NOVEMBER6DECEMBER EDITION OF THE SHEPHERDS MAGAZINE

NOVEMBER –DECEMBER EDITION OF SHEPHERDS WITHOUT BORDERS LIGHTHOUSE BUGLE MAGAZINE

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek….To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God…. to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. (Isa 61: 1ff)

FAITHFUL GOD MINISTRY AND AFRICAN VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH (PICTORIAL PAGE OF EVENTS AND LINKS TO VIDEO COVERAGE INCLUDED)

Mourning for a land wasted and empty: ADDED BY LARS WIDERBERG

Mormonism: The Things You Never Knew By: Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D. Speaking Out Against False Teachers: BY BISHOP J.M.GILSON LEVI

WHILE CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS; JEWS CELEBRATE CHANUKAKAH A RESEARCH ON DECEMBER 25th HOLIDAYS: BY EVANGELIST FAVOR P. LIBERTY

SHEPHERDS WITHOUT BORDERS LIGHTHOUSE BUGLE MINISTRIES / AFRICAN VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS INTERNATIONAL AND OUR PARTNERS WORLDWIDE WISH YOU A VERY HAPPY HOLIDAYS CELEBRATION!!!!!!! GOD WANTS TO GIVE YOU A SECOND CHANCE TO TURN TO HIM

Repentance--What Is It? BY KENNETH WHITE

Repentance means changing one`s mind, so that one`s views, values, goals, and ways are changed, and one`s whole life is lived differently. Mind and judgment, will and affections, behavior and lifestyle, motives and plans; are all involved.

Repenting means starting to live a new life.

The call to repent was the fundamental sermons in the preaching of John the Baptist(Matt 3:2), Jesus(Matt 4:17), the twelve (Mark 6:12), Peter at Pentecost(Acts 2:38), Paul to the Gentiles(Acts 17:30; 26:20), and the glorified Christ to five of the seven Churches in Asia(Rev. 2:5, 16, 22; 3:3, 19). It was part of Jesus`s summary of the gospel that was to be taken to all the world(Luke 24:47). It corresponds to the constant summons of the Old Testament Prophets to Israel to return to the God from whom they had strayed(e.g., Jer.23:22; 25:4, 5;Zech 1:3-6). Repentance is always set forth as the path to remission of sins and restoration to God`s favor, while impenitence is the road to ruin(e.g., Luke 13:18).

Faith and repentance are themselves fruits of regeration. But as a practical matter, repentance is inseperapable from faith. Turning towards Christ in faith is impossible without turning away from sin in repentance. The idea that there can be saving faith without repentance, and that you can be justified by embraceing Christ as Saviour while refusing Him as lord, is a dangerous error.

True faith acknowledges Christ as what He is, our God appointed King as well as our God given priest, and faith that trusts in him as Saviour will submit to Him as Lord also. To refuse this is to seek justification with and impenitant faith, which is no faith. The Westminster Confession says that in repenting-`a sinner out of the sight and senses, not only of the danger, but also the filthiness ond odiousness of his sins, contrary to the Holy nature and righteous nature of God, and upon apprehension of his mercy in Christ to such as are penitant, so grieves for and hates his sins as to turn from them all unto God, purposing and endeavoring to walk with Him in all the ways of His Commandments`(Westminister Confession, 15-2).

Feelings of remorse, self reproach, and sorrow for sin generated by fear of punishment, without any wish or resolve to forsake sinning should not be confused with repentance. David expresses true repentance in Psalms ch 51, having his heart the serious purpose of sinning no more, and living a righteous life. (Acts 26:20; Luke 3:8)...UNK

A Pure Heart: CATHERIN SKINNER

So the LORD said, “If you have the faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, “Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea, and in would obey you. Luke 17:6 Let’s be ruthlessly honest: Who really controls your life? If you are struggling under the illusion of your own power, ask God to show you the truth about yourself! Jesus taught about the power of sin, forgiveness and faith. He instilled a passion in his disciples for the Kingdom of God. As I look back over my life just for the past 20 years, I can see how things have changes for the good and the bad. Yes I did say the bad! The good thing about the past 20 years even up until this very day God has not forsaken me. The bad is that I have somewhat pulled away from God in certain areas of my life/walk with Him. He reminded me of my faith that all I needed was a mustard seed thereof. I could speak to this situation in my life and it would have to obey. The key to being obedience was I had to be obedience to the Word of God as well. I had to have faith that there was a power greater than my own. I neither could nor cannot save me or anyone else. No matter how much we try to save our loved ones we may find ourselves being lost to that which we held on to so strongly.

Trying to be in control I lost control! I let slip to away the passion I once had for the Kingdom of God. The fellowship we held so dearly. The intimacy that kept us as a threefold cord not easily broken. After walking away 7 years ago I find myself struggling with sins that so easily beset me. My focus is off and I spend more time fighting/running from God than I do with him. I had become spiritual lethargic and lost my passion for the Word and Presence of my God. Being filled with the Holy Spirit and now allowing Him to work the things of God within/out of you you are in sin. You grieve His Presence and he doesn’t take to kindly to that. I am so grateful to his faithfulness unto me and His love for me. It is by His grace that I am still among the living. I love Him so and I know His word says if you Love Me you will obey me and My Word. Well my action may not show it at times but my heart sure does cry out for and to Him. I thank God for His Kingdom dwelling within me in spite of myself. God looks at what is important that is going on within me than He does at my outer appearances or actions. God has placed His grace within me and I am reminded that to whom much is give much is required. For years I have asked God to heal me of the pain that lies within both spiritual and natural. Well guess what I was introduced to the truth about asking God to do this! I had been asking God to (heal) do super spiritual things within me when all the time He wanted to (cure) do a supernatural thing. To perfected/finish that which He started within me for His glory and good pleasure.

I learned that healing is for the church and cure is for the Kingdom of God. So now I ask God to cure me of all the pain within my spirit and body. I am learning more and more about the power of God. Once God changes your name, everything starts to work on the inside. Now my name (Catherin) means pure one. I know that there is nothing pure about me, but God said that my heart was pure.

This comes from Luke 13:32 man was I truly blessed and built up my most holy faith that I may go back into the fire and pull my brothers and sister that they too may be cured and saved by His mercy and grace.

Dear Abba-Father, I come humble and boldly before Your throne of grace, that I may obtain mercy and find favor with you once again. I not only pray for myself, but for each and every one that is struggling with sin. I have sinned against you and you only Lord God; therefore I repent of my actions of disobedience and being rebellious.

O God, I do not want to disobey you, for when I do I get a false confidence. Lord I will take heed to the supernatural treatment you have given me in the prescription of Your Holy Word. I will follow the formula therein. I submit my mind, body, soul and might unto Thee my God, a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto Thee, which is my reasonable service. And not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of my mind, that I may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of my God. Roman 12:1,2

I thank you that you would not give me a message to make a mess out of, but you gave me a message that you may be glorified within the message. Thanks you Lord for creating a clean hear within me and renewing a spirit that you may speaking to my heart to deliver Your Word to your people. Amen.

Inspired by the Word of God Written and Share by Catherin Skinner 12/20/12

HIS OUTSTRETCHED HAND BY MARGARET MULLINGS

Christmas day is fast approaching yet all around the globe it has been A very difficult year for many of us – loved ones have been taken away From us so suddenly and tragically, hearts are aching with sadness. Many People have no jobs and no source of income, this list can go on and on –Allow me to share with you of a difficult period in my life, it was mid Morning, there I lay upon my bed just thinking, when suddenly a gigantic Outstretched hand came through the window………awestruck and unable To move! I wondered, Lord, “what is happening to me?” Then these words Resounded, “See, I have you in my hand nothing and no one can take you Out of My hand.” – Just as suddenly as it came, the hand disappeared. Absolutely stunned – slowly rising from the bed, the Word spoke from Psalm 46:1 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

In your walk with Yahweh, the God, who redeems, whatever you are going Through, His outstretched hand is extended to you, to comfort and sustain You, not only during this Christmas, but daily He will be with you – The truth Is, it is so hard to be still when everything that can go wrong is going wrong And all around you is seems to be falling apart.

Yet the word is resounding From verse 10-11 of Psalm 46 “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted Among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

(11) “The Lord of hosts is With us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.” Yes, pause for a moment toThink about this and claim Abba Father’s promises for your life! Are you listening? I am so glad you are! The Word is speaking this time from the book of Isaiah 43:1-3 (1)”Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are mine.” (2)”When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and Through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.

When you walk through the Fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.” (3)”For I am the LORD your God, The Holy One of Israel, and your Savior;” His Outstretched Hand is Not only extended to you but you are in the palm of His hand! Have you forgotten, That nothing shall separate you from the love of your heavenly Father? Read it for Yourself from the book of Romans 8:35-39 (35)”Who shall separate us from the love Of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or Peril or sword?” (36)”As it is written: For your sake we are killed all day long; we are Accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” (37)”Yet in all these things we are more than Conquerors through Him who loved us.” (38)”For I am persuaded that neither death Nor life, nor angels or principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come;” (39)”nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us From the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Just as I was going through A difficult period in my life and He allowed me to see His outstretched hand and to Hear His comforting voice speaking to me. Yahweh, is speaking to you even now as You face a difficult Christmas – He will not allow any evil waters to over flow you, Neither will He allow the fiery trials which you maybe going through to burn you! His outstretched hand is keeping you in tact preserving you! He will not only bring You out victoriously through this Christmas, but through each day of your life – Make it a priority to remain faithful in the midst of adversity – may the true joy of Christmas warms your heart and fills you with hope – You are in His outstretched hand!

Speaking Out Against False Teachers: BY BISHOP J.M.GILSON LEVI

Many think it is wrong to speak out against false teachers, or to warn Christians not to follow particular teachers because of their teachings. What does the Bible say about this?

"The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron...If you point these things out to the brothers, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed" (1 Timothy 4:1-2,6). Notice that Paul specifically exhorts that the brethren should be made aware of false teachings. Notice that he says "if you point these things out to the brethren, you will be a good minister of Christ Jesus" (emphasis mine). So Paul is telling us that a "good minister of Christ Jesus" points out false teachings.

If that is not enough, how about "but there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovreign Lord who bought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves. Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up. Their condemnation has long been hanging over them, and their destruction has not been sleeping" (2 Peter 2:1-3).

Here Peter warns us of the rise of false teachers within the church.

But it is not without reason. Notice that the heresies they preach are "destructive" and that following them will "bring the way of truth into disrepute."

"But none of these verses mention specific teachers," you say? "Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, holding on to the faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith. Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme" (1 Timothy 1:18-20). "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have wandered away from the truth..." (2 Timothy 2:15-18). Here Paul has mentioned false teachers by name, in order that they be warned, and others be warned of their false teachings, and with purpose. The men mentioned here, through their false teachings, have "blaspheme[d]" and "shipwrecked their faith." By their false teachings ("godless chatter"), they and those who follow them "become more and more ungodly." In order that they may become more godly, we must turn them away from these ungodly teachings.

How do we do this? Compare what the preachers teach to what the Bible says.

Even Paul was not above having his teachings checked: "Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true" (Acts 17:11). Who could teach the Scriptures more reliably than Paul? Were the Bereans criticized for comparing his teachings to Scripture? No! On the contrary, they were commended for doing so. So why are those who question the teachings of some of the most popular preachers criticized?

Maybe this verse will help answer that question: "For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4).

We cannot judge anyone's heart or their motives. We must be very careful in this matter. "Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). We must not be hypocritical or judgemental in our correction. We must, however, examine every teaching that comes from every teacher in light of Holy Scripture. Scripture itself exhorts us to do so when it says, "dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1).

If I have not yet listed enough scripture warning against false teachers, then the following list of verses should help: Matthew 7:15-23; Matthew 24:10; Mark 22:23; Acts 20:25-31; Romans 16:1718; Galatians 1:6-9; Colossians 2:8,18-19; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 1 Timothy 1:18-20; 1 Timothy 4:1-8,16; 1 Timothy 5:3-10; 1 Timothy 6:20-21; 2 Timothy 2:14-18; 2 Timothy 3:1-9; 2 Timothy 4:1-5; Titus 1:9-16; 2 Peter 2:1-22; 2 Peter 3:14-18; 1 John 1:18-27; 1 John 4:1-6; 2 John 7-11; Jude 3-19 This is by no means a comprehensive list. Many others warnings exist in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Hopefully this has shown that, not only is it not wrong to confront and speak out against false teachers, but because of the spiritual devastation they cause, it is our obligation to Christ and the brethren to do so. Let me leave you with the words of the apostle Paul: "'I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears" (Acts 20:29-31).

In All Things Behold the Blessings ~ BY SUSAN CLARK

Gabby Douglas, who won gold for best gymnastics in the recent Olympics, said in an interview, "Hard days are the best, because that's when champions are made. If you push through the hard days you can get through anything."

She also shared that when she looked up at the scoreboard and saw her name in lights with the gold medal, it dawned on her that "all those days of practice when it was difficult and painful and I wanted to quit, it was worth it all."

The hardest days ahead will be our best days. It's what will make us champions and bring out God's almighty strength in us. God uses the enemy in our lives to turn things around.

