CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE THE VOICE OF TRUTH
ISSUE NO. 06 MAY 2017
CHRISTOPHER GRAHN HOWARD REPUBLICAN ACTIVIST kt.enizagamtc.www
why i am christian conservative?
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ANIL ANWAR
DAVID CLARKE
RAVEN YOUNGBLOOD
MARKO TAPANI LATVAKOSKI
Contributors DAVID CLARKE , UK ANIL ANWAR, PAKISTAN CHRISTOPHER GRAHN HOWARD, USA PASTOR ANWAR SHAHID JOHN, PAKISTAN AAMIR BASHIR, PAKISTAN MAURICE BARRETT, UK RAVEN YOUNGBLOOD, USA MARCUS STALLWORTH, USA DR. CECIL STEWART OBE, UK MARKO TAPANI LATVAKOSKI, FINLAND DAN BRIEN, USA DR. SARAH LARSEN, USA JESUS NET WORTH, USA
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CONTENTS 06
12
09
17
WHY I AM CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVE ?
TRUMP THE FIRST 100 DAYS: THE MOST SUCCESSFUL' IN U.S. HISTORY
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF AMERICA LAUNCHED A NUCLEAR ATTACK ON NORTH KOREA
By Christopher Grahn Howard
HOW A CHARISMATIC CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT AIMS TO TAKE OVER AMERICAN CULTURE
CONTENTS 19
22
21
24
BRITISH SOLDIERS FACE JAIL AFTER POSTING XRATED AND' DEGRADING' PICTURES OF NAKED WOMEN
PAKISTANI CHRISTIANS FIND A SAFE PLACE
FIRST 100 DAYS: THE TRUTH MAINSTREAM MEDIA REFUSES TO TELL
CHRISTIANS NO LONGER TRUMP PRIORITY?
CONTENTS 25
SPECIAL REPORT: ISLAMIC STATE SEEKS TO IMPOSE RELIGIOUS RULES IN EGYPT'S NORTH SINAI
30
A BROKEN WORLD; OF HUMAN DESIGN. By Raven Youngblood
28
31
THE BUCKS HERALD 11TH FEBRUARY 1971
THE COMMON PRAYER OF THE BELIEVERS AND THE SPIRITUAL AWAKENING
David Clarke
By Marko Tapani Latvakoski
CONTENTS 32
DON’T GIVE UP! By Dan Brien
34
FOLLOWERS WHO FINISH
41
YOUR HUMAN POTENTIAL, FORGIVENESS, AND MAKING SENSE OF THE WORLD
By Dr. Sarah Larsen
By Dr. Cecil Stewart OBE
39
44
SHARING RESOURCES- ONE CLICK AT A TIME
THE LUCIFER MYTH
By Marcus Stallworth LMSW
By Maurice Barratt
CONTENTS 49
JESUS NET WORTH? By Jesus Net Worth
50
SPOTTED: KENDALL JENNER, POSING ALONE ON THE STEPS OF THE MET
51
HERE’S HOW TO WEAR BLACK ON YOUR WEDDING DAY
54
JOHNNY DEPP WOULD TELL HIS YOUNGER SELF TO QUIT SHOWBIZ
55
JESSICA CHASTAIN: 5 WAYS SHE WANTS HOLLYWOOD TO CHANGE
57
HARRY POTTER PREQUEL STOLEN IN BIRMINGHAM BURGLARY
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WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF AMERICA LAUNCHED A NUCLEAR ATTACK ON NORTH KOREA AS TENSIONS between the US and North Korea escalate, the chances of nuclear war appear more alarming than ever before
According to CTM Experts, The U.S. Military could launch precision strikes against specific North Korean targets as early as next month if North Korea continues threats of nuclear weapons and long-range
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF TRUMP NUKED NORTH KOREA? HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD PERISH?
missile development. Military action may be viewed
Article by PATRICK CHRISTYS
as necessary by the U.S. with growing concern over
Source: express.co.uk
North Korea’s weapons development and continued threats of using long-range missiles to strike without
AS TENSIONS between the US and North Korea
warning. Reported elevated readiness of Chinese,
escalate, the chances of nuclear war appear more
South Korean and U.S. military assets in the region
alarming than ever before. But what would happen if
have increased tensions and speculation about the
Donald Trump dropped the mother of all nuclear bomb
likelihood of either the U.S. or North Korea launching
on Kim Jong-un's hermit nation?
a preemptive strike. Even USA Could use Pakistan's
America’s largest tested nuclear weapon, Castle Bravo,
Military or Pakistan's Nuclear Missile in Asia against
equates to 15 megatons of radioactive mayhem. If Kim
N.Korea allies countries such as Russia and Iran. If
Jong-un’s posturing backfires and president Trump
Russian and Iran support N.Korea in war
launches the warhead at Pyongyang, it is estimated that a staggering 2,354,690 people would perish.
P A G E | 06
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF TRUMP NUKED NORTH KOREA? HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD PERISH?
GETTY
A further 616,070 would be injured and almost four million others would be affected by radiation
The strength of Kim Jong-un’s nuclear warhead, if it
poisoning. Such global landmarks as the Kim Il-sung
exists, would be unknown, but there is more information
Stadium of Ideals and the imposing Arch of Triumph
about the strength of one he tested in 2013 than there
would crumble. The fireball of the initial blast would
is about his current models.
have a radius of 43.2km and thermal radiation would spread for 293km downwind. This would either cover
That device was 10 kilotons and would kill an estimated
all of South Korea, the width of Japan and potentially
77,670 people instantly if it was detonated in the sky
down to Shanghai in China. The fact president Trump
above Seoul - a further 268,590 would suffer horrific
would not want the fallout to poison his allies in the
injuries. If the tubby tyrant decided to actually strike his
region means he would probably wait for the wind to
nemesis’ turf, it would only kill 48,940, although the
be blowing northwards before he launches Castle
downwind fallout would spread for 98.7km and
Bravo, which would no doubt infuriate Chinese
potentially back within his own country if the wind blew
strongman Xi Jinping, who was with president Trump
in the wrong direction.
when he decided to attack Syrian airstrips. Kim Jong-un could potentially strike Los Angeles, but Radiation could even, with an easterly breeze, spread
American radar would most likely spot the weapon
noxious radiation as far as Vladivostok, Russia. Of
sailing across the North Pacific and shoot it out of the
course, a nuclear volley would not be without risk for
sky. However, if it landed in the downtown area, 86,710
the Republican. Kim could retaliate in two ways - by
people would perish and 214,910 others would be
nuking Seoul, or Los Angeles – although the jury is out
injured.
as to whether the despot’s arsenal could reach US soil.
The fallout from an American nuclear assault on Pyongyang could be felt in South Korea and Japan
The biggest threat to president Trump’s nation would be if China were so outraged by his obliteration of North Korea that they fired a nuclear weapon at New York. Estimates show that it would kill 2,303,700 civilians and damage the health of 9,311,325 others. If the President had managed to make it out of his top floor Trump Tower penthouse in time to run to a bunker and order a retaliatory strike, the death toll in Beijing would far outweigh that of New York. This is the fallout from a Chinese nuclear attack on New York
Around 4,485,050 would die in a radioactive inferno - the fireball alone would be 25.6 km² - and a further five million would be injured. Some 13,599,93 would feel the long lasting effects of radiation, which causes cancer to rapidly spread throughout the body. . All the figures in this article were taken from nuclearsecrecy.com, designed by Alex Wellerstein. Visit Full Article: www.express.co.uk
This is the radius of the blast that would destroy Beijing
REISE | PAGE 4
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christian times magazine
WHY I AM CHRISTIAN CONSERVATIVE By Christopher Grahn Howard
issue 6 / may 2017
Simply a notation of the series of intense events that led me to this place. The best part of being a Christian is that forgiveness is a wonderful thing and allows one to not hold grudges, which can poison the mind and soul. As a child I was not unlike many American middleclass kids. A home in a nice area, a nuclear
My son loves superheroes. Mostly he loves the origin stories; Batman losing his parents, Superman an alien, and Ironman…not sure about that one. The point being we all have our origin stories, how we became what we have become. Those existential moments when and how we chose to react to events in our life. Being a Christian is all about that defining moment. That moment when we acknowledged Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Every Christian can tell you that moment. Most Christians had a series of moments that led to the moment. Allow me to tell you mine, as it will make the second part of this conversation more real to you. Like most people a series of events led me to that moment.
family and no noticeable financial hardships. I
First and foremost any of this origin story is not intended to be an attack on anyone in my past.
alcoholic, an unpleasant one at that. Of course we
remember going to church, vacations and family gatherings. Sadly, like so many there was a darkness being hidden. A darkness that would soon enough be all too visible. At the time I did not understand what it was but it was there and I knew it. The fighting, yelling, throwing things across the room from my parents was just a symptom. My father was an know it is a disease and is, like any addiction hard to break. I can still remember sitting at the dinner table and he threw it end over end, food, dishes and all. Remembering the time I was smothered under a chair as he passed out on top of me. Being punched by a 6’+ 200+ grown man at the age of six does give you one advantage. You will never be hit by anyone as hard ever again. A professional boxer cannot make that punch hurt more. You get the idea. The scariest moment, one which my mother tries to deny I witnessed, was a tense moment where my father had her on her knees with a .38 pointed at her head. I witnessed her crying and even praying.He just stood there. In the end nothing more happened, as if that was not enough. I am a dog lover! Beyond the obvious about dogs, there is a deeper reason. Living in fear most of the time, the dog was always trying to comfort me. Even more so, one night my father was more unpleasant than usual. He tried to come into our room, mad, yelling and knocking things over on the way. Our German shepherd would not allow it. Bearing teeth and snapping at him, he finally stumbled away and passed out. Love a dog! I remember one time getting ready for church and asking why he was not going with us. “Jesus was just a man” he said. That stuck with me. Why would people build monuments to “just a man”? As a child Jesus seemed like a good guy who looked out for children. I liked that idea, as my younger brother and I needed looking after as our mother had her hands full. Again, like so many (too many) in this position, my Grandmother stepped in to help out. Later she told
Christopher Grahn Howard
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christian times magazine
issue 6 / may 2017
me it was for our safety and to allow mother to figure things out. Finally the strain was too much and they divorced. Father ran away to live in Florida, mostly to be never heard from again. A side note here - I get taking time to sober up, figure things out, etc. He ran away and stayed away. Coward is all I can say to that. Being a parent is hard under good circumstances. A man must stand and face the world. I learned more about being a man from the poor example of my father than most anything else. Now a single Mother who desperately needed her church family. As a single woman with children she found it hard to fit in how she had before. Not to mention the concerns of married women who now saw her as some sort of threat. Please remember this was the 1970’s and the world in America was a different place than today. Needing the fellowship and faith of a church family that accepted her became a challenge. In my mind, even at 6 and 7, was not too impressed with Jesus and his followers… maybe he was just a man after all. Believe it or not, that was the easy part. With no degree my mother was hard pressed to get a job that made good money.By good money I mean enough to survive on. No longer living in physical fear, a different type of fear set in. At the age of seven I learned the shame of having to use food stamps to buy food. Have you ever drank instant milk? The worst stuff ever! We had that for breakfast and dinner for years. Ate PB&J for lunch for years at school.If things got a little better it was bologna. To this day, I cannot eat either. Yet, I now know we still had it better than many.
Up to this point I was not a political person. That would all change on a Christian retreat that in one seminar on education would change. A quote was repeated and then handed out by some education guru at a time when the conversation on a national education system was again heating up. I never forgot those horrible words. “Every child entering school has a sickness; an allegiance to a God, family and country that must be erased.” I put this in quotes as I remember it. I lost the aforementioned hand out after my last move; having kept it for over 40 years! Despite my father’s many faults, I was raised fiercely patriotic. In one quote both of my parent’s beliefs had been attacked. In that moment I had to understand this ideology. In so doing I found more of God and without even understanding it also anAmerican Conservative. I find I am unable to separate my faith from my politics as they wed at the core of my beliefs. Here is what I found. I believe in the American Constitutional Republic, I believe in Truth with a capital T and Right vs. Wrong. I believe we must have the courage to say so and not give into the lie of everyone has their own truth. They may have their own reality, their own perspective but not a separate truth. This cannot be stated strongly enough. Political correctness is nothing more than fascism of language, an attempt to control your thoughts by limiting your words. In essence changing how you think. While some words/phrases may be offensive, the first amendment right is that you get to use them no matter what I think.
After a series of failed attempts, we found a church home of sorts. This brought stability and some consistency to our lives. It was in every sense a saving grace for my mother. I was not personally convinced…yet. By the time I was headed into middle school, mom was getting married again and things looked hopeful. He was a Presbyterian and we moved into that church. I went to youth group and hung out with new friends. It was a real improvement. Fellowship is how it starts. Real honest fellowship.The kind that lasts forever even if you are separated from those individuals. In those years God revealed himself to me. Not some epiphany or one special moment. Rather a slow reveal over time that made a clear and logical sense. Mind you, I still wonder what God is up to, get frustrated with him and even… yes…get doubtful. Here is the main thing - it is still a better way of life than any other, more peaceful, full of grace and reassuring. I tell you all of this to say the following: As a Christian Conservative I often hear that we do not care about those in need. Read the above paragraphs again. I know that pain, fear and embarrassment. There is a better way. God’s way. The Church is to dispense charity. I have intense compassion and caring for others. There is hope in Christ. Strength to get through trials comes from him, not more government.
The American founding fathers knew that people are sinful - not basically good. We know that good intentions cannot suffice for a legal standard of behavior. Well intentioned is not the basis for law. Sadly human nature is the same as it has been since the beginning of human kind. The U.S. Constitution was developed with checks and balances on power for that very reason. To assume that people are good provides tyranny the ultimate breeding ground. Modern Humanism, which assumes mankind’s goodness, is a religion complete with theology, liturgy and its own version of heaven and hell. Tenets of this religion are evolution, climate change, social engineering, globalism and the elimination of religion. “Imagine” no religion, no governments… you get the idea. This idea of a liberal democracy that would emerge as some sort of international dialectic has proven false. True Globalist Liberals are dismayed and saddened that with the demise of the Soviet Union did not lead to a universal global economy and the erasure of borders, they demanded a social liberal global society. The return to the old history for many of these nations spelled failure to the liberal democracy movement. Brexit is the shining example of this failure.
The second marriage did not last. The belonging to a church family did. I was confirmed in that church along with friends I still have today, even though we are far apart. Life was hard and still uncertain at times. Jesus was there. To this day, I still maintain a childlike faith. Understand that there is no promise of an easy life or even a fair one. Challenges remain for us all. The blessed assurance is its own strength in adverse times. Growing up as I did, fear was a constant. God does not want us to fear. Faith combats fear even when we doubt…faith is the best defense.
