MARCH/APRIL 1997 Vol. 1, No. 2
What Does The Bible Say About -- The Holy Spirit?"
Purpose and Vision -- Subscription Information
Letters To The Editor -- Our Answers
Spiritual Warfare -- Requirements for Good Soldiers
Exposing Satan's Devices -- Who Is Satan?
End Times -- Judgment on Sin
Prophetic Voice To The Church -- Prophecy for the 90's
Little Foxes (Little Compromises) -- In Business
World Wide Literature Update -- Pastor Bud Miller
Share And Tell -- Prison Outreach Testimonies
Prayer Focus Spotlight -- For Business Men
Waiting For The Stop Sign -- Pastor Joanne Bush
Book Review Of The Month -- Business By The Book
Personal Word From The Millers -- Closing Words
Return to Archives Menu
Return to Main Menu
Nature and Character of the Holy Spirit
Betty Miller
The nature and character of the Holy Spirit are equivalent to God's personality. By
understanding the Holy Spirit's nature and character, we come to know what God is like.
If we are going to have the Holy Spirit's character worked within us, we are going to
have to know Him. We first must be "born again" and then we can be filled with
the Holy Spirit if we ask God for this blessing and gift that comes from Him. Luke
11:13 says "If ye then being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your
children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask
him." We will come to know Him better by seeking Him and studying God's Word.
As we know the Holy Spirit, we will recognize that which is not of Him. If we know the
real thing, we will quickly spot the counterfeit, just like a banker who knows authentic
money so well that the counterfeit is obvious. By knowing the Holy Spirit's nature, we
will be able to say, "No, that's not of the Lord" whenever Satan tries to trick
us. For example, if the enemy causes a divorce or a tragic accident, we will know better
than to attribute it to God. After all, God blesses His children; it is Satan who robs,
kills, and destroys (John 10: 10 says "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."
When Jesus walked the earth, what did He do? He went about doing good (Acts 10:38
says "How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who
went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed of the devil: for God was with
him.").
This reveals God as One who does good since to see Jesus was to see the Father (John.
14:9). You will note in studying the New Testament, that none were turned away who
came to Jesus for healing. God is a God of blessing; He doesn't say, "Sorry, I cannot
heal you" to those who look to Him. Jesus did warn some who were healed to "sin
no more." That was because they needed to make certain corrections in their lives to
keep the enemy from coming back in.
The Holy Spirit is here today to minister the same way Jesus ministered. The Holy
Spirit lives within us, as Christians, to bless others, not to turn them away. Even the
disciples did not always realize this. At one point, James and John asked Jesus about
destroying a village with fire from heaven. Jesus rebuked them, saying He came to save,
not destroy. (Luke. 9: 55-56 says "But he turned, and rebuked them, and
said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to
destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village). If we study
the life of Christ it reveals how the Holy Spirit will act today.
Note this prayer of Christ: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also
which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one. And the glory
which thou gavest me I have given them...and (Thou) hast loved them, as thou hast loved
me" (John. 17: 20-21a, 22a, 23b).
Jesus was asking on our behalf that we might be given what He had received. He asked
that God's love and glory would be ours so that we, in turn, would impart that to others,
that we might all be one. It is the nature of the Holy Spirit to share. We are not to hold
Jesus unto ourselves, but we are to give of Him unto others.
The Holy Spirit will never act contrary to God's nature. Remember that above all. So
what is God's nature? The fruit of the Spirit answers that question: "love, joy,
peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance" (Gal. 5:
22-23a).
This fruit will be manifest in our lives as we walk in the Spirit. "If we live
in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Gal. 5:25). Walking in the Spirit
involves walking in His fruit. We need to understand what the fruit is -- which describes
God's character -- if we are going to walk in it. Also, by examining the fruit, we will
better understand the Holy Spirit's nature and character.
The fruit of love is the first fruit listed and it is the one we are told to walk in so
we might please our Father. We are called as Christians to overcome evil with good; to
love when hated. Romans 12:21 says "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome
evil with good." We can only do this through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
THE OVERCOMING LIFE DIGEST is published for the purpose of strengthening the
Body of Christ by furnishing teaching literature and a prophetic voice to the church in
these last days. CHRIST UNLIMITED is helping and working with all Bible-believing
Christians regardless of their church or denominational affiliations in promoting the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. CHRIST UNLIMITED believes the hour is late and we must fulfill the
great commission. We desire as Christians to cooperate with the Lord in breaking down
denominational walls, for a united front line against the kingdom of darkness and setting
up the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
CHRIST UNLIMITED MINISTRIES, INC. and CHRIST UNLIMITED PUBLISHING provide such tools
through literature as to enable the saints of God to take the Kingdom and walk in the
overcoming life as promised us in John 10:10 & Revelation 21:7.
PUBLISHER
CHRIST UNLIMITED PUBLISHING
President: R.S. "Bud" Miller
Editor: Betty Miller
Web Master: William Mark Bristow
Printing and Design: Ironwood Lithographers
SUBSCRIPTION INFO
THE OVERCOMING LIFE DIGEST is a bimonthly electronic publication of:
CHRIST UNLIMITED MINISTRIES, INC.
P.O. BOX 850
DEWEY, AZ 86327 USA
Email Address: digest@BibleResources.org
Subscriptions are online as you may bimonthly receive the OVERCOMING LIFE DIGEST from
our World Wide Web Site on the Internet. That address is:
http://christunlimited.com
However, your designated contribution of any amount will be used to send literature and
Bibles to foreign ministers, prisoners and other needy Christians. Contributions to CHRIST
UNLIMITED MIN. are tax deductible under 501(c) (3) of the IRS Tax Code.
Copyright by CHRIST UNLIMITED MINISTRIES, INC. All rights reserved.
Printing: Any part of this periodical may be copied freely if not for sale simply by
touching the print button on your browser. However, to republish any portion for
publication, permission must be obtained in writing from Christ Unlimited Publishing. We
encourage you to distribute this material to anyone that you think it would bless.
