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MAY/JUNE 1999 Vol. 3, No. 3
IN THIS ISSUE:
Open Letter to the Youth of Our
Nation --
Y2K Update -- Current Reports by Betty
Miller
Covenant (Standing in the Gap for God's People) -- R.S.
"Bud" Miller
It Takes Guts To Stand Up For Jesus -- Internet Email
Testimony
Spiritual Warfare -- Overcoming Pressure
Exposing Satan's Devices -- The Battleground is the Mind
End Times -- Image of the Beast
Prophecy -- The Hour of Decision
Book Review -- The Voice of God
Poetry Corner -- Not Too Young (A Christian Teen Shares)
Little Foxes (Little Compromises) -- Little "Peeks" at
Pornography
Prayer Focus Spotlight -- Join Us In The National Day of
Prayer, May 5
Personal Word From the Millers -- Spring Greeting
Purpose and Vision -- Ministry Information
Past Issues of the Digest -- Archives
Return to Main Menu --www.BibleResources.org
OPEN
LETTER TO THE YOUTH OF OUR NATION
(In the wake of the massacre in Littleton, Colorado, U.S.A.)
If you are a child, a teenager, or a young adult, this letter is written
expressly for you.
I want you to open your heart and look inside it. Look at the raw and empty places.
Look at the confusion. Look at it head on. When you face it in the right way, you
won't have to be afraid of it. The pain was meant to destroy you, but God wants it to make
you stronger and kinder.
This is a special moment in our nation. Don't step out of the moment yet. The Spirit
of God is descending with great grace. You can be changed. Your heart can be softer.
In this time of mourning, God has something He wants to say to YOU, personally. He
knows exactly who you are, as you read this. He knows every detail of your life and why
you do the things you do. He knows about your most painful moments and most embarrassing
secrets. He knows about your dreams--the good ones and the bad ones. He knows why certain
things make you hurt so bad and why other things strike you funny.
He has known all about you since before you were born; while you swam and kicked inside
in your mother's womb, His hand was putting you together. He already knows what you will
do with your life on earth, how long it will be, and how it will end. There is nothing
hidden from Him. This may frighten you, or make you feel secure. Ideally, it should do a
little of the first and a lot of the second. He knows everything--and He wants you to know
that He really, really, really, loves you! In spite of what you've done, or haven't
done, He loves you. In spite of how you've made fun of church or hated it, or were bored
in it, He loves you. In the face of all your temptations--and even when you fail--He loves
you. In spite of the mean things you've done to other kids--and in spite of the mean
things they've done to you--He loves you and counts your life as precious. This is the
most important thing you can realize right now. It is the only place to begin. Without the
truth of God's love and forgiveness, you have nothing in life.
Perhaps you are afraid to go to your school now; afraid that yours might be the next to
be hit with violence. Possibly you are feeling even more disgusted and wary about people
who are different than you. Maybe you want to try and change things at your school but you
aren't sure how to begin, or if it is even possible. Or perhaps you just feel bruised and
numb. Perhaps you are groping for a place of the heart where you can rest and cry--where
strength and life and healing can course through you and over you.
Most likely, it is a combination of all of the above that you feel--and even more than
that. You are looking for something else that you can't even define. If you could put it
into words you might say that you want things to be right. To be fair. To be
true and kind. To be lovely. You want a place of innocence and wisdom
combined. A place that calls at your heart like rain in the wildlands, the rocking of the
ocean, the freedom of a full tank of gas and an open road, the glittering of the planets
on a clear winter evening, or the rhythm of your favorite music.
You want the world to taste like ripe Bing cherries on a summer day, and to cradle you
like a down comforter after a hard day of work. Instead you taste gravel and blood.
Instead, you lie down in loneliness, afraid deep down inside that there is nothing really
out there after all; that the universe is empty and that someday your existence will be
forgotten.
Is this how you feel?
I want you to know that we've felt the same way.
I am not here to give you pat answers. I am here to reach out for truth with you;
the thing we all want. Truth is huge, bigger than we can fully see right now.
However, it does exist. And in the tiny place of our life on this earth, we are given
glimpses of it--glimpses so pure and so beautiful that the rest of the words spouted
around us slip into oblivion. The best thing about truth is that once you find it, it
grows bigger and bigger inside of you. It makes you love what is good and righteous and
wise and merciful. In spite of what we've seen, these things do still exist. Truth also
makes us hate what is faithless, and cruel, and vengeful and haughty, for these things
exist as well. If someone tells you they do not, you can be sure that they don't have the
truth within them.
There are rights and wrongs in this world. If there weren't, you wouldn't be searching
for them. You wouldn't even care. Never believe the person who tells you there is no such
thing as right and wrong, or that there are no consequences for our actions. There are,
both in this life and in the one to come. The responsibility is each of ours.
Remember when we said that we should feel both comforted and fearful about the
fact that God sees and knows everything? We can draw comfort from the fact that He knows
who we are personally and that He has a plan for our lives, and loves us despite all we've
done. On the other hand, it is wisdom to "fear" the Lord (to respect and honor
Him above any other thing). One day we will each have to stand in front of Him and give an
account of our lives--everything we've done, and our motives. On that day, we will
look Truth in the face, and there will be no excuses or justification for the evil we have
done or the good we neglected to do. Some of our most wicked deeds will be exposed as the
ones that we thought were quite harmless. And some of our most righteous deeds will be
exposed as mere vanity and pride.
Does this scare you? It should--in the right way. You see, God wants us know what is
coming. He wants us to know that He will judge each of us someday. He hasn't kept it a big
secret--in fact He warns us throughout the Bible. He has even built this principal into
our justice systems, schools, and families. We learn that if we put our hand on a hot
stove, we get burned. And so we learn that there are consequences for all our
actions, whether we see them immediately or not. Why does God warn us? The answer is
simple--He doesn't want us to fail the test when we stand before Him. He warns us out of
love.
Do you want to know how you can pass the final Test? It begins right here in this
life--right now. All the little things that fill your heart with hunger, are meant
to lead you to the Answer. If you follow each of those little trails, you will see they
all lead back to one place--the One who created you for a purpose. You will never be
complete until you know your purpose and you will never know your purpose until you know
the One who made you. It is very simple. Don't let its simplicity confuse you. In one
sense seems so complicated. But it only gets like that when we try to make it so.
Jesus said that we cannot enter the kingdom of Heaven unless we change and
become like little children--and are born again by His spirit. Do you want to pass the
final Test? You cannot do it without the righteousness of Jesus covering your sins!
If someone tells you that you can, you can be sure the truth is not in that person. Jesus
said "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except
through Me."
