When Do We Get to Meet God's Parents?

If God is the creator of the universe, who is the creator of God? When I was born, I had a mother and a father and supposedly the two of them together had created me. One could not have created me without the other and therefore I am a product of my parents. I know who my parents are and I even know who their parents are but who is God's parents and were we made in the images of our parents or creators.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth but before that, we know very little about God. Did he have brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents and even God parents. If he did have brothers and sisters, did they create worlds like he did or she did, we don't know whether God is a man or a woman, transvestite, homosexual or a combination of all of these. We really don't know what God is, even though Michelangelo painted him on the Sistine Chapel.

In the book of revelations it mentions, Revelation 22:13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." God says that he is the first and the last, does this mean that there was no one or no entity before him. It goes back to the chicken and the egg, what was first the chicken or the egg, no one knows. Well god knows doesn't he. I don't know why I keep referring to God as a he but bear with me on this one.

I wonder if God was disciplined as a child or even if he was a child. Maybe God was born a full grown person or even a mysterious entity in the form of a smoky cloud. That couldn't be, because God made us in his image and I'm sure that his mother and father look like us. Well, hopefully they look better than us, maybe someone like Brad Pitt or Jennifer Aniston. I hope that he wasn't an ugly person or entity. That would be discouraging.

I guess that's enough of the humor, I rarely hear anyone talk about, who created God. If God formed out of nothingness, why couldn't our earth have formed from nothingness, without God. If God did have parents, brothers and sisters, have they created other universes and what is the purpose of their creations. Are we just one big experiment, part of a big science project?

Anyone interested in using this article to make a movie, feel free to use this information at no charge, I would love to see the movie, when it's done.

Good Christian News

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles. These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.

Where Did God Come From?

If you believe in certain religions, like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and even Buddhism, there's a good chance that you believe in some sort of God like being or cosmic force, especially the one that created our world that we live in today.

Where did God come from? What are we doing here? And where are we going, after we die. Some of these questions, are hard to answer and scientifically difficult to prove. There is very little evidence to prove, where God actually came from, what are we suppose to be doing here and where we are going to go, after we die.

If nobody knows where God came from, why are there so many religions, that believe in a God? Think about it for a moment, the Christian God, was the creator of the universe, and the creator of everything. Where's the proof? Why do people continue to study the Bible, and believe in a God, that they can't really even put their hands on?

If God is truly real, why wouldn't we have ever seen him? It doesn't make a lot of sense, to believe in imaginary beings, or invisible entities and pray to a God that we might not ever see or touch. It might not make a lot of sense, but if you ask serious religious followers, of these religions a question like, can you prove that there actually is a God, there's a good chance that these religious believers will reply, with a simple yes.

They have no proof, no evidence, and almost base their entire beliefs on faith, instead of facts. Rarely do they seek any evidence or even read their religious text, with a goal to understand what they're reading. Most of these people take everything that they learn, lock it away in their head, and never ask any serious questions about their religious beliefs, like these.

If there is a God, why wouldn't he show himself? If there is a God, why wouldn't he prove that he does exist, so that others wouldn't have to doubt his existence? Something to think about, on the days that you're not going to your place of worship.

Who's God Is More Powerful

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

If your interested in a different point of view READ THESE ARTICLES - Great Articles For Christians

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible.

Mysteries of the Bible - Advanced Bible Study Techniques

Have you ever wanted to really know what the mysteries of the Bible really are? Was Jesus more important than God? Why were the Jewish people considered to be the chosen ones, even though they don't get to go to heaven, because they don't believe that Jesus Christ was their Lord and Savior? I would like to help you solve some of the mysteries of the Bible.

Whether you're a Jewish or believe in Christianity, each if you share an interest in the Holy Scripture. Jewish people obviously don't believe that Jesus was the Messiah and are still waiting for their Messiah to come and free them. Christians obviously believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah and fulfilled all the prophecies.

One of the mysteries of the Bible that I would like to share with you, is that your actually going to need to read the Bible to find them. The biggest mystery of the Bible is actually reading it. You don't need to read the entire Bible, to figure out, what it's actually saying.

Start reading certain sections that interest you. Two of the most read books in the Bible are the books of Genesis, which is the first book in the Old Testament and the book of revelations, which is the last book in the New Testament. Both of these books are extremely popular reads.

The book of Genesis is about the beginning and the book of revelations is about the end of times and this seems to be the biggest interest for Christians. In other words, you're not going to be able to find the mysteries, within the Bible if you don't at least start to read some of it.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

If You're a Christian Woman, You Had Better Watch This Video on Problems With Women Speaking in church. Are women really allowed to speak inside the church, you won't believe what you're about to see.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, You Can Have It All

Thanks

Are Your Prayers Being Answered by God - Christianity

I spent a large portion of my life praying for things that never seem to come about, like most of us. I would pray for a better life, help with solving certain problems, good health, a new car, to attract abundance into my life, wealth and happiness. I can tell you that I am in good health and have a better life than I used to but I never got the new car and seemed to have a hard time solving certain problems that I was praying for.

Now here's the catch in Christianity. If I pray for something and I get it, great God has blessed you and you must have done something good to receive what you had prayed for. If you don't receive what you prayed for within the next couple of days, maybe it isn't the right time to receive what you were asking for. If I receive what I have prayed for after that, God has answered my prayers and has given me what I needed at the right time. God knows best and I will continue to pray.

When I ask someone who prays often, how do you really know that God has answered your prayers. In Christianity, I'm talking about God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit. I'm not talking about Zeus, Krishna, or any other unspecified creator of the universe. How do you really know that your God has given you what you ask for.

Now think about this for a second, I know that as a Christian you believe in your God but what if, the Hindu god Indra has actually answered my prayer and blessed you. How do I know that Jesus is not one of the Hindu gods, hiding under another name. Could I actually be manifesting my desires from the universe somehow and I am actually God. Think about it, if this doesn't make sense to you, have you ever thought about why yours does.

The minute that I accept something as a fact, I have closed my mind to other possibilities. The world was flat at one time and now it is round. I do not accept the earth has being round, simply because someone has told me this. I can look at pictures, read books, watch movies and come to my own conclusion that there is a very good chance that the earth is round, but I can't seem to forget at one time people thought the earth was flat.

Most of us never even question what we are taught. If you were taught that Jesus, Krishna, Satan or any other god answers your prayers, that's what you probably still believe. Whether your prayers are being answered or not, does not guarantee the existence or deny the existence of God. What you're thinking caps on, Seek and You Will Find.

Eliminate Bible Propaganda

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Click here if you're Interested in Christianity.

When Do We Get to Meet God's Parents?

If God is the creator of the universe, who is the creator of God? When I was born, I had a mother and a father and supposedly the two of them together had created me. One could not have created me without the other and therefore I am a product of my parents. I know who my parents are and I even know who their parents are but who is God's parents and were we made in the images of our parents or creators.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth but before that, we know very little about God. Did he have brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents and even God parents. If he did have brothers and sisters, did they create worlds like he did or she did, we don't know whether God is a man or a woman, transvestite, homosexual or a combination of all of these. We really don't know what God is, even though Michelangelo painted him on the Sistine Chapel.

In the book of revelations it mentions, Revelation 22:13 "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End." God says that he is the first and the last, does this mean that there was no one or no entity before him. It goes back to the chicken and the egg, what was first the chicken or the egg, no one knows. Well god knows doesn't he. I don't know why I keep referring to God as a he but bear with me on this one.

I wonder if God was disciplined as a child or even if he was a child. Maybe God was born a full grown person or even a mysterious entity in the form of a smoky cloud. That couldn't be, because God made us in his image and I'm sure that his mother and father look like us. Well, hopefully they look better than us, maybe someone like Brad Pitt or Jennifer Aniston. I hope that he wasn't an ugly person or entity. That would be discouraging.

I guess that's enough of the humor, I rarely hear anyone talk about, who created God. If God formed out of nothingness, why couldn't our earth have formed from nothingness, without God. If God did have parents, brothers and sisters, have they created other universes and what is the purpose of their creations. Are we just one big experiment, part of a big science project?

