inside this issue
American Christian Voice Volume 11 No.4 Contents
CENTERFOLD 24. Welcome Church of God 28. What the Fall Feasts Mean to Jews 45. Ask the Rabbi 47. Why Don’t More Christians Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles? CHURCH WORKINGS 6. Does the Pope Excite You or Annoy You? 7. The Holy Spirit Remains Alive in Catholics 31. Branson Frontline 42. We Who Are in Christ CULTURE 8. Immigration and the Church 26. Edward Jones: Beware 30. Carly Fiorina’s Moment 31. Ciara Responds to Boyfriend Russell Wilson 32. Chris Brown Hears From God, Says He’s Tired
of the Devil Ruining His Life 32. India’s Government Blocks Porn Websites 34. Murder, Abortion, Ash Mad: Numbing Effect 38. Pop-Tart Guns vs. Suitcase Clocks 40. How America Became Entangled by Materiali$m 46. Burger King Cease-Fire With Archrival McDonald’s 39. Be Respectful to LawEnforcement Officers RELATIONSHIPS 10. Theological Heroes and Villians 12. Audience of One 13. A Prayer to Our Savior 16. The Love Walk Challenge 17. God’s Unqualified Army: Anyone Can Join 22. Chris Pratt Refuses Sex Scenes–And Not Just Because He’s Married 37. My Name was not on the Ashley Madison Site 43. Heart Break & Joy 44. Love is a Risky Business
TABLE OF CONTENTS
FROM THE COVER While we had fun with this issue, to lighten the heart through its entirety, the following is the main cover story. Enjoy! 14. “What, Me Worry?” Learn How to Roll the Care! 27. Puzzle Page
Remember when reading this magazine to eat the hay and spit out the sticks!
GUIDES 18. Computer Tips: Shortcut Keys 29. Eureka Springs
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. yak bak Feed Back From Our Readers Last year, the ACV had a cover that featured Dr. Ben Carson, a great man of God, with the headline, “Ben Carson for president”. I was not familiar with him but your prophecy of him running came true. At that time he wasn’t interested in it. Great insight. Carl Hogan, Kansas City, KS ___________________________________ Christians are deeply disturbed about the rapidly accelerating moral landslide into libertarian licentiousness which our county has embraced. We have a gay-straight club in Nixa High School, and one of the teachers there is a gay man who parades his gay "husband" as a badge of honor. The Christian County Headliner did a feature story on him and warned against the "D" word (discrimination, which is now labeled a hate crime). What a day we are seeing. This is not the America we grew up in. Isaiah 3:9 says woe to them who parade their sin like Sodom and do not hide it. They bring disaster on themselves. Lev. 18:22 and Lev. 20:13 calls this practice of same-sex relations an "abomination to God”, guilty of a capital offense. Even Islamics stone to death such men and women. Prov. 14:34 says sin is a reproach and disgrace to any people, while righteousness exalts a nation. Perhaps there is some type of Pro-Christian Holy Matrimony group that can be formed. We can't just give up. Who is going to hold up a standard of biblical righteousness to our school children? Who is going to warn these deceived gay people to flee from the wrath to come if they feel totally embraced by our society? That is not love. That is willing acceptance of wickedness that ends in eternal punishment: I Cor. 6:9 says Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? ... Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, ... The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, ... with design can enter of the kingdom of heaven. Who is going to love them enough, yes unconditionally, to minister the truth about consequences of violating the Creator's unchangeable law? Sincerely, Harriett Ford - Author, speaker, mem-
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ber of Kingdom Xperience Board. Editorial staff response: In Light of the Ashley Madison website that set up adulterous affairs only to discover 400 members were pastors, how many were on the list that are not in leadership positions but are Christians? Unfortunately, the church is not a beacon of light in the marriage department. Since judgement starts in the house of the Lord we are going to have to do a better job showing the lost that there is a good alternative to destructive lifestyles. The height of hypocrisy was made evident when Kim Davis, the county clerk in Kentucky who spent five days in jail for refusing to give marriage licenses to same-sex couples, boldly proclaimed that it was a violation of traditional marriage dictated by her Christian faith. When it was revealed that she was currently on her fourth husband (actually third, she married one of them twice), many non Christians were not impressed with”traditional marriage.” Kim may have good reasons for her divorces but a better Christian witness would have been, “Although I am not a good example of the ideals of Christian marriage, I belive and am convicted it should be between a man and a woman.” Perhaps it is time the church recognizes the difference between sexual depravity and same sex attractions that lead to a monogamous long term relationships marked by fidelity. The homosexual couple that was interviewed shortly after they were married found one of them in a wheel chair for the past 28 years as a quadraplegic from a terrible accident They cannot engage in sexual activity and when the healthy man was asked why he has fed, bathed and attended to every need of the injured one, replied, because I love him.” Could I Peter 4:8 apply here? This editorial staff doesn’t endorse or embrace same sex marriages but is just raising questions that need answers to a very complicated human condition. You mentioned the Levitical guideline of capital offense for homosexual practice but the penalty for adultery and disobedient children carried the same fate. Thank God for the cross that satisfied His wrath on human behavior because many of us would certainly not see our offspring reach adulthood. __________________________________ To all of you that tolerate the sins of the Sodomites and still think you are Christians, see, Matthew 7:23 Jesus will say, I never knew you. Richard Borga, Grand Praire, TX
Editorial staff response: Most Bible scholars believe the theme, topic and indictment from Jesus in this passage was regarding judging other people. Regarding Sodom, the narrative suggests that God’s focus was that if there were even ten righteous people there He would save the entire twin cities. In other words, we should abhor evil but deliver the good news of the Gospel. It wouldn’t make sense to save it for the few righteous just to allow the debauchery to continue around them. But we need to understand that God believed if there were only ten righteous people, it would have been enough to turn the entire twin cities’ hearts towards Him. He expects the righteous minority to turn the hearts of America back to Him. This will not be accomplished by giving them the law but rather sharing with them the love and grace that God through Jesus drawn by the Holy Spirit has to offer them. _____________________________________ Your issue on the rapture really captures the diversity of the Body in our understanding of eschatology. I chuckle when I envision that we all have bits of truth and falsehood. We will all be surprised at the return and manner of our Lord and Savior. The Good News is that He is coming back and He will restore all things and His government will be perfect. On that, will all agree! Cynthia Striack, Springfield, MO _______________________________ A prophetic word to the body of Christ: The Bible is the Word, our instruction, your Perfection, can you do ANY of this? Can you live by this? NO YOU CAN NOT!!! The ONLY thing that you can do is surrender and trust all your life to the One and only One who has already lived this life. He will live this life through you, literally through you since He is the one who does it through us We can not. nd is living again to share "His" qualities and abilities which enabled Him to live the Perfect life. Robert Hoover, Miami, OH
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sanctissimo patri
BY JIM DENISON / WWW.DENISON FORUM.COM
Does the Pope Excite You or Annoy You?
“W
hether liberal or conservative, you love the pope when he agrees with you. And he's been saying things that annoy both sides." So says church historian Christopher Bellitto, explaining Pope Francis's dramatic decline in popularity among Americans.
emptiness in every soul. Our Creator made us for constant intimacy with himself. As his children, our deepest longing is to know our Father. Satan cannot remove our desire for God, so he tempts us to fill it with anyone or anything that is not God.
Conversely, I can choose to crown Jesus my King and kneel before his glory with submission and joy. With this result: "Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed" (Psalm 34:5). Then, "we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with everincreasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit" (2 Corinthians 3:18).
In recent months, the pope has stated that climate change is largely man-made, and has criticized economic systems that he believes drive global warming and exploit the poor. Now, two months ahead of the pope's first trip to the U.S., Gallup reports that his popularity has fallen from 76 percent to 59 percent. According to one observer, the poll reflects that "many American Catholics are more closely affiliated with their political party than their faith." Could the same be said of American Christians, whatever their denomination? Could it be said of you? Of me? Do we love the Lord when he agrees with us, but less when his word annoys us? Here's the problem with conditional commitment. There is a God-shaped
But as Craig Denison notes in the recent First15, "You were not created to bear the burden of doing life apart from the Lordship of Jesus Christ. And Whether liberal you will never know true peace, joy, purpose and love until you or conservative, submit all you are to all God is."
you love the pope when he agrees with you. And he's been saying things that annoy both sides.
At this moment, Jesus "upholds the universe by the word of his power" (Hebrews 1:3). Tragically, I can use his power to reject his power. I can use the mind he has given me to reject the Mind that gave it to me. When I do, it is as though I used a power saw to cut the cord that empowers the saw.
Such submission may seem unrealistic or onerous. But when we see Jesus as he is, bowing before his Lordship is our natural and joyous response to his glory. C. S. Lewis: "God wills our good, and our good is to love him . . . and to love him we must know him: and if we know him, we shall in fact fall on our faces. If we do not, that shows only that what we are trying to love is not yet God."
If I am not radiant, it's because I am not looking at the Source of all radiance (John 9:5). If I am not being transformed into the likeness of Jesus, it's because I am not reflecting the glory of Jesus. Conditional commitment impoverishes our souls and eviscerates our witness. Our culture loves God only when he agrees with us. True disciples love God even when he annoys us. Which are you? P.S from the editor: Since the recent visit from the Pontiff, many Catholics are excited about His grace ful gesture towards gays and women who have had abortions. It’s not like he changed the position of the church’s doctrine, he has just extended an olive branch of grace. I do not know all the intricacies of Catholicism but I do know that one can never fail by showing mercy. If we are saved by our behavior (no matter what that behavior is) we are all most surely doomed. Article titled: Why Has the Pope's Popularity Plummeted? www.ChristianHeadlines.com
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spiritum sanctum
The Holy Spirit Remains Alive in Catholics Worldwide
O
The Charismatic Renewal began less than 10 years before Charisma first published in 1975. In fact, we get the name Charismatic Renewal from the Catholics who, when they received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh and later at Notre Dame in South Bend, were called "neo-Pentecostals." Apparently someone didn't like that term and, so, they referred to the movement as "renewal" of the charismata, which, in Greek, means gifts in the plural. So, Charismatic comes from the word charismata rather than the word charisma (which is the singular form). The name stuck, and now most Pentecostals use it interchangeably with the word Pentecostal. The Catholics who experienced God's power believe that it was an outgrowth of when Pope John XXIII invited "a new Pentecost" at Vatican II in 1962. Few things have changed the Catholic Church as much in our lifetime as the Charismatic Renewal. By 2013, according to Catholic World Report, some 160 million worldwide had received the experience called the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, which almost always accompanied a renewed love for Christ and fervency about serving God and serving the church. In the early days of Charisma, we covered the charismatic movement a great deal. On our charismamag.com site, we are republishing some of those early articles about the move of the Spirit, not only among Catholics but other groups too. You can read a couple of those articles titled, "A Classic Pentecostal Encounters Charismatic Catholics," and "Charismatic Renewal: The Conference 'Heard Around the World.'" The Catholics always saw their movement as "ecumenical," and they interacted with the Protestant charismatics and Pentecostals on the basis that the Pope had encouraged ecumenical dialogue. In fact, I have had some people tell me that while top denominational leaders engage in ecumenical talks with other leaders, the
only real grass-roots ecumenical movement in the world is the charismatic renewal.
me in an email about the Catholic Charismatic Renewal:
As time passed, it seemed that Catholic charismatics became more Catholic and less charismatic. I could be wrong, but I have had some friends who have expressed that opinion to me, and that has been my observation. The huge conferences Catholic charismatics held back in that era are no more and the smaller conferences that are still held have a relatively low profile. No real large parachurch-type ministries have emerged like in the Protestant charismatic movement. For example, there are no large parachurch television ministries and so forth.
"The Catholic Charismatic Renewal has slowed in the U.S., but continues to grow in Latin America. It slowed when bishops tended to make prayer groups into parish organizations (instead of the freewheeling groups of the early days). ... Observe that many Catholic Charismatics have followed the leadings of the Spirit into a wide variety of services: caring for the poor, religious education of the young and adults, evangelization and so on. Although EWTN
BY STEVE STRANG
utside of the United States, the Charismatic movement has flourished in the Catholic Church.
This is not to say that the Spirit is not at work or that the Catholic charismatic movement has is not a charismatic network, it began with dwindled or died. In a way, that notion Mother Angelica, a charismatic nun, and is somewhat parallels Full Gospel now a worldwide media conglomerate." Businessmen, which has declined a great deal in the United States but taken off You can check out Bert's blog titled, worldwide. The same thing "Praying in the Spirit" at holds true for the By 2013, according to bertghezzi.com. charismatic movement in - Catholic World Report, the Catholic Church. I would be interested in some 160 million feedback from Catholic Bert Ghezzi, a graduate worldwide had received charismatics who read student who came from the the experience called the this to see if you agree Pittsburgh area but was Baptism of the Holy Spirit, with my observations. studying at Notre Dame, which almost always Also, please check out the worked as one of my accompanied a renewed links to the articles that editors for a number of love for Christ and we're publishing. I believe years. During this era, he fervency about serving you will enjoy reading may have been the link God and serving the them and reminiscing. I between Pittsburgh and also think they are still church. Notre Dame. Much of what interesting and pertinent I know about the after all these years. charismatic movement I know from Bert and my interaction with him. He did a great Steve Strang is the founder and publisher of job as an editor and is one of the most Charisma. Follow him on Twitter @sstrang ecumenical people I've ever known. He or Facebook (stephenestrang). retired a number of years ago and I still Listen to the new Strang Report podcast miss him. weekly at charismapodcastnetwork.com. Bert recently made these observations to
www.CharismaMag.com VOL.11 #4 | WWW.AMERICAN CHRISTIAN VOICE.COM
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BY STEPEN TURLEYVILAND
immigration
Immigration and the Church: A Christian Response to the Current Border Crisis esus was an illegal immigrant.” So goes what has become an oft cited refrain among those advocating amnesty for thousands of illegal immigrants in the United States. “No,” comes the retort, “The state is called by God to enforce the rule of law.”
