Just sharing.

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What Churches Need to Know about Sexual Crimes




In light of the Baptist sex abuse scandal, as well as the Catholic sex abuse scandal, and the realization that these transgressions can likely be found in other church bodies, it occurs to me that many church people are ignorant or naive about the civil laws regarding sexual crimes.
Churches also have problems with sexual morality–adultery, fornication–but the state has no interest in those sins. Churches need to address those too. God’s moral law goes beyond that of the state. Not just actions but thoughts (Matt 5:28) and words (Eph 5:4) are subject to God’s judgment. Churches must find ways to uphold Biblical sexual morality among clergy and all their members. That is a different topic.

The scandals in the news have to do with crimes. Things that you can go to jail for. Or be put on a sex offender registry for the rest of your life.
While the civil law as enforced by the state may not be as comprehensive as God’s moral law, do not assume that just because the “culture” or the “secular world” seems so sexually permissive that the society’s laws are not strict. They are. And they bear witness to the larger moral reality that God built into His creation and the human heart (Rom 2:15). Recall to that God uses the civil authorities to carry out His wrath on evildoers (Rom 13:4).
So here are aspects of the civil law that churches need to be aware of as they work to prevent these crimes from happening and reporting them and dealing with them if they do.

Sexual Assault
Most of the sexual abuse crimes coming to light have to do with sexual assault. Like manslaughter, this offense occurs in different degrees, ranging from groping to rape. Here is a definition from the National Center for Victims of Crime:

Sexual assault takes many forms including attacks such as rape or attempted rape, as well as any unwanted sexual contact or threats. Usually a sexual assault occurs when someone touches any part of another person’s body in a sexual way, even through clothes, without that person’s consent.

Yes, inappropriate touching is a form of sexual assault. It constitutes a crime.
Specific classifications vary from state to state. Here is a site that gives the laws regarding sexual assault from every state.

Minors Can Not Give Consent
If a person is under 18 years of age, she or he is not legally able to consent to sexual activity. That means that any time an adult has sex with someone under 18, that constitutes rape.
“But she wanted to do it!” a youth worker involved with a 16-year-old might say. “She seduced me!” “We are in love!” “It was consensual!” No it wasn’t. By law, a 16-year-old cannot consent. The adult who had sex with her committed statutory rape.
Similarly, any time an adult sexually touches a child, including a teenager under 18, that constitutes sexual assault.
Children may not be used sexually in any way. Doing so is a heinous crime–usually a special category of sexual assault–and is harshly punished. And rightly so.

Sexual Harassment
Though this is sometimes categorized as a type of sexual assault, sexual harassment is a federal offense and is usually handled somewhat differently. Sexual harassment has to do with what goes on at work. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission defines the law, which is violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, like this:

“Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitutes sexual harassment when submission to or rejection of this conduct explicitly or implicitly affects an individual’s employment, unreasonably interferes with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive work environment.

Here is another description from a useful legal fact sheet about the provision:

The law defines sexual harassment as, unwelcome verbal, visual, non-verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature or based on someone’s sex that is severe or pervasive and affects working conditions or creates a hostile work environment.

The office–much less the church office!–is not an appropriate place for sexual teasing, dirty jokes, or physical comments. This is especially true if such talk comes from a supervisor. More overt sexual overtures–such as asking for sexual favors or promising some benefit if the worker will do something sexual or threatening a worker if she won’t comply sexually–can constitute sexual extortion, another serious sex crime.
Reporting Sexual Misconduct


Sexual assault, like other crimes, should be reported to the police. The victim of a sexual assault or the parents of a victimized minor should be encouraged to call the police. Yes, it is sometimes hard to make that step. Here is a hot-line for victims to call, which will give her confidential counseling and legal advice about her options.
When children are sexually assaulted, the police should always be called. There are reporting laws that make it a crime not to report the suspected physical or sexual abuse of a child. Those who work with children, such as teachers, are legally required to report any evidence of child abuse. Eighteen states have laws requiring anyone who becomes aware of a case of child abuse to report it.

Victims of sexual assault will often complain to another authority, which is also appropriate. A parent of a child used sexually in Youth Group might tell the pastor. A parishioner used sexually by a pastor might contact an elder or ecclesiastical supervisor. Though the person in authority might confront the person who was accused, the person trying to deal with the matter must remember that at issue is a crime. It isn’t necessarily that person’s job to conduct a thorough investigation to determine whether or not the crime took place. That is what the police are trained to do. That is their calling.
Yes, pastors, elders, and ecclesiastical supervisors must deal with the church discipline issues. But the civil authorities also must be brought in to deal with civil offenses. Failure to call the police can lead to charges of cover-up and of not taking sexual abuse seriously, as many churches and church leaders are discovering.