Anyone interested in using this article to make a movie, feel free to use this information at no charge, I would love to see the movie, when it's done.

Good Christian News

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

If you're really seeking the kingdom of heaven, the glory of God and the true vision that Jesus had, check out some great Christian articles. These articles are designed to teach and educate Christians.

Where Did God Come From?

If you believe in certain religions, like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and even Buddhism, there's a good chance that you believe in some sort of God like being or cosmic force, especially the one that created our world that we live in today.

Where did God come from? What are we doing here? And where are we going, after we die. Some of these questions, are hard to answer and scientifically difficult to prove. There is very little evidence to prove, where God actually came from, what are we suppose to be doing here and where we are going to go, after we die.

If nobody knows where God came from, why are there so many religions, that believe in a God? Think about it for a moment, the Christian God, was the creator of the universe, and the creator of everything. Where's the proof? Why do people continue to study the Bible, and believe in a God, that they can't really even put their hands on?

If God is truly real, why wouldn't we have ever seen him? It doesn't make a lot of sense, to believe in imaginary beings, or invisible entities and pray to a God that we might not ever see or touch. It might not make a lot of sense, but if you ask serious religious followers, of these religions a question like, can you prove that there actually is a God, there's a good chance that these religious believers will reply, with a simple yes.

They have no proof, no evidence, and almost base their entire beliefs on faith, instead of facts. Rarely do they seek any evidence or even read their religious text, with a goal to understand what they're reading. Most of these people take everything that they learn, lock it away in their head, and never ask any serious questions about their religious beliefs, like these.

If there is a God, why wouldn't he show himself? If there is a God, why wouldn't he prove that he does exist, so that others wouldn't have to doubt his existence? Something to think about, on the days that you're not going to your place of worship.

Who's God Is More Powerful

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

If your interested in a different point of view READ THESE ARTICLES - Great Articles For Christians

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible.

Mysteries of the Bible - Advanced Bible Study Techniques

Have you ever wanted to really know what the mysteries of the Bible really are? Was Jesus more important than God? Why were the Jewish people considered to be the chosen ones, even though they don't get to go to heaven, because they don't believe that Jesus Christ was their Lord and Savior? I would like to help you solve some of the mysteries of the Bible.

Whether you're a Jewish or believe in Christianity, each if you share an interest in the Holy Scripture. Jewish people obviously don't believe that Jesus was the Messiah and are still waiting for their Messiah to come and free them. Christians obviously believe that Jesus of Nazareth was the true Messiah and fulfilled all the prophecies.

One of the mysteries of the Bible that I would like to share with you, is that your actually going to need to read the Bible to find them. The biggest mystery of the Bible is actually reading it. You don't need to read the entire Bible, to figure out, what it's actually saying.

Start reading certain sections that interest you. Two of the most read books in the Bible are the books of Genesis, which is the first book in the Old Testament and the book of revelations, which is the last book in the New Testament. Both of these books are extremely popular reads.

The book of Genesis is about the beginning and the book of revelations is about the end of times and this seems to be the biggest interest for Christians. In other words, you're not going to be able to find the mysteries, within the Bible if you don't at least start to read some of it.

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

If You're a Christian Woman, You Had Better Watch This Video on Problems With Women Speaking in church. Are women really allowed to speak inside the church, you won't believe what you're about to see.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, You Can Have It All

Thanks

Watch This to see if Jesus is Truely Real - Video

The Perfect Unity Of Daniel And John

Have you ever considered just how much Daniel and John have in common? As young men, both had a personal relationship with the Lord. They were both considered "beloved" of God. Defiantly strong for the Lord as young men, they both grew into long-term servants of God whose ministry involved prophecy. Both lived until their 90's, when both received the vision of the end of the world, much of which overlaps. Both received these visions as men in captivity to their respective Empires.

Their prophecies were given by the same Spirit, so you would expect common threads running through both. Away, please! with the notion that John was an "intuitive" thinker who created his own wild vision of the end of the world, with generous borrowings from Daniel's work. I've actually heard such talk in church settings. May God have mercy on those who corrupt His Word.

John was an old ex-fisherman, a life-time disciple of Jesus, and a man full of the Holy Ghost. He was appointed of God to be one of twelve men to lay the foundational teaching stones of the church. His book of Revelation was placed last in the list of accepted books for a reason. And the warning within the book of "don't add-don't subtract" has led all true believers of Jesus to understand that John has been given the final word to the church. Oh how we need to listen!

But in the portions we will hear, there will be a clear resemblance to the tune the Spirit played through Daniel.

John sees in Revelation 13 a beast rising from the sea. Daniel (chapter seven) saw the four winds of heaven stirring up the "Great Sea" out of which came four beasts, the fourth of which was the same as the one before us now. The Great Sea is the Mediterranean Sea. The fourth beast of Daniel and John's beast here are meant to represent the final world power before Christ comes back. Most recognize this to be the power that incorporated all powers before it, but centered in the Mediterranean region. So when John sees his beast here, he connects with Daniel in identifying him with the last formation of the Roman animal.

John's beast has seven heads. This characteristic is missing from Daniel's, yet the total number of heads seen by Daniel is also seven, if one includes all four beasts that he saw. The Spirit's object in the Daniel beast seems to be to predict what world powers are coming, one at a time, whereas in John we are being shown a conglomerate of all the world powers at once. The seven heads when thought of as kingdoms are normally considered to be, in chronological order, Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, and the 10-nation confederation that flows out of Rome at the end. Following Daniel's order, we would start with Babylon, then go to Medo-Persia, then instead of Greece alone would be the four divisions of the Grecian Empire: Greece, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, and finally Rome (in both of its forms.) The "heads" of the beast are key elements in identifying antichrist later.

Back to Revelation 13. The beast has ten horns. So does Daniel's. The number ten in Daniel's and John's prophecies is always referring to a ten-nation confederation flowing out of the final world power, Rome. So it is in Daniel 2 and 7, the statue and the animals, toes and horns. Ten. Rome will be colossal and powerful at first. It will then shrink to the background noise of human history, stretching as those long legs of the statue and then resurfacing as a pair of feet with ten toes. The imagery is perfect. We are headed for another Roman Empire, somehow divided into ten parts. Each part will have its own "crown" or seat of government, thus the beast we see has ten crowns.

These are a few of the similarities between John and Daniel. How God used these men! Their united voice confirms God's end-time program.

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

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

The Sabbath - Questions and Conclusions

I've studied Scripture and history, and I still have some questions about the Sabbath, and a few observations. But I also have some clear conclusions. First the questions:

1. Those who favor a Christian Sabbath, what would they say to sons of Israel who come to Christ in our day? Gentiles seem to be quite content when Messianic believers observe their old Sabbath. But upon what basis are we admitting the presence of two days of rest? Is this where Paul's "be convinced" argument works?

2. But what if Gentiles, like me, look a little farther, and want what the Jews have, since they (Gentiles) are "grafted in" branches of the same tree?

3. When the Scripture says in Colossians 2, "Let no man judge you in regard to sabbaths ," is it saying, "Don't let anyone tell you you have to keep the Sabbath to be saved," or "Don't let anyone suggest to you that the Sabbath is to be a part of New Covenant practice at all"? Or is it saying, "Don't let anyone try to make you keep the Sabbath in a certain way" ? After all they judged Jesus about His method of keeping the Sabbath, but He did keep it! Could the passage even include in our day, "Don't let anyone keep you from identifying with the ancient Jews by keeping the Sabbath if you want to" ?

4. Why did Jewish believers surrender their Sabbath to the Gentile observance of a first day? Were there just too many Gentiles after awhile, and too much power being concentrated in the Gentile church, connected to the growing affiliation with the pagan practices of the day? Was the later official church anti-semitic, and trying to distance itself from Judaism ? Are any of these things good reasons to introduce new doctrine?

