Hello my para beauties. I've had 12 requests to discuss what the Bible says regarding the title of this article/blog. They feel that many people have and are raising children to feel the world revolves around them and what they want when they want. And can they really create a poltergeist when in chaos or anger. From what I know it's possible. And even grow up to be criminals. Way too many people are having kids at such a young age and are unable to care for them properly. And many have no patience it requires nor willing to give up their life in order to raise the child. They realize everything revolves around this dear child and they often neglect and sometimes kill their own children. They didn't ask to be born in interrupt anyone's life.
It appears that we are seeing on the news many stories of minors killing each people, either, their siblings, their parents etc...more and more teens are having children and are not properly raising them. They are told no but never been made to accept it. It's doing a disservice to the innocent children by not setting reasonable boundaries and rules. And follow thru with punishments they are told is the consequence of not following rules. Even the bible tells us this.
What Does The Gospel Say About This? Here are a few examples...
Colossians 3:20
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
Deuteronomy 21:18-21
“If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and, though they discipline him, will not listen to them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city at the gate of the place where he lives, and they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This our son is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of the city shall stone him to death with stones. So you shall purge the evil from your midst, and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
Colossians 3:20-24 ESV Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. (21) Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. (22) Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, (24) knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
Leviticus 20:9
For anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death; he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood is upon him.
Proverbs 30:17
The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.
Proverbs 13:24
Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
In my humble opinion "Spare the rod, spoil the child," or, in more complete English, "If you spare the rod you will spoil the child." The general meaning is that parents who don't discipline their children are going to create spoiled children. Some feel they should take a more literal approach, and say that parents must physically discipline their children, because "the rod" here means "to beat your child with a stick." There is much debate about whether it is okay or good for parents to spank, slap, or otherwise discipline children through minor physical pain such as a pop on the rear end for disrespecting adults. That's just one example.
A friend of mine was talking about this very subject at bible study. "I was not spanked as a child. When I became a teenager I became very rebellious. I had no fear of consequence, no respect for my parents, or any authority. It is by the grace of God that I am not dead or jail. I am saddened that this is not the outcome for many who have never been taught as a child that life has consequences." More and more children receive no consequences for ill behavior much less ever have been made to accept the word "No".
Of course this subject could go on and on. I wanted to try my best at discussing this at both point of views. I think you have to do what you feel is best for your situation. There is a huge difference in dicipline and beating a child. But when there is never any consequences your taking a big chance and creating undue stress and a disservice to the child. They only know right from wrong from what the parents teach them.
Written By Jennifer L Auld
Looking inside the spiritual & literary worlds
Saturday, January 31, 2015
Friday, January 30, 2015
Why the Old Testament is Vital in Countering the Occult
By Reverend Mark Hunnemann
Gnostic/occult.motifs were already present in the age of the Apostles. Early church tradition traces the rise of Gnosticism to Simon Magus, briefly mentioned in Acts 8:9-24. Remember he attempted to purchase the Holy Spirit. Peter was not pleased and it seems from the text that Simon repented, at least superficially. Later tradition says that Simon went to Rome and started a gnostic group, and competed with Peter for converts...he actually arrived in Rome before Peter did according to tradition.Justin Martyr, an early Christian apologist, stated that Simon was teaching that he was the Messiah--God! I don't do this often but I want to include here an extended quote from Harold Brown's 'Heresies'..
"Simon and his followers are charged by their Christian opponents with practicing magic(k) and occult arts. This was natural enough; to the extent that they were impressed by his ability to work apparent miracles, the early Christians had no choice but to attribute them to the power of evil. MANY OTHER GNOSTIC FIGURES WERE ACCUSED OF NECROMANCY,A NOT UNLIKELY CHARGE IN VIEW OF
THEIR EMPHASIS ON THEIR ACCESS TO HIDDEN, OCCULT, KNOWLEDGE AND POWER.
Simon's system involved a number of points that will also characterize later heretical movements: 1.a syncretistic blending of biblical ideas with themes drawn from other, pagan, Near Eastern sources;2.a dualistic interpretation of the material world as hopelessly estranged, by nature, from the purely spiritual Father;3. the teaching that a personal Savior has appeared on earth; 4.a rejection of the Jewish Scriptures as fraudulent or malicious;5.an interest in not only secret lore, but in magic and the occult.The fact that Gnosticism, like certain later movements, ties rejection of the Hebrew Old Testament to fresh superstitions and an interest in the occult helps us to see the cardinal importance of the Old Testament for Christian orthodoxy.
The major doctrines of Christianity are indeed drawn from the New Testament, and superficially it might appear as though the Old Testament is of interest cheifly as background. As a matter of fact, however, it is the Old Testament that guarantees the rootedness of Christ, His Person, and His work in real history. Whenever the Old Testament is ignored or reduced to mere Jewish religious thought, Christians readily fall prey to various mythologies and occults. With the loss of confidence in the reliability in the Old Testament, brought about by, among other things, nineteenth-century liberal Bible criticism, some nominally Christian leaders developed an enthusiasm for pagan mythology...(Pg. 51)"
There is a confluence of forces that has caused the occult in general, and necromancy in particular, to explode. But according to Dr Brown (now deceased), a loss of confidence in the reliability of the Old Testament has been high on the list of causes.If he is correct, and I think he is, then we have a serious problem on our hands. Of those you reading this, how many of you have taken an Old Testament course which basically undercut the reliability of the Old Testament? Many of you, I am sure. When I was in college, it broke my heart to see the vicious spiritual wounds being inflicted in these classes, and the high number of student casualties. Students in these classes, as with the teaching of macro-evolution, were not made aware of brilliant scholars who differed with their professors anti-supernaturalistic presuppositions.Hence, we were made to believe that any thinking person MUST believe in macro-evolution and that the Old Testament was a mythical book which was riddled with errors and contradictions. Tragic....
The Old Testament is not full of myths, errors or contradictions. It is God's inerrant Word which is on a collision with the worldview which has become dominant today. The infinite/personal God created the heavens and earth....the biblical God is eternal, not energy. It is in the Old Testament where we have the most explicit denunciations of occultism...psychics/mediums, and necromancy.The biblical worldview is stated clearly in the Old Testament, especially in the first three chapters of Genesis. In fact, every major New Testament motif can be found in germinal form in Genesis 1-3.
In high school, and especially college/university, both the content and teaching methodology is uniformly anti-Christian. Not to mention graduate school, where even bible believing Christians are falling prey to the monolithic consensus amongst the faculty to develop methodologies foreign to the bible.And so we have seminary trained folks going on paranormal investigations and attempting to do what the bible abominates--attempting to speak to the dead. This is a call to re-capture a high view of the Old Testament, and to read it. Due to the darkening spiritual landscape, we MUST humble ourselves before God's revelation in the Old Testament--without it, we are historically rootless. May I close with a practical suggestion? Many Christians get fired up about reading the bible but give up after a few months, due to a lack of a reading plan.For the last 40 years, I have followed this plan on a daily basis. This has enabled me to read every word of the bible nearly 40 times. Here is a plan that has worked well for me...
Day one-read Genesis 1, and Matthew 1
Day two-read Genesis 2, and Matthew 2...and so on. If you wish to read through the bible quicker, just read 2-3 chapters instead.
I feel strongly about reading from BOTH testaments during each devotional, for this reason. It is absolutely amazing to see the unity of the bible over 1,500 years. (from Moses to NT)Very often what you read in the Old Testament, you will come across again in your New Testament reading....extremely enriching!! Reading from both enables you to see the continuities and dis-continuities between the OT and NT. Leviticus is usually the book that most Christians give up on. But that is unfortunate, because reading about the various OT sacrifices in Leviticus, illumines the many faceted nature of sacrificial death of Christ.And it helps to drive home the necessity of Christ's once, for all sacrifice.
Reading the bible is for nothing if we do not apply it. First, ask what does the bible passage teach...especially about God? (not what you get out of it), then ask how it applies to your relationship with God (how you think, act, feel) and your life circumstances. Much more could be said, but I will stop there....
"Seeing Ghosts through God's Eyes" (also in a Kindle edition)...please consider purchasing my book which uses science, logic, and the bible to analyze the true source of power behind paranormal activity.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Dalai Lama Calls on the Missionaries of Charity
His Holiness’s first meeting was with a group of 150 Tibetans doing business in Kolkata, including some 30 Muslims from Srinagar. He thanked them all for coming to see him and recalled an episode from his childhood in Lhasa when a pocket watch that had belonged to the 13th Dalai Lama needed to be fixed. A watchmaker from the Tibetan Muslim community came to repair it and as he handed it back to the young Dalai Lama solemnly warned: "The owner of a pocket watch should be as careful as someone with an egg in his pocket". Everyone laughed.
His Holiness was full of praise for the way the Tibetan Muslims in Kashmir have kept the Tibetan language alive in their community even after nearly 56 years in exile. He expressed his admiration for the elder generation’s efforts to ensure that the young still speak Tibetan fluently. He told them that he cites them as an example when he talks to Tibetans who have settled in the West, some of whom only speak English with their children. His Holiness recalled that, perhaps as a result of famine in Ladakh, Muslims began to settle in Lhasa during the time of the 5th Dalai Lama. He allotted them land on which to construct a Mosque and they began to make their homes around it.
“These people were Muslim by faith,” His Holiness said, “but were strongly influenced by the Tibetan culture of compassion.”
As he posed for photographs with this group of Tibetans, His Holiness lauded the enduring strength of spirit shown by Tibetans in Tibet.
His Holiness next drove to the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity where he was received at the Mother House by the Superior General of the Order, Sister Mary Prema Pierick. He greeted well-wishers as he went in. Inside the Mother House, which today is a place of pilgrimage dedicated to the memory of Mother Teresa, some hundred sisters and guests awaited him, gathered around the Mother's tomb. The sisters sang hymns of praise as His Holiness and Sister Mary Prema paid their respects before an image of Mother Teresa.
In her introductory address the Superior General recalled His Holiness's previous visit in September 2005 and remarked:
“What a joy it is to have His Holiness amongst us once more in the Mother House.”
She said that what the world needs more than ever is peace and quoted Mother Teresa as saying:
“Peace begins with a smile.”
In his welcoming remarks The Archbishop of Kolkata mentioned how providential was His Holiness’s visit to the Missionaries of Charity, calling it a true gift for Christmas and the New Year.
“And yet peace is not something we celebrate only because of the season. His Holiness is a perpetual apostle of peace."
He went on to say that in a world torn by war owing to people's greed and mistrust, simply to see His Holiness’s smiling face is to know that peace is possible. He thanked His Holiness “for bringing your peace to us.”
His Holiness briefly addressed the gathering:
"Sisters and brothers, I am happy to be here once again, this time not at your invitation, but of my own accord.”
Everyone present expressed pleasure at his spontaneous visit with laughter and applause. His Holiness spoke admiringly of the way the Sisters serve humanity, particularly by caring for the poorest of the poor. He also recalled the one brief occasion on which he met Mother Teresa, describing her as an exemplary person, who revealed to others the true practice of love through her charitable activities. He said that although she is no longer physically among us, her spirit lives on as does the spirit of Jesus Christ and Buddha Shakyamuni. His Holiness urged the gathering to continue serving people, especially the poor and needy in that spirit. He asked all those present to consider that they were working for the entire family of 7 billion human beings with the aim of making this 21st century an era of peace.
