Bringing the Gospel: The Spirit—The Source of Life (part 1)

Preaching the word of God, the King James Bible

A Sermon for Bible Believers

¶ But a certain man named Ananias, with his wife, sold a possession,
And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.

Acts 5, KJB

The early believers, with singleness of heart, practiced the love of God toward each other, not merely in word only. To that end, they shared all that they had to the benefit of all.

¶ And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.

Acts 4, KJB

But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

1John 3, KJB

If Bible believers today practiced godly love toward their brethren as was formerly done in the beginning, there would be no want and believers could successfully live separated from the corruption and pollution of a sin-filled world.

Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,
And laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

Acts 4, KJB

Just as the poor widow who cast in only two mites, which was all she had, the believers likewise did the same with a godly love.

And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,
Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Acts 4, KJB

However, just as one of the twelve disciples was a devil and pretender, such is often the case when certain people want others to see them as having “given their all for the Lord.” See Acts 5:1-2 above.

Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

John 6, KJB

Unfortunately, for Ananias and his wife Sapphira, God cannot be deceived. Ananias and his wife were not compelled to sell their land or even to give any portion of it to the church. However, they wanted the others to think that they were devout believers. Deception, a form of lying, is of Satan.

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

John 8, KJB

For a believer to allow Satan access to his heart is a form of fornication because his body, soul, and spirit belong to the Lord. Believers, who through fornication allow other gods into their hearts where the Holy Spirit dwells, will suffer death of their body. The Holy Spirit will not allow itself to be polluted or compromised with any unholy thing. Consequently, Ananias and his wife suffer death. See Acts 5:5, 10 above.

Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.

1Corinthians 10, KJB

By the way, a harlot is a temple prostitute who stands as an agent of a god.

Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid.
What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1Corinthians 6, KJB

By way of introduction, I said all this to determine the exact cause of death of Ananias and his wife. The only cause of death given from the word of God—they gave or yielded up the ghost. See Acts 5:5, 10 above.

The word of God also defines “the ghost” as a “spirit” which is common to all flesh as part of the trinity of man—body, soul, and spirit.

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.

Luke 23, KJB

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Thessalonians 5, KJB

Jesus Himself described a spirit as being like the wind, in this particular case—the Holy Spirit, also known as the Holy Ghost.

The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.

John 3, KJB

The word of God makes it very clear that the flesh of man cannot live without a spirit or ghost, which animates it. It matters not how complete and perfect the body is—there is no life in the body without a spirit.

Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

Jeremiah 32, KJB

So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.
So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.

Ezekiel 37, KJB

Many people believe that their lives are their own, that they owe nothing at all to the Lord God—if indeed they believe that there is a God. While their body and soul could be construed as belonging to them to use as they wish, the spirit certainly is NOT their property. The spirit is a free loan to them from God Who will recall it at His discretion.

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Ecclesiastes 12, KJB

Because the spirit that gives life to the flesh of man is not his own, he therefore has no control over it. If man could retain the spirit animating his body, he could live forever.

There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death: and there is no discharge in that war; neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.

Ecclesiastes 8, KJB

Therefore, the exact cause of death of Ananias and his wife was a direct result of the Lord recalling their spirits, or ghosts, that were so necessary for their lives. Because their spirits did not belong to them, they had no power or authority to resist. Death was immediate and certain.

In every case, where the word of God mentions that someone “gave up the ghost,” it’s the direct cause of death. Whenever a man gives up his ghost or spirit, death occurs.

Then Abraham gave up the ghost, and died in a good old age, an old man, and full of years; and was gathered to his people.

And these are the years of the life of Ishmael, an hundred and thirty and seven years: and he gave up the ghost and died; and was gathered unto his people.

Genesis 25, KJB

And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Genesis 35, KJB

And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.

Genesis 49, KJB

There are other important issues, but this is the first and foremost issue to realize—our bodies are piles of dirt that have received life from the spirit that God created. When the spirit or ghost returns to the God Who gave it, our bodies will return to their former state—lifeless inert piles of dirt.

¶ And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

Genesis 3, KJB

An old proverb says that only a fool will bite the hand that feeds him. Yet so many people take their lives for granted and refuse to realize that the God whose existence they deny, is the same God Who gave them their lives with which they deny. Without life from the animating spirit, their bodies would return to the dirt piles from which they came.

