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All scripture is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness:
That the man of God may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
2 Timothy 3: 16 - 17
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Free Bible Study Software
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I.
Exegesis
(Deductive) – To lead out or draw out. This study is determining
what the scripture (text) is saying
A.
General Meaning
B.
Specific Meaning
C.
Context - How does it relate to other surrounding scripture?
1.
Historical – time period
2.
Literary - meaning of words and sentence structure
3.
Genre – wording effects the interpretation of scripture
·
English Literature: stories, poems, novels, comedies
·
Hebrew Literature: narratives, laws, poetry, prophecy
D. Content – Hermeneutics is the interpretation of the Bible through
words and themes (i.e.
Tanakh, Talmud, theological, trajectory)
·
Word Study ex. Glory
·
Chapter Study ex. Romans 8
·
Topical Study ex. Spiritual battle
·
Book Study ex. I & II Kings
·
Verse by Verse
·
Thematic Study ex. A theme throughout the
Bible like the love of God
II.
Elsegesis – Personality of the reader is used to gather information
based upon experience.
Scripture:
·
Picture it
·
Pronounce it
·
Paraphrase it
·
Personalize it
·
Pray
it
·
Probe
it
·
Plan
Application
·
Portable Verse
Genres of the
Bible
Genre – the literary type or wording in a book that effects the
interpretation of that book
I. History or Narrative
(Stories of the Bible)
Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Joshua, Ruth,
Samuel, Kings, Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Ester, Jonah,
Acts
II. Law
(Instructions and Principles of God given by Moses)
Leviticus and
Deuteronomy
III. Poetry
(Rhymes)
Psalms, Songs of Solomon,
Lamentations
IV. Prophecy
(Future events)
Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Micah, Nahum,
Habakkuk,
Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi
V. Apocalyptic
(Vivid images and narrative about the world)
Daniel and Revelation
VI. Parables
(Narratives and instructions from Jesus)
Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
VII. Epistle
(Letter written to specific audiences that are practical for living today)
Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians,
Thessalonians, Timothy,
Titus, Philemon, Hebrew, James, John
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Prophetic Signs that we are in the End Times
The Bible gives many examples of signs that should warn us of the coming
end of the age. Six such signs are given by Jesus, two characteristics
are given by Paul, and eleven other occurrences are given by the
prophets to occur prior to or soon after the end of the age. While we
are also told we will not know the time of the End, God obviously wanted
us to know when that time was getting closer. As the Christian church is
increasingly drawn into the interfaith movement, and as more and more
churches go into isolation, preparing to sleep through the growing
attacks on their faith, perhaps God knew it would take a few signs to
wake us up and remind us that we have work to do.
Unfortunately, many Christians take the verses that tell us we won't
know the time of His coming to mean they should ignore any and all
scripture that might warn us of this time of tribulation. Others have
fallen into the trap of fearing being labeled a "conspiracy theorist"
should they display an interest in the Biblical prophecies about our
future on Earth. My philosophy is simple. God included it in the Bible
and, since God is all knowing, we should trust that it is something we
should know and study along with the rest of His Word.
It
is increasingly obvious that the time of our Lord's coming is drawing
near. Prophecy is being fulfilled daily, and at a faster pace than ever
before. Whether you believe in a pre-tribulation
rapture, or believe Christians will be witness to the full tribulation,
wrath, and final judgments, matters not. The beginning of birth pains
and the signs of the times should have the same effect on all of us. It
should motivate us to save as many souls as we can in the time that we
have left. The Great Commission tells us to be disciples to all nations,
bringing the message of salvation through Christ to all people. If the Church is raptured before
the tribulation, it is important that we leave behind an explanation for
the trials and judgments those left behind will face. How else will they
recognize the deception of the anti-Christ and seek instead the truth of
the Bible? If we are to endure the tribulation alongside
them, we will need to be prepared to not only share the message of
salvation, but share with them the reasons for God's judgment and hold
it up as further proof of their need to be saved.
Below is a study of the prophetic signs God gave us as a warning of the
approaching end of the age. Many of them are being fulfilled now and
many will be fulfilled in the near future. I would encourage you to
study prophecy, know what is coming and be prepared to share it with
others.
SIX SIGNS GIVEN BY JESUS TO INDICATE HIS COMING AND THE END OF THE AGE
In
Matthew24:3 Jesus was asked, "Tell us, when will these things be, and
what will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?" Jesus
told his apostles to look for the following signs prior to his second
coming and the end of the age.
1.
FALSE PROPHETS AND CHRISTS
Matthew 24:5 "For many will come in my name, saying, I am Christ, and
will mislead many."
Matthew 24:11 "And many false prophets will arise, and will mislead
many."
In
the last several years many have claimed to be the Messiah. Jim Jones
and David Koresh are examples of these false christs as well as
countless others who are not as newsworthy. These false prophets are a
prelude to the ultimate false christ, the antichrist. Many New Age
groups, some even NGO's working for the United Nations, are anxiously
awaiting the antichrist, preparing the way for his acceptance as the
head of the hierarchy of gods and the one who will usher in world peace.
2. WARS
Matthew 24:6 "And you will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see
that you are not frightened,
for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end."
Rumors of wars in all areas of the world now occur frequently thanks to
instant media coverage and the availability of a multitude of 24-hour
news sources.
Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom
against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and
earthquakes."
More people have been killed in warfare in this century than at any
other time in history. As the death toll rises in the Middle East, more
and more countries work feverishly to develop devastating weapons of
mass destruction. Add to that the expanding threat of terrorism and
unpredictable dictators such as Saddam Hussein, and the potential for
the outbreak of war exists in nations, kingdoms and places across the
globe.
3. FAMINES
Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom
against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and
earthquakes."
As
white, Christian farmers are driven out of Zimbabwe in increasing
numbers, and foreigners move in to replace life-sustaining crops with
poppies that now supply 25% of the worlds drugs, famine spreads across
the African continent. The undernourished are not limited to Africa,
however. A large portion of the worlds 5 billion people suffers from a
shortage of food.
4. EARTHQUAKES
Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom
against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and
earthquakes."
The number and intensity of earthquakes this century is at a level
higher than any other time in history. A staggering number of seismic
events occur around the world daily. The earthquake seismic monitor IRIS
shows all major earthquakes for the last year. Indicated by yellow and
red circles, the seismic events of the last 15 days provides strong
evidence of the fulfillment of Matthew 24:7 in our day. By contrast, in
the years from 1890 to 1900 there was only one major earthquake in the
world.
5. TRIBULATIONS
Matthew 24:8-9 "But all these things are merely the beginning of
birth pangs. Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill
you, and you will be hated by all nations on account of my name."
Christians are under attack throughout the world today. In the United
States Christians still enjoy freedom to worship God without suffering
much more than ridicule, hatred, or discrimination at work and school.
However in many other countries such as China, Sudan, Africa, Saudi
Arabia, Korea, Russia, and many Muslim nations, Christian suffer much
greater persecution and often times death for their faith. During the
tribulation this suffering will be worldwide and will continue even to
the point of martyrdom. These first 5 signs will increase in intensity
and severity as the tribulation approaches, much like the birth pangs or
contractions of a pregnant woman worsen as the delivery time approaches.
6. THE
GOSPEL WILL BE PREACHED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD
Matthew 24:14 "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in
the whole world for a witness to all the nations, and then the end shall
come."
This prophecy has already been fulfilled through television, radio,
missionaries, the translation of the Bible into many languages, and the
internet. People all over the world now hear the message of Christ from
missionaries who have the means to travel the globe, and via technology
that allows us to communicate with people on the other side of the world
right from our own homes, churches and offices.
TWO
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE END OF THE AGE FROM THE APOSTLE PAUL
1. GODLESSNESS
IN THE LAST DAYS
II
Timothy 3:1 -5,7 "But realize this, that in the last days difficult
times -will come. For men mil be lovers of self, lovers of money,
boastful, arrogant, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,
unloving, unforgiving, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal,
haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure
rather than lovers of god; holding to a form of godliness, although they
have denied its power; always learning and never able to come to the
knowledge of the truth."
For anyone who has watched television, read a newspaper, lost a
retirement to corporate greed and corruption, or just walked outside
their front door, it is obvious this prophecy has been fulfilled by our
generation. Our leaders are often corrupt; our cities are filled with
crime, brutality, and neon signs proclaiming our sinful, godless nature.
