The Christian Spot: August 2009

Monday, August 31, 2009

Christ in North Korea

As is true of much of Korean history, the pathway of Christ and His people on the Korean peninsula is a bloody one.

In 1122 B.C. 5,000 subjects of Chinese rule rebelled and fled to the peninsula we now associate with Korea, organizing a new state, "Chosun", land of morning calm. For the next 3,000 years this "hermit kingdom" suffered the abuses of Mongolians, Chinese, and Japanese until in 1876 a trade treaty was forced upon it by Japan. Korea was brought out of its shell, and over the next quarter of a century all of its ports were opened to the West.

Japan pushed even farther, however. From 1910 to 1945 it occupied Korea totally. What Christian witness had spread was slowly extinguished, not by the Koreans, but by their foreign "hosts." At the end of World War II, the country was divided. More intruders came in, and in the North they still are there. Christians have been murdered en masse during the long occupation of Russian/Chinese style totalitarian Communism. 500 pastors were killed during the Korean War period alone.

Thousands to this day languish in theNorth Korean gulag, trusting Christ daily for their perseverance and deliverance.

That is the rough outline. We go back now to fill in details. First, Roman Catholicism. It was in the early 1800's that Korean diplomats in Peking, China, met members of the Catholic world system. Contacts were made, and secret entrances were attempted into Korea. Catholicism spread rapidly, but was countered by Buddhist priests as Rome, a foreign power, was a political threat to their authority over the lives of the Korean people. This anti-foreign fear in Korea -well founded, unfortunately - climaxed in 1846 by the all-out slaughter of the entire Romanist hierarchy along with 10,000 members.

The name of Jesus was dealt a heavy blow. But the Protestants were not far behind in their own advance into Korea. In 1882, the United States and Korea (there was only one Korea then) signed a trade treaty. Protestants now found their way into this little kingdom on the other side of the world. Medical doctors led the way, followed by evangelists and educators.

The general pattern of church formation at the beginning was laid out by China missionary John Nevius. Churches were to start in the homes of nationals, and as quickly as possible they were to be under the complete control of the national church. This was not to be an "American" thing, nor a Roman one. Christ would prove Himself a sufficient leader of men through His Spirit and His Word. Missionaries would serve as advisors and specialists, then move on.

By 1907, Hefley says that over 1,000 self-supporting churches served 120,000 evangelicals. And that was just in the Presbyterian part of the church. A major revival swept across Korea in that year. Mass prayer meetings. Confessions of backsliders. Conversions of hardened sinners. God was preparing His Church for a trial by fire.

Those of us who pray for such revival in our own day must remember that God's Spirit is poured out for a reason. Pentecost was followed by persecution, and probably ever shall be. What a difference in North Korea from 100 years ago! How our hearts should be stirred to humble ourselves before God! The "It can't happen here" mentality has ever been proved faulty.

[My thanks to James and Marti Hefley's By Their Blood for some of the facts of this article.]

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

The Korean Peninsula's Long Night

Christian North Korea, what was it like a hundred years ago?

Some of my readers/hearers may be feeling down today. It happens to me on a regular basis in the school system where I work. Some may be facing sickness or financial loss. But chances are none of us are experiencing anything like the constant stream of evil perpetrated on the Christian inhabitants of the Korean peninsula. We're back in the early part of the 20th century there, during the Japanese occupation. The new masters became so oppressive that native Koreans, led in large part by believers, took to the street. Japan reacted. The torture began. A reporter of the day wrote:

"Men and boys were trussed and suspended from the ceilings so that their weight hung on the shoulders. Thus they were raised and lowered til unconscious. They had their fingers pressed over red hot wires. Their naked flesh was lacerated with sharp hooks and seared with hot irons. Toenails were torn from the flesh with pincers. Men were placed in a tight box and then screwed up. They were tied up, their heads forced back, and hot water or a solution of water and red pepper poured down their nostrils. Slivers of wood were shoved far under their fingernails. They were flogged until they had to be taken to hospitals, where big slabs of gangrenous skin had to be cut off. In many cases they were flogged to death. [These tortures] were not done once or twice, but repeatedly for days and nights, hours at a time, until the victim confessed, whether he had anything to confess or not..."

A 21-year-old Christian female from Pyongyang gave Presbyterian missionaries a signed statement of how women were treated. I will not be able to share all of what she said. But the most dedicated followers of Jesus were humiliated, beaten into unconsciousness, burned with lighted cigarettes, compelled to "baby-sit" the bodies of dead men, bound hand and foot in stocks, exposed to vile indecent remarks, and on and on. "Some of the girls were so changed that they did not look like human beings."

Church papers in the U.S. begin relating the truth about the atrocities as they hear them from the missionaries. So the Japanese have to get rid of the reporters. Two hundred "thugs" are brought over from Japan to terrorize these representatives of Christ's kingdom. Homes must be guarded every night. People are beaten. Others sentenced to prison terms. Then the world press picks up the story. Japan relents and produces reforms, which last about ten years.

In the thirties there is again a fresh crop of Japanese hardliners that rises to repress Christians. More arrests. More rules. In 1937 students at Christian schools are told they must worship the Sun Goddess. Surely all Christians said NO? Wrong. The Methodists go along with the idea, saying that this is merely a cultural patriotic thing, not a religious one. Presbyterians do not comply but they decide to close their schools. The witness of Christ is being snuffed out.

Some churches are given similar regulations. Christians who fail to worship at a Shinto shrine are to be imprisoned. Then in '39 all foreign missionaries are forced to leave the country altogether. The believers who are left behind continue to be pressured into compromise. No more Old Testaments allowed in worship. No New Testament passages that claim Christ to be Lord and King can be proclaimed! Families are forced to "baptize" their children into the Shinto religion. Church buildings confiscated. Clergy drafted for work for the war effort (World War II).

Yes, all of this before Kim and Communism. And all of this after Pyongyang is known as the "Jerusalem" of the East. What a history this peninsula has known! How God's people have paid a price over the years! Gets you to wondering afresh, would I have stood firm? Would I have mentally sought escape from the cross by saying Sun worship is merely "patriotic"? Would I have hid an Old Testament and taught it faithfully to my children, as I would in the free world? Would I have found ways to preach Jesus IS Lord and King, and will one day rule the world when He comes in glory? I have now. Would I have then? Would I have let them force me into infant baptism and a false religion? I fought all of that here. What about there?

Easy to say, "Lord we are able to bear the cross, to drink the cup." It all sounds so poetic and romantic and wonderful. But Peter found out that all the talk in the world doesn't prepare one for an arrest in the middle of the night. May Jesus' Spirit make us ready. For now let us keep praying for those who gladly give their lives away to Jesus.

Oh how the enemy of our soul hates us! Though it is promised that if we resist his temptations he will flee from us, there is no fleeing from the vicious hatred he is at times allowed to pour out on those willing to bear the cross of Christ.

Still feeling down ? In the midst of the ups and downs of life, may Jesus keep His cross before us, and the joy of meeting Him, having borne it faithfully.
Quotes above also used by the Heflins, authors of By Their Blood.

The Deity of Jesus Christ - Samuel

Jesus is God in the books of Samuel.

I Samuel 2:3, knowledge. "The Lord is a God of knowledge." From Hannah's lips. And from Paul's pen, a statement to the Colossians:(2:2-3) "...to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ in Whom (Father and Christ or just Christ?) are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." He knows it all, this Christ, Who is God.

II Samuel 22:2 , Deliverer. "The Lord is my deliverer." The words are David's. He speaks the same in Psalm 40:17 and numerous other places. It is generic and applicable in a number of ways to how our God sets us free from the enemy of our souls.But let's be specific. Who is this Deliverer in concrete human terms?Romans 11:26 quotes Isaiah as referring to One who will come out of Sion and turn away ungodliness from Jacob. The Jewish deliverer is none other than Christ Jesus. And thus Christ shares yet another title with Yahweh, making these two , one.

II Samuel 22:3, Saviour. With this word we strike a nerve in Scripture. David begins the chorus in 22:3 by calling the Lord his Saviour. We have been conditioned to thinking of Jesus this way, for He saved us from our sins. But the prophets of Yahweh knew Him in this same way.From David to Isaiah(43:3), "I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour." And from Isaiah to Hosea (13:4), where God says, "...there is no saviour beside Me."When we come to the New Testament with the words of Hosea ringing in our ears, we either have a problem or a revelation. None other than Mary (Luke 1:47), the mother of Jesus and His half-brothers and sisters, proclaims: "...my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." Well, that's safe enough ,still talking about God. But in the very next chapter, the beloved physician quotes the angel of the Lord as saying, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (But Hosea said...) With Paul the excitement builds. His letter to Titus is overflowing with the Saviour theme. 1:3 "...preaching...is committed to me according to the commandment of God our Saviour." But check the very next verse: "...peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour." Whoa, Paul, what are you saying? And could you say it again? Certainly, 2:13: "Looking for...the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." In 2:10 and 3:4, it is "God our Saviour". In 3:6, it is again Jesus as Saviour. The formula "God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" is used also by Peter, II Peter 1:1.Oh, have we ever fathomed the reality of this truth? The truth is, our Saviour, JESUS, IS GOD.

