The Reality Of Evil Part 3

By Pastor Baz
Over the last two weeks we have looked at the reality of evil. Is evil just a tag to describe the absence of good or does it have an intelligence and intent.

Is there a real force called the devil, which is known in Christianity generally as a fallen angel that exists to tempt humans and lead them away from God.

Then I discussed whether it was too easy to blame the 'devil' for things we need to take personal responsibility for.

For many Christians it's easy to try to look for evil outside the Church - everyone can quote names like Stalin, Hiter, Pol Pot etc. For many other Christians they see the devil behind organisations that run the world covertly. Again, many Christians see sin in the world as the main source of evil, created by the fall of man in the garden of Eden.

But for many people of other faiths and no faith, they can see many evils within the Church itself - wars against other nations in the name of God, child abuse, financial constroversies, hyprocrisy and judgemental nature.

But this week I wanted to look at evil in religion itself. In all religions. And I want to base it around the issue of Priestcraft. Not witchcraft, but priestcraft.

All religions try to bring communion between humans and the divine. To get God or the gods to provide, to answer prayer, to assure entry into the afterlife.

Read about the life of the Prince who is now revered as Buddha. The things that started him in his journey to ask questions about his world and culture. Then look at what Buddhism is today. Monks and ceremonies. Elaborate structures, endless Koans. The simplicity was lost to priestcraft and systems.

The Hindu's - talk to a Hindu about the origins of their religion - it started out as a monotheistic system. With Priestcraft came many gods, the caste system, oppression and systematic barriers between people that removed any opportunity for equality.

The Mayans, the Aztecs and the Toltec's. Human sacrifices made by priests on behalf of the people to the gods.

The Egyptians - a monotheistic culture that created a pantheon of gods and worship of the Pharaoh by priestcraft.

The first people recorded on the Jewish Torah - in the scriptures and Jewish tradition, Nimrod led a rebellion against God by building the tower of Babel, out of which come the traditions of Semiramis and Horus, and the first polytheistic religions.

The hungry tribes in Burma at the mercy of disease and famine who offer 90% of their produce to the Idol of a cat at the wishes of the witchdoctor or risk the wrath of the gods. Priestcraft.

The Jewish system in the first century - the Pharisee's, Sadducee's, scribes and temple dealers who had huge financial interest in making sure the barriers between people and God via temple sacrifice and atonement was complicated, ritualistic and commercially in their favour. Why did Jesus make a cord of whips and drive them out of the temple forecourts?

The Christian Church - the priesthood which was established as a function of all believers by Jesus Christ was reinstituted by the Roman Church to supplant Emperor worship. Did the Roman Catholic Church at the time of the reformation look like anything other than the oppression of priestcraft?

What are you saying Pastor Baz? That there is a pattern in evil creeping into the relationship between humans and God. All religions start out as either a form of communion between humans and the one God or as a humanistic endeavour to find the meaning of life.

All religions are corrupted when humans bring a form of priestcraft into the equation. All religions that start off with one God become polytheistic when priestcraft becomes involved.

Priestcraft says "Humans and God cannot commune without our mediation".  Priestcraft creates warring factions. Priestcraft is about pride and control. It is about leading the people as far away from God as possible. And that, according to the bible is from one source.

Satan, which means 'adversary'.

Jesus came into the world as a man at a time when the whole earth was under the control of priestcraft, from the most primitive peoples, the the emperor worship of the Roman Empire, to the corruption of the Jewish system.

And he opposed it. He spoke about a way that was free for all humans to access God. He said the Kingdom of God was here, near and within us. He said if we abandoned complex rituals and the reliance on priestcraft and believed in Him and His way, we would have eternal life. Then the punishment of speaking out, he took the full weight of the sacrifice's that humans had been making for millennia to reach God upon Himself on a Roman cross. Then incredibly, He rose from the dead, and promised to send a helper to all humans that believed - the Holy Spirit.

During His life on earth, there are more recordings of demonic encounters than the whole previous recorded history in the Old Testament.

Because there are spiritual forces that encourage and enable priestcraft in all religions, that it's adherents may never find the truth about God.

There are intentional, evil forces at work in all religions across the world. The Chief exorcist of the Catholic Church, Father Amorth, recently said (paraphrased) "The devil has infiltrated the Church at every level".

