Sunday, May 18, 2014

The Discernment of Spirits

“To another discerning of spirits” (1 Cor. 12:10). There is a vast difference between natural discernment and spiritual. When it comes to natural discernment you will find many people loaded with it, and they can see so many faults in others. To such the words of Christ in the sixth chapter of Luke surely apply, “Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” If you want to manifest natural discernment, focus the same on yourself for at least twelve months and you will see so many faults in yourself that you will never want to fuss about the faults of another. In the sixth of Isaiah we read of the prophet being in the presence of God and he found that even his lips were unclean and everything was unclean. But praise God, there is the same live coal for us today, the baptism of fire, the perfecting of the heart, the purifying of the mind, the regeneration of the spirit. How important it is that the fire of God shall touch our tongues.

In 1 John 4:1 we are told, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.” We are further told, “And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” From time to time as I have seen a person under the power of evil, or having a fit, I have said to the power of evil, or Satanic force that is within the possessed person, “Did Jesus Christ come in the flesh?” and straightway they have answered, “No.” They either say, “No,” or hold their tongues, refusing altogether to acknowledge that the Lord Jesus Christ came in the flesh. It is then, remembering that further statement of John’s, “Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world,” that you can in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ deal with the evil powers and command them to come out. We as Pentecostal people must know the tactics of the evil one and must be able to displace and dislodge him from his position.

I was preaching in Doncaster, England, at one time on the line of faith and a number of people were delivered. There was a man present who was greatly interested and moved by what he saw. He was suffering himself with a stiff knee and had yards and yards of flannel wound around it. After he got home he said to his wife, “I have taken in Wigglesworth’s message and now I am going to act on it and get deliverance. Wife, I want you to be the audience.” He took hold of his knee and said, “Come out, you devil, in the name of Jesus.” Then he said, “It is all right, wife.” He took the yards and yards of flannel off and found he was all right without the bandage. The next night he went to the little Primitive Methodist Church where he worshiped. There were a lot of young people who were in bad plight there and Jack had a tremendous business delivering his friends through the name of Jesus. He had been given to see that a great many ills to which flesh is heir are nothing else but the operation of the enemy, but his faith had risen and he saw that in the name of Jesus there was a power that was more than a match for the enemy.

I arrived one night at Gottenberg in Sweden and was asked to hold a meeting there. In the midst of the meeting a man fell full length in the doorway. The evil spirit drew him down, manifesting itself and disturbing the whole meeting. I rushed to the door and laid hold of this man and cried out to the evil spirit within him, “Come out, you devil! In the name of Jesus we cast you out as an evil spirit.” I lifted him up and said, “Stand on your feet and walk in the name of Jesus.” I don’t know whether anybody in the meeting understood me except the interpreter, but the devils knew what I said. I talked in English but these devils in Sweden cleared out. A similar thing happened in Christiania.

The devil will endeavor to fascinate through the eyes and through the mind. At one time there was brought to me a beautiful young woman who had been fascinated with some preacher, and just because he had not given her satisfaction on the line of courtship and marriage, the devil took advantage and made her fanatical and mad. They brought her 250 miles in that condition. She had previously received the Baptism in the Spirit. You ask, “Is there any place for the enemy in one that has been baptized in the Holy Ghost?” Our only safety is in going on with God and in constantly being filled with the Holy Ghost. You must not forget Demas. He must have been baptized with the Holy Ghost for he appears to have been a right-hand worker with Paul, but the enemy got him to the place where he loved this present world and he dropped off. When they brought this young woman to me the evil power was immediately discerned and immediately I cast the thing out in the name of Jesus. It was a great joy to present her before all the people in her right mind again
.
There is a life of perfect deliverance, and this is where God wants you to be. If I find my peace is disturbed on any line, I know it is the enemy who is trying to work. How do I know this? Because the Lord has promised to keep your mind in perfect peace when it is stayed on Him. Paul tells us to present our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service; the Holy Spirit breathes through him, “And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” He further tells us in Phil. 4, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things.” As we think about that which is pure, we become pure. As we think about that which is holy, w e become holy. And as we think about our Lord Jesus Christ, we become like Him. We are changed into the likeness of the object on which our gaze is, fixed.

To discern spirits we must dwell with Him who is holy, and He will give the revelation and unveil the mask of Satanic power on all lines. In Australia I went to one place where there were disrupted and broken homes. The people were so deluded by the evil power of Satan that men had left their wives, and wives had left their husbands, and had gotten into spiritual affinity with one another. That is the devil ! May God deliver us from such evils in these days. There is no one better than the companion God has given you. I have seen so many broken hearts and so many homes that have been wrecked. We need a real revelation of these evil seducing spirits which come in and fascinate by the eye and destroy lives, and bring the work of God into disrepute. But there is always flesh behind it. It is never clean; it is unholy, impure, Satanic, devilish, and hell is behind it. If the enemy comes in to tempt you on any line like this, I beseech you to look instantly to the Lord Jesus. He can deliver you from any such Satanic power. You must be separated on all lines if you are going to have faith.

The Holy Ghost will give us this gift of discerning of spirits if we desire it so that we may perceive by revelation this evil power which comes in to destroy. We can reach out and get this unction of the Spirit that will reveal these things unto us.

