Believing God - How to Have Faith in God's Promises

How to believe God? How to have faith in God's promises? Let's begin. "For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith" (Mark 11:23 KJV). This is an awesome promise. Jesus Christ is saying you can say things and they will come to pass if you believe it in your heart and not doubt. But to act on this scripture with great faith you would want to meditate on this scripture for your faith in it to grow. So, if you meditated on this scripture properly, then eventually faith would come to your heart and you would believe that what you would say would come to pass. Let's use this scripture verse as an example of how to meditate God's Word properly to receive revelation knowledge to have great faith in a scripture. You would read not just this scripture, but you would read the entire chapter 11 over and over again. You would ask God the Father in Jesus' name to give you revelation knowledge of this chapter as well as the promise scripture Mark 11:23. You would also pray in tongues over this chapter. Let's continue learning how to have overcoming faith by meditating on God's Word. So, this is how you meditate scriptures in the Bible to receive revelation knowledge for your faith to develop in God's Word, especially His promises. Also, as you meditate in a chapter, psalm or proverb, God can reveal to you the subject(s) and objective(s) of each chapter,psalm or proverb. This greatly enhances your knowledge of the Bible and your faith in God's Word. Don't believe in praying in tongues? You need to read Acts 2:4;10:44-47, Romans 8:26-27, 1 Corinthians 14:18 and Jude 20-21. By taking an entire chapter and meditating it you allow the Holy Spirit to give you the overall revelation picture of of the passage. Then you can single out one scripture and have a better understanding of it as it relates to the other scriptures in the chapter, psalm or proverb. And of course your faith will grow in the scripture promise you have selected. Use this successful meditation process throughout the Bible, taking a chapter, psalm (psalm 119 is very long, so break it down into passage segments) or proverb and meditate on them so revelation and faith will manifest. Then act on God's Word and speak God's Word with bold faith and see your faith bring substance to what you hoped to come to pass. What happens when you speak God's Word in faith? God's Word is like a fire and will burn up the destructive thorns in your heart that would strangle the success productivity of God's Word in your life. God's Word is like a hammer and when spoken in faith will crack and demolish any rock of defeat or lack in your heart. God's Word spoken in faith will paint and create a victorious fruit bearing Christ-like image in you that is well pleasing to God. "Is not my word like a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces" (Jeremiah 23:29 KJV)? Like a closer walk with God?

Primary Witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Primary Witness of the Resurrection Mary Magdalene as one of the leading women who followed Jesus Christ. She witnessed some of the most important events in all of recorded history--the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. She was such an important witness of these historical events that each of the four gospels mentions her. She was a wealthy woman who had served Jesus Christ during his ministry and given him financial support. The four gospels were written from four different perspectives over a period of 30 to 40 years. The fact that each gospel names her shows that she was well known as the primary witness to the resurrection. The other disciples, except John, had forsaken Jesus Christ and fled from his crucifixion and burial. However, Mary Magdalene remained close to him, and she was the first person to see Jesus Christ freed from the chains of death. Seven Demons Why was Mary Magdalene such a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ? Well one reason is that she was very thankful because Jesus Christ had cast seven demons out of her as recorded in Luke 8:1-2. "1And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him, 2And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils," (KJV) Mary was not the only woman who followed Jesus Christ or whom he had healed of diseases of mind and body. Yet, Luke specifically mentions her because Christ had cast seven demons out of her. Jesus Christ had set her free from the bondage of the demonic world. Prostitute Allegation Mary Magdalene has often been misunderstood and has been accused of being a prostitute. However, the Bible nowhere identifies her as a prostitute. Why then do many people think that Mary Magdalene was a prostitute? Luke records an incident in which a woman who was a public sinner washed the feet of Jesus Christ with her tears. Some people think that Mary Magdalene was this woman. This incident is recorded in Luke 7:36-39: "36And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. 37And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner." (KJV) However, scholars think Mary Magdalene is likely not the same woman called a sinner in Like 7:39 because Luke does not provide the name of the woman in Luke 7, but he specifically names Mary Magdalene in Luke 8:1-3. Allegation that She Was Married to Jesus Christ Some books such as Holy Blood, Holy Grail and the The Da Vinci Code allege that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene. One of the arguments for Mary Magdalene being married to Jesus Christ is that one of the Gnostic texts states that Jesus Christ kissed Mary. However, greeting one another with a holy kiss was common in that time even as the apostle Paul commanded in Romans 16:16 and in three other places in his epistles. Gnostic writings were never accepted as a part of the canon of scripture. Even the Gnostic texts nowhere state that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene or any other woman. Some people argue that Jesus Christ had to have been married because the disciples sometimes called him "rabbi" (Mark 11:21), and a rabbi was usually married. They called him rabbi or master as a title of respect. The word for rabbi or master in Mark 11:21 can mean "my great one or my honorable sir." However, Jesus Christ was technically not a Jewish rabbi and he nowhere stated that he was a rabbi. The disciples sometimes called him a rabbi because he was their teacher, but Jesus Christ did not hold the official Jewish title of rabbi. According to Smith's Bible Dictionary, there were various forms of the title rabbi with different levels of honor. The lowest level was rab, which meant master. The next level was rabbi, which meant my master; next came rabban, which meant our master; and the highest level was Rabboni, which meant my great master. In Mark 11:28, the Jews asked him by what authority he did certain things because they knew that he did not hold any kind of formal Jewish position of authority. There is simply no hard evidence that Jesus Christ was married to Mary Magdalene or any other woman. The vast majority of scholars, whether they are liberal or conservative, agree that Jesus Christ was not married. At the Crucifixion and Burial Mary Magdalene was present at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 27:55-56. "55And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: 56Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedees children." (KJV) While other disciples had forsaken Jesus Christ at his crucifixion, Mary Magdalene and many women showed great courage in being at the crucifixion. Women value relationships very highly. Mary Magdalene valued her relationship as a disciple of Jesus Christ. She was determined to stand by him until the very end. She remembered the healing that he had given her when he cast the seven demons out of her. He had given her a new life, and she would stand by him even in his death. Mary Magdalene was also present at the burial of Jesus Christ as recorded in Matthew 27:59-61. "59And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. 61And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre." (KJV) Yes, Mary Magdalene was also present at the burial of Christ. As the First Day of Unleavened Bread drew near, Mary Magdalene was there to witness the burial of her master and lord. She would later return to the tomb to anoint his body with spices, but she would not find Jesus Christ there. Witness to the Resurrection The Apostle John records how Mary Magdalene was a witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ in John 20:1-2. "1The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the LORD out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him." (KJV) Mary was disturbed. If Jesus Christ were not alive, she wanted to still touch his body and anoint it with spices. She did not want to let go of her master to whom she was so devoted. She persuaded Peter and John to go to the tomb. They ran to it and looked inside. Then the disciples went home, but Mary Magdalene did not go home. Just as she had remained close to Jesus Christ at his crucifixion and burial, she would remain close to his empty tomb until she saw two angels inside it. The Apostle John goes on to describe the conversation that Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ had after his resurrection in John 20:13-17: "13And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my LORD, and I know not where they have laid him. 14And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 16Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (KJV) The Greek work for touch in verse 17 is Haptomai. It means "to cling to." Jesus Christ told Mary Magdalene not to cling to him because his mission was not over until he had ascended to the Father. Jesus Christ gave Mary Magdalene the mission of informing the disciples that he had risen from the dead and would ascend to his Father. An apostle is one who is sent (Acts 1:21-22). Jesus Christ sent Mary Magdalene to tell his disciples, who would become apostles, that he was alive. For this reason, some early writings refer to Mary Magdalene as the apostle to the apostles. However, she had no authority as an apostle in any official capacity. She was not one of the 12. However, she was honored for her example and devotion. The fact that Jesus Christ first appeared to a woman and made her a witness of his resurrection is one of the strongest proofs of the truth or historicity of the resurrection account. Jewish law did not recognize a woman's testimony. According to Mark 16:10-11, when Mary Magdalene told the disciples that she had seen Jesus Christ alive, they did not believe her. However, women were important to Jesus Christ. He appreciated their devotion, especially the devotion of Mary Magdalene. He valued the opinions and the testimony of a woman. If the account of Jesus Christ's resurrection were a mere fable, Mary Magdalene would never have been listed as its first witness. Conclusion Mary Magdalene was a wealthy woman; she was a financial success. However, she did not achieve spiritual success until later. Seven demons had possessed her, but Jesus Christ cast them out and healed her. She made changes in her life and became a success story. She sought Jesus Christ with persistence; she sought him with courage; and she sought him with humility. As a faithful disciple of Jesus Christ, Mary Magdalene serves as an inspiring role model for each of us.

