THE CROSS AND THE FAMILY

The Cross Of Jesus Is God's Plus Sign
To The Family

F-A-M-I-L-Y. As a service project, a group of high school students served dinner at a local shelter for the homeless. One of the "dinner guests" wrote a letter to the adult leader and requested that she read it to the youth group. The handwritten letter read:

Dear Friends:
Thank you for the fine meal. Most of us are here today for three main reasons: (1) Lack of education; (2) Drug and alcohol addiction; (3) Alienation from family and friends. So you won't be here one day in the future on the RECEIVING end of all this good food and hospitality, PLEASE (1) Stay in school; (2) Stay away from drugs and alcohol; (3) Stay in close contact with family. Thank you for the fine meal.

The family is God's premiere institution. It is that which He primarily works through to manifest His will to a city, a county, a state and a nation. But what happens when a family falls apart and becomes dysfunctional?

THE CROSS OF JESUS IS DYSFUNCTION JUNCTION

Dysfunctional families produce disenfranchised children. These families aren't just the homeless or poor. They are the families which live in suburbia. They are the middle class and upper class. They are church going families and they are the cream of the crop families. Dysfunction can--and does--happen to all types of families.

However, if there is any thing on Earth that can break apart and then fix all dysfunction and all disenfranchisement, it is the cross of Jesus Christ.

As I walk the cross throughout California cities, this is what I share with the moms and dads who approach the large cross and ask for prayer for their family and their children:

The very last word of the very last Scripture in the Old Testament tells us what the fathers' abandonment of their children has done and is doing to our city (and nation). That word is C-U-R-S-E: "And [the Spirit of Elijah] will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse" (Malachi 4:6, emphasis added).

The 5th chapter of the book of Zechariah describes this curse as a large flying scroll that flies across the face of the earth and enters the house of sinners.

What can break all dysfunction? What can nullify "the curse"? The cross of Jesus and everything it represents is dysfunction junction! It is that which can transform men into crucified husbands and dads. And crucified husbands and dads can become spiritual men who walk in the Spirit each and every day and lead their families to THE WAY.

AN ENCOURAGING WORD FOR ALL MEN

Allowing the Spirit of God to make us Ephesians 6 husbands and dads is how God breaks all dysfunctions in the family. Ephesians 6 shows men the proper way to treat their wives and children. More than a wife respecting her husband or children obeying their father, the Holy Spirit places the burden and responsibility of maintaining a happy and healthy family squarely on the shoulders of the father/husband.

God is for husbands and fathers. He wants us to win, not lose. So He gave us the Bible as a guidebook as far as marriage and family are concerned. And he expects us to follow these guidelines. There are many guidelines, but here are three vital guidelines for all husbands/fathers to follow when it comes to the family:

1. BECOME BORN AGAIN.
Jesus declared that, unless we are born again, we CANNOT (1) see the kingdom of God and (2) we CANNOT enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3,5). To be born again simply means that we ask God to forgive our sins and accept Jesus Christ as personal Savior.

2. BE LED BY THE SPIRIT EACH DAY.
The Holy Spirit, in many ways, is God's conscience in us. That is, the Holy Spirit will always prompt us to do God's will concerning all things. He will convict us if we sin or stray from God's ways. He will convince us that  what we are doing is either right or wrong. And He will convert our way of thinking to conform to God's way of thinking.

3. BE A MAN OF GOD.
There are three things a man must constantly be aware of: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life if he is to grow spiritually and strong in the Lord: (1 John 2:16). The lust of the flesh desires the "toys" and things of the world more than doing the will of God. The lust of the eyes includes the imagination and things associated with fantasy, which will keep a man spiritually immature and nongrowing in his walk with Jesus. The pride of life is living life apart from God and His ways, especially if God's ways seem unpopular or even unfair.

AN ENCOURAGING SCRIPTURE

You have lovingly delivered my soul from the pit of corruption, for You have cast all my sins behind Your back. For Hell cannot thank You, death cannot praise You; those who go down to the pit cannot hope for Your truth. The living man, the living man, he shall praise You, as I do this day. The father shall make known Your truth to the children. --Isaiah 38:17-19

PORNOGRAPHY: WINNING THE PERSONAL WAR

Ridding Our Lives Of The Heavy Weight
Of Porn Can Be An Impossible Struggle
Without Help From The Holy Spirit.

