chinita http://daks777.blog.friendster.com Sun, 12 Apr 2009 01:28:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 en WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT EASTER???? http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/04/188/ http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/04/188/#comments Sun, 12 Apr 2009 01:25:05 +0000 daks777 http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/?p=188 Have we ever asked ourselves what is really the meaning of EASTER,the real celebration behind it?? Those bunnies ?? Why we decorate those eggs?? Do egghunts, etc.?? Us as christians, we are the ones responsible to do research and to know about God’s truth because JESUS himself tell us to do so ” JOHN 5:39 “(39Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”) instead of just inherit the tradition from our family customs. We have to investigate so we don’t become a participants of wrong tradition or wrong beliefs, that we don’t even know or are aware of. As the remembrance of JESUS RESURRECTION TODAY…it went into my head and had this thought of what is the meaning of easter or the celeration behind it. so i went and researched since i’m not a kid anymore and as christian it is my duty to find the answers to the truth. What’s with this egg hunt, bunnies and these colorful eggs all about?? What it has to do with resurecction of JESUS CHRIST?? so i found this article  written by PASTOR HARRISON.i read all the passage given there and gave me the answer to my questions. so brothers and sister let’s start searching the truth and let’s not live with so many lies in this world that satan does to mislead people and instead live in God’s truth!!!!!Nothing can make JESUS CHRIST’s sacrifice and death on the cross be meaningless!!!

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT EASTER??

by PastorHarrison » April 7th, 2009, 9:54 am

Warning….this message is not for the “happy happy sandbox Christians”:

What Does the Bible Say About:
Easter?
Fresh and vivid are my memories of standing in a chair as a small boy helping my mother decorate the Easter eggs for the big back yard hunt with brother, sister and cousins. The wicker baskets, plastic grass, chocolate bunnies and candy eggs and oh the laughter, frantic searching and excited children! With time I joined the “egg hiders” and stood laughing with the adults at the children in their searchings. Then finally as a father I laughed at my own children as they sought those same colorful eggs, carrying their own wicker baskets and plastic grass. But….I wondered…what do wicker baskets, plastic grass, candy rabbits and colored eggs have in the world to do with the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ? It was not until I joined an old fashioned Bible believing Church with a God called preacher that the answer to this question was shown to me. The answer is – Absolutely Nothing! To my shame I learned that in reality Easter was a far different thing than I had been led to believe growing up!
Turn in your King James Bible to Acts 12:4 [You’ll have to use a King James Bible in this lesson]. The word “Easter” appears once in the King James Bible in Acts 12:4 where we find Herod has just finished murdering the apostle James. Herod was NOT a Christian, he was an Idol worshipping Pagan who hated Christianity [Acts 12:1]. Herod arrested Peter and was waiting for the arrival of ISHTAR (pronounced Easter) to hold a second public execution like he’d done with James [Acts 12:2]. False bibles would lead you to believe Herod was waiting for the Passover but, as the King James translators knew, he was waiting for the spring festival of Easter which coincided with the Passover on the Roman calendar of the time. Study the Passover in relation to the “Days of Unleavened Bread” EX 12:13-18 / LEV 23:5 / Num 9:3 9:5 / Num 28:16 and you quickly see the Passover had already come and gone! Herod was waiting for “Easter” but here’s the key, it’s NOT the Easter you and I think of. Easter is actually a pronunciation of the goddess EOSTRA (ASTARTA– also known as ISHTAR pronounced EASTER) the Roman celebration of the “goddess” of spring. This festival was held late in the month of April. It was, in its original form, a celebration of the earth “regenerating” itself after the winter season. The festival involved a celebration of reproduction. For this reason the common symbols of Easter are rabbits and eggs and sunrise. Both rabbits and eggs of course are known as symbols of reproduction. Astarta was known in the Bible as the “queen of heaven” (Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17-25). She is the mother of Tammuz (Ezekiel 8:14) who was also her husband! Celebrations of this pagan goddess frequently were held at sunrise on “Easter” morning (Ezekiel 8:13-16). From the references in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, we can see that the true Easter has never had any association with Jesus Christ. This pagan holiday was carried into Christianity by the Catholic Church. Colored with the colors of sunrise, eggs frequented the festivities, among other things inappropriate to mention herein. Easter was over 1000 years old in Herod’s days and to him it was his pagan festival of Astarta. He was an enemy of Christianity. Do you understand now why Herod was waiting for his pagan festival Easter to murder another disciple? Clears things up quite a bit for those wondering why the Old King James translators said “Easter” instead of the incorrect “Passover”. Christians then most certainly should celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ! However they should NOT celebrate it with the pagan rituals of Astarta! Let the perverts at Playboy magazine keep the bunny’s this year and give the chickens a break and let commercialism keep the plastic grass and chocolate rabbits. Christians should be celebrating the gospel of Jesus Christ and the resurrection with a rededication to live as Christians in these dark last days! I encourage you parents, this year start a new “tradition” and give your children something that will last them eternity – the Gospel! Let Fathers and Mothers gather together with loved ones and children and share with them the wonder of the resurrection of the Son of the Living God!

]]> http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/04/188/feed/ “SPEAKING IN TONGUES” http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/04/speaking-in-tongues/ http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/04/speaking-in-tongues/#comments Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:19:58 +0000 daks777 http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/?p=186

Speaking in Tongues

By: Lehman Strauss , Litt.D., F.R.G.S.

Introduction

This is not the final chapter to be written on the subject of speaking in tongues. Men (and women) will be having their say until our Lord returns to settle this matter once and for all time. It is difficult to say how, when and where the modern tongues movement began. In the many pamphlets and books I have examined opinions differ. We do know that the phenomenon of tongues-speaking is widespread, and it is likely that no issue inChristendom has caused as wide a split in its ranks in modern times as has speaking in tongues.

All Bible-believing Christians who study the Word of God are in agreement that the gift of tongues is present in the inspired Scriptures. In the New Testament two lists of gifts appear in which the gift of tongues is included. In 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 “kinds of tongues” and “the interpretation of tongues” are said to be sovereignly bestowed gifts of the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 12:28-30 “tongues” appears in the list of gifts. We call them “spiritual gifts” from the Greek word charisma, suggesting that the gift is a bestowment of God’s grace. It is not a natural ability that one might develop, but rather a special gift as those appearing in the above mentioned passages in First Corinthians.

The Holy Spirit is sovereign in the distribution of these gifts. Following the listing of the gifts, Paul adds, “But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will” (1 Corinthians 12:11). No one person has all the gifts, nor are we to seek the gifts. We must be careful that we do not confuse the Spirit as a gift to the believer with the gifts the Spirit gives to believers. Every believer has received the gift of the Spirit, but not every believer has received the gifts which the Spirit bestows.

The Meaning of Speaking in Tongues

In my travels many persons have approached me with questions about tongues. Some of them ask about its meaning. The term that is used to identify the tongues movement is “glossolalia,” made up of two Greek words, glossa (language or tongue) and lalia (speech). It therefore means speaking in languages or tongues. Glossology is that department of anthropology which has to do with the study and classification of languages and dialects.

The word glossa appears in the Greek New Testament not less than fifty times. It is used to refer to the physical organ of the tongue as in James 3:5; once in reference to the flames of fire shaped like tongues (Acts 2:3); at least once in a metaphorical sense when referring to speech as in the statement, “my tongue (speech) was glad (joyous)” (Acts 2:26). As far as I understand the remaining usages of the word it always means a language.

When our Lord predicted the gift of tongues (the only mention of tongues in the four Gospel records) He said, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues” (Mark 16:17). The adjective “new” (Gr. kainos) can only mean they were going to speak in languages new to them, that is, languages they had not learned or used until that time. If I say the Russian language is “new” to me, I do not mean that I never knew there was such a language, but rather its use by me is new to me because I can neither speak it nor understand it when I hear others speak it. On the other hand the German language is not altogether “new” to me because I can both read and speak it with a small degree of understanding.

In Acts 2:4 Luke uses a different adjective when he says, “they began to speak with other tongues.” The word “other” (Gr. heteros) simply means that they spoke in languages different from the normal language they were used to. The context substantiates this. Notice the surprised reaction on the part of the hearers—“And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?” (Acts 2:7,8). Every man heard them speak in his own language (Acts 2:6). Here the word “language” is the translation of dialekto from which our word “dialect” comes. The two words glossa (tongue) and dialektos (language) are used synonymously, making it obvious that the disciples were speaking in known languages other than the language native to them. In verses 9-11 the languages are then identified. It was a miraculous phenomenon which enabled the disciples to speak in languages which they had never learned. Here in this Acts passage we have tongues-speaking in its pure and unperverted form as God gave it.

The following verses in the Book of the Revelation should be examined carefully (Revelation 5:9; 7:9; 10:11; 11:9; 13:7; 14:6; 17:15). In each passage where the word “tongue” is mentioned it means one of the languages associated with the various nationalities and races. I see no reason why anyone should raise a question as to the tongues in those passages in Mark, Acts and Revelation meaning languages.

But the more serious problems arise in the interpretation of the twenty-one references to tongues in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14. There are those who tell us that the tongues in First Corinthians are ecstatic utterances not known in any country on earth. They base their conclusion on the term “unknown” which appears in 1 Corinthians 14:2, 4, 13, 14, 19, and 27. But the reader of this chapter in God’s Word must not fail to observe that the word “unknown” in every place where it appears is in italicized letters, which means that it does not occur in any Greek manuscript but was inserted by translators. The Holy Spirit did not direct Paul to write that the tongue is unknown.

I find no warrant for changing the meaning of tongues in First Corinthians. In every other place where the word is used it means languages. Why then should the meaning be changed in First Corinthians? I know of no textual license that will warrant changing the meaning of the word. All the usages of tongues in Paul’s treatment of the subject refer to foreign languages. “So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into air” (1 Corinthians 14:9).

There is no reason for anyone to speak except to converse intelligibly. The Greek word laleo means “I speak.” The word is never used for mere sound or noise. Nor is it used for a mere mumbling or muttering of unintelligible gibberish. The tongues-speaking in the New Testament was in the native languages of hearing people. The supernatural phenomenon which took place at Pentecost was the exercise of a gift whereby many people from many countries, gathered at Jerusalem, heard God’s message in their own language. This was indeed a miracle of God.

It would be an arbitrary and strange interpretation of Scripture that would make tongues-speaking in the New Testament anything other than known languages. There is no trace of Scriptural evidence that tongues were ever heard by anyone as incoherent, incomprehensible babbling.

The Ministry of Speaking in Tongues

At this point in our study we shall pursue an examination of the reasons why God gave the gift of speaking in tongues.

First, to communicate the Gospel message. With unmistakable clarity Paul says, “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not . . . ” (1 Corinthians 14:22). The word “sign” (Gr. semeion) in the New Testament is often associated with the conveying of a Divinely-given message to unbelievers. This is the emphasis in John 20:30, 31 where we read, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.” The signs (miracles) were never performed without purpose, but because of the message they communicated.

