glad tidings 14.1

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Volume 14, Issue 1 January/February 2010 Glad Tidings Blessed are the pure in Blessed are the pure in Blessed are the pure in Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. heart: for they shall see God. heart: for they shall see God. heart: for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 Matthew 5:8 Matthew 5:8 Matthew 5:8

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January/February 2010

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Page 1: Glad Tidings 14.1

Volume 14, Issue 1 January/February 2010

Glad Tidings

Blessed are the pure in Blessed are the pure in Blessed are the pure in Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.heart: for they shall see God.heart: for they shall see God.heart: for they shall see God.

Matthew 5:8 Matthew 5:8 Matthew 5:8 Matthew 5:8

Page 2: Glad Tidings 14.1

2

Glad Tidings Glad Tidings Glad Tidings Glad Tidings is published six times per year by

Living Hope International Ministries

458 Old Niskayuna Road,

Latham, New York 12110 USA

Office 518.785.8888

Fax 518.785.1990

E-mail [email protected]

Website www.kingdomready.org

Glad Tidings is mailed free

to anyone who requests it.

Scriptures are taken from the

New American Standard Bible

unless otherwise noted.

March 19th - 21st

Kingdom Fest Weekend at Woodloch

————————————————

June 27th - July 3rd

Family Camp 2010 at Silver Bay

————————————————

July 25th - 30th

Teen Camp 2010 at Silver Bay

mark your calendar with

these important dates!!

Glad TidingsGlad TidingsGlad TidingsGlad Tidings

January/February 2010

Something to Consider ....................... p. 3

by Vince Finnegan

Way of Being As A Christian ............. p. 4

by Mary Ann Yaconis

Revere God’s Name ........................... p. 6

by Vince Finnegan

Interpreting Jesus’ Birth .................... p. 8

by Sean Finnegan

Congo Connection .............................. p. 12

by Richard and Cheryl Elton

Demonology ......................................... p.14

by Vince Finnegan

Page 3: Glad Tidings 14.1

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H appiness, or the pursuit thereof, seems

to be a primary impetus for

determining behavior. The variety and

extreme things that people do to gain

happiness are breathtaking. The pursuit often

leads us to sinful conduct such as gluttony,

greed, covetousness, and lust which cause

misery rather than happiness. The epistle of

Timothy says that such harmful desires

plunge men into ruin and destruction,

piercing themselves with many sorrows. True

happiness can be found, according to the

Scriptures, but not the way the majority

would consider.

Psalms 144:15 (KJV) “…happy is that people,

whose God is the LORD [Yahweh].”

Psalms 146:5 (KJV) “Happy is he that hath

the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is

in the LORD [Yahweh] his God.”

Proverbs 3:13 and 18 (KJV) “Happy is the

man that findeth wisdom, and the man that

getteth understanding… She is a tree of life

to them that lay hold upon her: and happy is

every one that retaineth her.”

Proverbs 14:21 (KJV) “He that despiseth his

neighbour sinneth: but he that hath mercy on

the poor, happy is he.”

Proverbs 16:20 (KJV) “He that handleth a

matter wisely shall find good: and whoso

trusteth in the LORD, happy is he.”

Proverbs 28:14 (KJV) “Happy is the man that

feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart

shall fall into mischief.”

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) “Where there is no

vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth

the law, happy is he.”

Jesus talked about happiness at the last

supper after he washed the feet of the

disciples. He told them his actions served as

an example that they were to follow, and if

they did – “happy are ye if ye do them.”

Jesus often spoke paradoxically. For the most

part, people think that happiness would come

while being served and certainly not by

serving others. The Sermon on the Mount

begins with the beatitudes which give the

impression of also being paradoxical and

place happiness on a high and holy plane.

