Let those wonderful words of God as uttered by the Apostle Paul sing in your inner being, -"There is therefore no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."(Rom.8:1) Where there is no condemnation, there is no sentence imposed. This brings to mind the time when a young woman caught in the act of adultery was dragged before Jesus by Jewish religious leaders. They demanded her death by stoning as required by law, then asked Jesus, -"What do You say?" Jesus answered, "Let he without sin cast the first stone." Being self-convicted, one by one they left, leaving her alone before the Lord who asked, "Where are they that accuse you?" Then He said, "Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more." (John 8:11)  

Notice carefully, that although Jesus forgave her of the sin, He commanded that she stop committing the sin of adultery. Hebrews 10 tells us that those who continue to sin willfully will not be forgiven but suffer the judgment, and can expect to perish in the Lake of Fire!  

But it is God's will that we be forgiven, and as long as we strive to live according to His will, He will do the rest through our Messiah, Jesus.  

Once we are in Christ, through repentance,baptism, and the receiving of the holy spirit, we are God's own children, and friends of Jesus. We now address Him, as our Father in prayer, and He regards us as His blessed and holy children. Notice Romans 8:14-16 "For all who are being led by the spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out "Abba! Father!" The spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God."  

If you are in Christ, God is crazy about you! To put it further in the vernacular, -He is head over heels in love with you! And He wants a close personal relationship with you. That is why it is so important to strive to live a holy life. Sin separates us from our heavenly Father. Remember, even in the case of Jesus, who was God's Son before the foundation of the world - separation occurred when the sins of humanity were placed upon His shoulders. At that very moment, Jesus cried out, -"Eli, Eli, Lama Sabachthani?" Translates to, -"My God, My God, Why have You forsaken Me?"  

James, the brother of Jesus said that if we submit to God and His way of life, then resist the devil, it will enable us to be close to God. This is accomplished by cleansing ourselves of practicing sin.(James 4:7-8)  

Christians sin and are forgiven daily by the cleansing blood of Jesus, but Christians do not live in sin. They do not live outside the Commandments as a way of life. Jesus said, if we want to enter into eternal life we must keep the Commandments. (Matt.19) Indeed, the very definition of what sin is, is "practicing lawlessness", or simply living outside of the Ten Commandments. (1 John 3:4) The first step toward a close relationship with our Heavenly Father is coming to see our need to repent of the lawless way we have been living our life. Repent, simply means to change. It does not mean to be sorry for what we do but never change. There is no forgiveness there.  

As Christians, we were once dead in our sins, as the woman caught in adultery was, but thanks be to God and our Lord Jesus, we have been pardoned. Pardoned, yes, but with the same instruction given her, "Go and practice sin no more."  

Notice 1 John 3:7-10, -"Little children, let no one deceive you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, that He might destroy the works of the devil. No one who is born (begotten) of God practices sin, because His Seed (holy spirit) abides in him; and he cannot (practice) sin, because he is born (begotten) of God. By this the children of the devil are obvious; any one who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother."  

The holy spirit in us helps us to see and understand how truly evil sin is. The holy spirit is God in us, giving us the ability to experience His feelings toward sin.  

God sent His only Son to die for your sins and mine didn't He? What Jesus endured was horrible and almost beyond belief. He was betrayed, beaten so badly His flesh hung like ribbons and His bones were exposed, He was mocked, spat on and cruelly nailed to a cross to die. He could have called thousands of Angels at any given moment to rescue Him, but He didn't. He said that no one was taking His life, but that He was willingly laying it down for you and me.  

God the Father and Jesus the Son, knew this day would come, they had planned it from before the foundation of the world.(Rev.13:8) Even so, it was one of God's most dreaded days. A time when the Father and Son would be separated for the first time. Though Jesus was willing to suffer because of sinful man, it was extremely difficult. After the Passover, Jesus took Peter, James and John with Him into the garden of Gethsemane to keep watch while He prayed. Being deeply grieved and distressed He said to them, -"My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me."(Matt. 26:38) In prayer so intense great drops of blood fell from His troubled forehead, He asked, -"If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt." But my friends, it wasn't possible, was it? Our sins were so ugly and vile to God, that our Lord had to suffer such a death as that to save us.  

Have you ever asked yourself, -"What sins?" Just what were the sins I was committing that separated me from my Father, and that were so bad that Jesus had to suffer so horribly to cleanse me of them? Simply put, it is because we practiced breaking the Ten Commandments.  

