These Are The Facts

By Winkie Pratney

God Loves You

He made you. He knows how you feel. He understands all your problems. He knowsyourbackground. He knows your name.

And God loves you and wants you to have the best for your life. Everything God does, He does out of love.

His love is not just a good feeling about His Universe, but an unselfish choice to will our highest good. “Herein is love; not the we loved God, but that He loves US and sent His Son to be the way through which we could be forgiven and come back to Him.”

Sin Has Come Between You and God

Sin is really selfishness; a “me first” attitude of heart and life. It is denying God’s right to be God in your life. It is breaking His laws, and scorning His guidelines for happiness.

It is putting yourself first, above everyone else; living first of all to serve and please you instead of God, and refusing to treat all others according to their rightful place and value in the Universe.

“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world; and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil...”
”All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

God Hates Sin Because It Costs So Much

Sin is the cause of all the heartache in our world. God didn't plan sin. He never plans unhappiness. He wants man to be happy and free. Sin is the reason why there is pain, misery, and death in our land. Sin enslaves us to our feelings instead of allowing us to do what is right and reasonable. Sin makes us feel guilty and afraid and alone.

Sin is the most expensive thing in the Universe.
It cost God His only Son.
It cost Jesus Christ His life.

God, who must be just, can never allow sin to go unpunished, or the universe would begin to collapse in evil. When God's infinitely important law of love for happiness is broken, the lawbreaker must pay the penalty. A law without a penalty is only advice. The penalty must be as important as the law it is designed to protect. For such a terribly important law as God's law, that was made to direct and protect His intelligent, moral creatures, God set a penalty as high as possible; endless death. Separation forever from His Universe and all the rights and privileges of living and growing in it through eternity. "The soul that sins shall die... The wages of sin is death."

You, As A Sinner, Deserve To Be Punished

You know that deep inside. By rights, you should pay the penalty of your sin. You knew what was right, but did not do it. You have made a mess of your life. If you are really honest, you know you have no excuses to make. Nothing you could say to God could possibly justify the choices you have made to please yourself.

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of law... for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified... If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His Word is not in us."

But -

In His great love and wisdom, God found a way to forgive you, and still be just . . .

If -

. . . you are willing to meet his conditions.

The Lord Jesus humbled Himself and became man. He lived a perfect life and never broke His Father's law of love. He offered His own perfect life as a sacrifice to provide a substitute for the penalty of your sin. His death on the cross shows at once how much God loves you and how much He hates your sin. You can choose one of two things: pay the penalty for your sin or resolve to turn your back on the past and give your life to God, letting the Lord Jesus be your substitute. God cannot forgive you unless you are willing to stop fighting Him and make Him your Boss. His Holy Spirit makes you willing to change, and He draws you now by His love. He wants to help you make a life-changing decision, now! Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no man comes to the Father but by Me." "He that trusts his life wholly to the Son is experiencing eternal life; he that does not believe on the Son of God shall not see life; but the anger of God abides on him."

SALVATION is God's plan to restore man to a holy, happy relationship with Him. All problems of sin, doubt, failure, and lack of victory in God's power can be conquered by the following steps:

1. Rethink...

Stop running away from the Voice of God and look at your life. We do not naturally want to obey God; only if we let the Holy Spirit show us our sin as GOD sees it will we realize just how bad we have been.

To do this, you MUST be TOTALLY HONEST!

Don't pretend.

Don't "play down" your sin.

Stop making excuses!

Admit it from your heart! "God, I am all wrong!"

If necessary, get paper and pencil and WRITE DOWN the things that have come between you and God, and stopped you from serving Him as you ought.

2. Repent...

Turn your back on your old way of life. Be WILLING to lose any habit, any plan, any friend that you have been living your life for instead of God. This is not easy, but Jesus said if we want to follow Him, we must first count the cost. (Luke 14:25-33) Salvation is like a marriage. Two people promise themselves to each other, pledge their love to each other before a watching world, and give up all their old dates. This is what God wants you to do to know His love.

3. Renounce...

Give up all rights to your own life. If you are going to be a part of God's world-changing family, you cannot be your own boss any longer. You must die to your own plans, dreams and ambitions, and be willing to do whatever God wants you to do. He knows exactly what will make you the most happy. It may hurt to surrender everything at first, but God knows best, and will never ask you to do anything that you will regret in the end. A true Christian has nothing of his own. Time, talents, money, possessions, friends, career, and future; all must be surrendered for his King's service wherever and whenever He wants them.