Reiterating his admiration of their work His Holiness said:
“It is important that you keep up your humanitarian service. I often point out to other people how Christian brothers and sisters have made the greatest contribution to humanity in terms of education and health. Mother Teresa dedicated herself sincerely to the poor. As an admirer it is my duty to pay tribute to her. She was practical in her prayers, actually putting them into action by taking care of the poor.”
His Holiness went on to mention his own commitments to promoting human values and inter-religious harmony. He also reminded his listeners that, although those who like him belong to the older generation will inevitably disappear, the younger generation must keep up the good work and set an example for generations to come.
“Please continue to dedicate your lives to the service of humanity, particularly the poor."
The Superior General then escorted His Holiness to Mother Teresa’s sparsely furnished room, where he again paid his respects. Before departing the Mother House for his hotel, His Holiness greeted well-wishers waiting to catch a glimpse of him and answered a waiting journalist’s questions.
Original link and photos http://dalailama.com/news/post/1222-his-holiness-the-dalai-lama-calls-on-the-missionaries-of-charity
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Does God And Satan Speak To Us In Dreams?
Hello everyone hope you have had a fantastic weekend. I pray everyone is healthy and everyone you love is healthy. This week I'd like to discuss if it's possible to obtain actual knowledge from God in our dreams? This topic has been discussed hundred times over along with the feelings of many that demons can come to you in your dreams and physically harm one. I'll keep it brief and it's just my humble opinion from A biblical point of view. The bible has examples of God speaking to people in dreams and telling us he will speak through dreams. The following are some examples.
And they replied "we both had dreams but no one can tell us what they mean.”
“Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied.
“Go ahead and tell me your dreams"
"Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
Freud once opined that dreams are the "royal road to the unconscious." That road, my friend, is a public conveyance. Incubi and succubi wait around for a hackney-cab to your hallucinations, and, once inside, can roam the streets with impunity, like vandals sacking Rome, like Michigan fans after the Rose Bowl. I feel saying some kind of protection prayer from this possible phenomenon after your initial prayers.
I found the following prayer somewhere online once and kept it. Any protection prayer that you use praying to Jesus Christ will work. There is no specific word or way of doing it you simply ask God to protect you and thank him for being your personal Lord and Savior and dying for your sins:
O God, who made the heav'n and earth,
From dreams this night protect me.
Destroy each succubus at birth,
No incubus infect me.
Interpreting dreams
Some people feel dreams usually need interpretation unless an angel is involved where God would be giving us a direct instruction.
If you really truly in your heart of hearts feel you have heard from God, does not mean everyone will welcome your dream. In fact the contrary is true. Your dream will be opposed just like Joseph’s and Jesus’ and Nehemiah’s or Paul’s. However this should not stop you from sharing if someone happens to come to you with questions about the Bible or the proper opportunity arises where you could maybe speak about it. But you never be embarrassed or deny Jesus Christ or God The Father if you are a believer!! Never deny that to anybody! I don't care if it's the president of the United States. The Gospel says it "if you deny me to man I will deny you to the Father". You will not be in the book of life. If you know your dream is from God, hold on to it, pray it back to God when the storms and wind come storming in. The brothers of Joseph conspired against him. They threw him into the pit sold him into slavery and he ended up in Potiphar’s house as a servant. It was as if his dream bought and brought him trouble.
"For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness.
Rather, fear God." "And the LORD answered me, and said,
Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables,
that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time,
but at the end it shall speak, and not lie:
though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."
Habakkuk 2:2-3 (KJV)
Genesis 40:8 (NLT) Jacob Dreamed
11 Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, 'Jacob.' And I said, 'Here I am.'24 But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, "Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad."
Gen31:11,24
Genesis 28
12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
"And the Lord said to them, “Now listen to what I say:
“If there were prophets among you,I, the Lord, would reveal myself in visions. I would speak to them in dreams."
Numbers 12:6 (NLT)
"He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds."
Job 33:15 (NLT)
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams" Acts 2:17
What I do is keep a pen and paper next to my bed to take notes of any odd dreams so I can remember them because many people, and I am among them tend to forget what they have dreamed the longer they are awake. What took place seems to fade rather quickly upon waking up from these. I'm not sure why that happens. Could be a number of reasons for this but if you write down some notes upon waking that will really up possibly in understanding what exactly took place in the dreams you are having.
Written By Jennifer Auld
And they replied "we both had dreams but no one can tell us what they mean.”
“Interpreting dreams is God’s business,” Joseph replied.
“Go ahead and tell me your dreams"
"Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."
Freud once opined that dreams are the "royal road to the unconscious." That road, my friend, is a public conveyance. Incubi and succubi wait around for a hackney-cab to your hallucinations, and, once inside, can roam the streets with impunity, like vandals sacking Rome, like Michigan fans after the Rose Bowl. I feel saying some kind of protection prayer from this possible phenomenon after your initial prayers.
I found the following prayer somewhere online once and kept it. Any protection prayer that you use praying to Jesus Christ will work. There is no specific word or way of doing it you simply ask God to protect you and thank him for being your personal Lord and Savior and dying for your sins:
O God, who made the heav'n and earth,
From dreams this night protect me.
Destroy each succubus at birth,
No incubus infect me.
Interpreting dreams
Some people feel dreams usually need interpretation unless an angel is involved where God would be giving us a direct instruction.
If you really truly in your heart of hearts feel you have heard from God, does not mean everyone will welcome your dream. In fact the contrary is true. Your dream will be opposed just like Joseph’s and Jesus’ and Nehemiah’s or Paul’s. However this should not stop you from sharing if someone happens to come to you with questions about the Bible or the proper opportunity arises where you could maybe speak about it. But you never be embarrassed or deny Jesus Christ or God The Father if you are a believer!! Never deny that to anybody! I don't care if it's the president of the United States. The Gospel says it "if you deny me to man I will deny you to the Father". You will not be in the book of life. If you know your dream is from God, hold on to it, pray it back to God when the storms and wind come storming in. The brothers of Joseph conspired against him. They threw him into the pit sold him into slavery and he ended up in Potiphar’s house as a servant. It was as if his dream bought and brought him trouble.
"For in many dreams and in many words there is emptiness.
Rather, fear God." "And the LORD answered me, and said,
Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables,
that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time,
but at the end it shall speak, and not lie:
though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry."
Habakkuk 2:2-3 (KJV)
Genesis 40:8 (NLT) Jacob Dreamed
11 Then the Angel of God spoke to me in a dream, saying, 'Jacob.' And I said, 'Here I am.'24 But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, "Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad."
Gen31:11,24
Genesis 28
12 Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.
"And the Lord said to them, “Now listen to what I say:
“If there were prophets among you,I, the Lord, would reveal myself in visions. I would speak to them in dreams."
Numbers 12:6 (NLT)
"He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they lie in their beds."
Job 33:15 (NLT)
"And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams" Acts 2:17
What I do is keep a pen and paper next to my bed to take notes of any odd dreams so I can remember them because many people, and I am among them tend to forget what they have dreamed the longer they are awake. What took place seems to fade rather quickly upon waking up from these. I'm not sure why that happens. Could be a number of reasons for this but if you write down some notes upon waking that will really up possibly in understanding what exactly took place in the dreams you are having.
Written By Jennifer Auld
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Reasons for why I think we shouldn't use the word "Entity"
By Reverend Mark Hunnemann
Words are powerful. The words individuals or a culture use can unconsciously impact a person's beliefs, even effecting their worldview. Much of this can occur on an unconscious level. The word that has caught my attention, and my concern, is the word "entity".It may be my imagination, but it seems that it's usage is growing in Christian circles that deal with demonology.For example, I read frequently on Facebook of an "entity" affecting a person or place. I dealt indirectly with this issue 4 years ago when I discussed who populates the spirit realm according to the bible. Also, if we don't know the answer to a question, we should not act like we do. And so when I see "entity" used, I realize that humility may lay behind why that word was chosen.However, may I humbly suggest that the bible is clear enough on what/who populates the spirit realm, that we do not, and should not, use an ambiguous word like "entity". When the bible is clear, then we should be also!
Take for example Matthew 10. In verses 1-4 Jesus is commissioning His twelve apostles for a short term ministry to Israel, which includes authority over "unclean spirits" (pneumaton akatharton) and to cast them out. In verses 5-15 Jesus elaborates on this mission, which in verse 8 includes the casting out of demons (daimonia). The point being that unclean spirits and demons are one and the same...just as Satan, devil, Evil One are synonyms.
What particularly troubles me is when I read that Christian demonologists (or whatever term you prefer) refers to an "entity" that is oppressing a family/place.Nowhere in the Gospel accounts are supernatural beings referred to as merely "entities".Jesus never cast out an entity....the disciples never cast out entities--they were very specific in that they were casting out demons/'unclean spirits.We need to use biblical terminology lest we introduce confusion where the bible is crystal clear. Word choice is vitally important.
Perhaps the main reason the word "entity" has become in vogue is due to the growing belief amongst some Christians that deceased human spirits can haunt (or possibly haunt) or oppress the living. I ask this gently but firmly--show me one place in the bible where a deceased human soul is oppressing living humans.(the Samuel account is not applicable to my question) I can say with confidence that there is no such recorded incident.Why introduce ambiguity where the bible is clear? Dozens of exorcisms are recorded in the gospels, and IF deceased humans could oppress us, then why are they NEVER mentioned?
Someone may reply, "Perhaps that may be true, but the bible does not tell us everything about demonology...so we can discern their presence with the help of the Holy Spirit?" I admit their are incidental things we can learn that are not recorded in the bible, but to say/imply that the bible omits significant demonological details is an affront to the sufficiency of Scripture, and elevates fallen human reason to the same level as sacred scripture. Now, do you not think that who populates the spirit realm is a very significant issue? Of course it is! Put another way, we must know our enemy and how can we be spiritual warriors if we are not sure who we are even fighting against? In human warfare this is certainly true,how much more so in spiritual warfare where our enemies are invisible (usually)?
Perhaps one replies, "Well, if it is human or demonic, the means of getting rid of them is the same." Again I say this gently but firmly, that comment is an evasion of the main issue--there is not a single incident in the bible in which a human spirit is said to have been expelled from a person or home. It assumes that the bible is not clear re this issue. However, from Genesis to Revelation, it is manifestly clear that there are only two kinds of beings that populate the spirit realm--good/elect angels and fallen angels/demons/unclean spirits. Appealing to Genesis 6 as primary "proof" of another kind of being existing today flies in the face of all rules of proper hermeneutics. We certainly never see Jesus dealing with beings who are somehow explicitly tied into whatever happened way back in Genesis 6.
Sure, there are differing ranks of angels and demons (cf Ephesians 6; Daniel 10), but that is all. In the US Army there are different ranks, but they are all essentially US Army.
The continued usage of the word "entity" is not helpful. Indeed, it is infusing confusion or lack of certainty where the bible is clear. A discussion of extra-biblical authority (eg pope) is beyond the scope of this article. Lastly, regardless of your experience, do you think it wise to "discern" the presence of a human spirit when--Jesus never did, and demons have thousands years of experience in knowing how to make Christians feel whatever they want?
Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.
Words are powerful. The words individuals or a culture use can unconsciously impact a person's beliefs, even effecting their worldview. Much of this can occur on an unconscious level. The word that has caught my attention, and my concern, is the word "entity".It may be my imagination, but it seems that it's usage is growing in Christian circles that deal with demonology.For example, I read frequently on Facebook of an "entity" affecting a person or place. I dealt indirectly with this issue 4 years ago when I discussed who populates the spirit realm according to the bible. Also, if we don't know the answer to a question, we should not act like we do. And so when I see "entity" used, I realize that humility may lay behind why that word was chosen.However, may I humbly suggest that the bible is clear enough on what/who populates the spirit realm, that we do not, and should not, use an ambiguous word like "entity". When the bible is clear, then we should be also!
