhere would honor these folks and call them heroes.

Unfortunately they are called by at least two governments traitors and criminals. Escapes are often tragic in outcome. Many end in death. All end in some sort of wrenching separation. Even coming to the "free" world can mean enduring suspicion and persecution by those who ought to know better.

So why call this an incredible story along the lines of Yi and Jesus? Because those who are faithful will be raised up with Christ. Their story is not yet complete. It is the lowly for whom Jesus came. They are the only ones who will see thier need of a Saviour and continue to the end. High-born materialists have only a slight chance of making it, according to Jesus.

High, low, baekjeong... Do we really know what these words mean? And "incredible".. Can your story and mine be called incredible when compared to the ones I have described? Have we known the experience of defeating the enemy during a long and difficult war? Have we seen the Power of God move through us to change our sphere of influence? Have we then been sent to further humiliation instead of the reward we expected?

May we search our hearts daily, and always be a friend to the lowly Christ Who still works His wonders among us in the form of Baekjeong...

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs, over 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos3@gmail.com.

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

Why Should We Give Thanks To God?

On Thanksgiving Day, families all over America sit down to dinner at the same time -- halftime.

"Thanksgiving has two good words," says Hollie, age 9. "They are 'thanks' and 'giving,' and that's what we need to do -- thank others and be giving. Those are two things my mom taught me."

Hollie, your mom has taught you well. Gratitude is one of the most important lessons parents can teach their children.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life," writes Melody Beattie. "It turns what we have into enough, and more. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."

Adrienne, 9, is fortunate to have a father who's not ashamed to offer thanks to God: "I like when my dad prays before we eat. I don't know why, but I just do."

Tori, 6, is already following the example of godly parents: "I like Thanksgiving because I get to eat chicken, and my mama is with me, and my daddy is with me. I get to see my cousins. I get to be with God because I say the blessings."

Tori, you might have the wrong bird, but you've definitely got the right spirit and company.

You have a kindred spirit in Ally, 11: "I like Thanksgiving because it is good to thank God. He gives us so many blessings that we don't even realize. It's the least we can do to give him one whole day of thanks, but we should be giving thanks daily."

Robert, 8, goes even further: "I can give thanks when I broke my finger and that it didn't get cut off. I can give thanks when my dad got shot four times and that he didn't die."

Wait a minute! How could anybody find a bright side to a broken finger or gunshot wounds?

This kind of worldview sees all circumstances as divine tapestry. Faith in God's sovereignty and goodness transports the believer into a realm where giving thanks in everything is as normal as breathing. This doesn't mean that everything we encounter is good, but rather that God's goodness and power will work it out for his purpose and our benefit.

Why, then, do we complain instead of giving thanks?

"Pride slays thanksgiving, but an humble mind is the soil out of which thanks naturally grow," wrote 19th century minister Henry Ward Beecher. "A proud man is seldom a grateful man, for he never thinks he gets as much as he deserves."

Kimberly, 8, is an example of someone who is grateful even in the midst of great loss: "My grandmother died of a heart attack, and it was hard to thank the Lord for that. I was very close to my grandmother. I saw her almost every day. But now, she doesn't have any more pain, and she is in heaven."

Think about this: Even though we sorrow over the loss of loved ones, not even death can make spiritual Christians ungrateful. The Lord Jesus absorbed death's sting when he offered himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Faith alone in Christ alone guarantees everlasting life.

Memorize this truth: "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (I Thessalonians 5:18)

Ask this question: Can you give thanks for everything?

Carey Kinsolving is a syndicated columnist, producer, author, speaker and website developer. To see more material like this, visit http://www.KidsTalkAboutGod.org. The Kids Talk About God website contains free, online content for children and families. See Careys Kid TV Interviews. Print free lessons from the "Kids Color Me Bible" and make your own book. Let an 11-year-old girl take you on a trip around the world in the Mission Explorers Streaming Video. Print Scripture verses illustrated by child artists. Receive a complimentary, weekly e-mail subscription to our Devotional Bible Lessons.

Bible quotations in this Bible lesson are from the New King James Version.

Copyright 2006 Carey Kinsolving

The Year the Super Bowl Hit My Town

These comments are addressed to fellow-believers.

Can't blame the devil for everything. Your own heart is deceitful and desperately wicked, says Jeremiah the prophet (17:9). The unredeemed unsaved heart is the center for evil on the earth. Satan would be powerless without it.

The heart and mind have been corrupted since those first wonderful days in Eden. There we were free and happy and innocent. When we toyed with and then grabbed disobedience a pattern began to form. Now we lie to ourselves about everything.

In my own family there is a history of neurosis, or something akin to it. One family member fears thunderstorms, another cannot drive over bridges. In my life I have noticed over the past few years a growing nervousness in enclosed spaces, especially if those spaces are 40,000 feet in the air.

I had flown all my adult life, nearly 30 years. But one night something went wrong.I had had too much caffeine, I was sitting in the back, it was night, etc. I panicked. Only in reading Scripture and offering inner praise to God was I able to come out of it.

The lie had set in. "You are in trouble. You are going to die. You will have a heart attack on this plane. You must get off NOW." I bought it. And for over two years I have dreaded the air, even though a missions call has been growing stronger.

Yes, it is "sick" when people believe lies like that. Thinking things are bad when they are good. But there is a lie that potentially is worse. Thinking things are important when they aren't.

Consider the Super Bowl. Yep I'm one of the "lucky" guys living in one of the team's cities. I have the privilege of watching grown adults around me totally stressed out about whether a bag of air will make it down a 100 yard field, safely in the possession of a man with a blue and orange uniform, BEFORE a man with another color grabs it and goes the other way.

Churches are having Super Bowl parties. One church had even decided to show the game via a live feed in the sanctuary on a screen that comes down right next to the crucifix... The NFL decided not to power the image to that connection. They could not mix the religious symbolism with the secular. Strange that the church seemed to have no trouble with it.

Our minds and our hearts just keep lying to us. Remember this song sung by Evangeline Carmichael?

The heart is a rebel, and cannot be trusted,It always is seeking its own will to do.

It has no allegiance, so desperate and wicked, The heart is a rebel, it's true.

Its love is brief as springtime, quickly growing old; Its hate is like the winter, desolate and cold.

But some day the rebel will bow and surrender, Then God's love will make his heart new.

Amen. Let's give our hearts to Jesus fully while we can.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed , lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosen together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

Dreams and Jesus

(Below is a poem that hopefully will inspire you about faith, Jesus, and the walks that we take in life. It enlightens us to have faith, and really believe what is true to our heart. If one believes in Eternal Life and their Lord Jesus, I believe that they can accomplish anything.)

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

Into the midst, lies a flame of untold glories....

Just breathe...

Just breathe, and the night will go away.

Into the fog, I hold out my hands.

"Come and touch me, I've been waiting...

See me, for there is a drought throughout the lands."

Just breathe, and he will hold me,

"Just breathe my child, and your faith will awaken."

I am afraid

I am forsaken,

A man tells me the story of a drought in the land...

Who will bring me water?

Who will bring me hope?

"Just breathe, and your questions will be answered."

And the man opens my closed eyes.

"My child, here is your land..."

My heart is restless.

My mind aches of confusion.

Who will bring me faith?

Who has brought on this resurrection?

Who will provide me water to my lands?

Again, I close my eyes,

and a strange man holds ot his hand.

"Just breathe and I will hold you.

Let your steps become mine and I will carry you.

For thou name is Jesus, and it is I who has brought on this resurrection.

I will bring you your water."

http://www.arianacherry.biz

The Story of Chosun, Part Six

In world history it is now the entry into the "Dark" or "Middle" ages. Romanist priests throughout Europe and Buddhist priests in the far-eastern nation which will one day be Korea,

But there is political trouble in the East also. A tribe called the Khitans in the northern part of the Korean peninsula continues to aggravate the area and seek dominance. They attack their southern neighbors (Koryo, eg) in 1010 with an army of 400,000, and are even successful until they reach the capital Pyongyang (still capital of North Korea). They are resisted and beaten back.

