In Acts 17 we find Paul the Apostle alone in Athens. He is waiting for his friends to catch up with him after he had been violently chased out of yet another city.

The section we are looking at, verses 16-33 breaks up into four sections:

1. What Paul saw as he walked around Athens, and how he felt about it.
2. What he did about it.
3. What he said when he got the chance.
4. What happened as a result of what he said.

In the context of what he said Paul tells us five things about God that are well worth remembering.

1. God is the creator of the universe.
2. God provides for us.
3. God arranges our affairs to make it easy to find and approach Him.
4. God is our Father.
5. God is a righteous judge. He will call mankind to account for what they have done about His Son. Judgement day is certain and the time is set. After all, He is God, and He demands repentance.

1. What Paul saw and how he felt about it

Paul must have been very excited to be in Athens. He spoke fluent Greek and was a scholar of Greek literature and culture. For more than 500 years Athens had been the leading centre of culture in the world. Rome was the centre of political and military power, and nobody had the slightest doubt about that. But Athens was the site of the great and ancient university. It was the home of philosophers, mathematicians and artists. It was a centre of architecture, and expertise in engineering and building. The Parthenon was already hundreds of years old when Paul was there.

Paul probably would have been up at first light and out and about to explore for himself the great city about which he knew so much. We read that he was shocked and ‘greatly distressed’ because he saw the city awash with the worship of idols. From the top of the town, where the elegant Parthenon was a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, to the dockyards of Piraeus, the city was a maze of temples to a horde of gods and goddesses. The people were consumed with the services required by the priests and priestesses. The city was given over to idolatry and it pained him to the depths of his heart. But he was not one to let it pass. His heart was full of the love of the Lord and gratitude for his salvation and he longed to tell people how they might be saved and set free.

2. What Paul did

Paul went out and talked about Jesus Christ and salvation to anyone who would listen. He went to the synagogue and spoke to the people there who might reasonably have been expected to know something of the God of Israel and the salvation that was promised. When he ran out of people to talk to there, he went on to the great market place known as the Agora, which was full of pagans who knew nothing of the Lord Jesus.

In the course of this he found himself in a debate with two groups of philosophers. Luke explicitly records that they were the Epicureans and the Stoics. The Epicureans were followers of Epicurus. They were rationalists and materialists. If there were any gods, and they didn’t believe that there were, then those gods had no interest in man at all. What was left was to have a good time because that was all there is. They certainly did not believe in any form of afterlife. When you died you were dead, and that was that. The Stoics on the other hand were followers of a philosopher called Zeno. Like some today, they would have talked of the power of nature and the creation and are happy to talk about some profound life force (‘mother nature’ or earth spirits). They claimed that this life force controlled everything and was indifferent to humans provided they did not disturb the environment. But, and this is important, they believed in life after death.

Paul talked all the time about Jesus and the resurrection. However, some who heard apparently thought that Paul was just introducing another ‘god’ and to preach new ‘gods’ without authority was against the law. You needed a licence. So Paul was taken to the authority that issued such licences which was known as the Council of the Areopagus. The Areopagus was the name of the place where they met — a building on the top of Mars Hill; a hill near the larger hill called the Acropolis, on top of which stands the Parthenon.

There is no modern equivalent of the Council of the Areopagus. A senate of immense prestige and antiquity, it was responsible for matters of morality, education, and religion in Athens. It comprised intellectual leaders such as the heads of the university and the various schools of philosophy. It was the peak body of the foremost intellectual community of that time, and the members would have been equal to the best scholars, politicians, lawyers and philosophers in the world today. Paul was invited to stand before this committee, and was politely asked to explain himself. But note Luke’s little aside indicating that they were more interested in discussing problems and issues than in finding solutions to them (verse 21). So Paul marshals his thoughts in his mind, takes a deep breath, and serves up the phenomenal little speech that Luke has recorded for us, the so-called ‘Areopagus Address’.

3. What Paul said

He starts out politely but boldly. ‘You know nothing about the Lord God or what He has done, but I Paul do, and I will tell you’. With the Parthenon behind him, the home that they had built for the goddess Athena, Paul makes his points.

He tells them ‘God made the universe. He made a home for us. He doesn’t need us to build a house for Him! He runs the universe’.

‘God provides us with everything we need. He has no need of anything from us’. Paul dared to say this in a city where vast resources were consumed in offerings to the legion of idols the people served and the priests that organised this service.

‘God orders all our affairs. He determines where we live and lines up the circumstances of our lives. And why? Because He wants us to reach out to Him and find Him. And frankly, He has made it easy’. In verse 28 Paul quotes a Greek poet named Epimenides who made exactly that point. It should not have been news to his audience.

Paul makes his fourth point on the back of another quotation, this time from a Greek poet named Aratus, and this time the point is that we are God’s children. ‘God created us all. We received life itself from Him. It is silly to think of Him in terms of stone or metal.’

In these four points Paul provides four reasons why idolatry is wrong, and why it is time for the pagans to reconsider their position. To summarise:

• Idolatry seeks to localise God, to confine Him within limits that we set. But the fact is that He has no limits; He is the creator of the universe.
• Idolatry tries to domesticate God, to tame Him, and make Him dependent on us. But He sustains all of life.
• Idolatry seeks to alienate God, to blame Him for His distance and silence. But He is the ruler of the nations and not far from any of us. To find Him and obey Him is not hard.
• Idolatry seeks to dethrone God and demote Him to the status of some image we have made with our hands. But He is our Father, from whom we derive our being.

Idolatry is a perverse expression of mankind’s rebellion against God, and the inexcusable nature of this leads into Paul’s fifth and last point.

This is found in verses 30 and 31, and is that God is the judge of the world. Unless you know the Lord Jesus, this is very bad news, because God is holy, and God wants us to be holy, and without Him we are not. The council that Paul addressed would have vividly understood the implication that you cannot treat with contempt the clear wish of the Lord of all. To ignore the wishes of the Romans was to invite massive retribution. The best they could expect from judgement at the hands of the holy God would be more devastating and far-reaching, but Paul tells them it doesn’t have to be like that.

Paul tells them that the recent resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is the pledge that by the agency of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, God will judge the world in righteousness, and that it is time to repent. God had previously in His mercy overlooked mankind’s ignorance of Him, but the time for that was finished, and their ignorance was now culpable and without excuse. Paul tells them that God commands them to repent because judgement day is coming. Furthermore, that judgement will be:

• universal,
• righteous,
• unavoidable.

God has committed this responsibility of righteous judgement to His Son, and has given public proof of this by raising Him from the dead. The Council Paul is addressing (and by implication, all mankind) need, urgently, to find out what God wants them to do, and to do it (i.e. to repent).

There is a certain irony in reading this passage. We tend to ask people if they would like to meet the Lord Jesus. The fact is that they all will come face to face with Him as their Lord and Judge whether they like it or not. And they will have to give to Him an account of what they did in response to the fact that He died for them.