How to Pray to God - Strategy to Understand the Secrets of Prayer

Who says prayer does not work? Who has not experienced the power of true prayer? How to prayer are as important as cultivating faith in God. Texts of Sacred Books of almost all major religions, preaches a relationship with God through prayer. Prayer to the Lord, has significance in almost religious. However the rituals, languages and words used to address and postures and movements during prayers differ in different styles of human life. Base prayers are the same for everyone and should remain as all intend to reach and release to the very unity of God who takes care of all kinds of life in the universe. True prayer is acceptance of its many sins and negative factors in its individual life and faith in the Lord and commitment to live henceforth in all situations with acceptance of karma and love given to God by serving others with humility. Many speak loud and clear its list of grievances and the budget of requests and continue to repeat it during the prayer as he did during his visit to his boss. It is not a fair prayer to the Oneness of God. Many address his prayer with intelligent thought while maintaining their attention in the memory of the shape of the symbol of the religion of his lord. Equitably to pray to the Oneness of God is to go beyond thoughts and express emotions of love to the oneness of God. air prayer in consciousness go beyond your language. It is not a fair prayer to continue to repeat his words of prayer at the end. So just praying to the Oneness of God is to surrender or commit to deliver, commit faith in him and try to listen to inner rings in the physical body and interior beyond in the house of the true oneness of God. Any commitment mistaken for prayer can not meet your Lord. Many people remain concerned while doing his chosen job. Others remain confused while doing his chosen job. Many people do not want to do the job he does. They chose the work under the constraint of fear or greed. Doing any job, without accepting in the conscious mind, is a habit and the main source of unhappiness. Doing any job in fear or greed, you gain little in the physical world and a significant loss in the subtle world of the mind. It effects the development of personality and your relationships with others. This is not the way of accepting the destiny of the situation given by Lord and surrender to faith in him committed during prayer. Learn to accept the situation of chosen job in prayer and commit to play it as karma given by God with devotion and fun. You will become filled with happiness inside, asked for prayer. Any waiver of the false faith in him committed during prayer can not meet your Lord. Thus the commitments forged in prayer do not work and still source of unhappiness. Commitments false thoughts in prayer do not work and still source of unhappiness. Many people chose to work with dedication, but are not happy. Because they still consider that destiny has made them slaves to others. In fact, they have not accepted their destiny in the inner consciousness, while yielding to faith in him committed during prayer. What is accepted is outward acceptance and fails to thy Lord. Until he accepts his situation while in prayer to the conscious mind, it is doomed to stay unhappy. Any semblance commitment during prayer can not meet your Lord. Commitments thought so wrong with prayer do not work and still source of unhappiness. True Service and Giving, on behalf of the Lord does not expect fruit in the world of business. Many people chose to work to win for the welfare of his children, partners or parents, friends and many others. They are as moral commitments and the love of God through them, committed during prayer. In compliance with its commitments during prayer, they continue to support them with donations to many with their surplus wealth, including charitable institutions. But they continue with thoughts reluctantly that many have not responded well to support and donations and respecting their sacrifices for them. They continue to consider the moral commitment and love of the Lord through them as commercial transactions. They continue to demand something in return which is conducted as selfless works and other gifts on behalf of the Lord. Any assistance to any organization that increases your selfishness, not reaching the Lord, he will continue to cause misery in the deepest spirit. True Service and Giving, on behalf of the Lord does not expect fruit in the world of business. It sowsthe seeds of happiness in your conscious mind itself, while the lord reached inside. True prayer to God gives you feel- in the heaven of happiness. Do nothing to others in the name of the Lord that increases your selfishness and ask something in return. False commitments for gifts and love toward others in prayer do not reach the Lord. True love and the moral duty do not require conditions of its fruit and always fill you with inner happiness. Ask any other mother, how she is filled with inner happiness to attend all the tasks of the child without imposing conditions and expectations. If you have committed before God to love others as its shape and implement the same in mind, you will feel you are already in the heavenly home of the Lord. The real prayer to God continues to make you feel your negative traits and ignore the negative traits of others. Many people believe that they are wiser than the family members. He continues to advise others as a moral duty to self-improvement. They continue to find negative traits in the family member. In fact, many people fail to improve their indigenous features, they realized during their life experience. They wish that it should not be repeated by members of their families and loved, especially children. This is nothing but his ego satisfaction. This person is obliged to live in misery and become subject to evil in the minds of others. Real prayer is to commit before lord that you will feel your negative traits and continue to improve it and ignore the negative traits of others. True prayer to God, gives you the inspiration to become example of the moral life before others. Human nature does not act in happiness with the thoughts of others, but his karma yet. Learning the truth from the experience of oneself or observing the actual experience of others. The elders of the family need to commit to become examples of the moral life before others, especially children and not finding fault of others. If will spread happiness in every family. True prayer to God is spiritual medicine and a deep meditation practice. He who has learned the art of true prayer to God, no need to practice any other meditation, yoga or spiritual techniques for their spiritual growth and happiness in human life