Take for example Matthew 10. In verses 1-4 Jesus is commissioning His twelve apostles for a short term ministry to Israel, which includes authority over "unclean spirits" (pneumaton akatharton) and to cast them out. In verses 5-15 Jesus elaborates on this mission, which in verse 8 includes the casting out of demons (daimonia). The point being that unclean spirits and demons are one and the same...just as Satan, devil, Evil One are synonyms.
What particularly troubles me is when I read that Christian demonologists (or whatever term you prefer) refers to an "entity" that is oppressing a family/place.Nowhere in the Gospel accounts are supernatural beings referred to as merely "entities".Jesus never cast out an entity....the disciples never cast out entities--they were very specific in that they were casting out demons/'unclean spirits.We need to use biblical terminology lest we introduce confusion where the bible is crystal clear. Word choice is vitally important.
Perhaps the main reason the word "entity" has become in vogue is due to the growing belief amongst some Christians that deceased human spirits can haunt (or possibly haunt) or oppress the living. I ask this gently but firmly--show me one place in the bible where a deceased human soul is oppressing living humans.(the Samuel account is not applicable to my question) I can say with confidence that there is no such recorded incident.Why introduce ambiguity where the bible is clear? Dozens of exorcisms are recorded in the gospels, and IF deceased humans could oppress us, then why are they NEVER mentioned?
Someone may reply, "Perhaps that may be true, but the bible does not tell us everything about demonology...so we can discern their presence with the help of the Holy Spirit?" I admit their are incidental things we can learn that are not recorded in the bible, but to say/imply that the bible omits significant demonological details is an affront to the sufficiency of Scripture, and elevates fallen human reason to the same level as sacred scripture. Now, do you not think that who populates the spirit realm is a very significant issue? Of course it is! Put another way, we must know our enemy and how can we be spiritual warriors if we are not sure who we are even fighting against? In human warfare this is certainly true,how much more so in spiritual warfare where our enemies are invisible (usually)?
Perhaps one replies, "Well, if it is human or demonic, the means of getting rid of them is the same." Again I say this gently but firmly, that comment is an evasion of the main issue--there is not a single incident in the bible in which a human spirit is said to have been expelled from a person or home. It assumes that the bible is not clear re this issue. However, from Genesis to Revelation, it is manifestly clear that there are only two kinds of beings that populate the spirit realm--good/elect angels and fallen angels/demons/unclean spirits. Appealing to Genesis 6 as primary "proof" of another kind of being existing today flies in the face of all rules of proper hermeneutics. We certainly never see Jesus dealing with beings who are somehow explicitly tied into whatever happened way back in Genesis 6.
Sure, there are differing ranks of angels and demons (cf Ephesians 6; Daniel 10), but that is all. In the US Army there are different ranks, but they are all essentially US Army.
The continued usage of the word "entity" is not helpful. Indeed, it is infusing confusion or lack of certainty where the bible is clear. A discussion of extra-biblical authority (eg pope) is beyond the scope of this article. Lastly, regardless of your experience, do you think it wise to "discern" the presence of a human spirit when--Jesus never did, and demons have thousands years of experience in knowing how to make Christians feel whatever they want?
Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.
Monday, January 19, 2015
Dalai Lama: Explaining a Human Approach to World Peace
The Vice Chancellor offered both guests a bouquet of flowers, a shawl and a framed photograph of the University before introducing His Holiness to the faculty, students and other guests in the audience. She began by remarking:
“We have an epitome of peace amongst us today."
She recounted the University's proud contribution to education in India since its foundation nearly 200 years ago and mentioned the thinkers, freedom fighters and leaders numbered amongst its alumni. Before inviting him to address the gathering she described His Holiness as being extraordinarily human while at the same time an evident embodiment of wisdom and compassion.
“Elder brothers and sisters, and younger brothers and sisters,” he began, “it is indeed a great honour for me to speak here at the oldest of modern Indian educational institutions”
He mentioned that as he was on his way to the University this morning he was thinking about what he might say about ‘A Human Approach to World Peace’. It struck him that thousands of years ago human beings must have had various ways of solving problems and conflicts among themselves. Then they developed weapons, beginning perhaps with knives and arrows. This trend has culminated today in weapons of immense destructive potential. They were developed by scientists with the finest brains and the highest education, which, while it may not have been their intention, is focussed on refining the means to kill.
“We must change this inclination to resort to the use of force, employing weapons, to solve problems. Differences are bound to arise between us, but we must find ways of resolving that are peaceful and not destructive. Even on an individual level from time to time we encounter conflicts with others, but we have to try to find ways of resolving them through dialogue. In the same way, we need to find ways of solving problems on family, community, national and global levels by talking them through. By implementing ahimsa, non-violence, we have the opportunity to avoid violence and develop a more human approach to resolving conflicts peacefully.”
He chuckled and said that while the core of his talk might be the ancient concept of ahimsa, it remains keenly relevant today and there is something appropriate about an elderly person, nearly eighty years old, speaking about something ancient at this oldest of universities.
“I am one of you,” he continued. “Mentally, emotionally and physically we are the same. We all wish to live a happy life. In addition, we all have the same right to fulfil this goal. And we all have the potential to do so for the simple reason that future is not fixed, it can be changed. Therefore, we should live in hope that we really can overcome whatever problems we face.”
His Holiness explained that hope is fundamental to our lives. When we lose hope it can shorten our lives and in the worst case induce us to commit suicide, which is a terrible outcome. He suggested that when we face problems we should assess the situation from a wider perspective, because there is always a hopeful aspect to be found, no matter how desperate things may seem. He remarked that even religion is intended to make us happy. Nobody is religious in order to be miserable.
In the warm conditions that prevailed on the stage, His Holiness reached for the ceremonial shawl he had been offered earlier to mop his brow, observing to the audience:
“I have no interest formality!”
The hall resounded with laughter and His Holiness resumed what he was saying.
“Because we are social animals, we need affection. This begins with the unconditional love of the mother-child relationship. When there is love and respect between us it naturally reduces the suspicion that ruins our peace of mind. Today, psychologists and other scientists confirm this. They have found that constant fear and anxiety destroys our immune system. As the Vice Chancellor told you earlier, this old person studied Buddhist philosophy back in Tibet, but becoming a refugee has given me the opportunity to hold discussions with scientists over the last thirty years and more. As a result we have learned that if we can combine traditional values with scientific findings it can be of great benefit to humanity at large.”
His Holiness observed that to address the moral crises the world faces today, we cannot rely on religious tradition alone because this will not appeal to all 7 billion people alive today. We need instead an approach to moral values that appeals to believers and non-believers alike.
“For example, a religious approach to ethical values is not suitable in a secular education system. Therefore, what we need today is to adopt an approach akin to India's more than three thousand year tradition of secular practice that views those with religious faith and those with none with equal respect.”
His Holiness noted that he often refers to himself as a messenger of India because of the efforts he makes to promote inter-religious harmony and non-violence, both of which are ancient Indian traditions, in the wider world.
“Today, the world is being torn apart by religious intolerance and even people of same faith, such as Shia and Sunni Muslims or Christians of one denomination or another, attack each other in the name of religion. At such a time, India’s living tradition of religious co-existence can be a beacon to the rest of the world. As a student of the ancient Nalanda tradition, I am quite actively engaged in spreading this message. But isn’t it time for you Indians to be active too in promoting your age old traditions?”
He referred to the great Abbot Shantarakshita from the 8th century CE and Atisha Dipamkara Shrijnana from the 10th-11th centuries, both of them Bengalis who accepted the invitations of Tibetan kings to come to Tibet. His Holiness called on today’s Bengalis to emulate these ancient masters in working for the wider benefit of humanity. He suggested conducting programmes to raise awareness of the role the traditional Indian values of non-violence, religious pluralism and secular ethics can make in building a more peaceful world. Key to this is the development of compassion, which we are all shown at the start of our lives by our mother.
His Holiness elaborated on the importance of cultivating constructive emotions while reducing destructive emotions. Positive emotions are conducive to good health, while negative emotions undermine it.
“I sometimes feel my body seems to tell me ‘Because your mind is calm, I can survive longer!’ If I were full of anger, jealousy and hatred my body might complain, ‘I can’t support you because of your emotional ups and downs.’ However, unfortunately, when it comes to my knees there doesn't seem to be any link to the mind of compassion. Perhaps, I should ask scientists to seek out such a link.”
Once again, laughter filled the hall. His Holiness reiterated that peace of mind is the key to good health. And the key to peace of mind today is not necessarily religion but secular ethics. He told the audience he is looking forward to meeting scientists in the US next month to finalise a draft curriculum for introducing secular ethics into the secular school system.
When a member of the audience asked if world peace could be achieved by all human beings at the same time, His Holiness’s answer was:
“At the same time - impossible!”
He mentioned the final statement of the recent Nobel Peace Laureates' Summit he attended in Rome in which the laureates set a goal for the elimination of nuclear weapons as soon as possible. By their very existence they pose a great danger. He emphasised that mass destruction means destroying not only soldiers, but innumerable innocent people too, children among them. He repeated again that the only genuine option for creating peace is dialogue. The ground can be laid for this and for countering discrimination against women and the poor by educating the population in warm-heartedness. His Holiness encouraged the young people in the audience, who belong to the generation of the 21st century, to cultivate vision, determination and patience in resolving the problems bequeathed them by the generation that belonged to the 20th century - among whom His Holiness included himself, the Vice Chancellor and the Minister of Education.
The Vice Chancellor expressed profuse thanks to His Holiness for his talk and the event concluded with the University Choir singing ‘We shall Overcome’ in Bengali interspersed with English and Hindi.
In the afternoon, His Holiness addressed members and guests of the Merchants Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (MCC) Kolkata chapter, on the Meaning and Purpose of Education. The West Bengal Minister of State for Education, Mr Partha Chatterjee was again among the guests, who also included students from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata. His Holiness emphasised the importance of education in combining modern knowledge and understanding with traditional values to produce people who will take a responsible role in society. He again stressed the need for vision, determination and not losing sight of the goal:
“Sustaining your hope is crucial to keeping yourselves going and fulfilling the goal of your education.”
original link and photos http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1223-explaining-a-human-approach-to-world-peace-at-presidency-university
Demons vs. You -- You Don't Stand a Chance, Part 2
Continued from: Demons vs. You -- You Don't Stand a Chance, Part 1
Continuation of this five part series blog I will cover and inform all of the readers on an important aspect in the realm of spiritual warfare. In this part two I continue this discussion regarding the fundamental aspects of having a balanced aspect or approach so to speak when it comes to engaging demons as Christians.
Now there are many foolish Christians who think that it is no big deal if they attend séances, play with or keep Ouija boards and even worse try their hand at exorcisms. As professed people in Christ let us learn from the act of Sceva’s foolish sons (Acts 19:13-16). We are not go anywhere near demons unless we have received specific orders from God.
The only time it is safe for a person to approach demons is when the person is doing so from behind the Holy Spirit’s broad back. Thus if the Holy Spirit is not out in front of you then you are asking for a serious beating from a demon. God just might let you have one in order to teach you some respect for the demon and ultimately God.
