INTERNATIONAL YOUTH CAMP - 2009 - Irumbuliyur - Sunday Service

Sunday Service - Finale of the International Youth Camp - A Report:

Praise and Worship Time - Pastor Manase and Bro.Teju among other servants of God led the youths in praise and worship.

Make a covenant of love with your Lord, this morning. Let every heart cry out to the Lord, "Abba Father" from the depths of your heart. Say to the Lord, "Lord, I love you. In my college, in my school, in my work place, in my family, wherever i am, i will love you all the time."

You must be faithful in your covenant with the Lord. You should love your God and serve Him wherever you are. You should never go back on your word.

The Praise and Worship session ended with the melodious songs: "God is good all the time," and "Gnaan Ninne maathram..."

Talking about the tracts and magazine ministry, Pastor said that our tracts, numbering over crores, so far in print, have been a great blessing to millions. He also quoted an instance, where a person who was about to commit suicide along with his three children was touched by the words in the tract "Peace Unto You" and got saved.

Another tract on "Divine Healing" helped a person to get healed from his great sickness and now, he's doing tract ministry in his area.

Pastor also mentioned another touching instance, a few years back, which happened near near Chennai Central Station. One of our believers was giving tracts to people who were coming to the station. One person who was given a tract, got angry, tore it up and threw it on the railway track. The believer became very sad. But soon, a man got up from the railway track and came rushing towards the believer and asked for the remaining piece of the tract. It seems the person was lying on the tract with the intention of committing suicide, when he saw the tract thrown there. The words and verses in the tract spoke to him, and now, that person is a servant of God ministering to His master in our church. Amen.!

The Youth Camp Sunday Service message was delivered by our Chief Pastor Wilson Joseph: Excerpts from the message:

Let's turn to a famous passage from Daniel 1: 6 - 8. Though Daniel and the three youth were taken as captives, they did not forget their origins. They first tried to change their names. Today also, Satan is trying to change your name. Often, we are told, names speak about our character, origin, culture etc. By changing their names, the enemy tries to distract them from their original home. How many times we've tried to change our names.

Once i heard a testimony about an old believer, who died recently at 92 years. He said that he was saved when he was 22 years old, but after salvation, he backslided and he tried to hide his identity. He tried to show that he's not a child of God - a Christian. In his business, he had to meet another person. Even to this person he denied his Christian origins. His name was 'Mani'. Both of them joined to do business.

Once both of them had to go to a particular place on a business trip. Mani's business partner told Mani that there are a group of people who call themselves Christians but not ordinary Christians. They make a lot of noise. They are having a prayer meeting in this area tonight. Why dont we visit them for a prayer, which is held in a particular believer's house?" Mani nodded and both of them went for the prayer. As soon as they stepped into the house, they could see all of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Suddenly, there was a prophecy which said, "My son John, you are trying to hide yourself." This brother was shocked because no one knew his name as John - only his family members used to call him John.! Lord said, "You are trying to run away from me, but I wont leave you." The Spirit of God said, "My son, i give you one more chance. If you do not heed my voice now, you will surely perish."

Like this brother, we too sometimes try to hide our identity. As you go back to your respective places today, don't try to hide your identity but instead stand bold for the Lord.

Though the king tried to change their names, these men did not forget their identity.

Firstly, we read in verse 3, that they are the children of Israel. They were not ashamed to call themselves Israelites. Israel had so many qualities but this morning I would like to highlight one important quality of the Israelites:

Psalm 105: 9, 10 - Who are these Israelites? They're a group of people whom God hath redeemed and made a covenant. They're not ordinary people but people of a covenant. These four youths, believed in the covenant and trusted in the covenant. In the same manner, in Heb 13: 21 we read of the covenant through the blood of Jesus. Through the Blood, we are not only saved and redeemed, but also brought under a covenant.

Here we find, God makes a covenant with His people, and at the same time, they also make a covenant with God.

These four youths offered themselves as a sacrifice to God. Hence, though their names were changed, their heart wasn't susceptible to change.

Secondly, In Daniel 1: 6 we read that they belong to the tribe of Judah. In Psalm 78: 68,69 we see the qualities of Judah. Judah means a chosen group of people. Jesus said, "many are called but few are chosen." We are all called of God. Out of the called, He wants to chose a group of people.

Zion and New Jerusalem are in Judah.

Thirdly, we read that they were of the king's seed. Same thing we read in the New Testament. Rev 1:4 - God has washed us with the blood of Jesus and made us to be kings and priests. We belong to the royal family. Kings should not drink wine. Wine makes one glad and wine tells us of the pleasures of this world. Some people are drawn away by the entertainments of this world. As you go back, you get a call from your friend, "We've a party to enjoy". What are you going to tell them? Yes, I am a king. God has made me a king. I shall not drink this wine. Yes, we've to overcome all these desires. As a king, God has given us the authority and the power. We must rule all the desires of the flesh. We must also overcome the enemy.

Yes, the power of God is within you.

His Anointing is within you.

You're a king in His sight.

These four youths revealed themselves as true kings. God wants us also to reveal to others that we are kings of the King of Kings.

Fourthly, we read that they were princes of noble birth. Similarly, we should read and meditate on the Word of God daily. That will make us noble in the sight of God. St.Paul says that our character is changed by the power of the Holy Ghost. (II Cor 3:18)

Another character of the nobles is that, they eat for strength, and not merely to satisfy their belly. This speaks about a disciplined life. The same thing we read in verse 16. "Your princes eat in the morning."We must discipline our body and mind. If you don't discipline your body and mind, it will run wild. You may be seated here but your minds may be running all over the world. You must bring everything under control. When we live a disciplined life, we are nobles in the sight of God.

What would have happened if they had eaten of the food of the babylonians? If they had eaten, they would also have become like the babylonians. They will lose their identities. They can no longer be called as Israel. They can no longer be called as Judah. They are no more nobles.

Make a decision this morning. "Lord, I want to show myself as a true Israelite. I want to show myself as a Judah, as a person of noble birth.Of you make such a decision, God will give you the grace for it.

