Saturday, June 21, 2008

THE INSIDIOUS ATTACK ON THE GODHEAD BY VANCE FERRELL

An insidious attack, on the Godhood of Holy Spirit, is being made by men professing to be faithful Adventists. They are touring the country, speaking, and making videos which deny the Personhood—and even existence—of the Holy Spirit.

HERE IS AN ABUNDANCE OF EVIDENCE FROM GOD’S WORD PROVING THIS

Here is an sample of their devastating statements, downgrading the Holy Spirit:

FRED ALABACK—

"The Biblical term, ‘Holy Spirit of God’ . . refers to His [God the Father’s] life or inner nature . . a personal influence or power from God . . but never as a separate divine being . . The Holy Spirit is the internal nature and ‘person’ of God the Father Himself."—

Fred Alaback, No New Leaders, 23.

BILL STRINGFELLOW—

"You see, we’ve been thinking that the Holy Spirit is a real live being . . Really, it’s the Spirit of God . . The Holy Spirit is the mind, thoughts, words, influence, and power of God and His Son."—

Bill Stringfellow, Video sermon, Part Two, March 1994.

EDWARD EDSTROM—

"The ‘Holy Spirit’ is the nature of God’s Spirit . . the Soul of his Maker . . a part of Himself, His inner being."—

Edward Edstrom, Human Spirit, 11.

SCOTT STANLEY, JOHN SMITH, JOHN ENCISCO—

"The Holy Spirit is the person, or spirit, of the Father and the Son."—

Scott Stanley, John Smith, John Encisco, Booklet, 16.

CALEB ALONSO—

"The Spirit of the Father and the spirit of the Son is the Holy Spirit . . The Spirit is the light of God."—

Caleb Alonso, Video sermon, Part Two, December 14, 1991.

MARTY WOLD—

"The Holy Spirit is not some separate, self-existent, Being; but is the very Spirit, the Inner Self, the Inner Being, ‘the vital presence,’ the inner Person and Personality of my heavenly Father."—

Marty Wold, Open form letter, August 19, 1987.

"Put thy trust in the Divine Breath—the Holy Spirit—which is the functioning of the Absolute [God] upon the buddhic plane."—Dictionary of All Scripture and Myths, Gaskell, 816.

"The Holy Spirit proceeds from the Godhead—the infinite source of all. It is the Breath of Atman,—the infinite power of God. It is not separate from, but operative through the Christ—the higher Self."—Gaskell, 366.

"Medieval theology generally distinquished . . the Holy Ghost [as] being the copula [or union] between the Father and the Son."—Gaskell, 770.

"The difference between the Father and the Son is this—‘The Father’ is to express God-hidden, ‘The Son’ is God manifest, and the ‘Holy Ghost’ is the knowledge of the Spirit of Truth, proceeding from the experience of both, as God hidden, and revealed."—Gaskell, 770.

"In the heart of the Trinity [or One God] the Creator laughs and gives birth to the child. The child laughs back at the Creator and together they give birth to the Spirit."—Meister Eckhart, quoted in The Coming of the Cosmic Christ, by Matthew Fox, 218-219.

"I [Father of All Things] order you [Son of Light] to go forth, to become as a guide to those who wander in darkness, that all man within whom dwells the spirit of My Mind (The Universal Mind) may be saved by My Mind in you, which shall call forth My Mind in them . . for I am the Mind of the mysteries."—Hall, quoting Hermes, XL.

In the pages which follow, you will find a remarkably complete presentation of what the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy say on the Third Person of the Godhead.

You now have in hand the evidence to fully refute the heresy that the Holy Spirit—the One who brings conviction of sin and guidance along the pathway toward eternal life—is not an actual Person.

This study is divided into two sections: The first provides you with quotations about the Holy Spirit; the second contains important statements about the Three Person Godhead.

— SECTION ONE —

THE PERSON AND DEITY

OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

INTRODUCTION

It is now being taught in our own ranks that Jesus Christ is nothing more than a high-ranking angel,—and the Holy Spirit does not exist at all! (Among professed Christians, there is generally no controversy over the nature of the Father. All sides agree that He exists.)

This present study will concern itself with defending the Bible-Spirit of Prophecy truth that the Holy Spirit exists as a distinct, separate Personage, and that He is the Third Person of the God, fully divine and equal to the other two Persons of the Godhead.

Checking into what is being taught outside our denomination, I discover that liberals and skeptics generally deny the existence of the Holy Spirit entirely. These liberals include not only leaders in the most liberal Protestant churches, but the great majority of religion teachers in the colleges and universities.

In contrast, conservative Protestants, who believe that the Bible is an inspired book, generally believe that the Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Godhead.

In view of this, which side do you want to be on?

Do you want to rank yourself with the liberals and skeptics or with the people who accept the Bible as the Word of God? Do you want to rank yourself with the liberals and skeptics or with the people who accept the Bible as the Word of God?

Why is it that Bible-believing Christians generally believe in the Holy Spirit? —It is because the Bible evidence is clear that this is so.

In addition, Advent believers have the Spirit of Prophecy—and the statements in it, supporting the existence of the Holy Spirit as the Third Person of the Godhead. They are also powerful.

In this present study, we shall consider what both fully inspired sources of divine instruction have to tell us.

Down through the centuries, the Bible facts most controverted have been those which directly affect our salvation. Satan wants to eradicate these facts from our minds. Let us state them here::

Christ is fully equal to the Father in every way. He has existed from all eternity. He became fully man, like us. He was fully tempted, but never sinned. He really died on the cross. He ministers for us in the Sanctuary above. It required His life, death, and heavenly mediation to provide an atonement for us. There is a coming judgment, and we must now obey the law of God, by the enabling grace of Jesus Christ, which includes the keeping of the Bible Sabbath. The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit is working to bring us to repentance. There is a real devil and actual demons. The Bible accurately instructs us in the way of salvation. Sincere prayer is heard and answered by Heaven.

Two crucial facts in the working out of the great plan of redemption are these: the truth that Christ is fully God and has existed from all eternity, and the truth that the Holy Spirit is a distinct Personage and the Third Person of the Godhead.

It is vital that you have a personal understanding of these truths, for they affect your salvation.

It is astounding that frail, fallible human beings, who so much need the Holy Spirit themselves, are willing to cooperate with Satan in downgrading Him. There are those who dare to teach that the Third Person of the Godhead does not exist!

"The nature of the Holy Spirit is a mystery. Men cannot explain it, because the Lord has not revealed it to them. Men having fanciful views may bring together passages of Scripture and put a human construction on them, but the acceptance of these views will not strengthen the church. Regarding such mysteries, which are too deep for human understanding, silence is golden."—Acts of the Apostles, 52 (Desire of Ages, 669).

To begin with, let us clear the record by stating that we do not believe in the dogma of "the Trinity." We do not even use the term (nor does the Bible or Spirit of Prophecy). The "Trinity" concept contains the error that there are three members of the Trinity and the three are one, not only in purpose—but also in person. That is an error. We do not worship a "three in one" God.

Instead, we believe in the doctrine of the Godhead, which teaches that there are three fully divine Persons (separate individuals) in the Godhead; and, although they are one in character, purpose, eternity, and divinity, they are not one in person.

REPLYING

TO THE ARGUMENTS

AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

The information you need:

1 - The information in this section will provide a basic understanding of the situation, so you can better deal with those who are being misled by claims that the Holy Spirit does not exist.

2 - The Bible-Spirit of Prophecy statements, which follow this section, provide you with an abundance of Inspired evidence.

3 - Following that, the section on the Godhead provides additional, solid Bible-Spirit of Prophecy evidence that the Holy Spirit is the Third Person in the Godhead.