It's a scary thought, but that comment is true. Lets not look at other religions as the realm of the devil when our own house has been broken into.

The answer is not to hate people who have different beliefs because that is to go against everything Jesus Christ taught.

The answer is not to unite all religions and to become inclusive, because that is to go against the first commandment.

But the answer is to become seekers of the one true God and to see priestcraft for what it is - another form of demonic idolatry - and let the Spirit of God guide us to the truth.

The origin of evil began when satan first started to rebel and against God, and in his own form of priestcraft created a system where the angels that followed him believed his promise - that through him they would find freedom.

Adam and Eve believed the next form of Priestcraft - the serpent.

And so on, and so on.

Next time you buy a dvd about the evils of witchcraft from your local Christian bookshop, be mindful to look out for the evil of priestcraft in your own backyard. Because it is more stealthy, insidious and destructive than just about any other evil that intended to seperate people from Gods love and freedom.

God bless you - Pastor Baz.

Paranormal In The News 24/05/10

Cryptomundo Bald Beast of KI: it's a mink

"While some individuals writing to Cryptomundo have suggested the mink species specifically as the answer, let me quote from the opinion of an authority consulted by Forgetomori, via biologist Maria Guimarães, who shared the thoughts of James L. Patton, Curator and Professor Emeritus, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California: “[The] mystery critter looks more like a mink than an otter to me (longer fingers, without any evidence of webbing). It clearly was dead in the water for a prolonged period, hence the defurred face and head, and somewhat swollen appearance….If anyone had bothered to look at the teeth, the identification would have been easy, but….”"

To read more click here

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Yarmouth Mercury Can you spot the ghost?

"BE afraid, be very afraid because look closely at this photo and you might spot a ghost! Angela Buttifant got the fright of her life when the mysterious apparition appeared on the photograph taken at Great Yarmouth's historic Tolhouse.

What appears to be a ghostly form floating near the lantern in the dungeons of the old gaol was revealed to an amazed Angela when she put the photo on her Facebook website.

And with millions of us signed up to social networking sites it seems that this particular spirit wanted to put in an appearance too.

Mum of three Angela had not sensed anything spooky during the visit to the Tolhouse at the museums night event on Saturday so had a big shock when the spectre was captured on camera.

She said: “My nephew Adam first saw the ghost and when he told me I found it hard to believe, but then I saw it I just went wow. It was a little scary and almost made me jump."


To read more click here


Note from Bry: If anyone can see what they are talking about could you circle it and send it to me? I can't see anything.


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Daily Telegraph President told aliens are on earth

"EX US President Eisenhower was briefed about the presence of extraterrestrial intelligent beings on Earth and was invited to meet alien visitors.

Henry W. McElroy, Jr, retiring State Representative to New Hampshire, declared this week that former US President Eisenhower was briefed about the presence of extraterrestrial intelligent beings on Earth.

McElroy also said that the document he viewed while at the State Legislature made referrence to the opportunity for Eisenhower to meet the alien visitors."

To read more click here


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Ninemsn Mobile Phone Company Bans 'Cursed' Number

"Superstitious bosses of a Bulgarian mobile phone company have reportedly banned a phone number from their system after everyone who was assigned it died.

The number, 0888 888 888, was first used by the company's CEO Vladimir Grashnov. He died of cancer in 2001, at the age of 48.

The company then gave the number to Konstantin Dimitrov, an underworld crime figure who was shot dead in 2003."

To read more click here
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Dailymail Complex Crop Circle Appears In Rape Seed Field

"An extraordinary crop circle based on the 'world's most beautiful maths theorem' has appeared in a field next to a windmill in Wiltshire.

The complex disc, which measures 300ft across, appeared to the east of Wilton Windmill near Marlborough in a blazing yellow rape seed field.

It appeared on Saturday just 25miles from another circle that popped up a fortnight ago by the Iron Age hill fort of Old Sarum."

Read more: here


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Daily Record Hotel claims to have caught ghost on cctv

A SCOTS hotel is convinced it has managed to capture a ghost on camera after CCTV cameras picked up spooky goings on in the car park.

Staff at the New Lanark Mill have reported ghostly sightings over the years - but now say they have evidence to back up their claims.

