Ideas For Jesus: August 2009

Monday, August 31, 2009

Find Out Why The Christians Don't Want You Watch This

When the Time is Right

Someone's been taking care of Kim Jong-il's people in North Korea. Someone has surrounded the nation with intercessions to God. Someone has found the exits for many thousands of her citizens. That same Someone has been at the other end of the journey as refugees run to China-based Christians. Someone has been sending in food and clothes and Bibles and tracts.

That Someone is of course Jesus. Mr. Kim needs to know that the Jesus he squelches and Whose Word he consigns to the flames or the garbage is the very One who is caring for North Koreans day and night. That's Who Jesus is. That's the kind of thing He does.

Do we think for one moment that our God is emaciated and weak like the starving Koreans that Kim enslaves? That He is unable to rise up and with the breath of His mouth incinerate Pyongyang in a moment? He has done too many mighty works for us to think that.

There is a show of strength that is even greater than the meting out of deserved judgment. It is the restraint of a loving God Who will do nothing before the exact time has arrived. It is a God Who waits for people to repent, as He waited for the evil Canaanites, then the Egyptians, the Babylonians, the Romans.

All great powers have been given their chance to change, but eventually judgment came. And in the midst of all their prospering, God was prospering too. Inside Egypt, inside Babylon, inside Rome and subsequent Romanism, God grew His people. Then He manifested to the world what He was doing, and received the glory for what He had done.

Someone needs to tell the Kim government that their power is granted them only for a time. God is even now growing a people inside those prison walls. Inside every concentration camp, every jail, every holding center for repatriated citizens, are some of the People of God. Their moment of manifestation will come. The government will fall. God's people will rise. History is clear. God's Word is always more powerful than the chains of men.

On an even grander scale, the Bible says that the entire planet is awaiting the manifestation of the Sons of God. We are a people in exile. We are the scum now, though a few of our people seem to shine and be acceptable. By and large our message, our Christ, is rejected, hated, beaten, imprisoned.

But the One Who behind the scenes has been our Healer, our Provider, our Comforter, will one day make not only His people appear, but Himself. He will return, judgment will fall, and we will be caught up to Him to reign over the planet.

A fairy-tale ending? Of course. Where did the fairy tales ever get such ideas in the first place? From the hope that springs eternal in the promises of God. We really do win, Mr. Kim. Evil really shall be rewarded. God's people really will shine forever.

Be patient, people of God. Force is not an option for us. Neither is defeat. Give it to God. He will bring the outward victory in His time. He will give you the inner victory this very day.

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com - There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs, over 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

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

Christian Movie About Jesus and The Problems

The Coming Troubles To Jerusalem

The Lord in Matthew 24:15 referred the disciples to the prophet Daniel for an understanding of the "abomination of desolation." Before we follow the Lord's leading to go back to Daniel, it is necessary that we take a quick visit over to Brother Luke. In his 21st chapter is a passage parallel to Matthew and Daniel, presumably spoken at the same time by Jesus. But there is at least one clear difference in the text that might be disturbing to some. Luke heard from the Spirit and/or his Spirit-filled sources some words that Matthew was not led to share with us. Remember, Matthew was there. Luke was not. But we believe both men have given us the Spirit's message from the lips of Jesus.

In Luke 21:20, having gone through all the same preliminary listings of things that will not be signs that the end is near, Jesus turns to a sign related to the abomination, one that must come before that horrid scene, and one that is similarly mentioned by Daniel. According to Luke, what we will see before fleeing, should we be there on that appointed day, is an army fully surrounding Jerusalem. Oh my, the armies that have surrounded this city! I imagine Jerusalem holds the record there! Nevertheless it is one part of the sign that the Lord wanted us to have, and fulfills exactly Daniel 8:12, where an army is supplied to the evil ruler to enforce his will. He takes over the city, and then according to Paul, enters the Temple itself. There is no real difference then in the two accounts.

Noting the above truth reminds one to say that Jesus speaks nothing of the identity of a particular man, His archival. He points us to Daniel for that piece of work. He does not tell us much about background, the times, the political structure of the end times. These pieces are scattered all over the Scriptures, assuring that only the diligent and caring will find them and fit it all together. Unfortunately, the "cares of this life" choke out most of this desire to search the Word for answers. May God change our priorities!

Luke brings out another important piece of information. In the same passage in which Jesus talks of the very end of all things, parallel to Matthew and Mark, Luke quotes Jesus as saying that Jews will once more be led away captive to all nations!

We remember how this happened when Babylonia and Assyria attacked Israel. Surely the Jews have been all over the world since the much later days of Rome too. But Luke says this happens yet again after the "signal" of the surrounding armies and the following desecration of the Temple. He says further that following the abomination are the days of vengeance when every prophecy about everything is fulfilled (verse 22)! This is the end time.

Will there indeed be time in the few short years that follow before the coming of Jesus for yet another Jewish dispersion? Especially when we have already seen how the "remnant" Jews, the 144,000 are going to be protected and confronted by Jesus?

I believe that an answer for this question is in Revelation 11:2, where according to John, Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles for three and one half years. It will be a replay of the Assyrian invasion, when that people sent their own citizens to populate Israel while taking Jews to captivity.

Yes, the book of Revelation assigns only three and one half years to the "times of the Gentiles". We were taught that that period was all the way from A.D. 70 until 1948, when the Jews recaptured Jerusalem. There were indeed some Gentiles there, mostly of Mid-eastern descent. But the Bible seems to be showing us a cosmopolitan urban center where Jews are no longer a threat to world peace. Where Gentiles rule.

I believe that this process will begin a few years earlier when a contract is signed with the Jewish nation, allowing them to have their Temple worship if they will relinquish the city to "humanity." Then Antichrist will reverse things and finish the process he has begun by eliminating Jews from their own city.

In some of these last things I speculate. But there are some definites I hope we have gleaned from this study:

1. The disciples asked for a specific sign about the end.

2. Jesus gave the disciples a specific sign and referred them to the Book of Daniel.

3. When the Temple is surrounded and desecrated, the end is near.

4. After the "sign" there is unprecedented devastation.

5. After the devastation, Jesus comes.

Troublesome days coming. Oh may we be ready for them should they be in our lifetime!

