The Deceit of Humanism	Startling DNA Discovery	Finding the Joy of the Lord
Thoughts to Ponder	What and Why the Gospel	Elva's Back Healed
Truth or Death?	Don't Let the World Win	Why Civilizations Collapse

Three Days and Three Nights	Learn From My Mistakes	Make the Devil Say "If Only"
The Law of the Spirit of Life	The Biblical Holy Days in Order	I Don't Believe in Atheists
Crusade Church Holy Day Schedule	Charity Brings Blessings	Update on God's Work

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The Deceit of Humanism

By Pastor Larry R. Lasiter

Everything that God created has a purpose which is an assignment from God. Everything created was made to bring glory to God. Everything we do should result in the praise and glorification of God. Like everything else, we were created by Him and for Him. Have you ever made something which spoke back to you and refused to do what you created it to do? Now, I understand that you may have made something that didn’t work, but the keyword in my question is "refused."

When I was in the Cub Scouts we were given a project to make billfolds for ourselves. When I completed the task, I was proud of the little billfold that I had made - it even had my initials on it. The purpose of the billfold was to carry money, identification and whatever else I needed and didn’t want to lose. Now, my little billfold carried out it’s purpose very well, though I never had much money to carry in it.

But what if it refused to do what I had made it to do? What if it refused to carry my money and decided for itself that it preferred to carry peanut butter? What a mess that would be! And not only a mess, but it would be extremely frustrating to find that my money was always gone.

This analogy may sound a little silly, but the Apostle Paul used a similar example, -"Who are you, O man, who answers back to God? For who resists His will? The thing molded will not say to the molder, ‘Why did you make me like this,’ will it? Or does not the Potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?" (Romans 9:20-21)

One concept that stands in opposition to the truth that all things are created and have been given the assignment to bring glory to the Creator God, is the philosophy of humanism.

Since I will be discussing this subject in this article, I will include here the opening statement of the

First Humanist Manifesto.

"The time has come for widespread recognition of the radical changes in religious beliefs throughout the modern world. The time is past for mere revision of traditional attitudes. Science and economic change have disrupted the old beliefs. Religions the world over are under the necessity of coming to terms with new conditions created by a vastly increased knowledge and experience. In every field of human activity, the vital movement is now in the direction of a candid and explicit humanism.

In order that religious humanism may be better understood we desire to make certain affirmations which we believe the facts of our contemporary life demonstrate. There is a great danger of a final, and we believe fatal, identification of the word religion with doctrines and methods which have lost their significance and which are powerless to solve the problem of human living in the Twentieth Century. Religions have always been means for realizing the highest values of life.

We hold that the universe exists for no purpose. We are the result of a blind and random process that does not necessitate any kind of meaning. Life is only worth living if we ourselves make it worthwhile and enjoyable. . .We maintain that no objective or universal values exist. A person may be moral if he or she creates a system of values and lives according to them. We maintain that no one is obligated to be moral. Obviously, if no moral absolutes exist, you can’t demonstrate that anything is wrong or evil. Thus, in a humanist society, no one can really judge or condemn the choices or actions of others."

Do you recognize any of this? If you look at the state of Europe and of America today, I think you would agree that the western world has succumbed to the philosophy of humanism. Unfortunately, this thinking is not regulated to the world but has crept into the Christian Church. Modern Christianity is permeated with humanism. It seems everything we do is designed for our fellow man. It’s common to see amenities such as gyms, coffee shops and bookstores in churches today. At the Brentwood Baptist Church in Houston, a McDonald's will open this month, complete with a drive-in window and small golden arches.

We are so afraid to offend the sinner we forget that our holy God is offended by their rebellion against His will and purpose for their lives. Today, you will find far more Christians who are more sympathetic towards sinners than toward the Creator who made them or the Savior who gave His life to save them. Many plead with God saying "Please, please Lord, don’t send these people to Hell", as if God was harsh, unforgiving, and wanted people to perish. But God wants no one to perish, -"The Lord is not slow about His promise (to return). . .but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)

The love of God is designed to turn sinners from their wicked practices, yet many conclude that God will accept them just as they are. The truth is, God created people for life, and sinners stand in stark opposition to their Creator. And the Bible says that God has placed the desire for eternity in every man’s heart. We don’t want to die. We clearly see death as an enemy, so does our Creator.

By ignoring God and living in their sins, they deny God the works of His own hands and the love He so deserves. He gave them life, they lost it in their sins, so He offered His only Son to pay for their crimes, and yet the sinner chooses to live in death. This grieves the heart of God and denies Jesus the reward of His suffering. As the children of God, we should grieve for our Father, our Savior and the sinner who loves his sin, while remembering that God has done all He can do, and if the sinner will not repent he deserves to perish in the Lake of Fire.

After the Great Awakening Revival of the mid-1800's, the Christian faith sustained a frontal attack directed by the higher critics of Europe. Darwin had postulated his theory of evolution and certain philosophers adapted their positions to accommodate it, and certain theologians began applying it to the Scriptures. Satan had always attacked God’s Word and the servants who ministered it, but by 1850 higher education began to openly denounce the veracity of the Bible. After formulating his theory, Darwin declared that the Bible would one day be a relic that you will have to go to a museum to see. He was convinced that it would be utterly destroyed by the arguments he was bringing against it.

As a result of this, the philosophy of the day became humanism. Humanism teaches that the end of all things is the happiness of man. The ultimate goal of this philosophy is to be happy as you live. It is the belief that the reason for existence is your happiness. Those who hold this view spend their time trying to get all the happiness they can out of life.

Darwinism and humanism caused great debate among the Christian Churches. This eventually manifested itself by producing two main groups, the liberals, and the fundamentalists. The liberals accepted this new found philosophy and adapted their message to sound something like this, -"We don’t really know if there is a personal God, or if there is a heaven and hell, but you are going to live some years in this life and you will be happier if you live it as a Christian. Now, it’s important for you to come to services every week so we can help you to live your best life now."

In the light of Darwinism and humanism, the liberal Christian wouldn’t dare try to defend the veracity of the Bible. Early on they had been soundly defeated in their debates with evolutionist intellectuals. They were embarrassed by Bible stories of a talking serpent, a young shepherd killing a giant warrior with a stone and a man living inside a big fish for three days. With these religious leaders, the shine had been knocked off the Bible. They were faced with two choices, deny the existence of God, Jesus and the Christian faith, or create a mixture that did not require them to Biblically defend, and one which was palatable to the carnal mind. So, this gave birth to liberal Christianity. I was once questioned about a particular belief by a liberal Christian, and when I answered him by using a quote from one of Paul’s epistles, he laughed and said, -"Paul was just a man!" When I told him that though Paul was a man, his writings were inspired by God, he scoffed at the idea.

While liberal Christians blended right in by going along to get along, fundamental Christians stepped up boldly to defend their God, their Savior and their traditional faith. They cried, -"The Bible is true! Jesus really was the Son of God who died for the sins of the world! Heaven and hell really exist! We believe sinners will have their part in the Lake of Fire! We believe the only way to be saved is by accepting Jesus Christ! Jesus is coming back to judge the world! And you better live by the Word of God!"

If you are a fundamental Christian you are probably thinking -"Way to go boys! Tell it like it is and never back down from the truth!" But there was a secret problem. The whole atmosphere of the great debate was permeated with humanism. Humanism is like an infection that easily spreads largely undetected. While the fundamentalists set a guard against evolution and the higher critics who attacked the validity of the Bible, humanism crept in the backdoor while no one was watching. As a result God became a means to an end rather than the end itself -nothing more than a formula to get what you want.

All it took was a little twist of the Scriptures. Satan subtly suggested a little slight of hand. Just a cunning change of focus. Hardly noticeable if you weren’t paying close attention. If you look at a photo that has a person in the foreground and a person in the background you will notice that the focus is more on the person in the foreground. True Christian theology presents a picture of God and of man together, and God is first, foremost, and in the foreground. Fundamental Christianity infected with humanism began to put the focus on man which made God a little out of focus. In a photo the object of most importance is the one which is most sharply focused.

Liberal Christians came to believe that Christianity exists to make man happy while he lives. Liberals determined to use social programs to promote man’s well-being and to eliminate poverty and need. Does the term "Social Justice" ring a bell? The Bible teaches "Equal Justice" but not Social Justice. Social Justice involves taking from those who have to give to those who do not, generally using government to do so. Taking from one to give to another is theft. It is collective by nature and leans toward the concept of collective salvation rather than individual, personal salvation which the Gospel teaches.

Equal Justice is what God means when He says that He is no respecter of persons, but gave His Son to save any who would receive that gift. Equal Justice is not a hand out as much as it is a hand up. It is the belief that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. Equal Justice practices personal Charity.

Since liberal Christians were no longer sure about the details of an afterlife, they attempted to make living on the earth a heavenly experience. Again, Liberal Christians came to believe that Christianity exists to make man happy while he lives - Fundamental Christians came to believe that Christianity exists to make man happy when he dies. Both views are a perversion of the truth. Both ideas are the pursuit for the happiness of man rather than for the glory of God.

With just a tiny emphasis change in the Gospel message, man could use God to get what he wanted. The thinking came to be that everything was for the benefit of man. God made the world for man, the heavens exist for man, He gave His Son for man, He has a great plan for man, He desires to bless man and bring him happiness, etc. You might be thinking, -"Wait a minute, what’s wrong with that? God does love us! God did give His Son for us! God does want us to be happy!" The answer is yes, but as a by product, not as the prime product. God was not made for you - you were made for God. God does not exist for you - you exist for Him. God does not exist to help you pursue your dreams - you exist to fulfill God’s dreams for you.

The plans that your Creator has for you are far greater than anything you could come up with, -"For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11) The Bible says that our Creator planned your birth and has ordered your days. The uniqueness of who you are was written into your DNA when He formed you in the womb. If your DNA was unraveled and placed end to end it would stretch to the sun and back many times over! That is how much care and detail God took to make you what you are. We are the apex of God’s creation and are blessed and glorified, but as a by product not a prime product -it is all still ultimately for the glory of God

God loves us and created us to be His children, even heirs of everything that He has - but God must not be reduced to a formula to get what we want. No, we are to give Him what He wants. He is the beginning and the end and everything in between - He is not a means to an end, He is the end. That is, our personal happiness must not be our goal, but He must be our goal. We follow the example of Jesus who said, -"Father, not My will, but Your will be done." This takes faith. It is what it means to live by faith through good times and bad.

Are we happy when we find Him? Yes, but if it is not primarily about Him and seeking Him for who He is, we are out of balance and have slipped into humanism. We are not to seek the human experience but a divine experience in His manifest presence. Everything was created by Him, and for Him, -"For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on the earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -all things have been created through Him and for Him." (Colossians 1:16)

Why do we preach the Gospel? Do we do it for God or for man? That may sound like an unusual question but it is one which needs to be answered. God sends us forth with the message of salvation because He loves man and desires for no one to perish. But He wants more than for a person to merely flee from His coming wrath - He wants them to run to Him.