A soldier radioed his commanding officer. "I have taken a prisoner." His proud commander instructed, "Bring him along with you." A long pause ensued. "He won't come." Perplexed, his commanding officer ordered, "Well, then come yourself." Another long pause followed. With resignation in his voice, the soldier answered, "I can't. He won't let me."

ENEMY OF THE SOUL

Pornography is an enemy of the soul, but it can be an enemy that we sleep with if we're not careful. Adult men and teenage youth especially can find themselves captive to its subtle enticements and then become completely addicted to its various lustful forms. And just like that hapless soldier, even if we want to escape with our lives, we find that pornography just isn't willing to let us go. Of course, pornography is an equal opportunity enemy. Women and teenage girls do battle with this enemy of the soul as well.

ONWARD CHRISTIAN SOLDIER

Each week on Monday or Tuesday I walk the cross downtown. I always park at the very same spot. And each week it never fails: an adult man walks across the street to where I'm parked and salutes while he sings, "Onward Christian soldier marching off to war / with the cross of Jesus going on before." That's his way of showing appreciation to this cross walker for praying downtown.

This mid-aged adult is a Christian. He is a very like-able individual and we talk for long minutes before I take off on the cross walk. But he has a chronic problem. Pornography has taken him captive, and as hard as he tries, he finds himself falling back into the same mindset. He puts filters on his computer and has tried just about everything to break completely away from this addiction.

GOD'S ARMOR AND WEAPONS CAN REALLY HELP

In the war on pornography and the personal campaign to be set free from this unrelenting, no-quarter given enemy of the soul, God has provided every believer with the spiritual and moral strategies, tactics, logistics, weapons and maneuvers to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 1:18; 2 Timothy 4:7). The biblical Greek word for warfare is strategis, from which our English word strategy is derived.

These spiritual weapons of our warfare include:

* The Armor Of God.
God's truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, His Word, and Spirit-endued prayer (Ephesians 6:10-18).

* The Armor Of Light.
God's wisdom, understanding, prudence, insight, revelation and knowledge (Romans 13:12-14).

*The Armor Of Righteousness.
God's spirituality, morality, ethics, principles, virtues and values (2 Corinthians 6:6-7).

Just like in any war, first there is the skirmish, then the conflict, next the battle, and finally the war. And the war on pornography is a war that Christian men must win at all costs.

HOW TO WIN THE WAR

Only Jesus Can Set The
Porn Captive Free.

To win the war on pornography we must daily put on the armor of God. Then we must utilize eight spiritual strategies, weapons, maneuvers and logistics to keep ourselves free of pornography's strong attraction and pull. These eight antiaddiction tactics are:

1. PRAY. We must ask God to give us the desire and the grace to be set free from the power and influence of this fixation.

2. GOSPEL UP. We must often read and  fully understand what Romans 6-8 is telling us. These three chapters will show us how to die in Christ and, thus, how to die to this addiction.

3. SEEK HELP. The mid-aged adult I mentioned earlier isn't ashamed to seek out help. Little by little he is getting the victory over pornography.  Of course, it is wise to seek help from someone you fully trust, such as a pastor or mature Christian.

4. RESOLVE. Deal with your past by asking God to heal you of all physical, mental and emotional hurt and pain that set this fixation in motion. He will!

5. SOLDIER UP. Every day take up and put on the armor and armaments of God.

6. COVENANT.  Like Job, make a covenant with your eyes and heart to not look at a woman (or man) to lust (Job 31:1; 1 John 2:16-17).

7. DIE DAILY. Even the great apostle Paul had to die of self daily (1 Corinthians 15:31).  This goes along with reading Romans 6-8.

8. LIVE DAILY IN CHRIST. Romans 6-8 also shows believers how to live in Christ, as does 1 Corinthians 15, the "Resurrection Chapter."

For though we walk in the flesh [are human] we do not war after the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal [earthly, fleshly or soulical] but mighty in God for pulling down [mental] strongholds, casting down arguments [excuses] and every high thing  [rationalizations] that exalt itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every [sensual] thought into [spiritual] captivity to the obedience of Christ. --2 Corinthians 10:3-5

A Fresh And New Way Of Looking At God's Ten Commandments

Keeping The Ten Commandments By Letting The Holy
Spirit Transform Them Into Ten Principles Of Life.

