Embrace the Idea About Learning - Shouldn't You Be Studying the Bible Regularly?

Most Christians own at least one Bible, but the idea of studying it on a regular basis, is normally considered a difficult task for those to perform. If you really want to call yourself a Christian, shouldn't you at least understand, a few things in the Bible?

Maybe something about Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark, or what about that guy, what's his name, I think he died for our sins and wasn't he the son of God, what was his name... You might think I'm kidding, but very few Christians, know very little about the Bible.

How do we get Christians to embrace the idea that studying the Bible could benefit them or change their views entirely about their religion? I've always had problems with those who consider themselves practicing Christians, while trying to convert others to Christianity with a limited knowledge about the religion itself.

If you go to church every Sunday, there's a good chance that you will have to touch the holy book of scriptures, at least once. You might even pick it up and turn some of the pages while listening to the sermon. Is this the only time during the week that you will pick up the Bible? And does this bother you?

What about those who read the Bible regularly and don't take the time to interpret it literally. Read the Bible, word for word in order to get a simple understanding of each Bible verse. Don't try to read anything into it or look for hidden messages.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to answer simple questions or understand what your church leaders are talking about? When they mention Paul or Isaiah, are you thinking about your cousin and his friend? Spend a little more time learning about your religion and you will reap the rewards that education has to offer.

There Are Plenty of Problems with the Bible and If You Need More Help, Click on This Link Understanding the Bible

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Click Here If You're a Positive Christian Person.

Check This Out - 1 Corinthians 14:34

If you're a woman, you might not want to read this article. If you're a man who supports male chauvinistic ways, I guarantee that this is going to be an article that you won't want to miss.

I have watched women who believe in other religions, all over the world, consider men to be superior to them. I have watched men treat women as subservient and sometimes has subhuman beings, even though these women are someone's wives, sisters or daughters.

But the Holy Bible, come on I can't believe that this is the word of God. Read this and if you have to read it again, but is this really in the Bible, did God actually write this or is this something that was written by man, to make women live lives of servitude.

Here it is, read it for yourself, 1 Corinthians (TWB) 14:34 let your wives keep silent in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as the law also says. Is this what Christianity is all about or is this just part of what Christianity represents.

Are women really supposed to be quiet in the assemblies of God, in church or places of worship? Am I reading this right? Your wife's keep silent in assemblies, it doesn't say anything about men remaining silent in assemblies.

Oh yeah, for it has not been permitted for them to speak, what the heck are they talking about. Are you telling me that Christian women are not allowed to speak inside of their place of worship? Is that where these assemblies meet or are they talking about something else.

I would like to make a suggestion, too any Christians that are reading this article, this would be a great topic for discussion, at your next prayer meeting or Bible study group.

With religious text like this, you can understand why some women don't have equal rights to men. Its beliefs like these, that will eventually end up forcing large religious organizations to change or become part of our history.

Watch this Video on Women and Bible Problems

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site: If your interested in a different point of view READ THESE ARTICLES - Great Articles For Christians

Greg Vandenberge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible.

Manipulating Bible Verses - Thou Shall Not Murder

If you're a Christian, you've probably heard of this Bible verse. Thou shall not murder. If you've heard of it, you probably know that it's one of the 10 Commandments or one of the original laws from Moses. However, most people don't know about its application to Christianity.

If I was to tell my children, not to lie and always tell the truth but I was a liar, would this be considered a good example for my children? If my children seen me lying and then I told them not to lie, would they consider that a lie? Does this example make sense to you?

As the parent, I'm the example. As the children, they are my disciples or followers. By lying to my children, I am showing them that it is okay to lie or stretch the truth or even manipulate the English language for my personal benefit.

How much different is this example from the example of the way some Christians use the Holy Bible? "Thou shall not murder," to me translates into," you should not kill." That's pretty simple and easy to understand, wouldn't you agree.

I could easily manipulate this Bible verse into, thou shall not murder, only applying it, to killing someone without a reason or you can kill someone in the name of God. You can change the meaning of anything if you really want to.

The point I would like to make here, is that the truth always comes out in the end, once the lying and the manipulation becomes visible. Do you have the ability to tell who's lying and twisting the Bible scriptures for their benefit or personal gain?

Bible verses that are clearly written, shouldn't have any hidden messages. "Thou shall not murder," is easy to interpret, once you understand what all four of these words mean and this task can easily be accomplished with a dictionary.

Thou - refers to you, the person being addressed or written to.

Shall - it will happen in the future or is intended to happen.

Not - is often used to express refusal, denial or the negation of the statement, just made.

Murder - the crime of killing another person deliberately and not in self-defense.

With the definition of these four words sitting right in front of us, you could still interpret this Bible verse in the few different ways. I'm going to take a stab at it and interpret it as I see it.

"You should not kill another person deliberately or outside of self-defense."

This means that I am not allowed to kill anyone, in the name of God, during war, or for any other reason except for defending myself.

When it says," Thou shall not murder," how does this apply to animals or anyone who is involved in a death sentence. Judges, lawyers, prison guards and other individuals who are directly involved in the murder of someone else.

How many other Bible verses have been manipulated for the benefit of Christianity?

God Said What

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Click here if you're interested in Basic Christianity.

Properly Exercising Faith - People Who Represent Christianity

It's your responsibility as a Christian to properly exercise your faith and to express your opinions as such. If you don't know something for a fact, you are obligated to seek and gather more information about these so-called facts.

With this said, if you hear a Bible verse quoted to you by someone and you don't necessarily understand 100% of what they are saying or you think that they might be twisting around the Scripture, it's your obligation to find out, the truth and nothing but the truth.

Let me give you an example of how to properly exercise your faith. An atheist walks up to you and asks you why you believe in God, you reply," Because it says so in the Bible." Wrong.., wrong answer. Because it says so in the Bible, isn't what I would consider a good answer. It's what I would consider to be a controlled Christian answer, simple but untrue.

The minute that you start referring to things in the Bible and you don't really understand what it is that you're talking about, you're not doing Christianity any favors. The minute that you listen to another person quote out of the Bible and start repeating, what it is that they were saying, without clearly understanding the truth, you're simply spreading rumors.

Think about this, the next time that you tell someone something that you heard, just because you hear something three times, doesn't make it a fact. I would like to tell you a little secret, so pay attention, simply because someone within your religious community, who others look up to, say something that sounds believable, don't start spreading rumors, find out for yourself, if it's actually true.

Christian Bible Problems

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Understanding the Bible

Embrace the Idea About Learning - Shouldn't You Be Studying the Bible Regularly?

Most Christians own at least one Bible, but the idea of studying it on a regular basis, is normally considered a difficult task for those to perform. If you really want to call yourself a Christian, shouldn't you at least understand, a few things in the Bible?

Maybe something about Adam and Eve, Noah's Ark, or what about that guy, what's his name, I think he died for our sins and wasn't he the son of God, what was his name... You might think I'm kidding, but very few Christians, know very little about the Bible.

How do we get Christians to embrace the idea that studying the Bible could benefit them or change their views entirely about their religion? I've always had problems with those who consider themselves practicing Christians, while trying to convert others to Christianity with a limited knowledge about the religion itself.

If you go to church every Sunday, there's a good chance that you will have to touch the holy book of scriptures, at least once. You might even pick it up and turn some of the pages while listening to the sermon. Is this the only time during the week that you will pick up the Bible? And does this bother you?

What about those who read the Bible regularly and don't take the time to interpret it literally. Read the Bible, word for word in order to get a simple understanding of each Bible verse. Don't try to read anything into it or look for hidden messages.

Wouldn't it be nice to be able to answer simple questions or understand what your church leaders are talking about? When they mention Paul or Isaiah, are you thinking about your cousin and his friend? Spend a little more time learning about your religion and you will reap the rewards that education has to offer.

There Are Plenty of Problems with the Bible and If You Need More Help, Click on This Link Understanding the Bible

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Click Here If You're a Positive Christian Person.

Check This Out - 1 Corinthians 14:34

If you're a woman, you might not want to read this article. If you're a man who supports male chauvinistic ways, I guarantee that this is going to be an article that you won't want to miss.

I have watched women who believe in other religions, all over the world, consider men to be superior to them. I have watched men treat women as subservient and sometimes has subhuman beings, even though these women are someone's wives, sisters or daughters.

But the Holy Bible, come on I can't believe that this is the word of God. Read this and if you have to read it again, but is this really in the Bible, did God actually write this or is this something that was written by man, to make women live lives of servitude.