J
When it comes to the question of illegal immigration, Christians in the United States are deeply divided. A recent Pew survey discovered that fifty-one percent of Evangelicals and forty-seven percent of Catholics agreed that the increased number of deportations of illegal immigrants has been a good thing. On the other side, the Evangelical Immigration Table, a coalition of Southern Baptist leaders, the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, and the National Latino Evangelical Coalition, was formed a couple of years ago to lobby Congress for pro-amnesty immigration law. The current border crisis, where an estimated 57,000 Central American minors have crossed into south Texas illegally this year alone, has served only to intensify this polarized Christian reaction. If Christians are to overcome this polarization, we are going to have to understand how attitudes toward illegal immigration in our modern context are indicative of two clashing civilizational processes: what have been called “globalization” on the one hand and “tribalization” on the other. By understanding these dialectic social dynamics, we can see how the Christian church is in a unique position to mediate a solution to this crisis for the benefit of all. A number of scholars have observed a correlation between illegal immigration and globalization. Considered the defining trait of modernity, globalization involves what is in effect a worldwide social system constituted by the interaction between a capitalist economy, telecommunications, technology, and mass urbanization.[1] Because the constituents of globalization, such as transnational corporations and electronic money, transcend national borders, many scholars believe that globalization is bringing an end to the whole concept of distinct nations. And as Paul Harris has observed, these porous
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borders which serve to expedite flows of
reaction at the local and national level termed “tribalization;” in the face of threats to localized identity markers, people assert their religiosity, kinship, and national symbols as mechanisms of resistance against globalizing dynamics. Thus, it seems everywhere a mall is put up, a farmers market is not far away; fast food chains are countered with slogans encouraging us to “buy local”; and in the midst of the city lights of cosmopolitanism are clusters of intentional communities.
goods within a globalized economy entail a It should therefore be no surprise that significant increase in levels of immigration, both legal and illegal, brings immigration, both legal and illegal.[2] This to the fore this globalist/ tribalist conflict. immigration flow As evident in trends along the the latest round Old Testament scholar James K. direction of of elections in economic Europe that put Hoffmeier has made a suggestion activity: Turks UKIP and the based on his study of the flow into French National immigration crisis from a biblical Germany, Front on the perspective. Hoffmeier argues that political map, Albanians ebb into Greece, immigration is the Old Testament passages North Africans appealed to by some Christians as interpreted into France, increasingly as justification for amnesty actually Pakistanis into an indicator of speak to the treatment of England, and globalist Mexicans into the immigrants who have been granted tendencies that U.S.[3] threaten permission to stay in the land of kinship Israel (cf. Deut. 10:18-19).[5] Well- identities based And yet, meaning Christians are therefore globalization on a common elicits reflexive committing the informal fallacy of language, responses at the culture, custom, equivocation by mistakenly local and national and tradition. applying these biblical passages to The important sectors. This is illegal immigration. because built into point here is globalization that as long as processes is what Anthony Giddens terms globalization processes are in effect, there “detraditionalization,” or various will be reciprocal localized nationalist mechanisms by which local customs and rejoinders, with illegal immigrants caught traditions are relativized to wider in the middle. economic, scientific, and technocratic forces.[4] Once social life is caught up in a Now, what is the Christian’s response to global industrialized economic system, it is this? Well, given the global/ traditional propelled away from traditional, national, dialectic, it appears that neither a proand local practices and beliefs. And so amnesty appeal nor a globalization involves a predictable counter build-a-wall-and-deport approach will
suffice. This is because either perspective focuses on only one side of the reciprocal social dynamics. Neither do I see much hope for the rather common sense solution of border enforcement combined with high standards for amnesty applicants. As long as there is globalization, there will be globalists, those who believe that national borders are constituents of larger “unjust” social boundaries that once marked traditional society and from which we are to be emancipated. Instead, I believe that the church itself has the resources to deal uniquely with the current border crisis, for it is the church alone that is both a global and traditional institution. As a catholic social order transcending time and space yet rooted in the tradition of the apostles, the church is in the unique position to be able to mediate between otherwise incompatible yet reciprocal social dynamics that characterize the modern world. There are several ways in which the church can mediate effectually between these two social forces. First, the church is already supplying comfort and compassion to the situation at hand as only the church can do. Just last month alone, ministries such as Catholic Charities distributed food, clothing, meals, showers, and laundry facilities to more than 6,000 immigrants from Central America. In this way, the church maintains the personhood, the innate dignity, of each immigrant, avoiding the depersonalized tendencies of those who advocate absorbing immigrants into a dehumanizing secular welfare state on the one hand or merely deporting them on the other. Secondly, Old Testament scholar James K. Hoffmeier has made a suggestion based on his study of the immigration crisis from a biblical perspective. Hoffmeier argues that the Old Testament passages appealed to by
some Christians as justification for amnesty actually speak to the treatment of immigrants who have been granted permission to stay in the land of Israel (cf. Deut. 10:18-19).[5] Well-meaning Christians are therefore committing the informal fallacy of equivocation by mistakenly applying these biblical passages to illegal immigration. Instead,
Hoffmeier suggests that local churches can in effect adopt illegal immigrants and their families, help pay for lawyer’s Regarding indiscrimate immigration, Ronald Reagan said, “A nation that does not secure fees to make sure they get a it’s borders is no nation at all.” fair hearing in the courts, and then provide the resources build wealth, and encourage needed to help them fulfill the entrepreneurship.[7] For example, in 1969, court’s decisions. This is a very several churches in Goshen, Indiana came positive way in which the church can mediate a solution to this horrific problem by practicing compassion and mercy while affirming the rule of law. Thirdly, churches in the U.S. could network with affiliated churches in Latin and South
America in order to foster economic development in those regions and thus reach towards a more long-term solution. As such, the church would be part of a trend among economists, anthropologists, and policy planners who are becoming increasingly aware of the role religion plays at every level of economic development.[6] A number of studies confirm that faithbased institutions are effective in revitalizing communities through sustainable economic development initiatives which can attract investments,
together in order to minister to the needs of Hispanic migrant workers in the Goshen area. For the past thirty-five years, La Casa of Goshen has provided affordable housing and services for disadvantaged Hispanic families. And the resources are there for work on a global scale. Amy Sherman’s study found that nearly seventy percent of Hispanic Protestant churches in the U.S. collaborate with other churches to organize community services such as housing programs, health care ministries, schools, and day care facilities.[8] And by building up a community’s social infrastructure, churches contribute to increased property values which attract new residents and jobcreating businesses, thus filling the various lacunae left by local and national economic and political instabilities in Central and South American regions.
I agree with many others that the current border crisis is a time for Christians to show the world what the church really is. But I do not believe that the fidelity to such witness involves simply being a cheerleader for the beneficiaries of a secular welfare state or a guardian of the borders of a secular nation-state. Instead, I believe it is time to witness to the world that the church is a distinctive sacred social order, a global yet traditional shared lifeworld that alone shapes communities into economies of grace through the resources of the Christian gospel. For in doing so, I believe that we will be faithful to that biblical vision in which all nations stream into the mountain of the house of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, to that place all Christians call our eternal home.
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discernment
BY TIM CHALLIES
Theological Heroes and Villains
want my heroes to be good, only good, and my villains to be bad, only bad. I can deal with this. The trouble comes when I see vices in my heroes and virtues in my villains. That is where it all gets complicated.
I
The problem, I am convinced, is that we expect a kind of consistency that is just not realistic for people so deeply stained by sin. We want our heroes and our villains to be monolithic, to play their roles perfectly. But this world is rarely so clean and neat. The fact is that we are all a mess of contradictions. We are a mess of contradictions who are highly attuned to other people’s, but blind to our own. We will joyfully believe both A and B, we will joyfully do both A and Not A, all the
If we demand utter consistency we will eventually abandon all our heroes and miss the virtues of our villains. We will end up on a lonely little island all alone, convinced that we are the only consistent people left. We will follow our consistency to isolation and despair. I have my heroes just like you do. I have people that I admire, people with whom I have a kind of emotional or spiritual attachment. I may not even know them, but I still look up to them, value their opinions, and even model aspects of my life and faith on theirs. And when I see these contradictions in people who are so godly I can only assume that I must have some significant contradictions of my own. I assume that I am equally blind to these contradictions. I assume that I am equally convinced of the virtues of my vices. I have learned that I need to choose my heroes carefully. I need to expect that my heroes will be flawed. I need to believe that I am flawed. And I need to force myself to remember that the best of men are but men at their best.
www.Challies.com
It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds. Sam Adams.
God Loves you just the way you are, not the way you should be. Because no one is as they should be. - Brennan Manning
Worry is Anti-Trust What would parents do without worry? It almost seems as if it’s in the job description. “Parents Wanted. Must be able to perform sleepless nights and meaningless pacing, wringing their hands and biting their nails.” In Matthew 6:27, Jesus asked, “Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” Worry has no positive side effects. In fact, it subtracts moments from your life in heart stress and rising blood pressure. Worry is anti-trust. If you’re worried, you don’t trust something: your kids, their friends, strangers, the church, even God. Can He take care of your children? Certainly. Jesus says, “I tell you, stop being anxious and worried about your life.” Pretty blunt. Stop it! Easier said than done, huh? Worry tests your trust, so hand your children to God and let him babysit your babies when you’re not around. He’s pretty good at it! From Max on Life
www.MaxLucado.com 10
WWW.AMERICAN CHRISTIAN VOICE.COM | VOL.11 #4
BY MAX LUCADO
This man has a long history of preaching and defending the gospel, but then he makes statements about the inerrancy of Scripture that leave me scratching my head. This woman has had a long and effective ministry of teaching the Bible, but then she allies herself with a ministry that I find very concerning and she quotes an author who is theologically dangerous. Or, on the flip side, this teacher has long questioned some important doctrines, but then he begins to say things that are not only helpful, but uniquely true and insightful.
while thinking that we are being perfectly consistent. But we will not tolerate this in others.
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he bow of God’s wrath is not bent. His wrath was satisfied by the One who was slain before the foundation of the world. Fast forward 2,000 years ago and we see what Jesus did on the cross to make that happen. It is not what you do... it is what He DID that makes you righteous and in perfect standing with God. It cannot be by your religious attempt to please Him, by your dismal attempt of good behavior. -John Sacoulas and the Holy Spirit
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od doesn’t make me come back again and again to beg forgiveness for that very same sin. God sees the heart, he sees my remorse over my sin, and he forgives to such a degree that I can have absolute confidence in his forgiveness. If God were to grant me forgiveness only when my sincerity was sufficient, only when I properly understood the depth of the offense, and only when I expressed a fitting degree of remorse, I fear that few of my sins would be forgiven. -Tim Challies
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Kindom Xperience
Audience of One se your imagination and think about sitting in a movie theatre alone watching a movie that included the places and the times God provided and took care of you. You would probably sit in awe when you saw how many times God intervened and helped you. God is omnipresent, which means that he is always with you. He is Omniscient, which means he knows everything about you.
BY DR. MARLA WOODMANSEE
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Scripture is like a movie providing us with snapshots of people’s lives. In those snapshots, one thing becomes clear: God took care of those who placed their trust in Him. To name a few: Moses, Abraham, Nehemiah, and Hagar. God led them, helped them, provided for them, and rescued them. They also identified that their confidence could not be in people, or anything external, but their trust and confidence must remain in God. They discovered that they were an audience of one—God. Moses was an audience of one. Moses’ mother placed her three month old Hebrew baby, Moses, into a basket and sent him down the Nile River because she hoped that he would be protected from Pharaoh’s rampage to kill all the Hebrew baby boys. At just the right time, God led Pharaoh’s daughter into the Nile River to see baby Moses. Out of sympathy for the baby, Pharaoh’ daughter adopted Moses and cared for him in the Egyptian palace. After Moses became an adult, God led him to be the spokesperson for the Hebrew people and negotiate with Pharaoh: freedom for all who were oppressed and enslaved by his dictatorship. With God’s help, the Hebrew people were freed from the bondage of slavery. Moses encountered God’s protection as a baby, His provision as an adult, and His ability to provide a way for freedom for his people (see Exodus 14). Abraham was also an audience of one. God tested Abraham and led him to a mountaintop to sacrifice his son Isaac. After Abraham obeyed and was about to sacrifice his son,
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God directed a ram to be in a nearby thicket. The ram, instead of his son, became the sacrifice. (People commonly used animals as sacrifices to God during Old Te s t a m e n t times.) Abraham learned that obedience is better than sacrifice; and, to trust the LORD with all your heart (see Proverbs 3:56). Nehemiah was an audience of one. Nehemiah defied all the odds and did what seemed impossible. The walls around the city of Jerusalem were down and Nehemiah was led by God to rebuild the walls. Nehemiah 4 tells us that as soon as the workers began to rebuild, the enemy used intimidation and ridicule to try and stop them by mocking and making fun of them. But, they didn’t allow the voice of the enemy stop them from finishing. Their confidence was in God. They finished in only 52 days. They discovered that when God leads you, nothing is impossible for you; God is the glory of your strength; and, He will provide a way for your success (Matthew 19:26; Psalm 89:17; Nehemiah 1:20). Proof of their success remains intact today. Hagar was an audience of one. After being kicked out of her home and city, Hagar found herself, and her son, in a desert without food or water in sight. Desperate to stay alive, Hagar cried out to God. An angel of the LORD responded and spoke to her: Do not be afraid and open your eyes. Suddenly, she opened her eyes and out of nowhere a well of water appeared. God provided water so Hagar and her son would live. At just the right time, God rescued them (see Genesis 21). God saw what was needed and helped those who I mentioned above. Moses, Abraham, Nehemiah, and Hagar are examples of God seeing and knowing every detail in our lives. Moses experienced God’s protection and provision. Abraham experienced God’s trust and obedience. Nehemiah overcame the enemy and experienced God’s ability to help what seemed to be impossible become
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possible when He strengthened and helped him succeed. And, Hagar experienced a miracle and an answered prayer when she desperately called out to God, and He provided for her. God demonstrates to us over and over again how much He loves and cares about us. You are an audience of one—God! Dr. Marla Woodmansee is a Bible Communicator, inspirational women’s conference speaker, magazine columnist, author, host for a daily Christian radio program on Branson’s KLFC 88.1 FM, and President of Kingdom Xperience, a non-for-profit Christian organization focused to: Inform*Empower*Transform. Contact info: KingdomXperience.org marla@marlawoodmansee.org
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worship
A Prayer To Our Savior
Thank you, blessed brother, Lord Jesus. You became what I am to bring me to be what you are in your life with your Father in the Holy Spirit. I hear you speak my name, and with the freedom of your heart, and mind, I turn toward your Father to see him with your eyes. I receive the witness of the Spirit of Adoption. I hear you Lord Jesus, and your “Abba! Father!” inside my own soul. I receive your Father’s everlasting love, and give myself, all of me, to your Father’s
embrace, and to the healing and restoration of the Holy Spirit’s communion. Lord Jesus, in your courage, in the comfort of the personal presence of the Holy Spirit, and in the unearthly assurance of your Father’s arms, I pledge all of me to your service, to participate in your ministry of liberation of our brothers and sisters. Reveal to me how and where you, your Father and the Holy Spirit are already present in my ordinary life, work and play. Reveal to me the agreements that I have made with evil and darkness, that have given evil access to my life in you, that I may break these agreements in your name, and that I may walk in every way in the glorious freedom of the children of God, in full agreement with the Holy Spirit, and in all the Holy Spirit’s gifts. Holy Spirit do for me, and mine, what only you can do. I take my stand in you, Lord Jesus, and in your name and authority I bind and banish from my life, my body, my mind, heart and will, my family, my sphere of influence, and my belongings every foul thing, every spirit and form of darkness and religion and wickedness, every power and art, every curse and covering and accusation that are
A short version of the history of Christianity: Christianity started in Palestine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution; it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and became an enterprise. - Rev. Sam Pascoe
directed towards me and mine. In your name, and by your authority, Lord Jesus, I summon the holy and faithful angels and command them to destroy the kingdom of darkness throughout my kingdom, and to establish the kingdom of the blessed Trinity throughout my domain and ministry. Worthy are you blessed Lord Jesus Christ, Father’s Son, Homoousios to Patri, Anointed One, Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit, Victorious Warrior, worthy are you of all praise and adoration and worship, now and forever. Thank you for being my Savior, my Good Shepherd, my High Priest, my True and Faithful witness, my Alpha and Omega, the Captain of my salvation, and the Healer of my soul. I rest in you, and await your Word to me today. Amen
BY DR. C. BAXTER KRUGER
ord Jesus Christ, beloved and eternal and faithful Son of the Father, Homoousios to Patri, Anointed of the Holy Spirit, incarnate, crucified, resurrected and ascended Lord of all creation, I believe in you. With great joy, with the praise of my whole heart I acknowledge and agree that you have found me in my darkness and sin, laid hold of me and taken me down in your death, freed me from sin and evil, quickened me with new life in your resurrection, and lifted me up into your Father’s arms in your ascension, and into the communion of the Holy Spirit. All of me, and mine, every war-torn fragment, every fearful, unbelieving, shame-riddled, broken part is in you, in your Father, in the Holy Spirit. I rest in you, Jesus, lover of my soul, my Savior, my Salvation, my Saving Act, my King, my Liberator, healer of my broken heart, the author and finisher of faith. You have included me in all that you are and have in your union and face-to-face communion with your Father, and you have included me in your own anointing in the Holy Spirit. You have included me in your victory over evil and wickedness, and in your session at the Father’s right hand, above all rule and authority in heaven and on earth. Nothing can separate me from you, your Father, and the Holy Spirit, and the life you share together. Blessed be your great name.