But every year they try again, and every year Koryo, heir of the old "Korguryo", ancestor of modern Korea, appeals to China, and is denied by same. Many thousands continue to die. China today seems to be ignorant of Korean woes also, as it sends NK refugees back to certain tragedies in their own land. China then and China now is for China.

In 1019, Koryo wins a major and decisive battle, gaining kudos from surrounding regions. All of this with no help from big Sister. By 1020 there is a formal peace with the Khitans. So much for negotiation being better than might.

Enter a new, but really continuing, struggle, between Confucius & Buddha. It is frustrating to see Korea trying to choose between two equally damning philosophies. One might appreciate the high moral standards of one like Confucius, the problem being that the wise one did not die for his people, and unless someone can be counted on to be the sin-bearer, all the wisdom and morality under heaven will be to no avail.

In 1032, Khitan threatens again. A certain bridge is left standing by the people of Koryo and the Khitan kingdom is insulted. An attack is considered. And while they consider, Koryo builds a wall from the Yalu River (present northwestern boundary of North Korea,) across the peninsula to the Japan (East) Sea! Appeasement is not their style.

Ironically, after China has denied Koryo any assistance for so many years, she has the boldness in 1077 to ask Koryo to aid against Kitans, who now threaten a weakened Empire.

One more note of interest in the 11th century. In 1093 a 2nd capital now appears in Koryo: Han-yang . Today we call this city Seoul. It is the capital of South Korea.

Century twelve sees the continued rise of Koryo, but with continued conflict with challenging neighbors. A splinter group of the Khitans, the Yujin tribe, receives a welcome visit from a monk of Koryo. He marries there. A couple of generations down, one related to him, Agolta, actually becomes the chief of that tribe. In 1114 the Yujin tribe breaks away altogether from the Khitans, eventually even conquering them.

So Koryo has a dangerous neighbor to the north again. Much later in the century, Cho-Wijong of Pyongyang rises up, gathers a following, fails in a bid to threaten Koryo. In fact, the king of Koryo lays siege to Pyongyang, starving its residents. A famine even leads to cannibalism, as we have seen in the modern version of this land today.

Eventually the rebels are defeated and scattered, the whole country is in a state of anarchy. And the king, like Nero of Rome, parties through the entire debacle. Once again we are reminded of modern times and the present reign of a dictator who lives like the richest of the world's monarchs while his people suffer and die.

The history of Korea is a sad story, century after century. Next time: enter the Mongols. Things don't get better.

Only Christ can save a Korean heart. Please pray for more and more of Jesus to be sent to more and more Koreans.

Category: NK: History

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs , ovber 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos3@gmail.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

Men of God, Arise!

Okay men, where are you?

Over the years I've had some pretty direct words to address to women who usurp men's leadership roles in the church. So did the apostle Paul. I still am grieved when I must sit in a meeting and listen to the Word of God preached by the opposite gender.

This is a man who otherwise lives in a woman's world, as an educator. I have known nothing but women supervisors since I began work for a major school system in a major city. So when I come to church I expect things to be a little more in line with God's patterns.

It's especially difficult to see this disorder in a "Bible believing" church. One expects liberal groups to play fast and easy with the Scriptures. Justifying. Cutting. Adding. Subtracting. Re-organizing. But in a group pledged to honor the utterances of the Spirit of God... Some time ago I heard a woman who eloquently defended our need to be strong in the Word, never twisting it, and so on. I thought, how ironic.

Well, I've fussed with women enough, I guess. What more can be said? Paul summarized his own feelings, and I'll let him summarize mine: "If someone wants to be ignorant, just let him - or her - be ignorant."

But! Where are the men? I should have fussed more with them! At my school I was intrigued at the 8th grade election procedures. Not one candidate vying for office in that class of 100 or so was a male. Yes, somewhat typical of that time of life, but never have I seen such total male abandonment of leadership as this, even for 8th graders.

These scared 8th grade boys are not alone. It's not easy to lead. Leadership demands rejection and the possibility of exposure. It means extra work and sometimes no extra glory for it all. I speak of course as a man, not as a man of God should speak. Nevertheless the parallels are obvious.

Where are the men nationally? Why did we almost have a woman elected President and Vice President? They could have done the job, sure, but where are the men? Not an important question but a symbolic one, for the church always seems to be dragged in to what the world is doing. And let no one say that female leadership was originally ordained by God in His written Word. Just isn't there, folks. The church is following the trends of the times!

But where are you, men? What's cowering you? We understand why women dominate in China, and we can't criticize a man who does not want to die an early death by being one of the visible leaders of the church. We cannot agree, but we can certainly not criticize until we have had our chance to be brave.

So, China we understand. America, no. There's simply no reason for men to be hiding on or under the pews while women slowly take their jobs. Don't men know the Scriptures and defend them? Don't men protect their women/wives/daughters and keep them from being exposed to the workings of the enemy that sooner or later go after the one in the pulpit? Do men want others gazing at their wives in this public way?

Have I totally mis-understood the Spirit-inspired teachings of the apostle? If so, it's been an expensive mistake, and I'm open to the church's Spirit-guided correction... as long as it is from the same Spirit that spoke to Paul

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs , ovber 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos3@gmail.com.

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Would love to fellowship with believers who respond .

Emotional Baggage Hinders Performance in Life

Hebrews 12: 1 Let us strip off every weight that slows us down...and let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us.

The Bible describes our Christian life in terms of running a race and encourages us to run in order to win. For those non athletic readers the very idea of running is enough for you to delete this message, but I encourage you to read on.

A few months before Christmas 08 I joined a 12 week fitness challenge. The first day was a fitness assessment... an assessment to confirm just how unfit I actually was. What followed over the next 12 weeks was grueling exercises ranging from boxing sessions, endless push ups and sit-ups to running on the soft sand on the beach while carrying sandbags!! Needless to say at the end of each session we were exhausted, red in the face and out of breath!!!

We go through all this trouble to keep our physical bodies from seizing up as we get older and to keep those extra few kgs from taking up permanent residence on our bodies. What if we applied that same effort to our spiritual fitness? It is not the few extra pounds we need to worry about, but the doubts and negative beliefs that creep in threatening to extinguish our faith like a wet blanket.

Hebrews 12: ...let us strip off every weight that that slows us down.. Worry, forgiveness, bitterness, disappointment, anger, hurt are all emotions and thought patterns that weigh us down in the race of life. They are like rocks in our back packs when we go hiking, making the journey more exhausting and difficult. Each step becoming harder the longer we carry the weight.

Hebrews 12 goes on to say; Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, whom our faith depends on from start to finish. In other words, copy how Jesus lived and responded to every situation in life. Did you notice how Jesus got angry but didn't become an angry person, he suffered injustice but didn't become bitter, he was falsely accused but forgave his accusers. He didn't allow the negative emotions to attach themselves, weighing him down in the race God had called him to run.

It doesn't matter how others choose to run their race, what matters is how I run the race that God has called me to run. Over the 12 week challenge participants dropped out and they probably had legitimate reasons why they couldn't continue. Rather than dropping out of the race, wouldn't it be better to deal with the weights we have collected on the way that are making the journey more difficult than it should be.

Jesus says, "come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest."

This week, take some time to lighten the load and allow God to reveal to you what weights you have collected on the journey. Confront them, accept responsibility for your part, and release those who have intentionally or unintentionally hurt you. Take action on your thoughts, and replace destructive thought patterns with new ones and allow God's word to energies and renew your soul.

Yours faithfully
Carolyn Evans-Hale
Subscribe to my Facebook Group for weekly devotionals.
http://www.faithforeverydayliving.com

Why Husbands' Prayers Are Sometimes Not Answered

Actually there are a number of reasons a man might not receive from God. Perhaps he is not praying in God's will. Perhaps he is harboring some grievous sin. But in the context of this word from I Peter, we must point out that prayers can be hindered by a wrong relationship with his wife.
And Peter (I Peter 3:7) points out exactly what that wrong relationship would be: (1) Not understanding her and therefore treating her according to common understandings, and (2) not honoring a fellow citizen of Heaven.