Here is a statement of the primary error taught about the Holy Spirit:

The Holy Spirit is not an actual Person, but instead only an "attribute of God." He is the "spirit of God," but not an actual Person. Therefore, since He is not a member of the Godhead, it does not have three Persons in it.

Along with this, the critic frequently declares that Christ is not a member of the Godhead either! (In a companion study to this one, Christ is a Divine Person; we provide you with a wealth of evidence proving the divinity and eternity of Christ.)

In attempting to prove his point, the critic quotes a few passages which speak about the "spirit of God." There are a number of such statements, and it may be difficult to know if a particular one is speaking about the Holy Spirit ("the Spirit moved upon them," etc.) or "the spirit of God" (as in "He was grieved in His spirit," etc.)

How then should we meet these arguments of the critics? Here is how to do it:

You need not enter into a discussion whether this or that quotation refers to the Holy Spirit or "the spirit of God."

Instead, focus on those divinely inspired statements which clearly demonstrate the existence of the Holy Spirit. Here they are:

1 - Statements which show that the Holy Spirit is an actual Person.

2 - Statements which show that He exhibits the qualities and actions of a person.

3 - Statements which say that there are three members of the Godhead.

This present study provides you with those quotations.

However, in order to better understand the situation we are dealing with here, it is best that you understand several things:

1 - The Holy Spirit has a unique position: He never reveals Himself in a visible form.

We have absolutely no record of that ever occurring—in heaven or on earth. Yet this need not be surprising, for we are also told that the angels are ministering spirits (Hebrews 1:14); and we know that they do, or choose not to, appear in visible bodies. Angels are not flesh and blood as we are. Why then should it be thought unusual that the Holy Spirit apparently never takes a bodily form.

There are physical laws of which we know nothing. We should not presumptuously imagine that only that which we can grasp in our small minds can be so. In the present writer’s book, The Origin of the Universe, one will learn that the existence of galaxies—vast orderly collections of stars—cannot possibly occur. Their existence violates certain physical laws, as we know them. Yet they are there anyway—and the atheists are confounded by the fact. For that matter, it is said that the honeybee cannot fly, because its wings are too small for the size of its body. Many of the errors of mankind are due to presuming to know so much, when actually we know so little. We ought to accept God’s truths as He reveals them to us rather than presuming to sit in judgment on those truths and attempting to deny them.

2 - We are discussing the Godhead. In view of the fact that we cannot understand the process of nature, which God has created, why should we imagine that we can understand God?

"If it were possible for us to attain to a full understanding of God and His Word, there would be for us no further discovery of truth, no greater knowledge, no further development. God would cease to be supreme, and man would cease to advance. Thank God, it is not so."—Education, 172.

3 - The Godhead does not intend that we understand its inner nature or how it carries on its operations throughout the universe.

We are creatures, and we will never arrive at such knowledge. We are creatures, and we will never arrive at such knowledge.

4 - It is Satan’s studied objective to overthrow the Godhead.

Because he cannot do this, he is determined to cause men to disobey Them—and even disbelieve in their very existence.

5 - There is a tendency for the Members of the Godhead to be self-effacing and not talk a lot about Themselves.

The Godhead spends its time ministering, not talking about itself. We sense this as we read chapter one in Patriarchs and Prophets. When Lucifer began spreading his lying reports, the Father called all the heavenly host and explained the relation which Christ sustained to Him. The Godhead spends its time ministering, not talking about itself. We sense this as we read chapter one in Patriarchs and Prophets. When Lucifer began spreading his lying reports, the Father called all the heavenly host and explained the relation which Christ sustained to Him.

"To dispute the supremacy of the Son of God, thus impeaching the wisdom and love of the Creator, had become the purpose of this prince of angels . . The King of the universe summoned the heavenly hosts before Him, that in their presence He might set forth the true position of His Son and show the relation He sustained to all created beings."—Patriarchs and Prophets, 36.

It is an astounding fact, that those who enter a deeper communion with God, through His Word, discover that the Divine Beings are humble! Jesus said, "If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father." It is true. Beholding Christ, we learn what the Godhead is like.

"In Christ the character of God was revealed. As children looked upon His countenance, they saw purity and goodness shining forth from His eyes. In His countenance gentleness, meekness, love, and conscious power were combined. But though every word, every gesture, every expression of His face, betokened His divine supremacy, humility marked His deportment and bearing."—My Life Today, 300.

"Jesus, who is seated upon the throne . . who is above all powers, He who has the greatest influence in heaven and in earth, He to whom every soul is indebted for every favor he has received, was meek and lowly in disposition, holy, harmless, and undefiled in life."—3 Selected Messages, 429.

This is something we have difficulty grasping. Most everyone down here who attains to a degree of power, seeks to lord it over others. But God is perfect in every way. He is not only total in power and authority, but also in humility. I have read another statement, but do not now recall its location, which says that the Father, upon the throne of the universe, is the meek and lowly One. This is what the Godhead is like.

6 - Each member of the Godhead has an agreed-upon role—and each one requires self-sacrifice.

In the planning of Heaven, although He deeply loves us, the Father does not minister to us as the Son does. The Father is self-effacing in this respect.

The Son is not the supreme Ruler until the final coronation after the Second Advent; that task is reserved for the Father. The Son is self-effacing.

The Holy Spirit is self-effacing to a remarkable degree. He it is that comes to us personally and helps us. The Father and the Son help us through Him.

Such self-control, such willingness to "let the other one do it" is something we are not used to. We generally do not find such traits among men on earth who wield great power.

7 - If we understand the above, we can better understand the mystery surrounding the Holy Spirit. He does not talk about Himself!

When the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy talk about God, generally only one is mentioned, or possibly two. Far less often we are told about the three Persons of the Godhead in the same passage. When the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy talk about God, generally only one is mentioned, or possibly two. Far less often we are told about the three Persons of the Godhead in the same passage.

Yet we are given enough clear statements, to fully confirm that there are three fully divine Personages in the Godhead.

8 - Can you see that there is a built-in test here? Just as we are tested on the Sabbath and other truths, so we are tested on the Godhead.

Will we humbly submit to what God tells us in His Word, without questioning as Lucifer did? Will we accept God’s truths as He gives them, without trying to twist and change them. Lucifer turned himself into a devil by vaunting himself to the point that he imagined he could better explain the proper order and governors of heaven.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE

THE PERSONALITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is a Person.

First, He exhibits five attributes of a person:

He has intellect—

The Holy Spirit has intellect, for "the Spirit searches all things." (1 Cor 2:10). The Holy Spirit reveals the deep things of God and reveals them to us. The same word is used by Christ in John 5:39, where He says, "Search the Scriptures."

He has knowledge—

No human being can know the thoughts of God, but the Holy Spirit understands the mind of God (1 Cor 2:11).

He has a mind—

Just as the Holy Spirit knows the Father, so the Father knows the mind of the Spirit (Rom 8:27). This passage clearly indicates that the Holy Spirit has intellect because the word, "mind" (phronema), means "way of thinking, mind-set, aim, aspiration, striving" (cf. Eph 1:17).

He has emotions—

As used in the Bible, it means to have feelings, awareness, and an ability to respond to something. Ephesians 4:30 is a command: "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God." The Holy Spirit is grieved when we lie (v. 25), are angry (v. 26), steal or are lazy (v. 28), or speak unkind words (v. 29). The noun form of the same Greek word is used in 2 Corinthians 2:2, 5, about the sorrowful feelings of the Corinthians after Paul wrote them a stern letter of reproof. Only a person can be grieved; a mere influence cannot be grieved.

He has a will—

The Holy Spirit can choose and make decisions. He has a will. This is shown in several passages. In Acts 16:6, for example, the Holy Spirit exercised His will to forbid Paul to go to one place, and instead directed him to go to Europe and preach.