II Samuel 22:4, Worthy. "I will call upon the Lord, Who is worthy to be praised,"says David , 22:4. Is anyone else worthy of such praise and worship? No one. But see the Worthy One revealed in other form: In Matthew 2:11 the Magi worship a young child named Jesus. Matthew 14:33 tells of some suddenly believing disciples in what seems to be a hopeless storm. When the winds die down because of Jesus' presence, they worship Him. In the next chapter a Canaanite woman worships Jesus in appealing for her daughter to be healed. Luke (17:16) tells of a Samaritan man, healed and grateful, who falls on his face before the Master. John relates how one born blind worships Him.(9:38) Thomas, a doubter no longer, calls Jesus "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28) Never is this worship refused. The writer of Hebrews quotes a Psalmist who says "Let all the angels of God worship Him." The implication of the passage is that "Him" is the Son. The final chorus of praise to Jesus, Who is God, is found in Revelation. 5:12 says, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing!" Why, because He died? Many have died. Because He suffered? No. Because He is GOD. For only God is worthy of such praise.

II Samuel 22:48, the avenger. "It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me." Paul's complementary statement: "...the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God."

Samuel thus agrees with the other witnesses of Scripture. Jesus is God.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosen together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

Measure Yourself Against This Positive Practical and Model Example

When I used to go to the football (soccer for those of you reading this across the pond) I expected to see a match taking place with 22 players. I did not expect a concert or flower arranging or knitting. Now, I am not against any of these things. I am not against anything, but sin.

But when I 'go to Church', I expect to hear about Jesus and sense that God is at the very centre and heart of all that is going on.

In Acts Chapter 11 and at verse 26, these disciples of Jesus Christ were always talking about their Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ, and in Antioch they were first called Christians - 'little anointed ones' - 'little Christs'. Antioch must have been a great place to be in these days. Faith was fresh vibrant and dynamic and there were spiritually powerful preachers and teachers.

It is a peculiar fact today, that you can bring the name of Jesus Christ even into some Church meetings, and people can become embarrassed and uncomfortable. Not so in Antioch.

Their lives were so different from other people's lives, in so many ways. They were distinctly different - by their love - their joy - their compassion - their openness - the way they could welcome all who came to faith - their eagerness to learn - their generosity - the way their lives were so radically transformed - the way they coped with and how they could handle suffering. These men and women were different from everyone else in Antioch, and it was JESUS Who made them different.

Sharing - speaking - testifying - fellowshipping - feeding upon the teach of Barnabas and Saul for a whole year - and their willingness to receive The Word of God helped made them different too - strong in character - filled with faith - powerful in The Holy Spirit.

They were so very positive.

Some prophets came down from Jerusalem. A man named Agabus stood up, and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. What kind of man does that? What kind of man would have the courage today to speak forth like that, knowing that if it did not happened he would rightly be labelled as a false prophet.

Agabus had a prophetic ministry. He heard from God, and spoke on behalf of God, with the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon him.

There is also something here of a word of knowledge. Agabus knew something, revealed by God, which no-one else knew at that time. God was saying something vitally important, and God was saying it through The Church. A great need was going to arise throughout the whole Roman world. That covered quite an area at that time.

This actually happened during the historical reign of Emperor Claudius.

These disciples of Jesus Christ in Antioch just began to give. There was no appeal for funds, and it was no token offering. Each gave as much as he was able to.

They realised that there was going to a physical problem in Judea - in Jerusalem. As the Holy Spirit revealed the need, these disciples rose to the occasion, in a positive and practical manner.

Wherever real needs arise today will the Church of Jesus Christ respond in such a positive and practical manner without lengthy appeals? As an individual disciple of Jesus will you rise up when you become aware of some specific need in the world, in your local community or in the Fellowship where you regularly worship?

At the end of Acts chapter 11, the Church of Jesus Christ has been going for around four or five years.

Take a moment to consider how that young fellowship of Jesus Christ in Antioch was such a model fellowship, and an example for us today.

Persecuted disciples of Jesus Christ made their home in Antioch and influence many in the community.

They are so eager to hear The Word of God and receive teaching from those who were just a little bit further along the way than the others.

They are open to the Holy Spirit - open to prophecy and a word of knowledge.

There is an obedience to those in authority. These true believers are willing to give generously, and there were men of calibre who could be trusted to deliver the money to the people in need.

Yes, we are reading of these first early years of The Church. How does the Church where you worship measure to what we read of in the Fellowship in Antioch?

Sandy Shaw

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.

His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.

Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com

Nations, Beware!

"Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah." Psalm 33:12.

That's not just poetry, that's revelation from Heaven. Is there a nation on earth totally sold out to God? If it is not prospering now, look for it to soon.

America truly holds the records for churches, missions, and most other Christian categories. God has spared her from the worst of judgments so far, and prospered her beyond her means to contain it. There are seeds of self-destruction here, (abortion, homosexuality, sexual perversion, and worst of all, a weakening church) but so far God has stayed His hand.

By contrast, some nations have been forced into the worship of a man. What can be said about a nation whose God is anyone but Jehovah?

"Righteousness exalts a nation..." Proverbs 14:34 The opposite is true, too. Genesis 20 tells the story of a "righteous", that is, morally good man and nation that had fallen into disfavor with God because of its unsuspecting mistreatment of Abraham. Because Abimelech and Gerar were ignorant of what they were doing, God spared and continued to bless that nation when Abimelech cried out, "Will you slay a righteous nation?" No. No curse.

Until later. In II Chronicles the area around Gerar attacked the nation of Judah under King Asa, a righteous man. To attack the righteous knowingly is to incur the wrath of God and later Gerar was decimated.

The nations need to understand that if they attack God's people knowingly, only problems will ensue. "Sin is a reproach to any people," says God. (Proverbs 14:34). Nations rise and fall under the clear direction of God. He is longsuffering, patient, but judgment always comes when men and their domains turn their backs on Him.

Let's ask God to raise up righteousness in those places where evil reigns. One thing for sure, any nation exalting itself above the excellency of Jesus Christ needs to take these words to heart: "The kingdoms of this world [will] become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ!" Handel did not make that up, it's from the book of Revelation, 11:15. Some day righteousness will be exalted all over this globe. I am looking forward with great joy to that day!

Is the Bible Full of Contridictions - Video

Separation of Church and State? Says Who?

Excerpts from fellowship about the real Jesus and the role of Christians in society today:

If you understood that Yeshua is the I AM - He not only had the Canaanites destroyed for their pagan religious practices, He sent Israel and Judah into captivity for refusing to follow His biblical religion and as Yeshua drove out of "My Father's House" the moneychangers with a whip in His hand! Certainly that was met with raised eyebrows and shaking of heads, not to mention FEAR! Yes, fear religion!

And anybody who is a Christian who dares to deny that Christ will rule, as necessary with a ROD OF IRON, enforcing PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH, simply is either in denial or woefully ignorant of the biblical King of Kings and Lord of Lords who will soon reign on Earth from Jerusalem with TOUGH LOVE!

You're talking Old Testament.

I'm talking the Law and the Prophets that Yeshua upheld and will enforce when He reigns perfectly from Jerusalem with TOUGH LOVE, giving different strokes for different folks.

Notice that God hasn't ordered the execution of anyone since Jesus walked the earth.

Yes, He has, time and again through the Law and the Prophets that haven't been made null and void by the tender mercies of our God, the Sermon on the Mount, except for those who are truly repentant as we can best determine with the help of God. Why do you think it is written about the ministers of State: "He bears not the SWORD in vain?" And that such ministers of state are to enforce the Law of God, serving as the vengeance of God? Romans 13 shows God has ordered the execution and other forms of punishment upon lawbreakers since Christ, since His Word remains true and hasn't changed or been altered to accommodate fickle men and fleeting societies.

Jesus never told us to establish any form of government on earth. He clearly taught that His kingdom was not of this earth. If He wanted a government here now, He would have made one here, now. We, as disciples, are not called to rule here or even govern here.

