IN THIS ISSUE:
Overcoming Life Digest Past Archive Menu
What Does The Bible Say About — Deception in the Last Days
Covenant — R.S. “Bud” Miller
Letters To The Editor — Our Answers
Spiritual Warfare — Soldiers as Watchman
Exposing Satan’s Devices — Eve Believes a Lie
End Times — Mark of God or Mark of the Beast
Prophetic Voice To The Church — Prophecy for the church
Little Foxes (Little Compromises) — The Tradition of Halloween
Share and Tell — Internet Testimonies
Prayer Focus Spotlight — Praying for Our Children
Guest of the Month — Pastor William Mark Bristow
Book Review — Turmoil in the Toybox
Poetry Corner — Pray America
Purpose and Vision — Subscription and Publication Information
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT DECEPTION IN THE LAST DAYS?
by Betty Miller
PROVE ALL THINGS
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 1 Thessalonians 5:21
In these last days, there is so much dishonesty, lying and deception, it becomes difficult at times to know who is telling the truth and who is not. Even when people are sincere and truthful, they can still be sincerely deceived. Telling the truth and knowing the truth are two different things. People who sincerely believe something to be the truth and repeat it as such, are truthful people. However, knowing the truth involves knowing the One who is Truth, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ and His Words found in the Bible are the only real source of truth. That is why the Bible verse in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 warns us to “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”
Jesus also warned his disciples in Matthew 24:3-4: “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.” The very first thing Jesus warned about in this scripture is deception.
The news media of our day is continuously reporting a myriad of deceptive schemes, scams and plots that are masterminded by dishonest people. Unsuspecting people are caught in these fraudulent webs spun by evil people who prey on the ignorant and gullible. Many of God’s own people are destroyed because they lack the knowledge of the Word of God to be able to discern truth from error. Hosea 4:6a says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” We have all been deceived at times, however the Bible tells us who is at the root of deception and how we can overcome it.
And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. 10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. 11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelation 12:9
If we are to live the overcoming life and escape the deception of our age we must seek Jesus with a total commitment and give Bible study priority in our lives. One does not arrive at being an overcomer until he first learns the all important lesson of “testing” or “proving” the issues of this life. In the hour that we live there are so many things that are false and evil. We must be constantly on guard and “prove” things, lest we become ensnared by something that is wicked.
Cults are spreading. Eastern idolatrous religions are creeping into our country in very subtle forms, and many people are being deceived and have accepted their practices, without even being aware of their evil. Some religious groups have existed for years under the guise of Christianity, and yet are far from the teachings of Jesus Christ. The Lord warns us of these false teachers and tells us to beware of them.
Looking at Matthew 7:15-23, we find Jesus gives us the guideline for determining false prophets:
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Matthew 7:15-23
Certainly, we are admonished to be on guard. However, some go to such extremes as to become narrow-minded and closed to some beautiful truths in the name of being careful. What should our role as Christians be in regard to acceptance of a new thought, idea or doctrine? We are told to “prove all things”, not to reject them because they might be strange or new to us. However, we should not receive them either, until we first prove them. How do we prove things? All true Christians are in agreement that our standard is the Word of God, the Bible. God gave us this Book as a reference, standard, or gauge so we could know whether something is good or evil, truth or error, right or wrong.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. 2 Timothy 3:16-17
One of our major faults as Christians is that we tend to quote men on certain subjects instead of referring to the Book God gave us. We recognize that God gave us men to lead us into the truths of God, but our problem becomes: who are the true men of God and who are the false ones that Christ warned us about? Sometimes we tend to evaluate men according to the size of their ministries, their popularity with men, or their endowment of certain gifts, etc.
The Lord said in verse 20 of Matthew 7 that we would know them by their fruits. What are these fruits? Galatians 5:22-24 defines them as being the fruit of the Spirit. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.” We are told to look at their lives and see if these fruits are predominant in them and examine if they are living the crucified life. Of course, we must allow for imperfections that have not been overcome yet; but we should readily see the fruit of the Spirit in more abundance than the imperfections. One way we can check this is to notice the words that a man speaks. The Scripture says in Matthew 12:33-35:
Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit. O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. Matthew 12:33-35
Many people have been led astray when they could have recognized the wrong spirit simply by the braggadocios and prideful words of men who exalted themselves instead of Christ. Others would have been spared if they had examined the lifestyles of certain men who claim to be God’s anointed. Their lifestyles are far from temperate, reflecting the most expensive and extravagant clothes, diamonds, homes, cars, etc. This is not referring to well-dressed men and women, and nice homes, but the extremes which reveal anything but the nature of Christ. Of course, neither is the other extreme of poverty the nature of Christ. Men of God should live temperate, moderate lives, overcoming poverty and avoiding extreme wealth. Jesus always went about giving to the poor. He never stored up His wealth even though He apparently handled a lot of money, thus the need for a treasurer, Judas (John 12:4-6). He gave away the things He could have used on Himself, yet He never lacked as He went about ministering. He should be our example today. The affection and lust for the things of this world do not portray the Spirit of Christ.
Examining the conversation of these leaders can quickly reveal the God they serve. Do they speak of God’s kingdom, His righteousness, and His love; or does their conversation center on the things of this world and life? Are they peacemakers, sowing mercy and love? Are they gentle and patient, or do they lose their temper easily? Do they walk in faith, or are they continually looking to other men for their needs to be supplied? Are they always pressuring people for money, or do they simply receive those gifts of money as unto the Lord? Do they have the joy of the Lord, or do they minister out of duty? Are they truly joyous with that joy spilling over to others, or do they continually complain and gripe over all the things that are not pleasing to them? Is goodness evident in their lives instead of evil? Do they put people in bondage by always threatening them with the wrath of God, or is freedom of choice extended with the warning of the penalties of sin? Jesus came to set us free, not to bring us under the bondage of men.