We would have never heard of David if there hadn't been a Goliath. We would never have heard of Moses if there hadn't been a Pharaoh. The lion that came out against Samson only brought out God's anointing in him. Samson didn't know what was in him until the lion came against him. The lion brought it out of him. He later ate honey out of that lion's belly. Glory! These saints discovered that their enemies and trials came with upgrade attachments.

A Champion's Medals Are His Scars I have never seen a champion bull rider leave the arena without his face in the dirt, a limp, or wounded in some way. In spite of the glory of the moment, every bone in his body cries out with pain and he often requires assistance to get away from the bull and out of the arena.

When you see someone being used by the Lord and you think they are a champion in the Spirit, you don't know the pain that comes with overcoming their enemy. You can spot true champions from the false. They walk with a limp, and if you look real close, they will have a tear running down their championship face. And to your surprise, they are not confident after all, as their security has just been shaken at the very core of their being at the height of their success. I am learning not to be jealous of anyone who seems to be strongly anointed and being used by the Lord. I don't know how deep the scars go that brought them to this place or the suffering their anointing will cost them in the days ahead.

God's Delays Are His Appointments Waiting to become the next king of Israel while stuck with those few sheep probably caused David great frustration at times. The key to David's kingship was and still is, "Don't focus on what you are waiting for. Focus on the blessing right where you're at." What the Lord wanted to convey to David as well as us today is..."There's a bear coming to give you an upgrade in the Spirit! And the lion rug you always wanted on the floor of your tent is in the mail. If you miss Me in the waiting, you will miss what you are waiting for!"

In all things, behold the blessings.

Bill YountBlowing the Shofar Ministries Email: theshofarhasblown@juno.com

TOUGH TIMES....TOUGHER GOD! BY LINDA ROSE FAWKES

The last year has been like hell on earth! My youngest son aged 33 years old became critically ill! He had a problem in his brain that went undiagnosed and have to have major brain surgery last week! We didn't know if he would survive and many tears have been shed!

The prayers of many people have greatly helped and their encouragement has strengthened me to carry on!

He is married with young children and is now in the process of rehabilitation! I never dreamt we would go through such torment but God gave us his Grace daily to face another day!

I don't know what the future holds and it is a miracle he is still alive! He also turned to Jesus for help! Life can be very hard but our Lord will never fail us!

We may bend but we will not break! God holds us up!

Be encouraged precious friends! We can face any adversity with God's help!

THE PEACE OF OUR LORD JESUS BE WITH YOU ALL! Written by Linda Rose Fawkes (c) Copyright 2012

WITH GOD EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE!

Feelings: BY JEFF GODSOWN

So I would imagine, as I don’t have a clear view of the faces of those who read this, many will be thoroughly angered from what God is saying and I have penned in this message. To this and all of you who don’t like this, too bad, it’s time the so called people of God got right and quit their ignorant games! This message has come about because I have been talking with the Lord about something of a rather disturbing nature, which keeps popping up and in the last days, more prevalent than ever before. The lies people tell to justify or sanctify themselves to man, not having any form of reverent fear of God. The world justifies and sanctifies themselves through lies, that would be understood, given they don’t know God, but the problem here is; the church taught the world to act like this, through example. I have been looking for a computer tablet, not a specific manufactured brand, but a specific type, one that works off windows. I have a Bible study program that can only run from a windows based program; therefore, I have a need for a widows based tablet. I have been round and round with the local computer shop, places like Staples, and Office Depot, and a couple of other small time sales shops, looking for exactly what I need. Much to my surprise, they keep telling me over and over again, there is no such thing as what I’m looking for; I have done the research folks, so why lie to me. H P makes windows based tablets, they are rather expensive, Dell also manufactures a windows based tablet, and though the initial cost is low, they require that you buy this program and that protection which raises the cost of the tablet up to a level of cost equal to H P. Even telling these salesmen that the windows based tablets do exist, taking printed adds with me to show them, they still insist on lying to me.

Don’t anyone get on their high horse here and think or even say anything nasty about the people of the world, because the so called Christian population is just as guilty, if not more so, than the world. What do I mean by that?

As of late, I have been hearing over and over again the idiotic phrase, "I know it’s right because I feel it in my spirit”. These are words coming out of the mouths of so called Christians, who by the way are actually declaring the supposed will of God, to other Christians. I am not well liked in the supposed Christian society, only because I don’t accept man’s lies and purposes, while they make the declaration that it comes from God! I so seriously want to ask these people who want to tell me this dung word, how does it feel to get caught in a lie? I don’t have God’s permission for that, yet, notice I said yet! Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

You might want to keep this verse in mind if you intend to come at me with your personal foolishness, God’s Word is alive in me and very active. Mal 3:6 For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Heb 13:9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

Consider this, if God’s Word is alive in me and very active and well, and if His Word declares He does not change, then what makes you think you can tell me stupid stuff and I’m going to swallow it like it’s truth? God’s Word tells us 2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

There is a right way and a wrong way to do things, even dividing or gaining understanding from God’s Word, including fighting the good fight of faith.

1Ti 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

1Ti 6:10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

1Ti 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

1Ti 6:13 I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession; 1Ti 6:14 That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ: So how exactly does it feel to be caught in a lie? To many out there are making wrongful declarations of God’s Word, giving very bad and destructive advise, and maybe it’s because they’re afraid to go to hell all alone. If you listen to them and do not obey the fullness of God’s Word, then you ,too will definitely join them, is that what you want, is that really really what you want? In over two hundred times, the Word of God tells us to have a reverent fear of God, but somehow, someway, we have overlooked this fact, this truth! Why? Could it be that real God truth is hard to swallow, do you for some reason think it can’t be lived, or maybe you don’t believe in the work of the Holy Spirit, whatever reason, change your thinking now while you still can. The true and chosen mouthpieces for God have been telling and warning all of the body of Christ to repent and get right with God, but you don’t listen. Even if Jesus Himself came in person, would you listen to Him or would you try to crucify Him again? At this point, make no statement, as God knows the truth of your heart, and we don’t. Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Even God warned us, men would have no reverent fear of God; Psa 36:1 A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD.> The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

Psa 36:2 For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.

Let us repent and return back to God, who loves us, but isn’t afraid to let us choose to go to hell. God bless those of you who choose to change!

If it doesn’t line up with God’s Word, it ain’t so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mourning for a land wasted and empty: ADDED BY LARS WIDERBERG Lars Widerberg

"That which the palmer-worm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the canker-worm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpillar eaten. Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.� Joel 1:4-5 "Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat-offering and the drink-offering is withheld from the house of your God.� Joel 1:13 Priestliness, the heart of spiritual maturity, engages in the seeing and the deductive process which reads parallels and reveals correspondence. Its prophetic strength comes with its ability to detect root causes and covert motives by penetrating analyzes of overt expressions. The priestly man, the man in the gap, learns to come to grips with causality, the outworkings of iniquity and the necessity of judgment. His is an ability to place and apply a prophetic text in a modern context.

He knows by his heavenly seeing what eats the modern society and why it is eaten, his is the ability to speak in tears to men in dignified positions regarding their re-writing of law and their relentless restructuring in the moving away of the old boundary markers, which were meant to stay the hand of the greedy in their efforts to rob widows and orphans.

Priestliness, the heart of spiritual maturity, expresses itself in the establishing of Solemn Assemblies for the sake of the covering of the poor and needy, who are exploited to death by sophisticated variations on the same theme as the priests and prophets of olden times had to come against. There is no difference between priestliness and the prophetic man of today and the men who were called to stand in the presence of the Lord, "weeping, between the porch and the altar”, in the days of Joel. The courts of the Lord, its protocol and its procedures, are the same in our days as they were then. The Solemn Assembly is the place for and expression of a priestly initiative. The responsibility as to purity and purification, as to protection and peace-making, is a matter of spiritual maturity, a matter of priestliness – and therefore a matter of apostolicity. Men, foundational men, gather – because of their spiritual maturity – for solemn initiatives in Solemn Assemblies for the covering of the weak and the unprotected.

"Who hath stood in the council of Jehovah, that he should perceive and hear his word? Who hath marked my word, and heard it?” Jer 23:18 The Solemn Assembly is indeed the council of the upright, gathered as being the representation of Zion and its ruling. Its sole basis for existence is the vindication of the name of the Lord. Its raison d’être is the cause of the crucified God.

The reason for its sending forth into the world is the heralding of the crucified One, Redeemer and Lord. That which belongs to the redeeming of man and the restoring of his status as God’s friend is only a by-product of the vindication of the name of the Lord – of His sovereign lordship. The Assembly, the company of the committed, gathers to itself every possible segments of solemnity for this very reason – His sovereign lordship. He is the returning Redeemer, the coming King, the One in whom all authority is solidified. His is the authority, in Zion, in the cities, in rural and remote places – and he does not give it away. The Solemn Assembly is the purposed expression of this absolute. The Solemn Assembly is the purposed expression in this world for the vindication of God as being the Sovereign Lord. The company of the committed stands, in its commitment to His sovereign Lordship, as a substantiation of the understanding as to why our land is wasted and as to how the Lord is to be vindicated.

-- -An excerpt from chapter 14 of Apostolicity The heralding of the crucified God

By Lars Widerberg -- -- -Discerning readers As we take on the hard work of prayer and writing the twenty-four chapters of "Apostolicity.

Heralding the crucified God”, we immediately become aware of the definite need of discerning readers to test, advise, reprove and perhaps approve – even in minute detail.

Please, if you have time, apostolic measure, even if you are an English teacher – please come to our side to assist in this project – assign by mailing a short description of skills and calling to: Intercessors.Network@Comhem.se Every blessing, Lars W. --An introduction and the full thirteen chapters are to be found and downloaded at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/275824945863496/ -- -- --

Apostolic ministry 

The main object of this group, ”Apostolic ministry”, is to harbor the manuscript "Apostolicity The heralding of the crucified God”. It is of value to the author to listen to comments regarding the s...

Women of Worth International invite you to give a Girl a Chance. BY MARILYN ORTON

The Need The girls of the Las Casitas shelter in San Pedro Sula, Honduras were snatched from the streets and became unjustly tainted by drug dealers and forced into prostitution and the transportation of drugs. They were rescued and put into a shelter that only supplies a bed and food. They have no chairs, so they sit on a concrete curb that goes around a big empty room. They only have minimal activities. Some of the girls have babies.

The Goal The goal is to give them a completely furnished Beauty Shop by Christmas. Cosmetologists stand ready to train the girls. Upon completion of the program they will have an honorable profession when they leave the shelter. The walls are up. Tiles are on the floor. The mirrors were installed last week.

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE The need is still very great. Chairs, hairdryers, scissors, and all related items need to be purchased by December 23rd to complete the project before Christmas. Will you chip in what you can, to Give a Girl a Chance? Together, we can make their tomorrows far brighter than their past.

Thank you for caring and for sharing. May God bless you!

Marilyn Orton President Women of Worth International www.wowintl.net wow@wowintl.net Project by

marilynorton Marilyn Orton

Cape Coral, United States

Send a message I am the President of Women of Worth International. We are helping young girls who were rescued from sexual abuse by drug dealers. They are in the Las Casitas girl's shelter in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. We want to give them a Beauty Shop whereby they can be trained to have an honorable profession when they leave the shelter. Please pitch in what you can to Give a Girl a Chance.

Websites 



http://www.wowintl.net

CHANUKAH: BY EVANGELIST FAVOR P. LIBERTY

UNDER SYRIAN RULE COPY FROM: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/600513/jewish/Und er-Syrian-Rule.htm More than 2000 years ago there was a time when the land of Israel was part of the Syrian-Greek Empire, dominated by Syrian rulers of the dynasty of the Seleucids.

In order to relate the story that led up to Chanukah, we shall start with Antiochus III, the King of Syria, who reigned from 3538 to 3574 (222-186 B.C.E.). He had waged war with King Ptolemy of Egypt over the possession of the Land of Israel. Antiochus III was victorious and the Land of Israel was annexed to his empire. At the beginning of his reign he was favorably disposed toward the Jews and accorded them some privileges. Later on, however, when he was beaten by the Romans and compelled to pay heavy taxes, the burden fell upon the various peoples of his empire who were forced to furnish the heavy gold that was required of him by the Romans. When Antiochus died, his son Seleucus IV took over, and further oppressed the Jews.

Added to the troubles from the outside were the grave perils that threatened Judaism from within. The influence of the Hellenists (people who accepted idol-worship and the Syrian way of life) was increasing. Yochanan, the High Priest, foresaw the danger to Judaism from the penetration of Syrian-Greek influence into the Holy Land. For, in contrast to the ideal of outward beauty held by the Greeks and Syrians, Judaism emphasizes truth and moral purity, as commanded by G-d in the holy Torah. The Jewish people could never give up their faith in G-d and accept the idol-worship of the Syrians.

Yochanan was therefore opposed to any attempt on the part of the Jewish Hellenists to introduce Greek and Syrian customs into the land. The Hellenists hated him. One of them told the King’s commissioner that in the treasury of the Temple there was a great deal of wealth.

