INSERT INTO `Tabs` (`TabID`, `TabOrder`, `ProjectID`, `TabName`, `AuthorizedRoles`, `IsVisible`, `ParentId`, `ImageList`, `Title`, `Description`, `IsDeleted`, `TabTarget`, `TabType`, `TabOwner`, `LastUpdate`, `DateCreated`, `Keywords`) VALUES
(3671, 745, 11, '1 - Giving', '', 1, 3670, NULL, 'Why, When and Where to Give', 'The Word of God has more to say about Finances than it does about\r\nheaven and hell. Jesus said trusting Him with our money was the least\r\nuse of our faith (Luke 16:9-11). If we can’t do that which is least,\r\nthen we can’t do the greater things. This is very important.\r\n<p>\r\nBefore I get into teaching on Finances, let me say that this week, I\r\nwatched a fundraiser held by a Christian network, and I was appalled. I\r\nsaw manipulation that makes con men look honest, and it was all done in\r\nthe name of the Lord with tears and lots of hype. It really grieved me,\r\nas I know it would many of you.\r\n<p>\r\nBut do you know what upset me the most? It wasn’t the minister\r\nmisrepresenting the Lord. That always has and always will happen.\r\nWhat’s the chaff to the wheat (Jer. 23:28)? We keep our eyes on Jesus\r\n(Heb. 12:1-2). \r\n<p>\r\nWhat really upset me was that these tactics work. The\r\nbody of Christ responds to this type of appeal with big bucks, and\r\nthat’s why ministers do this: It works. There are organizations\r\nreceiving hundreds of millions of dollars per year through gimmicks,\r\nlies, and manipulation.\r\n<p>\r\nThat says volumes about the immaturity in the body of Christ.\r\n<p>\r\nAs I prayed about this, I felt like the Lord said to me, “How can My\r\npeople mature in this area without teaching, because ‘faith cometh by\r\nhearing, and hearing by the word of God’ [Rom. 10:17]? So, if you want\r\nto see the body mature in this area, teach them.â€ That’s what I’m\r\ndoing.\r\n<p>\r\nIn this letter, I want to focus specifically on what the Bible has\r\nto say about why, when, and where to give. A biblical perspective in\r\nthese three areas would stop this silliness.\r\n<p>\r\nFirst, the motivation behind your gift is more important than your\r\ngift. This is the point being made in 1 Corinthians 13:3, which says,\r\n<br>\r\n~And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give\r\nmy body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.~\r\n<p>\r\nThe reason you give is more important than what or how much you give.\r\n<p>\r\nAny presentation that says you can buy God’s blessing or the salvation\r\nof a loved one or some other positive result with your financial gift\r\nis using the wrong motive to get you to give. It is true that the widow\r\ngave Elijah all she had and that her needs were supernaturally supplied\r\nfor the next three years as a result. \r\n<p>\r\nBut 1 Kings 17:9 says, ~I have\r\ncommanded a widow woman there to sustain thee.~ The Lord had commanded\r\nher to sustain Elijah. This wasn’t about getting her needs met,\r\nalthough that did happen; she was giving to help the man of God.\r\n<p>\r\nIt’s also true that Cornelius’ gifts came up before God as a memorial\r\n(Acts 10:4), but it was his faith that pleased God (Heb. 11:6). His\r\ngiving was just a manifest token of his faith and trust in the Lord.\r\nGod’s blessings cannot be bought (Acts 8:18-20).\r\n<p>\r\nIt is true that when we give, the Lord will give back to us a\r\nhundredfold in this lifetime (Mark 10:30), but giving only to get is\r\nthe wrong motivation. God prospers us so we can establish His kingdom\r\n(Deut. 8:18), give to those in need (Eph. 4:28), and abound unto every\r\ngood work (2 Cor. 9:8). \r\n<p>\r\nWe do need to expect to receive when we give,\r\nprimarily so we will be resupplied and able to give more. However, the\r\nemphasis should be on giving, not receiving. It is more blessed to give\r\nthan to receive (Acts 20:35). We should live to give and not give to\r\nlive.\r\n<p>\r\nSecond, there has been a lot of misunderstanding about when we should\r\ngive. Many Christians only give after all their needs have been met.\r\nBut the Scriptures teach that our gifts are first fruits (Prov. 3:9).\r\nThat means the first thing we do when we receive money is to honor the\r\nLord by giving a portion of it to His work. Anything less is not\r\nhonoring the Lord.\r\n<p>\r\nAlso, some of us are taught only to give at the specific command of the\r\nLord. Of course, God’s Word is His instruction, and we shouldn’t have\r\nto have an audible voice to give us further direction. There are times\r\nwhen the Lord will specifically direct our giving, but it’s not all the\r\ntime.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Scripture says,\r\n<br>\r\n~As he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of\r\nnecessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver~ (2 Cor. 9:7).\r\n<p>\r\nWhat if the only time our children ever told us they loved us was when\r\nwe told them to tell us? It is true that we have to teach our children\r\nto say things like ~Thank you~ and ~I love you.~ \r\n<p>\r\nWe do lead them into\r\nthings like that, and the Lord does lead us to give at times. But all\r\nparents long for the day when those responses come out of their\r\nchildren’s hearts spontaneously. Likewise, the Lord wants us to give as\r\nwe desire to give, not under pressure\r\n<p>\r\nSo, when we are condemned into giving or made to feel guilty if we\r\ndon’t give, that’s the wrong time to give. I had a friend who once gave\r\n$1,000 to a minister just so he and everyone else could leave. The\r\nminister said he wouldn’t let anyone go until their goal was reached.\r\nAfter three offerings, they were still $1,000 short, so my friend gave\r\nthe $1,000 just to get out of there.\r\n<p>\r\nI would never give in a situation like that. That’s rewarding negative\r\nbehavior. It’s like casting a vote and saying, “I like it. Do it again\r\neven more.â€ Every time we give to a minister who is manipulating us,\r\nit’s like casting a vote for that type of treatment. We have no right\r\nto murmur and complain when we voted for the thing we are upset about.\r\n<p>\r\nThird, concerning where we should give, that’s the easiest one of all.\r\nPaul said in 1 Corinthians 9:7-11, Galatians 6:6, 1 Timothy 5:17-18,\r\nand many other scriptures, that you are to give where you are fed. You\r\ndon’t eat at Mcdonald’s but go over to Wendy’s to pay. You pay where\r\nyou eat. Likewise, you are to give where you are fed.\r\n<p>\r\nMalachi 3:10 reads,\r\n<br>\r\n~Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in\r\nmine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I\r\nwill not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing,\r\nthat there shall not be room enough to receive it.~\r\n<p>\r\nI’ve heard many ministers use that verse to teach that your tithes\r\nbelong to your local church, and offerings above your tithes go to\r\nother ministries and benevolence work. I agree with that if your church\r\nis truly a storehouse. A storehouse is where you keep your food or go\r\nto get food.\r\n<p>\r\nThe local church is the backbone of God’s work here on earth. There are\r\nways that a local church can feed you that no other ministry can. You\r\ncan’t call me in the middle of the night or have me perform your\r\nchild’s wedding or help counsel them. You need the fellowship of other\r\nbelievers. I can’t offer you that, but the local church can.\r\n<p>\r\nBut, how many of us realize we don’t live in a perfect world where\r\nevery church is meeting the needs of the people who attend? There are\r\npeople who go to church every week and never get fed. In fact, I have\r\nmany people tell me they are starving or being poisoned in their local\r\nchurches, and they are living off my teaching.\r\n<p>\r\nIt’s wrong to get fed in one place and give your tithes and offerings\r\nto another place. If you aren’t in a local church that truly feeds you,\r\nthen get out of there and find a good one. Then give your tithes to\r\nthat church and your offerings to other ministries. But if you can’t\r\nfind a good church or, for other reasons, are staying put in a dead\r\nchurch, don’t give your money there. You are subsidizing them.\r\n<p>\r\nI can guarantee you that those who use gimmicks and condemnation to\r\nmanipulate are not truly feeding God’s people. Mainstream religion is\r\nnot feeding people. If the body of Christ was to purify their motives\r\nin giving, give only when they can do it cheerfully and not out of\r\nguilt, and give where they are truly fed, then those who aren’t feeding\r\nGod’s flock would have to repent or go out of business. \r\n<p>\r\nAlso, true\r\nministers and churches that are actually feeding the body of Christ\r\nwould have more money than they needed.\r\n<p>\r\nFor instance, our Gospel Truth television broadcasts are available to\r\nthree billion people on the planet. If only 1 percent of them actually\r\nwatched our programs, that would be thirty million people. If only 10\r\npercent of them actually received, that would be three million people\r\nper day who are blessed. A one-dollar-per-month gift would nearly\r\ndouble our income. It’s that simple.\r\n<p>\r\nEvery ministry that is truly reaching people would have similar\r\nresults. The only exception I can think of is the ministries that\r\nminister to those who can’t give, such as missionaries or those helping\r\nthe poor. Those are what I call benevolence ministries, and they need\r\ngifts from those who aren’t fed directly by them.\r\n<p>\r\nI used my chapel hour in Charis Bible College this week to teach on\r\nthis very subject, “Why, When, and Where to Give.â€ It really blessed\r\nthe students. I think this teaching would bless you and help you be\r\nmore discerning in this area. \r\n<p>\r\nAlso, I’m sure you know some people who\r\nhave bad attitudes about giving because of the abuses they’ve seen. I\r\nthink this would be a great way to get them past these hurts and help\r\nthem to begin receiving God’s best in this area of Finances.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-11 12:20:27', '2017-09-02 08:04:04', 'Why, When and Where to Give'),
(3672, 746, 11, '2 - Where Am I From', '', 1, 3670, NULL, 'Where Did I Come From', 'In one of my meetings the Lord led me to answer life’s three biggest\r\nquestions. They are: where did I come from, who am I, and where am I\r\ngoing. I have found that most people have never answered these\r\nquestions satisfactorily. In this article I will not attempt to answer\r\nall three, but I will begin with ~where did I come from?~ \r\n<p>\r\nAlthough the\r\nmost important question to your spiritual and emotional well-being is\r\n~who am I,~ it’s one that cannot be answered until you are sure of your\r\norigin. The way you answer that question dictates how you determine who\r\nyou are.\r\n<p>\r\nI’ve asked many people, ~Where did you come from,~ but I remember one\r\nman, in particular, who just started giving me his genealogy. That was\r\nnot the right answer. It was true that he descended from his\r\ngrandparents and parents biologically, but that was not his true\r\norigin. He didn’t know that we are literally an extension of God,\r\ncreated by Him. \r\n<p>\r\nFrom the book of Genesis we know that God created the\r\nheavens and the earth and everything that came out of them, including\r\nus. In Psalm 139:15-16, David was speaking to the Lord and saying, ~You\r\nknow all my parts and had them numbered before they were ever formed in\r\nmy mother’s womb.~ We were known by God long before genealogy ever\r\nentered into the picture.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Bible teaches that every human being who has ever breathed has an\r\nintuitive knowledge of the existence of God. It may not be clear, but\r\nit’s there. It is possible, however, to deny its existence. You can\r\nharden your heart to the point where you no longer feel any conviction\r\nor, even further, reach the point of becoming a reprobate, where God\r\nactually takes the knowledge of Himself away. \r\n<p>\r\nAn agnostic or an atheist\r\nis simply a person who has hardened their heart to that still small\r\nvoice of God that operates like a homing device. But the Scripture says\r\nthat inside of every person, there is a God-shaped vacuum.\r\n<p>\r\nRomans 1:18-20 says,\r\n<br>\r\n~For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness\r\nand unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;\r\nBecause that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God\r\nhath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the\r\ncreation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things\r\nthat are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are\r\nwithout excuse.~\r\n<p>\r\nIf you will really meditate on these verses, you’ll learn that you\r\ndon’t have to tell people that God hates their sin. You don’t have to\r\ntell them that God is holy and they are unholy, worthy of His judgment.\r\n<p>\r\nThe wrath of God has been revealed to every man and woman, and they are\r\nwithout excuse. That is why it’s so important to tell people about\r\nGod’s unconditional love and grace. They already feel condemned; they\r\nneed to know how to get set free.\r\n<p>\r\nWhile I was in Vietnam, I started a Bible study. In one of our\r\nmeetings, a proclaimed atheist decided he would attend and create a\r\nlittle trouble. He succeeded: he ridiculed me, asked questions I\r\ncouldn’t answer, and basically made me look like a fool. Then, he just\r\nwalked out and took all the men in the Bible study with him.\r\n<p>\r\nAbout thirty minutes later, this man came back. I was praying, ~God\r\ngive me another chance to reach this man.~ Suddenly, he walked over\r\nand, standing in front of me, said, ~I want what you have.~ Surprised,\r\nI said, ~You do?~ \r\n<p>\r\nHe told me that he knew he had discredited me and out\r\nargued me on every point, but what I had was more than an argument. He\r\ncontinued, ~You have a real relationship with God and I want one.~\r\nPraise God, I was able to lead this man to the Lord. This proclaimed\r\natheist told me later that deep in his heart he really knew there was a\r\nGod.\r\n<p>\r\nEveryone knows there’s a God! That homing device that God placed on the\r\ninside of you is constantly sending signals; it’s a still small voice.\r\nPsalm 46:10 says,\r\n<br>\r\n~Be still, and know that I am God.~\r\n<p>\r\nI believe this is literally talking about getting still before the Lord\r\nnot only physically but mentally. Your ability to hear that voice is\r\nhindered when you’re listening to the radio, watching television, or\r\nentertaining yourself in some other way. I have found that many people\r\ncan’t stand to be still. \r\n<p>\r\nThey can’t stand to be in the house alone\r\nwithout some distraction. Why, because when they get still before the\r\nLord, those three questions keep coming up: Where did I come from, who\r\nam I, where am I going.\r\n<p>\r\nI guarantee you that on the inside of every person, if they will admit\r\nit, there is the voice of God telling them of His existence. He is\r\ntelling them that they are not the center of the universe, there has\r\ngot to be something more important than serving themselves. That voice\r\ntells them there is someone bigger and more powerful than themselves\r\nand that they should be serving Him. \r\n<p>\r\nThe most miserable people I’ve\r\never met are the ones who think it’s all about them, loving themselves,\r\nserving themselves, and getting things for themselves. If they ever get\r\nquiet, the voice inside will begin to speak to them, and they will\r\nlearn a very profound revelation. It’s simple but true: There is only\r\none God and you’re not Him.\r\n<p>\r\nOnce you realize you were created by God and that you weren’t an\r\naccident or just a biological creation, you must then ask why you were\r\ncreated. First and foremost, you were created for relationship with\r\nGod. That is not limited to, but certainly includes, the born-again\r\nexperience, where you accept Jesus as your personal Savior. \r\n<p>\r\nBut after\r\nsalvation, we need to recognize that we can no more control our lives\r\nsuccessfully than we could save ourselves. We have to remain God-\r\ndependent. We need to recognize that we haven’t got sense enough,\r\nspiritually, to come in out of the rain apart from God. We just need to\r\nsay, ~God, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do; You reveal Yourself to\r\nme.~\r\n<p>\r\nJeremiah 10:23 says,\r\n<br>\r\n~O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man\r\nthat walketh to direct his steps.~\r\n<p>\r\nThis is one profound passage of Scripture. God did not make us to\r\ncontrol our own lives. He gave us the privilege and authority to\r\nchoose, but it’s foolish to choose anything less than His plan for our\r\nlives, if we want His best. \r\n<p>\r\nAnother passage of Scripture that has been\r\nvery special to me is Jeremiah 1:4-5:\r\n<br>\r\n~Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee\r\nin the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb\r\nI sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.~\r\n<p>\r\nBefore Jeremiah was ever born, before he was even formed, God was\r\ncreating him for a purpose. In Galatians 1:15 the Apostle Paul said\r\nthat God separated him unto the Gospel from his mother’s womb. These\r\nscriptures are not just for Jeremiah and Paul; they are for everyone.\r\nGod called us, appointed us, and anointed us while we were in our\r\nmothers’ wombs.\r\n<p>\r\nThe reason evolution is so popular today is because people don’t want\r\nto accept the fact that they were created by God with a purpose in\r\nmind. If they admit to a creator, then they must become accountable for\r\ntheir lives. If they can convince themselves that they weren’t created\r\nbut just evolved or that they are only the result of biology, then that\r\nbasically makes them no different than a dog, a rabbit, or any other\r\nanimal. \r\n<p>\r\nIt leaves them free to follow their instincts and fulfill the\r\nlust of the flesh and soothe their conscience while doing it. I’m not\r\ngoing to cover evolution in this letter, but the truth is that there is\r\nabsolutely no evidence that evolution is anything but a theory. Darwin\r\nhimself rejected it on his deathbed. He became a Christian and repented\r\nand lamented over the whole thing.\r\n<p>\r\nJeremiah goes on to say in chapter 29, verse 11,\r\n<br>\r\n~I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts\r\nof peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.~\r\n<p>\r\nI like knowing we have an expected end. We don’t have to guess. You can\r\nactually predict your future if you find out what God wants you to do.\r\nYou don’t have to wonder what your end will be, if you will still be\r\nserving the Lord in the end, are you going to hold on, are you going to\r\ndie a terrible death. \r\n<p>\r\nFor me, I can tell you what’s going to happen\r\nbecause I have taken the time to hear God’s voice, and He has revealed\r\nHis plan for me. I understand what my end is going to be — I’m going\r\nout in a blaze of glory, with a flash instead of a whimper.\r\n<p>\r\nIf you don’t have that confidence, it’s because you don’t know if you\r\nare where God wants you. You only have one shot at reaching your full\r\npotential in this life, and whether you do or not is completely\r\ndependent on finding God’s purpose and plan for your life. You may have\r\na degree of success by using your gifts and talents, but that’s nothing\r\ncompared to what it could be if you knew God’s will and then used those\r\ntalents in pursuit of His plan for your life.\r\n<p>\r\nI listened to a man preach once who asked this question to the\r\naudience, ~If you wanted to find the place on earth where the people\r\nwith the most potential are, where would you look?~ People started\r\ngiving ideas like: in major cities, on Wall Street, in a big company,\r\nand others. \r\n<p>\r\nFinally, he gave the answer, ~It’s a graveyard, because\r\nnearly everybody takes their potential to the grave. They never\r\nreleased it.~ Don’t go to the grave wishing you had known His will for\r\nyour life. Whatever it takes, get that question answered.\r\n<p>\r\nYou know you were created by God. You know He created you with a\r\npurpose and a plan. But be honest with yourself. Would you say, ~I\r\ndon’t know for sure that I’ve discovered God’s purpose?~ \r\n<p>\r\nYou may be\r\nright where God wants you, but if you haven’t had enough communication\r\nwith God to know beyond any shadow of a doubt, ask Him what your\r\npurpose is, and ask Him to show you your potential. Find out what it is\r\nand fulfill it.\r\n<p>\r\nYour willingness to follow God’s plan for your life will affect the\r\nlives of many others as well. You are carrying within you miracles and\r\nblessings for people in your circle of influence. If you’re not in\r\nGod’s will, those people may not receive what God has for them. \r\n<p>\r\nSome of\r\nyou may not like what I’m saying; you’re thinking I’m making it sound\r\nlike you could miss God’s plan and that would cause someone else to\r\nsuffer. Well, that’s exactly what I’m saying. So, seek Him, and He will\r\nreveal what you were created to do.\r\n<p>\r\nIt really is imperative that you answer these questions correctly. To\r\nhelp you, I’ve produced a three-part album called Life’s 3 Most\r\nImportant Questions. I have been writing about the first, ~Where Did I\r\nCome From~ but the other two questions, ~Who Am I~ and ~Where Am I\r\nGoing,~ are just as important. This series is one of the most powerful\r\nGod has given me, and I know it will be a blessing.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-02 12:50:07', '2017-09-02 08:15:02', 'Where Did I Come From'),
(3674, 747, 11, '3 - What Pleases God', '', 1, 3670, NULL, 'What Pleases God', 'During a Sunday morning service in St. Joseph, Missouri, a few years\r\nback, I asked the congregation how many of them really want to please\r\nGod more than anything else. Every hand went up. \r\n<p>\r\nThen I asked them,\r\n~How many of you think God is really pleased with you?~ Out of at least\r\n400 people, one 11-year-old boy and one 10-year-old girl raised their\r\nhands. That was all.\r\n<p>\r\nVery few believers actually Believe that they are pleasing to God . Most\r\nfeel some degree of Forgiveness and maybe acceptance, but to think that\r\nthe Lord is actually pleased with us is another matter. A person can\r\nchoose to Love you because of his or her own Goodness , but to be\r\npleased with you, they actually have to like your performance. Right?\r\n<p>\r\nWith God , no one could ever be pleasing to Him based on performance.\r\nHis standard is Perfection , and no Goodness on our part can ever\r\ncompensate for our Sins . We may Please man with our actions, but ~all\r\nhave Sinned, and come short of the Glory of God ~ (Rom. 3:23). It takes\r\nthe precious Blood of Jesus to do that.\r\n<p>\r\nThe way we Receive the Forgiveness that’s available through Jesus’\r\nBlood is by Faith (Rom. 10:9-17). When we put our Faith in Jesus as our\r\nSavior , we are pleasing God . Hebrews 11:6 says, ~But without Faith it\r\nis impossible to Please him.~\r\n<p>\r\n Faith comes from the Heart (Rom. 10:10), and God looks on the Heart -\r\nnot the actions (1 Sam. 16:7). Of course, God sees our actions and will\r\ndeal with us about them, but only because they are inseparably linked\r\nto our Hearts (Prov. 23:7). It’s our Heart5s that really concern God ,\r\nand Faith in Him ( Trust , reliance) is what He is searching the Heart \r\nfor.\r\n<p>\r\nA person whose actions are not right but who Trusts the Lord is more\r\npleasing to God than an individual who is doing the right things but\r\nhas no Faith in God . It’s not a case of those who act the best will get\r\naccepted, and those who act the worst get rejected. That would put some\r\nof the followers of other Religions ahead of many Christians , but that\r\nis not what the Bible teaches.\r\n<p>\r\nThis is exactly the point Paul is making in Romans 11:6: ~And if by\r\nGrace , then is it no more of Works : otherwise Grace is no more Grace .\r\nBut if it be of Works, then is it no more Grace : otherwise Work is no\r\nmore Work.~ \r\n<p>\r\nThat’s old English for saying, ~It’s one way or the other\r\nbut not a combination of the two.~ We’re either Saved by God’s Grace \r\nthrough what Jesus did for us, or we’re Saved by what we do without\r\nJesus, but not a combination of the two. The choice should be the\r\nobvious.\r\n<p>\r\nElijah is an example of a Great man who lived a Holy life and didn’t\r\nearn God’s pleasure with his actions. He made some serious mistakes. He\r\nran in the face of Persecution and became so depressed over it that he\r\nasked the Lord to kill him (1 Kin. 19). \r\n<p>\r\nThe Lord gave him three direct\r\ncommands in an audible voice (1 Kin. 19:15-16), and Elijah never did\r\ntwo of them (refer to my teaching entitled ~Elijah’s Downfall?~). Most\r\npeople would think God couldn’t have been pleased with Elijah, yet\r\nElijah was translated.\r\n<p>\r\nEven though our Heart conditions influence our actions, we all fail in\r\nour performance to some degree. Elijah did. If God used performance as\r\nthe basis of whether or not He was pleased with us, no one would ever\r\npass the test. ~If thou, Lord , shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord , who\r\nshall stand?~ (Ps. 130:3).\r\n<p>\r\nSatan used to accuse me and say, ~What makes you think God will use\r\nyou?~ The truth is that none of us are perfect, we don’t deserve the\r\nBlessings of God. Now I put my Faith in Jesus. It’s hard for some\r\npeople to accept this. It has been ingrained in us that if we aren’t\r\nHoly , God won’t Bless us. When God looks at you, He doesn’t see your\r\nGoodness - He sees Jesus.\r\n<p>\r\nIf you’re walking in Faith , you use Faith as the rate of exchange\r\nbetween you and God. God is pleased with you even though your actions\r\ndon’t measure up. Your life may be a wreck, but God is still pleased\r\nwith you. Our religion says that is Hypocrisy . On the contrary, the\r\nworst Sin is self-righteousness - the attitude that God owes it to you\r\nbecause you’ve been Good.\r\n<p>\r\nThe difficult thing is that there are no role models for Grace . Your\r\nemployer hires you based on performance. The parent-child relationship\r\nis based on performance, even though it shouldn’t be. When it comes to\r\nGod, your performance can’t earn you anything. If you Sin, you need a\r\nsavior. It is your Faith in Jesus that will grant you access to God.\r\n<p>\r\nMost people accept this level of Grace when it pertains to Salvation .\r\nHowever, some of you may think that after you’re BornAgain , God\r\nexpects you to pray and study; and if you don’t do these things, God\r\nwon’t Bless you. After you are BornAgain , it doesn’t change!\r\nColossians 2:6 says, ~As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the\r\nLord , so walk ye in him.~ \r\n<p>\r\nWhen we are BornAgain , we come to Jesus just\r\nas we are. In fact, if a person has a lot of Sin, it’s even more reason\r\nto come to Jesus. When it comes to being Healed , it’s a different story\r\nwith most Christians. They think if you haven’t read your Bible today\r\nor you had a fight on the way to Church , it will keep you from being\r\nHealed . That’s a double standard. \r\n<p>\r\nThat’s saying that the way you\r\napproach God after you’re BornAgain is different. Your actions may not\r\nplease God today, but you can be Healed or delivered in spite of it.\r\n<p>\r\nSome of you may think I’m advocating Sin . I’m not - your actions are\r\nimportant to you. Your holiness is important because it changes your\r\nHeart toward God and not God’s Heart toward you. Unholiness will hurt\r\nyou. Even though God will Love you just as much, you won’t Love God as\r\nmuch. It will harden your Heart toward God . \r\n<p>\r\nIt’s like eating. You must\r\neat to stay alive, but eating is not Life . If you miss one meal, will\r\nyou die? If you constantly live in Sin and never feed yourself\r\nSpiritually , it will kill you. I am not saying you should ignore your\r\nactions. You will never do everything perfectly, but don’t let it keep\r\nyou from receiving the Blessings of God .\r\n<p>\r\nLuke 22 shows us an example of someone who had Faith and pleased God.\r\nIn verses 31 and 32 Jesus is talking to Peter before the crucifixion.<br>\r\n~And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have\r\nyou, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that\r\nthy Faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy\r\nbrethren.~ \r\n<p>\r\nPeter did blow it tremendously. He denied the Lord three times. He cursed and blasphemed God, and yet Jesus prayed that his Faith wouldn’t fail. Jesus’ Prayers were always answered. Peter’s actions failed, but not his Faith . If Peter hadn’t repented it would\r\nhave killed him. He was restored to God and went on to become a pillar\r\nof the Church .\r\n<p>\r\nSome of you may be thinking, This is Great ~ I can live like the Devil and still get what I want from God.~ If you think that, I’d say you aren’t BornAgain , because a Christian wants to please God . This Word is for Christians who have a desire to serve God but who still Sin .\r\n<p>\r\nWhen that happens, you go on and catch up and stand there with\r\nconfidence in your Savior. Your Faith in Jesus pleases God . None of us get Saved and head straight on the path to God . We bounce around, but we’re still heading in the general direction.\r\n<p>\r\n~To the Praise of the Glory of his Grace , wherein he hath made us\r\naccepted in the Beloved ~ (Eph. 1:6). You do Please God through your Faith in Jesus as your Savior , and you must perceive that you Please Him.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-03-21 01:39:20', '2017-09-02 08:25:12', 'What Pleases God'),
(3675, 748, 11, '4 - Sky Is Not Falling', '', 1, 3670, NULL, 'The Sky Is Not Falling', '<b><i>Recession Starts Taking Toll: Will it lead to another crash?</i></b>\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Worries are building that today’s sagging economy may be on the brink\r\nof collapse.</i></b>\r\n<br>\r\nU.S. News & World Report\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Running Short of Cash: ~The United States and its allies scramble to\r\nhead off a global financial disaster…Finance ministers from the United\r\nStates, Britain, France, Japan and West Germany met last week near\r\nFrankfurt to find a way to avert a global economic collapse.</i></b>\r\n<br>\r\nNewsweek\r\n<p>\r\nAs you all know, these sentiments have been expressed many times over\r\nby the media in the last few months. Many are even comparing our\r\ncurrent financial situation to the Great Depression.\r\n<p>\r\nIt may surprise you, however, to learn that the two quotes above were\r\nfrom November of 1974 and December of 1982 respectively. They were made\r\nby the Fear mongers in the 70s and 80s who were predicting financial\r\ncollapse. It did not come to pass then, and this current financial\r\nsituation is also not the beginning of the end.\r\n<p>\r\nLet me quote a few statistics that you probably won’t hear from our\r\nmedia. Unemployment rose to 24.75% in 1933. In time, that improved, but\r\neven during Ronald Reagan’s first term in the latter part of 1982, the\r\nunemployment rate rose to 10.8%. Yet the rest of the 1980s were some of\r\nthe strongest economic years of growth this country has ever had. Today\r\nthe current unemployment rate is about 6%-7%. Amazingly, that means\r\n93%-94% of Americans are still working.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Dow Jones Industrial Average fell from a peak of 381.17 in October\r\nof 1929 to a low of 41.22 on July 8, 1932 - a decline of 85%. The Dow did\r\nnot return to its peak for more than 22 years. From 1929 through 1933,\r\nabout 10,000 out of the 25,000 banks in the United States disappeared\r\n(source: Business and Media Institute). It’s nothing like that today.\r\n<p>\r\nThere were no federally insured deposits during the Great Depression,\r\nbut today the FDIC guarantee is up to $250,000 per account. That simply\r\nmeans there will be no runs on the banks as there were during the Great \r\nDepression.\r\n<p>\r\nThe mortgage foreclosure rate during the Great Depression was 50%. In\r\nAugust of 2008 the national foreclosure rate was 4.4%. It may be higher\r\nnow, but it’s not even close to what it was then. The truth, even\r\nthough it may be painful, is that we have needed a major adjustment\r\nfrom the unsound lending practices of the last few decades. \r\n<p>\r\nFor\r\nexample, illegal aliens and others who had no way to pay back their\r\nloans were receiving sub-prime home loans with government guarantees.\r\nThat’s just wrong!\r\n<p>\r\nMarvin Goodfriend, who is a professor of economics at Carnegie Mellon\r\nUniversity’s Tepper School of Business in Pittsburgh, speaking on\r\nNational Public Radio, said that there is no real threat of another\r\nGreat Depression. That depression lasted nearly ten years. He sees this\r\nturning around in the next few months. On a scale of 1-10, with the\r\nGreat Depression being a 10, he sees this current situation as a 3 or\r\n4.\r\n<p>\r\nAll of this is to say, <b>The Sky Is Not Falling</b>. Chicken Little is out\r\nthere again, predicting the worst, and I’m amazed at how many people\r\nare buying into this. I kind of expect this from the Unbelievers , but\r\nmany Christians are just as worried as those who don’t have the\r\npromises of the Lord .\r\n<p>\r\nDo you remember the Y2K scare? The Unbelievers weren’t too moved by\r\nthis, but Christians predicted this was the beginning of the\r\ntribulation. I had a pastor friend who advocated that his members move\r\nout into the country, buy a year’s supply of food, and use guns to\r\nprotect themselves. I know some people who were so stressed, they lost\r\ntheir marriages over that scare.\r\n<p>\r\nOr how about the bird flu? I was in Scotland in October of 2005 when\r\none of the leading experts of the British Health Care system said there\r\nwas no question about if the bird flu would infect humans and cause a\r\npandemic, but only when. \r\n<p>\r\nThen he said that it might be one year or at\r\nthe most two years, but he stated emphatically that one-third of the\r\nworld’s population would die by October of 2007. In October of 2007 I\r\nread in USA Today that there had been a total of twelve human deaths\r\nworldwide from the bird flu. Although it’s sad that anyone died from\r\nthat, it’s a far cry from a pandemic.\r\n<p>\r\nCan you see a trend or pattern here? The world likes to exaggerate\r\n(literally lie) and present the worst-case scenarios because bad news\r\nsells. I can’t do much about the world, but I would like to use my\r\ninfluence to affect Believe rs. We are not to let our Heart s be\r\ntroubled:\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Let not your Heart be troubled: ye Believe in God , Believe also in me</i></b>\r\n(John 14:1).\r\n<p>\r\nIsaac went through hard times. There was a famine in the land (Gen.\r\n26:1). Isaac was a stranger in that land. He didn’t own any property.\r\nBut the Philistines around him panicked. They didn’t work their fields.\r\nWhat was the use? But Isaac saw it as an opportunity and took advantage\r\nof their idle fields.\r\n<p>\r\nGenesis 26:12 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Then Isaac sowed in that land, and received in the same year an\r\nhundredfold: and the Lord Blessed him.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThis happened during a drought! What was he doing sowing Seed when they\r\nwere in a drought? He was believing God ! That’s what we should do.\r\n<p>\r\nAnd since there was a drought, others hadn’t planted, and therefore\r\nfood was in short supply. Isaac got premium prices for his crops. The\r\nnext few verses go on to tell how Isaac became so prosperous that\r\nAbimelech, the king of Gerar, came to him and asked him to leave\r\nbecause he was more prosperous than that whole nation.\r\n<p>\r\nIn Genesis 26:14 and 16 reads,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>For he had possession of flocks, and possession of herds, and Great \r\nstore of servants: and the Philistines envied him…And Abimelech said\r\nunto Isaac, Go from us; for thou art much mightier than we.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThis is the news Believe rs should be listening to. We have promises\r\nfrom the Lord that He will provide our needs according to His riches IN\r\nGlory by Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). We aren’t limited by this world’s\r\neconomy! Let those who only trust in money panic. In God we trust (Ps.\r\n91:2, 118:8-9; Isa. 12:2, 26:4; and Nah. 1:7). We should be rejoicing.\r\n<p>\r\nI’m not saying you shouldn’t make adjustments. If you bought into this\r\nworld’s philosophy, getting all you can and getting it by mortgaging\r\nyour future, then come to your senses, and follow the principles of\r\nGod ’s Word. Even if you haven’t been burned, you’ve learned a valuable\r\nlesson, and now you can go forward with a new focus on the Lord as your\r\nsource.\r\n<p>\r\nAnd let me point out the obvious: This is not a time to cut back on\r\nyour sowing. You will only reap what you sow (Gal. 6:7). This is a time\r\nto Believe God as never before. This is our Great est hour. We can\r\ndemonstrate to the world, as Isaac did, that there is a God in heaven\r\nwho Blesses His people, even in the worst times.\r\n<p>\r\nWith this in mind, I am announcing another building program. We have\r\nrun out of space for meetings at our Colorado Springs facility. So, in\r\nthis time when others are drawing back, I am believing God . It is too\r\nsoon to give you all the details, but I’ve met with our builder and\r\nhave talked to neighboring businesses about acquiring their land. Here\r\nwe grow again.\r\n<p>\r\nSome will say this is the worst possible time to expand, but I’m not\r\nmarching to the drumbeat of the world. I know this is what the Lord is\r\nleading me to do, and the response we are receiving to this message\r\nconfirms it. The world is hungry for the message of God ’s unconditional\r\nlove and grace.\r\n<p>\r\nWe are setting personal records in every category of Ministry : phone\r\ncalls, website contacts, mail, and teaching material orders are all at\r\nrecord numbers. We are even beginning to receive applications for\r\nCharis Bible College’s fall term - next year! More growth is coming, and\r\nnow is the time to prepare.\r\n<p>\r\nMany of you have partnered with us in this Ministry , and I Believe \r\nGod ’s Blessing on us extends to you. You can claim Prosperity and\r\nBlessings because you have been planting Seed in good ground. Jamie and\r\nI are believing with you for a hundredfold return.\r\n<p>\r\nMost importantly, <b><i>let not your Heart be troubled - Believe in God </i></b> (John\r\n14:1).\r\n<p>\r\nBe sure to tune in to the Gospel Truth television programs December\r\n15-26. I will be teaching on this very subject in my new series, In God We Trust . I think it will be a timely Faith builder.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-03-20 22:32:28', '2017-09-02 08:30:59', 'The Sky Is Not Falling');
INSERT INTO `Tabs` (`TabID`, `TabOrder`, `ProjectID`, `TabName`, `AuthorizedRoles`, `IsVisible`, `ParentId`, `ImageList`, `Title`, `Description`, `IsDeleted`, `TabTarget`, `TabType`, `TabOwner`, `LastUpdate`, `DateCreated`, `Keywords`) VALUES
(3676, 749, 11, '5 - Romans', '', 1, 3670, NULL, 'The Gospel of Grace', 'If you’ve been a partner with us for very long, you have no doubt been impacted by the Grace of God . That’s what transformed my Life , and I know I have been specifically called to bring a Revelation of God’s Grace to this generation. I Believe that this is the number one need in the Church today.\r\n<p>\r\nIn my estimation, the book of Romans is Paul’s masterpiece on the subject of Grace . He constantly wrote of God’s Grace in all his epistles, but the letter to the Romans is special. I don’t think anyone can claim a True Revelation of Grace if they don’t have a good understanding of the book of Romans .\r\n<p>\r\nWhen I was just beginning to seek the Lord back in the late 60s, I remember the Lord telling me that if I could get Revelation of the first eight chapters of Romans , it would change my Life . I concentrated on those scriptures for years. I read them through dozens, maybe hundreds of times, and gradually, I began to get it. Sure enough, those scriptures have changed my Life as much as any in all the Word of God .\r\n<p>\r\nPaul put forth this radical statement in Romans 1:16: “The Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation .â€ That doesn’t sound as radical to us as it did to the people in Paul’s day because the term Gospel has become a Religious cliché to us. Most people don’t know what it means. In Paul’s day, it was a radical way of referring to the Grace of God as the means of obtaining right standing with Him.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Greek word from which the English word “ Gospel â€ was translated literally means, “a Good Message , or Good News .â€ It was in use before the writing of the New Testament , but it was very obscure. In my research, one commentator said there were only two times in all of Greek literature where this word was used. This is because it really meant more than just “ Good News .â€ It was more like “nearly-too-good-to-be-true news.â€ It was a superlative that was so fantastic that it was seldom used. However, this sensational word perfectly described what Jesus did for us; therefore, it became a common word among New Testament Believers .\r\n<p>\r\nToday, most Christians think the Word “Gospelâ€ is just Word that identifies Religious things. They relate preaching on the Wrath of God and impending Judgment as the Gospel , but it’s not. It’s True that those who don’t accept the Sacrifice of Jesus will spend an Eternity in Hell , but that’s not “ Good News .â€ That’s certainly not “nearly-too-good-to-be-true news.â€\r\n\r\nThe Gospel is the “ Good News ,â€ that despite our Sins and the Judgment we deserve, God has provided complete Redemption for us. Even more specifically, the Word “ Gospel â€ describes the Grace that enables us to Receive this Forgiveness .\r\n<p>\r\nIf I told you that I had a Gift of a million dollars for you, that would be Good News . That would be nearly-too-good-to-be-true news. What if I put down difficult or impossible stipulations as things you must do to Receive that money? Then it would cease to be a Gift . Your performance would be required so you would actually be earning the money. All your Joy over the “ Gift â€ would fade away as you despaired of meeting the criteria. You would probably be upset with me. It would be better to have never been offered the money than to have it dangled in front of you and then placed out of reach through impossible demands.\r\n<p>\r\nThat’s the way it is with Salvation . Just saying that Jesus provided Salvation for us is not truly the “nearly-too-good-to-be-true newsâ€ unless it is emphasized that all Jesus provided is available to us by Grace . The Grace of God is the Heart of the Gospel .\r\n<p>\r\nIn Acts 20:24, Paul said he was testifying of “the Gospel of the Grace of God .â€ He said the same thing in Galatians 1:6: “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the Grace of Christ unto another Gospel .â€ Paul equated the Grace of God with the Gospel . Any statements about God or the Salvation He provided, without highlighting the Grace of God , are not the True Gospel .\r\n<p>\r\nTelling people they are going to Hell if they don’t Repent is True , but it’s not the Gospel . Even telling people that Jesus provided an escape is not the Gospel if we tell them they have to Live Holy Lives in order to obtain that Salvation . Putting any stipulations on what we have to do to acquire God’s provision denies Grace and, therefore, is not the Gospel .\r\n<p>\r\nThese are radical statements! Most of the Church world doesn’t define the Gospel this way, but that’s the way Paul defined it, that “the Gospel ... is the Power of God unto Salvation .â€ The Power that we need to get Saved and obtain everything that Jesus provided for us is in the Gospel . If we seem powerless to Receive , it’s because we don’t have a full Revelation of the True Gospel .\r\n<p>\r\nI’ve heard people say before, “No one in America should hear the Gospel twice until everyone in the world has heard it once.â€ The point they are trying to make is that we shouldn’t put all our evangelism efforts into countries where people have already heard the Gospel . We should be putting a higher priority on bringing the Gospel to those who have never heard it.\r\n<p>\r\nI say that America hasn’t heard the Gospel . Oh, they’ve heard that there is a Heaven to gain and a Hell to shun. They’ve heard that Sin separates us from God and they have to be Forgiven of their Sins . They’ve even heard that Jesus died to Forgive their Sins . America as a whole hasn’t heard that all that Jesus provided for us is a Gift , accessible only by Faith (Rom. 5:2). American “ Christianity â€ has preached that we have to Live Holy Lives to Receive from God .\r\n<p>\r\nThe Religious system of Martin Luther’s day preached Jesus . They talked about the Forgiveness of Sins and the Wrath that awaited all who rejected the Sacrifice of Jesus . They placed such a burden of personal Holiness on the individual in order to Receive what Jesus provided that they perverted the True Gospel with all their requirements. They were not preaching the Gospel . Martin Luther received the Revelation that it is only by Grace that anyone can be Saved (Rom. 3:28), and it changed his Life and the History of the world.\r\n<p>\r\nMainstream Christianity has lost the Understanding of Grace just as surely as it was lacking prior to Martin Luther’s Revelation . We need another Reformation centered on the Grace of God .\r\n<p>\r\nAn amazing thing has happened in our presentation of the Gospel today. Evangelical Christianity Preaches Grace as the Heart of the Gospel for the initial born-again experience, but then it reverts to personal performance in order to Receive everything else from God . That’s a perversion of the Gospel too. Paul said in Colossians 2:6, “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord , so Walk ye in him.â€ That means that since we can only be BornAgain by putting Faith in God’s Grace , everything else in the Christian Life has to come the same way.\r\n<p>\r\nIf it was “just as I am without one pleaâ€ to get Saved , then it has to be the same to get Healed or prospered or delivered. Are we so foolish to think that we got Saved by Grace , but now we can be made perfect through our own efforts? (Gal. 3:3)\r\n<p>\r\nThat’s why Paul wrote the book of Galatians. The Galatians had received the Gospel and had been BornAgain , but after being Saved , they left Grace and went back to trying to earn the Blessings of God through their adherence to rules and regulations. This brought some of the harshest rebukes the Apostle Paul ever gave to anyone. He said in Galatians 3:1, “O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not Obey the Truth , before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?â€ He also said in Galatians 5:4, “ Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are Justified by the Law ; ye are fallen from Grace .â€\r\n<p>\r\nEvery great Revival in History had the Grace of God at its core. An awakening to the Grace of God will release the Power of the Gospel , and Revival will be the result. Revival isn’t the result of Holiness . Holiness is the result of Revival .\r\n<p>\r\nYou might ask, “Are you saying that we can Live in Sin because Salvation is by God’s Grace ?â€ I’m glad you asked that question. Paul addressed that very question four times in the book of Romans . You could even say that if that question never comes up, then the True Gospel that Paul preached hasn’t been presented. Most of the Gospel messages being Preached in the pulpits of America never raise that question because they aren’t Preaching the True Gospel .\r\n<p>\r\nOf course, Paul didn’t advocate a Life of Sin and neither am I. Holiness is a Fruit and not a Root of Salvation (Rom. 6:22). Paul told Titus in Titus 2:11-12, “For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly Lusts , we should Live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world.â€ Grace teaches us to Live Holy Lives . Our Holiness is a response to God’s Grace , not something we do to earn God’s Grace . Grace cannot be earned, or it wouldn’t be Grace (Rom. 11:6). When we clearly see the Grace God has extended to us, the Love of God will abound in our Lives and we will Live more Holy Lives accidentally than we ever have before on purpose.\r\n<p>\r\n Grace doesn’t give us a license to Sin , but it actually Frees us from Sin . In Romans 6:14 Paul said, “For Sin shall not have Dominion over you: for ye are not under the Law , but under Grace .â€ Grace breaks sin’s Dominion over us. The Law , or a performance-based message, gives Sin Dominion over us.\r\n<p>\r\nIf these Truths about the Gospel of God’s Grace as revealed through Paul in the book of Romans have not exploded in your Heart , I plead with you to change that today. I promise you that these Truths will transform your Life just as they have mine. The Gospel is the Power you need in your Life to Receive whatever your needs are from the Lord .\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-03-20 03:35:37', '2017-09-02 08:41:05', 'It Begins with a Sure Foundation'),
(3677, 1195, 11, 'FDIC', '', 0, 51, NULL, 'Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation', '', 0, '', 'Wiki', 12, '2017-09-11 12:31:58', NULL, 'Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation'),
(3680, 1194, 11, 'Y2K', '', 0, 51, NULL, 'Year 2000', '', 0, '', 'Wiki', 12, '2017-09-11 12:31:09', NULL, 'Year 2000'),
