Unity - It's Already Here

We were talking in a recent article about how men are trying to organize the church and unify it on human principles rather than accepting the fact that God's church is one even now, and through the Spirit in unity with His Body the work of saving the world has begun and will continue without political force.
It is the Father's intention to continue answering the prayer of His Son in John 17, making people one in Him as He is in the Son. This is true spiritual unity. An externally "United Church" with no opposition was experienced by the planet from the days of Constantine until the Reformation was in full swing. About 1000 years. Not a pretty sight.

Never has Jesus been ignored by the Father in prayer. Jesus prayed the perfect will of the Father and therefore all His prayers were answered, including the phrase, "that they may be one." Yes, that prayer was heard and we humans can stop trying to put the church together. There is one church. It defies description. But it exists in unity with the Father, as the Father and Son have unity. Theirs is not a physical unity because the Father is not physical.

John 17:20-21. How will the later disciples, like us, ever hear of and believe in Christ? Through the Word of the apostles. How will that Word go out? Through unity of Christ with them and in them. He does not say that [external] unity brings people to Christ. He is talking about the Spirit bringing people to Christ. When God and His people are of the right Spirit, the Holy Spirit, that Spirit will reach to a fallen world, calling out His own through men. He prays for our communion with the Godhead, the same communion He had, so that we, Spirit-filled believers, will touch our world.

Collectively, that which the Spirit fills is Christ on the earth today. We start from a position of unity and are perfected from there. We are not striving for unity with God and therefore with each other. The unity already exists. Churches may split. The Church cannot. Denominations may form. The unity continues. Rome, pagan or papal, may rise and control the masses (in more ways than one). But Christ knows His own and His church remains defined by the Spirit, not the Emperor, or any other human leader.

Oh we long for the day when the current world regime moves aside and makes way for new things. We long for Christ to have His rightful place, for people to breathe free and drink in Christ. But we must step aside and allow the Spirit of God to call whom He will to get this task done, not assume that human organizing will do it.

Oh, God, breathe Your Spirit on Your true Church and raise them up from all the earth's peoples, even now, as You choose. May we not be in the way, but following Your Way. May we not assume You need us but may we not be disobedient when we hear Your call.

Amen

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.

American Patriot Among War Heroes - The Story of Bud Day

As a fighter pilot who saw my share of combat during the Vietnam War, I thought I knew Medal of Honor recipient Bud Day. After all, I was once a member of the elite combat unit he formed to conduct a secret war along the Ho Chi Minh trail during the late 1960s (A unit generally referred to as "Misty" their call sign in combat). But after reading "American Patriot," I realized I was dead wrong. Robert Coram's book profiles a man with a seemingly inexhaustible reservoir of controlled courage and an unimpeachable sense of honor - all of which he gladly placed at the disposal of his country throughout his life.

The book is carefully detailed and written in a manner that even the "great unwashed" who were not fighter pilots can understand. The descriptive scenes involving his torture as a POW are painful to read at times, yet I know that they were not exaggerated; and that's what makes them all the more disturbing.

The words "honor," "integrity" and "heroes" have been trivialized in our society to the extent that few people know or care what they mean any more. In an ideal world, these subjects would be addressed in school, or at least discussed at home. But we do not live in a perfect world; that's why I suggest that "American Patriot" be required reading in every high school and college in America. This is a profound and moving book about a man who history will recognize as one of the great American heroes of his time.

Ron Standerfer is a retired Air Force Colonel and fighter pilot who flew 250 combat missions during the Vietnam War. He has written numerous short stories, magazine articles, and blog pieces on military aviation in general, and fighter pilots in specific. During the initial bombing of Baghdad during the Persian Gulf War, he was seen on national TV as a military analyst. His latest novel, The Eagle's Last Flight, chronicles the life of an Air Force fighter pilot during the Cold War and Vietnam years. Details of this book can be found at http://www.theeagleslastflight.com His blog, which presents his views and opitions on a variety of subjects can be read at http://www.theeagleslastflight.blogspot.com

Mature Wise Leadership

This experienced man, John, writes a vitally important letter that we might know certain vital truths and know them with certainty. Good leadership is always concerned about that.

How do you know that you are a Christian and that is all is well with you spiritually?

John is going to give three certain ways to test yourself - a historical test - a theological test - a social test. The people in the early Church could apply these to themselves and discover whether or not they had the real thing, or whether or not they had been deceived by a counterfeit. Many today believe a deception. Do read the text of John's first letter in the New Testament. It is crucial because various wrong teachings were creeping into the Church of Jesus Christ at that time just as they have crept back in today.

God does not want any disciples of Jesus Christ to be deceived and this letter is being written to the Church of Jesus Christ.

Is our faith based on facts or feelings? Do I have a good history - a sound conversion? Is it all based on Jesus Christ - is it all real - did it actually happen?

When you are baptised in the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues that reinforces the reality. Why do I put that in, if it is not mentioned here directly? It was not an issue at that time, but it is an issue today in various places and leaders are called to lead and deal with important matters, irrespective of how popular it might be.

John mentions what we have seen and heard. When your Christian experience is based on facts then these cannot change. It has little to do with feelings. John acted because Jesus Christ called him, chose him, saved him, anointed him. He had so many real experiences of Jesus. There is a theological test. Do we have the right view of Jesus Christ? He was both human and divine - man and God.

We need all that we read in the whole Word of God. As we stay in the Word we will be saved from years of heartbreak, and that goes for an individual, for every Christian fellowship - and even for a nation. God invaded this world in the Man, Jesus Christ. He was not just a good man. He was GOD.

Our history - do we have a firm foundation? Our theology - do we have a right view of God - and now the moral test! You do not live as you used to. You keep the commandments. Obedience is a recurring note in authentic Christianity. It is one thing to know something - but how do you know if you know - Chapter 2 verse 3 - if we keep His Commandments.

And there is a social test too to check that we have the real thing - You must love your brother Christians. Now that is not just being nice - it is much more than that. It is not sloppy - sentimental - superficial - it is being as loyally loving and as lovingly loyal as Jesus was.

