I affirm the divine inspiration, truthfulness and authority of both Old and New Testament Scriptures in their entirety as the only written word of God, without error in all that it affirms, and the only infallible rule of faith and practice. I also affirm the power of God's word to accomplish his purpose of salvation. The message of the Bible is addressed to all men and women. For God's revelation in Christ and in Scripture is unchangeable. Through it the Holy Spirit still speaks today. He illumines the minds of God's people in every culture to perceive its truth freshly through their own eyes and thus discloses to the whole Church ever more of the many-colored wisdom of God.

Would love to hear you comments on this please tell me what you think.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

2 Peter 1:21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah 55:11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

1 Corinthians 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.

Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

Matthew 5:17-18 "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
"For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Jude 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

Ephesians 1:17-18 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

Ephesians 3:10-19 to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places,
according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,
in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.
For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height--
to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Please PRAY Delhi, India is a city in crisis — with 500,000 immigrants annually; over half of the population living in slums, massive pollution and related diseases and a crime wave. Pray that in this turmoil many might seek after the Lord Jesus Christ.

GRADUATION!!!

I wanted to post this picture of the first graduating class from VISOM (Victory International School of Ministry).
Praise Jesus, it took 3 years to complete these classes and these students were faithful and showed a great amount of perseverance.
God has big things in store for this group.

Four of Them

We caught the Raccoons. There were 4 of them running around the crawl space. Allison and I did not want to let them go, but we found some wildlife people who take care of such babies so we gave them to them. Aren't they cute.


Pronunciation: ra-'kün also r&-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural raccoon or raccoons
Etymology: Virginia Algonquian raugroughcun, arocoun
1 a : a small nocturnal carnivore (Procyon lotor) of No. America that is chiefly gray, has a black mask and bushy ringed tail, lives chiefly in trees, and has a varied diet including small animals, fruits, and nuts b : the pelt of this animal
2 : any of several animals resembling or related to the raccoon

Raccoons in the news:

Raccoon saves students life
http://www.loomcom.com/raccoons/news/raccoon-saves-life.html

Airborne Rabies Vaccine
http://www.loomcom.com/raccoons/news/vaccine.html


Good people, cheer God! Right-living people sound best when praising.
Use guitars to reinforce your Hallelujahs!
Play his praise on a grand piano!
Invent your own new song to him;
give him a trumpet fanfare.
Psalm 33 The MESSAGE

Remeber to Pray for Afghanistan today.

¿Si el Dios es para nosotros, quién puede estar contra nosotros?

Life is Good

Jesus is so Good to me I am rejoicing in this life and my friends and family. I have my tomatoes Planted and the opportunity to spend time with my daughter playing catch and this afternoon I get to mow the lawn, WOW, life is amazing. The other day I was able to explain the Gospel to a few people, can life get any better. Oh yea, I caught a Raccoon in our attic yesterday and today I get to try and get her babies, do the blessings never end.


We must do something about the cross, and one of two things only we can do
—flee it or die upon it.
-A.W. Tozer "The Root of the RIghteous"

¿Si el Dios es para nosotros, quién puede estar contra nosotros?

if you are a CHRISTian you need to click on this link and read it. If you LOVE
JESUS with more than just your words then you must read this article.
Click on the Link below.
http://www.lastdaysministries.org/nations/whyyoushouldgo.html


Remember to Pray for Afghanistan!!

DaVinci's Code is Cracked

There is much about the DaVinci Code that people are intrigued by and the Fictional Novel raises many questions for some about the authenticity of the Bible. Below are some Links that answer many questions.

Crash goes the DaVinci Code
http://www.leaderu.com/theology/crashdavincicode.html

Josh McDowell Answers Questions about the New Testament
http://www.leaderu.com/theology/mcdowell_davinci.html

Mary, Mary Extraordinary
http://www.leaderu.com/theology/maryandjesus.html

Was Jesus Married?
http://www.leaderu.com/theology/wasjesusmarried.html

Why you should go

I want to post this link, and just say if you are a CHRISTian you need to click on this link and read it. If you LOVE JESUS with more than just your words then you must read this article.

http://www.lastdaysministries.org/nations/whyyoushouldgo.html


Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion! Declare His deeds among the people.
Psalm 9:11

Remember to Pray for Afghanistan.

Get Paid

"We shall have all eternity in which to celebrate our victories, but we have only one swift hour before the sunset in which to win them."
-Robert Moffat

Let's not waste the time that God has given us and go out and preach the Gospel. Jesus paid the price for all to be saved.

I hate it when I go to a store and buy something, bring it home and find out that it is a cheap thing, and was misrepresented in it's advertisement. I feel like I did not get what I paid for.
Jesus Died on the cross to pay for the sins of the world, And HE deserves to get what He paid for. Let's Go Preach the Gospel.