The wealth in the treasury consisted of the contributions of "half a shekel" made by all adult Jews annually. That was given for the purpose of the sacrifices on the altar, as well as for fixing and improving the Temple building. Another part of the treasury consisted of orphans’ funds which were deposited for them until they became of age. Seleucus needed money in order to pay the Romans. He sent his minister Helyodros to take the money from the treasury of the Temple. In vain did Yochanan, the High Priest, beg him not to do it. Helyodros did not listen and entered the gate of the Temple. But suddenly, he became pale with fright. The next moment he fainted and fell to the ground. After Helyodros came to, he did not dare enter again.

THE MADMAN: ANTIOCHUS COPY FROM : http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/600514/jewish/TheMadman-Antiochus.htm A short time later, Seleucus was killed and his brother Antiochus IV began to reign over Syria (in 3586 - 174 B.C.E.). He was a tyrant of a rash and impetuous nature, contemptuous of religion and of the feelings of others. He was called "Epiphanes," meaning "the gods’ beloved." Several of the Syrian rulers received similar titles. But a historian of his time, Polebius, gave him the epithet Epimanes ("madman"), a title more suitable to the character of this harsh and cruel king.

Desiring to unify his kingdom through the medium of a common religion and culture, Antiochus tried to root out the individualism of the Jews by suppressing all the Jewish Laws. He removed the righteous High Priest, Yochanan, from the Temple in Jerusalem, and in his place installed Yochanan’s brother Joshua, who loved to call himself by the Greek name of Jason. For he was a member of the Hellenist party, and he used his high office to spread more and more of the Greek customs among the priesthood.

Joshua or Jason was later replaced by another man, Menelaus, who had promised the king that he would bring in more money than Jason did. When Yochanan, the former High Priest, protested against the spread of the Hellenists’ influence in the Holy Temple, the ruling High Priest hired murderers to assassinate him.

Antiochus was at that time engaged in a successful war against Egypt. But messengers from Rome arrived and commanded him to stop the war, and he had to yield. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, a rumor spread that a serious accident had befallen Antiochus. Thinking that he was dead, the people rebelled against Menelaus. The treacherous High Priest fled together with his friends.

THE MARTYRS COPY FROM: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/600515/jewish/TheMartyrs.htm Antiochus returned from Egypt enraged by Roman interference with his ambitions. When he heard what had taken place in Jerusalem, he ordered his army to fall upon the Jews. Thousands of Jews were killed. Antiochus then enacted a series of harsh decrees against the Jews. Jewish worship was forbidden; the scrolls of the Law were confiscated and burned. Sabbath rest, circumcision and the dietary laws were prohibited under penalty of death.

Even one of the respected elders of that generation, Rabbi Eliezer, a man of 90, was ordered by the servants of Antiochus to eat pork so that others would do the same. When he refused they suggested to him that he pick up the meat to his lips to appear to be eating. But Rabbi Eliezer refused to do even that and was put to death.

There were thousands of others who likewise sacrificed their lives. The famous story of Hannah and her seven children happened at that time.

Antiochus’s men went from town to town and from village to village to force the inhabitants to worship pagan gods. Only one refuge area remained and that was the hills of Judea with their caves. But even there did the Syrians pursue the faithful Jews, and many a Jew died a martyr’s death.

MATTITYAHU : COPY FROM: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/600517/jewish/Mat tityahu.htm One day the henchmen of Antiochus arrived in the village of Modin where Mattityahu, the old priest, lived. The Syrian officer built an altar in the marketplace of the village and demanded that Mattityahu offer sacrifices to the Greek gods. Mattityahu replied, "I, my sons and my brothers are determined to remain loyal to the covenant which our G-d made with our ancestors!"

Thereupon, a Hellenistic Jew approached the altar to offer a sacrifice.

Mattityahu grabbed his sword and killed him, and his sons and friends fell upon the Syrian officers and men. They killed many of them and chased the rest away. They then destroyed the altar.

Mattityahu knew that Antiochus would be enraged when he heard what had happened. He would certainly send an expedition to punish him and his followers. Mattityahu, therefore, left the village of Modin and fled together with his sons and friends to the hills of Judea.

All loyal and courageous Jews joined them. They formed legions and from time to time they left their hiding places to fall upon enemy detachments and outposts, and to destroy the pagan altars that were built by order of Antiochus.

THE MACCABEES COPY FROM: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/600518/jewish/TheMaccabees.htm

Before his death, Mattityahu called his sons together and urged them to continue to fight in defense of G d’s Torah. He asked them to follow the counsel of their brother Shimon the Wise. In waging warfare, he said, their leader should be Judah the Strong. Judah was called "Maccabee," a word composed of the initial letters of the four Hebrew words Mi Kamocha Ba’eilim Hashem, "Who is like You, O G-d."

Antiochus sent his General Apolonius to wipe out Yehuda and his followers, the Maccabees. Though greater in number and equipment than their adversaries, the Syrians were defeated by the Maccabees. Antiochus sent out another expedition which also was defeated. He realized that only by sending a powerful army could he hope to defeat Judah and his brave fighting men.

THE DEDICATION COPY FROM : http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/600519/jewish/TheDedication.htm An army consisting of more than 40,000 men swept the land under the leadership of two commanders, Nicanor and Gorgiash. When Judah and his brothers heard of that, they exclaimed: "Let us fight unto death in defense of our souls and our Temple!" The people assembled in Mitzpah, where Samuel, the prophet of old, had offered prayers to G-d. After a series of battles the war was won. Now the Maccabees returned to Jerusalem to liberate it. They entered the Temple and cleared it of the idols placed there by the Syrian vandals. Judah and his followers built a new altar, which he dedicated on the twenty-fifth of the month of Kislev, in the year 3622.

Since the golden Menorah had been stolen by the Syrians, the Maccabees now made one of cheaper metal. When they wanted to light it, they found only a small cruse of pure olive oil bearing the seal of the High Priest Yochanan. It was sufficient to light only for one day. By a miracle of G-d, it continued to burn for eight days, till new oil was made available. That miracle proved that G-d had again taken His people under His protection. In memory of this, our sages appointed these eight days for annual thanksgiving and for lighting candles.

AFTER CHANUKAKAH: COPY FROM: http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/article_cdo/aid/103020/jewish/Afte r-Chanukah.htm The brightness of the first Chanukah light had dwindled down. But the holy fires on the altar burnt again in the Beit Hamikdash, from morning to morning, as prescribed by the Law. The priests were again busily officiating in the old customary ways, and day in, day out they prepared the offerings.

Order and peace seemed established.

The Jewish farmer longed to return to his land after two years of hardship, privation and danger in the victorious Jewish army. It was high time to break the ground and to till the soil, if the barley was to grow and ripen in time for "Omer-offering" on Passover. The Jewish farmers had left their ploughs to rally about the heroic Chashmonaim. The first victories had drawn even the hesitant into the ranks of the enthusiastic Jewish rebels, led by the sons of Mattityahu. Farmers had forsaken their land, merchants and tradesmen their stores and shops. Even Torah students had emerged from the four walls of the Bet Hamidrash to join the fight against the oppressors.

But the songs of victory, which had filled the reclaimed Holy Temple with praise and gratitude for the merciful G-d, had ceased. The goal of the battle seemed reached, and Torah again was supreme law in Israel.

One man, though, realized that the time for a return to normal living had not yet come. Israel could not yet afford to relax; it would have to stand ready and prepare to carry on the fight against the overwhelming odds of the enemy.

This man was Yehuda Maccabi. His name was upon everyone’s lips and in every Jewish heart. He was admired as a hero, as a man with the heart of a lion and the simple piety of a child; as the one whose mighty armies fought and conquered, yet who never failed to pray to G-d, the Master of all battles, before he entered the fray.

It was not the spirited warrior’s joy that made Yehuda Maccabi stay in camp.

His heart, too, longed to return to his former peaceful life, to Modin, the quiet town of priests, which held the grave of his adored father. Bloodshed and battle meant a hard and unwanted profession for the men of Judea, who preferred peace to strife. Yet this was no time for relenting. Not only had he to stay, but with all the persuasion of his magnetic personality he had to hold back his comrades-at-arms. His own reasoning and his two wise brothers, Shimon and Yonatan, told him that only the first phase of this war of liberation had passed. Hard and desperate times were yet to come. Clever enemies merely needed an extended lull to prepare new assaults with more troops and better equipment. And there were enemies all about Judea, besides the defeated Syrians. The neighboring countries begrudged the dazzling victories of the small Jewish armies. They would much rather have seen the people of Judea oppressed and humiliated, than armed and spirited, a threat to their own lands. Whence had come the sudden source of strength, courage and fortitude? What was there in this nation that made history in proud seclusion and isolation from other nations? Old hatred was revived. The descendants of Edom, the Idumenas, the Ammonites, the Philistens and Phoenicians, they all revived their ancient jealousies.

Messengers arrived from Gilead. The pagan people joined forces to destroy Judea. From Galilee came the bad news of similar evil intentions and active preparations in Ptolomais, Tyre and Zidon. The messengers found Yehuda Maccabi already at work. Fortifications had to be thrown up around Zion.

Towers, walls, battlements and moat had to be constructed opposite the fort stil held by their worst enemies, the Hellenistic Jews, under the leadership of the false priest Menelaos. These hated everything Jewish, and lived in the hope of the return of the Syrian masters. Yehuda Maccabi prepared Jerusalem against them and against imminent assault by the troops of Antiochus. Under his supervision the Jewish people worked feverishly to refill their arsenals and turn the whole country into a stronghold.

Once this most important task was accomplished, Yehuda Maccabi led his freshly trained troops to the aid of the regions and villages harassed by the spiteful neighbors of Judea. He drove the Idumeans from Hebron, which they had annexed, and he punished the people who had acted with hostility towards the Jewish settlers. Then he led his army across the Jordan River against the Ammonites. Their capital fell before the furious onslaught of the Jewish troops, and so did their fortress, Yaeser. Yehuda’s brother Shimon led an army north to aid the plagued Jews of Galilee. He defeated the enemy and cleared the Jewish land. At his urging, a great many of the Jewish settlers who had fled to Jerusalem, returned to rebuild in safety what had been destroyed during the years of weakness. Yehuda Maccabi and Yonatan joined forces and marched agianst Gilead, where they were met with the toughest resistance. By Shavuot, this campaign was successfully concluded.

Judea was again free, and all parts captured by the neighboring nation had been recovered. Celebrations and festivity transformed Jerusalem and the Holy Temple, hardly half a year after the victories over the Syrian armies.

The Jewish people expressed their joy and gratitude to G-d in the form of psalms and offerings. For He had restored glory and liberty to the Jewish land.

TO THE PRIME MINISTER AND PEOPLE OF ISRAEL WHO ARE OBSERVING THIS OCCASION; WE WANT TO WISH YOU A BLESSED CHANUKAKAH

Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D. Apostle, Founder, and Visionary Apostolic Fellowship International Ministries P.O. Box 935 Cary, North Carolina 27512 USA www.powerfortoday.org Article originally printed in Power For Today Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 5, September/October 2012. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

Mormonism: The Things You Never Knew (Part 1) By: Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D. Mormonism today What was, once upon a time, regarded as an off-color cult with a highly shady history, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has risen to prestige and power, with many American businessmen (including founder of the Mariott hotel chain) and many celebrities and athletes standing at the forefront of this uniquely westernized religion. We know about Mormons in terms of their commercials that seem to advocate family values and the varied doctrines that have been implemented by Mormon leaders over the years, but I find many people do not understand much about this group today. It is to a point that most often just consider Mormonism a Christian sect - perhaps extreme, but still upholding Christian values.

Mormon history is littered with colorful characters, charlatans, and beliefs, and NONE of them had any interest in associating Mormonism with Christianity. In fact, Brigham Young, who was the second leader of the Mormon Church, spoke clearly that they wanted nothing to do with Christian value or identity. While more modern exposure and attempts to mainline the church in the 1970s have been effective in PR and marketing, it does not change the roots of what the church is about and much of the deeply-rooted and held ideals of doctrine, right down to this day.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, or Mormons (also called LDS, LDS Church, Latter-Day Saints, Mormon Church, and Zion [only among members]), is a unique religious denomination with no ties to traditional mainline denominations, but rather occultism, that was founded by Joseph Smith, Junior in 1830 in Fayette, New York. He is hailed as the first and founding prophet and president of the church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has approximately ten to twelve million members, operating on a rotating basis, in countries all over the world, and is growing fastest abroad rather than in the United States, which has seen a decline in membership. The Mormon Church is best known for three things: 1) Missions, including door-todoor evangelism, 2) The Book of Mormon, and 3) Polygamy. All of these issues will be discussed and examined at their value, both spiritual and temporal, in the space that we have available here.

Please note: the purpose of this writing is not to insult or offend anyone, but to take a considerable look at a religion both visible and influential in modern culture.

