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Contending ontending
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March 2012

cetf Ffaith
for the

aith

Volume 18.1

Issue 59

He who wins souls is WISE

Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding - Job 28:28. ... because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax (grow) cold - Matthew 24:12. ... Without understanding, ... without natural affection ... : Romans 1:31 .... Without natural affection, ... despisers of those that are good - 2 Timothy 3:3. ******************* Wisdom, the Bible states, is the principal (chief) thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all your getting get understanding (Proverbs 4:7). Wisdom and understanding are linked and sometimes used interchangeably in the Bible. Job 28:28, quoted above, tells us what wisdom is, how it is gained, and what, through understanding, it achieves. Likewise the other texts cited, effectively describe the state of mankind without true wisdom, because of the lack of the fear of the Lord. It is a state where evil abounds, true love is sparse, understanding and natural affection are lacking, resulting in goodness being despised. Matthew 24:12 (cf. v.3) and 2 Timothy 3:3 (cf. v.1) are prophecies about the end time and apt descriptions of our time, while Romans 1:31 is part of one of the darkest passages of the Bible. Romans 1:18-32 describes the depravity of man in his state of estrangement from and rebellion against God. It is true of mankind for all time but especially at the end of time. Into this morass enter the brilliant light of Proverbs 11:30: The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he who wins souls is wise. I recall that veteran classic Pentecostal, the late John Nelson Parr, long time pastor of the famous Bethshan Tabernacle in Levenshulme, Manchester, UK say that he would hate to be someone who defended true doctrine but never won a soul for Christ. In a sense soul winning defines wisdom. Of course nowadays there are people both inside and outside the church who need to be won for Christ. Dear Lord, help us to be winsome that we may 'win-some'. As I contemplated this editorial a myriad thoughts flooded my mind. I started with another headingOn a Personal Notewith the thought of writing something about our family, especially seeing our youngest son, Jonathan was married last December 3, 2011. He and Deb (nee Tan) make a wonderful couple and have some lovely photographs that would interest our many friends worldwide. However the content of CETF # 59 doesn't allow for that so we'll find some other way, time and space permitting. 2013 will see the start of the Jubilee of my wife and I working together in ministry. We married in 1966 but started our friendship shortly after I was inducted as pastor in Manchester in February 1963. Another line that occurred to me was the almost overwhelming bombardment of the internet and IT related world of our day. As I start this editorial I have some 4,400 emails in my IN BOX and increasing by the minute. Part of my problem is NOT knowing what to delete and how to file others. Frequently, as emails resurface, I have been glad that I didn't delete them, but there's a down side. I must apologise to my many communicants whose emails are buried among the 4,000+. How does a pastor and editor, keep up with everything? The IT invasion just can't continue unabated. I must become ruthless and delete thousands of my emails, so I'll start now, but first a summary of some topics, extracted from those emails on their way to cyber space with our advice and warnings about the pitfalls that you need to know about.

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He Who Wins Souls is Wise ........................................................1 A Judge Looks At The Evidence For The Ressurection. .................3 How To Teach Gods Good News In Easy English..........................6 Keeping The Lambs Safe. ............................................................9 When The Home of Alpha, The Prosperity Gospel and Rome Meet..................................................................12 CWM Resources .......................................................................17 Richard Bennett: Tour Announcement. .....................................25 The Papacys Exploitation Of Pentecostalism. ...........................26 News, Views & Your Letters ......................................................15 Lessons From The Welsh Revivals (Part 3) .................................16

URL links have been shortened to save space. Visit our website for full URL link references.

Tattoos - Making Their Mark (Part 1). ........................................31

It is NOT wise to remain silent about important issues that affect the Christian faith

ISRAEL - IRAN THE MIDDLE EAST This is a veritable news media hotchpotch. We recommend great diligence and discernment. Some communicants are anti-Semitic; others are Judaistic and still others self-serving, even though their news and information may be reliable. CWM cannot and will not endorse any Jewish or Messianic organisation which, in their policy, withholds the Gospel from their contacts. Those who are only committed to bringing Jews back to Israel and are NOT sharing the gospel with them should not be supported. I trust the following short summary may help: The Good and Reliable a. The Berean Call Dave Hunt & Tom McMahon - http://www.thebereancall.org e.g. http://cetf.co/zNGn61 b. Israel Report by Michael Claydon israelreport@hotkey.net.au Beware of some others with the same name. Contact Mike and he'll add you to the list without charge and he never appeals for money. You'll read about such things as The Great Middle East Conspiracy and the End Times America and its Western allies appear to be inching closer to yet another war in the Middle East. c. Israel Today - http://israeltoday.co.il This seems to be a reliable source of information. I file all of their stuff as I do that of the Israel Report referred to above. I have not detected any overt self-serving activity as with some other similar organisations. d. Moriel Jacob Prasch http://www.moriel.org . If I am ever in doubt about anything relating to Israel I always turn to this source. You can be assured they will tell it like it is. Arnold Fruchtenbaum of Ariel http://ariel.org - is another organisation CWM recommends. Reliable (? maybe) yet Ugly Jerusalem Prayer Team headed by so called Dr. Michael Evans, who constantly grandstands and whose bottom line in ALL his personally addressed emails (Dear Philip) is, Please send me your donation. He is the man who clowned with Ken Copeland and Rodney Howard Browne in one of the early Toronto videos. Anyone associated with Toronto or Pensacola must be suspect. I am told that genuine Christians in New York, where Mike Evans ministered more than 25 years ago, considered him a con-man. He appears not to have changed. While his emails may be correct in their news releases, please use discretion and discernment re his speculations and his money appeals, no matter what ploy he adopts. There are a number of sources like this from which I 2
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am open to receive communiqus, but I will never send them money. The approach of Michael Evans is typical of the Word of Faith and Faith Prosperity televangelists who are masters at getting your money. Beware and take care. WORLD AND NATIONAL NEWS Two things are noteworthy: Firstly, the internet today is fast becoming more reliable as a source of unbiased news than our national and international media outlets, who are so bogged down by political correctness. Secondly, news and historic articles always tend to reflect the political and/or religious and/or educational bias of the author (writer). These things must be taken into account in making conclusions no matter where our information comes from. We all tend to gravitate to the things which appeal to us. a. World Net Daily (WND) would appear to be extremely right wing. Their writings are well researched from their perspective. In the recent past and continuing they have an obsession with a question about the electoral eligibility of President Barrack Obama (BO). Their persistence may pay off as powerful people are now challenging whether BO has in effect defrauded the American people by declaring himself eligible when, it is alleged, he was not a natural born citizen. The argument seems to go on and on ad infinitum, but it may be grinding to a halt. Of course American politics is not rightfully the province of CWM and CETF, but for those who find it interesting, which includes me, the above caution about background bias and appeal is worthy of note. WND's latest release as I am writing this is headed The guy who can bring down Obama and claims Barack Obama's constitutional qualifications for the presidency have never been investigated by any law-enforcement agency. Until now. We'll see what happens but don't forget that WND, like all similar organisations have books and other resources to sell BEWARE. Personally I will hopefully continue to get their material and that of other news outlets, which I only cursorily peruse on its way to cyber space. b. CHRISTIAN CONCERN http://www.christianconcern.com/ - Christian Weekly News out of UK Christian Concern brings you cutting edge stories week by week, to equip the church to act and pray, to restore the hope of Christ to the centre of our nation. Here's one (10/02/2012) Victory for Free Speech today as Christian preacher found not guilty Street Preacher Mike Overd was today (10 Feb 2012) cleared by Taunton Magistrates' Court of a 'Hate C r i m e ' fo r p r e a c h i n g a ga i n s t

homosexual conduct. ... Following the 'Not Guilty' verdict by the Magistrates, Mr Overd said: "This is a case that should never have been brought. Christians like me are being harassed. Thankfully the Magistrates saw the truth of what happened and is happening on a wider scale in our country. Something is wrong when Nick Lansley of Tesco's Supermarkets can insult Christians by reading out an abusive poem on You Tube about homosexual acts on Christ; Abu Qatada can preach about Jihad and death to the Jews; but the police arrest me, a Christian preacher who cares deeply for Jesus Christ and the people of Taunton. Something has to change and I hope my case will encourage others not to be scared to speak up for Christ. It is NOT wise to remain silent about important issues that affect the Christian faith REMEMBER ... The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he who wins souls is wise. Guess what? Under the above listed headings there were 400+ emails which have now thankfully been filed or have hit the cyber dust. The count now stands at 3,953. So with your prayer and help, by holding off sending more emails unless the matter is important, I'll get there, God Willing. Once more I commend to you the following articles and their authors for prayerful interest and support. Please pray for the special CWM meetings, conferences and speakers' tours. Tom McMahon's and Arnold Fruchtenbaum's visits (March 2012) will have come and gone by the time you read this. My own preaching tour of UK is scheduled for May/June 2012 and then the four CWM Conferences in Australia, plus possible extra meetings in NZSeptember 2012, advertised herein. Last year's series of CWM Conferences were blessed of the Lord and worth repeating. God bless you - please help us circulate the message by distributing CETF far and wide. We are grateful to the Lord's people for their prayerful and practical support that enables CWM to continue publishing and distributing CETF. Thank you in the Name of the Lord. May Jesus Christ be PRAISED

Philip L. Powell
www.cwm.org.au Want to comment? Visit http://cwm.org.au

So when we are examining the evidence for the resurrection, we need to look to the behaviour of the apostles as well as what they said in the gospels.

A Judge looks at the evidence for the Resurrection

By His Hon. Mr Justice Peter W Young AO
Republished from an original talk given by the Judge at St. Barnabas Church (Broadway), Sydney, NSW on Tuesday 11 April, 2006, with written permission.

it would be sufficient for most courts to hold that on the balance of probabilities, the baby was Fred's. We will approach the resurrection of Jesus in the same way. Just as we cannot be absolutely certain of anything, or at least, almost anything, so we would not normally let little doubts or remote possibilities cloud our view of what probably happened, so we must assess the evidence for the resurrection in the same way. When judging, one must put aside preconceived ideas. One must also realize that, every so often, what appears incredible actually occurred. Of course, the fact that something is at first blush incredible means that it starts disadvantaged, but one must not exclude it as a possibility.

Source: http://cetf.co/A9V31b There are different ways of looking at a fact situation. Judges and lawyers, who are trying to convince judges, are experienced in finding facts. That is, even where the judge suspects that all the witnesses are lying about at least one aspect of the case and some of the documents are forgeries, he or she is still required to decide what is more likely to be the truth. To do this, we use various techniques. I will share some of them with you. It is not necessary to delve into all of them. That would deflect us from our real purpose. Judges are limited by the rules of evidence. These rules were devised in a time when juries, rather than judges, found facts, but they were moulded by those with experience as to what types of material was more likely to prejudice the mind of the jury rather than help them get at the truth. Let us see how a lawyer and his wife, a non-lawyer, approach a topic. The wife asks her lawyer husband whom she knew had called at Fred Johnson's house, whether he'd seen Fred's new baby. The lawyer replied, quite accurately I called at Johnson's house, and saw a woman who may or may not have been Mrs Johnson and she was holding a baby who may or may not have been Fred Johnson's. All this is perfectly and technically correct. One would need DNA tests on the baby and Fred Johnson to get even 95% certainty as to the baby's parents. However, if there was no more material than, a. Fred told me he had a new baby (note whilst the truth of what Fred said would not be admissible as hearsay, the fact that he said it is admissible), b. Fred occupied 21 Lilac St Bronte, c. a woman with a wedding ring was living at 21 Lilac Street, d. the woman was holding a baby,

by the opinions of others and by what we experience in our culture, in our age. When we come to the question of the resurrection of Jesus Christ we must not dismiss the possibility of a man, who claimed to be God, rising from the dead, without giving proper weight to the available evidence. A judge when assessing evidence looks at a number of things. First what appears to be irrefutable factual evidence, e.g. the sun rose at 6:12am this morning. Then the judge looks to the eyewitnesses, and assesses their credibility; then relevant documents are considered; then the background material is assessed. To show what I mean by this last item, suppose, a woman is claiming on her husband's life assurance. The insurance company says that the husband isn't dead, but is hiding somewhere. The fact that the widow never wore black, has been seen carousing in hotels and has recently bought airline tickets to London for herself and the couple's son, would lead a judge to think, Is that the behaviour of a widow who appears to have had a happy marriage? Is it not more like the conduct of a woman who knows that her husband is alive and well? So when we are examining the evidence for the resurrection, we need to look to the behaviour of the apostles as well as what they said in the gospels. W h a t i s t h e e v i d e n c e fo r t h e resurrection? I always start with Paul's letter to the Corinthians. You may remember that Paul was first a fervent anti Christian who obtained special permission from the Jewish authorities to stamp out Christianity in Damascus. He says, Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, he was buried and he was raised on the third day and appeared to Cephas and then to the twelve, then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James and then to all the apostles. Last of all, he appeared to me 1 Corinthians 15:3-8.
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When we come to the question of the resurrection of Jesus Christ we must not dismiss the possibility of a man, who claimed to be God, rising from the dead, without giving proper weight to the available evidence.
The most notorious example of this is given in Eggleston's Book on Probability and the Law. A person looked out of his window on a dark night in Boston and saw a tall Afro American walking down the hill past his front fence. The man's head fell off and tumbled over the fence. The man went inside the gate, picked up his head, put it back on his shoulders and resumed his journey. The police investigated and found the story quite true. An Afro-American medical student had taken a head home for the night to study. He had it on his shoulder with his coat buttoned up to the neck. The head slipped off his shoulder, he picked it up and went on his way. Now, our life experience says that a person does not rise from the dead. Our life experience says that we do not see God in flesh. However, when we think about it, our life experience is influenced

In the New Testament we find two detailed testimonies describing the death and resurrection of Jesus written by eyewitnesses

Now this was a stupid thing to write if people could just go out and ask for verification and not get it. Even though the letter was written to people in the Greek city of Corinth, there was sufficient chance of people checking up on this statement to make it stupid to say it if it were not true. Now let us turn to the Gospels themselves. In the New Testament we find two detailed testimonies describing the death and resurrection of Jesus written by eyewitnesses Matthew and John (both disciples of Jesus and intimately acquainted with the events in question). A third account of the event is made by Mark, who worked alongside Peter and records Peter's eyewitness version. Luke, a Greek doctor, opens his letter by stating that since he has carefully investigated everything from the beginning, he has chosen to write an orderly account of all that has been fulfilled. Further eyewitnesses confirm Paul's claim that Jesus died and rose, in the letters in the latter part of the New Testament. Each of these four witnesses agrees, in substance, concerning the death and resurrection of Jesus, but, like you would expect with genuine witnesses, differ to a small degree in detail. This adds credibility to their story. Witnesses who testify with identical details will raise suspicions as to collusion. I will assume everybody has at least a rough idea of the story of the crucifixion in the Bible. If you don't, even if you are not yet a Christian, read it later. I should interpolate here that for our purposes, it does not matter whether or not you accept the Bible as the Word of God. Assuming you do not do so, you cannot really challenge the evidence that not only do we have extant manuscripts from the third century, but also we have records of statements of bishops in the second century, such as Papias and Iranaeus, who affirmed the existence of the Gospels and their writers. The four accounts of Jesus by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are consistent with the general events of the resurrection and can be tested against independent sources. Luke's account enables historians to conclude that Jesus died under the jurisdiction of Pontius Pilate, Procurator of Judea from 26 to 36 AD or during the last ten years of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius. The evidence is increased in value by the inclusion of bits and pieces which do not portray the writers of the gospels and their friends in a favourable light. 4
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So let us take up Mark's Gospel at chapter 14:26-30, When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. And Jesus said to them, You will all become deserters: for it is written, 'I will strike the shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered', but after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee. Peter said to him, (and remember it was Peter who gave Mark the information to write the gospel) Even though all become deserters. I will not. Jesus said to him, Truly I tell you, this day, this very day, you will deny me three times. The passage proceeds to show how the disciples just fell asleep at the climax of [what is often called] the first Holy Thursday, that when Jesus was arrested they fled, though Peter and John crept back. John, who had the right connections got inside. Peter stayed outside, and was challenged by various people as being one of Jesus' followers, denied it three times and then the cock crowed.

and that in full public view. When challenged Peter said publicly, You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, the God of Abraham has glorified His servant Jesus. You killed the author of life whom God raised from the dead Acts 3:12-15. The consequence was, of course, that Peter and John were arrested. When they appeared in court, they told the same story. These people who had only recently been fearful of the authorities are now bold. The difference was the resurrection. If they had not seen the evidence, they would not have been able to speak like this. Only the most clever conman can risk his life for a lie; and the apostles were not in this league. On the same line, if you read the Easter stories in the Gospels critically and carefully, you will clearly see that on that first Easter Day, the disciples had no real expectation that there would be a resurrection. The women were the first to see evidence of the resurrection because they found no body, but the stone rolled away and an angel or two in the tomb. They told some of the disciples, but, in those days, no one accepted a woman as a credible witness. Indeed, the Anglican priest and a leading Religious Book Writer, John Dickson, points out that it would be an odd thing that a person making up a story would involve women as witnesses. This is again a small pointer to the veracity of the story. Peter and John looked in the tomb for themselves, and John believed. However, it took at least a week for all the remaining apostles to fully accept that Christ had risen. We thus do not have a scenario of people believing what they want to believe. It must also be recognized that the story of the resurrection belonged to the very earliest stage of Christianity. It was the bedrock of the first thrust of the Jesus movement, not just something added later. Many lawyers have spoken on occasions like this in an endeavour to convince people that it is quite reasonable to believe in the resurrection because the fact of the resurrection can be established to the satisfaction of our standard of legal proof. Other scholars have done the same. There is Frank Morrison's Who moved the Stone, first published in 1930 and I think still in print. Morrison started to write a book sceptical about miracles, but ended up supporting the fact of the resurrection.

The difference was the resurrection. If they had not seen the evidence, they would not have been able to speak like this. Only the most clever conman can risk his life for a lie; and the apostles were not in this league.
This contrasts with other tales of the founding committee of an organisation where the founding fathers are portrayed as people of impeccable nerve and verve. The gospels present the apostles before the crucifixion as a scared bunch who were not able to stand up to the stress of the arrest of Jesus. We must contrast this with the behaviour of the same people after the resurrection. Peter takes the lead. The first cricketing joke comes from his summary of what had happened to the other apostles, Peter stood before the eleven and was bold! cf. Acts 2:14. Peter was not only bold before the other apostles; he was bold before the community which was quite opposed to the Christian sect. Acts chapter 3 tells the story of Peter and John going up to pray at the Temple and the curing of a man who could not walk

Each of the four accounts of Jesus' resurrection would hold up under skilful cross-examination because they are detailed, coherent and consistent with the resurrection.