I believe in God and believe that our founding fathers believed in a real God who ordained our new Government, brought together (not by coincidence, as some would suggest) by the situations, political realities, histories – personal and general and the people who formed this nation. There was not some historical coincidence that led to our founding. Rather a deliberate and directed effort. I believe that the founders knew building a great Christian Nation was why they were brought together in that time and place. The success of that endeavor would depend on the ability to maintain Judeo Christian heritage and the Christian culture of the people. This not to be confused with all Americans
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being Christians or how one defines being Christian. That whether Christian or not, all people would/will benefit from this GodlyRepublic. That our Constitution provides freedom of religion and from a forced one; that it also provides a codified Law for a real and tangible Christian Liberty, whether Christian or not, that without the Judeo-Christian heritage that laid the foundation for and the same tradition that currently perpetuates the principals of our Republic; all would never have been or would now be lost. That the ability of this Republic to be just and honest relies on the morality and ethics of the citizenry whether Christian or not, one based on the rule of law and not revenge- greed- or avarice; one cannot talk of real Justice, real Liberty, real Freedom and real Prosperity, without those who serve being just and moral. The Christian tradition provides the best example. For whatever reason Americans are a judgmental people, this is a sin and causes more opportunities than results – whether Christian or not. That fair, just, honest and an open free market place will produce economic freedom for all Americans. That while the Government has a role to play in reasonable regulation; Government economic planning is a poisoned recipe. In that name of God given Liberty people have the right to define them self as they choose, regardless of the perception of others. That the role of Government should be limited to the common defense, reasonable regulation, the maintaining of civil order, the protection of our property and the pursuit of granting more Constitutional Liberty to all citizens. That the pursuit of happiness is not about feeling good about yourself or your country, rather the right to enjoy the fruits of your labor, as God intended and that any taxation, just or unjust, of the people is in fact taking a portion of that very happiness. That the Constitution is based on solid biblical principal (this was intentional, not happenstance), so as to build a government based on the reality of human nature and natural law. There is a reason we were founded as Christian Nation. Only through the Christian principals could this Republic flourish and not be manipulated by those who for example take advantage of the God given gift of the freedoms of our country. What has given the American people their greatest freedom has not been granted by the Founding fathers, but these freedoms were recognized by them as gifts from God himself. The founders just codified those Godly freedoms in the Constitution. Understand the from the Judeo-Christin tradition; the family is the basis of government. The family is the first form of government ordained by God; established for the good of children and the essential building block of society. In contemplating the role of the Christian tradition in the building of this Constitutional Republic it is important to understand the biblical and social role of the family. Sadly, the State has taken on the governance of the family due to the failure of mothers and fathers to “govern” the children or themselves. This is the basis for the Government replacing God from governing of the family, be compassionate or benevolent. Handing over this role to the government is no different than the Israelites looking for a King, when God had told them this was a poor model for governance. Or better yet, building an idol rather than trusting in the God who had just delivered them. So, we have given up our Liberty because we no longer have the faith to exercise liberty.
issue 6 / may 2017
On a theological note: Christians no longer enjoy the fullness of Christian Liberty because in the lack of faith to exercise it. True freedom comes first from the freedom from hell given…. freely from God to mankind; paid for by Jesus. Through the justification of faith men are free. Through the justification stated in the Declaration of Independence we became free to build a country, blessed by the gift of Liberty to the People; a very specific justification for revolution. The elegance of Christianity is that you are free to reject God with no immediate punishment. You have your whole life to accept. You cannot be bullied, forced or threatened into being a true Christian. You have to want it…that is all. You will never deserve the salvation, it cannot be earned. I love the Lord and I love being an American. Not out of some sense of superiority or even righteousness. I love the opportunity and grace that resides on both. I was born an American and I became a Christian. Through time I will become better at both. For those of you reading this not from The United States it may seem hard to understand. The parallel between Christian Liberty and American liberty are amazing. There is nothing in the original US Constitution that is not based on the Bible. There is nothing in the Bible that is not for your benefit. What’s not to love about that?
Christopher grahn howard
republican activist chrishowardgop1@gmail.com
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
RICK PERRY (R) IS SERVING AS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S ENERGY SECRETARY. POOL PHOTO BY OLIVIER DOULIERY/UPIRICK PERRY (R) IS SERVING AS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S ENERGY SECRETARY. POOL PHOTO BY OLIVIER DOULIERY/UPI | LICENSE PHOTO
HOW A CHARISMATIC CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT AIMS TO TAKE OVER AMERICAN CULTURE BY BY BRAD CHRISTERSON, BIOLA UNIVERSITY AND RICHARD FLORY, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA / NEWS SOURCE UPI March 17 (UPI) -- In August of 2011, more than 30,000 people cheered wildly as the then U.S. presidential candidate and Texas Gov. Rick Perry – now secretary of energy in the Trump administration – came to the center stage at "The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis" at Reliant Stadium in Houston. Perry quoted from the Bible and preached about the need for salvation that comes from Jesus. He concluded with a prayer for a country he believed to be overwhelmed by problems: "We see discord at home. We see fear in the marketplace. We see anger in the halls of government." He then proceeded to ask God for forgiveness for forgetting "who made us, who protects us, and who blesses us." In response, the crowd exploded into cheers and praise to God.
Five years later, on April 9, 2016, and 1,500 miles away at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, tens of thousands of people gathered to pray for the supernatural transformation of America. The event consisted of more than 16 hours of healing sessions, worship music and prophecy from some of the most popular Charismatic Christian leaders in the world. While not directly affiliated, these two events and the leaders who organized them are central players in a movement that we call "Independent Network Charismatic" Christianity in our recently released book, The Rise of Network Christianity. Based on our research, we believe that INC Christianity is significantly changing the religious landscape in America – and its politics. Here is what we found about INC
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HOW A CHARISMATIC CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT AIMS TO TAKE OVER AMERICAN CULTURE INC Christianity is led by a network of popular independent religious entrepreneurs, often referred to as "apostles." They have close ties, we found, to conservative U.S. politicians, including Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, Bobby Jindal, Rick Perry and more recently President Donald Trump. Charismatic Christians emphasize supernatural miracles and divine interventions, but INC Christianity is different from other charismatics – and other Christian denominations in general – in the following ways: It is not focused primarily on building congregations but rather on spreading beliefs and practices through media, conferences and ministry schools. It is not so much about proselytizing to unbelievers as it is about transforming society through placing Christian believers in powerful positions in all sectors of society. It is organized as a network of independent leaders rather than as formally organized denominations. INC Christianity is the fastest-growing Christian group in America and possibly around the world. Over the 40 years from 1970 to 2010, the number of regular attenders of Protestant churches as a whole shrunk by an average of .05 percent per year, while independent neo-charismatic congregations (a category in which INC groups reside) grew by an average of 3.24 percent per year.
PHOTOS SOURCE: GOOGLE
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
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PHOTO SOURCE: GOOGLE
Its impact, however, is much greater than can be measured in church attendance. This is because INC Christianity is not centrally concerned with building congregations, but spreading beliefs and practices. The influence of INC Christianity can be seen in the millions of hits on many of their webbased media sites, large turnouts at stadium rallies and conferences, and millions of dollars in media sales. In our interviews with leaders, we found that Bethel, an INC ministry based in Redding, Calif., for example, in 2013 had an income of $8.4 million in media sales (music, books, DVDs, web-based content) and $7 million in tuition to their Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. According to the director of media services at the Kansas City-based International House of Prayer, their website receives over 25 million hits every year from all over the world and is one of the top 50 websites in the world in terms of viewed video content (a million hours of watched video content per month). Appeal of INC As part of our research we conducted in-depth interviews with senior leaders, staff and current and former participants in INC Christian ministries. We also conducted supplementary interviews with Christian leaders and scholars with knowledge of the changing religious landscape and attended conferences, numerous church services, ministry school sessions, healing sessions and exorcisms. In all, we conducted 41 in-depth interviews. Our primary conclusion is that the growth of these groups is largely the result of their network governance structure. When compared to the oversight and accountability of formal congregations and denominations, these structures allow for more experimentation. This includes "extreme" experiences of the supernatural, unorthodox beliefs and practices, and financing as well as marketing techniques that leverage the power of the Internet.
HOW A CHARISMATIC CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT AIMS TO TAKE OVER AMERICAN CULTURE
In our research, we witnessed the appeal of INC Christianity, particularly among young people. We saw the thrill of holding impromptu supernatural healing sessions in the emergency room of a large public hospital, the intrigue of ministry school class sessions devoted to the techniques of casting out demonic spirits and the adventure of teams of young people going out into public places, seeking direct guidance from God as to whom to heal or to relay
specific divine messages .'Seven mountains of culture' In addition to the growth numbers, the importance of INC Christianity lies in the fact that its proponents have a fundamentally different view of the relationship between the Christian faith and society than most Christian groups throughout American history. Most Christian groups in America have seen the role of the church as connecting individuals to God through the saving grace of Jesus and building congregations that provide communities of meaning and belonging through worship services. They also believe in serving and providing for the needs their local communities. Such traditional Christian groups believe that although the world can be improved, it will not be restored to God's original plan (until Jesus comes back again to rule the Earth). INC beliefs, however, are different – their leaders are not content simply to connect individuals to God and grow congregations. Most INC Christian groups we studied seek to bring heaven or God's intended perfect society to Earth by placing "kingdom-minded people" in powerful positions at the top of all sectors of society. INC leaders have labeled them the "seven mountains of culture." These include business, government, media, arts and entertainment, education, family and religion. In this form of "trickle-down Christianity," they believe if Christians rise to the top of all seven "mountains," society will be completely transformed. One INC leader we interviewed summed it up this way: "The goal of this new movement is transforming social units like cities, ethnic groups, nations rather than individuals...if Christians permeate each mountain and rise to the top of all seven mountains...society would have biblical morality, people would live in harmony, there would be peace and not war, there would be no poverty."
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
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HOW A CHARISMATIC CHRISTIAN MOVEMENT AIMS TO TAKE OVER AMERICAN CULTURE
We heard these ideas repeatedly in most of our interviews, at events we attended and in INC media materials. Most significantly, since the 2016 presidential election, some INC leaders have released public statements claiming that the Trump presidency is part of fulfilling God's plan to "bring heaven to Earth" by placing believers in top posts, including Perry, who is heading the Energy Department; Betsy DeVos directing the Department of Education; and Ben Carson leading the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Changing the landscape INC Christianity is a movement to watch because we think it will continue to draw adherents in large numbers in the future. It will produce a growing number of Christians who see their goal not just as saving souls but as transforming society by taking control over its institutions. We see the likelihood of INC Christians taking over the "seven mountains of culture" as slim. However, we also believe that this movement is sure to shake up the religious and political landscape for generations to come.
Brad Christerson is a professor of sociology at Biola University. Richard Flory is senior director of research and evaluation at the University of Southern California.
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Trump The first 100 days
the most successful' in U.S. history
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
Historic 100 Days: The Most Successful' in U.S. History
source: www.donaldjtrump.com
During the first 100 days, President Trump has done more to improve America and to stop the Government from interfering in our daily lives than any other President in history. Together, anything is possible! Despite historic Democrat obstructionism, President Trump and Congress have passed more legislation in the first 100 days than any President since Truman by enacting 28 laws. Taking Bold Action In The First 100 Days In his first 100 days, President Trump has taken bold action to restore prosperity, keep Americans safe and secure, and hold government accountable. At a historic pace, this President has enacted more legislation and signed more executive orders than any other president in over a half century. With a focus on rebuilding the military, ending illegal immigration, and restoring confidence in our economy, the President is keeping his promises to the American people The Most Significant Tax Reform Legislation Since 1986
President Trump has made tax reform a priority, and we have a Republican Congress that wants to get it done. President Trump is going to cut taxes for businesses to make them competitive and cut taxes for the American people – especially lower and middle-income families. The President is going to seize this opportunity by leading the most significant tax reform legislation since 1986 – and one of the biggest tax cuts in American history. Welcome Home, Aya Although you won’t hear about it in the media, President Trump is looking out for Americans around the globe. An Egyptian American charity worker who was imprisoned in Cairo returned home to the United States after the Trump administration quietly negotiated her release. The President and his team successfully worked with the Egyptian President to free Aya Hijazi after being held for three years in Egypt. "We are very happy to have Aya back home," the President said while meeting her at the White House after her release. American Astronauts Breaking Records
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HISTORIC 100 DAYS: THE MOST SUCCESSFUL' IN U.S. HISTORY
President Trump spoke with three brave American astronauts, two joined him live from orbit around the International Space Station. One of these incredible Americans, Commander Peggy Whitson, was congratulated by the President for breaking the record of most total time spent in space: 534 days and counting! This is a very exciting time for our country, in terms of jobs, business, and space exploration - and there’s endless excitement and enthusiasm for our future. Condemning Hatred And Honoring Lives Lost President Trump visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to remember the Jewish lives lost during the Holocaust. President Trump pledged that as a nation we will confront anti-Semitism, stamp out prejudice, and condemn hatred. As President of the United States, he will always stand with the Jewish people -- and he will always stand with our great friend and ally, the State of Israel. During his first 100 days in office, President Trump has exhibited a clear vision, resolute leadership, and an uncompromising dedication to the American people just as he promised throughout his campaign. His commitment to the needs of America’s veterans, his work to promote women entrepreneurs, and his championing of American workers have proven him the right leader to put “America First” and get the job done. Thank you for being a part of our team! Team Trump-Pence www.donaldjtrump.com
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
PAGE 19
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
Photo Source: Google
First 100 Days: The Truth Mainstream Media Refuses To Tell
source: www.donaldjtrump.com
THE TRUTH THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA IS HIDING Unleashing the Power of American Energy Restoring Balance to the Supreme Court Securing Our Border Strengthening Our Military Proposing Tax Reform for Economic Growth and Jobs Working to End Reckless Trade Deals President Donald J. Trump has done more to stop the Government from interfering in the lives of Americans in his first 100 days than any other President in history. President Donald J. Trump has done more to stop the Government from interfering in the lives of Americans in his first 100 days than any other President in history. The Wall Street Journal editorial: “So far the Trump Administration is a welcome improvement, rolling back more regulations than any President in history.” SAFETY AND SECURITY The President has answered the pleas of the American people for immigration enforcement and border security.
He directed the Department of Defense to develop a plan to demolish and destroy ISIS and is making sure our military and its brave warriors get the resources and support they so richly deserve. He has restored the important American precept that it is a privilege not a right – to be admitted to this great country, and the people who receive that high honor should support this nation, its people and its values. Under President Trump’s leadership, we will not allow our nation to become a sanctuary for extremists. The incredible men and women of law enforcement now know without a doubt that the President has their back, and so do the victims of crime. ACCOUNTABILITY The President has taken historic steps to drain the swamp of government corruption. He imposed a five-year ban on lobbying by executive branch officials and a lifetime ban on becoming lobbyists for a foreign government. He delivered on one of his most important promises by nominating Justice Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court, a decision that will impact generations.