However; copied material should contain the ministry address and our web address.
Scripture Quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise
noted.
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
DJH writes:
Once again I stumble upon material where money is asked for, for the study of the
Bible. Pardon me, if I sound like someone else you have heard before, but I have great
concern of people that request money, for teaching of God's word. I believe any one can
recieve from God by calling out to him.(GOD ALREADY KNOWS WHO WILL AND WHO WANT).
I think any one with belief in God would want to share by word of mouth instead of
wanting to set up some type of payment with that person for money in return. This is
written in early scrolling of your material and I hope that I do not offend any one for I
know that people believe with all that heart this is the way for God's word to go out.
Thank you for allowing me to visit.
EDITOR'S REPLY:
Thank you for visiting us. We always are open to people's opinions in this matter.
However, we look to the Bible for, not your opinion or our opinion, as to what is right,
but rather what the Bible has to say about what is right and wrong. We have been very
prayerful before the Lord as to what He would have us to do, not only in this area, but
all areas. We would love to give all of our materials away but they cost money to print
and publish. (In fact we have given many, many away over the years and still do, when we
would have the funds.)
The Lord spoke to our hearts that if the Bible itself cost money and had to be bought
and paid for (which is His Word); He certainly was not opposed to books that pertained to
His Word being bought and sold. If you own a Bible you either paid for it or someone else
paid for it and gave it to you, but you had to buy it. You did not receive the entire
contents of the Bible by word of mouth.
The Lord is not opposed to the selling of Christian materials, what He is opposed to is
the attitude in our hearts regarding money. If it is simply a means of exchange to use in
this world, the Lord doesn't object to its use.
It is the evil use of money that the Lord hates (greed, lust, manipulation, idolatry,
materialism, etc.)
John 17:15 (KJV) I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that
thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
Since the Lord has called us to this Internet ministry and we are sowing our time and
prayers in this direction. Scripture also says that we should be able to reap the carnal
things we need back through this source should He choose to bless us that way.
1 Cor 9:14 (KJV) Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel
should live of the gospel.
1 Cor 9:11 (KJV) If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if
we shall reap your carnal things?
Our main reason for selling our books is that it is a way in which we can get the
gospel out to many more people. We are limited as to how many people we can personally
share with mouth to mouth. The Lord has blessed us with some truths and revelation that we
desire to share with others so that they might know the true and living God and live the
overcoming life. Ultimately God is our source and we do not limit Him as to how He would
choose to meet our needs.
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
SPIRITUAL WARFARE
REQUIREMENTS FOR GOOD SOLDIERS
Obedience the First Requirement
Our warfare is spiritual. We're not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against
principalities and spiritual wickedness in high places (Eph. 6:12). Our battle is not
against human beings, but against Satan and his demonic powers. To win this battle, we
must be good soldiers in Christ. And to be good soldiers, we must meet certain
requirements.
Good soldiers are determined to win, to be overcomers. Remember the three overcoming
keys from Revelation 12:11: "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and the
word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death." First we
overcome by the blood of the Lamb; we're redeemed and filled with the power of the Holy
Spirit, that we might walk in His power, not ours.
As good soldiers walking in His might, we wage war with the Word of our testimony. That
Word is the Scriptures, not our own human words. Speaking God's Word puts the enemy to
flight, not speaking our own human thoughts.
Thus, as good soldiers we put our emphasis on the Word of God. We know that brings the
victory. Whether the problems are financial, marital, emotional, or whatever, we find out
what the Bible advises. Then we apply it to our situation and gain the victory.
Marriages are failing today because couples are ignoring God's principles. They're
living selfishly, doing their own thing. God's way, though, is to lay down one's life for
another; that's His love.
Such love doesn't come automatically; it is both taught and learned. The Bible tells
older women to teach younger women how to love their husbands (Titus 2:4). Spouses must
learn to love with God's love. A teachable spirit is a must for this.
Good soldiers are 100 per cent committed and obedient to God's Word. A 90 per cent
commitment won't win the war, for the enemy will use the 10 per cent lack to contaminate
the portion given to God. Good soldiers know total victory comes only through total
commitment and obedience.
Where full commitment is lacking, Christians receive only temporary relief from their
problems. They attend church, receive prayer, and walk away with temporary relief, when
what God has available is total recovery. Temporary relief is like tearing off the top of
a weed, but leaving the roots. Getting to the root of the problem for total recovery
requires total commitment.
Of course, good soldiers "love not their lives unto the death." We should
have an attitude of preferring death to hurting Jesus or disobeying God. Sometimes it
takes many years for Christians to reach this point. Those who do lead lives of joy,
victory and peace.
Christians can be divided into two groups: overcoming Christians leading lives of
victory, and defeated Christians enduring lives of heartache. It's not that one group is
more favored by God than the other. God is no respecter of persons (Col. 3:25). It's
simply that the victorious group applies and obeys God's Word in their lives. God's not
favoring them; He's favoring His Word. Since He's partial to His Word, if we line up with
it, we automatically receive favor and blessing.
Defeated Christians, those who don't live according to God's Word, tend to be plagued
with problems that are never solved. All Christians, of course, experience problems, but
the good soldiers will be overcoming them with joy. Rather than constantly being under a
load of problems, good soldiers will be finding the solutions.
Part of the problem for many American Christians is a lack of the mentality that says,
"Lord, I'm going to serve You at all costs." Believers in countries where
Christianity is persecuted know what it means to serve at all costs, even at the cost of
their lives. That's the kind of determination required of good Christian soldiers, loving
God more than fearing man.
Should the day come in America that religious freedom be denied, we would quickly see
the separation of true Christians from the phonies. Even at the threat of death, true
Christians will still serve Jesus. Though we haven't been put on the line in this way, we
are put on the line in our hearts when we take the stand: "I'd rather die than sin
against God or yield to the world's standards."
