Several weeks ago Nancy was
diagnosed with an aggressive
form of cancer. Since then, with
lots of prayer and some skilled
surgeons, her prognosis is
looking good. She still has a
long road to recovery that
includes radiation and other
medical procedures. We greatly
appreciate your prayers.
We consider some of the most
life-changing principles we have
encountered since our new birth
as Christians. Scripture tells
us that we are to “prepare
ourselves” for Christ’s soon
return.
What exactly does this mean?
What if we aren’t prepared?
What is Justification,
Sanctification and
Glorification?
Being ready, fit and prepared
will dramatically affect our
role, our position and our place
of responsibility in the future
Millennial Kingdom.
Chuck and Nancy share not only
the Scriptural importance of why
we need to be “prepared,” but
also what we need to do to be
prepared.
Join Chuck and Nancy Missler
from the Executive Briefing Room
of The River Lodge, New Zealand.
Our prayer is that this pack
will help you enhance your walk
with the Lord and help you to
understand God’s overall purpose
for your life.
Lyonshead Ministries
P.O. Box 178
Reporoa 3060, New Zealand
www.kitrust.org
Available in the following
formats:
DVD:
3 Disks
6 MP3 files
1 PDF Notes File
Color, 16:9, Dolby Digital 2.0
stereo, Region encoding (
This DVD will be viewable in
other countries WITH the proper
DVD player and television set.)
***Brand New Release In STOCK***
NEW
BRIEFING PACKAGE
Jesus: Who & Why?
Price R159.00
The
great tragedy—especially in
America today—is that “The
Gospel” is painfully absent in
today’s “politically correct”
pulpits.
Ask anyone, “What is “the
Gospel”? (Jot down your own
answer before reading further.)
And people will typically
answer, “The
Good News”. Like so many
responses—particularly in
academic circles—that may be
accurate, but useless. It is a
response that fails to define in
any practical terms.
Moreover, brethren, I
declare unto you The Gospel
which I preached unto you, which
also ye have received, and
wherein ye stand; by which also
ye are saved, if ye keep in
memory what I preached unto you,
unless ye have believed in vain.
[It is disturbing to
discover that one can “believe
in vain!”]
For I delivered unto you
first of all that which I also
received, how that…
Christ died for our
sins according to the
Scriptures;
[Three essentials, which
were confirmed by numerous
witnesses:]
And that he was seen of
Cephas, then of the
twelve: After that, he was
seen of above five hundred
brethren at once; of whom the
greater part remain unto this
present, but some are fallen
asleep.
[Many of these witnesses were
among the recipients of Paul’s
letter.]
What is amazing is what Paul
did not
include in “The Gospel”: He made no
mention of
Jesus’ miracles, made no mention
of His teachings, nor His “example.”
These are all extremely meaningful,
but are not the kernel of truth that
blesses—and divides—us
all.
The Gospel in Today’s Church
And the great
tragedy—especially in America
today—is that “The Gospel” is
painfully absent
in today’s “politically
correct” pulpits! There is a
focus on social and psychological
issues, rather than the commission
that our King directed us to pursue.2
And we suspect that this segregation
of the real truth will become even
more disastrous as the current
trends continue.
Indicators of Decline in the
U.S.
George Barna’s book,
The Second Coming Of The
Church,3
reports some frank statistics
showing how the present church has
“failed” in its mission. Providing a
wealth of statistics from his
national studies, Barna pointed out
that the spiritual beliefs of
Christians are continuing to stray
from Biblical teaching. Among the
specific beliefs are the majorities
who believe that the Bible teaches
“God helps those who help
themselves,” that the
Holy Spirit is a symbol of God’s
power and presence but not a living
entity, that
Satan does not exist, and that
there are many paths by which a
person may experience eternal
salvation.
Barna also shed some light on
the definition of “God” that most
Americans claim to believe in:
Since more than nine out
of ten Americans own at least
one Bible, and 86 percent call
themselves Christian, you might
expect people to pay homage to
the deity described and followed
by the Christian Church. We
asked a nationwide sample of
1,012 adults to describe the God
they believe in. Two out of
three adults (67 percent) said
they believe that God is the
all-knowing, all-powerful
Creator of the universe who
rules the world today.
The remaining one-third
described their god as “the
total realization of personal,
human potential”; or, “a state
of higher consciousness that a
person may reach”; or said,
“Everyone is God”; “There are
many gods, each with different
power and authority”; or, “There
is no such thing as God.” The
remaining 5 percent said they
did not know.4
So, according to Barna, one
American out of three does not
really believe in “God” at all. In
2011, Barna released
Futurecast, an
assessment of how America’s faith
has shifted in the past 20 years on
14 religious variables:5
The most carefully watched
church-related statistic is
adult attendance. Since 1991,
attendance has receded by nine
percentage points, dropping from
49% in 1991 to 40% in 2011. The
most prolific change in
religious behavior among those
measured has been the increase
in the percentage of adults
categorized as unchurched. The
Barna Group definition includes
all adults who have not attended
any religious events at a
church, other than special
ceremonies such as a wedding or
funeral, during the prior six
month period. In 1991, just
one-quarter of adults (24%) were
unchurched. That figure has
ballooned by more than 50%, to
37% today.
The biggest shift has been
in people’s perceptions of the
Bible. In 1991, 46% of adults
strongly affirmed that “the
Bible is totally accurate in all
of the principles it teaches.”
That has slumped to just 38% who
offer the same affirmation
today.
Indicators of Decline in
England
These statistics are seen
outside the U.S. as well. For
instance, church attendance in
England as a percentage of the
population has steadily declined
(both
Protestant and
Catholics are included in these
figures):
1970: 13.3%
1980: 11.1%
1990: 9.4%
2000: 7.2%
2010: 5.3%
In England,
The Portsmouth News,
on 13 April 2001, asked 50 members
of the church clergy about their
congregation’s beliefs: 48% “did
not believe in the physical
resurrection of Jesus” and 60%
“believed that the spirit of
Easter had been lost in favour
of
bunnies and
Easter eggs.”