Each of the godly attitudes mentioned begin

with the word “blessed” which is very similar

to “happy.” The blessedness he spoke of,

though, seems to be infinitely higher and

better than mere happiness. Jesus puts before

us that moral quality and pure character

rather than outward activity provide

happiness. Humility, mourning, meekness,

mercy, hunger and thirst for righteousness,

and so on are the “stuff” of which happiness

is made.

The beginnings of a new year are a good time

to examine yourself and to realign priorities

to coincide with the commandments of our

Lord Jesus Christ. Living for the glory of

God with a view to the coming Kingdom is a

lifetime commitment that is accomplished on

a daily basis. Today is a great day to pursue

happiness God’s way. �

SOMETHING TO

CONSIDER

Pursuit of Happiness

Page 4: Glad Tidings 14.1

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M odern statistics show that Christians are as prone to divorce, mental illnesses, living together without marriage, out of wedlock children, and financial difficulties as those who do not accept Christ. Why should this be so? Statistics are not always accurate, and even if these particular ones aren’t exact, they are still alarming. Maybe just believing on Christ isn’t enough. Close attention and faithful hard work have to be given to our way of being as a Christian.

Romans 8: 12-13 “So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

Hearing about God and His Son Jesus Christ and accepting Christ as our Lord and Savior

provide the way for us to become children of God. So, if one believes on Christ, then shouldn’t everyday living be just fine with no marital issues, no financial problems, no frustrations and disappoint-ments, and no addictive behaviors? Too many times, Christians deny that they can have problems just because they have Christ. This denial puts Christians right into the hands of the evil one, Satan, who then deceives them into thinking that because they believe in God and Christ, they do not have to address poor relational and life skills. Our way of being a Christian, our life sermon that people see, cannot be dismissed as nonessential.

Romans 8:5 “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.”

How do we pay attention to the activities of everyday

living, which are certainly those of the flesh – like jobs or relationships – and yet live according to the things of the Spirit? The Christian way of being is to be mindful of God’s ways and to have self-discipline to obey. The flesh and its cravings, hurts, pains, f rust ra t ions , and dis-appointments cannot be the impetus for how we interact with the world. If these ways of being appear to “control” behaviors, a look is needed into what is kept in our heart. The heart is where the issues of life emanate. One woman’s sister knew God’s Word and kept it in her heart. This helped her to see God’s goodness in their depraved situation.

Corrie Ten Boom and her sister Betsie were in Ravensbruck, a concentration camp in Germany during World War II. Corrie and Betsie were Christians who hid Jews in their home and were turned in to the German police

by a “friend.” God provided for them to keep a section of Scripture which i n c l u d e d I The s sa lon ian s 5 : 1 8 , “ i n everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” In response, Corrie’s

(Continued on page 5)

Way Of Being as a Christian

by Mary Ann Yaconis

Page 5: Glad Tidings 14.1

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sister was thankful to God even for an overwhelming infestation of fleas in their barracks for which Corrie could not bring herself to be thankful. Later on, Corrie realized that the fleas were very godly because they kept the brutal guards out of the barracks which meant that Corrie and Betsie had freedom to teach fellow prisoners about God and Christ. It amazed Corrie that her sister could live above the circumstances and consistently maintain the Word of God in untenable situations. Financial ruin; a difficult job, friendship, or marital relations may appear like an infestation of fleas; yet, our responses to these situations must be according to the Scriptures.

Psa lms 119 :11 “Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against you.”

Having God’s Word in our heart keeps us f rom s in . As difficulties come up: (a) take them to God in prayer for healing of wounds, (b) read Scriptures, and (c) resist old behaviors by developing godly new ones. Do I love my family as God would have me love? Do I steward my finances as God would have me? Am I putting time and effort into teaching and training my children/teens to be mature Christians? Do I find solace

and comfort in God and the Scriptures or in self-medications?