The New Age Movement brings hi increasing numbers of mystics who claim
to be the enlightened ones. They are some of the most educated and
influential people in our societies, and yet the most lacking in real
truth.
2. APOSTASY
(FALLING AWAY FROM THE FAITH)
1
Timothy 4:1-3 "But the spirit explicitly says that in later times
some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful
spirits and doctrines of demons. By means of the hypocrisy of liars
seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, men who forbid
marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be
gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth."
Churches today are becoming more and more ecumenical, embracing the New
Age interfaith agenda, and denying Christ as the only way to salvation.
Giving in to the politically correct media and a corrupt society, they
have embrace homosexuality as an acceptable alternate lifestyle and
preach tolerance and compromise in place of God's truth for the
salvation of the world. The environmentalist movement within the New Age
movement lures them into a worship of mother earth, belief in past
lives, reincarnation, and Karma while demonizing all those who would eat
the meat God gave us as nourishment for our bodies.
ELEVEN FULFILLMENTS OF BIBLE PROPHECY REQUIRED FOR THE END OF THE AGE
1.
1.
EXISTENCE OF A
200,000,000 MAN ARMY IN THE EAST
Revelation 9:16 "And the number of the armies of the horsemen was two
hundred million; I heard the number of them."
An
army of that size had never existed until China's army reached that
number in the l960's.
2. REDEVELOPMENT
OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE (EUROPEAN COMMUNITY)
Daniel 2:32-33 "The head of the statue was made of fine gold, its
breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its
legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay."
Daniel 2:40-43 "Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as
iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so like iron
that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. And
in that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter's clay and partly of
iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have the toughness of
iron, and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and
part of it will be brittle. And in that you saw the iron mixed with
clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they
will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with
pottery."
The fourth kingdom of iron is the Roman empire according to Daniel's
interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream. The two legs are the
division of the Roman empire into an eastern portion called the
Byzantine empire which ended in the 1400's and a western portion based
in Rome which ended in the 400's. The nations of Europe since the Roman
empire dissolved have never adhered or formed one empire but continue as
separate nations, however, the European Union now has 15 Member States
and is preparing for the accession of 13 eastern and southern European
countries.
3. RETURN
OF THE ONE PURE LANGUAGE, HEBREW, TO ISRAEL
Zephaniah 3:9 "For then I will return to the people a pure language,
that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one
consent."
Prior to the restoration of Israel in 1948, Hebrew was a dead language.
Now Hebrew is spoken throughout Israel.
4. REBUILDING OF THE TEMPLE, RESTORATION OF TEMPLE WORSHIP
AND
ANIMAL SACRIFICES IN JERUSALEM
For several end time prophecies to be fulfilled, the temple will have to
be rebuilt.
Revelation 11:2 "Leave out the court which is outside the temple and
do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations; and they will
tread underfoot the old city for forty-two months."
Daniel 9:27 "And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one
week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and
grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes
desolation, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is
poured out on the one who makes desolate."
Daniel 9:26 "Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut
off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will
destroy the city and the sanctuary."
Some archeologists believe that the temple mount is actually 340 feet
south of the Dome of the Rock site, putting the Dome of the Rock within
the Court of the Gentiles. This may be the court outside the temple that
is left out.
There are many groups already working on preparations for the new
temple. The blueprints are already done, the temple garments have been
made, and there have already been attempts to lay the cornerstone of the
temple. The
only thing standing in the way of the construction of the
new temple is Islam's third holiest site, the Dome of the Rock and
government support for such an undertaking. Some possible scenarios for
the rebuilding of the temple are as follows:
1.
The persuasion and performing of miracles by the Antichrist and False
Prophet convinces the Islamic world to approve the rebuilding.
2.
The United Nations will negotiate the rebuilding of the temple following
a war with the armies from the North (Russia and Islamic forces). This
assumes that the war with the armies from the North is not the battle of
Armageddon as some feel and that this attack occurs before the rapture
or tribulation period begins. The supernatural destruction of the
Russian army and Islamic forces will cause an outpouring of Christian
worship and zeal amongst the Jewish people who will reconstruct the
temple.
3.
It is determined that the site of the first two temples is actually
south of the Dome of the Rock, and the court of the gentiles (Dome of
the Rock) will be left out of the 3rd temple.
A
group in Israel called the Temple Mount Faithful have obtained most of
the clothing, instruments and other equipment required for temple
worship and are actively preparing for the laying of the third temple's
cornerstone.
5.
APPEARANCE
OF THE RED HEIFER AFTER 2000 YEARS
Numbers 19:2-7 "This is the statute of the law which the Lord has
commanded, saying, "Speak to the sons of Israel that they bring you an
unblemished red heifer in which is no defect and on which a yoke has
never been placed. "You shall give it to Eleazar the priest, and it
shall be brought outside the camp and be slaughtered in his presence.
Next Eleazar the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and
sprinkle some of its blood toward the front of the tent of meeting seven
times. "Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight; its hide and its
flesh and its blood, with its refuse, shall be burned. "The priest
shall then wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterward
come into the camp, but the priest shall be unclean until evening."
A
red heifer will be required to be used in the process of purification
described in the book of Numbers. In May 1997 the first Red Heifer was
born in 2000 years. Another red Heifer was born in Israel in March of
2002.
6. INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE AND TRAVEL
Daniel 12:4 "But as for you, Daniel, conceal these words and seal up
the book until the end of time; many will go back and forth, and
knowledge will increase."
Billy Graham was quoted as saying, "ninety percent of all the engineers
and scientists who have ever lived are alive today." Air travel, space
travel, DNA research and human cloning are all examples of the rapid
increase in knowledge in our generation.
7. RETURN
OF THE ETHIOPIAN JEWS TO ISRAEL
Zephaniah 3:10-11 "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers,
My dispersed ones, will bring My offerings. In that day you will feel no
shame because of all your deeds by which you have rebelled against Me;
For then I will remove from your midst your proud, exulting ones, and
you will never again be haughty on My holy mountain."
In
1984, Operation Moses saw the airlift of 15,000 Jews who had already
fled to refugee camps in Sudan to escape starvation. In 1991, Operation
Solomon flew 20,000 Jews to Israel from Ethiopia itself. A further
airlift began in June of 1999, aimed at transporting the last 3,000
members of the Quara Jewish community from northeastern Ethiopia to
Israel.
8.THE
RISE OF RUSSIA
Ezekiel 38:2,4,8 "Son of man, set your face toward Gog of the land of
Magog, the prince of Rosh, Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him.
I will turn you about and put hooks into your jaws, and I will bring you
out, and all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them splendidly
attired, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them wielding
swords. After many days you will be summoned; in the latter years you
will come into the land that is restored from the sword, whose
inhabitants have been gathered from many nations to the mountains of
Israel which had been a continual waste; but its people were brought out
from the nations, and they are living securely, all of them."
In
order for some end time events to occur Russia will have to be a strong
nation with a strong military.
9. RETURN
OF RUSSIAN JEWS TO ISRAEL
Jeremiah 23:7-8 "Therefore behold, the days are coming declares the
Lord, when they will no longer say, as the Lord lives, who brought up
the sons of Israel from the land of Egypt, but as the Lord lives, who
brought up and led back the descendants of the household of Israel from
the north land and from all the countries where I have driven them. Then
they will live on their own soil."
In
the 1970's and 1980's there was a mass exodus of Russian Jews out of
Communist Russia. In 1999 the Associated Press reported a dramatic
increase hi the number of Jewish immigrants from Russia, bringing the
largest number of Russian Jews to Israel since the early 1990's.
10.
TECHNOLOGY
FOR THE MARK OF THE BEAST
Revelation 13:16-17 "And he causes all, the small and the great, and
the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves to be given a
mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no
one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark,
either the name of the beast or the number of his name."
On
May 10, three members of a family in Florida became the first people to
receive the biochip implant. Each device, made of silicon and called a
VeriChip, is a small radio transmitter about the size of a piece of rice
that is injected under a person's skin. It transmits a unique personal
ID number whenever it is within a few feet of a special receiver unit.
VeriChip's maker describes it as "a miniaturized, implantable, radio
frequency identification device (RFID) that can be used in a variety of
security, emergency and healthcare applications."