4. What happened as a result of Paul’s remarks

The mention of the resurrection causes the proceedings of the Council, and Paul’s address, to come to an abrupt stop, and the meeting breaks up in uproar. Some sneered (the Epicureans?). Others were more interested (the Stoics?). Paul left. I rather doubt that he got his public speaking permit.

The lovely bit about this passage is that Paul’s speech, in which he witnesses to the Council, was not for nothing. We read that Dionysius (a member of the Council) Damaris and a number of others listened, were saved, and became important in the Church (verse 24). The Lord blessed Paul’s efforts. He will bless our efforts similarly if we will stand up and speak for Him as Paul did.

Paul clearly told the Athenians that to disobey the Lord God was to invite their own destruction. This is still equally true, and applies to us, whether we like it or not. We should be profoundly glad and grateful for the fact that the Lord Jesus himself stands between God and us, and, by virtue of His death, provides for us His righteousness and presents us to God justified. Every day we should thank the Lord Jesus for dying in our place to redeem us and save us from the consequences of sin and for adopting us into His family to be with Him forever. We need to find out what pleases the Lord (Ephesians5:10), and to do it. In the fullness of time, nothing else will be important.

Troubles do not come from God. We live in a world subject to the curse of the Law and that’s just the way things are. Like the seasons come and go, and we know that when it is winter, spring is just around the corner; when troubles come, we recognise them for what they are and realise that they will pass. However, when problems beset us, and they will, God has told us what to do to come through them stronger, victorious and with a testimony that if we pray, believe and trust Him He will never let us down.

1. Psalm 18. Remember who you are and remember the Lord. You are a child of God and He loves you. David called out to the Lord in his distress and God heard and answered him.

2. Psalm 46. Never be afraid. There are twenty thousand problems in the world, but one glorious answer. God is present, He is able, and He is willing to help you.

3. Psalm 46. Of course you feel bad. David’s heart was overwhelmed as he was subject to the pressures of the enemy of natural thinking. If disaster arrives at your front door the first thing that deserts you is common sense. Don’t feel bad because you don’t feel good about it. Turn to the Lord.

4. Psalm 46. Take time out and don’t over react. Do what the Word of God says because that is what faith is. God has not forgotten you. He will not let you down. Be still! The only way God can be exalted is because you are exalted.

5. Psalm 37. This is not the end of your life! God has promised that you will not be utterly cast down.

6. Psalm 37. Things are not as bad as they seem. God is going to help you. He is your strength in time of trouble.

7. Psalm 34. Make this a spiritual battle. Pray and seek the Lord. The Lord is near to them that are broken hearted. The Lord redeems the soul of His servants.

8. Psalm 91. Pray, because God hears and will answer your prayer. He will be with you and will deliver you.

9. Psalm 31. Be courageous and defiant in the face of adversity. Remember that courage and strength are different. Strength in this context is a spiritual process and quality. It is enhanced by praying daily and being in the fellowship. If you are courageous, bold, and defiant, God will give you the strength you need to see you through to a victorious testimony. God says to be of good courage and He will strengthen your heart.

10. Psalm 23. God will take care of the details. God has a plan for your life and has laid out a table of blessing before you.

11. Psalm 103. Remember all the good things God has done. He redeems, buys back, restores and rebuilds. He promised Joel, ‘And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed’ (Joel 2:25).

12. Psalm 92. You are going to be happy again!

The Return of the Lord and the conditions relating to this climactic event are laid down in the Word of God. At that time, the Lord “… shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself” (Philippians 3:21).

Many are being awakened to the fact that in this age of specialisation we would be wise to see whether God specialises or generalises in His department. God is the instigator of all departments, but the Word of God tells us that in this age He is specialising in salvation. There are people being filled with the Holy Spirit and, although this is essential, it is but the beginning of the salvation experience.

There has been a great acceleration of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit during the past one hundred years, but because many churches do not preach Biblical fundamentals such as water baptism by immersion, they refrain from obeying the rest of the scriptures. Although we must essentially be filled with the Holy Spirit the Bible way, we are to have love for the Lord and for each other (1 Corinthians 13). If we love the Lord we will keep His commandments. We cannot serve two masters: the Lord, as well as the traditional way we may have inherited from past affiliations with orthodox thinking.

We are to remember that the gift of the Holy Spirit is essential to having the indwelling Christ, but more than that is expected of us. We cannot add anything to what God has done, when He fills us with the Holy Spirit the work is complete; the apostle Paul wrote: “I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ; That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:4–8). If we have repented, been baptised by immersion and been filled with the Holy Spirit (speaking in tongues), and belong to an organisation that teaches anything less, this is wrong because it compromises the Word of God. We must continue in the love of God, and true love is to serve Him His way.

The greatest happening to date through all the meanderings of Old Testament history was the time when Jesus Christ came to reconcile many. He gave His life as a ransom for Israel, particularly, and for the world at large, generally. The Spirit-filled apostle Peter boldly addressing the Temple heirarchy, said: “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins [to the world]“ (Acts 5:30–31).

He poured out His Spirit that we may all become partakers of His Spirit and become communicants with Him. If we have not received the Holy Spirit and meet around the Communion table, we are eating and drinking damnation to ourselves because we are participating in something for which we are not qualified. The Bible denounces the outward show when there is no inward experience as is specified in God’s Word.

The apostle Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues as did all those in the early Church. Their ability to speak in tongues was more than just some casual peculiarity that God had bestowed on them. It gave them the ability to worship the Lord in the Spirit as distinct from the understanding. Although it is of course possible and necessary to worship the Lord with the understanding, it is not suitable in God’s sight to worship the Lord with the understanding only. It is fundamental that we praise, worship and have communion with Him in the Spirit.

In Philippians 3:8–11 Paul states: “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.”

The return of Jesus Christ

The first great happening of Jesus Christ coming to this earth and the events of the Cross that opened up the portals of salvation was just the essential preliminary event. The best is yet to come. The greatest thing will be the extravaganza of seeing the Lord and meeting Him in the air with its world-wide repercussions. A relative few have taken advantage of the message of the Cross which is inescapably accompanied by the outflowing of Pentecost that was to follow soon after.

Paul did not disdain his academic qualities or the need to attend to life’s responsibilities, but but he understood that compared to knowing the Lord and meeting Him in the air nothing else mattered. This is just a comparison of the ways of God as distinct from the matters of humankind that dissolve in a lifetime, and of empires that rise and fall. These things are small compared with the things Paul speaks of, and why he wrote: “and I count all things but loss …That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection …”.

Righteousness is given when we receive the Holy Spirit at which time we receive the ability to pray in the Spirit. This is going to be important because the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back for people who have the ability to pray in the Spirit (John 4:23). It narrows the field, but we should jump for joy when we hear it. It doesn’t matter how narrow the field, may it be specific and identifiable!

