North Korea - A Second Quiz

North Korea's a pretty isolated place, but there are still quite a few things we know. Try these:

1. How big is the North Korean army?

2. How many Koreans have risked imprisonment and death by fleeing from this Communist "Paradise" ?

3. What percent of North Korea is mountainous?

4. What percent of NK's 18,000 miles of roads is paved?

5. What religion dominated the land before Christianity/atheism?

6. How long has Kim Jong Il reigned?

7. Is there any prosperity in North Korea?

8. What was Korea's name before it was called Korea?

9. Just how far back does Korean history go?

10. What is Korea's most famous food?

Answers:

1. Perhaps one million? It is the 4th or 5th largest in the world. It is the reason Korea can continue to wreak havoc on its people. It is the reason for the widespread starvation. It is the reason the man in the middle can turn an angry face to the West and spurn the world's warnings. Let us pray for the Lord of armies to do what only He is able to do...

2. Upwards to 50,000 are now living in Northeast China. Many others have fled to South Korea, Mongolia, other parts of China, even the United States.

3. 80. A truly rugged land.

4. 10

5. Buddhism (later overtaken by "non-religion" Confucianism)

6. Too long. Since 1994. But the Lord of all Lords knows what is going on and will rise up...

7. Yes. Obviously the government and the military show the world a face of fatness. The farther a visitor is able to travel from Pyongyang, the more the tragedy of North Korea is revealed. 8. For one thousand years prior to this era it was known as "Choson", the land of "morning calm." 9. Up to 5,000 years, but much of that is blended in with mythology. Fabled figure "Tangun" was said to have set up Korea's first dynasty sometime between Noah's flood and the days of Abraham. (2333 B.C.)

10. Kimchi. Spicy cabbage. Very hot.

Loving our neighbors involves knowing them. Please continue to pray for these descendants of the morning calm who long for the calm of morning to dawn on them. Oh may Christ be once more lifted up in this land!

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

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

Who Is The Antichrist? A Short Answer

Who is the coming antichrist, according to Scripture?

1. Jesus says this age will begin to come to an end shortly following the world's greatest catastrophe, which itself follows the revealing of the "abomination of desolation."

2. Jesus points us to the prophet Daniel for preliminary definitions of that abomination.

3. In Daniel we are introduced to Antiochus Epiphanes who began an anti-God, anti-Jew campaign decades before Christ appeared.

4. Gabriel leads us to believe that though Antiochus began his career in ancient history, his final blasphemous rise to power will be at the end of all things.

5. The abomination of desolation, the sacking of Jerusalem, the persecution of believers, spoken of by Daniel the prophet is fully orchestrated by Antiochus in a three and one half year period of supernatural power.

6. John confirms all by using the same visual demonstration that there will arise such an evil man, who will do the same destruction, the same persecution, the same blasphemies, in the same time frame as Daniel has already recorded. He will even rise to power from the same "Great Sea." John and Daniel agree.

7. John lets us know that the final world dictator will be one who has been raised from the dead, thus allowing for one who began in antiquity to end in the last days. He will be the eighth of a line of antichrists, yet one of the original seven too.

8. Paul agrees with all of the above, using the man of sin and his abomination as the sign that must happen before Jesus comes. Thus he says exactly what Jesus said.

9. Paul says that even now this one is being held back, so that he will be revealed at the right time in history.

The evidence is then clear and concise. There are things all along the way that we cannot quite figure out. Like, exactly how shall he appear? But then, we believe Elijah shall return and we do not allow that question to stop us from believing it. Our faith tells us that, as a detail is needed , it will be provided.

For now it seems to me important for us to take on a last-days mind-set that is more accurate than that with which we were raised. It demands more faith, more acceptance of the Word as is, less "explaining away" of hard things. But a solid faith has always demanded this. May the Lord keep our eyes open, ready to see and know what is happening in God's plan.

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

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

We Need North Korea

So who needs North Korea? The Christian Church of the West, for one.

Last spring I attended a life-changing conference in Wheaton regarding North Korea. Incredible. Here I met my first North Korean. A truly broken man who sat in a wheel chair as he ministered to us. He had been wounded severely in the Korean War days, but not before, he said with deep sorrow, he had killed many American soldiers.

He told us the story of what it is really like in NK and left indelible impressions all around. I certainly won't forget him.

But perhaps my most unforgettable moment at the meeting was when a speaker was comparing our way of life in the church with that of the North Koreans. He stated that believers here have developed a great theology of worship, and even of thankfulness, a theology born out of abundance. And so it should be, he said. The abundance. And the gratefulness. Who can deny it?

But the speaker went on to add that what is lacking in the West is the theology of the cross. Now, we all know about the cross of Christ and greatly appreciate it. But the theology of my cross and your cross ... that, he concluded, seems to be sadly lacking. We hear messages about it now and then. It's part of our doctrinal stand. But is the cross being lived out in most lives?

The speaker concluded, and I agreed though regretfully lacking myself, that we need North Korea at least as much as they need us. Probably more. It would seem to me that the cross trumps abundance. Often seems to wipe it out altogether for a time.

Jesus' Calvary stay was not an example of the abundant life being preached on TV these days, except that it measured His abundant love. North Korea calls us to examine our fruit, to see if our hearts are Christ-filled, or, like the "Juche" folks in Chosun, filled only with ourselves, self-reliant.

North Korean Church, we need you. Thank you for carrying the cross of Christ. Pray for us that we will be as willing as you to go to Golgotha and die.

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

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

Is The Pre-Tribulation Rapture In In Thessalonians 2 Or Luke 21?

Paul's message about a "restrainer" is one of the classic ways used by some modern scholars to "prove" that there really is a distinction bewteen the second coming and the rapture. Here is part of the passage:

II Thessalonians 2:6-8. "And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time...he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed..."

Question: Since the restrainer is the Holy Ghost, does not His removal from the earth mean that the Church is lifted up just as antichrist takes power?"

Jumping at conclusions is not as good exercise as digging for facts. Please consider the following.

In Scripture, angels are the "restrainers." Do you see the angel of the Lord stopping Balaam's donkey, Numbers 22:23-24?

Look at the curse on David being administered by an angel to whom God eventually says "Restrain your hand."

Consider Daniel who reported that an angel shut the lion's mouth, Daniel 6:22.

Consider in that same book the restraining of the nations by Michael and Gabriel, Daniel 10:20-21.

More to the point of our present study, examine Revelation 9:1-2 and see who is in charge of the bottomless pit, out of which antichrist will rise, Revelation 17:8. Is it not an angel? Does he not have authority to lock and unlock the "pit"? When he is taken out of the way, from this pit will come the man of whom Paul speaks.

Now if the Holy Ghost is indeed not the restrainer, two points follow:

1. There is no need for a rapture at this time.

2. There is no need to explain how people can be "saved during the Tribulation without the Holy Spirit," as pre-trib theologians must do if they insist that God essentially leaves the planet. No, He'll be here doing the work He always does until the last man avails himself of the blood of Christ.

One more quick "problem passage" that many point to when looking for proof texts for the pre-trib theory. It's in Luke 21: "Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man."

Question: Does not Jesus here imply that there is an escape from the Tribulation, and that we ought in fact to seek it?

In the light of all that we have learned so far, the explanation of this verse becomes relatively easy. Let's try to determine first what "these things" are that Jesus is talking about. In the chapter, a parallel to Matthew 24, he has spoken of days of vengeance, distress, wrath, falling by the edge of the sword, signs in the heavens, men's hearts failing them, carousing, drunkenness, cares of this life, the snare of His return.

What are the "things" we should watch for and pray to escape? Why, the fate of this world's evil men! The judgment of God on sin! And how is it that we will "stand before the Son of Man?" First, our salvation, then, the rapture! Before this touching down to earth, before the ultimate wrath falls, before He annihilates His enemies, He will catch us up to meet Him in the air.