Is
the biochip the mark of the beast to be used by the antichrist? We can't
really know. What is significant is that people are being softened to
the idea of a mark or an implant as a means of maintaining security,
providing medical information, and regulating a more interdependent
world. As attitudes change,
fears subside, and people are convinced of the need for
such a mark, the true mark of the beast will be easily introduced to the
world by the antichrist.
11.
PLANS FOR THE ONE WORLD GOVERNMENT
The United Nations, World Trade Organization, International Criminal
Court, UN peacekeeping/police force, numerous UN NGO's, and other
agencies are preliminary steps to the formation of a one world
government. We now have the communications technology, transportation,
and the pro-globalization media necessary to usher in the one world
government headed by the antichrist. The increasing terrorist threat and
the middle east conflict will only speed up the formation of this
governing body as fear and promises of better security make more people
willing to give up their national sovereignty for global governance.
12.
INSTANT COMMUNICATION AROUND THE WORLD
Revelation 11:3, 7-10 "And I will grant authority to my two
witnesses, and they will prophecy for twelve hundred and sixty days,
clothed in sackcloth. When they have finished their testimony, the beast
that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome
them and kill them. And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the
great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their
Lord was crucified. Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and
nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and
will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb. And those who
dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will
send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those
who dwell on the earth."
Television and the 24-hour news networks make it possible for people
around the world to see the dead prophets and rejoice at their deaths.
Luke 21:28 "But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and
lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."
Luke 21:32 "Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until
all things take place." -
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What is Christian
fasting? Biblically, fasting is abstaining from food, drink, sleep or
sex to focus on a period of spiritual growth. Specifically, we humbly
deny something of the flesh to glorify God, enhance our spirit, and go
deeper in our prayer life.
Christian Fasting -
Focus Deeper on God
Christian fasting
isn’t some kind of a “work” that’s commanded by Christ or required by
Scripture. However, that doesn’t mean that fasting isn’t recommended as
a part of our spiritual growth. The Book of Acts records believers
fasting before they made important decisions (Acts 13:4; 14:23).
Fasting and prayer are often linked together (Luke 2:37; 5:33). Too
often, the focus of fasting is on the lack of food. However, the
purpose of fasting is to take our eyes off the things of this world and
instead focus on God. Fasting is a way to demonstrate to God and to
ourselves that we are serious about our relationship with Him. Although
fasting in Scripture is almost always a fasting from food, there are
other ways to fast. Anything you can temporarily give up in order to
better focus on God can be considered a fast (I Corinthians 7:1-5).
Fasting should be limited to a set time, especially when the fasting is
from food. Extended periods of time without eating are harmful to the
body. Fasting is not intended to punish our flesh, but to focus on God.
Fasting should not be
considered a “dieting method” either. We shouldn’t fast to lose weight,
but rather to gain a deeper fellowship with God. Yes, anyone can fast.
Some may not be able to fast from food (diabetics, for example), but
everyone can temporarily give up something in order to focus on God.
Even unplugging the television for a period of time can be an effective
fast.
Yes, it’s a good idea
for believers to fast from time to time. Fasting is not required in
Scripture, but it’s highly recommended. The only Biblical reason to
fast is to develop a closer walk with God. By taking our eyes off the
things of this world, we can focus better on Christ. “When you fast, do
not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to
show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth; they have received
their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash
your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting,
but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what
is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:16-18).
Christian Fasting - A
Lifestyle of Servant Living
Christian fasting is
more the flesh - it’s a sacrificial lifestyle before God. In Isaiah 58,
we learn what a “true fast” is. It’s not just a one-time act of
humility and denial before God; it’s a lifestyle of servant ministry to
others. As Isaiah tells us, fasting encourages humility, loosens the
chains of injustice, unties the chords of the yoke, frees the oppressed,
feeds the hungry, provides for the poor, and clothes the naked. This
concept of fasting isn’t a one day thing - it’s a lifestyle of servant
living for God and others.
“Then your light
shall break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth
speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you, the glory of the
Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will
answer, you shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am’ “(Isaiah 58:8-9).
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The first biblical
fasting is recorded when Moses fasted for 40 days on Mount Horeb.
Although it is not mentioned in the scriptures that the patriarchs of
old had fasted till Moses’ time, it is safe to presume that they did, as
there were many accounts of mourning among the people of Israel in the
Old Covenant.
In the first five
books of the Bible, it is interesting to note that Moses did not command
any particular fast, except on the Day of Atonement.
In the book of
Leviticus, Moses spoke about “afflicting your souls.” In Hebrew, it
means, “You shall humble yourselves deeply before God in your heart by
sorrow, judging and loathing yourselves; and outwardly by fasting and
avoiding all carnal comforts and delights.”
This is the only fast
recorded in the Bible that Moses commanded as a law, although the
Israelites did fast on other occasions from the sundown of one day to
the next, for 24 hours.
Examples of biblical
fasting have been common among the people of Israel, since the time of
Moses. After Israel’s defeat at Ai, Joshua, the general, and the
leaders of Israel laid their faces before God till evening (Josh 7:6).
They fasted for about 12 hours, from morning till evening.
You can find other
examples of biblical fasting in the Old Testament. Judges 20:26
mentions about fasting until evening. Also in First Samuel 7:6 and
Second Samuel
12:16.
Biblical Fasting in the New Testament
Going over to the New
Testament, in all the epistles that are written to the Church, not one
time is the Church told to fast. That does not mean we should not.
Biblical fasting is
mentioned, but no laws have been made, nor are the Churches commanded to
fast. The reason being, fasting is done as the occasion arises.
When you fast, you
are not changing God. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. But
fasting will help to change you. It will crucify your flesh and help
you to be more sensitive to the presence and voice of the Holy Spirit.
It is good to fast
when there are many things troubling and pressing you, and you need
God’s help. When you fast, take the time to pray and seek the Holy
Spirit, who is able to deliver you.
Purpose of
Biblical Fasting
There are three
reasons for biblical fasting
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To draw close to
God in times of danger |
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To minister to the
Lord |
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To lay hands on
ministers to send them forth |
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The
Prosperity Gospel
Is it Biblical or
UnBiblical?
Let’s search the
scriptures for the truth
Issues of
Prosperity
I.
Survey
Information
II.
Is
Money the Root of all Evil?
III.
Do you
handle your Money or does your money handle you?
IV.
The
Secret of Financial Prosperity
V.
Giving
and Tithing… Is it Yes or No?
VI.
Success
VII.
Steps
to Getting out of Debt
I. SURVEY
SAYS
ChristiaNet.com,
the world’s largest Christian portal with 12 million monthly page loads,
recently
asked,
“Is the Prosperity
Gospel Biblical?
Out of 1,300
Christian surveyed, 42% believed that prosperity teaching was Biblical.
Reasons cited included: in 3 John 2 it states: “Beloved I wish that
you be in good health and prosperous even as thy soul prospereth.”
A close 40% of those
surveyed did not believe that teaching the prosperity gospel was
biblical. Comments were made such as, “All through the Bible there are
stories of Christians living in poverty.” Some felt that churches that
taught the prosperity gospel were lying. They are only telling the
congregation that message in addition to giving money to the church.
Others disagreed with the prosperity gospel because, “The Word of God
says contentment with Godliness is great pain and we have to be content
with whatever God gives.”
18% of pollers were
unsure about their answers. I believe God wants us to prosper, but not
at the expense of our mission to His works’ was one survey takers
response. Another poller stated, “Jesus came as a humble poor Son of God
with “nowhere to lay His head”. His apostles were not wealthy with
money, but were spiritually rich. So it depends on what God has destined
for you.” Still others in the category did not know what prosperity
teaching was, “What is that, I have never read or heard of it?
II. Is
Money The Root of All Evil
Money is not the
root of all evil, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for
which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced
themselves through with many sorrow.” I Timothy 6:10
The use of money can
be very worthwhile. It can be used to build orphanages and hospitals, to
feed the poor, to preach he gospel, to build schools, to educate people
in righteousness, to establish churches, and to broadcast the gospel.
The question is, what is money being used for? Is it
being used for
pride, to support dictators, and for the purchase of arms which to kill
people, or is it being used for a higher purpose? The love of money is
a root of evil, because some people love money more than they love God.