The true function of the gift of tongues is “for a sign . . . to them that believe not.” To exercise the gift when unbelievers were not present would be exercising the gift above the purpose for which it was given. The gifts were never given for the self-satisfaction or self-glory of the recipients. The one upon whom the gift was bestowed was merely an instrument through whom God wanted to communicate His message.

Because of the abuse and misuse of tongues in the Corinthian Assembly Paul states its purpose. The spiritual immaturity of the saints in Corinth called for instruction, so in the middle of his discourse on tongues he writes, “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men” (1 Corinthians 14:20). The Greek word for “men” (teleios) means mature. In their misuse of speaking in tongues they were showing their immaturity, a behaviour pattern which characterized the believers at Corinth. The Apostle reminded them that they remained “babes in Christ” (3:1).

Their failure to grow up spiritually resulted from their neglected study of the Scriptures. The Epistle to the Hebrews stresses this point. “For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness; for he is a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14). Peter wrote, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby” (I Peter 2:2). One will find confusion and license where the study of God’s Word is neglected.

Now let us return to 1 Corinthians 14:20. Immediately upon rebuking them with the words, “Brethren, be not children in understanding,” Paul adds, “In the law it is written . . . ” (Vs. 21), thereby pointing out their weakness, namely, their failure to acquaint themselves with that which was written in the Old Testament Scriptures. They had failed to study God’s Word, therefore they had become victims of arrested development.

Speaking in tongues was a gift bestowed by the Holy Spirit, but it, or any other gift, can be misused. Speaking in tongues was no mark of spirituality, because the Corinthian church was unspiritual, having manifested carnality (3:1-3) and even gross sin (5:1). And so Paul points them to a Scripture they should have known, saying, “In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord” (12:21).

Paul is here referring to a prophecy God had given through Isaiah. The nation of Israel had failed to heed God’s message which He gave through their own prophets, so the Lord told them that at a future time they will hear His message through tongues (languages) other than their own. “For with stammering lips and another tongue will He speak to this people “ (Isaiah 28:12). Thus Paul sees in this Isaiah prophecy the gift of tongues as a sign to Israel. The words “this people” in Isaiah 28:11, in its context, can refer only to Israel. The abuse of tongues-speaking in Corinth did not arise from the belief in speaking in tongues, but rather in the neglect of the Scriptures which teach its proper use.

This purpose of the gift of tongues, namely to communicate God’s message to Israel, is verified in the three passages in Acts where speaking in tongues is mentioned. In Acts 2 tongues-speaking was used as a missionary or evangelistic tool in fulfillment of Isaiah 28:11. There was no need for the disciples to learn other languages before they could communicate the Gospel. God overcame the language barrier through the miracle-gift of tongues. On the day of Pentecost there were “Jews out of every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). And when the disciples “began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4), the hearers responded with the question, “And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?” (Acts 2:8). Observe that they were “Jews” from other countries who spoke many languages and dialects, and yet each heard the Gospel in his own tongue. Isaiah’s prophecy was being fulfilled.

In Acts 10:46 the second mention of speaking in tongues occurs. The occasion again was to communicate the Gospel, this time for the purpose of effecting the conversion of Cornelius and his house. This event cannot be totally disassociated from Pentecost because Peter, when relating this experience, said, “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning” (Acts 11:15). At the house of Cornelius tongues-speaking was a sign to Jews at a time when the Gospel was being communicated (Acts 10:44-46).

In Acts 19:6 there appears the third passage in Acts in which speaking in tongues is recorded. Again its purpose was missionary and evangelistic. When Paul came to Ephesus he encountered twelve disciples of John the Baptist. He asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Ghost when (not since) you believed?” (Acts 19:2, see the R.V.). These at Ephesus considered themselves to be Christians because they had heard through Apollos the message of John. You see, there is a belief unto salvation and a belief that does not result in salvation. The latter is a mere academic, intellectual belief that even Satan and the demons have (James 2:19. cf. Mark 5:7). Doubtless there are people today who have an historical faith in Jesus Christ as a man and even the Son of God, but who have not been saved. Paul suspected that such was the case with the disciples of John whom he met at Ephesus. When he learned they were not saved, he told them they must trust Christ for their salvation. We can understand the confusion they might have experienced, therefore some evidential sign was necessary. “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came upon them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied” (Acts 19:6). Again the purpose for speaking in tongues is obvious, namely, to communicate the Gospel message.

These are the only instances of tongues-speaking recorded in the Bible, except the passage in First Corinthians. None of the later Epistles mention speaking in tongues. The gift was used only in the transitional period between Law and Grace. The sign gifts continued through the period of the Apostles while the New Testament was in the process of being written.

Second, to confirm the Gospel message. It was not merely a communicating sign but a confirmatory sign as well. When the Apostles used the gift of tongues it was because they did not have what you and I have today, the completed Word of God, God’s full and final revelation to man. When they went about preaching the Gospel, their message was confirmed by the exercise of the sign gifts. Tongues-speaking vindicated both the message and the messenger. “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds” (2 Corinthians 12:12). If one could find an Apostle living today who saw the bodily-resurrected Lord Jesus, he would not be exercising the sign gifts because he would have what you and I have, and what Peter, Paul and John did not have, the completed written Word of God. Now that we have the Scriptures we do not need miracles to confirm God’s message.

Signs were for the Jews rather than for Gentiles. “For the Jews require a sign . . . ” (1 Corinthians 1:22). Repeatedly it was the Jews who asked for a sign. “Then certain of the Scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from Thee” (Matthew 12:38). Again, “The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired Him that He would shew them a sign from heaven” (Matthew 16 :1). “Then answered the Jews and said unto Him, What sign shewest Thou unto us, seeing that Thou doest these things?” (John 2:18). “They said therefore unto Him, What sign shewest Thou then, that we may see and believe Thee? What dost Thou work?” (John 6:30). All these who asked for a sign were Jews, and their insistence upon signs will at last be their sad undoing.

During the Tribulation the Antichrist will appear, “whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders” (II Thessalonians 2:9), and at that time many Jews will be deceived into receiving the Antichrist as their Messiah.

Let us who are Christ’s not be seeking signs as did the unbelieving Jews. We who are the Lord’s have the Holy Scriptures, so let us “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7). Whenever the gift of tongues was exercised Jews were present, tongues-speaking being used either to communicate the Gospel or else to confirm to the Jews that the Gentiles were worthy of salvation and should therefore have the Gospel also. Such confirmations are seen in Acts 10:45 and 19:6. “And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen” (Mark 16:20).

If anyone denies the message of God’s written Word today, there is no other court of appeal. In the days of the Apostles, the New Testament being yet unwritten, the Holy Spirit supported their message by accompanying it with signs. But after those holy and inspired men completed writing the New Testament, such confirmations were no longer necessary. The rich man in Hell asked Abraham to send Lazarus from the dead that he might witness to his five unsaved brothers, hoping that such a sign (or miracle) would lead them to repent. But Abraham replied, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead” (Luke 16:27-31). The Pentecostal sign ushered in a new age before the New Testament was written. But if men reject God’s inspired Word now, they need not look for any supernatural signs.

A significant New Testament passage which adds to the fact that the sign gifts were given to confirm the Gospel message is Hebrews 2:3,4:“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the 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 with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to His own will?” If the Epistle to the Hebrews was written between 65 and 70 A.D. it would be obvious that the people to whom the message was “confirmed” with signs and gifts were that generation immediately following our Lord’s death.

The Mistakes About Speaking in Tongues

As an introduction to this part of our study, I want you to see Paul’s introduction to the subject of spiritual gifts. And incidentally, this is the only place in the entire Bible where spiritual gifts are discussed. The Apostle writes, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant” (1 Corinthians 12:1). In the Authorized Version the word “gifts” is in italicized letters, telling us that it did not appear in any of the Greek manuscripts but was inserted by translators. Paul actually said to the Corinthians, “I don’t want you to be ignorant about pneumatica” (the spirituals), meaning of course the spiritual gifts.

Now the Corinthians were not ignorant of the fact of the spiritual gifts, for the Apostle had already said to them, “Ye come behind in no gift” (1:7). When he said, “I would not have you ignorant”, he was not speaking about their ignorance of the existence of the gifts, but rather about their ignorance of the right exercise of the gifts. They were well informed as to what the spiritual gifts were, but they were ignorant about the proper use of the gifts, as is evidenced by the mistakes they made in their exercise of them.

Before Paul launches into a discussion of the spiritual gifts, he reminds them of how easily they were led astray. He says, “ye know that ye were gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led” (12:2). In substance he is saying, “Before you tell me about your experience let me remind you of your lack of spirituality (3:1), and therefore your inability to discern between the Holy Spirit and false spirits” (2:15). Because they were carnal, “babes in Christ” (3:1), their exercise of the gifts were self-induced by fleshly energy, not by the Holy Spirit. All Christians do not use their gifts properly, so that a Christian’s use of a gift might not be in accord with the Word of God. Mistakes can be made by any of us in the exercise of a gift.

(1) It is a mistake to assume that speaking in tongues is synonymous with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is unscriptural teaching which says that all who are baptized by the Holy Spirit will speak in tongues. The Scriptures state emphatically that all saved persons have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body . . . ” (1 Corinthians 12:13). All the believers at Corinth received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, however all did not speak in tongues. The question asked in verse 30, “Do all speak with tongues?” is so phrased so as to convey the expected answer, “No.”

The baptizing work of the Spirit is not an experience in the believer subsequent to salvation. Rather it is that act of the Holy Spirit which joins the believing sinner to the Body of Christ. More emphatically, there is no other means whereby one can become a member of the Church which is Christ’s Body. All saved persons have been baptized by the Holy Spirit, but not all saved persons speak in tongues. The baptizing work of the Spirit places the believer in the Body positionally.

Be careful that you do not confuse the baptism of the Spirit with the command to be “filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). All believers share equally in this position in Christ and thus share equally in union with Him. There is only one experience of baptism by the Holy Spirit but there can be many experiences of being filled with Spirit. Paul said that not all of the Corinthian Christians spoke in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:5), and yet he stated clearly that all had been baptized with the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13).

(2) It is a mistake to assume that speaking in tongues is an evidence of being filled with the Spirit. All believers are commanded to “be filled with (controlled by) the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), but nowhere in Scripture are believers commanded to speak in tongues. A Christian can be under the influence and control of the Holy Spirit and not speak in tongues. There are numerous instances when the disciples were filled with the Spirit but did not speak in tongues. See Acts 4:31 and 13:9-11. To be Spirit-filled is to be Spirit-controlled. Are we to believe that the thousands of mightily used men and women of God who were among the world’s best missionaries of Christ’s Gospel and Bible teachers were never filled with the Holy Spirit because they never spoke in tongues? Perish the thought!

