It is Warfare!!

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching . [Hebrews 10:25] It is amazing to read in the Bible how David had men massed around him until it was a mighty army. [ Hebrews 10:25] Our Lord and Savior is doing the same thing these last days. The only difference is the kinds of battles we're fighting. David and his men fought a physical warfare against the Philistines and some Canaanite tribes. While we are fighting a spiritual war against "...principalities, against powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." [Eph: 6:12] In the annual antelope migration in a National Park in Africa thousands of antelope, slowly move in groups across the plain. They are are always followed by stalking lions. But the lions never attack the herd – they just wait and watch for the stray antelope, who is either careless or thinks the grass is greener on the other side, he then separates himself from the main (larger) groups of animals. The separated and detached antelope will become the prey of the lions, very quickly, who attack that lone antelope with lightening speed and fury. In the day that we live in, spiritual warfare separation is just as dangerous, as our enemy roams like a roaring lion looking for separated brothers and sisters to prey upon. We all need real Christian relationship and a spiritual gathering for protection against Satan and his demons who is always and forever stalking the vulnerable Christian as prey. It's not enough for Christians to just simply go to church. We need to be in the body and community of believers (The church)(A body of believers), passively involved in loving, serving, praying, counseling, encouraging, admonishing, rejoicing, weeping, and forgiving as the family of God. To many believers are separated, and seriously assailable to the attacks of Satan. We need to strive everyday to not be one of them, because this is a very dangerous state to be in. In the Bible David's army was prospering and safe because they were together in mind heart and purpose. They were together in everything that they did. There was unity. The antelope, also endured and pulled through when they, as a body, stuck together as a single unit. Christians need to do the same thing unit. They need to find a spiritual church and be faithful to it.

What is there not to like about my Dad?

My dad was always a provider for our family. My family always had a place to live. food to eat, and guidance as we needed it. He was a kind of dad that did as he said and not a dad that was, do as I say and not as I do. He not only sent my brothers and sisters to church, he went with us! He saw that we went Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Wednesday nights, to pray meetings in different homes, and to the camp meetings in the Summer.   He has been a minister of the Gospel for over fifty years and at 84 years old he still stands behind the Scared Desk and brings forth God's Word under the Anointing! His days are alway one of witnessing for the Lord, visiting nursing homes and telling the world about the Blessed Hope of our Savior. He still visits the sick with words of encouragement and hope. Remarkable for a 84 year old man!

Before he became a pastor he was in the bus ministry for the Church of God in Federalsburg and he went out into the highways, the back streets and into homes most people would not go and would not give up until the bus was packed every Sunday. He would not give up. His reasoning for all this is was: In the end only what you do for Christ will last"

But I will always remember him for this: He has never compromised the standard that is set forth in the word of God. He has never allowed false doctrine to take hold or even come into the church. He will speak out (always in love) and  in a heart beat against false doctines and how the world has come into the church. He has always said that the church must preach a well rounded Gospel, in love, because a preacher is not giving his flock the whole truth other wise.  In my opinion, he is one of the last of a line of preachers across our nation and around the world that still holds the banner high!

I try my best as the oldest child in our family to fill his shoes but I fall short. It is through him that I came to know Jesus as my personal Savior. It is because of his fatherly leadership that my whole family is saved and serves the Lord. What is not for me to love about my dad?

The King

 David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father's house heard it, they went down thither to him. And every one that was in distress, and every one that was in debt, and every one that was discontented, gathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them: and there were with him about four hundred men. [1 Samuel 22:1-2]

When we read the story of  David in the Bible and see how he was anointed king over Israel by Samuel, he didn’t take his place at the throne immediately and start ruling. He had to wait, until Saul was removed from power, before succeeding to the throne as King. Like His earthly ancestor David, Jesus, was received as Israel's king at the triumphal and joyful entry, which is called "Palm Sunday" by most of the Christian World, and then he was anointed King of the Jews, He received His true title from the Romans, when they hung him on the cross. But He is still waiting to reveal His identity as King on earth, and that will be when His kingdom will replace the kingdoms of this world at His second Second Coming. [Rev. 11:15].

