The Importance of Loving Your Enemies

by David Wilkerson | July 3, 2000

If you claim not to have any enemies, I'd like to make you an offer. I want to sign you up to write a book explaining how you managed to get this far in life without having a single person oppose you. Your book would surely be a bestseller.

You could describe how nobody has ever been jealous, envious or hostile toward you. You could explain how no one has ever tried to interrupt your plans, wreck your goals or derail your future. You could tell how no one has ever injured you, kept you from a desire, or orchestrated a destructive offense against you.

I don't mean to be flippant or sarcastic. But, the fact is, these things are what make someone your enemy. And each of us has had at least one of these experiences.

Read more HERE.

Coming to Terms with a Post-Christian World

Our culture is radically rejecting Christian faith; our response must be radical, too.
- Rod Dreher in Christianity Today -

Political and legal revolutions always follow cultural revolutions. The gay rights revolution is just the latest example of the West’s long process of emancipating the individual from all authority outside the sovereign Self.

Gerson and Wehner are surely correct that Christians must learn to live in a world—I would call it a post-Christian world—that accepts same-sex marriage. And they are right to say that as a general rule, Christians should work with LGBT citizens and their allies on causes both sides support.

But I see two big problems with their essay. First, it is naïve to believe that if only Christians stop making a big deal about homosexuality, LGBT groups and their allies will partner with us in other areas. Many people on the other side see orthodox Christians as the equivalent of straight-up white supremacists.

It’s outrageously unfair, but that’s the world we live in. As long as we hold to traditional biblical teaching on sexuality, all the winsomeness in the world won’t make them like us.

Second, I sense in Gerson and Wehner’s essay a veiled willingness to compromise on Christian sexual orthodoxy. They blame “some Christian leaders” for “associating Christianity primarily with sexual morality.” That’s true, to an extent, but the secular world, especially the media, has played a far more consequential role in this distortion."

Read more HERE.

Dr Ben Carson | Creation Vs Evolution - Webb-TV

1917 Cross cultural practice across religious borders

From FSAOF.blogspot.com

From the book; Return to Russia with Flag Unfurled

Возвращение в Россию с развеваю щимся флагом

Russia's conversion to Christianity 929 years earlier introduced icons as an important part of the liturgy of the Russian Orthodox Church. And in our age (1917) were an important part of the domestic life of ordinary Russians as early as the 16th century. Throughout the turbulent centuries of repression in Russia icons offered comfort and support in the Russian psyche providing spiritual strength. Icons representing Christ were most popular and the veneration of his mother Mary was widespread.

(Ten Years in Russia pp. 67-68)

Colonel Larsson, recognizing the significance of the icon in the life of the Russian people, believed that their inclusion in some respectful form would serve as a valuable representation of the Army’s attitude to the Orthodox church. The Army had already adopted the Russian Orthodox cross into its crest as a symbol of this newly established Christian church’s predilection for the mother church of Russia. 

Icons, depicting a painting of Christ, were already displayed in some Army posts and a common display in the homes of converts and those joining as soldiers.

Larsson writes in detailing the decisions made by influential church members, and following exhaustive discussions, that the following guidelines would be adopted:

• An icon would be accepted for display in all SA halls. It must be a painting of Christ. It must to be mounted on a wall between the platform and the congregation in such manner that no one will ever have to have their back turned to it; seen as an injustice. 
• The sign of the cross. Although it’s sometimes abused  (used inappropriately) our Orthodox comrades are free to observe this practice. We also allowed our Salvationist to observe this practice in the opening moments of our meetings (worship service).
• We also introduced the Orthodox practice of singing the Lord’s Prayer in unison.
• Confession and attendance at mass once annually, during the Easter season, was a matter of personal choice.

One Salvationist explained that for her confession was the same as giving her personal testimony to the priest. Soon thereafter our soldiers, who always wore their SA uniforms, found that the priests no longer welcomed them. This caused them to separate in large part their interest in continuing this church practice.

Other questions remained open for discussion; marriage ceremony, infant baptism and funeral ceremonies, at which an Orthodox priest would officiate.

It soon became evident, something we'd counted on, that the newly converted orthodox believers remained faithful to their ceremonies, however, they saw after a time another 'light' and lost interest in them.

Translation: Sven Ljungholm

Sven Ljungholm

Stunning warning: War coming to Europe

- Prophesy News Watch - 
 
With millions of Muslim migrants pouring into Europe, some experts are warning the continent faces a future of revolution, civil war or surrender to Islamic rule.