Can one know if he is filled with the Spirit? Look at one verse in the Bible where the command to be filled with the Spirit is recorded. “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God” (Ephesians 5:18-21). Three things are mentioned as evidence of being Spirit-filled; a joyful heart, a thankful heart and a submissive heart. Nothing is said about speaking in tongues. To sum it up in one word, Christlikeness is the manifestation of being filled with the Spirit, and the Scriptures do not tell us that our Lord ever spoke in tongues.

(3) It is a mistake to assume that speaking in tongues is the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit results from being filled with the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is mentioned in Galatians 5:22, 23 and includes nine characteristics. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” None of the sign-gifts are included in this nine-fold cluster of fruit. The Christian who is filled with the Spirit will manifest the fruit of the Spirit apart from ever having spoken in tongues. As a matter of fact, in Ephesians and Galatians, where the fullness and fruit of the Spirit are discussed tongues-speaking is not mentioned once. Moreover, in the list of gifts mentioned by Paul, gifts that the ascended Lord bestowed upon His Church, the sign gifts are omitted. “And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11).

All Christians should be filled with the Spirit and all are to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, but not every Christian has all the gifts. Spirituality does not depend on speaking in tongues. God’s goal for every child of His is to be Spirit-controlled, but that goal does not include speaking in tongues. No Christian need ever feel that he is lacking in spirituality because he has not spoken in tongues. Quality of life is the best evidence of the fullness and fruit of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptizer was filled with the Spirit from his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15), yet this Spirit-filled man did no miracles and never spoke in tongues (John 10:41). But he was so Christ-like that people who were looking for the Messiah were led to ask of him, “Art thou the Christ?”

(4) It is a mistake to assume that speaking in tongues is an evidence of one’s faith. To the contrary, the persons who seek signs and sign-gifts show their lack of faith. It is a sin for any Christian to seek for signs before he will believe God’s Word. As was pointed out earlier in this study, “tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not” (1 Corinthians 14:22). So you see, the Christians at Corinth were showing that they were weak in faith, and possibly some who identified themselves with the believer had never been saved. The person who seeks any sign, whether it be speaking in tongues or any other sign-gift, is either a babe in Christ or an unbeliever.

Thomas is an illustration of a disciple weak in faith who would not believe without seeing. After our Lord arose from death, He appeared to the disciples. “But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:24, 25). Thomas was like the Corinthians, weak in faith, demanding to see the sign (miracle) before he would believe.

Eight days later the Lord appeared again. “Then saith He to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side:and be not faithless but believing.” (John 20:27). The doubting Thomas needed a sign, so the Lord appeared to him so that he would not continue without faith. And then He said to Thomas, “Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29). The Christian who will study the Bible and believe what it says will walk by faith, not by sight or sound.

(5) It is a mistake to seek the gift of speaking in tongues. It is clear that not all in the church at Corinth spoke in tongues. Why didn’t they? The Apostle says, “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit . . . for to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will” (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). Please note that the gifts were given “as He (the Holy Spirit) will,” not as we will, “as it hath pleased Him” (vs. 18), not us. The reason why all the Christians did not have the gift of tongues is because all of the gifts are divinely bestowed. The Spirit divides and distributes to each believer his own gift. Not one of us is capable of choosing his own gift. The Spirit will not give a gift according to our desire and the way we pray. Don’t try to tell God which gift He should give to you. We are but members of the Body, and no one member has any right to tell the Head what to do.

It would have been a mistake for the Corinthians to seek the gift of tongues because it is the least of all the gifts. Where the gifts are listed twice in 1 Corinthians 12, in each instance tongues and their interpretation are placed last (verses 8-11 and 28-30). Note the careful wording in the latter passage: “First . . . secondarily . . . thirdly . . . after that . . . ” The least to be desired comes at the bottom of the list, the scale being according to importance and usefulness. The minor place of tongues is further stressed in 1 Corinthians 14:1, 5, 6, 19. The modern cult of tongues would have you believe that this gift is the only one that really counts and that every Christian ought to have it. The Corinthians erred in overemphasizing the gift of tongues as the most coveted gift of all. To them tongues was the prestige gift, hence its misuse and abuse at Corinth.

Paul charges them with such misuse of the gifts in 12:31. When he writes, “But covet earnestly the best gifts . . .” he is not exhorting or commanding them, as the imperative mood might indicate. Rather he is issuing a statement of fact, as is suggested in the indicative. In substance he is saying, “You are selfishly desiring the more spectacular or demonstrative gifts.” The word “covet” is not used in a good sense, but in a bad sense, that of self-seeking. “You are not satisfied to be a foot, concealed in a stocking and shoe; you want to be an eye. You want to be seen and heard.” And then the Apostle adds, “Yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal “ (1 Corinthians 12:31,13:1).

A young man who claimed to have the gift of speaking in tongues told me that the biblical basis for his doing so was 1 Corinthians 14:4, namely, self-edification. But this is both selfish and wrong. Paul did say, “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself” (14:4), but then he added, “Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church” (14:12). The gifts were given for the edification and profit of the entire Body of Christ, not merely one member. “The members should have the same care one for another” (12:25). Self-edification is contrary to the principle of love as taught in Chapter 13, for “love seeketh not her own” (13:5). The gifts were given for the common good of all (12:7).

(6) It is a mistake for a woman to speak in tongues. “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak . . .” (14:34). The prohibition here has a direct relation to the problem with which the Apostle is dealing, namely, speaking in tongues. Earlier in the same Epistle he told the women how to dress when they prayed or prophesied in the church (11 :3-10), therefore he would not forbid them here in Chapter 14 that privilege which is countenanced in Chapter 11. The setting of 1 Corinthians 14:34 has reference primarily to women speaking in tongues. It is clear and unmistakable that speaking in tongues was a gift limited to men and is never to be exercised by women. Now he is not saying that women may not teach or testify or pray, but that they may not speak in tongues. Elsewhere Paul writes, “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence” (I Timothy 2:12). The point of this passage is that a woman’s ministry must not usurp authority over the man. She may teach women or children, but not men.

If this admonition were heeded today much of the present tongues movement would be eliminated. Women are the worst offenders in the modern confusion of tongues. The word “speak” in 14:34 is the same word used in verse 28, therefore it cannot mean mere “chatter” that would disturb a service in the church. The purpose of this entire section on speaking in tongues is to curb the wrong use of the gift. Verses 27-33 give instruction for men in the matter of speaking in tongues. “If any man speak in an unknown tongue . . .” (14:27); verses 34-36 are directed to “women” exercising the gift of tongues. And if any women wanted to take issue with Paul, he would ask them one question, “Which book in all the inspired Scriptures was written as the result of the Holy Spirit revealing the woman?” (Verse 36). It is a mistake for a woman to speak in tongues.

(7) It is a mistake to assume that the sign-gifts are given to believers today. Now I am not arbitrarily closing the door on miracles. God does intervene in supernatural ways performing miracles when and wherever He pleases to do so. The matter before us now is whether or not the Bible teaches that certain gifts were temporarily given. The evidence of God’s Word must be the final source of authority. I am stressing this because there are many persons who are not students of the Bible, therefore their only source of knowledge and understanding is subjective, namely, reason or experience. Whatever appeals to their reason, or whatever experiences they have had, settle a matter for them once and for all time.

It is not uncommon to hear someone say something like this: “I cannot believe in Hell because I cannot conceive a loving God sending anyone to such a place of torment.” Such persons might listen to clear and sound expositions on the biblical doctrine of Hell, and yet they will reject what the Bible teaches because of their inner feelings and rationale. And so their rationalization becomes their final authority.

Now I am not suggesting that there is no validity in experience or reason. I am quite sure that there are times when one’s reason and experience are correct and therefore reliable. But neither reason nor experience can be accepted as final authority. Someone will argue: “I have had the experience of speaking in tongues; I find this experience in the New Testament; therefore my experience is true.” Any trained Christian philosopher will tell you that such an argument is not valid because it makes experience the basis of truth, so if one does not experience all of the experiences he does not have all of the truth. True Christian philosophy moves from truth to experience, therefore any valid Christian experience must be determined by the right interpretation of Holy Scripture. Experience, which is related to our emotions, can be deceptive, but a correct interpretation of God’s Word can never deceive.

We come now to the question, Is the gift of tongues a part of God’s program for the Church today? If it is, then we would be wrong if we closed our minds to it. If it is not, then we are wrong if we insist upon the exercise of tongues-speaking.

Let us turn to 1 Corinthians 13. Now keep in mind the fact that the subject in Chapters 12-14 is spiritual gifts with the main emphasis on tongues, because tongues was the one gift that the Corinthians were abusing. Chapter 12 concludes with “tongues” (12:30) and Chapter 13 begins with “tongues” (13:1). Obviously from the behavior of the Corinthians they were lacking in the fruit of the Spirit, namely, love. And so in Chapter 13 the Apostle dwells upon the essential ingredient of love which supercedes the gifts, and without which the Christian is nothing at all.

Among the Corinthians there were quarreling and division, but the needed fruit of the Spirit, love, was missing, so Paul writes, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (or love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (13 :1). In Corinth the tongues-speaking amounted to so much noise because carnality had invaded their exercise of the gift. Even today there is a kind of spiritual prestige associated with tongues-speaking. For a Christian to show off any gift that God has given manifests pride that is lacking in love. Where love is lacking, the exercise of any gift is worthless.

If Christians would take seriously, within context, all of the teaching about tongues in 1 Corinthians, they could not fail to see that tongues-speaking would cease. Paul writes, “Charity (love) never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away” (13:8). There will always be the need for love, therefore love will never drop off. But when the canon of Scripture is made “perfect” (or complete), there will be no further revelation from God, neither in predictive prophecy nor in divinely revealed knowledge other than prophecy. The gifts of “prophecy” and “knowledge” will be entirely unnecessary with the completion of the Scriptures. And “if any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book” (Revelation 22:18).

Paul acknowledged the incomplete nature of the Scriptures in his day when he said, “For we know in part, and we prophecy in part” (13:9), or more literally from the Greek, “For in part we are knowing, and in part we are prophesying.” Then he adds, “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (13:10). The word perfect is in the neuter gender, and therefore refers to the perfect (finished or completed) Word of God. If the word perfect referred to Christ it would be in the masculine gender. The sign gifts were “done away” (rendered inoperative) with the completion of the New Testament.

Now what about tongues? “Whether there be tongues, they shall cease” (13:8). Tongues shall cease (Gr. patio), that is, they shall come to a complete halt. Who needs tongues? Only the untaught, carnal babes in Christ, for Paul added, “When I was a child, I spake as a child . . . but when I became a man, I put away childish things” (13:11). The word “spake” in context can only refer to speaking in tongues. So that Paul himself came to the place of Christian maturity, through God’s revelation to him, where tongues were no longer necessary. And so in the same tongues context he admonishes the Corinthians, “Brethren, be not children in understanding . . . but in understanding be men” (14:20). Experientially, tongues cease when the Christian matures on a diet of the meat of God’s Word. Actually tongues is baby talk.