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

Psalm 53, KJB

Even as Bible-believing Christians, we fall into the sin of failing to glorify our Lord with our life’s goals. We know that there is no guarantee of tomorrow, and yet we plan our life’s journeys as if we had power over the life that the spirit gives. We need to be mindful of the fact that we are nothing more than a pile of dirt without the life of God’s spirit—called a “ghost” or a “vapour,”—animating our bodies. Our bodies have no power of life of themselves, despite the best efforts of the world’s foremost scientists and doctors. Truly, life is a gift.

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain:
Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.
For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.
But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James 4, KJB

Some people exercise great power over other people, so much so that they often regard themselves as gods, but they are nothing more than a pile of dirt without the life given by God’s spirit.

And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

Acts 12, KJB

There are angry and self-righteous people everywhere who have judged their God and Creator as cruel, unfair, sadistic, prejudiced, etc. because He failed to prevent the death of a loved one or the loss of some prized possession or that He, as a holy and righteous God, condemns the wicked, sinful, and perverse behavior of His creation. Isn’t it enough for these people that they were freely given life? Yet they would still complain, sometimes bitterly.

The second important issue of life is that not only will our bodies end up as a dirt pile, but also our souls will end up in Hell if we do nothing substantial with the life loaned to us to change that.

¶ There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

Luke 16, KJB

Abraham’s Bosom is empty now since Jesus took the souls that were there to Heaven with Him after He arose from the dead. Now the believers who put their trust and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ have this promise—

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.
¶ Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.
For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

1Corinthians 15, KJB

Fact is, no one can enter Heaven or receive everlasting life as a mortal, let alone as a corrupted mortal. The only way to inherit eternal life and secure your future is to receive the Spirit of Christ.

So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
¶ And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Romans 8, KJB

It’s quite simple. He who has the Son of God has life. No Son, no life.

¶ He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.
And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

1John 5, KJB

Humble yourself unto the Lord Jesus Christ, pray for mercy, ask the Lord to forgive your sins and to come into your heart, and then to make your body His temple—and you shall receive eternal life as countless multitudes before you.

¶ And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Luke 18, KJB

Let us know of your decision to receive the Lord Jesus Christ, and we will rejoice with you and help you grow in your faith!

Interesting Facts about Christianity
for Bible Believers

The Difference between a “Christian” and a True Christian

The chief and greatest difference between those who call themselves “Christians” and the true Christians is the object of their worship. The true Christians, also known as Bible believers, will not worship any other creature but the Creator Himself.

Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.

Isaiah 45, KJB

For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Exodus 34, KJB

Those who call themselves “Christians” will worship anything and everything except their Creator. They not only worship their statues and gods, but they worship and idolize their so-called “church” which is actually a corporation called a “church,” their “church” leaders, a piece of dirt otherwise known as a country, their satanic government, their supposed public servants, their military, their intellect and education, sports, music, sex, their flag, their possessions, ad nauseam.

Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Romans 1, KJB

Submission and obedience is servitude and worship, whether compelled or voluntary.

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

Romans 6, KJB

¶ And it came to pass, when Joshua was by Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand: and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries?
And he said, Nay; but as captain of the host of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto him, What saith my lord unto his servant?
And the captain of the LORD’S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is holy. And Joshua did so.

Joshua 5, KJB

History has proven that those who call themselves “Christians” will despise, fear and hate the true Christians, and will persecute them because the latter will not worship the former. Persecution is usually under the guise of heresy or treason.

Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

2Timothy 3

¶ After these things did king Ahasuerus promote Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes that were with him.
And all the king’s servants, that were in the king’s gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
Then the king’s servants, which were in the king’s gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king’s commandment?
Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.
And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king’s laws: therefore it is not for the king’s profit to suffer them.
If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king’s treasuries.

Esther 3, KJB

Because man’s fallen and sinful nature craves worship in the same manner as Satan, it identifies the source of power of those who falsely and ignorantly call themselves “Christians.”

Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

John 8, KJB

And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.

Luke 4, KJB

Everything that the Lord has, Satan has counterfeited. The Lord has His Christ and His prophets; Satan has his (anti)Christ and (false) Prophet. The Lord has His (living) church and (true) Christians; Satan has his (dead) church (corporations) and (false) Christians (corporate members). These false Christians, who also go by other names such as “Father,” are renowned for their hypocrisy.

