Signs & Wonders Blog

Of all the times I’ve gone out evangelizing, I’ve met very few people who admitted they were homosexual.   With more of them nowadays “coming out of the closet”, I’ve considered witnessing at gay pride events but haven’t done so yet.   One reason is I rather spend time talking with people who are receptive to the gospel.   I’ve had homosexuals contact me through the Internet that wouldn’t receive the truth of God’s word.   They simply wanted to defend their chosen lifestyles. Still we should always be ready to minister to whomever the Lord puts across our path.   Last weekend I joined a Hispanic church in reaching out to the homeless at a park in Tampa, Florida.   While other people from this church gave away food and toiletries, I handed out tracts plus the gospel of John to those who didn’t have a Bible.   During this outreach I had a lengthy discussion with a backslidden lesbian.   “Latoya” (not her real name) had gotten saved when she was twelve years old.   Five yea

Back in February 2007, a fellow missionary I was traveling with started talking about “smoking the weed from heaven.”   He would pretend to have a joint of marijuana between his fingers and have “smoke breaks with Jesus.”   He also encouraged other believers to take “hits.”   I was a bit uncomfortable with this idea but didn't contest it. Then in October of that year, I heard John Crowder preach on “toking the Ghost” at a church in my hometown of Fargo, North Dakota.   I was inspired to make a video with John to share with my missionary friend.   During the filming, I experienced much laughter. I decided to make the video public figuring other people might enjoy it also. Two weeks later at a church in Minnesota, I heard Benjamin Dunn share testimonies of people getting healed from “toking the Ghost.”   This was just before he and John Crowder started ministering together.   I believed this was God confirming His word in the mouth of two or three witnesses.  

Throughout my lifetime (and especially when I was a kid), I've heard numerous wisecracks involving my last name. People have called me “Post Office”, “Post Toasties”, “Post Raisin Bran”, and “Post Nasal Drip.” A few years ago while ending a phone conversation with my mother, I told her I would keep her “posted.” She sarcastically replied, “Don’t take our name in vain.”  On a more serious note, punishment awaits sinners who break the third commandment. Both Exodus 20:7 and Deuteronomy 5:11 says, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” Even though I frequently used profanity before becoming a Christian, I still had a fear of God to where I avoided blaspheming.  People wouldn't think of using their mother’s name as a swear word. I've yet to hear anyone holler “Buddha” or the name of some other religious figure if they hit their thumb with a hammer, stubbed their toe or got ups

Every fourth Thursday of November, millions of Americans gather together with family and friends to feast on turkey and maybe watch football games on TV.  S ince 1863,  Thanksgiving has been a  federal holiday in America.   Canadians have a similar holiday on the second Monday of October. The New Oxford American Dictionary defines thanksgiving as “ the expression of gratitude, especially to God.”   But many folks don’t honor the Lord at all on a holiday also referred to as “turkey day.”   J. Jackson of the Christian parody band ApologetiX wrote in one of their newsletters, “ Thanksgiving without God is like Christmas without Christ.”   2 Timothy 3:2 
tells us that in the last days men will be “unthankful.” One thing many people aren’t thankful for is how God made them. A few years ago I found out Chastity Bono (the daughter of Cher and the late Sonny Bono) underwent a sex change and now calls “himself” Chaz Bono.   While Chaz claims to be a happier person, it grie

Numerous denominations have formed due to conflicting doctrines but one thing that unites all believers is our knowing Jesus Christ as Lord.   Still there are disagreements regarding how one is saved.   Two days ago outside a McDonald’s, I witnessed to three young people smoking.   One of the women wasn’t sure of her eternal destiny but later admitted to be backslidden.   She was raised in a church that teaches one must “repent, be baptized and speak in tongues” in order to be saved.   Strangely enough, this woman defended that doctrine after praying along with her two friends to get born again.   Nevertheless, Romans 10:13 says, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” A few days before that, I exchanged emails with a man who thinks just believing Jesus is the Savior is sufficient for salvation.   This belief is solely based on 1 Corinthians 15: 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you rece