For the past two years I have made it my practice to ask many of the leading Bible teachers and scholars, some of whom having a rich working knowledge of Hebrew and Greek, if they have ever spoken in tongues. Among them are college and seminary presidents and professors. To date I have not had one of about sixty men tell me that he ever spoke in tongues!

I have been asked if I ever spoke in tongues. No, I have not. God and I have gotten along nicely for the past forty-five years in English. I speak to Him in English and He hears and understands me. He speaks to me in English through His Word, and I understand Him.

How then can we account for the wide-spread practice of speaking in tongues? I do not have all of the answers to this question, but I will make three suggestions for your prayer consideration.

First, speaking in tongues can be self-induced. Second, speaking in tongues can be group-induced. Third, speaking in tongues can be satanically-induced.

Since the creation of man Satan’s insidious master-plan has been to put a veil between God’s children and God’s inerrant Word. It began in the Garden of Eden when the Devil asked Mother Eve, “Yea, hath God said . . . ?” (Genesis 3:1), thereby raising doubt as to the authority and authenticity of what God has said. We know that this enemy has stepped up the pace of his strategy.

Our present generation is witnessing the growing menace of satanic activity in the realm of the miraculous. Where the Devil does not succeed in taking the Bible from us, he works hard at taking us from the Bible. And he succeeds in getting Christians to focus their attention on the claims of men and women to some supernatural experience, and in so doing those seekers after the experiences of others have neither time nor interest in searching the Scriptures for God’s truth.

God does have a plan in His dealings with the human race, and that plan does not necessarily include the continuing repetition of the same miracles in every succeeding century. The miracles of God are rare occurrences in history. Enoch’s bodily translation from earth to heaven was the only recorded miracle performed by God in over 1700 years between Adam and the flood.

The Church of Christ does not need a new Bible, nor new apostles, nor new faith-healers, nor new charismatic movements, nor self-styled miracle workers. What the Church needs is to return to the Word of God and proclaim the whole counsel of God in the power and love of the Holy Spirit.

And if my reader has never had a personal experience of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, I urge you to receive Him at once, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

]]> http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/04/speaking-in-tongues/feed/ Evolution is Man’s Sinful Pride http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/02/evolution-is-mans-sinful-pride/ http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/02/evolution-is-mans-sinful-pride/#comments Sun, 01 Mar 2009 05:42:45 +0000 daks777 http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/?p=181 Evolution is Man’s Sinful Pride

By David J. Stewart

“The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” -Job 33:4

The THEORY of evolution is nothing more than man’s sinful pride, attempting to remove God and the Bible from reality.  One such example is Discovery Channel’s ANIMAL PLANET, which promotes the foolishness of evolution, and I quote…

The evolutionary development of today’s bears and raccoons began roughly 30 million years ago, at the start of the Oligocene epoch. -SOURCE

It’s a shame that men have forgotten God.  Jesus Christ is the Creator of the universe–”He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not” (John 1:10).  We read in Colossians 1:16, “For by him (Jesus Christ) were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him.“  How could anyone be so ungrateful as to deny the Creator, the very God who made them?  All teachings of evolution are rooted in man’s wickedness and sinful pride. 
 

Evolution Contradicts Itself, But the Bible Does Not

For the heretics at Animal Planet to claim “The evolutionary development of today’s bears and raccoons began roughly 30 million years ago” is absurd to say the least.  How do they know that?  What scientific proof do they have to support their bizarre claims?  That’s right, NONE!  Evolution is still as best–ONLY A THEORY.  In sharp contrast to evolution, the Word of God aligns perfectly with science and nature.  Romans 1:20 so wonderfully declares, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.“  Psalm 19:1 states, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.“  A person only needs to open his or her eyes to see the wonders of God.  There are miracles all around us testifying of God’s power and greatness.   The Bible makes sense; but evolution is extremely contradictory.  Evolution claims that men evolved from apes, but NO proof has ever been substantiated.  If evolution were true, then there should be millions of such skeletal remains.  Evolutionists conveniently dismiss such damning facts against evolution by calling it the “missing link.”  It’s missing because it doesn’t exist!  Mankind never evolved from anything. 

The Bible speaks openly, with no “missing” pieces to the puzzle.  You don’t need to go to college to be brainwashed with theories and speculation to believe the Bible.  It’s crazy when you think about it–parents spend big bucks for their kids to attend heathen universities, where the students are taught about “missing” links and unproven “theories.”  Yet the Word of God speaks openly, plainly, and without speculation.  2nd Peter 3:5 plainly states, “For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water.“  It was the Word of God that created the universe. 
 

The Foolishness of Evolution

Think about what evolutionists are claiming.  They claim that all life evolved from a big explosion, but they CAN’T tell you exactly what exploded, or where those initial elements came from.  Then evolutionists claim that the earth was originally just a rock moving through the universe.  Somehow they expect us to believe that an atmosphere just miraculously formed over the earth, plants grew, and life formed over BILLIONS of years.  They expect us to believe that humans (highly intelligent beings) evolved from primitive life forms, such as giraffes.  My question is–If men evolved from apes, then why are there still apes?  The folks at Animal Planet continually make reference to humans as “animals.”  We are not animals.  God created animals as animals, and men as men.  1st Corinthians 15:39 declares, “All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds.“  You see, the Bible makes perfect sense.  Evolution is retarded. 

Interestingly, there is absolutely no record of any civilization prior to about 4000 B.C., which perfectly corresponds with the Biblical time of creation.  If, as evolutionists claim, mankind has evolved over millions and billions of years, then wouldn’t it make perfect sense to expect history to go back hundreds-of-thousands of years at least?  But, there was no world power before the Egyptian empire mentioned in the book of Genesis.  Secular history confirms this.  Do you mean to tell me that it took mankind millions of years to discover vitamins?  It was just a couple centuries ago that millions of people were dying from easily preventable diseases (such as scurvy, caused by a lack of vitamin C).  Do you mean to tell me that it took mankind millions of years to discover paper and ink?  Do you mean to tell me that it took mankind millions of years to discover toilet paper, first sold in the U.S. in 1857?  Do you mean to tell me that mankind didn’t realize the dangers of NOT washing his hands for millions of years?  If you accept the Biblical date of creation (which history supports), then man’s educational development makes good sense (i.e., we can trace man’s inventions and advancements from 4000 B.C.).  Please keep in mind that people in 2500 B.C. were writing on rocks.  This is clearly seen in Egyptian and Babylonian hieroglyphics.  So do you mean to tell me that for MILLIONS of years, mankind wrote on stones because he was too dumb to figure it out?  Don’t tell me that mankind has existed for millions of years, but there’s no proof of it.  The Bible speaks plainly and boldly, with no stone left unturned.  In sharp contrast, evolution is a nightmare of missing links, bizarre speculation, and unscientific theories. 

Let me give you the same quote again as I mentioned earlier…

The evolutionary development of today’s bears and raccoons began roughly 30 million years ago, at the start of the Oligocene epoch. -SOURCE

Please!  You’ve got to be kidding?  How could anyone say such a thing with a straight face?  How can they definitively say 30,000,000 years?  Why not 20,000,000… or 1,000,000?  Folks, did you ever stop to think just how long a million years is?  And yet these arrogant college boys got it all figured out, speaking as if they were there 1,000,000,000 years ago.  It’s insane, and unscholarly, for anyone to make claims about life millions of years ago.  It’s man’s sinful pride that causes him to make such ridiculous and bold claims against the Word of God.  The Bible makes so much more sense–teaching that a Divine Creator made the universe (John 1:1-3).  Evolutionists have fabricated an entire fantasy world, guessing where they “think” different animals and species may have developed.  Oh, and they’ve got those impressive looking charts.  Please keep in mind that EVERYTHING which the evolutionists propagate is mere SPECULATION.  Carefully notice that evolutionists NEVER use the word “may.”  It would be more honest and scholarly of them if they said… “today’s bears and raccoons MAY HAVE began roughly 30 million years ago.”  But, no, they teach their speculation and theories as if it were a FACT.  I guess their mentality is that if you’re going to lie–LIE BIG! 

]]> http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/02/evolution-is-mans-sinful-pride/feed/ Does Prayer Guarantee Healing? http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/02/does-prayer-guarantee-healing/ http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/02/does-prayer-guarantee-healing/#comments Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:02:08 +0000 daks777 http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/?p=176 Does Prayer Guarantee Healing?

by David J. Stewart | April 2006

We read in James 5:15 that “the prayer of faith shall save the sick“; BUT, we also read the Apostle Paul’s words in 2nd Timothy 4:20, “…but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.“  Clearly, whatever “gift” of healing Paul had back in Acts 28:3-6 when he was bitten by a deadly snake was GONE.  Paul couldn’t heal his friend Trophimus.  Also, Paul couldn’t heal his co-laborer in the Lord, Timothy, as Paul mentions Timothy’s “often infirmities” (1st Timothy 5:23).  God does NOT guarantee healing just because we pray; BUT, God does tell us to pray for the sick, and then trust His wisdom, goodness, and judgment.  Our responsibility is to pray and wait upon the Lord.  It is sinful and unbiblical for ANYONE to claim a “right” to be healed, or to teach others that God always heals the sick.  As we clearly see in the Bible, God doesn’t always heal the sick.

The Bible states in Isaiah 53:5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.“  Some foolish people twist this Scripture around to claim that Jesus died to pay for our physical healing too, and that physical healing as guaranteed by Jesus’ blood.  However, this interpretation is clearly erroneous in lieu of the Bible verses I’ve just shared with you.  Just because we are Christians does not guarantee us health, wealth, or prosperity in this sinful world.  Romans 6:23 proclaims “For the wages of sin is death…“  The physical death is inevitable, because our sins bring death.  However, we do not have to die the second death in the Lake of Fire because Christ offers us the free gift of eternal life through faith in Him alone.  No amount of prayer guarantees physical or mental healing.  The only guarantee we have is concerning Heaven, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” -Romans 10:13.

]]> http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/02/does-prayer-guarantee-healing/feed/ MASONRY PROVEN CONCLUSIVELY TO BE WORSHIP OF LUCIFER, SATAN! http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/01/masonry-proven-conclusively-to-be-worship-of-lucifer-satan/ http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/01/masonry-proven-conclusively-to-be-worship-of-lucifer-satan/#comments Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:44:28 +0000 daks777 http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/?p=156 Subtitle: Now, from their own words and symbols, Freemasonry is proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, to be Satanic to the core!  You can be deceived no longer.