The Holy Spirit is a Person.

Second, He does ten things which a divine Person would do:

He testifies—

The promise of Jesus was that the Holy Spirit "will bear witness of Me" (Jn 15:26). In John 15:27, the same word is used of the disciples’ testifying about Christ. As the disciples would bear witness concerning Christ, so the Holy Spirit would bear witness of Christ.

He helps—

Jesus promised to send His disciples "another Comforter" (Jn 14:16). "Another" means that the Holy Spirit would be a helper, as Jesus was.

He teaches—

Just as Christ taught the disciples (Matt 5:2; Jn 8:2), so the Holy Spirit taught them also (Jn 14:26). He did the same teaching ministry and brought to their remembrance the words of Christ.

He guides—

Jesus assured His disciples that, when the Holy Spirit came, He guided them in their search for truth (Jn 16:13). He was as a guide, escorting a traveler through an unknown country.

He convinces and convicts—

It was promised that the Holy Spirit would "convict the world" of sin, righteousness, and judgment (Jn 16:8). The word, "convict" (elegcho), means to "convince someone, point something out to someone."

He regenerates—

Everyone who experiences the new birth is regenerated by the Holy Spirit (Eze 36:25-27; Titus 3:5).

He intercedes—

The Holy Spirit takes the pleadings of the believer and intercedes on his behalf before Christ (Rom 8:26). He intercedes for humans just as Christ does (Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25). An inanimate quality cannot intercede for anyone.

He commands—

The Holy Spirit commanded that Paul and Barnabas be set apart for missionary work (Acts 13:2).

He sends out—

In Acts 13:4, He sent two men out to do missionary work.

He forbids and prohibits—

In Acts 8:29, the Holy Spirit directed Philip to go and speak to the Ethiopian eunuch.

The Holy Spirit is a Person.

Third, certain things can be done toward Him, which could not be done if He did not have a personality:

He can be obeyed—

In Acts 10, the Lord told Peter to go to the house of Cornelius. He obeyed the Holy Spirit and went.

He can be resisted—

Stephen told the Jews, about to stone him, that they were "stiff-necked . . always resisting the Holy Spirit" (Acts 7:51).

He can be grieved—

The Holy Spirit is grieved when a person sins (Eph 4:30; cf. Isa 63:10).

He can be blasphemed—

God can be blasphemed (Rev 13:6; 16:9); Christ can be blasphemed (Matt 27:39; Lk 23:39), and the Holy Spirit also can be blasphemed (Matt 12:32; Mk 3:29-30).

He can be lied to—

Peter told Ananias and Sapphira that, because of their deceit, they had lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). Because of that sin, they died.

The Holy Spirit is a Person.

Fourth, He is frequently referred to in the grammatical masculine:

Pneuma is the Greek word for "Spirit." It is a neuter gender word, and should have neuter pronouns accompanying it. However, the Biblical writers did not follow this proper grammatical pattern. Instead, in Greek, they used masculine pronouns. is the Greek word for "Spirit." It is a neuter gender word, and should have neuter pronouns accompanying it. However, the Biblical writers did not follow this proper grammatical pattern. Instead, in Greek, they used masculine pronouns.

Here are several examples: John 15:26, John 16:13, and John 16:14. In each instance, pneuma (Spirit) is the neuter noun, and ekeinos (He) is the masculine pronoun. This is a very purposive change. If the Spirit was not a person, it would not have been done.

THE DEITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is divine. His Deity is clearly taught in the Bible. If the Holy Spirit is not divine, then there is no Godhead. It is of interest that those who deny the existence of the Holy Spirit frequently go on to deny the full deity and/or the pre-existence of Christ!

The Holy Spirit is divine.

First, He has the attributes of divinity.

He is Omniscience—The Holy Spirit is all-knowing (1 Cor 2:10-12). The Holy Spirit searches the deep things of the Godhead (1 Cor 2:10). This word, "deep" (bathos), describes the knowledge of God. It is unfathomable to man, but the Holy Spirit understands it (Rom 11:33).

He is Omnipotent—The Holy Spirit is all-powerful (Job 33:4). His omnipotence is seen in the Creation. In Genesis 1:2, the Holy Spirit is seen hovering over creation as a hen over its young. The Holy Spirit was used to give life to created beings.

He is OmnipresentThe Holy Spirit is everywhere present. In Psalm 139:7-10, David says he cannot flee from the presence of the Holy Spirit. Christ taught His disciples that the Holy Spirit would be with them, wherever they might go. This would require omnipresence (Jn 14:17).

He is EternalThe Holy Spirit is called the Eternal Spirit in Hebrews 9:14. Through the Eternal Spirit, Christ offered Himself without blemish to God.

He is HolyAs with the other Persons in the Godhead, the Third Person is holy (Matt 12:32); He is entirely separate from sin.

He is Love—As with the other members of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit is love; and, because of it, He is able to produce love in those submitted to the rule of the Godhead (Gal 5:22).

He is TruthHe is the "Spirit of truth" (Jn 14:17; 15:26). He is the truth, as Christ is the truth (Jn 14:6). The Holy Spirit leads into truth.

The Holy Spirit is divine.

Second, He does the works of divinity.

The Creation—The Holy Spirit took part in the Creation (Gen 1:2). Another description of the Creation event is given in Psalm 104:24-26. In verse 30, God is said to have done it through the Spirit "Thou dost send forth Thy Spirit, they are created" (Ps 104:30). Job 26:13 reveals that the Holy Spirit created, not only the earth, but also the heavens.

The Birth of ChristThe Holy Spirit took part in the incarnation of Christ (Matt 1:20).

The Inspiration of God’s WordAs the Spirit was present to bring Christ, the Word, to humanity; so He is present to bring the Word, through inspired prophets, to mankind (2 Peter 1:21). The Holy Spirit’s work, in doing this, is similar to the Father’s work (2 Tim 3:16).

The New BirthThe Holy Spirit is an active agent in bringing men to Christ in repentance, forsaking of sin, and willingness to obey God’s laws. The Holy Spirit produces the new birth (Titus 3:5; Jn 3:6), but He does it through the Word (1 Peter 1:23) which He also helped produce.

IntercessionThe Holy Spirit is an intercessor (Rom 8:26), as Christ is. The Holy Spirit pleads with us; Christ pleads with the Father on our behalf (1 Jn 2:1).

MinistryThe Holy Spirit is our "Helper" of John 14:16. "Comforter" is parakletos, in the Greek, and means "one called along side to help."

At this point, it should be noted that the Holy Spirit comes forth, or proceeds, from the Father (Ps 104:30) and the Son (Jn 15:26). This closeness of relationship between the three should not be thought to indicate subordination of the Spirit to the other two. All three of fully equal, but each has chosen a different appearance and activity.

SYMBOLS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

There are symbols and representations in the Bible, which strikingly portray His Person and ministry.

DoveThe Holy Spirit descended "like a dove" at the baptism of Christ (Matt 3:16; Mk 1:10; Lk 3:22; cf. Jn 1:32). We are told elsewhere that it was "a dovelike form of purest light" (DA 112). It was in the shape of a dove alighting with his wings outward and upward, but it was not a bird.

PledgeThe Holy Spirit is given us as a pledge of something more to come. The Greek word is arrabon, meaning a "first installment, deposit, down payment, or pledge." It obligates the contracting party to make further payments. Ephesians 1:14 adds to the explanation.

OilThe oil of Zechariah 4:1-14 is explained in verse 6 as the Spirit. Ordaining with oil is so the Spirit could come upon the person (1 Sam 10:6, 10). The Spirit is given for ministry (Ex 40:9-16; Acts 1:8). The illuminating, enlightening Spirit (Ex 27:20-21; 1 Jn 2:20). The cleansing, sanctifying Spirit (Lev 8:30; 14:17; Rom 8:2-3).

