You Have Heard That Antichrist Is Coming

There are many Antichrists. The apostle John who gave us much of the Antichrist literature lets us know that from the first century on there will be in this "last hour" those who will be anti-God, anti-Christ (I John 2:18-23). These persons can be politicians aiming for power and wealth, public figures of all sorts in the secular world. Or they can be teachers in our churches (II John 7). These heretics will promote the idea that God did not become flesh, or that Jesus did not die for us, or that there was no Jesus, and a host of other lies. You may label them as John did: Antichrists.

And of course, the coming of Antichrists precedes the coming of the real Christ in our lives. We are forever surrounded by moments of opportunity for Jesus to come to us. He can come in the Spirit or through His Word. He will one day come to us in death. And this Jesus can be served today in the same way as when Antichrist later will be defeating saints of God. We can choose to follow or deny Him every day.

So the cautions and warnings that would apply to that last generation must apply now. When you see Antichrists, look even harder for Jesus. When you see Antichrists, be aware that you are being deceived. Believe nothing of what this Antichrist-dominated world system presents, believe only what God has said.

But none of the above, the existence of Antichrists, the daily deaths of believers, none of it nullifies the reality of the one Antichrist who will come at the end. Antichrist is coming. John said it. To him the existence of "previews" only proved the main event would be soon. He believed he lived in the very last hour. So do we. Only his grace and waiting on lost souls prevents him from giving the signal to the restraining angel. Is he waiting on you? On a friend of yours or family member that you care about dearly? Don't stop praying, don't stop trying to bring them in as his grace waits...

Few will recognize Antichrist, even though the evidence abounds. Many believers will have fallen away. Faithful ones will be systematically weeded out and decapitated. The world will grow very dark, even as it is in some of its corners today. Let us who are of the light walk in that light, warning all of the judgment that shall surely come on all humanity.

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.

Your Covenant with Death

As we walk in the beautiful raze of the sun, we dont take much time considering our death nor or eternal home. The Bible tells us that we have an appointment and a covenant, with death and an agreement with Hell.

Isa 28:15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves: Do men actually believe these doctrines will save them in the time of Christs reappearance? Do they believe, Wood, Hay and Stubble, will keep them from the fire of eternal damnation?

Isa 28:15, are the thoughts and words of those that have, and will reject God and His son Jesus. From the Mosaic Law to the Law of Grace and Mercy.

As was in the Days of the Mosaic Law, today there are multitudes that reject the word of God. The Bible is one of the most read books in the history of the world. Many read it to find salvation and guidance and others read it to find fault.

Many scholars of the past and the present, have tried to avoid this subject, many saying that hell is just an imaginary place created by the church and death is just the end of life, no reward nor punishment. Isa 28:15, Covenant; A mutual consent or agreement of two or more persons, to do or to forbear some act or thing; a contract; stipulation. Agreement; Union of minds in regard to a transfer of interest; bargain; compact; contract; stipulation.

The covenant with death came with the fall of Adam. We are all born into the curse that Adam and Eve placed us with. We are all of the Family of Man, from the beginning to the end. Now being born so, we also hold the same responsibility of abiding to the covenant that Adam brought upon all. So we are appointed to die.

Rom 5:14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
The agreement that many sign with hell, is the spiritual and not the physical body, that enters into a contract with hell to abide by no rules nor limitations on our actions as a physical being. Satisfying the flesh while letting Satan have the soul.

Deu 32:22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. The word,Hell is mentioned 55 times in the KJV.

All with the idea that it is a place of utter torment and a result of Gods anger with mankind. Psa 21:8 Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee. Many say, they dont need God, we are beautiful, we are intelligent, we are in control of our own destiny, we are gods of ourselves. We have attained the summit of intellect, wisdom, knowledge and understanding of our world, and the universe is ours to plunder and shape.

Psa 21:9 Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them.

In Mat 23:13, we see an example of the things going on in the time of Jesus, but we also see things that are going on in our world today. There are many teachers, teaching for doctrines of man, things that are contrary to the Scriptures, false religions, false doctrines, books written by man, for man, by the will of man and not of God.
Bibles that are written by man that alter Gods word, false prophets are made to be something when they are not, for example, the Books of, Nostradamus, Scientology, Joseph Smith, the Church of Satan bible, Marshal Applewhite, Jim Jones, the new world religion, and many many others.

