news:
we are currently putting together
a new page on the site where we will feature pictures and stories of our
viewers (that means you ) the purpose will be to inspire and show others
that their are those of us that love Jesus with our whole heart that might
not look like the stereo-typical Christian< that it isn't about what
you look like or the clothes you wear< GOD looks at your heart! so
please e- mail or send us a picture of yourself and a bit about you and
why you love JESUS! don't be shy< this world desperately needs your
example ! remember don't hide your light under a bushel !
also check out
awesome poetry
(Death
Clanks its skeletal shape
Thru my translucent skin
Taking
residence in my screwed down psyche
Millennia
of endtime phantisies
Videotaped
in black & red hurling life
Into
the dead ashes of despair....) click on link to read
more +++
MOVIES:
we
highly recommend you check out BLESS THE CHILD (WITH
Kim Bassinger) . a very powerful
movie i seen recently that really shows the
spiritual battle we all face as the devil tries to divert us from our
destiny~~~ and 4 a good laugh check out SHREK. a brilliant story of love
and friendship us outcasts can relate to !
SPIRIT CHILD : we are currently working on our new c-d to be released soon. hopefully by the end of the year. we are also working on a live show in conjunction with the first church of the living dead .a dramatic presentation of music , poetry and dance. showing the battle now raging between the forces of evil and light in the seen and the unseen realms.( also looking for dramatic Goth style dancers, one that plays cello or could possibly do back up vocals-nothing major and a drummer ) must share vision sold out to Christ and HIS mission-e-mail us if interested spiritchild@thefirstchurchofthelivingdead.com also download clips of our music at http://thefirstchurchofthelivingdead.com/spirit_child.htm
INTRO.... this month id like to begin writing on the subject of RELIGION vs.. relationship. after interviewing many people for our up coming documentary< asking the question what do you think about GOD<JESUS and the church i found that many of them had went to church at a younger age then turned away from GOD and became atheist because of the hypocrisy and ridiculousness of religion. one gothic girl I interviewed on the street in Chicago said that her and her mother were kicked out of their church for not paying their tithe ! i want you to know I can definitely relate ! just last Sunday I had decided to check out a local supposedly spirit filled church, because i had heard the spirit was moving there (prophetic words...etc..) well my friend and i went to check it out and we were forced to leave by the ushers half way thru because my friend didn't want to take of his baseball hat. when he pointed out there was a girl right in front of us with one on the usher informed him that it was alright for ladies to wear a hat in church but not men !on the way out i informed him that this was no way to treat guests. he informed me in that holier than thou preacher voice," that there are certain rules in GOOOODS HOUSE and if we want to come into GOOODS house we got to obey these rules". there is nothing worse then a religious social club! how sad !!!!
No religion ! :
religion is mans attempt to reach GOD or a god and gain salvation or a higher state by working for it. that is not at all what we have through Christ JESUS .the bible says that all our righteousness (good deeds) are but filthy rags. but through CHRIST we have been justified ( just if id never sinned )we have been given a free gift of freedom !and its not because we said 20 hail marys or walked on glass, laid on a bed of hot coals< didn't eat meat on a certain day ,sent money to the tell evangelist <dress a certain way etc.....Romans 4:4 when people work ,their wages are not a gift. workers earn what they receive but we are declared right with GOD because of our faith in HIS SON > we are restored to relationship with our FATHER GOD (ROMANS 8: ) -we are sons of GOD led by the Spirit of GOD (ROMANS 8: )and not by the letter of the law that kills(2corinthians 3:6) .Jesus said to the Pharisees( the religious of the day ) "YOU CRUSH PEOPLE BENEATH IMPOSSIBLE RELIGIOUS DEMANDS..".:
Webster's defines religion as " an acknowledgement of our obligation to GOD.
but in the thesaurus relationship reads, "link, tie , alliance , connection , union , bond , and relation reads " compact, coalition, alliance, connection, association, partnership, similarity, kinsman, treaty, marriage....all this is what we have in JESUS ! restored to relationship ! not by works( religious rules ) LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST ! the new testament teaches we could never be good enough to reach GOD so HE reached us through his SON JESUS and fills us with HIS HOLY SPIRIT
know it is not through religion that we will survive this world of Sodom but through our relationship with our FATHER , HIS SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT !
FALL IN LOVE!
I want you to know ~ the religious, self-righteous ones who scared you away from GOD were nothing more then the devil wearing a Jesus mask ! wolves in sheeps clothing !
When you see the real Jesus I believe you will weep and when you realize God's great love for you - you will fall in love with Him. We love Him because He first loved us (1 john 4:19) ......just as a curious cat , scared of you at first runs if you get to close, but if you can catch it off guard and pet it - it realizes that you love it and don't want to harm it. Then it is forever at your feet contently purring and never wants to leave your side.
Jesus leaves the 99 (sheep) to go after the one (lost sheep) He is unwilling that even one should perish. He knows each one of us by name. Every hair on our head He has numbered. He knew us before He formed us in our mother's womb. Before the foundation of this earth He purposed you - He planned you - He has a destiny for you - He was even willing to die for you and He did so you could live and He rose again to free you from the powers of evil and the bondage of sin. He hasn't forgotten you He hasn't given up on you and He never will !!!
The church might have snubbed you. religion might have left you to die but Jesus says , "I will never leave you or forsake you . I am right here forever knocking on the door of your heart."
Imagine that you bought a lottery ticket and then misplaced it. Then you find out that you have the winning numbers for a billion dollars - what would you do? I believe you would rip your house apart piece by piece leaving no stone left unturned and you would not stop till you found that ticket!..............You are so much more precious to Him than a winning lottery ticket is to us. How much more will He search for you, go after you, and never give up on you! He will receive you in His arms again just as in the parable of the prodigal son He will run to meet you no matter what you've done. He will restore you. He will make you whole. Realize His great love!!!
RESTORE THE REVOLUTION
We are proclaiming this generation as the CHRIST GENERATION~~~ISAIAH 53:8 We are endeavoring to raise up leaders who will go against the grain.....Even though we have been a spiritually fatherless generation we must grow up quickly and be a father to the fatherless~~~~
Luke 11:52 Jesus said the religious legalist (experts in the law) have kept back the key to knowledge they refuse to enter in and hinder others from entering also. ...... Their worship of Him is in vain (for selfish empty reasons) they know of Him but they don't know Him. They make sure they tithe even of the smallest of their money but ignore His justice and His love. Hosea 6:6 I desire steadfast love ( unshakable loyalty binding together two parties of the covenant) and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings. This word for knowledge is the kind of knowing like Adam knew Eve...intimately. My people are destroyed because of a lack of knowledge (Hosea)... a lack of intimacy with God - relationship - the religious have kept God's children from a relationship with Him. Demanding they clean themselves up before they enter God's house, when they themselves are filthy on the inside. I dare them to cast the first stone. I declare God's house will be where-ever there is a hunger, where-ever there is hurting in the bars, in the clubs, in the streets, God will not be held back by the religious from the hearts of the hurting from the chains of the bound from the tears of the hungry any longer. Jesus is hunting for His lost sheep and He won't come back empty handed.
Many of our spiritual leaders have traded relationship for the selfish power of religiosity and have sold out for the sake of comfort and greed. They have turned the revolution of Christ into one more religion of man. We must be what we want to see - we must restore the revolution - restore the desolations of many generations!
FIGHT !
HOW CAN WE FIGHT RELIGION ? I believe that the most effective way is to spend time at the feet of JESUS ! fall in love with HIM ! the more we fall in love with HIM the more clearly we will see HIM and the more clearly we see him the more we will be like HIM (1john 3:12) ! ~But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the spirit of the Lord.11corinthians 3:18 ; when the veil of religion is removed and we see Christ in all HIS glory then our metamorphosis into his image begins by the power of the Holy Spirit ;as HE is so are we in this earth (1john 4:17 ) We cant just talk about it we must be what we want to see !!! then we wont be asking what would JESUS do . will be doing what JESUS IS DOING !!! "where I am there my servants will be also ."(hunting for lost sheep)
final notes
if you received this news letter and have not signed up 4 it you must sign up or let us know you would like to continue receiving it. we are sending this one out to everyone as a trial version . we will probably announce the winner of the t-shirt contest by the next issue. so you still have a short time to sign up and have a chance to win ! feel free to forward the newsletter to a friend . please use the message board and guest book. we like feedback ! questions~ comments ~ prayer~~
THE STAFF