FireFire is another symbol of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:3; cf. Ex 3:2). It is cleansing, enlightening, purifying, and judging.

SealThe Holy Spirit seals the believer (2 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13; 4:30; cf. Matt 27:66). Sealing indicates ownership, security, and authority.

WaterWater is also a symbol of the Spirit (Jn 7:37-38, explained in 7:39). Water, as an emblem of the Holy Spirit, signifies eternal life (cf. Jn 4:14; 7:37-38), a reception of the Holy Spirit (Eze 37:25-27; Jn 7:39).

WindThe wind represents the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:8), and the very word in the Greek and Hebrew means just that.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

RevelationIt is the Holy Spirit which has been the channel through which all Inspired messages and writings have come to mankind from the God of heaven (2 Sam 23:2; Acts 4:25; Matt 22:43; Eze 2:2; 3:24).

Ministry and EvangelismThe Holy Spirit enables men to aid their fellowmen and lead them closer to God (Jn 14:16-17; Acts 2).

Ability to Do ThingsThe Holy Spirit also enables men to do exploits (Judg 3:10; 6:24; 11:29, 14:6), artistic craftsmanship (Ex 31:2-5; 35:30-35), 1 Kg 7:14) and manage governments (Num 27:16-18; 1 Sam 10:10; 1 Sam 16:13).

Restraining SinThe Holy Spirit strives with men and keeps them from plunging too rapidly into sin (Gen 6:3).

The Baptism of the Holy SpiritThe Spirit baptizes with enabling strength to do a necessary work, to the degree that they will continue to remain humble, submitted, obedient, and teachable to God and His Word (Acts 1:15; 1 Cor 12:13; Acts 11:15).

The Indwelling of the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit will dwell within those willing to receive Him (Jn 14:16).

The Sealing of the SpiritThe Holy Spirit seals men to the day of redemption (1 Cor 1:22; Eph 1:13; 4:30).

The Gifts of the SpiritThere are a variety of gifts which a true believer can have, but only as long as he is submitted to be led by God (1 Cor 12; Rom 12:3, 6; Eph 4:11-13).

THE SIN AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

There is a sin against the Holy Spirit (Matt 12:31). The movings of the Holy Spirit on the heart can be quenched (1 Thess 5:19), grieved away (Eph 4:30), and blasphemed (Matt 12:32).

It is a serious thing to grieve away the Holy Spirit; how much more serious to deny that He exists! The One upon whom God put His Spirit (Matt 12:18) was the One whom the Pharisees said was working through Satan (Matt 12:24). God said, "I will put My Spirit upon Him" (Matt 12:18), but the leaders said, "this fellow doth not cast out devils, but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils" (Matt 12:24). That was said after having seen the character-changing power of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of men. What greater sin is it to declare that there is no Holy Spirit and those who believe in Him—are worshiping Satan?

We dare not willfully reject the Spirit or, at the prompting of Satan, declare that Holy Spirit does not exist!

"It is through the medium of His Spirit that God works upon the human heart; and when men willfully reject the Spirit and declare it to be from Satan, they cut off the channel by which God can communicate with them."—5 Testimonies, 634.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

ON THE HOLY SPIRIT

Here, reprinted from one of our earlier studies, are additional facts about the Holy Spirit.

1—In the Old Testament, the term, "Holy Spirit" is only found in Psalm 51:11 and Isaiah 63:10-11.

2—Some say that the descriptions of the personality of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament are only personifications. But such an explanation would clearly destroy the meaning of such passages as John 14:26;16:7-11; Rom 8:26.

3—Though the word pneuma [Spirit] is a naturally occurring Greek neuter, yet the masculine pronoun, ekeinos [that or that one] is used of the Holy Spirit in John 16:14.

4—In many Greek texts, hos [which or the one which], a masculine relative pronoun, is used in Ephesians 1:14 to refer to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a definite Person, not an immaterial nothingness.

5—He is called the "Paraclete" [Parakletos]—the Comforter or Advocate (Jn 14:26; 15:26; 16:7). This is another indication, not only of His personality but of His personhood. The Greek word, parakletos, cannot be translated by "comfort" or be regarded as the name of any abstract influence. It has to refer to a distinct person. Another indication that a person is meant is the fact that the Holy Spirit, as Comforter, is placed in juxtaposition with Christ as the Comforter about to depart, to whom the same term is applied in 1 John 2:1

6—The characteristics of a person are ascribed to Him, such as intelligence (Jn 14:26; 15:26; Rom 8:16).

7—The fact that He has a will is another important characteristic of His personhood (Acts 16:7; 1 Cor 12:11).

8—Yet another characteristic of this Divine Person are His affections (Isa 63:10; Eph 4:30).

9—He performs the distinct acts of a person. He searches, speaks, testifies, commands, reveals, strives, creates, makes intercession, raises the dead, etc. (Gen 1:2; 6:3; Lk 12:12; Jn 14:26; 15:26; 16:8; Acts 8:29; 13:2; Rom 8:11; 1 Cor 2:10). Only a definite person could do all of these things; it cannot be a mere power or influence.

10—He stands in such a relationship to other persons, that His own personality and personhood are implied. He is placed in juxtaposition with the apostles (Acts 15:28), with Christ (Jn 16:14), and with the Father and the Son (Matt 28:19; 1 Peter 1:1-2; Jude 20-21).

11—There are also passages of Scripture in which the Holy Spirit is distinguished as a person apart from His own power (Lk 1:35; 4:14; Acts 10:38; Rom 15:13; 1 Cor 2:4). Yet such passages would become redundant, meaningless, and even absurd, if they were explained as indicating that the Holy Spirit were merely "a power" or inanimate force. In the above quoted passages, substitute the word "power" or "influence" for the name, "Holy Spirit,"—and see how ridiculous the sentences become.

12—The Deity of the Holy Spirit is indicated by several factors, one of which is that Divine names are given to Him (Ex 17:7; compare 2 Peter 1:2; Heb 3:7-9; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Cor 3:16; 1 Tim 3:16).

13—He also has the attributes of the Godhead. One example is His omniscience (Isa 40:13-14). He has fullest knowledge.

14—The Holy Spirit is eternal (Heb 9:14).

15—The Holy Spirit does divine works, such as creation (Gen 1:2; Job 26:13; 33:4).

16—The Holy Spirit can create and restore (Ps 104:30).

17—The Holy Spirit regenerates men; that is, works in them the New Birth (Jn 3:5-6; Titus 3:5).

18—The Holy Spirit can raise the dead (Rom 8:11).

19—As with Christ, divine honor is ascribed to the Holy Spirit (Matt 28:19; Rom 9:1).

20—The Holy Spirit both inspires and enables men to do the tasks assigned them (Ex 28:3; 35:35; 1 Sam 11:6;16:13-14).

21—The Holy Spirit has a part in the work of redemption in several ways, among which is the fact that He prepared, or had a part in preparing, a body for Christ and thus enabled Him to become a sacrifice for sin (Lk 1:35; Heb 10:5-7).

22—At His baptism, Christ was anointed with the Holy Spirit (Lk 3:22).

23—The Holy Spirit inspired the writing of Scripture, and in this way aids in bringing to mankind the truths of God (1 Cor 2:13; 2 Peter1:21).

24—By regeneration and sanctification, the Holy Spirit forms and increases the body of Christ, His Church, and dwells in it (Eph 1:22-23; 2:22; 1 Cor 3:16; 12:4-31).

25—The Holy Spirit testifies of Christ and leads His people into truth,—both of which are very important, not only to the glorification of God and of Christ, but also to the salvation of man (Jn 15:26; 16:13-14; Acts 5:32; Heb 10:15; 1 Jn 2:27).