Sexual harassment in the workplace, including the church workplace, is usually a matter for federal enforcement and the civil courts rather than the police, as such, though the police would put the person who complained in touch with the proper agency. Here is a way for a victim of sexual harassment to proceed.
The person who believes she or he was sexually harassed generally complains to the perpetrator’s supervisor, if there is one. Organizations, including churches, should have policies and procedures put in place for how to deal with such complaints. Supervisors must deal with such complaints forcefully, to the point of dismissing the perpetrator.
Here is a template for churches to use in developing their sexual harassment policies, prepared by the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.
The LCMS has also published a useful booklet entitled Sexual Harassment and Misconduct: Preventing a #ChurchToo Experience.

Care for the Victims
You would think it would be needless to say, but maybe it isn’t, that sexual abuse of any kind has no place in church. But pastors, congregations, and denominations must be vigilant against such wickedness.
And when there are victims of such abuse, they need compassion and care. Those who are sinned against are often not only traumatized by what happened, but they often feel a strange sense of shame, even though they are innocent.

I have heard of churches that pressure the person who was sinned against to forgive her tormentor. In at least one case I heard of, the perpetrator was restored because he asked for forgiveness and his victim was excommunicated because she wouldn’t forgive him! Maybe at some point in her spiritual life, she might come to the point of being able to extend forgiveness, but she shouldn’t be coerced or guilted into doing so. The victim’s forgiveness, like God’s, must be a free gift.
But now we are getting into matters of church discipline. I would just say that the church needs to take these sexual transgressions even more seriously than the state does. And the state takes them very seriously indeed.

 

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A Faithful Guide Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5,6 NKJV __________________ The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand. Psalm 37:23,24 KJV __________________ Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, And afterward receive me to glory. Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. Psalm 73:23-5 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy upon Jerusalem? ... And the Lord answered the angel ... with good words and comfortable words.”

Zechariah 1:12,13

What a sweet answer to an anxious enquiry! This night let us rejoice in it. O Zion, there are good things in store for thee; thy time of travail shall soon be over; thy children shall be brought forth; thy captivity shall end. Bear patiently the rod for a season, and under the darkness still trust in God, for his love burneth towards thee. God loves the church with a love too deep for human imagination: he loves her with all his infinite heart. Therefore let her sons be of good courage; she cannot be far from prosperity to whom God speaketh “good words and comfortable words.”

What these comfortable words are the prophet goes on to tell us: “I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy.” The Lord loves his church so much that he cannot bear that she should go astray to others; and when she has done so, he cannot endure that she should suffer too much or too heavily. He will not have his enemies afflict her: he is displeased with them because they increase her misery.

When God seems most to leave his church, his heart is warm towards her. History shows that whenever God uses a rod to chasten his servants, he always breaks it afterwards, as if he loathed the rod which gave his children pain. “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.” God hath not forgotten us because he smites — his blows are no evidences of want of love.

If this is true of his church collectively, it is of necessity true also of each individual member. You may fear that the Lord has passed you by, but it is not so: he who counts the stars, and calls them by their names, is in no danger of forgetting his own children. He knows your case as thoroughly as if you were the only creature he ever made, or the only saint he ever loved. Approach him and be at peace.

 

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The Exclusivity Of Salvation Through Christ Alone



Clearly, trusting in Jesus Christ is the one and only way that God can save us, and to establish that truth, read these 7 Bible verses.

John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus makes it abundantly clear that there is no other possible way to the Father than through Him. He is the one and only way. He alone is the truth, and not one of many truths. He is the one and only way to be saved, and not one of many ways. If there is more than one path to God, it is to the Great White Throne judgment seat where Christ will judge all who have rejected Him (Rev 20:12-15), but that’s a path no one should take, and they need not take it. Put your trust in Him.

John 6:44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
This verse gives no room for a human interpretation or rationalization. It is what it says. No man and no woman can come to the Father unless it is through Jesus Christ our Lord, and that person must be being drawn to Him. Only then will the Lord “raise him up on the last day.” If you choose to reject the one and only way to the Father (through Jesus Christ), then you will be forever separated from God by your sins, and instead of having Christ atone for your sins, you will have to pay for them yourselves (Rev 21:8).

