December 10, 2009
Date: December 12, 2009
Published by Practical Spiritual Warfare web site, a division of Mission Miami Valley, 718 Stratford Dr., Sidney, Ohio 45365 and authored by Dr. D. Vincent (Bud) Ford, president. This e-zine is dedicated to providing valuable, practical information for dealing with the chaotic and confusing times in which we live.
Practical Spiritual Warfare Web Site Dr. D. Vincent (Bud) Ford End Times Preparation Web Site
Strategies to Win Spiritual Battles Series – “Open Your Spiritual Eyes”
Contents
1. Strategic Advice for the Remnant –Strategies to Win Spiritual Battles - “Open You Spiritual Eyes”
2. Tips for Kingdom Living - Complaining
3. Scripture Guidance & Inspiration
4. Thoughts to meditate on – Let God Finish His Plan
5. Articles Pointing to the End Times
6. Site Build It - Follow your passion! Check out the links below. http://buildit.sitesell.com/
7. Announcements -
1. Open Your Spiritual Eyes
A great war is being waged in the spiritual realm. It is a battle between the flesh and the spirit; it is a social battle that is influenced by the forces of evil and it is a spiritual battle being waged between evil supernatural powers and the Lord’s people.
To understand the invisible war in which we are engaged, we must first understand the two worlds in which we live.
First Corinthians 15:44 tells us there is the natural body and there is the spiritual body. We can see, feel, touch, hear and taste the natural world with our five senses. Our world is tangible, and for the most part, it is visible.
But there is another world in which we live; it is the spiritual world and we cannot see it with our physical eyes, but it is real none the less. There are is a war going on in that spiritual world and there are basic principles of warfare that we can understand. The key is deciding which of two spiritual kingdoms you will belong to.
We seldom recognize the spiritual realm because we are separated from God and therefore not as sensitive as we should be. Our spiritual blindness keeps us from seeing past our natural senses. “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor. 2:14)
How would you describe your tangible, physical world? Do you have struggles you face with personal relationships? Financial problems? Job or professional issues?
How about your spiritual world, how would you describe it? Do you feel isolated and alone, or do you feel held-up and supported by God? Can you reconcile your personal difficulties with the concept of a loving God?
2 Kings 6:8-22 tells about Elisha being surrounded by the king od Syria’ army; when Elisha’s servant saw Them he panicked and Elisha prayed that the Lord would open the servants eyes, which He did, and the servant saw the Lord’s army surrounding the king of Syria’s army. That is the invisible world we are talking about.
A strategic question to ask and answer is: “Why does God allow the Satan and his demons to continue to harass people? Why doesn’t God just do away with sin and suffering?” The answer is that God has given people the right to choose and He will not violate mankind’s free will. The problem lies in mankind’s desire to sin and to follow their self desires rather than God’s desire for them.
How much do you desire to follow your own self-will, rather than God’s? What attitude do you hold toward spiritual warfare? Do you think your current battles have anything to do with the spiritual realm? Find the correct answer to these questions for yourself and you will be on your way to practical spiritual warfare in your everyday life.
2. Tips for Kingdom Living – Complaining
Why Do People Complain?
Numbers 11:4-6 reports that the people of Israel, when out in the desert began to complain, “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed ...”day after day we have nothing to eat but this manna!” The manna was a supernatural gift from God to feed them, yet they complained because that was all they had! They began to mummer against God and Moses.
We complain when things don’t go our way and we don’t get what we want.
WE must be careful about whining, griping or complaining. When we have so much to be thankful for, yet we choose to complain, God considers it sin. We are demonstrating an attitude of ungratefulness. It was enough of a sin for the Israelites that God punished them with poisonous snakes. (Numbers 21:5-6)
Philippians 2: 14-15 – In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing so that no one can speak a word of blame against you … Let your lives shine brightly before them.
2. Scripture Guidance & Inspiration
For we are laborers’ together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
1 Corinthians 3:9
The King James Version
God's way of answering the Christian's prayer for more patience, experience, hope and love often is to put him into the furnace of affliction.
Richard Cecil
A friend is one who sees through you and still enjoys the view.