Here it is, read it for yourself, 1 Corinthians (TWB) 14:34 let your wives keep silent in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as the law also says. Is this what Christianity is all about or is this just part of what Christianity represents.

Are women really supposed to be quiet in the assemblies of God, in church or places of worship? Am I reading this right? Your wife's keep silent in assemblies, it doesn't say anything about men remaining silent in assemblies.

Oh yeah, for it has not been permitted for them to speak, what the heck are they talking about. Are you telling me that Christian women are not allowed to speak inside of their place of worship? Is that where these assemblies meet or are they talking about something else.

I would like to make a suggestion, too any Christians that are reading this article, this would be a great topic for discussion, at your next prayer meeting or Bible study group.

With religious text like this, you can understand why some women don't have equal rights to men. Its beliefs like these, that will eventually end up forcing large religious organizations to change or become part of our history.

Watch this Video on Women and Bible Problems

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site: If your interested in a different point of view READ THESE ARTICLES - Great Articles For Christians

Greg Vandenberge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible.

Manipulating Bible Verses - Thou Shall Not Murder

If you're a Christian, you've probably heard of this Bible verse. Thou shall not murder. If you've heard of it, you probably know that it's one of the 10 Commandments or one of the original laws from Moses. However, most people don't know about its application to Christianity.

If I was to tell my children, not to lie and always tell the truth but I was a liar, would this be considered a good example for my children? If my children seen me lying and then I told them not to lie, would they consider that a lie? Does this example make sense to you?

As the parent, I'm the example. As the children, they are my disciples or followers. By lying to my children, I am showing them that it is okay to lie or stretch the truth or even manipulate the English language for my personal benefit.

How much different is this example from the example of the way some Christians use the Holy Bible? "Thou shall not murder," to me translates into," you should not kill." That's pretty simple and easy to understand, wouldn't you agree.

I could easily manipulate this Bible verse into, thou shall not murder, only applying it, to killing someone without a reason or you can kill someone in the name of God. You can change the meaning of anything if you really want to.

The point I would like to make here, is that the truth always comes out in the end, once the lying and the manipulation becomes visible. Do you have the ability to tell who's lying and twisting the Bible scriptures for their benefit or personal gain?

Bible verses that are clearly written, shouldn't have any hidden messages. "Thou shall not murder," is easy to interpret, once you understand what all four of these words mean and this task can easily be accomplished with a dictionary.

Thou - refers to you, the person being addressed or written to.

Shall - it will happen in the future or is intended to happen.

Not - is often used to express refusal, denial or the negation of the statement, just made.

Murder - the crime of killing another person deliberately and not in self-defense.

With the definition of these four words sitting right in front of us, you could still interpret this Bible verse in the few different ways. I'm going to take a stab at it and interpret it as I see it.

"You should not kill another person deliberately or outside of self-defense."

This means that I am not allowed to kill anyone, in the name of God, during war, or for any other reason except for defending myself.

When it says," Thou shall not murder," how does this apply to animals or anyone who is involved in a death sentence. Judges, lawyers, prison guards and other individuals who are directly involved in the murder of someone else.

How many other Bible verses have been manipulated for the benefit of Christianity?

God Said What

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author and a inspiration to millions of people. He has been involved in religious research for almost 30 years, and his influence in the Christian community is growing. The Holy Bible, is the core to Christian beliefs and most Christians don't even question it. Was the Bible actually written by men?

His newest book," Did God Actually Say That?" Was written specifically for Christians who are interested in gaining additional knowledge about the Bible. This book provides Christians with advanced biblical knowledge, answer some tough questions and should be read by every faithful follower of Christ.

Click here if you're interested in Basic Christianity.

Book Writing - Page Count and Chapter Length

Regardless of genre, there is no hard and fast rule about how many pages or words each chapter should contain or how many chapters should be in a book. However, there are some general guidelines in this article that may help you determine the page count and chapter length needed for your book.

Pages in a Chapter:

Many people read in spurts, at lunch time, or on the subway to work, readers enjoy chapters that can be finished in ten to fifteen minutes.

I try to set my chapter lengths by how long it takes me to read the material. If it goes past fifteen minutes, I may decide to divide a chapter in half and make two chapters out of it. Take into consideration that I write mostly non-fiction.

As you probably know, there's a difference in the way fiction and non-fiction are handled. In a fiction book, writers use shorter chapters. Some are only one page if that is all it takes to catch the reader up on the action of other characters in other scenes. When writing non-fiction, your chapter content needs to be specific to your chapter's heading or title.

Twenty pages per chapter is a good rule of thumb, but the most important thing is to include everything that relates to a particular topic in one chapter. For example, if your book is about fishing, you want to include the bulk of your information about fly casting in one chapter. All your info about bait and lure would be in another chapter.

Chapters/Pages in a Book:

These guidelines should give you a general idea of how to determine the length of your chapters and your book.

If your book is titled "The Accuracy of the US Census" you may have 52 chapters (one on each state). If your book is titled "Ten Tips for Marketing" you may have only ten chapters. There's no rule about how many chapters a book can or must have.

In order to be considered a book rather than a pamphlet or booklet, a book needs to be at least 10,000 words. If your book has more than 475 pages, you might want to consider producing it in two volumes.

Because you will submit your manuscript as an 8.5" x 11" word-processing document, you cannot be certain of its final length until after your publisher formats it for print. I have found that 250-300 words will approximate one page of 12-point font text in a standard size (5.5"x8" or 6"x9") perfect-bound book.

Yvonne Perry is a freelance writer and the owner of Writers in the Sky Creative Writing Services (WITS). She and her team of ghostwriters are ready to assist you with writing and editing for books, eBooks, Web text, business documents, resumes, bios, articles, and media releases. For more information about writing, networking, publishing, and book promotion, or to sign up for free email delivery of WITS newsletter, please visit http://www.writersinthesky.com New subscribers receive a free eBook Tips for Freelance Writing

Three Men Who Will Change All

It's been a while since I have dealt with prophecy in this blog. North Korea, and the Body of Christ there, surely do consume time. I say it humbly and gratefully. But something grabbed me the other day that I thought might be profitable for you. See what you think. Well, I mean, see if this is borne out in the Word.

Two men will suddenly appear on the scene in the days of Antichrist preceding the return of Jesus Christ to the Earth. I will not attempt a defense of that fact here, but assume it going in. Zechariah sees these two, as does John in the Revelation (11). Jesus alludes to it when he says that Elijah truly comes first to restore all things.

Then Jesus leads the reader/hearer to believe that he is talking about John the Baptist, who came in the spirit and power of Elijah, but wasn't actually Elijah. So John becomes a picture of the Old Testament prophet as well as a precursor of at least one of those coming prophets.

For you see, one of the qualifications for such a man is that he never died in the ordinary sense. Since all men have an appointment with death except end-time saints here when Jesus returns, and since Revelation 11 even records their death, it is safe to assume that they cannot have died before. The traditional wisdom, and that which I have clung to, is that, therefore, Enoch and Elijah must be the two returning men. Neither ever died.

Today I'd like you to look at the possibility of Moses' return. I am quick to inject that the word "died" is used in connection with his departing the planet, in Deuteronomy. But I must hasten to add that there are some strange statements made in regards to this death. First, God buried him. Second, no one knows where the grave or the body is. Third, Jude records a dispute over that body between the angels of God and the angels of Satan.

Why a dispute? Does Satan believe he should be in charge of the dead? Did God have other plans for this particular body? Was Satan grieved because it seemed God was not playing by the rules? Was in fact Moses' body taken immediately to a holding place, to be joined later by Elijah, where they have been preserved ever since?

Why not Enoch? Well, maybe it is he after all, but consider the activities of these two men, described in Revelation 11:

• They will "shut heaven" in regards to precipitation. That was a work of Elijah.
• They will turn water to blood. Moses.
• They will strike the earth at will with various plagues. Again, a Moses activity.

One other intriguing clue is the appearance of these two very men on the mount of transfiguration. Bodies. Not spirits, as we have been led to believe that all men are when they leave their bodies awaiting the resurrection. Here are two glaring exceptions. They had a body just as surely as the One with whom they were discussing the coming sacrifice of God. Where did they go after this incredible experience? Back to the waiting room. They wait there still...