Most of the article on Freemasonry below has been taken from Masonic books that have been published by Masonic Publishing Companies, and most of them were formerly very, very secret.  We further have taken the Biblical admonition carefully, comparing Masonic teachings to the Holy Bible.  In 1 John 4:1, we see this command to all Christians: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try (test) the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”  Thus we see that any religious teaching that does not conform to Scripture is from a “false prophet”.

This exercise is not an empty one, for your eternal, precious soul is at stake. Finally, remember two things about Masonry: 1) Superior Masons deliberately lie to their fellow Masons, as those Masons “deserve to be mislead”; 2) Explanations given to 95% of all Masons are wrong. Listen to this quote from a Masonic author, Carl Claudy: “Cut through the outer shell and find a meaning; cut through that meaning and find another; under it, if you dig deep enough, you may find a third, a fourth — who shall say how many teachings?” You have been lied to, as we demonstrate in our many articles.  Finally, remember Albert Pike’s bold assertion in Morals & Dogma, that “Masonry is identical to the ancient Mysteries”, which means that all their teachings in all their books are precisely the same as the Ancient, Pagan, Satanic Mysteries! [p. 624, teachings of the 28th Degree]

Please, we implore you, take the time to read our articles so you may finally know the Truth of Jesus Christ, the God of the Universe which Masons contemptuously call an “inferior god”, and Whom they never, ever mention in their teachings or their rituals. We fervently pray that the Holy Spirit will illumine your mind, heart, and soul with the knowledge of the true God, and only the true God, of the Holy Bible.

Now, for the first time ever, we shall conclusively prove that Freemasonry is actually a worship of Lucifer, the Light-Bearer; of course, since Lucifer and Satan are Biblically the same person, Freemasonry is really the worship of Satan.  We shall prove this by quoting their own sources, and depicting their own symbols.  In symbols, Freemasonry reveals more about itself than it ever does in its writings; yet, we shall start with their writings, for there you shall find the “smoking gun” proof that Masons worship Lord Satan.  Once you comprehend this truth, you shall understand why they have been so anxious all these centuries to keep the lid of secrecy tightly screwed down, for if people really understood that Masonry is a worship of Satan, no one would join, and the citizens of most communities would rise up as one to demand that the organization be completely outlawed.  Thus, you have secrets within secrets , just as we have quoted above; further, you have a continuous public relations campaign promoting the lie that Freemasonry is not a religion, and is just a good works social organization.

Now, let us inform you, with their own words, that Freemasons really worship Satan, at the higher levels.

LUCIFER PRAISED AS THE LIGHT-BEARER OF FREEMASONRY

“Lucifer, the Light-bearer!  Strange and mysterious name to give to the Spirit of Darkness!  Lucifer, the Son of the Morning!  Is it he who bears the Light, and with its splendors intolerable, blinds feeble, sensual, or selfish souls?  Doubt it not!”  [Albert Pike, Morals and Dogma of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, p. 321, 19th Degree of Grand Pontiff; Red Emphasis added]

What a revelation!  From the first degree, the first Initiation, the Mason is urged mightily to “seek the Light“!  The average Mason is continually saying that he is “seeking the Light”, and will spend his entire life “moving toward the Light”.  Almost every person in Western Civilization will assume that this “Light” is the revelation of the God of the Bible; indeed, this statement is held up continuously to try to convince us that Masonry is Christian.  Yet, here, Albert Pike is saying that Lucifer is the One who bears the Light of Freemasonry!  Lucifer is the Light-bearer of Freemasonry .

Pike’s sentence immediately preceding this one confirms not only that Lucifer is the Light-bearer, but that Masons of previous degrees have been led to believe that the opposite was true.  Since the wording of this sentence is a little arcane [understood only by those with special knowledge], I asked former Illuminist Satanist Doc Marquis, for his explanation.  But, we are getting  a little ahead of ourselves now; let us examine this sentence.

“The Apocalypse is, to those who receive the nineteenth Degree, the Apotheosis of that Sublime Faith which aspires to God Alone, and despises all the pomps and works of Lucifer.” [Ibid.]

At first glance, this sentence seems to contradict the one we first quoted above, where Pike identifies Lucifer as the Masonic Light-bearer.  However when you understand the esoteric explanation from Doc Marquis, your understanding clears up completely.

First, Pike identifies the Apocalypse as being the Book of Revelation written by the Apostle John.  Then, Pike states that other, similar books from other religions, are just as ‘inspired’ as Revelation, mentioning Plato, Philo, the Sephar Yezirah, and the Sohar.  Pike says all three of these books — Apocalypse [Revelation], the Sephar Yezirah, and the Sohar, are all identically “inspired”.  Since these latter two books are of non-Christian faiths, Pike is saying that the contents of Revelation are no big deal.  Therefore, it is no big deal that the Book of Revelation denigrates the “pomp and works” of Satan, since the God of that book is known to hate Satan. 

Then, Pike says that these three books “are the completest embodiment of Occultism”. [Ibid.]  Now, we understand that Pike views the God of the Apocalypse as being the opposite but equal to Satan, just as typical Occultists believe and teach!

Secondly, Doc Marquis provides the esoteric, occultic, explanation.  Pike is also saying in this sentence that, in the previous 18 degrees, Masons believed that God was the Light-bearer, but now, in this 19th Degree, Pike is giving them new revelation.  This insight completely squares with stated Masonic policy of deliberately misleading Masons in the lower degrees until they were really ready for the “truth”.   This is the truth — Masonry worships Lucifer .

PIKE’S TYPICAL SATANIC PHRASE — OUT WHERE EVERYONE CAN SEE

Pike then gives concrete evidence of Freemason’s worship of Satan/Lucifer on the very front of the cover of Morals and Dogma !  Below the round seal of “God”, Pike writes a phrase written in Latin, which proves to be a typical Satanic phrase.  One look at this phrase would alert any Satanist that the contents of this book are Satanic!  A Satanist would also understand immediately that all of Freemasonry is Satanic. 

What is this phrase?  “DEUS MEUMQUE JUS”  The literal meaning is “God and My Right”

Doc Marquis says this statement is a very typical one within Satanism.  It has two meanings, one within the other.  First, this phrase means that the Freemason can depend upon their God to determine their Right and Justice.  Secondly, since the God of Freemasonry is Lucifer, Masons are saying that they are “using occult methods”, through Lucifer, to achieve their Rights and Justice.  Marquis says that this phrase is very powerful and very dangerous within Satanism.  The second a Satanist sees this phrase in Latin on Pike’s book, he knows the material within is Satanism, without reading a word!

“SEETHING ENERGIES OF LUCIFER WITHIN YOUR HANDS”!

“The day has come when Fellow Craftsman must know and apply their knowledge.  The lost key to their grade is the mastery of emotion , which places the energy of the universe at their disposal.  Man can only expect to be entrusted with great power by proving his ability to use it constructively and selflessly.  When the Mason learns that the key to the warrior on the block is the proper application of the dynamo of living power, he has learned the mystery of his Craft.  The seething energies of Lucifer are in his hands, and before he may step onward and upward, he must prove his ability to properly apply energy.  He must follow in the footsteps of his forefather, Tubal-Cain, who with the mighty strength of the war god hammered his sword into a plowshare.” [Manly P. Hall, 33rd Degree, K.T., The Lost Keys of Freemasonry or The Secret of Hiram Abiff , Forward by Reynold E. Blight, 33rd Degree, K.T., Illustrations by J. Augustus Knapp, 32nd Degree, Macoy Publishing and Masonic Supply Company, Inc., Richmond, Virginia, p. 48; Emphasis Added]

This statement is the most bold and concise anyone can create in the English language!  It boldly states that, once the Mason learns to control his emotion, and to properly apply the “dynamo of living power”, he can be assured of being able to control the “seething energies of Lucifer” in his hands.  Further, he admits that Masonry is the Craft, the old name for Witchcraft! Further, all Satanists are assured that, if they will join the coven and learn the Craft, he will control the supernatural power of Satan, just as Manly P. Hall is promising here. 

This is most powerful proof that Freemasonry is Satanism, because its language is direct and clear, not cluttered with deliberately confusing arcane language that only an insider can understand.  Further, note that Hall and Reynold E. Blight are 33rd Degree Masons, while the Illustrator is 32nd Degree.  Macoy Publishing Company is also one of the most respected of all Masonic Publishing Houses.

REVELATIONS OF TUBAL-CAIN

But, the revelations from this paragraph are not finished yet.  Note that Hall makes reference to Tubal-Cain, above.  Let us review this sentence, as it also reveals Satanism.  The Mason must “follow in the footsteps of his forefather, Tubal-Cain, who with the mighty strength of the war god hammered his sword into a plowshare.” In the Masonic Quiz Book, the candidate is asked this question:  “Who was Tubal Cain?”  Answer:  “He is the Vulcan of the pagans.” [William P. Peterson, Editor, Masonic Quiz Book: "Ask Me Brother", Chicago, Illinois, Charles T. Power Company, 1950, p. 18, 88, 131, 213; also found in John Yarker, The Arcane Schools: A Review of their Origin and Antiquity: With a General History of Freemasonry and Its Relation to the Theosophic Scientific and Philosophic Mysteries, Belfast, Ireland, William Tait, 1909, p. 30; also found in A. R. Chambers, Editor, Questions and Answers, 1972, p. 237; also found in Malcom Duncan, Duncan's Ritual of Freemasonry , New York, David McKay Company, Inc., n.d. 3rd Edition, p. 94.]

In fact, in the Third Degree of Master Mason, Tubal-Cain is the password given.

Other than identifying Freemasonry with paganism in this sentence, what is the meaning of the Vulcan of the pagans? This question is very important, because Manly P. Hall advises the Mason that, once he has the seething energies of Lucifer in his hands, he is to walk in Tubal-Cain’s  footsteps.  Hall makes it sound like Tubal-Cain is one of the Greek gods, does he not? And, we know conclusively that Tubal-Cain is Vulcan of the Pagans.  Let us review who Vulcan of the pagans is, by looking within occult sources.

“Vulcan was a sun deity who was associated with fire, thunderbolts and light.  The festival in honor of him was called the Vulcania in which human sacrifices were offered.” [Percival George Woodcock, Short Dictionary of Mythology, New York, Philosophical Library, p. 152].  “According to Diel, he bears a family relationship to the Christian devil.” [J.E. Cirlot, translated by Jack Sage, A Dictionary of Symbols , New York, Dorset Press, 1991, p. 362].  “It is fascinating to know that he married Venus, another name for Lucifer or the devil .” [Woodcock, op. cit., p. 150-151; Emphasis added]

Wow!  In one fell swoop, we learn that Manly P. Hall tells the Mason that he can have the seething energies of Lucifer in his hands, and then tells him to follow in the footsteps of the “Christian devil“, to whom “human sacrifices ” are offered!

