Month: October 2019

1. Its origin: Although Halloween has become a night of fun and superstition, it had a serious beginning with the ancient Druids. They held a celebration in honor of Samhain, Lord of the Dead on November 1st. It was their belief that on the eve of this festival, Saman (Samhain) called together the wicked souls that within the past 12 months had been condemned to inhabit the bodies of animals. They believed that on this night, ghosts, spirits, fairies, witches and elves came out to harm people. From them came the present day use of witches, ghosts and cats. Trick or Treat originated from Ireland when a group of farmers went from house to house begging food for the village Halloween festivities in the name of their ancient gods. The Celts added the custom of wearing costumes made from the skins of sacrificed animals. The Romans added a ceremony honoring their goddess of fruit and trees, from which we got bobbing for apples. The Jack-O-Lantern, symbol of a damned soul, was named for a man named Jack who could not enter Heaven or Hell and as a result had to wander in darkness with his lantern until Judgment Day. Finally, Halloween was “Christianized” by the Roman Catholic Church in the A.D. 800’s and incorporated into “Allhallowmas”, the evening before being “All Halloween”. The celebration of Halloween is a survival of ancient pagan beliefs! Orange, black and red, Satan’s colors are used.
2. It is obvious that the elements, symbols and traditions of the Halloween observance with its emphasis on goblins and demons, witches and skeletons, ghosts and apparitions constitute a dabbling with the very things which Scripture forbids, and places Christians in the realm of demonic activity. Anton Lavey, “Black Pope” of the First Church of Satan, in his book “Satan’s Bible” states Halloween is one of the three highest days of satanism and is not taken lightly by them.
3. Please read these Scriptures: Lev. 19:31 and Deut. 18:10-13. True Christians should separate themselves from these symbols and be identified with God’s people!

The fire alarm called out the professional firefighters when an apartment house in New York began to bum … and John Herko was there too. People were trapped in the building, and Herko went in. He found Douglas Billman, a four year old, and fought his way through smoke and flame to carry the boy to safety. The fireman finished the job, but no one was happier than John Herko, who hugged the little fellow and could scarcely let him go.

Why was Douglas so precious to him? He had never seen the boy before. But in bringing him safely from the fire, John had discharged a debt he had carried for thirteen years. Thirteen years ago his son had fallen into the water, and was drowning; a woman who was near jumped in and rescued him from probable death. Now Herko says, “Ever since then I felt that I owed some child a life.”

Not everyone feels such a sense of obligation. Some accept deliverance as a matter of course; and if they should do a big favour for someone else, they take much credit to themselves. This is especially true in spiritual matters. Heow many Christians feel an obligation to witness for the Lord, and seek to introduce others to the Lord Jesus?

Paul said, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise” (Romans 1:14). What made Paul a debtor to all the people? I twas, first of all, the fact of his own salvation. Christ had sought him out on the road to Damascus; but the salvation which Paul experienced there was for all men, not just for him and a chosen few. People in every nation had a right to know about it. Second, it was because the Lord saved Paul for that purpose (Acts 26: 14-18). Third, the love of Christ drove Paul on to tell others everywhere about the Saviour (2 Corinthians 5: 14-20).

Did Paul’s experience differ from yours? In detail, no doubt it did; but we are all debtors in the same sense that Paul was. We are “Saved, saved to tell others of the Man of Galilee.”

Someone came to tell you of Calvary and the way of life. Someone made an effort to introduce you to the Saviour. Don’t you feel a sense of obligation because of that? If all Christians felt like John Herko, if we were all willing to brave danger and go to real trouble to help another soul because we and our friends were helped, thing what an impetus it would bring into the work of the churches! Take the burden of debt upon you; watch for the chance to pass on the blessing you have received. God will guide you to some soul and teach you what to say to win that soul.

If I can win some precious soul to Christ, And know that when I leave, he’ll carry on, And maybe win some other to his Lord To carry high the torch when he is gone; some shall stop me in the Glory/and, And say, “I’m here because one day you came To tell me of the Saviours matchless love, ” Then I can know I have not lived in vain.

Jesus said, “Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?” (Matthew 6:27). Worry cannot produce a better tomorrow or change yesterday, but it can spoil a perfectly good today.

It is impossible to list a single benefit from worry. Someone said, “Worry is like rocking chair; it will give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere.”

Someone gave this estimate of what most people worry about: Things that never happen, 49%; things over the past that can’t be changed by all the worry in the world, 30%; needless health worries, 12%; petty, miscellaneous worries, 10%; real, legitimate worries, 8%.

We doubt if there is any such thing as a “real, legitimate worry,” since the Bible says in Philippians 4:6, “Be careful for nothing … ” The literal meaning is “don’t worry about even one thing.”

WORRY IS UNWISE

There are three reasons why worry is unwise: 1. It is harmful to one physically, mentally, and emotionally; 2. It makes one a poor steward of his time and energy; 3. It shows a lack of faith in our Heavenly Father’s care for us and in the integrity of His promises.

Dr. W. C. Alvarez, a stomach specialist at Mayo Clinic, said, “Eighty percent of the stomach disorders that come to the clinic are not organic but functional … most of all ills are caused by worry and fear, and it is my experience that faith is more important than food in the cure of stomach ulcers.”

