Contents
by Homer Slack
p.
A Different Kind of
by Yve Clark
WAR
p.
Signs of the Times!
&
EncroachingDarkness 2
October - December 2014
10
by C. Richard McCaw
p.
p.
by Philip Clark
If These Stones Could Talk
p. by Angela Slack
Ecclesia War Time Bride
p. Testimony
23
CREATIVE CORNER Where Does Evil Live? by Homer Slack
Reflections
24
JARGON BUSTER What do these mean?
21 NOTE TO SELF by Angela Slack
26
THE STORY TELLER Exorcism - Delivered Through Prayer
22 THINK Halloween - 5 Things you should know by Angela Slack
29
IN PRAISE OF HYMN Reviewing Popular Hymns of the Church by Philip Clark
14
THE MIND FIELD OF RESISTANCE by Lynda K. Smith
About Us
SHARE MAGAZINE is a FREE Christian quarterly that deals with challenging Christian topics that have been mostly ignored or left unanswered. The magazine includes written articles, poems and thoughts etc. Our online version (www.TheShareMagazine.com) has discussion panels at the end of each article where readers can continue discussions that can also show on their Facebook page. There are also links to Youtube where we sometimes place audio versions of our articles or links to related topics. If you would like to submit articles or get involved in any other way kindly contact us by using the form on our website at www.TheShareMagazine.com
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Editorial
Dear readers, thank you for supporting SHARE. We continue to focus on the kingdom of God. So in this issue we are featuring the war between the Kingdom Of Light and the Kingdom Of Darkness. Homer Slack’s Kingdoms at War reviews this epic struggle of Light Vs Darkness from the original war in heaven to the war on earth today. Have you ever wondered why is this world in turmoil? Well this article promises to be a good starting point as well as Richard McCaw’s Signs of the times. Yes, sadly we are at war, acknowledged or denied, its not going away. Wisdom begs us to learn from previous generations that have had to face similar challenges. They relied on timeless truths that never failed in their applicability, relevance, reliability or effectiveness. These are the same instructions given to us in the BIBLE by Jesus, who is the Commander of the Host of the Armies of Heaven. Christians are not called to be warmongers or the aggressors, we are forced to defend our faith against a relentless and merciless enemy. It becomes glaringly apparent as we acknowledge that this war is spiritual that we face a formidable foe! Chin up! This issue seeks to offer guidance on how to cope effectively. Yve Clark, discusses A Different Kind of War by outlining the the methods of our warfare as being spiritual and explaining how we fight i.e. the ethics, resources, tactics, training etc. I looked at the daily challenges of the citizens of the Kingdom of God who are “the called out ones” in Ecclesia the Wartime Bride. I highlight how dependent upon the Holy Spirit we are to help us organise an effective resistance against the enemy and remain faithful in our allegiance to our King. How spiritual warfare differs from natural warfare is handled by Lynda K. Smith in Mind Field of Resistance. She describes 4
October - December 2014
the minefield of the mind, and explains how capturing thought bombs, renewing the mind, having a militant mentality e.g wearing the helmet of salvation works. As in the days of Nehemiah while defending the kingdom we are also at work building it. Weapons in one hand, building tools in the other. Philip Clark deals with the dichotomy of builder/warrior in his archaeological piece If These Stones Could Talk. This theme runs thematically throughout this issue to demonstrate that, if we wish to live in peace, we have to defend the faith and we will not have peace on this earth until the bridegroom Jesus Christ, The Prince of Peace, returns to rescue His bride in the throes of this warfare and establishes His rule over His enemies. Meanwhile there is ‘Encroaching Darkness’, and Richard McCaw encourages us to actively engage in defending both our faith in, and the testimony of our bridegroom against the Kingdom Of Darkness. The strategies of the enemy, lies, deception, enticement, distraction and counterfeit among many are further handled in the Reflections section of this issue: See Note to self, for some introspection, The Jargon Buster continues to explain tricky terminology. Keep sending in your requests. Go to Creative Corner to findWhere does Evil Live? and Think! on 5 things you should know about Halloween or follow The StoryTeller Series “Exorcism - Delivered Through Prayer” for more direct answers from real life stories about challenges that people face daily. Also new to this section is In Praise of Hymn, a review of the popular hymns of the church. Stand Up, Stand Up for Jesus was our selection and what a rousing anthem it is. Since we are building in a wartime context our every effort must support the Kingdom Of Light. As soldiers in training all our resources, spiritual gifts, natural talents are building tools towards preparing an effective army. We must adopt and communicate the militant resolve that is necessary. The Apostle Paul teaches this so well:
...crucify the flesh...contend for the faith...fight the good fight of faith...endure hardship as a good soldier etc. This is food for thought and prayer. Meditate on God’s word and as the Holy Spirit leads you let me know your thoughts and what topics you would
like us to cover. Meanwhile STAND firm in your faith in Jesus Christ and keep us in your prayers as we SHARE the truth that changes lives.
Angela Slack
I remain in Jesus’ Service. Love as always...
@homerNangel
Editor and Co-founder SHARE Christian Magazine
www.facebook.com/ShareMagazine
Credits: Cover Images by: NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center - https://www.flickr.com/photos/nasamarshall/ - License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/ Popy field image on page 9 by: hennasabel - flickr.com/photos/hennasabel - License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ Photo on page 10 by: Moyan Brenn - flickr.com/photos/aigle_dore - License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/ Image across bottom of pages 12 - 13 by: Ricardo Tulio Gandelman - flickr.com/photos/rictulio/ - License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ Image on page 14 by: Barry Lenard - flickr.com//photos/babybare11/ - License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/ Image on page 16 contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0. (nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-governmentlicence) Image on page 17 by: Ars Electronica - flickr.com/photos/arselectronica/ - License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/ Image on page 27 by: Cl W P - flickr.com/photos/wilhelminah/ - License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ Music sheet image on page 29 by: Gaël - flickr.com/photos/gawelfr/ - License: creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/
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War that started in heaven now continues on the earth I By Homer Slack
n the last issue we focused on the kingdom of God but now we must tell you about the kingdom of the Devil that is at war against the kingdom of God. This battle which started in heaven now continues upon the earth splitting the peoples of the earth between the two kingdoms, those who are for the Lord versus those for the Devil. As it was in the first war in heaven so shall it be in this second war on earth, the Devil and his angels shall not prevail and as no place was found for them in heaven so no place will be found for them, or their people, on earth. The only place that will be left for them all to go will be in the lake of fire. It will be an epic war to end all wars, the entire cosmic balance will be righted finally, as God reasserts His rule upon the earth and among His creation, disposing of Satan the pretender and ridding the earth of his host of illegal occupants.