Now that’s one side of the coin as we should fear the power of demons and recognize that we are no match for them. Therefore let’s flip the coin over so to speak and talk about the second side. When we are walking in step with God, we do not need to fear demons at all. Thus this is the key to it all, walking righteous with God.
Demons are like a downed electrical wire which are sizzling and sparking upon the ground. Only an idiot would try to pick up this sparking wire with bare hands. However, when that wire is jerking about, threatening the safety of others, there are strategic ways to deal with it.
Therefore in comparison, we are to never seek out demons unless the Holy Spirit has given us specific orders to do so. While we’re busy being obedient Christians, Satan is going to send his unholy soldiers after us in hordes. When Satan is the one initiating the battle, we definitely need to take a defensive stance behind the Holy Spirit.
Now the first step in defending oneself against demons is to realize how they were able to get so close to you in the first place. The Holy Spirit is the one and only source of protection between all human souls and the armies of Satan. We are not place visions of our own guardian angels defending us. Why? God is intensely jealous and God gets quite upset when we start admiring other creatures God has made and not him directly.
All admiration and gratitude for spiritual protection must be directed at God alone. One must not get lazy in this arena. We are not to carry little angel figurines and no fantasizing about your guardian angel either. Such behavior enrages the Holy Spirit against us. Therefore why would you want to offend the One who is protecting you? As far as we should be concerned, angels are God’s business alone.
From our previous blog “God’s Will” you have learned that God gives permission for demons to attack. Understand that Satan can’t invade your personal space unless the Holy Spirit intentionally gives him an opening. Hence it is important that a person see God as actively allowing the demons to harass you as tests, especially those who God favors (i.e. Job).
If you fail to see this as anything else, you might miss the lesson that God is trying to teach you. If there was a snarling wolf on the other side of your door and I suddenly yanked it open to let the wolf at you, you would naturally begin to question our so called friendship. The wolf will attack as you expected it to do so. However, what you don’t understand is why I opened the door to begin with?
The same way, we recoil from the image of the Holy Spirit opening the door for demons to attack us. Woefully, this is exactly what is happening. So if the Holy Spirit didn’t lower the hedge around us, the demons would never get anywhere close to you. When we ignore the Holy Spirit’s significant role as our protector, we are free to go about defending ourselves in a wrong manner, which is why God allows this to happen. For further clarification go back to my blog “God’s Will – the breaking of the human.”
A person will fight and struggle in their own strength, all the while calling out for God to jump in and help us. When God finally removes the demons off of us, we think God only jumped in because we did the right behavior God was wanting from us now. We tend to think we prayed the right words, confessed enough sins, or worked up enough emotions to stir God to move on our behalf. Sadly, this is totally backwards and does not align with God.
Therefore was as Christians need to learn a whole new approach to spiritual warfare that you cannot just go and cast demons out. God places a calling upon you for God qualifies the called. This not about fighting with fists and muscle, it is about learning the ways of the Lord. Every time demons leap upon you, the first response should be to say to the Holy Spirit “teach me what you want me to learn.”
God is always teaching us. The Holy Spirit never lets demons at you to see how good you are at holding them off in your own strength, as you will never be able to hold off demons by yourself. More so to determine if you desire to walk with God as God calls a person to do.
In our next blog we will further discuss demons vs. you and how you don’t stand a chance!
Written by Rev. Bradley Luoma
Continuation of this five part series blog I will cover and inform all of the readers on an important aspect in the realm of spiritual warfare. In this part two I continue this discussion regarding the fundamental aspects of having a balanced aspect or approach so to speak when it comes to engaging demons as Christians.
Now there are many foolish Christians who think that it is no big deal if they attend séances, play with or keep Ouija boards and even worse try their hand at exorcisms. As professed people in Christ let us learn from the act of Sceva’s foolish sons (Acts 19:13-16). We are not go anywhere near demons unless we have received specific orders from God.
The only time it is safe for a person to approach demons is when the person is doing so from behind the Holy Spirit’s broad back. Thus if the Holy Spirit is not out in front of you then you are asking for a serious beating from a demon. God just might let you have one in order to teach you some respect for the demon and ultimately God.
Now that’s one side of the coin as we should fear the power of demons and recognize that we are no match for them. Therefore let’s flip the coin over so to speak and talk about the second side. When we are walking in step with God, we do not need to fear demons at all. Thus this is the key to it all, walking righteous with God.
Demons are like a downed electrical wire which are sizzling and sparking upon the ground. Only an idiot would try to pick up this sparking wire with bare hands. However, when that wire is jerking about, threatening the safety of others, there are strategic ways to deal with it.
Therefore in comparison, we are to never seek out demons unless the Holy Spirit has given us specific orders to do so. While we’re busy being obedient Christians, Satan is going to send his unholy soldiers after us in hordes. When Satan is the one initiating the battle, we definitely need to take a defensive stance behind the Holy Spirit.
Now the first step in defending oneself against demons is to realize how they were able to get so close to you in the first place. The Holy Spirit is the one and only source of protection between all human souls and the armies of Satan. We are not place visions of our own guardian angels defending us. Why? God is intensely jealous and God gets quite upset when we start admiring other creatures God has made and not him directly.
All admiration and gratitude for spiritual protection must be directed at God alone. One must not get lazy in this arena. We are not to carry little angel figurines and no fantasizing about your guardian angel either. Such behavior enrages the Holy Spirit against us. Therefore why would you want to offend the One who is protecting you? As far as we should be concerned, angels are God’s business alone.
From our previous blog “God’s Will” you have learned that God gives permission for demons to attack. Understand that Satan can’t invade your personal space unless the Holy Spirit intentionally gives him an opening. Hence it is important that a person see God as actively allowing the demons to harass you as tests, especially those who God favors (i.e. Job).
If you fail to see this as anything else, you might miss the lesson that God is trying to teach you. If there was a snarling wolf on the other side of your door and I suddenly yanked it open to let the wolf at you, you would naturally begin to question our so called friendship. The wolf will attack as you expected it to do so. However, what you don’t understand is why I opened the door to begin with?
The same way, we recoil from the image of the Holy Spirit opening the door for demons to attack us. Woefully, this is exactly what is happening. So if the Holy Spirit didn’t lower the hedge around us, the demons would never get anywhere close to you. When we ignore the Holy Spirit’s significant role as our protector, we are free to go about defending ourselves in a wrong manner, which is why God allows this to happen. For further clarification go back to my blog “God’s Will – the breaking of the human.”
A person will fight and struggle in their own strength, all the while calling out for God to jump in and help us. When God finally removes the demons off of us, we think God only jumped in because we did the right behavior God was wanting from us now. We tend to think we prayed the right words, confessed enough sins, or worked up enough emotions to stir God to move on our behalf. Sadly, this is totally backwards and does not align with God.
Therefore was as Christians need to learn a whole new approach to spiritual warfare that you cannot just go and cast demons out. God places a calling upon you for God qualifies the called. This not about fighting with fists and muscle, it is about learning the ways of the Lord. Every time demons leap upon you, the first response should be to say to the Holy Spirit “teach me what you want me to learn.”
God is always teaching us. The Holy Spirit never lets demons at you to see how good you are at holding them off in your own strength, as you will never be able to hold off demons by yourself. More so to determine if you desire to walk with God as God calls a person to do.
In our next blog we will further discuss demons vs. you and how you don’t stand a chance!
Written by Rev. Bradley Luoma
Demons vs. You -- You Don't Stand a Chance, Part 1
In this five part series blog I will cover and inform all of the readers on an important aspect in the realm of spiritual warfare. In part one I will layout the fundamental aspects of having a balanced aspect when it comes to demons. So here we jump into this important view that Christians should attain is a balanced view of demons and how to defeat them.
Those of you who are not Christians or don’t accept God stand ZERO chance of defeating a demon. Therefore a balanced view of demons is necessary for good spiritual warfare. Now one might expect this blog to deviate over into an in-depth discussion of spiritual warfare and how we as Christians need not be afraid of the devil.
It is a dangerous lack of fear which is causing many souls to unwisely deviate into very terrible traps of torment. Therefore to start one needs to be afraid of demons—very afraid. On another level a person needs to be fearless as well. Now both of these mentalities need to exist at the same time and for different reasons. If you drop either one of these mentalities, you will become spiritually vulnerable. So let’s start with why you need to be afraid of demons.
Demons are not human and have never been a living being. People however do not understand exactly what they are as no human does. Yet demons are experts on the subject of humans, including you the reader. Demons have had a much further head start against you and me. They have been studying, testing and defeating the human race since the beginning of Creation. This sober fact should hit you like a freight train that most souls end up in Hell when they die.
So therefore what does this tell you the reader? This should scream to you from the mountain tops about how confident demons are when it comes to defeating humans. They are quite cocky, and with good reason they have a right to be! Every demon is much like a military general who hardly ever lose a battle. Therefore these large mega churches give a Christian attendee a false sense of confidence. Just know that the unsaved far outnumber the saved in this world. Even within the high ranks of Christianity, demons have many souls in their service.
As the reader of this blog you need to get an understanding of demonic power in perspective that you can fathom. Imagine if you can trying to stand on the surface of the sun which is liquid molten. Now I know that is hard to do but try to imagine this for a second. How long do you think you would be able to last on liquid molten? What if you were suited up in some protective special equipment before you got shoved out of the spacecraft how do you think you would fare? Can you think of any man made material that can possibly protect you from 9,000 degrees plus of heat?
Now even if you could stand on the surface for a few seconds, you would drop down below the surface where the estimated temperature would be about a cool 27 million degrees Fahrenheit. Now when it comes to dealing with demons, we as Christians suit ourselves up with special prayers, proper bible verses, special blessed oil, holy water and we carry large blessed crucifixes. At that point people think they are ready to take on the powers of Hell and those people are delusional.
It is God and only God, the Alpha and Omega who can and will protect a person from demons. It is God alone, not God along with our assistance and certainly not you with God’s assistance. In our minds we feel that we can see pictures of ourselves prodding the Holy Spirit into action with our faith filled prayers.
Let me state this, God is not a donkey that we must poke into motion with sticks. God does what God wants to do and how God wants to do it, end of story. So let me be crystal clear, no human being helps God exorcise demons out of an afflicted person. It is God who drives them out all by his will. All the anointed oil and fervent praying is totally powerless because it is God who does this act.
Many Christians who have done deliverances or exorcisms have become quite delusional when it comes to spiritual warfare. Too often these Christians view themselves as leading the charge against the armies of Satan while the Holy Spirit brings up the rear. What extremely flawed reasoning is occurring as this puts those Christians in line for brutal defeat.
In reality, it is God who must lead every battle against demons. If we fail to allow God first there is no battle, there’s only the Christians who get mowed down by the demons. Now how hard is it for a person to win an arm wrestling contest with an infant?
That type of contest is not a challenge that is a joke. So when Christians try to come against demons on their own, the demons are laughing at our senselessness. The only reason this person could walk away in one piece would be due to the Holy Spirit rushing in. It is the Holy Spirit that snatches people from dangers of demons much like a mother snatching her child out of the path of a speeding car on a road. Sadly, many of us refuse to witness God’s intervening hand and thus we walk away thinking “we sure showed those demons a thing or two.”
Understand that you are no match for demons. This is step one in learning proper spiritual warfare skills. So then should you be afraid of the power they possess? Absolutely. Any person should be afraid of demons as much as being afraid of a rabid lion which just surged into your afternoon picnic. A demon can destroy a person to shreds without even trying. Thus a person is no match for them so you need to stay away. Therefore don’t go playing around demonic strongholds and think you won’t be hurt!