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PROSPERITY The President has taken swift action to no longer allow America and its great companies and workers be taken advantage of. He has withdrawn the United States from the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership and undertaken a historic effort to massively reduce job-crushing regulations. He has taken action to reform our outdated immigration system that depresses wages for our poorest workers, and puts great pressure on taxpayers. He is moving the country away from this current system of lower-skilled immigration, and instead adopting a merit-based system, which will save countless dollars, raise workers' wages, and help struggling families -including immigrant families -- enter the middle class. His pro-growth policies have encouraged entrepreneurs to dream big and bold and daring things for our country. As a result, jobs are returning and economic confidence has skyrocketed.
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
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BRITISH soldiers who posted X-rated photos of women they had sex with in their barracks are facing the the prospect of a spell in a military jail.
ONE ON OEF O TH F ET H IM E AI M GE ASG E DSI SDPILSAPYL E AD Y EODN OTNH E THE O F FOEFNF D E INNDGI NWGE W B SEIBTSEI T E
NEWS SOURCE: Express.co.uk By JON ROGERS
The army’s top brass are said to be furious with the soldiers who posted explicit pictures of the women they seduced on a website called “The Home of the Walk of Shame”. The term “blockrat” is army slang for women who sleep with soldiers in their barracks. The website features a hoard of images including images of women leaving the barracks in the so-called “walk of shame”, others show pictures of women still in bed with the soldiers and even one section appears to have images of women indulging in group sex with the serving soldiers.
One source told the Daily Star Sunday: “Soldiers have been sneaking women on to Army bases for years and in most cases senior officers will turn a blind eye providing soldiers are sensible.
The Ministry of Defence are believed to be furious and fear some of the women featured on the site may bring legal action and the women could even bring claims of sexual harassment or rape. A warning has been issued to troops at Catterick and other military garrisons informing soldiers they risk being disciplined if they break the rules regarding partners on military bases.
An army spokesman said: “We expect the highest standards of behaviour from our people, whether on or off duty.
Bringing girlfriends into bases without going through security checks is seen as a serious offence. While the rules are not the same across all army barracks all visitors must be checked in and out of any military facility and any contravention of that is deemed to be a serious offence.
“But posting pictures on to websites of women they have had sex with is a different matter. “It’s degrading for women and could open up the Army to all sorts of criticism.”
“Anyone found falling short of our values will be dealt with through the disciplinary process.”
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
PHOTO SOURCE: GOOGLE
CHRISTIANS NO LONGER TRUMP PRIORITY?
PHOTO SOURCE: GOOGLE
One year has passed since the U.S. State Department declared ISIS was committing genocide against Christians, Yazidis and others in the Middle East and nothing has been done to stop it. And it now looks like president Trump may be backing off a bit from his earlier promise to give those fleeing genocide--Syrian and Iraqi Christians--a priority in his new executive order on immigration. His legal advisers apparently feel that favoring one religious group over others may be unconstitutional, and one reason why his initial immigration order was rejected by two federal courts. The intent of the U.N. 1948 Convention on Genocide is “to prevent and punish.� While it does not require nations to take action, it says genocide and conspiracy, incitement, complicity, and attempts to commit genocide SHALL be punishable. While a course of action may not be required, Christians and other Middle
PHOTO SOURCE: GOOGLE PAGE
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
CHRISTIANS NO LONGER TRUMP PRIORITY?
East minorities expect the United States and other governments to do something to protect them. The number of Christians in Iraq has dropped alarmingly over the past 20-years from about 1.5-million to no more than about 250,000. I’v e talked to Iraqi and Syria Christian leaders who have told me if ISIS and other militant Islamic groups go unchecked, Christians will disappear from their countries in the years ahead; either they’l l be murdered by extremists, or they’l l emigrate out of fear for their safety. And it’s not just in Syria and Iraq. Also of concern is Egypt, the Middle East country with the largest Christian population. Coptic Orthodox Christians face ongoing attacks. Just this week, 100 Christian families were forced to flee the Sinai because of threats from the Islamic State. The exodus came after ISIS released a video vowing to increase attacks against Christians. PHOTO SOURCE: GOOGLE
President Trump wants to create safe zones in Syria and Iraq to protect the Christians. While he says Saudi Arabia and the UAE could help pay for the effort, many details still need to be worked out. Where would the safe zones be located —which specific areas of those countries? Iraq and Syria are sovereign nations. What if they do not want the Christian areas created? Also, many Middle East Christians have told me they oppose designated Christian areas or safe zones because they have lived together with Muslims for many generations and have gotten along well—only a few bad apples have persecuted them. “If we are segregated, who will be salt and light to them?” they ask.
PHOTO SOURCE: GOOGLE
Other Christians and Yazidis have told me they cannot return to villages and live side-by-side with Muslim neighbors who joined ISIS in attacking them. Perhaps the president’s new EO is not the best way to mandate support and priority for these suffering Christians. But the time for talk is over. Now with the Trump administration dropping the special language for religious minorities, it looks like it is up to YOU to press for more help. How many Christians will die as they wait for our leaders to act? By Gary Lane News Source: CBN News: The Christian Prospective
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
ISSUE NO. 6
MAY
2017
Pakistani Christians Find a Safe Place REVEREND GREG DAVIDSON WELCOMES PAKISTANI CHRISTIAN IMMIGRANTS IVEN AND ESTHER MALIK TO CANADA AND CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
Some persecuted Pakistani Christians who have fled their home country for a safe haven are experiencing additional suffering in their chosen countries of refuge. For several years now CBN News has told you about oppressed Pakistani Christians who have fled to Thailand only to be jailed for overstaying their visas. Many have been forcibly returned to Pakistan after enduring months of harsh and inhumane conditions in prison. President Trump pledged to give persecuted Christians immigration priority into the United States, but his plans stalled when federal courts blocked his executive order on immigration. Some Christian attorneys say the courts and even some of Trump's advisers mistakenly decided that an immigration policy favoring persecuted Christians is discriminatory against other religious groups.
However, there is some good news. Some of those denied refugee status or religious asylum in Thailand and Sri Lanka are finding safety and a welcoming place in Canada. Churches there—like Central Presbyterian Church in Hamilton, Ontario are raising funds and sponsors to help the Christians begin a new life in the West. They know these grateful Pakistanis will make good citizens and will work hard to help their new country prosper as they peacefully and freely worship Christ. Now if they would only forego cricket for hockey! BY GARY LANE CBN NEWS: THE CHRISTIAN PROSPECTIVE
The president intends to help Iraqi and Syrian Christians facing genocide, but he should also consider giving priority to Pakistani Christians. They comprise about two percent of Pakistan’s population. Many are often oppressed and mistreated as second class citizens. Christians are forced to guard their speech and actions because any misstep could be construed as blasphemy against Islam, Mohammed, or the Koran and that could lead to their imprisonment or even death.
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
ISSUE NO. 6
MAY
2017
Special Report: Islamic State seeks to impose religious rules in Egypt's North Sinai FILE PHOTO: A NUN CRIES AS SHE STANDS AT THE SCENE INSIDE CAIRO'S COPTIC CATHEDRAL, FOLLOWING A BOMBING, IN EGYPT DECEMBER 11, 2016. REUTERS/AMR ABDALLAH DALSH/FILE PHOTO
SPECIAL REPORT BYÂ REUTERS
One Monday in early April, Shaher Saeed was driving south of the city of Arish in Egypt's North Sinai when he came upon a group of Islamic State militants who had stopped a truck carrying cigarettes. "I saw them forcing the driver from the vehicle and stripping the upper part of his clothing before tying him to the door of one of their cars," said Saeed, who lives in the area. "They hit him on the back more than 10 times, then burned all the cartons of cigarettes ... They let him go after warning him not to trade cigarettes again." Interviews with residents of North Sinai and reviews of Islamic State videos suggest the group's local affiliate, known as Sinai Province, is seeking to impose its hardline interpretation of Islam on the local populace for the first time. According to Sinai Province videos reviewed by Reuters, the group has created a morality police force, known as a Hisba, to enforce strict rules against such behavior as smoking,
men shaving their beards or women exposing their faces. Coupled with a sharp increase in attacks on Christians inside and outside its predominant area of operations in North Sinai, the developments mark a significant change of tactics for Egypt's Islamic State affiliate. Previously, the group had mostly attacked police, soldiers and their informants. The group's widening geographical reach and shift in focus present a challenge for President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who came to power in 2013 vowing to eradicate Islamist extremism and restore security. Despite government crackdowns that have seen hundreds of militants and protesters killed and thousands jailed, Islamic State is still mounting deadly attacks in Egypt. The developments reflect how Islamic State is expanding operations in the Arab world's most populous country as the extremist group faces setbacks in Syria, Iraq and Libya, say
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Special Report: Islamic State seeks to impose religious rules in Egypt's North Sinai
ISSUE NO. 6
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
MAY
analysts. While the group has failed to capture territory in Egypt, it is trying to stoke sectarian tensions and social unrest. An examination of what's happening in North Sinai, a region rarely accessible by reporters, shows the strategy is scoring some success. A 25-minute video posted in late March on an internet channel often used by Islamic State showed jihadists announcing the creation of a Hisba in North Sinai, modeled on religious police units operating in parts of Iraq and Syria controlled by Islamic State. The video denounced Christians and Sufi Muslims, and showed enforcers, wearing jackets identifying them as Sinai Province Hisba, burning confiscated cigarettes and drugs and destroying tombs and shrines, which they consider un-Islamic. In the video, an unmasked young militant warns that the Hisba will punish dissenters according to its interpretation of Islam. Enforcers are shown hitting one man with plastic tubing and beheading two elderly adherents of Sufi Islam, accusing them of sorcery and apostasy. Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the video, which has since been removed from the internet. Egypt's military spokesman declined to comment on the incidents in North Sinai, the thinly populated but strategic peninsula between the Suez Canal, Israel and Gaza where a legacy of government neglect has created fertile ground for radicalization among disenfranchised locals. A security source downplayed concerns that the militants were capable of spreading the kind of sectarian violence that has torn apart Iraq. "They are trying to have an impact, and we are not saying we have completely eradicated them, but they are weak," he said. The latest shift in militants' tactics began in December, when an Islamic State suicide bomber killed 28 people at the main Coptic Christian cathedral in the heart of the capital Cairo. In February, Sinai Province declared in another video its intent to wipe out Egypt's Christians, who account for about 10 percent of the 92 million population. Christians have long faced sporadic attacks in Egypt, usually sparked by disputes over land, church-building or interreligious love affairs. But the murder of seven Christians in North Sinai in the three weeks from Jan. 30 was different, more systematic and more insidious, officials and rights groups said at the time. About 175 families fled the area. Some of them told Reuters that hit lists of local Christians had been circulated online and pushed under doors. Last month, Islamic State militants killed at least 45 people in two church bombings on Palm Sunday, prompting Sisi to declare a state of emergency. Mokhtar Awad, research fellow in the Program on Extremism at George Washington University, said the new campaign against Christians was an effort to tear at the fabric of society and state when other means had failed. "A confluence of factors has seen this escalation happen now," he said. "They hope that this is the first step to basically unravel the country." As well as launching attacks in major cities like Cairo, Alexandria and Tanta, where the church bombings took place, militants are ranging further afield inside North Sinai. Where fighting once centered around the cities of Rafah and Sheikh Zuweid, near the Gaza border, militants have carried out more attacks in and around Arish, the provincial capital about 52 km (32 miles) further west. ABANDONED AND DESTROYED Since 2014, when homegrown Sinai militant group Ansar Bayt alMaqdis pledged allegiance to Islamic State, Egypt has resorted to ever more destructive means to root out the jihadists. It has smashed a network of tunnels used to smuggle weapons in from Gaza; razed hundreds of homes to create a no-man's land; and mounted numerous air strikes. Those policies have prevented militants seizing territory, but at a high cost for locals. In the stretch of highway that separates Sheikh Zuweid from Rafah lie about 14 villages. Eleven of them, say locals, are now abandoned. A Reuters reporter drove through three of the villages in October and saw empty streets, destroyed homes and orchards felled by the military to deprive militants of cover. In the village of El Zahair, about half the residentshad gone. Those who remained said they had little alternative. "We live by planting the land near our house with tomatoes, beans, whatever and eating them. If I went to Arish, I have no money to rent a flat; and if I managed to find a flat, how would
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2017
I find the money to eat?" said Suleiman Abu Hameed. "The security forces have besieged the terrorists but they have besieged us, too." Karam al-Zubeiydi, a former resident of Moqataa, works at the Arish post office earning 1,200 Egyptian pounds ($65.97) a month and has no immediate plans to return. "At any moment, an air strike could kill me and my children" there, he said. The military had destroyed his olive trees, Zubeiydi said. "So I planted tomatoes, but then I couldn't get fuel for the engine that draws water from my well, so I couldn't live there." Zubeiydi's children used to go school in Sheikh Zuweid, but it became too dangerous and time-consuming to send them, he said, because of the army and police checkpoints on the road. Many people who remain in the villages now educate their children at home, Zubeiydi added. ROADBLOCKS On some stretches of road between Sheikh Zuweid and Arish, a coastal city that once drew visitors to its beaches, army and police checkpoints are so close together that one can be seen from another. To prevent car bombings and shootings, security forces place concrete barriers in zigzag formations or set up defense lines reinforced with sandbags. Some checkpoints force cars to take short detours off the main road. Such measures, however, have not stopped Islamic State fighters from setting up their own impromptu roadblocks, where they check IDs, tell women to cover up and carry out public punishments, locals say. One female teacher said she was on her way from Arish to the school where she works in Rafah in late February when three masked Islamic State fighters stopped her bus. Two got on and advised the women to veil their faces and travel with chaperones, she told Reuters. A few days later it happened again, she said. This time, the advice to wear the niqab, or face veil, came with a threat of punishment by lashings or acid attacks for those who refused. The teacher said she did not comply. "The situation is difficult. People are scared," the teacher said. She declined to give her full name for fear of retaliation by Islamic State fighters, who have beheaded locals they accuse of going against their austere interpretation of Islam or of collaborating with Israel or Egyptian security forces. She was one of two female teachers who told Reuters that Islamic State fighters had boarded their buses. Ibrahim al-Tadawy, the top Education Ministry official in North Sinai, said teachers were traveling as normal in ministry-organized buses from Arish to schools in Rafah. "North Sinai is secure and stable and the educational process is taking place as usual," he told Reuters by telephone. Despite the tight security, residents of southern Rafah said Islamic State fighters had confiscated satellite dishes, and residents of Arish said a shop which sold videos and DVDs had been attacked. Reuters was unable to track down the owner of the shop, now closed. The military spokesman declined to comment. The security source said the militants were unable to impose themselves on society. "This is all nonsense," the source said. "They come out for two minutes and film two cars and say, 'We set up a checkpoint.' This was all for the media, for people like you to write things that bear no relation to the reality on the ground." While the army has had some success in purging jihadists from the border areas, militants have resurfaced elsewhere, according to police and residents based in Arish. They say the militants have moved into the city and are now all around them, hiding among the civilian population. "The places they were living no longer exist or now have a large security presence. Now they have started to come out of the streets in the city to attack us and then disappear among the people," said Badr Ali, a policeman at an Arish checkpoint. "The problem is that the people, if they spot the gunmen, are too scared to even point to them." Mona Barhoum, a local rights activist from Rafah, said that while Islamic State's affiliated militants don't control the region, "they are present, they pop up like a jack-in-the-box, they kill or kidnap someone and go back into hiding. " Ahmed Mohamed Hassan reported from Arish and Lin Noueihed from Cairo; Editing By Richard Woods and Sara Ledwith)
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE THE VOICE OF TRUTH
ARTICLES ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
PAGE 28
The Bucks Herald 11th February 1971 NEWS SOURCE: THE BUCKS HERALD
David Clarke, who had a three-year career of undetected crime, experienced a “Christian conversion” whilst suffering from the effects of LSD, he told Aylesbury magistrates, on Tuesday. After wrestling with his conscience for a year, he confessed to 24 crimes, and gave information leading to the recovery of over £1000 worth of stolen property. In court he pleaded guilty to charges of steeling a £300 colour television set from an old peoples home, a £20 spray gun, and a hydraulic jack. He asked for 21 other charges to be taken into consideration, including stealing a builders shed, two cars, and an electric arc welder, two other TV sets, two compressors, and a road trailer. Clarke (21) of Finmere Crescent said that his reputation in the town had been that of a man who was enjoying himself. I used to sell drugs to young people, and indulge in permissive sex, he declared. . Seeking Truth Religion to me was rubbish, and for sissy people who could not stand on their own feet, he said. “Within my heart I was searching for truth, and a meaning to life”. He had good prospects of getting on in life he went on
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
but was not satis ed with what I had, I was greedy, sel sh and boastful. Clarke had been using pep pills, and marijuana since he was 16 he told the court, but it was after taking LSD that he experienced, what he described as, a major thing in my life. He described the torment he suffered, as a result of taking the drug, and went on I warn any young person who hears my testimony, The effects of LSD are so bad, and I warn you to stay clear. While in this condition he said he, Called on the name of Jesus and his torment went from him. Voice of Christ Jesus Christ spoke to me as clearly as I speak here today saying, David, I am with you. Mr Murray, of Manor Crescent Wendover said he was habitually sceptical of sudden conversions, and preferred to put them to the test of time. The time, which had elapsed, since Clarke’s profession of faith had convinced him that this young man would now be salt and light to society”. He is in truth, a new man, and had experienced what Christ called a second birth. Murray said Clarke now put himself out to be of assistance, read the bible intensely, always carried a New Testament, attended a wide circle of churches and would spend hours in discussion on spiritual things. Diffculty Clarke’s diffculty during the months spent deciding how to make amends for his past had been the problem of accusing himself, without informing on others. Passing sentence the chairman of the magistrates, Colonel I. Tetley, told Clarke, You have pleaded guilty to three offences and asked us to take into consideration
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
BUT WAS NOT SATIS ED WITH WHAT I HAD, I WAS GREEDY, SEL SH AND BOASTFUL.
