Scientists Study Speaking in Tongues

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that there may be a neurological parallel...

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania found that there may be a neurological parallel between what worshipers believe about the speaking-in-tongues experience and what actually transpires in the brain, The New York Times reported.

Scientists took brain images from five healthy, active, churchgoing women as they were speaking in tongues and as they were singing. Comparing the two images, the researchers discovered that the women’s frontal lobes—the willful, thinking part of the brain—were quiet, as were the language centers, indicating something else was in control, the Times reported.

“The amazing thing was how the images supported people’s interpretation of what was happening,” said Dr. Andrew B. Newberg, the lead researcher and director of the university’s Center for Spirituality and the Mind. “The way they describe it, and what they believe, is that God is talking through them.”

Scans of people practicing meditation differed sharply. Newberg found that during meditation the frontal lobe was more active. The findings were published in the journal Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging.

Cameron Fisher/ Azusa Street Centennial

taken from Charisma Magazine;
posted by Steven Wong
Charisma Assembly Segamat

A Love Story

10th grade.

As I sat there in English class, I stared at the girl next to me. She was my so called "best friend". I stared at her long, silky hair, and wished she was mine. But she didn't notice me like that, and I knew it.

After class, she walked up to me and asked me for the notes she had missed the day before and handed them to her. She said "thanks" and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I wanted to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why.

11th grade.

The phone rang. On the other end, it was her. She was in tears, mumbling on and on about how her love had broke her heart. She asked me to come over because she didn't want to be alone, so I did. As I sat next to her on the sofa, I stared at her soft eyes, wishing she was mine.

After 2 hours, one Drew Barrymore movie, and three bags of chips, she decided to go to sleep. She looked at me, said "thanks" and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I want to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why.

Senior year.

The day before prom she walked to my locker. "My date is sick" she said; he's not going to go well, I didn't have a date, and in 7th grade, we made a promise that if neither of us had dates, we would go together just as "best friends". So we did. Prom night, after everything was over, I was standing at her front door step! I stared at her as she smiled at me and stared at me with her crystal eyes. I want her to be mine, but she doesn't think of me like that, and I know it.

Then she said "I had the best time, thanks!" and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I want to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why.

Graduation Day

A day passed, then a week, then a month. Before I could blink, it was graduation day. I watched as her perfect body floated like an angel up on stage to get her diploma. I wanted her to be mine, but she didn't notice me like that, and I knew it. Before everyone went home, she came to me in her smock and hat, and cried as I hugged her. Then she lifted her head from my shoulder and said, "you're my best friend, thanks" and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I want to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why.

A Few Years Later

Now I sit in the pews of the church. That girl is getting married now. I watched her say "I do" and drive off to her new life, married to another man. I wanted her to be mine, but she didn`t see me like that, and I knew it. But before she drove away, she came to me and said "you came!". She said "thanks" and kissed me on the cheek. I want to tell her, I want her to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love her but I'm just too shy, and I don't know why.


Funeral

Years passed, I looked down at the coffin of a girl who used to be my "best friend". At the service, they read a diary entry she had wrote in her high school years. This is what it read:

I stare at him wishing he was mine, but he doesn't notice me like that, and I know it. I want to tell him, I want him to know that I don't want to be just friends, I love him but I'm just too shy, and I don't >> know why. I wish he would tell me he loved me! I wish I did too... I thought to my self, and I cried.

i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u
i love u

DONT WAIT CAUSE IT MIGHT BE TOO LATE TELL THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE THAT YOU LOVE THEM OR YOU WILL REGRET IT THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!!!!!

posted by
John Lee

ADVANTAGES IN BELONGING TO A MOVEMENT OF CHURCHES

The following points were adapted from New Life Churches New Zealand:

ADVANTAGES IN BELONGING TO A MOVEMENT OF CHURCHES

# CO-OPERATION - working together with a national movement is of great advantage.

# COMPANIONSHIP - comradeship that is fostered keeps Pastors from isolation and independance.

# BEING PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER - this brings a sense of security for people in a local church.