Jesus didn't come to Earth to exclude most of its inhabitants. He didn't come to earth
to condemn us either. We already were condemned in our cycle of shame, violence,
and despair! He came to rescue those who are poor in spirit--those who are humble enough
to admit that they are sinners in desperate need of His grace and forgiveness. He knew in
our own righteousness we could not stand before God without hanging our head in shame--the
way many of us do now. He knew that God's greatest desire (and ours too, if we have the
eyes to recognize it) is to be united with Him. To be His friend. To walk with Him in
unity, with all fear removed. To cleanse the world of the sin and death that eats away at
the core of this earth and our hearts--and to replace that death with life more clean and
holy and beautiful than any of us can imagine.
If you are still reading, I want you to know it is the Spirit of God who has brought
you this far. You can make peace with Him right now. Do it in your heart--believe in
Him...And then tell someone else. If you truly believe in your heart, show it by your
life. Nothing else will change your school--or the world.
God has entrusted holy and sacred things to you. One of the main ones is the ability to
love. This sacred power is the only thing that is stronger than death.
With this power, you can save a life. Maybe hundreds. You can reach out, unafraid and
intimidated, to that person who is so different than you, and show them that God loves
them. You can choose to not to judge them based on the outside, whether they seem too
strange, or too weak, or too popular, or too smart, or too quiet, or too messed-up.
Underneath all of that, is a person who is pretty much like you--a person who needs God,
and is trying in the best way they know how to keep from getting hurt. You can give mercy
to them, even if they don't deserve it (no one does)--and even if they don't take
it. You can choose not to "murder" them by gossiping about them or hating them
in your heart. Even if it doesn't seem to make a bit of difference, be patient. Forgive.
Don't let resentment pile up in your heart. Pray for the kids at your school.
Pray for your teachers and your parents as well. Respect them if for no other reason
than God has commanded you to. The adults need your prayers and love as much as you need
theirs. In fact the only commandment given specifically to children in the Bible, is to
honor their parents. They have a responsibility to help you and protect you. Learn from
them. Obey them.
Finally, be careful where you let your eyes go. Just as your natural body can feast on
junk food and even poison, so your eyes and ears can feast on things that are deadly to
your spirit. If someone tells you that these things will not affect you, don't believe
them. Protect your spirit and your body. Walk away from things that would pollute you.
Walk away from other kids who are doing things that destroy their spirit and body. Be
their friend. But don't do what they do.
I can tell you one thing for certain that will happen if you do this. You can expect
changes to take place in the world around you. But what may surprise you even more, is
that you will change! Your world will stretch from a mile radius to the ends of the
earth. You won't be afraid of the other kids at school. You won't be afraid to stand up
for righteousness. You won't even be afraid if someone should hold a gun to your head and
ask you if you are a Christian. Your heart will only grow larger and larger, full of the
goodness and love of God and the peace that passes understanding, and forgiveness to those
who would misunderstand you.
Know that there are those in this nation who are standing with you. Know that we care.
Know that we have great hopes for your future, and we mourn with your losses. Even if we
should let you down in some way, or fail your expectations, know that God won't. Look to
Him and live for Him. Keep following Him and loving Him even through the best and worst
times in your life. Don't give up on yourself or Him. If you accept Him as your Lord and
become His child, you will live forever.
Proverbs 3: 1-8: "My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commands in
your heart, for they will prolong your life many years and bring you prosperity. Let love
and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of
your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. Trust in
the Lord with all you heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways
acknowledge him and he will make your path straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear
the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your
bones."
Proverbs 1:7: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools
despise wisdom and discipline."
Matthew 5:11-12: "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and
falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad because great
is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before
you."
Matthew 10:28-31: "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but cannot kill
the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Hell. Are not
two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the
will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be
afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
Y2K
CURRENT UPDATE
May 1999
By Betty Miller
Social Security Report
There are some good reports in regard to Y2K. The
government announced the first of the year that the U.S.A. Social Security Administration
(SSA) is now Y2K compliant. They have been working on this project since 1989. However,
since other departments of the government are linked with the SSA, they too must be
compliant so that the checks can be issued. We need to continue to pray for our government
leaders as they continue to tackle this mammoth project with time running out.
"As far as our systems are concerned, our agency is at
the lead of both private industries and government agencies," said Shawn Fordham,
public affairs specialist at SSA headquarters in Baltimore. "Our systems are prepared
to issue benefits and payments [through the mail and through electronic transfers] timely
in the year 2000. We depend a great deal on other government agencies." Almost a
decade ago, the agency assigned 2,800 employees, including 700 computer programmers, to
work on making the agency's computers Y2K compliant. It is estimated SSA will pay $42
million for the Y2K project.
SSA's partners include the Federal Reserve Board, the U.S.
Postal Service and financial institutions. After the Treasury prepares an SSA payment,
either in the form of a direct deposit transaction or a check, the Fed must deliver the
Social Security direct deposit transaction to the beneficiary's bank through the national
automated clearinghouse system. Then, a bank must credit the deposit to the customer's
account. A beneficiary who receives a check in the mail depends on the Postal Service to
deliver it. SSA also depends on telecommunications and software providers, and like all
businesses, the agency must rely on services such as power, water and transportation. If
one of the links is faulty, the entire system is in jeopardy. "We're helping everyone
get up to speed," Fordham said about SSA's partners, "because [Y2K compliance]
is not like a race where you want to finish first. You want to finish together and have
everything run smoothly."
Electric Utilities Report
Another area of concern, according to the report, is the
Y2K readiness of the telecommunications sector. Electric systems depend heavily on
uninterrupted voice and data communications. "Although the electric industry is
confident there will not be widespread interruptions of data communications, the industry
is preparing for this possibility as a very unlikely, but critical, contingency," the
report said.
NERC, a nonprofit group that sets reliability standards for
the power industry, is urging member companies to prepare for both "probable and
worst-case scenarios." The group's report warns that "although one has taken all
reasonable and necessary preventive steps, there can never be 100 percent assurance that
major system failures cannot cause a catastrophic outcome."
Water Utilities Report
Information on Y2K compliance efforts by the nation's
70,000 water utilities continues to be scanty, according to report released April 27 by
the U.S. Senate Special Committee on the Year 2000 Technology Problem. The report,
prepared by the government's General Accounting Office, found many state regulators are
not aggressively seeking information about the Y2K status of water utilities. As a result,
the report concludes, "there is insufficient information to assess and manage Year
2000 efforts in the water sector." Sen. Robert Bennett, chairman of the Senate Y2K
committee, said the report shows the need for "states, cities, and towns [to] double
their efforts to ensure that vital services. . . continue to function on January 1,
2000."
Note: The above information is based on the U.S.
Department of Energy's Year 2000 Report.
Spiritual Report
We should pray for the best, while preparing for the worst. The Lord is warning His
people to begin to make preparations not only forY2K, but also for the days following the
year 2000. It is important to begin your preparations now -- spiritually as well as
physically. One of the words that the Lord spoke me about Y2K and the days ahead was this:
"It is going to be a time of the trying of men's souls." This
is not an hour to "play" church. Rather we must have a strong relationship with
the Lord to carry us through. We all need to be in a place spiritually that we can hear
the voice of God and remain under the "shadow of the Almighty."
