Does God exist? Is there proof of God? The following offers candid, straight-forward reasons to believe in the existence of God...

By Marilyn Adamson

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Just once wouldn't you love for someone to simply show you the evidence for God's existence? No arm-twisting. No statements of, "You just have to believe." Well, here is an attempt to candidly offer some of the reasons which suggest that God exists.

But first consider this. If a person opposes even the possibility of there being a God, then any evidence can be rationalized or explained away. It is like if someone refuses to believe that people have walked on the moon, then no amount of information is going to change their thinking. Photographs of astronauts walking on the moon, interviews with the astronauts, moon rocks...all the evidence would be worthless, because the person has already concluded that people cannot go to the moon.

When it comes to the possibility of God's existence, the Bible says that there are people who have seen sufficient evidence, but they have suppressed the truth about God.¹ On the other hand, for those who want to know God if He is there, He says, "You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you."² Before you look at the facts surrounding God's existence, ask yourself, If God does exist, would I want to know Him?

Here then, are some reasons to consider...

1. Does God exist? Throughout history, in all cultures of the world, people have been convinced there is a God.

Billions of people, who represent diverse sociological, intellectual, emotional, educational makeups...believe that there is a Creator, a God to be worshipped. Now, the fact that so many people believe something certainly doesn't make it true. But when so many people through the ages are so personally convinced that God exists, can one say with absolute confidence that they are all mistaken?

"Anthropological research has indicated that among the farthest and most remote primitive people today, there is a universal belief in God. And in the earliest histories and legends of people all around the world, the original concept was of one God, who was the Creator. An original high God seems once to have been in their consciousness even in those societies which are today polytheistic."³

2. Does God exist? The complexity of our planet points to a deliberate Designer who not only created our universe, but sustains it today.

Many examples showing God's design could be given, possibly with no end. But here are a few:

The Earth...its size is perfect. The Earth's size and corresponding gravity holds a thin layer of mostly nitrogen and oxygen gases, only extending about 50 miles above the Earth's surface. If Earth were smaller, an atmosphere would be impossible, like the planet Mercury. If Earth were larger, its atmosphere would contain free hydrogen, like Jupiter.⁴ Earth is the only known planet equipped with an atmosphere of the right mixture of gases to sustain plant, animal and human life.

The Earth is located the right distance from the sun. Consider the temperature swings we encounter, roughly -30 degrees to +120 degrees. If the Earth were any further away from the sun, we would all freeze. Any closer and we would burn up. Even a fractional variance in the Earth's position to the sun would make life on Earth impossible. The Earth remains this perfect distance from the sun while it rotates around the sun at a speed of nearly 67,000 mph. It is also rotating on its axis, allowing the entire surface of the Earth to be properly warmed and cooled every day.

And our moon is the perfect size and distance from the Earth for its gravitational pull. The moon creates important ocean tides and movement so ocean waters do not stagnate, and yet it restrains our massive oceans from spilling over across the continents.⁵

Water...colorless, odorless and without taste, and yet no living thing can survive without it. Plants, animals and human beings consist mostly of water (about two-thirds of the human body is water). You'll see why the characteristics of water are uniquely suited to life:

It has an unusually high boiling point and freezing point. Water allows us to live in an environment of fluctuating temperature changes, while keeping our bodies a steady 98.6 degrees.

Water is a universal solvent. This property of water means that thousands of chemicals, minerals and nutrients can be carried throughout our bodies and into the smallest blood vessels.⁶

Water is also chemically inert. Without affecting the makeup of the substances it carries, water enables food, medicines and minerals to be absorbed and used by the body.

Water has a unique surface tension. Water in plants can therefore flow upward against gravity, bringing life-giving water and nutrients to the top of even the tallest trees.

Water freezes from the top down and floats, so fish can live in the winter.

Ninety-seven percent of the Earth's water is in the oceans. But on our Earth, there is a system designed which removes salt from the water and then distributes that water throughout the globe. Evaporation takes the ocean waters, leaving the salt, and forms clouds which are easily moved by the wind to disperse water over the land, for vegetation, animals and people. It is a system of purification and supply that sustains life on this planet, a system of recycled and reused water.⁷

The human brain...simultaneously processes an amazing amount of information. Your brain takes in all the colors and objects you see, the temperature around you, the pressure of your feet against the floor, the sounds around you, the dryness of your mouth, even the texture of this article in your hand. Your brain registers emotional responses, thoughts and memories. At the same time your brain keeps track of the ongoing functions of your body like your breathing pattern, eyelid movement, hunger and movement of the muscles in your hands.

The human brain processes more than a million messages a second.⁸ Your brain weighs the importance of all this data, filtering out the relatively unimportant. This screening function is what allows you to focus and operate effectively in your world. A brain that deals with more than a million pieces of information every second, while evaluating its importance and allowing you to act on the most pertinent information...can we say mere chance brought about such an astounding organ?

When NASA launches a shuttle mission, it is assumed a monkey didn't write the plan, but intelligent and knowledgeable minds. How does one explain the existence of the human brain? Only a mind more intelligent and knowledgeable than humanity could have created the human brain.

3. Does God exist? Mere "chance" is not an adequate explanation of creation.

Imagine looking at Mount Rushmore, in which the likenesses of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt are carved. Could you ever believe that it came about by chance? Given infinite time, wind, rain and chance, it is still hard to believe something like that, tied to history, was randomly formed in the side of a mountain. Common sense tells us that people planned and skillfully carved those figures.

This article only touches on a few amazing aspects of our world: the Earth's position to the sun, some properties of water, one organ in the human body. Could any of these have come about by chance?

The distinguished astronomer Sir Frederick Hoyle showed how amino acids randomly coming together in a human cell is mathematically absurd. Sir Hoyle illustrated the weakness of "chance" with the following analogy. "What are the chances that a tornado might blow through a junkyard containing all the parts of a 747, accidentally assemble them into a plane, and leave it ready for take-off? The possibilities are so small as to be negligible even if a tornado were to blow through enough junkyards to fill the whole universe!"⁹

When one considers the intricacies of our life and universe, it is reasonable to think that an intelligent, loving Creator provided for everything we need for life. The Bible describes God as the author and sustainer of life.

4. Does God exist? Humankind's inherent sense of right and wrong cannot be biologically explained.

There arises in all of us, of any culture, universal feelings of right and wrong. Even a thief gets upset and feels wronged when someone steals from him. If someone violently grabs a child from a family and rapes that child, there is an anger and revulsion and a rage to confront that act as evil, regardless of the culture. Where did we get this sense of wrongness? How do we explain a universal law in the conscience of all people that says murder for fun is wrong?

And in areas like courage, dying for a cause, love, dignity, duty and compassion, where did these come from? If people are merely products of physical evolution, "survival of the fittest," why do we sacrifice for each other? Where did we get this inner sense of right and wrong? Our conscience can best be explained by a loving Creator who cares about the decisions and harmony of humanity.

5. Does God exist? God not only has revealed Himself in what can be observed in nature, and in human life, but He has even more specifically shown Himself in the Bible.

God's thoughts, personality, and attitudes can only be known if God chooses to reveal them. All else would be human speculation. We are at a loss if God does not wish to be known. But God wants us to know Him and has told us in the Bible all we need to know about His character and how to relate to Him. This makes the reliability of the Bible an important consideration.

Archaeological findings continue to confirm rather than refute the accuracy of the Bible. For example, an archeological find in northern Israel in August 1993 confirmed the existence of King David, author of many of the Psalms in the Bible.¹⁰ The Dead Sea Scrolls and other archaeological discoveries continue to substantiate the historical accuracy of the Bible.

