How Long Does God Really Want Me to Try?

The Holy Spirit has been working through me for many years and I really want to know how long, God really want me to try? How long does he want me to try to get Christians to think and understand Christianity? I'm doing the best that I can and as long as God is working through me, I will try to do better.

God put me here for a reason and my reason is to teach other Christians about Christianity. As long as the Holy Spirit will keep me alive, I will continue to do the best that I can and teach other Christians, how to study the Bible and where their religion actually came from.

If you're reading this article, your probably interested in Christianity and the Bible, if you do read the Bible, do you actually understand what it's saying. If you study the Bible, are you exposing yourself to others who also study the Bible, or are you only studying the Bible with people you know and are familiar with.

How long are you going to try, before you actually quit? Have you quit before and started again and maybe you've done this a few times, but you haven't quite yet. I know where you're coming from, I've been there myself and continue to motor ahead.

I would like to give you a word of advice, don't ever quit and don't ever give up. Keep searching and you will find the answers, keep knocking and doors will be opened. I have been knocking and will continue to keep knocking.

I wish you nothing but the best of luck on your journey towards the ultimate answers that we're all hoping to find.

Do Christians Believe Everything

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a Christian self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Tell Me Why You Truly Believe in God

Is God the person that you pray to and every once in awhile, he sends someone down to earth, to answer your prayers, like a good parent. God is always taking care of you, whether you're driving down the freeway at 75 miles an hour, or walking through a park.

Do you really know why, you believe in God? I bet you, that you're starting to think about the question now. As children, we are taught to believe, that God is the ultimate protector of the world and is always looking out for us. This seems to bring us comfort, as we go through our daily lives.

Do you think that Hindu's, Muslim's or Christians, have similar beliefs in their god or gods? I have seen Hindus and Muslims that live pretty good life's. Why wouldn't these people be punished by the other gods or God? If I was the god of Jehovah and got mad at everyone who made false idols or worshiped other gods, why wouldn't I go out of my way to make their lives miserable?

It just doesn't make any sense, if you really spend the time, to think about it. If God is that powerful, why wouldn't he wiped out the opposition? Why wouldn't he be story their possessions?

Doesn't it say something like this in the Bible? God will make people's lives miserable if they don't follow him, yet I know plenty of people that are miserable and follow him. Are you really going to spend your life believing in your personal God, and never questioning his existence or even the origins of your religion.

Ask yourself one question, is God real and if so, how do you know that your right? Have you ever thought that someone else could be right and you could be wrong?

What Did God Really Say

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site: Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Find out a little bit more about Your Religious Freedom

Thanks for reading the article

Tithing Education - Giving From Guilt

If you're part of any organized religion and donate money on a regular basis, do you know where your money is going? Have you ever asked what they are spending the money on? Are you one of those people who feels that your pastor and church leaders know best and never even ask them, because you might feel inferior to them? Have you asked in the past and were told not to worry about it but still would like to know.

Before you give your hard earned money away, whether you're doing it out of guilt or pleasure, make sure you're supporting the right organization. You should never feel the need to donate money if you don't have it to give.

I went to a church that had funds for everything, building funds, starvation funds, church funds and even funds to fund of funds if they ran out of money. Okay I just threw that last part in their but all kidding aside, there's plenty of stuff to be done in our country, to help the starving, the poor and the needy. Why do we need to go to other countries?

I want to make a suggestion to people who can't afford to give their money away but feel guilty if they don't. In the Bible it tells you to give away 10% of your earnings to the church. The part that it doesn't tell you is what to do if you can't afford to give 10% to the church. I personally have known quite a few people who give money out of guilt and fear but will tell you that this is a requirement of their religion and its okay. God will take care of us and he always does.

I don't really believe God, the all powerful all-knowing and loving creator, wants us to suffer, if we just don't make enough money to survive. If you're planning on sending your child to a Christian private school and could only afford to send them to that school, using the money that you were going to tithe to the church, what will you do? Tithe the money to the church so that they can use it to feed hungry people in other countries or build a new church somewhere or help with your child's education.

Some of these decisions are made difficult by religious doctrine and these are the parts of organized religion that I have problems with. When do we use common sense, combined with a little education to seek the truth. Does your religion ask you to seek the truth but not to gather your information beyond their religious boundaries?

Only give what you can afford to give and feel good about it. If you don't feel good about giving your money away, don't do it. Take care of yourself, so that you can take care of others, if you choose to. Living a life of fear and guilt doesn't make sense.

Question Your Religion

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a religious help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Rethinking Today's Religions - Misleading Our Children

When I was a young man, my parents told me about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. Every Christmas, there would be presents underneath the tree from Santa Claus and on Easter I would get a basket full of candy and eggs. However, when I was 11 years old, my parents broke the devastating news to me, there was no Santa Claus or Easter Bunny.

As you can imagine, I cried for hours over the frustration and disappointment. For one, I thought that I wasn't going to get any more Christmas gifts, but my parents provided me with the needed psychological relief and told me that they were going to provide Christmas gifts for me, until I died. Even though I was upset, I was relieved and confused.

If my parents lied about this, could they have possibly lied about something else, anything else. Have you ever thought about this and is there a situation in your life today that could be an old habit that never got corrected. Some theme that your parents told you when you were a child that was a lie and they never told you the truth. Maybe they never told you the truth because they don't even know themselves that it's a lie.

Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny were obviously disappointments to me and most people that I've talked to about their experiences, with their parents and even their children. Why do we do this as parents to our children, even though we didn't like it when it was done to us. Hard to explain why we can't break certain habits and certain traditions.

I love Christmas and the joy of giving. Even though I am no longer a Christian, I enjoy going over to my relatives homes and spending Christmas or Christmas Eve with them. Now for the bad news, if you were raised to believe in Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism or any other large religious organization. Let me ask you this, do you think that it could be like Santa Claus, do you think the religion you believe in so strongly could be a story that has gotten out of control over the centuries.

I've spent a life time rethinking today's religions and can't find very many facts to prove any one religion is superior over another. Do your own research and find your own answers. Enlightenment could be as simple as gathering the right information.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, You Can Have It All

Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

How Long Does God Really Want Me to Try?

The Holy Spirit has been working through me for many years and I really want to know how long, God really want me to try? How long does he want me to try to get Christians to think and understand Christianity? I'm doing the best that I can and as long as God is working through me, I will try to do better.

God put me here for a reason and my reason is to teach other Christians about Christianity. As long as the Holy Spirit will keep me alive, I will continue to do the best that I can and teach other Christians, how to study the Bible and where their religion actually came from.

If you're reading this article, your probably interested in Christianity and the Bible, if you do read the Bible, do you actually understand what it's saying. If you study the Bible, are you exposing yourself to others who also study the Bible, or are you only studying the Bible with people you know and are familiar with.

How long are you going to try, before you actually quit? Have you quit before and started again and maybe you've done this a few times, but you haven't quite yet. I know where you're coming from, I've been there myself and continue to motor ahead.

I would like to give you a word of advice, don't ever quit and don't ever give up. Keep searching and you will find the answers, keep knocking and doors will be opened. I have been knocking and will continue to keep knocking.

I wish you nothing but the best of luck on your journey towards the ultimate answers that we're all hoping to find.

Do Christians Believe Everything

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a Christian self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Tell Me Why You Truly Believe in God

Is God the person that you pray to and every once in awhile, he sends someone down to earth, to answer your prayers, like a good parent. God is always taking care of you, whether you're driving down the freeway at 75 miles an hour, or walking through a park.

Do you really know why, you believe in God? I bet you, that you're starting to think about the question now. As children, we are taught to believe, that God is the ultimate protector of the world and is always looking out for us. This seems to bring us comfort, as we go through our daily lives.