Now you sound like the traditional Worldwide Church of God and those groups who have forsaken it in droves since the Great Apostasy after the death of Herbert W. Armstrong, concerning avoiding politics, shirking your responsibilities, your civic DUTIES, failing to render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's, and by such woeful neglect and sinful negligence, have forfeited the reigns of government to the wicked and then cry about how awful things are! "All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing." I submit they're not such good men or they would do something!

Yeshua revealed HIS Kingdom of God-Beings, the ruling Kingdom-Family of God administering the Law of God, is yet future, that's true, of which He will be the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. However, as the I AM, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, He has established an earthly kingdom called Israel and Judah today, our family of nations - the Anglo-Saxon and white peoples of Northwestern Europe with our Jewish brethren. And to us, which includes those called to be Christians now: "REMEMBER THE LAW OF MOSES MY SERVANT WITH THE STATUTES AND JUDGMENTS" (Malachi 4:4).

God calls upon our Israelite family of nations to RESTORE HIS LAW AND ORDER, and we'll receive blessing to the degree we love and obey and He will bless our NATIONAL EFFORTS that reflect national repentance, learning to go by God's Word as LAW, trusting in His wisdom, rather than leaning to our own understanding with all our different political parties of men. We must recognize we are suffering national curses for national disobedience and repent and avert further national disasters (Daniel 9:11). God will draw near to us as we draw near to Him. God's Kingdom on Earth has always been through the physical descendants of Jacob-Israel, and we're to be a TYPE of the future Kingdom of God-Beings that will reign over us as we reign over other nations.

We are called to be Christ on earth. To show others by our example, who He is. Would Jesus have advocated war? How about slaughter?

Yes, we are called to reflect Christ on Earth, and our NATION is called to reflect GOD on Earth, as a "Light to all nations," a MODEL NATION for others to follow, seeing our sound mindedness and wisdom, peace and prosperity from following God's heavenly law here on Earth.

Christ would certainly advocate war, if and whenever necessary, without hesitation, as revealed in the Law and the Prophets, the Law of Moses that our peoples and professing Christians have forgotten to our confusion and shame! Onward Christian Soldiers!

This is where groups like the KKK confuse the heck out of me. They obviously don't know Christ. If they did, they'd know that He'd never treat another human the way they do.

I don't know a single member of the KKK and from personal experience know how a group's beliefs can be misrepresented by hysterical mobs. If the KKK is biblical on this or that, I support them on this or that. Where they're not biblical, I would say so and not offer support but call upon them to change.

The racist NAACP obviously doesn't know Christ or they wouldn't judge everything falsely by the color of someone's skin rather than the content of character (while ignoring national issues that are biblically based on ethnicity), and they wouldn't hold people down and under and back so they can keep their self-important positions they've prostituted themselves for at the expense of their own people whom they've sold down the river, listening to the siren calls of the race hucksters like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, both of whom should move to Africa and lead the way and create opportunities for others to follow. I would support them expressing such creativity in action instead of always cursing the real or imagined darkness rather than lighting a candle.

So many people claim to be followers of Jesus, then turn right around and go against His teachings. Jesus taught us to turn the cheek, love our enemy, bring peace and love to the sick and hurting. Deliver others of demons and heal the sick. I see none of this in our government body and I see very, very little of this in the corporate church body.

God's one government has two branches. Jesus was talking to individuals (Sermon the Mount) and He was talking to the NATION (10 Commandments/Law of Moses) when He revealed how we are to live. So many people claim to be followers of Jesus, then turn right around and go against His teachings. He said to expel sworn enemies from our Land; to execute various criminals and cleanse the Land, to wage war, if and whenever necessary, and not to show the mercy of fools to nations or individuals who hate our guts and would slit our throats their first opportunity. We're to love our neighbor as ourselves, not more than ourselves.

Yeshua said to be "wise as serpents and innocent as doves." He was referring to an ATTITUDE, a willingness to go the extra mile, out of our way, but not indefinitely! If we take all of Yeshua's teaching on any given subject, rather than twist His teachings into some hippy pacifism, you'll see there's a time and a place, which is why He could act so violent and knock over tables and chairs and drive both men and animals from the Temple with a WHIP IN HIS HAND!

Certainly doesn't fit the traditional false image, does it? His harsh words against the religious leaders of His day certainly weren't smooth and pleasant to listen to, especially if you were on the receiving end of His verbal attacks! And when He reigns, He will rule with a ROD OF IRON and rebuke some nations, punish others and even destroy some.

Folks would do well to not try to tell the REAL JESUS about His teachings or to remember His Sermon on the Mount! Jesus will perfectly exercise the Law of Moses tempered by the Sermon on the Mount, as divine wisdom calls for, and we're called to whatever extent we're offered in this life to do the same, whether it's in the home, office, pulpit or political position. That's why our kings, our rulers, are commanded by God to read and study His Word daily that it may be the LAW OF THE LAND, and they can be humbled by realizing they're merely human instruments of God's grace, God's rod and staff.

David Ben-Ariel, a Christian-Zionist writer and author of Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall, shares a special focus on the Middle East, reflected in hard-hitting articles that help others improve their understanding of that troubled region. Check out the Beyond Babylon blog.

What Does the Bible Say About Love?

We celebrate Valentine's Day each year on February 14th. This is a day that we appreciate the one we love. We give them cards and gifts and go out of our way to show how much we love them. Love is a very powerful emotion. And can be a great motivator in our lives. But the bible teaches us that love is not an emotion that can come or go, but a decision that we make. Some of us feel that we are in love one day and out of love the next. If our loved one doesn't do something right or be who we want them to be, we don't love them anymore. But that's not true love. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always preserves." When we choose a mate, these are traits to look for and traits that we should also possess.

It can be easy to fall in love, but ask yourself these questions to see if it's true love? Is this person a christian believer in Christ Jesus. Are they saved and have put God first in their life? And are they willing to put you first, before all others, only second to God? Genesis 2:24 says, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." This scripture indicates that in marriage we become as one person and no other, including parents, should come before our mate. And we should also give the time and effort to make our marriages last a lifetime, so perhaps the divorce rates can diminish. For 1 Corinthians states, "Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others."

But what does the bible say about love? 1 John 2:5-6 says, "But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him. Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did." Jesus is an example of true love. He wants us to show our love for each other in action and truth and not just by words alone. (1 John 3:18) If we want to know what true love is, we just need to follow God and his example. The path and definition of love is found in 1 John 4:7-12, "Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us." Now that we know God's definition of love, it is important to determine whether we are just following emotions or following God's will. If God's will is done first, then true love will always last.

Wanda is a wife, mother, public speaker of "1 Minute With Wanda" and contributing author of EzineArticles.com. She has been writing about God and spirituality for over 20 years and has researched the bible and its history. Wanda also specializes in christian poetry and children books and believes and teaches that regardless of a person's background or their mistakes of the past, God has a place for them. She currently resides in Chino, California.

She is the publisher and bestselling author of "Kids Ask The Darndest Things About God And The Beginning- Answers From The First Five Books Of The Bible" available at http://www.ball-publications.com

Visit Ball Publications Christian Books at http://www.ball-publications.com and sign up for our FREE "The Knowledge" monthly Newsletter. Gain Knowledge and Power with articles, discussions, tips and special offers that will be provided from time to time. Take advantage of up and coming books and events, radio broadcasts and recommended products of interest for you and your family!

Christ in North Korea

As is true of much of Korean history, the pathway of Christ and His people on the Korean peninsula is a bloody one.

Thousands to this day languish in theNorth Korean gulag, trusting Christ daily for their perseverance and deliverance.

[My thanks to James and Marti Hefley's By Their Blood for some of the facts of this article.]

Witnesses Must See Before They Say

"Oh, you can't believe refugees, they will tell you anything you want to hear." This quote is from Jasper Becker and is not his feeling but the attitude of UN officials back in the days before the rest of the world believed North Korea was in serious trouble. Other Western minds figured that all the horror stories coming from real eyewitnesses were some kind of South Korean plot to make the North look bad. The South Koreans on their part thought the North Koreans were making all this up to squeeze more aid and sympathy from their neighbors. "Smart" people who work at the Pentagon looked for mass graves with their satellite photography, as one normally sees such mounds during famines as in Africa. No mounds. Must be no graves. Must be no famine. Others knew the truth but downplayed it so as not to insult the NK government and harm nuclear negotiations.

And today it would seem that history is repeating itself. Though organizations have painstakingly sent interviewers to listen to independent stories from individual refugees. Though these eyewitnesses without corroboration continue to tell the same story of the horrors of North Korea. Though escapees and defectors join in the chorus, write books, create websites, there is
still a group of politically elite folks in Eastern U.S. cities who think just like the no-holocaust crowd. They are in denial of the real North Korea. They tell us it's not really that bad. They say Kim is being victimized. They say it's all political. They say Bush is the problem.