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Dr. C. Baxter Kruger, theologian, writer and fishing lure designer is the Director of Perichoresis Ministries. Baxter is a native of Prentiss, Mississippi. He and his wife Beth have been married for 30 years and have 4 children. A life long student of psychology, Baxter has a degrees in political science, divinity, and earned his Doctor of Philosophy from Kings College, Aberdeen University in Aberdeen, Scotland under Professor James B. Torrance. He is the author of 8 books, including The Great Dance, Jesus and the Undoing of Adam and Across All Worlds, and recently the international bestseller, The Shack Revisited. He teaches around the world. He is an avid outdoorsman and holds two United States patents for his fishing lure designs. He is the founder and President of Mediator Lures.
Branson Collision Center 548 Gretna Road 417.335.3775 When It Must Be Right! VOL.11 #4 | WWW.AMERICAN CHRISTIAN VOICE.COM
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trust
“What, Me Worry?” ... ost people of a certain age recognize Alfred E. Newman’s iconic image from the cover of Mad Magazine. Growing up I used to enjoy his irreverent quotes and enjoyed each issue to see him poke fun at anything that was being taken too seriously.
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BY DAVID PEACH
His, “What me worry?” attitude was born out of rebellion not out of an inherant sense of peace. For the Christian, we are not even allowed to worry. It displays a lack of trust and Faith in our heavenly Father. The follwing article was written by David Peach: Pray to Stop Worrying When we feel that things are out of our control we tend to worry but how do you stop worrying? Most of the awful things we imagine will happen never do. We can be thankful for that. We should understand that worrying never helps a situation get better. Worrying sends a message to ourselves and those around us that we are helpless and have no where to turn. However, as a Christian, we believe that God has everything in His control. If He really does, and we really believe that, then we have nothing to worry about. We only need to trust that God will take care of everything according to His plan. Philippians 4:6, 7 “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” These wonderful verses tell us to not be filled with care or worry, but to trust God in prayer. Stop worrying by taking your requests to Him. There is nothing wrong with having concern over matters and sharing that with God and with others so that you can pray. Often in prayer you will hear people asking God for peace in a situation. Why do we need peace? Because without the hope we have in God we would be filled with worry. Paul tells us in these verses we can trade our worry for peace through prayer.
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Be Thankful In the above verses to the Philippians, Paul says that another aspect of getting rid of worry is to be thankful. Be thankful for the things you have. Don’t dwell on those things you cannot control. Paul indicates that there is nothing wrong with taking your questions and concerns to God. But we should not go to Him out of anger and demand that He work everything out the way we want. We should humbly go to Him in prayer, with a thankful heart, and ask Him to give us that peace that will open our minds to understand and accept His plan. Think on Good Things Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Just after Paul’s comments about worry he says that we should think on good, godly things. When we focus on positive and wholesome events, memories, plans, etc., then it is hard to be worried about everything else.
Jesus’ day. They did not have the Holy Spirit living within them like we do as believers today. One of the names of the Holy Spirit that Jesus often used was Comforter. As a comforter the Holy Spirit can help take your cares and ease them. That doesn’t mean we never have concern for things, but we don’t worry like we would if we didn’t trust that God was in charge. The Holy Spirit is our companion to remind us that God has control. Trust God’s Strength Psalm 27:1-3 “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.” Isaiah 41:10 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Life was a lot less scary (and worrisome) when we were kids and we had parents who were bigger and stronger than us. When we had problems we could go to them and they would say that they would take care of it. We have a God that wants to do that for us today. Will you take your concerns to Him and rely on His strength? He is waiting to take that burden from you.
Holy Spirit Can Bring Peace Worry is Not From God John 14:26, 27 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” In John 14 Jesus is explaining to the disciples where He is going and that He will return. In the meantime the Holy Spirit of God will come and indwell the believers. This was something new to the people of
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2 Timothy 1:7 “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Fear that we have is not from God. Understand that the basis of your worry ultimately comes back to the fact that you are not trusting God. God wants us to stop worrying and not to be afraid. Remember that God Cares For You 1 Peter 5:6, 7 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may
surrender
Learn How to Roll the Care! exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” God cares for you and me. He wants to take our problems and resolve them. Isn’t it frustrating for us as parents to see our children struggling with a problem, but they won’t listen to us on how to solve it? They come to us and tell us things are wrong, yet when we offer a solution they take the problem back and try to solve it on their own. It makes us hurt for their sakes. What are we doing to God when we worry? When we tell Him we want His help, but then we take the problem back and try to shoulder it ourselves? I have a friend that says she gets worried when she has nothing to worry about. I know she is joking when she says that, but the truth is we often do the same thing. Worry and anxiety becomes a habit. In some way it gives us comfort, yet it is not healthy and it shows a lack of faith. When you are tempted to worry or stress remind yourself that worry is a lack of faith in God. When you can trust that God has a perfect plan, then you will be able to stop worrying. Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” Taken from article: How to Stop Worrying: 7 Tips for Christians
WhatChristiansWantToKnow.com “I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7) (Also see Psalm 55:22-23)
“Then Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?’” (Luke 12:22-26, NIV). (Also see Matthew 6:25-34) “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5). “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones” (Proverbs 3:58). “…the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:26-28). “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). “I can do everything through him who gives
The apostle Paul found his strength in God, He reminds us that, “I …have …been in prison …frequently, been flogged …severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. …I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. …Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. …I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. …[God] said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 11:23-12:10). “So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:6). “…put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore.” (Psalm 131:1) Also read: Psalm 139:1-23 “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work” (2 Thes. 2:16-17). Taken from article: Fear, Anxiety and Worry… What does the Bible say?
www.ChristianAnswers.net
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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
me strength” (Philippians 4:13). “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up” (Proverbs 12:25, NIV).
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challenge yourself
The Love Walk Challenge s I have grown in my Love Walk with the Lord, I have discovered that He has a Divine purpose for my life. He wants me to focus on Him and trust Him in difficult circumstances. I knew He wanted me to clear up some things from my past. I was both reluctant and willing, and found Him opening long closed doors and I knew it was time. These were challenging people for me to face; some I had hurt and some were folks who had wounded me. So it was with some anxiety that I began my journey. First, there was a talented young woman that had worked with me and held much promise. One day, after she had become quite proficient, she gave her notice and walked out of my life. She was special and while I knew it was ‘just business’ as they say, it hurt! We had reconnected on Facebook and I made arrangements to meet her for lunch. She is still very gifted and has done very well in her career. Seeing her brought healing to my heart and set her free from any unforgiveness that I had held. Then I contacted another gal who had been as close as a daughter until I made several very thoughtless errors and drove a wedge between us. I had hoped that this meeting would finally bring closure, but it was not to be. Her wound is deep and the bitterness has festered. After the visit, she sent a message that she had forgiven me long ago but it is obvious that it is still very painful for her. The next woman was not a close friend, but I respected her and she respected me.
Barbara Fairchild appearing in the Golden Corral Showroom
Everyone deserves a good meal.
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If this physical world we see before us were the only reality then it would be certainly better to be young. But if... rather as there is another world--a spirit world, a more important world, indeed the only important world-- being young or old is irrelevant. the only thing that matters-- the only thing at all-- is that the eternal spirit inside of you is constantly in touch with eternal presence of God. Because feeling God's presence buoys you through life, like the joy of falling in love. -Loving Søren by Caroline Coleman O’Neill
Old or young woman, which is it?
Where is your Love Walk taking you?
Re New m od ly ele d!
BY KATHLEEN CARUSO
A
She had come out of a very hurtful marriage and when the anger would boil up, I was sometimes in the way. She is a highly successful business woman and her life has changed for the better. She greeted me with open arms and a much stronger and deeper relationship has been built. The toughest one was a close family member that I had wounded deeply by not recognizing the importance of our relationship. I had thought that as we grew older, it was behind us. It was not so. We spent long hours talking and undoing the hurts of the past. I love her so much and regret the offenses. I am more loving when I hang out with love because the One who is Love waklks with me. As I continue my Love walk with the Lord, I know He will bring others to my remembrance and I will engage in conversation to seek forgiveness and restoration. As I faced each of these situations, it was with some anxiety and hopeful expectation. Each required that I had given the outcome, good, bad or ugly, to the Lord. As I took the burdens to the Lord, He lifted me up. As I released others and blessed them, He is able to move on their hearts as well as mine. The cares of this world . . . can choke the Word and cause us to be unfruitful. I want to live a fruitful and free life as a child of the living God and I choose to face myself and my past rolling my care on Him and staying in peace no matter the situation.
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“Seven Dangers Of Human Virtue: 1.Wealth without Work 2.Pleasure without conscience 3.Knowledge without character 4.Business without ethics 5.Science without Humanity 6.Religion without sacrifice 7.Politics without Principles” ― Mahatma Gandhi
Charles Spurgeon warned: "Beware of no man more than yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us."
enlist today
God’s Unqualified Army: Anyone Can Join od can use anyone in His army, including a real soldier.
We're living in a day of what I call the "get by" mentality. What does that mean? It means we are all just trying to get by! We're not really living because we've made up our minds that surviving is enough. We have become much like Gideon's army in Judges 8:4, where they were fainting yet pursuing. The constant demands of the day can be exhausting, and so often we show up for church but are nowhere near ready to engage a powerful and awesome God. I have often said that God does not demand perfection but pursuit! If the devil cannot make you sin, then he will just make you too busy to have a true relationship with God. This mentality has caused the ones chosen by God to be used in His kingdom to simply ignore His voice or take an easy path. It's true, though, that it's much easier to just get by than to decide to rise up and lead. Couple that with the fact that most Christians believe there's no way God could use them to do His great work and you have an anemic church. Are You Available? Usually, the most qualified are the ones who most often feel least qualified. Every person who has ever accepted the challenge to be used of God has at one time or another thought, "Why on earth, God, have You chosen me?" In fact, we really have no right to question whether or not God can use us.
Many years ago while spending time in prayer, I heard God say to me, "Pat, every time you doubt whether or not I can use you, it breaks My heart." You're a Survivor All of Scripture proves that God uses the ones who most likely would not have been picked by man to be on His team of generals. God is calling out to you. He refuses to leave you alone. Your scars are
your testimony. The depth of God's love is most often revealed in the people least likely to be chosen in man's eyes. If you have been through lots of pain, then you're a great candidate to bring freedom to others. Lay Down Your Plans God is calling each of us to lay down our own plans and agendas for the higher calling. It is through obedience that God is able to transform the nobodies. That means it's time to draw a line in the sand and walk away from the things that are holding you back. We are called to be empty vessels into which God can place His glory, and we better make sure we allow God to clean up these vessels that we are!
have spoken. I call it "No More Excuses!" There are excuses why God can't use you. The next time you think God can't use you, just look to the Bible to see what he had to work with: Noah was a drunk (Gen. 9:21). Isaac was a daydreamer. Jacob was a liar (Gen. 27). Moses had a stuttering problem (Ex. 4:10). Gideon was afraid (Judg. 6). Rahab was a harlot (Josh. 2:1). David had an affair and was a murderer (2 Sam. 11:2-4, 14-17). Elijah was suicidal (1 Kin. 19:4). Jonah ran from God (Jon. 1:3). Job went bankrupt (Job 1:21). Peter denied Christ (Mark 14:71). The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once (John 4:17-18). Lazarus was dead (John 11)!
