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Summer 2017 Plan of Salvation: John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever shall believe in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
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5 Tips For Active Summer Families (Family Features) Summer is perfect for staying active and spending time outdoors with loved ones, but the frantic pace of the season and overload of activities can take a toll on the entire family.
uting to emotional and mental well-being. Most doctors recommend 6-8 hours per night for adults, and kids of all ages typically require even more, so work on getting into a nightly routine to ensure all members of the family are getting the rest they need.
With a little care and pampering, you can enjoy summer to the fullest while still keeping your family rejuvenated. Pamper Yourself at Home. Once you've completed chores in the heat or spent time enjoying family activiEat Well. Food is fuel, and it's necessary to keep the ties in the sun, some simple pampering can be done at entire family energized. During warmer weather, cravhome to rejuvenate skin. Start with your hands, which ings often lean toward lighter foods, making it the perare at the center of everything you do and often the first fect time to add extra servings of seasonal fruits or vegpoint of contact with an activity, whether it's cooking, etables to the family table each night. Also remember to gardening, crafting or aiding friends and family. The ensure family members are drinking plenty of water as unique formula of Softsoap Hand Wash Plus Lotion liqextended time in the sun can lead to dehydration and uid hand soap is made with a touch of lotion to lock in dry skin if fluids aren't frequently replenished. moisture for clean, soft hands. Available in Shea & CoMake Sleep A Priority. Sleep is as important to your coa Butter, Aloe Water & Lime and Orchid & Coconut body as nutrition and exercise, and making it a priority Milk fragrances, this innovative formula can make your can be beneficial, especially when your family's calen- hands irresistibly smooth, so your touch is always a soft dar is packed with events. Sufficient, high-quality sleep touch. contributes to a healthy immune system and helps reTake Time to Exercise. Even a little activity can have pair damage done throughout the day. It also positively a huge impact. Continued on Page 6 impacts metabolism and overall function while contrib-
The Christian message is often referred to as the "Gospel," which means "good news." Specifically, it is the good news about Jesus—who He is, what He has done, and what He offers. Essentially, the message is that Jesus was God in the flesh, that He came into the world to reconcile humanity to Himself, and that his salvation is freely offered to each person who will respond in faith. The Gospel message explains that salvation is only possible through the Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus. Through his sacrifice, Jesus paid the price for our sinfulness (rebellion against God), thus offering us forgiveness. Then through his Resurrection He conquered death, removing it as the penalty for our sin and replacing it with the offer of eternal life that is only available from Him to all those that place their faith in Him.
Good News Press - 2 About Good News Press
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Sharing the good news of God’s Love through his Son to our local community and world!
NUKING ON THE DOOR North Korea is now 'only one step away' from launching a nuclear missile which can hit America, US expert warns News comes as Kim Jongun's rogue state continues to ramp up its weapons programme. (The Sun)
Partner With Us in Sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ to our Community! Good News Press is a Christian outreach publication in the San Francisco Bay Area. This popular high-quality, newspaper, informs and inspires believers, as well as plant seeds into the hearts of men and women that do not know Jesus Christ. Good News Press covers world, national, and local religious news and events, and features inspiring Christian articles and insights. It is available, both digitally online and in full-color printed format. Christian newspapers reach a targeted audience-specifically a family oriented, audience, with strong loyalties and convictions.
Islamic State leader Baghdadi 'may have been killed by Russia' Russia's defence ministry is investigating whether one of its air strikes in Syria killed the leader of the Islamic State militant group (IS). (BBC News)
share the good news, and bring to them the love of Jesus Christ. We do that by bringing glory to God in this newspaper. • Urgency… We believe that these are Why Support Good News Press the last days and that Jesus Christ is • Fulfill the Great Commission! Help us tell our neighbors about the Good soon to return. News of Jesus Christ and reap eternal • Distribution Good News Press is distributed FREE all over the Bay Area. rewards. Good News Press believes You can find it in area grocery stores that this commission begins in our own backyards. There are more than 7 and businesses. Good News Press is produced by Million people in the Bay Area and a great number need to be reached. We Baron & Connie Woods and Family. want to reach these men and women, To contact us: info@goodnewspress.us.