You will have people come to meetings who are spiritists. You must be able to deal with spiritist conditions. You can so deal with them that they will not have any power in the meetings. If you ever have Theosophists or Christian Scientists, you must be able to discern them and settle them. Never play with them; always clear them out. They are better with their own company always, unless they are willing to be delivered from the delusion they are in. Remember the warning of the Lord Jesus, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”

Before Satan can bring his evil spirits there has to be an open door. Hear what the Scriptures say
“That wicked one toucheth him not” (1 John 5:18).

“The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: He shall preserve thy soul” (Psa. 121:7). How does Satan get an opening? When the saint ceases to seek after holiness, purity, righteousness, truth; when he ceases to pray, stops reading the Word and gives way to carnal appetites, then it is that Satan comes. So often sickness comes as a result of disobedience. David said, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray.” Seek the Lord and He will sanctify every thought, every act, till your whole being is ablaze with holy purity and your one desire will be for Him who has created you in holiness. Oh, this holiness! Can we be made pure? We can. Every inbred sin must go. God can cleanse away every evil thought. Can we have a hatred for sin and a love for righteousness? Yes, God will create within thee a pure heart. He will take away the stony heart out of the flesh. He will sprinkle thee with clean water and thou shalt be cleansed from all thy filthiness. When will He do it? When you seek Him for such inward purity.

By: Smith Wigglesworth

Keys to Discernment

Four Keys to Discernment by Andrew Strom

Some people say that simply knowing the Scriptures is the best key to discernment. But this is not always the case. The Scribes and Pharisees were extremely learned in the Scriptures and yet they missed the very Messiah that was prophesied! So knowing the Bible is good, but it is not the sole key to discernment.
Some of the most basic keys to discernment that God has shown me are as follows:

(1) Know your HOLY GOD intimately. (-When you have seen His glory, His holiness and His love - by drawing close to Him in prayer - then you can usually see through any "counterfeits" because you know the 'real thing' so well).

(2) Be a "lover of truth". This is very crucial. Are you someone who will actually stand up for TRUTH - even against the crowd? Or do you remain silent even when you feel something is very wrong?

(3) Humility. (-For where pride is on display, deception is sure to follow).

(4) The 'inner witness' of the Holy Spirit. We must learn to NEVER over-ride this "still small voice", as it will save us from deception again and again. (-More on this below).

Did you know that even an unbeliever can often spot a 'con-man' or a snake-oil salesman? They get a kind-of "gut feeling" about such things. And they are often right! In fact, they are often less gullible than the Christians! (-Because we are told in the church- "Do not judge", 'Touch not the Lord's anointed', "You have a critical spirit if you do not join in", etc, etc. This is the very reason why Christians are often the most gullible and easily deceived). We need to realize that the Bible says to "Test the spirits" and warns very strongly that the Last Days will be a time of "seducing spirits" and great deception. So how can we become more alert to these things?

I believe that God has placed within every human being at least a measure of an inner "warning system" to protect us from being easily deceived - just as He has given us all a conscience. It is something that He has built into every one of us, in His mercy.

But what I have found again and again with people who give themselves over to some form of deception is that they often "override" these alarm bells. They go against their 'better judgement'. They ignore the little voice deep inside them that is telling them that there is something wrong. Christians do this all the time. That is how they get themselves involved in such foolish deceptions.

This may all sound very obvious, but I am telling you, this one basic area alone could wipe out half the deception in the church right now. If only people would listen to these internal 'alarm bells' and act with common sense, half of it would be gone overnight.

The Bible is very clear that the Last Days are a time of such widespread deception that it would "deceive if possible the very elect". It also shows that much of this deception will arise from WITHIN the church - luring believers with "itching ears". Do we see evidence of this kind of thing taking place today? Certainly! In fact, some of it is at a level that is truly shocking. And yet it is all accepted as perfectly "normal" by many Christians.

One of the problems, of course, is that those who bring in these deceptions are 'trusted' by the congregation. They have a reputation and they put across some very convincing-sounding arguments and surround the whole thing with Biblical terminology. And thus the deception is harder to spot. (After all, if it were not "deceptive" then it would not be called 'deception'!) People see spiritual power operating and assume that it "must be God". But this is a very dangerous assumption to make in these days.

As I said in a previous article, there is also a lot of "peer pressure" involved as well. For if everyone in the church is getting into something, then shouldn't you just ignore those little 'alarm bells' and jump right in? This is what is happening all the time in the church right now. And some preachers are very good at making people feel that they are 'hindering the Spirit' if they do not get involved.

So how do you avoid being deceived in this way?

Very simply, you do not go along to these meetings in a "gullible" frame of mind. And you do not allow yourself to be carried along with the crowd. You listen carefully to the preaching and make sure that it truly is Biblical. Then you watch the ministry happening down the front of the meeting and discern whether it really is of God or not. You do not "override" any feelings of unease or any 'alarm bells' going off inside you. And you do not allow yourself to be swayed by 'peer pressure'. Even if the whole church is getting into something, it does not mean that you have to. If you do not feel quite "right" about it then DO NOT GET INVOLVED. If you need to, make some excuse and get out of there! You do not have to get involved in things that do not feel spiritually "right" to you.

A lot of people today will go down the front to get something "imparted" to them by almost every visiting speaker - almost as a matter of course. I tell you, in today's climate this can be a very dangerous thing to do. In fact, some of this 'impartation' business has very flimsy backing in Scripture. Who knows what on earth these preachers are imparting? And who knows where they picked it up? I tell you, deceiving spirits are commonplace today, and I believe they are being imparted to Christians on a large scale.