In our next blog we will further discuss demons vs. you and how you don’t stand a chance! Here's the link to part 2.
Rev. Bradley Luoma
Those of you who are not Christians or don’t accept God stand ZERO chance of defeating a demon. Therefore a balanced view of demons is necessary for good spiritual warfare. Now one might expect this blog to deviate over into an in-depth discussion of spiritual warfare and how we as Christians need not be afraid of the devil.
It is a dangerous lack of fear which is causing many souls to unwisely deviate into very terrible traps of torment. Therefore to start one needs to be afraid of demons—very afraid. On another level a person needs to be fearless as well. Now both of these mentalities need to exist at the same time and for different reasons. If you drop either one of these mentalities, you will become spiritually vulnerable. So let’s start with why you need to be afraid of demons.
Demons are not human and have never been a living being. People however do not understand exactly what they are as no human does. Yet demons are experts on the subject of humans, including you the reader. Demons have had a much further head start against you and me. They have been studying, testing and defeating the human race since the beginning of Creation. This sober fact should hit you like a freight train that most souls end up in Hell when they die.
So therefore what does this tell you the reader? This should scream to you from the mountain tops about how confident demons are when it comes to defeating humans. They are quite cocky, and with good reason they have a right to be! Every demon is much like a military general who hardly ever lose a battle. Therefore these large mega churches give a Christian attendee a false sense of confidence. Just know that the unsaved far outnumber the saved in this world. Even within the high ranks of Christianity, demons have many souls in their service.
As the reader of this blog you need to get an understanding of demonic power in perspective that you can fathom. Imagine if you can trying to stand on the surface of the sun which is liquid molten. Now I know that is hard to do but try to imagine this for a second. How long do you think you would be able to last on liquid molten? What if you were suited up in some protective special equipment before you got shoved out of the spacecraft how do you think you would fare? Can you think of any man made material that can possibly protect you from 9,000 degrees plus of heat?
Now even if you could stand on the surface for a few seconds, you would drop down below the surface where the estimated temperature would be about a cool 27 million degrees Fahrenheit. Now when it comes to dealing with demons, we as Christians suit ourselves up with special prayers, proper bible verses, special blessed oil, holy water and we carry large blessed crucifixes. At that point people think they are ready to take on the powers of Hell and those people are delusional.
It is God and only God, the Alpha and Omega who can and will protect a person from demons. It is God alone, not God along with our assistance and certainly not you with God’s assistance. In our minds we feel that we can see pictures of ourselves prodding the Holy Spirit into action with our faith filled prayers.
Let me state this, God is not a donkey that we must poke into motion with sticks. God does what God wants to do and how God wants to do it, end of story. So let me be crystal clear, no human being helps God exorcise demons out of an afflicted person. It is God who drives them out all by his will. All the anointed oil and fervent praying is totally powerless because it is God who does this act.
Many Christians who have done deliverances or exorcisms have become quite delusional when it comes to spiritual warfare. Too often these Christians view themselves as leading the charge against the armies of Satan while the Holy Spirit brings up the rear. What extremely flawed reasoning is occurring as this puts those Christians in line for brutal defeat.
In reality, it is God who must lead every battle against demons. If we fail to allow God first there is no battle, there’s only the Christians who get mowed down by the demons. Now how hard is it for a person to win an arm wrestling contest with an infant?
That type of contest is not a challenge that is a joke. So when Christians try to come against demons on their own, the demons are laughing at our senselessness. The only reason this person could walk away in one piece would be due to the Holy Spirit rushing in. It is the Holy Spirit that snatches people from dangers of demons much like a mother snatching her child out of the path of a speeding car on a road. Sadly, many of us refuse to witness God’s intervening hand and thus we walk away thinking “we sure showed those demons a thing or two.”
Understand that you are no match for demons. This is step one in learning proper spiritual warfare skills. So then should you be afraid of the power they possess? Absolutely. Any person should be afraid of demons as much as being afraid of a rabid lion which just surged into your afternoon picnic. A demon can destroy a person to shreds without even trying. Thus a person is no match for them so you need to stay away. Therefore don’t go playing around demonic strongholds and think you won’t be hurt!
In our next blog we will further discuss demons vs. you and how you don’t stand a chance! Here's the link to part 2.
Rev. Bradley Luoma
Saturday, January 17, 2015
The Demonic And Dangers Of Innocent Ghost Hunting
A lot of people feel cemeteries are common places to run into inhuman spirits also known as Demons. Sadly these are places that are very common for thrillseeker's and ghost hunters. The reason why I personally believe this (just my opinion) there is a lot of sadness and despair. Not everyone handles death well. Even after years have passed by. We know Demons feed off negativity and sadness. Going into A cemetery or graveyard after hours is asking for trouble even if your not looking. Many won't come forward but I have dealt with many cases of attachment from harmless hunting or just hanging around these places after hours. In most cases pending on your intentions it gives them a legal right to harass you and worse..follow you and attach to you. Now they are in your personal space. Cemeteries with its energy of decay and death attracts entities. Entities can feed on extreme emotions, usually negative emotions such as grief and despair, of which there is plenty at the cemetery!
Many occult activities take place in these places which give them legal rights to be hanging around. On our local news a few months back we've had 3 occult type rituals left behind in a few local cemeteries along with dead chickens with satanic relics in their stomach. It was left cut open so these relics were not hard to notice. It's these type of activities that open doors or allow these demonic beings legal ground to be there to begin with.
If possession is rare, there is something else more common. It is called spiritual obsession, a term not widely recognized. With spiritual obsession a spirit doesn’t possess your body but influences your thoughts in a destructive way. Think of it as spontaneous, irrational, self-destructive impulses that appear from nowhere. Where did that thought come from? Why? It made no sense. If we reject these thoughts, they go away. But if we dwell on them…the negativity will linger, fester and become ingrained as our own.
Occult traditions have some ideas about the topic. Tradition suggests a maleficent spirit (or thought) can try an invasion. Normally we put it out of our mind, and it is gone. However, if we are passive in the face of a negative influence, eventually our connection with our own Higher Self may be severed. Our higher self is that part of our being that coexists with the realm of eternal Spirit. We are normally unaware of our higher self, but it steadily guides us invisibly. Call it our intuition. A negative entity (or thought) might try to replace our higher self (or intuition) with itself, like a parasite. If we allow it, the entity/thought will become our new, lower self. Then we’d be stuck, unable to access our higher self’s assistance. Once our own spiritual abilities are extinguished we require help from others.
Demonic Obsession may be quite common. We don’t need to be devil worshippers, wearing robes and sacrificing animals. People metaphorically sell their souls to the devil everyday. This is a process where people gradually abandon their humanity for some goal they think is more important. For instance, some are willing to do whatever it takes to be successful, even if that includes harming others. A good example is a gang member involved in a drive-by shooting, or a big businessman who feels no guilt about downsizing, firing employees and harming families. After awhile it gets easier and easier until neither cares anymore. Hey, it's just business I'm not personally making up the rules. Every day people sell their souls, if they realize it or not.
The following was taken from NY Daily News:
"Use of a Ouija has even led to violence and even to murder..." Dr. Marta Prohazka of Fairfax, Virginia, is also convinced that spirits can play terrifying destructive games with human behavior. During her practice as psychotherapist and psychoanalyst, she realized that many patients she had considered "hallucinating paranoid schizophrenics" might instead merely be in touch with something invisible to her but visible to them."I came to understand that another plane, or dimension or existence interrelated with our plane or visible manifestation," she said. "By training and expanding consciousness, some individuals gain entrance into that invisible dimension. It seems to some like a window into heaven."
It is just too easy to inadvertently gain attachments by innocent ghost hunting or having a high interest in the paranormal and then start on little adventures going to places even taking pictures. It's really best to try to avoid those oranges because there really are actual dangers real dangers doing these kind of activities and it's very difficult to find somebody who can truly help you if you have found yourself in a bad situation. It's very dangerous and I would think twice before getting too involved in this kind of stuff.
Written By Jennifer L Auld
Many occult activities take place in these places which give them legal rights to be hanging around. On our local news a few months back we've had 3 occult type rituals left behind in a few local cemeteries along with dead chickens with satanic relics in their stomach. It was left cut open so these relics were not hard to notice. It's these type of activities that open doors or allow these demonic beings legal ground to be there to begin with.
If possession is rare, there is something else more common. It is called spiritual obsession, a term not widely recognized. With spiritual obsession a spirit doesn’t possess your body but influences your thoughts in a destructive way. Think of it as spontaneous, irrational, self-destructive impulses that appear from nowhere. Where did that thought come from? Why? It made no sense. If we reject these thoughts, they go away. But if we dwell on them…the negativity will linger, fester and become ingrained as our own.
Occult traditions have some ideas about the topic. Tradition suggests a maleficent spirit (or thought) can try an invasion. Normally we put it out of our mind, and it is gone. However, if we are passive in the face of a negative influence, eventually our connection with our own Higher Self may be severed. Our higher self is that part of our being that coexists with the realm of eternal Spirit. We are normally unaware of our higher self, but it steadily guides us invisibly. Call it our intuition. A negative entity (or thought) might try to replace our higher self (or intuition) with itself, like a parasite. If we allow it, the entity/thought will become our new, lower self. Then we’d be stuck, unable to access our higher self’s assistance. Once our own spiritual abilities are extinguished we require help from others.
Demonic Obsession may be quite common. We don’t need to be devil worshippers, wearing robes and sacrificing animals. People metaphorically sell their souls to the devil everyday. This is a process where people gradually abandon their humanity for some goal they think is more important. For instance, some are willing to do whatever it takes to be successful, even if that includes harming others. A good example is a gang member involved in a drive-by shooting, or a big businessman who feels no guilt about downsizing, firing employees and harming families. After awhile it gets easier and easier until neither cares anymore. Hey, it's just business I'm not personally making up the rules. Every day people sell their souls, if they realize it or not.
The following was taken from NY Daily News:
"Use of a Ouija has even led to violence and even to murder..." Dr. Marta Prohazka of Fairfax, Virginia, is also convinced that spirits can play terrifying destructive games with human behavior. During her practice as psychotherapist and psychoanalyst, she realized that many patients she had considered "hallucinating paranoid schizophrenics" might instead merely be in touch with something invisible to her but visible to them."I came to understand that another plane, or dimension or existence interrelated with our plane or visible manifestation," she said. "By training and expanding consciousness, some individuals gain entrance into that invisible dimension. It seems to some like a window into heaven."
It is just too easy to inadvertently gain attachments by innocent ghost hunting or having a high interest in the paranormal and then start on little adventures going to places even taking pictures. It's really best to try to avoid those oranges because there really are actual dangers real dangers doing these kind of activities and it's very difficult to find somebody who can truly help you if you have found yourself in a bad situation. It's very dangerous and I would think twice before getting too involved in this kind of stuff.
Written By Jennifer L Auld
Friday, January 16, 2015
Sympathy for the Devil?
By Reverend Mark Hunnemann
Recently, a friend asked, "If enough people prayed for Satan, would he be transformed/saved?" The question was buttressed with this comment--"If God is loving and desires all to be saved, then why not Satan?" There seemed to be a tacit sympathy for the devil, and any demons who might be repentant.
My short response to my friend was, "No chance..none."
Before I elaborate, it might surprise some to know how common this sentiment/question is. A Christian author friend, well versed in the bible, who writes on demonology issues, asked essentially the same question a while back.And others have wondered out loud..... My hunch is that many of us have pondered the same issue.....And no sincere question should be met with calloused dismissiveness.