This is not about escaping trouble. Or persecution. These things are promised to every child of God in every generation, and the last generation is no exception. No, this verse is talking about being sure of our salvation, being faithful unto death, and therefore escaping God's judgment and standing ultimately in His presence.

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

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

Some Questions About Religion

It's all the rage, you know. Down with "religion", up with Jesus. I understand the concept, but I'm beginning to question the premise. In fact, I have a lot of questions for religion-bashers.
You who despise "religion", could you tell me which Biblical apostle you are quoting in your anger? Which Bible writer actually condemned religion? If the Bible does not condemn it, what is your basis? Do you know where the word religion is found in your Bible, and do you know what it means?

May I answer? The Greek threskeia means "a ceremonial observance." A form of worship. The King James translates the word into "religion" a few times, and into "worshipping" once. In none of the "religion" passages is anything negative connotated. In Colossians 2:18, however, where the word is "worshipping", the apostle rebukes angel religion.

He warns believers that there are false teachers out there who are puffed up with pride because of their supposed relationship with angels, and who are therefore pushing their angelic religion on to the Body. That sort of "religion" is condemned. Strange that the strongest false teachers of our day have a similar emphasis. As is my custom, I will not name names. But the state of Kansas that I mentioned in a previous blog, is the source of much of this angelic religion.

Religion is a positive word in the Scriptures. It is our brother James who points out that there is pure, undefiled religion and then there is vain religion. In both cases, these religious practices have nothing to do with the Sunday meeting. A man whose religion is pure is one who cares for such as the orphans and widows, and one who keeps away from the defilements of this world. A man whose religion is useless is one who cannot control his tongue but still keeps on telling himself he is a true believer. Notice, he has a religion. He does "worship", and maybe with great enthusiasm. But his religion is vain.

Let me be charitable then to the attackers of religion and suggest to them other questions. Did you really mean "down with bad religion" ? Are you talking about the quiet forms of worship versus the louder more "free" expressions? Truly dead formality deserves a shake-up. But are you sure your target is even then a valid one? When you divide churches between the quiet and the loud, are you sure that the loud ones are the ones following Jesus? Could some of them have a vain religion? And could you have missed some pure ones on the other side?

Is a quieter method of getting God's work done to be despised? Is it possible that some who are quiet in church actually are very vocal in their own prayer times? Is it possible that the quiet ones love the Lord with their gifts as much as the loud vociferous types?

Are some good things being thrown out in the name of this revolution? Like song books? Like use of Bibles? Like rich doctrinal teachings replaced by scanty messages so that there is more time for shouting? Is it not true that there will come a time when people can no longer endure sound teaching? Is it not true that they will heap to themselves teachers because they have itching ears?

Is it possible, forgive me for suggesting it, that there are men among us trying to upset the old order so that they can come to power in a new one? Will their new hyped-up style that is meant to replace "religion", itself deserve the title "religion" in just a matter of weeks? Can people be at this fever pitch for long periods of time? How many new "signs and wonders", real or imagined, can be introduced to the people of God before they see it as just ho-hum and a new form of ceremonial observance?

Bottom line, for those who seek the presence of God, is the sign of that presence some miraculous show, or is it in fact a changed life? Though most of the "healings" in your non-religious meetings cannot be substantiated, even if they were real, do they compare to the standard God has set for His people in terms of holiness, and transformation, and repentance from dead works?

Only questions. But it seems to me, important ones.

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs , ovber 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

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

Convicted in a North Korean Jail

The stories keep coming in. Following is a relatively recent account of a prisoner of the Kim Jong-il regime. Much of it will seem familiar to those who have read this column often. But surely the workings of God in each North Korean are individual. Consider:

Peter [name changed], a North Korean, lived as a refugee in China, where he was found by the security police and sent back to North Korea. Oh, and he was arrested with his family, that is, with his wife and his six-year-old daughter.

His wife had been a believer since her days in North Korea. Her mother, likewise a believer in Jesus, had waited until she was 16 years of age to share about Jesus with her. It is not safe for a child to bear such precious information, reason North Korea's believing parents. Peter became a believer after they all came to China.

Now, anyone sent back to North Korea from China is always asked two questions:

• Did you meet any South Koreans there? and
• Did you go to church there?

Peter said "no" to both questions. I ask you, reader, what would you have said? Is it not a proper thing to tell untruths to persons such as these are, who destroy lives for no reason? Read on.

While he was incarcerated, a new prisoner was brought in. He was a Chinese man who had come from inland China to North Korea for the expressed purpose of evangelizing North Koreans, even though he could not speak Korean well. Such love from God! He was arrested.

When Peter heard of the Chinese man's story, he was convicted in his heart. He realized that, like the apostle called Peter, he too was denying Christ. First he said he had not met any South Koreans, but especially, he denied going to church while in China.

He confessed his lies to an officer . The officer began torturing him saying, "Even if you would deny Jesus now, we won't let you go." Peter said, "I will continue to evangelize and will never deny Jesus in my heart."

So he told people in the prison about the Savior. And despite the on-going torture by the guard, he experienced joy and developed a hope that he would go to heaven quickly.

Instead, he was released and witnessed to his entire family, who have now been saved, and have started an underground church. Peter now lives in South Korea.

Being willing to die does not always bring death. Being anxious to live does not always bring life. What is important for all of us is, What is the perfect will of God for my life? Thank you, "Peter", for sharing your story with us and for being true to Jesus.

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com - There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs , ovber 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

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

Bible Studies For Women

In difficult times, studying the Bible is more important than ever. Following Jesus with whole-hearted devotion means clinging to Him day by day. And this means really digging into the Bible. As a wife, mother, professional, homeschooling parent, student, or young teenager--whatever life stage you're in-Bible studies for women can help you rise above difficulties, discover new joy, and fall in love with the Savior.

But these times are also busy times, so how do we create the space to do Bible studies for women? Here are some ideas that might inspire you:

1) Read the Bible during meals. We need God's Word as much or more than eating! Develop a reading plan that follows chapter by chapter in each different type of book in the Bible, like historical, wisdom literature, prophets, gospels, letters, etc. If this is too much planning for you find some kind of Bible studies for women and use the verses as a devotional.

2) Read a Psalm from The Message right before you go to sleep at night. Choose a short passage that strikes a chord deep in your heart, memorize it, and make it your mission for the next day. Remember and pray about it even before you get out of bed.

3) Find a woman's small group and get encouragement for Bible study. Many Bible studies for women are online.

4) Search for a mentor that will help you study the Bible for yourself.

5) Use a One Year Bible or the reading plan in the back of a study Bible.

6) Aim to spend time with Jesus first thing in the morning, even if it's just for five minutes! Spending time with Jesus and doing Bible studies for women is not meant to be a burden or another item you check off on your to-do list, but a source of true joy! Whether we acknowledge it or not, we need Him moment by moment, day by day.

7) Practice the presence of Jesus. Imagine Him there with you throughout the day. What is He doing? Where is He? What is He saying? What is His facial expression?

Bible studies for women is not about "cranking the blanks" and getting all the right answers. It's about deepening your relationship with Christ, for you to grow, and for you to become a more fruitful vessel, an instrument of God!

For more inspiration, including a newly published Bible study for women called Becoming God's Bride, go to http://www.angelartswebstore.com/books.html

You will be inspired to cling to Jesus and walk with Him in whole-hearted devotion, in difficult times and good times alike!