Christian Fellowship and Acts 2:44

These verses weighed on my mind, perhaps pressed upon by a potluck at work. Team building exercise, a small reward. Take it as it was, whatever it was, everyone was asked to share something from home if they wished. Still most people complained, comparing the time or cost of their contribution to those of others. No complaints however when they stuffed their faces or were paid for an extended lunch. I came home to my daily bible study. I have a great study bible. One note in it disheartened me though. I won't say which system it is because we need to be builders not destroyers. In referencing Acts 2:44 and 4:32 where all the disciples are in fellowship and sharing all things in common. (Each giving as they can and taking as they need) In the marginal notes it is suggested that this practice need not be seen as normative for all Christian communities. I'm not sure where this mention might have originated. The Red Scare? The profiteering, possession oriented, status symbol minded culture of the west? In any case these were the men that lived with Christ when he walked the earth. These are the men that the resurrected Christ breathed the Spirit upon. This is the manner of the first fellowship. Many of us may be the two and a half tribes unwilling to cross the Jordan into the promised land. Believers unable to shed the physical attachments of this world. It may not appear rational or feasible to do this in this world. I encourage this though. Take some of your excess and share it. In your church. Among those you fellowship with. Or maybe someone you see at work or on the streets everyday. There are those around you with need. I'm not talking about writing a check or donating to charity. I'm speaking about fellow-shipping. Fall is coming, spend and afternoon raking someones lawn. Have someone over for dinner, or maybe stop over and bring them lunch. Help somebody out with a ride. Not for credit, or praise, or award. Just help somebody, because everybody needs a little help now and then. And in this detached, disconnected world do it in a personal way. Fellowship and sharing. Acts 2:44And all that believed were together, and had all things common; Acts 2:45 And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. Acts 4:32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common

How to Pray to God - Strategy to Understand the Secrets of Prayer

All of us have expectations in our lives. We expect things will occur according to our preconceived ideas and plans. Sometimes things do not happen as we expect, and our response to those unexpected events can determine whether or not we miss out on God's best in our lives. To illustrate this point consider the account of Naaman from 2 Kings chapter 5: 2 Kings 5:9-14 (NIV) 9. So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha's house. 10. Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed." 11. But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage. 13. Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!" 14. So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. Naaman had an expectation that he would be greeted by Elisha the prophet, not Elisha's messenger. Naaman was a highly regarded military leader, he could not believe that the prophet would disregard him. Naaman found himself at a point of decision. As we see in verse 11-12, Naaman became enraged and left. Naaman was going to let his pride cause him to miss out on God's best in his life. Naaman was more focused on not having his expectations met than he was about his true need for healing. Isn't it ironic how having our expectations unmet can often make us lose sight of the greater needs in our life. Fortunately for Naaman, his servants were the voice of reason in his life. They brought his attention back to the need for healing. When Naaman considered the truth of their words, he was once again reminded of the reason he had come in the first place. He needed to be healed. In the end it was Naaman's simple obedience to the instructions he had been given that brought about his complete healing...and to think, he nearly missed it, because his expectations were not met. Today you may have some unmet expectations in your life and just like Naaman you are at a crossroads in your life. Don't lose sight of the greater need that God may be trying to meet in your life. Realize that god wants to meet that greater need, but he may forsake your ego in the process.

God's Love - Our God Nature That Transforms Lives

Our God is Love. Everything He does is motivated by His love for mankind. When He chastises, it is out of love for the person. Every Father that loves his child disciplines him; our God loves more than any father. He even gave His only son for mankind all because of His love. What god will sacrifice his ONLY son for any reason? When you accept Jesus, the son of God, you accept Gods love for you. The beauty of salvation is that Gods love is poured into your heart when you welcome Jesus into your heart. You are able to love people even as God loves you. Actually, if you do not love then you do not know God! The God we serve loves unconditionally. No matter how much evil you may have committed, when you come to Him, He accepts you. He gave Jesus when we were deep in our sins so that we will not suffer eternal death if we receive Jesus as our Lord. As God expects of His children, operating in God's love will reduce the evil around us, in our society and the world. People will not do evil against others. We will respect one another and help each other. You will do it just because you love them. You will not keep record of wrongs done to you and you will not pay back evil with evil but with good There is no fear when you walk in God's love. Fear torments but when you walk in love fear is removed from you. Fear opens you up to all manner of attacks including sickness and diseases. Love clears fear away and everything that goes with it The love of God gives peace, joy to your heart. In the midst of storms you will be calm because of the assurance of God's love which is able to deliver you from whatsoever may come against you. What god can protect like our God? We can face tomorrow because Jesus lives and His love is new every morning. His Love is a pillar to all that will hold unto it or lean on it. It never fails!

