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MARCH/APRIL 1998 Vol. 2, No. 2
IN THIS ISSUE:
Life After Death -- Betty Miller
Origin of Covenants -- R.S. "Bud" Miller
Purpose and Vision -- Ministry Information
Share and Tell -- Testimonies
Spiritual Warfare -- Avoid Worldly Entanglements
Exposing Satan's Devices -- The Snare of Pride and Beauty
End Times -- War On The Saints
Prophetic Voice To The Church -- The Wind of God
Little Foxes (Little Compromises) -- Overcoming Procrastination
Prayer Focus Spotlight -- Forty Day Fast For America
Lessons from the Titanic -- Special Guest, Rick Joyner
Book Review -- The Coming Revival
Poetry Corner -- He Is Risen
Personal Word From the Millers -- Ministry News
Past Issues of the Digest -- Archives
Return to Main Menu
LIFE AFTER DEATH
By Betty Miller
All over the world during the Easter season, multitudes will gather in churches to
celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and hear about life after death. Many will
suppress a yawn and attend their "yearly church service" to please their spouse.
Others will attend out of curiosity; still others, because it makes them "feel
good" to think about the cycle of life and new things growing out of death.
Pastors will wax eloquent before large crowds, families will don their finest clothes
and the children will gather Easter eggs. Easter is a time of joy and promise as the first
blades of grass begin to peek through the shroud of winter. In the pastel climate of
spring, eternal life is a popular subject. Yet, how many people will really stop to think
about how they can obtain eternal life? How many people will actually know the
truth about how to receive it? How many will give their heart and lives to God so they may
understand who Jesus Christ really was and who He still is? What does His death and
resurrection actually mean to mankind?
A remnant of believers will celebrate Resurrection Day, knowing the real meaning of
this season, but many more will simply be going through the tradition of a religious
service. Religion cannot save anyone. Only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ the
Son of God can give us life after death.
In today's world, most people do not have a problem believing in the fact that the
spirit is eternal. Even those who do not consider themselves "religious" often
believe in some form of life after the grave. They just aren't sure what it is, and many
do not want to know. Hell is an unfashionable topic. New Age teachings have
settled in almost every facet of our society with vague, cozy feelings of the
"afterlife."
We have read many documented accounts of people who have died in their physical bodies
and have given testimony that they entered into a spiritual dimension beyond this life.
Life did not cease for them. They then returned to their bodies to tell of their
experiences. Some tell of seeing a "white light," others give descriptions of
hell; still others see Jesus or angels. What awaits us on the other side? This will be
determined by what we did in this life. Just because people report they saw a "white
light" does not mean they will go to heaven when they die. Proverbs 14:12:
"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of
death." There is only one way any of us will go to heaven and it is through
accepting Christ as our savior. This is the message of the cross. Jesus died so that we
could live and have eternal life. It is not our works that will save us. We must repent of
our sins and ask Jesus to come into our heart and change us. Then we shall live and not
die. John 14:6: "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."
Spirit, Soul and Body
In Daniel 12: 1-4, Daniel talks of the end of the age where it says, "Many
that sleep in the dust shall awake to everlasting life." This
"sleep" is referring to the physical body sleeping, not the soul or spirit. Our
spirit is the "real us." We are a spirit and have a soul (mind, will and
emotions) that lives in a body. There is a cultic teaching that talks about "soul
sleep" which is not scriptural. When people die, they do not enter into a state of
eternal sleep, neither do they cease to exist. When we die, our body will go into the
ground to decay and return to dust, but our body is not who we really are (Genesis
3:19). Our spirit, when we die, goes either to hell or to be with the Father in
heaven. There is no in-between place, heavenly sleep or state of non-existence.
Many young people in our society have become morbidly preoccupied with the subject of
death. "Punk" rockers are sending forth messages in their rock music that can
cause some of them to receive demon spirits that drive these young people to commit
suicide. They think by committing suicide they will escape living, believing that
everything will end; but the Word of God clearly teaches that some go to everlasting life
(heaven) or others to everlasting shame (hell). The body dies, but men's spirits live on
in one of two states: with God or with the devil. Some evil rock music even encourages
suicide as a "ticket to hell." These musicians don't even try to deceive the
people as to where they will end up. The deception is, they believe the devil will reward
them. The truth is that Satan will not reward anyone with anything good for serving him.
These deluded people will suffer eternal torment in hell with the devil and his demons,
forever separated from God and His goodness.
Yet the troublesome question still remains--why must we die in the first place? The
truth is, God never made us to die. Death of the body was not God's original
plan. It is the result of sin. When Adam and Eve committed the first sin (disobedience to
God), sin entered into this world; as a result of it, every single one of us will face
death at sometime. When we die, we will also face judgment before God. "And as it
is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27).
The Bible speaks of death as an enemy. 1 Corinthians 15:26 says, "The last
enemy that shall be destroyed is death." In this world we are seeing death all
around us: death by old age, disease, murder, suicide, accidents, disasters, famine and
war. All of these have been brought on mankind because of sin and a fallen race. Death is
an evil that produces torment, fear, hatred, suffering, agony, pain, grief and heartache.
There is only one way that we can overcome both death and the fear of it; that is through
the One who conquered death and the grave. The death, burial and resurrection of the Lord
Jesus Christ, God's Son, has now made a way for us to also conquer death. Romans
8:37: "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved
us."
Spiritual Death
Matthew 10:28: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill
the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."
Aside from death in the body, the Bible also speaks of another death--spiritual
death (the second death). This is the death Jesus is referring to in the above verse, and
it is ultimately the death that He came to deliver us from. This death is eternal
separation from God. It extends beyond our mortal bodies. It does not mean ceasing to
exist, rather it means that we will exist forever in our sinful state. Though hell is a
literal place of torment, the main source of its torment is the eternal separation from
God. This is far more ghastly than anything we can imagine, just as heaven is more
wonderful than anything we can conceive. God never created hell for mankind. It was
created as a fiery prison for Satan and the fallen angels (demons). Men are going there
because they have chosen to follow the devil and have rejected Christ. Matthew
25:41: "Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed,
into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."