The Sabbath and Jesus

In a detailed study of the Sabbath, one cannot but study the words and actions of the Son of God. Our faith teaches us that Jesus, Who is God, instituted the Sabbath. Surely His attitude toward it matters. In the first three Gospels is told the story of how the disciples of Jesus satisfied their hunger one Sabbath:

Matthew 12:1-8, Mark 2:23-28, Luke 6:1-5 [using the Matthew account]. "At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. And His disciples were hungry, and began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to Him, Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath. Then He said to them, Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the showbread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are blameless? But I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple. But if you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath."

a. Here Jesus does not abolish the Sabbath, but attempts to abolish wrong thinking about it. He lets His people know that there are good reasons for not keeping the letter of the law, and that God is interested in the heart of man, and his motivations for doing things. He does much the same thing in the sermon on the mount for other commands of God. It is not only murder, but the hatred that brings the murder, that is against the law. It is not only the adultery, but the lust that leads to the adultery that is expressly forbidden of God. Here, it is not the slavish obedience to a Day, but a desire to honor the Lord, that is most concerning Jesus.

But having said all that, the law still stands. Murder, adultery, Sabbath-breaking are three ways to be outside the will of God.

b. Instead of hinting that the Sabbath is about to fade away, He declares that He is Lord over it!

c. In the Mark account of the same story, Jesus makes another startling statement:

Mark 2:27. "And He said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath."

a. That throws an entirely different light on things. So far we have seen a holy God demanding a holy day. Now we understand that all of that demanding is because He wants to give us- and not just the Jews, but all mankind!- a gift. A day lived in holiness before God with the saints of God can only bring a man greater appreciation of God and love for life. It is not meant to be a chore, this Sabbath-keeping, but a piece of Heaven on earth!

b. Jesus suggests here that common sense and mercy combined are more important than ritual observances. The Pharisees would deny the disciples a meal in the name of keeping the Sabbath! They would deny David a piece of bread because it was holy! They would accuse priests, whose very job is to be active on the Sabbath, of Sabbath-breaking! Jesus says that He makes rules for people, not against them.

c. Man came before the Sabbath, or Israel, came. Jesus came before all. Man, Sabbath, the people of God, all are important. But Jesus is more important than all.

The next encounter Jesus has on a Sabbath is likewise recorded in the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke. It is the story of the man whose withered hand was healed on that day.

Matthew 12:9-12, Mark 3:2-6, Luke 6:6-11 [using the Matthew account]. "Now when He...went into their synagogues... there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath? that they might accuse Him. Then he said to them, What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Mark adds the counter-question of Jesus: "... Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" and that Jesus was "grieved by the hardness of their hearts." He also notes how Jesus' life was suddenly at risk because of His Sabbath interpretation.

Slowly, slowly, Jesus' full picture of Sabbath emerges. Once more the heart is unveiled, and the Spirit of Christ is set up before the evil hearts of men. But far from abolishing the Sabbath command, Jesus shares with His people the heart of the command. Their violent reaction to His teaching shows us that these men had caught the letter of the law which kills; Jesus was showing them what the law was for.

It is fair to add here as we trek with Jesus through the many Sabbath upheavals of His ministry, that Jesus lived and died a Jew. The followers surrounding Him are Jewish. The Old Covenant will not officially die until Jesus is nailed to His cross. Let no one feel at this stage of the report that my readers, especially Gentiles, are being led to an unavoidable conclusion. Nevertheless, the facts of the case so far do point to a very holy day having been in existence for over 4,000 years, being observed by God's special people every week, and that that day is not the first day of the week, but the seventh.

Let us keep examining Jesus' life and work, and see if there is even a clue that something ought to be changing in this custom.

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

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

Supper with Jesus

The marriage supper of the Lamb of God. Ever think of what this means? Reservations are needed, but the meal and the eternity that follows with Christ Jesus have been totally paid for. What will it be like to sit and eat with the King of Kings? There'll be no bickering about places at the table. The apostles and other Bible-mentioned chiefs of the faith will sit at His right and left. And anyway, the honor on that day will be all His.

What will the food be like? Yes, we'll be able to eat in our new bodies. Jesus showed us that after He rose from the dead. And attire, well that's one area covered by the Revelation of John, chapter 19. Let's go there.

The chapter opens with great rejoicing for the annihilation, finally, of wicked Babylon. The smoke rising up will be a constant scene for eternity, a perpetual reminder that God avenges His people.

Then comes the announcement. It is not the feast itself, mind you, only the proclamation that we have now come to the point of the Jesus story called Wedding Day. The saints are given their clean bright linen wedding clothes, symbolic of the righteousness imputed to them all by Jesus, His wedding gift. Forgiveness. Clean slate. Holiness. Purity. And all by grace.

Then it's time to depart. Take care of some business. And eat.

One of the downsides of the so-called pre-tribulation coming of Jesus is that the passage before us is whisked away to a time seven years prior to the Babylon events. In the mind of the pre-trib theologian, any day now we'll be spirited away, while on earth will break out chaos. But it won't bother us, because after all, we overcame. The saints left behind, backslidden and unworthy, will have to deal with antichrist on their own, while we sit at the table spread by Jesus Himself.

It will be a happy day when this man-made theory dries up totally, loses its sway over Western believers, and joins the ranks of the hundreds and thousands of strange notions that have plagued God's people through the years.

You can see that the passage before us is clearly at the end of earth's suffering. You can see that the words are a mere announcement. No one sits and eats. Heaven is going out to dine. Out to a quaint little place called Earth, on the top of a hill there called Mt. Zion.

Why not eat in Heaven? First, it makes more sense for your Bride to be taken away to joy after a wedding ceremony, not to battle, as is the next thing in the text. Though the saints are dressed to dine, they must get to their dining place through a mine field readied by the Devil himself. Jesus will be coming with His saints to judge the earth's wickedness. Then we can sit and eat and rest.

But the main reason I know the Wedding Supper is on terra firma is that Jesus said so. The promise is in Luke 22, twice. I paraphrase verses 15-18:

I have really been looking forward to this Passover meal . I tell you the truth, we will not enjoy a Passover together until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. Then He took the cup, prayed, and said, Drink this, and remember, I will not be drinking wine with you until the Kingdom of God comes.

And the Kingdom of God comes, per Daniel, Jesus, Paul, and John, from Heaven to Earth when Jesus comes to judge sin, and establish His Throne in Jerusalem. The whole series of Kingdom events begins around the great Table.

Don't miss it! And join me in prayer that the closed nations of Earth, such as our dear friends in North Korea, will be able to receive their personal invitation to the Dinner, without which entry will not be gained.

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

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

Christian Online Dating - What is it All About?

Religion is still a large and pervasive part of our world today. I see religion as another colour on the spectrum that makes man unique. Belief and faith has divided and united us in the past few thousand years, and in these modern times, and in more modern and contemporary settings, there is an environment of tolerance that has blessed these times. There are very few of us who would lift the vanguard of religion as a weapon against those who are different and religion in society has as much place as ethnicity, as colour, as belief, as educational status.

Once we can view religion as just part of an individual, then we have matured as a society. I think this has been most succinctly been produced in the Christian online dating scene. Yes, there is a Christian online dating scene, just like there is a Jewish and a Muslim one. I do not really see it as a another form of segregation but an identification of mutual interests reaching out. The internet has focused the dating scene thoroughly and it is through sites like these that the bad cycles of 'fall out' dating does not happen. Why? Have you ever been in a position where you just want to find the right one and you are going through dates night after night? We do not want to be in that cycle of mismatched personalities and interests and sometimes we cannot deny that religion does get in the way.

While some of us float along on the grey areas of religion and love, others have a much more focused vision of what we would like to see in our partners. Maybe its down to traditionalism or even belief, a cyclic pathological inculcated by generations of co-existence. I have had friends who have lost the ones they loved, or who have been in difficult relationships because of the issue of religion. Why put yourself through the pain if you know it is going to be a problem? Find someone who shares the same monotheistic beliefs as you do, if you find arguments over theology not a good way to spend a candle lit dinner over. It is unavoidable. But it also makes us unique.