Jesus was utterly loyal. He did not go and look for other men when the men he chose let Him down. He never spoke about His men behind their back - except to the Father in prayer - but that is rather different. These people had to get on with each other. It was not easy - particularly in Corinth was it a real problem - but there the root of the problem lay in what they believed. When that is sorted out then they could come to the Table and eat and drink.

There is the story told of aged John being carried into the Church, and being asked to speak, and all he could say was, "Little children - Love one another". This after all is the Lord's command, and Jesus has this aged and mature apostle speaking these words and writing these truths to the very end. John begins his letter by focussing our attention on Jesus, and it would be difficult to improve upon this quality of mature leadership, which is so greatly needed in these present days.

Sandy Shaw

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.

His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.

Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com

Elegance and Being "Salt and Light"

"It is elegance that is potent and subversive.Elegance in a world of vulgarity." -Vivienne Westwood.

"A city on a hill cannot be hidden." -Matthew 5:14b (TNIV).

The Christian equivalent of the above quote on elegance is Jesus' Sermon on the Mount message to be salt and light to a broken, confused world--persons searching for a way home spiritually, but without knowing at all how to get there.So, instead of elegance, often they continue in their vulgarity. As salt we prevent decay; as light we point the way... (M.O. humility, not arrogance.)

This elegance stands out as "dignified gracefulness or restrained beauty of style... a refined grace or dignified propriety."[1]It is other-than the world's normal (vulgar) way.

It stands alone.

Elegance is irresistible.

It oozes charisma.

It evokes strange responses.

It brings both praise and criticism.Praise from those recognising and welcoming truth and virtue.Criticism from those threatened personally by elegance.(We should not be swayed by these if we genuinely know we're executing the will of God.In fact, we will often upset some if we are doing God's will--it requires courage to truly follow God.)

The purpose of a Christian's real elegance i.e. anything they do that shines far above what the world generally expects and anticipates and is thus blatantly noticeable in the thoroughly good way, is to glorify God the Father.We don't do it for our own glory, but for God's--with a motive like this, focussing on it, we're destined to have better chances of success.

It is our destiny more than our past that defines us.[2]We have been sanctified for a reason; we're on the road for the rest of the journey as servant princes and servant princesses, sons and daughters of the Most High King.And a condition of royalty is public proprietary.Royalty must serve and lead by example.We're saved to serve--God directly, humankind, and possibly all creation.

The Christian's light is to be a persistent but respectful beacon for the unrepentant; a voice and a strobe pointing the way home.It's a conspicuous sign regarding how to deal in life; in the reliant maturity of what's right, just and fair.

We can only ever hope to be true lights to the world with potent salt when engaged with Jesus, and open to his prod and rebuke.That's a necessary condition of the journey toward elegance.We must remember that elegance has raw beauty about it.

Copyright 2009, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

ENDNOTES:
[1] Merriam-Webster online dictionary.
[2] Craig S. Keener, Matthew - IVP New Testament Commentary Series (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1997), p. 110.

Steve Wickham is a safety and health professional (BSc) and a qualified lay Christian minister (GradDipDiv). His passion in vocation is facilitation and coaching; encouraging people to soar to a higher value of their potential. Steve's key passion is work / life balance and re-creating value for living, and an exploration of the person within us

Misquoted Bible Verses or Misused Bible Verses Which is Worse

A clich is a trite expression or idea conveyed so often it becomes common. Clichs usually lack interest or originality but their real failing is that they are rarely ever questioned or investigated. They have a way of creeping undetected into the everyday language of the people. The sheer force of repetition establishes a clich until it is held as something sacred or immutable. For example take the common saying "God helps those who help themselves." This saying is repeated by thousands of people the world over and most of them think it is taken from the Bible. It is not a Bible verse but it has taken on almost as much authority as one. This clich is not just a few degrees off the mark but it is diametrically opposite the Bible teaching. God is a helper especially to those who cannot help themselves. The simple, the fatherless, the widows are all promised special help from God because of their helplessness. Christians have their share of unquestioned clichs. While many of them have some measure of truth in them they beg to be more meticulously scrutinized. Here is one very important example.

"Never Take a Scripture Verse Out Of Context"

This clich is often used when we are trying to establish whether a teaching or doctrine we've heard is true. It is often used to pinpoint the errors of the cults and the so-called pseudo-Christian religions.

The truth is that it is often necessary to take a verse out of its context to convey its most basic meaning. To include the verse preceding or following some verses would tend to cloud their truest meaning in literally hundreds of instances. The scriptures for the most part are not written in a narrative form. This is especially true of the New Testament epistles. A few examples are as follows... In Proverbs 11: 28-30 are three verses that are totally unrelated. If we were to be emphasizing the necessity of keeping peace in the home verse twenty-nine would be a good verse to use.

He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart. (Proverbs 11:29)

Verses twenty-eight and thirty have absolutely nothing to do with keeping peace in the home. We are forced to extricate or disengage the verse from its context to gain the fullest use of it. We can carry our example still a step further to illustrate the weakness of the clich. The first sentence of verse twenty-nine is separated from the second by a colon. The second sentence is in no way thematically connected to the first. In order to get the greatest impact from this verse if we were stressing the idea of peace in the home it would be necessary not only to remove the verse from the context of the passage but we would be forced to split up the verse and leave part of it out altogether. Hundreds of Bible verses are found in similar complexity

Subject matter changes so frequently in the New Testament that it becomes necessary to remove a whole passage from its context to gain the full meaning of it. The weakness of this clich is perhaps best seen in the sayings of the Lord himself. He was notorious for dangling quoted verses in mid air without supportive contextual inclusions.

Many times Jesus would say, "It is written" or "Have ye never read" and quote a single verse taken right out of its context. He made no apologies for not including the preceding or following verses and the effect of his single verse sayings often stopped the mouths of his enemies or illustrated a great principle to his followers. Sometimes the verses he quoted were taken from texts that originally had nothing to do with the subject he was dealing with. Such is the case where Jesus was criticized by the Pharisees for accepting the praise of the little children in the temple...

And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased... (Matthew 21:15)

Jesus answered with a single verse taken from Psalm 8:2 that in its original context had nothing to do with establishing the inspiration or accuracy of a child's spontaneous praises. Psalm eight is a song of recognition of God's glory because of His wonderful creation and a query of the invested powers given to man by God. Yet out of this seemingly unrelated passage Jesus extracted and wielded a single verse to the shame of his enemies, the Pharisees.