He longs for fellowship with those separated from Him by their sins. He wants the sick healed. This is the very reason that He allowed His Son to be so brutally beaten, -"for by His wounds you were healed." (1 Peter 2:24) Bottom line, Jesus died to save us, was beaten to heal us, and He deserves the reward of His suffering. Yes, we are to have the love of God dwelling in us and expressing it to those who are lost in sin, but we preach salvation for Him first, not them first - and for His purpose and glory - and that His will might be done - and that Jesus would receive the reward of His suffering and death.

God promises to never leave us nor forsake us. No matter what fiery trials we may face in the future we can rest assured that our Father and our Savior will be there to see us through. David wrote, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For Your rod and Your staff comfort me." (Psalm 23) When we endure such trying times, sweet platitudes and "churchy" principles of liberal Christianity will not do - we need a real Father and a real friend in Jesus.

Jesus said, -"Seek you first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. And all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) When asked which was the greatest of all the Commandments, Jesus replied, "The First Commandment to love the Lord your God with all your heart all your mind and all your soul." Then Jesus said, "And the second is to love your neighbor as yourself." God first, man second.

The Ten Commandments were written on two separate tablets. The first four were written on the first tablet and the last six on the second tablet. The first four instruct us in loving and obeying God, and the last six teach us how to love and treat our neighbor. Let us always remember that God comes first and people come second. We cannot honor God by putting the interests and feelings of man above that of God.

When I preached the Africa Crusades I was shocked to see that there were as many hypocrites there as here in America. The Bible and the gospel was generally very well known. I could see little difference in people. They were content to live in sin and to trample the sacrifice of the Beloved.

This article was greatly influenced by a sermon I heard ten years ago, "Ten Shekels and a Shirt" by Paris Reidhead. In it he speaks of the time he was sent by God to preach to the lost in Africa. He was so excited and highly motivated to save souls. But what he found was that the heathen knew that God existed and what was required of them for salvation, but were very content to stay in their sins. Reidhead was both heartbroken and angry at his Creator. In desperate prayer he cried out, "You knew that these people were content in their sins and that they knew about You and Christ but didn’t care! Well that’s a mighty fine thing You did in sending me over here! Then he said that he heard the voice of God speak as never before, -"I didn’t send you over there for them. I sent you over there for Me! Yes, it’s true that they are content in their sins and they’re going to perish, but I love them! Do I not deserve the reward of My suffering?!"

It was in that moment that everything in the preacher’s thinking was changed. He realized that he had been infected with humanism. That his ministry and all that went with it was for the benefit of man and not God. Man was focused in the foreground while God and Christ was in the background. Everything that he had done in ministry was actually for man first and not for God first. He had simply used God and the Savior as a means to an end -the well-being and happiness of man rather than for the glory of God. Then he realized that he could never care about nor have the level of love for others that God has. It was God who gave His only Son to come as a man, be mocked, beaten and crucified. It was the Father and the Son that had paid the greatest cost to offer the greatest of gift -the gift of ar and eternal life.

Pastor Reidhead also included the famous story of two young Moravian Missionaries from Herrnhut, Germany. They were led by the Spirit to proclaim the Gospel to African slaves in the Danish West Indies. But there was a major obstacle in the way -the slave master had vowed that no Christian preacher would ever be allowed access to the slaves. The only way in was for the two young men to sell themselves into slavery, which they did. As their families watched them walk towards the slave ship they wept bitterly. Then, from a distance the two missionaries turned with hands raised and shouted, -"May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!" It was never more clear. These two faithful young men knew, understood, and yielded to the mission to bring glory to their God and their Savior.

Dear ones, weep for them and for all sinners, but not so much as you weep for your grieving heavenly Father who offered His only Son. If you must weep, weep for your Beloved Savior who suffers the rejection. Sinners who refuse to repent deserve the sentence of hell. God’s wrath rightly abides on the sinner who stands in rebellions and denies the Lord the reward of His suffering.

 

Startling DNA Discovery

News Report with Commentary by Larry R. Lasiter

Scientists in the US and Switzerland have announced an amazing revelation – all modern humans are descended from a common father and mother who appeared on the scene 100,000 to 200,000 years ago after a cataclysmic event almost wiped out the human race. Science doesn’t know of such an event but is compelled to make this assertion due to the accepted belief in evolution. The alternative of just believing that a Creator made both humans and animals at the same time would be anathema to most scientists today.

Although the researchers believe in an evolutionary explanation and are not pointing to the biblical Adam and Eve, or even to Noah and his wife, their DNA discovery following ten years of work has stirred a lot of debate. It may prove to be one of the most challenging studies ever undertaken and it brings up a huge mystery. What happened to wipe out almost all life on the planet, leaving behind the people who would become the mother and father to us all? "This conclusion is very surprising," Thaler stated, "and I fought against it as hard as I could."

The Daily Mail reports that these new findings throw into doubt the patterns of evolution currently accepted by the scientific community at large. The separation of each kind from another is as vast as the galaxies are from each other. After looking over this extensive study one observed -it would be as difficult for a kind to evolve into a new kind as it would be for one galaxy to merge with another and forming a separate and new galaxy -there are just vast distances between.

The research was led by Senior Research Associate Mark Stoeckle of the Rockefeller University in NY and Research Associate David Thaler of the University of Basel, Switzerland and was published in the journal Human Evolution.

Researchers say they studied the genetic "barcodes" from five million types of animals and humans – some 100,000 species – to reach their conclusions. The barcodes are snippets of DNA that reside outside the nuclei of living cells – so-called mitochondrial DNA, which mothers pass down from generation to generation.

Stoeckle and Thaler also found that 90 percent of all animal species alive today come from parents who all began giving birth around the same time, somewhere between 100,000 - 200,000 years ago. From a biblical standpoint this is exactly what we would expect to see if the world were destroyed by a flood. In the Genesis account Noah took only two, a male and female aboard the Ark with the exception of the animals God had declared to be clean to eat -Noah took seven pairs of the clean animals. This would account for the 10 percent of animals that did not descend from a single pair.

Fox News reports the study does line up with the Bible in two notable ways. Fox states:

1. It confirms that we and our fellow creatures on Earth arose from a recent and profound creation event, orchestrated by some unknown mechanism.

2. The DNA barcodes reveal that species are quantized. Instead of there being a continuum of animal varieties, as one might expect from millions of years of gradual evolution, creatures fall into very distinct, widely separated populations – what the Bible describes as "kinds," from the Hebrew word "min."

So at a time when people tend to look at the differences in each other in terms of race, social status, etc., scientists suggest that when we refer to our fellow man, we're actually referring to our genetic brothers and sisters.

"At a time when humans place so much emphasis on individual and group differences, maybe we should spend more time on the ways in which we resemble one another and the rest of the animal kingdom," Dr. Mark Stoeckle told The Daily Mail.

Critics in the scientific community pushed back against the authors’ conclusions. "There is no trace in the geological record of any such global event in the last 200,000 years," notes Michael Marshall in Forbes. Marshall is currently working on a book about the origins of life.

"Any event that slashed populations that significantly would surely have led to a noticeable spike in the extinction rate, and there isn’t one. There are of course the extinctions linked to humans, but those occurred at separate times and locations, not simultaneously across the planet," he wrote.

Man and animals appeared at the same time in history. Consider that it’s easier to believe that a Creator made the first man and woman along with the animals at the same time than it is to believe that a global extinction event occurred which left only one male and one female of childbearing age, and one male and one female each of the countless animal kinds. The study showed that 90 percent of all animal kinds also descended from a single male and female pair. What are the odds in that happening? The odds are virtually zero. Had it occurred that way, well then it would be an even greater miracle because only God can do the impossible.

 

Finding the Joy of the Lord

By Shane Morris

Since the feast in 2018, I was struggling in my own walk with the Lord, in that it felt as though I walked alone. Of course I knew this not to be true. I had the promises of His word. I knew and believed that He had not forsaken me, that He heard me, and that He was near. Even through my own past, God has always shown Himself to be faithful and true. My experience was somewhat likened to Job’s statement in 23:8, -"Behold I go forward but He is not there, and backward but I cannot perceive Him."

I could not feel His presence. I could not hear Him. It seemed like I could not find Him no matter what direction I went. I felt like I had no direction. When you cannot perceive God or His Spirit, you remember that you really can’t do anything without Him. The Lord moved through circumstances in my life and someone else to clearly impress and confirm that we truly must count it all joy, in all of our days here on this earth.

In the middle of the day on a Friday (1/25), I was finishing the very last pages of a timely book I had been reading about seeking God in the wilderness. Near the very end, the author described a moment in a previous trial he went through, which was all too familiar with me. The Lord prompted him to play a praise CD. He listened to the entire album and forced himself to sing along. He went further, even pushing himself to dance. As he described, "I was so heavy in heart that it was like dancing through liquid lead." He started the album a second time. This time he focused more attention on the lyrics of each worship song. He was more diligent and intent in seeking God's presence. Eventually, he was beside himself in worship, singing and dancing before the Lord without restraint.

This was a plain, personal reminder. I had been here before at least in some measure. Upon reading this account, something was quickened within my spirit again, but in a fresh, new way, that I must count it all joy, at all times, no matter what. I was only a couple pages away from finishing the book, but I had to stop right there in that moment. I immediately played the song "Joy of the Lord" and worshiped the Lord with a grateful heart. And then again.

The next morning on the Sabbath when Bryan asked if I had a song for services, of course I answered with "Joy of the Lord". After Sarah had seen the name of the song listed for special music she sensed that God was at work. She asked me if she had said anything to me about that song. I could tell she was a bit excited when she asked, so I smiled and said "no." I had only done the song once before and had been quite sure for awhile that I would probably not be doing it again. That one time happened to fall on a day when Sarah missed services during her pregnancy in 2017. Later in the day, I learned that Sarah and Blake had recently encountered this song by chance and that it had touched them.

Sarah mentioned this same week that she had been moved to play this song and worship the Lord even in the midst of this increasingly dark world. It was a particularly dark week in this nation and had weighed on her greatly with the new legislation that passed in New York — allowing for the legal abortion of babies up until birth. Over and over again, Sarah had been impressed with both the chorus of the song and the scripture from Nehemiah: "The joy of the Lord is my strength".

In what seems like a simple way, the Lord impressed and then confirmed that we must rely on the joy we have in Christ to endure. At any time, in any circumstance. No matter what. As the chorus of the song repeats, "In the darkness I’ll dance. In the shadows I’ll sing. The joy of the Lord is my strength." If Christ endured the cross for the joy set before Him, we know there is nothing we can’t endure if we hold on to the joy we share.

 

Feel Left Alone?

Other believers have felt the same way. Peruse the writings of Oswald Chambers, Charles Spurgeon, and D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and you'll discover they knew well the agony you experience. Spurgeon wrote this autobiographical account in his comments on Psalm 88:6.

