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Showing posts from October, 2018

Avoid a Political Spirit

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During a recent road trip with a fellow missionary, we entertained ourselves by listening to various videos on YouTube through a smartphone (I was playing DJ since my friend was driving most of the time). Many of the ads that interrupted the streaming were about political races going on in the states we drove through. It’s bad enough political ads in America focus on the negatives of a politician’s opponent. But now I’ve noticed many ads only talk about why we shouldn’t vote for a  particular  candidate. They don’t even mention the candidate they want us voting for! I’ve also noticed many of my Facebook friends making negative comments about politicians they don’t like. While I occasionally speak out on political topics on my Facebook page and in this blog, I am careful not to make personal attacks on politicians I don’t agree with . Titus 3:1-2 says, “Remind them to be subject to rulers and authorities, to obey, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one , to be p

Connect the Dots

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A game you might have played as a child was “connect the dots.” Like the picture shown in this article, you drew lines to various dots in numerical order. Often you didn’t know what the picture looked like until almost all the dots were connected. Our Christian walk can be like playing connect the dots. The Lord leads us to do things that we sometimes don’t understand why. Often His purpose is revealed while He’s “connecting the dots.” Many times it takes a step of faith to get the process started. In his book “It’s Your Move”, Kenneth W. Hagin compares divine guidance to a chess game. When we make a move, then God makes a move. We continue taking turns until the big picture comes together.  There are many stories I could share illustrating this truth but will focus on one that happened during the summer of 2002. While staying at a missionary house in Tampa, Florida, I perceived the Lord wanted me to travel to San Antonio, Texas. At the time, I didn't know anybody there.

Called to Preach?

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Every believer should be involved in fulfilling the Great Commission. However, only a small percentage of Christians are called to an office of the fivefold ministry (one pastor I know believes it’s about 3%). God also needs people in the marketplace to be a witness and help fund the end-time harvest. Evangelist Stephen Hill often said, “You know you are called to full-time ministry when secular employment is undesirable.” If you perceive God is calling you, then there will likely come a time when He instructs you to step out in faith and leave your job or business. That thought may sound a little scary at first. But if it’s God’s timing, He will make sure your needs are met as long as you follow His instructions. Isaiah 1:19 says, “ If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land.”  The transition into ministry and the preparation time involved varies with each individual. Sometimes God calls His people to step out quickly and completely. In Matthew 4:19

Why Knock Enoch?

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Here’s an example of why it’s important for Christians to know the word of God. Last Sunday, I witnessed to a man who claimed the Book of Enoch says Jesus wasn’t perfect and committed a sin when He was six years old. I called that idea out for what it was: blasphemy! 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” When I wrote about this incident on my Facebook page, a pastor friend pointed out the Book of Enoch was written before Jesus’ earthly ministry.  According to Wikipedia, “Enoch is an ancient Jewish religious work, ascribed by tradition to Enoch, the great-grandfather of Noah. The older sections (mainly in the Book of the Watchers) of the text are estimated to date from about 300 BC, and the latest part (Book of Parables) probably to the first century BC.” Many Christian denominations accept the Book of Enoch as having some historical or theological interest but not divinely inspired. It