TSA begins testing biometric fingerprint screening at 2 airports
Forget fumbling for your photo ID and boarding pass at the airport. Soon, certain passengers will be free to move through the airport and check into their flights using only their fingerprints, thanks to the TSA’s latest, more intrusive, innovation. (rapturready.com; rt.com)
London fire: Six killed as Grenfell Tower engulfed
Six people have been confirmed dead after a huge fire raged through the night at a west London tower block, and police expect that number to rise. Eyewitnesses described people trapped in the burning Grenfell Tower, in north Kensington, screaming for help and yelling for their children to be saved. Firefighters rescued “large numbers”, but London Mayor Sadiq Khan said “a lot” of people were unaccounted for.. (raptureready.com; bbc.com)
Canada Passes Bill C-16 Making It A Hate Crime With Jail Time To Address Missing US Sailors Found Dead After A Navy Destroyer Transgenders Using Wrong Collided With A Cargo Ship Pronoun (Buzz Feed News) Canada’s Senate passed Bill C-16, which puts “gender identity” and “gender expression” into the hate crime category of its Criminal Code by a vote of 67-1.... (Nowtheendsbegin.com)
The Influence of Church on Wellbeing in Adolescents and Millennials Teleios Research conducted a survey by recruiting respondents from visitors to InstaPray, a Christian Instagram account. There were 884 participants surveyed about their Christian life and how church affected their wellbeing. The majority of participants: attended church at least 4+ times/month (80%); were female (73%); ages 18-30 (39%); reside in the USA (56%); college or post-graduate degree (30%); employed (37%) and evangelical (77%).
perience and promoting prayer in believers' lives. 2. Spiritual growth (56%) - Participants generally recognized the church helps them in their Christian lifestyle and to become mature believers. Praise and worship (54%) - Praise of God is central for the Christian life and for the church. The above list is encouraging in that the church is emphasizing spiritual growth, prayer and praise in young church attendees. However, the amazing finding is that Christian adolescents have the same desires for their church experience as the millennial generation.
1. Bible-based teaching and preaching
(75%) - Overwhelmingly, this criterion was selected by participants. It should encourage the church to see such an important cornerstone of church function chosen by young evangelicals. 2. Encouraging Bible-based speech (51%) - This choice was a surprise for second place as this topic often seems minimized in church life. The Bible indicates our speech should be primarily for the hearer, to meet their needs, and not for ourselves. Powerful biblical vision for the church (44%) - Participants also perceived that the church leadership actually help their wellbeing by directing the church in Biblically based goals!
How does church/church members help your wellbeing? The 3 most common responses are noted below: 1. Prayer (59%) - Prayer is a cornerstone in Christianity. The church might assist How does church leadership help your prayer by acting as a guide to supplicawellbeing? The 3 most common responses Dr. William Stewart, cofounder of Teleios, tions to God, a more expansive prayer ex- are noted below. Inc, commented "The church functions not
to meet its own institutional needs primarily, but to equip its members to impact the world for the gospel and to serve the local community for the common good. These results demonstrate the incredible unity, across the world and age groups, provided by the Bible and promoted by the Holy Spirit among young evangelicals." More data from this study can be found here teleiosresearch.com/index.php/church -wellbeing-survey. Teleios, a non-profit foundation, seeks to demonstrate the truth of Scripture and the Christian faith through the scientific method by providing evidence for the positive results of a biblically-based lifestyle teleiosresearch.com.
Good News Press - 3 Understanding Angels by Greg Hanson Society holds a fascination for angels. People want to know: What do angels look like? Does each person have a guardian angel? How many angels are there? Is it possible to see an angel? Is it proper to pray to angels? Does a person become an angel after they die? Everyone has their own opinion about angels. And most have a mental image of what they think angels look like. They may even collect ornaments of angels (or rather, ornaments of their perception of angels).
angels, I found practically nothing in my library… I soon discovered that little had been written on the subject in this century… I have never heard anyone preach a sermon on angels.” Which prompted him to write a book of his own on the subject. Karl Barth (pronounced “Bart”) is considered to be one of the most important Christian thinkers of the 20th century. As a theologian and an authority on angels, he described the topic as the “most remarkable and difficult of all”.
