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Halloween Part 3

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If you have not read Parts 1 and 2 please stop, scroll down and read them, in order, before reading this. ********** There is no such thing as benevolent evil. Now, before you become defensive and say "it's just pretend; it's cute; it's just for fun...say these things to yourself. Say them out loud. Maybe even look at yourself in a mirror while you say them. First say the "A" (what the world says it is) then replace it with the "B" (the true origin of the tradition or icon). Ready? O.k. Here we go. A. I think the little witch on my door is cute. B. I think the image of a satan worshipper who has the power to conjure up the dead, cast spells and place curses on people, animals, abodes and objects is cute. A. Isn't the black cat my child colored just precious? B. Isn't the image of a companion to witches, thought to be able to carry curses, just precious? A. The bats and spiders I decorated with are so cute. B. The companions of witch...

The Lion is About to Roar!

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What Then Shall We Say to These Things? THE LION OF JUDAH IS ABOUT TO ROAR! Many people are asking what the events in the Middle East have to do with 1) born-again believers, as well as the unsaved, and 2) the U.S. Genesis 12:1-3 "...I will bless those who bless Israel...and curse those who curse Israel." The ONLY reason the U.S., as a nation, is still being blessed of God, despite that she has turned her back on God, is because we are still an ally of Israel. The day we turn against Israel is the day America will utterly fall! And, make no mistake, that day IS coming! The events in the Middle East, while troubling, should excite every born-again believer and awaken everyone who has not surrender their heart and life to Jesus Christ. These events are a huge part of God's prophetic time-line. The only event left on the time-line is The Rapture of The Church! Someone asked me why these terrible things had to occur. The answer to that question can be found in the b...

Halloween Part 2

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If you have not read part 1 please stop, scroll down and read it now. ***** Having now read Part 1, I trust you have already opened your mind and heart and are being sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Let's look at some of the prominent symbols of halloween. 1) The Jack-o-Lantern There are several different versions of the history of this icon. However, the most widely accepted has its roots in the ancient British/Celtic culture. It was believed that Stingy Jack (a.k.a. Drunk Jack) made a pact with Satan in which Satan got Jack's soul. Jack was able to cheat Satan and as he was leaving hell Satan threw a hot coal at him (some versions say "tossed it to him"). Jack put the coal in a gourd to light his way. In nearly every culture the Jack-o-Lantern was thought to ward off evil spirits roaming the earth. They were also thought to be ghosts and they were believed to contain an "unearthly" light. In addition, they were always given evil, malicious facial e...

Halloween Part 1

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I don't mind telling you that I have lost friends, and even church members, due to my stand on this topic. It is not my desire to offend anyone. However, I will not stand before people. I will stand before God. I would rather offend people than grieve the Holy Spirit and risk my own soul, as well as the souls of those under my influence, out of fear of speaking the truth. With halloween approaching, I feel compelled of the Holy Spirit to address the question I am asked, and sometimes challenged with, every year. Why do I firmly believe, and teach, that The Church and born-again believers should have NOTHING to do with halloween? And anything that even hints at the occult? As a child, my family along with the churches we attended, thought nothing of participating. Churches set up haunted houses, we dressed up as ghosts and witches, etc. and were "all in". I remember, like it was yesterday, when my eyes were opened. I was a freshman at Bible college. My friend and I ...

How to Study the Word

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Bible study is essential to being born-again. How can you survive without eating? How can you have a relationship with someone if you never allow them to speak?  Recently, an individual asked me, "How do you get so much out of the Bible?" She went on to say that she was ashamed to admit that she had been saved a number of years yet had no idea how to study the Word.  "How can they know, unless they are taught?" Romans 10:13 To learn anything we have to do the triple A:  Admit, Ask, Apply.  ADMIT you don't know something. For most people, that's the hard part. I am an odd one in that I have never had a hard time admitting I didn't know something...I have always been a sponge for knowledge! ASK someone who does know. This is chiefly how I learned music; by asking people who knew more than I...and I am still asking! APPLY what they tell you. So this is for that sweet sister, and anyone else who needs it. ******* How To Study the Bible For new coverts or tho...

Sheep

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Question: Why do we take so much time, out of the service, to pray for individuals? Answer:  I used to have sheep. I had two...a hampshire (Buttons) and a dorset (Bows). Bows was much more docile, and smaller, yet she was the leader. Any sheep farmer will tell you this. When you feed sheep they are fed collectively unless you have lambs requiring bottle feeding or a ewe or ram that might need a special diet. (Regarding the church flock, the bottle feeding is discipling new believers and the special diet is one-on-one counseling.) Sheep also pasture collectively. But when you give them medicine or shear them it must be done individually. Whenever we had to give medicine Bows, being easier, received hers first. Then she always stayed close by until Buttons got hers. It was the same when we sheered them...Bows first then Buttons, with Bows hanging around for support. And if only one of them needed medicine the other was always close by, lest she feel left out. When a Pastor ...

Aliens or Rapture?

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  I was talking with a church member a few evenings past. She brought up the Rapture of the Church and asked if I thought it would be explained away as aliens. My answer was, "Absolutely!" The following is the emergency address made by fictional character President Thomas Whitmore, portrayed by actor Bill Pullman, in the 1996 movie Independence Day. ********** "My fellow Americans, a historic and unprecedented event has occurred. The question of whether or not we're alone in the universe has been answered. Although it's understandable that many of us feel hesitation or fear, we must attempt to reserve judgment. Panic, seen occurring all over the world, has caused undue injury and loss of life. This is not how we as Americans should react to what is one of the most significant events in the history of the world. Rest assure, we are proceeding with extreme caution. Yet we have to consider the opportunities for ourselves, our children and future generations. These o...