I shudder to think of the day when we are all equal, thinking equally and sharing the same interests - a wallpaper paste existence of no colour, no dynamism and of no vibrancy. Love can be nurtured in almost any setting, and Christian online dating is for those who have chosen a path in their life and would like to walk within this valley with a partner of equal stature; one who sees the same things; who hears the same voices as they do and who believes in the same realities. If that is happiness then the internet and dating sites such as these have helped them achieve it. What ever your orientation or your belief, the internet has allowed you to find someone of some likeness to you.

Jane Sanders, an expert in psychology, researched human dating behaviors for years. She has currently released her findings in a FREE Copy of her "Online Dating Success! In 5 Simple Steps!" Click Here! to Download the Free Ebook Now!

The Last Words Of Daniel

Daniel's last words (Daniel 11-12). He speaks of one who will attempt to rule all, even heavenly things. There is an indication that things military will be his god. He will be attacked by Egypt and perhaps Syria. He will retaliate with great force and take over other countries. Some will escape, some will not. From the east and north come rumblings of approaching trouble, perhaps China and Russia in a united front, as they often are. In a last mad dash toward world conquest he arrives, perhaps, at Armageddon. But his time runs out. He is unceremoniously picked up "by the scruff of the neck" and thrown by King Jesus into his eternal home far from the love of God.

Much of what could be said about the specifics of antichrist's rule would be speculation. My goal here is to specify who Scripture has highlighted as the man of sin. In chapter 11 of Daniel I believe it is clear that the Spirit led Daniel to review in prophecy pre-Roman history so as to show us one man, an evil man, a man who desired but never obtained world prominence. A man who passed off the scene for many centuries but who returned, invigorated by demonic power to finish in the end time what he began earlier: the elimination of the Jewish people, and the enthronement of himself in the place of all gods.

Chapter 12 paints the added touch we need to complete this picture. The angel relates to Daniel that it is at the time of the reigning of "the king", that the unparalleled time of tribulation occurs, spoken of also by Jesus as the forerunner to His own approach.

Finally in the book of Daniel, the prophet himself needs attention. He is told to seal the book until the time of the end, in response to his many questions about the future. I am not sure how Daniel and the Spirit "sealed" this work but it is a fact that men through the ages have not had access mentally to it. It has been literally a sealed book. Incomprehensible. Under attack. Rejected. Until recently, as more and more people get a grasp of what this book really means. That could only mean that the time of the end is upon us, for that time was to be the time when the sealing would be over, and the book made available (12:9).

Lastly there is a question of timing, after which the book abruptly ends. The phrase "time of the end" blends into verse 10 and lets us understand that from the time of the abomination of desolation, the event we have been tracing at Jesus' advice (Matthew 24:15), coupled with the taking away of the daily sacrifice, which happens at the same time, until the very end of all the suffering, shall be 1290 days, a little over three and one half years. In forty-five more days, something blessed happens. By then, are we in the Millennial reign, at the wedding banquet, the Coronation? And by then, Satan is punished, the world is liberated, we come into our own.

And Daniel will be there, says the last verse of his book. Rising from the dead with the saints who are raptured from earth will be the revered prophet, his new body strong and intact, his questions all answered. And I for one look forward to meeting him! The announcement of his presence there, by the way, confirms to us that his entire prophecy was indeed about the "end of days."

What a blessed man! What a blessed book! What a blessed hope!

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

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

I Baptize You in the Name

There are those that teach Jesus only, or God only, in their churches, but we see, threw all of our reading, and studding, that these doctrines have major flaws. We teach as we have heard from the Spirit, we understand, by that same spirit.
Many are confused by what was written by Paul, so we are going to look there first before we reveal the truth of the matter.

"For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions(Strife in words or debate; quarrel; angry contest; controversy.) among you.

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. (Here we see that many within the early Church, were fighting among themselves, stating that their baptism was the true one, and that the others were wrong.
We must remember, as Paul continues to state, that Jesus died for our sins, and God saves the individual, by the faith of one, on the name of His Son. There is no such thing as; "Jesus only", in the church, also this includes those that teach; "God only", for how can we separate God from Christ?

"I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ."
These statements were the ones confusing the Church, even with one being baptized in the name of Christ only, they also were confused, for they, or should I say, the ministers forgot what Christ had taught them about baptism, and how it was commanded, by Jesus, to be preformed, we will look at this later. This was a common mistake among the early church, and has made a reemergence here in these end days.
Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

Paul's name didn't save anyone, for only threw the name of Jesus can anyone be saved, we see proof of this in;

Act 19:13-18; Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth.

And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so.
And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?
And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.

Is Christ divided? God forbid, for God, and Christ are one. Many do not believe in a Holy Trinity, but it exist. There is no way that it couldn't, for the Bible states that; "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one."(This is proof of the Holy Trinity, and cannot be understood as anything else.)
We cannot denigh the word, for the Word is Jesus.

I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other." (1Co 1:11-16)

"I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. (They were not able to absorb the full truth, being still of a mind that was on the physical, and not the spiritual.)
For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?(This same thing is happening in these end days.)
For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.
So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase." (1Co 3:2-7)

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: (This is again proof of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. The Baptism of Fire is a special Baptism for one, that will go threw much tribulation, in preaching, and testifying of, the Gospel.)
I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8) (The Baptism of water does not save the individual, but rather is an open show of belief in Jesus Christ being the Son of God.)
And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. (John 1:33) (This is again proof of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost.) (For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Act 1:5)

Now you can see that there are 4 Baptisms, the Holy Ghost, Water, Fire, Father, and Son.

The Baptism of water unto repentance.

The Baptism of Fire is a special Baptism.

The Baptism of the Holy Ghost, for the reception of spiritual power, and knowledge.

The Baptism of Father, and Son, for the completeness of the Trinity within all who believe.

How then are we to Baptize?

"And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"
"in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:"
"in the name of"; These four little words bring about much controversy among the churches. This controversy comes from the Apostolic Churches that refuse to believe in the Holy Trinity, which the Bible proves exists.

This Baptism is not a choice, which many believe is in these statements from Paul; Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Act 2:38)
" Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?" (Rom 6:3) For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. (Gal 3:27) "Into; Noting the passing of a thing from one form or state to another, inclusion.(Webster.)

These statements were not a contradiction of the commandment of Christ, but rather a vocal statement , showing that only threw Jesus Christ can one be saved. These verses are taken out of context, and must be explored deeper before taking them literally.
We see this in the words of; (Tit 3:4-6) But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost(The Spirit of God.);
Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
We see here again that Paul was affirming the Baptism of all with the Trinity of God. God the Father, God the Saviour(Son), and God the Holy Ghost, these three are one, and cannot be separated. Many have a hard time understanding the concept of the Trinity, but it is easy to understand. If you need help in understanding let me know.

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:18-20) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:" ars.

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries
A.R.Smith Ministries
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

Religion and Spiritual Communication

How do we overcome our difficulties talking about religion with other people? This would also include people that we talk to about religion and agree with us. If someone tends to agrees with us most of the time, this could create difficulties in a different way. Their constant agreement could tell us a couple of things about them, either they don't know enough about the topic you're discussing, have no interest in it or they don't want to upset you and will tend to agree with you often if not always.

The biggest problem, dealing with the difficulties in talking about religion would involve two people who disagree on one or many topics. These topics could range from very important (life changing and factual) to common beliefs. When someone ask you a question like, "Do You Believe in God?", this could lead to an argument with the wrong person.

You can be honest, but always have an exit response if things get a little out of hand. Whenever someone chooses to become animated or mad at me, because of something I said, that they don't believe in, I can simply choose to remove myself from their presence. I would like to point out to my readers, rarely do I ever choose to remove myself from any heated discussion but often encourage or egg them on.

If you don't feel comfortable asking questions about religion, but seek answers from others, start with simple unoffensive questions and lead your way into the bigger ones. For example if I wanted to know, why someone believes in Hinduism, but am afraid to directly ask them... have someone else asked them. Okay maybe that's the easy way out, but you could always start with a question related to their childhood like," How Old Were You When You Started Going to Church?"

