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.

Contents

1.        Strategic Advice for the Remnant –Strategies to Win Spiritual Battles  - “Attributes of SAtan”

2.        Tips for Kingdom Living – "Conflict"

3.        Scripture Guidance & Inspiration

4.        Thoughts to meditate on – "God's Unique 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.       Strategic Advice for the Remnant - Attributes of Satan

Satan is a spirit, but even so, he has a personality and attributes.  Here we will look at some of those attributes.

The Bible teaches us that Satan is:

·         Intelligent and subtle – 2 Cor. 11:3

·         Emotional - Rev. 12:17

·         Self-willed – 2 Tim. 2:26

·         Proud – 1 Tim 3:6

·         Powerful – 1 John 5:19

·         Deceitful – Eph. 6:11

·         Fierce and cruel – 1 Peter 5:8-9

·         Deceptive – 2 Cor 11:14

Have you run into any of these attributes demonstrated by Satan or his demons?  Strange how some humans can hold these same attributes and they are either not trusted or not liked very well.

Be careful not to confuse these attributes in humans as being demonic. Remember, Satan and his demons ARE NOT behind every bush or around every dark corner – although he would like you to think he was.

2.       Tips for Kingdom Living – Conflict

How does Conflict start?

Conflict begins when we don’t get what we want, and the only way to get it is to take it from someone else.  This leads to disagreement and can lead to open warfare.

Conflict begins when two opposing viewpoints cannot find common ground.

Conflict also begins when we seek revenge.

Conflict begins when good confronts evil.  The two cannot peacefully coexist.  One must triumph.

What are some of the ways to resolve conflict?

Solving conflict takes initiative; someone must make the first move.  Abram gave Lot first choice, putting family peace above personal desires.

Solving conflict takes humility, a desire to see peace more than personal victory.

Solving conflict involves compromise, finding common ground that is bigger than your differences.  If neither side is willing to take the initiative or show the necessary humility to seek common ground, conflict will result in a broken friendship, divorce, or even war.

How do I keep a conflict from getting out of control?

Words can be used as tools or as weapons and therefore must be used carefully.

We are not to bury or deny conflicts, but rather to take immediate steps to resolve them.

Jesus outlines the process for confronting major conflicts among believers in Matthew 18: 15-17.

Sometimes the best way to deal with potential conflict is to avoid it.  We are told in Romans 16:17 to stay away from those who cause division and are upsetting people’s faith.

3.      Scripture Guidance & Inspiration

God can take your mess and make it into your message.

Joel Osteen 

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 "Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother." 

 Mark 3:35 

 The Revised Standard Version 

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One has to be very old before one learns how to be amused rather than shocked.

Pearl S. Buck 

4. Thoughts for Meditation - GOD’S UNIQUE PLAN – Genesis 2:23-24 NIV

The man said,
       "This is now bone of my bones
       and flesh of my flesh;
       she shall be called 'woman,'
       for she was taken out of man."

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Up until the sixth day of creatoin, God had spoken everything into existence.  When He was ready to crown His creation, He took a hands-on approach.  From the dust of the earth, he molded a man in His own image (Genesis 2:7), carefully and tenderly shaping the man, Adam, into the most beautiful of all His creation to that point.  With all the vastness of His imagination and creative genius, God Almighty shaped a man, then breathed into him the breath of life - completing a process that He and only He can do.  Rising up from the ground to stand on his perfectly formed legs, the man, Adam, was the perfect reflection of the character and personality of our Triune God.  But Adam was alone.  God brought each of the creatures to Adam, telling him to name them.  And he did.  But not one was a suitable companion for him.  In that magnificent garden filled with animals and plants and birds, Adam was alone.  He might not have been lonely, because he had never had a companion, so how would he know what loneliness was?  In fact, it was God Himself who pointed out Adam’s aloneness…

God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." (Genesis 2:18)   Once again taking the caring, hands-on approach, God caused Adam to go to sleep, and He took one of his ribs and formed woman.  But He took more than just a rib.  He took all those qualities from Adam that make woman what she is… qualities that are a part of the perfect reflection of God's image… qualities that, when melded together with Adam's male qualities through marriage, caused the two of them, together to become, once again, a perfect reflection of the image – the character and the personality - of God. 

We need to clarify a couple of things here, because this is where far too many people have gotten off track where their thinking about God is concerned.  First, God is not a man.  God is not a woman, either.  And second, God does not have a body.  God is Spirit. (John 4:24)  But He has within His great being both the male and the female qualities  - temperament, personality, character - that make up man and woman.  It is these qualities that He put into man and woman to make them the most special part of His creation. "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Genesis 1:27 NIV)

Before we go any farther, let's clarify one more thing - "helper" (or “helpmeet,” as it’s translated in the King James Version) does not mean subordinate.  It does not mean slave.  It does not mean "Mrs. Step-n-Fetch It".  It does not mean "life-support system for a baby factory who can cook".  And it also does not mean "boss" or "superior".  In fact, everywhere else in scripture that the Hebrew word for "helper" (ezer) is used (Exodus 18:4; Deuteronomy 33:7, 26, 29; Psalm 33:20, to name a few), it refers to God Himself when He is acting as a rescuer of His people.  Eve was made for Adam as a companion, a helper, a partner in Eden, to rule over the earth with him, hand-in-hand and side by side, to rescue Adam when he needed help, and to glorify God together with Adam in the perfect partnership of monogamous – one man and one woman - marriage. 

Whether you are single or married, take some time today to praise God for the uniqueness of marriage, and how that relationship can glorify Him.  Not all people will marry, but those who do can be greatly blessed through their relationship with their spouse, second only to their relationship with Jesus.

No matter what your status right now, praise God for His creation of marriage through which one man and one woman can become a perfect reflection of the personality and character of God - a status that can be attained in no other way.  Praise Him for His unique plan!  

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 117 - Washington Think Tank Predicts New Mideast War - by Hana Levi Julian - www.israelnationalnews.com

A U.S.-based think tank has issued a report saying that a new Middle East war may be looming on the horizon.

End Times Watch 118 - Angry, Angry, Angry - By Francis Frangipane

It's hard to remember a time when people were more angry. A civilized person ought to be, first of all, civil. Yet, today there is no discourse, no respect for another's opinion, no reasoning together for the common good. I am concerned, especially for the church.

One may argue, "Our society is decaying. We should be mad." Yes, but we can be angry yet still not sin (see Eph 4:26). Of course, I feel anger that the underpinnings of our culture are being dismantled by unprincipled men. Our souls should be vexed at the darkening cloud of demonic infestation in our culture, especially when children are caused to stumble or the weak are exploited. If we don't take a stand, the advance of evil ultimately means more people will die without Christ. So, if we are angry, it does not necessarily mean we have sinned. It can simply mean we care.

Click to Read Rest of Article

7.  Announcements

Ø  The REMNANT will be published MONTHLY from this issue forward rather than bi-monthly. Publication will be on the last Wednesday of each month.

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 am a Nationally Certified Life Coach with the American Association of Christian Counselors 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.

Ø  The REMNANT will be published MONTHLY from this issue forward rather than bi-monthly. Publication will be on the last Wednesday of each month.

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 am a Nationally Certified Life Coach with the American Association of Christian Counselors 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.