(1) There are places we should never go when trying to discover facts about a woman. The local bookstore. The local theater. The local magazine rack. The dictionary. The brain of a man. Or even the woman herself, who knows only partially. As with any created item, one must go to the Creator's Manual.

Our Father has told us what women are all about. First, they came out of man and are therefore a part of him. Whether married or single a woman is part of man. She was not created to be independent or lead. She desperately needs to follow her man. [ And man were created to follow his Lord]

Women who are driven to lead are unhappy women. Women without a proper cover in the home are grouchy and irritable. They need to be smothered with attention and affection by their love leader. Men who don't understand their wives make the household a sorry place to dwell and evidently upset Heaven too.

For when woman is treated poorly, trampled on because of her weakness, pushed up to leadership, etc, she eventually cries out to God, and in some cases cries out against her mate. How does the heavenly switchboard respond to two prayers that are diametrically opposed? Perhaps to just ignore both? Thus Peter's comment that prayers can be hindered by an ignorant male.

(2) Perhaps even more significantly, a man needs to remember that it will not always be like today. Today women are told to submit, even to the point of silence in church. She is never encouraged to lead her husband or any man in the assembly. But Jesus said that in that other land, we will be like the angels of heaven in terms of our gender.

Even now there is no male or female in the Spirit of God. God can illumine a woman as well as a man as she reads the Holy Scriptures. Women can have their prayers answered as well as men. Women receive respect for their faith as well as men. And they will be rewarded on the basis of their service, not their gender.

These women we treat so lightly are going to the same Heaven by the same grace that shed the same blood for us. It is not wise to demean them. Though some day we will be equal in gender, they may be far our superior in the Kingdom. Lording it over a wife is no different a sin than a pastor lording it over God's flock. Your domain was not given you so you could be a little emperor, sir, but so you could be a little Christ. A Christ-ian.

Our wives are precious gifts to be honored as such, not just because we are their lord as they are to honor us, but also because they are our most important associate through this life. They are the test we have been given to determine our place in eternity. Oh be careful! Love them. Know them. Protect them at all costs.

And your prayers will have a better chance of "going through."

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

The Call is to Die

It's been in the Scriptures all along. The invitation to come die with and for Jesus. I shall not try to explain it away. We must not only "hate" the world around us, but our own life too.

"Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

It starts in the Old Testament. See Joseph off to give food to his brothers. Left for dead. The prophets one by one eating the sweet word of God, but when feeding it to those around them, one by one tasting the bitterness of death. Jesus Himself, and foremost, with His message to give, a life to live, but Who gives Himself freely in love to die. The apostles with that same message, but death is their reward too. They count it a privilege to die with Jesus.

Through the church's history the trail of blood is the pathway along which the narrow way winds. Enemies of the Roman State, then enemies of the Roman Church, and systems like it in many nations. Called to die for Jesus. Nothing has changed.

Why even in the last days, during the last trials of the church, a great company is ushered into heaven and the question rings out, "Who are these?" The answer is that these innumerable members of the Body of Christ got there, not escaping from, but right through the middle of, great tribulation.

Yes, far be it from the Scriptures to say that the "tribulation saints", as we love to call them, are the spineless backslidden Christian wannabes portrayed in slick books and movies in this post-Christian era. That they are some sort of second-class citizens who don't even merit the name "church". No, that same group is described later by John as beheaded witnesses who are lifted up to reign with Christ for 1000 years. They become the brightest stars the church has ever known.

Does the book-reading movie-loving "saint" of our own lazy culture think that somehow our own slovenliness at Christian warfare will be able in any way to compare with those luminaries? That we should be snatched up to glory while the enemy is raging at his highest decibels on earth?

The call is to trouble and suffering and death. If we suffer with Him, we reign with Him. All who will live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Those who will follow the crucified Christ must follow Him in this also. There are no exceptions. The one who dies for Christ seals the message of the cross that he has preached.

Even now, readers and listeners may be waiting for the softening of the blow. "Here is what that really means," he will say. No, there is no interpreting away of God's Word. The call upon our lives is the call to die. Yes, surely there is a crown. Yes, surely there is pure joy on the other side. But the other side is reached through the valley of a death chosen by us. A decision to take the cross and be crucified upon it in His time and place. For the joy that was set before Him, Jesus endured the cross. The cross is on the way to the crown. For so many of us we view the cross as "in the way."

Yes, death will come to all regardless of our choices. But how wonderful from Heaven's vantage point to see one who did not have to die, go ahead and give his life anyway.

We've heard the call to salvation. The call to the Spirit-filled life. The call to faithfulness. The call to growth and service. If we are to continue on with Him, we must hear the call to die.

Look for "Bob Faulkner" on http://sermonaudio.com - There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs , ovber 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Would love to fellowship with believers who respond .

Understanding What it is and How to Get It

Receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, sometimes called the infilling of the Holy Spirit or becoming baptized with the Holy Ghost is a vitally important part of successful Christian living.

There is however, a difference between being filled and becoming filled with the Holy Ghost!

The first is a continuous lifestyle and the second is a one-time event.

Some people confuse the two and make a mess of this doctrine when the truth is very simple.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is based on living day-by-day in continual fellowship with Him and obedience to Him.

It is, first of all, saturating your mind with the word of God, nothing draws you closer to the Holy Spirit than the entrance of God's word. Then, it's talking to Him and listening when He speaks, it's cultivating His presence through an attitude of thankfulness, praise and worship, it means obeying Him without hesitation and without reservation.

It's walking in love toward your fellow man, being quick to forgive and releasing hurts easily. It is creating an environment around you that welcomes and cultivates His Holy Presence. Toward this end, fasting also helps.

All this is the process of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

When you live your life like this it harnesses and concentrates the power of God in you, so when you begin to pray, preach or minister in any way the power of God flows out of you much more fluently for effective ministry.

Another effect of being filled with the Holy Spirit is that it draws people to you who are seeking more of God in their lives. People tend to be drawn to you and instinctively look to you for guidance and leadership.

This is one of the unmistakable traits of a successful spiritual leader Cultivating the character and power of the Holy Ghost or being filled with the Holy Spirit!

When I say "spiritual leader" I don't necessarily mean one who leads a congregation or has some title or position in the church. A spiritual leader could be someone who works in a factory, a single mother or a high school student. Being a true spiritual leader has nothing to do with title or position but with manifesting the character and power of Christ in your everyday life.

On the other hand, becoming filled with the Holy Ghost is a one-time experience, which I will explain like this:

The initial out-pouring of the Holy Ghost in the Book of Acts, Chapter Two HAS NEVER STOPPED!

The Holy Spirit began being poured out on the Church and has never stopped being poured out!

Today, if any believer wants to become filled with the Holy Ghost all he needs to do is step under the flow, open his spirit and receive. It's that simple!

I've led many people to salvation and to receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and I always tell them it starts with knowledge and understanding.

You must be assured that God wants you filled with His Holy Spirit and since He commands us all to be filled then that pretty much takes care of that!

The Bible simply commands us in Eph 5:18 to, "...Be filled with the Spirit."

This is NOT a suggestion but a New Testament commandment!

So, we are assured that God wants us filled with His Spirit and we know it's because He wants us filled with His power so that we can become more effective witnesses.

Therefore, when we approach God to receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost we must come with complete confidence and boldness before Him.

I teach people to simply ask and receive. It is an instantaneous experience! There is NO waiting involved.

The ONLY reason Jesus told His disciples to wait in the Book of Acts is for the Day of Pentecost to come. They weren't waiting for the Holy Ghost to come, He could have sent Him any time; they were waiting for the RIGHT DAY to come!

The day when ALL the people would be gathered together so that they could ALL hear the Good News of the Kingdom of God at the same time! That's why Jesus told them to wait for the Day of Pentecost to arrive.