There are many references in the Bible about the Second Coming of the Lord and the signs of the times that will herald this sensational event. These signs include the present technological explosion, the international scene and the nuclear age in which we live, the ongoing Middle-Eastern conflict, the unprecedented spreading of vice and crime, the generation gap, the world-wide population explosion, and pollution. These are all signs indicating that the Second Coming of Jesus is at hand. Knowledge of these problems is common to scientists as well as to Bible students. There are also the great ‘antichrist’ movements in the world coupling up with the churches when the Bible makes it clear that it is impossible to serve two masters. We are living in the time of the end of this Age.

Resurrection Power

Paul was thrilled about the power of the resurrection, and people who are looking for this power of the resurrection because they have tasted it in their Holy Spirit experience will be side by side with the Apostle Paul in knowing and understanding the enormity of what God is going to do with us when we participate in the First Resurrection.

God created the heavens of time and space, the Earth and all that is therein, the stars and galaxies that comprise the Universe, all that we can see through the microscope and the telescope as well as that which we can’t see, and our bodies in all their magnificent complexity and ability. In the midst of all of this there is a resurrection power that is yet to blossom forth to the sons and daughters of God.

When the Lord returns and takes over on planet Earth, we will enter into an entirely different set of circumstances and understanding. We will no longer labour in the natural, we will become – body, soul and Spirit – one with Him. In the ‘twinkling of an eye’ we will be changed forever. No longer will we be disjointed people. We will have a new body that is like unto His glorious Body. We will be beings of light in which there is no darkness.

The power of the resurrection is beyond our ability to comprehend. We’ve been filled with the Holy Spirit but that is a tiny portion, a mere foretaste of the power that will recreate us on that Day. The power of the resurrection is top priority for God’s people. Don’t turn to the right or the left. Nothing must separate us from the power of the resurrection. We are living in the times of the Second Coming of our Lord, and if there is one thing that the disciples were thrilled about it was not just their experience of being Spirit-filled, it was the power of the resurrection.

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

The great emphasis that we can lay on the Second Coming of the Lord is not when or how He will come; it is that we must be ready and available to the Lord at that instant.

Nowhere in the Bible do we find any particular commendation of the churches as they are today, it is the specified indwelling Holy Spirit that will make the difference. Becoming Spirit-filled is just the beginning. However, just because we are Spirit-filled does not mean that we will automatically meet the Lord in the air. We must continue to encourage one another not to compromise our attitude toward the Lord or become careless, because the great climax at the end of this age will be something right out of this world.

“Beloved, now are we the sons of God”. This statement is conditional and must be referred back to Romans 8 where we are told that “as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God”. These are those who obey God. Members of the Church have been baptised into the Church by the Holy Spirit. We shall be like Him, meaning that we shall resemble Him. Many people use the term ‘salvation’ but it is not until they have been baptised in the Holy Spirit that they realise that there is a difference between using the term legally and hopefully and even earnestly, with the reality of being born again of the Spirit of God.

We can be assured that the likeness we are promised in the Word of God can be taken literally. When Jesus was raised from the dead, He was not subject to circumstances, circumstances were subject to Him. Even before His resurrection, He walked the waters, raised the dead and did many other remarkable things.

“And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure” (1 John 3:3). We must know now that we are sons of God. God’s Word is the only benchmark, and the hope we have is “Christ in you, the hope of glory”. The mystery of the ages is how to get Christ into you and Jesus explained this in John 14 where He said: “I and the Father are one and we will make our abode in you”. This is the Pentecostal happening. Before Pentecost they had Jesus, the man, with them, but not the Spiritual, resurrected Christ in them. If we are to have confidence in the Word of God and His promises we had better be sons of God now by having the experience of God’s power so that we know that we will resemble the Lord when He returns. This great hope purifies us and keeps us righteous in His sight.

What will the Second Coming of Jesus be like?

Jesus said: “For as the lightning cometh [to issue (literally or figuratively): come ... proceed (forth), spread abroad] out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be” (Matthew 24:27).

It has been thought and taught that the lightening that anticipates the Second Coming of Jesus will be a great immediate flash, but when translated from the Greek there is more of a sense of a light starting in the east and slowly reaching to the west. So shall the ‘parousia’ – the presencing of – the Son of Man be. In this chapter there is more than one word translated ‘coming’. The other is ‘erchomai’, meaning ‘arrival’. The Lord has promised that immediately prior to the return of Jesus Christ, He will, as a great light shining throughout the world, begin to presence Himself more obviously. This is revival as more people receive the Holy Spirit. Many are praying for this but refuse the Bible blueprint.

Jesus said: “For wheresoever the carcase is [the fallen are], there will the eagles be gathered together [the destructions will be upon them]“ (Matthew 24:28).

One of the sorrows of the Second Coming of the Lord is that although it will be joy and blessing for those who belong, for the fallen there shall be despair and destruction.

“Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers [God’s creative abilities] of the heavens [ouranous — man has seen some of the natural results of this power] shall be shaken: And then shall appear [phaino — an amazing, unusual, mysterious symbol] the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn [yearn, be cast down], and they shall see the Son of man coming [erchomai - the arrival of the Son of Man] in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven [the age] to the other” (Matthew 24:29–31).

We are living in the times of the great and special presencing of the power of God. In the days of the early Church, there was a particlular presencing of the Lord. God didn’t withdraw His power down through the ages, but a lack of believing minimised this power and its results. As the end of the age ingathering takes place and the Lord ripens the wheat ready for the reaper, the Lord is presencing Himself more obviously over the face of the earth prior to the time of His arrival. His arrival will be a great disaster for the fallen. Tragically, if the blind lead the blind they both fall into the ditch in unbelief and uncertainty.

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might” (Ephesians 6:10).

The credentials we must carry are nominated. The ‘power of His might’ cannot be understood until we have received the glory of the Pentecostal ‘power of His might’. We are told to put on the whole armour of God, not half of it, we need it all. This is not just making a ‘decision for Christ’, saying the ‘sinner’s prayer’, or just feeling sorry in the name of the Lord; it is putting on the (complete) provision of the Holy Spirit.

In these last days we must have the Holy Spirit within us and be able to pray in the Spirit (speaking in tongues). God’s Word stipulates ‘in the Spirit or else’. The way into the Kingdom of God is through a strait (narrow) gate. No man can enter this gate unless he does what God says and receives what God offers.

The flood in Noah’s time came because God said it would. Jesus came (at the time and in the place specified) because God said He would. People are filled with the Holy Spirit speaking in tongues because Jesus said they would be. The Second Coming of Christ will take place in God’s sequence of events because God said that Jesus will return.

“But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts [desires and beliefs that are not according to God's Word]. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life” (Jude 17–21).

Praying in an unknown tongue is praying in the Spirit as they did on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4). This is not a product of our elocution or scholarship; it is the gift of intercession that only God can give and with which no man can tamper. Paul wrote, “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful” (1 Corinthians 14:14).

Jesus prophesied that the day would come when those who worshipped Him would worship in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). On the Day of Pentecost, the one hundred and twenty in the upper room received this Promise of the Father, which was the dawn of the New Covenant and introduced the new birth – the resurrection power of the Lord that is essential to both salvation and worship.

