UNDERSTANDING TEMPTATION...
God ... does not tempt anyone.! JAMES 1:13
Trials and temptations are very much different. the trials are allowed by GOD to happen to form a character in us.but temptaion was sent by the devil ''satan'' just simply to break and bring us down. theres no way a temptation to ''sin'' can be called a trial sent from GOD. he doesnt test our faith by setting us up to ''sin'' just because its so easy to read sex stories in tabloid doesn't mean
it must be ok to GOD if you do! get real ! james wrote let no one say that he is tempted..
''i am being tempted by GOD''
in my living testimony i was tempted in many kinds of sin like vices and some sexual practice sometimes its really hard for me to stop it but GOD show me the way through eternity now its still a big burden for me but there is GOD not to test me or to tempt me but to support me to fight this sin in me.....
GOD BLESS TO ALL READERS...............

DRYNESS

''DRY''

WE FEEL THE FEARS ANXIETY IN OUR HEARTS AND THE RESULT IS BEING UNFRUITFUL SPRITUALY AND PHYSICALLY AS WELL THE CAUSE IS WE DONT KNOW OR WE ARE NOT ABLE TO UNDERSTAND GOD'S SECRETS

GOD WANT TO SEND RAIN TO YOU!

AND SHOWER YOU HIS SECRETS !

MATT13:11, MATT11:16

''THE LORD DELIGHTS ON THOSE WHO SEEK IN HIM"

GOD WANTS US TO PASSIONATE SEEKING HIS SECRETS .

*HINDRANCES IN UNDERSTANDING GOD'S SECRETS

1 PEOPLE CHOOSE NOT TO BELIEVE (LUKE 8:12)

=NOT SAVED = LOSS

2 PEOPLE ARE SCARED WITH PERSECUTIONS

=FALL AWAY

3 LACK OF FAITH

= IMMATURITY STAGNANT

GOD WANTS US TO PERSEVERE

PERSEVERE OR ''SERIOUS'' = WILL SAVE US FROM TROUBLE

(PSALM 19:31 , PSALM 1:6)

=WILL SHOW YOU THE WAY JESUS (PSALM 119:11)

= WILL MAKE YOU RICH (PSALM 1:2,3)

END YOUR DRYNESS

RECEIVE UNDERSTANDING TO GOD'S SECRETS

Praise & Worship vs. Noise & Entertainment

Today, in many parts of the church, the spirit of true worship has been virtually lost. When believers come together to worship, they are more often than not presented with an entertainment program of religious worship. The bodies of believers become spectators, the worship & music leaders’ performers, and the presence of God is not reached or touched.

Entertainment, however, has nothing to do with worship, is no substitute for worship, and cannot be blended with worship – without loss. The difference between entertainment and praise & worship is this:

Entertainment is performed to please an audience and to display the talent of the artist. The artist displays his talent, to delight the audience and to receive their appreciation. Man’s response to entertainment is pleasure and admiration of the artist. This admiration is usually expressed in applause. It is a response of the soul, rather than of the spirit. The focus of entertainment is on the skill of the artist and the pleasure of the audience.

Worship, on the other hand, functions entirely in the realm of the spirit. The believer’s focus is entirely on God as he expresses his praise, adoration and worship. Joy and repentance are often expressed through song, raised hands, clapping, shouting, and even dancing.

True worship cannot be learned or taught by musicians or choreographers. Music, dancing, clapping, kneeling, raising hands, etc. are not done to enhance worship, but rather to express worship. They are not means of Music, dancing, clapping, kneeling, raising hands, etc. are not done to enhance worship, but rather to express worship. They are not means of putting worship in our hearts but help to release the worship that is already there. The Christian singer, musician or dancer who performs for the congregation may be sincerely worshipping the Lord with his or her talent, but if attention is drawn more to the artist than to God, the congregation is no longer worshipping, but merely watching.

God is interested in receiving the expression of our heart. Entertainment is a vicarious experience where someone performs for us. Worship can never be vicarious, for no one can ever do it for us. To its loss, the church has permitted artistic performers to perform for them, in lieu of worship.

Worship is not in the realm of art. Art is a matter of the soul and has its own place. True worship is in the realm of the spirit – not in the realm of the soul. (John 4:23, 24)

God’s Simple Plan of Salvation

God’s Simple Plan of Salvation
by Pastor Ford Porter

My Friend: I am asking you the most important question of life. Your joy or your sorrow for all eternity depends upon your answer. The question is: Are you saved? It is not a question of how good you are, nor if you are a church member, but are you saved? Are you sure you will go to Heaven when you die?

God says in order to go to Heaven, you must be born again. In John 3:7, Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Ye must be born again.”

In the Bible God gives us the plan of how to be born again which means to be saved. His plan is simple! You can be saved today. How?

First, my friend, you must realize you are a sinner. “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Because you are a sinner, you are condemned to death. “For the wages [payment] of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). This includes eternal separation from God in Hell.

“ . . . it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

But God loved you so much He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus, to bear your sin and die in your place. “ . . . He hath made Him [Jesus, Who knew no sin] to be sin for us . . . that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus had to shed His blood and die. “For the life of the flesh is in the blood” (Lev. 17:11). “ . . . without shedding of blood is no remission [pardon]” (Hebrews 9:22).

“ . . . God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

Although we cannot understand how, God said my sins and your sins were laid upon Jesus and He died in our place. He became our substitute. It is true. God cannot lie.

My friend, “God . . . commandeth all men everywhere to repent” (Acts 17:30). This repentance is a change of mind that agrees with God that one is a sinner, and also agrees with what Jesus did for us on the Cross.

In Acts 16:30-31, the Philippian jailer asked Paul and Silas: “ . . . ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved . . . .’ ”

Simply believe on Him as the one who bore your sin, died in your place, was buried, and whom God resurrected. His resurrection powerfully assures that the believer can claim everlasting life when Jesus is received as Savior.

“But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12).

“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:13).

Whosoever includes you. Shall be saved means not maybe, nor can, but shall be saved.

Surely, you realize you are a sinner. Right now, wherever you are, repenting, lift your heart to God in prayer.

In Luke 18:13, the sinner prayed: “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Just pray: “Oh God, I know I am a sinner. I believe Jesus was my substitute when He died on the Cross. I believe His shed blood, death, burial, and resurrection were for me. I now receive Him as my Savior. I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins, the gift of salvation and everlasting life, because of Your merciful grace. Amen.”

Just take God at His word and claim His salvation by faith. Believe, and you will be saved. No church, no lodge, no good works can save you. Remember, God does the saving. All of it!

God’s simple plan of salvation is: You are a sinner. Therefore, unless you believe on Jesus Who died in your place, you will spend eternity in Hell. If you believe on Him as your crucified, buried, and risen Savior, you receive forgiveness for all of your sins and His gift of eternal salvation by faith.

You say, “Surely, it cannot be that simple.” Yes, that simple! It is scriptural. It is God’s plan. My friend, believe on Jesus and receive Him as Savior today.

If His plan is not perfectly clear, read this tract over and over, without laying it down, until you understand it. Your soul is worth more than all the world.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

Be sure you are saved. If you lose your soul, you miss Heaven and lose all. Please! Let God save you this very moment.

God’s power will save you, keep you saved, and enable you to live a victorious Christian life. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Do not trust your feelings. They change. Stand on God’s promises. They never change. After you are saved, there are three things to practice daily for spiritual growth:


Pray -- you talk to God.
Read your Bible -- God talks to you.
Witness -- you talk for God.
AFTER you are saved, you should be baptized in obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ as a public testimony of your salvation, and then unite with a Bible-believing church without delay. “Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord . . . .” (2 Timothy 1:8).

Please note that you DON'T have to be baptized to go to Heaven. It is a step of obedience for the believer.

“Whosoever therefore shall confess [testify of] Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:32).

Delirious? Live in Manila! :)

Delirious? is coming to Manila for their farewell tour!

Having announced last year about their break from the music industry, Delirious? will be having their first and last stop here to come worship with us in Manila.

Delirious? will be performing at the Araneta Coliseum on March 17, 2009. Show starts at 8:00PM.