Josh McDowell's Evidence that demands a Verdict, first published in 1972, devotes two chapters to the resurrection. In the first of these, the author says that there is no other option but to accept the resurrection as fact or that the myth of its propagation was one of the most vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted upon the minds of men. McDowell gives extracts from the scriptures, the early Christian apologists, the philosophers, leading lawyers and others to show a strong case for the resurrection as fact. Ross Clifford, a Sydney Lawyer now head of the Baptist Theological College produced a book Leading Lawyers Look at the Resurrection in 1991. It's now out of print, but there is a copy in the Law Court's Library and many other libraries. The book contains essays by leading lawyers supporting the evidence for the resurrection including in Appendix 2, an extract from the tract authored by Mr Clarrie Briese, the former Chief Stipendiary Magistrate affirming the fact of the resurrection. Let us now look briefly at the eyewitness evidence of the resurrection and the circumstantial evidence. Each of the four accounts of Jesus' resurrection would hold up under skilful cross-examination because they are detailed, coherent and consistent with the resurrection. They provide a solid body of circumstantial evidence - that is a combination of circumstances, that, when taken together, point to a strong conclusion. 1. Jesus was dead Roman method (crucifixion and spear producing water and blood separated); 2. The tomb - rich man's tomb; 3. The burial; 4. The stone; 5. The seal (hard to break, death to anyone who dared); 6. The guard; 7. The disciples (transformation Pentecost); 8. The Post-resurrection appearances (many claimed at Pentecost in the city where the death occurred); Now there would be many who might have been able to contradict some of those public events. But no-one ever came forward to do so despite the fact that the Temple authorities must have been trying to find such people. Likewise, centuries have now passed and some of the best minds have applied

themselves to disputing the fact of the resurrection, knowing, as Paul admits, that if there was no resurrection, the Christian faith is a fiction. What happens when we look at the opposing side's witnesses? We do not find any accounts of Jesus' death and burial. The only claim we hear that was circulated at that time is recorded in Matthew. Matthew tells us that the Chief Priest and Jewish elders bribed the soldiers, who had guarded the tomb, to spread the word that the disciples had stolen the body while the guards slept. This is the first claim, that the disciples stole the body. The second is that the disciples made it all up in order to get power and influence for themselves. The third is that Jesus was not really dead, he was only stunned and later revived. The fourth is that an imposter posed as the risen Jesus. I have not heard any other objections seriously put. Let us consider these objections one by one.

disciples would have had to bribe the guards, who faced a threat of execution if they failed in their duty, and then would have had to roll away a very heavy stone sealing the opening. They then would have had to dispose of the body without anyone seeing them. John Dickson , points out that it is odd that it is Matthew's gospel that actually voices this objection. He notes, however, that it has now been abandoned by virtually everybody scholarly, save a few modern sensationalist writers. 2nd claim: the disciples made it up There is no suggestion in the gospel record of any failure of the disciples to tell the truth and the whole truth. Their credibility was never attacked even by their enemies. The life they led after the resurrection, ending in martyrdom for the majority, tells against any such fraud. 3rd claim: that Jesus only collapsed The method of Roman execution was cruel and effective. There were professional executioners there who ensured that Jesus was dead. Again, how did he escape from the sealed tomb past the guards, especially in a very weakened state? 4th claim: that an imposter posed as the risen Jesus. This is again countered by the fact that the disciples' lives were changed. Further, Jesus had had a very public ministry. He had been seen by hundreds. His appearances after the resurrection again were sometimes public events. It is quite implausible that an imposter could have carried out an impersonation. Recent claims: it is all in the mind More recently, some Christian scholars have argued that the resurrection was a mere vision. Peter Carnley in his Reflections in Glass says that just as in the passage from 1 Corinthians I quoted earlier, Paul's experience of the resurrection must have been a vision, so were all the others to which he referred in that chapter. However, just because I have a dream about a car accident, does not mean that those who thought they actually saw the accident were also dreaming. Furthermore, if the 500 did not really see Christ, but had some sort of simultaneous vision, one would have thought that some would have acknowledged this, but no-one did.
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There is no suggestion in the gospel record of any failure of the disciples to tell the truth and the whole truth. Their credibility was never attacked even by their enemies.
1st claim: that the disciples stole the body Matthew provides the first reference to the claim. This claim must have been circulating, otherwise the gospel writer would not invent a counter-claim to sow seeds of doubt, and put it into his work. He wants to refute a widely circulating slander against Christians. The theory is principally countered by the post resurrection behaviour of the disciples, which I have already examined. The disciples, deserted Jesus and did little to prevent the capture of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. There was no expectation that a Jewish martyr would rise from the dead. Traditional Jewish teaching, both before and after Jesus, stated that at the end of history the faithful dead would rise to eternal life in a divinely restored creation. Furthermore, it would have been a very difficult job to steal the body. The

Christ's resurrection ensures our regeneration, it ensures our justification before God

I have not gone deeply into the texts describing Holy Week, the Crucifixion and the resurrection. The gospel portion containing an eyewitness account was written by John, a disciple of Jesus. The most relevant chapter is John 20. So, the exercise has been to determine a question of fact whether the resurrection wa s p rove d o n t h e b a l a n c e o f probabilities. When determining a question of fact that is, whether something happened at a particular time and place a judge must bring to the hearing an impartial and unprejudiced mind. That is, a mind that bears no preconceived ideas about what probably happened, a mind that bears no prejudices toward the witnesses who will

be testifying or other characters involved in the case. A judge must confine his or her thoughts to the event in question. My analysis is that the resurrection passes the test. It is important that this be said and accepted. However, establishing the fact of the resurrection is not the last step in the process. Christ's resurrection ensures our regeneration, it ensures our justification before God and it ensures that we also will receive perfect resurrection bodies. Death will be, for those who follow Christ, merely the doorway from one aspect of life to the next. This acceptance of Christ is not just a process of examining the evidence and

accepting something as a fact of history, but in committing one's whole being to Christ. Now that is the most important statement.

about the author

Peter Wolstenholme Young AO is a judge of appeal of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, the highest court in the State of New South Wales, Australia, which forms part of the Australian court hierarchy. He is also a S y d n e y l a y representative of the General Synod Standing Committee and a Diocesan lay reader.

How to teach Gods Good News in Easy English

By Keith Simons Editorial Comment On January 7, 2012 I received the following totally unexpected email, which brought back memories from some 40+ years ago and tears to my eyes: Dear Pastor Powell, You will remember how many years ago at Droylsden you showed me the way of salvation, and taught me by your Release Bible Course. Since then, my whole family have come to the Lord and we have all been greatly blessed. I enclose a draft copy of my son's latest book, shortly to be published for free distribution on the Kindle and on his website, www.usefulbible.com. Please enjoy this; and you might like to recommend it, particularly to second-language English speakers. We want to see souls saved. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever - Daniel 12:3. God bless you, Shirley Simons (Mrs.) Now some 24 days later as I am writing this on the last day of January [2012] following lots of emails back and forth we commence a series based on Keiths proposed book, which interestingly is directly related to something a number of us discussed back in September 2011 6
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at our Brisbane CWM Conference, when Lawrie Cornish of New Zealand suggested that we needed a series in CETF of short Gospel based articles. The Lords ways are past finding out Romans 11:33. Hereunder Scripture is quoted from the New King James Version (NKJV) of the Bible. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. PART 1 - CHRISTIANS HAVE A DUTY TO DECLARE THE GOSPEL In a very severe manner, James warns church leaders and all who teach in churches. Their words will have a powerful effect on peoples lives. So they must be careful about the things that they say. They must teach Gods Word, the Bible, clearly. They must show other people how to begin and to continue a right relationship with God. When people meet to learn about God, God Himself is also present; and He is the judge of the things that the teacher says. My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment James 3:1. Many church leaders care much about their words, but for different reasons. Perhaps they desire to show how carefully they have studied their subject. Perhaps they want to tell a story well, or perhaps they are trying to amuse people. Jesus spoke severe words about leaders who cared only to impress other people:

Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven - Matthew 6:1. Then He said to them in His teaching, Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows houses, and for a pretense make long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation- Mark 12:3840. It is wrong for a church leader to imagine that he can speak about any subject whatever. God has given that church leader responsibility for the people who listen to him.[1] Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you - Hebrews 13:17. This means that the leader has a responsibility for their relationship with God.[2] The leader is not responsible for the decisions that people may make. But, like Ezekiel, he is responsible to warn them about the things that God orders them to do:
Footnote:
[1] Editorial - God holds church leaders responsible for those in their care [be it what they themselves preach, or what they allow others to say]. [2] Editorial CWM takes the position that the church leader is responsible for protecting his congregation in their relationship with God (via God's own Word).

The Bible has an explanation of these facts.

But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any person from among them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at the watchmans hand - Ezekiel 33:6 cf. verses 1-11. Clearly, therefore, church leaders have a responsibility to tell people how they can receive a right relationship with God. But some church leaders are not sure about that. Such a leader may say, I cannot save anyone. Only God can save people. So I do what I am able to do. I have the skill to bring people into my church. I know how to encourage people so that they continue to come to church. I provide meetings that interest them. I arrange events that they enjoy. I do not often explain that people need a personal relationship with God. My members do not like to hear about such things. I worry that they may leave my church as a result. Some of this church leaders ideas are right, but some are wrong. He is right that only God can save a person. But a leader must not imagine that he brings people into that church by his own skill. God is working in the lives of the people who come into that church. He wants to use that church leader to teach that person.

Christians imagine that every church leader already knows about all such matters. But, of course, that is not true; and that is the reason for this series of articles. They will show you what people need to know in order to receive a right relationship with God. They will explain how you can teach these things clearly, and will give you the confidence to declare these things publicly. Almost 2000 years ago, Paul wrote that there is only one gospel. And he insisted that the true gospel will never change: But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed - Galatians 1:8 and 9 please read verses 6-12). Here, the word gospel means the message of good news that God uses to save people. It is by this gospel that God can save people from every nation: For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, The just shall live by faith- Romans 1:16-17. It is now almost 2000 years since Paul wrote these things. Today, there are many Christian churches and they disagree about many things. But when Christians study their Bible in order to understand the gospel message, something astonishing happens. They agree about almost everything in the gospel message. They agree that all people are, by nature, enemies of God. They agree that only God can save people. They agree that this can only happen because of the death of Christ. That is powerful evidence that the gospel really is a message from God But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man Galatians 1:11. People from different churches, with different traditions, agree that The Gospel is the reason why Jesus came to this earth. They agree that it is essential for people to believe The Gospel. They agree that it is the most important message ever. So, we should study the gospel message carefully. WHY DO SO MANY EVIL THINGS HAPPEN IN OUR WORLD? The world is a very beautiful place. But everyone realises that there is something

very wrong about our world. Cruelty, evil acts and murders are common. Wicked people have great authority, and it seems impossible to escape from their power; and even the best people struggle to control the bad thoughts that sometimes fill their minds. The Bible has an explanation of these facts. It says that God created a perfect world (Genesis 1:3-31; Proverbs 8:22-31); and He intended that people should be perfect, too (Ecclesiastes 7:29); but people chose not to be loyal to God (Genesis 3:1-19). The result is that a state of war now exists between all people and God. People have made themselves Gods enemies.

People from different churches, with different traditions, agree that The Gospel is the reason why Jesus came to this earth
Paul describes this terrible situation in Romans 3:10-18. He does not use his own words there. Instead, he repeats a series of passages from the Books of Psalms, Isaiah and Ecclesiastes. He does not need to explain those passages because they are very clear. Nobody is completely good. Everybody is guilty when God is the judge. All people do things that oppose God. God created you and He is your judge. It is a terrible thing to be His enemy. We hope to escape from our enemies but nobody can escape from God: Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there - Psalm 139:7-8. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works Revelation 20:12-13. We hope that our enemies will be too
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Clearly, therefore, church leaders have a responsibility to tell people how they can receive a right relationship with God.
So it is a terrible thing if a church leader refuses to speak Gods message. We can see that this church leader has another wrong attitude. He is afraid of peoples reactions to Gods message. But nobody should be so afraid of people that he cannot carry out his duties to God: The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD SHALL BE SAFE - Proverbs 29:25. There are many church leaders, however, who understand their responsibility in front of God. They recognise that people really do need a right relationship with God. And those church leaders want very much to show people how they can receive that right relationship. But often those church leaders have a different problem. They do not clearly understand what they should be explaining. Many

There is something in our nature that opposes God. That is why our behaviour, attitudes, desires, thoughts and actions are so often evil

weak to punish us. But Gods power is absolute: After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lordour God! - Revelation 19:1. When we think about these things, John 3:16 astonishes us: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. This verse tells us that God loves the people in this world. He does not want them to suffer as His enemies. He very much wants to save them; and He has provided the way by which that can happen. God can save people because of the death of Christ. God does it when people invite Christ into their lives and turn from their sins. We much prefer to speak about Gods love than to speak about peoples evil behaviour. But we must desire to mend the broken relationship between people and God. A doctor must first understand the illness before he can cure it; and we must understand clearly how people have become Gods enemies. Firstly, it is clear that people are Gods enemies because of their evil behaviour. It is not only their actions that are wrong. Their words (Matthew 5:22) and even their thoughts (Matthew 5:28; Romans 1:21) are also evil: But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, Raca! shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, You fool! shall be in danger of hell fire Matthew 5:22. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart Matthew 5:28. because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, Romans 1:21. Their own conscience tells them that these things are wrong: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is maniest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world His 8
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invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse - Romans 1:18-20. The fact is even clearer for people who know Gods law: For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law- Romans 2:12. God has declared His standards in the Ten Commandments, that is, the commands in Exodus 20:1-17. Jesus taught that people must obey every one of those commandments completely: Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven - Matthew 5:19.

And He said, What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man Mark 7:20-23. In other words, the nature of people is wrong. There is something in our nature that opposes God. That is why our behaviour, attitudes, desires, thoughts and actions are so often evil. So, secondly, people are Gods enemies because of the evil nature that is in them. Of course God did not originally create people to have an evil nature. He wanted people to love Him and to serve Him gladly. So He allowed the first people to choose whether to be loyal to Him or not. They decided not to obey Him. The Bible records how this decision changed completely both their nature and the nature of the world around them (Genesis chapter 3). Before it they were Gods friends, afterwards, they were His enemies. Before it, they could not die, afterwards, they were certain to die. The first people did not just make that decision only for themselves. They made it on behalf of everyone born after them: Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned - Romans 5:12. It affects everyone from birth: Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, And in sin my mother conceived me Psalm 51:5. Without Christ, there would be no hope for anyone. 2012 Keith Simons

Without Christ, there would be no hope for anyone.

James taught that people must not neglect even one of Gods commands. A person who does not obey one command has offended against them all: For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. For He who said, Do not commit adultery, also said, Do not murder. Now if you do not commit adultery, but you do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law James 2:10-11. When we think about these Bible passages, we realise a very important fact. All people are guilty in front of God, and not just the worst people. Nobody can ever prove that they have completely obeyed all of Gods laws. Even if someones actions were perfect, that persons words or thoughts would prove him guilty. Gods standards are too high for anyone to achieve. See Romans 3:923. Clearly, God considers that something is very wrong with people. It is not just their actions that are wrong. Jesus said that evil actions were just the result of something deep inside a person:

about the author

Keith Simons is a Bible Teacher whose work reaches across the world by the Internet, through his website www.usefulbible.com, which reaches some 2000 people monthly, in 60 countries. To aid second-language English speakers, he prepares courses and books in EasyEnglish, a system devised by Wycliffe Associates (UK). He has also worked extensively at Wycliffe Associates, and until recently led their EasyEnglish Bible Commentary team. He worships at Stockport Elim Church. Want to comment on an article? visit http://www.cwm.org.au

This article relates to social and technological issues of today rather than theological

Keeping the Lambs Safe

By B. Michael Bigg This article relates to social and technological issues of today rather than theological, but, because of the seriousness of the subject, the dangers increasingly presenting themselves, and the cases of misuse and misappropriation of information on the internet, parents AND children need to beware and be aware. Identity theft in this day and age is on the rise. Once upon a time it was people going through unlocked letterboxes searching for credit cards, Medicare cards and similar items either worth something , or able to be used fraudulently. With the advent of Australias 100-point identification system for opening financial accounts (such as savings, loans and credit cards), electrical accounts, etc., letterbox thieves sought out documents that could be used to accumulate 100-points as proof that THEY were YOU: electricity and gas bills, phone bills, bank statements, credit card statements, theyre all worth points. Today, there exists a two pronged attack on peoples finances. There are those who still rifle through letterboxes and homes searching for credit cards hoping to make quick purchases before cards are cancelled and those who seek documents to create false identities; but now there are those who use the phone and/or internet to source such information. Telemarketing and Viruses As if telemarketers arent bad enough (oops, sorry to those reading this who are telemarketers), there now exists the help desk telemarketer who phones to alert you to the fact that your computer (supposedly) has a virus. Some claim to work for Microsoft (or a telecommunications company) and advise that their systems have been alerted to unusual network traffic emanating from your computer, or that your computer has sent them (i.e. Microsoft) a notification of a virus. The catch in all of this is that THEY can fix it for you. All you have to do is give them access to your computer: a process they are more than willing to guide you through. As with most computer operating systems (such as Windows) there exists the ability for someone to use the internet to make remote contact and so take over your computer. From their computer they see what you can see and with their mouse and keyboard they can control what is happening on your computer. By giving them remote access to your computer they can scour your emails, files, web history, etc. to find personal information. Similarly they can install programs such as:

Congratulations, youve won Youve been selected to Weve noticed unusual activity in
your banking/credit card transactions

Keystroke loggers (which record all

Business opportunity
Firstly, most financial institutions do NOT email you except for general advertising. If there is a real problem they will try to phone or send postal mail. If they did email you, it would be a request to phone them or visit a branch. Generally speaking, such emails (if genuine) would NOT include a link to follow, nor would they include a phone number. They (i.e. the banks) want you to visit their website because you should know it; or they want you to look up the phone number on your existing bank/credit card statements or phone book. Financial institutions have a vested interest to keep you, your money and your identity safe. They do not want to be the weak link in the chain they do NOT want to make it easy for thieves, thus making themselves unnecessarily liable to recompense you. After all that affects their bottom line and the banks are all in it fo r t h e m o n e y ( j u st l i ke t h e i r shareholders). When it comes to ANY email communication you should AUTOMATICALLY ask yourself questions including the following:

your typed input and then transmit the information over the internet to them when you are next online). Then, they can search your keystrokes for www.yourbankname.com or www.facebook.com or www.amazon.com or www.paypal.com, etc and see what you typed next. If it is an account number and/or a user name followed by a Tab or Enter key; then a password and Tab or Enter. BINGO they have instant access to your accounts.

Today, there exists a two pronged attack on peoples finances.

Viruses (such as Trojan horses which
give them backdoor access to your computer whenever your computer is online, and they choose to access it) and etc.

Why have I received this? Especially

when I have not requested information, or am not privy to this topic or a prior communication about it?

When it comes to viruses, you should purchase anti-virus software (or at least download AVGs Anti-Virus Free Edition as a minimum). Is antivirus software perfect and guaranteed to stop every virus? No, but theyll catch nearly all of them. New viruses are created all the time, and the antivirus companies update their software all the time. Modern antivirus software includes schedules which download updates to their definitions of viruses to keep you protected. Admittedly there can be some cost involved but what is the cost of the alternative? Spam The most obvious fraudulent activity is the spam email:

How does the sender have my (your)

email address? Do I know this person/organisation?

Does the recipients name (which Has the sender got your email

should be you) match your name?

address correct, but is he/she calling you Tom, Dick or Harry?

Emails allow for an email address to

be set as the To, CC or BCC (blind carbon copy) recipient. Scammers and spammers sometimes send out emails with email addresses in only the BCC field. As such, an email will not have a recipient email addresses in the
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The problem for parents is trying to convince their children of the dangers. Teenagers are notorious for knowing everything

To or CC fields, and your email programme may list this lack of recipient as undisclosed recipient. The question to ask is why is this email being sent to no one other than to BCC recipients? One would expect legitimate emails to contain at least an address in the To field.

address is jg3dk@gmail.com then it is probably spam. After all, why would Microsofts Help Desk use a GMail (or Hotmail) account? Why would Peter Smith have an email address which looks nothing like his name? Another thing to be aware of is surveys. A survey, be it online, or even as part of a competition at the supermarket, can, unless its conditions state otherwise, sell your details to marketing companies. Once your email address is public its just about impossible to protect it. If you really want to enter surveys and competitions, I would recommend you open a Hotmail or Gmail type account specifically for that purpose. That way your real email account doesnt get plastered with rubbish or its address sold to others. Social Media Social media websites, such as Facebook, Google+, MySpace and even professional or specialist sites such as LinkedIn have gained much popularity since their inception. But criminals and criminal organisations are using these sites to gain invaluable data to profile people. The thing to note is that the criminals who are doing this are being very patient. They are willing to wait years before utilising the data theyve obtained. Why? For one obvious reason: they have to. People who put their entire life up on social media sites are either nave or immature, and usually both. It is the children of yesterday who are finally realising that their openness has become their downfall. Criminals have had the foresight to profile children from social media websites and, surprisingly to some people, they have even been invited to be online friends by the very person they wish to defraud. For years they have watched people pour out their lifes history on social media sitesname, date of birth, address, school, subjects studied, change of address, change of school, mothers name, fathers name, and so on. Finally, they are 18 years old and can legally obtain a credit card. With years of profiled data the thieves easily create a persona, a folio of those they wish to defraud. Some even create a false insignificant account to fill in some gaps, and soon enough they have the necessary information, points, or both, to be issued with credit cards, loans and other documents (from licences to passports) all without the real person knowing at least until its all too late. Suddenly the real John Smith wants to buy a car, get a loan or credit card and he finds out that he has, not just a bad, but an absolutely destroyed credit rating. What a way to be introduced to adulthood. He then has to go through the process of trying to prove that it wasnt

him who took out the original loansa process which can be long winded, frustrating and traumatic. Social media sites have endeavoured to improve their security by inserting features to limit who can view details. All it takes is for someone to create a fake social media profile (e.g. Mary Jones, aged 14), and pretend to have the same age or demographic as the person they wish to defraud and just befriend them online and the trap is set.