He who now feebly expounds these words knows within himself more than he would care or dare to tell of these abysses of inward anguish. He has sailed around the Cape of Storms, and has drifted along by the dreary headlands of despair.

After C. S. Lewis lost his wife to cancer, he called out to God for comfort but sensed no reply. Confused, he asked, "What can this mean? Why is He so present a commander in our time of prosperity and so very absent a help in time of trouble?"

But you don't need a large library to know your experience is common. Just turn through the pages of your Bible, especially the Psalms, and you'll read several distressed cries for God to act:

"Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am pining away; heal me, O Lord, for my bones are dismayed. And my soul is greatly dismayed; but You, O Lord-how long." Psalm 6

 

Thoughts to Ponder

By Larry R. Lasiter

* "THE LUSTS OF OUR HEART will not lie so patiently on the altar as Isaac, but they must be laid before the Lord and sacrificed. Our flesh will resist and cry out in defiant protest, and with devious cleverness our lust will plead for itself. But the death of the old self gives rise to the new and the glory that follows. The faithful shall never be sorry nor regret the death of self and the resurrection of Christ within them that results."

* "BEING FAITHFUL to your future mate shows that you are looking for, and waiting on that special person whom you will become "one" with in the consummation of marriage. The Bible says that when two are joined together they become "one." Today, most people think that the responsibility to be faithful begins with a "committed" relationship or at marriage. But God's will is that you be faithful always, even long before you meet your love. Then on your wedding day you can demonstrate your faithfulness by giving your special love the precious and virtuous gift of a pure and undefiled body kept only for them. Guard your heart always and flee immorality."

* "WE ARE AT WAR with the Prince of the power of the air-the god of this world and his forces of darkness. As faithful soldiers our goal is not for self preservation but to engage the enemy and fight. We are to be wise and not ignorant of the enemy's tactics, but we cannot overcome and win the victory without directing engaging the enemy."

* "WE MUST BECOME THE BODY of Christ before we can become the Bride of Christ. We are to be one Body. Therefore, I can no longer be fixated on self. In Christ I am a part of something bigger-personal interests must go."

* "WE GROAN INWARDLY as we eagerly await our redemption..." (Rom. 8:23). We sigh deeply because we are suspended between two worlds, living in the ambiguity of an already-not-yet expectation, enduring ourselves as imperfect vessels longing for perfection, trapped between what is and what will be, seeing the unseen, yearning for healing, believing that we shall never die, even as we die." (John 11:26).

* "WHEN WE CONSIDER A SEED we understand that it can only produce after it’s own kind. An apple seed can produce an apple-bearing tree but cannot produce a tree that bears oranges. Every kind of seed is genetically pre-dispositioned to reproduce it’s own kind. Likewise, since we are all products of the fallen seed of Adam, we cannot produce the Spiritual fruit of the Spirit without first being born again in Christ."

* "TRUE WORSHIPERS -Jesus said that the Father is seeking true worshipers who will worship in Spirit and in truth. He went on to say that ‘God must be worshiped in Spirit and in truth.’ False discipleship will never bring anyone into true fellowship with God."

* "CHRIST MUST RULE -The Lord wants us to understand that we must come to a place where our natural life ceases, and by the power of God we rise into a life where Christ rules, where He sovereignly reigns."

* "WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO FORGIVE, the kingdom of Darkness is suddenly invaded with divine light. The Dark Lord recognizes you as a dire threat and dread foe. The power of a resurrected life now stands in opposition unrestrained."

* "A CHRISTIAN HAS BEEN BORN AGAIN of the Spirit. Old things have passed away and behold, all things have become new. His sins are remembered no more. A Christian is not only a child of God, but also a child of the present and future-not of the past. Like his father Abraham he sets his mind on the blessings of today and on the glories to come. He receives by faith who he is in Christ and joyously steps into the victorious life of Christ."

* "THOUGHTS -If your thoughts have the power to make you feel bad, then they have the power to make you feel good. In Christ, you have the power to think greater than how you feel. "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." Colossians 3:2"

* "UNBELIEF is a deceiving serpent and faith is acting upon this truth -that serpent lies quiet under the crushing foot of the Lord."

* "WE CAN RECEIVE SALVATION YET still be hindered by an evil conscience which reminds us of our sins -in Christ there should be no reminder. David, a man after God’s own heart cried, -"Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit in me." (Ps.51) His evil conscience was reminding him of sins which God had already forgiven him of. David knew he needed his heart sprinkled and cleansed by the blood to walk unshackled by guilt, -"Let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience." (Hebrews 10:22) The blood satisfies God’s wrath."

 

What and Why the Gospel?

By Larry R. Lasiter

In every civilized country there is of necessity a prison system. The inmates there are serving time and in some cases life sentences without the possibility of parole. They have been accused of a crime against the laws of society, been tried and convicted, and are now incarcerated by the Justice system. They are living out the old saying, "if you do the crime, then you must do the time." Once convicted there is a small discretionary provision for mercy, but there is no possibility for forgiveness. And if and when an inmate is released back into society he will live as a pardoned criminal forever shackled with the record of his crime.

According to the Bible all people have violated their Creator’s Laws and His will and purpose for their lives. The Bible says that all have sinned and that there is not even one who is good on their own merit. (Romans 3) At first glance this may seem very harsh indeed since most of us like to think of ourselves as a good person. Perhaps we may be good when we compare ourselves with those whom we consider very bad, but we have all fallen short of God’s righteousness and even our own expectations of ourselves.

If we are honest we must acknowledge that we have lied, been very selfish, been judgmental, self-righteous, jealous, envious, etc. We have done or said things to hurt others and have neglected to do the good things we could have done. We have betrayed another’s trust and have suffered betrayal ourselves. Proverbs 20:6 says, "Many a man proclaims his own goodness, but who can find a trustworthy man?" Honestly, if people were trustworthy we wouldn’t need the mass volume of laws we have. In most cases each of the laws in our society were made and enacted due to transgressions. And still there are many, even Attorneys who scour the laws looking for loopholes.

Historians have often cited that the American Constitution and it’s laws have their roots in the Ten Commandments of the Bible-the great moral Law that God gave to Israel-the ten Laws that He wrote into tablets of stone. "Love the Lord your God", "Do not worship idols", "Do not take God’s name in vain", Remember to keep the Sabbath Day holy", "Honor and obey your parents", "Do not murder", "Do not commit adultery", "Do not steal", "Do not lie or bear false witness", "Do not covet what belongs to another."

In Matthew 19 a young man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life and Jesus said, "keep the Commandments." If our Creator were to judge you on Judgment Day according to how you lived in obedience to these Commandments, how would you fair? Ask yourself, "Have I always loved God and put Him first?" "Have I taken His name in vain?" "Have I kept His Sabbath Day holy?" "Have I honored my parents?" "Have I ever taken what did not belong to me?" "Have I lied?" Jesus said that if you look at another person with sexual lust in your heart, then you have committed adultery in the heart. "Have you ever looked at another person in lust?" The obvious answer to at least some of these questions is "yes" which means you are guilty.

You may quickly say, "I am no different than everybody else! If I am guilty then everyone is guilty!" Or you might think to yourself "I know that I have done some wrong things but God forgives, and I believe that God will forgive me on that Day I stand before Him at Judgment."

The truth is, God wants to forgive you, but since He created you with free will He can’t unless you are willing to change your way of life. It is not His desire that any should perish and He takes no pleasure in the fate of the wicked. Wickedness to God is simply living outside His will.

The Gospel is a Greek term meaning "good news." It is a message that a person’s offences against His holy Creator could not only be pardoned and forgiven, but that the record of those offences would actually cease to exist. To receive this good news, all one need do is admit that they are a sinner, turn from living their sinful lifestyle, and make a public demonstration that they consider their old way as dead and have now started a new walk by being baptized.

Baptism pictures the death and resurrection of the new convert. When a person does this then God promises to place His Holy Spirit in them. The Holy Spirit will guide the new convert as they read the Scriptures, giving them understanding of God’s will in their lives. And the Holy Spirit will give them the power to overcome the temptations of sin that once held them in bondage.

The Bible says that without the shedding of blood there can be no forgiveness of sin. God cannot simply sweep your sins under a rug, they must be paid for in full by blood. The Bible also says that it’s impossible for the blood of animals to

make atonement for sin. Those ancient sacrifices served only to remind us of our sins. Because of His love for you, the Father gave His Son as a worthy sacrifice to pay for our sins. And Jesus willingly laid His righteous life down for you. He suffered a brutal scourging and was then nailed to a cross to be mocked and then die. The writer of Hebrews asks, -"For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, then how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?" 2:2-3

Sadly, most people will not respond to the Gospel of Jesus-the good news that God has provided forgiveness and salvation through the death of His Son. When asked if many are going to be saved, Jesus responded by saying, "Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able." Luke 13:24 Matthew records it this way, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13-14

If we take Jesus’ words as true, then we must realize that traveling the road to life can be a lonely road. You cannot take comfort in walking with the majority, in fact, if you find yourself with the "many" you can most assuredly know you’re going the wrong direction.

Jesus also warned that there would be many who stood before Him at the Judgment claiming to have lived a life of service to Him-yet He will reject them. "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in Heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that Day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’" Matthew 7:21-23

So, among the "many" traveling the wide road are the "many Christians" who did lots of things in the name of serving God, yet they will be rejected because they practiced "lawlessness." This simply means they practiced breaking God’s Laws-His Commandments. Obviously, most "Christians" in the world are not true and obedient followers of Christ. This means you must be careful who you allow to disciple you.

Why the Gospel? Because we have all sinned and have fallen short of God’s glory. The penalty for sin is death in the Lake of Fire, and the Gospel is God’s power for salvation to whoever would believe and receive it. We are dead in our transgressions but can receive a new life in Christ.

What is the Gospel? It is the good news that God loves us with so great a love that He gave His Son to save us from the penalty of our transgressions. "Now I make known to you brethren, the Gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the Word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures." I Corinthians 15:1-4

Through the Gospel we enter into a Covenant with our Creator which promises us eternal life. A Covenant based on grace which we receive by faith. In this Covenant not only are our sins forgiven, but the record of them is erased, even from God’s memory. "This is the Covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My Laws upon their heart, and on their mind I will write them. And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more." Hebrews 10:16-17

The Christian New Covenant is the Covenant of promise that God spoke to Abraham. (Galatians 3:14-18) It is a Covenant of grace through faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8-19) When we enter this Covenant God considers us to have died with Christ and have risen to new life in Christ-having been born again of the Spirit.

 

Elva's Back Healed

By Elva Sikes

My back has given me problems for many years. I would occasionally make a visit to the Chiropractor and after treatment would get some relief from the pain. But this time the adjustment seemed to do nothing, so I went back three times. At this point I just began seeking the Lord for healing and relief.