Let us prove all leaders and see if their fruit is good fruit. Do they love and not hate, have joy instead of depression, and promote peace instead of strife? Are they longsuffering (patient) or impatient, gentle or harsh? Do they walk in faith, or doubt and unbelief? Are they meek, giving God the glory for their talents and gifts or do they pridefully talk of all they are doing or their group is doing? Does temperance prevail not only in their lifestyle, but in their personal habits as well or do extremes exist that do not glorify God? In essence they will not live for themselves, but for others as Jesus did. They will live a crucified life that glorifies God! Proverbs 20:11 says, “Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.”
As we examine lives by this standard we must be careful not to go to extremes ourselves and expect total perfection of all ministers. There are many godly men and women who are called of God and have overcome in many areas, although they still have some weak areas. They are believing as they walk with the Lord that these too will be perfected.
One of the greatest ills in the church today is the mixture of the church and the world. The church is no longer separated from the world, but looks just like the world. The world does not recognize Christians because they do the same thing the world does. They eat and drink the same things, go to the same places, etc. In Exodus 12:38 we find an account of a people called the “mixed multitude.” The background of this account tells about Israel being led out of Egyptian bondage by Moses. When they left, some of the Egyptians who had married the Israelites left with them. Also there were those that were half-Egyptian and half-Israelite. The Old Testament has many accounts of “types” that are lessons for us today. 1 Corinthians 10:5-6 says, “But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.” The example we are to see here is a lesson of what happens to those who are not true Israelites at heart. We see in Numbers 11 that after the Israelites had wandered in the wilderness awhile, they began to gripe and complain. This spirit was spawned from those that were of the mixed multitude, who stayed in the outermost part of the camp. They didn’t come to the center of the camp where the tabernacle was pitched, as they didn’t want to be exposed by the glory of the Lord. Their allegiance soon waned under trial and persecution, and they longed to go back to Egypt where the fish, cucumbers, melons, garlic, leeks, and onions were. Soon their lust for these things overcame them, and they were destroyed by the fire of God and the wrath of the Lord.
Today we find the same problem in the church. The lust for the things of this world, plus uncommitted hearts that contain a mixture of this world and the Lord’s kingdom, will ultimately bring the judgment of God. It was not God’s intention for Israel to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, as He wanted to bring them to the promised land that was flowing with milk and honey. It is the same today; He wants to bless His children, but their rebellion and lack of commitment does not allow Him to do so. The Word of God proves we have a loving and just God. As we seek Him and grow in His word, we will not suffer His judgment on sin. The judgment of the wrath of God comes only upon sin and this world. If we have Jesus in our hearts and have been forgiven of our sins and have renounced the things of this world, then we have no need to fear the wrathful judgment of God. It will not fall on God’s children who are striving to follow Him. Praise God!
In conclusion, let us look to God to prove all things. “Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10). Only by coming before Him with a teachable spirit can we be taught the truth and recognize error. As we become more acquainted with the real, we will be able to better discern the counterfeit. The devil has a counterfeit for every truth of God. However, we need not fear being deceived if we are in fellowship with the Lord, for He will deliver us from every evil as we continue to follow Him.
Our daily prayer should be “Lord, cleanse me from all error and renew my mind. Lord, I desire to know the truth even if it means correction and discomfort for me. Change my thoughts and heart to be your thoughts and heart. Father, give me a teachable spirit. Take my desires, dreams and visions and give me yours. Cleanse me from all that offends you. Create within me a clean heart, O Lord. Amen.”
Note: If you desire more knowledge to help you avoid the deception of the last days that Jesus warned about, we have a book in our Ministry Bookstore entitled Prove All Things. This book will give you clear Scriptural guidelines on how to discern the Spirit of Truth from the spirit of error. You will learn how to recognize false teachers and false prophets, as well as how to judge without being judgmental.
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COVENANT: GOD’S GUARANTEE FOR VICTORIOUS LIVING
by R.S. “Bud” Miller
Note: This teaching is continued from last month’s Overcoming Life Digest – Volume 4
GOD’S DESIRE FOR A COVENANT PEOPLE
God’s desire from the time He created Adam and Eve was for a people who would love and serve Him as a family. When our first parents fell into disobedience and forfeited their relationship with God, He already had a plan in motion to bring some of their descendants back into relationship with Him through an everlasting blood covenant.
God’s desire was for Abraham’s descendants to be established on the earth as a royal kingdom of priests who would show the knowledge of God to the other nations of the earth (Exodus 19:6). God’s desire was for them to be “the head and not the tail” among nations (Deuteronomy 28:13) — blessed, sanctified, and separated from the world.
God’s desire was to be their King and rule over them as His people and children through the covenant with Abraham. His children were to be Abraham’s (those born by faith in Jesus), and Abraham’s children were to be His. That was a blood covenant provision stronger than natural blood ties.
God’s desire was for them to remain as priests in right standing with Him. They would draw near to God in prayer and offer sacrifices as memorials-in-advance of the sacrifice of Jesus. They were to make it known a better covenant was coming. Through this New Covenant, there would never again be the possibility that God would not have His own people, created in His image. His plan was finished, as Jesus said on the cross (John 19:30).
From Calvary until now, God’s plan has been established, and His people are assigned to re-occupy enemy territory until God’s Kingdom on earth is as it is in Heaven (Matthew 6:10).
