Does God communicate with Christians through dreams today? Do my dreams have spiritual significance?

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Does God communicate with Christians through dreams today? Do my dreams have spiritual significance?


Many people attach spiritual significance to disturbing dreams, but that's not the normal means by which God communicates with us.



Answer:



It's true that God spoke through dreams to some people in the past, but even then, it was a rare occurrence. Hebrews 1:1-2 [1] God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,

[2] Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;





See All... indicates that the principal way in which God communicates with people today is through Christ via the written Word that God inspired, not through visions or dreams. Additionally, the Scripture advises Christians to be on guard against spirits (fallen angels or demons) that attempt to mislead (1 John 4:1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.



See All...). One of the ways that they deceive people is through paranormal activities.



The Bible talks of some dreams that are deceptive (Jeremiah 23:25-27 [25] I have heard what the prophets said, that prophesy lies in my name, saying, I have dreamed, I have dreamed.

[26] How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart;

[27] Which think to cause my people to forget my name by their dreams which they tell every man to his neighbour, as their fathers have forgotten my name for Baal.





See All...). Most dreams are a natural part of the sleeping state. The Bible talks about the fleeting and unreal nature of dreams (Psalm 126:1(A Song of degrees.) When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.



See All...; Isaiah 29:8It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.



See All...).



Ecclesiastes 5:3For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.



See All... says, "A dream comes through much activity," implying that normal dreams are natural outgrowths of the stimuli we receive in our waking hours. Dreams could come as a result of our own thoughts, what we hear others say, as well as from material we read or watch (movies or videos).



As Christians, we must guard the information that comes into our minds. If we expose our minds to violence or sexually oriented material, for example, these stimuli can cause unwanted dreams. Paul gives us excellent guidelines on how to orient our thinking in Philippians 4:8: "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."



Having done all that we can to ensure that we have a healthy environment and that we think positive thoughts, we can also ask God to bless us with peaceful and restful sleep. Psalm 127:2It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.



See All... says, "He gives His beloved sleep."



Joel did prophesy of a future time, before Jesus Christ's return, when there would be heavenly signs and "your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions" (Joel 2:28-31 [28] And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

[29] And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.

[30] And I will shew wonders in the heavens and in the earth, blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

[31] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and the terrible day of the LORD come.





See All...). The apostle Peter used this prophecy to help explain the special miracles that accompanied the giving of God's Spirit on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2: 15-17). But it is clear from the New Testament example that Christians are to seek God's Word from the inspired Scriptures and sound biblical teaching, not private interpretations (2 Timothy 3:15-17 [15] And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

[16] All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

[17] That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.





See All...; 4:2-4; 2 Peter 1:20-21 [20] Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

[21] For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.





See All...).

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In Brief...Wolrd News Review One More Cheap Drug Problem

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In Brief...Wolrd News Review One More Cheap Drug Problem

article by Cecil Maranville, John Ross Schroeder





Young adults have found another substance to give them a rush, but it's rushing some to their graves. Ever vulnerable to the unscrupulous pushers of potions, young people in their late teens and early 20s are buying laughing gas to get high.



Young adults have found another substance to give them a rush, but it's rushing some to their graves. Ever vulnerable to the unscrupulous pushers of potions, young people in their late teens and early 20s are buying laughing gas to get high.



Known on the street as "hippie crack," the gas is attractive in part because it is non-addictive and inexpensive. Laughing gas (nitrous oxide) is not a controlled substance, which means that it's legal to sell or possess it. Small gas canisters called whippets cost as little as 50 cents apiece and are sold with a tool and balloons. The tool is for cracking open the canister and dispensing its contents into the balloons for inhaling, called "huffing."



Despite the obvious intended use of these items, distributors have skirted the law by labeling their packages, "for food use only." (Nitrous oxide is the propellant in cans of whipping cream.) However, the death of a 20-year-old Virginia Tech student enabled prosecutors to successfully convict a Phoenix distributor on the technical charge of mislabeling the product.



About a dozen states have attempted to combat misuse of nitrous oxide by legislating stricter labeling and distribution guidelines.



A U.S. federal survey conducted in 1999 showed that its use as a recreational drug had increased 20 percent over the previous year. Nationwide, 6.6 million people had used it at least once. Further, the largest age group among new users was those 35 and older. A number of vendors blatantly sold balloons full of laughing gas at a professional football game tailgate party last fall.



Some readers will recall traveling carnivals that would sell a minute's worth of laughing gas for a few cents to the public. Users would laugh and act silly until the drug wore off, leaving them confused. Even that was probably irresponsible, but today's use is far from humorous.



Today's users sometimes mix it with marijuana and other drugs, seeking to enhance the impact of each. They also will tie a bag around their heads to increase the amount of gas they inhale, which is how the Virginia Tech student died. Nitrous oxide replaces the oxygen in the blood, and a person asphyxiates. Because it is an anesthetic, users are not aware that they are in danger.



The gas can cause people to lose motor control so rapidly that they fall over. A Dateline NBC segment on nitrous oxide huffing showed a Phoenix teenage girl passing out and falling to the ground at a rave party.



Scientists have found that regular use can cause reproductive problems. A 1992 New England Journal of Medicine study revealed that women exposed to high levels of nitrous oxide in their jobs as dental assistants faced a greater risk of infertility. Prolonged use is also believed to damage the bone marrow and the nervous system, due to a diminished ability to process vitamin B-12.



Sources: The Arizona Republic ; www.drweil.com

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Sex Outside of Marriage: What's the Big Deal?

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Sex Outside of Marriage: What's the Big Deal?

article by Noel Hornor





The sexual revolution of the '60s encouraged us to liberate ourselves from old sexual taboos. Millions did. What have we learned?



Of all the gifts God has given mankind, one of the most beautiful and meaningful is the gift of sexuality. Yet it's also one of the most abused.



Sex plays a vital part in God's plan for human beings. The first command recorded in the Bible that God gave to Adam and Eve was to have sexual relations (Genesis 1:28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.



See All...). He essentially repeated the command in Genesis 2:24-25 [24] Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

[25] And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.





See All...: "Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed."



One aspect that should leap out at us from verse 24 is that God created sex for marriage. But the 20th century brought dramatic changes in attitudes toward what is considered to be proper sexual behavior.



The sexual revolution of the '60s resulted in a drastic relaxation of sexual mores and—aided by easy availability of birth-control pills—created the notion that freewheeling sex had practically no consequences. The idea of sex with no repercussions led to slogans such as "If it feels good, do it!"



Advocates of sexual freedom said that, since sex is enjoyable, we should shed our inhibitions and jump in. What they didn't say, however, is that sex is never consequence-free, and sex outside of marriage is heavily laden with negative repercussions, especially for girls and women.



The audible furor that accompanied the sexual experimentation of the '60s is no longer as loud, but the revolution was successful in that to a considerable extent the extreme behaviors of that time are now commonplace.



The results have been monumental—and devastating in many countries. As former Harvard University professor Pitirim Sorokin observed about changes in sexual standards: "Any considerable change in marriage behavior, any increase in sexual promiscuity, and illicit relations, is pregnant with momentous consequences. A sex revolution drastically affects the lives of millions, deeply disturbs the community, and decisively influences the future of society" ( The American Sex Revolution, 1956, p. 7).



