SHARE Magazine January 2021

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Share Truth Change Lives

Jan 2021

Time is

Running Out lTHE ENGINE OF REVIVAL lTHIS IS THE TIME! lTHE DAY OF THE LORD

lLOOK UP THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS HERE lTHE WRITING IS ON THE WALL

lWHAT IF? lNO OIL? lWHY HAVE THINGS STOPPED? l A DIFFERENT GOSPEL A Select Arrow Publication www.thesharemagazine.com

lTESTIMONY lREFLECTIONS


MyDevotion.today The Bridal Cry...Come! The final call of the Holy Spirit and the Bride of Jesus Christ invites all who are fatigued and overwhelmed, who thirst after Him, after knowledge of His beauty, after His grace, after righteousness, after sitting in His presence, after His second coming and take delight in the New Jerusalem to eat of the tree of life and drink from the living water, the free-flowing favour and love of God, the source of all life come to the Bridegroom who loves freely and cherishes with a relentless love. Come to the Bridegroom King who brings security. Let the Holy Spirit escort you to find the secret of gazing on His beauty which is indescribable. Can I sit long enough, at His feet as Mary of Bethany did? Do I long to be captured by His heart so that I will be empowered in the face of disappointments and defilements? “Set Me [Jesus] as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for [God’s] love is as strong as death, [God’s] jealousy as cruel [demanding] as the grave; its flames are flames of fire, a most vehement flame. Many waters [sin, pressures] cannot quench love, nor can the floods drown it. Song 8:6-7 If I have set Jesus as a seal, like a consuming flame upon my heart then I believe that nothing can quench God’s burning heart of love for me nor mine for Him. Do I have His royal seal that represents ownership, guarantee and protection of the King? The seal is the relationship and a continuous outpouring of the Holy Spirit. So I determined to set and reposition my heart and mind continually before the Lord, to focus intentionally on Him so that the influences of the world begin to fade. How can we be spiritually bored when He says, “the secret things of the Lord is with those who fear Him” Ps 25:14. That should cause us to want to go and meet Him even more. Thus, my prayer is: “Here’s the one thing I crave from God, the one thing I seek above all else: I want the privilege of living with him every moment in his house, finding the sweet loveliness of his face, filled with awe, delighting in his glory and grace. I want to live my life so close to him that he takes pleasure in my every prayer.” Devotion For January 1st 2021 By Suyin Sutherland


inside EDITORIAL

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FEATURE ARTICLES

Why Have Things Stopped? 6 Questions our response to the COVID pandemic The Writing is on the Wall An Invitation to live by God’s standards and not by our own

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A Different Gospel 10 Exposes the heresies that have infiltrated the Church What If? Reflections on risking unpreparedness in our lives

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No Oil? 14 Examines the moral in the biblical story of the 10 Virgins? Look up the Kingdom of God is Here 16 Offers hope for coping during the times This is the Time! 18 Challenges us towards realignment to God’s purposes

TESTIMONY By Denise Johnston

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REFLECTIONS Did you Know? 26 The Signs of Jesus’ 2nd Coming

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Storyteller 28 God’s EGGcellent Timing! By Yanko Doberev World in View Hindsight is 2020 Vision!

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#YouthSHARE 32 It’s Not Worth It By Lacia Whyte THINK - Film Left Behind

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Poem: Kingdom Time By Jennifer Williams

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In Praise Of Hymn 35 ‘Tell Them’ - by Andrae Crouch

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The Engine of Revival 20 Recommends returning to the Holy Spirts’ power to move the Church on The DAY of THE LORD Joel’s Prophecy Examined

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EDITORIAL

SHARE|MAGAZINE Volume 9 - Issue 1

About Us

INSIDE MY TIME CAPSULE

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Recently, I was reminded of a Jamaican proverb that says, “Only God can see ‘round corner.” I’m sure you agree that we indeed can’t tell the future but I am sure we are at the End Of Days that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24 and we need to be ready for the ‘suddenly of God.’ This issue is entitled Time Is Running Out because we at SHARE are convinced that the scripture meant it when it said: “When is all this going to happen? I really don’t need to say anything about that, dear brothers, for you know perfectly well that no one knows. That day of the Lord will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “All is well; everything is quiet and peaceful”— then, all of a sudden, disaster will fall upon them as suddenly as a woman’s birth pains begin when her child is born. And these people will not be able to get away anywhere—there will be no place to hide. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 Living Bible If I knew the time of my departure from this world, what precious message would I leave behind, preserved for posterity in my time capsule? What would be the seminal thing to say to those who MISSED THE RAPTURE OF JESUS CHRIST? [the 4

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taking away of the saints from this earth by the returning Messiah, Jesus Christ]. So we have loaded a time capsule, so to speak, for you in this issue. Every writer has contributed their precious last message to planet earth for we have no idea if we will make it into 2021 and if we do, we are not clueless about what awaits us amidst this viral pandemic. The running narrative is that Jesus warned us of His second coming and as such we have no need to fear what is to come if we heed His warning and redeem the time. Suyin Sutherland opens our discourse with a devotional The Bridal Cry... Come! It beckons us to spend some time in reflection with God to gain a fresh perspective. Cheryl Williams’ Q&A answers Can You Accept? She challenges you therefore to make the decision to accept the truth of Christ. Pastor Dino Nicholas poses the question Why have things stopped? Karen Daley offers the answer that The Writing Is on the Wall. Pastor David Ferguson proffers that it’s because A Different Gospel is being preached from that of the early church. Barbara Payne then ponders the danger of unpreparedness in her reflection of the question What if? Suyin Sutherland reiterates that concern through her examination of the 5 Foolish Virgins of scripture, warning that the biggest mistake

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SHARE MAGAZINE is a FREE Christian quarterly that deals with challenging Christian topics that have been mostly ignored or left unanswered. The magazine includes written articles, poems and thoughts etc. Read our online version at www. TheShareMagazine.com where you can go to our blog to discuss articles or order a printed version. If you would like to submit articles, join our writers group, or to get involved in any other way kindly email us. SHARE MAGAZINE is produced by Select Arrow, the publishing arm of United In Christ charity number 1140448.

Disclaimer

Throughout this magazine the editor & contributors seek to present a balanced and accurate view of Scripture’s teaching. We are all on a journey of studying and understanding God’s Word. Because of this, all we can offer is as balanced an understanding as the Holy Spirit has offered us at this time. The views or opinions represented in this publication are personal to each of our contributors and may not fully represent those of any other contributor or editor. Some writers may use UK spelling while others may use US spelling as our writers are from different regions.

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is to be so complacent that when the Bridegroom returns we have No Oil! Jennifer Williams ignites godly hope as she encourages us to Look-up the kingdom of God is Here. Pastor Jacqueline Chin Depass agrees if ever there was a time for realignment with the purposes of God This is the Time! Dr Joel Brown prescribes that we must recommission The Engine of Revival as the remedy for complacency resting on our laurels. Homer Slack’s The Day Of The Lord looks at the Old Testament prophet, Joel’s writings and expounds on how near Jesus’ return seems. Did You Know? looks again at the Signs of Jesus’

QA &

Can you accept that your Creator, the one who made you and this whole world looked down in love and sent His Son Jesus to die for your sins so you would not spend eternity in damnation and torment? Would you accept that he will returned to take those who chose to believe in Him and the sacrifice He made on the cross, spilling His own blood for our redemption? You may feel that all hope is gone,

Second Coming. Denise Johnson expands that exhortation in her Testimony in what would be her last Message to the World- If she had to write one... Pastor Yanko Dobrev encourages us further to be resolved in these times to trust God’s EGGcellent Timing. Dorian and Angela Slack’s current affairs commentary World In View reviews the highlights of 2020 and offers a godly perspective. Lacia Whyte represents the #YOUTH Share perspective in echoing that It’s not worth it if when all is said and done, we are Left Behind as portrayed in the Think Film reviewed by Norma Stone walker and Rebecca Robb.