THE NEW COVENANT THROUGH JESUS
But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. Hebrews 8:6-7
You may be wondering why God made the Old Covenant if He was going to have to make a new one. There were two reasons:
- Every person since Adam has been born under the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2) with no ability to save himself from that law.
- Man must have a mediator through which this reconciliation with God could be made, thus the old covenant foreshadowed the coming of this Mediator.
In man’s sinful nature, there was no way he could walk in the way of the Lord and keep His commandments. So the Old Covenant remained in effect until the Seed arrived to whom the covenant promises belonged. That Seed, of course, was the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, AND TO THY SEED, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. Galatians 3:16-18
Jesus is the heir through which God established a new and better covenant, through which man could receive and enjoy full salvation. “Salvation” in Greek is soteria, which means deliverance, preservation, safety and health as well as salvation. In some places, it is translated “Savior,” showing that all those things are in Jesus.Salvation is more than just being “saved” from the penalty of sin.
The New Covenant became possible because God first entered into a blood covenant with Abraham and sealed it with an oath He could never break. God “swore by Himself” (Genesis 22:16). In other words, the Old Covenant was the first legal step toward the complete new covenant. God’s covenant with man is a revelation. It is an unfolding of His purpose, a revealing of His divine will for you and me, as well as for all people of the earth who will choose to come to God.
God’s covenant reveals that He never gave up on man who was created in His image. (Genesis 1:26-27), but plans to accomplish things through using us, His people. God will have a people who are strong in Him, sure in Him, powerful in Him so that they continually walk in obedience (Jeremiah 32:38-41). To achieve that, He cut a blood covenant with man. (That covenant, first the Abrahamic and then the new one, makes an eternal “legal” relationship between God and those who receive Jesus in their hearts.)
Abraham’s covenant was never “done away with,” because God said it was to last forever. However, it became obsolete or out of date (Hebrews 8:13). The Old Covenant, was swallowed up, expanded, amplified, and fulfilled in the New Covenant.
The Abrahamic covenant; the first blood covenant God “cut” with man, was a foreshadowing; a picture, type, or pattern, of the everlasting covenant of God. Our God is a covenant-keeping God! His everlasting covenant means from eternity to eternity. It will never be broken. God established it in the blood of Jesus, and it will never be broken by God or changed. The stability of God is mind-boggling to us. We cannot really understand what “everlasting” means with our natural minds. However, the Bible tells us that if we accept what Jesus did on the cross for us we can have that everlasting life sealed by His precious blood.
(To be continued next month)
(Excerpt from the book entitled COVENANT: God’s Guarantee for Victorious Living)
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Jennifer wrote:
The first time I visited your site, I came across the article on UFO’s. I was very disappointed in what I read there. I am a 24 year old female and I am also a Christian. That is not something very common among my age group (as I’m sure you know). I have a college degree and consider myself to be an intelligent person. I try to learn the from the bible as much as I possibly can.
My mother and father in-law are both very close to our Lord. They have healed the sick, cast out demons, and taught the word of God to many people. They have been given the gift of discernment. They also both believe that there are beings other than the ones found here on earth somewhere in the great universe. I don’t believe that that idea is farfetched and I certainly don’t see how that belief is any way related to witchcraft. The bible states that God created the WORLDS. Why would God take so much time creating so much diversity on this one planet and then say “OK, everything else can just be lights”? The simple curiosity in wanting to know what else our all powerful Lord created is not associated with worshiping the devil. I hate satan and all his works. If God created beings that we don’t know about, I would not want to say they are of the devil.
All good things come from God. It is narrowminded to believe that we are the only intelligent life form that God created. He created all thing with love. We are to embrace all things He created with love.
Respectfully, Jennifer
Editor’s Reply:
Dear Jennifer:
We appreciate hearing from our readers and we do compliment you as a young person who stands for her Christian faith. Our stand in regard to all issues is “What does the Bible say about that issue.” We are not discussing in this article the possibility of life on other planets or the lack of it. What we are discussing is the current UFO craze and New Age doctrine that goes with it. We do not know what other things that God might have created in the heavenlies. The Bible is silent on that subject. However, the only worlds the Bible speaks of as being inhabited are this earth, heaven and hell.
God gave us the Bible for instruction about life on this planet and the only spiritual life forms he mentions are humans and angels outside of the Godhead. He then tells us there are two kinds of angels:
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Good angels who are ministering spirits sent by God to aid His children and do God’s bidding.
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Evil angels who fell from their heavenly state because of sin and are now demons or devils under the bidding of Lucifer (a fallen archangel).
The Bible is a prophetic book and gives us a glimpse into many future events (Some events have already taken place, proving the accuracy of the Bible while other events have not taken place yet). No where does the Bible mention extraterrestrial beings; however, there are many warnings about demons and their ability to deceive with the purpose of ensnaring souls to hell.
We are definitely not told to embrace and love all things that God created, instead we are told in 1 John 4:1: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” The Bible clearly teaches us to “test” or “prove” things to see if they are from God. (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The devil is using his demons to impersonate outer space beings in order to ensnare souls who do not know the Word of God. None of these so called extraterrestrial beings are pointing people to Christ but rather are deluding them with false revelation that is taking them to hell.
Since you are professing Christ as your Lord, I pray that at least you will be open minded enough to ask the Lord with an humble heart if you could possibly be wrong in your assumptions. Our prayer is that all of God’s people will walk in truth.
