*PRAYER*

-The first mention of prayer is found in Genesis, chapter 4.
Gen4:26 ‘And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LOR’
*WHAT IS THE CORRECT POSTURE FOR PRAYER?*
-There is no correct or certain posture for prayer. In the Bible people prayed on their knees (1Kings8:54), bowing (Ex4:31), on their faces before God (2Chron20:18; Matt26:39), and standing (1Kings8:22). You may pray with your eyes opened or closed, quietly or out loud, however you are most comfortable and least distracted.
*SHOULD I USE ELOQUENT WORDS?*
Your prayers need not be wordy or impressive in speech.
Matt6:7 ‘When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again.’
Ecc5:2 ‘Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few’
*WHY SHOULD I PRAY?*
-Prayer Develops Our Relationship with God.
-If we never speak to our spouse or never listen to anything our spouse might have to say to us, our marriage relationship will quickly deteriorate. It is the same way with God. Prayer, communicating with God, helps us grow closer and more intimately connected with God.
Zech13:9 ‘I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘These are my people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’
Jn15:7 ‘But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted’
–*The Lord Instructed Us to Pray*; One of the simplest reasons to spend time in prayer is because the -Lord instructed us to pray. Obedience is a natural by-product of discipleship.
Matt26:41 ‘Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak’
Luke 18:1 ‘Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up’
See also Matt7:7; 1Tim2:8; Eph6:18
*What If I Don’t Know How to Pray?*
Prayer is learned: from prayers recorded in the Bible, from other brethren; also the Holy Spirit will help you in prayer when you don’t know how to pray.
Rom8:26,27 ‘In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express’
Other verses on prayer: 2Chron7:14; Jer29:13; Mark11:24; Jam5:16; 1Jn3:22; Ps34:17; Ps91:15; 1Sam1:27; Ps4:3; Ps18:6; Prov15:29; Is58:9; Luke11:9; 1Jn5:14; Deut3:26; Ez20:3; Matt18:19; Luke1:10; Acts1:14; Matt6:6; Mark1:35; Luke5:15,16; Luke6:12
Sometimes our prayers are not answered. The Bible gives several reasons or causes for failure in prayer:
• Disobedience – Deut1:45; 1Sam14:37
• Secret Sin – Ps66:18
• Indifference – Prov1:28
• Neglect of mercy – Prov21:13
• Despising the Law – Prov28:9
• Bloodguiltiness – Is1:15
• Iniquity – Is59:2; Micah3:4
• Stubbornness – Zech7:13
• Instability or Doubt – James1:6,7
• Self-indulgence – James4:3

P Daniel

*PEACE*

PEACE=lack of conflict and freedom from fear of violence; a state of tranquility and calmness between 2 sides

*1. ETERNAL PEACE WITH GOD:*

-Rom5:1 ”Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, WE HAVE PEACE WITH GOD THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST”
-You can have this peace with God by accepting that Jesus Christ died to pay for your sins; the state of conflict between God and man started in the garden of Eden when man sinned and this state of sinfulness is passed on ever-since: we are all born sinners;
-Jesus has taken upon himself the sin of the whole world (Jn1:29) so that now anyone who accepts Jesus as Savior is reconciled to God (Eph.2:16).
-Example: imagine man and God are back-to-back in total enmity because of sin: d b ; the sacrifice of Jesus (symbolized by the animal sacrifices since Eden until the cross) allowed God to turn toward man: d d; when someone accepts Jesus as Savior, he turns to God: b d; again: db – dd – bd

d b:
-Is.59:2 sins are a wall of separation between man and God;
-Habakkuk 1:13 God can’t look upon sin

d d:
-Is65:2 I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people
-Luke19:42 if u knew the things which could have given u peace…
-Rom.5:10 ”For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

b d:
-2Cor.5:17 God has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ
-Col1:20-22

*2. PEACE WITH GOD IN OUR DAILY LIFE*
A Christian has eternal peace with God through Jesus (Rom.6:23) but in his daily life he can be ‘at war’ with God through a natural thinking, though without losing his eternal standing with God (Rom.8:6,7).

*3. PEACE BETWEEN JEWS AND GENTILES*
Eph.2:14 HE (JESUS) IS OUR PEACE, he has made both one, he has broken down the middle wall of partition
-In the Old Testament Jews had a special position before God compared to the gentiles, not in terms of call to salvation but in terms of call to ministry; Jews and gentiles were all saved the same way: by faith; however God had chosen the Jews to be distributors of the mysteries of God, the tools of God’s revelation; at the temple there was a middle wall of partition: on one side were the Jews (with access into the temple) and on the other side gentiles (without access into the temple). Jews were not allowed to marry gentiles or even to eat with them: the cross has removed this separation;

*4. PEACE IN LIFE SITUATIONS:*
-Luke24:36 peace unto you; Jesus reminds us that He is with us: this gives us peace (rest) in the middle of difficult life situations;
-Phil.4:6-7 peace comes as result of prayer
-Jn16:33 in the world tribulations but I give u my peace

*5. PEACE WITH OTHERS*

-Rom12:18 ”live in peace with all men as much as lieth on you”;
-you purpose in your heart that you will not start conflicts but you will manifest Christ to others, including to those who start conflicts with you; Mat.5:44 ”bless those who curse you and pray for those who despitefully use you”.

*6. WHAT ABOUT…PEACE AMONG NATIONS?*
-a nation might have to righteously go to war against another nation, as for example a number of nations went to war against the Nazi Germany in the 2 world wars last century;
-can a Christian be a soldier? Yes; John the Baptist told soldiers to not abuse people, he didn’t tell them to quit the army, see Luke 3:14; army, (police also), are tools of the government, government being the method God has ordained for the functioning of a nation, see Rom.13. Same about Cornelius, a centurion in Acts 10.

Pastor Daniel

*IS LOBOLA A CHRISTIAN CUSTOM?*

ANSWER: NO!
Here is why:

LOBOLA is most of the time a required (and heavily negotiated) price the bridegroom has to pay for his bride, often a huge price.

*LOBOLA IS NOT DOWRY*, since dowry is a willing gift by the parents of the bride given to the bride.

Christians are bought with the blood of Jesus (1Pet1:18-19), not with gold or silver therefore YOU CAN’T EVALUATE THE VALUE OF A BRIDE or of any human in dollars. Sport clubs evaluate players in terms of their effectiveness on the field but how can you evaluate the value of a future bride?
Mat.16:26 says one soul is worth more than the world.

LOBOLA IS A FORM OF SLAVERY: parents keep their daughter slave unto themselves until a boy buys her for himself into marriage; the fact that the girl is allowed to choose her ”buyer” does not make the purchase innocent. Often engaged people that can’t pay the lobola delay their wedding for years and fall in sexual sin before marriage, at times with the intention that once they have a child together, her family has to decrease the lobola (which plan does not always work).

Here are some arguments people use to support lobola:

*”BUT THE GIRL’S PARENTS HAVE SPENT MONEY RAISING THIS GIRL!”*
The bridegroom’s parents also have spent money raising their son!! A parent has no right to ask for a refund when child gets married!

*”BUT THIS IS OUR AFRICAN CULTURE!”*
-India practices lobola also! It is a pagan habit. Should we follow culture even when it goes against the Scriptures? In Europe many cultures indicate we should get drunk at weddings, should a Christian get drunk? Drunkenness is sin, see Eph5:18.
-Many parents in India abort boys as they desire to have girls for lobola benefits; they now require artificial inseminations with baby-girls!! And to get lobola quicker often they give their girls into marriage as soon as 10 years old, often marrying men 20 years older. Muslims practice lobola also.