[the Devil] “andThehisdragon angels are here to enlist a great number of mankind to join their rebellion against God... 6
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The Rebellion Many events are predicted in the Bible to happen before the world ends. One is referred to as ‘the rebellion’ where human beings rebel against God and every God-instituted authority. Rebellion is: action against those in authority and against the rules... (Cambridge Dict). The Apostle Paul warns us to “not let anyone deceive you in any way. For the Day will not come until the final Rebellion takes place and the Wicked One appears, who is destined to hell.” (2 Thessalonians 2:3) This demonic spirit of rebellion is gathering momentum as it takes over children, teenagers, adults, governments and even the religious. Children now choose not to submit to their parents or teachers’ authority and their insubordination goes without consequences; husbands and wives no longer submit to each other, citizens no longer submit to governments, governments reject God's laws and in the courts God has been outlawed! This rebellion is clearly played out where people everywhere are adopting the culture of self satisfaction with everyone doing what is right in their own eyes. As rebellion against God’s authority grows so also will rebellion against God Himself. People are beginning to believe that it is ok or that they have a right to openly oppose and curse God. We see evil openly and brazenly showing itself: perversely vampires are sex symbols, demons are guardians, paganism, magic and witchcraft are legally practised. Have we such short memories or have we fallen under a spell of ignorant naivete`? Have we learnt nothing from history? Have our forefathers’ example of banning Satanic practises and turning to God, gone in vain? Evil is real, it is not a joke, and its sole purpose is to steal our souls, it has no mercy and it will stop at nothing to destroy us. It is patient and will engage in whatever type of warfare it takes to meet its objective. God warned man from early on of the devices of Satan, we are fools to think we can outwit an ancient principality who once walked in the very halls of heaven and was able to persuade a third of heaven’s loyal angels to join his doomed plan of resistance. Why would we mere mortals think we can outsmart him? War that was in heaven... now on earth ! As mentioned earlier the rebellion on earth is only a continuation of the rebellion that started in heaven. The bible says, “Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, who fought back with his angels; 8 but the dragon was defeated, and he and his angels were not allowed to stay in heaven any longer. 9 The huge dragon was thrown out—that ancient serpent, named the Devil, or Satan, that deceived the whole world. He was thrown down to earth, and all his angels with him. 10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, ‘Now God's salvation has come! Now God has shown his power as King! Now his Messiah has shown his authority! For the one who stood before our God and accused believers day and night has been thrown out of heaven. 11 They won the victory over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the truth which they Continued on page 20
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A Different Kind of
WAR
Living in the 21st Century we are acquainted with war. We see it on every side and it is presented to us blow by blow on so many 24 hour news channels. We feel we know the issues and understand what’s going on… the Truth. But do we? As time goes on, new insights come out and the facts we thought we knew often turn out not to be facts at all. WHAT IS GOING ON?
The reality is that one of the most effective weapons in modern warfare is disinformation. That is intentionally spreading false information to make THE ENEMY think you are going to do one thing when in fact you are PLANNING OTHERWISE. One famous example of this was ‘Operation Mincemeat’ where the British persuaded the Germans that the Allies planned to invade Greece instead of Sicily, their actual target.[1] In this case, it gave a distinct advantage to the British. There can be no doubt that keeping your movements and plans secret is a very effective tactic. Sometimes this deception is carried out by using camouflage or disguise. Jesus tells us 8
October - December 2014
By Yve Clark
about one way the Devil uses this within the church: “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.” Matthew 7:15 (ANIV) This is not really a surprise because we are also told (speaking of the hypocritical religious leaders): “You belong to your father, the Devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar
and the father of lies.” John 8:44 (ANIV) The main weapon used by the Devil against the Kingdom of Heaven is lies and deception: “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognise the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” 1 John 4:4-6 (ANIV) How does the Kingdom of Heaven fight this war of deception? The answer may come as a surprise. Uniquely, the Kingdom’s army wages war with the TRUTH! We have no tolerance for deception! Amazingly the world does not believe this truth. It is so used to hearing untruths it treats truth as just another lie! Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, Halloween etc... all replace Jesus Christ who is now considered one among many myths. Very tactical! You are not alone if the idea of standing for your faith fills you with fear. I know how paralyzing it can be. Many believers are fearful of tackling the enemy because they are unfamiliar with the weapons of our warfare. The main weapon is the sword of the Spirit... the word of God… the Bible... ALL OF IT! Jesus used it in the wilderness (see Matthew 4: 1-8) and resisted
the Devil. Our orders are to put what we learn in the Bible into practice, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7 (ANIV) So we must be armed with the TRUTH! Ephesians 6 tells us it is a spiritual war not a physical one and our weapons are equally spiritual. The answer is to get to know our weapons and our orders. Like soldiers, we need to drill with and use our weapons, daily to get to know them. We need to be ready! Good soldiers know their rifles so intimately they could dismantle, clean and reassemble them blindfolded. They practice firing at dummies routinely to be ready for action the instant their orders come. They are disciplined regardless of convenience, hurt or feelings… they do not give into fear of the enemy. It is prepare, prepare and again prepare! The key is in understanding that we are God’s soldiers and are subject to a chain of command. We obey orders. If we do not, the battlefield will be chaos and there would be little hope of victory. Our orders are in the Bible. We need to know them and obey them. Jesus warns us in Matthew 24 9-14 that many will fall away, but others who stand firm to the end will be saved. Let us take courage. He has told us what is to come and told us how to overcome. It is War but war of a different kind! p [1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Mincemeat
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Signs of the Times! by C. Richard McCaw
Jesus “prophesied
of wars and rumors of wars. A glimpse of world history will bring to light serious problems that the world has been facing during and since the last century.
