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Turtle's Thoughts? I can't wait! How about you?

I have heard that many Christians do not believe that hell is real. I found this to be absurd, but I am open to hearing both sides of the argument. So that is what has lead me to proposing this question, is Hell real? If it is or is not please explain. P.S. I for one do believe it exist. Sorry for the pun in the poll but is just too much for me to resist.

If someone doesn't know about Christ, and has never heard of Christ, then where do they go when they die? I can provide an example if requested.

Shabbat shalom, everyone. Sometimes, strange comparisons come to mind, and this is one of the strangest. HOWEVER, it is also one that I feel not only explains my position on "Heaven," but also shows why it became necessary to have such a position. I grew up on wonderful movies like "White Christmas" with Bing Crosby, "It's a Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart, and "The Naughty Nineties" with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Here's an excerpt from the "Who's On First" routine that Abbott and Costello did for the movie: (This was found at Baseball-Almanac.com.) It's a GREAT routine, and Abbott and Costello were probably the ONLY team that could have delivered it so hilariously! Now, here's the comparison: Who : Naturally :: Kingdom : Heaven. This is read, "'Who' is to 'Naturally' as 'Kingdom' is to 'Heaven.'" "Going to Heaven" is as bad to say as "picking up the ball and throwing it to Naturally!" Let me explain in terms of English grammar: "Who" is the guy's nickname; therefore, Abbott used it as a personal noun (and not a "personal PROnoun," either)! However, Costello is hearing it as an interrogative pronoun. "Naturally" is used by Abbott as an adverb, but Costello reasons that THIS is the personal noun! "Heaven" is NOT a "place" for which we are destined. We are destined for the Kingdom of God ruled by the King, God. It is called the "Kingdom of God" which means it is "God's Kingdom." God's Representative (His "Messiah"; His "Mashiyach"; His "Anointed"; His "Christos"; His "Christ") will be its PHYSICAL King, who is ONE with His Father, God, and who will be VISIBLE to the world! John 1:18 (KJV) 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. The Messiah's Kingdom is described this way by the angel Gavri'el (Gabriel) to Miryam (Mary, Yeshua`s mother): Luke 1:30-33 (KJV) 30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. 31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS (Greek: Ieesous = Aramaic: Yeeshuwa`). 32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: 33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. He was both the son of his ancestor David the King and the "Son of the Highest" because of these passages of Scripture: 2 Samuel 7:1-17 (KJV) 1 And it came to pass, when the king sat in his house, and the LORD had given him rest round about from all his enemies; 2 That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains. 3 And Nathan said to the king, Go, do all that is in thine heart; for the LORD is with thee. 4 And it came to pass that night, that the word of the LORD came unto Nathan, saying, 5 Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? 6 Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. 7 In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar? 8 Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: 9 And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth. 10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, 11 And as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the LORD telleth thee that he will make thee an house. 12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. 14 I WILL BE HIS FATHER, AND HE SHALL BE MY SON. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: 15 But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. 16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. 17 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. This scene was repeated in 1 Chronicles 17: 1 Chronicles 17:1-15 (KJV) 1 Now it came to pass, as David sat in his house, that David said to Nathan the prophet, Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains. 2 Then Nathan said unto David, Do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee. 3 And it came to pass the same night, that the word of God came to Nathan, saying, 4 Go and tell David my servant, Thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in: 5 For I have not dwelt in an house since the day that I brought up Israel unto this day; but have gone from tent to tent, and from one tabernacle to another. 6 Wheresoever I have walked with all Israel, spake I a word to any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people, saying, Why have ye not built me an house of cedars? 7 Now therefore thus shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, even from following the sheep, that thou shouldest be ruler over my people Israel: 8 And I have been with thee whithersoever thou hast walked, and have cut off all thine enemies from before thee, and have made thee a name like the name of the great men that are in the earth. 9 Also I will ordain a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, and they shall dwell in their place, and shall be moved no more; neither shall the children of wickedness waste them any more, as at the beginning, 10 And since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel. Moreover I will subdue all thine enemies. Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house. 11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever. 13 I WILL BE HIS FATHER, AND HE SHALL BE MY SON: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: 14 But I will settle him in mine house and in my kingdom for ever: and his throne shall be established for evermore. 15 According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David. These passages are NOT talking about Shlomoh (Solomon); they are talking about David's SEED! Furthermore, David acknowledged that YHWH GOD was King, not just himself! He recognized GOD as HIS King! Psalm 5:1-2 (KJV) 1 {To the chief Musician upon Nehiloth, A Psalm of David.} Give ear to my words, O LORD (YHWH), consider my meditation. 2 Hearken unto the voice of my cry, my King, and my God: for unto thee will I pray. So, the KINGDOM OF GOD will be ruled by the Messiah Yeshua`, and the KINGDOM OF GOD is our destiny! "Going THROUGH THE HEAVENS (THE SKIES) to get to the Messiah's Kingdom and be there forever" is just a truth that unfortunately has been misinterpreted to "GOING TO HEAVEN to be there forever!" Again, here is how Strong's Exhaustive Concordance lists "ouranos" in its Greek Dictionary: 3772 οὐρανός, οὐρανοῦ, ὁ. Perhaps from the same as oros (through the idea of elevation); the sky; by extension, heaven (as the abode of God); by implication, happiness, power, eternity; specially, the Gospel (Christianity) -- air, heaven(-ly), sky. Now, I know that it is also called "THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN," but one must understand that the Greek uses the words "HEE BASILEIA TOON OURANOON" (using "EE" for an eta and "OO" for an omega), the "-oon" (omega-nu) ending being the plural ending for both the noun "ouranos" and its article "ho." In Koine Greek, there are 8 cases for a noun: the nominative (which acts as the subject in a sentence), the genitive (translated with an "of"), the ablative (translated with a "from"), the locative (translated with an "in" or an "at), the instrumental (translated with a "with" or a "by"), the dative (translated with a "to" or a "for"), the accusative (which acts as the direct object in a sentence), and the vocative (as though one is talking TO the noun, acting as an appositive). However, in CLASSICAL Greek (Attic Greek), there are only FIVE cases: the nominative, the genitive, the dative, the accusative, and the vocative. In Classical Greek, the genitive case can be used for BOTH the traditional genitive and origins of the ablative case! Thus, one can also translate Classical genitive case as either "of" or "from" in English. Indeed, even in the Koine Greek, the genitive and ablative cases are SPELLED THE SAME WAY! (That's also true about the locative, instrumental, and dative cases; they also are all spelled the same as each other.) My point is that the words, "hee basileia toon ouranoon," could also be translated as "the kingdom FROM the skies (the plural)," speaking not about "ownership" but about "ORIGIN!" One may have ASSUMED a genitive case when it should have been considered to be an ablative case! Yeshua` SHALL come again, not just to "judge the world," although He will certainly do that. He is to be its KING! As I've said before, one of the roles of the King of Israel was to be its "Supreme Court Justice!" Lesser judges could handle the easier matters of judgment, but when necessary, they could escalate the matter to the King who would then be the FINAL SAY in the matter. He is to rule and reign, both over Israel and its tributaries until He has conquered ALL the nations of the earth! Some shall submit willingly; some shall submit reluctantly to save their economies; many will resist. He shall "rule them with a rod of iron," and He shall "subdue all His enemies" until the last enemy, death itself, is finally subdued, as well. This will take a THOUSAND YEARS to accomplish (Psalm 2:1-12; 1 Corinthians 15:20-28; 2 Peter 3:7-12; Revelation 20:1-7). All this must be accomplished BEFORE the Great White Throne Judgment after the final Resurrection, after which Yeshua` shall turn the Kingdom - the WORLD EMPIRE at that time - over to His Father. It's not until AFTER all this, that God allows His New Jerusalem to come down out of the sky to the New Earth with its New Sky to be what many have called "Heaven on earth." It will be THEN that God "wipes away all tears" and "creates all things new."

