Christian Times Magazine, Issue 5

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ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

christian times magazine THE VOICE OF TRUTH

Bashar al-Assad horrific chemical attack !

easter edition

Here's what you need to know about uncle sam's strike on syria air base TERRORISTS, CRIMINALITY, SIN AND JUDGEMENT ISLAMIC TERROR , IRA TERROR HUMAN DEPRAVITY

By David Clarke ISLAMIC TERRORISM BEHIND WEST MINISTER ATTACK ADVANCED CITIZENSHIP & ACCOUNTABILITY

By Christopher Grahn-Howard MORE THAN GOLD

By Sari Essaya IN LIFE WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH RELIGION

By RAVEN YOUNGBLOOD

I WARN YOU

Bashar al-Assad

DISCLAIMER

Please be aware that all the articles published in Christian Times magazine are the personal views of authors and not necessarily the views of Christian Times Magazine and Christchurch Bierton Particular Baptists our views are expressed in our Church Article of religion, ‘Bierton Particular Baptists Our Church History’ available from Amazon.com or directly from us on request.

You are welcome to question or raise objections to anything written.

A

r a w n nilA Anil Anwar CEO

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE

Christian times magazine EDITOR IN CHIEF/ CEO MANAGING DIRECTOR UK MANAGING DIRECTOR USA MANAGING DIRECTOR FINLAND

Christian Times Magazine

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ANIL ANWAR

DAVID CLARKE

RAVEN YOUNGBLOOD

MARKO TAPANI

LATVAKOSKI

Contributors Anil Anwar, Pakistan-CEO CTM

David Clarke, Uk-Managing Director & President CTM

Raven Youngblood, USA-Managing Director CTM & President CACI

Christopher Grahn-Howard, USA-Republican Party

Paivi Rasanen, Finland-Member of Finnish Parliament

Marko Tapani Latvakoski, Finland-Managing Director Finland

Dr. Cecil Stewart, Northern Ireland, UK

Dan Brien, USA

Sari Essayah, Finland-Member of Finnish Parliament

Terry Cropper, USA

Marcus Stallworth, USA

Lisa Wenninger, USA

Dr. Sarah Larsen, USA

Jason Beattie, Ireland

Leighton Medley, UK

John Knight, UK

Maurice Barratt, UK

OKECHUKWU OKUGO, USA

Pastor Anwar Shahid John, Pakistan-Chairman PSSS Christchurch Bierton Particular Baptists

Aamir Bashir, Pakistan-Chairmna Voice of Minorities Pakistan

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christian times magazine issue 5 / April 2017

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 05 07 12 14

16

what you need to know about uncle sam's strike on syria air base

TERRORISTS, CRIMINALITY, SIN AND JUDGEMENT ISLAMIC TERROR IRA TERROR HUMAN DEPRAVITY -By David Clarke

ISLAMIC TERRORISM BEHIND WEST MINISTER ATTACK

By Anil Anwar

A doctor defends lifeA doctor defends life

By Paivi Rasanen, Member of Finnish Parliament

ISLAM SENT BY GOD TO REBUKE LAPSED CHRISTIANS

By David Clarke

WWW.CTMAGAZINE.TK

TABLE OF CONTENTS 19 21 23 25

27

ADVANCED CITIZENSHIP & ACCOUNTABILITY

By C hristopher Grahn Howard

iNSIDE MELANIA AND TRUMP'S LOVE LIFE

GOD LOVED US FIRST

By Marko Tapani Latvakoski

THE POWER OF THE RESURRECTION

By Dr. Cecil Stewart

WHY DO PEOPLE SELF SABOTAGE? & STOPPING THE BEHAVIOR!

By Dan Brien

WWW.CTMAGAZINE.TK

TABLE OF CONTENTS 31 32

MORE THAN GOLD

By Sari Essayah, Finnish Parliament

RENDER THEREFORE TO CAESAR THE THINGS THAT ARE CAESAR’S; AND TO GOD, THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD’S,

By Terry Cropper

34

IN LIFE WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH RELIGION

By Raven Youngblood

35

From Text Lingo to Textbook Learning

By Marcus Stallworth

37

HE IS ALIVE!The Lost are Found

By Lisa Wenninger

WWW.CTMAGAZINE.TK

TABLE OF CONTENTS

39 HAVE THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE NOW UNDERSTANDING YOUR NATURE

By Dr. Sarah Larsen

42

THE DIVISION

By Jason Beattie

45

The Holy Spirit and Regeneration

By Leighton Medley

50

THE APPLICATION OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IN EVERYDAY LIFE

By John Knight

52

IT’S ALL IN THE MIND - HOLINESS PART 2

By Maurice Barratt

54

IN THE NEWS

By OK E C H U KWU OK U GO

55

THE TIME OF THE END

By David Clarke

57 DEMAND JUSTICE FOR TANIA MARIYAM

PAGE 05

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

Here's what you need to know about uncle sam's strike on syria air base

Photo Source: Google

ABC News: - A suspected Syrian Government chemical attack has killed scores of people, including children, in the north-western province of Idlib, according to observers and medical officials on the ground. The attack caused many people to choke or faint, and some had foam coming out of their mouths, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, citing medical sources who described it as a sign of a gas attack. US President Donald Trump called the assault "reprehensible" and one that "cannot be ignored by the civilised world," rhetoric that harkened back to Barack Obama's criticism in 2013 of an earlier chemical attack ascribed to President Bashar Assad's forces. Mr Trump said Mr Assad was responsible for the latest deaths, yet also targeted his predecessor's failed strategy to deter such attacks. "These heinous actions by the Bashar alAssad regime are a consequence of the past administration's weakness and irresolution," Mr Trump said.

Trump aides differ over Assad's future after Syria attack

By Sarah N. Lynch and David Lawder | WASHINGTON (Reuters News Agency) 9TH APRIL 2017 Top aides to President Donald Trump demurred on Sunday 9/APRIL 2017 over where U.S. policy on Syria was headed after last week's retaliatory missile strike, leaving open questions about whether removing Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad from power was now one of Trump's goals. After the United States launched cruise missile strikes on a Syrian air base alleged to have launched a

Trump's United Nations ambassador, Nikki Haley, said the United States had "multiple priorities" in Syria and that stability there was impossible with Assad as president.

Trump's United Nations ambassador, Nikki Haley, said the United States had "multiple priorities" in Syria and that stability there was impossible with Assad as president.

"In no way do we see peace in that area with Assad as the head of the Syrian government," Haley told NBC's "Meet the Press."

"And we have to make sure that we're pushing that process.

The political solution has to come together for the good of the people of Syria," she said.

Her comments appeared at odds with those of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who said the U.S. missile strike was aimed solely at deterring the use of chemical weapons by Assad.

"There is no change to our military posture" in Syria, Tillerson said on ABC's 'This Week' program.

Tillerson said the U.S. priority in Syria was defeating Islamic State, the militant group also known as ISIS. Once ISIS is defeated, the United States could turn its attention to trying to help bring about a "political process" that could bring about stability in Syria, he said.

PAGE 06

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

Photo Source: Google

"It is through that political process that we believe the Syrian people will ... be able to decide the fate of Bashar al-Assad," Tillerson said.

A White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said any difference in nuance was inadvertent and unintentional, and declined to comment further.

During the 2016 presidential campaign, Trump said defeating Islamic State was a higher priority than persuading Assad to step down. The Republican criticized calls by his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, for the establishment of a no-fly zone and "safe zones" to protect noncombatants.

"What we should do is focus on ISIS. We should not be focusing on Syria," Trump told Reuters in an interview last October. Tillerson on Sunday blamed Russia for enabling the poison gas attack by failing to follow through on a 2013 agreement to secure and destroy chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria.

"The failure related to the recent strike and the recent terrible chemical weapons attack in large measure is a failure on Russia's part to achieve its commitment to the international community," he added. Russia swiftly condemned last week's attack. On Sunday, a joint command center comprised of Russian, Iranian and militia forces supporting Assad said it would respond to any new aggression and increase its support for its ally. Trump ordered the missile strikes on the Syrian air base after blaming Assad for the chemical weapons attack, which killed at least 70 people, many of them children, in the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhoun. The Syrian government has denied it was behind the assault.

Speaking on "Fox News Sunday," White House national security adviser H.R. McMaster said the United States was "prepared to do more" regarding military action in Syria if necessary.

On whether Assad should be removed from power, McMaster said: "We are not saying that we are the ones who are going to effect that change.

"What we are saying is other countries have to ask themselves some hard questions. Russia should ask themselves, 'What are we doing here?'" McMaster said.

Lawmakers from both the Democratic and Republican parties were supportive of Trump's decision to attack the Syrian air base, but some Republican senators said they were concerned about the lack of policy clarity and Tillerson's strategy of leaving Assad's fate unresolved while concentrating on Islamic State.

"There seem to be a difference in what Ambassador Haley is saying, that Assad has no future, and what I heard this morning from Secretary Tillerson," Republican Senator Marco Rubio told ABC, adding that Tillerson's strategy won't work.

"There is no such thing as Assad yes, but ISIS no," Rubio said.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," said removing Assad from power would require the United States to commit thousands more troops to the country to create safe-haven areas for the opposition to regroup, retrain and ultimately take control of the country.

"You tell the Russians, 'If you continue to bomb the people we train, we'll shoot you down,' Graham said.

(Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch and David Morgan, writing by David Lawder; Editing by Caren Bohan; Editing by James Dalgleish and Jonathan Oatis)

PAGE 07

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE | 5 ISSUE / APRIL 20217

TERRORISTS, CRIMINALITY, SIN AND JUDGEMENT ISLAMIC TERROR IRA TERROR HUMAN DEPRAVITY

BY DAVID CLARKE PRESIDENT & MANAGING DIRECTOR CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE

All organised terror demonstrates that the ideologies and belief systems of terrorists are evil. It is important to name those belief systems and address them with true justice and a re-education of those effected.

In the first century of Christianity the religious leaders of the Jews who were Pharasees, Saducees and lawyers who not only executed Jesus persecuted those who followed Him and in the book of Revelation the evil system of beliefs of these leaders is personified and referent too as Mystery Babylon the great mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth this is because she killed and murdered christians and corrupted the truth of God and typified all those wrong ways warned about and taught in scripture and for which Jerusalem was

destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. warned by Jesus the day of vengeance of our god. In the case of IRA Terrorism they were Roman Catholics.

Martin Mcguiness who recently died was a leader and Chief in command responsible for many deaths and the Brighton Bombing of our prime minister Margret Thatcher in 1984.

Roman Catholicism is a religious system that follows that of the corrupt Jewish system , an anti christian of religion and sister of the whore of Babylon.

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These people fight, kill and terrorists to get their objectives revenge and bringing Sharia law.

This is what they call Jihad, all which is happening now in the UK. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ names the causes of this evil and it warned of the judgement to come to those involved. It tells of the blood guilt and guilt of all sin. It tells of the legal and judicial for sin to be punished by God. The gospel also tells of the way of salvation and states that all have sinned, as expressed in Calvinistic soteriology and the Total depravity and corruption of human nature. All of us are in need of deliverance, which is salvation from sin death and hell and that it is through the death of Christ that provides the atonement for the forgiveness of sins. The article written by David Courtney serves to show that every rank, or social level in society can be corrupt and often those in high places are far worse than lower level criminals. Our magazine and and and work is to educate people by means teaching and our Bierton Particular Baptist College Pakistan works to teach the doctrines of grace and truth of our Lord Jesus Christ. There is one thing that the bible is clear about and that is that God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:23) when it come to judgement for sin and we all learn, from the gospel, that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (fall short of the mark) Rom 3:23.

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DAVE COURTNEY It should be realized that all sins will be punished by God there is no exception and when it comet judging others, as in the a recent case of Martin Mcguiness the former IRA leader

by Lord Tebbitt who judged him to be a coward and multimurder, who wished him to be condemned to hell for his crimes. That is the a reality of all terrorist and sinners unless we turn from our sins and find our peace with God. How ever God is in the business of saving sinners.

This salvation involves pardon for sin, justification from sin by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, a spiritual new birth resulting in repentance. Hence sinners are converted, saved from the judgment to come and brought to peace with God this is what Christ and his apostles taught.

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

PAGE 09

When Christ saves a man from sin he does not leave him in his sins but grants him repentance and turns him to the right way.

You can get your copy of our Christian Times Magazine for further information www.ctmagazine.tk

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 4 / MARCH 2017

Martin MGunness 23 May 1950 - 21 st March 2017.

He was an Irish republican and Sinn Fein political leader in the Irish Republican Army (IRA). He became the MP for Mid Ulster from 1997 until his resignation in 2013. He practiced abstentionism in relation to Westminster Parliament On news of his death Lord Tebbit state that the hoped Martin Manginess is ‘parked in a particularly hot and unpleasant corner of hell for the rest of eternity.

Lord Tebbit who the former Conservative minister branded McGuiness a ‘multimurdered and a coward’.

Lord Tebbit’s wife Margaret was paralysed when an IRA bomb blasted through a Brighton Hotel in 1984 during a Conservative Party conference.

The attack was an assassination attempt against then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her cabinet.

The scene after an IRA exploded a bomb at the Grand Hotel in Brighton (PA) 1984 photos Source: Google

‘I’m just pleased that the world is a sweeter and cleaner place now. He was not only a multi-murderer, he was a coward,’ Lord Tebbit told the Press Association.

‘He knew that the IRA were defeated because British intelligence had penetrated right the way up to the Army Council and that the end was coming.

died aged 66 after a short illness. The Sinn Fein veteran was diagnosed with a rare heart condition at the end of last year. and was the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland from May 2007 to January 2017. He was a former Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) leader

‘He then sought to save his own skin and he knew that it was likely he would be charged before long with several murders which he had personally committed and he decided that the only thing to do was to opt for peace.

He claimed to be a Roman Catholic. I hope that his beliefs turn out to be true and he’ll be parked in a particularly hot and unpleasant corner of hell for the rest of eternity.’ Five people were killed in the 1984 attack, and many were injured. McGuinness, the former Northern Ireland deputy first minister, PAGE 10

Article By David Clarke President Christian Times Magazine UK

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

ISLAMIC TERRORISM BEHIND WEST MINISTER ATTACK LONDON

ISLAMIC TERRORISM BEHIND WESTMINISTER ATTACK Islamic State has claimed responsibility for yesterday’s deadly terror attack in Westminster.

Isis described the man involved – a British-born jihadist who has been named by police as Khalid Masood – as a ‘soldier of Islamic State’. The terror group released a short statement, saying: ‘The attacker yesterday in front of the British Parliament in London was a solider of the Islamic State, executing the operation in response to calls to target citizens of coalition nations’. A statement released through IS's Aamaq news agency said the attacker was a "soldier of the Islamic State". Prime Minister Theresa May told MPs: "What I can confirm is that the man was British-born Converted to Islam and that some years ago he was once investigated by MI5 in relation to concerns about violent extremism.

He was a peripheral figure. The Prime Minister addressed MPs as they gathered at the usual time inside the Palace of Westminster, which a day before had come under attack from the knife-wielding Islamic terrorist. An hour after MPs had stood for a minute's silence in honour of the innocent people killed in the attack, Mrs May delivered a statement with details of the atrocity. Paying tribute to PC Keith Palmer, who died after being stabbed, she said: "He was every inch a hero and his actions will never be forgotten." Anti-terror police have arrested eight people in the wake of the attack.

BY ANIL ANWAR CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE

PHOTOS SOURCE: GOOGLE

PAGE 13 |CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE

A doctor defends life Päivi Räsänen Physician & Member of the Finnish Parliament & Former Minister of Interior

ISSUE NO. 05/ APRIL 2017

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE

A Doctor Defends Life

A doctor defends life Requirements to legalize euthanasia are a fruit of a change in the world view. The culture of death is connected to a change in the view of man.