Acts 4:12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
No other name is given to us whereby we can be or must be saved. Choose any religious leader you can think of. They’re not the way. Their name can’t save you. It is only in Christ that we can be saved, for truly, “there is salvation in no one else.” This conflicts with most of the world’s religions because most are works-based. This view of salvation looks like; our works + Jesus = salvation, when nothing could be further from the truth (Eph 2:8-9). God alone saves and it is only through the name of Jesus Christ. There is absolutely no other way. So says me? No, so say Scripture! The jailer asked the right question: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved” (Acts 16:30)? The answer of course is, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household” (Acts 16:31).

First Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.
There are no humans on earth that can mediate between us and God. It takes a High Priest, and Jesus Christ Himself is our High Priest and Mediator because only He can enter into heavenly sanctuary and into the presence of God the Father. Only He and the Spirit have access to the Father, so that’s why we pray through Jesus’ name, so “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb 4:16). Jesus’ open access to the Father gives us access to the Father. Not just any mediator will do. It must necessarily be Jesus Christ.

John 10:7-9 Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
When you’re invited to a wedding, you’re normally given an invitation, so without the invitation, you can’t attend. In a similar fashion, Jesus is the one and only way into the kingdom. He is not only our access to the Father; He is the door by which we must pass through to enter into the kingdom. You must enter the kingdom through the King of that Kingdom. If you hear His voice and He knows you by name, then you are in the sheepfold. Many say they know Christ, but your eternity depends upon whether Jesus knows you! His knowing you is more critical than you knowing Him, because a lot of people will claim to know Him, but Jesus will say to those “many” (Matt 7:21), “Depart from Me, for I never knew you” (Mat 7:23).

John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
God gave His Son so that we might receive eternal life, and all will receive it if they have repented and put their trust in Christ. Jesus’ atonement is efficient for all to be saved and sufficient for all the world to be saved, but they must believe in Him. To believe in Him doesn’t simply mean having head knowledge about Him, but having a personal relationship with Christ…being in His Word and in prayer through His name. Eternal life comes to all who believe. The Scriptures say, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8), and that was necessary because “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23).

Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
A person who repents and trusts in Christ will be saved, but it is actually God Who grants repentance (Acts 5:31, 11:18; 2 Tim 2:24-26). Once a person has been granted repentance by God, then they “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” and with that, “the forgiveness of…sins.” That’s when the believer should be baptized. All who believe are told to be baptized. If you’ve trusted in Christ, and repented of your sins, but haven’t been baptized, why not? It is a command of Christ!

Conclusion
The Bible is clear: None but God can save, and that means whoever believes in Jesus Christ will be saved, so please share these Bible verses with someone that conclusively prove that only God can save, and rather than see Christianity as being a narrow path to God (which it is), be thankful that there is even a path at all. If there was only one way out of a burning building, you’d not be worried about the narrowness of the way, so rather than bemoaning the fact that Jesus is the only way to be saved, be thankful that God has provided any way for us to be saved.

 

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Fear Not! The waywardness of the simple will kill them, and the complacency of fools will destroy them; but whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." Proverbs 1:32,33 NIV __________________ All your children shall be taught by the LORD, And great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; And from terror, for it shall not come near you. Isaiah 54:13,14 NKJV __________________ For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. Romans 8:14-16 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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''But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa.”

Jonah 1:3

Instead of going to Nineveh to preach the Word, as God bade him, Jonah disliked the work, and went down to Joppa to escape from it. There are occasions when God's servants shrink from duty. But what is the consequence? What did Jonah lose by his conduct? He lost the presence and comfortable enjoyment of God's love. When we serve our Lord Jesus as believers should do, our God is with us; and though we have the whole world against us, if we have God with us, what does it matter?

But the moment we start back, and seek our own inventions, we are at sea without a pilot. Then may we bitterly lament and groan out, “O my God, where hast thou gone? How could I have been so foolish as to shun thy service, and in this way to lose all the bright shinings of thy face? This is a price too high. Let me return to my allegiance, that I may rejoice in thy presence.”

In the next place, Jonah lost all peace of mind. Sin soon destroys a believer's comfort. It is the poisonous upas tree, from whose leaves distil deadly drops which destroy the life of joy and peace. Jonah lost everything upon which he might have drawn for comfort in any other case. He could not plead the promise of divine protection, for he was not in God's ways; he could not say, “Lord, I meet with these difficulties in the discharge of my duty, therefore help me through them.” He was reaping his own deeds; he was filled with his own ways.

Christian, do not play the Jonah, unless you wish to have all the waves and the billows rolling over your head. You will find in the long run that it is far harder to shun the work and will of God than to at once yield yourself to it. Jonah lost his time, for he had to go to Nineveh after all. It is hard to contend with God; let us yield ourselves at once.

 

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What Is The Spiritual Gift Of Teaching? Do I Have It?