Shalom, everyone. I know that this will be unpopular and some will say downright alarming, but we are NOT told that we go to heaven when we die. As I've said in other threads, the "soul" is NOT independent from the "body." Genesis 2:7 bears repeating: Genesis 2:7 (KJV) 7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. In Hebrew (transliterated), this is... B'reeshiyt 2:7 (JPS Tanakh) 7 Vayiytser YHWH Elohiym et-haa'aadaam `aafaar min-haa'adaamaah vayipach b'apaayv nishmat chayiym vayhiy haa'aadaam l-nefesh chayaah: 7 Vayiytser = And-formed YHWH = YHWH; the-LORD; ADONAI Elohiym = God et- = (the next word is the direct object) haa'aadaam = the-man `aafaar = of-the-dust min-= from haa'adaamaah = the-ground vayipach = and-he-breathed b'apaayv = in-his-nostrils nishmat = a-puff chayiym = of-living-things vayhiy = and-became haa'aadaam = the-man l-nefesh = to-an-air-breather chayaah: = living: Therefore, God FORMED the MAN, NOT the BODY of the man! And, the MAN became a living air-breather once air was puffed into his nostrils. Furthermore, the term "soul" IS this "air-breather." Strong's dictionary say it like this: 5315 nefesh (NEH-fesh). From naafash; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. Animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accommodated or figurative sense (bodily or mental) -- any, appetite, beast, body, breath, creature, X dead(-ly), desire, X (dis-)contented, X fish, ghost, + greedy, he, heart(-y), (hath, X jeopardy of) life (X in jeopardy), lust, man, me, mind, mortally, one, own, person, pleasure, (her-, him-, my-, thy-)self, them (your)-selves, + slay, soul, + tablet, they, thing, (X she) will, X would have it. Which comes from the root word, the verb form,... 5314 naafash (naw-FAHSH). A primitive root; to breathe; passively, to be breathed upon, i.e. (figuratively) refreshed (as if by a current of air) -- (be) refresh selves (-ed). So, it's not some "immaterial part" of a person; it's talking about the fact that this body - this PERSON - is alive and breathing! The word "spirit," translated from the Hebrew word "ruwach," means a "wind," or by resemblance, the "breath": 7307 ruwach (ROO-akh). From ruwach; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. A sensible [palpable] (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubstantiality; by extension, a region of the sky; by resemblance spirit, but only of a rational being (including its expression and functions) -- air, anger, blast, breath, X cool, courage, mind, X quarter, X side, spirit((-ual)), tempest, X vain, ((whirl-))wind(-y). Which comes from its root word, the verb form,... 7306 ruwach (roo-AKH). A primitive root; properly, to blow, i.e. Breathe; only (literally) to smell or (by implication) perceive (figuratively, to anticipate, enjoy) -- accept, smell, X touch, make of quick understanding. When a person ceases to breathe, when he or she "breathes his/her last (which thankfully may not really be his or her last because of the Resurrection)" - "gives up the ghost" - "gives up the spirit" - "gives up the breath" - then he or she ceases to be an "air-breather." He or she ceases to be a "soul," and he/she awaits the Resurrection. Therefore, "soul" ("air-breather") = "body" + "spirit" ("breath"). Now, let me quickly add that I DO believe in an afterlife of blessing for the believer, but that doesn't begin until the Resurrection and culminates in that which many CALL "Heaven" because of its description, the New Jerusalem, descending to the New Earth THROUGH the "heavens" and landing upon this New Earth. It is THERE - within this New Jerusalem - that one will find the descriptions that many assign to "Heaven," namely (1) the streets of gold, (2) the golden city, (3) the gates of pearl, (4) the river of the water of life, (5) the tree of life, (6) the jasper walls, (7) the foundations consisting of several precious gems, and of course, (8) the throne of God and of the Lamb. This brings us to one more definition: "Heaven" itself: The Hebrew word translated as "heaven" or "heavens," depending upon the English version of the Bible one uses, is "shaamayim": 8064 shaamayim (shaw-MAH-yeem). Dual of an unused singular shaameh {shaw-meh'}; from an unused root meaning to be lofty; the sky (as aloft; the dual perhaps alluding to the visible arch in which the clouds move, as well as to the higher ether where the celestial bodies revolve) -- air, X astrologer, heaven(-s). As noted, this is a DUAL word, neither singular nor plural in the multiple sense. The dual number is most often used for things that come in pairs, particularly body parts, such as the eyes, for instance. The author of this Strong's entry suggests that it refers to the atmosphere and to space visible beyond it, and in a sense, that's true. However, it really refers to the fact that the sky itself comes in a pair - the day sky and the night sky. Some make the mistake of thinking that Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 have a gap of time between them, but that is NOT how Hebrew literature works. The first verse is a SYNOPSIS of what is to follow. They frequently "telegraph their punches" in literature. If one is honest with himself or herself, he or she will realize that the words "et hashaamayim v'et haa'aarets" ("the heavens and the earth") in Genesis 1:1, the direct objects of God's creative power, are GIVEN those names by God in the following verses! Verse 8 in context says, Genesis 1:6-8 (KJV) 6 And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters. 7 And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. 8 And God called the firmament Heaven (Hebrew: shaamaayim). And the evening and the morning were the second day. God named this expanse of air between the waters above and the waters below, "shaamayim!" Adding the definite article "ha-" to this word gives one the word in Genesis 1:1, "hashaamayim." Verse 10 in context says, Genesis 1:9-13 (KJV) 9 And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth (Hebrew: erets); and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. 11 And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it wasgood. 13 And the evening and the morning were the third day. God named this dry ground "erets!" Adding the definite article (which also changes the vowel pointing) gives one the word in Genesis 1:1, "haa'aarets." There were no previous "skies and earth" because God hadn't created the expanse-between-waters and the dry-ground, yet! That wasn't accomplished until days 2 and 3 of the Creation week! Regarding this "shaamayim," this is where the birds are said to fly: Genesis 1:20-23 (KJV) 20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament [expanse] of heaven (Hebrew: hashaamaayim = "of-the-[2]-skies"). 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth. 23 And the evening and the morning were the fifth day. That basically limits this expanse to the atmosphere. One might wonder about the fourth day: Genesis 1:14-19 (KJV) 14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: 15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. 16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, 18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. 19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day. However, one should notice that this passage always uses the word "lights," never the "sun" or the "moon."