So, when you're ready to be baptized with the Holy Ghost there is no waiting involved. I have a short prayer below that you can repeat when you're ready to become filled with the Holy Spirit.

Prayer To Be Filled With The Holy Spirit

"Father, according to Acts 1:8 I know that it's your will for me to be filled with Your Holy Spirit and right now I ask You to fill me in Jesus name. I open my spirit and receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit right now and I thank you for it, Father. Amen!

The key to success in this experience is what you do while saying these words and what you do immediately after!

What you do while saying these words is literally, by faith, open your spirit and receive what God is pouring into you. It is your faith that makes it happen! If you know for a fact that God is pouring His Holy Spirit into you then it is happening. If you're doubting whether it's happening or not, then IT'S NOT HAPPENING!

YOUR DECISION and YOUR FAITH makes all the difference!

It's not up to God or the preacher or anyone else, whether you receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit IT'S UP TO YOU!

God has already sent Him as a gift and will not take Him back. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Immediately after you say these words and receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit you must co-operate with the Holy Ghost in order to begin speaking with other Tongues!

Everest John Alexander is a Minister/Writer/Entrepreneur in public ministry for over 16 years Pastoring for 4 years.

He's married to his High-School sweetheart, Loraine and together they have two beautiful children, Andrew and Jade.

He's written five books published online at: http://www.CheapChristianEbooks.com where you can download FREE Ebooks, Articles, Jokes and Quizzes. He's currently working on his sixth book, "Understanding How To Pray Effectively."

To read his bestselling ebook "Understanding The 3 Levels of Salvation: Spirit, Soul and Body" visit: http://www.3LevelsOfSalvation.com

Jesus, The Master Copywriter

One of the longest threads in the history of Michel Fortin's Copywriter's Board is "Jesus, The Master Copywriter." This topic caused a stirring back then and pulled in many opinions that both agreed with my position and bluntly disagreed with my views.

Irrespective of how you assess the Bible, as mere literature or Holy Writings, the fact is that there are many copywriting lessons to be learned from this all time bestseller. Considering the position that the Bible holds in the literary world and the number of books inspired by the Bible you shouldn't be surprised that the "secrets" of persuasion are also hidden in its pages.

Here was where the great literary genius William Shakespeare got his inspiration and he is considered the master of English literature.

It so happens that I also get my inspiration from these pages-for copywriting!

Now let's look at one example and it's recorded in the Gospel according to John in chapter 4 of his book. It commonly called the story of the woman at the well. And it goes something like this ...

It's midday and Jesus waits by a well while his disciples go to a nearby town to buy food. A woman approaches the well to draw water, a very uncommon time since the most women come in the cooler parts of the day to collect water.

Jesus asks her for a drink to which she is very surprised that a Jew should ask a Samaritan woman for such a favor. These two people groups had no dealings with each other except for trade and business.

The woman questions Jesus request to which he replies that if she really knew who she was talking to she would ask him for living water so she never has to return to the well again. What? This really got her attention because such "living water" would mean that she would never have to face the stare of neighbors who shunned her as a moral failure.

But she is puzzled by the fact that Jesus has nothing to draw water from the well, so how could he give her "living water"? She immediately compares him to Jacob who dug the well centuries ago, "Are you claiming to be better than Jacob?"

Once Jesus had her attention he immediately asked her to call her husband. She immediately went on the defensive and claimed she had no husband. Then Jesus indicated that the man she was living with was not her husband but she was married four times before. Ouch!

This was a personal blow to her ego but it came only after Jesus had gained her interest by making her an incredible offer-living water.

Because this subject was so uncomfortable she tried to change the course of the conversation into a theological debate about the right place to worship. Jesus entertained her question anyway and she finally became convinced that he was not an ordinary man.

She finally left her water pots-the very thing she came for-and ran into the village to tell every one about her encounter. (Talk about word-of-mouth advertising.)

You are free to read the original narrative for yourself but here are some pointers that may be of interest to you as a copywriter and marketer:

1. Jesus spoke to her as an individual not as a crowd or a group of people. He made her feel that she was the most important person to him right there and then. Every good copywriter is able to make the reader of the sales letter feel like they are listening to a friend sharing some good advice, instead of one nameless member in a crowd.

2. Jesus knew her problem. He understood his "market" and what the woman was looking for. If you can determine the driving force behind your target market then the sale is 50% made. She wanted water but MORE than just water. She was looking for a reason to make a change in her life.

3. Jesus spoke to her in the language she understood. He entered the conversation that she was already mentally engaged in. She wanted a way to stop coming to the well at midday but more so a reason not to be ashamed of her life. Speak in the language of your market and you'll get them listening. Speak about what they are already interested in and you have a friend.

4. Jesus answered her objections by selling himself as the solution to her problems. She had two major objections: He had nothing to draw the water and they had a big difference in beliefs. Both of these objections were answered which led to the "sale." He not only treated her with respect (it wasn't considered proper for a man to speak with a woman in public like this) but also gave her hope for the future. We can say that he over-delivered, so much that ...

5. He made a happy customer who was more than willing to share the good news with others!

This narrative is a classic study of how to turn "enemies" into friends, prospects into your best "evangelist" and curiosity seekers into lifelong customers.

Go ye and do likewise!

Ray L. Edwards is a freelance copywriter, copywriting coach, Internet marketing consultant and published author. He has made his clients millions of dollars online and can be contacted about his services at http://www.webcopy-writing.com

In North Korea - The Guard of Hoeryong

Here is an eyewitness account of a North Korean former prison guard. His name is Ahn Myong Chol, and he served at Hoeryong Concentration Camp, among other places. He and his story are described by David Hawk in online materials free to all.

Ahn, born in 1969 to a "good" (Party Member) family in Hangwon, did his compulsory military service in four consecutive prisons from 1978-1994. His last assignment was Hoeryong, the only one of the four that is still operational.

Ahn's father was a good man in other ways. He actually was caught doing something good. He gave food to one of his neighbors without authorization. This is reactionary and subversive by NK government standards. Knowing that his father was facing trouble, and that the whole family would therefore be dragged into it, Ahn took his wife across the Tumen into China. Eventually he reached Seoul, where he began telling his story. This developed into a book, and even testimony before the U.S. Congress.

In 2002, when technology allowed us to see certain truths about Hoeryong by satellite, Ahn was there to identify what we were seeing. We now know the location and purpose of every building in the prison complex. Ahn was able to be so conversant about these things because of his position as truck driver.

Ahn confirms the shock one experiences upon the first arrival at camp. Walking skeletons. Dwarfs. Cripples in rags. It doesn't get better with time. He was aware that as many as 2,000 people died in the camp of malnutrition every year. Most of these were children. Perhaps ten executions per year, of people who had been caught eating from the harvest food. More deaths, by beating, of prisoners who had not been meeting production quotas.

The only meat people ate was from rats, snakes, and frogs caught.

Marriage nearly totally forbidden.

One pregnant woman was executed because of her pregnancy.

I do not intend to "defame" North Korea or its government. The stories I tell come from credible eyewitnesses whose books are widely published. The idea is compassion. And much prayer. God may tell you more that you can do, but I think this is a good start.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

Witnesses Must See Before They Say

"Oh, you can't believe refugees, they will tell you anything you want to hear." This quote is from Jasper Becker and is not his feeling but the attitude of UN officials back in the days before the rest of the world believed North Korea was in serious trouble. Other Western minds figured that all the horror stories coming from real eyewitnesses were some kind of South Korean plot to make the North look bad. The South Koreans on their part thought the North Koreans were making all this up to squeeze more aid and sympathy from their neighbors. "Smart" people who work at the Pentagon looked for mass graves with their satellite photography, as one normally sees such mounds during famines as in Africa. No mounds. Must be no graves. Must be no famine. Others knew the truth but downplayed it so as not to insult the NK government and harm nuclear negotiations.