4. Replan...

Be prepared to make many changes in your life! The very moment you make this heart-choice for God, the old "you" will die, and a new person inside you will begin to live. If the Holy Spirit is speaking to you about getting something right with someone, you must be willing to do it, before God can help you. Wherever you need to confess wrong, or restore or repay something to someone, the Lord Jesus will give you the courage and the words to say. Becoming a Christian implies the willingness, as far as is humanly possible, to right all known wrong. (Prov. 28:13) If you have written out a list of things that have come between you and God, ask His forgiveness now for those against Him. Plan to make right all others with the people you know you have wronged, and feel guilty about. The circle of confession must fit the circle of committal of sin. Those against God, confess only to Him; those against one person, to that person alone; those against a group, to the group. (See Spiritual Checkup)

5. Receive...

The Lord Jesus Christ by faith, (a loyalty of love to the Word of God), to rule in your heart as King. He must be your absolute "Boss" from now on! This act of faith is neither an "idea" or a mere "feeling" but an act, a choice of your will, made intelligently and carefully. Give Him your doubts, your weakness, and your loneliness. Your heart will never have peace, your doubts will never clear up, you will never die to the world until you trust, surrender, believe from your heart! Be totally honest with Him. Receive Christ into your life as your Lord and Master to live for Him from this moment on, forever. (Rom. 10:9-10)

Ready?

THERE IS NO TIME LIKE NOW...

GOD HAS DONE EVERYTHING HE CAN FOR YOU...

THE NEXT MOVE MUST BE YOURS!!!

Are you willing to trust His love? Will you choose His life, or turn your back on His love and choose a future without Christ, without hope and without an end? Will you be very honest with Him right now? Talk to God before the touch of His Holy Spirit lifts off your life.Tell Him in your own words something like this:

"God, I'm sorry I've been selfish and rebellious so long. I'm sick of my old life and I want to change. Please forgive my sin, and give me the power to live my life from this moment on for You. I give you my heart; take over everything I have and am, and be my Lord and King. Amen."

Welcome To the Family!

If you have surrendered your life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, you have entered an exciting new world. Things should be different, life will be fresh and new. If God has really taken the throne of your heart, the following things will grow in your life:

1. Desire For Scripture"

Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God." A true Christian wants to find out what God asks him to do in His Word. The Bible is spiritual food, a weapon to defeat the devil, and a manual for daily living. (Job 23:12; Jer. 15:16; Deut. 6:5-7; Rom. 10:17; 1 Pet. 2:2) Make a solemn vow to God that you will spend a certain time or read a certain number of chapters in His Word. Read Ecc. 5:46; God will take you at your word with any promise you make to Him. Then decide sensibly how much time you can afford to give your King time to train you every day. If you read 10 chapters a day, you can finish the Bible right through once every 18 weeks. Read 5 chapters of Psalms, one chapter of Proverbs each day and you will finish both books once a month. Five minutes a day of reading will take you through the Bible in less than a year. Decide on a time or a number of chapters; make your vow and STICK TO IT!

2. Difference Of Standards"

If any man be in Christ, he is a NEW CREATION; old things have passed away; behold, all things are become new." A real Christian is different in habits, actions and purpose; in word, thought and standards. No person is a real Christian who is not trying to live like his Lord!Becoming a Christian is like learning to drive on the other side of the road. You must be careful for a while until you learn to think and act BY HABIT in this new way. It will take time and discipline to develop the right habit patterns. BEWARE of the crisis! In times of stress and sudden temptation, you may be tempted to return to the old way of life, especially if habits from the past have been deeply rooted in your mind. But "There is no temptation taken you but such as is COMMON to man; but GOD IS FAITHFUL Who will not allow you to be tempted above that which you are able; but will WITH THE TEMPTATION also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it." (1 Cor. 10:13; Gal. 6:15-16; Eph. 4:20-24;Phil. 3:7;1 Pet. 1:13-16; 1 Jn. 3:1-3)

3. Discipline Of Self"

But the fruit of the Spirit is Love, Joy, Peace, Gentleness, Long-suffering, Goodness, Meekness, Faith, SELF-CONTROL..."A child of God begins to discipline old areas of self-indulgence. Food, drink, in both quantity and quality, harmful stimulants, showy dressing and living, late nights and mornings, all come under the searchlight of the Holy Spirit for control and discipline. Your life will show constant changes for the better every day, as God shows you things needing revision. He is easy to please, but hard to satisfy! He wants your life as clean and efficient as the Lord Jesus Himself. "Every man that has this hope in him, purifies himself even as HE is pure." (I John 3:3; Matt. 16:24; Luke 3:11; I Cor. 9:25-27; John 15;2; Gal. 5:22-23; I Cor. 10:13; I John 4;17)

4. Despised By Society

Jesus said: "Because you are not of this world, the world will hate you...if they have persecuted Me, they shall persecute you." A real Christian will have trouble from those who pretend not to understand his new life, or from lukewarm church members who are backslidden in heart and whose halfhearted lives are exposed by his radiant witness. A true Christian is a sane person in a madly selfish, morally insane world. The Christian is the only person who truly lives an intelligent, balanced life; his light shows up others' moral darkness, exposing their sin. Under the constant rebuke of such light, selfish men can only react in one of three ways; run from it; try to destroy it, or surrender to it and give their lives to God. Make no mistake; if you will live for God, you can expect trouble from the world around you. "All that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution...Blessed are you, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake; rejoice, and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in Heaven." (Matt. 5:10-12; 2 Tim. 2;12; Jn. 15:18-21; Rom. 8:18;12:20-21; I Pet. 2;20-21)