On the next Sabbath we had a testimony service in the afternoon. I struggled to step up onto the stage and was in much pain as I gave my testimony. As I was trying to step down from the stage Pastor came forward to assist me, and seeing that I was in pain he asked if he could anoint me. I said yes, so he called the elders up and they all offered a prayer of healing over me. Immediately the pain left my body! I was so thankful that I could not help but jump, shout and do some stretches as I praised the Lord! It had been so long since I had walked without pain. Praise Him for He is good!

 

Truth Or Death?

By Larry R. Lasiter

Founder father Patrick Henry is famously quoted as saying, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" He would choose to die rather than to live under the tyranny of England’s king. While there is liberty in truth, there is death in deception. As Christians we may proclaim, -"Give me liberty in the truth, lest I die in the bonds of deception!"

There are some very revealing and terrifying Scriptures concerning true worship and what to do with truth. In John Chapter 4 Jesus told the Samarian woman that God is looking for "true worshipers" who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth, even declaring, -"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and truth." According to this very direct and plain teaching, there can be no worship that God will receive outside of Spirit and truth. As Jesus once said, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." This is to say that those who are satisfied with anything less than the truth are still in bondage, -"Everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin." (John 8:34)

The Apostle Paul wrote in Romans Chapter 1 that throughout history people have chosen to exchange the truth of God for a lie, -"For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator." All people worship. They worship something created, only a few worship the Creator in truth. When people deny God to pursue the lusts of their hearts they have made a god of themselves. Paul goes on to say that people who continually push God and His truth away will eventually be given over to a depraved mind in order that they would come to actually believe the lies they hold so dear.

2 Thessalonians Chapter 2 is one of the most sobering and frightening Chapters in the Bible. Paul states here that a love for the truth is necessary for salvation and that those who deny the truth and take pleasure in wickedness will be judged and perish in the Lake of Fire. "These will perish because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them strong delusion so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth but took pleasure in wickedness."

Of those who are being saved the Apostle adds, -"God has chosen you. . .for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth." Notice that those who resist God’s truth will be given "strong delusion" to believe what is false. Notice also that salvation and sanctification comes only through the "Spirit" and "faith in the truth."

This is why it is so urgent to share the Gospel. If you are a Christian part of what you do is witness to others. In doing this we all encounter similar problems. There are always those who want to argue and find fault with our faith. Sometimes the resistance may be a sincere questioning of what may be true or false. But often the resistance is because they already do not want to believe that Christianity is true. Think for a moment of the people who you know that you would love to see come to the truth of salvation in Christ, and ask yourself if they appear to be people who are on a quest for truth. Most people are not on a truth quest but are on a happiness quest. Most are in pursuit of whatever they may think will satisfy their appetite for happiness and pleasure. This is the real reason why so many are hostile or apathetic toward God and Christianity.

One simple way to determine who is sincere and who is not is to ask "If Christianity were true would you become a Christian?" If they hesitate or say "No" then the problem is not an intellectual one but a volitional one This question was posed to an Atheist during a debate with a Christian and his response was an emphatic "No!" Logically this is not rational. I mean, if you do not accept a truth you are choosing to continue to believe a lie. Many people do not want it to be true. They do not want God to exist because they want to be their own god, and an actual God gets in the way of their chosen path of indulgence.

The late Evangelist Billy Graham said, "People who deny that God exists may give several reasons for their unbelief. For example, they may say they reject God because they can’t understand why He doesn’t do something about all the evil in the world. Or they may say they’re turned off by the hypocrisy of Christians they’ve known.

But the real reason most deny God’s existence can be summarized in one word: pride. They want to run their own lives, and they don’t want anyone, especially God, to interfere with the way they’re living. They want to be in control of everything they do, and they know that if they were to believe in God, they’d have to change their lifestyle. Instead of living by their own list of what’s right and wrong, they’d have to take seriously God’s moral standards.

To live without God, however, is to live without hope—hope for His presence with us right now, and hope for eternity. Instead of knowing that God has put us here for a purpose, they end up living without any ultimate meaning in life. No wonder the Psalmist declared, "The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God’ " (Psalm 14:1)."

In His Olivet Prophecy of the last days, Jesus warned of false teachers who would come in His name but would preach lies, -"See to it that no one misleads you. For MANY will come in My name, saying ‘I am the Christ’ and will mislead MANY." (Matthew 24:4-5) Jesus did not mean that many would claim to "be Him", but that many false teachers would come in His name acknowledging that He is the promised Messiah. Verse 11, "MANY false Prophets will arise and will mislead MANY." This began to happen during the ministry of His Apostles. Most of the epistles mention false teachers preaching in Christ’s name and warning the brethren against following them in their heresies.

When you read through Jesus’ letters to the seven Churches in Revelation Chapters 2 and 3 it’s very clear that there are many heresies and false teachers in the Churches. Ephesus had "lost their first love" of the truth - Some in Pergamum held the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans, and some practiced immorality - Thyatira was deceived by the spirit of wicked Jezebel and had come to love the "deep things of Satan" - Some in Sardis had soiled their righteous garments, and the Church had become spiritually dead, - Laodicea was apathetic, lukewarm Christians who were "poor, blind and naked" yet didn’t know it. In each case Jesus counseled them to repent or else He would remove their lampstand (Holy Spirit/Light) and they would cease being His Church.

Before Jesus sent these letters to the seven Churches most of the brethren in them believed that they were fine. Most of them did not know that they had drifted so far from the truth and were dangerously lacking. To some I’m sure it was a wake up call. To others, they continued in their false beliefs and practices while living as "Christians" in name only. It is important to note that five of the seven Churches were sinking into false Christianity. Only Smyrna and Philadelphia received no rebuke from the Lord. This was as result of faithful leadership who persevered in exposing deception and in preaching the truth. Our Ministry is doing this today.

There are some very common beliefs and practices in most of the "Christian" Churches that are not supported by Scripture. Most Churches teach the validity of the Ten Commandments except when it comes to the Command to Remember the Sabbath Day and to keep it holy. The Catholic Church admits that Saturday is the Sabbath Day but claims to have the power to change Commandments. Regarding the transference of Sabbath to Sunday, the Roman Church did this through the Emperor Constantine in 321 AD and are unapologetic about it, -"Sunday is a Catholic institution, and its claim to observance can be defended only on Catholic principles … From beginning to end of Scripture there is not a single passage that warrants the transfer of weekly public worship from the last day of the week to the first. " Catholic Press

The Protestant Churches however usually try to make a Scriptural or Philosophical case for holding to Sunday while ignoring the fourth Commandment. They say things such as "It’s the Lord’s Day because Jesus was resurrected on Sunday." (which is false) Or they might say, -"It doesn’t really matter what day you observe." Others say, -"We are not under the Law, therefore we are no longer obligated to keep the Sabbath Day."

The obvious problem with this argument is that they do not say this about any of the other Commandments. If you ask them if it’s ok to break any of the other Commandments they would say "no". James, the brother of Jesus, and Bishop of the Jerusalem Churches wrote, -"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in ONE POINT, he has become guilty of all. For He who said, ‘Do not commit adultery’ also said ‘Do not commit murder.’ Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty." (James 2:10-12) Breaking any Commandment makes you a transgressor.

The Church that Jesus founded through His chosen Apostles were Sabbath keepers - they also kept the Holy Day Festivals of the Bible though with new Christian applications. For the first three hundred years the Christian Church held holy convocations on Saturday -the Day God rested -seventh day of creation.

In the Olivet prophecy Jesus told His followers to esteem the Sabbath over common days, -"Pray that your flight will not be in the winter or on a Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world." (Matthew 24:20-21) This event has not occurred and is still yet future. If the Sabbath were not still holy there would be no need for Christians to pray that their time to flee from Anti Christ would not fall on the Sabbath Day.

Hebrews 4:9-11, -"There remains therefore a Sabbath rest for the people of God. For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall through following the same example of disobedience." When did God enter His rest? According to Genesis it was on the seventh day of creation. There is a eternal rest to come, but the rest that God entered into "from His works" was the seventh day Sabbath.The Greek word translated as "Sabbath rest" (NAS) is "sabbatismos" which means "Sabbath observance." Anchor Bible Dictionary decisively and correctly concludes that - "Sabbatismos" means keeping the seventh day Sabbath. Therefore Hebrews 4:9 stresses the need to continue to keep the Sabbath in a New Covenant context."

Is your Church standing in the truth?

Worshiping God in Spirit and truth is a matter of life and death

 

Don't Let the World Win

By Shane Morris

Don't let the world win. This was something that was instilled within me at a young age. Though I can't recall contemplating the phrase at all throughout those initial years, I only adopted this mindset more as I grew older. By the time I reached my mid-twenties, I had become entrenched in the endeavor. There’s really no way in a handful of words to effectively communicate the atmosphere of my life at that time, but that struggle against the world encompassed me. My reasons for living only dwindled quicker and quicker with each passing day on the calendar.

Eventually, this drive was the only thing that would get me to step out of bed every morning. For years, the only thing that kept me pushing through each day was that I could not let this world win. It wasn’t about pursuing happiness or attaining victory, I could just not allow myself to be defeated by this world. As time passed, the doses of that trudge became smaller and smaller. Rather than aiming for the closure of the day, I just focused on getting through the next hour, and then the next. Find a way to get to sleep and then do it again the next day. I couldn't bear to think about the future because I didn't want there to be one. The closest thoughts I had of any concept of the future was simply to try to make it as long as my body and mind would hold up.

There's no way to predict (and I thank God for that), but I don't know how long I could have continued living like that on my own. It is truly amazing how much pain we can experience and still continue moving, just out of sheer forced movement. Though we eventually reach our breaking point — one way or another. What’s even more astonishing is how we are so prone to cling to our anguish. If I would have rejected the call from God in 2015, I believe it was only a matter of time before I gave in —one way or another. It is inevitable that every one of us will encounter our own share of pain and suffering in this world, but we are not meant to handle it alone.

There are plenty of difficult circumstances I faced in life that weren’t my fault and even more that were simply unavoidable, but how many times was I the cause of them? On how many occasions did I encounter problems because I was where I didn’t belong or with those whom I shouldn’t have been? How often was I too stubborn to recognize this? How much of my own spiral into darkness was simply the fruit of my own decisions? How much anguish in our life is the direct result of the way we choose to live it?

Most of the time, the chains we wear are the ones that we picked out ourselves:

I look back at those years now and recognize the great irony in my former mantra of perseverance, fighting only to maintain that determination to overcome the world. For a time, that mantra was the only thing that kept me plodding along and bearing the burden of existing. Yet the entire time I was already a defeated man living in the illusion of a noble struggle I thought I was enduring adequately. I was a blind man, tangled in a thorn bush, swinging a stick at one of my own. Living for years among the shadows of the earth wasn't enough, it took coming to the end of myself to simply recognize Who was waiting on me. "He who falls on this Stone will be broken to pieces, he on whom it falls will be crushed." (Matthew 21:44)

I had to come to the end to see the beginning. When I finally, truly fell down upon that altar of Christ, what remained of that fragile old self was shattered… I solemnly testify that any person who knew me at that time recognized that there had been a sudden, unexplainable change that occurred within me, which all began on one beautifully mysterious day, on July 5, 2015. All it takes is a moment.