And in an adjoining room, one more waits, hindered or "restrained" (KJV, "let") by a strong angel who will release him at a given cue. That's another story, but connected in a very real way to this same closing chapter of Earth as we know it. These three men will revolutionize the world! And there's no newspaper or magazine you can read to try to figure out if they're "alive" on the planet now. They are very much alive... but not quite on the planet. All in good time...

If America's current problems are the signal of the winding down of civilization, life could get pretty exciting before long

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com. There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs, over 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos3@gmail.com.

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

In North Korea - The Glorious Pyongyang Church

North Korea's church history

As we continue our study of the Body of Christ in North Korea, we simply must stop and talk about the 1907 Pyongyang Revival. The Christian Koreans have a glorious history and a glorious future. Though we cannot understand some of the goings-on in the North today, we are confident that the situation is only temporary. God HEARS and ANSWERS the cries of his people! I quote below from Young-Hoon Lee's Korean Pentecost: The Great Revival of 1907.

The origin of the 1907 Pyongyang revival could be traced to a prayer meeting of Methodist missionaries at Wonsan in 1903, and attributable to Dr. R.A. Hardie, a medical missionary working in the Kangwon province. Although Dr. Hardie worked arduously in his ministry, he was able to achieve very little. Frustrated, he entered into a period of self-reflection. He was strongly convicted as his prejudices, sins and efforts of self-reliance were revealed to him.

Deeply moved, Hardie began to share his testimony of the work of the Holy Spirit and publicly repent before other fellow missionaries. Subsequently, he shared his confessions and repented before Korean congregations, which ignited a flame of revival and a receiving of the Holy Spirit as never experienced before. As the revivals grew in number and intensity throughout Wonsan, the following year witnessed the outbreak of an enormous blessing and revival that swept the area through Pyongyang, Seoul and beyond.

The height of the revivals that took place between 1900-1910 came on January 14, 1907 when over 1,500 gathered for a meeting and were invited to pray. The entire congregation burst into prayer and public confession lasting throughout the night until the next day. The Spirit that came through this Pentecost spread to the children and youth sparking revivals of a similar scale among high school students. It is said that the repentance and forgiveness was to the degree that the jails in all of Pyongyang were empty!

Men and women became walking testimonies of the power of the Holy Spirit as their daily lives were completely transformed to the amazement of friends and family. Korean Christians gained a new strength and boldness as they took leadership in the independence movement and endured terrible persecution during a dark period of Korean history. The face of Korea was changed forever and the spirit of the 1907 Revival has endured throughout the history of the Korean church.

100 years ago God's Spirit poured out on Pyongyang. Then persecution. 2000 years ago God's Spirit poured out on Jerusalem. Then persecution. But persecution leads to deliverances and miracles and church growth. Let us join in praying that the present darkness hovering over the North will soon erupt into glorious light as the Enemy is again defeated. The true Korean War, the one for the souls of men, is in the Spirit as in the natural: no final peace has ever been declared. So let us fight on!

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love chosen together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

North Korea - Short-Lived Joy

North Korean church history continues...

The ultimate surrender of Japan finally comes. The Empire is crushed and humiliated. That's not meant to be critical. Or defamatory. It really happened, and it happened a long time ago. Today's Japan is not yesterday's.

Koreans are ecstatic, and rush into the streets to celebrate. What glory! What joy! Their longtime enemy defeated! One can hear Christians raising up praises to God, singing hymns loudly that they have been forbidden to sing at all. Worship, witness, all restored after 35 long years of oppression.

But in the North, not from the East, comes the next blow against Korea. Due to a decision made far from Korea by persons definitely not Korean, the land of Chosun is to be divided into two parts, "temporarily." The Soviets will be asked to supervise activities in the northern part of the country, and America will restore order to the southern section.

Naive American policy places a division line roughly half way down the peninsula that has remained to this day. The Soviets decide they will not leave, not at least until they have a government established that resembles Moscow. In 1948, two separate Korean governments are formed, and the persecution begins again in the North, where Christ has made the largest inroads.

Five million people, many of them believers, get out of the "paradise" before it can turn into the chaos that will evolve over the decades. At least in the South the President seems to be a Christian, and there they will worship freely. Then, nearly 60 years ago now, the curtain closes. Christian blood begins to flow freely once more. The persecution has continued until now.

Many thousands of Christ's followers are killed and/or placed in forced labor camps. And unlike in the Japanese occupation, the goings-on become very private. Even now, not too many people know what is happening in North Korea. For "liberty" in that land means that the government is "free" to do as it pleases.

What a tragic history is the Korean one. What a lot to pray about.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

When Peace Comes

I dedicate this article to my brothers and sisters in North Korea, who suffer unimaginably as I write. For them, that is the believers in Christ, the subject of this piece is incredibly delicious. Oh that all of God's people could think it so.

Most people get to Revelation 21 and 22 and take a deep breath. No more vials. No more trumpets. No more seals. No more monsters. Smooth sailing. That's mostly true, but one of the biggest puzzles for me is the timing of this bit of prophecy.

When will arrive the "new heavens and the new earth"? Peter in his epistle sees it coming directly after the present age. The prophets likewise see a time of worldwide peace directed by the Jewish Messiah at the end of the present era. I lean that direction too, for those reasons, and others I will mention. But if that is true, then

• the Bible nowhere speaks of what eternity will be like.
• chapters 21 and 22 are out of order, and go back before chapter 20, which brings readers not only to, but through, and after, the millennium.
• the last recorded event in chronological time is the vanishing of heavens and earth, followed by the judgment of the damned in the Lake of Fire.
• the "new heavens and the new earth" are merely a healed planet, not a brand new creation as in Genesis 1.

Whether the magnificent descriptions of the last two of the Bible's chapters are the millennium or the period following it, one must admit that the Bible does not spend much time talking about things that are so very far away. We will have, after all, 1000 years to hear about the plan for the next phase of our existence. Truly it has not entered into our mind the things God has prepared for us.

But I was saying I tend to agree with the millennial interpretation here. The phrases used are very reminiscent of prophets like Isaiah. Things that happen are very this-worldly. Kings and nations are mentioned, nations that are slowly being healed from the ravages of the governments of men. And very significantly, even though Jesus has everything under control, there is still the potential for evil, as ordinary men live on into this time period. Our city is indeed holy and wonderful, but the whole world is not fully aligned to these things. All of this points away, I think, from an interpretation that says these two chapters are about eternity.

The set-up will be much as Rome dreamed it was going to be hundreds of years back. Their timing was a bit off. There shall indeed be a world empire ruled by the church, but it will be the glorified church descending from heaven, with Christ at the helm, not a military-based empire with a mere human at the head.

At the end of the 1000 years, the evil potential is gathered together for one last assault against the Righteousness enthroned in Jerusalem. Christ is victorious, and now it's time to move on to places as yet unspoken to human ears. What an adventure awaits!

Let us put all things away from our lives that do not matter, so as to be sure not to miss what will surely come our way. Never have God's promises failed, even when we did not fully understand them. They will not fail now.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed , lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond .

History Written for Children

When is history fun? When it is told or written in story form. Children are more responsive to stories of true events than they are to reading a conventional history book.
Shirley Nelson author of What Happened Here? saw the need for a local history book and wrote it so that children and adults would enjoy learning from it.

Shirley Nelson, author of What Happened Here, took time out from her very busy schedule to give us at Far West Books and Gifts an interview.

What made Shirley want to write a book about the history of this area (Coos and Curry counties, Oregon)? Shirley taught school in Medford, Oregon for several years. The last couple of years she taught fourth grade. At that time, fourth grade children learned Oregon History. Shirley thought they would enjoy stories more and they could learn history that way. She read to them stories about true events written in a way that children could understand. Shirley found that the children responded better to the stories written about history better than reading history.

When Shirley retired and moved here to Port Orford, Oregon, she started to learn about all the rich history of this area. Her idea was to write a book about the stories of the local history, a book which children would like and was in a simple vocabulary that children could understand but adults would read also. Many adults buy the book not only for themselves but for their children also. It was the idea that these stories are interesting, they tell us about who we are and where we come from. Shirley wanted to do it in a form that people would enjoy. There are many excellent history books written on this area, but they are big and long and technical. Many people will not pick them off the shelves and read them. (Shirley included a bibliography of Oregon History books in What Happened Here?)

What Happened Here? is in its second printing and available at several local stores. Far West Books and Gifts now has it available at our on-line store at booksatfarwest.com.
What Happened Here? has received very good reviews from Librarians, Historians and other authors.

