WELCOME TO FREEDOM BEACON MINISTRIES

Contact ministry owner at: Freedom_Beacon@yahoo.com.

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WE CUT OUT THE MIDDLE MAN--

IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS:

The audios from my lecture series of August, 2008,

can be e-mailed to anyone who requests them by e-mailing us at the ministry's address above. Topics include an overview of the cults, and the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, New Age teachings, and Scientology, all contrasted with Scripture.

Please request one at a time, since, due to size restrictions with Yahoo mail, only one audio can be mailed at a time.

Unfortunately, this site would not allow us to upload the MP3s here. We apologize for the inconvenience. 

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For videos from Freedom Beacon Ministries,

please access our You Tube profile page at:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Simon61161

Stay tuned....more to come!

 

WE ALSO SUPPORT

. . . the following ministries, in their work to expose the Watchtower lie, and especially the pedophilia which is rampant in the organization:

www.sixscreensofthewatchtower.com

and

www.silentlambs.org

Some information regarding this matter can also be found on our "Watchtower Society" page at this site. 

We feel that it is absolutely imperative that we support all efforts to protect children, especially in light of the Watchtower organization's attempts to cover up abuse!

The First Amendment must never be used as a means to allow cults to break the law, especially when doing so endangers the welfare of children!

Welcome to Freedom Beacon Ministries!

(The links below are all clickable!)

WHO WE ARE:

We are non-denominational Christians helping people to free themselves from religious cults & to recover from their experiences.

WHAT WE DO:

We educate on the following:

• The beliefs of organized cults

• The psychology cults use to attract and maintain membership

• How to rescue your loved one from a cult
• How to combat false teachings and properly defend the Christian faith

OUR MISSION:

To ". . . show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."

--1 Peter 2: 9

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Our Sites:

We have a Web Site, You Tube apologetics videos, and an audio room that enables us to fellowship & present teaching topics. We also have two on-line support groups: Freedom Beacon Ministries’ main room (for former cult members who are now Christians) and a general Cult Recovery room for non-Christian cult survivors.

 

You are welcome at any of these sites at any time. You can also contact us through any of these sites or by e-mailing us at Freedom_Beacon@yahoo.com.

OUR YOU TUBE PAGE:

http://www.youtube.com/user/Simon61161

OUR WEB SITE

http://www.freewebs.com/wwwsoundnessofmindcom (no dots in second part)

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OUR Audio Room

http://chat.paltalk.com/g2/group/1138101927

The Paltalk program must be downloaded to your computer in order to access the room. You can download the software from www.paltalk.com.

This room is not currently on an organized schedule. It will not show up on any Paltalk listings if it is not open. You will be informed via the on-line support group or through e-mailed invitations when a presentation is scheduled.

Our format for this room includes, but is not limited to:

Personal testimonies, prayer requests & vigils, encouraging fellowship, Bible reading & discussion, apologetics help, teaching presentations, and audio lectures & sermons. We are particularly fond of the apologetics audios of Dr. Walter Martin.

(You can access these yourself at www.waltermartin.org)

A private room can also be opened for anyone in need of counseling!

OUR SUPPORT GROUPS

Christian ex-cult group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Freedom_Beacon_Minstries

Cult Recovery Group:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/CultRecovery

 

Description:

Our group's owner:
* Was raised as a Jehovah's Witness;
* Is secularly educated in Behavioral Science (Sociology & Psychology);
* Formerly counseled substance abusers, battered women, & adult survivors of dysfunctional families;
* Founded Freedom Beacon Ministries in order to assist others who desire to escape from cults and to affect closure from their experiences.

All earnest seekers of truth are welcome and can find a home here! The members of this group are like a big, loving family!

Please let us know when you arrive, so we can all welcome you, and you can let us know which topics are of interest you!

The mission of our groups is to offer:

1. An encouraging & support-ive environment for victims of spiritual abuse to process their experiences;
2. Cult awareness education;

   
   Our Christian Group also offers:

3. An understanding of how cults differ from true Christianity;
4. Training in Christian apologetics, to equip us to effectively communicate the true Gospel message to those who remain in spiritual darkness.
   

If you can benefit from this group--or you are a Christian who would like to lend support, encouragement, and Bible knowledge—

WELCOME!

* NOTE: In addition to our own support groups, we have recently become aware of a religiously neutral peer support group which deals with ex-Jehovah's Witnesses, specifically. The forum's owner is Ron Steele and his group can be accessed at: http://exjehovahswitnessforum.yuku.com.