Jesus said man cannot serve God and Mammon (the false god of riches and
avarice). Matthew 6:24
The wage earner must
earn money to stay alive. We call it “earning a living.” In earlier
societies, if a man had no wages he faced literal starvation and death.
A supply of food insulated him from the fear of death by starvation.
Later money became the substitute for supplies of food and clothing.
Soon, those who had more forgot the reason they had accumulated so much
wealth. The pursuit of money became an end in itself—a status symbol—a
measure of achievement. The question, “How much is he worth?” almost
always refers to money—not musical ability, athletic ability, or
spirituality.
The rich man begins
to feel superior to those who have to earn a living. He can enjoy a
life of luxury that is not available to the average person. He is also
given tremendous power and can use his money to control and dominate
other people. Money has become so important that men will lie, cheat,
bribe, defame, and kill to get it. The love of money becomes the
ultimate idolatry. This is why Paul said, “The love of money is a root
of all kinds of evil.”
III.
Do you handle your money or does your money handle you?
The Bible
is a spiritual book, but not so spiritual that money doesn’t matter. It
does matter, mostly because of the human nature to worship money instead
of God. It matters because from the beginning of time human relations
have been soured by greed.
Money doesn’t
satisfy
Proverbs 22:1-2
– “A GOOD name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving
favour rather than silver and gold. The rich and poor meet together:
the LORD is the maker of them all.”
Proverbs 11:4, 28
– “Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth
from death.” “He that trusteth in his riches shall: but the righteous
shall flourish as a branch.
Proverbs 15:16
– “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and
trouble therewith.
James 1:11
– “For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth
the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion
of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.
Jesus, who
apparently owned very little, understood that the key problem with money
is that we let it separate us from God. It isn’t bad in itself, but we
let it become an idol. Jesus said in Matthew 6:24 – “No man can serve
two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or
else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God
and mammon.”
IV.
The Secret of Financial Prosperity
The Bible
says, Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in
full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over,
and poured into your lap.” (Luke 6:38) If you give good service, you
will get back good service. If you give an honest, intelligent day’s
work, you should receive a promotion and better pay. If you give
kindness and mercy to people, you will get kindness and mercy and back.
If you give to God,
He gives back thirty-, sixty- and one hundredfold (Matthew 13:23).
Regarding tithes, He said in the
Old Testament, “Prove Me now in
this” and see “if I will not open for you the window of heaven and pour
out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive
it” (Malachi 3:10). What God is saying is if you want His blessing,
give to His work and to other people. If you want to succeed in the
world of work, give generously of yourself, your time, and your energy.
If you are generous. Openhanded, and openhearted, you will get back
more. That is the law of reciprocity.
V. Giving and Tithing
What is the law of reciprocity?
For every action,
there is an equal and opposite reaction. Smile at another person, and
he’ll probably smile back at you. Be critical of others, and they’ll
respond in kind. As you give, you will receive. Give generously, and
you’ll receive in like measure.
Why Should we
Tithe?
Since God owns
everything – “The cattle on a thousand hills” and all there is – it
might seem that He doesn’t really need our tithes and offerings. He
doesn’t need them, true, but we need to give them. For, in instructing
us to tithe, God is helping us to understand the law of reciprocity. In
addition, failure to tithe means we are actually robbing God of what due
Him. In Malachi 3:8-9, God spells out the results when the nation of
Israel does not repay Him what they owe:
“Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you
ask, 'How do we rob you?'
In tithes and offerings. You are under a
curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me.”
We are also told that when we give to others, we give to God:
He who is kind to the poor lends to the
LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done.” (Proverbs
19:17)
The Importance of Being Earnest
We should give not only because God expects us
to. Our sincerity in returning to God a portion of His bounty is
equally important. We are told:
“Each man should give what he has decided in
his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a
cheerful giver.” (II Cor. 9:7)
VI. What Should I do now?
In the Old Testament, the Jews were instructed
to take their tithes to the storehouse, which was the temple – the
center of religion for the entire country. Today, since the Body of
Christ has so many manifestations (churches, colleges, television and
overseas ministries, hospital, relief agencies), people can choose where
their tithes should go.
Done on a regular basis, giving serves as a
constant reminder that God is our provider. You alone will decide how
to account for your stewardship of financial blessings God gives you and
how to honor Him with your tithes and offerings.
Norman Vincent Peale defined success as the
development of a mature and constructive personality. Most of us define
success in the terms of money, power, influence and being envied, of
course. This is not the view of the Bible. In fact, the New Testament
assures us that we may endure hardship – but not necessarily in the
usual sense.
Scriptures for thought…
Matthew 4:10
John 18:36
Matthew 16:26
I
Cor. 7:31
I
Cor. 1:20
James 4:4
I
John 2:15
VII. Steps of Getting Out of Debt
Poverty is a lack of money or material possessions. Poverty is usually
accompanied by out of control debt obligations to others. Debt, is a
form of slavery. It is interesting that most of us revolt when we think
about slavery but volunteer our minds and family to the hideous form of
slavery… debt and interest rates!
How to get out of debt
-
To get out of debt one must commit themselves,
their finances, family and life to Jesus. Agree to live by God’s
principles and seek to know what He has to say to you in your
situation. Be honest about the faults and mistakes in your life, past
and present, that may have caused your problem of debt. To escape
trouble, you must know what put you there.
-
Do everything you can to understand God’s
principles. The Bible says, “My people are destroyed for the lack of
knowledge”. (Hosea 4:6)
-
Understand the law of reciprocity
-
Set up a realistic budget
-
No more debt….destroy some of your credit cards
-
Rest on the Sabbath
-
Renewed faith in God
-
Speak words of confidence
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How
does one drift? Listed below are some sure signs of a Christian person
drifting away from their relationship with God.
o
Personal daily life-
life is filled with distractions, can not
focus and can not prioritize
o
Lack of Prayer life-
Prayers are few and far between and they do
not deal with the issues of life
o
Failure to serve-
there is always an excuse for not doing
what they were called to do
o
Lack of church attendance-
Job, family, and issues of life get in the
way of attending church
o
Not giving-
they hold back from giving because they are primarily only concerned
about themselves
o
Failure to feel the presence of God-
they feel little or no joy in worship and
praise.
o
Not happy about telling others about what God is
doing for you- they witness only to
other Christians but most times they murmur and complain about what
others have not done or what people have done to them (victims)
Hebrew 2:1-4
1)
For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard,
lest we drift away from it.
2)
For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every
transgression and disobedience received a just recompense,
3)
how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at
the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who
heard,
4)
God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by
various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own
will.
It is so easy to
drift away from the Lord. It takes little or no effort. All one has to
do is to do nothing.
Consequences of
Drifting from God
1.
You begin to ignore your
conscience. Your
conscience pricks you and sends you a message, but you continue to
excuse it and decide to do something out of the will of God. Your
conscience becomes quiet and you wonder why you are not hearing from
that inner voice.
2.
You step out of the will of
God and into a life of private sin.
Your sin becomes a habit but others at the time do not see or sense.
With the exception of a few discerning people, your lifestyle is
changing away from God and into a life of sin. You live in denial of
what you are doing wrong and are outside of church even though you are
attending church at the time.
3.
You begin to shrink away
from things that are spiritual
and you become
uncomfortable with church and the saints. Your speech uncovers your
drifting, because you began using your own rationale and philosophy, or
life experiences to answer your questions of life. You stop using the
bible as your authority to answer issues in your life. It now becomes
what you think it should be.
4.
You lose your ability to hear God.
The further you drift, the harder it is to hear God. You began to allow
things to take the place of God. You know they don’t belong there, but
it is so difficult to get back to your place in God. Your drifting now
confuses you and you are not aware of right and wrong decisions.
Therefore you depend heavily on what others think about you. Your
verification and confirmation do not come from God but from others.
5.
Your heart becomes hardened.
You hear satan more than God. We live in constant warfare, sin,
temptation, trials, heartache and enticement. It is easy to lose a sense
of where you are because you are constantly being bombarded by your
enemy.
6.
You are affected mentally,
emotionally, physically and spiritually.
You feel guilty for your sin. The sin brings about stress. The longer
you drift away from God the more stress/guilt you have. This stress
brings about anger. Satan begins to lie to you “You never had it so
good.” Wickedness invades your mind. This is when you attempt to
maneuver situations in life to commit sin.