Have you always loved God, putting Him first in your life? (First Commandment) Have you ever had images or objects of worship in your home. Not just a pagan image but any image used to worship. Remember, the bronze serpent that Moses made, which God commanded, was later used as an object of worship to God's displeasure.(2 Kings 18:4) (Second Commandment) Have you ever taken God's Name in vain or used it in a careless way? (Third Commandment) Have you ever practiced not keeping the Seventh-day Sabbath? (Fourth Commandment) Have you practiced disobeying or dishonoring your parents? Jesus said, to lightly esteem (curse) your parents makes you worthy of death! (Fifth Commandment) Have you ever murdered? Jesus said to hate another is to have murder in your heart. (Sixth Commandment) Have you ever committed adultery? Practiced sex outside of marriage? Entertained sexual lust in your heart? (Seventh Commandment) Have you ever stolen from someone? Not paying your debts is stealing. Not paying your tithes or giving offerings is stealing from God. (Malachi 3) Have you ever taken something from work without authorization? (Eighth Commandment) Have you ever given false testimony about someone. Perhaps you repeated what someone else told you that turned out to be untrue? If you have misrepresented the truth, you have lied. (Ninth Commandment) Have you ever coveted? Have you ever simply wanted what someone else had? The Apostle Paul said that he would not have even known coveting was a sin had the law not identified it as such. (Rom.7:7)  

When we consider these Commandments, we must understand that breaking any one of them as a way of life is enough to cause you to be dead in your sins. Thus said, If you haven't always put God first, -Jesus died for that sin. If you haven't always kept the Sabbath holy, -Jesus suffered and died for that sin. If you have practiced sex outside of marriage, -Jesus died for that sin of yours. If you have hated your brother, lied or wanted what someone else had, -Jesus died for those sins you committed, etc.  

God so loved you and me that He gave His only begotten Son in order that we might pass from death to life, in order that we not perish but have everlasting life.( John 3:16) And as long as we stay in Jesus, we are victorious and have become conquerors. Through Jesus we conquer the desires of the flesh which lead to death. Jesus has paid for our sins in full, past, present and future. What a great God we serve! If we don't quench the holy spirit, it will give us the ability and even the desire to crucify the temptations of the flesh. Simply resist the devil and he will flee!  

John says if we say "we do not sin," we deceive ourselves. (1 John 1:8-10) But he also writes that the Christian does not practice sin. (1 John 3:9) To reconcile these two verses, we conclude as Paul preached, we all sin and come short of the glory of God, but if we don't practice sin as a way of life, sin is not imputed to us. And although we strive to live undefiled and holy lives, we realize that our righteousness is as filthy rags compared to the righteousness of God.  

We stand in victory because Christ has taken our sins and given us His righteousness. Notice Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:21, -"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." When we kneel before God's throne in prayer, we appear before our Father clothed with the righteousness of Christ. It is not our human condition, nor the present condition of our own character, but the position we have been given through the wondrous sacrifice of the Lord. Our CONDITION is not worthy, it is being worked on by the power of the holy spirit. We are being transformed by the renewing of our minds, bringing us into complete conformity with the Father and the Son. But our POSITION is one of purity, holiness, sanctification and righteousness. It is as if being washed with the blood of the Lamb is to be covered by a spotless linen cloth. It is this that the Father sees, it is our POSITION, one of forgiven and pure, while underneath our CONDITION is being cleansed and worked on through the holy spirit.  

David says a righteous person is like a tree planted by the water. Notice that the mightiest Oaks begin as a small acorn. An acorn that holds its ground will someday become a mighty Oak tree. So it is with us that possess the "Seed" of eternal life, which is the holy spirit. It is transforming us from an "acorn" to a "mighty tree."  

The contrast between Jesus and Lucifer is as the difference between light and darkness. Lucifer was given glory and honor in Heaven. He walked among the very throne of God. (Ezek.28) Yet he wanted more. He desired the throne of God and sought to take it by force. He thought, -"I will ascend and establish my throne in Heaven." (Isa.14)  

We see by the Scriptures that Jesus was God, the Son. It was He that actually created all things. (John 1) Yet He was willing to lay down His holy and perfect life in order that others may live.  

Lucifer sought his own glory. Jesus died to bring many sons to glory. Philippians 2 tells us that He "did not think equality with God a thing to be grasped." Another rendering is -"He did not think equality with God should be selfishly sought." As Lucifer sought his own glory saying, "I will be like the Most High." Lucifer tried to "ascend", Jesus "descended" became a mortal man, overcame the devil's temptation to live a sinless life, then gave His life to receive our sins, and to bestow His righteousness, on us. Lucifer sought after divinity, Jesus emptied Himself of divinity and destroyed the works of the devil as a mere man! Jesus is VICTORIOUS!  