Make no mistake about it:

Cults are dangerous!

To be safe, we need to be informed!

To be saved, we need to know the truth.

 

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"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened."

--Sir Winston Churchill

http://Candy Lopitz


Create Your BadgeCandy Lopitz

If anyone is interested in connecting with me on Facebook (and, by extension, the whole xJW network over there), you can send a friend request to me under the name Candy Lopitz at www.facebook.com or click on the picture above.

DISCLAIMER: The facebook page is my personal page and is not, specifially, a Freedom Beacon Ministries page. For anyone not familiar with facebook, please be aware that whatever one of my contacts posts on their "wall" will appear on my wall, too. So while most of my contacts are Christians, I also have non-Christian family and old school chums over there too. Therefore, it is always possible that one of them (especially teenaged relatives) might post something which might not be Christian-appropriate, and which might appear on my wall. I want this to in no way reflect upon FBM but I do want people who might be interested in linking up with my xJW network on Facebook to feel free to connect with me so they can connect to other xJWs there as well.

Freedom Beacon Ministries’

Twelve Steps of Cult Recovery*

1. We admitted that, on our own, we lacked the strength and insights needed to recover from our cult experiences and to thrive within outer society (Psalm 119:104-107; Romans 8:37).
2. Came to believe that God’s Word, as revealed in the Bible through His Holy Spirit, is the sole path to spiritual wellness (John 14:16,17; Acts 4:12).
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to God by accepting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior (John 14:6, Acts 10:43).
4. Using God’s Word as our guide, we took an honest moral and spiritual inventory of ourselves (2 Timothy 3:16, 17).
5. Admitted to ourselves, and to God, all the ways we’ve fallen short of His Will for our lives (1 John 1:8, 9).
6. Became entirely ready to have Jesus Christ remove our sinful natures and replace them with His nature (2 Corinthians 5:17, 18).
7. Humbly asked God to cleanse us of all unrighteousness and to fill us with His Holy Spirit (Romans 6:11-13).
8. Made a list of all persons we’d harmed--especially friends and family we’d shunned when we were in the cult, and Christians who sought to help liberate us--and asked them, and God, to forgive us (James 5:16a; 1 John 1:9).
9. Made direct amends to all such people, wherever possible, exhibiting the Fruits of the Spirit and the love of Jesus Christ (Galatians 5: 22, 23; John 13:34,35).
10. Continued to walk in sanctification, confessing and repenting of our shortcomings, in the name of our Mediator, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 4: 14-16).
11. Sought to improve our personal relationship with God, through prayer and study of His Word, praying for knowledge of His Will for us, and His power to carry it out (Joshua 1:8; 1 Timothy 4:15).
12. Having been Born Again, as sons and daughters of the only true and living God (John 1:12), we accepted His commission to share His Gospel of Grace to others who seek to know Him, especially those who are still in captivity (Matthew 5:14-16; 1 Timothy 4:16; Luke 4:18).

* Adapted from the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

What’s the message of the

GOSPEL?

What does "Gospel" mean?

The word Gospel means "Good News".

What is this "Good News"?

It is the "Good News" of God’s plan to save us from sin and death, through Jesus Christ, and to reconcile us to Him.

Why four Gospels in the Bible?

Actually, there is only one Gospel presented in four different eye-witness testimonies. According to the Apostle John, one (or even four) Gospel records wouldn’t have been enough to cover all of the miracles, teachings, and events that occurred while Jesus was on earth (John 21: 24, 25).

How do we know they were "eye witness" accounts?

The writer of the Gospel of Luke tells us so (Luke 1: 1-4). As is typical of eye-witnesses, the four Gospel writers sometimes varied in their perspectives, and in their views of which events ought to be given precedence in their accounts. Each author wanted to portray Jesus in a different way and he used the events he thought would best bring out the part of His character that he wanted to emphasize. This was done as follows:

In Matthew, He is revealed as a King. Written primarily to the Jews, He is presented as the promised successor of King David of Israel. His royal genealogy is given in chapter one. In his Sermon on the Mount (chapters 5-7), he reveals the laws of his "Kingdom". He is the coming Savior of promise, whom the Jews eagerly anticipated.

In Mark, He is revealed as a Servant. Written to the citizens of the Roman Empire, no genealogy is given, since the Romans looked upon the Jews as servants and had no regard for the royal lineage of nations under their rule. More miracles are included in this account--Romans were men of action and it would only be action that would get their attention. He is revealed, in this account, as the powerful Savior who, while humble in origin, had the power to save the Jews from oppression.