The sexual revolution was not just an American phenomenon. Europe experienced its own upheaval. In fact, much of the world joined in throwing off sexual restraint. Why are millions of Africans infected with the AIDS virus? "The sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s in the West spread globally and penetrated Africa ... We know of many cases where young people, children really, are already sexually active" ( Christianity Today, Feb. 7, 2000).



The shocking numbers

The level of premarital sexual activity in Western nations is extraordinary. Establishing exact data can be elusive, but one report states that the "median age of first intercourse for American boys [is] 15.5" and "for American girls [it is] 16" (S.I. McMillen, M.D., and David Stern, M.D., None of These Diseases, 2000, p. 141).



Circumstances are similar in Britain, where "the average age for both sexes to lose their virginity is 16" ( The Observer, Dec. 2, 2001).



Premarital sexual activity among French girls is also extremely high. "Whereas it used to be the case that for 50 per cent of French women their first sexual partner would be the man they would marry, by the 1990s it was only true for 10 per cent" (Angus McLaren, Twentieth-Century Sexuality: A History, 1999, p. 212).



Although these figures are bad enough, even more shocking is the rampant promiscuity among so many. For example, among Britain's 16- to 24-year-olds, "19.7 percent of men and 14.6 percent of women have already had 10 or more partners" ( The Guardian, Nov. 30, 2001).



The telling consequences

The consequences of premarital sexual involvement are damaging on many levels. On an emotional level they often include a profound sense of guilt, shame and regret.



During the '60s and '70s many young people were "liberated" to believe that one-night stands were not only acceptable but desirable. This dogma was badly flawed. Wendy Shalit describes how such an encounter can affect many a young woman: "A young girl spends 'the rest of the night crying and bleeding' after she loses her virginity to a guy she barely knew" ( A Return to Modesty: Discovering the Lost Virtue, 1999, p. 57).



In recent years a new term, "hooking up," has sprouted on American college campuses for what used to be called "quickie" sexual interaction. A hookup may involve a range of intimate activities from kissing to forms of sex and usually involves alcohol. It is sex without commitment or emotional involvement, usually between people who know little if anything about each other and expect nothing more from each other than the gratification of that lone encounter.



According to a survey by the Institute for American Values, "40 percent of college women have hooked up at least once, and 10 percent more than six times" ( Christian Century, Aug. 15, 2001). The empty ritual leaves many young women feeling used, disillusioned and burdened with emotional confusion.



Different motivations for sex

Whether the setting is a one-night stand or sex within a relationship, the pressure on young women to engage in illicit sex relations is intense. Premarital sexual involvement is perhaps most apt to occur when a couple begins dating steadily. Couples use various rationales to justify sex, such as "It's okay if you're in love," "Everybody's doing it" or "We need to sleep together before we get married so we can know if we are sexually compatible."



None of these rationalizations is realistic. It's important for young women to realize that their motives for having sex are often quite different from those of a man. Women often consider that intercourse will solidify a relationship with their partner, but to a young man it often represents something different—a coming of age or, in too many cases, simply another conquest. Males are constructed differently emotionally and psychologically and often pursue sex purely for pleasure's sake, with no thought to a relationship.



When a woman has a casual sexual relationship, later she will often regret it, especially when hopes for an enduring relationship are dashed. Her male partner may feel like a victor, but she often feels like a victim.



And indeed she is. If a girl dates someone whom she thinks is "the one," she usually does not enhance her chances of maintaining a relationship by giving in sexually.



Often, after he has had his way, he will simply discard her. Such an action demonstrates that he was not the one after all. If a man jilts a woman because she will not surrender sexually, she is not losing much. Such men are interested in using a woman's body for their own gratification rather than being interested in her as a person or pursuing a lifelong relationship.



Girls who take a stand and refuse to consent to sexual relations before marriage are wise. When they surrender their bodies in premarital sex, they lose a precious part of themselves that they can never regain.



By holding fast to her virginity, a girl will, in the long run, win the respect of many males. As a university student explained, "... In the real world, the more casual that women allow their physical relationships with men to become, the less respect they earn" (Danielle Crittenden, What Our Mothers Didn't Tell Us, 2000, p. 33).



Less-obvious consequences

Though in some respects a girl who experiments with premarital or extramarital sex may suffer more severely than a male who does so, men are also damaged by illicit sex. In addition to their own later feelings of guilt for having used young women, they often find it hard to build and maintain a long-term relationship with one other person.



Any sexual experimentation outside of marriage is a mistake. A man will never be the same in the sense that he has surrendered a part of himself that he should have reserved for his bride. Premarital sex may provide momentary gratification, but the result is a loss of the purity that God intended. Each conquest robs him of some of the care and tenderness he should be cultivating for just the right girl.



Much of the attraction of sex outside of marriage is based on its illicit nature. The attitude that "stolen water is sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant" (Proverbs 9:17Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.



See All...) has been around for a long time.



Sometimes couples find sex to be intense and gratifying before they marry but after marriage discover it is not as exciting to them. Once they have devalued their respect for each other through premarital sex before marriage, rarely can they find the same attraction and respect shared by couples who marry without premarital sex.



Many couples who have sex before marriage find that it actually dampens the feelings they have for each other and, as a result, dampens their long-term sexual enjoyment. Their violation of God's law in succumbing to premarital sexual activity removes some of the beauty and splendor their married sexual relations could have had.



There is another danger in succumbing to sexual temptation, even if getting married is your intent. The possibility always exists that you may for some reason decide against marrying this person. When this happens you have, through sexual involvement, given a part of yourself to someone other than your spouse, a part you should have saved for your future wife or husband.



When two people become "one flesh" in a sexual relationship (see 1 Corinthians 6:16What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.



See All...), a bonding occurs between them. If, after they become sexually involved, one partner severs the relationship against the wishes of the other, the separation has a wrenching effect, especially for the jilted person, who is left feeling mentally and emotionally burned.



Sex counselors and schools push contraceptive devices as a means of assuring "safe sex," but no device can protect a person's heart. When the heart is assaulted, defensive patterns develop that will affect any future relationship.



Permanent injury

The hazards and negative consequences of adultery are numerous. Extramarital affairs also generally bring intense feelings of guilt and shame. When discovered—as affairs often are—the result is often permanent injury or destruction of the marriage, with severe damage to relationships between other family members and friends.



Some couples can put their marriages back together when one mate has had an affair, yet the infidelity inflicts a wound that is difficult if not impossible to heal. The betrayed wife or husband will likely never feel completely secure again. The quality of the marriage will suffer because trust has been violated. Even if the wound can heal, the scars remain.



Divorce proceedings are rarely cordial, but those that occur because of marital infidelity are among the most hostile. When sexual betrayal from one whose love was expected to last for life occurs, it creates bitterness and resentment that may never heal.



When children are involved, the two parties' lives generally remain interlocked because of visitation rights. In such cases there is no escaping the continuing hard feelings. When children sense the tensions and animosities, they are often emotionally scarred as a result (see "Divorce's Devastating Impact on Children," page 10).