"For the earth will be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, As the waters cover the sea. - Habakkuk 2:14 The glory of God is going to cover the earth as the waters cover the sea and He's going to do it through us. We are unified in our hunger and pursuit of Him. We know there is more, and God is going to trust us to steward His presence, power, and glory in fresh new ways in the coming year. It is important that our hearts and priorities are in order personally and corporately, and as a result, they will transition from the edge of glory, into fresh new levels of glory; bringing with it life-changing revelations and encounters like we have never known! Spiritual alignments are important. There has never been a more CRITICAL TIME to know that you are rightly aligned with your CALLING in Christ. Don't get stuck in the familiar with all you have ever known...know deep within that God is calling you out upon the uncharted waters to be grafted into something glorious. However, just as the physical rain came during the time of Elijah, there are fresh rains of glory that are going to confront the enemy who seeks to destroy people and families. Embrace the refreshing healing rain is going to wash over as you allow God to put your life into order and you yield to the refining fires that will bring forth the glory! Receive the healing rains of His presence, for you are about to come out gold! Don't give up now. We're on the edge of glory! "To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. - Colossians 1:27 Genesis 28:10,12 - "Now Jacob went out from Beersheba and went toward Haran. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it." Like the ladder, Jesus dwelt in two places at the same time, in the earth and in the heavens. He is the access point between those two realms. When Jesus told Nathanael that he would see heaven open, He meant that he would see that Jesus is the ladder between the earth and heaven that is wide open to mankind. To Nathanael, He revealed heaven's open availability to the believer. In other words, the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand (available). John 1:51 - And He said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." Your time in communion with the Lord will raise you to that "Come up here, let me show you something you didn't know before" place for substantial breakthrough. "I saw a door open in heaven and heard the same voice speaking to me, the voice like a trumpet, saying 'Come up here: I will show you what is to come in the future.'" - Revelation 4:1 When the Word becomes as a burning fire in your heart and bones your focus will be on harvest and it won't be denied you. Because freely you have received the Word and freely you give of the powerful Word of the Lord. To be effective we must minister according to His energy, or His power in our lives. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com

