Words are Tomorrow in Today

by Tom Brown

One of the greatest fears of mankind is the fear of the future. There is no reason to fear the future, because Jeremiah 31:17 says, “There is hope for your future.” Combine this verse with Jeremiah 29:11 and you have assurance for a great future: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Some people have the attitude that some are born to have a good destiny while others are born to have a bad destiny. They think God is up in heaven saying to one person, “I like you. I’m going to make you into a great person.” Then they think God turns to another and says, “I don’t like you. I’m going to give you a bad destiny.” Some people think that some are meant to have a great future but others are meant to have a bad future. But this is simply not true.

God means for everyone to have a great future. God has never placed upon any person a terrible destiny.

You say, “Why do some people have a terrible destiny?” Because they haven’t hooked themselves up with God’s plan for their lives.

This is why I have written this article. I want you to hook yourself up with God’s plan. His plan for you is great, however you have to believe in it in order for God’s plan to work for you.

Not only do you have to believe in God’s plan for you, but you have to know it! How can you believe in something that you don’t know? You can’t. Yet some people say, “I believe God has a plan for me.”

When asked what the plan is, these people will respond, “I don’t know, but I believe in it.” But you can’t believe in something that you don’t know. You have to find out God’s plan for your life.

GOING IN CIRCLES

Some people are always going in circles. They do a lot of work, but they never get anywhere. Why? Because they don’t know where they’re going.

Imagine sitting in an airplane and hearing the pilot’s voice, “Hello, this is Captain Lost. Our goal is to arrive somewhere. I don’t know where I’m going, but I hope to arrive there anyway.” That is your cue to get off the plane.

A pilot has a map that tells him where to go. You have a map that tells you where to go and where God wants you to be. It’s called the Bible. The Bible contains thousands of promises to us: from healing, to prosperity, to guidance, to victory, to happiness in every realm of life. It is in these promises that you will find your glorious future. Unfortunately many people do not avail themselves to these glorious promises; therefore, they don’t have a glorious future.

THE POWER OF WORDS

In the Bible God tells us how this great future can come to pass in our lives. It comes to pass through our words. God has ordain our words to be the rudder to our lives. What we say will determine our destiny. Solomon says:  “From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things as surely as the work of his hands rewards him” (Proverbs 12:14).

Working with your hands will produce certain results for you. Work will determine your future. If you don’t work, then you will have a bad future. It’s just that simple.

Yet God says that your tongue can produce the same kind of results as the work of your hands. Solomon is saying that a man is filled with good things by the fruit of his lips.

If you had a choice between having good things or bad things, wouldn’t you choose the good things? Of course you would. Well, how do you get the good things? By the fruit of your lips.

Let’s look at another scripture which echoes this truth. From the fruit of his lips a man enjoys good things… (Proverbs 13:2)

How does a man enjoy good things? By the fruit of his lips.

Now let’s look at the classic scripture on the power of the tongue.

 From the fruit of his mouth a man’s stomach is filled; with the harvest from his lips he is satisfied. The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit (Proverbs 18:20-21).

You do remember that God said, “I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Therefore choose life.” You choose life by choosing the words you speak. What you say out of your mouth is going to determine whether you have life or death. Your words determine whether you are going to have blessings or curses.

When the Bible speaks of the tongue, it is not referring to the pink, wet, slimy organ in your mouth. It is referring to the words that the tongue speaks. Don’t be like the woman who said, “I’m always saying the wrong thing. I think it’s because my tongue is wet and it’s always slipping.” The tongue is an organ of speech. It is speech that is powerful, not the organ itself.

This scripture says that the tongue produces fruit. We could say it this way: Your words produce fruit, and fruit is the end result of seeds. If you hold in your hand an apple, then you hold the end result of a seed. So fruit is the end result of a seed.

This means that your words are initially seeds. And what you plant now, you get later. So, what you say now, you get later.

My friend Don Gossett wrote a best-selling book entitled, “What You Say Is What You Get.” This is true. What you say now, you will get later. You are going to reap the words of your mouth. So you better watch what you say, because if it is bad you will reap it. This is one of the most powerful truths that you can learn when it comes to successful living. Of course you can always repent for what you say, and God will forgive you so you can set your life right.