And the hotel's general manager John Sirrat believes the footage, which you can see on our player below, is a ghost.

video link from phantomsandmonsters

To read more click here


Bryonys thoughts: Probably a rain drop on the lens? snow flake? spider? spider web? To me it doesn't look like a ghost. The object is too close to the lens and therefore the camera can't focus on it giving it the blurry effect. There is something in the top right corner moving in the same way as though being blown by the wind.


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ninemsnCambodian "Jungle Woman" back in forest

Cambodia's "jungle woman," whose story gripped the country after she apparently spent 18 years living in a forest, has fled back to the jungle, her father and local police say.

Rochom P'ngieng, now 29, went missing as a little girl in 1989 while herding water buffalo in Ratanakkiri province, around 600 kilometres northeast of the capital, Phnom Penh.

In early 2007 the woman was brought from the jungle, naked and dirty, after being caught trying to steal food from a farmer. She was hunched over like a monkey, scavenging on the ground for pieces of dried rice.

"She must have fled back to the forest on Tuesday evening while she was going to take a bath," Sal Lou, the man who says he is her father, told AFP by telephone on Friday.

"I and my son are looking for her in the middle forest now," he said, adding that he believed "forest spirits" guided her back to the dense jungle.

Local police chief Ma Vichet said the authorities had also begun a search but had found no sign of the woman.

To read more click here

Interview with Dustin Pari from Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International

If you're a fan of Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International or anything paranormal then you will have heard of Dustin Pari. Dustin has been on our TV screens for many years now showing his talents as a paranormal investigator. He's never been shy of sharing his faith in God and as a group we wanted to learn more about this faith and what keeps him going as a paranormal investigator.

Dustin, great to have you tuned into the land downunder for a moment. As a Christian group that investigates and collates stories on Cryptozoology and the Paranormal, it is great to learn that you are a man of strong faith.

How have you found being a Christian in a highly evangelical country with some fairly fixed views on demonology and being a 'ghost hunter'? Have some of your greatest supporters or critics been the Church?

Just like with many other faiths and walks of life- there are those who take things to the extreme and in doing so miss the point entirely.
I am fortunate enough to say that many in my own congregation support what I do and talk to me openly about it.  I actually have networked with quite a few Christians and even Priests within different branches of Catholicism who actively investigate the paranormal, along with members of other faiths as well.  And then of course we have what I like to call the "Super Christians" who, though they have little or no experience in this field, automatically can say that everything we are encountering is demonic.  I like to remind them of the numerous appearances made by Mother Mary and various other Saints.  Also it is fun to mention in the resurrection account of Jesus appearing to Thomas, that he tells him "I am not a ghost"- interesting choice of words for the Messiah if all we are dealing with are demonic forces.  Some counter this by trying to mention it could have been a translation issue and it means "spirit", to which I reply "and the difference is?".

Do you think Christians/Churches should have more or less involvement in the paranormal?

Involvement in this field is a personal thing and unfortunately a blanket answer is not suitable.  I can say that I would like to see more involvement on behalf of the Catholic Church or at least some support.  There are certain ancient texts and such that could be of help in dealing with demonic forces if only they would put them out there for the public to peruse.

How did you become a Christian?

I was born and raised a Christian and attended a Roman Catholic church and elementary school.  Like most teenagers, I went through a  period of spiritual growth, questioning and self discovery.  I dare say that during most of my tenure in Catholic high school I would have considered myself an athiest.  I did explore various spiritual understandings, dabbling in Eastern Thought, Buddhism and Taoism.  At the end of the day, there were some good principles, but nothing that I hadn't already heard in a different way while growing up Catholic.

It wasn't until my mid to late twenties that I started looking for serious answers in regards to religion- up to that point I just tried to lead a good life- but was troubled at times by not feeling that I had the understanding I needed to pull myself out of the fire when the chips were down.  I awoke one morning to Church bells and decided to give it another try.  Once again I shopped around first- I went to Baptist churches,  I went back to my old Church, and then I went to a few more.  I was about to give up- once again feeling frustrated by the overwhelming feeling that most of the Churches were more focused on attendance rates and income than about the real message.  It appeared the new version of easy going Catholocism, or Catholic-Light as many call it, was here to stay; Preaching a softer message and straying from the scriptures in an attempt to be more pleasing to everyone.