...And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? (Matthew 21:16)

If he had included the preceding and following verses of the passage it would have made absolutely no sense. Jesus in fact quoted verses taken out of context over twenty times as recorded in the four gospels. While some are repeated in the parallel gospels this only serves to verify that he did make a general practice of it. Even more amazing is the fact that unlike the apostles, Jesus never quoted more than one verse of scripture at a time. The apostles quoted two or three but never more than four at a time.

The apostles and the writers of the New Testament epistles far exceed the Lord's proclivity for taking verses out of context. Over ninety times from the book of Acts to Revelation verses are pulled out of context and used as proof texts. Less than ten times do they include more than one verse of scripture. The closest some of them come to even identifying their source is with such phrases as "David saith" or "Isaiah saith it" The rest of the quotes begin with such phrases as "he saith also in another place," "Wherefore he saith," "What saith the scriptures," "Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith," "The prophets saith," "wot ye not what the scripture saith," "The scripture saith" and "What saith it." Thirty-eight times the above sayings were used to quote a verse out of context. Only a well studied student with an excellent memory could even hope to guess at where such scriptures might be located. Keep in mind also that they were quoted over thirteen centuries before the printing press was invented. The hearers had to depend largely on the integrity of the speaker or writers for the accuracy of the quote. They couldn't whiz through the pages of their Bibles and read verses preceding or following the quoted verse. If taking a verse out of context is the crime we hold it to be then not naming the source of our quotation must be a cardinal crime and all the writers and figures of the New Testament were guilty of it.

The term used most profusely in the New Testament in connection with a verse taken out of context is "It is written." Every verse Jesus quoted was preceded by it and the apostles used it over fifty times themselves. It is the equivalent of a more modern saying that we are all familiar with, "The bible says." We have all heard preachers who warn that a verse should never be taken out of context and then we hear them say, "The Bible says," literally thousands of times in their teachings This is one inconsistency we should be thankful for because without it teaching would often be incomprehensible and quite dull.

It has become an accepted fact among believers that the enemies or false teachers are the ones who make the habit of taking verses out of context. But by contrast we can see that it is in fact the believer or the Lord himself who have exercised this practice most often A few times the Pharisees said, "Why did Moses write..." or a similar expression and it is recorded twice that the devil said, "It is written." Beyond doubt we can see that the opposing forces of the kingdom rarely practice this most dreaded habit. The reason for this is plain. Paul once said that some men were preaching the Gospel out of envy hoping to add further affliction to him by stirring up the anti-Christian forces. He concluded that it didn't matter why they were doing it. The effect was the same. Souls were saved. (Phil. 1:15-19) Satan doesn't like to quote any scripture even if it is out of context.

For this very reason, in many of the cults the scripture quotes are reduced and often not quoted at all. Another authority or special spiritual experiences often replace them. In reality false teachers do no more than the true teachers when they take a verse out of context. The difference is in the intention. Where there is an evil intention even verses quoted in context can be twisted and misused. We should be far more involved in discerning the spirit in which we are taught rather than the letter. If our teachers have a history of giving sound teaching, and have recognized and certified ministries shouldn't we allow them reasonable latitudes? We should give them the freedom to extract verses for our learning even if they must occasionally resort to the dastardly Practice of "taking a verse out of context."

Rev Bresciani has written many articles over the past thirty years in such periodicals as Guideposts and Catholic Digest. He is the author of two books available on Amazon.com, Alibris, Barnes and Noble and many other places. Rev Bresciani wrote Hook Line and Sinker or what has Your Church Been Teaching You, publisher, PublishAmerica of Baltimore MD. He also wrote a book published by Xulon Press entitled An American Prophet and His Message, Questions and Answers on the Second Coming of Christ. His book is now being heralded as the clearest book on the subject of the second coming of Christ since Hal Lindsey's "Late Great Planet Earth" Rev Brescianis website is,

http://americanprophet.org

When the Yeast of God Begins to Work Anything Can Happen As Prayer is Answered and the Spirit Flows

There are many people praying in the United Kingdom - and I am sure wherever you are reading this - for Revival - an outpouring of the Holy Spirit - for our gracious loving God to move again.

We have seen it over many years - Abraham - Joshua - David - Isaiah and Jeremiah and the other anointed prophets - Peter, Paul, John and James, following the death and resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ.

Down through the centuries there have been times when God has broken through. I remember seeing that what was really important was not so much Church History as Kingdom History, when there was a breaking through of the Kingdom of God.

The yeast of God was at work.

In the 1960's and 70's we witnessed a global outpouring of the Spirit of God when every nation and denomination was affected to some degree. Of course, there were those who sat with their umbrellas up hoping they would not be touched or 'splashed'!

When God moves He moves sovereignly and that is what we are looking for and praying for in these present days. Consider what happened when Moses was leading the people of God out slavery in Egypt towards the promised Land. How did it all begin? With a mighty sovereign move of God in answer to the cries of the people. We read that in Exodus.

Read of how God released the Hebrew slaves from bondage in Egypt, under the leadership of Moses. At midnight the Lord struck, and the firstborn in Egypt died. Every Hebrew home was protected by the blood of a lamb which had been slain.

Take a moment to read the actual text in Exodus Chapter 12.

Realise the supreme importance of the blood of the lamb - that lamb which had been sacrificed in accordance with the instructions of Moses as he received them from Almighty God.

For us today the Lamb - our Passover Lamb is Jesus Christ. We read of that in the New Testament. So many appear totally unaware of the significance of the blood of the Lamb.

It was not Moses job to change, modify, water down, or edit the instructions. That would have meant disaster. We are living in a day when the so-called church wants to do so many of these very things.

Although leader of the nation, Moses was, in one sense, like a message boy, where his calling, task, and role was to deliver the message and not judge the content of the message.

There is only one thing that saves us from judgement and the consequences of sin, and that is the blood of the lamb, and our Passover Lamb is Jesus Christ, Whose blood was shed and whose life was sacrificed.

Pharaoh had said he never wanted to see Moses and Aaron again, yet at this time of national crisis he called these two men in. For Pharaoh it was a bit too late.