5. Seeks Other Christians

By THIS shall all men know that you are My disciples; if you have LOVE one toward another." God's love is to unselfishly choose the HIGHEST GOOD; of Him, as King first, then of all His creatures and His creation, according to their relative scale of values in the Universe. True love is not just a feeling, but a CHOICE; sometimes it will be hard, but it will always by right and always be the best thing to do. Love is an ACTION; love without action is no love at all.Find a true church, with true faith. That and only that which saves FROM (not IN!) sin and exalts (loves, talks about a lot) the Savior, the Lord Jesus, is true faith; ALL ELSE is false religion, and will slowly destroy your newfound joy and love in Christ Jesus. Just as live coals stay aflame in the fire, so spending time with others on fire for God will help keep you aflame for Christ. Go where you feel at home, where people love you, and work with them for the Lord Jesus. Be willing to break off with any friends who try to drag you back to the world. Your aim is to be like Jesus. The world is filled with phonies. Keep your eyes on Jesus as your Example. Never lower your standards to try to "fit in" with others, whether they claim to be Christians or not. You cannot please Christ and the world too. (Rom. 15:5-6; Acts 2:42; Eph. 3:17-19;Heb. 10:25; I Pet. 1:22; 1 Jn. 1:2,7;3:14;7:7-13)

6. Serves the Lord

"For me to live is CHRIST, and to die is gain!" said the Apostle Paul, a mighty love-slave of Jesus Christ the Lord. A true Christian IS a witness. Everything he does counts for God - or against Him! The task of world evangelism is not just for the minister or preacher; the Lord Jesus gives it to EACH of His disciples as his or her LIFEWORK. We are responsible for the souls of men and women, boys and girls, who pass into eternity around us every day. Whatever our job or living is, whether we preach, pray, write, design, build, trade or travel, labor with our hands, keep house or state - EVERY THING WE DO must tell OF and For the Lord Jesus and His Kingdom. You must consecrate all you have and are to this task, and ask God for His promised power to carry out the work. Jesus said - "You shall receive POWER after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and you shall BE WITNESSES unto Me, both in Jerusalem and all Judea and in Samaria." At home, in the immediate neighborhood and among the outcasts of society and "unto the UTTERMOST PART OF THE EARTH." (To every nation and tongue that God opens the door for you to reach) EVERY Christian is a missionary; EVERY unsaved person is a mission-FIELD. Your friend may cross the world; you may cross the street; but all of us have a call to be missionaries for the Lord Jesus to help Him reach the world. (I Jn. 3:17;1 Pet. 2:2;I Jn. 3:16-24;2 Cor. 9:6-7;Acts 1:8;Phil. 1:21; Matt. 10:32;25:29;Jn. 14:12)

7. Sticks To the Task

God hasn't planned cycles of constant sin and repentance for ANY of His disciples! You are not infallible, but neither are you EXPECTED to go back into sin. God has promised to keep you safe and protected from all outer dangers; the world, the flesh and the Devil have no power over you as long as you stay close to the Lord Jesus; but KEEP GOING ON WITH HIM! (Luke 9:62)A true Christian is determined to stay true to God. The express teaching of the Bible is to live a life of HABITUAL victory over sin out of love to God. (Matt. 5:13-18; 7:12-27; Mk. 12:28-34; Jn. 15:8-14; Rom. 13:9-11; 1 Jn. 3:3-11) No other life is truly Christian. All of us will be faced with temptation, weakness and possible failure. But by God's grace we can habitually overcome. Nowhere in the Bible is forgiveness automatic as long as sin is persisted in. A lot of lukewarm, halfhearted church members are going to get shocks on the Day of Judgment! STICK TO IT - God will help you! "This ONE THING I do - forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forwards for the things yet to come, I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:13-14; 1 Jn. 1-4;Ps 37:23-24; Rom. 6:1-14; 2 Pet. 1:1-10;John 5:37,39)

Knowing God's Will

By Winkie Pratney

"How can I know the will of God?" If you haven't asked this question openly or secretly you are probably not a Christian.

Walk through the halls of time and you will see the men of God who changed history. Look at them carefully. They were not special men. You will not often find the naturally gifted among their ranks. But all had one thing in common - they knew and did the will of God in their generation, and God did a work through them to shape the course of history. Those that God used in the past were just ordinary people with an extraordinary Master. They were not all champions of great faith, but little people who saw their own need, and put their small faith in a great God. The driving force in their lives was the sure conviction that God had called them to His work - and that as long as they were faithful to that call, He would work with them and through them against impossible odds to victory. They KNEW His will! Living in His purpose, they could be natural and let Him be supernatural.