Source: http://omega77.tripod.com/ferrellattack.htm

CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS

CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS

Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon His throne.
Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee,
And hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity.

Crown Him the virgin’s Son, the God incarnate born,
Whose arm those crimson trophies won which now His brow adorn;
Fruit of the mystic rose, as of that rose the stem;
The root whence mercy ever flows, the Babe of Bethlehem.

Crown Him the Son of God, before the worlds began,
And ye who tread where He hath trod, crown Him the Son of Man;
Who every grief hath known that wrings the human breast,
And takes and bears them for His own, that all in Him may rest.

Crown Him the Lord of life, who triumphed over the grave,
And rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save.
His glories now we sing, who died, and rose on high,
Who died eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.

Crown Him the Lord of peace, whose power a scepter sways
From pole to pole, that wars may cease, and all be prayer and praise.
His reign shall know no end, and round His piercèd feet
Fair flowers of paradise extend their fragrance ever sweet.

Crown Him the Lord of love, behold His hands and side,
Those wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified.
No angel in the sky can fully bear that sight,
But downward bends his burning eye at mysteries so bright.

Crown Him the Lord of Heaven, enthroned in worlds above,
Crown Him the King to Whom is given the wondrous name of Love.
Crown Him with many crowns, as thrones before Him fall;
Crown Him, ye kings, with many crowns, for He is King of all.

Crown Him the Lord of lords, who over all doth reign,
Who once on earth, the incarnate Word, for ransomed sinners slain,
Now lives in realms of light, where saints with angels sing
Their songs before Him day and night, their God, Redeemer, King.

Crown Him the Lord of years, the Potentate of time,
Creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime.
All hail, Redeemer, hail! For Thou has died for me;
Thy praise and glory shall not fail throughout eternity.

Words: Verses 1, 4, 5, 6 & 9:
Mat­thew Bridg­es, The Pass­ion of Je­sus, 1852; verses 2 & 3:
Godfrey Thring, Hymns and Sac­red Lyr­ics, 1874.

Music: Di­a­de­ma­ta,
George J. El­vey, Hymns An­cient and Mo­dern, 1868
(MI­DI, score). Al­ter­nate tune:

  • Oliva Spe­ci­o­sa, 18th Century Ital­i­an mel­o­dy
    (MI­DI, score)

Friday, June 20, 2008

UNCLEAN SPIRITS

UNCLEAN SPIRITS!

"I saw three unclean spirits like frogs"

"For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Revelation 16:13,14.

REVIVAL!!

There is a tremendous amount of religious excitement in our world today among Protestant; Catholic; and Non-Christian religions. People are saying "It's the great revival we have been expecting!" But the Bible tells us that there is to be a great FALSE REVIVAL in the last days; a movement that will involve ALL religions of the world and will bring about great UNITY—a unity against Truth. It will involve MOST of the people of the world and only a SMALL minority will recognize THE COUNTERFEIT. It will lead people to pass laws that are contrary to God's Law and to persecute God's true followers. WHY?? Because they don't know how to recognize the trick!

There are some very serious concerns in the Christian world today. A recent survey done among PROTESTANTS, who claim to be founding their faith on the BIBLE and the BIBLE ONLY, showed a dangerous trend. Most 'Christians' didn't read their Bibles even once a week!

THE BIBLE SAYS:
"Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2.15

Most 'Christians' didn't think it was important to judge what is TRUTH by the Bible.

THE BIBLE SAYS:
"Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way." Psalm 119:104

Most 'Christians' didn't Believe the Bible was an unerring guide.

THE BIBLE SAYS:
Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever. Psalm 119:160

Most 'Christians' don't believe Satan exists as a being.

THE BIBLE SAYS:

And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him." Revelation 12:7,8,9

"And he (JESUS) said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." Luke10:18

Most 'Christians' didn't believe that a TRUE prophet needs to be 100% accurate!

THE BIBLE SAYS:

"The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him." Jeremiah 28:9

"And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many." Matthew 24:11

Most 'Christians' believe that the only SPIRIT is the HOLY SPIRIT!

THE BIBLE SAYS:

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1

Most 'Christians' believe that everything supernatural comes from God!

THE BIBLE SAYS:

"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Matthew 24:24

"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." 2 Corinthians 11:14, 15

Most 'Christians' believe that they can depend on their ministers and pastors to tell them the truth!

THE BIBLE SAYS:

"Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD." Jeremiah 17:5.

"Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." Matthew 15:14.

The counterfeit is so like the true that The BIBLE is the only way that you can tell the true from the false! What is the great detector?

THE BIBLE SAYS:
"And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isaiah 8:19, 20.

God's True Messengers will not say anything that isn't in agreement with the Bible!

The TRUE teachers and Spirits of God will always uphold God's LAW, His 10 Commandments, including the 4th which is keeping Holy God's True SABBATH DAY, the 7th day of the week which is SATURDAY!

This false revival is sweeping the world today. It is one of the last signs to take place before Jesus comes. If you want to be ready for Jesus' coming you must NOT follow the counterfeit! (To learn more about this movement lead by 'Unclean Spirits' please read the article "FROGS" )

We are given word pictures in the Bible describing the suddenness of final events: “Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.” Isaiah 30.13.

Picture a weakening of a high brick or stone wall. It is high above your head and every day you walk under it going about your business. Unless you happen to take time to look up, you will not notice it. There are no bricks falling, the mortar is hanging together, nothing to warn you, but every day it swells out a bit more. Suddenly without warning it breaks and comes down on you!

Inspired warnings are clear that the final events will come as an overwhelming surprise. A Great terror is soon to take the world by storm. Satan has done his homework well, the media and news events have gradually desensitized the populace. The most horrible acts will be carried forward by people who would say with Hazael: “Am I a dog, that I should do such a thing?” 2 King.8.13 But he did, and so will the people in the last days as the Holy Spirit withdraws from earth’s multitudes. Why are people so happy with the horrible and ugly? Why are the gentle and good despised in this world? Because the Holy Spirit is withdrawing and the Satanic is flowing through the land.

What are we Waiting for?

The Bible says when they say “Peace and Safety, then sudden destructions comes on them and they shall not escape." It is when the householder sleeps that the thief comes. Who is the thief? The Satanic agencies that seek to steal what is not rightfully theirs; worship and obedience due to God.

What are YOU waiting for? Is it the next sports game? Is it to see what wickedness will next be portrayed on the Soap Operas? Is it to laugh at the sit-coms? Perhaps to allow the latest brainwashing epoch of Hollywood to hypnotize you, in theater or on video?

OR MAYBE to listen one more time to voices from the pulpit, crying “PEACE and SAFETY” from the lips of ones the SOP tells us will NEVER AGAIN lift up their voices like a trumpet to warn God’s people?

Perhaps it is to finish paying off your mortgage or your car; perhaps to get to the top in a career or church hierarchy? Perhaps you are waiting to get to a more quiet and retired spot away from distraction and then you promise yourself, you will pursue spiritual priorities?

Can’t stand to think about it? Don’t let fear hold you back. There is only one answer to fear and that is a saving relationship with our wonderful Living God.

A crisis never changes a person, it only catapults him forward in the direction he is already headed. Oh, where will you be when the frogs are swarming and the wall falls?

Source: http://www.temcat.com/Temcats-studies/unclean.htm

THE ELITE TIGHTENS THE GRIP

  • Do you know that several politicians and statesmen are participating in secret international organizations working for European unity and world control?
  • Do you know that many government members are also members of the EU-movement, and that this movement has worked actively since 1949 to unite the independent countries in Europe to a new powerful entity?
  • Do you know that highly devoted Catholics were central in the formation of the EU?
  • Does religion have any part in politics?
  • Why should national laws submit to international ones?
  • Why is it that borders are abandoned and replaced by wider regional boundaries?
  • Why is it that small companies unite and form great monopolies?
  • Why is it that small farms, local shops, bank branches, schools, post offices a.s.o. are being closed down?
May 1, 1776 Adam Waishaupt proposed a plan on how the elite could gather the nations and the individuals under its leadership. Following are the 7 points of his proposed plan:
    1. Abolition of the monarchy and all governments.