When you are ready to learn more about the local history of Coos and Curry counties of Southern Oregon, this book should be on your list. It has fourteen short stories about local stories and legends based on the history of Coos and Curry counties, five maps, 22 pictures and a historical time line from 1848 to 1945. It is also very informative to new residents or visitors of the area.

Catherine Dahrens is the owner of Far West Books and Gifts, an on-line book store located at http://www.booksatfarwest.com

North Korea - Blessed Holy Birth!

A lot of believers have nothing to do with December five and twenty. I understand. I've actually been in that crowd a good portion of my life. I can take it or leave it even to this day. But, I enter into the thinking of the season by asking my readers and listeners, "What can we get for North Korea?" We all have folks and family members who are hard to shop for. But what do you get for someone whom you have never met, who lives on the other side of the planet, whose culture is totally different, and who may never have heard of the Christ Whose birthday you proclaim to be celebrating? The One Who was born into our world from Heaven has answers to this question. Of course these gifts I suggest are year-'round for believers, but again, I speak as a Christmas-celebrator today.

Let's look around. What does my brother need? He looks so hungry. His growth is even stunted from his hunger. Food would be nice. Who will assure me that the food will get where I send it? Here I am unable to assist you, as Christian organizations are not too keen about being on a website list, and therefore serving as a target for evil men. So do a Google search, make some phone calls, it won't be long before you'll find a group that is getting food to the hungry of North Korea. Yes, a great gift.

North Korea starves for God's Word too. Those same groups that feed the body often feed the soul and spirit of man. Why not help send the Word in?

How about planning a trip to Northeast China, where multiplied thousands of Koreans live outside their homeland, looking for someone to help them? God will guide you to those here who are planning trips in. Or plan your own. One of my own dreams - I hope it is not a fantasy - is to pack up a blanket or two, and visit the Northeast in the dead of winter. I find a hurting North Korean and whip out my blanket and present it to him as though he were Jesus Christ. Now there's a happy Christmas! Is there anything State-side to compare with the joy of giving one's life away for someone in need? Isn't that what Jesus did for us all?

So not much money? No time to travel? Great ideas but not for you? How about "remembering" the prisoner? Some day I hope to do a study on that word. It's the same thing as remembering Jesus in the Communion. Not just looking back at past events, but somehow communicating with present realities, too. Try some identifying. Offer it up to the Lord and perhaps in His mercy He will see your heart and touch a North Korean for you, as you pray. Here are some identification presents:

• Next time you do your exercise, skip the treadmill. How many treadmills in North Korea? No sighing and crying for those poor people. Get out in the cold yourself. You'll not match their 20 below temps, but you'll get a little piece of it, and God will warm your heart. Yeah, bundle up, walk 2-3 miles in the coldest messiest weather you can stand, and all the while be lifting up your friends in NK.

• Fasting is always a way to relate to poverty. Deliberate hunger offered up for the real hunger there. It makes you weak. And weak in Christ makes you strong. And strong Christians pray more. And when they pray they pray for North Koreans, among others. That's right soldier, push that plate away. How far can you go? Until you think you'll not make it? Jesus went farther. And many Koreans through the years have paid the last full measure of devotion. They responded to Jesus' challenge, "Greater love has no man than this than to lay down his life for his friends."

• Got too much stuff? Give it away. Find where a container of goods is being sent into Korea and get rid of those excesses. Be ready to travel. Be ready for those marching orders. Travel light. None of that stuff is really yours anyway! Time for judgment to begin at the house of God. If we judge ourselves, He won't have to. That stuff you're hangin' onto could be such a blessing to someone. C'mon, let go!

So much to do. So much need. Lord give us wisdom to know the first step to take and courage to take it! Merry Christmas, North Korea! Better yet, Chuk Song Tan, "Blessed Holy Birth!"

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

Creation Versus Evolution - Gods Ultimate Power

You rarely hear the word evolution among scientists anymore and creation seems to be too far-fetched for any educated person to make sense out of. How the world started and where the universe came from has been one of the secrets that even the most educated people on the planet seem to have problem solving.

Creation states that God created the world in seven days. Evolution states that man has evolved from apes. Anyone could make sense out of both of them and with that in mind, we could tear each one of them apart with very little effort. It's hard to imagine modern man believes in either one of them but there are millions of people who do. Christians, Hindus, Judaism and of course the Nation of Islam.

How could we ever prove that God created the earth? I guess if someone invented a time machine, we could go back in the past and watch these events taking place but how would we know for sure, this is actually what we were seeing and would we be able to tell the difference between an illusion and the truth. If you choose to base your review of creation entirely on faith, I have some oceanfront property in Utah I would like to show you.

Evolution doesn't seem to fare much better than creation when it comes to proving scientifically that it's true. A hundred years ago, some of our greatest teachers were convinced that evolution could very easily replace the theory of creation. Nowadays it almost seems like something from our past, something like Greek mythology. At one time people on this planet believed in Greek and Roman gods but they are kind of a joke, while religions like Christianity seem to be gaining more ground.

Evolution is missing more than one link, they're missing links that link the other links together. The theory that our world was created by God makes more sense to me than the theory of evolution. However, if there was a God or being so powerful, why wouldn't this supreme entity intervene on our planet and eliminate hunger.

It's hard to imagine that either one of these theories are entirely true but at the same time each one of these theories could be stepping stones on our ladder of education towards the truth. I'm sure that one day we will know the truth but for now I will choose not to endorse either one of them 100%.

More Spiritual Ideas

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing, and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a self help library filled with great subjects on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world. His views on religious freedom are slowly changing the way people think about institutional religion.

The Holiday Epiphany

Most people are too distracted thinking about Christmas sales and promos, they tend to forget the celebration of Epiphany. The Epiphany is the time after Christmas when the 3 Magi visited the Child Jesus. Back then, the Epiphany celebration had the twelve days Christ's birth when the church celebrates Christ being shown as the Light of the world and remembers the journey of the three wise men.

Families in countries different from the US start the Epiphany celebration by remembering others on St. Stephens Day. St. Stephen's Day is on December 26 and commemorates Stephen, Christianity's first martyr. You might read Stephen's life story in Acts 6, 7, & 8.

His convictions about the revelation of Christ in the world brought about his death. In the book of Acts, he was considered the first martyr among Christians. For hundreds of years, people of the Christian faith have remembered his faithfulness on December 26, the day after Christ's birth is celebrated. This day is for selfless care for people in need, the unwanted, who have no people to love them.

Along with your family, it's nice to also find a needy family or support group to render services the day after Christmas. When most people are out shopping, you can be different by showing that you care by bringing food or gifts to an impoverished family.

In countries like Britain and Canada, December 26th is known as Boxing Day and considered an official holiday there. When my kids first heard of it, they were thinking of celebrating boxing as a sport. They never thought that Boxing day was about the service of love.

During this day, boxes of food are given to people in. Back then food and necessities were given to servants from their masters. The Wenceslaus' spirit is shown when people celebrate with great happiness the manifestation of the Good News of Jesus' coming to the world.

Most of the time churches plan for this day by specifically rendering humanitarian services to the needy and thus show that God's Word requires good deeds to people near them. On this day, you can visibly see true love as people give to their fellow man.

Kris King offers free advent calendars with daily Christmas activities to prepare your family for Christmas. Your family will learn more about holiday traditions with some of the daily activities

Jesus, Lord Over All

My western friends may be disappointed to know that I do not believe democracy to be the purest form of government. In its misunderstood form, the "rule of the people" does not exist. All the people cannot rule. They merely designate who will rule. If you think you are in charge, try a late payment to the IRS or parking in a spot designated "no parking."

But even representative rule, true democracy as we know it, which we have experienced so beneficially for these 200 plus years in America, is not the preferred way. Not for me. Corruption enters into systems like these, precisely because they are run by the people, not in spite of that fact.

No, give me an iron-fisted ruler.

One will will speedily punish wickedness. But let the definition of wickedness be properly spelled out.

One who will reward righteousness. But let righteousness also have its proper definition.

One who cannot be toppled by some greater power. One who is unquestioned in his right and capacity to rule.

Give me a perfect monarch, who can settle all disputes with justice. One from whose lips will drop perfect wisdom, but from whose hands will flow perfect compassion.

You say, There is no such one. I say, There is. King Jesus , Messiah of Israel and of all believing gentiles too, meets the requirements I have listed. His reign of 1000 years will be the very prelude to eternity. The earth awaits Him. His people elect Him, but He was elected by the Father for this very position before the worlds began. He shall rule, even though the "people" of earth attempt to strike Him down .

