Published by Practical Spiritual Warfare web site, a division of Mission Miami Valley and authored by Dr.  D. Vincent (Bud) Ford.  This e-zine is dedicated to providing valuable, practical information for dealing with the chaotic and confusing times in which we live.

Contents

1.      Tips for Kingdom Living

2.      Strategic Advice for the Remnant

3.      Scripture Guidance

4.      Thoughts to meditate on

5.      Articles Pointing to the End Times

6.      Site Build It (Don’t take my word for it - Check out the links below – you owe it to yourself)

7.      Announcements

1.     Tips for Kingdom Living –

Born Again – What’s That?

We all like the idea of changing, of becoming something different than what we presently are.

Starting over again ...

Reinventing ourselves ...

Experiencing a new beginning.

Certainly, our culture here in America is obsessed with change and self-improvement.

Cosmetic surgery has become very popular lately. People go to cosmetic surgeons wanting to look like their favorite movie stars, or perhaps a younger version of themselves. Sadly, they sometimes come out looking like an altogether different person!

Why this desire for change?

Nowadays, if people have a drug or alcohol problem, they just go to rehab. They re-emerge a month later "cured" (along with a fashion accessory ankle bracelet), but they fall back into the same problems again and again.

The problem is that all of these changes don't get to the real issue: the issue of the heart. Because the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.

Jesus said to Nicodemus being religious and moral is not enough. Self-improvement is not enough. No, you must be born all over again.

But what does that mean?

To be born again means to be "born from above." It is a radical heart change that only God can do. But it comes from above, not from self-effort or from self-improvement programs.

You might think to yourself, "Well, I'm a Christian, but I'm not one of those 'born again' types."

Newsflash – According to Jesus you can't be a genuine Christian without being born again.

You might wonder, how does this actually happen?

Just read Chapter 3 from the Gospel of John for the whole story.

There's no better source than that.

1.     Strategic Advice for the Remnant –

The Overcomers

Do you feel like you have struggles and conflict in your life?  Believe it or not that is a good thing.  The word overcomer has the idea of conflict and struggle.  In Revelation 2:7 Jesus promises eternal life to the overcomer, and it is important to note that this promise is not guaranteed to all, only the overcomers – it is only the overcomers who have the promise of eating of the eternal tree of life.

The overcomer is the person who overcomes and conquers and gains victory.  He is the victor and conqueror.

What is it that is to be overcome?

It is everything that pulls his or her heart and love away from Christ and attaches it to the world.  Whatever passions, whatever pleasures, whatever it is that have dampened the believer’s first love for Christ – those are the things the individual must overcome.

The whole church, including the pastor, can go astray or get on the world’s agenda, but it is the individual believer who must personally overcome.  The true believer must overcome this world and be faithful to Christ; he or she must remain pure and follow the Lord Jesus Christ; he or she must conquer the temptations and trials of life.

The overcomers are the true believers of this world, the remnant.  They are the Bride of Christ, the True Church, the Body of True Believers and they are scattered all over the earth.

This Body of True Believers, the Overcomers, is the ones truly advancing God’s Kingdom here on earth.  We need to find them, identify them, get to know them, communicate with them, encourage them, and help them.  We also need to cry out for others who are thirsty and need refreshment to join the overcomers, the REMNANT.

Bud Ford

3.     Scripture Guidance

 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, 

and in his word I hope;

my soul waits for the Lord

more than watchmen for the morning,

more than watchmen for the morning. 

 Psalm 130:5-6 

 The Revised Standard Version 

_________________________________________

When four rowers are in a boat, with their backs to the bow, their simple office is to pull the oars.  The steersman's office is to look ahead and work the helm.  The moment that the rower turns steersman, and tries to look over his shoulder or outpull his fellow oarsman, the boat loses headway.  So you and I are placed with our backs to the future.  In our hands are the oars of Christian endeavor.  Let God steer the boat, and let us attend to the oars. 

 T. L. Cuyler 

4. Thoughts for Meditation

LIVING BY FAITH – HAVE NO FEAR; KNOW THAT HE IS IN CONTROL

Psalm 56:3-4 NIV

   Whenever I am afraid,
         I will trust in You.
   In God (I will praise His word),
         In God I have put my trust;
         I will not fear.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
         What can flesh do to me?

Have you ever been afraid - really afraid?  I have.  I have been terrified.  I have been so terrified that I thought I would fly apart physically and emotionally before the source of my fear could ever work its evil on me.

And this isn't just physical fear - it's emotional and spiritual fear.  Fear that grips your very soul.  But God is not the source of fear.  When we are afraid, it comes from the enemy.  He revels in our fear.  He enjoys watching us quake in our boots.  Because when he manages to frighten us, he knows we aren't living in faith.

So when we are afraid, we have to trust God.  We have to place every ounce of our fear in His mighty hands and let go.  We have to believe that He knows what is going on, because He does.  We have to believe that He is in complete control, because He is.  We have to believe that He loves us far beyond anything we can comprehend, because He does.