Christians have to be brutally honest with their lives. We can’t just think that the fleas do not exist or that they will just disappear. Life can be very hard and harsh, unfair and painful; yet, there is no pit so deep that God isn’t deeper still. Those whose way of being is faint of heart, hypocritical, and disingenuous will continue to be worldly statistics. God admonishes us that we are to live for Him, no matter in what infestation we find ourselves. We can rise above the world through living as Christ taught us.

Matthew 5:20 “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

We are to suffer as a Christian for moving the gospel, not for unhappy in te rpe r sona l relationships and life skills problems. The Body of Christ is made up of those who love

God and strive to live together in unity. Yet, Christians have affairs; sexual, drug, and alcohol addictions; multiple angry outbursts; and emotional cutoffs from family and friends over offenses, just as unbelievers do. In fact, it has been said at times that those who are not Christians appear be kinder and more honest in business dealings than those who are supposed to be as Christ.

The Christian way of living is to be one of a much higher standard than that of the flesh or world. We are to love as Christ loved, be kind, tenderhearted, forgive, and not judge others, harbor bitterness,

nor desire fleshly desires. Loving God more than our own selves and being passionate about living the commandments of God will provide for us our way of being until Christ returns. We may feel like we are stuck in gooey, sticky clay, but waiting patiently for the LORD and living life honestly before Him, we will be delivered.

Psalms 40:1-3 “I waited patiently for the LORD; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear and will trust in the LORD.” �

(Continued from page 4)

Page 6: Glad Tidings 14.1

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W hen I meet someone

for the first time,

usually I introduce

myself by saying, “Hello, my

name is Vince.” I cannot

remember a time when

someone argued with

me about my name or

refused to call me by

my name or

presumptuously decid-

ed to change it to suit

their liking. Such

behavior would be

unthinkable and off-

ensive. Yet, this is

exactly what happens to

Almighty God! He has

identified Himself by

name repeatedly, thousands of

times, in the Scriptures; yet,

most people do not know His

name. His seemingly devoted

followers refuse to speak or

write His name. In most Bibles,

His name has been replaced

with “LORD.” Those who do

refer to Him by name do so

with a name that some men

made up hundreds of years

after the writing of the Bible.

He is commonly called

Jehovah, which is a manmade

name! Some have a very

cavalier attitude about God’s

name and say, “What

difference does it make?”

When someone calls us by the

wrong name, we get offended.

If people forget our name, we

are tempted to think they do

not really value or care about

us. However, with God we

conclude what difference does

it make? God’s name is very,

very important and should be

known and revered by all

mankind. His name is YHWH

– pronounced Yahweh.

Exodus 3:15 God, furthermore,

said to Moses, "Thus you shall

say to the sons of Israel, ‘The

LORD [Yahweh], the God of

your fathers, the God of

Abraham, the God of Isaac,

and the God of Jacob, has sent

me to you.’ This is My name

forever, and this is My

memorial-name to all

generations.

Psalms 83:18 “That they may

know that You alone, whose

name is the LORD [Yahweh],

Are the Most High over all the

earth.”

Isaiah 42:8 “I am the LORD

(Yahweh), that is My name; I

will not give My glory to

another, Nor My praise to

graven images.”

Isaiah 51:15 "For I am the

LORD [Yahweh] your God,

who stirs up the sea and its

waves roar (the LORD

[Yahweh] of hosts is His

name).”

Jeremiah 33:2 “Thus says

the LORD (Yahweh) who

made the earth, the LORD

(Yahweh) who formed it to

establish it, the LORD

(Yahweh) is His name,”

Hosea 12:5 “Even the

LORD [Yahweh], the God

of hosts, The LORD

[Yahweh] is His name.”

When Jesus taught his

disciples to pray, he magnified

that which was and should

always be of concern to those

who love God. He said,

“Hallowed be Your name.”

Those who came before Jesus

also acknowledged the holiness

and sacredness of His name,

which is recorded in many of

the Psalms.

Psalms 5:11 “But let all who

take refuge in You be glad, Let

them ever sing for joy; And

may You shelter them, That

those who love Your name

may exult in You.”