*”BUT ABRAHAM PRACTICED LOBOLA ALSO!”*
-In Gen24 Abraham gave good-will gifts to the girl and to the girl’s family, there was no required price negotiated. Of his great riches Abraham gave some gifts; a Zimbabwean that earns 200$/month and is required to pay 5000$ for lobola is not a balanced ”gift”. If something is required, then it is not a gift but a price or a ransom.
I recently advised an engaged couple to give 50$ ”lobola first payment” then after the wedding, some day when he will become rich like Abraham, he will give gifts similar to Abraham’s gifts to appease the lobola-hungry family.

*”BUT JACOB WORKED FOR LABAN 7 YEARS FOR HIS WIFE RACHEL!”*
-Laban required Jacob to work (as a payment) for his daughter Rachel, see Gen29; Laban was behaving according to the pagan culture in which he lived. Moreover, Laban tricked Jacob by giving him Lea, which is another evidence that he was not a man of God but was behaving in a pagan way.
The result of Laban selling his daughters to Jacob? Both daughters hated their father for selling them and eating Jacob’s money from the deal, see Gen31:14-19

Other pagans that practiced lobola:
-Sechem in Gen34:12
-Saul started as a man of God but became jealous of David’s success, so he asked David to pay lobola in ways that could place David in situations where he could be killed, see 1Sam18:25.
Some cultures practice an exchange of gifts between the 2 families, with no negotiation or pressure, nothing bad about it.

*“BUT LOBOLA IS A SIGN OF FAMILY APPROVAL!”*
-Do you need family approval or God’s approval (Gal1:10)?
-What if the girl is Christian and her family is not and are disapproving her faith and her fiancee?
-What if the lobola ceremony involves pagan practices?
-Why should uncles and cousins be involved in the new union of a couple as a family? Is the boy marrying the girl’s family also?
-I remind you that the man and the woman that get married are becoming a new family (see Mat19:5 and Eph5:31 ”man shall leave his mother and father and cleave to his wife and the 2 shall become one”); the 2 are not one with their relatives but with each other; families of the 2 are not getting married!
-I formally had to ask for my wife’s hand from her father, as a culture habit: if he said no, we would still have gotten married. ‘Asking of the hand’ is today rather a formal announcement of intention of marriage, not a request of permission as it used to be centuries ago

*”BUT LOBOLA IS A PROOF THAT THE BRIDEGROOM IS SERIOUS AND HE WILL NOT EASILY DIVORCE BECAUSE OF THE GREAT SUM ON MONEY INVOLVED!”*
-Marriage vows are kept before God, not before the family; Africa has a lot of loboled marriages ending in divorce anyway!…and a lot of ”small houses” and immorality, despite the lobola system. -Lobola and often culture interfere with the Biblical foundation of marriage
-A huge lobola is not a motivation to stay married, the love of Christ is the true motivation 2Cor.5:15
-Lobola being huge does not prove he appreciates a lot his future wife: I will see his appreciation in his laid down life for her, see Eph5:25

*”BUT LOBOLA UNITES THE 2 FAMILIES!”*
-Why not invite Jesus to unite the 2 ”extended families” through faith in Jesus, Eph1:10, 2:14,16, thus the 2 families becoming united members of one Body of Christ, 1Cor12:27
-Jesus removes the enmity or any wall or distance, not lobola

In our African churches (and we have 230 churches in 24 African countries) we advice that where lobola can’t be avoided, *IF YOU ARE PARENTS OF THE FUTURE BRIDE* then ask for a symbolic lobola: a bread as Jesus is the bread of life, 1kg of salt as we are the salt of the earth and 1L of water as Jesus is the living water. This way you will have a chance to evangelize your pagan in-laws.

*IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN BRIDEGROOM-TO-BE*, then explain to the parents of the girl (and to the girl also: a Christian man should marry a Christian girl, see 1Cor6:14) that your Christian faith does not allow you to buy your wife; if the parents of the girl insist for a huge lobola, the girl should seek counsel from her pastor for wisdom: their union should continue even if her parents dont agree; try to bring the pastor home to mediate the issue or a legal counselor that they would respect; if parents intervene with violence, then if needed police can be asked to intervene as the laws of Zimbabwe forbid selling humans. Parents have no legal right to stop their daughter from getting married, unless if she is underage or marries someone underage in which case parents should report to police, not use violence.

Mark10:9 Jesus said, ”What God has united let no one separate”; families removing the wife for an unpaid lobola is sin, it is also against the laws of Zimbabwe.
Eph5:31-32 man gets married out of a personal decision, not under pressure or permission from family.

*IF YOU ARE PARENTS OF A FUTURE BRIDE*, then 2Cor12:14 is for you: *PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE TO SAVE UP FOR THEIR CHILDREN, NOT CHILDREN FOR THE PARENTS*. Remember that the money and the debts of the future bridegroom will belong to the bride as well: if the bridegroom has to pay 5000$ to the parents of the girl, after the wedding him and his wife together will have 5000$ less or might have now a debt of 5000$ if he had borrowed. Husbands and wives should have one wallet as they are one flesh.

*WHEN DO WE RECOGNIZE PEOPLE AS MARRIED?*
–We accept the traditional marriage, where the bridegroom and the bride agree to be married before the 2 families; John the Baptist acknowledged Philip’s marriage even though ruler Philip was not married before God in the temple, he was not a believer in God (Mat.14:3); we acknowledge pagans’ marriages without them coming to church to get married in church, of course; as a Christian you can get married as a pagan only, you have that freedom, but why not do the government papers and even church marriage as well if you are a Christian? Why not honor the God ordained government and Christ’s church?

–We accept the marriage before the government, as the government is God’s tool in keeping social order, see Rom.13:1; this type of marriage is a legal protection against polygamy, also guarantees heritage rights for spouses and children, child support rights in case of divorce and other legal benefits;

–We accept and highly advise marriage in church, of course

A Christian might do one or all these 3 ceremonies; I and my wife did the the church wedding one week after the civil (government) marriage, consummating marriage by living together and sexual union after the marriage in church.
We prefer not to marry anyone in church unless they did the civil marriage, this way we are sure they are not polygamous (already married to someone else).
Some people delay long time church marriage because of lack of money: they want a huge event, maybe out of pride…?
Pastors should not charge money for getting people married.

Ask me for the doctrine of marriage in pdf format, 24 pages.
Any questions? Comments?

Pastor Daniel

*THE TABERNACLE AND CHRIST*

The Old Testament institutions and ceremonies were powerless to save the souls of men. They were devised as types of Christ and the different phases of effectual salvation (Heb7;11,12; 8:5; 9:23; 10:1). The Tabernacle and later the Temple typified the places and the manner in which GOD met with His people and dealt with their sins. They were a type of the Incarnate Christ and His ministry for men. The priesthood typified the one and only perfect priest, the Lord Jesus Christ Heb8:1. The Offerings, Feasts, and Ceremonies all typified things having to do with redemption through the Messiah and the life of the redeemed. The places of the Old Covenant were typical of spiritual places or conditions. Even the land was a type of salvation to come through the Christ.
The following are some of the main types found in the Tabernacle:

*01. The HIGH PRIEST* was appointed by God (Ex28:1; Heb5:4-6; 7:20-24). Only the High Priest could make atonement (Lev16:1­3; Heb7:27; 6:20; 8:3; 9:7, 12, 24-28; 10:12; 13:20; 2:9; 1Cor6:20; 1Pet1:18-19; Ex28, 29; Lev8; Num3,8; Heb.5,7,9). Jesus was the Great High Priest offering up Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sin debt
*02. The TABERNACLE* symbolizes Christ (Ex25-27). It sym­bolized the dwelling place of God in the midst of His people. As a type of Christ, it symbolized the meeting between God and man (Heb9:21-24; 2Cor5:19; Col2:9; Heb10:5; Rev21:3; Jn1:14;2:13-22). The tabernacle is a symbol, picture and prophecy of the man in whom God should become incarnate. It is also a symbol of the Body of Christ, the Church (Col1:26-27; 1Cor3:16, 12:13; Rom12:5; Eph2:21,22)
*03. The GOAT HAIR TENT COVER* (Ex.26:7ff) completely covered the Taber­nacle. It is a symbol of the complete way in which the sacrifi­cial death of Jesus covers the Body of Christ. Because of the death of Christ, and our acceptance of it, God cannot see our sins (Lev9:15; Num28:22; Is53:10; Heb9:10, 14, 26, 28; Eph5:2; 2Cor5:21; 1Jn1:9; Ps32:1)