5. Has God allowed these questions to remain because He wants His people to be holy every day and not just once a week?

6. Will more and more believers start coming back to Sabbath, as more and more Jewish people are saved, and in preparation for the Kingdom that could so very soon be here?

As for the observations:

Serious Sunday-Sabbath people treat this day as though it truly were the Jewish Sabbath moved to Sunday. They feel they are keeping the fourth commandment by resting on Sunday. They assemble for a holy time at church, sometimes twice on that day. For the rest of the day they engage in only wholesome activity if any at all. Some rest completely, some partially. There is no question in those homes that this day is special.

Sunday morning Sabbatarians are those who assemble, but at about 12 noon, their "holy" time is finished. Usually the rest of the day is spent in diversion and recreation having little to do with Jesus Christ. Yet if asked, they too would indicate that they believe they are keeping the first day of the week.

The "spiritually-minded" Sabbath keepers are those who believe there is no day that is special. They rest in Christ who has forgiven them from their sins. They trust Him to take care of them and keep blessing them. They stop working when they are tired. There is no structure to their observance. Consistent with a stance like this, they may also give when it feels good, but definitely not the same percentage in the same place week after week. The church attendance, Bible reading, and prayer of these people is just as erratic. In their thinking, they "walk in the Spirit." Who knows? Maybe some of them do.

Then there are those of us who have seen the seventh day as an inviting possibility. But they too can be divided up into "all day" or "part day", "serious" or "secular". And some of these folks beat others over the head with their new knowledge.

Many questions, many observations, but some unavoidable facts I present for your edification:

Scripture says that from the beginning, and in the future, even "forever", the seventh day is the norm.

The Sabbath is a perfect picture, not only of creation's end, but of the rest before Jesus' resurrection and before His work on Pentecost. The First Day of creation, the resurrection itself, and Pentecost were all days of serious work, far from rest!

The Scriptures up until the Book of Acts reveal a God who blessed and loved the Sabbath and a people, who, when they were being obedient, kept it holy unto Him.

There is no command anywhere to end the Sabbath, or any of the ten commandments. But of course the only true obedience to God in our day must come from the Spirit within us.

Sunday observance and the related (enforced) rest day came into the possession of God's people only after Gentiles flooded the Church.

Though there are indications that meetings were to follow the Sabbath in the life of the new Church, there is never a hint that the first day was to become a day of rest replacing the seventh day rest.

God's law, in the form of the ten commandments, is still being lived out through the Spirit, fulfilled in true believers. Will not the fourth commandment also be lived in this way?

Many of the reports I have prepared over the past years point people to a solid argument and a conclusion that is obvious. I'm afraid I may have disappointed my readers a bit in this one. There is still that question stirred by the apostle's comments regarding persons being "convinced" in their own mind. I am as convinced as I can be that there is something for the Sabbath for present day believers, and that it is more than a picture. Nevertheless I have not come to the conclusion that I dare to bind anyone else's conscience in this matter. If I have merely stirred up someone's holy thinking processes, so that they investigate this matter with me, I will feel I have done my job. Meanwhile we pray for the day when we all come to the unity of the faith, drawn there by that one Spirit Who has filled and led us this far, and will surely lead us Home complete in Him.

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

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

The Sabbath in the Book of Acts

There is a 4000 year tradition of Sabbath in the Old Covenant. There is a strong Sabbath example and doctrine in the life of Jesus. Into the future via Jesus and the prophets, we can see a Sabbath just before the Millennium, and a Sabbath during the Millennium. Only the Gentile church is in question. Now the history of the beginnings of the church, both Jewish and Gentile, is found in the next book of the Bible, Acts. Just what happens to the Sabbath after the resurrection of Jesus? Do the Jews change? Do the Gentiles demand a change? Above all, what does God say, if anything, about this day?

First, there is essentially no mention of a Sabbath day until the 13th chapter. But I consider this passage quite interesting in our search for the Sabbath truth.

Acts 13:14. "But when they [the apostles] departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and sat down."

It was Paul's custom, as it was Jesus', to attend synagogue services and to teach at them. They were, after all, Jewish rabbis. Following this introductory word, Luke relates the very lesson Paul taught, after which the Jews filed out. But...

Acts 13:42, 44. "...when the Jews went out of the synagogue, the Gentiles begged that these words might be preached to them the next Sabbath... and the next Sabbath almost the whole city came together to hear the word of God."

I find it interesting that Gentiles cared not one whit that they were entering into some Jewish practice. They had heard about this Jesus phenomenon and wanted in. So the first totally Gentile meeting of saints recorded in Scripture is on the Sabbath. This so angered the Jews that they became jealous and opposed Paul. So Paul says he will from now on go to the Gentiles. Do you think that Paul then told these Gentiles that they should change the rest day now? They were not worried about a seventh day rest. Why should Paul have been? And I ask humbly and carefully now, why should we be?

Though this history is sound and exemplary, most persons looking for light on the subject in the book of Acts want to go to Acts 15. Sabbath is not mentioned in that chapter, but perhaps it is important we stop there for awhile. A conflict arises over circumcision. This practice , like the Sabbath, and the tithe, was linked to Judaism. It seems to Paul and later the whole church that such a thing as the cutting of the flesh ought not to be bound onto Gentile believers as a requirement for salvation or even as a necessity for growth in the Lord. It seemed to them that this sign is purely a part of the covenant between God and the Jewish people. A list of basics requirements of Gentile believers is then drawn up and distributed, and is accepted by us today as the bare minimum of the law of Moses that we should enjoin on new believers in Messiah. The list is as follows:

1. abstain from things polluted by idols

2. abstain from sexual immorality

3. abstain from things strangled, and blood

All else, conclude the leaders of the day, would be considered "troubling" to Gentiles now turning to God. The emphasis is to be on the grace of God, not the law of God, from this day on. Well now. What a shocking statement to men who as children memorized whole books filled with laws, every one of which was required for acceptability before a holy God!

So Jewish believers will continue on with the Sabbath and other laws of Moses, but Gentiles... Is that truly what is being said here? A double standard? Or are the Jews likewise to be totally free from their tradition and from Moses? We must look seriously at this whole legal matter later. For now, the last words about Sabbath in Acts:

Acts 16:13, 17:2, and 18:4 tell of several more Sabbath meetings, where Paul meets with Jews on their "turf" and explains to them the way of salvation, with a variety of results. There seems to be little light in this book about what to do with Sabbath. There is even a mention of a first-day meeting, in the evening, but no reason is given why. Does the day not matter any longer? Why, Acts 2 records daily meetings, house to house, and daily additions in membership. The church was a constant every-day thing. Was not one day above another any longer? What of the beautiful pattern established by Moses and all the prophets, and Jesus Himself? Can any other New Testament writer help us out?

Space fails me here, but yes, there are other New Testament insights as to whether Sabbath is for us today. I encourage my readers to continue this search throughout the rest of Scripture.

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

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

The Way Home

At the moment, your life may seem like a fierce battlefield. Perhaps you're desperately struggling to keep your head above the water, slowly drowning in despair. Maybe you've walked away from God and your church family years ago. You're not alone. I've been there myself. Rick Warren says it best, "You'll never know that God is all you need until God is all you've got." (From his book The Purpose Driven Life).

In the midst of your turmoil, let me give you a word of encouragement. None of us had the ability to choose our birth parents. Like it or not, we're bound to them by blood, through birth. If this is a true, biological law, could the same also be true of the spiritual?

When you turned away from God, may have lost fellowship with Him, but you didn't lose relationship. Fellowship is a connection that can be decidedly dissolved. But, relationship is an inseparable connection by blood, through birth! Jesus said, "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6) "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission* of sins." (Matt 26:28, KJV with emphasis added).