7.
You know what you are doing
breaks God’s heart
because you know that HE knows what is going on and what the end result
is if you do not repent.
8.
You miss God’s Best.
We drift at the most strategic times in our life.
9.
It results in God’s
Discipline. Because HE
loves us, God disciplines us when we get out of line.
10.
God disciplines
disobedience. Even
though God loves us, there is no escape when you knowingly disobey Him.
You can not drift away from God’s will and your purpose without being
disciplined. It only becomes worse when we do not listen to God. When He
disciplines us, we reject the disciple and complain or blame others.
11.
You make a Ship wreck out of
your life. You mess up
so badly you feel you can not get back on your own. It affects your
eating, digestion, economics, rest, family and those who are close to
you. A sure sign of drifting is deep depression. It is a depression that
even medication will not aide you.
How to prevent
Drifting
1.
Anchor yourself to the Bible
(Psalm 119:15) statues,
mediate, read, think, and obey. Once God shows you what to correct, you
need to surrender your life at that moment. Get in the habit of praying
each morning “Lord Jesus today, I surrender my entire life to you.” This
becomes a radar
2.
Stay on Guard
(II Peter 3:17-18) be on guard against those that will carry you away
from God.
3.
Recover from drifting-
acknowledge where you have been and turn confess and repent. This means
change the way you are thinking and your way of living.
4.
Beware of things and people
that take you away from God.
Ask for forgiveness and be willing to believe what the Word says about
salvation. God will pick you up and teach and guide you in the right
direction.
5.
Stop ……Repent……….Turn around
“God does not require us to understand His will, just obey it, even if
it is unreasonable”
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Marriage is not
an invention of man. God instituted marriage. According to God's plan,
man and woman together form the unit of humanity. A
man or a woman alone is only part of an entirety.
"And the Lord God said, 'It is not good
that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him'"
(Gen. 2:18).
"Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a
woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said:
'This is now bone of my bone
And flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman,
Because she was taken out of Man.'
Therefore a man shall leave his father
and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh."
(Gen. 2:22-24)
This text
contains several beautiful statements.
Adam
received his wife as a gift from God. In a sense it is still true that
a man receives his wife from God. Solomon says:
"Houses and riches
are an inheritance from fathers,
But a prudent wife is from the Lord"
(Proverbs 19:14).
We also
see that marriage is good. Solomon says in another place:
"He who finds a wife finds a good thing,
"And obtains favor from the Lord" (Proverbs 18:22).
We also see how
strong the marriage bond is, so strong that they are no longer two but
are melted together as one flesh.
This bond is so
strong that it is broken only by death. As long as they live they are
one together. They may not separate. Jesus quoted this passage when He
was asked about marriage:
"The Pharisees also came to Him, testing
Him, and saying to Him, 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for
just any reason?' And He answered and said to them, 'Have you not read
that He who made them at the beginning "made them male and female," and
said, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be
joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh"? So then, they
are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together,
let not man separate.' They said to Him, 'Why then did Moses command to
give a certificate of divorce, and to put her away?' He said to them,
'Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, permitted you to divorce
your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you,
whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries
another, commits adultery; and whoever marries her who is divorced
commits adultery'" (Mat. 19:3-9).
In this passage
in Genesis we also see how dependent man and woman are on each other.
They need each other. Paul says:
"Nevertheless, neither is man independent
of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. For as the woman
was from the man, even so the man also is through the woman; but all
things are from God" (1 Cor. 11:11,12).
Marriage is an
institution of God and is a continuation of His work of creation. Sexual
desires are God-given. We should view our manliness or womanliness as a
gift from God which we receive with thankfulness and strive to keep holy
and pure in accordance with His instructions.
To preserve the
sanctity of marriage and the well-being of man, God has established
certain laws regarding sexual activities. Before we discuss these we
must be sure we understand how a marriage comes into being.
First we will
discuss some wrong definitions of marriage. Then we will give the
definition we find in the Bible.
Marriage is not
a sacrament, as is taught in some churches. In the Scriptures, marriage
is an institution in society that is of divine origin. It is governed by
the laws of God and by the regulations of the society in which one lives
to the extent that they do not conflict with the laws of God. A marriage
may take place in a church building, and it is certainly in order for
Christians to pray and ask God's blessing on a marriage. But a marriage
is not in and of itself a religious ceremony.
Nor is marriage
a private agreement between a man and a woman. This idea is often used
as an excuse for unchastity before marriage. The argument is made:
"Although we have not been officially married, we have agreed between
ourselves to be married, so actually we are already married." This idea
is contrary to the Scriptures. In the Bible a marriage always takes
place according to certain norms of society and always involves other
people who serve as witnesses. A marriage is an occurrence before God
and before man. A Christian is obligated to abide by the laws of the
society in which he lives to the extent that they do not conflict with
the laws of God. Paul says:
"Let every soul be subject to the
governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and
the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever
resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist
will bring judgment on themselves" (Rom. 13:1,2).
The laws of God
and of society are for the purpose of protecting the parties involved
and society in general. Thus a marriage is more than a private agreement
between a man and a woman.
What constitutes
a marriage? In the Scriptures we find various forms of marriages at
different times and in different societies, but certain elements are
always present.
Examples of
marriage formalities: In early times, for example, the groom went to the
house of the parents of his bride. There was a marriage feast. Then he
took his bride home with him. In the time of Christ the marriage
formalities were very complicated. First, the man had to pay a certain
sum of money to the parents of the girl. Then there was a period of one
year's betrothal. During that year the two were already bound to one
another by legal contract but they were not allowed to live as man and
wife until the actual marriage ceremony. It consisted of a great feast
that sometimes lasted several days.
Whatever the
form, however, the marriage was always a formal occurrence at a certain
time involving a contract between a man and a woman with other people as
witnesses. Only after the requirements were fulfilled were they married.
What is
required, according to Scriptures, to preserve the sanctity of marriage?
First, men and
women are to remain virgin until marriage. All sexual relations outside
of marriage are forbidden by God and are referred to as fornication, a
sin which had the death penalty under the Old Covenant. Under the New
Covenant one can be forgiven and purified by the blood of Christ. It is
a sin, however, which is extremely damaging to those concerned, to
society and to marriage as an institution.
After marriage
one is to have sexual relations only with the marriage partner. Sexual
relations with any other is adultery, which also earned the death
penalty under the Old Covenant. We read in Hebrews 13:4 that God wants
marriage to be preserved from the damage caused by these two sins:
"Marriage is honorable among all, and the
bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge" (Heb.
13:4).
From this text
we see once more that marriage is pure and holy. Fornication and
adultery damage marriage, however, and God will hold those who engage in
such practices responsible on the day of judgment.
The marriage
contract includes sexual responsibilities. Paul says:
"Let the husband render to his wife the
affection due her, and likewise also the wife to her husband. The wife
does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. And
likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the
wife does. Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time,
that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together
again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of
self-control" (1 Cor. 7:3-5).
The wife is to
submit to the authority of her husband and the husband is to love his
wife as his own body:
"Wives, submit to your own husbands, as
to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head
of the church; and He is the Saviour of the body. Therefore, just as the
church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands
in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the
church and gave Himself for it, that He might sanctify and cleanse it
with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to
Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing,
but that it should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to
love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves
himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and
cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of
His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 'For this reason a man shall
leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall
become one flesh.' This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning
Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so
love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her
husband" (Eph. 5:22-33).
This does not
mean that a man may misuse his authority, because if he loves his wife
he will sacrifice for her as Christ did for the church. It does mean,
however, that he is the head of the family. As head he also bears the
first responsibility. He can provide the needed leadership only if his
wife respects and submits to his authority.
God's
regulations relative to marriage are strict. This is because He values
marriage highly for the well-being of man. God's laws and regulations
have no other purpose than the ultimate happiness of man. Let us follow
the word of God in this matter. Marriage is a gift of God. He will help
us to have a good marriage if we obey His word and if we pray for His
blessings, help and guidance in our lives.
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What Happens at Death?
Does your soul go to Heaven . . . or some OTHER
place?