Do you think that Hindu's, Muslim's or Christians, have similar beliefs in their god or gods? I have seen Hindus and Muslims that live pretty good life's. Why wouldn't these people be punished by the other gods or God? If I was the god of Jehovah and got mad at everyone who made false idols or worshiped other gods, why wouldn't I go out of my way to make their lives miserable?

It just doesn't make any sense, if you really spend the time, to think about it. If God is that powerful, why wouldn't he wiped out the opposition? Why wouldn't he be story their possessions?

Doesn't it say something like this in the Bible? God will make people's lives miserable if they don't follow him, yet I know plenty of people that are miserable and follow him. Are you really going to spend your life believing in your personal God, and never questioning his existence or even the origins of your religion.

Ask yourself one question, is God real and if so, how do you know that your right? Have you ever thought that someone else could be right and you could be wrong?

What Did God Really Say

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site: Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Find out a little bit more about Your Religious Freedom

Thanks for reading the article

Tithing Education - Giving From Guilt

If you're part of any organized religion and donate money on a regular basis, do you know where your money is going? Have you ever asked what they are spending the money on? Are you one of those people who feels that your pastor and church leaders know best and never even ask them, because you might feel inferior to them? Have you asked in the past and were told not to worry about it but still would like to know.

Before you give your hard earned money away, whether you're doing it out of guilt or pleasure, make sure you're supporting the right organization. You should never feel the need to donate money if you don't have it to give.

I went to a church that had funds for everything, building funds, starvation funds, church funds and even funds to fund of funds if they ran out of money. Okay I just threw that last part in their but all kidding aside, there's plenty of stuff to be done in our country, to help the starving, the poor and the needy. Why do we need to go to other countries?

I want to make a suggestion to people who can't afford to give their money away but feel guilty if they don't. In the Bible it tells you to give away 10% of your earnings to the church. The part that it doesn't tell you is what to do if you can't afford to give 10% to the church. I personally have known quite a few people who give money out of guilt and fear but will tell you that this is a requirement of their religion and its okay. God will take care of us and he always does.

I don't really believe God, the all powerful all-knowing and loving creator, wants us to suffer, if we just don't make enough money to survive. If you're planning on sending your child to a Christian private school and could only afford to send them to that school, using the money that you were going to tithe to the church, what will you do? Tithe the money to the church so that they can use it to feed hungry people in other countries or build a new church somewhere or help with your child's education.

Some of these decisions are made difficult by religious doctrine and these are the parts of organized religion that I have problems with. When do we use common sense, combined with a little education to seek the truth. Does your religion ask you to seek the truth but not to gather your information beyond their religious boundaries?

Only give what you can afford to give and feel good about it. If you don't feel good about giving your money away, don't do it. Take care of yourself, so that you can take care of others, if you choose to. Living a life of fear and guilt doesn't make sense.

Question Your Religion

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a religious help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

Rapture Or Second Coming? A Sixth Distinction Refuted

Is there a Biblical difference between the "rapture" and the "second coming"? To show that such is the case, our brothers label the rapture "the blessed hope" , a term used by Paul in Titus 2:13, and then they assure us that the final coming could not be a "blessed hope" for the few Christians who live to survive the devastation of the Tribulation. Again here is the using of the conclusion as part of the proof. The pre-tribulationists are the ones who have divided Jesus' coming into two parts and assigned them names. The Bible nowhere does this.

But I fear there is even a greater lapse in logic by our esteemed brothers in this text. It would seem to me that the greater the tragedy, the greater the hope. As Jesus wipes away the tears of Tribulation saints in Revelation 7:13-17, He is truly received as a blessed sight. How much the saints will be affected by all that goes on during these dark years is not clear. We are called to be persecuted, but not judged. God will sort that out. But we will go through it. And we will be greeted by a loving Saviour who understands, because He went through earth's rejections. It seems inconceivable that believers snatched up before the suffering could receive a greeting that matches this one.

The mentality that our brothers echo here borders on that elitism that is prevalent among us in the Western Church. Why do we think we are not called to suffer when the Scriptures repeatedly say we are? Those that suffer with Jesus will reign with Him. But what of those who wish to be caught up before it all begins?

Bethel ministries says on this topic: "Persecution and martyrdom is, in fact, the New testament norm... Peter wrote, 'For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow in his steps.' (I Peter 2:21) ...Some church leaders teach that believing in an imminent pre-trib rapture will influence Christians to live holy lives. But the Scriptures teach, referring to the heavens and earth being destroyed by fire [and not the catching up of the bride], 'Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?...' (II Peter 3:11-14)

"There has never been a time when so many Christians believed in an imminent pre-trib rapture and yet the twentieth-century church in America can be characterized by almost anything but holiness...Paul said, 'We glory in tribulations...tribulation worketh patience'... [Jesus said] 'In the world ye shall have tribulation...' (John 16:33) 'We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.' (Acts 4:22). 'Blessed are ye, when men shall ...persecute you.' "

Who has more of a "blessed hope" ? The one who looks forward to no tribulation, or the one who is in trouble now, but is assured that soon the troubles will be gone? The soldier who "hopes" to escape the draft or the one who hopes for the end of the conflict in which he has participated fully? The farmer who "hopes" no bad weather will destroy his crops, or the one who has bravely fought the elements and now sees the fruits of his labor about to blossom in spite of all of nature's blast?

Oh saints! When we sit in a dingy prison cell for our faith in Christ, when all of those whom we hold dear have been taken away, when our stomach is bloated from hunger and our body is mangled from beatings, what a blessed hope is ours! Christ shall come and release us! Christ shall come and restore our Heavenly family! Christ will come and feed us with His own manna, and wash our scars and heal our bodies and we will be with Him forever! Could anything be more of a blessed hope than that?

And is it not equally true that those least looking for that "blessed hope" today are those for whom life is comfortable and secure? Why "hope" if we have what we need already?

There simply is no distinction between the rapture and the second coming. Together, they are our blessed hope!

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.

Tips on Smuggling the Word of God

So how does the Word of God get into a Communist prison? Or a Communist country? By ordinary means it is impossible. We call North Korea, for example, a closed country. But God does not call it that.

Couriers risk their lives to carry it in, sometimes hidden in bags of flour. These warriors come in from China, from South Korea, from America.

And when the Word gets into a heart, who can keep it out? Arrested believers carry it in this manner to fellow-prisoners and a rich prison fellowship ensues.

We cannot rule out miracles. Angels. Healings. God is not bound. The Word goes in.

But I fear this question takes a different turn when referred to the American church. May I dare ask, how does the Word of God get into some Western churches? There the word "impossible" seems to me more fitting.

So many of our churches are caught up with different agendas than the one outlined in that Book sitting on the shelf of these groups. Even in Scripture's Book of Revelation, there were seven different kinds of churches listed, and not all of them were praised.

In at least one of those churches the doctrines of men were being preached alongside the Word, effectively confusing the congregants and making the Word of God ineffectual. No Word there.

In another there was an agenda of immorality. A popular woman teacher was seducing God's people into immorality and paganism. No Word there.

In another, the Word was so low a priority that God pronounced the church dead. No Word there.

And in still another, materialism reigned. Definitely no Word there.

That's a pretty good outline to explain how difficult it is to get the Word into so many churches today. The doctrines of men, immorality, paganism, materialism. It is that very collection of problems that we are having.

Church after church is now selling out to the world's music, female leadership, and the call to popularity and bigness. Church after church has adopted the world's morality, justifying their downward spiral by saying that they are opposed to legalism.

Pastors are living in fear of losing a paycheck instead of the godly fear of displeasing the Spirit with their preaching. Like doctors in the natural world they dread the accusation of mal-practice in a lawsuit-weary climate. They are forced into saying the exactly correct thing, or face an angry board.

