Dealing With Affairs in the Christian Community

I have been in the Christian community all of my life, but I cannot remember one time ever hearing someone teach on affairs in the church. I remember hearing about preachers cheating, the deacon cheating and the church secretaries cheating but never hearing or seeing this issue being dealt with in an educational or informational manner. Now, I understand because it would be hard to teach on something that you yourself have not experienced or overcome. In most cases if someone has experienced an affair in the church, they are not willing to risk the ridicule and judgments that will follow after exposing their affair. It is almost as if when you have an affair the church is going to crucify you to the cross.

I am sure this is one of the reasons that Christians do not speak on this issue, because they do not want to risk the emotional crucifixion in front of the congregation. I know what I am speaking of because I kept my affair hidden for 13 years. During this time I was teaching, preaching and encouraging men to be faithful to their wives. I was a young Christian minister, with a great family, who loved God, but who had also messed up. I did not want to tell my wife because I knew or assumed she would leave me. I did not want to tell my Pastor because I felt like he would label me a cheater and an adulterer.

The truth is, although I had prayed to God for forgiveness and knew that He forgave me, I was more afraid of what people would say about me. The church is a place of emotional healing not emotional killing. It is really amazing to me how as Christians we can confess to God what we have done and walk away from His presence with a smile. But, when we confess to the Christian community our wrongs we walk with our heads down. The bible clearly states that Jesus did not come into the world to condemn the world. Condemnation is not of God and it should not be apart of the church. The truth is the more the church continually causes spouses to hide their affairs whether emotional or physical in the church. The more affairs will continue to keep happening and the divorce rate will continue to rise.
The church was designed to be a place of safe exposure because as the bible states, "we all have sinned". Please do not misunderstand me, you cannot just wake up on your own and say today is my day of exposure, because you need support. I am not suggesting that you call your Pastor immediately and say, "I had an affair or I am in an affair". I have been through enough church hurt and know from experience exposing the truth to the wrong person or at the wrong time could cause more emotional pain. So, please make sure you have an emotional safety net in place prior to exposing yourself.

I believe in my heart if the church begins to expose affairs, this would begin to change the very fiber of marriage consciousness all over our country. Many people say, "If the church is filled with people that do not value or respect their marriage or their covenant promises to God, then why should I". My wife's affair has taught me that there are not only cheating husbands, but also cheating wives in the pew. This is the reason my wife and I have committed to take this stand of courage. We are willing to fully expose our affairs to the Christian community that others may gain confidence and strength to become healed in their marriage. The Christian community needs to take the leading role in setting the example of Godly forgiveness. I believe as more confessions and forgiveness takes place in the church, the divorce rate will be begin to decrease. And as the divorce rate decreases, the number of sons and daughters growing up without fathers will also decrease.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3108525

Christian Community And The Way Of Life

If you want to become a part of the Christian community you need to first understand the basics of Christianity and Christian life. You may be wondering as to how to start your journey on the new path and what the things are to follow to mature and become a true follower of Christianity. Given below are four essential steps that will help you to make your choice easier.

1. The Bible is the most important handbook for a Christian. As a new follower, you will be in a confusion to choose the best version from the numerous types available. You can choose from the top ten Bibles after doing some research on it, or choose from the popular translations of the Bibles available or even try to get a free copy of the Bible. The next step is to spend some time daily by reading the holy book. You can follow many ways to study the Bible. Follow a simple Bible reading plan and you will be able to read it in a focused manner.

2. Finding a church is also very important if you want to meet the christian community and learn more about the Christian life. Finding a church is very essential because you can meet a lot of Christians regularly and pray with them. You need to be very patient because it can take quite some time to find a church. If you have some Christian friends they may be able to help you in this matter. Once you find the church you will be able to attend the prayer meetings and other spiritual sessions there.

3. There is a lot of difference of opinion on the teachings about baptism. Many people believe that baptism helps you to wash all your sins away. Some believe that it is meant for protecting you from the evil spirits. There are still some people who feel that baptism is an essential step of obedience in christian life.

4. Unlike baptism, Communion is a onetime event that is has to be observed all though the Christian life. It is a special time for the worshiper to celebrate and remember what Jesus Christ did for the Christian community. So you must learn more about observance of Communion.
The Christian life is not as easy as you see it. Sometimes, you may get off the road easily. According to the Bible the followers from the Christian community have to be encouraged regularly to learn and understand more about Christ so that no one turns his back from the teachings.

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Christian Faith Sharing

Evangelical Christians are so named because they have a desire to share their faith with others; or at least the foundational doctrine of their church is to help God seek and save the lost. The truth is that only a tiny minority of evangelical Christians actually take the time to actively share their faith with others on a regular basis. The primarily secular world we live in is a powerful repellent to evangelism. Our culture is focused largely on self-sufficiency and the freedom to make our own personal choices. As a result, many unbelievers are offended by Christians who believe there is only one way to find favor with God; through His Son Jesus Christ. Unbelievers see this position as too restrictive, unenlightened, and inflexible. The commonly accepted belief that all religions essentially worship the same God in different ways tends to dilute the Christian point of view as simply another of many paths to God.