How can you know whether you have the gift of teaching?
Spiritual Gifts
The Apostle Paul writes more about the gifts of the Spirit than any other author in the Bible, so he is the best source for finding out what the spiritual gifts are and what their purpose is. Another good question is, “How can I know what my spiritual gift is? Do I have more than one gift?” The answer to the second question is likely yes, because I know several people who have at least two observable gifts of the Spirit, if not more, so where can you find Scriptures that tell us what these gifts are?

Romans 12:6-8
In Romans 12:6-8, you’ll find Paul writing about the gift of prophecy, serving, teaching, exhortation, leadership, and mercy. These gifts all function for the betterment of the church. They are not for the individual to use on their own behalf. They are intended for the equipping and building up of the church. God uses these gifts in believers to do what Jesus would do if He were here on earth. Things like feeding the hungry, helping the poor, visiting the sick and those in prison, and being hospitable, even to strangers (Matt 25:35-36, 28:18-20, James 1:27). It is not that we do these things to be seen by others, but we do these things as unto Jesus Himself (Matt 25:40). The idea that we do nothing for Christ here on earth, and still believe we are saved, is contrary to biblical doctrine (James 2:14-26).

If a person is not doing any works that have been prescribed by Christ, then there is probably no salvation in that person’s life. Doing nothing for Christ is a foreboding sign (Matt 25:41-46). Of course, many people will do a lot of good works, but if they are doing them with the idea that they’re a good person and they can make it to heaven, is anathema to the gospel (Eph 2:8-9). If they think their good works will be enough, Jesus will declare their works as evil. Many will say “Lord, Lord,” but these same many who profess to know Christ, are unknown by Him…and that’s what matters most. It’s not, “Do you know Jesus,” but “Does He know you (Matt 7:21-23) that matters most!

1 Corinthians 12:8-10
Paul adds to the list of spiritual gifts in this section of Scripture, referring to a word of wisdom, a word of knowledge, faith, the gift of healings, miracles, prophecies (repeated from Rom 12:6-8), discernment (distinguishing between spirits), tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. Again, these gifts are not for “Look what my gift is,” but “How can my gift help the church and others?” The gifts listed in 1 Corinthians are also intended to build up and equip the church to do what Jesus has called them to do. As the Head of the church, Jesus directs, governs, rules and reigns over His church. Part of what He does is to have each body member function as He wills it to function. When the Body of Christ functions as He intends for it to function, God may bring growth to the church (Acts 2:47).

1 Corinthians 12:28
Near the end of 1 Corinthians 12, Paul gives a list, not so much of gifts, but of offices. He writes, “God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues” (1 Cor 12:28). God has appointed or dispensed both offices and spiritual gifts. This is an overriding theme of Paul’s writings. In this same chapter, Paul writes that “God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose” (1 Cor 12:18). This choice is never left to us.

No apostle or prophet was ever called by the will of man. No apostle or prophet ever decided to become one of their own free will. In fact, in most cases, they resisted the call. If God has not called a person to an office (pastor, teacher, etc.), they are not qualified for that position. God is the One Who “has appointed in the church” (1 Cor 12:28) those who He sees fit for a particular office, and it is “as he chose.” In both the spiritual gifts and offices, we see God does the choosing, but often He does use human instruments to do so (i.e. the local church).

The Gift of Teaching
How can you know whether you have the gift of teaching? Sometimes people confirm that gift for you. You are often hungry to learn as much as you can about a certain subject or event in the Bible. You can’t get enough of it. You may be surrounded by Bible Atlases, concordances, Bible dictionaries, and other study aids. You rejoice when you’ve learned something new. If you’re not sure if you have the gift of teaching, ask for an opportunity to teach a Sunday school class or begin your own in-home Bible study group. For sure, be in a class if you can’t teach it. Maybe you can offer to be put on the substitute teacher list, and when opportunity comes, you’ll have a better idea.

If God has given you the gift of teaching, He will make a way for you to do that. God would not equip a person if He did not intend to use that gift for the local church. If you sense that you are able to explain biblical doctrines or answer difficult questions, then you may have the gift of teaching. You will also recognize the times when you say, “I don’t know.” That’s okay. At other times you recognize that if the Bible is silent on something, we must be, because it’s dangerous to speculate where the Bible is not specific or is silent. If the Bible is not clear on something, it’s God telling us, “It’s none of our business!”