We claim the entire chapter of Psalm 91 daily over us and our family and
friends.
Psalm 91:1-2, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall
abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my
fortress: my God; in him will I trust."
Prayer and repentance can avert many of the problems this event can cause. If you are
not familiar with the problems that Y2K or the "Millennium Bug" can potentially
cause, we did a very complete coverage of it in a previous Digest. It also has a
complete list of preparations you should consider making. You may go to:
COUNTDOWN TO THE NEW MILLENNIUM
(This article is an in-depth research and Biblical commentary along with practical advice
in regard to the Y2K problem facing the world. In addition, we have compiled a list of
some of the most informative and helpful Y2K links on the Web.)
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
COVENANT: GOD'S GUARANTEE FOR
VICTORIOUS LIVING
By Pastor R.S. "Bud" Miller
Standing in the Gap for God's People
"And I sought for a man among them,
that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I
should not destroy it: but I found none. Therefore have I poured out mine indignation
upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath: their own way have I
recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God" (Ezekiel 22:30,31).
In the account where the children of Israel move into gross
disobedience and rebellion while Moses was on the mountain, we see a great picture of an
intercessor who "stands in the gap" for the sake of God's people.
While Moses and God had been talking, the Israelites had
persuaded Aaron to make "another god," a golden calf. Now they were worshipping
it as "the god that brought us out of Egypt" (Exodus 32:4)!
Reading about this, it seems almost impossible to believe they
could see the love, faithfulness, and goodness of God and yet, after little more than a
month, turn to such wickedness. They burned offerings to this calf, then "sat
down to eat, drink, and play." In other words, they had a great feast,
stripped off their clothes, and began to have an orgy (Exodus 32:6,25).
At first glance, it seems they would have been afraid to act
like this. Did they think "out of sight, out of mind?" Did they think something
had happened to Moses? Did they think God could not see them, or that He was too occupied
with Moses to care?
Nonetheless, God did know what they were thinking, as well as
what they were doing!
"And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for
thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted
themselves" (Exodus 32:7).
God was ready to wipe them out as He had those in Sodom and
Gomorrah and build a chosen people from Moses, a descendant of Abraham who walked in the
obedience of his ancestor. Notice that at that point, God did not claim them as His
people!
He said to Moses, "Your people which you
brought out of Egypt have corrupted themselves."
Moses makes a type, or picture, for us of Jesus, as Mediator,
one who intercedes between us and the judgment, or just wrath of God. Moses did not appeal
for mercy. He knew it was not deserved. What Moses did was to appeal to God's good name.
He said it would not look good for God in front of the Egyptians to seem as if He had gone
to all that trouble just to take the Israelites out in the wilderness and kill them.
However, in spite of what God told him and in spite of
interceding for the people, apparently Moses did not understand how serious the
"corrupting of themselves" was. Moses had no idea exactly what was going on.
When he did come in sight of the camp and see the pagan festival, he was so horrified that
he threw the tablets down and broke them (Exodus 32:19).
However, Moses protected the Israelites by showing God it was to
His own advantage to let them live, even if they were "stiff-necked and
rebellious" (Exodus 32:9-14). He reminded God of His covenant with
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
So, the Bible says, "God repented of the evil which He had
thought to do" (Exodus 32:14). What this means is that God prolonged
judgement as he found someone such as Moses to intercede for the people. He is always
looking for someone to "stand in the gap" for others, as Abraham did for Lot and
for Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18:23-32).
That day at Mount Sinai, God found someone to stand in the gap
before Him for the Israelites -- and it was Moses. And God honored Moses' intercession and
spared most of the Israelites.Today, God wants us to intercede for the sins of our nations
and the sins in the church. He wants us to be appalled at the sins of America that equal
Sodom and Gomorrah as well as those of the Israel and Judah. Today, we still worship the
"golden calf" of money, materialism and sex in our societies. How many
Christians "throw themselves" between God and the sins of others? We should
daily "stand in the gap" for our nations so that destruction aimed at sin might
be averted or delayed until sinners can repent.
(Continued next issue)
Note: This teaching is continued from last month's Overcoming Life Digest. See
Table of Contents for Archives.
(Excerpt from the book entitled: COVENANT God's Guarantee for Victorious Living by
R.S. "Bud" Miller)
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
SHARE AND TELL
"O Give thanks unto the Lord; call upon his name:
make known his deeds among the people."
Psalm 105:1
This testimony was sent to us via email. It has been passed from one
Christian to the next as a message of encouragement and hope with the instruction to: PLEASE PASS THIS ON! DON'T BE AFRAID TO STAND UP FOR JESUS!
It Takes Guts to Stand Up For "Jesus"
This is a true story of something that happened just a few
years ago at USC. There was a professor of philosophy there who was a deeply committed
atheist. His primary goal for one required class was to spend the entire semester
attempting to prove that God couldn't exist. His students were always afraid to argue with
him because of his impeccable logic. For twenty years he had taught this class and no one
had ever had the courage to go against him. Sure, some had argued in class at times, but
no one had ever "really gone against him" (you'll see what I mean later).
Nobody would go against him because he had a reputation. At
the end of every semester, on the last day, he would say to the class of 300 students,
"If there is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" In twenty years,
nobody ever stood up. They knew what he was going to do next. He would say, "Because
anyone who believes in God is a fool. If God existed, he could stop this piece of chalk
from hitting the ground and breaking. Such a simple task to prove he is God, and yet he
can't do it." And every year he would drop the chalk onto the tile floor of the
classroom and it would shatter into a hundred pieces. All of the students could do nothing
but stop and stare. Most of the students were convinced that God couldn't exist.
Certainly, a number of Christians had slipped through, but
for 20 years they had been too afraid to stand up. Well, a few years ago there was a
freshman who happened to get enrolled in the class. He was a Christian, and had heard the
stories about this professor. He had to take the class because it was one of the required
classes for his major. And he was afraid. But for three months that semester, he prayed
every morning that he would have the courage to stand up no matter what the professor said
or what the class thought. Nothing they said or did could ever shatter his faith, he
hoped.
Finally, the day came. The professor said, "If there
is anyone here who still believes in God, stand up!" The professor, and the class of
300 people looked at him, shocked, as he stood up at the back of the room. The professor
shouted, "YOU FOOL! If nothing I have said all semester has convinced you that God
doesn't exist, then you are a fool! If God existed, he could keep this piece of chalk from
breaking when it hit the ground!" He proceeded to drop the chalk, but as he did, it
slipped out of his fingers, off his shirt cuff, onto the pleats of his pants, down his
leg, and off his shoe. And as it hit the ground, it simply rolled away, unbroken.
