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For thousands of years religions worldwide have used the discipline of spiritual fasting as a means to pound on the doors of heaven for breakthrough. The concept is that fasting weakens the body and allows the spirit to become more awake and in control-therefore allowing it to receive God’s power and direction.

Flesh Domination

Overall, spiritual fasting centers on putting aside the domination of the flesh in favor of the spirit which, in essence, is the true source of power that can solve the problem or situation being fasted for. Christ himself, the Scriptures say, was filled with the Holy Spirit in the River Jordan and then led to the desert where he fasted for 40 days and came face-to-face with Satan (Matthew Chapters 3 & 4).

Whether you believe this to be literal or not is irrelevant. I respect whatever your belief may be, and wish to use this passage primarily as an example of spiritual fasting and its results.

Bible scholars indicate that Christ had to first confront every human weakness BEFORE being ready for his ministry, before becoming the suitable representative for the entire human race. It could only be done through fasting… imagine that! During the desert fast, Satan offered Christ food, riches and godhood (Matthew 4).

Reality is the Unseen

In every case Christ alluded to the Word of God, indicating with his refusal that there was, in essence, a higher and “more real” reality than the three dimensional cravings and desires we experience as human beings. This required fasting. We are not told of Christ drinking water during his time in the desert. If he did not, then that particular fast was supernatural and way beyond the scope of this discussion.

Moses in the Old Testament (Exodus 34:28) is said to have spent 40 days in Mount Sinai collecting the Ten Commandments, during which time he neither drank nor ate. These are supernatural examples of fasting - both with yielded huge spiritual and physical revelation.
In one case, the Ten Commandments. In the other case, the readiness of Christ to start his earthly ministry.

An “absolute” fast of no water or food, in human terms, can only last for a maximum of three to five days before death results from dehydration. The Apostle Paul of the New Testament converted to Christianity after being struck down from a horse by what the scriptures say was the risen Christ himself (Acts 9:3-22). Paul, the scriptures say, then went with no water or food for three days. When the three days were over, out of his eyes fell what seemed to be scales.

Transformation

It was after this spiritual fasting experience that he changed from a hater and persecutor of Christians to one of the most powerful apostles in history, almost singlehandedly writing the entire New Testament. We can just speculate exactly that Christ and Paul went through during their fasting. However, in both cases we can see that the end result was transformation and enhanced spiritual revelation.

What are the “scales” in your particular eyes? What are the behavior, mental or physical barriers that stand in your way? From the examples we have discussed, and from the first-hand experience of many others, it can be said that spiritual fasting is indeed mysterious.

Demonic Opposition

In another portion of the Scriptures, this one in the Old Testament, the prophet Daniel fasts for 21 days and does not receive an answer until the last day (Daniel 10). At that point, the scriptures say, the Archangel Michael appeared to Daniel and told him he had been heard since the first day he started to fast. But that demonic powers had stood in the way and a battle had ensued.

I have read commentaries that say this points to the never ending fight between good and evil which translates, in our case, to the struggle between the flesh and the spirit. The Apostle Paul in the New Testament calls himself a “wretched man” (Romans 7) because he says he did what he did not want to do, and often failed to do that which he knew was right.

We are not going to get into any type of theological debate here, but it appears that whatever Paul was battling did not have an evident “human” solution.

Biblical Examples of Fasting

In the Old Testament, the Jews Fasted to seek God’s help in threats or times of war (nation in general), when loved ones were sick (David), in seeking God’s forgiveness for themselves and their nation (Ahab, Daniel), and in seeking God’s protection and His will (Ezra).

Just look up the term, Fasting, in a concordance and observe the abundance of references (Lev 16:29-31; 23:26-32; Num. 29:7; Psalm 69:10; Acts 27:9).

Moses, Elijah, and Jesus all Fasted for 40 days. The Bible records that Spiritual Fasting was not just for the super leaders, rather it was practiced by most, such as during the Judges (Deut 9:15-18; Jug. 20:26; 1 Kings 21:27). (The absolute Fasts of Moses and Elijah had divine assistance Deut. 9:9; 1 Kings 19:8).

Israel Fasted at Bethel, in the war against the Benjamites at Mizpah, and in the Philistine war (Judg. 20:26; 1 Sam 7:6). In the book of Ruth, the Jews Fasted when they heard that Haman had tricked the king into wiping them out (Esther 4:3-16).