The word 'Daniel' means 'God is our judge.' This speaks about judging our lives. Daily we must discern our lives. As we go on judging our lives in the Word of God, we can rectify our lives. God called Daniel 'His beloved.' When we judge our lives, we can become God's beloved.

We read about the cry of the Psalmist in Psalm 26: 2, "Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart." In Psalm 139 v 23 too he cries the same prayer. We should cry out to God with this prayer.

St.Paul beautifully compares our life to a ship. All these small faults are like small holes in a ship. If we allow these small holes to persist, water will come in and the boat will capsize. Every day of our life we should search our hearts and seek the Lord's presence. We must commit our life in His hands. Tonight before we go to bed, we must look up to God. In this manner, we can preserve our ship of faith, and preserve our life spotless and clean....

May the Lord bless us. Amen.

SELF-CONTROL FOR CHRISTIAN YOUTH

Self-control is widely taught in the Word of God. Though sex-relationship is reserved for the married, God has not given them undue liberty for the misuse of it. "Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled" (Heb 13:4).

St.Paul speaks of three levels of spiritual growth among spiritually-minded married couples.

1. "To avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife" (I Cor 7:2-4).

2. "Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency" (I Cor 7:5).

3. "The time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away" (I Cor 7:29-31).

Self-control or temperance comprises the fruit of the Spirit. Married or unmarried, God cannot perfect the work of sanctification in us unless we practise self-control, self-denial and temperance.

"Let no sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God" (Rom 6:12,13).

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Rom 12:1).

"What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For yer are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's" (I Cor 6;19,20).

"The fruit of the Spirit is... temperance: against such there is no law" (Gal 5:22,23).

Victory over sexual vices is possible - if one is really keen on getting rid of them. First of all, we must believe that God Who said that "they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Gal 5:21) has also made provision to cleanse us and deliver us from such uncleanness. He shed His blood to "cleanse" us and "sanctify" us. "That He might present it (us) to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it (we) should be holy and without blemish" (Eph 5:26,27). Let us not forget that we have our part to play, in full cooperation with the miraculous work of deliverance and sanctification which the Lord wants to graciously perform in us. The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth, exposing the subtleties of Satan and, at the same time, delivering us from his snares - if we are willing to follow His instructions.

[Next Topic: PRELIMINARY STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO OVERCOME ALL SEXUAL VICES]

- TPM Publication No: 10

INNOCENT AMUSEMENTS - NOVELS AND COMICS...!

T.S.Eliot, speaking about literature, had this advice for the Christian: "Literary criticism should be given from a definitive ethical and theological standpoint... It is necessary for Christian readers to scrutinize their reading, especially of works of imagination, with explicit ethical and theological standards."

In Film and Christian, Todd Kappelman writes:

"The church as a body has a long-standing and somewhat understandable tradition of suspicion concerning narrative fiction. A brief examination of positions held by some Christians from the past regarding written fictional narratives may help us to understand the concern some have with involvement in fictional narratives.

Alcuin, an influential Christian leader of the ninth century, was extremely concerned about the worldliness he saw in the church. One of the things that troubled him the most was the monk's fondness for fictional literature and stories about heroes such as Beowulf and Ingeld. Writing to Higbald, Alcuin said: 'Let the words of God be read aloud at the table in your refractory. The reader should be heard there, not the flute player; the Fathers of the Church, not the stories of the heathen...'

Tertullian, the father of Latin theology, writing six centuries earlier, voiced a similar concern about Christians involved in secular matters when he said: 'What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?' Specifically, Tertullian believed that the study of pagan philosophers was detrimental to the Christian faith and should be avoided at all costs."

"As for comics, they are only stories told through pictures," one may argue. But in comics one often sees caricatures rather than portraits. One is removed from his natural environment to an artificial one; one's perceptions and interpretations of life experiences get distorted. The individual visually ingests a false idea of reality and accepts it as the real. He abandons the natural world created by God in favour of the one recreated by man.

"Christians are especially responsible for being alert about the food for the minds which we knowingly consume. The command of the Bible is not centred on what we ought not to think about, but on what we ought to make the nutrition of our minds - the pure, the lovely, the positive, the honest," writes Jimmy R. Allen in Sounding the Alarm: Media Violence in America.

There are a good number of books written by devout and committed Christians that help one to set one's affection on things above, to seek those things which are above. Biographies of great men of God, devotional reading material written by people like C.H.Spurgeon, Charles Finney, Andrew Murray, Oswald Chambers, Mrs Charles Cowman, John Milton, H.W.Longfellow, etc. and other books like John Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, Hannah Hurnard's Hind's Feet on High Places, etc. are worth reading.

However, it must be borne in mind that no book, however good, can replace the Holy Bible. The Bible must be read and reread, and its contents meditated upon. "Blessed is the man... his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night" (Psa 1:1,2). Read Psalm 119 to know how the Word of God must be loved and treasured. "I would rather have a knowledge of the Bible without a college course than a college course without a knowledge of the Bible," says William Phelps.

- TPM Publication No: 10

CAN A CHRISTIAN WATCH FILMS?

What is it that hynotizes thousands of men, women, youths and children into the cinemas where they have their eyes glued to the silver screen? Is it not films that feed the eyes and mind with something sensational and sensual, filling their heart with lustful pleasures and suggestive evil desire, revolt and violence? The shows are well calculated and fully organized to satisfy the diverse lusts of the eyes and of the flesh, and the pride of life.

It is commonly accepted that almost all actors and actresses are of questionable character. They arouse in themselves emotions, passions and thrills that make their gestures as good as real. They are ruled by the powers of darkness which want to invade the viewers through the shows displayed.

Let us see another side to it. The stories that are screened are sure to contain scenes with sexual vices, including obscenity, profanity and nudity. Can a true Christian who wants to be found blameless at the Lord's Coming, feed on these corrupt scenes displayed by unregenerate men and women whose only realm of joy is this passing world of vanity?