We have lost the understanding of the sanctity and the special value of human life. Human life is sacred and it must be inviolable, because God created man in his own image. Life is a gift.

Only God, the giver of life, has the right to take the gift away. I do not support the aim of the Citizen’s Initiative to enact a law on euthanasia in Finland, because the right answer to the questions of a dying person is good palliative care.

We have the means and the equipment to give good care and the inviolablity of human life must remain as the essential value both in the society and in social and health care. In addition, legalizing euthanasia would lead to a slippery slope, as the diminishing will to live of elderly persons, sick persons and disabled persons would be answered with offering death as a solution. At the same time we would try to prevent the suicidies of healthy persons.

The foundation of medical ethics is a respect for human life and alleviation of pain. These must be the basis also in the care of dying persons. As a Christian who believes in Jesus, my conviction is based on the word of God. Medical ethics has the same basis: a respect for the human dignity of every person. Giving a lethal injection is possible with a suffering dog, but it does not belong to human medicine.

BY PÄIVI RÄSÄNEN

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

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ISLAM SENT BY GOD TO REBUKE LAPSED CHRISTIANS

BY DAVID CLARKE

The church of Christ ( I am not taking about any particular denomination) consist solely of those born again (John 3: 3), regenerated and called by Christ to follow him. These are people from all walks of life and every culture and nation. They have been redeemed (Pet. 1:18), they have been forgiven, justified and made right with God they have eternal life.

They have turned their back on their former life and false religion and followed Christ.

They Love God and one another and keep the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ (2 John 2:5,6) These are members of the body of Christ and called His church. The Church of Christ is not necessarily made up of those born into a Christian family and made Christians by infant baptism, which is a wrong notion and taught by some in Anglican and all Catholics.

This is because a spiritual birth must take place to make one a child (John 3: 3, 1 Peter 1:23) of God and a member of the body of Christ, His Church. In the UK there is the Anglican church called the Church of England and is on the decline faster than other denominations and that if it carries on shrinking at the rate suggested by the latest British Social Attitude survey, Anglicanism will disappear from Britain by 2033. One day the last native-born Christian will die and that will be that. How ever the point I am

making is that only those who are the spiritual children of God will survive to teach the Gospel to others and like the first century Christian these will be few in number (1 John 2:2) the world will be taken over by a culture and society and religious practices foreign to their parents and the gospel of Christ. It would certainly be understood that religious beliefs of parents can and are conveyed from one generation to another and children being born into a christian family will often adopt the beliefs and morals of their parents. How ever this kind of knowledge that is adopted by those born into such families falls short of a true and spiritual understanding that those have who been born again (John 3:3) and have come to a knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ through reading the word God and being taught by the Spirit of God Himself.

They know Him in a real way.

It would seem to me that this experience of learning notional religious beliefs is true for any person being born into a family having any religious belief system whether it be Roman Catholicism, Muslim , Methodist or Baptists. So it is important that our knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ is authentic and not second hand. What a person believes dictates their behaviour and so it is important to ensure what we believe is in fact the truth of God. The outward

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE

ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

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behaviour of a Christian is seen by their conduct towards others (Matth 5:16) , they do not lie, cheat or steel, they do not back bit, have love for God and wish to share with others the truth of Gods love as demonstrated in the life death and resurrection of the lord Jesus Christ. They will feel grieved when the county they live in sanctions laws that are contrary to the bible such as same sex marriage. Grieved when the country they live in sanctions laws which prevent Christians from teaching the truths of God by showing up the errors of false religion such as Islam, Catholicism, and Judaism. And grieved when fellow believers threat the things of God without due reverence. And they are aware of the need to preserve those truths taught us in the bible, otherwise if they let them slip (Heb 2:2) there will no escape from the evils that will come.

It is true to say that the doctrines taught in the Articles of Religion of the Church of England are Christian. They maintaining the truths of the gospel, the Sovereignty of God, the eternal sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ, redemption by his shed blood, regeneration by the Spirit of God, Justification by faith and by the imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.

All of these doctrines are denied by Islam and other religious groups. The sad thing is that many professing Christians seem to ignore them and the importance of these truths, or not even understand them. Which means they become unable to defend the truths of the gospel and unable to respond to those who come among them and threaten the very foundation our Christian Foundation. This is happening with the Muslim they take their religion seriously and train them selves up to oppose the truths of the gospel. They deny the eternal sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ, they deny he died and rose again and that the promised Holy Spirit (John 16:13) was a reference to Mohamed and not the Spirit of God. We hear and learn of unacceptable practices of the Muslim and their intent to bright Sharah law to our country but have become unconcerned and ignore the effects this will have on our society. It would also seem that many Christians have sentimental views of the love of God and are ignorant of God’s other attributes such as Justice, Mercy and righteousness(Exodus 23:1-9) and in so doing think it unloving if we point out the

ISLAM SENT BY GOD TO REBUKE LAPSED CHRISTIANS

errors, false teaching and evil practices of Islam and other religious system that are not of God It is essential to know God, know the Son of God, as revealed in the word of God, in order to respond to life situations that involve conflicts in religious beliefs and practice. This is the reason why our Bierton Particular Baptists College has been set to promote and teach the gospel of the lord Jesus Christ in a systematic way. We have adopted Dr John Gills Body of Doctrinal and Practical Divinity as a text book and hold close to the Majority or received text of scripture. We believe it importance and essential for all Christians to know and understand the teachings of the gospel of Christ. We need to state clearly who the Lord Jesus Christ is. What he came to do and what he did. We need to understand the effects of the fall of man in Adam. We need to understand the effects on our human will and the need for us to be freed by the Lord Jesus Christ to follow him. We need to understand the virgin birth. We need to understand the unity the divine essence and the three persons in the Godhead, The Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Matt 28:19) . We need discuss Justification by faith and by the imputation of Christ’s righteousness. We need to outline the teaching predestination (Eph 1:5). In short we need to return to the bible and the need to convey know we have a bible the text of which has been preserved for us since he Apostles time. We know that God revealed Himself through Moses in the Old Covenant to Israel of old and when they turned away from the terms and conditions of the covenant into idolatry, that is having other Gods, committing acts of adultery, lying cheating God often sent other nations to vex them in the from of punishment for their wrong doing and sin and then gave them space to repent. If they turn form their wrong doing God would return to them. Now in much the same way when a nation such as great Britain, who once had a profession of Christianity, and taught those ways of God, as revealing in the bible, turn away from the truth and moral ways of the bible, and let those important things slip by allowing or approving of wrong doing such as lying, bribery, blasphemy, Adultery,

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

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ISLAM SENT BY GOD TO REBUKE LAPSED CHRISTIANS

 same sex marriage, women preachers, stealing etc then God will turn them over to those evils that that we are all warned about.

It is my view that since Britain has essentially turned away from the truths of the gospel of Christ as taught in the whole bible and slipped into those moral evils described above God has sent a people (the Muslim) from every nation to dwell in our land, to oppress and dominate. This has taken place and Muslim have taken over many parts of Britain as can be seen by the take over of Luton a town in Bedfordshire where I lived and taught many Muslims between 1978 and 1988. A town that had one mosque at that time and now has 25 Mosques.

The only antidote to the decline in Christianity as a returning to the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel and it is this we seek to do by encouraging people to enrol on our course in Doctrinal and Practical Divinity at Bierton articular Baptiste College, Pakistan. Just contact us for further details christ.church@disciples.com and view details on our Facebook page and website www,BiertonParticularBaptists.co.uk

PAGEÂ 19

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

ADVANCED CITIZENSHIP & ACCOUNTABILITY BYÂ CHRISTOPHER GRAHN-HOWARD Executive Assistant at St. Louis County Council, District 7

If President Trump and the other newly elected officials are to truly protect and defend our rights, ensure our shared Christian heritage is secured, and defend the Republic,we must hold them accountable. In this American Republic we have more than just the right to vote, we have advanced citizenship. Many countries allow the people to vote. It is just democracy or the appearance of democracy. Americans have advanced citizenship. With advanced citizenship we are expected to do more than just vote. Americans tend to forget the United States is not a true Democracy but a Constitutional Republic. This Constitutional Republic uses the democratic method by which to elect our representatives.

We,the people,must be involved, hold elected officials accountable and most of all know what the role of government is and is not. We, the People (Christians),need to be informed, at least to the point where we understand how the system works. We the people are essentially the fourth branch of government.The ultimate check and balance just as God is our ultimate judge.Advanced citizenship is more than just being born with it or just voting. Exercising the rights of citizenship is a matter of duty.

Republicans and Democrats get away with what they do because too few people are informed enough to hold them accountable.

The people gave them the power to make this mess. If we are going to take back our country, we must get people involved and prepared to make informed decisions at the ballot box and beyond. We must be deliberate and intentional in order to hold all elected officials accountable all the time.

They need to hear from us on a regular basis.

They must look over their shoulders every time they get ready to vote.

Grover Nordquist uses a wonderful metaphor for why holding our elected officials accountable matters. Imagine, if you will, a scuba diver with nothing but air tanks on and dropping that diver a thousand feet down into the ocean. What will happen? People are born with an endoskeleton.Our hardened bones are on the inside of our body, whichallows our muscles to propel us on a solid movable frame. If a diver is dropped too deep, the pressure of the ocean will crush the diver. Our lungs and heart will just implode.

However, imagine a lobster or a crab at the bottom of the ocean floor. They do not crush or implode.They have a hard exoskeleton and almost liquid muscles, which allows them to

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

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to bear the pressure of the ocean deep. If we do not work to protect our elected officials at every depth, they will often crush under the pressure of compromise, party, ambition, lobbyists and the tyranny of the appearance of a shifting electorate. Part of holding elected officials accountable is a matter of protecting them, having their back and supporting them when they take a stand. If you do not build a relationship with your elected official, offer to help them, and let them know you have their back, how much will they actually listen to you when you call to chastise them for a wrong vote or position?

This is what effective and proactive citizens do, how they operate and how they get things done. If one wants to say they can hold their elected officials accountable, they also need to prove they will take the time to help.

Christians will understand this concept of accountability partners. A person or small group you are accountable for/to; who pray for you and you for them; a person who has your trust and your permission to call you on your behavior. The parallel here is that as citizens we are to be the accountability partners for our elected officials on every level. As Christians we are to hold each other in loving accountability. How would your elected officials act/react if they knew a group of concerned citizens were praying for them, defending them, and yes, also holding them accountable? Imagine the impact that would have on the outcomes in your state capitols or WashingtonDC. Remember we are to pray without ceasing.Why not pray for all those who are guiding our country?Having sat in the offices of elected officials and heard only complaints from citizens,rare is the email, call or visit where someone says they are praying for you. Every aspect of our American system was developed on the Judeo-Christian philosophy. This is not to say that all good Americans must be Christians. It would be nice, but is not necessary or required. It is to say that American ethics are

ADVANCED CITIZENSHIP & ACCOUNTABILITY

based on Biblical principles.The American Republic functions best when the people understand the basic tenets of Christian ethics. We are all sinners is a good one for starters.Translation for non-Christians – people are not inherently good. Current modern philosophy in politics, education, and worst of all economics is that people are basically good. As Christians we know this is not true; people will lie, cheat, steal, and harm others just to gain advantage. People have a sin nature. Sin is often easy‌not hard.

The hard thing is to tell the truth, work hard, stand by people, no short cuts, not to cheat and not take unfair advantage. There are people every day making business decisions which can hurt us, affect how we live our lives, and takes away our Liberty as much as any liberal led policies. Where the train has run off the rails is when the people are unethical and unchecked. The concept of sin, repentance and redemption is a Biblical check and balance; much like the check and balance on Presidential, Congressional and Judicial power. As Christians, now is not the time to relax. Rather, we must be more diligent than ever. Policies are being made in our name, in part, and we must be involved in these decisions. Prayerful accountability is how we accomplish it.

Christopher Grahn-Howard

PHOTO SOURCE: GOOGLE

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INSIDE MELANIA TRUMP'S LOVE LIFE

INSIDE MELANIA TRUMP'S LOVE LIFE The first family of the United States isn’t exactly "conventional" by any means.

President Donald Trump had zero political experience upon taking office while his wife, Melania Trump (the first immigrant to become first lady since Louisa Quincy Adams in 1825) refused to live with him in Washington, D.C., instead living out the first 100 days of the trump administration from her $100 million penthouse in New York City’s Trump Towers.

Even the couple's first encounter in 1998 was far from normal, though it may very well have been love at first sight. An article AOL published Monday explored the Trumps’ love life, detailing the president’s initial reaction to the sight of Melania Trump, as well as the controversial steps he took to ditch his thengirlfriend and make the elegant, young model his wife. Trump – a divorcee who was playing the dating field after separating from his first wife Ivana Trump in 1990 and leaving his second wife Marla Maples in 1993 – met Melania Knauss at a New York City Fashion Week party when she was just 28-yearsold. Trump was 52-years-old. The future president was attending the function with his former girlfriend, Celina Midelfart, whom he had been dating for several months, but reportedly ditched her in a public bathroom to instead spend his time with another woman.

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

NEWS SOURCE MSN

"I went crazy," Trump said of his reaction to Melania Trump in an interview with Larry King in 2005. "I said, forget about [Midelfart]. I said, ‘who’s the one on the left?’ And it was Melania." Melania Trump has said she refused to give out her number to the real estate mogul at the time, saying in a Harper's Bazaar interview last year, "he was with a date, so of course I didn't give it to him." I said, 'I am not giving you my number; you give me yours, and I will call you,’” Melania Trump said. “I was struck by his energy," she said. "He has an amazing sense of vitality… I remember that night like it was two months ago.” The Trumps eventually began a rocky relationship following their initial encounter, repeatedly breaking up and living along until marrying Jan. 22, 2005. According to the first lady, her relationship with Trump has been mostly smooth sailing ever since.

"We are very equal in the relationship and that's very important," Melania Trump told Larry King in their first television jointinterview as newlyweds. "To marry a man like Donald is, you need to know who you are.

And you need to be very strong and smart. He needs to know that he could rely on me sometimes. We share a lot of stuff together."

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GOD LOVED US FIRST

BY MARKO TAPANI LATVAKOSKI

This is love - not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. God no one has ever seen. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. We know that we dwell in him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. . 1 John 4: 10-16. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jn. 3:16.

Therefore God has loved the world. Does not say that God is not love the world. God has loved you and me first. Love is of God. Love is the first left God to us human beings. God is love. Jesus is the atoning for the sins of the world. God loved the people in the middle of each cross of Calvary Christ Jesus.

God made salvation through His Son to every people. Now his love waiting for him every human being. This is Great News and Best News this world. God loves you. God loves every man. God is Love. God is our Creator and our Savior. He created man in His love on earth and love for his Son reconciled us through the death of the cross of Jesus Christ and of

the Holy Blood. Everything is now ready.

Salvation is available today to all in Christ Jesus. When a person repents and believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior, he will be saved. The Bible says that all who call upon the Lord and he will be saved God loves you and waits for you . Jesus wants to be your Savior and Lord, that through Him may be saved, and you would get God's eternal and perfect love in Christ Jesus Receive God Grace in Christ Jesus Well, how then says that the wrath of God remains on top of the man who is not obedient to Jesus the Son of God? John 3: 36. (36. Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; but that is not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. "The Atonement and salvation is not automatic when man is born into this world. Man must be reconciled with God and to receive personally the grace of God in Jesus Christ, then and only then will he have the judgment and punishment outside, because Jesus took his place on the cross.

