What Does it Mean to Be "Anointed?"

A computer search on Anoint, Anointed, and Anointing in the KJV brings up the following results..

Anointing Is used 25 times in the OT and 3 times in the NT.

Anoint Is used 30 times in the OT and 5 times in the NT.

Anointed Is used 86 times in the OT and 12 times in the NT.



Definition of 'Anoint' in Eastons Bible Dictionary.

Anoint

The practice of anointing with perfumed oil was common among the Hebrews.

(1.) The act of anointing was significant of consecration to a holy or sacred use; hence the anointing of the high priest (Exo_29:29; Lev_4:3) and of the sacred vessels (Exo_30:26). The high priest and the king are thus called “the anointed” (Lev_4:3, Lev_4:5, Lev_4:16; Lev_6:20; Psa_132:10). Anointing a king was equivalent to crowning him (1Sa_16:13; 2Sa_2:4, etc.). Prophets were also anointed (1Ki_19:16; 1Ch_16:22; Psa_105:15). The expression, “anoint the shield” (Isa_21:5), refers to the custom of rubbing oil on the leather of the shield so as to make it supple and fit for use in war.

(2.) Anointing was also an act of hospitality (Luk_7:38, Luk_7:46). It was the custom of the Jews in like manner to anoint themselves with oil, as a means of refreshing or invigorating their bodies (Deu_28:40; Rth_3:3; 2Sa_14:2; Psa_104:15, etc.). This custom is continued among the Arabians to the present day.

(3.) Oil was used also for medicinal purposes. It was applied to the sick, and also to wounds (Isa_1:6; Mar_6:13; Jam_5:14).

(4.) The bodies of the dead were sometimes anointed (Mar_14:8; Luk_23:56).

(5.) The promised Delivered is twice called the “Anointed” or Messiah (Psa_2:2; Dan_9:25, Dan_9:26), because he was anointed with the Holy Ghost (Isa_61:1), figuratively styled the “oil of gladness” (Psa_45:7; Heb_1:9). Jesus of Nazareth is this anointed One (Joh_1:41; Act_9:22; Act_17:2, Act_17:3; Act_18:5, Act_18:28), the Messiah of the Old Testament.



Nave's Topical Bible lists the following references to 'The Anointing'

Of the body

Deu_28:40; Rth_3:3; Est_2:12; Psa_92:10; Psa_104:15; Psa_141:5; Pro_27:9; Pro_27:16; Ecc_9:8; Son_1:3; Son_4:10; Isa_57:9; Amo_6:6; Mic_6:15

Of guests

2Ch_28:15; Luk_7:46

The sick

Isa_1:6; Mar_6:13; Luk_10:34; Jam_5:14; Rev_3:18

The dead

Mat_26:12; Mar_14:8; Mar_16:1; Luk_23:56

Of Jesus, as a token of love

Luk_7:37-38; Luk_7:46; Joh_11:2; Joh_12:3

Omitted in mourning

2Sa_12:20; 2Sa_14:2; Isa_61:3; Dan_10:3

God preserves those who receive

Psa_18:50; Psa_20:6; Psa_89:20-23

Saints receive

Isa_61:3; 1Jo_2:20

In consecration

Of high priests

Exo_29:7; Exo_29:29; Exo_40:13; Lev_6:20; Lev_8:12; Lev_16:32; Num_35:25; Psa_133:2

Of priests

Exo_28:41; Exo_30:30; Exo_40:15; Lev_4:3; Lev_8:30; Num_3:3

Of kings:

General references

Jdg_9:8; Jdg_9:15

Saul

1Sa_9:16; 1Sa_10:1; 1Sa_15:1

David

1Sa_16:3; 1Sa_16:12-13; 2Sa_2:4; 2Sa_5:3; 2Sa_12:7; 2Sa_19:21; 1Ch_11:3

Solomon

1Ki_1:39; 1Ch_29:22

Jehu

1Ki_19:16; 2Ki_9:1-3; 2Ki_9:6; 2Ki_9:12

Hazael

1Ki_19:15

Joash

2Ki_11:12; 2Ch_23:11

Jehoahaz

2Ki_23:30

Cyrus

Isa_45:1

Of prophets

1Ki_19:16

Of the tabernacle

General references

Exo_30:26; Exo_40:9; Lev_8:10; Num_7:1

Altars of

Exo_30:26-28; Exo_40:10; Lev_8:11; Num_7:1

Vessels of

Exo_30:27-28; Exo_40:9-10; Lev_8:10-11; Num_7:1

Jacob's pillar, at Bethel

Gen_28:18; Gen_31:13; Gen_35:14

See Dedication

Figurative:

Of Christ's kingly and priestly office

Psa_45:7; Psa_89:20; Isa_61:1; Dan_9:24; Luk_4:18; Act_4:27; Act_10:38; Heb_1:9

Of spiritual gifts

2Co_1:21; 1Jo_2:20; 1Jo_2:27

Typified

Exo_40:13-15; Lev_8:12; 1Sa_16:13; 1Ki_19:16

Symbolic, of Jesus

Mat_26:7-12; Joh_12:3-7



Summary

If you have looked up the above references, noting the usage of the word Anointing, I am sure you have noticed a few vital specifics.....

1) Anointing is not the "power of God," but the act of being consecrated or set aside. (anointing is constantly mis-defined as the "power of God.")

2) in the Old Testament the anointed ones were the Priests, Prophets and Kings. In the Hebrew Bible, the High Priest and the king are each sometimes called "the anointed" (Leviticus 4:3, 5, 16; 6:20; Psalms 132:10). Prophets were also anointed (1 Kings 19:16; 1 Chronicles 16:22; Psalms 105:15). Anointing a king was equivalent to crowning him, in fact in Israel a crown was not required (1 Samuel 16:13; 2 Samuel 2:4, etc.). Thus David was anointed as king by the prophet Samuel:

3) In the New Testament ALL believers are said to be anointed.. Let me repeat that.. It is NOT a few special persons who are anointed but ALL believers have a general anointing. John makes it clear that this gives us a relationship with our blessed Lord, but it never makes one better, greater or more powerful than another. As in the following three verses


2Co 1:21 Now He who establishes us together with you in Christ and who has anointed us is God,

1Jo 2:20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.

1Jo 2:27 And as for you, the anointing which you have received from Him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone teach you; but as the same anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you will abide in Him. [All Emphasis Added]


Did You Also Happen to Notice

1) There is not ONE SINGLE reference to the anointing being a supernatural power given to human by which they are able to perform miracles.

2) There is not ONE SINGLE reference to a double or triple portion of the anointing. [See Footnote I on Elisha]

3) There is not ONE SINGLE reference to anyone being able to transmit the anointing by any means, including the laying on of hands. [See Footnote II]

4) There is not ONE SINGLE reference to getting, keeping, increasing, or losing the anointing.



FOOTNOTE I: Elisha did not ask for a double portion of Elijah's anointing, but for a double portion of his spirit. The words are totally different in Hebrew. In any case the phrase, “a double portion,” was applied to the first-born [Deu_21:17], and therefore Elisha’s request was, quite possibly, to be heir to the prophetic office and gifts of his master.

FOOTNOTE II: Acts 19 tells us that when Paul laid hands on some believers from Ephesus the Spirit came (epi) upon them. It does not say a word about The Spirit coming through Paul’s hands. It came upon them... from above.


The Anointing and The Holy Spirit

Take a close look at these Bible verses

1 John 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

What was that again? The ‘Anointing’ teaches you of all things...

How can the "anointing" teach a person anything? The only way this is possible is if the anointing is in fact the person of the Holy Spirit. In order to teach one would have to be a living intelligent being, impersonal powers do not teach.

Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Luke 4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Charismatic teachers have made the anointing a separate power that God bestows on people. However the Bible connects the anointing and the presence of the Spirit, which mean you cannot have one without the other. As a believer you have the Holy Spirit, as a nonbeliever you do not. Simple as that.



Where then did these Self-styled So-called prophets find...
(list from www.letusreason.org)


A Swimming anointing- “ Ezekiel 47 says clearly that though the waters will go high that you will have to swim in them. There is such a thing as swimming in the anointing. You can no longer walk in it, there is so much of it you have to swim in it. So Jesus, we are ready to go swimming tonight.” (Benny Hinn in Honolulu Blaisdale Crusade - 2/28/97) It was so hot in the Arena that they perspired enough and thought it was the Holy Spirit.

The Hurricane anointing- This anointing can blow you away…Hinn says “ The anointing was just as strong as it was in Denver. One man Nevell Mcdonald who has a church here was holding onto the pole. Gods power was so strong he could not, he was holding onto a big steel pole on the platform. “ (TBN with Paul and Jan Crouch Sept. 13 1999)

A TV Anointing- Hinn described on the Larry King show how he had a terrible cold and watched himself on the TV. On the TV tape he said, “Stretch your hands!” He thought this is stupid and then “ Suddenly the Lord really spoke to my heart and said, “ The man on television is my anointed servant.” … I went over and put my hands on the screen and yes I got healed. “

Here Hinn is promoting the anointing through his tapes. It's on them (this is an advancement in spiritual technology over the old anointed handkerchiefs . The question is why didn't he heal himself by prayer? Instead he depended on a tape of himself. Is this Biblical teaching or self aggrandizement? The reasoning behind this is probably that Hinn wants to sell tapes and make people think that God has anointed them as He has His word. Hinn says God told him the man in the picture tube is His anointed, the taped one not the real one. Yea right!

A Funtime anointing- “ Believe me that anointing is yours to work that sometimes you can play with it. if your not, but God will take it away from ya.”