Scripture Is a record of common people who found the will of God. Jacob met an angel Joseph with his multi-colored coat had a dream. Paul saw a blinding light. Samuel heard a voice. John had a vision. God is wholly involved with us as human beings! He spoke to men then, and He has not changed. At every point of history, He waits to show the way.

God is looking for willing hearts - those who whole-heartedly decide to do the will of God. (II Chron.16:9) You can know God's will! God has no favorites. You do not have to be special, but you have to be available. You do not have to be clever, but you must be willing to learn from Him. You do not have to be talented, but you must be willing to obey whatever He commands. You do not have to possess much, but you must give everything you have.

Has the "will of God" been a mystery to you? Have you longed to know what He wants for you, but somehow never found the way? Then read on. If you will faithfully apply these Biblical principles of guidance to your life, you can know the voice of God and do His will as surely as any man or woman of God that ever lived.

GOAL AND PLAN

God's will for your life is a GOAL, not a blue-print. His one ultimate goal, or purpose, is for you to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus. God's goal NEVER changes. A goal is the point you are trying to get to - it sets your direction. While on your way to this ultimate goal, you will encounter many smaller goals and purposes along the way.

Guidance is a lifelong process. God will reveal goals, help you reach them, then set new, higher ones. Therefore, knowing God's will for your life is a continued discovery of the present most effective plan to help you eventually reach (through a series of sub-stages) His ultimate goal for you. Should you miss God and make a wrong decision at one of these sub-stages, all is not lost However, many times there are consequences to pay. Sometimes you may miss an opportunity that may never again come your way... and many times good years that belong to God are simply wasted. But the moment our self-dependence or mistakes are confessed to God, and His pardon obtained, He will take you where you are at and work with you, daily pointing out the best course to take in order for you to reach His ultimate goal for you - to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus.

CONDITIONS

You cannot expect to hear from God until you are fulfilling these essential conditions for knowing His will. Check your life against these before you ask for guidance:

1. A DESIRE TO KNOW AND DO ALL THE WILL OF GOD. Don't ASK for guidance unless you are prepared to ACT on it! God is always willing to make His purpose known. If you "cannot" find an answer, it may be that you have some secret reservation in your heart. God will not show you His will if you are merely considering doing it. Unless you are prepared to trust His wisdom and love, and DO what He shows you, don't ask Him. Many say they can't get God's guidance, when they really mean they wish He would show them an easier way. God promises to show us only if we are ready to act on His revelation. (John 7:17)

2. BE A LOVE-SLAVE. God guides the meek, or those with yielded wills. If we have unyielded rights or stubborn wills, we cannot expect His guidance. A love-slave lives to serve, not be served. He owns nothing of power, possessions, or personal rights. He has no plans of his own that are not subject to the command of his Master. God does not guide those who want to run their own life. He only guides those who admit their need of His direction and rely on His wisdom. (Matt. 10:24,37-39; Phil.2:58; Psalm 25:9)

3. A WILLINGNESS TO BE COUNTED A FOOL. Doing God's will often conflicts with what's going on in our surrounding selfish world. Some Christians don't really do anything for the Lord, excusing themselves by saying they are "not sure of God's will." We need not always expect a voice from the sky when the path of service is clear. God gave us common sense, and He expects us to use it. Most of the time, His will makes sense to our reason and intelligence. God's will is usually an area of general direction, within which He leaves us relatively free to work for Him. (Proverbs 6:20-22,11:3) However, sometimes His direction cuts across all human reason, and even goes totally contrary to it! When the inner voice of God speaks clearly, obedience may be counted as madness in the eyes of the world. But if you are willing to be God's fool, then you will see His power. (Matt.11:25; Acts26:24-25; Mark 3:21; 1 Cor. 3:18-20)

4. A CLEAN CONSCIENCE FROM THE PAST. Guidance will always be hindered or misunderstood if there are still sinful things in your life that God has urged you to get right. How can He show you more if you have not obeyed the things He has already shown you?(Luke16:10) Every time you kneel to pray, the finger of His Spirit will point back to that thing He wants you to get right. A clear conscience is absolutely essential for distinguishing between the voice of God and the voice of the enemy. Unconfessed sin is a prime reason why many do not know God's will. It is the "pure in heart" who will see Him. (Matt. 5:8,23-24; Psalm 24:3-6)

5. REGULAR TIME OF PRAYER AND READING THE WORD OF GOD. God's will is expressly revealed in His Word. It is indeed a foolish and inexcusable thing to neglect the Scriptures if you have access to them. Bible study shows us what God expects in daily living. No guidance will ever go against Scriptural principle. Prayer teaches us by experience what the presence of God is like, and how His voice sounds. Many do not recognize the call of God simply because they have never taken the time to really talk with Him long enough to know what He is like. It is not enough to know about Him - you must know HIM! (Proverbs 6:23; Isaiah 58:9-11; John 17:3)

METHODS

God speaks and has spoken in many different ways. Guidance breaks down into three basic categories - personal, corporeal, and supernatural. Study the following examples in Scripture.