So to clear up some of the confusion, conBut despite this fascination, there is a lot of sider some of the things angels are not. confusion and misunderstanding surrounding angels. And that’s probably because of where people turn to get their inforWhat Angels are NOT: mation. Like the movies. Angels are portrayed in films such as “City of Angels” with Nicolas Cage, “Dogma” with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, “Meet Joe Black” starring Brad Pitt, or even the Christmas classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life”. Those movies may be entertaining or even inspiring, but they are also misleading when it comes to angels. Television is another source. Touched By an Angel was a long-running show watched by many. In the 1980s, Highway to Heaven starred Michael Landon as an angel trying to ‘earn his wings’. These may have been good wholesome shows, but still not the most reliable sources to teach about angels. Ancient mythology and antiquated works of art also contain representations of angels. But unfortunately, they are not portrayed very accurately or consistently. And the result is a pretty mixed-up understanding of angels, including a lot of light and fluffy beliefs drawn from all kinds of contradictory sources. It’s no wonder there is so much confusion.
Angels are not cute chubby babies with bows & arrows. “Cupid, draw back your bow…” This is one of the many images of angels. But this image originated from works of art during the Renaissance, and has nothing to do with reality. Angels are not what people become after they die. This is one of the more popular beliefs about angels, but it’s wrong. At funerals people often make comments such as, “He’s an angel now,” or, “God needed another angel in that heavenly choir!” It’s a sweet thought, but it’s not true. Angels and humans are completely different creations. Angels are not all-knowing, all-powerful, or all-present. Those are attributes that belong to God and God alone. Angels, on the other hand, are confined by time and space. They are smarter, more powerful, and faster than we are, but they are not on par with God. Angels are not objects of worship.
Some people do worship angels and pray Even within the Church, there is a lack of to them. But in his letter to the Colossians, information about angels. Back in 1975, the the apostle Paul clearly discouraged this respected evangelist Billy Graham said, practice. Continued on Page 6 “When I decided to preach a sermon on
Good News Press - 4 Events (East Bay Times) Events East Contra Costa County, CA Summer Open Gym: 3-6 p.m. Tuesdays, beginning June 13, Antioch Community Center,4703 Lone Tree Way, Antioch. Middle school teens can hang out with friends, play basketball, table games or take part in other activities with supervision. $3 per visit. Purchase a punch card in advance and get a free visit. 925-7763050. Discovery Bay Library Connection: 8 a.m.5:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Discovery Bay Community Center, 1601 Discovery Bay Blvd. A new service allows Discovery Bay residents to borrow library materials without having to travel to the library. Patrons with a valid library card can request items, including books and music CDs, online at ccclib.org and they will be delivered to the Community Center the following Thursday afternoon. Checkout time is 27 days, including delivery time. 925-634-1131. Delta Shadow Boxers Parkinson’s Support Group: 6:30 p.m. third Wednesdays monthly, John Muir Health building, 2400 Balfour Road, Brentwood. 925-550-2756. Are You A Veteran?: Veterans Peer to Peer night meets 6 p.m. Wednesdays, 1023 Second St., Antioch (corner of Second and L streets). Call 925-206-4113. GSMOL Education Classes: 4:30-6 p.m. second and fourth Thursdays monthly. Oakley location given upon registration. Hosted by Golden State Manufactured Home Owners League Chapter 196. Facilitator Glorie Illian discusses important topics related to mobile home living. Call 925-625-6251. Exploring the Dunes: 10-11 a.m. second Saturdays, end of Fulton Shipyard Road, Antioch. Guided tour will focus on the wonders of Antioch Dunes National Wildlife Refuge. Call 707-769-4200. Online Driver’s Education: Students 15 and older can start the process to obtain a driver’s license by enrolling in this interactive online course. Learn the rules of the road, DMV procedures and more. Register at Oakley City Hall, 3231 Main St. A valid email address is required. $39-$49. Call 925-625-7041 or email tumin@ci.oakley.ca.us. Team Select Youth Basketball Tryouts: Go to www.teamselectbasketball.com. Tryouts will take place at Antioch Community Center, 4703 Lone Tree Way, Antioch. Ruben Garcia, 925-367-3912, info@teamselectbasketball.com. VOLUNTEERS AARP Tax-Aide: Contra Costa County AARP Tax-Aide is seeking volunteers to