I gave it one more shot when I saw advertised in the newspaper a local Church labeled a National Catholic parish.
From day one it seemed like the perfect fit and it has proven to be my spiritual home that I had long searched for.

I think that certain people are more attracted to certain aspects of the faith- regardless of what those are or where they worship, I am just glad to be a part of it all and hope that everyone continues to live their lives in positive and encouraging ways that hearken to the teachings of Christ.

In your experience do all dead people go straight to heaven or await judgement and if not a) why do we think they do if the evidence suggests otherwise; and b) what have you found has happened to some of them ie why do they hang around; and c) how can you (as an investigator) be sure they aren't spiritual imposters (ie demons)?

I think that Heaven isn't as far away as people think and that a lot of these encounters which we would label as "Intelligent Hauntings" (Meaning they interact with us and were once people like we are) are actually just those who have passed on checking in on us.

I think the ones that are lingering may be weary of judgment or simply aren't ready to come to terms with the situation.  Personally, when the good Lord calls me home, don't bother doing an EVP sessions looking for me- I am outta here.

The demonic inhumans that are here with us can be tricky- its in there nature, but there are signs you can look for- and follow up questions and such that you can hope to trip them up with.

How do you feel God protects you in the field and what sort of processes or prayers do you go through and when do you use them?

I walk through all aspects of my life in faith, not in fear.  So whether its investigating or anything else I am doing, I don't worry about it much.  I take precautions of course, but I don't have any lingering doubts.  I have a ritual of prayers which are said daily, and on investigation nights I often add in a prayer to St Michael the Archangel upon returning home.

What 'hairs you out' - what are the experiences and when are the times you think 'I wanna go home, watch TV and have a cup of hot cocoa'?

There is nothing that has made me want to head for the hills.  I have had moments where I have to gather my thoughts, grab some fresh air and then head back at it.  I am not a huge fan of those long dark hallways lined with doorways like in prisons and such- those keep me on edge.  I don't like things popping out at me- I can deal with it, but I don't have to like it.

You must have a great story Dustin, how the heck did you get involved in this 'industry'?

My first encounter was with what we classify as a shadow figure.  I was about 8 and had seen it looming in my bedroom doorway.  It scared the life out of me, and being a good little Christian school boy, I tucked my head under my sheets and prayed for the thing to go away.  It did, and I never saw it again in the remaining 10 years I lived there.  However it left its mark on me as my curiosity was piqued and would not be satisfied until I had found answers; And, so, the quest began.

Would you encourage people to become "ghost hunters" or do you think its a special calling?

I wouldn't go so far as to call it a "special" calling- most of us are rather ordinary people for sure.  However if anyone does have an interest in their life or something they want to pursue, they should do it.

Okay. Off topic now. This last question is from Pastor Baz who's son plays Rugby League. 
Do you ever watch Rugby League Football and do you think our men down under are tougher than American Football players, considering we don't wear helmets and body armour and still charge each other in a bone crunching fashion? ;-)  

Ummm...  its a matter of perspective I suppose - and my perspective is that its best not to answer.

Good answer Dustin ;) always best to be diplomatic ;) 

Thank you so much for taking the time out to answer these questions and we pray the Lord will bless you.

You can find Dustin on his website www.paranormalrockstar.com or Facebook or his Twitter page.

Interview with the hosts of ParaTrinity radio

Paratrinity Radio is a weekly radio show on All Souls Paranormal Radio Network 11pm to 12.30am American EST.


To quote from their page:
"Mike and L.E. host a new radio show titled ParaTrinity Radio on Saturday nights on www.asprn.com airing live every Saturday from 11pm to 12:30am EST. ParaTrinity Radio centers around the subject of religion vs the paranormal. How they collide or correlate; how all the faiths accept or don't accept the paranormal. This idea was triggered from a debate that the hosts, Mike and LE, had had several years ago: from a "see it to believe it" standpoint can one believe in God but not ghosts? From this debate many other questions arose that they hope to bring to the public's attention on ParaTrinity Radio!"


I (bryony) was a guest on their show one week to talk about paranormal and cryptozoology and generally have a good chat! It was great :)


I thought instead of Mike and L.E asking all the questions, I'd ask them some questions! So here goes...