Hebrews 4:12 - "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Faith is of the heart or spirit. It's not of the head or of the soul, which consists of the mind and emotions. Affirmation: WHEN I HAVE THE WORD OF GOD DEPOSITED IN MY SPIRIT, I'LL ACT ON IT NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AND I'LL KEEP ACTING ON IT EVEN IF I DON'T SEE ANYTHING HAPPENING. I DON'T HAVE TO SEE, HEAR OR FEEL THE ANSWER. I BELIEVE -- FAITH IS OF THE HEART. Proverbs 3:5 - "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." Revelation 4:1,2 - "After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, 'Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this."' We accept His invitation to come up higher by focusing on Christ our Redeemer, Deliverer, and Healer, not our difficulties. God has NEW FRONTIERS OF THE SPIRIT for us to explore and higher mountains of faith for us to climb.The Lord Jesus Christ is inviting us to LIFT OUR VISION UP, above our circumstances and situations, to fix our eyes on Him and His Word. As we do this we can expect to see the glory of God fill our lives and those who we touch. Observation: THAT INVITATION HAS NOT BEEN RESCINDED AND I HAVE THE SAME CHOICE TODAY. MY FAITH CAN QUICKEN ME TO EXPERIENCE THE VERY SAME REALM. I AM ALREADY SEATED WITH CHRIST IN HEAVENLY PLACES. I ONLY NEED TO USE THE ACCESS I HAVE BEEN GIVEN IN CHRIST. Song of Solomon 4:11 - "Your lips, my spouse, drip like a honeycomb: honey and milk are under your tongue; and the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon." IT IS THE BRIDEGROOM HIMSELF (JESUS) WHO IS RICH WITHIN YOU. YOUR LIPS ARE USED BY THE BRIDEGROOM TO SPEAK HIS WORD. HE PLACES HONEY AND MILK UNDER YOUR TONGUE SO THAT YOU MAY GIVE THEM TO ANY THAT LACK. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRYhttp://afministry.ning.com

Jesus spoke a lot about the Reward in Heaven. I'd say that among the most discussed issues by Jesus, in the GOSPEL, there are: 1) Reward in Heaven 2) Risk of Hell 3) Importance of prayer (and Lord's prayer) 4) Influence of Satan in this world 5) Jesus divinity and mission 6) Second Coming What are the most discussed topics by Christians today, if we had to write down a list? As you know, there are countless verses (in the Gospel) for each topic mentioned above, but focusing on the reward in Heaven, the question is: is it still an hot topic in your opinion? Is it often preached by "pastors"? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SOURCE Here are some verses in the Gospel (in which Jesus always uses the future tense): "Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven:" (Jesus on basically almost all the beatitudes, Matthew 5: 1-12, Luke 6:20-26) "It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions." (Matthew 24:46-47) "Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:19) Parable of the talents or minas (Matthew 25,14-30 Luke 19:12,17) "Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father." (Matthew 13:36-43) "However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven." (Luke 10:20)

Isaiah 14:12-15 - How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! [how] art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! Can anyone tell me if the words art thou cut down to the ground in this verse mean that Satan was Cast down to the Earth? Thanks and God Bless!

Hi everyone! I have another question. Once we are in heaven will we still be sinners? Some Christians argue that only God is perfect, so yes, we will sin in heaven, for we are not, and never will be, God. Others argue that since it is the spirit that wrestles with the flesh (e.g. the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.) the flesh will be remade during the resurrection and the spirit will be joined to the flesh or something to that effect. Anyway, they argue that since all is remade and made new we will be perfect, or at least, we will never again sin against God or make mistakes, but rather we will be perfect as Christ is perfect. But if that were true, how did Lucifer, who was/is Spirit, rebel and sin against God? Presumably he too was perfect, until his fall from heaven, when he became lifted up in pride. If the angels are perfect and everyone in heaven is perfect, how did Satan sin against God? He was called the "son of the morning".

God created you to rule over all the earth and everything the creeps in it. Thus, if the earth in any way is dominating you, you are malfunctioning. "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and OVER ALL THE EARTH.." - Genesis 1:26 The Old Covenant was a system of judgment and death, of the CLOSED Heaven. But Jesus says: 'You shall see the Heaven OPENED, and a way between Heaven and earth, between God and man, made clear. I am that way. I will open Heaven by My own blood.' "Then He 'In truth, in very truth I tell you all, you shall see heaven wide open.....'" - John 1:51added, AFFIRMATIONS: I am confident that His presence in my life is getting stronger. I am completely determined and committed to keep pushing ahead and to never let go until I've accomplished my God-given mission! He is preparing to move me upward into a more glorious phase in my life. I am going from glory to glory! "The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." - Revelation 19:10 We meet people everywhere. Our business is to turn them from being forgetful of God, from being devoid of faith, from being prayerless, so that they become people who habitually pray, who believe in God, remember Him and do his will. Whenever we share a testimony of what the power of Jesus has done -- any miracle, healing, salvation account -- the Spirit of prophecy is loosed over the people who are hearing it. This means the Spirit of God is actively moving on them to create faith. John 3:8 tells us, "The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." We were born of the Spirit, but sometimes we want to live out of our heads instead of our hearts. We need to determine in our hearts that we're going to ride the wind of the Spirit no matter what our reasonings say, no matter what the naysayers say and no matter what the devil says. Sometimes we need a fresh baptism of the Spirit. Sometimes we need a fresh baptism of fire. Instead of moaning and groaning in the flesh, sometimes we need to start travailing in the Spirit for that new thing He wants to birth in our lives. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Having experienced the torments of Hell, I can verify the legitimacy of this testimony, but more importantly, discernment tells me it's real and genuine. I encourage those who watch this not to go down a rabbit hole of Hell testimonies all at once, it can be overwhelming and very depressing, please be led by the Spirit by discerning the voice of God on all pursuits, but Jesus has taken people to experience these experiences for a reason. May you learn from these testimonies and be convicted (if necessary) and not condemned by responding to that conviction accordingly, (remember God chastises those He loves!) and may the Lord bless you mightily in Jesus' mighty name! Revelation 20:15: And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Luke 12:5: But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him! Romans 6:23: For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Revelation 21:8: But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Yes. I would love Jesus anyway. How about you? My love is unconditional. Or I at least want it to be. I am practising unconditional love. Jesus comes from a place of unconditional love and he is in heaven (and here all over the earth as the Holy Spirit) and in heaven there is only unconditional love. I believe you must come from a place of unconditional love yourself, before you can enter heaven. I don´t think you can enter heaven if you have sin in you. Sin is not allowed in heaven. So I believe you must come from a place of unconditional love in order to enter heaven. How can you become unconditionally loving? By following Jesus. Jesus is the way of truth and unconditional love that leads eternal life in heaven. Follom him. He is the way. "I am the way." - Jesus (John 14:6) Thoughts? EDIT: oh, I noticed this is the "seekers lounge"... Maybe this post doesn´t belong here. Sorry!