Jesus took our sins in his own and took on the part of the punishment and the wrath of God upon. But if a man does not accept Jesus personality Saviour and Lord then the wrath of God remains on him, because he has rejected the Atonement of God in Christ . He remains sins wrath and judgment of God below. That is, God loves sinful people, but hates sin. If a man does not repent and believe in the Lord Jesus the Savior and His Atonement and secures Jesus blood so he can not be saved

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GOD LOVED US FIRST

But all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

That God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. on behalf of Christ, then we are ambassadors, and God did beseech you by us. We pray you in Christ; be ye reconciled to God. Its who knew no sin, he made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God. His fellow-workers we also urge you not to receive the grace of God so that it is in vain.

For He says: "In an acceptable time I heard you, and in a day of salvation I helped you," Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation. 2 Cor. 5: 18-21; 6: 1.2.

The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Room.6.23.

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. But this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. . John 3: 17-19.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent me has eternal life and will not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. Jn. 5:24.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but whoever does not believe will be condemned. Mark.16: 16.

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The Power of the Resurrection

BY DR. CECIL STEWART

by Marissa Greene It’s great to know about the power of the resurrection but it is so much greater to experience it. Romans 8:11 shows that if the same spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in us, He will also make alive our mortal bodies through the spirit that dwells in us. This means we as believers can experience the resurrection life of Jesus now, which enables us to live above sin and all the struggles of life, rather than be slaves to the desires of the flesh or live under our circumstances. In Philippians 3:10 Paul expressed his overwhelming desire to know Jesus and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death. If we are to live in resurrection power we must be willing to die to our own selfish desires and come alive to the wonderful plan and purpose that God has prepared for us. I am so grateful that I have experienced His resurrection life flowing through me just as real as if it was electricity, the difference was that great joy filled my heart, as well as the lives of those I had the privilege of ministering to over many years. Romans 4:25 says He ‘was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification’. What amazing grace, now we can exercise our faith to live in the good of His resurrection power. Romans 5:1-11 reveals more of the reality of redemption and the transforming power of His life in us. Please study this carefully; it will enrich your life beyond measure. Galatians 3:13 shows that Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us and in Galatians 2:20 Paul said ‘I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me’. He went on to say in verse 21 that ‘if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain’. So we see that without the death and resurrection of Jesus there is no forgiveness of sins, salvation or eternal life available. But the great news is revealed in Romans 10:6-13, how that if we will confess with our mouth the 25

Lord Jesus and believe in our heart that God has raised Him from the dead, that we are saved. Again read this whole portion of scripture carefully, over and over. There is no greater news in all the world and it deals with all our past sins, reveals our present position and our eternal destiny – see Ephesians 2:8, 1 Timothy 2:5 and John 14:6. Consider some of what Jesus suffered for us even before the cross, as mentioned in Luke 22:39-71 and Luke 23:1-34.

1. Journey to the cross His sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground His disciples fell asleep at His darkest hour He was betrayed by Judas He was denied by Peter He was mocked and beaten He was blindfolded and struck on the face He was questioned by the council He was brought before Pilot He was accused of perverting the nation and forbidding to pay tax He was accused of stirring up the people He was sent to Herod He was striped until He was beyond recognition as a human being He was crowned with thorns He was nailed to the cross 2. What happened at the cross When they came to the place called Calvary there they crucified Him. In Luke 23:33-46 we can see how He took our place, suffered further mocking, insult and humiliation, as they crowned His head with thorns, nailed His hands and feet to the cross and cried ‘If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself’. His garments were taken from Him and they cast lots for them. He prayed ‘Father forgive them; for they know not what they do’. He committed His spirit into the hands of the Father, darkness covered the earth, the veil of the temple was rent from top to bottom and the rocks rent.

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE

See Isaiah 53:5 – ‘But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed’.

3. The results of the resurrection Revelation 1:18 – ‘I am He that liveth, and was dead; and; behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death’.

Before Jesus rose from the dead He descended into hell and stripped satan of his authority – see Ephesians 4:8-10.

I can see the picture of satan and his evil demons celebrating what they thought was a great victory now that Jesus was crucified, when suddenly they heard the footsteps of Jesus coming through the very corridors of hell itself and coming right up, face to face with them. I can hear Jesus saying, satan your time has come, the demands of justice have been met, the work of redemption is complete, now give me those keys, and Jesus reached forth and took the keys of death and Hades and led captivity captive.

by Marissa Greene

THE POWER OF RESURRECTION

CCN | 547 Antrim Road | Belfast | County Antrim | Northern Ireland | BT15 3BU t. 028 9077 9552 e. ccn@ccnorg.com w. ccnorg.com Watch: https://www.youtube.com/user/CCNnorthernireland Listen: http://ccnorg.com/index.php/audio Facebook (CCN): https://www.facebook.com/ChristianCommunicationsNe twork Facebook (Dr Cecil Stewart): https://www.facebook.com/DrCecilStewart

Colossians 2:15 – ‘And having spoiled principalities and powers, He made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it’.

Jesus stripped the devil and left him a defeated foe.

Ephesians 1:7 – ‘In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace’.

Hebrews 2:14-15 – ‘Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage’.

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We can now declare with Paul the Apostle in 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 - ‘But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection from the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive’.

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WHY DO PEOPLE SELF - SABOTAGE? &STOPPING THE BEHAVIOR!

BY DAN BRIEN A Biblical & Psychological Answer.

Many people self- sabotage their happiness. They miss important job interviews, neglect important duties, insults family & friends, or do extremely foolish things that ruin their chances for a better life. And sadly they don’t understand why they behave this way, or how to stop themselves. This common but self destructive behavior harms family members beyond just the dysfunctional person himself. A man’s actions can cost him a good paying job, the family home, food on the table, and the well being of his wife and children’s personal safety. For example - A man will study or train hard for six months for a very special job opportunity.

This job will provide a greater income, a bigger home, and a better standard of living for the family. But when the big day finally comes, and the opportunity for a better life is practically in his lap, he suddenly does something really foolish. The night before the big interview he stays up late, gets really drunk, and sleeps in late past the interview. Then once his dream job has past him by, he spends the next six months kicking himself in the backside wondering why he did such a stupid thing?

So why do people self - sabotage?

The Bible says that such person is a double minded, and the double minded person is unstable in all their ways. God wants us to be single minded so we can attain our goals in life.

Human beings are born with a sinful nature, and sin is a watered down version of truth. Self destructive people are naturally born with softer & weaker personalities than most stable people. So when you combine man’s sinful nature with a naturally weak person, this reality creates the double minded person.

These two aspects of human psychological causes double minded people to carry two motives in their hearts. The first motive is a desire for success, and the second motive is a fear of success. The two double motives water down a persons courage to fulfill their daily duties, and it also hinders their long term goals in life. They want to be happy, but they’re also afraid of happiness. On top of all this, Paul the Apostle says sin is deceiving. Sin blinds the eyes of people who lack understanding so they cannot even see there’s sin in their hearts. Single mindedness requires learning the art of patience. Patience is one of the most important virtues needed to be successful in life, and the self saboteur lacks patience to finish what they started. The bible says in your patience you posses your soul. Patience is the ability to govern your thoughts and emotions with long suffering as you labor for success.

Learning patience keeps you from becoming weary at doing good deeds. Your soul is the emotional part of your being and it requires stability and steadfastness of emotions to finish projects. This explains why Self sabotaging people work hard to finish projects in the hopes of reaching success, but when they come to the moment of truth, they panic, and run the other way. Striving for success requires long suffering to finish the race set before them. And it often comes only by suffering through trials and tribulations. Consider what the Word of God says about the double minded person. James 1:2-8. — Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

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A lack of patience keeps us from fulfilling God’s purpose for our lives. When someone asks God for a gift, the Lord expects that person to continue in their faith in order to receive the promised blessing. People can’t teach themselves patience so the Lord has to put us through trails and tribulations to produce patience in our hearts. The Lord God created all things to serve his good purpose, and God’s purpose is truth. Serving the truth requires carrying a responsibility before God, and that responsibility is a potent duty. But carrying this responsibility can cause a problem for particularly sensitive people, or those people who were naturally born with softer or weaker personalities. That’s because softer and more sensitive people tend be those individuals who lack the most patience to fulfill their goals. And they often lack natural born wisdom. Wisdom gives people the patience to be steadfast in life.

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, says in Proverbs 19:11. — A person’s wisdom yields patience; it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense. Solomon had enough wisdom to see quite clearly that human intelligence comes in three parts, not one! These are wisdom, knowledge and understanding and the portion God gives to a person at birth determines their natural born strengths and talents in life. You see, at birth the Lord God gives to each person a different share of these three parts to intelligence, and together they shape the motivations and desires of human beings as they progress from childhood into adulthood, and also throughout the rest of their life. Wisdom is the stable part of Human intelligence and it represents the reason for being called a smart person. i.e... The wisest man is the smartest man. That’s why people born with a lot of wisdom tend to be more successful in life.

Knowledge is the second part of intelligence, and knowledge shows itself in people as the logical & technical side of a persons I.Q. So people born with a lot of knowledge tend to be quick witted and smart. Smart people also tend to be more successful.Understanding is the third part of intelligence, and it shows itself as the creative side of a persons personality. Creative people tend to be more soft, intuitive and emotional than people with wisdom or knowledge. This aspect of human psychology can cause a problem with people who’s natural born gift is understanding. That’s because understanding is the softest form of philosophical thinking. This emotional weakness can effects their behavior in negative ways

WHY DO PEOPLE SELF SABOTAGE? &STOPPING THE BEHAVIOR!

because it makes understanding people more sensitive than stronger people. In other words, sensitive people must work harder at learning patience than wise or knowledgeable people.

The truth is, strong people can get away with being selfish & prideful, or even foolish at times, and somehow they still find success. It’s not fair! I know! But life isn’t fair. And mankind’s sinful nature doesn’t help the situation any. Selfishness & Pride are a leading cause of self sabotage among weaker people because this sin blinds their minds so they cannot see a true picture of themselves or reality. Have you ever heard a friend say to another friend, “Hey man your pride is blinding you”. It’s true! The sin of selfishness & pride in the hearts of self - sabotaging sensitive people dulls their minds so they can’t understand their own behavior.

That’s because sin itself is a lie, and a lie is the opposite of the truth. Sin enters the human heart when someone chooses to believe a lie instead of the truth. And since a lie is the opposite of the truth, anyone who has sin in his heart is blinded (at least in part) to the truth. And since from our hearts we choose what to think about, this weakness allows sin to control a persons thought life. What we think about controls our emotions, and of course, our emotions control our ability to start and finish projects. Therefore any person who isn’t single minded is filled with too much emotional confusion to posses the longsuffering required to continue moving forward until they reach true success. But that’s ok! — Because just knowing the problem — Doesn’t always give people the moral strength to overcome their problems anyway. Thank God there’s hope in Jesus Christ!

How to stop this self destructive behavior!

The road to success comes by putting our faith in Jesus Christ. When we do this, we become sons of the most high God, who is the Father, and Jesus becomes our Lord and savior. Once this happens, the Father and his son Jesus Christ come and live in our hearts through the holy Spirit. The Bible says in John 3:16 — For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Jesus is the only person who can set us free from our self destructive weaknesses. You see, most self destructive people don’t have enough moral strength of their own to overcome their sins and weaknesses. If this were untrue, they would have found victory over their problems years ago.

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The self - sabotaging person must first learn how to obey God before they can carry the responsibility God requires, and this can take learning courage. The good news is when we first come to have faith in Jesus Christ we start out as new born babies in the Lord. We don’t know how to carry ourselves in life, and we don’t know what to think about, or how to act. We’re like a fish out of water. But That’s Ok, God doesn’t expect as much out of a baby Christian, as he does a mature Christian. In other words, when you first come to know the Lord Jesus, God treats you as a little child, and he doesn’t put more of a burden on your shoulders than you can bear at anytime. Jesus said in Matthew 19:13-15 — Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

As new born baby Christians the first thing to know about being a child of God, is that you have a Father in heaven. The Lord God loves you very much, and He disciples you through his son Jesus.

The lord Jesus mentors you by the transforming power of his Spirit. A child cannot discipline himself. He has no training or self control to govern his own life. The fact is self sabotagers are actually baby Christians. That’s right! They are still infants before God who haven’t learned patience or self control in their lives. The power to overcome their sins comes by the Spirit of God living in them, and God’s spirit is the spirit of truth. Jesus said in John 8:31-36 —–– To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. As you can see in this scripture Jesus is the one who begins our progress of setting us free from sins stronghold over our behavior, and when we continue in his word, he’s faithful to complete our spiritual training so that we can one day become completely free indeed.

Whether in this life — Or in heaven. Another important thing to know about God’s loving

WHY DO PEOPLE SELF SABOTAGE? &STOPPING THE BEHAVIOR!

kindness towards his children, is that God is patient with you as he trains you to be a mature Christian.Learning patience can be a life long process. Don’t beat yourself up when you fail.

You’re accepted into God’s family, and he’s the one who disciplines and trains you for his service.

The first thing baby Christians need to start practicing begins by renewing their minds to the word of God. This comes by reading the Bible on a daily basis, and meditating on God’s word as we go about our daily business. We must also trust the Spirit of Jesus whom he placed inside our hearts to lead and guide us along the path of maturity. Paul the Apostle says in Romans 12:1-3 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. In this scripture Paul shows us that if we stop believing what the world views as truth, and if we begin retraining our thinking to match what God thinks, we can see clearly to obey his will. And he urges us to avoid prideful thinking because pride blinds us from seeing ourselves in the proper light of our true self worth. Previously in Romans chapters 7 & 8, Paul taught us how the Holy Spirits transforms our lives. The context of those scriptures explains the difference between the law of Moses, and the salvation that came free of charge by faith in Christ Jesus. The law could command a person not to sin, but it was powerless of itself to give people the moral strength to resist sinful temptation. That’s because man has a sinful nature. Paul says the moment you tell a sinful human being not to do something, the first thing they’re going to do is disobey you? That’s right!

They’re going to do the very thing you forbid them to do. That’s why the law of Moses was powerless to help people with their struggle against sin. But the salvation that comes through Jesus Christ, on the other hand, has power to change a persons life forever. That’s because Jesus comes to live in your hearts by his Spirit, and the holy Spirit is the power of God unto salvation. What this means, is when the Spirit of Christ makes his home in your hearts, God’s Spirit becomes one in spirit with you, and

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you become one in Spirit with your Father in heaven. He separates you from your sinful nature (Which, at one time, made you enemies of God) and he makes you a child of God himself. And when you’re a child of God his spirit becomes your power to overcome temptation & sin as he leads and guides your path.Jesus won the ultimate victory when he died on the cross to forgive your sins. He is the only person in human history to live a life without sin. This made him worthy to be a sin offering. And God seeing that man was powerless over sin, decided to send his son Jesus to forgive us our sins free of charge. This salvation comes to anyone who believes that God is really that loving.

And believe me he really is that loving! Through forgiveness of our sin God has offered us a salvation apart from the law of Moses, since the law could do nothing to save us anyway. Now Jesus was sinless at the time of his death, and he remains sinless today in heaven seated at the right hand of the Father, so he gives us his perfect spirit to give us the strength to live up to God’s righteous requirements.But we must walk according to the Spirit if we are to find success in this present life. That means putting your mind on what the Spirit desires and not on our selfish desires. Paul says in Romans 8:5-8 --- Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God Then Paul goes on in the same scripture to state that it’s actually possible to put to death our misdeeds during our lifetime here on Earth, if we are only willing to walk after his spirit. Verses12-14 ----- Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live. For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. Finally, Paul states that the Holy Spirit is the one who makes you a son of God. And being his son sets you free from slavery to sin. Verses 16 & 17 ----- The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.

WHY DO PEOPLE SELF SABOTAGE? &STOPPING THE BEHAVIOR!

Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.In all things The Lord is trying to show us we are powerless to overcome sin by our own ability.