(3682, 752, 11, '1 - Staying Full of God', '', 1, 3681, NULL, 'Staying Full Of God', 'Do you ever feel like you and God have drifted apart and that the Love\r\nand Joy you once experienced with Him has faded? If you do, you’re not\r\nalone. \r\n<p>\r\nMost Christians feel like the experiences they have with God\r\ndiminish over time and that they need another touch. But that is not\r\nwhat the Bible teaches.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Bible says God will never leave us nor forsake us ( Heb. 13:5 ). If\r\nthat is true—and it is—who moved? As BornAgain Believers , we are all\r\ncapable of living in the Fullness of God every day of our Lives . \r\n<p>\r\nGod is\r\ncontinually pouring out His Love , Joy , Peace , Revelation Knowledge , and\r\nevery other Blessing . But we can get to a point where we’re not\r\nreceiving and <b><i>feel</i></b> like He has drifted away.\r\n<p>\r\n Romans 1:21 says,<br><br>\r\n\r\n<b><i>When they knew God , they glorified him not as God , neither were\r\nThankful ; but became Vain in their Imaginations , and their foolish\r\nHeart was darkened.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThis scripture contains four separate elements, or keys, that can lead\r\nus into and keep us operating in the Fullness of God . Expressed\r\npositively, they are Glorify God , be Thankful , recognize the Power of\r\nImagination , and have a Good Heart . \r\n<p>\r\nWe have the Power to control each of these in our lives.\r\n<p>\r\n Glorify God \r\n<p>\r\nIn many places throughout the Bible , the Word Magnify is the same Word\r\ntranslated Glorify . Therefore, Magnify and Glorify can be used\r\ninterchangeably. And Magnify means <b><i>to make bigger.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nDid you Know that you can make God bigger? Technically speaking, God is\r\nwho He is, regardless of what you Think , but in terms of your\r\nperception, He can be big or small. You have the Power to make Him one\r\nor the other in your Life .\r\n<p>\r\nMost of us have become Masters at enlarging the problem and minimizing\r\nGod and His Word . I remember a lady who thought she was pregnant but\r\nfound out she had cancer instead. The doctors said she needed a\r\nhysterectomy immediately. They said she only had a 50 percent chance of\r\nliving, and she wouldn’t live more than two weeks without surgery.\r\n<p>\r\nShe came to me, crying, <b><i>Andrew, have you heard what they said?</i></b> Now, I\r\ndon’t always respond this way, but I Believe God led me to say what I\r\ndid. I started laughing and declared, <b><i>Cancer’s no problem with God .\r\n<p>\r\nThe Lights in Heaven won’t dim from the Power drain if the Lord Heals\r\nyou! It’s not any harder to be healed of cancer than it is to be healed\r\nof a cold.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nI started Magnifying and Glorifying God . I made the Lord bigger and the\r\ncancer smaller. The only thing that made the cancer insurmountable was\r\nthe value she was placing on what the doctors said. They even called\r\nher a Fool for refusing treatment and made her sign paperwork to\r\nabsolve them of liability <b><i>when</i></b> she died. \r\n<p>\r\nBut she decided to stand her ground and believe God. \r\nIt’s now been almost twenty years since she\r\nrefused that operation—and she has a whole slew of Children .\r\n<p>\r\nWhat do you value? What’s big to you? You can Magnify the Lord and make\r\nHim and His Word bigger than any Problem . Do it by Glorifying ,\r\nPraising , and Thanking Him. Find someone in the Word who overcame a\r\nsituation similar to yours.\r\n<p>\r\n Meditate on the Word , and make it more Real\r\nto you than the Problem . You need to get to a Place where God’s Word is\r\nTrue and where He is greater than any situation.\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>All things are possible to him that believeth</i></b> ( Mark 9:23 ).\r\n<p> \r\n Thankfulness \r\n<p>\r\nPaul listed un-thankfulness as one of the signs of the end times and\r\nput it in the same verse as Covetousness , Pride , Blasphemy , and\r\nunholiness ( 2 Tim. 3:1-2 ). Not many would argue that we live in a\r\nSociety full of unthankful people, even in spite of the fact that we\r\nhave more Prosperity and opportunity than any people who have ever\r\nlived.\r\n<p>\r\nThe second key to staying full of God is a Thankful Heart . Glorifying ,\r\nMagnifying , and Thanking Him are all interrelated, but to Glorify God ,\r\nyou must be Thankful . As you are Thanking Him, you’re reminding\r\nyourself of what He has said and done, which Magnifies Him.\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i> Bless the LORD , O my Soul , and forget not all his benefits</i></b>( Ps. 103:2 ).\r\n<p>\r\nBeing Thankful involves both Humility and memory. Humility is the\r\nUnderstanding that you didn’t accomplish these things on your own.\r\nThen, Humbly remembering the Good things He has done for you always\r\nbrings Thankfulness . \r\n<p>\r\nSo, it’s important to look back and rehearse your\r\nvictories and remember whose Power brought them to pass.\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Enter into his gates with Thanksgiving , and into his courts with\r\nPraise : be Thankful unto him, and Bless his Name . For the LORD is Good ;\r\nhis Mercy is everlasting; and his Truth endureth to all generations</i></b>\r\n( Ps. 100:4-5 ).\r\n<p>\r\nEvery time you are tempted to gripe and complain about a Problem ,\r\ndon’t. Instead, enter into God’s presence and spend ten minutes\r\nThanking Him for His Goodness . \r\n<p>\r\nIf you will, you’ll find that the\r\nnatural desire to complain will cease, and the Problem will shrink as\r\nyou begin to see it in the proper perspective.\r\n<p>\r\n Imagination \r\n<p>\r\n Imagination is much more important than most people realize. The Hebrew\r\nWord that was translated <b><i> Imagination </i></b> in the Old Testament literally\r\nmeans <b><i>conception.</i></b> Imagination is how new Ideas are Conceived . Without\r\nit, people become Spiritually and creatively sterile.\r\n<p>\r\nA few years ago, I took a trip to Israel. I remember stopping in the\r\nvalley of Elah. I got out of the bus and walked down to that little\r\nstream. I picked up five smooth stones just the way David once did. I\r\nbegan to imagine what it must have been like for David when he faced\r\nGoliath. The story came alive.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Word of God comes alive when you can picture what it’s talking\r\nabout. Let the Word of God control your Imagination as you think about\r\nScriptures , and you will see things in Scripture that you can’t see\r\nwith your Physical eyes. You see it on the inside…in your Imagination .\r\n<p>\r\nWhen the Bible says you’re Healed, you’ve got to Meditate on that Truth\r\nuntil you See yourself Healed.  Most people allow their Imaginations to\r\nbecome Vain , and they agree with the image the doctors have painted\r\nrather than with the Word of God . \r\n<p>\r\nThey’re told what is going to happen,\r\nand they Imagine it as Truth .\r\n<p>\r\nWhen we fail to be Thankful and Glorify God , our Imaginations\r\nautomatically become Vain . That doesn’t mean they aren’t working; it\r\njust means they begin to Work against us. \r\n<p>\r\nThose of us with Vain\r\nImaginations are pessimists, imagining Failure instead of Success . We\r\nneed to use our Imaginations to agree with God’s Word and see ourselves\r\nthe way God sees us: Happy , Healthy , and Prosperous .\r\n<p>\r\nA Good Heart \r\n<p>\r\nThe Scripture makes it very clear that the attitude of your Heart is\r\nfar more important than your actions.\r\n<p>\r\n Jesus said it this way in Matthew 23:25-26 ,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the\r\noutside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of\r\nextortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is\r\nwithin the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean\r\nalso.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThe Lord is more concerned about your Heart than He is your actions.\r\n<p>\r\n Matthew 12:35 , Mark 7:21-23 , and Proverbs 23:7 make it even clearer:\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>A Good man out of the Good Treasure of the Heart bringeth forth Good\r\nthings: and an Evil man out of the Evil Treasure bringeth forth Evil\r\nthings</i></b> ( Matt. 12:35 ).\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>For from within, out of the Heart of men, proceed Evil thoughts,\r\nadulteries, fornications, murders, Thefts, covetousness, Wickedness ,\r\ndeceit, lasciviousness, an Evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All\r\nthese evil things come from within, and defile the man</i></b> ( Mark 7:21-23 ).\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>For as he thinketh in his Heart , so is he</i></b> ( Prov. 23:7 ).\r\n<p>\r\nOur Hearts control what we say, and they also control what we do. All\r\nof the above are products of our Hearts . The opposite of those can be\r\nTrue also. Love , Joy , Peace , Patience , and the rest of the Fruit of the\r\nSpirit are also products of what our Hearts Believe . \r\n<p>\r\nThe reason the\r\nHeart responds in a negative way is because we allow it to be dominated\r\nby external, or Physical , things instead of by the Word of God .\r\n<p>\r\nOur Understanding is then darkened, and we become insensitive to God .\r\nWe actually cause our Hearts to become hardened. The word harden,\r\naccording to the dictionary, means cold, insensitive, unfeeling, and\r\nunyielding. \r\n<p>\r\nWhen our Hearts become hardened or insensitive to God , they\r\nautomatically become sensitive, dominated by, and controlled by our\r\nPhysical senses.\r\n<p>\r\nSo, what do most people do when they realize their actions are being\r\ncontrolled by their Hearts and are causing problems for themselves and\r\nothers? They resort to behavior modification. They try to change their\r\nactions without changing their Hearts, and that never works long-term.\r\n<p>\r\nIf people want their behavior to change, they must change their Hearts .\r\nThey must make sure that the Word of God is the dominant influence.\r\n<p>\r\nIf you will put these four keys into practice in your Life , you will\r\nnever be the same. It will Change the way you Think about everyone and\r\neverything around you. It will give you a God perspective.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-05-09 23:04:06', '2017-09-02 12:38:15', 'Staying Full Of God'),
(3683, 753, 11, '2 - Sowers and Eaters', '', 1, 3681, NULL, 'Sowers and Eaters', 'Once during ministry in Decatur, Texas, at River of Life Church where\r\nmy good friends, Greg and Janice Mohr, pastor, something happened that\r\nI need to share. \r\n<p>\r\nWe had great meetings with many healings, salvations,\r\nand baptisms in the Holy Spirit. On the final night of the three-\r\nservice meeting, Pastor Greg really encouraged the people to give\r\nsacrificially toward our new building.\r\n<p>\r\nFirst of all, I’m amazed that a pastor would be encouraging his people\r\nto give big to a traveling minister. Most pastors would see this as\r\nmoney leaving their churches. \r\n<p>\r\nBut Pastor Greg is a man of integrity,\r\nand he knows giving is the key to receiving. Praise God for men and\r\nwomen of God who have pure hearts.\r\n<p>\r\nHe was urging this crowd of 300+ people to give $100,000 toward our new\r\nbuilding. He turned to 2 Corinthians 9:10 and emphasized that God\r\nprovides seed to sowers. \r\n<p>\r\nHe knew people might not have that kind of\r\nmoney right then but said if they would make a commitment to become\r\nsowers, God would give them the finances to sow.\r\n<p>\r\nTo lead the way, Greg and Janice made a $1,000 commitment of their own\r\nfinances toward the building. They didn’t have the money at the time,\r\nbut they were willing to give when the Lord gave them the seed. They\r\nmade a pledge that when God supplied, they would give.\r\n<p>\r\nThe next morning, I stopped by the church to pick up my remaining tapes\r\nand books, and Pastor Greg was all excited. He owned five plots of land\r\nthat he had been trying to sell for three years. \r\n<p>\r\nAt 8 a.m. that\r\nmorning, he received a call saying that it looked like the lots had\r\nsold. Praise the Lord! How’s that for a fast answer to prayer!\r\n<p>\r\nGreg was telling me that this was not only something for Janice and\r\nhim, but he thought there were a lot of my partners in the same\r\nsituation. \r\n<p>\r\nThey wanted to be a part of getting this new facility debt\r\nfree, but they just didn’t have the money that they would like to give.\r\nHe was telling me, <b><i>If they will make a pledge to sow some money into\r\nthis project, the Lord will give them the seed to sow.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nI’ve done a lot of thinking about this in the weeks since then, and I\r\nfeel like the Lord has increased my revelation on sowing finances. I\r\nwant to share some of that revelation with you.\r\n<p>\r\n 2 Corinthians 9:10 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your\r\nfood, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your\r\nrighteousness;</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThis verse says that God gives seed to sowers and bread to eaters.\r\nThese terms are being used metaphorically to talk about how God gives\r\nextra to people who are givers and supplies the basic needs of eaters.\r\n<p>\r\nEaters are those who are using their finances primarily for their\r\nneeds. Sowers are those who use their finances primarily to give to\r\nothers. This is about the attitude of the heart toward giving. \r\n<p>\r\nThose\r\nwho desire more money so they can get more <b><i>stuff</i></b> are eaters. Those\r\nwho desire more money so they can give more are sowers.\r\n<p>\r\nOf course, sowers have to eat too. So, as the money flows through,\r\nthere is always plenty for you. But those who are only seeking to get\r\ntheir needs met, will only get their needs met. They won’t have the\r\nabundance that comes with being a giver.\r\n<p>\r\nThis answers a lot of questions. Eaters are always focused on what they\r\nneed, and therefore, God doesn’t give them an over-abundance. They\r\nwould just spend it on themselves. Just two verses prior to the verse\r\nwe are studying, Paul said,\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always\r\nhaving all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nNotice that the reason God makes grace abound toward you is so you may\r\nabound unto every good work. Prosperity is not for you. It’s so you may\r\nbless others. That’s a radical thought.\r\n<p>\r\nMany people believe prosperity is all about greed, and that’s why they\r\noppose it. But true Bible prosperity is so you can be a blessing to\r\nothers. The attitude that says <b><i>I’ve got enough. \r\n<p>\r\nI would never ask for\r\nmore</i></b> is the wrong attitude. That’s selfish. That shows the attitude of\r\nan eater, not a sower.\r\n<p>\r\nIf you are a sower, God will bless you with a super abundance of\r\nfinances that will more than supply your need and enable you to give as\r\nyou desire. \r\n<p>\r\n 2 Corinthians 9:10 says God gives seed to sowers, so\r\nit’s accurate to say that if you are short of seed (finances), then you\r\nare not sowing like you should. God will see to it that sowers have\r\nmoney to abound unto every good work.\r\n<p>\r\n Ephesians 4:28 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working\r\nwith his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him\r\nthat needeth.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThis verse says that the reason we should work is so that we can give\r\nto those that have need. That’s amazing! Most people would say the\r\nreason we should work is so that we can pay our bills and provide for\r\nour needs. \r\n<p>\r\nBut that’s not what this scripture says. The purpose for us\r\nworking is so that we can bless others.\r\n<p>\r\nI can just hear someone saying, <b><i>But what about me? Doesn’t God want me\r\nto be blessed too?</i></b> Of course He does. But the way to blessing isn’t in\r\ntrying to meet your needs. It’s in meeting the needs of others.\r\n<p>\r\n Matthew 6:33 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all\r\nthese things shall be added unto you.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nWhen we put sowing ahead of eating, God gets involved in our finances\r\nand meets our every need. In fact, God will take better care of you\r\nthan you would take of yourself. \r\n<p>\r\nJust look at what the Lord is\r\npreparing for you in heaven. You will live in a mansion. The streets\r\nare paved with pure gold. The gates are pearls, and the foundations of\r\nthe city are precious stones. No one on earth lives in such luxury. God\r\nis El Shaddai, not El Cheapo.\r\n<p>\r\nThe thing that is hindering most of our prosperity is the fact that we\r\ntend to be eaters instead of sowers. We’re like a dam that wants to\r\nblock the flow instead of a river that lets the water pass through. \r\n<p>\r\nIf\r\nGod can get money through us, He will get it to us. This is a powerful\r\ntruth.\r\n<p>\r\nIf you can look at all your assets and say <b><i>I produced all of this,</i></b>\r\nthen you haven’t tapped into God’s abundance yet. When you put God’s\r\nkingdom first, the Lord will prosper you supernaturally. And it will be\r\nabundant.\r\n<p>\r\nJamie and I have given away a lot of cars. We didn’t do it to get cars\r\nback. We did it because we are sowers, and we like to bless people. It\r\nreally is more blessed to give than to receive. \r\n<p>\r\nBut as we put first the\r\nkingdom of God by giving to others, God has supernaturally taken care\r\nof us. We’ve had people buy new cars for us for the last 14 years. And\r\nthese are nice cars. They are nicer than we would have bought for\r\nourselves if we would have been limited to our personal income.\r\n<p>\r\nI’ve had people criticize me for driving nice cars. But what am I\r\nsupposed to do, refuse the free nice cars and spend more money on\r\nsomething not as nice so I could look humble? That’s not humble; that’s\r\nstupid.\r\n<p>\r\nWhen God gets involved in your finances, it will be embarrassing. If\r\nyou aren’t sometimes embarrassed at the way God takes care of you, then\r\nyou haven’t moved into God’s abundance yet. Our Father gets pleasure\r\nout of blessing you ( Ps. 35:27 ).\r\n<p>\r\nI’ve made an audio teaching entitled <b><i>Sowers and Eaters.</i></b> This teaching\r\ngoes into much more than what I’ve been able to share in this article.\r\nI believe it could change the way you view giving, and it could bring\r\nyou into God’s abundance.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-05-14 22:19:10', '2017-09-02 12:45:39', 'Sowers and Eaters'),
(3684, 754, 11, '3 - Sovereignty Of God', '', 1, 3681, NULL, 'Sovereignty Of God', 'My heart was really stirred this last month. I attended a meeting where\r\nan old friend of mine was ministering. He had been through some\r\nterrible things that nearly destroyed his faith. He became bitter and\r\nangry at God for the things that had happened. \r\n<p>\r\nWhen I heard him, he had\r\nhumbled himself and was again loving the Lord and excited about the\r\nfuture. Praise the Lord! However, in the process, he had come to\r\nbelieve that it was the Lord that caused all his problems. He had\r\nresigned himself to the <b><i>sovereignty of God.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nI believe this is the worst doctrine in the church today. I know that\r\nthis is a shocking statement and is near blasphemy to some people, but\r\nthe way sovereignty</i></b> is taught today is a real faith killer. The belief\r\nthat God controls everything that happens to us is one of the devil’s\r\nbiggest inroads into our lives. \r\n<p>\r\nIf this belief is true, then our\r\nactions are irrelevant, and our efforts are meaningless. What will be\r\nwill be.\r\n<p>\r\nIf we believe that God wills everything, good or bad, to happen to us,\r\nit gives us some temporary relief from confusion and condemnation, but\r\nin the long-term, it slanders God, hinders our trust in God, and leads\r\nto passiveness.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Sovereignty of God \r\n<p>\r\nThe word <b><i>sovereign</i></b> is not used in the King James Version of the\r\nBible. It is used 303 times in the Old Testament of the New\r\nInternational Version, but it is always used in association with the\r\nword <b><i>LORD</i></b> and is the equivalent of the King James Version’s <b><i>LORD\r\nGod.</i></b> Not a single one of those times is the word <b><i>sovereign</i></b> used in\r\nthe manner that it has come to be used in religion in our day and time.\r\n<p>\r\nReligion has resulted in the invention of a new meaning for the word\r\n<b><i>sovereign,</i></b> which basically means God controls everything. Nothing can\r\nhappen but what He wills or allows. However, there is nothing in the\r\nactual definition that states that. The dictionary defines <b><i>sovereign</i></b>\r\nas, <b><i>1. Paramount; supreme. 2. Having supreme rank or power. 3.\r\nIndependent: a sovereign state. 4. Excellent.</i></b> None of these\r\ndefinitions means that God controls everything.\r\n<p>\r\nIt is assumed that since God is paramount or supreme that nothing can\r\nhappen without His approval. That is not what the Scriptures teach. In\r\n 2 Peter 3:9 , Peter said, <b><i>he Lord is…not willing that any should\r\nperish, but that all should come to repentance.</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\nThis clearly states\r\nthat it is not the Lord’s will for anyone to perish, but people are\r\nperishing. Jesus said, <b><i>Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the\r\ngate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there\r\nbe which go in thereat</i></b> ( Matt. 7:13 ). Relatively few people are saved\r\ncompared to the number that are lost. God’s will for people concerning\r\nsalvation is not being accomplished.\r\n<p>\r\nThis is because the Lord gave us the freedom to choose. He doesn’t will\r\nanyone into hell. He paid for the sins of the whole world ( 1 John 2:2 ;\r\n 1 Tim. 4:10 ), but we must choose to put our faith in Christ and receive\r\nHis salvation. People are the ones choosing hell by not choosing Jesus\r\nas their Savior. It is the free will of man that damns them, not God.\r\n<p>\r\nPeople virtually have to climb over the roadblocks that God puts in\r\ntheir way to continue on their course to hell. The cross of Christ and\r\nthe drawing power of the Holy Spirit are obstacles that every sinner\r\nencounters. \r\n<p>\r\nNo one will ever stand before God and be able to fault Him\r\nfor withholding the opportunity to be saved. The Lord woos every person\r\nto Him, but we have to cooperate. Ultimately, the Lord simply enforces\r\nthe consequences of people’s own choices.\r\n<p>\r\nGod has a perfect plan for every person’s life ( Jer. 29:11 ), but He\r\ndoesn’t make us walk that path. We are free moral agents with the\r\nability to choose. He has told us what the right choices are ( Deut.\r\n30:19 ), but He doesn’t make those choices for us. God gave us the power\r\nto control our destinies.\r\n<p>\r\nTypical teaching on the sovereignty of God puts Jesus in the driver’s\r\nseat with us as passengers. On the surface that looks good. All of us\r\nhave encountered the disastrous results of doing our own thing. We\r\ndesire to be led of the Lord, and teaching that nothing happens but\r\nwhat God wills fits that nicely. \r\n<p>\r\nHowever, the Scriptures paint a\r\npicture of each of us being behind the wheel of our own lives. We are\r\nthe one doing the driving. We are supposed to take directions from the\r\nLord, but He doesn’t do the driving for us.\r\n<p>\r\nMan has been given the authority over his own life, but he must have\r\nthe Lord’s direction to succeed. Jeremiah 10:23 says, <b><i>O LORD, I know\r\nthat the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to\r\ndirect his steps.</i></b> God created us to be dependent upon Him and our\r\nindependence is at the root of all our problems. \r\n<p>\r\nAs if it wasn’t bad\r\nenough for man to try to run his affairs independently of God and His\r\nstandards, it has been made even worse by religion teaching us that all\r\nour problems are actually blessings from God. That is a faith killer.\r\nIt makes people totally passive.\r\n<p>\r\n James 4:7 says, <b><i>Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil,\r\nand he will flee from you.</i></b> This verse makes it clear that some things\r\nare from God, and some from the devil. We must submit to the things\r\nthat are of God and resist the things that are from the devil. The word\r\n<b><i>resist</i></b> means, <b><i>Actively fight against.</i></b> Saying <b><i>Whatever will be will\r\nbe</i></b> is not actively fighting against the devil.\r\n<p>\r\nIf a person really believed that God is the one who put sickness on\r\nthem because He is trying to work something for good in their life,\r\nthen they should not go to the doctor or take any medicine. That would\r\nbe resisting God’s plans. They should let the sickness run its course\r\nand thereby get the full benefit of God’s correction. Of course, no one\r\nadvocates that. That is absurd. It is even more absurd to believe that\r\nGod is the one behind the tragedy.\r\n<p>\r\n Acts 10:38 says that Jesus healed all those who were oppressed <b>of the Devil </b>. It was not God who oppressed them with sickness. It was the\r\ndevil. It’s the same today. Sickness is from the devil, not from God.\r\nWe need to resist sickness and, by faith, submit ourselves to healing,\r\nwhich is from God through the atonement of Christ.\r\n<p>\r\nI know someone is thinking, What about the Old Testament instances\r\nwhere God smote people with sickness and plagues? There is a lot I\r\ncould say about that if I had the space, but a simplified answer to\r\nthat question is that none of those instances were blessings. They were\r\ncurses. God did use sickness in the Old Testament as punishment, but in\r\nthe New Testament, \r\n<p>\r\n Jesus bore our curse for us ( Gal. 3:13 ). The Lord\r\nwould no more put sickness on a New Testament believer than He would\r\nmake us commit a sin. Both forgiveness of sin and healing are a part of\r\nthe atonement Jesus provided for us.\r\n<p>\r\nDeuteronomy, chapter 28, should forever settle this question for all\r\nwho believe the Word of God. The first 14 verses of Deuteronomy 28 list\r\nthe blessings of God and the last 53 verses list the curses of God.\r\nHealing is listed as a blessing ( Deut. 28:4 ). Sickness is listed as a\r\ncurse ( Deut. 28:22, 27-28, 35, 59-61 ). God called sickness a curse. We\r\nshould not call it a blessing.\r\n<p>\r\nKnowing that God is not the author of my problems is one of the most\r\nimportant revelations the Lord has ever given me. If I thought it was\r\nGod who killed my father when I was twelve, and some of my best friends\r\nbefore I was 20, if it was God who had people kidnap me, slander me,\r\nthreaten to kill me, and turn loved ones against me, then I would have\r\na hard time trusting God, if He was like that.\r\n<p>\r\nOn the contrary, it is very comforting to know that God only has good\r\nthings in store for me. Any problems in my life are from the devil, of\r\nmy own making, or just the results of life on a fallen planet. My\r\nheavenly Father has never done me any harm and never will. I KNOW that.\r\n<p>\r\nI am not saying that there is nothing to learn from hardships. Most of\r\nyou reading this article have come to the Lord because of something in\r\nyour life that overwhelmed you and caused you to turn to the Lord for\r\nhelp. That situation was not from God regardless of the results. It was\r\nyou turning to the Lord and the faith you placed in Him that turned\r\nyour life around, not the hardship.\r\n<p>\r\nIf hardships and problems made us better, then everyone who has had\r\nproblems would be better for them. Those who have the most trouble\r\nwould be the best. That simply is not so.\r\n<p>\r\nLet me illustrate this with a story about my son, Joshua. When he was\r\nonly a year old, I was loading lumber on a large truck in the heat of a\r\nTexas summer. I had Joshua with me, and he was having a big time\r\nplaying in the lumber yard. By mid-afternoon, he was tired and sleepy\r\nand started to lie down in the dirt for a nap. I knew his mother\r\nwouldn’t like that, so I put him in the cab of the truck to lie down\r\nand take his nap.\r\n<p>\r\nHe had been wanting to get into that truck all day, and when I put him\r\nin there, he revived. I had to roll the windows down because it was\r\nhot, and Joshua was leaning out the windows and waving at me in the\r\nside view mirrors. I told him to lie down and even gave him a spanking,\r\nbut he didn’t take heed. He leaned out the window too far, fell out of\r\nthe cab, hit his eye on the running board and landed on his head.\r\n<p>\r\nI ran up to him, prayed over him, and held him until he quit crying.\r\nThen I told him that was why I told him to lie down and go to sleep and\r\nnot lean out the window. \r\n<p>\r\nI used that situation which caused him pain,\r\nto teach him, but if Joshua would have been like the sovereignty\r\nteachers of today, he would have gone out and told all his friends that\r\nhis father made him fall out of that truck to teach him to obey. That’s\r\nnot so. I did what I could to restrain him. I would be very hurt if\r\nthat’s the way Joshua thought I was.\r\n<p>\r\nLikewise, I don’t believe it blesses our heavenly Father for us to\r\nblame Him for all the problems that come into our lives. Sure, He will\r\ncomfort us when we turn to Him in the midst of our problems, but He\r\ndoesn’t create the negative circumstances that hurt our lives.\r\n<p>\r\n God is sovereign in the sense that He is paramount and supreme. There\r\nis no one higher in authority or power, but that does not mean He\r\nexercises His power by controlling everything in our lives. God has\r\ngiven us the freedom to choose. He has a plan for us. He seeks to\r\nreveal that plan to us and urge us in that direction, but we choose. He\r\ndoesn’t make our choices for us.\r\n<p>\r\nIn many instances, it is our wrong choices that bring disaster upon us.\r\nIn other cases, our problems are nothing but an attack from the devil.\r\nIn some cases, natural forces of an imperfect world cause us pain. Our\r\ntragedies are never the judgment or correction of God. Jesus came to\r\ngive us abundant life. The devil came to steal, kill and destroy ( John 10:10 ). Don’t ever get that confused. If it’s good, it’s God. If it’s\r\nbad, it’s the devil.\r\n<p>\r\nThis is a fundamental doctrine of Christianity that must be understood\r\nproperly if you want victory in your life. Believing that God controls\r\neverything renders a person passive. Why pray and believe for something\r\nbetter? Whatever God wants will come to pass. That simply is not true.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Lord is the answer to all our problems. He is not the problem.\r\n<p>\r\nIf you would like more ministry on this pivotal point, please order my\r\nteaching entitled, <b><i>he Sovereignty of God.</i></b> There is much more detail\r\non the teaching than I was able to put into this article. This teaching\r\nwill change your life.\r\n<p>\r\nI suggest that after you listen to it that you share it with someone\r\nelse. I really believe that confusion on this subject is how Satan\r\npushes his will off on most people. This teaching could change\r\nsomeone’s life.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-03-30 21:51:31', '2017-09-02 12:54:54', 'Sovereignty Of God');
INSERT INTO `Tabs` (`TabID`, `TabOrder`, `ProjectID`, `TabName`, `AuthorizedRoles`, `IsVisible`, `ParentId`, `ImageList`, `Title`, `Description`, `IsDeleted`, `TabTarget`, `TabType`, `TabOwner`, `LastUpdate`, `DateCreated`, `Keywords`) VALUES
(3685, 755, 11, '4 - Source Of All Grief', '', 1, 3681, NULL, 'Source Of All Grief', ' God created us to live our lives focused on Him. His purpose from the\r\nvery beginning was that we should be <b><i>God-conscious,</i></b> not <b><i>self-\r\nconscious.</i></b> Until Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of\r\nthe Knowledge of Good and Evil, they were so unconscious of self that\r\nthey did not even consider their own nakedness. \r\n<p>\r\nBut after their\r\ndisobedience, they became fully aware of themselves and wanted to hide\r\nfrom God. Their focus had shifted from God to self.\r\n<p>\r\nSelf-consciousness is just another way of saying self-centeredness, and\r\nself-centeredness really is the root of all grief. People grieve or are\r\nunhappy for a lot of reasons. But, if they analyze it, they would find\r\nthat it is always the result of self being deprived of wants. So, the\r\nanswer to dealing with grief can be found in dealing with self.\r\n<p>\r\nFor example, financial problems often come when we try to live above\r\nour means, attempting to fulfill self-centered desires. It’s not that I\r\nam against prosperity—I’m not. But it’s important to have the right\r\nperspective. If you’re miserable or unhappy over the fact that you\r\ndon’t have a bigger home, a newer car, or a wide-screen television,\r\nsomething is wrong. \r\n<p>\r\nIt’s our self-centeredness that turns a want into a\r\nneed and then that need into a personal crisis.\r\n<p>\r\nIt breaks my heart to see so many Spirit-filled believers acting just\r\nas selfishly as the world. Trying to use God to obtain the things they\r\ncouldn’t get in the world, they’re still focused on what’s in it for\r\nthem. They either never knew or have forgotten some of the most\r\nimportant scriptures in the Bible concerning finances.\r\n<p>\r\n Matthew 6:33 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all\r\nthese things shall be added unto you.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nGod has already promised that our needs are met in Him and that they\r\nwill be added to us as a byproduct of seeking His kingdom first. It’s\r\ncompletely unnecessary to focus our attention on trying to get\r\nsomething from God that He has already provided. When we do, it leads\r\nus right back to the door of self-centeredness.\r\n<p>\r\nEven in the case of the death of a loved one, our grief is rooted in\r\nour personal loss. We focus on the situation from our point of view:\r\nHow can I go on without them? I won’t ever see them again on earth. We\r\nconvince ourselves that we are mourning over the death of these people,\r\nbut it’s really over how it will affect us. If that person was born\r\nagain and is now with Jesus, it should be a time to rejoice. \r\n<p>\r\nLet’s\r\nimagine the atmosphere of a believer’s funeral if we focused on the one\r\nwho was with Jesus and what that person was experiencing rather than\r\nour own self-centered thoughts about what we are losing? Instead of\r\ngrieving, what an exciting time of thanksgiving and praise it would be!\r\n<p>\r\nAnother huge source of grief is the grief that many of you experience\r\nin your relationships with other people. Why? Because when you are\r\nfocused on self, it’s easy to be offended. If you’re experiencing\r\nbitterness, hurt, or anger in a relationship with your boss, a friend,\r\nor as is most often the case, someone in your own family, God’s Word\r\nleaves you no room to misunderstand the reason.\r\n<p>\r\n Proverbs 13:10 reads,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Only by pride cometh contention.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThis verse makes it clear that pride is the source of all contention. I\r\nknow that a lot of people don’t want to hear this, but it’s not\r\ncircumstances or the personalities involved in their situations that\r\ncauses them grief—it’s their pride. Pride is not a leading cause of\r\ncontention; it’s the only cause.\r\n<p>\r\nHowever, pride is like a stick—it has two ends. Most can clearly see\r\nthe end that represents arrogance and haughtiness, but they fail to see\r\nthe other end, of low self-esteem, false humility, timidity, or\r\nshyness.\r\n<p>\r\nPeople who consider themselves timid or shy are really just full of\r\npride. Their low self-esteem causes self to dominate their thoughts.\r\nThey are so focused on what other people may think if they say or do\r\nsomething wrong. To protect self, they become timid and shy, causing\r\nthemselves much grief. If they were asked to give a testimony or lay\r\nhands on someone for prayer, their pride would prevent it. They would\r\nnot take the risk of <b>self</b> being criticized.\r\n<p>\r\nThose with false humility, on the other hand, believe that to debase\r\nself is humility, and to exalt self is pride. But that’s wrong too.\r\n<p>\r\nIn James 4:10 , it says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nWhat happens when you humble yourself (with the correct understanding\r\nof true humility), and God starts to exalt you? The truly humble will\r\nlet Him, but the proud won’t. They are too concerned about what others\r\nthink and will try to deflect it by debasing themselves. It’s just\r\nanother form of pride.\r\n<p>\r\nTrue humility is agreeing with what God’s Word says about who you are\r\nand doing what God’s Word says you can do. Then, quit worrying about\r\nwhat people may think, whether they praise you or condemn you—it just\r\ndoesn’t matter when you are truly humble and dead to self.\r\n<p>\r\nI had to work through this very thing when I first started ministering.\r\nGod used a wise man to set me free when he said, <b><i>Andy, if you ever get\r\nmore concerned about the people you are ministering to than you are\r\nabout yourself and what they think of you, God will use you!</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\nThat\r\nmeant I had to humble myself and accept the fact that God had a message\r\nto deliver through me. As a man who was so introverted that I could\r\nhardly look someone in the eye, I had to die to self and become alive\r\nin Christ.\r\n<p>\r\n 2 Timothy 2:11 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also\r\nlive with him.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nAnd in Galatians 2:20 , we read,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ\r\nliveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the\r\nfaith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThese Bible verses teach that we are supposed to be dead to self and\r\nalive in Christ. And if we are really dead, it would be impossible to\r\nbe offended. Dead people never feel a thing. They can be kicked,\r\ninsulted, or even lied about, and they just don’t care. The reason we\r\nare so easily hurt or offended is that we are still alive to self and\r\nfull of pride.\r\n<p>\r\nHowever, if we focus on becoming dead to self and alive in Christ, we\r\nwill probably fail. I used to resurrect self every morning in prayer\r\nwhile trying my best to kill it. I confessed all of the sins I thought\r\nI had committed: <b><i>Pride! Arrogance! Failure to study the Word!</i></b> On and\r\non it would go until at the end of my devotional time, I had spent the\r\nentire time focused on myself. Stupid, stupid!\r\n<p>\r\nThe correct way to deal with self is to shift your focus. Find someone\r\nwho needs prayer or ministry. Help them in their situation, and you\r\nwill find yourself forgetting about your own needs. You’ll also\r\ndiscover that what you thought was so important is really\r\ninsignificant. \r\n<p>\r\nLove for another person will always overcome self. It\r\nwill require that you give yourself away and become a living sacrifice,\r\nbut it’s worth it.\r\n<p>\r\nBut our ultimate focus has to be on God, not just others and certainly\r\nnot on ourselves. It’s only when we are totally surrendered to God that\r\nwe can love others who violate our selfish interests.\r\n<p>\r\n Romans 12:1 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye\r\npresent your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God,\r\nwhich is your reasonable service.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nIsn’t it interesting that self-sacrifice is considered by God to be our\r\nreasonable service? To do that, we must humble ourselves, reject self\r\nas <b><i>lord,</i></b> and lay it on the altar. The only problem with living\r\nsacrifices is that they tend to crawl off the altar. Even if we make\r\nthis commitment in our hearts right now, we’ll have to renew it again\r\ntomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. \r\n<p>\r\nAs long as we are here\r\non earth, we will have to make the decision to love Jesus more than\r\nself, every day.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-03-30 21:53:24', '2017-09-02 13:09:41', 'Source Of All Grief'),
(3687, 756, 11, '5 - Revelation Knowledge', '', 1, 3681, NULL, 'Revelation Knowledge', 'One of the most needed things among the body of Christ today is\r\nrevelation knowledge of the Word of God.\r\n<p>\r\nTo understand what revelation knowledge is and how to get it functional\r\nin your life, you have to know at least some of the basics about your\r\nspirit, soul, and body. Your spirit is the part of you that was changed\r\nat salvation. \r\n<p>\r\n 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, <b><i>Therefore if any man be in\r\nChrist, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all\r\nthings are become new.</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\nYour body and soul didn’t become totally new.\r\nThey can be changed and renewed as you grow in the Lord, but that is a\r\ncontinuing process. The only part of you that is completely changed at\r\nsalvation is your inner man or spirit.\r\n<p>\r\nThis born-again spirit is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him\r\nthat created him (Col. 3:10). \r\n<p>\r\n 1 Corinthians 2:16 says <b><i>But we have\r\nthe mind of Christ,</i></b> and 1 John 2:20 says <b><i>But ye have an unction from\r\nthe Holy One, and ye know all things.</i></b> These scriptures show us that\r\nour spirit man is complete in Jesus ( Col. 2:10 ). We know all things.\r\n<p>\r\nBut even though that is true in your spirit, this knowledge will not\r\nprofit your physical and soulish parts until you release it by renewing\r\nyour mind. \r\n<p>\r\n Romans 12:2 says, <b><i>And be not conformed to this world: but\r\nbe ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what\r\nis that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nOur minds are actually the battleground. Our spirits are complete ( Eph. 4:24, Col. 2:10 ), and our bodies will do what they are told, but our\r\nsoulish parts (which include our intellect) have the responsibility to\r\nchoose or exercise our free will. \r\n<p>\r\nSo in that sense, a person’s soul is\r\nthe master control over our whole person. \r\n<p>\r\nFor the born-again man, the\r\nspirit is the driving or life-giving force, but the soul has the last\r\nsay-so because of the will. God will not violate our free will except\r\nin final judgment. \r\n<p>\r\nTherefore, it is necessary that we get this <b><i>mind of\r\nChrist</i></b> (which we have received in our spiritual man) functioning in\r\nour soulish minds so we can make the right choices. This is done by\r\nstudying the Word of God. \r\n<p>\r\nGod’s Word is the wisdom of God ( Luke 11:49 ),\r\nwritten down so that our soulish man can read and understand it. But 2 Corinthians 3:6 shows us that the mere knowledge of God’s Word is not\r\nenough. \r\n<p>\r\nWe must have spiritual understanding because God’s Word is\r\nspirit and it is life ( John 6:63 ).\r\n<p>\r\nWhen the knowledge of God’s Word enters our soulish minds through\r\nhearing or studying it, our spirits bear witness with the truth and\r\nimpart wisdom, which is the ability to apply knowledge. \r\n<p>\r\nThis then\r\nbecomes revelation knowledge, not just facts about God (you could\r\nprogram a computer with that), but the knowledge of God which has been\r\ndivinely quickened in us by God through our born-again spirits.\r\n<p>\r\nThis explains why the Word of God seems to work for some people and not\r\nfor others. On the surface it may appear that all knew the Word, but in\r\ntruth, only those who overcame had the Word of God made alive on the\r\ninside of them through revelation knowledge. \r\n<p>\r\nGod’s Word works! And if\r\nwe have the true revelation of God’s Word in our hearts, we will\r\novercome the world.\r\n<p>\r\nHow do we receive the Word of God being made alive and powerful in our\r\nlives as Hebrews 4:12 talks about? One important way is by meditating\r\nGod’s Word. \r\n<p>\r\nToo many times, we get so hungry to learn God’s Word that\r\nwe don’t take sufficient time to let the mind of Christ in our spirit\r\nman give us a full disclosure of the power that is in those words.\r\n<p>\r\nThere was a time in my life when I was so busy reading every book and\r\ngoing to hear every preacher that the Lord told me to stop all of that\r\nand make the truth He had spoken to me a reality in my life. \r\n<p>\r\nI am not\r\nsaying that we should stop filling ourselves with the knowledge of the\r\nWord, but we need to realize that only the Word which has been mixed\r\nwith faith (which comes from our spiritual man, Rom. 10:10 ) will profit\r\nus ( Heb. 4:2 ). \r\n<p>\r\nWe would be better off with only a small amount of the\r\nWord in us if it was a true revelation to us from God than if we had\r\nvast amounts of Scripture with only carnal understanding. \r\n<p>\r\nThe early\r\ndisciples proved this because in comparison to the completed Word of\r\nGod that we have today, they did not have the majority of the New\r\nTestament scriptures. \r\n<p>\r\nThe Old Covenant scriptures were not readily\r\navailable to them, and yet they still transformed their present-day\r\nworld.\r\n<p>\r\nThis revelation knowledge is what has been missing in the religious\r\nrealm’s presentation of God’s Word. Carnal preachers have been putting\r\nout carnal knowledge to carnal people, and therefore, the true power of\r\nGod’s Word has not been released. But in these last days, \r\n<p>\r\nGod’s\r\nrevelation knowledge is beginning to flow among His people more than\r\never before. Believers are not responding to the titles before or\r\nbehind a man’s name but rather to the power of God’s Word, regardless\r\nof which vessel it comes through, \r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>For the kingdom of God is not in\r\nword, but in power</i></b> ( 1 Cor. 4:20 ). You can have this revelation\r\nknowledge, for God has already given to you the <b><i>mind of Christ</i></b> ( 1 Cor. 2:16 ).\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-05-16 22:56:53', '2017-09-02 13:16:43', 'Revelation Knowledge'),
(3689, 731, 11, 'Discipleship Seminar Part  6', '', 1, 3500, NULL, 'Discipleship Course Part 6', '<table width=100% height=100% background=~../../upload/RandyLucas/images/DiscipleTeaching.jpg~><tr><td valign=top>\r\n\r\n<center>\r\n<h1 style=~color:#880000; text-shadow: 2px 2px #AAAAAA;~>Discipleship Seminar Part 6</h1>\r\n</center>\r\n<p>\r\n<table width=100% cellpading=5><tr>\r\n<td width=35%>\r\n\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=darkgrey cellpadding=5 cellspacing=1><tr><td align=center bgcolor=lightyellow>\r\n<font size=2><b>\r\nJuly 29-31, 2018<br>\r\n New Life Pentecostal Church <br>\r\n401 E. Church St.<br>\r\nBenson, NC\r\n</b></font>\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n<br>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=~color:#FFFFFF; text-shadow: 2px 2px #330000;~>Sessions: </h2>\r\n<dir>\r\n<iframe id=ifrm  FRAMEBORDER=0\r\nsrc=menu.php?tabnum=3689      \r\nallowtransparency=~true~ width=225 height=265>   \r\n</iframe>\r\n</dir>\r\n\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=darkgrey cellpadding=5 cellspacing=1><tr><td bgcolor=lightyellow>\r\n<font size=1><b>\r\n<font color=red>Register:</font> email <a href=mailto:Randy@LucasCo.info>Pastor Randy</a> or \r\ncall or text (919)622-1070\r\n</b></font>\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n\r\n</td>\r\n<td width=65%>\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=lightgray cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5><tr><td bgcolor=lightblue>\r\nThis seminar uses materials from Andrew Wommack Ministries International ( AWMI ) to bring Christians of all backgrounds into a Knowledgeable , Powerful , Effective Relationship with Christ Jesus . \r\n<p>\r\nIt is non-denominational and open to the public.\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n<br>\r\n<center>\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=#FFFCCC cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5><tr>\r\n<td bgcolor=lightgray>\r\n\r\n<b>Day 1</b>    <font color=green> 7:00-7:45 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nWhat is a Relationship with God?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n             <font color=green> 7:45-8:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nWhat does Redemption really mean?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n<b>Day 2</b>   <font color=green> 7:00-7:45 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nIs Faith denying reality ?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n\r\n<hr>\r\n             <font color=green> 7:45-8:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nIs Psychology like Christianity?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n<b>Day 3</b>     <font color=green> 7:00-7:45 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nWhy do I need a partner?</dir>\r\n\r\n<hr>\r\n              <font color=green> 7:45-8:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nHow`s your Spiritual diet?\r\n\r\n</td>\r\n\r\n</tr></table>\r\n</center>\r\n</td>\r\n\r\n</tr></table>\r\n\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-07-22 23:00:49', NULL, 'Basic Discipleship Course'),
