Glad Tidings Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8
Volume 1 4, Issue 1
Januar y/ Febr uar y 20 10
Glad Tidings January/February 2010
Glad Tidings Something to Consider ....................... p. 3
is published six times per year by
by Vince Finnegan
Living Hope International Ministries 458 Old Niskayuna Road,
Way of Being As A Christian ............. p. 4
Latham, New York 12110 USA
by Mary Ann Yaconis Revere God’s Name ........................... p. 6
Office
518.785.8888
by Vince Finnegan
Fax
518.785.1990
Interpreting Jesus’ Birth .................... p. 8
info@kingdomready.org
by Sean Finnegan
Website www.kingdomready.org
Congo Connection .............................. p. 12 by Richard and Cheryl Elton Demonology......................................... p.14 by Vince Finnegan
Glad Tidings is mailed free to anyone who requests it. Scriptures are taken from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise noted.
mark your calendar with these important dates!! March 19th - 21st Kingdom Fest Weekend at Woodloch ———————————————— June 27th - July 3rd Family Camp 2010 at Silver Bay ———————————————— July 25th - 30th Teen Camp 2010 at Silver Bay 2
Proverbs 28:14 (KJV) “Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.”
SOMETHING TO CONSIDER
Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
Pursuit of Happiness
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Jesus talked about happiness at the last supper after he washed the feet of the disciples. He told them his actions served as an example that they were to follow, and if they did – “happy are ye if ye do them.” Jesus often spoke paradoxically. For the most part, people think that happiness would come while being served and certainly not by serving others. The Sermon on the Mount begins with the beatitudes which give the impression of also being paradoxical and place happiness on a high and holy plane. Each of the godly attitudes mentioned begin with the word “blessed” which is very similar to “happy.” The blessedness he spoke of, though, seems to be infinitely higher and better than mere happiness. Jesus puts before us that moral quality and pure character rather than outward activity provide happiness. Humility, mourning, meekness, mercy, hunger and thirst for righteousness, and so on are the “stuff” of which happiness is made.
appiness, or the pursuit thereof, seems to be a primary impetus for determining behavior. The variety and extreme things that people do to gain happiness are breathtaking. The pursuit often leads us to sinful conduct such as gluttony, greed, covetousness, and lust which cause misery rather than happiness. The epistle of Timothy says that such harmful desires plunge men into ruin and destruction, piercing themselves with many sorrows. True happiness can be found, according to the Scriptures, but not the way the majority would consider. Psalms 144:15 (KJV) “…happy is that people, whose God is the LORD [Yahweh].”
Psalms 146:5 (KJV) “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD [Yahweh] his God.” Proverbs 3:13 and 18 (KJV) “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding… She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is every one that retaineth her.”
The beginnings of a new year are a good time to examine yourself and to realign priorities to coincide with the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ. Living for the glory of God with a view to the coming Kingdom is a lifetime commitment that is accomplished on a daily basis. Today is a great day to pursue happiness God’s way.
Proverbs 14:21 (KJV) “He that despiseth his neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on the poor, happy is he.” Proverbs 16:20 (KJV) “He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.” 3
Way Of Being as a Christian by Mary Ann Yaconis
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odern statistics show that Christians are as prone to divorce, mental illnesses, living together without marriage, out of wedlock children, and financial difficulties as those who do not accept Christ. Why should this be so? Statistics are not always accurate, and even if these particular ones aren’t exact, they are still alarming. Maybe just believing on Christ isn’t enough. Close attention and faithful hard work have to be given to our way of being as a Christian.
Romans 8: 12-13 “So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” Hearing about God and His Son Jesus Christ and accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior
provide the way for us to become children of God. So, if one believes on Christ, then shouldn’t everyday living be just fine with no marital issues, no financial problems, no frustrations and disappointments, and no addictive behaviors? Too many times, Christians deny that they can have problems just because they have Christ. This denial puts Christians right into the hands of the evil one, Satan, who then deceives them into thinking that because they believe in God and Christ, they do not have to address poor relational and life skills. Our way of being a Christian, our life sermon that people see, cannot be dismissed as nonessential.
living, which are certainly those of the flesh – like jobs or relationships – and yet live according to the things of the Spirit? The Christian way of being is to be mindful of God’s ways and to have selfdiscipline to obey. The flesh and its cravings, hurts, pains, fr u s t r a tio n s , and d is appointments cannot be the impetus for how we interact with the world. If these ways of being appear to “control” behaviors, a look is needed into what is kept in our heart. The heart is where the issues of life emanate. One woman’s sister knew God’s Word and kept it in her heart. This helped her to see God’s goodness in their depraved situation.