The Bible states that premarital and extramarital sex are sin and therefore to be avoided completely. Why is God so adamant on this point? To protect us from the inevitable harmful consequences. Notice Paul's warning to Christians in the sex-saturated city of Corinth: "Run away from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body" (1 Corinthians 6:18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.



See All..., New Living Translation).



God created sex to be a blessing and benefit of a committed marriage. When you cheapen your body by giving it freely outside of marriage, you treat your body with disrespect.



In the King James and New King James versions of the Bible, sexual intercourse in the Old Testament is referred to as "knowing." Sexual relations within the context of a loving, committed marriage enable two people to know each other in the most intimate and personal way.



Loving sex in this context is deeply satisfying and creates a unifying of two lives. It is much more than simply the coupling of two bodies. The couple becomes one flesh as God intended (Genesis 2:24Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.



See All...). The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia describes this kind of knowledge as "not just cognitive, but always experiential and deeply personal; and sexual intercourse is never just physiological, but always involves mystery and touches the whole person" (1988, Vol. 4, "Sex," p. 433).



It is partially the mystery about the opposite sex that makes relating to one another so special. That mystery is destroyed and lost forever when human beings hook up as casually as many species of animals do. Our sexuality is a gift God gave us. It is so special that it should be protected and saved for marriage as God intended. GN

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Should we pray to saints?

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Should we pray to saints?

Some churches have a historic practice of praying to dead saints. Does the Bible teach that we should pray to the saints?



Answer:



Jesus Christ taught His followers to pray to "our Father in heaven" (Matthew 6:9After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.



See All...), and the example throughout Scripture is that prayer is communication with God and part of our worship of Him.



What else does the Bible say about where prayers should be directed? Paul wanted the Roman church's "prayers to God" (Romans 15:30Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;



See All...). Moses was to "pray to the Lord" (Numbers 21:7Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.



See All...), and David sang to God that "to You I will pray" (Psalm 5:2Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray.



See All...). Christians can come directly to God's throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.



See All...), and the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ intercedes for us (Hebrews 7:25Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.



See All...). We don't need saints to do that.



Scripture shows saints (true believers) refusing to accept the worship of people (Acts 10:26But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.



See All...; 14:8-18). The Bible also tells us not to worship angels (Colossians 2:18Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind,



See All...), and it shows that angels refuse adoration and worship by humans (Revelation 19:10And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.



See All...).



Notice also Revelation 22:9Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.



See All..., where the apostle John saw in vision the time after the resurrection and fell down in awe at the feet of the being talking to him. "Then he said to me, 'See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.'"



Righteous created beings, whether human or angelic, refuse to be worshipped and they point us to worship the Creator. Only Satan and his followers seek others' adoration and worship (Matthew 4:9And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.



See All...; Acts 8:9-11 [9] But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

[10] To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

[11] And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.





See All...; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 [3] Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

[4] Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.





See All...).



In addition to all this, praying to dead saints today assumes the doctrine of the immortal soul, which many people are surprised to find is not taught in the Bible. The Bible teaches that death is like sleep that lasts until the resurrection at Jesus Christ's second coming (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16 [13] But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

[14] For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

[15] For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

[16] For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:





See All...).



For more information, please read our booklet Who Is God?

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In Brief... Japan Rethinking Joining the Nuclear Club?

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In Brief... Japan Rethinking Joining the Nuclear Club?

article by Cecil Maranville





Just when things cool down between nuclear neophytes India and Pakistan, another alarm is sounded by Japan as it contemplates arming itself with nuclear weapons. That's all Asia needs, another house with the ultimate weapon in global warfare.



As the International Herald Tribune reports, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda recently became the most senior Tokyo official to open the door to nuclear weapons. Fukuda said Japan's "peace constitution" does not rule out nuclear weapons. The times have "changed to the point that even revising the constitution is being talked about," he noted. "Depending upon the world situation, circumstances and public opinion could require Japan to possess nuclear weapons" ("So Much for Japan's Nuclear Taboo," Robyn Lim, June 13, 2002, www.iht.com/articles/61117.htm  ).



In 1998 North Korea tested a long-range missile over Japan. It is believed North Korea possesses nuclear capability. China has nuclear weapons targeted on Japan. All this has Japan rethinking prior commitments to abstain from the nuclear club. Japan's policy here is based on three principles, "that it cannot make or possess nuclear weapons, or allow them to be introduced into the country" (ibid.).



One of the rules of international politics is that things change. A nation must always put its own interests ahead of others if it is to survive. As long as Japan chooses to be protected under the American nuclear umbrella, it will likely not choose to arm itself with weapons of mass destruction. If Japan chooses another option, then to survive in its hostile neighborhood it may see no other alternative than to go nuclear.



Adding to potential instability is another recent report that China is negotiating to buy eight submarines from Russia. This would increase their tactical ability to blockade Taiwan and challenge U.S. naval supremacy in the seas near China ( International Herald Tribune, June 25, 2002, www.iht.com/articles/62411.html  ).



Such a deal would "very significantly enhance" the Chinese navy's "ability to influence events in the East China Sea," said Bernard Cole, an expert on the Chinese navy at the National War College in Washington, D.C. How? "First, by enforcing a blockade against Taiwan, if Beijing adopts that course of action, and also by posing a serious problem for opposing naval forces attempting to operate in the area. No part of naval warfare is more difficult than detecting, localizing or neutralizing submarines" (ibid.).



Since Taiwan broke with Communist China in 1949, the mainland has sought to reconnect their "lost brothers." One of the main pillars of American foreign policy has been its pledge to protect Taiwan's sovereignty. Conversely, China has sought to remove American influence from the region and will stop at nothing to accomplish this geopolitical imperative.



Despite its military deficiencies, compared to America's technological superiority, China continues to move ahead with plans to become the dominant Asian power. China's impact in this region will continue to grow in the coming years. How this will affect American interests and other international relations will be an important area to watch.

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The Star People

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

The Star People

by Elissa Kroeger





The star people lived in the light sockets. They were aliens from a small planet that orbits Sirius, the Dog Star. They established contact with select people on earth from their headquarters in Montpelier, Vermont. These people were to be their representatives in establishing a new level of consciousness in humans on earth. My mother was one of those chosen ones. One night when I was 12 she packed up her sky-blue VW bug and headed northeast . . .



. . . The government is doing genetic experiments. They are trying to create a super race. This is why my sister and I are both tall, blonde and blue or green eyed when both of our parents are average height with brown hair. It is also why we were good students without much effort. They have been tracking us all our lives, doing experiments on us and erasing our memories of being in their laboratories. Any problems we had growing up were in some way related to this undisputed fact . . .



. . . One year, Mother went on a sojourn as a "bag lady" in the park system. She called it her year of walking with God. Eventually she got arrested climbing into a dumpster behind McDonald's to find some sandwiches that were still good . . .



If these memories sound strange to you, you were probably not raised with a schizophrenic parent. I have met a few people in my life who can relate. There are challenges involved in living with mental illness that make life very different from what most people consider normal.