The Importance of the Gospel
Jesus Christ is not “a
concept,” an “idea,” or a “useful
traditional value.” He is an actual
living person who came to accomplish
a specific purpose that prevails
over everything else: His
achievement continues to impact you
and me and determines our eternal
destiny. He is not simply a
figurehead of a convenient or useful
religious tradition that is
optional. He is the fulfillment of a
pervasive promise made before the
foundation of the world and the very
standard by which the entire
universe, and everything in it,
will be judged!
The difference between a
believer and a non-believer is that
the believer knows that
history is going somewhere! We
are not the product of some cosmic
accident. We were designed and
placed here for a deliberate
purpose. The most critical issue in
life is the discovery of that
purpose!
Jesus Christ is the most anti-religious
person that ever walked on the
earth! (“Religion”
is man’s attempt to reconcile
himself to God. He can’t. Only God’s
initiatives are relevant to that
dilemma.)
Jesus was an
extraterrestrial being who may
soon be displaced in our society by
an imposter that will actually
succeed in deceiving the vast
majority throughout the entire
world.6
Will you be in that
exceptional minority? How will you
avoid being deceived among the rest?
Just who is Jesus Christ? What
did Jesus actually accomplish? These
are the subjects of this month’s
featured study.
We hope and pray that you find
it useful.
Price
R159.00
Description
Just who is Jesus
Christ? What did Jesus actually accomplish? Jesus Christ is
not “a concept,” an “idea,” or a “useful traditional value.”
He is an actual living person who
came to accomplish a specific purpose that prevails over
everything else: His achievement continues to impact you and
me, and determines our eternal destiny.
He is the fulfillment
of a pervasive promise made before the foundation of the
world and the very standard by which the entire universe,
and everything in it, will be judged!
Join Dr. Chuck
Missler from the Executive Briefing Room of The River Lodge,
New Zealand as he explores who Jesus really is.
Color, Fullscreen
16:9, Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo, All Region encoding This
DVD will be viewable in other countries WITH the proper DVD
player and television set.)
M4A With
Embedded Slideshow:
2 M4A Files
2 MP3 Files
PDF Notes File
Files play in itunes
and any IOS player (iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch)
Audio will play on
most digital audio players and many MP3 players
Each
of the Feasts of Moses, in
addition to being commemorative,
is also prophetic. The Feast of
Pentecost proves to be prophetic
of the Church.
On May 14th at sundown
(which is also the sixth of
Sivan) our Jewish friends will
celebrate
Hag Ha Shavuot—the Feast of
Weeks—also known as Hag Ha
Katzir, the Feast of
Harvest, and known to most of us
as the
Feast of Pentecost. This is
the fourth of the seven Feasts
of Moses.
The previous feast, the
Feast of Firstfruits, is to
be celebrated on “the morrow
after
Shabbat” after the Feast of
Unleavened Bread—that is, on the
Sunday which we would call
Easter Sunday. The Jews were
then to begin “counting
the omer” for seven weeks—49
days—and the following day was
to be celebrated as the
Feast of Weeks. This 50th
day led to the Greek label
“Pentecost,” which simply means
“fifty.” (The mysterious hidden
intervals of 49 letters in each
of the books of the Torah also
seems to be linked to this
passage in
Leviticus.)
It is worthy to note that
this feast was also one of three
which was compulsory for every
able-bodied male to attend in
Jerusalem. It is a festive
occasion and the
Book of Ruth is
traditionally read at this time.
Revisionist
history
as
illustrated
in
Moss’s
book is
indicative
of a
modern
trend to
discount
the
suffering
Christians
are
enduring
today.
Author
Candida
Moss
recently
wrote a
book
titled,
The Myth
of
Persecution:
How
Early
Christians
Invented
a Story
of
Martyrdom.
In the
book,
Moss,
a
professor
of New
Testament
and
Early
Christianity
at the
University
of Notre
Dame,
posits
that
“…the
‘Age of
Martyrs’
is a
fiction
and a
‘false
history
of
persecution.’”
There
was no
sustained
300-year-long
effort
by the
Romans
to
persecute
Christians.
Instead,
these
stories
were
“pious
exaggerations;
highly
stylized
rewritings
of
Jewish,
Greek,
and
Roman
noble
death
traditions;
and even
forgeries
designed
to
marginalize
heretics,
inspire
the
faithful,
and fund
churches.”
Through
her
book,
Moss
asks
Christians
to
abandon
the
notion
that the
world is
out to
get
Christians
and look
to the
“martyrdom
stories”
only for
consolation,
moral
instruction,
and
spiritual
guidance.
The
author
writes
that
the
persecution
of
Christians
may
have
occurred,
but
the
persecutions
were
sporadic,
of
short
duration,
and
lackadaisical.
Moss
writes
that
Christians
may
have
found
themselves
in
Roman
courts
for
any
number
of
reasons,
but
when
asked
to
defend
themselves,
they
were
prone
to
announcing,
as a
believer
named
Liberian
once
did,
“that
he
cannot
be
respectful
to
the
emperor,
that
he
can
be
respectful
only
to
Christ.”
She
compares
this
to
“modern
defendants
who
say
that
they
will
not
recognize
the
authority
of
the
court
or
of
the
government,
but
recognize
only
the
authority
of
God.”
She
believes
that
“for
modern
Americans,
as
for
ancient
Romans,
this
sounds
either
sinister
or
vaguely
insane.”
Moss
acknowledges
that
there
may
have
been
horrific
executions
during
the
first
three
centuries
of
Christianity,
but
discounts
these
as
mere
aberrations.
While
Christian
persecutions
outlined
in
Foxe’s
Book
of
Martyrs
may
not
be
100%
historically
accurate,
to
discount
the
text
and
the
early
Christian
martyrdom
it
documents
as
fiction
flies
in
the
face
of
the
historical
record.