*remit v. 1. To transmit (money) in payment. 2.a. To refrain from exacting (a tax or penalty, for example); cancel. b. To pardon; forgive: remitted their sins. 3. To restore to a former condition or position. (The American Heritage Dictionary, Third Edition)

Just before His death, Jesus said in John 19:30, "It is finished." Receipts for taxes found in the papyri have written across them this single Greek word, which means "paid in full." The price for our redemption from sin was paid in full by our Lord's death. (Source: Ryrie Study Bible)

You cannot redeem yourself, no matter how much you try. All you have to do is repent of your sins and ask God for forgiveness. Pastor LeJeune teaches, "The word 'Repent' was an old military command that was issued while marching that simply meant 'about-face' or turn-about 180 degrees." A little boy said, "Repentance is being sorry enough to quit."

The blood that Jesus shed for us over 2,000 years ago has never lost its power. It is still just as effective today as it was the day we experienced His New Birth (John 3). The bible says in 1st John 1:9, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Since the day you left, your Father had His eyes fixed upon the horizon, longing to see you making your way back home. It doesn't matter to Him what you've done, where you've been or how long you've been away. He just wants you to come back home!

Author's Bio: Born in 1973, raised in Southwest Louisiana, Joshua Olmsted is a divorced father of four, raising his children while serving his local assembly, Jesus Worship Center of Jennings, LA (Rev. Clifton J. LeJeune, Sr. Pastor). His professional career involves Offshore Natural Gas & Petroleum Facility Operations in which he has become a senior operator/supervisor over the past 10 years of service to the industry. He is a former Deputy-Sheriff of the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff's Department, a former locally-licensed minister of the U.P.C.I. and, served his country as a U.S. Marine. He is a frequent freelance writer and contributor to many publications, including; The Pentecostal Herald magazine, The Louisiana Challenger magazine, Apostolic Information Services, Indiana Bible College - Perspectives Magazine, PreachIt.org, Jennings Daily Newspaper of Jennings LA, and more.

Proving That an Invisible God Does Exist

Here's a pretty good interview about someone explaining the existence of God.

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Peaceful Warrior God

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a christian video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world.

Daniel And The Coming Of Messiah

Matthew (24), Luke (21) and Daniel (7-12) are in agreement about the end of history:

Both say
1. There is coming to earth a horrible transgression and transgressor that will bring an unprecedented desolation.

2. This thing will be accompanied by the surrounding of Jerusalem.

3. It will happen at the "time of the end."

4. Following both prophecies were world events that seemed "close" to the fulfillment and were thus jumped on by students of the Word . Obviously both historical events must be canceled out since they are not in the end time, they did not lead to the return of Jesus, and they did not produce an evil man whose life is supernaturally powered.

Thus the abomination of desolation spoken of by the prophet Daniel is still in our future. Allow Daniel himself to speak of this event once more, in the famous "Seventy weeks" prophecy.

The message given in this ninth chapter was meant by the Spirit to shed light on the "when" of Messiah's coming along with more details about the man of sin that precedes Him. It was given in response to Daniel's discovery that the current time line on Jerusalem was about to be up. Daniel had discovered Jeremiah 25:11 which tells readers that God's people were to be in bondage to Babylon for seventy years. But that time was nearly passed, and it was the beginning of the Medo-Persian era. It would soon be announced by Cyrus the Emperor that the Jews could go back to their land.

Caught up in the joyful news he had discovered, Daniel begins to pray a prayer of repentance covering himself and his people (verses 1-19) . While he is praying (verse 20) Gabriel re-appears to him, letting him know how pleased Heaven is with his prayers, and revealing further plans for Israel. These plans involve, not "seventy" years, but seven times seventy. During these 490 years, all of God's dealings with Israel will be finished. And the looked-for announcement of Cyrus is to be the trigger that will "start the clock." So the final years of Israel's life will begin where Jeremiah leaves off and continue, with one major interruption, until the end of time.

Let us speak before we go on, of the concept of "interruptions" or "gaps" in Scripture. Daniel actually uses this pattern unknowingly throughout the book. He is unaware of the great period of time that will exist, for example, in his ram-goat prophecy, between the horn of Alexander and the horn of the final conqueror. Reading Daniel casually you might think they are side by side. He does it again in chapter eleven. He speaks of one who can only be identified as Antiochus Epiphanes, for the Spirit directs us to that interpretation. Then there occurs the "gap" again, and suddenly we are in the end time speaking of antichrist. Daniel had no clue.In an even greater way the prophecy of Nebuchadnezzar's statue and Daniel's animals do the same thing. There seems to be a quick resolution of world history after Rome. Though this is true in actual years spent, we are still living in the "gap" between early Rome and its final form.

Thus when the Spirit in Daniel 9 speaks of 490 years to be lived out for the Jewish people, it must be borne in mind that these years are not consecutive. Even the text divides these years into three groupings. Again, every word, every detail, must be taken into account when a mystery is before us.

Daniel is not the only prophet who unwittingly demonstrates the "gap" phenomenon. Isaiah, chapter 9, predicts the birth of a Child Who will sit upon the throne of David. True enough brother Isaiah, but the Child was born long ago and still we await the enthronement. Later, Isaiah laments the sorrowful plight of the sin-bearing Messiah in most of his chapter 53, but then rejoices that "(God) will divide Him a portion with the great..." a happening scheduled for the return of Christ to earth in our future. Zechariah touts the lowly Jesus "riding on a donkey..." then praises in the same breath the One Whose dominion shall be "from sea to sea." First and second comings of Jesus, thousands of years apart, spoken of in two consecutive verses, with no hint of a history between.

Is it any wonder that Jesus' disciples, schooled in the precise memorization and understanding of Scripture, would stumble a bit when they heard Him talking one moment of death and the next of victory? Is it any wonder that they expected the Kingdom to be set up immediately? It is this "gap" mechanism that is at the heart of the Judeo-Christian mystery. A Christ who was, and "is not" (on the earth) , but who will be. Antichrist, we now understand, will be able to use that same definition, by the secret workings of Satan who has been granted permission to bring it to pass and deceive the nations.

Armed with this principle we can approach the four verses (9:24-27) that spell out what is coming to Israel and when.

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

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

An Explanation for the Existence of the Christian God Movie Video

Here's a pretty good interview about someone explaining the existence of God.

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Peaceful Warrior God

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a christian video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world.

North Korea's Kim and America's Graham - Who Used Whom?

Why did Billy Graham go to North Korea twice in the 90's? If you think you are sure of the answer, listen to the following facts:

During the last three years of Kim Il Sung's life, he was visited twice by Billy Graham... Despite claims in Graham's autobiography that his 1992 and 1994 trips to North Korea were solely for preaching the gospel, his translator, Steven Linton... stated:

"The Graham policy has not been to go there and make converts, but to be constructive in a way that raises the prestige of the Christian community generally."

Belke in his book "Juche" goes on to say that while Billy was there he "lectured" on Christianity. Graham's autobiography adds: "I had just been to Pyongyang and had spent several hours with President Kim Il Sung. President Kim had been very warm to me personally, despite our differences in background, and I felt that he sincerely wanted to move forward in establishing better relations. I told Mr. [ex-President Jimmy] Carter this and urged him to go.

Belke: However, upon being asked about Billy Graham's interactions with Pyongyang, John Akers, a Graham advisor, stated, "I'm not sure who's using whom."

When Dr. Graham presented the gospel to Kim Il Sung on January 29, 1994- less than six months before the dictator's death- Kim remained non-responsive.

From "Just As I Am" by Graham: "When reminded about Kim's mother's faith, Kim acknowledged that she had taken him to church sometimes as a boy, although he admitted with a smile that he always wanted to go fishing instead. He listened respectfully to what I said but made little comment."

Who was the winner in that whole 2-year episode? The Democrats Clinton and Carter in Washington, who could now be branded "peacemaker" ? Kim Il Sung for being visited by such a prominent American, and a Christian at that? Surely such a man would not be allowing his Christian citizens to be tortured and killed! What a PR bonus for Kim Il Sung!

We can look at the politics of it all and wince a little for Billy. We can even get concerned with what looks like a man of God cozying up to a dictator. Did he discuss Kim's prisoner situation? The concentration camps? Did he attempt to get prisoners released?

