Is God Racist or Is It My Church?

The world has come far in many respects, but in other areas, we have either remained the same or have worsened. In a time of even greater confusion and moral decline, we expect the church to set an example for all the world to see, but it seems that we are failing to be the light that we are called to be or the salt of the earth that the perishing world needs. We have allowed racism to continue in the church, perhaps under many disguises, but it is nevertheless racism.

You are first and foremost a Christian, a child of GOD. Your salvation was not dependent on your race, but on Jesus, on your acceptance of Him. It seems that we have forgotten this truth when we look at the demographics of some of our churches. I’m South African, living in a country with a history that many people throughout the world will probably know something of. My country went through decades of forced segregation, and despite Apartheid coming to an end with Nelson Mandela becoming the first black president in 1994, it seems that South Africa remains a country that is still segregated, perhaps not so much physically, but certainly mentally. This segregation extends into many churches where ‘white churches’ have predominately white people and ‘black churches’ will have predominately black people. I used to think that it was due to a language barrier- not everyone speaks English- and perhaps comfort. Comfort in the sense that you prefer to be around people who are like you in culture, language, likes, and race. But, wouldn’t the fact that we are all children of GOD be the ultimate deciding factor when choosing a church?

I’m sure that it’s the same elsewhere in the world- America in particular. If there is any country that is spoken of in the news with regards to racism, it is America. Rarely a week goes past without hearing about some racist remark that a person made, a racist action taken against someone or some march happening in protest against racism. It seems that America is building up racism, rather than working together to destroy it. It’s the same in my own country. Afrikaaner farmers are being butchered to death by angry black South Africans, white women are being put in jail for racist remarks, the Black Economic Empowerment plan has excluded white people and given many black people jobs that they are not qualified for. There are many other situations that I can speak about, but the main thing on my mind is the racism still lurking in our churches.

Crumpled paper ball with words Racism on gray background. Black and white.

I cannot tell you the number of times I have heard so-called Christians make a racist remark. I have even heard the word ‘kaffir’ used, which is a derogatory word used for black people, the equivalent in America would be ‘nigger’. I have noticed, that in black churches, whenever a white person would visit, that person would get special preference- it’s as if the church feels blessed to have a white person grace their church with his/her presence. Whereas in the white church, if a black person came to sit in on one of the services, then the white people would speak kindly and act welcomely, but they would do so as if they were speaking to a child, a child that does not understand much. And if it turns out that the black person speaks perfect English, then the usual remark of ‘You speak English so well, who taught you?’ will be said. It doesn’t seem to occur to them that our schools are now integrated, which means that even black people can speak English as well as them, and still have their own mother tongue of isiZulu, isiXhosa, Sotho or any other Nguni language.

They each take the practices of the world and bring it into the church, not understanding that it is a sin. When I hear of these underhanded racist remarks in the church, it saddens me. These people have not allowed the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives to remove that spirit of racism. Not all churches are guilty of this, but there are too many that sneak in racism and call it honesty.

As I look back over the struggle for racial equality, not just in South Africa, but also elsewhere in the world, I see that the church has played a significant part. The revivalist and evangelist Charles Finney (pre-Civil War days in America), preached about the evils of slavery and even said that it was impossible to be right with Christ and still tolerate slavery. He went so far as to establish probably the first integrated college in America, in Oberlin, Ohio.

John Newton, the author of one of the most loved songs ‘Amazing Grace’, was an ex-slave trader who became a preacher. He saw the suffering that the inhumane practice of slavery inflicted on its victims and influenced William Wilberforce, another godly British Christian, to fight for the right of black people. As a powerful politician, he became the primary instrument in pressuring England to make slavery illegal.

It would be a shock if no one knew of the great evangelist, Billy Graham. He spoke of racial equality early on in his ministry and even refused to hold a crusade in the 1950s unless both black and white people were able to sit together as one. Our very own Desmond Tutu (archbishop now), did not shy away under the cloak of the church, but publicly spoke of the Apartheid practices, even when faced with being locked up and perhaps never returning home alive.

How is it that today, with a rich history as this, racism is left to continue in the church? Have we learned nothing from the past? It seems that the church needs healing when it is the church that should be healing the world with the Word of GOD.

GOD is strongly opposed to injustice and oppression. Leviticus 19:34 says: “The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself…”

Here GOD makes sure that his people, the Israelites, would not become proud and uncaring for other races, just because they had a special covenant relationship with Him. In Mark 12:31, the second great commandment that Jesus gave was to love your neighbor as yourself. He didn’t specify any race, He just said neighbor. For Jesus, to love your neighbor as you love yourself was to practice justice towards your fellow human beings. Where is that justice in the church when we continue to be prejudiced against someone just because of the color of his/her skin. You need to understand that the media has lied, manipulated and influenced the minds of people, fueling their hate for one another. It is wrong, Family, to be influenced by the world! I cannot stress this enough. Saved or not, you stand in judgment of this sin. What are you doing putting your nose where it doesn’t belong? What have you to do with the evil affairs of the world? Do you not understand that the main entity behind all of this hate is Satan? Unless you are Jewish, then we are all Gentiles, that means that there is no white and black, Indian or Chinese, Eskimo or Polynesian- there is no subtype of Gentile that is supposed to get special treatment while the other is oppressed.

Revelation 7:9 says: “After this, I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.”

Is there any mention of prejudice? Segregation? Hatred? Injustice? Oppression? No. The only prerequisite to being saved is believing and confessing Jesus as our Saviour, after that it is a matter of obeying GOD in all areas of your life. We have enough problems in the church without having to hold onto the race card. Let it go, examine yourselves, get right with GOD. If you can (you can do all things through Christ by the way), begin to see each person as someone that GOD loves, look past the color of their skin. Evil is evil, no matter who does it. Your job is to love them, and that’s it. We are commanded to do everything in love- remember this.

May 13, 2018May 19, 2018

70% Of Teens Quit Church After High School. Here’s Why

Let’s face it: the Christian youth are not prepared for all the skeptical and atheistic views that they encounter once they leave the nest. They do not have the necessary knowledge to withstand an attack against their faith, and eventually, they start to questions their beliefs. Before you know it, they return home on vacation with beliefs different to that in which they were brought up in, puffed up with ‘intellectual proof’ that church is either irrelevant or that Christianity is a based on a book of fairy tales and fables. Our Christian youth are joining the ranks of atheists and agnostics at an alarming rate, and we may just be paying for it to happen.

Most of our Christian youth will enroll in a college after graduating high school, and obviously, we are all for encouraging them to further their education and become a contributing member of society. However, gaining knowledge has come with a major side effect: we are experiencing a great falling away of our youth. Just take a moment and think about that. Our youth are the future, they are the ones that we are going to pass the baton on to lead the next generation. But if they are leaving the church in droves, where does that leave the church? We are meant to be preaching the Word of GOD and adding to our numbers, but instead, we are losing Christians. Many world events point to the fact that we are clearly living in the End Times, and so we cannot be losing souls to the world. How are we to stop this exodus? Well, it’s important to know why they are leaving in the first place. The reasons, you will find, lie with both us (the church) and the intellectual skepticism that is running rampant on campus grounds.