New poet Jennifer Williams poetically reminds us that ‘It’s Kingdom Time!’ Upon reflection In Praise of Hymn, we will celebrate Andre Crouch’s life of musical witness as we too ‘Tell Them’ that Jesus loves them, and not just think of ourselves. We @SHAREmagazine pray for your preparedness, to face the New Year 2021. We wish you peace and security in the Name of Jesus Christ our soon coming King! p

Angela Slack

Editor and Co-founder

You have questions we’ve got answers

CAN YOU ACCEPT THAT JESUS CHRIST IS LORD?

but you still have the opportunity to join your friends and family and all the thousands who have accepted JESUS as the Son of God. Open your heart and your mouth and confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. Do not be deceived by the lies and words of denial being told all around you. Judgement from our eternal Father is coming swiftly. Those who refuse to accept will

spend eternity begging pleading for mercy.

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These words are not being said to scare you but to convince, compel and move you towards the one who loves you and is coming back as judge and juror. I wish I could make you believe but this is a choice YOU need to make. p Cheryl Williams Author, Educator and Church Administrator.

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WHY HAVE

THINGS

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Why? It was too quiet. There were four churches on this street, and there is usually a lot of noise and music, preaching and dancing. But now, there was only stillness. The organs, drums and microphones were silent and the pews were empty.

We are encountering the stopping of all things concerning the church, we are seeing it, we are experiencing it but do we know why?

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As I drove down the streets of Kingston Jamaica, it was Sunday morning. It was a strange Sunday.

Everything we had come to expect from the church was now silent, every definition that we have made about ‘church- going’ was now in question. The year 2020 has brought about a major SHIFT IN THE SPIRIT. God, under the cover of COVID-19, is releasing His purpose. We are encountering the stopping of all things concerning the church, we are seeing it, we are experiencing it but do we know why? During the times of revival in England, during the Welch revival, everything stopped. Schools were closed down, bars were closed, sporting events were cancelled, the people were driven to the Mega revival meetings in the cities and the towns, the nation was locked down but the church was in full flow. This time, we are again under lock down but this time we have been driven to our rooms, our home, for the wise we are finding the secret place alone with God. It is as if we are playing a game of soccer and the referee blew his whistle and the game came to a stop. I strongly believe God has a master plan beyond this pandemic. The world is dealing with it the only way they can, by running to and fro looking for answers and relief. Sadly, the church is following suit

and is running after the world’s agenda, to find a natural solution to a spiritual situation. Why is this a spiritual situation? God has not sought to give the church any remedies or answers to the pandemic question. That simply means for the church the pandemic is not the real issue, God is after something else. It will be a tragedy for the church if we find a vaccine and don’t hear from God. I believe God is wooing His bride in this very dark hour, under the cover of a major pandemic, God is courting His bride. On the night before His crucifixion, he lovingly broke bread with His disciples. Making them a part of Him forever as they ate bread and drank wine. There is a sound of the bridegroom’s return in our ears, but we can only hear when we still our hearts and get silent before Him. Many will try to go back to how things used to be… but they will only encounter death, only those who move forward, they might be timid, a bit nervous or fearful, but even though fearfully, they are still moving ahead, like the four lepers in 2 Kings 7. If we go back into the city we will die, if we stay here we will surely die. But if we go forward we might die. Finding God will bring death to the flesh. Let’s get ready to go deeper in God at this moment because He is calling us and we can’t hear and respond unless we just, STOP! p

By Dino Nicholas A Maranatha Ministries International Pastor, Author, Leadership Counsellor and Church planter

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The

Writing is on the

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The darkened skies opened to a piercing burst of radiant white light, enveloped in the magnificence of lush clouds which parted like the red sea; and there appeared a man seated at, what seemed to me, a judgment table, to his right and left were angels with flutes and horns, and to one side of the parted clouds was an inscription in Hebrew – This is a glimpse of what my heavenly Father revealed to me in a recent vision and, although I could not translate the words in Hebrew, I named it, The Writing on the Wall. In masonry, the most important element in building a wall is the foundation which encompasses the embankment, height, materials, bracing and lateral support, flood openings and grade elevation. In other words, the structure must be firmly embedded in the ground using the finest materials; concrete, cement, and steel to ensure a solid foundation otherwise the wall will encounter cracks and subsequent sliding along the ground surface, resulting in the collapse of the wall if the foundation is not securely laid. Our foundation is built on our fellowship and relationship with Jesus. He moulds us like cement as it is prepared to affix bricks to a wall. He loved us and chose us before the foundation of this world. He sacrificed His life so we could have life eternal with Him. His word and Holy Spirit are the building blocks for a firm foundation. If we faint not, we will reap the reward, which is our inheritance, of eternal life. It is imperative for us as believers to have a solid foundation, rooted and grounded in Christ to withstand the storms we face in this present life. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and

doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labour [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose.]” 1 Cor 15:58 AMP. What Jesus endured for us is inconceivable. What if He gave up? We would have no hope, no purpose, no redemption, and no eternal life. The time is now, to ask ourselves, ‘are we ready to meet our Saviour?’ Have we lived the life of a ‘good and faithful servant’? Have we carried out His command, ‘to love Him and love our neighbour as we do ourselves?’ At the judgment seat, only He can make that ruling. “Well done, my good and faithful servant”, aren’t these the words we want to hear on that day? Every day we are drawing closer and closer to the promise of His return but have we recognized that not everyone will be caught up in the air at that moment, “in the twinkling of an eye!” Unfortunately, incessant disobedience to God’s word comes with a different reward; the trepidation of seven years of tribulation, beyond anything imaginable. Our hardships and tribulation here and now, cannot be compared to what is to come! Yet, God’s bountiful mercy provides one last opportunity for redemption! Remember, He is gracious to those who will endure to the end. Be quick to forgive, repent, persevere, stand firm in Him and never give up your soul to any other. Let your passion be for Jesus for, in the end, the reward is everlasting life. Do not be afraid to give up all you have for Him, no matter the cost. “Let the foundation of your faith in God, love for Him and your fellowman be the driving force and vision for your future; ‘the Writing on Your Wall’. p By Karen Daley, mother, cake artist, event planner and amateur to inspirational penning as led by the Holy Spirit.