Bry: How did you become interested in the paranormal?
L.E: I've always liked stories of ghosts (real or imagined) growing up and some of my favorite movies had to do with ghosts. When my family moved to NJ, we lived in a house that my mom, my brother, and I all felt and saw a person watching us. Once my fiancee had passed in the house, the other spirit left.
Bry: Did you find growing up in a haunted house scary or was it all pretty normal?
L.E: In all honesty, I never thought about it till I got older that it would not be a normal thing. I never told anyone other than Mike about it, mainly for fear of what others might have thought. But I never felt scared or in danger from it.
Mike: Sadly, to be honest, I got interested from watching Ghost Hunters. It started by someone telling me about a haunted road real close to where I lived, spending nights driving up and down the road looking for the ghosts. Then I started to watch Ghost Hunters and that is when I wanted more, to investigate, and research. And it was from there that I started a ghost tour, moved into a group, and started radio
Bry: What made you start the radio show?

L.E: Well, it started from a debate Mike and I had in the car one evening. He's better at telling it than I am

Mike: I started radio before ParaTrinity Radio when someone asked me if I would like to have a ghost tour commercial aired for free. I was excited and started listening to the show and then listened to others, and determined I could do that too. I could talk to some cool, interesting, funny and nice people. So my brother and I started a radio show. A while after I got used to radio, enjoyed it, and decided I wanted to do another show, but I didn't know what the topic would be, or who I would host it with. So I asked L.E., "If you did a radio show what would you make it about?"

She replied, without hesitation, Religion in the paranormal. And the light bulb went on in my head and everything came together. As for where that idea came from, that dates back a couple more years. Before I started radio, we were in the car and I said I was unsure of my belief in ghosts. I said I need to see it to believe it. So her reply was, "How can you believe in God if you need to see it to believe it?" And we debated this for days. From then on, both our interests peaked and started to wonder can one exist without the other. We had our thoughts, opinions, and beliefs, but we wanted to hear the thoughts and opinions of all religions. That is when ParaTrinity Radio was born.
Bry: Do you feel the show has strengthened/reinforced any of your beliefs in the paranormal or religion? Or has it changed your mind completely?

L.E: I feel the show has changed some of my viewpoints of church and religion, but for the most part it has strengthened my beliefs in God and religion. I believe in God, and less and less in the church

Bry: What viewpoints have changed about church, God and religion?

L.E:  I grew up believing in God, being taught about him from my parents, however my family rarely went to church. My parents could never find that right church to go to. With the show, it has strengthened my belief that having to go to church is fine for some, but to worship him one need not be in church. He is everywhere. And that we are meant to make our own decisions, not have someone make it for us. So I guess my viewpoint there has not changed much from before. 

About religion? Well, although I was baptized Episcopalian, I do not know much about my religion. I hadn't honestly followed a religion since I was 5 or 6, when we moved from Texas. I sat through many different types of services, as I got older and I loved all of them. I loved that the bible promoted love, however, even before the show, I realized the hypocrisy of religion. The elitist, exclusivity of certain religions made me rethink. When Mike and I began the show and began to talk more about religion from experts, it just solidified my thoughts that religion can be both freeing to some, but oppressing to others.

Mike: The show has had a huge affect on my religious beliefs and how I view the paranormal. I was born and raised to be a Roman Catholic, forced into weekly mass and 12 years of Catholic schooling. This became habit more than anything, I felt that is what I needed to be, so that is what I said I was, even after I stopped attending weekly mass. Since I started this show I have come to realize what I believe and feel is not truly Roman Catholic and I have been fooling myself. I have come to terms with my true beliefs and understand better what I am searching for in the end and that it is not all about church.

As for how my view of the paranormal has changed. It is a much smaller change. The radio show has mostly changed what I feel a spirit or ghost is; what happens after death. I have a better understanding. However, I am still a skeptical believer as I was before starting the show.
Bry: Why do you think that a lot of churches refuse to discuss the paranormal?

L.E: I believe it is sometimes a fear of the unknown....Or fear that people will try to communicate more with the dead, which is something they do not condone.

