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December 2008 Brotherhood of the Sword Newsletter articles

Cabin Fever!

Ever want to just get out and do something you’ve never done before in your entire life? You’re all coupe at home, or working behind a computer all day with no breaks and begin to get restless, impatient, wanting to do something more than just sit around and stare at a wall. We began to entertain ourselves in ways the world wants us to. If you take the story of Noah and begin to imagine everything he felt, like sailing in the ark for a year and ten days with the same people. before God safely landed the ark upon dry ground. You would have to imagine all the noises the animals made, the family and duties that you would tend too to keep comfortable. Noah experienced all of the impatient ness, the same environment over and over day in and day out all because God saw that life on Earth had become evil and defiled, so he wanted to start new and fresh.

Now take it from another perspective. Imagine the tears God shed for the wrong his creation had done. Imagine what shock it must have been for God to see the evil and defiling things the world he created for good was doing. Take our lives for example, when we see the things our children experience in life or the things we’ve done in our life that troubled and worried our parents, we realize that pleasure was far better than the rules. Maybe that’s how God felt when mankind didn’t follow his will and purpose but sought out the evil desires of this world. We can easily translate the different things that happened in the time of Noah and everything he went through. We as humans all falter at some point in our life. Yes, we may become pleasured to take part in what the world offers, but when we do that we must realize that with sin comes regret. Sometimes experiencing "cabin fever" may not be all that bad if approached in the best way. Noah didn’t take to the world instead he followed God and saved his family and himself.

As I was walking to my car one day after work, I began to wonder why we go through life obstacles and disappointments. Questions quickly surface my inner thoughts about life, and death. During the lost of a close loved one, my thoughts race to find an answer to the questions pondering in my mind but coming up with no logical answer. Maybe logical reasoning is not the method to find the answer, maybe just good common sense. What ever path my mind leads me, it leads to a dead end of thoughts and more questions.

Many people today including Christians continue to seek answers to the question "why do people have to die and others continue live." The book of Genesis chapter two first introduces how death came into this world.

And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die." Genesis 2:16-17.

As we look to God’s holy word, if man eats from the tree of knowledge of good and evil death will come into this world. Adam and Eve lived in place where there was no death but eternal life in God’s presence. God gave man a choice not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil but the devil showed up to destroy God’s perfect work.

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?" The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’" "You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman. "For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." Genesis 3:1

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Genesis 3:1-7

The devil spoke through the serpent to Adam and Eve to partake in the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Satan tempted Eve to partake of the forbidden tree by lying and contradicting God’s instruction. Eve obeyed the serpent and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil then sin and death became part of man’s being. John 10:10 reveals how Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy but Jesus came that we my have life.

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full". John 10:10

God sent his son Jesus as the perfect sacrifice for our sin so that we may eat from the tree of life once again. Satan destroys the lives for those who listen to his voice so grasp onto Jesus for he is the giver of life. Let us read what happens to Satan and death.

And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Revelation 20:10 and 14

Satan and death will get there eternal torment day and night for messing with God’s creation and deceiving mankind with his lies and deceptions.

Wet litmus paper has been used to test water-soluble gases; the gas dissolves in the water and the resulting solution colors the litmus paper. Other reactions can cause a color-change to litmus paper; for instance, chlorine gas turns blue litmus paper white – the litmus paper is bleached. To find out if a substance is neutral, a blue and red sheet of litmus paper is needed. When the substance is placed on it, the color should remain same.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could do the same litmus test on our heart daily to know if we are are clean or unclean. We could check to see if we are living according to Gods commandments and ordnances. The litmus test would show black for an unclean heart and white for a heart that is clean from sin. Unfortunately chemistry can’t test the heart of man for spiritual aptitude but our God in heaven knows the heart of man. Psalms 44:21 says "would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart? "

Though we can’t test the hearts with litmus paper we need to live according to God’s word and ask for God’s forgiveness when we do wrong.

Returning to God’s Blessings: (testimony of a changed heart)

As an unsaved young man, with native traditional beliefs and lost in sin. I was very rebellious, rude and disrespectful, never knowing the teachings of Jesus Christ or the message of salvation. Little did I know that I was digging my own grave with alcohol, drugs, and the worshiping of idols.