Into this weak and stumbling church comes the revivalist, peddling emotion, hype, and what he or she calls "revival." Who can resist this "new life" , even though within weeks or even days it has died out. Churches are torn apart, some even destroyed, as the revivalist fills his pockets and moves on.

Gone are the hymns of the faith, replaced by choruses written by well-meaning but often un-tried young people. What they sing is true, but not deep. This music is often allowed in because it swings, not because it edifies. And though the promise was "renewal" it is not long before the worship service is revolving around the same 20-30 songs while a book filled with over 500 sits unused in a church library. One of the strongest methods of getting God's Word into the hearts of believers is thus eliminated.

The Bible as a book doesn't fare much better. No need to bring it any more. There are so many versions being accepted by believers that it is confusing for them to read out of the Book as a group. So, leave it at home. We'll use the overhead.

All of this pales into insignificance when compared to the pastors who arise and give their 10-minute nod to Biblical truth, watered down with humor, political commentary, and social justice. No Word here. The salt has lost its savor. Why keep up the facade week after week?

Is this the emphasis we are peddling to other nations via missionaries? I pray not, but many stories come back of how American missionaries have set the "natives" free of some of their "bondage", by which often they mean practices that those nationals found in the Scriptures: male leadership, proper dress and conduct in church, etc.

I ask again, how shall we get the Word of God into the West? It's getting into Communist countries, Islamic countries, and all the persecuted lands receive and value it. May we not lose out on what God is truly doing: calling out a people for His name worldwide, and building them into a holy and separated people.

Look up "Bob Faulkner" on http://sermonaudio.com On my personal home page I have combined my love for the Scriptures with 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 .

Something Mary Can Teach Us

To which Mary do I refer? There are two very well-known persons bearing that name. One is the Biblical mother of the Lord Jesus Christ. The other, we will call "Mary Plus." She is the Mary of the traditional church, the Mary of myth. Those who wish to be clear about this matter must read the original -Bible- accounts of her life, and her encounter with Heaven, then compare their findings with all the rest of the story that has been added through the centuries. May I offer assistance on one leg of your journey?

The Bible's Mary descended from David (Luke 3:23, Matthew 1:16), and being Jewish, and therefore human, she was conceived with original sin. She was an acknowledged sinner who confessed her need for a Saviour (Luke 1:47).

But the other Mary experienced a miracle at her conception: her parents, though themselves affected with the human condition, brought forth a seed which was perfected by God immediately and grew to become the blessed mother of Jesus.

This doctrine of the immaculate conception has often been confused with the conceiving of Jesus later. But the catechisms will bear me out on this. The subject here is the parents of Mary, not the parents of the Lord. Immaculate conceiving is borrowed from Babylonian tradition, a faulty logic, and what is known as "the piety of the people." That is, so many good people through the years came to believe this to be the truth, that, it was reasoned, it must be true. Which is just more faulty logic...

What the immaculate conception doctrine is not, is revealed truth. God never hinted anywhere that there would be a miracle of perfection performed on any human being, causing their genetic structure to be unable to pass on the sinful nature. Never.

Rather, there is a promise to Mary, not her parents: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore also that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35)." The miracle is inside of Mary, due totally to the power of God.

God Himself entered Mary, perfected her seed, not her, and that seed became the Son of God. She had no merit of her own. She did nothing to deserve what happened to her. It was all God, and He, Who shares His glory with no one, will be praised eternally for this wonderful moment.

Now that is revealed truth and cannot be refuted without pure unbelief.

Mary, the real Mary, here becomes the model for all the saving works of God that will follow. Through no efforts or merit of our own, His Spirit enters us, overshadows us, produces His life in us, and makes us sons of the living God. We are born again. We deserved it not, we did nothing to make it happen. It's all God!

And this other Mary becomes the model of all who will trust in the merits of man to save. For, because Mary is holy,Jesus is holy, this line of reasoning goes. And because I cooperate with God in my own holiness, God adds his work to my meriting soul and together we produce salvation.

Don't think you see the clear difference? It can take years, decades for some. The close resemblance of the two Mary's and the two competing philosophies of salvation are the essence of the struggle for God in our world. This is no minor topic.

I dedicate this article, as all articles, to the North Korean church. It is my prayer that the believers there will be able to hear a clean, clear, pure description of what God has done for them, and by that message be saved. We desperately want their liberty but not their introduction to the chaos of the western religions. May Christ be preached in His power and purity!

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.

It's Not Cool to Worry

In our world today their is allot to be concerned about. Things like terrorism, crime, racism; or how about taxes, inflation and job loss. Truly we have allot we could be worried about. But I've found out that in order to function in life and overcome the obstacles we face, we need to give our cares,worries and frustrations to someone else. Someone stronger than us. We tend to lean and depend on our spouses or family and friends and that's awesome, but this support system can only take us so far and that's it. I've found on my journey that I really need a relationship with someone who's able to handle my worries and concerns that I face in my daily life. And that person is Jesus Christ.

I've found that through my relationship with Jesus I've been able to overcome some problems that would have taken me out of here if I had not have known Him. The bible says in 1st Peter 5:7 that we should cast all of our cares upon God because He cares for us and that includes worrying. When you worry you sin, and when you sin you miss the mark of God. Worrying about things can have a adverse affect on our body and it's ability to function properly. When improper stress enters the body it breaks down the body's immune system and causes us to become sick. Free radical cells come in when the body's immune system is weak, and worrying and stress help weaken your body's defense system.

To combat this we need to change a few things in our lives. First, we need to change our outlook on life. Start seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty. You can always find something positive in a negative situation. Second, fill your mind with good positive and wholesome materials such as: the bible, positive inspirational music, uplifting reading materials like books and magazines and most importantly prayer. Tell God your problems. He will listen and no one else will know about it, and because you pray you will find yourself at ease with what you thought was a problem.

So don't allow life to get you so uptight. Just do the best you can with what you have and give the rest to God through Jesus Christ. And you will find that life isn't that bad when the right person has your back. You think about that, God bless.

Is the Sunday Sabbath From the Bible or Rome?

Having traced the idea of a Sabbath all the way through Scripture, I am still at a loss to make a completely valid decision.With all I have learned, something is still missing. What seems to be strong and important to God loses its significance as the Bible story continues on. Let's take a look at how the church of later generations understood their Sabbath responsibility before God. But because the church is always fallible, we must reserve the right to come back to the Scriptures, and see if we can discern what grace has done to the law of God. When it is all said and done, will the Sabbath go the route of circumcision and burnt offerings? Will it be at the level of the tithe? Will it be changed into a different day altogether likewise labeled Sabbath? Or will it be written on our hearts like the other of the ten commandments? I'm far from finished with this quest

What says History?

It certainly is a long way from the statement "Do this or die!" as the Old Testament speaks of Sabbath-keeping to the idea,"Do this wrongly and you might as well not do it at all!" as Jesus had to teach the leaders of His day. It's even further to saying , "Choose whatever you want or even nothing at all," as Paul seems to be saying later in Church history. What did we miss along the way? Why the radical change? Can God's heart desires really be that different? What did the early and later church do with all of this?

To begin, consider the following two quotes and see if you agree:

1. T. Enright, C.S.S.R., February 18, 1844 lecture: "I have repeatedly offered $1000.00 to anyone who can prove to me from the Bible alone that I am bound to keep Sunday holy. There is no such law in the Bible. It is a law of the holy Catholic Church alone. The Bible says, 'Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.' The Catholic Church says: 'No. By my divine power I abolish the Sabbath day and command you to keep holy the first day of the week.' And lo! the entire civilized world bows down in a reverent obedience to the command of the holy Catholic Church.' "

2. D.B. Ray, The Papal Controversy, 1892, p. 179: "From this same Catholic Church you have accepted your Sunday, and that Sunday, as the Lord's day, she has handed down as a tradition; and the entire Protestant world has accepted it as tradition, for you have not one iota of Scripture to establish it. Therefore that which you have accepted as your rule of faith, inadequate as it of course is, as well as your Sunday, you have accepted on the authority of the Roman Catholic Church."