In Luke, He is revealed as the "Son of Man". Written to the Greeks, whose own gods were very similar to human beings, He is revealed to be a perfect man. He is seen in prayer often and with angels ministering to him. He is the perfect Savior, full of grace, as opposed to the often vengeful gods of the Greeks.

In John, He is revealed as the "Son of

God". Written to those who would believe, everything in this account demonstrates His divinity. It opens with emphasis on his eternality and pre-incarnate state.

The four accounts should be taken as a composite portrait of Jesus Christ. Only when we read all four accounts, do we see every aspect of His true nature.

How do the Gospels reveal Him as the long-awaited Messiah?

The four Gospel portraits are all directly related to prophecies concerning the Messiah that were given to the prophets of Israel in the Old Testament. The prophets had been told of his offices, mission, birth, suffering, death, resurrection, and glory. Like the Gospel accounts, the prophets portrayed the Messiah as:

KING: Psalm 72; Isaiah 9: 6, 7; 32:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 9:9; 14:9. These passages, and others, foretell the Messiah’s kingly office. They tell us details about the kingdom itself, the extent of its dominion, its ultimate triumph, and what its rule will be like for its subjects.

SERVANT: Isaiah 42: 1-7; 52: 13-15; 53.

SON OF MAN: Genesis 3:15; 22:18; Isaiah 7: 14-16; 9:6.

GOD: Isaiah 9:6; 40: 3-5; 47: 4; Jeremiah 23: 6.

It is in these very same capacities that Jesus is set forth in the Gospel accounts of the New Testament.

What Was His Mission?

To reveal God to us through His presence on earth--Isaiah 40: 3-5

• The Scriptures say that "no man has seen God the Father and lived" (John 1:18).

• Moses, for example, spoke to God through a burning bush (Exodus 3: 1-6).

• Jesus, being the "image of" God, was able to reveal God to us, through Him. (John 14: 1-11; Philippians 2: 5-8: Isaiah 9: 6, 7).

To preach the Gospel message--

• To the living, during His earthly ministry (Luke 4: 16-21, 43).

• To the dead in Hell who hadn’t had an opportunity to hear the Gospel before they died (1 Peter 3: 19; then see Matt. 27: 50-54).

To lead ALL men to God—both Jews and "Gentiles"--Isaiah 42: 1-7

To deliver us from darkness--Colossians 1:13

To "redeem" us

• Redeem means to pay a ransom for someone in order to free them from captivity (Colossians 1:14).

• In Scripture, it also means to become "reconciled" to God (Colossians 1:20; 2 Corinthians 5:19). Reconciliation is the act of reinstating a harmonious relation-ship between individuals. Thus, Christ paved the way for us to once again enjoy a relationship with God without sin getting in the way. (Hebrews 2: 9-18)

Because it was foretold in Scripture

• It was foretold that He would die for our sins (1 Corinthians 15: 3,4).

• It was foretold that God Himself would redeem us—one proof that Christ was God (Isaiah 47:4)!

To be Lord of our lives

• By accepting His leading (Psalm 119: 1-24, 101-106).

• By following His example (1 Peter 2: 21-25).

To be our Salvation--Hebrews 5: 8, 9

So we could become "sons of God"--

Romans 8:14-18; Galatians 3:26-29

To give us an eternal "inheritance" as God’s children--Colossians 1:12

What is that inheritance?

• Eternal life in heaven (John 14:1-4).

• To be in the presence of Our Lord forever (Revelation 21: 1-5).

• Freedom from sickness, pain, suffering, and death (Revelation 21: 3, 4).

The 4-Fold Gospel

How, then, do we become

reconciled to God?

There are 4 basic steps, sometimes called the "Four-Fold Gospel". The passages of Scripture that outline these steps are some of the most important verses of Scripture. They sum up the Gospel message in such a simplistic manner that even a person with no theological background can understand it. In fact, the Bible tells us that the Gospel is one of simplicity (2 Corinthians 11:3, 4). There-fore, if we are presented with a gospel that is complicated to understand and to live by, we ought to recognize it for what it is--a FALSE gospel contrived by the devil and not God.