The Church

I’m sure that we mean well when we emphasize the emotional aspect of Christianity. Teenagers today have a shorter attention span than the youth of yesteryear, and they lose interest rather quickly, so keeping them entertained seems like the obvious path to take in order to keep them in church. We provide the youth with riveting skits that keep them entertained, we have video nights that cater to their need of movie nights and popcorn with fellow Christian mates. We raise their endorphins and get their hearts pumping with a live band that delivers music to move and woo them to continue expressing their love for the LORD. We do a fantastic job of feeding them emotionally with the Word of GOD, but we neglect to give them the basis of our faith.

2 Corinthians 10:5 says “…casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of GOD, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”

We do not teach them this command, or, if it is taught, we do not stress the importance of it. It is important that we instill the fear and love of GOD within them and demonstrate that love with praise and worship, but emotion is not going to protect their minds. Feelings are fickle, they sway this way and that- it just depends on the tide. Imagine having them being coddled with sentimental feelings about Jesus, only to render those emotions useless in the face of much hate, skepticism, and distrust of the Christian faith. They will not be able to uphold the command in 1 Peter 3:15:

“But sanctify the LORD GOD in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear.”

They will see reason in intellectual skepticism, and, with no ‘proof’ to believe in the existence of Jesus, they will eventually discard their faith. You see, we are supposed to know what we believe in and why we believe it. If our Christian youth do not understand this, we are opening the gates to their doom.

Intellectual Skepticism

College is a place of broad-minded individuals. The campus environment is all for ‘awakening your mind’ and encouraging enlightenment. Typically, most college professors identify themselves as atheists. It’s amusing (not really) for me to come across people who are against hearing the Word of GOD, but they think nothing of those who are intent upon converting them to atheism because, according to them, GOD does not exist. Let me tell you something: it takes more faith to be an atheist! With so much evidence of GOD’S handiwork, it takes much faith to ignore this in favor of the big bang theory. I once read somewhere that Darwin himself recanted his beliefs, but that knowledge is not widely circulated. While I cannot prove this, I wouldn’t be amazed if he did indeed go back on his previously held beliefs.

Our Christian youth are not being given the knowledge to question the atheistic and skeptical views that they encounter when they leave home for college. It’s no secret that college professors who are atheist look unfavorably upon those associated with the Christian faith. I do not think that it seems out of place to believe that these professors will use whatever intellectual ammunition they have to convert their students to atheism, and our Christian students are just not equipped to handle and resist the atheistic firing squad.

The campus is full of anti-Christian individuals who are intent upon undermining the Christian faith and will present all types of arguments and so-called empirical evidence to debunk the truths present in the Scriptures. They encounter the works of atheists such as Richard Dawkins, who has been quoted as saying “I am against religion because it teaches us to be satisfied with not understanding the world.” Do you see the foolishness in this? Another atheist, Sam Harris, has written a book titled ‘The End of Faith’, and yet another atheist, Christopher Hitchens (now deceased), has been described as ‘The Restless Soul of the World’s Most Notorious Atheist’. I can see why he was notorious, with comments such as “The only worthwhile miracle in the New Testament-the transmutation of water into wine during the wedding at Cana- is a tribute to the persistence of Hellenism in an otherwise austere Judaea” , and “To ‘choose’ dogma and faith over doubt and experience is to throw out the ripening vintage and to reach greedily for the Kool-Aid”. You can bet your bottom dollar (just an expression- we certainly do not bet!) that popular and celebrated atheists such as these are thrust into the lives of our Christian youth, plying them with lies and seductive worldviews that attract and ensnare them into emptiness.

Many of our youth, having been presented with much freedom, see all the world has to offer and they want to take a bite out of the apple. They put GOD on the back burner and immerse themselves in a hedonistic existence that is worlds apart from the God-fearing life they led before. It’s worth noting that not all youths in the church are Christians, many of them simply attend church because of their parents, so once they live the home, they are free to pursue their own beliefs and form their own opinions sans the influence of their parents. There are also youths that have left the church because they find Christians to be judgemental, hypocritical and selfish- the opposite of what is taught from the Scriptures. We know this to be true, but it is a great travesty that these youths have not been in the presence of a loving and God-fearing woman or man to show them what serving the LORD truly means, and what is that hope that we have in Christ.

It is vital that all of us Believers who are in the position of positively influencing a teen should teach them the truths of our faith and give them a solid foundation with their feet planted firmly on the Rock, that is Christ Jesus. If we do not take the time to lovingly guide and teach our youth the Word of GOD in its entirety (not just bits and pieces), then outsiders will undoubtedly do it.

May 11, 2018May 11, 2018

The Church: The Bad and The Ugly

In Matthew 16, Christ talked about building His church and not even the forces of darkness could conquer it. All through the book of Acts, the days of the early local church, we see Christ’s protection and empowerment over it. It is the redeemed collected, enabled, and commissioned to become God’s agent for life change. When the church fulfills its purpose, there is fruit and profitability. But, when it diverts from the right pursuit, there is chaos and more problems than solutions arise. When there is health, the good and the beautiful reign. When there is an imbalance, the bad and the ugly prevail.

Legalism Over the Bible

Legalism puts conditions above the Gospel. It adds requirements for salvation beyond genuine faith in Christ’s finished work. It wearies believers with rules that wrongfully make Christian living a burden instead of a joy. Where there is legalism, conformity is the goal, not transformation. Where there is legalism, the local church breeds a congregation that lives for human standards and not God’s principles for righteousness. Where there is legalism, the authoritative voice is no longer the Holy Spirit but human leaders.

The church must remember to keep life simple. Our pursuits must be Agape love and true worship. James 1:27 says,

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

Love Over Holiness

Lifeway Research came out with new survey results this April 2018. Data showed that churches nowadays rarely reprimand members and few discipline members for misconducts. Eight out of ten senior pastors have not disciplined a member in 2017. Half say they are not aware of any disciplinary actions taking place in 2017. From 1,000 phone calls made to senior pastors, only eight percent reported taking disciplinary measures on members for 2017. Half of the respondents also agree that there is no formal disciplinary process and policy in place.

The church must remember that church discipline, when done right, benefits the erring believer. The principles set forth in Matthew 18 must always apply. The focus is never to shame nor punish but always to restore the sinning Christian to rightness with God and man and to remind the congregation to pursue a life of holiness. Galatians 6:1 says,

“If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.”

Shallow and Impractical Teachings

It could be a sin for a preacher to bore God’s people with the preaching of the Word. It is certainly a sin for a Christian to sit through the preaching of God’s Word without receptivity. Hebrews 4:12 says, “God’s Word is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” 2 Timothy 3:16,17 say,

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

May 10, 2018January 15, 2024

The Dark Web…A new frontier for Christianity?