Let me give you an example. I received the following account from a preacher in England recently:

"There were about 20 fellow ministers all gathered together in one large room at a local minister's house. We were introduced to the special guest... The next 3 hours were the weirdest three hours I have ever had to endure, we started listening to [her] testimony which seemed very powerful, next she spoke of the times that she meets with the Angel Gabriel and other spiritual beings, next we moved on to portals between this world and the next and then finally to how she was going to open up a portal to Heaven in the room that we were all in. Now things started to happen, really crazy things and strange noises... As [she] moved around the room ministering to individual people they were crashing to the ground, bouncing up and down, running around as if on fire and making all sorts of sounds. When she came to me she had no prophetic words for me and nothing happened to me so she just moved on. My Vineyard friend was the first to crash to the floor. Since that day his church has taken on a different guise, it is not the same church any more."

Now, you should know that this 'guest speaker' was one of the very people I mentioned in my second article on "WHY I LEFT THE PROPHETIC MOVEMENT". I believe that this is a true account, because it is very similar to what I myself observed happening under that same ministry. In fact, what I saw was people making involuntary "bat"-like movements all over the building and an eery 'wailing' noise filling the air. It was truly awful.

Now, it should not surprise us that there are strong deceptions or "powerful delusions" around today, for this is exactly what the Scriptures predict will happen. All the way through the New Testament we are warned of these days - over and over again.

However, one of the problems we have is that God actually does 'strange and unusual' things Himself. (-Especially in Revivals). So we cannot simply throw out everything "unusual". Angelic visitations DO HAPPEN. Strange prophetic signs DO OCCUR. And being a strong Charismatic Christian myself, I expect to see believers speaking in tongues and moving in the gifts of the Holy Spirit as well. Now, there is no doubt that many of these things could be termed 'unusual' phenomena. So how do we tell the difference?

Well, God never goes against His own holy character. Or against Scripture. And as I often say, we may see Him do 'unusual' things but I believe we need to draw the line at "weird" or 'ugly'. Some of the deception that is around right now has a 'touchy-feely' New Age sense about it. Remember that the New Age movement majors on "inner healing" and unusual spiritual experiences. I do not believe in 'guided visualisation' or anything of that kind. And neither am I very fond of the writings of Catholic mystics or the like.

However, I have personally found it very helpful to immerse myself in the writings of past Revivalists and the accounts of great moves of God. A lot of the men and women involved in these Revivals lived very close to God and knew Him intimately. They knew His holiness, they knew His glory, and they knew His love. And it is enormously helpful to one's discernment to immerse oneself in these writings, I have found. I would recommend this to all Christians everywhere.

If you have been touched or involved in any way with manifestations or experiences that you think may not have been from God, then I urge you to utterly RENOUNCE (with your mouth, but also from the depths of your heart and soul) any links or involvement with that experience or 'anointing'. Please do not put this off, my friends. Some of this stuff is extremely dangerous. RENOUNCE IT today.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

The clergy given credit by other professionals

Psychiatrists and Psychologists

Now Say: "We have much to learn

from clergy."

"As recently as the 1990's, not even psychologists were focused on issues such as forgiveness, and these days, 'forgiveness is one of the hottest areas of psychological research.'"
Jeffrey Weiss/TN (September 5 2007)
(Dallas)—A new paper published this week in the Journal of Psychiatric Services, indicates that according to a national survey of physicians taken in 2003, patients who mention to their doctor that they might be depressed could be influenced by the religious beliefs of their doctor.

Doctors were asked on the survey about whom they would refer someone to who was still deeply grieving two months after the death of a spouse. Their options were: a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a clergy member or religious counselor, a health-care chaplain, or other.

According to the report in the Dallas Morning News, Protestant doctors were more likely to choose one of the religious options than any other religious group; the less religious the doctor, the more likely the choice would be a psychiatrist or psychologist.

Dr. Gary Barnes, associate professor of Biblical counseling at Dallas Theological Seminary and a licensed psychologist, said patients should take a lesson from the results, and make sure that their doctors know what is important to them—including spiritually.

As recently as the 1990's, says Barnes, not even psychologists were focused on issues such as forgiveness, and these days, "forgiveness is one of the hottest areas of psychological research."
He is quoted as saying that "sometimes, the distinction between mental disorder and a spiritual crisis is not obvious" and that "we have much to learn from clergy."

Dr. Don Hafer, a neuropsychologist and clinical therapist coordinator for Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas, agrees that doctors should make it a standard practice to ask their patients questions about their faith and beliefs.

Dr. Farr Curlin, the University of Chicago doctor who was the lead researcher of the study, hopes the results of his study will prompt doctors to "consider their own biases a bit more when considering treatment options."

Source: Dallas Morning News

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Signs of the times

Overcoming the devil

Satan's 12 Step Program

Whether you believe that evil has a logical path is not what is being suggested here. But… Satan is the Father of all evil and....

HE MUST BEGIN WITH A LIE. You must believe a lie to tell a lie.(Knowing the truth-Jesus, the Word, living the truth, faith in the truth, working by love, and discernment must start here, if you know Jesus and want to be armed for victory. IF you are not armed, you will be deceived). You have no alternative, but the world, the flesh, the devil, if you walk away from God and choose defeat.
GOD HAS A PLAN FOR YOU TO WIN!

THE WAY OF THE CROSS IS KEY! Die daily, take up your cross and follow Christ. This is the truth path for the "overcomer."