"Lord, make me a crisis man. Let me not be a mile-post on a single road, but make me a fork that men must turn one way or another in facing Christ in me." - Jim Elliot

Our Great Honor

Our great honor lies in being just what Jesus was and is. To be accepted by those who accept Him, rejected by all who reject Him, loved by those who love Him and hated by everyone that hates Him. What greater glory could come to any man! - A.W. Tozer

That is something to ponder.

http://www.intouch.org/myintouch/mighty/portraits/aw_tozer_213610.html

http://www.sendrevival.com/pioneers/awtozer/short_biography.htm

Street Preaching

Before I let anyone start thinking I am normal or main stream I have another entry that will tell you I am not.

There is so much teaching today that talks of how the Christian must strive at building relationships before they even begin to think about sharing the gospel with someone.
My question is where do you see this in the Bible?
Is this a strategy taught in Scripture?
How long did Jesus and the woman at the well know eachother before He shared the Gospel with her?
If our teaching is not based on the Bible what are we basing it on?

What bothers me the most about this relational evangelism method taught by so many is that the people advocating it feel it necessary to come against people who have been called of God to proclaim the Gospel in the streets to complete strangers. I believe that the gospel should be proclaimed radically in the streets of America, and here is why.

"What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light, and what ye hear in the ear,that preach ye upon the housetops." Matthew 10:27

When Noah Webster defined the word "PREACH" this is what he said........"Preach" comes from a Latin word meaning to "proclaim publicly"… a message"urging acceptance or abandonment of an idea or course of action."

Jesus told us in Mark 16:15 to Go into all the world and PREACH the Gospel to every creature.
I truly do not mean to run down another persons ministry, but where do Christians get the idea that if some guy is Preaching on a street corner that he is way off base. The scriptures seem to be full of encouragement for us to do just that.

Here are a couple of verses in Proverbs chapter one that encourage people to Proclaim the Gospel as well as the counsel of God in the town square and the market places

Proverbs 1:20-21
20 Wisdom calls aloud outside; She raises her voice in the open squares.
21 She cries out in the chief concourses, At the openings of the gates in the city She speaks her words:

The next time you see a person in pulic, proclaiming the Gospel pray for God's anointing to be strong on him as he is ministering. It takes great courage to obey God in this way and most public preachers will testify to the hassle they get from other believers.

Old testament prophets often preached at the gates of the city. The gates were the busiest place in town and it was here that all kinds of activity took place:Preaching at the gate would reach large crowds without much expense.

AMOS WAS A "GATE" PREACHER:
"They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly. (Amos 5:10)

ISAIAH WAS A "GATE" PREACHER:
They "lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate…" (Isaiah 29:21)

JEREMIAH WAS A "GATE" PREACHER:
"Thus said the Lord unto me, Go and stand in the GATE of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by the which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem; and say unto them, Hear ye the word of the Lord, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem that enter in by these gates: Thus saith the Lord…" (Jeremiah 17:19-20)

These men of the Old Testament did not use nice gentle friendly approaches. There were no literature tables, tract distributions, invitations to religious meetings, traveling Gospel singing teams, puppet shows, barbecue's, motorcycle jumps or drama teams. They simply stood up publically with the clear message of God's mind and preached it!
Preaching the Gospel in Public to crowds who do not want to hear it and are even opposed to the message can be very easily supported using scripture. It makes me wonder why more Christians are not doing it.



Please Remember to pray for Afghanistan

Don't leave this out

“Some people do not like to hear much of repentance; but I think it is so necessary that if I should die in the pulpit, I would desire to die preaching repentance, and if out of the pulpit I would desire to die practicing it.” -Matthew Henry

REPENT

What is it about this 6 letter word that makes so many Christians uncomfortable.
Jesus started His three year public ministry with the words in Matthew Chapter 4:17 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Many Christian ministers today avoid this topic, forgetting that those who followed Jesus went out and proclaimed the same message, "…they went out and preached that people should repent" Mark 6:12


Don't leave out Repentance when you are sharing the Gospel.
Luke 24
46 Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
47 "and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Acts 3
19 "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

Acts 3
26 "To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities."

Acts 14
15 and saying, "Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,

Acts 17
30 "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
31 "because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."

Acts 19
26 "Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands.

Acts 20
20 "how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house,
21 "testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 26
20 "but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.

The Gospels and the Book of Acts give us a clear History and mandate for the Preaching of Repentance. So I declare once again When we proclaim the Gospel we dare not leave out Repentance.

101

"But the soul renounced shall abide in the boundlessness of God's life. This is liberty, this is prosperity. The more we lose, the more we gain."
- Watchman Nee

The crucified life is little seen in the Christianity often lived out by those who call themselves believers in the USA. However the Bible speaks much about it. God help us to truly surrender to You and Your will for our lives.