”
10
W
e are a world at war: the kingdom of darkness against the kingdom of light. A brief glimpse of world history will convince any sane individual that the world has faced extremely serious problems in the past and still does at present. When we recognize that a pattern exists in the events of history and our individual lives, we can understand distinct patterns in prophesies about Christ’s return in the last days. Before His crucifixion, when Jesus sat on the Mount of Olives outlining end time events, his disciples asked, “What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”1 Jesus told them, “This gospel will be preached in all the world…and then the end will come.”2 Since that time we have witnessed definite signs in the fulfillment of prophecy. As men become more materialistic, Satan entices many to build their own kingdoms. Like dead fish, they float downstream. In a vision John, the apostle, heard Jesus tell the Laodicean church, “You are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,”3 and Paul, the apostle, warned that many would follow deceiving spirits, demonic doctrines, and false cults.4 The apostle Peter told the crowds on the day of Pentecost that,5 In the last century a revival of the supernatural, prophecy, visions, and dreams will occur. October - December 2014
Daniel the prophet foretold, “knowledge shall increase”6 while several prophets envisioned modern inventions. Nahum foresaw the automobile while Job and John the apostle saw radio, television and satellite.7 Isaiah the prophet saw aeroplanes like great birds hovering over Jerusalem.8 Jesus and Peter the apostle saw the invention of atomic and nuclear weapons.9 Jesus prophesied, “There will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in various places” and “on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring.” He knew about the coming devastating tsunamis on the earth.10 Jesus prophesied of wars and rumors of wars.11 A glimpse of world history will bring to light serious problems that the world has been facing during and since the last century. PROPHESY FULFILLED - WAR ESCALATES The assassination of Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand on the 28th June 1914 brought more than 70 million military personnel, including 60 million Europeans, Americans, and Commonwealth forces into World War 1 and resulted in more than 15 million people being killed. Then came World War 11, led by Adolf Hitler (1889–1945), in which the German Zeppelin bombed civilian targets from the air for the first time. Hitler’s main ally was the Fascist Leader of Italy, Benito Mussolini. Soon, Emperor Hirohito of Japan joined forces with Hitler and Mussolini in September 1940 to form the “Axis” Powers. On Dec 7th, 1941, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor thrust the world into its deadliest and most widespread conflict with 100 million military personnel, the major participants dedicating economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities for the war, thus erasing the distinction between civilian and military resources. More than seventy million people, mostly civilians, were killed. When Nazi Germany invaded Poland, most British Empire and Commonwealth countries, along with France, declared war on Germany. Many other countries such as Ethiopia and Italy, and China and Japan in the Sino-Japanese War, had already been at war. But soon the Cold War began, fomented by the spreading of Communist ideology. Chinese
Communists soon overwhelmed Chiang-Kai-Shek and his pro-western Chinese Nationalist Party, and in 1949 Mao Zedong established the People’s Republic of China. On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea. Fidel Castro of Cuba and Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev of the USSR became strong allies and Cold war protagonists. Their alliance the following year led to the “Cuban Missile Crisis,” which brought the world to the brink of nuclear annihilation. In 1956, Soviet soldiers suppressed the Hungarian Revolution, and on April 17, 1961, the disastrous “Bay of Pigs” invasion of Cuba took place. In 1971, US President, Richard Nixon, started his carpet bombing of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, and in the closing years of the Vietnam war tens of thousands of civilian lives were lost. In 1982, Britain fought Argentina in order to retain the Falklands islands. COUNTDOWN TO THE END These events only confirms the apostle Peter’s prediction of scoffers in the last days.12 With diminishing faith men’s hearts would indeed fail them for fear.13 But, as prophesied, the Restoration of Israel has begun. The Lord Himself has been gathering His ancient people from countries where they have been scattered and returning them to the land of Israel.14 He has allowed Jerusalem to become a cup of drunkenness to all surrounding peoples, a very heavy stone for all peoples, and all nations that would gather against it to destroy it will be cut to pieces.15 God is already making Israel and Judah one nation on the mountains of Israel, and orchestrating the return of their Messiah, Jesus, conductor of the grand symphony of the ages, to the glory of God, the Father.16 Are we prepared for the return of the King? p References:
Matt 24:3; 2. 4. Matt 24:14; Mk 13:10; 3. Rev 3:1516; 4. 1 Tim 4:1-4; 5. Acts 2:17-21; 6. Dan 12:4; 7. Nahum 2:2-4; Job 38:35; Rev 11:9; 8. Isa 31:5; 9. Luke 21:26; 2 Pet 3:10-11; 10. Matt 24:7; Luke 21:25; 11. 14. Matt 24:6; 12. 2 Pet 3:3-4; 13. Lk 21:26; Ezek 15. 16. 11:17; Zech 12:2, 3; Ezek 37:21-22, 25 1.
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If These Stones Could Talk
I
By Philip Clark
describe my love of archaeology as an interest in “piles of old stones”! Our picture today confirms that. It shows the Kidron Valley in the mid1980’s, just south of the Temple Mount, Jerusalem. The greenery shows it was taken in the early spring. It is a typical scene from a large excavation – “piles of old stones!” Today, it is called the “City of David”, a tourist attraction. It aims to continue and preserve the excavation of this important Biblical site. Today, you will find many of these “piles of old stones” restored, making more sense.
Among these “piles of old stones” are the walls the Bible tells us Nehemiah restored after the captivity in Babylon. Truth is, archaeologist keep disagreeing and changing their minds as to which ones are which. We are not sure which ones are the walls of Nehemiah. However, that is archaeology and why it is so much fun! Who was this Nehemiah and what exactly did he do? Well, he was a Jewish man with a very important position amongst the Persian elite. He was the king of Persia’s personal “Cup Bearer”. Being the Cup Bearer, meant Nehemiah was a close and trusted confidant of the King. Nehemiah received a report about the bad troubles of the Jews left in the Land of Israel. He also heard that the walls and gates of Jerusalem were still in ruins. Nehemiah started to mourn, pray and fast, repenting of Israel’s sin. The King noticed that Nehemiah was not his normal self and asked him why. He told the king what he had heard about Jerusalem and asked the king’s permission to return and rebuild it. The king agreed, providing Nehemiah with a military escort and letters of authority. He also granted Nehemiah access to the supplies he would need to complete his task. It was in the month of Av (July/August) that Nehemiah began his great work. Many local people were against this project and did
12
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Here we can see the base of a round tower. It collapsed whilst being built, in the time of Jesus. Some think it is the tower Jesus talks about in Luke 13. Taken in the mid-1980’s, the picture shows the archaeological dig in the Kidron Valley, Jerusalem. The top right hand of the picture shows how far below present ground level the remains from Bible times are found..
their best to stop or delay it. In the end, they planned to attack Nehemiah’s workers. After much prayer, Nehemiah armed his workers. He arranged their shifts so that those not actually building would stand guard. It seems Nehemiah was responsible for the first observance in Jerusalem, for many years, of the eight-day Festival of Sukkot/Tabernacles. The Jewish leaders then agreed they would begin to properly observe the weekly Sabbath and support the work of the Temple service. (cf. Nehemiah ch.8) About twelve years later, Nehemiah returned to his position as Cup Bearer to the Persian king. Later he returned to Jerusalem and found the people once again disobeying God. Nehemiah insisted they repent and enforced the observance of Sabbath. (cf. Nehemiah ch.13)
We learn many important lessons from the story of Nehemiah. Amongst them is the need for prayer and repentance. When Nehemiah discovered something going wrong, he turned to God in prayer; sometimes in repentance. Repentance means to stop going our way and start going God’s way – whether we went our own way deliberately or not. In fact, the Bible makes it abundantly plain that, without repentance, God is not willing to listen to our prayers. We also should learn that, when we serve God, we should expect opposition. The Apostle Paul says in 2 Timothy 3:12, “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” We need to make sure we can stand against all the attacks of the enemy. We do this through making sure we are always in a right relationship with God. If we have sinned in any way, we cannot be right with God. The Continued on page 28
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THE MIND Field of Resistance
A
By Lynda K Smith
mongst all the other wonderful things Jesus blesses Christians with, the Armor of God is an awesome supernatural kit that comes with: the Helmet of Salvation, the Breastplate of Righteousness, the Belt of Truth, the Shield of Faith, the Sword of the Spirit and the shoes of the Gospel and we are told to put it on daily. (Ephesians 6:11)
Christ means that the enemy does not control our minds but wages war against our minds to get us to doubt the word of God and lose our mental fortitude so when things go wrong and there seems to be no way through, WHAM! The fiery darts come flying in so fast our mind is attacked and thought bombs start exploding, our mind will be compromised if we are not wearing The Helmet/The Mind Of Christ!