Have you heard about the deep, dark side of the Internet?

In mid-2014 it was estimated that more than three billion people (about 42% of the world’s population) used the Internet.

The Internet, very much like the real-world. Only virtual. Yes it has a good side, but also it also has a dark side. And by the dark side, it’s not just adult websites that we’re talking about, but something even bigger and more complex. Commonly known as the dark web.

what’s the dark web?

The Dark Web or Dark Net is a subset of the Deep Web with a seething matrix of encrypted websites – also known as the TOR. It’s a virtual underworld where everything is anonymous and unmonitored, far away from the prying eyes of intelligence law enforcement agencies across the world.

Much like Ebay, transactions take place in online Dark-net markets — hacking or sale of drugs, arms, confidential information, etc. in exchange for money or information. However, while the Dark Web is full of criminal activity, it’s also a place where dissidents and whistle-blowers can anonymously share information!

Driven underground.

Despite the challenges facing law-enforcement agencies, it would be a serious error to characterize the Deep Web as exclusively a cybercrime ecosystem.

For years, the darknet has been viewed as the criminal underbelly of the internet. In a lot of ways, it is exactly that, but many don’t realize that there is a silver lining to it as well.

The darknet is the home of the whistleblower.

As the underground network provides an environment that protects valuable user privacy useful if you’re a whistleblower or in fact a Christian living in a part of the world that has banned Christian practice. This is because it’s a place where views can be expressed freely without fear of retribution. Considering that whistleblowers, are the enemy of most corporations and governments around the world.

By broadcasting their messages, whistleblowers effectively put their physical, financial and mental wellbeing at risk of harm from their powerful enemies.

The dark-net whistleblower websites therefore provide a means to communication under the cover of anonymity.

Whistleblower Sites

This is one of the sites dedicated to whistleblowers

Dedicated whistleblower sites are numerous on the darknet. Starting with the most famous one of all, WikiLeaks, each one of these sites is dedicated to providing whistleblowers with a platform to express themselves openly to get the right kind of coverage.

The truth.

We found that many Tor sites (called onions) today lie somewhere between tame and useless. Furthermore new research suggests that the few extant onions that remain are heading towards extinction.

The draw of Tor is its purported ability to keep users anonymous through the “onion routing” that gives Tor its name.

Question.

Do you know Christians who use the deep web or dark web to avoid being persecuted?

We have heard of some missionaries who use the Tor when communicating with their home church. However, some Christians argue that we should avoid it for the simple reason that we are taught NOT to hide, despite the persecutions that will come because of it. What are your thoughts and suggestions?

May 9, 2018February 25, 2019

When Your Church Fails You: A Message For the Disheartened

The church is meant to be a place of safety, worship, and fellowship. It’s the one place that you do not expect to be judged according to the world’s standard, to see the moral decay of society or meet hypocrites that spew all sorts of profanities. But what if your church has failed you? What do you do?

We are all one Church and the Body of Christ, but Jesus hasn’t come back yet so we are not yet physically united, but we are united in spirit, or at least we should be. For the time being, we are scattered all over the globe and we all have our own churches (a building of some sort) that we go to have fellowship with other Christians. It would be a lie if I said that all churches share the same agenda of worship, preaching, loving, admonishing and encouraging one another, because they don’t. Some churches are there to destroy the faith of Christians, to have them cleave to the world and to get rich by extorting the struggling and the poor. Other churches have good intentions, but there are a couple of goats among the herd of sheep that do not belong there and are causing wave upon wave of problems within the church. Although there are many good churches, the rate of questionable ones are growing and the population of name-only Christians is growing as well.

What if you attend one of the more questionable churches? Your church could be filled with pastors who give false doctrines, backbiters, idolators, gossipers, people committing adultery, having sexual relations out of marriage, occultic practices, lovers of money and haters of generosity, truth, love and the powerful Word of GOD. Maybe you were judged and rejected by members of the church. Day by day your faith starts to weaken. You start to question the foundation of your faith that is Christ Jesus. Can GOD really exist when these people do all of these sins? You came to church to learn about GOD, the Almighty GOD that created the world and created man in His own image. The GOD that sent His Son to earth to die for the sins of man, so that whoever would believe in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. You wanted to experience the presence of GOD, to find your purpose. Instead, you walked into a den of liars and people who seem lost, doing everything but what the Scriptures command. What are you to do? Do you abandon your faith? Do you walk away from your church?

Consider the following five steps before making a decision.

Step One: You identify that there is something legitimately wrong in your church. There will always be some people that are destructive in the church, but that doesn’t mean that the whole church is bad. Make sure that you’re not judging the whole church based on a few people.

Step Two: Read GOD’S Word to find out what He says about the people who follow His commands and those who do not. You will find that the fruits of the person will indicate their position with GOD.

Step Three: Understand that there are people who call themselves Christian and yet their hearts are far from GOD – these people have either backslidden or were never true Believers, to begin with. Be wary and watch out that you do not become influenced by them.

Step Four: If you are certain that the whole church goes against GOD’s Word, then leave the church and look for another church that is obedient to GOD in ALL things.

Step Five: Never lose your faith in GOD because of a couple of ‘goats’ in the church. Follow your Shepherd who is Jesus – He will never fail you or contradict Himself.

Whether you are a teenager, a seasoned Christian or an elderly person, GOD has a purpose for you. There will be many opportunities for you to question the validity of your faith, the grounds for your belief in Jesus, the necessity of the Scriptures, and even GOD’S love for you. Never allow doubt to take away your gift from Him- eternal life in Jesus. Rather than leave your faith, delve deeper into the Scriptures, look for answers, don’t just give up. Jesus is coming and He needs warriors, not lukewarm people who doubt His Word. Time is running out.

May 2, 2018

The Awkwardness of Witnessing at Work

Telling someone about God is not the easiest thing in the world. I don’t understand every single thing about Him, I mean, he’s God. I can’t answer you when you ask me how in the heck He was there before there ever was a beginning; my human mind can’t comprehend how that’s even possible. I can’t tell you why bad things happen to good people, I can’t tell you why we are always at conflict with other countries when an all-powerful God could just say “Stop being stupid” and we would all just get along. I don’t have the answers to the world’s toughest questions about God, all I’ve got is faith based on the knowledge that I do have. I do know that God answers prayer, I do know that He gives me peace and strength, and I do know that before God, all I ever did was sit around, get fat off of junk food and feel sorry for myself.

I tell people about God because I want them to know Him like I know Him. I want them to know what it feels like knowing that God comforts us in the storm and protects us from harm. But how do I convey that in spoken form? How do I describe a feeling that’s unlike any other? Most of the time I fail, and then things get awkward.

