• Believe It or Not: Human Balloons: Ditch Mental Assent
• Lord, Please Help Me!: She's Possessed by a Demon
• Crippled Muslim Woman Healed
• Editor's Perspective: Gone Fishing: Madness East of Eden
• E-pistles: Q and A: 'Do Christians have to Tithe?'
• Power Evangelism Tip: When The Truth Offends: Preach It!
• The Best KJV Reference Bible in print
• Coloured Bibles: Same Words, Different Cover

Introduction

'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
Holy Bible, Ro. 10:13 NIV

Greetings Name-Callers!

Doubtless you've been called all sorts of names for your faith in Christ, but how sweet the moment you first called on His Name. Did He answer? Of course He did: there's no such thing as truly calling on His Name without salvation coming. Call Beloved, He's waiting.

There are no tears in Heaven but plenty down here pouring from the eyes of sinners without Christ. Time is short, reach out with the Good News. A dear crippled Muslim girl gave up asking 'Allah' for healing, and began to call on Jesus to lift her from misery. She has an astonishing miracle testimony to share with you.

Demon possession is a shocking thing to witness, especially in children, and it is becoming more common as The End approaches. This Pagan mother got serious with God. When she called in desperation, her child was completely healed. You can do the same.

Human balloons, bags of wind, and pumped up 'faith': vanish with a bang when tested. Very messy, so learn how to switch from mental assent before your balloon is popped.

If your message doesn't offend some people, it is the wrong message. This Evangelism Tip will help you lose all fear of causing offence.

An E-pistles reader asks if Christians must Tithe. Well must they?

In July, Mad King George's killing field experienced its bloodiest month since he proclaimed victory. America's mothers are calling him to his senses: but it's too late.

Discounted Cambridge Bibles.


You're beautiful!

Colin Melbourne

Believe It or Not: Ditch Mental Assent

There's a world of difference between mental assent and Bible faith. Discover how you can make the change and believe the way God wants you to, and receive Bible results.

One of the commonest blockages to healing is mental assent, God showed me when I injured myself on an evangelistic trip in Asia. The instant I repented of mental assent I was healed by a miracle.

Lord, Please Help Me!

Crippled Muslim Woman Healed

Editor's Perspective

Gone Fishing: Madness East of Eden

The earthly paradise of the Garden of Eden nestled between the Tigris and the Euphrates; its two human tenants were tossed out because of their treachery against God's Word. You have suffered greatly because of their stupidity. Only Grace has restored you to peace with God and yourself. They were driven east of Eden to live under Satan's rule, in what is now called Iraq.

The month of July 2005 was the bloodiest month ever in the record book of Baghdad's mortuary. (Note: This awful statistic has already been exceeded in August 05). Stinking dismembered corpses have to be stacked one on top of the other while morticians piece together the jigsaw of body parts. Victims of Emperor George's madness.

Take as an example: Yassin al-Sammerai, a Baghdad schoolboy visiting his pals overnight. Since the power failed (in the hottest month), they did what most people do; and slept in the garden. During the night, without warning, a US Bradley armoured car crashed through the gate, burst into the garden, and parked right on top of poor Yassin. Crushing his head to pulp. It took the 'Liberators' over 15 minutes to even realise he was there. No problem, hand the grief-stricken family a laminated compensation claim card, mutter 'Fate', shrug and leave. Don't tell the folks back home.

George interrupts his vacation to prompt brain-washed cult followers with a well-rehearsed chant, Why do they hate us?'

There were 1100 corpses like Yassin's brought into the Baghdad morgue in July. One city, one month. Whether blown apart by Iraqi suicide bombers trying to liberate their country, or butchered by psychotic American teenagers in uniform, all can be marked onto George's tab. And yours if you support or finance his demonic, illegal invasion.

Thank God for those grieving American mothers with enough guts to shame Bush and his NWO henchmen: it takes a woman.

America was defeated the instant they rebelled against God's command to love your enemies. The Uncle Sam cult will be driven out of Iraq, out of east of Eden, in shame and disgrace: for the same reason as Paradise was lost. No amount of censorship or propaganda can hide it.

One mad Emperor fiddled while his empire burned: George went fishing.


Colin Melbourne

E-pistles

Subscriber's Question and Answer

In this dispensation, after Christ's resurrection, is tithing compulsory? How is it to be used by the church?