If you've just lost your job or your health or your mate - for whatever reason - you are probably afraid.  The future you once thought was there has just disappeared.  Your secure footing in the world has been shattered.  Our Lord knows you're afraid.  He knows the foundation of your world has just crumbled.  He is in control of the situation.  Let go of the fear.  Give it to Him.  Trust Him.  Allow Him to show you His faithfulness.  Allow Him to shower you with the blessings of His love.

No matter what the source of fear in your life, give it to God.  Take this step in learning to live by faith and begin to know, deep within your being, that He is in control, that the outcome of any situation will be for your good and for His glory, no matter what that outcome is.  No matter what happens, know that you have absolutely no reason to be afraid.

Dogwood Ministries

5.  Articles Pointing to the End Times Watch

[Note: The number following End Times Watch is the sequence number for the End Times article and is inserted to assist the reader in locating the article as well as assisting the search engines.]

End times watch 64 - Kingdom Age Giving and Receiving

Ron McGatlin
www.openheaven.com

As we enter end times we enter the kingdom age of giving and receiving. Praise God! Seek Him and His kingdom with all your heart. Great authority in the Spirit is coming forth to those who truly love Him and are called according to His great purposes. The whole earth trembles before Him. His army is arising and will leave the charred land of the fallen world to enter the fresh new fruitful garden of the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven (Joel 2:3).

Click to Read Rest of Article

End times watch 65 - Psalm 83 ... Preview Of A Coming Attraction

Jack Kelley – www.gracethrufaith.com

Hezbollah says that Israel's disappearance after the next war is an established fact. Iran's President calls Israel a dirty microbe and a savage animal that will soon disappear in a flash. The commander in chief of Iran's army predicts that millions will soon receive the joyous news of Israel's destruction. Israel's chief of staff warns of a “tough ordeal” coming soon.   Israels' ambassador asks the UN to condemn Iran. With all the rhetoric flying around the Middle East following the death of arch terrorist Imad Mughniyeh, a closer look at Psalm 83 could reveal some details of a coming attack against the Jewish state.

Click to Read Rest of Article

End times watch 66 - When temptation comes

Greg Laurie – www.worldnetdaily.com and www.harvest.org

OK, by a show of hands, how many of you have been tempted?

Now … how many of you have given in to that temptation?

I thought so. (My hand unfortunately was raised, too)

So, here's the question: Can temptation be resisted, or are we destined to follow the advice of Oscar Wilde, who said, "The only way to get rid of temptation is to give in to it"?  End times watch.

There is a better way. A much better way. Let me illustrate with a story.

Click to Read Rest of Article

6. Site Build It (SBI)

Don’t take my word for it, check this out yourself Free.  This is a way to either SUPPLEMENT YOUR INCOME OR REPLACE IT While Following Your Passion at the same time!

I needed a web site but had no idea how to build it.

It was all greek, mysterious and intimidating to me.

I paid to have a web site built – cost me a lot of money. But the good thing (I thought) was I could maintain it and add to it myself through a control panel.

This was supposed to save me money – but guess what – I could never get it to work properly. Way to difficult and complicated to understand.

The site looked good but no traffic came and it was a waste of time and money!  After four years I had to get rid of the site and find another way.

I found the solution! It is Site Build it.

This is absolutely fantastic and I can not say enough good about it! 

Don't take my word for it, check it out yourself FREE.  This is a way to either supplement your income OR REPLACE IT!

It does not cost as much as I paid for MY old site – that is a very good thing. The step-by-step teaching and the unique and phenomenal large amount of tools is unsurpassed.

This is a TRULY USER FRIENDLY, and just as much "do it yourself" as you want, web site builder.

Take a look at some of the information – you’ll be glad you did.

1. Quick Tour Slide Show:

2. Site Build It Home page:

3. Find Your Business:

4. I Love SBI:

5. What’s your passion?:

6. Web Hosting:

The networking available with the internet is mind boggling, and the use of the internet seems to be limited only by our imagination.

It is rapidly becoming the source of commerce. Don’t get left behind in communication, commerce, networking, information and you name it.

I have found a way to benefit greatly with the Site Build It approach and I want to share it with you.

Check out the above links by clicking on the picture. You owe it to your self to see this wonderful user-friendly tool.

7.  Announcements

(1)  Thank you for all your continued wonderful comments about this e-zine, The REMNANT

(2)  I have been announcing that at some point in the future The REMNANT e-zine would be transferred to www.EndTimesPreparation.com. That has changed.  Instead, the material from www.EndTimesPraperation.com  will be transferred to this site www.PracticalSpiritualWarfare.com and you will continue to receive The REMNANT e-zine without change.

The theme of www.PracticalSpiritualWarfare.com centers around practical, everyday ways to deal with the battle of living in this current season and preparing for the end times the world is getting ready to enter.