Revisionist
history
as
illustrated
in
Candida
Moss’s
book
is
indicative
of a
modern
trend
to
discount
the
suffering
Christians
are
enduring
today.
Modern
Persecutions
Persecution
takes
several
forms
and
is
well
documented.
In a
new
book
titled
Christianophobia,
a
Faith
Under
Attack,1
Rupert
Shortt,
the
Religion
Editor
of
the
Times
Literary
Supplement
and
a
Visiting
Fellow
of
Blackfriars
Hall,
Oxford,
illustrates
that
while
many
faith-based
groups
face
discrimination
or
persecution,
Christians
are
targeted
more
than
any
other
body
of
believers.
A
2011
Pew
Forum
study2
found
that
Christians
are
persecuted
in
131
countries
around
the
world
with
200
million
Christians
(or
10%
of
Christians
worldwide)
being
socially
disadvantaged,
harassed
or
actively
oppressed
for
their
beliefs.
Throughout
Africa,
the
Middle
East,
and
the
subcontinent,
there
is
hardly
a
country
that
operates
without
some
sort
of
restrictions
on
Christians.
According
to
Anthony
O’Mahony
of
Heythrop
College,
London,
between
one
half
and
two-thirds
of
Christians
in
the
region
have
left
or
been
killed
over
the
past
century.
Over
100,000
Catholic
civilians
in
East
Timor
were
murdered
by
the
Suharto
regime
during
the
period
from
1970
to
1990.
Two
million
Christians
and
other
non-Muslims
perished
in
Sudan’s
civil
conflict
between
1985
and
2005,
which
the
United
Nations
alternately
called
“tribal
feuds”
and
“raiding
parties.”
In
Nigeria,
the
Islamic
group
Boko
Haram
went
on a
rampage
against
Christians.
Church
bombings,
machete
attacks,
and
targeted
killings
were
directed
at
church
leaders
and
their
flocks.
But
as
the
article
points
out,
“…two
months
before
the
official
spoke,
Boko
Haram
had
claimed
responsibility
for
the
murder
of
dozens
of
Christians
in
the
city
of
Jos—just
one
of
many
such
attacks.”
Christians
in
parts
of
Nigeria
live
in
fear
of
being
attacked
and
there
is
ample
evidence
that
the
attacks
are
sanctioned
by
the
Nigerian
government.
Of
course,
it’s
not
just
Nigeria.
Entire
Christian
communities
have
disappeared
in
Iraq
and
in
Syria;
Christians
are
being
targeted
by
Islamist
radicals
mixed
in
with
the
Syrian
opposition
forces.
Persecutions
are
rampant
in
other
countries
as
well.
Some
instances
are
well
known
and
others
have
not
been
given
much
coverage
in
the
media.
Egypt
For
centuries,
Egypt
had
a
tradition
of
toleration
in
their
country.
Theirs
is a
society
with
the
largest
Christian
minority
of
any
Arab
country.
Fifteen
per
cent
of
the
population
was
Copts
as
recently
as
two
generations
ago,
with
ten
million
Christians
living
in
the
country.
According
to
Dr
Ibrahim
Habib,
an
Egyptian-born
Copt,
the
wide-spread
persecution
of
Christians
started
almost
forty
years
ago
with
the
Arab
Oil
Embargo.
The
skyrocketing
price
of
crude
triggered
by
the
embargo
gave
Wahhabi
extremists
in
Saudi
Arabia
the
finances
to
spread
their
brand
of
Muslim
extremism
around
the
world.
(It
was
this
creeping
Muslim
extremism
in
the
country
that
forced
Habib
to
eventually
leave
Egypt
and
take
up
residence
in
Britain.)
According
to
Habib:
In Wabbabis’ eyes, Copts are…infidels and polytheists prone to hating Islam and conspiring against it… Anyone who follows the portrayal of Copts on dozens of satellite channels and Salafist websites is bound to be saddened. … There are countless examples, but I will cite here what I read on the well-known Salafist website “Guardians of the Faith,” which devoted a whole article to the subject, “Why Muslims Are Superior to Copts … Being a Muslim who fights to defend his honor and his faith is better than being a Christian who steals, rapes, and kills children … Being a Muslim whose role models are Muhammad and his companions is better than being a Christian whose role models are Paul the Liar [sic] and the whoremongering prophets.” As this enmity towards Copts spreads, is it not natural, even inevitable, that it should end in attacks on them? 4
Among
the
starkest
examples
of
Islamist
aggression
against
Christians
in
Egypt
were
the
murders
of
13
worshippers
at
the
St
George’s
Church
in
Nag
Hammadi,
25
miles
from
Luxor,
in
January
2010.
Another
example
is
the
bombing
of
the
Two
Saints’
Church
in
Alexandria
on
New
Year’s
Eve
that
same
year.
Twenty
worshippers
were
killed,
and
seventy
wounded
in
the
attack,
which
was
predicated
on
the
rumor
that
two
female
converts
to
Islam
had
been
kidnapped
and
held
inside
the
church.5
The
election
of
the
Muslim
Brotherhood’s
Muhammad
Morsi
as
Egypt’s
President
in
2012
has
led
to a
certain
trepidation
on
the
part
of
the
Christians
still
left
in
the
country.
While
Morsi’s
popular
election
was
a
hopeful
sign
of
possible
full
democracy
to
come,
his
ties
with
the
radical
Islamic
sect
remain
a
deep
source
of
concern
for
the
Egyptian
Church.
Iraq
In
1990,
there
were
between
1.2
and
1.4
million
Christians
in
the
country
ruled
by
Saddam
Hussein.
By
the
time
of
the
second
Gulf
war
in
2003,
this
figure
had
fallen
to
about
800,000,
down
about
half
a
million.6
Today,
fewer
than
200,000
Christians
remain.