The professor's jaw dropped as he stared at the chalk. He
looked up at the young man and then ran out of the lecture hall. The young man who had
stood up proceeded to walk to the front of the room and share his faith in Jesus for the
next half hour. 300 students stayed and listened as he told of God's love for them and of
his power through Jesus.
"Yet to all who received HIM, to those who
believed in HIS name, HE gave the right to become children of God - children born not of
natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of GOD" (NIV
John 1:12-13)
"But HE knows the way that I take, when HE has
tested me, I will come forth as gold" (Job 23:10). _________________________
(NOTE: If you would like to share your testimony with us, please send it to us at bibleresources@christunlimited.com and we may print
it in a future issue of the Digest. We welcome testimonies from all over the world, and we
pray that your words will be an encouragement to others.)
For those who would like to also read some of the letters we receive at BibleResources.org
we have a Testimony Page comprised from e-mail from many people around the world. They
have really blessed us and we pray they will bless you too. Go here: TESTIMONIES
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
SPIRITUAL WARFARE
By Betty Miller
OVERCOMING PRESSURE
Ephesians 6 is a well-known chapter on the topic of spiritual warfare.
For many, spiritual warfare is a topic to avoid. Apathetic or fearful Christians don't
want to even think about having to battle. But when we consider spiritual warfare we must
realize that it calls for entering into a fight. That it calls for applying pressure back
to the enemy of our souls, Satan, who is constantly applying pressure against us. We have
an assurance in this war, an assurance unknown to any other war. We're assured of victory.
God's Word promises that. "Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in
the world" (I John 4:4). All we have to do to win is apply His principles
and walk in obedience as we keep our eyes on Him, our commander-in-chief.
"We wrestle...against the rulers of the darkness" (Ephesians 6:12).
We're in a wrestling match. That means we're struggling against something, against
something in the spiritual realm. Maximum effort is exerted in a wrestling match. The
opponents give their all as they try to pin down each other. The devil is trying to pin us
down to keep us from serving God. He's bringing tribulation against us; that's pressure.
Let's apply pressure back. Let's apply the pressure of the Holy Spirit against the devil's
pressure. Because we're in the world, we're going to have tribulation.
Jesus spoke of this in John 16:33: "These things I have spoken unto you, that
in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I
have overcome the world."
In the beginning, though, God's plan was that we be free from pressure. The garden of Eden
was a place of perfect peace. God didn't put any pressure on Adam and Eve; all they had to
do was obey. Pressure came through Satan. When man fell, Satan became the god of this
world. And now by simply being in the world, we experience tribulation. Man's failure to
obey opened the door to a corrupted creation. In His mercy, God made a way out from under
the dominion of the god of this world. That way is the cross. Through the forgiveness of
our sins and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome any pressure the enemy
brings upon us. God has given us victory over everything, even death. No Christian needs
to fear death; for then our spirits will immediately be with the Lord, and at the return
of Christ, we'll receive our resurrected bodies. Death, sickness, sin -- these are
temporary things, and in Christ we have victory over them.
The Word tells us not only how to gain victory over problems, but also how to avoid
them in the first place. A lot of tribulation will never come our way if we simply obey
the Word. If we don't lie, cheat or steal we steer clear of numerous problems. God's
commandments are for our own good. Some Christians act as though God is a killjoy who
doesn't want them doing anything that is pleasurable. That is not true. The truth is He
gave those commandments so we could be blessed upon the earth. If we keep them, we will be
blessed; if we don't, we'll come under the curse. To come under the curse would be our own
fault, for God didn't plan the curse for us. He made the blessing for us, for those in His
kingdom. However, sometimes the blessings only come after we have contended for them and
overcome the devil's pressures.
Matthew 11:12: "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the
kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force."
We must force the enemy by our faith and prayers to release those things that
belong to us as children of the kingdom. Our violence should be directed toward the devil
in spiritual warfare not toward people as our battle is not with flesh and blood. As we
pray for our enemies and come against the real enemy, Satan, we will have the victory over
our problems.
Ephesians 6:12-13: "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but
against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of
God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to
stand."
(Continued next issue)
Excerpt from the book Personal Spiritual Warfare; Click here to order from the CHAPEL BOOKSTORE
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
EXPOSING SATAN'S DEVICES
Betty Miller
THE SPIRITUAL WARFARE BATTLE
THE BATTLEGROUND IS THE MIND
God has given us mighty weapons with which to fight the devil, and we need not be
discouraged or fearful that we cannot overcome him. We can overcome all onslaughts through
Christ. Where is the battle fought? The battleground is in the mind. Satan brings lewd
thoughts and temptations or doubt and unbelief to our minds and we must know how to deal
with them. Looking at 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, we find our battle is against
wicked imaginings that Satan sends.
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of
strongholds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against
the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of
Christ."
This war in which we are engaged is not in the flesh, but in the spirit. When we have a
thought that is alien to God's Word, we must learn to deal with it as from the enemy if we
are to get the victory. When we have thoughts of resentment, jealousy, pride, hatred,
bitterness, fear, doubt, unbelief, depression, sorrow, lust or greed, we must recognize
that these do not come from our precious Lord, but originate from the pit of hell.
THOUGHTS BECOME ACTIONS
God wants us to be filled with His love, peace, health, joy and faith, so we know
anything opposite to these cannot be His suggestions. Therefore, the first step to getting
the victory over the enemy is to recognize him. We must immediately rebuke evil thoughts
and command the devil to leave with his wicked suggestions. We must not allow them to stay
in our minds, but rather "cast them down." It is not sinful to have a fleeting
evil thought as that is the way Satan comes to tempt us; however, the sin is when we allow
the thought to stay and muse on it, and allow it to settle into our hearts. When we do
this, eventually we put that thought into action. We are told to guard our hearts in Proverbs
4:23, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."
Satan comes against the thought life of many beautiful Christians and condemns them for
even thinking the things he brings to their minds. These defiling thoughts come many times
during a worship service or during times of prayer and are designed to distract them from
the Lord. We must take authority over the devil and command him to leave, taking with him
his evil and condemnation, and recognize him as the source of these mental pictures.
Sometimes these are so vile and evil one would be embarrassed to mention them to anyone.
They need not be tormented any longer if they know how to deal with the devil.
Once we have discovered the enemy's wiles and understand that he works in certain
patterns, we will be able to quickly get rid of him. We must not allow these evil thoughts
to take root in our minds but resist them so that they will flee. If they take root, then
they must be dealt with differently, as a root is more difficult to dig out than a
fleeting thought. Ideas that become rooted become strongholds in the mind. Once this
occurs, it usually takes the power of the Holy Spirit to bring deliverance to that person.
We must guard our thought life, as well as the ear gate and eye gate into our lives and
not allow the enemy any entrance. James 4:7 says, "Submit
yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."