21 others and except a record over a short period of time, which is quite the worst we have ever seen, we have considered what we aught to do and have come to the conclusion that your evident desire to become a martyr is one we are not going to gratify. He gave Clarke a conditional discharge for three years pointing out that the sincerity of his conversion could be shown by his behaviour during that period, end The outcome of the court case was a complete surprise to us all, and we were overjoyed. A Christian friend, Mrs. Chapski of Broughton Avenue, Aylesbury, invited us all back to her home for coffee. DC Robson informed me that they had discovered I was the person who had stolen the television from Mike West. An enemy of Mike West had tipped them off about the stolen television. Mike West appeared in Court on the same day as myself and was ned £25. He nearly lost his job with the insurance company that he worked for. His encounter at court, to his embarrassment, also appeared on the front page of the newspaper alongside the article about my conversion. After this I gave Mike West his Citroen car back that I had swapped for the colour TV. I had re sprayed it a bright Banana yellow, and replaced the engine. . At lease he was able to sell it and get some money back. I now know, and take encouragement that God works well and sorts things out when we cannot do so. As far as the other stolen goods were concerned the police managed to take away most of them but the rm who owned the builders shed sent a trailer. The ironic thing is that I could get no help to load the shed on the trailer. In the end Mrs. Knight was the only one to help. This was very hard work but between us we managed to load it on the trailer late one night. To give you some idea of the value of the stolen items. The shed was said to be worth £400. The mini was brand new and worth £672. The price of a terraced house at that time was £2000.
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
A BROKEN WORLD; OF HUMAN DESIGN. BY RAVEN YOUNGBLOOD
It’s funny how humanity creates the pain and suffering that it so strongly stands against. It is funny how humanity cripples itself over the fantasy of power just enough to make sure real power slips from within their grasp. How corrupt governments destroy the utopia of what civilization could be over a piece of cotton paper. A simple mathematical equation on an imaginary data base that says they are allowed to live better than anyone else in the world. Humanity will kill itself over cotton fiber paper and shiny gold rocks from within the earth. Sad really because the corrupt thought of currency will eventually just be a number on a credit stick some day and there won’t even be a physical materialistic representation of your worth on the planet soon. But we as human race must acknowledge these imaginary chains placed upon us by governments of the world to control and structure a livable society. Or so they tell us; but truth be told they are simply creating the famine and poverty and misery so they can control a small part of what they call power. In reality there is no famine or starvation or incurable diseases or crime, these are created by the system of currency control. A very old system for human’s to try and control their own destiny and to excerpt the imagination of power. Example: 1. Why does crime exist? 80% of crime exists because humanity states that without this pretty piece of cotton fiber paper you cannot eat, you cannot provide for your family, you cannot enjoy life and you must live in the streets and fend for yourself. Oh and you cannot hunt and grow food for yourself because without that shiny gold stone or that soft cotton fiber paper you cannot own the dirt under your feet. So essentially you cannot stand on certain parts of the earth because you don’t have the soft paper to claim it. To have power over that small piece of the planet, it has not been earned by you. That people is the destructive ideology of the human race which will always be the key to Pandora’s Box. Because if you had a society governed by laws but not by currency you would have as close a society to utopia as you could possibly have on earth. Because there would be a world where if you needed more doctors, you trained more doctors, where a modern discovery was made it would be shared for the betterment of mankind because there would be nothing to gain by destroying it.
Where there would be no homelessness because society would simply build a structure to house a family as needed. Where if the food needs of the people were low we would simply train new farmers and ranchers and produce more food. There would be nothing to stop us from making cures for every disease known to humanity because there would be nothing to gain by destroying it or hiding it to make a profit or limitations of a budget to create it. A society that provides what is needed when it is needed by harnessing the resources given to humanity by the planet earth to sustain ourselves. But often to many times indeed a city lay in ruins, huge populations of humanity starve in the cold while other parts of humanity has abundance and throws it’s food away for the simple reason as it wasn’t profitable and we had too much. The system of Humanity is broken and flawed and we as humans are responsible for creating the misery of the human race by trying to control and strangle human development through the imaginary ownership of power and control. How many times have we seen a government flourish and grow and be successful in the overall operations but then fall to destruction because there wasn’t enough soft cotton paper to pay for the upkeep of the successful and growing city? Too many times that greed of the all mighty dollar destroyed the progress of humanity and strangled the life out of entire populations when there were plenty of resources to keep the city growing to keep living a beautiful existence but it had to be destroyed on purpose because humanity couldn’t put a currency tag on its value. Cities live in poverty with broken roads and sidewalks and trash piled like mountains, not because the resources to fix it did not exist but that the resources couldn’t be paid for by cotton paper. At some point we must set aside our stupidity as a human race and provide a society that is not governed by corruption of currency and power but on the need to provide what is needed for humanity to excel and succeed in growing to what the human race was designed by God to become. The reason for all suffering on this planet comes down to one simple thing, we couldn’t afford to succeed. God Bless you all
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017
THE COMMON PRAYER OF THE BELIEVERS AND THE SPIRITUAL AWAKENING By Marko Tapani Latvakoski
I believe that the spiritual awakening involves a common
Spritual pride
prayer of believers. It is in the Bible teach everywhere. Believers are people of prayer and they also pray
We are not independent "superman" who no longer
together. In the Acts of Apostles and the Church in the
need to pray to God but to command and exercise
letters, there is a constant view of the common prayer of
power without God.
believers
Some cult religions etc, faith movement teach
This is God's plan.
independence from God so that we no longer need to
We pray to God. We worship God. We are totally
pray, for example, the prayer of the Lord, but we just
dependent on God until the end of time. We hang on our
have to take power and command things to happen
Savior and our Lord Jesus. Jesus keeps us and never abandons us.
Praying at all times in the Spirit for all the saints
We will always ask for help and strength for Him. We also need other believers constantly. We are not alone. We are
(Ephesians 6:18.praying at all times in the Spirit, with all
one body, the body of Christ. We are members of each
prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all
other. God has designed that we are one body of Christ.
perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,)
We belong to the Lord Jesus, who is the head of His
We need each other as believers and our intercessors.
body, and we are every believer belonging to the body of
We do not pray to the dead saints whom the Bible deny
Christ and we need each other.
but we pray to the living saints who are on earth to carry out the will of God and proclaim the Gospel of God the
We pray and talk to God alone and together. We ask that
Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ the Savior that no man
God's will is on earth and that we can together run the
would be lost
plan of God in the Church in the body of Christ. We pray
Prayer is humility. When a person prays, it means that
for all the saints. We remember our brothers and sisters
he can not survive without God. He is submissive and
who share the same 1.One Lord,2.One Baptism,3.One
desires to be submissive to God and His Word and will.
Faith,4.One Body,5.One God, 6. One Spirit, 7.One Hope, . 7 is perfect number. This mean perfect believers unity . Lord Jesus prayer perfect believers unity. John 17 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. ( Ephesians. 4:1-6Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.) We pray and work together in the work of the gospel that the testimony of the Savior and of the Lord Jesus will move forward fast to the Holy Spirit. We pray because we can not escape without God and His grace in Christ Jesus
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
DON’T GIVE UP! THE LORD’S MERCY’S ARE NEW EVERY MORNING!
GOD LOVES YOU
BY DAN BRIEN Suppose you are standing out on the ledge of a tall building,
to go on living. Listen to what he says in Verse. 31 For no one is
preparing to commit suicide by jumping to your death. How do
cast off by the Lord forever. 32 Though he brings grief, he will
you feel at that moment? You feel hopeless! Your relationship
show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. 33 For he does
problems are burdening you down, your finances difficulties
not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone. — 36 to
seem out of control, and your overall outlook on life is so bleak,
deprive them of justice— would not the Lord see such things?
all you see is darkness over the horizon. So you ask, “why go
Now consider David, king of Israel, and what he say’s about
on living? Now suppose there’s a suicide negotiator trying to
God’s unfailing love for you. David was a man after God’s own
get you back inside the building. He’s telling you, “you must
heart. He knew about God’s love as well as any man on
have something to live for in this life”. But you keep telling him
planet earth. That’s because David committed a few great sins
no, I have nothing to live for! Then you ask him the most
of his own during his lifetime, for which God had to forgiven
important question of your life, you say to him, “Give me one
him, one of them was adultery, and the other murder. But the
good reason why I shouldn’t jump now?” What should the
Lord forgave David his sins, and did not punish him as much as
negotiator say at that moment to make you change your mind?
he deserved. Because of his knowledge of God’s love, David
Well, let me tell you what the Bible Say’s about your
was able to speak about the Almighty’s love and concern for all
situation. The Bible says, “God’s mercy’s are new every
people. In Psalms Chapter 139 David say’s the Lord knew
morning”. He loves you very much. He thinks about you often,
everything about you before you born. He says in verse.13 For
and he wants you to become his child. There’s no problem in
you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my
life that’s too hard for him to fix.” Consider the prophet
mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and
Jeremiah. He felt God was being too hard on him, and he
wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full
believed that God had abandoned him. Listen to what
well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in
Jeremiah say’s when he’s frustrated about his life in
the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of
the book of Lamentations Chapter 3:1 I am the man who has
the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my unformed body;
seen affliction by the rod of the LORD’s wrath. 2 He has driven
all the days ordained for me were written in your book before
me away and made me walk in darkness rather than light. —
one of them came to be. 7 How precious to me are your
Verse 8 Even when I call out or cry for help, he shuts out my
thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count
prayer.— 17I have been deprived of peace; I have forgotten
them, they would outnumber the grains of sand— when I
what prosperity is. 18 So I say, “My splendor is gone and all
awake, I am still with you.
that I had hoped from the LORD.” Then Jeremiah remembers God’s loving kindness towards all people. He takes hope from
David and Jeremiah were Not more important to the Lord God
the knowledge of God’s concern and compassion for every
than you or I. They were just men, and they had faults just like
person on Earth. He says in verse. 21 Yet this I call to mind and
the rest of us. In Romans 3:21-24 The bible say’s that all
therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the LORD’s great love we
have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, and all are saved by
are not consumed, for his compassion never fail. 23 They are
faith in God’s grace. He says in verse. 21 But now apart from the
new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Jeremiah
law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which
knew that God was a loving God, who cared about him. He
the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given
remembered how the Lord watches out for people to give
through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no
them hope, and to show them compassion. And Jeremiah
difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned
realized that the lord is not up in heaven with a big billy club
and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely
wanting to crush people. Rather he wants them to repent of
by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
their sins, and find peace. This truth gave Jeremiah to strength
Jesus knows you’re a sinner, and he’s not sitting up in Heaven
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
watching you with an angry look, waiting for a reason to
DON’T GIVE UP!