Wilma Askinas
2. Thoughts for Meditation - LET GOD FINISH HIS PLAN -- Luke 1:29-33 NIV
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
Mary had "found favor with God," but that favor did not mean instant success, power, money or fame. It meant that she would have to suffer ridicule and gossip. It meant that the man she was engaged to marry would come very close to turning away from her. It meant that she would end up having her baby in a stable, with donkeys and cattle as witnesses. It meant that she would have to flee with her husband to the foreign land of Egypt for fear of their child being murdered. It meant that she would have to watch her oldest son suffer and die on a cross.
But through her pain, her son would be the only hope of the world. Through her pain would come the One who would provide salvation to all who will accept it. Through her pain, God would illustrate His infinite love for mankind. Through her pain, God could finish His plan.
God has a plan for your life, too. But the road that follows His plan is often rocky and rough. Most of us require a large amount of honing before we become a shining reflection of Jesus. We have many, many rough spots that God must “polish away” before we can reflect Jesus to the world in the way He wants us to. And before we can accomplish what He has for us to do, we have to be educated, we have to learn through His Word and through the school of hard knocks exactly how we are to handle the job He's given us. But, just like Mary, through our pain, He is able to make His glory shine to the world around us.
If you are a born again believer, you have "found favor with God." And that doesn't mean smooth sailing. That means that God will do whatever it takes to mold you into the person He wants you to be. So if your life is rough right now, be patient. Praise God that you have found favor with Him. And marvel at what He does with you in order to carry out His plan.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV
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 91 - Iran successfully simulates nuclear warhead detonation – www.debka.com
End Times Watch. German intelligence reports that Iranian scientists have successfully simulated the detonation of a nuclear warhead in laboratory conditions, in an effort to sidestep an underground nuclear test like the one that brought the world down on North Korea's head earlier this year. DEBKAfile's Iranian and intelligence sources report that this development is alarming because detonation is one of the most difficult technological challenges in the development of a nuclear weapon. Mastering it carries Iran past one of the last major obstacles confronting its program for the manufacture of a nuclear warhead.
End Times Watch 92 - Navy: Iran able to shut down oil route – Joseph Farah – www.wnd.com
End Times Watch. The U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence has confirmed that Iran can shut down the strategic Strait of Hormuz through which more than 30 percent of the world's oil supplies pass, according to a report from Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.
Nearly 1/3 of world's supplies pass through Strait of Hormuz.
The report was posted on the website for the ONI, but abruptly removed after about a week.
Before its unexpected removal, G2B was able to obtain a copy of the unclassified report titled, "Iran's Naval Forces: From Guerilla Warfare to a Modern Naval Strategy."
End Times Watch 93 - A Week of Prophetic Significance--The Stone of Jerusalem – Bill Wilson – www.dailyjot.com
End Times Watch. The week ending December 5th, 2009 was one of prophetic significance for America and the Middle East. Zechariah 12:3 says, "And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it." Jerusalem has been the centerpiece of history and the timepiece of God's prophecy since the beginning of recorded history. The actions of the White House and the European Union during the week have set in stone destructive prophetic undertones that only repentance, prayer and action can reverse.
6. Site Build It (SBI)
Discover your passion and learn a easy to follow, step-by-step 10 day process to design your own web site around that passion; a web site that will rank in the top 20% of all web sites. At the same time you can SUPPLEMENT, OR REPLACE, YOUR INCOME while following your hearts desire.
Take a look at some of the possibilities; you’ll be glad you did.
- Quick Tour Slide Show:
- Site Build It Home page:
- Find Your Business:
- I Love SBI:
- What’s your passion?:
- Fantastic, easy to use tools and training:
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
Ø 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.
Ø We all need to become the person God designed us to be. Those who have thought they “had it all together” are finding they have just scratched the surface. You need to discover God’s destiny for your life, the reason you were born. There is help for you on this journey – I will soon be a Nationally Certified Life Coach and you can web mail for more information.
Ø Thank you for all your comments about this e-zine, The REMNANT, they are an encouragement to me. If you have any questions or comments, I encourage you to send a web mail.