David Fasted for Saul and his friend Jonathan, and wept for both his son while he was dying, and for his enemies (2 Sam. 1:12; 2 Sam. 12:16-23; Psalm 35:11-13).
Daniel Fasted for Israel (Dan. 9:3-5). Fasting accompanied prayer, devotion to God (Psalm 35:13), penance (1 Kings 21:27), and seeking God earnestly (2 Sam. 1:12).

The effects of Spiritual Fasting with prayer, when it is real and heartfelt, is that it humbles (Psalm 35:13), disciplines and corrects wrong behaviors and thinking (Psalm 69:10), and God is more likely to respond to our prayers. (Ezra 8:21-23)

In the New Testament, Fasting was practiced when one was faced with temptations (Jesus), in serving God and beginning a new ministry (Antioch), and, when selecting and appointing elders (Matt. 4:1-2).

John the Baptist performed spiritual fasting regularly as a testimony to piety that was real, heartfelt, and pointed to God, not to himself (Matt. 3:11). Paul listed spiritual fasting among other things that proved he was a minister of Christ (1 Cor. 11:1; 2 Cor. 11:23-28). The early church practiced spiritual Fasting as they further sought God’s Will, drawing them deeper into His presence (Acts 13:2-3; 14:21-23).

Physical Impact

Looking at the physical benefits of spiritual fasting, Daniel the prophet at one point dares the King of Babylon to let him eat only water and vegetables for ten days and at the end of that period compare his appearance to that of others who ate meat and other fatty foods (Daniel 1:12). The Scriptures indicate that at the end of the ten days the king was amazed to see that Daniel and his friends looked younger and healthier than all the others.

So notable was the difference that the king actually decided at that point to change the menu altogether and put everyone on water and vegetables. Juice fasting is precisely that - water, fruits and vegetables. In short, there is ample scripture evidence that fasting can place the believe in a position to effect profound changes in his or her life.

What are some of the emotional or behavioral obstacles that limit your intimacy with God? How much better would your communion with Him be if these patters were broken? While in this world we are constantly asked to look outside for material gratification, as a believer one must become convinced that the only true source of liberty and satisfaction in this world lies in intimate daily communion with God.

Fasting can be the hammer at your disposal to tear down the walls of opposition and usher you into a broader spectrum of spiritual experience.

Robert Dave Johnston helps persons interested in fasting for weight loss and fitness, having himself recovered from obesity and food addiction.

He is author of The Anti-Prevention Nation e-book - The Obesity Epidemic - How the US is Eating Itself to Death

http://www.fitnessthroughfasting.com

After a candidate received the Sacrament of Confirmation, and he receives the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Church teaches that these gifts bear fruits, the Fruits of the Spirits. These fruits are Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-Control and Chastiy.

The Fruits of the Spirit is a concept found in Chapter 5 :22 of Galatians and given the name Fruit because it was meant to imply harvest or the result of the Gifts the Holy Spirit gives during Confirmation.

The fruit of love is also known as agape love and there is a full description of love from Corinthians 13:4-8. It is often read at weddings because it fully describes what love should be. Agape and Eros are defined in Greek in this way. Eros is the physical love where as agape love is the mature love and transcends physical attraction.

Joy is beyond happiness, which is just conditional or emotional. You can be happy or experience happiness when eat a good dinner. Joy is a state of mind that often involves being in fellowship with God. People often say that they have an internal feeling of joy and have a general feeling of well being.

Peace is having a restful relationship with God. In obtaining this, the confirmed is more receptive to the will of go and what he is seeking from God. Life becomes less chaotic. God can still be present in time of conflict but the confirmed realizes that God has not left them.

Patience is the ability to endure and be strong. It’s also the ability to better mirror Jesus with his ability to be patient with us. Patience is also a way to better carry our crosses without any upset. There are several levels of patience. The basic level is no complaining, second level is making progress in times of hardship. Lastly, the highest level is to desire a cross and accept it willingly.

Kindness is having sympathy and understanding for others and showing concern for those in need. This may be done though actions or just simple words of encouragement. On receiving the Spirit should innately be more kind because of the agreement to be more Christ-like.

Goodness is attained when the candidate is more in tune with God and what his will is for us. Conjoined is Gentleness, having mild disposition and behavior and helping to not being angry or bearing resentment.

The Fruit of Faith is the ability to believe what we cannot see. Faith is part of our intellect and in order to have faith in God we must be willing accept God over that intellect. It is by this faith that we understand the we should not commit sin and follow Christ’s blue print to gain entrance into heaven.