Today it is hard to find movies without themes of violence, deceit or lust in them. And in even children's G-rated movies one can find magic, spell casting or New Age teachings. Many of the "Disney movies" strongly promote these themes. The movie "Pocahontas" shows Pocahontas consulting with a two-hundred year-old willow tree to make important decisions in her life. The movie suggests that there are spirits all around us to guide us. But these spirits are not from God; they are demonic spirits in disguise promoting New Age teaching. If a person spends time watching what the spirit of witchcraft is behind, how can he expect the Word of God to grow in his heart? Witchcraft deceives one's heart and prevents one from serving God to the fullest degree.

"Well", you say, "Unto the pure all things are pure." If everything were clean and pure, what are the "unclean" things we are commended not to touch? Can we expect to see in Heaven the supposed "clean and pure" things that we see in films? When Paul says, "Whatsoever things are pure... think on these things" (Phil 4:8), does he include the list of "pure things", these sensual and sensational plays featured on the screen?

- TPM Publication No:10

MODEST APPAREL AND ADORNING

When the mini-skirt first made its appearance, people were taken by surprise. The public were against it. It was badly criticized in the papers. But today the sense of shame is lost.

But those who come from decent families have kept up their modesty and decency. Girls are strictly forbidden to wear mini-skirts in some schools. Railway employees, doctors, factory workers, salesgirls, stewards, attendants in different business companies, and many others who are attracted to important organizations, wear modest dresses that are convenient and appropriate for their work and publicity.

How much more should Christians be willing to wear modest apparel which reveals the Christian character in us, and helps build the kingdom of God! The Church, including youths and children, is not indebted to go by the principles of model-makers who are sensual and earthly-minded and commercial in their project and approach.

What does the Bible say?

"Women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works" (I Tim 2:9,10).

"Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price" (I Pet 3:3,4).

From the above two Scripture portions we gather how a Christian must dress.

(i) Our outer garments must manifest our inner purity, godliness and meekness, and other Christian virtues.

(ii) Our garments must be modest, simple and decently shaped, so as to cover the body in such a way as to avoid sex appeal and immodesty which would cause embarrassment to the opposite sex, or cause those who have us for their example to stumble. Specially in the case of women, short skirts, mini-skirts, sleeveless blouses and tight garments, must be completely avoided by converted children of God who profess godliness with good works. Such dresses are abominable in the sight of God and in the church.

"Whoseover looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart," said Jesus (Matt 5:28). If mere looking at a woman with lust is such a great sin, what a terrible sin it would be for a woman to dress herself so as to get others to look at her with lust!

(iii) The Bible forbids facial make-up. The face expresses the state of the mind and heart. "Shamefaced" simply means that the face should not be made attractive with make-up, but must be plain and simple, to express the inner peace and purity.

The Christian principle is not to do anything to satisfy the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. By yielding to the cravings of the body, supplying it with pomp and polish, we crown the flesh with power over the soul. Thus we become self-conscious, world-conscious and earth-bound.

(iv) Christians must not wear expensive dresses or suits. In the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, the first thing mentioned about the rich man who went to hell in his dress: "There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen" (Lk 16:19). Purple and fine linen were very expensive royal garments (Est 8:15). It is good to be simple and humble in everything.

(v) God's Word is against 'broided hair" or fancy hairstyles.

(vi) Ornamental decorations of gold or precious stones are not a part of the outfit of a converted Christian.

We are commanded to adorn our inner man with meekness and a quiet spirit which is of great price in the sight of God. It is impossible to adorn both the inner man and the outer man. One is contrary to the other. The people of the world prefer to adorn the exterior, while the converted spontaneously choose to adorn the interior with the beauty of Jesus Christ. The Bride of Christ has nothing but divine adornment, but the bride of the Antichrist has ornaments of gold, precious stones, pearls, etc. and flashy garments (Rev 12:1; 17:4).

It is forbidden for women to wear clothes similar to those of men, and for men to wear those of women. This will cause confusion. Youths of today desire to hide the identity of their sex so that they might freely move unnoticed with the other sex. This appearance of similarity will only lead to sex-perversion and other vices. God calls it abomination. "The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman's garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God" (Deut 22:5).

Worldly dresses and fashions are accepted in most churches, not because they are carnal-minded or because they want to attract the attention of the opposite sex, but because (1) they see that everybody wears them; (2) they fear that they would offend the world if they do not dress as they do; (3) they have got used to such forms of clothes from childhood without being corrected by their parents, Sunday School teachers and servants of God; (4) they do not realize that conversion means a complete change of the total personality - body, soul and spirit, including dress, facial make-up and appearance; (5) they do not understand the Word of God on this point.

We must distinguish ourselves from the society around us by dressing so as to glorify God in our body. "For ye are brought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, an d in your spirit, which are God's" (I Cor 6:20). We should not offend those who hold us for example. We must give them a Christian influence of chastity, purity and modesty.

- TPM Publication No:10

INTERNET DANGERS...:

While it cannot be denied that the Internet is a source of a vast amount of information or knowledge, one must admit there are a great many dangers in its use.

What is so dangerous about the Internet, is its triple effect: Accessibility, anonymity, and affordability. Surfers are able to find content for any appetite at low or no cost and without ever showing their faces in public.

Through the Internet one is exposed to inappropriate/inaccurate web content such as porn sites; racist and hate sites; bomb-making, suicide, gambling or drug sites; sites with deceptive marketing practices - infomercials; email hoaxes and viruses, spyware, mouse trapping; spoof sites; URL mimickers; historical revisionist material; unsolicited spam email promoting porn, pyramd schemes, human growth hormones, etc.

There is also the danger of inappropriate interaction/contact: Chatrooms, inappropriate conversation, trasfer of undesirable material, paedophiles in chatrooms, real-life meetings, instant messages from strangers, harassment - threatening emails or misdirected emails, violent online role-play games, cybersex, etc.

It is worth noting that without pornography the Internet would not be as technically advanced as it is today. There is considerable evidence that much of the Internet technology taken for granted by ecommerce today was only developed because of the demands of pornographers. Nowadays, many ecommerce companies privately consult "porn-site pioneers" for advice on setting up effective websites and developing the required technology.

