True Hope Churches & Ministries

Volume 2
June 2, 2011

Hello,
In keeping our promise to post our progress in relocating to Southwest Missouri, here is the latest update:

Our family is scheduled to close the purchase of our new home on or around June 20.  This will put us on track to be pretty much moved in to our new home by the July 4th holiday.  The ministry office should be completed by August 1.

We have been so blessed as we have watched God put this whole thing together and every detail has been taken care of by His hand and we are so grateful!

Rest assured we are doing our best to avoid interruptions and delays but we know they have happened and probably will again over the next several weeks so we truly appreciate your patience and understanding.  If we let anything slip through the cracks during this time, whether you are a True Hope Minister or THBI student, please don't hesitate to contact us about it!

Thank you for your prayers during our transition process, don't let up as we still have a ways to go and the enemy is looking for any opportunity to come in and cause problems - as always!

Many Blessings!
Dr. Timothy



TRUE HOPE TIMES

From Dr. Timothy
Dr. Timothy Hoflund
SUCCESSFUL
SPIRITUAL
STRATEGIES
  Part Four

Jesus wants two things for our souls ... First - to be healthy and Second, to prosper!  So this brings out the question - - IS YOUR SOUL PROSPERING?

START WINNING!

Without attempting to deal with every false teaching concerning spiritual warfare, we are just going to go to what God says and build the foundation for victory and learn those strategies for spiritual success and leave far behind those false teachings that leave a soul in defeat!

FIRST:  What is an overcomer?

An overcomer is NOT some super saint who has become so strong that he/she never yields to temptation falling into sin!

An overcomer is a saint who chooses to learn what God says to do about temptation and then to obey what God says about temptation!  And what is it that God says about our temptation?  That we are not now, nor will we ever become strong enough to be impervious to the power of temptations as long as we are in our natural bodies!

God tells us that we are made overcomers by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimonies AND by not loving our lives to the death!  (Rev. 12:11)  Often we have been told just the first part of this verse, (blood and testimony) but these alone are not enough to make us overcomers.  We must have a proper perspective on our physical, temporal lives and that our earthly, sensual, social, emotional and material well being is not something to be willing to die for!  Or to say it another way, “what does it profit a man if he gain the whole world yet lose his own soul!”

Continuing on with this thought, what is it that would cause us to love our lives to the death?  PRIDE!  Pride will prevent us from confessing our sins and failures to God and others.  Pride will prevent us from confessing our faults (different from sins and failures) to one another!  Pride will blind us to our need for outside help!  Pride will defend our prestige at all costs!  Pride will protect our social status at any price and will not allow us to risk the consequences of embarrassment, even humiliation, by being open with others about our private spiritual battlegrounds!

I am convinced that those famous great men of God who have fallen in disgrace over the centuries, especially in the last several decades who were exposed to be alcoholics, sexual addicts and even homosexual bondages all fell into open failure and disgrace because their lives became such (due to their fame and success) that they loved them to the death!  The death of their careers, of their ministries, of their place of service and worse of all, of their fellowship with God!  They talked a great talk but stopped walking a great walk!

In order to be spiritually successful, we must - - WE MUST find and do what God says to do and just as importantly, do these things HOW God says to do them!  For instance, how does one defeat an area of temptation in his/her life?  By not making provision for that area of fleshly satisfaction, thus not giving lust an opportunity to gain control!  Example:  If you are battling sexual lust and pornography in your life, you must not purchase any pornographic material, log on to porn sites, hang with others who do and stay away from all appearances of this evil!  Allow yourself absolutely no opportunity to view even the mildest of pornography and you will soon starve that particular lust to the point of such weakness that you will finally be able to renounce and reject it once and for all!   

Along with this, STOP EXCUSING your conduct of sin and instead, learn what God says about the issue of the particular sins/lusts you are battling and then ANSWER the longings and driving desires to sin in that fashion by SPEAKING what God says to those driving desires … just as Jesus did in the wilderness temptation! 

Your DOING and your SPEAKING must agree and be in agreement with God’s Word on the matters you are struggling with in order to successfully conquer and be free of such things.

NEXT TIME:  Effective Confession

In Christ & With His Love,
Dr. Timothy

PROPHET'S CORNER
This week's issue may well lose some subscribers, but we must be true to God, Our Lord Jesus Christ and to His Truth for it is only by His Truth that we experience genuine freedom.
Having said this, we are reprinting the following article because these people are leading God's people into bondage and not freedom!
Now, many will say that we are not to speak accusations against those who are leaders in the Church, and this is true! 
But what are we to do about those who are in fact NOT genuine spiritual leaders in the Church and subvert God's Word to accomplish their own selfish aims and ends?
"Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.
"For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple."  Romans 16:17-18

So, how can we know who to avoid unless both the person and the problem are pointed out - AND the Biblical reasons for such notice.
If anyone teaches otherwise and does not consent to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but is obsessed with disputes and arguments over words, from which come envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions,
useless wranglings of men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.
 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.
But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
1 Timothy 6:3-11
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Gospel of Greed - Expose On TV Ministers Lifestyles

http://www.insideedition.com

They are some of the most popular TV preachers in the country, packing their mega churches each week and taking in millions every year. They urge the faithful followers to donate generously and in return the Lord will bring them prosperity.

There's no denying some people have prospered handsomely—the pastors themselves. They live like rock stars with huge mansions, private jets, and fancy cars. Their lifestyles are so lavish, six of them have been investigated by the U.S. Senate.

One preacher, Paula White, lives in multimillion dollar homes in New York City and Tampa, Florida. And another preacher, Creflo Dollar, gets around in style, flying in private jets to preach around the country. He owns a mansion in an exclusive Atlanta suburb.