Mormon theology If you were to ask a Mormon if they believed in the Trinity doctrine, espoused by many in the religiously Christian world, they would say yes. Yet the Mormon “trinity� concept that exists is anything but the mainline Trinitarian understanding. First and foremost in terms of obviousness,

Mormons are classified as tritheists, or people who believe that the trinity is three separate gods: the father is a god, the son is a god, and the holy ghost is a god, which is a counter to Trinitarianism, which states that there is one God manifest in three divine persons. The father god of Mormon theology’s true name is Elohim, and he is only one of an infinite number of gods in the universe ruling over an infinite number of planets much like ours. “God” was once a man, who lived on another planet and due to his great obedience to the god on his planet, he was allowed to, in obedience, come to this planet, was crucified, died, and resurrected from the dead, and became the god over ours due to his works of obedience. (Note: this is not a reference to Jesus Christ, although one can understand the confusion by similarities in actions). This doctrine translates to the following Mormon teaching: because their “god” was once a man and became “god” out of obedience, men (not women) may also ascend to godhood through observance of Mormon regulations and beliefs.

Mormons teach Jesus Christ’s true name is Jehovah and he is always subordinate to the father, Elohim. Jesus is the “spirit brother” of all men, including Satan. They also teach that Jesus Christ was conceived by a sexual union between Mary and the “god” of this planet and existed as this god’s son, preexistent through spiritual sexual union between the father and mother gods.

As Jehovah of the Old Testament in preexistent form, he was ordained by the Grand Council of heaven to “condescend” to earth, volunteering to sacrifice for sins, whereas Satan also volunteered, but with conditions that were not acceptable to the gods. Jesus is also taught to have been married, as marriage is essential to godhood in Mormonism.

The Holy Ghost is a nameless, literal “spirit man who can only be at one place at one time…” (Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pg. 359) The Holy Ghost is contrasted with the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) that is the influence of the godhead. It fills the immensity of space and enables God to know what is going on at all times, and is likened to electricity. (see The Doctrine and Covenants 130:22-23) The Holy Spirit is distinguished as the presence of God. Mormon theology is greatly confusing. First of all, it is a blend of theologies rather than one set principle. Second of all, it is confusing because

Mormons use the same terms as Christians but with markedly different meanings. It is important to comprehensively understand exactly what Mormon theology is and see its evolution, which we shall explain now.

Joseph Smith’s concept of deity has gone through approximately four stages of evolution. The first stage was, ironically enough, monotheism, or the belief in one god. The standard church teaching in 1830, it can be seen in Alma 11:22-31 in The Book of Mormon and in Moses 1:6 in The Pearl of Great Price.

Binitarian modalism was the next stage of Mormon theology, and manifested in 1831. Binitarian modalism is the belief that the Father and Son are not understood as distinct persons, but as different modes in which God has manifested himself. Seen in Mosiah 15:1-3 (The Book of Mormon) and in The Joseph Smith Translation of the Holy Bible (1833) in which he made alterations to the Biblical text, such as Luke 10:22, to make it reflect binitarian modalism rather than monotheism. Stage three of Mormon theology was binitarian monotheism, which believes the Father and the Son are in the godhead and the Holy Ghost is the shared bond of the two.

The fourth stage was polytheism, or the belief in many gods, and can be seen in The Doctrine and Covenants 121:26,28. The Book of Mormon was also altered to fit the new belief in plural gods, which also entered in tritheism, that the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are three separate gods.

Modern Mormon theology falls under two further classifications of theology: henotheism and process theology. Henotheism is a form of polytheism in which one god is believed as the deity of a race, tribe, etc. without claiming he is the only god. (The World Book Dictionary, 1963) Mormonism falls into this classification as it only believes that its deity is the god supreme over this planet, but that there are other deities in existence as gods over other planets, therefore indicating that their god is not the only god and is not supreme over all.

Process theology, on the other hand, is the belief that a god or deity is a part of creation and is evolving along with it. As Mormons believe their god was once a man and is now an exalted man who has become god, this indicates that through his “evolution� to godhood, their god was actually a part of the creation rather than being its creator, and separate from it. Their god is therefore subject to a continuing evolution rather than being supreme, because he evolved into his position as god.

The church itself The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints believes itself to be a restoration of the true church on earth which was lost through thousands of years of apostasy. This restoration has taken place in the last days or latter days before Jesus Christ returns in the Second Coming and is the sole avenue for salvation. Therefore, Mormons believe their church is the only true church of Jesus Christ, and that all other churches and religions, including Christianity, are of the devil. Salvation, therefore has a unique concept for Mormons not shared by mainline religions. According to Mormon belief, all are entitled to be saved and salvation is for all through the Mormon church. The cross does not atone for all sin and therefore “exaltation into godhood” requires works and obedience to LDS teachings and leaders. Just as their god became god through obedience to the god ruling on his planet, so must men become gods through their obedience, that when they die they too may become gods over their own appointed realms. “Freedom” is an option that one might use it for the choice of following Mormon precepts to the end of godhood.

Joseph Smith, Jr. Most central to Mormon philosophy is its emphasis on its leaders and their teachings, in particular founder Joseph Smith. It was these two men who largely shaped what is Mormon doctrine today.

Joseph Smith, Jr. was the founder of the Mormon religion, and is hailed as its first prophet. While room does not allow for an entire examination of the Mormon founder, it is worth noting that his character was extremely questionable. He was guilty of making numerous false prophecies, and was extremely arrogant by nature.

In 1820, at the age of fifteen, Joseph Smith claimed to have had his “first vision,” in which God the Father and Jesus the Son appeared to him while he was praying in the woods as to which church he should join. At the time, he belonged to a Methodist Church Class and participated in Methodist meetings.

In the vision, he was “instructed” by Jesus that he should join no church, for they all were corrupt and all wrong and that all of Christianity was an abomination. (see Joseph Smith – History, 19, found in The Pearl of Great Price). The present form of the first vision story was written in 1838 (History, verses 14-20). There are at least ten accounts of the first vision story dating from 1827 to 1859 and none of them match. This, therefore, establishes the foundational claims of the church to be highly suspect, by their own nature.

Joseph Smith went through different phases and scams throughout his lifetime. In 1827 Joseph claimed another revelation in which the angel Moroni (who began appearing to him after the first vision) allowed Joseph Smith to retrieve a set of golden plates buried in a hill in Palmyra, New York. This work, which became The Book of Mormon was supposedly translated from these plates between 1827 and 1830. For the job of “translating” these plates, Joseph used his occult and “seer stones” by gazing into the stones and then placing them in his hat for gazing in the dark. No one was permitted to look at the stones or gold plates but Joseph Smith himself. In its completed form, The Book of Mormon was published in 1830, the same year the Mormon Church was first organized and growing.

From this point until his death in 1844, Joseph Smith led the church and governed the Mormon body of believers through the guise of “divine revelation.”

As a result, doctrines such as polygamy, polytheism, and others, were introduced.

Wherever the community went, Joseph Smith quickly established himself as the mayor, sole holder of any liquor licenses, and eventually the self-declared governor of provinces. Despite multiple relocations on the part of the Mormons to protect their people and their prophet due to the illegal nature of much of their religious practices including polygamy and the marriage of other men’s wives, Joseph Smith, Junior was killed in Carthage, Illinois on June 27, 1844 along with his brother Hyrum, the same year that he announced his intention to run for president of the United States. His successor in the prophecy and presidency of the church was a man named Brigham Young.

Mormon scriptures The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints acknowledges four separate works as scripture:  The Holy Bible in the Authorized King James Version, which is the only one of the four authorized works not considered infallible;  The Book of Mormon, which is part of a record, both sacred and secular, of prophets and peoples who were supposedly among the ancestors of the modern-day Native Americans. These people were believed to be of Asiatic origin, living among the house of Israel, who left Jerusalem during the reign of King Zedekiah. The records were kept on golden plates until Joseph Smith discovered and translated them in 1827 and translated them.

It was first published in 1830, and has undergone many revisions since, including 3,913 textual and editorial alterations.  The Doctrine and Covenants, a collection of “divine revelations” and “inspired declarations” given for the establishment and regulation of the Mormon Church. It is not a translation of any documents but rather was given for the modern times and are all of modern origin. Most were written during the early years of the church, on topics relevant to different areas of church member’s life and faith.  The Pearl of Great Price – A selection of materials relevant to aspects of Mormon faith and doctrine produced by Joseph Smith and published in his day. It was named a standard work of the church in 1880 but has been revised a number of times to suit the needs of the denomination. The president edition of The Pearl of Great Price has been edited to bring it into conformity with earlier documents. It contains selections from The Book of Moses (extract from the book of Genesis in The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible), The Book of Abraham (a translation of Egyptian papyri that Joseph Smith obtained in 1835 containing writings of the Patriarch of Abraham; now proven fraudulent),

 Joseph Smith – Matthew (an extract from the testimony of Matthew in The Joseph Smith Translation of the Bible), Joseph Smith – History (excerpts from Joseph Smith’s official testimony and history, prepared in 1838), and The Articles of Faith of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (a statement by Joseph Smith published in 1842 in company with a short history of the church known as The Wentworth Letter).

Mormon family and theological understanding One cannot properly understand the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints without understanding its emphasis on family values. It has its origins in the belief that “god” has a family and that to enter into godhood, one too must be married and have a family as a part of the ascent to godhood. As a result, Mormons believe the family is an eternal unit, which is sealed only through Mormon temple marriage. Only marriages Performed in a Mormon temple as part of a sealed ceremony are recognized as valid in Mormonism and ensures the family will be an eternal unit in this life as well as the life to come. Those who marry outside of the Mormon system will not be sealed in the church without conversion and are regarded as “unsealed.” It is from this teaching that matters of contraception and birth control are regarded as “contrary” to the teaching of the Mormon Church rather than personal matters. Their emphasis on family values encourages close family ties, genealogical research, and family involvement in decisions otherwise regarded as individual or personal.

In the next edition In the next edition of Shepherds Without Borders, we will continue our look at Mormonism, including more on the Mormon family, polygamy, freemasonry and Mormonism, and the various social teachings of the Mormon church.

Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D. Apostle, Founder, and Visionary Apostolic Fellowship International Ministries P.O. Box 935 Cary, North Carolina 27512 USA www.powerfortoday.org Article originally printed in Power For Today Magazine, Vol. 11, No. 6, November/December 2012. Reprinted with the permission of the author.

Mormonism: The Things You Never Knew (Part 2) By: Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D. Recap In the last edition, we began the first of a two-part look at Mormonism and its doctrine and history. We looked at the basics of the very complicated theology of this religion, its philosophy, founder, scriptures, and family understanding.

In this edition, we will continue this look at Mormonism. As Mormonism continues to come into the forefront more and more, it’s important believers know all they can about this belief system.

More on Mormon family and theological understanding The Mormon concept of family is also where the teaching of plural marriage, or polygamy, came into being. Mormonism teaches that the trillions of gods in existence including the one of this planet all have an infinite number of “spirit wives” who spend much of eternity pregnant and an infinite number of “spirit children” as the result. So for one to become a god, the new covenant for this godhood is to have multiple wives. Records indicate that Joseph Smith considered polygamy as a church doctrine as early as 1831, although it was not established as church doctrine until 1842. Joseph Smith was practicing polygamy, however, before it became a church doctrine and before this time was even a reported infidel and adulterer, known specifically with nineteen-year old Fanny Alger in Kirkland, Ohio, whom he later made one of his many wives. As his wife, Emma, was staunchly against his polygamy, his thirty-three “secret wives” were all to hide his relationships with them, although each of them were physically consummated. He also took wives of other men while they were still married to their husbands, and at thirty-eight, used “divine revelation” claims to justify coercion of teenage girls, some documented to be as young as fourteen years of age. Much of the so-called “persecution” of the early Mormon communities was over polygamy, as it was illegal. Long-time regional settlers took issue with the fact that these people were coming into their towns and settling in with plural wives, sometimes even taking women of the city who were married to original settlers, and breaking the law in their formerly law-abiding towns. It was not a “freedom of religion” issue, as the Bible instructs us to follow the law (see Romans 13); but rather, a disruption of illegal actions with an arrogant and controlling leader expecting all to bow to his leadership.

Despite the fact that polygamy was abolished as a general church teaching in 1890, it is still practiced today among a group of high-ranking Mormon officials known as “the little flock,” or members of the 144,000 believed to reign in heaven with Christ. Part of the secret rite initiating one into this circle is for the initiate to take a second wife, as this rite initiates one into exalted godhood on earth. The practice occurs today and polygamy is indeed practiced by a group of Mormons in the mainline church, despite protests against it.

In a sense, it has to exist because the polygamy practices are so closely united with the theology of the church, to remove the polygamy all together would require Mormon polytheistic theology also be altered, which has not happened unto this day. The theology also creates a great sexism within Mormonism, whereas a woman’s sole salvation relies upon that of her husband’s priesthood, not of Jesus Christ. She is expected to do, be, and tolerate much – including the sharing of her husband unto salvation. The doctrine of polygamy will never die in Mormonism, as it is essentially the very “salvation” doctrine of Mormon theology.

Church rank In descending rank, the offices of the church are as follows: Prophets, Apostles, Seventies, Evangelists (Patriarchs), Pastors (Presiding Officers), High Priests, Elders, bishops, Priests, Teachers, and deacons.