They might reply with, we don't go to church, we go to Temple or Mandir. This often breaks the ice that could lead to the end of the conversation, quickly. If you did a little research before you spoke with them, you could always replace church with the word temple but not Mandir. This might give them the impression, you already know about their religion, let them explain their religion to you.

If this is handled in a nonthreatening way, it could lead to a friendship of greater trust and now you can ask the bigger questions. Asking the big questions sometimes, even in a friendly environment this could become frustrating if your intentions are other than just gathering information. Don't try to convert anyone to follow your religion or spiritual practices. This could end the relationship quickly and cause bad feelings.

Treat people like you would like to be treated and if you treat people poorly, disregard the last statement and treat people with kindness and compassion.

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

If you want to read something funny and get your daily laugh in, you need to read this, it's funny Using Religion Responsibility. It's based on overindulgence.

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

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

In Jesus Christ We Rise

Give glory and praise to Jesus Christ. Whom raised that temple up out of the grave. From death to life on the third day, just like he said.

The temple of God from which he stayed. While on this earth for many many days. Performing miracles and raising the dead. Forgiving and healing was his passionate way. Though the Roman soldiers and those who didn't know him. Saw him as a threat. When he was truly more, than we could ever hope for or expect to get. While hanging on the cross; he forgave them of that. And still he lives holding no regrets.

He paid a price. We could not pay. He chose to be the living sacrifice. So that we could have life. Leaving lessons, blessings and direction to heaven. Though we be blind. If we only believe and have faith the size of a mustard seed. We can say to the mountain. Be ye cast into the midst of the sea. We should be able to do just what he did.

And that much more. Because he lead the way. All we have to do is open the door. Following his lead to everlasting life. Cause we can do all things in Jesus Christ. Just as we live in this world, we shall surely die. Being born in sin is the reason why. We must confess and be born again. To be among the living. We can thank God for giving us Jesus Christ.

He made a way and provision for life. So lets keep that in mind. And when were laid in that grave. If we believe what he said. And have faith that he is. We also can have another chance to live. When he says rise my child. We can open our eyes. Because we know hes alive. But without faith. You'll lie in the darkness of death in a grave. With out ears to hear. In hell is where you will stay.

These short stories and poetry, express times in my life that were happy, joyful, funny, regretful and sometimes chaotic. I've been writing all my life and I can't imagine not doing it. I've always kept journals; wrote poems, lyrics etc. I'm a firm believer in the power of words. Therefore. I'm involved in several writing ventures. My husband and I have a Christian site, "Risen Word Ministry", where I write poetry. There's many topics with five children and eight grandchildren. Has encouraged me to write a series of stories from childhood all through the parental experience. Some here and, in "Tales from a multi-colored room". My main purpose in writing is to glorify God. Also to share some of my life experience with others in hopes of making a positive influence. Writing is something I plan on doing for the rest of my life, to go throughout generations as a family legacy.

North Korea - The Villagers of Goksan

North Korea. There is a constant price to pay for one's faith there. The story is told of 29 persons arrested there one morning in the remote village of Goksan. Among the group is a mother and her young daughter. They and the rest of this Christ-loving group, with their pastor, are bound and placed before a crowd of Communists.

They are told by a guard: "Deny Christ, or die." They all refuse to deny Him.

The guard addresses the adults: "Deny Christ, or we will hang your children." The young girl looks up at Mom and grips her hand. She knows she is loved. Her mother whispers to her, "Today, I will see you in Heaven."

For those who are looking for a happy ending to this story, you should stop reading now.

All of the children are hanged.

The adults, in agony already, are now forced to lie down on pavement in front of a large steamroller. "Deny this Jesus or you will be crushed." But they are already crushed. Their children are gone. And their life is hid in Christ anyway. they are ready to meet Him, and see their children again.

The driver starts the engine, and the villagers softly sing (in Korean). "More love, O Christ, to Thee, more love to Thee."

Please pray for North Korea tonight. And for believers in the West, that they will be ready to make this sacrifice if called upon.

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

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

Divine Power

Divine power is so great, Paul an apostle of Christ Jesus says in 2Corinthians 10:3, For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete. Now in many chapters of the Bible it says that Jesus is over everything, in Psalm 24:1 says, The earth is the Lords and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it upon the sea and established it upon the waters.

I recommend reading Philippians 2:5, it says Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to deatheven death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Enjoy more reading at:

http://www.hostinghelps.com/allaboutjesus

The Deity of Jesus Christ - Samuel

Jesus is God in the books of Samuel.

I Samuel 2:3, knowledge. "The Lord is a God of knowledge." From Hannah's lips. And from Paul's pen, a statement to the Colossians:(2:2-3) "...to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ in Whom (Father and Christ or just Christ?) are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." He knows it all, this Christ, Who is God.

II Samuel 22:2 , Deliverer. "The Lord is my deliverer." The words are David's. He speaks the same in Psalm 40:17 and numerous other places. It is generic and applicable in a number of ways to how our God sets us free from the enemy of our souls.But let's be specific. Who is this Deliverer in concrete human terms?Romans 11:26 quotes Isaiah as referring to One who will come out of Sion and turn away ungodliness from Jacob. The Jewish deliverer is none other than Christ Jesus. And thus Christ shares yet another title with Yahweh, making these two , one.

II Samuel 22:3, Saviour. With this word we strike a nerve in Scripture. David begins the chorus in 22:3 by calling the Lord his Saviour. We have been conditioned to thinking of Jesus this way, for He saved us from our sins. But the prophets of Yahweh knew Him in this same way.From David to Isaiah(43:3), "I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour." And from Isaiah to Hosea (13:4), where God says, "...there is no saviour beside Me."When we come to the New Testament with the words of Hosea ringing in our ears, we either have a problem or a revelation. None other than Mary (Luke 1:47), the mother of Jesus and His half-brothers and sisters, proclaims: "...my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour." Well, that's safe enough ,still talking about God. But in the very next chapter, the beloved physician quotes the angel of the Lord as saying, "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." (But Hosea said...) With Paul the excitement builds. His letter to Titus is overflowing with the Saviour theme. 1:3 "...preaching...is committed to me according to the commandment of God our Saviour." But check the very next verse: "...peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour." Whoa, Paul, what are you saying? And could you say it again? Certainly, 2:13: "Looking for...the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ." In 2:10 and 3:4, it is "God our Saviour". In 3:6, it is again Jesus as Saviour. The formula "God and our Saviour Jesus Christ" is used also by Peter, II Peter 1:1.Oh, have we ever fathomed the reality of this truth? The truth is, our Saviour, JESUS, IS GOD.

II Samuel 22:4, Worthy. "I will call upon the Lord, Who is worthy to be praised,"says David , 22:4. Is anyone else worthy of such praise and worship? No one. But see the Worthy One revealed in other form: In Matthew 2:11 the Magi worship a young child named Jesus. Matthew 14:33 tells of some suddenly believing disciples in what seems to be a hopeless storm. When the winds die down because of Jesus' presence, they worship Him. In the next chapter a Canaanite woman worships Jesus in appealing for her daughter to be healed. Luke (17:16) tells of a Samaritan man, healed and grateful, who falls on his face before the Master. John relates how one born blind worships Him.(9:38) Thomas, a doubter no longer, calls Jesus "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28) Never is this worship refused. The writer of Hebrews quotes a Psalmist who says "Let all the angels of God worship Him." The implication of the passage is that "Him" is the Son. The final chorus of praise to Jesus, Who is God, is found in Revelation. 5:12 says, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing!" Why, because He died? Many have died. Because He suffered? No. Because He is GOD. For only God is worthy of such praise.

II Samuel 22:48, the avenger. "It is God that avengeth me, and that bringeth down the people under me." Paul's complementary statement: "...the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God."