The renowned Dr. Charles Mayo himself said, “Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, the whole nervous system; and it profoundly affects the health.”

Another medical doctor said, “Worry sets up a general disorganization of the system, makes and liberates all sorts of bodily poisons, throws glands and their functions all out of gear, and lowers the resistance to the very edge of limpness … prolonged and great worry may mean an eventual breakup, flabby heart, hardened arteries, premature senility, paralysis of the will which may ultimately lead to suicide.”

Worry wastes energy. A large industrial firm discovered that nine out of ten cases of workers inefficiency were caused by worry.

Worry produces imaginary troubles and often gives a small thing a big shadow. Someone once said, “To worry about what we can’t help is useless; to worry about what we can help is stupid.”

WORRY IS UNNECESSARY

Jesus said in Matthew 6:25-26, “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?”

Later in the same chapter, the Lord promised us food and clothing, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (verse 33). Since the Father ” … knoweth that ye have need of all these things” (verse 32), and since He has promised that ” … these things shall be added unto you” (verse 33), then worry is unnecessary.

“The tongue spills out what the life contains.”

“May I see your tongue?” That’s what the doctor asks us when we visit his office for consultation. It is a well-known fact that the tongue serves as an index to our physical condition. Likewise, the tongue is a good index to our spiritual condition. Jesus Himself said at one time, ” … out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh” (Matthew 12:34). Our words definitely reveal our character, although many of us seem to be unaware of that fact.

If you were walking from the well carrying a bucket of water and someone jostled against you, there could be spilled from the bucket only that which it contained. As you walk along the way of life, you are constantly being jostled by people. If your life is full of ill nature, bad temper, and ugly disposition, those things will be spilled from it. If it is full of Christian spirit, you will spill a smile or some pleasant remark as people bump into you. You can spill from your bucket only that which it contains.

THE TONGUE DEFINED

In the Bible, the tongue is called ” … an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). It is spoken of as false, lying, froward, naughty, perverse, backbiting, and deceitful. There are six things which God hates; seven are an abomination to Him. Of these seven, three peak of the tongue: ” … a lying tongue … ” (Proverbs 6: 17); “A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6: 19).

THE POWER OF THE TONGUE

Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, made this statement, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue … ” (Proverbs 18:21). How true! Think of the jurist who must use his tongue to pronounce either the death sentence upon a man or to declare his innocence. But spiritual death and spiritual life are also in the power of the tongue.

Spiritual death has been defined as “anything which separates one from God.” What power the tongue has here! How many people have listened to the words of atheists, agnostics, infidels, Christ haters and rejecters, and have gone down to spiritual death – eternal separation from God!

The tongue also has the power to bring spiritual life to others. Millions have heard the words of eternal life from the lips of others and have believed them and received spiritual life, eternal life, as a result. Faith comes by the hearing of God’s Word. Jesus said, ” … He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life … ” (John 5:24). It has ” … pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21 ).

We have the glorious privilege and opportunity of using our tongues to proclaim God’s Word, thereby bringing spiritual life to others. What greater or more worthwhile use could we make of our tongues?

Good homes, good Churches and good communities are built upon godly relationships. The most common cause of failure in a relationship is a failure to live by and respond to God’s Word, which results in the fullness of the Spirit. When a believer is filled with the Spirit of God, he or she has the mind of God to go through relationship problems correctly.

You should read Ephesians 4:30 – 5:18. When we are filled with the Spirit (not the same as baptized with the Spirit) we manifest the fruit of the Spirit as outlined in Galatians 5:22-24. All interpersonal relationship problems stem from one or both parties walking in the flesh rather than walking in the Spirit. In other words, if you are not in tune with the Spirit of God, you will not be in tune with others. Look up and read Romans 12:1-2, 9-20; 13:8-14. There is something wrong with a person who continually has conflict with others and always has to make new friends because of relationship problems with others. Friend, you should have some lasting friendships, and you will if you are saved and Spirit filled. Here are a few simple thoughts on developing lasting, Godly relationships:

1. Control your thoughts. Acts 5:3 states about Ananias and Sapphira that “why hath Satan hath filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost…” 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 tells us to cast dawn imaginations and bring our thoughts into captivity. When your thoughts are out of control, your life is out of control.

2.   Control your tongue. (James 1:26; 3:1-18) A loose tongue will destroy a godly relationship. In fact, it is Satan’s greatest weapon. Colossians 4:6 says, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”

3.   Control your temper. (Ephesians 4:30-32, 1 Peter 2:1-3) A loose temper is not excused by the Word of God. No Christian should brag on having a bad temper. That Is like saying, “I am not under the control of the Holy Spirit.” Also, it reveals that the person is walking in the flesh rather than the Spirit.

4.   Don’t lose sight of Satan’s plan. (2 Corinthians 2:9-11) v11 says, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” James 3:16 states, “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.”

Please read 1 Peter 3:7-17 and start working today to make and maintain lasting Godly relationships. Satan wants to cripple your home, destroy your friendships and testimony thereby getting the advantage.