Do you know the Sender? If not,

how did they get your email address? If you dont know them, shouldnt you be cautious?

Why does a sender, who says they

are from a business/bank in Australia, England, the United States or somewhere else) have ng (Nigeria) or cn (China) or whatever as their country identification code? For example: john@abc.com.ng or peter@xyz.com.cn, etc. Are they really from where they say they are?

Is the sender using a Hotmail or

Gmail address? Why is someone [supposedly] from a business/company or bank using a Hotmail or Gmail type account? I realise that some small businesses do this, but the big ones? They want to advertise their name: e.g. trustworthybigbusiness.com or some such domain.

People who put their entire life up on social media sites are either nave or immature, and usually both.
As a part of most email systems, you can create a Contact. What this does is assign a display name to an email address. As such, you could type Fred Blogs into the address line of an email and though all you see is Fred Blogs an email address really exists there. The computer associates the name to the email address. Similarly, you can receive emails from someone where the sender uses a name, rather than an email address. (Some email programmes, such as Microsofts Outlook, show the display name and the actual email address). Sometimes it is worth holding the mouse over, or doubleclicking on the senders name because you should then be able to see more information. Does the displayed senders name match the email address? A sender whose display name is Microsoft Help Desk or Peter Smith might be legitimate, but if the underlying email 10
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Social media pages of under-18s might have greater security on some of these sites, but invitations to befriend fake personas remain a problem. The problem for parents is trying to convince their children of the dangers. Teenagers are notorious for knowing everything and thus (sometimes) they loathe listening. Nevertheless, here are some questions and tips for parents and children.

Why do you need your full name on

the website? Your real friends should know it.

When signing up for a site, which

requires a date of birth, use an approximate date of birth. Rather than, say, the 16 June 1999 use the first or last day of the month: 1 June 1999 or 30 June 1999. Or to make it even more generic, use the first or last day of the year (1 January 1999 or 31 December 1999) or 1 April 1999 (you know, April Fools Day). Youll still get your happy birthdays from the social media company and your virtual friends, and youll still know the necessary security information if you forget your password and have to verify yourself.

Dont list your brothers and sisters,

mothers and fathers names on the site. Do your virtual friends REALLY need to know this?

Dont give your actual home

address. If you want to indicate where you live, thats fine. Name the suburb (or major town its a suburb of), but dont give your street name, let alone house number.

Dont list your mobile phone

number.

Internet security and privacy IS (or should be) the biggest personal concern for online activity

Dont list your schools full name

your real friends will know what you mean but do prying eyes need to know that the school in Brisbane you go to is Brisbane State High School, Brisbane Boys Grammar or South Brisbane State High School?

The other kind of social networks are schools which create Facebook styled sites for their students. Parents, teachers, schools and students alike have to realise that organised criminals employ a range of computer skills to invade sites and systems. Even school sites can be harvested for information. Two statements best summarise the advice to be given to children and young people by parents, professionals and teachers. Some may listen; others may not not that is until its too late: And when youth comes to age for advice he receives the wisdom of years. But too often does youth think that age knows only the wisdom of days that are gone, and therefore profits not. - From The Richest Man in Babylon (by George C. Clason) and a somewhat comedic, but accurate, motivational statement Teenagers: tired of stupid parents? Act now! Move out, get a job, and pay your own bills. Do it while you still know everything! Dating Websites Purely for the sake of completeness I will address the issue of dating websites. There are the obvious dating websites which were setup for that very reason. But logic concludes that not all who use these sites are honest. There exist those who wish to use people in physical, financial and psychological ways; people who seek to take advantage of, defraud, abuse or just be mean to others. It seems obvious, to me, that going online specifically to find a date is fraught with danger. Yet people do it. Wisdom and ca u t i o n a re ca l l e d fo r i n s u c h circumstances dont allow emotion to be your only guide, or to blind you. After all, how many news and current affairs stories must air on television, of people being defrauded and used before people realise it CAN happen to them? The WebCam Another thing to be wary of is webcameras and built-in microphones, especially on laptops. The skills of some hackers are such that they can sometimes find a loophole to gain access to your computer and then remotely turn the

webcam and microphone on. Where is the webcam pointing? Is the computer in your bedroom? Are you sleeping, getting dressed, or undressing? Have you just taken a shower? If you are not using your computer turn it off or at least cover the webcam or point it at the nearest blank wall. Its one thing for you to put pictures on your social networking site, its completely something else for someone to use a webcam to take pictures of you and put them on the internet and you only finding out by stumbling across it, or someone embarrassingly alerting you to it. Mobile Phones and Cameras Most people dont really think of security issues when it comes to mobile phones, but mobile phone are one of the most lost and/or stolen items these days. What have you got recorded on your phone (or iPod type device)? If there are files, photos and/or video that is personal, remove it. Unscrupulous people have no qualms posting information and/or pictures of you online. Dont make it easy for them.

potential employers, to see. Conclusion Internet security and privacy IS (or should be) the biggest personal concern for online activity. In this day and age identity theft is one of the biggest, and most lucrative, crimes out there. Everyone, be it adult or child, must think rationally and logically over the information they put into cyberspace. Search engines both legitimate and nefarious store information from numerous websites for searching and retrieval by just about anyone. So why make it easy for criminals? How many celebrities have to have their phones, email accounts and the like hacked before the average Joe realises that if celebrities (who you think would have some of the most up-to-date security) can get hacked, then surely (I) you can get hacked? How many celebrities have had phone and email contact lists published for all to see? Let alone photos they thought were private photos spread far and wide in cyberspace which they cannot get removed? You must be wise. You must be aware; and you must be humble enough to realise that caution is required. You cannot go around in cyberspace with an itll be fine attitude. There are those who seek to take advantage of you, use you, and defraud you. Beware and be aware. And finally, after having said all this, we must be aware of one last thing. Despite all of this caution and negativity we must not allow our hearts to become hardened and calloused to others especially those who are legitimately in need because of this growing global pandemic. Let us take on board the Lords warning ... because lawlessness will abound the love of many will grow cold Matthew 24:12. Let us learn, be aware, and remain faithful.

You must be wise. You must be aware; and you must be humble enough to realise that caution is required
Furthermore, there is the unfortunate modern craze among school children (high school children in particular and including some adults) called sexting, whereby a person takes intimate photos or videos of themselves and sends them to their current boyfriend/girlfriend. Unfortunately these private images seldom remain private and before long they are passed on to other friends especially if a relationship breaks down. The thing that both children and parents must be aware of is that the sending of ANY intimate photo of a person who is under the age of 18 is illegal (in Australia); and some teenagers have even found themselves charged with producing and distributing child pornography (i.e. photos of themselves). As if this isnt bad enough, such videos have been known to find their way onto websites where they have been distributed far and wide. The last thing you should want is intimate or incriminating images of you available for all, including prospective boyfriends/girlfriends, their families, and

about the author

B. MICHAEL BIGG, and his wife, Kathryn, came out of the Word-Faith movement. Michael has a concern for the preaching of the truth (or lack of it) in many of today's churches. He has a desire to assist in the education of the elect and reaching the lost. Brett works in the Information Technology (IT) industry. Want to comment on an article? visit http://www.cwm.org.au
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11

This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

When the Home of Alpha,

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves (Matthew 7:15). By Mark L.R. Mullins This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, without self control, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying its power : from such turn away 2 Timothy 3:1-5 [1]. I attended Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) for the first ten years of my Christian life. I believe it was where the Lord intended me to be but I realise now that it was in spite of the doctrinal errors that had crept in even then. For example while I was there I met a couple who taught me about the reality and eternity of hell and from others I learned the importance of abiding in Christ. I must also acknowledge that when I became a Christian at Durham University it was Nicky Lee, then a theological student and now the associate minister at HTB, who was instrumental in helping me take my first faltering steps as a Christian. Indeed, had Nicky not stood behind me when I responded to a call to come to the front of the mission meeting I attended on 14th February 1984, I may never have started out on the Christian life at all. The time and trouble he and his wife Sila took over me is something I will not forget although I fear for them now. When I became a Christian, HTB was presented as the church where God was really at work and I couldnt wait to get there to find out for myself. What set HTB apart from the other evangelical churches I knew, was that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were openly taught and acknowledged. I attended my first Alpha Course in, I think 1988, and after that about 4 more. It was in 1989 that I made HTB my home church which I attended whenever I was in England; although there were frequent breaks since up until 1993 I was often stationed abroad with the Army. However, three aspects of the Alpha Course troubled me; the absence
Footnote:
[1] All Bible quotations, unless otherwise annotated, are taken from the King James Version KJV.

the Prosperity Gospel

of any emphasis on repentance; the lack of teaching about hell: I recall on one occasion Nicky Gumbel seeking to persuade me that hell was a place of annihilation and not a place of eternal conscious torment. He sought to persuade me that hell was a place of annihilation following judgment and not a place of eternal conscious torment. I could not agree with him. Finally Nicky failed to distinguish between the gospel that was taught on the Alpha Course from the gospel taught by Rome, claiming that what we had in common (the creed) was far greater than what separated us (that the Bible is our final authority and salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone as opposed to salvation through works).

and Rome Meet

gone out to Toronto and hadnt stopped shaking since her return, to such an extent, that six weeks later she suffered a tear in the bowel which she put down to her shaking. Another friend who was helping with the childrens work had to be restrained from exhibiting extravagant gesticulations in front of the children and one of the conference speakers, who had been in the military, had developed involuntary muscular twitches which he exhibited as he spoke. I did not want to go the same way myself. As a result of the counsel of a friend, now with the Lord, and further teaching at a prayer and Bible week at the end of August, I became convinced that the Toronto experience was not biblical but instead came from another spirit just as Paul warned in 2 Corinthians 11:1-4. Returning to HTB I felt like a complete stranger and knew I could no longer continue there. The following weekend I attended a day of prayer for the nation held at Stroud Green Christian Assembly in Finsbury Park. I discovered that the pastors son in law was a lecturer at the Inns of Court School of Law which I was about to attend and I was keen to meet him. It was arranged that I would go to the service and meet him for lunch. As soon as I arrived at the service I knew I had come home spiritually. The worship was simple and heartfelt and the sermon contained insights from Gods Word that greatly inspired me. The next morning, as I pondered my situation, my daily Bible reading was from Ezekiel 12 about Ezekiel being told to separate himself from the rebellious house of Israel as a sign to them. It suddenly came to me that this was what I should do in relation to HTB. I therefore wrote to the minister, Sandy Millar, and later went to see him. At the end of our conversation he asked me to pray for the church and straight into my mind came the words, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever - Hebrews 13:8. Therefore I prayed that HTB would be faithful to that same Jesus. When I returned home I looked up the verse and was amazed to read the verse that followed from this great statement of the unchanging nature of the Lord Jesus: Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines - Hebrews 13:9. HTB has changed a lot since I left in 1994 and the Alpha Course has taken off worldwide. Sadly the problems of the early 1990s have never been rectified and the fruit of the Toronto Experience has been an increasing lack of discernment and willingness to accept false teachers.

The worship was simple and heartfelt and the sermon contained insights from Gods Word that greatly inspired me.
These weaknesses almost certainly stemmed from Nicky Gumbels aim (that was well known at HTB at the time) to repackage the gospel to make it more appealing to todays generation. Within Anglicanism there was undoubtedly an element of empty formality that needed challenging but not by changing the goal posts of fundamental gospel truth. In July 1994 I left a prayer meeting at HTB thinking to myself that I could never imagine being at another church because I was so happy there. However, the wind that was to sweep me from HTB had already started blowing in May of that year with the visit of Ellie Mumford to HTB to bring the so-called Toronto Blessing. I was not at that service but instead at the earlier communion service where I found myself weeping although I could not explain why. Events, I believe, were to reveal the reason. After the next s e r v i c e t h e To ro nto ex p e r i e n c e dominated everything that was done for months to come and I regret to say that I was caught up in the whirlwind. By August I was beginning to have my doubts about Toronto. One of my friends had

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Brian Houston, has also capitulated to the pressure to welcome Roman Catholicism with open arms.

Raniero Cantalamessa - The Popes Preacher This year at HTBs annual week away at an event called Focus, the line-up of speakers includes Raniero Cantalamessa, Papal preacher at the Vatican, who, in 2007 actually preached salvation through baptism from the pulpit at HTB. I refer back to the Article I wrote in CETF 42 where I drew attention to this extract of his first sermon[2]: He found us in sin lost. Through Christ, His Death and resurrection he saved us. Through the baptism he inserted us into salvation. We should not be surprised that this is what Raniero Cantalemessa teaches because this is classic Roman Catholic dogma contained in the Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church at paragraph 1212: Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water and in the word. However, this is not the Gospel. The irony is this: when Nicky Lee explained the Gospel to me on 14th February 1984 it was the following verses that opened my eyes: For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast... - Ephesians 2:8-9. It was the first time that I understood that salvation was not earned but is a gift. However, if salvation only starts at baptism, then salvation is not through grace, it is through the work of being baptised and my faith in Christs death becomes but one aspect of salvation and not the whole. Paul warns us about such a doctrine of works in Galatians where, instead of making baptism a requirement for salvation like Roman Catholicism, the Judaisers had made circumcision a requirement, but the effect is the same: it becomes another gospel which is no Gospel at all. We are told to, Beware of false prophets Matthew 7:15. We cannot join in evangelism with them, let alone allow them to preach to the Lords sheep which He has purchased with His own blood Acts 20:28. Brian Houston Senior Pastor of Hillsong, Sydney Given HTBs failure to emphasise repentance and its desire to appear relevant to the young, it is not surprising that they should team up with Brian Houston of Hillsong, who is a guest speaker at Focus in 2012. As a fellow Pentecostal it is a great sadness to me
Footnote:
[2] http://cetf.co/wHBkyc

that I am unable to support this mans ministry. It has had an almost viral impact upon congregations in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, France, Ukraine, the US and South Africa. Hillsongs attraction is to the young professional and its message is a false message of prosperity in this life and heaven in the next. Brian Houston, has also capitulated to the pressure to welcome Roman Catholicism with open arms. As National President of Assemblies of God in Australia, Brian Houston issued a press release which included the following misleading statement about Rome:[3] We pray too that this papacy, like those before it, is marked by a commitment to seeing the Christian message continue to go forward and people changed by the power and truth of the Gospel. Obviously, as Protestants, our views are considerably different to the Popes on a number of issues, however, we share a common desire to exalt Christ and serve our community to the best of our ability.

Rome believes in a gospel of works and not The Gospel of grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone.
Brian Houston fails to point out that the gospel of Roman Catholicism is not The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Rome believes in a gospel of works and not The Gospel of grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone. This has been Romes historic position which resulted in fearful persecution against those who resisted its false message of salvation down through the centuries. Darlene Zschech, then worship pastor at Hills Christian Life Centre in Sydney, together with her Hillsong worship team, performed for the Roman Catholic World Youth Day in Sydney on 18th July 2008. Pope Benedict XVI was present and conducted papal mass on the last day of the extravaganza. Roman Catholic doctrine teaches that the mass is a continuation of Christs sacrifice. The consecrated host is alleged to become Christ himself and is therefore worshipped when placed in the monstrance[4] and then in its own little
Footnote:
[3] The original letter is filed at our CWM Office. [4] A small receptacle into which the communion bread is placed.

tabernacle. Hillsong, led by Zschech, performed after the Stations of the Cross. The 14 Stations allegedly depict Christs trial and crucifixion. Aside from the fact that this is not faith but sight and the pictures of Jesus are fictional and are forbidden by Scripture, several of the stations are purely legendary. Jesus supposedly fell down three times, met Mary on the way to the cross, had His face wiped by a woman named Veronica, and was taken down from the cross and laid in Marys arms. None of this is supported by Scripture. The Pope promised a plenary indulgence to anyone who participated in World Youth Day. This is the forgiveness of the temporal penalty (referring to a penalty owed either on earth or in purgatory) due for certain sins and reemphasises the works based gospel that Rome teaches. Hillsongs compromise represents a betrayal of the Faith once delivered to the saints. Jude 3 [5] Brian Houston and His False Prosperity Gospel Brian Houston is the author of You need more Money: Discovering Gods Amazing Financial Plan for Your Life. In that book he writes: Prosperity is definitely a result of applying Gods Word to your life. Why would He promise prosperity and success if He preferred us to remain poor?[6]. In section two of the book he adds: Its Gods will for you to prosper[7]. In the second in a series of messages called Prosperity on Purpose he said that if he was writing the book again he would change the title but give the same message. At least this title leaves you in no doubt about the message and it is unashamedly a message that encourages people to pursue financial prosperity. The distinguishing factor from the worlds pursuit of prosperity is that, according to Brian Houston, pursuing prosperity for God is different and apparently legitimate. However, this is not what the Bible teaches. The Lord Jesus tells us that we cannot serve both God and money and so it reads we are to seek first the Kingdom of God and we will be given what we need - (Matthew 6:24,33), and that where our treasure is, there our hearts will be also (Matthew 6:21). The effect of Brian Houstons teaching is for the believer to expect to prosper financially as a reward of faithfulness, and for them to love this world. The purpose of that prosperity is that Gods Kingdom will advance. This is a half-truth. God does bless His people but there is to be no expectation of material prosperity. One of the obvious places to see this is in the account of the Rich Man and Lazarus.
Footnote:
[5] I am grateful to David Cloud for permission to use his commentary on Hillsong's involvement in the Pope's visit to Australia taken from his article - http://cetf.co/yPiM1j [6] P20 [7] P55 http://cetf.co/Asr6j4
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13

The great heroes of the faith are set out by the writer to the Hebrews in chapter 11 as an example and encouragement to us.

Lazarus spent his life as a beggar with nothing, yet he had saving faith and went to heaven where he received his reward (see Luke 16). The Rich Man had everything in this life but used his wealth to indulge himself. The great heroes of the faith are set out by the writer to the Hebrews in chapter 11 as an example and encouragement to us. A summary of their sufferings is contained in verses 35-38 which includes being destitute (Hebrews 11: 35-38). A mark of biblical faithfulness is often poverty. John Cook was just such a man. He prosecuted Charles I and rose, under the Commonwealth, to be Chief Justice in Ireland where he brought justice and mercy to many poor tenants who were oppressed by their wealthy landlords. He made many enemies as a result of his just judgments. Just prior to the restoration of the monarchy this faithful Christian was betrayed, imprisoned executed and his lands forfeited. This has been the lot of many Christians. We only have to look at the circumstances of Christians in countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Laos and Nigeria to mention but a few where destitution and death are commonplace for Christians. Poverty may seem a long way off for Christians living in the West but even here Christian faithfulness often comes at the expense of financial prosperity. According to an article in the Sydney th Morning Herald published on 30 January 2003[8], Brian Houston lives well beyond the means of most church pastors: He owns an enormous house overlooking a bush valley, in a suburb of other enormous houses, at Glenhaven. He also owns a picturesque spread on the Hawkesbury River, near Windsor, just west of Sydney, gets paid handsomely to speak overseas and is a property developer. It might seem churlish to judge a person merely by the size of their house although one might question the example such exhibition of wealth sets his flock. However there have been many fine Christians through the years with great wealth that they have used for Gods Kingdom. The real problem is that, according to the same article, "the vast majority" of Brian Houstons money c o m e s f ro m o v e rs e a s s p e a k i n g engagements at other charismatic churches as well as royalties from the "Christian resources" set out at the front of the church, accumulating vast wealth from royalties and other dividends. This strongly suggests that Brian Houston has used his position of Christian leadership for huge personal gain. 2 Peter 2:3 specifically warns us about false prophets who will exploit the people of God for their own ends. Paul instructed Timothy to withdraw from those who teach that gain is godliness, and to flee these things 14
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(1 Timothy 6:11) and instead exhorts us to be content with godliness which is truly great gain. It is true that, in his series, Prosperity on Purpose, Brian Houston acknowledges the dangers of being rich and that it is possible to be poor and happy (as in the case of the Macedonian church in 2 Corinthians 8:2). However, he does not seem to acknowledge the obvious contradiction of these positions and one may be forgiven for thinking that he only mentions the scriptures that contradict his philosophy that God wants to make His people rich because he has no choice, but not in order to change his overall message which is that God intends His people to prosper financially in this life. The fact is that finding the pearl of great price demands that we give up everything to possess it (Matthew 13:46).