According
to
Archbishop
Bashar
Warda
of
Erbil
in
Northern
Iraq,
the
killings
of
Christians
began
in
earnest
in
2003
when
the
first
translator
was
killed
in
Baghdad.
In
2006,
the
targeted
killings
of
Christian
leaders
escalated
when
an
Orthodox
Christian
priest,
Boulos
Iskander,
was
kidnapped,
beheaded
and
dismembered
despite
payment
of a
ransom.
In
the
following
four
years,
17
Iraqi
priests
and
2
Iraqi
Bishops
were
kidnapped
in
Baghdad,
Mosul
and
Kirkuk.
While
they
were
being
held
captive,
all
of
the
clerics
were
tortured
by
their
kidnappers.
While
most
were
eventually
released,
one
bishop
and
seven
other
clerics
were
killed.
In
most
cases,
the
kidnappers
told
their
hostages
they
wanted
Christians
out
of
Iraq.
While
much
of
the
persecution
is
instigated
by
Muslims,
they
are
not
the
only
group
that
oppresses
Christians.
Many
countries
that
don’t
make
the
headlines,
such
as
North
Korea,
Buddhist
countries
such
as
Sri
Lanka
and
Burma,
and
predominantly
Hindu
countries
such
as
India
regularly
persecute
Christians
and
have
few
or
no
ties
to
Islam.
India
Between
August
and
October
of
2008,
the
eastern
Indian
state
of
Orissa
experienced
the
worst
outbreak
of
Christian
persecution
since
their
Independence
from
Great
Britain
in
1947.
Hindu
extremists
attacked
over
150
churches,
murdering
at
least
90
people
and
driving
at
least
50,000
people
from
their
homes.
Some
of
the
displaced
persons
were
Hindus
who
had
tried
to
defend
their
Christian
neighbors.
The
victims
included
a
Catholic
priest
and
nun
who
worked
in a
Christian
center
in
the
area.
The
nun,
Sr.
Meena
Barwa,
was
kidnapped,
beaten,
and
assaulted
before
she
was
able
to
escape.
At
one
point,
their
kidnappers
wanted
to
burn
her
alive
with
the
priest.
At
present,
many
Christians
are
still
living
in
refugee
camps,
afraid
to
go
home
for
fear
of
other
attacks.
The
more
militant
Hindu
groups
in
India
are
known
collectively
as
the
Sangh
Pravar.
The
Vishna
Hindu
Parishad
(VHP)
is
the
religious
wing
of
the
organization
and
has
been
implicated
in
many
of
the
Christian
persecutions.
The
VHP’s
youth
wing,
known
as
the
Bajrang
Dal,
is
also
often
the
source
of
violence
against
both
Christians
and
Muslims
in
the
country.
In
Dinapur,
a
town
west
of
Orissa,
around
25
Hindu
militants
forced
their
way
into
the
Believers
Church
of
India
on
March
21,
2011.
Once
inside
they
confiscated
stacks
of
Christian
literature
and
threatened
to
come
back
and
beat
them
if
the
church
members
did
not
leave
the
area.
One
member
of
the
congregation,
a
government
worker,
was
told
that
she
would
lose
her
job
unless
she
renounced
Christianity
and
returned
to
the
Hindu
faith.
Police
detained
members
of
the
Christian
congregation
for
three
hours,
but
supported
the
extremists.7
In
another
incident
in
Madhya
Pradesh,
approximately
a
dozen
extremists
entered
an
evening
prayer
meeting
organized
by
the
Evangelical
Lutheran
Church
on
April
17,
2010.
Many
members
of
the
congregation
fled,
but
later
realized
that
their
pastor,
Amit
Gilbert,
was
not
with
them.
Gilbert’s
body
was
later
found
in
the
village
well.8
Burma
Burma
(also
known
as
Myanmar)
is a
country
that
has
been
dubbed
“a
giant
prison
without
walls.”
The
country
has
been
under
military
control
since
a
coup
toppled
the
government
in
1962
and
since
then,
there
have
been
reports
of
systematic
human
rights
violations.
While
the
military
in
the
country
has
been
relinquishing
more
of
its
control
over
the
government
in
recent
years,
the
persecutions
continue.
While
the
harsh
treatment
dealt
to
activists
in
the
country
such
as
Aung
San
Suu
Kyi
are
well
known,
the
targeting
of
people
specifically
for
their
religion
has
not
been
as
well
publicized.
Anti-Christian
discrimination
has
perhaps
been
the
least-noticed
problem
of
all.
Those
who
are
particularly
vulnerable
are
those
that
are
a
“double
minority,”
both
by
religion
(Christian)
and
ethnicity
(Chin).
As
one
Chin
Christian
woman
said:
“If
you
are
‘double
C’—being
a
Chin
and
being
a
Christian—you
have
nothing
in
Burma,
not
a
bright
future
at
all.”9
The
facts
prove
her
statement
true.
About
90%
of
the
Chin
are
Christian,
according
to
the
Chin
Human
Rights
Organization
(CHRO)
and
while
the
Chin
population
estimated
to
be
1.2
million
people,
the
CHRO
estimates
that
less
than
half
this
number
live
within
Chin
state.
The
Three
Phases
of
Persecution
The
religious
oppression
suffered
by
Christians
in
Burma
was
summed
up
by
Johann
Candelin,
the
Goodwill
Ambassador
of
the
World
Evangelical
Fellowship,
but
his
words
could
apply
to
persecution
of
Christians
everywhere:
Persecution seems to pass through three phases. The first is disinformation. Disinformation begins more often than not in the media. Through printed articles, radio, television and other means, Christians are robbed of their good reputation and their right to answer accusations made against them. Without trial, they are found guilty of all kinds of misdemeanors. The public opinion that easily results from being constantly fed such disinformation will not protect Christians from the next step, which is discrimination. Discrimination relegates Christians to a “second-class” citizenship with poorer legal, social, political and economic standing than the majority in the country. The third stage is persecution, which once the first two steps have been crossed can be practiced with impunity without normal protective measures taking place. Persecution can arise from the state, the police or military, extreme organizations, mobs, paramilitary groups, or representatives of other religions. In my opinion, it is vitally important to recognize this three-stage development, so that timely, firm and appropriate action can be taken the moment there is any sign of disinformation.10
So
with
all
the
persecution
going
on
in
the
world,
what
do
we
do?