Seed Anointing- ...”as you pray in the Holy Spirit God will anoint that seed your about to sow it is worth and as God anoints the seed he also anoints the ground so it can bring forth a mightier harvest for you and your children, family and bring out of bondage in the name of Jesus. Hallelujah! Hallelujah. I want you to sow the best seed. People the grounds are wet and moist by the anointing.” ( Honolulu Blaisdale Crusade 1/21/99)

An Explosive Anointing- Hinn growls “ The glory! The glory!” If I don't release it I'll blow up. If I don't release the anointing I'll blow up I got to release it on somebody.” (TBN with Paul and Jan Crouch Sept.13, 1999 video on Denver crusade)

A Fearing the Anointing- “ Do you know saint's under the, please understand this, your looking at me now wearing this sitting wearing this suite… I am not the same man under the anointing that I am now. Paul Crouch “True”I mean I'm, I believe me when I tell I you do not even identify with the Benny Hinn you see on Television. Because it’s a different man. Its not me. My children are afraid of me under the anointing. What they do not know is that I'm afraid of the anointing too.” (laughter) Paul Crouch, “True, No. true!” I'm not afraid of myself I'm afraid of what the anointing can do to me if I mistreat it. “(TBN with Paul and Jan Crouch Sept. 13, 1999)

The Rambo Anointing -Rodney Browne says “When you get the anointing of God you become the worst nightmare to the Devil. I tell you God's going to raise up holy Ghost Rambo's in these last days. To boldly go where no mans gone before.” (Rodney is the one teaching where no man has dared to have gone before).

Parsley was an assistant to Lester Sumrall. Sumrall, who died in April 1996, claimed his anointing from Smith Wigglesworth.[ “Back to the Source -- The Truth About Smith Wigglesworth,” The Quarterly Journal, January-March 1995, pg. 1.]

In 1992, Sumrall supposedly passed his “sword of anointing” to Rod Parsley and his wife.[ “The Electric Evangelist,” op. cit., pg. 50.]PFO journal.

Anointed Handkerchiefs- Rod Parsley cuts up prayer clothes to heal by laying hands on them and literally transfers and releases the tangible anointing. This is more like a transferable energy since the anointing is the holy Spirit who is God. Parsley states “ In the early church people saw tangible transfer of the anointing from the apostle Paul to those he laid hands on so then they began to give him handkerchief’s for him.” Nice try, it doesn't say that at all.

A Jubilee Anointing- Parsley says, “ We’ll send that prayer cloth back to you believing God to transfer His Jubilee anointing into your life and mark you for a miracle .”.. I’m going to place them on our prayer altar throughout Dominion 98 Camp Meeting where they will be saturated in the presence of God then sent back to you.” (And With a gift of $15 or more he’ll send you his brand new book the Jubilee Anointing). ( Potters House shown on Lesea June 12 1998)

Amnesia Anointing- “I’m telling you God is about to move so supernaturally in the anointing of his spirit in these days that when he delivers you your not even going to have the remembrance that you got delivered because you won’t have any knowledge that it ever bound you.”

The Anointing of Increase- Jesse Duplantis says, “ I declare and Decree the anointing of increase” to his congregation (12/121/99).

The Uncommon Anointing - Mike Murdock “There is an uncommon anointing even right now on the thousand dollar seed through this ministry.” “In my experience I believe there is the greatest anointing on a thousand dollar seed right now that there has ever been on any telethon on any service I’ve ever spoken.” (Lesea Telethon '97)

Anointed numbers (and a Boaz anointing)- “The reason I’m praying for 70 is that number is a anointing number under Moses, And God said whoever the 70 people are that respect your mantle , that respect your anointing, Moses every time I bless you I’ll bless them. What I’m asking God to do is every time He blesses mike Murdock he blesses you, every time he gives me a financial idea he gives you one. Every time he silences the Devil for me he’ll silences an enemy for you. Every time God heals my son he heals yours. That’s a Boaz anointing, the anointing you respect is the anointing that grows in your life.”

A Devil Bustin Anointin'- “My flesh is about to blow right out of my body. It tell you the anointing is so glorious satan better not show up tonight or well tear him apart. And I warn the devil tonight. I warn every demon in this arena. You better get out before we kick you out.,, speaking of America “God is about to kick the Devil right out of here.” (Benny Hinn Honolulu Blaisdale Crusade Jan.21 1999)

Fire anointing- The anointing is…Its all over me. “For the fire of my spirit shall burn, shall burn. (Hinn Blasedale Arena 1999)

A Cursing Anointing “ A curse on every man and woman that will stretch his hand against this anointing.” (TBN with Paul and Jan Crouch Sept. 13 1999 video on Denver Crusade).

The Energizer Bunny anointing-“I want you to get a spirit of prophesy on you that just keeps going. I call it the “energizer bunny anointing” (John Eckhardt, 5/12/00 National School Of The Prophets, Mobilizing The Prophetic Office)

100 Fold Anointing- Benny Hinn speaking, “ I had a prophecy form Rod Parsley, Kenneth Copeland, and a few others had come to be with me just the last few, few weeks and each one of them said, and I , I’m , I’m amazed because I didn’t think it would happen so fast. They said God is about to lift you to the hundred-fold anointing. Now, the hundred-fold anointing is a 1,000 percent increase. “ (TBN Oct.20, 1999)

The Speaking Anointing- “ . . . The anointing is dependent upon my words. God will not move unless I say it. Why? Because He has made us coworkers with Him. He set things up that way. “ (Benny Hinn, The Anointing, Thomas Nelson. 1992. 82).

“I was saying God give me this anointing give me this power to speak those things that come to pass. And that there'd be a witness to what I speak after I have spoken it by miracles following.” (Avanzini's testimony on audio, TBN )

The Mindless Anointing- Jesse Duplantis “The anointing of God was flowing, so I just kept saying, “ Glory to God! Thank you, Jesus!” . . .I don’t know what happened next, but all of a sudden I was in the Spirit. I didn’t feel or see anything. I was just in that fog, with smoke inside my car. . .My natural mind was not registering anymore in the car. I was caught up in the Spirit.”

The Special Sickness Anointing- Fredrick Price claims to be anointed to heal “Arthritus, Bursitis, Rheumatism with a 99% cure rate by touch.”

The Corporate Anointing - Debra Jordan “…anointing “without measure”, a corporate anointing which will achieve “the birthing forth of My glorious Church” (Debra Jordan, Zoe Ministries “Written Judgments Vol. 2 Foreword).

Seed Anointing- “Get that seed out of you pocket and get it into anointed ground, this is anointed ground, this is Jubilee ground.” (LeSea telethon 97)

100 fold Increase Anointing- “ For all those calling in pledges during that fund raiser “Brother John” Avanzini promised to speak a special anointing over the pledge slips.” Avanzini states, “I’m usually not allowed to speak about this,” Avanzini tells the TBN audience. “God only tells me at certain times that I can… I’m going to speak the hundred-fold increase in just a few moments” (November, 1990 Praise-a-Thon)

Anointed Trinkets-Marilyn Hickey's- Breastplate, mustard seed, anointed oil, prayer cloths, ropes.etc.

The Anointed Telecast- “There's an anointing on this telecast.” (Steve Munson Sept.29, 1997 on LeSea TV Network)

A Dead Mans Anointing- Hinn has said, “ One of the strangest experiences I had a few years ago [was] visiting Aimee's tomb in California. ... Friday I am gonna go and visit Kathryn Kuhlman's tomb. ... And that grave, uh, where she's buried is closed, they built walls around it. … I felt a terrific anointing when I was there. I actually, hear this, I trembled when I visited Aimee's tomb. I was shaking all over. God's power came all over me. . . I believe the anointing has lingered over Aimee's body.”

“ Someone asked me how is it you can feel the anointing around a tomb? I have no idea man, but I sure felt it. Your gonna feel the anointing. ...I’ve heard of people healed when they visited their tomb...”

(If you believe this you might as well send away for a pet rock!)

The Double Portion Anointing- Hinn had a special visitation from Elijah who changed his ministry …' Elijah, the prophet.' I'd never heard the Lord say that to me. You know, when that happened? That happened days before the anointing on my life doubled. Literally, the ministry's anointing doubled after that. (Benny Hinn in Honolulu 2/28/97) Maybe this should be called the necromancy anointing.

The Prophetic Anointing- “prophetic anointing is not just for prophets, it’s for the entire church.” “you need to do what you can to get some prophetic anointing on you” (John Eckhardt, 5/12/00 National School Of The Prophets, Mobilizing The Prophetic Office)

A Multiplication Anointing “Saints, we have to preserve that anointing whether its the anointing that’s on Rod... Rod Parsley agrees with Hinn about the anointing as he discussed the new healing center of Hinn's on his program he said. “ God where those anointings will be multiplied Parsley says, I'm seeing this now Benny] ... Multiplied by one another, Smith Wigglesworth's anointing multiplied by Oral Roberts anointing multiplied by Kathryn Kuhlman's anointing multiplied by Benny Hinn's anointing and when the people come there, there faith will be at such a level that that spiritual genealogy which you are preserving will come to bear against their need. ... this is going to be a miracle mountain. “( This is Your Day program, Aug. 24, 1999 TBN )

Multiplied anointings. What kind of brew is this man talking about that we can mix anointings and multiply them together? Even from those who are dead These men have consistently classed themselves with the Mt.7:21 crowd. The Bible speaks of only one anointing not many.

Anointed Songs- Jesse Duplantis states …”the anointing to come through in that song.”

The Saving Anointing- Hinn states “When the anointing comes all your loved one will be saved. All the demons that harass you will be gone.”


Since None of These Anointings Came From The Bible, I Hardly Think It Would Take A Rocket Scientist To Figure Out The Source

In Matthew 24, on the Mount Of Olives, the disciples came to the Lord privately saying “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Jesus’ first words in answer to them were “Take heed that no man lead you astray” (v.4) and then He went on to say “ For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall lead many astray”. (Emphasis added)

‘Christ’ means Anointed.. it is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word rendered “Messiah”

In other words Jesus answered a direct question about what signs would signify the end of the world with a warning that ‘Many would come in His name claiming they were ‘anointed’.

Is Christmas a Pagan Holiday?

