Christmas - It’s The Most Fabulous Time Of The Year
I am not the first person to notice that the world turns slightly mad at this time of year. A select few grown men put on fake beards and dress up in funny red costumes and proceed to march into schools and department stores with bags full of presents and leave behind an enormous sense of excitement. People start being noticeably nicer to one another. Children go slightly crazy with anticipation as they compile their Christmas lists and young mothers embark on the perennial panic of preparing for the biggest family occasion of the year.
The whole world is touched upon with a general sense of happiness that is wonderful yet for this cynical observer is slightly unnerving. I have taken a look at the recent news reports on Christmas. Some of them are truly absurd and remind us how bizarre life can be in the modern world…
Father Christmas’ in Australia have been banned from using the word ‘ho’ in case it causes offense to women. The word ‘ho’ at least in hip hop culture and many urban dialects are used as slang to refer to ‘whore’ or ‘prostitute’. Officials in Australia have taken notice of this trend and have subsequently asked their Santa’ to avoid using the word ‘ho’ as it could potentially cause offence to women. I don’t know about you but I feel more offended by the lengths these moralising people in power go to patronise the public’s ability to make their own judgement.
The Post Office announced that next they will be introducing a scheme that will help people save for Christmas. They will be able to make deposits of between 5 pounds and 500 pounds up to a yearly total of 1000 pounds.
People saving their money in this way will not be given access to the money they deposit until after November. I’m split on this one. Anything that helps people save their money and improve their Christmas is surely a good thing but on the other hand what is wrong with us? Can we not keep any money in our pocket without needing an artificial scheme to help us? Do we really have no self discipline?
Every year there is an outcry from a group of small minded imbeciles that mistakenly believe they are looking out for the best interests of everyone by trying to take Christian iconography out of Christmas because they fear it could ostracise non-Christians. This year it was the turn of American town Fort Collins (only in America!). Town officials have decided to use less religious decorations in an attempt to make Christmas less exclusive to Christians. Seriously!? It’s Christmas!
The undeniable evidence that the season turns people crazy is the annual success of Cliff Richard. Every year he launches a horrendous single that smashes records to reach the top spot in the charts…every year. Don’t we know any better? We all know he was pickled in 1990. We know that he was subsequently stuffed and fitted with an automated metallic frame that is controlled by a music industry bigwig.
We know that it is a phenomenally successful scam developed to rip off old grannies and we know how hard these grannies scrimp and save money from their state pensions to feed the Cliff Richard fund. Instead of making a stand and uniting with collective disgust we embrace the leather-faced geriatric. What is wrong with us?
When he is not making Christmas Chocolates Shaun Parker looks into the bizzare effect Christmas has on us all. Devoted father to four young children he knows how exciting this time of year can be. To find out more please visit http://www.chouchoute.co.uk/page/christmas-gifts.html
I Know Who Started The Fire
The flames from the forest fire twirled creating a funnel that took the form of a fiery tornado that lashed out furiously hurdling huge balls of fire that ignited grasses, trees and every house that was in the mist of the fire. The intensity of the heat boiled the water right out of the luxury pools of the rich and the tiny streams that ran along the path of the forest fire. Everything left behind was destroyed by the gigantic forest fire.
The people in the fires path gathered a few precious items along with clothing and ran for their lives. Many barely escaped as their cars caught on fire from the penetrating furnace emanating from the forest fire. Walls of dark clouds of ash and smoke blocked out the sun and brought an eerie feeling of loss.
Half a million people are displaced from their homes and despondent as they wonder how they will start over again. Why did this happen? Why did I lose everything in the fire. How will I ever replace everything I lost?
Luke 12: 49-51, “I came to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism to receive, and how distressed I am until it is over! Do you suppose that I came to bring peace to the world? No, not peace, but division.”
The quickest response to a devastating fire is why God why! Theologians over the past have raised their arms with angry faces confirming the feelings that all destruction from natural disaster is a result of people’s sin. The media has proclaimed that these are God’s acts of revenge on a sinful and corrupt world who refuse to respond to the call of God’s will for their lives.
But today I wish to enlighten those who have suffered a cruel loss of homes and jobs because of the forest fires in California. God did not do this to you! God loves people and He is the Savior of the world. Jesus did not come to set the world on fire in a literal sense. He came to set the world a blaze with the fire of the Holy Spirit that dwells in a person. A Spirit that comes to open our eyes as we face the difficulties this world will put us through.