(Excerpt from the book entitled Personal Spiritual Warfare; Click here to order.)
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
SATAN'S DESCRIPTION AND DEEDS
Who Is Satan?
II Corinthians 2:11 says "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for
we are not ignorant of his devices."
Before we discuss some of the devices of Satan, we first need to know who he is. The
name "Satan" comes from a Hebrew word signifying an adversary, an enemy, and an
accuser. In God's Word, we discover that Satan is God's enemy and is against all for which
God stands. He is the archenemy of good.
Surprising as it may seem to some, Satan was not always evil. In the beginning, he was
an angel created in perfection and beauty. Angels were given a will with a free moral
choice, and "Lucifer" (Satan's name before he was cast out of heaven) chose to
do evil and rebelled against God. He was cast out of heaven to the earth because of his
sin. His present domain is limited to the earth and hell.
Isaiah 14:12-15, "How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the
morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou
hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the
stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the
north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet
thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit."
Satan's sins were pride and covetousness. He desired God's throne and set his will
against God's will. Five times he said, "I will" in this portion of Scripture.
This is still man's sin today: the refusal to do God's will, with the same attitude of
"I will." Satan chose to rebel and it brought him down to hell. Men are making
the same choice today and those who rebel will ultimately go down to the pit (hell) with
the devil.
Lucifer had been gifted with beauty and had walked upon the holy mountain of God. But
even with all this, he was not content with his position and by trying to usurp God's
authority, sin entered into him when he attempted to overthrow God's kingdom.
Ezekiel 28:12-19, "...Thus saith the Lord God; Thou sealest up the sum, full of
wisdom, and perfect in beauty. Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; every precious
stone was thy covering, the sardius, topaz, and the diamond, the beryl, the onyx, and the
jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold: the workmanship of thy
tabrets and of thy pipes was prepared in thee in the day that thou wast created. Thou art
the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy
mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou
wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in
thee. By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with
violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain
of God: and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire.
Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason
of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they
may behold thee. Thou hast defiled thy sanctuaries by the multitude of thine iniquities,
by the iniquity of thy traffick; therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of
thee, it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of
all them that behold thee. All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at
thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more."
From these verses, we see that God did not create Lucifer evil, but made him perfect.
By Satan's own choice, he became evil and was cast out of heaven.
SATAN CAST OUT OF HEAVEN
The Lord never meant for evil to exist. It was simply the opposite of good, and since
it takes a free will for evil to come into existence, Lucifer was the first created being
to exercise his will against God. Since that time, others have followed. Satan caused a
third of heaven to fall with him by influencing other angelic beings to make war against
God (Revelation 12:4a). They too were cast out of heaven. They have since become
evil spirits due to their choice. They now roam the earth, with Satan as their leader and
master. These invisible supernatural beings still have power, but it is directed toward
evil works of darkness. Satan is still ruling in the earth today, not only over the evil
spirits, but also over evil men who choose the same path of rebellion against God. He is
the dark prince of this world. We can see a glimpse of his evil wisdom, strength, glitter,
and his inevitable end by reading the previous passages. We must remember that he has only
limited power, but nevertheless he does have power, and those who do not know him and his
devices inevitably become his victims.
JESUS DEFEATS SATAN
Those who are "born again" and filled with the Spirit of God have no need to
fear this evil foe as he has been defeated by our God. Jesus defeated him and stripped him
of his power two thousand years ago. Jesus paid the price of our sins on the cross and
then rose from the dead bringing life to all who would follow Him. Satan's authority has
been taken away from him. We now have authority over him through Jesus Christ. "I
am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the
keys of hell and of death" (Revelation 1:18).
Revelation 12 records the account of Satan's overthrow by Christ. We are first
given a vision of what takes place in heaven, then the Bible reveals the earthly scene:
Revelation 12:7-12, "And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought
against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was
their place found any more in heaven. 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. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven,
Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his
Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God
day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their
testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Therefore rejoice, ye heavens,
and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the
devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a
short time."
(Excerpt from Exposing Satan's Devices; Order from the CHAPEL BOOKSTORE; click here to order)
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
JUDGMENT ON SIN
Judgment is already falling. What's happening to church leadership? Their sins have
found them out. The Word says our sins will find us out. "But if ye will not do
so, behold, ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out"
(Nu. 32:23). If we have hidden sins, they're going to be exposed. So if we have any
hidden sins, we need to go to God right now and cry out for deliverance. We need to get on
our knees, pray and fast, and seek God for deliverance. If we don't, our hidden sins are
going to be exposed. But if we take care of those sins in the prayer closet, they won't
have to be exposed.
It's not by works that we gain deliverance from hidden sins. We cannot break sinful
habits in our own strength. It's only by faith in God and by His power that we're able to
gain the victory. Most Christians can testify of how God has delivered them from a major
sin. Many have been delivered from alcohol, or tobacco, or adultery. If Jesus has
delivered us from one sin, can He not also deliver us from the rest of them? We have the
attitude, "Well, I'm just a sinner and can only continue sinning." No, God is
saying He has given us the power over sin. He's telling us if we use His tools and His
power we can overcome any sin in our lives. God is wanting us to deal with the sin
problem.
"For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but
under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace?
God forbid. 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? 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. Being then made free from sin, ye became the
servants of righteousness" (Rom. 6: 14-18).
Sin is the problem with the world. The world is full of problems because of sin. People
go to counselors to get their problems smoothed over when they really need to be facing
their sin problem. Many psychiatrists listen for hours on end to their patients when they
need to tell them their problem is sin and they need to repent. That's what's causing the
majority of people's problems. They've even verified that most of those in mental
institutions are there because they cannot face the fact that they have committed wrong.