A Christian Attitude Towards Being Offended

It is impossible that no offenses should come...NKJV. Those were the words of Jesus to His disciples (Christians). offense will surely come whether we expect it or not, whether we are prepared for it or not! Our attitude towards offense determines the effect it will have on us. People offend God, fellowmen at one time or another. Some offend intentionally, while some unintentionally. Interestingly, whether you do what is right or wrong, somebody will be offended. The question is what should be the Christian attitude towards being offended? To a great extent we can not stop the offenses that come our way, but we can control our attitude or response to them. A decision to work towards not being offended is a right step to take if anyone will have a Christian attitude towards offenses. Sometimes, what offends one will not offend another. This shows that we have the capacity to have the right attitude towards offenses. Identifying some of the things that cause people to be offended will help one to know how to develop right attitude towards offenses. One such cause is that people get offended when their expectation of somebody or something is not realised. Christians are to put their trust in God not in man or things. Trusting in God enables one not to be offended knowing that man is limited but God can still perfect the situation. Assumption is another thing that causes offense. Dr David Oyedepo of Living Faith Church Worldwide says that assumption is the mother of frustration. There is need to have adequate and relevant information or facts about somebody, thing or situation before making finally decisions on them, to avoid unpleasant occurrences or surprises. Pride also causes one to be offended even by trivial matters. Pride has root in self and the scriptures command Christians to die to self. A dead man can never be offended. Our perception of people and matters determines whether we will be offended or not. A Christians perception should be based on the words of God. John 16:1 says, These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.KJV Having the words of God in us will enable us to think, feel and act as a Christian should think, feel and act. There are examples in the scriptures of people who had opportunities to be offended but chose not to be offended. Joseph (Jacob's son) had opportunity to be offended in his brothers but he chose not to be offended. He saw their actions against him as what God allowed in other to save their family from the imminent famine. Also Jesus was not offended by the actions of those who crucified Him but saw it as what must be done for mankind to be saved. Instead in Luke 23:34, he asked God to forgive them, that they knew not what they were doing. Christians are to be like Christ in all things including towards offenses. No matter how you try to avoid offenses, they will come. Following the above attitude will always help you to overcome. Is there anything that can stop you from having this attitude towards being offended?

Developing An Attitude Of Thankfulness

As Christians we should naturally have an attitude of thankfulness, but sometimes we are just the opposite. Look at the following scripture text, Numbers 11:4-6 and you will find a group of happy, thankful people.Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes! Don't these people sound happy? Are they not a happy group? No, these people are just the opposite. They are complaining miserably. They are crying,who is going to give us to eat? These people had just left Mount Sinai after receiving God's travel instructions through Moses. God had been very good to them. Every morning the Israelites were able to draw back their tent doors and witness a miracle of white round flakes of manna covering the ground. It was food from heaven! But now God's goodness and mercy was not enough for them. Why had these people become so disatisfied? It was because their attention shifted from what God had given them to what they didn't have. They were no longer noticing what God was doing for them. They were not seeing that God was setting them free. They were not seeing that God was making them a nation and giving them a new land. They were no longer noticing these things because they were so wrapped up in what God wasn't doing for them. They could only think of the delicious Egyptian food they had left behind. They were beginning to feel that God wasn't doing enough for them and felt they had the right to ask for more. They began to demand meat and stopped trusting God to care for them, who is going to give us to eat? Somehow they had forgotten the cost of the food they had left behind, that it was at the expense of the brutal whip of Egyptian slavery. These people were becoming terrible. Before we think about how awful these people had become and judge them, we may want to think about what occupies our attention most of the time. Are we grateful to God for what he has given us, or are we always thinking about what we would like to have? We should not allow our unfulfilled desires to cause us to forget God's gifts of life; food, health, family, friends, work. How do we change our attitude of disappointment and unthankfulness to an attitude of being thankful and happy? Do we become thankful just because we get the things from God that we ask for? When we ask God for something, He might grant our request, but if we approach Him with a sinful attitude, getting what we want may prove to be costly. When we have become so unthankful God might put us through an experience more costly than we want, to bring us back into a state of thankfulness. The Israelites got the meat they demanded, but they paid dearly for it later when a plague struck their camp. Isn't it odd how it works? The more God gives us the more unsatisfied and disappointed we become. Zaccheus is a man of the New Testament that we can relate to this type of situation. Zaccheus could buy about anything he wanted, but the way he got his money made him so unpopular that no one would have anything to do with him. Zaccheus could afford to have his clothes all tailor made, but his lack of height made him feel inconsequential and insecure. His business of collecting taxes forced him into the public eye, but the fact that everyone knew that the way he made so much money was by over taxing the people made it uncomfortable for him to move around town. Zaccheus was a man for who everything he had ( his career, his possessions, his status in the government) brought him no satisfaction. If Zaccheus was at peace and satisfied with himself because of his career, possessions, and status, why would he go to such lengths to see Jesus? Idle curiousity would not account for a grown man to act like a little kid, climbing a tree and clinging desparately to a branch. Here was a man who recognized that life was not all that it could be, and that the answer to his disatisfaction was to be found in something other than his possessions. Zaccheus was a man who had to find out if Jesus was the answer. Sometimes we are like Zaccheus and have to go through the fire of searching out happiness by gathering all the world has to offer us, and then finding out that true happiness is not there. Zaccheus, like many today, cannot be thankful for what they have, because they are so dissatisfied and unhappy. Thank God, Zaccheus did find peace and happiness in his life when he found Jesus. He found happiness when he looked beyond himself and the things of the world. Zaccheus not only gives us a lesson in how to find happiness, but he also teaches us how to say thank you. Zaccheus knew that his gratitude to Jesus would not be expressed simply by saying how grateful he was that he had all of the things he had. His gratitude would best be expressed by using those things he had to help others. Zaccheus didn't promise to give back what he had taken and to give the other half of everything he owned to the poor in order to get Jesus to like him or to approve of him. Zaccheus did it because of what Jesus had already done for him by just coming into his life. This is the best way to say thank you Lord for what you have given me, to give up some of the good things that you have. We need to ask ourselves, do we have an attitude of thankfulness or do we have an attitude of dissatisfaction and unhappiness? If we are unhappy is it because we have stopped noticing what God has given us? Remember, if you are not satisfied and demand more, God may give it to you but it may come with a price higher than you want to pay. But if you are happy and have peace and want to thank God, think of what you can give up that will help others or will help the Church. Let us always remember to be thankful for what God has given us, that we don't demand more from Him and have to pay the cost.