We are in a life game that centers around a powerful spiritual world that interacts in the physical world that we are apart. It is an unseen world that wages good and bad forces against human beings in an effort to teach us the difference between right and wrong. Satan the ruler and judge of the world has the ability to punish human beings for sin. Sin represents evil and it requires punishment. Satan because he is the evil god of this world has the ability to wage a war against the earth because of sin. He started the fire!
Ephesians 6: 12, “For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age.”
Jesus is not our judge but our helper. He came to strengthen those who have lost their homes and give them the ability to rebuild again. He came to bring hope and love. He came to build you up and give you the ability to fight against every loss you suffer with perseverance and assurance that you can win!
John 12: 46&47, “I have come into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness. If anyone hears my message and does not obey it, I will not judge him. I came, not to judge the world but to save it”
When we suffer the loss of our property and home, Jesus comes in and takes our losses and turns them into challenges that give us the ability to rebuild again. He takes our near death experiences in a fire and makes them a witness to the power of God and how He can rescue us just in time. He takes our memories and builds better memories of how we overcame the fire with a more enduring faith. He builds our character through our losses and turns us into a strong unconquerable force that will withstand against any bad thing that comes up against people.
When Jesus is in our lives we understand that everything we suffer is an instrument meant to teach us something new that we would never have understood if we had not experienced going through the fire. We are in a teaching world. A world game that will test us and try us so we will change into different people. He gave us the Bible as a hand book so we would understand just what kind of world we are experiencing. Jesus is the author of everything good in the world.
We have read stories of people who have endured tremendous losses and we have been inspired from their words. They have turned their losses into personal victories. They have won the approval of thousands because they took their tragedies and told people what they learned. Their inspiration nurtures Christians everywhere giving them the knowledge they need to not quit when they face difficult situations brought on by the destructive power of Satan’s evil wrath.
Christ came to give us hope. He came to give us the fight we need to stand up against the evils of the world. He came to replace our sorrows with joy. Joy that fills us with the strength we need to start all over again. He came to give us life in a corrupt and evil world so we could be an example to everyone of what happens when you follow God.
John 12: 48, “Whoever rejects me and does not accept my message has one who will judge him (Satan). The words I have spoken will be his judge on the last day!”
Satan is the judge of the world. When we do not know the purpose behind our world then we come up against Satan. He wants to destroy people’s lives and to keep them from running to the saving power of Jesus Christ. He tempts people into doing evil. He is opposite from God for he manifests his spirit in hate.
Satan takes grief and uses it as a weapon. He convinces people that God hurt them and they should cut God out of their lives. He tells them to blame a family member because they didn’t get out a prize possession during the forest fire. He ruins marriages, divides families and becomes a voice of hate.
Their losses in the fire become personal tragedies that destroy hope and create mental breakdowns that lead to depression and feelings of giving up. They spend years in therapy reliving the loss of a loved one who died in the fire. They become despondent and hopeless unable to live past the event that robbed them of their home.
When you are living in a teaching world, then you must understand that you will go through tests. Tests that are meant to open your eyes to what is good and what is evil. These tests will either break you or change you into more assured and stronger people.
John 15: 5&6, “I am the vine, and you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me. Whoever does not remain in me is thrown out like a branch and thrown into the fire, where they are burned.”
Jesus’ prunes those who follow Him with love and care. He does this so that we will become perfect like He is perfect. He takes the fire of the Holy Spirit and becomes a voice of determination that helps us to fight against evil.
Satan started the fire and when the world game comes to an end all those who chose to hurt people will be thrown out and burnt up in a fire that is meant to end evil. When this day comes a bright new world will emerge shining like lightning and bringing an end to suffering and pain. Hold unto Jesus, He loves every human being and He came to show us the way to an eternity of love in the perfect world that is to come.