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A DIFFERENT

GOSPEL

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Are we preaching a different Gospel from what Jesus taught us? We read in Gal. 1:6 - 9 (NKJV) the apostle Paul saying, “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” If we preach and practice another gospel than the one Jesus told us to, we are in danger of being cursed by God. Very rarely does the New Testament writings pronounce curses on people; this is one of those rare occasions. We might be guilty of preaching and practising the “gospel” of self-advancement and not the gospel of the kingdom. In its simplest expression, the gospel (good news) of the kingdom is that God has provided a way for the vilest of persons to be accepted by Him. It is saying that no matter how messed up you are, God’s willingness to accept you is even greater. When a person accepts this and changes, God has a channel to work through in the earth. Jesus came on the earth preaching that men should receive Him as their Lord. He was willing to sacrifice His life that even His enemies would serve Him. The early Church came under tremendous pressure and severe persecution for carrying that message. They were willing to give up their rights and privileges in

order to carry that news to mankind. Throughout the history of the Church, multiplied millions of believers have been murdered in order to tell others the good news of God’s salvation. We read in Lk. 9:23 - 26 (NKJV), “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.’” When Jesus went to the cross, that was God’s will for Him. He was focused on doing God’s will for His life. It meant a life of self-denial. For us this passage means, denying what is primarily only designed to benefit you in this world. It means choosing to do what God requires of us daily. An example of this, “if someone strikes you on one cheek, offer your other cheek to him also.” However, the gospel of self-advancement says, “no one will violate my rights EVER.” The gospel of the Kingdom says, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” The gospel of selfadvancement is concerned ONLY with the benefit of the individual who is being oppressed. The gospel of the kingdom is concerned with saving the oppressed AND the oppressor. WHAT GOSPEL ARE YOU PREACHING? p by David Ferguson Bible teacher, Pastor of Restoration Family Church Int.

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WhatIf?

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My best friend Jean told me so much about the night she had given her life to Jesus and was now ‘saved’. She rang me so excited saying, “He really is alive” and she went into much detail of how I needed Him too. I was happy for her but I was busy working hard in my career and making plans for retirement; so I certainly did not have time to a c c e p t her invitation to church to hear more about Jesus. She so wanted me to have what she had found but Sunday was my busiest day at home after working all week. The more she learned about Jesus the happier she became and she tried to pass this on to me. I do remember however that she talked a lot about Jesus coming back to take us out of the judgement and tribulation that was coming on the world. Although I found this fascinating I must admit I secretly thought it was a bit farfetched and that maybe she had lost it. As she fell more in love with Jesus our friendship began to become strained and I could see she had a real relationship with Jesus this was not religion. It was okay, for her but I thought it wasn’t for me. As the world had a so-called ‘pandemic’ which took away our freedom from many things, unable to see family and friends, having to wear masks being found as a

criminal with fines if you did not comply. Was this really England that so many had fought for our freedom? I became afraid of the future and she tried to explain that some of these were signs that Jesus would soon return for those who believe and trust in Him. She began to tell me more urgently, even quite upset at times, about my need for Jesus and of the signs He said we were to look for (Matthew 24). And above all GOD HAD AN ESCAPE PLAN. I was too unbelieving to admit my need for Jesus. Jean told me that IN HIM I WOULD HAVE PEACE. She tried to comfort me by showing me many Bible verses like... 2 Thessalonians 2:7-11 “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. And then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 1 Thess 4:18 “For the Lord, Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the

Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words.” Jean called it the ‘Rapture’ i.e. THE GREAT ESCAPE. She showed me many Bible verses but this one came to mind this morning as I turned on the news and saw there was mass hysteria as thousands of people had gone missing all over the world. The Rapture she told me about had happened. She was gone. I was left behind. What a fool I had been in believing lies and not the friend who had loved me enough to tell me the truth. I am left to go through the awful indescribable things that will now come upon the world, God’s wrath. Jean had escaped because she believed the words of Jesus Christ. “...let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many [mansions; if it were not so] I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, YOU MAY BE ALSO.” John 14:1-3 When I jumped out of my sleep and realised it had only been a dream I was so relieved. Hang on, what if when it really happens I’m not ready and REALLY get left behind? This question really WOKE ME UP!

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By Barbara Payne intercessor, evangelist, minister, holds Women Unite events in the UK

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Matthew 24-25, was Jesus’ final and primary teaching on the ‘end times’ before He went to the upper room. In His prophetic discourse of future events, Jesus is speaking to our generation who will see the beginning of the end. Jesus identifies some signs of the times and tells us how to respond to those signs. There will be unprecedented revival, persecution, martyrdom and demonic activity operating at the same time. It will be the most difficult and important time of the 3 ½ years tribulation. In Matthew 25, Jesus reveals Himself as Bridegroom (25:1-13), King (25:31), and Judge (25:32-45). As Bridegroom, he desires a passionate relationship, to share His heart and secrets. As King, He comes with power, direction and protection and as Judge, He comes with fervour to remove anything that would hinder love, justice and obedience to Him. It is the same description of Jesus in the last four chapters of Revelations. The Tragedy of a Shakespearean Kind The ten virgins in Matthew 25 were all ‘born-again’ believers because they all had lamps. They all had a sphere of influence or ministry, maybe in teaching the gospel, blogging, social media, writing songs, raising and disciplining children etc... They all knew the Bridegroom and were anticipating His return. The foolish ones woke up too late and asked to share the benefits of the wise virgins’ relationship – “give me your oil-” The light in our ministries is getting dim. We are only able to show others how to encounter God if we have encountered Him ourselves. Borrowing someone’s ideas won’t fire up our lamp. “Go buy oil for yourselves”. Tragically, while they go out to buy the oil, the bridegroom

comes! They were trying to catch up to have a history in God which they should have been doing in the years before. Jesus said to go buy gold (Rev 3:18) meaning to invest in a costly way. It has to cost you something. The door is shut. In the East, a wedding feast can last up to 7 nights but the first night is only for close friends of the bride and groom. That’s why the door is shut. They were too late and missed out on that special first night of the feasting. Without continued intimacy, the foolish will be ‘left behind’ and stay on and be tested, like the Laodiceans in Revelations 3:14. Once the foolish repent in earnest and ‘buy gold’, and have gone through many trials, they will be able to respond to His voice of invitation. ‘I will come in to eat and sup with him’. That’s our hope. “I know your deeds but I don’t know you.” Ouch! He demands a loyal and equally yoked bride because He gives us His all and therefore requires our all. You have to stop to get oil, intentionally and deliberately. You can’t get it while running to the bridegroom’s call. His intense desire demands your intense wholeheartedness. The wise had a supply of oil of consistent fellowship and the anointing of a history of an intimate relationship with Jesus. What went wrong? They all started out as wise. They’ve attended bridegroom conferences, bridegroom retreats and sang bridegroom songs. They took their lamps, their ministries with them but omitted the oil. They focused on ministries because so many opportunities opened for them to do this and that. They depended on education, money, networking, social media savviness to

expand their ministry. Critically, they went without the oil. Their ministries fell out of the flow of the oil that is the power of the Holy Spirit. What makes the other five wise? Prioritizing the oil before prioritizing ministry. When more ministries open up to them, they go back to the oil of His presence first and ask do You want me to do this? How to be wise? Being wise means to “go out to meet Him” (v5). To encounter the Bridegroom yourself. It means a change in schedule and lifestyle. It means making room for Him in fasting and prayer. It’s a daily moment by moment engagement. It is the oil of the Holy Spirit flowing in and through you, touching you. It is about: 1) Staying connected in your heart with His heart. 2) Wanting to know more of His desire for you and wanting to expand that desire. 3) Illuminating your understanding of God’s beauty in your private life with the help of the Holy Spirit. There is a Bridegroom revival coming where many will be brought into a spiritual depth like never before and this revival is to produce a ready bride for the Bridegroom. What are we to do? Jesus says, watch, inform yourselves of the signs. Like a watchman, observe what God is doing globally. Pray to engage and strengthen your heart to develop intimacy with the Bridegroom King. Be ready to respond with a mutually wholehearted love of the Lord. Does the Bridegroom know you? p By Suyin Sutherland Business owner, a lover of God’s presence, loves to introduce others into God’s secret place.