The vast majority of evangelical Christians never take the time to share their faith with anyone because they feel it's a waste of time trying to confront these well-established beliefs. Most unbelievers have already heard the Gospel message and rejected it - how can another voice change that well established point of view? A common opinion among Christian believers is that God has to work in someone's life before they can hear the truth about God, and when they are ready they will seek out answers to the important Biblical questions they are now avoiding. What this means for some Christian believer's is that there is no reason to share their faith until they are asked to do so by an unbeliever who is actively seeking to know God.

I personally don't know how someone can be granted the gift of eternal life and not feel an overpowering urge to share that gift with others. The notion that unbelievers need to be first called by God before they will be able to hear the Gospel message fully is a valid point; however, it seems to me, believers should be actively trying to find those lost souls who are seeking to know God. When I ask myself if God wants me to share my faith, the answer is always an immediate and resounding yes. There is no question this is God's will. If our Christian faith is real, there should be a burning desire to share it with others.

I feel strongly that all Christians should consider carefully how they can share the love of God with others. Believers who are focused on God will want to help God in His effort to seek and save the lost.

The Early Christian Community in Context

The light of Christ was the beginning of Christianity, but the history of the Christian Church began with the resurrection of Jesus and a time forty days later with the first sermon given by Peter. His sermon and the whole-hearted commitment of the disciples at Pentecost illustrate the power of Jesus' death and the gifts that Jesus Christ gave to them for humanity's sake. The Christian community in the first several centuries survived as a sect within the Roman empire, until early in the 4th century and Emperor Constantine will the Christian community be altered into a Christian empire.

The early Christian community functioned as a sect, much like Judaism during the time of Jesus. Sects and counter-cultures generally defy the broader world, they are moralizing and a sect is exclusivistic. The Christian community in the first three centuries is defined by these characteristics.

Early Christianity denied many of the tenants of the pagan Roman world. The Romans viewed Christians as atheists because Christians denied traditional and imperial worship. Christian monotheism clashed with the culture's polytheism. An implication of Christian religiosity was pacifism, since Christians were members of the Kingdom and dwelled on earth temporarily they did not take part in warfare. Christians, as well, were slandered by some Romans for participating in incestuous behavior and practicing cannibalism. It was written that members of the Christian community were involved in incest during their evening meals, a skewed version of Christians being literally brothers and sisters. They were labeled as cannibals because of their Eucharistic beliefs. Romans also viewed Christians as ignorant and foolish for their missionary work to the poor and those of low status in society.

The Christian community was exclusivistic and moralistic. A Christian had to be baptized to enter the faith, they had to agree to enter the community and put himself or herself under the jurisdiction of the Church. The Sacrament of Initiation, originally combined baptism, Eucharist and confirmation, was a long and intensive process. The function of baptism was purification, conversion and to renew the human through the power of the Spirit. In preparation for baptism, one's sins needed to be repented, full observation of the commandments and, one had to receive and proclaim the good news of Christ.
Once an individual made the conversion to Christ, they could participate in the Eucharist. This celebration was in essence a simple ritual meal shared in community to remember and give thanks for the death and resurrection of Christ. Generally, Christians gathered in someone's house and they celebrated mass together. The oldest Christian church building dates to 250AD, within several decades numerous churches had been established.

Along with sacrament of initiation, penance was vitally important. Jesus gave the Church via the disciples the power to remit sins and thus exclude sinners. Before Eucharist, an individual needed to confess their sins to God through a priest. A component with receiving forgiveness was a corresponding commitment to work towards ending the sinful practices in his or her life. Christian beliefs demanded rigorous adherence, and commitment to live "in Christ Jesus."
If the individual entered the jurisdiction of the Church then there was a variety of Christian beliefs that could fulfill their covenant. This allowed the Church to be theologically diverse and exclusivistic. Christianity's theological diversity and character fundamentally changed in the 4th century because of Emperor Constantine.

Beginning in 64AD after the Great Fire of Rome, which was blamed on the Christians by Emperor Nero (emperor 54-68AD), Christians endured times of sporadic persecutions. The persecutions occurred due in part because of Christians' lack of conformity with the government. The Roman Empire was tolerant but if Christianity and another entity came into conflict, the former took the brunt of the government's abuse. Do in part to civil wars, the attacks from the barbarians, population declines and other factors, the Roman Empire increased their attacks on the Christians as a way to unify the country and reduce some internal friction. Emperor Gallienus (sole emperor 260-268AD), however signed an edict of tolerance in the 3rd century which ushered in a time of peace for Christians. This helped to recruit converts to the faith, but individuals were not dissuaded from becoming Christian during the periods of persecutions. As state-led persecutions were occurring the number of Christians and those willing to become martyrs for the Church increased. Emperor Diocletian (emperor 284-305AD) ordered the last persecution of Christians and the most serious persecutions occurred in the early 4th century. Because of internal and external threats, he also divided the empire into quadrants and installed a ruler in each, which lead directly to several warring factions attempting to gain power.