Christmas is the most popular holiday in America. Both the secular and the sacred celebrate it, but for different reasons. Some see it as the greatest business time of the year which is fueled by the exchange of gifts. Others consider it the time to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Either way, it is a very important holiday.
The word "Christmas" comes from two old words: Christes maesse. It means, "the Mass of Christ." This comes from the Catholic Mass, that practice where the priest re-offers the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross during the time of Communion.1

The Origins of Christmas

The origins of Christmas go back to before the time of Christ when many ancient cultures celebrated the changing of the seasons. In the northern hemisphere in Europe, for example, the winter solstice, which was the shortest day of the year, occurs around Dec. 25th. These celebrations were based on the decline of winter. Since during winter animals were penned, people stayed in doors, crops didn't grow, etc., to know that winter was half over and on its way out was a time of celebration.
In the ancient Roman system of religion, Saturn was the god of agriculture. Each year during the summer, the god Jupiter would force Saturn out of his dominant position in the heavenly realm and the days would begin to shorten. In the temple to Saturn in Rome, the feet of Saturn were then symbolically bound with chains until the winter solstice when the length of days began to increase. It was this winter solstice that was a time of celebration and exchange of gifts as the hardness of winter began to wane and the days grew longer.
December 25th specifically coincided the day of the birth of the sun-god named Phyrgia a culture in the ancient Balkans.
In the Roman Empire, by the time of Christ the winter festival was known as saturnalia. The Roman Church was unable to get rid of saturnalia, so early in the 4th Century, they adopted the holiday and tried to convert it a Christian celebration of the Lord's birth. They called it the Feast of the Nativity. This custom has been part of western culture ever since.

The Christmas Tree and Mistletoe

One of the symbols of the life found in the celebration of saturnalia, was the use of evergreens. These plants which stayed green all year long, were often used in different cultures as symbols of life and rebirth. They were sometime decorated as a form of worship in some cultures in religious ceremonies dealing with fertility.
Mistletoe was considered a curative plant and was used in many ancient medicine recipes. The Celts even believed that the plant, which is a parasite that lives on trees, contained the soul of the tree it lived on. The Druids used Mistletoe in their religious ceremonies. The Druid priests would cut it up and distribute it to the people who would place the cuttings over the doorways of their homes. This was supposed to protect the dwellers from various forms of evil.

What Day Was Jesus Really Born On?

No one knows for sure what month, not to mention which day, that Jesus was born on. Various theories have been raised that put Jesus' birth in April, October, and September. But no one knows for sure.
Additionally, our calendar is inaccurate. It set about 4 years too late. This is known by comparing the biblical accounts of gospels and the extrabiblical records known about Quirinius, the governor of Syria (Luke 2:2) and Herod the Great (Matt. 2:19) who died in 4 B.C. in the year of Jesus' birth. Humorously, that would make Jesus, born in 4 B.C.

Can the Christian Celebrate Christmas?

Is the Christian free to celebrate a holiday that not only has pagan origins, but also is used by the unbelieving world a promotion of commercialism? In my opinion, it depends.
The Christians must hold his standard of righteousness and devotion to God above those of the world. The Old Testament says that we are to worship God in truth according to the dictates that He has established (Exodus 20:1-4; 24:12-31:18). Christmas was not established by God. In addition, there are no records at all of the early church celebrating the birth of Christ.
On the other hand, there are those who say we have freedom Christ and can celebrate any day we want to. Paul says, "All things are lawful, though not all are profitable" (1 Cor. 6:12).
Should we then participate in the celebration of a festival origins and exceeding commercialism?
It is my opinion that we are free to celebrate the day. This is why.
In the Bible in 1 Cor. 10:23-33, Paul speaks about meat sacrificed to idols. This meat was often sold in the meat market and the question arose, "Should a Christian each such meat?" Paul said in verse 25, "Eat anything that is sold in the meat market, without asking questions for conscience' sake." The origins of the meat were, essentially, pagan. Many animals were raised for the purpose of sacrificing to pagan deities and their meat was offered in the market place. In reference to this Paul said it was okay to eat the meat.
Then in verses 28-29 he says, "But if anyone should say to you, 'This is meat sacrificed to idols,' do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience' sake; 29I mean not your own conscience, but the other man's; for why is my freedom judged by another's conscience?" (NASB). Paul is saying that if you are with someone who might be stumbled by your eating meat that was sacrificed to idols, then don't eat it -- not because of you, but because of the other person. In other words, eating that meat won't affect you. The false gods are not real. They have no power.
1 Cor. 8:-7-9 echoes this idea. It says, "However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 8But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. 9But take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak." Though this passage requires a bit more examination, it still carries the sense of freedom. And, Jesus has definitely set us free.
However, if you are not comfortable with this conclusion and you don't want to celebrate Christmas, that is okay. You must answer to the Lord.

Sanctification

The Lord, through His sacrifice, has cleansed us of our sins. When we come in contact with Him, it was we who were cleansed. It is not Him who was made dirty. The woman with the issue of blood who touched Jesus (Mark 5:25-34) was made clean. It was not Jesus who was made dirty. Likewise Jesus touched the unclean lepers and cleansed them (Matt. 8:3). Jesus came in contact with many people and it was never Him who was dirtied. It was they who were cleansed.
I think this principle can be applied to Christmas. Yes, Christmas has pagan origins. Yes, it is a highly commercial time. Yes, many do not have their eyes on Jesus. But for the Christian it is a time to reflect upon the birth of our Lord and to celebrate. We are making the day holy.

________________
1. Because of its strong Catholic associations, Christmas was often opposed by those in the Protestant Reformation. This opposition was based largely on the belief that it contradicts the biblical teaching of the finality of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. (Cf. Heb. 9:12, 24-26; 10:10-14).

Hospital Ministry Training 2008

Chaplain Training January 4th 2008

NEW JERSEY INSTITUTE OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES

Introduction to Clinical Pastoral Education
"Helping people get back to the right path"

COST $75.00 (This includes books and training materials)

You will train as a Chaplain for 6 weeks at the Busiest Trauma Hospital in the Delaware Valley!


Are you interested in becoming a Volunteer Hospital Chaplain or Hospital Ministry? Do you desire to receive training in Pastoral Care Ministry? Well give us a call if you are....

(609) 346-8343 Leave a Clear Concise Message!

NEXT UNIT OF TRAINING STARTS January 4th, 2008

Every Friday at 6pm till 10pm we are training men and women in introduction to CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education)

Where: Cooper Trauma Hospital/3 Cooper Plaza

Camden NJ

Meeting in Room 506 at 6:30PM


Point of Contact: Chaplain Mark H. Stevens, M.Min

Discerning Dreams About Yourself

At least 95% of your dreams will be about you -- your inner self, your current situation, your relationships. Your dreams come from your heart and will express the things that are important to your heart. The most common area your spirit will reveal will be your emotional, heart struggles and sanctification issues, expressed symbolically. Body and health issues are also important to your spirit, so they may be revealed, again in a symbolic way. Your relationships to other people are important to your heart, so these may be conveyed in signs and symbols. And the circumstances and events that surround your life, ministry or vocation are also important to your heart, so these may be portrayed symbolically in your dreams.

Because the vast majority of dreams are about your inner self, begin the process of interpreting your dream with the assumption that it probably is about something you are or should be dealing with in your own life right now.

Isolate the feeling of the dream first. How did you feel upon first awakening? Was your heart pounding in fear? Were you confused, frustrated, angry, rejected, or threatened? Did you feel loved, excited, happy, or content? Did you feel exposed, unprepared, or disappointed? What was the overall emotion that the dream evoked? In what aspect of your life are you also feeling this emotion? If it is not immediately obvious to you, ask the Lord to reveal it to you.

Look at the action of the dream next. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you the symbolism of the action. For example, if the symbol in your dream is that your car is going backward, ask, "In what way do I feel that I am going backward, that I am not moving forward in this area of my life?" If someone else is driving your car in the dream, ask, "In what way is this person driving or controlling my life (e.g., my reactions, attitudes, behaviors) at this time?" or "How is the characteristic that this person symbolizes controlling me?" (See the section below on the symbolism of people in your dreams.) If you are falling, ask "In what way do I feel like I am falling, losing ground, or out of control in my life at this time?" If you are soaring, ask, "In what way or what area of my life do I feel like I am flying, that I am rising above my problems or my abilities?" If you are being chased, ask, "How and why do I feel like I am being pursued or hunted?" If you are naked, ask, "In what way do I feel like I am exposed and vulnerable?" If you dream of dying, ask, "What is dying within me?" (This may be a good thing, for perhaps you are dying to pride, or to self, or to workaholism.)

Remember, actions in the dream are to be viewed symbolically. If your dream wanted to really show you that you were going to die, it would picture that event symbolically. For example, just a few days before his assassination, President Lincoln dreamed of a casket.

Once you have used the feeling and action of the dream to identify the aspect of your life that it is revealing to you, the rest of the symbols will be much easier to identify.

The people in your dreams often represent characteristics within you. You can determine what facet of yourself they are representing by simply asking, "What is the dominant personality trait of this person, as I know him?" The answer will tell you what aspect of yourself you are dreaming about. For example, your heart may want to show you the entrepreneur, the hospitable host, the administrator, the class clown, the spiritual leader, the laid back one, the workaholic, etc. that is within you by the appearance in your dream of an individual who epitomizes that kind of person to you. Your pastor may be the spiritual part of you; a president or king may symbolize other leadership qualities within you; a policeman, judge, or dictator may be the authority figure in you; people in uniform (nurses, waiters, choir members) may represent your desire to conform.

It is also possible that the person's name may be the point that the dream is trying to bring out, especially if that name is spoken within the dream. Dreaming of a friend named Charity or Joy or Grace or Joshua or David may be your heart's way of calling your attention to the qualities that are seen in the meaning of the name. Or the name may actually sound like the message the dream is trying to convey. For example, dreaming of "Sharon" might be your heart's way of pointing out an area in which you should be "sharing" something you are not, or should not be sharing something you are. One person reported dreaming of a friend named "Anita Cook" and finding the interpretation to be "I need to cook."