Conclusion
Is it your desire to serve God by making clear the truth of God’s Word to anyone that would ask you, and to do so with accuracy and simplicity? If you find yourself clarifying and explaining the doctrines and teachings of the Bible to someone, you may be a teacher. Teachers go deeper in their explanations…teachers ask questions rather than give the answers to their students…teachers can explain interpretation, translation, or transliteration questions better than the average believer can. If the highlight of your week is a Sunday school lesson, Wednesday night Bible study, or other learning opportunity, you may have the gift of teaching. You will have a deep hunger to always know more…to dig deeper, and to have the ability to explain the difficult in an easy to understand manner. In time, you will know…and you will have little doubt that God has called you to teach…and nothing can stop that burning desire in your heart.

 

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Getting the Job Done Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. Ecclesiastes 11:1,6 NIV __________________ For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. Psalm 119:89,90 KJV __________________ "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, And do not return there without watering the earth And making it bear and sprout, And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." Isaiah 55:10,11 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Behold, if the leprosy have covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce him clean that hath the plague.”

Leviticus 13:13

Strange enough this regulation appears, yet there was wisdom in it, for the throwing out of the disease proved that the constitution was sound. This evening it may be well for us to see the typical teaching of so singular a rule. We, too, are lepers, and may read the law of the leper as applicable to ourselves. When a man sees himself to be altogether lost and ruined, covered all over with the defilement of sin, and in no part free from pollution; when he disclaims all righteousness of his own, and pleads guilty before the Lord, then he is clean through the blood of Jesus, and the grace of God.

Hidden, unfelt, unconfessed iniquity is the true leprosy; but when sin is seen and felt, it has received its deathblow, and the Lord looks with eyes of mercy upon the soul afflicted with it. Nothing is more deadly than self-righteousness, or more hopeful than contrition. We must confess that we are “nothing else but sin,” for no confession short of this will be the whole truth; and if the Holy Spirit be at work with us, convincing us of sin, there will be no difficulty about making such an acknowledgment — it will spring spontaneously from our lips.

What comfort does the text afford to truly awakened sinners: the very circumstance which so grievously discouraged them is here turned into a sign and symptom of a hopeful state! Stripping comes before clothing; digging out the foundation is the first thing in building—and a thorough sense of sin is one of the earliest works of grace in the heart. O thou poor leprous sinner, utterly destitute of a sound spot, take heart from the text, and come as thou art to Jesus—

“For let our debts be what they may, however great or small,
As soon as we have nought to pay, our Lord forgives us all.
’Tis perfect poverty alone that sets the soul at large:
While we can call one mite our own, we have no full discharge.”

 

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What Is Spiritualism?



What is spiritualism? It is something that should be taught or is practiced in the Bible?
The Spirit World
There is another world out there that we don’t see. It includes both holy angels and fallen angels, now called demons. They seek to do harm to the church and to believers, but they have their limitations. Still, evil or unclean spirits can sometimes mimic or imitate lost loved ones, but that’s probably not why they’re called “familiar spirits.” In the ancient world, familiar spirits were believed to be supernatural entities that would assist witches in their practice of magic. Perhaps these familiar spirits were demons who worked through human agents to practice their magic. The Bible is clear that “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12), and these “spiritual forces of evil” will try to distort the gospel, or in some cases, come up with their own religion.

Fallen Spirits
When Jesus was speaking about unclean spirits or demons, He said, “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order” (Matt 12:43-44), but something interesting happens after this. “Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation” (Matt 12:45). We know that Satan or a demon cannot possess someone who has the Spirit of God in them. God the Holy Spirit is greater than Satan or any demon. The Apostle John wrote, “[Y]ou are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:19).

Failed Exorcism
The Sons of Sceva were so fascinated by all the miraculous sings and wonders of the Apostle Paul (Acts 19:11-12) that these “Jewish exorcists undertook to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul proclaims” (Acts 19:13). The problem arose from the fact that the Sons of Sceva didn’t really have a personal relationship with Jesus like Paul had. Paul had been born again; apparently not so with these sons. They simply knew about Jesus and the power in His name, but remember Jesus did not know them, so they had no authority to cast out demons. When they tried to cast the evil spirit out, “the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” And the man in whom was the evil spirit leaped on them, mastered all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded” (Acts 19:15-16).

Spiritualism
It is believed that the Modern Spiritualist movement dates from 1848 when the Fox sisters of Hydesville, New York produced knocking sounds that were alleged to be messages sent from a spirit. These knocking sounds were obviously hoaxes, but despite that, spiritualism never died. Spiritualists seek to communicate with the spirits of people who have died. Most Christians, I would hope, would realize that seeking to communicate with the dead is sin. Part of the Old Testament civil laws included the command, “Do not turn to mediums or necromancers; do not seek them out, and so make yourselves unclean by them: I am the Lord your God” (Lev 19:31).