And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.
¶ But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.
Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?
And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.
Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?
Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.
And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.
And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.
Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.
Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Matthew 23, KJB

He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:
But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.
And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;
Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Mark 7, KJB

Satan’s singular most significant accomplishment to thwart the preaching of the Gospel was the outrageous and hypocritical actions by Christian imitators, bringing not only shame to the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ but vengeance upon the innocent by those wronged by “Christianity.”

For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

2John 1, KJB

These false “Christians” are almost entirely responsible for the rapes, tortures and deaths of millions of innocent people, the destruction of unfathomable amounts of property, the collapse of economy, the breeding of terrorism, the seizure of national resources, and the devastation of millions more of lives and health—always in countries besides their own.

The first of the Crusades began in 1095, when armies of Christians from Western Europe responded to Pope Urban II’s plea to go to war against Muslim forces in the Holy Land. After the First Crusade achieved its goal with the capture of Jerusalem in 1099, the invading Christians set up several Latin Christian states, even as Muslims in the region vowed to wage holy war (jihad) to regain control over the region. Deteriorating relations between the Crusaders and their Christian allies in the Byzantine Empire culminated in the sack of Constantinople in 1204 during the Third Crusade. Near the end of the 13th century, the rising Mamluk dynasty in Egypt provided the final reckoning for the Crusaders, toppling the coastal stronghold of Acre and driving the European invaders out of Palestine and Syria in 1291.

The First Crusade (1096-99)

Four armies of Crusaders were formed …; they were set to depart for Byzantium in August 1096. A less organized band of knights and commoners known as the “People’s Crusade” set off before the others under the command of a popular preacher known as Peter the Hermit. Peter’s army traipsed through the Byzantine Empire, leaving destruction in their wake. … In the first major clash between the Crusaders and the Muslims, Turkish forces crushed the invading Europeans at Cibotus. Another group of Crusaders, led by the notorious Count Emicho, carried out a series of massacres of Jews in various towns in the Rhineland in 1096, drawing widespread outrage and causing a major crisis in Jewish-Christian relations.

… In May 1097, the Crusaders and their Byzantine allies attacked Nicea (now Iznik, Turkey), the Seljuk capital in Anatolia; the city surrendered in late June. Despite deteriorating relations between the Crusaders and Byzantine leaders, the combined force continued its march through Anatolia, capturing the great Syrian city of Antioch in June 1098. After various internal struggles over control of Antioch, the Crusaders began their march toward Jerusalem, then occupied by Egyptian Fatimids (who as Shi’ite Muslims were enemies of the Sunni Seljuks). Encamping before Jerusalem in June 1099, the Christians forced the besieged city’s governor to surrender by mid-July. Despite Tancred’s promise of protection, the Crusaders slaughtered hundreds of men, women and children in their victorious entrance into the city.

The … Second Crusade (1147-49)

… until around 1130, when Muslim forces began gaining ground in their own holy war (or jihad) against the Christians, whom they called “Franks.” In 1144, the Seljuk general Zangi, governor of Mosul, captured Edessa, leading to the loss of the northernmost Crusader state.

… the Second Crusade began in 1147. That October, the Turks crushed Conrad’s forces at Dorylaeum, site of a great victory during the First Crusade. After Louis and Conrad managed to assemble their armies at Jerusalem, they decided to attack the Syrian stronghold of Damascus with an army of some 50,000 (the largest Crusader force yet). Previously well disposed towards the Franks, Damascus’ ruler was forced to call on Nur al-Din, Zangi’s successor in Mosul, for aid. The combined Muslim forces dealt a humiliating defeat to the Crusaders, decisively ending the Second Crusade; Nur al-Din would add Damascus to his expanding empire in 1154.

The Third Crusade (1189-92)

After numerous attempts by the Crusaders of Jerusalem to capture Egypt, Nur al-Din’s forces (led by the general Shirkuh and his nephew, Saladin) seized Cairo in 1169 and forced the Crusader army to evacuate. Upon Shirkuh’s subsequent death, Saladin assumed control and began a campaign of conquests that accelerated after Nur al-Din’s death in 1174. In 1187, Saladin began a major campaign against the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem. His troops virtually destroyed the Christian army at the battle of Hattin, taking the city along with a large amount of territory.