It is also possible that the Lord Himself or one of His angels may meet you in the dream.

Animals often represent your emotions. Ask, "What emotion might this animal be symbolizing to me?" This will depend on your geographical home, your personal experiences, your knowledge of the Bible, and your own culture. For example, a bull might be anger (an "angry bull"); a fox, craftiness; a cat, curiosity; a dove, peace; an eagle, freedom; a snake, subtlety; a lion, royalty, and so on. Keep in mind that in the Bible, a lion is used to represent both Christ ("the Lion of the tribe of Judah") and satan ("as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour"). Therefore, you must maintain your dependence upon the Holy Spirit to reveal what the animal represents in your specific dream.

When you face the animal representing your emotions in your dream rather than running from it, you may find that the animal changes into a different one. It is good to face your emotions.

Numbers in dreams generally represent the identical number in real life. However, the number will probably be linked to something which needs to be interpreted symbolically. For example, when Joseph dreamed of eleven stars, the eleven was literal but the stars were symbolic and actually represented his brothers. Joseph was dreaming about his eleven brothers (Gen. 37:1-11). Likewise, the cupbearer's dream of three branches stood for three days (Gen. 39:12), and for the chief baker, the three baskets represented three days (Gen. 39:18). In Pharaoh's dream, the seven cows were seven years (Gen. 41:26). So expect the number to mean that exact number of something. It will take prayer, discernment and the revelation of the Spirit (confirmed by the leap in your heart) to determine what it means.

Continue to move through the dream, seeking revelation on symbol after symbol, until you sense in your spirit that the interpretation is complete.

Occasionally you may have dreams that relate to more than your personal, inner life. If you have examined the dream carefully, in full reliance upon the Holy Spirit to bring the interpretation, and you cannot see how the symbols of the dream apply to you, seek the input of your spiritual counselors. They may be able to see your blind spots and recognize the message your heart is trying to give you.

If your counselors agree that the dream does not apply to your inner life, you may then consider the possibility that it is a dream for or about others. One indication that this may be a dream for another rather than you is if you are an observer of the action of the dream, rather than a participant.


Following are some biblical dreams that demonstrate this principle:

Gen. 15:1-21 Abraham in interaction with God & sleeps = dream about himself

Gen. 20:1-18 Abimelech and God in interaction = dream about himself

Gen. 28:10-22 Jacob being spoken to by God = dream about himself

Gen. 31:10-29 Jacob and God in interaction = dream about himself

Gen. 37:1-11 Joseph and brothers in interaction = dream about himself

Gen. 40:1-23 Cupbearer and Baker = dreams about themselves

Gen. 41:1-49 Pharaoh's dream of 7 cows = dream for others

Gen. 46:1-7 Israel in dialogue with God = dream about himself

Judges 7:9-18 Loaf of bread hitting camp = dream about himself

1 Kings 3:5-28 God and Solomon interact = dream about himself

Daniel 2:1-49 Statue hit by stone = dream about others

Daniel 7:1-28 Four beasts = dream about others

Daniel 8:1-27 Ram and goat = dream about others

Daniel 10:1-12:13 Terrifying vision = dream about others

Matt. 1:20-25 God spoke to Joseph = dream about himself

Matt. 2:3-15 God spoke to Joseph = dream about himself

Matt. 2:19-23 God spoke to Joseph = dream about himself



Summary: Thirteen (13) dreams about the dreamer; four dreams about others.



Two important observations may be made from the biblical example:


The dreams for or about others were prophetic in nature and were all given to kings or king's advisors concerning the future of their kingdoms. The principle which may be drawn from this is that dreams (and indeed all revelation from the Holy Spirit) are only given to us that apply to our own area of responsibility. We do not hear from God about people over whom we have no influence, authority or accountability.


Dreams about self may be for the dreamer and his descendents. Again, the revelation of the dream was not given to any random individual, but to one with authority and influence. Intercessors may be given revelation of others, so they can pray for them.

It is vital to remember this principle: All kinds of dreams can contain symbolic language, literal language, or a combination of symbolic and literal language.

When interpreting dreams, look for metaphors, similes, and metonymies of our language. Dreaming about ketchup may be calling you to "catch up" in some area. A fire may be trying to warn you that you are "playing with fire." A dream of being smothered or drowned may indicate that you are feeling "in over your head." A frozen lake, an ice flow, or even ice cubes may be cautioning you that you are only seeing "the tip of the iceberg." Having your glasses broken may be an indication that you are not seeing the situation clearly. One lady reported that a dream of a fire in the kitchen of her house was a warning that she had an inflammation in her digestive tract. Other examples of word plays that may show up in your dreams include: "walking a mile in someone else's shoes;" "being born in a barn;" "being up the creek without a paddle;" "as the crow flies;" "throwing the baby out with the bath water;" "on a level playing field;" "throwing a wrench in the works;" "at the eleventh hour;" or "speaking with a forked tongue." Your heart may use one of these pictures in your dreams, expecting that you will understand the symbolic meaning of the expression.

Think outside the box! Be prepared for unexpected and clever ways for your heart to get its point across to your conscious mind. Be open to plays on words and lateral connections.

Finally, always remember that God is big enough and gracious enough to make sure that you understand the message He wants to give you. If your understanding of dream interpretation is different than that given above, He will meet you in the dream according to your expectations.

"Why so Hard on TV Preachers?

"For MANY will come in The Lord's Name, saying, "I am Christ," and they will mislead many."

And, this, is exactly what America's best known spiritual leaders are now doing !! (also see Matthew 24:5)


Kenneth Hagin:
"{Man} was created on terms of equality with God, and he could stand in God's presence without any consciousness of inferiority.. God made us as much like Himself as possible. He made us the same class of being that He is Himself. Man lived in the realm of God. He lived on terms equal with God. [The] believer is called Christ... That's who we are; we're Christ" (OE: The God-Kind of Life, 1989. pp. 35-36, 41).

The Bible teaches that the CHURCH is the bride of Jesus Christ. The teachings of Kenneth Hagin are therefore so utterly absurd, and deceitfully fabricated, that they leave him no alternative but to also teach that Jesus will marry Himself; Since His church consists of earthly men and women.
"For MANY will come in The Lord's Name, saying, "I am Christ," and they will mislead many."
Kenneth Copeland:
"God's reason for creating Adam was His desire to reproduce Himself. ...He was not a little like God. He was not almost like God. He was not subordinate to God..." "You don't have a god in you, you are one." (quoting Kenneth Copeland from "Following the Faith of Abraham," tape 01-3001, n.d.) (and, from "The Force of Love," tape 02-0028, 1987).

I can see how money grabbing con artist preachers might make up such a false doctrine as this; then use it to hopefully get people to believe it; and, to in turn send them even more money. But, what I can't understand, is that there are actually people who have forgotten THE JUDGMENTthat God Almighty pronounced on mankind, forAdam's refusal to be subordinate to Him.
Hasn't it dawned on anyone that Mr. Copeland is telling them to not be subordinate to God !!!

"Thus said God. I'm the first; And I'm the last. Aside from me, there is no God." (Isaiah 44:6)
And if Kenneth Copeland is God, why does he use every other breath to beg anyone / everyone who he can get to listen, to send him just any amount of money he can squeeze out of them ??

Please take note that God Almighty never tried to work anyone for money!!

"For MANY will come in The Lord's Name, saying, "I am Christ," and they will mislead many."
Benny Hinn:
"I am a little messiah walking the earth" (TBN "Praise-a-Thon", November 6, 1990)

You have it all wrong, Benny !! You're nothing but a little liar walking the earth !!! You're one, of many, who God Almighty Himself has referred to as a "stubbornly rebellious talebearer", Going on to state that you are both bronze and iron; CORRUPT! And, that you are also to be called rejected silver, because He, The Lord Himself, has rejected you.
And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the PRINCE of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His Own Blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto his God and Father; to HIM, (not to the likes of you Benny Hinn!), be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (also see Revelation 1:5- 6)

Notice, that according to Christ, we will be kings and priests; NOT GODS !!

Benny, please take note that Jesus Himself has clearly stated that those who are Saved, will become kings and priests unto His Father, Jehovah. Who are YOU to make claims that either you, or any other man, is somehow a messiah. Just who, IN HELL, do you think you will be ??

May your tongue literally rot out of your mouth, in the presence of men.

"For MANY will come in The Lord's Name, saying, "I am Christ," and they will mislead many."
John Avanzini:
"[The Spirit of God] ...declared in the earth today (on TBN) what the eternal purpose of God has been through the ages.. ..that He is duplicating Himself in the earth" (quoting "The End Time Manifestation of the Sons of God," Morris Cerullo's World Evangelism, tape 1).

To John Avanzini: May I suggest that you read your Bible, instead of believing in the false doctrines that continually pour out of TBN. Moreover, please start with those Scriptures that Decree that a good man/woman/widow leaves an inheritance to his children; to their children, and to their children. Which means that people are to leave their inheritance to their children, not, to TBN.
Woe unto you, hypocrite! You use long prayers as a pretense to get widows to donate, or to otherwise "will" their houses to TBN: Therefore you shall receive even greater condemnation.
(also see Matthew 23:14) (also see Psalms 25:12-13) (also see Proverbs 19:14)

I myself, and millions of others, have personally watched you do these things.

"For MANY will come in The Lord's Name, saying, "I am Christ," and they will mislead many."
Morris Cerullo:
"Did you know that from the beginning of time the whole purpose of God was to reproduce Himself? And when we stand up here; Brother, you're not looking at Morris Cerullo; You're looking at God. You're looking at Jesus" (quoting Morris Cerullo, from "The End Time Manifestation of the Sons of God," produced by Morris Cerullo's World Evangelism, tape 1).