When the Lord comes, which denomination will be right? The distinction will be between those who can pray in the Holy Spirit, and those who cannot. This is the crux of the matter.

We are living in the time of the Coming of the Lord. We are not foolish enough to say how and when, but the seasons are about us indicating that we are living in the time specified by the Word of God. When the gifts of the Holy Spirit are operating, God can show us something of His power and presence: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit…” (1 Corinthians 2:9–10).

For those who meet the returning Lord on That Day, it will be a time of unprecedented, transcendent joy.

God said He would provide for us.

Because of Jesus’ sacrificial death, resurrection and subsequent outpouring of the Holy Spirit, God has given an opportunity for all to experience eternal life. And for now, peace, joy, victory, and health: “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful” (Revelation 21:3-5).

Joining the family of God is a Blessing

When you are filled with the Holy Spirit you are adopted into the family of God (Romans 8:14-17). What a blessing! This has nothing to do with how you feel in the morning, with your success at work or school, how many houses or cars you own, or whether you have wrinkles. You are blessed beyond anything and everything that this life offers.

How do you feel?

It’s not about how you feel. Jesus was in agony in the garden prior to His crucifixion. Paul didn’t feel good about being stoned, shipwrecked or cast into prison. Although Stephen was still rejoicing when he was being stoned he probably didn’t feel good about it, but was still able to think positively: “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” (Acts 7:60).

Jesus told us: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). We all enjoy feeling good, but when trouble comes, God has not left us. Absence of tribulation is not a measure of God’s blessing.

Do you Need to be Rich?

Some churches teach that the blessing of God is in material gain, job security or a comfortable disposable income: this is ‘prosperity teaching’. Some people justify this by saying ‘the more you earn the more you can give to the Lord’. Jesus was able to pay taxes by taking a coin out of a fish’s mouth; He doesn’t need you to earn a big wage in order to give it back to Him. Paul made a few tents from time to time to make ends meet, and there were times when he had to ask for help from the Church (Philippians 4:15–19). Paul probably didn’t have the best donkey in the street, but he had the joy of the Lord.

It’s our Relationship with God that Matters

The blessing of God is found in our relationship with Him. It is our hope and our faith. It is knowing who we are, and the fact that there is nothing in this world that can take us from the Lord if we remain faithful to Him. Do not be hoodwinked into thinking that God has a duty to provide material prosperity for you as a demonstration of His goodness. God has given you all when you were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Witness to people and see them filled with the Holy Spirit; go out and lay hands on the sick and expect the Lord to meet their need; these things demonstrate the blessing of the Lord. The tantalising thing is that the Bible states; “… seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). You will prosper materially when you put the Lord first. The apostle Paul wrote: “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”. However, we all have to be careful not to turn this around in our minds and believe that because we work hard and thereby prosper financially that this is the only measure of the Lord’s blessing.

There are many people who are happy and materially prosperous who don’t even know God. Although we can expect God to look after us, we must be careful not to always evaluate God’s blessing in materialistic terms. Many Spirit-filled people who have suffered business disappointments or chronic health problems can feel condemned through their misunderstanding of God’s true blessing. While we give thanks to Him for everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18), the ultimate blessing is to meet the Lord when He returns.

See what Matters

Sadly, more and more people live for the moment because they see a very limited future. Many people want recognition (a moment of fame or admiration) and they follow, even idolise, people whom they feel have achieved this. Some revere film and television stars and they mimic their behaviour because they see in them what they perceive as success. Spirit-filled people do not need to let these worldly ideals influence their appreciation of God’s blessing.

The Lord provides salvation, healing, a sound mind, and the promise of a wonderful future for those who will turn to Him in repentance and baptism now. This is God’s blessing.

The Apostle Paul reminded the members of the Corinthian Church that those with authority were not there to be overbearing or manipulative, but rather to be “… helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand” (2 Corinthians 1:24). All encouragement, correction and instruction in the Church is aimed to this end.

We see that each of us has a contribution to make towards the wellbeing of our fellow members in the Church. It is not the responsibility of only those in official positions in the Church to be ‘helpers of our joy’ but it is a Biblical role in which we are all called to take a part.

Joy is not synonymous with happiness. The joy that is a fruit of the Holy Spirit is not dependent on feelings and external circumstances. It is dependent on the confidence that God gives Spirit-filled people, which is that God will meet our needs according to His Word in every situation. Joy is evidence of the dialogue that exists between God and His people. It is knowledge that circumstances pass, but a Spirit-filled relationship with God is eternal. Joy is not transitory; it is steadfast confidence in God’s immutability (1 Peter 1 6–9).

support and help each other

As members of the Church, we are each to live the best life we can and get the most out of our experience, faith and works. This can only happen through our interaction with the Lord and with each other. Trials and tribulations are usually a result of our interaction with the things of world. Although in the Church we are protected from this in many ways, challenging situations cannot be avoided, until Jesus comes again. When troubles come, we are to be there to support and help each other, not just to leave it to the oversight of the Church.

There are times when intervention by the oversight is the only option but, generally, we are expected to build each other up in the ways of the Lord. We are expected to be responsible for our own joy as well as the joy of other members of the Church. As we help and support the joy of others, we enhance and build up our own. This is one of the great secrets of getting the most out our lives now and forever after.

Jesus showed the way

Jesus was a servant of all as well as a servant of God’s Word. If we are serving God’s Word we are helping our joy. Paul reminds us that there is “… an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven …” for those “… kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Peter 1:3–5).

As a result of the Lord’s death and resurrection, an amazing inheritance awaits the members of the Church who are co-heirs with Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:17-21 and Romans 8:17). Lift your understanding and appreciate what God has reserved for each one of us. This is an eternal inheritance — not one of things that pass away. This is helping our joy.

Jesus said: “I love you just as the Father loves me; remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you. The greatest love you can have for your friends is to give your life for them. And you are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because servants do not know what their master is doing. Instead, I call you friends, because I have told you everything I heard from my Father. You did not choose me; I chose you and appointed you to go and bear much fruit, the kind of fruit that endures. And so the Father will give you whatever you ask of him in my name. This, then, is what I command you: love one another” (John 15:9–17 GNT).

Jesus said: “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you” (John 16:7).

In the Bible we read of those who walked “…in the fear (respect) of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost …” (Acts 9:31).

Jesus left us in no doubt about the identification of the Comforter. He said: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things …” (John 14:26). He was telling us that the God of comfort (consolation, solace, stability, support, refreshment, brightness, rest, and quietness) who gives us this most comprehensive assistance through the Holy Spirit, expects us to pass this benefit on to others. In the same way as we are comforted, so should other people be introduced into the realm of the Holy Spirit.

There is no substitute for the benefits of Holy Spirit and the comfort brought to those who receive this experience. Other options are unsatisfactory and because they are of human origin are relatively brief, terminal and illusory.

If you need comfort in any circumstance, we recommend the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit.