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

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

The Korean Peninsula's Long Night

Christian North Korea, what was it like a hundred years ago?

Some of my readers/hearers may be feeling down today. It happens to me on a regular basis in the school system where I work. Some may be facing sickness or financial loss. But chances are none of us are experiencing anything like the constant stream of evil perpetrated on the Christian inhabitants of the Korean peninsula. We're back in the early part of the 20th century there, during the Japanese occupation. The new masters became so oppressive that native Koreans, led in large part by believers, took to the street. Japan reacted. The torture began. A reporter of the day wrote:

"Men and boys were trussed and suspended from the ceilings so that their weight hung on the shoulders. Thus they were raised and lowered til unconscious. They had their fingers pressed over red hot wires. Their naked flesh was lacerated with sharp hooks and seared with hot irons. Toenails were torn from the flesh with pincers. Men were placed in a tight box and then screwed up. They were tied up, their heads forced back, and hot water or a solution of water and red pepper poured down their nostrils. Slivers of wood were shoved far under their fingernails. They were flogged until they had to be taken to hospitals, where big slabs of gangrenous skin had to be cut off. In many cases they were flogged to death. [These tortures] were not done once or twice, but repeatedly for days and nights, hours at a time, until the victim confessed, whether he had anything to confess or not..."

A 21-year-old Christian female from Pyongyang gave Presbyterian missionaries a signed statement of how women were treated. I will not be able to share all of what she said. But the most dedicated followers of Jesus were humiliated, beaten into unconsciousness, burned with lighted cigarettes, compelled to "baby-sit" the bodies of dead men, bound hand and foot in stocks, exposed to vile indecent remarks, and on and on. "Some of the girls were so changed that they did not look like human beings."

Church papers in the U.S. begin relating the truth about the atrocities as they hear them from the missionaries. So the Japanese have to get rid of the reporters. Two hundred "thugs" are brought over from Japan to terrorize these representatives of Christ's kingdom. Homes must be guarded every night. People are beaten. Others sentenced to prison terms. Then the world press picks up the story. Japan relents and produces reforms, which last about ten years.

In the thirties there is again a fresh crop of Japanese hardliners that rises to repress Christians. More arrests. More rules. In 1937 students at Christian schools are told they must worship the Sun Goddess. Surely all Christians said NO? Wrong. The Methodists go along with the idea, saying that this is merely a cultural patriotic thing, not a religious one. Presbyterians do not comply but they decide to close their schools. The witness of Christ is being snuffed out.

Some churches are given similar regulations. Christians who fail to worship at a Shinto shrine are to be imprisoned. Then in '39 all foreign missionaries are forced to leave the country altogether. The believers who are left behind continue to be pressured into compromise. No more Old Testaments allowed in worship. No New Testament passages that claim Christ to be Lord and King can be proclaimed! Families are forced to "baptize" their children into the Shinto religion. Church buildings confiscated. Clergy drafted for work for the war effort (World War II).

Yes, all of this before Kim and Communism. And all of this after Pyongyang is known as the "Jerusalem" of the East. What a history this peninsula has known! How God's people have paid a price over the years! Gets you to wondering afresh, would I have stood firm? Would I have mentally sought escape from the cross by saying Sun worship is merely "patriotic"? Would I have hid an Old Testament and taught it faithfully to my children, as I would in the free world? Would I have found ways to preach Jesus IS Lord and King, and will one day rule the world when He comes in glory? I have now. Would I have then? Would I have let them force me into infant baptism and a false religion? I fought all of that here. What about there?

Easy to say, "Lord we are able to bear the cross, to drink the cup." It all sounds so poetic and romantic and wonderful. But Peter found out that all the talk in the world doesn't prepare one for an arrest in the middle of the night. May Jesus' Spirit make us ready. For now let us keep praying for those who gladly give their lives away to Jesus.

Oh how the enemy of our soul hates us! Though it is promised that if we resist his temptations he will flee from us, there is no fleeing from the vicious hatred he is at times allowed to pour out on those willing to bear the cross of Christ.

Still feeling down ? In the midst of the ups and downs of life, may Jesus keep His cross before us, and the joy of meeting Him, having borne it faithfully.
Quotes above also used by the Heflins, authors of By Their Blood.

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

Is the Bible Full of Contridictions - Video

There is a Generation

Pro 30:11-14; There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.
There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.
There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
There is a generation, whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from among men. There is a generation that Jesus spoke of, a generation that would see the end begun. A generation that would be unmerciful to parents, fathers against the sons and daughters against their mother in laws.

A generation without the love for God or self. This is a generation that will be self serving and full of greed and hate.
A generation that will be faithless and perverse. Today I read of men and women, marring animals, a woman to a cat, a man to a dog and another man to a spider.

Mat 24:32-34; Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:(This is a sign of the beginning of the end, or should I say the beginning for those that trust in the Lord. Israel was reborn in 1948 and has prospered to become the Major force in the Middle East.)
So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. (This verse is stating the truth, when you see all these signs of Israel being renewed, wars and rumours of wars, nations rising nations, kingdoms against kingdoms, famines, pestilences, earthquakes in divers places, and the Love of God waining away, fading away, these are the beginning of troubles.)

Mat 24:8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
and War, famines, Petulance and the others, it is near, even at the door. The door is almost open, the end is closer than you think. This generation is secpectable, with out faith nor knowledge in the word of God. This generation is full of hate, lust, greed and anti- Israel. This generation is looking for a fresh path, new things to do, their appetite is not satisfied with what was or is but they are looking for those things to come.

Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. The generation spoken of hear is not the generation that Jesus was speaking to but rather the generation of the end days. This generation that Jesus was speaking of is the generation that thinks upon fleshly lust and evil continually. The generation of free sex, animal husbandry, and homosexuality, as it was in the days of Sodom and Gomorrah, a generation that allows all manner of sin and debauchery. A generation that refuses to obey parents and the law of decency.