He wants us to see our need for shelter under his mighty hand of protection. Then he will give us the strength and courage to live steadfast lives. All of this comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

Praise God for hope! — For a better life! The Bible says God is no respecter of persons, and he has no favorites. His love is unconditional to all people and he doesn’t care how much natural self control you posses. There’s not a person alive today who can deny the simple fact, that at some point during their lifetime, it appeared someone from upstairs was watching out for them. That was God. So it doesn’t matter if you were born strong or weak. It’s about trusting and obeying the love he’s already given you in Christ. He’s not up there in heaven looking for naturally strong individuals who can overcome their sins by their own power. He’s looking for the weak persons who are willing to be made strong in the Lord. So I say again, God’s not looking for a courageous man who can fight his own battles, he’s looking for the coward who’s willing to admit he needs Jesus’ help to have courage. It has taken me half a lifetime to finally know these things. And I’m still not perfect yet.

But God’s been patient with me. And over time I’ve finally come to understand the truth. So let’s all try to be a little more patient with each other, bearing one another’s burdens, and so fulfilling the law of Christ.

Because God’s not finished with either of us yet. — Amen!

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

MORE THAN GOLD

BY SARI ESSAYAH FINNISH PARLIAMENT MEMBER PHOTO SOURCE: GOOGLE

The message of the Bible changed my life when I was about 20 years old. I was then a young athlete and a student. A fellow student invited me to Christian student meetings, and I went along. The Bible message and the songs I heard there touched my heart in a very deep way.

In the hard race of life we often have to face how weak we are. The greatest miracle in everyone´s life is hat in prayer we can give ourselves into the hands and the leading of the Holy God. We, broken and incomplete people, are accepted, because the requirements have been met for us.

I understood that I´m a sinner and that I need God´s forgiveness in my life. However, it was very difficult for me to humble myself to trust God´s love. Little by little my pride and selfsufficiency started to crumble and I experienced how God´s word not only shows us the truth about ourselves, but also heals our inner being. “Mercy” changed from a being theological word into a touching reality, as I realizes that – even though I am an incomplete and insufficient person – I am accepted by God because of the redeeming work of Jesus.

Even today, being a busy working mother,faith means resting from demands and an assurance that my life is being upheld at every moment. Following Jesus does not mean a life without difficulties or that we close our eyes from the problems of the world. Instead happiness in life is based on God´s presence in our everyday life, in our joys as well as in our sorrows. God´s care for us carries us even when we are about to cross the finishing line of our life. That day, in the words of the Apostle Paul, we will receive the prize of a winner, a place in heaven.

SARI ESSAYAH

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

"RENDER THEREFORE TO CAESAR THE THINGS THAT ARE CAESAR’S; AND TO GOD, THE THINGS THAT ARE GOD’S,"

BY TERRY CROPPER SENIOR WRITER CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE

(Luke 20:25) This is another verse of scripture that must be understood in its originally language, culture, and politics and historical setting in which it was written during the First Century.

Jesus journey to Jerusalem takes place in what is traditionally called His triumphal entry (Luke 19:28-44). Having arrived at Jerusalem, Jesus went into the temple and cast out those who were profaning it by the buying and selling of animals used in the sacrifices of the temple (Luke 19:4546). With the court of the Gentiles cleansed of this impious traffic, Jesus used that area of the temple as a place for teaching and preaching the gospel to the crowds of pilgrims who are in Jerusalem for the Passover (Luke 19:47-20:1). Jewish pilgrims from throughout Judaea would have been streaming into Jerusalem to fulfill their periodic religious duties at the temple. Jerusalem had a population of about 20,000 to 30,000 people. But at Passover, one of the three festivals that must be celebrated in Jerusalem mentioned in Leviticus 23 and Deuteronomy 16, the Holy City's population swelled by perhaps another 150,000. First and foremost in their thoughts would have been the Temple itself. Because of the mass of pilgrims, the Roman procurator of Judaea, Pontius Pilate, had also temporarily taken up residence in Jerusalem along with a multitude of Roman troops so as to suppress any religious violence. Throughout His ministry Jesus has clashed with the Jewish leadership, and they have strenuously opposed

Him. These actions, however, were the final straw, and the Sanhedrin determined that Jesus must be destroyed. But this, they realized, would not be as easy as they would like, because the people “were very attentive to hear him” (Luke 19:47-48; 20:19) Therefore, they put into motion a plan to entrap Jesus, as He teaches publicly in the temple, by asking him a difficult question for Him to answer.

Their hope was if Jesus’ answers their question they could discredit Him before the people; or, perhaps, even entrap Him in such a way that they could accuse Him of a political criminal before the governor of Rome. The Sanhedrin sent men to ask Jesus a question about giving tribute to Caesar.

Luke 10:22 Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” They came pretending that they were righteous men who were wrestling with a question and sincerely desired to hear Jesus’ opinion on the matter. But their true hope and purpose, according to Luke, was to entrap Jesus’ as a basis of handing Him over to the Roman governor on the charge that He taught the people not to pay tribute to Caesar. This would amount to a charge of inciting the people to rebel against the Rome authority and would carry the death penalty.

They began by praising Jesus as a fearless teacher of truth in hope that this would dispel any suspicions of their motive and induce Him to give them an unguarded answer to their question. “(Teacher), we know that You say and teach rightly, and You do not show personal favoritism, but teach the way of God in truth. (Luke 20:22) This is false flattery these men believed the

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

Pharisees alone, were the authoritative interpreters of Jewish law who also zealously observed it, especially laws concerning the Sabbath. The establishment of this tax in Judea is recorded in Luke 2:1-3 (NKJ) And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. The Jews, therefore, were not a free people or an independent nation, but a subject people under the rule of the Rome Empire. This undercurrent of tax-revolt flowed throughout Judaea during Jesus’ ministry. Their question was this: “Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?” (Luke 20:22). Every word of this question needs to be considered, along with the historical context behind it, if we are to grasp the significance of their inquiry to Jesus. The verb “is it lawful” is an impersonal verb that expresses the idea of something being authorized by proper authority.

Therefore, the verb carries the meaning of an action that is permitted, lawful, or right. The context of the debate is over what God’s law authorizes to be done in matters of controversy, such as the Sabbath (Luke 6:2, 4, 9). The word “tribute Greek φόρον ” refers to a tax, paid directly to the emperor by the Jewish subject who lived under the Roman Empire. The inquiry, then, is whether or not God’s law allows the Jews to give tribute (tax) to Caesar. The words “for us” (one word in Greek ἡ μ ᾶ ς ) is often overlooked. “for us” of course, refers to the nation of Israel, which emphasizes that the question is specifically in reference to the Jewish people. The issue of paying tribute (tax) to Caesar does not concern the Gentile nations under the dominion of Rome, but it uniquely concerns the Jews who are God’s chosen people. Is it lawful (Greek one word ἔ ξεστιν ) for Israel, which has God as its King, to give tribute to the Gentile kingdom of Rome and its pagan emperor? The men, who were sent by the Sanhedrin are hoping to entrap Jesus with their question in a way they could discredit Him before the Jewish people; or, entrap Him in such a way that they could accuse Him of being a political criminal before the governor of Rome. If he answers yes, it is lawful for them to pay tribute unto Caesar, he would be accused of collusion with Rome, and justifying the Roman occupation and paying the tax, forced upon the Jews. This would not be a popular answer among the Jewish people. On the other hand, if Jesus answers no, he risked being branded a political

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,criminal against the Rome Empire and incurring the wrath of Rome. Either answer would likely lead to His death before the cross. Jesus’ enemies believed that they have cleverly trapped Him into a “yes” or “no” answer to their question; whichever one He gives they would be able to use it to His destruction. Jesus did not give a “yes” or “no” answer to the question as they hoped. Jesus is aware of their trickery and He make a very important point with his question without getting into a political discussion. He simply requests to see the coin and ask “Whose image and inscription does it have?” (Luke 20:24) The “image” on the coin was a bust of Tiberius Caesar. The “superscription” said this: “Tiberius Caesar Augustus, son of the divine Augustus.” The reverse of the coin had an image of the emperor’s mother, Julia Augusta (Livia), sitting on a throne holding a scepter in one hand and an olive branch in the other, and an inscription that read Pontifex Maximus, that is, “High Priest.” The denarius thus proclaimed the power and glory of Rome and the divine origin and character of Tiberius. The denarius was truly the emperor's property: he used it to pay his soldiers, officials and suppliers; it bore the imperial seal; it was differed from the copper coins issued by the Roman Senate, and it was also the coin which required the people, to pay tribute. The only possible answer to Jesus’ question about “Whose image and superscription is one the coin is “Caesar’s,” and these spies were forced to say it. The men’s possession of the coin and their answer reveals the following facts. The possession of the denarius by the Jews was their own statement of submission that they have accepted Caesar’s authority over them. In effect, if there rejection was on the grounds of God’s law and the authority of Caesar over them, then why are they accept and use the very coins that proclaims Caesar authority?” After Jesus affirmed that some of the Jews in the nation of Israel accept Caesar’s authority over them as we also see in John 19:15 The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar!” Jesus masterful instructed His hearers to “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and unto God the things which are God’s” (Luke 20:25). Jesus made a clear distinguishes between what is lawful to give to Rome and what is not. Jesus upholds the prior claims of God and His absolute sovereignty, and power to own all things while at the same time recognizing Rome’s rule and rejecting Caesar's claims of divinity. No wonder His adversaries “marveled” at His answer, for there was nothing here that they could “take hold of” to accuse Him before Pilate or before the people (Luke 20:26).

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

IN LIFE WHEN WE ARE DEALING WITH RELIGION

BY RAVEN YOUNGBLOOD MANAGING DIRECTOR CTM USA & PRESIDENT CHURCH OF AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY INTERNATIONAL

We have to remember that the holy teachings of that religion. The doctrines are a history and story of those who lived in the day of those religions apostils. It is not the words of a spiritual God manifest, no matter how much we wish that it were true. Rather it is the testimony of the religious leaders, apostils, and messiah’s of those religions beginnings. As Human beings, we need to realize that the truth lay in the history of the doctrines; every religion can go straight to their doctrines and both attack and defend the words and the meanings. But no one ever defends the personal relationship of faith. You see God helped make us; designed our spirits for which our Mother and Father designed our bodies. Within our spirit God constructs a communication system which gives us the third sense of right and wrong, dangerous and not dangerous. It allows us to feel good or bad about choices and decisions we are making or paths we are about to travel down. It is a personal attachment to God that your man written religious books cannot give you. For the book is a history of the great men and women throughout your religions history who walked in the footsteps they felt deemed prophesized by God to follow and obey. That inner connection to God is the undisputable message from God that tells you if the path of your chosen religion appeases God or if it is the right religion that will buy you that entrance into heaven. For there is no book written in ink and paper; that will buy you a ticket to heaven. If you want that ticket for eternal life you must access that eternal relationship with God. For me it is Christianity but I have found things in my bible that I feel have left me asking questionsand has sent me down a path of investigating it further because my inner relationship to God tells me this is the right path. But it also gives me a need to understand other religious doctrines because though Christianity is my Faith God has given me

the inner fire and need to find the whole works and truth of God, the true message. So it sent me to the Hebrew scrolls for Judaism and then to the Qu’ran which my inner voice gave me warnings about when I read the Qu’ran. Though I did not agree with the prophet Mohammed; being a pedophile, thief, war criminal and slaver; or the fact that he chose a pagan ritual site in Mecca to claim his religious passage on. Or the fact that the religious texts teach his followers to practice his evil ways of lust and power; the Qu’ran still held a piece of history that relates to Christianity. Because like I said before the Bible, the Scrolls and the Qu’ran are paper and ink made by men to take historic record of their walk with God and the miracles they experienced. But to know Jesus my savior and to get closer to God and to secure eternal salvation I must know the truth and I must listen to what God is telling me from within if I feel the path is just and right I will explore that path if my religion tells me to hurt someone or victimize someone or something; my inner connection with God will warn me that that path is unjust and I will turn from that path and seek a new direction. As human beings we must learn to pray, and at times pick a quiet spot and seek your relationship with God and let your inner spirit guide you to God’s will. One thing I know for sure without any doubt what so ever is that God will not ask you to victimize the innocent or the children; no matter which religion you believe if there is victimization of humanity you are not listening to God for there are much more evil things in this world that will deceive you; and those things will guide you from the kingdom of heaven by any means necessary.

So be true to yourselves and be true to your faith as long as it is a just faith.

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From Text Lingo to Textbook Learning

By Marcus Stallworth, LMSW

As an adjunct professor at a recognized private college in Connecticut, I recently taught a summer course called “Civility in Society.” A colleague of mine, Anthony Gay, was teaching the same class, and we thought it would be a great idea to merge sections for the final group project. The assignment was simple: Students would create their own theoretical society. We allowed students to name the town, create laws and policies, and establish plans for economic and industrial sustainability. The results were shocking for two distinct reasons. First, students decided to name their capital city after a rap label that was popular at the time. Their entire infrastructure was predicated on the narcissistic ideology that each day would be based on indulgence, pleasureseeking behaviors, and instant gratification.

Workdays consisted of themes such as “Wasted Wednesdays” and “Thirsty Thursdays,” with minimal emphasis on work ethic, family values, or consideration for nature or one’s fellow citizens.

The second observation was the volume of erroneous and misspelled words. It appeared that some students let the autocomplete function do the proofreading for them; some students actually included cell phone and texting abbreviations. After some candid conversation

About this, we quickly learned that many of our students’ perceptions were based on the messaging and images they see each day through media. Kids are no longer learning adult concepts from their family members; rather, they are gaining experiences from external technology sources, with a disproportionate introduction to questionable material. Jokingly, we said, “Boy, do they need a dose of reality.” Little did we know how true this statement would become. Being social workers by trade, we felt an obligation to educate and empower our students with resources and information. There was material available regarding video gaming and online predators, but there was limited information on the impact that media overexposure and lack of supervision has on behavior and the development of impressionable minds. Recognizing the weight of such an ambitious task, we reached out to three other social workers—Qur-an Webb,Dante Rabb, and Carlton White—who had a shared interest in this area. Soon, small focus groups turned into workshops, workshops turned into trainings, and trainings turned into seminars, which ultimately led to the creation of our company, Welcome 2 Reality, LLC (www.welcome2reality.us).

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

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FROM TEXT LINGO TO TEXTBOOK LEARNING

Welcome 2 Reality is a two-pronged entity that focuses on video production and educational development for adolescents and adults. Our target demographics are students, parents, social workers, and foster parents. We have an ongoing presence at the National Association of Social Workers, foster care entities, and child welfare conferences. We have developed a robust curriculum that explores topics such as television violence, cell phone addiction, internet safety, cyber-bullying, social media, music (lyrics), intentional marketing, and more.

This curriculum, “Mentoring through Media,” is designed to bring participants back to a sense of reality; we accomplish this through facilitating group discussions, role-play exercises, and real-world scenarios.

“Mentoring through Media” highlights the benefits that technology provides in terms of convenience and information- sharing, but also explores the potential risks faced by children —particularly those in foster care. The curriculum can be expanded or modified to meet the specific needs of the agency or organization with whom we consult. Based on our research, we have also developed a three-credit elective at the University of Bridgeport.

“Technology and the Human Services Professional” is geared toward educating young professionals who are contemplating the field of social work about how trauma and the innate desire to accumulate attachments relate to social media use. Welcome 2 Reality is heavily involved in the media literacy movement in Connecticut, as well. We played an active role in getting Senate Bill No. 962, Public Act No. 15-94—which mandates safe use of social media and computer instruction in the Connecticut public school curriculum—signed into law; this bill took effect in July.