BY PAT SCHATZLINE
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As you can see, all of us have our issues. But God can use the unqualified to do great exploits. Remember, no more excuses! Pat Schatzline is a leading international evangelist and author. He and his wife, Karen, co-founded Remnant Ministries International. Known for his unique ability to communicate God's Word with passion, Pat desires to see God's last day remnant make a stand for truth. If you liked the article, you'll love the book. Evangelist and author Pat Schatzline shows how you can be used by God no matter what your weaknesses through his most recent book, Unqualified: Where You Can Begin to Be Great (Charisma House). You can find his book wherever Christian books are sold or at amazon.com or christianbook.com. www.CharismaMag.com
I will conclude with one of my favorite series of quotes that I have seen for years floating around the blogosphere. I have, Battles are fought in our minds every day. in fact, shared this at gatherings where I When we begin to feel the battle is just too difficult and want to give up, we must choose to resist negative thoughts and be Father, Gordon MacDonald determined to rise above our problems. was right: “Good souls We must decide that we’re not going to many will one day be quit. When we’re bombarded with doubts and fears, we must take a stand and say: horrified at the things they “I’ll never give up! God’s on my side. He now believe of God.” loves me, and He’s helping me! I’m going to Dr. C. Baxter Kruger make it!- Joyce Meyer VOL.11 #4 | WWW.AMERICAN CHRISTIAN VOICE.COM
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tech info for brain download
BY MIKE ENDECOTT
CoMPuTErtIPs & TeCHnOLoGY
I have been obsessed with shortcut keys since high school. Do you realize that once you’re in a program, you can do everything with the keyboard, rendering the mouse useless? Okay, maybe stretching that idea a bit, but that’s how handy these tips are. Here’s a quick guide, but most programs you go into has a unique shortcut menu. It’s fun to explore. So the idea here is to hold down Alt key while pressing the associated numbers (do not press the + key, that is just the directional symbol). Release Alt to see the symbol appear.
Shortcut Keys Special Character Alt + 160 Alt + 130 Alt + 161 Alt + 162 Alt + 163 Alt + 132 Alt + 148 Alt + 129 Alt + 164 Alt + 168 Alt + 173 Alt + 0248 Alt + 0198 Alt + 135 Alt + 225 Alt + 1 Alt + 3 Alt + 7 Alt + 13 Alt +14
á é í ó ú ä ö ü ñ ¿ ¡ ø Æ ç ß ☺ ♥ • ♪ ♫
Alt + 0128 € (Euro currency) Alt + 155 ¢ (Cent symbol) Alt + 156 £ (British Pound) Alt + 157 ¥ (Japanese Yen) Alt + 0169 © Alt + 0174 ® Alt + 0153 ™
Alt + 171 Alt + 172 Alt + 227 Alt + 236 Alt + 251 Alt + 247 Alt + 0177 Alt + 246 Alt + 176 (degree)
½ ¼ π ∞ √ ≈ ± ÷ °
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a funny classic from MAD magazine A husband and wife are sitting quietly in bed reading when the Wife looks over at him and asks the question.... WIFE: "What would you do if I died? Would you get married Again?" HUSBAND: "Definitely not!" WIFE:"Why not? Don't you like being married?" HUSBAND: "Of course I do.." WIFE: "Then why wouldn't you remarry? " HUSBAND: "Okay, okay, I'd get married again." WIFE: "You would?" (with a hurt look) HUSBAND:(makes audible groan) WIFE: "Would you live in our house?" HUSBAND: "Sure, it's a great house." WIFE: "Would you sleep with her in our bed?" HUSBAND: "Where else would we sleep?" WIFE: "Would you let her drive my car?" HUSBAND: "Probably, it is almost new." WIFE: "Would you replace my pictures with hers?" HUSBAND: "That would seem like the proper thing to do." WIFE: "Would you give her my jewelry?" HUSBAND: "No, I'm sure she'd want her own." WIFE: "Would you take her golfing with you? HUSBAND: "Yes, those are always good times." WIFE: "Would she use my clubs? Dolly's vision was to foster a love of reading among her county’s preschool children and their families by providing them with the gift of a specially selected book each month. By mailing high quality, age-appropriate books directly to their homes, she wanted children to be excited about books and to feel the magic that books can create. Moreover, she could insure that every child would have books, regardless of their family’s income. Find out if this program is available in your area at:
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HUSBAND: "No, she's left-handed." WIFE:-- silence -P.S. The husband passed away before the wife
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Busybodies sitting in judgment of and righteously condemning the private, sexual acts of other adults remains one of the most self-satisfying and entertaining—and thus most popular—public spectacles. It simultaneously uplifts the moral judges (I am superior to that which I condemn), distracts them from their own behaviors (I am focused on those other people’s sins, and thus not my own), and titillates (to condemn this, I simply must immerse myself in the tawdry details of their sexual acts). To see just how current is the mentality driving the Scarlet Letter, observe the reaction to the Ashley Madison hack. -Glenn Greenwald
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celebrity faith
Chris Pratt Refuses to do Sex Scenes–And Not Just Because He’s Married e’s known as a “sex symbol” in America but only one things wrong with that–he refuses to have sex on camera. He got his start in hollywood as the funny guy, getting roles to play the overweight ditz who’s hilarity stems from his one liners and awkward comments…definitely not how he’s known today! He’s gone from a supporting role in “Parks and Rec” to leading the way in “Jurassic World” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” and is officially at the top of the Hollywood world. Now that he’s able to call the shots he has one rule that will always be a deal breaker–no sex scenes and his reason for his controversial moral ground is an awesome one. He may be labeled by America as the next hunk but he’s very much taken and very okay with that. Chris married the love of his life, Anna Faris, in 2009 and three years later they had a son, Jack who was born 9 weeks premature and was in intensive care for a month. During this time he turned to his faith and prayed for his baby. He even shared how he made it through the experience by saying, “We prayed a lot. It restored my faith in God – not that it needed to be restored, but it really redefined it.” Pratt has been very open and honest about his past as a stoner and a stripper but now confesses that those days are behind him. He’s not only standing up for his faith in his acting career but he’s also serving the local children’s hospitals too! Someone close to Pratt was quoted saying “It’s not the public image he wants to project – and it’s not something he sees as compatible with his faith!” Now, studios will pretty much obey whatever Pratt wants because of the fact that he fills theaters but truth be told, I have a feeling that even if it cost him his career, Pratt still wouldn’t show skin. He’s even in talks about being the next Indiana Jones–how awesome to have a man talking about God in that kind of spot light. He really started to become public about his relationship with God after his son was in the intensive care unit for the first month of his life after being born 9 weeks
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premature. He’s not afraid to share how he found Jesus and how God has changed his life in very real ways. “We were scared for a long time. We
prayed a lot,” Pratt said. “It restored my faith in God, not that it needed to be restored, but it really redefined it. The baby was so beautiful to us, and I look back at the photos of him and it must have been jarring for other people to come in and see him, but to us he was so beautiful and perfect.”
They were told that their son would live, but the bad news was that he would go his entire life with disabilities due to the premature birth. God had other plans. Their baby was fully healed in the NICU and is completely healthy today. His profession of faith doesn’t stop there. Pratt can’t seem to talk about his wife without mentioning God. “Anna and I are meant to be together. Our relationship has made me believe in divine intervention and destiny,” he said. He loves to talk about how God sent him his lovely wife. Anna has even talked about how her faith has been strengthened through her relationship with her husband as well has her son. Pratt isn’t just vocal in interviews, he has also been known to use the power of social media to share his love of God. Along with verses he’ll even share part of the story of how he found Jesus. This may be a little more common for celebrities to share a verse here or there but Pratt takes it to a new level. Like this post for example: “Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble. But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do
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not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.” 1 John 2:10-11. His relationship with God is evident in his humility. Pratt recently wrote a preapology on Facebook for the amount of times he’s going to be in the media in the upcoming weeks due to his obligation to promote the newly released Jurassic World: “You will be seeing A LOT of me in the press in the next few weeks as I circle the globe promoting the movie in different markets around the world. With social media the way it is you will have a front row seat to all of the promotional action if you so chose. There will be a lot. If it gets old or you grow weary of my face just remember, you could always do what I did while waiting for the original Jurassic Park to open, go outside and play with imaginary dinosaurs! They are the best and they are free!!!” While the divorce numbers are approaching such heights that people are starting to refuse to get married, Anna and Chris are going strong thanks to their faith and their core values. “I think it’s important to carve those times out no matter what you do for a living,” the first-time father said. “I have the support of a strong partner who’s been through this and understands it and whom I can share these experiences with and we have a family that we’re starting that’s the focus of my attention.” Chris and Anna are on year number 6 of marriage and there’s no signs of slowing down. “A lot of times, people focus so much on their kids, and then when their kids leave the nest, they look at their spouse or partner like they’re a stranger,” he said. “It’s just as important, if not more important, to focus on your relationship with your partner because your children are going to leave one day. You have to maintain a relationship that’s going to outlast your child’s needs for you.” He’s involved in multiple non-profits and recently made a bet with friend and co-star Chris Evans (Captain America) that led the both of them to children’s hospitals to hang out and brighten some days. It’s awesome to see how God has blessed such an awesome actor and I’m excited to see the impact he’s going to make with the way he carries his light in such a dark industry. Go Chris! Stay with Jesus and keep making awesome movies! www.FaithIt.com
grace filled fellowships leaves on the vine
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Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa, CA 3800 S Fairview St Santa Ana, CA (714) 979-4422
Agape Life Fellowship A Word of Faith Church (non-denominational) 6185 W. St. Hwy 266 Springfield, MO
(417) 831-2333 Sunday Services 10am & 6pm Wednesday Bible Study 6:30pm
Pastor Twila N. Bridges
Ministries
Waking the World to their Loving Creator Okay, so we are not a typical church but we are a training ground to make disciples for Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit! Come visit us Sunday morning at 9:45 am and you will see what we mean.
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8480 Hwy 7 South Harrison, AR • 870-688-9243
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(417) 598-1231 7 miles north of Branson on Hwy 160. One quarter mile west of 65. First property on left.
PEACE LUTHERAN CHURCH (ELCA) WORSHIP SERVICES: Praise & Worship - Sun. @ 8:30 a.m. Education Hour - 9:15 a.m. Liturgy &Traditional Service - 10:30 a.m. HIGHWAY #165 AND STATE DRIVE
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Gateway Branson, MO Located in the Vista Plaza Shopping Center on the backside 2005 West Highway 76 • Suite 106 Branson, MO • (417) 335-9915
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(417) 831-6721 Sabbath School: 9:45 am • Worship: 11:00 am Wednesday night: 6:30 pm
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A week without a Sabbath is perpetual bondage. El Shaddai Ministries 4501 Quail Court • Harrison, AR. 72601 (3 miles down Bellefonte Rd.) Services: Saturdays at 2:30pm 870.365.0004 www.ElShaddaiMinistries.net
VISITORS WELCOME
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The basis for loving our neighbors, and for unity in Christ, is not proximity, understanding or commonality. We are one in Christ not because we are one in the same, but because Christ is the same. It is an impoverished theology that mistakes unity in Christ for sameness in Christ. - Leslie Leylands VISIT ONCE AND YOU ARE HOOKED ! ! ! ! 42 years of Healing Hurts and Building Dreams. FAITH ASSEMBLY 2 miles South of Beautiful Harrison (2 blocks West of Hwy. 7) 9:30 A,M. Sunday School: 10.30 A.M. Worship; 6 PM. Praise; Wed. 7 PM. Training for all ages. Pastor Arlis Thrasher. (870) 741-0981
Sudoku Answers to Page 27
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Welc Church o Enjoy the Taber
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come of God... e Feast of rnacles!
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♪money money money♪
Beware of Scary Inhabitants of the Investment World n just a few days, witches, zombies and vampires will be converging on your house, asking for candy. As is the case every Halloween, you’ll likely be merely amused over the sight of these costumed characters. But in other areas of life, such as the investment world, you may need to watch out for some seemingly scary entities. Here are a few of them: •The Horrendous Headline – Big, glaring headlines rarely offer any comfort to investors. Whether it’s political squabbles at home, conflicts in the Middle East or the debt crisis in the eurozone, there’s always something happening that’s perceived as jeopardizing the stability of the financial markets. Yet these threats are often overblown, and the markets have proven quite resilient for decades. Here in the United States, the most powerful economic engine in the history of the world has offered investment opportunities as crises have come and gone. •The Terrible Tipster – He or she could be anyone – your neighbor, friend or relative. But whatever their origins, Terrible Tipsters have one thing in common: They like to tout “hot” stocks or “can’t miss” oppor-
FROM EDWARD JONES FINANCIAL ADVISOR
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tunities. The problem is that by the time you actually hear about a hot stock, it may already be cooling off. And the “can’t miss” opportunities often do indeed miss. Don’t waste time, effort – and money – seeking a shortcut to investment success: There isn’t one. Instead, stick with an investment strategy that’s suitable for your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon. •The Scary Statement – When the market is down, you probably dread seeing your investment statements. But don’t let a few bad months, or even a bad year, cause you to stuff your money under your mattress. The financial markets can turn around pretty quickly, and if you’re out of the market when the next rally begins, you’ll miss out on some potentially big gains. So, put those negative statements aside and look back at your investment results over a period of many years – the big picture might
look a lot less frightening than you’d imagine. •The Fearsome Forecast – The performance of the financial markets is notoriously hard to predict – but that doesn’t stop a slew of fortune-tellers from trying. And the same is true of the economy as a whole – predictions abound, but many of them prove far off base. You can always adjust your portfolio, as needed, in response to changing market or economic conditions, but don’t act on these possible circumstances just because someone, somewhere, has predicted them. Instead, follow triedand-true principles such as diversification, which can help reduce the impact of volatility on your holdings. (However, diversification can’t guarantee a profit or protect against loss.) The ghouls and goblins you see on Halloween are unlikely to cause you nightmares. And the various phantoms of the investment world may prove just as illusory. Don’t let them scare you away from investing. This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.
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WWW.AMERICAN CHRISTIAN VOICE.COM | VOL.11 #4
we told you we were fun Answers to Sudoku Puzzle on Page 23
Online readers, we’ve included a link to printable PDF for this puzzle page!
