Introduction to Ephesians
Have you ever wished you could win a lottery? Or inherit a great fortune? We have already won an inheritance that is beyond our comprehension! An inheritance that transcends any quantitative measurement. In fact, it was set aside for us before the world began!
Ephesians is regarded by many as the loftiest pinnacle of the New Testament, and yet is also a practical manual for personal combat.
NEW BRIEFING PACK by Chuck Missler
Inheritance and Rewards
Inheritance and Rewards is the next briefing pack in Chuck's The Kingdom, Power and Glory series.
Inheritance came to the firstborn son by virtue of his birth. Whether he actually secured it depended upon his obedience and the father's choice. Inheritance was subject to condition and obedience. The Abrahamic Inheritance was based on Divine Oath, conditioned on obedience. Inheritances could be forfeited. The Exodus Generation was promised an inheritance, but failed to obtain it at Kadesh-Barnea. Israel was God's "firstborn son", yet only 2 of over 2 million took possession of their inheritance. Even Moses was excluded due to his disobedience. Esau, sold his inheritance for a bowl of pottage.
We have been promised an inheritance in the Kingdom to come. But is there more that is required of us than just our acceptance? Does behavior in this life really influence our future?
Available in these formats:
This offer will expire in 7 days.
BIG BROAD TARGETS: CHRISTIANS IN HOLLYWOOD - (Print)
It is all over the tabloids; Mel Gibson's wife of 28 years is divorcing
him. Twenty years ago, when Gibson was best known for playing men
bordering on insanity, his divorce would have simply been another tidbit
of Hollywood marital drama. But since Gibson produced the vastly successful
The Passion Of The Christ, his divorce is no longer just a Hollywood
tragedy; it's a Christian tragedy. It reminds us that celebrities who come out
to glorify Christ have massive bulls-eyes painted on their chests, politically,
culturally, and especially spiritually, and they desperately need our
support through prayer.
Willie Aames is another recent casualty. Aames is perhaps best known as
"Tommy" on the 1970s sitcom Eight Is Enough, or as
"Buddy" on the 1980s sitcom Charles In Charge. In the mid
1990s Aames, a Christian, was asked to play the role of Bible Man. From 1996 to
2004 Aames took on the role of a Bible-wielding super hero who wears the Armor
of God and teaches children to use the Word of God as their primary spiritual
weapon. Bible Man appeared on stages in hundreds of cities, putting on high
profile skits that were made into a line of videos that kids love.
In 2007 Aames and his wife Maylo Upton-Aames wrote a book Grace Is
Enough about their early troubled lives and their journey to learn about
the power of God's grace. Soon after, their lives tumbled downhill. Aames ended
up declaring bankruptcy, his car was repossessed, and Maylo left him after 22
years of marriage. Thanksgiving of 2008 he picked up a bottle of whiskey for
the first time in two decades and tried to commit suicide. At the end of March,
2009 he was selling his belongings at a garage sale.
Christian leaders have the responsibility to conduct themselves above reproach
and to set examples for those who follow them, to be humble and transparent,
and to give the Enemy no foothold in their lives. Yet, Christian leaders are
also humans, subject to temptations and passions, and are only as strong as
their walk with Christ each day. It is easy to fall from spiritual heights and
succumb to old habits and wild emotions. Satan is going to use any means he can
to drag these leaders down and smear the name of Christ.
That is why it is vital that we pray for those in leadership of our churches,
youth groups, home groups and families. (It's also vital that we pray for our
leaders in local and national governments. They too need God's guidance and
protection.)
Christians in Hollywood are particularly vulnerable. They are not official
leaders, and they do not necessarily have church bodies praying for them and
supporting them. They are surrounded by people and groups who, at best, don't
understand Christianity and, at worst, are virulently anti-Christian. They may
not consider themselves spiritual leaders, and yet they represent Christ to
millions simply because they are in the public eye. Mel Gibson has consistently
considered himself a human wreck in desperate need of God's mercy. Yet, The
Passion Of The Christ made him famous as a Christian, and primed him for
attacks that have successfully knocked him down over and over again.
We need to pray for Mel Gibson and Willie Aames and their families.
We also need to pray for those still standing, to hold them up and pull out the
true "weapons of our warfare" in their defense. Kirk Cameron, long
known as Mike Seaver from Growing Pains, recently made huge waves as
the lead role in Fireproof, a movie about a marriage restored through
one spouse's demonstration of Christ's love. As far as the world
knows, Kirk Cameron's marriage is currently strong and healthy. But,
we know the Enemy of our souls would love to tear down Cameron's
relationship with his wife and shame the name of Christ. The
Camerons need prayer.