Mike: From my experience on the radio show, I don't think most churches object to the discussion. I think they make it as discreet as possible, however, are open to the idea of the existence. To believe there is an afterlife and not believe there is paranormal is an oxymoron, in my opinion. I think churches are afraid to openly discuss it due to how they could be proofed wrong. The church has a very organized view of things and it needs to be one way for their church to retain its morals and credibility. The existence and research of the paranormal and possible communication with spirits could disprove their studied theories.

Bry: What are your thoughts about communicating with the dead?
L.E: I think it is cool communicate with the dead. I know we're not "supposed" to, but to be able to possibly get answers to so many questions...Of course I want to be careful, I don't want them to follow me home or hurt my family. Mike I am sure would love that, but I don't.

Mike: If I were to say I disagree with it I would be a big hypocrit. I do EVP sessions all the time as a part of my paranormal group, Cincinnati Paranormal. So I am okay with communicating with the dead, I don't think it hurts anything or anyone. I can understand why the church is against it, (as I stated earlier) but I think the church is too worried about the organization of the way they think it should be run. Why would God not want us to learn about Him or what happens in the afterlife? What's the secret? The only reason I would ever beleive it is a secret is because its a lie, the church made it up, and there is no afterlife, no God. And that is not something I am ready to believe. So I do think communicating with the dead, as long as done respectfully, is okay and moral.

Bry: If you could interview anyone on your show, who would it be?

L.E: Alexandra Holzer

Mike: To be honest, there is not any ONE person in particular. It is the type person that interests me the most. As a religion/paranormal show, we are looking for people in the paranormal field from all religious backgrounds - from Catholic to Satanist to Jehovah Witness to Jewish and beyond. We want all the different views we can find to help us learn more and expand the possibilities.

Mike and L.E - Thanks for taking the time out to share your opinions :)

Angels - Part One

Hebrews 13:2
2Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.

What a cool verse! Can you imagine sitting down with one of Gods messengers?
We may well have. That time you helped someone cross the road?
The time you bought the homeless guy a sandwich?

Of course the chance that you're "entertaining an angel" should not be your main motivation for being hospitable or kind. For as the bible says:

Mark 12:30-31
30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'There is no commandment greater than these."

But it'd be pretty cool to find out you'd been in the presence of an Angel.

So, have any of you ever had an experience with an angel that you know of?

I haven't, as far as i'm aware, but of course I could at any point.

So what does the bible say Angels are?

Angels are messengers of God. The times angels are mentioned in the bible, we know they are angels. They announce themselves as such.

There are numerous verses in the bible that mention angels giving messages to people.
The big one we all know is angel Gabriel telling Mary she would be giving birth to the Son of God.

Luke 1:26-33
26In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you."
 29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,33and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."

According to www.christianity.about.com Angels are mentioned  in the bible 273 times! There are many different types of angels and they appear to have order and rank.

Here's a brief description of a Cherub from Ezekiel 10:14

14 Each of the cherubim had four faces: One face was that of a cherub, the second the face of a man, the third the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.

And here is a brief description of a Seraphim:

2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said:

      “ Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;
      The whole earth is full of His glory!”

Angels are described as messengers, watchers, ministers, sons of God, chariots, morning stars. Read more here

They were created by God and were here before the earth was created. Read Job 38:1-7
4 “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?Tell me, if you know so much.
 5 Who determined its dimensions
      and stretched out the surveying line?
 6 What supports its foundations,
      and who laid its cornerstone
 7 as the morning stars sang together
      and all the angels[a] shouted for joy"

 Angels live for eternity:
Luke 20:36
36 And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.

Angels don't marry:

30 For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven.

There is SO much to learn about angels. To read more about them please check out www.christianity.about.com
I will write more about angels next week. Until then, be blessed! And don't forget to "entertain strangers" because you never know who it could be!

By Bryony

The Reality Of Evil - Part 2

Is evil merely the 'absence of good'?

Are genocides, despotic regimes and forced labour and slavery the result of merely narcissistic or psycopathic leaders who raise up similarly minded disciples or is there more to it?

Is the devil real or is it just a broad label to describe evil in the world?

Is there a personality behind the darkness that pervades planet earth?

They are questions that need to be considered from a number of perspectives before they can be answered.

To be honest with you. I'm still working them out. I think most of our demonology in the Christian Church is so rooted in medieval thinking and more recently highly reactive pentecostalism that we misenterpret the scriptures pertaining to the identity and nature of the devil. However, in the book of revelation, it is clear that the evil force that opposes God has a name, an identity and a clearly defined mission.