They are perhaps best-known for their modern worship songs ‘Did You Feel The Mountains Tremble’, ‘Rain Down’, ‘Majesty’, ‘Lord You Have My Heart’, ‘Thank You For Saving Me’ and their 1994 song “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever”, which has been called a “modern worship classic” and is one of their most popular song.

Don’t miss your chance to worship with one of the best Christian rock bands in the world. Tickets are now available at any Ticketnet outlet. Call 911-5555.

Ticket prices for the Delirious? concert:

PATRON VIP (Reserved Seats) P1800
PATRON SIDES (Reserved Seats) P1500
LOWER BOX (Reserved Seats) P995
UPPER BOX A (Reserved Seats) P825
UPPER BOX B (Free Seating) P 500
GENERAL ADMISSION (Free Seating) P 350

Satanism in Pokemon

What do you know about Pokemon?
What motivated us to do this booklet in newsletter form was an inquiry from a grandmother on Internet. She wrote: Dear George and Rita, Thank you so much for your interesting "Cephas news" I have a question. What do you know about Pokemon?
My little grandson is only 3 and a half, but is already obsessed with Pokemon, and his Mum, my daughter Deborah, {who is not saved as yet,} buys him whatever he asks for.
He has all the cards, counters, {Like toy money}, and all the little plastic figures. The last time they visited us, he had his pokemon cards, coins, and figures with him, and he was DREADFUL!!
He was rude, cheeky, wouldnt eat any lunch, tried to run away several times, bit his big sister hard on the arm and made her cry.
He also likes power rangers, batman, Karate, {he knows already how to Kick-box!} and swords,he has the light up Jedi sword. All his seven goldfish have Pokemon names! What can you tell me about Pokemon? We have a number of articles about Pokemon and Harry Potter to which people without a computer have no access. Feel free to make copies of this and hand it to mothers and fathers.
Pokemon - Introduction
by Berit Kjos. Kjos Ministries http://www.crossroad.to/
Who are the strange little creatures from Japan that have suddenly become global super-stars? Most kids know the answer well: They are called Pokemon (short for POCKEt MONster and pronounced Pokeymon), and they have stirred up some mixed reactions."We just sent a letter home today saying Pokemon cards are no longer allowed on campus," said Paula Williams, a second-grade teacher in Danville, California. "The kids know they're supposed to be put away when they come in from recess, but they're often in the middle of a trade, so they don't come in on time. In the more extreme cases, the older kids are getting little kids to trade away valuable cards . . . . It drives a teacher crazy." It concerns parents even more. "Recently, my children were given a set of Pokemon cards," said DiAnna Brannan, a Seattle mom. "They are very popular with the children at our church and elsewhere. I was instantly suspicious but couldn't discern the problem. We have since been told that they are stepping stones to the 'Magic cards' that have been popular for the last few years, which we do not allow."She is right. For instance, any child exploring the most popular Pokemon websites " 2 will be linked to a selection of occult games such as Sailor Moon, Star Wars, and others more overtly evil. A click on the ad for "Magic: the Gathering" brings Pokemon fans to a site offering promotions such as this:"A global games phenomenon, Magic: The Gathering is to the 1990s what Dungeons and Dragons was to the 1980s, but with the added dimension of collectibility. Here is the official reference to the biggest new teen/young adult fantasy game of the decade, complete with full-color reproductions of every existing Magic card.
THE POKEMON MESSAGE
The above websites gives us glimpse of the mysterious little creatures called Pokemon. Ponder the suggestions in this greeting:"Welcome to the world of Pokemon, a special place where people just like you train to become the number-one Pokemon Master in the World!""But what is a Pokemon, you ask. 'Pokemon are incredible creatures that share the world with humans,' says Professor Oak, the leading authority on these monsters. "There are currently 150 documented species of Pokemon. . . . Each Pokemon has its own special fighting abilities. . . . Some grow, or evolve, into even more powerful creatures.. . . Carry your pokemon with you, and you're ready for anything! You've got the power in your hands, so use it!". " 3What if children try to follow this advice? What if they carry their favorite monsters like magical charms or fetishes in their pockets, trusting them to bring power in times of need?Many do. It makes sense to those who watch the television show. In a recent episode, Ash, the boy hero, had just captured his fifth little Pokemon. But that wasn't good enough, said his mentor. He must catch lots more if he wants to be a Pokemon master. And the more he catches and trains, the more power he will have for future battles.So Ash sets out again in search for more of the reclusive, power-filled, little Pokemon. His first step is to find the "psychic Pokemon" called Kadabra and snatch it from its telepathic, pink-eyed trainer, Sabrina. With the ghost Haunter on his side, it should be a cinch!But Ash had underestimated the power of his opponent. When he and Sabrina meet for the battle, both hurl their chosen Pokemon into the air, but only Kadabra evolves into a super-monster with a magic flash. Haunter hides. "Looks like your ghost Pokemon got spooked," taunts Sabrina.Obviously, Ash didn't understand the supernatural powers he had confronted. Neither do most young Pokeman fans today. Unless they know God and His warnings, they cannot understand the forces that have captivated children around the world. And if parents underestimate the psychological strategies behind its seductive mass marketing ploys, they are likely to dismiss the Pokemon craze as harmless fun and innocent fantasy. In reality, the problem is far more complex.
MARKETING A NEW LIFESTYLE
The Pokemon mania supports a financial conglomerate that knows how to feed the frenzy. The television series is free, but it drives the multi-billion dollar business. It also inspires the obsessive new games that disrupt schools and families by giving the children --a seductive vision: to become Pokemon masters a tempting promise: supernatural powera new objective: keep collecting Pokemonan urgent command: "gotta catch them all"These enticements are drilled into young minds through clever ads, snappy slogans, and the "Pokeman rap" at the end of each TV episode:"I will travel across the land Searching far and wide Each Pokeman to understand The power that's inside. Gotta catch them all!"The last line, the Pokemon mantra, fuels the craving for more occult cards, games, toys, gadgets, and comic books. There's no end to the supply, for where the Pokemon world ends, there beckons an ever-growing empire of new, more thrilling, occult, and violent products. Each can transport the child into a fantasy world that eventually seems far more normal and exciting than the real world. Here, evil looks good and good is dismissed as boring. Family, relationships, and responsibilities diminish in the wake of the social and media pressures to master the powers unleashed by the massive global entertainment industry.No wonder children caught up in the Pokemon craze beg for more games and gadgets. The Japanese makers count on it. Since the means often justify the economic ends in the entertainment industry, the Pokemon website is full of tips, explanations, and ads that encourage the urge to splurge - and to express the darker side of human nature. Ponder their influence:"You can catch a Mew by cheating with a Gameshark."Ahhh. The Gameshark. . . Cheating is not honorable. But many of you have requested and sent me this information, so I have put it up for all you cheaters.""The Moon Stone evolves certain Pokemon, such as Clefairy.""Select your desired attack. Hold down the button until your opponent's life stops draining.""Once you have captured Zapados, you can use it to quickly lower the health level of Articuno. . . .""Super Smash Brothers. . . . This unique fighting game features all of Nintendo's biggest stars in a bruising brawl-fest . . . ."While children delight in these mysterious realms, concerned parents worry and wonder. What kinds of beliefs and values does the Pokemon world and its links teach? Why the emphasis on evolution, supernatural power, and poisoning your opponent?
CHANGING BELIEFS AND VALUES
Barbara Whitehorse started seeking answers after her son asked a typical question: "Mom, can I get Pokemon cards? A lot of my friends from church have them." Much as she wanted Matthew to have fun with his friends, she gave a loving refusal. Matthew's tutor had already warned her that the Pokemon craze could stir interest in other kinds of occult role-playing games such as Dungeons and Dragons. At the time, she wondered if the tutor had just over-reacted to some harmless entertainment. After all, the cute little Pokemon creatures looked nothing like the dark demonic creatures of D&D. But when she learned that a local Christian school had banned them because of their link to the occult, she changed her mind.Later, during a recent party for Matthew, Barbara heard two of the boys discussing their little pocket monsters. One said, "I'll just use my psychic powers." Already, the world of fantasy had colored his real world. So when some of the kids wanted to watch the afternoon Pokemon cartoon on television, Barb again had to say "no." It's not easy to be parents these days.Cecile DiNozzi would agree. Back in 1995, her son's elementary school had found a new, exciting way to teach math. The Pound Ridge Elementary school was using Magic: the Gathering, the role-playing game called which, like Dungeons and Dragons, has built a cult following among people of all ages across the country.Mrs. DiNozzi refused to let her son participate in the "Magic club." But a classmate gave him one of the magic cards, which he showed his mother. It was called "Soul exchange" and pictured spirits rising from graves. Like all the other cards in this ghastly game, it offered a morbid instruction: "Sacrifice a white creature.""What does 'summon' mean?" he asked his mother after school one day."Summon? Why do you ask?"He told her that during recess on the playground the children would "summon" the forces on the cards they collect by raising sticks into the air and saying, "'Spirits enter me.' They call it 'being possessed.'" Strange as it may sound to American ears, demonic possession is no longer confined to distant lands. Today, government schools from coast to coast are teaching students the skills once reserved for the tribal witchdoctor or shaman in distant lands. Children everywhere are learning the pagan formulas for invoking "angelic" or demonic spirits through multicultural education, popular books, movies, and television. It's not surprising that deadly explosions of untamed violence suddenly erupt from "normal" teens across our land.Occult role-playing games teach the same dangerous lessons. They also add a sense of personal power and authority through personal identification with godlike superheroes. Though the demonic realm hasn't changed, today's technology, media, and multicultural climate makes it easier to access, and harder than ever to resist its appeal.
ROLE-PLAY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ADDICTION
The televised Pokemon show brings suggestions and images that set the stage for the next steps of entanglement. It beckons the young spectator to enter the manipulative realm of role-play, where fantasy simulates reality, and the buyer becomes a slave to their programmer.Remember, in the realm of popular role-playing games - whether it's Pokemon, Magic the Gathering, or other selections -- the child becomes the master. As in contemporary witchcraft, he or she wields the power. Their arm, mind, or power-symbol (the pokemon or other action figure) become the channel for the spiritual forces. Children from Christian homes may have learned to say, "Thy will be done," but in the role-playing world, this prayer is twisted into "My will be done!" God, parents, and pastors no longer fit into the picture fantasized by the child.Psychologists have warned that role-playing can cause the participant to actually experience, emotionally, the role being played. Again, "the child becomes the master." Or so it seems to the player.programmer who writes the rules is the master. And when the game includes occultism and violence, the child-hero is trained to use "his" or "her" spiritual power to kill, poison, evolve, and destroy -- over and over. Not only does this repetitive practice blur the line between reality and fantasy, it also sears the conscience and causes the player to devalue life. The child learns to accept unthinkable behavior as "normal" .To be a winner within this system, the committed player must know and follow the rules of the game. Obedience becomes a reflex, strengthened by instant rewards or positive reinforcement. The rules and rewards force the child to develop new habits and patterned responses to certain stimuli. Day after day, this powerful psychological process manipulates the child's thoughts, feelings, and actions, until his or her personality changes and, as many parents confirm, interest in ordinary family life begins to wither away.You may have recognized those preceding terms as those often used by behavioral psychologists. They point to a sophisticated system of operant conditioning or behavior modification. The child must exercise his own intelligent mind to learn the complex rules. But after learning the rules, the programmed stimuli produce conditioned responses in the player. These responses become increasingly automatic, a reflex action. Naturally, this can leads to psychological addiction, a craving for ever greater (and more expensive) thrills and darker forces.
WHAT CAN PARENTS DO?