Psalms 7:17 “I will give

(Continued on page 7)

Revere God’s name

By Vince Finnegan

Page 7: Glad Tidings 14.1

7

thanks to the LORD [Yahweh]

according to His righteousness

And will sing praise to the

name of the LORD [Yahweh]

Most High.”

Psalms 34:3 “O magnify the

LORD [Yahweh] with me,

And let us exalt His name

together.”

Psalms 66:2 “Sing the glory

of His name; Make His praise

glorious.”

Psalms 68:4 “Sing to God,

sing praises to His name; Lift

up a song for Him who rides

through the deserts, Whose

name is the LORD [Yahweh],

and exult before Him.”

Psalms 103:1 “A Psalm of

David. Bless the LORD

[Yahweh], O my soul, And all

that is within me, bless His

holy name.”

Psalms 105:1 “Oh give thanks

to the LORD [Yahweh], call

upon His name; Make known

His deeds among the peoples.”

Psalms 105:3 “Glory in His

holy name; Let the heart of

those who seek the LORD

[Yahweh] be glad.”

Isaiah 25:1 “O LORD

[Yahweh], You are my God; I

will exalt You, I will give

thanks to Your name; For You

have worked wonders, Plans

formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.”

At one point in history, the

Jews decided that they should

not speak the name of God for

fear of violating the second

commandment – “You shall

not take the name of the LORD

[Yahweh] your God in vain.”

They also decided that they

should not write His name, so

they replaced it with the

Hebrew “Adonai” which

means Lord. The Bible records

a multitude of occurrences of

Israel’s stubborn and arrogant

ways throughout history. They

often determined how they

were going to worship rather

than submitting to Yahweh’s

clear and repeated instructions.

They worshipped as it pleased

them and disregarded the

desires of Almighty God. Their

dealings with the name of God

should not be embraced as a

standard to follow since it

contradicts what is clearly

communicated in the

Scriptures. Nowhere in the

Bible does God indicate that

He wants His name hidden or

not spoken; rather, the opposite

is emphatically communicated.

He wanted Israel and all the

generations that followed to

know His name.

Psalms 45:17 “I will cause

Your name to be remembered

in all generations; Therefore

the peoples will give You

thanks forever and ever.”

Psalms 72:17 “May his name

endure forever; May his name

increase as long as the sun

shines; And let men bless

themselves by him; Let all

nations call him blessed.”

Psalms 102:12 “But You, O

LORD [Yahweh], abide

forever, And Your name to all

generations.”

Psalms 135:13 “Your name,

O LORD [Yahweh], is

everlasting, Your remem-

brance, O LORD (Yahweh),

throughout all generations.

(Continued from page 6)

(Continued on page 10)

Page 8: Glad Tidings 14.1

8

I nterpretation #1:

From eternity past, the Father, the Son, and

the holy spirit existed as a community of one, perfect in love, harmony, and joy. In the eternal counsels of this triune God, the plan of salvation for the yet-to-be-created human race was decreed. The only question was who would go. Overwhelmed with self-sacrificial love, the Son volunteered to humble himself by uniting humanity to his divinity, veiling his deity by taking on human flesh. Two thousand years ago, this salvation plan was carried out by the second person of the Trinity. He entered the virgin womb of Mary, and suddenly, she became pregnant with God the Son. He was perfect God and perfect man, not half divine and half human like Hercules, but fully God and fully man in a totally unique way. This incredible event is cal led the incarnation — the moment when God became man for our salvation. In fact, the cross is not really the most impor tan t even t f o r redemption, the incarnation is. For without the humbling act of God giving up His divine prerogatives to condescend to the lowly state of a first century

Palestinian Jew, the cross would mean nothing. Thus, in the grand scheme of things, the incarnation is the premier event that brought God to man so that man could be reconciled with God.