Deu 28:59 Then the LORD will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance, and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance. The plagues that are, and will begin to fall, will be of great measure, this generation will begin to curse God for the Heat and suffering of millions. Curse God for the plagues and suffering, the famines, pestilences, and earthquakes. This generation will run for the mountains seeking relief from the heat but will find no rest, they will call upon the rocks and mountains to fall upon them to hide them from the Face of Jesus. All these thing will this generation suffer but they will still refuse to worship God, they will refuse to believe in Jesus, they will suffer for their sins.

Ecc 1:4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever. All these things will this generation suffer and at the end, the Earth will remain, never to pass away. This is contrary to what may are teaching but the Bible is truth. Rev 16:9 And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. There is a generation that will curse their father and Mother, that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness, beauty will fade away, those with beautiful hair will be bald, those of fine appearance will not be noticed, the high will be brought low, the mighty will be brought down to weakness.

There is a generation whose teeth are as swords, and their jaw teeth as knives, to devour the poor from off the earth. There is a generation that will want the poor and weak to be eliminated, removed from among man. There is a generation that have Four kinds of hateful persons - (1) graceless children, (2) hypocrites, (3) the proud, (4) cruel oppressors, full of vanity, pride, and insolence. Is this the generation that we see? Is this the terminal generation that will fight against God and His Son Jesus? Is this the generation that will run to battle of Armageddon? Call upon the Name of the Lord and thou shalt be saved. Ars.

Rev 16:9 -
scorched: or, burned
blasphemed: Rev_16:10,Rev_16:11, Rev_16:21; 2Ki_6:33; 2Ch_28:22; Isa_1:5, Isa_8:21; Jer_5:3, Jer_6:29, Jer_6:30; Eze_24:13
and they: Rev_16:11, Rev_2:21, Rev_9:20; Dan_5:22, Dan_5:23; Luk_13:3, Luk_13:5; 2Co_12:21
to give: Rev_11:13, Rev_14:7; Jos_7:19; Jer_13:6; Amo_4:6-12

Pro 30:13 -
Pro_6:17, Pro_21:4; Psa_101:5, Psa_131:1; Isa_2:11, Isa_3:16; Eze_28:2-5, Eze_28:9; Dan_11:36, Dan_11:37; Hab_2:4; 2Th_2:3, 2Th_2:4

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

Tips on Smuggling the Word of God

So how does the Word of God get into a Communist prison? Or a Communist country? By ordinary means it is impossible. We call North Korea, for example, a closed country. But God does not call it that.

Couriers risk their lives to carry it in, sometimes hidden in bags of flour. These warriors come in from China, from South Korea, from America.

And when the Word gets into a heart, who can keep it out? Arrested believers carry it in this manner to fellow-prisoners and a rich prison fellowship ensues.

We cannot rule out miracles. Angels. Healings. God is not bound. The Word goes in.

But I fear this question takes a different turn when referred to the American church. May I dare ask, how does the Word of God get into some Western churches? There the word "impossible" seems to me more fitting.

So many of our churches are caught up with different agendas than the one outlined in that Book sitting on the shelf of these groups. Even in Scripture's Book of Revelation, there were seven different kinds of churches listed, and not all of them were praised.

In at least one of those churches the doctrines of men were being preached alongside the Word, effectively confusing the congregants and making the Word of God ineffectual. No Word there.

In another there was an agenda of immorality. A popular woman teacher was seducing God's people into immorality and paganism. No Word there.

In another, the Word was so low a priority that God pronounced the church dead. No Word there.

And in still another, materialism reigned. Definitely no Word there.

That's a pretty good outline to explain how difficult it is to get the Word into so many churches today. The doctrines of men, immorality, paganism, materialism. It is that very collection of problems that we are having.

Church after church is now selling out to the world's music, female leadership, and the call to popularity and bigness. Church after church has adopted the world's morality, justifying their downward spiral by saying that they are opposed to legalism.

Pastors are living in fear of losing a paycheck instead of the godly fear of displeasing the Spirit with their preaching. Like doctors in the natural world they dread the accusation of mal-practice in a lawsuit-weary climate. They are forced into saying the exactly correct thing, or face an angry board.

Into this weak and stumbling church comes the revivalist, peddling emotion, hype, and what he or she calls "revival." Who can resist this "new life" , even though within weeks or even days it has died out. Churches are torn apart, some even destroyed, as the revivalist fills his pockets and moves on.

Gone are the hymns of the faith, replaced by choruses written by well-meaning but often un-tried young people. What they sing is true, but not deep. This music is often allowed in because it swings, not because it edifies. And though the promise was "renewal" it is not long before the worship service is revolving around the same 20-30 songs while a book filled with over 500 sits unused in a church library. One of the strongest methods of getting God's Word into the hearts of believers is thus eliminated.

The Bible as a book doesn't fare much better. No need to bring it any more. There are so many versions being accepted by believers that it is confusing for them to read out of the Book as a group. So, leave it at home. We'll use the overhead.

All of this pales into insignificance when compared to the pastors who arise and give their 10-minute nod to Biblical truth, watered down with humor, political commentary, and social justice. No Word here. The salt has lost its savor. Why keep up the facade week after week?

Is this the emphasis we are peddling to other nations via missionaries? I pray not, but many stories come back of how American missionaries have set the "natives" free of some of their "bondage", by which often they mean practices that those nationals found in the Scriptures: male leadership, proper dress and conduct in church, etc.

I ask again, how shall we get the Word of God into the West? It's getting into Communist countries, Islamic countries, and all the persecuted lands receive and value it. May we not lose out on what God is truly doing: calling out a people for His name worldwide, and building them into a holy and separated people.

Look up "Bob Faulkner" on http://sermonaudio.com On my personal home page I have combined my love for the Scriptures with a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs , ovber 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com.

Three Incredible Stories

There is a good chance you have never heard the name Yi Sun Shin. There are great men in every culture of which Americans are unaware. Understandable, but here is one you would truly have profited in knowing. Easily equal to the likes of Sir Francis Drake and Lord Nelson - some say superior to these western naval stars - Yi towered above the petty power-seekers of his day and became a hero beloved of all.