Back in 2000 while visiting Calvary Campground for the first time, I discussed evangelism methods with another man staying there.   He compared my survey technique to Ray Comfort, an evangelist who later became known for co-hosting “The Way of the Master” television series with Kirk Cameron.   At the time I didn’t know who Ray was.   I had simply adopted a witnessing approach that quickly helps me determine someone’s spiritual beliefs. Some Christians don’t like The Way of the Master evangelism method because they see that as too condemning.   In almost every video I’ve seen of Ray or Kirk ministering to others, people are asked if they ever lied, stolen, taken God’s name in vain, and lusted after someone.   One Scripture often quoted to support this type of witnessing is Galatians 3:24: “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.” One minister in Florida didn’t want me handing out cards from his church because he

Many people like to wear masks on Halloween.   Often these same folks continue wearing masks as they go through life.   They put their “happy face” on claiming everything is going great while deep inside they are full of despair, disappointment, and depression.   If that is you, there is hope.   God loves you and has an awesome plan for your life. Some people avoid Christianity because of church-going people wearing religious masks.   You might have said to yourself, “I don’t want to hang around a bunch of hypocrites.”   It’s unfortunate not every professing Christian is a doer of God’s word.   Still, when you stand before the Lord Jesus Christ, He won’t examine other people’s lives…only your own. Many people hide behind a mask of good works even though Romans 3:23 says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”   Think of all the times you have lied, stolen, and disobeyed your parents.   Those acts are offensive to God just as murder, rape, and other

This past Wednesday I had a dream in which I wandered into a room next door to a place I was staying at.   The English band Depeche Mode was rehearsing (and possibly recording) in there.   I didn’t interrupt them but got excited enough to walk back to my room and thought about posting on my Facebook page: “Depeche Mode is playing in the room next to me.”   Then I woke up. Named after a French fashion magazine, Depeche Mode is considered the most successful electronic band in music history.   I first heard this four-man (now three-man) group on MTV during the early 1980s when synthesizer-based bands didn’t receive much radio airplay.   Hearing them and other technopop artists inspired me to create my own electronic music. Some of Depeche Mode’s songs like “Blasphemous Rumours” may come across as sacrilegious.   I prefer to look at them as a group searching for the truth.   Many of their other songs imply spiritual themes.   For example, their 1993 album “Songs of Fait

In a recent interview on HuffPost Live, host Josh Zepps read the following passage from Joel Osteen’s latest book “Break Out”: “It doesn't matter who likes you or doesn't like you, all that matters is that God likes you. He accepts you. He approves of you.” Zepps then asked Joel if that’s true for homosexuals. Joel replied,  “Absolutely…I believe every person is made in the image of God…and you got to accept them as they are on their journey. I’m not here preaching hate, pushing people down, or telling everybody what they’re doing wrong.” 2 Timothy 4:2 says, “Preach the word!   Be ready in season and out of season.   Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.”   Every minister may specialize in a particular topic such as finances, healing, or end-time prophecy.   Still, we are responsible for preaching the whole truth of God’s word and bringing correction when the situation arises. This past Tuesday night while street evangelizing with a f

All believers should honor their “fathers in the faith”, ministers God used to help them grow spiritually.   One who started impacting my life just before I committed my life to the Lord is Mac Hammond, pastor of Living Word Christian Center in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.   Today happens to be his 70th birthday. Originally from the Deep South, James McBryde “Mac” Hammond served in the Air Force during which he flew 198 combat missions.   After his discharge, he ran a successful airfreight business.   A business acquisition brought Mac and his wife Lynne to the Minneapolis area where they ultimately founded Living Word Christian Center in 1980. I first heard Pastor Mac in February 1991.   My then-girlfriend had started attending Living Word and invited me to go with her one Sunday morning.   Mac was in the midst of a teaching series about end-time prophecy in response to the Gulf War that began a month earlier.   He also encouraged first-time visitors to come back a co