Not one of them would would sit down for an interview about their opulent lifestyle so INSIDE EDITION's Lisa Guerrero caught up with Creflo Dollar at an event in New York City. She asked him, "How do you justify your million dollar mansions and private jets to your donors?" Dollar had no comment.

But when it comes to opulence, few religious leaders compare to Kenneth Copeland. He lives in an 18,000 square foot home outside Ft. Worth, Texas worth $6 million. It has beautiful water views that comes complete with a boat house. But that's not all.

Copeland is an avid pilot, and his pride and joy is a $20 million Cessna Citation jet. It's the fastest private jet money can buy. He said he needed it to better serve the Lord, and proudly did a fly by for his followers after the church bought it.

But that's not the only plane used by the church. We found a fleet of planes registered to the church. And you won't catch him waiting in line at the airport, because he's got his own. The Kenneth Copeland Airport is located right next to his mansion.

"I think Copeland is unbelievably greedy", said Ole Anthony of the Trinity Foundation, a church watchdog group that worked with the Senate Committee investigating Copeland and other TV preachers. .

"Televangelism is a $2 to $3 billion industry, untaxed, unregulated," said Anthony.

That's right—by law, religious groups like Copeland's are exempt from federal taxes, and they don't have to report how they spend their money to anyone.

Copeland and his church takes in tens of millions a year, through donations and selling books and DVD's to his donors.

When Kristi Parker's mother died of cancer, she said she found diaries that showed her mother sent Copeland most of her life's savings, hoping her faith and donations would heal her deadly disease.

"She sent them a lot of money, a whole lot of money", said Parker.

Guerrero asked Parker, "What do you think of Kenneth Copeland's lifestyle?"

"TV doesn't do it justice. Their office furniture is probably worth more than most people's houses. It make you sick." said Parker.

Copeland, like the other preachers investigated by the Senate, refused INSIDE EDITION's request for an interview, so we caught up with him at an event in North Carolina.

Guerrero asked, "Can you explain to us why you are living such a lifestyle of luxury off of church donations?"

An assistant to Copeland said, "We don't have any time for this," and tried to usher Copeland away. At the same time a hotel employee tried to block our camera.

Guerrero continued to try to get answers from Copeland. 

"Why won't you answer any of our questions? It's a simple questions, sir," said Guerrero.

Copeland then agreed to chat and said, "I'm going to give you a simple answer. My life follows scripture. We've never asked anyone for money. We give. We believe we're open."

Guerrero then asked, "Sir, you have a fleet of private jets. Why is that necessary? How many jets do you have?"

Copeland answered, "That's none of your business."

Right after that he walked away.

Copeland told INSIDE EDITION that he cooperated with the Senate investigation, but the committee disagreed and said Copeland refused to provide the information it requested for its investigation. According to the committee, only two of the preachers did—Joyce Meyer and Benny Hinn. The committee recommended that the IRS look further into the matter.


 FROM JEREMIAH 5:21-31
`Hear this now, O foolish people, without understanding, who have eyes and see not, and who have ears and hear not ...
... Your iniquities have turned these things away, and your sins have withheld good things from you.
`For among My people are found wicked men; they lie in wait as one who sets snares; they set a trap; they catch men.
As a cage is full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become great and grown rich.
They have grown fat, they are sleek; yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; they do not plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless; yet they prosper, and the right of the needy they do not defend.
Shall I not punish them for these things?' says the Lord. `Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?'
"An astonishing and horrible thing has been committed in the land:
the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own power; and My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?

FROM LEADERS IN MINISTRY
The Holy Bible Is Infallible

By:  Joseph Chambers
Visit Joe Chambers' website at http://www.pawcreek.org

IF YOU DOUBT THE INFALLIBILITY OF THE HOLY BIBLE THIS IS A MUST READ! The Holy Scripture is the most breathtaking book in the world. Not one nuance was missed as God revealed His revelation to His prophets. Our Heavenly Father was so satisfied with His revelation and its perfection that He promised to preserve it for every generation. “Thou shalt keep them, O Lord, Thou shalt preserve them from this generatio for ever.” (Psalms 12:7) Not only did He promise to preserve it, but He warned men not to corrupt it and leveled a serious judgment upon any man that tampers with His truth. In God’s design, He apparently first settled His Word in Heaven and then progressively poured it into holy vessels to be written down for His church. “Forever, O Lord, thy Word is settled in Heaven.” (Psalm 119:89)

Truth Begins and Ends with Jesus Christ! He is the eternal Word (logos). “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” (John 1:1-5)

The truth as written in Heaven and revealed by His prophets in the Bible is centered in and totally identified with Jesus Christ as revealed in His flesh. In fact, Apostle John said, “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:4) Imagine a Bible (the Word of God) that is not only a book, but is revealed in a person, the Son of God. The Bible and Jesus Christ are united in essence. Both the “Word” written and the “Living Word” are God’s perfect revelation. Pilate, in speaking with Jesus, asked, “What is truth?” (John 18:38) He asked this question of Jesus because the Son of Man had said, “And for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.” (John 18:37) Jesus had said earlier to His disciples, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man cometh unto the Father but by me.” (John 14:6) Jesus Christ is the truth in exactly the same fashion that the Bible is truth. They are inseparable. One is the Person and the other is the perfect revelation of that Person.

MINISTRY UPDATES
It's official! 
James Kelm is leading a new True Hope Church in Duluth Minnesota!
Be watching for our introduction of James and wife Kimberly next week and their vision for ministering True Hope in Duluth!

ALSO ...

Welcome to Eric Cook and Lamb of God Ministries to the True Hope family of ministries and churches!  Located in New York state, brother Eric comes to us by way of the True Hope Bible Institute ... we will have more on Lamb of God Ministries and the Cooks in a soon upcoming issue.

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