"When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him." (Colossians 2:15) Through which Jesus has canceled out the debt of our transgressions.(vs 13-14)  

Let us live with the knowledge that as long as we abide in His way of life, we are victorious. When the devil reminds us of our past, we will remind him of his future! When he seeks to engender doubt, we say "Faith sees the invisible, Believes the incredible and Receives the impossible!" And when he lays claim to us, we say, -"I've been bought and washed with the blood of the Lamb, get your filthy hands off! Begone Satan! I have VICTORY IN JESUS!"  By: Larry R. Lasiter

SPOTLIGHT: Persecution!  

Warfare in Prayer opens ears to hear and eyes to see. Intercession prepares the way of the Lord  

In China's Henan Province, 36 year-old Zhang Xiuju was dragged from her home one night by police. When the police returned her lifeless body, they claimed Xiuju had died accidentally when she jumped from a car.  

In Pakistan, Munir Khokher was wounded by a gunshot when he tried to stop the destruction of a Christian cemetery by Muslim mobs.  

In Bangladesh, when Marzina Begum and her family would not celebrate a Muslim holiday, the villagers beat her husband, breaking his leg.  

You haven't heard of these people. They are but drops of water in a vast sea of victims - men, women and children who have been tortured, imprisoned and executed. Their crime? They are Christians.  

Never before have so many Christians been persecuted for their beliefs. As estimated 200 million to 250 million Christians are at risk in countries where such incidents occur.  

Nina Shea, director of the Puebla Program on Religious Freedom says, -"We are not talking about mere discrimination...but real persecution - torture, enslavement, rape, imprisonment, forcible separation of children from parents."  

Most Christians are not White  

Paul Marshall, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto and author of "Their Blood Cries Out" says that contrary to perceptions held by secular and Christian Americans alike, -"most Christians are not white. Christianity was in Africa before Europe, India before England, China before America. Three-fourths of all Christians live outside the West. It may be the largest Third World Religion."  

Sudanese Genocide  

Since 1989 the Sudanese government has been engaged in a wholesale war against Christians, who constitute roughly one-fifth of the population. The goal of the ruling National Islamic Front led by Hassan Al-Turabi is to "eradicate non-Islamic religion."  

In the North, his forces control the necessities of life. Non-Muslims are given the choice of converting to Islam or being denied food, clothing and shelter. Thousands of women and children have been sold into slavery to Muslim masters who force them to convert to Islam.  

Sudan's Nuba Mountains, where Christians have lived since the sixth century, are now a wasteland of mass graves, destroyed villages and camps filled with starving women and children. Half a million Nuba Christians, virtually all men, have been killed in the past decade. Marshall comments, -"The word genocide is thrown around too frequently. In the case of Sudan, however, it is a factual description."  

Testimony of Abdul and Joina - Bangladesh  

I don't know how to read but I know Psalm 23. My wife also cannot read but our son and daughter read the Bible to us. We have a one-room house with grass walls and a grass roof. We have been isolated since becoming Christians. For the last year, our neighbors have not allowed visitors to cross their land to come and see us. Visitors would have to go a long way around. We also cannot get agricultural loans for our rice field.  

I was in bed one month from beatings. My wife brought me bread and rice. The doctor was not happy with me and asked me why I became a Christian. One day at noon I returned from the market walking down a dirt path to my house. The Imam (Muslim leader), was standing beside the mosque. He Name is Gafur. He called me over and asked why I became a Christian; he accused me of loving Jesus. He began beating me on the head and back with his stick, saying "You have become a Christian so you destroy our Muslim religion." A doctor finally ran up and stopped him.  

My ten-year-old son says that he will become a preacher and give the gospel to those who beat us, to bring them to Jesus.  

Perhaps no one has suffered more than our beloved brother Paul, -yet he writes, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18  

Family Affairs: Marriage is...  

Marriage is an order of Creation. Our Creator made man and woman, displaying His full image only as both man and woman. Each made for each other, their essential natures being complementary, and brought into oneness in marriage.  

Marriage is an intimate union to which a man and woman consent, consummated and continuously nourished by sexual intercourse, and perfected in a lifelong partnership of mutual love and commitment.  

