John the Baptist was "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight." Matthew 3:3
Unquenchable Fire John said: "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I'm not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." Matthew 3:11-12 Consuming Fire "For our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:29 Consuming Fire "For our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:29 Burning Torch When the Lord made His Covenant with Abraham He revealed Himself as a burning torch (Genesis 15:17-18). Burning Bush God revealed Himself to Moses through the burning bush (Exodus 3:2-14).
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Back to the Bible Over six years ago, I embarked on a bold and ambitious Back to the Bible Reformation project – to read, study and preach through every Book of the Bible, with the goal of producing books surveying the Old Testament and New Testament. This was to coincide with the Reformation 500 anniversaries. Reformation 500 It was 31 October 1517, that Professor Martin Luther nailed the 95 Theses to the Church door of the Schlosskirche (the Castle Church) in Wittenberg, Germany. It was 1 January 1519, that Reformer Ulrich Zwingli dispensed with the Latin mass and began Expository Preaching, in their local language, starting with the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 1, working through every verse in the New Testament. The Reformers called believers to return to the Bible as the sole standard of Faith and practice and to recognise the Lord Jesus Christ as the only True Head of the Church. The centenary celebrations of the ANC and their determination to dedicate the country to the ancestral spirits sparked nation wide controversy. How are we as Christians to respond? What does the Bible say concerning the spirits of our ancestors? To whom should South Africa be dedicated? Are there examples in history of other nations that have invoked the spirits of their ancestors? What were the results in those cases? Celebrations The African National Congress started off the year by throwing itself a lavish birthday party in Bloemfontein. To celebrate its journey from anti-apartheid movement to ruling party, they scheduled a golf outing, champagne toasts, and an inter-faith service which involved slaughtering a bull and invoking the ancestral spirits. Ritual Slaughter With drums pounding and chants filling the air, the ANC president, Jacob Zuma, initiated the traditional cleansing ceremony by ritually sacrificing a bull, killing it with a spear, while it was tied to a tree. ANC secretary general, Gwede Mantashe, explained: “traditionally the act of slaughtering has different meanings. All nations have a way of celebration through slaughter… it is the same but in different circumstances.” The inter-faith service included messages and blessings from representatives of all major religions, including Muslim, Hindu, Christian, Rastafarian, and traditional Animist witchdoctors. Despite the ANC, secretary general’s assertion that “all nations have a way of celebration through slaughter…” journalists could not think of how the Queen of England, for example, marks national events by ritual slaughter of a helpless animal. For your edification, and for intercession, here is a small selection of remarkable written responses we have received from our literature ministry. Please do continue to lift up these people and countries in prayer and please continue to intercede for our publications that God may use them to renew minds, transform lives, change hearts and disciple nations. “You sent me the Discipleship Handbook. I have read it all and made comparison with the Islamic theology and I finally reached the conclusion that what Jesus said is right and the Bible is true. I need some more books to read. Can you please send me more.” Karachi, Pakistan “Your book ‘Putting Feet to your Faith’ is very strong and effective for Nepal.” Nepal “Oh behalf of the Kanyama Pastors Fellowship, I would like to say thank you so much for the donation of library books we received. The Pastors were filled with Joy. It has come at the right time and the College now has a library.” Pastor Hakobwa Kennedy, Kanyama Pastors Fellowship, Zambia “I have read your article entitled Raising God-Fearing Children. I must congratulate you on this beautiful article. I must say, I receive many magazines and other Christian information from all over the world, but your magazine Christian Action is quite unique in its contents and articles.” Rui Barandas, South America Traditional African religion in Zimbabwe is a combination of Deism and Spiritism. Both the Shona (80% majority) tribe and the Ndebele (20% Minority) tribe recognise "the Most High God", “Mwari”, or “Mlimo” who speaks through the Rozvi priests in the Matopos. Traditional religion also recognises the role of ancestors (“Midzimu”). These ancestors are seen as intermediaries between man and God with mediums playing a major role, especially amongst the Shona society. The “Chaminuka”, “Mhondoro” (lion spirits) and “Matshave” ancestor cults are particularly well known. Wizards breathing fire, mermaids, familiar spirits, snakes and reptiles which lead people off into the bush as if by a strange compulsion, witchcraft, seances and illicit intercourse with the dead, are clearly condemned by Scripture (Lev. 20:6,27; Deut. 18:9-1 3). This was the rocky ground into which the Word of God had to be sown by missionaries like Robert Moffatt and David Livingstone. "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for You created all things and by Your will they were created and have their being." Revelation 4:11 We need to know God and we need to make Him known. The Most Important What comes into our mind when we think of God is the most important thing about us. No person is greater than his religion, and no religion is greater than its concept of God. Who is God The essence of idolatry is the entertaining of unworthy thoughts about God. We must purify and elevate our concept of our Almighty God for He is gloriously infinite and majestically eternal. He is the righteous One, the God of justice, the God of wrath and judgment. He is the most holy God, the God of glory and grace, of love and mercy, the God of Creation and Salvation. Our worship, in spirit and in truth, depends upon our understanding of who God is. "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Taking God's Blessings for Granted Dr. Martin Luther observed that we exhibit a degree of thankfulness in life in reverse proportion to the amount of blessing we have received. In Tabletalk, Dr. Martin Luther wrote: "The greater God's gifts and works, the less they are regarded." The blessings of life, health, freedom and food are not really appreciated unless they are lost, or threatened. Because sunrises and sunsets occur daily, they are taken for granted. "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." 2 Timothy 1:7 In the South African Infantry we were taught: "You have never lived until you have almost died and for those who fight for it, life has a flavour the protected will never know." At Milton High School, in Bulawayo, I was taught Rudyard Kipling's inspiring poem on courage and integrity. Kipling stated that this was modelled on the life and character of Rhodesia's Chief Justice and Administrator, Leander Star Jameson:
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To download as a tract for distribution, click here The release of the epic new film RISEN provides an excellent Evangelistic opportunity to engage friends, family, neighbours and strangers with the overwhelming evidences for the bodily Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. We have produced a tract specifically designed for you to print out and distribute to film-goers and neighbours. RISEN is a springboard to discuss the Person and Event that changed everything. "And declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the Resurrection from the dead." Romans 1:4 Pioneer Missionary Hudson Taylor declared: “God’s work, done God’s way, will never lack God’s supply.” The Will of God Will Never Lead You Where the Grace of God Cannot Keep You Hudson Taylor not only pioneered the first Inter-denominational Mission Society, but the first Faith Mission. Convinced that “God’s servant is God’s responsibility” and that “The will of God will never lead you where the Grace of God cannot keep you”, Hudson Taylor determined not to engage in fundraising, but to concentrate on the Mission God had entrusted him with. Faith Alone 33 Years ago, as God laid the vision of launching Frontline Fellowship upon my heart, I determined to follow the example of Hudson Taylor in launching Frontline Fellowship as a Faith Mission. Born in Prayer This was during all-night prayer meetings in our military base. We were praying our way through Operation World, particularly praying for our neighbouring countries: Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Angola. These were the, so-called, Frontline states. At that time they were at war with South Africa and supporting revolutionary groups which were coming across the border into South Africa and South West Africa, laying landmines in roads, placing limpet mines in shops, restaurants and railway stations and car bombs in public streets. They were coming at us with bombs and hate. We determined to go to them with Bibles and with the love and Gospel of Jesus Christ. |
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