Romans 8:5 “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”
Corrie Ten Boom and her sister Betsie were in Ravensbruck, a concentration camp in Germany during World War II. Corrie and Betsie were Christians who hid Jews in their home and were turned in to the German police by a “friend.” God provided for them to keep a section of Scripture which i n c l u d e d IThessalonians 5 : 1 8 , “ i n everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” In response, Corrie’s
How do we pay attention to the activities of everyday
(Continued on page 5)
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(Continued from page 4)
sister was thankful to God even for an overwhelming infestation of fleas in their barracks for which Corrie could not bring herself to be thankful. Later on, Corrie realized that the fleas were very godly because they kept the brutal guards out of the barracks which meant that Corrie and Betsie had freedom to teach fellow prisoners about God and Christ. It amazed Corrie that her sister could live above the circumstances and consistently maintain the Word of God in untenable situations. Financial ruin; a difficult job, friendship, or marital relations may appear like an infestation of fleas; yet, our responses to these situations must be according to the Scriptures.
and comfort in God and the Scriptures or in selfmedications? Christians have to be brutally honest with their lives. We can’t just think that the fleas do not exist or that they will just disappear. Life can be very hard and harsh, unfair and painful; yet, there is no pit so deep that God isn’t deeper still. Those whose way of being is faint of heart, hypocritical, and disingenuous will continue to be worldly statistics. God admonishes us that we are to live for Him, no matter in what infestation we find ourselves. We can rise above the world through living as Christ taught us.
Psalms 119:11 “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against you.” Having God’s Word in our heart keeps us from sin. As difficulties come up: (a) take them to God in prayer for healing of wounds, (b) read Scriptures, and (c) resist old behaviors by developing godly new ones. Do I love my family as God would have me love? Do I steward my finances as God would have me? Am I putting time and effort into teaching and training my children/teens to be mature Christians? Do I find solace
Matthew 5:20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” We are to suffer as a Christian for moving the gospel, not for unhappy interpersonal relationships and life skills problems. The Body of Christ is made up of those who love 5
God and strive to live together in unity. Yet, Christians have affairs; sexual, drug, and alcohol addictions; multiple angry outbursts; and emotional cutoffs from family and friends over offenses, just as unbelievers do. In fact, it has been said at times that those who are not Christians appear be kinder and more honest in business dealings than those who are supposed to be as Christ. The Christian way of living is to be one of a much higher standard than that of the flesh or world. We are to love as Christ loved, be kind, tenderhearted, forgive, and not judge others, harbor bitterness, nor desire fleshly desires. Loving God more than our own selves and being passionate about living the commandments of God will provide for us our way of being until Christ returns. We may feel like we are stuck in gooey, sticky clay, but waiting patiently for the LORD and living life honestly before Him, we will be delivered. Psalms 40:1-3 “I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear and will trust in the LORD.”
Revere God’s name By Vince Finnegan
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hen I meet someone for the first time, usually I introduce myself by saying, “Hello, my name is Vince.” I cannot remember a time when someone argued with me about my name or refused to call me by my name or presumptuously decided to change it to suit their liking. Such behavior would be unthinkable and offensive. Yet, this is exactly what happens to Almighty God! He has identified Himself by name repeatedly, thousands of times, in the Scriptures; yet, most people do not know His name. His seemingly devoted followers refuse to speak or write His name. In most Bibles, His name has been replaced with “LORD.” Those who do refer to Him by name do so with a name that some men made up hundreds of years after the writing of the Bible. He is commonly called Jehovah, which is a manmade name! Some have a very cavalier attitude about God’s name and say, “What difference does it make?” When someone calls us by the wrong name, we get offended. If people forget our name, we are tempted to think they do not really value or care about us. However, with God we conclude what difference does
it make? God’s name is very, very important and should be known and revered by all mankind. His name is YHWH – pronounced Yahweh.