The sheer amount of media currently available to young people is almost overwhelming. We strive to help youth understand this barrage; properly use its positive content; and lessen its negative impact on their behavior, psychological development, and lifestyle choices. Please visit our website, www.welcome2reality.us , explore the services we provide, find links to educational resources, access updates on the release of our curriculum, and learn about our upcoming documentary

Marcus Stallworth is Director of Learning and Organizational Development at Welcome 2 Reality, based in Waterbury, Connecticut.

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

HE IS ALIVE! THE LOST ARE FOUND

BY LISA WENNINGER

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE WRITER

Greetings and peace to you from Denver, Colorado!

We have welcomed the month of April, which brings the joy of Lenten week, the celebration of Resurrection Sunday, and the reminder that indeed our Lord and Savior was born, walked among his beloved, taught, healed, disciplined and was crucified on the cross, buried, and then rose to walk once again. The life, death and resurrection- the final sacrifice that would offer salvation and eternal life, not to one specific group of people, but to all. Jesus changed the world.

Still today, how many remain lost and wandering through this world with no hope, no direction, with no purpose. My energized excitement to participate in this special time of remembrance of our Lord leads me to an equally energized need to share His good news. To bring a message of mercy, forgiveness, redemption, love and eternal hope to all! To share how His life and death impact me every day! In 2013 we welcomed a granddaughter into life on April 1, three and a half months early! As I walked back with all the doctors and nurses that assist in these high risk births, tears slowly made their way down my cheeks, my hands wouldn’t stop moving, and my heart was beating at such a fast pace, I could feel it on the outside. There I stood, watching this tiny baby, no bigger than my hand, fight to breathe, with each breath her entire chest would rise and fall.

Her skin, so thin, revealed the network of veins and arteries that wound through her body. Her eyes were immediately covered for protection, her head wrapped, as her ears were not yet in place. Fear would grip my heart. I stood back as the medical staff did what they needed to do, and replayed the doctors ‘possible’ prognosis over and over in my mind- chances of survival,

chances of this and of that, most of those stats were negative and mind boggling. I’d been praying for days, and those prayers continued back in that small space with wires and machines and a beautiful child, laying there, silent, and innocent. For over three months we would visit her in the hospital. We would hit milestones with praise, and sometimes back slide, with prayer. One night I was visiting, and they informed me of the possibility she could be blind. The oxygen had created an out of balance growth with her retinas, and there was a risk of detachment. I remember holding her gently, laying my head back on the rocking chair, and suddenly the tears burst forth, and I couldn’t hold back the sobs.

I closed my eyes, laid my hands over her precious eyes, and talked to God. I asked for her healing, but I just didn’t understand. How could one small, precious baby go through so much, endure the gravest beginning, and now this.

As I continued praying, I could hear the sudden sound of urgency in the NICU, and looked up to see a new baby arriving. The crowd of doctors and nurses doing the same procedures to stabilize this new baby’s life.

My prayers shifted from confused and confined to prayers of thanks. Here I sat holding this little girl so tenderly, but she was strong, and the toughest fighter I’d ever seen. I began praying for the new baby boy who just arrived, and the twins on the other end of the room, and the many other babies lying in their incubators. I prayed and prayed through my entire visit.

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HE IS ALIVE! : THE LOST ARE FOUND

While fear and defeat may have entered into my being for a short time, God filled me with hope and delight in each one of those miracles- reminding me that He can indeed work through any situation, even the ones that come with a 25% chance of survival.

Yesterday, our lovely granddaughter turned 4 years old-Hallelujah!She is healthy and can see the world with her beautiful, brown eyes!

When Jesus chose to give his life so that we could live- He opened the door and created fellowship with God in ways never experienced. Living right in the heart of each believer through the Holy Spirt, we now have a path of communication directly through the Son. So when we are hurting by the complexities of life, anywhere on the planet, we can bow our head, fall on our knees, and cry out to God. His promise is to be there for you, to comfort you, and answer you. We don’t have to be lost, wandering with no hope, direction, or purpose. For it is written: Matthew 7:7-12 (NIV)“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.

God bless you all.

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

HAVE THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE NOW UNDERSTANDING YOUR NATURE

BY DR. SARAH LARSEN

Years ago I had dedicated my life to being in service to God. I was to be the “Mother Teresa of Medicine” and had committed to going to villages around the world as a medical doctor.

Enter 2003 and a deep listening of God’s plan for me. I learned in my heart God had another plan and married in 2004. I had no training as a wife and my husband although married before, had no understanding of the feminine. We both began searching for sources of inspiration to help our growing family be of service .

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (Romans 12:2) We were struggling and yet committed to serving God so we began finding help to understand our own nature and the nature of our partner.Masculine and Feminine The nature of the masculine is a giving principle, and the nature of the feminine is receiving.

When a man understands that masculinity is a giving principle, he can call out the femininity in a woman. When a woman is receptive to what a man is giving her, she is feeling her own femininity. The more he gives, and she is willing to receive, the deeper the state of femininity she is able to feel. A woman must be filled up with a man's masculinity in order to be able to give back to him with joy. When she has not been properly given that which she needs, then if she is giving back, it is from a state of depletion.

Simply, a woman’s energy, is a reflection of a man’s treatment of her. This can be proven scientifically and spiritually. Interestingly enough, you’ll never find a man that is as strong, as a woman is on the inside, nor a woman who is as sensitive as a man is on the inside. This is contrary to popular musings on gender sensitivities. Therefore, some men dare not admit their sensitivity. These men are more likely to suffer from abject frustration.

And we women may not want to admit it, but words can completely destroy a man’s health, especially after 40 when his testosterone lowers and estrogen increases, due to which he becomes even more sensitive. The number one fear of men is being shamed publically.

The most important thing we do for the men in our lives is to respect them and appreciate what they are doing. Men will do more based on respect and appreciation!

So in this regard, men don’t need to get in touch with their feminine side, they really need to learn to better understand their masculinity.

Women absorb info through her affective or feeling side of her brain first. Everything she hears, sees, smells or touches, she feels before processing. This is also exhibited through a woman’s language. Next the info goes to her ‘language center’. A woman has a large corpus callosum connecting the two halves of the brain, which can process a great deal of information (thinking and feeling) very quickly. In order to process info, a women talks about it first. She needs to talk her feelings

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

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and thoughts out in order to process. Talking, for a woman, connects what a woman thinks with what she feels.

When institutions of society, cultures as a whole, or a man, doesn’t give a woman space to express herself with her own words, they are suppressing her femininity.

For a man, info enters the brain on the logical side, the opposite side of the brain as a woman, which then proceeds to the ‘action center’. He likes to either BY D Rfix. itSor A solve R A Hit. LAAman’s R S Ecorpus N callosum is fairly small and he prefers to process his feelings in silence. A man has difficulty with communicating and being emotional. A man can only think or feel. He cannot do both until he has developed his corpus callosum to facilitate the transfer of information from both halves of his brain. Until he does that, he does not register information with emotion. Thus he has to consciously ‘engage himself’ in order to truly listen to a woman. A woman can feel what kind of a man one is when she is talking. If a man is a good listener then she will feel safe. She only feels safe with him if she feels heard. It takes true masculinity to listen to a woman speak for an hour, to give that kind of attention. When a woman is both emotional and talking, she can process and access large amounts of information very quickly. She registers details as emotions, so she can retrieve them quickly.

The more upset a woman becomes, the more expanded her awareness becomes, and the clearer and clearer she becomes when allowed to process. A man was not designed to argue when emotional. When he tries, he gets stuck on the feeling side of his brain – that is until he further develops his corpus callosum. He can’t get to his logical side to say anything significant, and he gets frustrated and says irrelevant things. He needs to go into silence to think about the content that occurs in a heated discussion before he can properly respond. The differences between the two natures even go to the level of the heartbeat and the atoms composing our bloodstream. Women can feel their heartbeat just by focusing on it, men need to find it physically – that is until he fully embraces his masculine. And the atoms composing a woman’s bloodstream tilt with the tilt of the earth, a man’s do not.

HAVE THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE NOW UNDERSTANDING YOUR NATURE

According to a study on 250,000 men by men, there are 3 things that are most important to a man in a relationship: 1. Appreciation & Respect - If shown appreciation for his actions, he will find more things to do to get more. All religions and spiritual teachings say to respect your man.

They don’t speak about loving him. A man does not feel loved without feeling respected.

He does not love others unless he respects them (the woman can love without respect). A man calls out respect and appreciation from a woman by drawing out her femininity with how he treats her. People don't have worth

because they agree with us, they have worth because they are humans created in the image of God. Respect and Appreciation are the key to love. You do not have to agree on points made by another, you just have to respect it. Show appreciation for it. It will lead you to be able to know the man on deeper levels.

2. Intimacy - Feeling close comes through touch, including sex. Sex is the strongest driving force within a man. This energy can be funneled into spirituality. The more sex a man has with a woman, the closer he ‘feels’ to her; less to do with loving here, than closeness.

While the woman can get more sexual enjoyment out of a conversation then sex itself.

Intimacy extends beyond the physical touch.

When a man is sharing his deepest thoughts and feelings it is important to not ask too many question. Allow him to share and do not use what he shared to hurt him in the future. When a man lets you see into him and his heart, your job is to cherish his feelings too and allow more feelings to grow. It takes a very strong woman not to harm a man with words he shared when he was letting her “see into him”!One reason we sometimes disparage others and reduce them to less-than-human is because we've forgotten our own fallen state.

Romans 3 reminds us that everyone is a sinner fallen short of God's glory. That person with whom we disagree or the person who hurts us is no less a worthy recipient of God's saving mercy. This is why Romans 12:3 warns against thinking "of himself more highly than he should think." Pride is a gateway to verbal sin.

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3. Her Happiness - The man yearns to please her, and when successful experiences an enormous amount of satisfaction; like purpose fulfilled. When this is actualized, the giving nature of the masculine is embraced, and wow what a perpetually abundant space to create with each other. It helps when a mother teaches the man how to receive love through giving it, and how to give love by unconditionally receiving his. “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”

(Philippians B Y D 4:6) R. SARAH LARSEN Philippians 2:14-16 14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you.

Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Keep repeating to the man in your life what makes you happy and affirm that you know that he wants to make you happy. Take every complaint you have and reframe it with asking for as specific as possible, what you want. Thank him often for trying to give you what you want and keep getting more and more specific! When I learned this, the happiness level in my marriage to my husband expanded 10 fold. He could listen to me all day after numerous times of thanking him for listening to me for 5 minutes. He could hear my request for help with my work when I got specific about what makes me happy. Our marriage, friendship and ability to serve God got so much better because I changed me. I changed.

According to a study on 250,000 women by women, the 7 most important aspects of a relationship for a woman are: 1. Safety - When he is spiritually and emotionally there, she feels safe. As previously mentioned, being listened to is a big one here.

It is received as expression of acknowledgement, on a level much beyond hearing with the ears, indicating his sincere aspiration to experience her quintessential being.

HAVE THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE NOW UNDERSTANDING YOUR NATURE

2. Defended - She wants him to genuinely be at her defense in the face of ‘adversity’. This affirms her unwavering cogency, that she is understood.

3. Emotional Support - When the man emotionally supports a woman (versus being hung up on competing with her), she is reminded of her unconditional validity and receives the support as love.

4. Belonging - She feels like she belongs when he lets her inside his inner world. The man telling and showing her how he works, and sharing his perspectives, is a way to accomplish this. Her reaction may not always seem to receive this but it is nourishing to her none-the-less. An opportunity to practice not taking reactions personally.

5. Accepted - The woman wants to be accepted before anyone or anything. This reflects the truth of her absolute adequacy which opens a space for her to more fully integrate it.

6. Cared About - When the man shows her that he gets her, she experiences a sense of being filled up. A dynamic that is met with very positive consequence.

7. Special - She lights up when her beingness is celebrated by the masculine. Light unto light manifests more light, unto each and the One. Correcting the imbalance of energies between the masculine and the feminine comes with the man recognizing what it is to be a man and doing it; all the while the woman also doing her part to pave the way, keeping it as obstacle free as possible. The above lists can help tremendously to create a harmonious space of abundance and love.

This article is by Dr. Sarah Larsen, Medical Intuitive and Miracle Medium. www.DrSarahLarsen.com It is based on the research of her mentor Dr. James Beard. Dr Beard’s Ph.D. Thesis examined 250,000 women studied by women, and 250,000 men studied by men.

Dr. Sarah Larsen 424-757-4197 www.drsarahlarsen.com drsarah@drsarahlarsen.com

ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

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THE DIVISION

BY JASON BEATTIE PHOTO SOURCE: GOOGLE

WORLD PEACE? JESUS DID NOT COME TO EARTH TO USHER WORLD PEACE 01 IS RELIGION RELEVANT? People sometimes reluctantly agree that religion might be useful as long as it focuses on humanitarian help at an individual level and universal unity and harmony at the social level. Many people are convinced that all anyone really needs in life can be obtained through science and technology. In their minds, under no circumstances should religion ever be allowed to polarize or divide society. Instead it should relentlessly seek the utopian goal of world peace.

MATTHEW 10:34-39 (ESV) 34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36 And a person's enemies will be those of his own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT Jesus plainly said he did not come to bring peace to this world, he came to bring a dividing sword.

HEBREWS 4:12 (ESV) For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of

marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

EPHESIANS 6:17 (ESV) and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The razor-sharp edge of that sword is the powerful Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the Gospel of Jesus does not unify the world- it divides it. Christ in fact did command us to love our enemies.

MATTHEW 5:44 (ESV) “But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” and we all know how that can be pretty hard to accomplish.

Especially when the enemy is so relentless and appears to want nothing more but for you to be absolutely miserable even after you’ve been so kind as you possibly can be towards them. Over and over and over again. But we see an aspect of God that can make us feel uncomfortable and that is the fact that Jesus Christ commands the division of a house hold. Now before you quickly get confused let me explain, Christ will not divide a church or a home if all the people in the congregation or within that home are of the same mind and love and believe in Christ. But he did say for his name sake that there will be a division. Well Jesus was a man of peace he would never deliberately cause division right????

Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth."

Not long before Jesus made this statement, He had sent out His disciples, declaring them to be apostles to preach, heal and cast out demons. He also warned them about the price they would pay for serving Him—being arrested, imprisoned and even killed.

Some of them would be betrayed and delivered to hostile authorities by their own families.

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MATTHEW 10:28 (ESV) And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell Jesus went on to say, "Nevertheless, do not fear any man. Men only have the power to kill your body.

Instead, fear God because He alone has the power to destroy not only your physical body, but also your soul in hell." It was in this context of demanding discipleship that Jesus said, "I did not come to bring peace on this earth." Jesus' words were troubling then, and they are still troubling today. He came to divide, not bring peace. The erroneous idea that Jesus came to bring peace to this world sometimes is based on the King James translation of Luke 2:14. It says the angels celebrated Jesus' birth by singing: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will toward men." That rendering is misleading. It obscures the actual meaning of the text. A better translation comes from the New American Standard Bible: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom God is pleased." God is pleased with those who have been born again in Christ.

ROMANS 5: 1-5 (ESV) Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith[b] into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Jesus did not come to bring peace on earth to just anyone regardless of whether he or she had been saved or still were lost.

Instead, Jesus came to bring individuals the peace that comes exclusively through salvation. That's what Paul was speaking of in Romans 5:1 when he said, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." You will have true peace only when you repent of your sin, put your complete faith and trust in Jesus, and call on His name to save you. Jesus does not unite humanity. He divides it right down the middle. This division isn't ethnic or regional. It has nothing to do with being white or black. It isn't about being a Democrat, Republican, Tea Partier or an Independent. Jesus does not divide the world based on political ideologies such as capitalism or communism. The universal division created by the Gospel is that people either are saved or lost.

“The universal division is either you are saved or lost!”

MATTHEW 7:13-14(ESV) “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy[a] that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Was this division that Jesus came to bring a random accident?