PROMISE OF TOMORROW

Every seed holds the promise of tomorrow. Tomorrow is the future. Every seed holds the promise of the future. Your words hold the promise of your future. The life you are living now is the result of the words you spoke in the past.

I’ve heard parents say, “We don’t understand why our kids didn’t turn out right. We did everything we could. We even warned them. We told them that they were never going to amount to anything. We told them that they were going to be failures, and they were.”

Do you see what they did? They constantly spoke negative things to their kids. They predicted their kids future by their words.

You say, “Wait a minute. Aren’t we supposed to warn our children when they do wrong?” Yes. You can warn them without predicting their future, though.

For example, after your son has done something wrong you can spank him and afterward say, “Son, what you did was wrong. Jesus lives in you, so you can do better. Next time, let the Lord live through you. I forgive you.” That’s better than saying in anger and fear, “You’re never going to amount to anything! I won’t be a bit surprised to find you in prison some day!”

I have noticed that nearly every Miss America winner will say something like, “I want to thank my parents for their support. They told me that I could do anything if I put my mind to it. They believed in me and said that I could be Miss America. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for believing in me.”

You hardly hear any winner say, “I thank only myself, because no one believed in me. My parents said that I was foolish in thinking that I could be Miss America.” No! You don’t hear those lovely ladies say that.

Unfortunately, you may be walking in the fruit of your parents’ negative words. Maybe they told you over and over again that you would never amount to anything. But don’t believe them. Believe God’s report instead.

* He says that you are a world overcomer.

* He says nothing is impossible for you who believe.

* He says that greater is the Holy Spirit who is in you than the   devil who is in the world.

* He says that the righteous may fall seven times, but he shall arise every time.

* He says all things work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His good purpose.

Start speaking God’s words, and don’t repeat the negative words of others, even if those people happen to be your parents. Love your parents, respect them, be kind to them, but don’t believe their negative report about you.

In Numbers chapter 14, the people were declaring that they and their children would die in the desert and not enter the Promise Land. God spoke to Moses and told him to give them this message: “As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say” (v. 28). God tells them that they are going to get everything they said. God said to them, “What you say, is what you get.” God did, however, exempt the children: “As for your children that YOU SAID would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected” (v.31). So you see that your parent’s words do not have to determine your destiny.

GOOD AND BAD

Proverbs 18:21 says that the tongue can produce both life and death. It can be an instrument of good and bad. The tongue is neutral. It’s neither good or bad; it’s only an instrument. You can use it to produce good or you can use it to produce bad. The choice is yours.

Your tongue even has the power of health. The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life…” (Proverbs 15:4). Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing (Proverbs 12:18).

Your tongue can make you well. Doctors have known this for some time. Some patients have told their doctors that they would live and not die, and they did. These patients should have died according to the doctor’s reports, but instead they lived. Such miracles have constantly baffled the medical profession. I’m convinced that in many of these miracle cases, the people got healed because of their words.

Mary Bustillos is one person who got healed because she maintained a positive confession of God’s Word. Mary is my secretary at church. In 1986, Mary began to experience excruciating pain in her breast. During this time she cried out to Jesus, “Have mercy on me!” At this time, Jesus appeared to her in a bright light and showed her his nail-scarred hands. Mary thought, Oh, my God! I’m going to die because I have seen the Lord. Because of this vision, Mary gave up hope of living, thinking that the Lord was coming to take her to heaven.

She shared this vision with a sister in the Lord from Albuquerque. This lady helped Mary understand this vision. She rebuked Mary by showing her that she was misinterpreting the vision: “Jesus is showing you, Mary, that He bore your sickness, not that He is going to take you home.” Most importantly, the lady told Mary, “Quit speaking about dying. Speak life and healing.” She did, but the symptoms worsened.

Finally, she went to see a doctor about this condition. The doctor gave her the news that every woman has feared hearing, “You have cancer. Unfortunately, it’s already in the last stage. We can’t do anything to help you.”