Constantine inherited one third of the Western Roman Empire in 306AD, by 324AD he was the sole ruler of entire Empire. He converted to Christianity, if albeit for political reasons, in 313AD after a dream and a vision which led him to defeat Maxentius at the Battle of the Milvian Bridge, using a sign denoting Christ on his army's weaponry. Because of this political change Christianity became absorbed in the world; there was a systematic breakdown between the church and society. Christianity radically changed from a sect to an institution.

The Church from this point forward became an institutional bureaucratic political entity. There was a new toleration of Christians by the government, which evolved into Christianity becoming the official religion of the state in 380AD by proclamation of Emperor Theodosius (emperor 379-395AD). The government actively supported the Church and expected substantive reciprocal support. The state funded the construction of church buildings and religious sites, Church symbols were placed on coinage and religious leaders became important political figures. The Church supported and participated in the state's military actions. There was an effort, especially after 380AD, to curtail some Pagan religious practices that had found a sanctuary in the rural countryside. The Empire supported by Christian leaders, or Christians with the support of the state, led efforts to either convert the pagans to Christianity or suppress the minority religions. The evangelization missions in the countryside took aggressive action, for instance overturning statues of Pagan deities, cutting down sacred groves and setting fire to Pagan temples. However, Christians did not entirely reject the Pagan world.

Given that the Pagan worldview permeated society, Christians actively worked to incorporate the known way of life into a Christian context. Where Pagan temples were destroyed Christian churches were erected, festivals for Pagan deities were baptized and made into Christian holy days. On the level of popular culture, ordinary people received a new religion, Christianity, but they did not have to radically change their lives; Christianity had become one with society.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5775338

The Kingdom of God: 5 - Kingdom Events in Jesus' Life

Jesus not only talked about the coming Kingdom. He demonstrated it, proved that in one sense it had already come!

1. The Transfiguration, Matthew 16:28-17:5.

"Some" of the disciples (He seems to be addressing the 12 here) will not die until they see Jesus coming "in His Kingdom." So it is in Mark and Luke, and the very next event is the transfiguration. We are led by the flow of the text to believe that what the astounded Peter, James, and John witnessed was none other than the Christ of the future, the One who shall come with the rod of iron and rule in Jerusalem.

The predicted event could not have been Pentecost, for all "saw" Jesus in the Spirit there. What else could it be? All the disciples were dead 60 years later and the Millennial Kingdom had not come. This was a preview of coming events, where Old Testament and New Testament saints will mingle and fellowship and Jesus will be Lord of all.

Note the words heard during this event: This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well-pleased. Nearly a direct quote from Isaiah 42:1, Behold My Servant whom I uphold, My Elect One in whom my soul delights! That Isaiah passage goes on to talk about the Justice that Christ will bring to the earth, confirming even more that this Transfigured Christ is the Reigning Christ to come, and Peter, James, and John were privileged to see Him in His Kingdom before they died.

2. The Triumphal Entry, Mark 11:10.

If Jesus did not want to talk to us about a physical kingdom-coming, He should have steered clear of the fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9, where the prophet sees Messiah coming into Jerusalem on a donkey, symbolizing the reign of the Kingdom being restored, David's Throne in power again. And He could have silenced the people when they yelled out, Blessed is the Kingdom of our father David that comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna (save now). Well, its fullness was not to be now. It was to be much later. But the statement is clear. His actions, His silence at their conclusions. Remember that this Jesus had spent all these months simply touching people's individual lives and teaching the ways of the Lord. Suddenly He is marching on the city. The people believed He was the Messiah. And He was. They didn't know that they would allow Him to die in one week, and that His death and resurrection would expand the Kingdom's boundaries to the ends of the earth.

3. The Paschal Feast (Lord's Supper for now) Luke 22:15-18
What made Jesus desire this Passover celebration so much? It seems to be that it points to the time when He shall eat it anew, in His glorified Body, in the Kingdom. Notice He says He is going to drink physically, not just be present to us while we are drinking, which occurs in our simple communion services. You see Jesus eating bread and fish in the resurrection stories, but never sitting down to the Passover meal again. That will be, I surmise, at the great "wedding feast" still in our future. (Revelation 19:7-9)

4. The Kingdom Transfer, Luke 22:29-30.

Whether this happened at the moment or it is prophetic, we know that this action of giving the Kingdom to His disciples fulfils the promise to the religious Jews that He would take the Kingdom from them and give it to a "nation", a people, bearing the fruit necessary. The text adds the additional promises of sitting at His table and judging the 12 tribes of Israel.