Hardly it was God's intentional plan all along. Jesus frequently illustrated this when He taught among the multitudes. For instance, Jesus spoke about the fact that everyone must enter one of two gates: the small or the wide gate. Each of those gates puts you on one of two roads: the narrow or the broad road.

Those roads take you to one of two destinations. The small gate puts you on the narrow road that leads to life (heaven). The wide gate puts you on the broad road that leads to destruction (hell).

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LUKE 6: 43-45 (ESV) 43 “For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, 44 for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. 45 The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

Jesus also compared people to two kinds of trees: good or bad.

He said if you are a good tree, you'll bear good fruit; if you're a bad tree, you'll bear bad fruit. We can know what kind of person someone is by analysing the fruit of his or her actions.

MATTHEW 7:24-27(ESV) 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

Jesus also spoke about two foundations—the solid foundation of rock and the sinking foundation of sand. If your life is built on the solid rock of hearing and obeying God's Word (the gospel), then you will withstand the winds, rain and storms of life. However, if you build your life on the unstable sand of rejecting the Gospel of Jesus, then you will experience destruction. Jesus used these and other similar illustrations to divide the world by the Gospel.

JOHN: 9:16 (ESV) Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?” And there was a division among them.

Wherever Jesus went, He divided groups of people. In John 9:16 we read, "Some of the Pharisees were saying, 'This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.' Others were saying, 'How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?' So there was a division among them." Likewise, when Jesus' disciples preached, they also divided the crowds. We know that when Paul preached about Jesus, some believed and were saved while others rejected his message. At the end of the Acts 28:1-31 when Paul was imprisoned in Rome, as he proclaimed the Gospel, some believed; but others mocked, rejected the Gospel and turned away. That's the way God designed the Gospel. It divides us intentionally.

MATTHEW 10:35(ESV) For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her motherin-law.

Jesus went on to say His Gospel sometimes would sever relationships within people's families. "For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's enemies will be the members of his own household. He who loves his father or his mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me."

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Some may recoil when they think about Jesus dividing families, but that is exactly what Jesus meant. A lost son will be against his saved father, and a lost father will be against his Christian son. The gospel would cause a daughter to be at odds with her mother, and a daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.

Jesus was talking about the most intimate of all human relationships.

This means that our love for Jesus must transcend and supersede every other human relationship, even family relationships. That's what Jesus meant when He said, "I came to divide." In Mark 10, Peter said to Jesus, "Behold, we've left everything, and we followed You." Jesus didn't say they shouldn't have done that.

Instead He said, "Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms for My sake and for the gospel's sake, but that he will not receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life."

In other words, "If you leave family to follow Me, I'll give you the whole body of Christ. Then look at all the mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters you'll have; look at all the houses you have; look at all the lands you'll have!" We are all one body.

On another occasion, someone said to Jesus, "Blessed is the woman who bore You and nursed you." At that time, Mary and Jesus' brothers were not following Him. Instead, they thought He'd lost His mind Mark 3:21. Jesus responded to that person by saying, "No, blessed are those who hear the Word of God and do it." Jesus was saying we should love Him so supremely that it supersedes every domestic relationship. The New Living Translation is helpful in understanding Luke 14:26: "If you want to be my disciple, you must hate everyone else by comparison —your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters —yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple."

Some Christians say, "God is number one in my life." God shouldn't merely be at the top of a long list of our priorities.

Rather, God is in a category all by Himself! He will have no other gods before Him, around Him or even near Him! That includes not making an idol or a god out of your family. Jesus said, "Your love for Me should be so sincere, so genuine and so deep in commitment that compared to every other relationship, even a domestic relationship, the contrast will look like the difference between love and hate." There is no way around these words.

Our love for Jesus Christ is to be superior to all other loves.

MATTHEW 10:38 (ESV) And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.

Jesus said, "He who does not take up his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me." Jesus demands those of us who receive His Gospel to die to our selfish desires. It reminds me of a hymn we sang when I was younger: "Take up thy cross and follow Me, I heard my Master say. I gave My life to ransom thee, surrender your all today." The response was given in the chorus: "Wherever He leads I'll go. I'll follow my Christ who loves me so.

Wherever He leads I'll go." That's easier to sing than to do. The Gospel demands that we die to self, but there is no painless way to die.

1 CORINTHIANS 15:31 (CW) Brothers and sisters, I swear to you on my pride in you which Christ Jesus our Lord has given me: I face death every day.

Paul emphasized the demands of the Gospel when he said, "I face death every day" He also said, "For through the Law I died to the Law so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with

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Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me GALATIANS 2:19-20 (ESV) 19 For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.

Paul was dead to the things of the world. He said in Galatians 6:14, "May it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Paul no longer cared about worldly things. He said they had died to him and he had died to them. Paul went to the cross every day and died in a sense because Jesus' Gospel demanded it.

GALATIANS 6:14 (ESV) But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which[b] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Last of all, the Gospel of Jesus divides the whole world permanently for all eternity. That's what Jesus meant when He said, "He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it." He was saying that those who think they have found their lives in this world actually have lost their lives and are on their way to hell. Those who have lost their lives in this world, by rejecting the world and receiving Christ actually have found eternal life and are on their way to heaven.

MATTHEW 10:38 (ESV) Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

The prophet Daniel saw this eternal division coming. He said in Daniel 12:2, "Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt." That's an Old Testament reference to heaven and hell! Jesus spoke about hell and heaven (in that order) in one breath when He said: "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life" Matthew 25:46. Jesus knew there was a hell to shun and a heaven to gain. Jesus also spoke about two men who died. One was a rich man who went to hell. The other was a poor man named Lazarus who went to heaven. Jesus said, "Now the poor man was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom (heaven/paradise); the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades (hell) he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom" Luke 16:22-31.

The rich man desperately desired for Lazarus to put some water on his tongue because he was in such torment in the flames. Abraham said, "Lazarus cannot come. There is a deep chasm separating us so that no one can cross from here to there or there to here." They were permanently divided. The rich man was in hell forever, and Lazarus was in heaven forever. Jesus spoke often about this eternal division between believers and non-believers. For instance, He said, "Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear God's voice and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to the resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment" John 5:28-29.

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The Holy Spirit and Regeneration

By Leighton Medley Introduction:

“regeneration does not consist in those things

The emphasis of this essay, is to show the reader

which are only outward signs of it, or at most,

how unregenerate persons are brought to new life

instituted means of effecting it: for the nature of

in Christ. That is, how regeneration is wrought

things is distinct from the means and pledges of

through the workings of the Holy Spirit, to those

them, such as baptism is, with the profession of the

people whom God has chosen before the creation

doctrine of it” (Page 154).What Owen is saying, is

of the world, to be holy and blameless in His sight

that the change is not external, but internal,

(Ephesians 1:4). There is a great deal of confusion

meaning that anyone on the outside can appear

today in the church, as to what exactly constitutes

holy while their hearts are in fact, far from God.

regeneration. What it is not, is moral reformation

This was the problem with the Pharisees, and why

of life. It does not, as John Owen says in his treatise

Jesus railed at them in Matthew 23, where they

on the Holy Spirit (Page 156), “consist in a new

“cleaned the outside of the cup and dish, but inside

course of actions, but in renewed faculties, with

were full of greed and self-indulgence” (Matthew

new dispositions, power and ability to perform

23:18). It is not important how we look on the

them.” Therefore, what Owen is in fact saying, is

outside, but how we are on the inside. Our values

that regeneration is the impartation of a new

will only change if our hearts are truly

nature, given to us by God, to make us more

transformed and this we cannot do through our

readily bear His image. In other words, we are “to

own strength, it can only happen through

put off the old self, which is being corrupted by its

supernatural power as we shall see.

deceitful desires, to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to

The Necessity of Regeneration:

be like God in true righteousness and holiness”

The term many people use for regeneration today,

(Ephesians 4:22-24). The Socinian view of moral

is “Born again.” In John chapter 3, we read of Jesus`

reformation, believes as many humanists do today,

encounter with a Pharisee named Nicodemus, who

that we can achieve regeneration through our own

under the cover of darkness, comes to see Jesus to

strength. This is impossible, not only per scripture,

find out more about His divine power. In

but also per history, many men have sought to

answering Nicodemus, Jesus says in John 3:3, “I tell

create man-made utopias through moral

you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God

reformation, only to see it end in abject failure.

unless he is born again.” The word unless makes

Baptism also, is not regeneration. Again, John

according to R.C. Sproul, “regeneration a sine qua

Owen says in his work on the Holy Spirit that

non of salvation” (The Mystery of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit and Regeneration

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

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). In other words, no regeneration, no eternal life.

in the life of the natural man, that he receive the

We are not born again in the physical sense, as

Holy Spirit to become regenerate. The flesh is

Nicodemus believes in John 3:4, that is impossible,

utterly useless in this regard, as Jesus says in John

the regeneration Jesus is speaking of is spiritual

6:63, “it is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits

regeneration. This is amplified, by Edwin Palmer

nothing.” Notice the word “who”, the Spirit is a

in his book “The Holy Spirit – His Person and

person, He is God, the third part of the Trinity.

Ministry”, where he says “there must be a birth

This again emphasises God`s words in Ezekiel

from above by God, and more specifically by the

36:26, when He says He will give us a “new heart”,

Holy Spirit” (Page 78). You see, the natural man is

He will give us “His Spirit”, reinforcing God`s will

spiritually dead, again to quote Palmer, “he is

in our salvation.

utterly unable to turn to God and do good” (Page 78).

Faith follows Regeneration: There is a great deal of ignorance today about the

The Agent of Regeneration:

question of regeneration. Is it as some say, a

Emphasising the need for regeneration, we must

synergistic approach where the work of

also emphasise the agent behind the act, that being

regeneration is a cooperative action between two

the Holy Spirit. Going back to John 3, we read in

or more persons or things, with the prefix syn-

verse 5, Jesus` answer to Nicodemus and his clear

meaning “together with.” Or, is it the Calvinist

misunderstanding of the term “born again”, where

approach, also known as the monergistic view

he misidentifies it with a natural rebirth. “I tell you

where the prefix mon-means just one, that one

the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God

being God. R.C. Sproul, in his book “The Mystery

unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh

of the Holy Spirit” (Loc 1017 – Kindle), speaks of

gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to

his professor writing on the blackboard

Spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying,

“Regeneration precedes faith.” Sproul explains that

you must be born again.” Why does Jesus say to

the initiative does not lie within ourselves, but with

Nicodemus, “you should not be surprised”, it is

God. Indeed, after regeneration a person may

because the Old Testament clearly states the

suddenly displays signs of expressing faith, but this

sovereignty of God in salvation, one only reads

does not come before regeneration, because as we

Ezekiel 36:26 to see this confirmed. “I will give you

have already said, man is dead in his sins and

a new heart and put a new Spirit in you; I will

trespasses (Ephesians 2:1). According to some, we

remove from you your heart of stone and give you

must cooperate with this prevenient grace of God,

a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and

prevenient meaning that which comes before, in

move you to follow my decrees.” Therefore,

other words we cooperate with the grace God gives

regeneration is not only necessary, but necessary

in regenerating us. But that leaves a problem, this

via the Holy Spirit. It is His work that draws the

type of Pelagianism puts the emphasis on us and

believer to new life, as we read with Palmer, it is

not on God. Therefore, we in effect become the

impossible for the unregenerate man to turn to

agents of our salvation, when as we have seen, it is

God and do good. Just as it says in Jeremiah 13:23,

solely the work of God. Herman Bavinck (1854 –

that “the Ethiopian can`t change his skin, nor the

1921), puts the problem of this into perspective in

leopard his spots”, neither can the one who is

his seminal work “Saved by Grace.” “But if a

“accustomed to do evil” do good. It is imperative

person is not dead in sins and trespasses, then the

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

character of the work of salvation is entirely

way regarding the use of means, “All these things

changed. Christ may then have acquired the

may be wrought in the minds of men by the

possibility of salvation, but salvation itself is not

dispensation of the word, and yet the work of

His work” (Loc 1414 – Kindle). This raises huge

regeneration never be perfected in them.” He also

problems, for if it does indeed require

adds the following with regards to the effect, “All

cooperation, then Christ`s work is not sufficient,

things mentioned as wrought instrumentally by

His priestly work no longer required, what then is

the word, are effects of the power of the Spirit of

the need for the atonement. Another problem is

God.” This means we must be regenerate before

the use of means. When Bavinck wrote these

we hear the preaching of the word, for it is the

words, he was addressing issues raised by disputes

Spirit of God that changes our hearts to be

with “The Remonstrants”, a group of Dutch

receptive to the word of God, before we can

Protestants, who after the death of Jacob Arminius

respond. So, it is the power of God unto salvation,

(1560 – 1609), carried on the teachings he was

it is not down to us, it is God Himself who gives the

associated with, namely that of universal salvation.

gift of faith (1 Corinthians 12:9). Regeneration then,

They believed as many Christian associations do

precedes faith as John 3:6 tells us, “flesh gives birth

today, that a man can choose to be saved, that his

to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit.”

will determines his salvation. This is often achieved through the hearing of the preaching of

The Manner of Regeneration:

the Word, where the person upon hearing may in

No one is born a Christian, this is theoretically

fact be convicted of sin, choose to repent and be

impossible as like David says in Psalm 51:5, “Surely

saved. Therefore, the gospel is open to all

I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my

regardless, through the means of preaching and

mother conceived me.” Salvation is entirely of

the sacraments. Again though, we have the

grace, as discussed we cannot will our salvation, it

problem of God`s sovereignty, if we are “dead in

is entirely a gift from God, a man cannot believe

sins and trespasses” (Ephesians 2:1), then how, can

unless he is regenerated. But how does the Holy

we choose to be saved. This also does not consider

Spirit work in regeneration, the answer is

those whom Bavinck describes as “every infant

notaltogether clear in scripture. Jesus in his

dying in infancy, everyone who is mentally

conversation with Nicodemus in John 3:8 retorts

impaired, and everyone suffering from mental

“the wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its

incapacity is excluded from salvation” (Saved by

sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or

Grace – Loc 1414 – Kindle). This reduces God to

where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the

being at a distance, that once He has created, He

Spirit.” The wind Jesus is describing is the Spirit,

has left us to our own devices, which sounds a lot

who being the third person of the Trinity, chooses

like deism. Also, has He equipped creation with its

whom He will save, this being the essence of the

own devices to develop itself, the will to believe

doctrine of election. In Ephesians 1:4, Paul writes

and have faith without the need to intervene? This

“For He chose us in Him before the creation of the

is unlikely, for then would we need internal grace

world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love

if we could really save ourselves? Quite simply,

He predestined us for adoption to sonship through

there is no guarantee of regeneration without the

Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and

special, operating power of the Holy Spirit

will.” A difficult doctrine for some people to

working internally in our hearts. John Owen sums

understand, but according to scripture, we see

it up this

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how God through the Holy Spirit elects those

world and set our “minds on things above, not on

whom he has predestined to be saved. This is the

earthly things” (Colossians 3:2). We are convicted

essence of what Jesus was explaining to

of sin, of our unworthiness, so implanted in us is a

Nicodemus, when he said that “the wind blows

desire to repent and reform. The Spirit does not

wherever it pleases”, in other words salvation is not

make us lax, but rather works within us to

down to us, it is the work of God. Edwin Palmer

recognise our inability to repent and reform,

writes that “regeneration occurs in an instant” (The

making us trust in Him all the more for our

Holy Spirit – Page 80), it does not happen over a

salvation. The Results of Regeneration: John Owen

period of time like say, sanctification which is a

in his magisterial treatise on the Holy Spirit, wrote

progressive work of the Spirit, it is instant. The

that one of the main results of regeneration, was

wind that Jesus speaks of, blows on His chosen,

the production of a new spiritual principle. Or, to

regenerating him instantly.