So in speaking so often against the rule of oppressive tyrants on earth, one in particular, we must remember to oppose them on the right grounds. It is not because they are "all powerful" or "unopposed" or a "totalitarian" leader. Jesus Himself will be all of that and more.

We are against them because they take from the hearts of men their right to choose King Jesus as their Lord. They supplant Jesus with their own ways and principles and songs. Rather than allowing their people to experience the fact that a nation is blessed whose God is Jehovah, they show the world that a nation without this God of Gods is cursed. In this they have been a mighty revealer of the truth of God but their end shall come, all rulers and nations that despise the Holy One.

All hail, KING JESUS! Lord over all the lords of Earth!

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

In North Korea - A Man And A Woman

"Refugees International" went into Northeast China a few years back with the specific intent of finding and interviewing refugees coming out of North Korea. Their stories lack the earmarks of what we would call "great" storytelling. Deliberately. It was their purpose just to take the facts down and pass them on to the West. Following, in my own words, is the true story I gleaned from one of these interviews. Following the "lackluster" style of reporting used by Refugees International, I simply call these 2 persons "a man and a woman", knowing that the facts themselves will stir hearts.

The story I tell, by the way, is shared for the sole purpose of motivating praying people to do what they do best.

The "man" was in the North Korean army, and was discharged in 1997. When he went home he found there were no jobs. He moved to Musan, in northeast North Korea, heard of the flow of refugees into China, and joined it. In 3 months he was caught and sent back. Ten days in a Chongjin prison. Escape. Back to China. 'Tis a familiar tale, though not as often considered to be a part of the "protected" military's existence.

1998. Chinese crackdown on North Korean refugees forces him to move to isolation in the mountains.

"The woman," also North Korean, comes to China in 2001 with an uncle who promises to find her a husband. The man and the woman are introduced one day. Married the next. She joins him in his mountain hideaways.

August, 2002. Husband is in a nearby village obtaining food when he is arrested by Chinese police and once more sent back to North Korea, without his wife. The wife is afraid and asks permission to live in the house of the manager of the shelter where they have been staying. Permission granted, but someone reports her, she is arrested and likewise deported. It is October.

In prison she gives birth. Her hometown people hear of her ordeal and bribe officers to release her.

One positive note. There are so many prisoners this second time around for the man, that he reports things have lightened up. There simply are not enough enforcers to make life miserable for everyone. The "light" version is a cell 5 square meters. Containing 40 people. They kneel and cannot move. They must sleep in that position.

His wife even gave birth in that position.

We cannot imagine what the more difficult version was like.

The man wants to go to South Korea, he tells the interviewer. But he knows it will be very hard. He says that people who try to go to South Korea are sent somewhere else and they are killed. He says that the first question they ask you when you are deported to North Korea is, "Have you been to church?" Those that say "Yes" will be killed right away or sent to a prison camp for life.

What is his plan now? He says, "Surviving day by day."

These things are difficult for us to hear. All we can do is keep listening to what the Spirit is saying to the Church. For God has a plan too. It seems He is unconcerned, un-moved. But in all things He will be glorified somehow. We know for sure that we must pray. Others will want to find ways to share materially or even go. But let us do something!

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

An Explanation for the Existence of the Christian God Movie Video

Here's a pretty good interview about someone explaining the existence of God.

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Peaceful Warrior God

You are free to copy this article to your site as long as you include the following resource information with an active link to my site:

Greg Vanden Berge is a published author, internet marketing expert, motivational inspiration to millions of people all over the world and is sharing some of his wisdom with experts in the fields of writing,marketing and personal development.

Greg is currently working on a christian video library filled with great movies on a wide array of topics, like religion, self help and spiritual changes in the world.

The Deity of Jesus Christ - Leviticus and Deuteronomy

In the Mosaic books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy, one can trace the fact that Jesus is Divine.

Leviticus 11:44, Holy. Twice in rapid succession the God of Israel tells the Jewish nation, "Ye shall be holy, for I am holy." The Spirit that exudes from this God is called the Holy Spirit. Not the Happy or the Mighty but the Holy. Those filled with Holy Spirit are holy people! Isaiah sees the Lord as holy, and the angels of His vision thrice use the word in their classic proclamation: (6:3) "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts!" And Jesus? Is He ever referred to as holy? (Acts 2:27) Peter quotes David's famous words, " Thou wilt not leave My (Jesus') soul in hell, neither wilt Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption." Peter again, in Acts 3:14 says, But ye (Jews) denied the Holy One (Jesus)...and desired a murderer (Barabbas) to be granted unto you." In a passage that in many ways parallels Isaiah's scene, John the Revelator (4:8) quotes the angels thus: "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come." But in 1:8 of that book, that formulation of words is applied directly to Jesus! Yes, the "Holy Child" Jesus is also the Holy Lord Almighty! God!

Deuteronomy 6:4, the One God. We come to a critical passage. 6:4 says simply, "Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord." We see in this most precious of Jewish Scriptures the reason that the orthodox of Jesus' day wanted to stone Jesus. They could not accept a second God. They knew, and they were correct, that the Lord our God is one, a unity. The idea of more than one was abhorrent. Would that they had listened to Jesus when He proclaimed His oneness with the Father, John 10:30. But it still is quite difficult for these finite minds to grasp that one plus one equals one still. Notice again Paul's use of the word only , in I Timothy 6:15-16: "[Jesus Christ] is the... ONLY Potentate, THE King of Kings...Who ONLY hath immortality..." Yahweh claims to be the ONE God. Jesus is proclaimed to be the ONLY Potentate (source of power and authority). No conflict. Jesus is GOD.

Deuteronomy 10:17, Lord of Lords. "For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords..." Such an exclusive title. But it is also the title of the Lord Jesus Christ, written on His clothing, seen by the apostle John and recorded for us in Revelation 19:11-16: "The Word of God...hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS."

What can we say? Only that Jesus is God.

Deuteronomy 32:4 "He is the Rock.." This is one of many Old Testament passages calling the Lord a rock. Like in I Samuel 2:2, where we see Hannah, in the Spirit, saying, "Neither is there any Rock like our God!" Similarly in the New Testament we see Jesus telling Peter that the Church will be built on Peter's rock-statement that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God (Matthew 16). Peter later tells his flock that this Jesus is the "stone which the builders disallowed...the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence..." Paul comments that the Rock that followed the Israelites through the wilderness was none other than Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 10:4)!

Truth . The same passage as quoted above, 32:4, says that this God is "a God of truth." I need not even remind my readers that Jesus said (John 14:6) "I am the way, the truth, and the life..." If He is not God, He is a bit out of order to make such a claim!

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosen together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

North Korea Invaded By Bible Balloons

North Korea is the land of the unexpected, for sure. Who would ever expect that the Gospel would be preached in this land from the sky? It went on for many years. Bright orange balloons bearing Scriptures in the Korean language floated over the northern border of South Korea into the southern section of North Korea. No DMZ mine field could stop them. Kim Jong Il's 1 million man army never shot them down. Angry-faced soldiers couldn't stare them away. They glided for miles at a time filled with helium and punctured by an ever-so-small opening that guided them almost scientifically to designated portions of the Hermit Kingdom.

Delighted children found them in a field and ran them home to aging grandmas and grandpas who wept over them, if they were of the remnant church still surviving in this scary land. Or they puzzled over them if they were of the great majority who have been brainwashed and totally uninformed about the outside world and its religious side.

Hundreds of thousands of these plastic missionaries were sent out by dedicated South Koreans and their missionary cohorts . No one knows the full effect of their flights, but reports confirm that many of the missiles found their mark. Lives have been touched forever! Mr. Kim simply cannot keep the Word of God out. It is not bound. A little comes in on airwaves. A little on tapes. A few Bibles get where they were intended to go. Oh the precious life-giving Word of God!

2007 saw the end of the great balloon ministry. At least that form of it. There's been a transformation of sorts. Balloons are still going in. Heavier. Sealed. And inside, entire packages of Gospel messages for distribution. Christians just must tell the story of Jesus one way or t'other. Let us pray for the success of this "foolish" balloon ministry which is confounding the "wise" regime of old Chosun.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

Whoever Reads, Let Him Understand

Whoever reads, let him understand, said Jesus. Or was it Matthew's comment? Regardless, it comes from the Spirit of God to us today. The quote is from Matthew 24:15, and has to do with the sign Jesus gave to His disciples regarding the coming holocaust and the end of the world as we know it. It's a very important directive.