Poverty may seem a long way off for Christians living in the West but even here Christian faithfulness often comes at the expense of financial prosperity.
I would be surprised if Nicky Gumbel bought into the prosperity gospel that Brian Houston promotes but I suspect he may have been dazzled by the apparent success of Hillsong within the Western World. By inviting Brian Houston to speak at Focus 2012 Nicky Gumbel is inviting a false teacher. Final Warning It is very sad that Nicky Gumbel has been deceived and, as a result, he continues to deceive others, just as Paul warns , But evil men and imposters shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived 2 Timothy 3:13. It is a profoundly sobering lesson that charming and obviously well-meaning men like Nicky Gumbel should be condemned as evil by introducing false teaching into the church. However there are strong warnings in scripture against changing the terms of The Gospel. Consider Revelation 22:18-19: If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Nicky Gumbel has allowed teachers into his church who, according to Roman Catholic doctrine, defined the means of salvation as including reliance upon good

works (including baptism, confession and the mass), so adding to the Word of God. He has also, along with John Stott and others, redefined hell as a place of annihilation and not of eternal conscious torment and so subtracted from the Word of God. I fear very much for him. At the same time there is a great need to reach todays youth and HTB and Hillsong are to be commended for their concern for the young, the prisoners, the third world and all the others that they are trying to reach. The concern with HTB is not the intention of reaching the lost for Christ which is admirable and godly. Nicky Gumbel's endeavours to present the message in a contemporary way are commendable, provided the message itself remains unchanged. However the reality is that the message that they are bringing is a corrupted gospel which is counterproductive, because without true repentance from our dead works there is no salvation. Let us not forget that the angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner who REPENTS - (Luke 15:4-10). Along with repentance comes a realisation that it is only by dying to the Old Nature and putting on Christ that we can live godly lives and this is a daily sacrifice which is why we become strangers and pilgrims in this world looking for a better City to come. The message to those planning to go to Focus 2012 must be to think again about the direction of their Christian lives and to return to the pure milk of Gods Word by joining fellowship with those who preach the truth and contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the Saints (Jude 3). 2 Corinthians 6:14-16 are important verses in this context for they instruct true believers to separate themselves from those who have compromised the faith. We must remember to pray earnestly for Nicky Gumbel, Brian Houston, Raniero Cantalamessa and for the many that have been deceived by their false messages. Finally we should pray for each other that, in making our stand, we neither overlook a beam in our own eye, or fall just when we thought we were standing.

about the author

Mark Mullins is a practising barrister at the Bar of England and Wales, who is occasionally called upon by the BBC and others to represent the Christian position in debate and discussion in the media. Mark has stepped down from eldership at Stroud Green Christian Assembly (SGCA) to move to a Gospel Hall in Watford to help revive the work there. SGCA has had links with CWM since CWM was formed (www.sgca-online.org). Want to comment on an article? visit http://www.cwm.org.au

Worldliness is out of control in the Church - "the love of the Father is NOT in them."

News, Views & Your Letters

Letters may be edited for brevity. Editorial Comments unless otherwise specified are by Philip L. Powell (plp). ******* FROM THE CWM BLOG To comment go to http://www.christian-witness.org/blog/ Find the thread (topic) and make your comment at the end of that thread: ASSEMBLIES OF GOD: http://cetf.co/idmBN4 Other interesting posts may be viewed at the following: http://cetf.co/enIs1l http://cetf.co/ggIV3f FROM THE REGULAR MAILER To subscribe go to http://www.cwm.org.au And follow the prompts: ******* SALT-SHAKERS Sun 25/12/2011 4:35 PM Dear Philip and Kath, Thank you for your Christmas greetings and kind words. I think 2012 will prove to be a year of great testing for His faithful 'remnant' in our nation. A time when it will need [that we] stand firm, perhaps like never before in this nation, and it will not be appreciated by the majority. With a weak and splintering Christian voice, and a government which knows no boundaries it will not cross to stay in power, I think things will become very challenging indeed. Thank you both, for your faithful stand. Regards, Peter P Stokes - Co Founder & Executive Officer, Salt Shakers Inc, Ph: 03 9800 2855, Mb: 0413 084 145 the early churches ...meeting in homes....I for one, am fed up with sitting week in and week out in a dead church.....where God doesn't even show up...because its all man...even the elders don't come to the prayer meeting nor does the minister....who calls himself a pastor but is NOT God appointed.....they arrive 10 minutes before the service and the flesh exalts itself....will I hang in there...like I have been for the past 4 years....you see I feel trapped because they have kindly rented the manse attached to the church at a low rental....and as I am a single pensioner...I feel it's God's blessing....but I have to endure that the Holy Spirit is not welcomed.....please answer and tell me what to do.....I think I already know...I have to stay until God opens another door....thanks again....God bless you in your endeavours for Him..... MW Australia. is going on. It is all part of the end time apostasycf. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 cf. verses 1-16 and Luke 18:8. So my only advice to you is that you may indeed need to endure what you are experiencing given your stage of life for social and welfare reasons. Others may need to buck the system and take a stand against this dreadful trend towards total apostasy plp. Dear Philip: Happy New Year. I hope 2012 brings a far greater positive outlook for you and your family, firstly with respect to physical health. I also sincerely pray God's blessing on the work of your ministry. I am concerned about the errors riddled throughout a gentleman (sic) I would call mischievous in the least (sic) that has appeared in the last three CETF's - Lance Goodall. He appears to have being trying to make a point by attaching a public comment in response to a youtube clip not authored, authorised and likely not monitored by Planetshakers to show their influence. He then goes on to criticise Brooke Fraser for writing songs that reach a wider public than the Church. We are called to reach outside of the Church my friend, and Brooke has done that. Further the attack on Guy Sebastian is baseless and cowardly. Firstly, to the more learned (of the Scriptures) reader, the very verse before Leviticus 19:28 says: 27 Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard. Looking at Lance's photograph he has committed a felony equivalent to Guy Sebastian's tattoo. Secondly, unless he has confronted Guy personally about his tattoo rather than publicising his verbal diatribe in a three part series called Hellsong where someone has attempted to take the mickey out of the Hillsong fontage (sic this is not a dictionary word) he has failed to follow Christ's command in Matthew 18:15. Finally, he talks about the great falling away. It is quite ironic that straight afterwards it says that he has 'left' the Australian church growth movement. Lance, I am sorry you are bitter and I do not necessarily agree with everything Hillsong Church does either. I have no doubt, having spent a good 6 years there (I am no longer there) due to being called to serve with a pastor in another location, that it is not a 'perfect match' to what I envision Christ's bride to be - but then I look at the plank in my own eye and
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CWMs deep concern relates to the pandemic of worldliness invading the church
Ed Sadly your story can be told over and over again and it doesn't relate only to Hillsong though within Australasia probably Hillsong is the most blatant example of what we are addressing. There is no biblical basis for a church becoming a corporation and the senior pastor its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with a grandiose administrative structure from the senior pastor's Personal Assistant (PA) down. This all savours of Nicholaitanism, which God hates cf. Revelation 2:6. There is no elitism or a two-tiered structure of ministry in God's Church he that is greatest among you shall be your servant Matthew 23:11 cf. Luke 22:26. Of course the Holy Spirit withdraws from all such organisations and that is what you are experiencing. Sadly, there are thousands of people like you. Many have not yet woken up to what

www.saltshakers.org.au

Ed - Sun 25/12/2011 6:59 PM - Thanks Peter; I am sure you are right. Things are getting more and more blurred plp. HellSong- CETF # 56, # 57, # 58 Email 13/01/2012, at 7:14 PM, Dear Lance.......I was rapt to read your article in CETF....very good and spot on.....My question is ....where do we go......when I got saved 30 years ago the Lord told me that we would go back to house church in the last days....just like

15

News, Views & Your Letters

realise that the speck that you have expounded into a three part series of largely hearsay rather than heresy and my prayer becomes that Hillsong's message would give more glory to the Lord and its INFLUENCE to the nations would be even greater than it has. I expect I will hear back from either or both of you, although I would prefer not to get into a meaningless argument. I have made my point and just pray that each one of us would become more Christ like by HIS grace, and our earnest seeking of him. I pray that our faith would be made complete as we endure trials and run the race that He has called us to run. AMEN. Phil Grindley Sydney, Australia PS. My cousin served on the Hillsong choir for many years (and in fact still very occasionally serves). Ed Phil Grindley's (PH) communiqu was a result of our public email so I have felt the matter should be aired publicly. Phil is constantly having snipes at us and always side steps the issue, making false,

unsubstantiated accusations against us. Following a great deal of correspondence PG told me some time ago that he had left Hillsong, which is good news, though clearly he retains links. The above email evoked a spate of correspondence which is too much to publish here. The main point about Tattoos is addressed by writer Lance Goodall in his series of articles on this topic starting on page 31 herein. CWM's deep concern relates to the pandemic of worldliness invading the church, exacerbated by the bad example of leaders such as Joel Houston, Guy Sebastian and Todd Bentley all of whom unashamedly parade the tattoos which they obtained as professing Christians. For more on this topic visit www.cwm.org.au or refer to the CWM Forum http://forum.christian-witness-ministries.com - plp. ******* BLOG ENTRIES Tue 13/12/2011 5:04 PM http://cetf.co/yrQEjC

Oh my goodness! an incredible article. Thank you DG Thu 22/12/2011 6:45 AM http://cetf.co/xh2L6R Perfect tips thanks for placing. In reality in all posts on this web site there is something to learn GR Fri 30/12/2011 5:46 AM http://cetf.co/wZgVbq Hello - your text on this site is really inspiring. It's simply fantastic material that you have written here. So as always, I can't wait to hear more of this. What we see here is really an awesome post. Living in a Fool's Paradise http://cetf.co/wBtwk Dear Philip, Your article 'Living in a Fool's Paradise' has arrived at a very opportune moment, thank you. Regards - Cyril Blackstock, Cornwall, UK.

Lessons From The Welsh Revivals Part 3

By Aeron Morgan PRACTICAL DEMANDS IF WE WOULD SEE REVIVAL IN OUR CHURCHES What a great and gracious God we serve! How measureless is His love and matchless His ways. Being so far removed from those great historic revivals of the last couple of centuries we cannot envision what genuine revival is like. Sadly, we have been plagued in more recent times with the cheap, gaudy, and false 'manifestations' that have been claimed as being true visitations, but when held up to biblical scrutiny they have failed the test. But when GOD rends the heavens and comes down (Isaiah 64:1-3), though you cannot measure those floods of Revival upon the dry ground (Isaiah 44:3) there are unmistakable evidences of the Holy Spirit's quickening work in the Church and the overflowing impact in communities. God's initial work is necessarily in the Church. Charles Finney rightly concluded that a revival consists in the return of the Church from her backslidings, and in the conviction of sin and repentance on the part of the Church. Of course, Finney was wrong in his ideas of how revival starts, asserting that it is nothing more than the right use of appropriate means; that it can 16
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be planned or programmed like any other series of special meetings something for man to do! One can see how this could well engender all manner of techniques and gimmicks and human manipulation, resulting NOT in genuine revival but in what is pseudo. David had it right when he pleaded with the Most High: Won't revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you (Psalm 85:6). Surely no one will deny that all genuine revivals have stamped upon them the hallmark of God's sovereignty. They are always the result of divine impulse, never human. When speaking of a movement of GOD in Revival, Arthur Wallis said it: bears this mark of spontaneity when men cannot account for what has taken place in terms of personalities, organizations, meetings, preachings, or any other consecrated activity; and when the work continues unabated without any human control. [1] A movement of the Spirit can only be controlled by a Divine administration (1 Cor.12:4-7), which while awesome, powerful, and profound, it is characterized by simplicity. Looking back to the Church's glorious beginnings as it
Footnote:
[1] Arthur Wallis, In the Day of Thy Power, [Christian Literature Crusade, 1956], 65.

moved forward in the power of the Spirit, we are compelled to exclaim with William Cowper (1731-1800), a wonderful hymnwriter and friend of John Newton: Oh, how unlike the complex works of man Heaven's easy, artless, unencumbered plan! No meretricious graces to beguile, No clustering ornaments to clog the pile, From ostentation, as from weakness, free, Majestic in its own simplicity. [2] I concluded the last article (CETF # 58 pp 4-8) saying that in Revival awesome things occur by God's sovereignty. Isaiah said that when God came down You did terrible things that we did not look for. (64:3) That is, God did awesome things that His people did not look for, or what they had never before witnessed, and which they deemed they had no right to expect. This was certainly the case th the great in Welsh Revivals. From the 17 Century to th the beginning of the 20 Century there
Footnote:
[2] The Works of William Cowper, Vol VI; edited by J.W. Cunningham [London: Saunders & Otley, 1835], 53-54. Continued on page 21

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By Larry DeBruyn This book is dedicated to the pastors, leaders and members of churches everywhere who, like Larry, are uncomfortable with doing church according to seeker-sensitive, userfriendly and paradigm ministry. May this book help define why in good conscience, we do not agree with the means that many evangelical churches conduct their ministries. B461 $16.00 18
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THE COMING APOCALYPSE

By Dr Renald Showers This outstanding new work by Dr Showers explains how anti-Semitism has infected the church, has altered its doctrine about Israel and the Jewish people and is impacting a world that will welcome the Antichrist. B464 $12.00

TEMPORAL DELUSIONS by Tom McMahon

Tom McMahon
IS YOUR ESCATOLOGY SHOWING by Tom McMahon
Tom examines the rise, fall and resurrection of the anti-rapture doctrines, movements and organisations impacting the church today. DVD369 AU$15.00

rces esou R
GODS PLAN FOR THE CLUELESS - by Tom McMahon
Tom McMahons personal testimony. He was raised a Roman Catholic and recounts his life as the son of a Psychiatrist at a state mental facility. His years of perpetual learning at Ohio University and his movie making and marketing experiences at 20th Century Fox, all of what in Gods providential plan and loving care prepared him for service as Executive Director of The Berean Call. DVD371 AU$15.00

If you seek to understand current church trends in the light of Gods Word, youll find this easy to read book helpful concerning the true state of the church today. This book will encourage and equip us to redeem the time. B456 AU$10.00

PSYCHOLOGY AND THE CHURCH

By Dave Hunt and Tom McMahon The purpose of this book is not to attack or condemn evangelicals who are practising psychotherapists. Rather, this volume acknowledges the value of believers bearing one anothers burdens through prayer, fellowship, and the Word of God. B392 $23.00 (incl DVD)

THE SEDUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY By Dave Hunt The Bible clearly states that a great apostasy must occur before Christs second coming. A compelling look at the times we live in.
B02 AU$15.00

THE VALUE OF SUFFERING

Tom McMahons message provides Biblical comfort and godly insight into the all consuming question of suffering. CD 614 $9.50 (plus booklet)

IN DEFENCE OF ISRAEL
Hosted by Tom McMahon This DVD presents an opportunity to hear from General Shimon Erem regarding the current plight of Israel and the spread of terrorism throughout the world. General Erem is one of the most decorated soldiers in the history of modern Israel. DVD198 $25.00

Classics

Dave Hunt

PROPHECY AND WORLD EVENTS A Dave Hunt Classic

Dave explains in this powerful and inspiring teaching, Bible prophecy is, in fact, the great proof that God gives for the historicity, and authority of the scriptures. What is antisemitism all about? Dave exposes the roots of this pervasive hatred of Jews, from ancient to modern times, as Satan's plan to thwart the Word of God. Why? Because God's integrity is tied to the restoration and blessings of the Jewish people. DVD382 AU$15.00

SEDUCING SPIRITS AND THE DOCTRINE OF DEMONS A Dave Hunt Classic

Dave lays bare the foundations of psychology, quoting scripture, scientists and occultists alike, to illustrate the satanic origins of modern self delusion of seducing spirits. DVD345 AU$15.00

GLOBAL PEACE AND THE RISE OF THE ANTICHRIST A Dave Hunt Classic
More than 20yrs later, Dave's talk is still instructive to us regarding Satan's rapidly advancing plans and ability to harness and manipulate technology in order to prepare humanity for the coming kingdom of Antichrist. DVD346 AU$15.00
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Study the history of revival. God has always sent revival in the darkest days. Oh, for a mighty, sweeping revival today!
Continued from page 16

were some amazing and powerful spiritual awakenings in the Principality of Wales. Beside its political and cultural history there is in Wales a thrilling evangelical Christian history with seasons of exceptional spiritual renewal. What grace on God's part to raise up such outstanding spiritual leaders and preachers as Howell Harris (1714-1773) and Daniel Rowland (1713-1790), contemporaries and co-workers with George Whitefield and John Wesley in the 18th Century Methodist Revival. Then there was William Williams (1717-1791), who was also a great hymn-writer; and later, John Elias (1774-1841), Thomas Charles (1755-1814), and Christmas Evans (1766-1838), to name but a few. These humble and godly men, in the main Welsh Calvinistic Methodists, were remarkable ambassadors of eternity in the courts of time and greatly used by God! It is helpful to note the conversion of Howell Harris in 1735. How significant that was in the providence of God. He had come under great conviction of sin while listening to a sermon and received mercy through the blood of Christ. It was on Palm Sunday of that year at the Talgarth Parish Church. During the service the Vicar, announcing that there would be a Communion Service the following Sunday, said that he knew there were many people who did not come to the Communion because they felt they were not fit to partake of it. He went on to say, If you are not fit to take Communion you are not fit to pray, if you are not fit to pray you are not fit to live, and if you are not fit to live you are not fit to die. These words went to the heart of Howell Harris with great force. He had never been a riotous person but he had lived a loose life; so these extraordinary words of the Vicar brought about such deep conviction of sin, which led to an agony of repentance. Howell's own written testimony was this: I was convinced, and resolved to leave my outward vanities, for as yet I knew and saw very little of my inward corruption I knew as yet nothing of the inward self-denial which our Saviour enjoins; I had no knowledge of the blood of Jesus, the only Fountain open for sin and uncleanness (Zech.13:1). I was still a total stranger to the life of faith, and therefore all this while in a damnable state, and in danger of final destruction. [3] What a confession! What a testimony! What an insight into the kind of uncompromising preaching by God's servants in that day. O that we had such
Footnote:
[3] Howell Harris, His Own Story: an Eyewitness Account of the 18th Century Welsh Revival [1749, Chepstow, UK: Bridge Publishing (UK) 1984], 11.