Imagine it. Twenty three major naval clashes with the Japanese who had invaded Korea in the late 16th century. Twenty three victories. After the Japanese landed and destroyed village after village, even to the taking of the capital, the first positive news that came to the King of Korea, in exile, was that of Yi's first battle that crushed a fleet of Japanese vessels.

So you expect me to say that Yi's popularity landed him titles, riches, honor. In fact, jealousy among the ranks led him to prison in the midst of his finest triumphs. That, to me, is the most unbelievable and awe-inspiring part of his story. The seeming failure in the midst of all the triumph.

Consider one Jesus. Healer, comforter, gentle Teacher. Blind eyes made to see, broken hearts forgiven, hungry mouths fed, all by His compassion. Anyone who had faith to receive something from Him, did. Victory after victory. Never defeated.

Then hung on a cross.

Hmmm. That last line doesn't seem to fit either. Seems like we should rip that part of the story out, as Peter tried to do before it even happened. "Not you, Master! Stop talking negative things!"

Incredible stories, these. Yi Sun Shin, Jesus Christ. No, they are not in "the same boat" in terms of significance, I know. Yi Sun Shin's resurrection from prison to return to the battle front and continue his unbroken string of victories is great history and very inspiring, but cannot be compared to Jesus' rising from the grave to give life to all who will receive Him forever and ever. But the parallel is there.

But my title promises three incredible stories. Stories of persons who were incredible in their feats, incredible in their defeats, but somehow rose again. The third story is being lived out as I write. It's going on in North Korea, among those we label the "baekjeong", the low class, because we do not have the same sense of high and low as Heaven does...

The lowly Christian believers of that land do exploits every day. Finding enough food to eat. Working long and hard hours in a mine for money that is not sufficient to support their families. Worshiping carefully and hidden, so as not to incur the wrath of a hostile government. Hiding Bibles and guests. Yet victories. You would expect that someone somewhere would honor these folks and call them heroes.

Unfortunately they are called by at least two governments traitors and criminals. Escapes are often tragic in outcome. Many end in death. All end in some sort of wrenching separation. Even coming to the "free" world can mean enduring suspicion and persecution by those who ought to know better.

So why call this an incredible story along the lines of Yi and Jesus? Because those who are faithful will be raised up with Christ. Their story is not yet complete. It is the lowly for whom Jesus came. They are the only ones who will see thier need of a Saviour and continue to the end. High-born materialists have only a slight chance of making it, according to Jesus.

High, low, baekjeong... Do we really know what these words mean? And "incredible".. Can your story and mine be called incredible when compared to the ones I have described? Have we known the experience of defeating the enemy during a long and difficult war? Have we seen the Power of God move through us to change our sphere of influence? Have we then been sent to further humiliation instead of the reward we expected?

May we search our hearts daily, and always be a friend to the lowly Christ Who still works His wonders among us in the form of Baekjeong...

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

Online Writing Therapy

Writing was invented for expressing, conveying and communicating. Whoever invented writing would have never thought what writing is going to do in future. We write down to learn as student, we type or write in office for office work, writers pour their feelings on paper and convert them into books. As hobby some people write their daily activities in paper diary or online diary on internet. Every one expresses themselves through writing in different ways. Writing is expression which brings out feelings and messages from your mind on paper or on your computer screen.

Doctors from certain parts of the world have been busy in researching about writing since 1970s, according to them; writing has certain advantage which is yet to be known to the world. The use of writing down feelings is "Therapy". It has certain medical advantages associated with it. Doctors have researched for many years and finally concluded that writing down feelings twenty minutes every day can cure many diseases. This technique is know as "Writing Therapy" it is just as if physiotherapy is done for physical exercises, writing therapy is very useful for keeping mind healthy and can help do wonders.

Writing therapy can cure diseases like depression, stress, cancer, asthma, different abuses etc. WT is helpful in developing a sense of recreation and identification. Writing helps in in identifying potential of one self. According to research conducted by Doctors, writing therapy sessions can help in overcoming fears by just writing out feelings on piece of paper, it also helps in identify the inner strengths and inborn sense of one self.

The purpose for writing therapy lies within the writer. Writer can pick different topics, then choose how to express feelings and in what time frame. Twenty minutes a day is a proven remedy. Writing therapy is useful method in re-creativity, self administration and also helps in improving wisdom by exploratory writing methods. Writing can help in get you started and can be launch pad for you. Writing will make you feel more in control of your self, utilizing twenty minutes a day will help you notice positive track records of your vital signs like heart rate, blood pressure, stress etc. Writing therapy has been proven very useful for prisoners as well. Now you can have writing therapy sessions on internet by using online journal. Write your feelings and live healthy life.

Conduct Online Writing therapy session through Online journal

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Jesus and His Work-Filled Sabbaths

If we are to follow in the steps of Jesus regarding the Sabbath, we must know what those steps were. His custom on that day is clear from this Luke passage:

Luke 4:16. "So He came to Nazareth where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read.

As to His attitude, later in his book, Brother Luke reports this telling tale:

Luke 13:10-17. "Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity 18 years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity! And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath; and He said to the crowd, There are six days on which men ought to work; therefore come and be healed on them, and not on the Sabbath Day! The Lord answered him and said, Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or his donkey from the stall and lead it away to water? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound- think of it - for 18 years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath?"

a. Talk of oxen and donkeys and such brings us back to Deuteronomy, where the original call to rest is extended even to the beasts of the field! But even these dumb animals trip up on the Sabbath and need some attention, and most sane people give it to them. And when they are so extricated from their difficulty, they can truly enjoy a needed rest! So it is with the hurting people of earth who come across our pathway on the seventh day. Surely they are of more value and in need of greater rest than any animal. We are to be instant in giving it to them, that they might enjoy not only the day, but eternal rest with Christ. What could be plainer, except to a hardened heart?

b. This hardness of heart did not take place overnight. The Pharisees were originally a people who wanted merely to be separated unto God from the unholy culture which developed in Israel during the years between the Testaments. Greek ways were becoming more and more appealing to Jews who wanted to go with the flow of history. The Gymnasium, for example, was thrust upon them, along with the required nakedness that accompanied the exercising within. Some devout believers said of this and other innovations, Enough! We are God's people, we are holy unto Him alone! They separated. The word Pharisee comes from a word that means just that: separation. It was not a bad start. A return to holier days and righteous ways was pleasing to the heart of God. But soon pride crept in to the holiness movement, as it does in every generation when people move too far in this external direction. Pride, and forms, and certain ways of doing everything, and rules upon rules, and the very presence of a holy God is forgotten, along with the mercy of that God on those who have yet to experience these realities.