Despite the negative report from the doctor, Mary began to declare, “The cancer is dead. The tumor is shrinking. I shall live and not die, and declare the glory of the Lord.” This sounded silly to the doctors, but to their amazement the cancer eventually disappeared. They gave her a complete bill of health in 1988. She is still alive and well and working hard for the Lord.

Mary and others like her have talked themselves into health. Others, unfortunately, have talked themselves into dying. Sometimes there was nothing seriously wrong with them, but they died anyway. Their words killed them.

Your words have the power of life and death. Your words are the most powerful thing you have working for you, or against you. So make your words work for you!

Speaking in Tongues

by Tom Brown

Speaking in tongues is the most talked about phenomena in Christianity. Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movement has brought speaking in tongues to the forefront, and these branches of Christianity are without doubt the fastest growing segments of Christianity. These movements are impacting the world even more than the reformation did.

Yet with all the talk about speaking in tongues, few understand what it’s all about. It is the least understood subject among believers. People will be surprise to find that the Bible mentions speaking in tongues thirty-five times. That is a lot, so this subject should not be cast lightly aside as unimportant to the Church. God does not fill His book with things of minor importance.

Many people who have never spoken in tongues speak as though they’re experts in this field, when in reality they teach only from theory.

Who should know more about tongues: those who speak in tongues or those who don’t? Well, shouldn’t we learn from those who do speak in tongues!? Since I do speak in tongues, I feel that I can bring scriptural wisdom with experience in this article. This column will clarify common misunderstandings and show the importance and benefits of speaking in tongues.

WHAT GOOD IS IT?

The Apostle Paul writes, “He who speaks in tongues edifies himself…I would like every one of you to speak in tongues” (1 Corinthians 14:4,5). With these positive statement about tongues, why do so few Christians speak in tongues? I believe the answer is because there is very little sound, logical and scriptural teaching as to the scope and value of speaking in tongues.

Recently I spoke to a group of Mormons at the University Ward on North Oregon Street. I shared my testimony on how God saved and filled me with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. After the talk, the number one question the students asked was on speaking in tongues. One inquisitive student asked, “What does speaking in tongues do for you?”

I answered, “It does exactly what the Bible says it does: He who speaks in tongues edifies himself.” The word “edify” means to “build up” or “charge up”–much like charging up a battery. We all need a spiritual charge. All of us at times feel spiritually drained. One of God’s ways to charge your spirit is through speaking in tongues.

A HEAVENLY LANGUAGE

Many people inaccurately define speaking in tongues as “speaking gibberish” or “talking nonsense.” The truth is, speaking in tongues is the most intelligent, perfect language in the universe. It is God’s language.

What language do you suppose people speak in heaven? Languages are given their name based on the countries they come from. For example, English comes from England. Spanish comes from Spain. Italian comes from Italy.

Well, where does tongues come from? It comes from Heaven! Tongues is the heavenly language. It is what is spoken in heaven; the only difference is that the people in heaven understand what they are saying. Here on earth Paul says, “For anyone who speaks in tongues does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understand him; he utters mysteries with his spirit” (v. 2).

Jesus says that those who believe in Him will “speak in new tongues” (Mark 16:17). The word “new” means appearing for the first time. No one had spoken these languages before. Contrary to bad theology tongues is not an ability given to preach the gospel in the language of foreigners. This would make tongues “old” languages. It is only appropriate that “new tongues” should be spoken by those of the “new birth.” It is natural and normal to speak in the language of your birth. We are born again from above, therefore we should speak the language from above–that language is called “new tongues.”

SHOULDN’T TONGUES BE UNDERSTOOD?

The first to speak in tongues were the disciples. This occurred on the day of Pentecost. People often think that on this day the disciples were speaking human languages, because the people could understand what they were saying.

I don’t believe this is true because there was a two-fold miracle taking place on this day: the miracle of speaking and hearing: The first miracle was the speaking in tongues. The second miracle was the enabling of some to understand the tongues. Not everyone understood the tongues, because some onlookers made fun of the disciples and accused them of being drunk (Acts 2:13); this clearly shows that they did not understand the tongues.