Be careful what you do. Be careful what you say. If you are rash and impetuous you may have to retract your words, and that can be embarrassing.

Moses is told, "Up, leave and go". O, if government would call in committed anointed spiritual leaders today. There are men around who have answers and solutions to the massive problems facing the nation - and these problems are spiritual, moral, economic and political. At the time of writing the United Kingdom according to some is near to 'melt down'.

When Moses was operating so powerfully and leading so manfully, the Holy Spirit was moving and moving rapidly and radically. The yeast of God was working.

Wherever you are keep praying. Keep interceding. Do not give in or give up.

When the yeast of God is working there is nothing we can do to stop it, but there is also nothing we can do to make that yeast work.

Sandy Shaw

Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children's Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.

He broadcasts regularly on WSHO radio out of New Orleans, and writes a weekly commentary at http://www.studylight.org entitled "Word from Scotland" on various biblical themes, as well as a weekly newspaper column.

His M.A. and B.D. degrees are from The University of Edinburgh, and he continues to run and exercise regularly to maintain a level of physical fitness.

Sandy Shaw
sandyshaw63@yahoo.com

How Close Can You Get to a Tiger?

I suppose the entire question of my entry today ought to continue... "before you get mauled?"

I started getting into tigers a few years ago when I found a Wal-Mart bigger-than-life poster of a tiger's head. That thing has been glaring back at me all these months, to my wife's regular disapproval. I've actually had to hide him in the walk-in closet. He's that intense.

Then came North Korea. Some of you may know that the Siberian tiger is one of that country's national symbols. A fitting one. Fierce. Aloof. Threatening. And beautiful. Like that Wal-Mart poster, North Korea has been staring me down, challenging me to stare back and wonder.

Next there was the Lincoln Park Zoo. Twice in the last few weeks I've made a trek over there just to get away for a day. Both times I was captivated by this very cat from the East. In fact, on one end of his area there is a place where observers can look through a glass barrier . Most don't go there because Kitty is usually prowling around somewhere else, if he's awake.

But occasionally he paces. Every time I saw him this week he was pacing. Back and forth. Back and forth. And for one magical quarter of an hour, he paced right next to the window. It's hard being my age at these times. Occasionally I actually do get excited about something, but I'm not allowed to show it. As quickly as I decently could I scrambled - no, just walked - over to the window. As people tired and moved on, I moved in, and within a short time I practically had my nose on that glass.

The tiger did better. Every time he came to where I was standing, he actually bumped his head on that window, then moved on in his circuit, 'round and 'round. I was literally one inch from one of the fiercest of all God's creation. And yet I lived to tell of it.

The people crowding in were making growl sounds and pretending their hands were paws, you know the drill. Mothers were teaching their children. Teens were impressing their friends with noises and gestures. Ol' Bob stood there in awe.

If the friendly cat had bumped that glass a little harder, and the smallest crack had formed, we all would have been lunch for pussy-cat. As it was, we were just an audience being entertained.

It hit me days later that many of us are involved in a spectator sport when it comes to North Korea. We read the stories, we visit China and South Korea, we give our money, we even pray, and we might even think we understand the animal on the other side of the glass. But we don't.

There is no way to know what people who live in a "tiger's" world feel, on the other side of a zoo window. "Remember the prisoners as if bound with them" may be one of the toughest commands ever issued. How can I really feel what they feel? Skip a meal? Pray a little more? Wear old clothes? Beat myself? Abandon all media?

Who among us dares to enter other worlds, as did our Lord? Who goes beyond the glass and suffers whatever consequences there might be? Until we do, we may be good story-tellers, good fund-raisers, teary-eyed romantics who feel imaginary pain, but we must not conclude that therefore we have taken up the cross which Jesus has our brothers carrying.

I trust I am not being too harsh. Zoos are for looking, and looking is a good thing. But eventually we must, I believe, shed the zoo mentality, go out into the field, and confront a tiger. Mauled or not.

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 , ovber 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.

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.

The Story of Chosun, Part 5

All nations eventually decline, usually from moral failure. Such is the case in Silla on the Korean peninsula over 1000 years ago. As it loses its character, whole chunks of it are taken over by bandits, who increase as the main kingdom decreases. Two notable anti-heroes of the day are Kuyung-ye and Kyunwhun, rivals in opposite parts of the territory.

In the North a new kingdom forms from the old, Tabong. It is Buddhist-controlled, but actually the main power is the grossly immoral Kyung-ye, who calls himself a priest, but who is really a mad man. Eventually his chief general, Wang-gon, replaces him.

Tabong soon changes its name to Koryo as its people look back to the glory days of Korguryo with longing. In 920 old Silla recognizes new Koryo, and a new era has begun. Fifteen years later, after a 992-year stay on the peninsula, Silla breathes its last and is fully incorporated by Wang-gon into the burgeoning Koryo.

The South has been struggling along under Kyunwhun's rule. This attempt at a separate state soon fizzles, and the king is driven out. Needing a place of refuge, Kyunwhun finds it in Koryo. It is looking like the new nation will be the second power to gain the entire peninsula. Kyunwhun's sons surrender to the North in 936.

Buddhism has been making inroads in the new region, and now becomes the state religion. But during the reign of Koryo's third king, Confucianism gets a new impetus and curtails the strength of Buddhism.

Old ties with China re-surface, holding promise of alliance against the threatening Khitan tribe of the North. But when a formal request is made for help against the Khitans, China is too busy. For now, end of friendship. We will consider more of the Khitan-China-Koryo conflict next time.

I continue to share these thoughts about Korean history to demonstrate the hopelessness of nations without Christ, left only to their ingenuity and the hope of a good friend. Our prayer is that North Korea will learn to cling to Christ Jesus as Friend, knowing that the nation whose God is Jehovah is truly blessed.

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 , ovber 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.

North Korea - Return to Animal Farm

1945. George Orwell. The days of Stalin. Orwell was not a believer in Christ and in fact thought that Marx and Engels really had something going. His issue was not with Communism but with the way this new Communist theory was being acted out by Lenin, Stalin, and the rest. It was obviously not working according to the original script.