# EXCHANGE OF MINISTRY - interaction creates wealth through access to a variety of gifts and experience.

# RESOURCES - distribution of a range of resources – book reviews, tapes, reccomendations etc.

# BALANCE AND OBJECTIVITY - by sharing with peers, balance comes through seeing different viewpoints.

# INTER-DEPENDENCE - inter-dependence is important, a much more mature state than independance.

# SYNERGY - by exchanging ideas and concepts, the corporate output becomes much more than the input.

# ENABLES LARGER PROJECTS - Churches with a common objective can join with others to achieve greater results.

# ACCOUNTABILITY - This brings responsibility and safety for leaders and people in a local church.

# PROTECTION FOR THE LOCAL CHURCH - As families need fathers for counsel, so does a church.

# A WORKABLE NATIONAL VEHICLE - it is easier to form relationships and work practically in a family of churches.

Posted by:
Steven Wong
Charisma Assembly Segamat

Beware of light thoughts of sin

At the time of conversion, the conscience is so tender, that we are afraid of the slightest sin. Young converts have a holy timidity, a godly fear lest they should offend against God. But alas! very soon the fine bloom upon these first ripe fruits is removed by the rough handling of the surrounding world: the sensitive plant of young piety turns into a willow in after life, too pliant, too easily yielding. It is sadly true, that even a Christian may grow by degrees so callous, that the sin which once startled him does not alarm him in the least.

By degrees men get familiar with sin. The ear in which the cannon has been booming will not notice slight sounds. At first a little sin startles us; but soon we say, "Is it not a little one?" Then there comes another, larger, and then another, until by degrees we begin to regard sin as but a little ill; and then follows an unholy presumption: "We have not fallen into open sin. True, we tripped a little, but we stood upright in the main. We may have uttered one unholy word, but as for the most of our conversation, it has been consistent." So we palliate sin; we throw a cloak over it; we call it by dainty names. Christian, beware how thou thinkest lightly of sin. Take heed lest thou fall by little and little. Sin, a little thing? Is it not a poison? Who knows its deadliness? Sin, a little thing? Do not the little foxes spoil the grapes? Doth not the tiny coral insect build a rock which wrecks a navy? Do not little strokes fell lofty oaks? Will not continual droppings wear away stones? Sin, a little thing? It girded the Redeemer's head with thorns, and pierced His heart! It made Him suffer anguish, bitterness, and woe. Could you weigh the least sin in the scales of eternity, you would fly from it as from a serpent, and abhor the least appearance of evil. Look upon all sin as that which crucified the Saviour, and you will see it to be "exceeding sinful."

Reproduced from:
(C.H. Spurgeon, "Morning and Evening Devotions")


John

New cult reaching out via Internet.

A new cult which is based in Indonesia, is reaching out via the Internet to the neighboring countries.

Led by a 58 year-old single mother, who reportedly has a young son, the reports quoted the sect’s website as saying that its membership was growing and that its followers included politicians.

Cult founder Lia Aminuddin claimed that an angel came to her in 1997 and had trained and tested her to be “the savior”.

She also claimed to be God’s anointed judge to mete out punishment on disbelievers. The former gardener, who referred herself as “Lia Eden”, said recent natural calamities that had occurred were all forms of punishments from God against those who challenged the authenticity of the cults teachings.

The local vernacular newspapers reported on the cult’s website which showed various rituals performed by the followers. All of them were dressed in white robes while many, who had their heads shaved, wore white bands around their heads.

Jesus had warned about the rise of false prophets and false messiahs in the time just preceding his second coming.

He said in Matthew 24: 11; ‘Then many false prophets will rise and deceive many.

Paul also gave this prophecy when he wrote in 1 Timothy 4:1 ‘Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons.

The media also report on a certain president of a middle east country who is now actively promoting and preparing for their 'messiah' to arise from his country.

All these are happening and will continue to happen because these are the signs that will be manifested more and more until Jesus comes again.