If they do manage to contact a spirit, my question is, “What kind of spirit is it?” Most certainly it is not a holy angel because God forbids this practice, so it can only be a demonic spirit that is imitating someone who has been deceased. They might think they’re seeing a ghost or spirits of the dead, but they’re demonic spirits, and they’re nothing to mess around with for those who are not saved. Even so, the Spiritualist community is one of the quickest growing spiritual communities; the largest being the Lily Dale Assembly in New York City. It is the world’s largest Spiritualist community, and they encourage people to participate in the activities and to open their minds and their hearts.

They’re welcome to witness clairvoyance demonstrations during their services. They tell you to keep an open mind, but that’s not exactly safe, is it? Remember the unclean spirit who brought his friends with him? No one leaves their doors open at night, but they lock them to keep out potential harm. We are told that the peace of God will guard our hearts (Phil 4:7), and the Spirit of God and the Word of God can help us do just that. Regular study and intake of the Word of God helps us gain more discernment about certain practices we might encounter. More exposure to the Word of God helps us more easily recognize unsound practices.

Conclusion
Satan has his own ministers, and they do a great job of imitating teachers and preachers. So much so that it’s difficult to tell them apart, but as for the Spiritualist Movement, it’s not that hard to see that it’s wrong to try and communicate with the dead. They may reach someone or something alright, but they might not be who they think they are (see Acts 19:11-16). Most troubling is the fact that the Church of Spiritualism defines their foundational doctrine as this: “We accept all truths and endeavor to prove their validity.” Not very scientific is it? They accept something as true, and then try to prove it is. Why not open the Bible and start out with “the truth,” and that will prove its validity easy enough. It seems like they have it backwards.

All truths cannot be equally true. What if one person’s truth is 2 +2 = 4, but another says 2 +2 =7. Remember, we’re told to accept all truths, and then worry about proving it later, however, what we believe to be true does not change what is actually true. Here is what is true: Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). You are entitled to your own opinion, but no one but Jesus is entitled to their own truth. He is the One and only way, and you can’t spiritualize that away.

 

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He Spoke in Parables He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them." Matthew 13:11-15 NIV __________________ And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold. Matthew 13:3-8 KJV __________________ What kind of soil is your heart? What kind of fruit are you bearing for Him? __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting”

Micah 5:2

The Lord Jesus had goings forth for his people as their representative before the throne, long before they appeared upon the stage of time. It was “from everlasting” that he signed the compact with his Father, that he would pay blood for blood, suffering for suffering, agony for agony, and death for death, in the behalf of his people; it was “from everlasting” that he gave himself up without a murmuring word. That from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot he might sweat great drops of blood, that he might be spit upon, pierced, mocked, rent asunder, and crushed beneath the pains of death.

His goings forth as our Surety were from everlasting. Pause, my soul, and wonder! Thou hast goings forth in the person of Jesus “from everlasting.” Not only when thou wast born into the world did Christ love thee, but his delights were with the sons of men before there were any sons of men. Often did he think of them; from everlasting to everlasting he had set his affection upon them.

What! my soul, has he been so long about thy salvation, and will not he accomplish it? Has he from everlasting been going forth to save me, and will he lose me now? What! Has he carried me in his hand, as his precious jewel, and will he now let me slip from between his fingers? Did he choose me before the mountains were brought forth, or the channels of the deep were digged, and will he reject me now? Impossible!

I am sure he would not have loved me so long if he had not been a changeless Lover. If he could grow weary of me, he would have been tired of me long before now. If he had not loved me with a love as deep as hell, and as strong as death, he would have turned from me long ago. Oh, joy above all joys, to know that I am his everlasting and inalienable inheritance, given to him by his Father or ever the earth was! Everlasting love shall be the pillow for my head this night.

 

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Who is Jesus Christ today?

The most important question for every person, organisation and institution is this: Who is Jesus Christ?

We recall that Jesus founded his Ecclesia (Church) on these two questions:

1. Who do people say the son of man is?
2. Who do you say I am?

The Apostle Peter got it right: You are the Messiah, the son of the living God (Matthew 16:13-19).

Please make no mistake about this: Jesus will return to rule and reign over the whole earth from Jerusalem!

And when he does... you want to be on his side!

Here are two of the trustworthy prophecies that mandate the future of the planet:

• Micah 4:1-8
• Matthew 25:31-46

 

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Lord, have mercy on me, the sinner. "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, `Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." Hebrews 8:10-12 NIV __________________ Seek the LORD while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the LORD, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:6,7 NKJV __________________ He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His loving kindness toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. Psalm 103:10-12 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“The barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by Elijah.”