We Christians know about this phenomenon. In the first century Jesus told His people they would be witnesses. That was a promise, not a command. Witnesses see things. If you don't see anything, you don't say anything. Makes sense to me. We've got believers running around today like the seven sons of Sceva in Acts 19. They know the name of Jesus and try to use it to promote their own interests, but they've never seen Jesus or known Him. They are false witnesses.

And yes, there are a lot of people who have been to North Korea. Ambassadors. Politicians. But when they are there they see what they are supposed to see and that's it. They come back, blind witnesses, telling us to hold our peace and not believe everything we're hearing. They're afraid to ignite more conflict.

Personally, I want to continue to see through the eyes of those who have lived there, grown up under these strange and awful ways, and been forever damaged . I choose to believe those who know the prisons from the inside, not satellite photography guesswork. I choose to believe those who have starved in North Korea, over the soft Washingtonians who may have never missed a meal in their lives. I choose to believe ex-guards from North Korean prisons over reporters bound by a party line and a salary.

Truth is more important now than all the nuclear bombs put together. We have seen what lies will do. Rip the cover off North Korea though the stench is overwhelming, and let the healing light of Truth make it anew.

That's my prayer anyway. And my God can do all this and more. Let's keep praying.

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Christian Themes in Contemporary Art

Undoubtedly, the first Christian art - or "God art" - appeared during or shortly after Jesus' life here on earth. Indeed, paintings from around 70 A.D. still exist. Over the past two decades, Christian themes in contemporary art have enjoyed a renaissance as artists have sought to express their spirituality and religiosity through their paintings.

Religious Themes

Contemporary Christian paintings incorporate a wide variety of themes. Some fine art adheres to the iconic imagery seen in religious art throughout the ages - what some might call literal Biblical interpretations. These iconic themes include the Annunciation, the Adoration of the Magi, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Stations of the Cross, and the Virgin Mary. Saints are also popular iconic themes in contemporary God art.

Some artists go back to before Christ's birth; indeed, to the creation of the universe. For example, contemporary fine artist Anthony Falbo's Genesis Series depicts the first book of the Bible. Through Falbo's paintings, the creation of the universe unfolds as though it was happening today. Through his abstract style, you can see light emerging, the separation of day from night, the firmament rising, the land appearing, the vegetation blooming, the living creatures coming forth, and the hand of God touching the hand of man.

But just as God created both light and darkness, contemporary Christian artists depict both good and evil. From the shame that Adam and Eve felt after disobeying God in the Garden of Eden to both overt images and subliminal messages of hell, artists depict the darker side of humanity.

A Variety of Styles

Today's Christian artists employ styles and media as varied as devotion itself. For example, some artists may paint in an Impressionist style, using bold colors, loose strokes, and thick dabs of paint to bring a scene to life. Others express themselves through cubism, the art form that rearranges pieces of objects in such a way that the person seeing the painting gains new insight into the object represented. Still others paint in an abstractionist form, stretching, enlarging, or magnifying figure and form to shed new light on everyday subjects. Some artists, like Anthony Falbo, combine forms like cubism and abstractionism into what could be termed "cubestraction," and produce remarkable pieces.

Exhibiting Our Devotion

Christians today are embracing contemporary artists by purchasing both original works and limited edition reproductions. Fine art with a spiritual theme - whether it's the birth of Christ, the creation of the earth, or other "God art" - serves as a reminder of the Creator's presence in our lives, as well as His importance to our safety and well-being. It also keeps us mindful of the need to express our devotion, to spread the Word of God, and to be thankful for the gifts He has bestowed upon us.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about God Art: Christian Themes in Art.

Jesus Elected President of The World!

Fox news said it a year or so ago: Jesus Christ to be honorary King of Poland.

So what do you think about that? Has Poland as a nation come to Christ? Is there a wave of revival sweeping the land? Is it proper to lift up Jesus to celebrity status in a nation? If Poland were your nation, would you be sad or happy right now?

Strange. America used to think of itself as a Christian nation. Has there ever been a movement toward making Jesus King here? Would Jesus Himself approve? What would it mean to be honorary King? A bit like the royal set-up in England? Good to have around, but not really calling the shots?

One major group opposes the move: Are you ready? The Roman Catholic system felt that the state should not get mixed up with religion and ought to stick to making secular laws.

Indeed. And if Christ is already Lord of Poland, how could that group assert itself as the spiritual leader of that land? As for not wanting to mix church and state, I think that has been Rome's way since Constantine. I suggest she only opposes it now because the State seems to be getting away from her grasp.

Jesus the King of Poland. I must say I was a bit delighted about it all. But why stop there? God does not. There was an election held in Heaven several thousand years back, and His Son was voted in as Presider over the entire world. He won by only one Vote, but that was the only Vote cast.

We hope that soon He will come to take His place. We are in such sad shape. May your holiday thoughts turn to the One born to be Wonderful Counselor, Prince of Peace, Everlasting Father, Mighty God... and President of the World.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

The Obscure Verses

Who is a Christian?
A Christian is an individual that believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Son of God. One who believes the Bible as the word of God, and believes that it is entire, and lacking nothing. This message is not on homosexuality, nor about any one person, its about what to believe, and what to reject. The Bible is true, and our guide from this life to the next.

Many in these end days consider themselves as Christians, but deny the Lord that gives light to the world. They pick and choose what to believe in, and what they affirm to be true. There are no obscure verses in the Bible, that many claim. The Old Testament does not contradict the New. What was written in the old was a schoolmaster for all, to teach man, who God is, and His requirements for the lifestyle that is acceptable with Him.

Can Jesus deny what God had already written to be true, and acceptable? No, for Christ and God are.
We see controversy in the Bible, not from the word but from mans interpretation. When men try to prove that they are acceptable to all manner of lifestyles, they use some scriptures to contradict others.

In other words they try to make one verse deny another, there-by making all manner of lifestyles acceptable.
They say that Jesus in one verse contradicts what God had said in another. This is deception and a compounding of lies. Why do they do this? To get all men to accept them as a holy man, or a man of some prominence. As it is written; 'When a man thinks he is something, he is nothing."
Quote; "he believes the Sermon on the Mount justifies his support for legal recognition of same-sex unions." Unquote. From NewsMax .com

For an example, this is a verse, that a prominent man stated was, "an obscure verse; and Jesus accepted this idea of life.
"Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet." (Rom 1:25-27)

Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.(Lev 18:22-23)

Where is the contradiction between these two sets of verses?(Lev 18:22-23)(Rom 1:25-27)

Does not the one compliment the other?
Can you find anywhere in scripture where Jesus contradicted God, or His commandments? Not even with the sermon on the mount. The problem lyes here; "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1Co 2:14)

Many believe that they can interpret the Bible without the aid of the Holy Spirit. They deceive themselves, going after the acceptance of man instead of, the acceptance of the Lord God.
"For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.
Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God." (Lev 18:29-30)

If God has condemned theft, homosexuality, murder, or any other sin, in the Old, how could God deny His own word in the New?
These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. (Jude 1:16)
"admiration because of advantage"; Barnes states of these things; The sense is that of repining or complaining under the allotments of Providence, or finding fault with God's plans, and purposes, and doings.

Complainers - Literally, finding fault with one's own lot.

The word does not elsewhere occur in the New Testament; the thing often occurs in this world. Nothing is more common than for men to complain of their lot; to think that it is hard; to compare theirs with that of others, and to blame God for not having made their circumstances different.

The poor complain that they are not rich like others; the sick that they are not well; the enslaved that they are not free; the bereaved that they are deprived of friends; the ugly that they are not beautiful; those in humble life that their lot was not cast among the great and the frivolous. The virtue that is opposed to this is "contentment" - a virtue of inestimable value.
Walking after their own lusts - Giving unlimited indulgence to their appetites and passions.
Having men's persons in admiration - Showing great respect to certain persons, particularly the rich and the great. The idea is, that they were not "just" in the esteem which they had for others, or that they did not appreciate them according to their real worth, but paid special attention to one class in order to promote their selfish ends.

Because of advantage - Because they hoped to derive some benefit to themselves.
This last part is what God warns us about in these end days. "Because they hoped to derive some benefit to themselves."
Men, especially the anti-Christ, will state many things to get the populace to trust in them, and to give them advantage over many things of the flesh. The laws of the land will be used to control many and will destroy mankind in the end. This is the advantage of any to deceive as many as they can to gain power over all.