Modesty, Self-Control And Chastity are all fruits that tie together. Modesty helps us to avoid offensive behavior even if it is not required in the circumstance. Chastity tempers the desires of the flesh even with in marriage. And in order to act Chaste, you must act with self control especially when dealing with unruly sexual urges.

The fruits of the Spirit elevate the confirmed person giving them the ability to better conduct their mission to spread the news of Jesus.

Beth guide is the webmaster for http://www.rosary-religious-inspirational-gifts.com

One of the major aspects of the Sacrament of Confirmation are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit that are bestowed on the candidate when they are sealed with the Holy Spirit. The candidate when participating in Confirmation accepts that their mission is to be witnesses of Jesus in their families and communities. And, the reception of those gifts helps each candidate succeed on their mission.

The gifts are wisdom, understanding, knowledge, fortitude, counsel, piety and fear of the Lord are the seven gifts although the gifts will manifest themselves over the candidates lifetime.

The gift of wisdom gives the confirmed the gift to see the worlds though Gods eyes and viewpoint. This will help us to understand the purpose of Gods plan for us and for the world. The candidate also has the ability to formulate a historical perspective and help have an enlightened view of history and how the present and the past work together and affect the mystery of the future. This is also known as speculative reason according to St. Thomas Aquinas, in Summa Theologica.

The gift of knowledge helps the confirmed use thoughtful reflection and contemplation on the mystery of God. It also helps with the mysteries of the Trinity and as well as the Catholic faith, according to the United States Catholic Catechism. This gift also helps draw the candidate to a meditative prayer, meaning the candidate is open for God to lead them while they are just quietly listening. Often this is practiced during Adoration. This is what Aquinas called practical reasoning.

The gift of understanding is to help the candidate learn themselves and how to grow in knowing God. St. Augustine used the prayer “That I May know You, may I know Myself.” We are all made in God’s image and as we come to know ourselves we also learn about God and who he is. This is also what Aquinas calls common sense.

The gift of fortitude is also known as the courage. The confirmed can used this gift to stand up for Jesus and his teaching. According to Aquinas, this gift is the firmness that is required to do good and to stand up to evil. This gift is more evident when the good or evil is particularly more difficult.

The gift of counsel is also known as right judgment and is the perfection of practical reasoning. And after the candidates learns though research how the candidate applies the knowledge. As this gift grows and we are faced with moral dilemmas we are more apt to make the better or more moral decision, according to Aquinas.

The gift of piety is the reverence and respect we show to the Father. Reverence may be learned from parents and teachers. This gift is often renewed during liturgy where it is a reminder to teach us reverence. Aquinas says at the instigation of the Holy Spirit we pay worship and duty to God as our Father.

And lastly the gift of Fear of the Lord, allows us the awe of the majesty of God. This also is a what makes us grateful wonder of God and his love for the candidate. According to Aquinas this is also the fear of separating themselves from God.

According to Aquinas the summary of the gifts is that the first 4 gifts direct the intellect and the last 3 direct the candidates will toward God making the confirmed a powerful messenger for Christ and His teachings.

Beth Guide is the webmaster for http://www.rosary-religious-inspirational-gifts.com

In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John mentions the Seven Spirits of God (Revelation 1:4, 3:1, 4:5, 5:6). For the moment, we will ignore the individual identities of these Seven Spirits, and only consider Their collective unity.

In considering the unity of the 7 Spirits of God, we need look no further than the collective symbols of the 7 Spirits: the 7 days of creation (Genesis 1:1-2:3), the rainbow (Genesis 9:13-17), the 7-branched menorah (Exodus 25:31-40), the 7 eyes on the rock (Zechariah 3:9) and the Lamb (Revelation 5:6), the seven lamp stands (Revelation 1:12), the 7 churches (Revelation 2:1-3:22), the 7 stars (Revelation 1:20), the 7 seals (Revelation 5:1), the 7 horns on the Lamb (Revelation 5:6), the 7 thunders (Revelation 10:3), etc.

Even when such a symbol has a particular reference to a particular member of the 7 Spirits of God, they are always presented without preference or rank. Each of the 7 Spirits has the exact same influence on the Godhead as does any of the other 6 Spirits. It is always all or nothing. There is no compromise; there is no dominance, just complete unity.

It should be noted that the spirit of compromise is NOT found within God. The Trinity and the 7 Spirits act in total unity, or they do not act at all!