First,
learn
more
about
what
is
happening.
Do
some
research.
You
can
go
to
the
Facebook
page:
Praying
for
Persecuted
Christians11
to
see
recent
reports
of
persecutions.
Persecution.org
also
has
a
Twitter
Feed12
you
can
subscribe
to
for
up-to-the-minute
reports.
Finally,
Voice
of
the
Martyrs13
is
an
excellent
site
for
learning
more
about
our
persecuted
brethren
around
the
world.
Second,
talk
about
Christian
persecution
to
your
family
and
friends.
Support
groups
that
help
persecuted
Christians.
Spread
the
word
on
Facebook
and
Twitter.
Become
involved.
Contact
the
government
officials
that
represent
you
and
your
concerns.
Write
letters
to
the
editor.
Third,
be a
Watchman
on
the
walls.
Do
not
let
people
believe
that
persecution
is a
myth.
Remember
that
persecution
is
characteristic
of
this
world
and
Satan
is
the
arch-persecutor
of
the
church.
Above
all,
pray.
Pray
for
those
who
“are
persecuted
for
righteousness’
sake.”
For
their
sake,
we
cannot
remain
silent.
Despite the many friendly
speeches U.S. President Obama
made in Israel last March, there
is evidence of a secret document
that reveals his real
policy for the Middle East and
Islam.
We have to confront
violent extremism in all of
its forms… America is
not—and never will be—at war
with Islam. We will,
however, relentlessly
confront violent extremists
who pose a grave threat to
our security—because we
reject the same thing that
people of all faiths reject:
the killing of innocent men,
women, and children. And it
is my first duty as
president to protect the
American people.
The United States is
now experiencing the
beginning of its end, and is
heading towards its demise…
Resistance is the only
solution. [Today the United
States] is withdrawing from
Iraq, defeated and wounded,
and it is also on the verge
of withdrawing from
Afghanistan. [All] its
warplanes, missiles and
modern military technology
were defeated by the will of
the peoples, as long as
[these peoples] insisted on
resistance.
Num_22:21
And Balaam rose up in the
morning, and saddled his ass,
and went with the princes of
Moab.
Num_22:23
And the ass saw the angel
of the LORD standing in the way,
and his sword drawn in his hand:
and the ass turned aside out of
the way, and went into the
field: and Balaam smote the ass,
to turn her into the way.
Num_22:25
And when the ass saw the angel
of the LORD, she thrust herself
unto the wall, and crushed
Balaam's foot against the wall:
and he smote her again.
KINGDOM, POWER & GLORY
A Kingdom
Perspective
As
the approach of a very literal
Kingdom now looms on our
horizon, it becomes increasingly
urgent for all of us to fully
apprehend the implications for
our personal walk and
priorities.
There is a figure of merit
in optics regarding “resolving
power.” If you look at a star
with a cheap telescope, you will
see a bright spot. If you look
at that same star with very
high-quality optics, you may
discover that that ostensible
spot is actually a
double star. The
ability of the higher quality of
optics to resolve two things
that are very close together—but
separate—is a critical
capability for the serious
astronomer.
When
at the depths of a trial, if we
can respond in such a way that
the situation pushes us into
God’s presence, then we can
expect to experience the joy of
the Lord in spite of our
circumstances.
In this edition of
Personal Update we are
reprinting an article from
Private Worship—The Key to Joy,
which was written by Nan and
originally published in 2005.
The King’s High Way staff felt
it appropriate to include this
article in light of the cancer
surgeries Nan went through when
this issue was compiled. We pray
this will provide you practical
steps to experiencing His
Strength in the midst of life’s
unexpected challenges.
What are Christians called to do during these
turbulent times? How can you make a difference in
your family, among your friends, and within your
community?
This follows the wonderful success of the
“Weathering the Coming Storm” series where Dr. Chuck
Missler and Ron Matsen dealt with global, national,
and personal issues impacting all of our lives
today. “Church in the End Times” serves as the NEXT
STEP in equipping ourselves with the tools and
insights we need to be a guiding light to a world
coping in the Last Days darkness of chaos and
deceit.
Join Dr. Chuck Missler as he explores this timely
topic.
We are going to supply this DVD
complete
with the New Format
CD ROM
Plus
the
Printed Study Notes
all in one pack for Price of
R 799.00
May you all be blessed at this time made possible by
a special donation from a very precious friend.
Price R 799.00
The key verse of this Gospel is found in the first chapter:
He came unto His own, but His own received Him not, but as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave
his only begotten Son, that whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life." - John 3:16
Because of its emphasis on "the Love of God"
and Jesus' being the incarnation of that
Love, many believe this gospel is the most
important for new and old Christians alike
to take to heart. Written by the "disciple
whom Jesus loved", the book of John is
organized around seven miracles, seven
discourses and seven "I AM" statements. This
study is so deep "an elephant can bathe in
it, and yet an infant can wade in it."
This study contains 20 hours of verse by
verse teachings
Available in the following formats:
DVD:
10 DVD Set
2 CD-Rom Set which includes 20 M4A, 20 MP3 files
and 1 PDF Notes file
MP3 and M4A Commentary on CD-Rom:
Color, Fullscreen 16:9, Dolby Digital 2.0
stereo, Region This DVD will be
viewable in other countries WITH the proper
DVD player and television set.)
NEW COMMENTARY
The Gospel of John
John’s Gospel is
intense and uniquely
rewarding for both the
novice and the seasoned
Bible student. It is a
fruitful place for a
beginner, yet it
continues to reveal
surprises to challenge
the most sophisticated
and diligent.