We need armour because we are in a battle. We have departed forever from the devil’s kingdom and he will try to attack us in many ways. ln this article we will focus on the battle against the mind and the Helmet of Salvation which is a true understanding of who God is and how He thinks.
Now we have to play our part by putting on the whole armor of God that is, we read God’s promises and believe them through the gift of faith. The Holy Spirit brings the promises of God into our mind to fight this battle. We keep praising and giving thanks and even if we feel weak we don’t leave the battlefield, we STAND! Philippians 4:8, speaks of meditating on the truth of God’s word. Negative thinking causes negative action. We have to pray that the Holy Spirit will teach us and guide us to be Christ-minded soldiers who keep fighting on through God’s grace whatever happens because then we will have a sound mind that is uncompromised by the enemy’s schemes. If we seek God for help and answers, He will always give us the grace, strength and
For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:16. Have we ever stopped and thought about that? We actually have the mind of Christ! Once “born again” the Holy Spirit comes into our lives giving us a new way of thinking, one of the proofs that we now belong to God. Having the mind of 14
October - December 2014
courage to get through. Remember, Isaiah 54:17 says that no weapon fashioned or formed against us will prosper. lf we are serving and trusting God He will supernaturally protect us. Why oh why do we despair? Greater is He who is in us than he who is the world. We have an Heavenly arsenal: Jesus and the Holy Spirit intercede for us. We have the scriptures with promises of the Almighty. Jesus paid a high price with His precious blood to redeem us. We have access into the throne room of God. We have God given grace to accomplish mighty deeds. We have angelic protection and assistance. The list goes on, so we should be thinking on these things daily. The enemy is a thief, liar and master of deception he will do anything to get us to doubt God. When we doubt we are not pleasing God. We lose our joy we get despondent and fear then go down the road of ‘what ifs’. We lose sleep, are irritable and so on. So do not let the enemy who is already defeated get us to our knees in trembling fear when WE SHOULD BE ON OUR FEET WORSHIPPING AND PRAISING THE ALMIGHTY GOD AND JESUS WHO SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD.
“
...we will have a sound mind that is uncompromised by the enemy
You may say “well, I am in this battle and my strength fails me even as I do what the Scripture says.” How then can l say what you must do? My friend l have been in a position when my youngest son at only thirty six was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He was passionate for God and was truly sustained by the Almighty’s hand. When it first happened l stayed in London near to the hospital where he was and each morning I thought l would faint with fear and worry for him. Obediently l prayed for the Lord to strengthen,
guide and lead me through. My son had the operation and though they said he would only live about a year by God’s grace he lived six and died at forty two. To God’s glory they were six fruitful years even though he became ill again after four years. Such was our son’s trust in the Lord, he said, “Mom, the Lord’s on the throne, if he chooses to heal me fine, if He chooses to take me home there is nothing you can do about it.”
God used him in the hospital, in the hospice and eventually in the nursing home, to bring people to the Lord, including my youngest brother. The Lord’s provision for us all was evident, He provided in the nursing home Christian nurses who fellowshipped with our son in the power of the Holy Spirit. Many times we have had to stand on the promises of God and when trials and tribulations come, and they will, we are learning to trust God even more.
”
Knowing the Lord knew best we prayed, “Lord your will be done, he is in your more than capable hands, we release him to you Lord because we know that when he takes his last breath on earth he will take his first breath in Heaven.” Only Jesus could have given us the courage to pray that. Yes, there were many attacks from the enemy. Thankfully we had Christian brothers and sisters who prayed continually for us. When the battles come protect your mind with the Helmet of Salvation and unite in prayer with other believers. We are in the Kingdom of the King that created ALL things, gave us authority in His Name and all we need, to soldier on until He returns to reward us and we hear “Well done thou good and faithful servant.” p October - December 2014
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Ecclesia Wa R
emember those old black and white movies where the hero was drafted to fight and he had to leave his sweetheart behind? We watched intently as they came to terms with this call to duty. Putting her agony aside she would give him confidence and motivation to go to defend their freedom. He would use every moment of that memory to bolster his courage. She would tell him how proud she was of him and he would be thankful he had such a loving and understanding girl to come back home to. Then it would hit him in the gut like a soccer punch. What if some other bloke snatched her up while he was gone? Then the soldier would get down on one knee and ask her to marry him. Usually they would get married quickly and spend as much of the remaining hours together until the fateful dawning of the new day when she would, teary eyed and whimpering, waved him off at the train platform. We would wipe a tear from our own eyes as we empathized with them, internally indignant at the terrible injustice of the circumstances of war that tore the newly wedded lovers apart. We’d secretly hope that their love would triumph over all the formidable odds of separation, possible tragedy and even unfaithfulness. What kind of stuff is this wartime bride made of? Meet Ecclesia, she is the Bride of Christ, a wartime bride who is called upon to show incredible character and moral
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October - December 2014
ar Time Bride
By Angela Slack
For Better or For Worse strength as she is living in a very hostile war where her home front is under occupation and she is obliged to put up personal resistance. She got engaged in a fragile peace to the Prince of Peace who returned to His Father to be crowned King of kings. He promised to return and claim her as His bride. Considering her safety, He was compelled to leave her in the care and protection of the Holy Spirit His Regent on earth; and an assignment of His Special Secret Service Agents. Her homeland is now occupied by the enemy and this enemy knows that she is vulnerable and in a hostile world that despises her Beloved. She daily anticipates His return to reclaim His occupied land, triumph over His enemy and establish a lasting peace. Meanwhile, the enemy loots, plunders and confiscates every gift that her Groom has left her in a ploy to demoralise her into despair. She is tempted, traumatised, terrorised with lies of her beloved’s death and betrayal of her. She is made to look the fool for remaining faithful to her Beloved who has, “so called” abandoned her to destitution and humiliation but she demonstrates fortitude in the face of adversity, employs courage under fire and makes her stand of resistance. Under the astute tutelage of the Faithful Holy Spirit she is able to display an unthinkable beneficence; she is as wise as a serpent appearing as harmless as a dove, meanwhile maintaining her fixed resolve to resist the enemy. She will remain faithful even if it means her death! As for the rumours that she has been abandoned, she is deeply secure in her knowledge of Christ’s integrity, recalling that He laid down His life for her and would never leave her comfortless/unprovided for, nor forsaken. She takes solace in the fact that His trusted Regent the Holy Spirit is there by her side unflaggingly and is skillfully preparing her for the imminent return of her Bridegroom and King. Regardless of the austerity of the war raging around her, Ecclesia is still a bride and she must be prepared to receive her Bridegroom as their wedding day is imminent. The Holy Spirit works intimately with her finetuning her character with