There are many others. Stephen Baldwin, the youngest of the Baldwin
brothers, has become well known as a Christian – a sharp contrast to his
older brothers. He needs prayer as he presses on in Christ despite the
controversy it causes among his family members and coworkers, with all the eyes
of the world ready to watch him fall.
We as a Christian community must pay attention to potential battle areas and
seek God's protection and help for these and other Christians whose necks
are stuck out in Hollywood. We cannot leave these exposed sheep all alone in a
land of wolves. The world may look at them and call them hypocrites when they
stumble, but we call them brothers and sisters. We must come
alongside them and support them in prayer. When part of the body suffers, we
all suffer.
For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. -Ephesians 6:12
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; -2 Corinthians 10:4-5
• 'Charles in Charge' Star Willie Aames Holds Garage Sale After Bankruptcy, Suicide Attempt - Fox News
• Kirk Cameron's Real Life Growing Pains - 700 Club
• Mel Gibson talks with ABC's Diane Sawyer About The Passion - ABC
• Meet the Gibson Family - People
• BibleMan Powersource - The Bibleman Zone
• Stephen Baldwin News - StephenBaldwin.com
MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS FOR ALL NEW MOMS? - (Print)
In 2001, Melanie Blocker Stokes leaped from the 12th floor of a Chicago
hotel. Stokes, a happily married pharmaceutical sales manager had given birth
to a cheerfully anticipated baby girl in February. As soon as the baby was
born, though, everything changed. Stokes became depressed and paranoid, and her
health deteriorated. She was hospitalized three times in seven weeks and was
given a mixture of four different anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, and
anti-anxiety drugs. She even underwent electroshock therapy. In the end, she
took her own life, leaving her brand new little girl without a
mother.
In response to cases like this, the US government is seeking to expand research
on the scope and possible treatments for Postpartum Depression (PPD). Many
mothers who have suffered from PPD are delighted that more publicity will be
given to this often overlooked disorder. Others, however, are wary of potential
efforts to force screening and treatments on women without their informed
consent.
On March 30th, the US House of Representatives passed HR20, the Melanie Blocker
Stokes MOTHERS Act, by a vote of 391-8. It's purpose? "To provide for
research on, and services for individuals with, postpartum depression and
psychosis." The next day the bill was sent on to the Senate for
consideration.
On the surface, this seems like a great thing. Too many women have faced
serious depression and even paranoia and suicidal thoughts after giving birth
and have not received the care they needed. Too many have been told, "It's
just the baby blues," and have not had their suffering taken seriously. For
those who experience it, PPD is very real, and those who have gone through it
wish that more people understood how devastating this disorder can be.
HR20 encourages the Secretary of Health and Human Services to "continue
research to expand the understanding of the causes of, and treatments for,
postpartum conditions" by doing research on PPD's causes, by doing studies
on the frequency and natural history of PPD, by improving screening and
diagnostic techniques, by developing new treatments through clinical research,
and by increasing the public's awareness of the condition.
Many who have suffered from PPD support HR20 saying, "Good! The government
is addressing this. They want to find new treatments! They want to raise
awareness so that other women can get the help we didn't get!"
Others, though, like former therapist Lisa Bazler are concerned that HR20 is
badly written and could force women into taking dangerous anti-psychotic drugs.
"What is being done currently, if you look under the hood and at the
legislative history of the bill and all the front groups pushing it, is a
movement towards universal mental health screening – including mandatory
screening of women as they do in New Jersey – and preventative drugging
during pregnancy or postpartum," she said.
Bazler, as well as the group at AbleChild.org, are especially concerned that
HR20 contains no provision for informed consent – that is, there is
nothing in HR20 to make sure women are warned about the potential dangers of
the drugs used to treat PPD, nor to ensure that women are told about
alternative treatments.
The concerns are not unfounded. New Jersey already has legislation that is
similar to what is proposed in HR20, and new mothers are routinely screened as
part of the program. The problem is that anti-psychotic and anti-depressant
drugs are often used to treat women with PPD, and women who are diagnosed with
PPD may be pressured into taking these medications. Yet, drugs certainly did
not help Melanie Blocker Stokes, and many of the women who have famously killed
their children, like Andrea Yates, were on anti-depressants.