THE INFERNAL NAMES

By now, even the most hardened of skeptics should be convinced that Freemasonry is Lucifer/Satan worship.  However, for those who may still need more convincing, let us consider the Infernal Names by which Masonry masks its many references to Satan.  In the Satanic Bible, we see 77 names by which pagans have referred to Satan over the centuries.  Let us quickly review some of the “Infernal Names” of Satanism found within Masonry. [Satanic Bible, Anton LaVey, p. 144-46]

We shall list the Freemason teaching on each of these names, and then the explanation.

Baphomet – “The Gnostics held that it [universal agent] composed the igneous [pertaining to fire] body of the Holy Spirit, and it was adored in the secret rites of the Sabbat or the Temple under the hieroglyphic figure of Baphomet or the hermaphroditic goat of Mendes .” [Pike, op. cit., p. 734, teaching of the 28th Degree; Emphasis added]

We find it absolutely incredible that the Freemasons should portray the Holy Spirit with the Satanic symbol, Baphomet !

This symbol was created by one of the foremost Satanists and Freemasons of all time, Eliphas Levi.  Over the centuries, it has been recognized as one of the most evil of all symbols.   As you look closely at Baphomet, you will see the emphasis is on sex, as this Being is androgynous — both male and female — you can see it has the breasts of a woman, and an erect phallus.  In fact, two serpents are shown coiled around the erect phallus, a phallus that looks suspiciously large.  This Being has the head of the “Horned Goat” another title for Satan.  In the book, Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated, Dr. Burns says, “In a book on witchcraft, The Complete Book of Witchcraft and Demonology … the caption states that he is ‘the horned god of the witches, symbol of sex incarnate’.” [p. 51]   If you look carefully, you will see Baphomet making the sign of the Devil’s triad with his right hand.  “Baphomet is also known as the Sabbatic goat, in whose form Satan is to be worshipped at the Witches’ Sabbath”. [Frank Gaynor, Dictionary of Mysticism, New York, Philosophical Library, 1953, p. 24]

Then, we discovered that Baphomet is officially approved as a symbol of the Church of Satan [The Occult Emporium, Winter , 1993-1994, p. 54] and that it is worn by the Priest of Satan [Ibid., 1990-1991, p. 26]

Since Albert Pike linked Baphomet with the Goat of Mendes , we will show this obviously Satanic symbol, as well.

Look carefully at this very Satanic Pentagram, because Freemasonry makes huge use of Pentagrams.  Look at the pentagrams we show below. This Pentagram is used by the Eastern Star, which is the Freemason division for women! Once again, Masonry utilizes a very evil Satanic symbol for the Order that trains its young, impressionable girls.  Why didn’t Masonry at least utilize the “Good Star” with one point up, rather than the most evil 5-pointed star, this Goats Head of Mendes?  Truly, their use of this symbol tells us exactly that they are evil through and through, even to their own young girls.We discovered this symbol at a Wiccan site for jewelry.  They were chortling over the fact that the Masonic Ring Emblem was really a disguised Pentagram!  As you can see, the figure on the left is the typical Masonic Ring symbol, with the compass, square, and rule.  The figure on the right depicts the full figure from which the Ring symbol was taken.  If you look closely, you can see two 5-pointed stars.  One of them is colored darker than the other.  The darker shade Pentagram is the 2-points-up Evil Pentagram depicting Satan, while the other, lighter shaded Pentagram is the 1-point-up Good Star, depicting Lucifer. [See the Lucifer-Satan Pentagram explanation, below]. 

From this depiction, you can see that the Masonic Ring symbol is just a disguised Pentagram, with both the “Good” and “Evil” stars represented!  In other words, this Wiccan site is trumpeting to the world that Freemasonry serves both the good Lucifer and the evil Satan! 

Thoth — “The first HERMES was the Intelligence or Word of God.  Moved with compassion for a race living without law … God sent to man Osiris and Isis, accompanied by THOTH, the incarnation or terrestrial repetition of the first HERMES; who taught men the arts, science, and the ceremonies of religion; and then ascended to Heaven or the Moon.”  [Pike, Morals and Dogma, p. 255, 17th Degree, Knights of the East and West; Emphasis was in the original].

The founder of the House of Theosophy, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, whose books were all written by her demonic Guiding Spirits in a form we call Automatic Writing, ties Thoth together for us nicely.  “… Hermes, the god of wisdom, called also Thoth, Tat, Set, Set, and Sat-an; and that he was, furthermore, when viewed under his bad aspect, Typhon, the Egyptian Satan , who was also Set.” [Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, Isis Unveiled , Vol. I: Science, New York, Trow's Printing and Bookbinding Company, 1877, p. 554, xxxiii. Colored Emphasis added]

I find it highly interesting that Blavatsky, like Anton LaVey in the Satanic Bible, had no trouble tying the Infernal Name, Thoth,  with Satan, and especially the Egyptian Satan !  Remember Pike’s words, quoted in the very beginning, that “Masonry is identical to the ancient Mysteries”!  This statement means that the Freemasons believe the same as all the Ancient Mysteries and worship the same god, Satan, albeit under different names. 

Since Blavatsky mentioned another of the Infernal Names, Typhon, and has identified him as the Egyptian Satan, let us review Albert Pike once again, as we discover that Freemasonry reveres Typhon as well.

Typhon – “Osiris was the son of Helios (Phra) the ‘divine offspring congenerate with the dawn’ and at the same time an incarnation of Kneph or Agathodaemon, the Good Spirit, including all his possible manifestations, either physical or moral.  He represented in a familiar form the beneficent aspect of all higher emanations and in him was developed the conception of a Being purely good, so that it became necessary to set up another power as his adversary, called Seth, Baby, or Typhon to account for the injurious influences of Nature.” [Pike, op. cit., p. 588, Teachings of the 28th Degree, Knight of the Sun, or Prince Adept].

Once again, we can see the occult, Satanic doctrine that all of Nature is composed of good and evil, black and white, opposites that are equal but opposite.  Folks, this is pure Satanism, and Albert Pike has just espoused it, explaining that nature could not allow the all-loving, all-good Osiris to exist without an evil counterpart.  In fact, Satanism and Freemasonry both share the same, very revealing, symbol to depict this situation.  Quoting from Masonic sources, we provide you with this picture.

In these symbols, the left-hand Pentagram surrounded by the magic circle is Lucifer — the good god – with the one point upward and two down; the right-hand Pentagram, again surrounded by the magic circle, is Satan — the evil god – with the two points up and the one down. These symbols depict exactly what Albert Pike is talking about in the paragraph above!  He says that the evil god, whom he calls Seth or Typhon [Typhon is listed in The Satanic Bible as Infernal Names for Satan] is the adversary of the good god, Osiris; therefore, Pike is saying Osiris is Lucifer , a finding consistent with the rest of the Occult realm.

[Above symbols taken from: Arthur Edward Waite, The Mysteries Of Magic: A Digest of the Writings of Eliphas Levi, Chicago, DeLaurence, Scott, and Company, Inc., 1966 Edition, 1909, p. 223 -- NOTE: Waite is a Freemason author!; also shown in D. Duane Winters, A Search For Light In A Place of Darkness: A Study of Freemasonry , p. 69.] 

With this symbol in mind, we find it highly interesting that the Masonic street layout for Washington, D.C., which we cover in great detail in NEWS1081, is laid out in the form of the “evil Pentagram on the right, the symbol for Satan, also known as the Goats Head of Mendes !  Therefore, the Masonic Plan for the United States is one of evil, even in their own minds, not good.  We will print out this street layout for you now, but we encourage you to read the full details in NEWS1081.

Pan — “… Satan is not a black god, but negation of God … this is not a Person, but a Force, created for good, but which may represent evil.  It is the instrument of Liberty or Free Will. They represent this Force … under the mythologic and horned form of the God Pan; thence came the he-goat of the Sabbat, brother of the Ancient Serpent, and the Light-bearer …” [Pike, Morals and Dogma, p. 102]

Since The Satanic Bible lists Pan as one of the Infernal Names of Satan, we need to look further into the Occult for more information on Pan.  However, we now know that, from Pan came the he-goat of the Sabbat, brother of the Serpent, and the Light-bearer, [Lucifer] , because Albert Pike, the #1 Freemason of all history, has just told us!

Time and space constraints prohibit us from going any further into this most interesting, and revealing, study of Freemasonry.  We hope and pray that this material, plus the prompting of the Holy  Spirit, has revealed to you the truth of the religious nature of Masonry.  Truly, this organization is one of the most deceptive in world history.  Listen to New Age author, Bill Cooper, describe Freemasonry.  Cooper was a member of Demolay during his youth, and later, spent over 20 years in Naval Intelligence.  He is most familiar with the organizations which are driving the world into the New World Order and the appearance of its Messiah, the Biblical Antichrist.

“I tell you now that Freemasonry is one of the most wicked and terrible organizations upon this earth.  The Masons are major players in the struggle for world domination.  The 33rd Degree is split into two.  One split contains the core of the Luciferian Illuminati and the other contains those who have no knowledge of it whatsoever.”  [Behold A Pale Horse , p. 78]

Over the years since I read Cooper’s book, I have verified the vast majority of the information contained therein.  Even the former Illuminist Witch, Doc Marquis, keeps this book on his shelf.  If you want to speak to Doc about the veracity of this information, you may call him at Christians Exposing The Occult , P.O. Box 632436, Nacogdoches, TX  75963-2436, or call him at 409-552-7313.  Doc even has many of the super secret books, called Esoteric books, of Freemasonry, including many written in code.   Doc verifies Cooper’s statement, above.

Now that you know the truth about Freemasonry, you must come to a personal decision.  Now that you know you have been mislead by your own superiors in The Craft, you must decide whether to follow Jesus Christ or Freemasonry.  Your eternal destination is at stake.  You should be able to hear the words of Joshua ringing in your ears.  “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD , choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” [Joshua 24:15]  As we have demonstrated, Freemasonry is “identical to the Mysteries “; therefore, Masonry is identical to the Egyptian gods from which the God of the Bible freed the Israelites, and identical to the gods of the Amorites, against whom Joshua was railing. 

Once again, listen to the challenge of Joshua: “… choose you this day whom ye will serve”.  Hopefully, your answer will be the same as Joshua:  “… but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD .” 

If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, but have been very lukewarm in your spiritual walk with Him, you need to immediately ask Him for forgiveness and for renewal. He will instantly forgive you, and fill your heart with the joy of the Holy Spirit. Then, you need to begin a daily walk of prayer and personal Bible Study.

If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, but have come to realize His reality and the approaching End of the Age, and want to accept His FREE Gift of Eternal Life, you can also do so now, in the privacy of your home. Once you accept Him as Savior, you are spiritually Born Again, and are as assured of Heaven as if you were already there. Then, you can rest assured that the Kingdom of Antichrist will not touch you spiritually.

If you would like to become Born Again, turn to our Salvation Page now.

We hope you have been blessed by this ministry, which seeks to educate and warn people, so that they can see the coming New World Order — Kingdom of Antichrist — in their daily news.