The Bible was written over a 1500-year span, by 40 different authors, in different locations and on separate continents, written in three different languages, covering diverse subject matters at different points in history.¹¹ Yet there is an astounding consistency in its message. Throughout the entire Bible the same message appears:

1. God created the world we live in, and created us specifically to have a relationship with Him.
2. He deeply loves us.
3. We have sinned and are under God's judgment, in need of His forgiveness.
4. God provided a way for our sins to be forgiven.
5. He asks us to receive His forgiveness and have a relationship with Him that will last eternally.

Along with this central script, the Bible specifically reveals God's character. Psalm 145 is a typical summary of God's personality, thoughts and feelings toward us. If you want to know God, here He is.

6. Does God exist? Unlike any other revelation of God, Jesus Christ is the clearest, most specific picture of God.

Why Jesus? Look throughout the major world religions and you'll find that Buddha, Muhammad, Confucius and Moses all identified themselves as teachers or prophets. None of them ever claimed to be equal to God. Surprisingly, Jesus did. That is what sets Jesus apart from all the others. He said God exists and you're looking at Him. Though He talked about His Father in heaven, it was not from the position of separation, but of very close union, unique to all humankind. Jesus said that anyone who had seen Him had seen the Father, anyone who believed in Him, believed in the Father.

He said, "I am the light of the world, he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."¹² He claimed attributes belonging only to God: to be able to forgive people of their sin, free them from habits of sin, give people a more abundant life and give them eternal life in heaven. Unlike other teachers who focused people on their words, Jesus pointed people to himself. He did not say, "follow my words and you will find truth." He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me."¹³

What proof did Jesus give for claiming to be divine? He did what people can't do. Jesus performed miracles. He healed people...blind, crippled, deaf, even raised a couple of people from the dead. He had power over objects...created food out of thin air, enough to feed crowds of several thousand people. He performed miracles over nature...walked on top of a lake, commanding a raging storm to stop for some friends. People everywhere followed Jesus, because He constantly met their needs, doing the miraculous.

What did Jesus reveal about God's personality? What about God's thoughts, expectations and His feelings toward humankind? Jesus Christ showed God to be gentle, loving, aware of our self-centeredness and shortcomings, yet deeply wanting a relationship with us. Jesus revealed that although God views us as sinners, worthy of His punishment, His love for us ruled and God came up with a different plan. God would have His Son receive the punishment for our sin. And Jesus willingly accepted this plan.

Jesus was tortured with a whip of nine sharp-tipped ends. A "crown" of two-inch thorns was pressed into his head. Then they secured Him to a cross by pounding nails through His hands and feet into the wood. Given His other miracles, those nails didn't keep Him on the cross; His love for us did. Jesus died in our place so we could be forgiven. Of all the religions known to humanity, only through Jesus will you see God reaching toward humanity, providing a way for us to have a relationship with Him. Jesus proves a divine heart of love, meeting our needs, drawing us to Himself. Because of Jesus' death we can be forgiven, fully accepted by God and genuinely loved by God. God says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you."¹⁵ This is God, in action.

The most conclusive proof that Jesus is equal to God was Jesus' most closely scrutinized miracle - His own resurrection from the dead. Jesus said that three days after His burial He would come back to life. On the third day after His crucifixion, the almost two-ton boulder in front of His tomb was catapulted up a slope.¹⁶ The guard of well-trained Roman soldiers saw a blinding light and an angel. The tomb was empty, except for the burial clothes that had been wrapped around Jesus' body. Over the years, legal, historical and logical analysis has been applied to Jesus' resurrection and the most feasible conclusion still is that Jesus rose from the dead.

Does God exist? If you want to know, investigate Jesus Christ. We're told that "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."¹⁷

Do you want to begin a relationship with God and actually know you are accepted by Him?

This is your decision, no coercion here. But if you want to be forgiven by God and come into a relationship with Him, you can do so right now by asking Him to forgive you and come into your life. Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door [of your heart] and knock. He who hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him [or her]."¹⁸ If you want to do this, but aren't sure how to put it into words, this may help: "Jesus, thank you for dying for my sins. You know my life and that I need to be forgiven. I ask you to forgive me right now and come into my life. Thank you that you want a relationship with me. Amen."

God views your relationship with Him as permanent. Referring to all those who believe in Him, Jesus Christ said of us, "I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand."¹⁹

So, does God exist? Looking at all these facts, one can conclude that a loving God does exist and can be known in an intimate, personal way.

Is Pornography Wrong ?

Pornography is rampant in society. We all know the statistics of how prevalent pornography is on the Internet – I’ve read that anywhere from 60-80% of all Internet sites are pornography related! With pornography so common, it is important for us to know why it is wrong. It is important for us to be aware of the dangers of pornography because of the harmful effects it can have on one’s walk with the Lord and life, as well as how to help ourselves or someone else who struggles with this issue.

The word pornography comes from the Greek language. In Greek, “porne” means harlot, and “graphein” means writing. It is translated literally as “the writing of harlots.” Webster’s Dictionary defines it as “the depiction of erotic behavior (as in pictures or writing) intended to cause sexual excitement.” Typically where there is sexual excitement there is also sexual desire. Lust is defined as “an intense sexual desire” in Webster’s Dictionary. In other words pornography can be anything that causes lust. In Matthew 5:28 Jesus says that if you lust after a woman you have already committed adultery in your heart. The seventh commandment tells us that adultery is sin (Exodus 20:14). This answers the question “Why is pornography is wrong?”, but as humans we usually have to learn the hard way.

What are the effects of porn addiction?

The effects of porn addiction are long-lasting. Consider this man's view:

"If there was one thing I could change about my life it would be my involvement with pornography. I have not viewed pornography in any significant fashion in 10 years, but my mind is still plagued by the images I saw over a decade ago. They seem to be engraved in my mind. I know that through Jesus Christ I have been forgiven and cleansed. Still, these images cause pain, regret, guilt, and frustration in my life."

Some effects of porn addiction are:

Escalation/Desensitization: Addicts experience an ever-increasing lust and a craving for more intense porn. Eventually "soft-core" porn is not stimulating enough, which pushes them into "hard-core." It is a downward spiral.

Dissatisfaction with your sex life: Spouses of addicts are affected as sex does not satisfy the addict as it once did. Men who look at porn are dissatisfied by their wife's appearance and this often leads to dysfunctional relationships.

Addiction to masturbation: Those addicted to porn are almost always addicted to masturbation. The sexual urges become so strong that masturbation becomes the easiest way of release.

Shame and guilt: Emotional pain is perhaps the most common effect of porn addiction. A deep sense of failure and shame is often experienced.

Un-erasable images in your mind: Men who no longer view porn fight with mental images for years. They wish they could erase these images from their mind.

"Lonerism" and Secrecy: Porn addicts generally keep to themselves and keep their addiction secret. This often results in dysfunctional relationships.

Acting it out: Those who view porn frequently have a greater tendency to act out those sexual behaviors on others, no matter what the cost. This may include rape, group sex, voyeurism, having sex with children, inflicting pain, etc.

A wrong view of women: Women in porn are viewed as less than human, mere property, and something to compete for or conquer.