Answers to Cross-Word Puzzle on Page 42
BRAIN TEASERS What does this say? HIGH HIGH HIGH HIGH HIGH When I'm young I'm tall When I'm old I'm short When I'm alive I glow Because of your breath I die 42 Spirits 43 Possessive pronoun 44 Type of cheese 46 Authoritative list of scripture 48 7 days 49 He built the ark 51 Northeast by east 53 Mother-inlaw of Ruth 55 Jewish teacher 58 Farm animal 59 No room for them in the __ 61 Cry 62 Pen stuff 64 Heron 66 A name of God 68 Sugar-free brand 70 Rook's game 71 Central processing unit 72 Wary 73 Tier
74 Electroencephal ograph (abbr.) 75 Branch of learning DOWN 1 Small dirty area 2 Humorous 3 Playing field 4 Microgram 5 Cain's brother 6 Lager 7 Jetty 8 Kimono sash 9 On earth __, good will toward men 10 Sacrificial table 11 For fear that 13 Villain in book of Esther 15 Walking (KJV) 21 Kitty 23 Object of false worship 26 Chief executive officer 28 Reporter's
question 30 Wife of Abraham 31 Evil angel 32 Clutch 33 Lubricate 34 Compass point 36 Roll 38 Ill-being 39 Remind 40 Noah's __ 45 Card game 46 Adam's son 47 A Roman emperor 48 Spider's net 50 Leaves out 52 Tower of __ 53 Silent __ 54 Match 56 Chomper 57 Unreactive 58 Chest muscles 60 Goodly 61 Priggish 63 Lock openers 65 Sixth sense 67 Baboon 69 Ocean
What am I? What has six eyes, but can not see? What gets smaller when ideas grow? 500 at the beginning, 500 at the end, 5 in the middle is seen, The first of all letters, the first of all figures Take up their stations between, String them all together, and you will see The name of an ancient king. What does this say? TOIMWN
Answers: High Five; a Candle; Three Blind Mice; a Pencil; 500 is D (in Roman numerals), so D___D. Then 5 is V (also Roman numerals) so now we have D_V_D. The first of all letters is A, and the first of all Roman numerals/figures is I. Now we have DAVID!; I’m in town
ACROSS 1 Fraud 5 Drain 8 Opaque gem 12 Veranda 14 Samuel's mentor 15 White poplar 16 Last letter of Greek alphabet 17 Ball holder 18 Type of car 19 Container 20 Miles per hour 22 Rio de Janeiro 24 Mouse catcher 25 Chocolate tree 27 Widow's property 29 Son of Seth 31 Does (KJV) 32 Taboo 35 Mark 37 Young Women's Christian Association 41 Old Testament city
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food for thought
What The Fall Feasts Mean To Jews ll Israelis are encouraged to prepare for Israel's High Holy Days with forgiveness in their hearts.
BY SAM NADLER
A
The Fall Feasts of Israel, the most important appointments of the biblical calendar. These three feasts: The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh HaShanah), the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), hold great biblical, historical, and prophetic significance for believers in Yeshua (Jesus) as they point to the events surrounding His second coming (This will be explained more fully in my next article for Standing With Israel). The sixth month of the Hebrew calendar, the month of Elul, (beginning August 16th this year) is traditionally a time of spiritual preparation as Jewish people anticipate these upcoming High Holy Days. One of the customs that is practiced during this time is the reciting of Selichot, special prayers for forgiveness, also said on days of fasting. In the Sephardic Jewish tradition, these prayers are said throughout the month, whereas in the Ashkenazic Jewish tradition, they are added to the morning synagogue services near the end of the month. These prayers continue throughout the High Holy Days as individuals consider the profound issues of life and death, sin and forgiveness. The significance given to these prayers in traditional Jewish thinking shows up in the three levels of forgiveness which people hope to attain. Traditionally, these levels are identified by three Hebrew terms: selichah (pardon), mechilah (wiping away), and kapparah (atonement). They are all related to forgiveness, but each has its own shade of meaning. In Israel, a common word for "pardon" or "excuse me" is selichah. This is the first step a person takes if a sin has been committed, whether against God or man. One asks for forgiveness, saying to the offended party, "I
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am sorry for what I did; I sincerely regret having done it, and will never do it again." It is considered cruel not to accept a person's sincere apology. Mechilah is usually translated as "wiping away," It is a response to the request, "Can our relationship be as it was before I offended you?" At this level, the relationship gets a "reset button." It is more difficult to accomplish than selichah, but not impossible. Kapparah is usually translated as "atonement," (as in the Day of Atonement).
This level of forgiveness is the deepest of all as it deals with a person's guilty conscience. It is recognized that only God can heal and comfort the conscience of a person. In traditional Jewish circles, "kapparah" completes this three-part process on Yom Kippur. What can truly bring the deepest level of forgiveness between man and God? We remember how the people of Israel sinned at the giving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai when they created and worshipped a golden calf. Beginning in the month of Elul, Moses prayed to God for Israel's spiritual restoration. God's favorable response was to provide a new set of tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments, and to renew His Presence in the people's midst. It is said by the sages that when Moses went up the second time to receive the two tablets, the people of Israel blew the shofar to remind themselves not to fall into idol worship ever again. Thus the shofar is also blown at the beginning of the month of Elul as a reminder of our frailty and of how easy it is to stumble.
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The New Covenant (New Testament) shows us that there is One who can forgive sins fully, even to the core of our being and to the cleansing and healing of our souls (Matthew 9:6). Because of Yeshua's onceand-for-all atonement, there is never a need for any other offering for sin (Hebrews 10:18). As we confess our sins, Messiah's atonement is enough to enjoy the renewal of our souls before God (1 John 1:9), and our prayers are now of praise and thanksgiving. In Messiah's atonement, we have the grace of God to forgive one another for any offense committed against us (Ephesians 4:32). Indeed, by this same grace, we can not only forgive but also comfort any who are guilt ridden by their consciences (2 Corinthians 2:7). In Messiah's atonement is full forgiveness, not merely restoration to a previous relationship, but "forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith" (Acts 26:18). Therefore, let us be prepared indeed! As we anticipate Messiah's return, let us prepare our hearts that we will not be "ashamed at His coming" (1 John 2:28). And as we approach the High Holy Days during this month of Elul, let us commit to pray that not only will we be prepared, but that Israel and all people will be prepared to meet with the Lord as a result of the true forgiveness which comes only through Messiah. "Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel!" (Amos 4:12). Dr. Sam Nadler is a Jewish believer in Jesus and has been in Messianic Jewish ministry for over 40 years. Sam is the president of Word of Messiah Ministries, which is bringing the Good News to the Jew first but not to the Jew only, and planting Messianic Congregations in Jewish communities worldwide. To equip the Body of Messiah in our shared calling, Sam has written multiple books on Jewish evangelism, discipleship, and the Feasts of Israel. Sam mentors Messianic leaders around the world, and regularly holds leadership conferences to train and encourage congregation planters in their vital ministry. For more information and resources, visit:
www.WordOfMessiah.org
travel that was growing right out of the mountainsides, hilltops and valleys. So, yes, Eureka Springs was founded due to the spring waters and their benefits, but the town quickly became a tourist town and continues to be today. In fact, tourism is the only industry in this little town!
hough native American’s had been visiting the springs in the hills and valleys of what is now known as Eureka Springs, for centuries, the first Caucasians arrived and began settling here in the very early 1800’s.
T
The early settlers were here due to the abundance of wildlife, not spring water. However, the wildlife was abundant due to the spring water that flowed constantly, year round. It didn’t take long for the settlers to either experience for themselves or learn from the native Americans about the healing and health benefits of the spring waters. Many of the folks were here because of the springs, but many were here to house, feed and entertain all the visitors that flooded into these rugged Ozark mountains to see this unique and beautiful Victorian village
Eureka Springs is still a place of beauty, solitude and hospitality. A place of diversity and inspiration. A place where, as one slogan puts it, “Where the misfits fit!” It has always been a great melting pot of people. Especially friendly people. People who make their livings by taking care of visitors…serving people! Whoever they are and wherever they come from. For history and architecture lovers, you will love the Eureka Springs Historic District Tram Tour – www.EurekaSpringsTramTours.com. Take the 90 minute tour and find out some of the reasons that Robert Ripley of Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Called Eureka Springs “One of the 10 most unusual places in America!” Visit one of more than 63 springs inside the city limits and enjoy the history of and short break at the 1886 Crescent Hotel. The Eureka Springs trolley system
makes exploring Eureka Springs during the day very easy and affordable. Park your car and “Ride the Trolley” Save parking meter fees and the frustration of driving the narrow winding streets and roads of Eureka Springs. The trolley’s even visit the world famous building, “Thorncrown Chapel” www.Thorncrown.com, a “Must See” place, located just outside the city limits on Highway 62 west. There truly are so many things to see and do in and around Eureka Springs. Places like Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, the ES & NA Railway excursion and dining train, canoe trips, scuba diving and snorkeling in Beaver and/or Table Rock Lakes, shopping and dining, spa packages, walking trails, fishing and many other fun things. And if you like help in planning your vacations, we suggest contacting the folks at Joe Gunnels Tours and Reservation Service – www.JoeGunnelsTours.com at 479-253-6852 or joe@joegunnelstours.com. They will help you with lodging, tours, tickets, spa packages, meals, etc. While many places “try” to look historic, Eureka Springs is the real deal.
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political stand-outs
Carly Fiorina’s Shining Moment eggy Noonan—special assistant to the 40th president— once recalled how Reagan would take time each day to pour over a selection of “a dozen or so” letters from the thousands that came daily. Not only did he read them, but he took time to respond. It was just who he was. He didn’t do it for political purposes—he responded because, as Noonan further wrote, Reagan was “utterly egalitarian” and “never thought he was stooping to the people he wrote to …” Noonan continued: “He realized that people pour their hearts out to presidents and in a modern, highly technological society with a quarter billion people it was important that they know that they have at least a chance to make it through to the top guy. That is why he answered letters from citizens with the same kind of care and respect that he gave letters from world leaders, from popes and prime ministers. That moment, when you treat the lonely mother like a great leader, is the Great Democratic Moment, the one in your office, alone, that silently expresses who we are.” (pp. 259-260, “When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan”) My husband (who, as many of you know, did not grow up here) once asked me: “So, I understand the importance of Reagan’s policies—but explain to me: why he is revered on SUCH a level today?” He’s right—it seems like Reagan is invoked more often than a candidate’s own family when they’re out on the campaign trail, and there’s nary a conservative gathering, club, or event where his name isn’t dropped at least once.
BY MARY RAMIREZ
P
So what IS it? That certain je ne sai quois of sorts—I contend—was exactly how Noonan’s title describes him: character. Agree or disagree with his politics, he was a genuinely good man—and it was magnetic. The genuineness of his persona set him apart, and I believe it’s actually a starvation for that “realness” that has fostered the Donald Trump phenomena of 2015. Except there’s a difference between bold character—and brashness for the heck of it (think Trump, and his take on Rand Paul: “I never attacked him or his looks, and believe me, there’s plenty of subject matter right there.”)
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But that’s a story for another day—or another writer. I watched the second GOP President Debate—and amid the groan-worthy smackdowns from some, the cringe-worthy boringness of others, and the truly impressive moments from still others— one statement in particular had me shouting at the screen in agreement. It was so powerful a statement that I couldn’t get it out of my head. And there it sat all evening, and all day the following day, right alongside the aforementioned title of Noonan’s book: “Iran and Planned Parenthood. One has something to do with the defense of security of this nation. The other has something to do with the defense of the character of this nation.” That was former HP CEO Carly Fiorina, who continued: “I dare, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama to watch these tapes [in reference to the harvesting of organs from aborted children]. Watch a fully formed fetus on the table, its heart beating, its legs kicking, while someone says ‘we have to keep it alive to harvest its brain.’ This is about the character of our nation …” And in just a few seconds, Fiorina brilliantly summed up the potential demise of our nation and our society: the enemy that longs to kill us from without, and the disease that’s already killing us from within. While our national security is incredibly hard to protect (and incredibly hard to get back once you arm the state sponsor of terror with nuclear weapons), a loss of our character is something rotting and infectious. Americans, especially my liberal friends: we can disagree about economics and foreign policy; we can disagree about immigration and education. We can disagree about a lot—and to be certain, many of these things have dire consequences if poorly or wrongly addressed. We cannot disagree about character. And that’s what we need to recognize as the heart of the rotting problems in our country. It’s a lack of character.
WWW.AMERICAN CHRISTIAN VOICE.COM | VOL.11 #4
It’s a little body prematurely taken from its mother’s womb, lying on a table awaiting death at the hands of a soulless adult who cackles about how best to preserve the parts; a soulless adult who won’t see the inside of a jail for murder, and who is instead defended for “preserving women’s healthcare.” It’s a group that believes cops are “pigs in a blanket” to be fried “like bacon,” and that it should be “open season” on cops and white people—and who are then greeted at the White House. It’s Middle Eastern Christians whose children are being crucified, whose women are being sold into sex slavery, and whose men are being beheaded, and who are subsequently offered no help from a government that instead vowed to help 10,000+ Syrian refugees; one out of every 50 of whom are believed to be Islamic State fighters. It’s a presidental candidate who makes jokes about putting our national security at risk by using a private server for State Department email conversations. I don’t know whether or not Carly Fiorina will, or should win the GOP nomination for the presidency. But I know one thing for certain: if the pinnacle of her campaign was her comment in last Wednesday night’s debate, her efforts have been well worth it. You see, she’s done us a great service by reminding us that no matter WHO we choose, we’re choosing a warrior to fight not just for the economic survival and national security of our country, but for its character; for its very soul. Think about that when you go to the polls. Mary Ramirez is a full-time writer, creator of www.afuturefree.com (a political commentary blog), and contributor to The Chris Salcedo Show (TheBlaze Radio Network, Saturday, from noon to 3 p.m. ET). She can be reached at: afuturefree@aol.com; or on Twitter: @AFutureFree www.AFutureFree.com
branson frontline
Jim and Lori Bakker, hosts of the worldwide television show The Jim Bakker Show, have begun a new mission called Lori’s House. “We are embarking on a ministry that is a part of my destiny in serving the Lord Jesus,” said Lori Bakker. Lori’s House will provide a place of ministry, love, rest, learning, fellowship and caring with its main goal of saving our future generation. babies and caring for their mothers.
provideing assistance for new born babies and their mothers with food, clothing and medical care. Education and job training will also be provided with individual programs tailored to each girl’s needs.