“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9, NKJV)

As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of the LORD is proven; (Psalm 18:30, NKJV)

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. (James 1:17, NKJV)

It is interesting to note that our governments deliberately work to have odd numbers of members on their governing bodies, or else very large numbers of members so that a definite majority can be attained. A super-majority is one where at least two-thirds the members vote a particular way. Our whole world lives by continually seeking compromise, but not the Lord:

“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one! You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4-5, NKJV)

If we ever expect to receive the blessings the Lord has promised us, we must learn to live and act in complete and total agreement and unity with the Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), and the 7 Spirits of God.

If we attempt to force the Lord to compromise Himself, He will never act on our behalf except out of mercy for us, and probably in a far different way than we had requested.

You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures. …

“God resists the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:2-6, NKJV)

We can only receive good things from the Lord when we ask, in complete humility, according to His will. As Jesus prayed for us:

“I … pray … that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us (John 17:20-21, NKJV)

If we desire to receive good things from the Lord, we must enter into the unity that exists within the Trinity and the Seven Spirits of God: God will NEVER compromise Himself, and asking Him to will only lead to frustration. God is God, and we are not. Either we will agree with the Lord God, or we can expect to receive NOTHING from Him.

God will only act if all 7 Spirits and the Trinity are in complete and total agreement. There is no division, no variation or shadow of turning (James 1:17, NKJV) with the Lord God. See http://www.7-Spirits.com for more information.

I have been contemplating a question that often seems to divide brethren; ‘Is the silence of scripture restrictive or permissive?’

You know all the old arguments….’Can we have a basketball court?’ Some say ‘Yes, the bible doesn’t forbid it!’ Others say, ‘No, the Bible doesn’t mention it!’ and round and round we go. Two groups, equally sincere, equally interested in following Christ’s command to reach the lost, equally desirous to be found in Him; at odds with each other over this question.

What is the answer? The obvious answer is, ‘THERE IS NO ANSWER!!!’ That’s why the debate is endless. It is shocking to some, obvious to others, that sincere people can look at the same bible and come to different conclusions about things. So now you say, ‘Oh, ok, eddie…I see now, you’re one of those post-modernist who doesn’t believe in absolute truth!’ No, you are wrong. There is absolute truth, and much, if not all of it is contained in the Bible. But we’re not talking about truth here, we are talking about silence, and humans will ALWAYS fight over what it means.

I think the important thing for us to realize in this debate is that we are asking the wrong question! ‘Is the silence of scripture restrictive or permissive?’, no matter which side you stand on, is a question that makes a wrong assumption. This question assumes that the Bible is a rulebook; and this is wrong, wrong, WRONG! The Bible is not a law book. Have you seen law books, like at your lawyer’s office? They are huge volumes that dictate laws that attempt to cover every possible situation. And still, even these are debated every day, in every courthouse in the world. Man cannot agree on laws, so why would you think that our God would be so foolish as to give us a law book?

The truth is, the Bible is not a book full of rules. It is a story. If you want to be fancy, it is a narrative. The problem for many of us, is that a story, or narrative is so much more subjective than a rule book. This is terrifying to many ‘conservative’ brethren. But what is so terrifying? To say that it is a narrative does not strip it of the absolute truth that God has invested in it! To say that it is a story is not to say that there aren’t commands to be followed and examples to be examined.

We follow the story of the Christ. A story that begins before Genesis 1 and has yet to end. In the Bible, a written record of a portion of that story, we find principles and themes to build our lives around. Does the Bible tell me, specifically, not to take cocaine? no. Well is that permissive or restrictive?? NEITHER! I don’t take cocaine because one of the fundamental principles of Christ’s life and teachings is self control and devoting myself, body included, to the glorification of the Father!

To get back to our original example above. I don’t worship at a church with a basketball court, but it’s not because I think the silence of the Bible forbids it! I wouldn’t want one, because how does that fit into what was important to Jesus? If I read the Bible and listen to it’s principles and themes, where does a gym, or stain glass windows, or any of these other extravagances fit into the simple walk of my Savior and those that followed after Him and wrote of Him?

The truth is that if we try to make the Bible a rule book we fail no matter our position. If we try to be restrictive, we paint ourselves into corners and are forced to ‘ignore’ or explain away(usually with complicated, convoluted arguments) certain passages that don’t fit into our world view. If we try to say that we can do whatever we want, we are ignoring the truth of the Bible that it is the standard by which we should live our lives! Neither position is tenable.

Christ calls us to walk a third path; His path. A follower of Christ will be, at times, more conservative than the conservatives, and more liberal than the liberals! We follow a Christ that called his disciples to have a greater righteousness than the Pharisees, and yet he often rejected their traditionalism! Let us all follow Christ and His word to the best of our ability!