Isaiah 51:15 "For I am the LORD [Yahweh] your God, who stirs up the sea and its waves roar (the LORD [Yahweh] of hosts is His name).” Jeremiah 33:2 “Thus says the LORD (Yahweh) who made the earth, the LORD (Yahweh) who formed it to establish it, the LORD (Yahweh) is His name,”
Exodus 3:15 God, furthermore, said to Moses, "Thus you shall say to the sons of Israel, ‘The LORD [Yahweh], the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is My name forever, and this is My memorial-name to all generations. Psalms 83:18 “That they may know that You alone, whose name is the LORD [Yahweh], Are the Most High over all the earth.” Isaiah 42:8 “I am the LORD (Yahweh), that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images.” 6
Hosea 12:5 “Even the LORD [Yahweh], the God of hosts, The LORD [Yahweh] is His name.” When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he magnified that which was and should always be of concern to those who love God. He said, “Hallowed be Your name.” Those who came before Jesus also acknowledged the holiness and sacredness of His name, which is recorded in many of the Psalms. Psalms 5:11 “But let all who take refuge in You be glad, Let them ever sing for joy; And may You shelter them, That those who love Your name may exult in You.” Psalms 7:17
“I will give (Continued on page 7)
(Continued from page 6)
thanks to the LORD [Yahweh] according to His righteousness And will sing praise to the name of the LORD [Yahweh] Most High.” Psalms 34:3 “O magnify the LORD [Yahweh] with me, And let us exalt His name together.” Psalms 66:2 “Sing the glory of His name; Make His praise glorious.” Psalms 68:4 “Sing to God, sing praises to His name; Lift up a song for Him who rides through the deserts, Whose name is the LORD [Yahweh], and exult before Him.” Psalms 103:1 “A Psalm of David. Bless the LORD [Yahweh], O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name.”
formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.” At one point in history, the Jews decided that they should not speak the name of God for fear of violating the second commandment – “You shall not take the name of the LORD [Yahweh] your God in vain.” They also decided that they should not write His name, so they replaced it with the Hebrew “Adonai” which means Lord. The Bible records a multitude of occurrences of Israel’s stubborn and arrogant ways throughout history. They often determined how they were going to worship rather than submitting to Yahweh’s clear and repeated instructions. They worshipped as it pleased them and disregarded the desires of Almighty God. Their dealings with the name of God should not be embraced as a standard to follow since it contradicts what is clearly communicated in the Scriptures. Nowhere in the
Bible does God indicate that He wants His name hidden or not spoken; rather, the opposite is emphatically communicated. He wanted Israel and all the generations that followed to know His name. Psalms 45:17 “I will cause Your name to be remembered in all generations; Therefore the peoples will give You thanks forever and ever.” Psalms 72:17 “May his name endure forever; May his name increase as long as the sun shines; And let men bless themselves by him; Let all nations call him blessed.” Psalms 102:12 “But You, O LORD [Yahweh], abide forever, And Your name to all generations.” Psalms 135:13 “Your name, O LORD [Yahweh], is everlasting, Your remembrance, O LORD (Yahweh), throughout all generations.
Psalms 105:1 “Oh give thanks to the LORD [Yahweh], call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples.” Psalms 105:3 “Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD [Yahweh] be glad.” Isaiah 25:1 “O LORD [Yahweh], You are my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have worked wonders, Plans (Continued on page 10)
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Interpreting Jesus’ Birth
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By Sean Finnegan nterpretation #1:
From eternity past, the Father, the Son, and the holy spirit existed as a community of one, perfect in love, harmony, and joy. In the eternal counsels of this triune God, the plan of salvation for the yet-to-becreated human race was decreed. The only question was who would go. Overwhelmed with selfsacrificial love, the Son volunteered to humble himself by uniting humanity to his divinity, veiling his deity by taking on human flesh. Two thousand years ago, this salvation plan was carried out by the second person of the Trinity. He entered the virgin womb of Mary, and suddenly, she became pregnant with God the Son. He was perfect God and perfect man, not half divine and half human like Hercules, but fully God and fully man in a totally unique way. This incredible event is called the incarnation — the moment when God became man for our salvation. In fact, the cross is not really the most important event for redemption, the incarnation is. For without the humbling act of God giving up His divine prerogatives to condescend to the lowly state of a first century
Palestinian Jew, the cross would mean nothing. Thus, in the grand scheme of things, the incarnation is the premier event that brought God to man so that man could be reconciled with God.