“God loves you. I know you may not believe in him, but he believes in you!” Cringe. Why did I say that? I used to work at a Fast Food joint, not Hallmark. She turned right around to face me and said, “Alisha, I don’t NOT believe in God, I just don’t go to church. Who told you that I was an atheist?” Ummm awkward! What’s even is worse is the fact that I ratted on my friend and said that she did it. I really didn’t think that through, I should have had more coffee before I decided to open up my big mouth cause for the rest of that week everybody was making fun of how ignorant I was.

I had another situation where I was trying to witness to someone and I just went right along with their answers so that I could seem relatable. Big mistake. “Yeah,” he said. “I just don’t know if God is real or not. He could be, but he might not be. I just don’t know, so I don’t believe.” I told him that I was right in the same boat as him, which was a lie. I told him the cliche line of “too many things have happened to me for me to not believe,” and the cringe continued. No, my grade A witnessing skills did not make this person desperately want to give his life to The Lord. I wasn’t being truthful, I believe in God and in no way do I have any doubts. There was a time I didn’t, but not now. I don’t know how I thought lying just to seem relatable would do anyone any good.

I haven’t mastered the arts of genius witnessing tactics, but now I’m realizing that the best way is to live by example. People are going to notice I’m different, people are going to be curious on their own, and then I can tell them what I know and be honest about what I don’t know. Witnessing isn’t about obnoxiously asking them if they want to learn about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, it isn’t about making people feel weird or uncomfortable, it’s about leading people to God on their own terms. Let your light shine for itself, people will notice, and when they do, they will find a love like they’ve never known before.

May 1, 2018May 1, 2018

How Billy Graham Became the Most Famous Preacher in America

My journey into Billy Graham’s life was absolutely fascinating! I always loved M. Graham and his teachings but I thought, even if he inspired millions of people around the world, for sure, he must have gotten some inspiration from those who were closest to him.

Who was Billy Graham?

I’m convinced most people know who Billy Graham was unless you live under a rock! But just in case some of you don’t know who this man was…

The Christian evangelist William Franklin Graham was born on November 7, 1918, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Billy Graham was an evangelist at revival meetings and on radio and television for over 40 years. He was basically the greatest evangelist there ever was. He preached the Christian gospel to as many as 220 million people in live audiences over 185 countries. He was credited with preaching to more individuals than anyone else in history, not counting the additional millions he has addressed through radio, television and the written word.

Throughout the decades, we have come to cherish many of his words, including his thoughts on prayer.

How it all started for Billy

It was a traveling evangelist Mordecai Ham, who would set Graham on a profound spiritual path. At the age of 16, he attended a series of revival meetings done by M. Ham and his sermons really spoke to him. After high school, he enrolled in a conservative Christian school and later to the Florida Bible Institute. After graduating from the Florida Bible Institute with a bachelor in theology, Graham moved to Illinois and he enrolled at Wheaton College for further spiritual training. At the tender age of 19, he got baptized in a southern Baptist Church and one year later, he was ordained.

It was there, at Wheaton’s College that he met, Ruth McCue Bell, who would later become his wife.

Then came Ruth

Ruth was born in China in 1920. Her parents, Dr. Nelson Bell and Virginia McCue Bell, were medical missionaries with the Presbyterian Hospital. Ruth never intended to marry, since she knew how hard the life of a missionary was but all changed when she met Billy at age 17, in 1937. She said, she loved Billy’s gentle spirit and prayed to God, she would be able to serve Him, with Billy, whom she wished would become her husband.

Ruth was an amazing Christian author and Billy respected her work very much. He was very proud of what she was accomplishing as a mother and as a writer. He said about his wife, that she was also a marvellous cook and a fabulous mother. He often turned to her for advice about his ministry. Often being away from home, He was so respectful of his wife that he swore he would never be alone with another woman other than her. He would ask members of his team, to go into his hotel room and check before he came in, just in case a fan might be there waiting for him. He also shared that his greatest temptation was wanting on a few occasion, to not listen to God and his calling because he wished he could stay home with his wife and children. He found leaving them to be very hard. He struggled many times with that. But he also knew how is calling was important and he did not want to disobey God.

Ruth knew how important her role was as a wife and mother. She treasured her role as Billy’s confident, advisor, administrator and closest friend. She preferred to stay away from the spotlight and was more at ease working behind the scenes. She helped him with the research for his books and was a very important helper when came time to prepare his sermons. She was an amazing writer and poet and she authored as well as coauthored 14 books.

Billy had Ruth as a firm anchor, she would stand by him and make sure he stood firm whenever he would become tempted to dive into politics which fascinated him so. In 1964, when rumors were circulating about Billy Graham running for the White House, she told him boldly, “If you run, I don’t think the country will elect a divorced president”.

Ruth always helped her husband who was always facing many temptations. She was a strong and talented woman. She was a gifted evangelist too but a more private one. She was sharing the gospel with their circle of friends including the First Families.

Reverend Graham’s wife had also a very witty sense of humour. Barbara Bush once said, that Ruth had been asked if she ever thought about divorce, she answered: “ Divorce? No. Murder? Yes”.

Like M. Graham said many times, he could not have done what he has, if it was not for the support of his dear and beloved wife who inspired him so. She was behind the scenes most of the time, but played a major role in Billy Graham’s life and who he became, which is the greatest evangelist there ever was.

-Smile.

April 29, 2018April 29, 2018

Can Tithing Make You Rich?

When people speak about tithing it is divisive. Some are for and some are against and usually, they’re both screaming at each other!

Most people would say it’s a con, a hoax, a joke etc. They say it’s no longer relevant and yet that wasn’t the case for me. When I was started tithing my life was in shambles. In desperation, I went to God for an answer. Sometime later the answer came back “start tithing.”

I’d like to say that I immediately took action, that I whipped out my checkbook and wrote my first check immediately.That I repented for my inactions. Nope.

I ignored the “answer” for some time. But after a while, I did start tithing. I did it as an experiment. I started tithing on unemployment checks and after some time I was tithing on a six-figure income.

The Benefits of Tithing

Now keep in mind I’m not going to tell you that if you tithe these things are going to happen:

Your debts are going to be paid.
Your mortgage is going to be forgiven.
Your car is going to transform into a brand new BMW.
The boss won’t be able to sleep until he gives you a raise.
The CEO of the company you’re working for will see your name and face in a dream, seek you out, and promote you to a position you have don’t the skills or experience for.

Not at all.

I will say that there are great benefits to tithing that cannot be ignored. But let’s start from a Biblical point of view…and no I don’t mean Malachi 3:10!

1. The Bible

When the Bible speaks about the tithe it uses the Hebrew word “maaser”(pronounced mah-as-ayr‘). It’s used 32 times in the Old Testament. (Note: English is read left to right, Hebrew is read right to left.) The Hebrew language is a language of root words. Prefixes and suffixes are added to build on the meaning of the root word. So in this word, the first letter mem (Ã—Å¾) conveys this meaning:

Changing a verb into the noun of that word:

For example: adding mem “to preach” (verb) turns it into “preacher” (noun).