(3690, 759, 11, '1 - Relationship With God', '', 1, 3689, NULL, 'Relationship With God', ' Genesis 3 relates one of the most amazing stories in the Bible . Eve was convinced by a talking snake that she didn’t have everything she needed to make her Happy . How could this happen? \r\n<p>\r\n It’s understandable how people today are discontent and looking for something , but Adam and Eve were Perfect . They were Living in a Perfect world with No Problems . How could they fall for such a line? \r\n<p>\r\n One of the factors was that they didn’t really Know God . You may Think , <b><i>What , they walked and talked with God every day in the cool of the evening . Certainly they knew God !</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n But they didn’t really Know the Nature and Character of our Loving Father , or they would Never have Believed the Lie that God was keeping something Good from them . \r\n<p>\r\n Before Satan could tempt Eve to eat the forbidden Fruit , he had to make her Believe that the Lord didn’t have her best interests in Mind . \r\n<p>\r\n God had Never given Adam and Eve any Reason to Doubt His Love and care for them , but how did they Know there wasn’t something better out there? \r\n<p>\r\n Since they didn’t Know what Bad was , they had No Way to compare how Good God was . They had Never had the thought that God loved them so much that He would Give His Only Son to Die for them . \r\n<p>\r\n Their Knowledge of God was very limited compared to what we Now Know of God . \r\n<p>\r\n This Is a startling Truth . We can actually Know God more completely and intimately than Adam and Eve did . \r\n<p>\r\n God has revealed Himself to Us through His Word in a Way that makes Us infinitely more prepared to resist Satan’s Lies than Adam and Eve were . <b>wow</b>! \r\n<p>\r\n Knowing God through His Word Is better than having some visible or audible experience . \r\n<p>\r\n That’s what Peter said . In 2 Peter 1:15-21 , Peter was trying to assure his readers that the Gospel he had communicated to them was Not Just some fable or Tradition he had heard . He had known Jesus personally . \r\n<p>\r\n He even saw Jesus on the mountain when he began to radiate Light , and the audible voice of God came out of Heaven saying , <b><i>This Is my beloved Son , in whom I Am well pleased ; Hear ye Him</i></b> ( Matt. 17:5 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n That should be enough Proof for anybody , Right ? No , Peter doesn’t stop there . He goes on to Say , <b><i>We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy </i></b> ( 2 Pet. 1:19 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n Wait! What could be better or more trustworthy than seeing and Hearing for yourself that Jesus was God . \r\n<p>\r\n In verse 20 , he Says that the <b><i>more sure Word </i></b> Is the Scriptures . The Scriptures are more sure ( dict .-reliable ) than our own Senses . \r\n<p>\r\n Most of Us have Not had this Attitude . In Fact , many people Only study the Word hoping that by doing so , they can attain to some experience . \r\n<p>\r\n If that experience were to come , they would throw the Bible down in a second and revel in the experience . \r\n<p>\r\n We have become so dominated by Sense Knowledge that in most people’s Lives , it overrules everything else . \r\n<p>\r\n That was Eve’s Problem . She wanted to experience for herself what Good and Evil were . She wanted Knowledge that Only came by experience . \r\n<p>\r\n God’s Word wasn’t Good enough . She had to Feel it . Sound familiar? \r\n<p>\r\n Just as with Eve , Satan has Deceived Us into thinking that what we have Is Not enough . He has Us chasing an elusive Dream that doesn’t exist . \r\n<p>\r\n Sure we can Feel and experience God in some tangible Ways , but that should Not be our goal . Through God’s Word , we can Know Him in a Way that Adam and Eve Never did . \r\n<p>\r\n And if we truly Know Him , Satan Will be powerless to lead Us away from God because it’s the Goodness of God that leads Us to Repentance ( Rom. 2:4 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n Herein Lies the real root Problem for everyone: We don’t Know God as we should . It’s Not God’s fault . \r\n<p>\r\n He has been intricately involved in the affairs of men and has meticulously recorded His dealings in His Word . \r\n<p>\r\n He has also given Us the Holy Spirit to reveal the Great Truths of His Word to Us . We Just haven’t been showing up for class . \r\n<p>\r\n The Lord said , <b><i>My people are destroyed for lack of Knowledge </i></b> ( Hosea 4:6 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n Specifically , the Knowledge about the very Nature and Character of God Is missing . Galatians 5:6 Says Faith Works by Love . \r\n<p>\r\n If we really knew the Love of God in an intimate Way , our Faith would Work . \r\n<p>\r\n Peter summed it All up in 2 Pet. 1:3 by saying , <b><i>According as his Divine Power hath given unto Us All things that pertain unto Life and Godliness , through the Knowledge of him that hath called Us to Glory and Virtue .</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n If we’re missing some <b><i>thing</i></b> that God has promised Us , then we have a Knowledge Problem . \r\n<p>\r\n -- Andrew Wommack <br> Capitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas ', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-07-24 02:08:12', '2017-09-02 14:08:22', 'Relationship With God'),
(3691, 760, 11, '2 - Redemption', '', 1, 3689, NULL, 'Redemption', 'I’m going to begin this by dropping a bomb: Sin is no longer an Issue with God ; we are Redeemed ! \r\n<p>\r\n With that statement , You are either rejoicing , shocked , or confused . That is one radical statement , but one I Believe I can back up by the Word of God . \r\n<p>\r\n The Message most people Hear Says that Sin breaks your Relationship or Fellowship with God . The strictest Message Says that You Lose your Salvation ( <b><i>backslide</i></b> ) every Time You Sin , until it’s confessed . \r\n<p>\r\n Others Believe your Eternal Salvation is still secure , but You Lose Fellowship , can’t get your Prayers answered , or can’t be used of God if You Sin . That’s Not Good News , since All of us Sin ( Rom 3:23 and 1 John 1:8 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n Christians usually cope by trying to keep every Sin confessed . Let me Just put this bluntly: That’s impossible! The Bible Says that whatever is Not of Faith is Sin ( Rom 14:23 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n Do we always Walk in Faith ? James 4:17 reveals that Sin isn’t Only doing things that are Wrong , but it’s Not doing what we Know is Right . Would any claim they are Loving God and others as they Know they should? \r\n<p>\r\n By these definitions , we All Sin through the weakness of our Flesh . It’s impossible to keep every Sin confessed . \r\n<p>\r\n Even if it were possible , that puts the burden of Salvation on our backs . There wouldn’t be any Peace or Rest in our Relationship with the Lord if that’s the Way it worked ( Rom 5:1 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n Most people , including Christians , See the Forgiveness of Sins as something that God can do , and continues to do , but Not as something He has completed . \r\n<p>\r\n From that comes the false concept that we must constantly Confess our Sins , which makes and keeps us Sin Conscious . \r\n<p>\r\n The New Testament presents the Forgiveness of Sins as something that is already accomplished and that the effect of this Redemption is that we are Not even to be Conscious of Sin ( Heb 10:1-2 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n Ask yourself , what produced the Forgiveness of Sins and when did that happen? \r\n<p>\r\n Jesus was the Lamb of God that took away the Sins of the world ( John 1:29 ) . It was through the shedding of Jesus’ Blood that You Received Redemption , which is the Forgiveness of your Sins ( Eph 1:7 and Col 1:14 ) .` \r\n<p>\r\n When did Jesus Die and shed His Blood for our Sins ? About 2 ,000 years ago . \r\n<p>\r\n He Will Never Die again ( Rom . 6:9-10 ) . He dealt with the Sins of the whole Human Race once , for All Time ( Heb 9:25-28 Heb 10:10-14 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n Jesus’ Sacrifice for our Sins is already an accomplished Work . \r\n<p>\r\n We don’t have to Ask Jesus to Forgive our Sins ; He’s already done it . \r\n<p>\r\n Paul didn’t tell the Philippian jailor to Ask Jesus to Forgive him ; \r\n<p>\r\n Paul told him to Believe on what Jesus had already done and he would be Saved ( Acts 16:31 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n We Confess the Lord Jesus , Not our Sins , to Receive this Gift of Salvation ( Rom 10:9 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n Does that mean everyone in the whole world is Saved ? Certainly Not . We have to Receive Forgiveness by Faith ( Acts 26:18 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n The Lord has already Forgiven everyone’s Sins ( 1 Jhn 2:2 ) . That’s Grace . But we have to put Faith in what God has already accomplished by Grace to be Saved ( Eph 2:8 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n Therefore , it’s Not a person’s many Sins that sends them to Hell ; Sin has already been paid for and Forgiven . \r\n<p>\r\n It’s the singular Sin of Not Believing on Jesus that sends a person to Hell . \r\n<p>\r\n It’s their failure to accept what Jesus did for them that puts them into that Place of Eternal Torment . \r\n<p>\r\n John 16:8-9 Says , <br> <b><i>And when he is come , he Will Reprove the world of Sin , and of Righteousness , and of Judgment : Of Sin , because they Believe Not on me .</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n The singular Sin the Holy Spirit Reproves us of is the Sin of Not Believing on Jesus . That’s it . \r\n<p>\r\n That’s Not to Say that the Holy Spirit Will Not show us that things we do are Wrong . \r\n<p>\r\n But He uses them to illustrate that we don’t Believe on Jesus . The Holy Spirit isn’t nailing us every Time we Sin ; \r\n<p>\r\n He Loves us back into Faith and Trust in Jesus . That’s the whole Issue with God . \r\n<p>\r\n What difference does it make in our Lives if we accept Forgiveness as something that has already been accomplished or Not ? \r\n<p>\r\n There is a huge difference! It Gives us Security and Peace , knowing that God isn’t mad at us and won’t be mad at us . \r\n<p>\r\n Our Sins are already Forgiven - and Not Just the past Sins we committed before we were BornAgain . \r\n<p>\r\n All of our Sins - past , present , and even future ones - are already Forgiven . \r\n<p>\r\n Someone Will Say , <b><i>How can God Forgive our Sins before we commit them?</i></b> Well , You better Pray that He can do that , because Jesus Only Died for our Sins once ; 2 ,000 years ago ; before You committed any Sin . \r\n<p>\r\n If He can’t Forgive Sins before You commit them , then You can’t be Saved . \r\n<p>\r\n It Says in Hebrews 10:10-12 ,14 , <br> <b><i>By the which Will we are Sanctified through the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for All . And every Priest standeth daily ministering and Offering oftentimes the same Sacrifices , which can Never take away sins: \r\n<p>\r\n But this man , after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever , sat down on the Right hand of God ; For by one Offering he hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified </i></b> ( emphasis mine ) . \r\n<p>\r\n We have Received Eternal , Not momentary , Redemption ( Heb 9:12 ) . One Sacrifice was made for All Sin Forever , and we have been perfected Forever . \r\n<p>\r\n How can we Read these Scriptures and come to any other conclusion than that every Sin - past , present , and future - was Forgiven and our Redemption is Eternal ? \r\n<p>\r\n If You have accepted the Sacrifice of Jesus for your Sins by Faith , then your Spirit is Perfect ( Heb . 12:23 )! \r\n<p>\r\n Your Spirit has been BornAgain . A million years from Now , your Spirit Will be identical to what it is Right Now , and it is identical to Jesus ( 1 Cor 6:17 and 1 John 4:17 ) . One-third of your Redemption is complete . \r\n<p>\r\n So , am I making Light of Sin or saying Sin doesn’t matter? \r\n<p>\r\n No! Sin is a terrible thing , and it’s an inroad for Satan into your Life ( Rom 6:16 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n I Hate Sin ! I Live a holier Life than most of You reading this . I Just Value the Blood and the Atonement of Jesus above Sin . \r\n<p>\r\n His Sacrifice was infinitely greater than All the past , present , and future Transgressions of the entire Human Race . Jesus overpaid the debt we owed . \r\n<p>\r\n You might Say , <b><i>What about 1 Jhn 1:9 ?</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n I’m Glad You brought that up . \r\n<p>\r\n 1 Jhn 1:9 Says , <br> <b><i>If we Confess our Sins , [God] is Faithful and Just to Forgive us our Sins , and to cleanse us from All unrighteousness</i></b> ( brackets mine ) . \r\n<p>\r\n We don’t have to Confess Sin in order to be Saved , to retain , or to maintain our Salvation . \r\n<p>\r\n If I Believed that was so , I would Kill every person who came forward for Salvation . I might go to Hell , but that’s the Only Way they would ever get to Heaven . \r\n<p>\r\n We Need to Confess it , Not for the Purpose of becoming BornAgain , but because our Flesh gets defiled . That Gives Satan a legal Right to function in our Flesh ( Rom 6:16 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n Confessing we have sinned means we are coming back into agreement with God and out of agreement with the Devil . \r\n<p>\r\n That stops Satan from dominating us through that Sin and draws the Forgiveness and purity , which is already in our BornAgain Spirits , out into our Flesh . \r\n<p>\r\n Our BornAgain Spirits are already eternally Redeemed ( Heb 9:12 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n The other two-thirds , your Soul and Body , have also been purchased by His Blood , but their Redemption has Not yet taken Place . However , God has made Provision for this as well . \r\n<p>\r\n Romans 8:23 Reads , <br> <b><i>And Not Only they , but ourselves also , which have the firstfruits of the Spirit , even we ourselves groan within ourselves , waiting for the adoption , to wit , the Redemption of our Body .</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n Ephesians 1:14 Says , <br> <b><i>Which is the earnest of our Inheritance until the Redemption of the purchased possession , unto the Praise of His Glory .</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n When Redemption is complete in Spirit , Soul , and Body , we Will Know Him as we are known ( 1 Cor 13:12 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n But until then , we can experience a Renewed Mind through His Word . \r\n<p>\r\n And although we are waiting for the Redemption of our bodies , we can Receive Healing while we Live in our mortal bodies . \r\n<p>\r\n God has made Provision for both the Soul and the Body even though their Redemption has Not yet been made Manifest . \r\n<p>\r\n Unfortunately , most Christians are Not taking advantage of these Provisions . They have Not Renewed their Minds , and they still don’t Understand that we are also Redeemed from the Curse of the Law ( Gal 3:13 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n The average New Testament Believer is still trying to get God to respond to them based on their Performance . \r\n<p>\r\n Why? Because they don’t Know that the Performance Covenant of the Old Testament Law is over . We are Now under the New Testament Ministry of Grace and Faith ( 2 Cor 3:7-8 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n The Law was given to Convict people of their self-righteousness so they could See their Need for a Savior . \r\n<p>\r\n Praise God , we are Now no longer under the Law . First Timothy 1:9 Says that the Law is Not made for a Righteous man . \r\n<p>\r\n And who is Righteous? Any person who is BornAgain ( 2 Cor 5:21 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n Hebrews 7:12 ,18 Says , <br> <b><i>For the priesthood being changed , there is made of necessity a Change also of the Law . For there is verily a disannulling of the Commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof .</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n What a radical statement! A disannulling! The Word disannulling literally means cancellation , to make null and void . \r\n<p>\r\n The Old Testament Law has been nullified , canceled , done away with . The Law was Weak and unprofitable . It was Only a stop-gap measure until Jesus ( Gal 3:23-25 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n Ephesians 1:3-5 Says , <br> <b><i>[He] hath Blessed us with All Spiritual Blessing . . . hath chosen us . . . Having Predestined us unto the adoption of Children </i></b> ( brackets and emphasis mine ) . \r\n<p>\r\n In the Greek , <b><i>hath</i></b> is an aortas tense , which means it is a done deal . . . it’s an accomplished Fact . \r\n<p>\r\n So how Blessed is All Spiritual Blessings ? Verse 6 Says that we have been accepted in the Beloved . \r\n<p>\r\n Really , that is a super understatement . The Greek Word that is used for <b><i>accepted</i></b> is Only used twice in the New Testament . The other Place is in Luke 1 where the the Angel Gabriel appeared unto Mary . \r\n<p>\r\n Gabriel said , <b><i>Hail thou that are highly favoured , the Lord is with thee</i></b> ( verse 28 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n The Greek Word for <b><i>highly favoured</i></b> is the Only other Time that this Word was used . When it Says that we are accepted in the Beloved , it is saying He has made us highly favored . \r\n<p>\r\n Mary hasn’t got anything on a BornAgain Believer . Every one of us is accepted , chosen , and highly favored . It’s All part of Redemption . \r\n<p>\r\n Understanding Redemption , the complete Forgiveness of your Sins , is foundational to Understanding the New Covenant and how God deals with You today . \r\n<p>\r\n If you’re BornAgain and still asking questions like these: <br> <b><i>Can I Lose my Salvation ?</i></b> <br><b><i>If I Die with unconfessed Sin , Will I go to Heaven ?</i></b> or <br><b><i>Does God Answer the Prayers of someone who still Sins?</i></b> <br>then You do Not Understand Redemption . \r\n<p>\r\n Redemption is very practical , and your Understanding of it Will determine what You are able to Receive from God , Not Just in Eternity , but here and Now . \r\n<p>\r\n -- Andrew Wommack <br> Capitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas ', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-07-30 22:25:55', '2017-09-02 14:14:05', 'Redemption'),
(3692, 761, 11, '3 - The Reality Of Faith', '', 1, 3689, NULL, 'The Reality Of Faith', ' Many people Think Faith Is acting like something Is so when it really isn’t so , and if we do that long enough , then it Will become so . But that’s Not it at All . Faith Is real . \r\n<p>\r\n Hebrews 11:1 Says , <br> <b><i>Now Faith Is the substance of things hoped for , the evidence of things Not seen .</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n Faith Is substance . This Is saying that Faith Is real . It Is the evidence of things Not seen . Notice it didn’t Say <b><i>things that don’t exist .</i></b> They do exist . They Just aren’t seen . \r\n<p>\r\n Even in the natural world , we’ve come to realize that there are things that do exist that we can’t See . We can’t See television signals , but they do exist . In Fact , wherever You are Right Now , there are television signals Right there with You . \r\n<p>\r\n If You Say <b><i>No there aren’t</i></b> Just because You can’t See or Hear them , that doesn’t mean they don’t exist . It Just means You aren’t very smart . They do exist , they are Just unseen . They are unseen realities . \r\n<p>\r\n A television set can make unseen signals visible . When we See the Images Is Not when they became real . They were already there . A television set doesn’t generate Images . The set Just Receives the signal and Converts it into sights and sounds that we can perceive . But the television signals were already there , before we tuned them in . \r\n<p>\r\n Probably every person reading this letter has watched television when suddenly the picture went blank . What did You do? I bet You didn’t call the television station and complain about them stopping their broadcast . The first thing You did was check and See if everything was working on your television set . \r\n<p>\r\n Was the electricity on? Was it plugged in? Did a tube go out or did some circuit melt? You checked your receiver to See what was Wrong with it . You Trust that the station broadcasts 24/7 . You don’t question that until You eliminate All the possible Problems with your set . \r\n<p>\r\n Likewise , God Is real and does exist . He Just can’t be seen . He Is broadcasting All His Power and Blessings 24/7 . It’s Never God’s transmitter that Is broken . It’s always our receiver that Is the Problem . \r\n<p>\r\n If we Ask God for something and we don’t See it Manifest instantly , most people question Why God hasn’t answered that Prayer yet . They assume that because they haven’t seen or heard anything , nothing has happened . That’s All Wrong . We Need to have more Faith in God than we have in a television station . \r\n<p>\r\n There Is a very Good illustration of this Truth in 2 Kings 6 . Elisha , the prophet of God , was revealing the Syrian’s battle plans to the King of Israel . Every Time the King of Syria tried to ambush the King of Israel , Elisha would warn the King of Israel , and he would ambush the Syrian’s ambush . \r\n<p>\r\n This happened so often that the King of Syria finally asked his servants to reveal who the traitor was . He knew that the King of Israel could Not be maneuvering like he was without inside Information . \r\n<p>\r\n When one of the King of Syria’s servants said that Elisha , the prophet of God , was revealing the Words that the King of Syria said in his bed chamber to the King of Israel , the King of Syria sent his armies to capture Elisha . \r\n<p>\r\n 2 Kings 6:15 Says , <br> <b><i>And when the servant of the man of God was risen early , and gone forth , Behold , an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots . And his servant said unto him , Alas , my Master ! how shall we do?</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n When Elisha’s servant saw the Syrian troops , he panicked . He knew Why they were there . They had discovered Elisha was the one telling the King of Syria’s battle plans to the King of Israel . They were in big trouble . Look at the response of Elisha to this situation in 2 Kings 6:16 : <b><i>And he answered , Fear Not : for they that be with Us are more than they that be with them .</i></b> . \r\n<p>\r\n People who don’t Believe anything exists beyond their five senses would Say Elisha was Lying . He was Confessing something was so when it really wasn’t so , hoping that it would become so . \r\n<p>\r\n But that’s Not the Way it was at All . Elisha Spoke the Truth . There were more with him than was with the Syrian army . It’s Just that Elisha’s forces were in the unseen Reality . \r\n<p>\r\n The key to Understanding this Is to recognize there Is another Realm of Reality beyond this Physical world . Those who are limited to Only their five senses Will always struggle with this . \r\n<p>\r\n They Think Elisha was Lying , and indeed , he would have been Lying if All that exists Is this Physical world . You could count the Syrian troops by the thousands , and there was Only Elisha and his servant . \r\n<p>\r\n But Elisha wasn’t Lying because there was another world of Reality . If You looked at the whole picture , the Physical and Spiritual world , then Elisha was Right on . \r\n<p>\r\n In the Spiritual Realm , there were many more horses and chariots of Fire around Elisha than there were Syrian troops . \r\n<p>\r\n According to 2 Kings 6:17 , <br> <b><i>Elisha prayed , and said , LORD , I Pray thee , open his Eyes , that he may See . And he LORD opened the Eyes of the young man ; and he saw: and , Behold , the mountain was full of horses and chariots of Fire round about Elisha .</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n Gehazi’s Physical Eyes were already wide open . God was opening his Spiritual Eyes . He was able to See with his Heart into the Spiritual world . And when the Spiritual world was taken into consideration , then Elisha’s statement was perfectly True . \r\n<p>\r\n Those who See Faith as an attempt to make something real which isn’t real Will always struggle with those who See Faith as simply making what Is Spiritually True a Physical Truth . \r\n<p>\r\n Those who limit Truth to Only the Physical Realm would have called Elisha one of those <b><i>name it , claim it ,</i></b> <b><i>blab it , grab it</i></b> cultists . \r\n<p>\r\n But in saying such things , they Condemn themselves . They show they Only Consider what they can See , taste , Hear , smell , and feel to be Reality . They are what the Bible calls <b><i>carnal .</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n When Gehazi’s Eyes were opened , the Syrians didn’t disappear . They were still there . The Physical Truth was still True , but there was a greater Spiritual Truth that emerged . \r\n<p>\r\n True Faith doesn’t deny Physical Truth ; it Just Refuses to let Physical Truth dominate Spiritual Truth . True Faith subdues Physical Truth to the Reality of Spiritual Truth . \r\n<p>\r\n Because Elisha Believed in the realities of the Spiritual world , he raised his hand and smote All the Syrians with blindness . Then he led the whole Syrian army captive to the King of Israel . \r\n<p>\r\n Praise the Lord ! That’s Not bad for an old prophet whom Carnal people would Say was All by Himself . \r\n<p>\r\n Elisha was Not Just Speaking some wishful statement , hoping that it would become a Reality . He knew what was real in the Spiritual world , and he controlled his Emotions and actions accordingly . \r\n<p>\r\n There Is No indication that Elisha saw the horses and chariots of Fire around him . He didn’t Need to . He Believed it . Those who operate in True Faith don’t Need to See with their Physical Eyes . Their Faith Is evidence enough . \r\n<p>\r\n There was a woman at a campmeeting who had a huge goiter on her neck . She went forward for Prayer and knew that she knew she was Healed . So , she got up in front of the audience and gave a Testimony of her goiter being Healed . However , the goiter was still visible . But the people praised God , thinking that the Healing would Manifest itself shortly . \r\n<p>\r\n The next year at the same campmeeting , the woman got up again and praised the Lord for her Healing , but there still wasn’t any visible Proof . This concerned a lot of people , but they didn’t Say anything . \r\n<p>\r\n Then the next year , the same thing happened . This was too much for most of the people , and it caused the leaders of the meeting to approach this woman and tell her she couldn’t testify of this Healing again until the goiter was gone . \r\n<p>\r\n The woman told the Lord that she knew He had Healed her , and she didn’t have to See visible results to Believe it . \r\n<p>\r\n But for the sake of the Unbelievers , she asked the Lord to physically remove the growth . It disappeared and the woman showed them what she already knew was True . You can get that Strong in Faith . Your Faith Is substance and All the evidence You Need . Faith Is real . \r\n<p>\r\n I’ve experienced this in my own Life . When my youngest Son , Peter , died on March 4 , 2001 , my wife and I Spoke our Faith and said , <b><i>The first report Is Not the last report .</i></b> We Spoke Resurrection Life back into Peter’s Body , and then we headed into town . It was one hour and fifteen minutes from the Time we got the call until we got to where Peter was . During that Time , I was operating in Faith . \r\n<p>\r\n I remembered prophecies that had Not yet come to pass in Peter’s Life , and therefore , I knew it wasn’t Time for Peter to Die . I rejoiced by Faith , seeing Peter Alive and well . \r\n<p>\r\n My oldest Son , Joshua , met Me at the door and said , <b><i>Dad , five or ten minutes after I called You , Peter Just sat up .</i></b> Thank You , Jesus ! \r\n<p>\r\n This Is the point: I didn’t rejoice more once I saw Peter raised from the Dead than I did while I was still Driving . During the drive , I knew Peter was Alive , and I was rejoicing with All my might . \r\n<p>\r\n It was actually anticlimactic when I saw in the Physical what I had already seen in the Spiritual . Don’t get Me Wrong ; I was Blessed and I rejoiced to See my Son raised up after being Dead for five hours . \r\n<p>\r\n But the Physical Reality wasn’t more real to Me than the Spiritual Reality of Faith . \r\n<p>\r\n This Is the Way I Live . I Know it’s Not <b><i>normal ,</i></b> but I’m Not getting <b><i>normal</i></b> results either . I’ve been Believing big , and there have been big results from that Believing . \r\n<p>\r\n When we moved into our New offices , and when we See the warehouse Finished , that was , and Will be , anticlimactic . I’m seeing All these things in the Spirit Now . When they Manifest physically , others Will be impressed , but I’m impressed Now . \r\n<p>\r\n I’m Not Believing for something that isn’t real to become real . I’ve seen into the Spiritual Realm by Faith , and I’m simply making what I’ve seen in the Spiritual world Manifest in the Physical world . \r\n<p>\r\n All of the things I’m seeing with my Physical Eyes Now , I have already seen in my Heart . I saw it on the inside before I saw it on the outside . \r\n<p>\r\n This Is a wonderful Way to Live . This Is the normal Christian Life . This Is walking by Faith and Not by sight ( 2 Cor 5:7 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n -- Andrew Wommack <br> Capitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas ', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-07-30 22:27:53', '2017-09-02 14:19:30', 'The Reality Of Faith');
INSERT INTO `Tabs` (`TabID`, `TabOrder`, `ProjectID`, `TabName`, `AuthorizedRoles`, `IsVisible`, `ParentId`, `ImageList`, `Title`, `Description`, `IsDeleted`, `TabTarget`, `TabType`, `TabOwner`, `LastUpdate`, `DateCreated`, `Keywords`) VALUES
(3693, 762, 11, '4 - Psychology vs. Christianity', '', 1, 3689, NULL, 'Psychology vs. Christianity', 'Psychology has its roots in ancient philosophers like Socrates , Aristotle , and Plato . None of these men were worshipers of the True and Living God . At best , they Believed in a God that was Not involved in the affairs of men , and at worse they worshiped multiple Pagan Gods .\r\n<p>\r\nModern Psychology was brought to the forefront by Sigmund Freud in the late nineteenth century . Freud certainly wasn’t a godly man . He was obsessed with Sex and linked every Problem of man to the sexual drive . This man had serious Problems , even his most devoted followers admitted that .\r\n<p>\r\nHere Is the point: If the root Is bad , then the Tree has to be bad . Jesus said this very plainly in Matthew 7:17-18 :\r\n <br>\r\n<b><i>Even so every Good Tree bringeth forth Good Fruit ; but a Corrupt Tree bringeth forth Evil Fruit . A Good Tree cannot bring forth Evil Fruit , neither can a Corrupt Tree bring forth Good Fruit .</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThe root of Psychology Is bad , and therefore , the Fruit cannot be Good . I’m amazed at the acceptance of Psychology in our Society and especially in the Church . \r\n<p>\r\nMany Churches and Ministries have resident psychiatrists on staff . This isn’t the approach Jesus took . He met the Needs , All the Needs of the people through the Power of the Holy\r\nSpirit , and I Believe He intends His Church to do the same . They don’t have to depart and go to the world to get their Emotional Needs met . They should bring them to Jesus ( Matt. 14:16-18 ) .\r\n<p>\r\nI Know many Christians are appalled at these statements . Aren’t there Christian psychologists? Certainly there are . I have some friends who are very successful psychologists . But they Will be the first to admit that Psychology and Christianity do Not offer the same answers to our Problems . They use their position to bring the Truths of the Gospel to people who would Never come to the Church for Help . \r\n<p>\r\nIf the people Will Receive the Truths of God’s Word , they don’t Need any other Help . If\r\nthey won’t Receive the Gospel , then in some cases , Psychology Is better than what they have .\r\n<p>\r\nChristianity and Psychology have some things in common: They both state that our actions are the product of inner processes . But in describing what those processes are and how to Change them , Christianity and Psychology take the opposite approach . For one thing , the very Word <b><i>psychology</i></b> reveals an anti-god approach .\r\n<p>\r\nThe Word <b><i>psychology</i></b> comes from the Greek Word <b><i>psycho</i></b> , which Is a derivative of the Greek Word <b><i>psyche</i></b> meaning <b><i>soul .</i></b> Psychology looks No deeper than the Soul of man for answers . It totally ignores the Spirit Realm : our Spirits , God’s Holy Spirit , and demonic Spirits . \r\n<p>\r\nThe\r\nWord of God Is replete with teachings and examples of the influence of God , Demons , and our Spirits on our actions . Any <b><i>answer</i></b> that doesn’t take the Spirit Realm into account isn’t going to the root of the Problem . The Greek Word <b><i>psyche</i></b> was also the Name of the Greek God of the Soul . <b><i>eros</i></b> and b><i>psyche</i></b> were lovers in Greek mythology . Who wants that?\r\n<p>\r\nHere are four major tenants of Psychology that I Believe are incompatible with biblical Christianity: \r\n<p>\r\n1 ) We are products of our environment .\r\n<p>\r\n2 ) Therefore , we are Not Responsible or Accountable for our actions .\r\n<p>\r\n3 ) This leads to placing blame for our actions on anything else but on Us , making Us victims .\r\n<p>\r\n4 ) Self-esteem Is paramount .\r\n<p>\r\nLet’s look at these areas in the Light of Scripture .\r\n<p>\r\nFirst , environment Is Not the determining factor in who we are and what we do . Proverbs 23:7 Says ,\r\n <br>\r\n<b><i>For as he thinketh in his Heart , so Is he .</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThe Word of God shows Us that <b>our</b> thoughts are what make Us the Way we are . Environment has some influence on your thoughts , but it Is totally Wrong to Say you’re the Way You are because of what has happened to You . If that were True , then everyone who has been through the same negative experiences would have the same Problems . \r\n<p>\r\nThat’s Not so . You can find siblings with the same genetic make-up and environment who\r\nrespond totally different to the same situation . We always have the Choice of becoming Bitter or better . God gave Us that Choice .\r\n<p>\r\n Deuteronomy 30:19 Says ,\r\n <br>\r\n<b><i>I call Heaven and earth to record this day against You , that I have set before You Life and Death , Blessing and Cursing : therefore Choose Life , that both thou and thy Seed may Live .</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nGod said the Choice Is ours , and what a simple one: Life or Death . A <b><i>no-brainer .</i></b> But Just in case anyone isn’t sure which to Choose , the Lord gave the answer to this quiz . <b><i>Choose Life ,</i></b> He said .\r\n<p>\r\nWe are Not doomed to be victims because of past experiences . We can be Born again and become brand-new people through the Power of Christ . Psychology doesn’t offer that .\r\n<p>\r\nSecond , since our conditions are a product of how we chose to react to our environment , we can’t blame others for our Problems . Taking Responsibility for our actions Is the big difference between True Christianity and Psychology . \r\n<p>\r\nPsychology has influenced our Society to such a degree that No one Is held Accountable for their actions . Even murderers are being acquitted because it’s <b><i>not their fault</i></b> ; they were abused as Children or whatever . That’s Stupid . Some of Us have had Problems that others haven’t , but God still holds Us Accountable for our own actions , regardless of what has happened to us .\r\n<p>\r\nThe night before Jesus was crucified , He told His Disciples Not to let their Hearts be troubled but to be of Good cheer ( John 14:1 and John 16:33 ) . Those who hold to the Belief that our environment Is the determining factor in our Emotions and actions would criticize Jesus for telling His Disciples to do something they were incapable of doing . \r\n<p>\r\nBut they had a Choice . The Lord told Us to rejoice in the Lord always ( Phil. 4:4 ) . We can Choose to go against the pressures of our environment . In Jhn 16:33 , Jesus told His Disciples ,\r\n <br>\r\n<b><i>These things I have spoken unto You , that in Me ye might have Peace . In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of Good cheer ; I have Overcome the world .</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nIn this passage , Jesus told His Disciples that they would have tribulation . What an understatement! They would See Jesus crucified in Just a matter of hours . Their Hopes would be dashed . Sadness and Confusion would overwhelm them . \r\n<p>\r\nFear would cause them to Live behind locked doors for the next three days . Yet , Jesus told them to be of Good cheer . That wasn’t unreasonable ; it was doable . And we can do it\r\ntoo if we don’t Listen to the psychobabble of today . \r\n<p>\r\nThere Is much , much more to Harnessing Your Emotions . I simply ran out of room to share it All in this article . I drew some illustrations of these Truths and made an outline of some of the major differences between Christianity and Psychology . \r\n<p>\r\nI firmly Believe that Psychology undermines True Christianity , and these differences Need to be pointed out . Psychology has crept into nearly every aspect of our Lives , and\r\nmost of Us don’t Know it .\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack <br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas ', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-07-24 02:13:18', '2017-09-02 14:25:38', 'Psychology vs. Christianity'),
(3694, 763, 11, '5 - Power Of Partnership', '', 1, 3689, NULL, 'The Power Of Partnership', ' Proverbs 18:16 Says , <b><i>A man’s Gift maketh room for him , and bringeth him before Great men ,</i></b> but it’s Not talking about skills , talents , abilities , or even anointing . I used to Think it was , as a matter of Fact ; I used that verse in that exact Way until I began to study it in greater detail . In this article , I’ll be teaching what it really means and how that Understanding can Change your Life . \r\n<p>\r\n In my two-teaching album The Power of Partnership , I taught about the many rewards You Receive when partnering with a Ministry that Is reaching out with the nearly-too-good-to-be-true News . I used the example of King David who set a precedent that gave the people who guarded the spoils an equal share with those who actually did the fighting . \r\n<p>\r\n We learned that Philippians 4:19 , which Says , <b><i>But my God shall supply All of your Need according to his riches in Glory by Christ Jesus ,</i></b> was written to people who were partnering with Paul in the Gospel and gave to his Ministry on a regular basis . Paul confirmed that in 1 Corinthians 16:2 , where he wrote , <b><i>On the first day of the week let each one of You lay something aside</i></b> ( New King James Version ) . \r\n<p>\r\n The partners Paul was talking about were systematic , deliberate givers . I’ve also taught that the Reason God Prospers You Is so that You can establish His Kingdom here on the earth , and if You Seek to build that Kingdom , then He Will provide a Supernatural Divine flow that Will meet All your Needs . \r\n<p>\r\n I can promise You that when You Pray and Ask God for direction in your Giving and then respond to that , He Will take care of your financial Needs better accidentally than you’ve ever been able to do on Purpose . These are All Powerful Truths , but I want to show You an aspect of partnership that I Believe very few Christians Understand . \r\n<p>\r\n What does the Scripture mean that Says our Gifts Will make room for Us and bring Us before Great men? \r\n<p>\r\n The Hebrew Word that was translated <b><i>gift</i></b> in Proverbs 18:16 , Prov. 19:6 , and Prov. 21:14 literally means <b><i>present .</i></b> Those Scriptures leave No Doubt that they’re Not talking about an anointing or having Favor but about a present that one person Gives to another . \r\n<p>\r\n Proverbs 19:6 makes it clear that <b><i>every man Is a friend to him that giveth Gifts ,</i></b> and in 21:14 we Read that <b><i>a Gift in secret pacifieth Anger : and a reward in the bosom Strong Wrath .</i></b> The New International Version Translates Proverbs 18:16 this Way , <b><i>A Gift opens the Way for the giver and ushers him into the Presence of the Great .</i></b> I Believe these Scriptures describe a very important aspect of what happens when You enter into partnership with a Ministry . \r\n<p>\r\n Let’s look at an example of this in 1 Kings , chapter 10 , which Talks about Solomon , the wisest man on the face of the earth . Solomon asked God for a very unselfish thing , Wisdom , so that he could be a Good King . \r\n<p>\r\n Not Only did God Give him what he asked for , but He also gave him what he didn’t Ask for and made him exceedingly Rich . In Fact , the Bible Says that he was so Rich that everything he had was made of gold , and they didn’t even use silver ; it was Just thrown in the streets ( 1 Kin. 10:21 ) . That’s pretty Rich . \r\n<p>\r\n The fame of Solomon spread throughout the land , and in 1 Kings 10:1-3 , we Read , <br> <b><i>And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the Name of the LORD , she came to Prove him with hard questions . And she came to Jerusalem with a very Great train , with camels that bare spices , and very much gold , and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon , she communed with him of All that was in her Heart . \r\n<p>\r\nAnd Solomon told her All her questions: there was Not any thing hid from the King , which he told her Not .</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n The Queen of Sheba was so overwhelmed by Solomon’s Kingdom and Wisdom that it actually took her breath away ( 1 Kin. 10:4-5 ) . \r\n<p>\r\n In 1 Kings 10:24 we also Read that All the Kings of the earth sought Solomon for his Wisdom and for his Blessing . Think about that ; Solomon was the most famous man in the world in his day . He was Ruler of the most Powerful and prosperous Kingdom in the world in his day , and All the people of the earth sought Solomon for his attention so they could Ask his Wisdom , get his Opinion , and Receive his Favor . \r\n<p>\r\n So with All these people competing for his Time , Why did he move the Queen of Sheba to the front of the line and spend so much Time answering All her questions? I Believe it was her Gift that made room for her , Just like Proverbs 18:16 Says , and it brought her before a Great man . \r\n<p>\r\n We Read that she was well prepared and came with many Gifts . She gave the King 120 talents of gold ( that’s about 145 ,000 ounces and at today’s price would be about $44 ,000 ,000 worth of gold ) . That doesn’t include the Great stores of spice , an Abundance of which had Never been seen before , and precious stones . \r\n<p>\r\n It wasn’t her skill , talent , or ability but her huge Gift that made room for her and put her at the front of the line . \r\n<p>\r\n So what did the Queen of Sheba get out of this? Everything she wanted and more . 1 Kings 10:13 Says , <br> <b><i>And King Solomon gave unto the queen of Sheba All her Desire , whatsoever she asked , beside that which Solomon gave her of his Royal bounty .</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n There isn’t space in this article to Prove the math , but the Gift that the queen gave to Solomon was Only equal to one-tenth of one year of the king’s annual income . When the Scripture Says the King gave her of his Royal bounty , don’t You Think his Gift was greater than hers? When the queen Left for Home , she Left with greater riches , more Wisdom , and the Favor of the greatest King on earth . \r\n<p>\r\n Her Gift opened the door to Great Blessings . \r\n<p>\r\n Does what the Queen of Sheba did seem selfish to You ? Are You thinking that All those riches should have been given to the Poor who would’ve really needed the Help instead of the richest man on earth? I don’t Believe it would be out of Reason to Think that some King or Ruler or tribe came to her and begged for her Help as she traveled . \r\n<p>\r\n It probably took hundreds of camels to carry these Gifts , so her journey wasn’t any secret . You Know , it could have been a real Guilt trip as she passed by All the needy people , but the Queen understood a very important Principle that applies to the support of a Ministry today . \r\n<p>\r\n When You Give to a Ministry , it’s Not Just what they Need , it’s what You Need too! \r\n<p>\r\n King Solomon didn’t Need the queen’s riches , but she needed his Wisdom and Blessing , and her Gift opened the door to the very things she needed . She probably Left with more riches than she brought , and Just Think of how much more of a Blessing she may have been to the Poor on her Return trip . This Is a Great example of how things Work in the Kingdom of God . \r\n<p>\r\n When You Give to a Ministry , You Not Only bless the people that are being touched by that Ministry , but You start a Supernatural flow of your finances , and You partake of the anointing and the Blessing that’s on that minister’s Life . It’s Not bad to want the anointing that Is on my Life or that of another Minister . \r\n<p>\r\n The Bible Says that we are to Desire Spiritual Gifts . I really Believe that the things that are operating in my Life have come in part , Not totally because I have supported Great men and women of God . I gave on Purpose , saying , <b><i>God , I want to be a part of that . I’m going to Sow part of my Life into this person and into that Ministry and , by doing so , open a door that allows the Blessing that’s on them to flow toward me .</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\n It doesn’t Just happen automatically ; You have to have Faith . But I Believe that You can start seeing these things happen in your Life Just as I have seen in mine , if You Will mix Faith with your Gifts . \r\n<p>\r\n Some very Good friends of Jamie and I , whom we’ve known since about 1980 , have a Great Testimony that Will illustrate what I’m writing about . Charlie and Jill Le Blanc are one of the most anointed couples in Music I’ve ever heard . \r\n<p>\r\n Even though they have always had a Powerful anointing , they struggled financially earlier in their Ministry . Because of that , they developed a real Heart for other quality Ministries in the same position . They were taking All their tithes and Offerings and Giving them to smaller Ministries where they felt their Gift could really make a difference . \r\n<p>\r\n Their Gifts were certainly making a difference in the Lives of these Ministers and the people those Ministers were reaching . They were also experiencing a Supernatural flow of God’s Divine Prosperity coming toward them , but they were still missing one very important element—they needed an impartation of anointing and Blessing that those they were Giving to were Not able to Give . \r\n<p>\r\n The Queen of Sheba needed something her peers weren’t able to Give either , so she went to the one who could , King Solomon . It wasn’t Just a selfish Desire ; it was important so she could better fulfill her role as queen . \r\n<p>\r\n The Lord began to convict Charlie and Jill of this , telling them that they needed to start Giving to Ministries that fed them and had an anointing they needed . It was Time to start partaking of the Blessing and anointing that was on the Lives of other Ministers . \r\n<p>\r\n In response , they began Giving to people like Kenneth Copeland , Kenneth Hagin , Joyce Meyer , and Me , All Ministers who were imparting anointing and Blessing to their Lives . \r\n<p>\r\n Within about six months they Received a call from Dave and Joyce Meyer , who asked them to dinner . During dinner , Joyce asked them to lead Praise and Worship in their Word seminars she conducts across America and around the world . What a Blessing ! They Now Minister on a regular basis to thousands , and their anointing has increased proportionally . \r\n<p>\r\n It was No Accident that this door was opened to them after they started Giving , expecting to Receive increased Blessing and anointing . \r\n<p>\r\n This isn’t to Say that God doesn’t lead Us to do benevolence Giving , expecting nothing in Return , because he does . Just like the Queen of Sheba , Charlie and Jill could have been sidetracked by the Needs of All who were struggling , but they knew that what they would Receive in increased anointing and Blessing would make it possible to Benefit those around them in a much greater Way . \r\n<p>\r\n It’s important to Understand the Power that Is available in partnership and then put that Power to Work for You . I Pray that the Eyes of your Understanding are enlightened and that the Holy Spirit has borne Witness with this teaching in your Heart , and I release the Blessing and anointing on my Life to You , my partners . \r\n<p>\r\n -- Andrew Wommack <br> Capitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas ', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-07-31 22:55:08', '2017-09-02 14:34:25', 'The Power Of Partnership'),
(3695, 732, 11, 'Discipleship Seminar Part  7', '', 1, 3500, NULL, 'Discipleship Course Part 7', '<table width=100% height=100% background=~../../upload/RandyLucas/images/DiscipleTeaching.jpg~><tr><td valign=top>\r\n\r\n<center>\r\n<h1 style=~color:#880000; text-shadow: 2px 2px #AAAAAA;~>Discipleship Seminar Part 7</h1>\r\n</center>\r\n<p>\r\n<table width=100% cellpading=5><tr>\r\n<td width=35%>\r\n\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=darkgrey cellpadding=5 cellspacing=1><tr><td align=center bgcolor=lightyellow>\r\n<font size=2><b>\r\nSept 9,16,23 2018<br>\r\nNew Life Pentecostal Church<br>\r\n401 E. Church St.<br>\r\nBenson, NC\r\n</b></font>\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n<br>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=~color:#FFFFFF; text-shadow: 2px 2px #330000;~>Sessions: </h2>\r\n<dir>\r\n<iframe id=ifrm  FRAMEBORDER=0\r\nsrc=menu.php?tabnum=3695      \r\nallowtransparency=~true~ width=225 height=265>   \r\n</iframe>\r\n</dir>\r\n\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=darkgrey cellpadding=5 cellspacing=1><tr><td bgcolor=lightyellow>\r\n<font size=1><b>\r\n<font color=red>Register:</font> email <a href=mailto:Randy@LucasCo.info>Pastor Randy</a> or \r\ncall or text (919)622-1070\r\n</b></font>\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n\r\n</td>\r\n<td width=65%>\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=lightgray cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5><tr><td bgcolor=lightblue>\r\nThis seminar uses materials from Andrew Wommack Ministries International ( AWMI ) to bring Christians of all backgrounds into a Knowledgeable , Powerful , Effective Relationship with Christ Jesus . \r\n<p>\r\nIt is non-denominational and open to the public.\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n<br>\r\n<center>\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=#FFFCCC cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5><tr>\r\n<td bgcolor=lightgray>\r\n\r\n<b>Day 1</b>    <font color=green> 7:00-7:45 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nWhat are you Hoping for? \r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n             <font color=green> 7:45-8:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nAre you speaking in Faith ?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n<b>Day 2</b>   <font color=green> 7:00-7:45 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nAre you exercising your Testimony ?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n\r\n<hr>\r\n             <font color=green> 7:45-8:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nDid Paul have a literal thorn in his flesh?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n<b>Day 3</b>     <font color=green> 7:00-7:45 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nHow happy are you?</dir>\r\n\r\n<hr>\r\n              <font color=green> 7:45-8:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nHave you read the book of Romans lately?\r\n\r\n</td>\r\n\r\n</tr></table>\r\n</center>\r\n</td>\r\n\r\n</tr></table>\r\n\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-09-06 01:28:31', NULL, 'Basic Discipleship Course'),