Linda C Dipman author of THE GAME OF LIFE IT’S ALMOST OVER http://outskirtspress.com/gameoflife presents: AND HIS LOVE SHONE DOWN my true life story! It describes all the persecutions I endured. Lovinghandsministry.com
Engaging in More Spiritual Conversations
Evangelism has moved in the last 20 years from being a monologue (one-sided conversation) to a dialog (two-way conversation.) There are people all around us who are receptive to spiritual discussions and open genuine spiritual guidance. George Barna sites, “That 62% of American adults consider themselves to be not merely religious, but deeply spiritual.” This means that there is more than a 50-50 chance of getting into some type of spiritual conversation with people who travel in and out of your life. Learning to engage people in a meaningful, spiritual dialog is critical for a spiritual leader.
Here are four ideas for increasing the spiritual conversations in your life:
1) Make It a Priority
It is important for a leader to think strategically about their conversations throughout the week. If you don’t plan it or make room for it, the likelihood is that it is not going to get done. I agree with Brian McLaren’s statement, “We should count conversations rather than conversions, not because I don’t believe in conversions, but because I don’t think we’ll get many conversions if we keep emphasizing them.” The number of conversations you have is directly related to the number of conversions you will see happen over a year. In coaching church leaders we use the 3 by 5 rule. If leaders are going to be serious about connecting with people they need to uncover at least 5 new contacts a day, equaling about 35 a week, which will lead to 3 “sit-downs” for a meaningful conversation.
How many contacts does it take for you to get a meaningful sit-down with a person?
2) Pray for Opportunities
I remember praying one morning, “Lord, it has been a while time since I led someone to you. Open the doors and show me who I need to speak to today.” As soon as I finished praying that prayer a man walked over to me and said, “Doesn’t that book (my pocket Bible) get old after a while?” which I replied, “It gets better every time I read it. Would you like to read it?” He took the Bible and began reading it. This resulted in a number of great conversations that eventually led to him and his family to attend our church and embrace Jesus as Lord and Savior.
When is the last time you asked God to open new doors of opportunity for you?
3) Get out and into your community
All too often we are so isolated from the world in which you live. Look at your calendar and see what fills your week. I encourage church planters to think about tithing their time to community service and interaction. As a planter I put in 60 plus hours a week. This meant about six hours a week out in the community like playing in a noon basketball league on Tuesdays and Thursdays or coaching my children’s baseball and football teams. My week could be filled with serving on various community committees within the school district or through the Chamber of Commerce. It could also involve attending community events or joining professional groups like Toastmasters International. I could easily fill up my six hours a week.
Opportunities abound when we get out into our communities. Jon Cawston, a church planter in Plainfield, IL., joined a local entrepreneurial networking group. After a couple of months of being in this group, he was wondering why he was there and was feeling out of place. Then a crisis took place within the group and he discovered that he instantly become “the chaplain” of the group which led to spiritual conversations.
Can you imagine all the spiritual conversations that could take place if your staff and leaders were encouraged to tithe their time to community service and interaction?
4) Establish routines and cultivate relationships
Beyond the tithe of your time in your community I encourage leaders to establish routines and patterns so that you build relational presence with business owners and servers. Think strategically about all your interactions and pray that you can be a redemptive influence within that social network. A couple of tell tale signs of this is, “Do people know your name?” or “Do you know peoples names?” Reggie McNeal loves to ask his servers, “I am going to pray for my meal and I always pray for my server. Is there anything I can pray for you specifically?” I can see this really working as you cultivate relationships and move them from the mundane to the spiritual.
What places do you frequent in your community?
Jesus, Paul and James used the analogy of the farmer when it comes to spiritual leaders patiently sowing, working and cultivating the work of the gospel. When it comes to engaging in spiritual conversations you need to have an attitude of a farmer, faithfully working and cultivating your community. The first two suggestions deal with the leader’s attitude, the next two suggestions deal with putting leaders in a position for engagement.
I learned a simple lesson over twenty-five years ago from an old missionary who said these words to me, “Gary you can’t serve God where you are not!” That statement helped me move away from dreaming about future ministry to engaging myself in the daily personal ministry right in front of me every day.
Gary has a unique focus in mentoring leaders within God’s mission. He is a sought after personal coach for pastors, church planters and missional leaders. His website: http://www.yourjourney.org His blog http://www.garyrohrmayer.com
A Christian Perspective on “The Secret” and the Law of Attraction
If you’ve heard of the best-selling book called “The Secret” you know it has become huge!
The concept is, by using this “secret,” which is The Law of Attraction, you can create anything you want in your life: more money, a bigger house, more business, a new mate, literally anything you want!