I. PERSONAL (Individual Direct Guidance)

1. THE WORD OF GOD - The Holy Scriptures, the foundation of all guidance.
. Regular Bible Reading - The "jigsaw" principle. You fill in a portion of a "puzzle" each time you read a section of the Bible. A key piece fitted in will suddenly reveal a whole picture.

A. Regular Bible Reading - The "jigsaw" principle. You fill in a portion of a "puzzle" each time you read a section of the Bible. A key piece fitted in will suddenly reveal a whole picture.

B. Open Page Method - Definitely not to be abused! Ask God in faith to guide you to the right Scripture for your need. Open the Bible, trusting Him to speak to you from it.

C. Mental Suggestion - In prayer God will sometimes bring to mind a verse, a chapter, or a book of the Bible. Turn to the place and begin to read until God speaks to you.

D. Recalled Memory Verse - Often, during a time of temptation or difficulty, God will bring to your mind a verse of Scripture that will give clear instruction. It is to your benefit to know and memorize parts of the Word of God. (Psalm 119:9-11,15-16, 33-35, 65-68, 97-l05; Proverbs 2:1-20, 3:1-6, 4:1-13; II Tim.3:14-17)

2. THE WITNESS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - An inner voice known by all true children of God.

The Holy Spirit is able to "check" you inside as to whether or not something is of God. You must NEVER act on a doubtful impression, especially if it is accompanied by haste. God leads, not pushes! Rushed urgings are usually of the enemy. There is never a feeling of worry or fear with the voice of the Good Shepherd. His Voice is gentle, familiar-sounding, loving, and leaves you with a sense of spiritual uplift and rejoicing, never fright (John10:3-5,14-16,27-28) Test all of your spiritual leadings by the Word of God, especially whenever you feel a sense of uneasiness or fear. (Rom. 8:14-16; John 14:16-17; 1 John 2:27, 4:1-3,13; Col.1:9-11)

3. WAITING ON GOD - Listening to Him in prayer and getting to know His voice.

God has three answers in guidance - (1)"Yes" (2) "No" and (3) "Wait". We cannot have a demanding attitude towards God. Sometimes there must be delays. Our lives are bound up with others, and many times God has to wait until they are ready (or until we are), before giving us the go-ahead. "Wait" is the most difficult of all answers, but sometimes it's the most necessary. Here is the test of a love-slave.(Psalm 62:1,5, 33:20, 25:5, 27:14, 40:1, 130:5, 37:7; Isaiah 40:31, 49:23; Hosea 12:6; 1 Chron.28:9)

II. CORPOREAL (Other Christians)

Although God greatly desires to speak to each of us personally, He also likes to use other members of the Body of Christ to pass on needed pieces of the "puzzle" to us. This helps teach us gratitude for His work in the lives of others, and the needed lesson that none of us are a law or light to ourselves. We can learn a lot from other Christians, although in the end, we are responsible to no one but Him.

1. GODLY MEN AND WOMEN - The advice of experienced Christians sought as confirmation.

Counsel from those who are known to have a pure and trustworthy walk with God is often of great value when seeking further light on some major decision. This counsel should be more in the area of principles, not pronouncements. Carefully concerned and loving suggestions aren't necessarily final or direct statements from the Lord. True godly counsel will of course always line up with the Word of God and Scriptural principles.(Proverbs 15:22, 12:15, 13:10, 11:14, 24:6; 1 Thess.2:11-15)

2. GOD'S SERVANTS IN THE MINISTRY - Preaching under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes God will use a message or sermon anointed by the Holy Spirit to bring needed light when you are facing a difficult decision. Perhaps the word you need to help give you direction is waiting for you at the next meeting! (Exodus 4:10-12; 1 Samuel 3:10-21, Isaiah 6:8-9; Rom.10:14-15; I Cor. 2:1-2; 1 Pet. 4:11)

3. THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - In line with previous leadings from the Lord and the Word of God.