WHY MOURN, INSTEAD OF CELEBRATE THE DEAD IF DEATH BEGINS THE JOURNEY TO HEAVEN AND ETERNAL BLISS?

John 14:12 - "Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father." JESUS' LIFE WAS A MODEL OF WHAT MANKIND COULD BECOME IF IT WERE IN RIGHT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FATHER. THIS MEANT THAT EVERY TRUE BELIEVER WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE REALM OF LIFE THAT JESUS LIVED IN. JESUS CAME AS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. HE THEN PASSED THE BATON TO US ANNOUNCING THAT WE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. John 1:51 - "Then He said to him, 'I assure you, most solemnly I tell you all, you shall see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man!'" Genesis 28:12 - "And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it!" WHAT WAS THE INITIAL REVELATION OF THE HOUSE OF GOD? IT HAS THE PRESENCE OF GOD, A GATE TO HEAVEN, AND A LADDER WITH ANGELS ASCENDING AND DESCENDING UPON IT. THIS REVELATION SHOWS THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AT OUR DISPOSAL TO CARRY OUT THE MASTER'S PLAN. Affirmations: I AM THE TEMPLE OF GOD. I AM A DWELLING PLACE OF GOD. MY ASSIGNMENT IS TO BE A STEWARD OF THE HEAVENLY REALM. MY SPEECH DEMONSTRATES THE POWER OF GOD'S SPIRIT IN MY LIFE. Revelation 22:1 - "And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." God leads me to the river of His Spirit, the current of clear goodness that flows without ceasing. As I step into that unfailing new life, I will want nothing else. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

1 Corinthians9:24,26 - "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fit I, not as one that beateth the air." WHEN YOU'VE GOT THE WORD OF GOD HIDDEN ON THE INSIDE OF YOU AND THAT WORD IS WORKING MIGHTILY IN YOU, YOU'RE NOT AFRAID OF THE DEVIL. Affirmations: I AM NOT AFRAID OF DEVILS, DEMONS, SICKNESS, DISEASE, POVERTY, OR ANYTHING! I AM NOT AFRAID OF THE REPORTS THAT COME VIA THE NEWS MEDIA, THE DOCTORS, OR THE ECONOMISTS - BECAUSE I HAVE INSIDE INFORMATION. I KNOW THAT I HAVE ALREADY WON. I AM A WINNER - A VICTOR, NOT A VICTIM. John 12:36 - "While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light." Jesus came as the light of the world. He then passed the baton to us announcing that we are the light of the world. Jesus Came as the miracle worker. He said that we would do "greater works" that He did (John 14:12). He then says "right now the Holy Spirit is with you, but he's going to be in you (John 14:17). AFFIRMATIONS: In my walk I place a higher value on the presence of God that others do. I have a passion to give Him preeminence in everything. That passion brings me into a supernatural life -- one with the constant activity of the Holy Spirit working through me. We are delivered by the blood of Jesus alone. If we think that it is because of our faith, then we will always be wondering, "Do I have enough faith? No, it is the blood alone that saves. Saves from what? -- anything that doesn't match up with heaven. Matthew 6:10 -- "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." If we think that our deliverance depends partly on God and partly on us, we will not have a settled peace in our heart. But when we know that its the blood alone that saves, we will have an unshakable peace. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Ephesians 2:17-19 - "And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household." IN 2 CORINTHIANS 13:5 WE ARE EXHORTED TO "TEST YOURSELVES TO SEE IF YOU ARE IN THE FAITH; EXAMINE YOURSELVES!" ONE OF THE PRIMARY TESTS OF WHETHER WE ARE CONTINUING ON THE PATH OF LIFE IS BY THE PEACE IN OUR LIFE. JESUS IS THE PRINCE OF PEACE, AND IF WE ARE WALKING CLOSE TO HIM THERE WILL BE A PEACE IN OUR LIFE THAT EXCEEDS ANYTHING THAT CAN BE KNOWN IN THIS WORLD WITHOUT HIM. Things for Me to Consider: IF THERE IS LACK OF PEACE IN MY LIFE, THEN I HAVE DRIFTED FROM HIM. WHAT HAS COME INTO MY LIFE THAT HAS BEGUN TO ECLIPSE MY RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM? 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 - "We realize that being "at home" in the body means that to some extent we are "away" from the Lord, for we have to live by trusting Him without seeing Him. We are so sure of this that we would really rather be "away" from the body and be "at home" with the Lord." Things for Me to Consider: AM I MORE COMFORTABLE WALKING BY FAITH THAN BY WHAT I SEE? AM I BECOMING MORE AT HOME IN THE HEAVENLY REALM THAN IN THE NATURAL? WHERE IS MY HOME? WHEN I THINK OF HOME, WHERE DO I THINK OF FIRST? 2 Corinthians 4:18 -- "While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." We have two sets of ears and two sets of eyes. We have the "NATURAL SET" that we are born with, and we have a "SPIRITUAL SET" that is activated when we are born again. As we grow spiritually, we begin to see with our spiritual eyes and hear with our spiritual ears. John 5:19 - "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Luke 2:44,45 - "But supposing Him to be in the company they went a day's journey, and they sought Him among their kinsfolk and acquaintances; and when they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking Him." Likewise, many of us have become so consumed with our battles that we fail to notice Jesus is not with us on our journey. Jesus' parents returned to where they had last seen Him; so also must we. To renew us, God is bringing us back to our most recent encounter with the living Christ. To reach our place of breakthrough, God is bringing us back to the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. For My Prayerful Consideration: IS NOT INTIMACY WITH GOD THE VERY THING I HAVE NEGLECTED? AS I SIMPLY AND TRUTHFULLY EVALUATE, WITHOUT RATIONALIZATION, MY HEART'S CONDITION I AM DRAWN INTO THE PRESENCE OF GOD. WHAT SEEMS TO ME LIKE A TIME OF DESOLATION IS MORE TRULY A TIME OF PREPARATION. GOD HAS PREPARED FOR ME A NEW BEGINNING. 2 Corinthians 11:3 - "But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ." Matthew 16:25 - "For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose Following Him always leads to the cross. His triumph was the cross, and it is ours too. If we are in Christ we are to be dead to this world. It is impossible to offend a dead person. It is impossible for a dead person to feel rejected or abused. If this is true we can respond to any situation with God's love.it; but whoever loses his life for my sake shall find it." Luke 16:16 - "The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." This realm of God’s Spirit does not come without “pressing” – without contending. The first thing about pressing is seeking. Pressing into it means there is a passionate pursuit of God in prayer. The word “to seek” means to diligently look for and search out earnestly until the object of the search is located. It is as crying out and hungering for the presence of God. AFFIRMATIONS: I press into and lay hold of the kingdom of heaven in an aggressive way. I have a burning heart of fiery witness and passion when it comes to exhorting others in their walk with God. I repent from trying to do God's will without abiding in His presence. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