Through donations, Lori’s House is
Lori Bakker is determined to do all she can to keep other girls from going through the pain and tears that she experienced. “I was just 17 years old when I had my first abortion and just 21 when the last of five consecutive
abortions left me unable to ever have a child,” Lori Bakker continued. “We are very serious about this place being used as a Last Days refuge. That’s what we envisioned in the beginning and that’s our goal. An End Times refuge takes on many characteristics, but none more important than saving innocent life.”
BY VEEDA SMITH
Children are a gift from the Lord. Psalms 127:3
Lori’s House is located at Morningside in Blue Eye, Missouri. The one-hour Jim Bakker TV Show taped at Morningside is located at 180 Grace Chapel Road in Blue Eye, Missouri. For more information, visit their website at www.jimbakkershow.com. or call 417 779 9000.
ImagesAtTheCross.org
Ciara Responds to Boyfriend Russell Wilson’s Jaw-Dropping Celibacy Announcement
"I think both of us look at each other and we're like—whew!" Ciara says. "But we take it one day at a time and keep it going with each other, and I'm really enjoying every day that we're sharing." Though their choice has been criticized by some, McPherson has vocalized his support for abstinence.
Russell Wilson and girlfriend Ciara at the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards.
There's "absolutely" no sex happening before marriage for pop sensation Ciara and boyfriend Seattle Seahawks star Russell Wilson. "It's until the deal is sealed," she told a reporter. The two have been in the spotlight recently after Wilson told pastor Miles McPherson God asked the two to wait until marriage. Both
BY JESSILYN JUSTICE
admit it's been a struggle to remain hands off.
"There are some in the media (who) claim waiting until marriage to have sex is 'stupid'. I bet you that this would not be a 'stupid' idea if he were dating their daughter. The thought is: The prettier the girl, the more unrealistic it is to wait. It's as though there is no other option," McPherson says. "... To all of you questioning why there is a hole in your heart after all of the sex you've had—it won't go away by having more sex."
Connect with the newsmakers and storytellers who are impacting our world. Listen to Charisma Connection at charismapodcastnetwork.com.
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transformation
BY JESSILYN JUSTICE
Chris Brown Hears From God, Says He’s Tired of the Devil Ruining His Life hris Brown says he has heard God speak, and he's tired of the devil ruining his life.
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According to the rapper's Instagram, it appears he's been fighting a spiritual battle for some time, and he's tired of the devil ruin-
India’s Government Blocks Access to Porn Websites
ing for help and guidance," Brown writes. "People say 'be a man'. Yeah, that's right but it doesn't take away any pain you really go through." He says he has no more patience for anything that will cause him to self-destruct. Brown's social media followers are reaching out with prayer and support. "I heard and seen your cry God heard your cry I know how you feel you still have everything but it’s like something is missing it is God all the devil wants is to give you everything of this world and take your soul," one commenter writes.
ing his life. Now, though, Brown says he's heard God speak to him:
Another writes: "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, God is with you, keeping you in prayer!"
"What's on the surface always looks like one big party but inside there is a little boy look-
(WNS)--Millions of India’s online moviebrowsers met a mysterious information blockade as laptops glowed with a cryptic message: “This site has been blocked as per the instructions of Competent Authority.” India’s government required internet service providers to block 857 objectionable websites. Telecommunication officials say the sweeping censorship is meant to control easy access to sexually explicit material. The government made no official statement to defend the sweeping censorship, but telecommunications officials say the order is meant to promote moral decency and protect children. “Free and open access to porn websites has been brought under check,” N.N. Kaul, spokesman for India’s telecom department, told Reuters, adding, “We don’t want them to become a social nuisance.”
www.lakesidetireandwheel.com Paul Norman • 616 S. Business 65 Hwy Branson, MO p. 417.334.5179 pgillispie@binswangerglass.com facebook.com/binswangerglass twitter.com/binswangerglass
binswangerglass.com
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BY KYLE WINKLER
we are all broken
BY NICK PITTS
LIVE MURDER, ABORTION, ASHLEY MADISON: NUMBING EFFECT Around 6:45 on a Tuesday morning, Vester Flanagan fumbled with his phone, walked towards a local TV crew filming a segment on tourism, pulled out a gun, and murdered Alison Parker and her colleague Adam Ward on live TV. Earlier last week, the infamous website Ashley Madison was hacked and millions of names were released— names of married individuals who were interested in extramarital affairs. Last month, The Center for Medical Progress began releasing a series of eight videos that depicts Planned Parenthood officials nonchalantly discussing trafficking fetal tissue and organs from aborted babies. All of this is happening while, across the world, ISIS continues to kill innocent people, kidnap children, and embrace a theology that justifies rape. Each one of these tragic stories falls upon our conscience and triggers a type of emotional fight-or-flight response. One can take flight—refuse to acknowledge the evil in Roanoke, downplay the prevalence of infidelity, ignore the national conversation concerning aborted children, or be aloof towards the atrocities overseas. Or one can fight against these atrocities. Research indicates, however, that the desire to fight is increasingly harder the more inundated we are with these acts of violence. In 2009, Brad Bushman and Craig Anderson concluded that exposure to gratuitous violence in the media reduces the aid offered to people in pain. In their first experiment, they found that those who played violent video games took longer to help an injured person and these persons believed that fighting was more normative. They were also less likely to hear an actual fight in comparison to those who played non-violent video games. In the second experiment, the researchers substituted video games for violent movies and found similar results. Bushman and Anderson concluded that exposure to violence in the media numbs us to others' distress and tends to lead to the dismissal of or unawareness of another's pain. Essayist Annie Dillard calls this numbing
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effect a type of "compassion fatigue." We feel a particular form of moral and political paralysis when encountering overwhelming suffering. Large numbers can represent dry statistics, "human beings with the tears dried off." The tears are a type of fuel, the absence of which fails to move individuals to action and fight. Today, we live and move in a world in which Twitter is the first to report the bad news, television news media continually expounds upon the bad news, and Facebook gives us everyone's opinion of the news. To a certain extent, we exist in a world in which the darkness is prevalent and increasingly harder to escape. Inundated by these tragedies, research shows that it not only numbs us, but it also keeps us from fighting back with good. We do not so much escape the darkness, but rather the research indicates we apathetically position ourselves in the darkness and come to the conclusion that any act of our own would be futile. However, the same sun that hardens the clay also melts the snow. Is it possible that tragedy can also function to compel us to action? In the biblical narrative, it appears as though the greatest tragedy, the darkest moment in history, has the power to motivate and compel to do the greatest good. Believers protect themselves against apathy by looking to the cross, in order that they might not grow weary of doing good (Galatians 6:9). Believers look to the greatest tragedy in history and find a man who for the joy set before him endured the calamity for the sake of humanity (Hebrews 12:1-3). Annie Dillard finds that, "You do not have to sit outside in the dark. If, however, you
WWW.AMERICAN CHRISTIAN VOICE.COM | VOL.11 #4
want to look at the stars, you will find that darkness is necessary. But the stars neither require nor demand it." In this age of Aquarius, the only thing that seems to be progressing is the tint of darkness in the world and the extent of brokenness with it. However, blessing often comes with brokenness and stars can shine brighter in the darkness (Philippians 2:15). But in order to shine bright, you must forsake flight and fight the good fight. www.DenisonForum.org
subscribe now (please?) from the publisher...
BY LORRAINE SACOULAS
Why Should You Support the American Christian Voice? e have subscribers in 21 different states and it continues to grow as a Kingdom unifier. We pray the contents will help us all grow in our journey of faith and wisdom.
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We are now in our 11th year of printing the only Christian magazine of its kind in the nation uniquely representing the whole Body of Christ not sponsored by one faction. We have served the Christian community to the best of our ability, trying to be fair and balanced to more than one position on the nonessential matters. Of course, it is the human, religious nature to make twigs into trunks. You can imagine the difficult task we have to try to educate and spiritually mature the believer without
creating a great offense in the process. If this publication took a left-wing, flaming liberal position or a stinking, right-wing, conservative position (extreme opinions either way), folks on both sides of that spectrum would get pretty generous to support their own bias. Having a Christian magazine be moderate to conservative usually generates moderate to conservative financial support because it doesn’t get us all fired up. However, we believe a moderate approach to the majority of ink! hot topics is the most prudent and, dare we say, Christian approach?
Only through our diversity can the Body of Christ be properly represented. All of our distinctions together make the whole story. The ACV is a Kingdom paper. We know a $36.00 yearly subscription for many of us is a huge amount.
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by the grace of God
My Name Was Not on the Ashley Madison Website
Here’s why: I have this vision that in the not too distant future in a dystopian society coming to a city near you, technological advances have made it possible to hack into someone’s thoughts. So, if mine were hacked, would I be disgraced before my wife, children, friends and constituency? To my dismay, I am afraid I would be found guilty. Even though my name didn't appear there, it should have. So my friend was pretty harsh on a particular, prominent pastor after this pastor admitted his name was on the list and most impressively honest enough to say it wasn’t for “research on the moral decay of our culture.” (That would have been my line.) I told my buddy to cover his brother with grace and start the restoration process by intercessory prayer but he said, "I cannot stand to see church leaders being so hypocritical and it has to stop before all Christian witness will be ruined." This was my reply: (Insert your own name here), think about this: Indeed, Christian leaders are held to a higher accountability but they are under no condemnation; just consequence. God will judge them according to their deeds. That is not our job! We are called to love them the way we want to be loved when we screw up. The pastor stated, “God’s judgement fell upon me and my sin has found me out” For an intellectual theologian (maybe that’s a handicap), he doesn’t understand what Grace is all about. God’s wrath was satisfied 2,000 years ago by the blood of the Lamb on the cross. If he thinks he can become more righteous by behavior modification, he will struggle with this stronghold until his grave. He happens to be a Calvinist and many folks in that camp believe that God
loves us so much that He will “grind us in to dust” to bring us to obedience. This belief is contrary to the Word of God. Romans 2:4 says that it is God’s love for us that leads us to repentance. He is not out to get us. “You surely don’t think much of God’s wonderful goodness or of his patience and willingness to put up with you. Don’t you know that the reason God is good to you is because he wants you to turn to him?” (CEV) What happened was a selfish act that resulted in a natural consequence. We are not under the law anymore. He doesn’t want us just to obey the law, he wants us to want to obey it. Another misconception in the church is the way God dealt with sin in the old testament verses the new testament. The law written in stone is to no avail and leads to death. History has proved it. Now it is written in the softness of our hearts so that by our willingness and desire to obey it, produces a happy and eternal life. That fact is largely misunderstood in the church and has bred a sin consciousness that has kept them in bondage instead of the freedom found in those who are in Christ. Example: Which husband would a woman want to be married to; the one who tells her he will never cheat on her because God would really be angry at him or the one who discovers the truth that we are no longer under the law of condemnation, and if it were even permissible, tells her, “Honey, even if there is no law against it, I want you to know that I will never cheat on you and if I have in the past, will never do it again because I love you and would never want to hurt you.” The apostle Paul claimed, “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” 1 Corinthians 6:12 (KJV) The man who is judging all of the outed AshMad participants by saying, “I would never do something like that!” may one day be outed by the thought hackers. Only then to reveal the truth: that while he is making love to his wife he is fantasizing about his
secretary. As far as the 400 offending pastors - if they would have preached the message of mercy, love, covering and Grace, they would have known they would have received it from their flock. Obviously, they never had experienced it for themselves. Instead, they killed their mortal bodies because they practiced what they preached. The law leads to death, it always has.
BY JOHN G. SACOULAS, MANAGING EDITOR
never even heard of the Ashley Madison Website before the scandal broke. The site facilitated illicit, anonymous, sexual affairs. Self righteous hackers broke into their mainframe and released the names of all of their clients. Even though I never visited or participated in that site I refuse to judge all of the men including the 400 pastors that were forced to resign over their involvement with the site.
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Make no mistake, God is not angry at these offenders - he is sad for them that their behavior has brought them and their loved ones heartache. God is long suffering and patient but his love for these men allowed the exposure and stopped them before more carnage could be wrought. He is standing by for them to run into His arms for forgiveness and restoration to those that they may have injured. Except for the few pastors that actually committed suicide, (I chose not to reveal their names because that would be an example of condemnation not restoration. Unfortunately, for them, even though they are now fully restored in and by the work of Christ, they have no opportunity to make it up to their families. I assume they decided that the way good church folk would most likey treat them was unbearable.) all of these men now have a great opportunity. They can refuse to be under the power of things not beneficial and to treat the ones they have hurt with a genuine, intense display of love, grace, compassion and mercy. Their relationships will go from mediocre to stellar in the process. God may have allowed the exposure because there was no repentance, but He was not out to get these men, and for those that remain, he is out to win them home.
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pc insanity
Suspicious Pop-Tart Guns Versus Scientific Suitcase Clocks n an effort to assuage what is perceived to be the fragile sensibilities of MuslimAmericans, Barack Obama has once again bowed to political correctness by extending his usual partiality toward an individual based solely on skin color and religion. This time, the person at the center of the controversy is Ahmed Mohamed. Ahmed is the 14-year-old Sudanese-American aspiring clockmaker who has proven to be bright enough to impress his teachers with his engineering prowess – but apparently not bright enough to know that bringing a homemade digital clock to school with wires snaking out of it, stored inside a briefcase, isn’t a good idea.