Knowing that something is sin doesn’t usually keep us from committing that sin. We need to look at how we can keep from committing the sin of pornography, as well as how we can help others who are struggling with this sin. There are many verses in Scripture that talk about sexual immorality. These verses tell us that sexual immorality has no place in the life of a Christian. Colossians 3:5 says to “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality …” Ephesians 5:3, I Peter 4:3, and I John 2:15-17 talk about no longer acting like the world acts. The world sees nothing wrong with pornography. This is evident in television, magazines, movies, the Internet, etc… As Christians we are to resist this. We cannot allow ourselves to take part in what the world thinks is OK when we know it is sin. Christians are to behave differently than the world. This is what the Lord expects of us.

Pornography provides an escape from reality for those who view it. Like many other things that distort reality, such as alcohol or drugs, it can become an addiction. Soon it may become the only way that a person can deal with the world around them. Those who view pornography often have a distorted view of reality because of it. Pornography devalues women and sex, and this influences how its viewers think about the world around them. Often they view women not as human beings, but as sex objects. Sex becomes something of little value. Instead of an act of love in the confines of marriage as God intended it; sex is a means for their own gratification. This fantasy world inhibits their ability to function in the world around them. Often they become increasingly withdrawn and less motivated to function in the real world around them. People who become addicted to pornography are consumed with the fantasy world and they begin to lose the ability to function as well in the real world. Those addicted to pornography also often become increasingly selfish and inconsiderate of others.

A pornography addiction is very similar to other addictions, but often it can be hidden more easily than alcoholism or drug addiction. Addictions are very difficult to break. One study showed that rats can become addicted to a pleasant or pleasing stimulus (the stimulus they used was an electric current to the pleasure sensors of the rats’ brains). In this study scientists gave the rats the choice of the stimulus or food, and the rats chose the stimulus repeatedly. They continued to choose stimulus instead of eating and they eventually died as a result of not eating. We know that we are different from animals and that we are a special creation of the Lord, but the example of the rats shows how powerful addictions can be. Unlike rats we were created with a soul and because of this we have the hope of being saved from addiction.

A pornography addiction can become extremely powerful for both Christians and non-Christians. Addictions often ruin the lives of those who are addicted, as well as hurt the people around them. In order to break a pornography addiction it is necessary to turn to the Lord. I Corinthians 6:18 says that sexual sin is committed against one’s own body. Because of this I feel that it is necessary to seek the forgiveness of the Lord in order to break a sexual addiction such as pornography. If you or someone you know is addicted to pornography there are 3 things that the person should do to begin to overcome their addiction:

1. Confess – Admit to the Lord that there is a problem and ask the Lord for forgiveness. Be humble before the Lord. It is imperative that the person realizes that pornography is sin, but that the Lord will forgive them if they ask with a sincere heart. Submit yourself to the Lord’s will – we can’t do it on our own!
2. Accountability – Find someone who you can become accountable to. This should be a person you can trust to be honest with you, and you should be able to be honest with them. It should not be someone of the opposite sex. Ideally it would be someone who is not struggling with pornography also – you may cause each other to stumble. Make a commitment to call one another whenever you are tempted to lust / view pornography. Accountability should be done in a nonjudgmental way. The two people should support and encourage each other in confidentiality. Pray together and for each other.
3. Read the Word – In order to grow spiritually it is necessary to read the Bible and spend time with the Lord. Having a daily time with the Lord will help you to focus on serving the Lord and to not give into temptation. Memorizing Scripture is also important. Having verses to draw upon during temptation will make your ability to resist temptation stronger. Remember, we can’t do anything without the Lord – He is our strength. We must walk closely with the Lord to rely on Him for strength.

If you are struggling with a pornography addiction or if you are trying to help someone who has one, look at David’s commitment in Psalm 101:3a. David says, “I will set before my eyes no vile thing.” As we know David struggled with lust and it had a devastating effect on his life. Pornography is vile. It is not the Lord’s design for sex because it is based on lust. It goes against what is wholesome and pure. Proverbs 5:22 & 23, and 6:20-35 describe how sexual sin can lead to destruction. These verses should be enough to scare us away from pornography. If you are struggling with this be encouraged! The Lord wants to forgive you. His invitation is open to everyone. David was a man after God’s own heart and he struggled with lust, and the Lord still did amazing things with his life.

Often people with a pornography addiction feel like outcasts because the Church has a history of ostracizing those who have committed sexual sin. It is important for Christians to act in love toward people who struggle with pornography. Alienating them will only intensify their escape from reality. They need to know that they are unconditionally loved and accepted. If the Lord can forgive and love them, can’t we – shouldn’t we!

OTHER RESOURCES:

- Fighting Sexual Temptation - And Winning
- Morality In Media
- eXXit.org
- XXXChurch.com
- Every Man's Battle
- AFA Issues: Pornography

CLICK ON THIS FOR SOME SEX ED:

Is There a Real Devil?

By Richard F. Ames

Youth culture is increasingly involved with the occult. Witchcraft is glamorized as youngsters flock to each new Harry Potter book and teenagers turn their television sets to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Teen music often glorifies the devil, and some high school gunmen have even committed murder in his name.
In some intellectual circles it is not fashionable to believe that the devil exists. Yet at the same time, many otherwise intelligent people find it adventurous or exciting to attempt contact with the world of darkness. What does the Bible say about this extremely important topic? If there is a world of demons and a real devil, you need to know how to resist and overcome such influence.
Your Bible explains why there is so much trouble and evil in the world. We read in Revelation, "So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him" (Revelation 12:9).
Here, your Bible describes a powerful spirit being, called the Devil and Satan, as "the great dragon" and "that serpent of old." And we learn an amazing truth which few today believe—that he has deceived the whole world.
How has he done this? Christians need to know his strategies and tactics. But first we need to understand how he came to exist. Did God create the devil?
Two chapters in the Bible—Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28—describe Satan's origin. Isaiah prophesies about an end-time king of Babylon who will rule a resurrected Roman Empire (described in Revelation 13, 17 and 18), but the type—the human king mentioned—transitions to the anti-type, Satan the Devil, also called Lucifer. "How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: 'I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High'" (Isaiah 14:12-14).
Lucifer was cast back to the earth. He allowed vanity and greed to incite rebellion against God. He wanted to knock God off His throne. But he failed, and still has his throne on the earth. The name Lucifer is a Latin word rendered "Morning star" or "Day Star" in other translations. Jesus said, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven" (Luke 10:18). Lucifer, bringer of light, became the purveyor of darkness.
The Apostle Paul explains that many are blinded to the true gospel and the truth of the Bible. "But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them" (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Notice that after Lucifer was cast down and became Satan, he became "the god of this age" or, in the King James translation, "the god of this world."
God did not create the devil, but He did create all the angelic beings. He created three cherubs or archangels—Lucifer, Michael and Gabriel (the cherub Michael is called an archangel in Jude 9)—and each apparently led one-third of the angels. We read that the dragon, Satan, was cast back to earth with one-third of the angels. "And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great, fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth" (Revelation 12:3-4). As we have explained in other articles, stars are a symbol of angels (cf. Revelation 1:20). One-third of the angels followed Satan and became demons.