James 4:6 - "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble." If we are divided in our hearts from other churches, if we instinctively look down on other christians or if we are at all self-promoting in attitude, we are walking in pride. As such, the Spirit that stands to resist our endeavors is not demonic -- it's God. Affirmations: I WALK IN LOVE AND HUMILITY, I'M NOT TOUCHY, FRETFUL OR RESENTFUL!! WHEN I WALK, GOD WALKS. HIS HANDS ARE IN MY HANDS. I HAVE THE MIND OF CHRIST. GOD IS NOT A MILLION MILES AWAY. HE'S INSIDE ME RIGHT NOW. HE'S MY FATHER AND I'M HIS VERY OWN SON. I'M A JOINT HEIR WITH JESUS AND MY BODY IS THE TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST. I AM WALKING IN THE LIGHT OF HEAVEN ITSELF. John 14:2 - "In My Father's house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, I would have told you; for I am going away to prepare a place for you." Love is the inclination,strength, and power for the soul in making its way to God -- for love unites it with God. The more degrees of love it has, the more deeply it enters into God and centers itself in Him. A stronger love is a more unitive love, and we can understand in this manner the many dwelling places Jesus declared were in His Father's house. Song of Solomon 1:5 - "I am black, but lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon." THE CURTAINS OF SOLOMON REPRESENT YOUR HUMANITY WHICH CONCEALS THE WORD OF GOD MADE FLESH WITHIN YOU. HE HAS CAUSED YOU TO PARTAKE OF HIS BEAUTY; HE HAS CONCEALED HIS DIVINITY IN YOUR HUMANITY - YOU ARE AS BEAUTIFUL AS THE CURTAINS OF SOLOMON BECAUSE THE CROSS MAKES YOU LIKE YOUR BELOVED (JESUS). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

2 Timothy 2:8 - 'Don't ever forget the wonderful fact that Jesus Christ was a Man, born into King David's family; and that He was God, as shown by the fact that he rose again from the dead.' You may be barren now. Some seasons that we go through are seemingly filled with desolation, but take comfort in knowing that every season has a time frame and a devine seed. God is alerting us to raise our expectancy. Our expectancy will become our spiritual currency to allow transactions with heaven. Affirmations: I REMEMBER THAT WHEN JESUS AROSE, I AROSE. WHEN HE CAME OUT OF HELL AND DEFEATED THE ENEMY, I CAME OUT OF HELL AND DEFEATED THE ENEMY. HIS VICTORY IS MY VICTORY BECAUSE I AM IN HIM. Colossians 2:15 - "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." Romans 4:21 - "And being fully persuaded, that what He had promised, He was able also to perform." RELIGIOUS FLESH IS OCCUPIED WITH PRETENDING TO BE (OR LOOK) GOOD. THE SOUL THAT IS LED BY THE SPIRIT HAS ITS FOCUS UPON THE GREATNESS OF GOD, BELIEVING THAT WHAT GOD HAS PROMISED, HE IS ABLE ALSO TO PERFORM. Song of Solomon 1:5 - 'I am black, but lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.' THE GREATEST EXPERIENCE OF THE GRACE OF GOD WOULD NOT COME FROM HIM IF IT DID NOT GIVE YOU A CLEAR VIEW OF YOUR MISERABLE STATE APART FROM HIM. AS YOU COME OUT OF THE CHAMBERS OF YOUR KING (JESUS) YOU DISCOVER THAT YOU ARE BLACK. WHAT MAKES YOU BLACK? SUDDENLY YOU SEE ALL YOUR FAULTS BY THE LIGHT OF GOD. NOW YOU SEE THAT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN CLEANSED FROM YOURSELF. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