My mother was an intellectual with an IQ above genius level. By the time she made her ill-fated journey to Vermont, she had two master's degrees and was a PhD candidate. She had a history of emotional and mental problems. She went to psychiatrists, participated in support groups, hypnosis, primal scream therapy, various New Age philosophies and took her medication—or not—as the mood took her. She had a drawer full of pills that she mixed and matched with alcohol.



We never knew who would meet us when we came home from school. Sometimes it was the librarian lady who would have endless conversations about books. Other times it would be someone who yelled in different voices and had what seemed like superhuman strength. Sometimes it was a timid, frightened person who told me that if I went to that particular movie theater with my friends, we would all be kidnapped and sold into white slavery in some country across the ocean. Sometimes she would turn in an instant and literally throw a friend off the porch or try to strangle someone I invited to a family picnic.



We lived in a nice middle-class neighborhood. Some people in school picked on me because my mother was the crazy lady who walked around the streets in long, flowing skirts talking to herself. Our house was unkempt, to put it mildly. When one is concerned with space aliens and government conspiracies, there just isn't much time left for housework. My sister and I had to fend for ourselves a lot. We came up with our own way of life.



I have learned that we get much of our perception of reality from our mothers. I was well into adulthood before I realized it is not normal for a 12-year-old to forge her mother's name on a check and take the little red wagon to the store to buy groceries. It is also not normal to walk around with a fractured kneecap until it heals by itself. In both cases, my reasoning told me that any discomfort or hardship on my part would be better than bothering my mother with my needs when she was in one of her delusions.



I often wondered whether I was the one who was crazy. She was so well educated and articulate. What if she was normal and I was the one with delusions? It is hard to find words to describe how hard it was for me to relate to people with conventional mothers.



After a few years of trying to make sense of my life, I heard a story that really sounded crazy. It was about the Creator of the universe having a plan to allow human beings to overcome their limitations and to be adopted into His family. This story went on to describe the Kingdom of God and a time when people will be able to think clearly and understand the truth. I was skeptical at first. It really sounded like one of Mother's delusions, except on an even larger scale. As I studied more, I discovered that it felt different than a delusion. That is a poor way to describe it, but I cannot come up with a better one.



I began to understand that human misery and sin are results of a delusion. This delusion was promoted by Satan in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve fell for it, and so have all of us to varying degrees. The delusion is that we get to decide for ourselves what is right or wrong.



Satan was the first being to become deluded that he could do things his own way. He is superintelligent and sly. He infects us with his crazy thinking. We believe that we are thinking for ourselves or even getting messages through the light sockets from aliens.



The way to see clearly through the delusion is to start living God's way of life as described in the Bible. As I learned about God's laws, I saw that He did not leave out small details. He knew what challenges human beings would have to face.



This growth is a lifelong process. I am still working on seeing reality God's way. I have learned to forgive Mother for some very painful, destructive things she has done. She has no memory of them. If I tried to tell her some of the things she has done, she would be hurt. It would not be good for her to know all the ways she made our lives harder. The "real" Mother is not someone who would do hurtful things.



I know that I cannot fix my mother. I can love her the way she is, while making every effort to understand her limitations and appreciate the many good things she has to offer.



I have worried about whether I or one of my children would inherit some variation of Mother's illness. I rejoiced when I reached the age of 35 because the first symptoms of schizophrenia almost always surface much earlier than that. When one of my children does something strange, my first thought is, "Oh no! This is the one that is going to go crazy." Then I remember that God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).



I know that if I stay close to God, and teach my children to do the same, if I do my best to give them a healthy upbringing, they will have a better chance to overcome any mental challenges they may have inherited. In my years in the Church, I have met people with various mental issues who have learned to cope with them by trusting God. (Sometimes trusting God includes professional counseling or carefully prescribed drugs, but that is a separate issue.)



I remember that while my grandmother was alive, my mother was better. She trusted my grandmother to be who she said she was and to tell the truth about any situation. She felt safe with my grandmother.



I know that as wonderful and honest as my grandmother was, there is someone who is even more wonderful and more honest. That is God. We can trust Him to be who He says He is and to tell us the truth about any situation. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.



The apostle Paul said that now we see through a glass darkly (1 Corinthians 13:12). The picture in my mind is of someone trying to see into the backseat of my minivan with its tinted windows. (I'm glad those windows are tinted—sometimes it's a mess in there!) There is a time coming when God's windows will no longer be tinted. The backseat of His minivan is never a mess. Our perceptions of reality will be perfect. Whether we suffer from a mental illness, emotional problems caused by bad experiences or just our own inability to see past the proverbial end of our noses, we will be freed from that. It is a beautiful promise that has come to mean a lot to me. I am looking forward to its fulfillment.







--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

World News and Trends: Illegal-drug trade builds worldwide economic powerhouse

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

World News and Trends: Illegal-drug trade builds worldwide economic powerhouse

article by John Ross Schroeder, Scott Ashley





The trade in illegal drugs has grown to a $500 billion annual business, according to a report by Freedom House tracking the meteoric rise of the trade.



The trade in illegal drugs has grown to a $500 billion annual business, according to a report by Freedom House tracking the meteoric rise of the trade. The market in cocaine, marijuana, hashish, heroin, opiates and other mind-altering substances accounts for 10 to 13 percent of global commerce, an amount equal to the world market in crude petroleum.



The influence of drug money has led to the rise of "narco states" in South America, so called because of the predominance of corruption on virtually all levels of government. Some Caribbean islands are, in essence, drug fiefdoms that are nothing more than huge financial laundering operations. Drugs are now produced in at least 31 nations, with drug money laundered in 33 countries.



In some areas illegal drugs are so widely available that they have attained a de-facto legal status. Authorities lack the resources-and sometimes the will-to dampen drug use. In some situations drug smuggling has grown simply too pervasive to stop. For example, customs officials in America inspect fewer than one in 30 ship containers arriving in the country and only a fraction of the 8,000 trucks arriving from Mexico each day.



Because of the vast amounts of money at stake, law enforcers hold out little hope of cutting off illegal drugs at the source or of eliminating suppliers. The only way to end this scourge is to curb demand, and that can come about only through a change in human attitudes. (Source: Gannett News Service .)

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11 Known Facts About Premarital Sex

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.


11 Known Facts About Premarital Sex


A commentary by Daniel Roy Macaraeg







Premarital sex just isn't smart. There are more disadvantages to premarital sex than what society leads us to believe.





Source: Photos.comShould you save sex for marriage?



Many teens and young adults are torn between strong arguments for it and against it.



Some years ago, as I formed and solidified my own beliefs and convictions about this subject, I stumbled upon a book titled Sex, Love, or Infatuation: How Can I Really Know? by Dr. Ray E. Short, professor emeritus of sociology at the University of Wisconsin in Platteville. Dr. Short was a speaker who was popular to college students and school assemblies. Although it was originally published in the 1960s, I think you would still find this book encouraging and enlightening.



He titled chapter 10: "To Be or Not to Be—A Virgin." According to Dr. Short, science had established 11 facts—backed up by solid research—regarding the probable effect of premarital sex on your future marriage:



FACT 1: Premarital sex tends to break up couples.



FACT 2: Many men and women do not want to marry a person who has had intercourse with someone else.



FACT 3: Those who have premarital sex tend to have less happy marriages.