Interpretation #2:

Throughout all of human history, from the instant God promised to defeat the s e r p e n t t h r o u g h a descendant of Eve, God has been working to bring His plan into fruition. A millennium before Christ, an upstart Jewish king was promised that one of his descendants would rule over Israel forever. God promised King David that he would father this descendant who would then be both a son of David and a Son of

God. Generation after generation, Jewish women of Davidic ancestry hoped that they might be the one to give birth to the Messiah. Then, two thousand years ago, a Jewish teenager from a tiny village in northern Galilee was visited by the angel Gabriel. She was informed that she would have a son through a divine miracle. This child would be great; he would be called the Son of the Most High; he would rule over Jacob on the throne of David forever. In the face of suffering a scandalous reputation, Mary a model believer for all subsequent generations, said, “May it be done to me according to your word.” In fact, Joseph, Mary’s fiancé, n e a r l y b r o k e t h e engagement off when he found out that she was pregnant, that is until an angel intervened to confirm what she had said. Thus, was born the Davidic King—the one who would be anointed to rule Israel and through Israel, to bless all of the nations; the one who would set right the whole series of wrongs that had begun with Adam; the one who would voluntarily give up his own righteous life on behalf of others who did not deserve it. Finally, at long last, the Messiah, Jesus of Nazareth, was born.

(Continued on page 9)

Interpreting Jesus’ Birth

By Sean Finnegan

Page 9: Glad Tidings 14.1

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Which story do you believe? Though most Christians have no difficulty in combining these two descriptions of Jesus’ birth, we would do well to recognize that the two have different origins. One derives its content from the theologically complex propositions of Christian philosophers which were developed many years after the New Testament had been completed. The other is taken directly from the Scriptures. If the former is correct, it necessarily would cast a long shadow upon the latter, and it effectively would eclipse the simplicity and elegance of the historical facts about Jesus. Whereas the first version extols the self-sacrificial act of God the Son who existed apart from and prior to humanity, the second focuses on how God carried out His plans within time by working within the human

race. In the first, the message is that humanity is a depraved and helpless species in need of alien salvation. The second conveys the idea that God is able to save mankind through a man, which thereby gives dignity and hope to all humans. In fact, from the point of view of the second account, Jesus is a new Adam —- a new humanity — who succeeds where the former had failed. He gives the human race hope that, with God’s help, we can overcome sin and death. God does not throw up His hands in frustration and say to Himself, “I guess I’ll just have to go down there and do it Myself.” Instead, God looks down and says that these people are made in My image, they are worth saving, and I have a plan to work through human frailty to save them all. Thus, through the weakness of human flesh, God brought about salvation in and through the

quintessential man who willingly resisted the temptation to rebel and instead humbly obeyed his Father to the uttermost. Our Lord could have sinned; he could have fallen prey to the deceptiveness of the Serpent; he could have grasped for equality with God; he could have esteemed his own life too precious to

lay down; he could have chosen to exert his royal authority to rule over the world as a co-ruler with the god of this age; he could have called legions of angels to protect him from torture and death at the hands of twisted men; he could have come off the cross in a staggering demonstration of his innocence; but he did not. This miracle man consistently and tirelessly walked the narrow path that his Father had set for him. Hallelujah! Praise to God who loved so much that He gave His only begotten Son. Praise to Jesus who loved so much that he obeyed his God to his last strained breath. It is a beautiful story, a story too easily lost when overlaid with mythology and too easily cheapened with an in-destructible God in the guise of human flesh. May God give us courage to share the Bible’s real story with others who have been duped into substituting the flashy counterfeit for what really happened. �

(Continued from page 8)

“God does not throw up

His hands in frustration

and say to Himself, `I

guess I’ll just have to go

down there and do it

Myself,` Instead, God

looks down and says that

these people are made in

My image, they are

worth saving. . . .”