King David says -
punish you for your sins. Rather he wants to save you from your sins because you’re willing to have faith in his love towards you. That’s so you can become a child of God, and join him in heaven some day with his Father. For that reason he is patient with all people. Consider what the Apostle Peter say’s in 2 Peter Chapter 3:8 But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. The Lord God is offering the world salvation from their sins through faith in his own son Jesus Christ. This includes you. All you have to do is believe that God is really that loving, that he would be that compassionate towards all people, and you will become a child of God. Jesus said in John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Can you see! The gift of salvation has already been given to you. It’s wrapped up in a package with your name on it. All you have to do is believe that God really loves you personally. God’s telling you that you can walk right into God’s kingdom by having faith in his son Jesus Christ. Let me tell you what to do with such a great knowledge of God’s love. Don’t give up on life. Stay alive for another day. Each day you wake up in the morning, realize that God’s mercy’s are brand new for you that day, and these compassion’s are different from the day before.
Psalms 139:7-12 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,” even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. God Bless You, One And All
Praise God!!! The Lord’s Love Is Everywhere! Let me leave you with this last knowledge of God’s love. The
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
ISSUE 6 / MAY 2017
FOLLOWERS WHO FINISH By Dr. Cecil Stewart OBE
Jesus never leads us into darkness because He has our best
Will Rogers said ‘even if you’re on the right road, you’ll get run
interests at heart and sees the big picture. He is the Alpha and
over if you just sit there’, so we must move forward to become
the Omega, so when we follow Him we can expect an
followers of Jesus. In Matthew chapter 4 v 18-19 Jesus
acceleration of grace and favour on our lives, as we move
walked along by the seaside and spoke to fishermen, saying
forward in faith.
‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men’, so they arose and followed Him. Many people know what to do but they say
All of us want to finish what we start, but many times we are
‘I can’t because….’ But we shouldn’t be restricted when God
distracted, turned aside or delayed, but God Almighty has
has called us for He will enable us if we will take the step and
given us the vision, the power and the divine ability to finish
not be controlled by feelings or by how things look. Psalm
what we start. Some time ago I noticed several houses partly
chapter 126 v 6 says ‘He that goeth forth and weepeth,
built and when I enquired about them I was told they had
bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with
been sitting for years. The developer, for whatever reason,
rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him’. Sometimes we don’t
had not been able to finish those partly built houses, and that
feel like being a blessing to others or praying for others, or
is not a nice picture. Jesus said in John chapter 8 v 12 ‘I am
speaking words of encouragement to others, but we can go
the light of the world; he who follows me shall not walk in
by faith even if we feel burdened. Will Rogers said ‘even if
darkness but shall have the light of life’. Jesus Himself said ‘I
you’re on the right road, you’ll get run over if you just sit there’,
have finished the work you gave me to do’. We must move
so we must move forward to become followers of Jesus. In
beyond our human reasoning and comfort zone, and
Matthew chapter 4 v 18-19 Jesus walked along by the
remember Philippians chapter 4 v 13 says ‘I can do all things
seaside and spoke to fishermen, saying ‘Follow me, and I will
through Christ who strengthens me’.
make you fishers of men’, so they arose and followed Him.
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
FOLLOWERS WHO FINISH
Many people know what to do but they say ‘I can’t because….’
relationships with family and friends, for then life flows
But we shouldn’t be restricted when God has called us for He
through fellowship like a river flows out to the sea. Satan’s big
will enable us if we will take the step and not be controlled by
dream is to separate family and stop communication, so life
feelings or by how things look. Psalm chapter 126 v 6 says
will be cut off just like the blood supply in our bodies keeps us
‘He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall
alive. Good relationships and fellowship keep the flow of life,
doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves
see Psalm chapter 133 and Proverbs chapter 4 v
with him’. Sometimes we don’t feel like being a blessing to
23.relationships with family and friends, for then life flows
others or praying for others, or speaking words of
through fellowship like a river flows out to the sea. Satan’s big
encouragement to others, but we can go by faith even if we
dream is to separate family and stop communication, so life
feel burdened. Many people know what to do but they say ‘I
will be cut off just like the blood supply in our bodies keeps us
can’t because….’ But we shouldn’t be restricted when God has
alive. Good relationships and fellowship keep the flow of life,
called us for He will enable us if we will take the step and not
see Psalm chapter 133 and Proverbs chapter 4 v 23.
be controlled by feelings or by how things look. Psalm chapter 126 v 6 says ‘He that goeth forth and weepeth,
2 Corinthians chapter 6 v 1 reminds us that we are workers
bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with
together with God, which means we get involved in what God
rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him’. Sometimes we don’t
is involved in, we work with Him. What is God involved in? He
feel like being a blessing to others or praying for others, or
is seeking to reconcile the world unto Himself; to bring people
speaking words of encouragement to others, but we can go
back into a relationship with their Creator and Jesus is the
by faith even if we feel burdened.
great mediator between God and man, 1 Timothy chapter 2 v 5. We need to be focusing on how we can help reconcile
When anxiety and depression tried to overcome me as a
people who have perhaps lost out with God, who have been
young man I felt like isolating myself and being alone but
disappointed on the way or have suffered offence, perhaps
through the love and prayers of family and friends I was able
they have given up because they are discouraged. We must
to rise above and start ministering to others. That is when I
look out for them and ask the Lord for wisdom to help them
came out of the pit of depression and Psalm chapter 40 v 1-2
get back on the road again. This is what happened when men
was a great encouragement, ‘I waited patiently for the Lord;
ran to lift us and our car out of a field after we hit ice and our
and He inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me
car flipped over.2 Corinthians chapter 6 v 1 reminds us that
up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my
we are workers together with God, which means we get
feet upon a rock, and established my goings.’ I found there is
involved in what God is involved in, we work with Him. What
transforming power in thanksgiving and making a decision to
is God involved in? He is seeking to reconcile the world unto
rise above the dark clouds of negativity and depression. Few
Himself; to bring people back into a relationship with their
people realize the importance of maintaining good
Creator and Jesus is the great mediator between God and
relationships with family and friends, for then life flows
man, 1 Timothy chapter 2 v 5. We need to be focusing on
through fellowship like a river flows out to the sea. Satan’s big
how we can help reconcile people who have perhaps lost out
dream is to separate family and stop communication, so life
with God, who have been disappointed on the way or have
will be cut off just like the blood supply in our bodies keeps us
suffered offence, perhaps they have given up because they
alive. Good relationships and fellowship keep the flow of life,
are discouraged. We must look out for them and ask the Lord
see Psalm chapter 133 and Proverbs chapter 4 v 23.When
for wisdom to help them get back on the road again. This is
anxiety and depression tried to overcome me as a young man
what happened when men ran to lift us and our car out of a
I felt like isolating myself and being alone but through the love
field after we hit ice and our car flipped over.
and prayers of family and friends I was able to rise above and start ministering to others. That is when I came out of the pit
In Luke chapter 8 v 1 it shows us how the 12 disciples were
of depression and Psalm chapter 40 v 1-2 was a great
with Jesus as He moved through the villages to bring good
encouragement, ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; and He
news. If we are not producing good fruit in our lives we need
inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also
to check the root of our lives.In Luke chapter 8 v 1 it shows us
out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon
how the 12 disciples were with Jesus as He moved through
a rock, and established my goings.’ I found there is
the villages to bring good news. If we are not producing good
transforming power in thanksgiving and making a decision to
fruit in our lives we need to check the root of our lives. Are the
rise above the dark clouds of negativity and depression. Few
roots of our lives really going down into the soil of God’s love?
people realise the importance of maintaining good
Are the roots of our lives really going down into the soil of
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
God’s love? ? See Ephesians chapter 3 v 13-21. Are we rooted and grounded in Him? If we are born again then yes, but we need to be aware and talk and walk like we are, because we have been given divine connections through our relationship with Jesus. See John chapter 15 v 5-8. In Philippians chapter 3 v 17 Paul said ‘Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample’. Obviously he was following the Lord; he didn’t want the people to follow him independently of God. We must make sure we are not living our lives independent of God, but that we are submitted to Him and our lives are all about doing His will, serving Him and doing what He wants us to do. In 2 Peter chapter 3 v 1718 it tells us to beware, lest we fall from our own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and the knowledge of God. . As we focus our minds and hearts everyday, meditating on the word, praising, worshiping and exalting the Lord and getting on with what God has called us to do, we will find that He empowers and enables us to do what is beyond our ability. Colossians chapter 2 v 6-7 says ‘As we have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him’. How did we receive Him? We received Him through repentance, through submitting and surrendering to Him. So we must continue to do that daily, walking with Him, surrendering to Him, being sensitive to the Holy Spirit and moving forward beyond the boundaries of human reasoning, getting on with what He has called us to do. Hebrews chapter 11 v 6 has been a powerful portion of scripture to me personally. It reminds us that anyone who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. So this highlights the fact that when we come to God we not only believe that He is God, but that He gives results, He rewards those who diligently seek Him, not half heartedly, but diligently. In the book of James it says even the demons believes and tremble, but they don’t do the will of God. We need to go beyond just believing and act on the word every day. In John chapter 6 v 63 Jesus says ‘it is the spirit that quickens, the flesh profits nothing, the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life’. We don’t rely on our flesh or man’s reasoning, we know it is the Holy Spirit that quickens or makes us alive and that the words that Jesus has spoken are spirit and life. We let those words loose through our mouths and saturate our minds with the word every day. I remember as a young believer I was struggling to understand faith and to even go on with the Lord, but it was when I started to read the word, take notes and then meditate on scripture over and over that I was helped. We need to develop an
FOLLOWERS WHO FINISH
appetite and Hebrews chapter 11 v 6 has been a powerful portion of scripture to me personally. It reminds us that anyone who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. So this highlights the fact that when we come to God we not only believe that He is God, but that He gives results, He rewards those who diligently seek Him, not half heartedly, but diligently. In the book of James it says even the demons believes and tremble, but they don’t do the will of God. We need to go beyond just believing and act on the word every day. In John chapter 6 v 63 Jesus says ‘it is the spirit that quickens, the flesh profits nothing, the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life’. We don’t rely on our flesh or man’s reasoning, we know it is the Holy Spirit that quickens or makes us alive and that the words that Jesus has spoken are spirit and life. We let those words loose through our mouths and saturate our minds with the word every day. I remember as a young believer I was struggling to understand faith and to even go on with the Lord, but it was when I started to read the word, take notes and then meditate on scripture over and over that I was helped. We need to develop an appetite and Hebrews chapter 11 v 6 has been a powerful portion of scripture to me personally. It reminds us that anyone who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. So this highlights the fact that when we come to God we not only believe that He is God, but that He gives results, He rewards those who diligently seek Him, not half heartedly, but diligently. In the book of James it says even the demons believes and tremble, but they don’t do the will of God. We need to go beyond just believing and act on the word every day. In John chapter 6 v 63 Jesus says ‘it is the spirit that quickens, the flesh profits nothing, the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life’. We don’t rely on our flesh or man’s reasoning, we know it is the Holy Spirit that quickens or makes us alive and that the words that Jesus has spoken are spirit and life. We let those words loose through our mouths and saturate our minds with the word every day. I remember as a young believer I was struggling to understand faith and to even go on with the Lord, but it was when I started to read the word, take notes and then meditate on scripture over and over that I was helped. We need to develop an appetite and make time available to let the seed of the word into our hearts because that is when it takes root and grows and faith increases. Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 7 v 24-29 about those who obey His word and act upon it are like a man who built his house upon the rock. Then when the storms, trials and tests come and we feel isolated or let down
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FOLLOWERS WHO FINISH
by people or even offended, our faith is in Him and His word, so
Abound means to leap forward, to go through obstacles and
none of those things will stop us going on with God. The foolish
reach our objectives. Psalm chapter 30 v 11 reminds us that He
man heard but didn’t do it, he is like the man that built his house
can turn our mourning into dancing, so we don’t need to keep
without any foundation and then when the storms came his house
silent anymore, we can witness not only with our mouths but with
collapsed. We need to dig down into the word of God and put
our lives and the way we live. Our trials can serve to cause us to
aside everything the enemy has used to contaminate our faith and
grow stronger as we go forward and even when things seem to be
build a good foundation on the rock, Christ Jesus, and we will go
against us they are working for our good. See Romans chapter 8
forward from strength to strength. James chapter 1 v 22 says ‘be
v 28.
doers of the word and not hearers only’. We need to be acting on the word in our attitudes toward others on a daily basis, ready to
2. He empowers you to finish
forgive, not like the farmer who was on his deathbed and he
The Lord continually empowers and enables us as we go forward,
remembered a friend who had done him wrong and they had a
following Him toward our finish. 2 Peter chapter 1 v 4 shows how
fallout and he was really angry with him for 20 years. On his
we have been given exceeding great and precious promises, that
deathbed he sent for him to come and told him he wasn’t going to
by these we may be made partakers of the divine nature. That
live and therefore wanted to put things right. So he said ‘I am sorry
whole chapter shows how we have been given all that is needed
I offended you all those years ago, forgive me’, but then he said, ‘if I
to walk in victory and to finish what God has called us to do. In 2
recover forget this apology’. Some people are really not repenting
Timothy chapter 3 v 14 Paul said ‘continue in the things you have
from their hearts, it’s only superficial. We need to put relationships
learned’. We have been put in a position where we can finish the
right, forgive people who have done us wrong and release them,
course; often we think we are stuck and that it’s over. Some
pray for them and bless them. See Matthew chapter 6 v 12,
people get offended and cut off relationships with churches and
Matthew chapter 5 v 24 and Matthew chapter 18 v 15-35. I
even with family; that is a deception of satan, all that does is
heard a story were a son had fallen out with his father and left
isolate you and put you in a position where there is no life flowing
home in a rage. Years later the son desired to return but felt he
to you or from you.
would not be received. The father lived in a house close to the railway station and so the son sent a message saying ‘I am coming
3. Your gifts and your goals
by your way on the train, I realize you may not ever want to see me
Remember God has given us the gifts and talents to use for His
again, but if you will give me another chance then put a flag on the
glory, remember to always walk in the gifts that you have been
tree beside the house and I will get off the train and come home’.
given and not someone else’s gifts. If you are a singer be a singer,
When the time came to arrive the son eagerly looked out as he
if you are an administrator highlight this and develop it to the
approached where the train was about to stop. Looking at the tree
maximum. Whatever we are called to do let us develop it and
he saw that a flag was not just on one but on every branch. This is
finish well what we have started. We have been given gifts and
the welcome home our heavenly Father gives us when we return in
callings, as seen in Matthew chapter 25 v 14-20, 3 people were
true repentance. John chapter 12 v 24, Jesus said ‘except a corn
given talents or gifts. The one who got 5 he used it and doubled
of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it dies, it
it, the person who got 2 he also used it and got twice as many,
brings forth much fruit’. We need to die to our pride, our own
and then there was 1 person who had fear and a wrong attitude
ambitions, and say ‘I am nothing Lord without you but I surrender
who failed to use his gift and hid the talent and lost everything,
to you and you have made me a child of your own and therefore I
including his relationship. Use what you have been given and you
have power as an ambassador to rule and reign in life’. See
will become stronger. We need to cast off every burden or anxiety
Romans chapter 5 v 17.
all the time, as stated in Hebrews chapter 12 v 1-2. Run the race with patience and put ourselves in a position where we can
Here are 3 key points
achieve what we are called to achieve. We really need to highly value our relationship with the Lord and His word. We also need
1. We are called to follow
to highly value our relationship with the family and those God given connections. Value the leading of the Holy Spirit and
Jesus said ‘Follow Me’ and if we keep following Him we will finish
engage daily in living it out, see Hebrews chapter 3 v 13, Romans
what He has called us to do. 2 Corinthians chapter 9 v 8–15
chapter 12 v 21 and Revelation chapter 12 v 11. This way of living
shows how He is able to make all grace abound toward us that we
enables us to use our God given authority over circumstances and
have all sufficiency in all things may abound to every good work.
satan, remember we are redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus
We need to be aware of the divine ability that lives within us.
and when we know who we are it altars how we act, then the love and light of the Lord can shine out of our lives and bring
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
FOLLOWERS WHO FINISH
transformation to those in our world. Often I have to check my focus, especially when disappointments and troubles come, it is so easy to become distracted and give our thoughts over to the problem, but I have to remember before the problem ever came God had a plan to bring me through by focusing on His word and
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4. Facts about finishing Those who finish well and win the race will have overcome offence; they will have overcome anxiety, discouragement, deception, distraction and strife. They will also have overcome
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unbelief and frustration, continuing through all of these because
other
their eyes are on Jesus. These things try to stop us and hinder us
free hope builders and find
from finishing but Romans chapter 5 v 17 says ‘those who receive
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the abundance of grace and gift of righteousness shall reign in life’. We have been given more than enough to get through all of these
and special events.
things and keep on going in faith. Remember Galatians chapter 5 v 6 ‘faith works by love’, so may we be people full of the love of God, not harsh or judgmental, but ready to bring about reconciliation as we go forward following Jesus to finish what He called us to do
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and to be aware of the divine connections He has given us which
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‘That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith
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and patience inherit the promises’, Joshua chapter 14 v 8 ‘Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the Lord my God’ and 1 John chapter 2 v 6 ‘He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked’. God Bless you!