put it another way, a divine nature which Owen

Palmer also describes how the Holy Spirit

states thus. “This divine nature, is not the nature of

penetrates into the innermost recesses of man, in

God, of which in our own person we are

other words, He gets to “the heart of the matter –

subjectively partakers, yet, a nature it is, a principle

the heart of man, the inner core” (Page 81).

of operation; and that divine or spiritual – an

Jeremiah 17:9 tells us, “the heart is deceitful above

habitual holy principle, wrought in us by God and

all things”, while Jesus said “For it is from within,

bearing His image.” We do not become divine, we

out of a person`s heart, that evil thoughts come –

cannot become like God, but what we do actually is

sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed,

have a greater awareness of our sin. We are to

malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance

pursue holiness, be partakers of God`s divinity, we

and folly. All these evils come from inside and

are as scripture says to “put to death, therefore,

defile a person” (Mark 7:21-23). The heart is the

whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual

source is of all our problems, it is intrinsically

immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed,

wicked, therefore the Spirit has to get to the source

which is idolatry” (Colossians 3:5). The new

in order to change it. If a plant is dead, then you

spiritual principle Owen is talking about is the new

have to uproot the old plant which is dead and

man, which we put on in place of the old. In

lifeless, and put a new one in its stead. It is the

Colossians 3:12, 13, Paul writes”therefore, as God`s

same with us, we need new hearts we need new

chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe

natures, the old must go the new must come.

yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility,

In describing further the work of the Holy Spirit in

gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and

regeneration, it is important to note that nothing is

forgive one another if any of you has a grievance

added to our hearts, nor our faculties. What

against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”

does happen is the disposition of the heart is

Again, the scripture inference is clear, we will not

changed, from a love of sin and rebellion, to a love

become God, but we are to strive to be like Him,

for God and holiness. So, as a result our intellectual

this is the result of regeneration. Inbuilt, comes a

capacities are changed, our emotions change. Our

desire to grow in Christ and as our love deepens

wills, once so hostile to God, now become lovers of

for Him, we seek to become more and more in His

God, leading us to do things for God and not

image. Our thought patterns change, we seek the

things against Him. Thus, the Holy Spirit through

“mind of Christ”, (1 Corinthians 2:16) we make

His divine power enables us to turn away from the

spiritual judgments on all things. We begin to

The Holy Spirit and Regeneration

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engage in the business of killing sin, or as Romans

to cover the ground over what constitutes regeneration,

8:13 states, we begin to “put to death the misdeeds

the agent of that process and the results of it. Many

of the body.” Effectual Regeneration: For some of the elect, they may be regenerate but not yet know it. Some regenerate people can

Christians struggle with some of the concepts of regeneration, and indeed it is difficult to tell sometimes, whether someone who professes faith is actually regenerate. This may be why some Christians struggle in

remain dormant for many years, even still living in

their witness to non-believers. Disillusionment can set in

sin. According to R.C. Sproul, regeneration is

very quickly, if believers see through their sharing of the

effectual, “it accomplishes its desired goal” (The

gospel, a distinct lack of results. We should not be

Mystery of the Holy Spirit – Loc 1087 – Kindle).

discouraged, we may spend days, months even years

The result of effectual regeneration is that we are made alive unto faith, this faith is planted like a

witnessing to someone, who may be a dormant believer and come to faith late, or they may never be called of God at all. We may only spend a few minutes or seconds,

seed into our hearts, which upon the preaching of

if we are handing out tracts to people on the street, and

the word, suddenly blooms and explodes into new

they may in fact be made regenerate. That is the point, it

life. For the unregenerate, the word preached has

is not our work, but God`s. This is precisely why, we need

no effect, but to the one chosen by God for

to pray for more of the Spirit`s outpouring in our lives, so

salvation, the call comes from within. The dormant Christian is suddenly awakened and realises their need for salvation, hence they

we can “seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10). This is why Jesus said to us “it is for your good I am going away.

Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you” (John 16:7). Praise God, the

respond in faith. Romans 8:30, puts it succinctly,

Advocate, the Holy Spirit has been sent to us, and he has

“and those He predestined, He also called; those

wrought a new work and life within us, we are saved.

He called, He also justified; those He justified, He

Even the most debased sinner can have new life in Christ,

also glorified.” God calls us to faith through effectual regeneration, this is another one of the main results of the Spirit`s process in leading us to

he cannot resist the power of the Holy Spirit, if he is called, he has to answer, it`s as simple as that. If we are to have “the peace of God, which transcends all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), then we must pray for

redemption, where we are most certainly passive

the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. If we are to gain souls

in the process, but upon the call we awake to

for Christ, then there must be an outpouring of the Holy

renewed faith and action. That’s the main result of

Spirit into the lives of those, who are spiritually dead. So

regeneration, a call to action. Edwin Palmer calls it

let us pray and witness the regenerating influence of the

the “convicting work of the Spirit” (The Holy Spirit – Page 85), where the individual`s heart is pricked,

Holy Spirit, thus seeing the kingdom of God grow and grow, all to his glory, amen.

Bibliography:

he begins to wrestle with himself, his sin shames

John Owen – The Holy Spirit: His Gifts and Power –

him, he wants to change. Thus the believer cries

Christian Heritage – 2004

out as in Acts 2:37 “Brothers what shall we do?”

Edwin H. Palmer – The Holy Spirit: His Person and

This then leads the believer to Christ as his

Ministry –P&R Publishing – 1974

substitutionary atonement for sin, this is where he puts his faith, knowing he is forgiven, knowing he is restored. He has become a new creation, to

R.C. Sproul – The Mystery of the Holy Spirit – Christian Focus – 2009 Herman Bavinck – Saved by Grace – Reformed Heritage Books – 2008

become more like the image of God, the effect

J.I. Packer – Keep in Step with the Spirit – Fleming H

being, not a life without trial, but a life everlasting

Revell Company – 1984

that is sure to bring joy and peace to the born again

J.C. Philpott – Meditations on the Holy Spirit – Kindle

believer. Conclusion: In this essay, we have tried

Edition 2012

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

THE APPLICATION OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IN EVERYDAY LIFE

BY JOHN KNIGHT

In his letter to the Church in Galatia the Apostle Paul is guided by the Holy Spirit to inform us that the Fruit of the Spirit is: Love Joy Peace Patience Gentleness Goodness Faithfulness Humility and Self-control (Galatians 5 v 22). I was born in 1933, just after Hitler had become Chancellor of Germany, and I was raised in a Christian Home. I has on older brother Kenneth and a younger one Stephen, we all attended a Calvinistic Church (Bethesda Hall ) every Sunday. That did not make me a Christian but I understood the Gospel and my need to be saved. My Uncle Harold, who was my Sunday School Teacher, challenged me about receiving Jesus as my own personal Saviour. Life was difficult during WW2 (1939 - 45) especially because my Dad was away in the Army for four years (1941 - 45). My Mum showed great faith during this period and prayed with us every day and took us to Church. We saw death and destruction on every hand but my Mother demonstrated the Fruit of the Spirit every day and helped all our neighbours in their hour of great need. She had faith that we would not be killed and that my Dad would return to us safe and sound when the conflict was over. She was a great example to us and a great witness for the Lord. When my Dad returned in 1945 I was 11 and on Easter Saturday in 1946 he took us to a Youth for Christ Rally in the Boxing Stadium, an appropriate venue ! The message was about personal commitment based on Romans 10 v 9: "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you will be saved !"

I responded to the appeal and went out to the front to be prayed with and counselled.

A Counselor prayed with me and I recieved Christ as my Saviour. I was born again and the Holy Spirit cam into my life. As I developed spiritually, through prayer, reading the scriptures and attending Church services including the communion service I was changed from within. Externally the changes were also noticeable as the "Fruit of the Spirit" became evident. I was happier and more content, I became less self centered and selfish and my life was more spiritual and controlled the Holy Spirit was changing me from within. The traits I had admired in my Mother (who was filled with the Holy Spirit) became evident in my character also. I was a member of the Boy Scouts and my nickname was changed from Thinker to Smiler because I was more and more happy ! The ten Scout Laws were trusty, loyal, helpful, brotherly, courteous, kind< obedient, cheerful, thrifty and pure in body and mind ! These were very similar to the "Fruit of the Spirit" and with the indwelling of the Spirit I found it increasingly easy to live according to the ten Scout Laws whereas before I was converted was difficult.

I was a pupil at a Boys Grammar School when I was converted and I had several Christian friends and we supported each other when we were teased for being Christians and not swearing and talking dirty etc. The Holy Spirit enabled us to be kind and helpful and peaceful and gracious instead of becoming irritable and upset. We witnessed to everybody, including the Teachers. We did have a Christian Union in the School and several of us became Prefects so our presence and Christian character was regarded as positive. I studied Science in the sixth-form but never found any conflict between my Christian Faith and scientific truth.

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In 1950, when I was 16, I obtained a post in the Dunlop Company as a process control chemist in the Dunlopillo Division. I was a day release student at Liverpool Technical College. The 1950's was a difficult time to be a teenager with so much change and so much temptation. One required all the power of the Holy Spirit within to live as a Christian in an increasingly secular and sinful environment. I was respected at work, as an Evangelical Christian and they knew I didn't smoke or drink alcohol or gamble or read pornographic magazines etc. The Scriptures taught me that it was the purifying indwelling of the Holy Spirit that enabled me to witness and live a Christian life in an increasingly secular World. I experienced the Holy Spirit's inner love peace and joy every day.

There were other Spirit filled Christians at work and we supported each other and the Liverpool B when Y J Othey H Ncame K NtoI sing G Hand T witness City Mission outside the Factory Gates, they were not allowed inside the Factory ! I was helped in my witness by one young lady in particular Mavis Eyres who was Secretary to the Footwear Production Manager.

She attended a Brethren Assembly were several of my extended family were members. She was a very spiritual girl. I was also a member of the Brethren and in 1952 we joined the Liverpool Youth for Christ Choir together, we were engaged in 1956 and married in 1958. Marrying a Christian is a great blessing because you are both indwelt by the Holy Spirit and through membership of a local Church and other wider Christian activities you have a lot in common. Through my studies at Liverpool Technical College (and with God's help !) I became an Associate of the Royal Society of Chemistry and was able to obtain a Lectureship in Science at Loughborough College of FE. Our first house was in Loughborough and we attended the local Brethren Assembly and worked with Loughborough Evangelical Mission working with all the Churches to reach Young people for Christ. Loughborough College was a big complex with an Art College, Teacher Training College and An Advanced Technical College. Many of the PE Students were Olympic Athletes so it was great Mission Field. We had a large Christian Union and I was one of the Vice Presidents. In my job and Christian Work I needed all nine of the "Fruit of the Spirit" in my Life. I did some preaching and Mavis was great help as a Gospel Singer. Our Daughters Sharon (1960) and Cherith (1962) were in Loughborough and have been a great Blessing to us. Mavis found being a Christian and being filled with the Holy Spirit was a great help in motherhood and caring and sharing with other Mothers in the Community.

Love Joy and Peace etc. are just what a Mother needs ! In 1962 I was appointed as a Research Assistant at Nottingham University with an opportunity to carry our research in Biochemistry and submit fro a PhD after three years. Scientific Research is really just thinking God's thoughts after him so I was confident as a Christian that I

THE APPLICATION OF THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IN EVERYDAY LIFE

would find beauty, purpose, order and design in the work i was doing. Chemistry is a very ordered subject and God has laid down facts, patterns and principles which govern the Physical Universe and if we obey them we can understand all the natural Biosynthetic Pathways and even get to Moon and back again. I have found no randomness in God' Creation. After obtaining my PhD I moved back to Liverpool for a year to work on Plant Biosynthesis at the University. Our Son Stephen was born in Liverpool in 1966 and our Family was now complete. Our children are now 57, 55 and 51 and all going on with the Lord and their children. I was interested in Training Science Teachers and obtained a post back inColchesterat the College of Education (2 years) and then at the Leeds College of Education (6 years). We had large Christian Unions because many Christians saw Teaching a a vocation. I always told the Christians training to be Teachers that the nine characteristics they needed to be effective Teachers were: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Humility and Self Control. I emphasised that these characteristics would be available and evident if we allowed the Holy Spirit to fill and guide our lives. The opposites of these things are called "The Works of the Flesh" an are very evident in people who allow Satan and alcohol and other drugs to control their lives. These opposites are Lust, Misery, Aggression, Impatience. Crudeness, Unfaithfulness, Pride and Licence ! These are the very characteristics that would bar people from the Teaching Profession. Many students drop out of College and University for all sorts of reasons but i am pleased to say that all the Christians training to be Teachers not only obtained obtained their qualifications but were successful in job interviews and went on to be excellent Teachers. In my experience being filled with God's Holy Spirit always makes a person a better School Teacher what ever their subject because of the key part played by the Fruit of the Spirit in their day to day lives. The same is true for Christians in any profession and in our roles as parents and partners. In 1975 I was appointed as Head of Science and Maths in a Large FE / HE College in Loughborough. There was a Teacher Training element but it was phased out in 1980. I also had the opportunity to work with the Open University and also as a Moderator for Science Courses in several of th London Colleges. It was a very interesting job with some teaching but mainly being responsible for the Welfare and Inservice Training of about 50 Staff. Latterly the Department of Special Education and Open Learning came under my control so i was responsible for over 100 Staff !

With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the nine Fruit of the Spirit my job would have been impossible ! I retired in 1995 after 45 continuous years of work very ably supported in every aspect of my secular and spiritual life by my Godly Wife Mavis who is now 82 and on no medication ! I have had joint replacements bot otherwise I am also on no medication. We are both active in the Lord's work in the community and in Stanway Evangelical Church. I was Chairman of the local YMCA for 15 years and Governor on local Secondary Schools for 42 years. Our Children are all married and we have eight Grandchildren, three of whom are married to Godly Men and to date six greatgrandchildren.

Mavis and I are grateful to our parents for encouraging us to be Christians, to the Lord Jesus Christ for dying to make our Salvation possible and to the Holy Spirit for dwelling in us and enabling us to exhibit the nine Fruit if the Spirit in our day to day lives. We are fully committed to God's will and guidance every day of our lives, AMEN

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IT’S ALL IN THE MIND - HOLINESS PART 2

BY MAURICE BARRATT

One of the most encouraging things about the Christian life is that it’s not to do with having a strong will. Change is essential; we all have to change. We need to stop living in the old nature and start living in the new nature. But how? Those of you who are weak-willed will be very relieved to know - and those of you who are strong-willed may be disappointed! - that will-power will not make you a better Christian. Why? The answer lies in the fact that God always deals with the roots. In order to get better fruit, God does not deal with the fruit. He deals with the root. I want better apples from my apple tree next year, it’s no use me treating the apples with special foods or polishing them. I have to go to the compost heap and throw a load of rotting vegetables and manure on the roots. I don’t have to even think about the fruit; all I need to know is where the roots are.

The Root Of The Matter The root of you is not your will. It is your mind. This is easy to prove. You make a decision first in your mind. You think to yourself, “I’ll do this”. Then you apply your will. If you’re strong-willed, you’ll succeed, and if you’re weak-willed you’ll fail. But the will is a secondary thing - the thought comes first. There are some common misunderstandings about the mind.

1. Your mind and your brain are not the same. Your brain is physical, but your mind is spiritual. The brain is really just a computer. The brain doesn’t think. It just processes information, makes calculations and sends instructions to the body. But your mind is part of your spirit, and it is your mind that does the thinking. That is why it is your mind which is the centre or the root of you.