impeccable detail to ensure that she remains firstly pure, patient, persevering and faithful to the end. She seeks the council of the Holy Spirit in everything, so that she may successfully discern the ploys of the enemy. The Holy Spirit keeps her steps ahead of the enemy exposing his devious ways and so she is not deceived by his slick showmanship and prissy propaganda. The enemy leers lustfully at her beauty, carnally covets her bounty and plots to undermine her authority and corrupt her prosperity. Naturally the enemy does not take kindly to blunt rejection and engages in open warfare against her and her kin. No more playing nice! He lays siege upon her property claiming it to be his own, publicly beheads her loved ones, forcing a switch of her allegiance but she would rather die than betray her beloved. Many of her kin, to her disappointment defected to the enemy. They were not strong enough to resist his offer of power, wealth and prestige. Spurred on by their incessant need for immediate gratification they abandoned their faith in their true King. Betrayed by her own, she is captured, held against her will, tortured and left to die but death is sweeter, it is better to die a queen than to live a concubine of the enemy. She knows truly nothing in this life can separate her from her Beloved, no, not even death, for Jesus will save her! The Holy Spirit is preparing the Ecclesia of this generation. ”Many are called but few are chosen.” Are you included? Recently a celebrity marriage ended in 72 days on the grounds that the couple could not sync their busy schedules. Really? How flippant! It begs the question; is this a reflection of our Christian commitment? Is our relationship with Jesus Christ an intimate one, do we know the sound of His voice and understand His character, are we completely sold out and dedicated to Him? Only time will tell and it is fast running out because the signs of the times clearly point to Jesus’ imminent return as King of kings to claim His bride. p October - December 2014
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he advance of the enemy of light is like a beast of prey that stalks the weak of the herd. Thus did the younger generation fall into the jaws of the enemy.
In 1955, Elvis Presley’s unusual musical style, good looks, gyrating hips, charisma, and good humor endeared him to millions. On March 2, 1960 after his tour of army duty in Germany he returned to continue pioneering rock-and-roll amidst the increasing rebellion of the teen culture. The kingdom of darkness was advancing as the light of former days began to dim. In many homes young men lacked fathers who
diplomacy, and in the Supreme Court The darkness that was inching its way across American society was affecting not only adults but also our youth. The generation gap was beginning to widen as perceptions differed over law and order. Today in many homes a radio pounds out some hit song, and television remains on most of the time, while many of our children grow increasingly out of control. Our young people have grown tired of religion that fails to challenge them but abandons them to its external rituals. Why sit week after week before a litany of scriptures they have heard from Sunday
Encroaching
modeled faithfulness and unconditional love to their wives and children. Many young women also lacked godly role models who respected their husbands and genuinely cared for their children. Young people therefore hardly had adults as mentors of righteousness. Their fathers and mothers were busy competing for recognition, so that homes were left without authority figures and its strongest caregivers, as both struggled for material things to achieve the American dream.
School days. Something more must challenge their sensitive spirits! Questions being addressed from the pulpit are not ones they are asking. They want answers for foundational truths: Is there a God? Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Do demons exist? Is the Bible true? How can I relate to my parents, siblings, and the opposite sex? And since the church does not provide the answers, they take the popular road that offers ease and comfort.
Why was this? Floods of women begun demanding their rights. In 1968, feminists protested at the Miss America contest in Atlantic City, arguing that the pageant was sexist. Within a few decades feminist trends were changing relationships between the genders. Females had become increasingly dissatisfied with wages that were lower than their male counterparts. At the same time 80 percent of wives were using birth control. Women soon became leaders in television production, in
Ask most college students, “What are you looking for most in life?”
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They may answer, “Adults by their examples have taught us that money and sex are the most important things in life. I just want to do what I want, when I want, and how I want!” Some may smile impudently and add, “And I don’t want anyone telling me what to do!”
Therefore many of them hang out with rebellious youth, whose mouths are filled with swearing and bitterness, grown out of society’s abandonment of parenthood, or the stress of carrying the responsibility of adulthood before they are mature enough to do so. Their dress and flaunting sexuality says it all. Since the late 1960’s rock music and popular songs dominating the airwaves have profoundly influenced society everywhere. Coffin songs of the 1960’s were narratives, ballads performed in a pseudo-operatic style of crooning, which portrayed the Dark Age of popular music. Teenage rebellion involved drug and alcohol abuse,
feed his family or himself. He became desperate. “One day when I had no money,” he says, “I went to the church downstairs and one lady gave me $5.00 and invited us inside. When I entered the church, another lady got up and asked my wife and I to come to the front of the church so she could pray for us. They took up a collection for us and gave us $30. When she prayed for me, I was delivered from drug and alcohol addiction, my extreme temper and the pain in my heart and I fell in love with Jesus. At home I fell on my knees and started praying for God to teach me. Through much Bible study and prayer, God sent others to help me. However I found that the Lord wanted to
ngDarkness by C. Richard McCaw
vandalism, theft and other delinquency. Others have abandoned societal norms and adopted the minority Goth culture, being fascinated with death, dark music and depression that emotionally expressed their rebellion. In the midst of all of that darkness, one young man, Adam Lambert (not the pop singer) told of how his life changed when an alternative culture brought him into the light of Christ. He says, “I started smoking at 7 years old, alcohol at 8, pornography at 8-9, pot at 11 and was a pill freak by 12. I wanted so much for my dad to love and show me his attention. But my Dad abused me, and I was bullied at school. At 15 I was addicted to pot and alcohol. Later, when I married 5 times and had 6 children, I abused my wives either verbally, physically or sexually.” Obviously this young man had hit the bottom of his life. Without sufficient money he could not
teach me Himself, so that I could depend on him alone. Today I am a minister of the Gospel.” We are living in difficult days. Men love darkness and themselves rather than light, and they love pleasures more than God.1 But Jesus points the way out of darkness. The choice then must be presented to the countless teenagers and everyone else lost in our society, “Choose THIS DAY, whom you will serve.” For those crying out for deliverance, we must carry the message of hope. “I am the light of the world,” Jesus says. “He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”2 p References: 1. John 3:19; 2 Tim 3:1- 4; 5:12
October - December 2014
2.