Scripture records incidents where God has confirmed direction through such gifts in His Body as prophesy, words of knowledge, and words of wisdom. Study their function in Scripture. Such words are simply spiritual parallels to individual godly counsel and preached messages, and should not be looked on with more authority than any of the other means the Lord chooses to use. Never act solely on a "word" given to you by another.
Remember, the key is individual responsibility for our own actions, and it is you that must make the final decision, and not someone else for you. (Rom. 12:6-8; I Cor. 12:1-12, 27-31, 14:12,26-33,39-40; Eph. 4:8-11; II Tim.1:6)

III. SUPERNATURAL

The instances of "supernatural" guidance, or special Divine Intervention in our lives are more rarely recorded. These cases are rare, but not because there are only a few who ever reach the "exalted height" of such direct contact. In fact, God may sometimes choose to act in this way because those on the receiving end are so spiritually insensitive and dull that they might otherwise never hear or understand! Although it is not wise to generalize principles from such occasional interventions, it is certainly clear through Scripture and history that men and women have received authentic direction from such Divine channels of contact

1. THE AUDIBLE VOICE OF GOD. God can and has spoken to people audibly. I know a very trustworthy person who became a Christian as a result of God answering his prayer for help in this way. He described the voice like this: "Like everyone I had ever loved in my life all rolled up into one, like someone I had known all my life, yet I knew I had never met" As in the case of Saul and the crowd that witnessed the Lord's baptism, it is apparently a real sound and not just a mental impression. Examples: Samuel (I Samuel 3:1-10); Elijah (I Kings19:9-13); Saul (Acts 9:1-7); the Lord Jesus and the multitude (John 12:2730).

2. VISIONS AND DREAMS. The early Church gave much more attention to this subject than do most Christians today. A dream is like a spiritual TV commercial - short, easy to understand, and given at the time when our whole attention is undistracted. Visions, on the other hand, are superimposed over the normal visual reality around us, and do not have to happen when we are asleep. If you believe that God may be trying to speak to you in this way, prayerfully consider the details of your dream or vision, remembering that they may represent symbols or principles - not necessarily absolutes. And finally, talk it over with a trusted and mature friend in Christ. Both dreams and visions, when inspired by the Holy Spirit, can be powerful means by which God speaks to His people. Examples: Peter (Acts10:9-16); Isaiah (Isaiah 6:1-8); Daniel (Daniel 8:1-27, 7:1-28,10:1-9); John (Rev. 1-20); Elihu (Job 33:14-18); Joseph (Matt. 1:19-21).

3. VISITATION. It appears that angels in Scripture do not "guide" in the same way as the Holy Spirit Himself does, but they have been sent to warn believers of danger, as well as provide for their physical needs and safety. They also have made significant announcements, as in the case of Mary. Many believers throughout history have had authentic vision or visitations - and many numbers of Christians have seen either Jesus or ministering angels at their deathbeds. Examples: Abraham (Genesis 18:1-33); Moses (Exodus33:19-23); Joshua (Joshua 5:13-15); Jacob (Genesis 32:24-30); Manoah (Judges 13:2-23); Zacherias(Luke 1:8-20); Mary (Luke 1:26-38).

A WORD OF WARNING before we leave this area. Young Christians can easily become fascinated with the "special cases," and exalt these above the more simple and ordinary daily ways God uses to speak to us. To deliberately seek or glorify any form of guidance Is an outright invitation to spiritual deception, We are not to seek or specify how God should speak, but only seek Him in any way that He wishes to make Himself known. And as previously mentioned, for God to have to use such methods is no guarantee at all of our superior spiritually - it may instead be an indication of spiritual Immaturity.

STEPS

The following method of receiving guidance combines most guidance principles into three basic steps:

1. GIVE UP YOUR OWN DESIRES. Take your own desires to God in prayer and place them aside for the Lord to crucify. In prayer, give your desires to Him, and ask Him to give you His desires. Tell Him that you are willing to "die" to the things you want most to do, in order to do the things He has for you.

2. RESIST THE DEVIL. Be on guard against the tactics of the enemy, and the temptations that may come your way. Each child of God has been given power over sin through Christ. Standing in His authority, drive back the enemy's voice. As Jesus did in the wilderness, you can quote an appropriate Scripture, and like the thrust of a sword, it will force the enemy to retreat. Do it simply and clearly, trusting that the power of Christ will back you up. (Proverbs 18:10; Eph.1:17-23; James 4:5-10; I John 3:78; I Pet.5:6-9)

3. LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF GOD.

The Lord wants to speak to you - He doesn't want to hide or make you play guessing games. If you have fulfilled His conditions, the lines of communication between you are open. Ask God to show you, in faith, expecting Him to answer. Look for an immediate, definite impression. Do what He tells you to do. If nothing comes immediately - thank God for His answer of "wait". Be faithful to what the Lord has shown you, and patient as you wait for further guidance. If you are being tempted, cry out to the Lord, for it is through Him that you will find your strength to stand firm in righteousness.

YOUR MOVE

Ahead of you is a generation that desperately needs a voice of authority. Men are tired of the constant failure of human wisdom - what they need most of all is to hear from Heaven. Can you be His vessel to proclaim "Thus saith the Lord!" to a lost and dying world? Dare YOU be guided by God? Will you accept the challenge to hear HIs voice and do His will?

Mistakes In the Bible

By Winkie Pratney

The Bible is full of mistakes.