Mormons on the local level have no “professional clergy” and offer the opportunity for all men to hold responsibility and participate. In fact, any man in the priesthood may be called upon to act in the church without compensation and are expected to continue in secular work for livelihood. All men are admitted to the lesser priesthood, called the Aaronic Priesthood, when they are twelve years old, given good standing with the church. The Melchizedek Priesthood is the higher priesthood and is served in by higher ranking members of the church. (For both priesthoods, see The Doctrine and Covenants 107). It is undisclosed how much men serving in these offices under the Melchizedek Priesthood classification make.

Missionaries are often called upon by the church for active, full-time duty between the ages of eighteen and twenty-six or until marriage and is made up of young men and women who at the expense of their families and selves mission door-to-door and distribute literature as well as serving in local churches, doing temple work, and working in areas where Mormonism isn’t a standard religion.

The missionaries are selected due to their good standing within the religious body.

Until 1978, black and dark-skinned men were forbidden to serve within the Mormon priesthood.

The racism of the Mormon Church reflects much in the attitudes toward blacks of the time when the church was founded and it instead translated to a church doctrine, teaching that black skin was a sign of sin. It continues to be a church understanding that dark skin will turn to white skin at the coming resurrection. Women are still forbidden to hold the Mormon priesthood, and are believed to “receive” its graces through their husbands. Except for an occasional short talk or leading of prayer, Mormon women hold no official position in Mormon services. This is contrary to the original church during Joseph Smith’s time, in which women were a documented part of the priesthood.

Mormonism and Freemasonry Mormonism bears striking similarities and resemblances to Masonic rites and rituals. The freemasons are an occult group that has existed in its modern form since at least the 1600s and is best known for its secret rites and rituals, exclusive only to worthy male candidates. Although Mormonism denies its connection to freemasonry and prohibits its members from belonging so that they may not discover where their rites have their origins, there are many facts that prove otherwise. Freemasonry was, first and foremost, a dominant feature in the culture of Ontario County, New York, where Mormonism was first founded. Oliver Cowdrey, a prominent follower of Joseph Smith, and his father were both freemasons. The Book of Mormon itself echoes the Enoch myth of Royal Arch Freemasonry, which states the prophet Enoch, prompted by a vision, preserved the Masonic mysteries on a gold plate and placed them in an arched stone vault marked with pillars to be rediscovered by Solomon. The most powerful evidence, though, is found by Joseph Smith himself, recorded in History of the Church, vol. 4, pages 551 and 552 which states the following: “In the evening I received the first degree in Free Masonry in the Nauvoo Lodge, assembled in my general business office…I was with the Masonic Lodge and rose to the sublime degree.” Clearly, Joseph Smith was not only engaging in Masonic practices, he was even bringing them into the church offices located within the Mormon Nauvoo temple, as it states the Nauvoo Masonic lodge was his general business office! Less than two months later, the Mormon Endowment Ceremony was established, which we shall discuss a little later.

Outlined in ten major points showing the similarities between Mormon temple ceremonies and occult rituals, D. Michael Quinn lays it out in his book, Early Mormonism and the Magic World View:  Revealed by God in the beginning but are distorted through apostasy.  Place emphasis on the worthiness of initiates.  They include washing and anointings, a new name and garments. They emphasize vows of non-disclosure.  There are both “lesser” and “greater” rituals.  They feature presentation of the ritual through drama.  They contain an oath of chastity regarding strict purity and virtue of participants.  They feature prominent use of the sun, moon, and stars as key symbols.  The purpose of the ritual is to assist mortals to attain godhood.  They employ titles and offices of prophets, priests, and kings to those in leadership.

The most convincing pieces of evidence in regard to Mormons and Masonry are the temple rites of Mormonism, all described below.  Baptism of the dead - This is the first rite performed by an individual in a Mormon temple. Although it is guarded in secret, and some of the details are unknown, the theology behind the baptism of the dead is that the deceased who did not hear of the Mormon gospel in their lifetime will hear of it in the next, with the opportunity to accept it. This is the reason for preoccupation with genealogy – if an ancestor is found in the records, that indicates the baptism of the dead has been performed on their behalf in a Mormon temple. The ceremony is usually performed in a temple basement, in a baptismal font mounted on the full-sized statues of twelve oxen. The officiator of the ceremony and the patron both wear white jumpsuits and at least two witnesses observe. One is baptized according to Mormon practice in the name of the deceased person, the names of which are published on a closed-circuit television screen. 

 Usually the baptismal ceremony of the dead is done with teenagers as the stand-ins, to introduce them to the temple work, and by converts in good standing as their first temple rite. Between two and three hundred baptisms are performed on behalf of the dead every day.  Anointing with holy oil – One is consecrated with oil as a preparation to “becoming a King/Queen and a Priest/Priestess unto the Most High God, here-after to rule and reign in the House of Israel forever.” A temple worker places some drops of oil on the patron’s forehead, moistens it, and then touches every member of the patron’s body, declaring a blessing upon it, specifically to the shoulders, back, breast, vitals, bowels, and loins. Two workers then come forward to pray a blessing over the patron’s head, announcing the “seal of anointing.”  Clothing in the temple garment – An individual is placed in the “Garment of the Holy Priesthood” while a temple worker gives him the instructions on wearing this garment twenty-four hours a day throughout his life. It is promised to be a shield and protector from the enemy, and one is instructed not to defile it in any way. One is then given a new name at this time. This new name is cited as “the one by which he will be called forth on the morning of the first resurrection” by the Mormon god. It is also the name by which he shall be called throughout eternity. Every person receiving the Endowment Ceremony on the same day all receive the same name or an alternate name when the name of a deceased person in the baptismal ceremony has that name. Usually the names are taken from either the Bible or the Book of Mormon, and men receive male names and females receive female names. And while the men must know their wives’ names and call them forth, the women may never know their husbands’ names, because at the resurrection Mormons believe only their god shall call the men forth, with the men then to call forth the wives he desires in eternity, possibly choosing to leave some behind.

 Preparation for the Endowment Ceremony – Preparation for the Endowment Ceremony – The patron returns usually to a locker room or another room, and removes the clothing from the temple ceremonies. He takes a slip of paper with the name of the deceased from the baptismal ceremony for the dead and a bag containing clothing for the Endowment ritual (a robe, sash, hat/veil [veil for women], and fig-leaf apron) to the Endowment Room (upstairs), which is a theater-like setting set for drama reenactments. The officiator of the ceremony seats him, with women on the left of the room and men on the right of the room, where they sit for up to twenty minutes in complete silence.  The Endowment Ceremony – A two-hour drama ceremony presented to a group of patrons. The purpose is to demonstrate a knowledge of Mormon secrets to finish the ritual. It is similar to occult rites and is set in nineteenth century drama. Lucifer is portrayed as a villain, Elohim is the victor, Adam and Eve are portrayed as victims, the archangel Michael becomes Adam, and other roles are of Peter, James, John, Jehovah, and a Christian minister. All secret signs, tokens, names, and penalties are acted out. Within the ceremony are certain dramas, including The Creation Drama (seeks to alter consciousness and lower one’s mood, almost to the point of drowsiness; shows hypnotic scenes and explains the first five creative periods of time; shows the agents, Jehovah and Michael, reporting on creation; most are drowsy at the end due to the hypnotic effect), The Garden of Eden Drama (Elohim comes down to earth with Jehovah to create bodies; Michael becomes Adam and then Eve is created.

Once in the garden and tempted, Adam recognizes after receiving the fruit who Lucifer really is and it is Lucifer in this drama who instructs Adam and Eve to make fig leaves when they hear Elohim and Jehovah approaching. During this time of the drama all put on fig-leaf aprons and wear them for the remainder of the time. Elohim becomes angry and curses Lucifer to remain in spirit form for eternity, never receiving a body and therefore not ever receiving the chance to ascend to godhood.

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Lucifer defies God and is cast away from God along with Adam and Eve, who receive a secret token in the form of a handshake and its name, sign, and penalty), The Christian Minister (hired by Satan to confuse and destroy all of humankind along with Adam and Eve; preaches to them a distortion of the Nicene Creed, which Adam rejects). Finally, either seven or eight couples are called forward, form a circle around the altar, and then follow the officiator in performing all of the signs, names, tokens, and penalties of the priesthoods formerly initiated. The women cover their faces with the veils, and everybody assumes the position of their left arms raised square and resting upon the left shoulder of all next to them. The officiator then leads the group in prayer. The dramatic portion of the Endowment Ceremony is usually now done by video recording, although it is still performed live in some temples.

 The Ceremony at the Veil – This is the official conclusion to the Endowment Ceremony, each patron is tested by a veil worker representing the “Lord behind the veil.” The veil itself is seven feet high by three feet wide of ivory fabric with seven marks of the priesthood on it, corresponding to the four marks on the temple undergarment. One is tested in their knowledge of the four tokens and their names given during the Endowment. If necessary, the worker behind the veil coaches the patron on what he can’t remember because his answers must be verbatim.

He then receives the name of the Second Token of the Melchizedek Priesthood, the Patriarchal Grip, or Sure Sign of the Nail, and embraces the Lord in the Five Points of Fellowship, which are “inside of the right foot by the side of the right foot, knee to knee, breast to breast, hand to back, and mouth to ear.” The name of the token is: “Health in the navel, marrow in the bones, strength in the loins and sinews. Power in the Priesthood be upon me, and upon my posterity through all generations of time, and throughout all eternity.” (Note that this is done between two men.) 

 The Celestial Room – A large, elegant, and highly furnished sitting room for people to sit while they wait for someone to come through the veil. It is in this room that a Mormon has the sole opportunity to inquire about temple ceremonies, and is specifically set up to meditate or seek answers about an issue. People are seldom given this opportunity however, as people are only allowed in the rooms for a short period of time.

The history of racism in the Mormon Church Until 1978, black men were forbidden from admittance into the LDS priesthood. The truth is that Mormonism wasn’t unlike the other established churches of their time, all of which did have racial issues, and even though don’t seem to foster an inequality today, they do indeed still seem to be predominately white in membership. Black skin was believed at one point in history to be a sign of sin, and Mormonism went as far as to teach that blacks would become whites upon baptism and later, at the resurrection! Some commentaries on blacks by Mormon leaders include: 

"Had I anything to do with the negro , I would confine them by strict law to their own species and put them on a national equalization.'' – Joseph Smith

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"You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable, sad, low in their habits, wild, and seemingly without the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind…Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so." – Brigham Young

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"...after the flood we are told that the curse that had been pronounced upon Cain was continued through Ham's wife, as he had married a wife of that seed. And why did it pass through the flood? Because it was necessary that the devil should have a representation a upon a the earth as well as God... " – John Taylor

Passages of The Book of Mormon originally contained overtly racist statements, implying this theory, but have been edited out to suit the image of the church. The issues, however, still remain, as the majority of Mormonism remains Caucasian.

Recommendations for reading on Mormonism This article barely scratches the surface of Mormon belief, practice, and issue. For further reading, I recommend:  The Truth About…Mormonism (Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D.: available through Apostolic Fellowship International Ministries)  Under The Banner Of Heaven: A Story of violent Faith (Jon Krakauer: available through Amazon.com)  The Book of Mormon, The Doctrine and Covenants, and The Pearl of Great Price, Mormon Church publications. These three are the Scriptures of the Mormon Church, all claimed by “revelation.”  The Restored Church: A Brief History of the Growth and Doctrines of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (William Edwin Berrett, Mormon publication now out of print, found through used booksellers) Chronicles the founding and growth of Mormonism from a Mormon perspective, showing forth the bias and inadequacies in their distortion of Mormon history.  Gospel Principles, Mormon Church publication. A brief accounting for Mormon doctrine from Mormon perspective.  Early Mormonism And The Magic World View (D. Michael Quinn, available on Amazon.com). Written by a practicing Mormon in good standing with the denomination on the fundamental ties between Mormon doctrine and its occult foundations, especially freemasonry.

 A Comprehensive History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (B.H. Roberts, found through used booksellers). A comprehensive view of Mormon history, authored by a Mormon, yet very telltale about its founder and its history; out of print.  Christian Answers to Mormon Questions (Apostle Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.D., available through Apostolic Fellowship International Ministries) Answers to commonly asked questions about Mormonism, Mormon belief, Joseph Smith, and Mormon theology submitted by ministry friends and supporters from around the country and the world.

Also includes a section of 25 questions Mormons can’t answer.

"DO YOU WANT TO BE CALLED A SON....... OR A DOG?" MATTHEW 7: 6amp. > DO NOT GIVE THAT WHICH IS HOLY (THE SACRED THING) TO THE DOGS, AND DO NOT THROW YOUR PEARLS BEFORE HOGS, LEST THEY TRAMPLE UPON THEM WITH THEIR FEET AND TURN AND TEAR YOU IN PIECES. GOD IS A HOLY GOD. AND HE SAYS IN HIS WORD, WE MUST BE HOLY AS HE IS HOLY. HE SAID , "IF YOU WALK UPRIGHT BEFORE AND UPRIGHT GOD, HE WILL WITHHOLD NO GOOD THING FROM YOU. HIS WORD IS HOLY, THAT'S WHY IT IS CALLED HOLY BIBLE BECAUSE OF WHAT IT CONTAINS WITHIN IT. DO YOU STUDY TO SHOW YOURSELF APPROVED UNTO GOD, A WORKMAN THAT NEEDS NOT TO BE ASHAMED , RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH? OR ARE YOU ONE TO JUST SKIM THROUGH AND MAYBE MEMORIZE A VERSE OR TWO TO TRY AND IMPRESS MAN? HE IS OUR HOLY FATHER. HE RULES OVER THE UNIVERSE, WHICH MAKES HIM SOVEREIGN LORD.