The editor of a weekly newspaper in a small Southwestern town was hard put one week for copy to fill a column. So he had an associate editor typeset The Ten Commandments, and ran then without making any editorial comment. Three days after the paper was published, he received a letter saying: "Please cancel my subscription. You're getting too personal."

Maybe that's the real reason people are up in arms against posting The Ten Commandments in classrooms, courtrooms, living rooms, bedrooms and hearts throughout our nation. Perhaps there are a lot of individuals who feel that these ten divine rules to live by are way too personal and painfully cut to the quick each time they read them.

WHY EVEN CHRISTIANS DON'T LIKE COMMANDMENTS

C-O-M-A-N-D-M-E-N-T. An unpopular word in today's adult and youth vocabulary and culture of rebellion. So, instead of understanding the purpose of these Ten Commandments and the other commandments found in both Old and New Testaments, both nonbelievers and  immature and nongrowing Christians reject all authoritative orders by stating that they are no longer under Old Testament law, so they can do what they want to do as long as they go to church and/or accept Jesus as their Savior. In a sense, they have actually accepted The Lie of Satan (Genesis 3:1-13).

Jesus Christ declared that He did not come to destroy the Law, but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17). He did just that. He's the only one who never sinned, thus He fulfilled the Law's requirements. As hard as we try, you and I can't. So everyone who accepts Jesus as Savior and Lord is declared righteous. In a sense God declares, "Because you accept My sinless Son as Your Savior I deem that you have fulfilled the Law as well. I now accept you as My son or daughter--not because of your righteousness or unrighteousness, but because you have made Jesus Christ your personal Savior.

THINK OF GOD'S TEN COMMANDMENTS AS GOD'S TEN ULTIMATE VALUES

The Ten Commandments of God are listed in Exodus 20. These ten commandments represent so much more than oppressive, unreasonable, undoable and antiquated rules. These ten rules actually reveal the ten things God values more than anything else in the universe--ten invaluable and priceless things that have to do with Him and His human creations.

God's Ten Commandments actually reveal His Ten Ultimate Values And Absolutes!

GOD'S TEN ULTIMATE VALUES:

God's Ultimate Value #1. Himself.
You shall have no other gods before Me (verse 3).

God's Ultimate Value #2. His Character.
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven or on earth...You shall not bow down to them or worship them (verses 4-6).

God's Ultimate Value #3. His Name.
You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name (verse 7).

God's Ultimate Value #4. His Day.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy (verses 8-11).

Ultimate Value #5. Parents.
Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD is giving you (verse 12).

God's Ultimate Value #6. Human Life.
You shall not murder (verse 13).

God's Ultimate Value #7. Moral Purity.
You shall not commit adultery (verse 14).

God's Ultimate Value #8. Private Property.
You shall not steal (verse 15).

God's Ultimate Value #9. Truth & Integrity.
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor (verse 16).

God's Ultimate Value #10. Internal & External Restraint System.
You shall not covet your neighbor's house...your neighbor's wife...or anything that belongs to your neighbor (verse 17).

FROM COMMANDMENTS TO VALUES TO PRINCIPLES

Unlike that irate newspaper subscriber, there's no reason to cancel  a growing and maturing relationship with God because He seems too personal and asks you to keep His unkeepable commandments. Just let Him transform your mind and show you that these ten commandments are actually His ten ultimate values. Then, don't be surprised when He eventually changes these ten ultimate values into ten natural and doable principles of life.

What's the difference between a commandment and a principle?  A commandment is an authoritative order. A principle is "a natural or original desire, tendency, ability, endowment, or motivation." Thus, the commandment "Thou shalt not steal" automatically becomes "I will not steal," and so forth.

That's how powerful the Holy Spirit will be in your life if you let Him!

Why I Don't Drink Alcoholic Beverages

I'm a minister. I wasn't always a minister. I wasn't always a Christian, either. That's the number one reason why I don't drink alcoholic beverages. You see, I clearly remember the life I lived before accepting Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord. That life included the use of alcohol beverages.

I started drinking when I was 13, partially because of peer pressure, partially because of the problems I was facing at that age, and partially because I just wanted to. After all, drinking has been a socially accepted pastime since civilization began.

DRINKING CREATES STINKING THINKING

I was never an alcoholic. There were times when I didn't touch a drop of alcohol for long periods of time. But I did notice that when I did drink, my brain chemistry changed. That is, whenever I drank beer or hard liquor I thought and acted differently than when I was sober.