(3698, 766, 11, '1 - Power Of Hope', '', 1, 3695, NULL, 'Power Of Hope', 'Most people give more importance to love and faith than they do to\r\nhope, but that’s not what Scripture says.\r\n<p>\r\nLook at 1 Corinthians 13:13 :\r\n<br>\r\nAnd now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of\r\nthese is charity.\r\n<p>\r\nSince love is the greatest of the three and hope is just before love,\r\nthat means hope is the second greatest, even above faith. \r\n<p>\r\nHope is more powerful than they realize. Something the Lord shared with me that\r\nreally made this truth come alive is that hope is a positive imagination.\r\n<p>\r\n Romans 8:24-25 says,\r\n<br>\r\nFor we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a\r\nman seeth, why doth he yet hope for? [25] But if we hope for that we\r\nsee not, then do we with patience wait for it.\r\n<p>\r\nHere, Paul was saying that hope is for something that isn’t seen, something that isn’t present. Once it becomes present, there’s no longer any reason to hope for it. \r\n<p>\r\nSo, hope means you’re looking at\r\nsomething that you can’t see. You might be thinking, Well, if you can’t see it, how are you looking at it? \r\n<p>\r\nYou can see things with your heart, and this is what I believe the imagination is.\r\n<p>\r\nIn Isaiah 26:3 , it says, <b><i>Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\nThe word <b><i>mind</i></b> here is translated <b><i>imagination</i></b> four other times in the Old Testament.\r\n<p>\r\nSo, you could quote this verse this way: <b><i>The Lord will keep you in perfect peace when your imagination is stayed upon Him.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nA lot of Christians would reject the idea of imagination because they nearly always relegate it to something that’s childish. \r\n<p>\r\nBut your imagination is your ability to see with your heart what you can’t see\r\nwith your eyes, and you use this every single day.\r\n<p>\r\nYou may not have thought about this, but did you know that you couldn’t get home if you didn’t have an imagination? It’s because in your mind, you picture your house and how to get there.\r\n<p>\r\nYou think in pictures. An example of this would be if I said <b><i>apple</i></b>, you wouldn’t see the letters a-p-p-l-e—you’d see an apple. \r\n<p>\r\nYou might picture a red apple or a green apple, but I could refine what I wanted you to see by saying <b><i>a big red apple.</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\nThe more words I used to describe the apple, the clearer the picture would become in your mind. Whether you know this or not, you can’t think of something you can’t picture. \r\n<p>\r\nYou need to be able to picture something to truly comprehend\r\nit.\r\n<p>\r\nYour imagination is how you think, how you meditate, how you understand, and how you remember things. You really can’t do anything without an imagination. \r\n<p>\r\nYou have to take the Word of God and let it excite your imagination.\r\n<p>\r\nIt says in Genesis 6:5 ,\r\n<br>\r\nAnd God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.\r\n<p>\r\nThis is talking about deep thoughts, not just surface thoughts. God deals with us on a heart level ( 1 Sam. 16:7 ), and He sees the imaginations of our hearts. \r\n<p>\r\nThe reason I’m spending so much time on\r\nthis is because a lot of people just don’t think that imagination is that big of a deal. But the Lord dealt with people according to the imaginations of their hearts.\r\n<p>\r\nHope is more than <b><i>I want this to happen</i></b> or <b><i>I wish this would\r\nhappen.</i></b> Hope is your imagination. \r\n<p>\r\nEvery time the Scripture talks about\r\nimagination in a positive way, it uses the word hope. When Paul talked about hope, he was seeing things with his heart. \r\n<p>\r\nHe was taking the promises of God, and through those promises, he was seeing God cause him to succeed. \r\n<p>\r\nAnd sad to say, most people, because they don’t understand this process or how important this is, they allow their\r\nimaginations to be controlled by other things—and they see themselves\r\nfailing. They see themselves poor or sick.\r\n<p>\r\nBut when what God has told you becomes a vision on the inside of you, you will wait for it with patience ( Rom. 8:25 ). \r\n<p>\r\nPeople who can quit and give up are people whose imagination is negative—they’re seeing the negative side of something instead of the positive side of it. They don’t have hope.\r\n<p>\r\nWhether you know it or not, your imagination is dictating how your life\r\ngoes. \r\n<p>\r\nAnd if you aren’t aware of what I’m talking about and don’t think this is important, all it means is you aren’t controlling your imagination. It’s being manipulated and controlled for you, and you see the negative.\r\n<p>\r\nFor as he thinketh in his heart, so is he. ( Prov. 23:7a )\r\n<p>\r\nThe way you think is the way your life is going. And this may not bless some of you, but it’s intended to help you: If your life isn’t going well, if things are a mess, it’s because you’ve conceived it in your imagination. \r\n<p>\r\nYour imagination is like soil. Soil doesn’t care what kind of seed you plant in it; the moment it’s planted, the soil starts producing. \r\n<p>\r\nIt’s the same thing with your heart and your imagination. Your imagination will conceive something and automatically start making it come to pass, whether it’s positive or negative. \r\n<p>\r\nIt’s like your spiritual womb. That’s a big statement.\r\n<p>\r\nThe imagination isn’t moral or immoral; it’s what you focus your attention on that affects it. You get to choose whether your\r\nimagination is positive—which is hope—or negative, which becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.\r\n<p>\r\nI could spend a lot of time talking about this, but the bottom line is you need to shut off all the negative things that are grabbing at you.\r\n<p>\r\n Luke 21:26 says that people’s hearts would fail them for fear, looking at all the things that are happening on the earth. \r\n<p>\r\nYou have to stay in God’s Word and let it dominate you, or I guarantee you, the unbelief of this world will extinguish your positive imagination. It’ll make it\r\nbecome vain.\r\n<p>\r\nSo, I’ve laid a foundation for this, but there is much more to share that I think would really help you. \r\n<p>\r\nGod will put a positive imagination, a hope, in you that’ll make a difference, and you’ll be believing and looking for better results than you ever have. Hope is\r\npowerful. \r\n<p>\r\nAgain, it’s the second greatest thing in the Christian life, greater even than faith. You’ve got to understand the power of your imagination if you’re going to harness the power of hope. \r\n<p>\r\nAs I share about hope in my newest teaching, The Power of Hope, I believe that this could establish some things in your life that would move you in a\r\npositive direction and make a huge difference for you.\r\n<p>\r\nIf you’ve been hopeless and you know you’ve been looking only at the natural circumstances and negative things in your life, I pray that God would help you to change your focus and start seeing the positive things He has for you. \r\n<p>\r\nI believe that as you listen to this teaching, a positive imagination will come alive in you. Hope will start motivating\r\nyou and driving you toward God the Father. Thank You, Jesus .\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas ', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2019-09-11 22:24:55', '2017-09-02 14:49:21', 'Power Of Hope'),
(3699, 767, 11, '2 - Faith-Filled Words', '', 1, 3695, NULL, 'Power Of Faith-Filled Words', 'If we want to start seeing the power of God manifest in our lives, we\r\nwill have to start paying attention to what we say. \r\n<p>\r\nWords have power—more than any of us realize, but we often speak them as though\r\nthey are meaningless. Because of that, most believers at one time or another have been hung by their tongue.\r\n<p>\r\n Matthew 12:36-37 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Every idle word</i></b> simply means nonproductive. These are words that you\r\nspeak but don’t believe. For example, you might say, <b><i>I’m dying to see\r\nmy grandchildren.</i></b> You really don’t mean you’re dying, but you say it\r\nanyway to emphasize the importance of the relationship.\r\n<p>\r\nEvery time you say things that you don’t really mean, it begins to numb your heart. Unconsciously, each idle word is making it just a little bit harder to believe what you say will actually come to pass when you mean it and it really counts.\r\n<p>\r\nJesus certainly understood the power of words, and He used them to\r\nchange the natural things around him.\r\n<p>\r\n Mark 11:13-14 and Mark 11:20-24 say,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he\r\nmight find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing\r\nbut leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and\r\nsaid unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his\r\ndisciples heard it... \r\n<p>\r\nAnd in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance\r\nsaith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is\r\nwithered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, \r\n<p>\r\nHave faith in God. For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in\r\nhis heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. \r\n<p>\r\nTherefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nI can almost hear the inflections in Peter’s voice when he said, <b><i>The\r\nfig tree You cursed is withered away.</i></b> I am sure it communicated surprise and disbelief. \r\n<p>\r\nAnd when Jesus replied to Peter, it probably was not in a monotone voice. It was more like, <b><i>Peter! What`s wrong with you?</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\nJesus was amazed at his unbelief. He was saying, <b><i>It shouldn’t shock you to see this tree withered. Have faith in God.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThen He went on to explain that this wasn’t limited to a fig tree. He used a mountain as an example, but I believe it could apply to anything. \r\n<p>\r\nHe was making the point that if we say it with our mouths and believe it in our hearts, we can have what we say.\r\n<p>\r\nHe also made it very clear who qualified to use words in this way: He said, <b><i>whosoever shall say.</i></b> Are you a whosoever? Because if you are and if you’re breathing, then you’re qualified, and your words can affect the natural as well as the spiritual world.\r\n<p>\r\nJesus used the word <b><i>say</i></b> or <b><i>saith</i></b> three times in verse 23. He was making it clear that words have power. \r\n<p>\r\nBut He also said to have faith in God. The words that have power are words that are filled with faith. And it’s important to understand that the faith they’re filled with is not your human faith.\r\n<p>\r\n Galatians 2:20 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ\r\nliveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nI’m aware that the NIV says <b><i>faith in the son of God.</i></b> But when you study this out, it becomes very clear that it is talking about the very faith of God that He placed in you when you were born again. \r\n<p>\r\nIn fact, you can’t even be born again by your own faith. Romans 10:17 say that\r\nfaith comes by the Word, and 1 Peter 1:23 says you are born again by\r\nthe Word of God.\r\n<p>\r\nIf you can’t even believe for salvation with our human faith, how could we possible use it for other things like healing or prosperity? \r\n<p>\r\nIt’s super important that you understand this. If you don’t know this, you\r\nwill always be looking to others to pray for you. \r\n<p>\r\nYou’ll always think that they have more faith than you do, and because of that, God will act on your behalf when they pray. That’s wrong, and it’s the reason\r\nmany Christians are looking to man instead of God for their answers.\r\n<p>\r\n Romans 12:3 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among\r\nyou, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to\r\nthink soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith</i></b> (underline mine).\r\n<p>\r\nThink of it like using a ladle to dish up soup. If you used the same ladle every time—and God did—every person will get the same amount of soup. It’s the measure of soup. You have the measure of faith. \r\n<p>\r\nNo born-again believer has more faith than any other; some just do a better job\r\nof appropriating what they have been given.\r\n<p>\r\n Hebrews 11:1 says, <b><i>Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the\r\nevidence of things not seen.</i></b> And verse 3 says, <b><i>Through faith we\r\nunderstand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThis scripture is not symbolic; God actually created everything with words. He spoke creation into existence, and the substance of His faith manifested into what we can now see. The Word of God has unlimited power. \r\n<p>\r\nEach word is like a little capsule filled with faith waiting for us believers to release it in our hearts and speak it with our mouths.\r\n<p>\r\nEverything we see was created by words, and it is the very Word of God that holds the universe together (Heb. 1:3). Therefore, everything we see will respond to faith-filled words. They have to respond because words are the parent force.\r\n<p>\r\n Proverbs 23:7 says that as you think in your heart, so are you, and  Luke 6:45 says that what you speak comes from the abundance of your heart. \r\n<p>\r\nIn other words, the way that you think controls the way that you talk. And if you understand that your words have power, then you understand why you can be hung by your tongue.\r\n<p>\r\nThe only reason every one of us isn’t dead from the many idle words we have spoken is because we haven’t believed every word with our hearts.\r\n<p>\r\nThank God that our words have to be mixed with faith and that we have\r\nto believe them from our hearts. \r\n<p>\r\nBut this should help us see a powerful\r\ntruth. If we believe we are going to be sick or if we believe that we will always be poor, and then confess that with our mouths, we will get what we believe.\r\n<p>\r\nOn the other hand, what happens when we take the faith-filled words of God and plant them in our hearts where they can take root and grow? \r\n<p>\r\nEverything changes—no longer are we just saying <b><i>I believe that I’m healed</i></b> or <b><i>I am prosperous,</i></b> but we believe it and the faith of God is then released through those words.\r\n<p>\r\n Proverbs 18:21 reads,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it\r\nshall eat the fruit thereof.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nIt not only says life but death as well. It’s sad to say, but most of the words being communicated today are negative words—words that do not bring about abundant life but cause more problems.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas ', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-09-09 22:23:54', '2017-09-02 14:55:24', 'Power Of Faith-Filled Words');
INSERT INTO `Tabs` (`TabID`, `TabOrder`, `ProjectID`, `TabName`, `AuthorizedRoles`, `IsVisible`, `ParentId`, `ImageList`, `Title`, `Description`, `IsDeleted`, `TabTarget`, `TabType`, `TabOwner`, `LastUpdate`, `DateCreated`, `Keywords`) VALUES
(3702, 1196, 11, 'NIV', '', 0, 51, NULL, 'New International Version', '<div class=~Section1~>\r\n<p class=~msonormal~ style=~text-align: center;~ align=~center~><b><span\r\n style=~font-size: 20pt;~>The New International Version ( NIV ) and<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>\r\n<p class=~msonormal~ style=~text-align: center;~ align=~center~><b><span\r\n style=~font-size: 20pt;~>English Standard Version ( ESV ) -<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>\r\n<p class=~msonormal~ style=~text-align: center;~ align=~center~><b><span\r\n style=~font-size: 20pt;~>Full of False Doctrine<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>\r\n<p class=~msonormal~><span style=~font-size: 12pt;~> <o:p></o:p></span></p>\r\n<p class=~msonormal~ style=~text-align: center;~ align=~center~><b><span\r\n style=~font-size: 14pt;~>The Churches of Christ greet you ( Romans 16:16 </span></b><b><span\r\n style=~font-size: 12pt;~>)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>\r\n<p class=~msonormal~><span style=~font-size: 12pt;~> </span> </p>\r\n<p><br>\r\n\r\n\r\nWe understand that it was the original autographs or writings of the apostles and prophets which were inspired ( 2 Tim. 3:16-17 ; 1 Cor. 14:37 ). However, for centuries men have been translating the original Scriptures (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) into their native vernacular. Each time a translation is produced there is the hope that it will be the perfect one. It never is! Why? Because translations, unlike the original autographs, are not inspired. Translations are the productions of fallible men, and ~to err is human.~ Thus, every Bible translation has its strengths and weaknesses. Those who translate ought to translate, not mistranslate, omit, add to, rewrite, paraphrase, and offer personal commentary.\r\n<p> \r\nWe are not opposed to a new version per se. But the need for a new version has been grossly exaggerated, and many of those which have been produced are truly perversions rather than versions. They are for the propagation of denominational and theological error under the guise of a Bible. Such deception and lack of integrity ought never to be dignified by faithful brethren. Some degree of subjective interpretation is woven into the fabric of any Bible version. Admittedly, though, some translations are better than others. Some ~translations~ couldn`t be farther from accurate translations. There are the so-called paraphrases which include The Living Bible and Good News for Modern Man. Very little reliability can be found here, since men have put into their own words what <b>they</b> think the text says.\r\n<p> \r\nThen, there are translations such as the NIV, which in many instances are reliable, but have a publisher’s bias which must be recognized. The NIV was translated by a group of Greek scholars who are Calvinistic and premillennial in theology. Thus, one can find elements of Calvinism in it. For instance, Romans 8 in the NIV reflects the Calvinistic tenet that man has a ~sin nature.~ Yet, Romans 8 does not use such words in the Greek text. The translators became interpreters and commentators in this case.  \r\n<p> \r\nLoved ones, our humble lips cannot clearly express to you the danger of promoting the use of the NIV and ESV. The devil is sooooo smart. For approximately six thousands years he has put up with men reading the Bible. He has done his best to get man away from the Bible by giving them other books (Qur’an, Book of Mormon, etc.). However, this tactic has worked for him only in a limited way (he has a few million Mormons and maybe a billion or so Muslims). He now has become so smart that he has devised a way to give man a Bible to read that is <b>not</b> really a Bible.  \r\n\r\n<p> \r\n\r\nThe devil has given man a Bible that is <b>not</b> a Bible because it takes man, sin, and God out of the Bible ( NIV / ESV ). Below are a few errors (<b>false teachings</b>) from the NIV and ESV that brethren have fought against for years (see Ephesians 5:19 in the NIV – ~sing and make music~ instead of ~sing and make melody~). But before you go to them, just do a quick verse by verse comparison of two chapters from the NIV/ESV. The NIV/ESV is attractive to many because of its readability; however, please notice what these versions say compared to what the KJV says. Notice how they take God, man, and sin right out of the Bible. Use Ecclesiastes chapters 5 and 6 for the comparison. Notice especially 5:8 (the ~high official~ vs the ~highest~), 9, 12 (~full stomach~ vs ~abundance,~) 14 and 6:3, 4 (~it~ vs ~he~ – man), 9 (~appetite~- play on verse 7 vs ~desire,~ also ~wind~ vs ~spirit~) 10, 11.\r\n\r\n<p>  \r\n\r\n<b>The NIV is very much a paraphrase in many places.</b> It is impossible to take the NIV and translate from its English back into the original languages. Friends, please imagine what the world is going to be like 100 years from now because our children have been brought up using a Bible which is <b>not</b> a Bible ( NIV / ESV ). Ohooo, that scares me (us) to the bone…\r\n\r\n<p>  \r\n\r\n<b>The NIV & ESV Downgrade the Deity of Christ</b><br>\r\n\r\nThey say the spotless Son of God had to be purified! ~...their purification~ (Luke 2:22).  The KJV says, ~...her purification.~ 1 Timothy 3:16 omits ~God,~ and replaces it with ~he.~ Acts 8:37 is omitted even though 95 % of the evidence demands it. The ESV renders the present participle, hyparchon (~being~ KJV ; ~existing~ ASV ), in Philippians 2:6, as a past tense form – ~was in the form of God~ – which could leave the impression that Jesus was not deity while in the flesh. The Lord always existed, and continued to exist, as deity, even though incarnate (Fee, 1995, p. 203; Vine, 1991, pp. 279-80). R.C.H. Lenski noted that Jesus never existed apart from the nature of deity (p. 774). There is no reason not to give the participle its full, present tense flavor. Philippians 2:7 ( NIV & ESV ), Jesus ~made himself nothing.~ The KJV, ~But made himself of no reputation.~ If something is nothing, then it does not exist. Jesus is made to be a non-entity. How could a self existent being cease to exist? This is an absurdity and is evidence of poor scholarship. 1 Peter 2:8 ( NIV ) says, ~A stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that causes men to fall.~ The NIV teaches that Jesus causes men to stumble, and makes men fall. Jesus is the stone, but He does not cause or make men stumble; it is man`s own disobedience. Here, the translators are guilty of paraphrasing, not translating. The KJV reads, ~...which stumble at the word, being disobedient...~\r\n\r\n<p>  \r\n\r\n<b>The NIV & ESV Contradict the Bible</b><br>\r\n\r\n Mark 1:1 ( KJV ), ~The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.~ Mark 1:1 ( NIV ), ~The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.~ The KJV involves the gospel Jesus preached and the NIV is what one believes about Jesus. Mark 1:2 ( KJV ), ~As it is written in the prophets.~ Mark 1:2 ( NIV & ESV ), ~It is written in Isaiah the prophet.~ They say Isaiah and then quote Malachi 3:1. Hebrews 11:17, Abraham sacrificed ~his one and only son~ ( NIV ); ~only son~ ( ESV ). The Bible says Abraham had <b>two</b> sons (Galatians 4:22). ~For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.~ These versions refer to Jesus as God`s ~one and only Son~ or ~only Son~ (John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; 1 John 4:9). But 1 John 3:2 ( KJV ), ~Beloved, now are we the sons of God...~\r\n\r\n<p>  \r\n\r\n<b>These versions teach that a non-Christian cannot understand the Gospel,</b> thus contradicting Romans 1:16. 1 Corinthians 2:14 ( NIV ), ~The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot (is not able to - ESV ) understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.~ They teach that Christ did not come to abolish the law. Matthew 5:17, ~Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy but to fulfill~ ( KJV ). They say, ~Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.~ But Christ did abolish the law. ~By abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations~ ( Eph. 2:15 – NIV ) . Thus, these versions contradict themselves as well as the Bible. Hebrews 10:9 ( KJV ), ~Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.~\r\n\r\n<p> \r\n<b>The NIV & ESV Teach Premillennialism</b><br>\r\n\r\n Matthew 19:28 ( NIV ), ~at the renewing of all things,~ ~in the new world~ ( ESV ), rather than ~in the regeneration~ ( KJV ). This accommodates the literal 1000 years reign as does Acts 3:21 (which says) ~restore everything~ ( NIV ), and ~restoring all the things~ ( ESV ). The KJV reads, ~Times of restitution.~ However, both passages refer to the Christian age. Ephesians 1:10 ( NIV ), ~to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment.~ This teaches a future state rather than one fulfilled in Christ. KJV, ~That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.~ Galatians 4:4 ( KJV ) settles it, ~But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.~\r\n\r\n<p>  \r\n\r\n<b>The NIV & ESV Teach Salvation by ~Faith Only~</b><br>\r\n\r\n Romans 10:10 ( KJV ), ~For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.~ They say, ~For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.~ <b>this is false</b>, for it teaches Calvinism - that is - a sinner is saved before he puts Christ on in baptism. Salvation is found only in Christ ( 2 Tim 2:10 ). God teaches that one gets into Christ at the point of water baptism (See Gal. 3:27 ; Rom. 6:3-4 ; 1 Pet. 3:21 ). The NIV includes one in Christ <b>when</b> he hears the word ( Eph. 1:13 ). In 1 Peter 3:21 ( NIV ), a saving baptism is merely a ~pledge of a good conscience toward God,~ rather than an appeal to God. Romans 1:17 ( KJV ), ~For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith...~ Romans 1:17 ( NIV ), ~a righteousness that is by faith from first to last...~ In Romans 3:27 the NIV takes ~the law of faith~ right out of the text and replaces it with just the word ~faith.~\r\n\r\n<p>  \r\n\r\n<b>The NIV obliterates the subjunctive mood.</b> In John 3:16 it makes the text say exactly opposite what the original text says. It changes the word ~should~ to ~shall~ (Once saved Always saved). ~Should be saved~ gives hope but does not give a guarantee. ~Should~ reflects the subjunctive mood of the original text but ~shall~ puts the translation into the indicative mood which indicates a statement of fact. If this condition were true only in a case or two, it might not make so much difference, but the NIV has eliminated the subjunctive mood throughout the New Testament.\r\n\r\n<p>  \r\n\r\n<b>The NIV & ESV Add Doubt and Deception in the Footnotes</b><br>\r\n\r\n Mark 16:9-20, the NIV states, ~The most reliable early Manuscripts omit Mark 16:9-20.~ This is very misleading. Mark 1:1, they say, ~Some early manuscripts omit the Son of God.~ Luke 22:43-44, they say, ~Some early manuscripts Omit verses 43-44.~\r\n\r\n<p>  \r\n\r\n<b> Acts 2:38, the NIV Study Bible says,</b> ~Not that baptism effects forgiveness. Rather, forgiveness comes through that which is symbolized by baptism.~ Acts 22:16, the NIV Study Bible says, ~Baptism is the outward sign of an inward grace. The reality and symbol are closely associated in the New Testament.~\r\n\r\n<p>  \r\n\r\n<b>The NIV Teaches the church was Built on Peter</b><br>\r\n\r\n Matthew 16:18 ( NIV ), ~And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church.~ Then the footnote says, ~Peter means rock.~ But Jesus says Peter is a pebble, and the great confession Peter made concerning the Deity of Christ (vs. 16) is the ~ROCK~ foundation upon which the church is built (1 Cor. 3:11). The NIV translators did what the Catholics have wanted to do for years but did not have the nerve to do.\r\n\r\n<p>  \r\n\r\n<b>The NIV suggests that</b> if an unbeliever leaves his Christian mate, the Christian ~is not bound~ to the relationship any longer (1 Cor. 7:15). This is at variance with Matthew 19:9.\r\n\r\n<p> \r\n<b>In the preface to the NIV</b> the church of Christ is listed as a ~denomination.~ \r\n<p> \r\n<b>The ESV removes the fact that God Hates Divorce</b><br>\r\n Malachi 2:16 ( KJV ), God ~...hateth putting away.~ ESV - ~For the man who hates and divorces, says the Lord, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the Lord of hosts.~ This is inexcusable. The idea expressed in the ESV is not that <b>God hates divorce</b> but that the man who <b>hates and divorces</b> is guilty of violence.\r\n<p> \r\n<b>The ESV places a Time Element in 1 Thessalonians 2:16 </b><br>\r\n~By hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved - so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But God`s wrath has come upon them at last.~ The words ~at last~ express a time element. While the Greek word can express time fulfillment, the primary word is <b>quantitative</b>. The KJV captures the force, expressing God`s wrath coming upon them to the ~uttermost.~\r\n<p> \r\n\r\n<b>The ESV says a man shall not <b>suffer</b> for the Sins of his father</b><br>\r\n Ezekiel 18:20 ( ESV ), ~The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not suffer for the iniquity of the father, or the father suffer for the iniquity of the son....~  The KJV express the idea that the son shall not <b>bear the iniquity</b> of the father. An individual shall not <b>bear</b> the iniquity (or guilt) of his father, but he <b>very well may suffer</b> for his father`s sins. There is a difference. Didn`t David`s son suffer death due to David`s sins? ( 2 Sam.11:27-12:15). Didn`t Christ suffer for our sins? ( 1 Pet. 2:21 ).\r\n<p> \r\n<b>The ESV translates porneia (fornication - KJV ) as ~sexual immorality~ </b> ( Matt. 19:9; etc.) This is too general. Lust is a form of ~sexual immorality,~ but evil thoughts are not a justification for terminating a marriage.\r\n<p> \r\n<b>The ESV renders the original words aner as ~husband~ and gune as ~wife~ </b>( 1 Cor. 11:3 ). This is inconsistent with the immediate context, and at variance with other contexts dealing with the same gender theme ( 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 ; 1 Timothy 2:8 .). The headship of ~man~ (in general) over ~woman~ is in view, rather than the husband wife relationship.\r\n<p> \r\n<b>Conclusion</b>: It is impossible for God to lie ( Titus 1:2 ; Heb. 6:18 ). Thus, all the removals of man, sin, and Deity, plus the omissions, additions, contradictions, poor translating, and paraphrasing in the NIV and ESV are from the devil. Those who love the Word of God should use them for their own study and comparison purposes (if desired); however, <b>we do not believe the use of these versions should be promoted in the church.</b>\r\n<p> \r\nELDERS, beware! Your job is to watch over yourselves and the flock. You and many of your preachers and teachers are promoting and using these versions when teaching the flock. God is not pleased! What we should look for are Bible translations which attempt to make word for word translations. Elders who are faithful in their work of feeding and protecting the flock should request that only reliable translations (ASV, KJV, NKJV, NASV, etc.) be used in sermons, classes, and public Scripture readings. This does not always make for ease of readability, but it does, as a general rule, provide the reader with a reliable translation. ', 0, '', 'Wiki', 12, '2019-03-21 02:45:21', NULL, 'New International Version'),
(3703, 768, 11, '3 - Power of a Testimony', '', 1, 3695, NULL, 'Power Of A Testimony', 'Saint Francis of Assisi said, <b><i>Preach the Gospel to everyone and use\r\nwords if necessary.</i></b> What a profound statement! I believe he was saying\r\nthat a living example of the Gospel is more effective than words. Some\r\npeople may argue with you about doctrine or the interpretation of\r\nScripture, but unless they believe you’re a liar, they can’t argue with\r\nyour testimony.\r\n<p>\r\nIn John 10:37-38 , Jesus said,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do,\r\nthough ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and\r\nbelieve, that the Father is in me, and I in him.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nAnd in Mark 16:17-18 , we read what Jesus spoke to His disciples after\r\ncommanding them to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they\r\ncast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up\r\nserpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them;\r\nthey shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThen, in verse 20, Mark went on to say, <b><i>And they went forth, and\r\npreached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the\r\nword with signs following. Amen.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThere is nothing more powerful than a miracle testimony. Jesus and His\r\ndisciples used them to confirm that the words that they spoke were\r\ntruth. I teach our students at Charis Bible College that the Word of\r\nGod changes lives, but I also teach them to use testimonies because\r\npeople relate to stories. That is one of the reasons Jesus used\r\nparables to convey truth.\r\n<p>\r\nBecause of these truths, I’ve dedicated three weeks of our January\r\nGospel Truth television broadcasts to playing fifteen miraculous\r\ntestimonies of how God has touched and changed lives. I’m expecting\r\nthese programs to make a profound impact on people.\r\n<p>\r\nIn this letter, you will read three true stories of God’s healing\r\npower. I believe that as you read these stories, faith will build in\r\nyour heart. Even if you don’t need healing personally, you know someone\r\nwho does, and they need your prayer of faith.\r\n<p>\r\n Faith , Not Works ...\r\n<p>\r\nMike Hoesch didn’t pay much attention to the small sore on his chest.\r\nIt started out as a minor annoyance—an itch that wouldn’t go away. But\r\nafter a year, he decided to get it checked out.\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>When I first walked into the doctor’s office, I wasn’t afraid, just\r\ncurious as to what was causing this sore,</i></b> remembers Mike. <b><i>But the\r\ndoctor took one look, and the next thing I knew, he had me scheduled\r\nfor an emergency surgery.</i></b> Mike wasn’t clear about the diagnosis at\r\nfirst ~malignant neoplasm~ and asked his wife to research it while he\r\nreturned to work.\r\n<p>\r\nHis wife called him at work with the layman’s terminology: <b><i>malignant\r\nskin tumor.</i></b> A spirit of fear instantly gripped him. <b><i>My pastor told me\r\nnot to do anything in fear, so I canceled my surgery until I could get\r\npeace,</i></b> says Mike. Mike’s doctor called him back immediately, warning\r\nhim of the seriousness of his condition and letting him know that if he\r\nrefused surgery, he would remove himself as his doctor.\r\n<p>\r\nThis drove Mike further into fear, but deep down, he knew God could\r\nheal him. He turned to God’s Word. He searched the Word looking for\r\nthings he could do to get God to move on his behalf. <b><i>I was taught that\r\neverything God did for me was based on my performance. As soon as I\r\nthought I’d finally measured up, the bar got raised, and I had to do\r\nmore.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nAs Mike struggled with confusion and discouragement, the lesion changed\r\ninto a tumor and began growing at an alarming rate. <b><i>I was told that it\r\ncould metastasize throughout my body, and that’s what began happening,</i></b>\r\nsays Mike. <b><i>For the next five years, it clung to me and sucked the life\r\nright out of me. I grew so weak, I had to quit my job, give up the\r\nbusiness I started, and at one point, even hold my head up to eat.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nMike had given up hope, but then a friend brought him Andrew’s You’ve\r\nAlready Got It! CD series. <b><i>I was reluctant to listen because I’d been\r\ntaught that our ministry was the only one with the truth.</i></b> It was a\r\nmiracle that he listened, but once he did, the message resonated with\r\nhis spirit.\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>God had been trying to share with me that when Jesus went to the\r\ncross, He purchased my healing. There wasn’t anything else I had to do\r\nbut believe and receive. When I heard Andrew teach this and looked up\r\nthe scriptures for myself, I was convinced that it really was for me. I\r\nfinally understood that I’d never be able to receive as long as I\r\nthought there was some other work I had to do.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nOnce Mike received the revelation of healing, no one could convince him\r\notherwise: <b><i>I noticed after about a month, the tumor got smaller. I\r\nwasn’t surprised, because I knew I was healed. Within six months’ time,\r\nit was completely gone. I learned, like Andrew says in A Sure\r\nFoundation, that if you have God’s Word in you, you’ll always have\r\nsomething to stand on that won’t wash away in the storm.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nInstantly Healed ...\r\n<p>\r\nReeling in pain and loaded up on medication to numb his body, Lance\r\nWeldgen walked gingerly into his local coffee shop, laptop under his\r\narm. Typically, after a couple of hours, the pain in his body forced\r\nhim to go home and lie flat on his back. His doctors called his\r\ncondition fibromyalgia. Lance called it torture. With no known cure,\r\nthe best Lance could hope for was temporary relief through the\r\nseventeen different medications he took.\r\n<p>\r\nLance noticed a couple—Mike and Rose Gonyer—sitting across the room,\r\nstudying their Bibles. He mustered his strength to walk over and strike\r\nup a conversation. As Lance returned to his seat, the Gonyers noticed\r\nhis pain. <b><i>I went over to him and told him I could tell he was in a lot\r\nof pain,</i></b> recalls Mike. <b><i>I asked if he would share what was going on.\r\nAfter he told me, I invited him to Charis Bible College, where Rose and\r\nI were students.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThe intense pain kept Lance pinned to his bed and away from CBC the\r\nfollowing day. But the next day, Lance’s wife, Gerri, got him up at\r\nfive a.m., determined he would make it to the school.\r\n<p>\r\nAfter attending four classes, Lance was led into an empty classroom\r\nwhere Mike and Rose began praying for him. <b><i>After explaining what God’s\r\nWord says about healing, Rose said that God put it on her heart to ask\r\nif I felt worthy—valuable enough—to receive His healing,</i></b> says Lance.\r\n<b><i>For the first time, I realized that this had been my problem all\r\nalong.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nLance wasn’t prepared for what happened next: <b><i>Mike and Rose began\r\npraying for me—but not the kind of prayers I’d ever heard before. They\r\nspoke directly to my body, telling the fibromyalgia and pain to leave,\r\nand then rebuked a spirit of sickness.</i></b> Mike then told Lance to stand\r\nup and asked how he felt. <b><i>I noticed I didn’t have to grab onto\r\nanything to stand,</i></b> recalls Lance. Lance stood straight up and mentally\r\nscanned his body. One thing was noticeably missing—the pain!\r\n<p>\r\nLance is now living a pain-free, abundant life as a full-time counselor\r\nat a local rescue mission. He’s using the same Holy Spirit authority\r\nthat got him healed to set others free of addictions and sickness.\r\n<p>\r\nA Broken Heart ...\r\n<p>\r\nJamie Scott lay on the hospital bed, holding her brand-new baby girl\r\nand feeling amazed at the miracle of childbirth. Her daughter looked\r\nperfect. But after several minutes, Jamie and the nurses observed that\r\nthe baby wasn’t maintaining her natural color and kept turning white.\r\nThe nurses raced her daughter to the Newborn Intensive Care Unit.\r\n<p>\r\nNearly two hours had passed when the doctor returned to Jamie with grim\r\nnews: Her daughter was missing a rib, a couple of major arteries, and\r\nthe left side of her heart. The doctor transferred the baby to another\r\nhospital that specialized in cardiology. Good thing for Jamie, a friend\r\nhad told her about Andrew Wommack Ministries just a few months prior,\r\nand Jamie had been learning truths about God’s Word ever since.\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>When my friend first told me about AWM, I went to the website to see\r\nwhat Andrew taught,</i></b> says Jamie. <b><i>I had been raised in church, but had\r\nnever heard teaching like this. I ordered several books and CDs,\r\nincluding The True Nature of God, which set me free in my relationship\r\nwith Him. I then began watching Andrew on television where I heard his\r\nteaching God Wants You Well, and I ordered the book A Better Way to\r\nPray.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nWhen the doctor’s report came, she had the confidence to stand on God’s\r\nWord: <b><i>For the first time I felt I really knew who God was,</i></b> says\r\nJamie. <b><i>At that moment, I remembered Andrew saying how we have the\r\npower to speak God’s Word to our bodies. I laid my hands on her and\r\ncommanded her heart to be whole, and I declared that she was healed by\r\nthe stripes of Jesus.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nGod’s peace instantly washed over Jamie, even though she was looking at\r\nher daughter’s white-colored skin and a jumble of tubes connected to\r\nher tiny body. As Jamie returned to her hospital room, the Holy Spirit\r\nspoke three words to her: <b><i>Watch Me work.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThe following day, Jamie spoke to the cardiologist, who had written a\r\nbook on heart defects. He said that because the baby’s heart was not\r\ndeveloped enough to support arteries, there was no guarantee that any\r\ntype of surgery would be successful. Jamie and her husband waited and\r\nprayed, continuing to stand on God’s Word that their baby had been made\r\nwhole.\r\n<p>\r\nStill in the hospital herself, Jamie wasn’t able to see her baby. But\r\nthe next day, she spoke to a nurse who told her that her daughter’s\r\ncondition had changed the night before. After viewing ultrasounds, they\r\nnow saw a heart where there was no heart before and arteries where\r\nthere had been none. Jamie hung up the phone and, with tears, exclaimed\r\nto her husband, <b><i>They see her heart!</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nAfter four days in NICU, Jamie’s daughter was moved to the preemie unit\r\nand, by the end of that week, sent home with her parents. While the\r\ndoctors couldn’t explain what happened, they assured Jamie that her\r\nbaby was 100 percent whole. But Jamie already knew that based on God’s\r\nWord. In looking back on the experience, Jamie says with certainty, <b><i>If\r\nI didn’t learn the teachings about healing that I received through AWM,\r\nmy daughter would not be here today.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThere are so many lessons to be learned from each of these stories, and\r\nthese are just the tip of iceberg. My staff has now put together three\r\nDVDs called Healing Journeys I, II, and III. Each DVD has five\r\nmiraculous and powerful stories. They will build your faith to receive\r\nyour own healing and help you minister healing to others.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas \r\n', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-04-03 23:46:05', '2017-09-02 15:02:33', 'Power Of A Testimony'),
(3704, 769, 11, '4 - Thorn In The Flesh', '', 1, 3695, NULL, 'Paul`s Thorn In The Flesh', '<b><i>And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of\r\nthe revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the\r\nmessenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above\r\nmeasure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might\r\ndepart from me. \r\n<p>\r\nAnd he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee:\r\nfor my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will\r\nI rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest\r\nupon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in\r\nnecessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when\r\nI am weak, then am I strong.</i></b> ( 2 Cor. 12:7-10 )\r\n<p>\r\nThis thorn in the flesh that Paul mentioned has been used and misused\r\nby Christians to justify submitting to nearly any problem that comes\r\nalong. Satan has twisted this passage of Scripture to deceive many,\r\nmany people into believing that God would not heal Paul, so how can\r\nthey expect to be healed? Let us examine this closely and find out\r\nexactly what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was.\r\n<p>\r\nFirst of all, this <b><i>thorn</i></b> came because of the abundance of revelations\r\nPaul had received. Until a person has an abundance of revelations,\r\nsimilar to what Paul had, he is not going to have a <b><i>thorn.</i></b> That would\r\ndisqualify just about all of those who have been hiding behind Paul’s\r\nthorn.\r\n<p>\r\nThen, verse 7 says it came lest Paul should be exalted above measure.\r\nTraditionally, that has been interpreted to say the thorn was to keep\r\nPaul humble. Therefore, God had to be the author of it, because only\r\nGod would want Paul to be humble. But there is a godly way of being\r\nexalted. First Peter 5:6 says, <b><i>Humble yourselves therefore under the\r\nmighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.</i></b> Those who\r\nsubmit (humble) themselves to God will be exalted by God. \r\n<p>\r\nPaul was not\r\nspeaking of exalting himself above measure through pride, but rather,\r\nthe thorn came from Satan to keep Paul from being exalted by God in the\r\neyes of the people. Many more people would have received what Paul\r\npreached if everything was always <b><i>rosy</i></b> for him. But there was this\r\nmessenger of Satan who always buffeted Paul and scared away the faint-\r\nhearted from committing themselves to Jesus, whom Paul preached.\r\n<p>\r\n God magnified, or exalted, Joshua in the sight of his people (Josh.\r\n3:7). He continued to do that with the people He used on into the new\r\ncovenant ( Acts 5:13 ). So, we see that the exalting spoken of is not a\r\nnegative kind but a godly kind. That just further strengthens the fact\r\nthat the thorn was not God’s doing.\r\n<p>\r\nIn verse 7, right after the thorn in the flesh is mentioned, there is a\r\nphrase set off by commas which says, <b><i>The messenger of Satan to buffet\r\nme.</i></b> This is an explanation of what the thorn was. It was not a thing\r\nbut rather a demonic messenger. The word used as <b><i>messenger</i></b> here is\r\nalways translated as angel or messenger and refers to a created being.\r\n<p>\r\nSo, Paul’s thorn was literally a demon sent from Satan to buffet him.\r\nThe word <b><i>buffet</i></b> means to strike repeatedly as waves would buffet the\r\nshore.\r\n<p>\r\nHow did this demonic force continually strike Paul? Traditionally it\r\nhas been taught that it was with sickness, and the thing that made many\r\naccept that is the use of the words <b><i>weakness</i></b> and <b><i>infirmity</i></b> in\r\nverses 9 and 10. Infirmity definitely does mean sickness and is used\r\nthat way in 1 Timothy 5:23, but that is not the only meaning of the\r\nword. \r\n<p>\r\nThe number two definition is any lack or inadequacy. For\r\ninstance, Romans 8:26 says, <b><i>the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities.</i></b>\r\nIn this case, the context makes it clear that it is not speaking of\r\nsicknesses but rather not knowing what to pray for. Our finite minds\r\nare an infirmity, or an inadequacy.\r\n<p>\r\nIf we look at the context of Paul’s thorn in the flesh, we find that\r\ninfirmity does not mean sickness in \r\n 2 Corinthians 12:9,10. In 2\r\nCorinthians 11:30 , Paul uses the exact terminology of <b><i>glorying in\r\ninfirmities</i></b> that is used just a few verses later in speaking about\r\nthis thorn. In the eleventh chapter he had just finished listing what\r\nthose infirmities were. \r\n<p>\r\nIn verses 23-29, he lists such things as\r\nimprisonment, stripes, shipwrecks, and stonings; none of these speak of\r\nsickness. Verse 27 mentions weakness and painfulness, which some have\r\ntried to make mean sickness, but it is just as possible he could have\r\nbeen weary and suffered painfulness from such things as being stoned\r\nand left for dead ( Acts 14:19 ). \r\n<p>\r\nAll these things listed in 2\r\nCorinthians 11 refer to persecutions as infirmities. So, in context,\r\nPaul’s thorn was a demonic angel or messenger sent by Satan which\r\ncontinually stirred up persecution against him. This is also verified\r\nby three Old Testament references ( Num. 33:55 ; Josh. 23:13 and Judg.\r\n2:3 ), where people are spoken of as being <b><i>thorns in your sides</i></b> and\r\n<b><i>thorns in your eyes.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nPaul asked the Lord to remove persecution from him, not sickness, and\r\nthe Lord told him His grace was sufficient. We are not redeemed from\r\npersecution, and Paul later stated that when he said in 2 Timothy 3:12,\r\n<b><i>All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.</i></b>\r\nMost gladly, therefore, he gloried in persecutions, reproaches,\r\nnecessities, and distresses that the power of Christ might rest upon\r\nhim ( 2 Cor. 12:9 ). \r\n<p>\r\nThe word <b><i>glory</i></b> is an old English word which means\r\nto have dominion over or command. It is used in Exodus 8:9 where Moses\r\ntold Pharaoh to glory over him, or command him, when to destroy the\r\nfrogs. So when Paul spoke of glorying in these infirmities or\r\npersecutions, he was speaking of victory even in the midst of continual\r\nharassment.\r\n<p>\r\nIn Acts 14:19 , Paul was stoned and left for dead, but God raised him\r\nup, and the next day he walked at least twenty miles into the next town\r\nand started preaching again. The Lord did not stop the persecution, but\r\nGod’s strength was certainly made perfect in Paul’s weakness (verse 9).\r\n<p>\r\nCan you imagine what those that stoned him must have thought? They\r\ncould see Paul’s humanity in the cuts and bruises, but they could also\r\nsee the supernatural strength of God flowing through him. <b><i>For when I\r\nam weak, then am I strong</i></b> (verse 10).\r\n<p>\r\nThere are two other passages of Scripture that those who believe Paul’s\r\nthorn in the flesh was sickness have tried to use to verify that. One\r\nis Galatians 4:13-15 . Here Paul says that he preached the Gospel to\r\nthese Galatians through an infirmity of the flesh, and in verse 15, he\r\nmakes reference to these people being willing to poke out their own\r\neyes and give them to him. \r\n<p>\r\nFrom this, I have heard ministers preach\r\nthat Paul’s thorn was a rare, ancient disease which was characterized\r\nby runny, puffy eyes. But let us look at whom Paul was speaking to when\r\nhe said this. He was writing to the people who lived in the region\r\nknown as Galatia, which had as its major cities, Derbe, Lystra, and\r\nIconium. The instance we mentioned earlier, where Paul was stoned and\r\nleft for dead, happened in Lystra, a city of Galatia. \r\n<p>\r\nThe next day Paul\r\nwalked to Derbe, another city of Galatia, and began preaching unto\r\nthem. I’m sure he had runny, puffy eyes, along with multiple cuts and\r\nbruises, but they were not the result of some disease. They were the\r\nresult of having just been stoned. He also says in verse 13 that his\r\ninfirmity was <b><i>at the first,</i></b> which leaves the impression it was only a\r\ntemporary thing that he recovered from.\r\n<p>\r\nThe next scripture used to say Paul’s thorn was bad eyes is also in Galatians 6:11 . It says, <b><i>Ye see how large a letter I\r\nhave written unto you with mine own hand.</i></b> People have said Paul’s eyes\r\nwere so bad that he had to write in large letters, and this is what he\r\nwas making reference to. \r\n<p>\r\nThat is only a supposition and not a very good\r\none at that. It is a lot more credible to believe that he was simply\r\nreferring to the long letter he had written to the Galatians.\r\n<p>\r\nThe reason it is so important to realize that the thorn in the flesh\r\nwas not something which Jesus died to redeem us from, such as sickness,\r\nis so that we won’t submit ourselves to these things. James 4:7 says,\r\n<b><i>Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee\r\nfrom you.</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\nWe have to resist, or actively fight against, the devil and\r\nthe things he brings, to see them flee. Satan has used traditional\r\nteaching about Paul’s thorn to bring many Christians to a place of\r\nsubmitting to him. But, praise God, you shall know the truth and the\r\ntruth, shall set you free.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas ', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-09-23 22:38:22', '2017-09-02 15:08:32', 'Paul’s Thorn In The Flesh'),