Instead of facing their sin, they blame it on someone else. They don't take the
responsibility; they excuse themselves. They blame their parents: "If they hadn't
raised me the way they did I wouldn't be this way." They blame the car accident:
"I'm injured today because of what the other driver did." Even when someone is
physically injured, they don't have to take on bitterness and hatred. Some people pick up
those negative emotions when they've been hurt or offended.
We've all been hurt in this world. It's inevitable since we're in the world that is
under the power of the devil or the "beast system". It's how we handle those
hurts and wounds that determines whether we're going to have victory. We need to give them
to Jesus. Our prayer should be, "Jesus, somebody hurt me today. Forgive him and help
me to overcome. Cleanse me from any bitterness."
In this hour of judgment, all who take "the mark of the beast" are going to
be destroyed. "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark on
his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which
is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented
with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the
Lamb" (Rev. 14: 9b-10).
This destruction will be upon those who've picked up that worldly humanistic thinking.
They're going to fall. Because they don't have the thinking of God, they'll be destroyed
by the plagues and other calamities that are in the world. In these last hours we're not
going to be able to stand unless we've got the Word of God in our minds and hearts and are
doing the works of God. That's the only way we're going to be able to stand. Otherwise
we'll not be able to stand when, for example, whole cities are plagued with disease. Fear
will grip our hearts and we'll be open to receive the diseases, too, if we're allowing
fear to rule in our lives. What we're going to have to do is stand up and say, In Jesus'
name, "God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a
sound mind (II Tim. 1:7). I'll not receive a spirit of fear.
FEAR OF GOD, OUR PROTECTION
One fear most Christians have not conquered is the fear of what man will say. We fear
what our spouses, or church friends, or outsiders will say more than we fear what God will
say. We need to fear God more. Instead of fearing what man will say about us, we need to
have that holy respect for God because our only safety is in Him. This is not a tormenting
fear of God, but a respect for Him and His Word. If He says something, we respect what He
says because we believe His Word.
If we're marked with God's Word in our minds and hearts and doing His works, then the
devil is no match for us. The devil is the defeated one. He had a fatal blow struck to his
head through Jesus Christ. We can now crush him under our feet with the Word of God, if we
stand. But those Christians who aren't standing are being swept away even now. Loved ones
are being snatched away as the enemy is creating terrible devastation upon the earth
through such assaults as financial destruction, broken homes, kidnapped children, runaway
teens, unwed mothers, terriblediseases, and so forth. What are we going to do in these
times? We're going to stand on the Word because the Lamb has overcome the beast. We're not
taking the beast's mark.
(Excerpt taken for 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
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 Matt.
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." Also Ephesians 4:11-12 which
says"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 also which include edification, exhortation and comfort
but their messages can also be directive in nature and futuristic in content as well (Eph.
4:11-15).
Presently God is leading His people with prophetic preaching and teaching. A prophetic
movement is taking place in the world.
PROPHECY FOR THE 1990'S
The following prophetic words were given to Betty Miller by the Holy
Spirit on December 23, 1989 which was shared with the local church. It was also printed in
tract form and has been distributed for a number of years. We want our newsletter to be a
ministry to God's people so we are including this word to help prepare for the remaining
days ahead. This message will be printed here in a series form to be continued in future
Digests.
JUDGMENT
Judgment is twofold:
(1) The wicked are punished for their deeds as the penalty for sin is executed upon
them.
Ezekiel 11:21: "But as for them whose heart walketh after the heart of their
detestable things and their abominations, I will recompense their way upon their own
heads, saith the Lord God."
(2) The righteous are rewarded for their faithfulness.
Galatians 6:7-9: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man
soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint
not."
Proverbs 13:13: "Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that
feareth the commandment shall be rewarded."
Hebrew 11:6: "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that
cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently
seek him."
NO COMPROMISE
The rebellious, proud and disobedient Christians will come under judgment with the
world unless they repent. Lukewarm or carnal Christians will not be able to remain in that
condition.
Revelation 3:15-18: "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I
would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with
goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou are wretched, and miserable,
and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that
thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of
thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye slave, that thou mayest
see."
FINANCIAL JUDGMENT
Financial integrity will be required of all of God's people. God has already been
dealing with leadership in this realm, and He will now deal with the flock also. He will
require all to be obedient in the area of finances.
The Lord has tolerated our unfaithfulness in this area, but no longer will He tolerate
it. Judgment means fairness will be executed. A small percentage of God's people have been
obedient in the area of tithes and offerings, while the rest of the body has refused to
take its responsibility; these non-givers have come and partaken of what other's money has
supported. No longer!
Severe financial judgments will come upon all who fail to tithe and give at God's
direction. Some will lose all they own before they will yield to God in this area.
This is not God's will, as God does not want His people to lack, but their own
disobedience will leave the door open for Satan to rob them. Only faith in God for His
provision will stand in the coming days.
As institutions, investments, jobs, and savings disappear and fail, God's true people
will be taken care of in miraculous ways. God will speak clearly to His own to share with
one another plus give sacrificially to His true works. There will be provision for His
people that will flow as they are in the Kingdom of God and not a part of the world system
that is failing.
There will be no lack in God's Kingdom for all that is unctioned by Him. The Lord will
restrain His people from giving to fleshly works and will give discernment to His people
about where they are to give.
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
(Little compromises that cause big problems) 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 is little or insignificant can also be disastrous for us.
Business Compromises
As Christians, compromising in the work place and in our work ethics in little things,
is an area that can be an open door for the enemy to gain an advantage over us. This
"little fox" is so common place that many Christians are not only failing to
recognize it but are also guilty of it.
When Christian business men work hand and hand with Christian employees by Biblical
work ethics and standards, it produces a just and fair work place. In the past when our
nation had a strong Christian influence this combination led to our nation being known for
quality workmanship. Other nations were seeking to buy merchandise with the "Made in
U.S.A." label. Because our nation as a whole has turned away from its moral standards
and we have failed in our Christian influence in the workplace, everyone is suffering.