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LOOK UP

THE

KINGDOM OF GOD IS HERE!

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Brothers and sisters - lookup, the Kingdom of God is here. We are living in serious times where we must be rooted and grounded in the Lord Jesus because His Kingdom is here. We just have to look around and see the rapidly changing society in which we live. Things are pointing to the last days where there is a need for us to have a right relationship with the Lord. What we are experiencing now has been prophesied in the Bible. John the Baptist introduced Jesus and His kingdom to the people around him. In recognizing the spiritual state of the people, he told them to repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. Jesus’ disciples preached a similar message that Jesus has come to establish His Lordship on the earth with a new order where those who serve Him would govern His kingdom until He returns. This offer is for you as well. The Kingdom of God is here, so look up and seek for the kingdom of God! We all have an equal opportunity to be a part of this

kingdom. In order to be a part of this kingdom, you must have a revelation of Jesus and a personal relationship with Him.

unrighteousness and turn your heart to God the Father who loves you with an everlasting love and will strengthen you if you ask.

It is important to know Jesus and to know who He is. Who Jesus is to you will be linked to your revelation of Him. Your relationship with the Lord must be based on love and a reverential fear for Him and not out of a fear of hell or damnation. Jesus Christ is Lord and He desires to bring us in relationship with His Father. “Seek first the Kingdom of God and its righteousness and all things will be added to you,” Matt. 6:33.

Now is the time to turn to the Lord, seek Him with your whole heart. Make haste, don’t delay or you could be too late. Turn from your disobedience. Now is the day of salvation. Do not harden your heart. Time is short and the coming of the Lord is at hand. Draw nigh to God and He will draw nigh to you.

This message is for all who have ears to hear. If you are not ‘Born again’, you must turn to Jesus and be born again of the water and the Spirit and develop a relationship with Jesus. If you are a ‘backslider’[one who has given up on Jesus midway] you must return to the Father. If you are a Christian and are still weak or not growing in certain areas of your life then it is time to turn away from sin and

Look up! The Kingdom of God is here and it is for you if you so desire. The Lord wants you to rule and reign with Him but you must be a part of His Kingdom, so “... seek the Lord while He can be found, call upon while he is near.” Isaiah 55:6 This is the day of God’s favour, this is the day of your salvation. Turn to Him! p Jennifer Williams A Christian for 44 years. Bible teacher, Writer, Administrator, Intercessor.

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the time!

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If ever we needed to make a difference for God, IT IS NOW!

out and shivering in fear as we face our 2021 “Red Sea” The COVID-19 Pandemic.

We see all around, biblical end-time prophecies coming through. Some of us may be taken by surprise by the series of events and happenings all around us but GOD IS NOT TAKEN BY SURPRISE. So be sure, this was the time He equipped, prepared and trained you for; through all the adversities and trials. This is not the time to be broken and in despair. This is the time to rise up and be empowered. We have work to do. We need to be ‘rapture ready’ and most of all WE NEED TO GET OTHERS READY.

We have got to put all our hope and trust in God as we move forward in faith. He will not leave us destitute. HE IS OUR VERY PRESENT HELP IN TROUBLE.

So how do we do this when we seem to minister to so many walking in spiritual blindness, deafness, carnality and compromise? The first thing is, we need to position and realign ourselves to God’s perfect will and not just His permissive will. We must repent with fasting and prayer while rejecting the distractions and locking out the white noise of the media and naysayers As believers, WE NEED TO BE UNITED, put aside every offence, because we have no time for “nonsensical nonsense” (a term my son coined for absolute foolishness). Think carefully when you look back at last year, those things we wasted time on, being offended and upset or divided about, did they really matter? Truth is we need to get over OURSELVES and get on with God’s business. Those whom we relegate as being insignificant because of our religious dogmas and the high and lofty place (of pride) which we hold – are the individuals that God is empowering to make a great difference in this world. For he is certainly doing as 1 Corinthians 1:27 states, “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.” We cannot be like the children of Israel at this time, looking back at what we had and crying

Now, this is what will make the difference to the way we live and think – If we live daily thinking the rapture may happen today, then: 1. We would prepare ourselves 2. We would live empowered lives in God’s service to bring others into the Kingdom 3. We would begin to leave a mark, possibly for all those left behind, so that they could find the truth 4. We would live consecrated lives in fasting and prayer, being desperate for the things of God’s kingdom to come forth May we do all the above and more. Let us ask God to align our desires with His, to align our thinking to the mind of Christ. Let us wholeheartedly give ourselves into the Master’s service – so that these words become truth, “FOR ME TO LIVE IS CHRIST!” Go, go, go... . “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always [remaining with you perpetually—regardless of circumstance, and on every occasion], even to the end of the age” Matthew 28:19-20 Walk Good in Christ my friends till we meet again. p

By Jacqueline Chin-Depass Founder of Walk Good in Christ Ministries, broadcaster UKCC radio

January - March 2021

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The

Engine of

REVIVAL T

The global church has had the greatest interruption of her Modus Operandi in hundreds of years. In recent history, so many churches have never been forced to abandon congregational worship for family worship at home and virtual services via the internet. While this provided many Christians with needed connection with

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other believers in isolation, the evidence is suggesting that engagement with this is dwindling. So, what is the Lord saying to His Church in this season? I sense He has allowed this deconstruction of ‘forms of godliness and ritual’ that we have essentialised as many of us have largely forgotten what truly powers the church and its mission. We have moved away from ‘our concrete traditional temples’ of comfort to examine what the body of Christ really looks like, who we are, what we do and how we go about it. God showed me two pictures on November 23, 2019. A steam locomotive and an electric train. 1. Electric trains are faster, more efficient, eco-friendly and fully automated. 2. Steam locomotives are the original template for trains but are slower, messy and rely on ever-burning fire and water to power its steam engine. In both pictures, God was helping me to understand how a revival is powered and its purpose. Since steam locomotives were introduced in the 1800s, transportation has evolved but their cultural, economic and social transformation remains a legacy. Today newer more sophisticated land modes of transportation include electric trains and consequently, steam trains are now a novelty, used as tourist attractions, featured in movies and theme parks. Revivals are a lot like steam locomotives. They were innovative moves of God, through totally yielded human vessels. These moves catapulted entire communities into radical transformation, many of which had a lasting impact across the spectrum of domains. Revivals of old were powered by ‘steam engines’ that through the fire of God, burned coals which heated up a reservoir of pure water. This water was converted into steam which powered the pistons which moved the train from A to B. Just like steam was released from the

locomotive’s chimney, so was the glory of God visible as a testament that God Himself was at work and not the sole ingenuity of men. Today, like steam locomotives, revivals for many have become a nostalgic memory. Having forgotten the fire and water of God’s grace and presence that powered them, we stand in the shadow of its legacy. Now we’re impressed by how we have built automated, electric trains that have ‘no cloud of glory’. We have sophisticated religious machinery and incredible ways of doing church and ministry that is very efficient but isn’t built on the manifest presence and glory of God which utterly transformed the world of the early church and many subsequent streams and movements birthed by revivals. Technological advancements aren’t necessarily a bad thing but progressivism in our methodology that advances efficiency at the expense of encounter or maximises ritual at the expense of revolution is a lethal regression. I believe that Jesus wants us to recapture the fire and water that empowered and birthed His church at Pentecost. Acts 1:4, 8 AMP describes how the Holy Spirit came, ‘like a rushing violent wind, filling the whole house’ resembling fire which was distributed among them, rested on each one of them filling them with the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, evidenced by speaking in unknown languages. The Lord Jesus promised this power to His disciples who patiently waited at Jerusalem...they had no idea that Joel 2:28 was about to be fulfilled. I believe they heard the engine of the Holy Spirit begin to prophetically ignite because we immediately see tongues of fire on them as they got the Holy Spirit and began to bubble up a new language.