Samuel thus agrees with the other witnesses of Scripture. Jesus is God.

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

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

The Sabbath Before Sinai

One can read the Bible as history or as a living Word with ramifications for his own life, here and now. While not ignoring valid historical methods of communication, I prefer to see this history as ongoing. I want to know, God, does this have anything to do with me, today? Let's walk through the Sabbath Scriptures with that mentality.

1. Following the account of creation are these words in Genesis 2:2-3.

"On the seventh day, God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made."

a. Who wrote this? Our longest tradition is that it came from the pen of Moses. Since Moses wrote it, some say that perhaps he had in mind the people of Israel before him in the wilderness. Perhaps, they speculate, adding the command just here was a motivation for them to keep this new invention called Sabbath, a gift to the Jewish people. When we take the maybes out, we're left with a statement spoken by God 2500 years before the man Moses lived! I do not doubt Moses' authorship, but I do doubt modern scholarship that speculates about human motivations, and questions authentic words from the Lord, trying desperately to confirm their own theological notions.

b. God had just finished his beautiful work of creation, which included one man and one woman. These humans were neither Jew nor Gentile. The need for calling out a special people to bring in a Messiah for sin did not exist, for at this moment, sin was nowhere to be found. There was only one class of humans, and during their existence He spoke these words.

God made this day holy for His own purposes, to declare to all ages that His work is completed and worthy of praise. This seventh day was to be a time of rest and rejoicing in the work of God. This is not speculation. God said it. Did He say it in the hearing of Adam? I would think it strange that humans never heard such a thing until Moses, but here the text is silent. We speculate that what would later be a 10-commandment practice, along with practices regarding respect for elders (later the 3rd commandment), keeping from adultery (7th) and murder (6th) , and stealing (8th), were somehow written in to the minds of men before being written down at Sinai. How it was written we shall not know for awhile. But that some communication was out there becomes obvious when the notion of the tithe suddenly appears in Genesis, and later this same tithe is incorporated into the legal system of Israel. Something is being said somehow. The point that is important to make here is that the day was set aside, that it was sanctified, long before the law that made it "official."

The question that must follow then is, if God blesses a day and sets it apart from the other days, can any man say that this blessing and sanctification is null and void? Can man either say, there is no day to be so revered, or, there is such a day, but it is not the seventh day? I do not answer this question, at least now, but it seems important that we take the time to try.

2. We must now skip those 2,500 years of history and come to the second book of the Bible, in the days of Moses. For this is the next mention of a special seventh day. Allow me to quote portions of Exodus 16:5, and 22-30.

"And it shall be on the sixth day that they shall prepare what they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily... And it was so, on the sixth day, that they gathered twice as much bread... Then [Moses] said to them, This is what the Lord has said: Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord... [the next day] Moses said, Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to the Lord; today you will not find it in the field... The Lord said...See! For the Lord has given you the Sabbath... Let every man remain in his place; let no man go out of his place on the seventh day [to gather manna]. So the people rested on the seventh day [from gathering manna]."

a. Here is the historic moment when the Sabbath, for 2,500 years special to God, if not to his created beings, is handed over to the Jewish people. For some, the case is closed here. The Sabbath is Jewish. Next question, please. But first, is this the only spiritual benefit given the Jews? Are we willing to say that everything given the Jews is, therefore, Jewish, and not to be tasted by other people groups? The Jewish Apostle to the Gentiles is not so willing:

Romans 3:2, "Unto them [the Jews] were committed the oracles of God." Oracles are sayings. We're talking about the Scriptures. Not only the works of Moses , but also the histories, the Psalms, the prophets. All of these were first given to Israel. Later in Romans, Paul adds a few more items:

Romans 9:4-5, "...Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom according to the flesh, Christ came..."

We need to re-open the case. It is clear that things given to Israel are not only Israel's. Why, the very idea of one God vs. the multitude of gods in Moses' day and in Abraham's day, was a truth entrusted to Israel, but meant for any who will receive it. Preserved by Jews, but not for Jews alone.

b. Another point to be suggested here is that even at this point in the wilderness, the "law" had not been officially pronounced from the mountain-top. Here are simply the people of God being told of the ways of God, one of which ways included a seventh day rest. This was a teaching that had fallen into oblivion, for sure, but so also was the very idea of one God and only one. The world had gone into madness in its definition and worship of deities. Israel is now raised up to be the guardian of truth.

So before the Sinai experience, before the law of God was oficialized, there was a Sabbath Day.

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

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

Why Was Jesus Born?

Why was Jesus born? The Bible provides a number of reasons. God the Father and Jesus agreed from the foundation of the world that Jesus would come and give his life as the sacrifice for the sins of mankind (I Peter 1:20, Revelation 13:8). Therefore, one reason Jesus was born was to give himself as the ransom for the sins of mankind.

Another important reason for the birth of Jesus was to be a king. When Pilate questioned him during his trial before his crucifixion, Pilate asked him if he were the king of the Jews (John 18:33). Jesus answered that his kingdom was not of this world (John 18:36). It was not the time for him to establish the Kingdom of God

Jesus did not come the first time to establish his kingdom. He came the first time to suffer for us, to give his life a ransom for many, and to be born into the royal family of David. He will sit on the throne of David and rule in the Kingdom of God.

Pilate asked Jesus clearly if he were a king. Here is how the gospel according to John records Pilate's question and Jesus' answer in John 18:37:

"Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice." (KJV)

Jesus here clearly states that he was born to be a king. Jesus came into the world to bear witness of the truth of God and to preach the good news of the coming Kingdom of God. However, he noted that his kingdom was not of that time. It was to be a future kingdom as he explained more clearly elsewhere.

One of things that the angel Gabriel stated in his announcement to the virgin Mary of the future birth of Jesus is that God would give him the throne of his father David. Here is how the gospel according to Luke records it in Luke 1:30-33.

"And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." (KJV)

God sent the angel Gabriel to tell the virgin Mary that the son she would bear would be the son of God and that he would have an eternal kingdom over the house of Jacob. Jacob was the patriarch whose named God changed to Israel (Genesis 35:10).

Many people associate only the Jews with the House of Israel. However, Jacob or Israel had 12 sons who became the 12 tribes of Israel (Genesis 35:22-26). They were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, Benjamin, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher.

David was a great king over the 12 tribes of Israel. His son Solomon reigned after he died (I Kings 2:10-12). After the death of Solomon, the Kingdom of Israel was divided into two kingdoms. King Rehoboam ruled the Kingdom of Judah, which had its capital in Jerusalem. King Jeroboam ruled the Kingdom of Israel, which had its capital north of Jerusalem in Samaria.

The virgin Mary was a descendant of King David (Luke 3:23-31). She was of the royal family. Today, she would be called a princess. She knew well what the angel Gabriel meant when he said that her son Jesus would reign over the House of Israel. She knew that he would be a king over a literal kingdom just as her forefather David was a king over the House of Israel.

While David's rule was temporary, the reign of Jesus will be forever. As the Hallelujah Chorus of Handel's famous oratorio The Messiah says "king of kings forever and ever hallelujah."

Why was Jesus born? He was born to be bear witness of the truth of God and to preach the good news of the Kingdom of God. He was born to be the savior of the world. He was also born to be a king. He will be the King of Kings in the Kingdom of God. Jesus will reign as the King of Kings forever in the Kingdom of God. That is indeed good news.

Alan D. Campbell lives in Brandon, Florida. For more good news, please see his blog The Good News of the Kingdom of God at http://goodnewsofthekingdomofgod.blogspot.com

Lifestyle Evangelism

There are certainly many references in the Bible to evangelism such as John 4:35-38 and First Corinthians 3:5-9 or the most popular Biblical example towards the end of Matthew 28 where Jesus told his followers "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."