5. The final words: Acts 1:3,6.

After Jesus rose from the dead, the KINGDOM was still on His mind, and the minds of His followers. Never once is it whisked away by "spiritualizing" it.. They knew He had "given" them the Kingdom, yet they had no revelation about Gentile expansion in the Kingdom. Their natural question was, is it NOW we begin to rule and reign as you promised? You took the Kingdom from the Jewish leadership, and gave it to us. Where is it? Where is our national treasure? But Jesus, as He did to Daniel, has to turn off His disciples, for their timing is wrong. No more questions. It's not time yet. For now, the Spirit is coming. A new kind of authority, and Power is coming. You are not to be lords now, but witnesses. Tell what you saw, and I will go with you. Nothing military. Yet. Kingdom business. Kingdom authority. Kingdom power. But not the Kingdom you expected, not for awhile.

6. The church predicted, and Keys to the Kingdom!

The Kingdom and the Church meet in Matthew 16, showing us they are NOT one and the same, but that they DO overlap in dominion. The Kingdom is in Jesus' day about to be closed to the Jews, by their own decision. The scribes and Pharisees actually "shut up" the Kingdom of heaven against men (Matthew 23:13). Their hypocrisy and legalism turned people away from God and caused them not to believe Messiah when He appeared. The Gentiles have not yet had the door open to them. But all this is about to change. The fact that Jesus is the CHRIST, and also the SON of the LIVING GOD, is the foundation of a new institution, one that will reach out to Jew and Gentile alike, opening the Kingdom of Heaven to whomsoever will. To Peter will be given the keys to this operation. It is of interest that Isaiah 22:22 speaks of the "key" of the House of David, a passage quoted by Jesus to the church at Philadelphia, Revelation 3:7. Jesus holds the key that opens and shuts doors to the Kingdom.

Studying Peter's ministry in Acts is sufficient for us to understand that the preaching of the Good News of Jesus also opened wide the doors, and established the Church as a Kingdom-builder. The Church became the Headquarters of the Kingdom of God on earth, stirring up faith in Jesus Christ through the power of the Spirit resident within.

It is so important to see that the Kingdom was already here and the Church is future in Matthew 16. Jesus builds His Church to open the doors of the Kingdom to Jew and Gentile. When the unsaved enter the Kingdom through this preaching, they are filled with the Spirit and become for now the Church, the called out, the invited guests. Yes, and the called in, to what? To the Kingdom. To the King. He has not abandoned the Kingdom! Fear not. It is still His desire to give it to us! He is merely in the peopling stage of that Kingdom. And the Church is the agent for this task, and this task alone.

Kingdoms rule. Churches do not. Churches invites. Kingdoms demand. Churches humble themselves. Kingdoms take authority. The Church is a lamb, meek and gentle. Like Jesus when He was here before. The Kingdom is a lion, like Jesus when He will come with the rod.

Never has the Church been called to BE the Kingdom, only to ENTER it, and to open its doors to others to do the same. This is the "nation" that is to bear fruit pleasing to the Father, a task impossible to those without God's Spirit. Hence, Pentecost.

Yet it cannot be ignored that church folks are also Kingdom folks in training. Glimpses, sometimes more than glimpses, of life that shall be in the Kingdom are seen in the lives and power of its future citizens.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5194355

How to Share Our Christian Faith

I'd like to discuss this question " How do you Share our Christian Faith". This is sometimes called "Evangelism". Although it might be easy to communicate our faith with other Christians, it becomes much more difficult to share our faith with non-Christians, and this discussion hopefully will help you with this. After all, we might be the first Bible that people will read as we try to imitate Christ. Two pastors found a discussion like this most interesting and stimulating. What do you think? I would appreciate your comments on these thoughts. Thank you

Second Segment

Looking at this question again on "How do you Share our Christian Faith?" What does Scripture say about all of this? Look up in your Bibles, Romans 10:9-15, John 4:1-26, John 8:4-11,Colossians4:5-6 and I Peter 3:15-16 and comment on how this Scripture dictates How you should Share our Faith. I would appreciate your comments that you care to make on any of these Scriptural verses. Thank you.

Third Segment

Thinking about this question again on "How to Share our Christian Faith", what are some of the questions one must consider when contemplating such a question? Two that come to mind are 1) Do you really have to be converted in coming to Christ before you can communicate your Faith effectively, and if so, what has been your conversion experience, and 2) What is conversion and how does it relate to Sin in your life. (For more information on Conversion, I suggest you read my long article "Conversion - What is it and How does it Come About" found on EzineArticles.com or on "Christian Discussion" in Facebook. Also I can hand you copy, if I see you.). I would appreciate any comments you would care to make on either of these two questions. If no comment, I hope you can take these 2 questions back to your church and discuss them there. Thank you.

Fourth Segment

In "Sharing our Christian Faith" what are some of the checks that we should be aware of to make sure that we are Sharing our Faith accurately. There are five that we should be aware of. They are called the 5 C's. They are 1) Canon or the Bible, 2) Conscience, 3) Context or Circumstances, or how you think God is working in the World at the moment, 4) Common Sense, and 5) Communication with Other Christians. I would appreciate any comments you would care to make on these five checks. If no comment, I hope you can take these 5 checks back to your church and discuss them. Thank you.