faithful preaching in ALL the pulpits of our land today![4] Here is the striking detail recorded of that man's conversion. He immediately began to tell others about what God had done in his life, and to hold meetings in his own home encouraging others to seek the same assurance that he had of Christ's forgiveness. It marked the commencement of a mighty Revival at a time when the spiritual condition of Wales in that early part of the 18th century was very low, with its spiritual darkness, lifeless religion, consequent immorality, and hypocrisy. But GOD came down and that Revival had an ongoing impact during the remainder of the 18th century, Howell Harris playing a prominent part in that Awakening. [5] O, what God can do when we earnestly seek Him whatever be the outward appearance of things! As Adrian Rodgers said,

God has always sent revival in the darkest days. Oh, for a mighty, sweeping revival today!
Study the history of revival. God has always sent revival in the darkest days. Oh, for a mighty, sweeping revival today! [6] What stands out as significant with these Welsh preachers of the 18th and 19th centuries was their powerful Bible p re a c h i n g m i n i st r i e s , a n d t h e i r uncompromising proclamation of the Gospel despite the terrible persecution and hardships they endured for the truth. Some were Christian ministers of the established Churches, and were even deprived of their livings by bishops for (as they stated it)preaching schismatically and dangerously to the people. [7] God honoured them, and the impact of their ministries can only be explained in terms
Footnote:
[4]You can read more of my thoughts on 'The Primacy of Preaching in Revival' in Chapter 3 of the book Gathering of the Faithful Remnant by Philip Powell and Aeron Morgan, obtainable from the CWM office. [5] These details are mainly taken from an address by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones on 'Howell Harris and Revival' at a Conference in London, 1973, and included in his book, The Puritans: Their Origins and Successors, published by the Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh, Scotland. [6] Adrian Rodgers was an outstanding preacher and respected Bible teacher, known for his evangelistic zeal and uncompromising commitment to the Word of God. He was the senior pastor of Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, TN from 1972 until March 2005 when he went to be with Christ at 74 years of age. During his ministry at Bellevue the church's membership grew from 9,000 to 29,000. [7] Howell Harris, op cit., 6.

of the faithfulness and sovereignty of God the sovereignty of God as regards time, place, and persons; to think that God was at work so wonderfully through these men as they served Him independently of each other. At almost exactly the same time as God was using Howell Harris, He was doing the same through Daniel Rowland. They had never heard of each other; long distance separated them from one another, but it was taking place at the same time. We also know that things were happening in George Whitefield's ministry at the same time and simultaneously a like spiritual Awakening was taking place with Jonathan Edwards in America. What is this? Nothing other than the sovereignty of God at work! This is not man's work; it is GOD coming down, manifesting His glorious Presence and Power, and perfecting His mighty purposes in His church in answer to prayer. Much the same could also be said of the th movement of God in the 19 century in Wales. God raised up that wonderful yet simple country pastor, David Morgan, who was notably used by God in the beginning and increase of that spiritual awakening. He was 45 years of age when the 1859 Revival broke out. There was also the younger, 26-year old preacher, Humphrey Jones, whom God used greatly in that Revival when more than 100,000 were added to the Churches in Wales in that hallowed time of Divine Visitation. He had earlier applied to be admitted to the Wesleyan ministry but was rejected cf. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29. However, sensing the call of God on him to preach, and his burden for revival in his homeland of Wales, he resolved to preach in spite of this disappointment. God was with him. The evident, and remarkable power and pathos, that attended his praying impacted many as he held meetings for prayer each night. When he preached people were found in tears seeking peace with God. There were occasions when even before he had finished preaching, like at Pentecost (Acts 2:37-38), scores of people were praying aloud, calling on God for mercy, until Humphrey Jones' voice was drowned by such crying. [8] One can appreciate something that he wrote about preachers and preaching in a letter to a friend at that time, with a view to seeing the Revival spread. He wrote: for one thing, to be a man of fervent prayer in secret; to be there several times a day, wrestling with God; to wrestle each time as though it were the last; refusing to get up from your knees until an earnest had been given that the Lord had heard you. As the Lord in faith, and with great fervency, what to say to the people; going
Footnote:
[8] Evan Isaac, Humphrey Jones a Diwygiad 1859; translated - 'Humphrey Jones and the 1859 Revival' [Bala, 1930], 42.
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The other thing is to preach pointedly and rousingly, with severity and conviction; aiming continually at the conscience; charging the people with their sins to their very face

straight from the secret place into the pulpit each time (like Moses from the Mount to the Camp). Then will the anointing follow your preaching, and every word you say will be received as from an angel of God . . . The other thing is to preach pointedly and rousingly, with severity and conviction; aiming continually at the conscience; charging the people with their sins to their very face, giving no regard for men's good or bad opinions; and avoiding the exhibition of self during the delivery of your sermon; another is, not to say anything to amuse the people. I would wish to preach each time as if I had to die in the pulpit when I had done preaching as if I had to go direct from the pulpit to judgment. [9] Profound words of advice from such a young man. Does this characterise our disposition to such a holy stewardship as God has called us to? Is this the pulpit preaching of our churches today? and we wonder why we are in such a deficient spiritual state, generally speaking, what a challenge to us as preachers! God help us! When I read these histories and how God came down I become more and more impressed by the fact that the work of God in true revival is never superficial and passing. It is deep, affecting, and lasting in its fruit in changed lives, transformed church life, family worship receiving tremendous impetus by a renewed Godfearingness, raised moral standards in communities, and the things of God becoming of paramount concern. One of the ministers, Rev. W. Evans of Aberaeron, reported one of the striking characteristics of the 1859 visitation was its effect on young people and even on children. He said: The youth of our congregations are nearly all the subject of deep religious impressions. Many of them seem as if filled with the spirit of prayer. Very young people, yes, children from ten to fourteen years of age, gather together to hold prayer meetings, and pray very fervently . . . When it happens . . . that children only, or servants profess spiritual piety in a family, they instantly crave permission to have family prayer, and thus Divine Worship is established in nearly every family in the country.[10] How blessed those Revival days of 185960! Ah, if only things would have continued with undiminishing glory! R.B. Jones has an important chapter in his account of the 1904 Revival, where he asks the question, Do Revivals last? He makes this comment: It seems a great pity that it appears to be the habit of all Revivals that they do not 'last'. He then
Footnote:
[9] J.J. Morgan, Hanes Dafydd Morgan Ysbyty a Diwigiad 59; translated, The Story of David Morgan, Ysbyty, and the 1959 Revival [Mold, North Wales, 1906], 17

goes on to speak of lasting fruit, and the Revival's after-glow, giving evidence of the Revival's impact many years afterwards. [11] One cannot but be reminded of Israel's history, the times when God met them, restored them and blessed them, only to read later of their spiritual demise and sad departure from their God and Redeemer. In the Book of Judges we have the detail of Israel's history under no less than thirteen men whom God raised up during the nation's tragic decline and disunion after the death of Joshua, when every man did that which was right in his own eyes. (17:6) There were seven periods of apostasy, seven periods of servitude to heathen nations, yet in faithfulness and mercy God came down and wrought by His own power seven extraordinary deliverances. So it was in Wales, with all those gracious Revivals of the earlier years, towards the end of the 19th century there was a marked spiritual decline. But while there appeared to be no deliverance from this hopeless chaos, GOD graciously intervened in sovereignty and divine pity, bringing a clean thing out of an unclean (Job 14:4) far beyond human capability, scheme or aspiration.

How we thank God for many dear saints who were wrought upon by God to seek His face again for another divine visitation
How we thank God for many dear saints who were wrought upon by God to seek His face again for another divine visitation. By the year 1900, an evangelistic outreach known as the Forward Movement had planted 30 new churches, primarily in South Wales, with an overall attendance of close to 2,000, mostly new converts. Among the leaders of the Forward Movement was the Presbyterian minister, Seth Joshua, noted for his influence before, during, and after the 1904 Revival, and indeed the one chosen of God to have a direct and significant influence on the life and ministry of the young Revivalist, Evan Roberts. [12] Seth Joshua had been one of those
Footnote:
[10] Evan Davies, Revivals in Wales [London, 1859], 15-16. [11] R.B. Jones, Rent Heavens: The Revival of 1904, [London: Pioneer Mission, 1931], 75 [12] It was in a meeting and under the faithful Gospel ministry of Seth Joshua that the well-known Pentecostal Bible teacher, Donald Gee, was converted to Christ.

fervent intercessors, reaching out to God for Revival in Wales, and often prayed as he walked along the banks of the River Neath that God would raise up a young man even from the coal mines which He did, for Evan Roberts was just a boy of 11 years when he left school to become a coalminer with his father, until he was about 20 years old when he became a blacksmith's apprentice with his uncle in nearby Pontarddulais. But he did not stay there very long, for from being a teenager he had strong spiritual desires, praying regularly that God would visit the nation yet again in Revival Power. The day came when, at just twenty-six years of age, he felt compelled to go into the Calvinistic Methodist Ministry and in order to prepare for enrolment in Trefecca th Theological College on September 13 1904 he went to the Newcastle Emlyn Grammar School. It was just two weeks later he heard Seth Joshua preach at a Convention meeting he attended at Blaenanerch, 5 miles north of Cardigan in West Wales. Little did he realise at that moment that he was at the crossroads of his spiritual experience. It was in that meeting the young Evan heard the evangelist pray Lord, bend us. The Holy Spirit said to Evan, That's what you need. During the meeting he kneeled down in the church with his arms over the seat in front of him, and was bathed in perspiration as he agonised before the Lord. He later recalled how he eventually prayed aloud after others had prayed. I cried out, O Lord, bend me! Bend me! Bend us! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!" You can sense the anguish and passion in that cry. That actually became a motto of the revival, 'Bend the church and save the world.' At the following meeting Evan experienced a powerful filling with the Holy Spirit. He testified, I felt ablaze with the desire to go through the length and breadth of Wales to tell of the Saviour. Many see this as the beginning of the Revival. It is somewhat significant that the theme Scripture of The Revival, inscribed on the Evan Roberts Memorial monument at Moriah Chapel in Loughor, is Acts 2:38 "Repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Yes, GOD CAME DOWN! And He came in answer to prayer. Revival broke out in Loughor, and within two weeks the Welsh Revival was national news. Whole communities were radically changed as, through the preaching of the Word of God and His awesome convicting presence, men and women found themselves drawn into a powerful experience of God, knowing peace with God and the forgiveness of sin through the precious expiating blood of Jesus. A conservative estimate of 200,000 people were converted to Christ and added to

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Again and again we are confronted by this truth: only God can revive!

the churches in Wales in a brief period of four to six months. Wales was again a God-fearing nation. GOD had come down to meet with those who sought Him for spiritual renewal. Jeremiah 29:11-14 sums up the situation so fittingly: For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then you shall call upon Me, and you shall go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you shall seek Me, and find Me, when you shall search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found by you, says the LORD. Not only was there such a powerful manifestation of God in the Principality, but sparks from the fire of such a Divine awakening soon began to ignite fires in more than a dozen other countries. Edwin Orr documents the impact of that Revival as it was felt in each of the five continents of the world! Writing on the subject of Prayer and Revival, he made reference to the 1904 Welsh Revival, The Welsh Revival was the farthestreaching of all the Movements of the Awakening, for it affected the whole of the evangelical cause in India, Korea, China, renewed the revivals in Japan and South Africa, and sent an awakening over Africa, Latin America and the South Seas The story of the Welsh Revival has often been told. Most Christian people, including scholars, have been unaware of the extent of the Awakening in the rest of English-speaking countries, in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, South Africa, Australia and f a r a w a y N e w Z e a l a n d . .T h e Archbishop of Canterbury called for a nation-wide Day of Prayer. Thirty English Bishops declared for the Revival after one of their number, deeply moved, spoke of confirming 950 new converts in a country Parish Church. The Awakening swept Scotland and Ireland Scandinavia, Germany, North America, Australasia, Africa, Brazil, Mexico, Chile. As always, it began through a movement of prayer. [13] That latter statement resonates in my heart, especially in a day when the church has abandoned the prayer meeting. When will we learn that there is NO other way to Revival? I would emphasize again that it is as you read the history of those great revivals of the past that you discover that God came when concerned saints were pleading in concerted, fervent, and sustained prayer for Him to come down. I long for the day when there will be such an awesome manifestation of GOD in our midst, as
Footnote:
[13] J. Edwin Orr, The Re-Study Of Revival And Revivalism [Pasadena, CA: School of World Mission, 1981]. 42-44

local churches, that those around will have to confess, God is truly among you (1 Corinthians 14:25). Indeed, if we are to be what our Lord intends us to be in our generation, then we must know an energizing by the Holy Spirit the SPIRIT OF LIFE permeating our beings, sanctifying our natures, revitalizing our spiritual lives, enthusing our hunger for Truth, and impassioning every element of our love for all that is divine and holy. That is what we must long to see in this upward heart-cry to the only one who can bring it to pass: Will YOU not REVIVE US again, that Your people may rejoice in You? (Psalm 85:6). Let me focus your thoughts, then, on the crucial need we have of getting before God IN PRAYER. God has ordained the place of PRAYER. Jesus said, My House shall be called the house of prayer? (Matt.21: 13) Let's be honest: in the changing patterns of Assembly life, the meeting that has suffered most is the prayer meeting! Other aspects of Church life and activity are deemed more important and acceptable to us than the lowly struggles of the prayer-arena. We will do almost anything but pray! I cannot but inquire now, Why do we need to pray? Psalm 85 yields some answers for us, which we do well to pay attention to.

Lets be honest: in changing patterns of Assembly life, the meeting that has suffered the most is the prayer meeting

BECAUSE ALL REVIVALS ARE BORN IN PRAYER Will you not revive us again...? verse 6. That is how revivals are born. You cannot organize them; you have to agonize for them! It's not simply a matter of trying to stir yourself up. How often have we done this, and it's not long before we are back in the former state of spiritual apathy and shallowness. God addresses such a condition through HOSEA, a prophet of keen spiritual discernment and an intense devotion to God. In chapter 6:1-3 it appears that Israel has returned to the Lord, but it is such a shallow revival the result of such shallow repentance. So God exposes their unreality and emptiness, the superficiality of such revival in verse 4: Footnote: [14] Samuel Chadwick, The Way to Pentecost [London: What shall I do to you, O Ephraim?
Hodder & Stoughton Ltd. 1932], 15.
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What shall I do to you, O Judah? For your piety is like the morning cloud, and like the dew which goes away early. Note the imagery here: the morning cloud being a dense mist that billowed in at night by those summer Mediterranean winds, but which vanished very quickly with the rising of the morning sun; and the dew, distilled in the night, welcome as it was with all its promise, evaporated more quickly than the mist. If God looks for anything, it's reality and sincerity. He looks for a genuine turn around in repentance, and that is born in the place of prayer, for THAT is God's own special work. Again and again we are confronted by this truth: only God can revive! Without prolonging the illustration of Hosea let me hasten to say that, even with His great disappointment and displeasure, God reminds His people through His prophet of His loving care and compassion, and the yearning heart of God is seen to break open in amazing and tender mercy (chapter 11:8-9): How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah (and Zeboim)? My heart is turned within Me. My compassions are kindled together. I will not execute my fierce anger ... I am GOD and not man... Hosea never saw the results of his pleadings with Israel, but God was faithful. That's how we must plead with God, for only HE can revive His church. Apart from HIM all human wisdom becomes folly, our intellect is blind, and whatever carnal energies are employed in any work for God, all will prove to be utterly fragile, flimsy, and totally inadequate to promote the eternal cause of a Holy God. Samuel Chadwick was right when he wrote: The Church that is man-managed instead of God-governed is doomed to failure There is a superabundance of machinery; what is wanting is power. To run an organization needs no God. Man can supply the energy, enterprise and enthusiasm for things human. The real work of the Church depends upon the power of the Spirit. [14] We need the Holy Spirit! What a difference He makes. That is why Jesus declared not only that the Holy Spirit would come after He had ascended back into Heaven, but that the Holy Spirit was indispensableIf I do not go away [He] will not come (John 16:7). There's the truth of the Holy Spirit's indispensability. The Church needs Him for its virtuous well-being, its vigorous life, and its victorious mission. Pentecost saw the beginning of a new era for the world, a

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Why does God choose to work in this particular way of involving US in prayer for the achieving of His purposes.

new power for righteousness, a new basis for fellowship, and a new dynamic for mission in a world that must hear of Christ's Gospel to be saved --Romans 1:16-17 and 10:13-17. Not only so, but with Pentecost came a new dimension in the Church's prayer-life cf. Romans 8:2627. How wonderful, and so merciful of our God the saint who is in trouble, or who has some pressing burden not knowing just how to articulate it in prayer before God, finding the Divine Paraklete (the Holy Spirit) pleading on his behalf pleading with unuttered groanings or with sighs that baffle words (Denney) Romans 8:26. No language is adequate, yet the prayer is understood by Him who searches the heart. Jeremiah 17:10 I the Lord search the heart What a blessing to know we have a Helper the Holy Spirit with us in our prayer life! Now then: I might say that we are confronted with perhaps one of the greatest of mysteries: Why does God choose to work in this particular way of involving US in prayer for the achieving of His purposes. All I know is that HE DOES. So in relation to prayer and revival why do we need to pray? BECAUSE GOD HAS ORDAINED THIS MEETING PLACE WITH HIMSELF. This whole Psalm of David (Psalm 85) is a prayer, the intimate outpourings of an enlightened but burdened heart that knows the reality and glory and overwhelming experience of conversing with the Eternal, Infinite, and Holy GOD! This is the place of PRAYER the meeting place with God, wherever that may be: it can be the home, some quiet spot where you can commune free of interruption with God; and especially the gathering of God's people, the HOUSE of PRAYER! Let us be gripped by this truth: God has ordained a meeting place with Himself for all who know Him. let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. .. there I will meet with you, and I will commune with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel -Exodus 25:8,22. How awesome! With David the meeting place with God was well established. In Psalm 27:8 he tells us, When God said, Seek my face; my heart said to You, Your face, LORD, I will seek. His many Psalms bear out the fact that David was constantly before the Almighty in prayer, and praise! Will we in this blessed New Covenant era do less? Sadly, so many Churches may have departed 24
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from the old paths of truth and righteousness, and forsaken the place of intercessory prayer. But I am glad that God has not written us off! He is ever drawing us to seek His face as never before. Just as in this Psalm 85, verses 1-3. We must turn our eyes to HIM and all our prayers fervently directed to Him, knowing REVIVAL comes in answer to prayer cf. 2 Chronicles 7:14 with Habakkuk 3:2. I do not apologize for repetition. Wherever there has been a REVIVAL, in Biblical or Church history, you will find PRAY-ERS behind it. Pentecost came in answer to prayer--Acts 1:12-14; 2:1-4. Often there has been witnessed some startling outburst and a deluge of varying proportions and impact, but preceding that there is always a purifying and preparatory process, at the heart of which is such fervent, specific and protracted praying. Some have prayed for years before the breakthrough has come. WHY? Only GOD knows. Revival is a sovereign work of God. The 1904 Welsh Revival goes back beyond the memorable month of November of that year when God manifested Himself in such power and glory in the Principality, commencing with His remarkable visitation at Moriah Chapel in Loughor, near Swansea, where Evan Roberts came forth as God's instrument in that visitation. There were evidences of spiritual awakenings earlier in that year in a few places, particularly further west in New Quay. However, more particularly do we need to understand that for a considerable time concerned and burdened souls had been pouring out their hearts before God in intercessory prayer, entreating God to come down. Such passionate pleading is the indisputable forerunner of all Revivals. Then comes that crucial moment in God's providential and renewing activity when His presence and power become openly manifest and mighty things take place that not only shakes the churches but their communities. The Reverend R.B. Jones, whom we have referred to as having given us valuable insights into the 'O4 Revival' in Wales, makes it so plain that revivals have their springs in prayer. He wrote: God seems to have so ordained that most, if not indeed all, of His activities in the moral and spiritual realms should be the responses of His heart and power to the prayers of His people. [15] I cannot conclude this article without a reference to what is the last significant spiritual awakening in the British Isles, when in the 1950s God came down on the Isles of Lewis and Harris in the Outer
Footnote:
[15] Rent Heavens, op cit., 22.