From the time we are born to when we die, we are given the chance to choose our own
destiny. No one can choose it for us, least of all God. He created man with a free will
that He will not violate. All He can do is set before us life (which is only found in the
provision of Jesus' death on the cross), or death (which is found in rejection of Jesus).
To choose the latter will in no uncertain terms lead to the second death.
The Cross
The emblem of the cross is seen all over the world in the display of church steeples
and crucifixes worn around people's necks. However, many people do not know the real
meaning of the symbolism of the cross and what it means to those who look to the event of
Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection for their salvation. The cross is the
greatest symbol of love that was ever shown to this world. It speaks of a perfectly
innocent man, who was brutally tortured in the most scandalous of deaths, for a world that
spit in His face. We are just as guilty of crucifying our Lord as the people who actually
did it because we have sinned and it was for sin He was crucified.
Anyone who would call God unloving for "sending" people to hell, has never
really understood the cross. We are the ones who chose to sin! Yet, God in His
great mercy, made a glorious way out of the inevitable result of our sin for us. He took
it upon Himself, and it cost Him more than we can imagine--His Beloved Son. God put all of
the sins of the whole world upon Him and punished Him in our place. This is a profound
mystery, but it is the central message of the gospel-- that God so loved the world that He
sent His only begotten Son that whosoever would believe in Him wouldn't die in their sins,
but could inherit eternal life through faith in Him (John 3:16). I
Peter 2:24 says Jesus bore our sins in His body, not in His spirit. He is the eternal
and sinless Holy Spirit. (Jesus did not die spiritually. The Scripture in 2 Corinthians
5:21 which says, "For he hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no
sin..." means He was made to be a "sin offering" for us, not that
He literally became sin.)
However, if that was all that took place, the story would have a very bitter ring to it
indeed. Preaching just the death of Jesus is only half the message. The gospel (good news)
is that Jesus is alive today!
What is the Significance of Jesus' Resurrection?
Jesus is the only man that ever came back to life from the grave. Every religion in the
world outside of Christianity has a grave or tomb where their leader is buried. Only in
the Bible is recorded the tomb that was found empty because Christ rose from the dead and
is alive today!
Luke 24:1-7, " Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning,
they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain
others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they
entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were
much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they
were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the
living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen:
We often think of the cross as the end, but without the resurrection, we have no
Christianity. It is the resurrection that makes the Christian religion different from any
other religion. Some portray Jesus still on the cross, but He's not there any more; He's
alive in His resurrected body! Hallelujah!
1 Corinthians 15:16-23: "For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ
raised: 17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18
Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19 If in this life only we
have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. 20 But now is Christ risen from the
dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21 For since by man came death, by
man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ
shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits;
afterward they that are Christ's at his coming."
The Resurrection of Christ Declared Four Things:
Acts 2:32-36 says Jesus is Lord and Christ because of the
resurrection.
Romans 1:1-4 declared Him to be the Son of God with power.
Ephesians 1:19-23 says Jesus is the Head of the Church.
John 11:25 says He is the Resurrection and the Life.
Only one has ever been resurrected thus far, Jesus Christ. Because Jesus overcame the
grave, this resurrection is now available to every one of His followers. It is not the
same thing as being raised from the dead. This is an eternal resurrection. Some people,
such as Lazarus (John 11), were raised from the dead but not resurrected (as they
eventually died again). There have been many documented cases of people dying and coming
back to life. Though this is glorious, the resurrection to eternal life with Christ is
different; it is the final state of those who have trusted in Christ.
Revelation 1:18: "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."
Jesus spoke these words also in John 5:24, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He
that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall
not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.
Death of the body is not anything that the Christian should ever fear. If we are in
Christ when our body dies, we will face an existence that will make our time on earth seem
pale and shadowy. Some Christians will even escape death if they are alive at the second
coming of Jesus to the earth. In that day, those that are alive will receive their
glorified bodies right after the dead in Christ are raised and receive theirs. That day is
approaching quickly and that is why the Lord is warning all of us to be ready. The hope of
the church is the resurrection.
1 Corinthians 15:51-57: "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all
sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the
last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and
we shall be changed...and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought
to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is
thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?... 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Heavenly Bodies
What are some of the things that those who have been redeemed can expect to find in our
next life?
Philippians 3:20-21 says Jesus will change our "vile"bodies. What will
our glorified bodies look like when we get to heaven? We have some clues by noting the
characteristics that Jesus' body had when He rose from the grave. Our glorified bodies
will appear different. We will therefore recognize each other by the spirit. What we
really look like on the inside will be apparent to all. Jesus' body could go through walls
(John 20:26).It felt like ours; Thomas touched it (Luke 24:39-40). On the
road to Emmaus, the disciples didn't recognize His new body and He vanished in front of
them (Luke 24:13-32). Jesus even ate with His disciples. In our glorified bodies,
we don't have to eat for sustenance, but we will be able to eat for pleasure (Luke
24:39-43; Matthew 26:29). It will have no pain, no sickness, no aging, no restrictions
(with the power of translation), and be able to appear in different forms.
All of this is just the tip of the iceberg, of what God has prepared for those He
loves. Surely there is nothing in this life that can hold a candle to the surpassing
greatness of living in Christ--living in the very One who is the source of all life! How
foolish we are to let the cares of this life, the god of unbelief, and the temporary
pleasures of sin keep us from knowing Him.
Victory in the Cross
When we celebrate Resurrection Day (Easter), we acknowledge that we are sinners, saved
by grace. The greatest truth of the cross is that when we accept Christ as our savior, a
wonderful exchange takes place. Jesus died so we could live. We can now live in victory in
this earth. As we identify with His death, we also identify with His life. Jesus became
poor so we could become rich in His blessings. 2 Corinthians 8:9 says,"For
ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes
he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." He took our
sickness and infirmities so we could receive health. He took our curses so we might
receive His blessings. He gave us peace for anxiety; love for hate; joy for sorrow; faith
for fear; goodness for evil; temperance for lust and the list could go on. He took our
hell and gave us heaven. We didn't deserve it but He did it for us because of His love for
each of us!!