While it is possible that I am the most stubborn man alive, I know for certain that I personally never saw the value of knowing Jesus until there was nothing in the way. I never cared about God until I was stripped away and laid bare. And I never knew joy until I first felt God’s pain.

I was a prodigal son. The prodigal son only came to the realization when nothing remained. He had selfishly squandered everything his father had given him to chase after his own lusts. It was only after he lost it all and sank down to feeding the pigs. Not until he came to the point of starving that the son finally lost his entitlement and saw the reality. It wasn't until he came to the end of himself that he finally sought repentance and mercy. He went back to the only one in which he had any hope and pleaded, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son." "…So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him…" (Luke 15:11-24) To his surprise he discovered that his Father was waiting for him with a ring and a robe.

But this isn’t my exclusive opportunity. It's just a portion of the version I've lived. Truly, all in Christ are prodigal children. Everything can change in a moment, whether it's the first time we come to the cross or the millionth time that we wait in desperation for His hand of deliverance. We do not only step into mercy and forgiveness when we choose to bear

the Blood of Jesus, we step into our destined purpose which has been ordained and appointed for us before the foundation of this world.

Jesus offers grace to cover our sin and brings us in to dwell with Him, but we are not only called to survive and dwell. We who bear His Blood have been given the honor to share in His sufferings. "For to you it has been granted for Christ’s sake, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake." (Philippians 1:29)

And through it all we are called to labor for the Father’s kingdom. The Father is seeking true worshipers, those who worship Him in Spirit and truth. To anyone who is not satisfied by the façade: The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Years since receiving Christ, this battle against the world rages on – albeit in a much different way. A better way. The appointed way. I am now in it, but not of it. The Christian’s struggle with the world doesn’t stop upon conversion, it only grows more aggressive as we approach the return of Jesus to place His divine order upon the earth. As Paul exhorted Timothy, we "fight the good fight of faith."

This conflict between Spirit and flesh will be ever so present and active for all who remain true to the Lord because the whole world lives under the power of the evil one. As Satan tried to do with Moses and even Jesus when they were little babies, his goal is to take us out as early as possible, before we ever come to grace. Before we step into our appointed roles, which is in opposition to his. Let us step into the power of the Lord who called us out of this world — the same Lord who cast the devil down from heaven. So when he moves outside our line of sight, surveying and devising how he may lure us from the grace in which we stand,- with the Lord’s power we will prevail.

The devil may not be able to risk a frontal assault on those who worship in spirit and truth, but he will still employ this world to make us ineffective any way that he is able. As we face the prince of the power of the air and the tactics that he employs, our only sensible response is to war according to the power of Christ who knows no defeat. We can do nothing ourselves, but by His grace there is nothing that we cannot do. Glory to the Lamb who transforms the captives into more than conquerors. Let the redeemed band together in prayer and diligence, to press on and fight the good and worthy cause of Jesus Christ.

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:12)

I can see their towers standing in the distance

Watching us

Waiting for the laborers to come and tear them down

 

Why Civilizations Collapse

A civilization must have a religious or moral framework that promotes unity and provides a model for cooperation and social cohesion. In most instances, a popular religion emerges that attracts a majority of citizens and serves as the anchor for the society’s moral guidelines. As historian Will Durant pointed out, "There is no significant example in history, before our time, of a society successfully maintaining moral life without the aid of religion."

The importance of religion to civilization’s continued existence cannot be underestimated. History has shown that when a society becomes morally corrupt, civility is destroyed, the society becomes unstable, and inevitably the nation slides towards collapse. Religion delineates the line between right and wrong, drawing the line in an indelible ink that cannot be altered as society matures and grows. The importing of immigrates who do not assimilate weakens the nation’s stability because a clash of religions and cultures result. What is moral and right in one religion/culture is often different in another. Therefore societal unity becomes fractured.

Surprisingly, all great civilizations move through a common lifecycle beginning at their inception and continuing to their collapse. In some instances, the civilization runs through this lifecycle multiple times, each time stopping just short of total collapse. In all cases though, the cycle will eventually be completed and the civilization will cease to exist. As strange as it may sound, history has shown us that the start and end of the civilizational lifecycle begins and ends with bondage.

Most civilizations can trace their origins to a period of bondage. Controlled and restricted by ruthless leaders, the citizens dream of freedom and unhindered lifestyles. After some time, they inevitably develop the faith and the courage needed to forcefully obtain the freedom they so desire. Courage leads to action and liberty is at last achieved.

Operating in a liberated environment that allows free thinking, the civilization achieves great accomplishments. The freedom to innovate leads to creative solutions even though sometimes the creative solutions that are discovered are self-destructive (either knowingly or unknowingly).

But when all classes seek to "work the system", legal systems become impotent and government is weakened. The classes begin to view their government as the enemy. Strife between the classes has also led to further destabilization. With selfish citizens and a powerless or corrupt government, the nation begins to collapse. The civilization is conquered or absorbed into a more efficient or desirable civilization which leads them back into bondage. And the cycle begins again.

 

The Resurrection was not on Sunday

Three Days and Three Nights

By Larry R. Lasiter

Each year many observe "Good Friday", the day they believe that Jesus was crucified. Then "Easter" Sunday will be observed as the day Christ arose from the dead. But was Jesus truly crucified on a Friday and resurrected on a Sunday Morning? And does it really matter?

The Sign of Jonah

If you believe in Jesus as the Messiah, then it does matter, because the only sign which would be given to prove that He was the promised Messiah is the sign of Jonah.

When the Jewish religious leaders asked Jesus for a sign to prove that He was sent from God, Jesus answered,-"An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet NO SIGN shall be given to it BUT THE SIGN OF JONAH the prophet. For just as Jonah was THREE DAYS and THREE NIGHTS in the belly of the sea monster, so shall the Son of man be THREE DAYS and THREE NIGHTS in the heart of the earth." (Matthew 12:39-40)

Jesus said, not only three DAYS but also three NIGHTS

That is 72 hours in the grave

Many erroneously assume that because Jesus was crucified on the "day of preparation" that He was killed on "Friday", the weekly preparation day. Notice,- And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man, a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God; this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain. And it was the PREPARATION DAY, and the SABBATH WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN. "Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed after, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment." (Luke 23:50-56)

We can read the same account in the other gospels as well, so it is very clear that Jesus was killed and buried on the day of preparation. But how can we get THREE DAYS and THREE NIGHTS from near sundown Friday to Sunday morning? Friday NIGHT would be ONE NIGHT, Saturday would be ONE DAY. Saturday NIGHT would be TWO NIGHTS and Sunday morning could not even be counted as a DAY. This reckoning would give us only ONE DAY and TWO NIGHTS, not the THREE DAYS and THREE NIGHTS Jesus gave as His only sign.

Jesus certainly made no mistake so what is the answer to this puzzle? The answer can only be found when we understand which Sabbath is being prepared for observance. There are more "Sabbaths" than just the weekly Sabbaths. They are called "Annual Sabbaths" or "High Days."

These are a part of the annual Festivals commanded by God in Leviticus 23, and are the Lord's appointed times for assembly and observance. They may fall on any day of the week during the year.

The ANNUAL SABBATHS are (1) First Day of Unleavened Bread. (2) Seventh Day of Unleavened Bread. (3) Feast of Pentecost or First Fruits (always Sunday). (4) Feast of Trumpets. (5) Day of Atonement. (6) Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. (7) Last Great Day.

Now with this understanding let us read Leviticus 23:5-7,- "In the first month, on the FOURTEENTH DAY of the month at twilight is the Lord's PASSOVER. Then on the FIFTEENTH DAY of the same month there is the FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD to the Lord; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the FIRST DAY you shall have a HOLY CONVOCATION; you shall not do any laborious work."

Notice that this ANNUAL SABBATH follows the Lord's PASSOVER. Now notice Luke 22:15,- Jesus said to His disciples,- "I have earnestly desired to eat this PASSOVER with you before I SUFFER."

After the PASSOVER MEAL they departed to the Mount of Olives. In Luke 22, Verse 47 we find Jesus betrayed by Judas Iscariot and in Verse 54,- arrested.

All this happened on the PASSOVER, the 14th of Nissan.

The following morning (still the Passover), Jesus was tried, beaten and sentenced to death by crucifixion. We find in Matthew 27, Verse 50 that Jesus cried out with a loud voice and died. Verse 46 tells us it was at the "ninth hour" of the day (Passover), which is 3 in the afternoon.

All of this, from the eating of the Passover, to His death and burial, took place on the 14th of Nissan, the Passover.

Joseph, who asked Pilate for Jesus' body, had until sundown to prepare the body with spices and secure Him in His tomb. Days began and ended at sundown, so sundown would begin a new day, in this case a High Sabbath, the First Day of Unleavened Bread.(15th Nissan)

This day of preparation mentioned in the Gospels was not to prepare for a "weekly" Sabbath, but the First Day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Jesus was crucified in 31 A.D. (I surmise) on Passover 14th Nissan, a WEDNESDAY that year (30 A.D. and 31 A.D. both had a Wednesday Passover according to the perpetual calendar) was buried just prior to sundown which would begin the next day,- THURSDAY, 15th Nissan a High Day. THREE DAYS and THREE NIGHTS later, near the end of the WEEKLY SABBATH (Saturday), He arose from the dead. Notice,- Luke 24:1-3,- "But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the Body of the Lord Jesus."

It was early SUNDAY MORNING and Jesus was ALREADY GONE. He was not resurrected on Sunday morning, the tomb was already empty.

Fulfilling the "Sign of Jonah", Jesus was true to His own prophecy concerning Himself,- He was in the grave Wednesday NIGHT(1st), Thurs-DAY(1st), Thursday NIGHT(2nd), Fri-DAY(2nd), Friday NIGHT(3rd)Satur-DAY(3rd). Thus THREE FULL DAYS and THREE FULL NIGHTS.

If He arose on Sunday morning, that would be three days and FOUR NIGHTS, thus nullifying the Lord's own prophecy of His resurrection.

If Jesus was put in the tomb just before sundown, then He must have been resurrected from the tomb at that same time of day three days later. Which would be near the end of the weekly Sabbath as it was beginning to get dark. At sundown would begin Sunday, the first day it was noticed that He was gone from His tomb.

WHAT ABOUT MARK 16:9?