I never drank to get drunk. Even though I usually didn't get drunk, I did notice that I began to say things and do things that normally I wouldn't say or do. Whenever I drank I felt it was okay to do things that really weren't okay to do, such as start a fight with a complete stranger or take advantage of a female companion, especially if she was drinking too.

When I drank I didn't care about anyone else but me. Whenever I drank I did things that I would normally never had done--stinky things that I wouldn't tell my parents, immoral things I wouldn't tell my wife, and humiliating things I would never ever tell anyone.

DRINKING CREATES AN ATTITUDE OF "BAD-ITUDE"

Everyone agrees that alcohol lowers our inhibitions, or ability to suppress stupid, absurd or evil actions, emotions and thoughts. Whenever I drank I believed I was one bad dude. Whenever I drank I didn't care that my crude language offended anyone. Whenever I drank I didn't care that my behavior was offensive or embarrassing to those around me.

In short, drinking was my excuse to do what I wanted to do without regard for anyone else's feelings or thoughts. I knew that I could always blame my stupid, mindless, indecent and perverse behavior on alcohol.

DRINKING CREATES A LIFETIME OF REGRETS

I realize there are many people, including Christians, who believe it's okay to drink alcoholic beverages. I've had long conversations with believers and nonbelievers about this issue, from Jesus' turning water into wine at a wedding (John 2:10), to what happened to Noah when he got drunk (Genesis 9:20-29), to Lot when he got drunk (Genesis 19:30-38), and to kings when they drink (Proverbs 31:4-5). Endless debates occur when two opposing mindsets strive to outdo the other.

My question to Christians especially is, Do you think that there is one event or action in Jesus' entire life that He ever regretted doing? Do you think Jesus ever got drunk or ever lusted for someone's wife or do a stupid thing that He later absolutely regretted or was totally embarrassed or completely shocked about after drinking wine?

Now answer this question: Is there one event in your life that you absolutely regret because of being under the influence of alcohol? If you're honest with yourself, you can probably think of several times when drinking alcoholic beverages resulted in stinking thinking or even resulted in nonChristian actions or indecent behavior that you truly wish you had never done.

IS THERE ANY BIBLICAL JUSTIFICATION TO DRINK ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES?

If we look long and hard enough we can justify just about anything, including drinking. While you're thinking hard on the subject of justifiable drinking, consider what the Bible has to say about those individuals who are candidates for alcoholic beverages:

It s not for kings, O Lemuel  [Solomon], to drink wine, nor for princes [to drink] intoxicating drink; lest they forget the law and pervert the justice of the afflicted. Give strong drink to him who is perishing, and wine to those who are bitter at heart. Let him drink an forget his poverty, and remember his misery no more. --Proverbs 31:4-7 (see also Proverbs 20:1 and especially Proverbs 23:29-35).

Who does the Bible say are justified in drinking alcoholic beverages? Those who are perishing and dying. Those who are hopelessly embittered, chronically resentful, or venomously indignant. Those who are impoverished, destitute, miserable or pathetically wretched.

If any of the above fits your situation in life, maybe you have just cause for drinking alcoholic beverages. However, if you're a growing and maturing Christian, perhaps a better drink to consume is what Jesus' apostles described in the book of Acts -- the new wine of Holy Spirit living (Acts 2:4,12-13,14,15).

The truth is, if you are constantly being filled with the Holy Spirit, alcoholic beverages will seem as old wine in new wine skins. In other words, you'll want the new life in Christ, and not your old life in the world. You'll want the spiritual "high" of the spirit and not the psychoactive "high" that intoxicating (literally, "to smear with poison") products give their users.

STILL NOT CONVINCED THAT ALCOHOL IS BAD FOR YOU?

Consider these truths and facts:

* Seventy percent (70%) of all murders are alcohol-related.
* Fifty percent (50%) of all rapes are alcohol-related.
*Fifty-five percent (55%) of all arrests are alcohol-related.
* Sixty percent (60%) of all sex crimes against children are alcohol-related.
* Sixty percent (60%) of all problems brought to family courts, including divorce, wife abuse, child abuse, and incest, are alcohol-related.
* Seventy percent (70%) of all abused women say they drink to drown their sorrow and to cope with an alcoholic mate.
* Seventy percent (70%) of all drownings, fifty percent (50%) of those who die in falling accidents, and fifty-five percent (55%) of those who die in fires are under the influence of an alcoholic beverage.