Jesus' response? "Think not that I am come to destroy the law... I came not to destroy, but to fulfill." He comes to light a torch within the man that shows him his evil and God's grace. He comes to fulfill within us all that God requires of us. He comes to write the very law of God on our hearts since we are unable to keep the law written on stones and parchment. He is not a law-breaker, as the lawless antichrist will show us about Satan's character. No, he is the one who establishes the law, within us. More of this later.

Here is yet another Sabbath healing in Luke:

Luke 14:1-6. "Now it happened, as He went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees to eat bread on the Sabbath, that they watched Him closely. And behold there was a certain man before him who had dropsy. And Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? But they kept silent. And He took him and healed him and let him go. Then he answered them, saying, Which of you, having a donkey or an ox that has fallen into a pit, will not immediately pull him out on the Sabbath day? And they could not answer Him..."

Here was a great answer to a hard question. "Is this legal?" they want to know. "Let's see," says Jesus, and then... healed! There's your answer! Next question? I am still struck in all these accounts at what an incredible thing has happened from the time of the prophets until now. In those days the sin was profaning the Sabbath, the utter disregard for God's Word in the Commandments, doing my own thing on God's Holy Day. Then come the "separated ones" and the pendulum swings the other way. Not only is secular pleasure forbidden by them. Not only do they forbid worrying over income and the cares of life. No, for them, everything is forbidden! A tangle of laws and rules confuses the command and blurs the image of a God who cares about earthlings who really do need to stop once a week, or burn out. In the Pharisaical view, God is willing to allow the sick to die and the possessed to be tormented, if deliverance on the seventh day is the only option.

There is nothing wrong with the Sabbath! Never does Jesus lose sight of Genesis and Exodus when he is wringing out the Pharisees and hanging them up to dry! The day is still holy, whether man hallows it or not. At least, as far as the Gospel writers are concerned.

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

A Real Solution to the Problem of Child Abuse?

Modern society is so plagued with problems that people from all walks of life are attempting to solve as many of them as they can. Many Christians profess belief in the Bible as God's answer and solution to every problem that society can and does face. However, numerous believers are embracing the solutions that are offered by those who don't consider the Bible as God's word and; consequently, ignore its counsel, guidance, instruction, and warnings.

If someone truly believes the Bible to be the inspired word of God in which the answer to all ills is found, that individual must accept the Bible's declarations. It clearly declares the existence of an intelligent entity of various names in scripture but commonly known as "Satan". Several biblical passages warn of the craftiness of this evil being as well as his mastery of the art of deception. 2 Corinthians 11:14 says, "and no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." "Transformed" refers to putting on a most clever disguise as an angel of light.

Revelation 12:9 reveals that the reason for the disguise is to deceive as many as possible, believer or not. The passage reads, "and the great dragon was cast out. That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

What does this have to do with the solving of society's problems? Everything. All of the evils that plague man are the works of Satan and have their origin in him since the beginning. This is precisely why the Son of God came to earth. 1 John 3:8 teaches that, "...the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil."

One of the most important truths the believer can keep in mind is the need to beware of embracing "solutions" to problems that are from the same source as the problem itself--the Enemy of God masquerading as an angel of light. There are numerous real life examples of this type of deception on top of deception which only stacks problems upon more problems.

It should not be difficult for any believer to see that child abuse figures among the practically endless list of the works of the Enemy. While it's a good thing to desire its eradication, it's not a good thing to accept a solution from the same source that gave the problem. Many people, Christian and non-Christian, have embraced the "solution" of forbidding parents to physically discipline their children. Nevertheless, the abuse of children has not declined. What is more is that a new problem has arisen--wrongful jailing of parents and caretakers who have disciplined, but not abused their children while abusive parents continue to escape the "protective" system. Notice that solutions from the kingdom of darkness will always contradict the word of God.

Proverbs 13:24 says, "he that spareth his rod hateth his son, but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." To "spare the rod" is to refuse to physically discipline. The words "hateth" and "loveth" simply refer to the making of choices. One may chose to refrain from physical discipline because he accepts man's advice over God's, or because he fears man's law over God's, or because he sees it as cruel regardless of how God sees it. Decisions such as these amount to "hating" the child in that the child's learning to submit to proper authority and the importance of obedience to the saving of his life, are of less importance. The word "betimes" refers to the use of physical punishment from an early age. Proverbs 22:15 again reminds that, "foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

It is understandable that those who are not believers will support anti-biblical solutions to society's problems. However, believers claim to be enlightened in spiritual matters. Why then do they embrace the same problem-causing "solutions" as those who claim no special enlightenment?

The example regarding child abuse is only one in many that prove that the Enemy's "solutions" never has and never will solve the problems that he created in the first place.

In-depth Bible studies by Heavenly Manna

So What Is "The Rapture" Anyway?

Let's start with the basics about "the rapture".

What do we mean, first of all, by the term "rapture" ? In my opinion, the term itself, not found in the Bible, is part of the problem we are having to confront. By giving a new label to this portion of the second coming of Jesus, the teachers who promote this message cause their hearers to understand it in a separated way. "Different name, different event," they reason. The word itself means the state of being "caught away in body or spirit." The idea roughly corresponds to the Greek harpadzo, used several times in Scripture, and translated several ways, but always with the idea of taking something away. Consider the following passages (the words in quotes come from harpadzo):

Matthew 13:19 speaks of how the enemy "snatches" what of God's Word is sown in the heart of man.

John 10:12, in a similar vein, speaks of the wolf who "catches" sheep and then scatters them.