UNITE founder Amy Philo began to hallucinate while on the anti-depressant
Zoloft and pictured herself throwing her newborn son from the top of the
stairs. When she tried to get her prescription changed, she wasn't allowed to
leave the hospital for three days. "There was no counseling or anything. I
was locked up like a prisoner..." She began to get better after she just
stopped taking the drugs.
Women who enter into severe depression after giving birth don't need drugs to
make them feel and act crazy. However, it is easy for the medical community to
push new mothers into taking drugs, especially if the result of HR20 is that
women are routinely screened before leaving the hospital. Educating women and
their families about PPD is one thing. Subjective mental health screenings of
new moms is another.
The answer to PPD may be fairly simple. It may best be treated by counseling
and plenty of care and nurturing for new mothers. In many Latin American
countries, where women are commonly allowed to rest and recuperate for a 40
days after birth, PPD is hardly a problem. In fast-paced America, where working
women may only have two weeks off from work, or where housewives are expected to
resume their normal busy schedules shortly after giving birth, PPD is far more
common. The answer to the problem of PPD may lie in promoting respect for the
new mother. Motherhood itself has been demeaned in many ways since the
1960s, and PPD may be a reflection of that. Fixing the
problem may be as simple as making sure our wives and daughters and
mothers and sisters have consistent help and support after giving birth.
New moms need support and they need time. They need to
know they are free to relax during these precious weeks - to just sit
and enjoy their new babies.
• HR 20: Melanie Blocker Stokes... - GovTrack.us
• Hospital Screens All New Moms for PPD - Nurse.com
• HR20-New Mother's Mandated Mental Health Test - Daily Paul
• A Letter Against The Mother's Act - AbleChild.org
• Post-Partum Depression...Devastating Illness Needs Our Attention - The Meadville Tribune
• Mental Health Screening Targets Moms-To-Be - WorldNetDaily
• Melanie's Story - Melaniesbattle.org
• UNITE History - UniteForLife
• How Does God Bring About Mind Renewal? - Koinonia House
TEACHING THE BIBLE IN SCHOOLS: THE LEGAL ISSUES - (Print)
Bible instruction in public schools has concerned groups devoted to the separation of church and state, and even many Christians wonder if Bible classes are constitutional. The Supreme Court, however, has ruled that objective Bible instruction is appropriate in public schools, especially in light of the huge impact it has had on U.S. history and culture.
While the United States has had its share of atheists, agnostics, and members of a variety of world religions, America's heritage is deeply rooted in Judeo-Christianity. The Declaration of Independence depends on inalienable rights - inalienable because they were given by God. Our national motto "In God We Trust" goes back to the time of the Civil War, when it was first printed on American currency. It actually stretches farther back than that - to the War of 1812, when the Star Spangled Banner was written. The fourth verse of Francis Scott Key's song is less well known than the one we sing at baseball games:
"…Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserv'd us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust!'..."
In fact, the very first governing document of the new world, The Mayflower Compact, gave stoutly religious reasons for sailing across the Atlantic and forming a government:
"Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick…"
To deny America's religious heritage is not a separation of church and state, but is a rewriting of America's history.
This includes the way we educate our children. Several Supreme Court rulings have recognized the importance of the Bible in United States history. Federal and Supreme Court judges have stated that there is nothing unconstitutional about teaching the Bible in schools, as long as the instruction is approached in a religiously neutral manner.
In Zorach v. Clauson (1952) the Supreme Court recognized that, "[We] are a religious people whose institutions presuppose a Supreme Being…"
Later, in Abington Township v. Schempp (1963), the Court affirmed that sentiment, and stated that,
"The fact that the Founding Fathers believed devotedly that there was a God and that the unalienable rights of man were rooted in Him is clearly evidenced in their writings, from the Mayflower Compact to the Constitution itself. This background is evidenced today in our public life through the continuance in our oaths of office from the Presidency to the Alderman of the final supplication, 'So help me God'…"
Justice Lewis Powell, in his Edwards v. Aguillard (1987) concurring opinion wrote:
As a matter of history, schoolchildren can and should properly be informed of all aspects of this Nation's religious heritage. I would see no constitutional problem if schoolchildren were taught the nature of the Founding Father's religious beliefs and how these beliefs affected the attitudes of the times and the structure of our government. Courses in comparative religion, of course, are customary and constitutionally appropriate. In fact, since religion permeates our history, a familiarity with the nature of religious beliefs is necessary to understand many historical, as well as contemporary, events.
Not only is the Bible valuable for its influence on history or ethics or law, but the Bible itself may be taught. As the Supreme Court said in Schempp, "the Bible is worthy of study for its literary and historic qualities."