FACT 4: Those who have premarital sex are more likely to have their marriage end in divorce.



FACT 5: Persons and couples who have had premarital sex are more likely to have extramarital affairs as well.



FACT 6: Having premarital sex may fool you into marrying a person who is not right for you.



FACT 7: Persons and couples with premarital sex experience tend to achieve sexual satisfaction sooner after they are married. However…



FACT 8: They are likely to be less satisfied overall with their sex life during marriage.



FACT 9: Poor premarital sexual habits can be carried over to spoil sex in marriage.



FACT 10: Guilt may push a couple into a bad marriage.



FACT 11: Premarital sex robs a couple of "sexual cement."



Facts are still facts. My point is simply this: Premarital sex just isn't smart. There are more disadvantages to premarital sex than what society leads us to believe . Dr. Short doesn't preach or moralize, but his conclusions clearly confirm the teachings of the One who invented sex in the first place—it was God's idea. In the Bible, He inspired the writing of these three powerful verses [among many]:



"Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled , for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous" (Hebrews 13:4Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.



See All..., English Standard Version, emphasis added throughout).



"He who commits adultery lacks sense; he who does it destroys himself . He will get wounds and dishonor, and his disgrace will not be wiped away" (Proverbs 6:32-33 [32] But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul.

[33] A wound and dishonour shall he get; and his reproach shall not be wiped away.





See All..., ESV).



"Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his [or her] own body " (1 Corinthians 6:18Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.



See All..., ESV).



Aside from the obvious risks of STDs (including AIDS) and unwanted pregnancies, there are those not-so-obvious elements of suffering, betrayal, heartache, remorse, shame and guilt. How often do they show those things in most portrayals of premarital (and extramarital) sex on TV and in movies today? Those few moments of pleasure are just not worth a lifetime of grief and regret.



After getting all the facts, I made the decision some years ago to save sex for my future marriage—a tough and unpopular decision, especially for a guy. But I am convinced I will not regret it.



If you think vertically and go God's way, it will be true happiness and pure joy. And you will never regret it!



You'll find helpful information on saving sex and preparing for a wonderful marriage in the free booklet Marriage and Family: The Missing Dimension .

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Atheistic Scientists Who Play God Where It Might Lead

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

Atheistic Scientists Who Play God Where It Might Lead






article by John Ross Schroeder





For science to work properly it has to be governed by moral values and ethical standards.



Modern science and religion have had an uneasy relationship often marked by suspicion and contention. Despite recent attempts to forge a common philosophical approach and considerable media publicity about efforts to harmonize science and theology, the relationship remains a difficult one.



In fact, a recent survey shows that fewer scientists believe in God than ever before. Today only about 7 percent of leading scientists profess belief. Doubt, disbelief and agnosticism reign in the world of science. The statistics are not encouraging (please see sidebar).



Britain's Richard Dawkins is in the forefront of militant atheism. Noted journalist Paul Johnson has named him as a prime candidate for the title: "The most dangerous man in Britain." Dawkins presently occupies a specially created professorial chair at Oxford University.



Writes Mr. Johnson: "Dawkins, a handsome, plausible and self-confident performer on TV and radio, uses his position not only to undermine belief in God, but to press the case for scientific adventurism of the kind many find frightening." Professor Dawkins is a strong advocate of human cloning.



Paul Johnson continues: "When Dolly the sheep was cloned, Dawkins said he looked forward to having a copy of himself made, 30 years younger, so that he could go on pontificating well into the 21st Century."



Two Types of Scientific Inquiry



There is both a right and wrong type of scientific inquiry. In many ways science has made every day life in the 20th Century a better experience for millions upon millions of people. As Mr. Herbert Armstrong has said, "It is not the thing itself, but the wrong use of the thing." A good thing that science creates could be put to a wrong use, or the thing itself could be intrinsically wrong. For science to work properly it has to be governed by moral values and ethical standards. No field of human endeavor can exempt it itself from basic rules, and still avoid horrendous consequences. It helps a great deal if scientists truly believe in God and the Ten Commandments.



But atheism can be dangerous! Those who advocate human cloning are not usually strong believers in God and the Bible, but the very opposite.



In the past, questionable inventions in the scientific laboratory have been misused by irresponsible political tyrants seeking to impose their godless doctrines and ideologies on many others. Human cloning may soon be added to the already extant dangers of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons.



Mr. Johnson points out that "the desire to produce armies of identical superwarriors is an ancient one in China, as thousands of recently-unearthed terracotta figures, more than two millennia old, testify." Dictators using human cloning on an industrial scale is a frightening prospect. What about Saddam Hussein's notorious revolutionary guards, chosen for their size, strength and cunning?



We live in an uncertain world filled with all kinds of jeopardy. Certain aspects of scientific inquiry threaten to go amok. Only the principles of the Bible can keep scientists on the right track. That is one reason why atheism, twinned with the rejection of Scripture, is so potentially dangerous to humankind.



Sources: The Daily Mail (London), February 1, 1999; The Atlanta-Journal Constitution , February 7, 1999; Newsweek (Atlantic edition), July 27, 1998.





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Leading Scientist Reject God



This survey was conducted by asking 1,000 scientists listed in a reference book of top scientists about their religious beliefs.



Belief in a Personal God



1914

1933

1998



Personal belief

27.7

15

7.0



Personal disbelief

52.7

68

72.2



Doubt/agnosticism

20.9

17

20.8





Source: Nature Journal (quoted by The Atlanta Journal—Constitution )

.God the FatheratheismcloningDoctrinal BeliefsRichard DawkinsGod in ScienceWorld News and ProphecyScience.

Kosovo News

From http://el-paso.ucg.org/  or call 1-888-886-8632.

Kosovo News

A blog post by Darris McNeely

Stratfor is reporting that Serbia has reclaimed control of a 30-mile span of railroad in northern Kosovo, in defiance of Kosovo’s new government, The Associated Press reported March 3, citing comments from a senior Serbian official. Earlier, several dozen Serbian railroad workers blocked a freight trains passage on the line, demanding to be transferred to Serbia’s state-owned rail line and saying they would not work for Kosovo’s railroad company.

Posted March 3, 2008

The Coming "Abomination of Desolation"

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The Coming "Abomination of Desolation"


What is the abomination of desolation mentioned in the Bible within the book of Daniel?



In His most detailed prophecy of the end time, Jesus said, "When you see the 'abomination of desolation,' spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place…, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains" (Matthew 24:15-16 [15] When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

[16] Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:





See All...). What was He talking about?



He was referring to Daniel 11, which foretold what would occur in the powers that would vie for control of the Holy Land for centuries to come. For much of the prophecy these kingdoms were Syria to the north and Egypt to the south, both under Greek rulers following Alexander the Great. Eventually the prophecy describes one of these rulers from Syria, Antiochus IV, also known as Antiochus Epiphanes. He would "act deceitfully" by a false peace agreement with the Jews and later come "in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage" (Daniel 11:23-24 [23] And after the league made with him he shall work deceitfully: for he shall come up, and shall become strong with a small people.

[24] He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers' fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time.





See All..., 30).