Each of the Gospel
writers presents a
unique perspective, and
their selection of
events and other aspects
supports their
respective themes.
John’s Gospel
unabashedly presents
Jesus as the Son of God,
and he opens it with the
“genealogy”
of the Preexistent One.
Summary of Themes
Each of the four
Gospels can be
summarized by the
following themes:
Matthew presents
“the Promised One is
here”; see His
credentials.
John, “This is
who He really
was”; see His
Godship.
John, the author of
five New Testament
books, is the most
mystical of Jesus’
disciples. His Gospel is
clearly inexhaustible:
“It is shallow enough
for a child to wade in,
yet it’s deep enough for
an elephant to bathe
in!”
It is a fruitful place for a beginner to start, yet it continues to reveal surprises to challenge the most sophisticated and diligent!
This book includes many distinctive treasures: it explains the enigma of Moses’ brazen serpent in Chapter 3;1 it shreds the heretical “Deutero-Isaiah” theory in Chapter 12;2 it anticipates the Rapture in Chapter 14;3 and, gives us a rare glimpse into the real “Lord’s Prayer” in Chapter 17.
Why Was John’s Gospel Written?
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through His name.
The book of John is different than the “Synoptics” as it covers only 21 days of Jesus’ 3 ½ years of ministry. It devotes 10 of 21 chapters to just one week; one-third of the verses (237 of 879 verses) cover a single 24-hour period in Jesus’ ministry.
John depicts Jesus as “more than a man.”4 His Gospel covers the rejection of the “Sent One” and the truth of the new birth.5
Seven Miracles
The Gospel of John is built around seven miracles of Jesus:
The key verse of this Gospel is found in the first chapter:
He came unto His own, but His own received Him not, but as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.
Who did “receive Him”? Peter, Nathaniel, and Philip; Nicodemus in Chapter 3; the woman by the well in Chapter 4; the man born blind in Chapter 9; Mary and Martha at Bethany in Chapter 11; the eleven apostles in Chapters 13 and 14; and Mary Magdalene.
I love the confrontation in the Gospel of John when he speaks of Abraham—“before Abraham was, I AM.”
Jesus is here declaring that He is the voice of the burning bush. Now, anytime that you and I might miss the implication of something, the Pharisees come to our rescue. They took up stones to cast at Him. Why were they so upset? Because they recognized what He was saying.
Seven “I AM” Statements
The Gospel of John is built on His seven “I AM” statements:
With the wealth of information at our
fingertips, it is sometimes hard to see the
‘’forest for the trees’’. In this Strategic
Briefing, we will give you a current perspective
on many of the trends that shape our world and
their relevance to Biblical Prophecy. Now, more
than ever, we need to stay informed about what
is really going on.
What is REALLY going on in Syria, Saudi Arabia,
and Egypt?
Who is going to deal with the nuclear Iran?
Will Israel go it alone?
What about America’s political future and what
is on its' 2013 horizon?
Most Americans are totally unaware that the
sacred Bill of Rights has been essentially
eliminated; how, when and by whom?
Europe - The State of Dis-Union and its
Islamization.
Join Dr. Chuck Missler and Ron Matsen in the
Executive Brie fing Room of
The River Lodge, New Zealand, in an intensive
summary of some of the
Strategic Trends that will impact all of us.
This briefing pack collection contains 4 hours
of teaching
DVD:
2 Disks
4 M4A Files
Color, 16:9, Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo, Region 0
encoding
This DVD will be viewable in other countries WITH the proper DVD player
and television set.)
Price R 299.00
DVD
R399.00
African Missionary’s Notice
I’m part of the
fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit
power.
The die has been
cast.
I have stepped over the line.
The decision
has been made.
I’m a disciple of His.
I won’t
look back,
let up,
slow down,
back away,
or be
still.
My past is
redeemed,
my present makes sense,
my future is
secure.
I’m finished with low living,
sight
walking,
small planning,
smooth knees,
colourless dreams,
tamed visions,
mundane
talking,
cheap living,
and
dwarfed goals.
I no longer need
pre-eminence,
prosperity, position, promotions,
plaudits, or popularity.
I don’t have to be
right, first, tops, recognized,
praised,
regarded, or rewarded.
I now live by faith, lean
on His presence,
walk by patience,
lift by
prayer,
and labour by power.
My face is set, my
gait is fast,
my goal is heaven,
my road is
narrow, my way rough,
my companions few,
my
guide reliable, my mission clear.
I cannot be bought,
compromised, detoured,
lured away,
turned back, deluded or delayed.
I will not flinch
in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the
presence of the adversary,
negotiate
at the table of the enemy,
ponder at the pool of
popularity,
or meander in the maze of
mediocrity.
I won’t give up,
shut up,
or let up,
until I have stayed up,
stored up, prayed up,
paid up,
and preached up
for the cause of Christ.
I am a disciple of
Jesus.
I must go till He comes, give till I
drop,
preach till all know, and work till He
stops me.
And when He comes for His own,
He will
have no problems recognizing me—my banner will
be clear!
— by an Anonymous African Pastor —nailed to his
wall prior to his execution
NEW
BRIEFING PACKAGE
The Church in the End
Times
DVD
Price R 159.00
Let’s take stock of
ourselves: Why is the
divorce rate among
Christians no better
than among unbelievers?
Is the “Gospel” preached
in your church? What is
the status of Biblical
literacy in your
fellowship? Is our
Christianity lukewarm?
John must have
been puzzled. Exiled to
the lonely island of
Patmos, he has just
begun to receive what
will become known as the
most elevated vision of
things to come given to
any person in the
history of the planet
earth. The vision begins
with a resurrected,
immortal Jesus of
Nazareth dictating seven
letters for delivery to
the pastors of
seven churches that
existed during the
latter half of the first
century. With eyes of
flames like fire and
feet like bronze that
glows in a furnace,
the
God-man—who once was
dead and now is alive
forevermore—is ill.