become members of a team providing free tax preparation for individuals of all ages. Volunteer positions include tax counselors who are trained by Tax-Aide and certified by IRS, and client facilitators, who schedule appointments and assist clients at tax sites. Classes for tax counselors begin in January. Apply online at www.aarp.org/taxvolunteer or call LaVerne Gordon at 925-726-3199 for information. Meals on Wheels: Volunteer drivers are needed to deliver nutritious meals to homebound, frail seniors living in far East County. Meals are delivered between 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., MondayFriday. Call 925-625-4545. Host families needed: Cultural Homestay International is seeking volunteer host families for boys and girls from a variety of countries. Students are 15 to 18 years old. Call 209-502-7567 or 877-737-0409 or go to www.chinet.org. Red Cross: Become part of Red Cross’ disaster responders to provide assistance to individuals and families affected by local emergencies and disasters. Hours are flexible, and free training, including CPR/ First Aid, is provided. Call 925-603-7426 or email VYSNB@redcross.org. Senior Volunteer Program: Senior volunteers with the California Highway Patrol provide a visual presence around school zones. Call 925-646-4980 or visit the office, 5001 Blum Road, Martinez. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Brentwood Library Foundation: A variety of volunteer opportunities are available to help support the Brentwood Library Foundation. Contact Diane Alexander at 925634-5456. HEALTH Free Blood Pressure Screening: 10:3011:30 a.m. third Mondays. Ambrose Community Center, 3105 Willow Pass Road, Bay Point. John Muir Health Senior Services: free blood pressure screening. Call 925-458-1601. Brighter Beginnings’ Family Health Clinic: 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays, 2213 Buchanan Road, Suite 103, Antioch. Fees: sliding scale. Any additional costs incurred for laboratory, radiation or medication services are the responsibility of the patient. Call 925-303-4780. Freedom from Tobacco: Kaiser Medical Offices, 4501 Sand Creek Road, Antioch. Learn about overcoming nicotine addiction and how medications can help. Call 925-813-3560.
Good News Press - 5 Local Seminary Launches New Certificate Program
A NEW MODEL OF LEADERSHIP FOR BAY AREA PASTORS TO ENGAGE CURRENT SOCIAL PROBLEMS BSW & PICO TEAM UP TO LAUNCH A NEW PROGRAM THAT TEACHES THE ART OF ACTIVE PUBLIC THEOLOGY
by those in positions of power. Sadly, faith leaders have been hard-pressed to help their congregations understand and respond to these changes.
“The events of the last decade have made it clear that our society yearns for courageous prophetic Berkeley, CA – For the first time, The American Bap- leaders who are prepared to inspire, speak out, and help organize their congregations, their peers, and tist Seminary of the West (ABSW), in partnership with their communities in ways that not only shape the the PICO National Network, will launch this summer a Public Theology Certificate Program focused on societal debate, but the outcome of the critical moral and issues. ABSW and PICO will seek to recruit clergy, non- ethical issues of the day,” said Michael-Ray ordained congregational leaders as well as faith based Mathews, Director of Clergy Organizing, PICO community leaders to be part of this exciting new proUSA. “Unfortunately, few seminaries are currently gram. Applicants can learn more at www.absw.edu/ structured to prepare clergy for this type of leaderpublictheology. ship,” he added, “but ABSW has stepped forward and they are uniquely equipped as one of the most diverse seminaries in the US.” The 5-course 18-month program is designed to fill the gap between what current seminary curriculum The ABSW/PICO partnership for the creation of a offers and the need for activist clergy to bring their program in Public Theology has been made possible spiritual perspective to the most pressing issues of by a generous grant from the Henry Luce Foundathe day. Classes will cover issues ranging from motion. rality & society to community organizing. Ministers will also be expected to participate in a placement at Classes will begin this summer. All clergy interesta community organization working to expand oppored in applying can go to www.absw.edu/ tunities for justice. publictheology. Scholarships are available. From the Black Lives Matter movement to the challenges of the current political climate, the country is witnessing dynamics that will shape the next decade About American Baptist Seminary of the West or more of our nation’s political and social debate. That’s why ABSW and PICO have launched this effort. ABSW is a laboratory for building communities of Christian hope, justice, and reconciliation. We glad“America is facing a dramatic new set of ethical and ly welcome students from other faith traditions. Our moral challenges for which traditional training/ mission is supported by a faculty that is representaformation of clergy has found itself to be inadetive of the constituencies we serve, competent in quate. These challenges are played out not just inscholarship, skilled in teaching, experienced in minside the church but also in the community. In order istry, and dedicated to the work of social justice.. for contemporary clergy to be effective there has to be a new awareness on how to engage community About PICO concerns. This is why the seminary has chosen to partner w/PICO,” said LeAnn Snow Flesher, VP of The PICO National Network has a 44-year track Academic Affairs at ABSW. record of equipping grassroots faith leaders and Tension is growing in communities across our coun- those most impacted by injustice with the tools to try. There is ever-increasing frustration organize their communities to make concrete policy and anger over promises made and promises broken
change that advances racial and economic justice in the United States.