Page 10: Glad Tidings 14.1

10

In the next issue of Glad

Tidings, we will focus on when

and how the name of God was

eliminated from the Bible. To

close this article, we can

review some of the many

places we are instructed to

praise the name of God.

Consider some of the many

places we are told to praise His

name:

Psalms 30:4 “Sing praise to

the LORD [Yahweh], you His

godly ones, and give thanks to

His holy name.”

Psalms 66:2 “Sing the glory

of His name; Make His praise

glorious.”

Psalms 69:30 “I will praise

the name of God with song

And magnify Him with

thanksgiving.”

Psalms 99:3 “Let them praise

Your great and awesome

name; Holy is He.”

Psalms 113:1 “Praise the

LORD [Yahweh]! Praise, O

servants of the LORD

[Yahweh], Praise the name of

the LORD [Yahweh].”

Psalms 135:1 “Praise the

LORD [Yahweh]! Praise the

name of the LORD [Yahweh];

Praise Him, O servants of the LORD [Yahweh],”

Psalms 135:3 “Praise the

LORD [Yahweh], for the

LORD [Yahweh] is good; Sing

praises to His name, for it is

lovely.”

Psalms 145:1 “I will extol

You, my God, O King, And I

will bless Your name forever

and ever.”

Psalms 145:2 “Every day I

will bless You, And I will

praise Your name forever and

ever.”

Psalms 145:21 “My mouth

will speak the praise of the

LORD [Yahweh], And all flesh

will bless His holy name

forever and ever.”

Psalms 148:5 “Let them

praise the name of the LORD

[Yahweh], For He commanded

and they were created.”

Psalms 148:13 “Let them

praise the name of the LORD,

For His name alone is exalted;

His glory is above earth and

heaven.”

Psalms 149:3 “Let them

praise His name with dancing;

Let them sing praises to Him

with timbrel and lyre.” �

(Continued from page 7)

God bless you this New Year

Page 11: Glad Tidings 14.1

11

Change – extraordinary change – is readily available

with the supernatural power of God.

WHY CHANGE?

• Life with God is vastly superior to life without Him. The

contrast is one of death to life. Jesus came that we might

have life, and that we might have it more abundantly,

according to John 10:10.

• In the end, every soul will be judged according to how he or

she believed and lived. Those who chose to live God’s way

will be rewarded with entrance into God’s glorious Kingdom

forevermore. Those who refused to change will be judged unto

eternal damnation.

• We should want to change simply because God is God.

"The Lord is the true God, He is the living God, and an

everlasting King..." (Jeremiah 10:10). The only proper

response to the loving God Who is the Creator of

everything is to live wholeheartedly for Him.

Change to Change focuses on the vital changes necessary to

facilitate real and lasting change. The courage to change,

prayers for change, and the final change are the main emphasis

of the book. Topics communicated are:

Repentance

Right Associations

Discipleship

Honesty

Relationships

Controlling Your Thinking

Serving Others

Satan’s Traps

Overcoming Offenses

Withstanding Temptations

Contact Living Hope International Ministries to order.

Living Hope International Ministries

458 Old Niskayuna Rd

Latham NY 12110 [email protected]

(518) 785-8888

BEATITUDES (Matthew 5:3BEATITUDES (Matthew 5:3BEATITUDES (Matthew 5:3BEATITUDES (Matthew 5:3----12121212))))

�Blessed are the humble, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

�Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

�Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

�Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

�Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

�Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

�Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

�Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

�Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great.

CHANGE TO CHANGE

Page 12: Glad Tidings 14.1

12

T he 2009-2010 school year is well underway in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Schooling in the Congo is much different than in North America, where we enjoy a well en-dowed public education sys-tem. In the Congo, each family must pay for their children to at-tend school.

In such a poverty-stricken area of the world, this places a huge financial bur-den on parents, many of whom sim-ply cannot afford to pay. As a result, it is not uncommon for children to sometimes miss years of school and fall behind.