BY JEANNIE DEANGELIS
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As it turns out, Ahmed is also the son of Sufi Dallas imam Mohamed Elhassan, who once ran for the presidency in Sudan on the platform that, if elected, he would lift sanctions the U.S. imposed on Sudan in the late 1990s because of that nation’s alleged sponsorship of terrorism. Mr. Elhassan was also embroiled in controversy when he acted as a defense attorney on behalf of the Quran when Florida Pastor Terry Jones threatened to burn the Islamic holy book. Mohamed Elhassan, who calls himself a sheik, now has a son who in his own right has become an overnight social media sensation by managing to register on Barack Obama’s racial injustice radar. Despite young Ahmed being treated more respectfully than other children half his age who’ve been punished for doing things far less alarming than bringing a suitcase clock to class, in reaction to the school taking routine precautions concerning Ahmed’s science project, the Mohamed family is accusing the Irving, Texas school district of
Islamophobia. One would think that since immigration has swelled the Muslim population in America to 6.2 million, the Mohameds would understand that because Ahmed is one of millions of Allah-loving students presently occupying desks in America’s classrooms, reprimanding their son doesn’t mean he’s being profiled. Nonetheless, unlike in the case of Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, who also had an affinity for wiring up and transporting household items, being a Muslim with a digital clock in a suitcase has served Ahmed well. For starters, Obama, who still hasn’t contacted Kate Steinle’s parents since their daughter was murdered by an illegal alien and felon in San Francisco, tweeted kudos to the studious teen. In the tweet, the would-be horologist got an invitation to bring the ticking timepiece to the same White House that goes into lockdown over suspicious-looking coffee cups. Above clock-making, Ahmed is being celebrated for his interest in science. As a matter of fact, in his laudatory tweet, President Obama, who also inspires young Iranians to take an interest in nuclear science, commended Mohamed for his technical expertise by implying that kids making clocks that look like suitcase bombs exemplify “what makes America great.” In addition to Obama’s invite, Ahmed also got a “like” from Facebook’s Mark Zuckerburg, was offered an internship at Twitter, and, after being pictured wearing a NASA t-shirt, was offered a summer scholarship at Space Camp USA in Alabama. However, what this love fest has yet to reveal is how an allAmerican kid like Ahmed’s detention for bringing a suspiciouslooking suitcase to school may have successfully
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paved the way for children with Muslimsounding names to avoid being questioned if, in the future, they too decide to pack a “cool clock” or a pressure cooker into their backpacks. Moreover, if liking science is an indicator of inspirational greatness, one can’t help but wonder why the president never commended young Josh Welch of Baltimore, Maryland for his exciting artistic expression. Instead, Josh, the seven-year-old who maintained that his Pop-Tart “gun” was just an attempt to fashion a breakfast food into a mountain range, was suspended from school for two days because, instead of the Grand Tetons, Josh’s creation resembled something that looked like a Glock 19. If only Josh had made a clock that looked like a Glock, President Obama might have invited him to the White House, too! Not likely. What ever happened to the Janet Napolitano-coined DHS motto “If you see something, say something?” At the end of the day, this isn’t about a presidential tweet or whether the authorities discriminated against a Muslim kid with an interest in science. The crux of the issue here is why schools’ “zero tolerance” safety policy suddenly has two different standards. Why, in the midst of the War on Terror, should a 14-year-old boy of Middle Eastern descent bringing a ticking circuit board to school in a metal suitcase be exempted from scrutiny? Jeannie hosts a blog at: www.Jeannie-ology.com
respect
Be Respectful to Law-Enforcement Officers
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And Sam Dubose, shot in Cincinnati, was a frequent flyer, had 25 marijuana arrests, and had been in and out of jail and prison 90 times. Had he not tried to drive away
with the officer hanging into the car door, he might be alive today. And Sandra Bland was stopped for failing to signal, as many citizens are for minor speeding and traffic offenses. If she would have doused her cigarette and her attitude and then been respectful she might have received a warning or traffic summons. But she was high on drugs and challenging to the officer. And many of the 30 other African-American men killed or wounded since Ferguson have instances of arguing and challenging the law. As a long time criminal defense attorney
SPONSORED BY DEE WAMPLER
f Michael Brown in Ferguson would have stopped walking down the middle of the street, stop robbing convenient stores high on drugs, and had been respectful to Officer Darren Wilson, he might still be alive. The hands up don't shoot was a fiction from eyewitnesses who later recanted under cross-examination read the grand jury transcripts who lied to go along with the discrimination façade. But the looters were not concerned with the facts. Wilson was cleared by a state grand jury and the federal civil rights division. And if Eric Garner of New York City, who had been in and out of prison and had been arrested 30 times for various offenses, had been respectful and obedient to law enforcement officers, he might be alive and not died in a subsequent choke-hold. Garner had been arrested by police 30 times for assault, resisting arrest, and grand larceny, including multiple arrests for selling unlicensed cigarettes.
and former prosecuting attorney, never argue with the man with the badge and the gun, even if you think you are right and he is wrong. If you prove to be correct later, you can file a complaint or a civil rights lawsuit. But, in the meantime, all citizens, black and white, should stop arguing and be respectful to law enforcement officers and instruct your children and grandchildren as well. There has been, and continues to be, common patterns. Some law-enforcement officers, making snap decisions admittedly do make mistakes. Some may be too quick on the draw after investigators complete there Monday morning quarterbacking. But all too often the “triggering” event is not the officer’s service revolver, but the initial disrespect for the badge.
Springfield, MO Attorney Dee Wampler has 50 years trial experience as a Greene County prosecutor and defense attorney, and is the author of “The Myth of Separation of Church and State” and “The Trial of Christ: A 21st Century Lawyer Defends Jesus.”
With a Bomb in One Hand and a Friendly Gesture in the Other Spy vs. Spy was created in 1961 by Antonio Prohías. It became a favorite of MAD enthusiasts. Born as a Cuban national, he moved to America after his criticisms of Castro’s policies landed him jobless. His perspective of life between two fronts of the Cold War led him to conclude that both sides were quite simply and fundamentally deceitful and violent. Neither side was ‘good’ or bad’. It was rather that both were conniving and murderous forces with a sole purpose toward their enemy’s destruction. The futility of their opposition and the purposeless destruction that it wrought yielded black humor.
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cares of the world
How America Became Entangled by Materiali$m n a drizzly day in June 1978, Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn delivered a riveting commencement address to a crowded audience on Harvard Yard that would shake the foundations of the way Americans thought about themselves.
BY PATRICK MORLEY
O
"When the modern Western states were being formed," he said, "it was proclaimed as a principle that governments are meant to serve man and that man lives in order to be free and pursue happiness. In the process, however, one psychological detail has been overlooked: the constant desire to have still more things and a still better life and the struggle to this end imprints many Western faces with worry and even depression, though it is customary to carefully conceal such feelings. This active and tense competition comes to dominate all human thought and does not in the least open a way to free spiritual development." Two years earlier, Francis Schaeffer wrote that the majority of people had adopted two impoverished values: personal peace and affluence. "Affluence means an overwhelming and ever-increasing prosperity—a life made up of things, things, and more things—a success judged by an ever-higher level of material abundance." Why are Americans caught up in the constant desire for more and more things? The material prosperity we enjoy is a modern miracle. In 1950 our homes were one-third their present size, no one had heard of an invention called a "personal computer," Greyhound was how America traveled, space exploration was an abstract idea, television was an infant, and a millionaire was a rarity. Our progress would make even Solomon burn with envy. Who would have guessed that, in the 65 short years since the end of the Great Depression (1942) and World War II (1945), America would achieve such a remarkable standard of living—even in the middle of such a devastating recession? Yet, our prosperity has a dark side. The dominant economic theory in America in our lifetime has been consumerism. Webster's Dictionary defines consumerism as: "the economic theory that a progressively greater consumption of
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goods is beneficial." Is this true? A glance at newspaper ads and TV commercials readily proves that, true or not, the world of commerce diligently applies this theory to their marketing and business plans.
time when people can pay with cash they have saved. Today, we can instantly gratify our desires for an ever-growing litany of products, which—according to Madison Avenue—symbolize progress and change.
All in all, America is sick. We have a bad case of the "-isms." Standing behind this constant desire for more and more things are a host of addictions to "-isms," such as individualism, hedonism, materialism, relativism, careerism, secularism and materialism. Materialism is buying things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't like.
A fascination with new things creates a restlessness in modern man. Through the structure of advertising the ethic of "sell" constantly bombards us with the newest, most improved gadgets. Madison Avenue pinstripers have created a phenomenon we might call psychological obsolescence. We are made to feel itchy for a new car, even though the one we have had for only three years runs fine.
The American opportunity for prosperity has spun out of control. We have created a nation addicted to consumption rather that production. Rather than an overriding desire to produce value and make a contribution, we have created a culture that wants the benefits of labor without the obligation to perform it. Richard Weaver says we have observed the extinction of the idea of mission—that men no longer dream of high goals like building a cathedral. The end result is self-pampering and eventually self-disgust, for the ancient truth that labor is therapeutic has been lost. Man's decision to live wholly in this world is evidenced by the worship of comfort rather than making a contribution to the public good. here is, of course, nothing inherently wrong with consuming. It is elevating consuming and consumption to a philosophy of life that leads to sin. Paul said it best: "Those who use the things of this world (should live) as though not engrossed with them" (1 Cor. 7:31). While consumption is no sin, it is "pre-sin." Virtually any good thing can become sinful when carried to the extreme. The Scriptures put it this way: "A little yeast works its way through the whole batch of dough" (1 Cor. 5:6) and "'Everything is permissible for me'--but not everything is beneficial" (1 Cor. 6:12).
The advances of technology give Americans "convenience, comfort, speed, hygiene, and abundance" in such proportion that there seems to be little need to look anywhere else for fulfillment, meaning, and purpose. Indeed, we don't even need to plumb the meaning of death because we can postpone it. Forces That Encourage This Desire in Philosophy
Forces That Encourage Materialism
Previous cultures took it as a task to preserve their culture--its inventions, values, etc. Today, this is almost seen as a wicked idea. Change, even change for the sake of change, is a virtue. C. S. Lewis said that what one generation called permanence, we now call stagnation. This idea inexorably feeds the desire for more and more things.
The constant desire for more and more things is encouraged in social structures. The availability of installment credit, which Daniel Bell calls "the greatest single engine in the destruction of the Protestant work ethic," has eliminated the need to postpone acquisitions and defer gratification until a
An evolution from community to individualism has made us a more anthropocentric culture. Today the manager and the therapist, products of this individualism, define the outlines of American culture. The assumption is that we can manage and fix everything, whether
WWW.AMERICAN CHRISTIAN VOICE.COM | VOL.11 #4
a problem in production or making someone feel good about themselves. We have seen a loss of language that speaks for the public and common good, and of a concern for community. The triumphant language today is that of individualism, a concern for the individual.7 This has in turn led to self-centeredness. Selfishness inevitably leads to a desire for more and more things.
Biblical Christians are a community of orthodoxy concerned for right beliefs. The church, rather than calling people to sacrifice and self-denial, too often ends up catering to the ambitions of its congregation. The church shows men how to be successful but not how to be faithful. Rather than calling men from materialism, "me"ism, and worldly lifestyles, the church becomes the agent of personal fulfillment for men who cannot control their appetite for more and more things. Individualism in the church, the infatuation with the "new thing," and an insatiable desire for more and more things has caused a segment of the church to refocus on meeting the felt needs of people. Seekersensitive services often entertain the mind, but do not engage the soul. The church begins to offer its attendees support rather than salvation, help rather than holiness.
Theological Compromise The constant desire for more and more things has led to a syncretism between materialism and Christianity (if such a thing was possible). People begin to think the purpose of Christianity is to help them become more successful, and that if God loves them He will bless them with a temporal blessing. In the process, people become cultural Christians, which is to say there is not any marginal difference between the way they order their lifestyles and the way nonbelievers order theirs. There is a God we want and there is a God who is. They are not the same God. Cultural Christianity means to seek the God (or gods) we want and not the God who is. It means to want God to be a gentle grandfather type who spoils us and lets us have our own way. It is to live by our own ideas, to be a Christian on our own terms. To be a Cultural Christian is to abandon the first principles of orthodoxy. Whereas Cultural Christians are a community of orthopathos concerned for right feelings,
In this process the church becomes worldly. People become consumers of religion instead of worshippers of the most holy God. They come to receive a blessing rather than give God a blessing. They come to be entertained rather than to be broken. The congregation is looked at as an audience to be entertained rather than a flock of sheep to be discipled. All this comes from an anthropocentrism fostered by culture, but not expunged by biblical preaching. Instead, the insatiable desire for more and more things is overlooked or, worse, promoted as the essence of how God blesses. Furthermore, the church has often been too seeker-sensitive by allowing people to remain anonymous without at some point calling them to transition into becoming part of a community of believers. According to Bellah, religious individualism must be transformed by reconnecting it to the public realm. However, in other ways, the church has not been seeker-sensitive enough. The church has not recognized the confusion of the
average Christian about how to live an intentional, deliberate Christian life. The church has not discipled men and women how to go "into" the world without becoming worldly. Deliberate Christian Living Ministry that is sensitive must simultaneously respond to the survival needs of daily living while at the same time elevate people's thinking to the higher plane of worship, praise, and thanksgiving. So how does the church balance appealing to seekers with transforming them? The church needs to begin where people live day-to-day. Today the church and culture are so far apart that preaching "bridges" must be constructed that bring people from the world in which they live and struggle into the Holy of Holies, where they can feel a fresh touch from the living God. To do this effectively, we must give seekers what they need in the context of what they want—real needs cloaked in their felt needs. Today people want success. So let's talk to them about success, but then transition into what constitutes true success from God's eternal perspective. Meaningful ministry must call people to right things: surrender, sacrifice, suffering, and service; not to success. It must help people discover their identity and purpose in Christ, not in satisfying worldly ambitions. It must help them discover their spiritual gifts and calling, rather than endorse the pursuit of pleasure. It must help men and women discover God's will rather than encouraging them to write their own script—a script that invariably includes a constant desire for more and more things. For the half of our churches that are getting it right, to God be the glory. Enter into His rest. For the other half, God loves you, but he wants you to "repent and do the things you did at first" (Rev. 2:5). Pat Morley is the Founder and CEO of Man in the Mirror. After building one of Florida's 100 largest privately held companies, in 1991, he founded Man in the Mirror, a nonprofit organization to help men find meaning and purpose in life. Dr. Morley is the bestselling author of The Man in the Mirror, No Man Left Behind, Dad in the Mirror, and A Man's Guide to the Spiritual Disciplines.
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Who we are in Christ well-known speaker started off his seminar holding up a $100.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $100 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $100 to one of you but first, let me do this." He p r o ceeded to crumple up the $100 dollar bill. He then asked, "Who still wa n t s it...?" Still the hands were up in the air. "Well," he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?" Still the hands went into
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(Pray for the peace of Jerusalem) Tehillim/Psalms 122:6
the air. "My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $100. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We may feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what h a s h a p pened or what w i l l happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE. You are special-Don't EVER forget it."
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Adversity makes men. Prosperity makes monsters - Victor Hugo
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heart break & joy
M
Family was what we agreed to be the most precious. She saw God in her sisters, Kristee and Jessica and parents, Greg & Jan for putting up with her ****! (I loved her honest assessments in her own colorful way) She said she was convinced of God’s love for her, not only by giving her His son, but for giving her a son of her own, Joey.