Creation of Man
The
first chapter of Genesis reveals that man was specially created by God
in His very own image and likeness:
"Then
God said, Let us make man in our image, in our likeness... So, God
created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him, male
and female he created them" (Gen 1:26-27).
Man
was shaped in the image of God, but he was not composed of the same
substance as God. God is spirit; God is immortal; He possesses
self-inherent eternal life. Man, on the other hand, was formed from the
elements of the earth as an inert, physical corpse of organic matter
lying on the ground - until God breathed into him the breath of life. At
that point man became a "living soul" (Gen. 2:27).
The
precise nature of a "living soul" is at the heart of the discussion
about what man is. To modern, orthodox Christian ears, the word "soul"
denotes something that is immortal and conscious after death, something
that goes to heaven or hell. But the Biblical usage of the word is quite
different.
Living Souls
The
Hebrew expression translated "living soul" in Genesis 2:7 is nephesh;
it is used in several other places in Genesis 1 and 2 as well as
throughout the Old Testament and in many of these passages it refers to
animals. The Englishmen who translated the King James Version of the
Bible rendered nephesh as "living creature" in Genesis 1:21 where
it refers to sea animals; they rendered it "living creature" in verse 24
where it refers to land animals. In verse 30, this same Hebrew
expression is used to describe all living things on the earth. In
Genesis 2:19, Adam was asked to name every "living creature"— again, the
Hebrew expression is nephesh. So, when we are told that Adam
became a "living soul" we are not informed that he was given any
inherent immortality or a soul (in the modern sense of the word).
Mortal Man
Every indication in the Old Testament is that, of and by himself, man is
mortal creature, subject to decay and death; indeed, God told Adam after
he had sinned,
"for
dust you are and to dust you will return" (Gen. 3:19).
There
is no reference here to a conscious, immortal soul going to heaven or
hell or limbo when the body goes to the grave.
Rather, the indication is that when the body returns to the dust, the
conscious man, the "living soul", ceases to exist. Of course, it was not
long before Satan appeared on the scene contradicting God's warning
about sin and its deadly consequences. Tempting Eve with the forbidden
fruit he said,
"You
will not surely die...For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes
will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil"
(Genesis 3:4-5).
In
a sense, the modern concepts of the immortal soul and reincarnation
convey the same idea - that man is inherently immortal - that he won't
really die. Ezekiel stated just the opposite:
"...the
soul that sins, it shall die" (Ezek. 18:4, 20).
So,
whatever a soul is, in the Old Testament sense of the word, it can die.
Solomon, the wisest king of Israel, wrote about the fate of humans,
"As
it is with the good man, so with the sinner...The same destiny overtakes
all...For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing;
they have no further reward, and even the memory of them is forgotten"
(Ecclesiastes 9:2-5).
To
be sure, Solomon, was writing from a human, temporal perspective - in a
very melancholy mood at that; nevertheless, he corroborated the
statements of Genesis that death is the cessation of conscious life. The
Psalmist wrote that the dead do not praise God, that they
"go
down to silence" (Psalm 115:17; compare with Psalm 6:5; 1 46:4).
The
idea that death is merely a separation of a conscious, immortal soul
from the body came not from the Bible but from Greek philosophy. Notice
what Plato wrote in Phaedo:
"The
soul whose inseparable attitude is life will never admit of life's
opposite, death. Thus the soul is shown to be immortal, and since
immortal, indestructible... we believe there is such a thing as death?
To be sure. And is this anything but the separation of the soul and
body?...being dead is the attainment of this separation when the soul
exists in herself and separate from the body, and the body is parted
from the soul. That is death... death is merely the separation of the
soul and body".
An
interesting philosophy— very much in harmony with the modern concept of
the soul; but it is nowhere taught in the Old Testament. Even modern
theologians who believe in the immortality of the soul admit frankly
that it is not taught in the Bible. Consider what The New Catholic
Encyclopedia has to say about the Hebrew word nephesh or
nepes:
"Nepes
comes from an original root...to breathe, and...thence, breath of life.
Since breath distinguishes the living from the dead, nepes is used in
regard to both animals and humans... After death, the nepes goes to
Sheol rest, [Hebrew word for grave]. The above summary indicates
that there is no dichotomy of body and soul in the Old Testament...
other words in the Old Testament such as spirit, flesh, and heart also
signify the human person and differ only as various aspects of the same
being. The notion of the soul surviving after death is not readily
discernible in the Bible. The concept of the human soul itself is not
the same in the Old Testament as it is in Greek and modern philosophy...
The soul in the Old Testament means not a part of man, but the whole man
- man as a living being" (The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967,
art. "Soul, Human, Immortality of").
In
the whole of the Old Testament there is simply no support for the idea
that a conscious immortal soul goes to heaven or hell (or some other
place) at death. Rather, all indications are that conscious life ceases
until the time of a future resurrection - as the prophet Daniel recorded
"Multitudes
who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life,
others to shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2).
"As
for you (Daniel), go your way till the end. You will rest, and then at
the end of days you will rise to receive your allotted inheritance"
(Daniel 12:13).
Both verses compare death to a sleep, an unconscious state, which is to
continue until the time of the resurrection.
The "Soul" In the New Testament
In
the New Testament, the word "soul" is translated from the Greek
psuche which is virtually equivalent to the Hebrew nephesh.
There is no indication that the soul of the New Testament continues in a
conscious state following death. Rather, the evidence is that psuche,
like nephesh, refers to a living mortal being who can die.
Consider several verses.
Mark wrote that Jesus came to
"...give
his life [psuche] as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).
Isaiah had written that Jesus
"...poured
out his life [nephesh] unto death" (Isa. 53:12)
Clearly Jesus' nephesh or psuche was given up, it was
poured out, it ceased to exist; it was not merely separated from His
body as Greek philosophy would have one believe. John, in the book of
Revelation wrote that when the second angel poured out his bowl,
"...every
living thing [psuche] in the sea died" (Rev. 16:3).
Consider the following statement from The New Catholic Encyclopedia:
"The
soul in the OT means not a part of man, but the whole man as a living
being. Similarly in the NT, it signifies human life: the life of an
individual conscious object" (Matthew 2:20-6:25; Luke 12:22,23; 14:26;
John 10:11,15,17; John 13:37; Acts 27:10,22; Phil. 2:30; 1Thess. 2:8).
"Recent exegetes... have maintained that the NT does not teach the
immortality of the soul in the Hellenistic sense of survival of an
immortal principle after death" (The New Catholic Encyclopedia
art. Soul, Human, Immortality of, In The Bible).
Eternal Life Is God's Gift
The
Greek concept of the immortal soul assumes that individuals already
possess eternal life - that the only question is where this eternal life
is spent after death. In stark contrast, many Bible passages portray
immortality strictly as a gift to be given by God. Paul refers directly
to the fact that God alone has immortality (I Timothy 6:16). In a
well-known statement to the Romans, Paul insists that the wages of sin
is death, but the gift of God is eternal life. In other words, the
normal consequences of sin is death; but immortality, the opposite of
death, is something that man does not have of and by himself; it comes
only as a gift from God (Romans 6:23).
John echoes Paul's statement.
"And
this is the testimony. God has given us eternal life, and this Life is
in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of
God does not have life" (1 John 5:11-12; compare with I
John3:14-15).
Jesus, referring to Himself, prayed to the Father just before He was
crucified,
"For
you granted him (Jesus) authority over all people that he might
give eternal life to all those you have given him. Now this is eternal
life: that they may know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
you have sent" (John 17:2-3).
If
man is inherently immortal and his life continues eternally beyond the
death of the body, these passages don't make sense - unless, of
course, one redefines death as separation of soul and body, a definition
not supported in the Bible. If, however, death is the absence of life
and consciousness, these statements make very good sense.
Death Compared to Sleep
Throughout the Bible, death is compared to sleep. Notice a couple of
Jesus' statements:
"Our
friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going to wake him up"
(John 11:11).
"The
girl is not dead, but asleep "(Matthew 9:24).
Matthew records that at the time of Jesus' death,
"...
the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose
and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the
holy city, and appeared unto many" (Matthew 27:52,53).
If
these saints were already experiencing the bliss of heaven, it would
have been cruel to bring them back to frail human existence to live and
then die again; but if they were truly asleep, unconscious, it would
have been a blessing to them and to all who were witnessed to by their
new lives.