This year, 33 chil-dren from the Congo fellowships are being spon-sored by believers here in North America through Living Hope Interna-tional Ministries. This en-ables these children to con-tinue their education.

Rev. Kennedy Kutukwa Nsilulu informs us that there was great joy among the parents upon receiving news that someone was providing for their child’s education – so much so that some of them were crying tears of

joy! A number of them saw this as a specific answer to prayers for their children.

Rev. Samuel Lulekamu (known to most as Kael), has sent similar reports. The thankfulness on the faces of the parents in his fellowship was unmistakable.

Fellowships are growing –

with God’s help

Across the Congo River, the fellowships in Brazzaville are meeting in “house churches.” Three are ac-tively running, and a fourth is planned to start soon. These groups are spending a lot of time learning and teaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, the class

His Story – God’s Purpose of the Ages, and other teachings Rev. Finnegan shared with them when he visited last August.

For many, this information is new and confronting; yet, the saints are searching the Scriptures to understand it more fully and are em-bracing the message.

Back in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Gospel is also moving out. In January, Kael’s church plans to send out their first wave of Ambas-sadors, called “Ministers of Reconciliation.” These people will be going out for three months to preach the Gospel.

At the end of January, the class Lord, Teach Us to Pray is planned fol-lowed by The Heart of Christian Living in Febru-ary.

All three of the churches we are partnering with in the Congo have asked for our prayerful support in these endeavors – so please, re-member these dear brothers and sisters in your prayers!

(To make a financial dona-tion, send your check to Liv-ing Hope International Minis-tries, with the note “Congo Fund” on it.) �

(Continued on page 13)

Congo Connection

By Richard and Cheryl Elton

“This year 33 children from the Congo fellowships are being sponsored by believers . . . t h r o u g h L i v i n g H o p e International Ministries . . . Rev. Kennedy informs us that there was great joy among the parents . . . so much so that some of them were crying tears of joy! A number of them saw this as a specific answer to prayers”

Page 13: Glad Tidings 14.1

13

Rev.

Kennedy

Kutukwa

Nsilulu

with children

who have

been

sponsored

Jordi N’SEKA ELIWA

Child being sponsored

NDEMBO KAMUE and

NDEMBO PRISCA

Children being sponsored

Page 14: Glad Tidings 14.1

14

M any books have

been written on the

subject of demonology, and

some are better than others. A

common style for writing on

the subject is to use

experiences as the standard

for understanding and to draw

universal conclusions based

on incidents. The problem

with this method is that as

powerfully persuasive as

experience may be, it is not

always founded upon truth.

Many people believe lies

based upon their experience.

A woman may believe she is

unlovable because her parents

rejected her. However, the

truth is her parents had a

problem, not her. A man

believes he is inferior to

everyone else because as a

child, classmates humiliated

him. He is not inferior; rather,

the children were mean-

spirited. It seems all of us

believe lies based upon our

experience. So experience is

not a reliable teacher or

standard for determining

truth.

The Scriptures

provide the

trustworthy

standard to

establish the

truth on this

subject as well

as all subjects.

In the last

issue of Glad

Tidings, we

introduced the topic of

demonology which we will

now continue to examine by

using the Bible as our sole

resource.

Matthew 8:28 “When He

[Jesus] came to the other side

into the country of the

Gadarenes, two men who

were demon-possessed

[daimonizomai] met Him as

they were coming out of the

tombs. They were so

extremely violent that no one

could pass by that way.”