Satan's only strategy is to KILL, STEAL, AND DESTROY. We bring our vulnerabilities, (different from our weaknesses), weaknesses, limitations and also our strengths into every situation. It is what we do with them that determines if we are overcome, or WE ARE THE OVERCOMER.

Discontentment and emptiness in the USA have been labeled contentment and fulfillment. This is a delusion of reality which allows Satan to operate almost at will, it seems in the life of some believers.

So what's normal? Many who are born-again can no longer answer this question in the American church. Why? They have accepted doctrines of devils, having itching ears, and been allowed to believe a lie. They have been seduced and deceived. Without power in prayer, along with true faith, true agape love and heaven sent discernment in these last days, many will accept a counterfeit church, a counterfeit revival, a counterfeit life, counterfeit relationships, counterfeit blessings, and a counterfeit walk with God, based on lies that begin with Satan.

Antagonism, apathy and passivity have become the norm for a church that is disconnected from the head (Christ), and a church (the Body) that is disconnected from one another. 75% of all Americans say they have only 2 confidants. (This includes those within the church, as well as those outside the church). The average person lives to be 77 years of age, and spends only 7 months of their entire life with God in prayer, or other time with God. How tragic! Is there any wonder Satan defeats people so easily?

SO HOW DOES THE TWELVE STEP PROGRAM OF SATAN WORK?

1-Disguise (Counterfeit) - a lie, an ungodly belief, a generational curse, spirit/soul tie or demonic oppression are at the beginning of the program. "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free (John 8:32). We are also told, "My people perish for lack of knowledge." (Hosea 4:6). If you're kept from the truth, then you are vulnerable to a disguise.

2- Deception…This is his continual pattern. Offer a counterfeit, seduce, to be sly as a fox, as in the Garden of Eden, and appear to be truthful. Adolph Hitler said, "The bigger the lie, the more that will believe it." History has proven that statement to be true. Satan counts on a lack of discernment, a lack of knowledge and a lack of wisdom among those called to be "wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." If you weren't valuable to God and a threat to evil, Satan wouldn't waste his time on you. But...he does roam to and from throughout the earth, seeking whom he may devour.

3-Disappointment...no matter how little, Satan wants to build your disappointment inventory, hoping to get you to focus on your failures, and others who have failed you. The more he can chip away at your faith, hope, love, and victorious Christian living, the less encouraged you will be. He doesn't want you to share encouragement with others, so his goal becomes finding anything, and everything, anybody and everybody to disappoint you. Building this tower to the point it reaches discouragement is what wants to do. This world will never offer anything but temporary pleasure. It will always disappoint you. There are many dead-end streets. That's where Satan wants you to travel. When a pattern or cycle of disappointment comes, Satan's goal is to take you to a place beyond disguise, deception and disappointment.

4-Discouragement-Although things don't always go right as we see them; Satan wants you to think God is not for you. (Jeremiah 29:11) says different. If Satan can get you to believe "I can't," even though Philippians 4:13 says you "can," and also get you to believe God "won't" when Philippians 4:19 says God "will," then Satan's goal is to cut you off from your source of encouragement and strength.

5-Displeasure-Satan just generally wants to be unhappy. He wants you to find fault with everything around you, and everybody around you. The world does not center around you and me. "Happy" is the man who obeys the commandments of God, Scripture tells us this. Don't seek to derive pleasure from this world. It lasts only a few moments before the emptiness sets in. Unsaved people will always disappoint you. Never expect from man, what only God can give.

6-Distraction and entanglement-(Think of a spider's web). Satan wants you confused, stepping out of the will of God, tantalized by what looks like Godly opportunities, but they are really traps. Satan wants you off the gospel road, and on "rabbit trails" so you lose your way. The Bible says "the steps of a good man are ordered of the Lord." God's order is confirmed through His peace, His stillness and His rest. Satan wants things to "get in your way" to prevent you from prayer, fasting, fellowship, growth, evangelism and maintaining an eternal perspective.

7-Detour-A good sign you're on the right track, is when you feel Satan tempting you to "get off track." We must persevere, and stand during those times. Know what the blueprint is. Look at it often. The Father will always "lead you down the paths of righteousness" for His name's sake. Satan always wants you to take "the easy way" out. God will never detour you from obedience unto Himself. The detour leads to your downfall. No matter how it looks, or feels, God will never in His infinite wisdom, detour you, or mislead you. He confirms the truth of your path through His word and through His Spirit.

8-Displacement-Moving you into another area that you shouldn't be walking in will completely upset the plans of God temporarily. Usually a temptation that looked "Godly" led to this and you submitted. It wasn't God; I assure you. You’re completely where you don't need to be. You will remain "stuck" there apart from the power of the Holy Spirit to deliver you. Avoid relationships of any kind, at any time that will displace you.

9-Discontentment-Satan does not want you to experience the joy of the Lord which is your strength. At this point, you're starting to feel like giving up. Church and the body of Christ you avoid. The Word has lost its power for the moment in your life. Nothing "fresh" is happening. You're miserable. You feel abandoned by God during this time. Maybe you feel alone or lonely. Where did God go, you might ask? Maybe you feel forsaken. Satan wants you at a point of total discontentment so that you will be totally disillusioned about church, God, the Word and Christians, and Satan wants you to stop praying. He knows if He can get you to this point, he can cut off your "supply line" as occurs in the military, as a strategy to defeat the enemy. We are the enemy of Satan. He is our enemy.