Christians are mocked because we do not exemplify a Biblical standard in our business
lifestyles. How are we to witness and share the gospel of Christ if our work habits are
not exemplary?
Many of the younger generation were not taught proper work habits and now have
difficulty in holding a job. Children's messy rooms are a symptom of how a generation of
parents has neglected to teach their children this truth while they were growing up.
We are instructed in Proverbs 22:6 to "Train up a child in the way he should
go: and when his is old, he will not depart from it."
The key in this verse is the word "training". Training involves more than
just teaching. The best teachers teach not only the procedure for doing a job, but also a
set of values for producing that job.
Whatever reasons we give for our neglect in training our children, the truth is we did
not take the time needed to train our children properly. We are a world in a hurry which
is a big hindrance to good workmanship. Slothfulness, shoddy workmanship and
disorganization reflect a lack of caring. Many people take short cuts that hamper the
quality of the job, just to finish the task so they can eliminate any problems of the
moment. Later the job must be repeated which wastes time because the job was not done
right the first time.
We need to teach our children not only how to do a good job, but also train them to do
their best. Teaching is simply communicating knowledge, while training involves conveying
a value system. Good teachers who teach moral values along with proper instruction produce
quality schooling and the best workers.
If we as parents compromise in our lifestyles and work ethics before our children then
we communicate those ideas to them.
If we have been deceived or perhaps have just become negligent in any area pertaining
to our work ethics, we could be guilty of hurting our children or our witness for the
Lord.
Here is a checklist for employees to see if perhaps any "little
foxes" have been spoiling our vines:
(1.) Examining what motivates us to work. Love of money, fear, duty and necessity are
some of the world's reasons to work. Our reason should be one that is motivated by love
for our Lord.
(2.) Taking short cuts that will lessen the finished product because of laziness or
impatience. This wastes time because a job is done the quickest way and not the best way.
(3.) Hiding mistakes that are costly to others because of fear or pride.
(4.) Stealing from our employer which increases his operating costs that in turns cause
company wages or bonuses to be less.
(5.) Working in a careful manner to avoid carelessness to prevent accidents. Safety
rules need to be obeyed which help lower insurance costs.
(6.) Communicating properly when we have a problem with the boss, instead of gossiping
about him to other employees?
(7.) Being responsible and disciplined, workers who are dependable and loyal.
(8.) Avoiding slothful habits, such as tardiness and absenteeism without a cause.
(Pretending to be sick just because we do not want to go to work is outright deception).
(9.) Lying about our qualifications when applying for a job causing the employer to
believe we can do more than we are actually trained or qualified to do. (This puts the
employer at risk because of inferior work that will be produced.)
(10.) Walking out on a job without proper notification.
Here is a checklist for employers or manufacturers that is also in order:
(1.) Creating inferior products because of greed. (Things that wear out quickly so they
must be replaced sooner so the manufacture will profit more.)
(2.) Representing our products falsely by exaggerated marketing ads just to make sales.
(3.) Treating our employees the way we would want to be treated. (Fair and just wages
and benefits should be given to all workers without being a respecter of persons.)
(4.) Furnishing comfortable and good working conditions for our help.
(5.) Observing the Sabbath rest for all employees as well as ourselves. (Workaholics
will eventually experience burnout and God knew as human beings we all need a day of rest
and refreshing in the Lord.)
(6.) Terminating employees unfairly because of greed. (Often loyal older employees are
replaced by younger ones at a lesser salary to avoid retirement benefits and the higher
earned salary of the older worker).
Although these lists are by no means complete, this will give us a starting place to
examine if we are living a Christian life in the marketplace. Notice the examples used in
this list are character related and unless people come to God and allow Jesus to change
their evil nature, our nation will continue to plunge into a deteriorating workplace. We
as Christians should be examples in leading the way of good work ethics in the
marketplace. It is sad that many Christians fail to do this and our witness in the world
is not Christian at all as we act like the rest of the world.
Many Christian employees justify their actions because they feel they are just
compromising in little things that do not matter. Such things as: Telling little white
lies, tardiness, misusing their privileges, failure to keep their word, gossiping in the
office, taking advantage of their sick leave, using the company telephone, postage,
equipment, etc. for personal use, expecting salaries beyond their work production,
producing sloppy work, etc.
Christian employers who violate God's principles are guilty too, of wrong treatment of
employees, improper conduct, unfair wages, overworking employees, failure to supply safe
working conditions, ignoring communication problems and unjustly terminating employees.
The Word of God tells us how we can please God in the workplace in Matthew 25:23,
"His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been
faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the
joy of thy lord." Being faithful in the little things will promote us to rule
over larger things. The same is true on the negative side, neglect in little things can
cause big problems. May the Lord show us the "little foxes" in our workplaces
that are creating big problems.
We must remember as Christians our ministry is to live the Christian life any where we
are. The most important thing is our relationship with people. We must guard and watch our
attitude in the office one toward another as well as our outreach to the people God sends
us to be a witness. Remember the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have
them do unto you." (Luke 6:31)
We need to strive for excellent work and be like our Lord. Scriptures that pertain to
the workplace that we all need to keep in mind are as follows:
Isa. 12:5 "Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known
in all the earth."
Col. 3:17 "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
Col. 3:23 "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto
men."
Ecc. 9:10 "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might."
Luke 16:10 "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in
much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much."
1 John 2:5-6 "But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God
perfected: hereby we know that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought
himself also so to walk, even as he walked."
Eph. 6:5-9 "Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to
the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with
eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the
heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that
whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be
bond or free. And ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening:
knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with
him."
Rom. 12:10-11 "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in
honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the
Lord."
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
From the desk of Bud Miller
We thank God that we are making progress in the things the Lord has commissioned us to
do here in the ministry. With the completion of most of the Bible study material, we are
now in the process of getting this data in the proper electronic format to be able to
place it all on the INTERNET.