Luke 9
23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
24 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.

2 Timothy 2 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

Luke 14 33 "So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.

Galatians 5
24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another

Galatians 6 14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

John 3 30 "He must increase, but I must decrease .

That is not a exhaustive list on the topic but is certainly a few verses that it would not hurt us to meditate on.
Father God Have mercy on us.


Please Remember to Pray for Afghanistan.

Expect and Attempt

"Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God." -William Carey


William Carey (August 17, 1761 – June 9, 1834) was an English missionary, known as the "father of modern missions." As a missionary in Serampore, India, he translated the Bible into Bengali, Sanskrit, and numerous other languages and dialects.
http://www.wholesomewords.org/missions/biocarey.html
http://chi.gospelcom.net/GLIMPSEF/Glimpses/glmps045.shtml

The Great Exchange

Jesus Is Risen!!! He came to die for our sins and was buried and in three days He rose from the Dead to make the great exchange. Let's Look at this.

2 Corinthians 5:21
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Jesus became sin for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Jesus Died, was buried, and came back to life to take our sins upon Himself and give us His righteousness. That is awesome.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Bible is delcaring Here that Jesus did all this to exchange the Death you and I deserve for Eternal Life. Once again that is AMAZING!!

Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),

2 Corinthians 8:9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

These two verses show me that what Jesus did on the cross was that he exchanged my curse for his blessing. He took my curse and gave me a blessing. That is so CRAZY. WOW!!!

Is it any wonder why I love RESSURECTION DAY.
Sing with me.....

I’m forgiven because you were forsaken
I’m accepted you were condemned
I’m alive and well Your Spirit lives within me
Because You died and Rose again

Amazing Love how can it be
That You my king would die for me
Amazing love I know it’s true
And it’s my joy to honor you
In all I do I honor You

You are my King Jesus
You are my King

Please Remember to pray for Afghanistan.

My Cross

Took my cross out yesterday morning, as I do every good friday and stood on the busiest corner in town. My daughter drove by and smiled at my friend Dave and I. The sun was out the weather was nice. Several friends stopped by to talk, Bob, Richard, Matthew, Rick and Walter just to name a few. Several people waved as they drove by and many gave us the thumbs up. Others just glared at us and still others actually gave us very negative hand gestures. But all and all it was a very profitable time.

Lord we pray for this city, we ask for mercy here and lord I know you love this city, O father draw them near.

The cross is an amazing thing.

Luke 9:23-24
23 Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.
24 "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.
25 "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

Matthew 10:38
"And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

Philippians 1:21
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Galatians 6:14
But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.




Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy Cross I cling.
-Toplady


Please Pray for Afghanistan Today

Becoming

Deuteronomy 27
9 Then Moses and the priests, the Levites, spoke to all Israel, saying, "Take heed and listen, O Israel: This day you have become the people of the LORD your God.
10 "Therefore you shall obey the voice of the LORD your God, and observe His commandments and His statutes which I command you today."

Leaving Egypt where the people of God were slaves for 400 years they had a slave mentality. These poor people had a hard time trusting God.
The next generation spent 40 years in the wilderness learning to trust this Awesome God who delivered them out of the hand of Pharoah. During this 40 year time period they learned to Trust God as he led them in the desert. some of the lessons were hard, but little by little they became the people of God.
When we turn from our sins toward Jesus and place our faith in Him "old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17
Our sins are seperated from us as far as the east is from the west in an instant.
Spiritual transformation, that is reflected in our physical life, takes time. Don't be discouraged when you realize you have a long way to go. Just rejoice that God has brought you this far and know that He will not stop working with you to bring you into the very image of Jesus.

Hebrews 12
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

1 Corinthians 9
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

Philippians 3
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

"A pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself,
but a spiritual man is easy on others and hard on himself."
-A.W. Tozer,

Please Pray for Afghanistan today

ONLY JESUS SAVES

John 14:6
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

1 Timothy 2:5
For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,

Acts 4:12
"Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

On the Authority of God's own word, Only JESUS can save you from the judgment to come. Not Mohammed, Not Buhda, Not The Watchtower Tract Society, Not Joseph Smith or Brigham Young, Not good deeds or religious sacrements. Only Jesus can seperate your sins from you as far as the east is from the west.

I want to say it Loud and Clear "THE CHOICE IS YOURS JESUS OR HELL"

Go today and warn your loved ones that they must turn to Jesus and give Him their lives.

"If sinners be dammed, at least let them leap to Hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Let no one GO there UNWARNED and UNPRAYED for." - Charles Spurgeon

"Upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die; another’s life, another’s death, I stake my whole eternity." - Horatius Bonar

It is all about Jesus and not about us at all. Praise God I hope you to will put your eternity in His hands. Only Jesus Can Save You.