John
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KINGDOMS AT WAR
Continued from page 7 proclaimed; and they were willing to give up their lives and die. 12 And so be glad, you heavens, and all you that live there! But how terrible for the earth and the sea! For the Devil has come down to you, and he is filled with rage, because he knows that he has only a little time left.’” (Revelation 12:7-12) The dragon [the Devil] and his angels are here to enlist a great number of mankind to join their rebellion against God as the ultimate authority so he, the Devil (also called the beast) can be instituted as the one to be worshiped. The Bible predicts this for sure… “All people living on earth will worship it, [the beast] except those whose names were written before the creation of the world in the book of the living which belongs to the Lamb that was killed.[that is Jesus ]9 ‘Listen, then, if you have ears!’” (Revelation 13:9) We are at war... spiritual war! There is no demilitarised zone in this war you are either on God’s side or the Devil’s so choose wisely today which side you are on. Paul says, “For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age.” (Ephesians 6:12) Another Bible prediction is “the great falling away” where, again, by the Devil’s persuasion people will abandon faith in Jesus Christ and reject God’s rule, but we must resist the Devil for only then will he flee from us. We are engaged in a spiritual war in which we must use spiritual weapons. This war is a war of words on the battlefield of the mind. We are fighting lies with truth. We can observe this in the first spiritual battle ever fought between the Devil and a human being. This happened in the Garden of Eden when the serpent tempted Eve. First he tested her knowledge of God’s word. Eve's Epic Fail “Now the snake was the most cunning animal that the Lord God had made. The snake asked the woman, ‘Did God really tell you not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden?’ ‘We may eat the fruit of any tree in the garden,’ the woman answered, 3 ‘except the tree in the middle of it. God told us not to eat the fruit of that tree or even touch it; if we do, we will die.’” She did 20
October - December 2014
well with this answer but he then tested her faith in God’s integrity with the following statement, “That's not true; you will not die. 5 God said that because he knows that when you eat it, you will be like God and know what is good and what is bad.” (Genesis 3:15) In other words, Satan is saying God is a liar and intentionally neglecting to explain to Eve that being separated from God is the true death. This time Eve failed to answer with God’s word so she along with Adam fell into sin by keeping their mouths shut and disobeying God by eating the fruit. Where Adam and Eve failed, Jesus did not because He knew and confidently spoke God’s word to the Devil every time. He never doubted God’s integrity (See Matthew 4). We are Destined to Win! Our victory is guaranteed because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and the power of God's Words. We must remain selfless and faithful to God. The bible clearly predicts that “The Devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever...15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:10-15) The Devil, his fallen angels, and now his people, are warring against God and His Holy angels and His people but we shall “overcome them by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony, and by not loving our lives to the death.” Any human being who has not, accepted that Jesus’ death on the cross was a sacrifice for their sin [had the blood of Jesus applied] or does not have the testimony of Jesus [experienced him as their personal saviour and Lord] or is not willing to lay down their very life for His sake will worship the beast [Satan in human form] and join his rebellion. 2 Peter 3:13 says “...we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.” Heaven and earth finally cleansed of all that defiles i.e the Devil, his demons and the evil people who joined him. “If anyone has an ear, let him hear.” p
Note to Self
Share Mag
God is unimpressed by our Piety He requires Purity
rage is “True cou g a life in k a t in t no g when but knowin ne.” to spare o
“Some people believe that only great power can keep evil at bay but no so. I’ve found it is in the everyday deeds of good, small acts of love and kindness.” J. R. Tolkien
ien
J. R. Tolk
The Holy Sp
is not our play
“The Christian’s
irit
thing,
reality is not that
puppet or poc
that God is present.”
He is God!
gadget:
trouble is absent but
ket
H. A. Slack
The only person
you are competing with is the person
you were Yesterday
Stop trying to do d things for God an in let Him do things and through you.
October - December 2014
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5
By Angela Slack
Think!
Things you should know about
Halloween
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Did you know what Halloween means? Halloween is a merger of the Catholic festival: All Hallows Eve and Celtic Pagan festival: The Vigil of Samhain (pronounced ‘so-wein)’Lord of Death. Attempting to “Christianize” this pagan worship day in A.D. 800 the Roman Catholic Church moved “ALL SAINTS DAY” from May to November 1st. The new day was called All HALLOW’S DAY and ... the evening before on October 31st, ALL HALLOWE’EN shortened to HALLOWEEN. “Many superstitions developed making many people the victims of practical jokes,murder,violent crimes including cannibalism and human and animal sacrifice,”because as pagans worship and appease their god of death they are compelled to unleash demons to run amok. It is a satanic sacrifice festival not a HOLYday. www.carm.org
Did you know the occultic origins of... Trick or Treat? With demons on the loose due to the pagan sacrifices being conducted on Halloween, in order to protect your household, “You were to set out a TREAT of food and fruit, and provide the wandering spirit with shelter for the night. If the demon was satisfied with your TREAT, it was believed that they would not TRICK you by casting an evil spell on you causing havoc.”Still feel like entertaining demons then? www.carm.org
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The Jack-O-Lanterns are a symbol for satanic sympathisers! Irish Folklore tells of Jack who tricked the devil into climbing a tree. Jack carved a cross on the trunk, preventing the devil from coming down. The devil made a deal with Jack not to allow Jack into hell after he died if Jack would remove the cross from the tree. After Jack died, he couldn’t go to hell; and he couldn’t go to heaven. He was forced to wander the earth with a single candle’s light. The candle was placed in a turnip to keep it burning longer. Irish Americans later adopted the pumpkin.” There was another purpose for Jack-O-Lanterns according to author Owen Rachleff. “The candlelit pumpkin or skull... served as a beacon ... and as a signal to mark those farms and homes that were sympathetic to the Satanists and thus deserving of mercy when the terror of the night (Halloween) began.” (The Occult Conceit; page 190) Witches/pagans/satanist are actual people and their religion is not child’s play! “When asked “Does anyone today celebrate Samhain (Halloween) as a religious Holiday?” a major witches’ organization responded, “Yes, many followers of various pagan religions, such as Druids and Wiccans (witches), observe this day as a religious festival. They view it as a memorial day for their dead friends similar to the national holiday of Memorial Day in May. It is still a night to practice various forms of divination concerning future events. Also, it is a time to...initiate new projects.” (from Cult Watch Response, October 1988, Vol. 1, No. 1).”[We ] get a lot of favourable media coverage, it generates interest in “the craft” and is good for recruitment purposes. As Craig Hawkins put it, “...with increasing vigor, witchcraft is coming `out of the broom closet.’ Many witches are actively seeking public understanding and acceptance.” (quote from an article in Christian Research Journal; Winter/Spring 90 entitled “The Modern World of Witchcraft” by Craig S. Hawkins.) Charming isn’t it?