Man has created himself gods of stone, wood, gold and paper. Its not just these men but also those that believe in them. Mankind has, sense the time of Adam, sought to make gods many that would supply the lust of the flesh and make salvation easier to obtain, these times were the days of darkness.

Mat 23:13; But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Just as with the followers of Nostradamus, his writings are so vague that anyone could intreprete any of his words, to mean anything they wanted. Its not the words but mans use of those words, that create a real and present danger. These writings are the writings of confusion and deception. If they would take the book as a fantasy, things would be different. But the use of these words create a stumbling block to them who teach, and a wall of ignorance to all who listen and believe. Just as Jesus stated; ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. Ignorance and Indifference make men susceptible to all manner of false doctrine, accepting these things, results in a pact with death and an appointment with hell.
False preacher,Prophets and Ministers of Lies; Mat 23:28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Mat 23:33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Ars
Isa 28:9 - shall he teach: Isa_30:10-12; Psa_50:17; Pro_1:29; Jer_5:31, Jer_6:10; Joh_3:19, Joh_12:38, Joh_12:47, Joh_12:48 doctrine: Heb. The hearing, Isa_53:1 *marg.

Weaned: Psa_131:2; Mat_11:25, Mat_21:15, Mat_21:16; Mar_10:15; 1Pe_2:2, Deu 32:22 - For a fire: Deu_29:20; Num_16:35; Psa_21:9, Psa_83:14, Psa_97:3; Isa_66:15, Isa_66:16; Jer_4:4, Jer_15:14; Jer_17:4; Lam_2:3, Lam_4:11; Eze_36:5; Nah_1:6; Mal_4:1, Mal_4:2; Mar_9:43-48; 2Th_1:8; Heb_12:29

shall burn: or, hath burned lowest: Psa_86:13; Isa_30:33; Zep_3:8; Mat_10:28, Mat_18:9, Mat_23:33 shall consume: or, hath consumed, Isa_24:6, Isa_24:19, Isa_24:20 foundations: Job_9:5, Job_9:6; Psa_46:2, Psa_144:5; Isa_54:10; Mic_1:4; Nah_1:5; Hab_3:10

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

Confession To North Korea - We Left Our Bibles At Home

As I was reading the words to an old familiar hymn in church this morning-from the overhead - I began thinking about what we will tell the North Koreans when they ask us why we don't use songbooks any longer. The Koreans as a rule use many of the traditional songs of the church, a great deal of which have been around since the Reformation. The songbook to a Korean is a precious thing.I imagine that songbooks as well as Bibles have been smuggled in to the North Korean churches by now. But overhead projectors may have not. Here, besides giving up the content of those old hymns on which we were raised, we've stopped bothering with the containers, the books, too. So what should we tell them?

And Bibles, that will be an even greater challenge of explanation. In America not as many people carry their Bibles to church these days. Many pastors have given up trying to get their people to buy one standard version, like the new King James or some such solid translation. So they put Scriptures on the same overheads as the songs. People can leave their Bibles at home, so they do. How do we tell North Koreans they won't need to bring these precious Books into the House of God any longer when "freedom" comes? How will we break it to them that those who risked their lives to get them the Bible did it only for their home reading, that the church is taking another step away from its rich tradition? What will we tell them?

I know. The first Christians had neither Bible nor songbook. But between their age and ours has come the Roman usurpation of the Church and the Word. The Reformers tried to restore the Message to all the people. They wrote it, translated it, published it, distributed it. Because of that heritage, from a child, most of us have learned to cherish it, knowing it was given to us at the price of much blood.

But the times they are changin'.

Britain and America led the way for the longest time in getting the Word to the world. But Britain's influence waned long ago. America now follows, and seems to be leading the charge into apostasy, spreading its doctrines and strange ways into the universal church.