*04. Two COVERINGS OF THE TABERNACLE* consisted of (1) ram’s skins dyed red, and (2) a covering of porpoise or badger which was dull bluish, or gray in color and had no comeliness or beauty. It was nothing to be desired and was despised and rejected for coverings by men. It is a picture of Christ to all who do not come by way of the Cross (Is53:2,3)

*05. The GATE* to the Tabernacle was the only entrance. It was accessible, attractive and well supported. Christ is the only gate into the presence of God (Jn10:7, 9; 14:6; Eph2:13; 1Cor2:2; Heb10:19-20)

*06. The BRAZEN ALTAR* (Ex27:1-8) is a type of Christ our sacrifice (Jn1:29). The sacrifice stands at the entrance of man’s approach to God. Man has no access to God except as a sinner atoned for by blood. All who pass through the door must pass by the bloodstained altar or not at all. The Mizbeach – “slaughter place,” just within the gate was easily accessible, unavoidable and unmistakable. Fire on the altar was to burn continually, fire is here the symbol of the Holy Spirit Heb9:14

*07. LAVER OF BRONZE* (Ex30:17-21) symbolizes Christ our cleanser which cleanses from defilement (Eph5:25-26; Jn17:17). It denotes spiritual renewal. We have daily cleansing from defilements of life, and it is accessible only through our Priest. We are continually cleansed by Christ through the Spirit and the Word (Jn15:3; 1Jn1:6-9)

*08. HOLY PLACE*  was the first room the priest entered and contained three pieces of furniture: Table of Presence, Menorah or Golden Lampstand, and Altar of Incense

*09. The MENORAH or LAMP STAND* OF PURE GOLD symbolizes the presence of God as the source of life’s entertainment, and God’s leadership. Christ is our Light (Jn8:12), and denotes spiritual illumination (Ex30:7-8; 27:20; Phil2:15-16; Prov4:18; 2Cor4:6; Eph1:18; 5:13; Matt5:14-16). The Holy Spirit gives illumination to the believer

*10. BREAD OF THE PRESENCE* lit. “face-bread,” symbolizes the presence of the LORD as food of life. Jesus is the “Bread of Life” for every believer (Jn6:35). He is our spiritual sustenance. 12 loaves of bread spoke about Israel being before God’s eyes continually

*11. ALTAR OF INCENSE* (Ex30:1-10) was a perpetual adoration of the LORD. Christ is our intercessor who is always making intercession for us (Jn17; Heb7:25; Rev8:3-5). It also symbolizes the wor­ship of the believer (Jn4:21,23); and prayer of the saints (Rev.8:3, 4; Ps141:2; 1Tim.2:1-5)

*12. The VEIL* in the Temple (Ex.26:31-35) separated the Holy of Holies, or Most Holy Place, and the Holy Place. It is a type of Christ’s body (Heb10:20; Matt27:51). The door into God’s presence was opened to man when Christ died and rent the veil from top – God’s side – to bottom – man’s side (Jn.10:9). The unrent veil shut man out from the typical presence of God. The rent veil changed at once from a barrier to an open way into the Holy of Holies (Heb9:20, 26; 10:10,12,14; Eph2:4-6; Heb.4:15).

*13. HOLY OF HOLIES* was entered only one day of the year on Yom Kip­pur, the Day of Atonement. It represented God’s dwelling place (Heb.9:24). It symbolized the human body of Jesus (Jn.2:19-­21), and the body of believers (1Cor3:16-17; 6:19). In 2Cor6:16 it symbolizes the local church, and Ephesians 2:21 the universal church consisting of all believers in Christ

*14. The ARK OF THE COVENANT* (Ex25:10-16) contained the Law, manna and Aaron’s budded rod. Christ had the Law in His heart and came to fulfill it (Matt5:17, 18). It is another symbol of God being with His people. Just as the Ark of the Covenant contained God’s testimony to Israel, Christ is God’s testimony of man. As God looked down towards the ark, He saw the blood on the cover, just above the law: God did not see the law accusing the believers but the blood that covered sins

*15. The MERCY SEAT* was the gold lid or cover on top of the ARK of COVENANT (Ex25:17-21; Lev16:13-16). The Mercy Seat is the cover, the covering or removal of sin by means of expiatory sacrifice. It is the Old Testament throne of grace. Justice and mercy met there, and the blood of the innocent sacrifice cleanses away all sin. Christ is that covering for sin (Heb9:5; Rom3:25; 1Jn2:2). He is the Mercy Seat

*16. THE GLORY*, ‘MY GLORY’ is the Shekinah. “Glory” describes Yahweh’s self-manifestation, His transcendence, or His presence with men (Ex33:18-20; 34:5-7; 14:19; 40:34). It is a type of His dwelling in heaven (Heb9:24; Ex40:34-35). The glory is seen guiding Israel, it left the second temple Ez10:18, and reappeared with Christ (Matt17:5; Lk2:9; Jn1:14; Rev21:3; Heb1:3; Jn17:5; 2Pet1:16,17; Acts1:9; Mk14:62; Rev14:14)

GOLD speaks of deity 1Cor3:12, Rev21:18-21
SILVER speaks of redemption Ex36:24, 30:15
BRASS/BRONZE speaks of the heavens/heavenly nature Ex25:4, 26:31, 28:31
BLUE Heavens/Heavenly nature Ex25:4, 26:31, 28:31
PURPLE Kingly/Royalty Jn19:2, Rev17:4
SCARLET – Blood Sacrifice Lev14:4, Josh2:18, Is1:18
FINE LINEN Righteousness Lev6:10, Rev19:8
GOATS/RAMS HAIR Atonement Gen15:9, Ex12:5
WOOD – Jesus’ Humanity Ex26:15, Is53:2
OIL – Holy Spirit Lev14:16, Ps47:7

*THE THREE AREAS AND MEANINGS OF THE TABERNACLE ARE AS FOLLOWS:*

*1. THE OUTER COURT*
-Symbol of the dispensation of Mosaic Law; area 1500 cubits (symbolic for aprox. 1500 years from Moses to Jesus); speaks of justification
-contained the brazen altar and the laver. The focus was on sacrifice, judgment and cleansing and represents the age of the Law. The area of the fence surrounding the outer court was 1500 cubits squared just as the period of time that the Mosiac law was in force for was approx. 1500 years! Everything in the outer court was constructed in bronze symbolising judgement. This is what the law did! It pronounced you guilty and that judgement and a blood sacrifice was required. But it also pointed, as the law does, to Jesus as the Way of salvation (as there was only one entrance to the outer court) and the need for ‘justification’

*2. THE HOLY PLACE*
-Dispensation of Grace (Church age); volume 2000 cubits (symbolic for aprox. 2000 years of church age from crucifixion until the rapture); it speaks of sanctification; Jesus seen as the Truth Jn14:6
-it was a room of 20 X 10 X 10 cubits (representing the 2000 years of the church age). Only the Priests could come within this area and not without cleansing at the laver. But this area contained no items made of bronze (judgement) like the outer court did. It contained the Showbread (Christ the bread of Life), the Lampstand (Christ the light of the world) and the Altar of Incense (Christ our intercessor). It was made from gold, silver and wood representing the deity, redemption and the humanity of Christ. It pictures Jesus as the ‘truth’ and in terms of salvation it represents our need of sanctification as we walk in this life with Christ as our life and bread.