Eddie Legg is the author of Simple Life in Christ, a blog about the simple life of a Christian.

You can read more of his work at http://www.simplelifeinchrist.com/

I decided to share my life journey in the form of a spiritual autobiography. When I say “spiritual autobiography” I mean that I have shared my spirituality alongside my life. Looking at my life through the lens of spirituality is just one way that I could have expressed my journey. Because my greatest personal preoccupation has long been spirituality, it made sense that I would tell of my journey from this perspective. This way of telling made sense for me. Perhaps it will make sense for you too?

It’s scary and risky. For me, sharing my spiritual autobiography is scary and risky. Some people won’t understand, agree with or like what I share. I’ve decided that I’m OK with that. What’s more important is that some people will understand. They’ll be encouraged, touched and healed by our common threads and the intersections of our lives. I hope and pray that people will be changed by my journey as I have been changed by the journeys of others. I pray that others will share their journeys with those who seek to be encouraged by them. Our lives touching lives can begin right now with our own stories.

If you choose to tell the story of your life, you too will tell it in your own, unique way. Everyone brings their special touch to the expression of their journey, making the experience of telling and receiving stories a flavorful and powerful experience. Parts of my journey happen to have been captured on a canvas. Second to looking at my life through the lens of spirituality, I have looked at it though the lens of an artist. As an artist, I bring the opportunity to actually “see” my journey. It’s just one of the many expressions of a journey. I will share my journey my way. If you share yours you will do the same. I encourage you to embrace these expressions rather than be discouraged by them. It’s your story. Tell it your way. Let others do the same. Enjoy the ways God has made us all unique.

Right now my spiritual autobiography is circulating among a small group of family and friends. It felt like the safest way to begin sharing. Since I released my journey to the eyes of a few others, I’ve gotten a little bit braver. I’ve decided to share my journey as a tool for encouraging others to share their spiritual autobiographies. I’m letting others freely see risky parts of my story. I’m also letting them see some of the art work that fits with these parts even though I can’t stop “just anyone” from seeing it. I recently took another step out, and made suggestions (based on my own experience) for beginning one’s own spiritual autobiography.

I did this all this sharing on a web site where I can’t control who will see what is written and shown there. This is scary and risky for me, but it’s worth the risk: someone might be touched by what they read, someone might decide to write their own story, and maybe someone will get started on their own spiritual autobiography because of the simple suggestions I have shared. If my story can be a gift for someone I’m willing to give it. The idea of helping others with my story makes it all worth the risk.

Alisa E. Sloboda-Clark is a Christian artist and educator. Since receiving her B.F.A. from Pratt Institute, and her M.S. from Long Island University, Alisa has drawn from her personal walk with Jesus Christ to write her Spiritual Autobiography. http://www.JourneyOnCanvas.com

It’s easy to think that we have to do something, or experience something, remarkable to have a reason to share the story of our lives. We have a way of believing that our ordinary lives are just that, ordinary. The value in reaching out is missed in our poor estimation of what we have to offer. We wait for something big to happen to us before we recognize the importance of our journey. We don’t acknowledge the special gift we have to share. It’s the gift of our ordinary lives shared with others.

I joined a codependency support group. The people in my group are extraordinary. They’re not, although, extraordinary by a worldly definition. None of the people at the table are famous, exceedingly rich or outrageously successful. They are ordinary people living ordinary lives. I learn from their lives. They live simply, and honorably, in the face of great adversity. In fact, adversity transforms them, making them gentler, kinder and more forgiving. I admire their stamina and their confidence in God’s plan for their lives. Their journeys encourage me.

For a while, I felt like I had no business taking a spot at the table. I expected to have very little to offer, or receive from, the people sitting around me. Then, it started to happen. As stories were shared I began to connect with people. Some days I discovered that we had the same feelings. Other days I found myself working through the same problem as someone to the left or the right of me. Our lives began to intersect. Common threads connected their journeys to mine. Their stories filled my world with hope. I began to expect that I would have something to receive.

Some days, when the meeting was over, people would thank me for having shared. My journey touched others and encouraged them. They found healing through my expression of the simple, ordinary experiences of my life. My stories filled their world with hope. I began to see that I not only had something to receive, I had something to offer.

I began to see that I desired to share my journey. I knew my story wasn’t earth shattering or surprisingly unique. I knew it was an ordinary story about an ordinary life. I knew it had the regular ups, downs and in-betweens much like the lives of others. Yet, with all its ordinariness, I began to desire that my journey could be a gift. I have since prayed that my journey will have common threads that connect the lives of others to mine. God willing, my journey will touch and encourage others. Maybe lives will intersect and healing will be found in the expression of the simple, ordinary experiences of my life? That would be a gift for others and for me too.