One thing American workers in Korea, whether they be of the South Korean variety or the standard European stock, need to remember if they are to be effective servants to the emerging (and it will emerge!) North Korean population: we do not sell the new Americanism to the Korean church. We don't go to Westernize but to Christianize. Liberty has its limits and the North Koreans must be carefully taught what those limits are. It is easy to imagine a starving population eating everything in sight once they're free, of physical food as well as all the other thingsthat can be ingested in a man's mind and soul.

Oh for the gift of discernment for North Koreans! Oh that Americans had it too. Who will stand up and ask for the hymnals and Bibles to be restored to the American church? Not for show, but for use. To get people turning pages and finding chapters and listening and reading as the preacher preaches, and growing thereby. To reverse the trend of the electronic age lest we all get swept away into something we will regret as much as did true believers in the Medieval church: the loss of God's Word.

It is coming, you know. One big happy religion with no Bibles, no songbooks, no preached Word, no real praise. No strong message. One huge political power that will speak for moral correctness but will not know what sin is about. 'Cause they left their Bible at home.

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.

Why Was Jesus Born?

Why was Jesus born? The Bible provides a number of reasons. God the Father and Jesus agreed from the foundation of the world that Jesus would come and give his life as the sacrifice for the sins of mankind (I Peter 1:20, Revelation 13:8). Therefore, one reason Jesus was born was to give himself as the ransom for the sins of mankind.

Another important reason for the birth of Jesus was to be a king. When Pilate questioned him during his trial before his crucifixion, Pilate asked him if he were the king of the Jews (John 18:33). Jesus answered that his kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). It was not the time for him to establish the Kingdom of God

Jesus did not come the first time to establish his kingdom. He came the first time to suffer for us, to give his life a ransom for many, and to be born into the royal family of David. He will sit on the throne of David and rule in the Kingdom of God.

Pilate asked Jesus clearly if he were a king. Here is how the gospel according to John records Pilate's question and Jesus' answer in John 18:37:

"Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." (KJV)

Jesus here clearly states that he was born to be a king. Jesus came into the world to bear witness of the truth of God and to preach the good news of the coming Kingdom of God. However, he noted that his kingdom was not of that time. It was to be a future kingdom as he explained more clearly elsewhere.

One of things that the angel Gabriel stated in his announcement to the virgin Mary of the future birth of Jesus is that God would give him the throne of his father David. Here is how the gospel according to Luke records it in Luke 1:30-33.

"And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (KJV)

God sent the angel Gabriel to tell the virgin Mary that the son she would bear would be the son of God and that he would have an eternal kingdom over the house of Jacob. Jacob was the patriarch whose named God changed to Israel (Genesis 35:10).

Many people associate only the Jews with the House of Israel. However, Jacob or Israel had 12 sons who became the 12 tribes of Israel (Genesis 35:22-26). They were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

David was a great king over the 12 tribes of Israel. His son Solomon reigned after he died (I Kings 2:10-12). After the death of Solomon, the Kingdom of Israel was divided into two kingdoms. King Rehoboam ruled the Kingdom of Judah, which had its capital in Jerusalem. King Jeroboam ruled the Kingdom of Israel, which had its capital north of Jerusalem in Samaria.

The virgin Mary was a descendant of King David (Luke 3:23-31). She was of the royal family. Today, she would be called a princess. She knew well what the angel Gabriel meant when he said that her son Jesus would reign over the House of Israel. She knew that he would be a king over a literal kingdom just as her forefather David was a king over the House of Israel.

While David's rule was temporary, the reign of Jesus will be forever. As the Hallelujah Chorus of Handel's famous oratorio The Messiah says "king of kings forever and ever hallelujah."

Why was Jesus born? He was born to be bear witness of the truth of God and to preach the good news of the Kingdom of God. He was born to be the savior of the world. He was also born to be a king. He will be the King of Kings in the Kingdom of God. Jesus will reign as the King of Kings forever in the Kingdom of God. That is indeed good news.