(3705, 770, 11, '5 - Secrets To Happiness', '', 1, 3695, NULL, 'Paul`s Secrets To Happiness', 'Are you truly happy? Selah (pause and think on that for a moment).\r\nThat’s a huge question. For most Christians, if they’re honest, they’d\r\nhave to admit that their happiness is very conditional. \r\n<p>\r\nIt’s sad, but\r\nit’s true. Circumstances control most people’s happiness. But that’s\r\nthe problem: True joy and happiness don’t come from circumstances.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Apostle Paul gave us a great example of this. He had a vision from\r\nGod that he was supposed to go minister to the people in Macedonia.\r\n<p>\r\nAnd a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of\r\nMacedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help\r\nus. [10] And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured\r\nto go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us\r\nfor to preach the gospel unto them.\r\n\r\n Acts 16:9-10 \r\n<p>\r\nEven though Paul and his companion Silas had a divine mandate from God\r\nto go and minister there, everything didn’t go perfectly. Within just a\r\nfew days, they were beaten and thrown in the worst part of the prison\r\nwith their feet and hands in stocks ( Acts 16:16-24 ).\r\n<p>\r\nBut look at Paul and Silas’s response to this:\r\n<br>\r\nAnd at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and\r\nthe prisoners heard them.\r\n\r\n Acts 16:25 \r\n<p>\r\nThis is awesome! After the awful treatment that these two men endured,\r\nthey were giving thanks—praying and singing praises unto God. They were\r\nso loud, in fact, that the other prisoners could hear them. And if you\r\nlook this up in the Greek, it literally means that the prisoners hung\r\non every word Paul and Silas were singing. \r\n<p>\r\nThey weren’t just listening\r\nwith their physical ears; they were listening with their hearts. Their\r\npraise ministered to the prisoners. \r\nWhen was the last time your praise\r\nin a terrible situation ministered to someone?\r\n<p>\r\nThe prisoners were so blessed by Paul and Silas that when an earthquake\r\ncame and the prison doors were opened and all of the chains fell off,\r\nnone of them left:\r\n<p>\r\nAnd suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of\r\nthe prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and\r\nevery one’s bands were loosed. [27] And the keeper of the prison\r\nawaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out\r\nhis sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners\r\nhad been fled. [28] \r\n<p>\r\nBut Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do\r\nthyself no harm: for we are all here.\r\n\r\n Acts 16:26-28 \r\n<p>\r\nPaul and Silas’s praise released God’s power. You see, praise to God\r\nblesses you, drives away the devil, and blesses God (check out my book\r\nThe Effects of Praise). When you find yourself in an adverse situation\r\nand you offer genuine praises to God, you put yourself in a position to\r\nreceive from Him! Praise is the key that unlocks God’s treasures.\r\n<p>\r\nJust as praise was a key to Paul’s success, it has been a huge part of\r\nmy life. When my son died, I believe my decision to praise the Lord\r\nanyway was a major factor in him being raised from the dead. Thank You,\r\nJesus! Praise is powerful!\r\n<p>\r\nPaul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to <b><i>rejoice in the\r\nLord always: and again I say, Rejoice</i></b> ( Phil. 4:4 ). This is such a\r\nradical concept, and I believe it’s the reason he repeated it. He\r\ndidn’t want anyone to think this was a mistake. Rejoicing is a command.\r\n<p>\r\nThe whole world needs to hear this. People are doing everything within\r\ntheir power to be happy, but it’s still elusive to most. We have more\r\nsuicide and drug usage than ever before because people aren’t happy.\r\nTrue joy can only be found in the Lord ( Ps. 16:11 ).\r\n<p>\r\nThe Scripture says,\r\n<br>\r\nI will bless the Lord at all times.\r\n\r\n Psalm 34:1\r\n<p>\r\nIt says <b><i>all times.</i></b> That means you can rejoice when circumstances are\r\ngood and when they aren’t. You can look at people who appear to have\r\nthe ideal circumstances—politicians, movie stars, athletes, etc. They\r\nhave plenty of money, fame, recognition, and even the praises of some\r\npeople. Many idolize them. \r\n<p>\r\nYet while they’re in possession of\r\neverything in the natural, many of them are miserable. They aren’t\r\nhappy people. \r\n<p>\r\nI’m telling you, happiness is not dependent upon\r\ncircumstances. It is a state of mind, not a state of being. Paul\r\nunderstood this. Some people have never thought of him as a happy\r\nperson, because of all the terrible circumstances he endured, but he\r\nwas. He knew the secrets to happiness.\r\n<p>\r\nI’ve identified twenty things from Paul’s own writings that were keys\r\nto his happiness. These are timeless truths that will work for you\r\ntoday just as they did for him. I’ve made a new teaching on this\r\nentitled Paul’s Secrets to Happiness. Paul said he had learned to be\r\ncontent ( Phil. 4:11 ). You can too.\r\n<p>\r\nReally, these aren’t secrets. They are hidden in plain sight in Paul’s\r\nletter to the Philippians. This letter was written by Paul when he was\r\nin prison, facing possible execution, yet the book of Philippians\r\nmentions joy and rejoicing more than any other letter Paul wrote.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas ', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-12-08 00:25:16', '2017-09-02 15:14:37', 'Paul’s Secrets To Happiness'),
(3706, 733, 11, 'Discipleship Seminar Part  8', '', 1, 3500, NULL, 'Discipleship Course Part 8', '<table width=100% height=100% background=~../../upload/RandyLucas/images/DiscipleTeaching.jpg~><tr><td valign=top>\r\n\r\n<center>\r\n<h1 style=~color:#880000; text-shadow: 2px 2px #AAAAAA;~>Discipleship Seminar Part 8</h1>\r\n</center>\r\n<p>\r\n<table width=100% cellpading=5><tr>\r\n<td width=35%>\r\n\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=darkgrey cellpadding=5 cellspacing=1><tr><td align=center bgcolor=lightyellow>\r\n<font size=2><b>\r\n????????????<br>\r\nNew Life Pentecostal Church<br>\r\n401 E. Church St.<br>\r\nBenson, NC\r\n</b></font>\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n<br>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=~color:#FFFFFF; text-shadow: 2px 2px #330000;~>Sessions: </h2>\r\n<dir>\r\n<iframe id=ifrm  FRAMEBORDER=0\r\nsrc=menu.php?tabnum=3706      \r\nallowtransparency=~true~ width=225 height=265>   \r\n</iframe>\r\n</dir>\r\n\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=darkgrey cellpadding=5 cellspacing=1><tr><td bgcolor=lightyellow>\r\n<font size=1><b>\r\n<font color=red>Register:</font> email <a href=mailto:Randy@LucasCo.info>Pastor Randy</a> or \r\ncall or text (919)622-1070\r\n</b></font>\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n\r\n</td>\r\n<td width=65%>\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=lightgray cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5><tr><td bgcolor=lightblue>\r\nThis seminar uses materials from Andrew Wommack Ministries International ( AWMI ) to bring Christians of all backgrounds into a Knowledgeable , Powerful , Effective Relationship with Christ Jesus . \r\n<p>\r\nIt is non-denominational and open to the public.\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n<br>\r\n<center>\r\n\r\n<center>\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=#FFFCCC cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5><tr>\r\n<td bgcolor=lightgray>\r\n\r\n<b>Day 1</b>    <font color=green> 7:00-7:45 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nHow much Christianity is enough?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n             <font color=green> 7:45-8:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nWhat happens when you are BornAgain ?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n<b>Day 2</b>   <font color=green> 7:00-7:45 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nWho does Jesus Love ?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n\r\n<hr>\r\n             <font color=green> 7:45-8:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nWhat does it mean to Know God ?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n<b>Day 3</b>     <font color=green> 7:00-7:45 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nDo you have any sacred cows?\r\n</dir>\r\n\r\n<hr>\r\n              <font color=green> 7:45-8:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nxxxxxHave you read the book of Romans lately?\r\n\r\n</td>\r\n\r\n</tr></table>\r\n\r\n</center>\r\n</td>\r\n\r\n</tr></table>\r\n\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-12-08 17:04:09', NULL, 'Basic Discipleship Course');
INSERT INTO `Tabs` (`TabID`, `TabOrder`, `ProjectID`, `TabName`, `AuthorizedRoles`, `IsVisible`, `ParentId`, `ImageList`, `Title`, `Description`, `IsDeleted`, `TabTarget`, `TabType`, `TabOwner`, `LastUpdate`, `DateCreated`, `Keywords`) VALUES
(3707, 773, 11, '1 - Observing All Things', '', 1, 3706, NULL, 'Observing All Things', 'How much does the Bible get in the way of what you believe? If you’re\r\nlike most Christians, you believe in Jesus, but you’ve\r\ncompartmentalized your faith so that your Bible beliefs have only a\r\nlittle influence over other areas of your life. \r\n<p>\r\nFor many, the Bible\r\ndoesn’t influence what they believe one iota! As long as they claim to\r\nbelieve on Jesus, they think they can believe whatever they want about\r\nissues in life and society. That is absolutely wrong! All that this\r\nmeans is they have not been taught to observe all things Jesus\r\ncommanded:\r\n<p>\r\nGo therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in\r\nthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20a]\r\nteaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you.\r\n\r\nMatthew 28:19-20a, New King James Version\r\n<p>\r\nYou see, a disciple is a person who observes all things Jesus\r\ncommanded. By and large, the church has not been making disciples.\r\nTheir goal has basically been <b><i>Let’s just get people born again and\r\nmake sure they’re headed to heaven. Everything else will work out.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThis has caused problems. Because the church isn’t teaching people to\r\nobserve all things Jesus commanded, there’s a void in society where\r\nChristians ought to be taking a stand. When it comes to social, moral\r\nissues, a lot of Christians are silent or they oppose what the Bible\r\nsays. They’ve professed faith in the Lord, but they aren’t disciples.\r\nThat might sound shocking to you, but look at how Jesus responded to\r\npeople who only put faith in Him:\r\n<p>\r\nThen said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in\r\nmy word, then are ye my disciples indeed.\r\n\r\nJohn 8:31\r\n<p>\r\nIt’s not enough just to get saved so you won’t go to hell. It’s not\r\nabout an insurance policy. You have to continue in Jesus’ words if\r\nyou’re going to be His disciple. This ought to be the goal of every\r\nsingle Christian! Yet it’s amazing how many don’t get this. They think\r\nthe Bible shouldn’t influence what they think about economics, racial\r\nissues, marriage, or health. \r\n<p>\r\nWhen it comes to hot topics like\r\nhomosexuality, abortion, and evolution, the church is divided. Most\r\nwould say, <b><i>See, now you’ve gone to meddling. You just need to stick to\r\npreaching the Word and stop getting into politics and social issues.</i></b>\r\nBut I am preaching the Word! It’s not me who is invading the social,\r\npolitical arena; these things are encroaching on what the Bible has to\r\nsay. The Word of God has instruction for every one of these areas.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Word of God has a lot to say about the issues we’re facing in\r\nsociety today. If we stay silent, the unbelievers—who don’t have a\r\nbiblical worldview—are going to be the ones establishing all of the\r\npolicies, determining what we can and can’t say, and what we can do and\r\ncan’t do. This is already happening, and many Christians have just\r\naccepted this. They’ve moved away from the words of Jesus. They don’t\r\nknow what the Word of God has to say on all of these things.\r\n<p>\r\nThere was a woman in our Bible college who came to me and told me that\r\nevery time I’d mention anything about economics, abortion,\r\nhomosexuality, or creationism versus evolution, she would cringe and\r\nsay, <b><i>O God, get him back on the Bible.</i></b> But after being in the school\r\nfor a year and a half, she said, <b><i>I’ve changed. And my position on\r\nnearly all of these issues has changed.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nWhen she said that, I pulled her aside and said, <b><i>I’m not trying to\r\ncriticize you; I just honestly want to know how a committed Christian\r\ncould have these viewpoints that are completely contrary to the Bible.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nShe said, <b><i>I loved Jesus and I really had committed my life to Him. But\r\nI really didn’t love the Word. When I came to Bible college and started\r\nhearing the Word, I fell in love with it. I let the Word dominate me,\r\nand I couldn’t hold on to my positions any longer.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nYou can love God and be liberal in your social views, but you can’t\r\nlove the Word and be that way.\r\n<p>\r\nYou could be just like this lady: You truly are born again, love God,\r\nand you’re headed to heaven, but you still hold viewpoints that are\r\ncompletely opposite of what the Word says. The reason for this is that,\r\nlike this lady, you don’t love the Word. You haven’t been taught <b><i>to\r\nobserve all things</i></b> (Matt. 28:20) Jesus commanded. \r\n<p>\r\nIf you’re going to\r\nbe a disciple of Jesus, you can’t observe only the parts that you like.\r\nIf your attitude, your doctrine, or your worldview doesn’t line up with\r\nthe Word of God, you need to change it, not change the Word of God.\r\nThat’s big!\r\n<p>\r\nSome of you reading this hold views that are completely contrary to the\r\nWord of God, yet you call yourselves committed Christians. I’m telling\r\nyou that you cannot continue to do this and then call yourselves\r\ndisciples.\r\n<p>\r\nI was recently visiting with a minister who, from the pulpit, was\r\nintentionally silent on the issue of homosexuality. He said, <b><i>I want to\r\nlove these people. I don’t want to condemn anybody or turn them away.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nI agree that we aren’t supposed to condemn people and we should love\r\nthem, but I told him, <b><i>What about the kids who are growing up in your\r\nchurch? The secular world is very aggressive in promoting their agenda.\r\nIf the church doesn’t stand up and say what is right and preach the\r\nWord, then the views of the world will be forced upon our young people.\r\n<p>\r\nIn the vacuum caused by the godly being silent, they’ll believe these\r\nlies and adopt views that are completely contrary to the Word of God.\r\nIt’s wonderful to be inclusive and to make people feel welcome to come\r\nto your church, but you’re not doing them any favors by not speaking\r\nthe truth.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nHe said, <b><i>I never thought of that.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nIt’s because the church has basically retreated to where all that\r\nministers will defend and stand on is the born-again experience—whether\r\npeople are going to heaven or not. While this is happening, the world\r\nis preaching their doctrine. Sadly, a lot of Christians are buying into\r\nthis because there isn’t an opposing voice, or anyone standing up for\r\nthe truth. \r\n<p>\r\nWell, I’m taking a stand against things that undermine the\r\nWord of God! You need to take that same stand. You might take offense\r\nat this because that was not the way you were raised, you weren’t\r\neducated this way, or you’ve believed things for so long that you don’t\r\nknow if you can change. But, like I started off asking, how much do you\r\nlet the Word of God get in the way of what you believe? \r\n<p>\r\nAre you willing\r\nto take a stand? Are you willing to be a disciple of the Lord Jesus,\r\ninstead of just a convert? These are all good questions to ask\r\nyourself.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-02 19:59:29', '2017-09-02 15:24:49', 'Observing All Things'),
(3708, 774, 11, '2 - New You', '', 1, 3706, NULL, 'New You', 'One of the leading evangelists of our day has been quoted as saying\r\nthat he believes only fifteen percent of professing Christians are\r\ntruly born again. That’s a startling statement! I’m not sure that’s\r\naccurate, but I certainly believe that many, if not a majority, of\r\nthose who call themselves Christians are not truly saved.\r\n<p>\r\nYou can tell that by the values they hold and the lives they live. This\r\nmeans that millions of people who profess to be saved aren’t. The\r\nfollowing certainly confirms it.\r\n<p>\r\n<center>\r\nBarna Research Survey\r\n<br>\r\nMost ~Christians~ Confused About Salvation\r\n</center>\r\n<br>\r\nThe results of a recent survey indicated that most protestant\r\nChristians don’t understand—or believe—their own theology about\r\nsalvation. The Barna Research Group asked 6,242 adults nationwide, <b><i>Can\r\na good person earn their way to heaven?</i></b> The percentage of those\r\nresponding ~yes~ were as follows:\r\n<dir>\r\nAssembly of God 22%\r\n<br>\r\nBaptist 38%\r\n<br>\r\nPresbyterian 52%\r\n<br>\r\nLutheran 54%\r\n<br>\r\nEpiscopalian 58%\r\n<br>\r\nMethodist 59%\r\n<br>\r\nRoman Catholic 82%\r\n</dir>\r\nHow can this be?\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God</i></b> (Rom. 10:17).\r\n<p>\r\nIf there isn’t a clear presentation of true salvation, then there won’t\r\nbe faith to receive it. Unfortunately, many <b><i>Christian</i></b> churches today\r\nare presenting church membership and holy living as the way to\r\nsalvation.\r\n<p>\r\nThey preach that there is a God but that the way to have a relationship\r\nwith Him is through being a good person. In that respect, they are not\r\nmuch different than any other religion. But that’s not what the Bible\r\nteaches. It doesn’t matter how good you may be. Who wants to be the\r\nbest sinner that ever went to hell? The Bible teaches:\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God</i></b> (Rom. 3:23,\r\nemphasis mine).\r\n<p>\r\nThe glory of God that this verse is speaking of is Jesus. You may be\r\ngood compared to me or some other person. But compared to Jesus,\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>There is none righteous, no, not one</i></b> (Rom. 3:10).\r\n<p> \r\nThe Bible teaches that no one can have a relationship with God by just\r\nbeing good. We are all doomed under sin so that we can all have\r\nsalvation through Jesus (Gal. 3:22).\r\n<p>\r\nTrue Christianity differs from all other religions on the face of the\r\nearth in one very specific way: We are the only religion with a Savior.\r\nOthers teach there is a God and that we are accountable to Him, but\r\nthey believe we save ourselves by good works. Even the Jews and Muslims\r\nbelieve God is the God of Abraham, but reject Jesus as their Savior.\r\n<p>\r\nAll other religions place the burden of salvation on the back of the\r\nindividual. They teach that through acts of self-denial and holiness,\r\nyou earn your place in heaven. But true Christianity puts the burden of\r\nsalvation on Jesus. Our only part is to believe and receive, or doubt\r\nand do without.\r\n<p>\r\nIf a Buddhist, a Muslim, and a Christian all stood before the Lord, how\r\nwould they respond to this question, <b><i>What makes you worthy to enter\r\nheaven</i></b>? The Buddhist and Muslim would certainly try to convince the\r\nLord of their holiness by their worthy accomplishments. \r\n<p>\r\nThat’s\r\nprecisely the logic behind terrorist’s suicide bombers. They are told\r\nthat if they kill the infidels, they will be granted entrance to heaven\r\nand given a harem of women for eternity.\r\n<p>\r\nBut a true Christian wouldn’t point to any good deed they have done,\r\nand they certainly wouldn’t expect that killing others would earn them\r\nfavor with God. Instead, they would point to Jesus and say, <b><i>I have no\r\nvirtue of my own to make me worthy. All my faith is in Jesus, my\r\nSavior, and what He did for me.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nIt’s always about how we view Jesus. Every religion of the world\r\nrecognizes Jesus. They have to. There is more physical evidence that\r\nJesus lived than that any of the Caesars lived. And Jesus’ example of\r\nlove and turning the other cheek has never been equaled by any other\r\nreligious leader.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Muslims and the Jews say Jesus was a prophet, a good man. They\r\ncommend His teachings, but they reject Him as God and Savior.\r\nAmazingly, many who call themselves <b><i>Christians</i></b> have a similar view of\r\nJesus. They admit He’s a wonderful example, but they don’t believe He\r\nis God, and they don’t believe He is the only way to the Father.\r\n<p>\r\nBut that is totally illogical. Either Jesus is who He said He was, or\r\nHe was a deceiver. There can be no middle. You can’t admire His\r\nteachings and actions and then reject His claim to be the Son of God\r\nsent to save the world.\r\nv\r\nJesus said, <b><i>I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto\r\nthe Father, but by me</i></b> (John 14:6).\r\nv\r\nJesus didn’t claim to be <b><i>a</i></b> truth, <b><i>a</i></b> way, and <b><i>a</i></b> life; He left no\r\nother options for having a relationship with God the Father than\r\nthrough Him. He also said,\r\nv\r\n<b><i>All men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that\r\nhonoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him</i></b>\r\n(John 5:23).\r\n<p>\r\nJesus made Himself equal with God and said that if we didn’t honor Him\r\nas such, then we weren’t honoring God the Father. No one can receive\r\nGod’s salvation who doesn’t recognize Jesus as God and the only way to\r\nthe Father. His own claims leave no room to accept Him as good and then\r\nnot as God.\r\n<p>\r\nThere was an instance in Scripture where a rich young man came running\r\nand threw himself down at Jesus’ feet. He certainly respected Jesus and\r\nrecognized Him as being a religious leader. But despite his outward\r\npretense, Jesus could tell he wasn’t ready to make a real commitment to\r\nHim. The young man said,\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life? And\r\nJesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but\r\none, that is, God</i></b> (Mark 10:17-18).\r\n<p>\r\nJesus was saying that the only one who is truly good is God. So this\r\nperson either needed to accept Jesus as God or quit calling Him good.\r\nWhat was the young man’s response? In verse 20 he said,\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Master…</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThe rich young ruler dropped the word <b><i>good</i></b> when addressing Jesus. He\r\nwas not willing to make Jesus God. He was willing to identify with\r\nJesus and proclaim His goodness, but he was not willing to make Him\r\nGod.\r\n<p>\r\nThis young man went on to proclaim his own goodness as the basis of his\r\nrelationship with the Lord. He said he had kept all the commandments\r\nfrom the time of his youth. The truth is that no one has kept all the\r\nLaw and lived a sinless life.\r\n<p>\r\nWe have all sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). This\r\nman was deceived because he compared himself with others (2 Cor.\r\n10:12). Compared to others, he may have been holy, but he was a sinner\r\nin need of a Savior, and he didn’t know it.\r\n<p>\r\nThe story continues,\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou\r\nlackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor,\r\nand thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross,\r\nand follow me</i></b> (Mark 10:21).\r\n<p>\r\nNotice that this verse says Jesus loved this young man. Jesus didn’t\r\ntell this man to sell all he had and give to the poor because He didn’t\r\nwant him to be a disciple. He loved him. And because Jesus loved him,\r\nHe had to break the deception that he could earn his salvation.\r\n<p>\r\nHe needed a Savior but didn’t know it. He had lived such a good life\r\nthat he thought he would be accepted by God for all his goodness. He\r\nsaid he had kept all the commandments of God, but he hadn’t. He had\r\ndeceived himself into believing it, but Jesus knew better.\r\n<p>\r\nJesus told this young man to sell whatever he had and give it to the\r\npoor. He had never told this to anyone else who wanted to follow Him,\r\nso why did he do this? He did it because He knew what his god was.\r\n<p>\r\nThe very first commandment says,\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Thou shalt have no other gods before me</i></b> (Ex. 20:3).\r\n<p>\r\nJesus was showing this young man that he had broken the very first\r\ncommandment. He trusted his money and what it could do for him more\r\nthan he trusted God. Jesus loved him and wanted to bring him to\r\nsalvation, but He would not lower the bar, and the young man went away\r\nsorrowful (Mark 10:22). There is no other way to the Father but through\r\nJesus .\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-02 19:59:42', '2017-09-02 15:31:36', 'New You'),
(3709, 775, 11, '3 - Who Jesus Loves', '', 1, 3706, NULL, 'Look Who Jesus Loves', 'If you have listened to any of my teachings, you’ve heard me speak\r\nabout the love of God. That’s what changed my life. The titles,\r\nsubjects, and Scripture references of my albums are all different, but\r\nI’m always teaching about some aspect of God’s unconditional love.\r\n<p>\r\nI believe a true, experiential understanding of God’s love will\r\ndrastically change anyone’s life. That’s the point that the Apostle\r\nPaul was making in Ephesians 3:19.\r\n<p>\r\nIt says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might\r\nbe filled with all the fulness of God.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nKnowing God’s love experientially surpasses mere head knowledge, and it\r\nalways results in us being filled with all the fullness of God. I could\r\nsay it this way: If you aren’t experiencing all the fullness of God,\r\nthen you aren’t experiencing God’s love.\r\n<p>\r\nMany people would argue with that. They would say that they know God\r\nloves them but that they are just under their circumstances at the\r\nmoment. My answer would be, <b><i>What are you doing under there!</i></b> The Bible\r\nsays we are to be above only and not beneath (Deut. 28:13).\r\n<p>\r\nWhen we are enjoying God’s love, everything else pales in comparison.\r\nNo problem can compare to the unsearchable riches of God’s love. It’s\r\nlike the old song says, <b><i>Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His\r\nwonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the\r\nlight of His glory and grace.</i></b> That is absolutely true.\r\n<p>\r\nAt a recent Gospel Truth Seminar, I taught on the love of God in every\r\nsession. I’ve had a teaching series available on this subject for\r\nyears, God’s Kind Of Love: The Cure for What Ails Ya! However, at this\r\nseminar I took a totally different approach. Instead of restating the\r\nobvious, I decided to specifically counter wrong thinking that blinds\r\nus to His love.\r\n<p>\r\nEvery Christian has the head knowledge of God’s love for them, but\r\nbecause of wrong thinking, it seldom translates into experience. There\r\nare things (primarily religious teachings) that dilute and weaken that\r\nrevelation of God’s love.\r\n<p>\r\nI began with the sovereignty of God. Wrong thinking about this is one\r\nof the biggest problems people have in experiencing God’s love. If you\r\nbelieve God is the One who is causing all the problems in the world, it\r\nwill definitely affect your relationship with Him.\r\n<p>\r\nLet me illustrate it this way: What if you thought I was the one who\r\nkilled thousands in the September 11 terrorist attacks, caused the\r\ntsunamis that devastated Asia, and destroyed New Orleans with a\r\nhurricane. \r\n<p>\r\nOn the other hand, what if you thought I was so heartless\r\nthat I would cause babies to be born with birth defects and people to\r\nsuffer terrible things like murder and rape so I could teach them a\r\nlesson. If every evil thing in life were my fault, how would you feel\r\nabout me?\r\n<p>\r\nThere isn’t a civilized nation on the earth that wouldn’t have me\r\nkilled, if they could prove I was behind all these things. Yet this is\r\nwhat the Lord is being blamed for every day. It’s even written in our\r\ncontracts?major natural disasters and tragedies are called <b><i>acts of\r\nGod.</i></b>\r\nv\r\nThis isn’t a true representation of God. God is not the source of our\r\nproblems. Understanding the sovereignty of God correctly is so\r\nimportant that I spent an entire session on the subject. Anyone who\r\ndoesn’t get this right will never truly appreciate God’s love. It’s\r\nimpossible to feel good about God if you believe the accusers that\r\ndepict Him as evil.\r\n<p>\r\nNext I taught about God’s unconditional love. That is a radical\r\nconcept. Nearly all of religion links God’s love and acceptance of\r\npeople to their worthiness. In other words, God’s love is proportional\r\nto their performance.\r\n<p>\r\nSome Christian religious groups, after presenting salvation as a free\r\ngift of God’s grace, turn right around and teach new believers that\r\ntheir continuing relationship with the Lord now depends on their\r\nperformance. If they don’t live holy, go to church, read their Bibles,\r\nand pay tithes, etc., then the Lord won’t bless them or answer their\r\nprayers.\r\n<p>\r\nThat kind of thinking will block a person from receiving the love of\r\nGod. When their performance falls short, and it always does, their own\r\nhearts will condemn them. They just can’t believe God could love them.\r\nThe truth is that God’s love for us has nothing to do with our\r\nperformance. He loves us because He is love (1 John 4:8), not because\r\nwe are lovely.\r\n<p>\r\nUnderstanding that God’s love is unconditional will revolutionize your\r\nlife. It certainly has mine.\r\n<p>\r\nAnother major roadblock to experiencing God’s love is this: How can a\r\nholy God love unholy people? To answer that, I explained how God is a\r\nSpirit, and if we are going to truly connect with Him in worship, we\r\nhave to do it through our new born-again spirits (John 4:24). When I\r\nfound out who I was in the spirit, it forever changed me. Understanding\r\nthat is what allowed me to finally accept God’s love.\r\n<p>\r\nI am firmly convinced that a lack of seeing ourselves <b><i>in Christ</i></b> is\r\nthe root of all unbelief and failure to experience God’s pure love.\r\nThis is my life message. It’s at the core of all the understanding the\r\nLord has given me, and I believe it has to become a true revelation to\r\nevery person if they want to experience God’s love in its fullness.\r\n<p>\r\nThis led to teaching on another major area of wrong thinking. Much of\r\nwhat people believe about God’s rejection of us comes from Scripture.\r\nThey use Old Testament scriptures as the basis for what they believe,\r\nnot understanding that Jesus forever changed God’s dealings with\r\nmankind.\r\n<p>\r\nThey don’t understand the difference between the way God dealt with\r\npeople under the Old Covenant of the Law and the way He now deals with\r\nus through Christ.\r\n<p>\r\nSecond Corinthians 5:19 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself,\r\nnot imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the\r\nword of reconciliation.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nUnder this New Covenant, God is not imputing our sins unto us. That is\r\nthe exact opposite of what happened under the Old Covenant. This is\r\nexplained in detail in the New Covenant, and yet the body of Christ as\r\na whole has missed this truth. The vast majority of Christians are\r\nstill under sin consciousness, the very thing that Old Testament saints\r\nlonged to be free from.\r\n<p>\r\nThey saw our covenant by faith and prophesied about the superiority of\r\nthe New Covenant that God would make with mankind (1 Pet. 1:10-12).\r\nYet, modern-day Christians aren’t taking advantage of all the benefits\r\nof God’s love available in that New Covenant. God’s people truly are\r\ndestroyed for lack of knowledge (Hos. 4:6).\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-02 19:59:53', '2017-09-02 15:42:03', 'Look Who Jesus Loves'),
(3710, 776, 11, '4 - Knowing God', '', 1, 3706, NULL, 'Knowing God', 'If I were to ask a group of people what’s the greatest thing in life, I\r\nwould probably get as many answers as there were people. Certainly many\r\nthings contribute to a full and happy life, but I hope all believers\r\nwould agree that knowing God is absolutely the greatest and most\r\nimportant of all. Without that, everything else loses meaning.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Apostle Paul put it this way in Philippians 3:8:\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of\r\nthe knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the\r\nloss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThink of this: Paul wasn’t a loser. He hadn’t hit rock bottom with\r\nnowhere else to go. He wasn’t turning from a life of failure and\r\ncounting that as <b><i>dung.</i></b> He was one of the most educated and\r\naccomplished men of his day. He was the elite of the religious class.\r\nPeople knew him and they wanted to be like him.\r\n<p>\r\nPaul wasn’t writing just about the time before he was born again. He\r\nhad been a Christian for decades at the time he wrote this. He had\r\ntraveled the world and been used of God as few men ever had or ever\r\nwill be. Yet here he was still seeking to know God more (Phil. 3:10).\r\n<p>\r\nPaul was saying that the best life had to offer and the greatest\r\naccomplishments and pursuits of any man, when compared to knowing God,\r\nranked in the same category as manure. He was admitting that he hadn’t\r\narrived but that he had left and was pressing toward that goal of\r\nknowing God more (Phil. 3:12-14).\r\n<p>\r\nWhat does it say, when the man who wrote half of the New Testament was\r\nstill pursuing knowing God decades after his conversion? Certainly\r\nthere has to be a depth of knowing God that goes far beyond just\r\ngetting saved. Paul spoke of this in Ephesians when he prayed that the\r\nEphesian Christians would come to know the height, length, depth, and\r\nbreadth of God’s love (Eph. 3:18-19).\r\n<p>\r\nHe said something very interesting in Ephesians 3:19:\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might\r\nbe filled with all the fulness of God.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nAt first glance this seems confusing. How can we know something if it\r\npasses knowledge? Paul is speaking about experiencing God’s love in a\r\nway that is infinitely greater than mere intellectual knowledge. And\r\nnotice that when we experience God’s love in this way, we will be\r\nfilled with all the fullness of God. What a statement!\r\n<p>\r\nAll we have to do is look at our lack of experiencing God’s fullness in\r\norder to realize we don’t know God’s love the way Paul described it. If\r\nwe did, we would be filled with all His fullness. Therefore, there is a\r\ndimension to knowing God that the average Christian hasn’t experienced.\r\nHow do we get there?\r\n<p>\r\nFirst of all, we have to realize that there is more to knowing God than\r\njust becoming a Christian. Multitudes of people have received\r\nsalvation, and if they were to die, they would go straight into the\r\npresence of the Lord. But they don’t know God.\r\n<p>\r\nThey don’t know that He loves them because He is love and not because\r\nthey are lovely. They think they have to earn God’s favor, and they are\r\nneedlessly suffering condemnation and lack of fellowship with Him\r\nbecause they feel unworthy. They don’t know Him as a loving heavenly\r\nFather but see Him as a harsh taskmaster.\r\n<p>\r\nMany Christians think our Father is the source of all their troubles\r\nand suffering. They think He uses those problems as tools to teach them\r\nsomething or change their behavior, even though the Word clearly proves\r\nthe opposite (James 1:13). They don’t know their God as Healer or\r\nProvider, or in any other of the ways He manifests Himself to them.\r\nTruly, God’s people are destroyed for a lack of knowledge about Him\r\n(Hos. 4:6).\r\n<p>\r\nMuch of the blame for this falls on the church. The Bible says in\r\nRomans 10:17,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThe church, as a whole, has proclaimed that Jesus died for us to keep\r\nus from going to hell. Now, that’s true and quite a benefit. If that’s\r\nall there was to salvation, that’s more than we deserve. \r\n<p>\r\nI would preach\r\nthat message if that was all there was, but that’s not what the\r\nScripture teaches.\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that\r\nwhosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting\r\nlife</i></b> (John 3:16).\r\n<p>\r\nThat verse specifically says the goal of salvation is <b><i>everlasting\r\nlife.</i></b> And everlasting life was defined by Jesus in John 17:3, which\r\nsays,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God,\r\nand Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nKnowing God the Father and Jesus Christ is eternal life. That doesn’t\r\nstart when we go to heaven. Knowing God (eternal life) is something we\r\ncan have right now (John 3:36). The word <b><i>know</i></b> is used in Scripture to\r\ndescribe the relationship between a man and his wife that produces a\r\nchild (example: Gen. 4:1). It is speaking of intimacy. So <b><i>knowing God</i></b>\r\nis speaking of intimacy with Him.\r\n<p>\r\nTo receive salvation and then stumble through life without experiencing\r\nintimacy with the Lord is to miss or ignore the most important part of\r\nwhat Jesus provided. \r\n<p>\r\nLet me put it this way: if you received\r\nforgiveness through the sacrifice of Jesus and then continue on without\r\nan intimate, personal, close relationship with God, then according to\r\nJohn 3:16, you are missing the real purpose of salvation. This is where\r\nthe vast majority of Christians live.\r\n<p>\r\nPeople believe they need to get saved because that’s the message\r\nthey’ve heard. So they get saved and then they get stuck. They aren’t\r\nhearing that knowing\r\n<p>\r\nGod is the real goal or that it’s even attainable. They are waiting on\r\nthe sweet by and by, but struggling in the rough here and now.\r\n<p>\r\nKnowing God in the way I’m discussing isn’t even on the radar screen of\r\nmost Christians. They aren’t pursuing it and they aren’t experiencing\r\nit. It begs the question, how do we get started in our pursuit of\r\nintimacy with the Lord? We can begin by spending time getting to know\r\nHim through His Word.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Apostle Peter said in 2 Peter 1:3-4,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that\r\npertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath\r\ncalled us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding\r\ngreat and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the\r\ndivine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world\r\nthrough lust.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nIt’s through the knowledge of God that we are able to receive all\r\nthings that pertain to life and godliness. He has already given them,\r\nbut it’s knowing Him that allows us to partake of His divine nature, to\r\nreceive all His great and precious promises, and to escape the\r\ncorruption of this world. What a deal! Knowing the Word is knowing God.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-02 20:00:08', '2017-09-02 15:47:36', 'Knowing God'),
(3711, 777, 11, '5 - Killing Sacred Cows', '', 1, 3706, NULL, 'Killing Sacred Cows', 'The Word of God is awesome! It has all the power we will ever need for\r\nevery situation in our lives (Heb. 4:12). All we have to do is mix it\r\nwith faith and, praise God, a miracle (Heb. 4:2)!\r\n<p>\r\nI know many of you are thinking, It isn’t that easy. I believe the Word\r\nand I’m doing everything I know to do, yet things still haven’t worked\r\nout. I have experienced that too—personally and with many people I’ve\r\nministered to. So, what’s the problem? \r\n<p>\r\nActually, there are many\r\nproblems, but I think most of them can be summed up by what Jesus said\r\nin Mark 7:13:\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nWhat a startling statement! Wrong teaching—specifically religious\r\ndoctrines—makes God’s Word of no effect. The most significant\r\nrevelations I’ve received from the Lord all have to do with renewing my\r\nmind from old ways of thinking that I learned in church. As I was freed\r\nfrom the traditions, the simplicity of God’s Word set me free.\r\n<p>\r\nAt a recent Gospel Truth Seminar, the Lord led me to counter a number\r\nof traditions that void God’s Word. It was heavy stuff that was hard on\r\neven many full-Gospel fanatics. I tried to be as gentle as possible,\r\nbut there isn’t a gentle way to kill a sacred cow.\r\n<p>\r\nIt’s like the man who saw a cow with a wooden leg. He was so shocked,\r\nhe stopped his car and asked the farmer about the cow. The farmer said\r\nthis was a very special cow. He told stories of how the cow saved him\r\nand his kids’ lives more than once. The man was impressed, but that\r\nstill didn’t explain why the cow had a wooden leg. Finally, the farmer\r\nyelled, <b><i>You can’t eat a special cow like that all at once!</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nUnlike that farmer’s cow, sacred cows cannot be done away with\r\ngradually. You just need to kill them and deal with the fallout. So\r\nthat’s what I did. It was powerful. I dealt with a lot of things in the\r\nseminar, but only have space to mention a few in this letter.\r\n<p>\r\nI think one of the worst doctrines in the body of Christ today is the\r\nbelief that God controls everything or, as the religious terminology\r\nstates, <b><i>God is sovereign.</i></b> It’s usually presented in one of two ways:\r\nOne, God originates everything, or two, Satan originates the evil\r\nthings but has to get God’s approval before he can do His <b><i>dirty work.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThis doctrine seems to be dominant in the body of Christ today. It’s so\r\nentrenched that many people will just discount what I have to say\r\nbefore hearing me out. To them, this has become a sacred cow. But this\r\nold cow needs to die. They need to kill that sacred cow, or it will\r\nkill the power of God’s Word in their lives.\r\n<p>\r\nOn the surface, it makes perfect sense that God controls everything.\r\nAfter all, He is God. He is all powerful. He can do whatever He wants\r\nto do. He is sovereign.\r\n<p>\r\nI agree that God is sovereign if the word sovereign is used as it’s\r\ndefined in the dictionary. The American Heritage Dictionary defines\r\n<b><i>sovereign</i></b> as <b><i>1. Independent. 2. Having supreme rank or power. 3.\r\nParamount; supreme.</i></b> <b><i>Sovereign</i></b> comes from a Latin word that means\r\n<b><i>super, above.</i></b> I agree with all of those definitions. God is all of\r\nthat and more.\r\n<p>\r\nBut religious tradition has redefined <b><i>sovereign</i></b> to mean God has and\r\ndoes exercise <b><i>absolute control.</i></b> I totally disagree with that!\r\n<p>\r\nAt one time, God was in absolute control of everything, but then He\r\nmade man and gave him unrestricted power and authority over the earth.\r\nMan knowingly gave that power and authority to Satan. And Satan has\r\nbeen messing things up ever since (with our help, I might add).\r\n<p>\r\nYou might say, <b><i>God could stop Satan if He wanted to. Therefore, the\r\ndevil only does what God allows Him to do.</i></b> That’s not true. That’s a\r\nreligious tradition that will render you passive and prey to the devil.\r\n<p>\r\nWhen God gave Adam unconditional authority over the earth, He gave him\r\nHis word (Ps. 89:34). There were no strings attached. He didn’t say,\r\n<b><i>If you blow it, I’ll take back My power and authority.</i></b> No! God had to\r\nallow what man allowed. The Lord had given man total control over the\r\nearth. It was his to govern as he saw fit. Adam then yielded to Satan\r\nthe power and authority God intended for man.\r\n<p>\r\nGod is a good God. If it was only up to Him, we would all be blessed\r\n(James 1:17). That can be seen in the life of Job. God blessed Job\r\nabundantly. He was the greatest man in wealth and integrity of all the\r\npeople of his day. But Job didn’t have a covenant with God. The Lord\r\ndidn’t really have the legal right to be so good to Job. Job was a\r\nsinner and therefore under Satan’s control. \r\n<p>\r\nSo Satan pressed his case,\r\nand the Lord had to turn Job over to Satan because he legally came\r\nunder Satan’s jurisdiction.\r\n<p>\r\nThis is why the Lord started making covenants with people like Abraham\r\nand, eventually, the whole nation of Israel. If they would comply, then\r\nthe Lord could legally bless them. This worked, to a degree. The\r\nproblem was, no one could live up to God’s standard for very long. So,\r\ninstead of the blessing He desired to give, the curse eventually came\r\nupon them because <b><i>all have sinned</i></b> (Rom. 3:23).\r\n<p>\r\nPeople have seen many scriptural examples of God’s judgment upon man in\r\nthe Old Testament and have taken from that that judgment is God’s way\r\nof correcting us. Under the New Covenant, that is no longer the case,\r\nand a number of scriptures will kill that sacred cow.\r\n<p>\r\nDeuteronomy 28 lists the blessings and curses that would come upon the\r\nIsraelites depending on their obedience or disobedience to God’s\r\ncommands. Notice the things listed in verses 15-68: sickness, poverty,\r\ngrief, and every other trouble imaginable. They are curses, not\r\nblessings, as many religious people are trying to make them out to be\r\ntoday.\r\n<p>\r\nPeople will say, <b><i>This cancer was really a blessing in disguise because\r\nit made me turn to the Lord for help.</i></b> No! It’s not a blessing; it’s a\r\ncurse. God didn’t put that cancer on them or allow it. The fact that\r\nthey turned to the Lord is good, but they shouldn’t blame God for\r\ncausing that problem.\r\n<p>\r\nGod never uses evil to correct or draw us to Him. Romans 2:4 says it’s\r\nthe goodness of God that leads us to repentance. Second Timothy 3:16\r\nsays that God’s Word—not problems—is given to correct and reprove us.\r\nAfflictions are what Satan uses to steal away God’s Word (Mark\r\n4:16-17).\r\nv\r\n<b><i>But don’t all things work together for good?</i></b> No! That’s not what\r\nGod’s Word says. That’s another sacred cow. Look at Paul’s actual\r\nstatement in Romans 8:28:\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>And we know that all things work together for good to them that love\r\nGod, to them who are the called according to his purpose.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nTaken in context, that verse says something totally different from what\r\nreligion has taught us. The two preceding verses say,\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what\r\nwe should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh\r\nintercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that\r\nsearcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he\r\nmaketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nFirst, the Greek word for <b><i>helpeth</i></b> is a compound word that means <b><i>to\r\ntake hold of opposite together, i.e. co-operate</i></b> (Strong’s\r\nConcordance). The Holy Spirit does not intercede for us automatically;\r\nwe must participate, and as we do, He energizes and quickens and\r\nempowers our prayers. When He takes hold with us, things begin to work\r\ntogether for good.\r\n<p>\r\nSecond, in verse 28, there are qualifications that most people ignore.\r\nThe first is to love God. Did you know that not everybody loves God?\r\nNot even all who are born again truly love God. For those who do not,\r\nthings don’t work together for good.\r\n<p>\r\nThe next part says you must be called according to His purpose. What is\r\nHis purpose? First John 3:8 says that the purpose of Jesus’ coming was\r\nto destroy the works of the devil. So, if you are functioning according\r\nto the purpose of Jesus, you should be out to destroy the works of the\r\ndevil.\r\n<p>\r\nTherefore, this passage of Scripture applies to people who are not\r\npassive, but they are interceding and letting the Holy Spirit\r\nsupernaturally energize and take intercession to a level where it’s not\r\njust human. That eliminates the majority of people right there. Add\r\nloving God to that and resisting and destroying the works of the devil,\r\nand you can see how that scripture has been misunderstood and misused.\r\n<p>\r\nGod is not the one who makes our lives a mess. We have a choice.\r\n<p>\r\nDeuteronomy 30:19 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have\r\nset before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose\r\nlife, that both thou and thy seed may live.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nTo say we don’t have a choice is another way of saying we aren’t\r\nwilling to take personal responsibility for our situations. When we\r\nbelieve we’re not responsible, it invalidates the Word of God. The Word\r\ntells us to make a choice between life and death, so we do have a\r\nchoice. God even helped us out by telling us which one to choose: He\r\nsaid to choose life.\r\n<p>\r\nThe slickest deception Satan has ever put across, primarily through the\r\nchurch, is to get people to embrace his work as the work of God. In my\r\nestimation, this is the worst doctrine in the body of Christ. If you\r\nreally believe God controls everything, why do anything? Why pray? Why\r\nstudy the Word? Why resist? Just eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow\r\nyou die, and whatever God wills will happen.\r\n<p>\r\nHowever, James 4:7 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee\r\nfrom you.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nNotice that there are things from God that we submit to and things from\r\nthe devil that we resist. God does not control everything.\r\n<p>\r\nReligion has played into the victim mentality because it’s the easiest\r\nway to explain away failure. The church has not been effective in\r\nhelping people overcome things like sickness and financial problems, so\r\nthey fall into the sacred cow belief that God is allowing this for a\r\nreason.\r\n<p>\r\nGod isn’t allowing the bad things in your life. The same power that\r\nraised Christ from the dead lives on the inside of every believer, and\r\nHe is waiting on you to resist the devil and appropriate what He has\r\nalready provided through Jesus.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-02 20:00:31', '2017-09-02 15:53:40', 'Killing Sacred Cows'),