Along with these signs are the other events politically, socially, and natural disasters that will continue to take place in greater frequencies and magnitude.

We are seeing all these but Jesus said that these are only like labor pains that must precede the birth of the baby. In other words, his coming is not yet but just as labor pains intensify in frequency and magnitude just before the birth, it would
also be so before Jesus returns to judge the world

John Lee

Thinking about Jesus

One of the prerequisites for being a servant of God is to think like a servant. This would be fine if it wasn't so impossible. We are all naturally wired to think only of ourselves.


Learning to give preference to others is one of the true marks of a Christian because it is so contrary to human nature. That's why desiring it comes from God, and doing it comes through the Holy Spirit.


Paul said of Timothy: “I have no one else like Timothy, who genuinely cares for your welfare. All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ” (Philippians 2:20-21 NLT).


Hidden in these verses is the secret to making an attitude of servanthood become a part of your thinking. It starts with Jesus. When you fall in love with Jesus, you focus on Him and worship Him. As you do this, you find out about Him -- you get to know Him as you would a friend -- and soon you come to know what matters to Him, until finally, you start to realize that what matters to Him, matters to you. This is not just a factor of familiarity, either. There is a supernatural element at work here as well. What matters to Jesus connects with the Holy Spirit in you, and the Spirit answers from deep inside you to the call of truth.


Other people mattered deeply to Jesus. He could read their hurt and pain. Scripture says He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Well where did that grief and sorrow come from if it didn't come from the suffering of people around Him? In other words, He was bearing their grief and carrying their sorrow. Once a woman touched him in a desperate need to be healed, and He could feel the compassionate power go from Him even though He didn't see who touched Him in the press of the crowd. He was that sensitive to the needs of those around Him.


So if you're struggling with having a servant's heart, get closer to Jesus. Ask Him to help you see people through His eyes. Ask God to move your heart with the same things that move the heart of Jesus, and then be ready to act on what you find out. And don't forget to keep falling in love with the life of Christ as recorded in the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), because that is how you come to learn what moved Him.


By John Fisher.
Reproduced from Purpose Driven Life daily devotion

JL>

Passing Our Faith To Our Children

Today's culture shows the remarkable success of Satan in influencing the values of the world with all the TV programs and internet access into adults sites. The media has also been an influence and has been used to convince the values of people to a decadent level.

Advertisements in the media are all laced with lust and sensual suggestions. What about the behavior and dress culture of screen icons? There is a generous flaunting of the flesh which leaves nothing to the imagination.

It is a common sight to see our daughters coming to church wearing plunging necklines and also low hanging jeans or slacks. Satan has been most successful in convincing our sons and daughters that his ways lead to happiness and fun. That to be popular, they need to think, talk and act as modern culture tells them to.

The deception is also that there is no need to worry about tomorrow---that they should go for all the pleasure they can get today. That illicit sex is fun and everybody is (or should be) doing it. That drugs and alcohol are a wonderful escape. Satan has thus far been remarkably successful in his efforts.

How do we counteract this influence?

Parents must tell God's story to their children as soon as they are abale to grasp it. This is done by parents exposing their children to the Scriptures, sharing what God has done in their own lives and helping each child connect to God's love and His plan.

Each child is unique and have different talents, gifts, fears and desires. The challenge of a parent is to meet each child at his or her point of need and interest. We should help them to connect to God in the context of their individual emotional and intellectual make-up.

In embracing the way of God, a child will have to identify this way with his or her own personal circumstances and thinking. Our educational efforts as parents have to be tailored to the individual child. Parents should ask God in prayer to help them see the ways that they can make His existence and truth relevant to their children.

Making connections with your children's interests will help them connect to others who walk with God successfully. They can and should picture themselves as having the potential to be servants of God.

Parents must attempt to connect with their children by perceiving what is in their hearts their feelings and emotions, hopes and dreams and what they aspire to be. These can become the basis of discussion of how God and His truth can impact their lives. they will gradually learn that God is there as a friend and help. It needs to become very personal or else they will feel it doesn't apply to them.



John Lee