Interpretation #2:
Throughout all of human history, from the instant God promised to defeat the serpent through a descendant of Eve, God has been working to bring His plan into fruition. A millennium before Christ, an upstart Jewish king was promised that one of his descendants would rule over Israel forever. God promised King David that he would father this descendant who would then be both a son of David and a Son of 8
God. Generation after generation, Jewish women of Davidic ancestry hoped that they might be the one to give birth to the Messiah. Then, two thousand years ago, a Jewish teenager from a tiny village in northern Galilee was visited by the angel Gabriel. She was informed that she would have a son through a divine miracle. This child would be great; he would be called the Son of the Most High; he would rule over Jacob on the throne of David forever. In the face of suffering a scandalous reputation, Mary a model believer for all subsequent generations, said, “May it be done to me according to your word.” In fact, Joseph, Mary’s fiancé, nearly broke the engagement off when he found out that she was pregnant, that is until an angel intervened to confirm what she had said. Thus, was born the Davidic King— the one who would be anointed to rule Israel and through Israel, to bless all of the nations; the one who would set right the whole series of wrongs that had begun with Adam; the one who would voluntarily give up his own righteous life on behalf of others who did not deserve it. Finally, at long last, the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, was born. (Continued on page 9)
(Continued from page 8)
Which story do you believe? Though most Christians have no difficulty in combining these two descriptions of Jesus’ birth, we would do well to recognize that the two have different origins. One derives its content from the theologically complex propositions of Christian philosophers which were developed many years after the New Testament had been completed. The other is taken directly from the Scriptures. If the former is correct, it necessarily would cast a long shadow upon the latter, and it effectively would eclipse the simplicity and elegance of the historical facts about Jesus. Whereas the first version extols the self-sacrificial act of God the Son who existed apart from and prior to humanity, the second focuses on how God carried out His plans within time by working within the human
race. In the first, the message is that humanity is a depraved and helpless species in need of alien salvation. The second conveys the idea that God is able to save mankind through a man, which thereby gives dignity and hope to all humans. In fact, from the point of view of the second account, Jesus is a new Adam —- a new humanity — who succeeds where the former had failed. He gives the human race hope that, with God’s help, we can overcome sin and death. God does not throw up His hands in frustration and say to Himself, “I guess I’ll just have to go down there and do it Myself.” Instead, God looks down and says that these people are made in My image, they are worth saving, and I have a plan to work through human frailty to save them all. Thus, through the weakness of human flesh, God brought about salvation in and through the quintessential man who willingly resisted the temptation to rebel and instead humbly obeyed his Father to the uttermost. Our Lord could have sinned; he could have fallen prey to the deceptiveness of the Serpent; he could have grasped for equality with God; he could have esteemed his own life too precious to
“God does not throw up His hands in frustration and say to Himself, `I guess I’ll just have to go down there and do it Myself,` Instead, God looks down and says that these people are made in My image, they are worth saving. . . .”
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lay down; he could have chosen to exert his royal authority to rule over the world as a co-ruler with the god of this age; he could have called legions of angels to protect him from torture and death at the hands of twisted men; he could have come off the cross in a staggering demonstration of his innocence; but he did not. This miracle man consistently and tirelessly walked the narrow path that his Father had set for him. Hallelujah! Praise to God who loved so much that He gave His only begotten Son. Praise to Jesus who loved so much that he obeyed his God to his last strained breath. It is a beautiful story, a story too easily lost when overlaid with mythology and too easily cheapened with an indestructible God in the guise of human flesh. May God give us courage to share the Bible’s real story with others who have been duped into substituting the flashy counterfeit for what really happened.
Psalms 99:3 “Let them praise Your great and awesome name; Holy is He.”
Psalms 145:2 “Every day I will bless You, And I will praise Your name forever and ever.”
Psalms 113:1 “Praise the LORD [Yahweh]! Praise, O servants of the LORD [Yahweh], Praise the name of the LORD [Yahweh].”
Psalms 145:21 “My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD [Yahweh], And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.”
Psalms 135:1 “Praise the LORD [Yahweh]! Praise the name of the LORD [Yahweh]; Praise Him, O servants of the LORD [Yahweh],”
Psalms 148:5 “Let them praise the name of the LORD [Yahweh], For He commanded and they were created.”
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In the next issue of Glad Tidings, we will focus on when and how the name of God was eliminated from the Bible. To close this article, we can review some of the many places we are instructed to praise the name of God. Consider some of the many places we are told to praise His name: Psalms 30:4 “Sing praise to the LORD [Yahweh], you His godly ones, and give thanks to His holy name.” Psalms 66:2 “Sing the glory of His name; Make His praise glorious.” Psalms 69:30 “I will praise the name of God with song And magnify Him with thanksgiving.”