And today it would seem that history is repeating itself. Though organizations have painstakingly sent interviewers to listen to independent stories from individual refugees. Though these eyewitnesses without corroboration continue to tell the same story of the horrors of North Korea. Though escapees and defectors join in the chorus, write books, create websites, there is
still a group of politically elite folks in Eastern U.S. cities who think just like the no-holocaust crowd. They are in denial of the real North Korea. They tell us it's not really that bad. They say Kim is being victimized. They say it's all political. They say Bush is the problem.

We Christians know about this phenomenon. In the first century Jesus told His people they would be witnesses. That was a promise, not a command. Witnesses see things. If you don't see anything, you don't say anything. Makes sense to me. We've got believers running around today like the seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19. They know the name of Jesus and try to use it to promote their own interests, but they've never seen Jesus or known Him. They are false witnesses.

And yes, there are a lot of people who have been to North Korea. Ambassadors. Politicians. But when they are there they see what they are supposed to see and that's it. They come back, blind witnesses, telling us to hold our peace and not believe everything we're hearing. They're afraid to ignite more conflict.

Personally, I want to continue to see through the eyes of those who have lived there, grown up under these strange and awful ways, and been forever damaged . I choose to believe those who know the prisons from the inside, not satellite photography guesswork. I choose to believe those who have starved in North Korea, over the soft Washingtonians who may have never missed a meal in their lives. I choose to believe ex-guards from North Korean prisons over reporters bound by a party line and a salary.

Truth is more important now than all the nuclear bombs put together. We have seen what lies will do. Rip the cover off North Korea though the stench is overwhelming, and let the healing light of Truth make it anew.

That's my prayer anyway. And my God can do all this and more. Let's keep praying.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

Defeating the Giants

Defeating the Giants

1 Samuel 17: 50 - 51

"So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine's sword and drew it from the scabbard. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword."

Like David, most of us have faced giants before, whether it be the giant of unforgiveness, insurmountable debt, physical illness, addictions, oppression or depression, we have all faced circumstances in our life that seem beyond our ability to overcome. And the more we focus on the giant, the more terrifying it becomes. Goliath had held the entire Israelite army at bay for 40 days. Day and night he would harass them and they had become paralysed by fear . Paralysis be it mental or physical occurs when we are overcome by fear and intimidation . In our heads we start to say , I can't do it, nothing is ever going to change, its hopeless, I don't care any more, is God even real? The conversation in our minds has turned from hope to hopelessness and the voice of the enemy has become louder and more frequent than the voice of God. What we focus on draws our energy and our emotions and we will always move in the direction of our most dominant thoughts. The more we focus on the GIANTS in our life the more they control us.

David, was too young to go to war and had stayed back home with this father Jethro. On one particular visit to his brothers, Goliath made an appearance and bellowed out his usual intimidation's. Instead of running for cover, David was indignant, "who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?". David believed that Israel had the power of God on its side and no matter how big or how nasty this Giant was, no one was greater than the God of Israel. The victory that day had been won in David's mind long before it was won in the natural. The armies of Israel had been paralysed by fear, but David had refused to be intimidated.

David was a 'make it happen kind of guy', rather than a person who hoped it would happen, or reacts to what happens. The difference lies within. The bible teaches us that the power to overcome lives within you. Ephesians 3: 20 " Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to that power that works in us" In other words, He is saying it is up to you. You must stop procrastinating, waiting for others, or blaming the past. So many times it's much easier to embrace the role of a victim, a loser, or of the one who's not smart enough, not good enough, not educated enough or not financially sound enough. When you accept such limitations for yourself, the giant will always roar and they become true for you.

Do you really want to change? Are you willing and ready to give up perceptions and behaviors that have kept you paralysed instead of soaring with the eagles? Start by replacing wrong thought patterns with rights ones. Isaiah 54: 17 " No weapon formed against you shall prosper." When thoughts of fear, worry and intimidation begin to speak, shout, stop! And declare the power of God to that giant. Its time to become as indignant as David was about Goliath, and get some fight back into your spirit.

Pray.

God I thank you that there is nothing going on in my life right now that you have not already given me the power to overcome. Help me to renew my mind and break the power of fear and intimidation. I choose to put my trust in your word, not what the circumstances say. Thank you that today there is victory over every giant in my life in Jesus name. Amen!

Yours faithfully
Carolyn Evans-Hale
Subscribe to my Facebook Group for weekly devotionals.
http://www.faithforeverydayliving.com

Keys to Success

Have you toiled day and night searching for a success guide?

Have you searched and read all success tips, success articles, success ideas, success books, personal development books but you have not really recorded any success story in whatever you do?

Do you desire a proven personal development plan or a genuine personal growth and development?

Have you read the success stories of successful people all your life and you believe it is about time people read your own story?

If you answer "Yes" to these questions, then I advise you to read on.

I am sure you know very well that nobody wants to be associated with a failure. Everybody loves achievers. This is the simple truth!

You can make yourself stand on the winning podium always by studying and applying the success keys that I will be sharing with you in this article.

Success Key 1: Believe in yourself: You must understand that there is something unique that has been deposited into you by God during creation. You are a STAR (Genesis 1:17). Stars are meant to shine lights! You are very relevant wherever there is anything representing darkness. A star has in-built characteristics that are necessary for it to perform its great work of light-shining. Since you are a star, there is something great in you to succeed on this earth. You only need to make yourself believe this.

Success Key 2: Never stop learning the Truth about your success from the Word of God: I believe it is very important you make yourself learn the truth in the word of God-the Bible on a regular basis. It is the best place to learn. I have always read the success stories of Jesus Christ from the Bible on a regular basis. You can begin to do this too. He is the most successful Human Being that ever walked the surface of this earth. So position yourself to learn from Him the various success keys He used to open success doors. You can claim a FREE copy of my e-book "Jesus and Your Success" at www.sesanoguntade.com/freesuccessbooks. You will have access to 10 super-success secrets of Jesus.

Success Key 3: Update your knowledge of your industry: We all belong to one niche or industry or the other. Things are changing nowadays at a very fast rate. You can't afford to loose sight of the changes in your industry. If you do, you are making yourself very irrelevant and this will never make you open success doors.

Success Key 4: Have a great relationship with man: You must find a way of learning about how you can have a great relationship with man. If you must succeed here on earth, you need the company of people on most occasions. You must understand how you relate with people for you to gain tremendously from your relationships. I am assuring you if you can learn this skill so well, it will make you open success doors on regular basis.

Success Key 5: Be bold to take actions: This is also very important. You must be bold to take actions. If you are not bold, you will never do anything worthwhile that can ensure your success. Obstacles are always there to stop you, so you must be strong to overcome them. One of my hobbies is "crushing obstacles". You can't crush if you are not bold. Be bold to take actions always.

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North Koreans - Down To Cornhusks

North Korea's refugees have been found in many locations of China. Refugees International has interviewed many of these poor souls. I give the summary of a conversation held between an RI representative and a recently escaped North Korean refugee.

This victim is a 27-year-old man who came from Undok, North Korea, to China in June of '03. As with all the refugees, his chances of survival in North Korea had come to the near-zero mark. So he left parents and siblings and made the trip by himself into an all new world.

His first impression of China was the stark contrast between it and his home country. How prosperous the Chinese! Then he began wondering what he will do in this foreign land. His family members are farmers. At least they work for farmers, much like slaves on the old southern plantations of the United States worked for farmers, and were "permitted" to live so they could keep prospering the farmers. His family of six was allowed to keep only 150 kilograms of food... per year. That includes the cornhusks. That's 330 pounds divided by 6, or 55 pounds each. If my math isn't faulty, that's one pound of food per week. Just ounces per day.

This gentleman claims there is no other way to get food. He says that if they don't finish planting, and don't have enough food, the manager will give them a little corn and allow them to buy some food. But if they have no money to buy food, they can't expect the manager to show any generosity in terms of cash.

So it's off to the mountains, to join the many other desperate North Korean souls who are collecting medicinal plants to sell in the market place. This is seasonal work, up to half of the year. It's possible to collect maybe a kilogram in a day of working. 2 pounds. 2 pounds will sell for 450 won. In today's market, that's about 50 cents a day.