Why the garish costumed themed parties? Samhain lord of death AKA The Grim Reaper today,on Halloween overpowers Muck Olla god of the sun, ushering in the cold death of winter and ringing in the Pagan Celtic New year. “[He] would then send... evil spirits to attack people on [halloween night] ...The only way [to] escape was by assuming disguises and looking like evil spirits themselves.” “the Druids, who were the occultic priests and teachers of the Celts, ordered the people to put out their hearth fire...built a huge new year’s bonfire of oak branches, which they considered sacred. They burned animals, crops and human beings as sacrifices to their [gods.] During this diabolical ceremony the PEOPLE WORE COSTUMES made of animal heads and skins. They then practiced divination, looked for omens in the struggle of the victims sacrificed in the fires, jumped over the flames or dashed through them, danced and sang. All of this was done to frighten the evil spirits away.” Still feel like Halloween is just a party? www.carm.org
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Be wise/Beware: Christians are not to be involved with or support the occult, witchcraft, demonism, or any other thing that uplifts the occult. To do so is to contradict God’s word, dabble in the demonic, and invite judgment from God. Halloween celebration is centered on demons, devils, spirits, etc., Don’t have anything to do with it. Deuteronomy 32:16-17, Deuteronomy ch.18 vs.10-12, I Corinthians 10:20. Please follow the link for more www.logosresourcepages.org/Holidays/halloween.htm
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Where Does Evil Live? Evil takes any colour; Evil takes any shape;
Evil influences that ’s how it receives its power;
Having received power it then dictates.
Evil took up residence somewhere; Is it living far from you; Or has it moved near?
Evil has a birth date , and a birthplace;
Evil has been born evil is awake; Of what nationality is it; Is it a he or a she?
If one could see it;
Would it look like you or like me; Like a cat, a dog maybe?
Did I ever feed it, stroke it or liked it?
Evil is at the door, it wants to come in;
But it will wither and die if no one opens up to sin .
by Homer Slack
October - December 2014
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Protestant
ho has is someone w t” n a st te ro “P A tholic the Roman Ca st in a g a d e st prote n is only ing that salvatio Church teach ch. See ugh that Chur available thro ut the er” below abo st Bu n o rg a “J the olic Church”. “Roman Cath
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JARGON
BUSTER
What Do These Mean? C hristians use lots of words and think everyone else knows what they mean. Truth is often we don’t even use these words in the same way ourselves. That’s why we include in every issue of SHARE magazine the “Jargon Buster”. We hope you find it useful. If you find something you don’t agree with, please first check it out in the Bible; if you still disagree, please do contact us – we, like you, are learning all the time. We shall only be able to look at a few of them in each issue. Others to come in subsequent issues will include... Rapture, 5 Fold Ministry, Jew, Pagan, Gentile and Israelite. 24
Evangelical
An “Evangelical” Christian is someone who believes and obeys the command of Jesus to, “Go into all the world, and preach the Good News to the whole creation. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who disbelieves will be condemned.” (Mark 16:15,16) They consider that belief in and obedience to Jesus is the only way a person can be forgiven their sins and come into a relationship with God. They believe this because Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.” (John 14:6)
Fundamentalist
A “Fundamentalist” is a Protestant, Evangelical Christian who believes that the Bible is the only Word of God to mankind. They deem the Bible to have been preserved by God throughout history and is the only guide to how we should live and believe.
Exorcism
...is the act of expelling or casting demonic spirits/evil presence out from a person by prayers and religious rites. Exorcism is mentioned in the New Testament. Jesus cast out demons (Matt.12:27; Mark 1:23-26; 5:1-13; Mark 9:25-26; 16:17; Luke 9:1; 10:17; 11:19), as did Paul (Acts 16:16-18) In evangelical circles it is often referred to as ministering deliverance.
October - December 2014
The Bride of Christ ...is a phrase speaking about a group of references in the Bible which talk about, or imply, that Messiah will have a “Bride”. This “Bride” seems to consist of all those who have an ongoing relationship with God through His Son, Jesus. The important thing is that those who are part of this “Bride” will not allow unconfessed sin to mar their relationship with God. In Revelation this “Bride” is spoken of by an angel to John in this way: “One of the seven angels ... spoke with me, saying, ‘Come here. I will show you the wife, the Lamb’s bride.’ He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God.” (Revelation 21:9-11) It is made plain that, “There will in no way enter into it anything profane, or one who causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” (Revelation 22:27) The question is, how can you ensure your name is written “in the Lamb’s book of life”? The answer is found in how the Bible defines those who believe in Jesus. Revelation defines these people in three different places in the following way: those “who keep God’s commandments and hold Jesus’ testimony” / “those who keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” / “those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter in by the gates into the city.” (Revelation 12:17/14:12/22:14)
The Roman Catholic Church The Church/Ecclesia consists of those who have a personal relationship with Father God through His Son, Jesus. All these people know that they are sinners and need God’s forgiveness. They have come to know this forgiveness through turning from their old sinful life and starting to walk in the way God wants for them (repentance). The first step of obedience in following God is to be baptised (immersed under water in the Name of Jesus). These people will then receive God’s Spirit into their life to help them live the way God wants. The Church exists Worldwide but is known locally through the local Church. The local Church is local Christians meeting together to learn more about God and His Son, Jesus, for prayer and for worship. The “Church” is not a building or manmade organisation. The book of Acts describes the Church in this way, “They (the Christians) devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching (learning about God & Jesus) and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread (eating together) and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42) The Greek word “ecclesia” is translated in the English Bible as “Church”. It simply means “an assembly” or “people getting together”.
...is the largest worldwide, Christian denomination, which has its headquarters in Rome and is led by the Pope. The term “Protestant” refers to Christians who have protested against the Roman Church. One thing Protestants object to is the way the Roman Church feels Church tradition is as important as the Bible. An important example of this is the repeated Bible statement, “Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many.” (Hebrews 9:28) However, the Roman Church claims that every time they celebrate the Mass they crucify Jesus again and again. This is an important difference between the Roman Church and Protestants. Another example is the recent statement of Pope Francis, “those who believe they can maintain a personal, direct and immediate relationship with Jesus Christ outside the communion and the mediation of the Church... are dangerous and harmful”. (25th there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1Timothy 2:5) – we do not need another “mediator” like the Roman Church! June 2014) Protestants believe what God says in the Bible, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1Timothy 2:5) – we do not need another “mediator” like the Roman Church!