Or we can take just one step backward and look at the bigger picture. We can say that 6 months before he died Kim Il Sung was given the chance of a lifetime. The chance to inherit eternal life through Jesus Christ, offered by the man who has preached a straight Gospel message to more people than anyone in history.

Yes, we can talk about the strange doors Billy has gone through to preach that message, and get a bit annoyed at his seeming naivete and lack of concern about his reputation. But it won't be long - if we know Christ at all - before a still small voice will arise and remind us of the Christ Billy serves and how that Christ gained the very same reputation for doing the very same thing. And if we dare listen any longer we will be reminded of our own cringing compromising avoidance of almost any Gospel-sharing opportunities that come our way.

No, thank God that someone told Mr. Kim. In our own day, the son of Graham has brought the message to the son of Kim. But that's another story...

Tip for today: Keep praying. We never know just how our great God is going to hear the Church and answer, but He always does.

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

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

Obeying God and Hearing His Voice

A friend of mine told me he once asked a godly lady how she became so powerful with God. She replied, "Have you ever been in a restaurant or some other public place and felt God leading you to go talk to some stranger there?" He said yes. She asked, "Did you do it?"

He was silent as he thought of opportunities missed. She said, "Well, there you have it."

The life of a disciple is lived with regular knots in the pit of your stomach. Perhaps there are some great disciples out there who are never in fear that what they think is the voice of God inside is really just some inner impulse that will lead them to great embarrassment. I don't know any disciples like that, though. The great disciples I know set the fear aside, live with the knot in the pit of their stomach, and risk embarrassment.

These disciples talk to people, including strangers, that they feel led to talk to. They say that strange thing that they feel God leading them to say. They do that unusual thing that they feel God leading them to do.

I remember one night in Germany feeling led to talk to a man I was walking past on the sidewalk. I didn't know what to say, but I remembered years earlier that an evangelist (Danny Duvall) had said thatstraightforward is best. Just tell them that you want to talk to them about Jesus.

So I stopped this man with the question, in German, "Do you know Jesus?" His answer was amazing. "How could I possibly know Jesus? He's been dead for two thousand years."

I had one of the most interesting talks I've ever had with that man. I don't know what impact it had on him, but it led to one of the more interesting nights of my life. He invited me to talk to him more at the bar he was walking to. I went home to tell my wife I was taking him up on the invitation, and then I went to the bar.

When I got there, the German man wasn't there, but an old friend from the military was. I got to spend an hour talking to him about life and about the Lord. After that hour, another man came in talking about God. Yes, talking about God in a bar. He was very strange, and he had strange ideas about God. I talked to him until he let down and began talking a lot more reasonably, and he began admitting he knew he needed to give his life to God. It was a very, very unusual conversation.

Amazingly enough, it didn't end there. The owner of the local "house of ill repute" (that was legal in Germany then, and it may still be) came in. The bartender refused to serve him and said he always came in to start fights with Americans. I asked him in German why he hated Americans, and he was surprised I spoke German. He said he was still mad about world war II, even though he had to have been a child during the war. I was able to preach the Gospel even to him, though he was very resistant to it.

Afterwards, I drove the strange man that had talked about God to his room on base. The military had sent him over for just one week, and so I never saw him again, but I know our conversation made an impact on his life. He had been drinking a bit in the bar, even though I hadn't been, and he really opened up on the way to his room.

I've missed my share of opportunities by not listening to that quiet inner voice, but I didn't miss that one. It's been more than twenty years since that happened, but the stories from that night still inspire me and others not to let God's whisperings go by unheeded.

Make your own memories. You can't be a disciple without regularly feeling the gnawing fear that comes when God asks you to do something outside your comfort zone. The choice between obeying your fear and obeying God can be the one difference between being a great man or woman of Godand being just another person who left no impact on this world.

The Rest of the Old, Old Story: honest and historic Christianity. Is your faith working? Is it transforming you and those around you? Get in the mainstream of God's power by walking in the footsteps of the most powerful churches in history

Also see Paul Pavao's blog on Radical Christianity

Who Knows The Truth About The Antichrist?

Who knows the clear facts about the antichrist that shall attempt to rule planet Earth prior to the coming of Jesus Christ? I have assembled several witnesses always eager to take the stand:

Go to Jesus first, in Matthew (with Luke as a back-up) and listen in on His response to the question posited by the disciples: "When is the end? When will You come?" Now, we are to be faithful and productive whatever the answer is to their question, but it is still a fair question, and Jesus gives a very precise answer. In the process, He answers the question we all are eager to have answered.

Jesus leads His hearers to Daniel. Following this lead we study in detail the definitions of the "sign" Jesus gives in Matthew 24. By the time one has drunk in Daniel's visions in chapters 8-12, the mind is reeling. Along with Daniel we will be overwhelmed with the truth before us.

This truth is then corroborated by similar visions given to the apostle John in his Revelation, specifically chapters 13 and 17. We are not dealing with some "Old Testament truth," but instead the same Spirit spoke to both men a complementary message. Daniel and John are one in their proclamation of this outstanding end-time truth.

The final expert is none other than the apostle Paul, obviously a student of Daniel, but also a man who by the Holy Ghost surpasses Daniel and adds to the revelation as only a Spirit-filled apostle is allowed to do. We don't often think of Paul as a "prophet" but we forget that he was caught up to Heaven (II Corinthians 12) and offered an incredible array of revelations, most of which he was not permitted to share with us. He has very important information to add to the antichrist doctrine. And if he warned his first-century flock about the coming man of sin, how much more should we be heeding the warning?

What will be the sign of Jesus' coming? When will be the end and the beginning of the end? And what man, before the coming of Jesus, will be at the center of it all? Prayerfully read the chapters I have suggested, with no commentary at all. See what happens!

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

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

Enter the Baekjeong

The Koreans say "1," that's baekjeong to us, or if you prefer, paekchong. Who are they, and why in the world am I writing about them? Good questions, and deserving of a good answer. Let me try.

Question one: "Member of the lowest class of old Korean society. Executioners (that's pretty low). Grave Diggers (lower still, but somebody's gotta do it). Butchers (no offense, butchers of the world, but in some societies meat-eating is not cool).Leather workers (same problem!). And there's another word I'm not free to print.

So there you have it. Now the answer to your second question becomes even more difficult. Why devote space to persons such as these?

Well, let's just say it's an old family tradition. Now, the oldest family on earth is God's. We can say 4,000 years old if we want to start with Abraham. And from the beginning, and all the way down to modern-day North Korea, (although "modern" and "North Korea" may not sound too well together), God has had this tradition of pulling up baekjeong from nowhere and bringing them somewhere. From nothing, making something.

Whoever said "Out of nothing, nothing comes," didn't know our God!

God loves these "members of the lowest class", these "untouchables", these unspeakables, these folks... well let's just say we might not invite them to dinner. But they're crowding around His table all the time. We might as well get into the flow. And what better place to begin than North Korea?

Look what God did with a bunch of southward-bound refugees on that peninsula! Back in the 40's and 50's, terrible tragedies pushed many of God's people and a whole lot of people that were not His into some new turf. For a long while South Korea hung in the balance. But Christ, at first Himself a baekjeong of Korea, lonely, unknown, has now become , as missionary Arch Campbell put it, "enshrined in the hearts of hundreds of thousands who know Him as an intimate friend... who love Him with a deep passion seldom found in the sophisticated West."

This Christ was preached and this Christ was accepted by these terribly poor and terribly unacceptable (by the world's standards). And now? Some of the biggest churches in the world grace that small but mighty Korean nation.

Just think what will happen when Christ is given His due place among the northern baekjeong. Oh my, do I want to see that!

Next in this series, a baekjeong story. Then you judge for yourself what God just might want to do...maybe through you?

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

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

This Too Shall Pass

In about 1400 B.C. one of the Pharaohs of Egypt got it into his head that the Israelites living in his land were becoming a threat and needed to be destroyed. He knew or cared not that these were a uniquely privileged people called by the very God of Heaven to be a treasure to Himself. He threw their babies into the river and became guilty of mass murder.