Ezekiel 28—Type and Anti-Type

The prophet Ezekiel describes Lucifer's original responsibilities, and subsequent downfall. As in Isaiah 14, we again see type and anti-type. The King of Tyre is the type, and the cherub who became Satan is the anti-type. "Son of man, take up a lamentation for the king of Tyre, and say to him, 'Thus says the Lord God: "You were the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering: The sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and emerald with gold. The workmanship of your timbrels and pipes was prepared for you on the day you were created. You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you. By the abundance of your trading you became filled with violence within, and you sinned; therefore I cast you as a profane thing out of the mountain of God; and I destroyed you, O covering cherub, from the midst of the fiery stones. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, that they might gaze at you"'" (Ezekiel 28:12-17).
Lucifer was a created being, given responsibility over the earth long before human beings were created. He had the free choice to obey or to disobey, just as human beings have the power to choose right or wrong. But Lucifer rebelled— he refused to carry out the will and government of God. As Ezekiel wrote, "You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you."
So we see that God did not create Satan the devil. He created the cherub or archangel Lucifer, who rejected God's government, sealed his character as an evil, sinful being, and in rebellion transformed himself into Satan the devil.
Adam was given the opportunity to replace Satan as ruler of this world. But Adam and Eve succumbed to temptation and sinned. Note that it was Satan who first sinned and fell. Adam and Eve, and every human except Jesus Christ—Immanuel, God in the flesh—have sinned. Scripture tells us, "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).
A second Adam, Jesus Christ, had to resist the devil and conquer him. Scripture tells us that after 40 days of fasting, Jesus was physically enervated, but still battled the devil with scripture. Refusing to obey Satan, Jesus finally gave him an order, saying, "Away with you, Satan! For it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve'" (Matthew 4:10).
Jesus proved that He would not give in to the devil. Jesus was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin (cf. Hebrews 4:15). He proved He has the character and righteousness to rule the earth. When Jesus returns as King of kings, He will replace Satan as the prince of this world, banishing him for 1,000 years. But until then, Satan will continue to deceive the whole world. Could he be deceiving you?

An Angel of Light?

One of Satan's greatest deceptions is the false belief that he does not exist. Still, many participate in occult religions that openly worship Satan, his demons or some manifestation of evil. Some witches and sorcerers practice deadly rituals—even to the extent of human sacrifice. But God warned ancient Israel to reject all these forms of paganism and Satanism. "When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners" (Deuteronomy 18:9-14).
God warns us to reject occult practices and paganism. Yet these practices are increasingly common, and even accepted in society. An estimated 50,000 in America alone practice "Wicca"—a form of polytheistic nature worship so well-established that the U.S. Army chaplain's office now provides pastoral services to military Wiccans ("Witchcraft Gets Army's Blessing," Chicago Tribune, June 18, 1999)—and a marketing executive from the major bookseller Barnes and Noble recently estimated a "U.S. 'Pagan' buying audience" of 10 million. Some high school killers have even been influenced by occult religion. Yes, one of Satan's major deceptions is through religion itself! The Apostle Paul uncovers this tactic, pointing out that Satan will not always appear as a serpent or a dragon, but will disguise himself as an angel of light! "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works" (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).
Satan, the prince of darkness, can appear as an angel of light, not just as the stereotypical dark force of occult worship. The Apostle Paul warned that Satan has his own ministers who appear as ministers of righteousness. That is why we challenge you not to believe us just because we assert some truth. We urge you to go to your Bible to find the truth. Remember the Bereans in Acts 17:11? Luke wrote that they, "searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so." We all need to do that!
Some clergy may be sincere, but sincerely deceived. Some ministers preach that you do not need to keep the Ten Commandments; they falsely equate obeying God's law with salvation by works! But if any minister tells you that you do not need to obey God, ask him if he approves of rebellion against God. The Apostle Peter wrote, "For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17).
The Apostle Paul also warned those who disobey God's truth. "To those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek" (Romans 2:8-9). The Bible plainly teaches obedience to the truth, to the gospel, to the Ten Commandments and to God's righteousness. Counterfeit religion is one of Satan's deceptions. He appears as an angel of light, but leads millions away from the true light of the Bible.

Satan Works on Our Weaknesses

The devil also seeks to capitalize on our human nature—which is already vanity, selfishness, greed, envy and lust! There is an evil influence that, as the Apostle Paul states it, "now works in the sons of disobedience." Paul writes of our deliverance, through Christ, from our past participation in the lusts of human nature. "And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others" (Ephesians 2:1-3).
We must be able to identify in our own nature our human weakness and tendency to sin. That is why we need a living Savior to redeem us first of all from our past sins, and to give us the power to overcome the influences of the world, Satan and our own human nature!
Some Christians struggle against their uncontrolled anger. Some who have been offended let their feelings turn to bitterness, malice, anger, hostility and hate. We should be angry at evil and the ways of Satan, but we must never hate another human being. We should despise their wicked conduct and attitude, but we should love even our enemies, as Jesus taught in Matthew 5:44.
Be warned. Satan can control you if you do not control your anger. "'Be angry, and do not sin': do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil" (Ephesians 4:26-27). Uncontrolled anger can lead to a satanic bitterness, and anyone consumed with anger could end up in a lake of fire. Do not let Satan get the best of you. Learn to live at peace with others. We read, "Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled" (Hebrews 12:14-15).
Even many Christians face difficulty and stress because of past hurts and abuse. They let a root of bitterness spring up in them. They want to hold on to the pain of the past and even to relish some imagined revenge. But what does God say? "'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord" (Romans 12:19). God will ultimately inflict righteous judgment and punishment on all unrepentant sinners. But Christians need to learn to forgive! Jesus taught us in the "outline prayer" to ask God to "forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). Do you pray that way? Pray for your enemies. Learn to let go and forgive. You will be thwarting Satan, and you will not be giving into his attitude of malice and revenge!

Satan's Fate—and Christians' Victory!

We have seen a few of the devil's strategies and how to avoid his deceptions. Realize that Satan's fate is already decided. At the final judgment, all the wicked will be consumed in the lake of fire. Satan and his demons will also be cast into the lake of fire. "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels'" (Matthew 25:41).
We look forward to the time when all evil will be banished from this earth. We pray, "Thy Kingdom come!" Until then, Satan and his demons will continue to attack and deceive wherever they can. What can you do to overcome this evil force? Christians must overcome the influence of the world, the power of Satan and his demons and their own human nature.
First, we need a close relationship with God and Christ. God will protect us from evil. The outline prayer in Matthew 6 teaches us to pray, "And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen."
God will protect you and deliver you from the evil one, if you ask Him to—if you choose the Kingdom of God and reject the kingdom of Satan. As He inspired the Apostle James to write, "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you" (James 4:6-8).
These are two key points to remember in our battle with Satan. God has made these promises. You need not give in to depressing influences and feelings. Do not give in to temptations Satan throws your way. Resist! And draw near to God. Get down on your knees and pray to your Father in heaven. Study the Bible, God's Word, and follow its instructions. When Jesus faced Satan's temptations, He fought the devil by quoting scripture. Jesus used these spiritual weapons. You need them too!
The Apostle Paul tells us to be fully armed spiritually. "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:10-13).
You need the whole armor of God. If you are clothed with this armor you can win the battle. Satan is battling for your mind, for your character and for your spirit. But with God on your side, you can conquer him. Know your enemy. Know his strategies. As the Apostle Paul wrote, "we are not ignorant of his devices" (2 Corinthians 2:10).
Can you actually overcome the devil? Yes, you can, if you use the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—and if you live by that word. When Jesus resisted Satan, He said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God'" (Luke 4:4).
The power of God's Word in you can conquer Satan. The Apostle John wrote, "I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the wicked one" (1 John 2:14).
God will give you the victory through Jesus Christ—you can overcome evil. And the Creator God will banish Satan and his demons forever. They will be replaced by Jesus Christ and His faithful servants in the coming Kingdom of God.
You can have peace of mind. Act on the instructions of your Bible, and with the help of the Savior, you too can overcome Satan.