The power that God promised was His presence which was the fire and the cloud, just like the children of Israel had with them in the wilderness. God promises His grace and glory, He promises us His abiding and infilling Spirit which powers revival so that we will be powerful witnesses of His goodness wherever we are. I genuinely believe that revival is available today even in the middle of a global viral pandemic, global economic recession, persecution of the Church and heightened political destabilisation and it doesn’t take the whole church to understand this and to make it a reality. When the day of Pentecost came there was just a roomful of the faithful and desperate who were willing to be consumed by fire on the altar of heaven and they birthed an explosion of the mission. What I hope is that the embers of a faithful remnant who are reading this message would begin to beckon heaven. Being the remnant comes at a cost, you won’t want the same things as others, your appetite for prayer and worship will begin to expand and explode, your craving to pursue and host the presence of God will consume you. This isn’t for everyone but you will know for sure as these words are leaving my lips as you know your name, that this is for you. There are some who may be happy with the way things are. Some of us can’t wait to get back to our electric trains and restore efficiency. I’m trusting that you will be the one person who is committed to praying in and facilitating what God wants to do. Let’s petition the heavens for the steam locomotives of revival to ignite again, rev your engine again like those who waited at Pentecost for the outpouring. Yes you, why not you? Leave a lasting legacy! p

John 7:38 comes to mind saying: “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

January - March 2021

By Joel Brown. Worshipper, disciple and physician

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The DAY of THE LORD Signs suggest it’s very near

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Joel received a message from God by way of a vision. His vision outlined the events of the end that were very frightening and sobering. It all pointed to a day referred to as ‘The Day of The Lord’. The core message is a call to action for all those who are to escape the perils of this day. There is a stark warning to those who will not respond. The day of the Lord will be the most terrifying day of destruction and calamities ever known to mankind. We need a clear understanding of what is coming and what we need to do to escape it. The beginning of Joel’s prophecy did not hesitate to throw us into the action. Like an action packed movie that opens right in the middle of the battle, Joel’s prophecy starts with

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a cry for people to pay attention and listen to what he has seen. What he has seen is not good. He sees devastation and unrivalled destruction. The rhetorical question is asked, “Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers?” Joel 1:2b The answer clearly is, no! The prophecy should never be forgotten, dismissed or diminished in any way but must be passed down from one generation to another. Each generation (ours could be the final one) is closer to this apocalypse that will make past tragedies and wars look like child’s play. This Day is no secret but is well documented throughout

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Scripture both in the Old and New Testaments. “For the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand: A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness…” Joel 2:1-2 It is the day Jesus returns and God pours out His wrath upon evil mankind. Much of Joel’s prophecy is taken up with the events of this day and the events leading up to this day. Joel also pleads with his people to make every effort to be found in right standing with God before this day comes. We too should be pleading with our generation and with even greater urgency. Here are but a few references to this day that echoes Joel’s account. Isaiah 2:12 “For the day of the


Portions taken from his book ‘The End is Here’. Available on Amazon

Lord of hosts shall come upon everything proud and lofty, upon everything lifted up— and it shall be brought low—” Isaiah 13:6 “Wail, for the day of the Lord is at hand! It will come as destruction from the Almighty.” Isaiah 13:9 “Behold, the day of the Lord comes, Cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate; And He will destroy its sinners from it.” Jeremiah 46:10 “For this is the day of the Lord God of hosts, A day of vengeance, That He may avenge Himself on His adversaries.” Ezekiel 30:3 “For the day is near, Even the day of the Lord is near; It will be a day of clouds, the time of

the Gentiles.” Amos 5:20 “Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light? Is it not very dark, with no brightness in it?” Obadiah 1:15 “For the day of the Lord upon all the nations is near; As you have done, it shall be done to you…” Zephaniah 1:14 “The great day of the Lord is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out.” 1 Thessalonians 5:2 “For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night.”

2 Peter 3:10 “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise…” Joel, as the Lord instructed him, didn’t only warn of the coming tragedy but told us what to do to escape it. We must heed the Lord’s warnings and apply His recommendations as the day is now very near. “‘Now, therefore,’ says the Lord, ‘Turn to Me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning.’ So rend your heart, and not your garments; return to the Lord your God…” p By Homer Slack Author, preacher, Bible teacher, IT tutor, programmer & graphic designer

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TESTIMONY LIFE IS SHORT, LIVE IT TO THE FULLEST, LIVE FOR GOD

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by Denise Johnston


“T

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” John 10:10 NIV “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 KJV I’ve spent my life chasing after the blessings of God and those blessings kept eluding me. However, it was when I stopped chasing God’s blessings and seeking after His heart then His blessing began chasing me. Being given this opportunity to share my last message with you is one such example of God’s blessings chasing me and if I should choose a topic to leave with you it would be LIVE LIFE TO THE FULLEST. When I was a young girl growing up, I fell in love with the media. I had a dream of becoming a war journalist. However, this quickly changed when I experienced my first family tragedy. At the age of 14 years old, I watched my mother being shot when gunmen broke into our home saying, “someone sent them to kill her.” My own life was threatened during that incident when I tried to escape by jumping over the fence. There I came face to face with other gunmen standing outside the yard. With guns pointing at me, they commanded me to go back inside the house or they would shoot and kill me. That night I ran for my life and it seemed for a long time, I’ve never stopped running. Nine months later in the same year that my mother was shot, my eldest sister became Jamaica’s first policewoman to be killed by gunmen after she was brutally raped on public transportation while on her way to work. To say I was left

devastated, lost, confused and fearful are gross understatements. After my sister’s passing, I switched my career choice to wanting to become a radio broadcaster. I never thought I was “pretty” enough to fit the stereotypical image of television. I somehow liked the anonymity of radio. I like the mystery of hearing a voice but not knowing the story of the person behind the voice. I had a lot to hide. A lot of pain was in my past. I tried without success to become a broadcaster. It didn’t help that I was born in a family that couldn’t feed me much less fund my ambitious goals. That lack, however, only added to my hunger for success. My family’s philosophy is that education is poor people’s inheritance. I grew up in Jamaican culture which equates happiness with money and so values centred around hustling for the night’s dinner, ‘making it to the top’ or getting a good education and a well-paying job to buy that dream house and car. This produced a warped view of integrity, honesty, good morals and godliness that did not put God first. God is a necessary reminder of the faith we need to achieve the goals that we set out to accomplish for ourselves or if our plans fail. We fit God into our space when our plans are not working or when we need Him to adjust our plans for us. It was never about us aligning ourselves with God’s plan for us. I spent my life going after the degrees, careers and relationships that I thought would validate me and even more so, take me further from the life of poverty and pain I knew. I did many exciting things including travelling and modelling on international stages and working