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017
ADJUNCT PROFESSOR MARCUS STALLWORTH, LMSW, WITH STUDENTS FROM HIS "SOCIAL MEDIA: THE GOOD, BAD, AND THE UGLY CLASS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF BRIDGEPORT
SHARING RESOURCES- ONE CLICK AT A TIME BY MARCUS STALLWORTH, LMSW For most students in college, finals week is one of the most stressful times. Tests, exams, and presentations consume their existence. Once those tasks are completed, most students can’t wait for the semester to be over. As an adjunct professor who has taught over 35 courses in my career, I can assure you sometimes instructors feel the same way. This certainly was not the case for the class I just taught at the University of Bridgeport. At the University of Bridgeport, I teach a variety of classes in the Human Services and Professional Studies Department. “Social Media: The Good, Bad, and the Ugly” is a new 3 credit elective which explores the impact the internet and technology has on human behavior, peer relationships, and
people’s perception of reality. We explore topics like: cyberbullying, cell phone addition, Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking, along with music messaging and the overrepresentation of violence on TV. This course also introduces students to the term Media Literacy, which teaches students how to critically analyze and evaluate direct and subliminal messages foundin marketing and advertising schemes.At the end of the semester, students were able utilize what they learned and developed a small campus campaign called #cybersavy. The focus was to use technology to raise awareness of the pros and cons associated to Social Media, and encouraged mindfulness and a community approach. (https://youtu.be/ycPDhqBbQq8).
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Part of the course design was based on Welcome 2 Reality’s “Mentoring Through Media” educational program. The research for this curriculum was accumulated by using academic findings, while alsoincluding field tests and focus groups. Although I was the instructor for the course, there were many instances where I was doing the learning. Getting a first-hand perspective of the rewards and consequences social media provides in the minds of students was invaluable. Teens and young adults have moreinfluence and pressures than most adults are aware of. Welcome 2 Reality, LLC has established relationships with Universities and Social Work programs across the US. We provide learning opportunities for undergrad and graduate students as we evaluate the implications Social Media and Technology has on impulsivity, addictive properties, and self-identity. In our home state of Connecticut, USA we are working with our chapter of the National Association of Social Workers to provide Continuing Education Credits for license carrying professionals. Welcome 2 Reality, LLC has had great successes with sharing our findings to parents, students and educators throughout the United States. In April we provided a seminar at the Child Welfare League of America’s national conference in Washington, D.C. for foster families.In June, we will be presenting at the National Foster Parent Association in Houston, Texas offering tips and strategies how to positively embrace technology and safeguard children.
ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017
Most recently we have begun to develop International relationships with neighboring countries. We are grateful to supports like the Christian Times Magazinewho see value in this work. Highlighting stories like this allows other readers to learn about supports that can be available to themselves and the communities they serve. Collectively we can all have an impact on our biggest investment: tomorrow’s leaders.
For more information please go to our website to find free downloadable resources at www.welcome2reality.us
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issue 6 - may 2017
YOUR HUMAN POTENTIAL, FORGIVENESS, AND MAKING SENSE OF THE WORLD By Dr. Sarah Larsen
What does your human potential need you to remember? Does your maximum potential need you to see patterns? In this era, every action you take has a global consequence. Every “yes” or “no” you demonstrate expands your resourcefulness. Consciously or unconsciously, everything you do is, in order to make sense of the world you inherited. Matthew 5:37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. Does history need you to remember it, honor it and immortalize it so you won’t repeat it? Or does history need you to see the patterns and forgive it? Are there spoken and unspoken agreements that no longer serve you, me and our world? How do you truly release agreements? Is history convoluted idolatry? 2 Corinthians 6:16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Does your unique way of learning about the world invite the
hard to handle. I signed away all of my property and all of my
living temple? What stories do you idolize? Are they written by
respect at the hands of someone bound to agreements created
those who had the greatest resources to claim the victory? You
by my grandfather, his father and society. At the ages of 14 to 19
may have seen many patterns in history books. For example,
years old, at the hands of the man I was married to, I was
most history lessons, credit given to an inventor or person of
tortured, hurt, and extensively shamed. As a wounded human
historical significance is reflecting something about overcoming
and distressed soul, I met God often when tortured. I felt Perfect
the limitations of humanity. You have learned that much of man
Love in near death experiences while being choked. In each
made history is simplified propaganda for what a previous
episode, I felt what I had caused my entire family to feel. I had an
thought leader believed would bring confidence in the
inner knowing of myself and every agreement, I had made. I had
leadership being expressed.
an inner knowing of every agreement everyone I had ever met or would meet made. I was eventually left for dead with an
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts
overdose of medical drugs. Miraculously I survived. I
out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever
experienced, on my return to my body an absolute
fears has not been perfected in love.
understanding of pure love, every soul and free will. The harsh
Everything you do from reading, creating trends and learning
nature of my torture, death experiences, left me with
from thought leaders is accelerating your own agreements with
excruciating shame. I woke up to my grandmother saying, “Why
making sense of the world. When it comes from God it is filled
have you brought this horror to us.” I had caused everyone
with potential. This potential is the highest form of human
living an excruciating amount of pain and loss of reputation. I
potential. Your God Potential is filled with freedom to make
was lost and thought I could find my way back to grace by
agreements with no fear and punishment. I had the harshest
becoming a good daughter to my parents, a doctor that worked
agreement placed on me as a child. At age 14 I was given, by
for charity and I could be purified in this world again. I studied
my grandfather to a 28 year old doctor in an arranged marriage.
science, researched miracles and religion on my quest to restore
I was a child of immigrants raised mostly in the United States
the damage I felt I had done. I also wanted everyone to feel the
married to a man who had never left Pakistan until his marriage
miracle of God’s perfect love and struggled with ways to
to me. A good man who had probably lived in a Godly manner
embody it.
until challenged. My grandparents and parents had happy arranged marriages. His family filled with good arranged
Forgiveness Our Creator saved me. I can tell you what is on
marriages. Everyone expected it would be the same for us. I
the otherside of this life, inside me and you.
didn’t know what to do. I was tortured in marriage for being
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YOUR HUMAN POTENTIAL, FORGIVENESS, and MAKING SENSE OF THE WORLD
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the
the role of relationality, forgiveness and agreements in both
image of God created God created you in his own image. You
science and religion. Both science and religion carefully assess
can trust the miraculous inside you! The miraculous inside you is
the significance of unseen forces, Both study this in order to
free! So you can trust the living God inside your temple. God
control and predict what is possible and to make sense of the
forgave me. God forgives you. God is perfect love. Unbounded.
world. Both are highly disciplined. Many scholars, scientist and religious figures are now demonstrating with research the
In my personal story, it is important to understand and have
consonant relationship of perception of reality based on our
compassion for everyone involved in this and such stories!
spoken and unspoken agreements “Unseen forces” are
Most of humanity values "Honor" and family reputation above
famously described as “spooky action at a distance” by Albert
life! Most of us fear being shamed even above commandments
Einstein. Albert Einstein's unified field theory sought to unify the
we proclaims to believe in and live by! The man who married me
forces of electromagnetism and gravity. However Einstein was
and later tried to kill me and then divorced me was swept in a
unable to complete the theory during his lifetime. Nassim
current, a group belief. He was swept into spoken and unspoken
Haramein has pursued this theory and has laid the
agreements. His values held "opinion" more important than life.
foundations for its completion his solutions to Einstein's field
He believed divorcing me would cause his sisters not to be
equations that helps us connect science, religion and making
married. So he tried to conform me and thenkill me. When I
sense of the world. Nassim Haramein, who has spent over 30
survived, we divorced. I forgive him because God forgave me.
years researching and discovering connections in physics, mathematics, geometry, cosmology, quantum mechanics,
John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love
biology, chemistry as well as anthropology and ancient
one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one
civilizations, says everything is mostly space. That space holds
another.
everything together and is energy. With mathematical equations and particle his research demonstrates the one thing that
Mark 12:31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor
connects all things is “Space” and that space is not empty.
as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than
Space is actually completely full. Full with what scientist can call
these.”
energy. And religious institutions can label as energy, perfect love. Absolute. God. Haramein's concept of the universe is the
Fear makes us violent to ourself and not a temple of the living
idea of vacuum or space in which we interact and create our
God. The violent man forgets his value. Hurt us.
reality. In this mode, every atom including those we are
You can see the patterns in violence. You can witness the
composed of, is a black hole. This hole both absorbs information
change forgiveness brings. We can remake ourselves as the
from the vacuum and also radiates information out into it like a
temples of the living God. . When my life came back to this body
white hole like a black hole operating in Reverse. The vacuum as
my perception of everything changed. Every time you give
well could be called ‘God’. Every atom has an extraordinary
forgiveness. You embody experiencing a new way of seeing the
amount of space within it. When I was in my near death
world. When you say yes to forgiveness you cast out fear. You
experience, I felt the black hole absorb and become form.
casting out punishment leads to living as God dwells among us.
Because God is in everything. I felt everything especially our
You expand what is possible for you when you let go of the
agreements. This is one of God’s promises to us. Haramein
past, beliefs and agreement that don’t serve forgiveness and the
states, “It is everywhere, it knows everything it can be found at
living God.
any place in those all languages that are. Data Itself organizes, it
Matthew 18:19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on
organizes everything that is God. I experience this.
earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.
Matthew 18:19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my
Science, Religion, and Making Sense of The World
Father in heaven.
Modern science discovered that the physical world is deeply relational, organized in patterns and connected. In fact, the
The power of the vacuum is constantly applied. When two
phenomenon of organized patterns implies that even the
people are in agreement it creates in this world because the
subatomic world cannot simply be treated individually as atoms.
black whole absorbs information from us and radiates
Meaning the subatomic world cannot be seen as
information into this existence. Nassim Haramein states, “When
separate. Human intelligence is now exploring and explaining
we look at the vacuum at the smallest scales possible we see
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YOUR HUMAN POTENTIAL, FORGIVENESS, and MAKING SENSE OF THE WORLD
that it is highly energized with what are called "vacuum fluctuations". Regardless of what you call it, the fact is we have measured the emptiness of space as not empty at all.” I know when we hold a past hurt we are withholding vacuum fluctuations from its fullest potential. Amos 3:3 “Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet? We live within a macroscopic perception of separateness. And science along with sage religious elders share we are all spinning to a similar cosmic pattern. These patterns are agreed upon. All of this data and my story is to come to the conclusion that human beings are not separate from each other or Nature. We are totally interrelated and our actions have consequences to all beings. Not everyone needs scientific data to convince them to consider themselves and their neighbors as a dwelling place of God and our agreements. Many respect the interconnected system of life and have never looked to science, history or a book for mystical experience. The wisdom of God spoke to them in their own language from the inside out. Space, vacuum fluctuations or God, guiding the truth of living by agreements of perfect love with no fear. When you forgive you trust God’s perfect love. You release vacuum fluctuations that can create better potentials for you and all of humanity. I appreciate you! Dr. Sarah
Dr. Sarah Larsen 424-757-4197 www.drsarahlarsen.com drsarah@drsarahlarsen.com
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ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017
THE LUCIFER MYTH BY MAURICE BARRATT
Is this the man that made the earth to tremble? Isaiah 14:16 Myth:- a traditional story accepted as history; serves to explain the world view of a people. He divides the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smites through the proud. By his spirit he has garnished the heavens; his hand has formed the crooked serpent. Lo, these are parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? But the thunder of his power who can understand? Job 26:12–14 All my Christian life I have been told that Lucifer is Satan, and for most of that time I believed it, having no reason to doubt it. However, a number of years ago I was reading Isaiah chapter 14 – the only mention of Lucifer in the whole bible, and I realised that it did not fit in the context, and so I began to explore the teaching on this belief and found that it had no scriptural basis at all. I have no idea where the teaching originated from, but I have found it to be almost universally accepted in all of the countries and denominations I have visited and taught in. I think one of the reasons the doctrine was formulated was because people do not want the real God and so the only alternative is to make him into the God that is acceptable – a God of only love and grace. It is inconceivable to them that God could create anything that was evil, despite scriptures to the contrary. Footnote 1. Grasping at Straws I can only believe that people were so desperate to know and teach about the perfect origins of Satan that any straws they could grasp at were included into a doctrine. There are three basic beliefs about Lucifer. 1. He was created by God as a perfect, archangel or Cherub, before God created heaven and earth, and he was the worship leader in heaven leading God’s angelic
choirs. Many also believe he also had dominion over the earth in a pre-adamic first creation, and that when God made the heavens and earth in 6 days it was a recreation. 2. He was called Lucifer before pride entered him, and he led a rebellion and tried to usurp God. 3. He was cast out of heaven by Michael and his angels before creation and became known as Satan – which means adversary. Here is an example from a child’s Christian book. The Bible teaches us that back somewhere around the beginning of time, the devil was once named Lucifer. Lucifer was created by God, and was once a perfect and beautiful cherub or angel (Ezekiel 28:1415). He was created to serve and worship God, but he was created with the ability to have freedom of choice. Lucifer chose to serve himself instead of God. His heart became filled with pride because of his beauty (Ezekiel 28:17), and he became rebellious (disobedient) against God. He believed he could be like God the most High (Isaiah 14:13-15). God then cast Lucifer out of heaven because of his sin and has been called the Devil or Satan ever since (Isaiah 14:12 and Ezekiel 28:15-19). This is a good example because it gives the very scriptures that the ideas came from, so it will be easy to see if the scriptures actually quote what the above passage states, is speculation, or is taken out of context. We will see that all three of the above apply and is really bad exegesis. This is a mix and match from different visions of different prophets about different people or beings, and suggests that they are talking about the same events and persons. Let us look at the above statements and the scriptures that are referenced.