Speaking of medicine, three of his family members have serious illness. But there is no serious medicine available. Even if there were, they have no money. And they can't sell their goods for some quick cash because they have no goods.

What does this family have? Hope. It seems that there are varying degrees of hope in North Korea. One hope that this family has latched onto is the outbreak of war and the subsequent changing of the status quo. Things cannot remain as they are. For one thing, the aid being sent in by well-meaning donors is being diverted to those who need it much less than these northeastern farmers. "Everybody knows this," he says.

Tonight let us be grateful for all God has richly supplied to us, and work toward being sure all our brothers and sisters in Jesus are equally blessed.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

When A Christian Dies

The coldness of the grave awaits every living being on this earth, there is no escape, no delay and no other recourse except the rapture, and even then, the body must still die. We see things in the physical most of our lives. We see the known and material things of this life, we see clouds, stars, sun, moon, automobiles, and every thing else that is physical. The Bible tells us that these things that we can see are temporal and not eternal. But what about the soul of man and especially the believer in Christ?

2Co 4:18 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. Living a life for Christ is an every day affair. We look not as the world looks, we hear, not as the world hears and we see, not as the world sees When the world looks at a disaster, the believer sees divine intervention, when the world sees hunger, the believer sees, man made famine, when the world sees death, the believer sees resurrection.

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Paul tells us in Romans; For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We weep at the death of another Christian, for this is the Adam nature within all of us. We see a blessed hope for reuniting with them in the by and by. We see reunion with great joy and gladness but we still cry. We weep at the death of those that are lost, for theirs is a death within death. Their time is over for decision making and another second death awaits them. They die without hope.

For I, my self, am persuaded, that all of our grief will turn to joy at a time and place chosen by God. Jesus promised us that he would never leave us nor forsake us, this is also including the time of our death. The grave is not cold for a Christian but rather a place that the body can be rested and changed from mortal to immortal.
Sometimes our grief turns into Great in extent, quantity and duration; very extensive, sorrow.

We see someone that gave all for family, husband, wife, children and especially Christ. These Christians will be sorrowfully missed. They all give their heart and sometimes their very life to further the Doctrine of the Everlasting Father. For as Jesus stated about the little Girl, She is not Dead, but just sleeping. The most famous passage, to me in scripture, is;Jesus Wept.
John 11:35-36; Jesus wept.
Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!

Behold how he loved him! Behold how we loved our departed, sorrow, grief and tears are natural, and must be done to bring closer to our fellow Christians departure, to meet our Saviour. In over fifty years, I have seen many a loved one and Christian put beneath the ground, wondering what they were doing, how they enjoyed not having any more pain, suffering, aging and worry. How were they adapting to joy unspeakable and full of Glory and especially how they reacted to meeting Jesus face to face, this was always a wonderful thought to help me, grieve. Many years ago, the Children of Israel were tempting God and being skeptical as to Gods power, this were their words; Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness?

We as Christians believe in God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit and Gods word, then as believers we must also believe in the resurrection of the Body and Spirit. The unbeliever, at death, takes a journey into darkness and flames, awaiting the final judgment, the Christian takes a journey into life everlasting with Christ awaiting the resurrection of their immortal body. So the question arrives to all that read this message, What will the journey at your death be like?

Mat 22:31-32; But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
The Christian must remember the promises of God when He stated; God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Our Christian family's, Friends, and acquaintances, are not really dead but alive with Christ, we must all comfort ourselves with these words and seek a Kingdom above, for God is not the God of the Dead but of the living. Weep then not for the dead, but rather the living. ars.
This message is dedicated to all our brothers and sisters that have lost a loved one.

2Co 4:18 -
we: 2Co_5:7; Rom_8:24, Rom_8:25; Heb_11:1, Heb_11:25-27, Heb_12:2, Heb_12:3
for: Mat_25:46; Lev_16:25, Lev_16:26; 2Th_2:16; 1Jo_2:16, 1Jo_2:17, 1Jo_2:25
Rom 8:35 -
shall separate: Rom_8:39; Psa_103:17; Jer_31:3; Joh_10:28, Joh_13:1; 2Th_2:13, 2Th_2:14, 2Th_2:16; Rev_1:5
shall tribulation: Rom_8:17, Rom_5:3-5; Mat_5:10-12, Mat_10:28-31; Luk_21:12-18; Joh_16:33; Act_14:22; Act_20:23, Act_20:24; 2Co_4:17, 2Co_6:4-10, 2Co_11:23-27; 2Ti_1:12, 2Ti_4:16-18; Heb_12:3-11; Jam_1:2-4; 1Pe_1:5-7, 1Pe_4:12-14; Rev_7:14-17

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries A.R.Smith Ministries http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

Evangelism Now-Reaching Without Preaching

It seems evangelism has become too difficult in the minds of many Christians and too religious in the minds of everyone else. I regularly hear dedicated Christians describe our mission as if it requires a professional presentation and a degree to share the love of Jesus with someone. Churches have even gotten into the act by having professional tracts, church events and DVDs produced to "make it easier" for regular Christians but this implies, unintentionally, that regular Christians can't do this without such help and tools. Nothing is further from the truth. All anyone needs, to be a witness for Jesus, is natural, real, living faith and genuine concern for the other person.

Natural Christian Outreach: I had the same misconceptions as everyone else at my first ministry post. So, I started a door-to-door program that had pretty good success because we were taking prayer requests, rather than preaching at people. Later, I found we had better success turning the church parking lot into a flea market one Saturday a year, so we could meet our neighbors under more natural circumstances. Finally, after trying evangelism the traditional way for over 10 years, I've come to the realization that most people have their guard up before our second sentence is finished. Here in the USA, everybody is bombarded from every direction by thousands of Christians. All of these approaches have one thing in common...they are as systematic and impersonal as a cheap sales pitch. I'm now getting evangelistic junk email because some poor misguided souls feel they're serving God by irritating strangers with messages they didn't ask for. So, when we approach a loved one with the message of Jesus, it's easy for them to think they know what we're going to say, and reject it without listening. Natural Christian outreach starts with a person who is seeking a solution to one of life's problems. When people discover Jesus as a solution to their problems, He has value to them and they're far more receptive to the message. After all, Jesus healed and fed people...He didn't just preach at them.

Be A Witness Without Witnessing: Another thing that puts people off and negates our evangelistic efforts is "The Presentation." Let me be straight with you, no one wants a canned God. Canned God has been sold to people their whole lives. They don't like how He tastes, how He smells, His mushy texture. The next time someone comes into your group selling the latest in canned God materials, boil up a can of peas for him and ask him if this is the way he likes his vegetables. Serve him some stale bread on the side. The only way to serve God is fresh. If you don't have a fresh relationship with God daily then don't try to serve Him to others. Jesus didn't say to go witnessing, He said to be a witness. It's the nature of a genuine Christian that reaches others for Jesus, not the use of flashy witnessing materials. Jesus is living water that wells up in you to overflowing...but He's got to be flowing in you first.

Have The Bible In You, Not On You: This point is very much like the last. It seems many religious people carry a Bible when they "go witnessing." You may have noticed from this and others of my articles, I speak and write the message from the Bible without quoting it chapter and verse. You and I know the Bible is a highly valuable book...God's Word to us. We use it to guide our lives and often quote it to each other. To those we're trying to reach...it's just a book. You don't need to carry it, quote from it, open it and show people what it says...you just need to live it.

One of my fellow students in Bible College told me about his "street-witnessing" experience the night before. He finally got someone cornered, opened his Bible and started down "The Roman Road" with him. The man interrupted and started disagreeing. It ended with the man running away while the student yelled, "You're going to hell." I'll never forget what my student friend told me next. He said, "At least I planted a seed." What kind of seed? What kind of crop? Will anyone be able to talk about Jesus again with that poor man?