Many point out that Mark Chapter 16, Verse 9 does not harmonize with the other resurrection accounts given in the Gospel records, notice,- "Now after He had risen EARLY ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons." (Translators added punctuation, so if a comma was supposed to be after "risen", then the Verse would be saying that "After Jesus had risen (previous evening), He appeared to Mary on the "first day.") Knowing that He did appear to Mary before daybreak on the first day, this understanding harmonizes with the other resurrection accounts -and fulfills the Sign of Jonah. Remember, if Jesus had risen Sunday morning he would have been three days and four nights in the tomb-which would fail to fulfill the only sign that He gave that He was the Messiah.

 

Jesus was Crucified on a Wednesday PASSOVER. Why on the Passover? -because He IS OUR PASSOVER LAMB. God always does things ON TIME and at His APPOINTED TIMES. Everything surrounding the first Passover observance in ancient Egypt was foreshadowing Him, the true Lamb to come that would save man from death by giving His own precious life as a sacrifice.

As Christians, we no longer observe this very special day as a memorial of deliverance of Israel from Egypt, but as a memorial of the death of our Lord who delivered us from eternal death. Don't neglect this meaningful memorial.

For us it is a time for celebration! Paul told the Church to "celebrate" the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, -"For Christ our Passover also has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the Feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." (1 Cor. 5:7-8) These Corinthian believers were not Jews but were Gentile converts to the faith. The New Covenant magnifies the meaning of the Sabbath and the Holy Days -it does not do away with them.

The Apostle also instructed the Church in how to observe the Passover, -"For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, ‘This is My Body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying ‘This cup is the New Covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.’" (1 Cor. 11:23-25)

It’s interesting to me that most Churches have communion services at various times -while at the same time ignoring the command to observe the Passover. They often refer to these services as "the Lord’s supper." This is also exactly opposite of what Jesus and Paul taught, notice verse 20, "Therefore when you meet together (at Passover) it is NOT to eat the Lord’s supper."

Though most all Christian Churches fail to observe the Passover, they replace it with Easter. The customs of Easter observance are from ancient paganism -even the name "Easter" is the name of a fertility goddess. Comparing "hunting colored eggs", "Easter Rabbit" and sunrise services to Jesus as the Passover Lamb who gave His life to save us reveals which is the worthless counterfeit.

 

Learn From My Mistakes

By Elder Bryan Lewis

I moved to Arkansas from California in 1995. The school I attended in California was large and I was an easy target for bullying. The gang culture was also becoming more popular in my neighborhood. My parents did their best to provide for us but we struggled, I have memories of dad clipping and sorting hundreds of coupons. We didn’t have name brand clothing but I never remember us going without. Mom and dad both worked very hard to provide for us. When my grandfather passed away, my grandmother decided to move back to Arkansas to care for her sister. Not long after, a local news crew posed as high school students to expose the conditions of the school system. When this aired we saw kids smoking pot while the teacher lectured. This was the high school I’d be attending in the next few years. That was the catalyst that caused my parents to move us and follow my grandmother.

Starting high school in Arkansas was difficult. People had already developed tight-knit cliques and my first year was very lonely. I did eventually make friends and I started breaking out of my awkwardness. I became close friends with someone who lived near me because we rode the same bus. At about 15, I became heavily influenced by the culture (mainly MTV and music) and I discovered that I could make more friends if I was the crazy careless guy who would do anything. I bought a guitar and I determined to be like the guys in my favorite bands. I never took lessons and after a while I realized that I didn’t really need to play an instrument to be like them, I just needed to mimic what they did. I had begun sneaking liquor from my friends dad, taking my grandmothers sleeping pills, and drinking bottles of Robitussin to get high on and brag about it. This was all fueled by my need for acceptance and I was determined to be like the music culture that I idolized. I remember walking with my friend and telling him that we needed to smoke marijuana. It wasn’t long after that conversation that we found a way and began smoking weed, a lot.

Somewhere in my junior year of high school I started to notice that I was losing my memory, so I stopped smoking weed. Unfortunately, I was addicted to inebriation and became a "five star lush" (literal name I was called). I started drinking until I would blackout. I had a lot of social anxiety and began losing my good friends due to my drinking. I was the guy who could ruin a party. So I did what any drunk would do, I found new friends. It wasn’t long before I started experimenting with drugs again. The rave scene had been getting popular and I began going to Little Rock to buy ecstasy in abandoned warehouse raves. Every weekend I’d get high at a rave somewhere in Arkansas and "roll" until the cops broke it up. After a while I started taking double and triple stacks because I’d built up a tolerance. Once I learned that the chemicals in the ecstasy would eat holes in my brain, I moved on to snorting cocaine. Sometime after my 20th birthday I no longer discriminated between substances and just take/drink/snort/smoke whatever was available.

My drug use became an attempt to be numb myself from this world. I had gone from relationship to relationship chasing what I thought was my happiness. I got to the place where I didn’t care if I came out alive. I never intentionally tried to kill myself but I thought "Hell won’t be so bad" and didn’t care if I continued living. One night, at a friend’s birthday party, I took some shrooms, then did some coke and went with some friends to score some ecstasy. I became incapacitated, in and out of consciousness, and my friends disappeared leaving me with a strange man who happened to be gay. This was the night that ended my drug use, it also caused some serious emotional trauma. I had grown up in church and I knew what the bible said about homosexuality. I remember being scared that I was now gay, as if it were something I could catch. Eventually I realized that Hell is obviously worse than life on Earth and that life on Earth had just taken me to the deepest, darkest place I’d ever seen. Things had gotten so bad and I couldn’t imagine experiencing any worse. I needed to make a change. I began attending a mainstream church that essentially served as my drug rehabilitation for the next 5-6 years. In that time God began a good work in me that caused me to seek more of Him. He led me through many things and helped to realize who I am rather than who I had been.

In looking back at how or why this even started, I’d have to say that I was too consumed by the worldly culture and a drive to be accepted by that culture. I grew up in a church but I pursued fleshly things because I thought they would make me happy. In revisiting my history, I can clearly see that the very thing I set out to achieve, the acceptance and identity the flesh told me I needed, was the very thing that was destroying me.

I do not mention these things to glorify the mountain of filth that I lived in but to establish my credibility. Obviously I know a thing or two about addiction and what became an endless pursuit of being numb. Life isn’t pretty. It’s messy and as Christians we should rely on the tools we have been given to navigate the mess. We have the Word of God and the Holy Spirit to rely on when we encounter trials. We shouldn’t run toward things to numb us like alcohol abuse, drug abuse (prescription or illegal), binge eating, obsession with celebrity culture, and so on. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Colossians 3:2 (ESV).

I do not take issue with people taking prescription medication. I believe that doctors do amazing work and that God has healed so many through the hands of our physicians. When I shattered my talus in 2014, the surgeon told me this was a salvage and not a repair procedure. Their priority was to do what they could to keep the bones from dying. I was out of work for about 8 weeks and on a lot of meds for the pain. The pain pills did not serve me by removing the pain but only by distracting me from it. Once I noticed that I only had a few pills left and no refills, I started to take half of one and have a drink to stretch out the effects of the medicine. In that short time I felt my addiction trying to grab a hold of me again. Once I made this observation, I stopped the pills because I clearly didn’t need them to manage pain. I was abusing them to manage other things and to numb myself from doctors telling me that I’d never run again. In the same way a crutch serves to help someone walk while broken bones heal, prescription pain management is meant to be a crutch while you heal. Crutches are not typically meant to be a permanent solution but an aide while you heal. How many perfectly healthy people walk around on crutches?

Our culture’s constant desire to numb oneself rather than deal with problems has become an epidemic. As Christians we are called to persevere through the trials. James 1:12 says, "Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him."

We have recently received a very sobering message on opening portals (see the "Opening Demonic Portals" article in the February 2019 edition of our newsletter) and we must do everything in our power to keep our sound mind. "Be of sober spirit, be on the alert! Your adversary the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour." (1 Peter 5:8) Losing our sound mind doesn’t only happen through drug and alcohol abuse. Any type of sin that we are entangled in will cause us to lose our sobriety and allow us to be fair game for the devil and his demons. Before God showed me that a Christian life is meant to be lived out in obedience to Him, I suffered from terrible night terrors. I would wake up often paralyzed, unable to speak and demons would be there tormenting me.

"…But Christ proved God’s passionate love for us by dying in our place while we were still lost and ungodly!…So if while we were still enemies, God fully reconciled us to himself through the death of his Son, then something greater than friendship is ours..." Romans 5:6-11 (TPT)

It is vital to our Christian walk that we identify the things that we use to numb our pain and discomfort. We must also learn to take an honest approach with ourselves. As Christians we have a standard to follow and we must constantly and consistently look into the Word of God like a mirror, see James 1:23-25. For some of us, if not most of us, it’s time to remove these strongholds in our lives. The devil uses these strongholds to keep us from receiving the fullness of God. "For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds" 2 Corinthians 10:4 (ESV). There is no longer any room for this type of bondage in our lives. It is meant to imprison us and we have been called to freedom through the redemptive, lifegiving work of the cross.

With Passover swiftly approaching, what better time to start examining the parts of ourselves that we work so hard to keep hidden? Only when we confess our sins, bring them before our Father, and truly repent can we be set free.

But a person must [prayerfully] examine himself [and his relationship to Christ], and only when he has done so should he eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks [without solemn reverence and heartfelt gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ], eats and drinks a judgment on himself if he does not recognize the body [of Christ]. That [careless and unworthy participation] is the reason why many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep [in death]. 1 Corinthians 11:28-30

 

Make the Devil say "If Only?"

By Larry R. Lasiter

Often when we face a crisis in our lives we think of how we could have prevented it. Most of our problems are avoidable. In fact, we bring many of them upon ourselves. Many die prematurely because of their choices. The person with lung cancer thinks, if only I had quit smoking. The person with diabetes thinks, if only I had controlled my craving for sweets.

When we cause injury to ourselves we think, if only I had been more careful. Life is full of regrets and we all wish we had do-overs. Regarding our health, we can eat better, give our body exercise and live less carelessly.

What about those who have died and are now awaiting the Judgment and the sentence of Hell? The Bible says that the Lake of Fire is the second death but how long it takes to die there we don’t know. It is a place of suffering and torment. Let’s suppose that billions were now in hell, burning, being tortured and suffering - what would they say to those in sin? No doubt, many would say what Lazarus’ rich man said, -"I beg you to send warning to my brothers that they will not also come to this place of torment." (Luke 16:28)

Those who perish in hell will have many regrets and the thought of "if only" will replay in their minds. If only I had received Christ and obeyed God, I would have eternal life in Paradise instead of burning torment in hell.

Let us live our lives in such a way as to make Satan say "if only." "If only I had been able to get them to sin. If only I had been able to tempt them to leave the blessing for the curse. If only I had been able to steal, kill and destroy them."

 

The Law of the Spirit of Life

By Larry R. Lasiter

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the Law of Sin and of Death." Romans 8:1-2

When we think of Law in the context of the Bible we generally associate it with the Laws given to Moses or the Ten Commandments - however "Law" simply means "instruction," meaning, God’s instructions. Although God has always required people to follow His instructions He has not given all the same instructions. For example, the Laws which Abraham kept were not all the same Laws that were given to Israel at Mt. Sinai because many of those were added because of transgressions. In fact an entire Book was added, written on animal skins and placed on the outside of the Ark of the Covenant.