(Continued next issue)
Excerpt from the book Exposing Satan's Devices; Click here to order from the CHAPEL BOOKSTORE
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END TIMES
MARK OF GOD OR MARK OF THE BEAST
Betty Miller
INTRODUCTION
Much has been said on this subject of the mark of the beast, but little said about the
mark of God. Will there be a literal mark tattooed on people's foreheads and/or their
hands in these end times to make it possible to buy and sell in a one-world monetary
system that is being set up by an antichrist?
We can certainly see the possibilities of this becoming a literal reality in our day
with the technology of laser beam tattoos and our president speaking of a "new world
order." Even now, pets can be tracked by tiny computer chips about the size of a
grain of rice which have an identification number programmed into it that can be injected
under the skin with a hypodermic needle. A special scanner generates a radio signal that
reads the number through the skin of the animal when it is found.
This book is not disputing the possibilities of a literal tattoo, but rather exposing
the spiritual implications behind that plan of Satan. How will this come about? Will it be
one of the above new technologies or something yet to come? We don't believe men are going
to be tattooed or branded with a literal set of three sixes on their foreheads or hands,
any more than we believe the letters J-E-S-U-S will be on the foreheads of God's servants
as spoken of in Revelation 22: 3-4: "And there shall be no more curse: but the
throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they
shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads."
How will the beast mark those who follow him, and what is the mark of God set upon
those who follow Christ? Let us begin with the mark of the beast, then look at how we are
to receive God's mark which protects us from destruction in these end times.
Throughout the Scriptures, the word beast refers to a system, and not to a
man. The beast is a system that rules the world; it's an antichrist system. Daniel
7 speaks of beasts and identifies them as earthly kingdoms. So the beast in
Revelation is a beastly system that's ruling the world (it's a dictator beast). This beast
is not just one human being, rather it is a system that has infiltrated every area whether
it be politics, medicine, art or science; the beastly system is everywhere. This system is
typically overseen by a powerful government with those in power making decisions that
perpetrate the worldly system throughout mankind. When Revelation 13:1
speaks of the beast rising up out of the sea, what is meant by the sea? The Scriptures
speak of the sea as "masses of humanity." This beastly system is rising up out
of humanity, out of all the people on the earth. When John, the author of Revelation,
stood upon the sand of the sea, he was standing upon that which could not be numbered,
among all the people of the earth.
_______________
Image of the Beast
"And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles
which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the
earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and
did live" (Revelation 13:14). This image is not like a television image,
rather it is "a likeness thereof," or "to look or become like." If we
are conformed to the image of Jesus, we become like Him. "But we all with
open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image
from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Corinthians 3:18).
"And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him
that created him" (Colossians 3:10).
We're to take on the image of Christ. When we speak of an image, then, we're speaking
about being conformed into the nature or character of another person. "That
they should make an image to the beast" refers to taking on the beast's
nature. There are people in the world taking on the beast's characteristics. One cannot
tell them apart from Satan himself. They're acting like the devil, they're talking like
the devil, they're doing the works of the devil. They've taken on the image of the beast.
They look like his image, rather than the image of Christ.
In this end time, we're going to see the corporate body of Christ, His bride, coming
into the image of Jesus Christ, being wholly purified and bringing God's standard into the
earth. In contrast, we're going to see the corporate body of the devil coming into the
devil's image. There's going to be war between these two. Individually we're already in
that war which is escalating to a corporate scale.
"And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image
of the beast should both speak" (Revelation 13:15). This speaking forth by
the beast's image is speaking that's done under the influence of Satan. There are people
anointed by the devil to speak the devil's word. On the positive side, there are God's
anointed apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers who are speaking His true
word. On the negative, there are going to be apostles of wickedness speaking by Satan's
power; "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming
themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed
into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be
transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their
works" (2 Corinthians 11: 13-15).
They'll be so subtle and powerful that millions will fall to this beast system. They
already have, which is why people are following cults. Satan is speaking through false
leaders and he's so subtle people don't realize it's the beast. "That the
image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the
image of the beast should be killed" (Revelation 13:15b). Isn't that the
work of the devil? He came to steal, kill and destroy. Jesus spoke about this in John
10:10: "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am
come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
Jesus comes to give us life while the devil comes to destroy. He's out to kill all who
don't serve him. But he won't succeed because God is in control of His people and the
devil will not prevail against them. Luke 21:17-18 says, "And
ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head
perish."
(Continued next issue)
Excerpt taken from the book The Mark of God or The Mark of the Beast; Click here to order from the CHAPEL BOOKSTORE
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
PROPHETIC VOICE TO THE CHURCH
As some may not be familiar with prophecy in the church, we want to share this short
explanation of Biblical prophecy before we share an actual prophecy from God.
First, what is godly prophecy? It can be summed up as words that are spoken on behalf
of God. A prophet or prophetess is one who is a spokesman for God. It is a divine
utterance that comes from the Holy Spirit. (Note: Just as there are prophetic words from
God, there are also false prophecies that the Lord warned us about in the Bible. In Matthew
7:15-16 Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's
clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their
fruits...." We must prove the source of prophecy before accepting it as coming
from the Lord).
God is raising up many prophetic voices in the earth today. His gifts of prophecy are
basically of two types. One is the "simple gift of prophecy" which every
believer can express under the unction or direction of the Holy Spirit after they have
been filled with the Holy Ghost.
The other is the "office gift" of the spirit which is given to a prophet or
prophetess who is called to the "five-fold" ministry office as outlined in 1
Corinthians 12:28 which says "And God hath set some in the church, first
apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of
healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues."
Ephesians 4:11-12: "And he gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints, for the
work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ."
The basic difference between these two types is, the simple gift of prophecy is given
to all spirit filled believers as spoken of in 1 Corinthians 14:31, "For ye may
all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted."
It is for the purpose of edification, exhortation and comfort as spoken of in 1
Corinthians 14:3, "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and
exhortation, and comfort."
The "office gift" of a prophet or prophetess is given to speak to the body of
Christ at large. The ministers who are called to the office of a prophet or
prophetess will deliver messages which include edification, exhortation and comfort, but
their messages can also be directive in nature and futuristic in content as well (Ephesians.
4:11-15).
Presently God is leading His people with prophetic preaching and teaching. A prophetic
movement is taking place in the world.
------------------------------------------------
PROPHECY
THE HOUR OF DECISION
Prophetic Word given by Sharon Hansen
Jesus Christ International
The hour of decision is at hand. The hour for all men of all nations to turn to me with
their whole heart. The hour to ask for My salvation, My wisdom, My knowledge, My
understanding, My mercy, My peace, My love, and My justice...For only in Me will you find
healing, deliverance and restoration for your soul and for your nations.
For each one who will seek me with their whole heart, I will impart My nature. For each
one who will repent with their whole heart, I will lift them up to heavenly places with My
Son. For those who will count their life as nothing, I will cause them to gain my power
and authority. My anointing will come forth in those who have been humbled by me.