Quote

"Answering a student's question,
'Will the heathen who have not heard the Gospel be saved?' thus, 'It is more a question with me whether we, who have the Gospel and fail to give it to those who have not, can be saved." -Charles Spurgeon


ouch.

If Cats Wore T-shirts

I have not had a humorous blog yet but thought some of these were funny.
If Cats Wore Tee-shirts . . .
. . .here's what they would say . . .
Purrrrfection Cannot Be Improved
If you don't like my attitude, you should see my owner!!
Take my advice........ I'm not using it.
I'd like to help you out......... Which way did you come in?
Cats know how we feel......... They don't care, but they know.
Dogs Have Owners........ Cats Have Staff.
As a house pet, I'm overqualified.

That about sums it up have a great weekend.
We are celebrating PASSOVER Sunday night. I know it is not until thursday but this is what works for us we will probably have 50 people there. What a great Holiday.
We put the door out today doesn't it look great.

God Bless You

Christians Go to Jail II

Christians Go to Jail II

Acts 5
18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison.

Acts 8
3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison.

Acts 12
1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church.
2 Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
3 And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to seize Peter also. Now it was during the Days of Unleavened Bread.
4 So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.

As I stated in a earlier Post "Christians go to Jail."
This is certainly not something many people in the church want to talk about, however it is true. Our brothers and sisters all around the globe are being persecuted and thrown into jail simply for being followers of Jesus, our Lord.

This persecution and the people of God has happened from the beginning, when Cain persecuted, and actually martyred his brother Abel, because Abel offered his offering in faith and pleased God.

Today I want to present a story for you to think about and pray for. This story comes to us via Compass Direct.

Cuba- Church leader marks 40 days in jail.
March 31 (Compass Direct) – Today marks 40 days of imprisonment without charge for the Rev. Carlos Lamelas, an evangelical pastor in Cuba jailed on February 20 for allegedly aiding refugees who sought to emigrate illegally. “A [police appointed] ‘instructor’ is supposed to show up to explain the charges to Carlos and his lawyer,” a source close to the Lamelas family said. Some observers believe Lamelas was targeted for harassment because he challenged the government on religious rights issues while serving as national president of his church. He told his wife, Uramis, during a 15-minute visit on Monday at the Villa Marita Detention Center in Havana, that he was “pretty discouraged” because the legal case is not moving forward.
The evangelical minister is being held at the Villa Marita Detention Center in the Havana borough of Arroyo Naranjo.
Authorities have allowed Lamelas’s defense attorney only one five-minute interview with him since the arrest.

To read more about this story go to...
http://www.compassdirect.org/en/newslongen.php?idelement=4280


Please Remember to Pray for Carlos Lamelas his family and the people of Cuba.

This kind of information and much more can be found at a few different web sites.

Voice of the Martyrs
http://www.persecution.com/

Compass Direct
http://www.compassdirect.org/en/index.phpI

International Christian Concern
http://www.persecution.org/newsite/index.php

Open Doors
http://www.opendoorsusa.org/Display.asp?Page=home

Something to think about

Here is something to think about.

The man who is seriously convinced that he deserves to go to hell is not likely to go there, while the man who believes that he is worthy of heaven will certainly never enter that blessed place. - A.W. Tozer, Man: the Dwelling Place of God

Christians go to Jail

As I was reading this morning I read this verse

Acts 4:3 And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

The words I emphasized in Italics really stood out to me. First i thought.... Well that did not take long... here we are only in the 4th chapter of Acts and they are already getting thrown in Jail. This is something I have said a few times "Christians go to Jail."

The Lord has given me a ministry in the Jails in our county and a few of the surrounding counties. On Monday nights when I am at the Jail when someone calls for me at home the kids always tell the person calling that I can not come to the phone because I am in Jail. This of course turns out to be good laugh.

I thank God for the experienc I had last year by the grace of God.

I was able to travel a little this last year and found myself and a friend taken into Police Custody. It was not for anything that would be wrong in the USA. My friend and I were in this foreign country and were arrested by about 10 or 12 plain clothes police for handing out Bibles. The only reason I mention this is because I think we need to be aware that many countries in the world do not enjoy Freedom of Religion and Freedom of Speech. Many of our brother and sisters in Jesus do not enjoy the freedoms we do in the USA.

There are many people in China who are in Prison today because they are Christians. There are people in prison in Vietnam because they are Christians. The same goes for Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Laos, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Iran, and there are probably others.

Hebrews 13:3
Remember the prisoners as if chained
with them--those who are mistreated--
since you yourselves are in the body also.

Right now Abdul Rahman is in the headlines. He reportedly became a Christian 16 years ago while working with a Christian aid group. Evidently a person does not have the right to change religions in Afghanistan. Especially if you are changing from Islam to another faith.