A few hundred years later another servant of Satan determined that all who did not worship his statue would likewise be slaughtered, this time by fire. He had already seen Jerusalem fall and could not comprehend that the people he held captive meant anything to anyone. But they did. Nebuchadnezzar too threatened and attempted to kill the worship of the one true God.

Then came Darius with his promise to throw into a den of lions anyone who would worship Jehovah. And the Persian king who teamed with Haman to destroy the Jews altogether.

There's a family resemblance here. And it doesn't end in the Old Testament. Herod likewise was slaughter-happy as the unfortunate babies of Roman Jerusalem discovered too late.

The Caesars, the Popes, the Nazis, the Communists. Hitler, Stalin, Mao. All have set their sites on the People of the living God. But the "People" remains while all these tyrants are in their graves, and worse.

Tyrants remain in our day. The Tyranny family has been permitted a place on earth for the purpose of purifying the people of God in every generation. Whence comes the martyr? From the tyrant. Whence come the robes of white? From the slaughterer of God's people.

Even the final horrendous torture of the faithful will be permitted . Antichrist will rule and reign, wearing out the saints. (And these are not a special class of "tribulation-only" saints. These too are the very people of God, your brothers and sisters) But only for awhile. They will get their new address and he will be consigned to the flames.

One name I have omitted from my narrating. I have mentioned him often enough. But his fate is as sealed as all the rest. Unless he repents of his treatment of the people of God, and receives God's gracious forgiveness, he shall be tormented with all of the lost forever and ever.

What horrors we speak of today. Yet realities. The fires of hell are licking up all around, yet how often do we see them? So many that we converse with so casually every day have missed Christ and will miss the joys of eternity. Not only the Pharaohs, Hitlers, and Stalins , but all who have turned Christ away.

A solemn reminder to pray. The God who rejoiced at a Cana wedding calls His people to more serious moods too.

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

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

Radical Religious Leaders - World Religion and Leadership

If we look at someone like Adolf Hitler, he was a radical leader that gave the people what they really wanted. He gave them hope of a new world where they would be at the top of the food chain, he would create a superior race of people and call them Arians. Most of the people in Germany and neighboring countries started to believe in German racial superiority. This thinking gained more momentum as other parts of the world fell from German military strength.

We can look back at history and point our fingers at radical leaders from the past like Adolf Hitler, Napoleon Bonaparte, Joseph Stalin, and Genghis Khan. The list goes on but one thing is for sure, most of these empires have crumbled to the ground, but have left their mark on the world we live in today.

How do we take someone like Jim Jones, "The People's Temple" leader who was based in San Francisco, California and led his followers to Jonestown, Guyana, in search of something better. These people left their country, to follow their leader, full hope of that Jonestown would provide them with something they were desperately searching for, only to end up committing suicide. Was Jim Jones considered a radical religious leader and can we tell the difference today when were so caught up in their religious beliefs.

It becomes easy for others to see the problems with religious leaders, only when they get caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Should these people be banned from practicing religion because of one, or two, or maybe 50 mistakes. When do you honestly know in your heart that these people are not serving your best interest as religious leaders?

I believe the future of religious leaders is going to play a powerful part in our lives for years to come. It's hard to imagine how someone can follow so closely behind their leaders, that they can't see around them. Is there someone in your life, who you look up to and admire, do these people treat you like a daughter or son, does it seem like there helping you get over hurdles in your life on a regular basis. Do you look to these people for answers, hope and even faith?

There's a fine line between radical religious leaders and great religious leaders. Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference.

Try not to get caught up in any one person's beliefs. You could soon find yourself in the same situation as Jim Jones followers. It seems hard to imagine has but if you continue to put others interest first and foremost, you could end the becoming part of a radical religious following and only when it's too late will you be able to see the truth. By then it could be too late.

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development. Check out one of his recommended books, The Divine Matrix

Have you ever gave it much thought, choose your religion, did your parents, or friends, or maybe even your grandparents, show you the way

Alas! Babylon

So you've figured out what the Bible is talking about when it mentions Babylon? Let me ask you: Is the Babylon in the Old Testament the same as the one in the New? Have the Old Testament prophecies been fulfilled? In the New, do the seven hills of Revelation 17 point to Rome? Is it Catholicism? Is it America?

Babylon is a study in confusion, to be sure. But then the very name means confusion, and when you attach the word Mystery to it, as God does when talking to John, there should be no surprise that it's hard to figure out.

One thing you do not want to do in coming to a conclusion about this mystery or any Biblical mystery is, trust men. Including this one. Go check it out yourself. Read everything that Isaiah, Jeremiah, and the apostle John had to say about it. Look at its history in the Kings and Chronicles. Look at the Tower in Genesis 11, and Nimrod, the founder of this city as well as Nineveh, the true "man behind the myths" of the mystery city.

If you read as I read, you'll discover some of the following evidence, I believe - but don't take my word for it:

• Babylon of old was founded by Nimrod. The record is in Genesis 10. He was a mighty man opposed to God's rule. He was able to persuade others to leave the God of Noah. False religion in the new world began in this rebellion.
• Babylon and the empire that formed around it became one of the mighty forces surrounding the Bible story, along with Egypt, Assyria, and Medo-Persia.
• Babylonish-type religion was transferred from kingdom to kingdom. Only names of gods changed. Idolatry was the order of each empire.
• Eventually Babylon was permitted to attack and conquer Israel. Its resultant delight, instead of remorse that it had to be used in this horrid task, caused God to plan its destruction.
• Many prophecies in Isaiah and Jeremiah point to a sudden, swift and complete annihilation. Unfortunately, those prophecies were not fulfilled totally. Babylon only very slowly retreated from power and population.
• Empires that succeeded Babylon used that still great city as one of their places of renown, as we would a tourist attraction. Emperors used "King of Babylon" as one of their titles.
• Even in New Testament times, hundreds of years after the warning of a swift demise, Babylon prospered. Many Jews lived there, and a church was born in that place.
• But unquestionably, the city had lost its world-wide prestige, so much so that the prophecy of the New Testament about a great and wealthy business center, could not, at least in those days, refer to the same city.
• Instead, the New Testament Babylon actually ruled over the kings of men. This is a not-so-veiled reference to Rome, the only city in John's day that could be so described. The fact that seven-hills are mentioned has caused most Bible scholars to point to the New Testament's Babylon as being that famous city on the Tiber.
• Many of the predictions about the New Testament Babylon parallel the Old. Sudden, swift and permanent destruction.
• Must we conclude that there is more than one Babylon? My own study, found in Scarlet Threads (1994), revealed a Babylon type of religion in every age, dominating the religious landscape. The mysteries are simply passed on from generation to generation.
• It should be no secret that Romanism, though containing much that is absolute truth, has mixed in with its belief system much that can only be called pagan and Babylonish. Why Bible believers want to head back toward this system that killed Jews and saints of God shamelessly is another mystery, one that I must reserve for another article.
• But certainly it cannot be ignored that Babylon is a city, and is so labeled by the apostle. The Catholic tradition is not all that is Babylonian in Rome's history. There was pagan Rome too. More than that is the move toward even greater paganism that has been afoot in Rome since Vatican II. The same Popes that have convinced Baptists to "come home" have been able to sway Buddhists too. It's the nature of Babylon to mix, and that's the reason God's people are called out of it.
• In short, the ecumenical movement will eventually be dominated by Rome and will later, I believe, have a "false prophet" at its helm. He will be granted miraculous power.
• When Rome dominates again, she will crush those who try to oppose her. In this she will be aided by the antichrist, whose back she rides to world power. There is nothing but trouble for those who oppose, or "protest" in that day. trouble and death.
• I absolutely and categorically mean no insult to any person of any religious faith. I speak only of governmental systems and the doctrines that come from anywhere but Heaven and the written Word.
• So where are we with this? When the Bible says Babylon will be destroyed, is that just a continuation of the Old Testament prophecy that was never totally fulfilled? Shall Rome surrender its religious powers one day to a revived city of Babylon? Or is Babylon a code name for the Satanic system that found its way to Rome? Is Rome therefore the target of God's wrath?
• One thing is pointed out by John's writings. Many other cities are going to fall in that judgment. Whatever city is storing up the wrath of God because of its treatment of His special children, will be visited on that day. But exactly who and where Babylon is still hasn't fully emerged. At least, in my opinion.