Marriage is the unity of husband and wife in God's creative will, for from Him come the love and grace which enable them to grow together in life comradeship.  

Marriage is the sacrament of human society. Husband and wife both share and perpetuate their happiness in having and rearing a family within the sphere of their own love and mutual commitment. Thus marriage is more than an end in itself, it is the means to ends outside the married couple.  

Marriage is consummated in intimate union by divine command from God -"Go forth and multiply." It is an outward sign of the inner commitment of love and oneness of being which is recognized as a gift from God.  

Marriage is -to the Christian, a holy covenant in which husband and wife together publicly witness their commitment, not only to each other but together with God, that to the end they shall in unity fulfill His purposes throughout their lives.  

Marriage is "other-person-centered," with each giving and renouncing for the sake of the well-being of the beloved rather than in expectation of return. It is expressed through service, not exploitation.  

Marriage is God's process of making two people one. It is the highest fulfillment of human friendship. It is a type of the Christian's oneness with God in spirit.  

Marriage is . . . Commitment  

What is the basis for marriage? Most would say "love." By love, they mean a romantic feeling toward another. Real love, as defined by Scripture is "out-going concern" for another. More than a mere emotional feeling, true love produces action that proves its care for the other involved. As Paul said "love is not selfish, does not envy, is not jealous and does not seek its own."(1 Cor. 13) "Does not seek its own" means that true love is driven by giving in to self and giving to another according to the divine will of God.  

One Marriage expert lists six traits of "romantic love" that make it a shaky foundation for marriage.  
 

1. Romantic love often overtakes its victim suddenly and unexpectedly. 
2. Being "in love" may distort a person's judgment. 
3. Being "in love" is first and foremost an experience of the emotions. 
4. "Romantic" love is most often an irrational experience. 
5. The experience of "love" may immobilize its victim. 
6. There are evidences of a well-formed delusional system in some romantic encounters. 

Yet despite this, "romantic love" is often made the sole basis for marriage. Is it any wonder why more than half of marriages fail, and more than 60% of second marriages?  

The true Biblical basis for marriage is commitment. Not only to your partner, but to God. God says plainly "I hate divorce!"(Mal.2:16) Jesus said, -"What therefore God has joined together, let no man tear apart."  

MARRIAGE IS... "till death do us part," not "until the going gets rough." It is a lifelong commitment based upon sacred vows uttered in the presence of the Creator of marriage. It is not two people simply living together, but two living as a team ordained by God for the advancement of His glory in commitment to His will.  

Questions & Answers  

Q Does Man have an immortal soul that lives on after the death of his physical body?  

A Although this is a very common belief even among professing Christians, the Scriptures do not support the belief that man has an immortal soul.  

Man does have a spirit that animals do not have, that does return to God at death, but this spirit is not a conscious presence. It is this spirit, the spirit of man that sets man apart from the animal kingdom, it is what gives man a mind, the ability to think and plan. "But it is a spirit in man, and the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding." (Job 32:8) Man alone understands his presence in the Past, Present and future.  

Ezekiel Chapter 18 states twice that the "soul" that sins shall die." If the soul was immortal, it could not die. Notice what Solomon said, "For the sake of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity. All go to the same place. All came from dust and all return to the dust." (Eccles. 3:19-20)  

The word "soul" is translated from the Hebrew word "nephesh" which simply means "breathing animal." Three times in the first chapter of Genesis animals are called "nephesh," but rendered "creatures" by translators.  

Notice Solomon again, -"For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten." (Eccles.9:5)  

This certainly does not picture the event of a newly deceased, departing his body as an immortal soul and going to meet his Maker as a conscious being. But shows that man is mortal and must hope in the resurrection from the dead. Have you ever wondered why there would be a resurrection from the dead if they were already living in Heaven or Hell? If man is an immortal being in a fleshly body, who is in the grave awaiting resurrection to life? The resurrection pictures conscious life from thoughtless death. If man is already immortal, how could he pass from death to life? Wouldn't it be impossible for man to really die at all?  

The Bible makes it abundantly clear that the soul possesses no thought or memory after death. Notice Psalms 6:4-5, -"Return, O Lord, rescue my soul; Save me because of thy lovingkindness. For there is no mention of Thee in death. In Sheol (Heb. Grave) who will give Thee thanks?"  