The Internet is now being dubbed the crack-cocaine of sexual addiction. "It works so quickly and it's so instantly intense," says Dr.Robert Weiss of the Sexual Recovery Institute in Los Angeles. "We're seeing a whole population of clients who have never had a history with the problem, but for the first time are beginning on particular activity and getting hooked."

Most Internet users believe that unless they go looking for porn, it will not find them. What they do not realize is, that pornographes are aggressively implementing new strategies to market and push pornography to innocent internet users, without their consent and often even without their knowledge. If the user is spiritually unguarded he becomes a new customer to the diabolic recruiters, and slowly, a slave to porn power. So if, as an unwitting customer, you are thrust into the visual import of a pron display, immediately get off the website (that has suddenly appeared on your monitor), bind that thought from corrupting your mind and bring the residual imagination left in the mind, captive to the obedience of Jesus Christ (II Cor 10:5).

The marriage guidance counsel Relate in the UK claims that one in ten people who approach it for marriage counselling, blame online dating groups, chatrooms an pornographic sites, for their relationship problems.

Before using the Internet, the child of God should judge himself and ask himself whether he really needs it. And, what is the purpose? One cannot blindly say, To get to know things, to research, to publish the truth, etc. Your need of the Internet should be clear, and you should restrict your usage to that alone. To go to the Internet without any aim or vision would be like roaming around in a Vanity Fair. Starting with an "innocent-looking" display of pornographic nature can lead you to addiction. We all know the frog-in-the-kettle-of-water story in which the frog was slowly cooked to death.

We know that the Internet is otherwise known as WWW or World Wide Web. This is the interlinking of computers all over the world in the form of a huge COBWEB! Yes, a spider's cobweb! We all know why the spider spins its web - to trap its prey. Surely it is not a coincidence that the same imagery applies to the Internet too. The prince of this world, Satan, has the same motive as that of the spider - to catch as many souls as possible and devour them.

Once addicted, it is difficult to escape from its stranglehold. And the results are disastrous - lack of interest in studies, change in interaction with family members, and above all, an utter disregard for spiritual things. Undoubtedly, one is caught in the wordwide web of the prince of the world - Satan.

We can avoid falling into Satan's trap -

1) By being firmly committed to all that God says is right and good (Prov 7:1-5).

2) By knowing that allowing our thoughts to dwell on sinful pleasures leads to sorrow, regret, and death (Prov 7:25-27).

The Bible says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" (Hos 4:6). God's Word is what sanctifies us (Jn 17:17). A born-again Christian who dwells on God's Word will have a hunger and thirst for it; he will be grieved by ungodly things, and will not desire them. So feed your mind on the Word of God.

"How can a young person stay pure? By obeying Your Word and following its rules" (Psa 119:9 TLT).

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against Thee (Psa 119:11).

"Moreover by them [God's Word] is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward" (Psa 19:11).

- [TPM Publication No: 10]

THE TEENAGER AND HIS FIANCEE...: Part - II

It is commonly accepted today in western countries by the people of the world and even by some Christians, that a boy may date with several girls, as long as they do not go very far, to decide upon the partner he would marry eventually. This unsound practice has gone beyond control. The society of the world may have accepted this as something "permissible" but it is "unclean" and nothing less than fornication in the sight of God.

The word "pure" or "chaste" (Gk. hagnos) implies refraining from all acts and thoughts that incite desires that are not in keeping with one's virginity or one's marriage vows. Many churches today do not emphasize this. Premarital sexual intimacy among church youth is very often tolerated on the pretext of love and commitment. There is also the contemporary teaching that it is justifiable as long as it stops short of full sexual union. This is contrary to the Biblical standard of purity.

The word "fornication" (Gk. porneia) indicates a wide range of sexual activities outside marriage. Any activity that has anything to do with the actual act of fornication, anything leading up to the final act, is included in this term. It is just as bad as committing the act, and can be classified under "sin" (see Lev 18:6-30); 20:11,12, 17, 19, 21; I Cor 6:18; I Thess 4:3). To arouse in someone sexual desires which cannot be righteously fulfilled is, as St.Paul calls it "defrauding" that person (I Thess 4:6; Eph 4:19). Sexual intimacy before marriage robs one of the holiness and chastity that God expects in one. Having "lust" (Gk. epithumia) is, according to Jesus, equivalent to committing fornication. "I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matt 5:28). Lust is an immoral desire which one would fulfil if one had the opportunity (see Eph 4:19,22; I Pet 4:3; II Pet 2:18).

- TPM Publication no: 10

THE TEENAGER AND HIS FIANCEE...: Part - I

Teenagers, whether boys or girls, have not sufficiently grown mentally, spiritually and emotionally, to take up family responsibilities, though the world has fed their mind and desire with sex knowledge through books, television, etc. Getting involved with fiances will distract their immature spirit, mind and emotions. Such a life will impair their spiritual progress and retard their studies at school.

If they continue with it a little longer, they will engage in sexual vices, and become a reproach to themselves, to their families, to their church and to Christ. To crown it all, to avoid further reproach, they will have to get married, though unprepared for any family responsibility. Then they will realize they should not have made a mess of their life like that; because, apart from spiritual immaturity and other problmes, they will find it hard to live together due to differences of views and decisions even in most trivial matters.

Their thrills, excitements, romances and sentiments would have vanished like a dream. Now there is no proper home to live in, no parents to go to, and above all, no money, and no love between them. They exist from day to day in misery, torments and anger, planning a separation or divorce.

Youths of the world have formed their own principles of life to satisfy their carnal desires and emotions. Most of them have no vision of moral values. They get excited with the modern teachings of free-sex, new morality, etc. Their emotions get fired with pornographic literature, and obscene scenes in films, television, etc. They follow "the course of the world." Being not saved, they have no spiritual values to lose.

But Christian youths have a salvation to preserve, a pure conscience to maintain, a fellowship with God to develop, and a task to perform.