The first mistake was when Eve doubted the Word of God.
The second happened when her husband did, too.
And mistake after mistake is still being made because people insist on doubting God.s Word

The Bible is full of contradictions.

It contradicts pride and prejudice
It contradicts lust and lawlessness
It contradicts sin, yours and mine

The Bible is filled with failures.

Because it is the record of people who failed many times.
There was Adam
There was Cain
There was Moses
There was David and many, many others
But it is also the record of God.s never-failing love

God did not write the Bible.

For people who want to play games with words
For those who like to examine good without doing it
For the man who does not believe because he does not want to

Modern man has discarded the teachings of the Bible.

For the same reasons other men have discarded it throughout history.
Woeful ignorance as to its true message and content
Determined apathy in refusing to consider its claims
Parroted pseudo-scholarship posing as honest criticism
Secret conviction that this Book is right and men are wrong

It is clear that only an ignoramus or prejudiced person would believe it.

Teaches outmoded, irrational, unreasonable and archaic principles
Is filled with hopeless discrepancies and unacceptable statements
Could only be the undirected, irrelevant, uninspired and unaided work of mere men

The Bible is, after all, only just another religious book.

For thousands who do not dare be honest with themselves and God
For those who are afraid to accept God.s challenge to an honest examination
For those unwilling to look, in case it tells them what they are really like inside

And you cannot understand or trust what the bible says.

Unless you are willing to consider the evidence and face up to the Author.

THE HOLY BIBLE: Wholly True

- By Winkie Pratney

The Bible isn't like any other book that's ever been written. The claims of the Bible are unlike any other book - it's not a human book! God called His Word living. But unless you have a rock-solid commitment to truth, the Bible won't change your life - it will only be so many words in a sea of words.

Many of the Eastern thought forms use Scripture. They use it to capture people's hearts. That's because the Bible is so powerful you can't ignore it. God has built life into His Word, and all of the strong cults rip it off. They steal bites out of the Bible and use it They use the truth of it to try, to justify the lies they tell. Just the fact that pieces taken out of context are powerful enough to draw men's hearts should tell you what the whole Word, used under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, can do!

Some Credentials

Here are some facts that will be valuable for anyone with an open heart. Now, you don't have to throw your mind away in order to believe these facts, but if you don't want to believe, nothing will convince you. Mark Twain said, "It's not the things I don't understand in the Bible that bother me, it's the things I do understand!" This accurate insight exposes the real reason most people are afraid to study the Scriptures. They're afraid they might meet the Author, and they know they're not ready to do that...

So what are this book's credentials? I could say to you, "I've just written a book and it's the Word of God. It's a great book... took me a whole year to write it." And you would have every right to say, "Prove it!" In the various world religions, there are 30 or 40 books, each one claiming to be a superior revelation. Jesus said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away." (Matt. 24:35)

The Bible doesn't attempt to defend its inspiration. You won't find any verse that says, "This book is really true, so you better believe it!!" But here is an interesting thing: Genesis opens with the words, "God said" nine times in the first chapter. The statement, "Thus says the Lord" appears 23 times in the last Old Testament book Malachi. So you have "God says" from Genesis to Malachi. "The Lord spoke" appears 560 times in the first five books of the Bible and at least 3800 times in the whole of the Old Testament! Isaiah claims at least 40 times that his message came directly from the Lord; Ezekiel, 60 times; and Jeremiah, 100 times! And the Lord Jesus quoted from at least 24 different Old Testament books - that's right, He just quoted.

In the mid-1700s Voltaire, one of the most influential writers of his day, held a copy of the Bible in his hand and stated that within 100 years from his time, Christianity would be swept from existence and would pass into history. What's hilarious is that merely 50 years after his death, the Geneva Bible Society used his house and press to print and distribute stacks of Bibles! They even made his house their headquarters! God has an incredible sense of humor!

Could You Write The Bible?

Say you were going to write a book, and this was how you had to write it: For a start find 40 different writers - totally different writers. Get some who are highly educated, even doctors - then get some farmers. Go dig a guy off a ranch somewhere and say, "I'd like you to help me write a book." Then find some fishermen. Go down to the wharf and find a couple of guys from San Francisco and say, "Hey! listen help me write a book." And they say, "Sure, fine... we'll help you." And then you get all of them to write on the following things: religion, poetry, ethics, science, philosophy, the creation of the universe and where it's going - and ask them to throw in a few things about where they think it will all end.

Next, you need to collect all that information, and then... oh, by the way, you have to separate these people so they can't communicate by phone or telegraph... only possibly word of mouth, passed down over the years. Ah yes, years... you collect all this stuff over about one and a half thousand years, and compile the whole thing in one book. What would you have? I know what you'd have - you'd have the most motley junk you've ever seen in your life, with people totally contradicting each other! I suggest you take a biology textbook from 60 years ago, and compare it with one today. And that's just 60 years! But that's not what you have when you read your Bible. The more you read this book, the more you see the incredible unity of it. Because the more you get into it, the more incredibly detailed it is, and you find there are not 40 people who wrote it, but One Person.