I’m sharing my spiritual journey because I believe it is a gift with value. I’m also taking in the spiritual journeys around me. The journeys of others are encouraging my own spiritual growth and spiritual healing at this very time. We, the storytellers, are giving each other the gift of our stories. We can change the world with each retelling, because each retelling is an opportunity to touch someone’s life. Some part of our journey, big or small, can speak to those given the opportunity to take it in.

Perhaps you have an ordinary life that’s a little like mine? Maybe we should both share our journeys? Together we could reach out to even more people who could reach out as well. Imagine all the people who would realize that they are not alone. Imagine all the people who could be touched, encouraged and healed through the simple truth that a shared journey is a gift with value.

I have begun sharing my journey with those who would like to receive it. I’ve given my journey to some friends, and I’ve also begun to make it available to strangers and casual friends. People are being touched. Strangers are hearing my story and finding that their life is not so different from mine. People I know just a little are reaching out because they’ve discovered, through my story, that they are not alone. I’m not doing anything special to make this all happen. In fact, I don’t really make it happen at all. I just tell my story and God does the rest. It’s absolutely amazing.

People are walking in your shoes and they don’t even know it. Tell them about your own journey, and they’ll know the truth that they are not alone. You don’t need to be someone extraordinary to give the gift of your story. In fact, the journeys that change lives are often the ones that say, “I’ve been where you are.” An ordinary life has incredible power in the simple truth that it is very ordinary. If you have an ordinary life, you’ve got something valuable to share.

Maybe you’re intimidated by the idea of sharing your journey? I’ll give you one piece of advice that helped me get over my own intimidation: trust God. He’s big enough to connect your life to the lives of others. If you’re faithful to share your life, God is ready, and very able, to honor your desire to reach out to others. He’s in the business of touching lives. Let Him use your life to touch others. Tell your story.

Alisa E. Sloboda-Clark is a Christian artist and educator. Since receiving her B.F.A. from Pratt Institute, and her M.S. from Long Island University, drawing from her personal walk with Jesus Christ, Alisa has written her Spiritual Autobiography. http://www.JourneyOnCanvas.com

With so much conflict in the world today, and the rising food and fuel cost, it is easy to get caught up worrying about the future. It’s everywhere you see to remind you. You cannot watch the news or read the paper without being reminded of the war in Iraq, Lebanon, and other crisis’s like the recent earthquake in China, and the typhoon that ravaged Myanmar.

It is all too easy to become consumed with all of the negativity in the world. If we are not careful we can become paralyzed by fear and worry. But what does the Bible say about worrying? The answer is very clear, have Faith.

Here are some examples of what the Bible has to say about worrying:

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV

“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

“Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid….” Isaiah 12:2 KJV

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4 KJV

“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” Isaiah 12:2 KJV

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is life not more important than food and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life.” Matthew 6:25-27 NIV

The Bible makes it clear that we are to trust in the Lord and to not waste our time worrying. When troubled, open the good book, read the Bible, and pray for what is on your mind.

The author is the owner of the Online Christian Shopper (http://www.onlinechristianshopper.com) Christian T-Shirt shop and the Christian Jewelry Online (http://www.christianjewelryonline.com) Christian jewelery store.

There is nothing quite like reading good books. Perhaps you especially enjoy reading good Christian books. There are certainly some wonderful old classics and very interesting new releases. The Christian community has produced a lot of different authors. With the release of the movie based on C.S. Lewis “Prince Caspian”, maybe the idea of reading or re-reading the Chronicles of Narnia popped into your mind. They are such good books. It would be nice to add the ability to engage in discussions and insights into the book as you read.

If you have ever had the opportunity to be involved in a Christian Book Club then you know that they can be a wonderful experience. It is fun to hear the things other people get out of the same book you are reading. Perspectives on the story that you might have missed become apparent in the midst of discussion. The problem with most book clubs is that they often start strong but then begin to fade. The reality is we live in a busy world and it becomes difficult to schedule times when everyone in the club can get together. If people miss a meeting because of a scheduling conflict or fall behind in their reading they will often just drop out of the group.

Starting a book club with an Internet component could be the best way to fix the problem of a traditional book club setting. A virtual book club that can be accessed when people have time and can leave their comments. This club could be open to people all over the world allowing for some great cultural view points.

