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Light & Darkness :: Halloween Message

Presented at Curwensville Alliance Church on 10/27/2019 by Pastor Steve Shields

Off and on, I have taken this time of year, Halloween, to talk to you about spiritism, the occult, and such things Not because I think Halloween is bad.  But because I think the occult is real – and bad.

I basically use this holiday as an excuse to address these issues.

Giving some thought to the difference between Christian faith and paganism you might realize that a big part is the difference between light and darkness. Christian faith is light. Paganism, spiritism, the occult, witchcraft – not so much.

In fact, historically, these things are referred to, by critics and practitioners alike, as the dark arts.

Dark arts. Darkness. Spiritual darkness.

This is the danger of paganism, spiritism, the occult.

And this podcast addresses these very things.
-Pastor Steve

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The Outcome of Evil :: Revelation

Presented at Curwensville Alliance Church by Pastor Steve Shields on 10/20/2019

Most of us feel like we are overly aware of our shortcomings. And, indeed, self-condemnation is commonplace in the graceless culture in which we find ourselves.

But along side of this, the very same people who struggle with being overly critical with themselves often miss the real problems in themselves. It turns out that self-reflection isn’t being done with a well polished mirror, but with a fun-house mirror — giving distorted perspectives of every kind.

Robert Burns noted our failures at self-assessment with the words:
O wad some P’wer the giftie gei us To see oursels as ithers see us.

If you’re struggling with that phrasing, this is what he meant:
O would some Power the gift would give us, to see ourselves as others see us.

I’d like to one-up Rabbie and say that the Power has done so. But it’s even better. God, by his Spirit and his word gives us the ability to see ourselves objectively — as he sees us.

In this, there is a paradox, for he sees those who are in Christ as pure and holy — yet as needing to grow in our walk with him.

This podcast looks at Revelation 18, sees the End Time Kingdom, Babylon, and looks into our hearts to see if there are elements that need addressed there.

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The Destruction of Darkness :: Revelation

Presented by Pastor Steve Shields at Curwensville Alliance Church on 10/6/2019

Dr. Rob Reimer speaks about the need we have to empty our suitcase — the baggage we’ve picked up as fallen people living in a fallen world — so that we can experience the fullness of Christ’s presence. The Suitcase Analogy is central to his Soul Care material.

Some might note a parallel between us unpacking our suitcases to rid our lives of evil and God unpacking the suitcase of the cosmos so that his radiant glory can shine, unrestricted.

What will it be like to see that — the glory of God shining without shadow?

This podcast addresses the judgment of God as spelled out in Revelation 14-17, giving us hope for the future as we look forward to that glorious day.

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This Man Is A Liar :: Revelation

Presented by Pastor Steve Shields at Curwensville Alliance on 9/29/2019

How would your life change if there was a liar close to you? Maybe in the workplace or your neighborhood or your family.

I can tell you, from experience, it would change dramatically.

Well — there is a liar in your life. Actually, he may not be in your life but he’s in your world interacting in ways that, if you don’t recognize him, you may well suffer.

This podcast speaks to us about how to respond to the liar — to the father of lies.

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The Justice of God :: Revelation

Presented on 9/15/2019 at Curwensville Alliance by Pastor Steve Shields

The speed limit was 70, so I was going just a bit over 70. Then the speed limit changed to 45. And I was going a bit over 70. Then the policeman pulled me over.

I didn’t even bother to make a defense. I was guilty and I knew it. For me to argue against my guilt would be foolishness.

Everyone reading this knows that for justice to be served, I need to pay for my crime.

We know that about speeding tickets. And we know it about sin.

The Book of Revelation details the outpouring of God’s wrath — the enactment of his justice.

This podcast tells us how to prepare.

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The Lamb Will BRING IT :: Revelation

Presented by Pastor Steve Shields at Curwensville Alliance on 9/8/2019

Do you ever get bone tired — downright weary — of the evil that you see in this world?

Whether it’s across the ocean or in the next county or right down the road, for most of us, we long for injustice to come to an end. And we long for justice to flow like a river.

We long for God to do something.

This podcast talks about the reality that God will make straight what is crooked.

God shows us, in The Book of Revelation, that he will Bring It!

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You Need Not Fear :: Revelation 4

Presented on 9/1/2019 at Curwensville Alliance by Pastor Steve Shields

When I was in college, I worked a summer job bagging charcoal. Occasionally, we’d talk about God and about the Bible — and inevitably, The Book of Revelation came up.

One of the guys said, “I read that. It’s just one nightmare after another.”

Really?

To the unrepentant, yeah, it would be a nightmare, but is that what Jesus intended us to get out of that text? It’s written to the church, not to the unrepentant.

In the opening chapter we are told that those who read it are blessed. I think that’s because reading this book gives the believer hope and confidence.

This podcast speaks of that hope as it is presented in the throne room of heaven.

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Staying Clear of Danger Zones :: Revelation

Presented by Pastor Steve Shields on 8/25/2019 at Curwensville Alliance Church

You probably read about (or heard about) the Storm Area 51 event.

Area 51 is the name of a highly classified United States Air Force facility located in the Nevada Test and Training Range. When the USAF acquired the land in 1955, they used it to test the Lockheed U-2 airplane.

In response to the intense secrecy surrounding it, conspiracy theorists have conjectured that Area 51 is where our government hides UFOs we’ve recovered. If you watched the X-Files or the Will Smith movie, Independence Day, you are familiar with Area 51.

The reason Area 51 is in the news these days is because a Facebook Event called, Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us.

The thinking goes like this: We want to know what’s behind the fence. If a large number of people show up at Area 51 and all run onto the base, they can’t stop all of them.

So, on the third weekend of September, a couple million people say they’re going to storm Area 51.

When I looked on Facebook yesterday, there were 2,072,369 people planning to attend.

I think to most of them it’s just fun and games.

If you read the signs posted around Area 51, you see that being serious about entering this area is a serious matter. The signs are clear. The warning is dire. If you go into Area 51, you are entering a danger zone. “Use of deadly force authorized.”

Those signs are, in a sense, kind of what Revelation 2 & 3 are about. Area 51 signs warn hikers to be careful where they walk. Revelation 2 & 3 signs warn us regarding our walk of faith.

This podcast speaks about Seven Danger Zones the seven churches in Revelation were treading upon — and warns us to avoid them.

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