Electronic technology via the INTERNET has opened a whole new mission field for
Christians and a brand new way to obey Christ's command to: "Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel..". The INTERNET serves as the backbone to our
nation's Information Superhighway. It is growing at a phenomenal rate with about 10,000
users being added daily. There are currently an estimated 165 million users world-wide.
This is one of the most exciting opportunities to reach the lost and strengthen the church
that we have ever seen.
Many other Christian ministries are now in CYBERSPACE. The Lord desires a Christian
influence on this vast network as this is a way to witness 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
365 days a year.
The Lord spoke to us three years ago to reserve the domain name "BibleResources.org".
At the time we were barely into computers. What a wonderful opportunity He has given us to
share via this media. We are able to minister in a number of ways besides offering our
Electronic Bible study to those who desire to take an Overcoming Life course in the Word.
We are also offering free information tracts, taking prayer requests and offering free
Bibles and other Christian material that can be down-loaded. We plan to have a full
"Christian Resource Center" in time to help spread the gospel throughout the
world. The Lord is confirming this new ministry in spite of the many obstacles we have had
to overcome to get this in operation. We want you to know that we pray for all who write
with specific needs. We are claiming that we shall all be overcomers for the glory of God!
For more information about Christ
Unlimited's Missions involvement click here
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
Psalm 105:1 "O Give thanks unto the Lord; call on his name: make
known his deeds among the people."
Here are a few of the testimonies we are hearing from our Prison Ministry Outreach:
R. B. from Raiford, Florida
"Your words of encouragement have been my backbone, and the books have kept me in
constant learning (like manna). I pick up one of Betty's books and read and study along
with my Bible and I'm all right. The loneliness, the bitterness, the humiliation, the pain
and the suffering have all been relieved while I am in study and prayer. Praise God!"
R. G. from Tennesee Colony, Texas
"Hello, I'm an inmate here in Michael Unit, and I want to thank you for writing
such a true book called, Exposing Satan's Devices. I have accepted Jesus Christ in
my heart, and I just wanted to share the news with you."
M. F. B. from Douglas, Arizona
"I recently read Mark of God or Mark of the Beast by Betty Miller. I
thought it was a real blessing. I am currently incarcerated at Douglas, Arizona. The
reason for this letter, I am without funds at the moment so I was wondering if a copy of
this book could be sent to my mother? I told her about it, and she would like to read it.
Thank you very much if you can help me out. God bless you all."
Editor's note: We sent her one; thanks to the people who help us in this ministry.
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
Business Men
The target of our prayers this month is for Christian business men and women who have a
calling to be a channel of financial blessing to the body of Christ thereby increasing the
Kingdom of God. Although this is not the only call that some of you have, it is one of the
major assignments God has for you to accomplish. Many of you are entrepreneurs who come
from diverse backgrounds and God has divinely placed you where you are for His purposes.
God wants you to know it is His stirring and gift within you that has given you a desire
and love to promote, sell, and make business deals.
He desires for you to be successful and fulfilled in that calling. It is the enemy
(Satan) in times past who has directed your giftings to promote and make money for your
own self gratification. Now that you have dedicated your life to Christ, He is redirecting
your desires, talents and influence for the purpose of them being a blessing for the
Kingdom of God.
God has placed in each of your spirits the desire to give into His Kingdom. However,
there are strong evil spiritual powers arrayed against you to keep you from accomplishing
the call and vision He has given you. We would like to encourage others to pray with us
this month for all Christian business men and women. We feel this is our assignment to
intercede and pray against Satan's plans.
Since this is an area in which we have been trained, the Holy Spirit gives us words of
knowledge and other information to be of help in prayer in this area. He also gives His
other intercessors the same supernatural knowledge because He knows the things in each of
your lives that are preventing His blessings from being poured out on you in the abundance
that He desires.
This is an extension of God's love for you. We don't know about you, but Bud and I
covet the prayers of God's people as blessed treasures from Heaven. This is truly a divine
appointment as we have a special excitement in our spirits about what the Lord is going to
do through many of your lives in the business world.
Here are some things that we feel apply to all of you: (Most of you are doing some of
these things already; and a portion of them, to some degree; however, please allow the
Holy Spirit to speak to you the portion that applies to you.)
1. The main thing the Lord spoke to us as intercessors was that each of you needed to
be strengthened in your relationship with God. This was to be done by seeking God in
prayer, reading the Word of God and becoming a part of a good fellowship of Spirit-filled
believers in your area. (You need their support and also your growth in God depends on
others in the body imparting His life to you.) As you put God first in your life, all the
other things you are seeking will be added unto you (Matt. 6:24-34).
2. The Lord is also very concerned about your mates and family as your mates are just
as much a part of your calling as you are. The Lord is stressing special prayer for your
marriages and families. The enemy has and is using a spirit of division against some of
your marriages and family relationships. (The Lord would have you and your mate meditate
on 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 and 1 Peter 3:1-12 if this is an area you are
being attacked. Remember your battle is not against each other but the common enemy,
Satan.) For those that are not having this problem, don't neglect your mate or children by
becoming a work-a-holic as God will take care of the business if you will seek Him for
wisdom and direction and give you a proper balance between the two. We are praying also
for your mate not to resist or resent the call on your life, but you must not neglect your
marital responsibilities.
3. The third area the Lord is directing us to pray is in the area of your finances
since this is an important part of the vision and call He has for each of you. We are
praying for you to have an understanding of His spiritual principles and what God's Word
has to say about finances. [A good book we would recommend to help you in this area is
Larry Burkett's book BUSINESS BY THE
BOOK (click here to order).]
Pray that the Lord would clarify your vision from Him by making a list of the things
you feel He would have you do in your business and personal lives. You are then to present
it to Him and ask Him if anything on your list needs changing or purifying. The Lord wants
the fruit of your labors and your gifts to glorify Him. These are not be given to works of
the flesh or carnal ministries.