In fact, He is about to
vomit!
For those who
recognize the role and
perspective of the seven
letters of
Revelation 2 and
3, it is clear that
we are, indeed, in the
Laodicean Age. The focus
and design of each of
the letters have local,
admonitory, and
personal application.
However, they also
profile—in advance—the
history of the church
through two thousand
years. (In any other
order, this wouldn’t be
true.)
These seven
letters constitute
“report cards” of the
performance of each
church, containing
commendations and
admonitions regarding
needed correction: “good
news” as well as “bad
news.” And, apparently,
each church is
surprised. Those who
thought they were doing
well, were not. Those
who thought they weren’t
doing so well were
encouraged and doing
better than they knew.
(Each of these letters
gives us insight and
food for introspection.)
Knowing how to make “faith choices” is saving my life. I trust Him in all of this. That’s easy to say, but “walking that out” is what I need to do right now.
Last month we began a new series on what it means to be “an overcomer.” We defined overcomers as those believers who willingly relinquish how they feel and what they think and, by faith, choose to trust God’s indwelling power to bring about His will. (Galatians 2:20) Overcomers are the ones who survive the furnace of affliction and come forth as pure gold. They are the ones who follow Christ’s footsteps. “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23)
This month, we want to continue our subject of overcoming by exploring what “faith choices” are. It’s critical we understand how to make these kinds of choices and learn why they are so important. Simply put, “faith choices” or “contrary choices” are the means by which we exercise God’s authority in our lives. Making a “faith choice” is personally saying, “Not as I will, but as Thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:39) In other words, we make the choice by faith, God, then, implements His will in our lives.
I
wrote
this
article
several
months
ago
when
everything
in
my
life
was
going
pretty
smoothly,
but
as
of
three
weeks
ago,
my
life
has
come
to a
crashing
halt
as I
am
encountering
some
“life
threatening”
health
issues…specifically
cancer.
If
there
has
ever
been
a
time
for
me
to
make
“faith
choices,”
it’s
now.
Three
weeks
ago
at a
routine
doctor’s
visit,
they
found
a
malignant
melanoma
in
my
head
(specifically
in
my
sinus
area).
The
only
option
they
said
was
to
operate
and
take
my
face
off
(specifically
take
my
nose
and
whatever
other
area
is
infected).
If I
do
nothing,
he
said,
it
would
grow
and
eventually
be
fatal.
How
would
you
feel
if a
doctor
sat
in
front
of
you
and
told
you
this?
It
scared
me
to
death.
I
don’t
want
to
have
that
kind
of
operation.
I’d
rather
die!
Yet,
if I
do
nothing,
the
tumor
will
gradually
take
over.
What
would
you
do?
Honestly,
if I
didn’t
know
the
Lord
right
now
and
if I
didn’t
know
how
to
make
“faith
choices”
to
follow
God
no
matter
how
I
feel,
and
no
matter
what
the
circumstances
are,
I’d
just
give
up.
There
would
be
no
hope
at
all.
Knowing
how
to
make
“faith
choices”
is
saving
my
life.
I
know
God
loves
me;
I
know
He
is
faithful;
I
know
He
is
full
of
miracles;
and
finally,
I
know
His
plans
are
the
best
for
my
life.
I
trust
Him
in
all
of
this.
That’s
easy
to
say,
but
“walking
that
out”
is
what
I
need
to
do
right
now.
I
don’t
necessarily
“feel”
these
things,
but
by
faith
I am
choosing
to
believe
them
and
act
upon
them.
I
have
to
be
able
to
trust
in
God’s
Love,
His
faithfulness
and
His
ability
to
perform
miracles,
without
having
to
see
just
how
He
is
going
to
work
all
these
things
out.
Faith
choices
are
the
only
way
I am
able
to
do
this.
“Not
my
will,
Lord,
but
Yours.”
I
trust
You
with
my
life,
my
family
and
all
I
hold
dear.
(Matthew
26:39)
Non-believers
can
make
all
the
non-feeling
choices
they
want
to,
but
it
will
never
do
them
any
good,
because
they
don’t
have
the
authority
or
the
power
of
God
to
perform
anything
different
in
their
lives
than
what
they
feel
or
what
they
think.
Christians,
however,
do!
Because
we
have
Christ’s
divine
nature––His
Life
in
us––we
have
His
authority
to
choose
His
will
(regardless
of
how
we
feel)
along
with
His
power
to
perform
that
will
in
our
lives.
That’s
what
an
overcomer
is.
Overcomers
have
victory
over
hostile
powers.
They
are
the
victorious
ones
who
have
learned
how
to
master
the
flesh,
prevail
over
the
world
and
conquer
the
devil
by
daily
living
Christ’s
Life.
They
have
learned
to
set
themselves
aside
and
depend
upon
His
power
and
His
authority
to
bring
about
His
will.
An
Example:
“Your
Will
Lord,
Not
Mine”
The
following
is a
beautiful
example
of
“faith
choices”
to
do
God’s
will,
regardless
of
how
one
“feels.”
A
woman
named
Sara
wrote
this
incredible
letter
to
me:
“It
was
the
last
day
of
our
trip
home
to
Florida
to
visit
our
family
and
I
was
at
my
husband’s
parents’
house
where
we’d
always
stayed,
packing
alone.
All
the
kids
were
at
the
beach
and
Tom,
my
husband,
was
out
fishing
with
two
brothers-in-law.
“The
Lord
had
me
stay
home
alone
and
soon
I
would
find
out
why.
As I
was
packing,
the
Holy
Spirit
led
me
to
Tom’s
suitcase
and
had
me
lift
up
the
bottom
of
the
inside
of
it
to
find
an
address
book
with
over
two
pages
of
women’s
names
and
their
descriptions.
At
first
I
froze,
as
tears
of
unbelief
welled
up
deep
inside
of
me.