While “The Secret” has many truths in it, it also has many flaws.
For one thing I personally disagree with the notion that a person can have just anything. The reason is… because we were born with different strengths skills, talents, and abilities.
God made us all unique, with a purpose, and with a certain mission. It really isn’t “all about us!”
If you’re a Christian, you’re joint-heirs with Christ because you have been adopted into His family. This all means you are in His will, which also means He directs your steps!
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “I know the thoughts I think toward you says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end!”
This Scripture tells us we need to seek God’s will for our lives… seek what He wants! When we are doing what we are anointed to do, we will experience success!
When we seek our own thing we will fail miserably, for Jeremiah 17:5 says, “Cursed is the one that trusts in man!” Whatever does not begin with God will certainly end in failure!
The Secret’s teaching on the Law of Attraction has brought a lot of confusion to the believer in Christ for one very good reason… They leave out the entire concept of “God’s will!
Should we then, not study the Law of Attraction? Absolutely not! The Law of Attraction is very real, and when you read the words of Jesus, you must believe in it!
When you study the Law of Attraction you must be careful whom you’re learning it from (most of the teachers of The Secret do not profess to be followers of Christ)!
Jesus’ teaching on the Law of Attraction dealt with our beliefs, thoughts, words and actions. The teachers of the “Secret” teach that our words and thoughts are enough, like there’s some sort of magic in what we request from the “Universe,” and a relationship with our Saviour meansnothing. Remember John 14:6, “No one comes to the Father but through Me!”
The wisest man who ever lived said this; “Dreaming instead of doing is foolishness, and there is ruin in a flood of empty words. Fear God instead” (Ecclesiastes 5:7)!
Now, we have clarified that the Law of Attraction is real. Understanding it thoroughly is another thing. Truly understanding it with a Christian perspective is extremely important because, just like anyone else, it largely determines what we are getting out of life. It has been working for, and against us since we were born.
Jesus said, “All things are possible to him who believes” (Mark 9:23), all things means just that… ALL things… good and bad!
If you are, or are not, getting the things you really and truly believe God wants for you in your life, I challenge you to consider what you are thinking about most of the time!
If you’re a subscriber to my “Prosperous Christian” e-Letter you know that I write a lot about how important our thinking is! Jesus said, “As a man Thinks, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7)!
So, how should a Christian use the Law of Attraction?
A Christian should use the Law of Attraction to glorify God in his or her life, not merely to obtain selfish ambitions. By seeking God’s will, knowing what He wants from us, and then trusting Him to help us as we keep focused on that very thing, we will put ourselves in a postion to receive. Jeremiah 17:7 says, “Blessed is the one that trusts in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is!”
If you’ve been trying to use the Law of Attraction in the way the teachers of The Secret teach, you will soon find yourself feeling far from God! And, it should be no surprise…
When you’re merely seeking after what you want, and not what God wants, you are in the flesh, which is sin! And we know sin separates us from God. Again, remember Jeremiah 17:5, “Cursed is the one that trusts in man” (the word “Man” means flesh, or one’s self)!
God wants a relationship with us more than anything else. He wants our heart, and it grieves Him when we chase after selfish things instead of Him. Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you!”
In conclusion, the teachers of The Secret say that the Law of Attraction means “Thoughts become things.” But, in reality, the Law of Attraction means, “What we think about most flows out of our lives!” We find this truth in Proverbs 4:23, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it flow the issues of life.”
Daniel N. Brown is an entrepreneur and teacher of biblical success principles! Get his Free Special Report, “Christian Prosperity Secrets” when you subscribe to his Free “Prosperous Christian” e-Letter…
http://www.SecretPlaceOnline.com
Preparing for the Coming of the Messiah
People today are striving to find the truth about why they are here, what is their calling , who is God and what does He expect, and most of all, what comes next. They thirst for the answers to life’s most important and elusive questions. Many people have forgotten the message of love Jesus gave us. They don’t realize that His second coming will soon be fulfilled, revealing the answers to all these questions.
Perry Ennis, author of Prepare for the Coming of Messiah: A Message of Love, Restoration, Warning and Hope says, “We are in the last generation, and the world events that are fulfilling end time prophecies are happening very quickly. It is very important that we understand what is going on, so we can prepare for the difficult times ahead.”