Although strongly impinged

upon by the demons, these

men were still able to

approach Jesus. This incident

and the many similar recorded

in the Gospels indicate that no

matter how grave the demon

influence, the individual can

still seek God’s help and

receive deliverance. The word

“possessed” in this context

should be understood to mean

influenced or controlled by

and not ownership. The word

can mean ownership as in

A l m i g h t y

God is the

possessor of

heaven and

earth. The

temptation is

to conclude

wrongly that

d e m o n

po s se s s i on

i m p l i e s

ownersh ip ,

which in a

s u b t l e w a y c a u s e s

hopelessness. We must never

forget the introductory

information about the devil

recorded in Genesis chapter

three. He was called the

serpent which describes his

crafty manner rather than his

appearance. The person

occupied is not the possession

of the demon. Those who

believe they are owned by

demons have the tendency to

be hopeless and deceived in

thinking that freedom is out

of their control which plays

into the devil’s hand. Even

people such as these men who

were greatly tormented by

demons had the ability to

exercise their free will and

received freedom. The two

English words “demon

possessed” are translated

from the one Greek word

daimonizomai which is better unders tood a s demon

occupied. The emphasis is on

living within and not owning

someone.

Matthew 8:29 “And they

cried out, saying, ‘What

business do we have with

each other, Son of God? Have

You come here to torment us

before the time?’"

The men approached Jesus,

but the demons spoke to him.

We have no reason to

conclude that the demons had

a weird Hollywoodish voice.

It seems like the men spoke

(Continued on page 15)

Demonology By Vince Finnegan

Page 15: Glad Tidings 14.1

15

normally, but the demons

determined what they said.

Subsequent accounts suggest

the same. The demons knew

Jesus was the Son of God and

that their destiny was already

determined which is now

written in Revelation 20 – the

lake of fire. They also

understood that there is a set

time appointed which they

concluded was not yet.

Furthermore, they knew Jesus

had authority over them.

Historical biblical occur-

ences such as this one are

woven throughout the

Scriptures and provide a

general overview of the

spiritual warfare that

continues to rage.

Biblically ignorant people

are oblivious to the

spiritual realm and

consequently do not even

know that demons exist.

Yet, the devil and his evil

spirits continuously and

relentlessly attack

humanity and instigate

enormous evil along with

immeasurable torment.

Ironically, they accused Jesus

of that which they themselves

do, that is torment.

Matthew 8:30-32 “Now

there was a herd of many

swine feeding at a distance

from them.

The demons began to entreat

Him, saying, ‘If You are

going to cast us out, send us

into the herd of swine.’

And He said to them, ‘Go!’

And they came out and went

into the swine, and the whole

herd rushed down the steep

bank into the sea and perished

in the waters.”

Demons

want to

i n h a b i t

p e o p l e .

They are

o f t e n

re fe r red

to as

u n c l e a n

or evil

and apparently perform their

hideous wickedness most

effectively while inhabiting

humans. The trepidation of

not having a home caused

them to desire entrance into

the swine, which did not work

out extremely well. The most

vital conclusion to be drawn

from this incident is that Jesus

had overwhelming power and

supreme authority over all the

demons. He simply said one

word “GO,” and they had to

obey. Later, Jesus gives this

same authority to his apostles

and again to his disciples, and

before he ascended, he

delegated it to all those who

believe.

Matthew 8:33 and 34 “The

herdsmen ran away, and went

to the city and reported

everything, including what

had happened to the

demoniacs.

And behold, the whole city

came out to meet Jesus; and

when they saw Him, they

implored Him to leave their

region.”

Instead of responding with

joy, thankfulness, and faith,

the multitude asked Jesus to

leave their region. Their

wrong interpretation of this

event caused them to act the

opposite of what was

appropriate. The supernatural

is still unsettling and

upsetting for many people. It

seems easier just to dismiss or

deny i t s authent ici ty.

However, such ignorance

does not change anything;

rather, it dooms one to ruin by

Satan’s deception. �

Jesus had

overwhelming

power and

supreme

authority

over all the

demons. He

simply said one

word “GO,” and they

had to obey.

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Living Hope International Ministries

458 Old Niskayuna Road

Latham, New York 12110 USA

The Shema

“Hear, O Israel! Yahweh our God, Yahweh is one!”

Deuteronomy 6:4

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Psalms 148:1