The Easter holiday is the most triumphant celebration of grace and life that we will
ever experience on this earth! It is a celebration of God's goodness, love, and His
awesome power. It holds the promise of not only eternal life to all who are willing to
humbly receive it from Him; but also for a victorious life in this earth through the power
of His Holy Spirit. We can spend eternity in our heavenly home with Jesus and all the
saints of all the ages if we receive this wonderful gift of love!
Romans 10:9-13 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus,
and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be
saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession
is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be
ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over
all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the
Lord shall be saved."
Proverbs 12:28: "In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway
thereof there is no death."
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
COVENANT:
GOD'S GUARANTEE FOR VICTORIOUS LIVING
By R.S. "Bud" Miller
Note: (This teaching is continued from last month's Overcoming
Life Digest. See Table of Contents for Archives.)
ORIGIN OF COVENANTS
Ancient Patterns of Blood Covenants
The concept of covenant is often difficult for modern and
western peoples to understand. Many of us live in societies where covenants are made and
broken on a daily basis, and no one seems to be shocked or alarmed. It is becoming
increasingly easier to end relationships, leave jobs, break business deals, and "walk
out" of any situation that becomes uncomfortable to us. Because of this warped view
of commitment, we often have a warped view of what it means to enter into a covenant with
God. Explaining where the tradition of covenant came from, will help us understand the
nature of God's covenant with us.
There are various forms of cutting a covenant, or contract,
which have been practiced since ancient times. In some parts of the world, these kinds of
contracts were honored in Middle East countries until after World War II -- and may still
be in some remote areas.
They came into being because there were no law courts, no
federal or local depositories for legal documents, and no lawyers to act as mediators in
those days. In fact, until a few hundred years before Jesus, apparently there was no paper
on which to write. Written languages have been around much longer than the secular world
wants to believe; however, in ancient times, the writing was on "tablets" of
stone, tablets of clay, or on animal skins.
Blood covenants date as far back as we have records. Men honored
them as much legally as we do today with our "deeds" and legal papers filed in
court houses. In fact, the honor of keeping one's word was more binding in ancient Bible
times than it is now. It did not matter if anyone but you knew that you had made a promise
or a contract. You kept it to your own hurt -- if you were an honorable man and not a
thief. One who did not keep his word would soon find himself shunned. As Christians, we
should keep our covenants and words to others as the Bible admonishes us to do, even when
it is not convenient and it hurts. Psalm 15:4b: "....He that sweareth
to his own hurt, and changeth not."
These contracts between men and other men, followed by God in
His blood covenants with man, essentially contained the following elements:
1. A statement of the terms and promises of the agreement
2. An oath by each party to observe these terms
3. A curse by each upon himself should he break the agreement.
4. The sealing of the covenant by some external act -- such as a blood sacrifice, the
sprinkling of blood upon the two parties involved, or a sacrificial meal (which involved
the shedding of blood in its preparation)
5. The exchange of robes or cloaks, representing the authority of each party
6. The exchange of weapons and weapons' belts
7. The exchange of names, or the addition of the other's name to each
8. The mingling of personal blood through cuts on each party
Blood covenanting also was practiced between two families or two
tribes. A family or tribe weak in a certain area and strong in another would enter into a
blood covenant with another family or tribe that had strength in the first family's areas
of weakness. The family proposing the contract would be sure their strengths were in the
area of the second family's weaknesses, so it would be a "fair trade."
These covenants were discussed at great length until the terms
were agreed upon. Then each party chose a representative and met at a place decided upon
by both parties. At this site, the members of both families or tribes would gather to
witness the "sealing" of the covenant.
An animal, as close to perfect as possible, was selected, and
the "covenant" cut was made down the spine of that animal. The two halves were
laid opposite each other creating a walkway of blood between the two.
In full view of all witnesses, each representative took off his
coat (cloak, or outer robe) and exchanged it with the other. With this exchange, each was
saying, "I am giving you all that I am in my authority." Then they exchanged
weapons and belts, saying thereby, "I am giving you my strength. Your enemies are now
mine. I will stand with you, even if it means my death."
At this point in the ceremony, each representative walked
through the blood twice and back, stopping together in the middle and saying out loud:
"As this animal has died, I will stand with you even in the midst of death." All
of the terms previously agreed upon were spoken out loud and solemnly promised to be kept.
After this, a cut was sometimes made in the wrist of each party
or representative. Then the two wrists were joined together with a cord so that their
blood would be mingled together. The two held up their arms so that the blood would run
down them to be seen. They would swear by God to keep this covenant generation after
generation, even to the eighth generation. And each party then took the name of the other.
Today, there are many "dual" names around which might date back to this kind of
compact.
Names until fairly recent times were not just
"labels" but made a statement. Either you were named the son of someone
(Robert-son, Ander-son) or you were named according to your occupation. Possibly you might
be named after a place, an outstanding characteristic of your personality, or one that
your parents hoped would be your characteristic. In other words, names used to hold more
of people's identities than our names do now.
After the exchange of names, the two parties in covenant, or the
two representatives, would feed one another bread and wine, saying, in essence: "We
(or those we represent) are covenant brothers. (The bread represented to them that they
would let their bodies die before they would betray each other or let one another starve.
The drinking of the wine was symbolic of giving their "life blood" for each
other, pledging that they were forever dedicated to each other)."
This type of covenant was more lasting than being born into the
same family. It was stronger than natural blood ties. The ancient peoples of the world
took these covenants very seriously, as you can see. Then, if God used blood covenants to
make His reconciliation with mankind (Hebrews. 2:17), it seems clear that
God takes His covenants even more seriously than the ancients did theirs. Earthly blood
covenants usually were to the eighth generation; God's covenants are eternal.
(To be continued next month)
(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
PURPOSE & VISION
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
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Christ. CHRIST UNLIMITED believes the hour is late and we must fulfill the great
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CHRIST UNLIMITED MINISTRIES, INC. and CHRIST UNLIMITED PUBLISHING provide such tools
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overcoming life as promised us in John 10:10 & Revelation 21:7.
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President: R.S. "Bud" Miller
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______________________
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SPIRITUAL WARFARE
By Betty Miller
Avoid Worldly Entanglements
After Paul wrote in the Bible, "endure hardness," he added, "No
man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him
who hath chosen him to be a soldier" (2 Timothy 2:4). If we're going to walk
in victory, we cannot be caught up in the things of this world. There are so many things
that could take us away from our true mission of serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Some of
these things are not sinful in themselves, but if they detract from that which spiritually
strengthens us, then we could lose the battle.
Take a sport for example. Bowling is not sinful, but what if our involvement is such
that we're missing out on a needed prayer or Bible study time. Missing that time of
spiritual strengthening could result in our losing a spiritual battle. There are times for
our involvement in non-spiritual activities. God may have us go bowling in order to
witness to someone. Wherever we go, we're to be a light. The Lord sends us out as lights
to a world that would otherwise not be reached.
Avoiding entanglement with the world doesn't mean we only read the Word and stay in
prayer. We can certainly do other things, but let's make sure it's not the enemy diverting
us from spiritual priorities. He's out to spiritually drain us. If we're in a war, we
cannot be wrapped up in non-priority activities. We need to stay in an attitude of
spiritual warfare, led of the Lord in all areas.
God may call us to sacrifice hobbies for the sake of His kingdom. We must be sure what
we're doing fits God's plan for our time. Then too, after a season of warfare God may
provide a hobby for a season of rest. Our God is not a hard taskmaster. Some ministries
have been overcome because they never rested. They kept firing cannons, constantly on the
go, always in an attitude of warfare, warfare, and more warfare. They would have been more
effective if they had also included the strengthening season of rest. Even soldiers in the
world are given "leave" or "R & R" for a sabbatical.
Some do all the battling and refuse to rest; others do all the resting and refuse to
battle. Both battling and resting are needed to walk in balance with God. As we are led by
the Spirit, we'll know what season it is. If it is a season of battle, we certainly cannot
entangle ourselves with worldly affairs. We have to avoid distractions and focus on the
things of God.
(To be continued)
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 SNARE OF PRIDE AND BEAUTY
Pride is one of Satan's main attributes. This pride is directed towards his own beauty
and accomplishments; Ezekiel 28:17 points this out: "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." Many today are afflicted with this same pride. Those in the
world are seeking beauty today as never before. Beauty aids, make-up, glamorous clothes,
beautiful homes and plush automobiles are only a few of the things the world is seeking
today. These things in themselves are not evil, but the lust for them is. (1 John
2:16, "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.") Satan's
unusual beauty was one of the causes of his destruction. It contributed to the excessive
development of his pride.
Spiritual beauty is also a deadly trap. God blesses many with His gifts and graces, but
then those same gifts become a source of pride when the people cease to be able to handle
them with humility. They begin seeing themselves as better than others and soon take
credit for their holiness and spirituality instead of glorifying God. This ultimately
leads to their fall. (Proverbs 16:18, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an
haughty spirit before a fall.'')
Many refuse to give their gifts back to God because they love to be seen exhibiting
them and using them to manipulate others. If they persist in refusing to surrender them,
the Holy Spirit will eventually depart, and Satan will gladly replace God's gifts with his
false gifts. The change can be so subtle that the person does not even recognize Satan's
take over. In fact, many think they have received greater gifts. The big difference from
this point on, however, is that their gifts no longer stress fellowship with the Lord, nor
cause souls to repent, nor stimulate joy and peace in the Lord. The false gifts that have
been substituted will only excite the flesh.
Examples of this would be prophecies that promote pride in others, words of knowledge
that deal with only the things of this world (houses, cars, lands, business deals, etc.),
or words that promote giving to their ministries. Even casting out devils and doing
wonderful works can be done by those whose hearts are not right with God. Matthew
7:22-23 says, "...Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then
will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."
(To be continued)
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.
War On the Saints
"And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God" (Revelation
13:6a). Who's speaking in blasphemy against God? It is those who are influenced
by the beastly system. It's not just one person opening his mouth. There are people
blaspheming God all over this world from different segments of society and spheres of
influence. Already they are blaspheming and doing blasphemous things against the church. "In
blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in
heaven" (Revelation 13:6b). Through those who belong to the beastly system,
the devil is cursing God; he is also cursing us since we're the tabernacle spiritually,
and he is cursing those who dwell in heaven.
"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome
them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations"
(Revelation 13:7). During the Dark Ages, the saints as a whole were not making an
impact in the world. The light of Christ; Christianity, burned very low during that
historical period. The devil didn't overcome every saint, but the corporate body of
Christ; the church as a whole, was overcome in its public witness. But the spirit of
Christ in His people can never be totally overcome; there's always a remnant that carries
His light.
Satan overcoming the saints is also futuristic as I believe at some point the church's
public witness will be stopped in these end times. Matthew 24: 9 says, "Then
shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of
all nations for my name's sake." In this verse it says all nations shall
hate us; that includes our so-called Christian nation, the United States. Look at the
antichrist things we are doing in our nation, such as divorce, drugs, abortion,
pornography, greed, materialism, etc. Already we see a segment in our society rising up
against Christians for taking a stand against abortion, homosexuality, etc. The hatred
against Christians has grown in the past decade in our nation in all spheres of our
society.
We should not be against our nation, but love and pray for her. God instructs us as
Christians to submit to the government authorities over us as long as they are not
requiring us to go against the Word of God. We are to pray for these earthly organizations
so we might live quiet and peaceable lives in godliness and honesty. "I
exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of
thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may
lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty" (1 Timothy 2: 1-2).
All nations will come against the public witness of Christians to kill the witness of the
church. However, nothing can kill or destroy the church; she may be attacked by political
power, apostate religion, temptation from the world, and disruption within from false
prophets and false brethren -- in spite of all this, the church shall be victorious!
(To be continued )
(Excerpt taken from the book The Mark of God or The Mark of the Beast)
CHAPEL BOOKSTORE (Click here to order)
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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 WIND OF GOD
STRAW NESTS OF PARITY*
AND STRONGHOLDS OF TRADITION TO BE BLOWN AWAY
* Webster's Definition of "Parity":
(1) Condition of being equal or equivalent
(2) Like state or degree
(3) Equality, close correspondence
The Spirit of the Lord says, My wind is beginning to blow upon the body of Christ.