Good News Press - 6 Angels continued from Page 3 Angels are not halo-wearing, wing-clad, harp-players.
spirits and there are evil spirits. These evil spirits (commonly known as demons or devils) are actually angels that reAgain, these images come mostly out of belled against God. Paul wrote in 2nd artwork, some dating all the way back Corinthians about how these “fallen” to Greek and Roman times. But the angels could disguise themselves as servBible makes no reference to angels ants of righteousness. Their aim is to wearing halos or playing harps. As for deceive. Not every spiritual being is wings, the Old Testament prophets Eze- friendly. kiel and Isaiah both refer to special classes of angels (cherubim and seraphim) that are portrayed as having wings. But Angels are servants of God. even these seem to be simply part of a Aside from those that are “fallen”, anvision and are not meant to be a literal gels do what God wants them to do. description of angels. Angels are spirituThe word “angel” literally means al beings, and they do not have physical “messenger”, indicating that one of bodies. their primary functions is to deliver messages from God. As when an angel told Mary that she would give birth to So with those misconceptions out of the Jesus, or when an angel informed the way, consider these five realities that shepherds that Jesus had been born. the Bible reveals about angels. What Angels Are: Angels are created beings. Angels have not always existed. They had a beginning. In Colossians chapter one, Paul teaches that Jesus created everything, including angels and the entire the spiritual realm. And He didn’t just create a few prototypes; He created a massive number. Revelation 5:11 even refers to “thousands and millions” of angels. Angels are invisible spirit beings. Angels exist as spirits, invisible to the human eye. But, every once in a while, angels do take on physical form in order to make their presence known. We see examples throughout the Bible of times when angels interacted with humanity. Every time, they appeared as young men. But this does not necessary imply that angels have gender. There were times when an angel would take on form and the people would not even realize they were interacting with an angel. And at other times, the people would be struck with a sense of terror. So it would appear that the form they adopt varies. Angels may not be what they appear to be. In the spiritual realm, there are good
So angels are God’s servants; they do not take orders from humanity. God may assign them to serve or protect people from time to time, but it’s at His bidding. Angels battle for God, protecting God’s people. The Old Testament (2nd Kings 19) contains an account of King Hezekiah crying out to God for help when the Assyrian army attacks. And God responds. He sends a single angel who slays 185,000 Assyrian soldiers. That’s how powerful angels are. They are much more fierce than commonly thought. Which makes the idea of a guardian angel particularly appealing. The notion that a person is always being protected is compelling. But while God may periodically assign an angel to a particular person, there is no clear indication that this assignment is permanent. Nor is it implied that the same angel is assigned to the same person every time. So are angels a reality? According to the Bible, yes. They may not fit popular conceptions, but there is a host of angelic beings hidden in a spiritual realm. They are under the command of God Himself, and they are ready to serve and battle at His discretion.