In Acts 8:39, the Spirit of the Lord "caught away" Philip.

II Corinthians 12:2- 4, speaks of Paul's "catching up" into Paradise. Here is a preview of our own "rapture."

I Thessalonians 4:17 uses harpadzo to speak of the subject at hand, the "catching up" of all believers to be with the Lord.

In Revelation 12:5, the elect child is "caught up" to God.

So, the idea of a "catching up", from Enoch to Elijah to Jesus, to our own future appointment with Christ, is a legitimate one, and the term "rapture" seen in this light is surely a descriptive helpful word. However it is unfortunate that the catching away of Christ's Bride has been disassociated from the destination of the believers. We will be caught up. Of this there is no doubt or contention. But when? And then what? We are not left suspended in air! What happens before and after our rapture? Well, that is the subject of another study. For now, I think it's clear that there is a "catching away" from Earth to glory, and that that "snatching" is what people are talking about when they use the term "rapture."

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

Anna Nicole Smith Reveals The Secret From Heaven

Anna Nicole Smith: My Dear Dannielynn, I 10ve you so much, I miss you so much, my heart is breaking, I cry for you. But alas now I am free from the liars and backstabbers. Be Happy I Am. I Am with Daniel now in Heaven.

Beware of the mockers and scoffers who will hound you all around all the days of your life like Lisa Marie Presley. (Psalm 1). Her father was the King of Rock and Roll. Larry Birkhead is asking the court to order a DNA test on me now. This is to determine if I am your mother. Jesus was in a house talking to some people when his mother and brothers showed up at the door asking to see him. People today are still arguing over who was the father of Jesus Christ? Jesus said, Who is my mother and who are my brothers? Jesus pointed at his Jewish disciples and said, Behold you are my mother and my brothers. For whoever shall do the will of my Father who is in Heaven, follow the 10 commandments, 10ve, these people are my brothers and sisters and mother. (Matt. 12:46-50).

A house, the Earth divided against itself cannot stand. The religious leaders of Christianity, Islam and Judaism call all non group members non believers in God. Jesus called the religious leaders of his day following the Old Testament, (except for the 10 commandments, the Word of God, 10ve), like the Christian, Muslim and Jewish religious leaders of today venomous snakes spewing their poisonous lies and blind guides leading you all into the fire. (Matt. 23). Yet the fact is that Jews, Christians and Muslims all believe in the very same God of Mount Sinai who carved the 10 commandments in stone and gave them to Moses 3,200 years ago. A rose by any other name is still a rose. Vicky Lynn Hogan is still Anna Nicole Smith your 10ving mother. God of Mount Sinai is named Allah and God the Father and Jesus Christ and The Holy Spirit and Yehovah and Elohim and I Am Who I Am and I Shall Be As I Shall Be but He is still God of Mount Sinai. Jews, Christians and Muslims are all believers in the very same God of Mount Sinai who appeared as a burning bush to Moses.

The century has turned and life must cease on Earth unless there is peace. Your religious leaders divide you by focusing on the 1% of religious beliefs you disagree upon instead of uniting you all by focusing on the 99% of religious beliefs you hold in common. 2 billion Christians and 1 billion Muslims all believe that the Jewish born Rabbi Jesus Christ was born to the Virgin Mary and was the Messiah who is to come again. (Koran Chapter 3:40-43, The Temple of Love page 2). Heaven is like the YMCA filled with laughing happy children of every religion race creed and color all playing beautifully together. God is like gravity, it doesnt matter if you believe in it or what name you call it, gravity and God will still pull you in the right direction.

Anna Nicole Smith: Beware Dannielynn of the mockers and scoffers of Earth (Psalm 1). They will surely say that your mother was a harlot. Remember what Jesus said, Truthfully I say unto you that the tax collectors and the harlots will go into the Kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him but the tax collectors and the harlots did believe him. (Matt. 21:31-32). You must 10ve God and you must 10ve yourself and your neighbor in the little village called earth. (Mark 12:29-31).

Bury me, please. Jesus said, Woe unto you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge and you entered not in yourselves, and those that were entering in you blocked. (Luke 11:52). The people gathered to stone to death a woman who had committed adultery. Jesus said, Let he who has not sinned cast the first stone. (John 8:7). No on cast any stones and they all slinked away. For 4 years J. Howard Marshall begged me to marry him. Had I been a gold digger I would have married him on the spot for I was poor, but I did not. Finally after 4 years I married J. Howard Marshall because I fell in love with him. I fell in love with the timeless Holy Spirit inside of him. The Pharisees asked Jesus when the Kingdom of God would come. Jesus said, The Kingdom of God will not be able to be observed and people shall not say Look here, look there because the Kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20-21).

Jesus said that in Heaven people do not marry and they do not die because they are angels, the children of God. (Luke 21:36). Jesus said God is a spirit. (John 4:24). Who is your father my darling Dannielynn? Jesus said, Is it not written in your law I said you are Gods? (John 10:34). Jesus was referring to Psalm 82. Who is your father Dannielynn? God said, I say you are Gods, children of God, all of you. (Psalm 82:6). You have your answer now Dannielynn. Your father is God. The father of every child on Earth today is God. You are all God, you are all part of God, and you are all children of God. The Holy white light Spirit of God lives in every child on Earth today.

Anna Nicole Smith: Dannielynn the fox in The Little Prince said, Words are a source of misunderstanding. The one word that is the biggest source of misunderstanding which is leading the Jewish and Christian and Muslim children against each other now into the real live Hell of Nuclear World War 3 is the Hebrew word Goyim in Psalm 2 of the Old Testament followed by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The original Hebrew word Goyim in Psalm 2 means the non Jews. King David, the King of the Jews channeled Psalm 2 from God 3,000 years ago. God told King David, You are my son, (I Am your father). I have begotten you this day. Ask of me and I will make the Goyim your inheritance and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall smash the Goyim with a rod of iron and you will shatter the Goyim like a potters vessel.