DO YOU KNOW HIM? HE IS THE KING OF kings AND THE LORD of lords! HE INHABITS THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE. HE'S WORTHY OF ALL THE PRAISE THAT MAN COULD POSSIBLY GIVE HIM. DO YOU OFFER UP PRAISES TO HIM DAILY AS YOU WALK WITH HIM OR DO YOU WAIT UNTIL HE HAS ANSWERED YOUR PRAYERS FOR MONEY OR MATERIALISTIC GIFTS. I WILL BLESS THE LORD AT ALL TIMES. HIS PRAISES SHALL CONTINUALLY BE IN MY MOUTH. BLESS THE LORD O MY SOUL AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BLESSINGS. DO YOU TAKE TIME OUT TO GIVE HIM ALLL THE PRAISE EVEN WHEN THINGS ARE GOING YOUR WAY? DO YOU TELL HIM YOU LOVE HIM? OR DO YOU WAIT UNTIL YOU FEEL LIKE PRAISING HIM LIKE A DOG WOULD? THAT'S RIGHT, JESUS EVEN SAID TO A WOMAN ONE DAY, "IT'S NOT GOOD TO GIVE BREAD TO THE DOGS WHEN I HAVE MY SONS TO FEED. (oara). THAT'S RIGHT , HE WAS ACTUALLY CALLING HER A "DOG" BECAUSE SHE WAS NOT A BELIEVER IN HIM OR A "SON". TO BE A SON, ONE MUST HAVE ALREADY ACCEPTED THE LORD JESUS AS HIS LORD AND SAVIOR ; MUST ALREADY BE PROVEN A DISCIPLE (FOLLOWER OF CHRIST); MUST OBEY HIS TEACHINGS> "BE A DOER OF THE WORD AND NOT A HEARER ONLY." CHILD OF GOD, ARE YOU ALLOWING YOURSELF TO BE ROBBED

BY THE DEVIL? DO YOU NOT KNOW WHAT YOUR BENEFITS ARE AS A KING'S KID? IF YOU ARE A SON OF GOD, IT SIMPLY MEANS THAT YOU KNOW YOU MUST LISTEN, HEED, AND OBEY THE VOICE OF THE FATHER, IN THE NAME OF JESUS! YOU MUST BE A WILLING VESSEL, READY TO ACT UPON WHAT YOU HEAR THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD SAY DO WITHOUT DOUBT OR FEAR OF WHAT MAN MIGHT SAY OR DO? THAT'S IF YOU WANT TO BE CALLED A SON. YOU MUST KNOW WHO YOU ARE, WHOSE YOU ARE, WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND WHERE YOU ARE HEADED. AND BEFORE THAT EVEN....

YOU MUST KNOW JESUS PERSONALLY AS YOUR LORD, AS WELL AS YOUR SAVIOR. IT'S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO GO TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY AND THEN FORGET ABOUT WHAT THE PASTOR PREACHED ABOUT, NEVER OPENING YOUR BIBLE AGAIN UNTIL THE NEXT SUNDAY MORNING. THAT'S JUST BEING A HYPOCRIT (PRETENDER) AND YES A DOG......NOT A SON OF GOD. IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH GENDER TO BE CALLED A "SON". I AM A SON OF GOD. SIMPLY BECAUSE I HAVE SURRENDERED MY ALL IN ALL TO HIM AND I HAVE BECOME HIS HUMBLE SERVANT. AND YES, BECAUSE THERE ARE THOSE WHO MAY THINK OF BEING A "SON" IN GENDER FORM, I ALSO ANSWER AS A "DAUGHTER OF THE KING!" THE WORD OF GOD TEACHES THAT THERE IS NEITHER MALE NOR FEMALE; BOND NOR FREE; JEW NOR GREEK IN THE EYESIGHT OF GOD. SO, WE NEED TO PUT ON OUR SPIRITUAL HELMETS AND RECOGNIZE WHO GOD IS AND WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. WE SERVE A RESURRECTED SAVIOR, BUT HAVE YOU BEEN RESURRECTED YET? OR ARE YOU STILL "A WALKING DEAD MAN" STILL NOT ABLE TO TAKE A STAND FOR THE ONE YOU SAY YOU BELIEVE IN? HE SAID IF YOU ARE ASHAMED TO OWN HIM BEFORE MAN, HE WILL ALSO BE ASHAMED TO OWN YOU BEFORE HIS FATHER AND HIS HOLY ANGELS. SO, GET TO KNOW HIM INTIMATELY AND BEFORE YOU HAVE YOUR HAND OUT FOR HIM TO BLESS YOU AS A DOG WOULD JUST RUN UNDER THE TABLE FOR CRUMBS, SEEK HIS FACE. IN OTHER WORDS ...GET TO KNOW HIM!!

THEN, IF YOU'RE NOT SURE ABOUT WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST OR SEEM TO HAVE FORGOTTEN WHERE YOU CAME FROM AND WHO IT WAS THAT BROUGHT YOU OUT OF BONDAGE.........SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THEN, ALLLL OTHER THINGS WILL BE ADDED UNTO YOU. (MT. 6:33 amp.)

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I DON'T WANT JESUS TO CALL ME A DOG AND TELL ME I CAN ONLY HAVE CRUMBS UNDER THE TABLE. I WANT TO BE TREATED LIKE A KING'S SON OR DAUGHTER. I WANT TO WALK WITH INTEGRITY IN THE LAND AND NOT WITH MY HEAD DOWN IN SHAME!! IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN OBEDIENT, THEN YOU NEED TO REPENT AND ONCE YOU HAVE BEEN FORGIVEN, YOU WILL BE TREATED LIKE THE KING'S SON INSTEAD OF LIKE A DOG!!!

MAY THE LORD GOD SAVE, DELIVER AND SET FREE THE CAPTIVE SOULS SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE THEIR RIGHTFUL PLACES IN THE EARTH. LET THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH AS IT IS ALREADY IN HEAVEN. GOD'S RICHEST AND CHOICEST BLESSINGS BE UPON YOU AS A SON OF GOD, JOINT HEIR TO THE SON OF GOD!!!

IN JESUS' MIGHTY, MIRACULOUS, MATCHLESS NAME. AMEN. PROPHETESS SISTER MARY

FAITHFUL GOD MINISTRY & AFRICAN VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS INTERNATIONAL OUTREACH TO THE HOMELESS, ORPHANS&WIDOWS: BY EVANGELIST FAVOR P. LIBERTY

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PRINCESS KESSY ANGEL MOSES ARRIVED ABOARD A WEST AFRICAN FLIGHT TO THE FAITHFUL GOD & AFRICAN VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS INTERNATIONAL FAMILY AS A LIGHT TO PROCLAIM THAT WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE…… THE STORY OF HER ARRIVAL IS A LIFE CHANGING TESTIMONY FOR WOMEN AND MEN ALINKE WHO FACE PERSECUTIONS LIKE HANNAH AND DELAYS LIKE SARAH AND GOSSIPING AND SLANDERS LIKE MODECAI AND ESTER AND TRAILS LIKE JOB. HER MOTHER ELIZABETH PROUDLY WHEELS OUR VICTORY CHILD!!!!!!!! LET THOSE WHO WILL REJOICE WITH US DO SO PRAISING THE GIVER OF LIFE AND LET OUR ENEMIES WHO SOUGHT OUR DOWNFALL KNOW THAT OUR GOD ASK US TO FORGIVE EVER SINCE THE BATTLE WAS WON.

7 Principles of Eagles :By Dr Myles Munroe ADDED BY BABSIE VAN DER BERG

PRINCIPLE 1 Eagles fly alone at high altitude and not with sparrows or other small birds. No other bird can fly to the heights of an eagle. Eagles stay away from sparrows and ravens.

Eagles fly with Eagles PRINCIPLE 2 ...Eagles have strong vision. They have the ability to focus on something up to five kilometers away. When an eagle sites his prey, he narrows his focus on it and sets out to get it. No matter the obstacles, the eagle will not move his focus from the prey until he grabs it.

Have a vision and remain focused no matter what the obstacle and you will succeed.

PRINCIPLE 3 Eagles do not eat dead things. They feed only on fresh prey. Vultures eat dead animals, but eagles will not.

Be careful what you feed your eyes and ears with, especially in movies and on TV. Steer clear of outdated and old information. Always do your research well.

PRINCIPLE 4 Eagles love the storm. When clouds gather, the eagles get excited. The eagle uses the storm’s wind to lift it higher. Once it finds the wind of the storm, the eagles uses the raging storm to lift him above the clouds. This gives the eagle an opportunity to glide and rest its wings. In the meantime, all the other birds hide in the leaves and branches of the trees.

We can use the storms of life to rise to greater heights. Achievers relish challenges and use them profitably.

PRINCIPLE 5 The Eagle tests before it trusts. When a female eagle meets a male and they want to mate, she flies down to earth with the male pursuing her and she picks a twig.

She flies back into the air with the male pursuing her.

Once she has reached a height high enough for her, she lets the twig fall to the ground and watches it as it falls. The male chases after the twig. The faster it falls, the faster he chases it. He has to catch it before it falls to the ground. He then brings it back to the female eagle.

The female eagle grabs the twig and flies to a higher altitude and then drops the twig for the male to chase. This goes on for hours, with the height increasing until the female eagle is assured that the male eagle has mastered the art of catching the twig which shows commitment. Then and only then, will she allow him to mate with her.

Whether in private life or in business, one should test commitment of people intended for partnership.

PRINCIPLE 6 When ready to lay eggs, the female and male eagle identify a place very high on a cliff where no predators can reach. The male flies to earth and picks thorns and lays them on the crevice of the cliff, then flies to earth again to collect twigs which he lays in the intended nest. He flies back to earth and picks thorns laying them on top of the twigs. He flies back to earth and picks soft grass to cover the thorns. When this first layering is complete the male eagle runs back to earth and picks more thorns, lays them on the nest; runs back to get grass it on top of the thorns, then plucks his feathers to complete the nest. The thorns on the outside of the nest protect it from possible intruders. Both male and female eagles participate in raising the eagle family. She lays the eggs and protects them; he builds the nest and hunts. During the time of training the young ones to fly, the mother eagle throws the eaglets out of the nest. Because they are scared, they jump into the nest again.

Next, she throws them out and then takes off the soft layers of the nest, leaving the thorns bare When the scared eaglets again jump into the nest, they are pricked by thorns. Shrieking and bleeding they jump out again this time wondering why the mother and father who love them so much are torturing them. Next, mother eagle pushes them off the cliff into the air. As they shriek in fear, father eagle flies out and catches them up on his back before they fall and brings them back to the cliff. This goes on for sometime until they start flapping their wings. They get excited at this new-found knowledge that they can fly.

The preparation of the nest teaches us to prepare for changes; The preparation for the family teaches us that active participation of both partners leads to success; The being pricked by the thorns tells us that sometimes being too comfortable where we are may result into our not experiencing life, not progressing and not learning at all. The thorns of life come to teach us that we need to grow, get out of the nest and live on. We may not know it but the seemingly comfortable and safe haven may have thorns.

The people who love us do not let us languish in sloth but push us hard to grow and prosper. Even in their seemingly bad actions they have good intentions for us.

PRINCIPLE 7 When an Eagle grows old, his feathers become weak and cannot take him as fast as he should. When he feels weak and about to die, he retires to a place far away in the rocks. While there, he plucks out every feather on his body until he is completely bare. He stays in this hiding place until he has grown new feathers, then he can come out.

We occasionally need to shed off old habits & items that burden us without adding to our lives

Why Don’t We See Sin for What It Is: ADDED BY BOBBI JENSEN

Posted By Skip Moen On December 4, 2012 @ 1:03 am In Articles | No Comments 1. We are generally (perhaps deliberately) unaware of the giant chasm created by the smallest of sins and the demands of God because the Church has taught us that we are under grace and therefore the tiny sins don’t really matter. They are simply errors in judgment. If my greatest sins can be easily forgiven by the magnanimous God, why would He pay any attention to the insignificant mistakes. If these tiny mistakes do count, then they are of little concern because of the enormous capacity of grace. "Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” Apparently the contemporary answer is "Yes!” God is magnified by overlooking my errors because He is far too majestic to concern Himself with such trivia.

2. The believer’s place in heaven is already guaranteed by the death on the cross.

There is no fear of withdrawal of forgiveness (we ignore the implications of the parable of the great debt). Since the ultimate goal of believing is assuring a place in the Kingdom of the next world, and since this is accomplished by simply believing that Jesus paid the entry fee, why should there be any further concern with present world behaviors.