Some would argue that the original script came from Christ Himself. Equality. Peace. Brotherhood. You share with me, I share with you. But not at the point of a gun. That was added later.

Anyway, Orwell was an honest man who wanted to say something about the Stalinist regime of his day. He said it most effectively in his satirical novel, Animal Farm. There is a film version (1999) which I happened onto last evening. My wife and I sat in amazement as scene after scene reminded us, not of Stalin, but of the original and present dynastic regimes of North Korea... and actually the cycle portrayed has been repeated in many places on the planet. Consider:

- the original corruption of society needing to be addressed - the desire to end that corruption and bring justice in its place - the bringing down of the corrupt society - the hero worship, shifting empasis from the genuine needs of the people to the increasingly neurotic needs of the leader - the slow replacement of the old corruption with a new and worse corruption

Yes, It's all there, to this day.

And Christians, myself for one, pray, "Lord, stop all this! Bring it all down!" But praying believer, does your mind ever travel beyond the fall of such governments (and they all eventually do fall) to what shall be on the other side of a regime change?

We know for one thing, that, one day, Jesus shall be King over all the earth! "Jesus shall reign where'er the sun Doth his successive journeys run, His kingdom stretch from shore to shore, Till moons shall wax and wane no more!" What a glorious day is coming! All those who rejected His rule will themselves be rejected eternally. The world will be put right side up!

But what if Jesus' coming is not the next thing on God's calendar? What if the replacement is another merely human leader? I believe we should pray earnestly for that man to be a righteous man, a man whose relationship to God is real and strong. Then when the nation turns around, God Himself will receive all the glory!

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.

Lord, Start This Thing!

On the 13th of September, just a couple of weeks ago, Chicagoland gets the rain of all rains for this area. Of course that means the rain of all rains since they started recording rainfalls. There were no weathermen measuring such things in Noah's day. We have to take by faith that that was the real record-setter. But this one feels like a close second. No scary thunder and lightning. No heavy threatening winds. Just drop after drop of ceaseless moisture. An incredible day.

Our house holds up pretty well. The day after the rain, I notice that people on our street are literally emptying their basements and setting it all out for the garbage. We lose only a couple of area rugs.

I first notice we have a problem when I 'm in the washroom. From somewhere across the basement there is a drip-drip-drip . Then that sinking feeling. Oh no. We've sprung a leak. Water is seeping in in small amounts and slowly directing itself to a drain made for that purpose. Not bad. We can live with that.

It occurs to me that I ought to check the sump pump in our crawl space. I open the door, and there in all its glory is most of Lake Michigan, with the rest on the way. Or so it feels to me. I don my flood control outfit and crawl over to where I can take a look. The pump is dead. And buried. In water. I am definitely going to have to change socks later.

I unplug the pump and begin a wrestling match with it. I want to get it out of there so I can take it to the store and replace it. But nothing doing. The ejection pipe to which it is attached is situated in such a way that I can't move it out of its final resting place.

Meanwhile my wife is on the phone calling contractors, who are telling me what needs to be done, but unable to come help because they're suffering a deluge of a different kind: phone calls for help. After more struggling, and hearing the price quotes on a new pump, I finally take it to the Lord.

"Lord, start this thing." Not even an exclamation mark. Just your basic cry motivated from pure exhausted desperation.

And God really does it. I am motionless, I've given up. I stop. I pray. And within a few seconds, I hear something. Oh me of little faith calls out to the wife, "Did you turn the furnace on?"

She hasn't. It's the pump. I tell her it's running. She cries. I sit down and watch the most beautiful hole in all of Chicago slowly empty itself of gallon after gallon of water.

On and on it goes, until it gets to the bottom. Then that sound Junior gets when his straw reaches the end of the glass and there just isn't any more. Now what do I do?

Hey! Why not the same thing? I start to pray for it to shut off, but that doesn't happen. Even if it would, I'd have to be praying for the initial miracle to repeat itself and so on and on. It is time for me actually to learn something.

I see the switch laying out on the dry ground. Through some playing with it, and a few other purely human activities, I finally put this once-dead pump into full gear. It's been running fine ever since.

Now this is the day that I am to be carefully preparing for my first Voice Of The Martyrs presentation on Sunday. Also on Sunday I am to be starting the book of Job with my Korean students. I've planned a calm easy afternoon shut away by myself, praying, listening, reading... Instead Niagara Falls and a wrestling match. About four and a half hours of trauma.

Plenty to learn on a day like that. God still works miracles when needed. God still refuses miracles when not needed. God "gives to each day what he deems best." And the best preparation for the ministry is life itself.

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 , ovber 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.

The Gift Of The Sleeping Christ

Look for a picture of "Jesus calming the storm" on a search engine and you will see many depictions of the dynamic Son of the Living God towering over the wind and waves and showing His great authority. It is much harder to find the scene that took place only seconds before. A sleeping Saviour, surely aware of the difficulty, but not allowing it to affect His peace of mind.

As I pondered over that in my morning's devotions, something inside went yes! That's the gift from Jesus I so long to have, and the gift I wish for my brothers and sisters in North Korea today. Oh don't misunderstand. I desire deliverance. I'd like it even better if there were no storm from which to be delivered. But I read of no such promise. And since storms last longer than the deliverance from them, I want a gift that covers the great majority of my time on earth.

It's relatively easy for a man to receive an outpouring of grace that so confounds the enemies of our soul as to hear them say the word "miracle." How easy is it to sit for literally years, as Richard Wurmbrand of Romania, Haralan Popov of Bulgaria, and a host of others, knowing God is powerful but that He is doing something different in your life, in accordance with His eternal purposes?

We must be honest with ourselves and honest before God. All of our deliverance prayers, personal or for others, are not going to be answered the way we want. In the Scriptures there is a Peter who was delivered but we know that eventually there was one who was tortured and killed. There is a Paul who with Silas was miraculously set free. There's also the Paul who from Jerusalem to Rome to the end of his life was a prisoner of Christ.

There was the great success of John the Baptist, then the waning ministry, the jail cell where doubt entered, the end by decapitation. And must we not add Christ Himself to this difficult list? Amazing miracles, constant escape from death experiences, then betrayal, crucifixion.