God's Unexpected Presence and Calling

Do you like unexpected surprises? Whether we like them or not, unexpected surprises occasionally come in unexpected places. It is always a wonderful surprise to find something good in an unexpected place. The Bible is full of this type of experience, and in most cases the unexpected is God. Luke 1:26-38 tells the story of Mary being unexpectedly confronted by a messenger from heaven. Whatever Mary was doing that day, suddenly the angel Gabriel appeared to her. I am sure Gabriel's sudden appearance bothered her somewhat, but what bothered her the most was his message. According to Luke, it was something on the order of Congratulations! The Lord is very pleased with you. Mary knew her own national history well enough to know that being the object of God's favor could be a rather uncertain honor from the human point of view. In fact, as Scripture describes it, having God's favor is never a guarantee of sailing smoothly through life. In fact having God's favor most often guarantees just the opposite. Following are some examples: Noah was judged to be nothing more than a crazy man by his neighbors. They heckled him as he built the great boat God had instructed him to build, and especially when he gathered his family and all the animals. Moses found favor with God and it got him a forty year assignment of leading a group of complaining people through the desert. Jeremiah, the prophet, was another of God's favored people. He was hated and rejected by his own people. He was despised so much that the people put him into an abandoned well just to get him out their sight. Apparently, Mary had good reason to be troubled and uncertain at Gabriel's unexpected announcement. Several lessons become clear in Mary's situation. 1. Our lives are often reshaped by the unexpected intervention of God. The Bible is quite literally the story of how God unexpectedly breaks in to the lives of His people. Isn't that also the wonder of our Christian experience? Unexpectedly, sins are forgiven and guilt is removed. God comes suddenly, and whole new prospects are opened. Dreams are reshaped, lives are recreated, hope is renewed, and faith is filled with live and energy. New opportunities, new directions, and new goals are presented. 2. God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. Almost exclusively in the Bible, God used ordinary people to do tasks that were extraordinary. Mary appears to be as ordinary as any person you can find in the Bible. We somehow have the notion that when God speaks, His speaking is always accompanied by loud claps of thunder, rushing wind, or bright flashes of lightning. We are always looking for God in the dramatic occurrences of life. But in Mary's encounter, there were no warnings. There were no bright lights, rushing wind, or thunder. The earth didn't tremble or open up underneath Mary's feet. She was just going about her daily affairs when God came to her. For us, that means that every day there is the possibility that we may be confronted by an angel who has an announcement directly from heaven. What God says may seem impossible or a little crazy. If a messenger appears to us it will likely happen in the midst of our ordinary events of life. 3. God never forces His will upon us. God always asks for our cooperation. Even though God is all powerful, and in Him is concentrated all the power of the universe, God never forces Himself upon us. He always asks. This element of the story of Mary is not seen until the last verse of the text. Until that point, it almost seems that everything is already set and predetermined when Gabriel appears to Mary. Verse 35 says,the Holy Spirit will come upon you the power of the Most High will overshadow you.The message all seems pretty definite and certain. It doesn't appear Mary has much to say at all in it, but to interpret the story that way misses the whole point of the text. The point is, Mary did not have to say yes. All that God proposed and the angel announced were conditional upon Mary's response. Would she say yes or no? Would she cooperate in God's plan, or would she tell him to find someone else? Her response was not coerced. It was purely, simply, and wonderfully voluntary: Here I am, Lord. May it be done to me as you have said. God calls us all. He gives each of us an opportunity to be a part of He is doing in our world. We may not be called as Mary was called, to bring the Savior into the world. Yet, in another sense, that is precisely what God has called us to do. He asks each of us to bring Jesus into our own personal world. We are called to bring Jesus into the place in which we live and move and find our existence. Like Mary, we can either say yes or no. God won't make us do something that we don't want to do.