Jesus said that the visible signal of the beginning of the end is when the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet is standing in the Holy Place. For years I have thought and taught that the command to understand had to do with the words of Jesus in this passage. I believe it could just as easily, and with even more meaning, be applied to the book of Daniel, a truly mysterious collection of prophecies!

My own experience with Daniel and Revelation has been that when one pursues the Truth in these and any books from God, he will sooner or later begin to gain ground which can be held as further truths are unvailed. But the warning is meaningful. Let him that reads Daniel be understanding that there are a few problems here, one of the most serious being that history repeats itself. For example, there is at least one series of events mentioned in the book that has already happened in history, but clearly will happen again. And this is the history that involves the abomination of desolation.

Anyone who has studied Bible prophecy with any seriousness knows that the abomination of desolation is the placing of unauthorized objects of worship in the Temple, that was set aside for the worship of the one true God only. Daniel 11 prophesies that the vile king that history has identified as Antiochus Epiphanes will make the standard Jewish sacrifices stop and replace this worship with some abomination, as a pig. Following this outrage, judgment will fall, and many godly will suffer. Desolation of the area will be accomplished by horrendous war and all the rest.

Trouble for some people is that this indeed did happen. It's over. But Jesus could not have been referring to a past historic act in his giving of a sign. He was talking about something that is future, and he used that same prophet. This is where digging pays off. Pursuing. Believing God's Word cannot be false.

For you see, the taking away of Jewish sacrifices and the setting up of the abomination of desolation is mentioned three other times in Daniel. And in every instance the event is tied in to the end of the world, not local Greek history. And by the way, not local Roman history either. Saying that Matthew 24 and Luke 21 refer to Titus' destruction in A.D. 70 will not fit with Daniel, or even with Jesus' words. According to Jesus, the abomination is followed soon by unprecedented tribulation, and then immediately by His return. That's why he gave the sign, to let us know we're almost there.

Here are the 3 other listings: I offer a summary of the texts.

1. Daniel 8:11 ff, The little horn grew and exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host, and by him the daily sacrifice was taken away. An army helped him do this. Immediately an angel encourages the prophet by letting him know that this vision refers to the time of the end. Yes, the fierce-featured king will arise and oppose the Prince (Jesus, Revelation 19), but he shall be broken without human hand.

2. Daniel 9:27 The prince (antichrist) who is to come will confirm a covenant with Israel for 7 years, but half way through that time he will bring an end to sacrifice and offering. On the edge, or wing, of the abomination shall be one who makes desolate. (This is the conclusion of the famous 70-weeks prophecy. The 70th week is the last of earth's history.)

3. Daniel 12:11 The countdown begins at the abomination of desolation. 1290 days to the end. (This obviously did not happen in Antiochus' time or later in Titus' time.The prophecy has not been fulfilled yet)

Yes, this happened in history, in one form. But it will happen in the future, in quite another form. The apostle Paul weighs in here by saying (II Thessalonians 2) that the man of sin himself will sit in the Temple, an abomination to top all abominations, that a man would claim to be God Almighty. That is, any Man except the Man Christ Jesus, Who truly is God!

Daniel does have the key to end time prophecy. But whoever reads, let him understand!

Let us pray together that we who have access to the truth of God's Word will always take advantage of our opportunities to know the truth. Let us also pray that those believers that do not have access to this Book, as in North Korea and so many other places, will gain that access more and more.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

The Christ That Should Never Be Followed

The vital importance of knowing and being obedient to God's word cannot be overstressed as it guarantees protection from the greatest deception planet Earth is facing and will continue to face for some time.

What is this deception? Jesus repeatedly and forcefully warned his disciples that, "...there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. Behold, I have told you before. Wherefore, if they shall say unto you, Behold he is in the desert; go not forth, behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not. For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (KJV, Matthew 24:-27).

The great and terrible deception is the following of a false Christ who possesses great supernatural power to perform signs and wonders to convince people to believe he is God. The scripture above reveals much valuable information about the great lie that so many will believe. First, it should be observed that the manifestation of diabolical power that the false Christ will display will not be distinguishable by the natural eye or reasoning. This is why he would be able to deceive the very elect of God if they made the decision to follow him based purely on what their eyes witness.

The reasons why so many will be deceived into following such false Christs and prophets vary. However, many of these people have willfully rejected the true Christ, closing their eyes to his word and covering their ears to not hear his voice. They invited the hardening of their hearts just as the Egyptian pharaoh did when he refused to let the children of Israel go. This is why the Bible warns the reader to respond to God's conviction while his conscious is still intact (Exodus 7:3, Hebrews 3:8).

Far too many people do not realize that there is a point of no return regarding salvation. Scripture gives a frightful warning to such individuals. 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12 says, "even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion (deception), that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Recommended reading: Jesus Or His Impostor?

When Peace Comes

I dedicate this article to my brothers and sisters in North Korea, who suffer unimaginably as I write. For them, that is the believers in Christ, the subject of this piece is incredibly delicious. Oh that all of God's people could think it so.

Most people get to Revelation 21 and 22 and take a deep breath. No more vials. No more trumpets. No more seals. No more monsters. Smooth sailing. That's mostly true, but one of the biggest puzzles for me is the timing of this bit of prophecy.

When will arrive the "new heavens and the new earth"? Peter in his epistle sees it coming directly after the present age. The prophets likewise see a time of worldwide peace directed by the Jewish Messiah at the end of the present era. I lean that direction too, for those reasons, and others I will mention. But if that is true, then

• the Bible nowhere speaks of what eternity will be like.
• chapters 21 and 22 are out of order, and go back before chapter 20, which brings readers not only to, but through, and after, the millennium.
• the last recorded event in chronological time is the vanishing of heavens and earth, followed by the judgment of the damned in the Lake of Fire.
• the "new heavens and the new earth" are merely a healed planet, not a brand new creation as in Genesis 1.

Whether the magnificent descriptions of the last two of the Bible's chapters are the millennium or the period following it, one must admit that the Bible does not spend much time talking about things that are so very far away. We will have, after all, 1000 years to hear about the plan for the next phase of our existence. Truly it has not entered into our mind the things God has prepared for us.

But I was saying I tend to agree with the millennial interpretation here. The phrases used are very reminiscent of prophets like Isaiah. Things that happen are very this-worldly. Kings and nations are mentioned, nations that are slowly being healed from the ravages of the governments of men. And very significantly, even though Jesus has everything under control, there is still the potential for evil, as ordinary men live on into this time period. Our city is indeed holy and wonderful, but the whole world is not fully aligned to these things. All of this points away, I think, from an interpretation that says these two chapters are about eternity.

The set-up will be much as Rome dreamed it was going to be hundreds of years back. Their timing was a bit off. There shall indeed be a world empire ruled by the church, but it will be the glorified church descending from heaven, with Christ at the helm, not a military-based empire with a mere human at the head.

At the end of the 1000 years, the evil potential is gathered together for one last assault against the Righteousness enthroned in Jerusalem. Christ is victorious, and now it's time to move on to places as yet unspoken to human ears. What an adventure awaits!

Let us put all things away from our lives that do not matter, so as to be sure not to miss what will surely come our way. Never have God's promises failed, even when we did not fully understand them. They will not fail now.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. I have created over 200 blogs and the site features a live news feed , lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos5@yahoo.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. I love to write Scriptural works. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond .

Helpful Tips For Writing Thank You Notes

For gifts given on birthdays, anniversaries, religious celebrations, showers and weddings:

Keep it real. Be sure your thank you note fits the person you are thanking by the tone and style of your writing. In your thank you note, mention the gift and how you plan to use it. Even if the gift is a monetary one - you can tell the giver how you plan to use their generous gift. Be sure to acknowledge how wonderful and/or useful the gift is in your thank you note. Always send your thank you notes within two weeks time or as soon as possible so that the gift and what it means to you is fresh in your mind.

Guidelines for a monogram: Example: Susan Ann Doe

When a monogram has a large middle initial, the center initial represents the last name, the initial on the left represents the first name and the initial on the right represents the maiden or middle name = SDA

Today many couples are using both of their names in the monogram.

Example: Susan and John Doe

The same guide applies, however, one person's name is to the left and The other person's name is on the right = SDJ

When you complete a job interview, thank the interviewer for giving you the:

* Time of the interviewer
* Information you received in the interview
* Hospitality of the receptionist, interview and others
* Consideration of the organization to be hired as an employee
* Opportunity to advance in your career

Business reasons to send a thank you note:

Send a personal note of congratulations when someone you know is cited for a personal or business achievement. Promote good will by acknowledging an order or referral with a thank-you note.