Tips/Active Summer Families continued from front page The American Heart Association recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity at least five days a week. Taking time out of your family's busy summer schedule to go for a walk, ride bikes around the park or neighborhood, or play a game outside together can contribute to maintaining a healthy weight and feeling more energized.
member to take small breaks during activities to stretch or take a short walk to help relieve potential stress on your body. Find more tips to make your family's summer a happy, healthy and stress -free one at softsoap.com.
About Family Features Editorial Syndicate Established in 1974, Family FeaSlow Down. It's easy to spread tures is a leading provider of free yourself too thin, especially in the food and lifestyle content for print summer when there are often more and online publications. Our articles, activities requiring your attention photos, videos and web content soand attendance. When you get lutions save you time, money and caught up in trying to make the most help create advertising opportuniout of every second of every day, it ties. Registration is fast and free can take a toll on both your family's with absolutely no obligation. Visit physical and emotional well-being. editors.familyfeatures.com for more Slow down and take that wellinformation. deserved personal time - even just an hour a day - to do something you enjoy with the ones you love. Re-
Good News Press - 7
Good News Press - 8 Living for Christ in the End Times :: Dr. David R. Reagan The Bible clearly teaches that society will degenerate in the end times, becoming as evil as it was in the days of Noah (Matthew 24:37-39). The Apostle Paul, speaking as a prophet, says that society will descend into a black pit of immorality, violence, and paganism (2 Timothy 3:1-5). He asserts that men will be “lovers of self, lovers of money, and lovers of pleasure.” People will be “boastful, arrogant, and unholy,” and children will be “disobedient to parents.” Sounds like the evening news, doesn’t it? In short, we have arrived. Signs of Coming Persecution We should be deeply concerned over these developments, not only because we are witnessing the destruction of our beloved America, but because both Jesus and Paul prophesied that when these things occur, the Church will come under attack and individual Christians will be persecuted. Jesus said that as lawlessness increases, “most people’s love will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12). He stated that in this hostile atmosphere, many professing Christians will “fall away” and will proceed to cooperate in the persecution of their former brothers and sisters in Christ (Matthew 24:10). Paul indicates the same thing when he says that people will be “haters of good” and that they will therefore be “brutal” and “reckless,” reviling those who stand for righteousness (2 Timothy 3:2-4). We are watching these prophecies come true today before our very eyes, both here in America and around the world. As our culture has secularized and paganized, Christianity, the Church, and Christians have come under increasing attack as “intolerant bigots.” (See Dennis Pollock’s editorial on page 9.) The attacks are going to intensify, and it is going to become increasingly difficult for Christians to stand for righteousness. Jobs will be lost. Careers will be destroyed. Christians will even be sent to prison for speaking out against evils like homosexuality because such pronouncements will be labeled as “hate crimes.” What then are those of us who love Jesus to do as we face a rising wave of ridicule, harassment, and persecution for our faith? How shall we live for Christ in the end times? Let me suggest a few guidelines. 1) Order Your Priorities — The starting point is to review your priorities and make certain that God is first in your life. Be honest with yourself. Don’t play games. Don’t kid yourself. Most Christians have allowed their priorities to get very mixed up. Usually, job or career is number one, family is second, and God is third or even fourth behind an obsession with sports or something similar. Ask yourself this question: If God were to give you the opportunity to make one request, what would it be? Would you ask for money? Power? Fame? Success? Solomon asked for wisdom, but David asked for something ten thousand times more profound — he asked for intimacy with God (Psalm 27:4). And, because he put God first, he states in Psalm 27 that he did not fear life (verse 1) or death (verse 13). It is also the reason that he is remembered as “the man after God’s own heart” (Acts 13:22).