in exciting media, public relations and marketing careers. The reason I was doing all this was because I was searching for my identity. Between my desire to come out of poverty and the need to mask my pain, I was lost. I built my success around my education and well-fortified career. I tried to fit God and church in the mix yet I never let God lead me. I found that this model took me further from the purposes of God and my ability to live life to the fullest, as my happiness was propionate to my success. All that I built my life on crumbled before my eyes when God called me into a life of serving Him and He started teaching me that success is defined by what He’s doing in and through me. This was when I learnt to live life to the fullest. Often, the thing that we search most for in life is power. A power that comes with recognition and influence. However, I have come to learn that power in the kingdom of God is not based on ability but availability. The thing about God is that He never gives us anything prematurely. He knows when we are ready to receive all He has for us. God is patient and if we try to do life without Him, He will continue to patiently wait on us until we completely surrender to His will and ways. God is looking for open vessels in which to live the abundant life. Galatians 2:20 KJV God wants us to live abundantly through the blood that gives salvation and freedom so we can be preserved for His return and that my friends is the abundant life. In this life are many blessings and benefits. Some of these include knowing our identity; Knowing

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DO YOU KNOW... what the signs of Jesus’ second coming are?

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He told His disciples that He will appear suddenly, without any warning and the whole world will see it. It will be a cosmic display of unimaginable power and indescribable majesty. God doesn’t need our artificial intelligence and low-level technology to display His splendour to the planet. So don’t be fooled if people say they are the Messiah, make sure you read Matthew 24, 1 Thess 4 & 5, Mark 13 and the other gospels in full. Here are some excerpts… 1. On the day of the coming of Jesus there will be an announcement. He will not be announced by men but angels from Heaven with undeniable celestial trumpet sounds... 1 Thess 4:16a “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.” See also 1 Corinthians 15:52 Mark 13:21-22 “And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.” Matthew 24:3-5 “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.”

2. The coming of Jesus will be sudden. 1 Thess 5:1-3 “... for you know perfectly well that no one knows. That day of the Lord will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, ‘All is well; everything is quiet and peaceful’—then, all of a sudden, disaster will fall upon them as suddenly as a woman’s birth pains begin when her child is born. And these people will not be able to get away anywhere—there will be no place to hide.” 3. The dead saints of God will be resurrected. 1 Thess 4: 13-15 “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.” See also 1 Corinthians 15:52 4. Those saints who are alive will be caught up in the sky to meet Him. 1 Thess 5:17 “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 5. The whole earth will see it at once. It will not be an isolated incident. Matthew 24:27 “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

6. Jesus’ entrance will be extraordinarily, indescribably and astoundingly powerful. Matthew 24:30 & Mark 13:26 & Luke 21:27 “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.” See also Revelation 1:7 7. There will be nothing obviously different in the run-up to the day, it will be business as usual for most. Matthew 24:37-38 “But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, and knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” 8. Heaven will be revealed and there will be other strange celestial phenomena. Matthew 26:64 “And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Mark 13:24-25 “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.” See also 2 Peter 3:10-13 p By Angela Slack educator, curriculum/literacy specialist, technical author and editor

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STORY TELLER To book the story teller email: editor@thesharemagazine.com

GOD’S

EGGcellent Timing! 28

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More than 20 years ago, my wife and I along with our two young children used to live in a rented accommodation. At that time, I was pastoring a church and worked as a driver. My salary was just enough to pay the rent and to buy food and sometimes clothes. I remember it was Friday and I was supposed to get my salary but my boss told me that he would pay me on Monday. When I came home with no groceries, my wife got very disappointed because the only food we had left was a loaf of bread. While we were talking, the doorbell rang. It was a friend of mine who gave us 10 eggs. Our children were very happy because with the eggs we could make fried toasts - they loved this. But when my friend was about to leave he said, “I stole those eggs from the factory where I work.” And then he left. I told my wife, “I will not feed my children with stolen eggs!” And I threw them in the garbage bin on the street. Then, for half an hour, I listened to a sermon from my wife: “You are not a real father. You don’t love your children! You are a fanatical pastor! ...” Half an hour later, someone rang the doorbell again. It was one of my colleagues. In his hands, he had 30 eggs. He said, “These eggs are from my hens. I decided to give them to you as a present!” Then my wife stopped preaching. The children were jumping with joy. We were all very excited because we experienced God’s miracle. Now we had eggs for the next few days. By this miracle God has taught us that when we do not compromise with our faith and values, He finds ways to take care of us and to supply our needs according to His riches in glory. Not our whims and fantasies, but our real needs. My dear brothers and sisters, please do not compromise with your faith. The devil will try to make you compromise in different situations. If you do not compromise, God will show you, in an interesting way, that He approves of your firm faith. Do not make any compromises and God will bless you! p By Yanko Dobrev Snr. Pastor Church of God Silistra, Bulgaria

January - March 2021

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World

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Hindsight is

For now, we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1 Corinthians 13:12

We are not seeing for lack of looking, we entered 2020 and have now come to the end of it having made many declarations about 2020 vision etc… but we were not seeing ahead, we didn’t know of and were not prepared for COVID-19. Not really. We were going about our business doing what seemed right in our own eyes; so we were caught off guard just like the world. Reflecting on the pun that is implied in the title of this feature, I have to humbly conclude that as the people of God we messed up. The great nations of the world are all in flux; we can’t depend on them for answers. The COVID ‘Infodemic’ The World Health Organisation is concerned about the management and dissemination of information about the virus. Their website had this advisory: The COVID-19 is the first pandemic in history in which technology and social media are being used on a massive scale to keep people safe, informed, productive and connected. At the same time, the technology we rely on to keep connected and informed is enabling and amplifying an infodemic that continues to undermine the global response and jeopardizes measures to control the pandemic. An infodemic is an overabundance of information, both online and offline.

It includes deliberate attempts to disseminate wrong information to undermine the public health response and advance alternative agendas of groups or individuals. Mis- and disinformation can be harmful to people’s physical and mental health; increase stigmatization; threaten precious health gains; and lead to poor observance of public health measures, thus reducing their effectiveness and endangering countries’ ability to stop the pandemic. Furthermore, disinformation is polarizing public debate on topics related to COVID-19; amplifying hate speech; heightening the risk of conflict, violence and human rights violations; and threatening long-term prospects for advancing democracy, human rights and social cohesion. WHO do we trust? Pun intended! 1 The PLANdemic COVID heightened speculation and inquiry globally as to who stands to benefit from the chaos? It all seems like a diabolic smokescreen and the same short list of allied globalists and billionaires keep coming up from the Wuhan labs in China to the Pfizer vaccine factories globally. Meanwhile, we witness the inevitable demise of the American democratic system. We clearly see what is wrong with America from #BLM to the Charlottesville Riots to George Floyd’s murder by police, the failure of the federal government to provide proper health

Vision!