1 Kings 17:16

See the faithfulness of divine love. You observe that this woman had daily necessities. She had herself and her son to feed in a time of famine; and now, in addition, the prophet Elijah was to be fed too. But though the need was threefold, yet the supply of meal wasted not, for she had a constant supply. Each day she made calls upon the barrel, but yet each day it remained the same. You, dear reader, have daily necessities, and because they come so frequently, you are apt to fear that the barrel of meal will one day be empty, and the cruse of oil will fail you.

Rest assured that, according to the Word of God, this shall not be the case. Each day, though it bring its trouble, shall bring its help; and though you should live to outnumber the years of Methuselah, and though your needs should be as many as the sands of the seashore, yet shall God's grace and mercy last through all your necessities, and you shall never know a real lack. For three long years, in this widow's days, the heavens never saw a cloud, and the stars never wept a holy tear of dew upon the wicked earth: famine, and desolation, and death, made the land a howling wilderness, but this woman never was hungry, but always joyful in abundance.

So shall it be with you. You shall see the sinner's hope perish, for he trusts his native strength; you shall see the proud Pharisee's confidence totter, for he builds his hope upon the sand; you shall see even your own schemes blasted and withered, but you yourself shall find that your place of defence shall be the munition of rocks: “Your bread shall be given you, and your water shall be sure.” Better have God for your guardian, than the Bank of England for your possession. You might spend the wealth of the Indies, but the infinite riches of God you can never exhaust.

 

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Why Does God Give Some People New Names? Sometimes, God changes a person’s name, but why? What’s His purpose for doing so? Old Testament There are several instances where God changes a person’s name in the Bible. You don’t have to look very far to find out that Abram’s name was changed to Abraham…Sarai to Sarah…Jacob to Israel, and a few others, but why? God never does anything without purpose, so there is a purpose behind it. When we look at Jacob, we see a man who was a schemer who cheated Esau out of his birthright and blessing, so it’s no wonder Jacob’s name means “He who strives” or “supplanter.” To supplant something means to “undermine, to take the place of, to take over from, or to substitute for” and he did that until after wrestling with God all night, God changed His name to Israel, which means “He who strives with God,” and Israel did strive with God…all the way to the Promised Land, and then some! As for Abraham, he was first called Abram, meaning “exalted father,” but God later changed His name (Acts 17:5) to Abraham, meaning, “father of a multitude” or even “exalted father of a multitude,” and Abraham is seen as the father of the Jews. God also changed Sarai’s name to Sarah, meaning, “lady, princess,” or “noblewoman,” and that she was. She even shows up along with Abraham in the so-called “Hall of Faith” (Heb 11). New Names in Heaven No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations (Gen 17:5). When the Apostle John was writing about the church, he wrote, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it” (Rev 2:17). No one can say what the white stone is about, nor does anyone have a clue about what our new names will be in heaven, but perhaps they will be names that described a major attribute of ours or something we did that we had a passion for. Even then, it says, “no one knows except the one who receives it,” so it will be a mystery until that day (See, Rev 21:1-5). Later, John adds that “The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name” (Rev 3:12). So believers will have Jesus’ name as well as “the name of my God.” Even though we’re told we’ll have new names, there is no way to know what that name will be, but one thing we do know is that when “God comes down out of heaven,” He will make all things new, apparently including our names (Rev 21:5). Saul to Paul If you read enough of the Bible, you’ll see that God often names people for their attributes or character traits, but I’ve noticed that sometimes God will change a person’s name when there is a change of character. We see this when Saul’s name began to dissapear and the name Paul began to be used more often. Although it doesn’t say God changed Saul’s name to Paul, there is a change. At first, Saul sought to destroy the church, but after conversion, he then evangelized for the church as Paul, so Saul went from seeking to destroy the Way to one who pronounces the Way, and the Way is a reference to the early church. What was the way? This comes from Jesus’ own words that He is the one and only way we can be saved (John 6:44; Acts 4:12). Jesus says He is the way, the truth, and the life. Not “a way” or “a truth,” but the truth and the way, and there is no other (John 14:6). Saul’s name may be closely related to the Hebrew name Shaul, which means “to ask for,” and interestingly, Saul approached the high priest and “asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem” (Acts 9:2). There is also the fact that Saul and Sheol are spelled the same in the Hebrew, although pronounced differently. We do similar things with our own vocabulary, so sheol means “a pit” or “a grave,” or “mankind’s common grave,” or “the abode of the dead.” What we gather from all this is there is a sharp contrast between the meanings of the names Saul and Paul. God changed Saul’s heart, as only God can do (Prov 21:1), so God changed Saul’s name to go along with his new heart. He was a now a new creation in Christ (2 Cor 5:17). He was no longer the old man…Saul. Paul tells the Greeks about Jesus as the only way. Conclusion The day will come when God calls us home, or Jesus’ splits the sky and returns to begin His reign. At that time, there will be “a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more” (Rev 21:1). That’s when everything changes, and “the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God” (Rev 21:3). The old things will be gone, which means God will have to “wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Rev 21:4). This is new. It makes sense that the One “who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new” (Rev 21:5). Part of Jesus’ making all things new will probably mean our old names will be gone. We’ll be given new names in the kingdom (Rev 2:17, 3:12). That’s because we’ll all be new creations. New creations should get new names, don’t you think?