Outrage over these defeats inspired the Third Crusade, … Richard’s forces defeated those of Saladin in the battle of Arsuf; it would be the only true battle of the Third Crusade. … In September 1192, Richard and Saladin signed a peace treaty that reestablished the Kingdom of Jerusalem (though without the city of Jerusalem) and ended the Third Crusade.

The Fourth to the Sixth Crusade (1198-1229)

… power struggles in and between Europe and Byzantium drove the Crusaders to divert their mission in order to topple the reigning Byzantine emperor, Alexius III, in favor of his nephew, who became Alexius IV in mid-1203. The new emperor’s attempts to submit the Byzantine church to Rome met with stiff resistance, and Alexius IV was strangled after a palace coup in early 1204. In response, the Crusaders declared war on Constantinople, and the Fourth Crusade ended with the conquest and looting of the magnificent Byzantine capital later that year.

The remainder of the 13th century saw a variety of Crusades aimed … at combating any and all of those seen as enemies of the Christian faith [*editor—true Christians are regarded as heretics and enemies of the false “Christians”]. The Albigensian Crusade (1208-29) aimed to root out the heretical Cathari or Albigensian sect of Christianity in France, while the Baltic Crusades (1211-25) sought to subdue pagans in Transylvania. In the Fifth Crusade, put in motion by Pope Innocent III before his death in 1216, the Crusaders attacked Egypt from both land and sea, but were forced to surrender to Muslim defenders led by Saladin’s nephew, Al-Malik al-Kamil, in 1221. In 1229, in what became known as the Sixth Crusade, Emperor Frederick II achieved the peaceful transfer of Jerusalem to Crusader control through negotiation with al-Kamil. The peace treaty expired a decade later, and Muslims easily regained control of Jerusalem. [1]

In every Crusade, the false “Christians” idolized and worshiped their leaders and the pope assured them that he had forgiven their sins as “God” and entry into Heaven was certain.

… the Crusader was presumably protected from foreclosure of his debts, from attack by his Christian enemies, and if he should die, he was assured instant entry into heaven. Urban had issued a special indulgence that any person who died while on Crusade would be spared the flames of purgatory. [2]

And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.

Acts 12, KJB

False “Christians” worship their leaders, military, country, and flag under the guise of godliness and patriotism. Those that don’t, suffer persecution as heretics and traitors.

The Pope takes the place of Jesus Christ on earth...by divine right the pope has supreme and full power in faith and morals over each and every pastor and his flock. He is the true Vicar of Christ, the head of the entire church, the father and teacher of all Christians He is the infallible ruler, the founder of dogmas, the author of and the judge of councils; the universal ruler of truth, the arbiter of the world, the supreme judge of heaven and earth, the judge of all, being judged by one, God himself on earth. [3]

Sitting in that chair in which Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, sat to the close of life, the Catholic Church recognizes in his person the most exalted degree of dignity, and the full jurisdiction not based on constitutions, but emanating from no less authority than from God Himself. As the Successor of St. Peter and the true and legitimate Vicar of Jesus Christ, he therefore, presides over the Universal Church, the Father and Governor of all the faithful, of Bishops, also and of all other prelates, be their station, rant, or power, what they may be. [4]

…the pope holds upon this earth the place of God Almighty. [5]

True Christians, known better as Bible believers, were especially persecuted by the false Christians, better known as Papists or Catholics, for about 600 years, first militarily with the Crusades and then later with The Inquisition in most European countries with the support of the dominated State. Neither sex nor age was spared.

Those who classify themselves as Christians can be divided into 2 broad groups: those who have chosen to allow the Bible to be their final authority and those who have chosen to allow men to be their final authority. For sake of simplicity, I shall refer to the first group as "Bible believing Christians." The latter group has always been best represented by Roman Catholicism, by far its largest, most powerful, and most influential component. The Roman Catholic hierarchy has always boldly stated that it is not dependent upon Scripture alone, but also accepts tradition as another pillar of truth -- and where a conflict exists, tradition receives the greater acceptance. Being its own arbiter of what is to be accepted as truth, it accepts no authority as being higher than itself. This explains why the Catholic belief system has been constantly evolving over the centuries.