These are the winds of judgement that will blow the "straw nests of men's
parity" away. As the wind of my Spirit increases even the strongholds of men's
tradition and doctrine will collapse. I will build a new house with walls of truth and I
will place my chosen leadership to be servants as stewards over my household. The ideas of
equality that men have embraced are not the same as Mine.
Position or offices in God's kingdom are given for the purpose of order and service.
Those who have assumed positions that I have not called them to occupy will be removed.
Also those that have been appointed by men will also be dealt with and removed or
relocated. My faithful servants who have continued to follow me will remain.
I am setting up my kingdom with my wisdom and order. I look on men's hearts which are
hidden from the world
and I set one man up and take another down even as Saul was removed and David enthroned in
the Old Testament.
The "straw nests of parity" are man-made. The equality man seeks is sought by
demanding their own rights; however, those who seek their own ways will be as straw nests
in the wind. The wind of my Holy Spirit will blow away all of men's self-centeredness and
what they considered to be equality. What is equality? Am I not the God of true equality?
Ezekiel 18: 25-31, "Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O
house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal? When a righteous man
turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his
iniquity that he hath done shall he die. Again, when the wicked man turneth away from his
wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth that which is lawful and right, he shall save
his soul alive. Because he considereth, and turneth away from all his transgressions that
he hath committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die. Yet saith the house of Israel,
The way of the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are not my ways equal? are not your
ways unequal? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his
ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so
iniquity shall not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye
have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit: for why will ye die, O house
of Israel?"
In my scheme of authority and order, I place men whom I have called and trained to
positions of leadership for the good of all my people. I am going to do a new thing as I
authorize my five-fold ministry servants to begin leading in a new direction. I will
simultaneously direct My body to follow their guidance and leadership. Rebellion will not
remain in my house. I'm sending the fire of the Holy Spirit to first uncover and expose
the carnal and rebellious ones, then I'm going to give my true servants a new anointing of
love and wisdom to deal with this problem in my people. I am no respecter of persons. All
who have rebellion will be dealt with. Pray that you might be delivered from this evil as
well as the pride that promotes it.
I am a respecter of one thing - that is my Word. Although I love everyone equally and
my offer of salvation is to "whosoever will may come," my favor rests on those
who do my will. If a man keeps My words, he will find favor with me, if he rejects or
breaks my Word he will suffer for his own sin unless he comes to Me for forgiveness and
cleansing.
Some are suffering because they are ignorant of My word, because My people are
destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). Others are rejecting My Word
because they desire their own way over my way. What a man sows he shall reap (Galatians
6:7).
There is an evil in the church that has come from the influence of the world; that evil
is man's cry for his own rights. Unless men yield to the rights that I have established
for them, they are destroyed seeking their own way. Proverbs 16: 25 says,"There
is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."
You are seeing much death and destruction because men are demanding their own way.
The strongholds of tradition must also be broken over my people if my work is to
progress. Matthew 15: 6-9,".... Thus have ye made the commandment of God of
none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but
their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the
commandments of men."
Your doctrines and traditions must be submitted unto Me for cleansing. All traditions
are not wrong, but some man-made ones are. My church must be willing to change. They must
yield to the changes I desire of them. They are entrenched in the depths of preconceived
ideas of what they believe to be My ways. The methodology and things I did and allowed
yesterday will not suffice for the day you now live in. Many of My people have become very
rebellious in this day and their rebellion is producing a curse upon them.
When the Israelites spoke in rebellion against Moses, it caused the curse of fiery
serpents to bite the people. I instructed Moses to make a fiery serpent of brass and set
it on a pole. I commanded everyone who had been bitten to look upon it so they would live.
(Numbers 21:7-9) Later, however; this very method I used for deliverence became an
idol to the people. Before long, they began to look to it, instead of Me,
as their source of deliverance. They burned incense to it and called it Nehustan. (2
Kings 18:4)
Today My people are doing the same thing with the methods I used in the past to bring
deliverance to them. I now am instructing my leadership to tear down "Nehustan"
as it has replaced Me as the source of blessing. I am calling my people to a new and
living way.
I now call my people to search the "straw nests of parity" (men's ideas of
equality). They will be scattered,along with the strongholds of men's traditions. My Holy
Spirit is searching out and uncovering the hindrances to My work. The Wind of God is
blowing away that which is not built on My Word (Hebrews 12:26-29).
Prophetic Word given to Betty Miller in March of 1993
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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 is little or insignificant can also be disastrous for us.
OVERCOMING PROCRASTINATION
"He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that
regardeth the clouds shall not reap." Ecclesiastes 11:4
Procrastination means we put off until tomorrow what we should do today.
In fact, the dictionary definition is "to put off doing something (unpleasant or
burdensome) until a future time; especially to postpone such actions habitually."
Being human, we all face the temptation to procrastinate. This disposition may not seem so
bad at first glance but it is a "little fox" that will spoil our vines.
In the Christian life, this habit in regard to spiritual things will rob
of us our devotion to Christ. The devil knows that if we pray and read our Bibles and meet
for fellowship with other Christians, we will become strong Christians that can defeat
him. This is the reason he tries to stop us from doing these things. One of his most
successful devices is to delay people from praying, reading the Word of God and going to
church. He doesn't tempt them with the suggestion that they shouldn't do these things; he
just tries to get them to "put off" doing them until a later time. This strategy
becomes very successful as he knows that "tomorrow never comes" for most people.
He uses the same strategy to get people to wait about making a decision to
give their lives to the Lord. The devil knows if he can just get them to wait until a
later time, perhaps they will never make the decision and end up in hell. There is an old
adage that says, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." People mean
to get things right with the Lord, but the enemy will furnish them with a thousand reasons
why they can wait until later. Time is running out for all people as the return of the
Lord is very near. Bible prophecies indicate that the Lord Jesus Christ will be returning
to this earth to judge all mankind in the near future. Most Bible students predict this
event sometime around the year 2000. No man knows the exact day or hour but we can know
the season of the Lord's return by observing the things that He said would come to pass at
that time (Read Matthew 24 in the Bible).