The role of the prophets was put forward by Jesus, “the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb 12:2). The prophets in the Old Testament were to direct Israel to God. This was on a communal front and not a personal one.

Giving a personal statement on the future of someone is fortune telling. Prophecy is not of private communication. It is foretelling the future of nations and peoples. In rare events (eg Paul’s death) it does say what will happen in an oblique way. But people who tell others of their future remove the need for faith. God was against them and time and time again said that this was NOT of Him! He called them false prophets.

We walk by faith, not by sight. We walk forward and God directs our path.

Why do some people not live up to the message they proclaim? There is a popular misconception that we must try hard to be good Christians. For many people, Christianity is a set of precepts that help them try to live a good life. But the Christianity of the Bible was much more than this. It was (and is) dynamic. The receiving of the Holy Spirit is a powerful life-changing experience. The many who profess Christianity, but have not been led to being filled with the Holy Spirit, do not yet have what it takes to live a truly overcoming life.

But even Spirit-filled people can end up not living the life to which they have been called. Paul the apostle wrote to the Corinthians and roundly condemned them for their cavalier attitude to unrighteous acts being committed by church members.

To compromise your testimony is to act unrighteously. All the things you may have said, all the testifying you may have done, are undone. Those who were looking for an excuse not to follow the gospel are, in their own minds, handed one: “they’re all just hypocrites”. Or worse: “there’s nothing in it really, it doesn’t seem to make much difference to him”.

That’s at the extreme end. More the norm is simply not ‘shining’. Jesus said His disciples would not hide their light. He said they would be like a city on a hill – unable to be hidden. Everyday living that matches God’s calling attracts people: “… be ready always to give an answer to everyone that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you…” (1 Peter 3:15). As we walk in the Spirit we mirror a confidence about life that makes people wonder: ‘what’s she got?’ Our light is not hidden under a bed, but out for all in the room to see. We light up the room with the presence of God shining out of us: ‘there’s just something about him…’.

“Our object is to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to bring Bible deliverance to the people of Australia.”

“We believe that God will bless every effort made through this and other channels to awaken many to the thrilling message of salvation given through His Son for the reconciliation of the Individual, the Church, and the Nation.”

“We desire to present fundamental truth and an inspired coverage of the many wonderful facets to the Bible narrative. We can but ask our readers to approach this magazine with an open heart, an open mind. and an open Bible.”

“Testimonies will be published of individuals and families who have been saved, baptised, and filled with the Holy Spirit. Many who have been healed by the power of God will testify to their experience.”

“Signs of Christ’s return will be brought into prominence as the international situation would prompt.”

“And in conclusion, reader, we will, by God’s grace not fail to present you with the plan of salvation in every issue of this magazine. How many today know about Him . . . but, alas, have never found him. We know that His Word can strike into the hearts of all who seek to know the truth of a risen Christ and a personal Saviour.”

… Following school I moved into a career in business in Vancouver and it was proceeding OK, but I was still plagued with the drinking and depression. I received a job offer to work in Washington DC – and it was at that time my brother said to me “If you want all that there is in the Bible, and to know for sure there is a God, this is what you need to do”. He asked me if I had ever been baptised and I said “no”.

He asked me if I wanted to, and something inside me said “yes”. I repented (turned away from my old thinking), was baptised by full immersion in water and I received the Holy Spirit. I knew that I had received the Holy Spirit because I began to speak in tongues.

It has been over 12 years since that time and my life has been fantastic. The Lord has given me a peace of mind over my situations through the Holy Spirit. He has inspired me to share my experience with others. He has healed me miraculously from a stress fracture. He has taken care of my family when my one year old son nearly died and we prayed for him. He has blessed me with a wonderful wife and five beautiful, healthy boys. But most of all, He has blessed me with a vision of the things to come, the promise of living forever with the Lord when He returns.

More testimonies at Our God Answers (offsite; a new tab/window will open).

“…And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

So is recorded¹ the first time in the Bible that human beings spoke with other tongues. Speaking in tongues was, in fact, the very first utterance made by the Church. It was the first utterance of the Church ever heard by those outside of the Church. It was the first crowd-gatherer at what became the first ‘outreach’ of the Church. It was the cause that brought about the occasion of the first ‘sermon’ of the Church.

This first expounding of the things of God by the Church included: an explanation of speaking in tongues as the sign of the coming of the promised Holy Spirit; an explanation of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus; the identification of Jesus as the one who was sending the Holy Spirit with this accompanying sign; and instruction on what to do about it².

In view of its prominence in the birth of the Church, speaking in tongues can be considered to have some importance – and indeed it does. While its use in church meetings is relegated in the Scriptures as among the least of miraculous gifts³, its significance for the individual believer is amply demonstrated by the momentous timing of its introduction.

Today, those who speak in tongues span church organisation, race, sex and national boundaries. They are the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated, the sophisticated and the plain, the highly intelligent and the simple, and every category in between. Theologians have studied the subject, people have argued over it and others have simply experienced it.

Of course, in the Bible, speaking in tongues was not just some strange isolated happening. It is described there as a sign and a gift. It is always associated with the work of the Holy Spirit. It was used as evidence of God’s acceptance, and it was used to edify or build up its users.

While some relegate it to the ‘icing on the cake’, and others believe that this sign died out with the early church; we stand with Scripture in identifying speaking in tongues as the unmistakable sign of God granting “repentance unto life”⁴.

Jesus said believers would “speak with new tongues”⁵.

Peter the Apostle identified speaking in tongues as a sign of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit⁶. Peter confirmed this again by his immediate reaction to the infilling of the Holy Spirit that occurred with the household of the gentile Cornelius. When these had been filled with the Holy Spirit, they spoke in tongues – much to the astonishment of the other Church members that had accompanied Peter there. Peter was convinced when he heard them speak with tongues: “Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?⁷”

Paul the apostle, in the midst of instruction to a church that had gone overboard in its use of speaking in tongues in public meetings, nevertheless made this statement: “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all⁸“. Indeed, Paul wrote to a church where it was normal that all members could speak in tongues⁹.

These statements and events are a challenge to those who would put forward any other means of initially identifying “them that believe”.

The Church commenced with miracles, and each individual believer is to have his or her own miracle as they are filled with the Holy Spirit and speak with other tongues. The Church is intended to be a dynamic group of people, expecting the miraculous as a normal part of their lives.

Why Would You Want to Speak with Other Tongues?

Some don’t. They baulk at what they don’t understand and look for ways around.

The most obvious and readily understood reason to speak in tongues has already been discussed. Like it or not, this is the unmistakeable proof that the Bible puts forward of God having answered someone’s approach to Him. Jesus, Peter and Paul all spoke of this. The Church council at Jerusalem immediately accepted speaking in tongues as evidence that the (completely unexpected and even initially viewed with suspicion) coming of the gentiles to Christ was legitimate¹⁰.

Speaking in tongues is also used as a sign to unbelievers within a Church meeting¹¹ (but not as a means of personal glorification – rather to be used in love¹²).

Paul also spent some time explaining the personal benefits of being able to pray in other tongues.