Now taking away mem (Ã—Å¾) from “maaser” we’re left with “aser” which means rich.

So another way of interpreting this is:

The “rich” is in the tithe.

or with “maaser”:

“The one tithing becomes rich.”

Whoa! Crazy, isn’t it?

2. State of the Plate

Let’ss look at some other other numbers: According to the landmark State of the Plate research – a multi-year research that documented the giving habits of thousands of givers – Tithers were more financially stable than their counterparts:

According to the author:

“People that follow biblical principles of giving also are much more likely to be wiser and more careful in their spending”¦It is important in preaching and teaching on finances and generosity to help people realize that generosity leads to greater financial freedom and stability, while not giving frequently leads to greater indebtedness and financial bondage.”

Could it be possible that King Solomon – one of the wealthiest men who lived had a point when he said, “Honor the Lord with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10 NKJV) or “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; And there is one who withholds more than is right, But it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters will also be watered himself.” (Proverbs 11:24-25 NKJV)?

3. Chantel Ray

But there are even greater case studies about tithing. Before Chantel Ray. was a multi-million dollar real estate entrepreneur, she was a youth pastor making $9/hr. She was also using credit cards to survive. After several years of this she was $10,000 in debt and her cards were maxed out. One day she heard about tithing. Like many of us she said, “Yeah right! I can’t do this right now. Maybe when I start making some money.” But after months of fighting things continued to get worse and she took the leap of faith. Her first tithe check was $30. The next day she received a refund check of $300. She continued to tithe and a close family member felt led to pay off her debt. She continued to tithe and within a few months, she got a better paying job. She continued to tithe, in fact, she increased the amount. She began a new career in real estate, was the best salesperson, and eventually started her own firm.

4. John D. Rockefeller

But let’s look at another case study: John D. Rockefeller! Before John D. Rockefeller became the richest American ever. Before his wealth was 1.5% to 2% of the U.S’s GDP (his personal wealth $1.4 billion; the US GDP $92 billion). Before his philanthropy equated to hundreds of millions of dollars (billion adjusted for inflation) he learned how to give at an early age. His giving began with his first job as a clerk at age 16, when he gave 6% of his earnings to charity. By the time he was twenty, his giving exceeded 10% percent of his income. Much of it going to church-related activities. Rockefeller, a devout Christian, was always under the belief his success was divinely inspired. He said, quite emphatically:

“God gave me my money.”

Why did God single him out for stupendous wealth? He believed it was because he was a good steward. In his seventies he said:

“It has seemed as if I was favored and got increase because the Lord knew I was going to turn it around and give it back.”

Conclusion

I do know this: no matter what I say the debate will always continue. There are always going to be people for tithing and people against tithing. I can live with that. But tithing helped change my life and I hope that one day you can “experiment” with it and see what happens to you. What have your experiences been with tithing?

April 27, 2018May 8, 2018

Why Christianity Has Been Pushed Underground in China?

China's Christians Practice Their Faith in Underground Churches

Millions of Chinese identify themselves with Christianity a reality that President Xi’s administration is fighting hard against. The number has increased gradually and this is seen as a threat to the government which is officially atheist and its power is being put to test.

Under the presidency of Xi Jinping, the government launched a number of initiatives to control and at times limit Christian followers. Chinese Communist Party (C.C.P.) is up in arms to control and fight Christianity. The government constraints and controls religious freedom. Why is the government determined to rob people of their free will to worship?

We are blessed that we have the freedom of worship to our Lord anywhere, anytime and anyhow with no one monitoring of our doings unlike In China where Christians have been pushed to worship underground. China ranked 10th as a country where it is most hard and risky to practice Christianity according to Open Doors, a U.S. based Christian non-profit that traces the persecution of Christians worldwide.

The Lie

Psalms 103:2-3 says, Praise be to the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits-who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.

The Chinese government has been persuading Christians to pull down the pictures of our Lord Jesus Christ and replace them with the photographs of president Xi Jinping.They have also gone ahead to tell them about how Jesus won’t drag them out of hardships or cure their ailments which we all know it’s a lie from the devil!

Our God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly above all we have asked for or imagined.

The Christianity crackdown

Over the past 4 decades, there has been a tremendous increase in Christian believers and this has not gone down so well with the government. The Chinese Communist Party is on guard lest Christians invade the country and that’s why they have opted to restrict and put a barrier to free worship. With the crackdown this is what they’ve opted to do against the Christians;

1. The Communist party was very daring in visiting Christians households in Jiangxi Province, removing by force dozens of Christian symbols and images of Jesus from their living rooms and substituting them with the communist president.

2. Bible online sellers like Amazon has been banned so as to suppress Christianity.

3.The government has destroyed churches under president Xi Jinping.The blowing up of the Christian megachurch with dynamite shows how the government has no respect for religious freedom or human rights.

4. Churches across the Zhejiang province were forced to remove their crosses and the government set new limitations that believers must have government approval.

5. Detention of believers, hindering entry to places of worship and interfering with gatherings has forced many Christians to go underground.

6. The Chinese government has actively and openly been popularizing Buddhism and Taoism, as well folk religions while restricting the spread of Christianity.

7. Preachers have also been coerced to show their loyalty to the communist party and have taken to applauding president Xi Jinping and combining party propaganda into their teachings.

8.The new law that took effect on February 2, 2018, says will charge penalties on organizers or unofficial religious happenings and stop them from basic duties like receiving handouts, providing spiritual information online, or teaching children.

9. The Chinese government has lifted up the presidential term limits-you guessed it right on what this means for the church. Lifting up the term limit is a way of allowing the Communist party to suppress the spread of Christianity.

This has forced many Christians to go underground and some members are reluctant to confess their faith. Forcing the removal of crosses from the churches where the preachers could not agree to it, they opted to go underground for the fear of further punishment.

Acts 1:8 says, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

“By 2030, China will almost certainly have more Christians than any other country and the Communist party is very alarmed.” Says Fenggang Yang.

With this power given unto us, we can change anything and even make things happen. Let us unite as Christians and pray for our brothers and sisters in China and every corner of the world where Christians are being attacked for practicing their faith.

As Christians, we are blessed to have the Holy Spirit to empower and give us power and authority. In countries where we have the freedom of worship, let’s spread the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ even to the unchurched.Share the word of God to everyone who cares to listen and save their souls from death.

April 22, 2018July 22, 2020

You Need to Stop Pointing That Finger

Is God a Republican or a Democrat? We, as Believers, can be the most judgemental people. We tend to hold onto the belief that, because we are Christians, we have a right to judge each other (and Unbelievers). If those who are being judged do not agree with us, then we most likely end up Bible-bashing them: “Well, GOD said in chapter _ verse _ that you can’t do_, so you’re committing a sin! And it’s wrong! You’re probably going to hell for that you know.” Does this sound familiar to you? Perhaps you do not use those exact words, but it all boils down to the same thing, and that’s judging others when you do not have the right to do so.