Of course, social etiquette and cultural mores still suggest that we should try to be on our best behavior, but the idea of reward and punishment for individual sins has been effective abolished by the cross and therefore is no longer applicable at the eternal level. With this issue settled, all that is really left the an inner motivation to become the best I can be. We recognize that this kind of motivation is a form of humanism, so we quickly assert that in a corrupt and broken world, moral perfection is simply a goal, not a reality. If it were a reality, then escape to heaven would no longer be so important.

3. Since believers have resolved the big picture issues, we act as if God would never hold us accountable for the small things. What really matters are the big issues. Grace, forgiveness, mercy, heaven, an attempt to be better; with these secured by theological paradigm, the details are relegated to historical interest only or spiritual motivation for self-improvement.

4. Nevertheless, the monster within deceives us – this is the job of the yetzer ha’ra. Self-deception becomes a means of ignoring the chasm between our acts and God’s standard of holiness. Self-deception holds us captive to a theology of feelings rather than a standard of holiness.

5. As contemporary believers, we are not encouraged to perform a ruthless inventory of our behavior. What matters to us is the intention of our hearts.

Melanchthon’s successful conversion of external evidence to inward confidence means that the measure of true spirituality becomes my inward feelings, not my outward actions. As long as I believe that God is forgiving, I am assured that He actually does forgive. Therefore, my behavior is irrelevant. Under these conditions, one might wonder if we are even capable of such a ruthless inventory.

6. Once the community, external standard of Torah obedience is removed, where do I look for a measurement of my real spiritual condition? If I look to my inner feelings of the experience of grace, I am easily persuaded that things are OK in spite of the lack of external alignment. "The tendency to be lenient with oneself covers sin.”

Without Torah as the standard, I am subject to the social accommodation of the Church which ultimately reflects the moral nobility of the culture, not the will of God. Cheryl Durham’s conclusions about the transition from outward community norms of spiritual awareness to inward personal affirmation help us realize that this view of sin and the historical reality of replacement theology follow the thinking of the Reformation. Durham notes that the idea that inner spiritual awareness is the true character of relationship with God assumes certain epistemological conditions.

"Many Gentile Christians believe that being "in Christ” is also about exemption from formal education because, in their minds, "the Law” is already written on their hearts. This is a "Gnostic” view of faith as it sees the Holy Spirit as a personal spirit guide who transmits individual messages similar to a channel or medium in occultist practices. This type of believer has only to perceive or feel within him/herself what he/she believes is the Holy Spirit’s presence. This person’s perception is often self-confirmed by an internal feeling of calm or peace. The peaceful feeling is an affirmation that whatever the receiving person is thinking is the will of God. Taking this rationale to its logical end, the ability to discern the will of God internally and individually removes the necessity of Torah teachers for those "in Christ”; neither do they need a contextual understanding of the Bible. I have often heard people claim "The Holy Spirit tells me everything I need to know”.

Proof texts, written in one’s native language, confirm that the person’s "feeling” is in fact the Holy Spirit telling them what to do. To this type of Christian, the historical account of God with Israel is irrelevant because individuals "in Christ” have an ever-new progressive and personal special revelation that the history with Israel does not provide. The Christian who has individual personal revelation from God will not feel the need to be accountable to Israel as he sees Israel as the old people of God and Christians as the new people, prophets and apostles.”[1] [1]

Compare this Christian position with Dozier’s remarks about the perpetual authority of Torah in Judaism. "The Torah’s perpetuity is described by Yeshua in Matt. 5:18: ‘For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.’ But the warning follows in verse 19: ‘Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.’ This concept is repeated in Luke 16:17. In content and intention, many Jews considered the Law universal, and even Gentiles who obey its commandments share its promises and a place in the ‘olam ha-ba, the world to come. R. Meir contended that even a Gentile who occupies himself with the law is ‘like the high priest’ because of Lev. 18:5 ‘Ye shall therefore keep my statues and my ordinances, which if a man do, he shall live by them.’ The term ‘a man’ includes any man, even a Gentile. R. Jeremiah in Sifra on Lev. 18:5 further expands this view to ‘even a Gentile who obeys the law is like the high priest.’ The Sadducees were ‘common sense literalists’ (Moore I, 280) and denied the authority of the Oral Torah or unwritten law. The bitter disputes between the Pharisees and Sadducees often centered around this difference of doctrine. After the destruction of the Temple, the Sadducees dwindled and virtually disappeared and the Pharisees dominated Judaism uncontested.

Of all the multiplicity of Judaisms, none questioned the Torah – only the varied interpretations of the Torah. The sole standard of these Judaisms is Torah.”[1] [1] Which view more accurately expressed the view of the Bible and of the community "in Christ”? Which view more accurately reflects the statements and actions of Yeshua?

[1] [2] Donna Dozier, unpublished Ph.D. thesis.

[1] [2] Cheryl Durham, unpublished Ph.D. dissertation Article printed from Hebrew Word Study | Skip Moen: http://skipmoen.com/ URL to article: http://skipmoen.com/2012/12/04/why-dont-we-see-sin-for-whatit-is/ URLs in this post: [1] [1]: #_ftn1 [2] [1]: #_ftnref Click here to print. http://skipmoen.com url

What is priority? BY. DR. LEONARD N. ROBINSON

Our secular mentality concerning the Bible leaves us with philosophical ideas in the place of the reality of what God did and said concerning His Kingdom and righteousness being established in the earth.

We've not focused on the supernatural act of God in redeeming man from sin.

Yet each of us that claim to be Born Again were translated out of darkness into the Kingdom of God's dear Son. We've been endowed with gifts, talents and called of God to manifest His glory in the earth. Yet in our ignorance we maintain a religious status quo. How many of you really press to the mark of the high call of God in Christ Jesus?A great number of us are bound by the religious, by the mundane and we try to dress it up with music, with wearing and trying to be our Sunday best.

Religion, tradition and deception are the devil's handiwork in the midst of a people who don't even know that they are in opposition to the will of the King.

All the conferences, convocations, workshops and seminars, modeled after the world to some degree, aimed at getting you more information, has not produced the true and pure revelation of the Kingdom.

We've weeped at altars and cried out to God and yet failed to hear Jesus say in Matthew 6:33, Kingdom first! But now God is declaring by the Holy Spirit loud and clear, make God's kingdom and righteousness your number one priority.

Religion has not and cannot satisfy you.

Its not the next preacher, the next meeting or some prophet saying that its your season for breakthrough. No this time its all about you discover for you what it really means to make God's Kingdom and righteousness your number one priority.

If you don't believe me, keep trying to go on without making the Kingdom of God and our Father's righteousness your number one priority. You are going to discover that you will only grow more empty and may God bring these words back to you: Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.......

You see everything you have need of is connected to this one reality. What is priority?

CHRISTMAS WITHOUT THE TRIMMINGS!: BY LINDA FAWKES

So many people believe Christmas should be a happy time! HAPPY SMILES....TRYING TO MAKE THE DAY PERFECT! All families getting on! Hoping all presents are appreciated! PERFECT CHRISTMAS LUNCH! Crisis if gravy goes thick!

Stop stressing! :) We all want Christmas to be wonderful and it is lovely to be with family and friends! Great to tuck into the turkey and those yummy chocolates! :) BUT THIS IS not what Christmas IS REALLY all about! God sent his Son Jesus to be the Saviour of the world! John 3 v 16 WHOOOO PRAISE THE LORD! \O/ This world is lost, suffering and in pain! Jesus came to give New Life and forgiveness!

Problems don't just disappear on Christmas Day! People are hurting! Loved ones are sick, some are bereaved, others are starving! The world is FALLEN! Jesus came to restore it!

So remember it is okay to feel lonely and sad on Christmas Day! You are not alone! Do not feel guilty if you cannot get into The Christmas mood if you are in a difficult time in your life! Christmas Trees, tinsel, presents come and go! BUT OUR GIFT JESUS HAS PERMANENTLY COME! We are never alone!

So when the trimmings are down and the lights have gone out....the Light of Jesus is still burning now and forever! He will always be there to comfort and help us!

Enjoy your Christmas! Tuck into those chocolates and smile and laugh with your loved ones BUT LET'S SAY A PRAYER FOR THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING AND HELP THEM TO SEE CHRISTMAS IN OUR ACTIONS AND IN OUR LIVES EVERY DAY! CHRIST LIVES WITHIN....MAY MY LIFE REFLECT HIM! :) MAY GOD BLESS YOUR CHRISTMAS WITH HIS PEACE! BIG HUGZZZZZZZ Written by Linda Rose Fawkes (c) copyright 2012

WOMEN OF WORTH MAKING THE DIFFERENCE ACROSS THE GLOBE IN THE LIVES OF NATIONS

MARILYN ORTON IN IBADAN OYO NIGERIA What an amazing and blessed time I shared with Rev. Elizabeth and her husband, Joseph, Wahome in Nairobi, Kenya : PEGGY WALTON LESTER OF WOW

. A MUST READ........

Once a baby Girl went to a shop with her mother. The shop keeper looked at the small cute child and showed her a bottle with sweets...

And said, "Dear Child, you can take the sweets".

But the child didn't take. The shopkeeper was surprised Such a small child she is and why is she not taking the sweets from the bottle.

Again he said take the sweets. Now the mother also heard that and said, "Take the sweets dear".

Yet she didn't take it. The shopkeeper seeing the child not taking the sweets. He himself took the sweets and gave to the child. The child was happy to get two handsfull of sweets. While returning home the Mother asked the child Why didn't you take the sweets, when the shop keeper told you to take..?

Can you guess the response: .

Child replies Mom! My hands are very small and if I take the sweets I can only take few.. But now you see when uncle gave with his big hands, How many more sweets I got!

MORAL LESSON: When we take we may get little but when Our Father in Heaven gives He gives us more beyond our expectations more than what we can think of Because His blessings are more better than we can even imagine:) Always ask God what you want and wait for the Lord to give you more!!

Man can transplant heart (good) though it comes with the behavior of the owner. That cannot change the heart condition. But, God will give a man that submits to Him, a brand new heart even circumcise it the 2nd time. “For a person is not a Jew because of his appearance, nor is circumcision something just external and physical. No, a person is a Jew inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, brought about by the Spirit, not by a written law. That person's praise will come from God, not from people.� Rom. 2: 28-29 (ISV)

Prayer: May the Lord give us a Calvary-blood washed new heart that is knitted with His in Jesus name.

Song: Take my life and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee‌ Verse 5: Take my will, and make it Thine, It shall be no longer mine; Take my heart, it is Thine own, It shall be Thy royal throne.

It shall be Thy royal throne. Have a great weekend friends. ♼

SHEPHERDS WITHOUT BORDERS LIGHTHOUSE BUGLE MINISTRIES/MAGAZINE / AFRICAN VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS & OR PARTNERS WORLDWIDE EXTENDS OF DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE PRESIDENT , CITIZENS AND FAMILY MEMBERS OF VICTIMS OF SENSELESS SHOOTINGS WHICH LED TO THE DEATH OF THESE INNOCENT CREATION OF GOD! WE PAUSE EACH DAY FOR A MINUTE FOR THE REST OF 2012 TO HOLD YOUR HANDS AS WE PICK UP THE BROKEN PIECES AND MOVE AHEAD !!!!!!!

Text Gen. 3:15 Theme:Divine fulfillment of scripture Two point that run through the Bible: 1st God was uniquely involved in the origin of the earth and the sky. They did not exist by themselves.

2nd Because the world is God creation, it reveals him and is subject to his will.

Gen 1:1 God created everything (the heaven and the earth and everything in them) and for six days he filed it. Putting in to place all elements to sustain man. He created the light first which is essential for the survival of plants, animals and human beings.

From day two to four, he created the sky, sea and dry land 1:6-9. It was after he formed the dry ground that God pronounce his creation as good 1:10.

These accounts prove to us that God was working for our good, not creating us to suffer. May God deliver you from every form of difficulty this season in Jesus name. On the six day he made man. The creation of man required a special decision, God said let us made. The plural let us, suggest to us the community of the Godhead. Both man and woman were created in the image of God, they were bless and given a mission to increase in number and fill the earth v28 and to rule over creation and to subdue the earth 26, 28.

In chapter 2:1-3 we read God rested, not because he was tried but because the job was well done.

In 2:4-25 we see creating of the human community. We can only manifest the image of God in a community. V8 God planted a garden in the east.

There were trees that were pleasing to the eyes and good for food. But we noted two trees here; Tree of life, indicating God’s presence was in the middle of the garden. God want to be the central of our existence.

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Which is a sign of the existence of evil/ Satan.

God said you may eat from all the trees of the garden but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you should not eat of it for in the day you eat of it you will surly die.

3:1-6 the serpent is introduced, he is craftier than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. But he ends up being cursed above all the livestock and all the wild animals. It is good to be knowledgeable but how are you using that knowledge, talent or gift. The serpent used his ability to turn the woman and her husband away from God. This is happening all over our world today.

People are using their knowledge to steal from other while other are using their to break down thebasic structure of our society.

There were many creatures in the garden but Satan being a spiritual being chose to use the serpent.

The first step was to interfere in the communion between the man and the woman. He decided to usethe woman by making her to act independently of Adam.

Did God really say, you must not eat from the any tree in the garden? He was suggesting that God was not fair, by imposing restriction on man.