Fifth Segment

In "Communicating our Christian Faith" what part does the Church play in all of this. In other words, what is the Church (One person calls it a Movement) and what is its Basic Function? And does your Church fulfill this Function? I would appreciate any comments you would care to make concerning this issue. If no comment, I hope you can take this issue back to your church and discuss it there. Thank you very much.

Sixth Segment

Now we should discuss the question on How do you Personally Share your Christian Faith? For example, in your Personal Relationships, within your Family, in your Neighborhood, and in your Business Relationships. And what about the Socratic Method in Communicating your Faith whereby you can make two Obvious Statements to come to an Unexpected, but then, an Obvious Conclusion. To fully understand this, one should actually read Plato's Socrates, which is one of the best books I ever read many years ago. I would appreciate any comments you would care to make on this issue If no comment, I hope you can take this issue back to your church and discuss it among yourselves.
 Thank you.

Seventh Segment

What part does the Holy Spirit play in our Sharing our Christian Faith. I would say "EVERYTHING". To confirm this I suggest you read John 3:6, Mathew 10:19-20, Luke 12:11-12, John 14:26, Acts 1:5, 2:16-21 and 1 Corinthians 2:15-16. Without the Holy Spirit, you can not really Communicate the Christian Faith. And it's interesting to note here that if you Blasphemy the Holy Spirit, this is the one Unforgiveable Sin. See Luke 12:10, Mathew 12:31-32, and Mark 3:28-29. This means that if you Credit the Devil with the Holy Spirit's Work, this Sin is Unforgiveable. Now I would appreciate any comments you would care to make on this issue If no comment, I hope you can take this issue back to your church and discuss it among yourselves. Thank you very much.

Eighth Segment

In Sharing your Christian Faith should you try get people into Heaven or try to get Heaven into the people? Also should you really LISTEN to people twice as much as you SPEAK to them? After all you have TWO ears and only ONE mouth. Now I would appreciate any comments you would care to make on these issues. If no comment, I hope you can take these issues back to your church and discuss it among yourselves. Thank you very much.

The Final and Ninth Segment

In Sharing our Christian Faith would a written Mission Statement be helpful, such as Rick Warren suggests in his book "The Purpose-Driven Life" which states that a Personal Mission Statement to be most effective is one whereby you can discover your SHAPE. By this I mean, S stands for what Spiritual Gift you would like to use in your communication (see Eph 4:11-13, I Cor 12:4-10, and Rom 12:6-8). H stands for Heart, or what kind of passion you would have for this particular Spiritual Gift. This passion would also be provided by the Lord. A stands for what kind of Ability do you have which the Lord also gave you in using this Spiritual Gift (some have administrative skills, others have skills with their hands or numbers, others have musical or language skills, while others have people skills, etc). P stands for whether your Personality (extrovert or introvert) lends itself in your using this particular Spiritual Gift effectively. And E stands for what kind of Experience in other endeavours have you had in the past in using this Spiritual Gift. All of these thoughts on SHAPE, I believe, would help you in being a more effective communicator for our Lord.

If Christians don't take this Biblical Study SERIOUSLY ENOUGH, and it should be done periodically, Christianity will just be another religion floating around the World with all the other religions

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9817431

Defending The Christian Faith With Apologetics

Christians always have ample opportunities to demonstrate the Christian faith whether they are Protestant or Catholic. They wish to demonstrate the faith of the Bible as having a special place as a strong belief system in the world. 'Apologetics' is a practice of defending the faith. All kinds of people from children to scholars should always be able to give a reasonable and sound explanation about the benefits of following the faith or visiting the Christian church.

There are several ways of defending the Christian faith. First, it is very important to read the Bible regularly, both the New and the Old Testament. Understand how they fit together. When you read them you will come to know about the overarching themes in each. Some of them repeat in both. Learn these systematic themes of the faith like Trinity, faith in Christ, salvation, the role of church and the sacred texts in the life of the believers.

Take class of the main beliefs of the Christian faith within or outside your denominational tradition. In any Christian church the core doctrines are very common but other doctrines may be taught with some variations. You may also meet some Christians who have a different viewpoint on certain theological questions. If you have some non-religious friends ask them about what they think about the christian faith. It is not necessary to answer their queries initially. But make a survey about such people and gather their opinion. This is the beginning of apologetics.

Along with surveys you have to read books on apologetics to know more about the frequently asked questions about the faith. Learn about the basic questions such as whether the Bible is reliable, whether Jesus rose after death, if God speaks to people etc. Read a lot of books on how various scholars have tried to answer these questions. When you visit the christian church you will have the opportunity to meet other scholarly followers. Discuss with them and gather a lot of knowledge about these questions. Pray to God to help you understand the questions and answers easily.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6603023

Holy Ghost Fire or Hellfire?