10-Disgusted-Satan likes to weaken your resistance to evil, and for you to reduce your attacks against evil by using failure and other factors to minimize your efforts. Wearing you down by multiple attacks, particularly "getting hit with everything at once" is one of his favorite schemes. Completely overwhelming the saint is what Satan is frequently doing in these last days. You’re not alone. Ask for help from those you trust, who trust in God so they may share your struggles. Seek Godly counsel. God has a breakthrough right around the corner.

11-Disillusionment-You've failed so much you're ready to give up, so you stop looking to God, others, and you don't have faith or confidence in yourself. You are almost backslidden, if not there. You are living in defeat. You're miserable. You are powerless. You are ready to "hang it up." Life has lost its meaning. Nothing is working. There is nothing but the world, the flesh and the devil to draw from. Emptiness fills your life. Remember...this all began with a disguise: A COUNTERFEIT OFFER ---- A LIE!

12-Despair-disease-hopelessness, severe depression, being at wits end…all may have set in, which LEAD TO DEATH. That was the enemy's plan all along: Destroy your mind, your emotions, your body, your finances, your relationship with God, your family and others, wreck your job, create unusual trials and circumstances through continually weakening you, draining you of your resources, day after day, until you can not overcome. You are powerless. You need deliverance. Most likely you are up against principalities. You will need help to get out of this "pit." Deliverance is the only thing that will work. Some who have tasted of the fruit of heaven do not return to God, and even go as far as to commit suicide.

** Pray, fast, repent, confront the enemy and tear down the strongholds. These are 5 strategic answers to always defeat the devil. If we are to do greater things than Jesus, we were meant to have as many or more victories. Otherwise, we are all stepping into one of these 12 steps that lead to death at some point along the journey. We don't have to take this journey. Victory in Christ Jesus is ours.

Questions to ask about Christian obedience

Am I obedient?

If I am obeying God, it will be in every way possible by faith.

If I am obeying God, is it based on what His word says, that I can comprehend, understand,

and having received life, light, conviction and purpose in, as prompted by His Holy Spirit?

Have I submitted my mind to God? All of it?

Am I obeying God with my time? Do I waste time or does God order my time?

Is my heart freely given to God? All of it?

Am I obeying God by surrendering my will to receive His will? (Romans 12:1-2)

Am I obeying God in all of his designated relationships?

Do I confess to God all that stands between Him and me or do I walk in partial fellowship?

Do I obey God with my financial giving?

Do I love my neighbor as myself?

Do I obey God with my spiritual eyes and see things the way God sees them? Do I let God direct me in all my visual activity in the natural? Do I see in the natural and in the spiritual only what I’m suppose to see, or do I see too much or too little?

Do I hear what I’m supposed to hear? If not why?

Domestic Violence is Intolerable

Statistics on Domestic Violence

Criminal domestic violence statistics vary depending upon the person/company or group collecting the information. Police statistics will not be the same as local shelters, due to the fact that many victims choose not to report their victimization. College campus's may not define domestic violence to include dating situations, so their statistics will be skewed accordingly. Therefore we suggest that you take these variables into consideration when you are reviewing statistical facts about domestic violence.

Domestic Violence

One in every four women will experience domestic violence in her lifetime.

It is estimated that 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year.

Females who are 20-24 years of age are at the greatest risk for intimate partner violence.

95% of men who physically abuse their partners also psychologically abuse them.

Women who earn 65% or more of their households' income are more likely to be psychologically abused.

Domestic Violence and Pregnancy

Researchers estimate that approximately 8% of the female population are subjected to physical violence during their pregnancy.

Up to 70% of women who are abused before pregnancy continue to be abused throughout their pregnancy.

Physical violence tends to intensify after the abuser learns of the pregnancy.

Dating Violence/Teen Violence

13% of teenage girls who are hurt in a relationship report being physically hit or hurt.

54% of all rape cases occur before victims reach 18 years of age.

Almost one in five teenage girls report that their boyfriend threatened violence or self-harm when presented with a break-up.

One in four teen girls who are in a relationship report being pressured into performing oral sex or engaging in sexual intercourse.

One in five teens in a serious relationship reports having been hit, slapped or pushed by a partner.

A study of 8th and 9th graders found that 25% have been victims of nonsexual dating violence, and 8% have been victims of sexual dating violence.

26% of teen girls in a relationship report enduring repeated verbal abuse.

Over 30% of teenagers do not share with anyone the abuse that has occurred by their partner - less than 3% report the violence to police or another authority figure and only 3% tell a family member about the abuse.

Sexual Assault and Stalking

One in six women and one in thirty-three men have experienced an attempted or completed rape.

Nearly 7.8 million women have been raped by an intimate partner at some point in their lives.

One in twelve women and one in forty-five men will be stalked in their lifetime.

More than one million women and nearly half a million men are stalked each year.

78% of stalking victims are females and 87% of the perpetrators are male.

On average, stalking continues for 1.8 years; 2.2 years if the stalking involves intimate partners.

Every 2.5 minutes someone in the US is sexually assaulted.

62% of sexual assaults are not reported to the police.

Marital rape accounts for 24% of all rapes, affecting over 75,000 women each year.

Between 10% and 14% of married women will be raped at some point during their marriages.

81% of women stalked by a current or former intimate partner are also physically assaulted by that partner; 31% are also sexually assaulted by that partner.