Finally, we would love to hear from you.

You can contact us by mail or email.

God bless you

http://www.cuttingedge.org/free11.html CUTTING EDGE MINISTRIES

The Secrets of the Dollar Bill

]]> http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2009/01/masonry-proven-conclusively-to-be-worship-of-lucifer-satan/feed/ Who’s behind SANTA CLAUS? http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/12/whos-behind-santa-claus/ http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/12/whos-behind-santa-claus/#comments Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:12:40 +0000 daks777 http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2006/11/whos-behind-santa-claus/ He knows if you are sleeping. He knows when you’re awake. He knows if you’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake . . . Who is He? If you answered, “Santa Claus,” then you are wrong. There is only One who knows everything we do and whether or not we are good or bad. And He is God, Yahweh, our heavenly Father, the Creator of everything.

God is omniscient or all-knowing (Job 31:4; Job 34:21; Psalm 33:13; Psalm 147:5; Matthew 10:26-31; John 2:24; John 16:29-30; 1 Corinthians 1:25). Santa Claus is not. God is omnipresent or Whosbehindsantaclaus1_1 everywhere (Deuteronomy 4:39; Isaiah 66:1; 1 Kings 8:27; Psalm 139:5-12; Proverbs 15:3; Jeremiah 23:23-24; Acts 17:27; Ephesians 4:10). Santa Claus is not. God is omnipotent or all-powerful (Job 9:1-13; Psalm 115:3; Psalm 135:6; Isaiah 40:12-18, 28; Isaiah 43:13; Jeremiah 32:17; Matthew 19:26; Romans 11:33-36; Hebrews 6:13; Revelation 1:5). Santa Claus is not. Some day, Jesus is coming back for His followers (Matthew 24:30-44; Mark 13:26-33; Luke 12:40; John 21:22-24). But contrary to the popular song, Santa Claus is not really coming to town. God is real. Santa Claus is not. God is the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End (Revelation 1:8; Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:13). Santa Claus is not. In fact, Santa Claus seems to be derived from some twisted legend which originated from a Christian martyr, Nicholas of Myra who died December 6, 343. (For more information on Nicholas of Myra, see www.OneWayOnly.net/nicholas.html)

Why do you suppose such a legend was started, particularly about a man who went through torture for Christ’s sake? Surely Nicholas would not have wanted anyone to embellish some sort of story about him, particularly by adding abilities or attributes which are only true of God! So just who do you think is behind the legend of Santa Claus? Who is it that you think would like to take something as righteous as a man who suffered torture for the sake of Christ and turn it into something materialistic? Who is it that you think would use such a legend to encourage parents to lie to their children? Who would want to take the qualities that only God possesses and assign them to an imaginary being? It is Satan who is the father of lies (John 8:44). It is Satan and his followers who are full of deceit and trickery and who pervert the right ways of the Lord (Acts 13:10). It is Satan who leads the world astray (Revelation 12:9). The evidence is clear. Satan’s fingerprints are all over the myth of Santa Claus. The guilty party is Satan, the devil, the evil one.

And now one question remains. What about you? Are you to be Satan’s willing accomplice? Will you participate in perpetuating this terrible lie about Santa Claus with your children or children that you know? Will you be part and parcel of taking the holy attributes of God (that He sees all and knows all) and blasphemously assign them to an imaginary character? Or will you honor our all-seeing, all-knowing, ever-present and holy God by exposing this lie of Satan’s? Who is behind Santa Claus? Satan is. But you don’t have to be with him.

                 Copyright © 2001 Timothy A. & Kimberly B. Southall. All rights reserved.

]]> http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/12/whos-behind-santa-claus/feed/ SHOULD CHRISTIAN PARTICIPATE HALLOWEEN?? http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/10/should-christian-participate-halloween/ http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/10/should-christian-participate-halloween/#comments Sat, 01 Nov 2008 02:54:16 +0000 daks777 http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/?p=123 Should Christians participate in Halloween?

The October 31st holiday that we today know as Halloween has strong roots in paganism and is closely connected with worship of the Enemy of this world, Satan. It is a holiday that generally glorifies the dark things of this world, rather than the light of Jesus Christ, The Truth.

Have you noticed how costumes and masks are getting generally more bloody, gory, and depraved each year? Unfortunately, the gruesome and grotesque and the occult are increasingly glorified in American society, not only on Halloween, but throughout the year in horror movies and in television programs.

My family does not celebrate it or participate in it. We do not believe that our children are “missing out,” and neither do they. Other days are used for costumes and parties. Happily, all of our children have accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. We have found that Halloween provides an excellent time to remind our children that, as Christians, we are different, and not of this world (Heb. 11:13-16; 1 Pet. 2:11).

 

What about church “Harvest Festivals” held on October 31? Although we understand the rational and good intentions behind them, we don’t think they are the best approach. Our family tends to agree with the author of an article called ” Are ‘Harvest Parties’ for Christians?” (written by a self-avowed former witch and now active Christian). Harvest parties on October 31 tend to assume that “our children need something to take the place of Halloween, since they won’t be participating in the secular and pagan celebrations. It suggests our kids are missing out on something. And indeed they are, if we allow them to spend Halloween in celebration.” There are better things to do on Halloween than partying.

Also, we need to teach our children that “the fight isn’t against occultists, non-Christians, Christians who feel differently than we about Halloween, or institutions that promote Halloween, but” “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12, NKJV).

Relevant scripture on the issue of Halloween and Christians:

 

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 (”Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.”)
James 1:27 (”keep oneself from being polluted by the world”)
3 John 1:11 (”do not imitate what is evil”)
Romans 12:9 (”abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.”)
Deuteronomy 18:9-14 (do not learn to imitate detestable ways, including spiritists, sorcerers and witchcraft)
Ephesians 5:11-12 (”Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness” / “live as children of light”)
1 Timothy 4:1 (don’t “follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons”)
1 Corinthians 10:21
2 Corinthians 6:14-17 (”what fellowship can light have with darkness?”)
Philippians 4:8 (think about pure, lovely, noble things)
1 Corinthians 11:1 (”follow the example of Christ”)
1 Corinthians 10:31 (”whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God”)

 James 4:7-8 (submit yourselves to God / resist the devil / purify your hearts)
Ezekiel 44:23 (”…teach my people… to distinguish between the unclean and the clean.”)
Proverbs 22:6 (”train a child in the way he should go”)
Matthew 18:6 (”if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin…”)
Hosea 4:6 (”My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”)
John 3:19-20 (people love darkness instead of light)
Romans 13:12 (”put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.”)
Ephesians 6:11-18 (”take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”)
1 John 5:19
2 Chronicles 7:14
]]> http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/10/should-christian-participate-halloween/feed/ “THE STORY BEHIND CELEBRATING HALLOWEEN AND TRICK OR TREATING DURING HALLOWEEN” http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/10/121/ http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/10/121/#comments Sat, 01 Nov 2008 02:32:31 +0000 daks777 http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/?p=121 “THE STORY BEHIND CELEBRATING HALLOWEEN AND TRICK OR TREATING DURING HALLOWEEN”

                 HALLOWEEN DEEDS OF DARKNESS

The observance of Halloween is a practice of darkness and is therefore unacceptable to God. Yes, that statement will raise a lot of eyebrows and alienate some readers. But the real question is: Is it true? Does God object to Halloween? To find the truth, we will compare the origins and practices of Halloween with the Bible.

Samhain, Ghosts, and Fortune Telling. Long before Christ’s birth, the ancient Celts held an annual festival on October 31. The festival was called Samhain, in honor of their lord of the dead, a Druid deity, who later became known as “the grim reaper.” This festival marked the eve of their new year, which began on November 1. It was believed that Samhain called forth spirits (ghosts) to revisit their earthly homes. Believing this was the time to appease the supernatural powers which controlled the processes of nature, these pagan worshipers made offerings of food and drink, performed rituals, and sacrificed animals and humans in huge fires atop “sacred” hilltops in an attempt to ward off these spirits. They believed it was the best time for divinations concerning the future, including marriage, luck, health, and death. They invoked the help of their false god for these purposes.

After Christ’s death, Christianity spread throughout Europe and many Celts were converted. Catholic priests tried to replace the Celtic holidays with “Christian” ones. Around 610 A.D., they created a new holiday in May, All Hallows’ Day (now All Saints’ Day) to honor martyred saints. In the 800s A.D., All Hallow’s Day was moved to November 1 to replace Samhain. The night before was called All Hallows’ Eve. This eventually was shortened to the word “Halloween.”

Bonfires, Skeletons, Costumes, Masks, and Orange & Black. The huge fires atop the “sacred” hilltops in which the Druids sacrificed animals and humans derived their name from the skeletons of those who died in them. The words “bone” and “fire” formed the word “bonfire.” The orange flames lit up the black night, thus the “official” colors of Halloween. As these pagan worshipers danced around and jumped through the fire, they wore disguises of animal-head masks and animal-skin costumes. The head of each household was given live embers to start a new fire on his hearth which would last until the next autumn. It was believed this fire would protect their homes from danger throughout the year.

Jack-o’-Lanterns. Jack-o’-lanterns were originally carved from large turnips. The Celts carried these carved lanterns through their villages in an attempt to ward off evil spirits. Later, Irish folklore resulted in a tale explaining the use of “jack-o’-lanterns”: Jack, who was too bad to get into heaven but wasn’t permitted into hell because of a deal he had made with the devil, supposedly wanders the earth holding a carved turnip with a glowing coal from hell as his guide. This is “Jack’s lantern.”

Bobbing For Apples. Romans honored the dead with a festival called Feralia in late October. It honored Pomona, their goddess of fruit trees who was often pictured wearing a crown of apples. During this festival, they ran races and played games to honor the “Apple Queen” and used omens such as apple parings thrown over the shoulder or nuts burned in the fire in order to predict the future concerning their marital prospects. When the Romans conquered the Celts, they combined local Samhain customs with their own pagan harvest festival. Bobbing for apples was derived from this blended pagan celebration.

Witches and Black Cats. From the 1500s through the 1700s, during the witch hunts in Europe, it was thought witches and warlocks flew threw the air to a meeting with the devil (who had by then replaced Samhain, lord of the dead) on Halloween. Some thought elves, fairies, and witches turned into black cats.

Vampires and Bats. Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), also known as Count Dracula, was a 15th century prince of Wallachia. Because of his murderous cruelty, he became the representative type of vampires traditionally observed at Halloween-time. According to legend, vampires are reanimated corpses which drink human blood, thus also transforming their victims into living corpses. Vampires also allegedly take on the form of bat-like demons.

There is an additional connection between bats and Halloween. Because of the bat’s ability to hunt its prey in the dark, the animal has gotten the reputation of having occultic power. The bat has characteristics of both a bird (a symbol of the soul in the occult) and of a demon (dweller in darkness). During medieval times, it was believed that the devil often turned himself into a bat.