During the 1960’s, Ennis lived a hippie lifestyle, partying, experimenting with drugs, and losing all faith in God. He became depressed and suicidal, not knowing where to turn for help. A stranger found him during these desperate times, giving him love and compassion, reintroducing Ennis to God and His words of hope. Ennis asked Jesus to come into his heart, and his ministry as a teacher of the end time prophecies was revealed to him.
He is passionate about bringing God’s truth about the end times to the people of the world, helping them prepare for the fulfillment of the greatest prophecy of all time.
Ennis says, “Know more than anything that our creator God loves all of us more than we can comprehend. He has great plans and kingdom ministry work for each of us to do.” In order to prepare for the end times and undertake God’s plan for us, we must develop an intimate relationship with Him: believe in Him, love Him, respect Him, worship Him, and follow God’s instructions. Accept Jesus as the Messiah, and our loving relationship with God will endure throughout eternity.
The truth about the end times is revealed in scripture. The proof that these prophecies and scriptures are true can be seen in the accounts written by various prophets, Kings, and disciples.
An example of such proof is from Psalms22:16, 16For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. King David wrote this psalm 700 years before the Romans used crucifixion as an inhuman form of execution, yet David knew the details of this form of punishment.
Another example demonstrating the truth of prophecies is seen in Psalms 16:9-11. 9Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. 10For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 11Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Here, King David speaks in the words of Jesus, thanking God for protecting him and not condemning him to the world of the dead. This prophecy reveals the truth of Jesus’ resurrection.
The confirmation of these readings is seen 1070 years after King David wrote the psalms by John 20:27-29. 27Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.
The Bible is filled with such confirmations and fulfillments of prophecy recorded by eye witnesses. The scriptures are right in front of us, waiting to reveal the truths human beings have been thirsting for since the beginning of mankind.
The signs of the end times are found in the scriptures:
- The most prominent prophecy to be fulfilled will be the coming regional war on the Middle East in which Israel will be the first to strike. They will defeat the enemy with the help of the USA and Yahweh. This war fulfills the prophecy in Isaiah 11/17. 1The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap. Damascus is one of the most ancient cities in the world and the capital of Syria.
- Watch for men claiming to be the Messiah. Be aware of the prophecy of false Messiahs to guard yourself from belief in their falsehoods as revealed in Matthew 24:4-5. 4And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
- Be aware of the rogue asteroid scheduled to impact the earth in 2012. This would be the fulfillment of the four trumpet prophecies. Revelations 8. 8The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, 9a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
All of these prophesied events will lead to the great war mentioned in Ezekial 38-39. Take a proactive stand and educate yourself in what the scriptures have to say about the end times. Find the way to prepare and be ready, understanding the truth of the approaching tribulation.
Find the faith to get closer to Jesus, believing that He will be there for you. He will never abandon you, but be with you forever. We can experience the peace He offers by walking with Him, and following his word.
Act in a proactive way, praying all the time. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your mission in the world. Pray for Jesus’ love to come into your heart, so you can administer to His people. Follow His word and you will reach God’s kingdom.
Dr. Proactive, Randy Gilbert enjoys producing the “Inside Success Show”. He presents his interview with Perry Ennis, (www.Messiahiscoming.net) based upon the strategies from his book. Hear the interview for free:
http://www.insidesuccessradio.com/Guests/Perry.Ennis
The Da Vinci Code and the Holy Grail
The Da Vinci Code, a best selling novel, has garnered a great deal of attention in recent days. The story line consists of medieval theories, legends and lore woven into a postmodern thriller novel with political overtones.
The novel also makes some very serious direct attacks on the Christian faith. Let me emphasize the word “novel” because it is clearly a work of fiction and is not fact.
Any serious scholar who examines this book is drawn to the conclusion that it is mere speculation based on very limited evidence. Uninformed readers, however, are misled by this book and some people even promote it as truth. It is therefore necessary to counter its errors.
The plot of the book is centered on the unproved supposition that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and they had a son who became part of French royalty. This story was supposedly suppressed by the Roman Catholic Church over the centuries.
The book also claims that the Holy Grail is not the chalice that was used at the last supper but is rather the body of Mary Magdalene. I should point out that the Bible does not use the term “Holy Grail” much less define it as the chalice used at the first holy communion at the last supper. The attribution of power to the chalice was done much later in legends formulated in medieval times.