2) Stand on the Word — The Bible says that the end times will be an age of deception (Matthew 24:24, 1 Timothy 4:1, and 2 Timothy 4: 34). In fulfillment of that prophecy, we are today being bombarded with false but alluring religious systems offered by the Christian cults, Eastern religions, and the New Age Movement. Most professing Christians are sitting ducks for spiritual deception because the average Christian is not certain what he believes. And even when he is able to articulate a belief, he usually does not know why he believes it. The result is that a Jehovah’s Witness can turn the average Christian into a theological pretzel in two minutes flat. Anyone can be deceived. If you are to guard yourself against deception, you must get into the Word and stay in it on a daily basis. Also, you must test everything by the Word (1 John 4:1). For Catholics this means discarding doctrines like purgatory that have no basis in the Word whatsoever. For Protestants it means being alert to the twisting of scriptures or the manipulation of verses out of context. On every doctrine, the Bible needs to be searched from Genesis to Revelation to see what is said about the particular topic. 3) Believe in the Power of God — I am convinced that most professing Christians are deists. A deist is a person who believes in an impersonal god who never intervenes in human affairs. According to Deism, we are supposed to cope with our god-given reason, our talents, and the wisdom of the Scriptures. As far as the deist is concerned, at the end of the First Century, God retired, the supernatural ceased, and the age of miracles came to an end. But the Hebrew Scriptures teach that God never changes (Malachi 3:6). And the New Testament specifically states that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today, yes and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). There is no way we can cope with the evil of end time society in our own strength. Anyone who tries to do so will be defeated. Our only hope is to turn to a God who is alive and well, who is still on the throne, who hears prayer and answers prayer, and who still performs miracles. We must realize that the Bible teaches that we can limit God by our unbelief. This a great paradox. Think about it — although God is all-powerful (Luke 1: 37), we who are powerless in comparison can nonetheless limit His power by our unbelief (Mark 6:1-6). That’s because God is a gentleman. He does not force Himself upon us. If we want to try to cope on our own, He will let us. He responds when we reach out to Him in faith (James 1:6). 4) Persist in Prayer — One of the greatest blessings God has given believers is supernatural communication. God cares for us personally (1 Peter 5:7), and He desires to communicate with us (James 4:8). Because He loves us, He earnestly desires our fellowship (John 4:23). The tragedy is that most professing Christians seem to be inclined to turn to prayer as a last resort — only when all else has failed and the situation has become desperate. Some of this reluctance to seek God in prayer is due to
pride, and thus the Scriptures continually exhort us to humble ourselves (1 Peter 5:6). Others fail to depend on prayer because of unbelief. They either think God doesn’t care, or else they think He is no longer active in history. But the Bible says “we do not have because we do not ask” (James 4:2). How many blessings of God have you left on the table because you tried to handle your problems yourself? The Bible also says that “the prayers of a righteous man can accomplish much” (James 5:16). Do you interpret this to mean that the power of your prayers depends on your righteousness? That is not what it means. If you are truly born again, then you are a righteous person because you are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus (Isaiah 61:10). 5) Rely on the Holy Spirit — Most professing Christians seem to be afraid of the Holy Spirit. This is usually due to a lack of knowledge concerning the Spirit. For example, there is a tendency to write off the Holy Spirit as some sort of impersonal force — like “The Force” in Star Wars. We need to understand that the Holy Spirit is a person. He is the supernatural presence of God in the world today. He performs a dual role. For the unbeliever, He is God’s Evangelist. He is the one who works on human hearts to draw them to the Cross in repentance. No one is saved apart from the testimony of the Spirit (John 6:44 & 65). With regard to the believer, the Holy Spirit is God’s indwelling presence to provide us with power and guidance. He is our Enabler. He is also God’s Potter, for one of His basic responsibilities is to daily shape believers more fully into the image of Jesus (2 Corinthians 3:1718). One of the ironies of the Christian life is that we cannot serve God in our own power. Rather, the only way we can effectively serve the Lord is by relying on the power of His Holy Spirit who resides within us. It is possible to quench and grieve the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19 and Ephesians 4:30). The Word calls on us to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). This can happen only if we are willing to release the Spirit to become the Lord of our lives. Most of us are content to let the Spirit be resident in our lives. He does not want to be simply a resident; He desires to be president. Is that the case in your life? Is the Holy Spirit on the throne of your life? Or is He being treated as an unwelcome guest? There is no way you will be able to withstand the pressures of end time society without relying daily on the power of God’s Spirit. 6) Practice Tough Faith — Faith comes easy when everything is going smoothly. When there is good health and prosperity, it is easy to praise the Lord. The test of faith comes when all the circumstances of life turn sour. God has not promised believers a rose garden. We live in a fallen world. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. The wicked prosper. Justice seldom prevails. It is easy for the righteous to grow discouraged. This calls
Good News Press - 9 for the practice of tough faith — the kind of faith that is not dependent on circumstances. It’s the kind of faith that hangs in there when the going gets tough because of a confident belief that “all things work together for good for those who love the Lord” (Romans 8:28). God never promises that believers will be immune to suffering. What He does promise is that He will be there to walk through the trials with us. He promises to be beside us when we “pass through the waters” and “walk through the fire” (Isaiah 43:2). And He states that He will be there when we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalm 23:4). What is the quality of your faith? When life turns sour, do you turn to God, or do you question Him or even curse Him? One of the keys to hanging tough is to learn the promises of God’s Word (like Philippians 4:6-7, 11-13, and 19) and start claiming them in prayer when confronted with the challenges of life.