Recent reports suggest that charges against Rahman may be dropped due to his mental fitness for trial, they say that he has suffered from depression in the past. These issues may give the Afghan governement a face-saving way out in a case that has drawn international attention and criticism.

The new Constitution of Afghanistan states that "followers of other religions (other than Islam) are free to exercise their faith and perform their religious rites within the limits of the provisions of law." (Exercising your faith does not include evangelizing.) But the same document declares that, "the religion of the state is the sacred religion of Islam," and that Sharia Law is the controlling legal authority. The way sharia Law is interpreted by many in Afghanistan is that a person who leaves the Islamic fath should be put to death by beheading.

Please Remember to Pray for Abdul Rahman and the people of Afghanistan.

This kind of information and much more can be found at a few different web sites.

Voice of the Martyrs
http://www.persecution.com/

Compass Direct
http://www.compassdirect.org/en/index.php

International Christian Concern
http://www.persecution.org/newsite/index.php

Fishers of Men

FISHERS OF MEN

Being a fisher of men is being a a person who is going after the lost and following Jesus.
Proverbs 11:30 – “He who wins souls is wise.” Soulwinning is not something we do but it is who we are

Jesus called His disciples to follow Him – Matthew 4:18-22.
in verse 19 he actually said – “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

If you follow Him you will be a fisher of men, which is the gospel to people. Being a fisher of men is telling people of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

Luke 19:10
“For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Going to church doesn’t make you a fisher of men.
Having a Bible doesn’t make you a fisher of men.
You can pray and not be a fisher of men.
You can be a good person and still not be a fisher of men.

Tips to make you a better fisher of men.
Make time in your schedule to be a fisher of men.
Be enthused and avid about soulwinning.
Keep a supply of gospel tracts available to pass out.
Study evangelism.
Find someone to teach you how to be a Fisher of Men.

George Macleod of Scotland

This quote inspires me...


"We simply argue that the cross be raised again at the center of the marketplace as well as the steeple of the church. We are recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves; on the town garbage heap; at a crossroad so cosmopolitan that they had to write His title in Hebrew, in Latin and in Greek...at the kind of place where cynics talk smut and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble. Because that is where He died. And that is what He died about. And that is where Christians ought to be, and what Christians should be about." -George Macleod of Scotland

Signs and Wonders V

Signs and Wonders V

In the discussion of signs and wonders a person can not leave out all the supernatural things God does for the believers. I include them in the discussion because they are a sign that God is with them.

Acts 8:38-40
38 So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And
both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water,
and he baptized him.
39 Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit
of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw
him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
40 But Philip was found at Azotus. And passing
through, he preached in all the cities till he came to
Caesarea.

The Holy Spirit supernaturally transported Philip to Azotus and then as he traveled on through the other cities Philip continued to preach in all the cities between Azotus and Caesarea.

Can God still do this today. I would say of course and He probably even does. However this is not a sign that is promised, so it is hard to claim. Even here in these scripture I would say Philip is not expecting this to happen. However it does show me that nothing is impossible for Jesus. I just want to praise Him for He watches over me.

Signs and Wonders IV

Signs and Wonders IV

Starting where we left off last at Acts 6:8.

Acts 6:8
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great
wonders and signs among the people.

Stephen did great wonders and signs among the people. I wonder why this is designated as GREAT wonders and signs. Are they different from just the regular signs and wonders that were being done by the Apostles and other believers?

This reminds me that Jesus said to the disciples that they would do even GREATER works than He did...

John 14:12-14
12"Most assuredly, I say to you, he
who believes in Me, the works that I
do he will do also; and greater works
than these he will do, because I go to
My Father.
13 "And whatever you ask in My name,
that I will do, that the Father may be
glorified in the Son.
14 "If you ask anything in My name, I
will do it."

So once again Jesus tells us what is going to be happening in the future among not only the Apostles, but among believers. This statement is in line with Mark 16:15-18 where Jesus makes another statement concerning signs and wonders and their operation among believers.

The next testimony of something supernatural happening in these early day of the church is found in Acts chapter 8...

5 Then Philip went down to the city of
Samaria and preached Christ to them.
6 And the multitudes with one accord
heeded the things spoken by Philip,
hearing and seeing the miracles which
he did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud
voice, came out of many who were
possessed; and many who were
paralyzed and lame were healed.
8 And there was great joy in that city.

Philip goes to the Samaritan city and preaches Jesus to them and they all listened to him, because the power of God was being manifested. People were being healed and demonically posessed people were being delivered. Philip was seeing the works that he saw Jesus do in his own ministry. He must of known and had great assurance that Jesus was with him. Jesus has told us that he would never leave us nor forsake us. We need to believe that He will manifest the power of God like He did for Stephen and Philip, for us. God is not a respector of persons and He said that these signs and wonders would be done for those who believe.