    2. Abolition of private property.

    3. Abolition of patriotism and nationalism.

    4. Abolition of the family (marriage and morality and the introduction of collectively controlled education.)

    5. Abolition of all religion.

    6. The formation of a New World order.

These 7 points were the foundation of the French Revolution, which later formed much of the foundation for the Russian Revolution led by Karl Marx. During the French Revolution they cancelled the legally elected government assembly. The elite (Illuminati = the enlightened) made their own government assembly. They burned Bibles in the street, introduced a 10 day week, and praised the goddess of freedom and immorality. Lawlessness flourished, the Christians were killed publicly in most cruel ways. 3 ½ years later the 7 day week was again established, the Christians were allowed to keep their Bibles and conditions came back to normal. All this was foreseen in Revelation (the last book of the Bible), chapter 11.

It is interesting to note that Adam Weishaupt was originally a Jew, but became a Catholic. He was not only a Catholic, but also a Jesuit. As a Jesuit, he was teaching as a doctor at the University of Ingolstadt in Germany.

The question we ought to ask ourselves today is: Do we see the 7 points of Adam Weishaupt being practised today? Isn't this exactly the trend we see through the EU and international law giving? This is a long-term plan. Those who govern the world are in the process of eliminating the power of self-government from the independent nations and removing the rights of the individual. Everything and everyone have to submit to the international laws, whether in politics, economics, religion or the military.

EU - A NEW STATE

The European Union started as a financial alliance between a few European countries. Since then it has become a political power with the legislative, executive and judiciary authority of a State.

In order to understand the EU-system and what it entails, it is important to know something of the powers behind, and what their ultimate plans are. This knowledge is what we will attempt to provide in this pamphlet.

RELIGION GOVERNS POLITICS

Many believe that religion has no influence upon politics, but it turns out that much of the politics are governed by religious powers. So it is with the EU. Did you know that strong Catholic individuals were central in the formation of the EU, such as Joseph H. Retinger, the French Ultra European and strategist Jean Monnet, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Schuman, the West German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer, the Italian Premier Alcide de Gasperi and others. The last three mentioned were, in addition, leaders in the Catholic political parties in their native countries, the Christian-democratic parties.

Lars Bergquist, the ambassador of Sweden at the Vatican, said straight out: "We should note that the EU was founded by devoted Catholics, as (the German) Adenauer, (the French) Schumann and (the Italian) De Gasperi. All of them had the union of Europe as a target." (This took place directly following Hitler, Mussolini and Franco who failed their attempt to do the same.) Taken from "Sydsvenskan", Oct. 16, 1991 under the paragraph titled "The Road to EU goes through Rome."

An article in "The Sunday Telegraph", August 25, 1991, has the title: "Now. A Holy European Empire." Under a big photo of the pope, it reads: "In him we have the most political pope in modern time." It is quite evident that many are aware of the influence of the Vatican on the European Union.

Catholic leaders have marked EU. Jacques Delors has had the longest leadership role. He is a Catholic as well as a Jesuit. We will return later to the strategy of the Jesuits. The leader today, Romano Prodi, is also a Catholic.

PYRAMID STRUCTURE

The Catholic Church has a strong influence on the political, economical and religious level in Europe, as well as in the entire world. The whole EU-system is built according to a Catholic pattern, through the so-called subsidiary principal. (Maastricht-treaty, p. 4, and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, p. 470). This word comes from the Latin "subsidium", and means `to help'. This model is based on local solutions for local problems, and when they fail to solve them, the cases are moved upwards in a pyramid structure until those involved have to submit to the rules of the EU. Therefore the EU-system is built according to a pyramid model, just like the Catholic Church. On the highest level there is a small elite, with the pope on the very top. The elite _ not the people _ is choosing who they want to include in the government. They are the superiors. They send their directives down the pyramid system, directives that become precepts for the people. The same system is used for the EU. Due to the many people within the European Union, extensive legislation has been issued in order to control the people, and it is the elite that decides these laws. This can quickly lead to misuse of power. The people can easily be made slaves under the control of an elite. Therefore it is better to govern small entities than a great one.

A CATHOLIC-DOMINATED UNION

The Catholic Church has far more influence on the Continent than most people are aware of. The majority of individuals within the EU are Catholics. Today over 50% are Catholics, while the Protestants consist of 24%. We see that the Protestants are by far the minority. By expanding to 27 countries, the membership within the EC will consist of about 540 million people.

The EU is expanding towards the East. Soon there will be more Catholic-dominated countries uniting forces with this giant power. Meanwhile the Vatican is working hard to reunite those Catholic-Orthodox churches in the East with the Catholic Church in the West which were split in 1054. If their work succeeds, the EU will become even more Catholic-influenced, and the Protestants will be reduced to less than 20%.

The Catholic wing is in the majority in the EU, and that is exactly where the decisions are being made. It is not difficult to see in which direction it will all go. We are seeing the beginning of a European Empire, which will turn out to be the greatest Catholic European "power giant" the world has ever seen.

STRONG INTEGRATION

The EU-ministers work towards a strong integration. The representatives of the various countries are supposed to stand firmly together and they have to submit and incorporate the new EU-regulations and legislation, and, preferably do this at the right time.

Work is now being done to remove the right of the membership countries to veto constitutional amendments and to replace it with a majority vote.

EU-president, Romando Prodi, says that "time has come for Europe to move beyond the united market and form a full-blooded `political union' with the diplomatic and military range of force as of a world power, that can ask the people's question of what they will want to die for within the spirit of Union." (London Electronic Telegraph, May 30, 2001.) The EU-president is saying here, directly, that they want to have a thoroughbred political union. In this connection it is also natural to have a joint EU army, a federal European police force, Europol, a joint European court-system, Corpus Juris, who ensures the incorporation of EU-laws, common currency (Euro), a common Central Bank, a joint fishing and agriculture policy, common pensions, common energy and environment taxation, common value added tax, a particular EU-tax and joint tax rules, etc. Most likely, if Norway becomes a member of the EU, it will lead to the submission of the Norwegian Oil policy to the legislation of the EU.

It is moving towards a closer union, and the regulations and strategies are constantly changing. The EU is like a big ship that keeps changing direction towards a more pronounced Catholic administration model, and the membership countries just have to follow.

It is also worth noticing that all the meetings in the cabinet are closed and not documented with minutes of what the various representatives have said. All voting within the cabinet is done by ballot, just to mention a little of the secrecy within the EU.

Norwegian politicians (Norway is not a member of the EU) say they have to join in order to have an influence, but that seems rather odd. The laws are already made - after a Catholic pattern. Besides, if Norway gets in, they will have about 2% influence on the decision making process. It is not being told that the EU gets 98%, or rather 100% influence upon it. When a law is made, the member countries have to adopt it, even those totally opposed to it. This is why protestant Norway will be subject to a Catholic government, unless they refuse to join this new state.

We can clearly see that the Catholic Church is on the verge of regaining its power in Europe, at least through one avenue, the European Union. In order to reach their objective, their goal is to ruin Protestantism and the independent nations, just like the long-term plan of Adam Weishaupt. This is confirmed among other plans in the complete Jesuit oath. The Jesuits are the frontline soldiers of the Catholic Church.