In Wiley v. Franklin, one federal judge wrote that the Bible is "replete" with material valuable for secular study, including "history, both ancient and modem, literature, poetry, music, art, government, social customs and practices, values, behavioral sciences."
The district court in Wiley wrote, "Thus the constitutional issue…is not the Bible itself, but rather the selectivity, emphasis, objectivity, and interpretive manner, or lack thereof, with which the Bible is taught."
The basic rule of thumb for religious instruction of any kind in the public school is that it be informational and not devotional in nature. Students can learn about Buddhism, but not be encouraged to meditate in the Buddhist fashion. Bible curriculum must be neutral in the way it presents Jewish or Christian history, presenting it in neither a worse nor a more favorable light than the Bible does itself. Public schools are free to take students through the Bible, to teach about its history and literature, its influence on modern law, or its allusions in modern literature, without either encouraging students to believe or disbelieve what it says. Public schools not only may, but should offer students courses on the Bible, since familiarity with the Bible is necessary for a well-rounded American education.
• National Council on Bible Curriculum in Public Schools - BibleInSchools.net
• Abington v. Schempp - Cornell Law
• Edwards v. Aguillard - Cornell Law
• The Mayflower Compact - The History Place
• The Star Spangled Banner lyrics - US History.org
• Zorach v. Clauson - Cornell Law
Pro-Taliban Leaders Wants Shari'a Law Across Pakistan - April 21, 2009
Emboldened by the Pakistan government's agreement to allow the imposition of
shari'a in the extremist-controlled Swat valley, fundamentalist clerics are
pushing to spread the Taliban's interpretation of Islamic law across the
country. Weekend remarks by Swat-based pro-Taliban leader Sufi Muhammad
suggesting that Pakistan's courts and democratic system were un-Islamic caused
an uproar in the national legislature on Monday.
CNS News
Dozens of Delegates Walk Out On Ahmadinejad Speech - April 20, 2009
Diplomats have walked out of a UN anti-racism conference during a speech by the
Iranian president in which he described Israel as "totally racist". Dozens of
delegates got up and left... Diplomats who remained applauded as Mr Ahmadinejad
continued his address. France said it was a "hate speech" and the US called it
"vile". Some countries had boycotted the meeting altogether. The walkout is a
public relations disaster for the United Nations, which had hoped the
conference would be a shining example of what the UN is supposed to do best -
uniting to combat injustice in the world. BBC
Preachers Arrested For Talking About Jesus Appeal Case - April 20, 2009
A case in which two preachers, including an American, were arrested for talking
in public about Jesus will be appealed to the European Court of Human Rights,
according to a law firm working on the case. Officials with the International
Human Rights Group have announced plans to prepare the appeal of the case
involving Larry Keffer, who works through the Biblical Research Center in
Tampa, Fla.
WorldNetDaily
Archeologist Claims He Found Antony and Cleopatra's Tomb - April 19, 2009
Egypt's top archaeologist, Zahi Hawass, has shown off treasures from the site of
a tomb which he claims contains the remains of Mark Antony and Cleopatra. He
believes that the Toposiris Magna temple, 30 miles from Egypt's ancient seaside
capital of Alexandria, contains the tomb of the doomed lovers that has been
shrouded in mystery for so long. Telegraph.co.uk
Peace Talks Will Not Depend on Recognition of Israel - April 19, 2009
The US State Department on Sunday rejected as unacceptable the prime minister's
demand last week that Palestinians recognize Israel as the state of the Jewish
people as a condition for renewing peace talks. Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu is willing to begin negotiations with the Palestinians without
demanding they first recognize Israel as a Jewish state, sources in his office
said on Sunday. However, the sources added that Netanyahu would condition
future developments for a peace settlement on this demand.
Haaretz
We solicit your prayers and support of this ministry. God Bless.
This eNews is a reader supported ministry. If you would like to help support this effort, you can make your contribution here.
If you received this email from a friend, you can get a FREE subscription by signing up at the K-House web site.
Note to readers using AOL 9.0: Images and links will show up and work if you click “Add Address” and select “Save” when the dialog box pops up. Once this is done, the newsletter will be available to you each week with workable links and graphics without clicking “Enable links and images.”
You received this email by request from Koinonia House.
Web site: http://www.khouse.org/
Online Store: http://store.khouse.org/
Email: http://www.khouse.org/email/eNews_Subscription/
Manage Your Subscription: http://www.khouse.org/lists/