Every Bible Scholar on Earth today knows that Christianity was born with Jesus Christ 1,000 years after the death of King David. When King James asked that the Old Testament be translated into English for Christianity, the Bible Writer had a problem. How could he translate the word Goyim properly? How could the Christian Bible say that God promised King David that he would smash every Goy, every non Jew, every Christian? To get around this, the Christian Bible writers changed the word of God, the word Goyim to the word Heathen. (Psalm 2:8 KJV). Heathen means non Christian. The N.R.S.V. Bible writers changed the word Heathen to the word nations, the non Christians. In around 650 AD the Muslims adopted the Old Testament for Islam and changed the word Goyim to infidel meaning non Muslim. Is Tom Cruise going to change the word Goyim to non Thetan? God through every prophet called your Holy Bibles except for His word 10ve shelters of lies and falsehoods which would cause you all to fall backwards and be broken and ensnared and taken. (Isaiah 28:9-15, The Temple of Love page 3.)

Dannielynn the spirit of God lives in every person on Earth. Everyone sits back and does nothing waiting for the Messiah to arrive to save them and conquer the world for them as the Bible Writers of Psalm 2 say. This is why God through every prophet especially Jesus Christ called your Holy Bibles forgeries except for the 10 commandments. God said, "They (the Bible Writers) say, 'Says the Lord', when the Lord has not sent them, and yet they wait for the fulfillment of THEIR word!" (Ezekiel 13:6). In the meantime God is inside of every person on Earth today screaming 10ve! 10ve yourself and 10ve your brothers and sisters. Stop murdering each other and stop telling lies about each other. You all have the same father.

Karen Fish is a writer currently living in Los Angeles California. The Temple of Love http://www.thetempleoflove.com/

Words and Truths That Will Challenge the Hearts of Leaders and Those Who Aspire to Be Leaders

I vividly remember that night when our Professor of New Testament, James S. Stewart was preaching in Lothian Road in Edinburgh, Scotland, and his powerful and animated declaration, "Defend the Bible? I would just as soon defend a lion. Just turn the Bible loose. It will defend itself." It was only recently that I learned that it was Charles Spurgeon who first spoke these penetrating words.

Everything which relates to God is infinite. We must therefore, while we keep our hearts humble, keep our aims high. Our highest services are indeed but finite, imperfect, but as God is unlimited in goodness, He should have our unlimited love. Do these words not challenge our hearts?

We have the truth and we need not be afraid to say so. It was another strong Christian leader who spoke these words and they are so very relevant in 2009 for those of us who are in Christ and who believe the Bible.

Having a full life is not necessarily a long life. I have just been re-reading the memoirs of Robert Murray McCheyne of Dundee, and his influential ministry certainly supports these salutary words.

The world isn't reading the Bible. The world is reading Christians like you and me, and if they don't like what they see in us, they're not going to want what we have, and we have what everyone so needs, Jesus Christ. Again, that will not be popular in certain places in 2009, but it just happens to be true.

Only one life will soon be past and it is only what is done for Christ that will last. Let that sink in deeply!

Inner purity results in outer power. We see that so perfectly clearly in the life of Jesus Christ and to a lesser degree in the life of the early Church. But what a challenge it is to me! Is it a challenge to you?

With complete consecration comes perfect peace, and these words were breathed by a saintly Chinese believer in Jesus called Watchman Nee, whose teaching and writing has inspired many. He was a leader who continues to lead today as disciples of Jesus Christ study his writings.

No one ever became, or can become truly eloquent without being a reader of the Bible, and an admirer of the purity and sublimity of its language. Now, that is almost too strong but I know what the writer is getting at. Do you?

It's not the parts of the Bible I don't know that worries me, but the parts that I do. That statement from a leader is a very different field has something profound to say to each of us.

One of the greatest dangers in the Christian life is losing interest in what is familiar. Again this can happen almost without our noticing as we search for something fresh to say and at times perhaps even novel. It is better to say what is true than what is new!

Tell me what you do with your time and money and I will tell you where your heart is. How vitally important that is in these times of financial crisis.

We can have no power from Christ unless we are persuaded that we have none of our own. I need to remember that frequently. Would that not be true for us all?

Sandy Shaw.

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.

His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.

Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com

I Used to Wonder

I used to wonder what it might be like to be a Black person in an all White school. That was Mrs. Harris' role in the little Christian school where I served, in the Cincinnati area. How did she feel about herself, when from morning until near evening she was around people that were so different from her? What vibes were these children sending her way? Did she feel rejected?

Then I moved to Chicago. I got a job in the Chicago Public Schools, and found very soon that there is an unwritten code here that demands that all Whites be shipped to schools where the racial balance is not quite what it is supposed to be. Such a policy is denied by the Board, but everyone knows it exists. I have been turned down at many "White" schools in this city and told that the reason is my race. I've served three schools here, and all of them have been either on the West Side or the South Side, predominantly African-centered schools.

As a Caucasian in an all-Black school, I soon came to understand Mrs. Harris. The adults have learned to accept one another pretty well, so that's never been a serious problem. But the children, as the ones in Cincinnati, have in many cases been carefully "taught" the prejudices of yesteryear. I was the "cracker" to some, "Mister Rogers" or "George Bush" to others. I've learned to cope with it. God's grace is sufficient. Mystery no more.

I used to wonder what it must be like living in a big city. The Cincinnati area is not tiny, but it surely feels that way when I go back now. I remember thinking how far I have to drive to get anywhere. I remember the fascination with all the people groups. And the fear when reading Chicago's headlines. Like the one my first week or so that told of the shooting of a prominent African American female lawyer on the West Side, one who had been loved and admired by many. How was this White guy going to make it on that same West Side, when he was definitely not loved and admired, at least not yet?

I used to wonder that, but I don't even think about it now. God has given me everything I have needed, first to survive, then to prosper. I cannot even remember my past life.

I've wondered about a lot of things. How could I ever live without processed sugar and fried foods and TV and movies? One by one they dropped out of my life. And still I live and live happily. What will it be like to be old? That one is starting to sink in too. And every step of the way, God says, "You can do it, just follow Me, I'll be Your portion today."