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. (2Pe 2:1-3)

Covetousness; A strong or inordinate desire of obtaining and possessing some supposed good; usually in a bad sense, and applied to an inordinate desire of wealth or avarice.
Feigned words; Invented; devised; imagined; assumed, artificial.
Pernicious ways; Opposite; opposing; acting in a contrary direction.
False prophets; An attempt to assume or exhibit what is not natural or real. One who has forsaken the church, sect or profession to which he before adhered. In its original sense, applied to one who has abandoned his religion.
Damnable; In a low or ludicrous sense, odious, detestable, or pernicious.
Heresies; That may be damned or condemned; deserving damnation; worthy of eternal punishment.

And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. (Dan 7:25)
To change not only the law of the land but the laws of the Lord God. A deceiver, and a great deception. Who is a Christian? One who believes the Bible as the word of God, and believes that it is entire, and lacking nothing. We will accept no other doctrine except the one that was delivered unto us by the Lord Jesus Christ. Ars.

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries
A.R.Smith Ministries
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

How Adam and Eve Reflect the Kingdom of God

"Let us make man in our image." Such a Scripture does not support the trinity, but it does support the plain truth that the Word was God and the Word was with God, two Beings with the one sacred name of God/Elohim (John 1:1-2). "In the Beginning was the WORD (Logos/Spokesman/Revelatory Thought), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." This clearly reveals, to objective readers, TWO Beings who shared the ONE family name of GOD. (Ephes. 3:15). God created all things through Yeshua/Jesus who was the Word (Ephes. 3:9).

When the Word became flesh He was "God with us" and thereby became the "Son" and the One who remained in Heaven thereby became the "Father." They had coexisted eternally in a SHARED GLORY (John 8:42, 7:5, 8, 16:27-28). We can either accept or reject Yeshua's revelation of the UNKNOWN FATHER FIGURE whom mankind has never heard or seen. The Word who became Yeshua is the Divine Being who dealt with ancient Israel. They didn't know the Father and most still don't today, and they can't unless the Son reveals Him (John 5:37, 6:44,46, 8:54-55).

And we can either accept or reject Yeshua's explanation/interpretation of what "one" means: unity/united. He said the Father was in Him and He was in the Father (through the Holy Spirit and unity of mind and purpose) and He prayed for the Church of God to express and exhibit that exact same unity and oneness by the Holy Spirit (John 14:11, 15:4, 17:11, 21, 23). Please check out these Scripture references and see that it is so. One Holy Spirit of UNITY AND DIVINE PURPOSE (I Cor. 12:12-20).

The Scripture says "Let us make man in our image," and it says "ELOHIM (not YHVH) made man in His image." It's saying the Word and God made man "in OUR image" and, that as ONE GOD FAMILY UNIT/KINGDOM, the united God made man in HIS image. It elaborates, for our sakes, by also saying Elohim created MAN in His image...MALE and FEMALE created He THEM" (Gen. 1:27).

So there's a reverse of the singular and the plural, man/them and our/His. This "mystery" is further revealed when it's written in Gen. 5:1-2: "In the day that Elohim (Gods) created man, in the likeness of God made He HIM; male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name ADAM." The ONE ADAM FAMILY then had a son, Seth, in "his (Adam's) own likeness, after his image" (Gen. 5:3).

Does this exclude Eve? Wasn't Seth also in her human likeness and image? Yes. For conclusive proof that God PURPOSELY inserted all this into the Genesis account to REVEAL to us later about the ONE GOD FAMILY/KINGDOM, the apostle Paul preaches: "For we [Christians] are members of his [Yeshua's] Body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife, and they TWO shall be ONE FLESH. This is a GREAT MYSTERY: but I speak concerning Christ and the Church" (Ephes. 5:30-32).

That's how the ONE GOD FAMILY (Elohim with the Father Supreme and the Son gladly subject to His authority - 1 Cor. 15:28) can be and is presently composed of two God-Beings, and is in the conversion process of "bringing MANY SONS TO GLORY" (Heb. 2:10) since Christ was the "FIRSTBORN OF MANY BRETHREN" (Rom. 8:29). Jesus was the PROTOTYPE of a new genus: the Kingdom of God!

It's illustrated that even as MANKIND has shared in Adam's earthy image, we're soon to share in the HEAVENLY image of the Second Adam when we're born again of the Holy Spirit (John 3:3,6 4:24), with righteous character and composition! Mankind after the Godkind! And all through the ONE SPIRIT of God that unites us.

"Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27), "who shall change our vile body that it may be FASHIONED/CREATED like unto His GLORIOUS BODY" (Philip. 3:21), "for we know that when He shall appear, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM" (1 John 3:2) - we are not going to be dogs or cats, or even angels, we are to be heavenly beings, HOLY SPIRIT-COMPOSED, born again GOD-BEINGS in the one divine family unit/Elohim!

We are presently members of MANkind, huMAN, in the ADAMic Family unit (Gen. 5:2), but God promises we'll soon be changed in the twinkling of an eye, miraculously transformed, and join the HEAVENLY SPIRIT/GOD FAMILY.

We've clearly seen how "two" can be "one" whether in the God Family or in the Adam family. It's right there in the Bible if we'll just believe what we see and read. It's the plain truth of the Bible for those willing to believe what God has revealed.

Those who reject the testimony of the Scriptures (to hang on to vain traditions of men, whether trinity or oneness) are unable to explain what we're to become. Why have we received the down payment/earnest of the Spirit? (Ephes. 1:13-14). What conversion process are we in? (2 Cor.3:18). What are we being converted to if not into the character and composition of the Holy Spirit?

God is spirit. We must be born again of the SPIRIT. Yeshua is the FIRSTBORN of many brethren (Rom. 8:29). We're presently partakers of the DIVINE nature (2 Pet. 1:4). God is our Father, Yeshua is our elder Brother - a family relationship. We're in Adam's human/earthy image now; we're to be in the Second Adam's spiritual/heavenly/divine image soon.

God is reproducing Himself! That's what the conversion process is all about: God became man so man could become God. Mankind was created after the Godkind so after a life of conversion and purification, we can be resurrected to GLORY and share the glory of the Father and Son as born-again sons of God (Elohim).

Again, what are we to become? How can you strive to enter the Kingdom of God, the Kingdom of Gods (Elohim), leaving the human kingdom behind, if you refuse to accept the awesome potential God (Elohim) offers? Take receiving the Holy Spirit and being born again of the Holy Spirit to its logical/biblical end/fulfillment.

When we're glorified God-Beings, worshipping our Supreme Father God in His Kingdom (I Cor. 15:28), just like Yeshua will submit to the Father as all in all, we'll be immortal Priest-Kings (Rev. 5:10, 20:6), and God will be the "God of Gods" (Ps. 97:7, 136:2). Christ is the King of Kings (we're those kings), and the Lord of Lords (we're those lords), and the Father is God of Gods (we're those Gods/Elohim) - (Micah 4:5).

We either accept Yeshua's revelation of the UNKNOWN FATHER and His eternal coexistence with Him, and His work as Creator, as the Word, under the supervision of the Father, or we must reject the New Testament.

The Jews know Yeshua's claims and don't water them down to fit their religion. They reject His revelation for now, like most of traditional Christianity, but both Houses of Israel (Anglo-Saxons, Western Europeans and Jews as taught by Brit-Am Israel) will get over this stumbling block and soon embrace our transcendent calling to become literal members of the Heavenly Family of Gods (Elohim), higher than the animals and angels (Heb. 2:9-10).

We don't call God the Father for nothing, or do we? We're to be the literal children of God, the Children of the Resurrection (Luke 20:36).

David Ben-Ariel is a Christian-Zionist writer in Ohio and author of Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall With a focus on the Middle East and Jerusalem, his analytical articles help others improve their understanding of that troubled region. Check out the Beyond Babylon blog

A Real Solution to the Problem of Child Abuse?

Modern society is so plagued with problems that people from all walks of life are attempting to solve as many of them as they can. Many Christians profess belief in the Bible as God's answer and solution to every problem that society can and does face. However, numerous believers are embracing the solutions that are offered by those who don't consider the Bible as God's word and; consequently, ignore its counsel, guidance, instruction, and warnings.

If someone truly believes the Bible to be the inspired word of God in which the answer to all ills is found, that individual must accept the Bible's declarations. It clearly declares the existence of an intelligent entity of various names in scripture but commonly known as "Satan". Several biblical passages warn of the craftiness of this evil being as well as his mastery of the art of deception. 2 Corinthians 11:14 says, "and no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." "Transformed" refers to putting on a most clever disguise as an angel of light.