This brings us to the final guideline I would like to emphasize regarding how to live for Jesus in the end times. The Bible tells us point blank that we are to live “looking for Jesus” (Titus 2: 13). Most Christians are so caught up in the world that they live thinking about anything but the return of Jesus. This is a sad state of affairs because Jesus’ return is our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13). And His return is imminent. Another problem is that most Christians know so little about Bible prophecy that they cannot get excited about the Lord’s return. How can you get excited about an event you know nothing about? Ignorance produces apathy. And apathy about the Lord’s return has tragic consequences. It robs us of an eternal perspective, and it destroys any sense of urgency about reaching lost souls. It also undermines a powerful motivator for holy living. You see, when a person comes to truly believe that 7) Keep an Eternal Perspective — Jesus is returning and may return any moment, that We are to be in the world but not of the world (John person will be motivated to holiness and evangelism. 17:11 & 16). That’s a difficult principle to follow. It Regarding holiness, the Apostle John put it this way: constitutes a daily struggle. “We know that when He appears [the Rapture], we It is so easy to get our eyes off the Lord and focus shall be like Him [glorified] . . . And everyone who instead upon the world in which we live. The daily has this hope fixed on Him, purifies himself, just as demands are so pressing. And one of the greatest of He is pure” (1 John 3:2-3). Regarding evangelism, those demands is that we conform to the world — to Peter writes that the only reason Jesus has not yet the world’s language, dress, entertainment, and valreturned is because “God does not wish that any ues. should perish, but that all might come to repentThat’s why we are constantly exhorted in Scripture to ance” (2 Peter 3:9). consider ourselves as “aliens, exiles, and strangers” A Spiritual Mirror who are just passing through this world (Hebrews Paul provides us with a spiritual mirror for end time 11:13 and 1 Peter 2:11). We are told to “set our conduct. He says we are to “deny ungodliness and minds on things above, not on the things that are on worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and the earth” (Colossians 3:2). And we are warned to never fall in love with the world or grow comfortable godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and with it (Romans 12:2 and 1 John 2:15-16). In fact, Savior, Christ Jesus” (Titus 2:12-13). Jesus said we are to “hate our life in this When you look into this mirror, what do you see? world” (John 12:25), and His brother, James, said Are you walking in the center of God’s will? Have “friendship with the world is hostility toward you ordered your priorities to put God first? Are you God” (James 4:4). What does it mean to hate the world? It means we are standing on the Word of God, testing everything by to hate the evil world system that prevails in society. it? Do you believe in a personal, caring and allpowerful God who hears prayers and answers prayWe are to hate a system that glorifies violence and ers, and who still performs miracles? Are you relying immorality and which depreciates the value of life. As C. S. Lewis once put it, “We are to live like com- daily on the power of the Holy Spirit? Are you practicing tough faith, refusing to allow the calamities of mandos behind the enemy lines, preparing the way for the coming of the Commander-in-Chief.” In other life to overwhelm you? Are you keeping an eternal words, we are to live yearning for the day when Jesus perspective, refusing to get comfortable with this will burst from the heavens to bring peace, righteous- world? And are you daily looking for Jesus? Is the Rapture in your heart? Is “Maranatha!” on your lips? ness, and justice to the earth. (A Raptureready.com Article) 8) Look for Jesus —
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