The
Apostle Paul referred to dead Christians as sleeping until awakened by
the last trump at the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:51 and 1 Thess.
4:14;5:10). Daniel wrote of both believers and nonbelievers as sleeping
- until they are resurrected:
"Multitudes
who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life,
and others to shame and everlasting contempt" (Daniel 12:2).
Notice that the focus is on the resurrection - not on a reward in heaven
or punishment in hell experienced by a conscious immortal soul at death.
A Spiritual Element In Man?
What then is man?
To be sure he is a special, glorious creation, made in the very image of
God— with the potential of living for eternity in God's kingdom.
Certainly, there is a dimension of his being that separates him from
animals - it is a spiritual dimension, a capacity to understand
spiritual, eternal, godly things. Several passages of the Bible indicate
what might be called a "spirit in man"— a spiritual ingredient that
makes a man human, that turns an animal brain into a human mind, that
gives him the capacity to reason and plan and to consider spiritual
questions. Paul refers to a "man's spirit" in 1 Cor. 2:1 1. Solomon, in
Ecclesiastes, wrote
"...the
spirit returns to God who gave it" (Eccl. 12:7).
Perhaps this "spirit in man" is what the Holy Spirit unites with when a
person experiences conversion.
On
the other hand, these passages are far from definitive. It's possible
Paul was simply referring to "a person's very self, or ego" (Bauer,
Arndt, Gingrich, under pneuma); and Solomon could have been
referring to a man's breath. But if there is a spiritual essence in man,
and I believe there is, it is not conscious apart from the body. It is
not an immortal soul. And regardless of whether a person is a Christian
or not, his "spiritual essence" returns to God at death - perhaps
waiting like a computer record to be plugged back into a conscious body
at the resurrection - thus preserving the personality and character of
the individual.
The
important fact is that, although man does not possess an immortal soul,
he can receive eternal life through accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and
Savior. Then he enters the heavenly kingdom of God and receives the
promise of eternal life - which will be given when Jesus returns to this
earth as King, of kings and Lord of lords.
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Everyone
must deal with guilt at sometime in their life. Understanding where guilt
comes from, the right and wrong ways to handle it, and recognizing the many
misconceptions about guilt are essential for dealing with it properly.
I.
Where does guilt come from?
A.
It comes as a
natural result of breaking God’s Law (Romans 3:19).
B.
It comes as a
result of violating your conscience (Romans 2:15).
C.
It can come
from your own heart condemning you (I John 3:20; Romans 14:22)
D.
It can come
from other people condemning you (Psalms 109:31; Luke 6:37
E.
It can come
from the devil condemning you (I Timothy 3:6; Revelations 12:10)
II.
Two ways to deal with guilt.
A.
The wrong way
You can do what Adam and Eve did after they disobeyed God. They
ran from Him, hid themselves, they blamed God, then they blamed each other
and Satan for their problems (Genesis 3:7-13). Similarly, you could do
what King David did after committing adultery with Bathsheba. He
manipulated and deceived people, to cover the guilt of his
sin. This behavior is what led David to commit the even more grievous sin
of murdering Uriah (2 Sam.11). It’s important to note that none of these
actions did anything to solve David’s Problem with guilt. His actions
only make things worse.
B.
The right way
There
are a few simple words that sum up God’s way to relieve men of their
guilt. They are: repent, confess, and forsake (Mark
1:15; 1 John 1:9; Proverbs 28:13; 2 Corinthians
5:20; Matt.
5:24).
Believe God’s promise of forgiveness, repent of your sins, confess these
to God and man, then turn and forsake these sins. Next, seek
reconciliation with anyone you have offended. Each of these steps will
cause you to experience freedom from the guilt of the past.
III. You don’t understand what it means to forget what is behind.
1.
In Phil. 3:13,
the word forget means to neglect, or to put out of your mind.
2.
You must
learn how to discipline your own thoughts. Many Christians don’t believe
this is even possible. Paul tells us that the Holy Ghost doesn’t put fear
in our hearts, but love, power and a sound mind (2 Tim. 1:7). The fruit
of the spirit will help you to make the choice to discipline your mind and
not think about the evil done to you or the evil that you have done to
others (2 Cor. 10:5; Phil. 4:8). Your daily choices to control your
thought life will enable you to not go back and dwell on your past sins.
3.
The
underlying problem you must address:
You are allowing your mind to dwell on your past sins. Choose to control
these thoughts with the help of the Holy Spirit.
IV. How can you resolve your guilt?
A.
First,
determine from the above study the cause of your guilt.
B.
Take the
appropriate action.
Example:
a.
Reconcile
with God.
b.
Reconcile
with man.
c.
Believe God’s
Word about what God has said about you.
d.
Receive God’s
forgiveness and pray for His deliverance (Psalms 51:14).
e.
Control your
thought
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The Stewardship Hand
As the thumb touches all
four fingers, so love should permeate my stewardship journey as a Christian.
I. RELATIONSHIP
Leviticus 26:12
God desires a close relationship with us. He loved
us before we loved Him. Our relationship with God is
not one of equals since He is the Owner and we are
the stewards of His possessions.
II.
OWNERSHIP
Psalm 24:1
God is the owner of everything and He has
transferred dominion over His creation to us (Genesis 1:26).
As faithful stewards, we understand that we have
been assigned the management or stewardship of God’s possession. We are
responsible to the Owner for the manner in which we conduct our
stewardship responsibilities.
III. POSSESSIONS
Proverbs 3:9-10
Because God loves us He has blessed us with many
possessions, such as time, talent, and treasure. The way we use our
possessions demonstrates our love to Him. As faithful stewards, we must
use our
possessions for His glory, to benefit others, and
not for personal gain.
IV. SACRIFICE
Romans 12:1
The Hebrew word used in the Old Testament for
sacrifice is “korban”, and it means to come close to God. Sin separated us
from God, but Christ’s death on the cross, as the sacrifice for our sins,
provided a way for us to come close to Him. As a Christian, living for
Christ is our sacrifice to Him. When we use our possessions (time,
talents, and treasures) to His glory and to benefit others, we signal to
God, and to the world, our desire to have a close relationship with Him.
V. LOVE
John 15:9
God is love. Stewardship that is based
on God’s love allows us to look beyond the faults of others while using
our possessions to supply their needs (John 13:34,35). Stewardship is
God’s love in action.
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II Kings 2
Pastor Maurice
Carter
I. Why do we need Prophecy?
Jesus wants to communicate
with His Church and therefore, has things He wants to communicate
to His Church. Those communications come by way of the Holy Spirit.
It is what Jesus is saying to His Church.
A. What is Prophecy?
The definition of prophecy is
speaking the mind and heart of God as revealed by the Holy Spirit. Prophecy
is the outflow of the heart and the very nature of God. Revelation 19:10
says that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
B. Understanding the Prophets
1. Hebrew Terms
a.
Naby - General Hebrew term for one who proclaims, announces, declares or
utters
b.
Roeh - A seer. This prophet sees circumstances and gains revelation
on how to move past them.
c.
Chozeh - A seer for the King.
d.
Ahamar - A watchman and protector.
e.
Nataph - To preach; to drop as dew from heaven.
f.
Prophetes - One who speaks for another. One who foretells the will
and counsel of God.
2. What about Elijah?
a.
Elijah - God is Lord
·
Eli
is derived from
Elohiym (God)
·
Jah
is derived from
Jehovah
b. Elijah becomes a prophet because:
i. Problem in the Land (God
vs. Baal)
ii. The person of the Lord
(Representative)
iii. The parents of the boy
(legacy of the parents)
C. Five Functions of Prophecy
A.
Comfort
– to soothe, reassure, bring cheer, bring a feeling of relief from pain
B.
Edification – to instruct, benefit, uplift; to build up
C.
Exhortation – to advise, recommend or warn
D.
Redemption – to redeem from the power of sin and death
E.
Direction – bring direction to the body of Christ
II. Is This Word From God? (Jeremiah
23:21)
Not every voice we hear
is from the Holy Ghost. Satan has the ability to counterfeit gifts in order
to bring confusion and get us off course. His ability to counterfeit
includes the gift of prophecy.
You are to test all
things and hold on to what is good. Here are some unclean sources of
prophetic words that we need to be aware of:
A.