Author, WND columnist and anti-Shariah campaigner Pamela Geller thinks it is already too late. Asked if she thought it would come to civil war in Europe, Geller told WND, "Yes, I do."

She's not alone.

"If the European political establishment maintains its stranglehold on power, it seems unavoidable that Islam will continue to build a political presence that will ultimately lead to Muslim uprisings and a European reaction outside of accepted political channels," said G.M. Davis.

Davis, a Stanford Ph.D. and the author of "House of War: Islam's Jihad Against the World," believes the only way the problem could be solved peacefully is through "an effective anti-Islamic political movement" taking shape in Europe "within a generation."

The situation in Europe already seems to be spiraling out of control. Austrians are stocking up on weapons, and intelligence analysts warn of an imminent terrorist attack in the United Kingdom.

Meanwhile, European governments are cracking down on their own populations, even as tens of thousands of Muslim men are marching through the countryside like an invading army.

Davis argues if mainstream political forces are not able to quell the continuous influx of Muslim migrants into Europe, "grassroots organizations" will take up the "defense of Europe."

Read more HERE.

This... Changes Everything!

- Captain Scott Strissel in JAC online -

“The divine breath evokes divine harmonies.” General Frederick Coutts

My Dear Salvationists,
Are there not days when you feel tired, worn and spent?
Are there not moments when circumstances and reality hit you square between the eyes and you can’t help but wonder about where you breaking point might be?
Are there not moments when you leave home long before the sun rises and finally enter your home once again well after the sun has gone to bed?

This fight is not a fight that we will win on our own.

What fight you ask?  It is the fight against sin.  It is the fight against injustice.  It is the fight against poverty; the fight we as Christ-followers engage in every day.   We will never be strong enough on our own, yet pride-fully we attempt such feats only to find discouragement and loss.  We cannot defeat the enemy, who is the father of lies and the bondages of sin -- on our own.  We are not the source of strength, we never were.  We were not created to be islands unto ourselves, self-sustaining and without need of help.

Our weapons of war are provided to us.
God the Father sent His Spirit to guide and to provide.
He alone has the power to equip us in these battles we fight.

The battles are far from over.  They are turbulent and many casualties within our ranks have occurred; yet, because of His great love and His love for those who are lost, we carry on.

You might be wondering, “So what changes everything?”
What is the tipping point within the war?
What is our secret weapon you ask?

Read more HERE.

It´s Thursday - Reflections on Genesis

'If you take this one (Benjamin) from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my grey head down to the grave in misery,' Genesis 44:29. 

The reason that Jacob kept Benjamin back when his other sons went to Egypt to buy grain, was because he feared that harm might come to him, (42:4). Rachel, the wife he really loved, had given him two sons and Joseph the eldest had been his father's favourite. After the brothers sold Joseph into slavery, soaked his beautiful coat in goat's blood and asked their father if he recognised it, Jacob naturally assumed, 'Some ferocious animal has devoured him. Joseph has surely been torn to pieces,' (37:33). The apparent death of Joseph tore Jacob apart. Thus Benjamin, Rachel's remaining son, became particularly dear to him,(44:20).

Having seen just how deeply their wickedness had affected Jacob, the brothers knew that if they did not return with Benjamin it would kill him. No doubt the misery that the apparent death of Joseph had caused their father left them with a permanent sense of guilt. They may well have regretted what they had done, but there was nothing they could do to reverse it. Are there things in our lives we regret and wish we could reverse? The last thing they wanted was to see their now aged father suffer like that again. Verses 18 to 34 contain Judah's desperate pleas on behalf of his brother, falsely accused of stealing Joseph's cup. Judah had promised his father, guaranteed in fact, that he would bring Benjamin safely home,(v 32 & 43:9), never dreaming of the scenario that he and his brothers were to find themselves in.

Jesus descended from Judah and something of Jesus can be seen here in Judah's pleas,

1. He was not ashamed to own or align himself to his brother (Hebrews 2:11).
2. He was willing to take his brother's place, (Isaiah 53:3, Galatians 3:13, Romans 4:25)
3. He made intercession for his brother, (Isaiah 53:12, Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25).

One of the delights of studying the Old Testament is that of finding so many glimpses of Christ throughout its pages. God bless you all.