And the ones who did understand the tongues were perplex because each one heard only their own native language not the languages of the other people (v. 6). The Bible tells us that there were over fourteen foreigners representing many nations, speaking different languages. Yet each person heard the disciples praising God in their own language. They exclaimed, “How is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?” (v. 8) They could not figure out how this was possible.

It is clear that the disciples were not “preaching” the gospel in tongues, they were instead “declaring the wonders of God” (v. 11). They were not speaking “to men but to God” (1 Cor 14:2). The people were simply listening in on their praises to God. It wasn’t until Peter stood up to speak to the crowd in one common language that the gospel was preached. So tongues are not supernatural human languages given to the apostles so they could preach in languages they did not naturally learn.

The disciples were not speaking human languages; they were speaking in unknown tongues. But God enabled those whose hearts were opened to understand what the disciples were saying. Sometimes this happens today. You see, the miracle was in the hearing of the people.

THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT

Let us look carefully at the first scriptural account of speaking in tongues:

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4).

This experience is what John the baptist and Jesus called the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This was the fulfillment of Jesus promise, “In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5). Every Christian believes in baptizing in water. But few accept the better baptism–the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Since you were willing to be baptized in water, shouldn’t you also be willing to be baptized in the Holy Spirit?

Theologians often confuse the baptism in the Holy Spirit with salvation. They often regard these two experiences as being the same. This confuses believers. They incorrectly assume that salvation is the same as the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Bible does not teach this. The Bible clearly teaches that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate experience from salvation and comes after a person is saved, although it can occur at the time of salvation.

The story of the Samaritan converts plainly proves this (see Acts 8:5-25). Philip preached to them about Christ. The people joyfully accepted the gospel and was born again. They confirmed their faith by being baptized as well. Yet, despite the fact that these folks were truly saved, Philip called for the apostles to come and pray for them that they would receive the Holy Spirit. It is clear from this story that being saved is not the same as receiving the Holy Spirit. (Although the Holy Spirit is definitely involved in salvation.)

Another biblical story illustrates this fact (see Acts 19:1-7). Paul met some disciples of John the Baptist. He thought they were believers in the Lord Jesus, because they talked so much about repentance. Paul, unaware that they were only disciples of John, yet knowing something was missing in these men, asked them an obvious question, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

The question itself proves that Paul, including the early church, believed that it was possible to be a believer in Jesus without having received the Holy Spirit. If receiving the Holy Spirit was automatic at conversion, then why did Paul asked the question, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE

I was baptized in the Holy Spirit at the First Assembly of God church on Montana. The preacher asked for those wishing to dedicate themselves to the ministry to come forward for prayer. The first to come forward was a tall, slender fellow name Timmy. I thought, “If Timmy can go forward, I can too.” So I followed him down to the front of the podium.

Without notice, something invisible hit Timmy, and down he went on the floor. Almost immediately, something hit me too. Down I went, prostrate on the ground. I began to weep uncontrollably. God’s presence was all over me. This went on for several minutes.

The thought occurred to me, “This must be what my church has been talking about all these years. What is happening to me must be the baptism in the Holy Spirit.” No sooner did I think that when I heard this scripture in my mind, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues.”

If I’m filled with the Holy Spirit, then I’ll speak in other tongues, I reasoned in my mind. Right then, I began speaking in other tongues–and I haven’t stopped yet! Glory to God!

You see, the physical proof of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is the same evidence that the disciples had: speaking in tongues. You may have other evidences as well, but the one evidence you should have is speaking in tongues.

There are five examples in the Bible of people receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:4; 8:17; 9:17; 10:44; 19:6). In three out of the five examples we are told that specific signs took place. In the other two examples, the manifestation of physical signs taking place are implied, but not mentioned. Based on these two cases we cannot build any solid evidence as to what should happen when someone is baptized in the Holy Spirit. However, based on the other three examples we can build a good, solid case as to what should happen when someone is baptized in the Spirit.