Love that Question’s(Christ's Agape Love)

By Jonathan S Singh

“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46)

When Jesus cried out these words, they were not the delusions of a man in pain. His faith was not failing Him. As Christ hung there, He was bearing the sins of the world. He was dying as a substitute for others. To Him was imputed the guilt of their sins, and He was suffering the punishment for those sins on their behalf, on our behalf. The physical pains of crucifixion, horrible as they were, were nothing compared to the wrath of the Father being poured out upon Him.

Jesus had a deep feeling of anguish when he took on the sins of the world. This is what Jesus dreaded when He prayed to God in the Garden to take the cup from Him (Matt 26:39).

“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

Why did Jesus have to do all this for us ?

It was His Love for us. His Agape Love, Unconditional Love for us. There was no-condition of Christ’s Love for us (AGAPE).

We are all called to Love one another. Jesus says in Matt 22:37-45, “Love the Lord you God with all you heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Love your neighbor as yourself. 40 All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.

Jesus even told us to Love our enemies. Jesus says in

Matt 5:39-41” But I say, don’t resist an evil person! If you are slapped on the right cheek, turn the other, too. 40 If you are ordered to court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41 If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile,* carry it two miles.”

Duty is going the first mile; love is going the second mile. In the Time of Jesus Every Jewish person had a milestone from his property. One mile from the edge of his property he would put a stone because by roman law if a roman soldier met him on the road and asked him to carry his pack, he had to carry his pack for 1 mile and when he came to that mile stone he could put it down saying I don’t have to go another step, my duty is over. But Jesus said if a man asks you to go one mile, go with him two miles. So Duty goes the first mile (that’s the law), but Love goes the Second mile. There is a difference between duty and Love. Duty does what you have to do; Love does what God wants you to do.

What does God want you and I to do ?

Luke 9:60

Jesus replied, “Your duty is to go and preach the coming of the Kingdom of God.”

· Are we doing our duty ?

· Are we telling our colleagues and friends of our Lord Jesus Christ ?

· Are we taking a stand for Our Lord Jesus Christ ?

In the words of John Heigi, “The church needs to stand for something, and that something is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The church is not a retirement center for spiritual Fat Cats; it is the recruiting center for the army of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Paul says in

Ephesians 6, put on the whole armor of God and take a stand in the end days.

· All defensive except one the Sword of the Spirit which is offensive or attacking.

The bible tells us to take dominion, to be fruitful and multiply. God intends for Christians to take charge of their lives. If you do not take charge of your life, somebody else will, think bout that. Many of us have taken the Key to our lives and given it to another individual and you are so obsessed with that person’s approval of you, you have forgotten God’s approval of you. Many of us are concerned about being people pleasers not a God Pleaser.

You know the Right hand is very significant,

1. The right hand is from which we get the phrase “he is my Right hand man.”

2. Jesus sits at the right hand of God the Father; it’s a position of Power.

3. We have that phrase to this day “May I have your hand on it.” The right hand of Power, most hand shakes are given by the Right hand. Here is a Biblical illustration in Genesis 48

When Joseph was in Egypt and he went and got his father Jacob and then Jacob was then Blessing his two grand children Manasseh and Ephraim. Jacob placed his right hand on the second boy and his left hand on the first boy. It was backwards and his Sons said Dad stop it and Jacob refused to stop it because he crossed his hands and gave the best blessing to the second boy.

On the Cross of Calvary, The First Born of the Father was dieing for you and I (Gentiles) what was our position? Paul in the Galatians says we were outside of the Covenant without God and without Hope. And the Son said “Father why have you forsaken me?” God the Father said I haven’t Forsaken you. Today I have taken my right hand and I’m putting it on the Gentile people

· I’m grafting them in ,I’m forgiving their Sins and giving them eternal life,

· I’m taking their Sickness and I’m giving their Sickness to you . By your stripes they will be healed.

· I am adopting them in to the family of God and you are paying the price for that ,

· I’m giving them freedom and I have brought to you the bondage ,I’m giving them health and healing and I’m giving their sicknesses to you .

· Son I Am giving to you shame cause Jesus hung on the cross naked in Shame, between thieves. Rome did everything they could to shame the Son of God but the Son of God broke your shame barrier at the Cross when God the Father gave to you confidence. Confidence means “living with Faith”. We have the source of supernatural confidence because of what God gave us by crossing His hands .He put His left hand on His first born Jesus and His right hand on us. Thank God for the power of the Blessing.

Let me tell you a true story. A young boy made a small boat with the greatest care and skill. With great pride he carried it to a nearby river to sail it. While he was watching it, a strong wind blew and pushed the boat out into the current. In no time it went out of sight. I need not say how sad the boy was when he realized he had lost his boat. Although only a cheap toy, it was very precious to him.

Some days later the boy was going through the market and as he was walking he chanced to look in a shop window, and there was his lost boat! He wanted it back, of course, as soon as possible. He approached the Shopkeeper and explained to him on how he had made the boat with his own hands and on how he had lost it while playing with it a few weeks back, but the shopkeeper refused and said he had to pay for it. But the price of Rs.1000 was too high for him. He decided however, to buy it despite the cost. He worked hard night and day, and in a short while he had earned enough to buy it back. Straight to the shop he went, placed the money before the shop keeper and bought back his own creation. He held it tightly in his arms, and went home joyfully.

Challenge:

2 Timothy 1:7 “For God did not give us a Spirit of Fear but a Spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.”

Jesus said “What you do for men, you have done for me. “

· We are all called to be full time missionary

· Are we sensitive to the people around us?

Matthew 20:26b-27 " Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,and whoever wants to be first must be your slave,just as the Son of Man did not come to be served,but to serve,and to give His life as a ransom for many."

Speaking in Tongues

By Sidharth Mohandas

Introduction

When I was baptized in the Spirit, I spoke in an unknown tongue that I had never learned before. My purpose of writing this article is to share with you the various functions of speaking in tongues.

As I have experienced this, I am writing this article so as to share with you the genuineness of speaking in tongues and to expose the counterfeit speaking in tongues that is seen in many churches today. And this I do by using Bible as my only manual.

As I related before when I was baptized in the Holy Spirit it was as though a river gushed out of my belly with no other way to come out but my mouth and I spoke in a language I had never learned before. The Lord told me that every manifestation I came across in my life, I was to test it with His Word and see if it agrees hundred percent with His Word, if it didn't I was to discard it. He told me His Word would be my safety. Was what I experienced biblical? Does the bible speak about such an experience? The answer to this is a definite "yes".

Speaking In Tongues As An Evidence

We see this being experienced by believers ten days after Jesus ascended to heaven. Jesus commanded them not to leave Jerusalem until and unless they received the promise of the Father, the Holy Spirit. The disciples had been waiting together for ten days in Jerusalem, praying. The disciples were determined to stay in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Ghost. On the tenth day, which is on the day of Pentecost, about 120 believers were in one place and suddenly there was a sound of a violent wind that filled the whole house, and then these believers saw what seemed to be tongues of fire come and rest on each of them. Then the bible goes onto say, "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance."(Acts 2:4). The disciples received the Holy Spirit and they spoke in languages they had never learned before. I wonder what many churches today would consider this as, if this were to happen today. They would have pushed it off as emotionalism and fanaticism for sure. These believers were ready for anything and everything God had for them. They didn't care how they looked or what others would think about them, for they were consumed with the desire to receive that which Jesus commanded them to receive. I don't know how many backed away, but the bible tells us that about 120 heeded to this command of Jesus and they were blessed. The unbelieving Jews were amazed and perplexed, and some even thought that this group was drunk with too much wine!