Domestic Violence and Disabilities

Women with disabilities have a 40% greater risk of violence, especially severe violence, than women without disabilities.

Studies estimate that 80% of disabled women have been sexually assaulted.

Women with disabilities are three times more likely to be sexually assaulted than women without disabilities.

Economic Impact of Domestic Violence

Intimate partner violence exceeds $5.8 billion each year, $4.1 billion of which is for direct medical and mental health services.

Victims of intimate partner violence lost almost 8 million days of paid work as a result of the violence perpetrated against them by current or former abusers. This loss is equivalent to more than 32,000 full-time jobs and almost 5.6 million days of household productivity because of the violence.

There are 16,800 homicides and 2.2 million (medically treated) injuries due to intimate partner violence annually, which costs $37 billion.

Between 35% and 56% of victims of intimate partner violence are harassed at work by their abusers.

Over 1.75 million workdays are lost as a result of domestic violence each year.

Domestic violence results in $3 to $5 billion lost annually in absenteeism, decreased productivity, and health and safety costs.

Many domestic violence victims report that they have lost a job due to domestic violence.

Reporting Rates

Approximately one-quarter of all physical assaults, one-fifth of all rapes, and one-half of all stalkings perpetrated against females by intimate partners are reported to police.

Pets and Domestic Violence

71% of pet owners entering domestic violence shelters report that their abuser had threatened, injured or killed family pets.

On study found that 87% of batterer-perpetrated incidents of pet abuse are committed in the presence of their partners for the purpose of control or revenge.

Studies show that up to 76% of the batterer-perpetrated pet abuse incidents occur in the presence of children.

Local Battered Women's Shelter Statistics

Statistics for the Summit and Medina County Battered Women's Shelter are published annually in the agency newsletters.

Sources of these statistics

PRIMARY SOURCE

National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (2008), Retrieved September 8, 2008 from www.ncadv.org. 1.800.799.7233

SECONDARY SOURCES

Ascione, F.R., Weber, C.V. & Wood, D.S. (1997). The abuse of animals and domestic violence: A national survey of shelters for women who are battered. Society & Animals 5(3), 205-218.

Brownbridge, Douglas. (2006) "Partner Violence Against Women With Disabilities: Prevalence, Risk and Explanations." Violence Against Women. (12)9.

Catalano, S.M. (2005) National Crime Victimization Survey, U.S. Department of Justice.

Children Now, Kaiser Permanente Poll, December 1995.

Christian Molidor, et. Al., Gender and Contextual Factors in Adolescent Dating Violence, February 2000.

Costs of Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in the United States. 2003. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Centers for Injury Prevention and Control. Atlanta, GA.

Foshee, V.A. et al. The Safe Dates Project: Theoretical Basis, Evaluation Design, and Selected Baseline Findings. Youth Violence Prevention: Description and baseline data from 13 evaluation projects (K. Powell, D. Hawkins, Eds.). American Journal of Preventive Medicine, Supplement, 1996, 12 (5), 39-47

Gazmararian J., et al. (1996) "Prevalence of Violence Against Pregnant Women." Journal of the American Medical Association. 275 (24).

Hayes, H.R., and Emshoff, J.G. (1993) "Substance Abuse and Family Violence." Issues in Children's and Families' Lives. 7: 281-310.

Henning, K. & Klesges, L.M. (2003). Prevalence and Characteristics of Psychological Abuse Reported by Court-Involved Battered Women. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 18(8), 857-871.

Kaukinen, C. (2004). Status Compatibility, Physical Violence, and Emotional Abuse in Intimate Relationships. Journal of Marriage and Family. 66:452-471.

Liz Claiborne Inc. "Study On Teen Dating Violence." Teenage Research Unlimited, www.loveisnotabuse.com. (February 2005)

Lockyer, B., & O'Connell, J. (2004). A preventable epidemic: Teen dating violence and its impact on school safety and academic achievement. California Attorney General's Office and the California Department of Education.

Moore, M. (1999). "Reproductive Health and Intimate Partner Violence." Family Planning Perspective. 21(6)

National Center For Policy Analysis. Crime and Punishment in America: 1999

No More Factsheet, Liz Claiborne Inc., www.loveisnotabuse.com.
Protection and Advocacy, Inc. (2003) "Abuse and Neglect of Adults with Developmental Disabilities: A Public Health Priority for the State of California."

Quinlisk, J.A. (1999). Animal Abuse and Family Violence. In, Ascione, F.R. Arkow, P., eds.: Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Animal Abuse: Linking the Circles of Compassion for Prevention and Intervention. West Lafayette, In: Purdue University Pres, pp. 168-175.

Salamone, Nancy. Domestic Violence - The Power of Financial Self-Sufficiency. Turning the Corner.http://www.turningthecorner.org/articles/dv_rhepoweroffinancialselfsufficiency.htm

Teen Dating Violence Resource Manual, (Denver, National Coalition Against Domestic Violence) 1997. p 17.

Tjaden, Patricia & Thoennes, Nancy. National Institute of Justice and the Centers of Disease and Control and Prevention, "Extent, Nature and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey," (2000)

Tjaden, Patricia & Thoennes, Nancy. (1998). "Stalking In America." National Institute For Justice.

Understanding the Effects of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking on Housing and the Workplace. New York: Legal Momentum, 2007. http://legalmomentum.org/legalmomentum/files/statistics.pdf

U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Intimate Partner Violence in the United States," December 2006.