Before we read the Jesuit oath (which is quite shocking) and other factual information in this pamphlet, we will point out that this information is quite "hard to digest." And we feel it necessary to emphasize that we do not want any hostile attitude towards people, no matter what their status is. We are aware that we are born and brought up under various influences. Still we hope that these facts will be useful information for the individual, whether you are a part of the mentioned religious system or not. The purpose of this information is to help you recognise the dangers of this seductive system. We are not trying to unveil the Catholic Church because we have a hostile attitude towards Catholics. It is never pleasant to oppose a system that has a significant influence in many people's lives.

Because we have been made aware of the dangers of this religious system, because we see that their plans are unfolding and many people are being deceived - and last but not least because the Bible so strongly cautions against this system - we see it as our duty to pass on this information.

The following part of the Jesuit oath should be enough to reveal the actual purpose and mission of the Catholic Church.

THE JESUIT OATH

The following is an extract from portions of the Jesuit "Extreme Oath of Induction" as recorded in the Congressional Record of the United States of America, February 15, 1913, pages 3215-6. Also in "The Engineer Corps of Hell" by Edwin A. Sherman, pg. 118, 1883, Library of Congress Catalog Card #66-43354.

"EXTREME OATH OF INDUCTION"

"My son, heretofore you have been taught to act the dissembler: among the Roman Catholics to be a Roman Catholic, and to be a spy even among your own brethren; to believe no man, to trust no man. Among the reformers, to be a reformer; among the Huguenots, to be a Huguenot; among the Calvinists, to be a Calvinist; among the Protestants, generally to be a Protestant; and obtaining their confidence to seek even to preach from their pulpits, and to denounce with all the vehemence in your nature our holy religion and the Pope; even to descend so low as to become a Jew among the Jews, that you might be enabled to gather together all information for the benefit of your order as a faithful soldier of the Pope. You have been taught to insidiously plant the seeds of jealousy and hatred between states that were at peace, and incite them to deeds of blood, involving them in war with each other, and to create revolutions and civil wars in communities, provinces and countries that were independent and prosperous, cultivating the arts and the science and enjoying the blessings of peace. To take sides with the combatants secretly in concert with your brother Jesuit ... who might be engaged on the other side, but openly opposed to that with which you might be connected; only that the church might be the gainer in the end, in the conditions fixed in the treaties for peace and that the end justifies the means.

"You have been taught your duty as a spy, to gather all statistics, facts and information in your power from every source; to ingratiate yourself into the confidence of the family circle of Protestants and heretics of every class and character, as well as that of the merchant, the banker, the lawyer, among the schools and universities, in parliaments and legislatures, and in the judiciaries and the councils of state, and to `be all things to all men,' for the Pope's sake, whose servants we are unto death.

"You have received all your instructions heretofore as a novice, a neophyte, and have served as a coadjutor, confessor and priest, but you have not yet been invested with all that is necessary to command the army of Loyola in the service of the Pope. You must serve the proper time as the instrument and executioner as directed by your superiors; for none can command here who has not yet consecrated his labours with the blood of the heretic; for `without the shedding of blood no man can be saved.' Therefore, to fit yourself for your work and make your salvation sure, you will, in addition to your former oath of obedience to your order and allegiance to the Pope, repeat after me.

Source: http://www.endtime.net/engelsk/eliten.htm

Highlights and Bolds added for emphasis........... Arsenio.

EUROPEAN TREATY DOOMED

European Treaty “Doomed” · June 18, 2008

By Hal Mayer

“But they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay. Dan 2:43. The European Union’s latest attempt to bring Europe into closer political unity has come to a screeching halt once again.

On June 12, 2008, Irish voters rejected the Lisbon Treaty. The Treaty was an attempt to resurrect the European Constitution that was rejected by Dutch and French voters in 2005. Treaties (or a Constitution) must be ratified by all 27 members of the bloc. The leaders of many European nations usually approve the treaty without a popular vote, in spite of the fact that a large number, perhaps even a majority, of Europe’s citizens don’t want Brussels telling them what to do.

Second, another factor that has gotten in the way of the treaty or constitution is that there are now so many nations with differing and often competing interests that it is almost impossible for them to agree on a constitution.

But even among the powerbrokers there is growing disunity. Historic French and German rivalries, dating all the way back to the time of Clovis in the 6th century, have arisen again. Now that Germany has been reunited, France is seeking to mute a resurgent German political power. “French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s push for a Mediterranean Union – a new regional alliance that would include all Mediterranean littoral states (states that surround the Mediterranean sea) from the Middle East, North Africa and Europe – is a perfect example” of this French independence wrote Stratfor, a strategic forecasting group. This regional union would exclude Germany, since Germany is not a Mediterranean state. “The fractures within the European Union have been growing more apparent with each treaty or constitution that gets rejected, and the future of the bloc continues to darken.”

Third, the ability to steer the Union toward greater political alignment depends on which nation holds the rotating presidency of the Union. The more powerful the nation that holds the presidency, the more likely the development of greater political union. However, when the French presidency ends in December, there will be no strong nation leading the presidency until 2017 according to Strator, which makes a treaty or constitution even more remote. French Prime Minister Francois Fillon said that the treaty was “doomed.”

Yet the attempts will go on. Rome has much at stake. Her power in the old world depends on a unified Europe at least around a religious principle. The key players in European politics, such as Germany and France also have much at stake. There will be a certain type of unity, but God will decide when and under what circumstances. Watch carefully.

Source: http://www.ktfministry.org/articles/248/european-treaty-doomed

HAITIAN STUDENTS GIVE BACK, EDUCATE NATIVE COUNTRY

Patrick Eugene and Kurt Ferdinand, founders of Haiti's Hope, pose for a photo at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg on Thursday. Haiti's Hope provides information about the rural poor in Haiti in a non-government, non-partisan method.
Patrick Eugene and Kurt Ferdinand, founders of Haiti's Hope, pose for a photo at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg on Thursday. Haiti's Hope provides information about the rural poor in Haiti in a non-government, non-partisan method. (Amanda Bowles/The News Leader)

*

Haitian students give back, educate native country

By Mindi Westhoff/staff • mwesthoff@newsleader.com • June 20, 2008 HARRISONBURG — For most kids, a broken arm means a hasty trip to the emergency room, usually no more than 15 minutes away. But where Patrick Eugene grew up in Saltadere, Haiti, going to the hospital meant traveling more than an hour, either by foot or on horseback, to get medical attention in the Dominican Republic.

Though his parents had jobs that always kept food on the table, Eugene and his four siblings were surrounded by poverty growing up. When he was just 17, Eugene decided to do something about the problems not only in his community, but in all of Haiti by starting the Haiti's Hope Foundation.

Many church and outreach groups come through Haiti, Eugene said, but most simply address the immediate problems of food and shelter rather than the greater issue of education.

"What do they do?" Eugene said. "Some of them give food, but they never take the time to send them to school."

For the past eight years, Eugene and other Haiti's Hope Foundation founders, like fellow Haitian Kurt Ferdinand, have provided seminars for hundreds of children and high school dropouts throughout Haiti.

Because jobs are so hard to come by in Eugene's hometown, many parents leave their children to travel to the Dominican Republic for work.

Since many are killed when trying to cross the border, Eugene said there are hundreds of children who simply wander the streets, unaware of the importance of an education.

Some educational seminars focused on finding and keeping a job in Haiti's poor economic climate, but others had to start with the basics.

"(Some) didn't even know how to sign their name," Eugene said.

Ferdinand and Eugene grew up just 25 miles away from each other, but they didn't meet until Eugene began studying computer science at Eastern Mennonite University two years ago. After finding out that his fellow student was also a fellow Haitian, Eugene told Ferdinand all about Haiti's Hope.

"When he told me about it, I fell in love with Haiti's Hope," Ferdinand said. "If I have opportunities to help Haiti children go to school, I have to do it."