(3712, 734, 11, 'Discipleship Seminar Part  9', '', 1, 3500, NULL, 'Discipleship Course Part 9', '<table width=100% height=100% background=~../../upload/RandyLucas/images/DiscipleTeaching.jpg~><tr><td valign=top>\r\n\r\n<center>\r\n<h1 style=~color:#880000; text-shadow: 2px 2px #AAAAAA;~>Discipleship Seminar Part 9</h1>\r\n</center>\r\n<p>\r\n<table width=100% cellpading=5><tr>\r\n<td width=35%>\r\n\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=darkgrey cellpadding=5 cellspacing=1><tr><td align=center bgcolor=lightyellow>\r\n<font size=2><b>\r\nWeekly Wednesday Evening<br>\r\nNew Life Pentecostal Church<br>\r\n401 E. Church St.<br>\r\nBenson, NC\r\n</b></font>\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n<br>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=~color:#FFFFFF; text-shadow: 2px 2px #330000;~>Sessions: </h2>\r\n<dir>\r\n<iframe id=ifrm  FRAMEBORDER=0\r\nsrc=menu.php?tabnum=3712      \r\nallowtransparency=~true~ width=225 height=265>   \r\n</iframe>\r\n</dir>\r\n\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=darkgrey cellpadding=5 cellspacing=1><tr><td bgcolor=lightyellow>\r\n<font size=1><b>\r\n<font color=red>Register:</font> email <a href=mailto:Randy@LucasCo.info>Pastor Randy</a> or \r\ncall or text (919)622-1070\r\n</b></font>\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n\r\n</td>\r\n<td width=65%>\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=lightgray cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5><tr><td bgcolor=lightblue>\r\nThis seminar uses materials from Andrew Wommack Ministries International ( AWMI ) to bring Christians of all backgrounds into a Knowledgeable , Powerful , Effective Relationship with Christ Jesus . \r\n<p>\r\nIt is non-denominational and open to the public.\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n<br>\r\n<center>\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=#FFFCCC cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5><tr>\r\n<td bgcolor=lightgray>\r\n\r\n<b>Day 1</b>    <font color=green> 7:00-8:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nHow can I tell when God is speaking?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n<b>Day 2</b>   <font color=green> 7:00-8:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nHow do I flow in the the Gifts of HolySpirit ?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n<b>Day 3</b>   <font color=green> 7:00-8:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nIs Hell real or just a metaphor ?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n</td>\r\n\r\n<td bgcolor=lightgray>\r\n\r\n<b>Day 4</b>   <font color=green> 7:00-7:45 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nHow do I harness my emotions ?\r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n              <font color=green> 8:00-8:45 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nI don`t think I have a hard heart...?\r\n</td>\r\n\r\n</tr></table>\r\n</center>\r\n</td>\r\n\r\n</tr></table>\r\n\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-05-09 11:00:10', NULL, 'Basic Discipleship Course');
INSERT INTO `Tabs` (`TabID`, `TabOrder`, `ProjectID`, `TabName`, `AuthorizedRoles`, `IsVisible`, `ParentId`, `ImageList`, `Title`, `Description`, `IsDeleted`, `TabTarget`, `TabType`, `TabOwner`, `LastUpdate`, `DateCreated`, `Keywords`) VALUES
(3713, 779, 11, '1 - Hearing God', '', 1, 3712, NULL, 'How To Hear God’s Voice', 'One of the greatest benefits of our salvation has to be that of hearing\r\nGod speak to us personally. There can be no intimate relationship with\r\nour heavenly Father without it. But, as easy as it is for us to speak\r\nto Him, the average Christian has a hard time hearing His voice. This\r\nis not the way the Lord intended it to be.\r\n<p>\r\nLearning to clearly distinguish God’s voice is invaluable. Instead of\r\ngoing through life blindly, we can have the wisdom of God guide and\r\nprotect us. There isn’t a single person receiving this letter who\r\ncouldn’t have their life radically transformed by hearing the voice of\r\nthe Lord better. The worst marital problem is one word from the Lord\r\naway from a total turnaround. \r\n<p>\r\nIf you have sickness or disease, one\r\nliving word from the Lord will instantly heal you. If you are in\r\nfinancial crisis, the Lord knows exactly how to turn your situation\r\naround. It’s just a matter of hearing His voice.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Lord constantly speaks to us and gives us His direction. It’s never\r\nthe Lord who is not speaking, but it’s us who are not hearing. Jesus\r\nmade some radical statements about hearing His voice in John 10:3-5. He\r\nwas speaking about Himself as the Shepherd of the sheep and the only\r\nway to enter the sheepfold.\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice; and he\r\ncalleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he\r\nputteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow\r\nhim: for they know his voice. And a stranger will they not follow, but\r\nwill flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nNotice that He said in verse 3, His sheep hear His voice. He didn’t say\r\nHis sheep <b>can</b> hear His voice or <b>should</b> hear His voice. He made the\r\nemphatic statement that His sheep <b>do</b> hear His voice. \r\n<p>\r\nMost Christians\r\nwould question the accuracy of that statement since their experiences\r\ndon’t line up. But it’s not what Jesus said that is wrong; all true\r\nbelievers can and do hear the voice of God; they just don’t recognize\r\nwhat they are hearing as being God’s voice.\r\n<p>\r\nRadio and television stations transmit twenty-four hours a day, seven\r\ndays a week; but we only hear them when we turn the receiver on and\r\ntune it in. Failure to hear the signal doesn’t mean the station isn’t\r\ntransmitting. Likewise, \r\n<p>\r\nGod is constantly transmitting His voice to His\r\nsheep, but few are turned on and tuned in. Most Christians are busy\r\npleading with God in prayer to transmit when the problem is with their\r\nreceivers.\r\n<p>\r\nThe first thing we need to do is fix our receivers — believe that God\r\nis already speaking and start listening. However, that takes time,\r\neffort, and focus. The average Christian’s lifestyle is so busy, it\r\nisn’t conducive to hearing God’s voice. \r\n<p>\r\nFor instance, what is your\r\ntypical answer to the question, <b><i>How are you?</i></b> Many of you probably\r\nanswer something about being very busy. I often say, <b><i>I’m busier than a\r\none-arm paper hanger.</i></b> All of us seem to be busier than ever, and\r\nthat’s one of the <b>big</b> reasons we don’t hear the voice of the Lord\r\nbetter. We’re just too busy.\r\n<p>\r\nPsalm 46:10 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Be still, and know that I am God.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nIt’s in stillness, not busyness, that we tune our spiritual ears to\r\nhear the voice of God. The Lord always speaks to us in that <b><i>STILL,\r\nsmall voice</i></b> (1 Kings 19:12, emphasis mine), but often it’s drowned out\r\namid all the turmoil of our daily lives.\r\n<p>\r\nSecond, and this is very important, most often we mistake the voice of\r\nthe Lord for our own thoughts. That’s right. I said the voice of the\r\nLord comes to us in our own thoughts.\r\n<p>\r\nJohn 4:24 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit\r\nand in truth.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThis is saying that communication with God is Spirit to spirit, not\r\nbrain to brain or mouth to ear, the way we communicate in the physical\r\nrealm. The Lord speaks to our spirits, not in words, but in thoughts\r\nand impressions. Then our spirits speak to us in words like, <b><i>I think\r\nthe Lord wants me to do this or that.</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\nThe Lord doesn’t typically say\r\n<b><i>You do this or that,</i></b> but He will impress your spirit to do something,\r\nand then your spirit says, <b><i>I think I should do . . .</i></b> Therefore, we\r\noften miss the leading of the Lord, thinking it’s our own thoughts.\r\n<p>\r\nEvery one of us has done something stupid and afterwards said, <b><i>I knew\r\nthat was the wrong thing to do.</i></b> We didn’t feel right about our\r\ndecision, but we followed logic or pressure only to find that our\r\nimpression was actually the Lord speaking to us. I learned this the\r\nhard way while pastoring in Pritchet, Colorado.\r\n<p>\r\nAll the elders of the church were custom combiners. Six months of the\r\nyear, they were gone following the wheat harvest. They insisted that we\r\nordain another elder who would always be there. Their choice for\r\neldership, I had nothing against, but as I prayed about this man and\r\nhis wife, I didn’t feel right ordaining him as an elder. However, being\r\na man, I went with logic instead of my heart.\r\n<p>\r\nWithin two weeks of the others leaving for wheat harvest, this new\r\nelder turned into the devil himself. In his reports to the elders, he\r\naccused me of stealing money from the church, committing adultery,\r\ndrinking, smoking, and everything else you can imagine. It was a\r\nterrible experience. \r\n<p>\r\nAs soon as this man showed his true colors, I knew\r\nin my heart that the feelings and thoughts I had were the Lord speaking\r\nto me, and I had dismissed them as my own. I made a decision right then\r\nand there that I would never ignore my heart again.\r\n<p>\r\nPsalm 37:4 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires\r\nof thine heart.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThis verse has often been interpreted to mean that the Lord will give\r\nyou whatever you want and has been used to justify selfishness, greed,\r\nand even adultery. But it doesn’t mean that the Lord will give you\r\nwhatever you want; it means that when you are seeking the Lord, He will\r\nput His wants or desires into your heart. He will make His desires\r\nbecome your desires. The Lord changes your <b><i>want to.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nI once was planning a trip to Costa Rica, a place I had been before,\r\nand was excited to be returning to. Yet, as I prayed about it, I lost\r\nmy desire to go. Instead, I actually felt dread about going. The first\r\nthing I did when that happened was make sure I was really seeking the\r\nLord with my whole heart. \r\n<p>\r\nWhile on a road trip, I spent seventeen hours\r\npraying in tongues, and the more I got my mind stayed on the Lord, the\r\nless I wanted to go back to Costa Rica. On the strength of that alone,\r\nI canceled the trip.\r\n<p>\r\nWhen the people of Costa Rica asked why, all I could tell them was I\r\ndidn’t want to go. That was hard to do, and I’m not sure they\r\nunderstood. The plane I had booked my flight on crashed on take-off\r\nfrom Mexico City, killing all 169 persons onboard. \r\n<p>\r\nThe Lord warned me\r\nof that and saved my life, not by saying, <b><i>Don’t go to Costa Rica,</i></b>\r\nbut, by communicating to my spirit and taking away my desire to go.\r\nThat is the dominate way the Lord speaks to us, and we often miss that\r\nkind of communication.\r\n<p>\r\nOne of the most important decisions of my life came in 1968. I was in\r\ncollege when the Lord radically touched my life, and all my desires\r\nchanged. I didn’t want to be in college anymore, and following those\r\nnew desires, I made the decision to quit school. Then all hell broke\r\nloose. My mother didn’t understand, and she quit talking to me for a\r\ntime. \r\n<p>\r\nLeaders in my church told me I was hearing from the devil. I\r\nstood to lose $350 per month in government support from my father’s\r\nsocial security, and I would lose my student deferment from the draft.\r\nWithout the deferment, I stood a good chance of ending up in Vietnam.\r\n<p>\r\nBecause of these adverse reactions to my decision, I backed off for a\r\nwhile and was absolutely miserable. This continued for two months until\r\nI couldn’t take it anymore, and one night the Lord finally spoke to me\r\nthrough Romans 14:23, which says,\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nI realized I was in sin because of indecision. I determined to make a\r\nfaith decision that night and stick with it. As I prayed and studied\r\nthe Word for guidance, I found Colossians 3:15, which says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>And let the peace of God rule in your hearts.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThe Lord spoke to me that I was to head in the direction that gave me\r\nthe most peace. To be truthful, I didn’t have total peace in any\r\ndirection, but just as an umpire has to make a decision and stick with\r\nit, I needed to make the call. I had the most peace about quitting\r\nschool, so I made the call and stepped out of indecision into faith, to\r\nthe best of my understanding. \r\n<p>\r\nWithin twenty-four hours the Lord gave me\r\nsuch confirmation and joy that I have never doubted the wisdom of that\r\ndecision since. That one decision, possibly more than any other, set my\r\nlife on a course that has brought me to where I am today.\r\n<p>\r\nI am convinced that our gracious heavenly Father speaks to every one of\r\nHis children constantly, giving us all the information and guidance we\r\nneed to be total overcomers. There isn’t a problem with His\r\ntransmitter; it’s our receiver that needs help.\r\n<p>\r\nI have a three-part teaching album called How to: Hear God’s Voice that\r\nexpounds on this in greater detail. I teach this every year to our\r\nsecond-year CBC students and see powerful results. Most people are\r\nimploring God to speak, when it’s our hearing that needs to be\r\nadjusted. \r\n<p>\r\nTaking this faith-stance that God is speaking and then\r\nlearning to listen and obey will transform your relationship with the\r\nLord. It could save your life just as it did mine.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-11 12:52:41', '2017-09-02 16:22:59', 'How To Hear God’s Voice'),
(3714, 780, 11, '2 - Flowing in HolySpirit ', '', 1, 3712, NULL, 'How To Flow In The Gifts Of The HolySpirit', ' I Believe that one of the biggest Reasons that the Body of Christ\r\nhasn’t made a greater impact on our generation today is because of our\r\nfailure to operate in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit . \r\n<p>\r\nWithout a doubt , Jesus and the first apostles used the Gifts like a bell, calling men to their message and confirming that God was truly the One Speaking through them.\r\n<p>\r\n Hebrews 2:3-4 says, <b><i>How shall we escape, if we neglect so Great Salvation ; which at first began to be spoken by the Lord , and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with Signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and Gifts of the Holy Ghost , according to his own will?</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\nThe Lord bore witness to the accuracy of their message through Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit .\r\n<p>\r\nIn Mark 16:17-18 , Jesus said all True Believers would flow in the\r\nmiraculous: <b><i>And these Signs Will Follow them that Believe ; In my Name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; \r\n<p>\r\nThey shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall\r\nrecover.</i></b> If a Christian’s Life isn’t Supernatural , it’s superficial.\r\n<p>\r\nMark goes on to say that Messages based in God’s Word would be\r\nconfirmed by Signs following: <b><i>So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was Received up into Heaven , and sat on the Right hand of God . \r\n<p>\r\nAnd they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with\r\nthem, and confirming the Word with Signs following. Amen.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nJesus even said, <b><i>If I do not the Works of my Father , Believe me not</i></b> ( John 10:37 ). That’s a Strong statement. If we were to apply that standard to Ministers today, most wouldn’t be believed.\r\n<p>\r\nThe vast majority of preaching done in the Name of the Lord today is\r\nwithout the Power of the Holy Spirit manifest through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit . This is not the Way the Lord intended it to be.\r\n<p>\r\nThe <b><i>main line</i></b> Denominations have developed Doctrines to cope with this obvious discrepancy. \r\n<p>\r\nHowever, regardless of the rationale, it’s absurd to Think that we can be Effective without the Power of the Holy Spirit confirming the preaching of God’s Word . \r\n<p>\r\nIf Jesus and the early apostles needed their preaching validated, how can we do any less?\r\n<p>\r\nEven the non-denominational Churches have Fallen away from ministering in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit . \r\n<p>\r\nThe Gifts that operate in most <b><i>Spirit-filled</i></b> Churches are simply Words of exhortation or prophecy. There is much more.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Lord has used the Gifts of the Holy Spirit mightily in my Life and\r\nministry to confirm His Word . There are countless Times when people were still skeptical after Hearing me Teach , but the demonstration of God’s Power through the Gifts turned them into believers. \r\n<p>\r\nIt’s like the teaching fills their Mouths with God’s Word , then the Gifts of the Holy Spirit slap them on the back and make them swallow it. Hallelujah !\r\n<p>\r\nOne of the most important steps to flowing in the Gifts of the Holy\r\nSpirit is to earnestly Desire them. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 12:31 ,\r\n<b><i>But covet earnestly the best gifts.</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\nHe repeated that thought in 1\r\nCorinthians 14:1 when he said, <b><i>Desire Spiritual gifts.</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\nAnother Way of saying this Is , as long as You can Live without flowing in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit , you will . You have to Seek these Gifts with all your Heart ( Jer. 29:13 ).\r\n<p>\r\nIt’s also very important to Understand that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are always flowing. God doesn’t turn them <b><i>on</i></b> and <b><i>off.</i></b> We are the ones who are <b><i>on</i></b> or <b><i>off.</i></b> \r\n<p>\r\nThat’s a startling statement to many people and one that verges on blasphemy to some, but it’s True . The Lord is always ready to flow through us in the Gifts of the HolySpirit .\r\n<p>\r\nIt’s Just like Praying in tongues. We don’t have to wait for the\r\nanointing of the Holy Spirit to come on us to Speak in tongues. We can Pray in Tongues at any Time . It’s not us turning on the Holy Spirit . The Holy Spirit is always on and Giving us the ability to Speak in tongues. \r\n<p>\r\nTherefore, whenever we turn ourselves on, the Gift of tongues\r\nis there to allow us to communicate with our Heavenly Father . Praise\r\nthe Lord ! That’s the Way it is with All the gifts.\r\n<p>\r\nI remember one time that I was teaching along these lines in our Charis Bible College. One of the students said, <b><i>So, You are saying that You can flow in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit at any time?</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\n I said, <b><i>That’s\r\nright and I’ll prove it to you.</i></b> I then started down each row and Just started reading the students’ mail. I was telling them things that had to be coming from the Holy Spirit . It was awesome.\r\n<p>\r\nNo one has Received everything that the Holy Spirit has for them.\r\nTherefore, the Lord is always seeking to release more to us through His Supernatural gifts. Whenever we put ourselves in a mode to be His channel, His Gifts Will flow. \r\n<p>\r\nThe old <b><i>Pentecostal</i></b> Doctrine of the anointing coming and going is not a New Testament Truth . 1 Jhn 2:27 says, <b><i>But the anointing which ye have Received of him abideth in you.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nAnother Great Truth about flowing in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit is\r\nwhat John Osteen called <b><i>the Divine flow.</i></b> This is based on, <b><i>God is love</i></b> ( 1 Jhn 4:8 ). \r\n<p>\r\nTherefore, whenever we discern the Love of God flowing through us toward someone, God is reaching out to them through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit . All we have to do is Follow that flow through Faith .\r\n<p>\r\nOnce when I was pastoring a little Church in Pritchett, Colorado, my\r\nheart just went out to a woman in the back of the room. I’d Never seen her before, and there was nothing natural that drew me to her. \r\n<p>\r\nIt was just the Love of God flowing through me to her. Because of that Love alone, I told her that God had a Word for her. \r\n<p>\r\nI didn’t have one single Word to say to her, but I knew God’s Love was flowing; and therefore, God and His Gifts were flowing to her. I just started by saying, <b><i>God Loves you.</i></b> God then flooded my Mind with things to Minister to her.\r\n<p>\r\nIt was a long Word from the Lord , but I specifically told her about how she was grieving over the loss of someone and was confused about Why God allowed it. \r\n<p>\r\nI kept saying, <b><i>It wasn’t God that allowed it. It was the Destroyer.</i></b> I said that a number of times. She broke down in tears and was really ministered to.\r\n<p>\r\nAfter the service , she told me that she had Just Lost her Son to\r\nleukemia. They Believed that God allowed this Disease . \r\n<p>\r\nBut Just before her Son died, he saw this huge Demon over their town, which the Lord told him was named the Destroyer. They didn’t know how to interpret that until I spoke to them through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and put it all in order . They were set Free .\r\n<p>\r\nThis was the Word of Knowledge and the Word of Wisdom in operation. God gave the Knowledge of what had happened and then gave Words of Wisdom to instruct them on how to deal with it. This all came because I followed the Love that I felt in my Heart .\r\n<p>\r\nThis has happened to us all , but most of the time we don’t Understand this is a Gift of the Holy Spirit , and we miss an opportunity. I’ve learned this the hard way.\r\n<p>\r\nThere was a man who had been my youth director when I was Just a young boy. He left our Baptist Church before I was a teenager, and I heard how he had been baptized in the Holy Spirit and was seeing Great Miracles happen. \r\n<p>\r\nHe had one room in his Church that was filled with the wheelchairs, crutches, and braces of people who were Healed and didn’t need them anymore.\r\n<p>\r\nDuring a three- or four-month period of time , I thought about this man often. It was usually while I was in prayer that he would Just come to Mind , and I would Feel the Compassion of God toward him. \r\n<p>\r\nI would just wonder what was happening with him and then dismiss the thoughts . Later, I Found that he had died in a freak accident where a red ant bit him on the thumb.\r\n<p>\r\nAs soon as I heard of his Death , I knew that the Reason I had been\r\nthinking of him so often was because the Lord was trying to get me to intercede for him. \r\n<p>\r\nOver a decade later, I met this man’s Son , and I confessed to him my failure to Pray for his dad. \r\n<p>\r\nHe told me that I was at least the twelfth person who had told him a similar story. The Lord had impressed many of us to intercede for this man, but none of us\r\nrecognized it as the Lord.\r\n<p>\r\nIt is imperative that we learn to recognize and flow in the Gifts of\r\nthe Holy Spirit . It’s not only a Blessing to Us , but the Lives of other people may depend on it. \r\n<p>\r\nYou are carrying someone’s Miracle . Don’t let it stay inside. You have to learn how to release it.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack <br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2019-01-29 01:26:10', '2017-09-02 16:29:30', 'How To Flow In The Gifts Of The HolySpirit'),
(3715, 781, 11, '3 - Hell', '', 1, 3712, NULL, 'Hell-A Reality Or A Metaphor?', 'The wrd Gospel means good news, and it’s not good news to tell people\r\nthat they are going to hell. However, there is a hell for those who\r\ndon’t accept God’s offer of grace, and I believe it’s important for\r\npeople to understand this.\r\n<p>\r\nI’ve been appalled at the doctrine of <b><i>ultimate reconciliation,</i></b> or\r\n<b><i>universalism,</i></b> that has crept into the body of Christ today. This\r\ndoctrine teaches that God will ultimately reconcile everyone to\r\nHimself, even the devil and those in hell. \r\n<p>\r\nSome variations of this say\r\nthat hell is only a state of mind and not a real place or that those in\r\nhell will only suffer punishment for a limited time. Nothing could be\r\nfurther from the truth.\r\n<p>\r\nAs I prayed about this, the Lord reminded me that faith comes by\r\nhearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). Then He asked me, <b><i>When is the\r\nlast time you taught from Scripture about hell?</i></b> I realized I had never\r\ntaught a whole message on hell. I certainly believe it exists and have\r\nmentioned it, but I have never taught on hell.\r\n<p>\r\nI’m always emphasizing the unconditional love and grace of God. I make\r\nno apologies for that. That’s what changed my life. I’m excited about\r\nGod’s love for me. But understanding the justice and wrath of God\r\nagainst sin makes me appreciate my salvation even more. Trivializing\r\nsin blocks us from receiving a full revelation of God’s love (Luke\r\n7:47). So, here goes my teaching on hell.\r\n<p>\r\nGod didn’t just look the other way or change His attitude toward sin.\r\nHe paid for our sins in full through the sacrifice of His Son (2 Cor.\r\n5:21). Anyone who rejects or ignores such a great sacrifice will spend\r\neternity paying for that.\r\n<p>\r\nSin has to be judged (Rom. 6:23), and it was judged, in the flesh of\r\nJesus (1 Pet. 2:24). But those who don’t make Jesus their Lord will\r\nhave hell to pay for the greatest sin of all—rejecting Jesus’ sacrifice\r\n(John 16:8-9).\r\n<p>\r\nThe sacrifice that Jesus made was infinitely greater than we have ever\r\nimagined. Not only does the Bible teach that He was not recognizable as\r\na human being (Is. 52:14) while hanging on the cross, but it also\r\nteaches that He actually became sin (2 Cor. 5:21).\r\n<p>\r\nJust before He died, Jesus said, <b><i>My God, my God, why hast thou\r\nforsaken me?</i></b> (Matt. 27:46). God forsook Jesus. He could not look upon\r\nthe sin that Jesus had become. And if He forsook His only Son, what\r\nchance would any of us have? That is why, for those who foolishly\r\nignore this great sacrifice, there is a real hell.\r\n<p>\r\nIn the Old Testament, the Hebrew word she’owl was translated <b><i>hell</i></b>\r\nthirty-one times and <b><i>grave</i></b> thirty-one times. Nearly every time it’s\r\ntranslated <b><i>grave,</i></b> it’s talking about where the godly go after death,\r\nand when it’s translated <b><i>hell,</i></b> it’s talking about the destination of\r\nthe ungodly.\r\n<p>\r\nBefore Jesus’ resurrection, everyone went into the center of the earth\r\nwhen they died. It was separated into two compartments. One was called\r\n<b><i>Abraham’s bosom,</i></b> or <b><i>paradise,</i></b> while the other was called <b><i>hell,</i></b> a\r\nplace of torment (Luke 16:23-28).\r\n<p>\r\nIn the story about Lazarus and the rich man, the rich man spoke to\r\nAbraham from hell, the place of torment. Luke 16:22-26 says,\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the\r\nangels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;\r\nAnd in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham\r\nafar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father\r\nAbraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of\r\nhis finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this\r\nflame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime\r\nreceivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now\r\nhe is comforted and thou are tormented. And beside all this, between us\r\nand you there is a great gulf fixed.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThere is so much that we can learn from this passage. For one, it makes\r\nit clear that in she’owl, or hell, those who were in torment could see\r\nthose across the gulf. They could hear, thirst, feel pain and sorrow,\r\nand even communicate with those in paradise. But the one thing that the\r\npeople in hell will never be able to do is die.\r\n<p>\r\nAfter the Resurrection, things concerning hell changed. Jesus went to\r\nhell, took the keys of hell and death (Rev. 1:18), and set the captives\r\nfree—those who were in Abraham’s bosom.\r\n<p>\r\nEphesians 4: 9-10 says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into\r\nthe lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that\r\nascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nAfter defeating the devil and setting the captives free, Jesus took\r\nthose in Abraham’s bosom to heaven with Him, where all believers go\r\nnow. But we will not live in heaven forever. We only live in heaven\r\nuntil the end of the age. Then God is going to make a new heaven and a\r\nnew earth, and all the believers will live there with Jesus in the new\r\nJerusalem (Rev. 21:1-4).\r\n<p>\r\nAfter that, hell will no longer be in the center of the earth, but it\r\nwill be cast into a place that the Bible calls the lake of fire (Rev.\r\n20:14), a place that was prepared for Satan and his angels (Matt.\r\n25:41).\r\n<p>\r\nIn Matthew 25, we read the story of the nations coming to the Lord on\r\nHis throne where He divides the sheep from the goats.\r\n<p>\r\nIn Matthew 25:34, He said to the righteous,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you\r\nfrom the foundation of the world.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nBut to the unrighteous, He said,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the\r\ndevil and his angels</i></b> (Matt. 25:41).\r\n<p>\r\nAlthough it was never intended for man, hell is an awful place where\r\nthose who reject so great a sacrifice will join the devil and his\r\nangels for eternity (Rev. 20:10).\r\n<p>\r\nThe Scripture, in Luke, also shows that the people God honors are not\r\nnecessarily the same people the world honors (Luke 16:15). This rich\r\nman had a beautiful home, fancy clothes, and the best of everything. He\r\nhad it all, but he never showed the beggar any mercy. When he died, I\r\nguarantee you he had a fancy funeral. Thousands of people may have\r\ngathered, all talking about how great his accomplishments were.\r\n<p>\r\nYet the Bible says only that he was buried, left to rot in the grave.\r\nOn the other hand, the beggar who was most despised on earth was\r\ncarried away by angels. Which of the two would you rather have been?\r\nWhen you see this from an eternal perspective, it makes the suffering\r\nof this earth pale in comparison to what God has prepared for us (Rom.\r\n8:18).\r\n<p>\r\nThat is why we have a section of a wall at Charis Bible College-\r\nColorado dedicated to those we call <b><i>Heroes of the Faith.</i></b> These are\r\ngraduates, like our extension school directors, who are giving their\r\nlives selflessly to take this message around the world. I believe that\r\nthese are the people God honors, and it would serve all of us well to\r\ndo the same (1 Sam. 2:30).\r\n<p>\r\nWe can also see from Scripture that there are no second chances. There\r\nis no purgatory, as the Catholic Church teaches. There is no ultimate\r\nreconciliation. On earth, the rich man rejected God and went directly\r\nto hell. When the rich man pleaded for mercy, Abraham could do nothing.\r\nThere will be no mercy, no hope, and no goodness of any kind in hell,\r\never.\r\n<p>\r\nThere isn’t a single person on this earth who deserves anything good\r\nfrom God. And there is absolutely nothing people can do to gain His\r\nfavor. If that offends you, then you have just experienced the offense\r\nof the cross (Gal. 5:11). In comparison to God’s standards, man’s\r\nrighteousness is no better than filthy rags (Is. 64:6). But God loves\r\nman so much that He sent Jesus, a Lamb without spot, to be a sacrifice\r\nfor sin.\r\n<p>\r\nIf Jesus died for past, present, and future sins—which He did—then what\r\ndetermines whether we spend eternity with Him or in hell? The Bible\r\nmakes it clear that the Holy Spirit convicts us of one sin, and it’s\r\nthe only sin that will cause people to go to hell. That is the sin of\r\nrejecting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>And when he [the Holy Spirit] is come, he will reprove the world of\r\nsin [singular], and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because\r\nthey believe not on me</i></b> (John 16:8-9, brackets mine).\r\n<p>\r\nTo say the least, avoiding hell is big. However, what Jesus\r\naccomplished on the cross is far more than the avoidance of hell. I\r\nhave just completed a new series called The Power of the Cross. In that\r\nseries, I teach on five subjects: <b><i>The True Meaning of the Cross,</i></b> <b><i>The\r\nOffense of the Cross,</i></b> <b><i>The Enemies of the Cross,</i></b> <b><i>Saved from Hell by\r\nthe Cross,</i></b> and <b><i>It is Finished.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-02 20:58:24', '2017-09-02 16:33:59', 'Hell-A Reality Or A Metaphor?'),
(3716, 782, 11, '4 - Harnessing Emotions', '', 1, 3712, NULL, 'Harnessing Your Emotions', 'The Bible teaches us that our thoughts are the determining factor which\r\ncontrols our actions. Proverbs 23:7 says, <b><i>For as he thinketh in his\r\nheart, so is he.</i></b> Romans 8:6 says, <b><i>For to be carnally minded is death;\r\nbut to be spiritually minded is life and peace.</i></b> Notice that carnal\r\nmindedness doesn’t just tend toward death — it is death!\r\n<p>\r\nNo one can consistently perform differently than the way they think;\r\ntherefore, we cannot change our actions without changing our thinking.\r\nIt’s not just what we think about that needs changing, but we must\r\nchange our thinking process. Our emotions are linked directly to how we\r\nthink.\r\n<p>\r\nAll people have a perception, or image, on the inside of them of what\r\nthey are like. This image is not necessarily based on facts but on\r\nfeelings. One negative experience can distort a person’s perception of\r\nthemselves for a lifetime.\r\n<p>\r\nFor instance, some people who are beautiful may think of themselves as\r\nugly or undesirable because of unkind words spoken to them as a child.\r\nSome who achieve great success still see themselves as failures, which\r\nbecomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.\r\n<p>\r\nTo a degree, psychology has correctly diagnosed this problem.\r\nPsychologists use terminology such as <b><i>self-esteem</i></b> or <b><i>identity</i></b> in\r\nrelating these truths; however, today’s secular wisdom is totally\r\ninadequate to help a person change the inner self image.\r\n<p>\r\nFirst, most people shift the blame for bad self-esteem, or self-image,\r\nto someone else. It has become popular to blame others for every\r\nnegative thing in our lives. People often say, <b><i>I came from a\r\ndysfunctional family,</i></b> <b><i>My problems came because I’m part of a minority\r\ngroup,</i></b> <b><i>It’s that woman you gave me</i></b> (Gen. 3:12). Other people are not\r\nour problem!\r\n<p>\r\nAll of us have had negative experiences. The choice is ours whether we\r\nbecome bitter or better as a result of them. For every person who can\r\nclaim some dysfunctional behavior because of a traumatic experience in\r\ntheir life, there are others who have had similar or worse things\r\nhappen to them, yet they overcame their circumstances. Why? Because\r\nproblems do not dictate failure; we have a choice.\r\n<p>\r\nDeuteronomy 30:19 says, <b><i>I call heaven and earth to record this day\r\nagainst you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and\r\ncursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live.</i></b>\r\nGod Almighty gave us a choice. God doesn’t make the choice for us, and\r\nSatan can’t make it for us. We have the privilege and responsibility to\r\nchoose blessing or cursing.\r\n<p>\r\nPlacing the blame on others is denying the real problem, and it will\r\nprevent finding a solution. If other people are my problem, I’m in\r\ntrouble because God did not give me the ability to control other\r\npeople. The devil will always send someone across my path who knows how\r\nto hit my hot button.\r\n<p>\r\nIf the problem is within me, then there is hope because through Christ,\r\nI can change. This is freedom. Regardless of what others do, I can\r\nprosper through Christ.\r\n<p>\r\nAfter psychology tries to place the blame for your problems on someone\r\nelse, they try to bolster your self-esteem by having you focus on the\r\npositive things in your self and minimize the negative attributes.\r\nThat’s not what the Bible teaches. Jesus said, <b><i>For without me ye can\r\ndo nothing</i></b> (John 15:5).\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his\r\ncross, and follow me</i></b> (Mark 8:34). Paul said, <b><i>But God has chosen the\r\nfoolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen\r\nthe weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;\r\nAnd base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God\r\nchosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that\r\nare</i></b> (1 Cor. 1:27-28).\r\n<p>\r\nThe Bible teaches that there must be an end to self-esteem before true\r\nservice can begin. Christians should not try and store up the feeble\r\npositive attributes of their personalities. That is like trying to stop\r\nthe bleeding from an amputated arm with a Band-Aid; it won’t work for\r\nlong.\r\n<p>\r\nRegardless of how successful or talented we are in ourselves, we will\r\neventually fail. If nothing else, we will get older someday and will\r\nnot be as productive as before. If our self-esteem is rooted in our\r\naccomplishments, then it will ultimately fail. All the security we have\r\nfound in ourselves will then come crashing down around us.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Christian should have Christ-esteem. Just like the Apostle Paul\r\nsaid, <b><i>I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but\r\nChrist liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live\r\nby the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me</i></b>\r\n(Gal. 2:20).\r\n<p>\r\nThe secret to victorious Christian living is not found in self-\r\nimprovement but in self-denial so that Christ can live through us.\r\n<p>\r\nThis does not mean that God wants us to have a bad self-image. It just\r\ndepends upon which self we are talking about. You see, every born-again\r\nbeliever has become a new person in Christ (2 Cor. 5:17). (Eph.\r\n4:22-24).\r\n<p>\r\nThe old man is corrupt and, at his best, is incapable of living the\r\nChristian life. This is the self that most people try to patch up and\r\nfeel good about. Give it up! We have to die to this old self life with\r\nall its good and bad, and find a new identity in Christ.\r\n<p>\r\nThe new man is exactly as Jesus is (1 Cor. 6:17)! That’s right. We are\r\na totally brand-new person in Christ. We have everything that Jesus\r\nhas, in our spirits (1 John 4:17). We have a totally new identity in\r\nChrist. Why then would we want to fix up our old selves instead of just\r\nliving in our new selves?\r\n<p>\r\nIf we let the new man dominate us, we’ll walk in power and victory in\r\nevery area of our lives.\r\n<p>\r\nHow can you tell if your thoughts and emotions are coming from the new,\r\nborn-again self or the old carnal self? God’s Word is the key. Jesus\r\nsays in John 6:63, <b><i>The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit,\r\nand they are life.</i></b> Any thought or emotion that agrees with what God’s\r\nWord says about you is from your new man. Any thought or emotion that\r\nviolates God’s Word is from your old man or the devil.\r\n<p>\r\nIf you are angry at someone, you’re in the flesh (old man). Just repent\r\nand get back in the spirit (new man) where you have love, joy, and\r\npeace (Gal. 5:22). If you are afraid, you’re in the flesh, <b><i>for God\r\nhath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of\r\na sound mind</i></b> (2 Tim. 1:7). Instead of going to God and asking Him to\r\nremove the fear, just step out of the flesh and into the spirit where\r\nthere is no fear (1 John 4:18).\r\n<p>\r\nThis is so simple you have to have someone help you misunderstand it.\r\nThe problem is that we have had a lot of help misunderstanding these\r\nsimple, biblical truths, but we have a solution.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-02 20:58:39', '2017-09-02 16:39:09', 'Harnessing Your Emotions'),
(3717, 783, 11, '5 - Hard Heart', '', 1, 3712, NULL, 'Hardness of Heart: A Condition You May Have and Not Even Know it…', 'I used to think people with hard hearts were God-haters or, at the\r\nleast, people in rebellion to Him. That’s what I used to think until\r\nthe day the Lord told me I had a hard heart.\r\n<p>\r\nWhile on a flight to a meeting, I was reading about the story of Jesus\r\nwalking to His disciples on the water, recorded in Mark 6:45-52. They\r\nwere in a terrible storm. After nine hours they were still only halfway\r\nacross the Sea of Galilee, normally a two-hour trip. They were in\r\ntrouble and fighting for their lives. Yet here came Jesus walking on\r\ntop of the very thing that was trying to kill them. He was totally in\r\ncontrol.\r\n<p>\r\nThis impacted me so much that I put my Bible down and just stared out\r\nthe window. A solid layer of clouds was beneath the plane. In my\r\nimagination, I thought about what it would be like to see Jesus walking\r\non the clouds. That’s not any more impossible than Jesus walking on the\r\nwater! I was just awestruck as I considered this.\r\n<p>\r\nI continued reading in Mark 6:51 and saw that the disciples had a\r\nsimilar reaction. The latter part of that scripture says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>They were sore amazed in themselves beyond measure, and wondered.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThat’s exactly the way I felt. I thought to myself that anyone who\r\nreally thought about the magnitude of this miracle should feel the same\r\nway. They should be shocked and amazed at the miraculous power of God.\r\nThen I read the next verse:\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was\r\nhardened</i></b> (Mark 6:52).\r\n<p>\r\nIt was just like someone slapped me in the face. For the first time, I\r\nrealized that being shocked, amazed, or surprised at a miracle was an\r\nindication of a hard heart. Wow! Or another way of saying it is,\r\nrelating to the natural more than the supernatural is an indication of\r\na hard heart. By that definition, my heart was hard.\r\n<p>\r\nThis set me on a three-and-a-half-year journey seeking the Lord. I\r\nwanted to know what a hard heart really was, what caused it, and how to\r\ncure it. This has turned out to be one of the most important things the\r\nLord has ever shown me.\r\n<p>\r\nThe dictionary defines hardened as cold, insensitive, unfeeling, and\r\nunyielding. If you’re honest with yourself, you’ll have to agree that\r\nthere are certain areas of your life where you have a hard heart toward\r\nGod.\r\n<p>\r\nGod made us so that we can harden our hearts and literally shut out\r\nunwanted influences. It was meant to be a positive thing, but because\r\nwe haven’t understood this, what God meant for good has actually worked\r\nagainst us.\r\n<p>\r\nOne of the best examples of hardheartedness is found in the book of\r\nExodus. Pharaoh refused to let the children of Israel leave the land of\r\nEgypt as God had commanded. Fifteen times in Exodus, the Scriptures\r\nmention Pharaoh’s heart being hardened. This is the only explanation to\r\nPharaoh’s persistence in resisting God, when it was so evident he was\r\nno match for Him. A hardened heart dulls a person’s ability to perceive\r\nand understand. It is the equivalent of spiritual retardation.\r\n<p>\r\nIn Mark 8:17, Jesus spoke to His disciples about the characteristics of\r\na hard heart:\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye\r\nhave no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your\r\nheart yet hardened? Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye\r\nnot? and do ye not remember?</i></b> (Mark 8:17-18).\r\n<p>\r\nIn these verses, Jesus gave us symptoms that are descriptive of a hard\r\nheart: (1) unable to perceive, (2) unable to understand, (3) unable to\r\nsee, (4) unable to hear, and (5) unable to remember. These are all\r\nspeaking of inabilities in the spiritual realm.\r\n<p>\r\nA hard heart is characterized by an inability to perceive spiritually.\r\nAnd when spiritual things are perceived, a hard heart will keep a\r\nperson from understanding the few things they can perceive. They might\r\nsee what the Lord is trying to show them, but they can’t get a hold of\r\nit in a way that they can apply it to their life.\r\n<p>\r\nWhen people are hardhearted toward God, it’s like they are spiritually\r\nblind and deaf—they just can’t see spiritual truth or hear the Lord\r\nspeak to them. And they can’t remember. Not remembering is a major\r\nindication of the condition of their hearts.\r\n<p>\r\nPeople often tell me that they just don’t have the ability to remember\r\nScripture the way I do. They imply that I must have a photographic\r\nmemory. But these same people can tell me who won the Super Bowl last\r\nyear or last decade, the Major League batting averages of all the\r\nfamous baseball players, or the names of all the actors in a movie.\r\n<p>\r\nI’ve watched Super Bowl games, but I don’t remember the details. It’s\r\nnot because my mind doesn’t work; it’s just a matter of the heart. I\r\nremember Scripture because that’s where my heart is. I don’t remember\r\nsports or entertainment trivia, because my heart isn’t into that. It’s\r\nall a matter of the heart.\r\n<p>\r\nHere are some of the major things I’ve learned that determine the\r\nsensitivity of your heart. First, whatever you consider, your heart\r\nbecomes softened toward. Conversely, whatever you fail to consider,\r\nyour heart becomes hardened to. That’s what Mark 6:52 reveals.\r\n<p>\r\nAgain, that verse says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was\r\nhardened.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nThe word consider means <b><i>to study, ponder, deliberate, examine, or\r\nthink upon.</i></b> The scriptural term that would relate to <b><i>consider</i></b> would\r\nbe the word <b><i>meditate.</i></b> Or we could substitute the word <b><i>focus</i></b> for\r\n<b><i>consider.</i></b> So the disciples’ hearts were hard, since they didn’t\r\n<b><i>focus</i></b> on the miracle of Jesus feeding the 5,000.\r\n<p>\r\nIt wasn’t sin that caused the disciples’ hearts to be hard—it was their\r\nfocus on things other than the miracle Jesus had just performed. They\r\nweren’t looking at pornographic magazines nor were in strife or\r\nanything; they were occupied with trying to save their lives in the\r\nmidst of the storm. That wasn’t sin.\r\n<p>\r\nIf you took me sailing, I would want you to have some carnal knowledge\r\nabout sailing. If I ride with you in a car, I don’t want you to drive\r\nby faith; I want you to have your eyes open and your brain working.\r\nThat’s not wrong.\r\n<p>\r\nBut, if we get into a situation where our carnal knowledge and\r\nabilities won’t save our lives, I would like you to be able to go\r\nbeyond the natural and draw on the ability of the supernatural. We\r\ncan’t be limited to the natural realm.\r\n<p>\r\nThis is what was wrong with the disciples. They had just witnessed\r\nJesus taking five small loaves of bread and two small fish, and feeding\r\nan entire multitude of at least\r\n<p>\r\n15,000 people. What an awesome miracle! If they had kept their minds\r\nstayed on that miracle, they wouldn’t have been shocked or surprised to\r\nsee Jesus walking on the water.\r\n<p>\r\nAnd notice that Mark 6:45 makes special mention of the fact that Jesus\r\n<b><i>constrained</i></b> His disciples to get into the boat and go to the other\r\nside. That means He had to compel them. They didn’t want to go, but\r\nJesus made them do it. Therefore, they didn’t get into this situation\r\nbecause of some mistake on their part; they were under direct orders\r\nfrom the Master. That means Jesus was responsible for what happened to\r\nthem.\r\n<p>\r\nIf they had been thinking spiritually instead of naturally, they would\r\nhave known that Jesus would take care of them. Instead of being\r\nsurprised to see Jesus walking on the water, they would have expected\r\nit.\r\n<p>\r\nLikewise, if we were not so dominated by considering the natural, we\r\nwould not be surprised by the supernatural. We should expect to see the\r\nmiraculous power of God manifest in our lives all the time. But the\r\ntruth is, our hearts have become hardened toward God and His\r\nsupernatural power because of our failure to stay focused on spiritual\r\nthings.\r\n<p>\r\nOne of the benefits of understanding what causes hardheartedness is\r\nthat you can reverse this process and use it to become hardened against\r\nthe devil. That is absolutely true. You have the power to determine\r\nwhat your heart accepts or rejects.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-11 12:48:49', '2017-09-02 16:43:16', 'Hardness of Heart: A Condition You May Have and Not Even Know it…');