What a perceptive question!

First, I should say that it is not something I would normally make an issue out of, one way or the other. If a fellowship is flourishing and I disagreed with their tithing policy, I'd keep quiet about it. If the church were struggling spiritually, and in error on tithing, I would then consider raising the matter.

It is clear from your phrasing that you understand that tithing is an Old Covenant Levitical practice. A tithe means a tenth, and worshippers would regularly donate a tenth of their earnings, or produce, to the priests, Temple, or synagogue.

The practice of tithing is alluded to in the New Testament in several places (Mtt. 23:23, Lk. 11:42,18:12, Heb. Ch.7) But each time it is referring to people under the Old Covenant, not to believers under the New Covenant. Tithing 10% is definitely not commanded under the New Covenant. Yet it is an established habit in most Christian fellowships. It's another case of woolly thinking by people not sure which Covenant they are under. They forget that Christ ministered under the Old Covenant to people still under it. Everything changed after Pentecost, when the New Covenant began. (Ask an E-pistle question if you don't understand this vital Gospel fact.)

God encourages Christians to give generously, and weekly, in accordance with what they can spare, and by their own free will. The Holy Spirit provides guidelines in 1 Co. Ch. 16. and 2 Co. Chs. 8 and 9. It can be less, or more, than 10%. It should also be called a collection, gift, offering, or donation, not a tithe.

The collection is to be used for God's people in need. Including the pastors and full-time Christian workers. That is how it is used in most Asian fellowships, but sadly in the West it is frequently wasted on erecting buildings. So much so that in England, the term 'Church Fund' is synonymous with collections to repair the roof of a crumbling cathedral. Bible Christians met in their homes or outdoors, and collections were used to help finance evangelism, and needy believers far and wide.

I think that is more pleasing to God than commissioning stained glass windows and teak pews, don't you?

Summary: Tithing 10% is not commanded in this dispensation. Regularly giving generously from what we can spare is encouraged. The collection is to be distributed to help needy believers, pay full time church workers, and finance evangelism.

Coloured Bibles: Same Words Different Cover

Aren't you glad everybody is not the same as you? It would be so boring wouldn't it? That's why God likes variety in design, shape, colour, texture, and taste. Look at your garden and see His handiwork in plant and insect design. So why should your favourite Book be only available in dull brown, black or red?

Thank God some Bible publishers have a bit of imagination and offer us stylish colours and designs to enjoy.

Try witnessing to youths with a multicoloured Bible, and see their eyes light up. Ladies can even colour co-ordinate their outfits with their Bibles. Handled a suede or denim Bible yet?

Check Our Pink and Coloured Bibles Range

Power Evangelism Tip

When The Truth Offends: Preach It!

Jesus gave a beautiful word that floated right over His hearer's heads.

Many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" We soon read, From that time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. Jn. 6:60,66

They took offence at Christ's teaching, and deserted Him, only a handful remained.

Christ delivered the message given to Him by Father, it offended sinners, and they fell away. Christ did not modify His preaching to accommodate listener's sensitivities. What was whispered in His ear, He proclaimed from the rooftops, and so should we. We want riot or revival, just like Jesus, the first disciples, and Paul.

Most modern preachers are appalled if they cause offence to their hearers, they bend over backwards to tickle ears. Worrying about finances, and reputations, they seek man's approval. So they become ensnared because they're afraid of causing offence.

We do not deliberately set out to offend, but we must be prepared to offend unrepentant sinners and make-believers. God's Word cuts to the heart, it touches nerves. Fear tries to inhibit us from proclaiming the full truth, so in the vernacular of an Aussie preacher mate of mine, "Make fear, fear you!" You do that by boldly proclaiming the truth in love.

For example: Say some members of your fellowship accept Roman Catholics as Christians.

In that case, preface discussion about Catholicism with the simple truth that, Roman Catholics are not Christian. And be prepared to prove it through Scripture, testimony, and history.

You'll get some inevitable flak, and probably a few members will leave, let them go, don't compromise the truth, and The Truth will endorse you.

Take a Gospel stance on similar issues such as the demonic practices of 'Christening', homosexuality, abortion, and such like. If the truth offends people, they need to be offended. Don't avoid it, and you'll lose your fear of causing offence.

Fear will fear you, and God will use you.