*3. THE HOLY OF HOLIES*
-Dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom or Millennium; volume 1000 cubits (symbolic for 1000 years or millennium); it speaks of glorification and Jesus is seen as the Life Jn14:6.
-This contained the Ark of the Covenant. Only the High Priest could enter here and only on one day of the year! Only on the Day of Atonement could the High Priest enter the Holy of Holies and be in the very presence of God Himself. This area represents the coming Kingdom age where God shall dwell among His people once again in visible form. In terms of the aspect of a believer’s salvation it represents our ‘glorification’ – when we are with Christ and are like Christ! As a picture of Jesus, it shows Him not just as the way or even the truth, but as ‘the life’. This special area of the tabernacle contained the very real presence and power of God and if we are to know Jesus today as ‘the life’ (and not just ‘the way’) then we too, as priests of the new covenant, need to come into His very presence in the new way opened to us.

https://bible.org/assets/pdf/FIT%20-%20Tabernacle.pdf

Pastor Daniel

*IS THE BIBLE TRUSTWORTHY?*

Is there proof that the Bible is true? Who wrote the Bible and what evidence exists that the Bible should be treated seriously? How it be proven that the Bible was inspired by God?
Below is an attempt to answer and perhaps convince the skeptics and unbelievers who do not believe in the Bible and the authority that it carries as being the infallible word of God.

*1. WRITTEN BY DIFFERENT MEN OVER 2000 YEARS*
The Bible is a collection of 66 books which were written by about 40 men over a period of 2000 years or more. Most of these authors had never physically met but yet their message in what they wrote is structured, consistent, accurate, inter-related and perfectly unified throughout. Though these writers physically penned the 66 books, the individual writers, at the time of writing, had no idea that their message was eventually to be incorporated into one single Book, that we know today as being The Bible.

–2Tim3:16,17 *”All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable…”*

*2. THE SCIENTIFIC ACCURACY OF THE BIBLE*
Another striking evidence of divine inspiration is found in the fact that many of the
principles of modern science were recorded as facts of nature in the Bible long before
scientist confirmed them experimentally; here are some examples:
–The Earth is round, not flat as once believed, Is40:22, and suspended on nothing, Job26:7; Job wrote this 4000 years ago when people believed the earth was carried by a huge man, Atlas, or by 4 elephants
–Atmospheric circulation Ecc1:6
–Field of Gravity Job26:7
–Biological importance of blood to life Lev17:11,12
–The Bible refers to dinosaurs: Job40:15 and Job41:1
–The Existence of Water Paths (Ocean Currents) in the Seas: Ps8:1,3,6,8; also The Existence of Springs and Fountains in the Seas: Gen7:11;8:2, Prov8:28, confirmed by modern science
–Only in recent years has science discovered that everything we see is composed of invisible atoms. Scripture tells us that the “things which are seen were not made of things which are seen” Heb11:3
–Medical science has only recently discovered that blood-clotting in a newborn reaches its peak on the eighth day, then drops. The Bible consistently says that a baby must be circumcised on the eighth day. Principle of hand washing in running water, quarantine, dietary principles and many medical principles are all in the Bible before science discovered them
–Science has discovered that stars emit radio waves, which are received on earth as a high pitch. God mentioned this in Job38:7: “When the morning stars sang together…”
–Science expresses the universe in five terms: time, space, matter, power, and motion; Gen1:1,2: “In the beginning [time] God created [power] the heaven/or skies/universe [space] and the earth [matter] . . . And the Spirit of God moved [motion] upon the face of the waters.” The first thing God tells man is that He controls of all aspects of the universe
–Jer33:22 claims that the stars of the heaven are innumerable. Hippocrates, some 2500 years ago numbered 1,022 stars. Kepler 400 years ago recounted and revised the number. Today scientists agree with Jeremiah. There are billions just in our galaxy! It is interesting that the Bible makes the number of stars equivalent to the number of grains of sand on the seashore Gen22:17; Heb11:12, scientists today agree with the Bible in this area!
–Luke17:34to36 says the Second Coming of Jesus Christ will occur while some are asleep at night and others are working at daytime activities in the field. This is a clear indication of a revolving earth, with day and night at the same time on the respective sides of the planet.
–Jud5:20 mentions “the stars in their courses.” While it was once believed that the stars were fixed, today we know that they too move in a predictable way
–Job38:19 is accurate in the way it characterizes light. Note that darkness is in a place but light is in a way. It travels a path
–Job38:24 indicates the light of the sun (by heating) makes the wind
–Hyssop oil was charged by God to Moses to be used symbolically being a purifying agent. Hyssop oil has been shown to contain 50% antifungal and antibacterial agents Num19:18, Ps51:7
–the universe is expanding Job9:8; Is42:5; Jer51:15; Zech12:1. Repeatedly God declares that He stretches out the heavens. In 1929, astronomer Edwin Hubble showed that distant galaxies were receding from the earth, proving that the universe is expanding
–Ez5:5, 38:12 claims that Jerusalem is the center of the earth. ICR commissioned a computer analysis of the earth’s land-masses and discovered that the geographic center is in Palestine, near the holy city
–Heb.1:11-12 describes the wearing down of the creation in language that nicely mirrors the second law of thermodynamics and 2Pet.3:12 describes the heavens one day passing away in a fire that causes the elements to melt in fervent heat (description of nuclear meltdown caused by God)
See more:
www.genesispark.com/essays/gods-word/

*3. OVER 100 PROPHETIC ACCURACIES ABOUT JESUS CHRIST*
Jn5:39 – ”You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me”
The one consistent theme of the Bible, is that from Genesis to Revelation, the Bible consistently refers and prophesies about Jesus Christ who ultimately is mankind’s Lord & Saviour. There are over 300 specific prophecies in the Old Testament that are fulfilled in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

*4. PROPHECIES ABOUT WORLD EVENTS:*
–The Bible announced that ISRAEL would be scattered among all nations (Deut28:64) and that before the end of the world Israel will come back in their land (Zach8:7-8, Is51:3) and will be hated by many nations Zach12:2-3, 14:2-3
–About IRAN (Persia) that it will hate Israel and will want to destroy it Ez38:5; see more:
http://blogs.christianpost.com/bibleprophecy/gods-decreed-end-of-iran-6602/
www.seekingtruth.co.uk/middle_east.htm
–RUSSIA will attack Israel – Ez38 and 39; see:
www.thepropheticyears.com/reasons/Russia.htm
www.hallindsey.com
www.prophecyupdate.com
www.raptureready.com
–In Daniel 2, four kingdoms are described in the interpretation of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar who was the king of Babylon. The four were the BABYLON, MEDO-PERSIA, GREEK AND THE ROMAN empire (Dan2:39-43). These four kingdoms occurred just as prophesied.
–The following cities were prophesied to be destroyed and never rebuilt which has come true since they have not yet been rebuilt. NINEVEH (Nah1:10, 3:7, 15, Zeph2:13,14), BABYLON (Is13:1-22), and TYRE (Ezek26)
–Dan12:4 prophesied that at the end of times KNOWLEDGE WOULD INCREASE as well as the ability to travel great distances
–Jesus foretold that towards the end of this world there would be famines, wars, sicknesses, earthquakes, lack of love, false prophets and so on, all during one generation’s lifespan see Mat24:6-50