This also explains why a fierce antagonism has always existed between Bible believing Christianity and Roman Catholicism. Rome's frequent spiritual innovations excites the passions of Bible believers, who react adversely to religious modifications that are at odds with the eternal, changeless Word of God. Harboring a supreme confidence in the Book, a trust which reflects their trust in the Holy Spirit who authored the Scriptures, the Bible believers boldly challenge the suppositions of the Catholic hierarchy. In the course of this spiritual warfare, Catholic people are frequently converted from trust in Rome's complex religious system to a childlike faith in the Saviour and a simple reliance on His Word. Many such converts ultimately leave the Church of Rome to join local, New Testament churches. Frequently in history, the trickle of individuals who were making this remarkable transformation turned into a flood. Such ruptures cannot go unchecked by the Catholic hierarchy. As with any bureaucracy, its primary interest is its own protection and propagation.

…

Catholic apologists attempt to downplay the significance of the Inquisition, saying that relatively few people were ever directly affected. While controversy rages around the number of victims that can be claimed by the Inquisition, conservative estimates easily place the count in the millions. This does not include the equally vast numbers of human beings slaughtered in the various wars and other conflicts instigated over the centuries by Vatican political intrigues. Nor does it take in account the Holocaust wrought upon the Jews by the Nazis, led by Roman Catholics who used their own religious history to justify their modern excesses. As one secular history explains, "As the Germans instituted a bureaucracy of organized murder, so too did Torquemada, the first Grand Inquisitor, a worthy predecessor of Heydrich and Eichmann." [6]

About Me and the Ministry

Going soul-winning! Joshua and Patience are new converts and they couldn’t wait to tell others the good news of the precious Gospel, just like the Samaritan woman! God bless them!

My first convert, Mr. Yonana Matthew, is a Sunday school teacher in Ecwa church. This man was lost and on his way to hell. During my first day of soul winning in Zida, he came to me and asked how he can be saved and I gave him the plan of salvation. He then accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour! He reads only Hausa, but I’m also teaching him English now. The Lord is so good!

Hello, everyone! My name is Moses Nyiku and this is my first newsletter since I started laboring for the Lord here in Zida village, Nigeria, as a local missionary and I wanted to let you all know what’s been happening. I’m a young man of 20 years of age but the Lord has given me a passion for the lost souls in Africa, which has led me to Zida village.

Zida village is a very poor village, like most villages actually, with practically no economy at all. The people barely subsist by growing their foodstuffs in the ground. Here there are no job opportunities at all, no electric power, no refrigeration, no running water, poor sanitation, and the constant threat of malaria. Sustaining a church here is nearly impossible when the lack of economy leaves the people too poor to support their spiritual needs.

Since my arrival in Zida, I have preached to about 200 people. Out of that, about 30 souls have accepted Christ as their Saviour and about 20 are coming for Bible study and prayer meetings. Four people have officially joined the church. Soul winning has been good!

I also have a school ministry where I have preached to about 500 children three times a week. So far, about 25 children have received Christ as their Saviour.

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

2Peter 3, KJB

For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.

Ezekiel 18, KJB

Before God, we are all equal. He loves the poor as equally as He loves the wealthy. God is no respecter of persons.

¶ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

Acts 10, KJB

I invite all of you to be a part of this great ministry by supporting my material needs from the comfort of your homes, so that I may devote my time entirely to the Lord’s Ministry of bringing the Gospel to Africa’s lost. I am planning to give periodic reports of the progress made in order to let God’s people see what their participation is doing. It’s been my prayer that God’s people, who are able, would be willing to support this most worthy mission—the salvation of souls of Africa’s poorest people. Whether by donating directly or patronizing the ads, you will be supporting this ministry.

¶ I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;
That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;
Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate;
Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

1Timothy 6, KJB

These faithful young men, Terna and Joshua, are members of the independent Baptist church in Zida and want to serve the Lord.

Mr. Atiku and his family are members of the independent Baptist church in Zida. The single room where we hold services is his home and the chairs are his as well. The church is meeting there until it has its own land. Please pray for the independent Baptist church in Zida.

Through Bible study and prayer meetings, Jonah, Terna, Joshua, and Patience made the decision to join the church. Praise God!

These three schoolteachers, Solomon, Barnabas and Patience, got saved during the school ministry outreach when I was teaching about the end-times.

Terna is in high school, Patience is a primary schoolteacher, and Joshua, a new covert, is ready for baptism. Like many Africans, he has no formal education. All three came to Zida village to escape the Boko Haram terrorism crisis. They all came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour.