Pakistani Heat Wave by Frederick Hoehn, copyright 2015, all rights reserved. Chapter 1 The nation of Pakistan has been having heat waves lately. Many have died from the heat. Global warming may be a contributing factor. Or, people have spoken of an El Nino (pronounced "neen-yo") that may be influencing the weather. Old people seem to be especially vulnerable to the heat wave. Seems like I heard the number eight hundred for deaths from the heat recently in Pakistan. I understand that Pakistan is predominantly a Muslim nation. Over the years, it seems like the Muslim nations get hit harder by natural disasters than other nations. Of course, we've had some flooding and earthquakes here in the states, but you usually don't hear of thousands of casualties, such as in Indonesia and other Muslim nations. Muslim nations seem to be very disaster prone. I wonder if the Muslims have noticed that their religion doesn't seem to be helping much against natural disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes, flooding. But if Muslims pray for help against natural disasters, I don't think it does much good. The Muslims pray to "Allah." They believe that Allah is God. But Allah doesn't have a son, Jesus. The real God has a son, Jesus. So then, Allah is not God. If people are going to pray, they ought to pray to the God who is the Father of Jesus. I believe Christians ought to pray for God's help to avoid being victims of natural disasters. We pray for our finances, don't we? We pray for our children's safety. In the city and state where I live, they often have very hot Summers. So I've been asking the Lord for relief from the heat. And you know what? The Lord has been sending a lot of clouds our way, thus providing relief from the heat. Another thing I do, from time to time, is to say out loud, "Satan, your power over the weather is broken, in Jesus' name, and all evil spirits." Jesus said, "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matt 16:19) But you don't have the authority to use Jesus' name against evil spirits unless you're a Christian. Some might say, "Well, I don't want to bother with that." O.K., but I believe I've been getting better weather. I heard of an American Christian lady who didn't fear the tornado that was approaching her house. She had a bay window in her home. She stood right at the bay window and watched the tornado that was coming at her. She didn't run for cover. She believed the Lord wasn't going to let the tornado hurt her or her property. As the tornado came very close to the house, it split into two parts. One part went to the left, and one to the right, and the tornado simply went around her house, and not into it. It's been quite a while since I heard that, and I don't remember whether the lady said anything. But a good thing to say at such a time would be, "The Lord's not going to let the tornado hurt me or my property." That is what you call a proper confession, the word "confession" here not meaning the confession of sin, but the right confession about what is, and what is not going to happen to you and your family. Some good teachers on the subject are Kenneth E. Hagin, Dr. Norvel Hayes, and Charles Capps. The websites, respectively are: Rhema.org, nhm.cc, and CharlesCapps.com And the first two of the three also have books at Amazon.com A book that I recommend by Capps is, "God's creative power will work for you." It's a fairly small book, and not expensive. "Let us hold tightly our profession." (Heb 4:14) Chapter 2 Another factor in natural disasters could be fear. And there are demons of fear that go around trying to provoke people to be afraid that bad things will happen. But the Bible says, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you." We should resist spirits of fear, not cooperate with them. (Jas 4:7) If you get too much into fear, the thing you were fearing can happen because you feared that it would. "God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind." (2 Tim 1:7) The Bible says we should bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Cor 10:5) Not long ago, there was a news story about one of our main actresses who decided to have her breasts cut off because her family had had a history of cancer. She feared breast cancer. Well, yes, I suppose that if you don't have breasts, you can't get breast cancer. But there are many forms of cancer, and you can't just cut off everything that might get cancer. I wonder if it was OK with her husband for her to get that double mastectomy. It wouldn't have been OK with me if my wife wanted to do that. I would have said, "No, we're just going to believe that God will spare us from cancer." But Norvel Hayes said something very good about cancer. It's based on Mark 11:23, which says, "If you tell the mountain to go, it will go, if you believe that what you say will happen, and don't doubt in your heart." Hayes said, "If you have cancer, that's your mountain. COMMAND IT TO GO." But I believe we also have some power over the weather. And this is based on the fact that when God was about to create man, he said, "Let us make man in our image, and in our likeness, and let them have dominion..." (from the book of Genesis) And God is the God who spoke the worlds into existence. So then, we also have some power to speak things into existence. Let's be careful not to speak the wrong things into existence. I believe there are probably people who have gotten cancer due to the fact that they said, "I'll probably get cancer." Wrong thing to say. If you can command a mountain to go away, you can command a tornado to go away. But as you speak those words, you have to put your faith with your words, and expect what you say to happen, and not doubt in your heart. It might take some practice. Jesus said, "According to your faith be it unto you." But there are ways to strengthen your faith. "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Rom 10:17) "Build up your most holy faith praying in the Holy Ghost." (Jude 20) You pray in the Holy Ghost (in unknown tongues) after you've received the Baptism with the Holy Ghost from Jesus. This is only for Christians. If you're a Christian, ask Jesus to baptize you with the Holy Ghost. "When you pray, believe that you receive the things you ask for, and you shall have them." (Mrk 11:24) You'll know you've received the Baptism with the Holy Ghost when you start praying in a language you never learned. From then on, pray some every day in the unknown tongue. You'll be able to do that because the Holy Ghost will give you the words to speak, and then you speak them out. In Galatians, we read that "faith works by love." So get your love and compassion working. Ask the Lord to help you walk in love. And Jesus told the disciples that they had been unsuccessful in casting out a demon because of their unbelief (the opposite of faith), but that prayer and fasting were needed. So then, prayer and fasting will help our faith. I heard of a woman who prayed to God for something she wanted, and then after the prayer, she said, "Well, I probably won't get it." That's right, she won't get it, because she undid her prayer by what she said after the prayer. She may have used some faith in her prayer, but then she got into unbelief right after the prayer. To become a Christian, obey Romans 10:9,10-- "That if you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you're saved. For with the heart man believes for righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made for salvation." ___James chapter 1 1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes that are dispersed around, greetings. 2 My brothers, count it all joy when you fall into various temptations, 3 Knowing this, that the testing of your faith works patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, so you'll be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God for it, who gives to all men liberally, and won't find fault, and it shall be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let that man not think that he'll receive anything from the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, 10 But the rich, in that he is made low, because as the flower of the grass he'll pass away. 11 For the sun has no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withers the grass, and the flower of it falls, and the grace of the fashion of it perishes, so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. 12 Blessed is the man that endures temptation, for after he's been tested, he'll receive the crown of life, that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God," for God can't be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt any man, 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it produces sin, and sin when it's finished, produces death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, nor shadow of turning. 18 He chose to father us with the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. 19 So, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, 20 For the anger of man doesn't accomplish the righteousness of God. 21 So, lay apart all filthiness and the unnecessary naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man seeing his natural face in a mirror, 24 For he sees himself, and goes his way, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and continues in it, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man among you seems to be religious, and doesn't bridle his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is for nothing. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. ___James chapter 2 1 My brothers, don't have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. 2 For if a man with a gold ring comes to your assembly in fancy clothes, and a poor man in dirty clothes comes in also, 3 And you have respect to him that wears the fancy clothes, and say to him, "Sit here in a good place," and say to the poor, "Stand there, or sit here under my footstool," 4 Aren't you then partial in yourselves, and have become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my beloved brothers, hasn't God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him? 6 But you have despised the poor. Don't rich men oppress you, and bring you before the judgment seats? 7 Don't they blaspheme that worthy name by which you're called? 8 If you fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, "You shall love your neighbor like yourself," you do well, 9 But if you have respect of persons, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as sinners. 10 For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. 11 For he that said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not kill." Now if you don't commit adultery, yet if you kill, you've become a breaker of the law. 12 Speak in such a way, and do, as those who'll be judged by the law of liberty. 13 For he shall have judgment without mercy, that has shown no mercy, and mercy rejoices against judgment. 14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man says he has faith, and doesn't have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister needs clothes, and lacks daily food, 16 And one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you don't give them the things that are needed for the body, what good is that? 17 Even so faith, if it doesn't have works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yes, a man could say, "You have faith, and I have works, show me your faith without your works, and I'll show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that there is one God, you do well, the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But don't you know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Wasn't Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see how faith worked with his deeds, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God." 24 You see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise also wasn't Rahab the prostitute justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? 