Daniel said, -"And many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake."(Dan.12:2) Daniel was speaking of the resurrection from the dead. Jesus also spoke of death as sleep, -"Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I go, that I may awaken him out of sleep." The disciples therefore said to Him, "Lord, if he has fallen asleep he will recover." Now Jesus had spoken of his death; but they thought that He was speaking of literal sleep. Then Jesus therefore said to them plainly, "Lazarus is dead." (John 11:11-14)  

One may read through the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation but will find very little to substantiate the concept of the immortal soul. What will be found is ample reasons to conclude that the dead are asleep in the grave waiting to hear the gracious words that brought Lazarus forth. (For more information on this subject "What Happens at Death" and "Is There Hope for the Dead?")  

Q What is the Church? Does God have only one Church?  

A The Church is the spiritual body of Christ.(Rom.12) The English word "Church" is translated from the Greek "Ekklesia," which means "called out ones." The Church is the collective body of believers who are called out of the world and its ways, sanctified (set-apart) by truth, and in whom the holy spirit dwells.(John 17/Rom.8) Although not one organization, the Church is one Body. At the time of the end, shortly before the return of Christ, the Church is recognized as those who keep the commandments and hold the testimony of Jesus.(Rev.12/Rev.14) 

TakeTime to Shine  

Hebrews Chapter 11 is fittingly called the "faith chapter"of the Bible, and rightfully so. The long list of men and women of faith and what hardships they endured for the sake of God's divine will is truly inspiring, even though it makes us feel as if we modern Christians pale in comparison.  

But notice that all the examples mentioned are to remind us of who we are and why we are here. We are ambassadors of Christ placed by God "behind enemy lines." As Christians, we represent the Kingdom of God while living in a world dominated by the Kingdom of Satan. We are placed here to be "lights" in a dark world. Notice Jesus' words, -"You are the light of the world...Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven." (Matt.5:14-16) In being "lights" we are to illuminate the Way for those who are in the darkness. To bring the true light to all who will receive Him, which is Jesus. That is what taking time to shine is all about, -sharing our faith by witnessing.  

Taking Time in Vietnam  

In the book "Between Two Tigers" we see how Vietnamese men and women bring others to the knowledge of Christ by talking through holes in the walls of their prison cells. The video "The Faces of Vietnam," records their testimonies of tossing Scriptures in paper wads to prisoners across the hall. They demonstrate that they are not held in bondage by their own anguish, but with Paul can say, "My flesh will also rest in hope."(Acts 2:26)  

When asked if they were praying that their borders would be opened so they could have economic prosperity and political freedom, Vietnamese Christians replied, -"We are not praying that our borders be opened. We are praying that heaven be opened." Their answer reflects an overcoming spirit that does not place final hope in the world's systems.  

Arrests of Christians, police fines of house churches, and imprisonments continue across Vietnam. Yet they respond, -"Suffering is not the worst thing that can  

happen to us...disobedience to God is the worst thing." These Christians reflect those mentioned in Acts 5:41, "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name."(Voice of the Martyrs)  

As the people of God we are "ekklesia," the "called out ones." Called out of the Kingdom of Darkness into the glorious Kingdom of Light, and commanded to go into this dark world with the light of the gospel. We are to make disciples of others, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, Son and the holy spirit, then teach them to observe all that Jesus commanded. (Matt.28:18-20)  

Many times, especially young people hope to do great things for God in the future. They may not believe that what they do "today" is just as important to the work of God' s Kingdom as what they will do "someday."  

Yet God is the God of every day, hour, and circumstance. He can use your obedience to further His will by your faithful ambassadorship. He may not use your faithfulness in a way as visible to you as He used the boy who had loaves and fishes.(John 6) In the Kingdom to come, we will see how the things we did for God were used for His glory.  

What is God asking you to do this week, today, for the next hour, in the next five minutes? Your response to His call is very important to Him.  

Can we be as creative in bringing the knowledge of Christ to others as the Vietnamese are? They looked, and found "holes" in which to toss Scriptures through to others, -can we be as diligent to look for "openings" to share our faith, spreading "light" where before there was only darkness?  

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."Heb.12  

Miscellaneous  

From Bob Worth to the Russellville Congregation  

TEARS OF LOVE  
 

• Remember me as I remember you...never forget these words  
  For "I love you" is special...endowed with tears of love  
  For the services that you rendered...are above and beyond the call  
  For without your special calling...only God knows where we'd fall  
  I know that you're not perfect...an example you have set  
  Thank God for this special gift...in you He has sent  
  What can I say what can I do...what more is there to say  
  Except always remember these special words...endowed with tears of love  
  So remember me as I remember you...never forget these words  
  For "I love you" is special...endowed with tears of love