Psalms 135:3 “Praise the LORD [Yahweh], for the LORD [Yahweh] is good; Sing praises to His name, for it is lovely.” Psalms 145:1 “I will extol You, my God, O King, And I will bless Your name forever and ever.”
Psalms 148:13 “Let them praise the name of the LORD, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above earth and heaven.” Psalms 149:3 “Let them praise His name with dancing; Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and lyre.”
God bless you this New Year 10
CHANGE TO CHANGE with the supernatural power of God.
Change to Change focuses on the vital changes necessary to facilitate real and lasting change. The courage to change, prayers for change, and the final change are the main emphasis of the book. Topics communicated are:
WHY CHANGE?
Repentance
Change – extraordinary change – is readily available
Right Associations
• Life with God is vastly superior to life without Him. The
Discipleship
contrast is one of death to life. Jesus came that we might
Honesty
have life, and that we might have it more abundantly,
Relationships
according to John 10:10.
Controlling Your Thinking
• In the end, every soul will be judged according to how he or
Serving Others
she believed and lived. Those who chose to live God’s way will be rewarded with entrance into God’s glorious Kingdom forevermore. Those who refused to change will be judged unto eternal damnation.
Satan’s Traps Overcoming Offenses Withstanding Temptations
• We should want to change simply because God is God. "The Lord is the true God, He is the living God, and an
Contact Living Hope International Ministries to order.
everlasting King..." (Jeremiah 10:10). The only proper
Living Hope International Ministries
response to the loving God Who is the Creator of
458 Old Niskayuna Rd
everything is to live wholeheartedly for Him.
Latham NY 12110
info@KingdomReady.org (518) 785-8888
BEATITUDES (Matthew 5:35:3-12) Blessed are the humble, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great. 11
Congo Connection By Richard and Cheryl Elton
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he 2009-2010 school year is well underway in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Schooling in the Congo is much different than in North America, where we enjoy a well endowed public education system. In the Congo, each family must pay for their children to attend school.
His Story – God’s Purpose of the Ages, and other
joy! A number of them saw this as a specific answer to prayers for their children.
teachings Rev. Finnegan shared with them when he visited last August.
Rev. Samuel Lulekamu (known to most as Kael), has sent similar reports. The thankfulness on the faces of the parents in his fellowship was unmistakable.
For many, this information is new and confronting; yet, the saints are searching the Scriptures to understand it more fully and are embracing the message.
“This year 33 children from the
In such a povertystricken area of the world, this places a huge financial burden on parents, many of whom simply cannot afford to pay. As a result, it is not uncommon for children to sometimes miss years of school and fall behind.
Congo fellowships are being sponsored by believers . . .
Living Hope International Ministries . . . Rev.
through
Kennedy informs us that there was great joy among the parents . . . so much so that some of them were crying tears of joy!
number of them saw this as This year, 33 children from the specific answer to prayers” Congo fellowships are being sponsored by believers here in North America Fellowships are growing – through Living Hope Internawith God’s help tional Ministries. This enables these children to continue their education. Across the Congo River, the fellowships in Brazzaville are meeting in “house Rev. Kennedy Kutukwa churches.” Three are acNsilulu informs us that there tively running, and a fourth was great joy among the is planned to start soon. parents upon receiving news These groups are spending that someone was providing a lot of time learning and for their child’s education – teaching the Gospel of the so much so that some of Kingdom of God, the class them were crying tears of 12
A a
Back in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Gospel is also moving out. In January, Kael’s church plans to send out their first wave of Ambassadors, called “Ministers of Reconciliation.” These people will be going out for three months to preach the Gospel. At the end of January, the class Lord, Teach Us to Pray is planned followed by The Heart of Christian Living in February. All three of the churches we are partnering with in the Congo have asked for our prayerful support in these endeavors – so please, remember these dear brothers and sisters in your prayers! (To make a financial donation, send your check to Liv-
ing Hope International Ministries, with the note “Congo Fund” on it.)