For people who still want a more traditional book club setting, instead of trying to meet every week, a once a month meeting could be arranged where your local group can get together for some one on one discussion. The rest of the month, having an online component would allow people to read and stay connected in spite of busy schedules. It is much easier to add a once a month meeting into your schedule than a once a week meeting. You really don’t want to stretch a book out longer than a month.

You can either start your own online book club or you can join one that already exists and encourage your local group members to join up as well. Joining an online book club should be free. The advantage to joining a club that already exists online is that they will organize the book selections and keep the club running. Either way, the ability to read and discuss good Christian Books just got a little easier.

Stephen Lawes is a Church Growth Consultant who also enjoys being involved in a good Christian Book Club. His blog site is http://christianbookclubonline.com.

I don’t know if you are anything like me… But when I go to church I come away wondering what God truly thinks of it. I mean… I thought church was supposed to be a place where the focus was on Christ. Instead I find that preachers are more interested in trying to make people feel good, teaching them that God wants them to have an abundance of everything that this world has to offer. They teach us that if we give them lots of money then God will give us lots of money. And as for their preaching… Well, it seems that the gospel according to Paul suits their needs more than the Gospel of Christ does.

Have you ever wondered why there are so many pagan traditions celebrated within the church?

Have you ever wondered about Christmas? The supposed Christian celebration of the birth of Christ? Serious scholars of the bible will tell you that Christ wasn’t born any where near December 25th. Roman pagans celebrated December 25th as the birth of their ‘god’ of light, Mithra. Other pagan ‘gods’ born on Dec. 25th are: Hercules the son of Zeus (Greeks); Bacchus, ‘god’ of wine (Romans); Adonis, ‘god’ of Greeks, and ‘god’ Freyr of Greek-Roman pagans.

And what about Easter? Look up the word “Easter” in Webster’s dictionary. You will find: “AS. (Anglo-Saxon), from name of an old Teuton goddess of spring”. The name “Easter” is merely the slightly changed English spelling of the name of the ancient Assyrian goddess Ishtar, pronounced by the Assyrians exactly as we pronounce “Easter.” The Babylonian name of this goddess was Astarte, consort of Baal, the Sun god, whose worship is denounced in the Bible as the most abominable of all pagan idolatry.

There are many other Christian traditions that have deep roots in paganism that I won’t go into here.

I was under the impression that Christ and His disciples taught all men everywhere to repent. Yet when you go to church you wouldn’t think so. “Just say this prayer and you’ll be saved” they tell us. “There is no need to repent, Christ paid the penalty for your sins”.

The truth is… Two seperate and distint churches formed and developed after the resurrection and ascension of Christ.

1. The Nazarenes: The origal disciples of Yehoshua the Christ.

We know a little about the Nazarenes from Jewish Rabbinic writings, but the more important description of them, although negative, can be found in the writings of the Early “Church Fathers”. You see, just as now, the Nazarenes were misunderstood and hated by both the “Church” and Pharisaic Judaism. The fourth century “Church Father” Jerome, described the Nazarenes as “those who accept Messiah in such a way that they do not cease to observe the Old Law” (Jerome; On. Is. 8:14).

Another fourth century Church Father, Epiphanius, gave a more detailed description of how the Netzarim were viewed:

“We shall now especially consider heretics who… call themselves Nazarenes; they are mainly Jews and nothing else. They make use not only of the New Testament, but they also use in a way the Old Testament of the Jews; for they do not forbid the books of the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings… so that they are approved of by the Jews, from whom the Nazarenes do not differ in anything, and they profess all the dogmas pertaining to the prescriptions of the Law and to the customs of the Jews, except they believe in [Messiah]… They preach that there is but one [Elohim], and his son [Yahshua the Messiah]. But they are very learned in the Hebrew language; for they, like the Jews, read the whole Law, then the Prophets… They differ from the Jews because they believe in Messiah, and from the Christians in that they are to this day bound to the Jewish rites, such as circumcision, the Sabbath, and other ceremonies.” (Epiphanius; Panarion 29; translated from the Greek).

Although it’s hard for some to accept, the fact is that those being described here were the direct disciples and followers of Yehoshua (Jesus). So obviously, this is what He taught! These are the direct followers of Yehoshua, and yet there are so many who claim to be his followers and who follow a different Gospel, teachings of someone other than those of Yehoshua from Nazareth. There is evidence that the Nazarene Sect continued to exist until at least the 13th century. The writings of the Catholic teacher, Bonacursus, entitled “Against the Heretics,” refer to the Nazarenes, who were also called “Pasagini.” Bonacursus wrote:

“Let those who are not yet acquainted with them, please note how perverse their belief and doctrine are. First, they teach that we should obey the Law of Moses according to the letter - the Sabbath, and circumcision, and the legal precepts still being in force. Furthermore, to increase their error, they condemn and reject all the Church Fathers, and the whole Roman Church.”