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stories that grip the very heart of you COMING SOON TO A VENUE NEAR YOU
Exorcism - Delivered Through Prayer I was now president of the Youth Fellowship at the church where I got saved. This evening is another of our weekly Friday night meetings when youths from different walks of life would descend upon the little educational building located behind the much larger church building. God was doing a mighty work among us so we came again today with great expectations as we sang and worshipped the way we usually do before going into the programme for the evening. Today we were going to talk and share with each other as the Spirit lead us so the chairs were placed in a circle and not in rows as we would normally do when there was an invited speaker.
I requested anyone with a testimony or a word of encouragement or exaltation etc. to stand and share what’s on their heart. As the meeting progressed in this manner M stood up and said she wanted to share something of concern about her own life. She then continued to tell us of her uncontrollable anger as she related incident after incident of her getting angry and then getting out of control and smashing things, 26
October - December 2014
anything, even valuable things. She was some how taken over by her anger and was unable to control what would follow. As she continued her story began to heighten my suspicions. I took note as I remembered the incident concerning her in Sunday morning church just a week or two earlier. I remembered she fell so ill in the service it interrupted the service as she had to be attended to and rushed to the hospital. As she finished speaking I asked her about the incident and what was the doctors’ diagnosis. To our surprise the doctor failed to come up with a diagnosis for her severe illness. Here again was another indication that something beyond the natural was at work. As she sat back down I asked her if she would like us to pray with her at the end of the meeting, she said yes. The meeting came to an end and, as usual, we chatted a bit with others etc. As such interaction quieted down and people began to leave a few of the fellowship members joined me to pray for M. I started praying and no sooner had I started I realised that M was going unconscious and falling to the ground. We laid her comfortably on the ground and then proceeded
to command this new personality that was now speaking through her, in the Name of Jesus to leave her alone. Upon asking they told us how many of them were residing inside her, if my memory serves me right there were as many as seven. Seven demons that three of my youth fellowship members and I engaged and proceeded to cast over the next few hours. After about an hour or so, five of these demons were cast out M regained her consciousness and could sit up but she could still feel the unclean feeling of evil still inside her and told us they were not all gone. We continued exorcism, constantly checking to see if we were still speaking to M or some other personality. M told us the unclean spirit was in her tummy so the female present with us placed her hand there as we continued to pray. Soon it moved to her chest then to her throat but when it got there M became dumb and could not speak, she had to make signs to us. Eventually the spirit came out through her mouth and she was totally set free from the unclean spirits, those indwelling demons that tormented her with sickness and destructive rage. We immediately prayed that God would fill her with His Holy Spirit so the cavity that the demons left inside would be completely filled by God whom she so desired and loved. She was filled with God’s Spirit at that very moment. This was the first of my many experiences of casting out demons. I agree that such experiences are so out of this world, literally BUT I have no doubt that the bible’s accounts of Jesus and the apostles casting out demons are true. We have visitors from another world, intruders, disembodied spirits that are seeking to possess human beings, to torment us and use us to carry out their rebellion against God and the destruction of all the good things He has created and furnished us with. Jesus says that they come to steal, kill and destroy. (John 10:10) They are here and have already taken over the minds and subsiquent actions of multiplied millions of people but let us continue to resist them in God’s strength and where necessary, to cast them out of those who are tired of being tormented and want to be free to worship the God of heaven whom they have come to love. p To book the story teller: Email : index_us@yahoo.com, Personal Mobile Number : ++7940 875-674
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IF THESE STONES COULD TALK Continued from page 13
answer is found in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” We simply repent of what we have been doing (which includes stopping doing it), confess our sin to God allowing Him to forgive and cleanse us. Having done this we can then pray, knowing that God will hear and answer us. (cf. Ephesians ch.6) Nehemiah also had access to something extremely important, God’s revealed will, in His Word, the Bible. Yes, it was not all we have today but it was still God’s Word, His will revealed to us. Sometimes, the traditional way of doing things were not in line with God’s revealed will. Nehemiah’s answer was always the same:
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Confess the sin, repent and continue the walk with God through being obedient. It is worth taking the time to read the whole story of Nehemiah. It can be found in the Bible book named after him, Nehemiah. If we are part of God’s Kingdom, we need to learn the lessons Nehemiah teaches us. Those lessons include: • knowing how to deal with unconfessed sin in our lives; • The importance of speaking with God (i.e. prayer); • Using God’s Word and promises as the basis of our lives. p
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In Praise of Hymn
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Reviewing Popular Hymns of the Church
Chorus
Stand up! stand up for Jesus! Ye soldiers of the cross; Lift high His royal banner, It must not suffer loss: From vict’ry unto vict’ry His army shall He lead, Till every foe is vanquished And Christ is Lord indeed.
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Stand up! stand up for Jesus! Stand in His strength alone; The arm of flesh will fail you; Ye dare not trust your own. Put on the Gospel armor, And, watching unto prayer, Where duty calls, or danger, Be never wanting there.
Stand up for Jesus Ye soldiers of the cross; Lift high His royal banner, It must not, it must not suffer loss.
Stand up! stand up for Jesus! The trumpet call obey; Forth to the mighty conflict In this His glorious day. Ye that believe, now serve Him Against unnumbered foes; Let courage rise with danger. And strength to strength oppose.
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Stand up! stand up for Jesus! The strife will not be long: This day the noise of battle, The next the victor’s song; To him that overcometh A crown of life shall be; He, with the King of glory, Shall reign eternally.
The words of this hymn were written by George Duffield, Jr. (1818-1888). Its fame, however, came from a sermon preached by the Rev. Dudley Tyng to the YMCA on the Sunday before he died. It is known as one of the most successful sermons of modern times. He preached from Ephesians 6:14 and the words of this hymn were simply a concluding exhortation. The Sunday School Superintendent printed a fly-leaf for the children containing these words. A stray copy of this was published in the Baptist newspaper and the hymn has gone all over the world. October - December 2014
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October - December 2014
MyDevotions.today We have recently launched our new MyDevotions.today website that will bring you daily devotions that you can access via desk top computer, tablet or mobile phone while on the move. The daily thoughts cover a range of topics and will give you something to think about as you go about your daily activities. Isaiah 26:3 says, “you (the Lord) will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” It is a good idea to seek the Lord first thing in the morning so you can begin your day with Him. It seems as if David the man after God’s own heart used to do the same. He writes in Psalm 5:3 “My voice you shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to you, and I will look up.”Build your faith each morning, keep your mind on Him and let His peace keep you all day.
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