Blessings,
Pastors Bud & Betty Miller
Beverly wrote:
Your article on UFO’s was excellent! Very helpful when explaining to others about creatures from outer space. Every article that I read was informative, interesting, and agreeable. Thanks, Beverly (7/8/1997 – Waller, TX, USA)
Grace wrote:
QUESTION: How did you find our site? RESPONSE: In my pre Christian days I would have said “Just Luck”
Thank you for your site. I had just asked my pastor about the bible’s stance on UFOs and I’m sure he will be as pleased as I was to read what you had to say about it. Thank you for doing God’s work. It is so wonderful to read something good on the net instead of all that mail I get that I don’t want and never asked for. Keep up God’s Word. God Bless. Grace (8/8/1997, Wayne, NJ, USA)
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SPIRITUAL WARFARE
REQUIREMENTS FOR GOOD SOLDIERS
Living By God’s Standards
Note: This teaching is continued from last month’s Overcoming Life Digest – Volume 4
SOLDIERS AS WATCHMAN
But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. 1 Peter 4:7
Watchfulness is required of every good soldier. In an army, any soldier designated as watchman on night duty dare not fall asleep. He stays awake, ever alert for the enemy. As Christian soldiers, our watchfulness includes checking out the orders to be certain it’s God speaking, and not the enemy deceiving us.
The enemy will often send along something that appears good; it seems to be a positive thing and in the will of God. But if we’re alert soldiers, we’ll seek the Lord on the matter. Since the enemy wants to sidetrack us with concerns that will rob us, drain us, take our time and even destroy us, it’s essential that we check our guidance to make sure that we are hearing from God, not the enemy.
The enemy can be a crafty foe. He knows that once we’re totally committed to God, we’re going to resist overt sin. He knows we won’t be behaving as the world does, so generally he doesn’t waste his efforts trying to trip us up with obvious sins. Instead, he resorts to presenting us with a plan that looks like God’s plan. If we don’t examine it before God, we fall for it. We assume it is the way God wants us to go. Then halfway down the road we wonder, “Lord, why is this turning out so wrong?” It’s because we never thoroughly checked with Him beforehand. We weren’t watchful. In the Old Testament, before battle David “inquired of the Lord.” He never fought a battle without God’s guidance and instruction.
For example, consider the area of inviting needy persons to stay awhile in our homes. As Christians, we are to be generous, ministering to the poor and needy; but we’re also to be led by God’s Spirit. Sometimes the solution is an invitation, but often times God will provide a different answer. If we’re moved only by guilt that says, “I’m a Christian so I need to invite them in,” then the devil can have us operating out of human sympathy, overloading ourselves with tasks that aren’t of God. We cannot be led by sympathy alone; we need God’s compassion.
Because I had a sympathetic nature, for years the devil was able to overload me with burdens the Lord didn’t want me to bear. I would think, “Well, if I don’t help here, I’m a bad Christian.” I wore myself out trying to minister to everyone’s needs, when God only wanted me to minister to certain ones. Satan tries to wear us out so much that we don’t even have the strength left to help those God really wants us to help.
Of course, there are situations that certainly require us to provide Christian help. For example, we wouldn’t leave a friend stranded by the roadside. But there are other needs the enemy brings before us that require our carefully seeking God’s direction so we don’t fall into a trap of the enemy.
(Excerpt from the book entitled Personal Spiritual Warfare)
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EXPOSING SATAN’S DEVICES
EVE BELIEVES A LIE
Note: This teaching is continued from last month’s Overcoming Life Digest – Volume 4
Let us notice the serpent’s (Satan’s) method of deceiving man in the beginning. He first came to Eve very subtly, challenging God’s instructions to Adam and her. Genesis 3:1-6 reads, “Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”
We observe from this account that Satan’s first method is to bring doubt against God’s judgment by questioning His limits on man. Satan suggested to Eve to question God’s command by his remark of, “Hath God said?” Then the serpent placed three temptations before her: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. 1 John 2:16: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
The things of this world still tempt man today. The Greek word used for “world” in the Scriptures is “kosmos.” In a study of the Scriptures, we find it used mainly in four ways. First, it is used with reference to the material universe, the world; this earth as seen in Matthew 13:35, John 1:10, and Mark 16:15.
The second use of the Greek word “kosmos,” or world, is for the inhabitants, or men of the world as seen in John 3:16 and other Scriptures where the idea of the whole race of man is implicated. A third definition for “world” is for “this age” as found in Matthew 13:39.
The fourth definition for “world,” as used in 1 John 2:16 (this is the world we are told not to love that is under Satan’s domain), is the “kosmos” of the moral and spiritual systems we call human society. Fallen society is that realm of the world which consists of the whole circle of worldly goods, endowments, riches, advantages, pleasures, intellectual pursuits, education, science, man-made religious systems, business, medicine, arts and politics. It is this definition of “kosmos” or “cosmos” that the Word of God tells us is controlled by Satan. Many of us do not realize that when we touch the things that make up fallen society, we touch the power of Satan. Therefore, we become “independent” in the way we use them if we do not put them under the power and direction of God.
God had not intended to deny man access to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil but had a plan that in time would have opened his eyes to good and evil, and then finally allowed him to partake of the tree of life when he had matured enough to be able to live eternally in that state. By eating the fruit prematurely, it brought death instead of wisdom and life, just as God had told them it would.
SPIRITUAL DEATH
Physical death did not come immediately, but spiritual death did. They died on the inside first. They no longer could face God. We experience the same feeling when we sin. Fear and shame are the fruits of sin. Many fear God today because of the sin in their lives. If we really fellowship with God on a daily basis, we find that as we obey Him there is simply no guilt or fear that troubles us. However when we sin without repentance, we run from the presence of God just as Adam and Eve did.
Genesis 3:7-14: “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons. And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat? And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.”