Challenged to Serve

God uses each and every Christian in His work. Many times before we respond to God's calling to join Him in His work we must be challenged. In Romans 15:1-13 the apostle Paul challenges believers to serve each other and to work together in unity. We are to set aside willfulness and self-pleasing actions for the sake of building others up for good. A person that serves is described as: 1. A person that is devoted to helping those who are weaker. Romans 15:1, We then who are strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. This is a large challenge. Paul addresses this challenge to us, who he considers strong. He is addressing those who have a solid grounding in the Scriptures; those who have emerged victorious from crises in their own lives because of their strong faith; and those who are strong because of their maturity in Christian living. Paul says it is our duty to help those who are weak. The strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak. It is the duty of the stronger Christian to consider and lower themselves to the weakest. We must consider them by realizing they are weaker and not trample over them. We must encourage them by bearing their infirmities. Those strong in the faith should bear the doubts of the weak, because a weaker Christian in the faith will decrease his faith with each doubt he has. When the weaker brother can be shown his doubts are invalid, his faith is restored. Paul also says those stronger in the faith ought to bear the infirmities of the weak. To bear means to carry; not just put up with or tolerate. We cannot begin to bear someone's burdens until we have sympathy for them and are concerned. Strong Christians have a duty to bear the burdens of the weak, and the weak Christians should be able to expect help from stronger Christians when they have doubts and experience failures. Weaker Christians should not try to bear their own infirmities if they feel their infirmities are pushing them down and destroying their faith. They should ask for help from someone stronger and expect them to provide the needed help. 2. A person that must not please themselves. Romans 15:1, We then who are strong ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. As a servant it is not our business to gratify all the little appetites and desires of our own heart. This is the key A Christian servant should not be self-centered, but should be concerned about the spiritual welfare of others. The first lesson we must learn to be a servant of Christ is to deny ourselves. Matthew 16:24,Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. 3. A person that pleases his neighbor for his own good. Romans 15:2, Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification. Pleasing our neighbor is not just an end in itself, (not just that they will be happy), but for his edification. When a servant pleases his neighbor in this way it builds them up in Christian graces. We are not to please our neighbor in everything, but for his good; especially the good of his soul. This is the example Jesus Christ left for us. Even He did not please Himself, but He came to do the will of the Father that sent Him. Jesus had no place to lay His head. He lived upon alms. He would not be made a king. He washed His disciples feet. He emptied Himself and made no reputation for Himself. All Christ die was for out sake, for our good, to bring righteousness for us and to set an example. Christ was our perfect example of One challenged to serve others. How do we learn to be one that serves? 1. Through the example of Christ. We must bear the infirmities of the weak, for Christ bore the reproaches of those that reproached God. He bore the guilt of sin and the curse for it. We are only called to bear a little of the trouble of sin. He bore the sins of the world. We are only called to bear the infirmities of the weak. 2. Through the Scriptures. Romans 15:4, For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. The Scriptures are left for a standing rule to us. They are written that they might remain for our use and benefit; for our learning. There are many things to be learned in the Scriptures, but to learn how to be a servant is one of the most important. The example of Christ, in what He said and did, is recorded for our emulation. 3. Through the example of others. As we have stronger Christians minister to us in our need, and help us to bear our infirmities, we can learn from their example how to minister to others who are weaker. What are the results of being a servant to others? 1. Romans 15:4, That we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. The result of being a servant is that we achieve endurance through patience and develop the ability to remain steadfast in the face of adversities. Patience works experience and experience works hope. The more patience we exercise under troubles, the more hopeful we may look through our troubles. As we study the Scriptures for the examples given to us, they serve to give us encouragement that we might have hope. As Christians learn from the past they are motivated to endure and be comforted in the present, looking ahead in hope to the future. The steadfast endurance and encouragement a Christian receives from the Scriptures come ultimately from God, the author of the Scriptures. The study of Scripture gives patience under human persecution and Satan's opposition. The study of Scripture also gives patience as we bear one another's burdens, and in waiting for divine promises to be fulfilled. The study of Scripture gives us comfort. It is the comfort that springs from the Word of God and bids us to rise above our fears. It is the comfort that urges us to dwell little on fleeting things and commands us to find our joy in God. 2. That we have a Spirit of Unity. Romans 15:5,6, Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded toward one another according to Christ Jesus; that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This Spirit of Unity includes being of one-mind; to be able to think the same, and one heart; to be able to love the same, and one mouth; to be able to speak the same. The foundation of Christian love and peace is laid in like-mindedness. This like-mindedness must be according to the pattern and example of Jesus Christ. Like-mindedness that is patterned after Jesus Christ means we will have a right mind, a sound mind, a pure mind, a spiritual mind, and a renewed mind. The mind controls our conversation with God; the mouth controls our conversation with others. A spirit of unity is an essential element in a relationship of service. It is desirable that Christians should agree in everything that they might glorify God. One mouth in confessing the truths of God. One mouth in praising the name of God. One mouth in common conversation, not jarring, biting, or devouring one another. 3. That we might receive one another. Romans 15:7, that we might receive one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Paul had encouraged the strong to receive the weak because sometimes the prejudices of the weak Christian make him shy away from the strong, as much as the pride of the strong Christian makes him shay away from the weak. Neither should be. There should be mutual embracing among Christians. Those that have received Christ by faith must receive all Christians by brotherly love. Jesus Christ has received us into the nearest and dearest relations to Himself. He has received us into His fold, into His family, into the adoption of sons, into a marriage-covenant with Him. The end of our reception by Christ is that we might glorify God in this world, and will be glorified with Him in that to come.

Don't Lose Hope

There are people who have nothing to look forward to. Without hope, without expectations, without something to look forward to beyond today, you will just give up. Yes, the Return of Christ is the greatest hope there is, but if you have no hope for this life, then you will give up and settle. Having hope in God is expecting God's goodness and care when you don't know specifically what to believe God for at the present moment. Have you ever been there before? We all have, many times. When we don't know what to believe God for specifically, and don't understand what's going on, or can't just figure it out, we can choose to have hope in our God to bring us a solution. We can ask God for help to bring us something specific to believe. I think it's really simple. When we believe God, we are believing a specific promise for a specific situation. That promise from God can either be written, spoken or revealed to us. We can then choose to accept it as true, believe it, and it will come to pass. Having hope in God is when we do not know specifically what to believe. We don't understand what's going on. We just can't figure it out. But, we can choose to have hope in our God to bring us a solution; to bring us to a point where we do have something specific to believe. You can put your hope in God that He will bring a solution to you. If you are believing God, then you have something specific from Him to believe. On the other hand, having hope in God is much broader; it is open to endless possibilities. Some may call it, "trust." It is expecting and anticipating that God with all His love, goodness and care, will bring to you what you need. Having hope is not wishing. Someone can say, "I wish I had a thousand dollars." But a wish is attached to nothing but the wish. Having hope in our God means we are connecting or relating our hope to our God, Who is unlimited in His love and resources. When you genuinely have hope in God, you are enthused about living this life. Why? Because you have genuine expectations that God is working in your life. You know that with His unlimited resources there are many, many possibilities of Him bringing you a solution. But keep in mind that this does not happen automatically, just because you are a Christian. Choosing to put your hope in God is a choice, day by day. Then, you allow Him to be involved in your life. And He is very willing to help us regardless of the situations we are faced with. Free will to choose is one of the greatest things God has given to everyone. God takes it very seriously. He will not overstep your free will. He may try to warn you, but He will never violate your free will to choose. In the Bible, when the angel first talked to Gideon, he had no hope. He was like many people today who have lost hope; they have no expectations and thus they really don't exercise their free will to move forward. They feel stuck where they are and they just can't seem to move forward. People who have lost hope, just like Gideon, often wonder, "Well, where is God? Where are all His miracles? Where is His help?" That's exactly the mindset Gideon had at first; he had lost hope. If we lose hope, then we will slowly give up our free will to move forward. But God gave us all free will so that we could move forward, living our lives, enjoying our lives, making choices and decisions the best that we can, and then looking to Him, with expectations and hope of greater days ahead. Now that is living life! There are those who may say to others going through difficult situations, "Just believe God." Well that may sound nice, but what specifically are we supposed to believe when we just don't know what to do? When someone has lost hope, they need to have hope rekindled first before they can choose to believe God. We need to do whatever it takes to keep our hope in God alive and to have great expectations for our God. We ought to remind ourselves every single day of who God is, what He has done in the past, and, what He can still do today and tomorrow. Have hope in our God that He will bring a solution to you, that he will reveal something specific that you can in turn believe, so that you can receive His help and deliverance.