The novel also blasphemously denies the deity (divinity) of Christ. It alleges that the doctrine of the deity of Christ did not originate with Christ Himself but was introduced later and Constantine called the Council of Nicea in 325 AD order to enforce it.
It is also alleged in The Da Vinci Code that Christ was deified as part of a larger attempt to assert male dominance and suppress goddess worship. Feminist victimization is a major underlying theme of this book and forms a major political subtext. It is called The Da Vinci Code because Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) supposedly was a believer and propagator of the Mary Magdalene as wife of Jesus rumor.
The New Testament records the fact that Jesus openly claimed to be divine. (See John 5:23, 8:58, 10:30.) The apostles, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, also asserted that Jesus was and is divine. He is equal with God the Father. (See John 1:1,14, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 1:6-8.)
Only Jesus as God in flesh was capable of dying for the sins of all people. The early church leaders who came after the apostles continued to teach the deity of Christ. To say or imply that Constantine or others invented the doctrine of the deity of Christ in order to promote a patriarchal system is as ludicrous as it is anti-historical.
Christ came to die for the sins of all people. He, in His great love and mercy, took upon Himself the punishment due to all people for our sins. The name “Immanuel,” a title of Christ, means “God with us.”
Part of the reason The Da Vinci Code denies the deity of Christ is that it relies on the Gnostic Gospels to buttress its claims. A large number of manuscripts of Gnostic Gospels were found in an earthenware jar in Nag Hamadi Egypt in 1945.
Among the Nag Hamadi group of manuscripts was the so-called Gospel of Thomas and the so-called Gospel of Philip. Since these manuscripts are dated anywhere from AD 150 to the third or fourth centuries AD, no scholar, not even the most liberal, regards them as actually having been written by the Thomas or Philip of the New Testament.
Dr. Erwin Lutzer of Moody Church, Chicago Illinois writes about the Gnostic Gospels: “These Gnostic Gospels are non-historical, and even anti-historical; they contain little narrative and have no sense of chronology. They scorn the belief that God would have come in the flesh . . . These documents make no pretense of actually overlapping with the canonical gospels. They are filled with many garbled New Testament quotations along with many foolish sayings that they put in the mouth of Jesus” (page 9 of Dr. Lutzer’s booklet Rumors about Jesus: The Jesus of The Da Vinci Code).
Sandra Miesel, writing in the Roman Catholic newsletter Crisis states that in The Da Vinci Code “Blasphemy is delivered in a soft voice.”
The allegation that Jesus married Mary Magdalene is outlandish speculation with no biblical support and ironically very little support even in medieval legend and lore. Those who deny the deity of Christ commit the sin of blasphemy and separate themselves from Christ. I pray that people not be misled by The Da Vinci Code.
Bill Nugent has written many articles on Christianity, philosophy and science. He has also written books that give Bible based teaching on sanctification and that caution against the error of legalism. His books are available at his website http://www.gracelawandsonship.com.
Your Prosperity and Your Trials
Life happens to us all, and at some point in time we all experience a little displeasure now and then.
It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been a Christian, how much we do right, or how much we love the Lord. 1 Peter 4:12 says, “Do not be amazed and bewildered at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test your quality as though something (unusual and alien) were befalling you (Amplified Bible Version).”
Just because we are Christians does not mean we should be exempt from trials. Remember, the One we follow has scars, and if we are gonna be his Disciples, we are gonna end up with scars too!
Just know that living an abundant and prosperous life is a choice we make regardless of the trials we must endure. Even though we cannot control what God chooses to test us, we can control how we react.
How we react to trials greatly affects our prosperity. For example, if you get all bent out of shape over something that tests your patience, you will lose your peace. Losing yourpeace then, results in losing your prosperity. Think about it,if you don’t have any peace, you don’t have much!
Tests, trials, and undesirable circumstances are all part of life. But, they are also temporary! Therefore, we should not allow them to continue in our lives… Particularly, as a child of God.
John 10:10 tells us that Jesus died that we may have life, and have life more abundantly. Trials and tests are only meant for a season, or for a short amount of time to make us better than what we were before.
If you’re like me you see many people who let their problems continue to run their lives. They live from paycheck to paycheck with bills that don’t get paid by their due dates. They may have a car in need of certain repairs or maintenance, but the zero in their savings account prevents them from getting the things done that they need. They may have problems in relationships, and they may even have health issues.