It's hard to teach restraint to children who are begging for gratification. Wanting to please rather than overreact, we flinch at the thought of being called censors once again. Parental authority simply doesn't fit the fast-spreading new views of social equality taught through the media and schools. Yet, we must obey God. He has told us to train our children to choose His way (Proverbs 22:6), and we can't turn back now.If you share my concerns, you may want to follow these suggestions. They will help you equip your child with the awareness needed to resist occult entertainment:1. First, look at God's view of contemporary toys, games and cartoons. As a family, read Scriptures such as Ephesians 5:8-16, 6:10-18 (the armor of God); Philippians 4:8-9; and Colossians 2:9. Compare them with the values encouraged by Pokemon and other role-playing games.2. Share your observations. Spark awareness in a young child with comments such as, "That monster looks mean!" or "That creature reminds me of a dragon," along with "Did you know that in the Bible, serpents and dragons always represent Satan and evil?"3. To teach young children a Biblical attitude toward evil before they learn to delight in gross, ugly characters, make comments such as, "Who would want to play with that evil monster? I don't even like to look at him. Let's find something that makes us feel happy inside."4. Model wise decision-making. Tell your child why you wouldn't want to buy certain things for yourself.When your child wants a questionable game or toy, ask questions that are prayerfully adapted to your child's age, such as:1. What does this game teach you (about power, about magic, about God, about yourself)? Discuss both obvious and subtle messages.2. Does it have anything to do with supernatural power? If so, what is the source of that power? Does it oppose or agree with God's Word?3. What does it teach about violence or immorality and their consequences?4. Does the game or toy have symbols or characteristics that link it to New Age or occult powers?5. Does it build godly character?In a nation consumed with self-indulgence, self-fulfillment, and self-empowerment, godly self-denial seems strangely out of place. But God commanded it, and Jesus demonstrated it. Dare we refuse to acknowledge it? According to the age of your child, discuss Jesus' words in Matthew 16:24-26, then allow the Holy Spirit to direct your application.Far more than earthly parents, God wants His children to be content and full of joy. But He knows better than to give us all the things we want. Instead, He gave us His word as a standard for what brings genuine peace and happiness. The apostle Paul summarized it well:"Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)After hearing God's warning and praying for His wisdom, nine-year-old Alan Brannan decided to throw away all his Pokemon cards. "My friend did the same," said his mother. "Her twelve year old son had been having nightmares. But after a discussion with his parents about the game and its symbols, he was convicted to burn his cards and return his Gameboy game. That night slept well for the first time in a month.""It seemed to us that these cards had some sort of power," continued DiAnna Brannan. "Another nine-year-boy had stolen money from his mother's purse ($7.00) to buy more cards. When questioned, he confessed and said he had heard the devil urging him to do it. The family quickly gathered in prayer, then saw God's answer. Both the boy and his little sister burned their cards, warned their friends, and discovered the joy and freedom that only comes from following their Shepherd.