Scottish Hebrides. God did use Duncan Campbell, yet the Revival was born in faithful, passionate PRAYING. In particular, it was in a small cottage by the roadside in the village of Barvus where two elderly sisters, Peggy and Christine Smith, 84 and 82 years of age respectively, sought the face of God over a protracted period of time for Revival. Peggy was blind, and Christine was bent almost double with arthritis, so that they found it difficult to attend public worship. But their cottage became a prayer sanctuary. AND GOD HEARD THEM. He revealed to Peggy NOT only that revival was coming but also the identity of the instrument God had chosen to use: Duncan Campbell, though he testified to the fact that the Revival was already in progress when he arrived there for meetings. He was supposed to be there for just about three weeks, but remained for three years, to give sound teaching to establish the new converts and to consolidate God's renewing work through the Word of God. That Hebrides revival was born in prayer. It's the same when considering the WELSH Revivals and ALL Revivals: prayer is always predominant; and we will have revival when we are seriously concerned enough about it to spend more time before God in prayer. I feel a pulse of sympathy beating with Charles Haddon Spurgeon, when he said to his London congregation: Oh! men and brethren, what would this heart feel if I could but believe that there were some among you who would go home and pray for a revival men whose faith is large enough, and their love fiery enough to lead them from this moment to exercise unceasing intercessions that God would appear among us and do wondrous things here, as in the times of former generations. [To be continued]

about the author

AERON MORGAN and wife Dinah, have served the Lord for more than fifty years. They are Welsh and have pastored churches in the UK and Australia, where they now reside. Aeron served on the National Executives of the British and the Australian AoG fellowships. He was the first General Superintendent of the British AoG, and was Principal of the Australian National Bible College for twelve years. He was also an adjunct faculty member of the South Pacific Bible College in Suva, Fiji. Now retired from active pastoral ministry he fulfils an extensive itinerant ministry in many countries speaking at churches, Conferences, ministers' seminars, and short-term teaching in Bible Schools. Aeron has a website - www.aeronmorgan.org

Want to comment on an article? visit http://www.cwm.org.au

Richard Bennett
Preliminary Announcement 1 - 23 September 2012
Richard Bennett former Roman Catholic priest is scheduled to visit Australia by invitation of Christian Witness Ministries during September, 2012. Richard was schooled by the Jesuits all of his early years and entered the Dominican Order for eight years of training for the Catholic priesthood. A short bio is below. Richard will bring another knowledgeable speaker Ken Moran who will also participate. Besides lecturing Ken is also a professional cameraman. His Website is:

www.theuncompromisedword.com
Lord willing, their itinerary is to include the following CWM Conferences:

Sydney
September 1-2 (Sam Mule - 02 9984 8841 - mule_sam@hotmail.com )

Melbourne
Sept. 7-9 (Werner Schulz - 03 9727 4098 - wellaschulz@bigpond.com )

Brisbane
September 13-16 (contact CWM-F 07 3137 1031 philip@cwm.org.au )

Adelaide
Sept. 22-23 (Sam/Caleb Corneloup 0425 775 646 - info@streetchurch.com.au ) Those interested in hosting a meeting additional to the CWM Conferences should contact Clive Leembruggen t: 07 4669 8438; m: 0408 784 900; e: clivendonna7@gmail.com Richard says, When I come I wish to speak on topics that are relevant to Australia, under the general theme of: The Roman Church and Her Collaborators in the Light of Biblical Truth. Richard Bennett speaks the truth in love. He has listed the following as possible topics. Your additional suggestions are invited. Any early ideas will be forwarded to Richard as soon as they are received. The Papacy's Exploitation of Pentecostalism. (see article page 26) Roman Catholic Mysticism captivating Churches through the Emerging Church movement. Roman Catholic and Emergent Mysticism Infused into Society. The Adulation of Man in 'The Purpose Driven Life' Examining Rick Warren The Biblical Mary or the Mary of Roman Catholic Tradition - apparitions Biblical Salvation and the Roman Catholic Doctrine of Salvation Roman Catholic Control on Money and Politics. The Alignment of New Evangelicals with Roman Catholicism - Evangelicals and Catholics Together
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This article documents the sinister power behind the Papal outreach to the Evangelicals of the modern Pentecostal movement

The Papacy's Exploitation of Pentecostalism

about the author
Richard Bennett originally comes from Ireland. He was trained by Jesuits in his early years, and received eight years of theological instruction and preparation for the priesthood with the Dominican Order. He completed his education at the Angelicum University in Rome in 1964. He spent twenty-one years as a Roman Catholic parish priest in Trinidad, West Indies. He had, therefore, the best of academic training in things Roman Catholic, plus twenty-one years of being a parish priest applying Roman Catholic teachings to everyday life. After an accident in 1972, in which he nearly lost his life, he began to seriously study the Bible. After nearly fourteen years of contrasting Roman Catholicism to Biblical truth, he was convicted by the Gospel message. In 1985, he saw that justification is not being inwardly just as Rome taught, but being accepted in Christ. He was then saved by God's grace alone and formally left the Roman Catholic Church and its priesthood. He has founded an evangelistic ministry to Roman Catholics called Berean Beacon. Webpage: www.bereanbeacon.org

By Richard Bennett Those interested in hosting a meeting should contact Clive Leembruggen email clivendonna7@gmail.com home phone 07 4669 8438; mob: 0408 784 900. For more visit www.bereanbeacon.org Dear Friend, The Papacy is ever looking for ways to implement its ecumenical agenda. Its goal is to draw all Evangelicals into the fold of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). Vatican Council II officially proclaimed this objective in its documents in the mid 1960's. However, the Papacy's problem was how to find entry points into Evangelical circles to

begin implementing their new ecumenical policy. In 1967, a major event occurred among some of the Roman Catholic (RC) students of Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA) as they attended a retreat. That event was dubbed by some of the professors as baptism in the Holy Spirit. The news of such a move of God quickly spread to the Notre Dame University (another private RC university) in nearby Indiana. Cardinal Suenens was sent by the Papacy to estimate the rapidly growing movement. With Cardinal Suenens' favourable report, the Papacy had a major entry point into Evangelical circles, which they exploited. This article documents the sinister power behind the Papal outreach to the Evangelicals of the modern Pentecostal movement especially among the Italian people. It also shows that what Rome means by baptism in the Holy Spirit is utterly different from what the Bible and Evangelical Pentecostals mean by that same term. Factual knowledge of the power behind the RC experiences shows the snare that is hidden in the RC ecumenical outreach to Evangelical Pentecostals. Please forward this article as widely as you can obtainable as a PDF, html and E-Book article at www.cwm.org.au. The modern Pentecostal movement arose from the holiness movement of the th late 19 century. As part of that movement, there was an outbreak of what was called the baptism in the Spirit at Charles Parham's Bethel Bible School in Topeka, Kansas, USA on January 1, 1901. In 1906, similar events began occurring at the Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles. The Pentecostal movement generated great excitement from those claiming that God was moving in the signs and wonders that were taking place at these gatherings. As news of these happenings spread, the excitement over these events increasingly drew people out of various settled denominations to join with those who desired baptism in the Spirit and the signs and wonders that were associated with the movement. Nearly simultaneously, in 1897, Pope Leo XIII issued an encyclical [1] on the Holy Spirit. The occasion was to dedicate the
Footnote:
[1] Encyclical, encyclic - a letter from the Pope to the Roman Catholic clergy on matters of doctrine or other concerns of the Church, often meant to be read from the pulpit.-

work of his pontificate to the Holy Spirit, that He [the Holy Spirit] may bring it to maturity and fruitfulness. [2] In his encyclical, the Pope stated that the two chief goals of his pontificate had been, in the first place, towards the restoration, both in rulers and peoples, of the principles of the Christian life in civil and domestic societyand, secondly, to promote the reunion of those who have fallen away from the Catholic Church either by heresy or by schism, since it is most undoubtedly the will of Christ that all should be united in one flock under one Shepherd. [3]

The Papacy is ever looking for ways to implement its ecumenical agenda. Its goal is to draw all Evangelicals into the fold of the Roman Catholic Church
Thus, in 1897, Pope Leo XIII had stated officially the ecumenical agenda behind what would become the policy of Vatican Council II of 1963-1965. Pope Leo's conclusion was, We decree and command that throughout the whole [Roman] Catholic Church, this year and in every subsequent year, a Novena [4] shall take place before Whit-Sunday (Whit Sunday is the seventh Sunday after Easter, when Christians celebrate the sending of the Holy Spirit to the first followers of Christ), in all parish churches[to] duly pray for Our intention. [5]
Footnote: [2] http://cetf.co/xgwhtf 9/21/11
[3] Ibid [4] Novenas are very popular with [Roman] Catholics. The word is derived from the Latin word 'novem' for nine. They are a series of rote prayers given by the Papacy to be recited for nine days straight or nine hours straight. For example, one authorized by the Vatican is the following, Oh Star of the Sea, help me and show me herein you are my mother. Oh Holy Mary, Mother of God, Queen of Heaven and Earth, I humbly beseech you from the bottom of my heart to succour me this necessity. http://cetf.co/wvMaEh cited 10/10/11 Indulgences, that is, time off Purgatory, are also given to those who say such prayers. [5] Ibid., Sect. 13

Richard as a priest in his last parish

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...it was seen by the Papacy that the Pentecostals could easily be used as a liaison to make the RCC more acceptable to Evangelicals...

Thus, the main thrust of the Pope's encyclical was his decree that an annual series of Novena rote prayers were to be recited for nine days straight in all RC churches. The intention of these novena rote prayers was to pray to Mary that the Holy Spirit would unify Christendom under the Roman Catholic Church in a n e w o u t p o u r i n g o f H i s p o w e r. Consequently, the encyclical finished with this call, Unite, then, Venerable Brethren, your prayers with Ours, and at your exhortation let all Christian peoples add their prayers also, invoking the powerful and ever-acceptable intercession of the Blessed Virgin. [6] While purporting to call upon the Holy Spirit to unite all Christendom under the RCC, the Pope was in fact commanding Roman Catholics to invoke through novena rote prayers the one they call the Queen of Heaven, in order to obtain the success of his ecumenical agenda. [7] th The Vatican's 20 Century Ecumenical Agenda The objective of Pope Leo XIII's ecumenical agenda of 1897 was officially and more fully decreed in the documents of Vatican Council II in 1964 [8]. At the time, implementation of the Papacy's agenda meant finding the necessary entry points into the Evangelical world. A major one soon presented itself. In 1967, two years after the close of Vatican Council II, an event occurred at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA) initiating claims of Pentecostal happenings within the RCC. These claimed baptisms in the Holy Spirit at Duquesne caused a great stir in Roman Catholic circles. News of that event quickly spread to students and professors at Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana (USA) [9] where similarly claimed spiritually powered events occurred in rapid succession. The Vatican then sent Cardinal Leon Suenens to the U.S. to analyze the movement. The Cardinal approved and enthusiastically advocated the U.S. Renewal Movement, as it was called. With the advent of the Catholic Renewal Movement, the Papacy
Footnote:
[6] Op. cit., Sect. 14 [7] See the analysis of this invocation to the Queen of heaven in Jeremiah 7:18 [8] Vatican Council II Document No. 32, Unitatis Redintegratio Para. 4. See also No. 42, Reflections and Suggestions Concerning Ecumenical Dialogue Sect. II, ecumenical dialogue is not limited to an academic or purely conceptual level, but striving for a more complete communion between the Christian communitiesit aims at preparing the way for their unity of faith in the bosom of a Church one and visible: thus 'little by little', as the obstacles to perfect ecclesial communion are overcome, all Christians will be gathered, in a common celebration of the Eucharist, into that unity of the one and only Church which Christ bestowed on his Church from the beginning. This unity, we believe, dwells in the Catholic Church as something she can never lose. [9] Although Notre Dame University has its own designation as a city, even with its own Police force

found that it had been given a major entry point by which to implement its ecumenical agenda within a growing group of non-Catholics. The organization and infrastructure of these non-Catholic groups were nothing compared to that of the Papacy. Thus, it was seen by the Papacy that the Pentecostals could easily be used as a liaison to make the RCC more acceptable to Evangelicals in general. The spiritually powered events at the universities of Duquesne and Notre Dame were apparently the beginning of such events happening in many countries across the world. Different Popes authenticated the movement, as in, for example, 1975, as Pope Paul VI greeted 10,000 Roman Catholics at the 9th International Renewal Conference, he stated, The [Roman Catholic] Church and the world need more than ever that 'the miracle of Pentecost should continue in history'...How could this 'spiritual renewal' not be 'good fortune' for the Church and the world?

The interpretation of what the book endorsed by the Papacy, described as Baptism in the Spirit is poles apart from what biblical Pentecostals believe is the interpretation of such events
And soon after becoming Pope, John Paul II declared, I am convinced that this movement is a sign of the Spirit's actiona very important component in the total renewal of the Church. [10] Later, in 1984, he stated, Because of the Spirit, the church preserves a continual youthful vitality, and the Charismatic Renewal is an eloquent manifestation of this vitality today, a bold statement of what 'the Spirit is saying to the churches' (Rev. 2:7) as we approach the close of the second millennium. [11] An Analysis of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Experience In 1967, there is a first-hand description of the events at Duquesne given by Roman Catholic Patti Gallagher Mansfield
Footnote:
[10] http://cetf.co/xjePxD 10/1/2011 [11] Pope John Paul II at the Fifth International Leaders' Conference, Rome, 30 April 1984

in her book, As By A New Pentecost.[12] The book is unique because it is endorsed by Cardinal Leon Suenens in the foreword and by RC Bishop Sam Jacobs in the epilogue. Ms. Mansfield, like others in the book, participated in the activities of that February weekend in Duquesne. In it she outlines in detail what happened and what the participants perceived was the meaning of the events. She also outlines many of the basic traditions of the Papacy and includes the testimonies of seventeen Charismatic Roman Catholics. Of her own experience, she recounts, Before each presentation we sang Veni Creator Spiritus in English, using the Gregorian chant melody. One of our professors told usit was a prayer. He wanted us to sing it repeatedly as an invocation to the Holy Spirit. It was as if he were saying, 'We're going to keep on praying this until the Holy Spirit comes.' Friday night in the chapel, our other faculty advisor held up a statue of Our Lady which depicted her with her hands lifted up in prayerIn God's plan, it was necessary for Mary to be 'with us' in an explicit way as we experienced a sovereign move of the Holy Spirit that Weekend. The Fathers of the Church call Mary 'the Spouse of the Holy Spirit.' How can she fail to be present when the Holy Spirit is at work? ...After the meditation on Mary I experienced my first communal Penance Service, and I was quite moved (p. 35). [Later] with expectations high, I wrote on a sheet of paper: 'I WANT A MIRACLE!' and tacked it up for everyone to see. I didn't know exactly what the miracle would be; I just wanted God to act with power (p. 38). Thus Ms. Mansfield testifies that she was thoroughly engaged in RC religious ritual and seeking a demonstration of spiritual power. However, without seeking truth, i.e. biblical truth, primarily, one is not in a position to discern the source of the desired demonstration of spiritual power. This is precisely what Ms. Mansfield's testimony shows, When I entered the chapel I saw a few people sitting on the floor prayingI'd always believed by the gift of faith that Jesus is really present in the Blessed Sacrament, but I had never experienced His glory before As I knelt there before the Lord Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, for the first time in my life, I prayed what I would call 'a prayer of unconditional surrender.'When I prayed that
Footnote:
[12] As By A New Pentecost: The Dramatic Beginning of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal by Patti Gallagher Mansfield (Franciscan University Press 1992)
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...the teaching that the person of Mary has an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit as His spouse is utter blasphemy...

prayer, I was kneeling before the altar. The next moment I found myself prostrate, flat on my face, stretched out before the tabernacle. No one had laid hands on me. I had never seen such a thing happen before. I don't know exactly what took place. (p. 39). Ms. Mansfield had bowed down before an idol and prayed a prayer of unconditional surrender. She sincerely thought her surrender was to the Lord Jesus Christ, who she thinks is in the communion bread. However, the message to which her book plainly testifies is that she surrendered to a strange spirit, which answered by showing its power in laying her out prostrate before the communion bread that she worshipped as God. Of this experience, she says,

Jesus Himself, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, are in essence one God, the trinity of Persons in one nature.
Although I just wanted to remain and bask in the presence of the Lord, I knew that I needed to share this experience with others. Like the apostles after Pentecost, I wanted to 'proclaim His marvellous deeds,' to give witness to the Living God[o]ne of the professors entered the chapel and commented, 'What's the bishop going to say when he finds out that all these kids have been baptized in the Holy Spirit' [13] Fruits of Desiring to See Power Rather than to Seek Truth Ms. Mansfield states that she wanted to 'proclaim His marvellous deeds,' to give witness to the Living God. But in fact, she did the exact opposite. While she does give an historically valuable firsthand account of the Duquesne Weekend, the book simply teaches traditional RC doctrine. For instance, it teaches that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the communion bread, which is gross idolatry. How does such idolatry align with her desire to proclaim His marvellous deeds? Then how could one of the professors conclude that the event regarding her prostration before the communion bread be deemed baptism in the Holy Spirit? What is
Footnote:
[13] As By A New Pentecost by Mansfield, pp. 40 41

missing in all this is the love of the truth and the desire for it at all costs which in this case would mean giving up the apostate RCC with its false gospel and unbiblical doctrines. Instead, Ms. Mansfield states, Immediately after the Weekend Fran told me she didn't like 'the whole operation,' and was afraid that we were leaving the Church. Quite the contrary, I felt that I was discovering the Church in a wonderful new way. One of the first things I did after the Weekend was to take The Documents of Vatican II and look up every reference to 'Holy Spirit,' 'charisms' and 'spiritual gifts.' As intense as my experience of the Holy Spirit on the Weekend was, if the Church tells me this is not authentic, I would rather renounce my own experience than ever leave the Catholic Church. [14] Sadly, twenty-five years later Ms. Mansfield still did not know what happened to her in the recounted experience nor did she know the source of the power by which she was struck. Rather than turning to the Bible as her sole authority to interpret this event, she bowed without question to the teaching authority of the RCC. And the whole sordid event is labelled by the Papacy as baptism in the Holy Spirit. Catholic Charismatic Activity Invested with Papal Dogma The interpretation, of what the book endorsed by the Papacy, described as Baptism in the Spirit is poles apart from what biblical Pentecostals believe is the interpretation of such events. Ms. Mansfield explains, The most common understanding of the Baptism in the Spirit among [Roman] Catholics is that it is 'a release' of the graces already received in Baptism and Confirmation. [15] Such an interpretation of the Baptism in the Spirit works nicely with traditional RC doctrine and has readily been accepted as such, according to Ms. Mansfield and the other Roman Catholics whose testimonies are in the book. Another major RC doctrinal teaching from the account of the Duquesne Weekend falls under the heading, Mary, Spouse of the Holy Spirit. That section of the book states, Mary has a continuing role as Mother of all God's children, Mother of the
Footnote:
[14] As By A New Pentecost by Mansfield, p 47. Although Ms. Mansfield quotes Scripture in her book, it is clear that her ultimate authority is the Roman Catholic Church rather than the Bible. This mindset is taught in the Roman Catholic Church. See Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church (1994), Para. 168, 169, 181 [15] As By A New Pentecost by Mansfield, p. 161

Church. And her spiritual motherhood is intimately linked to the work of the Holy Spirit.As we entrust ourselves to the heart of Mary, she will lead us faithfully to the heart of Jesus her Son. [16] Jesus Himself, along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, are in essence one God, the trinity of Persons in one nature. The nature of God is totally separate from all persons and things that He has created. Thus, the teaching that the person of Mary has an intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit as His spouse is utter blasphemy. It is a sacrilegious deception of Satan. While the Scripture states, Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light, (2 Corinthians 11:14) it still comes as a shock to see the Prince of Darkness, the one most alien to the light, misuse Mary until he has her appearing like a goddess married to the Holy Spirit. In fact, the book manifests what Scripture calls another spirit,[17] a spirit that is utterly opposed to God the Holy Spirit, who leads lost sinners to the Lord Jesus Christ; it is another spirit that leads souls to hell.