Manipulation and control
a.
“Likewise, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your
people, who prophesy out of their heart; prophesy against them.” (Ezekiel
13:17)
b.
Prophecy sometimes is used to manipulate people to take actions that
they might not take otherwise.
B.
The Occult
a.
“You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; let now the
astrologers, the stargazers, and the
prognosticators stand up and
save you from what shall come upon you." Isaiah( 47:13)
b.
The occultist
sources of prophecy include:
i.
Psychics
ii.
Tarot cards
iii.
Witchcraft
iv.
Ouija boards
v.
Horoscopes
vi.
Divination
vii.
Astrology
viii.
ESP
ix.
Mediums
C.
Immaturity:
There are true
prophets who have not yet matured in their gifting and may deliver a word
from the Lord mixed with their own emotions. Therefore, the word is impure.
D.
False
dreams
a.
“Behold, I am
against those who prophesy false dreams". (Jeremiah 23:32)
b.
The enemy is
able to counterfeit prophetic dreams and counterfeit prophetic words.
E.
Delusions
a.
“How long will
this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are
prophets of the deceit of their own heart." Jeremiah( 23:26)
b.
Not every
person that gives you false prophecy is malicious; they are just confused.
Sometimes people walk in their own flesh.
F.
Demons
a.
“And I have
seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal and caused My
people Israel to err.” (
Jeremiah 23:13)
b.
Just as the
Lord can send angels to prophesy, the enemy can send one of his hosts to
deliver a demonic prophecy.
III. How do I judge Prophecy?
A.
Does the
word you have received edify, exhort and comfort you?
B.
What is the spirit behind the prophecy?
C.
Does it conform to Scripture?
D.
Does it display the character of Christ?
E.
Is it manipulative or controlling?
F.
Does it usurp your will?
G.
Does it pull rank?
H.
Does it confirm what God is saying to you?
I.
Does it allow outside perspective?
J.
Does it give a warning?
K.
How do you feel about the word in your spirit?
L.
Is it confirmed by the Church?
M.
Does it
come to pass?
N.
Does it produce fruit?
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Christ Centered Unity
I. The
Great Division
Lucifer's terrible crime was not simply that he rebelled against God, as
evil as that was. Even worse, he used slander against God and deception.
He stole away a third of the angels as well. Though banished to hell,
Lucifer's war against the Almighty continues. Indeed, every time he
divides another church, he accomplishes part of his goal, which is to
strike against the heart of God.
A. Characteristics of Division
1. Strife - Heated, often violent conflict
2. Slander - statements that are injurious to a person's reputation
3. Anger - feeling of great displeasure
4. Rebellion - an act of defiance toward authority
5. Deception - to mislead
6. Fear - alarm caused by the expectation of danger
7. Bitterness - difficult or distasteful to accept
8. Hatred - to feel a strong dislike
9. Gossip - repeating intimate or private rumors or facts
10. Unforgiveness - unwillingness to forgive
B. Any of these attitudes isolated in a single individual would be
exposed as sin. But when they occur in mass in a church split, they are
somehow considered righteous. Anger is redefined as “fighting for a
principle”. People use slander and gossip to work together in search of
the truth.
C. The reasons for church/family splits are many. Divisions may
originate from confusion concerning church governments. To whom has God
really given final authority in any given congregation? Sometimes the
root of conflict is simply misguided ambition in one or more associate
leaders
D. Often, just as a church begins an upward swing in attendance or
spiritual growth, demonically manipulated strife emerges. So when we see
a serious division in a church, we must begin to think that there are
evil spirits at work.
II.
Heartache in Heaven (Isaiah 14 & Rev. 12)
A. God experienced the pain of a split in heaven. You may recall that
before the creation of man, heaven endured a time of great rebellion – a
“split “if you will.
Lucifer – Hillel Ben Shahar (Hebrew)
“Praise–Son-of-the-Dawn”
B. Lucifer was cunning. He was able to convince angels, who were gazing
upon the glory of God, that they could win a war against their Creator!
These angels had seen the galaxies emerge from the mouth of God. Yet,
somehow they came to believe that under Lucifer’s leadership they could
defeat God. They knew God knew their thoughts, yet they believed they
could outthink Him.
C. What did Lucifer use to trick the angels?
1. Strife – Resentment
2. Stealth – The act of moving undercover
3. Slander – To make a damaging statement
4. Seduction – To draw away through a trick
D. Think about this…Hell did not exist until the split occurred in
heaven. Hell became a reality as a consequence of division. It was
created for those who believed the Devil’s lie. (Matt 25:41)
III. The Groups of Splits
·
1st
Group - Those who have initiated the division. They have issues with the
leader or the pastoral team. They are discontent with the status quo and
desire.
·
2nd
Group - The current senior leader and his staff who, though embattled,
remain loyal to him or at least supportive of his position as pastor.
·
3rd
Group - Those caught in the middle of the division.
A.
How does strife begin? ( Proverbs 26: 20 - 21 )
1.
Godly Vision, Fleshly Motives – “What is your reasoning for doing
something?”
2.
Over Ambition – “A desire to achieve out of control”
3.
The Path to Leadership – “The seduction of Power”
B.
Three Spiritual Enemies of Unity
1.
Korah:
“The leader who wants it all” (Numbers 16)
i.
Envy – intense jealousy
ii.
Ambition – strong desire to do something
iii.
Rebellion – to fight against
iv.
Confrontational – openly argumentative
2.
Absalom:
“The manipulating spirit” ( 2 Samuel 15: 2 – 6)
i.
Attractive – seductive
ii.
Charming and Popular – “people person”
iii.
Envy – intense jealousy
iv.
Attempts to steal power – intoxicated by position or authority
3.
The
Jezebel Spirit:
“Neutralizes authority” (I Kings 18)
i.
Takes control over people
ii.
Disables spiritual authority (plants confusion)
iii.
Attacks the Pastor
iv.
Removes spiritual authority
v.
Intimidates people – threatening
C.
Safeguards Against Division
1.
Allow people to go
2.
Provide a clear understanding of the spiritual authority and
structure in the church
3.
Be honest
4.
Be willing to listen to advice and suggestions of church members
5.
Deal with your insecurities
6.
Be submissive
IV. Unity in the Church/Family (Ephesians 4: 1 –
6)
1
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of
the calling you have received.
2 Be
completely humble and gentle, bearing with one another in love. 3
Make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit through the bond
of peace. 4 There is one body and one spirit just as you were
called to one hope when you were called. 5 One Lord, one
faith, one baptism; 6 One God and Father of all, who is over
all and through all and in all.
A.
Striving for Unity
1.
Humility
i.
Modesty.
ii.
Our congregations, our denominations, our fellowship of
likeminded churches often times develop a pride in our tradition, or in
our purity or our being spirit – filled. The results are that we look
down on other Christian groups. Our pride should be in Christ Jesus and
in His Spirit working freely in our midst. When we glory in Christ
Jesus, rather than ourselves, we can have true humility.
2.
Patience
i.
State of being able to bear up under after being provoked. Being
longsuffering toward others
ii.
All humans are resistant to change. Change is hard and takes time
to get used to. We’re in a hurry for others to adopt our point of view
or to get their act together, but when it comes to our own lives, we
need time. This is a core Christian virtue.
3.
Forbearance
i.
To regard with tolerance, endure, bear with, put up with
ii.
In America we live in an overly – tolerant society where we are
often willing to tolerate practically any behavior or belief in the name
of freedom of expression. Often times this is not the case in the
church. Are you tolerant with people who disagree with you? We are
called to bear with people. We may not be comfortable with others but
our job is to put up with one another.
4.
Love
i.
The quality of warm regard for and interest in another; esteem,
affection, and regard
ii.
Love is the last quality in Paul’s list of attitudes for unity,
but the most important (I Cor. 13: 4 - 8, 13)
B.
When should we depart from unity?
1.
When it becomes necessary to discipline a member who fails to
repent of gross sin. (I Cor. 5; II Cor. 2: 5 – 11; Matt.18: 15- 17)
2.
When it regards permitting false teachers to undermine the very
basics of the Gospel
(Romans 16: 17 – 18; II Cor. 11: 13; Gal.
1: 6 - 8) Even for the sake of unity, we cannot allow false teachers to
tear down and distort the basics of the faith
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