What say you? Is there any iota of truth about a Sunday holy day in Scripture? Well, we cannot say that those who built this doctrine started from nothing. Let's admit to the iota anyway, maybe even a few iotas, but nothing more. Let's look quickly at these particles of Scripture and then see how history built from there:

1. We can't forget that Jesus rose from the dead on the first day of the week. There is no official Scriptural union made between His resurrection and our weekly observance of 24 hours of celebration, but the resurrection does figure into why people believe the first day is now holier than the others. Of course, it was a day of work for God the Father. It was in fact the greatest work accomplished on the planet.

2. Pentecost, the very birthday of the Church of Jesus, when the Spirit of God fell and empowered the apostles, is likewise on the first day of the week. Still there is no commandment given to continue this observance every week until the end of the Church age. But a strong "silent" case certainly seems to be made by what God sovereignly did. Remember always that the word did implies yet more work. This too was not a day of rest.

3. Acts 20:7 is perhaps an even stronger argument for something happening on the first day, but certainly not for an all day rest. I quote: "Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight."

So did the disciples meet every first day either before or after Troas? Even if this could be proved, the only message being given in this passage is that the first day was becoming a meeting time, and that the actual clock hour was after sun-down. Could this in fact have been Saturday evening, following Sabbath observance? Or was it Sunday night? Whichever, there is no reason to jump from first-day celebration to first-day holy Sabbath of rest. But church history is clear that this jump was made anyway.

4. Finally there is that command of Paul about a certain offering, I Corinthians 16:2. "On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come." This could well stop the mouths of those who say there was nothing special about that first day. Not only in Asia Minor , but now here in Greece there seems to be a growing practice of meeting on this day to celebrate the resurrection, fellowship in the Spirit, hear the Word of God, even minister to the material needs of the saints. In short, church. I think it important to say again here that from the beginning of the church, there was a daily fellowship of believers and a daily intake of souls into Christ, Acts 2:46-47, but it is hard to avoid the rising up of this first day as a clear pattern developing in those early days.

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.

The Story of Chosun, Part 5

All nations eventually decline, usually from moral failure. Such is the case in Silla on the Korean peninsula over 1000 years ago. As it loses its character, whole chunks of it are taken over by bandits, who increase as the main kingdom decreases. Two notable anti-heroes of the day are Kuyung-ye and Kyunwhun, rivals in opposite parts of the territory.

In the North a new kingdom forms from the old, Tabong. It is Buddhist-controlled, but actually the main power is the grossly immoral Kyung-ye, who calls himself a priest, but who is really a mad man. Eventually his chief general, Wang-gon, replaces him.

Tabong soon changes its name to Koryo as its people look back to the glory days of Korguryo with longing. In 920 old Silla recognizes new Koryo, and a new era has begun. Fifteen years later, after a 992-year stay on the peninsula, Silla breathes its last and is fully incorporated by Wang-gon into the burgeoning Koryo.

The South has been struggling along under Kyunwhun's rule. This attempt at a separate state soon fizzles, and the king is driven out. Needing a place of refuge, Kyunwhun finds it in Koryo. It is looking like the new nation will be the second power to gain the entire peninsula. Kyunwhun's sons surrender to the North in 936.

Buddhism has been making inroads in the new region, and now becomes the state religion. But during the reign of Koryo's third king, Confucianism gets a new impetus and curtails the strength of Buddhism.

Old ties with China re-surface, holding promise of alliance against the threatening Khitan tribe of the North. But when a formal request is made for help against the Khitans, China is too busy. For now, end of friendship. We will consider more of the Khitan-China-Koryo conflict next time.

I continue to share these thoughts about Korean history to demonstrate the hopelessness of nations without Christ, left only to their ingenuity and the hope of a good friend. Our prayer is that North Korea will learn to cling to Christ Jesus as Friend, knowing that the nation whose God is Jehovah is truly blessed.

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.

When the Time is Right

Someone's been taking care of Kim Jong-il's people in North Korea. Someone has surrounded the nation with intercessions to God. Someone has found the exits for many thousands of her citizens. That same Someone has been at the other end of the journey as refugees run to China-based Christians. Someone has been sending in food and clothes and Bibles and tracts.

That Someone is of course Jesus. Mr. Kim needs to know that the Jesus he squelches and Whose Word he consigns to the flames or the garbage is the very One who is caring for North Koreans day and night. That's Who Jesus is. That's the kind of thing He does.

Do we think for one moment that our God is emaciated and weak like the starving Koreans that Kim enslaves? That He is unable to rise up and with the breath of His mouth incinerate Pyongyang in a moment? He has done too many mighty works for us to think that.

There is a show of strength that is even greater than the meting out of deserved judgment. It is the restraint of a loving God Who will do nothing before the exact time has arrived. It is a God Who waits for people to repent, as He waited for the evil Canaanites, then the Egyptians, the Babylonians, the Romans.

All great powers have been given their chance to change, but eventually judgment came. And in the midst of all their prospering, God was prospering too. Inside Egypt, inside Babylon, inside Rome and subsequent Romanism, God grew His people. Then He manifested to the world what He was doing, and received the glory for what He had done.

Someone needs to tell the Kim government that their power is granted them only for a time. God is even now growing a people inside those prison walls. Inside every concentration camp, every jail, every holding center for repatriated citizens, are some of the People of God. Their moment of manifestation will come. The government will fall. God's people will rise. History is clear. God's Word is always more powerful than the chains of men.

On an even grander scale, the Bible says that the entire planet is awaiting the manifestation of the Sons of God. We are a people in exile. We are the scum now, though a few of our people seem to shine and be acceptable. By and large our message, our Christ, is rejected, hated, beaten, imprisoned.

But the One Who behind the scenes has been our Healer, our Provider, our Comforter, will one day make not only His people appear, but Himself. He will return, judgment will fall, and we will be caught up to Him to reign over the planet.

A fairy-tale ending? Of course. Where did the fairy tales ever get such ideas in the first place? From the hope that springs eternal in the promises of God. We really do win, Mr. Kim. Evil really shall be rewarded. God's people really will shine forever.

Be patient, people of God. Force is not an option for us. Neither is defeat. Give it to God. He will bring the outward victory in His time. He will give you the inner victory this very day.

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 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.

Key Steps For Christian Leadership

Every religion thrives on a system of leaders and followers. All the religions in the world; at least all the major ones, have always had leaders who have inspired and motivated others to become followers. This system is critical also to the proliferation and spread of a religion. Religious ideas need to be propagated; non-believers need to be converted into believers; the masses need to be informed and motivated, and enlightened about the basic tenets of the religion concerned. And all these can be perpetrated by a leader.

The same applies for Christianity too. However, with a visible reduction in our ecclesiastical activities, owing largely to the busy pace of modern life and a general growing number of distractions of all kinds, one might question the possibility of having such inspiring leadership around. To make matters worse, skeptics might also question the quality or availability of followership. The real question is, is there any appreciable number of people available to hear a leader speak, to get motivated, inspired or moved. The answer actually lies in our ability to look at the right places for such leaders.

The Internet has become an inseparable part of our lives today. Men and women in every part of the civilized world have started to spend more time online. The nature of modern work is such that it demands more time to be spent with computers. As such, it is leaving us with very little time for such activities as going to Church or attending religious seminars or conventions in our locality. However, the modern day Christian has managed to maintain a 'digital' touch with God by incorporating his religion into his work. Let me explain.