We are told in these three examples that certain physical manifestations took place. In each case, more than one physical sign took place, which teaches us that there are usually more than one sign taking place when people are baptized in the Holy Spirit. Yet, there is one sign–and only one sign–that is common to all three examples. The identical sign was speaking in tongues. Based on this observation we can conclude that the standard sign of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues.

Speaking in tongues is the physical, biblical evidence that one is baptized in the Holy Spirit. We should not settle for anything less than the scriptural evidence.

If you haven’t been baptized in the Holy Spirit, seek God about it and pray for it in faith. God never lets a thirsty soul go dry.

DO ALL SPEAK IN TONGUES?

Someone may say, “How can you say that all Christians should speak in tongues considering the apostle Paul’s words, ‘Do all speak in tongues?’? (1 Corinthians 12:30).

In this passage, Paul is talking about public ministry gifts that are manifested in the church. He is not talking about tongues as the initial sign of the baptism in the Spirit, nor is he talking about tongues as a private, devotional, prayer language.

You can recognize this by simply looking at the language Paul uses concerning speaking in tongues. In this chapter he calls speaking in tongues “different kinds of tongues” (see 12:10,28). “Different kinds” means “not the usual.” The usual kind of speaking in tongues is a language no man understands or interprets. However, speaking in “different kinds” of tongues enables the speaker or someone else to recognize the meaning of the tongue and thereby interpreting it.

So when Paul ask the question, “Do all speak in tongues?”, he is referring to the public manifestation of tongues which enables a person gifted in interpretation to speak out the meaning of the tongue. Not all have been given this gift of “different kinds” of tongues.

In the fourteenth chapter of this epistle, Paul corrects the misuse of tongues in the church. He told them to stop the practice gathering “the whole church [so] everyone [can] speak in tongues” (v. 23). Notice carefully that the “whole church” was gathered and that “everyone” was speaking in tongues. This clearly shows us that everyone in the Corinthian church was speaking in tongues. Most of them should have allowed those gifted in the “different kinds” of tongues to exercise their gift, and the rest should simply “keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God” (v. 28).

Friend, I encourage you to seek the scriptural evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and to settle for nothing but the best.

Religious Freedom Summit

Subject: Religious Freedom Summit – October 6, 2016

Hold the Date! Clear Your Calendar! Thursday, October 6, 2016 – 9a.m to 2:30 p.m. 2016 Religious Freedom Summit at Word of Life Church, 11675 Pratt Avenue, El Paso, Texas. 79936. (915) 855-9673. You do not want to miss the 2016 Religious Freedom Summit on October 6, 2016 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Word of Life Church. Internationally renown guest speakers, David Barton and Dr. Michael Brown are two of the featured speakers. In such a time as this in America, it is essential to ensure you develop and foster a Christian worldview in your church members. The need and urgency has never been greater. This Religious Freedom Summit will help equip you and your congregants with invaluable information on the Christian influence on our culture, government and constitutional heritage that made America great. Returning to these foundational pillars is critical. A limited number of early bird tickets are available for $20.00 per person. This amount includes lunch. Tickets purchased at the door or day of the summit will be $100 per person. Knowing the impact this summit will have, we are making two complimentary tickets available to senior pastors who shepherd a church. These tickets are for the senior pastor and a guest. To reserve and request your tickets, please contact the Word of Life Church office at (915) 855-9673. Your members can also take advantage of the early bird $20.00 tickets while those are available. Office hours are Monday – Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday, 9 a.m. – 12 Noon. I look forward to hearing from you and seeing you at the 2016 Religious Freedom Summit. By His Grace, His Servant, Bishop Tom Brown Senior Pastor