A Christian youth has the confidence that God is interested in his future, and that He will find the right partner for him if he commits that problem into the hands of his Creator and waits for His time. It is God Who unites them.

- TPM Publication No: 10

ARE HEAVEN AND HELL REAL...??

There are quite a number of people who do not believe in heaven or hell. But that doesn't change the fact. I may say, "I do not believe in the Himalayan mountains. I haven't seen them and so I don't believe they exist." But the Himalayan mountains still stand high. Whether you believe in heaven and hell or not, heaven and hell exist.

Heaven or hell first starts in your own heart. "The kingdom of God (heaven) is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost" (Rom 14:17). If your heart is filled with peace and pure joy, heaven has already started in your life; you are on the way to heaven and in the end you will be in eternal heaven. Similarly, if your heart is now filled with fear, torment, hatred, confusion and darkness, hell has already started in your life; all through your life you will experience "hell" and finally you will be in eternal hell.

In the story of the Prodigal Son, when the boy left the father's home and "wasted his substance with riotous living" (Lk 15:13), he began to experience "hell," and heaven was no more in his heart. As he had lost "heaven" in his heart, he confessed to his father - "I have sinned against heaven" (Lk 15:21). When he humbled himself, and repented and confessed his sins, joy and peace, or heaven, was once again restored to him.

When the backslider King Saul realized that he would soon be dead, he was tormented with fear ( I Sam 28:20), as he was going to eternal hell. However, look at the blessed hope, peace and joy that filled Paul's heart when he realized he was to leave this world soon (II Tim 4:6-8). He knew for sure that he would be in eternal heaven.

The torments of hell and the comforts of heaven differ depending upon one's works on earth. For instance, the hottest place or the depths of hell is prepared fror immoral people (Prov 9:18). The highest rewards and the greatest heavenly pleasures are for those who lived a humble and holy life, serving the Lord (Rev 14:1-5).

Dear reader, perhaps you are a sinner or a backslider. Darkness, hatred, an unforgiving spirit, confusion, fear and torment may be filling your heart. You are indeed already in "hell." Why don't you humble yourself, like the prodigal son, and turn to your heavenly Father with deep repentance, and confess, "Father, I have sinned against heaven."

"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." In other words, repent till the kingdom of heaven with all its peace and joy, fills your heart.

- taken from tpm publication no. 35

How Should A True Christian Dress?

Our dress should glorify God. "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" (I Cor 10:31).

"When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and adorned her head, and looked out of the window" (II Kgs 9:30 RSV). When Jezebel heard of Jehu's coming, obviously wanting to seduce him, she painted her face and adorned herself and looked out of the window. Very soon she met with a very tragic end; her flesh with all the paint on it was eaten up by dogs. Jezebel is a warning to all those who dress themselves to seduce or attract others.

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matt 5:27,28). If looking on a woman with lust is such a terrible sin, what a terrible sin it would be for a woman to dress herself so as to get others to look at her with lust! Unless she repents and returns to God with a true penitent heart, her end cannot be better than that of Jezebel. See also Jeremiah 4:30.

"She has lived in luxury and pleasure - match it now with torments and with sorrows" (Rev 18:7 LB). We should not dress for luxury and pleasure, spending too much money on clothes; if we do, God's Word warns - "Match it with torments and with sorrows." It is good to be humble and simple in everything. "Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand" (Phil 4:5).

The adornment of the Bride of Christ displays her divinity whereas the adornment of the Bride of Antichrist displays her depravity (Rev 12:1; 17:4). The Bride of Christ has nothing but natural adornment, but the Bride of Antichrist has gold, precious stones, pearls, etc. and flashy garments. God's Word clearly exhorts holy women to avoid wearing gold, fancy hair-styled, expensive clothes, etc. (I Pet 3:3-5). One man of God says, "Those who love to wear the gold of this world will never walk on the street of gold, up there in New Jerusalem."

Once God said to a sister, "My child, I have made enough holes on your head for your needs (ears, mouth, nostrils, etc). If I had wanted you to wear earrings, I would have made holes for that also." This helped her to make a stand for God.

We do not know exactly what sin made the rich man end up in hell-fire (for he appeared to have been a religious man). But please note that the first thing mentioned about him in the Scripture is the dress that he was wearing" "There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen" (Lk 16:19). Purple and fine linen were very expensive royal garments (Est 8:15).

Dear child of God, make sure the way you dress does not drag you to eternal doom and torments. Let the Lord, the servants of God and all the godly people give a good testimony about your dress. Let all things be done for the glory of God.

- taken from tpm publication number 35

HOW CAN WE BECOME TRULY GREAT?

Every human being has an inborn desire to become great. People want to be great businessmen, political leaders, sports champions, popular singers or great leaders in some field of life.

You can become great in two ways:

1). You can become great by pushing and pulling or influencing others with money, materials, etc. and by doing your own will.

I saw the ram (male sheep) pushing westward, and northward, and southward.. he did according to his will, and became great" (Dan 8:4). This beast became great by doing his own will and by pushing and pulling. Sad to say, many people try to become great in this way. They use the power of their money, the influence of their friends, and other carnal methods, to become great. True, they become great in this world, but their greatness is only for a short time. See what happened finally to this beast who became great by pushing and doing his own will.

"I saw him (a he-goat) attack the ram furiously, striking the ram and shattering his two horns. The ram was powerless to stand against him; the goat knocked him to the ground and trampled on him, and none could rescue the ram from his power" (Dan 8:7 NIV). Although the ram managed to come to power and become great by doing his own will, another animal came and thoroughly defeated him and destroyed him.

Although this is only a symbolic incident in the Bible, all through history we see this truth repeated in political and social circles and in other fields. People become great and come to power and authority using subtle methods, but most of them have a tragic end. They end their lives in utter humiliation.

2). There is a blessed way to become great, and that is to be made great by God. "Thy right hand hath holden me up, and Thy gentleness hath made me great" (Ps 18:35). Here we see how God makes one great.