POKEMON-Another Introduction by David L. Brown, Th.M.
My son called me on the phone recently and asked, "Dad, do you know anything about the kids' collector card game Pok_mon?" The reason he asked was because my oldest grandson, who is 7 years old, came home with several of the cards he got from a friend at church. He showed them to his dad and said his friends thought "they were really cool." After looking at the few cards, his dad had a different opinion. Though he could not put his finger on exactly what the problem was by looking at those few cards, he definitely had an uneasy feeling about them. While he neither saw nor read anything overtly evil on the cards, there were a couple of hints on them that made him suspicious. He decided not to allow his son to get involved with Pokemon until he looked into it further. This proved to be a wise decision. Here's what I discovered. The History of Pok_mon
The name Pok_mon is derived from pocket monster. Pok_mon has entertained Japanese youth since 1995. While it is rare for a Japanese cultural phenomena to be duplicated in the Western world, Pok_mon has proved to be the exception. Pok_mon has moved into the United States "BIG TIME" and captured the minds of elementary aged children all over this country. Pok_mon is everywhere Nintendo video games, cartoon shows on television, a movie, comic books, toys, clothing, VHS videos, DVD's, and the wildly popular collector card game. The Pok_mon "virus" has infected virtually every media outlet imaginable, and by plan, the "virus" has become an epidemic among elementary aged children causing them to crave and beg for more Pok_mon paraphernalia. Countless elementary aged children are obsessed with Pok_mon. Measuring Pok_mon By The Bible
Without apology, I acknowledge that I am writing this pamphlet from a biblical perspective. And, I believe there is a battle going on for the minds of our children and grandchildren. In fact, Satan and his diabolical hordes want to corrupt the minds of children and adults as well! One of the problems is that Satan is getting the upper hand because Christians are oblivious to the tactics the adversary is using to pollute the minds of men, women, boys and girls. While many Christian adults would catch blatant demonic doctrines, the truth is, Satan seldom mounts a direct assault. Rather, he, through his human helpers, uses subtle, clandestine and deceptive methods to advance his evil doctrines. So, how can we detect these deceptive methods and evil doctrines? How can we protect our children and our-selves? The Bible says, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." 1 Thessalonians 5:21. The Bible says, "Whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God" 1 Corinthians 10:31. The Bible says, "Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good." Romans 12:9. Therefore, we must measure Pok_mon paraphernalia by the principles of the Bible to determine if it is acceptable. Let's do that. What values, beliefs, and philosophies do the game promote?One of the first things I did was to find out who produced the trading card game. Here is an exact quote right from the Web page of the producer - "The Pok_mon Trading Card Game is a new collectable Card Game that is made and distributed by Wizards of the Coast. The same company that made the best selling game ... Magic: The Gathering." Magic: The Gathering is a heavily occult laced trading card game very popular in the 1990's. I have a research report titled Beware of Magic:The Gathering that can be viewed on the Logos Web page atà http://www.execpc.com/logos/magic-g.html Oh yes, I should mention that Wizards of the Coast also owns TSR, the producers of all the Dungeons & Dragons materials. When I discovered who owned the American Pok_mon Trading Card Game rights, I knew the game was not just an innocent card game for elementary school children. Next, I looked into the characters in the Pok_mon video games, comics, cartoons, movies, etc. What kind of values do they have? Ash Ketchum (a boy) is one of the main characters. He is described as "an energetic and determined 10-year-old little too competitive." He is obsessed with catching all Pok_mon and driven "to become the world's foremost Pok_mon Master." Oh yes, you can be sure that the Pok_mon Rap song and mantra will be included in the materials -- "I will travel across the land Searching far and wide Each Pok_mon to understand The power that's inside. Gotta catch them all!" The last line of the Pok_mon mantra, "Gotta catch them all!" is used over and over again in Pok_mon paraphernalia because it fuels the craving for more cards, games, toys, gadgets, and comic books. Let's look at another character, Ash's companion Misty. She is described as "headstrong and stubborn constantly quibbling with Ash and seems to harbor deeper feelings for Ash." Then there is the third member of the trio, Brock who is "by far the most hormonal. Brock's fascination with the opposite sex many times gets him or the group into trouble, although he's yet to have anything resembling a score." Let's take a look at Pok_mon trainer Gary. He is "a real jerk self-centered, vindictive and obnoxious. Then there are Jessie & James. Here is how they are described -- "Prepare for trouble, make it double.... Jessie, James are a mysterious and evil gang looking to steal rare Pok_mon. Jessie and James are stuck up, fashion conscious, and prone to cross-dressing." Headstrong, stubborn, quibbling, self-centered, vindictive, obnoxious, hormonal, sexually preoccupied, evil, thieving, cross-dressing jerks are most definitely not biblical role models! These characters do not portray biblical values. Pok_mon does not measure up! Are supernatural powers portrayed, and if so, what is the source or origin of those powers? Are occult, New Age characteristics or symbols included?Pok_mon has supernatural powers. "Some Pok_mon grow, or evolve." This is facilitated by the "Energy cards" that "make your Pok_mon bigger and more powerful." And what is the source of this power? It is the pantheistic power of the occult, not the supernatural power of God. I have found two cards that make this very clear (there are likely more). They are Abra and Kadabra. Yes, these are their actual names. "Abrakadabra" (or abracadabra) has been a word long associated with occult magic. Webster's dictionary defines it this way - 1) a word supposed to have magic powers and hence used in incantations, on amulets, etc. 2) a magic spell or formula. It is no accident that the two Pok_mon called Abra and Kadabra are psychic cards with magical powers. On the Abra card we read "Using its ability to read minds, it will identify impending danger and teleport to safety." Then there are the occult symbols on Kadabra. He has a pentagram on his forehead, SSS on his chest and he is giving the Satanic salute with his left hand. All of the above have strong occult significance. It is clear from the Bible (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) that we are neither to participate in nor associate with activities related to the occult. Some of the readers will no doubt protest, "it's only a game!" To be sure it is a game, but a game that does not glorify God! When God says something is wrong, it is wrong regardless of what form it is in. Not only that, but many of the kids who play this game are seduced into believing the principles that the game subtly teaches. Here is but one example. In the booklet that comes with Pok_mon, note what is stated -- "Welcome to the world of Pok_mon, a special place where people just like you train to become the number-one Pok_mon Master in the World! But what is a Pok_mon, you ask. ' Pok_mon are incredible creatures that share the world with humans,' says Professor Oak, the leading authority on these monsters. There are currently 150 documented species of Pok_mon. . . . Each Pok_mon has its own special fighting abilities. . . . Some grow, or evolve, into even more powerful creatures.. . . Carry your pokemon with you, and you're ready for anything! You've got the power in your hands, so use it!" Listen, kids are carrying around their Pok_mon like a magic talisman. Author and researcher Berit Kjos tells of a mom who overheard two boys discussing their little pocket monsters. As the conversation developed one boy said, "I'll just use my psychic powers." It was clear that the so called fantasy world of Pok_mon had already conditioned this boys thinking to be receptive to a key occult doctrine - psychic powers! Pok_mon promotes occult values, not biblical values and therefore should be rejected! Where are the player's thoughts and imagination being directed?I pointed out earlier that Pok_mon originated in Japan. What I did not draw to your attention was that a Pok_mon Master is a spin off of a martial arts master in Japan. Pok_mon Masters are the leaders of fighting schools or battling gangs that solve their problems by beating their opponents. And how do they do this? Their little booklet says, "Some attacks cause the Defending Pok_mon to be Asleep, Confused, Paralyzed, or Poisoned." The Bible warns us to be cautious about what we occupy our minds with (Proverbs 4:23). The games a child plays, the television programs he watches, and the things that he listens to have a powerful mind shaping influence over that child. Mental health professionals are finally coming to understand what the Bible has said all along -- the things you let into you mind shape your thinking and your thinking directs your actions. This truth was acted out at the Columbine High school slaughter. The shooters had saturated their minds with violent video games, Gothic death music, and violent reading material. The result was on April 20, 1999, twelve students and one teacher were murdered. Could Pok_mon influence the children who play it? I pray that it does not happen, but I wonder how long it will be before a grade school child, tries to do what is written on the Weepingbell - Razor Leaf Pok_mon card. It says, "It spits out poisonpowder to immobilize the enemy, and then finishes the enemy with a spray of acid." Does this line up with what the Bible has to say about how to handle our enemies in Romans 12:14-22? I Think not! It is clear that Pok_mon leads the player's imagination down the wrong path. The Bible says that we are to abhor that which is evil, and cleave to that which is good (Romans 12:9). Poisoning, paralyzing, etc. your enemies is clearly evil and no one should occupy their minds with such thoughts, game or no game. Our every thought is to be screened to be sure Christ approves of it (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). If it does not line up, it is to be rejected. So, what's the problem with Pok_mon? Its subtle suggestions, images and values are manipulating the minds and feelings of the children who are into it. Pok_mon conditions them to accept humanistic wisdom and occult spirituality. Heavy involvement in Pok_mon blurs the player's ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality and sears the conscience of the player as well. Pok_mon is designed to be a stepping stone to harder occult oriented games like Magic:The Gathering and Dungeons and Dragons. God wants his children to have a completely different focus. We are even told where our thoughts should be directed in Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
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"Let us all pray for God to save the children and protect their minds and hearts from the evil one. Nothing angers me more than children being led astray and being abused," writes Linda. Blessings in Jesus' name.
Pokemon – Just another ‘fad’? Read on! A Christian perspective…
By Brett Peterson