No weapon that is formed against Me shall prosper, and no weapon that is formed against
My Own shall prosper! No one can stand against my plan for the coming kingdom of My Son!
Only those who have allowed me to cleanse them and impart myself to them will stand in joy
and victory. They are the ones who will be waiting patiently for my return...They are the
ones who praise me.
Can two walk together except they be agreed? No, they cannot! And unless men and women
of all nations come to Me, there will be no peace. Only in Me is there peace. I have heard
the cries of the oppressed of all nations and I have arisen on their behalf. I will not
withdraw my hand until justice is accomplished.
The religious confusion that has grown strong throughout the world has caused many to
fall. My message is simple: I Am is love. Do unto others as you would have others do unto
you. Love is gracious, patient and kind, and it is not rude or proud. Love does no wrong
to its neighbor regardless of their color, race, or religion. I have not changed, nor will
I change...So it is My people who must change and be conformed into My image and
character. I will have a holy people!
The whole earth groans in the pain of birth. The birthing of My own. The birthing of My
delight and My pleasure. The birthing of My will and My plan for the earth. The birthing
of the day of the Lord. The day of the return of the Messiah to gather His own unto
Himself for eternity. It is a day to look up! A day to rejoice, for your King is returning
in His glory-- the glory of the Everlasting One!
Those who have an upright heart will be gathered to Me. Those who are full of sin and
the evil works of Satan will perish. The ones who have received new birth and redemption
by the blood of the Lamb will be saved. To those who hear my voice and obey me you must,
"take up your cross and follow Me!"
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go
hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen
Me and still you do not believe. All that the Father gives me will come to Me, and whoever
comes to Me, I will never drive away. For I have come down from Heaven not to do My will
but to do the will of Him who sent Me, and I shall lose none of all that He has given Me,
but WILL RAISE THEM UP IN THE LAST DAY. For My Father's will is that everyone who looks to
the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will RAISE HIM UP AT THE LAST
DAY" (John 6:35-40).
Beloved, speak to My people. Tell them of My love for them. Tell them of My yearning to
be totally with them. Tell them for Me. Speak for Me...For many who say they are Mine
cannot hear My voice.
Was My agony on the cross not enough for you, My people? Was My blood not perfect
enough to make atonement for you? Did My beating with the whip not heal you? Was My
resurrection not enough to set you free? Must you continue to trample underfoot My
sacrifice on the cross? Where is the love and harmony between My people? Where is the
tenderness and fellowship of the cross? Where is the Mind of Christ that is available to
every Christian? Have you no kingdom within you?
The love of the Father sent Me to you. The love within Me caused Me to obey the desire
of Our Father. It was because of love that I went to the cross to bring forth your
redemption with My blood. It was because of Love that I have forgiven all your sins. It
was because of love that I made available resurrection life to all who come to me. Ask
them to receive My redemption and new life and be healed!
Tell them of the incredible riches that are their inheritance from Me as they abide in
Me. Tell them that I will withhold nothing from those who walk with an upright heart. Tell
them that I reward those who seek me and that a crown of life is stored up for all those
who will walk completely into their inheritance in Me. They will suffer persecution for
their godliness because the world hates My Holiness, but My life in them will keep them
from turning back to the filth of the world.
Evil is increasing in the final hour, but My love for all men remains constant. My
creative power, My authority, and My wisdom is available to those who will come and eat
from my hand.
I yearn to hear the voices of My own--voices raised in harmony and love--voices that
will sing the high praises of Our Father. Sing forth My people! Let Me hear your voice! Even
as you desire to hear My voice, so I desire to hear yours! Sing, shout, make a joyful
noise and I will hear you and I will respond with my own rejoicing over you!
Is there one among you that will believe My love for you? Is there one among you that
will believe that I am who I said I am--and that I would not lie or deceive you? Is there
one who desires to be recreated in My likeness? To be as Me you must spend time with Me.
You must desire to be with Me more than you desire to be with the world. If you seek Me
you will find Me if you seek Me with your whole heart! Rejoice in Me! Sing praises to Me
and unto those who do not know My name! Let Me break forth from within you, to bless a
dying world. My Father will love those who have loved Me. The Holy Spirit will teach those
who desire to know Me as the "I Am" instead of as you "think" I am.
Let My people praise Me and render unto My Father the holy praises of a holy people.
Come to Me as a little child. You do not need long religious phrases to talk to me. I
hear even the quietest prayer from the heart of a sincere believer. I will answer you in a
still small voice. I will not embarrass or frighten you. Come unto Me and I will give you
rest."
____
Sharon Hansen along with her husband reside in Raytown, Missouri, U.S.A. Sharon
founded the ministry of Jesus Christ International and has had an
extensive outreach to South Africa. Her love of God and her outreach to the poor make her
a lovely handmaiden of the Lord. She has a heart for all people to come to the knowledge
of Christ as savior and her anointed preaching and prophetic words are used of God to
bless many. Betty Miller and Sharon Hansen were roommates and co-workers in the seventies,
when they made a missionary journey to India. Sharon still has that missionary heart and
has blessed many through her ministry. You can e-mail her at: sghansen@qni.com
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
BOOK REVIEW
The Voice of God
By Cindy Jacobs
Is God still speaking to us today? Are there ways to hear God's voice, aside from an
audible voice from heaven? What should be proper church protocol in sharing
"prophetic words?" What guidelines should we follow in "testing" a
prophetic word? How is the Spirit of God moving in various churches and denominations
around the world?
These questions and many others are answered in her latest book, The Voice of God.
One of the things I like about this book is the down-to-earth quality of Cindy Jacobs'
writing. She openly shares from her rich background in prophetic intercession, sharing her
mistakes and learning experiences--and the wisdom she gained along the way. For all who
desire to hear more of God's voice, this book is a wonderful and practical teaching manual
with thought-provoking questions at the end of each chapter (which can be used in group
discussion or for quite pondering).
Although Jacobs is now often associated with the "Charismatic" side of
Christianity, she grew up in a mainline conservative Evangelical church, in a ministry
family. She shares how much of what she has learned came the "hard way," as in
the early days, there were few around her who understood what the ministry of prophecy or
the office of a prophet was really all about. Nevertheless, Jacobs' is careful to honor
all denominations and backgrounds within the Body of Christ. This isn't just isn't lip
service either. It is obviously one of her passions. In fact, throughout Cindy's writings,
one cannot help but praise God for the marvelous things He is doing in His church--from
Baptists to Lutherans--and from Argentina to Texas. One of Jacob's great qualities is her
lack of a sectarian spirit and openness to all of God's people. I believe it is one
of the key reasons the Lord has raised her ministry up to the visibility it now has.
In fact, Cindy Jacobs is in many ways a prophetic picture of what the Lord wants to do
in His corporate Body. We are in the time when the Lord is blending the strengths of those
who are strong in the Word, with those who are strong in the Spirit.