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1. Somewhere back in eternity Satan was once called Lucifer and he was a cherub or angel. The scripture is Ezekiel 28:14-15. You are the anointed cherub that covers; and I have set you: you were upon the holy mountain of God; you have walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, till iniquity was found in you. Ezekiel 28:14-15. There is no mention of Lucifer or Satan in these verses. It is not taken from the passage in Isaiah where Lucifer is mentioned and it talks in the present tense about an anointed cherub who was perfect until iniquity was found in him. The previous verses are addressed to the ‘King of Tyrus’, not Lucifer and not the ‘King of Babylon’ that in Isaiah is referred to as Lucifer. There is not enough evidence here to say that Lucifer is Satan. The passage of scripture is obviously referring to someone other than the King of Tyrus, but who does he symbolise? Is there anywhere in the rest of the bible that links the King of Tyrus to Satan. I can’t find any. We cannot therefore, use this one scripture from another vision in another book of the bible to base a doctrine on, if they don’t both mention Lucifer. We cannot speculate and postulate, we must have many scriptures that all agree. The Living Creatures We do know that this being was a cherub and it would be good to note here that a cherub is not a type of angel. Ezekiel, who quotes this, had seen the cherubim and they are described as beasts, or living creatures, in other parts of the bible. They are strange creatures indeed, with four faces and full of eyes (see Ezekiel 1, whole chapter, and 10:20. Also Revelation 4:611). 2. Lucifer's heart became filled with pride because of his beauty. The reference is Ezekiel 28:17. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty, you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness: I will cast you to the ground, and lay you before kings, that they may behold you. Ezekiel 28:17. Again it is about the king of Tyrus, from Ezekiel, and not from the passage in Isaiah that mentions Lucifer. It says he will be cast to the ground and laid before kings so that they can see him. I can’t find any reference in the bible where this is going to happen to Satan. 3. He believed he could be like God the most High. The reference used is Isaiah 14:13-15. For you have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be
THE LUCIFER MYTH
like the most High. Yet you shall be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Isaiah 14:13-15 This verse is about Lucifer and it says that he will be brought down to Hell (Sheol – the place of the dead). However, nowhere in the bible does it say that Satan will go to this place. His fate is that he will be cast into the lake of fire. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:10 The next verse in Isaiah says that the inmates of hell mock him. saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble? Isaiah 14:16 Lucifer a Man! Here, Lucifer is described as a man – which could not be applied to Satan who is a spirit and not flesh and blood. His death is described in detail. It says the worms eat his body. Again this cannot be applied to Satan. There is no doubt that this person, called Lucifer in this scripture, will try to be like God but it also says he will sit in the mount of the congregation on the sides of the north – this is Jerusalem and I can find no reference in scripture where Satan has or will fulfil this prophecy and sit in the temple in Jerusalem being worshiped as God. 4. God then cast Lucifer out of heaven because of his sin (Isaiah 14:12 and Ezekiel 28:15-19) Let us look at these references. How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How are you cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations! Isaiah 14:12 This scripture says Lucifer fell from heaven, and not that he was cast out. I am not 'nit picking' here, for when I show who Lucifer really is, the words will make a difference. The other scripture reference is from Ezekiel, and is not about the King of Babylon, but the King of Tyrus, and it does say he was cast out – but from the mountain of God, not heaven. You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, till iniquity was found in you. By the multitude of your merchandise they have filled the midst of you with violence, and you have sinned: therefore I will cast you as profane out of the mountain of God: and I will destroy you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty, you have corrupted your wisdom by reason
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of your brightness: I will cast you to the ground, I will lay you before kings, that they may behold you. You have defiled your sanctuaries by the multitude of your iniquities, by the iniquity of your traffic; therefore I will bring forth a fire from the midst of you, it shall devour you, and I will bring you to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold you. All they that know you among the people shall be astonished at you: you shall be a terror, and shall never be any more. Ezekiel 28:15-19 This is about the King of Tyrus, not the king of Babylon – Lucifer, and although he is a prophecy of another person it hardly fits Satan. Satan will not be laid before kings, and Satan was not corrupted because of his shady business dealings and merchandise. It says that this king of Tyrus was filled with violence because of his dealings. Christians believe Satan is the source of violence, and if this is true then his corrupt dealings cannot fill him with violence. It says that he will be brought to the earth as ashes in the sight of all those that look upon him. I can’t find any scriptures to show that Satan will be exposed in this way. It Just Doesn't fit The description just does not fit. If we use a scripture that is an allegory or prophecy of another person it has to fit in all its description and not just a short phrase taken out of context. Any fair minded person would find no evidence from the above scriptures to prove that Lucifer is Satan. However, those who do believe this doctrine bring 2 scriptures from the New Testament and to be fair we should also look at them. The most obvious one is in the book of Revelation. Visions not Statements It would be good to note at this point that all the scriptures people bring to support this doctrine are from visions and not from statements. It is not a good practice to base any doctrine using verses from prophecies and visions. Visions and prophecies, of course, can support a teaching, but unless there are unambiguous statements from the word of God we should not use them as a basis for our doctrines. The scripture that Christians use to show that Satan was cast out of heaven before creation is in the book of Revelation chapter 12. This was a vision given to John, who was exiled on the Isle of Patmos, around AD70. And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceives the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Revelation 12:7-9
THE LUCIFER MYTH
This scripture gives the names of Satan in the bible, but does not mention Lucifer. This event of Satan being cast out of heaven could not have happened before creation for the following reasons. Revelation is the Future 1. Everything after revelation 4 is foretelling the future, from John’s time (AD70). If these verses are about history, they are the only ones in the whole of Revelation that are not about the future, and so is inconsistent. After this, I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show you things which must be hereafter. Revelation 4:1. 2. It says that when Satan was cast out, his place was found no more in heaven. We know in the time of Job that Satan had access to heaven (see Job 1:6 and 2:1), so again this war cannot have been fought pre-creation. In this passage there is no mention of Satan’s pride or that he was trying to usurp God. It says Michael and his angels fought against the Devil – not that the Devil raised a rebellion and tried to usurp God and take over heaven. It seems to me as though this was an act of God and was the time for Satan to be cast down to the earth for the final end time prophecy to be played out, where Satan enters the Man of Sin (see Volume 4 chapter 12 – War in Heaven). That he resisted there is not doubt or there would not be a war, but this passage does not imply that Satan was the instigator or the aggressor. Notice, in this passage, he did not ‘fall’ from heaven as it says Lucifer did in Isaiah 14, but was cast out. There is a big difference in meaning between these two words. The other New Testament scripture that is used to support this doctrine is a quote from Jesus, after the disciples had returned from casting out devils. And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through your name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven. Luke 10:17-18. This scripture says Satan fell from heaven, but there is nothing around this statement that lets us know when this has happened, or will happen.
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It could, of course, be the past, at the time Jesus said it, or a future prophecy that will be fulfilled at the cross or in the end times as described in the book of Revelation, and so we cannot use it as evidence of a pre-creation battle, and expulsion of Lucifer from heaven. The Beast It is very easy to see who Isaiah was talking about when he describes Lucifer, for it fits only one man perfectly – The Beast, the Man of Sin. When we look at the description in Isaiah 14, everything makes sense. Let me go through the verses to show this. The first thing to note is that, in the context, this is a proverb that Israel will say when they are restored in the last days. This can only be said after the Day of the Lord! That is; when Jesus comes again with the saints to judge this earth and restore the kingdom of Israel. Behold, the day of the LORD comes, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners out of it. Isaiah 13:9... We then see that this is a proverb against the King of Babylon who later is mocked as Lucifer. And it shall come to pass in the day that the LORD shall give you rest from your sorrow, and from your fear, and from the hard bondage that you were made to serve, that you shall take up this proverb against the king of Babylon, and say, How has the oppressor ceased! The golden city ceased! Isaiah 14:3-4 Lucifer – the King of Babylon The king of Babylon in the bible is consistent in being the one who rules Babylon, and Babylon is the whore, the false religion that God’s people are placed in when they reject God. Verse 12 of this passage is the critical one for this is where God called The King of Babylon, Lucifer. God is mocking him and calling him the light bearer – the morning star. These names are the very names of Christ, and the only light of the world. It is a mockery of him. "How have you fallen from heaven. I thought you were God, but you are a man". How have you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How are you cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations! ...Yet you shall be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. They that see you shall narrowly look upon you, and consider you, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms. From Isaiah 14:12-16 Lucifer said 'in his heart', it does not say that he did any of it. Why would he aspire to ascend to heaven if he was already perfect and in heaven. This is a statement of someone who aspires to heaven, not someone who is already there! For you have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Isaiah 14:13-15
THE LUCIFER MYTH
Paul told Thessalonian Christians this 'Man of Sin' would fulfil these very words, and he says that this will not happen until after the day of the Lord. That you will not be soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. 2 Thessalonians 2:2-3. Surely this next verse is what Lucifer said 'in his heart'. He will oppose and exalt himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 2 Thessalonians 2:4 God, in Isaiah, is mocking this 'Man of Sin' for thinking he would be like God and worshipped as God. The amazing thing is that this will happen exactly as Paul told the Church in Thesalonika. When all the world recognise this man as God, and he is seated in Jerusalem, then Jesus will return and exposed him as a mere man, and he will come to his sudden fate. Satan Incarnate I believe that the 'Man of Sin' will be Satan incarnate just as Jesus was God incarnate, but he will be a man and not Satan. Just as Jesus as a man could die, he will also die. God does not have flesh and blood and neither does Satan, and therefore, neither of them can die. Angels are in the same position. They have spiritual bodies and are not subject to the first death. Satan and the angels of course are not exempt from the second, and spiritual death; the lake of fire. The scriptures used to support the Lucifer doctrine quoted in Ezekiel are about the King of Tyrus and do not mention Lucifer anywhere – I will repeat that Lucifer is mentioned only once in the whole bible. It is worth noting that before this prophecy against this king, there is a prophecy about the Prince of Tyrus and it seems to be the same as for the king of Babylon. It will fit the description of the 'Man of Sin' who will rule this world very soon. The King cannot be the same person as the prince who has a completely different description. I believe I know who the King of Tyrus represents but this book is not the place to disclose it. As well as showing that Lucifer is the 'Man of Sin', who will soon be manifest on this earth, and not Satan, I also wanted to show that Christians do not know the origins of Satan, because these are the only scriptures they bring to support their belief. I believe they will never find Satan's origins because they have a wrong premise. Just a hypothesis Just like those who support 'evolution' they have a hypothesis, which is perfectly legitimate, but then make it a fact in their thinking and move it to a theory, and then propose it as an actual fact. They are always looking for evidence to support the hypothesis whereas true science would look at the evidence to make a conclusion – or a theory that could become, when scientifically proved, a theorem. Those who believe that God could not
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
THE LUCIFER MYTH
create an adversary – a Satan – then have to look for evidence to support their hypothesis. Because there is no clear evidence, they do exactly the same as those who support evolution and force scriptures to say what they do not say. If enough people preach it, then it somehow becomes fact and is not open to challenge – it is self evident, just like the lie in the American constitution that says it is self evident that all men are created equal. The God Who Is! Until we understand the God 'who is' and stop believing in the God we have made in our image to suit our imaginations, we will never understand the plan of God and the fact that without temptation, pain, and failure we can never understand love. This is what God’s plan is all about; demonstrating his great love. This has been the sole purpose of writing these volumes; to show that God wants us to understand and be a part of this demonstration of love. Opposition, and 'an adversary', adversity, and failure are all necessary to demonstrate this love. Satan is not a mistake and is under the complete control of God every second the universe ticks over. Everything in the whole cosmos was planned to the letter before God even started to manifest it. What a wonderful and powerful and majestic God we serve! Please let me exhort you to seek the real God with all your heart, soul, and mind. This was Paul's driving force and motivation and we would do well to follow his footsteps. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering, being made conformable unto his death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Philippians 3:10-11 Footnote 1 God is almighty and so in complete control of everything that happens – good or bad. Otherwise there would be a chance that his plan could fail and Satan could get the upper hand. Everything was created by him and is still under his control. I intend to write a book on this subject entitled 'The Worlds Greatest Lie', and show that there is no battle of good against evil, God against Satan. Satan is our enemy, for sure, but he is not the enemy of God according to scripture. Here are a few texts to ponder on. Romans 9:13; Isaiah 45:7; Amos 3:6; 2 Chronicles 18:21; 1 Chronicles 21:1 and 2 Samuel 24:1
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
JESUS NET WORTH? BY JESUS NETWORTH
At the end of January 2017, it came to our attention
We knew we would have to start things gradually. A
that the world is full of talk. Politicians talk, famous
website was created, but we realised we didn’t have the
people and celebrities talk. People will often stand
financial recourse to promote and market the scheme.
on stage and talk about all of the things we “should”
We had realised that this year is the 200th anniversary
be doing. We came to the conclusion that rarely the
of the bicycle and something led me to use a Rickshaw
“talk” becomes “action.” The UK is experiencing a
to market the cause. We also decided that social media
housing crisis and many more people are homeless,
would be a good way to promote the cause. We bought
inequality is growing and owning a home is now just
a Rickshaw from London and spent just over a month
a dream for many. We were also particularly
restoring to a decent condition. We now give free rides,
saddened about the events in Syria and the sheer
once a fortnight in our local town to spread kindness,
quantity of displaced people. We thought to
and to quote the words of Jesus. We are starting to buy
ourselves, if that was happening in the United
some branded merchandise and any monies made from
Kingdom, would we not seek peace and refuge for
the sale of the goods, once sold will be reinvested to
our family? We wanted to do something about it and
make the venture grow. For the first year all of the
began looking at donating money to certain
monies raised will be reinvested for expansion,or used
charities. We were astonished to discover how much
to help those in need. If the business can grow
some of the directors earnt. We felt that directors of
successfully, nobody will earn more than the national
charities, which are often staffed by volunteers and
average wage. We will have initially invested
good will, should receive modest salaries. We also
£1000.00GBP and when we have sold 1000 items or
came to the conclusion that most charities just want
products, we will sell our motorcycle to copyright the
you to give money. We then considered, what would
brand in the UK. We are hoping, that the idea will
Jesus do? It is fair to say that Jesus said that the
spread and that a global brand can be created # ><> #
poor would always be among us. He did also say to
with no more than what equates to a financial mustard
the rich man who wanted to enter Heaven that he
seed. We think of major sporting brands and clothing
should give up everything he had and follow Him.