No, Morris Cerullo: When those you refer to as "we" stand on the stage at TBN (which all of you refer to as an alter), I see nothing but the world's most major source of false doctrines; And, the world's greatest demonic authority on bringing commerce into what SHOULD be Almighty God's House.
I see a den of thieves who have concocted every means possible, to use The Temple Of God as a store front, instead of a House of Prayer; Which, in case you never knew, or have forgotten: As Jesus clearly said: The Lord's House is intended to be a Place of Prayer. Not a platform for you to coerce widows to donate their estates; Not a platform for you to use The Word of God as a tool to raise money; Not a place of entertainment; Not a place to use weightlifters to "hook" people onto Jesus; Not a place for people to come to espouse the latest version of Doctrine as they have concocted it to mean! Its also not a place for the sorry likes of YOU, to compare yourself to God !

The Lord's House is intended to be a place of prayer !!!

"For MANY will come in The Lord's Name, saying, "I am Christ," and they will mislead many."
Charles Capps:
"God duplicated Himself in kind!... Adam was an exact duplication of God's kind!" (quoting "Authority in Three Worlds," 1982. p.16).
No, mister Capps: God Almighty said: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." He did NOT say, Let us make man as an exact duplicate of our kind. (also see Genesis 1:26)

I wish, Mister Charles Capps, that you could read: But not write, type, dictate, or speak !!

"For MANY will come in The Lord's Name, saying, "I am Christ," and they will mislead many."
Paul Crouch (TBN):
"I am a little god! ...Critics, be gone!" ("Praise the Lord" program, July 7, 1986).

You're wrong Paul. You are Eternally wrong! There is only ONE God. His Name is Jehovah.

Oral Roberts is not God; Benny Hinn is not God; Pat Robertson is not God; Kenneth Hagin is not God; John Avanzini is not God; Morris Cerullo is not God; Kenneth Copeland is not God; Billy Graham isn't God; Charles Capps is not God; Earl Paulk is not God; Paul Crouch is not God; No member of the Dominion Now movement; Nor the Latter Rain movement; Nor the Kingdom Now movement; Nor the Vineyard movement; Nor the Laughing Revival movement; Nor the Toronto movement; Nor the Brownsville movement; Nor the Pensacola movement; is God !! Nor is any member of any other movement, God. Nor is any member, or viewer, of TBN God.

AND YOU ARE NOT GOD !!!

Furthermore:
Every person who has ever made any CLAIM to be God, is a LIAR !!

And, as clearly stated by God Himself, No liar will ever enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

God Himself, has clearly said: "There is none like Me in all the earth." (Exodus 9:14)


So that you will not be easily shaken, or troubled, either by spirit, or by word, or by any letter as though it had come straight to you from the Apostles of Christ, saying the day of Christ is at hand: Let no man deceive you by any means: For Christ will not Return, until there is first a falling away from God; And the man of sin be revealed (the son of perdition); That master of deception, who:
1. Opposes that which God has written,

2. Exalts himself above all that is called God,

3. So that those who profess to be God;

4. Sit in the temple of God;

5. Holding themselves out to be God. (also see 2 Thessolonians 2:2-4)


And, I solemnly tell you that the above described day is at hand.

Have you not heard it constantly declared that the "stage" of TBN is the Temple of God ?

Are those at TBN, not thereby claiming to be sitting in The Temple of God?

Have they not opposed The Holy Word Of God ??

Have they not clearly declared themselves to BE God ??

Have they not fabricated their own scriptures ??

Have you forgotten, that when Jesus was on earth, He told you these things? And now you know what He withheld, so that satan might be revealed in his time. For the mystery of iniquity already worked at the time of Christ: Only now, he who lets it work, will let it, until he is taken out of the way. And then shall the wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of His mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that will rot in hell; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause, according to that which He promised: God has sent America's spiritual leaders a strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they might all be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (also see 2 Thessolonians 2:5-12)

This, The Lord Of Hosts has also said to this bond servant:
"Cursed be the man who trusts in another man; Who allows that man's pride to guide him; And whose heart departs from the Lord, His God. O, if only My people would heed My Word. But instead, they falsely say, "We ourselves, are Gods, and we will come no more unto Thee. "Their prophets prophesy falsely, and for money. Their pastors teach by other people's scripts, and for a price; And my people love to have it that way because they feel it allows them to do anything they please. "We are Saved by the Blood of Jesus, they say; Therefore, we are free. All of OUR sins have already been forgiven by Jesus, They FALSELY proclaim to Me! From the least of them, to the greatest of them, they are all given to covetousness, and to arrogance. And from their prophets, to their pastors, everyone deals treacherously under the banner of My Name." Thus, said The Lord Of Hosts to this bond servant. (also see Jeremiah 2:31) (also see Jeremiah 5:31, 6:13, and 17:5)


The Lord Of Hosts has ALSO said these things about people who claim to be God!
"God is not a man, that he should lie; Neither the son of man, that he should repent. Hath He said things, and not done them? Or, hath He spoken, and not made it good?" (Numbers 23:19)
"Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord Of Hosts, and my servant whom I have chosen: That ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, Neither shall there be after me." (Isaiah 43:10)


Even a thief is ashamed when he is caught. But you, America, you have the mind-set of a whore. There's no shame in you. You've lost your conscience You've even tried to steal The Lord's TITLE by referring to you yourselves as God(s).
...You've even called yourselves a Messiah !!

What is the Trinity?

The word "trinity" is a term used to denote the Christian doctrine that God exists as a unity of three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Each of the persons is distinct from the other, yet identical in essence. In other words, each is fully divine in nature, but each is not the totality of the other persons of the Trinity. Each has a will, loves, and says "I", and "You" when speaking. The Father is not the same person as the Son who is not the same person as the Holy Spirit who is not the same person as the Father. Each is divine, yet there are not three gods, but one God. There are three individual subsistences, or persons. The word "subsistence" means something that has a real existence. The word "person" denotes individuality and self awareness. The Trinity is three of these, though the latter term has become the dominant one used to describe the individual aspects of God known as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Included in the doctrine of the Trinity is a strict monotheism which is the teaching that there exists in all the universe a single being known as God who is self-existent and unchangeable (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8). Therefore, it is important to note that the doctrine of the trinity is not polytheistic as some of its critics proclaim. Trinitarianism is monotheistic by definition and those who claim it is polytheistic demonstrate a lack of understanding of what it really is.

The Trinity
God is three persons
Each person is divine
There is only one God.
Many theologians admit that the term "person" is not a perfect word to describe the three individual aspects/foci found in God. When we normally use the word person, we understand it to mean physical individuals who exist as separate beings from other individuals. But in God there are not three entities, nor three beings. God, is a trinity of persons consisting of one substance and one essence. God is numerically one. Yet, within the single divine essence are three individual subsistences that we call persons.

Each of the three persons is completely divine in nature though each is not the totality of the Godhead.
Each of the three persons is not the other two persons.
Each of the three persons is related to the other two, but are distinct from them.
The word "trinity" is not found in the Bible. But this does not mean that the concept is not taught there. The word "bible" is not found in the Bible either, but we use it anyway. Likewise, the words "omniscience," which means "all knowing," "omnipotence," which means "all powerful," and "omnipresence," which means "present everywhere," are not found in the Bible either. But we use these words to describe the attributes of God. So, to say that the Trinity isn't true because the word isn't in the Bible is an invalid argument.

Is there subordination in the Trinity?

There is, apparently, a subordination within the Trinity in regard to order but not substance or essence. We can see that the Father is first, the Son is second, and the Holy Spirit is third. The Father is not begotten, but the Son is (John 3:16). The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father (John 5:26). The Father sent the Son (1 John 4:10). The Son and the Father send the Holy Spirit (John 14:26; 15:26). The Father creates (Isaiah 44:24), the Son redeems (Gal. 3:13), and the Holy Spirit sanctifies (Rom. 15:16).
This subordination of order does not mean that each of the members of the Godhead are not equal or divine. For example, we see that the Father sent the Son. But this does not mean that the Son is not equal to the Father in essence and divine nature. The Son is equal to the Father in his divinity, but inferior in his humanity. A wife is to be subject to her husband but this does not negate her humanity, essence, or equality. By further analogy, a king and his servant both share human nature. Yet, the king sends the servant to do his will. Jesus said, "For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me" (John 6:38). Of course Jesus already is King, but the analogy shows that because someone is sent, it doesn't mean they are different than the one who sent him.
Critics of the Trinity will see this subordination as proof that the Trinity is false. They reason that if Jesus were truly God, then He would be completely equal to God the Father in all areas and would not, therefore, be subordinate to the Father in any way. But this objection is not logical. If we look at the analogy of the king and in the servant we certainly would not say that the servant was not human because he was sent. Being sent does not negate sameness in essence. Therefore, the fact that the Son is sent does not mean that He is not divine any more than when my wife sends me to get bread, I am not human.
Is this confusing?

Another important point about the Trinity is that it can be a difficult concept to grasp. But this does not necessitate an argument against its validity. On the contrary, the fact that it is difficult is an argument for its truth. The Bible is the self revelation of an infinite God. Therefore, we are bound to encounter concepts which are difficult to understand -- especially when dealing with an incomprehensible God who exists in all places at all times. So, when we view descriptions and attributes of God manifested in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, we discover that a completely comprehensible and understandable explanation of God's essence and nature is not possible. What we have, however, done is derive from the Scripture the truths that we can grasp and combine them into the doctrine we call The Trinity. The Trinity is, to a large extent, a mystery. After all, we are dealing with God Himself.
It is the way of the cults to reduce biblical truth to make God comprehensible and understandable by their minds. To this end, they subject God's word to their own reasoning and end in error. The following verses are often used to demonstrate that in the doctrine of the Trinity is indeed biblical.
Matt. 28:18, Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
1 Cor. 12:4-6, Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. 6And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.
2 Cor. 13:14, The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
Eph. 4:4-7, There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. 7But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
1 Pet. 1:2, "according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, that you may obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in fullest measure."
Jude 20-21, "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith; praying in the Holy Spirit; 21keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life."
__________________
Sources:
Baker's Dictionary of Theology, Everett Harrison, ed. Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1960.