How close can we get to the occult and still call it 'good social interaction & imagination stretching fun for kids? Pokemon is a role-playing game like Dungeons and Dragons, MAGIC (another card game like Pokemon), and many other 'games' and cartoons that have occultic overtones. Proverbs 22:6 "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."
Pokemon is a copyright of Nintendo Japan. It was first created in Japan and is highly influenced by Japanese mysticism. It is very popular there now, and has been since 1996. In 1997 - 685 people went into epiliptic seizures while watching the Pokemon cartoon. Pokemon is short for ‘Pocket Monsters’.
By 300 AD, the sun-worshipping Yamato kingdom had loosely unified the nation through conquest and alliance. Buddhism was introduced from China in the mid-6th century and soon became the state religion. Rivalry between Buddhism and Shinto, the traditional religion of Japan, was diffused by presenting Shinto deities as manifestations of Buddha. They seem to embrace all mystical religions and warrior religions.
We finally have a researched answer to the influences behind ‘Pokemon’ and the religions and philosophies that are taught within the game. Pokemon is the result of influences that are completely mystical. These are just to name a few:
Buddhist Mysticism, Hinduism, meditation rituals, Egyptian Book of the Dead, Book of Tao, the Analects of Confucius, the Gita, the I Ching, The Tibetan Book of the Dead: All These Philosophies influenced Pokemon!
C.G. Jung summarizes all these philosophies in his theory of ‘collective unconsciousness’, & he assures his followers of the congeniality with occultic energy sciences and the evolutionary sciences with the occultic practices and tapping into the water energy, fire energy, leaf energy, and wind energy you can achieve spiritual enlightenment and success – all of which are incorporated in Pokemon.Jung draws upon Oriental conceptions of consciousness to broaden the concept of "projection": Not only the "wrathful" demons/monster (pocket monsters) but also the "peaceful" deities/spirits (pika-chu’s) are conceived as animal projections of the human psyche – the fundamental religious teaching and game play in Pokemon!
The Bible says: EPH 5:8-17 "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is."
Color energy Cards:
In the Tibetan tradition life is a sort of ‘game’, and they state that each of the levels of game-existence is associated with a particular color and also certain geographical symbols. Note the energy cards in Pokemon have colors and elements that also refer powers and positions.In Tibetan teaching, each person (trainer of projections) has to learn to decode his own internal road map. The Tibetan indicators may be used as a starting point. The purpose is clear: one should follow the signs of the three higher types and shun those of the three lower. One should follow light and pleasant visions and shun dark and dreary ones. Look at the Pokemon cards – both are represented and role-played by our children.Recently I observed a group of children who were role-playing Pokemon. They were making evil faces and chanting their Pokemon character names over and over! One three year old was chasing another boy almost trance like in expression saying in a deep raspy voice, ‘bulbasore attack, bulbasore, bulbasore.’ They are meditating and projecting their spirits just like practitioners of the occult!Pokemon monsters in the game and the cartoon can only say their name, so when they talk they are really chanting their name – the children, I have observed, do the same thing while they are playing. They are actually opening their selves up to personality modification – an occult practice!This is what is taught in Tibetan practice: "Use your foresight to choose a good post-session robot. Do not be attracted to your old ego. Whether you choose to pursue power, or status, or wisdom, or learning, or servitude, or whatever, choose impartially, without being attracted or repelled. Enter into game existence with good grace, voluntarily and freely. Have faith in the protection of the deities and choose." (Revised Tibetan Book of the Dead) Why would Satan influence a game like Pokemon? It opens up players to the demonic realm, channeling (a power some of the pokemon characters have), and possession.
Luke 11:24-26 "24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. 26 Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first."
In Japan, Shinto is one of the oldest belief systems and was developed out of worshiping the earth, such as sun, water, rocks, trees and even sounds (jiggly puff, a cute Pokemon sings a song and the sounds puts all who hear her into a trance – this is a common type of teaching in Shinto and is very evident in Pokemon)!Shinto teaches that all such natural features were felt to have a god behind their power. Many Shinto beliefs were incorporated into Japanese Buddhist practices after its introduction in the 6th century. Just as they believe in evolution and re-incarnation, these ideas are manifest in Pokemon.
These pictures are typical examples of the dark side of Pokemon. Haunter, an evolved spirit can hypnotize and has ‘dream eater’ power (powered by the purple Pokemon energy cards which is the psychic energy). This power lets him drain the energy from his opponents.Some eastern and New age philosophies teach this principal and call spirits that can do this ‘energy vampires’. This is just the tip of the iceberg! The Pokemon game contains many typologies manifest in the cards that reflect the philosophies of Shinto with mystic Buddhism, in addition to many other beliefs. Kadabra, above on the right, evolved from Abra. Both have demonic powers.
Evolving – dying and being ‘reborn’ as an ‘evolved Pokemon’
Hebrews 9:27 "And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:"In Pokemon, the monsters actually die to their old self and evolve into the new, more powerful Pokemon. This is the teaching of eastern mystery religions and is spelled out in the Egyptian book of the Dead and other occult religions. In one Pokemon episode, Bulbasore (a frog) did not want to evolve – some feel this means to just ‘grow up’ – but the idea is to go through a substantial change and it is even suggested that the Pokemon ‘looses’ its former self or in a way dies to his current psyche – a typical example of Pokemon and it’s occultic influence. Children are subtly being indoctrinated in the theory of evolution and mysticism in the Pokemon game.What other influences are evident in Pokemon? It gets more unbelievable and shocking as you read on!
Wicca, Witchcraft, Paganism, Satanism, ‘New Age’, and other occultic influences in ‘Pokemon’
Lets look at what these religions teach and a short history. Remember – Pokemon’s energy is derived from earth, water, fire, lightening, etc. – and the ‘pocket monsters’ are part of a universal whole.First – do you really believe there is power in the occultic? Let’s see what the Bible says about all this:2 Chronicles 33:6 "And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times, and used enchantments, and used witchcraft, and dealt with a familiar spirit, and with wizards: he wrought much evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger." AVThese are real powers that have one intention – to keep you from knowing God and experiencing His plan and will for your life! Any game, cartoon, etc. that even hints at occultic practice is dangerous!Wicca, or Witchcraft is a popular and fast growing religious practice all over the world today. Most Witches/Warlocks consider their practice something that is learned by experience – not by books. They go through many incredible rituals to become powerful in the ‘craft’. Pokemon trainers must go through a lot of training and ritual type actions to become ‘Master Trainers’, with the ability to controle the Pokemon and their powers.Pagans use earthly powers and demonic spirits, shamans use animal spirits – their minds are set on the flesh – the Bible says the mind set on the flesh is death!
The Bible says: Galatians 5:16-23 "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, evellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. " AV
Through the true power of the Holy Spirit, Jesus gives us these according to that same passage: v. 23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."1 Cor. 10:19-22 "Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons."
Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
In Pokemon, trainers summon one of their Pokemon to battle other monsters and they use them as guardians. In Wicca, guardians, known as Watchtowers, are called. These spirits (and sometimes animals) are called by them to protect them from ‘evil’ spirits while they open themselves up to these spirits during rituals – the circle, the pentegram, etc. all provide a ‘safe’ area to practice. (In Pokemon the monsters are held in a Pokeball until the trainer summons them).
In witchcraft these spirits are summoned and called to stay in the circle until needed to fight off bad spirits. These Guardians in Pagan practice are often the spirits with whom a person feels comfortable with and has developed some form of a relationship with (in Pokemon the trainers befriend their ‘pocket monsters’ and develop trusting and advice seeking relationships with them). Possible guardians might be one of the Ancestors, a "spirit guide," or other spiritual entity (including animal spirits and even real animal – like the typical witches black cat) with which the person is familiar with. This is what occurs in Pokemon play –the pocket monsters are captured, trained, and summoned as needed.
Elements & Powers, geography, and demonic realms of power in Pokemon and astrology, New age cults, & Witchcraft. Most Pagan and earth based religions and philosophies find power in the Four Elements — Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind. These are the energy cards in the Pokemon game!
Look at this verse in the Bible: 1Tim 4:1 "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron." What are we allowing to come into our homes! The elements in Pokemon are foundational to many earth religions and mystic rituals. We draw our power from God, not the earth!The Bible tells us: Galatians 4:3 "Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: Galatians " 4:9 "But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? "Most all covens and eastern philosophies, and Pagan belief systems hold the elements as sources of power, as the Pokemon game does. Again – the Bible says: 1 Timothy 1:4 "Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do." 1 Timothy 4:7 But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness."2 Timothy 4:4 "And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."This is what all religions are – nothing but mans attempt to reach God. Listen – finite man can not reach an infinite God! He had to reach down to us, and He did in Jesus Christ!
One last example of occultic practices and Pokemon.
What are our children really playing with - imagination and simple 'pocket monsters'?
In Paganism and the Occult there are sprit guides, messengers, and elementals or artificial elementals. They can be summoned to do things for the ‘trainer’ or ‘practitioner’. They can 1. Watch and tell the trainer what it sees, 2. Guard the trainer, 3. Fight with other spirits or elementals, 4. Carry out assignments given by the trainers.Pagans can capture free elementals (much like Pokemon trainers capture pocket monsters) and build relationships with them for use (just like Pokemon trainers). Witches, Shamans, etc, recommend ony master practitioners do this because you are not masters of the elementals, just like Pokemon trainers are not masters of the Pocket monster – and they warn that they can be hard to get rid of and may require an exorcism to become free of a bad one.