"Thy right hand hath holden me up." If God is to make you great, first you must be in the right hand of God or, in other words, in the centre of God's will. Yes, by doing your own will too you can become great, but that greatness will only lead to disaster. If you are in the right hand of God or in the centre of God's will, when God raises His right hand, you are also raised.

"Thy gentleness hath made me great." This world is facing a crisis. Parents want to dominate their children, and children their parents; husbands want to dominate their wives, and wives their husbands. But we know this only creats confusion in the family, society and country. "Thy gentleness hath made me great." Yes, it is true, gentle character is indeed a great divine character. Your true greatness is your gentleness.

What is gentleness? The dictionary may give different definitions. Let's look at it spiritually. If you can take insult, persecution, humiliation, etc. in the right spirit, smiling inwardly, and offering forgiveness and love to your offender, that is gentleness. This is one aspect of the meaning of divine gentleness.

Moses was gentle; he was the meekest man on earth. God made him a great leader, but one day he host his gentleness, and that day he lost his greatness too.

When you push and pull and become great, you will always be surrounded by unnecessary struggles, troubles and trials. But what happens when God makes you great?

"Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side, from everyone, every moment, and in every situation. If anyone rises against you, you will be gentle towards him, and God will take care of the situation.

Dear reader, if you have been trying to become great with your own wisdom, will and plan, please stop. Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and learn, at the feet of the Lord, the beautiful divine nature of gentleness. When God makes you great you will be great all through Eternity. True, on this earth you may not find greatness in the sight of man. Seek not glory from man but from the Lord.

May we all learn gentleness by patiently waiting in the presence of the Lord. Our Jesus will come very soon. Those who go up at the Rapture shall be truly great - eternally.

tpm publication no.thirty five

Is Watching Television harmful..?

A young mother had a dream in which she saw herself at heaven's gate with her husband and small daughter. The Lord let her and her husband in, but refused entry to her daughter. "She cannot enter here because she has corrupted her mind with the television," the Lord said.

A large number of Christians are so fond of this destructive agent that they spend much of their God-given time with it. Abuse of drugs, wives, and children; fornication, adultery and homosexuality; deceit, disobedience and rebellion; killing, stealing and destroying - almost every work of the enemy is portrayed on the television.

The founder of the church of Satan and author of the Satanic Bible believes that the television plays a major role in promoting his religion - "There are television sets in every home, every restaurant, every hotel room, every shopping mall - now they're even small enough to carry in your pocket like electronic rosaries. It is an unquestioned part of everyday life.

Kneeling before the cathode-ray god [a reference to TV], with our TV concordance in hand, we maintain the illusion of choice by flipping channels... The birth of TV was a magical event foreshadowing its satanic significance... TV's infiltration has been so gradual, so complete that no one even noticed."

Often Christians maintain the excuse that they keep a TV only to view Christian programmes. But a leading Christian commented - "The so-called Christian TV mocks real Christians who live a life of holiness... It is worldly and glamorous and its 'gospel stars' are a far cry from the walk of sacrifice, humility, and dedication God calls us to follow."

Christians who sit (and worship) before this modern god have no time for the true, living God. Some are (willingly) ignorant of the fact that the TV has become their number-one god. As we meditate on the Ten Commandments (Exo 20:1-17), it is shocking to observe that the TV often broadcasts programmes to break all the ten commandments: (details of which will continue in our next blog post)

- taken from 'here's the answer' - tpm publication number 35

GAMBLING - A TERRIBLE SIN...:

Betting, race tracks, playing cards, slot-machine playing, football pool, lottery and a host of other things fall into the category of gambling or legalised robbery. This vice is penetrating the world of children and teenagers. They are playing games like bingo and lotto, betting on sports or cards with their friends, playing lottery and video poker, gambling on slot machines and over internet gambling sites, and betting on horse and dog racing.

Gambling is, in essence, trying to rob others of their money. It is defrauding (getting money deceitfully), and it is connected with robbery in Leviticus 19:13. Gambling (defrauding) is mentioned among terrible sins such as fornication, idolatory, adultery, coveteousness, theft, alcoholism, extortion, etc. (I Cor 6: 8 - 10). The Lord will avenge all such who "make a gain over others" (I Cor 4:5,6).

A gambling addict will indulge in illegal acts such as forgery and embezzlement (taking money or property that has been given on trust by others), in order to finance his gambling.

To many, gambling is worse than drug addiction. Once you are lured to gambling, whether you win or lose, you will want to play again and again, day and night, even giving your last penny for it. With regards to lottery tickets too, it is the same predicament. When you slip into this bottomless pit, you will find yourself going deeper and deeper into it till you reach the pitch darkness of hopelessness. Gamblers suffer from emotional breakdown; they cannot control their emotions properly. Surveys reveal that gambling leads to hopelessness, pain and misery; for some it leads to death. Gambling-related suicides are very common. To proponents of gambling a question is put forth - if gambling is a "harmless entertainment," why then is it leading its victims to such a misery and death? Look at the statement made by a recovering gambling addict: "there's no way we can explain it to you if you are not living in our personal hell, because we don't understand it either."

Normally robbers rob only one or two persons at a time. But in gambling, when you win the jackpot, you are virtually robbing the millions who bought the lottery ticket or invested in different types of gambling. Jackpot winners don't realize that the curse of those millions fall on them and their children. That money will not give them any peace of mind, but only torment; and the curse may continue for generations. "Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel" (Prov 20:17).

Dear reader, if you are guilty of any type of gambling, you must deeply repent and renounce this evil habit that comes from the bottomless pit. If you have gained money through gambling, give it away to the poor for the glory of God.

A greedy man thinks money will solve all his problems, but the love of money is the root of all evil or the root of all troubles. Remember, money gained unrighteously will not give you peace, but unnecessary troubles. "Woe to him who piles up that which is not his! (how long will he possess it?)" (Hab 2:6 - Amp). While eating the labour of one's own hands is a blessing, the eating of the labour of others' hands, can only be a curse. Unhappy shall that man ever be.

Above all, on the dreadful day of judgment, one has to account for all the money one has acquired unrighteously or, misused, or abused.