From her more conservative background, Jacobs' incorporates elements of practical wisdom
and solid Bible teaching. From her Charismatic background, she incorporates elements of
being led by the Holy Spirit in prophetic acts and intercessory prayer. Together, these
elements make a strong and solid foundation for revival and evangelism to the ends of the
earth.
No matter where you are in the prophetic movement--from a church member who regularly
hears from God, to a pastor who isn't even sure that prophecy exists for today, you will
be sure to find something in this book that will refresh your spirit and inspire you to
reach for even greater heights in the Lord.
....Book Review
Cindy Jacobs, president of Generals of
Intercession and on the executive council of the National Prayer Embassy,travels widely
and teaches on intercession. An intercessory participant in the Lausanne II Congress on
World Evangelism and coordinator of the first 24-hour intercessory prayer team for
InterVarsity's Urbana 1990, she lives with her husband, Mike, and two children in Colorado
Springs, Colorado.
Mike and Cindy Jacobs can be reached by e-mail at: gihdq@ibm.net or you can visit
their Generals of Intercession Website at:
www.generals.org
The Voice of God by Cindy Jacobs is available for $10.99
each in our CHAPEL BOOKSTORE (Click here to order)
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POETRY CORNER
NOT TOO YOUNG
Miriam, A Christian Teenager
From the hearts of my children
They cry we are too young!
Too young, oh God, to do Thy work!
Too young to do what You command!
I see their hearts and know their thoughts,
Too young? I ask. No, you're not.
As I said to Jeremiah, Say not you are a child
But like Samuel answered,
Say thou to Me, Here am I.
It matters not that you are young.
It matters not what others say.
I say, My children, ARISE!
I say arise for I will do a great thing in you!
All ye little children, STAND!
Stand and behold My glory!
Stand and behold My power!
For you are not too young to be used of Me!
No, not too young to be used.
_______________
Hi everyone! I was sitting at the table this morning,
reading my Bible when I turned to Jeremiah. Reading through chapter
1, I read Jeremiah's response to God's calling. He said, "Ah, Lord
God! behold, I cannot speak for I am a child." In that instant, God spoke to
me. He gave me this poem, as I sat there and read that verse over and over again. It made
me realize that this is the attitude of this generation. Our excuse is that we are too
young to do what God wants us to. We aren't too young, as God has revealed to me in this
poem. This poem is aimed more toward the generation that God is raising up to do His work
around the world. Through this poem, through these words that God has given me, may the
children of this generation rise and stand for God will surely use them as His tools.
Praise & Glory to Him,
Miriam
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LITTLE FOXES
(Little Compromises That Cause Big Problems)
By Betty Miller
Song of Solomon 2:15 says, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that
spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes." Foxes sometime in search of
food would enter into the grape orchards and devour the grapes and spoil the crop.
However, the little foxes were too small to reach the grape bunches so they would chew on
the vines and it would kill the whole vine. Instead of the farmer just losing his crop, he
would lose his vine which was more disastrous. Spiritually some things we do or allow that
we might think are little or insignificant can also be disastrous for us.
______
Little "Peeks" at Pornography
One of the most devastating problems that has ensnared many
good people is the sin of pornography. Many of these same people will testify that they
were ensnared with just a "peek." This one "little fox" led to their
downfall. Many, out of curiosity, just went to a site to see what was there. This is one
of the devil's tricks to get people ensnared. Satan, is the power behind this attraction
to forbidden sexual images. People that are trapped today can tell you there is an evil
"drawing" that compels them to return again and again. Many are desiring to be
free, but seem hopelessly gripped by this evil desire. We want to share the good news --
there is a way out through Jesus Christ.
In the U.S.A., as well as many other nations of the world,
our societies have become the most sexually saturated societies in human history. Sodom
and Gomorrah might be the only exceptions. America's pornography industry is not only
pervasive, but powerful as well. It generates more than $12 billion in revenue annually.
In 1997, more than 665 million pornographic videos were sold. On the Internet, there are
more than 72,000 pornographic sites. Sexually explicit "900 number" phone calls
are a $2.4 billion-a-year industry. ¹
From the Internet to video stores to magazines and
"900 numbers," pornography can be easily accessed nearly anywhere in America.
This involvement is not limited to world at large, as surveys reveal the Christian
community is highly involved in this evil snare of perversion too. How did this happen?
What can be done to help people get free from this bondage? What does the Bible offer as
hope to those ensnared in sin?
God has called the church to be the answer to the problems
facing those addicted to pornography. God hates this sin, but He loves the sinner and
wants to set them free. Many marriages are being destroyed by this evil, as after the
addiction of pornography has set in, then the normal marital relationship with their
spouses is no longer satisfying. Many husbands then want their wives to partake in bizarre
sexual behavior with them or use sexual toys as stimulants. Some couples even watch erotic
videos together to arouse each other before they engage in sex. These abnormal approaches
to what God intended to be a wonderful relationship, defiles them. Instead of finding
satisfaction... guilt, shame, and dissatisfaction set in. True love and intimate sharing
is replaced with raw lust. What God meant to be the most beautiful experience between two
people becomes a hellish depravity. God can, and will restore this relationship if they
will call on Him. There is absolutely nothing that is outside of God's ability to forgive,
deliver, heal and restore.
How Did This Happen?
How did our world arrive at a time in history that has so
much emphasis on sexual perversions? This did not happen overnight. When the church failed
to maintain a holy standard and example to the world, the world's evil influence gained
momentum and now has saturated our society. Little by little, the church lowered her
standards. Instead of the church influencing the world, the opposite happened, the world
influenced the church. The church began to watch movies that each year became a little
more dirty, a little more violent, a little more immoral, a little more deviant, a little
more crazy and a little more erotic. Now today, there are unspeakable things on film that
come directly from hell. They were inspired by the devil himself. These "little
foxes" are now raging wolves. Sin and evil are progressive. Several layers of gray
have now become black.
An example of how this happened in the area of women's
dress, would be to observe the progression of women's styles. Women's hem lines have gone
up while the necklines have gone down. It didn't start by going from ankle length to above
the knees overnight. It took years for the ladies in the church to gradually adopt this
revealing attire that others were wearing. Most Christian women on stage look no different
than those in Hollywood. I am not saying that we should wear our hair in buns with no
make-up. However we don't have to look like the women of the world. We can be stylish and
attractive without being immodest and lustful in our dress. Today young girls come to
prayer meetings in shorts and crop tops and never think any thing about it. Before you
call me prudish ( I will admit I am old fashioned, yet in my school days we didn't
experience the sexual violence that is happening today), let me share where I am going
with this.