Since they've been able to raise more funds in the past few years, the 200 members of Haiti's Hope have provided college scholarships for Haitians.

Eugene, Ferdinand and other Haitian students studying in the U.S. also give presentations on the state of Haiti and how Americans can help.

On Saturday, Ferdinand and Eugene wil discuss the educational and economic status of Haiti and how residents can sponsor students for between $29 and $250 a month.

Source: http://www.newsleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080620/NEWS01/806200328/1002

HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL HOLDS INTERACTIVE DIALOUGE...ON HAITI...

Human Rights Council holds interactive dialogue with independent expert on Haiti and discusses technical assistance and capacity-building

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Human Rights Council
AFTERNOON
17 June 2008

The Human Rights Council this afternoon held an interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti, followed by a general debate on technical assistance and capacity-building.

Louis Joinet, Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti, said that he was taking the floor for the very last time, after more than 40 years of association with the United Nations. Over the past six years, he had been able to create links with different parties in Haiti, which were not always really open to dialogue and were also not often open to the return of the rule of law, as these groups were often linked to the mafia. He had also maintained contact with various Government officers; one day these would have to take the destiny of the people in their hands. The major steps accomplished over the last years included the re-establishment of an elected parliament and the election meant that the people of the country could come out with a long lasting situation. One of the problems was the non-existence of political parties as such as they had not taken root in the country yet.

Haiti, speaking as a concerned country, said Mr. Joinet had provided moral and technical support to the Haitian people. Haiti had the will to reform the administration and police with respect to human rights. However, in April 2008 the country was plunged into an institutional crisis as a result of the food shortage crisis. Violent demonstrations had led to the removal of the Prime Minister by 16 Senators of the Republic and since then the country had had a difficult time replacing him. The setting up of a new Government was essential for the setting up and promotion and protection of human rights. On the renewal of the mandate, Haiti believed that given the political state, it was difficult for the Government to make such a decision without the support of a full backed Government.

In the interactive dialogue with the Independent Expert on the situation of human rights in Haiti, delegations said that they attached great importance to the situation in Haiti. Mr. Joinet had established a reputation of trust over time with successive Haitian administrations. Haiti, as elsewhere, was a country where security and development were interlinked. Poverty and extreme poverty were present in the country. The consolidation of the rule of law was at the heart of the current issues that remained to be solved in Haiti. Mr.

Joinet fought to deal with a number of issues that were of priority: an independent judiciary, the right to fair trial, training the police, army and armed forces in general, combating impunity, which was a system corroding the entire system in Haiti, and combating extreme poverty.

Speaking in the interactive dialogue on the situation of human rights in Haiti were the delegations of Canada, France, Uruguay, Luxembourg and Slovenia on behalf of the European Union.

In the general debate on technical assistance and capacity-building, delegations said the Council should support and promote the provision of technical assistance and capacity-building. At the same time this assistance and cooperation should contribute towards the prevention of human rights violations and facilitate a prompt response to human rights emergencies. The Council had a clear mandate to start afresh to think on technical cooperation in order to avoid reverting to the past practices of the Commission.

Speaking in the general debate about technical assistance and capacity-building were the delegations of Slovenia on behalf of the European Union and Sri Lanka.

Also speaking was Human Rights Watch.

Speaking in right of reply was Iran.

The Council will meet at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 18 June, when it is scheduled to appoint a number of Special Procedures mandate holders and take action on resolutions and decisions before closing its eighth regular session.

Source: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/MUMA-7FQ4RF?OpenDocument

PASTOR HERE TO HELP HAITI

Friday, June 20, 2008

Pastor here to help Haiti

‘… a country that’s under extreme misery right now’

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Rev. Bazille Gumps talks in Auburn about his work in Haiti. (T&G Staff/DAN GOULD)

"When I get back to Haiti, I am going to spend every day praying for the churches in the United States. The churches need to be a uniting force so they will be able to stand together against the evils of society."

REV. Gumps Gumps

LEICESTER— The Rev. Bazile Gumps came to the United States to spread awareness of the work he is doing and the work that needs to be done in his native Haiti.

Rev. Gumps runs the nondenominational Evangelistic Church of the Good Samaritan in the Haitian city of Leogane. He has also turned his home into The Good Samaritan Orphanage and has started The Good Samaritan School.

“Haiti is a country that’s under extreme misery right now,” Rev. Gumps said, sitting in the Starbucks at Auburn. “Life is too expensive in Haiti. People don’t have an adequate house to live in. You see children living in the streets because there’s no place for them to live.”


His six-week stay in the United States, which ends tomorrow, is in conjunction with Mission E4, a Worcester organization that does ministry work in Haiti. He has been staying in Leicester with Gabe David Leon and his wife, and Scott Long and his family.

Mr. Leon and Mr. Long, who are planning another mission to Haiti July 5, came to the interview and, when necessary, Mr. Long served as an interpreter for the pastor, who speaks Creole and some English.

During his stay, Rev. Gumps has participated in youth programs and spoken at area churches. In his free time, he has tasted American life, visiting tourist stops including Old Sturbridge Village and the Boston Aquarium, dining on pizza and other American cuisine, and watching popular films at the local multiplex, including “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” and “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.” But Rev. Gumps said seeing attractions and wolfing down pizza is not what his visit is all about.

“I’m not here to be a tourist,” he explained. “I’m here to do the work that I’m here to do.”

Rev. Gumps has come here to raise money to purchase land for an existing orphanage, as well as to pay for further construction. He estimates he needs $65,000 for the land purchase and $150,000 for construction work.

As of earlier this week, Rev. Gumps has raised $30,000 here for his cause.

He and his wife adopted Micanes, a 3-year-old orphan who was very ill and “very, very fragile.” Today, the child is 14. Not long after arriving in the United States, he received word that Micanes had injured himself jumping out of the way of a speeding motorcycle.

“At the time when it happened, many people gathered together to pray for me, for my son,” Rev. Gumps said. “God answered the prayers. He is doing better.”

Rev. Gumps wrestled with whether to return to Haiti to be by the boy’s side. He decided to stay, fearing that he wouldn’t be allowed back.

“It’s very, very difficult for anyone to leave Haiti, to get a visa, to get residence,” he said. “I had to work for a long time to get a six-week visa to come here. Had I left, I would have given up my rights to that visa.”

Rev. Gumps said he is envious of the American education system. In Haiti, parents come up to him every day, he said, pleading to get their children into his school — not just for food for thought but a good meal, which is provided every day, all year long.

“The biggest thing, that touches me the most, is the road system, just having regular roads, regular transportation, roads that are marked clearly. Everything is proper, clean. There are rules and order,” he said. “Most of the things in my country are dirty, trash all over the place, wherever you go.”

The pastor said he is astounded that the U.S. government passes so many laws that he feels go against the teachings of the Bible.

“For a country to have the protection of God, the country needs to stay under the commands of God,” he insisted. And, he says the disunity of the churches in the United States breaks his heart.

“When I get back to Haiti, I am going to spend every day praying for the churches in the United States,” he said. “The churches need to be a uniting force so they will be able to stand together against the evils of society.”

With many of its people living in poverty and suffering from AIDS, he said, Haiti it is getting worse and worse every day. Still, despite all their hardships, he said, Haitians are very strong, courageous people and survivors.

“Regardless of whether they are in good situations or extreme destitution, they’re people that know how to keep good spirits,” Rev. Gumps said. “They really have a lot of courage. You can still see smiles on the faces of people there. You can see hope.”


For more information or to donate to the orphanage project, contact Mission E4, at 20 Havana Road, Worcester, MA 01603, send e-mail to missione4@yahoo.com or check out its Web site at missione4.com.

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Source: http://www.telegram.com/article/20080620/NEWS/806200586/1008/NEWS02