We see Adam and Eve not only experiencing fear and shame, but also we see another sin rising in Adam’s nature as he tries to justify his failure to obey. He blames God for giving him the woman who led him astray. He neither takes responsibility for his own sin nor for the protection of the woman.
Today, we are guilty of the same thing as we often find ourselves blaming God for our failures and disobedience or blaming the people around us. The real problem lies within us. God has a perfect plan for every person, but so many are not willing to walk in that plan. Our society is so eager to get everything immediately that most people fail to wait for God to work out His plan.
(Excerpt from the book entitled Exposing Satan’s Devices)
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END TIMES
MARK OF GOD OR MARK OF THE BEAST
Note: This teaching is continued from last month’s Overcoming Life Digest – Volume 4
INTRODUCTION
Much has been said on this subject of the mark of the beast, but little said about the mark of God. Will there be a literal mark tattooed on people’s foreheads and/or their hands in these end times to make it possible to buy and sell in a one-world monetary system that is being set up by an antichrist?
We can certainly see the possibilities of this becoming a literal reality in our day with the technology of laser beam tattoos and our president speaking of a “new world order.” Even now, pets can be tracked by tiny computer chips about the size of a grain of rice which have an identification number programmed into it that can be injected under the skin with a hypodermic needle. A special scanner generates a radio signal that reads the number through the skin of the animal when it is found.
This book is not disputing the possibilities of a literal tattoo, but rather exposing the spiritual implications behind that plan of Satan. How will this come about? Will it be one of the above new technologies or something yet to come? We don’t believe men are going to be tattooed or branded with a literal set of three sixes on their foreheads or hands, any more than we believe the letters J-E-S-U-S will be on the foreheads of God’s servants as spoken of in Revelation 22: 3-4: “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.”
How will the beast mark those who follow him, and what is the mark of God set upon those who follow Christ? Let us begin with the mark of the beast, then look at how we are to receive God’s mark which protects us from destruction in these end times.
Throughout the Scriptures, the word beast refers to a system, and not to a man. The beast is a system that rules the world; it’s an antichrist system. Daniel 7 speaks of beasts and identifies them as earthly kingdoms. So the beast in Revelation is a beastly system that’s ruling the world (it’s a dictator beast). This beast is not just one human being, rather it is a system that has infiltrated every area whether it be politics, medicine, art or science; the beastly system is everywhere. This system is typically overseen by a powerful government with those in power making decisions that perpetrate the worldly system throughout mankind. When Revelation 13:1 speaks of the beast rising up out of the sea, what is meant by the sea? The Scriptures speak of the sea as “masses of humanity.” This beastly system is rising up out of humanity, out of all the people on the earth. When John, the author of Revelation, stood upon the sand of the sea, he was standing upon that which could not be numbered, among all the people of the earth.
THE BEASTLY SYSTEM WORLD-WIDE
We see, then, that we’re not looking for an antichrist; we’re looking for a beastly system. And it’s already here. In error, people have been naming specific individuals as the antichrist, such as Hitler or even Hussein. Such individuals are all part of the beast system, but it’s not a single person we’re looking for. The beast is everywhere and we’ve all been contaminated to varying degrees by that system. People don’t even realize they’re being contaminated as they give heed to the thinking of the world’s political and social leaders. They’re receiving the system into their minds, then doing the works of the devil because they’ve unknowingly picked up his thinking.
The devil has so deceived the world, even the church. For example, even the church is full of divorces because the government and society say it’s acceptable. They also say abortions are acceptable, so we have abortions even in the church. The beastly system has crept into the church and we’re being marked by it. Many have it in their minds that divorce and abortion are acceptable, then they’ve committed those deeds with their hands. They’ve been marked in their minds and on their hands without even knowing it. They’re waiting for some tattoo, thinking they’ll refuse it when it comes, yet they’re already receiving the spiritual mark of the beast. Should they come to a literal mark, they’ll not be able to refuse it because the beast system has already become such a part of them. If we’re not getting our minds marked with the Word of God (reading and meditating in the Bible and obeying it’s commands), when the hour comes for a literal mark we’ll not be able to say no to the system.
The system has become such a part of us. The government takes care of us. It has become God to many. The government takes care of the sick; they perform many social works; they handle much of retirement through social security here in the USA. Are we dependent upon the government, or are we dependent upon God Almighty to take care of us? When the whole system of this world fails – and it will – we’ll fall with it if we’re not grounded in the system of God’s kingdom. It’s not wrong for us to receive from the government now as long as we acknowledge God as our source and not the system. Should the system fail and we no longer have social security or other provisions from the government, those overcoming Christians who have been receiving it will simply turn to God as their source, and He will provide for them another way as their faith is in God and not the system.
(To be continued next month)
(Excerpt from the book entitled The Mark of God or The Mark of the Beast)
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PROPHETIC VOICE TO THE CHURCH
As some may not be familiar with prophecy in the church. We want to share this short explanation of Biblical prophecy before we share an actual prophecy from God.
First, what is Godly prophecy? It can be summed up as words that are spoken on behalf of God. A prophet or prophetess is one who is a spokesman for God. It is a divine utterance that comes from the Holy Spirit. (Note: Just as there are prophetic words from God, there are also false prophecies that the Lord warned us about in the Bible. In Matthew 7:15-16a, Jesus said, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruit….” We must prove the source of prophecy before accepting it as coming from the Lord.)
God is raising up many prophetic voices in the earth today. His gifts of prophecy are basically of two types. One is the “simple gift of prophecy” which every believer can express under the unction or direction of the Holy Spirit after they have been filled with the Holy Ghost.