*4. The Bible Is Endorsed by Jesus Christ*
Matt5:17-18 “…For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished”
When Jesus was on earth at the time, only the Old Testament existed. Jesus read and quoted from the Old Testament. Therefore if the Bible was inaccurate or untrustworthy, Jesus would have not quoted the Old Testament. When Jesus was tempted by the devil, Christ overcame the devil’s temptation by responding with Scripture quoted from the Old Testament. This was a clear indication not only of the authority and trustworthiness of the Bible but also that Jesus Himself was willing to be obedient to do what The Bible teaches; Matt4:1-17

*5. Its Survival*
The Bible starting from Genesis has survived for over 1500 years. No other book has been so consistently studied, bought or quoted by mankind. Its teachings are still relevant even after 1000 years, a clear proof that God’s word is authoritative and does not change. No other book has been loved or hated as the Bible but yet it still survives and remains the highest seller among all books.
Matt24:35 ‘Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away’

*6. Archaeological Evidence*
Many archaeological and geographic evidences exist to prove the accuracy and historic truthfulness of the Bible. Archaeological discoveries have been made which verify the various Biblical stories and events mentioned in scripture
https://answersingenesis.org/archaeology/6-archaeological-finds/
Copies of the Old Testament scriptures found at the Dead Sea, many having placed in caves before Jesus’ birth, proves that the Old Testament has not changed:
www.deadseascrolls.org

*7. Life Changing Power*
For thousands of years, the Bible has changed countless lives and has provided a means by which mankind can know and understand who God is and what God says about every life situation that we face on this earth. The Bible also is one huge story about God’s relationship with man. The Bible speaks of God’s love and plan of salvation from sin through Jesus Christ. People of different backgrounds and beliefs can testify of the life changing experiences that God’s word has brought to their lives.
Heb4:12-13 – For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
 
*Helpful & Recommended Websites*
www.bibleevidences.com/
http://christiananswers.net/archaeology/
http://carm.org/when-was-bible-written-and-who-wrote-it
https://answersingenesis.org/is-the-bible-true/can-you-prove-the-bible-is-true/
www.reasons.org/
www.the-gospel.org/stdy_aplgy/prophecy.php
https://answersingenesis.org/archaeology/6-archaeological-finds/
www.inspiredwalk.com/1804/proof-bible-true
www.icr.org/

Pastor Daniel

*WHAT IS GRACE?*

–Word *”GRACE” in Hebrew is ”CHEN”*, it is used 39 times in the Old Testament, translated at times as ”favor”; here are some references:
Gen6:8; 19:19; 32:5; 33:8,10
Ezra9:8
Ps45:2; 84:11
Prov1:9; 3:22,34; 4:9; 22:11
Jer.31:2
Zec4:7;12:10

–Word *”GRACE” in Greek is ”CHARIS”*, it is used 156 times in the New Testament; it means ”FAVOR” or ”GIFT”; as times (”echo charis”) it can mean ”TO THANK”
Here are most of the New Testament verses that contain the word ‘grace’:
Luke: 1:30; 2:40, 52; 4:22; 6:32,33,34; 17:9
John: 1:14,16,17
Acts: 2:47, 4:33, 7:10, 46; 11:23; 13:43; 14:3,26; 15:11,40, 18:27; 20:24,32; 24:27; 25:3,9
Rom: 1:5; 3:24; 4:4,16; 5:2,15,17,20,21; 6:1,14,15,17; 11:5,6; 12:3,6; 15:15
1Cor: 1:4; 10:30; 15:10,57; 16:3
2Cor: 1:12,15; 2:14,15; 4:15; 6:1; 8:1,4,6,7,9,16,19; 9:8,14,15; 12:9; 13:14
Gal: 1:6,15; 2:9,21; 5:4
Eph: 1:6,7; 2:5,7,8; 3:2,7,8; 4:7,29
Php: 1:7
Col: 1:6; 3:16; 4:6
2Thes: 1:12; 2:16
1Tim: 1:12,14
2Tim: 1:3,9; 2:1
Titus: 2:11; 3:7
Phm: 1:7; 2:9; 4:16; 10:29; 12:15,28; 13:9
Jas.4:6
1Pet: 1:2,10,13; 2:19,20; 3:7; 4:10; 5:5,10,12
2Pet: 1:2; 3:18
2Jn1:3
Jude1:4
…there are also some other 20 verses that contain the salutation ”grace and peace be with you”, as in Rom1:7

*Word ”CHARISMA” means ”GIFT”* (”charis” means ‘grace’ and ”ma” means ‘result of’), some Bible translations translate it ”free gift” to accentuate the fact that it is free just as grace is; there are other words in Greek for the word ”gift”: ”dorea”, ”doma” but Eph2:8 and most other verses above use ‘charisma’.

From the above verses we can conclude:
*1. Salvation is received by grace or unmerited favor*, simply through faith in Jesus’ death on the cross on our behalf, as payment for our sins Eph2:8, 2Tim1:9;

*2. Call to ministry is by grace* 1Cor15:10

*3. Grace teaches us* to live a life that pleases God, not the law: Tit2:11-12, Acts15:11, Rom6:14

*4. Grace and Works are 2 opposite systems* when it comes to receiving salvation: Rom11:6; salvation is received as a gift through faith in Jesus (Rom6:23); the Christian’s works will be evaluated by Jesus to determine his rewards in heaven, not salvation, since salvation is a gift, 1Cor3:10-15

*5. Grace is not Withheld Because of Demerit*; Grace is a gift not reward or wage

*6. Grace Cannot produce a Debt*; God does not expect you to pay for grace; some people believe that salvation is received freely but it is maintained by works or merit, which is wrong; salvation is free before and after having received it: you don’t have to pay for it before or after; if you give me a car for free then later you ask me to pay for it, then it is no longer ”free” but purchased, merited

*7. Men are Said to be Saved that “Good Works” may Result*, Eph2:10, not because of good works; good works follow salvation, not precede it

*8. The teachings of grace give equal warning* against the sin of turning either in the way of Gentiles (who turn grace into an excuse for living in sin, Jude1:4) or in the way of the legalistic Jews (who denied grace and tried to earn salvation through the works of the law, Gal1:6, 2:21)

*Final thoughts:*
I. GOD saves sinners by grace (see our study, ”What is Salvation”)
II. GOD keeps through grace those who are saved (see our study ”Salvation is secure”)
III. GOD teaches in grace those who are saved and kept how they should live, to His eternal glory (Tit2:11)

For more on the subject of grace, you can click on link below to download a pdf book (size 1mb), ”Grace”, written almost 100 years ago by L.S. Chaffer:
http://lewissperrychafer.org/Grace.pdf

Pastor Daniel

*”THE FIVE LANGUAGES OF LOVE”* (pdf book link included)

Here is one of the best books that can help a marriage and friendships, with over 3 millions copies sold.

Rarely do a husband and wife have the same primary emotional love language. We tend to speak our primary love language, and we become confused when our spouse does not understand what we are communicating. We are expressing our love, but the message does not come through because we are speaking what, to them, is a foreign language. Therein lies the fundamental problem, and it is the purpose of this book to offer a solution.
Once we discover the five basic love languages and understand our own primary love language, as well as the primary love language of our spouse, we will then have the needed information to apply the ideas in the book. Once you identify and learn to speak your spouse’s primary love language, I believe that you will have discovered the key to a long-lasting, loving marriage.

*Chapters of the book:*
1. What Happens to Love After the Wedding?
2. Keeping the Love Tank Full
3. Falling in Love
4. Love Language #1: Words of Affirmation
5. Love Language #2: Quality Time
6. Love Language #3: Receiving Gifts
7. Love Language #4: Acts of Service
8. Love Language #5: Physical Touch
9. Discovering Your Primary Love Language
10. Love Is a Choice
11. Love Makes the Difference
12. Loving the Unlovely
13. A Personal Word
Frequently Asked Questions
The Five Love Languages Profile for Husbands
The Five Love Languages Profile for Wives

Much of the above ideas can be applied for the relationship parent – child, also in any friendships.