U.S. Department of Justice, "Prevalence, Incidence, and Consequences of Violence Against Women," November 1998.

U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, "Family Violence Statistics," June 2005.

Developed by WhiteSpace Creative, CreateAthon® 2008 www.whitespace-creative.com

Spiritual Gifts: How many are there?

Spiritual Gifts

Question: Is there a biblical spiritual gifts list?

Answer: There are actually three biblical lists of the “gifts of the Spirit,” also known as spiritual gifts. The three main passages describing the spiritual gifts are Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; and 1 Corinthians 12:28. The spiritual gifts identified in Romans 12 are prophesying, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy. The list in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 includes the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues. The list in 1 Corinthians 12:28 includes healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. A brief description of each gift follows:

Prophecy – The Greek word translated “prophesying” or “prophecy” in both passages properly means to “speak forth” or declare the divine will, to interpret the purposes of God, or to make known in any way the truth of God which is designed to influence people. The idea of telling the future was added sometime in the Middle Ages and is in direct contradiction to other scriptural passages that condemn such fortune-telling or predicting the future (Acts 16:16-18).

Serving – Also referred to as “ministering,” the Greek word diakonian, from which we get the English “deacon,” means service of any kind, the broad application of practical help to those in need.

Teaching – This gift involves the analysis and proclamation of the Word of God, explaining the meaning, context and application to the hearer’s life. The gifted teacher is one who has the unique ability to clearly instruct and communicate knowledge, specifically the doctrines of the faith.

Encouraging – Also called “exhortation,” this gift is evident in those who consistently call upon others to heed and follow God’s truth, which may involve correction or building others up by strengthening weak faith or comforting in trials.

Giving – Gifted givers are those who joyfully share what they have with others, whether it is financial, material, or the giving of personal time and attention. The giver is concerned for the needs of others and seeks opportunities to share goods, money and time with them as needs arise.

Leadership – The gifted leader is one who rules, presides over or has the management of other people in the church. The word literally means “guide” and carries with it the idea of one who steers a ship. One with the gift of leadership rules with wisdom and grace and exhibits the fruit of the Spirit in his life as he leads by example.

Mercy – Closely linked with the gift of encouragement, the gift of mercy is obvious in those who are compassionate toward others who are in distress, showing sympathy and sensitivity coupled with a desire and the resources to lessen their suffering in a kind and cheerful manner.

Word of wisdom – The fact that this gift is described as the “word” of wisdom indicates that it is

one of the speaking gifts. This gift describes someone who can understand and speak forth biblical truth in such a way as to skillfully apply it to life situations with all discernment.

Word of knowledge – This is another speaking gift that involves understanding truth with an insight that only comes by revelation from God. Those with the gift of knowledge understand the deep things of God and the mysteries of His Word.

Faith – All believers possess faith in some measure because it is one of the gifts of the Spirit bestowed on all who come to Christ in faith (Galatians 5:22-23). The spiritual gift of faith is exhibited by one with a strong and unshakeable confidence in God, His Word, His promises, and the power of prayer to effect miracles.

Healing – Although God does still heal today, the ability of men to produce miraculous healings belonged to the apostles of the first century church to affirm that their message was from God. Christians today do not have the power to heal the sick or resurrect the dead. If they did, the hospitals and morgues would be full of these “gifted” people emptying beds and coffins everywhere.

Miraculous powers – Also known as the working of miracles, this is another temporary sign gift which involved performing supernatural events that could only be attributed to the power of God (Acts 2:22). This gift was exhibited by Paul (Acts 19:11-12), Peter (Acts 3:6), Stephen (Acts 6:8), and Phillip (Acts 8:6-7), among others.

Distinguishing (discerning) of spirits – Certain individuals possess the unique ability to determine the true message of God from that of the deceiver, Satan, whose methods include purveying deceptive and erroneous doctrine. Jesus said many would come in His name and would deceive many (Matthew 24:4-5), but the gift of discerning spirits is given to the Church to protect it from such as these.

Speaking in tongues – The gift of tongues is one of the temporary “sign gifts” given to the early Church to enable the gospel to be preached throughout the world to all nations and in all known languages. It involved the divine ability to speak in languages previously unknown to the speaker. This gift authenticated the message of the gospel and those who preached it as coming from God. The phrase “diversity of tongues” (KJV) or “different kinds of tongues” (NIV) effectively eliminates the idea of a “personal prayer language” as a spiritual gift.

Interpretation of tongues – A person with the gift of interpreting tongues could understand what a tongues-speaker was saying even though he did not know the language that was being spoken. The tongues interpreter would then communicate the message of the tongues speaker to everyone else, so all could understand.

Helps – Closely related to the gift of mercy is the gift of helps. Those with the gift of helps are those who can aid or render assistance to others in the church with compassion and grace. This has a broad range of possibilities for application. Most importantly, this is the unique ability to

identify those who are struggling with doubt, fears, and other spiritual battles; to move toward those in spiritual need with a kind word, an understanding and compassionate demeanor; and to speak scriptural truth that is both convicting and loving.

Recommended Resources: The Wonderful Spirit-Filled Life by Charles Stanley and Logos Bible Software.

Biblical standards for teachers

Are teachers of the Bible held more accountable than pastors?

James 3:1 & 2, "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check," NIV.