The other is the “office gift” of the spirit which is given to a prophet or prophetess who is called to the “five-fold” ministry office as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12:28 which says “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.” Also Ephesians 4:11-12 which says “And he gave some, apostles; and some prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
The basic difference between these two types is, the simple gift of prophecy is given to all spirit filled believers as spoken of in 1 Corinthians 14:31: “For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.”
It is for the purpose of edification, exhortation and comfort as spoken of in 1 Corinthians 14:3: “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.”
The “office gift” of a prophet or prophetess is given to speak to the body of Christ at large. The ministers who are called to the office of a prophet or prophetess will deliver messages also which include edification, exhortation and comfort but their messages can also be directive in nature and futuristic in content as well (Ephesians 4:11-15).
Presently, God is leading His people with prophetic preaching and teaching. A prophetic movement is taking place in the world.
PROPHECY FOR THE 1990’S AND BEYOND
The following prophetic words were given to Betty Miller by the Holy Spirit on December 23, 1989 which was shared with the local church. It was also printed in tract form and has been distributed for a number of years. We want our newsletter to be a ministry to God’s people so we are including this word to help prepare for the remaining days ahead. This message will be printed here in a series form to be continued in future Digests.
FAMILY ALTERS
God is stressing “Family Altars.” It is now very important to spend time with your families in prayer and Bible study to strengthen your relationships. Christ must be lived in the parents as examples before the children, or serious problems will rise up in the children. Parents must assume responsibility for their children’s actions and be faithful and consistent in their discipline to them. Homes will either become havens of blessing and rest or prisons of turmoil and unrest, dependent upon our obedience in this area.
FEAR OF GOD RESTORED
The basic reason God’s people will suffer loss in many areas is because of a lack of holy reverence and fear of God. The reason many of God’s people in this nation suffered in times past was lack of knowledge in God’s Word.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore I will change their glory into shame. Hosea 4:6-7
Lack of knowledge being available to God’s people here in the USA is no longer true; God’s people here have access to the knowledge but have refused to walk in it. They have been hearers of the word, but not doers.
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22
Because of this lack of obedience, they are under great deception. Jesus spoke of this deception in Matthew 24 and what the consequences of this would be and how to avoid it. God will protect those who walk in faith and obey Him while those who persist in their rebellion will suffer greatly.
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LITTLE FOXES
(Little compromises that cause big problems)
Song of Solomon 2:15 says, “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.” Foxes sometime in search of food would enter into the grape orchards and devour the grapes and spoil the crop. However, the little foxes were too small to reach the grape bunches so they would chew on the vines and it would kill the whole vine. Instead of the farmer just losing his crop, he would lose his vine which was more disastrous. Spiritually some things we do or allow that we might think is little or insignificant can also be disastrous for us.
THE TRADITION OF HALLOWEEN
Many Christians do not realize that certain traditions that are celebrated in the world have evil origins. Just because our society partakes in certain activities does not make them acceptable for Christians. We must look to Christ and His Word to see if the traditions of this world are good or evil.
Mark 7:13 says, “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”
One very evil tradition is the celebration of Halloween. No Christian should partake in the activities of this holiday, nor should they allow their children to do so. We can discern the evil of this day by taking a look at the festivities that are associated with its celebration. Children are dressed as witches, goblins, ghosts, little devils and fortune tellers. All these are representatives of Satan’s kingdom. Games played at carnivals promote fear in children as they are ushered through spook houses and horror rooms. Skeletons, black cats and bats represent death and darkness. No carnival is complete without the gypsy who tells fortunes. Satan has gained man’s approval to celebrate his day by simply making it a tradition that seems like a fun day. The opposite is true, however, as more damage and harm are done on this day each year than any other holiday. Children are taught to go door to door chanting “trick or treat.” It is unchristian to demand a gift under threat of playing some trick. Police are on the alert for juvenile vandalism and caution parents to be watchful.
Satanists celebrate this as their high holy day and even offer human sacrifices to the devil. Until recently, most Christians have not questioned this traditional celebration, but rather have gone along with it by even bringing Halloween parties into the church. The earliest Halloween celebrations were not held by the early church, but the Druids in honor of Samhain, the Lord of the Dead, and his demons, whose festival fell on November 1. Halloween actually means “holy or hallowed evening.” (According to the Roman calendar in which days began at midnight, the evening of October 31 was the eve before the hallowed day; hence Halloween or All Soul’s Eve was kept throughout the ancient pagan world.).
It can also be called All Hallows Eve because it is the day before All Hallows’ or All Saints’ day, a holy day in the Roman Catholic Church, Episcopal Church, the Church of England and the Greek Orthodox Church. This festival honors all martyrs, known and unknown, who have died for the church. During the time of Constantine, these two holidays were merged in an attempt to Christianize the heathen. The church could not prevent these heathen practices, so they thought “taming'” them would be the answer. They were, of course, not to worship their gods on the church’s All Saint’s day. However, as it is with all compromises, soon the evil overrode the good, and hence we still honor these heathen practices by celebrating Halloween.
As parents you have a responsibility not to allow your children to be exposed to these evil celebrations. What might seem to some as innocent children’s games is a “little fox” that can open the door to satanic influence and even demon possession in some cases. Children can be tormented with a spirit of fear that can come through this involvement that stays with them throughout their lives. It also introduces children to witchcraft, making it easier for them to become involved in cults and occultic activities. When children are taught it is alright to play with the things of darkness, it does not give them the repulsion and resistance that they need to stand against greater Satanic involvement. When the things of Satan are taken lightly, as games and fun, it sets our children up to accept evil rather than to resist it. This “little fox” is not only spreading evil to children but has been a curse for the church and our nation as well. As Christians, we should spread the word to others about the evil tradition of Halloween.
Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: 9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. 11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. Ephesians 5:6-12
(Excerpt from the book Exposing Satan’s Devices)
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SHARE AND TELL
Psalm 105:1: “O Give thanks unto the Lord; call on his name: make known his deeds among the people.”
We thought our readers might be blessed by some of the letters we are getting on the Internet. Here is a sampling of some of our guests comments. Praise be to our Lord!
Subject: My prayer
Please God Forgive us our sins. Forgive us, Lord. You are the one who can help. Help the old, the sick, the needy, the poor, those at war, those at sea, the disabled, the less fortunate. Help the pressurised and the bereaved Help everyone in the world to smile and be happy. No hardship, cruelty or wars. Please God. I know that I love the world. Amen By Daniel (age 11)
Subject: Christ Unlimited Ministries Guest Book
I got your address from my Pastor who got it from a friend. I think it is nice. Here in the UAE we don’t get to read much Christian literature,this being a Muslim country. This site would be a good place to find enlightening articles. (8/9/1997, Dubai United Arab Emirates)
From: CANTON,CHINA
I have got your message. Yes, in China, we can get our Chinese Bible. Of course, if I get the chance, I will share with others about the Salvation. However, I am afraid that it is difficult for me to get your Bible study information by mail. China is still not very open now and there are a lot of special rules for the religion activities, esp. the ones from aboard. The custom will check the mails from aboard very carefully. But your prayer will never be stopped by anyone, even the evil. Please pray for us, in my church, many brothers and sisters are facing temptations and struggles from marriage,employment, family, money and their future, esp. the young people. Please pray that God will guide them into His light and His glory will strengthen them up Also please pray that Holy Spirit will always make us one. Thank you. The love and care from you, who are not visible, warm us up. We can feel it from the bottom of our hearts. May God bless all of you and absolutely we will meet in the Heaven. Take care, H.L., a brother from China
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PRAYER FOCUS SPOTLIGHT
PRAYING FOR OUR CHILDREN
(All scripture is quoted from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.)
Then the little children were brought to Jesus that he might put his hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 But He said, Leave the children alone! Allow the little ones to come to Me, and do not forbid or restrain or hinder them, for of such (as these) the kingdom of heaven is composed. Matthew 19:13-15 (AMP)
We want to make our focus of prayer for our children in this edition of the DIGEST. Children are very vulnerable at this hour with so much evil in the world. As parents and grandparents, one of the things we can do for our children is to cover them in prayer. Below we are listing several scriptures that we can claim and pray over our families daily. God is faithful to His Word and when we pray in faith, the Lord will answer these prayers.
But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children. Isaiah 49:25
For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. Isaiah 44:3-4
And all thy children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of thy children. In righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from oppression; for thou shalt not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near thee. Isaiah 54:13-14
Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the LORD, that thy children shall come again to their own border. Jeremiah 31:16-17
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:31
….the seed of the righteous shall be delivered. Proverbs 11:21b
Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed. Psalm 112:1-2
We also pray Psalm 91 over our families and ourselves daily for protection. The children of today are the future of tomorrow. We must pass our Godly heritage on to them if we want to see this world changed for the better. What a wonderful privilege and act of love we can express as we pray for the children of the world. As the little song goes, “Jesus loves the little children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white. They are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world.”
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GUEST OF THE MONTH
THE SECRET OF ANSWERED PRAYER by Pastor William “Mark” Bristow
When people see God give definite answers to prayer they will ask, “Pray for me, too.” Then will come a question, “How did you pray?” When I walk through the Christian Bookstore, I see hundreds of variations of book titles with the subject of “HOW I DID IT!” When it comes to prayer, those titles are bestsellers. Everybody wants to know how this thing of prayer works. I’m going to give you, perhaps the only formula given in the Word of God. I usually do not believe in formulas when it comes to the things of God, because God is a person. He is not some “thing” I can manipulate by laws or rituals, or that I can “use” by correctly performing certain formulas.
However, in Luke Chapter 11, I find a clear formula for answered prayer. Remember, this example was to the disciples before the cross, before we could boldly enter the throne room and ask God for whatever we have need of (Hebrews 4:16). So, for our purpose today, this is an example of “how” to pray, not of “what” to pray.
Here in Luke, Jesus tells the story of a man who goes to his neighbor’s house and bangs on the door, asking to borrow loaves of bread with which to serve unexpected guests. It’s late and everyone has gone to bed. Because of the man’s persistence, the neighbor finally gets up and gives him the bread just to get him to go away. Later Jesus tells the disciples, if you as men would get up and give a friend their request just to get them to stop bothering you, how much more will our heavenly Father who loves you, give us those things we have need of. In the midst of this parable comes the formula for answered prayer.
It is found in Luke 11:9-10 (KJV): “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” The Amplified Bible says, “Ask, and keep on asking, Seek and keep on seeking, knock, and keep on knocking …”
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Ask and keep on asking. 1 John 5:15 (KJV): “And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.” Make your petitions known. Although God is still God Almighty and He is Sovereign and He can do anything He wants to do; God likes to be invited. I remember a Government class in High School. A discussion came up as to whether or not God intervenes in the affairs of men and governments today. I was known as “the preacher” then, so the question came round to me. I knew it was coming and sent up a short prayer for wisdom. “Mark, you’re the preacher here. What do you think? Does God intervene in individual lives today?” My answer was, “If I let Him.” Oh sure, God is still in control of the beginning and the end. But it is clear in the Word of God, as individuals, you and I have a choice. James 4:2 (KJV): “…yet ye have not, because ye ask not.” God becomes involved when we ASK!