We may think of Laws in the context of our government where they are enacted and enforced as needed. These Laws are decided by men and can be repealed or changed which make them different from God’s Laws. A state can decide what the speed limit is going to be on any given road or highway, but it is always subject to review and change.

Sometimes laws are discovered. Whenever something proves to be constant it is considered to be a law. Isaac Newton discovered the Law of Gravity. He observed that whenever an object which was heavier than air was no longer held up by a stronger force, it fell to the earth. One day while sitting under an apple tree Newton witnessed an apple fall from the tree and contemplated why this always happens.

From the time it formed on the branch the apple had been sustained from the downward pull of gravity by a healthy stem. But when the stem weakened to the point that it was no longer stronger than gravity’s pull, it gave way and let the apple fall. Since this could be replicated over and over without fail, the force of gravity became accepted as a Law. No matter how many times a branch releases an apple the force of gravity will always pull it down

There is a Law of Nature which we all inherited from Adam

Adam was a sinner and we were all conceived in sin, David lamented, -"Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me." (Psa.51:5) In the flesh we were all born of Adam’s seed which has only the power to reproduce after it’s own kind - the sinner kind. This is why we must be born again of the Spirit which is Jesus, the "Promised Seed" which makes us a new creation in Christ with a new divine nature.

In Christ we receive a risen nature and our life is not merely changed, but exchanged

When I was in Adam I had a fallen nature and discovered that there was a Law that always pulled me downward. This is the Law which the Apostle is referring to in our text, -"the Law of Sin and of Death."

He understood that this was a Law because the result was always the same. In the previous chapter Paul wrote how the Commandments were "holy, righteous and good" and that even though in his mind he agreed with them, he found that in his flesh he could not keep them but did the very things which he hated. He reasoned that since he desired to obey God that it was not him who was failing but the sin which was ever present in the flesh, -"But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. . .For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do no want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me." (Rom.7:16-20)

The Commandments showed Paul what was good and evil but testified that he was not always practicing"good" but sometimes "evil" though he hated it saying, -"I myself with my mind am serving the Law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the Law of Sin." (7:25)

Let us understand that Paul was a Spirit-filled, anointed Apostle of Christ Jesus who agreed with and desired to keep God’s Commandments and actually did keep them in his mind but failed to do so in his flesh. A true Christian would also agree with and desire to keep God’s Commandments even though, like Paul, would find that they will fall short in the flesh. But thanks be to God that through Jesus His Son He has made us perfect and righteous in the Spirit.

Seeing that he agreed with God yet was unable to freely practice his desires, Paul cried, -"For I joyfully concur with the Law of God in the inner man, but I see a different Law in the members of my body, waging war against the Law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the Law of Sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (verses 24-25)

The "Law of my mind" here is the Law of God which the "Law of Sin" was waging war against. That war still goes on today, Paul wrote, -"For we know that the Law is Spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin." (verse 14) There has always and will always be war between the Spirit and the flesh and the flesh hates and wars against the Law of God.

It’s interesting that God’s solution to the problems posed by the Law of Sin and of Death - is another Law. Paul discovered that even after he was in Christ and was born again of the Spirit, he still experienced the downward pull of the Law of Sin and of Death in his flesh. When he cried out "Who will set me free" from this Law he discovered that in Christ God had enacted another Law, the "Law of the Spirit of Life" to free him.

One Law triumphs over the other Law. Though the downward pull of the one Law was still working, the upward pull of the other Law sustained him in Christ.

For Example: If I were to drop my pen the Law of Gravity would immediately exert it’s power and pull it down to the earth. This is how the Law of Sin and of Death works. But if I were to intervene and place my hand under the pen the pen would not fall but be sustained by a power greater than the force of gravity. Gravity could pull with all of it’s might but the pen is safe and sustained as long as I hold it in my hand.

That is how the Law of the Spirit of Life works - we are forever safe in God’s hand if we abide in Christ, -"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My Word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our abode with him. (John 14:23) "If you keep My Commandments, you will abide in My love;" (John 15:10)

The Law of Gravity pulls everything down to the earth, the world - likewise, the Law of Sin and of Death pulls every person down to be earthy, to become worldly - fleshly and disobedient. Paul’s problem was not in the Spirit but in the flesh but he understood that he had been delivered and set free from bondage to sin and it’s penalty, death. He understood that in his flesh nothing good dwelt, but he also knew that he was a new creature in Christ and was no longer recognized according to the flesh by God. -"Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh;. . .Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold new things have come.: (2 Cor.5:16-17) The life of the Christian is in Christ where he dwells in the Spirit.

Beloved, let us fix our eyes on Jesus who is the Author and Captain of our salvation. We are a holy and living Temple of God and Jesus is living His life in us. We need not be anxious or strive but simply trust and yield. The Apple tree does not strain heartily to produce an apple, it is just a natural thing for it to do. Examine yourself to see that you are in Christ and then give way to the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus. Jesus will live His perfect, holy, righteous and obedient life in you for He never changes, -"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever." (Heb.13:8)

 

The Biblical Holy Days in Order

PASSOVER: On the 14th day of the 1st month of the Hebrew Calendar - falls in the Spring. Passover Services are held but Passover is not a Holy Day. (High Sabbath)

FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD: Begins on the 15th day and lasts seven days. The 1st and the 7th days are Holy Days with assemblies and offerings.

PENTECOST: In the O.T. it was called the "Feast of Weeks." It always falls on Sunday because 50 days are counted from the weekly Sabbath during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Falls in May or June. Pentecost is a Holy Day with a holy convocation and offering to the Lord.

FEAST OF TRUMPETS: On the 1st day of the 7th month (Hebrew Calendar). Falls in September or October on the Gregorian Calendar. Trumpets is a Holy Day with a convocation and offering.

DAY OF ATONEMENT: On the 10th day of the 7th month. A complete fast to the Lord. No food or water is to be partaken of during this 24 hour period. Atonement is a Holy Day with a holy assembly and offering to the Lord. September or October

FEAST OF TABERNACLES: Sometimes referred to as the "Feast of Booths" because God commanded that the people stay in temporary shelters called "booths." The first day falls on the 15th day of the 7th month and is holy with a convocation and offering to the Lord. This festival lasts seven days. September or October

LAST GREAT DAY: Immediately follows the Feast of Tabernacles and is sometimes called the "Last Great Day of the Feast." There is a holy assembly with an offering to the Lord.

CRUSADE CHURCH HOLY DAY SCHEDULE 2019

PASSOVER SERVICE April 18, 7:30pm

NIGHT TO BE OBSERVED BANQUET April 19, 7:30pm

FIRST DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD April 20

Services at 10:30am and 3:00pm

 

LAST DAY OF UNLEAVENED BREAD April 26

Services at 10:30am and 3:00pm

 

FEAST OF PENTECOST June 9, Services at 10:30am and 3pm

 

FEAST OF TRUMPETS Sept 30, Services at 10:30am and 3pm

 

DAY OF ATONEMENT Oct 9, Services at 3:00pm

 

FEAST OF TABERNACLES Oct 14 -21

Camp Wyldewood, Searcy, AR

Visit our Web Site for information and reservations

Welcome! Join Us and Experience the Joy!

 

I Don't Believe in Atheists

By Evangelist John David Brown

The Great Commission

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:19-20).

As Christians, we are all called to share our faith with unbelievers. Often referred to as the great commission, Jesus' direct command to the apostles was to go and make disciples. We can see them fulfilling that commission in the pages of the New Testament by telling others about Jesus and His life-saving sacrifice on the cross. As Paul said, "...when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified" (2 Corinthians 2:1-2).

But this commission to share the good news is not just for apostles, evangelists, and pastors. Everyday Christians are also called to share their faith. The Apostle Peter instructed the New Testament Church at large to be "...always ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you..." (1 Peter 3:15). Our faithful lives are intended to shine so conspicuously that others who see us will want to know our secret. The phrase, "make a defense" is translated from the Greek word, apologia, which essentially means to give a reason for. We should all be ready to explain to unbelievers where our hope comes from. Of course, that is just us telling other people about Jesus.

So we don't need to have a high office in the church or a doctorate in theology to carry out Jesus' commission. In fact, the very disciples whom Jesus' chose to build the church were mostly simple fishermen and tradesmen, yet they were turning the world upside down with their powerful witness. In His wisdom, God actually prefers to work through people who are lowly in the world's estimation as it is a more powerful testament to His glory. "...consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things that are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God" (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).

One of my favorite witnesses for Jesus is the Samaritan woman who met Jesus at the well. In every sense, she was a lowly outcast in society, yet after personally and powerfully experiencing Jesus, her simple testimony led many from her village to salvation. Samaritans were hated by Israelites and shunned as half-breeds and outsiders. Moreover, this woman had been married and divorced five times, and was now openly living with a man whom she didn't even bother to marry. That is why she went to the well at noon, to avoid the sideways glances and judgmental stares of the crowds which went to the well in the cool morning or evening hours, not in the blistering heat of midday.

After a powerful encounter with the Lord, she ran back to her village and simply told them about meeting Him and invited them to come and see for themselves. "So the woman left her waterpot, and went into the city and said to the men, 'Come, see a man who told me all the things that I {have} done; this is not the Christ, is it?' They went out of the city, and were coming to Him. From that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified..." (John 4:28-30, 39). We may not be as learned as Paul or as eloquent as Apollos, but we can all share our experience of Jesus and invite others to come and see for themselves; and as we see in Scripture, your personal testimony can be very powerful and effective.

You Will Encounter Self-Described Atheists

When I was first saved in the spring of 1990, I was going to college for my business degree. It was there that I started witnessing to people who described themselves as atheists. Some were professors, others were fellow students. All of them said the same thing, there was simply not enough evidence to convince them that God exists.

Being young and inexperienced, I began to gather and share with them all of the vast evidence about the veracity of scripture and the life and resurrection of Jesus figuring that once they saw how overwhelming and convincing it is, they would immediately believe and seek to be saved themselves. But, no matter how much evidence I presented or how tenuous and untenable their assertions were shown to be, they all bitterly adhered to their unbelief. Sadly, they demonstrated that rather than lacking evidence, they actually lacked a desire to believe in God, usually because they preferred to act as their own gods and didn't want to answer to anyone.

That is when I began to see that atheists don't really exist. The term atheist means someone who simply lacks belief in God. But as experience and the Word of God would reveal to me, nobody really falls into that category. People are either protheists, meaning they love and surrender to God; or they are antitheists meaning they reject and ignore Him. In short, God exists and everyone knows it. We may choose to embrace or suppress that knowledge, but we all have it. The dividing line, then, runs not between those who know and don't know; but between those who are for and those who are against Him.