Let’s delve into GOD’S Word, shall we? If we continue on from Matthew 7:1-5 and read verses 3-5, we see that Jesus did not mince His words when it came to the subject of judging. He even used the word hypocrite to describe the person that was intent on taking the speck out of his brother’s eye when in fact, he had a whole plank in his own eye. Think of it in this way: Jim has been accusing Alex of sexual immorality. Apparently, Alex has been sleeping with his girlfriend, Stacey. As Christians, this will not do- obviously. However, it turns out that Jim (who has been doing the finger pointing with great conviction) has been lustfully looking at a young lady from church. Tsk tsk, Jim. Now, what did Jesus say about that?

“But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matt 5:28).

Paul was an Apostle who knew just what to say about those of us who love to judge: And do you think, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of GOD? (Rom 2:3). No matter how much you try and justify yourself, GOD is still going to judge you. What you need to understand is that if GOD Himself did not send His Son to condemn us (John 3:17), why on earth are we doing it (did you see what I did there- on earth because we live on earth! Ha!)? So the question that you probably have now is: how do we tell/show the person that what they are doing is wrong? That they are disobeying GOD? It’s simple really. If you are not like Jim, meaning that you yourself are not living in sin, then you can proceed to Galatians 6:1: Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.” Paul says that you need to be spiritual, and the only way to be spiritual is to immerse yourself in GOD’S Word daily. Study His Word and by faith, apply it to your life. He also says that you are to be gentle with that person- which, by the way, is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. You cannot be gentle if you do not have love, and if you do not understand what love is (which is more of an action and not just a feeling), then study 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Lastly, you had better watch yourself- you wouldn’t want to be helping that person, only to fall into the same temptation. Always pray before you do anything- it will save you a lot of drama.

Okay, so we have covered nearly all aspects of judging within the church (by church, I do not mean a building but the body of Christ- all of us who profess Jesus as the Son of GOD), but there is one last aspect to consider. What did Paul mean in 1 Corinthians 5:11? But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner- not even to eat with such a person. This sounds like Paul is being quite judgemental, doesn’t it? Now we know that the Bible does not contradict Itself (contrary to popular belief- that’s another topic!), so what could Paul mean? Let’s go back a few pages and take a look at Romans 16:17-18: 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.” Remember, bad company can corrupt good character (1 Corinthians 15:33). These people, who profess to be Christian and yet go against the Word of GOD, you must understand that they cannot be who they say they are. According to Luke 6:43-45, a tree is known by its fruit. Therefore as Christians, we are to produce fruits of the Holy Spirit. Those who are of the devil (whether by choice or ‘default’), will produce evil fruit in accordance with the deeds of the devil. My advice to you? Just walk away- do not concern yourself with their way of living- GOD will sort it out. Pray for them yes, but do not, I repeat, do not get involved with them in any way. We need to realize that GOD’S Word is absolute- if we are told not to do something, then we must not do it. If you are happy with taking GOD’S Word as is, great. However, there are some that want to know why. If you want to know why we cannot do a certain thing, then you better start reading and studying the Bible to find out, and if you cannot find it, then just ask GOD- but you better believe that He will do it, or else you’re being rather double-minded (James 1:5-8).

What about judging non-Believers? One piece of scripture will clear that up in a jiff: For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside?

Do you not judge those who are inside? But those who are outside GOD judges” (1 Cor 5:12-13). Pretty straightforward isn’t it? We, as Christians, have no right to judge a non-Believer. We know that GOD is more than capable of doing that so put it out of your minds. Your duties are to obey and love GOD, study His Word, pray without ceasing, live by faith and not by sight, and love one another. Don’t forget about going out to spread the Gospel, whether within your own community or jumping across the sea to reach those who are lost.

Ending Thoughts: Do not speak evil of one another, brethren (James 4:11). If you have nothing good to say, then do not say it at all.

April 21, 2018January 15, 2024

Why ‘Coming Out’ as a Christian at work is so very hard?

Dave is a competent young professional. He looks worn and defeated. In talking about his workplace, he said that bickering, criticism, and lack of support for Christians had spread through his organisation – a workplace he used to love. Now, he said, “The tension here is so thick I hate going to work.” he says.

Coming Out of The Christian Closet

Almost everyone has a story to tell about a bad boss, a bizarre colleague or a terrible place to work. However, as a Christian based digital media website, we have heard tons of stories of religious discrimination in the workplace.

We are blessed to have freedom of religion in the UK; (these rights are part The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and applies to freedom from religious discrimination, accommodation, and hostile work environment matters in both public and private workplaces) but recently the attacks upon Christians has increased, and people have lost their jobs and closed their businesses as a result of standing up for their belief. Practicing Christianity at the office or even sharing beliefs seems to touch on nerves, hurt feelings, and ignite high-levels of anger as well as passion in non believers. And it seems like the workplace climate may be getting worse: the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) considered 3,721 religious discrimination complaints in 2013, up from 1,709 in 1997.

“Secular ideology is so pervasive in the professional environment that we often have a difficult time fitting into the culture of the office. Many of us simply “go with the flow,” choosing to participate in the promotion of secular thought and values rather than risk being ostracized and ridiculed by defending the absolute truth of Christianity and the moral certitude of the distinctively Christian vision.”

You know what we’re talking about. Do you pray before lunch with a bunch of clients? Do you invite a new friend to church? Do you quote an appropriate Scripture during a dinner party? Do you hand someone your newsletter (FaithMD)?

However, a poppy is not just for Christmas, and a Christian is not just for the weekend.

But what does it really look like to unite our jobs and faith? After all office politics can be cruel and unfair and you’ve got to play the game”¦ haven’t you? We mean it’s easier to just to pretend you’re out and avoid that phone call”¦ isn’t it? When you’re putting in that expenses claim”¦ everyone creams a little off the top, so why lose out? And when there’s no holiday left to take but you need a day off, it’s easier to call in sick, isn’t it”¦? After all the world didn’t come to an end. So, what’s the big deal?

It’s sin — that’s the big deal.

Staying Godly in a Godless Workplace

The following are a few suggestions as to how to practice your faith at work.

Dont’s

You don’t need to open a beauty salon called “A Cut Above” or a coffee shop called “He Brews” or have to wear a cross or leave a Bible on your desk for others to know that you’re a Christian.
Don’t Engage in Gossip. Even if your workplace only has five employees, it’s almost a given that at least some of them will engage in gossip from time to time.
Don’t Be a Hypocrite. One of the greatest hindrances to the gospel’s effectiveness is Christians who act one way at church and another way elsewhere. If you make your employer a billion dollars yet disgrace Jesus in the process, you’re a failure.
Don’t Hide Away. Our right relationship isn’t just with God, but it’s a right relationship with the world around us.
Don’t lie in the Workplace – Ever. This seems self-evident for Christians, but that’s where we’re under our greatest temptation.