INSERT INTO `Tabs` (`TabID`, `TabOrder`, `ProjectID`, `TabName`, `AuthorizedRoles`, `IsVisible`, `ParentId`, `ImageList`, `Title`, `Description`, `IsDeleted`, `TabTarget`, `TabType`, `TabOwner`, `LastUpdate`, `DateCreated`, `Keywords`) VALUES
(3718, 735, 11, 'Discipleship Seminar Part 10', '', 1, 3500, NULL, 'Discipleship Course Part 10', '<table width=100% height=100% background=~../../upload/RandyLucas/images/DiscipleTeaching.jpg~><tr><td valign=top>\r\n\r\n<center>\r\n<h1 style=~color:#880000; text-shadow: 2px 2px #AAAAAA;~>Discipleship Seminar Part 10</h1>\r\n</center>\r\n<p>\r\n<table width=100% cellpading=5><tr>\r\n<td width=35%>\r\n\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=darkgrey cellpadding=5 cellspacing=1><tr><td align=center bgcolor=lightyellow>\r\n<font size=2><b>\r\nWeekly Wednesday Evening<br>\r\nNew Life Pentecostal Church<br>\r\n401 E. Church St.<br>\r\nBenson, NC\r\n</b></font>\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n<br>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 style=~color:#FFFFFF; text-shadow: 2px 2px #330000;~>Sessions: </h2>\r\n<dir>\r\n<iframe id=ifrm  FRAMEBORDER=0\r\nsrc=menu.php?tabnum=3718      \r\nallowtransparency=~true~ width=225 height=265>   \r\n</iframe>\r\n</dir>\r\n\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=darkgrey cellpadding=5 cellspacing=1><tr><td bgcolor=lightyellow>\r\n<font size=1><b>\r\n<font color=red>Register:</font> email <a href=mailto:Randy@LucasCo.info>Pastor Randy</a> or \r\ncall or text (919)622-1070\r\n</b></font>\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n\r\n</td>\r\n<td width=65%>\r\n\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=lightgray cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5><tr><td bgcolor=lightblue>\r\nThis seminar uses materials from Andrew Wommack Ministries International ( AWMI ) to bring Christians of all backgrounds into a Knowledgeable , Powerful , Effective Relationship with Christ Jesus . \r\n<p>\r\nIt is non-denominational and open to the public.\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n\r\n<br>\r\n<center>\r\n<table border=1 bgcolor=#FFFCCC cellspacing=5 cellpadding=5><tr>\r\n<td bgcolor=lightgray>\r\n\r\n<b>Day 1</b>    <font color=green> 7:00-7:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nHow do I overcome Doubt\r\n\r\n<p><font color=green>\r\n7:30-8:00 PM</font><p>\r\n<font color=brown>\r\nHow to receive a Miracle - part 1\r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n<b>Day 2</b>   <font color=green> 7:00-7:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nHow to receive a Miracle - part 2\r\n</font>\r\n<p>\r\n<font color=green> 7:30-8:00 PM</font><p>\r\n<font color=brown>\r\nWhat happens in a life of Praise \r\n</font></dir>\r\n<hr>\r\n<b>Day 3</b> <font color=green> 7:00-7:30 PM</font><br>\r\n<dir><font color=brown>\r\nAm I limiting God\r\n</font>\r\n<p>\r\n<font color=green> 7:30-8:00 PM</font><p>\r\n<font color=brown>\r\nIs your foundation sure\r\n</font></dir>\r\n\r\n</td>\r\n\r\n</tr></table>\r\n</center>\r\n</td>\r\n\r\n</tr></table>\r\n\r\n</td></tr></table>\r\n', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-03-20 03:57:45', NULL, 'Basic Discipleship Course'),
(3749, 1227, 11, 'MedicalBondage', '', 1, 3205, NULL, 'Bound by the MedicalCare system', ' Are You in Bondage to MedicalCare ?\r\n<p>\r\nTo answer this question Ask yourself the following questions.\r\n<ol>\r\n<li> Do You take prescription medications?\r\n<li> Do You visit the doctor once a month or more?\r\n<li> Do You adjust your Life based on Medical Issues ( appointments, prescriptions, etc. )?\r\n<li> Do You spend more than 5 minutes a day Thinking about your Health ?\r\n<li> Do You spend more than 5 minutes a day talking about your health?\r\n<li> Do You not perform activities that You enjoy for Fear of Health issues?\r\n<li> Do You answer the question ~How are you?~ with more than one sentence?\r\n</ol>\r\n<p>\r\nif You answered three or more of the above questions in the affirmative You are in MedicalBondage .\r\n<p>\r\n Christ came to set the captive Free . This includes MedicalBondage since it is contrary to His Principle of AbundantLife .\r\n<p>\r\nThe Fact that our Society has accepted MedicalBondage as a `natural` State does not nullify the Promises of Christ .\r\n<dir>\r\n Romans 6:16 <br><i>\r\nKnow ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves Servants to Obey , his Servants ye are to whom ye Obey ; whether of Sin unto Death , or of Obedience unto Righteousness ?</i>\r\n</dir>\r\n<p>\r\nRemember, Sin is that which injures. Wrong Thinking , Fear and Unbelief are Sins . Sin produces Death .\r\n<p>\r\n Life is a Choice . Faith is an Act of Will . You can Choose Life because of what Christ Jesus has bought for You . You can Choose to Believe His Promises \r\n<p>\r\nStop following the herd into the MedicalBondage System that produces Death even while it purports to offer Life .\r\n<dir>\r\n John 10:10 <br><i>\r\nThe Thief cometh not, but for to Steal , and to Kill , and to Destroy : I am come that they Might have Life , and that they Might have it more Abundantly .</i>\r\n</dir>\r\n<p>\r\nChoose Life ! Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and You Will be Saved - Spiritually , Emotionally and Physically !\r\n<p>\r\n <br>\r\n\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-03-16 13:21:28', '2017-09-11 12:25:22', 'Bound by the MedicalCare system'),
(3724, 786, 11, '1 - Overcoming Doubt', '', 1, 3718, NULL, 'How To Overcome Doubt', 'No one is immune to doubt. It can and does happen to us all. You’ve\r\njust got to know how to handle it when it comes. Even the greatest men\r\nand women of God recorded in the Bible had to deal with doubt. \r\n<p>\r\n Jesus said of John the Baptist,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath\r\nnot risen a greater than John the Baptist</i></b> ( Matt. 11:11 ).\r\n<p>\r\nThat means John was greater in the sight of Jesus than Abraham, Joseph,\r\nMoses, David, or any Old Testament character you can name. Yet John\r\ndoubted the most important thing of all by questioning whether Jesus\r\nwas really the Christ.\r\n<p>\r\nJohn the Baptist had been cast into prison for criticizing Herod about\r\nmarrying his brother’s wife, an incestuous relationship. He had been\r\nthere sometime between six months and two years and became so\r\ndiscouraged that he asked two of his disciples to go to Jesus and ask\r\nHim if He really was the Christ. \r\n<p>\r\nIt’s easy to read that and not think\r\nmuch about it, but the truth is, it was nothing but unbelief on the\r\npart of John the Baptist.\r\n<p>\r\nThink about who John was. He was separated unto God and filled with the\r\nHoly Spirit while he was still in the womb. Even Jesus wasn’t filled\r\nwith the Holy Spirit from the womb. It is believed he lived in the\r\ndesert near the Dead Sea with the Essens, the writers of the Dead Sea\r\nScrolls. \r\n<p>\r\nThey were a people who were super-legalistic who dogmatically\r\npracticed many rituals of self denial. He certainly had not lived what\r\nwe would call an easy life. John was separated and focused on his\r\npurpose.\r\n<p>\r\nHis entire life was committed to preparing the way for the Christ. He\r\nspent thirty years preparing for a ministry that would only last six\r\nshort months. John is the one who saw Jesus and said, <b><i>Behold the Lamb\r\nof God, which taketh away the sin of the world</i></b>( John 1:29 ). The\r\nanointing on his life had to be exceptionally powerful because his\r\nministry defied logic. \r\n<p>\r\nThousands of people from many nations came to\r\nthe middle of nowhere to hear this man preach, <b><i>Repent ye: for the\r\nkingdom of heaven is at hand.</i></b> And God had revealed to him that through\r\na visible sign from heaven he would know who the Christ was. He would\r\nsee the Spirit of God descending upon the Messiah in bodily shape as a\r\ndove. That came to pass when John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.\r\n<p>\r\nAt that time, John was absolutely certain that Jesus was the Christ. He\r\nhad zero doubt. He was so adamant about it that he said\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God</i></b> in John 1:34. In\r\nLuke 3:16 he said, <b><i>One mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose\r\nshoes I am not worthy to unloose.</i></b> And in John 3:30 he said, <b><i>He must\r\nincrease, but I must decrease.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nHowever, after being imprisoned for a period of time, he began to\r\ndoubt. This says a number of things, but an important one is the fact\r\nthat anyone can doubt. How did Jesus respond to John’s doubt? Well, He\r\ncertainly didn’t respond the way most of us do. He told John’s\r\ndisciples to go back and tell him of the miracles they had witnessed\r\nand that John would be blessed if he would just believe. \r\n<p>\r\nThat’s it. Jesus didn’t try and make John feel better by letting him know He\r\nunderstood his pain or by making a few complimentary comments. Jesus\r\nreserved those comments till after John’s disciples left ( Luke\r\n7:24-28 ).\r\n<p>\r\nThis puzzled me for many years. Why didn’t Jesus say these things about\r\nJohn the Baptist in the hearing of John’s disciples so they could have\r\nbrought him that word? It seemed to me like that would have helped John\r\nmore than just telling him to look at the miracles, and he’ll be\r\nblessed if he believes.\r\n<p>\r\nYears after I first had these questions, I was reading from Isaiah 35\r\nand came across the passage that says,\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf\r\nshall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the\r\ntongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out,\r\nand streams in the desert</i></b> ( Isa 35:5-6 ).\r\n<p>\r\nIt suddenly struck me that this was exactly the answer that Jesus gave\r\nto John’s messengers. Look at what Jesus said in Matthew 11:4-6 \r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things\r\nwhich ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame\r\nwalk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised\r\nup, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he,\r\nwhosoever shall not be offended in me.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nJesus performed all the miracles Isaiah prophesied He would do, and\r\nthrew in the healing of a leper and raising someone from the dead just\r\nfor good measure. What Jesus did was He perfectly fulfilled the\r\nprophecy about Himself, and then referred John the Baptist back to that\r\nword. Jesus reminded John of the scriptures, to deal with his doubts.\r\nThat’s Jesus’ method of dealing with our doubts.\r\n<p>\r\nMany of us have Bibles lying around gathering dust. Some of us even\r\ncarry one. But when we’re struggling with unbelief, we don’t want a\r\nscripture; we want something tangible, something emotional that we can\r\nfeel. We would rather have Jesus just put His arm around us and say\r\nsomething about how everything will be all right. \r\n<p>\r\nThat would make us\r\nfeel better. But overcoming doubt isn’t just about feeling better; it’s\r\nabout getting back into faith that only comes from the Word of God\r\n( Rom. 10:17 ).\r\n<p>\r\nJesus sent the Word back with John’s disciples. He knew this would stir\r\nup John’s spirit to overcome the doubt. Peter understood this about\r\nfaith when he wrote about it in 2 Peter 1:12-15 , which says,\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of\r\nthese things, though ye know them, and be established in the present\r\ntruth. Yea, I think it meet, as long as I am in this tabernacle, to\r\nstir you up by putting you in remembrance; Knowing that shortly I must\r\nput off this my tabernacle, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed\r\nme. Moreover I will endeavor that ye may be able after my decease to\r\nhave these things always in remembrance.</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\nPeter was stating how important it was for his words to be received, as\r\nthey were, in truth, the Word of God ( 1 Thess. 2:13 ). To prove to them\r\nthat these were not just fables he made up, Peter refers to the time\r\nthey were with Jesus on the mountain. They saw Jesus shine as the\r\nbrightness of the sun. \r\n<p>\r\nThe Shekinah glory cloud of God overshadowed\r\nthem all, and they heard an audible voice out of heaven say, <b><i>This is\r\nmy beloved Son: hear him</i></b> ( Mark 9:7 ). They also saw Moses and Elijah\r\ntalking with Jesus. That is pretty impressive!\r\n<p>\r\nBut Peter went on to say in 2 Peter 1:19, <b><i>We have also a more sure\r\nword of prophecy.</i></b> What could possibly be more sure than all these\r\nsupernatural signs? Peter gives that answer in the next verse when he\r\ntalks about the Scriptures ( 2 Pet. 1:20 ). The Scriptures are more sure\r\nand more faith building and doubt destroying than seeing Jesus\r\ntransfigured or hearing an audible voice from heaven. Hallelujah!\r\n<p>\r\nThe only sure way to overcome doubt is to place your faith in the Word\r\nof God and depend on that more sure word of prophecy. Don’t allow your\r\nfive senses to dominate your thinking. You must come to a place to\r\nwhere God’s Word is more real to you than anything you can see, taste,\r\nhear, smell, or feel. When you’re in doubt, refer back to the Word of\r\nGod just the way Jesus told John the Baptist to do. Faith comes by\r\nhearing and hearing by the Word.\r\n<p>\r\nThere are only two times recorded in the Bible when Jesus marveled at\r\nanything. Once He marveled at the people’s great unbelief ( Mark 6:6 ),\r\nand in Matthew 8:10 He marveled at a Gentile soldier’s great faith. A\r\nfaith that made Jesus marvel is worth examining. What was different\r\nabout it? The number one difference was what the centurion said,\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>But speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a\r\nman under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man,\r\nGo, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my\r\nservant, Do this, and he doeth it.</i></b> ( Matt. 8:8-9 )\r\n<p>\r\nThe centurion had a faith that was in God’s Word alone. He didn’t have\r\nto have Jesus come to his house and wave His hand over the sick\r\nservant. If Jesus would just give him a word, that was all he needed.\r\n<p>\r\nContrast this centurion’s faith with the little faith of Thomas, who\r\nwas one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. The first time the risen Christ\r\nappeared to His disciples, Thomas wasn’t present. The other ten\r\ndisciples told Thomas that Jesus was resurrected, but it was eight more\r\ndays before Jesus appeared to His disciples with Thomas present.\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of\r\nthe nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my\r\nhand into his side, I will not believe.</i></b> ( John 20:25 )\r\n<p>\r\nJesus walked up to Thomas and told him to put his finger into the print\r\nof the nails and thrust his hand into Jesus’ side and to not be\r\nfaithless but believing. Thomas fell on his knees and confessed Jesus\r\nas his Lord and God.\r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast\r\nbelieved: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.</i></b>\r\n( John 20:29 )\r\n<p>\r\nJesus placed a greater blessing on those who believe without seeing\r\nthan those who believe because they have seen. In other words, there is\r\na greater anointing on believing the Word than believing signs and\r\nwonders. Don’t get me wrong. I believe in signs and wonders. \r\n<p>\r\n Jesus used\r\nthem like a bell to draw people unto Himself and so should we. But the\r\nultimate, the more sure word of prophecy, is the written Word of God.\r\nThere is a greater blessing on just believing God’s Word than there is\r\non believing because of supernatural circumstances. \r\n<p>\r\nThose who are\r\nlooking for circumstances to confirm their faith will fail when the\r\nstrong battles of unbelief come. We have to get our faith so rooted in\r\nGod’s Word alone that we can withstand a hurricane.\r\n<p>\r\nThe reason Jesus didn’t try to make John feel better with a few kind\r\nwords, an emotional touch, was not because He didn’t care. He cared for\r\nJohn so much that He gave John His best — the written Word of God.\r\nThat’s how Jesus dealt with own His temptations (Matt. 4), and that was\r\nand still is God’s best way for us to deal with our temptations to not\r\nbelieve.\r\n<p>\r\nMaybe there’s a reason the Lord hasn’t used an emotional touch to\r\ndeliver you from unbelief. Maybe it’s because He loves you so much that\r\nHe’s trying to help you operate in the highest form of faith — faith\r\nthat takes Him at His Word. \r\n<p>\r\nIf the least of the saints today are\r\ngreater than John the Baptist was then ( Matt. 11:11 ), surely the Lord\r\nis wanting us to operate on at least the same level in which He dealt\r\nwith John’s unbelief.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2019-03-16 02:14:52', '2017-09-02 16:59:04', 'How To Overcome Doubt'),
(3725, 789, 11, '4 - Effects Of Praise', '', 1, 3718, NULL, 'Effects Of Praise', 'Living a life of praise is not only the most enjoyable way to live, but\r\nit’s also one of the most powerful ways to change your life. Praise\r\nisn’t like the caboose that just follows what happens, but it’s more\r\nlike the engine of a train that makes things happen. \r\n<p>\r\nYour faith isn’t complete without praise. Colossians 2:7 says that you abound in faith\r\nwith thanksgiving. No thanksgiving equals not abounding in faith.\r\n<p>\r\nPraise affects you, it affects the devil, and it affects God. It\r\ntouches everything and every part of your life. Likewise, a lack of\r\npraise affects you in a negative way, turns the devil loose in your\r\nlife, and doesn’t bless God. You have to get this area of your life\r\nright.\r\n<p>\r\nNearly everyone agrees that praise is good, but very few feel any\r\nresponsibility to praise God when they don’t feel like it. I don’t know\r\nanyone who wakes up in the morning and plans on being depressed. \r\n<p>\r\nThey would like to be happy and praise God, but they don’t feel they have\r\nany control over this. They think that praise is just a response to\r\nwhat happens and that if everything goes right, they will automatically\r\ndo it. That is definitely not the case.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Lord told His disciples the night before His crucifixion not to let\r\ntheir hearts be troubled (John 14:1). This wasn’t a suggestion. It was\r\na command. Yet most Christians today would think this was insensitive\r\nand unreasonable. They would say that Jesus wasn’t being understanding\r\nand compassionate.\r\n<p>\r\nThese disciples were about to see Jesus arrested and then flee in fear\r\nfor their lives. They would see Jesus unjustly condemned and then\r\ncrucified and buried. And He was telling them not to let their hearts\r\nbe troubled! To the average person, that’s unreasonable.\r\n<p>\r\nJesus ended His discourse to His disciples that evening with a promise\r\nthat they would have trouble (John 16:33). Wow! What an understatement!\r\nYet He said to be of good cheer. How was this possible? He said it was\r\npossible because He had overcome the world.\r\n<p>\r\nAt the time Jesus said that, He hadn’t been crucified, much less\r\nresurrected and seated at the Father’s right hand. It was because of\r\nfaith that the disciples were supposed to rejoice. He had promised that\r\nHe would be resurrected and then reign, and if they were in faith, they\r\nwould rejoice--and so would we.\r\n<p>\r\nWe live in a negative world, a fallen world where it seems that the\r\nungodly are getting more and more prominent. So much of what we hear is\r\njust negative, and we have to make a deliberate effort to be positive\r\nand counter the culture we live in. Praise is a great tool to help us\r\nachieve that.\r\n<p>\r\nIf someone were to pass out, the first thing we’d do is check their\r\npulse to see if their heart is still beating. In the same sense,\r\nchecking our praise lives is how we check our spiritual pulse. If we\r\ndon’t live lives that are constantly giving thanksgiving and praise\r\nunto God, we are not spiritually healthy. Some people may take offense\r\nat that, thinking I just don’t know their situations. \r\n<p>\r\nBut Paul said in\r\nPhilippians 4:4--\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.</b></i>\r\n<p>\r\nPaul didn’t just say it once; he said it twice. He didn’t want anyone\r\nthinking he had made a mistake or that there were exceptions to what he\r\nsaid. We are always supposed to be rejoicing in the Lord. It’s a\r\ncommand, not a suggestion to do it if we feel like it.\r\n<p>\r\nPaul lived what he preached. When he was beaten and thrown in the\r\ndeepest darkest part of the dungeon, he and Silas broke out in praise\r\nat midnight (Acts 16:22-26). They didn’t just do this as spiritual\r\nwarfare. They weren’t praising God through gritted teeth, just to get\r\nout of their problem. \r\n<p>\r\nWhen they were set free, they didn’t leave. They\r\nwere actually praising God because they loved Him and were worshiping\r\nout of a pure heart. It so affected the other prisoners that none of\r\nthem left either. Praise caused a revival.\r\n<p>\r\nWe may not feel joyful, but Scripture tells us in Galatians 5:22 that\r\nthe fruit of the Spirit is joy. If we have the Holy Spirit, we have\r\njoy. We may not feel that joy, but we can choose to lift our hands and\r\nspeak forth praise to God by faith. Learning to praise God even when\r\neverything is going badly will change our hearts, make us much more\r\neffective, and cause our faith to abound.\r\n<p>\r\nI truly believe that my choice to praise God, even after getting the\r\nreport that my son was dead, was one of the biggest factors in seeing\r\nhim raised from the dead after nearly five hours. \r\n<p>\r\nI didn’t know what the outcome would be, but I started praising God with all of my heart\r\nand telling Him--and the devil--that regardless, I would not quit serving\r\nHim. It was at that moment that faith abounded in my heart, and I knew\r\nhe would be raised from the dead. Thank You, Jesus!\r\n<p>\r\nWe have to accept responsibility. We aren’t just elevated animals,\r\nresponding to stimuli. We are created in the image of God. We can\r\nchoose to say that we are going to give thanks and rejoice in the Lord.\r\nBut until we do, we are victims. We will never be victors until we quit\r\nbeing victims. We have to get rid of the excuses and just do what the\r\nWord of God says.\r\n<p>\r\nPhilippians 4:6 says--\r\n<br>\r\n<b><i>Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication\r\nwith thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.</b></i>\r\n<p>\r\nDo you know what the Greek word for <b><i>nothing</i></b> in that verse means? It\r\nmeans nothing! It means there are no exceptions. Sure, you might have\r\nproblems, but you don’t have to worry about them. You don’t have to be\r\ncareful about them. You can go to the Lord in prayer with thanksgiving\r\nand make your requests known to Him.\r\n<p>\r\nJesus demonstrated the right way to bring our requests to God. He used\r\nwhat I call the <b><i>sandwich technique,</i></b> where we sandwich our requests in\r\nbetween two slices of praise. We start with praise, and we end with\r\npraise. We can just look at how Jesus did it in the Lord’s Prayer\r\n(Matt. 6:9-13). \r\n<p>\r\nHe started by praising God: <b><i>Our Father which art in\r\nheaven, Hallowed be thy name.</i></b> And He finished by praising God: <b><i>For\r\nthine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever.</i></b> That’s\r\nthe way to do it.\r\n<p>\r\nEven in the Old Testament, believers were told to <b><i>Enter into his gates\r\nwith thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto\r\nhim, and bless his name</i></b> (Ps. 100:4). But the nation of Israel didn’t\r\nalways do this. \r\n<p>\r\nIn fact, the Lord said that because they did not serve\r\nthe Lord with joyfulness and gladness for the abundance of all things,\r\nHe was going to bring judgment upon them (Deut. 28:47-57). This shows\r\nthat God holds us responsible for rejoicing, praising Him, and being\r\nthankful for all the good things He’s given us.\r\n<p>\r\nWe face a lot of tough circumstances in this life, and the world\r\nexpects us to behave a certain way when problems come. But God told us\r\nto respond a different way--to not let our hearts be troubled. We get to\r\nchoose (Deut. 30:19). We have the option of following Jesus’ words and\r\nacting on the Word of God.\r\n<p>\r\nI have personally felt the benefit of rejoicing in the Lord. I have\r\nseen it destroy the devil. He cannot stand it. I really believe that\r\nGod inhabits the praises of His people (Ps. 22:3). God is so pleased\r\nwhen we look beyond the natural and see things in the light of faith.\r\nThat blesses God.\r\n<p>\r\nPraise is not the inevitable byproduct that comes when everything is\r\ngoing right in our lives; it is the driving force. Praise will get our\r\nfocus where it needs to be--on God. \r\n<p>\r\nIf we start praising God in the\r\nmiddle of our problems, our problems will shrink so much that we’ll\r\nhardly remember to bring them to God! We’ll be so busy praising Him and\r\nthanking Him for His blessings that our problems will be an\r\nafterthought.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-02 21:36:17', '2017-09-02 17:09:02', 'Effects Of Praise'),
(3726, 790, 11, '5 - Do Not Limit God', '', 1, 3718, NULL, 'Do Not Limit God', 'God is <b>huge</b>! All of the universe can’t contain Him (1 Kin. 8:27). He is\r\ninfinite, while everything He created is finite. ~Finiteâ€ is defined as\r\n~limited~ ( American Heritage Dictionary). \r\n<p>\r\nWe are limited. How can\r\nfinite (limited) man adequately represent an infinite (limitless) God?\r\nThis question presents a dilemma that has caused most people to not\r\neven try.\r\n<p>\r\nBut I am finding great satisfaction and immense joy in trying to take\r\nall the limits off God. The Lord spoke to me on January 31, 2002, and\r\ntold me I was limiting what He wanted to do through me by my small\r\nthinking (Ps. 78:41). \r\n<p>\r\nI began the process of changing the way I saw\r\nmyself and what God could do through me, and it has been an awesome\r\nride. Nearly thirteen years later, our television ministry is twenty\r\ntimes larger. Charis Bible College is now reaching sixty times as many\r\npeople, and we have just completed the first phase of our new Charis\r\ncampus in Woodland Park, Colorado.\r\n<p>\r\nBut, as many of you know through my recent letters, the Lord told me\r\nagain this year that I’m still thinking too small. Although I have seen\r\nhuge increases in every area, God is bigger still. He is leading me to\r\nreach way beyond where I’ve been, to where He wants me to go.\r\n<p>\r\nI am on fire with the things the Lord has been showing me. I know the\r\nbest is yet to come. I’m more excited about the future than I’ve ever\r\nbeen. And I don’t believe this is limited to me. I believe that the\r\nLord has more for all of us than what any of us have experienced. We\r\nneed to stretch ourselves to obtain all that He has for us--for our sake\r\nand the sake of others.\r\n<p>\r\nEach one of us has an image on the inside of us of who we are and what\r\nwe can do. Sadly, life and the devil have done a pretty good job of\r\nbeating the hopes and dreams out of us. Not only do we suffer when this\r\nhappens, but so do others. Each one of us has God-given things in us\r\nthat are intended for others. If we don’t reach our full potential,\r\nthen those people won’t receive their miracles.\r\n<p>\r\nThat image on the inside of us acts like a ceiling, or limit, to what\r\nwe can accomplish. If we see ourselves as nobody special, then we won’t\r\nbe anybody special. But God never made a dud. He has plans for each of\r\nus that exceed what we are experiencing (Jer. 29:11). We were made for\r\ngreatness.\r\n<p>\r\nHowever, this needs to be defined. What the world calls greatness and\r\nwhat God calls greatness are two different things. According to 1\r\nCorinthians 3:13, <b><i>Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day\r\nshall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort\r\nit is.</b></i>  \r\n<p>\r\nThis verse says that every man’s work will be tried for\r\nwhat sort it is, not what size it is. Not everyone is intended to do\r\nsomething that gets the attention of the world. But we are all created\r\nby God to shake our worlds; i.e., our areas of influence. There is more\r\nto life than earning a living, having a family, growing old, and going\r\nto be with Jesus. \r\n<p>\r\nWe are supposed to make a difference in our world as\r\nwe pass through. We need to live so that someone will miss us and what\r\nwe gave when we are gone.\r\n<p>\r\nOne of the greatest limits to what God can do in our lives is comparing\r\nourselves with the wrong people. The latter part of 2 Corinthians 10:12\r\nsays, <b><i>But they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing\r\nthemselves among themselves, are not wise.</b></i>\r\n<p>\r\nThis isn’t saying that we can’t be inspired by seeing what God is doing\r\nin others. Rather, this is specifically speaking of not judging things\r\naccording to the flesh. Paul rebuked the Corinthians in the first part\r\nof that chapter for judging him based on outward things like\r\nappearance. In stature and speech, \r\n<p>\r\nPaul was not the greatest, but they\r\nwere using the wrong standards. In spiritual things, Paul was a giant\r\nby whom we should be inspired.\r\n<p>\r\nPaul didn’t let his small size and lack of eloquence limit what God\r\ncould do through him. Paul took the limits off God and literally\r\nchanged the world. Two thousand years later, we are still talking about\r\nhim, and more importantly, we are still benefiting from the revelations\r\nthe Lord gave him. He wrote half of the books of the New Testament.\r\n<p>\r\nThat’s the way I want my life to be, and I think everyone should want\r\nthat. Are you making a significant contribution to your family and\r\nfriends that is making their lives better? Are people going to come up\r\nto you in eternity and thank you for the way you touched their lives\r\n(Luke 16:9)? If not, you can change that today by taking the limits off\r\nGod and believing Him for big things. \r\n<p>\r\nYou cannot see anything happen on\r\nthe outside that you haven’t seen happen on the inside. That’s a big\r\nstatement right there. You might be praying for your marriage to be\r\nrestored, for your body to be healed, or for financial prosperity, but\r\nyou need to meditate on the Word and let it paint a picture on the\r\ninside of you. Then whatever you’re believing for will come to pass.\r\nIt’s a self-fulfilling prophecy. \r\n<p>\r\nYour life today is the way you have\r\nbeen seeing it (Prov. 23:7). You might not like that, but it’s true.\r\n<p>\r\nWe take great comfort in passing the blame sometimes: ~You don’t\r\nunderstand. I don’t have the education. It’s my spouse. It’s the color\r\nof my skin. I was abused as a child.~  We have a million and one\r\nreasons, but none of these external things are controlling our lives;\r\nit’s the way we think in our hearts that determines the direction we’re\r\ngoing. \r\n<p>\r\nYou need to stir yourself up, or you’ll settle to the bottom. I\r\nknow it takes a lot of effort to keep swimming upstream, hardly\r\nstopping to rest and constantly dealing with the possibility of\r\nfailure. Sometimes it just seems better to take the easy route and hold\r\noff on changing things. But that’s why you need to have a purpose. You\r\nneed to strive toward something bigger than yourself, something that\r\ndrives you.\r\n<p>\r\nI tell you, if you catch on fire for God, the world will come watch you\r\nburn. Everybody loves a fire. It captivates people. And people will be\r\ndrawn to you once you step out in your purpose. Don’t be afraid to try\r\nsomething different. Some people are shooting at nothing and hitting it\r\nevery time. Do something, lest you do nothing. Get out of the boat, or\r\nyou’ll just drown with the rest of them. I pray that God is burning\r\nthese things on the inside of you. He wants you to stop limiting Him.\r\n<p>\r\nWhen we stand before the Lord and He says ~Here is what I created you\r\nto do, all of our ~achievements~ won’t seem like very much if we\r\nhaven’t done what He told us. The good news is that God wants to reveal\r\nto you His plans and purposes for your life more than you want to know\r\nthem.\r\n<p>\r\nEphesians 5:17 says, <b><i>Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what\r\nthe will of the Lord is.</b></i>\r\n<p>\r\nThe Lord wants to reveal to you His will for you, but in order to\r\nreceive that understanding, you have to remove your limits. Don’t limit\r\nwhat you think God can do through you. Don’t evaluate yourself on just\r\nyour carnal or outward qualities. You are a new person in the spirit,\r\nand you can do all things through Christ (Phil. 4:13). One of the great\r\nways God reveals His will to you is through your desires. \r\n<p>\r\n<b><i>Delight thyself also in the Lord ; and he shall give thee the desires of thine\r\nheart.</i></b> Psalm 37:4 \r\n<p>\r\nWhat is it that you really want to do? If there were no\r\nlimits--if money wasn’t a factor, if age didn’t matter, if God gave you\r\nsupernatural ability--what is it that would really make you feel like\r\nyou are making a difference? If you are truly delighting yourself in\r\nthe Lord, then that desire you have is from the Lord. Go for it. \r\n<p>\r\nYou won’t get there in one step. But take the first step toward that\r\ndesire, then take the next step and the next. Before you know it,\r\nyou’ll have moved a long way from where you are now and much closer to\r\nwhere God wants you to be.\r\n<p>\r\nI, for one, am going for it. I don’t want any gas left in my tank when\r\nit’s my turn to leave this world. I’m reaching as far and as deep with\r\nthe Gospel of God’s grace as I can, and I encourage you to go with me.\r\nTogether we can make a bigger impact than we could separately.\r\n<p>\r\nI’m encouraging you to stop limiting what God can do in your life. Give\r\nHim something to work with. He can only bless what you set your hand to\r\n(Deut. 28:8). You can learn more about how to do this in my new book,\r\nDon’t Limit God. This has radically changed my life. I know it will\r\nchange yours too.\r\n<p>\r\n-- Andrew Wommack<br>\r\nCapitalization of keywords by Randy Lucas', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-11 12:49:49', '2017-09-02 17:19:23', 'Do Not Limit God'),
(3728, 1211, 11, 'Rich', '', 1, 3127, NULL, 'Posessing Wealth , Abundance ', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2018-03-08 00:33:29', '2017-09-02 20:44:04', 'Poasessing Wealth , Abundance '),
(3729, 1212, 11, 'Poor', '', 1, 3728, NULL, 'Lacking , not Wealthy , not Rich', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-03 00:45:30', '2017-09-02 20:44:59', 'Lacking , not Wealthy , not Rich'),
(3730, 835, 11, 'Child', '', 1, 3218, NULL, 'One begotten by a Father and borne by a Mother , an Heir ', ' A Child is a precious Beautiful Gift from God .\r\n<p>\r\nBecoming a parent is transforming.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Responsibility is staggering.\r\n<p>\r\nA Child can become the center of a parent`s life.\r\n<p>\r\nBut who does the Child belong to?\r\n<p>\r\nThe answer to this question depends on your WorldView .\r\n<p> \r\nAn animalistic WorldView ( one which is oblivious to past and future only responding to what Is ) results in parents seeing the Child as their property .\r\n<p>\r\nA SecularHumanist WorldView would See the Child as the property of Society .\r\n<p>\r\nBut a Christian WorldView would See the Child as the property of God .\r\n<p>\r\nWhat difference does it make which WorldView the parent has?\r\n<p>\r\nAll the difference!\r\n<p>\r\nIf, as the animalistic WorldView implies, the Child belongs to the parent then there are no limits on the abuse that could be inflicted on the Child . Slavery and sexual abuse are within the scope of property ownership.\r\n<p>\r\nWhat then is the parent`s goal?  \r\n<p>\r\nIf, as the SecularHumanist WorldView implies, the Child belongs to Society or the ~state~, then there is the Responsibility of the parent to act Only as an agent of the State . All aspects of the child`s development ( or Not ) would be managed by the State using parent resources . \r\n<p>\r\nWhat then is the state`s goal?\r\n<p>\r\nIn the Christian WorldView the Child belongs to God and the parent would be operating as an agent of God .\r\n<p>\r\nWhat then is God`s goal?\r\n<p>\r\nLet`s answer the ~goal~ question for each WorldView .\r\n<p>\r\nFor the animalistic parent the goal could be as multifold as the number of children. There is no norm for how different people manage and use their own property .\r\n<p>\r\nFor the Secularhumanist parent the goal is to be a functioning member of and to support the State - the State being a small group of Humans that manage the bulk of humanity.\r\n<p>\r\nFor the Christian parent the goal is to act as an agent of God to accomplish His goal. God`s goal is that each Human Child become His Eternal Spiritual child.\r\n<p>\r\nAn animalistic parent would likely do what was necessary and sufficient to Enable the Child to repeat the cycle of Life . That is what Animals do.\r\n<p>\r\nA Secularhumanist parent would likely fall in line behind the current thinking of the State regarding Child rearing including Education and Health . Since the State is run by Humans the parent and Child would be vulnerable to the inherent flaws in Human hearts, thinking and intents.\r\n<p>\r\nA Christian parent would have a consistent set of rules for rearing the Child with a guaranteed outcome ( within the constraint of the child`s Will ). That guaranteed outcome is Abundant , Eternal Life .\r\n<p>\r\nFor an animalistic parent there are no Moral implications for their treatment of their Child .\r\n<p>\r\nFor a Secularhumanist parent there are Only State defined ethical guidelines to be followed with no Moral Responsibility .\r\n<p>\r\nFor a Christian parent everything about the rearing of the Child has Moral implications for themselves and the Child . There is Responsibility , accountability and Eternity .\r\n<p>\r\nAre these Worldviews equally valid? \r\n Proverbs 14:12 \r\n<p>\r\nNo! There is a God and He ain`t Me . There is a God and He ain`t mankind ( Society ). There is a God who Created all things for His Purpose and Pleasure . Revelation 4:11 \r\n<p>\r\nHis Purpose is to bear children. His Pleasure is for His children to Inherit All that He is and has.  Galatians 3:26 Ephesians 1:18 \r\n<p>\r\nA Child is a Gift from God , entrusted to parents to raise them in the nurture and admonition of God so they Will make the Personal decision to be Born of God`s Spirit and become His Child . Ephesians 6:4 John 3:5,6 ', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-04-26 14:47:09', '2017-09-02 20:48:13', 'One begotten by a Father , an Heir '),
(3731, 1214, 11, 'Son', '', 1, 3126, NULL, 'A male Child , an Heir ', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-03 00:49:30', '2017-09-02 20:49:01', 'A male Child , an Heir '),
(3732, 399, 11, 'Sing', '', 0, 1860, NULL, 'To render lyrics in tune with a Song ', '', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-09-03 00:52:31', '2017-09-02 20:51:46', 'To render lyrics in tune with a Song '),
(3733, 1216, 11, 'Heavenly', '', 1, 2923, NULL, 'In a manner befitting Heaven ', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-03 00:55:36', '2017-09-02 20:55:04', 'In a manner befitting Heaven '),
(3734, 1217, 11, 'Angel', '', 1, 2923, NULL, 'A ministering Spirit ', 'Created to minister to God .  Angels have been assigned to minister to humans.\r\n<p>\r\n Hebrews 1:13,14 <br><i>\r\n13 But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool? <br>\r\n14 Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?</i>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2018-04-02 01:59:08', '2017-09-02 20:55:51', 'A ministering Spirit '),
(3735, 1218, 11, 'Royal', '', 1, 2621, NULL, 'Having genetic or marital ties to the King', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-03 01:04:05', '2017-09-02 21:02:09', 'Having genetic or marital ties to the King'),
(3737, 344, 11, 'Nietzsche', '', 1, 1886, NULL, 'A sad modern Philosopher ', 'The most precious Knowledge is Revelation Knowledge .  It provides both Foundation and Direction .\r\n<p>\r\nThe Greek Philosophers were honest  but devoid of Revelation Knowledge .  So, their exercises in Logic and Reason brought no satisfaction.\r\n<p>\r\nWhen Revelation Knowledge came, Philosophy was seen for it was - mental gymnastics that were interesting but empty and inferior.\r\n<p>\r\nUnfortunately, modern Philosophers having had access to Revelation Knowledge , rejected it.  This is both sad and unnecessary.\r\n<p>\r\nInsanity is the `normal` product of intellectual pursuit of Understanding without Revelation Knowledge .  This is because that which is really precious about existence is Spiritual , not Physical .  Spiritual Knowledge comes by Revelation .  It elevates humanity and connects them with their Creator .  That connection centers us so that all other things may be understood from a stable position.\r\n<p>\r\nNot picking on Nietzsche (since the same could be said of other philosophers) but he made no positive contribution to the human condition.  When you spend your life searching for truth and only come up with vagaries, incongruances and emptiness, you go insane.\r\n<p>\r\nThat`s why there is no substitute for Revelation Knowledge .\r\n<p>\r\nThe Creator God manifested Himself in flesh and blood to reveal Truth to humanity.   His name is Jesus - the Way , the Truth and the Life .\r\n<p>\r\nThe most important Truth that Christ revealed is that He loves us, has forgiven us and wants an Eternal Relationship with us.  \r\n<p>\r\nI am not an accident.  The universe was Created for a purpose.  There is a plan in place.  The Loving Creator wants every person to Receive that Revelation Knowledge .\r\n<p>\r\n<br>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-06 21:52:25', '2017-09-06 17:42:04', 'A sad modern Philosopher '),
(3738, 436, 11, 'Climate and Spirituality', '', 1, 3234, NULL, 'Nature responds to Spiritual Law', ' God has given man Dominion over the earth.\r\n<p>\r\nHowever, the ramifications for inviting God to be involved in our lives or not are laid out in Spiritual Law .\r\n<dir>\r\nDeuteronomy 30:19<br><i>\r\nI call Heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you Life and Death , Blessing and Cursing : therefore choose Life , that both thou and thy seed may Live :</i>\r\n</dir>\r\nWhen we choose Life ( God is the source of Life ) we experience Blessing .  When we choose Death (reject God ) we are automatically cursed.  God does not have to lift a finger either way.  He has instituted the above as Spiritual Law .\r\n<p>\r\nTo see what state the earth was in before the Spirit of God was involved look at this Scripture :\r\n<dir>\r\nGenesis 1:2<br><i>\r\nAnd the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.</i>\r\n</dir>\r\nWhen the Spirit of God moved Light and Life , Order and Beauty resulted.\r\n<p>\r\n God is not Angry with man.   Remember what the angels announced:\r\n<p>\r\n Peace on earth good will <b>toward</b> men. \r\n<p>\r\n Jesus established Peace from God toward men by paying for all Sin for all time.\r\n<p>\r\nWhat we see in nature is the result of man (who rules the earth) choosing Death .  Nature is under man`s Dominion and so it behaves according to our wishes.  Chaos and Darkness Manifest in the absence of God`s Spirit .\r\n<p>\r\nAgain, God is not Angry but His Law will play out.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Climate change people have it half-right.  The Climate is changing as a result of man`s actions.  However, it isn`t fossil fuels, automobiles and factories that are changing the Climate , it is man`s behavior toward God ( Life ) that is causing the change.  \r\n<p>\r\n Reject God implies choose Death .\r\n<p>\r\n Receive Christ implies choose Life .\r\n<p>\r\nIt`s up to us - not God .\r\n<p>\r\n<br>', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-07 02:34:08', '2017-09-06 22:25:15', 'Nature responds to Spiritual Law'),
(3739, 373, 11, 'Globalism', '', 1, 3442, NULL, 'One World Government', 'In response to the Pope`s statement about Chriatians being bridge builders:\r\n<dir>\r\nTo build a bridge you have to own both both sides of the river.  Otherwise, you have a pier.\r\n<p>\r\n Christians are called to Preach, to teach and to testify of the Gospel of Jesus Christ .  It is Christ who Heals and brings Peace .\r\n<p>\r\nThe Scriptures tell us that there is no Fellowship between Light and Darkness ; that two cannot walk together unless they Agree .\r\n<p>\r\nWhat the world tries to do through `peace` efforts is to gain by Compromise what could not be gained by force.  It strives for cease-fires.  That is not real Peace .\r\n<p>\r\nBack to the bridge analogy...\r\n<p>\r\nIf both sides of the river (people, nations, races, etc.) are owned by the same person ( Christ Jesus ) bridges can be built ( Unity of the HolySpirit ).\r\n<p>\r\nI really do wish the Pope would act like a Christian and Preach the Gospel .  It is a waste of his position and resources to act and talk just like any other SecularHumanist , Globalist Politician .\r\n</dir>\r\n<p>\r\n<br>', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-07 19:01:22', '2017-09-07 14:54:30', 'One World Government'),
(3740, 374, 11, 'Globalist', '', 1, 3442, NULL, 'A person in favor of one world government - Globalism ', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-07 19:02:42', '2017-09-07 15:01:46', 'A person in favor of one world government - Globalism '),
(3741, 487, 11, 'IllegalDrug', '', 1, 3285, NULL, 'A Drug for which a law has been made forbidding its use', 'To use or not use drugs is an individual right.  There are all kinds of ` Sins ` that we make choices over.\r\n<p>\r\nThe issue with drugs (production, sales and use) is that they have been made illegal.  That legislation is morality based.  Morality based legislation is virtually always wrong, leading to things that are even worse than the problem it attempts to solve.\r\n<p>\r\nWhat is worse than the destruction of a human life? ... The creation of an industry that preys on and victimizes users for profit.  That industry keeps the price of drugs so high that users are forced to crime to support their habit.  The government spends tons of money fighting a drug war they will never win.   Prisons are filled with users, sellers and producers who are supported by taxpayers.\r\n<dir>\r\n Deuteronomy 30:19 <br><i>\r\nI call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:</i>\r\n</dir>\r\nGod does not force anyone to choose life.  He allows people to choose death though it is not His will.\r\n<p>\r\nWe need to stop fighting the symptoms of society`s problem and attack the disease.\r\n<dir>\r\n John 10:10 <br><i>\r\nThe thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.</i>\r\n</dir>\r\nMay all Christians begin to do their duty to preach and testify of the power of a transformed life through Jesus Christ .\r\n<p>\r\nHe is not optional equipment.  He is our Life .\r\n<p>\r\n<hr>\r\n<p>\r\n20171017 - opioid abuse:\r\n<p>\r\nIf a person is in pain, do you let  them suffer because they might get addicted to the pain-killer?\r\n<p>\r\nTo do so is to indirectly torture that person.\r\n<p>\r\nIf a person continues using a pain killer after the cause of the pain has disappeared, they are addicted.  Addiction is Spiritual Bondage .  Yes, there is a physical, psychological component.  But their real problem is that they give in to the Lust of the Mind and Body .\r\n<p>\r\n Christ came to set the captive free.  This is what an addict needs.\r\n<p>\r\nAs long as a person wants to be a user, they will be.  If we deny them easy access to their drug, they will find illegal sources.  They will pay whatever it costs to get it.  They will steal and kill to get the money needed for their drug.\r\n<p>\r\nIt is a total waste of public resources to try stop people from getting what they need (pain-killers) or what they want (recreational drugs).\r\n<p>\r\nGovernment has no business in personal matters.\r\n\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-10-26 11:35:11', '2017-09-08 10:31:46', 'Drug'),