The apocryphal book of 1 Maccabees, although not Scripture, provides us with history of the period. It describes how Antiochus set himself against the Jews, massacred many of them and plundered the temple at Jerusalem (1 Maccabees 1:20-33



See All...).



The temple defiled



Then came the worst. Daniel's prophecy warned of Antiochus: "And they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation" (Daniel 11:31And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.



See All...).



The book of 1 Maccabees gives us details: "Antiochus now issued a decree that all nations in his empire should abandon their own customs and become one people. All the Gentiles and even many of the Israelites submitted to this decree. They adopted the official pagan religion, offered sacrifices to idols, and no longer observed the Sabbath.



"The king also sent messengers with a decree to Jerusalem and all the towns of Judea, ordering the people to follow customs that were foreign to the country. He ordered them not to offer burnt offerings, grain offerings, or wine offerings in the Temple, and commanded them to treat Sabbaths and festivals as ordinary work days.



"They were even ordered to defile the Temple and the holy things in it. They were commanded to build pagan altars, temples, and shrines, and to sacrifice pigs and other unclean animals there. They were forbidden to circumcise their sons and were required to make themselves…unclean in every way they could, so that they would forget the Law which the Lord had given through Moses and would disobey all its commands. The penalty for disobeying the king's decree was death" (1 Maccabees 1:41-50



See All..., Today's English Version).



Then it happened: "On the fifteenth day of the month Kislev in the year 145" (verse 54, TEV), which corresponds to 168/167 B.C., "they set up the abomination of desolation upon the altar" of the temple (verse 54, KJV). This appears to have been a pagan altar, probably with an image representing the Greek chief god Zeus, as 2 Maccabees 6:2



See All... tells us that Antiochus defiled the Jewish temple "by dedicating it to the Olympian god Zeus" (TEV). After all, to the Greek mind the God of the Hebrews simply equated to the chief god in the Greeks' pantheon.



We are further told: "Pagan sacrifices were offered in front of houses and in the streets. Any books of the Law which were found were torn up and burned, and anyone who was caught with a copy of the sacred books or who obeyed the Law was put to death by order of the king…On the twenty-fifth of the month, these same evil people offered sacrifices on the pagan altar erected on top of the altar in the Temple" (1 Maccabees 1:55-59



See All..., TEV). Indeed, pigs, declared unclean in God's law (Deuteronomy 14:8And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is unclean unto you: ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead carcase.



See All...), were offered over His own altar.



The account in 1 Maccabees 1:60



See All... continues: "Mothers who had allowed their babies to be circumcised were put to death in accordance with the king's decree. Their babies were hung around their necks, and their families and those who had circumcised them were put to death" (TEV).



Yet, as horrible as this was, some still resisted. In fact, 1 Maccabees 1:62-63



See All... reports: "But many in Israel stood firm…They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. Very great wrath came upon Israel" (New Revised Standard Version).



Yet many in the resistance lived. The account continues with the rise of the Hasmonean priestly family of Mattathias, including his son and successor Judas Maccabeus, who would not compromise with paganism. In the end, the efforts of these patriots and their followers were in large measure responsible for eventually pushing out the Syrians.



Later prophetic fulfillment



Now, with all of that as history, consider Christ's warning about the abomination of desolation. When He gave it, this part of Daniel's prophecy had been fulfilled almost 200 years earlier. So Daniel's prophecy, according to Jesus, must have a dual fulfillment.



Jesus revealed to us the time for this prophecy's ultimate fulfillment in Matthew 24:21For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.



See All... when He explained what would immediately follow it: "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time."



This recalls another part of Daniel's prophecy, that in the end time "there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time" (Daniel 12:1And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.



See All...). So this period of tribulation occurs at the end of this age, just before Christ's return.



Lessons from the first fulfillment



We can learn a great deal about this end-time prophecy from the original abomination of desolation Daniel foretold. Antiochus Epiphanes was a forerunner of the end-time king of the North, the world dictator the book of Revelation refers to as the "beast." No doubt this end-time ruler will employ the same deceitful and underhanded methods that marked the reign of Antiochus.



Furthermore, it appears from what we've seen and other scriptural indications that the end-time ruler will feign overtures of peace to the Jews of the modern nation of Israel.



What other parallels do we see? Part of the "abomination" of Antiochus involved the cessation of the daily temple sacrifices (verse 31). Yet Daniel's prophecy makes it clear that sacrifices will again be ended in conjunction with the abomination of desolation to come (Daniel 12:9-13 [9] And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

[10] Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

[11] And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

[12] Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.

[13] But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.





See All...). For this prophecy to be fulfilled, it appears that sacrifices will again be instituted and an altar rebuilt before the return of Jesus the Messiah.



In another parallel, Antiochus defiled the ancient holy temple when he erected an idol of the pagan god Zeus and sacrificed swine there. The end-time abomination may also involve an idolatrous image at a new temple. What we know for certain is that within the "temple of God" there will be an actual person who claims to be God in the flesh (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 [1] Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

[2] That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

[3] Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

[4] Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.

[5] Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

[6] And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.

[7] For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

[8] And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

[9] Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,

[10] And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

[11] And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

[12] That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.





See All...).



Christ will destroy this religious figure at His second coming (verses 5-8), but not before many have been deceived with "power, signs, and lying wonders" (verses 9-12).



Also, just as the original abomination of desolation marked the beginning of a period of unparalleled horror and misery, so will the final one begin the time of the greatest horror ever, the coming Great Tribulation.



We can be thankful that God promises to send His Son back to earth to save mankind from self-annihilation in this coming horrible time of mass deceit and destruction. Indeed, as world events march ever closer to the fulfillment of these prophecies, let us draw closer to God in faith, trusting Him to see us through even the worst of times, knowing that we aren't left without foreknowledge to help us better understand end-time events

Hillbilly Heroin & the Future of the World

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Hillbilly Heroin & the Future of the World

A commentary by Randy Stiver






"Why do people—young adults included—seek addiction to booze, "illegal" drugs or publicly available painkillers? What's the deal? Is life so miserable, so pointless, so lacking in purpose, so totally vacant that drugs are one's only hope?"



Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, out on the street or up on the mountain… the futility of human foolishness strikes again!



"Hillbilly heroin" is the slang term for the prescription painkiller brand named OxyContin containing oxycodone and its other opiate friends containing hydrocodone. It is the most recent mind-numbing, life-sucking, family-wrecking, addictive drug of choice in America. It's particularly popular in the rural Appalachian Mountain corridor of the East. But it could have been any other mood-altering drug in any other country.



"When I started in this field, the primary client was involved with alcohol," says David Bailey, a community resource specialist with the West Virginia Prevention Resource Center. "I wish it were still alcohol. Not that that's not a very dangerous drug, but the addiction (to painkillers) seems to be much more intense, much more severe within a shorter period of time" (Associated Press, Tom Breen, August 21, 2007).



Why race down a dead end street? Why do people—young adults included—seek addiction to booze, "illegal" drugs or publicly available painkillers? What's the deal? Is life so miserable, so pointless, so lacking in purpose, so totally vacant that drugs are one's only hope? It makes you ask, which is taken, the drug or the user?



As the editor of our Vertical Thought weekly web commentaries, let me talk personally to you, the VT reader, about the challenges before you today.