Berkhoff's Systematic Theology, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1988.

Grudem, Wayne, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, MI, 1994.

Hodge's Systematic Theology, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1981.

"How do We Hear God's Voice?"

Key #1 - God’s voice in our hearts sounds like a flow of spontaneous thoughts. Therefore, when I tune to God, I tune to spontaneity.

The Bible says that the Lord answered me and said...(Hab. 2:2). Habakkuk knew the sound of God’s voice. Elijah described it as a still, small voice. I had always listened for an inner audible voice, and surely God can and does speak that way at times. However, I have found that for most of us, most of the time, God’s inner voice comes to us as spontaneous thoughts, visions, feelings, or impressions. For example, haven’t each of us had the experience of driving down the road and having a thought come to us to pray for a certain person? We generally acknowledge this to be the voice of God callus to pray for that individual. My question to you is, "What did God’s voice sound like as you drove in your car? Was it an inner, audible voice, or was it a spontaneous thought that lit upon your mind?" Most of you would say that God’s voice came to you as a spontaneous thought.

So I thought to myself, "Maybe when I listen for God’s voice, I should be listening for a flow of spontaneous thoughts. Maybe spirit-level communication is received as spontaneous thoughts, impressions, feelings, and visions." Through experimentation and feedback from thousands of others, I am now convinced that this is so.

The Bible confirms this in many ways. The definition of paga, the Hebrew word for intercession, is "a chance encounter or an accidental intersecting." When God lays people on our hearts for intercession, He does it through paga, a chance encounter thought, accidentally intersecting our thought processes. Therefore, when I tune to God, I tune to chance encounter thoughts or spontaneous thoughts. When I am poised quietly before God in prayer, I have found that the flow of spontaneous thoughts that comes is quite definitely from God.

Key #2 - I must learn to still my own thoughts and emotions, so that I can sense God’s flow of thoughts and emotions within me.

Habakkuk said, "I will stand on my guard post and station myself on the rampart..." (Hab. 2:1). Habakkuk knew that in order to hear God’s quiet, inner, spontaneous thoughts, he had to first go to a quiet place and still his own thoughts and emotions. Psalm 46:10 encourages us to be still, and know that He is God. There is a deep inner knowing (spontaneous flow) in our spirit that each of us can experience when we quiet our flesh and our minds.

I have found several simple ways to quiet myself so that I can more readily pick up God’s spontaneous flow. Loving God through a quiet worship song is a most effective means for me (note II Kings 3:15). It is as I become still (thoughts, will, and emotions) and am poised before God that the divine flow is realized. Therefore, after I worship quietly and then become still, I open myself for that spontaneous flow. If thoughts come to me of things I have forgotten to do, I write them down and then dismiss them. If thoughts of guilt or unworthiness come to my mind, I repent thoroughly, receive the washing of the blood of the Lamb, and put on His robe of righteousness, seeing myself spotless before the presence of God.

As I fix my gaze upon Jesus (Heb. 12:2), becoming quiet in His presence, and sharing with Him what is on my heart, I find that two-way dialogue begins to flow. Spontaneous thoughts flow from the throne of God to me, and I find that I am actually conversing with the King of Kings.

It is very important that you become still and properly focused if you are going to receive the pure word of God. If you are not still, you will simply be receiving your own thoughts. If you are not properly focused on Jesus, you will receive an impure flow, because the intuitive flow comes out of that upon which you have fixed your eyes. Therefore, if you fix your eyes upon Jesus, the intuitive flow comes from Jesus. If you fix your gaze upon some desire of your heart, the intuitive flow comes out of that desire of your heart. To have a pure flow you must first of all become still, and secondly, you must carefully fix your eyes upon Jesus. Again I will say, this is quite easily accomplished by quietly worshiping the King, and then receiving out of the stillness that follows.

Key #3 - As I pray, I fix the eyes of my heart upon Jesus, seeing in the spirit the dreams and visions of Almighty God.

We have already alluded to this principle in the previous paragraphs; however, we need to develop it a bit further. Habakkuk said, "I will keep watch to see," and God said, "Record the vision" (Hab. 2:1,2). It is very interesting that Habakkuk was going to actually start looking for vision as he prayed. He was going to open the eyes of his heart, and look into the spirit world to see what God wanted to show him. This is an intriguing idea.

I had never thought of opening the eyes of my heart and looking for vision. However, the more I thought of it, the more I realized this was exactly what God intends me to do. He gave me eyes in my heart. They are to be used to see in the spirit world the vision and movement of Almighty God. I believe there is an active spirit world functioning all around me. This world is full of angels, demons, the Holy Spirit, the omnipresent God, and His omnipresent Son, Jesus. There is no reason for me not to see it, other than my rational culture, which tells me not to believe it is even there and provides no instructions on how to become open to seeing this spirit world.

The most obvious prerequisite to seeing is that we need to look. Daniel was seeing a vision in his mind and he said, "I was looking...I kept looking...I kept looking" (Dan. 7:1,9,13). Now as I pray, I look for Jesus present with me, and I watch Him as He speaks to me, doing and saying the things that are on His heart. Many Christians will find that if they will only look, they will see. Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. It is as simple as that. You will see a spontaneous inner vision in a manner similar to receiving spontaneous inner thoughts. You can see Christ present with you in a comfortable setting, because Christ is present with you in a comfortable setting. Actually, you will probably discover that inner vision comes so easily you will have a tendency to reject it, thinking that it is just you. (Doubt is satan’s most effective weapon against the Church.) However, if you will persist in recording these visions, your doubt will soon be overcome by faith as you recognize that the content of them could only be birthed in Almighty God.

God continually revealed Himself to His covenant people using dream and vision. He did so from Genesis to Revelation and said that, since the Holy Spirit was poured out in Acts 2, we should expect to receive a continuing flow of dreams and visions (Acts 2:1-4). Jesus, our perfect example, demonstrated this ability of living out of ongoing contact with Almighty God. He said that He did nothing on His own initiative, but only that which he saw the Father doing, and heard the Father saying (Jn. 5:19,20,30). What an incredible way to live!

Is it actually possible for us to live out of the divine initiative as Jesus did? A major purpose of Jesus’ death and resurrection was that the veil be torn from top to bottom, giving us access into the immediate presence of God, and we are commanded to draw near (Heb. l0:19-22). Therefore, even though what I am describing seems a bit unusual to a rational twentieth century culture, it is demonstrated and described as being a central biblical teaching and experience. It is time to restore to the Church all that belongs to the Church.

Because of their intensely rational nature and existence in an overly rational culture, some will need more assistance and understanding of these truths before they can move into them. They will find this help in the book How to Hear God's Voice by the same author.

Key #4 - Journaling, the writing out of our prayers and God’s answers, provides a great new freedom in hearing God’s voice.

God told Habakkuk to record the vision and inscribe it on tablets...(Hab. 2:2). It had never crossed my mind to write out my prayers and God’s answers as Habakkuk did at God’s command. If you begin to search Scripture for this idea, you will find hundreds of chapters demonstrating it (Psalms, many of the prophets, Revelation). Why then hadn’t I ever thought of it?

I called the process "journaling," and I began experimenting with it. I discovered it to be a fabulous facilitator to clearly discerning God’s inner, spontaneous flow, because as I journaled I was able to write in faith for long periods of time, simply believing it was God. I did not have to test it as I was receiving it, (which jams one’s receiver), because I knew that when the flow was over I could go back and test and examine it carefully, making sure that it lined up with Scripture.

You will be amazed when you attempt journaling. Doubt may hinder you at first, but throw it off, reminding yourself that it is a biblical concept, and that God is present, speaking to His children. Don’t take yourself too seriously. When you do, you become tense and get in the way of the Holy Spirit’s movement. It is when we cease our labors and enter His rest that God is free to flow (Heb. 4:10). Therefore, put a smile on your face, sit back comfortably, get out your pen and paper, and turn your attention toward God in praise and worship, seeking His face. As you write out your question to God and become still, fixing your gaze on Jesus, who is present with you, you will suddenly have a very good thought in response to your question. Don’t doubt it, simply write it down. Later, as you read your journaling, you, too, will be amazed to discover that you are indeed dialoguing with God.


Some final notes: No one should attempt this without having first read through at least the New Testament (preferably, the entire Bible), nor should one attempt this unless he is submitted to solid, spiritual leadership. All major directional moves that come through journaling should be submitted before being acted upon.

Did Jesus Declare He Was God?

THE WAY



John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”



There are two ways (paths) we may take in this life. The broad way leads to total destruction. The narrow way (by Jesus) leads to everlasting life. The Scripture for this is in Matthew 7:13-14.



Matthew 7:13 “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:” Matthew 7:14 “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”



Jesus is not only the way but He is the door (gate) we enter in through. He opened the way for us when the veil of the temple was torn in the temple opening the way for us to enter heaven. Reference for this is found in Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, and Luke 23:45.



Matthew 27:51 “And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”



You see we really had no part in the temple veil being opened so that we might go boldly to the throne of God. Jesus made the way for us through the veil (symbolic of His flesh) when His flesh died on the cross.



In Matthew 3:3, John the Baptist tells us to “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”



In Acts chapter 26, Paul was on his way to Damascus when the Light of Jesus shone down on the way. Paul was blinded by that Light and gave his life to Jesus. Jesus lit up the way for Paul to follow in for the rest of his life.




THE TRUTH



There is a correct way to worship and we are commanded by Jesus how that is in John 4:24 “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”



You see, there are those who worship who are not careful enough of the way they worship. We must not believe everything we hear. We must worship the Truth (Jesus Christ). We must search diligently for the Truth and then believe on that Truth.



We are instructed to think on good things that are the true value in this world in Philippians 4:8---“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things”.