*To download the Book ”The Five Languages of love”* by Gary Chapman click below (pdf format, less than 1mb, 135 pages, printer-friendly format):

http://youth-portal.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/the-5-love-languages-the-secret-to-love-that-lasts.pdf
Enjoy the book! Let me know how you find it.

Pastor Daniel

*WHAT IS THE FIVE (5) FOLD MINISTRY?*

Answer:

The concept of the five-fold ministry comes from Eph4:11:
“He gave some to be:
–(1) apostles
–(2) and some to be prophets
–(3) and some to be evangelists
–and some to be (4) pastors and (5) teachers.”

As a result of this verse, some believe the Bible supports the offices of living apostles and prophets in the church today.

Eph4:12-13 tells us that the purpose of the five-fold ministry is:

“to PREPARE God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ MAY BE BUILT UP until we all REACH UNITY in the faith and in the KNOWLEDGE of the Son of God and BECOME MATURE, ATTAINING TO THE WHOLE MEASURE OF THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST.”

Some come to the conclusion that since the Body of Christ continues to be built up today, all these 5 offices need to continue to exist in church today. However, the Bible teaches clearly that the office of the 12 apostles was only for the 12, so there are no living apostles today but the 12 continue to minister to us through the Bible; when James was killed with the sword (Acts12:2), he was not replaced; Rev.21:14 mentions only 12 apostles of the Lamb; word ‘apostle’ means ‘sent one’ and Jesus only appointed 12 apostles with the special mission to give teaching received personally and directly from Jesus (Gal1:1,11,12), nobody today can claim this. Paul did not appoint apostles (‘apostolos’) but pastors and elders (‘poimen’ and ‘presbuteros’ in Greek) and in his epistles he gave criteria for appointing pastors and elders, not apostles; one can call himself an apostle (‘sent one’) of his church if he desires so, but not an apostle of Jesus appointed by Jesus personally, nobody can claim today that his word is equal with the word of the 12 apostles of Jesus and with their recorded words, the New Testament.
*We still have the 12 Apostles ministering to us today*: the 12 speak to us through their recorded words in the New Testament. For more infos ask me for our study ‘Are there apostles today?’. Same applies for prophets, ask me for our study defining the ministry of prophets.

However, Eph2:20 informs us that the church is “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the chief cornerstone.” If the apostles and prophets are our foundation, are we still building the foundation by having today apostles and prophets? Although Jesus Christ is most definitely active in the church today, His role as the cornerstone of the church was completed with His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension (1Cor3:11). If the work of the cornerstone is complete, so must the work of the apostles as our foundation be complete. And the same way that we learn from Jesus through the Bible, the same way we learn from the apostles and the prophets through the Bible. Nobody (other than cults) dares to claim that Jesus speaks audibly and in person in churches today but through the Holy Spirit through the Bible, through godly preaching of the Word. Jesus gave written messages through John to the 7 churches in Revelations chapters 3 and 4, not directly by His audible voice.
Jesus does appear lately to many in visions (especially to Muslims) but only with a brief message to bring them to salvation through faith in Him, Jesus does not teach them the Bible as well: that teaching job He left with his church, see Mat28:18-20, 2Tim2:2. Same applies to Apostles: their word can still be heard through the Bible.

*What was the role of the apostles and prophets?* It was to proclaim God’s revelation, to teach the new truth that the church would need to grow. The apostles and prophets completed this mission. How? By giving us the written Word of God, the completed revelation of God. The Bible contains everything the church needs to know, to grow and fulfill God’s mission (2Tim3:15-16). The foundation work of the apostles and prophets is complete, nobody should add to the Bible. The ongoing work of the apostles and prophets is manifested in the Holy Spirit speaking to us through the recorded written Word of God, written by Apostles and Prophets.
In that sense, the five-fold ministry is still active. The 12 Apostles still speak to us today teachings they have received directly from Jesus and have recorded these teachings in the Bible, we don’t need new apostles and prophets today that want to replace the words of the 12 apostles and prophets with their words.

–Another interesting aspect is that the above points 4 and 5 are in fact presenting only one same office: ‘some pastors and teachers’ refer to one same office: ‘pastor-teacher’, not two offices, ‘pastors’ + ‘teachers’; article ‘some’ (‘ho’ in Greek) is placed before every office but not before ‘teachers’;
Formation ‘some pastors and teachers’ in Greek is ‘ho poimen kai didaskalos’; theologians call it ‘Granville Sharp’ rule, a particularity of the Greek language where article ‘ho’ meaning ‘the’ or ‘some’, when used only once before 2 nouns in the same case which are connected by ‘kai’ (meaning ‘also’, sometimes ‘and’), shows that the 2 nouns, ‘pastors’ + ‘teachers’ refer to the same person; in other words, it is not written ‘ho poimen kai HO didaskalos’, (second ‘HO’ is missing), if 2 ‘ho’ would be used then they would be two separate offices.

Word ‘kai’ means ‘also’; in the same verse we have Greek word ‘de’ used twice which means ‘AND’ (AND some prophets, AND some evangelists) but between words ‘pastors’ and ‘teachers’ word ‘KAI’ is used, that is most of the time translated by ‘ALSO’, rarely by ‘and’. Therefore ‘ho poimen kai didaskalos’ should be translated ‘pastors that are also teachers’ or ‘pastors-teachers’.

Here are some similar Granville Sharp formations:
-2Pet1:11: ‘…HEMON Kurios KAI Soter Iesous Christos’ = ‘our Lord also Savior Jesus Christ’; here article ‘hemon’ appears only once before ‘Kurios’ (it is not repeated before ‘Soter’) and ‘kai’ connects 2 nouns (‘Lord’ + ‘Savior’) which means that both nouns reffer to the same person, Jesus.

-Heb3:1: ‘ho Apostolos kai archiereus…Jesus Christ’ = ‘our Apostol also High-Priest …Jesus Christ’ – the 2 nouns (‘Apostol’ + ‘High-Priest’) are referring to the same person, Jesus.

-Acts13:1: ’tis prophetes kai didaskalos’ = ‘certain prophets also teachers’ – should be translated ‘prophets-teachers’;

-other ‘Granville Sharp’ verses: Rev16:15, 2Cor1:3, 2Pet2:20 plus 80 other verses.

Another interesting point is that Paul here did not give an extensive full list of the gifts that involve also teaching in church: he did not mention deacons, preachers, elders, who can also teach, preach, evangelize, he just gave the main offices of teachers of the Church, offices that have teaching as their main responsibility.
Timothy was a pastor but Paul encourages him to do the work of an evangelist 2Tim4:5; Peter was one of the 12 Apostles but he called himself an elder (‘presbuteros’) in 1Pet5:1; words ‘pastors’, ‘elders’, ‘bishops’ (or ‘overseers’ from ‘episkopos’ in Greek) are synonyms, interchangeable.

Some use the formula ‘five fold ministry’ just as a cover-up for having apostles and prophets today: they don’t want to be accountable to the Scriptures and to edify the Body of Christ, they just want honor and riches. They just want to be above ‘simple pastors’. They just want to pretend that they have a special mysterious powerful relationship with God that ‘simple pastors’ don’t have. Eventually it’s all about cash.