The fire of the Holy Spirit is a subject that is very dear to my heart. Were it not for the Holy Spirit's fire, I would have remained in dead religious tradition and been without a real genuine relationship with Jesus. On January 7th, 1990, while watching TV, I accidentally came upon a Christian channel. The minister invited those at home to pray with him to receive Jesus. Having nothing to lose from saying a prayer, I (a faithful churchgoer) determined to pray. After doing so, I immediately changed the channel and continued studying for my University exams. However, the next morning when I got out of bed I felt a surge of energy rushing all over and through me. I was initially clueless as to the origin of this great divine power. It felt like electricity all over me and within me.

It was a glorious experience and not the least bit painful. I felt clean, new and totally refreshed! Suddenly, I was brought to remembrance of the prayer I had prayed the night before in which I had invited Jesus into my life. It was then I realized that God had honored my heart's openness and therefore sent His Spirit to dwell within me. Honestly, I prayed expecting to receive nothing whatsoever, as I did not know anything could be received of such magnitude. Undoubtedly, God by His Spirit had begun a work in me and this was just the beginning!

God struck again four days later! On January 11, 1990, the Lord visited me again at a youth service I attended in Orlando, Florida. When one of the leaders came forward to deliver a prophetic word to the group of youth, the fire of the Spirit came on me as it had just days before. This time it was quadruple the intensity of the Spirit's fire I had felt in my bedroom just four days prior. As she began to speak, my entire being within was totally arrested by eternity. I immediately lost all sensitivity to time, to those around me and to she who was delivering the word. The fire of the Spirit was mighty in me and on me! I knew without a doubt that God Himself was speaking directly to me! I was engulfed in the Spirit and immediately lost all concept of time, not to mention those standing next to me were as if they didn't even exist.

Surprisingly, the lady herself giving the word didn't even know who was to be the recipient. She was just obediently delivering the message God had placed in her heart. The word of the Lord came through her saying,

"You know who you are. It is only Me you should serve. And I tell you now, that you look to Me as your Source. You know who you are. And I tell you now, you look to Me as your Source. You seek Me and you seek only Me! For I know the plans I have for you, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope. And I say right now, if you seek Me, if you look to Me sayeth God, I shall direct your path. I shall move you into the direction that you are to go. You are not to worry. You are not to look to the right or to the left, but you are to go straight on that narrow path. Don't look to the right! Don't look to the left! Don't look behind you, sayeth God! But go straight ahead! Seek Me! Look to Me! Look to Me as your Source, sayeth the Lord. And I will, I will direct your path and nothing and nothing shall befall you! You are in the shadow of My hand. And you know who you are. You know who you are. And I speak to you now and tell you to go straight forward, straight ahead, and look only to Me, sayeth God!"

That prophetic utterance is seemingly very simple. For me, however, it ignited a holy fire that put the fear of God in me! As a result of the hand of God touching me and His holy fire burning in my heart, I immediately was humbled within and ready to obey the Lord at all costs. A holy awe and reverence overwhelmed me! Our God is truly a consuming fire and no flesh will glory, nor remain the same in His presence! Such was my experience.
That same fire of the Holy Spirit is available to everyone who humbles their heart and draws near to the living God. The fire of the Spirit will burn in, on and through you to accomplish a multiplicity of purposes and glorify Jesus! Allow the Holy Spirit to set your heart ablaze for Jesus and move you forward into your divine purpose!

Rev. Billy Graham wrote in his book World Aflame published in 1965,
"Fire can either purify or destroy. ...Our world is on fire, and man without God will never be able to control the flames. The demons of hell have been let loose. The fires of passion, greed, hate, and lust are sweeping the world. We seem to be plunging madly toward Armageddon. ...This is the generation that will pass through the fire. It is the generation . . . 'under the gun.' This is the tormented generation. This is the generation destined to live in the midst of crisis, danger, fear, and death. We are like a people under sentence of death, waiting for the date to be set. We sense that something is about to happen. We know that things cannot go on as they are. History has reached an impasse. We are now on a collision course. Something is about to give. ...The flames are licking all around our world--the roof is about to cave in--man is caught in a fire raging out of control."

Nearly four decades ago it was evident that our world was on fire. God is shaking all nations (Hag. 2:7). We are so close now to the end of the age that the prophetic time clock is only seconds away from midnight! The beginning of the end is upon us. As the prophet declared, "After two days He will revive us; in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight" (Hos. 6:2). One day is with the Lord as a thousand years (2 Pet. 3:8). It has been over two-thousand years since the death and resurrection of Christ. Therefore it is time for the greatest revival that planet earth has ever experienced to come from heaven. This final move of God's Spirit will sweep throughout the world as God Almighty gives humanity one last chance to repent. Immediately after the final soul repents and turns to Christ, the Church will be taken away to be with the Lord where we the people of God will "live in His sight."
It is paramount that we on earth take heed, because after this global move of God in which all nations shall hear the good news of Jesus Christ, judgment shall begin. By His judgments God will establish His truth and righteousness in the earth (Ps. 19:9). Whether they want to or not, the inhabitants of the earth will learn righteousness because of the judgments of the Lord (Isa. 26:9).