WHAT ABOUT UNBORN CHILDREN, BABIES AND ALCOHOL?

If you're a young lady or woman and thinking about having a child one day by your alcohol-using mate or you yourself drink, you need to know what smearing an unborn child's brain and body with "liquid marijuana" can do to him or her. For starters, the children of alcoholic and problem drinkers stand a fifty percent (50%) chance of becoming alcoholics or problem drinkers themselves. If both parents drink, there is an  eighty percent (80%) chance that a child will become an alcoholic or problem drinker.

Fetal alcohol exposure (FAE) occurs when an unborn baby is exposed to alcohol by a drinking mom. Such exposure can result in fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), which is alcohol's toxic, poisoning effects on an unborn baby, characterized by mental retardation, poor motor skills development and growth deficiency, both before birth and throughout childhood.

Alcohol is directly toxic to a developing fetus, and is very capable of producing mental and physical abnormalities. FAS also results in central nervous disorders, small heads, small eyes, thin lips and short noses. FAE and FAS newborns exhibit signs of painful alcoholic withdrawal, just like adults.

Why I Won't Ever Get Another Tattoo

I'm a minister. I wasn't always a minister. I wasn't always a Christian either. That's the number one reason why I won't ever get another tattoo. You see, I remember why I got a tattoo in the first place. I was in prison, doing time for bank robbery and armed robbery, Like many inmates, I decided to get a tattoo, even though it was against prison regulations. A fellow convict who happened to be a tattooist inked me. I'm glad I chose to have the Scorpion tattoo done on the left side of my upper back and out of sight for the most part.

Addiction to the ink is a very real bondage.

TATTOO TABOO

When I became a Christian I was still in prison. One thing was certain, however. I chose to serve Jesus with all my heart, body and soul. This meant I would never do drugs again. It also meant I'd never get another tattoo.

I was tempted many times to get inked again. Yet, no matter how many times I tried to justify getting another tat (or using drugs again) the Lord of the resurrection and new life kept reminding me that my body was now the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16 & 6:19).

Of course, I tried to justify getting another tattoo. Like many of today's third millennium believers (including some pastors and youth pastors) who attempt to nullify Old Testament  teachings against getting a tattoo, I tried to find scriptural  excuses and "okays" from the New Testament to justify getting another tattoo. But there really isn't any place in the New Testament that says it's alright to get inked.

There are, however, many New Testament Scriptures that warn against serving, walking and living in the flesh rather than in the spirit. Getting a tattoo is never a spiritual act. Rather, it is either a mystical, soulical, carnal, secular, or fleshly act.

WHAT ABOUT JESUS TATTOOS?

In 1998 a consortium of 100 tattoo parlor owners across the nation banned together and formed the Christian Tattoo Association, whose members vowed to "push" Christianity by using tattooing as a witnessing tool. One of its founding members is married to the granddaughter of one of California's best-known pastors and whose church movement has over 700 affiliate fellowships. Clients include pastors and youth pastors who personally believe that the Bible isn't referring to religious tattoos when it admonishes believers to steer clear of branding the flesh, including inkings.

We are bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ
and our bodies are not our own!

THIS IS WHAT I ENCOURAGE CHRISTIANS WHO WANT TO GET INKED TO DO INSTEAD

Instead of getting a Jesus tattoo or religious inking or marking, why not buy a couple of Jesus tee-shirts or other religious apparel that boldly proclaim in large and colorful print your love and commitment to Jesus and wear them both proudly and loudly?  You can always get a new tee-shirt to replace the old message with a new and fresh one. But a tattoo is permanent. Instead of inking a favorite Scripture on your neck, arm or hand, why not buy a colorful wristband or necklace that asks, "WWJD?" (What Would Jesus Do?), or "WJGATBITCTTD?" (Would Jesus Get A Tattoo Because It's The Cool Thing To Do?), or "WWJRWMTD?" (What Would Jesus Really Want Me To Do?).

THINK BEFORE YOU INK

Getting a tattoo is like teaching a pony only one trick. The novelty soon wears off and you're stuck with a pony that can only do one trick. Once you get a tattoo, you'll start thinking  you need another one as the novelty wears off. Like drugs, it is easy to become addicted to the ink.