After about 8 years, we see Cornellius and his household receive the same experience when they received the Holy Spirit. Peter was preaching to this Gentile family, and while Peter was still preaching, the Holy Spirit came upon all who heard the message. How did Peter and the others know that they were filled with the Holy Spirit? The bible says, the circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles, FOR they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.(Act 10: 45-46).

About 15 years later, we see a group of 12 men receive the Holy Spirit and as they were filled with the Holy Spirit they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. When Paul placed his hand on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.(Act 19:6) You may ask, But did they not also prophesy? Yes, but speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of the Spirit baptism, though not the only evidence. To make this statement clear I wish to show you some biblical principles.

Some Biblical Principles

The first principle, I take from the verse "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34) When the heart of a man is filled to overflowing, it overflows through speech through the mouth. Therefore, when the Holy Spirit fills a person�s heart to overflowing, the overflow takes place in speech through the mouth. As the infilling is supernatural, the overflowing is supernatural as well. The person will speak in a language he or she has never learned and does not understand.

The second principle, I take from the verse which is found in Romans 12:1, "Therefore brethren, I beseech you by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and it will be acceptable in the sight of God.� God's requirement here is for us to present our physical members to Him. What for? Romans 6:13 gives us the answer to this: for presenting our bodies as "instruments of righteousness". However, there is one member in the body that the bible says "no man can tame", and is said to be �a world of evil among the members of the body�. This member is the tongue.

Now, you must realize that whenever a sacrifice is presented to God, God puts out His fire upon it approving of the sacrifice. So, as we bring our bodies as living sacrifice to Him, He will put out His fire, His Spirit upon us. This is exactly what happens in the Holy Spirit baptism. As the person yields to God and presents himself to be used by God, God will pour out His Spirit and as the Holy Spirit makes His abode in that person, He speaks through the person, symbolizing the tongue has been tamed, and that now God's on the driver�s seat. The tongue is the only member in our body that the bible says directs our life as a rudder directs the course of a ship. When receiving the Spirit baptism, this is what happens, we yield the rudder over to God so that He can direct our lives, and the takeover is made evident through supernatural utterances.

Speaking In Tongues As A Gift

We read about the Gift of tongues in 1 Corinthians 14. The Corinthian church was misusing the Gift of tongues, as they were speaking in tongues loudly in public services without the operation of the sister-gift, the Gift of interpretation. Like many churches today, these people were "tongue-possessed". Paul was in no way speaking against the usage of tongues, but he said it was all to be used to edify the Church, and that the order in the Church was not to be disturbed.

Speaking in other tongues is useful for both private devotion and public ministry. In private devotion, tongues can be used for prayer, praise and worship. While for public ministry, tongues must be accompanied by the Gift of interpretation so that all may benefit from what is said.

Tongues In Prayer, Praise And Worship

Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:2, "He who speaks in an unknown tongue, does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no man understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit."
In personal devotion, tongues can be used for prayer. Paul says here that one who speaks in an unknown tongue speaks to God. Then Paul goes onto to say, "He who speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself..."(verse 4). The Greek word used for "edify" here means "to build up". How does praying in an unknown tongue build the person up, if the person does not understand what he's saying? We find the answer to this in Romans 8:26 where it says, "We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And He who searches the hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance to the will of God". When we confront with situations and circumstances in our life where we don't know what to pray for, the bible tells us, the Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. Many a times when I reach a place when I don't know what to pray for, I cease to pray in words I know and pray in an unknown tongue. The Spirit in this way makes intercession for us in accordance to the will of God. This is a place where our spirit blends with the Spirit of God, and out flows from our mouth divine utterances. These utterances are prayers raised to God by the Spirit so that we stand in the complete will of God in the situation we are facing. That's why it builds us up!

Paul says the following in 1 Corinthians 14:14-15,"For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also". What does it mean to pray in the spirit? Let the bible speak for itself! Paul says, if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays. Paul makes the difference between praying in a known language and praying in an unknown tongue. Yes of course, both kinds of prayers must be inspired by the Spirit, but in case of praying in tongues the mind has no play, as only the spirit is involved in prayer. The spirit intertwines with the Spirit of God, and prays to God without going through the realm of the mind. But in case of praying with the understanding, the mind is involved.

Paul instructs believers to pray in the spirit in various places:

"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit....for all saints"(Ephesians 6:18a). It is impossible for a believer to pray with understanding for all saints. We don't know all the saints in the world first of all, and needless to say we don�t know their various needs. But God made praying for all saints possible through this gift. We can pray in the spirit for people we have never known, we have never seen and we have never heard of. The Holy Spirit knows every saint on the face of this earth and He knows their various needs. As He prays through us, He not only intercedes for us, but also intercedes for other saints.

The next place where Paul instructs believers to pray in the spirit is found in Jude 20, building your self up in the most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. Praying in the spirit and praying in the Holy Spirit are the same as the Spirit prays through our spirit. As the Spirit prays through us, He builds us up in the most holy faith. Do you see that this is exactly what Paul said when he spoke about the praying in an unknown tongue in 1 Corinthians 14:4?

Tongues can also be used in praise and worship. Paul says, "I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing the understanding also."(1 Corinthians 14: 15b). Paul then says, "If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say, Amen to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?". Paul here is not discouraging believers from praising in tongues, but he was instructing them to use this gift wisely. If some of us agree together in prayer and if one person raises his voice and starts praying in tongues, how can the others agree with him and say "Amen"? Paul here was not speaking against use of tongues in praise and worship. In fact Paul said, "I thank God that speak in tongues more than ye all"(1 Corinthians 14:18). Paul prayed in tongues, he praised God and worshipped Him in tongues. But here Paul is speaking about a public set up, where believers come together in agreement. Even in public set up, it's permissible to praise and worship God in tongues but it must be done without disturbing the person beside you. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14: 19, but in church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than a ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. Even though Paul spoke in tongues a lot during his private devotion, he says he would rather speak five words in the tongue known to all, that an unknown tongue.

From scripture I have come to the conclusion that at the time of the Spirit baptism, the Holy Spirit inaugurates the baptism with what He was sent to do: to glorify Jesus. As Jesus spoke of the coming or entry of the Holy Spirit, He spoke two very important tasks the Holy Spirit would do: He would testify or speak (John 14: 26), and He would glorify Jesus (John 16: 14). We find this is exactly what took place each time people got filled with Him. The Spirit testified through them the wonderful works of Jesus and in turn glorified Jesus. On the day of Pentecost, the bible tells us, the disciples spoke in tongues declaring the wonderful works of God (Act 2:11b). At Cornellius' house, when they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke in tongues and glorified God (Act 10: 46).

Many a times when I am praising God in a known tongue, a place reaches where words can no more contain the praises that burst within my soul. At this point, I often start praising Him in an unknown tongue.

Tongues In Ministry

The gift of tongues in the church edifies those assembled together only when there is an interpretation of the tongues. Paul instructs believers who had the gift of tongues to pray for the gift of interpretation for this very reason. The main purpose of all the gifts is to profit withal (1 Corinthians 12:7). Often in assemblies one person speaks in an unknown tongue and then another person gives the interpretation of the message given in the unknown tongue. Or in other cases, one person speaks in an unknown tongue and the same person gives the interpretation of tongues. Both these gifts are meant to operate together in order to edify other believers.
The ministry of tongues and interpretation has the some what the same effect as the gift of prophecy.