However, the means in which to tell other nations about The Lord and teach of the Bible was not specified. One of the more recent popular terms and practices is 'Lifestyle Evangelism' which simply means other ways of spreading the word of the Bible and Jesus (i.e., those of us who are not Ministers or who otherwise are looking for ways of spreading Christianity without necessarily preaching). So it could be interpreted as non-verbal means of spreading God's word by having others seeking to follow your ways (i.e., your lifestyle). Rather than pro-active means, Lifestyle Evangelism can mean reactive means of starting a conversation about Jesus, like wearing a Christian tee shirt certainly can be a conversation starter and lead to a discussion.

There are some who debate whether anything short of preaching or verbal evangelizing is really following God's word, but I think Matthew 28 is the best example in that it doesn't specify the MEANS in which to spread the word to other nations - it just says go out and spread the word.

Not everyone is the Type A personality that can start a conversation with anyone. Others need an ice-breaker and this has been for many the hardest part of fulfilling your need as a Christian to practice evangelism. So for many Christians, Lifestyle Evangelism can fulfill that desire to fulfill Jesus' statement in Matthew 28 by doing rather than by preaching. If others see that you're living a great life, doing good unto others, committing to family, friends, neighbors, people in need, then others will want to ask how you got there, and that's your ice-breaker to start a conversation. No you don't have to start that first discussion with reciting any Biblical text, but as you get to know the person, your beliefs and lifestyle will surely come out. Not by preaching, but in the things you do.

If you would like more about Lifestyle evangelism, we have an entire Blog on our website devoted to this topic and it's fun to see what ideas others have on this topic.

Bryan K. Johnson is the President and Owner of BlueHeavenTees.com

Blue Heaven Tees offers innovative and unique Christian Tee Shirts, Christian Hoodies and Sweatshirts and other great Christian gift ideas. Check out our new fall line now in stock!

http://www.BlueHeavenTees.com

The Way Home

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By God's Good Grace Alone

I breathe; I stand; I urinate; I laugh; I cry; I drive a car; I break bad habits; I feel; I knock; I cogitate; we can make love, my wife and I; I can admire and adore; I sit; they revile me; we please people; I try hard and don't give up; we possess things; I act gracefully; I repent and forgive; I read and write;

We play with each other; I experience joy and sorrow, peace and turmoil; I walk; I talk; I listen; we pick things up with our hands; I tie my shoe laces; we have family; we know love; I help someone; I feel good about it; I trust and respect others; I produce children;

We watch them grow; they develop--physically and spiritually, and ideas for living--from us; I have a gender, a personality, and a uniqueness; we stub our toes; we experience all emotions from bliss to anguish; I choose--we choose--they choose;

We can dance and sing; I can think and imagine; I can stay up or lie down; we can work; we can rest from work; we can reflect on the good we've done; I can balance my life; I can them and they can help me; I can know things and share this knowledge; I can choose and then live by my values;

We share the experience of life; we can love or hate; I can choose to accept his offer of divine salvation; finally, I will die.

We will all die one day... having lived. By God's good grace alone we can live forever.

Copyright 2009, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Steve Wickham is a safety and health professional (BSc) and a qualified lay Christian minister (GradDipDiv). His passion in vocation is facilitation and coaching; encouraging people to soar to a higher value of their potential. Steve's key passion is work / life balance and re-creating value for living, and an exploration of the person within us.

Are The 66 Books Enough?

One thing that the historic Roman church system, the Mormons, the Muslims, the Jehovah's Witnesses, and many charismatics, all have in common: they all believe that the revelation of God's teachings is not yet finished. In their thinking, it not only can change at any time, but has changed often.

Then there is that other group. Narrow, they are called. They believe that the foundation was laid by prophets and apostles (Ephesians 2:20) who literally laid down their lives for what they gave us. They believe that to add on to the revelation of the 66 books is prohibited and dangerous (Revelation 22:18-19).

The Old Testament canon, or list of books, ends with the prophet Malachi, written several hundred years before Jesus came. And by the time He came, religious Jews had added countless rules and regs to God's utterances. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of His day for their add-ons, which he called "the traditions of men."

In the same way, the New Testament ends with Revelation, written in the old age of the last apostle. It was obviously to be the last, as verses at the end also suggest strongly. But through the years, Roman tradition has been added on. Joseph Smith has been added on. Watchtower documents and a whole new Bible have been added on. The Book of Mormon has been added on. And countless visions and dreams have been lifted to the status of God's revelation and foisted upon God's sheep who seem to graze just about anywhere they are led.

It is the contention of Bible believers that writings that in any way contradict the original books must be discarded or clearly labeled as "good reading but not inspired of God." And those books that do say the same thing as the Bible are superfluous and should also be set aside.

What we have in the 66 books is enough. The foundation was laid perfectly. On that solid rock of revelation the church continues to base its life.

We have been told in this generation that we are in basic agreement with Roman teaching and should start re-thinking the Protestant reformation. After all, we only differ on some "later traditions" of Rome. But if you are drinking a juice that is in every respect the same as mine except for some later drops of poison that I have squeezed into your drink, you are about to die. So it is with the poison of human tradition when it is added to God's Word. It did not work for the Pharisees rebuked by Jesus. And the rebuke of God will come upon all those in our time who have defiled the message from heaven, even if, as Jesus said, it is the least of teachings.

Let us beware of tampering with Holy things! Traditions of men make the Word of God lose its power and effect. Traditions of men will kill.

Some examples of Roman add-ons:

• The Word: Jesus is our Mediator alone. Rome: Mary also mediates along with Jesus.
• Jesus: "It is finished," the sacrifice is made, once for all. Rome: Jesus dies on our altars constantly.
• The Word: We are saved by grace through faith. It is the gift of God, not of works. Rome: Any person who believes he is saved by faith alone is anathema.
• The Word: Water (baptism) cannot take away the filth of the flesh (sin). Rome: Even its babies must pass through the water.
• The Word: The Holy Spirit represents Christ to us. Rome: The Pope is our representative (vicar).
• The Word: We can know we have eternal life! Rome: Such presumption is sin.
• The Word: We are to be buried with Him in baptism. Rome: Any amount of water will do.
• The Word: Mary had sons and daughters after Jesus was born. Rome: Mary is ever a virgin.
• The Word: Jesus lives to make intercession for us. Rome: Mary is the intercessor.
• The Word: Only God is omnipresent. Rome: Mary can hear and answer all prayers.
• The Word: For believers, absent from the body means present with the Lord. Rome: There's a major stopping-off place called Purgatory after we die and before we see Jesus.
• The Word: Idolatry is condemned. Rome: It's OK, if the statues are Bible characters, especially Jesus and Mary.
• The Word: Confess your faults to each other and to God. Rome: There's still a priesthood between the people of God and Himself.
• The Word: Marriage is honorable. Most of its main characters were married, including church leaders. Rome: The leaders of the church must refrain from marriage.
• The Word: All foods created by God are good. Rome: Some are not.

You see how it goes? The time would fail me to tell of angels and candles and saints and miracles. Of relics and bingo and collars and tonsures. Of scapulars and rosaries and rituals and masses. These are traditions for which men have instituted crusades, massacred people groups, fought for power, sold out to the Enemy.

Yet, with such horrible fruit, the Roman system continues to proclaim these items as truth. And men keep trusting these traditions, imperiling their eternal souls.

Traditions of men can also be enumerated in great quantity from Islam, Mormonism, the Watchtower Society, and all the rest. All of them seem to start out with a Bible base, but the add-ons of humans and demons have brought many to eternal loss.

I leave you with Paul's words on this matter: "Brothers, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught [by apostles], whether by word or our epistle, and withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us [apostles].

Paul [the apostle]

As always, I commend to you our brothers and sisters suffering for Jesus' sake in North Korea. I pray that when they are released it will be into the light of God's pure Word and not into a murky blizzard of the doctrines of men.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website made to ask believers to pray for North Korea. Recently I have added Bible teachings to the menu. There are nearly 300 blogs , a live news feed , lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com. Audio teachings at sermonaudio.com under my name.