Firstly, he prayed in tongues a lot himself, and was glad he did¹³.

Secondly, he said that praying in tongues builds you up personally¹⁴.

Thirdly, he saw praying in tongues as a normal part of a Christian prayer life: “I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also…“¹⁵. From the context it is clear that praying “with the spirit” is praying in other tongues.

Fourthly, Paul recognised that there were some things we just couldn’t express in our own words – things too deep, perhaps even below our conscious level. He describes this as speaking to God and not to other people; from the viewpoint of our conscious understanding we are speaking “mysteries”. He says that this is what we are doing when we are speaking in tongues¹⁶. He says we don’t always know even what to pray for, but again the Spirit helps us beyond our natural conscious words¹⁷.

So where do you stand on this? There are plenty of people who deny the necessity, benefits, relevance and contemporary timing of speaking with other tongues. Others, including the Revival Centres, see a wonderful provision of God – clearly articulated in the Bible, and as relevant to the Church as it ever was. They praise God that He has directly and individually confirmed their believing; that they have a direct means of communication with God that transcends their own limited capacities; and that the miraculous sign of speaking with other tongues is set within both the Church members individually, and the Church as a whole publicly.

Don’t resist God’s wonderful provision. Forbid not to speak in tongues¹⁸.

References

1. Acts 2:4 KJV
2. Acts 2:14-40
3. 1 Corinthians 14:5
4. Acts 11:15-18 (referring to events described in Acts 10:44-47)
5. Mark 16:15-18
6. Acts 2:4, 6, 14-18
7. Acts 10:44-47
8. 1 Corithians 14:18
9. 1 Corinthians 14:23
10. Acts 11:15-18 (referring to events described in Acts 10:44-47)
11. 1 Corinthians 14:22
12. 1 Corinthians 13:1
13. 1 Corithians 14:18
14. 1 Corinthians 14:4
15. 1 Corinthians 14:15
16. 1 Corinthians 14:2
17. Romans 8:26
18. 1 Corinthians 14:39

Are you finding the ‘peace of God that passes understanding’ a little elusive? We need to let it have priority over the pressing daily problems that beset us all.

Take some time out with your Bible – don’t lose that priceless peace of God. Review the promises to God’s people. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life and to let the Word of God dwell in your heart.

The Bible is the basis of Christianity. In the Revival Centres we believe that it is the inspired word of God. But modernism suggests:
• That it has changed over the years
• The events it relates are only stories
• It is vague and not scientific
• You cannot personally prove it to be true.

We will examine these assumptions and to see whether the Bible is just another book or a sound, historically accurate text.

Has the Bible changed with the passing of time?

By using a scientific approach of finding the oldest texts we can compare them to the current English translation of the Bible.

Some of the oldest texts of the Bible were found in 1947 near the Dead Sea in Palestine. Hence, they were called the Dead Sea Scrolls. Further scrolls were recovered from five principal sites in the area up to the 1960s. The scrolls were written by a Jewish sect called the Essenes that flourished in Qumran from the mid-second century BC to AD 68. The majority of the scrolls were written during the first centuries BC and AD. Determining the age of the scrolls was simplified by the discovery of a number of coins and other dated artifacts hidden within the scrolls.

The scrolls contained passages from every book of the Old Testament except Esther. In some cases there were only small passages but in others large tracts were written. For example, in the Psalms scrolls, Psalms 100 to 150 are complete.

A comparison of the various sections from the Dead Sea Scrolls with our current Bible shows agreement.

What of the New Testament? There are many letters and fragments that either are direct sections from the Bible, or are commentaries or letters relating directly to the New Testament gospels or letters. For example, a papyrus manuscript known as Papyrus 28, dated to the second or third century, has a section of John’s gospel chapter 6 and verse 8-12. It is an accurate rendition of what we have today. It is possible to demonstrate that the text of the Bible has not changed over the last twenty centuries even though it has been translated into many languages.

Is the Bible fact or myth?

Noah
There are many stories in the Bible that could be examined for historical correctness. One of the earliest is that of Noah and the Ark. As we know, Noah supposedly built a large boat and transported through a flood his family and a number of animals (not two of every kind as tradition states, with some animals the Bible says there were seven). Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. An Isrealite stamp seal has been found near Megiddo that dates from around the eighth century BC and is inscribed with the statement ‘BELONGING TO SHEM’. So it appears that Shem existed and so, presumably, did his father, Noah.

Jericho
Another famous story is that of Jericho. In the Bible narrative Joshua and the people of Israel attacked Jericho. They marched once around the city outside the walls each day for six days and then, after walking around it seven times on the seventh day, they shouted, sounded trumpets and the walls fell down. They then entered the city and burnt it.

Kathleen Kenyon (Digging Up Jericho, London, 1957, pp. 175-176) excavated the site extensively and stated: “Over most of the area … excavated on the west side of the mound, the thick layer of burning above the Middle Bronze Age buildings is the highest surviving layer … There is complete agreement between the archaeological finds and the scriptural record.” Also, in this book it states that there were very few metal implements found, which was a surprise. In most archeological digs a number of metal tools can be found particularly if there was a fire as stated in the Bible and shown in the excavations. However, in Joshua 6:24 it states that “… they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the Lord”. Hence the Bible gives the answer to this conundrum, the metal objects were collected beforehand.

Hence, not only did Jericho exist but it also was burnt with fire at the correct time of the Bible narrative and the added fact that the metal implements were removed was also evident.

Arad
Even a relatively insignificant story can be validated! Arad was a Canaanite City and was most prosperous from 3150 to 2200 B.C.. Moses, when he was leading the Israelites from Egypt came to Arad and was attacked by the king. Later, Joshua came back and attacked Arad and overcame it (Joshua 12:6-9). The Israelites built a fortified city on the hill overlooking Arad.

Recently a large number of Israelitish religious artifacts have been discovered in the ruins of this fortified area. These religious artifacts were buried when King Hezekiah of Judah decided to centralise all worship back to Jerusalem and ordered the people in other cities to destroy their synagogues. Instead, the people of Arad — who loved to worship God — buried theirs; thus it is in relatively good condition — the best restored one of that time period. The reason King Hezekiah did this was because there was much idol worship occurring in Israel during that time (2 Chronicles 32:12).

Hence Arad existed, the people of Israel attacked it and overcame it at the correct time (presumably when they were led by Joshua), the subsequent fortified city existed, the story of Hezekiah and the destruction of the local synagogues is also true.

There are many such stories that can be validated through archeological findings that verify the Bible stories. These stories are not mere fables but are accurate accounts of what happened.

Is the Bible vague or scientific?

Health

It is only a few years ago that our civilization did not have many of the answers that we now have.

For example, in the book The Family Physician by Cassell, Petter, Salpin & Cox (1872) it states that disease is spread by bad vapours, that the best time to wash yours hands is after eating or even after an operation, and that animals that died from some unknown cause are fine to eat. The book of Leviticus, which was written some 4000 years ago, declares that any vessel where a dead animal falls shall be “unclean” and any earthen vessel will be broken (Leviticus 11:32-33).