care for its citizens and the fiasco in how the pandemic, has been handled. Even though President Trump was no saviour, his policy was to rid his government of corruption. Is Joe Biden’s government an ingathering of the ‘swamp gnats’ that they say Trump tried to drain from the Capitol Hill swamp? Does Biden’s cabinet have deep connections to Wall Street and the Fortune 500 corporations of America? If so it is dubious as to whether we can expect that workingclass or middle-class interests will be catered for at all or at the very least they will be way down on the list of priorities. In short, it seems as if democracy is dead in America. I am hoping the Democrats aren’t guilty of the mail balloting scandal as alleged because if it’s proven that tampering did take place, it’s gonna be blue versus red in the streets of America. One to pray about... 2 You will recall I warned in SHARE Magazine article, The Dragon Awakes, Vol 7 issue 1, Jan 2019 3 that China has steadily organised itself and is rolling out its well-laid plans like ‘Pinky and the Brain’ to take over the world. Trump-led trade wars with China to challenge -Chinese corporate espionage and theft of western intellectual property and their responsibility for the COVID-19 outbreak - during which time China’s response to this was to develop relationships with Wall Street and leading American Corporations to help oust Trump in the American 2020 Elections. In return, these American corporations

[1] https://who.int/news/item/23-09-2020-managing-the-covid-19-infodemic-promoting-healthy-behaviours-and-mitigating-the-harm-from-misinformation-and-disinformation

[2] https://youtube.com/watch?v=QwbqiMktZfM&feature=share [3] https://issuu.com/thesharemagazine/docs/share_magazine_vol7-iss1_online/26 30

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In View have been promised increased access to the Chinese market.

Basically a plaster to a gaping wound, to avoid war with China.

China has fine tuned its use of capitalism against the west by tightening its grasp on American economic trade and capital flow, aided by greedy western capitalists who have handed over the reins to American governance to China. It’s a buyers’ market and China has the cash.

China’s evasion of any responsibility for the coronavirus begs belief even though all evidence points to them being responsible for starting it. Anyone who has called out China on this, for example, Australia is made subject to a disruption of their trade and diplomatic relationships.

Obama invited China to the free-market table and essentially China has slowly taken over the Chairmanship of the table. They have cheap labour, no unions to contend with, no moral or religious code to answer to, a communist government led by a president for life and a mixed market model that gives them the best of both worlds. They are now extending their influence to the developing world by using Yen Diplomacy to support ‘pro-China’ leaders in power in these African, Caribbean and South American countries that have benefited from their financial aid or infrastructural investment. Meanwhile, they carry on extracting the mineral resources of these ‘pawn nations’ as their Dragon’s share of the deal. 1 The Dragon’s Share China is behaving much like the rampaging Dragon Smaug in JR Tolkien’s The Hobbit. They used Covid 19 lock down to suppress Hong Konger’s antiChina protests and end self-government in Hong Kong 30 years earlier than the 1997 treaty stimulated. Britain’s only concession to Hong Kong was to grant British citizenship for those who wanted to emigrate to Britain.

One to watch… https://youtube.com/watch? v=QwbqiMktZfM&feature=share Meanwhile, the UK is under its second national lock down and is now considering a third with the news of a new strain of the Covid having been discovered there. While confusion reigns over how and when schools, colleges and universities can be fully reopened. All this while London remains under Tier 4 emergency status. As if all that wasn’t enough the UK and EU have struck a Brexit deal that could have negative implications for daily life and the UK’s future relationship with other countries. The chief concern is, how isolated Britain will become post Brexit? The BBC have summarised this 1,200 page document into 6 categories: trade, travel, fishing, justice security and study. Here are the main points in summary: • No extra tariffs or quotas between the UK and the EU from 1 January. • Extra border checks and customs declarations, for UK businesses and travellers. • Visas required for UK nationals who

stay more than 90 days in the EU in a 180-day period, EU pet passports will no longer be valid. • Emergency healthcare available to UK travellers in the EU. European Health Insurance Cards, (EHIC) cards remain valid until expiration and will be replaced by a UK Global Health Insurance Card. • The UK and the EU will negotiate “fair and transparent rates for international mobile roaming.” • The UK becomes an independent coastal state and can decide on access to its waters and fishing grounds. The details are being negotiated. • The European Court of Justice has no jurisdiction in the UK. • The UK has lost automatic access to key databases but can request access. • The UK is not a member of Europol but it will have a presence at its headquarters, similar to the US’ current arrangement • UK students studying in the EU will do so under the new Alan Turing scheme. Students at universities in Northern Ireland will continue to participate in Erasmus. Read the full article here: https://www.bbc. co.uk/news/explainers-55180293 https://youtube.com/watch?v=DqxitDNbljI &feature=share https://youtube.com/watch?v=QwbqiMktZf M&feature=share p by Dorian Slack & Angela Slack

[1] https://youtube.com/watch?v=QwbqiMktZfM&feature=share - and - https://youtube.com/watch?v=o3tz179QshQ&feature=share

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# youth

SHARE It’s not worth it! I

If 2020 has taught us anything it has revealed the true reality of the coming persecution in the world we live in. By the grace of God, you were able to overcome and continue to overcome the troubles of this life but now is not the time to fall back into bondage to the habitual sin that oppressed us. It’s 32

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simply not worth it.

Without getting overly spiritual, I want you to think of the effort and strides you took in denying yourself by beating the flesh into submission to the Spirit in order to overcome and not fall into temptation. Try to remember the physical pain and

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emotional longing you felt when the body wanted to delve into past sin, the lightheadedness and dizziness when you fasted for the first time to starve your body and feed the spirit, and the many opportunities you denied yourself of sin and its temporary enjoyment and relief. All these tremendous efforts you’ve


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taken to kill the flesh, is it worth it there is a responsibility to stand now to delve back into sin? It’s just for God despite the persecution not worth it. faced. However, persecution is not just taking a bullet for Christ or Now is the time to have a better burning at the stake in His name. idea of eternity and what it means Persecution is also the isolation for us. and social pressure you may have Hebrews 13:14-15 NLT says, “For to endure for living for Christ and in this world is not our permanent today’s world this could be viewed home; we are looking forward to as a restriction on movement, job a home yet to come. Therefore, loss or some disciplinary action let us offer through Jesus a to persuade you to question your continual sacrifice of praise to God, allegiance, is it worth it? proclaiming our allegiance to his Hebrews 11:13-16 NLT says, “All name.” these people died still believing

were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” So then, will you be ashamed of God if you are faced with the decision to go against the truth and principles of Christ in order to benefit from the world’s systems? To eat well and travel freely while living on earth may come at the cost of bearing the mark of the beast, so where would your allegiance lie then?

If you are confident in Christ and Today, our allegiance to God will be what God had promised them. They

did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously, people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call We often hear Christians recite ‘I their own. If they had longed for am not ashamed of the gospel’ and the country they came from, they the general understanding is that could have gone back. But they called into question. Having denied yourself of the pleasures of sin, will you now compromise yourself, God’s temple, for the chance of survival? If this world is not your home, it’s not worth it.

know that there is a place prepared for you in a heavenly homeland then compromising your faith and allegiance to Christ would not be worth it. p By Lacia Whyte A debut writer with SHARE Magazine an Energy Economist, a critical thinker and God chaser.

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ThinkFilms! through the series of biblical events that are expected to predate the rapture. I was a little surprised that the first removal of persons happened in midair, but I can see where it added more drama to the film. I was hoping that the film would show a wider cross-section of persons being taken away and at different times of the day and night. Sections of the film were a bit boring but the pace quickened towards the end. I was transfixed and held my breath towards the end of the film as desperate efforts were subverted to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. The film captured my attention from start to finish and holds out hope to Christian believers that the Lord will keep his promise to rescue the saints. If the purpose of the film was to provide food for thought for nonbelievers, it has certainly achieved its purpose and objective.