And this advise from C.J. Hayden, business coach and author of Get Clients Now: "To most people, an anonymous brochure received in the mail is merely junk. A personal, handwritten note on attractive stationery will get someone's attention. Why? Because you took the time to write it. It makes the recipient feel special. And that's how he or she wants to feel as your customer."

Stay in touch!

Quality and convenience at prices you can afford.
Correspondence cards and folded notes.
Also unique invitations, Holiday and Christmas cards. =>
http://www.classiccommunication.com/stationery.htm

Rapture Or Second Coming? A Fourth & Fifth Distinction Refuted

We're told by some that there are real distinctions between the "catching away" or rapture of the church and the final appearance known as His second coming. "The rapture occurs during prosperity and normalcy, but the second coming takes place in the midst of great devastation." Here our brothers are referring to the portion of Matthew 24 assumed by them to be "before" the tribulation, verses 36-44 , distinct from Revelation 19, where plagues of all sort have been laid on the sons of men. In Matthew the reference is made to the days of Noah, and the very "ordinary" lifestyle they were leading when suddenly the flood came.

The argument implies that normal living does not take place in abnormal times, that there is essentially no "eating and drinking" , "marrying", and working, and playing and all the rest, during world crises and wars. But is that conclusion justified in even the world in which we now live? What was it that President Bush called for in the days following our 9-11 tragedy? Normalcy! A quick nod to the Creator, a "moment of silence", then back to normal lives so "the terrorists don't win." How many weddings were cancelled? Maybe a few. Who stopped being over- indulgent in food and drink? Maybe a few. But normal life continues, even in disaster.

But you say, Magnify 9-11 many hundreds of times, to the World Wars, and to that final series of tragedies slated for the planet. Surely the desire for "normalcy" ends somewhere, and men as a unit abandon all hope in things material and cry out for God? No. Never. This incredible truth is discussed in Revelation 9:18-21. At this juncture, one-third of mankind is dead! What of the rest? They do NOT repent! They continue their murders, their sexual abominations, thefts, drugs. Normal. Business as usual. They will have their needs and wants met, and that is all that matters. They have no clue about a coming judgment.

Consider Egypt of old (Exodus 7-12). In the midst of their own plagues, the likes of which will be coming to all the earth one day, we read of the unbelievable hardening of the hearts of all from the one on the throne all the way down. Truly when Jesus comes it will be after an unprecedented series of calamities, so bad that if he did not come at that moment all flesh would be annihilated. Yet in the midst of it all, men continue to defy God and ignore His ways, and are totally shocked at his coming. Normal life will thus continue until the very downfall of this present regime. No distinction

here, only side-by-side truths.

Maybe this "distinction" will work: a "rapture" occurs when the church is sleeping, but the second coming occurs during the devastation, when Christians must obviously be wide awake. The sleeping church idea he proves only by using the parable of the virgins (Matthew 25:25) when at least half of the young ladies are quite ready to go in to the feast. There is also a problem in his evaluation of believers in the midst of devastation, in my opinion. Revelation 16 tells us that Jesus must even at the very worst of moments warn His people not to show their "nakedness" by being polluted by the world. For, as we showed above, the world, in its panic will be trying everything to stay alive and stay happy, normal, so as to ignore the evils falling around them. Remember how many entertainers came to fame during the [Second World ] War years?

Christians are warned not to sell out to the world with all its comforts and false peace, so as to avoid the harsh realities of life in this era. Though this is a message for all times, it is especially true in a society which will require the damnable mark of the beast to be able to prosper. But Revelation 16 implies that some have already slipped into the desire for a comfort zone, available at that time only to those who deny Christ.

Christians living in a prosperous economy even now would do well to examine their hearts and see if they too are compromising Christ in their present lifestyle. Harry Bethel of Bethel Ministries says, "Most Christians in this country are not spiritually ready to go through what is on the horizon if it is as late as we think it is. The days of the Great Tribulation will be the worst time that this world has ever seen. And this earth has seen some very bad times. Probably not many Christians will be ready to go through the Great Tribulation, but believing that you are going to be raptured out before it begins is certainly not conducive to spiritual preparation for it."

But our point is that even on the eve of Christ's coming there will be believers sleeping, dreaming that eternal lukewarm dream that somehow there is peace and joy in this present evil age. These wicked servants will be dealt with by one look at the descending Jesus.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

Honest Opinion on God

Honest Opinion on God

Being A North Korean - What's It Like?

So what's it like being a North Korean Christian? Who really knows, but since you asked, and since the Word tells me to remember prisoners as though I were bound with them, it's probably important to try to understand what they are experiencing.

Let's see, to be a North Korean Christian must mean to eat a lot less. Could I do that? Yes, fasting is a command and an opportunity to relate to the suffering church. I could skip a meal now and then. Or cut out a meal altogether. Who says I need three a day to survive?

North Korean Christians probably walk a lot. Hmmm. No wheels? Could I find ways to walk more? What if I were the one on the trail each day that the wheeled people were always saying "on your left" to? What if it were me that the cars were coming around and blasting away with their nasty horns? Yeah, I could do that. Could lose some weight in the process. Get back to nature. Live simply.

Believers over there don't go to church to "be" someone, or to watch videos, or to talk with their friends about the latest sports outcomes. They don't go to see a performance or to gossip about so-and-so. Their attendance is not casual. If they go, the meeting is in secret, and it is understood that it could end in jail or worse. They go to hear from God, regardless of the cost. Now how in the world can I relate to that? Well, I could take my church attendance more seriously. I could stop criticizing. I could lead a holy life that makes church necessary and not optional. I could develop a love for Jesus in my prayer life that would spill over to my church life.

Being a North Korean believer means no television to speak of. No constant distraction and temptation to look at what the world is doing , and try to be like it. Hmmm, not a bad idea. Could I get rid of my habit? My TV? At least one of the 5 hangin' around my house? Maybe I could trash all but one, and use it only for news? Or could I use my radio & computer for news, and pitch all the TV's? Am I too far advanced in my addiction to try any of this? Then how will I ever relate to a North Korean believer and have anything better to offer him?

In truth, some of the above things I have already done. I desire to do all of them and more. But even then it will not let me fully understand what it means to be a North Korean Christian. When the persecution comes here, then I will know.

I've said it before. We need North Korea more than they need us. As you read through the items above, doesn't it strike you that the life they are living is very close to the life prescribed in the Word? If I in my liberty have chosen not to live as they must live in their restriction, I must ask why? What's wrong with less food, no TV, lots of walking and vital church services? What's wrong with me and my culture?

Sorry. My answer to your question turns into another question.

http://chosunhouse.com is a website I put together a few months back to get the word out to believers that they need to pray for North Korea. Just about every day I'm writing a blog featuring some news, a book, or a story of North Korea. There's a live news feed on the site, lists of resources, picture essays, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together!

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Who are you? Would love to fellowship with believers who respond on my site.

Remembering With a Burning Heart

We're actually commanded to remember a lot of things in Scripture. Remember Lot's wife, lest you fall into her judgment. Remember the words Jesus spoke to us about His friendship to us. Remember the poor, as in our comfort they are so easy to forget. Remember those who have the rule over you. They are there for a reason. If you have backslidden, remember just how far, and go back where you were...

Of all the many reminders to remember, two seem to stand out: Remember the death of Jesus. Remember the prisoners. Both of these items can be brought to mind when our heart burns within us. And that fire is set in Heaven, as God's people seek it diligently.

Think with me of Cleopas and his friend, mourning the loss of Jesus as they slowly head to their home in Emmaus (Luke 24). A stranger joins them and engages them in a conversation about the stories they have heard all their lives, but never with such meaning, never with such a connection to their inner most beings. A fire is kindled. Interest is high.

But alas, they reach home, and the visitor is about to move on. No! they both say. You must come in and have dinner. The three sit at a modest table and the visitor holds up bread, as Melchizedek of old. As the bread and the body of the visitor are both in view, a curious feeling arises, adding to the burning of their hearts. In an instant the stranger, Jesus Himself, is gone. The bread remains and catches their gaze. The connection is made. This they will never forget.