Do’s

Be Righteous.The best witness of your faith is to live it. Treat others as you would like to be treated, be kind, and do everything with love. This doesn’t mean that you have to meekly accept any wrongs at work or to avoid. “If the salt loses its saltiness, it’s good for nothing.”
Be Hopeful. People of hope don’t lie about the reality of the world, but they are pressing on toward a new day. They inject positive direction in every dark situation.
Be Faithful. Christians can explain their faith to others confidently and give attractive examples of the Christian life—even in just doing their jobs well. There’s no such thing as a private faith.
Be About God’s Business and Know God’s Word. After all the Bible is more a love letter than it is a rulebook, more a reliable compass than it is a measuring rod, more a liberating gift than a heavy restraint.
Be Merciful. Your ability to walk rightly, is not a prowess gained. It is a gift supplied by a loving, merciful God who is shaping us into the image of his Son.
Be Prayerful. There will be people who do not like you for any number of reasons. Make it a practice to pray for the people that don’t seem to like you, who you don’t really get along with, or who just always seem to have something snarky to say to or about you.
Be Relational. When you are asked, or ordered, to do something that causes turbulence in your Christian conscience, ask questions.
Be Genuine. People of faith are pure in their motives and dealings with others. They don’t put on airs or sniff the air for hints of sinful behavior.
Be Businesslike, But Not All Business. Have a laugh. Not only does laughing relieve stress, but it improves teamwork. Laughing on the job is not wasting time. It’s keeping work in its proper perspective and treating colleagues like human beings instead of tools.
Be a Risk Taker. I realise this somewhat contradicts some of the last points, but the Christian life rests in that tension between risk and prudence. Here’s a hint, safe will always be boring, risks will always be exciting, and closets will always be dark.
Never Forget Who You’re Really Working For Ultimately. Jesus Christ is our boss, and all our actions on the job should bring glory and honor to Him. God planted us in our current job for a particular reason. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28).

April 20, 2018July 22, 2020

KEEPING GOD in OUR DAILY LIVES

How many of us can truly say that this is how we feel? Do our souls yearn for GOD in the night? Do our spirits long for Him in the morning? Or have our busy lives taken away the pleasure of being with the Almighty?

Life has a sneaky way of drawing our attention away from GOD and instead focusing it on everything else- our finances, the well-being of our children, getting good grades in school, trying to keep a dying relationship alive… We put so much attention on living a life that we push GOD out of our daily lives and put Him into a closed box (in our minds) that we only open up on specific occasions such as church on a Sunday, prayers for a sick person or even a financial difficulty. Once we’re done, we neatly put Him back in that box, ready for the next outing. That is not how it is supposed to be for us as Believers!

Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to trust in Him with our whole hearts and to not try and understand things in our own way. If we would just acknowledge Him in all that we do, He will lead us down the right paths of our lives. In order for Him to lead us, we need to give up control over our own lives. That means humbling ourselves before Him and seeking Him in every situation. When we accepted Jesus as the LORD and Saviour of our lives, we ceased to belong to our selves; we were purchased by the Blood of Jesus and have become the Temple of GOD (Romans 8:9 & 1 Corinthians 6:20). This means that the Holy Spirit dwells within us- the minute we were born-again, the Holy Spirit entered us in accordance with the promise that Jesus made in John 14: 15-17.

What does this mean for us? It means that we can no longer go on living as we did before. It means that in order to know what GOD has planned for our lives (Jeremiah 29:11), we need to seek Him- Let us draw near to GOD with a sincere heart and the full assurance that faith brings (Hebrews 10:32).

We all have a part to play within the Body of Christ, but to be an active member, we need to seek GOD daily and keep Him in our lives. You must remember that we have an adversary- the devil- who will do all that he can to keep you from fulfilling your GOD-given purpose. There are people waiting for you to show them the love of Christ, to give them the Truth. When we one day meet GOD, what do you want Him to say? ‘My child, you have done well’ or ‘Why did you not obey Me?’

Make a choice right now to keep GOD in your daily life, to seek Him in the morning, to end your day with Him. Doing so will bring you closer to Him and closer to your purpose.

Ending Thoughts: Romans 12:2 commands us to not be like the rest of the world, that we must let the Word of God direct our thoughts and actions. In Hosea 4:6 GOD says that His people are destroyed for their lack of knowledge. This knowledge comes from His Word, not just reading His Word but studying it and meditating on it. Only then can we know the will of GOD for our lives, and only then can we get to know Him personally.

April 17, 2018January 15, 2024

25 Extremely Funny Christian Thoughts To Celebrate Every Day

Christianity is a serious business but everything has its funny side. After all, laughter is the best medicine – which is why we practice it religiously here at Godinterest, especially when it comes to funny quotes.

Some things have to be believed to be seen. ~ Ralph Hodgson
No man ever believes that the Bible means what it says. He is always convinced that it says what he means. ~ George Bernard Shaw
I have wondered at times what the Ten Commandments would have looked like if Moses had run them through the U.S. Congress. ~ Ronald Reagan
When I told the people of Northern Ireland that I was an atheist, a woman in the audience stood up and said, ‘Yes, but is it the God of the Catholics or the God of the Protestants in whom you don’t believe? ~ Quentin Crisp
Most of us spend the first six days of the week sowing wild oats, then we go to church on Sunday and pray for a crop failure. ~ Fred Allen
Going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to a garage makes you an automobile. ~ Billy Sunday
A real Christian is a person who can give his pet parrot to the town gossip. ~ Billy Graham
The good Lord didn’t create anything without a purpose, but the fly comes close. ~ Mark Twain
The worst moment for the atheist is when he is really thankful and has nobody to thank. ~ Dante Rossetti
On the other hand, the Bible contains much that is relevant today, like Noah taking 40 days to find a place to park. ~ Curtis McDougall
A Christian is a man who feels repentance on Sunday for what he did on Saturday and is going to do on Monday. ~ Thomas Ybarra
Maybe this world is another planet’s hell. ~ Aldous Huxley
Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich. ~ Napoleon
I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a whole lot more as they get older; then it dawned on me… they’re cramming for their final exam. ~ George Carlin
If there were no God, there would be no atheists. ~ G. K. Chesterton
The church is prayer-conditioned. ~ Anonymous
The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people. ~ G. K. Chesterton
If you use the church’s WiFi, are you receiving God’s signal? ~ Anonymous
Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in. ~ Mark Twain
Most people would like to be delivered from temptation but would like it to keep in touch. ~ Robert Orben
I’d rather live my whole life assuming there is a God, only to find out that there isn’t, than to live my whole life assuming there isn’t a God, only to find out there is. ~ Peter Barry
You talk to God, you’re religious. God talks to you, you’re psychotic. ~ Doris Egan
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. ~ Mahatma Ghandi
The number of followers you have doesn’t make you better than anyone else. Hitler had millions, Jesus had 12. ~ Anonymous
Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in. ~ Anonymous

April 15, 2018July 22, 2020

Fighting to Be a Father

I could have been like many fathers and not fought to stay close to my children after a terrible divorce, but I refused to let go of the relationship that I had with my three children. After my wife and I separated, over a year before our divorce, she moved 265 miles away, her desire was to kill the relationship that I had with our children and to be close to her family. It was the worst years of my life but it would give way to one of the greatest miracles that I have ever witnessed.