Remember the tithe (10%) already belongs to God and we don't even give to God until we
have given God His 10% first. This portion is to be given to those getting the gospel out;
not to the needy or poor, although He wants us to help in that area also. (What a generous
business partner the Lord is!! Who else would give you 90 percent and they take only 10
percent?).
Also in the area of business, the Lord does not want any of you unequally yoked with
unbelievers so you are to be cautious about who you take as business partners (2
Corinthians 6:14-18). Also because you all have BIG VISIONS, one area the Lord spoke
for us to pray about is that you would not despise the day of small beginnings and be
faithful in the small things so that He can make you master of much. Don't be trapped into
waiting for the big deal to come through, before you give. Give out of the small amounts,
then God can trust you with the larger amounts (Luke 16:10-13).
4. The last area He zeroed in on was in the area of building up your character. We are
praying against the enemy from trying to deceive you and tempt you with worldly desires
and fleshy traps. We are praying against pride, lust, greed, fear, insecurity, lying
spirits, humanism, etc. Most specifically that you would bear eternal fruit and not be
robbed of your heavenly rewards. We are praying 1 John 2:15-16 for you; that you
would "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man
love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the
lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father,
but is of the world." We are closing with the prayer that God would fill you with
His Spirit and give you His faith, love, wisdom, and guidance so that your vision would
come to pass quickly and that you will produce eternal fruit that will remain.
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
WAITING FOR THE STOP SIGN TO TURN GREEN
Pastor Joanne Bush
I was on my way to the office. I followed the same route I had travelled for the past
five years. I passed the same houses; glanced at the same businesses; crossed the same
intersections. About a mile from the office I stopped at a stop sign at one of the
familiar intersections. I continued to sit there for about three or four minutes, deep in
thought. Finally it dawned on me. I was at a four-way stop. This was NOT a traffic light,
but a stop sign. There I sat, waiting on that stop sign to turn green.
How many times do we expect different results from doing what is familiar to us? A
large company recently came up with a way we can eat fat without getting far. Yet, this
new ingredient cannot be put into food without a health warning label attached to the
packaging. Several years ago an artificial sweetener, widely in use, was discovered to
have possible cancer causing agents in it. Warning labels were placed on the food
packaging that contained this sweetener. Another artificial sweetener was discovered. Many
reports have disclosed possible health problems associated with this ingredient. Why is it
that we do not hesitate to eat a piece of chocolate cake loaded with ingredients with
warning labels to our health?
I began gaining weight several years ago following a difficult illness which kept me
hospitalized for almost thirty days. The doctor told me that I would have to be very
careful concerning what I ate if I didn t want to gain any weight. I was a size 7 at the
time he warned me. A few months later, as a result of my active life, I had dropped down
to a size 5. I didn t think I would have anything to worry about and the doctor could have
made a mistake. Almost twenty years later and close to 150 additional pounds, I came to
realize that I had not listened to the voice of knowledge or experience. The dieting
syndrome added more than half of the weight I carried. I discovered that one of the many
reasons for re-gaining weight was a lack of behavioral change. I turned to diet drinks
(loaded with sodium and this dangerous sweet stuff), diet snacks and other foods
containing artificial ingredients of varying kinds. My hope was that I could eat what I
still enjoyed (and as much as I wanted) without any of the pain. I did not change any of
my habits. I was willing to eat the artificial sweeteners which were not good for me so
that I wouldn t have to change my lifestyle. New health problems evolved which has been
linked to the added chemicals in my food. It finally dawned on me that dieting was not how
I was going to lose weight. Losing weight to look good became secondary to how I was
physically feeling.
How often are we willing to make substitutes in our lives that give us a desired
change, yet brings danger to our lives at the same time? I think that some of it stems
from the thought that when we do not encounter problems right away, we figure we have beat
the system and those consequences are for the other person...not us. Our natural
inclination, then, is to continue doing the wrong things, oblivious to the pain it can
cause in our life.
(Eccl 8:11 NIV) When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the
hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.
There is a danger in looking to get rid of the surface pain in our life without
attempting to correct the root of the problem. That correction takes time and it is not
always easy. The pain of change can cause us to develop the attitude that God is trying to
keep all the fun stuff away from us. That isn t true. He really doesn t want us to be
unhealthy spiritually or naturally. He does not want us to look okay on the outside of our
lives and, yet, dying on the inside because what we have been eating spiritually is full
of artificial ingredients. Going to church and reading our Bibles helps us look good on
the outside. Putting into action what we learn when we go to church and read in our Bibles
helps us look good on the inside as well. He wants the best for us, even though we do not
always understand at the time that it is the best for us. The secret to going through the
process of growth and deliverance from a bad situation is to look ahead at your goal. As
you keep looking ahead, the little victories will quickly turn into larger ones as you are
encouraged to move on.
One of the first things that happened to me when I started eating correctly was not
weight loss. It was finally sleeping through an entire night and waking up feeling rested.
Next I watched my attitude change. y creativeness returned and I was motivated again. I
was so enthralled with these changes that it was a little while before I noticed that my
jeans were getting looser and the shine had returned to my hair. Sixty pounds later I have
discovered that when I become discouraged, whether it is because I still need to lose more
weight or because of how I am feeling because of the years of bad eating, I look at the
victories I have already experienced. I know that as long as I continue to do what I did
for the smaller victories, I am closer to the ultimate victory...my goal of becoming
healthy.
The victories you need in your life may not be as far away from you as you thought.
When the immediate pain is gone, instead of going back to bad habits, use that time to
insure the pain does not return by going to the root of the problem. Don t be
disillusioned by shrew marketing that guarantees you a quick change without any efforts.
Quick changes usually involve artificial ingredients that can cause us lots of problems
much later. Quick changes do not allow our muscles to develop in areas where endurance is
necessary.