Stained glass window of Pope John Paul II & Mother Mary

It is the same demonic deception that is seen in the official Papal adoration of Mary as, the All Holy One, and worship of the communion bread with the worship which is due to the true God.[18] Indeed, these facts
Footnote:
[16] As By A New Pentecost by Mansfield, p. 171 [17] 2 Corinthians 11:4 ]18] The official Papal addressing Mary as the All Holy One is in the Catechism, Para. 2677. The official Papal worship of the communion bread states, There should be no doubt in anyone's mind 'that all the faithful ought to show to this most holy sacrament the worship which is due to the true God, as has always been the custom of the Catholic Church. Nor is it to be adored any the less because it was instituted by Christ to be eaten.' Vatican Council II Documents, No. 9, Instruction on the Worship of the Eucharistic Mystery Vol. I Para. 3

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The Word of Faith leaders in the Pentecostal movement also continually endorse the RCC

demonstrate that a demonic spirit transmits these neo-pagan doctrines. In this scenario, true believers must . be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour - 1 Peter 5:8. Satan is the chief deceiver, and the Papacy's ecumenical ploy to use Pentecostalism as a vehicle into the broader Evangelical camp is sinisterly evil and, yet sadly, has been highly successful. Acceptance of the Catholic Charismatic Movement From the late 1960's, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal was presented as a movement that from the outside looked like Evangelical Pentecostal spiritual power events. The terminology, baptism in the Holy Spirit, used by the RC authorities to describe these new power events in the RCC was borrowed directly from the Evangelical Pentecostals. H o w e v e r, t h e interpretation of those same events was advanced by the RCC with a very different message than that which the same terminology carried within Evangelical Pentecostal circles. The RC Pope, cardinals and bishops, who before Vatican Council II, arrogantly disdained Evangelicals as heretics, after the Council s p o ke s o f t l y c o n c e r n i n g t h e m . Evangelicals were no longer called heretics but rather separated brethren. Further, after Vatican Council II, Roman Catholics were allowed to go to Evangelical Bible studies, churches, and other events. Most of these people had no understanding other than what the RCC had taught them. Consequently, many RCs, suffering under dead religious rituals, were excited to take part in a movement that seemed to be from God through the gatherings held outside RC authorized places. David du Plessis, known as Mr. Pentecost was a key figure in ecumenising with the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. He played a leading role in developing ecumenical ties with the RCC. Dennis Bennett, a priest in the Episcopal Church (USA),[19] was a leading advocate for the charismatic renewal within the Episcopal Church and also with accepting Roman Catholics who were believed to be filled with the Spirit. The movement had great influence through The Positive Confession teachings propagated by Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Charles Capps, and others. More Charismatics surfaced in the 1980s and 1990s. Indeed, outside the RCC the Latter Rain movement saw itself as a returning to the full gospel of the early days of the Christian church.
Footnote:
[19] The Episcopal Church describes itself as being "Protestant, Yet Catholic" - http://cetf.co/xx9Fm5

However, what was being taught was the falsehood that a person could virtually become God. Scripture states, for there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.[20] This means that there is no person who can emulate God. Nevertheless, pious experiences that looked and felt so mysteriously spiritual were like a net cast over the unwary and the unbiblical. In this scenario of feelings, the Papal ecumenical overture was quite successful with some Word of Faith leaders, among whom were Paul Crouch, David Mainse, John Arnott, C. Peter Wagner, Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, and Benny Hinn. Pa p a l Ec u m e n i ca l Pa r t i c i p at i o n Documented An example of a Pentecostal leader reaching out to the RCC happened on May 25, 2011. The headline, Pelle, Pentecost and the Pope, on the front page of the May 25, 2011 edition of the Swedish newspaper Dagen was followed by this report,

pious experiences that looked and felt so mysteriously spiritual were like a net cast over the unwary and the unbiblical
The director of the Swedish Pentecostal Churches was one of the selected to shake hands with the Pope during a Pentecostal delegation study tour to Rome and the Vatican together with a delegation from the Catholic Church in Sweden. The visit was part of the dialogue between the two churches which started in 2003. During the audience, which gathered up to 50,000 persons, the Pope talked about prayer and delivered a special salutation to Sweden, a gesture which gives expression to the interest in the ecumenical process in Sweden by the highest leader of the Catholic Church. The Word of Faith leaders in the Pentecostal movement also continually e n d o rs e t h e RC C . T h e Tr i n i t y Broadcasting Network (TBN) is one of the most powerful and persistent of the TV ministries in the USA. It promotes almost exclusively the Word of Faith Pentecostal
Footnote:
[20] 1 Timothy 2:5

leaders. Paul Crouch, the director of TBN, has been closely associated with the Papacy for many years. On his Website, one finds such announcements as, Pope Honours Fr. Michael Manning of The Word in the World on TBN [21] and Celebrate Easter with TBN's Premiere of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ. [22] His Website explicitly states that its programmes have an appeal to those in the Roman Catholic Church.[23] TBN, in fact, promotes RC doctrine and offers a wide range of RC books and other literature for sale [24]. Furthermore, in Canada, the radical Pentecostal David Mainse welcomes Roman Catholics on his 100 Huntley Street television show. Also, John Arnott of the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship shared with his followers the news that videos of the Toronto Blessing meetings have been taken to the Vatican [25]. Moreover, C. Peter Wagner, the self-proclaimed founder of the New Apostolic Church and the New Apostolic Reformation, is a key figure in Word of Faith circles. He was at one time a close associate of Vineyard founder, John Wimber. Wagner and Wimber created a course called Signs and Wonders and Church Growth, which has impacted churches all over the world. Wa g n e r e n d o r s e d t h e C a t h o l i c Charismatic movement when he wrote, Traditionally, the message of the Gospel in Latin America has appealed to the working class. But changes have begun to take place, and many middle and upper-class people are now opening their hearts to Jesus Christ. Some of this is happening through the Catholic charismatic movement. [26] Wagner does not differentiate between the false gospel of RC Charismatic movement and the true biblical Gospel. Another Pentecostal, Benny Hinn, is a well-known Word of Faith leader. In Christianity Today magazine, he emphasized his RC state of mind saying, My upbringing, of course, was Catholic in that I attended the Catholic school in Jaffa, Israel. And so my mentality basically is a Catholic mentality. When I was born again, I was Catholic in my ways. I was very Catholic in my ideas, in my behaviour.[27]
Footnote:
[21] http://cetf.co/yt4CTR [22] http://cetf.co/xX8feT [23] TBN offers 24 hours of commercial-free inspirational programming that appeal to people in a wide variety of Protestant, Catholic and Messianic Jewish denominations http://cetf.co/yS8cAB [24] The open letter to Paul Crouch at: http://cetf.co/wZwtiY [25] http://cetf.co/ye8N3z [26] C. Peter Wagner, On the Crest of the Wave (Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1983) Excerpted http://cetf.co/wWkfrD 9/30/11 [27] Christianity Today, September 3rd 1991
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It is the power of the Holy Spirit that overcomes the pride of the natural man, so that he is ready to come to the Lord Jesus Christ to receive life.

Papal Difficulties Arise within Catholic Ecumenical Outreach In 1967, the Papacy began to implement their ecumenical agenda through the Catholic Charismatic Renewal; however, ecumenism with Evangelicals had its problems. In the opening years, a number of the Renewal's Catholic Charismatics accepted the Evangelical teaching on the supremacy of Scripture as the only source for Christian faith and practice. This was noticeable to some former RC priests, including the author of this article. Bob Bush, also a former RC priest, wrote in his testimony, It was August 1970 when God's grace truly touched me. I began working in the charismatic movement, which was a fresh movement in the Catholic Church. While there were all kinds of decrees and dogmas coming out of Rome, the movement at the beginning tried to have just one manual, the BibleWe were stressing praise and worshiping and glorifying God [28]. At the time, as priests we did not fully realize that this position directly challenged the RCC on the basis of truth. Papal Rome's position is that, The Church does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the Holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honoured with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence. [29] Thus, quite soon in the opening years, the Papacy imposed its strict dogma that, Sacred Tradition and Sacred Scripture then are bound closely together and communicate one with the other. [30] Thus, while some RC Charismatics had a correct biblical position in the opening years, most did not. The Papacy vigorously upheld its traditions, and those of us who were priests and leaders within the Renewal were told to remain faithful to the Church and to avoid exposure to non-Catholic teachers and evangelists. Nonetheless, some of us who were ardent RC Charismatics discovered that the teachings of the RCC were unbiblical when we had the opportunity to hear the teachings of Evangelical Pentecostals [31]. While we realized that there were some difficulties
Footnote:
[28] Once a Jesuit, Now a Child of God by Bob Bush in Far from Rome, Near to God First testimony [29] Catechism, Para 82 [30] Catechism, Para 80 [31] See our three testimony books on our Website at: http://www.bereanbeacon.org/books.pdf They are, Far from Rome, Near to God: The Testimonies of Fifty Former Catholic Priests, The Truth Set Us Free: Twenty Former Nuns Tell Their Stories. On the Wings of Grace Alone: The Testimonies of Thirty Converted Catholics

in doctrine within Pentecostalism [32], by the Lord's truth and grace, each of us came to biblical faith; and while several of us have gone to be with the Lord, most of us are alive today rejoicing in our salvation. Unsuccessful Attempts to Stem Roman Catholic Exodus The Papacy has tried to overturn this exodus out of the Roman Church by different means. For example, eighteen years ago the Vatican set up the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Thus, its website states,

believe on Him alone. As the Scripture states, For by grace you are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast - Ephesians 2:8-9. Therefore, the Catholic Charismatic or otherwise, must recognize that the Papacy's sacramental system is another gospel, which is no gospel at all. Rather, a person must have personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This faith is given to him by God's grace alone. Thus, while the Papacy has attempted to exploit Pentecostalism, it has in many cases backfired. Quite a few Roman Catholics, who have awakened to some things biblical and met genuine Christians, have prayed and sought the Lord and have come to Himby grace and through faith alone. We are all, as human beings, initially cut off from God and are spiritually dead, as a condemned malefactor is said to be a dead man. Water cannot flow uphill, nor can the natural man act contrary to his corrupt nature. What then can you do, just how can you be made right with God?

The Gospel is that by his grace we can turn to Him in faith alone for the salvation that He alone gives.
September 14 is a milestone for the life of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal [CCR] in the world. Eighteen years ago the Pontifical Council for the Laity of the Holy See enacted the recognition of the International Catholic Charismatic Renewal Service (ICCRS) as an entity for the promotion of CCR.[33] While the Institute is supposed to be a liaison between Charismatic affairs and the Vatican, in fact it is but one more level of dictatorial Papal authority. It is mostly a disenfranchised movement not having any meaningful influence in the Catholic Church's hierarchical system. C o n s e q u e n t l y, s o m e C a t h o l i c Charismatics are beginning to wake up. Conclusion Every person's greatest problem is that he is dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1). This is the reason we need to be in right standing before God on the terms He prescribes. We have a spiritual debt of infinite proportions that we are unable to repay. The Gospel, however, is that by His grace we can turn to Him in faith alone for the salvation that He alone gives, by the conviction of the Holy Spirit, based on Christ's death and resurrection for His own people, and
Footnote:
[32] Many Christians do not accept the Pentecostal Baptism in the Spirit and tongues and claimed signs and wonders.
th

You must first acknowledge that you are spiritually, dead in trespasses and sins [34] and cry out to the Lord God for help. It is the Holy Spirit who awakens within the human heart a sense of need. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that overcomes the pride of the natural man, so that he is ready to come to the Lord Jesus Christ to receive life. In the Lord's own words, .the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. [35] As the Lord also explained, It is written in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that has heard and has learned of the Father, comes unto me. [36] Permission is given to copy and distribute this article. Our MP3s are easily downloaded and our DVDs seen on Sermon Audio at:

http://www.sermonaudio.com/go/212 our website is: http://www.bereanbeacon.org

Footnote:
[34] Ephesians 2:1 [35] John 5:25 [36] John 6:45

[33] http://cetf.co/zf2YQu

Want to comment on an article? visit http://www.cwm.org.au

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Few people understand the use Satan makes of piercings and tattoos to control the person!

Tattoos - Making their mark

PART 1 - Taken with Tattoos By Lance Goodall Editorial Comment The three part series entitled Hellsong published in CETF # 56, # 57 and # 58 evoked a great deal of correspondence some of which is published in Letters to the Editor (see pages 15 - 16). The major focus is on tattoos mentioned in the series of articles in reference to Guy Sebastian and Joel Houston. This topic features on the CWM Forum http://forum.christianwitness-ministries.com/ - Your comments are welcome hereunder. PART 1 - Taken with Tattoos It seems everywhere you go Tattoo parlours are springing up. Body art is a growing trend. According to the American Academy of Dermatology: 1 in 4 Americans ages 18 to 50 now has at least one tattoo. Tattoos have permeated society to such an extent that the icon of girls toys Barbie hit stores late last year inked with tattoos which sparked all kinds of controversy.[1] Is this just the latest fashion craze, or is it something more? Tattoos have long been an integral part of the many fashion and music subcultures. Modern tattooing came into vogue through the invention of an electric tattooing machine. The predecessor to the tattoo machine was the electric pen invented by Thomas Alva Edison and patented under the title Stencil-Pens in Newark, New Jersey, United States in 1876. It was originally intended to be used as a duplicating device, but in 1891, Samuel O'Reilly, a successful New York tattooist, discovered that Edison's machine could be modified and used to introduce ink into the skin. O'Reilly took this invention, added multiple needles and an ink reservoir, and earned a U.S. patent in 1891 [2][3] Previously done by hand, this invention transformed tattooing into a quicker, more attractive process even though the pain one goes through to get a tattoo will never dissipate. Thus the new era of tattooing began. Modern tattoo
Footnote:
[1] http://cetf.co/zu9cLO [2] http://cetf.co/wCi9OM [3] http://cetf.co/zKKFQU

machines puncture the skin between 50 to 3,000 times per minute. The needle penetrates the skin by a millimetre and deposits a drop of ink into the skin with each puncture. [4] see image on pp.35 As late as the early 1900's, the tattoo was so far "out of bounds" of normal, civilized society, that tattooing was mainly as an attraction in the circus "freak show". By 1897 tattooing had reached the United States, where it immediately became a circus sideshow attraction (Laura Reybold, Everything you need to know about the dangers of tattooing and body piercing, p. 17). The popularity of tattooing during the latter part of the nineteenth century and the first half of the twentieth century owed much to the circus (Gilbert, Steve, Tattoo History: A Source Book, p. 135). One of Australia's favourite Christian music sensations, Guy Sebastian, who has just released a new EP DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY, continues to have success in the secular music charts. In 2008, Guy said that the Lord was everything to him. see image on pp.35 But in 2009 Guy got himself a tattoo. It was an inappropriate tattooa Phoenix, a bird, which has all sorts of Masonic implications see CETF 57 page 31. The red Phoenix on Guy's upper arm covers his shoulder, and extends down towards his elbow, with the bird emblazoned in full colour. The Bible condemns the branding, or marking of our body: You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks u p o n y o u : I a m t h e LO R D Leviticus 19:28. You can spot the INFLUENCE our society and the church has embracedSatanic values in so many ways, but the visible evidence of multiple body piercings and tattoos are the strongest of all. A tattoo is the latest fashion statement within the teen and youth culture driven by sports stars, celebrities, and pop stars. Not a day goes by without seeing
Footnote:
[4] http://cetf.co/w12Nnk

someone on the sports field, or on the street who has significant tattooing beyond a name of a spouse or child. Few people understand the use Satan makes of piercings and tattoos to control the person! As part of this strategy 'innocent' symbols are employed as tools to communicate the spiritual attributes of the occult. While most of these symbols are many centuries old, their meanings remain the same. In fact, the New Age movement has placed mystical symbolism squarely in the face of our modern culture. What makes this especially disturbing is that while the "marks" of occultism can be found throughout society, yet we no longer recognize their spiritual significance. As Manly P. Hall stated, They are centres of a mighty force, figures pregnant with an awful power. Occult symbols have never lost their meaning. According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, a "symbol" can be defined as "a mark or character taken as the conventional sign of some object, idea, function, or process."[5] These symbols are no more pervasive than in the world of tattooing. Todd Bentley, (evangelist/preacher Lakeland Revival, FL) another example of a high profile "Christian" has made his body the canvas for all sorts of 'demonstrative' occult markings! Joel Houston, worship leader with Hillsong United, like Guy Sebastian, has a suspect tattoo on his upper arm. Christian leaders should know better than to follow the world's ways, and fashion. They are poor examples to the present generation. As they say...."a picture is worth a thousand words". see photo on pp.35 This above picture is the fresh-faced Todd before his Tattoos. He supposedly decided to be more 'himself' by getting the tattoos. Some of the tattoos that have puzzled people are the three large Japanese Kanji symbols on Bentley's left arm. see photo on pp.35
Footnote:
[5] http://cetf.co/zzEsId
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Bentley's testimony includes an account of visiting Heaven and meeting with Paul the apostle.