2. Pauline (Roman) Christianity: A term used to refer a branch of Early Christianity associated with the beliefs and doctrines espoused by Paul the Apostle through his writings. Paul’s writings and teachings are radically different from the original teachings of Jesus documented in the canonical gospels, early Acts and the rest of the New Testament, such as the Epistle of James.

Proponents of the perceived Pauline distinctive include Marcion of Sinope, the 2nd century theologian who asserted that Paul was the only apostle who had rightly understood the new message of salvation as delivered by Christ. Opponents of the same era include the Ebionites and Nazarenes, who rejected Paul for teaching against the Law.

The doctrine of ’saved by faith’ found in the writings of Paul is radically different from that found elsewhere in the New Testament, nonetheless his influence came to predominate.

Paul’s supporters, as a distinct group, had an undue influence on the formation of the canon of scripture, and certain bishops, especially the Bishop of Rome, influenced the debates by which the dogmatic formulations known as the Creeds came to be produced, thus ensuring a Pauline interpretation of the gospel. The thesis is founded on the differences between the views of Paul and the church in Jerusalem revealed in his letters, and also between the picture of Paul in the Acts of the Apostles and his own writings, such that the essential Jewish or Old Testament character of the faith is said to have been lost. It has arguably been given impetus by the growth in importance of Evangelical Christianity, most especially in the United States, which rely very much on certain of Paul’s writings, in particular the Epistle to the Romans.

The theological aspect is the claim that Paul transmuted Jesus the Jewish Messiah into the universal (in a wider meaning “catholic”) Saviour.

Christianity today is based more on the doctrine of Paul than it is on the doctrine of Christ.

My origianal question was… Do I Need To Go To Church To Be A Christian…?

Well… Considering the history of the Pauline Roman Church…

- The Dark Ages

The period from 426 A.D. to 1628 A.D. is called the “Dark Ages.”

With the establishment of the new Catholic temporal power a bloody persecution began. Loyal, New Testament churches, by whatever name they were called, were hunted and hounded to the utmost limit by this new Catholic power.

The now established Catholic Church began a war of extermination upon all who opposed her.

It is reliably reported that 50,000,000 died of persecution during the Dark Ages.

During the bloody times of persecution, as Catholicism tried to exterminate the true churches, many of the false doctrines of the Catholic church of today began to take place.

- The Inquisition 1198-1700

The Inquisition was instituted by Pope Innocent lII and perfected under Pope Gregory IX. It was a “Church Court” established by the popes for the trying and punishing of “heretics” … a heretic being anyone who did not agree with Roman Catholicism. The lnquisition lasted for 500 years and was a time of indescribable horror.

- Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was a Pauline Christian. You will find it in Mein Kampf.- “Therefore, I am convinced that I am acting as the agent of our Creator. By fighting off the Jews, I am doing the Lord’s work.”

Hitler said it again at a Nazi Christmas celebration in 1926: “Christ was the greatest early fighter in the battle against the world enemy, the Jews . . . The work that Christ started but could not finish, I–Adolf Hitler–will conclude.”

In a Reichstag speech in 1938, Hitler again echoed the religious origins of his crusade. “I believe today that I am acting in the sense of the Almighty Creator. By warding off the Jews, I am fighting for the Lord’s work. ”

Hitler regarded himself as a Catholic until he died. “I am now as before a Catholic and will always remain so,” he told Gerhard Engel, one of his generals, in 1941.

There was really no reason for Hitler to doubt his good standing as a Catholic. The Catholic press In Germany was eager to curry his favor, and the princes of the Catholic Church never asked for his excommunication. Religions encourage their followers to hold authority in unquestioning respect; this is what makes devout religionists such wonderful dupes for dictators.

Historically, all modern forms of Christianity stem from the Pauline Roman Catholicism.

Given the church track record I would have to say that we would do well to heed the voice from heaven that John heard in revelation 18:
4And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

My advice…? Just stick to the teachings of Christ… And you can’t go wrong.

This article presented by OnlineChurch.com.au, a place for those who desire to be a true disciple of Christ. Visit http://www.onlinechurch.com.au to find likeminded friends and discuss and discover the True Gospel of Yehoshua The Christ.