Consider this confession from Professor of Philosophy and Law, Thomas Nagel, "I speak from experience, being strongly subject to this fear myself: I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well informed people I know are religious believers. It isn't just that I don't believe in God and, naturally, hope that I am right in my belief. It's that I hope that there is no God! I don't want there to be a God..." (The Last Word, pp.130-131).

Christian author, Oxford professor, and one-time self proclaimed atheist C.S. Lewis confessed in his autobiographical book, Surprised By Joy, "I maintained that God did not exist. I was also very angry at God for not existing. I was equally angry at Him for creating a world." That admission is very revealing. It matches what I have witnessed myself in watching the most famous modern antitheists in their public debates. While they openly claim not to believe in God, they all seem to simultaneously be very angry at Him. But who gets angry with people who don't exist? Their claim to disbelieve is belied by their obvious hostility towards God.

No excuse

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures" (Romans 1:18-23).

Here God is explaining through the Apostle Paul that everyone, deep down, really does know that God exists, so that no one will be able to offer an excuse for their Godless living on the day of judgment. Rather than being ignorant, that is to say unknowing or unaware of God, they have knowledge that He exists because He has made himself so undeniably apparent in all of His creation, but they choose to suppress that truth by practicing unrighteousness (that which transgresses God's instructions).

The evidence not just that God exists, but of His immense power and wisdom, is everywhere manifested in what He has made. If someone presented this article to you and said, "Yeah, there is no author. It just randomly came into to existence out of nothing for no reason," you would think they were making a joke, or perhaps they were mentally ill. No reasonable person would actually believe such nonsense. We all know that articles require authors.

In the same way, God has given ample evidence that He exists and what He is like in the creation itself. Scientists have recently (albeit reluctantly) acknowledged that the universe, that is space, time, mass, and energy came into existence a finite time ago. Something, by the way, they could have understood from the pages of Genesis if they hadn't wanted so desperately to disregard the teachings of the Bible as well as the existence of its Author. So what properties would the cause have to possess in order to produce an effect like the cosmos?

It would have to be immaterial to bring matter into existence. It would have to be eternal to produce time. It would have to be immensely powerful to bring all energy into being. It would also have to be unimaginably intelligent to engineer and finely tune all of the laws and constants by which the universe operates. Finally, it would have to be a personal agent because it always existed, but chose to produce the universe a finite time ago. If it weren't a personal agent, with the power and ability to make choices, the effect would necessarily exist simultaneously with the cause.

So just by observing the creation, any person can be (and absent an active effort to suppress the knowledge every person actually is) aware that the Creator is an eternal, immensely powerful, astonishingly intelligent, immaterial, person. Now ask yourself honestly who that describes, if not the God of the Bible?

Men Loved the Darkness

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed" (John 3:16-20).

So far we have seen that God's existence and what He is like is known to all people because the evidence is so obvious and abundant in the creation itself that no one can honestly claim ignorance. But to call yourself an atheist, you have to push away evidence that is much more personal and gives a much richer and fuller picture of who God is and what He is like.

You see, God didn't just create the universe, wind it up, and then stand apart from it like the desists watchmaker hypothesis. Because He loves every person He has ever made and does not want anyone to perish because of their Godless living (sin), He sent His Son Jesus to live a perfect sinless life, die a horrific torturous death on the cross, rise physically from the grave, and be glorified so that our sins can be forgiven and we can receive the promise of eternal glory at the resurrection. That is the heart of the gospel, Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Now we have the record of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection in the pages of the Bible, in peripheral histories, and in the archeological evidence of His empty tomb which is abundantly available to almost everyone through the wonders of the internet. Most people claiming to be atheists have not examined this evidence thoroughly, as it would be very dangerous to the security of their position. Many of those who embark on such a perilous journey, like C.S. Lewis or former legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and self-described former atheist Lee Strobel , find themselves not just theists, but full-fledged Christians by the end of the trip.

As the scripture above indicates, Jesus' life demonstrates the unfathomable love of God, and the extraordinary lengths to which He is willing to go in order to rescue us from the destruction we have brought on ourselves through our participation, both witting and unwitting, in ignoring Him and going our own way. Rather than simply leave us to our fate, He decided to suffer immeasurably, watching His only Son be betrayed, tortured, mocked, openly shamed, and murdered on a cross so that He could justly offer us mercy and forgiveness.

As Jesus said, "He who has seen me has seen the Father..." (John 14:9). We see His compassion in healing the sick, making the lame to walk, giving sight to the blind, feeding the multitudes, and weeping with the bereft and downtrodden. That is a much deeper revelation of what God is like than just knowing that He is eternal, powerful, intelligent, personal, and immaterial. He is kind, humble, gentle, merciful, and loves you personally beyond your greatest hopes or wildest imaginings.

Why would we ever refuse to love someone who so openly and extravagantly demonstrates His love for us? The passage above shows us the heart of the matter. Jesus is the light of the world. While He perfectly shows us the Love of God, His holiness and righteousness reveal the depth of our sin and depravity. Those who choose to love Him and those who choose to reject Him are both deeply convicted of their guilt. In response to that conviction, Christians turn away from their sin and run to Jesus loving arms to receive His mercy, and grace. When antitheists feel that conviction, they turn away from Jesus' love, and run to the arms of their sin to receive deception and eternal destruction.

So why do people choose to reject Jesus? Because they love darkness and fear the light because it would expose their wickedness.

Strong Delusion

" Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness' (2 Thesselonians 2:8-12).

No one, of course, knows everything. Actually, if we compiled all that we know in one book, and all that we don't into another, our book of ignorance would be immeasurably bigger than our book of knowledge. That is true of our knowledge of God the Father, and Jesus as well. As Paul said, right now we see as in a mirror dimly; we know God only in part (1 Corinthians 13:12). But we do know enough to love or ignore, embrace or reject Him.

The crucial determining factor in leading us to salvation or destruction, as the above passage indicates, is not how much truth we know, but whether or not we love the truth. The truth is more than an academic pursuit, or an intellectual exercise; the truth is a person. As Jesus boldly proclaimed and publicly demonstrated by His sinless life, selfless sacrifice, and miraculous resurrection from the dead, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life..." (John 14:6). When we choose to push away and suppress the truth we know, to willfully choose blindness to the light we have seen, then we will receive a spirit of delusion and will believe what is false.

Notice the motivation given for people choosing to love the truth or love their delusion. It is not, as so- called atheists claim, a matter of evidence, reason, or logic. All of that is just a thin, and frankly transparent attempt to camouflage what is really driving the choice to reject God. The actual reason is that they take pleasure in wickedness. And of course if you acknowledge the Lord, you will have to relinquish all wickedness in order to receive and walk with Him.

What Will You Do With Jesus?

" For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away {from it.} For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will 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, God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will" (Hebrews 2: 1-4).

Ultimately, knowing the truth behind what motivates people to reject their knowledge of God is helpful to us in being effective witnesses as we are commissioned to be. When we speak to those making a false claim to atheism, we may well find it helpful to show them that the evidence overwhelmingly shows that their assertion is patently and demonstrably delusional. This works like disarming an opponent. It forces them to admit to themselves that they have another motive driving their choices.

The question we now must put to them addresses the heart of the matter; knowing the truth that God exists and that He gave His only Son to save you from your sin, what will you do with Jesus? Here in the full light of truth, with no fake intellectual veil to hide your heart, will you choose to love the One who loves you and has proven it through extravagant and overwhelming sacrifice, or will you spurn His love, reject the truth, and choose to love and practice a lie?

The good news is that some, though the Bible plainly says few, will repent as you present the the gospel and be saved. The more sobering news is that many will, as they always have, reject the Lord and stubbornly cling to their wicked delusions.

Ultimately, as much as we love the lost and desire to see them in glory for all eternity, that is not why we witness. Above all, whether people choose to be saved or lost, we witness in order to be faithful to Jesus who so lovingly and selflessly saved us from our well earned condemnation. We do it because He is worthy to receive the reward for all that He suffered. And we do it because that is what He is doing, that is where His spirit is leading, that is our holy calling, and we follow Him and share in His work.

 

Charity Brings Blessings

"Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this House lies desolate? . . .Thus the Lord of Hosts says ‘Consider your ways.’" (Haggai 1:4)

* Charles Spurgeon: Charles Spurgeon and his wife, according to a story in the Chaplain magazine, would sell, but refused to give away, the eggs their chickens laid. Even close relatives were told, "You may have them if you pay for them." As a result some people labeled the Spurgeons greedy and grasping.

They accepted the criticisms without defending themselves, and only after Mrs. Spurgeon died was the full story revealed. All the profits from the sale of eggs went to support two elderly widows. Because the Spurgeons where unwilling to let their left hand know what the right hand was doing (Matt. 6:3), they endured the attacks in silence.

We'd all like a reputation for generosity, and we'd all like to buy it cheap.

* In the latter part of the 17th century, German preacher August H. Francke founded an orphanage to care for the homeless children of Halle. One day when Francke desperately needed funds to carry on his work, a destitute Christian widow came to his door begging for a ducat (a gold coin). Because of his financial situation, he politely but regretfully told her he couldn't help her.

Disheartened, the woman began to weep. Moved by her tears, Francke asked her to wait while he went to his room to pray. After seeking God's guidance, he felt that the Holy Spirit wanted him to change his mind. So, trusting the Lord to meet his own needs, he gave her the money. Two mornings later, he received a letter of thanks from the widow. She explained that because of his generosity she had asked the Lord to shower the orphanage with gifts. That same day Francke received 12 ducats from a wealthy lady and 2 more from a friend in Sweden. He thought he had been amply rewarded for helping the widow, but he was soon informed that the orphanage was to receive 500 gold pieces from the estate of Prince Lodewyk Van Wurtenburg.

When he heard this, Francke wept in gratitude. In sacrificially providing for that needy widow, he had been enriched, not impoverished.

UPDATE ON GOD’S WORK

Points of Truth Ministries reaches the entire world through our web site and YouTube Channels and have held outdoor Crusades in Africa. We have had direct contact and requests from the following countries -USA, England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Ukraine, Greece, Italy, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada, Philippines, Pakistan, India, Taiwan, Nova Scotia, Jamaica, Norway, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria.

* In December we had 39,942 visits to our web site, 2449 of those were new visitors. Top two articles viewed were "The Truth About Generational Curses" and "Should Christians Be Torah Observant?"

* Welcome two new congregations in Suna Migori, Kenya served by Ondigo Ochieng and George Owato.

* For those of you who have been supporting this work, we want to give you a big thank you!

 

Information

The Points of Truth Periodical is produced by Crusade Church/Points of Truth Minstries

The Church is located at 1711 S. Cleveland Ave, Russellville, Arkansas

Pastor Larry R. Lasiter

Offerings / Donations are accepted and Appreciated

The Ministry Mailing Address is Points of Truth, P.O. Box 102, Russellville, AR 72811

 

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