No nation or people will be exempt from the judgment of God, as "His judgments are in all the earth" (Ps. 105:7). Only when the inhabitants of the earth learn God's righteous judgments will they praise Him with uprightness of heart (Ps. 119:7). Contrary to popular belief, God's judgments are good (v. 39). In God's righteous judgments, the inhabitants of the earth find comfort (v. 52).

The fire of God's Spirit is coming! Don't resist the fire. It doesn't come to harm, but rather to help you. The habitual sins that snare your soul can only be burned away by the fire of God's Spirit. To resist the fire of the Holy Ghost is to embrace the fires of hell which s

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A Different Look at Parables

What is the purpose of a Parable? Is it to illustrate a teaching so as to bring understanding to the recipient or is it to hide its true meaning? Debate on this subject has covered decades of speculation. Foregoing personal definitions and scholarly responses, and going directly to the Bible would seem to bring a coherent understanding of the purpose of Parables. One would think that reading Jesus' teaching on the subject would put to rest any uncertainty as to the objective of Parables. Yet, when Jesus explains the use of a Parable, one cannot help but display an uncertainty of understanding. Reading Matthew's account of the exchange between Jesus and His Apostles on this subject will cause one to go in search of understanding through commentaries, books, and recordings. Jesus stated directly that He speaks to the Jewish people in parables because "seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand." (Matthew 13:13) If Jesus would have stopped with that explanation there would have been no uncertainty as to the purpose of Parables. Instead, Jesus proceeded to quote Isaiah 6: 9, 10 and to state that Isaiah's prophesy was fulfilled through His ministry! To put things into perspective one needs to understand what Isaiah chapter six is all about.

The Jewish people were in rebellion against God. It got so bad that God used heathen nations to ravish Jerusalem. The Truth that God had brought to His people from generation to generation was to be withheld from them until their judgment was fulfilled. God told Isaiah to hide the Truth from them, to make "their ears heavy, and shut their eyes," and keep their hearts from understanding. If the Truth would be brought with understanding they might return to God and be healed. (Isaiah 6:10) God would grant understanding, but not until their chastisement for disobedience was completed.

Jesus came to fulfill the law, not to destroy it (Matthew 5:17) Jesus came to the lost sheep of Israel to restore them to the Father. (Matthew 15:24) For generations the Jewish people failed to hear and see the Truth. Their heart was void of true understanding, but when Jesus came, He came as a liberator, setting people free as their hearts grasped the real Truth. To bring them to understanding He used Parables to help them to grasp the "new wine." He was fulfilling Psalm 78:2 which stated, "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things kept secret from the foundation of the world." (Matthew 13:35)

Jesus told the Apostles that they did not need Parables because their ears and eyes were open to the Truth. He told them that the prophets and righteous men desired to see what they were seeing, but failed to achieve its reality. (Matthew 13:16, 17) Sadly there were times the Apostles failed to understand simple illustrations and were questioned by Jesus for their inconsistencies. (Mark 4:13). In fact, Jesus would use Parables as teaching tools for the Apostles because they would not appropriate the Revelations that were available to them. It was not until the last week of Jesus' earthly ministry that the Apostles finely began to fully understand Jesus' teachings. They told Jesus they did not need to have Him speak in Parables any more, for they were hearing His teachings "plainly." (John 16:29) They told Jesus, "Now, we are sure that you know all things... we believe that you came forth from God." (John 16:30)

Maybe what we need in the Church today is more Parables, for it seems that the average Believer is not grasping the Revelations that the Holy Spirit is giving to those that have "ears to hear." Much of the teachings today are keyed to those on the "stony places" who have no "root in themselves." (Matthew 13: 20, 21) Parable teaching is the only approach to "selective" hearers, for until they are willing to open their hearts to the Holy Spirit, they will not be able to comprehend the intended purpose of God's Word. May God grant us understanding as to the intent of His Word!

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The Importance of the First Holy Communion

The First Holy Communion is a religious occasion that is important to Christian families throughout the world. This signifies that the child is old enough to participate in the services of the church. Such traditions are generally accompanied by family gatherings and occasions. Girls are dressed with a veil and beautiful white gowns along with their first communion jewelery that symbolize purity, whereas the guys are dressed in black suits.

When such occasions are to be planned a lot of things need to be taken into consideration like how the first communion invitations will look like, venue, time and the guest list. Communion invitations have to be sent on in advance after scheduling the date of the communion with the priest. You can either make your own invites or have them ordered from any online party supply stores. To make it more special for your kid, you can add graphics or a photo of theirs on the invitations.

The venue depends on where you want to conduct this special occasion. Some people may prefer celebrating it in a grand way by reserving hotels that organize group events and occasions. Others, who are on a strict budget, may celebrate the First Holy Communion at their homes. There are a number of ways by which your home or the venue can be decorated.

You can make use of personalized banners that can be acquired from many first communion party supplies stores. You might even want to add a floral accent with cracked ice roses and a rose and ivy bud garland. Red balloons are also a great touch to the decor. To make it more unique, you can even create balloon bunches in odd numbers and have them hung in the corners of the venue or the lamp post.