Let me elaborate on my short negation.Even when you listen to the Rolling Stones song "Sympathy...", they hint at the answer..."I will lay waste to your soul...."
1. From Genesis to Revelation, there is prophesied and sovereignly decreed, the eternal punishment of Satan for rebelling against God and leading His original image bearers (Adam and Eve...Genesis 3) into sin.I don't want to pile up verses, but the bible is replete with references to the triumph of God over the Evil One. The God of Truth predicted and decreed Satan's certain eternal damnation. For Him to now have sympathy for the devil would make God out to be the consummate liar.
2. One of the primary accomplishments of the atonement was securing the defeat and eternal punishment of Satan.The integrity and perfection of the cross of Christ would be abolished/negated if Satan/demons were "transformed". The NT is filled with references to how Jesus came to destroy the work of Satan (e.g. Colossians 2:15)The cross did not just secure our salvation, but it secured the devils damnation. Hence, any notion of Satanic transformation is an attack on the perfection of the design and accomplishment of the atonement.
3. In Hebrews 2:14-18 are some singularly humbling verses re grace. Grace is God giving us what we don't deserve, and mercy is God NOT giving us what we do deserve.Paraphrasing these verses, Once the Lord freely decided to save humans, God HAD to take on human flesh in order to be a proper substitute for us humans...the God/Man on the cross. However, nowhere are we told that God decided to save the lost angels, taking on their nature, and dying a substitutionary death on a cross for them.They received justice....we received grace and mercy. Please let this sink in. GOD DID NOT HAVE TO SAVE US...AND IF HE DIDN'T, HE STILL WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST. Our misunderstanding of God's love seems to force Him to give us (Satan) a second chance. But that is not grace...it is not mercy. It is a deficient understanding of both, as well as God's burning holiness.God freely decided to give His image bearers a second chance....He freely decided to not give Satan/demons a second chance. Justice.
4. We should rejoice in the eternal destruction of Satan..not have sympathy for him. The devil, if he could, would entice you to hell, after he murdered you and your loved ones. (John 10:10) Satan wants to steal what he can from you...he wants to kill you...and to destroy you. Satan has no remorse for his original sin, nor for the countless and unspeakable horrors since then. He is irredeemable because the notion is noxious to him. It is psychologically impossible for a sentient being to choose to do something they hate.We always do want we want to do (everything considered).
If every person on the planet prayed everyday for Satan's transformation, it would not change a thing. Prayer does change things, but no amount of prayer can change the eternal decree of God Almighty toward His hated enemy, and the enemy of our souls. God hates Satan--hence, he is doomed for eternal torture. No sympathy for the devil. None. We should rejoice in his eternal punishment. The friend I referred to at the outset, agreed after we discussed these and other issues.
Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.
"The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy..."
(John 10:10)
Recently, a friend asked, "If enough people prayed for Satan, would he be transformed/saved?" The question was buttressed with this comment--"If God is loving and desires all to be saved, then why not Satan?" There seemed to be a tacit sympathy for the devil, and any demons who might be repentant.
My short response to my friend was, "No chance..none."
Before I elaborate, it might surprise some to know how common this sentiment/question is. A Christian author friend, well versed in the bible, who writes on demonology issues, asked essentially the same question a while back.And others have wondered out loud..... My hunch is that many of us have pondered the same issue.....And no sincere question should be met with calloused dismissiveness.
Let me elaborate on my short negation.Even when you listen to the Rolling Stones song "Sympathy...", they hint at the answer..."I will lay waste to your soul...."
1. From Genesis to Revelation, there is prophesied and sovereignly decreed, the eternal punishment of Satan for rebelling against God and leading His original image bearers (Adam and Eve...Genesis 3) into sin.I don't want to pile up verses, but the bible is replete with references to the triumph of God over the Evil One. The God of Truth predicted and decreed Satan's certain eternal damnation. For Him to now have sympathy for the devil would make God out to be the consummate liar.
2. One of the primary accomplishments of the atonement was securing the defeat and eternal punishment of Satan.The integrity and perfection of the cross of Christ would be abolished/negated if Satan/demons were "transformed". The NT is filled with references to how Jesus came to destroy the work of Satan (e.g. Colossians 2:15)The cross did not just secure our salvation, but it secured the devils damnation. Hence, any notion of Satanic transformation is an attack on the perfection of the design and accomplishment of the atonement.
3. In Hebrews 2:14-18 are some singularly humbling verses re grace. Grace is God giving us what we don't deserve, and mercy is God NOT giving us what we do deserve.Paraphrasing these verses, Once the Lord freely decided to save humans, God HAD to take on human flesh in order to be a proper substitute for us humans...the God/Man on the cross. However, nowhere are we told that God decided to save the lost angels, taking on their nature, and dying a substitutionary death on a cross for them.They received justice....we received grace and mercy. Please let this sink in. GOD DID NOT HAVE TO SAVE US...AND IF HE DIDN'T, HE STILL WOULD HAVE BEEN JUST. Our misunderstanding of God's love seems to force Him to give us (Satan) a second chance. But that is not grace...it is not mercy. It is a deficient understanding of both, as well as God's burning holiness.God freely decided to give His image bearers a second chance....He freely decided to not give Satan/demons a second chance. Justice.
4. We should rejoice in the eternal destruction of Satan..not have sympathy for him. The devil, if he could, would entice you to hell, after he murdered you and your loved ones. (John 10:10) Satan wants to steal what he can from you...he wants to kill you...and to destroy you. Satan has no remorse for his original sin, nor for the countless and unspeakable horrors since then. He is irredeemable because the notion is noxious to him. It is psychologically impossible for a sentient being to choose to do something they hate.We always do want we want to do (everything considered).
If every person on the planet prayed everyday for Satan's transformation, it would not change a thing. Prayer does change things, but no amount of prayer can change the eternal decree of God Almighty toward His hated enemy, and the enemy of our souls. God hates Satan--hence, he is doomed for eternal torture. No sympathy for the devil. None. We should rejoice in his eternal punishment. The friend I referred to at the outset, agreed after we discussed these and other issues.
Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Dalai Lama Visits Gujarat, India
He told the story of leaving his farming family at the age of thirteen to work as a diamond cutter. He eventually fulfilled the dream of founding his own company and attributes his success to his having learned from his guru Shree Dhongreji Maharaj the value of treating others with respect. He discovered that as a result, others are cooperative and respectful to you in return. He said he makes a point of regarding those who work for his company as members of his family. His Holiness replied that his approach reminded him of companies in Japan where a key to success is the respect and equality that exists between workers and management. He observed:
“Without technology humanity has no future, but we have to be careful that we don’t become so mechanised that we lose our human feelings.”
His Holiness visited the various stages of the diamond process and talked to people working in it. At his own insistence he joined them for lunch in the staff dining room.
In the afternoon, His Holiness addressed more than 4000, mostly young people, at the Veer Narmad South Gujarat University Convention Hall.
“Dear elder brothers and sisters and younger brothers and sisters, I am indeed very happy to have this opportunity to interact here with you young people. There are two reasons. The first is that I am now an old person and relating with young people makes me feel younger too. When I’m with older people, I find myself wondering who’s due to go first, me or you?
“The second reason is that the past is past. We can learn from it, but we can’t change it. The future hasn’t yet come; it’s open. What will happen is not guaranteed. It is in our power to change it, but to do so we need to have vision, to take a long term perspective and we have to work hard. Those of you who are young today belong to the generation of the 21st century. If you are going to fulfil a vision for a happier, more peaceful future in this world, you need to learn to live each day in a more meaningful way. You need to sharpen your human intelligence through study, but you also need to develop a warm heart.”
He reiterated the importance of developing a wider perspective and a more holistic view. He said that to see reality clearly we need to look at it from more than one angle. We live at a time when the world population continues to increase while the threats of climate change continue to grow. These are issues that affect the whole of humanity. It would be easy to feel discouraged. However, His Holiness said that he’s found warm-heartedness to be a source of inner strength and self-confidence. It helps you keep up your enthusiasm and live in an honest, transparent way.
His Holiness referred to the wisdom to be found in ancient Indian knowledge. On the one hand he cited the great Indian physicist Raja Ramanna’s telling him of his excitement and pride in finding ideas in the writings of Nagarjuna that pre-empted the contemporary findings of quantum physics. On the other, His Holiness extolled the wealth of knowledge about the workings of our mind and emotions in ancient Indian psychology, knowledge that can be of great value today. He also praised India’s centuries’ old traditions of ahimsa, non-violence, and secularism.
He told his listeners that belonging to the most populous democratic country, young Indians today should look to see how they can contribute not only to India, but to the world as a whole.
“Many of the problems we face today are entirely manmade. Therefore solutions must be within our grasp too. But it’s crucial we take account of the whole of humanity.”
Among questions he was asked, the first was about the real value of religion. His Holiness replied:
“All the major religious traditions convey a message of love, tolerance, simplicity and self-discipline. They are helpful to humanity. It’s up to you whether you want to follow a religious tradition. But if you do, the important thing is to do so sincerely. What is clear is that all human beings need affection and in our education today we need to find ways to promote human values in ways that take everyone into account. We need to adopt a secular approach based on our common experience of affection, common sense and scientific findings. Added to this we need to understand how our mind and emotions work.”
Another student asked if His Holiness felt his wisdom derived directly from the teachings of the Buddha or from his own experience. He told him that the Buddha had encouraged his followers not to accept what he said at mere face value, but to examine, investigate and analyse it. His Holiness said he had followed great masters like Nagarjuna in doing just that. He said:
“I find analytical meditation is the most effective way to transform our emotions. “
Finally, a young woman asked if he had any advice for female students today. In his answer he talked about human history, of how long ago people lived in small groups with no idea of leadership, just sharing what they had with each other. However, with the development of agriculture, property and the need to protect it a need for leadership arose. At that time there was no education and the criterion for leadership was physical strength. This is how male dominance came about. The emergence of education has restored some sense of equality between men and women. But education alone is not sufficient. At a time when it is important to promote a wider sense of love and compassion, science has produced evidence that women are more sensitive to others’ needs and pain. Therefore, we need women to take greater responsibility for leadership. And where there is inequality we should work to correct it.
Meeting nearly 750 Tibetans who come to do business in Surat, His Holiness told them the Tibetan spirit remains strong. He encouraged them to be 20th century Buddhists to study to understand what Buddhism is about, to take pride in the Tibetan language. He also told them he has discussed the exodus of young people from Tibetan settlements and its implications for their future with the Sikyong Dr Lobsang Sangay. Thanking them for coming to see him, he ended:
“Be happy.”
Tomorrow, His Holiness will attend the Satokbaa Memorial Award Programme in Surat.
original link with photos http://www.dalailama.com/news/post/1218-new-years-day-in-gujarat
Friday, January 9, 2015
More And More Movies Are Creating Curiosity Of The Occult And Demons
I pray everyone has had a great weekend and having a wonderful day. It looks like we're into a new year my friends can you believe it's 2015? It almost seems the years are going by quicker and quicker or maybe I'm just getting older and older. LOL. Out with the old in with the new year. New resolutions are set for the new year and I pray that everybody is able to complete the goals that they would like to achieve having Gods favor.