Revelation 12:9 reveals that the reason for the disguise is to deceive as many as possible, believer or not. The passage reads, "and the great dragon was cast out. That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him."

What does this have to do with the solving of society's problems? Everything. All of the evils that plague man are the works of Satan and have their origin in him since the beginning. This is precisely why the Son of God came to earth. 1 John 3:8 teaches that, "...the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the devil."

One of the most important truths the believer can keep in mind is the need to beware of embracing "solutions" to problems that are from the same source as the problem itself--the Enemy of God masquerading as an angel of light. There are numerous real life examples of this type of deception on top of deception which only stacks problems upon more problems.

It should not be difficult for any believer to see that child abuse figures among the practically endless list of the works of the Enemy. While it's a good thing to desire its eradication, it's not a good thing to accept a solution from the same source that gave the problem. Many people, Christian and non-Christian, have embraced the "solution" of forbidding parents to physically discipline their children. Nevertheless, the abuse of children has not declined. What is more is that a new problem has arisen--wrongful jailing of parents and caretakers who have disciplined, but not abused their children while abusive parents continue to escape the "protective" system. Notice that solutions from the kingdom of darkness will always contradict the word of God.

Proverbs 13:24 says, "he that spareth his rod hateth his son, but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes." To "spare the rod" is to refuse to physically discipline. The words "hateth" and "loveth" simply refer to the making of choices. One may chose to refrain from physical discipline because he accepts man's advice over God's, or because he fears man's law over God's, or because he sees it as cruel regardless of how God sees it. Decisions such as these amount to "hating" the child in that the child's learning to submit to proper authority and the importance of obedience to the saving of his life, are of less importance. The word "betimes" refers to the use of physical punishment from an early age. Proverbs 22:15 again reminds that, "foolishness is bound in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

It is understandable that those who are not believers will support anti-biblical solutions to society's problems. However, believers claim to be enlightened in spiritual matters. Why then do they embrace the same problem-causing "solutions" as those who claim no special enlightenment?

The example regarding child abuse is only one in many that prove that the Enemy's "solutions" never has and never will solve the problems that he created in the first place.

In-depth Bible studies by Heavenly Manna

The Blessing Of God Of The Kingdom Will Make You Rich

Some Christians may not know for sure God wants them to be rich but the Bible leaves no question about whether or not Christians are supposed to be rich. The Bible tells us we are not only to be spiritual rich but we are to be rich financially, experience financial wealth and have abundance of prosperity with plenty of money, plenty of gold and silver and plenty of the wealth of this earth.

I could list scripture after scripture that confirm without a doubt that God wants Christians rich. Here are just a few:

Proverbs 10:22 The blessing of the Lord - it makes [truly] rich, and He adds no sorrow with it [neither does toiling increase it]. AMP

Proverbs 8:18 Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness (uprightness in every area and relation, and right standing with God). AMP

Psalms 112:1-3 Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. 2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever. KJV

2 Corinthians 8:9 For you are becoming progressively acquainted with and recognizing more strongly and clearly the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ (His kindness, His gracious generosity, His undeserved favor and spiritual blessing), [in] that though He was [so very] rich, yet for your sakes He became [so
very] poor, in order that by His poverty you might become enriched (abundantly supplied). AMP

The promises in these verses are even for those in third-world countries, those with no training and even those who can't even earn a minimum wage. It can be done by THE BLESSING of the Lord.

Notice above in the scripture, Proverbs 10:22, it doesn't tell us a good job or a good economy makes a person rich, it doesn't tell us a degree from an exclusive university can make us rich, nor does it tell us even a rsum full of worldly credentials makes a person rich. No, the Bible tells us it is THE BLESSING that makes a person rich.

What I am saying is, Christians have to realize what THE BLESSING of the Lord is and the power contained in THE BLESSING that makes rich them rich. You begin to see the power of THE BLESSING when you look at Genesis 1:28,

Genesis 1:28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion KJV

God speaking THE BLESSING over Adam and Eve gave to mankind enough of His creative glory and power to sustain, uphold and prosper all creation forever. With THE BLESSING He released all the divine resources needed for Adam to expand the Garden of Eden until it filled up the whole earth.

God even rested on the seventh day and not because he was tired but because He was finished. After He released THE BLESSING He didn't have to come back to the Garden every day and bless Adam and Eve's every endeavor. With THE BLESSING given to them He could just rest and enjoy their fellowship, watch them exercise their dominion and THE BLESSING would do what He designed it to do for them.

Of course all of us know Adam sinned and messed up THE BLESSING plan of God. When Adam sinned he bowed his knee to the devil and instead of THE BLESSING working for him he had to start working under the curse of toiling for his living. But Adam's sin didn't stop God from starting over again with his plan to get THE BLESSING back on all mankind where it always was supposed to be and where God so desired it to be.

I want this article to cause you to realize from now on that God's will from the very beginning of His creation was that His children would be BLESSED and He hasn't changed His mind nor His will since then.

After the Flood, recorded in Genesis 6:17-22; 9:1, God started over once again with His plan to bless mankind through Noah's family. God releasing THE BLESSING on Noah's family said the same thing He said to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden,

Genesis 9:1 AND GOD pronounced a blessing upon Noah and his sons and said to them, Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. AMP

Since Noah's sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth represented all races, all peoples, and all nations that would live on this earth, that would include us since we came from these sons; all mankind was once again BLESSED.

But the two sons Ham and Japheth departed from God's ways just like Adam. Instead of obeying Him and trusting in THE BLESSING to prosper them; they started their own system of commerce which we see in the world's system today of working and toiling for a living and looking out for old number one. It has to be that way because in that kind of system of working and toiling a person has to try whatever they can do to meet their own needs without God. In that system people try to satisfy their spiritual needs with material things which is materialism, but they call it prosperity. The person working out of the world's system believes that in order for them to be blessed they must be rich and so they have to spend their time struggling under a failing system to make money. Here is a scripture revealing this very truth,

Psalms 73:12 Behold, these are the ungodly, who prosper in the world; they increase in riches. KJV

Notice in this verse, "they increase in riches". This means it is all up to them if they are going to prosper and increase in riches. So in this Ham and Japheth's system of world economics; instead of trusting God they have to devise ways to increase themselves. That means if they have to come up with ways to increase that scam others; they have to do what they have to do. In other words, it is a dog eats dog system.

Shem, Noah's other son, stayed with THE BLESSING which is in the Kingdom of God's economy and with THE BLESSING we can operate in it as well.

According to Jewish history Shem became the king of Jerusalem; the man the Bible refers to as Melchizedek. He served as a priest of the Most High God. In Genesis 14:18-19 we read where he served Abraham covenant elements and transferred THE BLESSING Adam and Eve and Noah's family had received to Abraham..

Genesis 14:18-19 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: KJV

Melchizedek giving this blessing to Abraham, God was simply working to get THE BLESSING back on all mankind. THE BLESSING Abraham received included you and me so we too could live under the same BLESSING as you will see clearly in the following scriptures.

Genesis 12:3 .....and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. KJV

Galatians 3:13,14,29 gives us even more proof THE BLESSING of Abraham has come to Christians today in order to make us rich so we like Abraham could live in financial wealth in any place, at any time on this earth where God desires and needs us. Get this clear in your thinking, God gives each one of us an assignment and THE BLESSING goes with the assignment to provide for us no where we live and no matter the economy. So look at this scripture in Galatians as a guarantee that with your faith in THE BLESSING your prosperity has changed to rich, abundance, overflow, opulence or extreme best.

Galatians 3:13,14,29 Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified); 14 To the end that through [their receiving] Christ Jesus, the blessing [promised] to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles, so that we through faith might [all] receive [the realization of] the promise of the [Holy] Spirit. 29 And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham's Seed], then you are Abraham's offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to promise. AMP

Galatians 3:14 plainly tells Christians in every nation today they now have the same BLESSING that was on Adam, Noah, Melchizedek and Abraham! THE BLESSING, as a result of what Jesus did on the cross, has come on us all no matter our economic situation, level of education or employment opportunities. It is THE BLESSING that makes each and every Christian rich and THE BLESSING adds no sorrow with the riches! Notice it is the grace of God through what Jesus did on His cross that delivered THE BLESSING into your life and delivered you out of the cursed based, toiling, failing world system where you are on your own to make a living. You are released today, if you will place your faith in THE BLESSING, by the grace of God into THE BLESSING Adam, Noah, Melchizedek and Abraham and their families lived in and became very rich.

Isn't that the best news you have heard in a long time? I am ready to hear some good economic news, how about you? We are only going to hear this good economic news out of the Kingdom of God that operates with THE BLESSING. This Kingdom operates in any nation of the world today for any person who will receive Jesus as their Savior and make Him the Lord of their lives.