She said, “Uncle Johnny, why am I like this? If I had a button to push to remove my addictions I surely would.” I explained to her about the human condition of displaying cognitive dissonance. (Knowing your own behavior was destructive and you do it anyway. And then you loathe yourself for it and repeat it after you swore you would never do that again. I explained to her
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that everyone has it to some degree and if they claim otherwise, were in their own right dysfunctional and deluded.) I then proceeded to explain that her button was called free will.
with addictions. Quite honestly, if a person is born with a different wiring of the brain than us it should be considered a handicap. None of us would deliberately push someone down a flight of stairs in a wheelchair. That would be wrong. But then we do the same to people who exhibit certain mental issues because we cannot see or agree that there is a handicap there. This is why as Christians, the prime directive above all behaviors is “DO NOT JUDGE, LEST YOU BE JUDGED.” I praise God that April is now free of the strongholds that consumed her and she is at peace forever. As for me and our family we will miss her until we are all together again. Only the next time, we will not possess all the junk common to the human condition. And that will surely be the sweetest thing of all.
BY JOHN G. SACOULAS, MANAGING EDITOR
y family’s hearts are broken at the loss of my beautiful niece, April Sacoulas. She was the first one to make me an uncle and we shared special moments over her short life that I will always cherish. It was a special comfort that at my Dad’s own passing we shared each other’s hearts. We spoke of God and His plan of salvation. We both agreed He was awesome to provide an escape hatch (Jesus) for our weak and defiant flesh. We shared our sorrows as well as our blessings.
I gave her a great religious answer but the truth is, there are strongholds that can dominate our body, soul and minds.
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Vjg"qtkikpcn"Ecv"Yqocp O{"iqtigqwu"pkgegu."Crtkn."Lguukec cpf"Mtkuvgg."vjtgg"tqugu"uwttqwpfkpi vjkgt"Wpeng"vjqtp0
The kind that no therapy, counseling or rehab can possibly touch. I believe that for some were able to partner with God for a miracle and find success. I also believe that in particular cases they find their complete healing by shedding their mortal coil. April with my dad, her Papou, shortly before his passing
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relationships
BY TIM CHALLIES
Love is a Risky Business ove is a risky business. In one way or another, at one time or another, we have all suffered because we have loved. We have all been shocked to learn something we didn’t know before, we have all been grieved as we have discovered another person’s hidden actions or behavior. Some of us have even asked: If I had known that before, would I have still loved her? Now that I know that, can I still love him?
L
We love people based on incomplete knowledge. We love them as far as we know them. But always we admit the risk of love. The risk of love is that new knowledge can jeopardize the strength, the trust, even the existence of that relationship. I didn’t know that she had lived that life before we were married; I didn’t know that he had a separate bank account and don’t know what it means; I didn’t know about his addiction to pornog-
raphy. On and on it goes. But God’s knowledge of us is completely different. It is completely complete. Where our knowledge of one another is
He goes on:
limited, where it is built upon the little bit we know of the other person, God’s knowledge of us is unlimited by the past, present, and future. He already knows our deepest, darkest secrets, and he loves us still. And this is a profound comfort to us.
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J.I. Packer says, “There is tremendous relief in knowing that his love for me is utterly realistic, based at every point on prior knowledge of the worst about me, so that no discovery now can disillusion him about me, in the way I am so often disillusioned about myself, and quench his determination to bless me.”
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There is, c e r t a i n l y, great cause for humility in the thought that he sees all the twisted things about me that my fellow humans do not see (and I am glad!), and that he sees more corruption in me than that which I see in myself (which, in all conscience, is enough). There is, however, equally great incentive to worship and love God in the thought that, for
some unfathomable reason, he wants me as his friend, and desires to be my friend, and has given his Son to die for me in order to realize this purpose.” God takes no risk in his love, because he knows everything about me. He knows all I have done, all I am doing, all I ever will do. He will never receive new knowledge of me that may cause him to question his determination to call me his friend. And for that reason, no relationship I have will ever be more secure than my relationship with him. “Knowing God,” Packer says, “is a relationship calculated to thrill a person’s heart.” Does it thrill your heart that you, even you, are a friend of God?
www.Challies.com
IN ADDITION IT IS CALLED “CHAG HA
GOYIM” (THE FEAST OF THE NATIONS) This is very interesting, because once again we see that the biblical Jewish feasts of the Lord are not just for the Israelites, but for all the nations. In Deut. 16:11-16 , God commanded any “strangers” living amongst the Israelites to celebrate Sukkot (The Feast of Tabernacles) with them. The word for “stranger” reads in Hebrew “geyr” which can also mean a foreigner, and alien, a non – Israelite or a Gentile, from the word “geyr” we get the plural word “goyim” – which means “the nations’ NOT ONLY DOES GOD WANT GENTILE BELIEVERS IN JESUS TO CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES WITH JEWISH BELIEVERS TODAY – IT ALSO HAS GREAT PROPHETIC APPLICATION TOWARD THE FUTURE Zech 14.16 says that after the 2nd coming of the Messiah and the battle of Armageddon, it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations shall go up year after year to worship the King ( that’s Yeshua) the Lord of Hosts, and keep the Feast of Tabernacles. Yeshua is going to rule and reign the whole earth from Jerusalem for a 1000 years, and each and every year we will all (Jew & Gentile alike) celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles together in the presence of the King. When the thousand years are over, there will be a new heaven and a new earth, a new Jerusalem
ask the rabbi
coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband, and the “tabernacle” of God will be with us forever. (REV. 21:1-3) Aren’t you glad that we are all the “bride of Messiah? And aren’t you glad that God ordained not only the Feast of Tabernacles, but all of His Feasts for us to celebrate together – Jew & Gentile alike.
To contact Jeremy for ministry in your congregation, for a radio or television interview or other special event, or for information on his albums or teachings, please call or email:
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WITH RABBI JEREMY STORCH
T
he Feast of Tabernacles is called in Hebrew “Sukkot” (Feast of Booths). Some of the basic scripture references for the Feast of Tabernacles are found in Lev. 23.34-44 & Deut. 16:11-16. Sukkot is one of the most joyful feasts of the Lord celebrated for 7 days, from the 15th -21st of the month of Tishrei, which is the 7 month of the year(during the fall) according to the Hebrew calendar. Yeshua (Jesus) Himself attended the Feast of Tabernacles according to John 7 and on the last & greatest day of the Feast, He stood up in the midst of the people and cried out “if anyone is thirsty, let him come unto Me and from his innermost being will flow rivers of living water”, speaking of the Holy Spirit (John 7:37- 39) THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES HAS DIFFERENT NAMES AND THEMES GIVEN TO IT: It is called in Hebrew “Chag Ha-asif” – “The Feast of Ingathering” because it celebrates the “ingathering” of the fall harvest. It is called “Z’man Simchateynu” – “ the Season of our Rejoicing”. It is also called the “Feast of Dedication” – because it was during the Feast of Tabernacles that the Temple of Solomon was dedicated (2nd Chron. 7) It is also called the “Festival of Lights” (“Chag Ha Orim” in Hebrew) because of the “glory” of God that filled the Temple of Solomon.
McChurch Burger King Calls for Cease-Fire With Archrival McDonald’s n an elaborate publicity stunt, Burger King asked McDonald’s if it will join forces for a good cause.
BY SUZANNE VRANICA
I
In full-page print ad Burger King proposed that the two fast-food giants combine their
ad tactics including resurrecting its King mascot. The ad character has made surprise appearances at public events including the Mayweather vs. Pacquiao fight in May and the Belmont Stakes in June, both of which generated plenty of publicity for the burger chain. The resulting free press and social buzz also bolsters the company’s marketing firepower since its ad spending pales in comparison to its
most iconic burgers–the Whopper & the Big Mac—to create: The McWhopper. Burger King, which is owned by Restaurant Brands International, says its marketing gimmick was aimed at generating awareness for Peace Day, which took place on Sept. 21st, and Peace One Day, a nonprofit that supports the annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence. “We come in peace,” read the ad that appeared in the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune. “We know we’ve had our
rival McDonald’s. McDonald’s shelled out an estimated $936.6 million on ads last year, while Burger King’s ad outlays totaled $237.2 million, according to ad-tracking firm Kantar Media. This latest stunt would have involved the two companies selling the combo-burger at a popup store in Atlanta on Sept. 21. Burger King has set up a website, mcwhopper.com, that lays out the details. Consumers would pay for the burger not with cash, but with a declaration to end their “beef” with someone they know.
McDonald's rejects Burger King's "McWhopper" peace offering with sour grapes
petty differences, but how about we call a cease-fire on these so-called ‘burgerwars’?”
More recently, Burger King, which has broadened its target audience and boosted sales with new product launches, has brought back some of its attention-getting
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Can the Church call a truce long enough to show the world that the only unity we share is the only unity that really makes a difference? by John G. Sacoulas remember believing that God only had one true church on the earth. I was
I
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So, if it turns out that His church really is about honoring tongues or cessation, eschatological truth about the great tribulation being pre-trib, mid trib or post trib, baptismal by infant confirmations or adult full immersion, Holy Communion taken weekly, occasionaly or annually, observing certain days, avoiding certain holidays, eating or not eating certain foods why are we not all in the same organization? There are countless groups that share an almost identical thelogical platform of understanding. It must be that God is using more than just one organized group. That being said, how many are there? He said the world will know them for the love that they have for one another. Aren’t there many groups that love each other? Could the body of Christ really be made up of of many groups functioning within thier own understanding? How about this? We are unified by the Gospel message that states we are eternally lost without the acceptance of Jesus Christ’s shed blood for the remission of our sins. All other truths may still be true but secondary to the Gospel untatinted by what our reponse to it should be. Most non believer’s know Christians by what they are against or do not believe in as opposed to what we all do have in common. (Or should have in common) Peace, mercy, forgiveness and nonjudgements to those that are not under the law. (That means everyone)
Maybe, Spiritual growth begins at the end of our comfort zone.
BY JOHN G. SACOULAS
Burger King has a long history of pulling off marketing stunts in order to generate publicity. In 1998, the company ran an ad in USA Today, introducing the Left-Handed Whopper, an April Fools’ joke. In 2007, a marketing stunt called “Whopper Freakout” filmed patrons being told the Whopper had been taken off the menu.
McDonald's CEO Steve Easterbrook, in a rather stern Facebook post, turned down Burger King's offer to collaborate on a "McWhopper" for Peace Day next month, saying the companies should "do something bigger to make a difference." He also suggested that the request was in bad taste and added that "[a] simple phone call will do next time."
correct but I thought is was an organizationalal fellowship with a human director presiding in a headquarters in a particular city. But now there are many fragments of that same group meeting all over the world. So that must mean it is a collective. It certainly is an invible membership known only to God Himself. Or as Leslie Leylands would put it, “The basis for unity in Christ, is not proximity, understanding or commonality. We are one in Christ not because we are one in the same, but because Christ is the same. It is an impoverished theology that mistakes unity in Christ for sameness in Christ.”
the editor gets the last word
Although there are some who celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles... they are definitely in a minority. A prophecy in Zechariah speaks of a time when all nations will have to keep the feast: Zech 14:16 And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles. And it shall be, that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto Jerusalem to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, even upon them shall be no rain. 18 And if the family of Egypt go not up, and come not, that have no rain; there shall be the plague, wherewith the Lord will smite the heathen that come not up to keep the
feast of tabernacles.
We know that Jesus celebrated it (John 7:2) and if we believe the prophecies then we will keep the feast again in the future. The current period of not celebrating appears anomalous. Why don't Christians generally celebrate Tabernacles now? Right about now, you are probably nervously, wondering where am I going with all of this. Okay, it is an indictment to both the observer and the non observer. For the feint of heart, this might be a good time to check out our crossword puzzles you skipped over on page 27. LOL (For our uninformed readers LOL is not a new version of the Bible. I means “Laugh out loud”)
First to the non observer: Have you ever done a study on the origins of Christian holi-days? The ones that replaced God’s Holy Days. The word Easter comes from the name of an ancient goddess of fertility Esthar. To put it mildly... a sex goddess. Three centuries into the Christian church an emperor named Constantine be came a Christian (For political expediency... think Barak Obama here.) His kingdom was divided by Christians on one side and pagans on the other. Through syncretism he melded the two belief systems together in which he sanitized many pagan rituals with Christian overtones. Do not ridicule your brothers and sisters for observing God’s original Holy Days. At least they all depict not only past dealings God established with His people but future events that have yet been fulfilled. His plan is wrapped up in them. By observing the day of Pentecost it is a wonderful reminder of the
birthday of the church. We know exactly what day it was annually by God’s calander (Lunar) and yet it comes and goes each year without even a pause in our normal routines. I would submit that most of us would never let the remembrance of our own birthday pass without notice. Before you defend your harmless practices of man made holi-days in lieu of the Festivals of God read what Jeremiah says about it in chapter ten of his book. To the Feast keepers: Please do not ridicule your Christian brothers and sisters for keeping holi-days instead of the Holy Days. They are your spiritual kin because only the Holy Spirit of God can give them utterance of that truth. Before you understood the truth about these things you followed the crowd like everyone else that was duped by weaker leaders of the church. And they were not enlightened by thier predecessors either. You should be humbled to know and appreciate these truths. However, this is not what makes you in good standing with God. It is what Christ did on that tree 2,000 years ago that made you righteous before Him. Festival observances are just a perk full of intrinsic blessings because of it. It is not what you do... it is what He did that makes you righteous. You are already righteous before Him because it was given to you as a gift. You bear His righteousness apart of any doctrinal truth that you possess. While I believe God is pleased with your honor to commemorate His plan through the Sabbath and the Holy days, if your motivation is to obtain righteousness through them we are reminded of His rebuke to those trying to do so. The prophet Isaiah speaks to the folly of keeping holy convocations but living with all manners of other transgressions. You are so blessed by keeping His Sabbath each week as a weekly reminder that all of His creation was “Good”. It is time to share this gift from God in love and a testimony of the blessing it has been in your life. However, be careful not to present the gift and overshadow the Gift Giver.
BY JOHN G. SACOULAS, MANAGING EDITOR
Why Don’t More Christians Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles?
I am trying to see the bigger picture from a distance.
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