The Bible: Your Science Book

The Bible is scientifically accurate. The God of the Bible is the God who created the universe. True science and Scripture will always agree - they both have the same Author! No statement in the Scriptures is scientifically incorrect. Science can tabulate the "what," analyze the "how," and probe for the "why," but it can't tell us the "where from," nor the reason for which the universe exists. It can't say who you are or why you are here. It can tell us what we're able to do, but not what we ought to do.

At the same time the Bible was written, people thought the world was fiat and held up by three elephants. Big elephants. Someone asked, "What holds the world up?" Another said, "Three elephants." Then someone ventured to ask, "And what holds up the elephants??" Someone answered, "A big tortoise." And so the early sciences grew.

Now, listen to what God said. Remember, this wasn't written in the last hundred years, or even the last thousand. This comes from over 2500 years ago... "Have you not known? Have you not heard? ... Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is He that sits upon the circle of the earth." (Isaiah 40:21-22) The word "circle" is the word "sphere" in Hebrew. Also, "He stretches out the north over empty space, and hangs the earth on nothing." (Job 26:7) Well, so much for elephants!

There are many other astounding scientific facts in Scripture, presented centuries before it became part of man's "knowledge."

Argument Melts Down

"But the day of the Lord will come like a thief in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up." (II Pet. 3:10) This very verse was used nearly a century ago to prove that the Bible couldn't have been divinely inspired because, "How could there be a fire big enough to burn the whole world? Silly fisherman!" It took over two more generations for science to catch up to what God had spoken through Peter, that an atomic reaction could actually melt the basic building blocks of matter itself. God was prophesying how the world would end.

In fact, two verses later we find these words, "...the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!" (vs. 12) Do you know what the word "destroy" is? It's a Greek word that literally means to untie. That's an atomic physics statement from a fisherman! These and countless other examples show us how the Lord has hidden unsurpassed knowledge and wisdom in His Word.

Lots Of Lucky Guesses?

If there's one thing the Bible dares to do, that no other book in the world does, it's to accurately predict the future. God can arrange the situations and circumstances of history to bring about patterns laid down before the foundation of the world. The outline of many of these patterns is revealed in the Bible.

There are about 3,856 verses directly or indirectly concerned with prophecy in Scripture - about one verse in six tells of future events! God's challenge to the world is "Prove Me now - I am the Lord... I will speak, and the word that I speak shall come to pass." (See Jer. 28:9; Ezek. 12:25, 24:14) Buddhists, Confucianists, and Muslims have their own sacred writings, but in them the element of prophecy is obviously absent. The destruction of Tyre, the invasion of Jerusalem, the fall of Babylon and Rome - each were accurately predicted in the Bible and fulfilled to the smallest details.

In the brief life of Jesus alone we see over 300 fulfilled prophecies. The odds that these would all coincide by accident in one person are laughable. By the laws of chance, the conservative odds of even just 48 of those prophecies being fulfilled by one man are one in 10157. (That's 1 followed by 157 zeros!!!) Let me try to give you an idea of how immense this number is.

We'll take a very small object, let's say an electron. (Electrons are so small that if you lined them up, it would take 2½ quadrillion of them to equal one inch.) Now let's go back to our figure of 10157. If you tried to put this many electrons into a big pile, it would be 10,000,000,000 times lager than the universe as we know it - which scientists calculate to be 6,000,000,000 light-years across. (A light-year is the distance that light will travel in one year, moving at the speed of 186,000 miles per second.)

Now, take just one electron out and color it red. Stir it back into this pile for a hundred thousand years with all the others. Then blindfold a man and send him in to pick it out - first time! Impossible? These would be the same odds that one man would live and die according to only 48 of the prophecies about the Messiah, if it were only an accident. The Scriptures specifically predict events and happenings that are as modern as tomorrow's news release.

No Other Conclusion

You can put any test you like on this book and nothing is even in the same category, not even in the same class. It's not just a book - it is God who has spoken in history, and that's why He says that His word is "living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword"! (Heb. 4:12) Only the 66 books of the Scriptures bear this divine seal. No other work of man in any language even faintly resembles the intricate structure and design of the Bible. The fact remains - only an infinite mind could have devised this Book of books.

The Bible is a book with a universal message for all men. It's the only volume that a child and scholar may find equal delight in. Its simple, life-related principles can work in any country, transcending barriers of culture and race to bring peace, love, joy, and forgiveness. Only the Bible can make bad men good inside, transforming the rebel into the saint.

The greatest proof of the Bible is the difference its message can make in your life. If you haven't done so - will you ask God the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of His power to your heart through its pages? But pray honestly, "God, I don't know if this is Your Word or not, but if it is and You can help me, please show Yourself to me as I read," and God will meet you in a living demonstration of His reality.