I
wanted
to
run
(I
felt
like
I
had
finally
found
my
ticket
out
of a
very
unhappy
marriage),
but
the
still,
small
voice
of
the
Spirit
of
God
within
constrained
me.
“Remember,
I’m
in
control,”
He
said.
“How
you
handle
this
and
the
choices
you
make
are
critical.
Choose
to
walk
by
faith,
not
your
feelings,
and
your
life
will
change.”
“I
called
a
friend
and
placed
myself
under
her
accountability
and
received
some
wise
counsel
as
to
how
to
proceed.
My
husband
arrived
home
shortly
after
that
and
with
the
book
in
hand,
I
asked
him
if
this
was
happening
all
over
again.
He
said,
“Yes.”
He
just
looked
at
me
and
said,
“I
am
going
to
hell.
You
know
Jesus.
Will
you
please
pray
for
me!”
“Those
were
perhaps
the
most
honest
words
I
have
ever
heard
him
say.
So I
did
pray
and
I
asked
God,
“May
Your
will
and
not
mine
be
done.
I
give
this
to
You
and
it
is
now
in
Your
hands.”
(My
own
feelings
inside
were
screaming,
“Run,
get
out,
this
is
your
chance!”
But
I
chose,
by
faith,
to
really
mean
what
I
had
just
said
in
my
prayer.)
“Immediately,
Tom
began
to
confess
everything.
He
took
the
book
from
my
hands,
ran
into
the
adjoining
bathroom
and
lit
it
on
fire.
When
he
came
back
he
said,
“It
is
time
to
expose
my
sin.”
“A
dear
pastor
that
we
know
came
over
that
night
and
spent
three
hours
with
Tom
out
in
the
street.
Later,
the
pastor
asked
me
to
come
out
and
told
me
that
“Tom
has
just
had
a
Damascus
Road
experience.”
I
wouldn’t
have
believed
him,
except
that
I
had
prayed
those
very
same
words
for
my
husband
many
times.
And
in a
prayer
meeting
just
a
month
earlier,
someone
gave
me a
word
for
my
husband,
using
“the
Damascus
Road”
analogy.
Then
the
pastor
said
to
me,
“God
has
heard
your
prayer.
Tom
was
saved
tonight
and
baptized
out
in
that
street.”
Well,
you
can
imagine
the
extreme
feelings
I
was
experiencing!
“The
next
few
weeks
involved
a
lot
of
pain,
but
an
unfolding
of
the
glory
of
God
like
I
have
never
seen
before.
Tom
confessed
to
all
the
men
he
is
close
to.
He
confessed
to
our
four
teenage
children,
my
mom,
sisters
and
two
pastor
friends
that
he
was
a
false
convert
living
a
life
headed
for
hell.
He
even
named
all
his
sins,
sparing
the
grossness
of
the
details
to
protect
their
imaginations.
Telling
the
children
was
the
hardest
of
all.
They
each
began
to
cry.
They
thought
their
dad
was
a
Christian.
But
God’s
glory
shined,
even
through
this,
and
He
began
to
heal
all
of
our
hearts.
Eventually,
Tom
asked
me
to
marry
him
again
(renew
our
vows)
and
our
lives
have
never
been
the
same.
He
now
calls
me
from
his
car
and
holds
the
phone
up
to
the
marriage
CDs
he
is
listening
to
so I
can
hear.
For
the
first
time
in
19
years,
we
are
experiencing
the
oneness
in
the
Spirit
that
God
so
desires.
We
are
continually
in
the
Word
and
praying
together.
We
have
had
more
conversation
in
the
past
year
than
we’ve
had
in
all
our
19
years
put
together.
Our
children
are
alive
as
never
before.
I
didn’t
realize
till
now
that
they,
too,
were
dying.
“There
is
so
much
more
to
share,
but
God
has
given
me a
heart
filled
with
the
joy
that
is
born
out
of
pain,
a
great
new
love
for
my
Savior
and
a
hunger
to
know
God’s
Love
in
an
even
deeper
way.
Isn’t
He
wonderful!”
“Not
My
Will,
But
Yours”
This
is a
perfect
example
of
“faith
choices”
at
work.
Sara
didn’t
feel
what
she
chose,
nor
did
she
even
want
to
make
that
choice
to
follow
God,
but
“by
faith”
she
simply
told
God
“not
my
will,
but
Yours.”
And,
look
what
happened.
God
has
given
us
His
authority
and
His
power
to
overcome
the
world,
the
flesh
(our
old
human
nature)
and
the
enemy.
We
overcome
the
world
and
all
its
pressures
by
applying
the
blood
of
the
Lamb.
(Hebrews
9:14,
22)
We
overcome
the
flesh
(hurts,
fears,
unforgiveness,
anger,
negative
thoughts,
jealousy)
with
its
sin
nature
by
the
Cross.
(Romans
8:2)
And,
we
overcome
the
evil
one
who
continually
tries
to
kill,
steal
and
destroy
us
by
the
Word
of
God.
(1
John
2:14)
All
these
work
by
making
“faith
choices”
to
follow
the
Lord,
no
matter
how
we
feel,
what
we
think
or
what
the
circumstances
are.
God
loves
us,
He
is
faithful
to
His
Word,
and
He
is
also
full
of
miracles.
I’ll
keep
you
posted
as
to
what
miracles
He
does
in
my
life.
“…to
Him
that
is
able
to
do
exceedingly
abundantly
above
all
that
we
[can]
ask
or
think…”
(Ephesians
3:20)
We’re In
This Together: Part 1
As a Christian, you have a
Father who cares about your
needs. Listen to Debbie and Tim
talk about how those needs can
be met through the body of
Christ, the church. There’s a
lot at stake for all of us.
We’re In
This Together: Part 2
As a Christian, you have a
Father who cares about your
needs. Listen to Debbie and Tim
talk about how those needs can
be met through the body of
Christ, the church. There’s a
lot at stake for all of us.