Break the power of negative self talk

• Here are negative words that should never come out of your mouth:
  1. Don’t say: My entire body aches. I’m just falling apart. Do say, Sickness and disease shall not stay in my body.
  2. Don’t say: I am so exhausted and tired. I don’t feel like working today. Do say, The Lord is the strength of my life. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
  3. Don’t say: This headache is killing me. Do say, Headache, I resist you in the name of Jesus. I am healed by Jesus stripes.
  4. Don’t say: That’s too difficult to do. Do say, I can handle anything that God has called me to do.
  5. Don’t say: I am afraid to try. What is I fail? Do say, I am courageous. God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.
  6. Don’t say, I can’t just eat enough. I need to have eat till I am stuffed. Do say, I have the spirit of self control. Nothing rules me.
  7. Don’t say, I am always broke. Do say, I am abundantly supplied. God is meeting my needs according to His riches in glory.
  8. Don’t say, I am so depressed. Do say, I have the joy of the Lord. The joy of the Lord is my strength.
  9. Don’t say, I can’t sleep well. I am always tossing and turning in bed because of all my worries. Do say, God gives His beloved sweet sleep. I am His beloved. I cast all my cares on the Lord.
  10. Don’t say, I just can’t stop this bad habit. I won’t be happy unless I get to do it. Do say, I am not tempted beyond what I can bear. Sin shall not have dominion over me.
  11. Don’t say, My problem is heredity. Everyone in my family has the same thing. Do say, I am born again. I have new genes from the Lord. My family is the people of God.
  12. Don’t say, Someone has put a curse on me. Do say, I am redeemed from all curses. Anything curses put on me boomerangs to them.
  13. Don’t say, I never get my prayers answered. Do say, I ask and I receive. For everyone who asks receives.
  14. Don’t say, People are not willing to give me a break. I never get breaks. Do say, People like me. God favors goes before me like a shield.
  15. Don’t say, I don’t like people. I prefer to be alone. Do say, I have love and compassion for people. I have love for people.
  16. Don’t say, I will never find someone to marry. There is no one for me. Do say, There is someone for me. God is bringing my companion into my life.
  17. Don’t say, I’ll never meet my deadline. My work is overwhelming me; there’s no way I can meet the demands of this job. Do say, I have the grace to accomplish these demands. I have wisdom to solve every problem.
  18. Don’t say, I am so stupid and dumb. I just can’t make the right decisions. Do say, Jesus has been made wisdom to me. I have the mind of Christ.
  19. Don’t say, I useless for me to study the Bible. I can’t understand it. Do say, I have the spirit of wisdom and revelation. God opens my mind to see great things in the Word of God.
  20. Don’t say, God doesn’t care about me. Do say, God loves me. His mind is always on me.
  21. Don’t say, I get so angry. I can’t control my temper. Do say, I don’t have man’s anger, I have the anger of God and he is patient and so am I.
  22. Don’t say, My company is laying off people. What am I going to do if I get laid off? Do say, When God closes a door He opens a better one.
  23. Don’t say, I am always getting into accidents. Do say, The angel of the Lord protects my steps. My angel encamps around me to protect me from every evil thing.
  24. Don’t say, I am too afraid to travel. I might get into a plane crash.  Do say, I can travel with peace, because I have the peace of God that passes all understanding.
  25. Don’t say, Everyone else is doing it, so why shouldn’t I? Do say, I am in the world but I am not of it.

Set your goals

Write down goals that are realistic yet challenging for the following 8 areas of your life.

1. Spiritual
2. Ministry
3. Relationship
4. Career
5. Education
6. Adventures (hobbies, vacations)
7. Money
8. Health

Bible Speaks about Immigration

Bible Speaks about Immigration

by Bishop Tom Brown

            The Bible has much to say about immigration. The scriptures tell the story of the Israelites that immigrated to Egypt, only to find that in time they lost their status as citizens. They worked as slave laborers for the government. While the government was the beneficiary of their cheap labor, it would not offer them any real benefits that the citizens enjoyed.

God eventually delivered the children of Israel from the land of Egypt. At the time some others that were not naturally born Israelis wanted to join the new, future Israel, and they were allowed to join them as equal citizens. “And a mixed multitude went up also with them” (Exodus 12:38).

As the children of Israel made their way out of Egypt, God warned them not to mistreat the “mixed multitude” in the land, “Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt” (Exodus 22:21). God reminded Israel how it felt to be aliens without rights, so God ordered them to treat them fairly and sympathetically.