By Rebecca Robb

By Norma Stone-Walker The film Left Behind alludes to the belief of the Christian Church that believers in Christ will be snatched 34

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out of the world before the great day of the coming of the Lord. The movie started off great with very good acting by the cast of characters, as the story guided us

January - March 2021

This is the first time I have watched the original Left Behind movie. I prefer this version to the newer version as it is more accurate and focuses more on scripture. I think that everyone should watch this movie at least once, considering what times we are in. I think for many, being able to visualise the end times will really show the urgency to reach out to the lost souls and re-evaluate whether we are right with God. p


KINGDOM TIME

The Lord wants me to know the time So that I can act justly and wisely For the completion of His purpose Within the chronos and kairos moments Time to know what the Lord requires of me Time to seek the Lord earnestly And listen to His voice Time to be serious about my choice Time to reflect and meditate Time to stop procrastinate Time for a deeper relationship Time for greater friendship Time for a deeper commitment Time for greater fulfilment Time for the Father’s alignment Time for greater service to my King Time to do the right thing Time for greater understanding Time for kingdom purposes Time to do what You require of me Time for change Time for dominion authority Time to watch and pray Time for new wine and a new wineskin Time for He and I Time for kingdom building Time for Kingdom living Time for His Kingdom to come in me Time to live fully for Him Time to be engulfed in His Will

Conversations with God By Jennifer Williams © January - March 2021

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Continued from pg 25

that: we are anointed for a call. We are built to handle the demands, pressure and influence that comes with our calling. God has also placed gifts and talents in us to benefit mankind and to bring Him glory. The enemy cannot kill purpose – John 10:10. The only thing that can kill your purpose is us not choosing to live it. We don’t need to live in fear, especially the fear of failing; we can trust in God and not our own ability. Trust the clarity of God through His word and we can live without condemnation (Rom 8:1). Other benefits such as wisdom and

revelation, healing, the gifts of the spirits, the power to create wealth, deliverance, provision, knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom, righteousness, joy, patience, favour from God and men, prayer to stay in communication with God and most of all the gift of eternal life are also afforded.

to seek God. God did not wait until the end of His life to choose you. He came knowing His only purpose was to die for us and He lived life to the fullest, He lived the life that led to the destiny of man’s redemption even to death on a cross. Choose to follow Christ. Choose to live life to the fullest today. p

It is guaranteed that Christ will return. In the end, what matters is how we live between the time we are formed and then. I beg you not to wait until the end of your journey or until you have that ‘perfect’ life

Denise is an upcoming Author with a Masters of Communications Degree from the Caribbean Institute of Media and Communications, University of the West Indies, Mona IG: Dailies With Denise Youtube: Dailies WithDenise

First runner up in ‘THE SENSATIONNEL’ BLACK BEAUTY HAIR AWARDS 2013

90 St Peters Avenue, Cleethorpes, DN35 8HU, UK

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@UmojahHairSalon

Umojah Salon


In Praise of Hymn Reviewing Great Christian Hymns

1. TELL THEM Even if they don’t believe you Just tell them Even if they don’t receive you Oh, tell them for me Tell them for me, please Please, tell them for me Tell them that I love them And I came to let them know.

Tell Them A TRIBUTE to the Music and Life of The Late, Andrae` E. Crouch -A life of Telling Them in Song Andraé Edward Crouch (July 1, 1942 – January 8, 2015) was an American gospel singer, songwriter, arranger, record producer and pastor. Referred to as “the father of modern gospel music” by contemporary Christian and gospel music professionals. When Crouch was 11, his father and the church’s congregation encouraged him to play during the services. Crouch honed his piano-playing skills and, in time, wanted to write his own music. When he was 14 years old, he wrote his first Gospel song. Crouch has been credited as a key figure in Jesus music of the 1960s and 1970s and, as a result, helping to bring about contemporary Christian music into the church. He is also credited with helping to bridge the gap between black and white Christian music and revolutionizing the sound of urban Gospel music. Though sometimes criticized for diluting the Christian message by using contemporary music styles, his songs have become staples in churches and hymnals around the world and have been recorded by mainstream artists such as Elvis Presley and Paul Simon. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andra%C3%A9_Crouch

2. TELL THEM When it seems you are forsaken Just tell them Though it seems your earth is shaken Oh, tell them for me Tell them for me, please Please, tell them for me Tell them that I love them And I came to let them know. Bridge Tell that lonely man who walks The colds streets all alone Tell that crying child Who has no home Tell those hungry people dying And lost in the despair They don’t even know that I care. Oh wont you tell them, On the streets and on the byways Tell them And even on the high ways, TELL THEM I can mend the broken hearted, Restore the ones who have parted, And I came to let them know, And I came, To let, them know, That I love them... January - March 2021

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Love

Letter... In Case I’m Gone This is an Urgent Message! “Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 5 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 7 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. 8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come. 9 Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers. 10 And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other. 11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations will hear it; and then the end will come” Matthew 24:4-14 You may never have heard it like this before, things are getting urgent. I believe we are in the last stages before the events clearly described by Jesus are about to happen. If you find that many people have disappeared then it may be too late to hear this message. Man was made by God, for God’s 38

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pleasure, to enjoy His company, to glorify Him but right from the beginning man messed up, big time. Our ancestors thought they knew better than God, (man still does) Adam and Eve did what God told them not to do, because of that action mankind was cursed to die physically and spiritually. Many years later a man came along, not just any man, a perfect man, who was born of a virgin. He sacrificed His perfect life for mankind, it was traded for our sinful one. (1 John 2) We who know Him can have an eternal life! Since then there are many of us who have met this man, Jesus, in person or in Spirit. He has become our Lord and Saviour. It was the best thing that ever happened to me personally. The signs of the ‘End of the Age’ are there in the Scripture and have been foretold for many thousands of years. Read and study all of the Bible but particularly Matthew 24:21-22 & 3644; 2 Peter 3:3-4; 1 Timothy 4:1; Luke 21:36; Mark 13:32; 2 Corinthians 11:1315; Acts 2: 37-39; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Revelation 12:9 and Revelation 22:1-21, there are plenty more. Like all things, these are hotly debated between people as to exactly how, when and where, these things will unfold but that doesn’t matter, you will absolutely know when He comes back.

January - March 2021

It says in the Bible there will come a time when everyone will meet Jesus and be subject to judgement, every knee will bow, every tongue will confess He’s God and will have to give an account of themselves. (Roman 14:11-12) Those who don’t know Jesus will be consigned to eternal separation from God and that will be horrendous. If we are not here, that time has come, you may have missed the boat so to speak. But if you read your Bible carefully you may see that there was provision for a second Passover. If you read in Numbers 9. I don’t know if that means that you can make amends but if you realise that Jesus is Lord, if you really want to seek HIM, get on your knees, repent for your sins and seek Him earnestly. He will send the Holy Spirit to tell you what to do. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (NIV). If we are gone, the tribulation time will have started, if you persevere to the end, I will see you soon. Choose hope not despair today! Amen. p By Teresa L. Randle Married, elder at Alsager Community Church, preacher and Bible teacher.



Available on This book is an inspirational piece for her clients as she’s always encouraging them with the word of God. She aims to use this book as a bridge between the counselling side of hairdressing, dancing and her faith by talking about her life experiences and the lessons she has learned, through the medium of poetry. Dellis Stanbury

Sharon Bett

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