(3742, 669, 11, 'NationalConsciousness', '', 1, 3054, NULL, 'Nationalism , feeling part of the Nation', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-09 23:42:31', '2017-09-09 19:40:26', 'Nationalism , feeling part of the Nation');
INSERT INTO `Tabs` (`TabID`, `TabOrder`, `ProjectID`, `TabName`, `AuthorizedRoles`, `IsVisible`, `ParentId`, `ImageList`, `Title`, `Description`, `IsDeleted`, `TabTarget`, `TabType`, `TabOwner`, `LastUpdate`, `DateCreated`, `Keywords`) VALUES
(3743, 670, 11, 'NationalConscience', '', 1, 3054, NULL, 'A unified view or opinion shaped by discourse', 'The SecularHumanist Left has moved toward Fascism as it has entrenched itself in Media , Government and Entertainment .\r\n<p>\r\nIt uses its position to standardize the opinion of the masses by defining PoliticalCorrectness with the ultimate goal of shaping the NationalConscience .\r\n<p>\r\n Violations of PoliticalCorrectness originally resulted in embarassment followed by an apology.  Gradually it morphed into a much more serious violation - loss of position, career and future.\r\n<p>\r\nWe are a point now where there is a hateful reaction with the realization that there is not a single NationalConscience as the PoliticalCorrectness agenda worked toward.  The Trump election proved that.\r\n<p>\r\nThe concept of a NationalConscience is anathema to the principles of the Constitution .  Our founding fathers respected Freedom so much they guaranteed it.  They knew that Freedom would nurture healthy debate.\r\n<p>\r\nAs students of History the framers knew that all despots try to force their subjects to speak of, if not believe in, what the despot touted as truth.\r\n<p>\r\nThis led to animosity between the ruled and the ruler. It ultimately led to Revolt .\r\n<p>\r\nThere never will be a NationalConscience in Constitutional America .  So, the SecularHumanist wants to destroy Constitutional America in favor of Globalism .\r\n<p>\r\n<br>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-10 00:18:29', '2017-09-09 19:42:39', 'A unified view or opinion shaped by discourse'),
(3746, 1226, 11, 'GovernmentAuthority', '', 1, 2841, NULL, 'Christians should control the Government ', 'Being a non-Christian should disqualify you from public office.\r\n<p>\r\nWhy?\r\n<p>\r\nNon-Christians are in Darkness .  They don`t see the Light .\r\n<p>\r\nHow many of you would let a blind person drive you to the grocery store?\r\n<p>\r\nWhy would you elect a Spiritually / Politically blind person to rule over you?\r\n<p>\r\nWhy is our country in the mess it`s in?\r\n<p>\r\nBecause we have elected blind people to lead us - over the cliff.\r\n<p>\r\nIt`s time we be honest about these things.\r\n<p>\r\n Christians , wake up!  You are better than non-Christians because of the Spirit of God that He has placed inside of you.\r\n<p>\r\nTake the Authority that you have in Christ and make a difference in your world!\r\n<p>\r\n<br>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-10 18:04:24', '2017-09-10 14:00:40', 'Christians should control the Government '),
(3750, 1228, 11, 'AbundantLife', '', 1, 2240, NULL, 'Abundant Life through Christ Jesus', ' <dir><b>\r\n John 10:10 <br><i>\r\nThe thief cometh Not , but for to Steal , and to Kill , and to Destroy : I am come that they might have Life , and that they might have it more abundantly.</i>\r\n</b></dir>\r\n<p>\r\nWhat is AbundantLife ?\r\n<p>\r\nWhat does Abundant mean? ~existing or available in large quantities; plentiful~\r\n<p>\r\nWhat is Life ? \r\n<p>\r\nThe medical definition goes somethinf like this: ~the capacity for metabolism, growth, reaction to stimuli, and reproduction~\r\n<p>\r\nBut for Humans specifically Life includes much more.\r\n<p>\r\nIt is consciousness . <br>\r\nIt is self-awareness . <br>\r\nIt is the capacity to Think . <br> \r\nIt is the capacity to Love . <br> \r\nIt is the capacity to enjoy Beauty . <br> \r\nIt is the capacity to imagine . <br> \r\nIt is the capacity to create . <br> \r\nIt is the capacity to communicate . <br> \r\nIt is the capacity to experience the Creator . <br> \r\n<p>\r\nSo, in order for us to begin to grasp the magnitude of Christ`s Gift we must Think of these aspects of Life in large quantites or greatly enhanced.\r\n<p>\r\nWhat makes AbundantLife so wonderful is that it is the Gift of God to us.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Gospel ( Good News ) is that God Loves us and has given us AbundantLife through Jesus Christ .\r\n<p>\r\nThe thief comes to Steal , Kill and Destroy but Christ has come to Heal , Fill and Employ !\r\n<p>\r\nIf You Need Healing it is provided in Christ`s AbundantLife . \r\n<p>\r\nIf You are empty with no Joy or Hope You can be filled with the HolySpirit .\r\n<p>\r\nIf You Feel useless or used up Christ`s AbundantLife Will Give You Vision , Power and a Purpose .\r\n<p>\r\n<dir><b>\r\n Matthew 7:7 <br><i>\r\nAsk, and it shall be given You ; Seek , and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto You : </i>\r\n</b></dir>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2018-10-01 15:18:28', NULL, 'Abundant Life through Christ Jesus'),
(3751, 817, 11, 'Gladys Pearce Johnson', '', 1, 2281, NULL, 'Gladys Pearce Johnson', 'Location: Rose and Graham Chapel<br>\r\nDate: 2017-09-21<br>\r\nTime: 02:00 PM<br>\r\nInterment: Clayton  cemetary\r\n<p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Prelude music - Rose and Graham\r\n<li>Pallbearers seated\r\n<li>Pastor and Participants enter\r\n<li>Prelude Stops\r\n<li>Call to Worship - Randy\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Celebrate the life of Gladys Pearce Johnson - 100yr 7mo- Tuesday at 2:00PM\r\n<li>Thanks to all who have reached out by providing food, visits and prayer\r\n</ul>\r\n<li>Invocation - Randy<br>\r\n<i>Heavenly Father , we Thank you for your Love . As we meet this afternoon to honor our dear friend and loved one, Gladys Johnson. We ask you to be to us the God of all Comfort , and the God of all Grace . Give us perspective as we face the reality of Death , to grow in our perspective of the Truth of Life and to rejoice in the Victory you claimed over Death . We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ , AMEN.</i>\r\n<li>Joelle and Caleb Johnson medley\r\n<li> Rev. David Lee\r\n<li>Now I Belong to Jesus ( LucasFamily ) http://www.lucasco.info/upload/RandyLucas/songs/Now%20I%20Belong%20to%20Jesus.htm \r\n<li>Message - The Dash<br>\r\nSome people waste their dash never reaching their potential.\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>The Physical dash<br>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li> Born - 1917, cheer wine, moon pie, \r\n<li> Childhood - raised on a farm; Shirley is baby - Gladys like mother\r\n<li> Marriage - Rev. R. E. Johnson\r\n<li> 4 Children; 10 Grand children; 18 Great grand children: 5 Great Great Grand children\r\n<li> Values - Loved breakfast, Flowers, neat home, looking good (Mrs. Hollywood), <br>\r\noutlived Earl!\r\n<li> Passed away on Tuesday\r\n<li> For those unlike Sister Gladys who never received Christ Jesus as Lord:\r\n<dir>\r\nRevelation 20:15<br><i>\r\nAnd whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.</i>\r\n</dir>\r\n</ul>\r\n<li>The Spiritual dash\r\n<ul>\r\n<li> Born Again - 77 years\r\n<li> Faithful wife to her pastor husband\r\n<li> Sang with him in services\r\n<li> Taught her children to Love the Lord\r\n<li>Ministered to folks at Liberty Commons - gave candy, clothes and jewelry away, \r\n<li>Faithful attendee to church, even at Liberty Commons (David Lee)\r\n<li> Went to be with the Lord\r\n<li> Next is the judgment seat of Christ\r\n<dir>\r\nRomans 14:10-12<br><i>\r\n10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ . </i>\r\n<p>\r\nMatthew 16:27<br><i>\r\nFor the Son of man shall come in the Flory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.</i>\r\n<p>\r\nMatthew 25:23<br><i>\r\nHis Lord said unto him, Well done, good and Faithful servant; thou hast been Faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord .</i>\r\n</dir>\r\n</ul>\r\n</ul>\r\n<li>Goodbye World Goodbye ( LucasFamily ) http://www.lucasco.info/upload/RandyLucas/songs/Goodby%20World%20Goodby.htm \r\n<li> Prayer - Randy<br>\r\nThank you Father for creating us and redeeming us and bringing us into Eternal Relationship with you by Your Love through Jesus Christ our Lord . Amen.\r\n<li> Look For Me - Bobby and Brenda Horne\r\n<li>Benediction - Randy<br>\r\n<i>Heavenly Father , in as much as you, in your Sovereign Love , have called the soul of our loved one and friend, Gladys Pearce Johnson, to be with you, we express our thanks, for the privilege of knowing her. We thank you for the way she impacted our lives, and for your Grace through difficult times. We are grateful for your Love ; You, who sent us your precious Son. You who have prepared a place for all who Trust in Him, and who alone are worthy of our Faith , to you we turn for continued strength, continued comfort, continued perspective, continued purpose and continued Joy .  Thank you for the Victory that is ours in Christ Jesus our Lord .  Amen</i>\r\n<li>Recession - Rose and Graham\r\n<li>Graveside - Troy\r\n</ul>\r\n<hr>\r\nObituary (Rose and Graham):\r\n<dir><i>\r\n Benson, NC:  Mrs. Gladys Pearce Johnson, age 100, passed away Tuesday at Liberty Commons Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Benson.  Funeral Service will be held 2:00 PM Thursday at Rose & Graham Funeral Home Chapel in Benson.  Officiating will be Revs. Randy Lucas and David Lee.  Graveside Service will be held 4:00 PM Thursday in Maplewood Cemetery in Clayton, NC with Rev. Richard Troy Johnson officiating.\r\n<p>\r\n            Mrs. Johnson was born February 23, 1917 in Johnston County to the late Franklin Doc and Minnie Pearl Pike Pearce.  She was also preceded in death by her husband, Rev. Richard Earl Johnson, son, Bobby Ray Johnson, granddaughter, Marilyn Phillips, great-grandson, Michael Parrish, brothers, Robert Bob Pearce, James Pearce, Milford Pearce, John Pearce, and H P Pearce.  As a ministers wife, she served the Lord in many Church of God Churches in eastern North Carolina.  She was a homemaker and member of Benson Church of God.  She has been a faithful Christian for 77 years.\r\n<p>\r\n            Surviving are sons and daughters-in-law, Rev. Billy and Bonnie Johnson and Jerry and Naomi Lipscomb Johnson all of Clayton; daughters and son-in law, Janet Barbour and Donna and Randy Southern all of Raleigh; 9 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren, and 5 great-great grandchildren; sisters, Ruby Brannan, Clara Curby and Shirley Baiardi; many nieces and nephews.\r\n<p>\r\n            Family will receive friends 12:45 PM -1:45 PM Thursday prior to the service at Rose & Graham Funeral Home in Benson.\r\n<p>\r\n            Flowers are welcomed; however, memorials may be made to New Life Pentecostal Church, 401 E. Church Street, Benson, NC 27504 \r\n</i></dir>\r\n', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-08-22 10:40:49', NULL, 'Bobby Ray Johnson'),
(3986, 1424, 11, 'Walk', '', 1, 3047, NULL, 'Words and Actions proceeding from Life - Work ', 'Walking by Faith Study: http://www.lucasco.info/ProjectManagement/Help.php?iprm=3536&iprm2=0&iprmid=12&exte=1 \r\n<p>\r\nWater Walking Study: http://www.lucasco.info/ProjectManagement/Help.php?iprm=3663&iprm2=0&iprmid=12&exte=1 ', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-03-16 00:14:20', '2018-04-07 11:13:48', 'Words and Actions proceeding from Life - Work '),
(3774, 347, 11, 'Misc', '', 1, 3379, NULL, 'Misc', '<?\r\n$exte=$_REQUEST[`exte`];\r\nif ($exte==1) {$thit=645; $twid=700;} \r\nelseif ($clean==1) {$thit=515; $twid=700;}\r\nelse {$thit=360; $twid=575;}\r\n//echo ~exte=$exte thit=$thit~;\r\necho `<iframe name=bFrame frameborder=0 src=../inc/DirList.php?dir=../upload/RandyLucas/pictures/Oscar&showdirs=TRUE&breadcrumbstop=Oscar&allowuploads=TRUE&allowedit=TRUE&exte=1&divhit=` ,max($_SESSION[`PM_wHit`]/1.7,$thit-120) , `px  scrolling=~no~ width=`,$twid,` height=` , max($_SESSION[`PM_wHit`]/1.32,$thit) , `> </iframe>`;\r\n?>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-12-25 23:14:51', '2017-10-01 19:46:52', 'Racing notes'),
(3759, 721, 11, 'Mental', '', 1, 3075, NULL, 'Of the Mind ', 'Related to your thoughts, knowledge, experiences.', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-25 00:54:54', '2017-09-24 20:53:37', 'Of the Mind '),
(3760, 720, 11, 'Emotion', '', 1, 3075, NULL, 'How you feel about what you think about', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-25 00:57:15', '2017-09-24 20:56:18', 'How you feel about what you think about'),
(3761, 1235, 11, 'Emotional', '', 1, 3760, NULL, 'Responsive to Emotions ', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-25 00:58:33', '2017-09-24 20:57:56', 'Responsive to Emotions '),
(3762, 1236, 11, 'FalseGods', '', 1, 2187, NULL, 'Things that we value that are empty', ' Are You worshipping False gods?\r\n<p>\r\n Worship means to Value highly.\r\n<p>\r\nHow much do You spend on Entertainment ? \r\n<p>\r\nWhat Kind of Entertainment do You pay for?\r\n<p>\r\nWho are the celebrities You Follow ( Worship )?\r\n<p>\r\nIs the Entertainment wholesome?\r\n<p>\r\nAre the celebrities You Follow Christians ?\r\n<p>\r\nDo You pay more for cable subscriptions, Movies , and concerts than You Give for the furtherance of the Gospel ?\r\n<p>\r\nDo You Invest more of your Time in Entertainment than You do in Service to Christ ?\r\n<p>\r\nYou may in Fact be a Pagan without realizing it!\r\n<p>\r\nWake up! Stop pretending your Entertainment is Good ! Stop making allowances for and defending your heroes!\r\n<p>\r\n God wants You to experience Abundant Life through Jesus Christ . But if your attention and resources are spent on Corrupt Entertainment and celebrities You Will experience Death .\r\n<p>\r\nHow so? <br>\r\nYou Will miss out on the Joy of Relationship with Christ . You Will be deprived of His Power to Transform your Life and circumstances. You Will be enslaved to rise and fall with the vagaries of that which You spend Time following without realizing You are in a Death spiral. In effect, You Will be Deceived .\r\n<p>\r\nToday, we are faced with `real` Evil . That Evil is one which morphed out of Good . That is exactly what Satan did - he morphed out of Lucifer who was originally Good . The Good of which I Speak is Freedom and Prosperity . The Evil that I am Speaking of is the False construct of Ideas ( Ideology ) of self-worship and Socialism . \r\n<p>\r\nSelf-worship drives a person to Covet . Socialism provides the mechanism by which coveting can be effected with the resulting self-gratification. Illogical, Immoral , justification is the requirement for accepting these ideologies.\r\n<dir>\r\n Ephesians 6:12 <br><i>\r\nFor we Wrestle Not against Flesh and Blood , but against Principalities , against powers, against the Rulers of the Darkness of this world, against Spiritual Wickedness in high places.</i>\r\n<p>\r\n 2 Corinthians 10:4,5 <br><i>\r\n4 ( for the Weapons of our Warfare are Not Carnal , but Mighty through God to the pulling down of Strong holds; ) <br>\r\n5 casting down Imaginations , and every high thing that exalteth itself against the Knowledge of God , and bringing into captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ ; </i>\r\n</dir>\r\nThe above Scriptures Teach us that we are in a War whether we like it or Not . The War is one of ideas. We are soldiers on one side or the other. There are no options for a soldier other than to Fight or surrender. \r\n<p>\r\nWhich side are You fighting for?\r\n<p>\r\nHave You been captured?\r\n<p>\r\nHave You surrendered?\r\n<p>\r\nAre You Free , or in Bondage to Follow the celebrities and Entertainment of the enemy?\r\n<dir>\r\n Proverbs 4:23 <br><i>\r\nKeep thy Heart with All Diligence ; for out of it are the Issues of life.</i>\r\n</dir>\r\nOur Heart motivates us for Good or Evil based on what we Value ( Worship ).\r\n<dir>\r\n Deuteronomy 30:19 <br><i>\r\nI call Heaven and Earth to record this day against You , that I have set before You Life and Death , Blessing and Cursing : therefore Choose Life , that both thou and thy Seed may Live :</i>\r\n</dir>\r\nGod is the life-giver. To Choose Life is to Choose God . To Choose God is to Receive Christ Jesus as <b>Lord</b> and Savior .\r\n<p>\r\nHe Will occupy Only one Place in your Life and that is the Throne .\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-03-16 14:36:27', '2017-09-24 23:30:38', 'Things that we value that are empty'),
(3763, 1237, 11, 'Throne', '', 1, 2620, NULL, 'The seat of Authlority of the King ', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-25 03:50:27', '2017-09-24 23:49:43', 'The seat of Authlority of the King '),
(3764, 351, 11, 'NewAge', '', 1, 3586, NULL, 'The NewAge is the recycled OldAge ', 'Solomon said ~there is nothing new under the Sun~.\r\n<p>\r\nNothing of the Wisdom and experience of one generation is passed genetically to the next.\r\n<p>\r\nThis is why the study of History is so important.  It is why one generation must share its Wisdom and experience with the next.\r\n<p>\r\nMost importantly, it is why we need to select Educators wisely - particularly in the LiberalArts arena.\r\n<p>\r\nWe have allowed Fools to Educate out children.  As a result, many of our children have become Fools themselves. (Please follow the link on Fools to understand that I am not just being harsh).\r\n<p>\r\nIn their Foolishness , these Educators and their students have arrogantly seen themselves as inmovators.  They comsider older generations as narrow minded, prudish, unsophisticated, ignorant.\r\n<p>\r\nThe NewAge , they claim, is better because people are more open-minded, more caring, better informed, wiser.\r\n<p>\r\nBut what really characterizes the NewAge ?\r\n<ol>\r\n<li>Focus on food and drink\r\n<li>Focus on Entertainment\r\n<li>Focus on self\r\n<li>Polytheism \r\n<li>Unhappy\r\n<li>Fearful\r\n<li>Weak\r\n<li>Immoral\r\n</ol>\r\n<p>\r\nThe ancient Greeks had their Epicureans who focused on aelf-gratification.  They also had many gods to whom they attributed power.  \r\n<p>\r\nThe Romans had their gods but became weak and immoral finally falling to the barbarians.\r\n<p>\r\nThe Hebrews became like neighboring countries and fell into unhappiness and fear before being conquered and made slaves.\r\n<p>\r\nOther civilizations manifested similar characteristicals before falling.\r\n<p>\r\n Change is not always good.  Many times it results in a full circle where the mistakes of the past are repeated.  Thia is where the NewAge is today.  The amenities are more sophisticated but the hearts of men are the same.\r\n<p>\r\n<br>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-27 12:19:37', '2017-09-26 23:42:21', 'The NewAge is the recycled OldAge '),
(3765, 352, 11, 'OldAge', '', 1, 3764, NULL, 'Prior civilizations with their foibles', 'The NewAge crowd pokes fun at the OldAge crowd not realizing they are simply traversing the same path an even older OldAge trod.', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-27 12:21:57', '2017-09-27 08:20:01', 'Prior civilizations with their foibles'),
(3766, 1240, 11, 'SpiritualWickedness', '', 1, 3434, NULL, 'When the root of a person is Evil - a Corrupt nature', ' <dir>\r\n Psalm 53:1 <br><i>\r\nThe Fool hath said in his Heart , There is no God . Corrupt are they, and have done Abominable Iniquity : there is none that doeth Good .</i>\r\n</dir>\r\nWhen a person`s Consciousness , self-awareness, existence, their Mind is not underpinned by the notion of God as Creator they are, by definition, a Fool .\r\n<p>\r\nFurthermore, such an individual is Corrupt ( messed up, warped, crooked ), living lives of serious wrongdoing, incapable of Manifesting Good Character and Good deeds.\r\n<dir>\r\n Ephesians 6:12 <br><i>\r\nFor we Wrestle not against Flesh and Blood , but against Principalities , against Powers , against the Rulers of the Darkness of this world, against <b> Spiritual Wickedness </b> in <b> HighPlaces </b>.</i>\r\n</dir>\r\nIt is the height of Foolishness to submit to a Fool . SpiritualWickedness has been promoted so that it now sits in HighPlaces - leadership roles.\r\n<p>\r\nWe are in SpiritualWarfare against SpiritualWickedness . We must remove it from the HighPlaces . When in War you use every resource against the Enemy . This means You use the Sword of the Spirit ( the Word of God ), you use your Testimony , you use your Vote , You use your Finances .\r\n<p>\r\nGod`s Word will not return void but it will accomplish His purpose.\r\n<p>\r\nWe will only experience Victory if we Fight the Good Fight of Faith .\r\n<p>\r\nAnd as James said ~ Faith without Works (action) is Dead ~.\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-02-06 20:55:27', '2017-09-28 08:57:55', 'When the root of a person is Evil '),
(3767, 1241, 11, 'Iniquity', '', 1, 2251, NULL, 'Perverseness', 'Actions that proceed from a Corrupt nature. ', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-03-04 17:28:52', '2017-09-28 09:29:00', 'Perveseness'),
(3768, 1241, 11, 'HighPlace', '', 1, 3766, NULL, 'Seat of Authority and /or place of Worship ', ' <dir>\r\n Leviticus 26:30 <br><i>\r\nAnd I Will Destroy your high places, and cut down your images, and cast your carcases upon the carcases of your idols, and my Soul shall abhor you</i>\r\n</dir>\r\nThe following is a list of HighPlaces :\r\n<ul>\r\n<li> Government \r\n<li> Business \r\n<li> Education \r\n<li> Entertainment \r\n<li> Society \r\n<li> Church \r\n<li> Family \r\n<li> Mind \r\n</ul>\r\n<p>\r\nThe Kingdom of God is to Manifest in All HighPlaces . Whereever it does Not Manifest there is SpiritualWickedness in that HighPlace .\r\n<p>\r\n Jesus instructed us to Pray that His Kingdom come, that His Will be done on <b>earth</b> as it is in Heaven .\r\n<p>\r\nA Christian`s main Purpose in Life is to be used by God`s Spirit to effect His Will . Any other Purpose that supercedes this is an indication of SpiritualWickedness in the HighPlace of a person`s Mind .\r\n<p>\r\nThis is Why we <b>must</b> be Transformed by the renewing of our Minds . To be carnally minded is Death , but to be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace - Romans 8:6 .\r\n<p>\r\nOnce the HighPlace of our Mind is Transformed then we are in position to attack the other HighPlaces where SpiritualWickedness Reigns .\r\n<p>\r\n <br>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-03-16 15:35:45', NULL, 'Seat of Authority'),
(3769, 830, 11, ' 1 - Family', '', 1, 4140, NULL, 'See Family', '', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-11-12 15:36:26', '2017-09-28 10:14:57', 'Husband, wife and children'),
(4210, 858, 11, 'Honour', '', 1, 4135, NULL, 'High respect ; esteem', ' Exodus 20:12 <br><i>\r\n Honour thy Father and thy Mother : that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee .</i>\r\n<p>\r\n Leviticus 19:32 <br><i>\r\nThou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and Honour the face of the old man, and Fear thy God : I am the Lord . </i>\r\n<p>\r\n Deuteronomy 5:16 <br><i>\r\n Honour thy Father and thy Mother , as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. </i>\r\n<p>\r\n Matthew 19:19 <br><i>\r\n Honour thy Father and thy Mother : and, Thou shalt Love thy neighbour as thyself.</i>\r\n<p>\r\n Mark 7:10 <br><i>\r\nFor Moses said, Honour thy Father and thy Mother ; and, Whoso curseth Father or Mother , let him Die the Death : </i>\r\n<p>\r\n Mark 10:19 Luke 18:20 <br><i>\r\nThou knowest the Commandments , Do Not commit Adultery , Do Not Kill , Do Not Steal , Do Not bear false Witness , Defraud Not , Honour thy Father and Mother .</i>\r\n<p>\r\n Ephesians 6:2 <br><i>\r\n Honour thy Father and Mother ; ( which is the first Commandment with promise ; )</i>\r\n', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-11-12 15:50:52', '2018-11-12 10:49:42', 'High respect ; esteem'),
(3770, 1243, 11, 'Society', '', 1, 3768, NULL, 'Organization of Families', ' Society is a HighPlace . It is shaped by the cummulative Ideas , Morals and Behavior of people.\r\n<p>\r\nAs a HighPlace it has Authority to affect the Lives of Individuals . Trends, fads, political-correctness are Ways that Society controls people.\r\n<p>\r\nSince it is a HighPlace its fundamental Nature is important. Society is Manifesting SpiritualWickedness on multiple levels.\r\n<p>\r\nAs Christians we are Responsible to Change Society so that it reflects the Principles of the Kingdom of God .\r\n<dir>\r\n Mark 16:15 <br><i>\r\nAnd he said unto them, Go ye into All the world, and Preach the Gospel to every creature.</i>\r\n</dir>\r\nWe are at War with SpiritualWickedness . It`s Time we join the battle!\r\n<p>\r\n <br>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-03-16 15:36:21', '2017-09-28 10:21:17', 'Organization of Families'),
(3771, 1244, 11, 'Wrestle', '', 1, 3434, NULL, 'To struggle in conflict', '<b> Ephesians 6:12 <br><i>\r\nFor we Wrestle not against Flesh and Blood , but against Principalities , against Powers , against the Rulers of the Darkness of this world, against SpiritualWickedness in HighPlaces .</i></b>\r\n<p>\r\n SpiritualWickedness is what we Wrestle against.  HighPlaces is where the SpiritualWickedness is enthroned.  Darkness is what enables it to rule and Darkness is what it propagates.\r\n<br>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-03-16 15:37:13', '2017-09-28 23:05:03', 'To struggle in conflict'),
(3772, 1245, 11, 'Principalities', '', 1, 3768, NULL, 'The state, office, or Authority of a prince', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-30 01:11:26', '2017-09-29 21:09:40', 'The state, office, or Authority of a prince'),
(3773, 1246, 11, 'Ruler', '', 1, 2620, NULL, 'A person exercising Government or Dominion ', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-09-30 01:16:59', '2017-09-29 21:15:56', 'A person exercising Government or Dominion '),
(3777, 822, 11, 'Shelvia Jean (Warren) Hall', '', 1, 2281, NULL, 'Shelvia Jean Hall', 'Location: Harnett Devotional Gardens <br>\r\nDate: 2017-10-13<br>\r\nTime: 11:00 AM<br>\r\n<p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Prayer<p>\r\nOur Loving Eternal Heavenly Father, as we meet this morning to remember our dear friend, loved one and sister in Christ , Shelvia Jean Hall, we ask you to be to us the God of all comfort, and the God of all Grace . Give us perspective as we face the reality of Death , to grow in our understanding of the Truth of Life . We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ , Amen.\r\n<p>\r\n<li>Personal\r\n<p>\r\nOn behalf of Warren and Sherry I want to thank you for the prayers, visits, food and condolences.\r\n<p>\r\nJean is my cousin and sister in Christ.  I was intimidated by her as a youngster.  Later in life I came to see the tender heart below the toughness.  I often encouraged her to channel that toughness into her witness fir Christ.  I believe she did that.\r\n<p>\r\n<li>Song - I Just Want to Thank You Lord http://www.lucasco.info/upload/RandyLucas/songs/I%20Just%20Want%20to%20Thank%20You%20Lord.htm \r\n<p>\r\n<li>Message - <u>Reality Check</u><p>\r\n<dir>\r\n<i>\r\nNobody gets too much heaven no more<br>\r\nIt`s much harder to come by<br>\r\nI`m waiting in line<br>\r\n<p>\r\nLove is such a beautiful thing<br>\r\n</i> - Bee Gees\r\n</dir>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><b>Where did we come from?</b> - Genesis 1:27<br>\r\n<i>So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.</i><p>\r\n<li><b>Why are we here?</b> - Revelation 4:11<br>\r\n<i>Thou art worthy, O Lord , to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.</i><p>\r\n<li><b>Where are we going?</b> - John 14:3<br>\r\n<i>And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.</i><p>\r\n<li>How do we get there? - John 14:6<br>\r\n<i> Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way , the Truth , and the Life : no man cometh unto the Father , but by me.</i><p>\r\n<li><b>What will it be like?</b> 1 Corinthians 2:9 <br>\r\n<i>But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.</i><p>\r\n<p>\r\n<li><b>What`s next?</b>\r\nThessalonians 4:15-17<br>\r\n 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord , that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.\r\n<p>\r\n 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God : and the dead in Christ shall rise first:\r\n<p>\r\n 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord .\r\n</ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<li>Prayer<p>\r\nFather , we thank you for Jean`s life, for who she was, the lives she touched.  We thank you that she is now experiencing your Love first hand, that her Mind is clear, that there is no pain or sorrow.  <br>\r\nWe ask that the HolySpirit comfort those that she has left here and that they finish their courses in Relationship with your Son Jesus who will reunite them with her on the last day. <br> \r\nIn Jesus name, Amen.\r\n</ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<p style=~page-break-after:always;~></p>\r\n<hr>\r\nObituary - West and Dunn\r\n<dir>\r\n<i>\r\nMs. Shelvia Jean Hall, 76 passed away on Tuesday, October 10, 2017. A graveside service will be held on Friday, October 13, 2017 at 11:00 am at Harnett Devotional Gardens in Dunn, Officiating the service will be the Rev. Randy Lucas. Interment will follow in the Harnett Devotional Gardens Cemetery.\r\n<p>\r\nThe family will receive friends from 6 to 8 pm Thursday, October 12, 2017 at the West and Dunn Funeral Home in Benson.\r\n<p>\r\nSurvivors of Ms. Hall include a son, Warren Hall and wife Sherry of Benson; nephew, Mark Warren and Amy of Oak Island\r\n<p>\r\nMs. Hall is preceded in death by husband, Roy Harvey Hall, parents, Milton and Irene Warren, brother, J. M. Warren\r\n<p>\r\nCondolences may be made at www.westanddunn.com\r\n<p>\r\nServices have been entrusted to West & Dunn Funeral Home of Benson, North Carolina\r\n</i>\r\n</dir>\r\n<br>\r\n\r\n\r\n', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2017-10-13 01:44:48', NULL, 'Shelvia Jean Warren Hall '),
(4204, 842, 11, 'Correction', '', 1, 4137, NULL, 'A change that rectifies an error ', ' We are All Born in Sin having a sinful Nature .\r\n<p>\r\nWe are Born selfish and hateful by Nature .\r\n<p>\r\n Correction is necessary to Transform a Child from behaving naturally.\r\n<p>\r\n Animals are instinctive. They do what they do without thought or intent. They act naturally.\r\n<p>\r\nA Child who is allowed to act naturally Will Manifest the Sin Nature they were Born with.\r\n<p>\r\nToday, there is a Philosophy that Children can be corrected without corporeal punishment .\r\n<p>\r\nThe object of Correction is to Change behaviour .\r\n<p>\r\nThere are some Children Born with meek malleable natures. Others are Born with Strong Wills and have belligerent Natures .\r\n<p>\r\nOne of the most important things to Teach a Child early-on is ~what No means~.\r\n<p>\r\nI have yet to See a Child readily accept the concept of No . This again is natural .\r\n<p>\r\nA Child who is Never taught No early-on would turn out to be incorrigible .\r\n<p>\r\nThat Child would be selfish, hateful and cruel.\r\n<p>\r\nA Child with a meek, malleable Will could be taught the meaning of No with a minimum of stress on the Child and the parent.\r\n<p>\r\nHowever, the Child with a Strong , belligerent Will would exact a high toll of stress on themselves and the parent.\r\n<p>\r\nA belligerent Child Will Win most battles of Correction by attrition. \r\n<p>\r\nThey Will simply wear down the Parent because of the other demands on the parent`s time.\r\n<p>\r\nEven if the Parent Wins a battle once in a while, the same Issue Will be revisited Time and again until the belligerent Child gets its way.\r\n<p>\r\n~Don`t make me have to tell You again~ has no meaningful force behind it to the belligerent Child . \r\n<p>\r\nThey Know You <b>will</b> tell them again. They also Know that any punishment meted out Will be trivial.\r\n<p>\r\nSo, how do You correct the belligerent Child ? You break the Spirit of belligerency.\r\n<p>\r\nCategorical, non-negotiable boundaries are necessary for a well-adjusted Humans to Manifest .\r\n<p>\r\nOtherwise, the Child challenges those boundaries whenever it suits them with inevitable conflicts requiring stress and Time resources to resolve.\r\n<p>\r\nHow do You break the Spirit of the belligerent Child ? \r\n<p>\r\nYou administer corporeal punishment consistently until the Child Submits to the Authority of the boundary.\r\n<p>\r\nThis is generally painful for the Child and the Parent , but it accomplshes something that lasts - self discipline.\r\n<p>\r\nOnce a Child starts disciplining themself the stress is minimized for them and disappears for the parent.\r\n<p>\r\nIn order for Correction to produce a self-disciplining Human there must be Respect for Authority .\r\n<p>\r\nIn order for Correction to avoid being cruel it Needs to be applied Only for fundamental Principles - things that are really important.\r\n<p>\r\nAlways remember the goal of Correction - to bring a Child into a mature, functioning member of Society .\r\n\r\n', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-11-12 15:40:15', '2018-11-12 10:39:23', 'A change that rectifies an error '),
(3776, 1247, 11, 'Slavery', '', 1, 2300, NULL, 'Under the control of an owner - not Free ', 'The left has made a Political living convincing blacks they are not being treated fairly.  Nothing in the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution mentions fairness.  \r\n<p>\r\nCreated equally, living under the same laws, provided with the same public education, living in the same blessed land and yet many blacks don`t thrive.\r\n<p>\r\nWhy is this?\r\n<p>\r\nI believe it is Slavery .\r\n<p>\r\nNo, not the Slavery that ended 150 years ago.  The Slavery I am referring to is the spirit of Slavery that the Democratic party has filled blacks with beginning in the 1960`s.\r\n<p>\r\nIn the Obama fiasco, the terminology changed from `equal rights` and `equal opportunity` to `fairness`.   \r\n<p>\r\nEqual rights and equal opportunity are not Socialist concepts - fairness is.\r\n<p>\r\nSo, the left made Political hay convincing blacks they did not have equal rights and equal opportunities.  The blacks were indebted to the dems for trying to correct these social ills.  Since equal rights and equal opportunity are now a fact, they needed a new concept to keep blacks from realizing that they were ` Free `. \r\n<p>\r\nSo, they begin to talk about `fairness`.  ~Blacks built America and they are not getting their fair share.~\r\n<p>\r\nThis leftist propaganda has the ultimate goal of causing blacks to hate America .  We see this in the national anthem and flag insults they hurl.\r\n<p>\r\nWhen will the Slavery end?  Never if the Democratic party has anything to say about it.\r\n<p>\r\nI would love to see the native American blacks take a look at the success stories of blacks from other countries (especially Africa) who come here and make very good lives for themselves.\r\n<p>\r\nThe immigrant blacks come here seeing a land of opportunity without the false perceptions that the Democratic party has used to keep American blacks enslaved to their Socialist Ideology .\r\n<hr>\r\n20190131 - Institutional Slavery and Freedom \r\n<dir>\r\nThough slavery is not overtly humanitarian, <br>\r\n- it did take people out of the bush where they lived hand-to-mouth and were hunted and enslaved by their own people, \r\n<br>- it gave them a safe place to live with food, clothing and shelter, \r\n<br>- it exposed them to Christianity, <br>\r\n- it eventually led to full freedom and rights in the most blessed land on earth, \r\n<br>- which itself led to opportunity and lucrative sports, entertainment and business careers.  \r\n<p>\r\nMany of the people from Africa that were not enslaved are still living in poverty, ruled by thugs and in the darkness of paganism.\r\n<p> \r\nBlack-Americans can be resentful if they want to, but none of them would change places with their brothers in Africa.\r\n<p> \r\nFor those who do not understand slavery:<br>\r\n1. it is not owning property (consider property taxes), \r\n2. it is being denied freedom (see political correctness, attacks on Bill of Rights), <br>\r\n3. it is working for someone else (see income tax and other taxes), <br>\r\n4. it is seeing the fruits of your labor consumed by another (see socialism, wealth redistribution),<br> \r\n5. it is being treated as inferior (see Elitism, deplorables and abortion)\r\n<p>\r\nYou see, human beings have always been and continue to be slaves in one form or another.\r\n<p>\r\nIt is only in Christ that we experience True Freedom .  It is only in Christ that we are equal.\r\n<dur>\r\n John 8:36 <br><i>\r\nIf the Son therefore shall make you Free , ye shall be Free indeed.</i>\r\n<p>\r\n Galatians 3:28 <br><i>\r\nThere is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all One in Christ Jesus .</i>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-01-31 17:26:47', '2017-10-06 20:21:29', 'Under the control of an owner - not Free '),
(3778, 1248, 11, 'Lust', '', 1, 2251, NULL, 'The parent of Temptation , the grandparent of Sin ', ' James 1:14,15 <br><i>\r\n14 but every man is Tempted , when he is drawn away of his own Lust , and enticed. <br>\r\n15 Then when Lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth Sin : and Sin , when it is Finished , bringeth forth Death .</i>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-03-16 15:24:51', '2017-10-17 07:39:44', 'The parent of Temptation , the grandparent of Sin '),
(3779, 1249, 11, 'Temptation', '', 1, 2251, NULL, 'The child of Lust , the parent of Sin ', ' <b> James 1:14,15 </b><br><i>\r\n14 but every man is Tempted , when he is drawn away of his own Lust , and enticed. <br>\r\n15 Then when Lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth Sin : and Sin , when it is Finished , bringeth forth Death .</i></b>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-03-16 15:25:55', '2017-10-17 07:46:04', 'The child of Lust , the parent of Sin '),
(3780, 1250, 11, 'Tempted', '', 1, 3779, NULL, 'Drawn by the Lust of the Flesh ', ' <b> James 1:14,15 </b><br><i>\r\n14 but every man is Tempted , when he is drawn away of his own Lust , and enticed. <br>\r\n15 Then when Lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth Sin : and Sin , when it is Finished , bringeth forth Death .</i></b>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2019-03-16 15:26:04', '2017-10-17 07:51:48', 'Drawn by the Lust of the Flesh '),
(3781, 589, 11, 'Warfare', '', 1, 3771, NULL, 'Struggle between competing entities', '<b>2 Corinthians 10:4<br><i>\r\n(for the Weapons of our Warfare are not Carnal , but Mighty through God to the pulling down of StrongHolds ;)</i></b>\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-10-17 12:00:06', '2017-10-17 07:55:43', 'Struggle between competing entities'),
(3782, 1252, 11, 'StrongHold', '', 1, 3768, NULL, 'A place where a particular cause or belief is strongly defended or upheld.', 'Do you have a Stronghold ? by Barry Bennett\r\n<dir><i>\r\n(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down Imaginations , and every high thing that exalteth itself against the Knowledge of God , and bringing into captivity every thought to the Obedience of Christ ; ( 2 Cor. 10:4-5 )\r\n<p>\r\nA Stronghold is an Imagination or thought. It is a Belief system that is so ingrained in the Heart and Mind of a person that it colors their perception of themselves, others and the Circumstances of Life . A Stronghold can be a Cultural norm, a Religious Tradition , a Political Ideology or the latest Social movement. \r\n<p>\r\nIt can include how we were raised and what we were taught by our parents and teachers. Strongholds can be impacted by Music , Movies and the latest Political News .\r\n<p>\r\nIn every case, a Stronghold represents a Belief that is against the nature of God and His purposes for man. The one who is holding to the Stronghold may not wish to be against God in their thinking, but the Stronghold is so deeply rooted that they aren’t even aware that they are filtering God’s Truth through the lens of the Stronghold .\r\n<p>\r\n Strongholds allow Deception . The fundamental characteristic about Deception is that the one who is Deceived doesn’t know it. The Stronghold has become a part of their approach to Life and their approach to Truth . Even Truth must be shaped and filtered to fit the mold of the Stronghold .\r\n<p>\r\nWithin the Body of Christ there are many Strongholds . Perhaps the strongest is the Belief that God is controlling all things. The misunderstanding of Sovereignty has paralyzed much of the Body of Christ and left many living Lives of passive resignation. This is hardly what God had in Mind for His Children .\r\n<p>\r\nThe results of the Sovereignty Stronghold change Faith from a proactive potential to destroy the of the enemy into an inactive acceptance of loss and Suffering as part of His celestial plan. Prayer becomes “wishful hoping.â€ The most popular Bible stories that support this Stronghold are Job , Paul’s thorn , and chastisement ( Heb. 12 ). \r\n<p>\r\nWhile all these stories have powerful lessons for us, the person trapped in the Stronghold cannot or will not see the Truth . The Bible becomes a mysterious manual to explain Suffering rather than a Divine Revelation of Redemption and the restoration of man’s Authority and purpose.\r\n<p>\r\nOnly Truth can set the captive Free . But Truth must be desired and sought. This means that the Stronghold must be allowed to be challenged. Rather than adjusting Strongholds , let’s move out of the Darkness and allow His Truth to tear down everything that holds us Captive . \r\n<p>\r\nIf your BeliefSystem allows you to be a victim of Fate , you have a Stronghold .\r\n</i></dir>\r\n\r\n', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2018-09-19 11:00:06', '2017-10-17 08:00:44', 'A place where a particular cause or belief is strongly defended or upheld.'),
(3813, 1278, 11, 'WitchHunt', '', 1, 2239, NULL, 'Hate motivated investigation hoping for something bad to turn up', ' Russia and Trump ?\r\n<p>\r\nWhen there is evidence of a crime you investigate.\r\n<p>\r\nWhen a person is evidentially connected to a crime you investigate that person.\r\n<p>\r\nIn this case there is no evidence of a crime and so there can be no evidence of culpability.\r\n<p>\r\nThis is a Political witch hunt pure and simple.\r\n<p>\r\nThis is a violation of the 4th Amendment which protects all American citizens from unwarranted search seizure and investigation.\r\n<p>\r\nThe fact that elected officials use public funds to further their own Political interests is Immoral .  It proves they are unworthy of public Trust .\r\n<p>\r\nThe fact that no one in the major news outlets calls it that is Immoral .  It proves they are unworthy of public Trust .\r\n<hr>\r\nWhat is the accountability for this waste of time, money and energy on the part of Congress ?\r\n<ol>\r\n<li> First, they need to be fired.\r\n<li>Then their pensions revoked.\r\n<li>Then they pay restitution for costs.\r\n<li>Then they serve time for unAmerican activities.\r\n</ol>\r\n<p>\r\n<br>', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2018-05-17 16:03:17', '2017-11-18 07:15:39', 'Hate motivated investigation hoping for something bad to turn up'),
(3783, 719, 11, 'Choice', '', 1, 3075, NULL, 'An act of selecting or making a decision', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-10-18 08:48:29', '2017-10-18 04:46:53', 'An act of selecting or making a decision'),
(3784, 722, 11, 'Permission', '', 1, 3075, NULL, 'Consent; authorization.', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-10-18 08:49:50', '2017-10-18 04:48:40', 'Consent; authorization.'),
(3785, 1255, 11, 'Iniquities', '', 1, 3767, NULL, 'Multiple instances of Iniquity ', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-10-20 10:28:26', '2017-10-20 06:27:38', 'Multiple instances of Iniquity '),
(3786, 1256, 11, 'Superficial', '', 1, 3610, NULL, 'Existing or occurring at or on the surface.', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-10-20 14:04:05', '2017-10-20 09:44:25', 'Existing or occurring at or on the surface.'),
(3790, 819, 11, 'Jolie Marcus Matthews', '', 1, 2281, NULL, 'Jolie Marcus Matthews', 'Location: New Life Pentecostal Church <br>\r\nDate: 2018-8-21<br>\r\nTime: 4:00 PM<br>\r\n<p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li>Chuck Russell - 59\r\n\r\n<p>\r\n<li> Heaven\r\n<p>\r\n<li> Amazing Grace - Congregation\r\n<p>\r\n<li>Prayer<p>\r\n Father we Thank you for your Love .  We Thank you for each other. We Thank you for our brother Chuck Russell.  Knowing him was a privilege and blessing.  Today we celebrate his life and rejoice in knowing that at this moment he is in your presence.\r\n<p>\r\n<li> I Want Us To Be Together In Heaven\r\n<p>\r\n<li> New Life song\r\n<p>\r\n<li> New Life song\r\n<p>\r\n<li> When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder\r\n<p>\r\n<li> Remember Me\r\n<p>\r\n<li>Eulogy\r\n<ul>\r\n<li> I came to know Chuck through his wife, Lisa.  I found out that they were life partners in the most beautiful sense.  They had worked together on construction crews and had made a wonderful team at work and at home.  Lisa spiritually adopted Chuck`s children by a previous marriage and poured herself into their grand-children.\r\n<p>\r\nThroughout the time that I knew them as a couple I rarely saw them apart.  Though Chuck was in poor health he was a trouper, going up and down the highway to visit family and when he was able to our church.\r\n<p>\r\nIt was my privilege to talk with Chuck about the Lord Jesus, to answer his questions, to confirm his expression of faith and to water-baptize him.  Today it is my privilege to lead this memorial service in his honor.0\r\n<p>\r\n<li>Ask for comments\r\n</ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<li>Message - There Is A Reason For It All <p>\r\n<ul>\r\n<li><b>Where did we come from?</b> - Genesis 1:27<br>\r\n<i>So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.</i><p>\r\n<li><b>Why are we here?</b> - Revelation 4:11<br>\r\n<i>Thou art worthy, O Lord , to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.</i><p>\r\n<li><b>Where are we going?</b> - John 14:3<br>\r\n<i>And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.</i><p>\r\n<li>How do we get there? - John 14:6<br>\r\n<i> Jesus saith unto him, I am the Way , the Truth , and the Life : no man cometh unto the Father , but by me.</i><p>\r\n<li><b>What will it be like?</b> 1 Corinthians 2:9 <br>\r\n<i>But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.</i><p>\r\n</ul>\r\n<p> \r\n<p>\r\n<li> I Can Only Imagine\r\n<p>\r\n<li> Invitation <br>\r\nI know that Chuck wants to see each of you again.  For those of you in relation with Christ Jesus that will happen one day.  If there is anyone here who has never received Jesus as Lord and Saviour you should not leave here without making a profession of Faith .  To do that all you need do is follow this instruction:\r\n<dir>\r\n Romans 10:9,10 <br><i>\r\n9 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 .\r\n10 For with the Heart man believeth unto Righteousness; and with the mouth Confession is made unto Salvation .</i>\r\n</dir>\r\n<p>\r\nSo, Believe in your Heart that this Jesus who rose from the Dead is God in the flesh and Confess Him as your Lord and Saviour with your mouth right now.  Speak out your confession of Faith by telling the congregation that ~Jesus is my Lord and Savior~.\r\n<li> Prayer <br>\r\nFather , we thank you for each person who has received Christ Jesus today.  We thank you for Chuck`s life, for who he was, the lives he touched.  We thank you that he is now experiencing your Love first hand, that he is now healthy, completely pain free, experiencing the wonders of Heaven in your presence.  <br>\r\nWe ask that the HolySpirit comfort those that he has left here and that they finish their courses in Relationship with your Son Jesus who will one day reunite them with him in Heaven . <br> \r\nIn Jesus lovely name, Amen.\r\n</ul>\r\n<p>\r\n<hr>\r\nObituary:\r\n<dir>\r\n<i>\r\nMr. Charles Linville Russell, Jr., age 59, of 1220 Morgan Road died Saturday, August 18, 2018, at his residence. Memorial service will be 4:00 PM, Tuesday, August 21, 2018 at New Life Pentecostal Church.  Rev. Randy Lucas will officiate.\r\n<p>\r\n          Mr. Russell was born on March 10, 1959 in Manassas, VA to the late Charles Linville, Sr. and Jo Anne Miller Russell. He was preceded in death by a sister Nora Lynn Russell. Mr. Russell was an industrial electrician and a member of New Life Pentecostal Church.\r\n<p>\r\n          Mr. Russell is survived by his wife, Lisa McLamb Russell of Benson; children, Matthew Scott Russell, (Sandy Gail Russell), and Sherri Anne Hatcher, (Calvin Price Hatcher), both of Roxboro; a sister, Helen Martin, of Illinois; and 9 grandchildren, Joseph Clayton, Luke Russell, Sirinity Russell, Harley Hatcher, Calvin Hatcher, Jr., Kelcey Raynor, Nathan Raynor, Andrew Hatcher, and Jacob Russell.     \r\n<p>\r\n          Family will receive friends immediately following the service.\r\n<p>\r\n          In lieu of flowers; memorials may be made to New Life Pentecotal Church P.O. Box 97 Benson, NC 27504.\r\n</i>\r\n</dir>\r\n', 0, '', 'Link', 12, '2018-08-21 00:55:30', NULL, 'Bobby Ray Johnson'),
(3787, 1257, 11, 'Repented', '', 1, 2190, NULL, 'Changed thinking and believing - see Repent ', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-10-22 12:36:16', '2017-10-22 08:34:27', 'Changed thinking and believing'),
(3788, 1258, 11, 'Die', '', 1, 2920, NULL, 'To experience Death ', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-10-23 00:55:42', '2017-10-22 20:55:17', 'To experience Death '),
(3789, 513, 11, 'Bigotry', '', 1, 3093, NULL, 'To be irrationally wedded to a position', '', 0, '', 'Blog', 12, '2017-10-23 00:58:28', '2017-10-22 20:57:40', 'To be irrationally wedded to a position');