There's a pattern here. We see it in the boat. A Christ who is unruffled by anything Hell can stir up, and a Christ who when He needs to, can do the stirring Himself.

Many and precious are the stories of suffering saints from Jesus' day to the present who looked death in the face and received deliverance. Only recently a brother was arrested in Chosun, prayed for by believers all over this world, and released! What rejoicing, what relief. But it does not always happen that way. Oh we need the gift of the sleeping Christ. Absolute perfect peace.

Then join me today in prayer for the land of morning calm, that its citizens will know the peace that only Christ can give. Oh how we long for the day when peace will settle over that entire nation, when Christ is Lord over all Chosun, when the Gospel is preached freely to every citizen. But until the deliverance comes, may God touch His own with the peace that He promised:

"My peace I leave with you... let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

http://chosunhouse.com is a website made to ask believers to pray for North Korea. Recently I have added Bible teachings to the menu. There are nearly 300 blogs , 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. Audio teachings at sermonaudio.com under my name.

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 .

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.

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

Sabbath - What Is The State Of The Law Of God Today?

Are to believe all that Rome has created in the way of a Christian Sabbath because Paul the apostle said to take an offering on the first day of the week? All of this because the Christians in Troas were meeting on the first day of the week? Are the things that believers do en masse therefore dictated by the Holy Spirit for all? It is through this philosophy of listening to "the piety of the people", that is, God speaking doctrines and practices through what the majority of the professing Church believes, that Rome has come up with other teachings, some of which are quite blasphemous. How far to go with such a philosophy? For me, no farther than what is written for all believers for all time, the Holy Scriptures that concluded with the apostle John in the first century A.D. If the people in their piety believe that, it is because there is light in them from Heaven. If they believe something beyond the word, it is fiction pure and simple.

This much we know, then. But the question comes, what do we do with knowledge thus gained? Does God care if we continue on as we are? Is there an eternal significance to the Sabbath to which true followers will eventually be drawn ? Is God more concerned with the picture or the reality of our rest in Jesus Christ and the coming rest of the planet during the Millennium? Are we under any laws of any kind in Christ Jesus, or are we truly free from law when in Christ?

Most of us are probably not aware of all the "Old Covenant" things we do in connection with our church life. Think of all the Psalms we sing, the prophecies we read and believe, the great histories of God's men and women. All of this is before Calvary and Pentecost, yet somehow we think of it as part of the will of God for us.

Let me ask you this: What common practice in the New testament Church was first practiced in the Old Testament times, but without a recorded command from God? It began in Genesis spontaneously, or so it seems, and was later a part of the Law of Moses. It was never specifically commanded in a New Testament book although it is implied in several. Since the New Testament church was first Jewish, we expect it is probably for today. Pastors swear by it, but it is much less a New Covenant idea than the seventh day Sabbath which is nearly written off as cultic. Answer? The tithe.

We are literally steeped in Jewish ways. Why do we want to exclude the Sabbath rest? Did God?

The question of the Sabbath, only one of ten commandments, and those commandments only one component of a comprehensive legal system, must be considered in a broader context if the hint of a solution is to be found. The much more difficult question concerns the law itself. What is the law's place in the believer's life? Did the law pass away? Are we totally lawless now?

For the answers, we return to the only written Source of Truth available, and call upon the Truth Himself to guide us through this maize. Let's read His prophet Jeremiah:

Jeremiah 31:31-34 [portions]. "Behold the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah- not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers... My covenant which they broke...But this is the covenant that I will make...I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people."

a. First note that this covenant is not suddenly "Gentile". It is to be a new covenant for the old people. We know that Gentiles were admitted in, but it is originally offered to Israel and Judah. And originally, it was those Jews who responded.

b. Its newness has as much to do with method as with message. In fact, no change to the message is mentioned. But the way of communicating this covenant, we discover later, is the Spirit of God and His filling of the believer in Jesus. This will bring the obedience so long sought for by God.

c. But not to be overlooked here is the word "law" itself. "My" law, says God, the things I have always wanted them to do, not some new law, will be inside them. The destruction of all law is not envisioned here, only a way for God's people to keep that law holy.

Here then is a glimmer of light to help us to understand how the Sabbath, and other Commandments, can be kept by believers in our own day.

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.

Rapture Or Second Coming? Final Distinctions Refuted

So is there a difference between the rapture of the church and the return of Christ to the Earth? Modern theologians have suggested that it is not proper to pray with John, "Come Lord Jesus," if we know He is not coming for seven years (at least). Thus there must be an un-announced and a clearly predictable coming, both. This seems to make

This implies that every time we pray, we are changing God's plans. Rather, when we pray, it must be in accord with God's will. That is, Jesus, I know you are coming, and you are welcome here! Your will be done, Come as you plan to come, Lord Jesus! I want it and I am looking forward to it.

Anyone who has prayed that prayer over the last 2000 years, including John the Revelator, understood that it might not be answered physically and immediately. But the prayer went up anyway, and continues to rise to Heaven. To suggest that a prayer is invalid because God has a fixed moment for its answer is to suggest that our desires should supercede His.

When we pray for healing, He hears us. Or for financial blessing. Or for deliverance. Or for the salvation of family members. He hears. But the answer may be down the road. Our knowing that we must wait upon God does not stop us from crying out to Him, yea, day and night ( Luke 18:1-5).

The Spirit and the Bride call out for these many years, Come, Lord Jesus. But He doesn't come. But He will. When it is time. For now, the world is in a mess, the world needs the Saviour, O come, O come, Emmanuel! Keep praying it saints!

One final suggestion that the rapture and return are two different events separated by seven years is that the judgment seat of Christ and the

marriage of the Lamb must take place in Heaven and with the Church present, and before His coming to earth. Yet he can offer no proof of the location and timing of these events, for, of course, such proof does not exist.

Romans 14:10 and II Corinthians 5:10 simply state that there will be a time when saints stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Revelation 19:7-8 describe not the wedding, but the announcement of same. The marriage has come. The wife is ready. Blessed are those invited. But wait! Some serious work to do first, following this announcement. Now the church descends with Jesus (Revelation 19:7-21) to the earth, taking its first step toward the announced supper. There, as described by prophets and apostles, the Kingdom is set up after Christ's victory over His enemies. Then Jesus keeps His promise to drink the fruit of the vine with His followers (Matthew 26:29). It seems to me that this is a more logical arrangement of details.