If you haven't done so, just pray this simple prayer,

Jesus I confess I am a sinner but I believe that You died on the cross in order to pay the penalty for my sins and that You arose from the dead so that I could live a brand new life in You. Come into my life, Lord Jesus Christ. I give you complete control of my life.

If you prayed that simple prayer please let me know. I would like to send you some materials to help you further in your new life in Christ Jesus.

What I just shared with you from Galatians 3:13,14 is the good news every Christian needs to hear today so they are not struggling financially along with the rest of the world. Because THE BLESSING is now in operation in our lives we are released from that failing system of commerce the son's of Noah, Ham and Japheth originated. We don't have to come up with ways to get financial increase. We have, by Jesus Christ, been born again to live in a new Kingdom that has a prosperous, unfailing economy. Every Christian in any nation facing any bad economy, having received the promise of the Holy Spirit and possessing the very nature of God and God's abilities by THE BLESSING is freed from working and sweating for a living like those still under the cursed world's system. Christians living in the Kingdom of God have THE BLESSING making them rich. And instead of working for a living they can now spend their time daily doing their God given assignments.

I want to repeat over and over, THE BLESSING will operate for any Christian in any economy, anytime and anywhere they are. Christians cooperating with THE BLESSING, walking in faith and love will experience the New Testament prosperity no matter the circumstances around them. Here is the guarantee,

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation]. AMP

Do you still have doubts about all of this? Then you need to know what the BLESSING did for Abraham. God sent Abraham to a foreign land with no family, no established business connections and with nothing to depend on but THE BLESSING; and here is what happened to him,

Genesis 13:2 Now Abram was extremely rich in livestock and in silver and in gold. AMP

THE BLESSING worked the same way for Abraham's son, Isaac. God having released THE BLESSING on Isaac; he sowed in a land experiencing famine and received a hundredfold return on the crop he sowed for and then it didn't stop there,

Genesis 26:12-13 Then Isaac sowed seed in that land and received in the same year a hundred times as much as he had planted, and the Lord favored him with blessings. 13 And the man became great and gained more and more until he became very wealthy and distinguished; AMP

This scripture ought to be an encouraging word for those of you who live in an impoverished nation. Famine may be in your land but if you do what God tells you to do THE BLESSING will kick in. And no matter what is going on around you with God and with THE BLESSING working in your behalf what happened for Isaac in the next scripture can happen for you. You have the same BLESSING working for you!

He got so wealthy the king asked him to leave his country,

Genesis 26:16 And Abimelech asked Isaac to leave the country. "Go somewhere else," he said, "for you have become too rich and powerful for us." NLT

Did you notice in this scripture that this man, Abimelech, living out of the world's system of finances had to ask a covenant man with THE BLESSING to leave his town because this covenant man was too rich and too powerful to stay there?

With this same BLESSING on us, people around us should take notice of the wealth and the power of THE BLESSING in our lives. That's when we can do some real evangelism. For that's the purpose of THE BLESSING in our lives that people ask us, "Who is your God?" Then we don't have to try and get them to receive a track or try and get them to go to church with us. They will volunteer to go to church with us or anywhere else, simply to be around us and see THE BLESSING making us rich. Every person on the face of the earth is looking for this kind of BLESSING in their lives because God created every person to want to prosper and be reliant on Him so He could bless them.

Isaac's son Jacob experienced the same kind of prosperity under THE BLESSING. Having left home at a young age with just the clothes on his back (Sounds like what people experience today a lot of times.), he worked for 14 years for his father-in-law who always was cheating him financially. But in spite of this man's thievery, with THE BLESSING operating in his life he continued to increase until he experienced financially just what his father and grandfather had experienced with the same BLESSING and became exceedingly prosperous.

Genesis 30:43 Thus the man increased and became exceedingly rich, and had many sheep and goats, and maidservants, menservants, camels, and donkeys. AMP

If what I have already shared with you doesn't convince you that THE BLESSING makes any person rich just look at Jacob's son, Joseph. He's next in line for THE BLESSING to work for him and hopefully if you will believe in THE BLESSING for you, you will be next in line.

Joseph was the only son of Jacob who truly believed in THE BLESSING, received THE BLESSING and operated in THE BLESSING. THE BLESSING got Joseph out of many situations including a time his brothers tried to kill him. Instead of killing him his brothers sold him as a slave and he ended up in the house of an Egyptian, Potiphar.

This man recognized THE BLESSING of the Lord on Joseph's life and saw that whatever Joseph did prospered so he put him in charge of his estate. He hadn't been trained to do this job but THE BLESSING taught him how to do it so well Potiphar didn't even supervise his work.

Potiphar's wife accused Joseph of wrong doing and so Joseph ended up in prison. But even in prison THE BLESSING worked for Joseph and the Holy Spirit trained him how to operate the prison and before long the keeper of the prison turned the whole prison over to Joseph.

You may be in jail today and reading this article, but with God and THE BLESSING in operation for you; if you are willing like Joseph, it will deliver you into your assignment for God and the prosperity of God. Just have some hope today in THE BLESSING and in your God given assignment to promote you.

The same thing is true for anyone no matter where God places you on your assignment. THE BLESSING will teach you how to do a job better than anyone else can do in the business and cause promotions you wouldn't normally get and so readily.

Let's read about THE BLESSING showing up in prison,

Genesis 39:21-23 But the Lord was with Joseph, and showed him mercy and loving-kindness and gave him favor in the sight of the warden of the prison. 22 And the warden of the prison committed to Joseph's care all the prisoners who were in the prison; and whatsoever was done there, he was in charge of it. 23 The prison warden paid no attention to anything that was in [Joseph's] charge, for the Lord was with him and made whatever he did to prosper. AMP

Are you getting a good picture of what THE BLESSING can do in your life as well? Get excited about THE BLESSING working in your life too!

We're not even finished with what THE BLESSING did in Joseph's life.

Years later when Pharaoh had a dream, THE BLESSING reminded Pharaoh's cupbearer, who was a former prison mate of Joseph; that Joseph could interpret dreams. Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream.

The interpretation of the dream revealed to Pharaoh there was a great famine coming to his nation and the interpretation also gave Pharaoh a plan for provision for his nation that would take them through the famine.

So THE BLESSING brought promotion to Joseph again. He became the next most powerful man in the nation. With THE BLESSING Joseph wound up with the world's greatest storehouse of wealth under his command.

I want to remind you again that all of the wealth that came to these men Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph came because of THE BLESSING operating in their lives.

Galatians 3:14 tells every Christian that the same BLESSING has now come on them! THE BLESSING has come on everyone who has received Jesus Christ as the Lord of their lives!

Galatians 3:14 To the end that through [their receiving] Christ Jesus, the blessing [promised] to Abraham might come upon the Gentiles,....AMP

Can you now see why, if you never believed it before, every single Christian no matter where they are in the world is supposed to be rich; because every single Christian no matter where they are in the world is BLESSED with THE BLESSING and it's THE BLESSING that is making them rich!

This is so different from the world's way of thinking that they are blessed because they are rich and then they have to work so hard to make it happen.

God is telling Christians in this earth today, "No matter where you find yourself, you are rich because you are BLESSED with THE BLESSING! And as a result of THE BLESSING making you rich, you are not to seek after riches like the world does but instead you are to act like God did on the seventh day of Creation and simply entered into "the rest" of faith and let THE BLESSING go to work for you! Find your assignment and don't work there for a living but work for a giving and let THE BLESSING go to work for you there and increase you and increase the ministry, the business, etc."

Christians need to hear good news like this every day but they won't hear it outside of God's Word.

We are not to labor for a living for this is the only labor we are to do in this earth, for we which have believed do enter into rest....

Hebrews 4:9 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.10 For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest.... KJV

God never intended for Christians to spend their time and efforts gathering up riches for themselves but rather He intended for them to labor in the Word, developing their faith to the point that they enter into His rest and just let THE BLESSING increase them.

By saying that I don't mean Christians don't have to work. Instead of Christians working "for a living", we will be working on assignments from God and doing what He tells us to do. And if He sends us to a job that pays minimum wage we must not complain. We must realize God has sent us there to bring THE BLESSING and the Kingdom operation through us to that place of business.

All we need to do is obey God and do our assignment and THE BLESSING will see to our prosperity. We could even end up owning the business. So we should start thanking God instead of complaining that He has sent us there. This is not a theory. It really works.

You may be so financially challenged today, but if you will recognize THE BLESSING of Abraham has come on you through Christ; just like Abraham and his descendents it will make you rich. The financial lack will only be temporary with THE BLESSING of Abraham working for you.