In Colossians chapter one, we read that the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ brings hope to those who have faith and believe.



Colossians 1:2 “To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Colossians 1:3 “We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,” Colossians 1:4 “Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,” Colossians 1:5 “For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;” Colossians 1:6 “Which is come unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in truth:”



1 Thessalonians 2:13 “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but, as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” The Word of God and Truth is speaking of Jesus.



We read in 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 what happens to those who follow Satan and not Jesus (who is the Truth).



2 Thessalonians 2:9 “Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,” 2 Thessalonians 2:10 “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 2 Thessalonians 2:11 “And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:” 2 Thessalonians 2:12 “That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”



1 Timothy 2:3 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;” 1 Timothy 2:4 “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” You see, Truth and Jesus are the same. It takes both to be saved. The next verses settle it. 1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” 1 Timothy 2:6 “Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 1 Timothy 2:7 “Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not,) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.”



In James we read that our Creator and our Savior reached us with His Truth. James 1:18 “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”



We must be careful in saying we are a Christian. A Christian is a “follower of” and a “believer in” the Lord Jesus Christ. If we are not walking in His Truth, we are lying if we say we are a Christian. 1 John 1:5 “This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:6 “If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:” 1 John 1:7 “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:8 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”



It gets a little stronger statement in 1 John 2:4 “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”



Here we see a direct connection between Jesus, the Spirit, and the Truth. 1 John 5:6 “This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.”



It cannot be denied that Jesus is the Truth.




THE LIFE



If we believe that the Word of God (Jesus) created all things, we have to believe that He is Life. The reference to Him being Life and being Creator is found in John chapter 1. The next Scriptures to read would be found in Genesis chapter 1. You can easily see the Spoken Word (Jesus) was Creator.



The breath of life that was breathed into Adam and Eve gave them life. They were just forms made from clay until the breath of life from Creator God (Jesus) gave them life. You and I really had no worthwhile life until Jesus took up residence in us. Our life eternal life came from Jesus.



The following Scriptures leave no doubt that the life we receive from Jesus is greater than all of this earthly life. Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?” Matthew 7:14 “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”



We find interesting Scriptures in Jesus’ own words in Matthew 10:38 “And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:39 “He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.”



Two more similar Scriptures also in Matthew extend the meaning a little further. Matthew 16:25 “For whosever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.” Matthew 16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”



One of the most used Scriptures in all the Bible pertaining to salvation is in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”



We are all familiar with the rich young ruler coming to Jesus for salvation. He asks Jesus what he must do to be saved. We read Jesus’ answer in Matthew 19:17 “And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” You see, Jesus and life eternal cannot be separated.



Matthew 25:46 “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.”



In John we read of Jesus giving spiritual water that leads to eternal life. John 4:14 “But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”



In the fifth chapter of John in Jesus’ own words He says He not only is Life but shares that Life with the believers.

John 5:25 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.” John 5:26 “For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;”



We see that it is up to us to receive the life Jesus offers us to have eternal life. John 5:39 “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” John 5:40 “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”



When Lazarus died, Jesus went with Martha to the tomb and He told her the following in His own words: John 11:25 “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” John 11:26 “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”



John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:” John 10:28 “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”



We read two very powerful Scriptures on Jesus being our Everlasting Life in Romans. Romans 6:22 “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.” Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”



There are hundreds more Scriptures on Jesus as Life, but I believe we have made the point sufficiently here.




THE SAVIOUR



We will find out in this very first verse why He was named Jesus. Matthew 1:21 “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.”



We see in the next Scripture why Jesus came to this earth. Matthew 18:11 “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.”



In the following Scripture there is no doubt at all who the Saviour is. Luke 2:11”For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”



In John 3:16 we see love so great it is hard to comprehend. John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”



In Acts 15:11 we read: “But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”



We read that even our house will be saved in Acts 16:31 “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house”.



Many a mother and dad have stood on this Scripture believing their children will be saved.



In Romans 5:1 we see the word justified. It means just as if I had never sinned. Romans 5:1 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:”



We read exactly what we must do to be saved in Romans 10:9-10. Romans 10:9 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:10 “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”



Colossians 1:13 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” Colossians 1:14 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”



1 Thessalonians 5:9 lets us know that Jesus purchased our salvation for us. All we must do is believe. 1 Thessalonians 5:9 “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,”



1 Timothy 1:15 “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”






In the next Scripture, we see that Jesus not only saved us, but gave us immortality.

2 Timothy 1:10 “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:”



Here are some more Scriptures that leave no doubt that Jesus is our Saviour.



Titus 1:4 “To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Savior.” Titus 2:13 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;” 1 John 5:11 “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” 1 John 5:12 “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 1 John 5:13 “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.” 1 John 5:20 “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”

What Denomination is Right?

What about different denominations?


The reason there are different denominations within Christianity is because the Bible allows for us to have differences of opinions. Within Christianity there are very few essential doctrines that define what it means to be a Christian. These essential doctrines are,

Jesus is both God and man (John 1:1,14; 8:24; Col. 2:9; 1 John 4:1-4).
Jesus rose from the dead physically (John 2:19-21; 1 Cor. 15:14).
Salvation is by grace through faith (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9; Gal. 3:1-2; 5:1-4).
The gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Gal. 1:8-9).
There is only one God (Exodus 20:3; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6,8)
God exists as a Trinity of persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. (See Trinity)
Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary (nature of incarnation)
As long as a church believes in these essential doctrines, then it is Christian. However, there are many things in the scriptures that have been interpreted in different ways. For example, what day of the week should be worship on, Saturday or Sunday? Should we baptize by sprinkling or baptize by immersion? Do we take communion every Sunday, once a month, or once a year? The answers to these questions do not affect whether or not someone is a Christian. It is in these issues, and others like them, that denominations are formed. It does not mean that one denomination contradicts another. It means that though they agree in the essentials, they differ in some nonessentials. This is permitted in Scripture:

"Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. 2 One man has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. 3 Let not him who eats regard with contempt him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and stand he will, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 5 One man regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Let each man be fully convinced in his own mind," (Rom. 14:1-5).

Sadly, there is another reason for denominational differences and that is the failure of Christians to live according to the will of God. The truth is that we are all sinners and we do not see things eye to eye. It is an unfortunate truth that denominational differences are due to our shortsightedness and lack of love. But, the good thing is that God loves us so much that He puts up with our failures. There waits for us, in spite of our differences, a great reward in heaven. Neither salvation nor damnation is dependent upon our differences. Our salvation is based on our relationship with Christ.

What is the Baptism of The Holy Spirit?

What is baptism in the Holy Spirit?


Baptism of the Holy Spirit1 is a term used to describe a movement of the Spirit upon and/or within a believer usually sometime after the person is saved. There is controversy surrounding this phenomenon as to whether it is legitimate or not. Some people believe that once a person is saved the Holy Spirit is in the person and there is no subsequent "baptism in the Holy Spirit." In other words, they maintain that this Baptism of the Spirit occurs at salvation. Others believe that it is possible for the Christian to experience an additional movement of the Holy Spirit sometime after salvation. Generally speaking, it is the charismatic movement that supports the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
We need to first know that all Christians receive the Spirit upon their conversion and in this sense all Christians have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. This means that they are saved and that they have all they need at that time to be able to live godly and holy lives. 1 Cor. 12:13 says, "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."
However, there are many Christians who claim to have had this "secondary" experience of the Spirit.2 They say that it has brought great blessing and comfort to them. Furthermore, they say that the results of the experience is a renewed dedication and appreciation for God, a stronger desire to read the Bible, a stronger desire to fellowship with Christians, and a deeper sense of worship of God. Millions of Christians who claim to have had this experience forces us to deal with the issue. Is it real or not? Let's look at the Scripture to find out.
The term "baptize with the Holy Spirit1" occurs several times in scripture:

Matt. 3:11, “As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

Mark 1:8, "I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Luke 3:16, "John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."

John 1:33, "And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’"

Acts 1:5, "for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Acts 11:16, "And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’"

We can clearly see that the phrase is used in the Bible. But, we do not find a clear teaching in the Bible of what the phrase means. Nevertheless, we can conclude that when a person is baptized in the Holy Spirit he has power bestowed upon him. This power is for the purpose of the preaching of the gospel (Acts 4:31), living a purer life, and having a deeper devotion to God. Also, it is frequently accompanied by speaking in tongues. Acts 2:4, "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance." At this point, I would recommend the reader to examine Acts 1-2 to see the movement of the Holy Spirit upon the early church at Pentecost.
The issue now seems to be whether or not Baptism of/in/with the Holy Spirit is a subsequent event occurring after salvation. It would seem that this is the case. In John 20:22, Jesus commanded that the disciples receive the Holy Spirit, "And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and *said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit." This means that they were saved since the Holy Spirit is not received by the unregenerate. Then, later in Acts 1:4-5 we read, "And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Conclusion

The danger of this phenomena is the potential division of the body of Christ into two categories: those who are "regular" Christians and those who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. This, of course, would be an incorrect way of looking at Christians, and this is why. If you were to step outside into a soft mist, it would take a long time to get completely wet. On the other hand, if you were to step into a torrential rain, you'd be drenched quickly.
Those who have not experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit (meaning a sudden and powerful experience) are not second class citizens by any means. They are the ones in the gentle mist who experience the Lord over a long period of time and get just as blessed as those who suddenly step into the torrent of the Spirit's presence. In fact, the Baptism of the Spirit can be a pitfall since so many people who have experienced it long for it again, almost to the point of putting the validity of their faith in the experience instead of the clear teaching of the word of God.
We must all be careful not to fall in our strengths as well as our weaknesses.

____________
1. Baptism of the Holy Spirit is also rendered as Baptism in the Holy Spirit and Baptism with the Holy Spirit
2. My own experience supports the idea that the baptism in the Holy Spirit can be a subsequent occurrence to salvation. Long after my becoming a Christian, I had an experience where the Holy Spirit moved upon me with great power. The result was an insatiable desire to read God's word, to hear praise music, and to speak of Christ. This had a profound and very long-lasting effect on my Christian life. Of course, experience is not what makes doctrinal truth. We find that in the word of God.