‘artificial elementals’ – the name of the actual ‘pocket monsters’ our children are playing with!

Matt. 17:14-21 "And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. "Please pray and do what the Lord instructs you to do – it is time to take a stand for God and protect our children from the influences of our enemy! My son is six and we had a whole book of Pokemon cards – after praying about it he made the decision to get rid of his cards, because he could see they were evil!Listen Christians – we are in a battle! The enemy is subtle and is trying to influence our children’s minds. Pokemon teaches all the basics of many false religion and occultic practices! Pokemon also indoctrinates children in evolutionary thought and pagan beliefs! It is not Pokemon that we fight - the Bible says:Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."These 'powers' are the very real demonic spirits behind all-false religion and self-serving pursuits.Again, Pokemon is not the enemy - it is Lucifer and all that exalts itself against Jesus Christ and the true path to enlightenment. Pokemon is a tool the enemy can use to build a false foundation and plant seeds of futility in my child - and this I will not allow, and I will, by the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit come against all falsehood and doctrines of demons that try to indoctrinate my child with eastern mysticism and occultic practices.I pray that our Lord Jesus Christ by and through the power of the Holy Spirit will protect you and your children from the schemes of the enemy. Grace, peace, and courage to take a stand for righteousness be yours! Pastor Brett Peterson
Turkey Warns Against Pokemon
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AP) -- Turkey's health minister urged TV stations Saturday to replace Pokemon cartoons with other children's programs after a 7-year-old girl jumped off a balcony apparently believing she was a Pokemon character with superhuman powers. Seda Aykanat, who jumped off her fifth-floor balcony Friday and broke her leg, was the second Turkish child to jump off a balcony apparently to imitate Pokemon characters -- cartoon animals with special powers. Earlier, a 4-year-old boy sustained injuries after a similar jump. Health Minister Osman Durmus already had asked ministry experts to study the effect of the Pokemon cartoon on children. The experts concluded Friday that the cartoon distanced children from reality, confused them by presenting both ''good and bad heroes,'' and desensitized them to violence, daily Hurriyet reported Saturday. Full story at: http://www.newsday.com/ap/text/international/ap934.htm

Saudi Arabia Bans Pokemon Games, Cards

Duai, United Arab Emirates - Saudi Arabia's highest religious authority has issued an edict banning Pokemon games and cards, saying the have "possessed the minds" of children, promote Zionism and involve gambling.
Saudi Arabia's Higher Committee for Scientific Research and Islamic Law issued the fatwa, or religious ruling, over the weekend.
It said the video game and cards have symbols that include "the Star of David, which everyone knows is connected to international Zionism and is Israel's national emblem, as well as being the first symbol of the Freemason." [Ed Note: The symbol is two triangles of body, mind and spirit each side of each triangle. This amounts to two people, a male and a female which in witchcraft represents a god based on sex tying it God being love. The symbol a hermaphroditic god, Half Male / Half Female and that God is as much female as he is male feeding the power behind the homosexual movement ].
The game also has Christian crosses and symbols of Japan's Shintoism, which is based on the belief in more than one god, the edict said.
The Pokemon phenomenon originated in Japan three years ago as a Nintendo video game. It quickly expanded into cartoons, comic books and trading cards, becoming a multibillion dollar enterprise and enjoying enormous popularity.
In Tokyo on Monday, a Nintendo spokesman speaking on condition of anonymity denied that religious symbols are depicted on the Pokemon items.
The card game involves a host of imaginary creatures, each with their own set of special powers. The goal is to win as many cards as possible...
Pokemon "has possessed the minds of a large chunk of our students, captivated their hearts and became their preoccupation," the edict said. They "spend all their money to buy the cards and compete with each other to win more." (The Tampa Tribune, March 27, 2001)

Satan Worship Worries Christians In Northeast India - American "The X Files" Are Thought To Be The Culprit
AIZAWL, India, 1 September 2000 (Newsroom) -- Religious leaders in the predominantly Christian state of Mizoram have asked police to investigate recent incidents of Satan worship involving teenagers, a trend that some officials blame on television shows about the paranormal and the occult.
"This is not good for our society or any society," said the Reverend Vanalalrhuajwa of the Presbyterian Church Synod in Mizoram.
The sudden rise in popularity of devil worship in the last three months so alarmed parents and teenagers that Presbyterian elders asked four faculty members at Aizawl Theological College to study the problem. Their report appeared to confirm the fears of church leaders, who then asked police to intervene.
One church elder who asked not to be named described an incident where high school boys and girls formed a circle in a cemetery late at night, chanting invocations to Satan. In the center of the circle was a monkey skull with the inscription ``Natas Si Dog'' -- ``God is Satan," in reverse. Police said the students then slashed their wrists in a ritual offering of blood.
Aizawl police Superintendent Zorammawaaia said the phenomenon has taken authorities by surprise because the population in this tiny, northeastern state is about 90 percent Christian, primarily Presbyterian. Like many Indians, the police superintendent goes by a single name.
Police do not know how many students may be involved, but Zorammawaaia suggested that the Satan worshipers probably are influenced by television shows about witchcraft and other black magic.About 25 million homes in India have cable television, which gives them access to programs such as "The X Files," the American show about FBI agents who investigate paranormal and unexplained incidents, and Indian programs such as "Aahat," "Anhonee" and "Woh."
Producers of programs such as "Aahat," for example, say they are emphasizing the supernatural over more traditional horror themes because that is what audiences want. They also are targeting younger children. For example, in one episode of "Aahat" a doll that is possessed by an evil spirit persuades a young girl to trade places, then refuses to relinquish the girl's body. The show received the highest ratings ever for a television show in India and was the topic of conversation in schools for days afterward.
"We are just entertaining the people for 25 minutes," "Aahat" producer Pradeep Upoor said in defense of the show. "Once you tune in to our program it won't let you go. Just like the doll."
In a Hindu culture that believes in reincarnation, shows that depict people who come back to life to exact revenge have great appeal, according to psychiatrist Harish Shetty.
"When horror shows show the victim wreaking vengeance after he/she dies, it appeals to the primitive emotions of human beings," he said. "The children enjoy it. They are scared but, like their parents, they are excited by life after life."
Not everyone shares that excitement, however. One 7-year-old girl wrote to the High Court describing how "Aahat" scared her. In Delhi, a city court observed that some "horror serials" were detrimental to the mental health of children.
"We need to teach these young people and ensure they do not indulge in these kinds of weird religious practices," the Reverend Vanalalrhuajwa insisted. [Source: http://www.newsroom.org/ ]

Smoking Causes Cancer

“Ninety-five per cent of lung cancer deaths are due directly to cigarette smoking", according to Dr Desmond Carney, oncologist at University College, Dublin, and secretary general of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer.