When we get to the New Testament, the story about aliens and immigration does not change; only the specifics are different. In the case of the New Testament, it is the Gentiles that were aliens to the messianic Jewish Church. The New Testament tells the struggling story of how to incorporate the non-Jews into the Messianic fold. The first council of the Church dealt with this very issue, and James, the undisputed first leader of the Church, speaks, “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God” (Acts 15:19). The Church laid out minor, yet important rules, for the Gentiles to keep in order to become part of the Messianic congregation.

Paul even writes that Gentiles, “Are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household” (Ephesians 2:19). The Gentiles, that are not natural born citizens, are made equal citizens with the Jewish believers. Put it simply: we Gentiles received amnesty and were made equal citizens of salvation along with the Jewish believers.

I’ve laid out the story of immigration, aliens and citizenship as told in the Bible, so we can come up with several principles that should guide our immigration reforms:

1. Talk of securing the borders is a delay tactic, only to keep from dealing with the touchy subject of amnesty. The borders will never be one hundred percent secure, but they are basically secure, and any additional improvement, in my view, is cosmetic and minor.
2. Aliens that have roots in our country, have families and stable jobs should not be forced to leave the country just to get in the back of the line to apply for citizenship. God does not want families uprooted. To uproot them from their homes and jobs is foolish, impractical and quite frankly, mean. Let them apply while residing in America.
3. Provide reasonable rules that aliens must abide by in order for them to become citizens of this great land. I think rules like speaking English, having secure jobs, and abiding by the laws of the land is fair and reasonable. Perhaps a fine might be appropriate, but nothing too cumbersome.

I understand the concerns people have about aliens taking jobs from citizens, but to keep them under the radar only makes matters worse. It creates an underground, cheap labor force that will make it impossible for naturally born citizens to compete. I say, let us forgive the past and move on to create a better country. I believe the aliens of today can be the great citizens of tomorrow.

Church fathers that did not believe that Peter was the first Pope

Origen (185-254)

“And if we too have said like Peter, ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,’ not as if flesh and blood had revealed it unto us, but by light from the Father in heaven having shone in our heart, we become a Peter, and to us there might be said by the Word, ‘Thou art Peter,’ etc. For a rock is every disciple of Christ of whom those drank who drank of the spiritual rock which followed them, and upon every such rock is built every word of the church, add the polity in accordance with it; for in each of the perfect, who have the combination of words and deeds and thoughts which fill up the blessedness, is the church built by God. But if you suppose that upon that one Peter only the whole church is built by God, what would you say about John the son of thunder or each one of the Apostles? Shall we otherwise dare to say, that against Peter in particular the gates of Hades shall not prevail, but that they shall prevail against the other Apostles and the perfect? Does not the saying previously made, ‘The gates of Hades shall not prevail against it,’ hold in regard to all and in the case of each of them? And also the saying, ‘Upon this rock I will build My church’? Are the keys of the kingdom of heaven given by the Lord to Peter only, and will no other of the blessed receive them? But if this promise, ‘I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven,’ be common to the others, how shall not all the things previously spoken of, and the things which are subjoined as having been addressed to Peter, be common to them? For in this place these words seem to be addressed as to Peter only, ‘Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,’ etc; but in the Gospel of John the Saviour having given the Holy Spirit unto the disciples by breathing upon them said, ‘Receive ye the Holy Spirit,’ etc, . . . And if any one says this to Him, not by flesh and blood revealing it unto Him but through the Father in heaven, he will obtain the things that were spoken according to the letter of the Gospel to that Peter, but, as the spirit of the Gospel teaches, to every one who becomes such as that Peter was.” (Commentary on Matthew, 12:10-11)

Cyprian  (200?-258):

“The Lord speaks to Peter, saying, ‘I say unto thee, that thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound also in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.’ And again to the same He says, after His resurrection, ‘Feed my sheep.’ And although to all the apostles, after His resurrection, He gives an equal power, and says, ‘As the Father hath sent me, even so send I you: Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they shall be remitted unto him; and whose soever sins ye retain, they shall be retained;’ yet, that He might set forth unity, He arranged by His authority the origin of that unity, as beginning from one. Assuredly the rest of the apostles were also the same as was Peter, endowed with a like partnership both of honour and power; but the beginning proceeds from unity.” (On the Unity of the Church, 4)