*Matt19:4: ‘Have you not read the Scriptures?’*

Pastor Daniel

*The Biblical Doctrine Of FASTING*

”TO FAST” in Hebrew (Old Testament) is ”tsum/tsom”=”to cover over (the mouth)”, used 47 times; 21 times as action: Jud20:26, 1Sam7:6; 1Sam31:13; 2Sam1:12; 12:16,21to27; 1Ch10:12; Ezr8:23; Neh1:4; Est4:16; Is58:3to4; Jer14:12; Zec7:5 ….and 26 times as noun: 2Sam12:16; 1Ki21:9to12; 2Ch20:3, Ezr8:21,9:1; Est4:3,9:31; Ps35:13;69:10;109:24 ; Is58:3to6; Jer36:6,9; Dan9:3; Joel1:14; 2:12,15; Jonah3:5; Zec8:19

”TO FAST” in Greek (New Testament is ”nesteia/nestis”=”religious abstinence from food”; used 30 times; 8 times as noun ”the fast/fasting”: Mat17:21, Mar9:29, Luk2:37, Act14.23, Acts27:9, 1Cor7:5, 2Cor6:5, 2Cor11:27 …and 22 times as verb (action): Mark4:2, Mat6:16,18; Mat9:14,15;15:32; Mark 2:18,20 and 8:3; Luke5:33,35; Luke18:12, Acts10:30;13:2,3

Probably very few of us seldom if ever fast; many today practice fasting (diet) for health purposes, which is not a religious fast. Fasting has become a very emotional issue for a lot of people and often carried to extremes. Some demand that we should fast. Others don’t want anyone telling them how/what/when to eat.

*I. FASTING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT*

A. The “Day of Atonement” was the only fast that was commanded by the Law (Lev16:29to31; 23:26to32; Num29:7). Fasting was generally a deliberate act of worshipping God.

1. Though not called “fasting,” the phrase “afflicting one’s soul” was used which included fasting.

2. Thus, fasting was more than a physical exercise, but had a spiritual purpose.

*B. Other times when fasting occurred in the Old Testament*

1. Fasted in times of war or threat of war Jud20:26; 1Sam7:6

2. Fasted when loved ones were sick 2Sam12:16to23

3. Fasted for their enemies Ps35:11,13

4. Fasted when loved ones died 1Sam31:13; 1Chron10:12

5. Fasted when seeking God’s pardon Deut9:15to18; 1Kings21:17to29; Jonah3:4to10

6. Fasted when facing danger Ezra8:21; Est4:3;4:16

7. Fasted to commemorate certain calamities Jer52:12,13; 2Kings25:23to25; Jer41; 2Kings25:1to4

*II. FASTING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT*

*A. FASTING AND JESUS*

1. Jesus fasted from food forty days (Matt4:1to9; Luke4:1,2). The Bible does not say that He didn’t drink. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the fasting and into temptation in the desert. Ask God’s leading about if and when and how you would fast. Also make sure your motivation is right: a deeper fellowship with God.

2. Jesus taught about fasting (it should be secret, before God) in his sermon on the mount (Mat6:16to18).

3. Jesus was questioned about it by John’s disciples Matt9:14to17

4. Jesus taught of a combined power of prayer and fasting Mt17:14to21

*B. FASTING AND THE CHURCH*

1. The church at Antioch fasted Acts13:1to3
2. The churches of Galatia fasted Acts14:21to23
3. The apostles fasted 1Cor6:1to10
4. Paul often fasted 2Cor11:23to27
5. Married couples may decide for fasting from food associated with a sexual fast, an agreed temporary abstinence 1Cor7:5

*III. THE PURPOSE OF FASTING*

–Some fasting was the natural reaction to grief.
–The purpose of affliction through fast was to “humble” the soul Ps35:13. We don’t fast to impress God or to twist His hand to do what we request (blackmail God), but in fasting we desire total concentration on God; we can fast not only from food, but also from certain activities that might not be evil in themselves (tv, games or other pleasures) but we concentrate our time and attention on God (Ezra8:21to23; Is57:15; 66:1,2).

*IV. THE NATURE OF FASTING*

A. The usual form of fasting was to abstain from ALL FOOD, but NOT WATER.

B. Sometimes a fast was PARTIAL, restricting the diet, but not total abstention (Dan10:2,3). Daniel mourned and fasted three weeks by abstaining from “pleasant bread,” meat, and wine (Dan10:3), he avoided pastries, doughnuts, and other delicacies available for a king’s court, but it implies he did eat some food but not delicacies.

C. Sometimes a fast was TOTAL, included water Jonah3:5to10; Est4:16; Acts9:9

*V. THE LENGTH OF FASTING*

A. One day [Sunrise to sunset] Jud20:26; 1Sam14:24; 2Sam1:12;3:35

B. Three days Est4:16

C. Seven days 1Sam31:13; 1Chron10:12

D. Forty days Ex34:28; Deut9:9; 1Kings19:8; Matt4:2

E. Continual – Samson was never allowed to eat grapes or drink grape juice, wine, or alcohol, just as the Nazarites for the period they would be Nazarites (Num6:3; ‘nazarite’ means ‘separated one’ for a determined time); however, this was an Old Testament teaching that does not apply in a literal form under the New Covenant in Christ, in its spiritual application a Christian is to separate himself unto God, set apart from anything that can twist his mind from thinking rightly with God.

*VI. WARNINGS CONCERNING FASTING*

A. It can turn into an empty ritual Is58:3to9

B. It can be turned into a show Matt6:16to18

*VII. FINAL THOUGHTS ON FASTING*

A. Should Christians fast today?
-Yes, but fasting is not an obligation.
-Jesus assumed that his disciples would fast Matt9:14,15 and the N.T. church practiced it.

B. WHY Should Christians fast?
-There are times when we need divine help (temptation, illness, beginning a new work, appointing elders, in times of war, seeking forgiveness, a deeper walk with God).

C. HOW Should Christians fast?
1. Not to be seen of men Matt6:16to18
2. Not as some regular ritual Matt9:14to17
3. Not without true repentance Is58:3to9
4. Fasting should be accompanied by prayer, meditating on the Word and reading/studying the Word.

*CONCLUSION*: Fasting is not a church ordinance (there are only 2 church ordinances: water baptism and the Holy Communion), but rather it is a private matter. The church can be called to fast together, but the choice is yours. Destroying your body through excessive fast, avoiding always certain foods (Col2:20to23, 1Tim4:1to3) cutting yourself like Baal’s followers (1Kings18) or whipping yourself like Mexican Catholics is worthless, for it was never prescribed nor practiced by the true followers of God or by Jesus Christ and it denies the cross of Jesus.

Christian fasting is the effect of what Christ has already done for us and in us. It is not an effort of the flesh, but the Spirit’s fruit: remember that the last-mentioned fruit of the Spirit is “self control” (Gal5:23). You can eat to the glory of God (1Cor10:31) or you can fast to the glory of God, just as you can eat and fast in the flesh.

Pastor Daniel

*EVOLUTION VS CREATION*

Some of you have asked us about the issue of ‘evolution vs creation’; here are some thoughts for you, also a PDF book of over 1000 pages to study and a few websites of interest.

As Christians we need to be ready to explain why we believe in God; Christianity is scientific! Satan today twists science to make men believe there is no God.

1Pet.3:17
1Tim.6:20

*Theories*:
1. The universe was created by God (true)
2. The universe always existed (wrong)
3. The universe came into being by itself by purely natural processes (known as evolution) so that no appeal to the supernatural is needed (wrong)

There are at least six different meanings to the word “evolution.” Students are deceived into thinking all six types of evolution below are true:

1. COSMIC EVOLUTION—the origin of time, space, and matter. Big Bang or a big explosion produced everything from nothing.
2. CHEMICAL EVOLUTION—the origin of all elements (iron, calcium, oxigen and all other about 118 elements) from hydrogen.
3. STELLAR AND PLANETARY EVOLUTION—Origin of stars and planets from cosmic dust (cosmic dust came together to form stars)
4. ORGANIC EVOLUTION—Origin of life from matter
5. MACROEVOLUTION—Changing life forms from one kind into another. Atheist science teaches that a dog became horse, for example, or a whale became a cow.
6. MICROEVOLUTION—Variations within kinds. Only this one
has been observed as true: crossing different breeds of dogs can produce other types of dogs, but not horses.