John 2:3-5 - When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." "Why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Jesus attended a wedding where they ran out of wine. As yet He hadn't performed any of the wonders for which He would later become known. Mary knew who her Son was and what was possible.....her faith so touched the heart of the Father that He apparently changed the chosen time to unveil Jesus as the miracle worker. Her faith just made room for the extravagance of God! Faith moves heaven so that heaven will move earth. Psalm 78:23-25 - "Yet He commanded the clouds above, and opened the doors of heaven; And He rained down manna upon them to eat, and gave them food from heaven. Man did eat the bread of angels; He sent them food in abundance." As we read in John 6:31-35, Jesus is the manna from heaven. We must have a fresh encounter with Him, every day, and we must partake of Him every day. We should be more addicted to the Son of God than a Junky is for His next fix. If a junky does not get His fix He will soon begin to shake. Most of the shaking we go through in life is the result of our not having partaken of Christ, every day. We, too, lose our spiritual strength, our vision, and soon go into spiritual convulsions when we do not partake of Him. "I am the true Vine, and My Father is the Vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit." (John 15:1-2 NASB) We are anointed to transform our area of influence for the advancement of the Kingdom and to bring glory to God. God anoints us to fulfill the plans and CALLINGHe has for us. The anointing allows you to move into a supernatural walk with God. The Lord is filling people with His Spirit and increasing the anointing on the lives of people so they may powerfully impact their area of influence for Him. This is a time of transformation for those who surrender to the Lord and submit to the pruning and refining that the Lord is doing at this time. There is a repositioning and realigning that is occurring as part of the preparation for what is coming. The Lord is removing hindrances and refreshing His people. He is filling them with the power of His Spirit and raising them up to carry His PURPOSE for their lives. AFFIRMATIONS: I am not designed to drift - I am designed for DESTINY. God has called me with a holy calling, not according to my works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to me in Christ Jesus before the world began. Since I am in Christ I am in another reality and another life altogether. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Hebrews 12:3 - "Consider Jesus that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds." THE SPIRIT OF WEARINESS IS TRYING TO WORK ITS WAY INTO OUR LIVES THESE DAYS THROUGH ALL THE PRESSURE AND BAD NEWS THAT SURROUNDS US. IT'S WORKING TO GET OUR EYES OFF THE WORD OF GOD BY BOMBARDING US WITH NEGATIVE FORCES. IT'S TRYING TO GET US TO LOOK DOWN AT DEFEAT INSTEAD OF UP AT JESUS. JESUS SAID IN MARK 4 THAT WHEN THE CARES OF THIS WORLD ENTER INTO YOUR HEART AND MIND, THEY'LL CHOKE THE WORD AND CAUSE IT TO BECOME UNFRUITFUL. AND SINCE YOUR FAITH IS THE PRODUCT OF THE WORD, THAT MEANS YOUR FAITH WILL WITHER. Affirmations: I CONSIDER JESUS THE AUTHOR AND FINISHER OF MY FAITH. I CONSIDER HIM INSTEAD OF THE CARES OF THIS WORLD. I GET MY EYES OFF THE CIRCUMSTANCES AROUND ME AND ONTO MY HEAVENLY SOURCE. GOD IS MY SOURCE, NOT THE WORLD. Ephesians 2:18,21,22 - "It is through Christ that all of us, Jews and Gentiles, are able to come in the one Spirit into the presence of the Father. A holy temple in the Lord; in whom we also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit." FOR WHAT PURPOSE DO WE SEEK GOD? - WE ASPIRE TO WORSHIP HIM. JESUS SAID THE FATHER IS SEEKING WORSHIPPERS. THE WORSHIP THAT SATISFIES GOD MUST ORIGINATE FROM THE HOLY PLACE, WHERE THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF MAN IS AWAKENED TO THE SPIRIT OF GOD. WORSHIP DOES NOT COME FROM ANY SYSTEM OR FORM OF SERVICE. RATHER, IT IS THE RESULT OF HAVING TRULY DISCOVERED THE ALMIGHTY ONE IN "SPIRIT AND TRUTH" (JOHN 4:23). "My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working." - John 5:17 We work and partner with what he is already doing in Heaven. The father works in heaven and we work with the Holy Spirit on earth. "So Jesus said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he "sees" the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise." We are totally dependent on the Holy Spirit to discern the Father's will, so we can partner with heaven on earth. "For the Father loves the Son, and "shows Him" all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel." - John 5:19-20 The context of the above Scriptures is Jesus and the intimacy he had with the father. In these verses we see a great key to doing his will and manifesting his power. As we affirm and meditate on these verses our expectation to "see" will grow. Jesus knew the key was in prayer and waiting. We see it and proclaim it! Once we learn how to partner with God, by seeing whatever He directs us to see in the heavens, then we learn how to speak with authority in that realm, calling it forth in prayer. Then it manifests here on the earth. What you do in that kind of experience will change what happens to you in this realm. He longs to share the secrets of His heart with those who tune their spiritual ears to listen to what His Spirit is saying. "I will stand at my guard post and station myself on the tower; and I will keep watch to see what He will say to me," -- Habakkuk 2:1 We wait, pray, look and "see" what The Lord "says to me." We must see by revelation. It is key to manifesting his power. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