STEP 1:

God's purpose is that we enjoy eternal life, peace, and fellowship with Him:

Romans 5:1
John 3:16
Romans 6:23b

STEP 2:

Sin has broken our fellowship with God:

Romans 3:23
Romans 6:23
Isaiah 59:2

STEP 3:

God has provided a means for that fellowship to be restored once again--through Jesus Christ:

Romans 5:8
Acts 4:12
1 Timothy 2:5
John 5:24

PLEASE NOTE:

According to the Bible, it is ONLY by God's Grace that we are saved--NOT by any works we can do. If anyone says otherwise, they are preaching a FALSE Gospel to you!

Please see Ephesians 2:8, 9

STEP 4:

Accepting Christ as Lord and Savior gives us reconciliation with God. Christ becomes` our High Priest and Mediator:

Hebrews 4:14-16
Acts 10:43
John 14:1
John 1:12

PLEASE NOTE: You can be CERTAIN of your salvation in Jesus Christ, when you accept Him as your Lord and Savior. Any group that claims otherwise preaches a FALSE Gospel. Notice what the Bible says:

Romans 10:13
Romans 8:39
Romans 5:1
John 5: 12-13

But, what if we fall into sin after we’ve received Christ?

According to 1 John 1:7-9, once we have received Christ as Savior, we can come directly to God the Father, in prayer, and confess our sins to Him. We do not need to go through any human priest to do this. After that, we must repent (meaning to "turn away from") the sin and strive to walk in line with God’s will, each day, from then on.

Q’s? Contact us at:

Freedom_Beacon@yahoo.com

WE ARE "SONS [AND DAUGHTERS] OF GOD"

What does the term "son" mean in Scripture?

It means someone who is "the image of" another. When we conform our lives to God’s commands, we become sons of God, just as the first man, Adam, was before he fell from grace (Genesis 1: 26, 27). Please read Romans chapter 8.

How do we become children of God?

John 1: 12—"But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:"

1 John 1: 3—"that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you also, that ye also may have fellowship with us: yea, and our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ."

John 14: 6—"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me."

Matthew 12: 30—"He that is not with me is against me, and he that gathereth not with me scattereth."

What does this mean for us?

John 17: 3—"And this is life eternal, that they should know thee the only true God, and him whom thou didst send, [even] Jesus Christ."

Romans 10:9, 10—"because if thou shalt confess with thy mouth Jesus [as] Lord, and shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: 10 for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

John 14: 2-4—"In my Father`s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also. 4 And whither I go, ye know the way."

HOW DO WE KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS?

We live by the Spirit of God and not for the "flesh" or the "world":

Romans 8: 9-16—9 "But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you. But if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. 12 So then, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh: 14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 16 The Spirit himself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are children of God"

Galatians 6: 14—"But far be it from me to glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world hath been crucified unto me, and I unto the world."

What does this look like to others?

2 Corinthians 5: 17—"Wherefore if any man is in Christ, [he is] a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new."

Colossians 3: 12-17—"Put on therefore, as God`s elect, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering; 13 forbearing one another, and forgiving each other, if any man have a complaint against any; even as the Lord forgave you, so also do ye: 14 and above all these things [put on] love, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which also ye were called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms [and] hymns [and] spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God. 17 And whatsoever ye do, in word or in deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Compare Hebrews 10:25—"not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting [one another]; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh.")

What does this cause us to do?

We each make a personal choice to act in obedience to Christ:

Philippians 2: 12—"So then, my beloved, even as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."

We share the Gospel with others through our testimony and sharing God’s word with them.

Matthew 5:14-16—"Ye are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do [men] light a lamp, and put it under the bushel, but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house. 16 Even so let your light shine before men; that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Matthew 28: 19, 20—"Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

We walk in faith in our daily lives:

Deut. 6: 6-9—"And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; 7 and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates."

Psalm 119: 104-106—"Through thy precepts I get understanding: Therefore I hate every false way. 105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And light unto my path. 106 I have sworn, and have confirmed it, That I will observe thy righteous ordinances."

2 Corinthians 5: 7—". . .for we walk by faith. . ."

James 2: 26—"For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead."

James 1: 22—"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves."

John 14: 15—"If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments."

How do we accomplish all of this?

Draw close to God:

James 4: 6-8—"But he giveth more grace. Wherefore [the scripture] saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. 7 Be subject therefore unto God; but resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye doubleminded. "

Rely on His Holy Spirit:

John 14: 16-18—Jesus told us about the Holy Spirit: "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, 17 [even] the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you desolate: I come unto you."