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Rev. Kennedy Kutukwa Nsilulu with children who have been sponsored
NDEMBO KAMUE and NDEMBO PRISCA Children being sponsored
Jordi N’SEKA ELIWA Child being sponsored
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Demonology By Vince Finnegan
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any books have been written on the subject of demonology, and some are better than others. A common style for writing on the subject is to use experiences as the standard for understanding and to draw universal conclusions based on incidents. The problem with this method is that as powerfully persuasive as experience may be, it is not always founded upon truth. Many people believe lies based upon their experience. A woman may believe she is unlovable because her parents rejected her. However, the truth is her parents had a problem, not her. A man believes he is inferior to everyone else because as a child, classmates humiliated him. He is not inferior; rather, the children were meanspirited. It seems all of us believe lies based upon our experience. So experience is not a reliable teacher or standard for determining truth.
The Scriptures provide the trustworthy standard to establish the truth on this subject as well as all subjects. In the last issue of Glad Tidings, we
introduced the topic of demonology which we will now continue to examine by using the Bible as our sole resource. Matthew 8:28 “When He [Jesus] came to the other side into the country of the Gadarenes, two men who were demon-possessed [daimonizomai] met Him as they were coming out of the tombs. They were so extremely violent that no one could pass by that way.” Although strongly impinged upon by the demons, these men were still able to approach Jesus. This incident and the many similar recorded in the Gospels indicate that no matter how grave the demon influence, the individual can still seek God’s help and receive deliverance. The word “possessed” in this context should be understood to mean influenced or controlled by and not ownership. The word can mean ownership as in Almighty God is the possessor of heaven and earth. The temptation is to conclude wrongly that d e m o n possession i m p l i e s ownership, which in a 14
subtle way causes hopelessness. We must never forget the introductory information about the devil recorded in Genesis chapter three. He was called the serpent which describes his crafty manner rather than his appearance. The person occupied is not the possession of the demon. Those who believe they are owned by demons have the tendency to be hopeless and deceived in thinking that freedom is out of their control which plays into the devil’s hand. Even people such as these men who were greatly tormented by demons had the ability to exercise their free will and received freedom. The two English words “demon possessed” are translated from the one Greek word daimonizomai which is better understood as demon occupied. The emphasis is on living within and not owning someone. Matthew 8:29 “And they cried out, saying, ‘What business do we have with each other, Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?’" The men approached Jesus, but the demons spoke to him. We have no reason to conclude that the demons had a weird Hollywoodish voice. It seems like the men spoke (Continued on page 15)
Jesus had overwhelming power and supreme authority over all the demons. He simply said one word “GO,” and they had to obey. normally, but the demons determined what they said. Subsequent accounts suggest the same. The demons knew Jesus was the Son of God and that their destiny was already determined which is now written in Revelation 20 – the lake of fire. They also understood that there is a set time appointed which they concluded was not yet. Furthermore, they knew Jesus had authority over them. Historical biblical occurences such as this one are woven throughout the Scriptures and provide a general overview of the spiritual warfare that continues to rage. Biblically ignorant people are oblivious to the spiritual realm and consequently do not even know that demons exist. Yet, the devil and his evil spirits continuously and relentlessly attack humanity and instigate enormous evil along with immeasurable torment.
Ironically, they accused Jesus of that which they themselves do, that is torment. Matthew 8:30-32 “Now there was a herd of many swine feeding at a distance from them. The demons began to entreat Him, saying, ‘If You are going to cast us out, send us into the herd of swine.’ And He said to them, ‘Go!’ And they came out and went into the swine, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and perished in the waters.” Demons want to inhabit people. They are o f t e n referred to as unclean or evil and apparently perform their hideous wickedness most 15
effectively while inhabiting humans. The trepidation of not having a home caused them to desire entrance into the swine, which did not work out extremely well. The most vital conclusion to be drawn from this incident is that Jesus had overwhelming power and supreme authority over all the demons. He simply said one word “GO,” and they had to obey. Later, Jesus gives this same authority to his apostles and again to his disciples, and before he ascended, he delegated it to all those who believe. Matthew 8:33 and 34 “The herdsmen ran away, and went to the city and reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw Him, they implored Him to leave their region.” Instead of responding with joy, thankfulness, and faith, the multitude asked Jesus to leave their region. Their wrong interpretation of this event caused them to act the opposite of what was appropriate. The supernatural is still unsettling and upsetting for many people. It seems easier just to dismiss or d en y i t s aut he nticit y. However, such ignorance does not change anything; rather, it dooms one to ruin by Satan’s deception.
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The Shema “Hear, O Israel! Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one!” Deuteronomy 6:4
Praise Yahweh! Praise Yahweh from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! Psalms 148:1