Signs and Wonders III

Signs and Wonders III

Jesus made a statement about signs and wonders and the church before He ascended into heaven....
Mark 16:15-18
15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
17 "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
18 "they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

In the above passage Jesus makes it quite clear that supernatural signs and wonders will follow the believer. He specifically mentions...

#1 Casting out demons;
#2 Speaking with new tongues;
#3 Taking up serpents;
#4 If they drink anything deadly it will not harm them;
#5 They will lay hands on the sick and see them recover or be healed.

Five supernatural signs that will follow the believer.

In Acts 2:1-4 We learn about the first manefestation that the Holy Spirit is now with the church.
Acts 2:1-4
1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

What a awesome supernatural experience this was, the sound of a wind storm, flames of fire or so it appeared on each believer, and they all began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. WOW.

On down in verse 22 Peter is speaking and tells his audience that God was doing signs and wonders through Jesus to prove that he was from God.

22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know--

This chapter is just abundant with this phrase signs and wonders because as we look at vers 43 we see that even the Apostles begin to see signs and wonders happen as they minister.

Acts 2:42-43
42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.

In the Acts 3:1-13 we see another sign where Peter and John are used by Jesus to Heal a man.
Then in Acts 4:23-31 the group goes into prayer and in vers 30 they pray that God would begin to perform healings, with signs and wonders.
In the next chapter we see the Apostles once again seeing these miraculous signs and wonders being done through their Hands.
Acts 5:12
12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch.

Then in Acts chapter 6 the scriptures testify of someone who is not a Apostle doing great signs and wonders among the people, and it is Stephen.

Acts 6:8
8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

So that is a lot to think about. What Jesus said would happen happened in the Book of Acts the Apostles saw the power of God manifest in signs and wonders and so did some people who were not Apostles. Remember Jesus did not say it was just for the 12 he said these signs will follow those who believe.

This "Following Jesus" is wild.

Signs and Wonders II

Signs and Wonders II

In my last Post we acknowledge that there is such a thing as false Prophets and false Christ's who will perform signs and wonders. So with that comes the question, How can we tell which "miracles, signs, and wonders" are of God?
You can tell what signs are from God and what signs are not from God.

Here is How:
Test #1 Who gets the Glory.
Is God getting the Glory or is it the man. Is the man directing the glory to God? If he is not then he is a False Prophet. Anyone who glorifies himself should be shunned no matter how extraordinary the signs that follow him.

Test #2 The sign stands the test of external verification.
"Go, show yourselves to the priests" (Luke 17:14)
When a miracle or Healing appears to have occurred we should welcome impartial verification.

Test #3. It builds up the church.
"In the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles" (1 Cor. 12:28).
Apostles, Prophets, and Teachers are God-given for the functioning of the church, so are workers of miracles. Both teaching and miracles, word and deed, occurring in unity are to be part of the church and it's outreach.
Acts 8:5-7
5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.
6 And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed.
Signs and wonders should work in conjunction with our proclamation of the Gospel to the building up of the Church.

Test #4 From a righteous source.
When Jesus was speaking of false prophets He said, "By their fruit you will recognize them" (Matt. 7:15-16). Is the person laying on hands above reproach?

Don't be deceived by accepting all signs and wonders, some will be false done by False Prophets and False Christ.
Also be assured that Jesus is still Alive in His disciples today just like He was in the Book of Acts and He is still performing miracles and signs and wonders because He is a miracle working God.
God is Awesome.

One last word on False Prophets
Deuteronomy 13
1 "If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder,
2 "and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, 'Let us go after other gods' -which you have not known-'and let us serve them,'
3 "you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the LORD your God is testing you to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.
4 "You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice, and you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.
5 "But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst.

Signs & Wonders

Signs & Wonders

The first time I see these words used in the Bible it is during the deliverance of God's people out of the land of Egypt (Exodus 7:3) In these verses it is talking about all of the mighty Miracles that God did as Moses announced each coming plague. Then later Daniel mentions that it was God that delivered Him with mighty signs and wonders out of the mouths of the lions. And many more miracles, signs and wonders are recorded in the Old Testament which God did on behalf of His people.

Then in the New Testament in the Gospels this phrase is mentioned a few times but only with a warning as it appears that False prophet's and False Christ's will arise and try to deceive people doing mighty signs and wonders(Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:2). There are some people that would begin to form a anti signs and wonders doctrine with these phrases. However signs and wonders do not only occur in the Bible when it is mentioned under signs and wonders, sometimes the Bible calls signs and wonders healings and or maybe miracles. Jesus Healed thousands of people and set thousands loose from the possessions and oppression of the Devil. Acts 10:38 states God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. These were mighty signs and wonders also. So as there are those false prophets and False Christ's who perform signs and wonders to deceive, we cannot judge everyone that is doing signs and wonders as false because even Jesus did many signs and wonders(Acts 2:22).