In my ongoing appeal for attention for North Korea, this word that relates to today's subject: I have spoken elsewhere about my concern for the nation when it finally opens up. People who have been treated as the North Koreans have been are going to be easy prey for anything false. We must pray that God's true people will have a voice all over the land, and that North Koreans will have a discernment to weed out that which can only harm them.

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

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

The Whole Armor of God

"Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, against the rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6: 11-12.

As a Christian we must embrace the battle that rages in the realm of the spirit. We being mind, body, and spirit must always first trust our spirit. This is the place that God speaks to our inner soul. This spirit also moves in a realm that is more real than our natural existence. As a child we move first in body then mind. As a young adult and older, maturity has us move more in our minds first. When we mature in Jesus Christ we learn that our mind must cling to the spirit of God.

When we accept this spirit of God it gives us power in the spirit realm that can directly affect what happens in this natural world. It is no doubt our battle is not in flesh and blood. We truly battle against demonic forces beyond our natural perception. These forces oppress and possess the minds and bodies of men. The fall of mankind from the first Adam till present day times has been affected by these forces. All Evil Spirits have a mission of diluting and destroying the message of Jesus Christ through whatever means necessary. This includes killing those who preach the true Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Knowing that Satan and his demonic forces look to destroy the works of good, Christians, must put on the "whole armor of God". These pieces include...The Breastplate Of Righteousness, The Shield Of Faith, The Belt Of Truth, The Shoes Of The Gospel Of Peace, The Helmet Of Salvation, and The Sword Of The Spirit.

1. The Breastplate Of Righteousness refers the a man keeping himself away from sin, therefore protecting him from death, which is the result of sin.

2. The Shield Of Faith is our protection from doubt in turn protecting us from all the lies and deception that exist in this world. Paul refers to these deceptions as "fiery darts of the wicked"

3. The Belt Of Truth is what keeps us from stumbling in our understanding of God. The bible says that we worship God in spirit and truth.

4. The Shoes Of The Gospel Of Peace refers to Gods desire that we be peacemakers. "Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." 2 Cor. 13:11

5. The Helmet Of Salvation refers to mans choice to believe in Jesus Christ therefore securing a place for the soul(mind) in heaven.

6. The Sword Of The Spirit is the word of God. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, Jesus fought him by quoting the word of God.

These pieces are essential to fighting against devils. If we choose to not embrace these principles it will certainly result in a spiritual death. Spiritual death is what cuts us off from God and this is why Satan works so hard to achieve this.

Friends, trust in God in all you do. "That ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all to stand, stand therefore." Eph. 6:13-14

James Alford

http://www.singleseed.com

Understanding What it is and How to Get It

Receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, sometimes called the infilling of the Holy Spirit or becoming baptized with the Holy Ghost is a vitally important part of successful Christian living.

There is however, a difference between being filled and becoming filled with the Holy Ghost!

The first is a continuous lifestyle and the second is a one-time event.

Some people confuse the two and make a mess of this doctrine when the truth is very simple.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is based on living day-by-day in continual fellowship with Him and obedience to Him.

It is, first of all, saturating your mind with the word of God, nothing draws you closer to the Holy Spirit than the entrance of God's word. Then, it's talking to Him and listening when He speaks, it's cultivating His presence through an attitude of thankfulness, praise and worship, it means obeying Him without hesitation and without reservation.

It's walking in love toward your fellow man, being quick to forgive and releasing hurts easily. It is creating an environment around you that welcomes and cultivates His Holy Presence. Toward this end, fasting also helps.

All this is the process of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

When you live your life like this it harnesses and concentrates the power of God in you, so when you begin to pray, preach or minister in any way the power of God flows out of you much more fluently for effective ministry.

Another effect of being filled with the Holy Spirit is that it draws people to you who are seeking more of God in their lives. People tend to be drawn to you and instinctively look to you for guidance and leadership.

This is one of the unmistakable traits of a successful spiritual leader Cultivating the character and power of the Holy Ghost or being filled with the Holy Spirit!

When I say "spiritual leader" I don't necessarily mean one who leads a congregation or has some title or position in the church. A spiritual leader could be someone who works in a factory, a single mother or a high school student. Being a true spiritual leader has nothing to do with title or position but with manifesting the character and power of Christ in your everyday life.

On the other hand, becoming filled with the Holy Ghost is a one-time experience, which I will explain like this:

The initial out-pouring of the Holy Ghost in the Book of Acts, Chapter Two HAS NEVER STOPPED!

The Holy Spirit began being poured out on the Church and has never stopped being poured out!

Today, if any believer wants to become filled with the Holy Ghost all he needs to do is step under the flow, open his spirit and receive. It's that simple!

I've led many people to salvation and to receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and I always tell them it starts with knowledge and understanding.

You must be assured that God wants you filled with His Holy Spirit and since He commands us all to be filled then that pretty much takes care of that!

The Bible simply commands us in Eph 5:18 to, "...Be filled with the Spirit."

This is NOT a suggestion but a New Testament commandment!

So, we are assured that God wants us filled with His Spirit and we know it's because He wants us filled with His power so that we can become more effective witnesses.

Therefore, when we approach God to receive the Baptism of the Holy Ghost we must come with complete confidence and boldness before Him.

I teach people to simply ask and receive. It is an instantaneous experience! There is NO waiting involved.

The ONLY reason Jesus told His disciples to wait in the Book of Acts is for the Day of Pentecost to come. They weren't waiting for the Holy Ghost to come, He could have sent Him any time; they were waiting for the RIGHT DAY to come!

The day when ALL the people would be gathered together so that they could ALL hear the Good News of the Kingdom of God at the same time! That's why Jesus told them to wait for the Day of Pentecost to arrive.

So, when you're ready to be baptized with the Holy Ghost there is no waiting involved. I have a short prayer below that you can repeat when you're ready to become filled with the Holy Spirit.

Prayer To Be Filled With The Holy Spirit

"Father, according to Acts 1:8 I know that it's your will for me to be filled with Your Holy Spirit and right now I ask You to fill me in Jesus name. I open my spirit and receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit right now and I thank you for it, Father. Amen!

The key to success in this experience is what you do while saying these words and what you do immediately after!

What you do while saying these words is literally, by faith, open your spirit and receive what God is pouring into you. It is your faith that makes it happen! If you know for a fact that God is pouring His Holy Spirit into you then it is happening. If you're doubting whether it's happening or not, then IT'S NOT HAPPENING!

YOUR DECISION and YOUR FAITH makes all the difference!

It's not up to God or the preacher or anyone else, whether you receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit IT'S UP TO YOU!

God has already sent Him as a gift and will not take Him back. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

Immediately after you say these words and receive the infilling of the Holy Spirit you must co-operate with the Holy Ghost in order to begin speaking with other Tongues!

Everest John Alexander is a Minister/Writer/Entrepreneur in public ministry for over 16 years Pastoring for 4 years.

He's married to his High-School sweetheart, Loraine and together they have two beautiful children, Andrew and Jade.

He's written five books published online at: http://www.CheapChristianEbooks.com where you can download FREE Ebooks, Articles, Jokes and Quizzes. He's currently working on his sixth book, "Understanding How To Pray Effectively."

To read his bestselling ebook "Understanding The 3 Levels of Salvation: Spirit, Soul and Body" visit: http://www.3LevelsOfSalvation.com

The Deity of Jesus Christ - Luke and Paul

Luke's account of the early Church meshes perfectly with the writings of Paul regarding Jesus' Divinity. Here is Luke. And another name we love.