Augustine (354-430):

“In a passage in this book, I said about the Apostle Peter: ‘On him as on a rock the Church was built.’ . . . But I know that very frequently at a later time, I so explained what the Lord said: ‘Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church,’ that it be understood as built upon Him whom Peter confessed saying: ‘Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God,’ and so Peter, called after this rock, represented the person of the Church which is built upon this rock, and has received ‘the keys of the kingdom of heaven.’ For, ‘Thou art Peter’ and not ‘Thou art the rock’ was said to him. But ‘the rock was Christ,’ in confessing whom, as also the whole Church confesses, Simon was called Peter. But let the reader decide which of these two opinions is the more probable.” (The Retractions, 1:20:1)

Chrysostom (349-407):

“Peter, James, and John, were both first called, and held a primacy among the disciples” (Commentary on Galatians, 1, vv. 1-3).  How then is Peter alone the primary apostle?

 

Things you receive through faith

Without faith you cannot receive anything from the Lord. Here are several things faith obtains from God!

Saved. Ephesians 2:8 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith”

Justified Romans 5:1 “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ”

Access into grace Romans 5:2 “through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand”

Protected 1 Peter 1:5 “who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Blessed Galatians 3:9 “So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith”

Receive the Spirit Galatians 3:14 “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.”

Sanctified Acts 26:18 “so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

Inherit promises Hebrews 6:12 “We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”

Resist Satan 1 Peter 5:9 “Resist [Satan], standing firm in the faith”

Overcome the world 1 John 5:4 “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”

Prayers answered Matthew 21:22 “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Wisdom James 1:5,6 “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt”

Healing Matthew 9:22 “Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed from that moment.”

Supply of material needs Matthew 6:30 “If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith.”

Mountain of difficulties removed Matthew 17:20 “if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible to you.”

You have God’s DNA

Theological Scriptures proving you have God’s Spiritual DNA

(Supplement for Sunday’s message, December 13, 2015)

Eph 4:18

18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.

Eph 4:24

24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

1. The message of the Bible is not simply forgiveness of sins, but receiving the life and nature of God.

John 3:7

7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’

1 Peter 1:3

In his great mercy he has given us new birth

1 Peter 1:23

23 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

1. Born again.

1 John 3:9

9 No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

1. Greek, Seed, sperma. Sperm of God.

 

2 Peter 1:4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

1. Partakers of God’s divine nature.
2. We participate in God’s character, personality, his makeup and his moral fiber.
3. You participate in the divine nature when you know the promises of God.

 

Titus 3:5

5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

Titus 3:5

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

KJV

1. Re-new-genes. You have new genes.

 

Islam Vs Christianity

Click this link to show the growing revival among muslims.

http://www.charismamag.com/life/women/24959-the-underground-revival-in-the-middle-east-that-might-take-down-islam

Muslims view of Christ:

1. Jesus was born of a virgin.
2. Jesus was created, not the eternal God.
3. Jesus is only a man. Son of Mary.
4. Jesus was strengthened by the Holy Spirit
5. Jesus performed miracles by the power of the spirit.
6. Jesus was given revelation by Allah.
7. Jesus was given the gospel by God.
8. Jesus was not crucified, he only appeared to be
9. Jesus was taken bodily into heaven
10. Anyone who says that Jesus is the son of God will be cursed
11. Jesus will come back to establish Islam throughout the world.

 

1. How to witness to Muslims. Show Love and confidence.
2. Acknowledge the high view that Muhammad had of Christ.
   1. Logically the virgin birth of Christ.
   2. Surah 3:54 states: “When Allah said: ‘O Jesus, I will cause thee to die and exalt thee in My presence and clear thee of those who disbelieve”
   3. Gospels speak much about Jesus dying and being resurrected: Matt 17:22 When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.
3. Show that God wants fellowship.
4. Payment of sin is required; Christ therefore had to die.
5. Salvation can be now and assured.