If you have the Bible in you, it will come out in your actions and your words without you even trying. The Holy Spirit will remind you of everything you need to say and do. You'll care more about the person you're talking to than yourself. Leave the Bible on your desk at home, where you can keep putting it in your life, then it will shine through your life in how you treat others.

Share Faith In Jesus, Not The Gospel: Many people share "the gospel" out of a sense of duty, in response to a preacher or book they read or to be active in the latest program their church has to "reach the lost." These people are not acting in the right motivations, and worse, not acting in faith. Faith says Jesus doesn't want anyone to die and that everyone who comes to Him will be drawn by the Holy Spirit. If we're acting in faith, we can leave it up to God to provide valid opportunities to share Him and we can leave the results to Him, as well. If our faith is in Jesus, we don't need to share the gospel, but to live the Good News. We don't need to tell the people they have sinned, that's the Holy Spirit's job. We don't need to judge them, Jesus will do that at the end of time. All we need to do is live the love Jesus has given us and let Him love and help others through us...and believe in Him for the rest. Nothing can be easier than sharing faith, because faith says there is no way to fail.

Glen Williams is an Ordained Minister, Founder and CEO of E-Home Fellowship (EHF), Inc. and Webmaster for http://www.web-church.com. He has been active in ministry since 1989. You can comment on his articles at Web-Church Christian Forums.

Gotten a Rhema Lately?

Bible believers should enjoy bursting bubbles, if done with love, of course. Bubbles are all over the Body these days. Like for example the proposed difference between the logos word and the rhema word.

We're told by those who are supposed to know that the logos is the inspired word found in Scripture but not necessarily a word to bless or inspire us personally. The rhema, they say, is a special message directly from God to the heart, a personal word. It may or may not be in the Bible.

A believer, at least this believer, can accept the notion of a living God who speaks a living Word to His people, enlightening them as they are reading the Holy Word. We also must acknowledge that there are portions of the inspired Book which are very difficult to digest, other portions for which we are not ready.

So the division is not so bad, but the choice of terms won't stand a Biblical test. Yes, both words are in the Greek. Both mean roughly the same thing: an utterance, something said. The key is how both words are used in the Bible.

How about when talking about a gift of the Spirit, the word of wisdom? Seems like that should be rhema by the current definition. Nope. logos. How about when Paul is talking generally about the law and says it can be fulfilled in one word? "logos"? No, "rhema."

"I say to you by the word of the Lord..." Paul's clear personal word from God to individual believers. You guessed it. Logos.

There are times when both words fit the modern description and times when they don't. In other words, the sheep have fallen for another fad. Not a big point. But everyone reading can think of a similar silliness floating around. Let's be on our guard and give no place to anything God has not said.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed , lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

Restoration - Hallelujah

Free at Last, Free at Last, Thank God almighty, Were free at last. Not being free in the body, but rather, free in the spirit. What is freedom, where does it come from and how do we obtain it? Many people around the world today are asking these same questions. From Africa, to China, North America to Russia, Australia to India.
Freedom will never be obtained in this life but the freedom comes from Knowing God and releasing the burdens of the flesh. Not wanting to be king of the world, nor ruler of physical ownership of the seen, but of the unseen. Our, hope, home and joy is not of this world, we are all strangers here. We have a kingdom to come, that will never end.

We have become custom to being able to, do as we wish, go where we want and conduct ourselves accordingly. But we were, and still are bound by chains and fetters in this body. Pain, suffering, discontent, disease are all part of our bondage. Many that don't believe in God, haven't seen nor felt the true freedom that one experiences as God fills their body with the spirit of Jesus Christ and with the truth and the release of their sin. The spiritual and not the physical.

The cry of happiness and the joy of knowing the truth. When I came to realize that I was lost and had no hope, I gave myself over to the one that died on that cross and the burdens fell to the floor. I was no longer bound by what I thought I knew, I wasn't bound by fear nor anxiety. I no longer feared death. I was born again in the flesh and in the spirit. I knew where my spirit lay.

In John 8:32 we learn, And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. What is the truth that John was speaking of ? John himself, at one time, as were all mankind, in the bondage of the physical, not knowing the truth of Gods freedom of the spirit. When we were lost, we never knew that we were in chains, having knowledge but not knowing the truth of our surrounding's.

The truth that all manner of things, from the living to the innate will all come to and end. Steel will rust, Wood will burn, Stone will crumble and all other things are but for a time.
John 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Jesus is wanting to make us all free of this world, its, hate, strife, worry and from the unknown. Its the unknown that causes many to have failing hearts and troubled minds.

Not knowing from one day or another weather they will be alive, weather someone will take all they have, or weather this world will meet a violent end. Fear of the unknown is causing many a sleepless night. Fear and confusion, causes marriages to fail, body's to become sick and the mind to become unstable.
In Luke 21:25-26, we see the reason many will die because of fear. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity(Trouble, confusion, fear of the unexplained, the inexplicable, seeking answers but not finding one.); the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence (Transgression, Disobedience, breaking of the Law.) of one (Adam) judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one (Jesus) the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

Luke 16:15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men(Man writes laws and bibles to justify themselves.); but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men( idols,false gods and false prophets.) is abomination in the sight of God.

The turning away from the truth, being reconciliatory to all manner of filth and religions, being tolerable of lies and evil, making a pact with the devil, just to have a short lived peace. This present age is filled with violence, of so called religion. To obtain peace, there will be a pact made between those that say they are religious and the demon of darkness, this is undeniable. A Pact with the free nations and those nations that hold their people in religious bondage. Here is mans fear and confusion, what price will mankind pay for peace?

Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. The beginning of something must also have an end. Being born must also end in death, for we all must die, weather you believe in God or not, your life will end in death.

In Galatians 3:28, we see that God has no respect of persons. What does this mean? No one is above the judgment of God, no one is below Gods ability to save, we are neither, rich nor poor, white nor black, heathen nor civilized in Gods eyes. We all, as a race of people, are all the same. There are only two types of people on this earth, those born in first Adam (Born in Sin, human, and those born into last Adam, those of the spirit of Christ.) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
God does not look at the flesh, but rather looks into the spirit, for God is spirit. No man has ever entered into the next life in the flesh. We were all sinners at one time but thru the sacrifice of Jesus we all have the ability to become the Sons of God, free from the wrath to come and from the everlasting death of Hell. It is not blasphemy to say that we are the Sons of God, nor Lords, Preast and Kings, for the price was paid for our privilege to say so.

Amos 9:1, I saw the Lord standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword(War): he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.
Amos 9:2-5 Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:
And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel(Hebrew = garden land), mountain ridge, North Western Israel, extending 13 miles North West from the plain of Esdraelon to the Mediterranean Sea, where it ends in a promontory marking the southern limit of the Bay of Haifa.), I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:

And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword (War), and it shall slay (kill) them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good (Gods Wrath).
And the Lord GOD of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.

Barnes states of Amos 9:4-5, Height or depth are alike open to the Omnipresent God. The grave is not so awful as God. The sinner would gladly dig through into hell, bury himself, the living among the dead, if so he could escape the sight of God. But thence, God says, My hand shall take them, to place them in His presence, to receive their sentence. Or if, like the rebel angels, they could place their throne amid the stars Isaiah 14:12-14, of God thence will I bring them down, humbling, judging, condemning.

The Glory of knowing God and His Son Jesus, is worth more than this world can offer. If you would gain this world and all its riches and loose your soul, what would you give to change what you have done?

Why are you holding onto a life that will bring you nothing but pain, fear, discontent, confusion? Many today are fearful of loosing their retirement, medical coverage, their homes, jobs and money. Doesn't God feed the Birds of the air and creatures of the fields, doesn't He give the trees fruit and the flowers their color? God is our Source and Supply, for He is ever present. Cant you understand that if God cares for this world and its nature, that He cares more for you? Everlasting peace and joy can only be obtained in the next life, for mankind is on a path of death and destruction. Its your choice. ars

Tempel of Spirit & Truth Ministries. A.R.Smith Ministries. http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

The Abomination of Desolation

The abomination of Desolation.
There is a misconception of the prophecy's of Christ, Daniel, Isaiah, and Ezekiel concerning the time of the abomination of desolation. There have been many desolations and times of desolation in Israel. Many of these caused much hardships and even death to the House of Israel.