 

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Ask, Seek, Knock "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7,8 NIV __________________ And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24 KJV __________________ Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:13-15 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.

 

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“He is precious.”

1 Peter 2:7

As all the rivers run into the sea, so all delights centre in our Beloved. The glances of his eyes outshine the sun: the beauties of his face are fairer than the choicest flowers: no fragrance is like the breath of his mouth. Gems of the mine, and pearls from the sea, are worthless things when measured by his preciousness. Peter tells us that Jesus is precious, but he did not and could not tell us how precious, nor could any of us compute the value of God's unspeakable gift. Words cannot set forth the preciousness of the Lord Jesus to his people, nor fully tell how essential he is to their satisfaction and happiness.

Believer, have you not found in the midst of plenty a sore famine if your Lord has been absent? The sun was shining, but Christ had hidden himself, and all the world was black to you; or it was night, and since the bright and morning star was gone, no other star could yield you so much as a ray of light. What a howling wilderness is this world without our Lord! If once he hideth himself from us, withered are the flowers of our garden; our pleasant fruits decay; the birds suspend their songs, and a tempest overturns our hopes. All earth's candles cannot make daylight if the Sun of Righteousness be eclipsed. He is the soul of our soul, the light of our light, the life of our life.

Dear reader, what wouldst thou do in the world without him, when thou wakest up and lookest forward to the day's battle? What wouldst thou do at night, when thou comest home jaded and weary, if there were no door of fellowship between thee and Christ? Blessed be his name, he will not suffer us to try our lot without him, for Jesus never forsakes his own. Yet, let the thought of what life would be without him enhance his preciousness.

 

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Don’t Do, Don’t Desire



The Ten Words include twelve negative commands. Most of the verbs that are negated are unique:
1) Thou shalt not have (lo’ yihyeh-leka; literally, “there shalt not be to thee”) other gods.
2) Thou shalt not prostrate (lo’-tishtachweh) to them (i.e., images).
3) Thou shalt not serve them (lo’ ta’avdem; again, images).
4) Thou shalt not bear (lo’ tissa’) the name of Yahweh lightly.

5) Thou shalt not kill (lo’ tirtzach).
6) Thou shalt not commit adultery (lo’ tin’aph).
7) Thou shalt not steal (lo’ tignav).
8) Thou shalt not bear (lo’-ta’aneh) false witness.

Two of the negative verbs, though, are used twice:
9) Thous shalt not make (lo’ ta’aseh-leka) for yourself an image.
10) On the seventh day, thou shalt not do (lo’-ta’aseh) any work.
11) Thou shalt not covet (lo’ tachmod) the house of your neighbor.
12) Thou shalt not covet (lo’-tachmod) the wife of your neighbor.

This is interesting. Many of the prohibited actions are, we might say, obviously immoral (killing, adultery, stealing, lying). Others are clearly evil in the sight of the God of Israel (having other gods, prostrating to and serving images, bearing His name thoughtlessly).
The two verbs that are negative twice, though, are either typically positive or at least neutral. ‘asah – doing or making – is something Yahweh Himself does (cf. the Fourth Word, Exodus 20:11). chamad simply means “desire” (cf. Genesis 2:9; Psalm 19:10), and can describe right desires as well as sinful ones.

At least we can say this: What is most divine about man – our ability to make and do – is under the dominion of God. God intrudes even on this Godlike power, telling us what we cannot make and when we cannot make it. And what is most intimate to us – the impulses and movements of our souls – are also under His authority. He tells us what we ought not desire, and what we ought.
For men and women, there is no region of autonomy, no God-free zone of absolute freedom. Inside and out, in doing and not-doing, we are His.

 

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Ask, Seek, Knock "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7,8 NIV __________________ And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. Isaiah 65:24 KJV __________________ Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:13-15 NASB __________________ Thanks be unto God for His wonderful gift: Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God is the object of our faith; the only faith that saves is faith in Him.