James 3:1 & 2, "Not many [of you] should become teachers [self-constituted censors and reprovers of others], my brothers, for you know that we [teachers] will be judged by a higher standard and with greater severity [than other people].--Thus we assume the greater accountability and the more condemnation," Amplified.

Jesus said, "A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master," Matthew 10:24 & 25.

I conclude, it is God who will hold teachers accountable. When a person becomes aware of false or erroneous teaching, he should pray to God to judge the teacher and correct the mistake. But first, he must make certain that his own biblical comprehension and facts are correct--that he himself is not in error.

Whether or not a person should point out to the teacher that he is in error, is a thing the Holy Spirit must make known. Unless God has specifically made clear to us that we are to speak, when humans interfere with God's capacity as Judge we take that role upon ourselves and inevitably make a worse mess than the one we were trying to fix.

Certainly, every student should test whatever any teacher speaks against the Word and in prayer to make certain that it is correct. Never take any teacher's teaching without testing it this way.

Until that time when we reach perfection, every teacher will make a mistake at some point or another because we are imperfect beings. We will be judged based on whether or not we have presented the truth to the best of our abilities to the fullest capacity of the available light in which we walk.

We are all products of the times in which we live, we cannot help that. Just as, for example, America's founding fathers had grown up with slavery as a fact of life, they weren't able to make the full shift to a world free of slavery, they did their best striving beyond the bounds of the world in which they lived to achieve something better and laid the foundation for an America free of slavery. Without their work, slavery wouldn't have ended. It is a mistake to judge them by the standards from our time; we have to judge them by the light they possessed. And so, we should hope to be judged by how well we walked in the light available to us by future generations.

God's Light is meant to get brighter and brighter as time passes. His church is to become more aware of Him, more able to comprehend His Word and do a better job of presenting Him to the world day by day. Each generation lays the foundation for the next, building the church which exists inside and outside of time as the body of Christ. But even so, until the final transformation, we will be imperfect.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

National Day of Prayer May 1, 2014

The mission of the National Day of Prayer Task Force is to mobilize prayer in America and to encourage personal repentance and righteousness in the culture.

Historical Timeline of the NDP Task Force

The National Day of Prayer is an annual observance held on the first Thursday of May, inviting people of all faiths to pray for the nation. It was created in 1952 by a joint resolution of the United States Congress, and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman. Our Task Force is a privately funded organization whose purpose is to encourage participation on the National Day of Prayer. It exists to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, to create appropriate materials, and to mobilize the Christian community to intercede for America’s leaders and its families. The Task Force represents a Judeo Christian expression of the national observance, based on our understanding that this country was birthed in prayer and in reverence for the God of the Bible.

History of the National Day of Prayer

Fasting and prayer are religious exercises; the enjoining them an act of discipline. Every religious society has a right to determine for itself the time for these exercises, and the objects proper for them, according to their own particular tenets; and right can never be safer than in their hands, where the Constitution has deposited it. – Thomas Jefferson, 1808

Because of the faith of many of our founding fathers, public prayer and national days of prayer have a long-standing and significant history in American tradition. The Supreme Court affirmed the right of state legislatures to open their sessions with prayer in Marsh vs. Chambers (1983)

The National Day of Prayer is a vital part of our heritage. Since the first call to prayer in 1775, when the Continental Congress asked the colonies to pray for wisdom in forming a nation, the call to prayer has continued through our history, including President Lincoln’s proclamation of a day of “humiliation, fasting, and prayer” in 1863. In 1952, a joint resolution by Congress, signed by President Truman, declared an annual national day of prayer. In 1988, the law was amended and signed by President Reagan, permanently setting the day as the first Thursday of every May. Each year, the president signs a proclamation, encouraging all Americans to pray on this day. Last year, all 50 state governors plus the governors of several U.S. territories signed similar proclamations.

Legal Milestones for the Day of Prayer

Significance of the National Day of Prayer

The National Day of Prayer has great significance for us as a nation as it enables us to recall and to teach the way in which our founding fathers sought the wisdom of God when faced with critical decisions. It stands as a call for us to humbly come before God, seeking His guidance for our leaders and His grace upon us as a people. The unanimous passage of the bill establishing the National Day of Prayer as an annual event, signifies that prayer is as important to our nation today as it was in the beginning.

Like Thanksgiving or Christmas, this day has become a national observance placed on all Hallmark calendars and observed annually across the nation and in Washington, D.C. Every year, local, state, and federal observances were held from sunrise in Maine to sunset in Hawaii, uniting Americans from all socio-economic, political and ethnic backgrounds in prayer for our nation. It is estimated that over two million people attended more than 30,000 observances – organized by approximately 40,000 volunteers. At state capitols, county court houses, on the steps of city halls, and in schools, businesses, churches and homes, people stopped their activities and gathered for prayer.

The National Day of Prayer is Ours

The National Day of Prayer belongs to all Americans. It is a day that transcends differences, bringing together citizens from all backgrounds. Mrs. Shirley Dobson, NDP chairman, reminds us: “We have lost many of our freedoms in America because we have been asleep. I feel if we do not become involved and support the annual National Day of Prayer, we could end up forfeiting this freedom, too.”

Historical Summary

1775 – The first Continental Congress called for a National Day of Prayer
1863 – Abraham Lincoln called for such a day.
1952 – Congress established NDP as an annual event by a joint resolution, signed into law by President Truman (82-324)
1988 – The law was amended and signed by President Reagan, designating the NDP as the first Thursday in May (100-307).