Now, while David was waiting for his kingship to take place, he was chased and persecuted by Saul, driven into the wild and caves, and places in the Land. There, he found other outcasts who became his followers; men who were in distress, in debt, or discontented in one way or another; those that felt they had no part in this life any longer. 

Rather than casting these people away from him, because, after all he was a king, David drew them to himself, by the anointing on his life and the strength of his character; and they, of all people, recognized that he was the chosen King of Israel. David's true kingly nature embraced these lowly men and transformed them into a mighty army.

Jesus does exactly the same with us, even while He has been rejected as king of this world. Outcasts, broken, indebted, despised, discontented people like what is found in[1 Cor. 1:26-28] are chosen out of the world, and transformed by Him into powerful vessels to serve his purposes while we wait for His kingdom to come. We are the Lord's army!

The people in this world who are in distress, or struggling with debt, or unhappy with their life. Need to met the outcast King of the Jews? In fact, to go a step further, the whole world needs to meet our soon coming King! They need to follow the One whose own people did not receive Him. His present kingdom is not of this world, because He's waiting for His house to be filled, before He returns? People need to recognize the One who this old world has not known and serve Him! We are called, like the men who were around David. However we must remember, that our battle is not with flesh and blood like it was in David's time, but it is against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

 

Look Up!

THE BUZZARD:  If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner . The reason for this is that a buzzard always begins his flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without this space to run, as its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top!

THE BAT:The ordinary bat that flies at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, can not take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly, and no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then at once it takes off like a flash.

THE BUMBLE BEE:A bumble bee, if dropped into an open tumbler or jar, will be there until he dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persist in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom... It will seek a way where none exist, until it completely destroys itself.

PEOPLE: In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumble bee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That's the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem. Just look up. Sorrow looks back. Worry looks around. But Faith looks up!!

Just Say A Word!

And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die .And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he

would come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying , That he was worthy for whom he should do this:For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself : for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed .For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go , and he goeth ; and to another, Come , and he cometh ;and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him about , and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.And they that were sent , returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick .[Luke 7: 2-10]

All Christians believe in God's Word but few will apply all of it to there lives. Some believe in Salvation, some believe in Healing, others don't. Most all Christians believe in the Fruits of the Spirit, but not all believe in the Gifts of the Spirit. Some read the Word of God and get very little meaning out of it while others receive many a blessing from it. That Book, has over the past 34 years has truly blessed my soul and it has helped me through many trails and tribulations. I wonder how many Christians today think like the centurion in the above scripture including myself! I bet not many. We can quote scripture after scripture, but I wonder how many has people have really thought about the true meaning it brings forth. There is a powerful meaning and thought in those verses. “BUT SAY IN A WORD”. What a thought! Now that is really having faith! Does that kind of faith happen today? Yes it does!

I want to share with you a story that really took place some years ago in a small country church. The church was packed out (about a 90 people) this particular night because of a evangelist that was going to speak. I was there that night. I had real bad chest pains, but yet I kept a straight face and told no one, hoping the preaching would soon be over so that I could go to the alter and asked to be anointed and prayed for. Then it happen! As the evangelist walked up the center isle to the pulpit as he passed by my row he turned and looked at me (I was seated in the middle of the row) and he said “ That pain in your chest is gone right now in Jesus name”. Yep he was right that pain was instantly gone. He just said a word and the awful pain was gone! What get faith that evangelist had. I had the faith to be healed and I was waiting to go to the alter to be anointed with oil and prayed for, But The Great Physician did not wait. He used His servant to just speak the word and I was healed. The evangelist had the faith, the same as the centurion's had. What great faith!

I Will Rejoice in The Lord!

Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places.To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments. [Habakkuk 3: 17,18,19]

These are some of my favorite verses in the Bible!, Life could not get much worse than what Habakkuk is describing. He is describing a situation where there is no food to eat, either plants or animals. But Habakkuk will still rejoice in the Lord! Even in the worst of times I have the hope of my salvation to rejoice in. What can be better than the fact that I’m no longer going to spend eternity in Hell but instead am going to spend eternity in the presence of God??? You can’t get better than that! When life is hard and I’m feeling down I need to remind myself of the gospel and remind myself that God is good and right ALL the time.Habakkuk, in the face of a massive invasion by the Babylonians, still has faith that God will provide him with the strength to endure it. Even when the plants and animals will perish He has confidence in God to keep his faith alive. Just like the deers were able to run around on the sketchy cliffs, Habakkuk would be able to keep faith during the scary times ahead. As Christians we know that God will always be enough for us. No matter how scary or unsure life gets we can rely on the strength of God, and trust Him to give us the faith we need to endure the hardships of life. So when I am tempted to be scared or anxious about the future or current circumstances I am going to pray to God instead of worrying and trusting in my own strength. He can make “my feet like the deer’s”, He has saved me from sin, and has guided me so far in life, so I will trust in His good, just, and sovereign nature! What a great God we serve!

It really doesn’t matter what we’re going through, what we have to realize is that through everything God is in control
Everything that happens is according to plan, and in the end that plan results in the eternal reward of heaven. So, until then, we should have a reliance and faith that God will not let down or desert his chosen ones. He is perfectly faithful.

The Views of Heaven in the Koran

Below is the mind set of the people who are slowly taking over America and the world! (The fiddler plays while Rome burns)

[1] Koran 44:51-59 states .that large eyed virgins are awaiting Muslims in heaven

[2] Koran 78:31-35 states that female virgins will have large swelling breast.

[3] In heaven the virginity of these women, according to the Koran, will be automatically restored after each encounter [ Koran 56:35]

[4] Men in Paradise will recline on couches surrounded by fruit, meat, and beautiful women [[Koran 52:16-22]

[5] The Koran states that Muslim men in Heaven will have a virtual assortment of sex, in other words what ever is desired [Koran 55:62-77]

[6] In the Hadith, it is said that men will have the availability of 72 virgins and, in fact there will be also a free sex market for both men and women. [Hadith Al Hadis vol 4 Page 172 No. 34]

[7] The Koran claims that in Heaven men will enjoy a fountain of wine, which they can enjoy with out ever getting drunk [Koran 37:45]

[8] The Koran also states that those who wish for pleasure of young boys will find many in paradise. [Koran 76:19]

[9] The Koran states that all Muslims must fight until there is no worship but that of Allah. [Koran 2:123; 8:39]

[10] Christians and Jews must be exterminated [Koran 2:193; 9;5; 29:30]

[11] Those who convert to Christianity or leave the Islamic religion, for any reason, must be killed. [Koran 4: 4:91

[12] Muhammad said: “Who ever changes his religion, kill him!” [Al-Bukhari 9:57]

[13] Those who criticize Islam must be killed [Koran 9:12; 45:9]

[14] Those who cut off the heads of infidels are guaranteed paradise [Koran 47:4-6]

[15] By killing, one is following the example of Muhammad, who killed as well        [Koran 33:21] 

[16] The prophets of Islam are to promote terrorism. [Koran 17:59]

The Muslims, beyond the shadow of a doubt, are bent on possessing this planet for Allah, either by coercion or persuasion. They do not lack the will to use whatever means necessary, even to the slaughter of millions, only the way. By devious means they are making a great headway around the world.  The word ‘Jihad’ is one of the great words in the Muslim vocabulary. In effect, it is a declaration of war against all and everything that is not Muslim.  

NOTE: This article, in part, is from ‘The Evangelist’ and wrote by Jimmy Swaggart.

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