Anything that glorifies Christ, Satan hates it. He will do what he can to ruin it as he mimics all the church does into his own perverted way that's taking place all over the world as we speak. How ironic that even more of these diabolical movies are coming out before and after Christmas? I wrote about this last year I believe. There is just a plethora of commercials I see on TV advertising more movies and TV shows that are about demons, possession and anything related. Obviously it must be in high demand if they just keep coming out year after year with more and more. They seem to be opening the door for more curiosity and then more people are inadvertently getting themselves in situations that they never dreamed it could happen. These latest movies I see coming out are about pure evil for entertainment. This does nothing but awaken anything out there and keep it alive.
Movies About Demons are certainly taking over. Not in a healthy manner. It just seems evil is taking over entertainment industry and won't be slowing down. Two more evil type movies have been promoted this week. Very disturbing trailers. This is not healthy. This is bad on so many levels when one isn't of full mind thinking black magic is safe with no ramifications.
Horror movies are addicting, because the thrill of being afraid is addicting. When you begin to watch these type of movies, you’re inviting evil spirits into your home and into your life and all thing personal. The fear you’re feeling opens the door for spirits of fear and God knows what else. People love the thrill of being scared and the curiosity feeds the thrill even more. They form attachments to you and your life and they prey upon your mind. Getting a thrill from being scared through watching horror movies is actually a risk in my humble opinion. The law of attraction is what comes to mind. According to the Bible the origin of evil and subsequently, demons or evil spirits began with the fall of Lucifer.
Many people mistakenly believe that throughout human history, Satan has already been banished from heaven, or that he reigns in some kind of kingdom in hell. That isn't true. Satan has always had access to the Throne of God, where he serves as the principle accuser of the saints of God. "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them." (Job 1:4)
We understand from scripture that these fallen angels are powerful beings who occupy the atmosphere and stratosphere of our Earth. We also know from scripture that there is a hierarchy or order among the evil spirits with Satan being the chief. In Ephesians 6:12 we read, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Written By Jennifer L Auld
Anything that glorifies Christ, Satan hates it. He will do what he can to ruin it as he mimics all the church does into his own perverted way that's taking place all over the world as we speak. How ironic that even more of these diabolical movies are coming out before and after Christmas? I wrote about this last year I believe. There is just a plethora of commercials I see on TV advertising more movies and TV shows that are about demons, possession and anything related. Obviously it must be in high demand if they just keep coming out year after year with more and more. They seem to be opening the door for more curiosity and then more people are inadvertently getting themselves in situations that they never dreamed it could happen. These latest movies I see coming out are about pure evil for entertainment. This does nothing but awaken anything out there and keep it alive.
Movies About Demons are certainly taking over. Not in a healthy manner. It just seems evil is taking over entertainment industry and won't be slowing down. Two more evil type movies have been promoted this week. Very disturbing trailers. This is not healthy. This is bad on so many levels when one isn't of full mind thinking black magic is safe with no ramifications.
Horror movies are addicting, because the thrill of being afraid is addicting. When you begin to watch these type of movies, you’re inviting evil spirits into your home and into your life and all thing personal. The fear you’re feeling opens the door for spirits of fear and God knows what else. People love the thrill of being scared and the curiosity feeds the thrill even more. They form attachments to you and your life and they prey upon your mind. Getting a thrill from being scared through watching horror movies is actually a risk in my humble opinion. The law of attraction is what comes to mind. According to the Bible the origin of evil and subsequently, demons or evil spirits began with the fall of Lucifer.
Many people mistakenly believe that throughout human history, Satan has already been banished from heaven, or that he reigns in some kind of kingdom in hell. That isn't true. Satan has always had access to the Throne of God, where he serves as the principle accuser of the saints of God. "Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them." (Job 1:4)
We understand from scripture that these fallen angels are powerful beings who occupy the atmosphere and stratosphere of our Earth. We also know from scripture that there is a hierarchy or order among the evil spirits with Satan being the chief. In Ephesians 6:12 we read, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Written By Jennifer L Auld
Thursday, January 8, 2015
The Millennium...Differing Views
By Reverend Mark Hunnemann
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit1 and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and resealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
Responsible biblical scholars differ in their interpretation of the meaning of "the thousand years" (millennium), and these verses are among the mostly controversial in Revelation. I will only be able to give a brief outline of the three main views.Since this is not an issue essential to salvation, gentleness and a desire to learn from each other should mark the way we view differ.
This book is apocalyptic in genre, and that means that there is much symbolism. The issue is how much of Revelation is symbolic and how much is "literal". It needs to be said that the use of symbols does not detract from the authority of the bible.(see ch 1 for how symbols begin...."lampstands")
Some see this book as primarily future....some see it a primarily past (fall of Jerusalem),,,,and some see it as mixture of both.
1. Premillennialists--those who believe Christ will return "pre" (before) the millennium. This is usually thought to be a literal thousand years, which will be a time of great peace and justice, with Christ physically reigning here on earth, along with believers. They tend to minimize symbolism as much as possible.I cannot deal with the differing views of the tribulation nor the notion of the rapture.However, classical premills differ from pre-trib premills in that they believe the rapture/second coming are same event.
2. Postmillenialists--those who think that Christ will return "post" (after) the millennial period, and that the gospel will triumph in changing individuals and culture, and peace and justice will reign for a thousand years (or a long time). They see a future which will be systematically transformed by the gospel, but that prior to Jesus' return there will be an unleashing of wickedness....then Christ will return for Judgment. .Not all post-mills are reconstructionists...again, I have to leave it at that.
3. Amillennialists--those who hold an "a" ( non, or non-literal view of the thousand years), and believe this "thousand years" is the same as this present church age, and that this is the "millenium" before Christ's return. As with the others, they believe in a great apostasy before Christ's literal return.What differentiates them from post mills is that, even though they believe in the extraordinary transforming power of the gospel, they do not believe in a golden age prior to Jesus' Second Coming.The victory is that deceased believers reign with Christ now...and the alive believers are more than conquerors in Christ.
Each of these views are to be understood in terms of interpretation of other passages (e.g. Matthew 24), and each view falls within the framework of historic Christian othodoxy. In addition, many folks adhere to a mix of these views!
v. 1-3 (cf 12:9-17) The nature of this binding of Satan is crucial to each millennial view. Premills read this as predicting a complete removal of Satan from the earth during the millennium. They argue that "shut it" and "sealed it over him" picture a removal of Satan from Earth too complete to represent the current age. Postmills also think this will be a future golden age, but believe that Christ will not return until after the end of that time. Amills note that the NT affirms that Jesus's first coming has already bound Satan (Matthew 12:29) and brought God's light to the nations (Matthew 4:14-16; Luke 2:32; Acts 14:15-17; 17:30-31) Hence, they argue that this binding of Satan for a "thousand years" refers to the gospels spread among all nations during the present age, and to the present restraint of the church's persecutors until an outbreak of rebellion before Christ's return (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8) v.4-5 "...and reigned with Christ for a thousand years".Premills think this means that resurrected believers will assist with Christ's thousand year reign as King over the earth. Amills think this means that deceased believers now (and during the entire "thousand years", which means from Pentecost to second coming) are reigning with Christ from heaven. Postmills see it as a future triumph of Christianity in the world.
Historically, there are significant differences amongst those who are premill, and there are other overlapping factors amongst the three views, but this is a humble attempt to clarify the basic three views held during the last 2,000 years. The main issue is that Jesus is most certainly returning to judge the living and the dead, and that He reigns supreme NOW.
Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.
Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit1 and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and resealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.
4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
Responsible biblical scholars differ in their interpretation of the meaning of "the thousand years" (millennium), and these verses are among the mostly controversial in Revelation. I will only be able to give a brief outline of the three main views.Since this is not an issue essential to salvation, gentleness and a desire to learn from each other should mark the way we view differ.
This book is apocalyptic in genre, and that means that there is much symbolism. The issue is how much of Revelation is symbolic and how much is "literal". It needs to be said that the use of symbols does not detract from the authority of the bible.(see ch 1 for how symbols begin...."lampstands")
Some see this book as primarily future....some see it a primarily past (fall of Jerusalem),,,,and some see it as mixture of both.
1. Premillennialists--those who believe Christ will return "pre" (before) the millennium. This is usually thought to be a literal thousand years, which will be a time of great peace and justice, with Christ physically reigning here on earth, along with believers. They tend to minimize symbolism as much as possible.I cannot deal with the differing views of the tribulation nor the notion of the rapture.However, classical premills differ from pre-trib premills in that they believe the rapture/second coming are same event.
2. Postmillenialists--those who think that Christ will return "post" (after) the millennial period, and that the gospel will triumph in changing individuals and culture, and peace and justice will reign for a thousand years (or a long time). They see a future which will be systematically transformed by the gospel, but that prior to Jesus' return there will be an unleashing of wickedness....then Christ will return for Judgment. .Not all post-mills are reconstructionists...again, I have to leave it at that.
3. Amillennialists--those who hold an "a" ( non, or non-literal view of the thousand years), and believe this "thousand years" is the same as this present church age, and that this is the "millenium" before Christ's return. As with the others, they believe in a great apostasy before Christ's literal return.What differentiates them from post mills is that, even though they believe in the extraordinary transforming power of the gospel, they do not believe in a golden age prior to Jesus' Second Coming.The victory is that deceased believers reign with Christ now...and the alive believers are more than conquerors in Christ.
Each of these views are to be understood in terms of interpretation of other passages (e.g. Matthew 24), and each view falls within the framework of historic Christian othodoxy. In addition, many folks adhere to a mix of these views!
v. 1-3 (cf 12:9-17) The nature of this binding of Satan is crucial to each millennial view. Premills read this as predicting a complete removal of Satan from the earth during the millennium. They argue that "shut it" and "sealed it over him" picture a removal of Satan from Earth too complete to represent the current age. Postmills also think this will be a future golden age, but believe that Christ will not return until after the end of that time. Amills note that the NT affirms that Jesus's first coming has already bound Satan (Matthew 12:29) and brought God's light to the nations (Matthew 4:14-16; Luke 2:32; Acts 14:15-17; 17:30-31) Hence, they argue that this binding of Satan for a "thousand years" refers to the gospels spread among all nations during the present age, and to the present restraint of the church's persecutors until an outbreak of rebellion before Christ's return (2 Thessalonians 2:3-8) v.4-5 "...and reigned with Christ for a thousand years".Premills think this means that resurrected believers will assist with Christ's thousand year reign as King over the earth. Amills think this means that deceased believers now (and during the entire "thousand years", which means from Pentecost to second coming) are reigning with Christ from heaven. Postmills see it as a future triumph of Christianity in the world.
Historically, there are significant differences amongst those who are premill, and there are other overlapping factors amongst the three views, but this is a humble attempt to clarify the basic three views held during the last 2,000 years. The main issue is that Jesus is most certainly returning to judge the living and the dead, and that He reigns supreme NOW.
Mark Hunnemann is the author of Seeing Ghosts Through God's Eyes: A Worldview Analysis of Earthbound Spirits. It's also available in eBook format.
Secular Ethics is the Light of Hope: Dalai Lama
Vaishali Balajiwale
"Tibet had remained dark till light from India reached the place; enlightenment came to Tibet from India, and historically Indians are our gurus, and we the chelas," said Dalai Lama, addressing the International Conference on Secular Ethics in Nashik on Saturday.
Dalai Lama, who captivated the audience with his thoughts, also answered questions of the gathering.