Jesus has already told His disciples to take bread like this, break it, eat it, and in so doing, to remember. But the story of Cleopas is relayed through the centuries to remind us of the need for the burning heart when the subject of Jesus' death is remembered in a group. No rote prayers here. No routine or ritual. This is to be a heart matter or it cannot be practiced at all. Those who eat "unworthily" says Paul, that is, not discerning what Jesus did and why, will be guilty of the crucifixion all over again.

For it was dead hearts and a cold crowd, a religion gone awry and frozen with indifference and ignorance that crucified Jesus. That religion lives - or rather spreads death - among us still. It is a sorry thing to see young and old alike trivializing the communion table by letting it pass in 5 minutes, with no heart, no tears, leaving people wondering "What was that all about?"

The burning heart. When the fire burns, flesh is gone. Gold is tried in fire. So are we.

So is the prisoner, the modern-day representatives of Jesus Christ that we are also told to remember. He has no collar, backward or properly placed. He usually wears no, or at least cares not for, title or privilege. He loves not this world. His heart is Jesus. He burns for Jesus' will to be done. The external fires of his life, the trials and persecutions, are nothing compared to the inferno that rages in his heart. He has seen Jesus. Naught else matters.

Remember these prisoners, as though you were right there with them. Remember this Jesus as though He were right there with you. In both cases, pray for a burning heart to match the occasion.

Look for Bob Faulkner's home page on http://sermonaudio.com There you will find a combination of love for the Scriptures and a desire for North Korean believers to have their needs met. There are nearly 300 blogs, over 200 Bible teaching MP3's, lists of resources, NK picture albums, and ways to respond to the overwhelming need in North Korea. Let's love Chosun together! Contact me any time at diakonos3@gmail.com

And who am I? A man found of God over 50 years ago, called to the ministry, serving the Lord as needed in my world. Married, member of a local church in the Chicago area, with full time work in public education. Would love to fellowship with believers who respond.

My Love - A Poem About One's First Love

There are three main reasons why someone comes to Christ and receives Him as Lord and Savior of their lives and drives men and women to their knees before Him.

One reason is through a realization of the holiness of God and the unholiness, wretchedness of man and the complete realization that God is everything and you are nothing. Second reason is brought about with a very real and overwhelming fear of God's wrath and the final expression of His wrath being hell. Plus, the reality of what we really deserve from God is to spend the rest of eternity separated from Him in hell. Third reason comes about by falling head over heels in love with the loving Savior, Jesus Christ.

To fully realize how much Jesus Christ loves you and how much you mean to Him. My reason for first accepting Jesus Christ into my heart and life was reason number three. No one introduced me to Him, He just revealed Himself to me in a personnel, intimate way that I will never forget. At the start of my freshmen year in high school, all of my childhood friends moved away and I was left alone. In addition, I did not feel a lot of love at home from my parents and my one younger brother. I entered high school alone, feeling unwanted, unloved and consequently became depressed.

Looking back at my freshmen year, I would say the hardest part of being and feeling alone was not actually being alone or feeling disconnected from people but instead feeling that I wasn't valuable enough, for anyone to want to get to know me.

I always knew about God but I did not know Him; there is a tremendous difference between the two. Growing up, my parents would often take my brother and me to church. And during elementary school I would go to Bible class which was held once a week in a trailer and lasted about an hour. Church and Bible class is where I learned about God and some of the stories in the Bible. However, as far as I can remember, no one really taught me how to know God personally and intimately. Having no one to talk to during my freshmen year, I decided to take on the endeavor of getting knowing God by talking to Him.

My getting to know God started in conversations with Him, actually, I'm the one that did all of the talking so I guess it wasn't much of a two way conversation. Many times these conversations took place in an oak tree. However, whenever I talked to God I would request one desire, which was for God to take my life literally. Looking back, I realize that I wasn't getting to know God and certainly had no real clue to who He was. For God is the God of life and not death. And when one realizes God's love for them and embraces that love then one cannot help but to live life to the fullest. Jesus said, "..I have come that they may have life and life to the full." (John 10:10).

God is a rewarder of those who seek Him, no matter how one starts the seeking process. A couple of months into my freshmen year of high school, God sent me a friend and someone that He can talk through. His name was Ken Caster and he was a junior at my school. I met Ken while I was sitting alone at the lunch table in the cafeteria. As I was eating Ken approached me and sat down. He then did something that no one else had ever done, he asked me my name.

Ken did not immediately start preaching to me about Jesus. Really he didn't talk at me, spilling out theological and evangelical useful information. Instead, he simply started asking questions about me, he started to get to know me. I did not know it the time but it was at that moment I was talking face to face with God; for by just seeking to get to know me, Ken was displaying the character and heart of Jesus. For in every believer God lives and when we walk in obedience in accordance with God's holiness and His love then Jesus, who is also God (John 1:1-3,14), is manifested through the life of the Christian.

After several weeks from the first meeting with Ken I started going to Campus Life, there I met more of Ken's friends who quickly became my friends. Campus Life was a ministry which met once every other week. During the meetings there would be an icebreaker, then an open discussion about contemporary issues and how they relate to the Christian life. At the end of every discussion, a leader or someone would wrap up the discussion and the meeting would close with a social time. Someone working with Campus Crusade for Christ were in charge of these meetings. I am sure that during these meetings, Ken or someone told me about Jesus but I don't remeber anyone telling me the Gospel or salvation.

Towards the end of March of my freshmen year, Ken invited me to see a Christian comedian named, Ken Davis in concert. It sounded fun so I agreed. In April Ken and some of his friends picked me up and took me to the concert. During the show I could not remember the last time, if any, I laughed and not only laughed but laughed so hard, that at times it was hard for me to breath. Towards the end, when the laughing stopped, Ken Davis proceeded to tell us about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This was the first time when I heard about the Man, the God and the Savior that I would fall in love with.

At the end of his message Ken Davis asked everyone to bow their heads and not to think about anything. He asked, while heads bowed, to let the Holy Spirit move and allow God to talk to our hearts.

This night was the first night when God spoke and I listened. While my head was bowed God did speak to me, not with words but with His love and I began to feel and sense Jesus Christ's presence, His loving presence, all around me and inside of me, and for the first time in my life I did not feel alone. Then Ken Davis asked if anyone wanted to accept Jesus into their heart and if so to come up front.

Without thinking, I slowly stood up with my head still bowed and I slowly made my way up to the stage. As I was making my way up I began to lift my head and shame started sliding off me like butter and acceptance started to clothe me.

While I was walking down the aisle and up towards the stage, I did not look to the right or to the left but looked straight ahead then up towards the heavens, it was like I was looking straight into the loving eyes of the Savior.

For it was that night I saw the face of my love but it wasn't my fleshly eyes that beheld Him but my spiritual eyes that beheld Jesus Christ, my love. It was that night I knew I would never again be alone. After much rejoicing with Ken Caster and his friends I went home and headed up stairs to my bedroom.

In my bedroom alone but yet not alone I made a vow I said, "Jesus, I want to live for you no matter what. If it is cool or uncool, if it is the right thing to do or the wrong thing to do, I will live for you. Since then I started conversing with God and now I try to do the majority of the listening. When God speaks to me, many time I hear his words and feel His arms around me and His love warming my heart and spirit on cold, dark nights.

It was on one of those nights that I wrote my first poem called "My Love." Other poems would follow mainly about Jesus, which comes from my new heart that I received the night when I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart and life, at a Christian comedian concert in April of my freshmen year of high school.

My Love

I remember when I first fell in love,
your gentles like a dove,
your voice calling me
to be your love.

I remember when I first held your hand,
as I promised to cherish you
in this foreign land.

When times come when I feel lost and scared,
I hear your voice saying,
"You have nothing to fear,
remember you are mine,
All of this because I care."

For I know, I am the apple of your eye,
before you I was nothing but now I am something,
by the result of your love that will never die.

There was a time, long ago
when you proved your love for me,
and showed me once and for all,
You will never let me go.

For my sins you died upon a tree,
with powerful action,
on the cross,
you displayed your love for me.

When I heard you had died, I started to cry,
but tears of sadness turned to tears of joy,
when you arose and appeared by my side.

Soon you told me you had to leave,
to prepare a place for me,
where we will be together for eternity.

My love, there are still times when I feel discouraged,
when I grow suddenly afraid and loose all courage,
tough still I am quick to rejoice,
for you have promised me,
you will come back for me,
and with your sweet voice,
call me by name to join you in eternity.

Jeff Dalton
317-902-2266
http://www.gracereminders.com
Reminding people of God's grace with one word at a time.