These days I've started wondering again. It's becoming an obsession with me, and perhaps one day I shall know the answer by experience also, though my flesh recoils at the idea now. What must it be like, I wonder, to be a North Korean in one of Kim Jong Il's concentration camps?

How would one like me fare, who desires "justice" and fairness so often, who so easily feels slighted and wronged, and who can make big deals out of almost nothing? Okay, even altogether nothing. How do the North Koreans endure having almost no food, and starvation of their loved ones and then themselves? How would I measure up if I knew I was to receive a daily interrogation accompanied by a beating, or if I were put in some solitary confinement where my claustrophobia would drive me mad?

Or at least I wonder. I don't really want to know, do I? Yet I am drawn into this struggle with a people who do know first-hand, every day, what it means. Am I better than they? Oh no! Am I promised no persecution? Not at all. Is comfort the standard by which we judge the call of God on our lives? Absolutely not. Does Jesus want all of His own to be willing to go to the cross with Him? Sounds like that's what the Word is saying.

Though God's grace will continue to be sufficient, and though no two people are called to the exact same suffering, and though we will never be tested above what we are able to bear, I still can't help but wonder from time to time...

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs , ovber 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

How to Write 5 Articles Per Day

So here is the beginners guide to writing an article. This guide will help you to create as many articles as you wish each day.

The very first sentence of your article should introduce the reader to a problem. The problem should have some bearing on the niche or topic that you are in. So describe the problem. What is the problem through the eyes of the reader?

Then the second sentence in your article should explain why solving this problem is important. Here you might say something such as "It is important that you solve X problem otherwise matters may deteriorate and lead to such and such problem".

The next sentence, sentence number three of the introduction should say something about how you are going to solve this problem through the information in your article. So this sentence is like a summary and it rounds up the points you will discuss in the main body of the article.

Now the important elements of this article writing is that it gives you the ability to quickly write and complete an article without having to mess around with being creative and drafting. Using this system will help you to create articles extremely quickly. I can write 20 articles each and every day using a system like this.

So to reiterate, the title of the article gives the reader the essence of the problem. The first sentence will state what you intend to do in the article with regard to the problem. For instance, "I intend to teach you the four simple and quick steps you can take to eliminate bad fats from your meals starting now". Then the next sentence is going to say, "It is vitally important that you eliminate bad fats from your meals because otherwise you will continue to pile on the pounds...".

Then the third sentence is going to say, "The best way to eliminate this problem is by" and then you are going to give a summary of the ways to solve the problem before you go into the main body which will give the best methods in the form of a list or bullet points.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article writing to build your list:

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Writing

Want to learn how to increase your online income by effortlessly creating high priced products that your customers need and desire? Find out more here: Create High Ticket Products Fast

Janet Cole is a powerful coach and online mentor. She has over 585 articles in print and has created over 11 different products.

The Place Of Women Under The Old Covenant

One method used by those perturbed by Paul's teachings about women in the church is to find any dear female of Scripture and call her in as a witness to their point. Well, I believe I know these women too. I want to ask them to testify on the other side for awhile. Let me show you who these women really were, and how far they were from their modern counterparts.

In I Peter 3: 1-6, the apostle mentions how godly women of old trusted in God, stressed inner and not outward beauty, and were submissive to their own husbands. It is these qualities he looks for in their spiritual descendants, the women of the church.

Sarah is lifted up in Scripture as a woman who called her husband "lord" and could therefore see the lordship of God in her spouse. No church leader here!

Rebekkah, having heard God's Word to her and her husband, favored her son Jacob, and did what she could to advance him, but never without full submission to her husband.

There were disobedient women too. Dinah wandered off from her father's covering. Zipporah defied the ways of God in Moses. Miriam spoke against that same Moses and was severely chastised.

The most prominent of Old Covenant women is Deborah. If there is a woman in the Bible that gives any credence to "female leadership" advocates, it is this incredible prophetess. Nevertheless a close examination of what the Bible actually records reveals that the entire extent of her work was the receiving of God's wisdom miraculously for the people who came to her as she "would sit under the palm tree." This is how she "judged" the nation, through the wisdom of God, not the arm of fleshly power.

Here is no exalted elder. Here was a simple handmaiden of the Lord who received His messages and passed them on. She is never seen teaching in an assembly, taking authority over men.

When God called for the deliverance of Israel from its enemy, the prophetess called upon a man to do the work. With Deborah at his side, in respect for the Word of prophecy, the battle was won. The most she claims for herself in all of this is that she was "a mother in Israel." (Judges 5:7)

So the principle is established in Deborah, not broken: In all visible ways, men must lead the people of God. But this dear woman teaches us that women will be used to receive revelation from God, prophecy, since gender is not a factor when the fullness of God is present.

This principle helps us to understand more fully Paul's seeming "contradiction" in I Corinthians 14. There, women are commanded to be silent for all normal functions of the Church. But when God raises up a woman to speak (chapter 11), when He indeed fulfils the prophecy of Joel to pour His Spirit on His "handmaidens", and they prophesy the Word of the Lord, or pray empowered by that same Spirit, let not any despise them.

Remember also, that it is still possible that these prophecies, as Deborah's, could be outside the assembly, lest woman seem to be exalted in any way.

After Deborah and the judges, the kings rule Israel. No women are seen ruling the Kingdom except in gross disobedience. Jezebel is the domineering wife of Ahab who is obsessed with her own beauty and power. Her daughter Athaliah actually takes over the Kingdom of Judah after killing all but one of the royal heirs. Both of these women died violent deaths for their arrogance.

Oh! The men fared not well either in these days. Evil ruled the land. But the Kingdom had been given to men, was to be carried on by men, and was to culminate eventually in the Man Christ Jesus, Who shall reign forever and ever.

In the life of Jesus Himself, for He lived and died under this same Old Covenant, it is only with the most difficult stretches that we see any woman, even His mother, raised to "authority" by His command. Women give money to His cause. Women support their apostle husbands. Women tell the story of Jesus to their countrymen.

Women praise Him and weep for Him, and women see His resurrected Body and announce such, but no woman rules or teaches any man in all the Gospels.

Is this pattern not a sufficient word in and of itself of the will of God for the church?