Prosperity feels so far away for these people… But they love the Lord! Why then, do they continue to struggle?
I believe it’s a combination of things, but I want to emphasize only one important point for now: The devil wants us to settle for the crumbs that fall from the table!
As born-again children of the Most High God, we are adopted into His family and become joint-heirs with Christ… What is His, is ours (Rom 8:17, Gal 3:29)!
Our attitude should be, “I am a child of the King, I deserve the best, and I decide right now to commit myself to a better quality life.” Insist that you will not live like a dog settling for the crumbs that fall from the Master’s table. Pull up your chair, take your rightful place, and feast with the King!
After all, you are a child of the Most High God, set apart and made holy by the blood of the Lamb, and “greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4)!
No longer accept what the enemy wants for you! Jesus said in Luke 10:19, “You have been given power and authority over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm you!”
Daniel N. Brown is an entrepreneur and teacher of biblical success principles! Get his FREE Special Report, “Christian Prosperity Secrets” when you subscribe to his FREE “Prosperous Christian” e-Letter… http://www.SecretPlaceOnline.com
The Book of John and Your Prosperity
Most scholars will agree the Gospel of John is a very important document on Christian theology - often times, more so than the synoptics, which are the works of Matthew, Mark, and Luke!
Why? Probably because the way John the Disciple portrays Jesus Christ! John discusses two critical particulars in His Gospel:
1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God!
2. The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us!
Only John’s Gospel presents the concept of the eternal Word of God being made flesh and living in this world among us!
About the Book of John
The Book of John is filled with first hand accounts of John’s experiences with Jesus that occurred during His 33 years on earth…
John explains things in much more detail than the Synoptic Gospels! Because of His unique relationship with Jesus, John is able to give us a broader perspective into some of the events that occurred during Jesus time on earth, such as…
~ When the disciples crossed the lake in the storm, John records they had rowed between three and four miles
~ The loaves of bread the boy brought to Jesus were actually barley loaves
~ John records the exact weight of the myrrh and aloe used to anoint Jesus’ body
But, it’s interesting to note that the parables Jesus told, which are so precious to the Synoptic Gospels… John omits!
What You Will NOT Find in the Book of John
Because the Gospel of John varies from the other three gospels by focusing more on spiritual themes rather than historical events, the following is a list of the things we will NOT find in this Gospel…
~ Jesus’ birth or the events that surrounded His birth
~ The temptation of Jesus
~ Jesus’ baptism
~ Jesus’ last supper with His disciples
~ Jesus’ struggle in Gethsemane
~ Jesus’ ascension into heaven
~ The deliverance of the demon possessed
What You WILL Find in the Book of John
Even though John omits much of what the Synoptic Gospels tell us, He tells us much of what the other three omit!
It is only in John’s Gospel that some of Jesus’ disciples really come to life! John shows us some of Andrew’s personality and some of Phillip’s character… we also get to hear Thomas speak, and we get to hear the protest of Judas at Bethany!
The following is a list of some of the other important things we will read only in the Gospel of John…
~ The miracle Jesus performed at the marriage feast at Cana of Galilee
~ The coming of Nicodemus to Jesus at the midnight hour
~ Jesus’ meeting with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well
~ Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead
~ The way Jesus washed His disciples’ feet
~ Jesus’ teachings about the Holy Spirit as our Comforter and Guide
About John the Disciple
It’s interesting that John the Disciple’s mother was the sister of Jesus’ mother, Mary, which would make John and Jesus first cousins! This may explain the special favor Jesus showed John (John records himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved, recorded in John 13:23, 19:26, and 21:7)! This could also explain the uniqueness of his record of the life of Jesus…
Also, John the Disciple identifies himself as “The disciple which testifies of these things, and writes these things; and we know that his testimony is true” (John 21:24)!
Conclusion
The Gospel of John is truly a facinating perspective on the life of Jesus, and I absolutely encourage you to absorb it to fully expand your Christian walk and super-charge your life!
Daniel N. Brown is an entrepreneur and teacher of biblical success principles! Get his FREE Special Report, “Christian Prosperity Secrets” when you subscribe to his FREE “Prosperous Christian” e-Letter… http://www.SecretPlaceOnline.com