Women who smoke increase their risk of dying from lung cancer by nearly 12 times and the risk of dying from bronchitis and emphysema by more than 10 times. Between 1960 and 1990, deaths from lung cancer among women have increased by more than 400%--exceeding breast cancer deaths in the mid-1980s.(Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1993;42(44)) The American Cancer Society predicts that 80,000 women will develop lung cancer this year and 67,000 will die from it, as compared to 43,500 deaths from breast cancer.

Men who smoke increase their risk of death from lung cancer by more than 22 times and from bronchitis and emphysema by nearly 10 times. Smoking triples the risk of dying from heart disease among middle-aged men and women.(CDC Smoking-attributable mortality and years of potential life lost--United States, 1990. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 1993;42(33):645-8.)

Now that you're totally terrified,
take a look at it another way...

70%of all cancers occur in non-smokers.

The National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health report in the 1995 Information Please Almanac states that only 30% of all cancers are caused by smoking.

Did you know that United Nations statistics have listed Japan and South Korea respectively as first and second in both life expectancy and tobacco consumption? If smoking were really as dreadful, harmful, and dangerous as the Anti-Smoking propaganda blitz claims it to be . . . how can this be true?!

The Japanese smoke twice as much as Americans and yet have half the number of lung cancers per 100,000 people.

Why do some people get lung cancer -- even if they never smoke?
New research suggests eating a lot of processed foods containing inorganic phosphates could be the explanation. In research published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, published by the American Thoracic Society, scientists from Seoul National University conclude that a diet high in inorganic phosphates, which are found in a host of processed foods including meats, cheeses, beverages, and bakery products, might spur the growth of lung cancer. The researchers also suggest the food additive may contribute to the development of malignancies in people predisposed to lung cancer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer deaths worldwide. The American Thoracic Society points out that over 75 percent of lung cancers are small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) and have an average overall 35-year survival rate of only 14 percent. Previous research has shown that about 90 percent of NSCLC appear to be activated by specific signaling pathways in lung tissue. The new study by Dr. Cho and his research team found that high amounts of dietary inorganic phosphates actually stimulate those same cancer-triggering pathways.

While living organisms need a moderate level of phosphate, the use of inorganic phosphates as a food additive to increase water retention and improve food texture artificially has soared over the past decade. That means the average American diet is loaded with excess amounts of phosphates. "In the 1990s, phosphorous-containing food additives contributed an estimated 470 mg per day to the average daily adult diet. However, phosphates are currently being added much more frequently to a large number of processed foods, including meats, cheeses, beverages, and bakery products. As a result, depending on individual food choices, phosphorous intake could be increased by as much as 1000 mg per day," Dr. Cho explained in the media statement.

Growing With God
If you've asked your questions, discovered the answers and gone from an intellectual belief in God to a personal relationship with Christ based on heartfelt faith... then now is the time to jump in and see how to grow in your relationship with God!



Click To Discover
Worship: Worshiping GOD as a Christian is not just about singing, fasting and praying. GOD is not interested in what you do as much as why you do it. HE does not honor hypocrisy -only a heart devoted to HIM. Worship is not something you just do on Sunday… it is a lifestyle. We are to love, trust, obey, praise, thank and live only for HIM every day. It is about surrender. It will cost you your self-centeredness. We are to worship in spirit and in truth. We were made specifically to bring GOD pleasure and glory.
Fellowship: Fellowship is all about doing life together during the good and bad times. It is about being genuine, transparent and vulnerable in the things you share in confidence with others. It is about loving your neighbor as yourself. It is about encouraging others and sympathizing with their feelings. We are all part of GOD's family and he wants us to grow in our love for others. True love is about forgiveness and reconciliation.
Discipleship: Discipleship is about growing and maturing - it is the process of becoming like Jesus Christ. Growing is not easy - it takes work and commitment. It requires us to examine and change the way we think, feel and act. Thankfully HE also gives us HIS Spirit and HIS Word to transform us into the image of Christ. Additionally GOD uses other people and circumstances in our lives to help us grow through trials, temptations, and troubles.
Ministry: Ministry is all about serving and giving. As Christians we are called to a ministry in the body of believers and a mission to the world. Each of us are shaped and gifted by GOD to fulfill our part in HIS great plan. Find the blessing of losing yourself in serving Jesus by serving others. Though we are saved only by HIS grace HE also calls us to good works - not to earn salvation but to encourage and equip the body of believers. Ministry is about serving an audience of ONE!
Evangelism: Evangelism is about sharing the love of Christ with everyone. We are all commanded to go and make disciples. This is our mission as Christians and it is not an option. In fact, it is a profound responsibility, the greatest privilege, and the most incredible honor in the entire world. This mission is the greatest thing you can do for another person, carries eternal significance, and is the true secret of being blessed! In these sites we will teach you to share the gospel and to develop your own life message.

What are the Biblical guidelines for dating relationships?

God wants the best for us in every area of our lives. This includes relationships with boyfriends or girlfriends. We should date for fun, friendship, personality development and selection of a mate, not to be popular or for security. Don't allow peer pressure to force you into dating situations that are not appropriate. Realize that over 50% of girls and over 40% of guys never date in high school. The Bible gives us some very clear principles to guide us in making decisions about dating.
Guard your heart.The Bible tells us to be very careful about giving our affections, because our heart influences everything else in our life.
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life (Proverbs 4:23).
You are known by the company you keep.We also tend to become like the company we keep. This principle is closely related to the first one and is just as important in friendships as in dating.
Do not be misled: Bad company corrupts good character (1 Corinthians 15:33).
Christians should only date other Christians.Although it is fine for Christians to have non-Christian friends, those who are especially close to our heart should be mature believers who are seeking to follow Christ with their lives.
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14).
Is it really love?1 Corinthians 13:4-7 defines real love. Ask yourself these questions:
Are you patient with each other?
Are you kind to each other?
Are you never envious of each other?
Do you never boast to or about each other?
Is your relationship characterized by humility?
Are you never rude to each other?
Are you not self-seeking?
Are you not easily angered with each other?
Do you keep no record of wrongs?
Are you truthful with each other?
Do you protect each other?
Do you trust each other?
If you answered “yes” to the above questions, then 1 Corinthians 13 says that you truly have a loving relationship. If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, then maybe you should discuss those issues with your boyfriend or girlfriend.

The Top Five Myths of Christian Datingby Stephen W. Simpson, PhD, excerpted from What Women Wish You Knew About Dating: A Single Guy's Guide to Romantic RelationshipsJune 18, 2008