2. The Bible also talks a great deal about the heart as the centre of us. We are all familiar with this idea; we talk about “getting to the heart of the matter”. What is not so apparent is that your heart, in Bible terms, is part of your mind. If you study the scriptures you will see how the mind (thoughts) and the heart are so closely related. I’ll just give you two examples: “As a man thinks in his heart, so he is” (Proverbs 23:7). “The word of God ... is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

Discerning Our Motives This scripture from Hebrews is very revealing. It is the mind that is the root, so it is the mind we have to deal with in order to produce better fruit. (“Fruit”, don’t forget, does not mean how many souls you’ve won, or anything like that. “Fruit” is simply the character and nature of Christ being reproduced in your life.) We have a problem when we try to deal with our minds. We know what we’re thinking - but do we know why we’re thinking it - our motives? Let me illustrate. Someone may give me a compliment, and tell me, “You’re a humble man, Maurice.”

I may reply, “No, no, I’m not.” And that may be quite true!

But I could have a wrong motive for replying that way - I could be fishing for another compliment, so that they will tell me, “Oh yes you are - you’re very humble.” And then, I’d really feel proud! But how can I know my motives? It’s very difficult - in fact, it’s impossible. We cannot sort out our own motives. Scripture tells us exactly the same: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) The answer is - only God can know it. “I the LORD search the heart” (Jeremiah 17:10).

This is what Hebrews says: “The Word of God ... discerns between the thoughts and intents of the heart”. Your thoughts are what you think; your intents are why you think it - your motives. In Romans, Paul reveals more about the process of changing the mind (Romans 12:1-2). But before dealing with the mind, he first mentions the body.

Before we can deal with inward things - the mind and the spirit - we have to be able to rule our bodies - the outward.

Reasonable Service So Paul begins by saying “I beseech you” - I beg you - “to present your bodies a living sacrifice”. That sounds like strong stuff! But Paul says it’s only “your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). It’s nothing tremendous, no big deal, to conform outwardly to Christianity. Why? Firstly, because hypocrites can do that. The Pharisees kept the outward “letter of the law” perfectly. They devoted hours to prayer. They subdued their bodies with regular fasting. They tithed their income meticulously. They made sure they conducted themselves righteously in every area of their lives and lived differently from the world around them. But they were hypocrites, because inwardly the motives of their hearts were all wrong. They were covetous, proud, and self-righteous. They had forgotten about mercy and judgement and faith (Matthew 23:23). So, if the Pharisees could have the outward righteousness, it’s only reasonable for us to also have it. After all, Jesus said, “Unless your righteousness exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the Kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20)! Secondly, the world expect us to be righteous outwardly. They know what Christians are supposed to do. They expect us practise what we preach. If you take advantage of the office photocopier for your own work, they’ll say “Hey, that’s stealing! I thought you were a Christian!” If you stop work ten minutes early for lunch, or if you criticize your boss behind his back, they’ll pull you up about it, because they expect Christians to have different standards. They may not be able to tell what you’re like inwardly, but they do expect you to be righteous outwardly. So having made that point clear, Paul moves on to the heart of the matter. “Do not be conformed to this world” (“Don’t let the world squeeze you into its mould” is J.B. Phillips’ translation) “...but be

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transformed by the renewing of your mind”. There’s the mind. This is about inward reality, inward righteousness what the Scribes and Pharisees didn’t have.

Transformation This is an amazing fact - you can be inwardly transformed into the image and character of Christ by the renewing of your mind. If you change the way you think, you can become holy. You began your Christian life by changing your thinking. Did you realise that? “Repentance” simply means changing your mind. It is always our thinking that changes us. Remember the scripture from Proverbs: “As a man thinks in his heart, so he is”. The devil also knows this, and that is why he always works on the mind, on our thinking. The mind is the centre of everything.

BY MAURICE BARRATT

What We Think, We Become Doctors understand that what we eat, we become. The nutrients in our food pass into our bloodstream and body cells and become a part of us. But what is true physically (outwardly) is also true spiritually (inwardly). What we think, we become spiritually. It’s not that we become what we say, neither do we become what we believe. We become what is in our hearts - our thoughts and intents and motives. “You become what you speak” is a slogan of the “positive confession” movement. But conforming yourself to your words is actually only a form of brainwashing, and there is a big difference between reprogramming your brain and renewing your mind. Genuine change only comes from a new way of thinking - a change of attitudes. This series of messages on holiness is a preparation for looking at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount - the beatitudes. In the beatitudes, Jesus tells us what this new way ” of thinking is. If you read the rest of Romans 12, you will find at least thirty practical applications of the principles stated in the first two verses, all based on the Sermon on the Mount, all related to our way of thinking. But for the moment, this message is looking at the principles rather than the practical application. The Sermon an the Mount is the practical application, and we will be going into all the details as we study the Sermon on the Mount. So our principle is: Change only comes with a change of mind, a change of thinking. So often we wish our circumstances would change. But God wants to change our thinking, not our circumstances. If we change our thinking, we probably won’t need to change our circumstances any longer, because we’ve dealt with the root of the problem! “If you can’t change your circumstances, change your attitude” is a great maxim.

Jesus Our Example Let’s look at an example. In Philippians 2:5-8, Paul tells us that we should model the way we think on the way Christ thought. I suppose it is obvious that if we want to know how to think, we should ask how our Master thought. Paul tells us exactly: “He humbled Himself ... He made Himself of no reputation”. Notice - this is important - that this doesn’t mean He allowed God to humble Him. That would be passive, allowing circumstances to happen. But Jesus made an active, conscious decision. And when He had humbled Himself to become a man, He humbled Himself again: He “became obedient to death, even the death of the cross”. He made all those decisions Himself. Jesus said, “No-one takes My life away from Me, but I lay it down of Myself” (John 10:18). Jesus made these decisions because of His way of thinking - and it’s a radical way of thinking!

And it was because He thought this way and made these choices, that God loved Him and exalted Him. “Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life” (John 10:17). “Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name” (Philippians 2:9).

So “let this mind in you that was in Christ Jesus”. It’s time to change your mind!

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IN THE NEWS

BY OKECHUKWU OKUGO President at Chaffinch Group

At this time when it is really clear that many of the European countries are frustrated by the complex problems the refugee migrants are causing them as a result of thousands upon thousands of people fleeing wars in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria pouring into the Balkans and all through European countries creating a burden of absorbing them from Germany to Hungary, Italy, Serbia, Austria, etc. Arising to a crisis, The Washington Post reported as,“What has been called the biggest migrant crisis in 70 years.” With the call from the Foreign Minister of Austria on August 28, 2015 reported by New York Times, saying, “Europe must wake up at long last and recognize that this is a serious problem.” It is clearer today that he is correct. With ABC News reporting on November 11, “1 million refugees seeking asylum in Europe with more expected,” it seems that the solution to this crisis is not in sight yet as more and more desperate refugees are risking their lives to escape the war-worncountries with hope of better lives somewhere else. This has necessitated that a second and closer look should be taken by the governments of Greece and Italy, two countries among European nations ravaged by this crisis, about the Egyptian’s call for one or more desolated islands in their countries to be sold to him. The 61-year-old Egyptian billionaire concerned with this ravaging 21st century Exodus that had caused the death of many people on the sea while desperately seeking to escape in a treacherous journey, most of them children, decided to offer a practical help spending his personal wealth to create a “new country” for the refugee migrants and avert the dangerous and desperate journey they migrants undergo to get to Europe seeking for better life. Inspired by the availability of uninhabited islands in Greece and Italy as he made it known to Agence France Presse: “You have dozens of islands which are deserted and could accommodate hundreds of thousands of refugees.”

Reported by The Washington Post, the 61-year-old billionaire had contacted the owners of two islands he wanted to buy which fall in the territory of Greece, and indicated his willingness to spend up to $200 million on this humanitarian project. But it seems that all that is now left for this deal to be sealed is the permission of the Greek’s government. “We are seeking the Greek government consent to be willing to take care the administrative process of permitting entrance of refugees to the Island.” He had shared on Twitter as well as disclosing the proposed new country’sname as Aylan Island, named after the Syrian 3-year-old, AylanKurdi, whose body was washed ashore the Turkish beach when the boat conveying him and his family capsized at the sea.

According to Time Magazine Sawiris confirmed that he had ample support in this project receiving 10,000 emails from potential donors and volunteers. Sawiris needs Greek’s attention now since this exodus has created a

crisis in Europe and there is not yet a concrete solution they have in hand to contain this crisis effectively.

Moreover Sawiris seems to have the blueprint of what he wants to build already, and has the resources, being confirmed to worth $3billion.

Sawiris, a billionaire standing out in Africa, demands commendation since when some of his counterparts are secretly financing ISIS, he is ready to spend his own wealth to offer help. With the sophistication and the amount of wealth ISIS have, it is glaring that they must be enjoying some sort of high powered sponsorship from both individual and organizations that finance terrorist networks. Also at a time when most African governments would be dependent on foreign aids and loan from foreign countries, this humble African is ready to spend his own resources to offer help to the Europeans. This is humanitarian and should be supported. When many African heads of state would be stashing and hiding public funds in European banks,Sawiris is willing to spend his in a noble cause. And he is not proposing a kind of concentration camp where to dump the refugees, rather he had noted that the, “main thing is investment in infrastructure,” The Washington Post reported. Proposing to providing jobs to the migrants through building their new country and housing the refugees. Ever since, his mission has been to providing a place where refugees can live in safety and be allowed to live and work like everybody, and these deserted islands actually could accommodate hundreds of thousands of refugees.

If the project is implemented well,it wouldheave off a heavy burden off Europe, as many of the refugees would be diverted and they will now keep busy engaging in meaningful work to develop and earn in their new home.

What is more, the dangerous journeys in search of a better life in Europe would either stop or reduced to the barest minimum since there is now a sure alternative provided.

Thousands of lives would be saved particularly the lives of many women and children. For the fact that this mission is humanitarian in nature, it is worthy to be given an affirmative nod, at least. Remember, if the new country succeeds, it would mean an expanded economy for the government of Greece because there would surely be many ways the new home would be generating income to the parent government; and the island incorporated as an extended colony to the rest of the country. Trying out new things is better than not doing anything at all. After all there is no error in trial.

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THE TIME OF THE END

BY DAVID CLARKE, MANAGING DIRECTOR & PRESIDENT CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE

The New Testament scripture speaks often about the last days and the Apostles and the lord Jesus stated that they were living in the last days. It is important therefore to understand what they meant by the term the Last Days. The term refers too the last days of the Jewish age or Old Covenant age as governed by the Law and not the end of the world. This wrong interpretation of the last days has produced all kinds of theories about what will happen in the last days which were prophecies not only in the Old Testament scriptures but also by the Lord Jesus Himself and His Apostles. 1 Jacob prophesied to his sons saying “Assemble yourselves around me so I can tell you all what is going to happen to you in the last days. Gen 49.1. 2 Moses spoke of the last days when he address Israel before his death warning them if they would not keep the commandments the curses would come upon them and overtake them. Due 28:15 Evil will befall you in the Latter Days because ye will do evil in the sight of the Lord. Debt 31:29. 3 Daniel speaks of A time of trouble Dan 12: 1 such as never was since there was a nation. Of a resurrection and deliverance of the elect that would take place at the time of the end. 4 Jesus when answering the question put to him by his disciples when shall these thing be He said this generation will not pass away until all be fulfilled. a And

when ye see Jerusalem compassed with armies then know that desolation i nigh. Luke 21: 20 b In Matthew 24:15 Jesus said when you see the abomination of Desolation spoke of by the prophet Daniel ( let him that breadth understand) c In the same place and time He said that the things he was speaking about told of the days of vengeance of our God Luke 21:22 a time of great tribulation that had never been before or shall be. d Jesus was describing some of the curses that were to come upon Israel, the curses that Moses foretold would come due to their disobedience, rejection and killing him Duet 28:15 Duet 18:15 For Moses wrote, “a prophet shall the lord they God raise up unto Him Hear ye him”. They did not hear him and refused him and they killed him. 5 In the last days I will pour our my spirit Act 2:17. Joel 2: 28. John spoke of this time as the last hour.6 6 Paul write In these last days God hath spoken to us by his son. Hebrew 1:2 7 The last days of Old Covent Israel were until the coming of the Jesus Christ at the destruction Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by the agency of the Roman armies. (This was the Parousia) 8 Paul’s Speaks of the resurrection of those that slept, believers who had died, and of the change that would take place to the living saints at the second coming of Christ. This coming he calls the day of the Lord. He goes on to say that the times and seasons for this event was not

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hidden from them and the lord will come as a thief in the night. He said that they were not as those who slept in the night and were drunk in the night because they were children of the day. That they had not been appointed to wrath but to obtain salvation by the lord Jesus Christ.1 Thess.1: 3-9 In the book of Revelation, which was writes by John before the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, it states that this prophecy was given him by the Ascended Lord Jesus Christ who had been given the information by God the Father and those things were shortly to come to past and very quickly. Rev 1:1. The book of Revelation was a prophecy telling in detail about the destruction of Jerusalem and the days of vengeance that Jesus spoke about brought upon Israel for their rejection of Jesus Christ and the wicked treatment to the martyrs .It told of the fulfilment af all that the prophets had spoken about. In this prophecy old covent Israel is described as The great mother of Harlots and called Mystery Babylon. It was the sovereign Lord Jesus Christ who came on a white horse contouring and to concur Rev. 6:2 executing vengeance upon His

THE TIME OF THE END

enemies even as the Apostle Paul wrote about when he said “When the lord Jesus is revealed from heaven e shall take vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel of Christ”.

2 Thess 1-7. The Lord Jesus opened the books Rev. 5:4 containing the preordained decrees of God and fulfilled all that was written. And toward the end of the prophecy Johns says even so Lord Jesus come quickly. Rev 22:20 And so when is comes to understanding eschatology or the study of last things it is important to read scripture for your self and having studied all that others say you must come to your own conclusion. It is my opinion that all future dispensational teaching and a history view of last things are wrong. A good introduction to the subject is found in James Stuart Russell’s book The Parousia, 2nd Edition, which have republished for your help.

Available from Amazon. Do not believe all that you see on the movies. You comments are welcome.

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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017

DEMAND JUSTICE FOR TANIA MARIYAM Around one hundred Pakistani Christians from the cities of Lahore, Multan and Sialkot converged on Press Club Road in Sialkot, to the Press Club Office, on Saturday 1st April 2017. The protest was organised by the British Pakistani Christian Association to demand justice for Tania Mariyam who was murdered on 23rd January 2017. Despite evidence to the contrary, police initially registered her death as a suicide. The protest was presided over by Mehwish Bhatti BPCA's lead officer in Pakistan.

Mr. Aamir Bashir Chairman of Voice of Minorities Pakistan (VOMP), spoke of the need for justice to prevent the same injustice happening to other young girls. He called for people of all faiths to rally behind the cause of Tania. He said: "The monster that killed Tania could and probably will strike again.

"Predators like him target vulnerable young girls.

Christian girls are the most vulnerable because statutory agencies ignore their plight.

"However if he this killer saw an isolated Muslim or Hindu girl she would be targeted too. We must unite together as Pakistani's to stop the rot that has beset our country."

Youth Coordinator of VOMP Mr Akhtar Bhatti From Sailkot joined the protest with a local team of activists. He said: "To date Convent of Mary and Jesus School has not released the video footage of the last moments of Tania's life. The parents are extremely concerned about this as they believe it could lead to the capture of the murderer.

"By thwarting justice the headship of the school are undermining the reputation of the school. We demand that they release thevideo evidence even if they find a staff member was involved in the school. It is the right thing to do and will help with police investigation."

Edit By Anil Anwar

https://www.facebook.com/TheSecondComingOfChristMovie .SELCARIM GNIRB NAC HTIAF EURT TAHT SREVOCSID ,SEMIT FO DNE EHT TA ,OHW TSITNEICS NAMOW A FO YENRUOJ EHT

COMING SOON

CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 5 / APRIL 2017