- taken from tpm publication number ten

The Youth's Excuse in God's Balance...:

The youth says:

Leave me alone, I am young. There is much to enjoy and many years to live in this world. When I am old and about to breathe my last, I'm sure I shall find an opportunity to repent of my sins."

God says:

"We must use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away" (I Cor 7:31)

"But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth" (I Tim 5:6).

"Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment" (Eccl 11:9).

The above scriptures clearly show that whether we are young or old, God is against our enjoying the pleasures of this world, and that He will hold us responsible for indulging ourselves in this way, and for neglecting the Gospel of our salvation.

A further consideration is that we cannot determine the span of our lives. Death may come to us at any time and we must be prepared to meet it. When the foolish rich man said within his heart: "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry", God said unto him, "Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee" (Lk 12:19,20). So his earthly treasures were of no use to him. God's Word warns those who put off their salvation that death may overtake them unexpectedly. "He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy" (Prov 29:1). "Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation" (I Cor 6:2).

- from TPM Publication No.: 6

Can a Christian Youth Smoke?

Christians who make no effort to give up the habit of smoking console themselves saying that the Bible does not say anywhere that smoking is wrong. They are not aware that tobacco was not known in the days of the apostles or before. Here is the history, in brief, of tobacco. Columbus, who discovered America in the 15th century, saw the aborigines of the new world enjoying smoking tobacco. He took a fancy to smoking tobacco and imported it into Europe. Thereafter it spread like a plague all over the world. So we do not see the word "tobacco" or the habit of smoking mentioned anywhere in the Bible. But from the Christian point of view, based on certain principles, we can safely and surely condemn the habit of smoking as unclean and unchristian.

Note:

i. Those who smoke, wilfully destroy their own bodies; they thwart the gracious work of redemption and healing in the atonement of Jesus Christ. The Word of God says, "If we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries" (Heb 10:26,27).

ii. Smoking is unsocial and unholy by nature. A man or woman who smokes does not honour God. Some years ago children would not dare to smoke in the presence of their parents; even adults were forbidden to smoke in schools, offices, and workshops. People do not smoke in churches or temples, because they fear that God is dwelling in such places. But they are not aware that "the Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands" (Acts 17:24), and that "our body is the temple of the Holy Ghost" (I Cor 6:19). We must preserve our body from getting defiled by the habit of smoking, and thus honour the presence of God Who dwells in us. (i.e. the body), him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are" (I Cor 3:17).

iii. Smoking creates an unnatural lust and passion which must be satisfied constantly and regularly. The victiom has no power to resist this craving and lust. He is a virtual slave of tobacco. Jesus said, "Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin" (Jn 8;34). Given to the craving of smoking, which is definitely "the lust of the flesh," the smoker is a "servant of sin," needing deliverance. His deliverance is only in Jesus. "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (Jn 8:36).

The same principle applies to all other habits which are habit-forming; they captivate their victims, destroying their body, spirit, mind and character. Deliverance from them is in Jesus only.

- tpm publication no: ten

On MARRIAGE...!

Marriage is instituted by God. It is sacred, honourable and lasts till death. Being ordained by God, it is divine. It is God Who joins the couple together that they, by mutual consent, love and unity, may accept a life of honour and responsibility to live for His glory. Children of God should therefore carefully seek the mind of God regarding their marriage and their married life, totally rejecting the unscriptural ways adopted by the world.

THE TEENAGER AND MARRIAGE:

From the age of 16 to 22-23, a boy passes through a very difficult, but important period. In his spirit and soul, he comes to the realization that he is no more a child, but a growing teenager. He is also aware that he is going to be an adult soon. So he begins to lay a sure foundation, safe and secure, to build his future enterprises on it, and to shoulder heavy responsibilities in the days to come. He occupies himself studying the serious problems of life, such as the political state of the world, the social state of the society he lives in, and above all his own spiritual state and the need for a spiritual force in order to discipline himself to gain control over his passions and emotions, to be temperate in all things, and to patiently face all the trials of life. This spiritual and mental growth is gradual, leading him to adulthood, when he shall be stable enough to shoulder the heavy responsibility of a family life.

A normal teenager or youth must think before he leaps into the thought of marriage. Marriage is not a day-dream or a romance. The married couple cannot live for ever on sentiments, thrills and emotions; they wear off soon. Marriage is one of the most serious responsibilities of life. It is therefore, worth asking the following questions before seeking a partner.

1. Am I old enough for marriage?

2. Have I finished my education?

3. Have I got a good job to support a family?

4. Have I achieved character-stability to run a home peacefully?

All these questions are to be considered before marriage, though they are not all. If you are a child of God, in the interest of your own soul and your future, we strongly discourage you from following the ways of the world.

taken from - tpm publication no. ten

Personal Discipline..:

A certain company was in need of a man for an important job. Many candidates with high educational qualifications turned up for the interview. Finally, when the results were out, it was known that a young man with very few credentials was selected. When demanded an explanation the committee said that that man was the only one who had cleaned the soles of his shoes! Dear child of God, is there some area of your life that you have not cleaned up, maybe in your thought realm? Well, the Bride of Christ, we read, has no spot, no wrinkle. Is there some aspect of personal discipline that you have neglected - maybe Bible reading or daily prayer? "A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: so shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man" (Prov 24:33,34).

"Just little things," we say, of so many things. But it's much later, often too late, that we realize they were important little things.

- taken from YOUTH CORNER, VOICE OF PENTECOST, March 2009

JUST LITTLE THINGS...!

Often, we are so caught up in some big work, some big thing that we're keen on accomplishing, that we overlook some little thing which, finally, is not "little" at all.