In John 3 Nicodemus even declares that these mighty works that Jesus was doing proved that he was from God.

Signs, wonders and miracles appear very commonly among the people of God throughout the Bible. After the Gospels signs and wonders begin to appear as the Apostles and the early church take up the commission to go and preach the Gospel to the whole planet. Jesus told the disciples that the signs and wonders would continue to follow those who believe in the Gospel of Mark 16:17-18).

When the day of Pentecost came there where great signs and wonders manifested on those in the upper room and Peter declared that these signs and wonders were prophesied by the prophet Joel (Acts 2:18-20)

The reason these signs and wonders are with the early Church is because Jesus is with them. He promised that He would be with them always even to the end of the age Matthew 28:20. If Jesus is going to keep this promise then as we read the Bible, the miracles, signs and wonders should still be happening in the book of Acts just like they did in the Gospels because Jesus will still be there. And that is indeed what we find. In Acts chapter 3:1-16 John and Peter are used by God to heal a man in Jerusalem and no small stir begins and Peter gives al the credit to Jesus for the man being healed. This healing is proof that Jesus was keeping his promise to be with them always.

After this incident they had some real problems with the city officials. The city Priest and Sadducees really came down hard on them for preaching the Gospel and healing this man. When they were finally released they prayed (Acts 4:23-31) to God to give them Boldness and asked for God to continue to do miracles, signs and wonders among them.

29 "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants
that with all boldness they may speak Your word,
30 "by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and
wonders may be done through the name of Your holy
Servant Jesus."

This is a prayer I believe we the Church in the 21st century need to pray.

In Acts chapter 5 we see that signs and wonders are still being manifested and Jesus is still keeping His promise to be with them because he is the one doing the signs, wonders and miracles.

Acts 5:12 And through the hands of the apostles many signs
and wonders were done among the people. And they
were all with one accord in Solomon's Porch.

There is more to this subject, I will continue this thought in a later Blog. I want to rejoice that our miracle working God has not left us but He is with us in the POWER of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).
God is God and He does not change Jesus is the same Yesterday, Today and Forever. Praise the Lord!!

J.I. Packer on the "modern gospel"

Here are some words from
J.I. Packer on the "modern gospel"

---

"It fails to make men God-centred in their thoughts and God-fearing in their hearts because this is not primarily what it is trying to do. One way of stating the difference between it and the old gospel is to say that it is too exclusively concerned to be 'helpful' to man - to bring peace, comfort, happiness, satisfaction - and too little concerned to glorify God. The old gospel was 'helpful', too - more so, indeed, than is the new - but (so to speak) incedentally, for its first concern was always to give glory to God.....Its centre of reference was unambiguously God. But in the new gospel the centre of reference is man....Whereas the chief aim of the old was to teach people to worship God, the concern of the new seems limited to making them feel better. The subject of the old gospel was God and his ways with men; the subject of the new is man and the help God gives him. There is a world of difference. The whole perspective and emphasis of gospel preaching has changed."

From A Quest for Godliness, p. 126

I think we should contemplate these words.
The Gospel you preach is it Jesus Centered or people centered?
Think about it, it could make a world of difference.
Who is J.I. Packer? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._I._Packer

Who Is Jesus?

Who is Jesus?

For a couple thousand years people have been answering that question. Many think He is just a myth and that He never really walked on earth. Others say he was good man, a great teacher, or a prophet, some have called him a demon possessed man or something even worse.

Napoleon Bonaparte said, "I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ was no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire on love; and at this very hour millions of men would die for Him."

When H.G. Wells was asked what person had left the most permanent impression on history, he replied that judging a person's greatness by historical standards, "By this test Jesus stands first."

Jesus Himself said, "I and the Father are one." He also stated, "If you have seen Me you have seen the Father." Jesus said He was one with God the Father. He also said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man may come to the Father but by ME." He repeatedly forgave sins something only God can do.

C.S. Lewis said, "I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him, I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God. That is one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the kind of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic -- on level with the man who says he is a poached egg -- or else He would be the devil of hell. Either this Man was the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

So what are you going to do with Jesus?
Who do you think He is?

Jesus is the Only way to God. We must follow Him or we will surely perish
You may not think you need a savior and that your good deeds will outweigh your bad deeds on judgment day. why don't you take this Goodness Test and let's see if you need a savior.