Acts 10:36, Lord of all. It's Peter preaching now, to Cornelius, Gentile convert. "The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (He is Lord of all)" Jesus is not a usurper. God, the Almighty, has not stepped down off His Throne. God, the Almighty, is Jesus.

Acts 19:5, The true Name at baptism. There is only one in whose Name we should be baptized. Notice how the fullness of Scripture defines that Name. In Acts 19:5 we see how some believers who had been baptized unto John the Baptist, are re-baptized "in the name of the Lord Jesus." Not believing that the baptizers were disobeying the command of Jesus, we must assume that baptizing in the name of Jesus is no different than the formula Jesus gave in Matthew 28:19... "Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."

Put those stones down. I am not denying the personality of Father and Spirit, only trying to point out the essential Oneness of the Godhead.

Now from Paul.

I Corinthians 15:47, The Lord from Heaven. Who is the Lord of Heaven? Every Bible-reader knows it is Yahweh, Elohim, Adonai, and so on. But He has another name! "The first man [Adam] is of the earth, earthy: the second Man [Adam] is the Lord from heaven" ! Who is Adam being compared to here? None other than Jesus Christ the Lord!Yahweh, Elohim, Adonai, Yeshua. All the Same!

Colossians 1:13-15, Image of God "(God) hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son...Who is the image of the invisible God..." When you look into a mirror, you see your image...

Colossians 2:9-10, Fullness of the Godhead. "For in ( Christ ) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily [in a bodily form]. And ye are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power." 3:3 "...your life is hid with Christ in God." Everything in God is in Christ. Everything I need from God I find in Christ. Christ is God.

I Timothy 1:2 , God of the greeting. "...Grace, mercy, and peace, from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord." This may seem a bit trivial after the astounding verses I have shared so far, but check out the greetings to the epistles and you will quite often find God and Christ mentioned in the same breath. It's as though the writer is saying, "I can't send you a letter from God without sending you that same letter from Christ. Because of the Incarnation, we think of two. Because of the Godhead, we are brought back to One. And both countings are correct!

I Timothy 3:16, God of the mystery of Godliness. "And without controversy great is the mystery of Godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." Here is one of the classics on the Deity of Christ. Of course, the scholars have jumped on it, informing us that the word God is not in all the ancient manuscripts. So this is just telling about a remarkable human being...

No. Paul said without controversy and He meant it, present disputers aside. It should be obvious to those who have studied Scripture in depth that the Deity of Christ does not rest on this one passage! But it is not necessary to surrender this verse; in fact, in the light of all the other Scriptures, the King James rendering here is the only one that makes sense. What do we mean by the mystery of Godliness? This is the same godliness that is listed as a quality of the Spirit-filled Christian. It comes from a Greek word that means literally well-revered or worshipped. Great then, is the mystery of that which is holy and worthy of worship to us as believers. (The quality of "godliness", then, is a reverential nature.)

Whether one puts the word God next or not, that which follows is worthy of our worship! A person who was manifest in the flesh. Humans are never considered to be manifest or revealed in the flesh. We're just flesh! But God was revealed, made, flesh for sinful man. That fits. That Jesus would have been justified in the Spirit is no great mystery, if He is a human, who like us, needs to be justified. But if God is somehow justified by His own Spirit, now that is a mystery! Seen of angels? You and I and all humans have been seen of angels. But what a mystery that the One Whom no one can see was seen! Mystery! Preached unto the Gentiles? What mystery is there for a mere mortal man to be announced to heathens? But if God, whose special love for the House of Israel is proclaimed throughout the Old Covenant, if God Himself is now being preached to Gentiles, we have a mystery here! "Believed on in the world?" No mystery . Jesus the man was believed on by His disciples. But to say that God, whose abode has always been considered Heaven, was believed on in the world, creates something to ponder. And "received up into glory" is the crowning confusion of this mystery. How could God, who lives eternally in glory, be "received up" into glory?

I think the word God is safely kept in the text. Oh, without controversy!

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

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

Wanted - A Prophet of God

The job description for the office of Prophet, in the Biblical sense, might be a bit intimidating for modern -at least Western - believers. Yet it was a typical profile when God put His men on the planet. The qualifications included, but were not limited to:

• a desire to live in deserted, lonely habitat
• a severe limitation to wardrobe
• a similar cutback in the area of diet. The necessity of eating what is available in the wild.
• being subject to various forms of death and near-death experiences: beheading, boiling in oil, crucifixion, drowing in a deep pit, stoning, being sawn in two.

Also consider:

• applications are not available. one must live close to God and wait for a call. no call means one is not needed as a prophet. no self-made self-styled prophets need consider themselves a part of this office.
• no college training will prepare such a man. life is the training for a prophet.
• no particular secular life-calling fits the mold of prophet. one can be called from the field or the palace or the synagogue.

And then there are these tips:

• If you are a true prophet, your audience will go down, not up.
• In some cases your entire flock may be asked to follow One Better than you.
• There are no special benefits and privileges, this side of heaven. You are to live a life of perfect obedience, as a slave to the One Who called You.

Have I not properly described the men of God, named and un-named, who grace the pages of Scripture? Moses, Elijah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Amos, John. And have I not properly drawn a line between a true man of God and the men who are rising before us today trying to wear that same title, with their fine clothes and multi-million dollar homes and vehicles and toys?

Give us Lord, a man of God! One who is not afraid to say everything You have already said, one who cares not how small his congregation becomes as long as he is speaking the truth in love. One who will give his life for what he knows to be the truth.

One of my constant concerns is for the time period immediately following the fall of the Kim reign in North Korea. When the door is open, what will go through that door? The cults that deny Jesus is Lord of all. The religions that look holy but lack life. Mainline denominations of Christendom that have long ago exchanged the good news for a bowl of stew and a warm bed and American-style comforts.

Lord, Your sheep will hear Your voice. For that we are grateful.

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

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

North Korea - Where Have All The Squirrels Gone?

North Korea watcher Dr. C. Kenneth Quinones narrates this tragic personal recollection in his Idiot's Guide to understanding this nation. As a lover of nature myself, I was taken aback at how serious North Korea became just a decade ago. This information is vital for those who will continue praying and working for North Korea...

He was in North Korea in August, September, and October of 1995. Incredibly fierce rains in August caused floods that made Korean, if not world, history. The corn and rice harvests were destroyed. He saw women and children dressed in rags wandering in the fields looking for leaves, grass, anything they could eat. They found more than he had imagined possible.

It suddenly dawned on him that the wildlife was strangely quiet. All during this time he saw not one bird or squirrel or any other animal one would expect to be outdoors at this time of year. It became clear that they had all been put to good use helping to fend off starving . The Koreans had eaten them all.

North Korea is not out of the woods yet, though somewhat improved. Just how many died during the famine? One organization says 3.5 million. A north Korean document traced monthly death rates in one mining town. 19% of the town died between 1995 and 1998. That's not counting 20% who fled, and many others who died of a cholera epidemic.Another group interviewed 440 refugees from North Hamgyong and concluded that the death rate was around 13%. If that statistic was true of the whole country this famine was the worst in human history.

Even a North Korean official admitted in 1999 that 220,000 had died from 1995-1998.

The misery of those years and to some extent these years is indescribable. Many despaired and took poison. Many took their children to railway stations so that perhaps someone else could feed them. Others sold their children.Cannibalism was widespread. A man was caught and shot after they found the head of a corpse in his house. A couple was executed for murdering 50 children and salting and storing their flesh, mixing it with pork and selling it in the market. A family of five was shot for luring small children into their house, drugging them, chopping up their bodies...

Enough. Enough hopefully to bring us to a place of prayer for a nation and a government. Enough to ask God to raise up His Word and our Lord to rule over North Korea. Where Christ rules, little children are not eaten. Oh that North Korea will hear about Jesus and proclaim His Lordship! (Some of these facts gleaned from Becker's 'Rogue Regime.')

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

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