There are some myths out there that people assume to be gospel about dating. Christian culture is like any other in that we develop truisms that we accept without verifying. There are things floating around that have little or nothing to do with the Bible. Most are well intended and contain a nugget of truth. Some are flat-out wrong. Dating is hard enough without sifting through all this erroneous information, so let's debunk some myths. There are plenty of them, but let's focus on what I believe are the top five myths that make dating harder for Christian men.
Myth #1: "God has one woman picked out for you to marry. You are destined to be with her, and God will guide you to her."
Good luck finding this one in the Bible. There is plenty of stuff about God's will for his people, God wanting good things for you, and God's ultimate plan. Nowhere, however, does it say that God picked out a spunky brunette whom he's waiting to spring on you at the right moment. I'm not saying that he doesn't. When it comes to God, I'm pretty careful about saying what he does or doesn't do. But I do know this—if you rely on this idea too much, your dating life will get really confusing.
Some Christians take a lot of comfort in the idea that God will do the heavy lifting when it comes to dating. God will tell them if a relationship is right, and God will end it if it's not. All they have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride. This may be the biggest excuse men use for being lazy in relationships, much less finding one.
German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer addresses this issue in a wedding sermon he wrote for his sister from a Nazi jail cell. He says that God joins the relationship between a man and a woman at the point of marriage. Before that, the couple has to take the initiative. Rather than directing the course of the relationship, God wants the couple to grow and learn how to make a commitment. Once they've done that, God increases his sustaining presence.
I'm not saying that God doesn't have a will regarding your dating life. God may, in fact, have a spunky brunette in mind, and he's steering you toward her as you read this. But the Bible does not promise that God will provide a loving relationship for you while you sit around and do nothing. But, as in all things, it's best to ask for his guidance. The Bible promises he will provide that whenever we ask. Rely on God's love, wisdom, and sustaining presence while you're dating. Though God won't do all the work for you, he'll be with you every step of the way.
The good news is that most men don't have a problem with this. Regardless of your theology on the Predestination of Girlfriends, you're probably eager to be an active participant in your dating life. This brings us to our next myth.
Myth #2: "The Bible has clearly defined guidelines for dating."
People didn't date in biblical times. Dating as a socially accepted means of finding a mate has been around for less than a century. Before that, strict courtship rituals governed the path to marriage. Whom you married wasn't even up to you most of the time. Falling in love before you got married or engaged is a twentieth-century concept. Dating as we know it occurred after marriage. In college, I had an older professor from Japan whose marriage had been arranged. He made fun of modern dating, saying, "By the time you get married now, the fun is over. In an arranged marriage, the fun starts after the wedding!" (No, that wasn't a suggestion for you to set up an arranged marriage.)
For the Hebrews and the early church, dating wasn't an issue to be addressed in Scripture. Sex and marriage were, but not dating. When the Bible was written, a person basically had one of three options: remaining single, an amoral life with multiple partners or prostitutes, or an arranged marriage. There were courtship rituals in place, but nothing that looks like what we consider dating today.
The church has reached a difficult crossroads when it comes to pre-marriage romance. We no longer have rituals of courtship and arranged marriage to guide us every step of the way. This leaves a lot of room for error. It's also spawned a whole range of opinions and advice on how to handle dating. One glance at the numerous books about love, dating, and marriage suggests that we're making a lot of this up as we go along.
Of course, there are biblical principles that are essential in dating. If you follow the biblical prescriptions for gentleness, respect, sexual purity, and kindness (Gal. 5:19–23), you are bound to make much better decisions in dating situations. Your head and your heart should be in Scripture at all times, but you won't find specific guidelines for dating. Is it okay to kiss before marriage? The answer isn't in the Bible (though the Song of Solomon sure gives us a clue). How about going out on dates alone? Nope, not in there either. The Bible provides some crucial relational principles but doesn't address the specifics.
This requires more decision-making on your part. You can't follow antiquated courtship rituals anymore. (At least I don't advise it. Asking a woman's father if you can date his daughter without consulting her first might be a good way to never get a first date.) You also don't have a scriptural field manual that tells you how to behave in every situation. It's up to you to be in prayer and conversation with your Christian community about these things. You're going to have to think, talk, pray, and be ready to make some mistakes. Speaking of mistakes, let's look at our next myth.
Myth #3: "God will reveal to you the woman that you are going to marry the instant you meet her."
If this is true, I screwed up somewhere. I thought my wife was out of my league when I met her. We had a nice conversation, but I left thinking that she wouldn't go out with a guy like me. Regardless, I didn't get a divine telegram saying, "She's the one! Start picking out china patterns!"
Waiting for God to whack you on the head and tell you whom to marry isn't faith; it's fear. Many people want nothing to do with dating because of the risk and potential pain that it involves. This is certainly understandable, as dating can have traumatic results in unhealthy circumstances. But what do you think serves us better in the long run? Growing and suffering in the process of learning or a revelation that lets us off the hook? I would have loved to know that the beautiful woman I was talking to would one day be my wife, but I might not have worked as hard to earn her hand in marriage. I would have missed a lot of experiences that made me a better man.
Be careful if you think God has told you that Betty from the bookstore is the one for you, but you have no idea if she feels the same way. If you plunge in, convinced that you are on a mission from God, and she's not sure yet, it's a quick way to scare her off. Our unconscious mind can kick up powerful feelings that sometimes get mistaken for a message from God. Maybe she was nicer to you than anyone you've met in a long time. Maybe she's the first woman you ever met that likes Cracker Jacks as much as you do. Or maybe she's just drop-dead gorgeous. Of course, a woman who's nice, white-hot cute, and likes Cracker Jacks might be someone you want to ask on a date. I just wouldn't go ring shopping yet. Especially if you want a second date.
Myth #4: "You have to be friends with a woman before you can date her."
This is the point where I might tick off some of you, so allow me to assuage your anger before I explain this myth. I am not saying that you cannot or should not be friends before dating. I'm also not talking about a man and a woman who are interested in each other and agree to be friends for a period before dating. Some of the most successful relationships begin in friendship. Sometimes you don't even know you want to date someone until you're friends with her. I've met couples who were friends for years and then fell in love. It's a super way to start a relationship.
The problem is that a lot of men think the best way to pursue a woman is to befriend her while hiding their interest in dating her. This is a rotten idea and sets a lot of men up for trouble.
Tommy was a client of mine who tried this approach. He had been interested in a woman at his church for a few months, but he was terrified of rejection. So he made his best effort to become her friend, never letting on that he wanted to be her boyfriend. He gave her rides to church, had coffee with her, and talked to her on the phone two or three times a week. Whenever she needed help or support, Tommy was there. But he never asked her out. Then another man in the church asked her out, and she accepted. When she shared the news with Tommy, he was devastated. He told her about his true feelings, and she was shocked. She was hurt that he didn't tell her sooner and expressed regret that he'd never asked her out. However, she refused to back out of the date with the other guy. It proved the end of their friendship, and Tommy retreated into frustration and despair.
You have to be honest about what you're doing. Don't kid yourself and don't lie to her. Be friends all you want, but if you want to date her, she needs to know and you need to ask her out.
Some people distinguish "dating" from "friendship" based on one thing: physical intimacy. More specifically, kissing. A man and a woman who are interested in each other remain "friends" by going out only on group dates and refraining from intimate contact of any description. Apparently, this means they aren't dating.
Whatever.
Friendship and dating are categorically different. Of course, you must be friends with the person you date, but there's much more to it. The emotional "heat" that occurs between people in a romantic relationship is both more exhilarating and more complicated than friendship. People have higher expectations for someone they're considering for marriage. Friendship cannot contain the emotions, intensity, and intimacy that dating does. If you and a woman are hot for each other, you aren't "just friends." I don't care if you go out on dates alone or with the whole church choir. It also doesn't matter if you wear a HAZMAT suit and stay ten feet away from her at all times. If romance is the goal of a man and woman's relationship, they are dating. Confuse it with friendship at your peril.
Myth #5: "A man's sexuality is a ravenous, snarling beast that should be kept in a cage until he's married."
I admit I've never heard it put that way, but the implication is out there. Any lecture or book on dating inevitably includes something about sex (and, yes, this one does too). Frequently, the message is "Control yourself! Your sex drive is out to get you! It's just waiting for one weak moment to jump out and turn you into a nymphomaniac and demolish your soul." And then we wonder why so many Christians end up with sexual problems, both before and after marriage.
The Bible tells us to save sex for marriage (1Cor. 7:2). That's crucial. But you knew that already. The problem is we tend to emphasize this prohibition and leave it at that. No one talks about sexuality before marriage because sexuality before marriage is bad.
This leaves us with a small problem. Our sexuality is part of who we are from the moment we're born. If you take away a man's sexuality, you take away his identity. Your sexuality will be there, playing an active role, from the moment you ask a woman out. In fact, without sexuality, men wouldn't date. They'd play video games and eat pizza. Our sexuality is what gets us interested in women in the first place, and that's a good thing.
Did you think God gave you a sex drive just to torture you until you got married? There are plenty of things God does that I don't understand, but he's not cruel. Many people confuse sexual drives with sinful desires. Though sexual drives, like all drives, can become sinful, they're holy in their raw state. Yes, I said holy. Your sex drive comes from God. If you don't think that makes it holy, take it up with him.
The trick we have to pull off is holy, healthy expression of our sexuality before marriage. It's not easy, but it can be done. It will look different for different people, but it needs to be expressed. Otherwise it will force its way out. Look at the crisis of Internet pornography running rampant through the church. Men are dying for a way to embrace and express their sex drives. You can't ignore your sexuality, and you can't white-knuckle your way through life until your wedding night. Your sexuality isn't bad. It's not sinful or dirty. It's a gift from God, and we need to figure out a way to embrace that gift before marriage.