*PROOFS FROM UNIVERSE THAT THE UNIVERSE IS NOT MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD:*
1. The shrinking sun limits the earth-sun relationship to fewer than “billions of years.” The sun is losing both mass and diameter. Changing the mass would upset the fine gravitational balance that keeps the earth at just the right distance for life to survive.
2. The ½ inch layer of cosmic dust on the moon indicates the moon has not been accumulating dust for billions of years.
3. The existence of short-period comets indicates the universe is less than billions of years old.
4. Fossil meteorites are very rare in layers other than the top layers of the earth. This indicates that the layers were not exposed for millions of years as is currently being taught in school textbooks.
5. The moon is receding (getting further from earth) a few inches each year. Billions of years ago the moon would have been so close that the tides would have been much higher, eroding the continents quickly.
6. The moon contains considerable quantities of U-236 and Th-230, both short-lived isotopes that would have been long gone if the moon were billions of years old.
7. The existence of great quantities of space dust, which by the Poynting-Robertson effect would have been vacuumed out of our solar system in a few thousand years, indicates the solar system is young.
8. At the rate many star clusters are expanding, they could not have been traveling for billions of years.
9. Saturn’s rings are still unstable, indicating they are not billions of years old.
10. Jupiter and Saturn are cooling off rather rapidly. They are losing heat twice as fast as they gain it from the sun. They cannot be billions of years old.
11. Jupiter’s moon, Io, is losing matter to Jupiter. It cannot be billions of years old.
12. Jupiter’s moon, Ganymede has a strong magnetic field. Among other factors to consider is that all the ancient astronomers from 2000 years ago recorded that Sirius was a red star—today it
is a white dwarf star. Today’s textbooks in astronomy state that billions of years are required for a star to “evolve” from a red giant to a white dwarf.

*PROOFS FROM THE EARTH THAT THE EARTH IS NOT MILLIONS OF YEARS OLD:*

13. The decaying magnetic field limits earth’s age to less than billions.
14. The volume of lava on earth divided by today’s rate of efflux gives a number of only a few million years, not billions. I believe that during the Flood, while “the fountains of the deep were broken up,” most of the earth’s lava was deposited rapidly.
15. Dividing the amount of various minerals in the ocean by their influx rate indicates only a few thousand years of accumulation.
16. The amount of Helium 4 in the atmosphere, divided by today’s formation rate on earth, gives only 175,000 years. (God may have created the earth with some existing helium. Just as Eve was created with already-long hair, she didnt need to wait for her hair to grow)
17. The erosion rate of the continents is such that they would erode to sea level in less than 14,000,000 years.
18. Topsoil formation rates indicate only a few thousand years of formation.
19. Niagara Falls’ erosion rate (four to seven feet per year) indicates an age of less than 8400 years. Don’t forget Noah’s Flood receding water could have eroded a part of the seven and a half-mile long
Niagara River gorge in a few hours as the flood waters raced through the soft sediments.)
20. The rock encasing oil deposits could not withstand the pressure for more than a few thousand years.
21. The size of the Mississippi River delta, divided by the rate mud is being deposited today, gives an age of less than30,000 years. (The Flood in Noah’s day could have washed out 80% of the
mud there in a few hours or days, so 4400 years is a reasonable age for the delta.)
22. The slowing spin of the earth limits its age to less than the “billions of years” called for by the theory of evolution.
23. A relatively small amount of sediment is now on the ocean floor, indicating only a few thousand years of accumulation. This embarrassing fact is one of the reasons why the continental
drift theory is vehemently defended by those who worship evolution.
24. The largest stalactites and flowstone formations in the world could have easily formed in about 4400 years.
25. The Sahara desert is expanding. It is about 4000 years old (the flood happened about 4000 years ago).
26. The oceans are getting saltier. If they were billions of years old, they would be much saltier than they are now.
27. Ice accumulation at the poles indicates less than 5000 years.

*…ALSO EVIDENCE FROM BIOLOGY*
28. The current population of earth (7 billion souls) could easily be generated from eight people (survivors of the Flood) in less than 4000 years.
29. The oldest living coral reef is less than 4200 years old.
30. The oldest living tree in the world is about 4300 years old.
Another factor to consider: The genetic load in man is increasing. Geneticists have cataloged nearly 1300 genetic disorders in the human race. It is certainly reasonable to believe that the human race
was created perfect from the hand of the Creator but has been going downhill as a result of our disobedience to the laws established by the Creator. The Bible teaches that we live in a sin-cursed world as a result of Adam’s sin.
31. The oldest known historical records are less than 6000 years old.
32. Many ancient cultures have stories of an original creation and a worldwide Flood . Nearly 300 of these flood legends are now known.
33. Biblical dates add up to about 6000 years.

*HERE ARE SOME RESOURCES FOR YOU:*

*BOOK*:
— ”SCIENCE VS. EVOLUTION” pdf book, 1008 pages, 14mb size; click to download from:

http://www.herbert-armstrong.org/Miscellaneous/Science%20v%20Evolution.pdf

Titles of chapters in the above pdf book:
1. History of Evolutionary Theory – How modern science got into this problem
2. The Big Bang and Stellar Evolution – Why the Big Bang is a joke and stars cannot evolve out of gas or dust
3. The Origin of the Earth – Why the Earth did not evolve out of a molten state
4. The Age of the Earth – Why the Earth is not millions of years old
5. The Problem of Time – Why long ages cannot produce evolutionary change
6. Inaccurate Dating Methods
7. The Primitive Environment – Why raw materials on earth cannot produce life
8. DNA and Protein – Why DNA and protein could not be produced by random chance
9. Natural Selection – Why natural selection only makes changes within species not between species
10. Mutations – Why mutations cannot produce cross-species change
11. Animal and Plant Species – Why the species barrier cannot be broken
12. Fossils and Strata – Why the fossil/strata theory is a hoax
13. Ancient Man – Why there is no evidence humans have evolved from anything
14. Effects of the Flood – What actually happened after the Flood
15. Similarities and Divergence – Why similar structures are not an evidence of evolution
16. Vestiges and Recapitulation – You have no useless or unnecessary structures inherited from earlier life forms
17. Evolutionary Showcase – The best examples of evolution have proven worthless
18. The Laws of Nature – The laws of nature oppose the evolutionary theory
19. Evolution, Morality, and Violence – Evolutionary theory is ruining modern civilization
20. Tectonics and Paleomagnetism
21. Archaeological Dating – Correlating Egyptian and other archaeological dates with the Bible
22. Evolutionary Science Fiction – Fabulous fairy tales which only tiny children can believe
23. Scientists Speak – Evolutionary scientists say the theory is unscientific and worthless
24. Utterly Impossible – Things evolution could never invent
25. The Latest Evolution Crisis – The most recent news (to 2006) in the Evolution Battle
26. The Case for Intelligent Design – The evidence keeps getting stronger
27. Summary of the Anthropic Principle – Discovering a flood of coincidences
28. Eighteen Factors Disproving Evolution – Evolution flunks the science test
29. Say It Simple – What is this all about?
30. Problems with Big Bang Creationism – When opposites are combined
31. Will You Defend God before unbelievers in this Time of Crisis? – Schools, Employment, and Churches

Speakers holding seminars on creation that I recommend:
KEN HAM – find videos on youtube
KENT HOVIND – videos on youtube, also check out his great series of 7 seminars at http://creationism.org/videos/index.htm

Websites of interest:

http://evolutionfacts.com/

https://answersingenesis.org/creation-vs-evolution/

http://creation.com/

http://creationism.org/

http://nwcreation.net/subjects.html

Pastor Daniel