Going the Extra Miles

The relationship that I had with our three children was strained to say the least after the separation. Every phone call to the children was monitored by my ex-wife or her boyfriend and sometimes both. Every visitation was accompanied by a two to three-hour fight with my ex-wife just to be able to get my children for a weekend once every three weeks. I had no rights; no privileges and I was not allowed to have the children for holidays except New Years. I was not allowed spring breaks and I had one week in the summer with the children. I paid my child support as deemed by the court. My ex-wife even went so far as to tell the children, “I wish your father would just go away and leave us alone.” Traveling to another city and staying in a motel for a weekend visitation was miserable, to say the least. My financial situation was not good but still, I spent almost two weeks pay on a given visitation weekend to be with my children.

I took my wife to court to get my visitation rights upheld but to no avail. It was then my attorney told me to go for custody of the children. I could not prove my wife an unfit mother and I could not prove that I was a better parent to raise our children. The process proved to be time-consuming, monetarily costly and agitating but I believe God had a hand in that as well as the big picture of what was to happen.

Before the Mercy Seat

I prayed night and day and I spent most of my nights on my face before God, asking Him for mercy in the matter of this custody battle. Three things worked in my favor; one, that I believe in prayer, two that I kept impeccable records of phone calls, visitations and anything that I thought would be of interest to my attorney and the judge, and three, that I was relentless in staying in contact with the children by phone calls and visitations.

Do to Others, As You Would Have Them Do to You

In less than two years, God created a miracle that seemed impossible to my family, my church family and most of my friends, I was given custody of my children by my ex-wife, not the court system. Most honorably after this took place, I gave my ex-wife all the rights and privileges that I wanted when she had the children and I kept my part of the bargain until the children graduated from High School, even meeting her halfway to where she lived so the trips would be more bearable.

I only wish I could describe the miracle process in length, but that would belabor this article.

Don’t Lose Hope

I, like the writer of the original article; “Where Have All the Fathers Gone“, have heard my share of stories of fathers that just gave up. What a sad situation to allow another person to sever the bond between a child and its father.

Where Have All the Fathers Gone?

April 14, 2018July 22, 2020

A dozen house-church quotes from a book called ONE

Reading a house-church handbook, ONE: Unfolding God’s Eternal Purpose From House To House by Henry Hon, I was inspired, challenged, and equipped by many statements.

Here are 12 that you may enjoy.

“Believers should not wait for anyone to lead them; the Spirit is leading and speaking, and they should simply follow Him. Following the Spirit is what creates a leader.”
“Every believer is called to teach. Otherwise, they will remain a babe and never mature. Sharing what the believer has learned should begin as soon as a person comes to know the Lord.”
“It is a good practice to invite Christians to your house for fellowship. Inviting people into your house means that you are open to them, that you have nothing to hide from them, and they are welcomed to be comfortable around you.”
“You can always give your testimony of how you came to know Jesus. Certainly, no one can argue with your testimony.”
“Where everyone is accepted equally as a brother or sister in Christ, and where there is an open forum without a set program and format, believers will be in an environment where their gifts will develop and manifest naturally.”
“People’s hearts are opened when they speak freely.”
“How critical it is to stay focused on Jesus Christ.”
“Christians will remain a babe if they do not exercise and begin teaching others themselves. Maturity is not about knowing a lot but whether the believer is actually participating in the ministry.”
“It is a good practice to invite Christians to your house for fellowship. Inviting people into your house means that you are open to them, that you have nothing to hide from them, and that they are welcomed to be comfortable around you.”
“Believers should be open to and encourage the Spirit’s moving within each one, including the spontaneity from individual initiatives when gathered together. Believers need to be vigilant to prevent formality of liturgy where the Spirit is stifled, and individual initiatives are not allowed.”
“Believers can search the Scriptures on their own, and allow the Word of God, coinciding with the Holy Spirit, to enlighten their understanding, and open their spiritual eyes.”
“All believers need to become teachers, shepherds, ministers, and good-news-bearers.”

The book ONE expounds on becoming and functioning as ONE through these three gifts. It was written so that both Christians and non-Christians alike can easily understand it. It will take you on a journey through the Bible, into God’s eternal purpose, and into your own home (from house to house). Jesus prayed that when His people are ONE, then “. . . the world may believe. . .” in Jesus Christ. Today’s dream: Reset to ONE; Revival Next!

April 14, 2018May 26, 2018

What Are “Dones” Looking for Why Are They Leaving Church?

Sometimes Christians get to the point where they say, “I’m done with church,” and then drop out of church altogether. This is happening so much nowadays that it has become a social trend. Sometimes the people who do that are called “de-churched,” or “church refugees;” but the most common label they are known by is “Dones.”

Usually, Dones are deeply committed Christ-followers who are longing for more than they have found in the traditional church format. Normally Dones aren’t walking away from Christ or even Christianity. Instead, they are leaving the institutional church because they want more than they are finding there.

So why are the Dones flying away from church? What do they want? What are they looking for?

Dones want a heart-to-heart connection with other believers. They are tired of being passive spectators and looking at the backs of people’s heads in front of them. They want to really get to know their sisters and brothers in Christ.
Dones are looking for encouragement and support. The Christian life is not an easy way to live and Dones have discovered that weekly teaching that is often repetitive, doesn’t prepare them to victoriously walk with Christ in daily life. They realize they need an atmosphere of mutual caring, interaction, and support.
Dones are searching for usefulness. However, they realize that the typical church service has no need for them and no room for their input. They want to use the gifts that God has given them to minister to others, and they realize that they need interactive, hands-on training in using their spiritual gifts.
Dones desire spiritual experience. They don’t want to be spectators watching a human being give a lecture about God. They want to be in an environment where the resurrected Jesus is free to move and work among His people. They are tired of seeing Jesus as a mere figurehead and want Him to be the literal Head of the meeting.
Dones are looking for equality in the body of Christ. They have experienced religious authoritarianism and are tired of high sounding titles and demanding leaders. They want the freedom to listen to God and then say/or do what He tells them to. They want Spirit-led meetings.
Dones want reality in worship. They are seeking more than the outward forms of ritual, programs, pious platitudes, religious entertainment, and/or liturgy. That’s why millions of Dones are courageously obeying the Bible’s words in 2 Timothy 3:5: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.”

Author, Thom Shultz, sums it up this way: “The Dones are fatigued with the Sunday routine of plop, pray and pay. They want to play. They want to participate. But they feel spurned at every turn.”

For more about how “Dones” like to meet, google my book: “Beyond Church: An Invitation To Experience The Lost Word Of The Bible–Ekklesia.”