Have you ever lied (even once--fibs, white lies, etc.)? Ever stolen (anything--the value is irrelevant)? Jesus said, "Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery already with her in his heart." Have you ever looked with lust? If you have said "Yes" to these three questions, by your own admission, you are a lying, thieving, adulterer at heart; and we've only looked at three of the Ten Commandments. That's how God sees you. Nothing is hid from His holy eyes. Will you be innocent or guilty on the Day of Judgment? Listen to your conscience. You know that you will be guilty, and therefore end up in Hell. That's not God's will. He provided a way for you to be forgiven. He sent His Son to take your punishment: "God commended His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." He was bruised for our iniquities. Jesus then rose from the dead and defeated death. The wages for your sin is death, " . . . but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Make Jesus your Master and King. Place your faith in Him, and He will separate Your sins from you as far as the east is from the west. Therefore on judgment day you will go to live with God Forever in Heaven.

Do You want Your Prayers Answered?

I saw this on a web site today...

"If you want your prayers answered, Pray what's on God Heart"
http://www.prayercentral.net/

The Pathan (or Pushtun) are a mountain people living in the eastern regions of Afghanistan. This large people group makes up nearly one half of Afghanistan's total population. The origins of the Pathan people are unclear; but legends say that they are the descendants of Afghana, grandson of King Saul. However, most scholars believe that they probably arose from an intermingling of ancient Aryans with subsequent invaders.
The Pathan people consist of about sixty different tribes. Tribal genealogies establish rights of succession and inheritance, rights to use tribal lands, and rights to speak in the tribal council. Disputes over property, women, or personal injury often result in blood feuds between families and clans. These "family feuds" are often passed down from generation to generation, unless settled by clan chiefs or the tribal council.
What are their lives like?The Pathan tribes range from the highly educated who live in cities, to tent-dwelling nomads. Some of the nomadic tribes live in the warm plains throughout the winter months, then migrate to mountain pastures for the summer months.
Tribal customs and traditions make up the biggest part of the Pathan society. The true essence of Pathan culture can be seen in the "code of ethics" that every Pathan lives by. This unwritten code of life is called "Pushtunwali," (the way of the Pushtun), and is closest to the heart of every Pathan. Pushtunwali is followed religiously, and it incorporates the following major practices: "melmastia" (hospitality and protection to every guest); "nanawati" (the right of a fugitive to seek a place of refuge, and acceptance of his bona fide offer of peace); "badal" (the right of blood feuds or revenge); "tureh" (bravery); "sabat" (steadfastness); "imamdari" (righteousness); "'isteqamat" (persistence); "ghayrat" (defense of property and honor); and "mamus" (defense of one's women).
Pathan men usually wear sleeveless, embroidered vests over long sleeve, cotton shirts that are buttoned at one shoulder and hanging over baggy trousers. They also wear unique turbans, which have the cloths tied in such a way that indicates tribal identity. In certain zones of Afghanistan, rifles, pistols, knives, and other weapons are considered essential items of dress. Pathan women wear basically the same type clothing as the men, but they generally use more colorful material.
What are their beliefs?Since the time of Alexander the Great, Afghanistan has been the site of both Eastern and Western invasions. As a result, the Pathan tribes have been influenced by Indian Buddhists as well as African Muslims. However, Islam has been the chief religion of Afghanistan since the 10th century. Presently the Pathan people are 99% Muslim.
What are their needs?The Pathans are a people who have known frequent war. In 1979 the Soviets, fearing loss of communistic control over the Afghan people, led a massive invasion into Afghanistan. Since that time, approximately 3 million Afghans have fled across the border into Pakistan; many of them were Pathans. The nation is in extreme turmoil as a result of Soviet occupation and the on-going civil war.
Due to unsanitary living conditions (mainly poor water) and the harshness of the lifestyle, the average life expectancy in Afghanistan is only 46 years. Statistically this is one of the world's lowest figures. Only 25% of the adults are literate. The need for qualified medical teams and school teachers is great.
The Islamic religion is very difficult to penetrate. Converts to Christianity will more than likely be "banished" from their families. Consequently, there has been very little growth of Christianity among the Pathan. Most of the work by various missions agencies has ended due to unrest in the country. More recently, some of the "freedom fighters" have attacked Western relief agencies, causing them to flee from Afghanistan. Presently there are no Bibles in the Pakhtu language, and Christian radio and television broadcasts are strictly forbidden by the government.

Prayer Points
Ask God to call those who are willing to go to Afghanistan and share Christ with the Pathan people.
Pray that God will encourage and protect the small number of Pathan believers.
Ask God to soften the hearts of the Pathan towards Christians so that they will be open to the Gospel.
Pray for the Afghani children who grow up in fear and hatred of outsiders.
Ask God to once again open the doors for Christian agencies desiring to work among the Pathan.
http://www.global12project.com/2004/profiles/p_code/1504.html

This profile is some what dated but it still has plenty of great information. I know these people are on the Heart of God, Please join with me in praying for them and their salvation.
for even more information on the Pathan you can go to....
http://www.global12project.com/2004/profiles/clusters/8027.html

Thank you for praying for the Pathan.