Stressing the need to lead a happy life, Dalai Lama said we needed to think of a happy world. "Oneness means all the people being one and leading a happy life. The basis of human rights is happy life. Everyone wants to lead a happy life for which we need to have a holistic approach. Faith is important, religions can be different," Dalai Lama said, giving example of the Chinese following the communist thought. He said: "The Chinese I met were non-believers, but were dedicated to working for the poor. What is important is becoming a good human being with deep human values."
On religious tolerance, Dalai Lama said: "Religious differences are borne by retarded thought. Acceptance of humanity should lie in the head and the mind."
Many problems in the society arise due to short-sightedness, or on account of looking at something in just one angle. The reality however is much complex. It is necessary that we look through six dimensions, or else we may fail to see the reality, Dalai Lama said.
On secularism, he said: "Secularism does not mean disrespect for other religions. No religion teaches violence. It will be unfair to generalise the bad tendencies in a religion and say it does not teach good."
On religious fundamentalism, Dalai Lama said: "Religions preach devotion to Allah, the Almighty or God. Saying that a particular religion teaches conflict would be totally ridiculous. No religion is negative. Any religion that teaches people to live happily cannot be bad. A religion may have mischievous people, but saying that their behaviour reflects the whole religion will not be correct."
On similarities in Buddhism and Jainism, Dalai Lama said: "Both believe there is no beginning or end, as well as non-violence (ahimsa)."
Saying it was important to develop an investigative bend of mind, Dalai Lama urged people not to follow any religious leader blindly. "Question", he said adding, "Buddha said investigate a thought thoroughly. Study the qualifications of a guru or a leader, meet them, observe till you develop a conviction that what the leader says can be followed."
"Know the qualities of a disciple, and as a disciple conduct unbiased investigation; use your intellect and develop enthusiasm to practise what you have accepted and believed. This is the Nalanda tradition and time has come to follow it, he said.
Compassion and affection are important in life for even those who have had cruel or unfavourable experience in early stages of life. With some effort we can turn to positivity, that is the basic human nature, Dalai Lama said.
Praising Dr Ambedkar, he said the maker of Indian Constitution was a great scholar. "His contributions are great."
On science and Buddhism, Dalai Lama said many scientists had come to accept that science had a role in transforming thinking. Even Albert Einstein believed that religion and science could go side by side. Many people say Buddhism is a way of life and not a religion. Buddhist psychology is all about building a healthy mind, healthy body and a healthy society.
Leaders of different religions expressed themselves on religion and all of them emphasised that the "true religion is secularism, brotherhood and peace" – "One God, one world and one family, binds all together," he said. "Secularism is the call of the day and secular ethics, the light of hope."
original link: http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-secular-ethics-is-the-light-of-hope-dalai-lama-2049349
Sins of the Forefathers: Generational Curses
In this blog I hope to help give you the reader a better understanding in certain aspects of Exorcism, dealing with generational curses. Generational curses for a common sense understanding is stated as “sins of your forefathers”, on both sides of the blood lines. Each of our bloodlines descend from other areas of the world as our ancestors made impacts into their world at the time they lived.
Exorcism is removing the Demonic from within the person. Curse breaking is used to sever ancestry ties to past sins as the “back door” gateway to the human in conjunction with the mortal sins the person committed. So how does a generational curse actually work?
Generational curses work as follows, let’s say for example you know a family that has a history of anger issues. Suppose a man went to see his Minister to discuss his anger and violent temper issues because his father too is an angry as well as violent man. The young man asked the Minister about deliverance of this generational curse with the Minister to which the Minister responded in a manner such that this is a learned behavior.
The Minister might discuss with the young man that this is not scripturally based, because these anger outbursts are being works of the flesh so to speak. Thus as Christians we are to have the Holy Spirit which overcomes this under accordance of scripture (see Galatians 5:16, 20). A generation is defined as the age between the birth of the parents and the birth their child according to Webster’s. A curse is defined as a prayer or invocation to cause harm to a person, a call to a supernatural power to send or cause injury upon someone.
Many people do suffer from a burden that seems to be handed down (alcoholism, anger, violence, molestation, etc…). So what does the Holy bible state about generational curses? Exodus 34:7 states, "Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting (punishing) the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation." Lamentations 5:7, "Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne (been punished for) their iniquities."
Based upon what ancestors have done within the bloodlines who lived in the past is impossible to determine. Very few people know how to properly break these generational curses that affect them to this day. Why is that? Well the answers can be many, but the simple truth is two-fold in my assessment:
A. People do not view these generational aspects anything but a physiological issue. Example if the grandfather was angry, the son/daugther will be a angry due to living in this situation. The physiological issue can be a legitimate scenario but truly dark forces are at work behind the scenes to keep this activity alive.
B. Ministry is not addressing these as generational curses because Ministry is not taking the time talk about these areas of human lives as curses set forth from ancestors which GOD is punishing people.
Many times people want to view GOD as an all loving, all compassionate GOD when frankly that is clearly not the case. Many people who are Christian as they claim to be are confused (which they are from conversations I have had with many) that GOD could not be completely loving and jealous at the same time.
In Exodus 20:4-6, GOD is not using the word "jealous" as you or I would in the same context. Use the word "jealous" to describe the feeling we get when someone else has something that we want or has qualities that we wish we had.
In the scripture of Exodus GOD states "Thou shalt not make up for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shalt not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God." What is being stated is that GOD will not tolerate one of His creation worshipping or bowing down to a GOD other than Himself.
People want to assume that there is some “grey” area that GOD will give a pass for and simply that is not the truth. People use the logic that if GOD was not loving then he would not send a savior so therefore he is ultimately not to be feared. Well then, if that is not the case then according to James 2:19 “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” So if the Demons tremble in the name of GOD according to the scripture then why shouldn’t we as humans?
Ministry is not talking about the power of GOD acting in a subjugative manner anymore. Instead our churches are focusing on talking about the redeeming love for his children. Here is the major issue, there is no fear in the Lord our GOD anymore from our churches and this is very dangerous. Psalms 111:10 states “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth forever.”
This is the plan from Satan to make certain that Ministry is becoming “watered down” so to speak, thus people are struggling heavily in the churches. Satan is having his way inside the churches with the Ministers not employed to break the hold of the Demonic upon people.
This ties right into our discussion on generational curses issues. Why? For now we can see how these curses are even passed through the churches unchecked of weak Ministry setting up and supporting other weak Ministers. So therefore these weak Ministers cannot truly help the flock with issues of spiritual bondage when it comes to dealing with the Demonic and breaking generational curses.
If you were a person suffering in this manner and you went to your Minister to request assistance and this Minister were to say to you “Well you just need to pray this situation to GOD and he will provide you the answers you need.” First of all you would be disappointed in this Minister and secondly you would still be in this bondage until properly broken. Nothing has been done to break the hold the Demonic have in or upon you or your bloodline. Therefore to be free it might take the Demonic within Exorcism to renounce the generational curse in place to be truly set free.
The job of Exorcism Ministry is to remove people from spiritual bondage which they are being held captive. Generational curses are spiritual bondage at its finest. These are demonic forces who are enacting this form of imprisonment upon people.
If you feel that you are suffering from a generational curse you can break away and become free. Many people whom I have helped break curses felt like they took anchors as well as chains off their necks and bodies. Feel free to contact me if you need assistance to do this properly.
Rev. Bradley Luoma, Exorcist Minister
Exorcism is removing the Demonic from within the person. Curse breaking is used to sever ancestry ties to past sins as the “back door” gateway to the human in conjunction with the mortal sins the person committed. So how does a generational curse actually work?
Generational curses work as follows, let’s say for example you know a family that has a history of anger issues. Suppose a man went to see his Minister to discuss his anger and violent temper issues because his father too is an angry as well as violent man. The young man asked the Minister about deliverance of this generational curse with the Minister to which the Minister responded in a manner such that this is a learned behavior.
The Minister might discuss with the young man that this is not scripturally based, because these anger outbursts are being works of the flesh so to speak. Thus as Christians we are to have the Holy Spirit which overcomes this under accordance of scripture (see Galatians 5:16, 20). A generation is defined as the age between the birth of the parents and the birth their child according to Webster’s. A curse is defined as a prayer or invocation to cause harm to a person, a call to a supernatural power to send or cause injury upon someone.
Many people do suffer from a burden that seems to be handed down (alcoholism, anger, violence, molestation, etc…). So what does the Holy bible state about generational curses? Exodus 34:7 states, "Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting (punishing) the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation." Lamentations 5:7, "Our fathers have sinned, and are not; and we have borne (been punished for) their iniquities."
Based upon what ancestors have done within the bloodlines who lived in the past is impossible to determine. Very few people know how to properly break these generational curses that affect them to this day. Why is that? Well the answers can be many, but the simple truth is two-fold in my assessment:
A. People do not view these generational aspects anything but a physiological issue. Example if the grandfather was angry, the son/daugther will be a angry due to living in this situation. The physiological issue can be a legitimate scenario but truly dark forces are at work behind the scenes to keep this activity alive.
B. Ministry is not addressing these as generational curses because Ministry is not taking the time talk about these areas of human lives as curses set forth from ancestors which GOD is punishing people.
Many times people want to view GOD as an all loving, all compassionate GOD when frankly that is clearly not the case. Many people who are Christian as they claim to be are confused (which they are from conversations I have had with many) that GOD could not be completely loving and jealous at the same time.
In Exodus 20:4-6, GOD is not using the word "jealous" as you or I would in the same context. Use the word "jealous" to describe the feeling we get when someone else has something that we want or has qualities that we wish we had.
In the scripture of Exodus GOD states "Thou shalt not make up for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shalt not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God." What is being stated is that GOD will not tolerate one of His creation worshipping or bowing down to a GOD other than Himself.
People want to assume that there is some “grey” area that GOD will give a pass for and simply that is not the truth. People use the logic that if GOD was not loving then he would not send a savior so therefore he is ultimately not to be feared. Well then, if that is not the case then according to James 2:19 “Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.” So if the Demons tremble in the name of GOD according to the scripture then why shouldn’t we as humans?
Ministry is not talking about the power of GOD acting in a subjugative manner anymore. Instead our churches are focusing on talking about the redeeming love for his children. Here is the major issue, there is no fear in the Lord our GOD anymore from our churches and this is very dangerous. Psalms 111:10 states “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth forever.”
This is the plan from Satan to make certain that Ministry is becoming “watered down” so to speak, thus people are struggling heavily in the churches. Satan is having his way inside the churches with the Ministers not employed to break the hold of the Demonic upon people.
This ties right into our discussion on generational curses issues. Why? For now we can see how these curses are even passed through the churches unchecked of weak Ministry setting up and supporting other weak Ministers. So therefore these weak Ministers cannot truly help the flock with issues of spiritual bondage when it comes to dealing with the Demonic and breaking generational curses.
If you were a person suffering in this manner and you went to your Minister to request assistance and this Minister were to say to you “Well you just need to pray this situation to GOD and he will provide you the answers you need.” First of all you would be disappointed in this Minister and secondly you would still be in this bondage until properly broken. Nothing has been done to break the hold the Demonic have in or upon you or your bloodline. Therefore to be free it might take the Demonic within Exorcism to renounce the generational curse in place to be truly set free.
The job of Exorcism Ministry is to remove people from spiritual bondage which they are being held captive. Generational curses are spiritual bondage at its finest. These are demonic forces who are enacting this form of imprisonment upon people.
If you feel that you are suffering from a generational curse you can break away and become free. Many people whom I have helped break curses felt like they took anchors as well as chains off their necks and bodies. Feel free to contact me if you need assistance to do this properly.
Rev. Bradley Luoma, Exorcist Minister
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