26 For like the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. ___James chapter 3 1 My brothers, don't be many masters, knowing that we'll receive the greater condemnation. 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man doesn't offend in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. 3 See, we put bits in the horses' mouths, so they'll obey us, and we turn around their whole bodies. 4 Look also at the ships, which though they're so large, and are driven by fierce winds, yet they're turned around by a very small helm, wherever the captain wants. 5 Even so, the tongue is a little member, and boasts great things. See how great a matter a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of sin, so is the tongue among our members that it makes dirty the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of animals, and of birds, and of snakes, and of things in the sea, gets tamed, and has been tamed by mankind, 8 But no man can tame the tongue, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless God, the Father, and with it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be. 11 Does a fountain send out at the same place sweet water and bitter? 12 Can the fig tree, my brothers, produce olive berries? Or a vine, figs? So no fountain can yield both salt water and fresh. 13 Who is a wise man, possessing knowledge among you? Let him show out of a good lifestyle his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, don't glory, and don't lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom doesn't descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be reasoned with, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 18 And the fruit of righteousness is planted in peace by those who make peace. ___James chapter 4 1 Where do wars and fightings among you come from? Don't they come from your lusts that war in your members? 2 You lust, and don't have, you kill, and desire to have, and can't obtain, you fight and war, yet you don't have, because you don't ask. 3 You ask, and don't receive, because you ask wrongly, so you can consume it on your lusts. 4 You adulterers and adulteresses, don't you know that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world is an enemy of God. 5 Do you think that the scripture says for nothing, "The spirit that lives in us lusts to envy?" 6 But he gives more grace. So he says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble." 7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he'll run away from you. 8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double minded. 9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and cry, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he'll lift you up. 11 Don't speak evil about each other, brothers. He that speaks evil about his brother, and judges his brother, speaks evil about the law, and judges the law, but if you judge the law, you're not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy, who are you that judges someone else? 13 Go on now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we'll go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and make a profit," 14 Actually, you don't know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is a puff of steam, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. 15 For you ought to say, "Lord willing, we'll live, and do this, or that." 16 But now you rejoice in your boastings, all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knows to do good, and doesn't do it, to him it is sin. ___James chapter 5 1 Go on now, you rich men, cry and howl for your miseries that shall come on you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your clothes are moth eaten. 3 Your gold and silver are rusted, and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like fire. You've heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 See, the wages of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which you've kept back by fraud, shouts, and the shouts of those who've reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabbath. 5 You've lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton, you've nourished your hearts, like in a day of slaughter. 6 You've condemned and killed the just, and he doesn't resist you. 7 Be patient therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See, the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, and has long patience for it, until he receives the early and latter rain. 8 You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is getting near. 9 Don't grudge against each other, brothers, so you won't be condemned, see, the judge stands at the door. 10 Take, my brothers, the prophets, who've spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 See, we count them happy that endure. You've heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. 12 But above all things, my brothers, don't swear, not by heaven, nor by the earth, nor by any other oath, but let your yes be yes, and your no, no, so that you don't fall into condemnation. 13 Is anyone among you afflicted? Let him pray. Is anyone merry? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord, 15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he'll be forgiven. 16 Confess your faults to each other, and pray for each other so you'll be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man is does a lot of good. 17 Elijah was a man subject to the same kind of passions that we are, and he prayed earnestly that it wouldn't rain, and it didn't rain on the earth for three years and six months. 18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit. 19 Brothers, if any of you strays from the truth, and someone converts him, 20 Let him know, that he that converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.