Although I am free in Christ to do whatever I want to that is lawful (1 Corinthians 6:12), I won't ever get another tattoo because: (1) God's Word really tells me not to; (2) my array of Jesus tee-shirts is a far better witness than a tattoo; and (3) I want Jesus, not self, soul or flesh, to be Lord of my life.

What The Bible Says About The Occult And Satanism

The Upside Down Cross Is One
Of Satan's Blasphemous Devices.

Each year a growing and significant number of youth and adults are fascinated by and drawn to the occult, the supernatural realm and paranormal activity. What's tragic is that, according to America's largest religious research organization, 36% of Christians read their horoscope on a regular basis.

Surprisingly, surveys reveal that four percent of Christians compared to three percent of nonbelievers say they have consulted a medium or spiritist other than a minister for advice.

THE THREE REALMS OF THE OCCULT

There are three realms, or spheres, which comprise the occult: divination, magick (the accepted way to spell this type of occultism to distinguish it from the harmless tricks and illusions performed by magicians who entertain audiences), and spiritism.

DIVINATION consists of astrology (study of stars); horoscope (scope of the hour); zodiac (wheel of life); cartomancy, or tarot card reading; mirror mantic (crystal balls, mirrors, rock crystals); and palmistry (palm reading).

MAGICK consists of white magic (magic that uses spells, incantations, prayers and chants for "good" purposes; black magic (same as white magic, except it is used for "bad" purposes, such as harming an individual, making a person sick, etc.); sex magic (spells used to make someone fall in love or have sex with an individual); witchcraft (performance of supernatural or satanic magic, rites and activities by witches, warlocks, wizards and sorcerers for evil purposes); and Wicca (modern word for witchcraft which centers upon goddess worship).

SPIRITISM includes necromancy (corpse divination); seances ("sittings"); mystic appearances ("materialization"); channeling (New Age term for necromancy); and angel divination (communicating "angels").

Of course there are many other techniques and methods which make up the occultic realm.

WHY SUCH INTEREST IN THE SUPERNATURAL?

The Peace Sign Has Its Roots In
Nazi Germany And Satanism.

1. The Secularization Of The Gospel.
Because the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been watered down, a spiritual vacuum still remains in the hearts of millions of immature and nongrowing believers and nonbelievers alike. People have an inherent need to fill that vacuum. Whenever a "harmless" or even harmful type of occultic practice comes along, there is an attempt to fill that vacuum with mystical and "spiritual" enlightenment, knowledge, revelation and activity.

2. Curiosity And Attraction.
Many who are curious about the occult first get involved in so-called "harmless" activities and practices, such as consulting horoscopes or playing with Ouija board or certain types of fantasy role-playing games (FRPG) such as Dungeons & Dragons, Magic: The Gathering, and Vampire: The Masquerade.

3. The Reality Of The Occult.
The supernatural and satanic realms really do exist, although such reality is based on deception, delusion, temptation, and lies. Some youth and adults are satisfied to accept occultic enlightenment and experience as the ultimate reality. Or, they are fooled into thinking there is no longer a need to search for ultimate truth, which can only be found by purposely reading the Bible and realized by placing their trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of their lives.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT THE OCCULT AND WITCHCRAFT 

Both Old And New Testaments Have Much
To Say About The Occult & Satanism.

Here are just a few Scriptures from the Bible warning against delving into occultic practices and activities:

Deuteronomy 18:10-12  --witchcraft, soothsaying, sorcery, spells, mediums, necromancy
Leviticus 19:26,28,31   --divination, cutting the flesh, mediums, familiar spirits, blood eating
Revelation 18:23  --sorcery (witchcraft, drug poisoning, or drug using)
Acts 19:17-20 --what to do with all occultic material

The ultimate sorcerer behind all occultic practices and activities is Satan (1 John 5:19 and John 10:10). There are four levels of demonic sway and activity in the life of those involved in occultic practices:

1. Demonic Influence.
2. Demonic Obsession.
3. Demonic Oppression.
4. Demonic Possession.

HOW TO BE SET FREE FROM THE SWAY, MANIPULATION AND CONTROL OF THE OCCULT.

Jesus Can Break The Chains Of
Satanism & Occultism!