Have you ever wondered what music in heaven will sound like?People who go to mainline traditional churches might assume they will listen to organ music or angelic choirs for eons.   Others might believe they will hear Black & Southern Gospel like they do now in their congregations.   On the other hand, individuals who received glimpses of eternity testified of hearing sounds unlike anything on earth.   There’s an old saying, “Music soothes the savage beast.”   This is some truth to that.   Songs played by God’s people can dramatically change the atmosphere we are in.   1 Samuel 16:23 mentions “…that David would take a harp and play it with his hand.   Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.” On the other hand, music played for ungodly purposes can have a negative effect.   During the late 1980s and early 1990s I listened to a lot of New Age music.   The genre’s dreamy mixture of natural and electronic sounds is

Normally I’m not quick to un-friend fellow believers on Facebook.   I recognize all of us are at different levels of spiritual maturity.   Still, one disturbing trend I’ve noticed is professing Christians posting profanity online.   Earlier this year I issued a statement on my wall rebuking those who repeatedly engage in such activity.   In response, a (now former) friend wrote, “I train my kids to say s*** like a true apostle.”   I was shocked to read this.   My mother would have washed my mouth out with soap if I said a word like that to her! Webster’s 1828 dictionary defines apostle as “a person deputed to execute some important business; but appropriately, a disciple of Christ.”   The Greek word for apostle is apostolos, which means “one who is sent”; “messenger”, “envoy”, and “ambassador.”   Apostolos was derived from a sailing term meaning to send a particular ship or group of ships, a marine expedition, or the leader of such. In Revelation 2:2, Jesus commend

Unable to fall asleep last Tuesday night, I stayed up until 4 a.m. doing various things on the Internet.   One of them was searching for a man who was my best friend in high school.   David Rask and I first met during an eighth grade art class at Central Junior High School in Moorhead, Minnesota.   One of our assignments was to sketch a portrait of another classmate.   David and I chose to draw each other.   Although I wasn’t fond of how I looked, David got an “A” for his drawing of me.   Eventually, we started hanging out together. In the winter of 1980, David invited me to a Bible camp we went to along with other people from the Baptist church he attended.   At one of the services during this weekend outing, a three-piece Christian band told a powerful story in between songs.   It was about a bridge that spanned across a large river.   Most of the time the bridge was in an “up” position allowing ships to pass through.   The bridge was lowered whenever a train needed t

During my teens, the Bee Gees were my favorite singing group.   Ever since two of its members died (twins Maurice and Robin Gibb in 2003 and 2012 respectively), I’ve often wondered if either of them made it into heaven.   Recently while searching the Internet concerning that, I found a music video of a Bee Gees song I never heard before.   From a 1970 album and film called “Cucumber Castle”, Maurice performed “The Lord” with his brother Barry.   This may be the closest the Brothers Gibb ever came to writing and recording a gospel song.   Here’s a portion of its lyrics… What do you get for trying? Minute you're born, you're dying The body is six feet down The Lord said the soul sticks around Well, you can believe what you wanna But I know what I'm gonna do I'm gonna believe in the Lord When I’m out street evangelizing, a frequent response people give when asked why they would go to heaven is, “I believe in God.”   That’s a good start…certai

In the liner notes of his best-selling album “Play”, electronic music artist Moby encouraged everyone to become vegetarians and avoid all killing of animals. To support his cause, Moby quoted from a variety of sources, including a portion of Isaiah 66:3; "He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man.. ." A casual glance at this verse gives the impression that it is totally wrong to kill animals.   But if you read the rest of this and the following verse, you'll see what the Lord is coming against is false worship: "…He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog's neck; He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine's blood; He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations, so will I choose their delusions, and bring their fears on them; Because, when I called, no one answered, when I spoke they did not hear; But they did evil before My eyes, and cho