Now is the time that we must take action and do the things that we know
the Lord wants us to do. James 1:22 says, "But be ye doers
of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." We must be
obedient to the Word of God if we do not want to be deceived in this hour. Many Christians
have heard the Word of God over and over. Now is the time to apply it and do it. That is
the only way we will be able to overcome the things that the devil tries to destroy us
with. We must conquer the tendency to procrastinate as it is an evil "little
fox" that will defeat us. We can do this by the power of the Holy Spirit. If we will
pray and ask the Lord to help us, He will not fail us. He will give us the desire and the
resolve to live the overcoming life in Him. He will send help and make a way for us to do
all that He requires of us. He is faithful and we can be faithful too, through Him!
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
PRAYER FOCUS SPOTLIGHT
Fasting and Prayer '98
PRAY USA '98
"If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray
and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive
their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14
It is more important now, than it ever has been, for the Christians of this world to
humble themselves before God and repent for the evil in their nations. We are at a crucial
time in world history. Decisions made today will affect all of eternity. As the cup of
wickedness in this world becomes fuller, God cannot help but send judgement on the nations
of this earth. Today, He is looking for those who will "stand in the gap" and
repent for the multitudes. We cannot afford to sit idly by, as Satan plunders the masses,
as rebellion waxes stronger, and as hundreds of millions of people live in ignorance of
the Good News.
The United States in many ways has become worse than Sodom and Gomorrah. Not only are
we ourselves corrupt, but we export our pornographic filth and corruption to the rest of
the world. We have become the single greatest market on the globe for illegal drug use. We
are not only destroying ourselves, we have probably done more to destroy the morality of
other countries than any other nation in history. May God have mercy on us and forgive us.
In 1994, God impressed Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, to begin
a 40-day fast for the healing of the United States and for revival in the land. During his
fast, he felt impressed by the Lord to invite several hundred influential Christians to
gather for a time of prayer and fasting. The overwhelming response prompted them to
schedule an even larger conference. Four years later, the Lord has mobilized millions of
intercessors to again participate in fasting for our nation. Many will be taking part in
one degree or another across the United States. This year they are believing God for 2
million people who will participate in the full 40-day fast, as well as many others who
will join in a portion of the fasting and prayer period.
America needs revival! This world needs revival! God has promised revival, and it will
come, but the magnitude of it may be determined by our response to the Lord right now.
Will you join the millions of intercessors, representing over 60 denominations, in fasting
and prayer during the 40 day period of March 1-April 9, 1998? (***IMPORTANT***
Please do NOT do a 40 day fast without being specifically called of the Lord to do so.
Please do NOT enter into such a fast without receiving information from PrayUSA or
another qualified source. See address below).
As every runner knows, the time near the end of the race is not the time to slacken our
pace, though the finish line is in sight. Rather it is the time to run all the harder that
we may win. We are the first generation in the history of the earth that can actually see
the finish line--the fulfillment of the Great Commission within our lifetime. Now is the
time to push ourselves harder and sacrifice our comforts for the sake of others. Fasting
is one such discipline that causes our spirits to run with greater strength, endurance and
anointing. It burns out our selfishness and refines our faith. As Dr. Bill Bright says,
"In the providence of God, I believe in the power of fasting as it relates to
prayer as a spiritual atomic bomb...to bring down the strongholds of evil, bring a great
revival and spiritual awakening, and accelerate the fulfillment of the Great
Commission."
Won't you prayerfully seek the Lord about what part He would have you play in this
important time? Whether you feel called to fast one day or the full forty days, there are
many resources and teachings to help you. Dr. Bright has many tips and encouraging words
to help in his new book, The Coming Revival (Book Review is in this Digest).
For further information about the fast, please contact Pray USA '98, at:
Pray USA '98
P.O. Box 593684
Orlando, FL 32859-3684
Email: prayusa@juno.com
Website Addresses: http://www.newlifepubs.com
or http://www.usprayertrack.org
Click Here for teaching
on Fasting at our site: What Does The Bible Say About Fasting?
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
SPECIAL GUEST
Lessons From The Titanic
THREE KINDS OF LEADERSHIP
By Rick Joyner
(The following article is an exerpt taken from Rick Joyner's
book, The Harvest)
The tragedy of the Titanic brought to light a striking revelation of three kinds of
leadership—all three of which can be seen in the world and the church today.
The first type can be seen in Captain Smith and the crew of the Titanic. They were the
best from the British merchant fleet. They believed that there was not a more intelligent,
experienced or knowledgeable sea captain in the Empire than Smith. Combine that with his
record of never having had a single accident at sea and we have what appeared to be an
unsinkable crew with an unsinkable ship. Actually, these characteristics are probably a
significant contributing factor to the doom of this ship. These all fed the pride which
feeds carelessness, which sooner or later usually leads to tragedy.
The Titanic's crew had never held a proper lifeboat drill. They did not have a plan for
the orderly movement of passengers to the boats, and the crew did not even know how to
lower them. Everything had to be planned and learned while the ship was sinking under
their feet. This obviously contributed to a much greater loss of life than was necessary.
Many boats were lowered only partially full, one with only twelve people, while hundreds
of passengers were held below decks by the crew. The entire ship had been caught off guard
by the events of that fateful night and they paid dearly for it. Will we be caught in the
same position? If we are we will pay just as dearly. But we don't have to be surprised.
The Lord exhorted us to know the signs of the times and not to sleep on our watch.
Prophets throughout the land are now calling for preparation; the Lord is giving us
signs in the heavens and on the earth. He is sounding His trumpet to wake us up and we
must hear it.
Almost every great man of God in Scripture and history was only successful after
passing through the fires of failure and defeat. Many of the elders and fathers of the
faith would not trust a man until he had his "limp" (a major failure or defeat).
As Alexander Solzhenitsyn declared, "Does not even biology itself teach us that
perpetual well being is not good for any living thing?" Perpetual well being can open
doors to a most dangerous enemy— complacency. What else can explain how the Titanic
crew could receive six warnings that there were deadly icebergs directly in their path and
yet they did not even slow down!
The Danger of Overconfidence
The Bible is most candid about the failures and mistakes of even its greatest heroes.