Takanori Tomita, a native speaker of Japanese and fluent in English, who translates Kanji[6], Hiragana[7], and Katakana[8] symbols, has studied the tattoo. Each Kanji character represents an entire object, idea, or meaning in a visual character. Many kanji characters are similar to each other, and some can have different meanings depending on context. The first letter on Todd's arm means DAI=Big or Great, the middle one EI=Protect or Defend, the last one OU=King or Monarch. In Japanese, DAIOU is often added to provide honour to the subject. In proper order, it would seem to read Protect Great King, however not only is the order wrong, but the character in the middle is incorrectly rendered. Furthermore, even if the middle character is used at the top, there's no such word combination like Protect the Great King. It doesn't make any sense in Japanese even if the character order is corrected and the middle character is properly written. It is not unusual for Western tattoo translations to be in error. Alex Mizuno, also well versed in Japanese tradition and writing styles, who produces Japanese documentaries, revealed that there is a Japanese expression "Emma Daioh" which means "Emma, the Great King", and which is used very commonly in his culture. This god is sometimes simply called "Emmasama (sama is added for respect)" or "Emma." Buddhists recognize EmmaSama as Yama, who rules the spirits of the dead in Naraku (hell). He said Todd's 'erred' tattoo was in favour of the latter translation. The tongues of flame around the kanji symbols also support his position depicting the god of Naraku.[9] It is a well publicised claim that Todd has had visitations from an 'angel' called Emma? He got these witchcraft-oriented tattoos after preaching for some time. He says that an Angel called Emma O is a female angel that he was introduced to by another evangelist, Bob Jones[10]. (No female angels appear in the Bible. They are always male).
Footnote:
[6] kanji are Chinese-style characters that the Japanese adopted around the fifth century A.D http://cetf.co/zGGH3K [7] hiragana characters are written in a curving, flowing style. They are used for writing some native Japanese words and word endings. (ibid) [8] katakana are more angular characters. They are used mostly for writing foreign-derived words. Words adapted into Japanese from English or other European languages are usually written in katakana. (ibid) [9] http://cetf.co/zDgb46 [10] Bob Jones is one of the original so called Kansas City Prophets and like his colleague Paul Cain is known to be immoral - http://cetf.co/zU28Im

Emma, Angel of the Prophetic Bentley claims that Bob Jones told him that Emma O was the angel that was leading the recent revivals in Canada and Brownsville, Florida.[11] Todd recounts the story on the www.etpv.org website in 2003; Now let me talk about an angelic experience with Emma. Twice Bob Jones asked me about this angel that was in Kansas City in 1980: "Todd, have you ever seen the angel by the name of Emma?" He asked me as if he expected that this angel was appearing to me. Surprised, I said, "Bob, who is Emma?" He told me that Emma was the angel that helped birth and start the whole prophetic movement in Kansas City in the 1980s. She was a mothering-type angel that helped nurture the prophetic as it broke out. Within a few weeks of Bob asking me about Emma, I was in a service in Beulah, North Dakota. In the middle of the service I was in conversation with Ivan and another person when in walks Emma. Todd Bentley's Emma As I stared at the angel with open eyes, the Lord said, "Here's Emma." I'm not kidding. She floated a couple of inches off the floor. It was almost like Kathryn Khulman in those old videos when she wore a white dress and looked like she was gliding across the platform. Emma appeared beautiful and young-about 22 years old-but she was old at the same time. She seemed to carry the wisdom, virtue and grace of Proverbs 31 on her life.[12] Bob also told him that this same angel was the healing angel that walked the aisles when the late William Branham was evangelising. Bob asked Bentley if he wanted Emma O to join his ministry. Bentley agreed and claimed that while he was ministering EMMA O walked in. Bentley claimed that the Lord told him that EMMA O had just entered the meeting.[13] Years ago (William Branham) told his interpreter, pastor Ruff, If my angel does not give the sign, I cannot heal. [14] As in many areas of the occult, we are here reminded again that the devil appears as an angel of light (cf. 2 Cor. 11:14).
Footnote:
[11] http://cetf.co/Aey4wj Also - http://cetf.co/w0LvxB And http://cetf.co/znmjCI [12] http://cetf.co/ztshbr article written by Todd Bentley [13] http://cetf.co/Aey4wj Also http://cetf.co/xC5Uzn http://cetf.co/Ah7Tp7 Tattoos-away.com: History of Tattoos Vanishing tattoo.com: Histroy of Tattoos iloveindia.com: History of Tattoos [14] http://cetf.co/z6iqDR

There are many problems with this, starting with the fact that no angel in Scripture is ever described as being 'female'. Then The World Kigo Database of seasonal words covering Japanese Festivals and Ceremonies from Buddhist, Shinto and other backgrounds, tells us: Enma or Emma is the Japanese name for the Sanskrit: Yama or Yama-raja, the King of Hell.[15] Enma is not female, but the ruler of the underworld in Buddhist mythology and is often referred to as Great King Enma.[16] see image on pp.35 Bentley's testimony includes an account of visiting Heaven and meeting with Paul the apostle. Emma the female angel gave him a vision of gold coins, and Bentley states this was a sign of his future financial stability. In response to criticism about the biblical inspiration of a female angel, Bentley wrote that it was God's choice, and not his own, that an angel appeared to him in that manner.[17] This is a demon god on Bentley's shin. The hexagram and the all seeing eye of Horus on his right arm. Todd Bentley has virtually covered every inch of his body in art and dark symbols that would never be sanctioned by our Lord Jesus Christ! What did God say? You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks u p o n y o u : I a m t h e LO R D Leviticus 19:28. God gave us these commandments, to keep us from bondage, and idolatry. Yet Todd Bentley has completely ignored or totally disobeyed these commands. This is to say nothing of his:
Divorce and remarriage His association with the heretic

William Branham

His strange theatrics His false testimonies

A. W Tozer wrote: Many a tender-minded Christian fears to sin against love by daring to inquire into anything that comes wearing the cloak of Christianity and breathing the name of Jesus.
Footnote:
[15] http://cetf.co/zGdrRL http://cetf.co/xJtgyl http://cetf.co/zAxZrL [16] http://cetf.co/wjV4oW Emma (Enma ten, Enma Oo) Sanskrit : Yama or Yama-raja. King of the Underworld; chief judge in the afterlife; when a person dies, s/he must appear before Enma (and also before other judges), who decide whether the person is good or bad; the person is then sent to the most appropriate afterworld; among the judges of hell, Enma is the most important. [17] http://cetf.co/werXp5 See also http://cetf.co/wrxjRw And - http://cetf.co/yaP6Xu And - http://cetf.co/xdQ2s7

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Yet we have Christians in places of leadership, and prominence being the ones leading the charge in promoting the idea of the tattoo being acceptable.

They dare not examine the credentials of the latest prophet to hit their town lest they be guilty of rejecting something which may be of God. They timidly remember how the Pharisees refused to accept Christ when He came, and they do not want to be caught in the same snare, so they either reserve judgment or shut their eyes and accept everything without question. This is supposed to indicate a high degree of spirituality. But in sober fact it indicates no such thing. It may indeed be evidence of the absence of the Holy Spirit. Gullibility is not synonymous with spirituality. Faith is not a mental habit leading its possessor to open his mouth and swallow everything that has about it the colour of the supernatural. Faith keeps its heart open to whatever is of God, and rejects everything that is not of God, however wonderful it may be. Try the spirits is a command of the Holy Spirit to the Church. We may sin as certainly by approving the spurious as by rejecting the genuine. And the current habit of refusing to take sides is not the way to avoid the question. To appraise things with a heart of love and then to act on the results is an obligation resting upon every Christian in the world. And the more, as we see the day, approaching. [18] These facts are not about cheap religious point scoring or elitism, but a desire to warn, instruct, and reprove, the body of Christ. The Mark of Disgrace: Steve Gilbert, in the very popular, protattoo book, Tattoo History: A Source Book, documents that even the word "tattoo" means, "a mark of disgrace or reproach". The Latin word for 'tattoo' was stigma and the original meaning is reflected in modern dictionaries. Among the definitions of 'stigma' listed by Webster are a 'prick with a pointed instrument,' . . .' a distinguishing mark cut into the flesh of a slave or a
Footnote:
[18] AW Tozer quote: http://sentinellenehemie.free.fr/awtozer5_gb.html Further Research: www.infoplease.com/ipd/A0648969.html http://www.biblebelievers.com/watkins_tattoos/bible.html http://www.actsion.com/latest.htm#Tattoos Smithsonian.com: History of Tattoos http://www.godswordforyou.com/answers/282 http://www.bibleinsight.com/sabbaths.html http://www.av1611.org/tattoos/rebel.html Tattoos-away.com: History of Tattoos Vanishing tattoo.com: History of Tattoos iloveindia.com: History of Tattoos http://forgenerations.net/enemy-tactics/false-doctrines/toddbentley-and-spirit-of-kundalini/todd-bentley/ http://www.biblebelievers.com/watkins_tattoos/bible.html http://www.actsion.com/latest.htm#Tattoos Smithsonian.com: History of Tattoos (www.infoplease.com/ipd/A0648969.html) http://www.godswordforyou.com/answers/282 http://www.bibleinsight.com/sabbaths.html http://www.seedofabraham.net/beard.html

criminal,' and 'a mark of disgrace or reproach (Gilbert, Steve, Tattoo History: A Source Book, p. 15) In fact, for most of its history the tattoo was used to mark criminals, adulterers, traitors, deserters, the deviant and outcast. The tattoo was a dreaded mark of reproach and disgrace. Adultery, also, was punished in this way [tattooed] in some parts of Britain, and 'bad characters' were marked 'BC' [= Bad Character] . . . In 1717, branding was abolished in the Army, and replaced with tattooing. ..with the letter 'D' deserter' (Ronald Scutt, Art, Sex and Symbol, 1974, p. 162). But now, without question, there is a resurgence of the hidden art, and tattoos are the latest status symbols. They started being accepted and practised within the life and culture of rock stars back in the sixties. There was a time that no lady would think of having a dragon or a flower tattooed on her body. Motorcycle gangs, rock stars and city gangs started the wider practice as we see it today where civil people and even professed evangelical Christians are going to the tattoo parlours to receive their mark of the world. When a thing becomes a popular fad in the world then Christians should be very careful not to follow the multitude. But the licentious grace taught today ignores the apostles' teachings and declares that we must imitate the world so we may win more, even using Paul, the apostle, as t h e i r exa m p l e , t o j u s t i f y t h e i r compromise. - cf. 1 Corinthians 19:22. The reasoning is that by being no different from the world we can more easily attract them to salvation and faith. This is the careless and stupid theology publicised today! Simply Google search, should Christians have tattoos, and see how many sites come up advocating that the Bible does not directly prohibit tattoosit's a personal choice. On the contrary the world is attracted when the church stands in stark contrast to their immoral lifestylenot because we conform to their ways. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven Matthew 5:16. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of you mind (thinking differently than we did when we were in the world), that you may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God Romans 12:2. To know the moral quality of a practiceas to whether it is right for a

Christian or notthe first thing we should do is study the Bible, and trace the practice back to its origin. Where did this recent craze of tattooing have its start? Who made tattoos popular? Who made tattoos look "cool?" ANSWER - Hard Rock stars on stage with their bodies tattooed and with hundreds and thousands of screaming fans ready to imitate their admired idols. This belongs to the world and it's not our business as Christians to force the world to obey God's Word, but rather to teach and inform the church. Our business as a Christian ministry is to inform Christians to live a holy and separated life and stay true to the Lord in these perilous times. see image on pp.35 A tattoo is a mark that identifies you with the world, and those who defy the teaching of the Bible. Yet we have Christians in places of leadership, and prominence being the ones leading the charge in promoting the idea of the tattoo being acceptable. Todd Bentley, Guy Sebastian, and Joel Houston, 'Christian' celebrities, have made their tattoos the latest overt and shameful sign of this endless downgrade and ongoing apostasy. Israel, like the church was living among heathen who worshipped false gods and held practices that honoured their gods. God forbade Israel from any and all of the practices of the heathen so that the children of Israel would not be corrupted by them and turn to false gods. God didn't want His people to have anything in common with the heathen they were living among or nearby. The church should have very little in common with the world because that becomes a temptation for us to conform to the world, and ultimately to destroy the peculiar holy nature of the church. The Leviticus Prohibition So why the taboo of Tattoos? You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks u p o n y o u : I a m t h e LO R D Leviticus 19:28. What does it say? - "You shall not. . .print any marks upon you. . ." A lot of people when confronted with Leviticus 19:28, seem to think that the prohibition is not for today; that's the Old Testament; it's not relevant to us today! see image on pp.35 If we take the time to read the verses around Leviticus 19 verse 28, we get the overall context:
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Throughout history the tattoo bears the mark of paganism, demonism, Baal worship, shamanism, mysticism, heathenism, cannibalism and just about every other pagan belief known.

You shall not eat anything with the blood: neither shall you use enchantment, nor observe times. (27) You shall not round the corners of your heads, neither mar the corners of your beard. (28) You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord. (29) Do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a whore; lest the land fall to whoredom, and the land become full of wickedness. (30) You shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Lord. (31) Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. (32) You shall rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord. - Leviticus 19:26-32 By the way, have you ever read, and thought about Leviticus 19:29? Do not prostitute your daughter, to cause her to be a whore.... This is the only place in the Bible that God directly forbids someone to prostitute his/her daughter. Since, it's ONLY in the Old Testament Levitical Law can we ignore it as a prohibition to parents in New Testament times to cause their daughter to be a prostitute? Remember it's the only time this particular prohibition appears in the Bible! There are many other 'moral laws' that are ONLY forbidden in the Old Testament, such as the human sacrifice of children. Nowhere in the New Testament is it mentioned or forbidden. And you shall not let any of your seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shall you profane the name of y o u r G o d : I a m t h e LO R D Leviticus 18:21. Did you know that "bestiality" is ONLY forbidden in the Old Testament Levitical Law and NOT mentioned in the New Testament? It is mentioned only twiceonce in Leviticus 18:23 and again in Leviticus 20:15-16. Does that mean a Holy God NOW, under the New Testament, somehow approves of bestiality? Here are some other verses again in context: Moreover you shall not lie carnally with your neighbour's wife, to defile yourself with her. (21) And you shall not let any of your seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. (22) You shall not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. (23) Neither shall you lie with any beast to defile yourself 34
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therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion. (24) Defile not yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you. Leviticus 18:20-24 Don't do these things - why? Because they bring cursing, not blessing. God's judgment eventually falls on such people. Matthew Henry's Commentary at the beginning of Leviticus 19 explains that most of Leviticus 19 (such as verse 28) are moral commandments that apply not only to Israel but also to the New Testament Christian today. Some ceremonial precepts there are in this chapter, but most of them are moral. . . Most of these precepts are binding on us, for they are expositions of most of the Ten Commandments (Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible, Leviticus 19:28). You shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD. Notice also, the phrase "for the dead" is ONLY referencing the "cuttings in your flesh". The condemnation of "nor print ANY marks upon you" is not qualified by the phrase "for the dead". Also, if you'll notice the verse clearly says "ANY marks" period (full stop). Unger's Bible Dictionary under the definition for "mark" includes the following reference: In Lev. 19:28 we find two prohibitions of an unnatural disfigurement of the body: 'You shall not make any cutting in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you.' The latter (Heb. qa aqa, incision) refers to tattooing, and has no reference to idolatrous usages, but was intended to inculcate upon the Israelites a proper reverence for God's creation. (Merrill F. Unger, Unger's Bible Dictionary, 1974 ed., p. 696) Notice that Unger teaches that tattoos were forbidden without any reference to pagan, heathen, or idolatrous usages. In other words, the tattoo itself, regardless of the reason, was forbidden. Wycliffe's Bible Encyclopedia under the definition for TATTOOING says: While 'cuttings in the flesh' have reference here to mourning customs [for the dead], the tattooing does not appear to pertain to such practice (Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia, 1975 ed., p. 1664). The New American Commentary on Leviticus 19:28 writes the condemnation

was for, "cutting the body either for the dead or with tattoo marks." (Mark F. Rooke, The New American Commentary on Leviticus, 2000 ed., p. 262). This explicitly recognizes that the tattoo was not "for the dead." Tattoos and Worship You worship you know not what . . . John 4:22. Throughout history the tattoo bears the mark of paganism, demonism, Baal worship, shamanism, mysticism, heathenism, cannibalism and just about every other pagan belief known. The tattoo has NEVER been associated with Bible Believing Christians. Historically whenever and wherever true Christianity appears tattoos disappear. The only exception is 20th and 21st century, l u ke w a r m , c a r n a l , d i s o b e d i e n t , Laodicean Christians (Laodicea = luke warm - cf. Revelation 3:14-20). The birth of the tattoo has always borne the fruits of pagan religion and mysticism. Without exception, research after research, study after study, book after book, the roots of the tattoo never wavers. The following documentation is just a small (very small) drop in the ocean of research documenting the pagan and demonic source of the tattoo. see image on pp.35-36 Please note. . . The following is from protattoo books simply documenting the obvious spiritual and religious link to the tattoo. These are not Christian writers trying to paint a negative portrait of the tattoo. No matter how much carnal, rebellious Christians desire to justify their perverse reasoning for "marking" themselves with the forbidden demonic tattoo, the facts are loud and clear the foundation, origin, meaning and purposes of the tattoo is pagan demonism, shamanism, Baal worship, and occult mysticism. A tattooist in many cultures is also a shaman, magic-man, priest or priestess. According to Dictionary.com, shaman is an "intermediary between the natural and supernatural worlds, using magic to cure illness, foretell the future, control spiritual forces, etc." Tattooing is often a magical rite in the more traditional cultures, and the tattooist is respected as a priest or shaman (Michelle Delio, Tattoo: The Exotic Art of Skin Decoration, p. 73). In Fiji, Formosa, New Zealand and in certain of the North American Indian tribes, tattooing was regarded as a religious ceremony, and performed by priests or priestesses (Ronald Scutt, Art, Sex and Symbol, 1974, p. 64).

Images of Tattoos - Guy Sebastian, Todd Bentley & others

Australian Idol Guy Sebastian Alan James Hetfield of Metallica

Todd Bentleys neck

Todd Bentley as a clean skin (before tattoos)

Todd Bentleys leg & forearms

Demonic Dragon tattoo

Todd Bentleys Kanji symbols

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Tribal tattoos are possible channels into spiritual and demonic possession

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Christian Witness Ministries

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The actual tattooing process, which involved complex ritual and taboos, could only be done by priests and was associated with beliefs which were secrets known only to members of the priestly caste. . . Hambly concluded that historically tattooing had originated in connection with ancient rites of scarification and bloodletting which were associated with religious practices intended to put the human soul in harmony with supernatural forces and ensure continuity between this life and the next (Gilbert, Steve, Tattoo History: A Source Book, p. 158). The tattooist, shaman or the occult priest uses the tattoo as a POINT OF CONTACT, or inlets into the spiritual world, many times. Just like the practice of Acupuncture is more than just healing through needles, so the tattoo is much more than just a body decoration. It's more than just a layer of ink cut into the skin. In fact, the tattoo in every culture, in every country, up until the 20th century, was a vehicle for pagan spiritual and religious invocations. Even today, in many countries (including the West), the tattoo is believed to be a bridge into the supernatural world. Famous witch and author Laurie Cabot writes of the tattoo: The origins of tattooing came from ancient magical practices . . .(Laurie Cabot, Power of the Witch, cited in Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated by Dr. Cathy Burns, p. 301). Among today's latest tattoo craze is "tribal tattoos", which are total paganism. Tribal tattoos are designs that bear serious symbolic mystical and occult meanings. Tribal tattoos are possible channels into spiritual and demonic possession (Michelle Delio, Tattoo: The Exotic Art of Skin Decoration, p. 13). The reasons why puncturing the skin should be regarded with some degree of awe are not far to seek, for in the first place, there is the drawing of blood, which to the savage world over, is full of significance as a rejuvenating and immortalizing factor. There is in addition the opening of numerous inlets for evil to enter. . ." (Hambly Wilfrid D. 1925. The History of Tattooing and its Significance, p. 233, cited in Gilbert, Steve, Tattoo History: A Source Book, p. 162). Rolling Stone magazine describes famous tattoo artist Paul Booth during his tattoo as, ". . . allowing his clients' demons to help guide the needle (Rolling Stone magazine, March 28, 2002, p. 40). Remember Todd Bentley's tattoo on his

neck? Skulls imprinted on skin abound, and depictions of the Grim Reaper are commonly seen. . . These images, indelibly marked on the skin, reflect uncertainty about the future, and sublimate the pervasive fear of the unknown. Possibly, at the same time, to wear a death's figure on one's body may be an invocation of whatever indefinable forces of nature and the cosmos that exist, in an attempt to protect the wearer from such a fate (Henry Ferguson and Lynn Procter, The Art of the Tattoo, p. 76). Ronald Scutt, in his exhaustive book, Art, Sex and Symbol covers a great deal about the history and culture of tattoos. Scutt documents that most of the time tattoos are connected to spiritual, religious and mystical purposes. The following documentation is from Scutt's book: [Tattooing] - In association with sunworship, megalithic building, earpiercing, serpent worship, . . . (Ronald Scutt, Art, Sex and Symbol, 1974, p. 22). These marks [tattoos] are believed to be associated with the worship of the sun-goddess Neith (ibid p. 24). Yet the worship of the sun god Baal had involved the marking of the hands [tattoos] with the divine token in a mystic attempt to acquire strength (ibid. p. 64). Dr. Hambly, probably the greatest tattooist historian and researcher, writes over and over, that tattoos are based on pagan spiritual and religious rituals. Any serious and honest study of the origin and foundation of the tattoo will clearly expose the demonic and supernatural intent of tattoos. I have made reference to Leviticus 19:28, but because the previous verse refers to getting a haircut or trimming a beard, some people conclude that these too must be wrong and a sin as well. NEXT - PART 2 - THE "FORBIDDEN" HAIRCUT

By Post: Write to your nearest CWM office (see addresses above) Web: (PDF, ePub and Kindle versions) http://cetf.co/tF5G1x LETTERS TO EDITOR By Post: see above e: editor@cwm.org.au RESOURCES For a full catalogue of all audios, cds, videos, dvds & books available, contact CWM Australia (see above) DONATIONS: Please make payment to Christian Witness Ministries EDITOR: Philip L. Powell e: philip@cwm.org.au ASSISTANT EDITOR: B. Michael Bigg e: bmbigg@cwm.org.au GRAPHIC DESIGN: Drew (Andrew) Caswell e: drew@cwm.org.au
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about the author

Lance Goodall and his wife Norilyn left the Australian church growth movement in 2009. They both have a concern for the knowledge of God and His glory. They carry in their heart, a love for Gods honour, for His Word, and for the salvation of the lost. Lance can be contacted via email

lancegoodall21@gmail.com
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