But for a "proof text" that this will happen, neither the pre- or post- people can find one. It simply is not there.

In fact, no proofs can be offered anywhere in God's Word that there is such a thing as a "pre-tribulation" rapture, that there is a rapture at all without the revelation of Christ and the setting up of His kingdom on earth, that there is any distinction between our catching away and his coming again. Thank God, much of this teaching is losing its grip, and there are many places in the world where men's books are not available, only God's. These people believe what the church believed for two millennia, namely, "Immediately after the tribulation... they will see the sign of the Son of man..."

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.

North Korea's Purgatory

Thirty or so years ago a 10-year-old boy entered a North Korean labor camp with his family. He lived to tell about it, the first story of its kind*:

The family was among the many that had, a generation earlier, relocated in Japan and become strong supporters there of Socialism, Communism, and North Korea . With the rise of Kim Il Sung, the family was enticed to come back to the fatherland and complete the reforms so badly needed there.

This very rich but very dedicated family moved back to a near hero's welcome. But growing suspicions about their wealth and their connection to the traditional foe of Korea slowly led the family from fame to ghastly impoverishment. The entire family was arrested and a new life begun in one of Kim's infamous reeducation centers.

How does one wind up in jail with all these credentials? To get to a North Korean Camp, one must be either "a land-holder, a capitalist, a U.S. or South Korean agent, a Christian, or members of purged Party circles deemed noxious to the state." Division is made then between "redeemable" and "unredeemable" prisoners. Once classed unredeemable, life is over. Your only worth to the state is hard labor. You will be taken to work at secret sites since there is no hope of you taking those secrets anywhere but to the grave. You will work until you drop dead.

Redeemables, like the author of this book, have a chance. They are taught Kim propaganda. They are thoroughly redone in their thinking processes, and after a number of years, released to live their new life as a trusted member of society.

I present these horrid but true story to encourage you to pray for North Koreans, that in their distress they will call upon the Name of the Lord, and that in calling they will unleash the Power that no dynasty can withstand.

*The Aquariums of Pyongyang by Kang Chol-Hwan

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.

Catholic Symbol of the Epiphany

Many Christian denominations do not pay that much attention to the Epiphany of Jesus Christ. The Epiphany event occurred shortly after Jesus was born in Bethlehem and is celebrated by the Catholic church on January 6th of each year. It commemorates the day when the magi, the three kings came to pay homage to Christ, the king.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church the Epiphany is the manifestation of Jesus as Messiah of Israel, Son of God and Savior of the world.

The three kings, the wise men if you will, symbolizes the acceptance of Jesus as the salvation of the world through the Incarnation. Their journey to Israel in order to pay homage to Jesus shows that they sought the one who would be king of all nations. Their coming means that pagans can discover Jesus and worship him as Son of God and Savior of the world.

Here's what Pope Benedict said in his homily at the Vatican, last year, during the celebration of the feast of the Epiphany:

"The light that shone in the night at Christmas illuminating the Bethlehem Grotto, where Mary, Joseph and the shepherds remained in silent adoration, shines out today and is manifested to all. The Epiphany is a mystery of light, symbolically suggested by the star that guided the Magi on their journey. The true source of light, however, the "sun that rises from on high", is Christ.

In the mystery of Christmas, Christ's light shines on the earth, spreading, as it were, in concentric circles. First of all, it shines on the Holy Family of Nazareth: the Virgin Mary and Joseph are illuminated by the divine presence of the Infant Jesus. The light of the Redeemer is then manifested to the shepherds of Bethlehem, who, informed by an Angel, hasten immediately to the grotto and find there the "sign" that had been foretold to them: the Child, wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

The shepherds, together with Mary and Joseph, represent that "remnant of Israel," the poor, the anawim, to whom the Good News was proclaimed.

Finally, Christ's brightness shines out, reaching the Magi who are the first-fruits of the pagan peoples.

The Magi worshipped a simple Child in the arms of his Mother Mary, because in him they recognized the source of the twofold light that had guided them: the light of the star and the light of the Scriptures. In him they recognized the King of the Jews, the glory of Israel, but also the King of all the peoples."

Ed Gallagher is a researcher, speaker and the author of Catholic Symbols, a blog that deals with the meaning and origins of various Christian Symbols, Religious Symbols and primarily Catholic Symbols.

Is The Pre-Tribulation Rapture In Revelation 4:1?

Revelation 4:1 has been used by those who believe in a catching up to heaven seven years before Jesus comes to earth. Let's look at it.

"After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, "Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this."

Question: Isn't John's "rapture" here meant to indicate that the church is lifted out of the world before any talk of tribulation in the book? Is it not true that the church is not mentioned again after this?

Oh the strange work that popular 'theologians' have done with this verse. In this simple passage, John is addressed by Jesus, and told to come up to heaven for further revelations. Incredible to me is the notion that here, Jesus is actually calling His entire Church to Heaven! The statement is made by believers in this interpretation, pre-tribulation rapturists all, that , from this point on, the Church is 'absent' in the book of Revelation! And when it is pointed out in several places that believers are indeed on earth, the response is made that these believers are really not the 'Church' , but 'tribulation' saints, whatever that means. A conclusion is made, and facts to the contrary are explained away. This is not good exegesis, to say the least!

For those who desire to look at it, the evidence for the Church being in the book of Revelation after chapter 4 is strong:

1. Definition. First, we assume that by 'Church' we mean the 'saints', or as in Daniel, 'holy ones', a term used over 40 times by New testament writers to refer to the Body of Christ, the people of God. We also assume we are talking about a people who have been promised by Jesus, Paul, and Peter a life of persecution often ending in martyrdom .