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Seek and keep on seeking. What should we seek? Luke 12:29-31 (KJV): “And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Seek God. So many people seek what they have asked for. I remember a girl out of the children’s story, “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Her name was Verruca. All she ever said was, “I WANT IT AND I WANT IT NOW, DADDY! IF I DON’T GET IT I’LL SCREAM!!!” Lots of people pray that way. Let me ask you a question. Would you give your 13 year old the keys to the car because he wants it? Of course not! Sometimes we demand things in prayer, when a loving God knows it’s not time yet, or He knows a better answer. We must seek HIM and be yielded to HIS will and HIS way. After all, He loved us enough to give His only son to die for our sins, therefore, He will not deny us any good thing that is best for us.
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Knock and keep on knocking. So many Christians will ask. They will seek God, but then they just sit there and wait for the answer to fall out of the sky. You’ll never get a thing just sitting there! Get up and do what you know to do! Then God will answer! Let me give you an example of what I mean. People will pray for a job, some will even seek the will and purpose of God. Then, they sit down and wait and wait and wait and tell everyone how spiritual they are in living by faith, (when in truth they are usually freeloading off family and friends). Get up! Knock on doors, send resumes and keep at it until God opens the right door! Old timers call it, “Putting feet to your prayers.” Remember, “…faith without works is dead” (James 2:20b). The miraculous happens when we have done all we can. The possible is up to us. The impossible is up to God. There it is: ask, seek, knock. One without the other two and the formula will not work. “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26b). When you ask God’s help, and you seek His will and way, and then get up and do what you know to do — you and God together are an unbeatable combination!
Mark Bristow and his wife, Lisa pastor a church in Monahans, Texas called Grace Fellowship. He is an anointed servant of God who is blessed with the Gifts of the Holy Spirit operating in his ministry. He is also multi-talented in a music ministry of leading in praise and worship vocally as well as on the organ and piano. Mark Bristow can be contacted via email at gfc@classicnet.net.
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BOOK REVIEW OF THE MONTH
TURMOIL IN THE TOY BOX by Phil Phillips
Turmoil in the Toy Box is a shocking exposè of the toy and cartoon industry. It reveals the hidden dangers found in many of the popular toys and cartoons such as He-Man and Masters of the Universe, Barbie, Rainbow Brite, G.I. Joe, Smurfs, Dungeons & Dragons, Care Bears, ThunderCats and E.T.; to name a few. This book unmasks the New Age, the occult, and the violent and Satanic influences that have invaded the once innocent toy box.
Phil Phillips seeks to make people aware of what is happening today in the toy and cartoon industry. He demonstrates how the occult, violence and heavy sexual overtones in this sort of entertainment are affecting our children. The book not only takes an in-depth look at the toy and cartoon industry, but also provides the proper tools needed to assist the reader in the assimilation of knowledge to help in the proper guidance of children, thereby avoiding the traps within the media. Although not every toy or cartoon series is covered, Turmoil in the Toy Box is the most thoroughly researched and balanced exposè available today in its field.
This book also explains the importance of play, and how toys can enhance or stunt a child’s development. In addition, Turmoil in the Toy Box provides the reader with an alternative to today’s popular toys.
Phil Phillips is an evangelist and author and is recognized as the leading Christian authority in the area of today’s toys, their related cartoons and their effects on children. Phil conducts multi-media seminars throughout the United States, Canada and Australia. Phil has appeared on such shows as 100 Huntley Street, Marlin Maddaux’s Point of View, TBN and the Hal Lindsey Show.
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POETRY CORNER
PRAY AMERICA
by Lydia Chorpening
Your hands, once strong, by instilled faith,
Are dangling at your sides.
The firm foundation where once you stood,
Has now become a slip’ry slide.
Who rules your city streets today,
And runs the hallways of your schools?
Where’s your respect for aging folks–
The unborn babe, or Golden Rule?
You’re uniformed–ignorant by choice,
The media’s news are blatant lies.
You, who were built on Godly truth,
Have veered to arrogance and pride.
Awake America, and pray,
Awake to truth and dignity.
Turn to the faith which once you knew,
Cry for a change in your decree.
Oh country, once where brave and strong,
Were keepers of your door.
Turn back to God–away from sin,
Fall on your face and pray once more.
Will you not turn to God once more,
With humble, contrite soul?
Perhaps God’s mercy will turn again,
And cleanse our land and make us whole.
Lydia Chorpening has written many other anointed poems. To obtain a free list of her other titles you may write her at: N3444 Hwy. 63, Shell Lake, WI 548721
This poem was also published in a free bi-monthly Christian Magazine for women entitled Gentle Doves. Gentle Doves is published by Ruth Olson Ministries. To request a free copy you may email Ruth Olsen at: jrolson@pressenter.com or visit her website at: https://www.pressenter.com/~jrolson/
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PURPOSE & VISION
THE OVERCOMING LIFE DIGEST is published for the purpose of strengthening the Body of Christ by furnishing teaching literature and a prophetic voice to the church in these last days. CHRIST UNLIMITED is helping and working with all Bible-believing Christians regardless of their church or denominational affiliations in promoting the Gospel of Jesus Christ. CHRIST UNLIMITED believes the hour is late and we must fulfill the great commission. We, as Christians, desire to cooperate with the Lord in breaking down denominational walls, for a united front line against the kingdom of darkness and setting up the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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All scripture quotations are from the King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise noted.
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