This column is normally written by one of our keen-minded and talented international team of young adults and teens. They see the same world you see, feel the same impulses you feel and perceive the same pitfalls of mankind's madness. They read about things like "hillbilly heroin" and wonder deeply about the future of the world.



Their mission, which they have chosen to accept, is to help you go vertical in your thoughts too. They strive to articulate the true meaning of life in the face of the meaningless philosophies of our age. They want you to see that there is a loving God above who seeks those who seek Him (John 4:23But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.



See All...).



The Associated Press article cites a West Virginia man who finally broke free from his painkiller addiction and now tries to help others recover. Sadly, he observed of his addicted friends, "You've got three choices. You either die, go to prison or get saved. Mostly, people around here are dying."



"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death," (Proverbs 14:12There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.



See All..., 16:25). How many times have you seen someone choose to get drunk, use drugs, engage in sex outside marriage, get violent or turn criminal because it "seemed" like a good idea at the time?



A good friend of mine who draws the cartoon "Crow's Encounters" just sent his latest panel. It humorously illustrates the sad irony of all drug—or any other kind of—addiction.



Beyond the ironic, beyond all of society's hillbilly heroins, VT commentators look forward to a wonderful future of the world, when there will be liberty, brotherhood, equality and justice for all—for real. Theirs is a hope driven by anticipation of the soon-coming Kingdom of God when Jesus Christ returns to rule the world for 1,000 years and beyond.



The Vertical Thought commentary team want you to be a part of that future of the world—God's brilliant world to come! VT

.

Adultery: No Longer Shameful?

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Adultery: No Longer Shameful?

article by Melvin Rhodes





What does habitual and rampant adultery tell us about a person and a nation?



Sordid scandals among the elite of society have dominated the news lately in several countries. It seems that extramarital relationships and political power go together. Some politicians abuse their position by taking sexual advantage of others. However, their supposed victims are not always blameless. To be able to boast of a relationship with a famous figure appeals to their vanity.



As King Solomon was inspired to write 3,000 years ago, "there is nothing new under the sun" (Ecclesiastes 1:9The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.



See All...). Solomon was an authority on having multiple bed partners; the Bible tells us that he had 700 wives and 300 concubines (1 Kings 11:3And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart.



See All...).



Solomon might have excused himself by claiming that he was only following the lead of other monarchs in the Middle East at the time for whom multiple wives and concubines were a sign of status and prestige. But he should have known better. After all, he had access to the true God. The Bible also tells us that Solomon's pursuit of many women of various religions led to idolatry and "turned away his heart" from God.



More recently King Charles II of Great Britain (1660-85) was publicly known as a philanderer. He left illegitimate heirs, but no children to take the throne. Charles had apparently been influenced by the French court of Louis XIV. Like most European monarchs at the time, "Louis lived an atheist and died a Catholic" (Durant, The Age of Louis XIV ). Religion was not taken seriously, and deathbed repentances were common.



In contrast, Queen Victoria (1837-1901) was a pillar of rectitude. She was a committed family woman, remaining faithful to Prince Albert and not even remarrying after his death. But her son and successor earned a dubious reputation.



Some American presidents have not set a good example of fidelity. A 19th-century president was known to have had a mistress and an illegitimate child. Recent revelations show that more-recent presidents have indulged in extramarital relationships.



Some would say that the only difference between then and now is the publicity given today's leaders. Back then the press kept quiet. As part of an unpoken gentlemen's agreement, reporters did not betray the dalliances of politicians, princes or kings.



An Age-old Temptation

Adultery is nothing new. Nor is prostitution, commonly referred to as the world's oldest profession. Throughout the ages men (with the complicity of women) have tried to justify sex outside of marriage, sometimes even to legalize it.



The early theologian Augustine, who fought a long personal battle with sexual temptation, taught that the woman was the criminal when it came to adultery, the man being a mere accomplice.



How should we view public morality? Some think that affairs should be a politician's private business.



Should society turn a blind eye to sexual shenanigans in high places? Certainly we shouldn't clamor for every lurid detail. The apostle Paul admonishes us in Philippians 4:8 to think on "whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."



This advice would preclude Christians from focusing their attention on the seamier side of life and gossip about the rich and famous.



But it still matters. Adultery always matters. Whether the adulterer is John Doe, a king or a president, adultery matters and adultery is always wrong.



What Does God's Word Say?

Politicians and the public may have varying definitions of adultery. But adultery, by biblical definition, is the violation of the marriage contract by either or both partners in the marriage through sexual activity with a third person. The commandment against adultery should be understood to include fornication (sexual relations before marriage), incest and male and female homosexual practices, all of which are outlawed in the Bible.



Adultery is considered such a serious sin by Almighty God that its prohibition constitutes one of the Ten Commandments. Our Creator says: "You shall not commit adultery" (Exodus 20:14Thou shalt not commit adultery.



See All...; Deuteronomy 5:18Neither shalt thou commit adultery.



See All...).



God was and is serious about this sin. In ancient Israel people who committed adultery suffered capital punishment (Leviticus 20:10And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.



See All...). Adultery is described as an abomination in God's eyes (verse 13).



It is interesting that, whereas some may feel that any sexual activity short of intercourse is not a sin, the Scriptures show us that anything involving "uncovering nakedness"—for the purpose of sexual misbehavior—is a sin (Leviticus 18:6-19 [6] None of you shall approach to any that is near of kin to him, to uncover their nakedness: I am the LORD.

[7] The nakedness of thy father, or the nakedness of thy mother, shalt thou not uncover: she is thy mother; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

[8] The nakedness of thy father's wife shalt thou not uncover: it is thy father's nakedness.

[9] The nakedness of thy sister, the daughter of thy father, or daughter of thy mother, whether she be born at home, or born abroad, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover.

[10] The nakedness of thy son's daughter, or of thy daughter's daughter, even their nakedness thou shalt not uncover: for theirs is thine own nakedness.

[11] The nakedness of thy father's wife's daughter, begotten of thy father, she is thy sister, thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

[12] Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's sister: she is thy father's near kinswoman.

[13] Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy mother's sister: for she is thy mother's near kinswoman.

[14] Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy father's brother, thou shalt not approach to his wife: she is thine aunt.

[15] Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy daughter in law: she is thy son's wife; thou shalt not uncover her nakedness.

[16] Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife: it is thy brother's nakedness.

[17] Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, neither shalt thou take her son's daughter, or her daughter's daughter, to uncover her nakedness; for they are her near kinswomen: it is wickedness.

[18] Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister, to vex her, to uncover her nakedness, beside the other in her life time.

[19] Also thou shalt not approach unto a woman to uncover her nakedness, as long as she is put apart for her uncleanness.





See All...). Jesus Christ went so far as to say that even desiring to interact sexually with someone other than your marriage partner is a sin (Matthew 5:28But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.



See All...).



Deeper Dimensions

When we take time to look at the Ten Commandments more closely, we see that in principle committing adultery is not just breaking the Seventh Commandment. James 2:10For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.



See All... reminds us that "whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all."



It's no good blaming it on somebody else, either. The same apostle also wrote that "each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death" (James 1:14-15 [14] But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

[15] Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.