Paul gives some instructions of how to use the Gift of tongues and interpretation in 1 Corinthians 14. He says, �If anyone speaks in a tongue, two- or at the most three - should speak, one at a time and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker (one who speaks in tongues) should keep quiet and speak to himself and God.�(1 Corinthians 14: 27-28) Paul instructs believers who had the Gift of tongues that two or three could speak in tongues, but one by one, not all together. He also says that someone should interpret. Now notice, Paul is speaking about the ministry of tongues, not devotional tongues. When no one in the assembly has the Gift of interpretation of tongues, the one who has the Gift of tongues must speak in tongues to himself and God. Paul is permitting devotional tongues here in the Church. But he does not permit the public use of tongues without interpretation. I have been to countless Pentecostal assemblies, where everyone starts operating in only the Gift of tongues, and there would be no interpretation. This is exactly what Paul was speaking against. If an unbeliever or an unlearned came in, he would think these people were mad, and they would go out feeling out of place and disgusted. We must use the gifts wisely in the Spirit and not foolishly in our flesh.

Counterfeit Tongues

Just as satan counterfeits all the other gifts of God, he also counterfeits the gift of tongues. I come from a Hindu background and I know people who really have supernatural abilities. There are people who can tell you things about you without any previous knowledge of you, which is somewhat a counterfeit of the Gift of knowledge. There are astrologers and seers who can predict your future to a certain extent, which is the counterfeit of the Gift of prophecy. There are people who can perform miracles, which is a counterfeit of the Gifts of miracles. But this may amaze you: many years back I read about a witch doctor who spoke in tongues! Take this statement deep within you: Everything supernatural is not God. We are living in a time of great deception, where satan is counterfeiting the works of God. There is one category who gets deceived and falls aside and there's another category that goes to the other extent of denying even the genuine gifts. Remember, dear friends, there has to be real money for there to be counterfeit. Will you stop using real money, just because there is counterfeit money? We can't bother about the counterfeiters; we must go ahead and bless others with the real things of God.

I read couple of years back in a book by a famous evangelist, that we were to tap into praying in tongues by using our own will. Remember, the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a baptism of yielding to the Spirit of God. You yield your will to the Holy Ghost and out comes from your spirit words you had never learned before. This happens as He wills, not as the person wills. Bible-speaking in tongues must be only as the Spirit gives utterance. There are preachers today who say, "Speak in tongues as I do, and you will receive the Holy Ghost. Repeat what I am saying!� Did the disciples imitate someone else speaking in tongues? Do you read of such things in the bible?

Another group goes onto say that we can receive the Spirit and speak in tongues by way of yoga. They say "Jesus breathed over the disciples and asked them to receive the Holy Spirit. And so we can receive the Spirit by breathing in.� Jesus did breathe over the disciples to make them new creatures in Him, but He never commanded them to breathe in the Holy Spirit. Instead He commanded them to tarry in Jerusalem to receive the Holy Spirit in Person.

There is another group that lays hands on people and asks them, �Do you hear something in your mind? Just speak it out!� And the devil works with them to bring some unintelligible words. However, the bible says speaking in tongues does not operate through the mind, but through the spirit. The apostles did lay hands on the newly converted believers to receive the Holy Spirit, but they never asked them to speak out something that came to their minds. When I received the Holy Spirit, the utterance came from Him; I didn't do any of the speaking. He used my vocal cords and my tongue and He spoke through me.

I often hear people say this, "I couldn't control myself as I spoke in tongues.� This is however not true. The Holy Spirit speaks through an individual only as the individual yields to Him, and even then his spirit is subject to himself. It is a glorious blend of man's spirit and God's Spirit. It's beautiful to be at this place of perfect blend.

Lately a man of God related that as he prayed for a woman she started "speaking in tongues". The Lord revealed to this man that an evil spirit was behind it and he immediately cast out the evil spirit in the name of Jesus.

One time Smith Wigglesworth, the Apostle of faith, was in a meeting and a lady stood up and started speaking in tongues loudly. Mr. Wigglesworth said, Save your strength and sit down, lady. That is not of God! We must come to this place where we will know who is speaking: whether its God's Spirit, the evil spirit or the human spirit. How important to have the Gift of discernment of spirits!

Tongues Have Ceased! *

The doctrine "Tongues have ceased� is a doctrine that is robbing many of the greatness of God that is offered through the baptism in the Holy Spirit. They take this doctrine from 1 Corinthians 13:8 "Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they shall cease; where there is knowledge, it shall vanish." Those people who believe this doctrine interpret this Scripture somewhat like this: "The gifts are no longer valid as God used it through the early disciples to confirm His Word. Now that we have the whole Word, we don't need the gifts anymore. The perfect has come and the imperfect has been done away".

Wow! I'll have to eliminate a lot of Scriptures in the New Testament if this were true! For those who believe this junk, I've got news for them: Paul said the spiritual gifts were meant to operate till Jesus comes the second time. "Therefore, you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed"(1 Corinthians 1: 7)

Then why does Paul say tongues would cease here? First of all we must realize that the whole chapter is dealing with divine love. With this in mind let�s read verse 10, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. Can you think of a place which is perfect in love? There�s only one place I know of and that�s heaven. The earth we live in is imperfect in love. But when Jesus, the perfect One comes for His Bride, He will rapture her to that place perfect in love.

Paul speaking about the Gift of knowledge and Gift of prophecy says, for we know in part and prophesy in part (verse 9). The Gift of knowledge does not give all knowledge, but it offers only knowledge of a certain situation. However in heaven, we shall know fully, even as we are fully known. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known (verse 11). In heaven we will have full knowledge of all things; we won�t need the Gift of knowledge. The same goes for the Gift of prophecy, we won�t need it heaven. It is meant to operate on earth.

All the nine gifts are for today, they have not ceased and will not cease until Jesus comes to take His true Bride.

* Did Tongues Die With The Early Apostles?

Many people believe that tongues ceased when the early apostles died, but this is not true. Many writings of the early church fathers are available to us today, sharing about the gifts of the Spirit in their ministries and in the churches. Tertullian, Hilary, Cyril, Basil, Gregory, Nazianzus, John of Apamea, Joseph Hazzaya and others down through the centuries. St. Augustine , the great Catholic bishop from 396-430 A.D., near the end of his life, wrote in his famous work The City of God, "We shall do what the apostles did when they laid hands on the Samaritians and called down the Holy Spirit on them by the laying on of hands. It is expected that new converts speak with new tongues."

Tertullin(155-230 A.D) believed that believers did not receive the Person of Holy Spirit at the time of being born again, but he believed that the born-again experience prepared one to receive the Holy Spirit.

The eleventh edition of Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume 27, pages 9,10 states that speaking in tongues recurs in Christian revivals of every age. It names many groups from the different ages.

In 1906 we had the Azusa Street, California revival that spread worldwide. From this revival, many Pentecostal denominations were formed. Then in the 1970's and the 1980's the Charismatic renewal broke out in all major denominational churches.
David Barrett's World Christian Encyclopedia gives an estimate of 523,700,000 as the Pentecostal / Charismatic Christian World population (Second Edition, Oxford, 2000).

Final Exhortation

The Gift of tongues is a priceless gift, if used rightly. Do not back away if you have had some bad experiences with people who misused tongues. I have spoken to many Christians who have stood against Speaking in tongues, because they had been exposed to Churches that misused this gift. I know cases where people who once believed Speaking in tongues was not for today, spoke in tongues as they received the Holy Spirit, and even started operating in the Gift of tongues.