No party is complete without food and beverages. You might want to consider having a buffet service where guests can have their fill. The guest tables can be decorated with white table cloths with candleholders or a standing rose bouquet. Since this is your child's special day, you might need to order a cake. You can either opt for a Rosary cake, Communion bread cake or a Communion Cup cake.

Guests can be thanked by sending them home with first communion favors that can consist of bibles, rosaries, jars and much more. Kids can be given frosted candy boxes with baked treats, along with personalized candles. There are many stores that offer such services at affordable prices. In addition to this, you can choose from a number of items.

You might also want to give your child a special memento, so that he/she may understand the significance of this occasion. Girls can be given first communion jewelery, whereas the boys can be give medals. These are such gifts that your child will cherish throughout their lives.

The First Holy Communion is not only about parties and dresses, but is a significant event where the child realizes the sacrifices made by Christ. Every child needs to first receive baptism without which this ceremony cannot be performed. Moreover he/she is also required to make their first confession. Like the first communion invitations, gifts and other accessories can also have wordings or logo that will make it all the more special.

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Eyewitnesses to the Christian Faith

In this passage from 2 Peter 1:16-19, Peter addresses the problem of false teachers who are denying Christ's Second Coming and are accusing the apostles of making stories up. This heresy would remove an important incentive for Christians to live moral and ethical lives. If Christ isn't coming again-if there is nothing beyond this life-people will be less motivated to live the kind of life that Christ would have them live. Peter calls these Christians to look forward to the return of Christ. In 2 Peter 3:10-11, Peter says that Christ's return will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with extreme heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Peter calls on them to prepare for that day by living lives that are holy and godly.

The doctrines the disciples held about Jesus were not defended by weak reasoning, but were based on solid eyewitness testimony. Peter, James and John were eyewitnesses to the Transfiguration. When the coming of the Saviour was referred to by the disciples in their preaching, it was always accompanied by a declaration that it would be accompanied by a show of great power and glory.

Peter wrote these verses to counter accusations that he made up stories about Jesus to obtain followers, wealth, power and prestige. Peter provided evidence that the truth of God is inspired. Peter did not boast in the knowledge Jesus provided. He shared it. Peter didn't gloat-he gave. Peter revealed the secrets of eternity.

Peter did not promote a list of religious rules. He did not push any ideology. He didn't try to gain power. He talked about a person who was unique in all human history. He was talking about someone he saw with his own eyes-Jesus Christ, the Son of God. That's the story of the Christian faith. It's a relationship with Jesus Christ. Being a Christian is first and foremost about receiving God's life for us as a gift by grace. Just think about how that good news can change our lives!

Today, the Christian faith is still subject to plenty of false rumours. The worst false rumour is that Christianity is a system of rules, regulations and negativity formed by humans to restrain people's lives, drain the joy out of people's lives and turn out haters. The rumour makes the Christian life about politics, prejudice, power and profit.

The Christian faith is not the result of cunningly devised fables, as the false teachers claimed. Peter knew that Jesus was God's Son, because as an eyewitness to His transfiguration, Peter had seen and heard God the Father bestow glory on Him.

The transfiguration was a brief glimpse of the future glory we will see when Christ returns and sets up His kingdom here on earth. The prophecies about Jesus shed some light on a topic that would otherwise be dark. These prophecies shed a light that is so valuable that we should avail ourselves of it by any means possible that are moral, ethical and legal.

We need God to reveal the truth to us through the prophets in the same way in which He revealed truth to them originally when He inspired and motivated them to write the words of prophecy. We can rely on the Word of God because the prophecies of Scripture have come from God. The Holy Spirit reveals the truth to us from God's Word in the same way the Holy Spirit revealed the prophecy of Scripture to the prophets. Prophecy is the light that cuts through the darkness with the hope of Christ's return.
When we are tempted to worry about the decline of the church, we would be wise to remember the light of prophecy in Scripture that still shines today. The same word that captured the attention of first century people is still relevant today.

If anyone denies the teachings and historical record of the New Testament, they must attack the credibility of the apostles as witnesses. That can't be done successfully. The apostles saw and heard God bless Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration.

The morning star is Jesus. Until He returns, Christians have the Bible as a witness to His divinity and as their guide in this dark world. Those of us who doubt our faith or are losing confidence have hope. Peter is our ally. He spoke up to explain that the myth is false. He went on record to separate truth from fiction, no matter the cost.

Jesus sacrificed everything for us. His gift of life and salvation changed everything for everyone. He sacrificed everything for us, including His life. He loves us. He formed new lives for us when He died for us and rose from the dead. In return, we will do well to heed Scripture, especially Scripture passages that speak of Christ's return. These promises are like a lamp shining in a dark place. They make it possible to walk with Jesus without stumbling.

The expectation of Christ's return makes a difference in our everyday lives, especially if we are expecting His return. That difference is in how we run our lives. Our lives should be characterized by faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, mutual affection and love. The expectation of judgment should provoke us to live lives that are characterized by godliness and holiness.

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