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Earlier in the same chapter James, the Lord's brother, said that "blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him" (verse 12).



Clearly, the matter is serious. Like breaking any of the Ten Commandments, committing adultery endangers our happiness and jeopardizes our eternal salvation (Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.



See All...).



But why is it so important to God?



Adultery is an issue that comes down to character. God wants us to "be perfect" (Matthew 5:48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.



See All...), even as He is perfect. God is love (1 John 4:8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.



See All...). It is essential therefore that we learn to love as God loves. God's love is completely selfless, not selfish. God's love is concern toward others. He does not want to hurt anyone (Isaiah 11:9They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.



See All...). He gave His law to protect us and those around us from harm's way.



God is vitally concerned about our happiness and wants us to have lasting, loving relationships rather than pursue self-gratification at the expense of others. Breaking God's law, or any one of His commandments, results in hurt and pain for all involved—even the one who might get some temporary pleasure from sin (Hebrew 11:25).



In contrast to what God says, illicit love affairs are often depicted in a favorable light in films and other entertainment media . Not only do the purveyors of popular culture neglect to focus on the dark side of adultery as an act of betrayal of the marriage vows, but they often overlook the dire consequences that follow.



Jonathan Rauch, correspondent for The National Journal in Washington, D.C., observed that "adultery represents a serious problem for society as well as individuals on a variety of levels. Society has a strong interest in binding people together into long-term couples. Marriage civilizes and settles men (especially younger men), promotes secure homes for children, helps achieve economic stability for both partners, ensures that everyone has somebody to look after him or her in times of ill health. To serve these functions marriages must be durable."



But today's casual acceptance of adultery is the archenemy of long-lasting marriages.



Many Sins Involved

Breaking the Seventh Commandment is a character issue. Not only has the guilty party broken the marriage vow, but he or she has allowed another person came before God—thereby also breaking the First and Second Commandments.



This sinful, shameful act also shows no respect for parents and in-laws who also suffer when adultery is committed—thereby breaking the Fifth Commandment (Exodus 20:12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.



See All...).



The Eighth Commandment has also been broken in that the affection, love and trust of someone else's spouse was stolen (verse 15).



And the Ninth Commandment is also broken because lying and deceit are involved (verse 16).



We see that at least six of the Ten Commandments are broken in adulterous acts—sometimes more, if the sinful act should lead to murder (verse 13) or taking God's name in vain (verse 7), which can be done when people try to justify their sin.



Adultery's Consequences

How can any adulterer ever be trusted on any issue? If so many of God's Ten Commandments are broken when adultery is committed, then adultery is a major trust factor. The guilty party has lost the trust of others, not just that of his wife or her husband.



As Jonathan Rauch put it: "An adulterer is a missile with many warheads, capable of wrecking a series of homes." How tragically true. Adultery has a wide-ranging ripple effect. It often leads to divorce, which in turn divides families. Not only are the husband and wife affected, but the children, any grandchildren, parents on both sides and even society at large.



A recent British survey on the reasons for divorce showed that adultery was the biggest reason by far, contributing to 31 percent of divorces ( The Daily Mail, Jan. 26). Also, in Britain "it's an uncomfortable fact that 50 percent of divorced and separated fathers lose contact with their children after just two years" ( Independent on Sunday, Feb. 15). No wonder Malachi 2:16For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.



See All... says that God hates divorce.



The verse continues with a strong warning to our nations: "Divorce ... covers one's garments with violence." Much of the violence in our society is the direct result of broken homes—often broken as a consequence of adultery.



God cared enough for Israel's greatest king that, after his act of adultery, which in turn led to deceit and murder, He sent the prophet Nathan to King David to help him face up to his sin and repent of it. "Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife ..."



The result? "Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife" (2 Samuel 12:9-10 [9] Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.

[10] Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.





See All...). Adultery has consequences that can last for generations.



No Exemptions to God's Commands

Not only politicians are guilty. Others who hold high office have fallen victim to this sin. This sadly includes religious leaders, who know better. They know the Word of God but sometimes fall into the trap of rationalizing that their supposed special relationship with God somehow protects or exempts them from the consequences of sin.



God doesn't see it that way. "The wages of sin is death," He inspired the apostle Paul to write (Romans 6:23For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.



See All...). And "God shows no partiality" (Acts 10:34Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:



See All...).



The same apostle listed the qualifications of a minister in his first epistle to the evangelist Timothy: "A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife ..." (1 Timothy 3:2A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;



See All...). Adulterers should not be ordained to the ministry, and adultery is grounds for expulsion from the ministry. Ministers "must have a good testimony among those who are outside [of the church], lest [they] fall into reproach and the snare of the devil" (verse 7).



This is not to say that those who have committed adultery cannot repent and be forgiven. When the woman caught in the act of adultery (John 8) was brought before Jesus by religious zealots who wanted to see the full penalty of death carried out immediately, Jesus defended her by turning to her accusers and saying, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first" (verse 7).



Because no one was willing to self-righteously proclaim that he was without sin, everyone walked away. Then Jesus turned to the woman and said, "Go and sin no more" (verse 11). Although He defended her, He did not defend her sin, and He unequivocally told her never to sin again.



To those who have committed the sin of adultery, this passage should be encouraging. Jesus Christ paid the penalty for all human sin—but, on repentance, it is absolutely essential to cease the practice completely.



This is more easily said than done. Some have a habitual sexual addiction on a par with heroin or alcohol abuse. The sinner often needs help from others. The ministry or reliable and trusted personal friends can be of inestimable help, but in stubborn cases competent professional assistance should also be sought.



No one caught in the grip of sexual addiction should hesitate to seek help. Calling for assistance is a solid sign of a repentant attitude and a sincere desire to overcome. Those who are called on for assistance should never look down on anyone genuinely seeking help nor betray a confidence (Galatians 6:1-2 [1] Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

[2] Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.





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Repentance Requires Change

Here lies good advice for anyone caught in the sin of adultery, even prominent people in our society. When this sinful act has been committed, trust has suffered. If that trust is to be regained, sincere repentance must be in evidence, as was the case with King David (2 Samuel 12:13And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.



See All...). "A broken and a contrite heart—these, O God, You will not despise"—a quote from verse 17 of David's heartbroken prayer of repentance (Psalm 51).



Although world and national leaders may follow in the footsteps of Kings Charles II and Louis XIV, their deathbed repentances are not what God wants. It's no use living a sinful life while hoping to put things right later. God wants a change of heart now—not only for His sake, but for ourselves as well, individually and collectively.



Solomon wrote: "Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people" (Proverbs 14:34Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.



See All...). It's difficult for other nations to take leaders seriously when they are surrounded by sordid rumors. Perhaps many have not really understood the seriousness of sexual misbehavior. Clearly, our current Western society takes infidelity far too lightly. This is all the more reason to heed the advice of the apostle Paul to the Athenians: "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent" (Acts 17:30And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:



See All...).



The sooner leaders start living by the laws of God, the sooner they and those who naturally regard them as role models will become the kind of examples Jesus Christ described: "the light of the world" and "a city set on a hill ... Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (Matthew 5:14-16 [14] Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

[15] Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

[16] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.





See All...). GN

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