He does this every time we pray and there seem to be no answer. He put doubt in our mind about God words. The woman was quick to correct him.

But she fell in to his trap by adding; WE MUST NOT TOUCH IT. Satan knew that if she could add to God’s words, she could accept that God might tell a lie. So he said; you will not surely die for God knows that when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

V6 she was that the tree was good for food, and able to make one wise, so she took and ate.

Instead of being like God, their eyes were open and they realized that they were naked, the best thingthey could do was to saw fig leaves together to cover their nakedness. The relationship of openness to each other was replaced by shame, mistrust, and instability. But God who is good and full of grace did not abandon them in their helplessness. Even though they have disobeyed him. But he came walking in the garden in the cool of the day.

The man and his wife no longer welcome his companionship but hid from God, among the trees. God away take the first step in saving sinner. He said where are you? 3:9 He wanted them to come out. It does not matter how far you may have gone away in your walk with God, He is calling on you this morning. Adam admitted that he was hiding and gave the reason for it, I heard you in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked. God said,who told you that you are naked?Have you eaten from the tree I commanded you? The question was to help them recognize their sin, but each decided to shift the blame. (Adam to Eve and Eve toSatan). But God’s judgment indicate that he hold each individual responsible. His judgments include mercy, for the solution of sin.

Woman- I will greatly multiply your sorrow in conception, in pain you will give birth. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.

The man was punished with more pain in his work.

The serpent: was given the greater cure; cursed are you above all the livestock and all wide animal. You will crawl on your belly and eat dust. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. This applies to the defeat of Satan. He will be crushed by Jesus Christ. The savior of humanity, this is the purpose of the season and this the first mention of Christmas.

Christmas is a season of change and the fulfillment of God’s in the life of mankind Gal 4:4-7.( you will miss out on your entitlement in Jesus name) You may have been going through some wilderness experiences, but as a result of the season, many things in your life and around you I bound to change. Most often the devil keeps us focus on the duration of our problem instead of the ability of God to do the impossible.

It does not matter long you may have had that situation or how long it may have lasted, it does not matter how your father or mother try to handle it.

You are an exception. Because one day is like thousand years, and a thousand is like one day. Just as Christmas change the Story of mankind, so shall it change your life this season in Jesus?

If the devil has caused you to share tears before, the song writer says: From this day forward anything we see tears in your eyes, it will be tear of joy.

Tears of how God has turned your life around for the best.

If you have share tear as thief, a drunker, for immorality, grasshopper. I say to you friend, Change is coming your way. It is time to believe again, everything that you are facing is subject to change. It is not over for you until God say it is over. If you remember how big God is, no matter your problem, God will bring you to a season of peace. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO THE GOOD SHEPHERD FAMILIES AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

In The Name of Jesus: by Susan C. Clark 1. Oh Lord, let my words matter in heaven, in the name of Jesus.

2. Oh Lord, promote me to fight in the heavenlies, in the name of Jesus.

3. All the champions of evil, I stone your forehead, in the name of Jesus.

4. Oh Lord, let the stars fight against every witchcraft bird, in the name of Jesus.

5. Let the sword of the Lord arise and dislodge every evil program me in the heavens, in the name of Jesus.

6. Any power opposing the purpose of God for my life, be shifted away, in the name of Jesus.

7. All satanic investments, be shaken out of the heavenlies, in the name of Jesus.

8. Let every power opposing the prophetic agenda for my life be dismantled, in the name of Jesus.

9. I prophesy over my life, (mention your name), wake up, in the name of Jesus.

10. Every agenda of bewitchment, be shaken off, in the name of Jesus.

11. I pull down every dominion in the heavenlies working against me, in the name of Jesus.

12. Let the sun and moon expel all evil plantations against me, in the name of Jesus.

13. Let the stars fight against my enemies, in the name of Jesus.

14. Oh Lord, subdue kings, peoples, sorceries, enchantments, for my sake, in the name of Jesus.

15. Every horn of darkness planning to scatter my life, scatter, in the name of Jesus.

16. Oh Lord, maximize Your altar in my life, in the name of Jesus.

17. I scatter every evil confrontation, in the name of Jesus.

18. Anything in my life that is making the enemy to ask where is my God, receive divine solution, in the name of Jesus.

19. Oh Lord, set a remembrance for me and my family, in the name of Jesus.

20. Every altar, mounted against my destiny, in the heavenlies, be dismantled, in the name of Jesus.

21. The shadow of my background will not cut me off, in the name of Jesus.

22. Oh Lord, re-open my life unto breakthroughs, in the name of Jesus.

23. Oh Lord, let every accusation in the heavenlies against me be broken, in the name of Jesus.

24. Oh Lord, purge sickness out of my life, in the name of Jesus.

25. The devil will not bury me, in the name of Jesus.

26. I paralyse every activity of wickedness in the heavenlies against me, in the name of Jesus.

27. Every satanic information, registered in the heavenlies against me, be nullified, in the name of Jesus.

28. I command all the days left in this year to favour my life, in the name of Jesus.

29. The sun will not smite me by day, nor the moon by night, rather, they will arise and fight for me, in the name of Jesus.

30. I receive power to mount up with wings as Eagle, in the name of Jesus.

31. Oh heavens, arise in the thunder of your power and pursue my pursuers, in the name of Jesus.

32. Any power, drawing power from the heavenlies against me, be crushed, in the name of Jesus.

33. My Father, arise for my sake and let me advertise Your power, in the name of Jesus.

34. Every power of Sisera, pursuing my destiny, I strike your forehead with the nail of fire, in the name of Jesus.

35. Father, let Your angels arise and convene my breakthroughs to me, in the name of Jesus.

36. Holy Ghost FIRE, sanitize every part of my life and environment, in the name of Jesus.

The Chains We Forged BY JEFF GODSOWN

Charles Dickens wrote a very prophetic word, that mankind has overlooked from the moment it was first spoken, but we should not continue to ignore!

"I wear the chain I forged in life," replied the Ghost. "I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.

Is its pattern strange to you?" – A Christmas Carol These are the words of Jacob Marley to his lifelong friend, Ebenezer Scrooge, words of warning, these are also the same words God has spoken to each of us, and will we take heed? There are so many times in life where the chastening of the Lord is a mirror before us, to show us who and what we have become, by doing things our way. How many times do we, of our own free will and making, ignore this mirror and continue to walk in our ways and thinking, ignoring God and His teachings?

God is looking for those who are God pleasers and not man pleasers, people that He can entrust with great responsibilities. God knows the chains we forge and wear as bondages, all because we choose to please people, forgetting the illicit thinking of man towards God and man. 1Sa 13:14 But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee.

We, each of us goes through life from the moment we are born to the day we die in the flesh, not to the flesh, looking to please man or self at every turn, but God seeks for those who will seek Him at every turn.

David was by no means a perfect man, but in God’s eyes, David had a perfect heart, all because David learned and was willing to seek God for everything he did, not being a people pleaser or a self-pleaser.

Each link forged, though invisible to the naked eye, is one more weight each person must carry, a burden that becomes too much to bear and allows for sick of the body, heart, and or mind to enter, leaving a foothold for satan to do his work. Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Joh 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.

Joh 8:30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Neither chisel nor hammer can break the chains we forge, let’s think about this for a moment, if we can’t see the links of the chains we forge, then how do we hit or chisel them to break their hold? Only Jesus, the living Word can break these chains and keep them off from us, but we have to be willing to die to our flesh daily and obey God at every turn, having a heart to please God. How can we be God pleasers, by seeking Him at every turn of our lives, and if people want to make fun of you or criticize you for doing that, just imagine the chains they forged that keep them from God’s truth.

Psa 14:2 The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. Psa 14:3 They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Amo 5:14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

Amo 5:15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

Let us lay aside the burdens of men and seek the Lord our God, there is no pleasing man, but God told us, if we seek Him diligently and give it our all, then He is pleased with us. We are become God pleasers then!

It is my hope, all who read this will take it to heart and even tell others in love, that all men will be free and walk the walk, not just run the mouth, we do answer for every idle word. I like the Lord, love you all and want the best for you, God bless you as you turn from your ways and thinking, and live the life God called you to, Amen!

This series of messages is to help us avoid the pitfall of some of those who were before us. And to also reawaken us to some of the present error we are still making despite all the warnings.

Last month we were able to look at the house of Eli. Let us do a quick review; there were three things we saw about the house of Eli: I. It was a house of disobedience 2:12,15,16,22 We said in ministry or outside, every time that God gives you the opportunity to service as a leader, do all you can to be an example.

The sons of Eli failed to use their office for the welfare of men and the glory of God, but for their own selfish and corrupt purposes. And as a result they became a bad example of wickedness. (ver. 12). They were disobedience.

II. It was a house of disgrace 22,23 These men of God, has shamelessly indulgence in to pagan immorality. They were involved in to sexual immorality at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.

Today some marry or ill responsible use men their offices to have sexual immorality with young school girl or job seeker. The behaviors of these men have brought disgrace to the office of the priest.

III. It was a house of disdain Professionally Eli’s son followed in their father foot step (1:3b).But morally however, they took a different path (2:12).The mischief spreads like fire in dry grass; and the basic fabric of society is infected with the poison of immorality.

These man brought shame to the Priestly office and as a result God judged the house of Eli. Let us continue with the house of Samuel this month: Text:1Samuel 8; 12:1-5

Theme: Echoes from the house of Samuel Introduction:Samuel was given to Yahweh as a gift of thanks from his mother. As a boy Samuel recognized the expectations placed upon him and rose to meet the challenge of living as one dedicated to the service of Yahweh—the God of Israel. Samuel became more Godly, for he knew this as the purpose of his life.

Let it be known to us that the greatest lesson history has to teach is that man has not learned from the lesson of History.And whenever we fail to correct the mistakes of the pass, the blunder continues. We all long for our children to follow the same beliefs and standard as we do. It is heart breaking when they do not. The man of GodSamuel occupied a unique place in the history of Israel. He served as prophet, Priest and Judge. He also served as a parent to two boys- Joel and Abijah. Unfortunately, like Eli before him (2:12) his son did not possess the integrity of their father.

Let concern three things about the house of Samuel: I. The house of corruption- 8:3 Let us take a look at the Definition of corruption: Wrongdoing on the part of an authority or powerful party through means that are illegitimate, immoral, or incompatible with ethical, let put it this way; it is dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery. Besides their military leadership, these judges also functioned as those handled legal disputes and arbitration among their people. But the sons of Samuel did not follow the good example of their father.Why would such a great spiritual and political leader children not possess the integrity of their father? Do we have such children in the church; community and governmental setting who have fail us? No matter how much sound education we give our children. If they do not know Jesus Christ, we will only be graduating thieves and murderers. The house of Samuel was a house of corruption.

II. The house of contention-8:4-9

Contention is the act or an instance of striving in controversy or debate. A striving to win in competition; rivalry: The Priesthood at the time was a dynasty (1:3). The offering brought by the people was a means of living hood of the Priest (2:13-14) His children not succeeding him was to stop his blessing from them as well. In addition, being a judge, national spiritual leader of Israel those days one had to have good moral standing (12:2-5) and Samuel’s children were different in this area as well. Samuel took the people request personal.

As a father this may have been hard for him to take. He may have told the people my sons will do the work. But they said no, your sons are nothing like you. These sons of your are corrupt and they take bribery from people.

We want a king over us like the other nations around us. Their unfaithfulness helps these God rejecting people to turn their back on God. They were not ready committed to God, so the opportunity came through their leaders they went for it. We need more of God grace to lead people.

The house of Samuel was a house of contention. Do we see the same thing in our churches, when leader want turn power (leadership role) to their children who are not called to ministry? What you will is contention among the people.

III. The house of confusion Confusion is a lack of understanding; uncertainty, a situation of panic; a breakdown of order.

So was the house of Samuel, one art of unrighteousness lead to another consequence of sin.

Samuel seemed to have been confused over the entire problem. He may have regretted why he did not do his best. He may have reflected on what happened to the house of Eli, when Eli failed to restrain his children which led God to punish them. Psychologically he felt that his son’s future was in trouble, even as they live among the very people who had rejected them 12:2.

We some time need not to look down on other people short coming, because if not for God’s grace we will fall in to the same temptation. How similar most of us are to Samuel? We see where other fall short or destroy their ministry yet we go on repeat those same arts of unrighteousness. Samuel was the failure of his father in the ministry yet went on to do the same. Though the result may have not been the same but there is a price to pay, and may God have mercy on us.

Three reasons why the people demanded for aking: 1. Because of the corrupt behavior of Samuel sons.

2. Surrounded by nations that have kings, they wanted to be like other nations. Example; from 1950 to the present all African nations wanted independence from colonized rule. What better if I will ask have independence done for some of our African nations? War, poverty, sickness and the taking of innocence lives.

3. Because of the threatened neighboring country, particularly the Philistines. They wanted a united force that would bring victory in battle.

Conclusion: God has given us children as gift or reward. It is our responsibility to bring them up in the Lord, our failure to do that will bring shame and embarrassment on us. What is the condition of your house as you read through this message? For Samuel it was a house of corruption, contention and confusion.