How to Pray to God - Strategy to Understand the Secrets of Prayer

Who says prayer does not work? Who has not experienced the power of true prayer? How to prayer are as important as cultivating faith in God. Texts of Sacred Books of almost all major religions, preaches a relationship with God through prayer. Prayer to the Lord, has significance in almost religious. However the rituals, languages and words used to address and postures and movements during prayers differ in different styles of human life. Base prayers are the same for everyone and should remain as all intend to reach and release to the very unity of God who takes care of all kinds of life in the universe. True prayer is acceptance of its many sins and negative factors in its individual life and faith in the Lord and commitment to live henceforth in all situations with acceptance of karma and love given to God by serving others with humility. Many speak loud and clear its list of grievances and the budget of requests and continue to repeat it during the prayer as he did during his visit to his boss. It is not a fair prayer to the Oneness of God. Many address his prayer with intelligent thought while maintaining their attention in the memory of the shape of the symbol of the religion of his lord. Equitably to pray to the Oneness of God is to go beyond thoughts and express emotions of love to the oneness of God. air prayer in consciousness go beyond your language. It is not a fair prayer to continue to repeat his words of prayer at the end. So just praying to the Oneness of God is to surrender or commit to deliver, commit faith in him and try to listen to inner rings in the physical body and interior beyond in the house of the true oneness of God. Any commitment mistaken for prayer can not meet your Lord. Many people remain concerned while doing his chosen job. Others remain confused while doing his chosen job. Many people do not want to do the job he does. They chose the work under the constraint of fear or greed. Doing any job, without accepting in the conscious mind, is a habit and the main source of unhappiness. Doing any job in fear or greed, you gain little in the physical world and a significant loss in the subtle world of the mind. It effects the development of personality and your relationships with others. This is not the way of accepting the destiny of the situation given by Lord and surrender to faith in him committed during prayer. Learn to accept the situation of chosen job in prayer and commit to play it as karma given by God with devotion and fun. You will become filled with happiness inside, asked for prayer. Any waiver of the false faith in him committed during prayer can not meet your Lord. Thus the commitments forged in prayer do not work and still source of unhappiness. Commitments false thoughts in prayer do not work and still source of unhappiness. Many people chose to work with dedication, but are not happy. Because they still consider that destiny has made them slaves to others. In fact, they have not accepted their destiny in the inner consciousness, while yielding to faith in him committed during prayer. What is accepted is outward acceptance and fails to thy Lord. Until he accepts his situation while in prayer to the conscious mind, it is doomed to stay unhappy. Any semblance commitment during prayer can not meet your Lord. Commitments thought so wrong with prayer do not work and still source of unhappiness. True Service and Giving, on behalf of the Lord does not expect fruit in the world of business. Many people chose to work to win for the welfare of his children, partners or parents, friends and many others. They are as moral commitments and the love of God through them, committed during prayer. In compliance with its commitments during prayer, they continue to support them with donations to many with their surplus wealth, including charitable institutions. But they continue with thoughts reluctantly that many have not responded well to support and donations and respecting their sacrifices for them. They continue to consider the moral commitment and love of the Lord through them as commercial transactions. They continue to demand something in return which is conducted as selfless works and other gifts on behalf of the Lord. Any assistance to any organization that increases your selfishness, not reaching the Lord, he will continue to cause misery in the deepest spirit. True Service and Giving, on behalf of the Lord does not expect fruit in the world of business. It sowsthe seeds of happiness in your conscious mind itself, while the lord reached inside. True prayer to God gives you feel- in the heaven of happiness. Do nothing to others in the name of the Lord that increases your selfishness and ask something in return. False commitments for gifts and love toward others in prayer do not reach the Lord. True love and the moral duty do not require conditions of its fruit and always fill you with inner happiness. Ask any other mother, how she is filled with inner happiness to attend all the tasks of the child without imposing conditions and expectations. If you have committed before God to love others as its shape and implement the same in mind, you will feel you are already in the heavenly home of the Lord. The real prayer to God continues to make you feel your negative traits and ignore the negative traits of others. Many people believe that they are wiser than the family members. He continues to advise others as a moral duty to self-improvement. They continue to find negative traits in the family member. In fact, many people fail to improve their indigenous features, they realized during their life experience. They wish that it should not be repeated by members of their families and loved, especially children. This is nothing but his ego satisfaction. This person is obliged to live in misery and become subject to evil in the minds of others. Real prayer is to commit before lord that you will feel your negative traits and continue to improve it and ignore the negative traits of others. True prayer to God, gives you the inspiration to become example of the moral life before others. Human nature does not act in happiness with the thoughts of others, but his karma yet. Learning the truth from the experience of oneself or observing the actual experience of others. The elders of the family need to commit to become examples of the moral life before others, especially children and not finding fault of others. If will spread happiness in every family. True prayer to God is spiritual medicine and a deep meditation practice. He who has learned the art of true prayer to God, no need to practice any other meditation, yoga or spiritual techniques for their spiritual growth and happiness in human life

Has The True Message Been Lost?