If a house has mildew and fungal growth we now know that there are spores which can infest the lungs of the occupants causing illness. The Bible states that a building that had such an infestation, or a piece of clothing that was mildewed, was to be treated in a certain way. First, the building was to be closed and then checked a week later and eventually destroyed with fire if the condition remained (Leviticus 14:35-56). In the absence of fungicides, this would be a wise decision.

A suppurating sore we know, through an understanding of bacteria, can be the result of an infection and must be treated carefully. The nature of the sore is important in the diagnosis because it could be anything from a pimple to a major disease such as leprosy. In Leviticus 15, the Bible goes into great detail about how to treat the person, their clothing, and their possessions, which are accurate by modern standards.

The Earth

For many years there was much argument about whether the world was flat or spherical. Only relatively recently was this settled and in the last few decades there are pictures to prove it!

Isaiah the prophet wrote: “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers” (Isaiah 40:22). Many people in past times believed that the world was held up by giant elephants or gods, yet the Bible states: “He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing” (Job 26:7).

Astronauts have observed that the earth is a relatively small sphere resting on nothing. From space they recognised how insignificant man really is in the universal scheme of things (the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers).

To say the Bible is unscientific is to be uninformed. The Bible makes many statements that are amazingly accurate considering the time it was written and the frame of reference of the writers. From 2000BC to 1000BC the world was viewed as being relatively small and flat. The best physicians believed that pork fat would stop leprosy, that rats and flies were good omens and brought good luck if they died in your drinking water. It was commonly believed that boring a hole through the skull stopped headaches. To help ‘cure’ any disease they bled the patient either with leeches or by cutting, and this practice was carried out from 2000BC to 1850AD.

Biblical methods are in line with current thinking when antibiotics are not available. Not bad, when you consider that the ‘health’ sections were written approximately 4000 years ago!

Can you prove the Bible?

We all have read the horoscopes where they say that today you will have both good and bad fortune and to take care — most days are like that. Other ‘prophecy’ books need a giant twist of the mind to apply them to any event. As a result many believe that the Bible is vague and indirect.

However, there are many specific cases in the Bible where an event was predicted and often exactly when it would occur. One example concerns the city of Tyre.

Tyre

In 600BC Tyre was the centre of the trading routes in the area. It was situated north of modern Israel and in Phoenicia (Lebanon) on the coast. From 1000BC the Phoenicians had a sea link from Britain through to Africa. They were the first recorded people to use the stars for location of position and navigation. In fact, they ‘patented’ the process and others who used it had to pay the Phoenicians a fee. They had a god named Melkart to whom they regularly sacrificed humans.

God said through one of the prophets “Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, I am against thee, O Tyrus, and will cause many nations to come up against thee, as the sea causeth his waves to come up” (Ezekiel 26:3). Ezekiel gave a number of prophecies about Tyre. They are exact and specific:
• Nebuchadnezzar will destroy the city
• There will be many nations against Tyre
• The stones, timber and dust of the city shall be laid in the water
• It will be made like the top of a rock
• It will be a place for the spreading of nets
• It will never be rebuilt.

Soon after this prophecy was made, Nebuchadnezzar and his troops began a siege of Tyre that lasted for 13 years. When they finally battered their way through the walls they found that the city had been deserted. The people had previously collected all the treasure, and travelled by boat to an island about 1 km off the coast. Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the city and so the first of the prophecies was carried out.

About two hundred years later, young Alexander the Great led his Macedonian troops into Phoenicia thus fulfilling the second prophecy that many nations will be against Tyre. The islanders had prepared strong defences — a network of underwater walls — so skillfully contrived that the rise and fall of the tide couldn’t choke them with sand. One look at these rugged barriers was enough for Alexander. He saw at once that if he approached by sea, his invasion craft would surely be smashed to bits. So he devised a different and more spectacular plan of attack. He decided to take all the remnants of the buildings of the old city and cast them into the sea to produce a bridge or causeway. That way his army could march into the new town. So all the stones and timber were placed in the sea between the island and the mainland, but there was still a gap in the bridge. So Alexander the Great decided to scrape the dust from the town and use that to finish the causeway.There was just enough and Alexander and his troops invaded the city. The third prophecy was fulfilled.

The original city of Tyre was left completely barren. There were no buildings, no rubble, not even the dust was left. The area was left as a bare rock. Thus the fourth prophecy was fulfilled.

Today, and for more than 2000 years the area that was Tyre has remained desolate. Only fisherman spread their nets to dry on the bald rocks (the fulfillment of the fifth prophecy).

A major requirement to build a town or city is a fresh water supply. The area of Tyre has an abundant water supply from the Ras el Ain Springs. The causeway built by Alexander the Great has now silted up and formed a headland and this has resulted in a perfect, calm harbour. So why would an area that has a perfect location, a quiet harbour, plentiful water and good soil only a short distance from where the city of Tyre stood, remain uninhabited for more than two thousand years? It is because God said that this would happen!

The prophecies were specific and they came true exactly as God foretold.

Conclusion

The Bible really is ‘The Book that Time Forgot’. It is accurate in all respects. It passes scientific scrutiny, it is historically accurate, and it prophesies many events that have occurred precisely as predicted and right on time.

What is more exciting and relevant is that it can be proven personally. God can, and does, give individual proof to anyone who approaches Him and asks. God himself said “… and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10).

God promises the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks. “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2:38-39). Jesus said “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Luke 11:13). The Bible states clearly that the proof of receiving the Holy Spirit is that you will speak in a new language (scientific term: Glossalalia) “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God” (Acts 10:44-46).

The Bible is true. The prophecies are correct. The statements are scientific. The promises to the individual are exciting and real! Do what God says and see for yourself.

God communicated with the children of Israel in Old Testament times through priests and prophets who could only approach Him according to His instructions. Anything less was regarded by God as blasphemy (Ezekiel 20:27). This God of the Old Testament (who is the same God of the Spirit-filled Church) viewed the idea that ‘near enough is good enough’ as desecration of worship and He did not respond.

Many Pentecostal churches have challenged God as they ostensibly operate the Spiritual Gifts in ways that are self-indulgent rather than the way the Bible describes. They have made a mockery of God’s instructions as recorded by the apostle Paul. The prescribed format for the Lord’s communication with the Church has been replaced by out-of-order theatrical displays, emotional outbursts, and practices that are foreign to God’s requirements. The Apostle Paul’s instructions about the manner in which the voice gifts should operate in the Church conclude with these words: “Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

We are also reminded: “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying” (1 Corinthians 14:26). There is potential for confusion when zealous, Spirit-filled people gather together: if everyone speaks in tongues at once, interprets, or prophesies there is no benefit to the Church. The need to be orderly and in control is crucial for the edification (spiritual growth) of God’s Church.