One winter I became very ill, my aunt at the time was the only Christian in my family who ministered to me about the healing power of God. I refused to listen or attend church. Time passed and my heart began to ponder about the words my aunt spoke about a healing touch. Along the way I had a change of heart.

I remembered sitting in the back of the church feeling scared, nervous, and ashamed. That night I heard music that brought me to tears, a message that pierced my heart, and as service was coming to an end, I asked Jesus Christ into my heart as my personal Lord and Savior.

As a new believer in Christ I was easily tempted, tested, discouraged and tried. When overwhelmed with temptation, I felt embarrassed, and ran from God. I remembered feeling I was at the lowest point in my life, not knowing where to go or who to call, I surrendered to God once again.

While sitting in jail, I began to remember all the wonderful things God had done for me, all he had blessed me with and how with just one drink I threw it all away.

I cried out to Jesus, I asked for forgiveness, and asked to be set free from my addictions. Within a short time, God performed a miracle in my life, the prison bars were swung open, and I was set free. Court accusations were dismissed due to lack of evidence stated in my case.

I remembered leaving the jail house and going straight to the church. Falling to my knees, I thanked God for delivering me from my addictions, and setting me free. I asked God to fix all things for me once again, and at that point I felt I had returned back to God’s blessings and protection.

We are reminded of God’s blessings in the book of "Romans 15:29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ."

November 2008 Brotherhood of the Sword Newsletter articles

Praise elevates us into God’s presence and power…
“Then the multitude rose up together against them; and the magistrates tore off their clothes and commanded them to be beaten with rods. And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” Acts 16:22-26
Paul and Silas knew the secret of how to lift their hearts above their troubles and enter into God’s presence and power. Through praise and worship their hearts were raised into the joyous presence and peace of God, and provided God a channel for his power to operate in their circumstances. The Bible says that God inhabits in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). In other words, God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise. This means that praise is not merely a reaction from coming into His presence - Praise is a vehicle of faith which brings us into the presence and power of God! Praise and worship is the “gate-pass” which allows us to enter the sacredness of His glory. The psalmist writes, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name” (Psalms 100:4).
When God’s people begin to praise His name, it sends the enemy running! I challenge you to become a person of praise, and you will experience the release of the power of God!

Can We Predict Life’s Outcomes? (Testimony)
When I was growing up, I would day dream with my best friend about what we were going to look like or what type of jobs would we be doing. Would it be similar to our parent’s careers or would we try and break away from what our parents have done. Were we going to be wealthy or average? What would our wives look like? Which girl in our community would we end up with? How many children would we have? My best friend and I looked to the future to see what would become of us since we were best friends and did many things together.

When we graduated from high school we began to draw away from each other. But I knew we were still best friends since we knew each others hearts and family. I went to college and pursued my career but wondering where my best friend was and what he was doing.

I wanted to jump start my career so I started working in my local community. I love my career and learned many things along the way. One day I received a call and it was my best friend telling me he lived in Albuquerque, NM. I asked him how he was doing? He was doing fine, He met a girl and was planning to get married. I invited him to go golfing at one of the public courses in Albuquerque. He was looking forward to us meeting and sharing our stories of our lives and all we’ve been doing. One day I had a visitor at my door and it was my best friend’s mother and siblings. They gave me the bad news that my best friend had past away and asked if I would speak at his funeral. I spoke at his funeral. Both tears and laughs were shared. We never got our golfing trip.

I miss my friend very, very much but I know he was ready to be with Jesus when the time came. We can’t predict the future or outcomes of life but we can learn to live and enjoy it and with time come to understand that there is a time for everything.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

A Fortified Place:
Castle comes from the Latin word castellum. This is the diminutive meaning of the word castrum, which means “fortified place.” Castles were always a defensive structure used back in the middle ages. They were places of protection from invading enemies as a place of retreat. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not we fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea” (Psalm 46:1-2). Not only does our refuge provide us safety and protection, but no other refuge will do. After identifying our refuge by the words, “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD; Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; whoever believes will not act hastily. (Isaiah 28:16). Our refuge, our sure foundation, is none other than our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom we have “fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:18). No matter how strong we may act or pose to be we are always protected by something greater than ourselves. Jesus is our refuge greater than any materialistic object of this world or of time.
 

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The Corner of N54 and N12

Fort Defiance, Arizona  86504