I know there are many books written against speaking in tongues, but I want to know only what �the book,The BIBLE� has to say about it. And I have shared with you what �the Bible� says about Speaking in other tongues. Now it�s up to you to analyze it and see if all that I said is Bible or not.

As I conclude this Faith Article, I wish to say with Paul: Forbid not speaking in tongues. (1 Corinthians 14:39b)

DEALING WITH TEMPTATION

By Andrew Wommack

Everyone faces temptation. But the truth is, very few people deal with it effectively. That shouldn’t be the case, and it doesn’t have to be the case for believers. There are some very simple and effective ways of dealing with temptation that you should know, and if you’ll put them into practice, I guarantee, you’ll come out the winner.

It has been said, “Fail to plan and you’re planning to fail.” That statement could not be truer when it’s applied to temptation. I don’t know anyone who gets up in the morning and prays to fail when faced with temptation, but I know many people who get up each morning and fail to plan for what the Bible says we will all certainly face. So, first and most important, you must be prepared. That’s so simple, you have to have someone’s help to misunderstand. But, we must have had a lot of help because very few people have taken the time or made the effort to prepare.

Second Chronicles 12:14 says it this way,

“And he did evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.”

This was speaking of Rehoboam, the king of Judah and the son of Solomon. He started off as a good king who was seeking the Lord. But just like many people today, he wasn’t prepared for what would inevitably come his way. When Satan throws temptation your way, if you’re not already prepared, it’s too late. You’ll probably lose the fight.

Jesus prepared Himself. He spent thirty years getting ready for His encounter with the devil, and He started preparing early. At the age of twelve, He was asking questions of the doctors of the Law and astounding them with His answers. He had obviously spent many hours reading and studying the Scriptures. I’m sure that study continued all His life, but even Jesus needed more.

Before He was tempted by Satan face to face, He was anointed with the Holy Spirit at His baptism by John in the Jordan River. Jesus went into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil, full of the power of the Holy Spirit.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is an absolute necessity for overcoming temptation. There are many Christians who received the Holy Spirit years ago and haven’t been full of the Holy Spirit a day since. It’s not about what happened to us long ago; we have to stay full of the Holy Spirit. One way of doing that is to speak in tongues on a regular basis. Jude 1:20-21 says,

“But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.”

Praying in tongues builds us up on our most holy faith. How many times have you needed your most holy faith to take you through a certain trial, and yet you haven’t used this gift of the Holy Spirit? Verse 21 also says we keep ourselves in the love of God when we speak in tongues. Have you ever asked the Lord to pour out His love on you? I imagine you have, but this doesn’t say to pray that way; it says we are to keep ourselves in the love of God. We do that by speaking in tongues. We don’t ask God for that which He’s already given, we simply stir up the love that has already been commended toward us, by speaking in tongues. This is a powerful gift. Isaiah 28:11-12 says,

“For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.”

Do you ever need rest or refreshing? I guarantee that you do, and this verse says speaking in tongues is the way to get it. We have a tremendously powerful gift available to us through the Holy Spirit, but few people take advantage of it. Instead, we ask God to do what He told us to do. We need to use this gift of speaking in tongues to stir ourselves up, or we risk sinking to the bottom.

You must also know who you are. Matthew 4 and Luke 4 record the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness. One of the most amazing aspects of those temptations was that Satan began two of the three temptations with the words, “If thou be the Son of God.” Many people have missed this point. The real temptation was Satan’s attempt to get Jesus to doubt who He was. That’s the same way he attacked Adam and Eve. The serpent told Eve that if she would eat the forbidden fruit, she would be like God (Gen. 3:5). The truth was that she was already like God, but she didn’t know it. The first Adam sinned, because he didn’t know who he really was. The second Adam, Jesus, didn’t sin, because He did know who he was. Knowing your true identity in Christ is one of the greatest defenses you can possibly have against temptation.

Jesus had just heard His Father speak to Him in an audible voice saying,

“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:17).

There was also a visible sign from God when the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the shape of a dove. Jesus had to anchor His faith in who His Father said He was. But immediately, Satan came to Him saying,

“If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread” (Matt. 4:3).

The real temptation was never about turning stones into bread. It was Satan’s attempt to manipulate Jesus into doubting His Father’s Word and doing something to prove who He was. Satan was trying to find and exploit any insecurity in Jesus.

When you were a kid, I’m sure someone at some time dared you to do something stupid. The real issue wasn’t whether or not you could do it but whether you were “afraid” to do it. And sad to say, many of us took the dare and did something that hurt us or shamed us just to prove that we weren’t. All we really succeeded in proving was that we feared their disapproval so much that we weren’t willing to do what was right. The truly fearless response would have been to walk away, secure in who we were, earning their respect through character rather than performance.

Satan was daring Jesus—”If You’re really the Son of God, if what You heard from the Father in an audible voice is really true, then prove it, and turn this stone into bread.” Turning a stone into bread would not have been sin. It would have been sin if Jesus had doubted the words of His heavenly Father declaring who He was by placing more faith in what a miracle could say about Him. You must know who you are if you want to overcome temptation. No matter what form Satan’s temptations may take, they are all directed at causing us to doubt who we are.

It’s also important to understand that all temptation is rooted in selfishness. In fact, our selfishness is really Satan’s beachhead. Jesus stripped him of his power two thousand years ago, so the only thing he can really do is deceive us through our own selfish desires. The Bible tells us exactly what they are in 1 John 2:16,

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”

And in James 1:14 we read,

“But every many is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”

Satan is not limitless; deception is his only weapon. All he can do is try to deceive us into thinking that God really can’t or won’t fulfill our lives. Every single temptation of the enemy is packaged in the form of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, or the pride of life. But they’re all designed to entice us and cause us to doubt that God will meet our needs. Selfishness is always the favorite playground of the devil, and when selfishness rules in our lives, we open the door to his deceptive schemes.

You can’t be tempted unless you have first thought about it. All temptation is linked to what you think on. Therefore, control your thoughts, and you will control temptation. This is a simple but profound truth. It’s the reason most people fall into temptation. It’s like a woman who doesn’t want to get pregnant but continues to have sexual relations without any contraception. Sooner or later, she will get pregnant. Think on the wrong things long enough, and sooner or later you will fall into sin when tempted.

Philippians 4:8 says this,

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Temptation will come, but it’s hard for the devil to deceive you when your mind is stayed on those things. Satan can only work with what you give him, so don’t give him any space in your mind. You’ll be able to avoid many of the temptations you face if you will put this into practice.

The Word is powerful—use it. Jesus countered every temptation of the devil with the Word. Think about it, Jesus was the Word, and everything He said would have been Scripture and more than sufficient to rebuke the devil. Yet He would say, “It is written” then He quoted God’s Word. If it was important for Jesus to quote the Word, it’s even more important for us to do the same. We must know God’s Word to effectively overcome temptation. That goes back to being prepared; you can’t quote scripture you haven’t learned, and there isn’t any power in what you don’t know or understand.

Don’t wait till you’re in the middle of a huge temptation to start thinking about how to deal with it; it will be too late. Take the time now to prepare yourself for those temptations that will inevitably come your way. To help, I produced a five-part album entitled How To Deal With Temptation. In this album, I teach on: being prepared, knowing who you are, how selfishness is the beachhead of Satan, why speaking the Word is so important, and how temptation is tied to your thought life. These are all vital to understanding and overcoming temptation.