Is Suicide Forgivable?

If a Christian Commits Suicide,
Is He Still Forgiven?

This might seem like a perplexing question, but it does have an answer. Though the Christian who has committed suicide has committed a grave sin, he is still forgiven. But, in order to understand why a Christian who commits suicide is forgiven, we first need to understand what salvation is and what it is based upon.
Salvation is the state of being saved from God's judgment upon the sinner. The only way to be saved is to trust Jesus for the forgiveness of one's sins (John 14:6, Acts 4:12). All who do not trust Jesus alone, by faith (Rom. 5:1; Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9) are not forgiven and go to hell when they die (Matt. 25:46; John 3:18). When Jesus forgives someone, He forgives all their sins and gives them eternal life and they shall never perish (John 10:28). He does not give them temporary eternal life -- otherwise, it would not be eternal.
Salvation is not based upon what you do. In other words, you don't have to obey any Law of God in order to become saved. This is because no one is saved by keeping the Law of God (Gal. 2:21; Rom. 3:24-28). But that does not mean that you can go and sin all you want. Rom. 6:1-3 expressly condemns such action. Instead, we are saved for the purpose of purity (1 Thess. 4:7). Our salvation is strictly by God's: "By grace through faith you have been saved…" (Eph. 2:8). Other than acting by faith in trusting and accepting what Jesus did on the cross, you don't do a thing (John 1:12-3) in order to become saved. Since you did not get your salvation by what you did, you can not lose it by what you do.
What about the unforgivable sin? Is that suicide? No. Suicide is not the unforgivable sin. Jesus spoke of the unforgivable sin in Matt. 12:22-32. The context is when the Pharisees accused Jesus of casting out demons by the power of the devil. Therefore, suicide is not the unforgivable sin.

Is repentance necessary for salvation?

This is a good question and the answer is yes -- and no. Now, before you throw stones, hear me out. Repentance is a necessary result of the saving work of God, not the cause of salvation. If repentance brought salvation, then salvation is by works; or rather, the ceasing of bad works. That isn't how it works. God grants repentance to the Christian (2 Tim. 2:25). The Christian then turns from his sin; that is, he stops sinning. He is able to repent because he is saved, not to get saved.
In 1 John 1:9 it says, "If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." Confession of sin and its natural result of repentance are necessary elements of the Christian's life. But, what about the sins that we do not know we commit? If we do not confess them and do not repent of them, are we still saved? Of course we are! Otherwise, we would be forced to confess and repent of every single sin we ever commit. In effect, we'd be back under the Law, living by a rule of absolute repentance of every detail lest you be damned. This is bondage, not freedom. Jesus said His yoke was light, not hard (Matt. 11:27-30.
So, repentance is not the cause of salvation, but it is a result of salvation. The believer repents from his sins upon trusting in Christ and thereafter, continues to repent of further sins that the Lord reveals to him.

Back to the suicide issue.

Suicide is, in effect, self-murder. The unfortunate thing about it is that the one who commits it cannot repent of it. The damage is permanently done. We can see in the Bible that murderers have been redeemed (Moses, David, etc.), but they had opportunities to confess their sins and repent. With suicide, the person does not. But that does not mean the person is lost. Jesus bore all that person's sins, including suicide. If Jesus bore that person's sins on the cross 2000 years ago, and if suicide was not covered, then the Christian was never saved in the first place and the one sin of suicide is able to undo the entire work of the cross of Christ. This cannot be. Jesus either saves completely or he does not.

Is suicide always wrong?

That I cannot answer because I cannot list every possible situation. But, it seems obvious that suicide is clearly wrong, though forgivable. However, there are general categories of suicide that we could briefly comment on:

Medically Assisted Suicide - I've never seen this as being acceptable. The doctor is supposed to save life, not destroy it. But, lately as destroying the lives of the unborn is more common place, destroying the lives of the sick has become the next logical step.
Suicide to prevent prolonged torture - Let's say that someone was being tortured in an excruciating manner for an unbearably long period of time, is suicide an option? Perhaps. But if it were in this situation, why wouldn't it be all right in the medically assisted context if the patient were also in excruciating pain for long periods of time? Quite honestly, I'm not sure how to answer that one.
Suicide due to depression - Of course, this is never a good reason for suicide. Seasons pass and so does depression. The one who is depressed needs to look to Jesus and get help. Depression is real and powerful and is best fought with help. Also, severe depression robs the mind of clear thinking. People in such states are in a real way, not in their right mind.
Suicide due to a chemical imbalance in the brain - The human brain is incredibly complex and the medical community is full of accounts of extraordinary behaviors by people whose "circuits got crossed." I don't see how a situation like this would make it justifiable. I think it simply would make it more explainable.
Accidental suicide - Sometimes people accidentally kill themselves. This could mean leaning over a balcony too far and falling to one's death, or actually, purposefully taking a stupid risk like playing with a gun. Of course, with either, stupidity does not remove us from the grace of God. But then again, if it was an accident, it wouldn't be suicide would it?

Conclusion

Is the Christian forgiven for suicide? Yes. But suicide is not an option. We do not have the right to take our own lives. That belongs to God.

What Does The Bible teach About Divorce?

What Does the Bible Teach About Divorce?

Divorce is a growing problem in America. The casual attitude of divorce in the secular world is spilling over into the church where the statistics are only slightly lower. Consider the following statistics from the US Census Bureau:
In 1920, there was 1 divorce for every 7 marriages. That is 14%.
In 1940, there was 1 divorce for every 6 marriages. That is 17%.
In 1960, there was 1 divorce for every 4 marriages. That is 25%.
In 1972, there was 1 divorce for every 3 marriages. That is 33%.
In 1977, there was 1 divorce for every 2 marriages. That is 50%.(1)
Of course, the divorce rate has stayed around 50% since the 70's, but has recently exceeded that.

Marriage was first instituted by God in the Garden of Eden. It is a monogamous, physical and spiritual union between a man and a woman (Gen. 2:21-24), where adultery was forbidden (Exodus 20:14), and dissolution was not allowed. But it didn't take long for the monogamous arrangement to become corrupted. Polygamy became an accepted social custom (Gen. 16:1-2; Deut. 21:15). In fact, many of the Kings of Israel were polygamists. The norm, however, was, and still is, monogamy.

People Got Divorced in the Bible.

As is evident in the statistics above, people get divorced. Even in the Bible there was divorce. In the OT, only men were able to divorce their wives (Deut. 24:1-4). In the NT, women were also apparently able to initiate divorce (Mark 10:12; 1 Cor. 7:13). But, what is a Christian to do if he or she has been divorced? Can he remarry? Should he stay single? Is the Christian guilty of a perpetual sin if he or she divorces?
God wants the Christian to take marriage very seriously. Jesus said, "What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate," (Mark 10:9 -- see also 1 Cor. 7:10-11; Heb. 13:4.).(2) But, because we live in an imperfect world, the Bible speaks about the circumstance of divorce. Let's take a look.

The Biblical Reasons For Divorce

Adultery: Jesus said, "And I say to you, whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery," (Matt. 19:9). The word in Greek for immorality is porneia from which we get the word pornography. Sexual immorality, i.e., adultery, is a grounds for divorce according to Jesus.
Abandonment: In addressing the issue of husband and wife, Paul said, "Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace," (1 Cor. 7:15).

Some Questions Answered

I would like to say up front that the following answers are my opinions. Also, part of the answers to questions on divorce must include grace. God is not a Law Master who wants to forcefully bring His people into broken submission. God is very forgiving and loving. He wants His people to experience joy and fulfillment in their lives and this can only be done in the grace of forgiveness. Jesus bore all your sins, even the sins of divorce. They have been paid for. He will not bring them up again on the Day of Judgment. You are free in Christ.
However, there are some biblical guidelines that we need to be aware of regarding divorce. I offer the following outline as a suggestion of options.

What if a person was an unbeliever when he got divorced and it was for an unbiblical reason and later became a Christian? What should he do?
If reconciliation is an option, seek it.
However,
If the ex-spouse is not a Christian, he should not remarry the spouse because a believer is not to marry an unbeliever (2 Cor. 6:14).
If either spouse has gotten married, remarriage is not an option either (Deut. 24:3-4; Mark 10:11-12).
If the ex spouse will have nothing to do with any reconciliation or you are not able to contact this person, you are free to remarry.
If the spouse has died, you are free to remarry.
What if a person was a believer when he got divorced, but the reason was not adultery or abandonment, and wants to remarry someone different now what should he do?
If you initiated the divorce, then you should not remarry (Matt. 5:31), However....
Reconciliation with the initial spouse should be sought with confession of sin and the request for forgiveness.
If it was the spouse that left without a biblical reason, then you are free to remarry.
Reconciliation should be sought with a confession of sin.
What if a couple was divorced, married others, got divorced, and wants to become remarried to again?
The Bible says that you cannot return to your first spouse after you remarried (Deut. 24:3-4; Jer. 3:1).
If you have, nevertheless, already gotten married, continue in your marriage and seek the Lord's forgiveness. He will give it.
What if a person was a believer when he got divorced, but the reason was not adultery or abandonment, and has already gotten married. Is he in sin?
Depending on the circumstances, he may be. But he should confess his sin to the lord and spouse and seek forgiveness from the original spouse and then he should stay married and be the best husband (or wife) he can be.

I hope these brief answers help you understand some aspects of divorce and remarriage. But, brothers and sisters in Christ, please seek the advice of your pastor in this area if you have further questions.
___________________

1. Tan, Paul Lee, Encyclopedia of 7,700 Illustrations, (Garland, Texas: Bible Communications, Inc.) 1996.
2. The New American Standard Bible, (La Habra, California: The Lockman Foundation) 1977 - all quotes in this paper are from the NASB.