When William Colgate was a young boy he set out for New York city to find a living. Carrying his meagre belongings in a little bag slung over his shoulder he stopped to talk to an old boat captain. "What can you do?" the old man asked him. "Make tallow candles and soft soap," answered William. "Give to God your heart and 10 cents out of every dollar you earn and you will prosper," advised the captain. Young William followed the advice and the Lord blessed him so abundantly that he started giving to the Lord 15 cents a dollar, then 25 cents, and then half his income, and finally, all of his income to carry on God's work in the world. Maybe you are thinking, "I have only a handful of meal and a little oil. If I get a good job I shall give to the Lord," but the Lord says, "Make me a little cake first, for, the barrel of meal shall not waste, neither shall the cruse of oil fail." You may be saying, "When I am stronger I shall set out to serve the Lord," but do you know what the Lord told the Philadelphian church? "Thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word" (Rev 3:8). Young man, it's in the least that the Lord asks you to be faithful. (See Matthew 25:21) "His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord."

- taken from YOUTH CORNER, 'VOICE OF PENTECOST,' MARCH 2009

Can Men have Long Hair..?

In every age, there seems to have been a temptation, even among great prominent men, to have long hair. But neither the great men of the past, nor the modern men of the present are our authority. Our sole authority is the Word of God which will one day judge the nations.

We gather the following points concerning men growing long hair from I Corinthians chapter 11 and other scriptures.

i) It is a shame if a man have long hair (I Cor 11:14). Paul did not have long hair, as then, he would not have said this.

ii) The Spirit of God inspired Ezekiel to write thus: "Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads" (Ezek 44:20).

iii) Jesus too did not have long hair. If Jesus had long hair, Paul for one who kept Jesus for his pattern and example, would have certainly grown his hair long.

Some think that Jesus must have had long hair, because He was called "Jesus, the Nazarene." Jesus acquired the name "Nazarene" not because He kept the Nazarite vow but because He dwelt in Nazareth (Matt 2:23). A Nazarite is one who has consecrated himself to perform certain vows as explained in Numbers chapter 6.

A Nazarite must not drink or eat anything that is made of the vine. He is forbidden to eat even moist grapes or drink strong wine, or vinegar of wine or even any liquor of grapes (Num 6:3,4). No razor should come upon his head (Num 6:5). He should not come near any dead body (Num 6:6). But there are instances when Jesus drank grape juice (Lk 22:18); Lk 7:34). And Jesus not only came near dead bodies, but also touched them (Lk 7:14; Mk 5:41). So Jesus did not practise any of the laws regarding the Nazarite vow, and there is no proof that He had long hair.

The Jews were strictly forbidden to make any images of "any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth" (Exo 20:4). We therefore conclude that all the pictures of Jesus wearing long hair, in every form and shape, are products of the imagination of men.

In conclusion, we can be sure that Jesus did not have long hair.

Some young men who are evidently saved and are zealous for God, do not realize that they are following the world in allowing their hair to grow uncontrolled and unkempt, or adopting the various trends of modern haircuts. If we follow the world, either in clothes or in hairstyle, we have nothing better to give the world.

Giving in to constant change of fashions and hairstyles shows lack of stability of character. To overcome the temptation of worldliness, let us resist ut and claim victory through Jesus.

- taken from tpm publication number ten

THE POWER OF MUSIC...:

Music has a power that none of us can understand. The snake does not obey the charmer, but sways to the music he plays. Music has the potential to stir up a person for good or for bad. Psalm 32:7 reads: "thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance." If there are songs of deliverance there must also be songs of bondage - songs that bring us into bondage. We must therefore be careful of the type of music we listen to.

Repeated experiments have shown that plants respond positively to classical forms of music, growing and flowering faster than when there was no music at all. Conversely, dissident forms of music retard growth and even kill the plants. Certainly then, music like rock and heavy metal can affect a person's health without his knowing it.

Here's a personal testimony that proves that one can be physically affected by music. A young boy was suddenly affected by unaccountable spasms of unbearable ear-pain. The doctors could find nothing wrong. Painkillers didn't seem to help. On questioning, the boy admitted that each time the pain commenced, he would see a little demonic figure dancing in front of him. After some thinking he was able to identify it as the figure portrayed on one of the gramaphone records he had been listening to!

Rock music, in particular, is Satan's music. Satanists are present at most recordings, and through chants and incantations, demons are placed on the records or cassettes. Their work is to deliver the message of the devil to the listener. So don't be deceived by the spiritual-sounding words in the song, or the spiritual thoughts conveyed by them. It can be called "Christian" music and still have a negative effect on you.

The true and divine purpose of music is to worship God. But sin entered the picture. Lucifer, the master musician, fell, and music also fell with him. "Thy pomp is brought down to the grave, and the noise of thy viols" (Isa 14:11). Satan still has the ability to create music and he desires that people worship him through music. His music is what is captivating the minds of young people around the world. There is a peculiar beat and rhythm that invites the devil. People lose complete control of their body and senses when listening to such music. Many musicians have sold their souls to the devil. Some rock stars get the words and music for their lyrics from voices which they hear when they get into drug-induced trances. One artist is known to practise biting off heads of live doves in front of the audience. The whole audience goes wild when they see him doing this. Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones has said that he deliberately presents himself as a personification of the devil. One of their songs, Sympathy for the Devil, has become the unofficial anthem for the Satanic movement all over the world.

The actual essence of the kind of music we listen to tends to reproduce itself in human conduct. Moving from the gut (string) to the brain, music is a powerful encoder (a term in psychology for somethign that helps determine the way we perceive and think about the world). Music has an inside tract to the subconscious levels of our minds. One musicologist called music "the language of languages." He said that of all arts, there is none that powerfully moves and changes consciousness like music does.

Today, music is used everywhere to condition the human mind. It is just as powerful as a drug - but more dangerous - because no one takes musical manipulation seriously. Satan is waging an invisible war against us. He wants to control the minds of the youth. Rebellion, hate, violence, illicit sex, drugs, occult, false religions, liquor - you can find all of this in rock music. Don't let Satan sell these to you. When you see his salesman, rock music, stay far away.

Music is a tool that can help in either creating you or destroying you. It can cast out devils or invite them, depending on what you listen to or play. Therefore decide today to put away all forms of music - pop, jazz, country, rap - that promote rebellion and corruption. That will be a massive victory in your war against Satan.

from TPM Publication No.10