My husband and I, while pastoring the church, prayed with
many young and not-so-young men, who were deeply disturbed as they were having problems
keeping their minds on the Lord. The distraction ---- pretty young girls who would attend
services in shorts, ultra tight jeans, short skirts, or low cut dresses. The men did not
want these lustful feelings and were sincerely fighting to keep their thoughts pure. Most
of the young girls were totally oblivious to the fact that they could be contributing to a
man's temptation toward lust. I remember an incident when several people were gathered
around a man to pray for him for healing. One of the young girls who wore a sleeveless and
low cut top kneeled down at his feet while others stood in a circle around him to pray. I
happened to be standing over her and looking down as we started to bow our heads and pray
I could see her breasts above her low cut bra. The thought came to me how these young men
must struggle to pray when they could see the same view as I saw.
What Can Women Do To Help Men Get Free From This
Bondage?
Most of the indulgence in porno is done by men, although
some women come under its power too. However, since this affects everyone in the family,
it is a family problem. It must be addressed as a family issue. One of the things that I
believe women are doing today, that is adding to this problem, is the way in which they
dress. The goal of many young girls today is not dressing to be well groomed and
attractive, but rather to be sexy. Sex crimes and rapes have soared in numbers and women's
dress habits have contributed to this problem. I believe because we have not taught our
daughters to dress modestly it has contributed to these crimes. We must teach our sons and
daughters morality and return to Bible standards if we are to see this problem reversed.
Men no longer have to go to houses of prostitution to see
women's unclad bodies. They can go to any beach or public swimming pool in the world or
just watch the ads on T.V. It is really a disgrace to the church when our young daughters
are allowed to wear bikini swimsuits and many of the mothers wear them too. I am not
excusing men and their porno habits but we women must also change if we expect the men to
get free from their sin. The Bible speaks about how women should be attired:
Proverbs 11:22, "As a jewel of gold in a
swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion."
1 Peter 3:1-5, "Likewise, ye wives, be in
subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the
word be won by the conversation of the wives; While they behold your chaste conversation
coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the
hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of
the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,
which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the
holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their
own husbands."
How To Be Free From Pornography
(1.) You need to first of all repent of your sin and ask Jesus to come
into your heart and cleanse you and deliver you from this evil. No sin is
too black or wicked that the blood of Jesus cannot cleanse you from it. The Bible says in:
1 John 1:9-10, 2:1-2: "If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is
not in us. My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any
man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the
propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins: and not for ours only,
but also for the sins of the whole world."
(2.) Because pornography is a spiritual problem you will
need spiritual help in getting free from it. By partaking of this evil you have opened
yourself up to demonic control. You may need someone who has the gift of the Holy Spirit
to pray deliverance over you. You should seek out a Bible believing church that believes
in deliverance and knows how to deal with demons. The Lord will lead you in this matter if
you ask Him. Do not allow pride to prevent you from getting help and getting free if you
need it.
James 4:7-8, "Submit yourselves therefore to
God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh
to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded."
(3.) As you commit your life to Christ and obey Him you can get
the victory because you are not fighting this battle alone, but you have access to the
power of Christ and what He did for you.
Romans 6:12-18:
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body,
that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield
yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as
instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under
grace.
15 What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.
16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to
whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?
17 But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart
that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
18 Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
(4.) Today men and women must war in this culture to maintain their sexual purity.
This battle is a battle in the mind. You must cast down imaginations that do not agree
with the Bible and quote the Word of God over your body and mind.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 "For though we walk in the flesh, we do
not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every
high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity
every thought to the obedience of Christ."
(5.) You must stay away from the area of temptation and destroy all
videos, games, magazines, etc. that are pornographic. If you must use the computer in your
work environment, you should employ a filter service for your ISP so that those evil
invitations do not enter your e-mail and cannot be accessed by your browser.
1 Corinthians 6:18-20: "Flee fornication. Every sin that a
man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own
body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you,
which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore
glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."
(6.) Should you stumble or fall, do not stay down. Just
ask the Lord to forgive you and start again in your walk with Him. Ask Him to empower you
to overcome. You cannot do it in your strength. Just remember that in Him you can do all
things.
Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ which
strengtheneth me."
(7.) If you need prayer we will stand with you for your victory. You can
write us through the prayer room. You need not give your name. The Lord will know who you
are. Remember, the Lord loves you and so do we. Blessings! E-mail us through the PRAYER ROOM.
In summation, many are snared by just a "peek" or just a little
curiosity in regard to pornography. Don't allow any little things that could lead to a
pornography addiction. Calendars or pictures of naked women, Playboy magazines or movies
with erotic sexual scenes are just a few of the things that can open the door for a
greater entanglement into the pornography trap.
End Notes:
¹Chris Mitchell, CBN News Reporter. Fact File Resource, Air Date:
November 10, 1998
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PRAYER FOCUS SPOTLIGHT
Calling All Intercessors
| We now have an Intercessory Prayer Page. If you would like
to be an intercessor and pray for the needs of the church around the world as well as this
ministry, go to this link: INTERNET
INTERCESSORS |
SPECIAL CALL TO PRAYER:
MAY 2, 1999 is the International Day of Repentance from Idolatry (Sponsered
by Global Harvest Ministries, United Prayer Track of the AD 2000 & Beyond Movement. If
your church is not participating in this occasion, it would still be a good time to
privately destroy and/or rid your house of any idolatrous objects and seek the Lord for
cleansing and forgiveness. For more information contact: www.globalharvest.org
MAY 5, 1999 is the National Day of Repentance (For
more information contact: prsummit@mill.net or
phone toll free 1-877-PRSUMMIT).
MAY 6, 1999 is the National Day of Prayer (Prayer
gatherings will be held throughout the day all across the United States. Call (612)
853-8461 for more information.
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May/June 1999
Dear Friends on the Internet:
Greetings in Jesus name! You probably have already noticed the biggest news we wanted
to share with you, which is that is that our front page got a major overhaul. We think it
looks much better, and hopefully, it will make it easier for you to find your way around
the site as well. In addition, we also have many other changes and improvements that we
hope to bring your way soon. Thanks for faithfully "sticking by us" even as we
attempt to bring you a world-class webpage. We aren't there yet, but by God's grace, we
soon will be. Thank you for your prayers.
In this issue of the Digest, we are attempting to address some of the issues that are
on the hearts of everyone in the nation right now--and especially the youth. If any of the
articles minister to you, please feel free to print out this Digest and pass it along to
others. Our fervent prayer is that the recent murders that are taking place in our schools
will cause us to do some serious repenting before the Lord, so that He can bring as much
good as is possible from such horror. Tragedies such as these will either make us softer
or harder to God. Our prayer is that what Satan meant for evil, God will bring good out of
it. If we call out to Him in faith and humility He will heal our broken land and hurting
families. Along these lines, let us also continue to remember the Kosovo refugees in our
prayers as well. Our prayers truly can make a difference in their lives.
We pray that this Spring/Summer season is a beautiful one for you. May you draw closer
to the Lord than you have ever been before. This is our prayer for all who visit this
site.
We love and appreciate you!
In Him,
Bud and Betty
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PURPOSE & VISION
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