brands, how great if we could create a for Prophet and
Rather than ask for money, why not sell clothes that
not for profit brand that people wore and were clothed
people need, we thought? Many people seem to be
in the righteousness of helping their brother man.
condescending towards the poor, meek or lowly, would it not be great if they and we could all be clothed in righteousness. People are obsessed with brand and pay good money for certain trade-marks and brands. How great to buy and give to God or Gods Earth, rather than shareholders. We evaluated how business operates across the globe and realised that ALL business had some element of personal wealth or gain. How great would it be to give everything you can to God or humankind? We felt the need for a socially conscious Christian trading brand. The name Jesusnetworth was decided as the name relates to money and also it is planned that it will be a”safety net” for those less fortunate. We are a normal working family in Britain, who have no savings and a modest income.
christian times magazine
www.jesusnetworth.com E mail; message@jesusnetworth.com Twitter page is jesusnetworth Facebook jesusnetworth Mobile number is; +447935837712 page 49
issue 6 - may 2017
ISSUE NO. 6 - MAY 2017
LATEST FASHION STYLE & TREND
MOC.IRAFAS REPAPLLAW :ECRUOS OTOHP
CTM FASHION
PAGE 50
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
FASHION
ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017
SPOTTED: KENDALL JENNER, POSING ALONE ON THE STEPS OF THE MET
ANA COLAN sOURCE: refinery29.com
PHOTO: GOTHAM/GC IMAGES
PHOTO: GOTHAM/GC IMAGES
Spotted at the Met: One KJ, posing on the very steps
The looks Jenner was styled in were very much in line
where Blair Waldorf once held court. And, as Elle
with the impossibly fancy, extravagantly chic aesthetic
pointed out, she was the spitting image of the fictitious
we knew, loved, and shamelessly tried to copy from
literary queen of the Upper East Side — so much so, we
Gossip Girl. The model clearly felt the vibe, too: She gave
had to do a double-take. What would Blair and her
the cameras her best unamused, Blair-esque scowl.
minions furiously type into their flip phones about this sighting? See, you can take the model out of the smoke-
Funnily enough, this isn't even the weirdest, or even the
filled bathroom on the first Monday in May.
only TV character-related, shoot she's been on this week. If anything, though, Jenner made a pretty good
But Kendall Jenner found herself right back to the
case to Cecily von Ziegesar, should she ever want to
Metropolitan Museum of Art (or the scene of the crime,
reprint the Gossip Girl series and be in need of a cover
depending on who you ask) on Thursday — this time,
model. You know you love her.
during the day and for a very different reason: The 21year-old was in and around the Upper East Side for a photo shoot. And she dressed the part of a Constance girl off duty, with pussy-bowed silky frocks, colored fur, and even a Parisian-inspired striped shirtdress, topped with a leather beret.
PAGE 51 CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017
Here’s How to Wear Black on Your Wedding Day BY: DOBRINA ZHEKOVA NEWS SOURCE: INSTYLE.COM
FASHION
Among the many trends we spotted during Bridal Fashion Week, one in particular stood out from the very beginning. We're talking about about bringing a decidedly un-matrimonial color—black—to bridal fashion. We have to admit, it totally surprised us because we're so used to seeing designers simply revive vintage silhouettes or make other safe choices. There were lots of versions of the trend— from the all-black gown Reem Acra sent down the runway to just incorporating elegant black accents into an all-white look at Marchesa, for example. Naturally, we had to investigate and we reached out to one of the first designers who showed black-andwhite designs at Bridal Fashion Week—Romona Keveza. Her new bridal line, Romona, launched on April 20, and there's so much to love about it, including the price point ($1,200-$2,600). The collection is made exclusively of white silk shantung taffeta and mikado, and features optional black details such as sashes, belts, and ribbon chokers that give it a certain French vibe, which, it turns out, was exactly what the designer had in mind. "I used the Parisian theme [for a bride] who’s fun and charming. The Romona line is about being your own bride. Be whoever you want to be. The dresses are blank canvases," Keveza told InStyle.com. "This season I wanted to show brides how you can accessorize the dress and truly be your own bride in it." The collection also shows that you don't have to spend thousands of dollars to do that. Instead of opting for expensive shoes or a statement necklace, Keveza suggests a trip to the nearest arts and crafts store. "A little black ribbon around the neck, little black buttons that go down the back of the dress, these are simple little things you can do to give [your look] that punch, to give it that vivaciousness." Money aside, another reason to go for something black instead of blue, is if your groom is wearing a black tuxedo, this is a great way to coordinate your looks.
SEIJI FUJIMORI
FASHION
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017
SEIJI FUJIMORI
SEIJI FUJIMORI
And if you think that black and white is too
For a vineyard wedding, you could wear her
classic of a combination for some types of
halter dress with a ribbon or accentuate it
weddings, Keveza may not quite agree with
with a black cape or a beautiful sweater.
you. If you're getting hitched in a country club, opt "There are so many different places where you
for a dropped waist gown and accessorize it
can wear the black and white trend. It’s not
with a sash. Alternatively, you could wear an
just for one type of venue," she says, and
oversized bow at the back with streamers
offers proof.
going down.
For a formal look, Keveza suggests adding a
For a city hall-appropriate outfit, a short white
black trim to your veil or black buttons down
dress and a simple black ribbon choker will
the back of your ball gown.
look so chic.
52 PAGE
53 PAGE
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017
SEIJI FUJIMORI
As Keveza put it, it's all about the accents. "Depending on how it’s done, black can look very bridal, " she says. "I want to encourage brides to get out of that white box. White is only something we’ve been wearing for about 120 years. Maybe with these little accents of black and white, we’ll help brides edge out of that box and start thinking about other options." POSTED IN: FASHION, ROMONA KEVEZA, WEDDING DRESSES,
SEIJI FUJIMORI
WEDDINGS
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017
www.ctmagazine.tk
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017
PAGE 54
JOHNNY DEPP WOULD TELL HIS YOUNGER SELF TO QUIT SHOWBIZ Disney - 2017(SHANGHAI) -- Despite being the highest paid star in Hollywood -- at least as of a few years ago -- Johnny Depp has some mixed feelings about the movie business. At the the historic world premiere of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales in Shanghai, China, Depp was asked by Entertainment Tonight what advice he'd give his younger self. The 53-year-old said, laughing, "I would have said get out of this business immediately..."No, I would." If younger Depp would have wanted to remain an actor, his older self, "would have said, 'Get ready, it's gonna get weird.'" That might have been an allusion to some negative headlines he's suffered of late, relating to his messy divorce from Amber Heard, which exposed Depp's reportedly extravagant spending habits. Johnny Depp's fifth cinematic voyage as slurry swashbuckler Captain Jack Sparrow, which also stars Orlando Bloom and Javier Bardem, opens May 26. Copyright Š 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
CHRISITAN TIMES MAGAZINE
ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017 | PAGE 55
JESSICA CHASTAIN: 5 WAYS SHE WANTS HOLLYWOOD TO CHANGE News Source: BBC By Steven McIntosh Entertainment reporter
Chastain plays the lead role in Miss Sloane, which is released in the UK this weekend KERRY HAYES
It's difficult to find a more varied CV in Hollywood than Jessica Chastain's.
say Elizabeth Sloane is a woman, so that makes her feminine. "Femininity for each person is whatever they define it to be, and to say that femininity is to be soft, kind, loving, compassionate and weak, and masculinity is aggression, power, ambition and strength - [we're in] 2017 and we need to move away from that."
She's played a CIA analyst in Zero Dark Thirty, a housewife in The Help and is about to be seen as a ruthless lobbyist in political thriller Miss Sloane. But having worked in the industry for well over a decade, Chastain says she remains disappointed by many aspects of Hollywood. KERRY HAYES The actress spoke to BBC News during a visit to London last week, and shared her thoughts on what exactly needs to change. 1) Some film critics need to open their minds
Obviously all actors dislike bad reviews, but Chastain's problem is a little more specific - she thinks some critics are too close-minded. "I had a lot of problems with Zero Dark Thirty and some reviews of Miss Sloane," she says. "[Some reviews] said 'Yes it's a great character, but why an't she be a women, why does she have to be so masculine?'. "And I want to go back to those people and
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017
PAGE 56
A third Pitch Perfect film is currently being made after the huge success of the first two UNIVERSAL PICTURES
KERRY HAYES
KERRY HAYES
2) Learning lines needs to be second nature to actors Earlier this month, Johnny Depp's former managers claimed the actor is often fed his lines through an earpiece instead of actually learning them. Chastain had, err, an interesting reaction to this when we mentioned it to her (see the video above). And it's fair to say her policy for learning the huge amount of dialogue in Miss Sloane was slightly different to Depp's. "My technique is working hard," she says simply. "So on the weekends before I go into my work week I spend my entire day working on a script. "I couldn't search for my lines, it had to be cold, it had to be second nature, and the only way to get that is to spend the hours doing it."
3) More films with female ensemble casts need to be made Mark Strong co-stars in Miss Sloane alongside Chastain KERRY HAYES
You could certainly argue that Hollywood has come along way since Chastain's 2009 film The Help, which had an allfemale principle cast. Since then, we've seen films with female ensemble casts slay the box office - such as Bridesmaids, Ghost busters and Pitch Perfect. But, in the grand scheme of things, such films are still few and far between, perhaps because of Hollywood's reluctance to put women center stage. "It's so old-fashioned, we don't have very many of them," Chastain says. She points out: "Films with male ensembles don't work all the time and no-one talks about it." "So I think we need to acknowledge that movies with female ensembles have a greater chance of making money than movies with male ensembles, and it's because the audience wants diversity in their storytelling - they want stories they haven't seen before."
4) Actors need a little less conversation, a little more action Chastain plays the lead role in political thriller Miss Sloane
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017
PAGE 56
KERRY HAYES
Mark Strong co-stars in Miss Sloane alongside Chastain
Diversity has been a hot topic in Hollywood for some time, not least with #OscarsSoWhite and the move by some awards ceremonies to scrap gender-specific categories. It's become fashionable for actors and industry types to back campaigns for more diversity, but Chastain thinks not enough people are putting their money where their mouth is. "I think there's a lot of talk going on, but if you're part of the industry you're part of the problem, so you need to put your talk into action," she says. "It's not enough to say 'Oh there's a wage gap' and 'Oh only 7% of American film directors are women', you have to say, 'Well if I'm part of the KERRY HAYES industry I'm part of the problem, what can I do to help?'. "And so I'm doing whatever I can to work with female film-makers. I'm always speaking up whenever I see an injustice. I'm always doing whatever I can to create opportunities for people who haven't had a voice in American cinema. She's not kidding - one of Chastain's most recent films was The Zookeeper's Wife, directed by Niki Caro, who recently became only the fifth woman to direct a film budgeted at more than $100m. "I feel like 'okay I'm doing my part', but everyone needs to do their part and once we do we're going to hopefully have a more balanced industry," Chastain adds.
5) Audiences need to be challenged more
Chastain's character in Miss Sloane is ruthless, tough and smart - a role she thinks will help audiences start to see female characters in a new way. "I was really excited about playing the smartest person in the room, I knew it was going to be a big challenge," Chastain says of the role. I liked to play a character who shattered a stereotype of what a woman is supposed to be. "I think an audience isn't used to seeing a woman who isn't a caregiver. Society expects women to be the nurturers of their families and to be mothers and to want that - and Elizabeth Sloane doesn't want that. KERRY HAYES
Chastain plays the lead role in political thriller Miss Sloane
Miss Sloane is released in UK cinemas this weekend.
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 6 - MAY 2017
PAGE 57
Harry Potter prequel stolen in Birmingham burglary The prequel was handwritten on a postcard by JK Rowling
GETTY IMAGES
A Harry Potter prequel handwritten on a postcard by JK Rowling has been stolen in a burglary in Birmingham. The manuscript was penned on both sides of an A5 card for a charity auction nine years ago and sold for £25,000. The untitled 800-word work was taken from Howard Road, Kings Heath. Reportedly set three years before Harry Potter's birth, it features the schoolboy wizard's father James Potter, and godfather Sirius Black, when they were teenagers. Motorbike chase They are confronted by two "muggle" policemen after a high-speed motorbike chase but manage to escape on broomsticks. The manuscript and jewellery were taken during the break-in between 13 and 24 April, West Midlands Police said.
The force is issuing the plea for information almost one month on, in the hope "the appeal goes far and wide among Harry Potter fans throughout the world". Investigating officer PC Paul Jauncey said: "The only people who will buy this unique piece are true Harry Potter fans. "We are appealing to anyone who sees, or is offered this item for sale, to contact police." The prequel was among several works donated by authors, including Sebastian Faulks and Doris Lessing, to an auction held in 2008 to raise funds for English PEN, which promotes understanding through literature, and Dyslexia Action.
NEWS SOURCE: BBC Chastain plays the lead role in political thriller Miss Sloane
"This book tells the life of David Clarke who’s formative years were those in Aylesbury. He was born in Oldham. The family moved to Aylesbury in 1962 and lived on the Bedgrove estate having sold their family shop village shop, in Wilstone. David and his elder brother Michael grew up in Aylesbury but unfortunate became young criminals. Michael was sent to Detention Centre, Borstal and then Maidstone prison. David was sent to Dover Borstal at the age of 17. On David’s release from Dover Borstal, in 1968 he spent his life dealing with drugs and crime until he had a sudden conversion from crime to Christianity. He turned his back on crime and learned to read to educate himself, which lead of him to make a confession to the police to 24 undetected crime. that he had committed since leaving Dover Borstal in 1968. He went on to higher eduction, graduated with a Certificate in Education awarded by Birmingham University, married and moved to Bierton where he became a Baptist minister at the Bierton Particular Baptist church. He continued his work as a lecturer teaching electronics for over 20 years, in colleges of Further and Higher Education. This book tells of those significant events in his life and Christian work he was engages in, not only in Aylesbury and Bierton but also in the Philippines that has now extended to Pakistan.
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