This is a message in itself. We must take heed when we think we stand, lest we fall. Even
the greatest men and women of faith had defeats and failures. Even the apostle Paul could
be "foiled by Satan." When we hear the testimonies of individuals and churches
which claim to have never been deceived or made great mistakes, if this is declared as a
boast they will be doomed to a great fall. Those who have not been wounded probably have
not yet been in the fight. Such are in danger of not only getting wounded, but getting
killed.
There were two other ships which played a significant role in the drama of the Titanic
disaster: the Californian and the Carpathia. The captains of these ships remarkably
parallel the two other prevailing types of leadership found today.
The Danger of Being Overly Cautious
The Californian had a captain who had obviously learned something from his years of
successes and failures. He was reserved and cautious, but overly cautious. The realities
of life may cause us to react this way if we allow the fear of more failure to sow in us a
perpetual hesitancy. Becoming overly cautious can be just as deadly as being overly
confident as it proved to be in this case. When Captain Lord of the Californian heard
about the ice in his path he slowed down. When he saw the ice he ordered the ship stopped
and he waited for daylight. His wireless (radio) operator began warning the other ships in
the area of the danger. At 7:30 p.m. her warning was received and logged by the Titanic.
The usually stormy North Atlantic was amazingly calm that night. More than one officer
remarked that they had never seen the sea so tranquil. First officer Lightoller of the
Titanic made this observation at the inquiry when he declared that "everything was
against us." This seems to have been a resounding confirmation of the Biblical
exhortation that when men cry "Peace and safety, sudden destruction will come."
This tranquility must have overcome the crew of the Californian as well. Her bridge
watch saw the Titanic approaching just a few miles away and then saw her stop dead in the
water. At first they thought she was taking the same precautions for the ice which they
had taken. Then she started firing rockets into the air every few minutes, which is always
a distress signal at sea. The crew of the California rationalized this, remarking that it
must be a signal meant for another company ship which they could not see! They did not
even bother to wake the wireless operator to see if he could contact the ship. Then they
watched her disappear beneath the sea while telling each other as the lights dimmed that
she was sailing away! Had they responded to the first distress signal the Californian may
well have been able to save all of the lives that were lost.
The incredible attitude of the Californian crew is matched by much of the church today.
When the final inquiry comes and the final story is told we are going to marvel at how
many were in a position to save life but instead slept right through the night like
Captain Lord of the Californian when he could have done so much. Rationalization is a
popular shield for cowards. Were they so afraid of the ice that they decided to humor each
other with unbelievable reasons for not responding to the obvious emergency? Are we going
to have to ask ourselves a similar question? As our world sinks into the deep are we going
to sleep when we could be saving many, or are we going to rise up and take action?
Revelation 21:8 says, "the cowardly and unbelieving and
abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and liars, their
part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Here cowards are lumped together with the murderers because their actions often lead to
the death of others. When we can help and we don't we will be held accountable before the
Lord. The Lord Jesus came to give His life for others and He has called us to follow Him
with this same devotion. We may hide and save our lives during times of trouble, but we
may very well by this action be putting ourselves in the most terrible jeopardy for all
eternity. If we cower and seek to save our lives we will ultimately lose them just like
the Lord warned. It is only by losing our own lives that we will find them. Cowards have
no place in the kingdom of God. "Those who know their God will display strength
and take action" (Daniel 11:32). If we do not display strength and take action it
is obviously because we do not know Him.
The Resolve of True Leadership
The third ship in the fateful drama of that night was the Carpathia, captained by
Arthur H. Rostron. He was known for the ability to make quick decisions and to energize
those who served under him. He is a wonderful example of the leadership the Lord is
preparing for this day. Rostron was a pious man devoted to prayer. At 12:35 a.m. the
Carpathia's wireless operator burst into his quarters to report that the Titanic had
struck an iceberg. Rostron reacted in character; he immediately ordered the Carpathia
turned around and full speed ahead, later asking the operator if he was sure about the
report—a striking contrast to the reaction on the Californian.
Rostron then gave an masterful display of a truly prepared mind; he thought of
everything and took care of every detail. He ordered the English doctor to the first class
dining room, the Italian doctor to second class, the Hungarian to third class, along with
every possible piece of equipment or supplies needed for the sick and wounded. He ordered
different officers to different gangways instructing them to get the names of survivors to
send by wireless. They prepared block and lines with chair slings for the wounded.
Bowlines were secured along the ship's sides along with boat ropes and heaving lines for
lifting people in chairs. All gangway doors were opened. He then directed specific
officers to take charge of his present passengers and to see to their needs. All hands
were to prepare coffee, soup and provisions. He then designated all officers cabin's,
smoke rooms, library, etc., as accommodations for the survivors. Stewards were sent to
reassure and explain to their own passengers the reason for the activity to help keep them
calm.
Then Rostron turned to face the biggest problem of all—the ice. He was heading at
full speed into the same field that had sunk the Titanic. To this courageous man reducing
speed was out of the question, but he took every measure to reduce the risk to his own
ship and passengers. He added a man to the crow's nest, put two more on the bow, one on
each wing of the bridge, and he stayed there himself. His second officer, James Bisset,
then noticed his captain taking one last measure which he considered the most important of
all—He prayed.
At 2:45 a.m. Bisset saw the first iceberg. They steered around it and kept going. The
next hour they dodged five more. At 4:00 a.m. they reached the Titanic's last called
position and began picking up lifeboats. As the sun rose it revealed an astonishing sight;
the sea was full of icebergs for as far as the eye could see in all directions. Even with
all the lookouts the Carpathia had passed numerous icebergs which they had not even seen.
No one could imagine how they missed them all except their pious captain. He knew that he
had done all that he could, but he still needed the Lord's help.
The difficult rescue of the survivors was carried out with such order and discipline
that peace reigned over all. The Carpathia's passengers caught the spirit of
self-sacrifice from her crew. Her first class passengers gave their own quarters to
survivors; others were pitching in to do all they could. On one of the darkest nights of
tragedy ever experienced on the high seas the Carpathia's captain, crew and passengers
stand out as bright lights of courage and heroism. They are a demonstration of what the
Lord has called us to be in the night of tragedy and loss that is now falling upon the
earth. Let us not sleep as some did, or be fooled by the calmness of the sea. Let us be prepared!