Step 1. REPENT, or completely turn away from occultic activity.
Step 2. ASK God to forgive you of all sins related to occultic activities.
Step 3. RENOUNCE, or fully reject such activities.
Step 4. DESTROY all objects, artifacts, symbols, trappings, games, and books associated with the occult or Satanism.
Step 5. REFUSE to become involved in such activities again.
Step 6. PRAY this prayer:
Lord, I am sorry for my involvement in the occult and in satanic activities. Please forgive my sins. I turn away from such involvement and activities, and renounce the occult and satanism. I do not want to be involved in such activities ever again. As a commitment to you and a testimony to my family and friends, I will destroy everything I possess which is related to or connected with the occult and Satan. I ask you to fill this spiritual vacuum in my life with Your Spirit, Your love,and Your life and to help me live solely for you from this day forth. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. 

What The Bible Says About Drugs

Depending on the source, you will ultimately hear or read many interesting statements about drugs and drug use. Some youth think drugs are harmless. Some adults feel there is really such a thing as responsible drug use. Some politicians feel all drugs should be legal because each individual has the constitutional right to pursue happiness in any manner or form available to them, regardless the consequences.

Since 1975 I have talked with some one million youth about the dangers of drug use. From the hundreds of letters and notes I've received from youth after visiting their school and sharing these dangers, I believe many of the youth I spoke to got the message: drug use--from alcohol, marijuana and Ecstasy to cocaine, heroin and meth--can hurt you in some way.

In the hey-day of my drug prevention ministry, I spoke at hundreds of California school districts and their schools. Only once in this entire time has a school district changed its mind about allowing me to share drug truths with its students. Prior to speaking at several of its schools, I spoke to parents and adults at a Marin County school district. They didn't like what they heard.

So they cancelled my school presentations in their school district.

Many of those parents and adults smoked marijuana and used other drugs. That's why they didn't want me to tell the truth about what these drugs would eventually do to their kids if they used drugs.

THE GOSPEL TRUTH

In my "Users Are Losers" presentation to youth, I always share what the Bible says about drugs. The Bible doesn't specifically mention marijuana or cocaine or heroin or other types of drugs. These names were unknown back then. But the Bible does use words that include these types of mind-altering and mind-expanding drugs. These three specific Bible words associated with drug use are:

Witchcraft
Sorcery
Sorcerers

These three words actually mean "to poison or intoxicate the mind with drugs; enchantment with drugs," or in today's drug vernacular, "to get high."

The New Testament was written in Greek. The Greek words for the three words above are:

pharmakeia --intoxicate or poison the mind with drugs
pharmakos -- drug user and/or drug dealer
pharmakeus --drug dealer, or mind poisoner and enchanter of drugs

DRUG SORCERERS, PAID PIPERS, CHEMICAL GURUS AND MIND MERCHANTS

Our English words pharmacy, pharmacist and pharmaceutical are derived from the root of the three Greek words above.

There is a difference between good medicines and bad drugs. Pharmacies and pharmacists assist good doctors in prescribing good and beneficial medicines that heal or take away pain. Then there is the self-proclaimed Dr. Feel Good who peddles "medicinal marijuana" and other illicit drugs as medicines. But these are not FDA or DEA approved medicines. These are "get high" medicines.

I am for good and approved medicines that heal and help. I am against drugs that people say they use to treat an illness or a pain when, in actuality, its main use is to get and stay high while under the influence of that drug. All drug addicts and drug users can live a drug-free life by accepting Jesus as their Savior and  trusting Him to break their habits, whether it is an addiction to pot, alcohol, heroin, or any other psychoactive or psychedelic chemical.

The problem is--most drug users and addicts don't really want to stop taking chemicals. It's all about the 'high." That's what they live for...that's what they fight for...and that's what they will die for as well. That's what the drug sorcerers, chemical gurus, paid pipers and mind merchants are banking on.

Shields Up! But First...

In the Star Trek series, we've all heard Captains Kirk and Picard holler out, "Shields Up!" in the face of impending danger and attack from hostile forces. What about the believer? Has God given His soldiers of the cross similar protection from hostile forces and impending danger.

He sure has. One part of the armor and armaments of God mentioned in Ephesians 6 is "the shield of faith."

When the apostle Paul mentioned this shield, he used the same word Jesus used to describe Himself as "the Door" (John 10). A door lets family and friends in, but keeps intruders and strangers out. The shield of faith protects the believer from intrusions and danger as well, what the Bible calls "the fiery darts of the enemy."

ANOINT THE SHIELDS!

The shield Paul mentions was about four and a half feet long by two and a half feet wide, and protected the soldier from tar-pitched fiery projectiles thrown at him. That's pretty good protection in itself. But to insure that the shields did what they were designed by God to do, He also commanded: "Arise you princes, and anoint the shields" (Isaiah 21:5).

In the Old Testament, shields were anointed with holy anointing oil consisting of an admixture of five special ingredients (read Exodus 30:22-25). What are New Testament believers to anoint our shields with?

2 Peter 1:5-7 gives us the answer. We are to anoint our shield of faith with the New Testament's "holy anointing oil," which is made from an admixture of the seven spiritual ingredients mentioned in these three verses:

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your [shield of] faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control patience, to patience godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, to brotherly kindness [agape] love.

THE NEW TESTAMENT'S HOLY ANOINTING OIL:

SEVEN SPIRITUAL INGREDIENTS

Virtue is "a preeminent estimation for God and the things of God." Knowledge is "possessing an intimate and personal relationship with God, which includes recognizing and fully understanding His Word." Self-control is "putting into practice what we've learned about and from God." Patience is "to abide under God's chain of command."

Godliness is "a commitment to defer to the will, mind and purposes of God and devote one's energy and resources to His kingdom." Brotherly kindness (philadelphia) is "a God-given affection for and devotion to the well-being of fellow man." Love (agape) is " a divine, Spirit-imparted affection for God and His will."

Why must we anoint our shield  of faith before we lift our shields up? Verses 8-12 give us the answer! (make sure you read these verses.)

When we sense trouble or danger, God's Spirit cries out, "Shields up, Christians!" But not before we anoint our shields with the New Testament's holy anointing oil!

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, MORMONS, MUSLIMS AND THE NAMES OF GOD

The Cross of Jesus is God's Plus Sign To Jehovah's
Witnesses, Mormons and Muslims Too!

As I cross walk throughout the cities, I often encounter one of three religious groups also vying for the souls of men, women and children: Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, and Muslims. I welcome such encounters, and have prepared tract cards to hand out to each particular group.

The living and one true God has declared that he is not willing that anyone should perish. Jesus loves JWs, Latter Day Saints and Muslims too! He died on that old rugged cross for all people. That's why I always share God's love in Christ with these three groups of religious people as well.

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES AND JEHOVAH-JESUS

I often share with Jehovah's Witnesses that I'm the authentic Jehovah Witness. Puzzled looks fill their faces, and then I explain: according to Jesus Christ and the Bible, He is Jehovah. I take them to Scriptures that prove Jesus is Jehovah. Of course, I don't leave it at that. I go on to share that the word Jehovah isn't in the Bible at all, and that, if anything, God's name is probably Yahweh, although even this name isn't in the Bible either. I then explain that the early Jewish leaders so revered God's name that they wouldn't write it down or pronounce it. Instead, they wrote four letters to represent His name--YHWH--and then much later added vowels, which came out Yahweh, or Jehovah in our translation.

THE MORMONS, AKA LATTER DAY SAINTS

The Mormons call their Creator God Elohim, which is in the Bible, and is the very first name used for God (Genesis 1). I take them to the places in the Bible that reveal Jesus as the Creator, which confuses them because it's hard for them to understand that Jesus is also Elohim. Like the other religions, they like to show what they consider discrepancies in the Bible concerning who Jesus really is, which I explain as truthful as I can. The bottom line is: The Bible reveals the Mormon's Father God (Elohim) as Jesus Christ. Just like the Jehovah's Witnesses, I invite them to call me so I can visit with them and their older leaders to discuss all this. But the calls never come.

THE MUSLIMS  AND JESUS CHRIST

For God So Loved Jehovah's Witnesses,
Mormons And Muslims Too!

Muslims revere Jesus as a teacher. But that's as far as it goes. However, when I share that Jesus is the true Allah (their word for God), puzzled looks (sometimes anger) fall across their faces. Muslims like to read verses from our Bible that they think will make the Christian confused or doubt his or her faith once read. But I have found that they totally misunderstand those verses, and quickly explain what they actually mean. Usually they just skip to another verse. I share with them that I will ask God to reveal to them in dreams just who Jesus really is. Muslims rely on their dreams to show them God's will, etc. and many Muslims have received either dreams or visions that show who Jesus really is, thus converting them to the truth: Jesus is Allah (their word for God).

All this is done in love and great patience all because Jesus died for JW's, Mormons and Muslims too! And He wants to bring them into His kingdom as well. Amen.