Why are some Christians so critical and judgmental? It is common to hear talk about "unbelievers" as though they have the plague and should be avoided at all cost. This message of condemnation is also preached to the believers as well. Is wrath and condemnation the message we should be preaching to win souls and to keep the "faithful" in line? I remember many years ago working at my first radio job at a small station in Carlsbad, New Mexico. My hair was long, and I was kind of "hippie" looking. After all, this was the 70's. But I was at a point in my life where I really needed some spiritual help. I normally worked Monday through Saturday, but one weekend I was assigned to work on Sunday. At that time, on Sundays, the station took a break from normal programming. They had a local preacher do a one hour show called, "Pecos Valley Hymn Time." I was so hoping that the preacher would reach out to me. He brought his two daughters to the station, and I thought they were kind of cute. Maybe they would reach out to me. At that time, if anyone would have reached out to me, I would have gladly responded. But sadly, neither the preacher nor his daughters had anything to do with me whatsoever. In fact, I even traded shifts for a number of weeks so that I could work on Sunday. But I got the cold shoulder from all three of them. I wondered if it was because I played rock and roll music, or had long hair. It was obvious to me that they thought I had some sort of unbeliever plague or something. Since then, over the years, I have seen time and time again how religion can be so cruel at times. Too often I have seen a lack of love between those who profess to be Christians. Why is it that some Christians are not only critical and judgmental to the unbelievers, but many times they act that way to fellow believers as well? Perhaps they have forgotten that Jesus said that he didn't come to judge but to save the world. Maybe they don't remember that he said that it would be by the love we have one for another that all men would know that we are his disciples. Or could it be that religion has taught and continues to promote guilt and condemnation? Could it be that many have lost the true message? In the gospels, Jesus said that he came to make known the Father. He told them that if they have seen him, then they have seen the Father. Why then, today, don't we make known the Father? Instead of finding fault, criticizing and condemning people for their actions, why don't we share the message of God's love and forgiveness? Why don't we focus on Christ's completed work of redemption that brought about eternal life? Why don't we tell people that in the new birth they are now a child of God and that nothing can separate them from His love? Are we so afraid to preach the Father's forgiveness because people might use it a license to sin? Do we refrain from teaching about healing because we don't believe it is available? Do we hold back on declaring God's promise of prosperity because we think being wealthy is somehow wrong? Instead, religion continues to list all the sins and transgressions. Preachers continue to remind their people of just how badly they behave. We are told of how displeased God is with just about everything we do. As a result, God's people are full of guilt and condemnation. The Bible teaches that condemnation hinders our prayer life. So, is the message that's being preached by many helping people to get closer to God, or is it driving them farther and farther away? Real change in a person's life happens from the inside out. Religion tries to change people on the outside. They tell people all the things that they should do and should not do in order to make God happy. Really, they ought to be preaching what God has already done through the completed work of his son, Jesus Christ. They ought to be declaring all that we now have available because of Christ. They ought to be teaching that Jesus Christ's complete work has opened up a beautiful individual relationship with God Almighty to anyone and everyone. Imagine what my reaction would have been if that preacher, or either of his daughters, would have shared that message with me on a Sunday afternoon. Imagine how my heart would have thrilled to know that God had forgiven me. Imagine how I would have felt finding out that God's love for me was unconditional and that I could have a personal, intimate relationship with God, my Father. What message are you delivering? Is it the true message of deliverance from God or a message of bondage from religion? If we dare to call ourselves Christians, then we ought to endeavor to live our lives Christ-like, and follow his example.

The Kingdom of God

The kingdom of God may be said to be the theme of the Bible. Sadly, though, most people with some familiarity with the Bible have very little knowledge of the kingdom. The majority of churchgoers suppose that the kingdom of God is merely heaven, since it is alternatively called the kingdom of the heavens. But as the term also suggests, the kingdom of God is a government. That's what the kingdom is God's government. One vital fact concerning God's government of which everyone should be aware is that the kingdom has not always existed. It is something that God will establish. For example, Daniel 2:44, which is a verse that Jehovah's Witnesses frequently cite in their public ministry to explain this vital matter, states concerning the kingdom: And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite. Please notice that the verse in Daniel states that God will set up a kingdom,indicating that it was not in existence when Daniel wrote down this prophecy 26 centuries ago. Nor was it in power when Jesus walked the earth, which is why he exhorted his followers to pray for God's kingdom to come. The prophecy of Daniel pinpoints a certain moment in history when the kingdom will be set up. When is that? As it states, in the days of those kings. Which kings are those? According to the dream that Daniel interpreted for king Nebuchadnezzar, there would be four empires that would succeed the Babylonian kingdom, represented by the breasts and arms of silver, belly of copper, legs of iron and feet of iron and clay. The eighth chapter of Daniel identifies two kingdoms by name that came after Babylon Medo-Persia and Greece. The successor of Alexander's empire was, of course, Rome. The Roman Empire is symbolized by the legs of iron. Although historians speak of the decline and fall of the Roman Empire in the third and fourth centuries, the imperial system remained in place through the power of the Vatican up until the ascendancy of the British Empire. The world is now dominated by the Anglo-American dual world power. According to the God-inspired dream of Nebuchadnezzar, there are kings plural that are to be crushed and brought to ruin by the kingdom of God, which are symbolized in the second chapter of Daniel as the iron and clay. The iron and clay symbolize this unlikely union of the London imperial system and the American Republic. The 11th chapter of Daniel pictures these two entities as the king of the north and the king of the south. The king of the north is the British Empire, with its London-centered global financial system and the king of the south represents America. The 13th chapter of Revelation depicts the Anglo-American dyad as a two horned wild beast. So it is that the kings who are destined to be crushed by the kingdom of the heavens are the presently ruling Anglo-American kings. As Daniel 2:44 indicates, the victorious kingdom of God will then rule over the earth. It will not be passed on to any other people, such as the earthly kingdoms that rise and fall. Once established, God's kingdom will rule forever. Indeed, Let your kingdom come.