Another reason for the need to be orderly relates to the need that the Church should not be perceived as being unruly and raucous by unsaved people present in a meeting “If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?” (1 Corinthians 14:23). During a Church meeting, the only people to speak in tongues should be the two or three who give messages at the prescribed time. All other prayer and praise must be in the language common to the congregation — this is the scriptural pattern. Being a good testimony, both as individuals and collectively in a Church meeting, is of great importance to the Lord because the Church represents His Kingdom on Earth.

The Word of God specifies the maximum number of gifts that should operate when the Church meets: “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course (rotation); and let one interpret … Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge” (1 Corinthians 14:27–29). Some translations from the original Greek read ‘two or three at the most’. It is important to note that the Lord stipulated the maximum rather than the minimum number of voice gifts. If only a small number of Spirit-filled people is present and the maximum number of manifestations is not achieved, there is no need for any feeling of inadequacy. Also, there is no need to prolong the silence if there are fewer than the maximum number of messages. This is not edifying — it is embarrassing for outsiders as well as Church members, as those present feel compelled to speak rather than to be inspired by the Holy Spirit.

When we receive the Holy Spirit, the Bible states that we are thoroughly equipped (2 Timothy 3:17), should “… come behind in no gift …” (1 Corinthians 1:7), and are therefore all capable of contributing to the operation of the Spiritual Gifts when the Church is gathered together. As all Spirit-filled people are able to speak in tongues, all are able to be involved in the voice gift of tongues as specified.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 14, the apostle Paul repeatedly encourages members of the Church to “desire spiritual gifts”. He also makes it clear that although we can all speak in tongues (and therefore give a message), interpretation and prophecy have greater merit when the Church gathers because these gifts exhort and edify all the people: “… he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying” (1 Corinthians 14:3–5). Many religious authorities use these verses to contest whether speaking in tongues is always the evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit. Clearly they do not understand that these instructions are directed to Spirit-filled (speaking in tongues) people and are directions for operating the voice gifts of the Holy Spirit during Church meetings. Paul writes: “Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue” (1 Corinthians 14:19).

The Spirit-filled Church of the Bible is remarkably privileged. Members of the Church experience God’s presence within when they speak in tongues, and when the Church comes together and the voice gifts of the Holy Spirit are operated, God is speaking to encourage and edify His people.

If God’s communication is not apparent in your church (in the manner that the Bible describes) then you are in the wrong place — think about it!

1. Why do you need to be saved?

Man is mortal (subject to death), whereas God is immortal (not subject to death). The offer of salvation is deliverance from mortality into the promise of eternal life, or immortality.

2. How do you receive salvation?

By obeying the direction God gives to repent, to be baptised by immersion in water, and to receive the Holy Spirit.

3. When does salvation come?

When you are born again by receiving the Holy Spirit with the biblical evidence of speaking in tongues.

4. How do you know you are saved?

The miraculous manifestation of speaking in other tongues indicates that a person is saved.

Where do you receive salvation?

Anywhere! But usually where the gospel is preached and the commandments of God relating to salvation are explained from the Bible.

Salvation is rescue, safety or security and it applies to everything. It is security for our lives, our peace of mind, our stable thinking, our necessary optimism, and our spiritual and physical well-being. Salvation is the transition from our natural aspirations and fears into a promised contentment and future hope. The saved have eternal life.

We need to be saved because we are born in sin, meaning we are mortal. To be mortal (from the Latin word mortis) means subject to death. There is not much security in dying. Sickness, difficulties, and the toils of life beset us daily and mankind has grown accustomed to its deficiencies, but there is an alternative.

Salvation brings blessing

Unfortunately modern religions fail to identify the blessings associated with being saved. Salvation has been replaced by religion, and because religion is inadequate it is assumed that salvation has failed.

Today, the world separates spiritual and moral issues. In modern thinking, a spiritual person is one who exhibits religious tendencies or his own moral beliefs, whereas a Spiritual person in the biblical sense is actually one who has received God’s Holy Spirit. The gospel is the good news that instructs us in the ways of salvation.

Much religious teaching today is actually political. Churches are involved with social problems and have joined the political world to try to help those in need. Politics is commendable for politicians, but the gospel of salvation has no relationship with politics.

Salvation is rebirth

We become saved by being born again. To be born from above or born of God is a new beginning. The approach to and completion of this experience is in three stages. These are repentance, water baptism by full immersion, and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). The net result is that we come to the stage where we are symbolically laying down our lives by immersion in water with the expectation of receiving or being baptised with the Holy Spirit. The scriptures make it quite clear that it is necessary to receive God’s Spirit and that without the Spirit we remain unsaved — in sin.

The new birth is accompanied by all the attributes or manifestations of the Holy Spirit. The promised sign of speaking in tongues is common to all people who receive the Holy Spirit and was referred to by the apostle Paul: ‘For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth …’ (1 Corinthians 14:14). We are reminded of Jesus’ words: ‘But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth …’ (John 4:23). From then on we ‘… contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints’ (Jude 3).

Salvation is from God

We preach and obey the gospel. Our message is that God exists, God offers salvation, and God delivers from sin (mortality). No longer are we to be ‘… tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But (we are to be) speaking the truth …’ (Ephesians 4:14–15). The battle is on. We must now remain faithful; literally full of faith. We must walk by the Spirit, remaining true to our experience.

We have made no mention of being Catholic, Protestant, Islamic, nor of any other faith. These are not biblical identities; actually they are presented as alternatives: ‘But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed’ (Galatians 1:8).

When the Holy Spirit was first poured out on the day of Pentecost, those who witnessed the event said to Peter: ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Peter’s answer was simple and explicit: ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost’ (Acts 2:37–38). This response is the answer for everyone.

Christianity has not failed and truth will always triumph. Jesus said: ‘Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again’ (John 3:7).

The principle of miraculous healing of personal illness, social problems, and even healing of nations, is clearly described in scripture.

The God of the Bible is a healing God; His very nature is to restore and make whole. Even in the Old Testament God presented Himself to His people as the healer of their bodies. To them He was Jehovah Rapha: the physician, the healer. Often we read of the provision made for the physical well-being of those who followed, obeyed, and believed Him.

Healing of a miraculous nature is intervention by God to accelerate the healing process. This can be instantaneous or it can take time, and it can arrest and reverse conditions that would normally not be reversible. Gifts of healing are listed
with the manifestations of the Holy Spirit described in 1 Corinthians 12:6–11, all of which are available to every Spirit-filled person.

Never stop believing or become discouraged – ‘There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit’ (Romans 8:1). God always keeps His promises in His way and in His time. Remember that the primary consideration is staying saved. Then, even if death intervenes, ultimate, eternal restoration will take place when Jesus returns.

Healing of a miraculous nature comes from God alone. Beware of any person claiming special gifts of healing because this is not scriptural and does not happen. Christ made miraculous healing available through His atonement and it is available through none other.

We can certainly pray for each other and for ourselves. Indeed the Bible instructs us to do this: ‘Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him … in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord [not the elders] shall raise him up … Pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much’ (James 5:14–16).