2. Passages in Revelation that don't say 'Church' but are Church: 5:8, The worshipers in Heaven pour out before God prayers from the saints. 6:10-11, martyrs are here received to God and told that their fellow- martyrs will soon join them. They have been slain for the Word of God and their testimony. 7: 13 ff, the same believers referred to in chapter 6 are now standing before the Throne, having come out of the Great Tribulation by means of martyrdom. 8:4, The prayers of the saints are now seen as incense. 12:11, The same saints as in 6 and 7 are seen in a flashback in the context of the Beast who persecuted them. 12:17, Those who keep the commandments of God, as brother John loved to talk about in his writings (John 12:49-50, 13:34, 14:15,21,31, 15:1-12, I John 2:3-8, 3:22-24, 4:21, 5:3-6, II John 4-6) and have the testimony of Jesus Christ, are distinguished here from the persecuted Israelites who are in the process of being hidden and sealed, and therefore unreachable by antichrist. He now vents his fury on the only 'saints' left, the Church. 13:7, As in Daniel 7, the man of sin is seen here being given the authority to conquer the saints. He overcomes their body, and they overcome him by going straight to Jesus. 14:6, The everlasting Gospel is being preached all over the world. I wonder who does this job? A company of angels? The 144,000? Why not the same group that has always preached it? 14:13, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. To die in the Lord is to be a member of Christ. Members of Christ are the Church. 15:1-4, Singing the song of Moses and the Lamb, those who died in the Lord, those who seemingly were conquered by antichrist, now are around the Throne. 16:15, In the worst of the worst hours comes a message from Heaven: I am coming. Keep your garments clean! Who is He talking to, if not the Church? 18:4, Also in the midst of devastation, God's people are called out, but not up, FIRST. Who are they? The Church!"

Schwertley adds these powerful words: "The argument from silence consistently applied would not prove the rapture of the saints but the annihilation of the saints, for not only is the word church (ekklesia) not used of the saints on earth in chapters 4 through 18, it also is never used of the saints in heaven. Does this mean that all the saints have vacated heaven...? The word church does not even occur in the book of Revelation until Revelation 22:16. Does this mean the church is not involved in the second coming, the resurrection or white throne judgment?...An argument that proves too much is worthless."

Further, he states that this argument [from silence] could also be used to prove many dangerous and heretical doctrines. "In the book of Esther the words for God and Jehovah do not occur even once. Does this fact mean that God does not exist...?"

As with most pre-trib assertions, a little logic, a lot of Scripture, and the notions dissolve in the heat of God's light. Yes, the church is all over the book of Revelation because they never left in 4:1! John made a solo trip at the express invitation of Jesus. And that's all that happened.

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.

It's Not Cool to Worry

In our world today their is allot to be concerned about. Things like terrorism, crime, racism; or how about taxes, inflation and job loss. Truly we have allot we could be worried about. But I've found out that in order to function in life and overcome the obstacles we face, we need to give our cares,worries and frustrations to someone else. Someone stronger than us. We tend to lean and depend on our spouses or family and friends and that's awesome, but this support system can only take us so far and that's it. I've found on my journey that I really need a relationship with someone who's able to handle my worries and concerns that I face in my daily life. And that person is Jesus Christ.

I've found that through my relationship with Jesus I've been able to overcome some problems that would have taken me out of here if I had not have known Him. The bible says in 1st Peter 5:7 that we should cast all of our cares upon God because He cares for us and that includes worrying. When you worry you sin, and when you sin you miss the mark of God. Worrying about things can have a adverse affect on our body and it's ability to function properly. When improper stress enters the body it breaks down the body's immune system and causes us to become sick. Free radical cells come in when the body's immune system is weak, and worrying and stress help weaken your body's defense system.

To combat this we need to change a few things in our lives. First, we need to change our outlook on life. Start seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty. You can always find something positive in a negative situation. Second, fill your mind with good positive and wholesome materials such as: the bible, positive inspirational music, uplifting reading materials like books and magazines and most importantly prayer. Tell God your problems. He will listen and no one else will know about it, and because you pray you will find yourself at ease with what you thought was a problem.

So don't allow life to get you so uptight. Just do the best you can with what you have and give the rest to God through Jesus Christ. And you will find that life isn't that bad when the right person has your back. You think about that, God bless.

Ways To Promote Yourself

Its amazing how many new businesses fail. The owners always seem surprised because they felt they had a great idea or product. One of the main reasons they failed is that they didnt apply the rule promote yourself.

If you don't promote yourself or your business, how can you expect people to buy your product or service? These business failures are especially tragic because there are many simple and cost effective ways to promote yourself.

10 Low Cost Ways to Promote Yourself

Apply these quick and easy ways to promote yourself and you will be rewarded with more customers and of course, more revenue!

1. Write articles and offer them for free publication. Publishers are looking for content for websites, newsletters etc. Make a stipulation that your bio (a subtle technique to promote yourself) and contact information is maintained at the end.

2. Create and giveaway a free e-book. In the e-book include an 'About the Author' section which is where you will promote yourself or your business.

3. Use your email mailing list. One of the best ways to promote yourself is to provide your list subscribers with interesting information that occasionally promote yourself or your business.

4. Get into directory listings! There are tons of industry and product specific hard cover and online directories that will let you have a free listing. Take advantage of these free chances to promote yourself!

5. Become an 'expert' speaker. Take every opportunity you can to get speaking engagements. Every opportunity, no matter how large or small is a great chance to promote yourself.

6. Send media releases. One of the easiest ways to promote yourself is through media releases. Write a media release announcing a new product or interesting industry event.

7. Establish a training class. Your class could be live, online or even over the phone. Make sure to promote yourself through your 'teacher bio' which includes information about yourself and your business.

8. Create case studies. Case studies can promote yourself because they are a well-crafted stories about another of your client's successes. Post these case studies online or even consider them for a press release.

9. Add a business card/bio to the end of every email. Every email is another chance to promote yourself. Keep it short and simple.

10. Use the 'About Us' section of your website. People like to know more about who they are doing business with. The 'about us' section is an ideal opportunity to promote yourself and your expertise!

Start applying these ten easy ways to promote yourself and before you know it, you will have many new customers knocking at your door!

Matt Bacak became "#1 Best Selling Author" in just a few short hours. Recent Entrepreneur Magazines e-Biz radio show host is turning Authors, Speakers, and Experts into Overnight Success Stories. Discover The Secrets To Unleash The Powerful Promoter In You! Sign up for Matt Bacak's Promoting Tips Ezine ($100 value) just visit his website at http://www.powerfulpromoter.com or http://promotingtips.com