______
The above article was taken from Rick Joyner's book The Harvest. This book
details a vision that Rick had concerning the end times. A brief summary of this vision
was first circulated in 1987. It quickly found its way into major periodicals and
countless newsletters, reaching millions in just a little over a year. It has been called
"a prophetic word for the nineties" by major Christian leaders. You may order
this book from our CHAPEL BOOKSTORE, your local Christian bookstore or directly from
Morning Star Publications.
Rick Joyner is the founder of MorningStar Publications located in
Charlotte,North Carolina and the author of several books, including: The
Journey Begins, The Final Quest and Leadership, Management and
the Five Essentials for Success. His prophetic articles have been widely
distributed throughout the body of Christ. Rick also travels throughout the US and abroad
as a conference speaker with a message of devotion to Christ and preparation for the
coming harvest.
You may write to the address below for a catalog of Rick Joyner's latest
books and tapes or use his toll free order line (this is for orders only).
MorningStar Publications
16000 Lancaster Highway
Charlotte, North Carolina 28277-2061
1-800-542-0278
FAX: (704) 542-5763
Website Address: http://www.eaglestar.org
CHAPEL BOOKSTORE (Click here to order The
Harvest, softcover, 224 pages; price $10.99)
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
BOOK REVIEW
The Coming Revival
America's Call to Fast, Pray, and "Seek God's
Face."
By Dr. Bill Bright
-------------------------------------------
The message of this book, written in 1995, grows increasingly timely each year. Quoting
Bill Bright, "In this critical hour, nothing is more important than fasting,
praying, repenting, and seeking God's face. Our nation is in a moral free-fall and
desperately needs God's intervention; the Great Commission is near fulfillment; the
greatest spiritual harvest in history is within our grasp. We are asking God to send
revival to our nation and the world to enable us to fulfill the Great Commission."
In this powerful book by Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, he
shares his personal testimony of how God led him to fast for 40 days, and the resulting
passion for revival and intimacy with the Holy Spirit that has been awakened in him. He
candidly shares inspiring stories of his own doubts and fears, as well as practical
medically sound advice, and encouragement in how to begin a fast for a day or a month.
This book offers complete coverage of any issue or question that one may have about
fasting, as well as a history of revival movements.
This is highly recommended reading for anyone who is interested in revival, on a
personal as well as worldwide level. Anyone who plans on participating in the 40-day
nationwide fast will find this book to be an invaluable resource. ---Mercy
Aiken
Dr. Bill Bright is founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. Dr. Bright is
also a prolific author and a well known and respected minister throughout the world. You
may contact Dr. Bright at:
Campus Crusade for Christ International
100 Sunport Lane
Orlando, Florida 32809
Website Addresse: http://www.ccci.org
The book, The Coming Revival, is available in paperback
priced at $9.99 in our Chapel Bookstore catalog or from your local Christian bookstore.
CHAPEL BOOKSTORE (Click here to
order)
Return to Table of Contents for this Issue
POETRY CORNER
HE IS RISEN
Margie M. Baker
The mournful Sabbath day was past
When all had been at rest;
Then in the dawn, three women came
To Him whom they loved best.
The morn was bright, but, oh, the gloom
In tender, loving hearts
No joy for them, but anguish keen
To pierce like fiery darts.
Three crosses stood upon a hill,
And on one He had died;
No wonder then the awful grief
Not one of them could hide.
The sweet aroma of the spice
They carried for the task
Of anointing His dear body
Caused one of them to ask:
"Who shall roll away the stone
That we may enter in
To anoint the One who gave His life
To free us from all sin?"
When they looked, they saw the stone
Was already rolled away,
And an angel clothed in raiment white
Began to softly say:
"Be not afraid, the One you seek for,
The whole world crucified,
Is not here among the dead
'Though on a cross He died.
Behold, the place where He was laid,
Then go your way and tell
All who love Him, that some day
In heaven they will dwell."
"For He is risen, and He lives
To walk among His own.
No grave could hold Him, even tho'
His enemies sealed the stone."
The women did as they were bid
And quickly spread the word,
"He is risen, He is risen,
JESUS CHRIST, OUR LORD!"
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Christ Unlimited Ministries
Internet Letter
Greetings!
We pray that this letter finds each of you blessed of the Lord, and rejoicing in His
goodness. We know that many of you have been faithfully praying for us. Thank you so much!
Your notes and email have been an encouragement to us. We are blessed to meet so many
wonderful brothers and sisters through the Internet. We never would have imagined how we
could be ministering to so many age groups, nationalities, and denominations all at once!
There have been over 2,000,000 hits to our site over the last two months representing over
92 nations. We haven't even advertised our site so this is truly the work of the Holy
Spirit!!
Some of our future plans for site expansion include: an in-depth Bible research system,
complete with a concordance and word search; our entire Bible Study, the Overcoming Life
Series online and available for free; greater expansion in the "Bible Answers"
Page; and a Prayer Partner Page which will mobilize intercessors to pray for many needs
all over the world. Someday, we hope to add audio and video capabilities as well. We have
so much information that we want to put on-line. One of our biggest frustrations is that
we can't seem to move as fast as we'd like.
Please pray with us that God will continue to supply all the funds, workers and prayer
warriors we need for this ministry. If you don't have a missionary outreach and would like
to help us reach the world through this new medium please seek the Lord about how to help
us. This is one of the most cost effective means of getting the gospel out all over the
world in the shortest period of time. However, it takes hours of work by skilled
technicians to make this possible. Currently, we have been working with mostly volunteers;
as our staff consists of just us, plus Mercy, our secretary.
Please receive this letter as a personal one from our hearts, even though we are unable
to email each of you individually. We are now receiving hundreds of letters weekly so it
makes it impossible to respond in a more personal manner. We do try to answer all mail
that is of a critical nature. Thanks for your understanding. If you would like to be a
partner with us reaching the world through this site please check out our BIBLE PARTNERS link.
The Lord will bless you for helping us reach out to a lost world that needs Jesus.
May the Lord bless you and your family in this coming year, as we all seek to do our
Lord's will. Write us if you need prayer and we will stand with you. We pray daily over
all requests. Write us at: prayer@BibleResources.org
Love in Christ,
Bud & Betty Miller
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