Trick-or-Treat. Late in the 19th century, Irish people went from house to house asking for food and money on Halloween. They played tricks upon and destroyed property of those who didn’t comply. “Little people” or fairies received the blame for this destruction. This was the root of “trick or treat.”

Full Moon and Occult Practices. The full moon, for occultists, is a time to perform certain rituals. There are certain “un-holy” days, times, or seasons when witches, Satanists, and others who do the devil’s bidding do their work for the devil. Every full moon is believed by the occult to be a time of extra power. Solar solstices and equinoxes are celebrated as high, un-holy days as well as a day in February (near spring), April (near summer), August (near harvest), and the highest un-holy day of the occultic calendar, October 31 (near winter).

Violence. As if the origins of Samhain and Halloween weren’t violent enough, can anyone deny the violent and gory practices which have become part and parcel of the modern celebration of Halloween? Think about all of the filthy, disgusting horror movies, the haunted houses, not to mention the need to examine and x-ray children’s candy lest it contain poison, needles, or razor blades. Who drives late on Halloween night without the fear of their car having eggs or rocks thrown at it? The list could go on and on.

What Does The Bible Say? Even though the Bible doesn’t specifically mention Halloween by name, it makes it very clear that the origins and practices of Halloween are detestable to God. All of the above-mentioned practices are evil and full of darkness. Many of them–including idolatry, fortune telling, sacrificing humans, witchcraft, and drinking blood–are explicitly forbidden in the Bible. The Old Testament is full of warnings in these regards. (For further study see Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 3:17; Leviticus 7:26; Leviticus 17:12-14; Leviticus 19:26, 31; Deuteronomy 12:31; Deuteronomy 18:9-14; 2 Kings 17:16-17; 1 Chronicles 10:13-14; 2 Chronicles 28:3-4; 2 Chronicles 33:1-6; Isaiah 8:19; Jeremiah 10:2; Ezekiel 20:31.)

The New Testament has quite a bit to say about Christians and darkness. Jesus Himself said, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness,” (John 12:46 NIV) and “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12 NIV) That’s pretty clear, isn’t it? Jesus came so that we wouldn’t have to stay in darkness and if we follow Him, we will never walk in darkness. But the Bible says even more about Christians and darkness. We are told that those who love darkness instead of light do so because their deeds are evil (John 3:19-21). We are warned to put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light, rather than gratify the desires of the sinful nature (Romans 13:12-14). We are reminded that light cannot have fellowship with darkness, and Christians are to come out and be separate (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). We are instructed to live as children of light, find out what pleases the Lord, and to have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness but to expose them (Ephesians 5:6-21). We are reminded that we were called out of darkness into His wonderful light, told to abstain from sinful desires which war against our souls, and told to live such good lives among the pagans that they will see our good deeds and glorify God (1 Peter 2:9-12). And the Bible makes it clear that if we claim to be Christians but still walk in the darkness, we are lying (1 John 1:6).

From the above origins of Halloween, it is obvious that most of the traditions are derived from sacrifices to idols or false gods. The apostle Paul specifically warned Christians that such sacrifices are offered to demons and that we are not to participate (1 Corinthians 10:18-22). Paul also equated these practices with “turning back” (Galatians 4:8-11). The Bible specifically commands us to avoid every kind of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

Some, who simply don’t want to let go of worldly ways, might argue that God’s grace will cover them even if they choose to disobey and continue in the path of darkness. But this is not so. The Bible clearly teaches that the grace of God teaches us to say “no” to ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age (Titus 2:11-14). Scripture reminds us that God gave us a spirit of power, of love, and of self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).

Yes, others will ridicule us if we stand firm with God in this matter. But we are to arm ourselves with the same attitude as Christ and live our earthly lives for the will of God instead of for evil human desires, even when the pagans think it is strange and heap abuse on us (1 Peter 4:1-6). Scripture teaches us to focus on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2), live as He did (1 John 2:6), and run the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12:1). Samhain (Halloween) was celebrated long before the birth of Jesus Christ, and yet it is clear that He never celebrated it. If we wish to faithfully follow Jesus, we can do no differently.

]]> http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/10/121/feed/ God Speaks Through Dreams http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/05/god-speaks-through-dreams/ http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/05/god-speaks-through-dreams/#comments Mon, 26 May 2008 05:10:23 +0000 daks777 http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/05/god-speaks-through-dreams/ Thoughts on DreamsMeetwithgodlow_1
© 2001, Steve Bydeley

Dream: I saw a man shoot someone. That man looked at me and I made note of his face so I could identify him later. He began to follow me. Wherever I went, he followed. Over things, under, around, and through - he followed me. I went through a door and found myself in a small room. Others were there and they were all standing. There was no other door out. The man followed me into the room, blocking my escape. We stared at each other and then he started to move toward me. Suddenly another man in the room grabbed him by the neck and picked him up off the floor. The stalker went completely limp and was totally helpless in the hands of this stranger.

Did you ever wake up from a dream like that and ask yourself what that was all about? Who was the gunman that was stalking me? Was Jesus the wonderful strong man who came to my rescue? What do I do with a dream like that? Was it something I ate? Was the dream supposed to be an encouragement?

Do you dream? If you think that you do not dream, or you cannot recall your dreams, there may be reasons for that. If you do dream, and I believe the evidence suggests we all do on occasion, then you too have wondered about the creativity of the dream and its symbols. You too, have wondered about its meaning, purpose, and origin. Some of these dreams may be more than the food we ate the night before or the result of a very active day.

In the book of Joel, chapter 2 verse 28, we read:

And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. (NIV)

Dreams and visions are an important part of the latter day outpouring.

As the church, we are very excited about the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter days. In Acts 2 Peter declared this out pouring had begun and most today believe we are in those latter days and this outpouring is happening, around the world. If this is true, what do we believe about the dreams and visions mentioned in this scripture? Dreams and visions will be an important part of the latter day outpouring, as John L. Sandford1 points out, "Dreams are one of the primary consequences of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit". They are a result of the presence of the Holy Spirit on humankind and they are important to the life and growth of the church in these days. Are we equipping the church, the body of Christ, to handle every facet of this outpouring or only that portion with which we are comfortable? What is it about dreams and visions that makes us uncomfortable? Are we afraid of hearing from God as were the Israelites of Exodus 20:18-19?

…and when the people saw [the display of God's presence on Mount Sinai], they trembled and stood at a distance. Then they said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, or we will die."

God at that time presented himself as the Law-Giver and he had just given the law to Moses and Aaron in the presence of the people. Today this same God speaks to us through his Son, Jesus, not in commandments but in grace, in mercy, in love, because Jesus fulfilled the demands of those commandments in his life, death, burial, and resurrection. Yes, we are expected to walk in harmony with the law, but even that requirement is being worked in us by his Holy Spirit. When he speaks to us today, it is as our Father, because not only were we saved from the consequences of our sin; he also adopted us to be his sons and daughters with all the rights and privileges due his children. He brought us into relationship with himself so he can walk with us, fellowship with us, have relationship with us, and speak with us - even perhaps through the pictures, images, and symbols of dreams or visions.

A Thousand Words

How does God speak to us today? Psalm 8:1 tells us:


"O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth, Who have displayed Your splendor above the heavens!"

How does ‘all the earth’ display God’s splendor?

Have you studied the beauty of a rose, witnessed the flight of a humming bird as it drinks nectar from a flower, or observed the dance and song of a whale and its calf in the ocean?

These and millions of other scenes like them are the echoes of God’s creative acts in the beginning. These pictures declare the awesome majesty and glory of our God. They declare it even if no one will listen. They are pictures of the Godhead. Nature speaks to us of God in a language of pictures, the same kind of language that make up our dreams and visions. It is not a difficult language, it is a language we can learn, a language of pictures - and a picture is worth a thousand words.

Silence or Censorship

God, our Father, has spoken to humankind in various ways, including dreams and visions, throughout recorded history, and still does so today. From early in Genesis to the end of Revelation, he has shown himself to be a speaking God.

The Israelites were reminded of their promise to walk in God’s ways, keep his statues, commandments, ordinances, and to "listen to His voice" (Deut 26:17 ).

God created us for relationship, with him and with those around us. The ten commandments, mentioned earlier, and all of the details of Moses’ law are relationship issues. Jesus summarized all their demands:

And He said to him, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets. (Matt 22:37-40)

Communication - fresh communication - is a very important part of any relationship. An occasional phone call enhances the effect of the letters received, as anyone in a long-distance relationship knows. Letters and calls can sustain us until we can be together - in relationship.

Paul admonishes us to "pray without ceasing". Prayer is dialogue, two-way communication, not the one-way communication of a monologue. We ask him, he answers us. He speaks to us, we respond to him. Of course, we hope for an answer or a response when we pray. God has things to say and there are things we sometimes need to hear, even though we may not have asked a question.

Jesus said "my sheep know my voice" - communication. He wants to communicate, to encourage, to advise, and to ask us to do things for him. Is that shepherd’s voice calling to us, directing us to drink from the still water over there, to graze or rest here, stay away from that, or to follow as he leads perhaps in a different direction or to a new pasture?

The Outpouring

Through the prophet Joel God says:

I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. (Joel 2:28)

This verse can be understood to read, "I will pour my Spirit on all mankind; and I will cause your sons and daughters to prophesy; I will cause your old men to dream dreams; I will cause your young men to see visions."

Thoughts of this outpouring bring to mind the difficulties Paul had to respond to in the Corinthian church regarding their enthusiasm for the gifts of the Spirit. The members there had to be instructed on the orderly use and function of the gifts within the church body. The same may be the case regarding dreams in the church today.

We are aware of the problems and difficulties local churches may - and probably will - face as new babes learn to walk in this area of dreams and visions. Is it much different from the understanding parents have when their baby determines to walk? We know of the lumps and bruises that we will have to rub and kiss better. We know that they will trip and fall many times. We know they may hit their chin and bleed as new teeth cut their gums. Things will be knocked over and broken. There will be new conflicts with siblings as the baby begins to roam. We know these trials are a part of the process of learning to walk! So we stand with them, we watch, we prepare ourselves to catch them if we can or to pick them up when we cannot. We are ready to help when it is necessary - and it will be necessary - because they must learn to walk! Knowing that these things will happen in the church, do we avoid talking about dreams, or do we ready ourselves to help?

It may be time for the church to wake up . . . to dreams and visions!

1Sandford, John L. The Elijah Task. p169
]]> http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/05/god-speaks-through-dreams/feed/ JEALOUSY http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/03/jealousy/ http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/03/jealousy/#comments Thu, 06 Mar 2008 07:11:33 +0000 daks777 http://daks777.blog.friendster.com/2008/03/jealousy/ JealousyJealousyfighting

Luke 15:25-32
"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

"My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ Jesusistheansweranyquestions

Galatians 5:19-26
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

James 3:13-18
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

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