If the devil is the embodiment of evil, what does that evil look like: (I'm going to paraphrase here in every example).

- It twists truth, rather than appears as a blatantly dark force. For example in the Garden of Eden narrative, the serpent asks Eve "Did God really say that ..well that's a lie, you won't die if you eat from that tree"

- It tempts our desires. Satan said to Jesus in the desert "All the world has been given to me and I can give it to whoever I want. Bow down and worship me and it will be yours".

- It is not clear about it's real source "It is any surprise, when even satan appears as an angel of light..."

- It is self centred in it's focus "Satan entered into Judas Iscariot........and he handed Jesus over to them for 30 pieces of silver".

- It is angry when it doesn't get it's own way "There was war in heaven.....and the huge dragon (who is called the devil and satan) was cast down.....therefore be glad O heavens and you that dwell in them.......but woe to you O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to in fierce anger and fury because he knows he only has a short time left.

- It wrecks lives "the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy".

So satan twists truth, tempts desire, misrepresents it's source, is self centred, angry and furious and wants to destroy lives.

And that's just a tiny slice of what the bible contains on the subject of the devil.

How does that relate to the paranormal world?

Well I guess we need to understand our enemies. It is too easy at times to blame the devil when it is us who need to take personal responsibility for our own actions.

You may be tempted, you may feel like being self centred, you may feel like attacking someone else, you may be angry and hostile - but you can choose to not engage in it.

Because all too often it is when we give in to sin that the paranormal stuff get's activated. Because sin is an entry point for the supernatural forces that are demonic to attach themselves to a person, a house and a family.

You can't choose what happens to you in life - my parents divorced at five, my Dad died when I was fifteen and my old boss was a bully for fifteen years - I didn't choose that - but I can choose how I react to it..

Readers, please understand I am generalising and being over simplistic for the sake of a short blog. I am not suggesting everything supernatural is demonic in nature because first we would need to define what 'demonic' is and we are not trying to do that in this blog.

What I am implying is that evil is real and it has a 'driving force' behind it. But we get to choose whether we engage in it or not.

Good people who live good lives also have horrific supernatural encounters. But more often than not in my experience as a minister is that brokenness, anger, unforgiveness and giving into sin is an entry point for the agents of the devil.

My suggestion is straight from the scriptures "resist the devil and he will flee".

That means you will feel anger, lust, self centredness, unforgiveness, greed, malice and all those negative things. But resist them.

There is a great saying that "unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die".

We have all experienced that one haven't we. It is an extremely unpleasant experience when we hold grudges while the other person has already moved on.

In the movie "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" a character named Slugsworth appears to each of the children, offering them a mindblowing amount of cash if they will steal an everlasting gobstopper from Willie Wonka, with the implication that Slugsworth will reverse engineer the food technologies to bring out his own version.

All the kids take the bait when Willie shows them the product and asks them to promise never, ever to show anyone else.

Toward the end of the movie, Willie gives Charlie a deliberate earful and undoes the promise that Charlie thought would be his reward for being the last candidate on the tour.

But instead of giving the product to Slugsworth, Charlie puts the candy on the desk and gets up to leave.

At that point, Willie tells him he has passed the test, introduces him to Slugsworth as his agent and then tells him he has inherited the factory.

So too we must pass tests when tempted by an agent that even though it opposes God, is used by God to bring out the best in people as they resist trials and temptations.

The families that I counsel that often have dreadful supernatural manifestations around them are continually in a hornets nest of anger, poverty, addictions, lack of hope and the inability to move forward. They often pray that God will help them, but they refuse to do anything to change their lives. They do not resist the devil and he does not flee - in fact he gets a legal right to be there. And I have seen the manifestations with my own eyes, it is not mental illness that we are dealing with.

By choosing to stand firm when presented with evil in all it's forms, we create a wall that is not easy to penetrate.

And the cure to evil in the world?

"For evil to prosper, good people must do nothing"

Apathy, comfort and fear are the allies to evil. The opposite which are intent, dissatisfaction and courage are the things we need to stand for to make good prosper.

May the peace of the Lord be with you and my prayer is you will join with Jesus to be a force for good in this world.

Pastor Baz.