Realize that living by faith in THE BLESSING will do the same for you it did for Abraham when he put his faith in it.

Let's allow God through THE BLESSING to give us a testimony just like Abraham and his descendents of THE BLESSING making us rich.

So now is the time for us to put our faith in THE BLESSING so that it can go to work for us and make us rich immediately!

Let's make this confession: I am blessed coming in and I am blessed going out. THE BLESSING of the Lord makes me rich! I am not blessed because I am rich but I am rich because I am blessed.

Here are some confessions to help with your faith in THE BLESSING and see it operate in your life:

The Bible leaves no question in my mind God wants me as a Christian to be rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9; 9:8 AMP Galatians 3:13,14,29)

The scriptures leave me no doubt that I can and will prosper no matter if I am in a third-world country, have no training or can't even earn a minimum wage for it will be done by THE BLESSING of the Lord. (Proverbs 10:22 AMP; 2 Corinthians 8:9; 9:8 AMP)

Proverbs 10:22 tells me having a good job in a good economy, having a degree from an exclusive university nor even having a rsum full of worldly credentials can make me rich but it is THE BLESSING that makes a person rich.

I realize what THE BLESSING of the Lord is and the powerful contained in THE BLESSING. (Genesis 1:28)

I was included when God spoke THE BLESSING over Adam and Eve in the Garden; giving them enough of His creative glory and power to sustain, uphold and prosper all creation. (Genesis 1:28)

With THE BLESSING God has released to me all the divine resources I need to expand the Kingdom in the earth. (Genesis 1:28; 2 Corinthians 9:8 AMP)

God's will is that I be BLESSED and He will never change His mind about it. (Galatians 3:13,14,29)

Instead of working and toiling to get ahead financially, I mediate the Word, developing my faith in THE BLESSING and into God's rest, allow THE BLESSING go to work and increase me. (Hebrews 4:3-11; 2 Corinthians 8:9, 9:8AMP)

I operate in the Kingdom of God with THE BLESSING making me rich instead of working out of that toil based system to meet my needs. (Matthew 6:33, 2 Corinthians 9:8 AMP, Philippians 4:19)

I no longer think like those operating in the world's system, that I am blessed because I am rich and then have to struggle under that failing system to make money; but it is THE BLESSING that is making me rich and there is no sorrow added to it. (Psalms 73:12; Proverbs 10:22 AMP)

I know for sure I have THE BLESSING of Abraham operating in my life wherever I live in the world because Galatians 3:13,14, 29 tells me THE BLESSING of Abraham came on me when Jesus on His cross purchased my freedom from the curse of working for a living. (Galatians 3:13,14,29)

No matter the economic situation, no matter my level of education and no matter my employment opportunities; the BLESSING is making me rich right now! (Genesis 26:12-13; 2 Corinthians 8:9; 9:8 AMP)

THE BLESSING has released me from the failing system of commerce the son's of Noah, Ham and Japeth originated and continues on today. (Psalms 73:12; Psalms 112:1-3; Galatians 3:13,14,29)

I have a God guarantee, being in my God given assignment and walking in love and faith in THE BLESSING, THE BLESSING is working for me. (Matthew 6:33; 2 Corinthians 9:8 AMP; Galatians 5:6)

I have the same guarantee of wealth that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph possessed because the same BLESSING is working for me that worked for them. (Genesis 13:2; 26:12-13,16; 30:43; 39:2-4,21-23; 41:1-43; Galatians 3:13,14,29)

Financial lack is only temporary with THE BLESSING of Abraham working for me. (2 Corinthians 8:9; 9:8 AMP)

I am expecting a greater testimony than Abraham and his descendents with the same BLESSING working for me. (Genesis 12:3; Genesis 13:2; Genesis 26:12-13; Genesis 26:16; Galatians 3:13,14,29)

I am blessed not because I am rich but I am rich because I am blessed! (Proverbs 10:22)

Janie Baer has produced a CD called God's Spoken Word and her website http://www.godswordalive.com offers products to help Christians use Bible scriptures in every day living finding the secret power of god's word and to help find the unconditional love of Father God. Janie also has a blog, http://www.godswordalive.com/blog Also on her site is Kingdom of God Prosperity Bookstore which offers bibles, audio bibles, music cds, music dvds, Children books & dvds, Christian books, Christian games and other products to help incorporate the Word into your life. She has also recently added Bible scriptures and confessions for healing and health, prosperity, Father God's Unconditional love and continues to add more all the time. She has applied these healing scriptures with her family for over 30 years and as a result they have not had a doctor, hospital or medical bill in all those years. They have just taken the healing Bible scriptures as their medicine as was written in Proverbs 4:22.

Three Incredible Stories

There is a good chance you have never heard the name Yi Sun Shin. There are great men in every culture of which Americans are unaware. Understandable, but here is one you would truly have profited in knowing. Easily equal to the likes of Sir Francis Drake and Lord Nelson - some say superior to these western naval stars - Yi towered above the petty power-seekers of his day and became a hero beloved of all.

Imagine it. Twenty three major naval clashes with the Japanese who had invaded Korea in the late 16th century. Twenty three victories. After the Japanese landed and destroyed village after village, even to the taking of the capital, the first positive news that came to the King of Korea, in exile, was that of Yi's first battle that crushed a fleet of Japanese vessels.

So you expect me to say that Yi's popularity landed him titles, riches, honor. In fact, jealousy among the ranks led him to prison in the midst of his finest triumphs. That, to me, is the most unbelievable and awe-inspiring part of his story. The seeming failure in the midst of all the triumph.

Consider one Jesus. Healer, comforter, gentle Teacher. Blind eyes made to see, broken hearts forgiven, hungry mouths fed, all by His compassion. Anyone who had faith to receive something from Him, did. Victory after victory. Never defeated.

Then hung on a cross.

Hmmm. That last line doesn't seem to fit either. Seems like we should rip that part of the story out, as Peter tried to do before it even happened. "Not you, Master! Stop talking negative things!"

Incredible stories, these. Yi Sun Shin, Jesus Christ. No, they are not in "the same boat" in terms of significance, I know. Yi Sun Shin's resurrection from prison to return to the battle front and continue his unbroken string of victories is great history and very inspiring, but cannot be compared to Jesus' rising from the grave to give life to all who will receive Him forever and ever. But the parallel is there.

But my title promises three incredible stories. Stories of persons who were incredible in their feats, incredible in their defeats, but somehow rose again. The third story is being lived out as I write. It's going on in North Korea, among those we label the "baekjeong", the low class, because we do not have the same sense of high and low as Heaven does...

The lowly Christian believers of that land do exploits every day. Finding enough food to eat. Working long and hard hours in a mine for money that is not sufficient to support their families. Worshiping carefully and hidden, so as not to incur the wrath of a hostile government. Hiding Bibles and guests. Yet victories. You would expect that someone somewhere would honor these folks and call them heroes.

Unfortunately they are called by at least two governments traitors and criminals. Escapes are often tragic in outcome. Many end in death. All end in some sort of wrenching separation. Even coming to the "free" world can mean enduring suspicion and persecution by those who ought to know better.

So why call this an incredible story along the lines of Yi and Jesus? Because those who are faithful will be raised up with Christ. Their story is not yet complete. It is the lowly for whom Jesus came. They are the only ones who will see thier need of a Saviour and continue to the end. High-born materialists have only a slight chance of making it, according to Jesus.

High, low, baekjeong... Do we really know what these words mean? And "incredible".. Can your story and mine be called incredible when compared to the ones I have described? Have we known the experience of defeating the enemy during a long and difficult war? Have we seen the Power of God move through us to change our sphere of influence? Have we then been sent to further humiliation instead of the reward we expected?

May we search our hearts daily, and always be a friend to the lowly Christ Who still works His wonders among us in the form of Baekjeong...

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs, over 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos3@gmail.com.

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

The Christian Spot

Monday, August 31, 2009

Christ in North Korea

The Korean Peninsula's Long Night

The Deity of Jesus Christ - Samuel

Measure Yourself Against This Positive Practical and Model Example

Nations, Beware!

Is the Bible Full of Contridictions - Video

Separation of Church and State? Says Who?

What Does the Bible Say About Love?

Christ in North Korea

Witnesses Must See Before They Say

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Christian Themes in Contemporary Art

Jesus Elected President of The World!

The Obscure Verses

How Adam and Eve Reflect the Kingdom of God

A Real Solution to the Problem of Child Abuse?

The Blessing Of God Of The Kingdom Will Make You Rich

Three Incredible Stories

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