And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete,
lacking in nothing. (James 1:4 NASB)
In the King James Version, the word endurance is the same word as patience. If we do
not develop patience, we will never see our goal. For me it was becoming healthy, inside
and out. For you it may be getting over stress, increasing that bank account, raising your
children, learning a new trade, avoiding divorce, getting rid of addictions or simply
learning how to enjoy yourself. All of these areas of our life are important to God. Since
they are important to God, it is important that we follow God s plan in accomplishing
these goals.
The LORD will accomplish what concerns me; (Psa 138:8 NASB)
Sometimes, sitting at the stop sign waiting on it to change green could be a sign that
a change in our behavior is needed. After all, that sign is not going to change. And we
will have the opportunity to encounter it again tomorrow...unless we change our route.
Joanne Bush pastors a church in Indianapolis, Indiana called Majestic Love Center. She
is an anointed handmaiden of the Lord that is gifted in sharing the Word of God. She is a
vessel filled with God's love even as the name of her church signifies. She can be
contacted via email at: 70543.221@compuserve.com
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
BUSINESS BY THE BOOK
Larry Burkett
"Business by the Bible?!" To some businessmen and women the thought itself is
as incompatible as oil and water. "Bankruptcy," they say, "would be the
ultimate outcome."
"Not so," says Larry Burkett. "Over the long run, biblical principles do
work. Take the example of the Japanese, for instance. General Douglas MacArthur, as
military governor of Japan after World War II, established many basic biblical doctrines
as part of the Japanese business ethic. This highly efficient system of labor/management
cooperation, combined with the Japanese fierce national loyalty, propelled the Japanese
beyond their teacher."
"Biblical principles were even a part of American business theory at one time.
Ethics and Christian principles were taught in 19th century business schools in America,
along with accounting and economics. And our economy boomed."
Business by the Book offers radical principles of business management that go beyond
the Ten Commandments and other biblical maxims. Principles that affect:
Hiring and firing decisions
Management selection
Employee pay decisions
Borrowing and/or lending decisions
Discounting policies
Forming corporations and partnerships
Business tithing
Retirement
During the past fourteen years, as Larry has been teaching these principles to business
owners and managers throughout the country, hundreds of businesses have been rejuvenated
and thousands of lives have been changed. "If you desire long-term growth and
stability, God's way is the only way," says Larry Burkett.
Biblical principles will pay a lasting dividend!
Larry Burkett is the founder of Christian Financial Concepts, the world's largest
Christian financial counseling organization.
Click here for our CHAPEL
BOOKSTORE for information on how to order.
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
We are so blessed
to hear from so many brothers and sisters in Christ. It is a real joy for us to be able to
pray for you.
This new media of getting the gospel message out on the Internet is wonderful in that
it reaches so many people. As you can tell by our guest counter we now have over 48,000
people who have visited our site. At the date of this writing we are getting around 500
hits a day. At present, we have over 350 email letters in our mail box.
This is a real blessing but, it is somewhat overwhelming for us. It poses a big problem
as to how to handle all this mail.
In the beginning we were able to personally answer all the mail however, that soon
became an impossibility with our small staff. We also found we had another problem in
answering email. Many times after we would spend 30 minutes trying to help people in
answering certain letters they would be returned to us undeliverable. The return addresses
were wrong or they were not properly filled out so the letter and the time it took to
answer it was wasted.
After much prayer over our email dilemma, we felt the best way we could be of help to
the most people is to try to answer our letters with open letters to all, via our OVERCOMING
LIFE DIGEST. In our bimonthly magazine we will address many of the questions that we
are being asked in our mail box. We will do a thorough teaching with Bible references on
each subject. This way, not only will the writer receive their answer but others with
similar problems will be helped too. We realize that we won't be able to answer all
questions immediately but this will enable us to build a data base of information that
will be helpful to all.
We are also adding a LETTERS TO THE EDITOR section that will be used to also answer
some questions. In the meantime, if those of you who have specific questions will go to
our CHAPEL BOOKSTORE (For Order
Information) and review our literature you will find many of your answers there. We have
done a synopsis of our literature so if you will review the list of our materials you may
find the answers you are seeking in one of our books.
We are putting much of the material in our books on the site so you may read it freely.
However, since that takes a lot of time and money it may be sometime before the material
is available. Many of your questions are covered in our books. If you will look over the
list to see if one of them would help you, you can print out an order form from the site
and also see the pricing schedule. If you will let us know by email what information you
need we can then recommend the book that will help you.
We are sure you understand our difficulty as it would take many hours to properly
answer our enormous stack of mail. We do appreciate your prayers for us as we are still
pioneering this new ministry. We are also continuing our ministry of shipping free Bibles
and teaching literature around the world to those who are unable to buy it. We thank each
of you who are giving to us to make this possible.
We also want to recommend our OVERCOMING LIFE BIBLE STUDY material to those who are
serious students of the Bible. This course has blessed people all over the world and we
pray it will continue to do so.
We invite you to come back to visit our site as we are adding new material bimonthly
plus we are planning to have a Christian Bookstore online soon. Be sure to send us your
prayer requests at the PRAYER ROOM link and we will continue to believe for your needed
answers from the Lord.
His grateful servants,
Bud & Betty Miller
If you do not see the subject you are interested in, please check the CHAPEL BOOKSTORE for a review of their
other books and materials.
The data in this file is the sole property of Christ Unlimited
Publishing. It may not be altered or edited in any way. It may be reproduced only
in its entirety for circulation as "freeware," without charge. All reproductions
of this data file must contain the copyright notice [i.e., "Copyright (C)1997 by Christ
Unlimited Publishing"]. This data file may not be used without the
permission of Christ Unlimited Publishing for resale or th
COPYRIGHT/REPRODUCTION LIMITATIONS:
e enhancement of any other product sold. This includes all of its content
with the exception of a few brief quotations. Please give the following source credit:
Copyright (C)1997 by Christ Unlimited Publishing,
Dewey, Arizona
END OF DIGEST
|