There is no dearth of Christian groups or communities, as they are often referred to as, on the various social media websites thronging the Internet today. These are regularly frequented by Christian from all over the world where they share their views on the subject, meet new like-minded people, hold discussions and do plenty more. To add to this, one would find many a Christian blog where one can exchange religious ideas in copious amounts. Indeed, there's a lot of Christian activity going on in the Internet today. And it is herein that one should look for leadership.

I webmaster of http://www.true2ourselves.com a Christian community website that features the Christian friends,Christian groups, Christian news, church jobs and group of ministers belonging to different faith that share their wisdom.

Christian Movie About Jesus and The Problems

Enter the Baekjeong

The Koreans say "1," that's baekjeong to us, or if you prefer, paekchong. Who are they, and why in the world am I writing about them? Good questions, and deserving of a good answer. Let me try.

Question one: "Member of the lowest class of old Korean society. Executioners (that's pretty low). Grave Diggers (lower still, but somebody's gotta do it). Butchers (no offense, butchers of the world, but in some societies meat-eating is not cool).Leather workers (same problem!). And there's another word I'm not free to print.

So there you have it. Now the answer to your second question becomes even more difficult. Why devote space to persons such as these?

Well, let's just say it's an old family tradition. Now, the oldest family on earth is God's. We can say 4,000 years old if we want to start with Abraham. And from the beginning, and all the way down to modern-day North Korea, (although "modern" and "North Korea" may not sound too well together), God has had this tradition of pulling up baekjeong from nowhere and bringing them somewhere. From nothing, making something.

Whoever said "Out of nothing, nothing comes," didn't know our God!

God loves these "members of the lowest class", these "untouchables", these unspeakables, these folks... well let's just say we might not invite them to dinner. But they're crowding around His table all the time. We might as well get into the flow. And what better place to begin than North Korea?

Look what God did with a bunch of southward-bound refugees on that peninsula! Back in the 40's and 50's, terrible tragedies pushed many of God's people and a whole lot of people that were not His into some new turf. For a long while South Korea hung in the balance. But Christ, at first Himself a baekjeong of Korea, lonely, unknown, has now become , as missionary Arch Campbell put it, "enshrined in the hearts of hundreds of thousands who know Him as an intimate friend... who love Him with a deep passion seldom found in the sophisticated West."

This Christ was preached and this Christ was accepted by these terribly poor and terribly unacceptable (by the world's standards). And now? Some of the biggest churches in the world grace that small but mighty Korean nation.

Just think what will happen when Christ is given His due place among the northern baekjeong. Oh my, do I want to see that!

Next in this series, a baekjeong story. Then you judge for yourself what God just might want to do...maybe through you?

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 .

Divine Power

Divine power is so great, Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus says in 2Corinthians 10:3, For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. Now in many chapters of the Bible it says that Jesus is over everything, in Psalm 24:1 says, The earth is the Lords and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the sea and established it upon the waters.

I recommend reading Philippians 2:5, it says Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to deatheven death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Enjoy more reading at:

http://www.hostinghelps.com/allaboutjesus

Jesus Did Outline the Revelation

The Book of Revelation (or Revelation of Jesus Christ) is arguably the most complete future installment of God ever beheld by a man and subsequently addressed to the Church.

In this article, we will look at Chapter one, verse nineteen, and consider the instructions given by Jesus that virtually outlines the prophetic book.

It all began Sunday morning, 95 AD, somewhere on the small island in the Aegean Sea called Patmos. The Apostle John-having been banished to Patmos by Rome for his testimony of Jesus Christ-was in some remote corner of that island worshiping God. Then, as he knelt in prayer, he was confronted by Jesus Christ and instructed to record this Vision.

"Write the things which you have seen," Jesus told him, "and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this" (v. 19).

An earlier verse makes God's purpose clear: "the time is near" (v. 3). God wants us to know the prophecy because Jesus has completed the work of redemption on the cross, in turn starting the count down for what some refer to as "the sequel to the Cross", when Christ returns to gather His elect, vanquish His enemies, and redeem the planet.

Okay, now let's look at verse nineteen and see why it's the "key" to understanding the prophecy. Notice that John is instructed to write Revelation in three sections.

1. "Write the things which you have seen"
2. "Write the things which are"
3. "Write the things which will take place after this."

The phrase "the things which you have seen" is clearly in the past tense. John was instructed to write what he already witnessed. This concerns that which John had seen as he beheld Christ. Thus corresponding with John's eyewitness account of the risen and glorified Son of God as contained here in Chapter one.

The phrase "the things which are" is in the present tense. This concerns that which existed during the time of John, which is the Church. And as we will see, the next two chapters, Chapters two and three, surround the Church exclusively.

The phrase "the things which will take place after this" is in the future tense. This concerns the yet-future events shown to John beginning in Chapter four where he is taken in the "Spirit" to heaven and subsequently shown the future.

Study and contemplate this verse and consider these three parts. You'll discover that Revelation becomes more straightforward and your study of this great prophecy less chaotic.

About the Author

James Kobzeff has been a born again Christian and prophecy enthusiast for the past fifty years. He owes his biblical training to teachers such as Chuck Smith, Chuck Missler, J. Vernon McGee, and a host of biblical commentators. He maintains a blog titled Learn the Revelation simply to teach the Revelation. Why not start your study at => learntherevelation.blogspot.com

Tragedy in North Korea

Kim Ae-Sang was interviewed at a town that borders North Korea. This withered 32-year-old had been knocking on doors when she finally came to a Korean family that would talk with her. Her story was so typical but still so hard to grasp.

She had left her five- and seven-year-old with the grandfather in Hamhung, NK. She was desperate for food because since the factory where she worked shut down, no food rations were being given out. Her husband went to the countryside hoping to work for food. For some reason he never returned. So she stripped some copper from machinery at her old factory and headed for the border, hoping to sell the metal for food there.

It's 300 miles to the crossing point into China from Hamhung. People have to wait long hours for a train to take them there. Starving and cold, at least 20 of the prospective passengers die every night. When the old train finally took its heavy load of passengers slowly towards China, it took so long that eight of Ae-Sang's fellow travellers died.

She had no ticket. Not even a permit to travel. So the railway guards had beaten her. She got to the border, still hoping to sell her metal. But border guards caught her and confiscated the copper. Still she planned to cross the river, with nothing to take into China but herself and the clothes on her back. Her new plan was simply to beg for food.

After teaming up with a younger woman, she found a guide who offered to help cross the river. His plan was to sell both women upon arrival in China. Then the guide found out that Kim Ae-Sang was married. He took the other girl, and Ae-Sang ran away.

Now what to do? Stay in China where she might find work and survive, or go back and save her children somehow?

We who know Christ believe that humans ought not to be having to make choices like that. Dads should not have to leave homes because there is no food or money or work. Moms should not have to leave children. Men should not be preying on others' misfortunes. And governments should not create conditions whereby only a few have the right to "normalcy."

There are more tragic things, to be sure, like eternal damnation, souls without Christ. Put all those tragedies together and one has the country before us. If ever there has been a nation that collectively said, "Help us!Pray for us!" it is this one.

This story was told ten years ago by Jasper Becker in his classic account of North Korea.

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.

The Beginnings Of The End, According To Jesus

Jesus' words in Matthew 24, about the problems coming to Jerusalem, stirred the disciples into thoughts to which they had not often been drawn. All of this destroyed? How could that be? Would it mean the end of the world? The return of the Master? For, though they still had not fully believed He would die and rise again, as witnessed by the difficulty Jesus had in convincing them of such even after He was raised (Luke 24 et al), they had at least picked up the significance of His "long journey" parables (e.g. Matthew 21:33 ff). Somehow Jesus was going to leave them for awhile, then return. That much they knew.