The Babylonian Captivity, Jer 25:11 And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
Jer 44:22 So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day. Ezr 9:7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day.

The House of Israel has rejected Christ as the Messiah and are still under the law to a point. The Daily sacrifices have been put aside because of the natural law of man, but they justify this by the verse, Obedience is better than Sacrifice. This will end in the days of the anti-Christ, which will allow the renewing of the Red Heifer Sacrifices within the 3rd temple. Which I must say that many scholars do not believe in.
Dan 12:11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
What we are going to look deeper at is the end days.
Jewish 76.4%, Muslim 16%, Arab Christians 1.7%, other Christian 0.4%, Druze 1.6%, unspecified 3.9% (2004)(C.I.A. World Fact Book)

The abomination of desolation.
The Daily sacrifices and The abomination of desolation, as spoken of by Daniel, is a subject of much controversy among many bible Scholars. There are those that teach that these two events have already taken place in the Days of Caesar,as many are teaching.

This prophecy has nothing to do with, Rome nor Caesar. Prophecy must be looked at very carefully and be regarded by not single events, but as a string or combination of events. Those things spoken of the abomination of desolation and the third temple are future events backed up by Scripture. Israel is not allowed by natural or should I say mans law, to accomplish animal sacrifices.

This interpretation from T.S.K. Is one that I disagree with, take a look;
the abomination: Heb. to set up the abomination, etc. Probably Mohammedanism, which sprang up in power the same year as the papal, ad 606; and 1,290 years from that time will be ad 1896, and 1,335 years ad 1941.

The abomination of desolation will be a statue of the anti-Christ that will be placed inside the third temple. Many scripture back this up. This attempt to work time and dates to justify interpretation is not the way to interpret scripture, many try to look at past events and match Bible prophecy to it, this is a grave mistake and leads to faulty or false interpretations.
Mar 13:14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:
Isa 28:22 Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

The best reference to this is in Revelations 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. This is the abomination of desolation as the end of the anti-Christ; read and understand, them that worshipped his image.
Mohammedanism(Islam) is not older than Christianity nor the Jewish religion, but it will play and important part in the desolation of Israel as spoken of by Christ.
Therefore, Rameses, nor the Caesars of Rome, have not fulfilled prophecy of the end days.

Many use this part of Mark 13:14, to justify calling Caesar the anti-Christ for He had an image of Himself constructed and forced many to worship his image as God, but there were Kings before and after that have done the same thing. Dan 3:14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not;, The point of the matter with all these false god images is that they never fulfilled the prophecy's of the end days such as these;

Rev 13:13-14; And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
Rev 13:15 And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.

Dan 7:25-26; And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.
But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.

2Th 2:9-10; Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

What Caesar never fulfilled is this verse of prophecy; Dan 9:27; And he(The Anti-Christ.) shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.
Also this verse was not fulfilled by any King yet; Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Key words here; the abomination of desolation (Image)stand in the holy place.
Luke 21:32; Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. This study is just the tip of the Prophecy of the abomination of desolation.
ars.

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries A.R.Smith Ministries http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

The Place Of Women Under The Old Covenant

One method used by those perturbed by Paul's teachings about women in the church is to find any dear female of Scripture and call her in as a witness to their point. Well, I believe I know these women too. I want to ask them to testify on the other side for awhile. Let me show you who these women really were, and how far they were from their modern counterparts.

In I Peter 3: 1-6, the apostle mentions how godly women of old trusted in God, stressed inner and not outward beauty, and were submissive to their own husbands. It is these qualities he looks for in their spiritual descendants, the women of the church.

Sarah is lifted up in Scripture as a woman who called her husband "lord" and could therefore see the lordship of God in her spouse. No church leader here!

Rebekkah, having heard God's Word to her and her husband, favored her son Jacob, and did what she could to advance him, but never without full submission to her husband.

There were disobedient women too. Dinah wandered off from her father's covering. Zipporah defied the ways of God in Moses. Miriam spoke against that same Moses and was severely chastised.

The most prominent of Old Covenant women is Deborah. If there is a woman in the Bible that gives any credence to "female leadership" advocates, it is this incredible prophetess. Nevertheless a close examination of what the Bible actually records reveals that the entire extent of her work was the receiving of God's wisdom miraculously for the people who came to her as she "would sit under the palm tree." This is how she "judged" the nation, through the wisdom of God, not the arm of fleshly power.

Here is no exalted elder. Here was a simple handmaiden of the Lord who received His messages and passed them on. She is never seen teaching in an assembly, taking authority over men.

When God called for the deliverance of Israel from its enemy, the prophetess called upon a man to do the work. With Deborah at his side, in respect for the Word of prophecy, the battle was won. The most she claims for herself in all of this is that she was "a mother in Israel." (Judges 5:7)

So the principle is established in Deborah, not broken: In all visible ways, men must lead the people of God. But this dear woman teaches us that women will be used to receive revelation from God, prophecy, since gender is not a factor when the fullness of God is present.

This principle helps us to understand more fully Paul's seeming "contradiction" in I Corinthians 14. There, women are commanded to be silent for all normal functions of the Church. But when God raises up a woman to speak (chapter 11), when He indeed fulfils the prophecy of Joel to pour His Spirit on His "handmaidens", and they prophesy the Word of the Lord, or pray empowered by that same Spirit, let not any despise them.

Remember also, that it is still possible that these prophecies, as Deborah's, could be outside the assembly, lest woman seem to be exalted in any way.

After Deborah and the judges, the kings rule Israel. No women are seen ruling the Kingdom except in gross disobedience. Jezebel is the domineering wife of Ahab who is obsessed with her own beauty and power. Her daughter Athaliah actually takes over the Kingdom of Judah after killing all but one of the royal heirs. Both of these women died violent deaths for their arrogance.

Oh! The men fared not well either in these days. Evil ruled the land. But the Kingdom had been given to men, was to be carried on by men, and was to culminate eventually in the Man Christ Jesus, Who shall reign forever and ever.

In the life of Jesus Himself, for He lived and died under this same Old Covenant, it is only with the most difficult stretches that we see any woman, even His mother, raised to "authority" by His command. Women give money to His cause. Women support their apostle husbands. Women tell the story of Jesus to their countrymen.

Women praise Him and weep for Him, and women see His resurrected Body and announce such, but no woman rules or teaches any man in all the Gospels.

Is this pattern not a sufficient word in and of itself of the will of God for the church?

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

Jesus Elected President of The World!

Fox news said it a year or so ago: Jesus Christ to be honorary King of Poland.

So what do you think about that? Has Poland as a nation come to Christ? Is there a wave of revival sweeping the land? Is it proper to lift up Jesus to celebrity status in a nation? If Poland were your nation, would you be sad or happy right now?

Strange. America used to think of itself as a Christian nation. Has there ever been a movement toward making Jesus King here? Would Jesus Himself approve? What would it mean to be honorary King? A bit like the royal set-up in England? Good to have around, but not really calling the shots?

One major group opposes the move: Are you ready? The Roman Catholic system felt that the state should not get mixed up with religion and ought to stick to making secular laws.

Indeed. And if Christ is already Lord of Poland, how could that group assert itself as the spiritual leader of that land? As for not wanting to mix church and state, I think that has been Rome's way since Constantine. I suggest she only opposes it now because the State seems to be getting away from her grasp.

Jesus the King of Poland. I must say I was a bit delighted about it all. But why stop there? God does not. There was an election held in Heaven several thousand years back, and His Son was voted in as Presider over the entire world. He won by only one Vote, but that was the only Vote cast.

We hope that soon He will come to take His place. We are in such sad shape. May your holiday thoughts turn to the One born to be Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, Mighty God... and President of the World.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.