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

The Sabbath And The Church Fathers

What do the church fathers have to add to the growing argument for a Sunday vs. a Saturday holy day?

Clement of Alexandria, 190 A.D., gives us an insight as to where the "eighth day" concept may have come from in Miscellanies V.xiv.106.2: "Plato prophetically speaks of the Lord's Day in the tenth book of the Republic , in these words, 'And when seven days have passed to each of them in the meadow, on the eighth they must go on.' " If indeed it was a Greek philosopher that gave rise to a side-track for the Christian faith, it would not be the first time that such a thing occurred.

In 200 A.D. wrote Tertullian in his Apology, "We solemnize the day after Saturday in contradistinction to those who call this day their Sabbath." In his Answer to the Jews , "...the observance of the Sabbath is demonstrated to have been temporary." See here how Christian thought begins to reflect the growing tradition as opposed to the expressly revealed Word of God,.

Twenty years later Origen was saying, "On Sunday none of the actions of the world should be done..." (Homil. 23). And in a commentary on John, "...it is not possible that the day of rest after the Sabbath should have come into existence from the seventh day of our God. On the contrary, it is our Saviour who, after the pattern of his own rest, caused us to be made in the likeness of his death, and hence also of his resurrection."

But if we are to be consistent with patterns, on the seventh day Christ was fully at rest, whereas His work of resurrection and later His work of establishing of the Church for the furtherance of the work of the Gospel, are all first day activities. As the light was called into existence on day one of creation, so the new creation begins on day one. The patterns still point to a Sabbath rest and a first day celebration of Light. Where is the logical or Scriptural proof that a change is in order?

In 250 Ignatius also calls for observance of the Lord's Day (Sunday) as opposed to a Sabbath Day, but offers no valid proof. His suggestion is that we are to "keep the Sabbath after a spiritual manner" not after the physical manner of the Jews, for the one who does not work should not eat! (as says Paul).

Now we have truly come full circle. From a strict command to rest on the seventh day, to a strict command to work, supposedly backed up by apostolic decree. Ignatius goes so far as to say that anyone who fasts on the Lord's Day or the Sabbath, is a murderer of Christ (Epistle of Ignatius to the Philippians).

The evidence continues to mount in years to come that the official church was certainly favoring not only a Sunday feast to be held on a weekly basis, but a replacement of the seventh day with the first day as a day of rest. If you will, a Christian Sabbath had evolved, with absolutely no Scriptural support, but with approval in the various church headquarters and eventually in Rome. It is easy to see now why Rome, with its loose playing with facts regarding church history, makes the claim that it is on Roman authority alone that this strange practice was created. In matter of fact, the Roman church did not gain ascendancy overnight, and the Sunday tradition, growing in a number of places before Rome's rise, was later rubber-stamped by Rome when she was the ruling church. Either way, we have the church to thank for Sabbath-Sunday, not the apostolic foundations recorded in Scripture.

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

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

The Existence of God without Evidence

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

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Peaceful Warrior God

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

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

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

Christian Themes in Contemporary Art

Undoubtedly, the first Christian art - or "God art" - appeared during or shortly after Jesus' life here on earth. Indeed, paintings from around 70 A.D. still exist. Over the past two decades, Christian themes in contemporary art have enjoyed a renaissance as artists have sought to express their spirituality and religiosity through their paintings.

Religious Themes

Contemporary Christian paintings incorporate a wide variety of themes. Some fine art adheres to the iconic imagery seen in religious art throughout the ages - what some might call literal Biblical interpretations. These iconic themes include the Annunciation, the Adoration of the Magi, the Crucifixion, the Resurrection, the Stations of the Cross, and the Virgin Mary. Saints are also popular iconic themes in contemporary God art.

Some artists go back to before Christ's birth; indeed, to the creation of the universe. For example, contemporary fine artist Anthony Falbo's Genesis Series depicts the first book of the Bible. Through Falbo's paintings, the creation of the universe unfolds as though it was happening today. Through his abstract style, you can see light emerging, the separation of day from night, the firmament rising, the land appearing, the vegetation blooming, the living creatures coming forth, and the hand of God touching the hand of man.

But just as God created both light and darkness, contemporary Christian artists depict both good and evil. From the shame that Adam and Eve felt after disobeying God in the Garden of Eden to both overt images and subliminal messages of hell, artists depict the darker side of humanity.

A Variety of Styles

Today's Christian artists employ styles and media as varied as devotion itself. For example, some artists may paint in an Impressionist style, using bold colors, loose strokes, and thick dabs of paint to bring a scene to life. Others express themselves through cubism, the art form that rearranges pieces of objects in such a way that the person seeing the painting gains new insight into the object represented. Still others paint in an abstractionist form, stretching, enlarging, or magnifying figure and form to shed new light on everyday subjects. Some artists, like Anthony Falbo, combine forms like cubism and abstractionism into what could be termed "cubestraction," and produce remarkable pieces.

Exhibiting Our Devotion

Christians today are embracing contemporary artists by purchasing both original works and limited edition reproductions. Fine art with a spiritual theme - whether it's the birth of Christ, the creation of the earth, or other "God art" - serves as a reminder of the Creator's presence in our lives, as well as His importance to our safety and well-being. It also keeps us mindful of the need to express our devotion, to spread the Word of God, and to be thankful for the gifts He has bestowed upon us.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about God Art: Christian Themes in Art.

When God Abandons

It is a sad and scary truth but one we must face. God does abandon people and nations. Samson was abandoned when he persisted in his disobedience.

Israel was abandoned when she would not stop going after other gods. Jesus Himself was temporarily abandoned on the cross. For our sin, the Father turned His ear from the cryings of His only begotten Son.

Was North Korea abandoned when its leadership turned its people away from worship of the one true God and caused them to worship human idols that took over the country? Is the United States in the process of losing its protection as it allows more and more of the things that God hates? December 7 and September 11 are only two of the tragedies that have befallen our country.

One thing that is playing itself out as I write today is the inability of God-fearing moral men to find a candidate to run for the Presidency. And, though some of us may have had trouble with Billy Graham's ecumenical ways, where now is the "prophet" who whispers in the ears of our leaders the things of God? Where is a national voice of righteousness being raised up that people are hearing? Unless America repents, I believe there will be many more tragedies.

So how does the abandonment of God get reversed? We use the same cast of characters:

Samson repented. For the rest of his life he wanted to be God's man and win God's victories. God gave him that chance and came back to him.

Israel followed hard after God in Babylon, and God heard her cries for restoration. Another chance, another temple, revival! God's people prayed.

When our sins were paid for, Jesus was released from the old beaten bloody body, and was glorified and resurrected. Perfect obedience.

Consider also the persecution of the Roman Empire. As God's people preached the Gospel "underground" the entire Empire was salted down and made worth saving.

Ex-Communist countries of our day have the same testimony. Freedom came to them as the underground church became such a factor as not to be ignored any longer. Life erupted out of the death in persecution.

Today there are believers inside of North Korea spreading the Word of God, praying, believing God for a great national miracle. They are repenting that they ever followed and believed the government. It seems to me that our job now is to keep feeding that surge of life until it too erupts, to keep the Bibles flowing into North Korea, to keep sending men and women in. The refugees who come out must be reached for Christ. Many will go back in and lay their necks down for Jesus. And North Korea will be abandoned no longer.

As for America. May she only look at Chosun and see her future if she does not straighten up her act. Mercy! Mercy! Today pray for America, perhaps so very ripe for judgment. Could it be that a time will come when the prosperity of this nation will be swallowed up and totally forgotten in unimaginable poverty? Why not?

But for today, let us remember the prisoners, as though bound with them, in beloved Chosun.

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

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