Their question (24:3) showed they were concerned about "end time" matters. Jesus did not rebuke them for it, but went into significant detail explaining what is surely to come. They asked very clear questions, and Jesus answered them very clearly. Speculation has arisen as to whether they were asking several questions or one question with several parts. But the effect is the same, and Jesus' answer is the same. He tells them when not to look for Him, but also when to know that His coming, and Jerusalem's ultimate fall, and the end of the world, are all very near.

The Holy Spirit has seen to it that this discourse was recorded three times, to be sure we would not be unprepared when it was the time for its fulfillment. Let none of us say that these things don't matter. They do! And we can know when these things will be. We can know the very real sign that will point to the end of all things. We can therefore know also who will be ruling the earth when it is about to go under.

First, Jesus tells us what is not the sign of His coming, and the end of the age (vs. 4-14). Heed the list well, for every so often in your life and mine, someone is going to mention one or more of these signs to you, and glibly add: "Jesus must be coming soon!" No, these are the negatives. " See that you are not troubled...the end is not yet," (v.6) and "All these are the beginning of sorrow," (v. 8). The beginning is not the end.

Here is the list of things that prove nothing, but that will happen down through the years:

1. Many will come saying they are Christ.

2. There will be actual wars.

3. There will be talk about a war starting.

4. Nations and kingdoms will rise against each other.

5. There will be localized food shortages.

6. There will be localized spread of contagious diseases.

7. Earthquakes will multiply.

8. "You" (beginning with the 12 but on to our time in all of this list) will have trouble.

9. "You" will be killed.

10. "You" will be hated by all nations for the sake of Jesus.

11. "You" will be betrayed by members of the church family.

12. False prophets will arise.

13. A growing sense of lawlessness, immorality, will be so pervasive as to cause many believers to love Jesus less. (This trait will be the defining characteristic of Paul's "man of sin," a leader the world will deserve! II Thessalonians 2.)

14. This Gospel will have been preached all over the world

After this final item, the world is ready for the end. Although many see item 14 as the answer of Jesus to the disciples' original query, I suggest that the preaching of the Gospel everywhere is not as specific a sign as is needed to satisfy those disciples or the ones living in the last days, who want something they can see. They want a "no-doubter," something that says, "When you experience this, Jesus will be there very soon! These are not backslidden saints, by the way. These are people in love with Jesus, who want to see His face! And Jesus very kindly gives them an answer that satisfies their longings.

He calls it "the abomination of desolation.

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.

To North Korea - Never Forsaken!

There are a lot of Psalms that I would like to read to a North Korean saint. The Book of Psalms was written largely under duress by suffering saints who trusted God for their deliverance. Take number 37 for example, by King David.

"Don't worry about evildoers... they will soon be cut down like the grass."

"Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness."

"Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him."

"Evildoers shall be cut off... but those who wait on the Lord shall inherit the earth!"

Verse 25, following, may give some people pause. I admit I struggled awhile with it, knowing what I do about the situation in North Korea:

"I have been young and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread."

Have the righteous been forsaken in North Korea? Oh no! Not at all! We who know God know that in our worst moments He is there with encouragement, refreshment, hope and material aid as needed. We believe that such is the case with saints in this prison land. We see with the eyes of Elisha who refused to use mortal sight and could envision the hosts of angels surrounding him, giving him the majority in every battle.

With God's Spirit, God's angels, and the provision of God's people coming in from all over the planet as the need of North Korea is presented to the Body of Christ, how can these saints be considered forsaken?

We are not intimidated by a one-million man NK army. The very gates of hell cannot prevail against the church of Jesus Christ, wherever it is. We fear not those who kill the body but cannot touch the soul. Oppressors, without knowing it, are creating martyrs and heroes whose glory will shine forever. They are sending people out into eternity where they cannot touch them ever again but where they will be embraced by the Father Himself. They are rousing the worldwide church into action. In other words, they are is doing the very opposite of what they want to do! They are building the church, not destroying it.

How marvelous are God's ways! He can take a hardened Pharaoh and get glory from him. A Christian-killing Saul of Tarsus is putty in his hands. We know not how the NK saga will end, but we know that God's glory will be gotten one way or another.

Psalm 37 again: "The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble, and the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him!"

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.

The Way Home

At the moment, your life may seem like a fierce battlefield. Perhaps you're desperately struggling to keep your head above the water, slowly drowning in despair. Maybe you've walked away from God and your church family years ago. You're not alone. I've been there myself. Rick Warren says it best, "You'll never know that God is all you need until God is all you've got." (From his book The Purpose Driven Life).

In the midst of your turmoil, let me give you a word of encouragement. None of us had the ability to choose our birth parents. Like it or not, we're bound to them by blood, through birth. If this is a true, biological law, could the same also be true of the spiritual?

When you turned away from God, may have lost fellowship with Him, but you didn't lose relationship. Fellowship is a connection that can be decidedly dissolved. But, relationship is an inseparable connection by blood, through birth! Jesus said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6) "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission* of sins." (Matt 26:28, KJV with emphasis added).

*remit v. 1. To transmit (money) in payment. 2.a. To refrain from exacting (a tax or penalty, for example); cancel. b. To pardon; forgive: remitted their sins. 3. To restore to a former condition or position. (The American Heritage Dictionary, Third Edition)

Just before His death, Jesus said in John 19:30, "It is finished." Receipts for taxes found in the papyri have written across them this single Greek word, which means "paid in full." The price for our redemption from sin was paid in full by our Lord's death. (Source: Ryrie Study Bible)

You cannot redeem yourself, no matter how much you try. All you have to do is repent of your sins and ask God for forgiveness. Pastor LeJeune teaches, "The word 'Repent' was an old military command that was issued while marching that simply meant 'about-face' or turn-about 180 degrees." A little boy said, "Repentance is being sorry enough to quit."

The blood that Jesus shed for us over 2,000 years ago has never lost its power. It is still just as effective today as it was the day we experienced His New Birth (John 3). The bible says in 1st John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Since the day you left, your Father had His eyes fixed upon the horizon, longing to see you making your way back home. It doesn't matter to Him what you've done, where you've been or how long you've been away. He just wants you to come back home!

Author's Bio: Born in 1973, raised in Southwest Louisiana, Joshua Olmsted is a divorced father of four, raising his children while serving his local assembly, Jesus Worship Center of Jennings, LA (Rev. Clifton J. LeJeune, Sr. Pastor). His professional career involves Offshore Natural Gas & Petroleum Facility Operations in which he has become a senior operator/supervisor over the past 10 years of service to the industry. He is a former Deputy-Sheriff of the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff's Department, a former locally-licensed minister of the U.P.C.I. and, served his country as a U.S. Marine. He is a frequent freelance writer and contributor to many publications, including; The Pentecostal Herald magazine, The Louisiana Challenger magazine, Apostolic Information Services, Indiana Bible College - Perspectives Magazine, PreachIt.org, Jennings Daily Newspaper of Jennings LA, and more.

Rapture or Second Coming? One Distinction Refuted

It is disappointing to read the works of men that are normally trustworthy in their treatment of Scripture, when it comes to their promotion of a "pre-tribulation rapture," that is , a coming of Christ before the coming of Christ. Consider our brother in Oregon, head of the Berean Call ministry. Over and over his publications define New Testament Christianity and its enemies. But on the subject at hand he seems to fall woefully short of exemplifying his "Berean" philosophy. The brother actually sees "clear distinctions" between the rapture and the second coming. He reported on these distinctions several years back.

For one, he says that at the rapture, Christ does not return to earth, but at the second coming He does. As proof, he offers the words of Jesus in John 14:3: "I will...receive you unto myself that where I am you may be also." Further, he quotes Paul (I Thessalonians 4:17): "...caught up to meet the Lord in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord."

Certainly our brother does not suggest that Jesus remains suspended "in the air", that is, the atmosphere above our earth, constantly for those seven years. We all assume that at this point, when the saints are gathered, Jesus either goes back to Heaven, or completes His journey by coming to earth. Now both of the quoted statements only tell us that when we leave here we go to be with Jesus, and remain with Him forever. No other point, especially geographical, can be extracted. So the argument is from silence. Since the text does not state here which way Jesus goes, it is assumed that He goes up, to fit the theory.

True "Bereans" search the Scriptures daily "to find out whether these things be so." My brother Berean needs to compare Scripture with Scripture here: For example, take a look at Matthew 24:30 and 31, and then compare it to the passage he uses in the Thessalonian letter. In both passages are clouds, angels , a trumpet, and a gathering. Matthew's text is acknowledged to be about the final coming, while the pre-trib people say Paul was talking about a rapture seven years earlier. But what distinction can be drawn? Consider :

I Thessalonians 4:16-17: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.

If we add in more of Paul's supposed pre-trib teaching from I Corinthians 15:52, we find that that "trumpet" is the last trumpet. But that ties it in with Revelation 11:15, where the seventh and final trumpet is sounded at a time that is clearly the end of all things. There cannot be another trumpet after this. Yet Matthew 24, supposedly written about a period seven years in the future, mentions another trumpet! The number of trumpets doesn't "add up."

Here's Matthew: "...after the tribulation...the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven ...they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven . And He will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet and they will gather together his elect from one end of heaven to the other."

Paul knew the teachings about the second coming of Christ. He knew that they involved angels, trumpet, clouds, and a gathering. Is it likely that, in this confused Thessalonian church, he would introduce the same terminology used for the second coming of Christ without spelling out his meaning, that this "coming" is separate from the other?

Further, in Acts 1:9-11, normally considered a "second coming" promise, Jesus ascends into heaven, and a cloud receives Him out of their sight. Angels promise that when Jesus descends it will be in the same manner, as John repeats: "Lo he comes with the clouds, and every eye shall see Him" (Revelation 1:7). It fits the pattern. Jesus comes down, and in the context of Acts, He sets up His kingdom. And like a magnet drawing nails, His own are drawn to Him at that time.

Why did the church buy into the necessity of two second comings? Why aren't both of these events ever described side by side? How do such great Bible scholars buy into a doctrine that demands that they wrest text after text to make it fit?

Seems like this is a greater mystery than the teaching itself.

Hello! I'm brother Bob Faulkner, and I am truly enjoying sharing God's Word with you on Ezine. For a full listing of teachings including audios, go to http://sermonaudio.com and type in my name. Also visit with me at http://chosunhouse.com and let me share with you my love for North Korea.

Is There A Rapture? Oh Yes!

However,

• It was not meant to be an escape from the cross of Christ to which all are called; it is rather the blessed hope of those who carry that cross to the very end.
• It was not intended to create a division of the saints whereby some are feasting in Heaven while others suffer on earth. There is one church. The members of Christ will receive their bodies in one final resurrection of life.
• It is not a secret appearing; rather, the most public act of all human history.
• It does not herald the evacuation of the Spirit of God; it precedes the entrance of the Son of God and His Kingdom to Planet earth.
• Saying the rapture comes after the Tribulation is in line with the historic as well as the Scriptural accounting.
• The pre-tribulation rapture theory is a modern invention with but scanty evidence before the 18th century and no clear Biblical evidence at all.
• Proof that the rapture is "post" is from Biblical statements. Proof that it is "Pre" is from logic.
• There are absolutely no clear and provable distinctions between the rapture of the saints and the revelation of Christ: these are two aspects of the same event!

Therefore:

• We should be looking for His coming and praying for it according to the will of God,even though we understand that other things must come first.
• We should be prepared to meet Him at a moment's notice, as He can come to us by our death today.
• We should live in hope, not in fear, for we know His wrath is not intended for us.
• We should have the mind of Christ in us to suffer as He did, without complaining, and in fact with rejoicing as the apostles showed us.
• We should begin to buffet our bodies, and tighten our belts now, so that we will be ready to endure what must come.
• We must share the truth of this matter with other brothers in the Lord , who truly believe they will be exempted from the suffering of that day. What a huge disappointment will be theirs as they see the Temple being built, and antichrist rising to world power.

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.

Abomination That Makes Desolate - The Response

Jesus, Daniel, John, and Paul all talk about a horrendous event that shall come to the planet before Jesus comes and sets things right. Jesus' name for it is "the abomination of desolation." Something that God hates and therefore judges. Ruling out the historical previews of such an event via Antiochus and Titus, we conclude with Paul in his second letter to the Thessalonians, chapter 2, that the ultimate abomination that makes desolate is Satan himself. He will sit in the Temple. Not a pig. Not an idol.

Jesus gives directions to anyone in the area in that day: Get out!

Now, did this ever happen before? Yes. The scene was lived out in AD 70. But it will happen again. Revelation confirms an end time hiding place for those who flee during this period (12:6, 14-16). Then will come the host of pretenders, even miracle-workers, to convince you that Jesus is already back, as they were doing in the Thessalonian church. Paul and Jesus say, Don't you believe it!

Matthew 24:26, "Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it."

This is one of the problems with the so-called "secret rapture" idea. Jesus said it: Matthew 24:27, "As the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together."

Paul speaks of that same day by the same name in I Thessalonians 4:15-16. At the "coming of the Lord" will be a shout, an angelic voice, and a trumpet, as the Lord is descending from Heaven. No secret here. If Jesus or Paul knew of a prior trip to earth, why did neither of them mentionboth events in the same place? Why allow such confusion in the text? Or is it the modern teachers who have added the confusion?

Plainly, every eye will see Jesus when He comes (Revelation 1:7) just like everyone in the vicinity of a lightning bolt sees it plainly. An even more interesting analogy is suggested by eagles, or more properly in context here, vultures. You've seen them hovering, circling, and when the death is confirmed, swiftly pouncing on the dead body. Vultures go where the action is. Once the body is clearly dead they are not in the air, they are down.

Once Jesus decides to come to earth, he will come to the center of the fray, with an army of believers in his train. No hesitation. No mention of what modern "scholars" and moviemakers promulgate so freely. No preliminary flight. Lightning strike! Vulture landing! It's over. "The Son has come and you've been left behind" to be judged, now.

Matthew 24:29 "Immediately after the tribulation...they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven...and He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather His elect from the four winds." The angels, the trumpet, the ingathering. It's all here. This is the rapture, this is the catching up of the church. This is the second and final coming, the only one promised by Jesus!

How the "second" second coming came into such strong belief is truly amazing!

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.

A Two Year Old Prophecy Over My Life That I Cherish

It was Juliette who wanted to write tonight, but it is I who want to speak to you and your heart. So I am the One who is choosing to speak to you. I have told Juliette that she is not to be the one to write and that she is to shut down her mind and allow Me to say exactly what I want to say to you without changing My words or allowing herself to cut in when she feels that I couldn't possibly be wanting to say these things to you.

There are times when I look at you with wonder and think about why you continue to be so hard on yourself. You have much to give, yet you let your own ideas dominate over the ones that I have for your life. You freely give My words to people, yet fail to see that I have words that I want to freely give to you.

Yes, My heart grieves at the lack of commitment from those who know Me and yes there is much anger I carry in My heart for the injustice of this world and I allow you to feel these things to enable you to see that I am the One who cares about those who you see around you.

You have continued to be faithful to Me and have reached into the lives of many. You do not understand why I use you and you do not understand why I give you wisdom. You cannot see why I continue to take you into the night and speak into the lives of people who dont know you and at times dont want to know you. But I have a plan and purpose for your life that goes way beyond what you will ever be able to understand.

The times that you struggle are the periods in your life that will bring you growth. The times when you feel darkness around you, are the times I need you to reach out to Me the most, for it is My strength which will sustain you through these moments.

I have taken you and called you to Myself. You say that you never asked for what you have now, yet you asked to serve Me, you asked to reach into the lives of people and to show them Me. Now you carry your burden and there are times when you want to run away. You escape into sleep and cannot see that it is I who is trying to shine a light into your life that will cause you to lift from the moment of despair that you find yourself in.

When you wrote your web site did you think it was just a foolish notion or do you believe it was something that I planted within your heart? When you wrote the words that spoke into the lives of those that sought answers from you did I not give them to you because you were happy to serve Me and bring My love into peoples lives. My ways are not your ways. My ways are infinitely greater and always will be.

Those that fear Me know what it is to serve an awesome God. A God who created the Heavens and the earth and who set the stars in the sky as a reminder to all who gaze upon them.

My love for you goes beyond what you will ever understand and your worth is found in Me. You are worthy because I say youre worthy and there should be no better reason than that. I am who I say I am and you look at these words and believe them. Can you then not also believe that when I say you are worthy, you are!

I have spoken over your life words that see you moving beyond this nation and now is a time of testing and refining. I will use these moments to create within you a new heart and will create within you a new mind. Your eyes will see infinitely more than they do now. Your ears will hear more wisdom than youve already heard and there will be fresh revelation of who I am and what My ways are.

Over and over I will show you what it is to know Me in great intimacy. You see before you your friend Jesus who has traveled this road with you and who has loved you despite all your circumstances. I also love you and want you to see that as much as Jesus loves you, Jesus also loves all those around you. His heart breaks for those that dont know Him and His heart bleeds for those who turn away.

My word does not lie and there will be times of judgment when I pour out My wrath upon this earth. You know that in your heart to be true. There will be moments in time when My anger will come down in such a way that countless lives are wiped out in an instant. Does this mean I do not care about my people? Does this mean I dont long to save everyone?

I have tempered my anger with great love and it is I who decide those who should die and those who should live. It is before Me that people will stand in judgment, it is before Me that they will have to give account of all that theyve done. It is before Me that they will need to explain why they made the decisions they did.

I want you to see that you are special to Me and that I have just as many words for you as I have for those around you. I want you to see that what you pour out I will pour back in. I want you to see that what you freely give will be freely given back to you.

Keep running child, keep fighting.

I am outworking My will in your life and I am changing you from glory to glory. No more will people be able to say about you that you dont belong. You belong to Me, youre Mine. I own you, youre marked by Me. My Son carries His stripes for you, my Son carries the marks in His hands for you. My Son who walks with you and who you know so well.

Do you see the weight of my words for you? When you spread your wings, you are going to soar because you will soar with Me, but now is not yet the time to spread your wings. Theres more I need for you to learn. Theres more I need to teach you. Theres more I have to give you before I send you out amongst the nations. Theres more that you need to learn to see through My eyes.

Everyday will bring with it new challenges. Everyday will bring with it new lessons. Everyday will see you experiencing something different. I desire for you to see in those experiences the depth of My love not only for you, but for all people.

Dont let go of Me My son, hold my hand. Place your hand in Mine and let Me hold you close and comfort you, especially now. Let Me pour in great refreshing. Let me do a new work in you. Let Me be the one who causes you to grow. Such love I have for you.

When the moon is in the sky and the stars shine, do you see the blessings I have for your life? Each star represents a blessing that I want to give just to you. Each light represents a part of Me that you still dont understand.

Your worth to Me outweighs the treasures of this world. Your worth to Me outweighs the wall you have seen standing here in Heaven. Your worth to Me goes beyond what your mind can conceive. Dont try to understand it, just accept it!

Try to see that I will have My way, no matter what happens. My little friend, so open to Me, so wanting to please and serve Me. Such beauty I see in you, such pleasure.

When you read this it is My heart you will see. When you read it again, it is my wisdom you will fathom. When you read it once more it will be My words that sear across your mind.

Take these things I say to you and burn them on your heart, remember that it is I who love you and it is I who will have My way. Just be obedient to Me and let Me order your footsteps according to My plan for your life and you will see that the plans you commit to Me will succeed.

With love from your Father in Heaven.

Have you ever wanted to see a clairvoyant but the Bible forbids it? Did you know that there are people in churches with a gift of prophecy that can get a message off God for you? You can ask questions of them and they can take the questions to God for you. Eighty percent of the church don't use these people as they don't think the gift of prophecy exists anymore but the people that do use them get tremendously blessed.If you are not a Christian just say that in your email and the prophet will be more sensitive to you. Come and request a free personal prophecy today at http://www.personal-prophecy-free.net

Redeeming the Time

The more we surrender our time to God, the less time will seem like an oppressive, systematic partitioning of days, hours and minutes. As God's Spirit consumes our time, the more it will seem like a wonderful mystery, awaiting definition from Him who is our Owner and Manager. And the pace at which He defines our lives is one day at a time. Of course we should be reasonable and dependable, utilizing our brains and adapting ourselves to wherever we are. But we need never live like machines or errand-runners.

Jesus' preference is a more relational, eastern point of view than the western, task-driven point of view. If we want to imitate Christ in our time usage, then we should perceive our lives as a patient movement from one loving relationship to next. This is opposed to the western standard for relationships, which is to treat people as means to accomplishing our chores. In the same way that Jesus saw eternal value in dealing kindly with whomever God put in His path, so also we should value and love whomever God places in front of us. As for how many people and exactly who we know, this is up to Christ who leads us. Don't worry, this is not a random process.

We westerners tend to be impatient because we reserve the right to get certain things done by a certain time. We feel annoyed when anyone fails to return our phone calls promptly or doesn't show up when they said they would. It seems outrageous to us that someone might turn down the vast honor we afforded them by fitting them into our schedules.

Granted, if I have appointments, I intend to keep them. But success for me does not depend on any person showing up when I expect them to. I will deliberately utilize my time for good, but this depends first of all on what is Christ's idea of "good." And if my time requires defending, then Christ will rise to the task, just as He defends and represents me in every other area of life. This makes sense, that I should leave it up to Him to manage what belongs to Him. Practically speaking, this means I have every reason to be patient.

Knowing Christ is the solace that assuages the steaming stupidity of road-rage. We have unbeatable freedom knowing that He is the ultimate Steward and Guardian of our time, even despite all the crowded freeways, jammed intersections and long lines in the world. He is our Reality Check as we sit in our little privacy-bubbles-on-wheels, getting hot-headed despite all our top-of-the-line, bubble-climate-controls. Our knowledge of God's greatness swallows up every reason to "loose it" during any situation that isn't going according to our preference. A Christ-follower who was arrested for his faith could sit in prison for decades and yet, because he sits by faith, he knows that Christ is still Lord over the passing years.

A Christ-dependent outlook on time frees a person from thousands of other distractions that seem like "good" things. We who know Christ know the One who is more fulfilling than every innovative distraction the world has to offer. Not that invention and improvement are bad things, but Christ-followers are called to focus all time and energy and attention on God's kingdom, regardless of whatever nice things are available for our tinkering.

We will strive toward maturity when we use less energy wrestling with itineraries and more energy wrestling with God's Spirit. It will never be a list of chores that helps us draw near to Christ or any heavenly goal.

Patrick is an average Christ-seeker. His goal is to turn people to Jesus Christ.

http://www.BooksByPatrick.com

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 .