Alan D. Campbell lives in Brandon, Florida. For more good news, please see his blog The Good News of the Kingdom of God at http://goodnewsofthekingdomofgod.blogspot.com

Church Building and Church Buildings

Church building is a term used to designate both the physical building of a church facility, and the spiritual building of a group of people into a unified body of believers. The physical church buildings are made of wood, stone, mortar, and brick, but the act of spiritual church building comes at the cost of evangelism, preaching, and teaching. Church building sometimes involves both acts together when a new building is being built and a new congregation is being pulled together. Those that build them with the eternal purposes of Jesus Christ in mind consider Church buildings a ministry in themselves.

A church building is the physical location where a group of Christian believers come together each week to worship God and fellowship with one another. Church buildings often require a great monetary sacrifice on the part of the church members, and often a church building project can last for years. Church buildings can be small or large and the capital necessary to build them varies as well. Sometimes a capital campaign is launched to generate giving on the part of committed church members. Other times church members that are craftsmen or artisans donate their time and services to help lighten expenditures.

Church building requires wise counsel and experienced help to pull it all together. Learning how to build a church to meet the needs of your particular ministry often requires experienced consultants that can offer peace of mind by helping you lay the groundwork both figuratively and literally. Knowing what you can afford to build and how you will pay for it are vital concerns for church building campaigns, and many times just making those decisions with wise counsel can reduce stress, uncertainty and effort. Church buildings are an integral part of a church's ministry to the community, and therefore much thought and planning should be undertaken. Church building is a blessed work and worthy of much prayer and forethought.

Church buildings are places where the Word of God is taught and people come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Acts 14:27 says, " And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles."The work of the Lord that occurs in a church building is holy, blessed work, and everything involved in that church building, from initial construction to the day to day care and cleaning should be right. Church buildings are where God's church, his people, grow up together in love.

For more information about church building and church buildings, visit:
http://www.christianet.com/christianbusinesses/churchbuilding/
http://www.christianet.com/

Low-Class Like Me

His name was John Howard Griffin. Middle-aged. White. Male. 1959. Mansfield, Texas. He was a man dedicated to the end of racism, and was so passionate for his cause that he underwent medical treatment to turn his skin black, temporarily. What he experienced as a "black" man became the classic book, "Black Like Me." And what did he experience? The "N" word. "No jobs available." "Sorry, can't cash your check." No public restroom. Slowly Griffin became hopeless and defeated, as were the people he was portraying by his courageous act. He eventually allowed the medication to wear off. He was White again. His report went out and brought him adulation throughout the world. Except in still-very-racist Mansfield, Texas, where he was abused and threatened for favoring the African American cause.

In this weekly letter we deal with a similar situation, the baekjeong*. Behold the North Korean. But wait! Are we sure it is a "North" Korean? Add a few pounds and a few centimeters. Clean up the dirt of the coal mine or the hue that comes when clean water and good soap are not available for washing. Put a few good clothes on to replace the ragged cloth you see. Let his smile break. Stand him up straight. Teach him how to walk with dignity again. Is it not now a South Korean? Can you tell? Does it matter?

For so many, yes, it does matter. In South Korea today, North Koreans are herded together and placed in a "special" neighborhood. Their churches are separate. Their lives are suspect. Depression experienced for long years under Kim Jong-il's government gives way to a similar dejection created by the elite and rejecting South Korean government. Stomachs are fuller, trappings are nicer, but the inner separation continues.

Yes, not totally fair. Many South Koreans, there and here, love and cherish the Northerners. I'm sure there are even members of the SK government who have opposed the stringent policies that hurt rather than help their long-departed family members. Nevertheless, the situation remains.

And in this situation lies a wondrous opportunity for the church of Jesus Christ. For when folks are weak they are really strong, if God has a chance to get hold of them. That's a Paul-ism, straight from the Spirit's mind, recorded in your Bible. What if those weak and sickly ones rejected by this world -as was Jesus Himself - were called to strength and salvation and eternal glory? What if they were raised up to incredible worldwide service to the Master? What if mission stations were directed by these for whom hope was lost, and what if their very message was "hope!"

Ah! That's an in -your-face to the Enemy, don't you think?

*baekjeong: considered Korea' lowest class of humanity.

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

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

Evangelism Now-Reaching Without Preaching

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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