John 1:51 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see the heavens opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." Jesus is Jacob's ladder which we ascend and descend upon. It is our calling in Christ to both go higher and go lower. We are called to ascend into the heavenly places and be seated with Him there, and at the same time descend to the earth with the evidence of heaven's reality. As children of the King, we are members of the greatest aristocracy in the universe, yet we go to the lowest sinners as their servants to help them join the true nobility. Ezekiel 47:11 - "But its swamps and marshes will not be healed; they will be given over to salt." SWAMPS REPRESENT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN: (1) CHURCH BODIES TURN INWARD AND CEASE TO HAVE A PURPOSE BEYOND THEMSELVES. (2) INDIVIDUALS STAY IN PERPETUAL RECOVERY. SWAMPS AND MARSHES ARE PLACES WHERE WATER GETS STUCK. WHEN WATER DOESN'T FLOW ANYWHERE, IT EVENTUALLY TURNS TO SALT. GOD SAYS TO US THAT BECAUSE YOU DON'T GO THERE, BECAUSE YOU WON'T FLOW THERE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE GIVEN OVER TO SALT. WE'RE EITHER GOING TO BE GIVEN AS SALT TO THE WORLD, AS IT SAYS IN MATTHEW 5:13, WHERE WE ARE A PRESERVATIVE AND SEASONING - A GOOD THING; OR WE'LL BE GIVEN OVER TO BECOME AS DEAD-END SALT BEFORE THE WORLD - A BAD THING. NOTHING CAN LIVE IN THAT KIND OF SALT. IT'S A CURSE, A JUDGMENT. EITHER WAY, WE WILL HAVE A SALT ENCOUNTER. Matthew 6:24,25 - "Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life." WE SERVE OUR THOUGHTS! ISAIAH 55 SAYS FOR US TO FORSAKE OUR THOUGHTS, AND BY THE WORD, TAKE GOD'S THOUGHTS. THATS WHY 2 CORINTHIANS 10:5 SAYS TO CAST OUT THOUGHTS THAT CHALLENGE THE WORD AND BRING INTO CAPTIVITY EVERY THOUGHT TO THE OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST. Affirmations: I CLAIM DELIVERANCE FROM MY PROBLEMS TODAY? MY CIRCUMSTANCES ARE CHANGING BECAUSE I AM SHIFTING FROM WRONG TO RIGHT THINKING. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Matthew 24:12 - "And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold." Satan wants you to become the temperature of the culture that surrounds you, a believer bound by a stone cold heart. By exposure to hardness and darkness in the times that we live in, our love and passion will begin to cool by degrees. When you see churches and individuals who do not have the energy to reach out, it's an indication that their love has grown cold. In Numbers 16:37, the Lord told Moses to "scatter the burning coals abroad." This is precisely what the great commission is all about -- spreading the Word with a fiery heart. AFFIRMATIONS: I refuse to stay in a normal mode; I'm not going to let the world's cultural wisdom squeeze me into its mold. The world's politically correct agenda can't dictate to me anymore. Luke 2:11 - "For there is born to you this day.....a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS THE PROPHETS SPOKE OF THE MESSIAH'S COMING. THEY GAVE OVER 300 SPECIFIC DETAILS DESCRIBING HIM, JESUS FULFILLED THEM ALL! YET WITH THE ONE STATEMENT, "UNLESS I DO THE WORKS OF THE FATHER, DO NOT BELIEVE ME," (JOHN 10:37) JESUS PUTS THE CREDIBILITY OF ALL THESE MESSENGERS ON THE LINE. THEIR MINISTRIES WOULD HAVE BEEN IN VAIN WITHOUT ONE MORE INGREDIENT TO CONFIRM WHO HE REALLY WAS. THAT INGREDIENT WAS MIRACLES. JESUS GAVE PEOPLE THE RIGHT TO DISBELIEVE IT ALL IF THERE WAS NO DEMONSTRATION OF POWER UPON HIS MINISTRY. IT HAS NOW BECOME OUR JOB, BY MEANS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, TO DISCOVER AND DISPLAY THE FATHER'S HEART: GIVING LIFE AND DESTROYING THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL. "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness...for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:10 Outwardly when we are persecuted or suffer abuse - inwardly we experience "heaven" as God deals mightily with our soul, breaking its addiction to man's approval and liberating us to truly live for Christ. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Many people are discouraged because they feel like their prayers are not being answered; they feel like God has forsaken them! God wants you to understand today that you didn't pray wrong and He's not refusing you! It's not your prayer that's being blocked, it's your answers! Look at what Daniel 10:12-13 says: "Then he continued, 'Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia'" - (Daniel 10:12-13) The minute you started praying, God heard you! He had already answered, but your answer has been delayed because of the princes of resistance that are assigned to stop the manifestation of what God spoke! Because of the weight of what was about to be revealed, the enemy sent a prince to resist the answer God released! God is about to bring you out of the lion's den, out of the darkness of your calamity, and He's going to bring forth His PEACE in your trouble Speak the blessing of the Lord upon your life and declare that supernatural help has come! DECLARE THE FOLLOWING: • I declare that the Prince of Peace, the Lord who made Heaven and Earth, is invading my situation and brings me perfect peace! • I declare that the power of God is being released in my life to make my enemies be at peace with me! • I declare that voice of the Lord is being released into my life to speak peace to every storm that is raging against me! • I declare that Jesus Christ is my peace! I declare every form of separation and division formed between me and my promise is being destroyed by the peace of God that surpasses all understanding! • I declare that the God of peace will crush the enemy under my feet, and that I will walk into the grace of God that will release me into a new season, in Jesus' name! "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him." - Hebrews 11:6 Matthew 6:10 - "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." WHEN WE PRAY FOR HIS KINGDOM TO COME, WE ARE ASKING HIM TO SUPERIMPOSE THE RULES, ORDER, AND BENEFITS OF HIS WORLD OVER THIS ONE UNTIL THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE HIS.....GOD'S WORLD COLLIDES WITH THE WORLD OF DARKNESS, AND HIS WORLD ALWAYS WINS. OUR BATTLE IS ALWAYS A BATTLE FOR DOMINION - A CONFLICT OF KINGDOMS. GOD HAS CHOSEN TO WORK THROUGH US. WE ARE HIS DELEGATED AUTHORITY ON PLANET EARTH, AND PRAYER IS THE VEHICLE THAT GIVES OCCASION FOR HIS INVASION. THOSE WHO DON'T PRAY ALLOW DARKNESS TO CONTINUE RULING. THE ENEMY'S GREATEST EFFORTS AT DECEIVING THE CHURCH ARE CENTERED ON DILUTING THE PURPOSE AND EFFECT OF PRAYER. Philippians 3:20 - "For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the savior, the Lord Jesus Christ." Paul spoke not about going to heaven someday, but about living as citizens of heaven today......specifically "from" heaven toward earth. We have the privilege of representing heaven "in this world" so that we might bring a manifestation of heaven "to this world." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY