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Showing posts from January, 2021

Believe and Receive

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Let’s suppose you were a parent with five children. One of your sons came up and asked if you would take the family to the mall. You reply, “Sure. We’ll go there this afternoon.” A minute later, your other son who overheard his brother asks if you would take the family to the mall. You reply, “I already told your brother I’d do that.” Seconds later, one of your daughters who was within earshot of her brothers approached you and asked about going to the mall. What would your answer be? By this time you might be a little annoyed but if you were a good parent, you would still say “yes.” Within the next couple of minutes, your two other daughters ask the very same thing. You reply in frustration, “Didn’t you kids believe me when I said ‘yes’ the first time?” This scenario sounds ridiculous, but this is how many people approach God in prayer. There was one prayer group I briefly attended where this sort of thing happened all the time. After discussing our prayer requests, we each too

An Open Letter to Joe Biden

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Dear Mr. Biden, I’m a minister who is thankful to be an American. I don’t take for granted the freedom and prosperity our nation has enjoyed for over two centuries. Since becoming an adult in the early 1980s, I’ve always voted Republican . That party’s platform has been more in line with the Judeo-Christian values this nation was founded upon. Therefore, I wasn’t happy when Bill Clinton and Barack Obama won their presidential elections but prayed for them as commanded in 1 Timothy 2:1-2… “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.” Now that you occupy the Oval Office, I will pray for you as well. But if allowed to meet with you, I wouldn’t feel comfortable addressing you as “Mr. President.” I’m not convinced that you legitimately won the 2020 presidential election. I knew the increase of mail

God Is In Control?

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How many times have you heard the cliché “God is in control”? Songs have been written about it including the like-titled Christian hit by Twila Paris that won a 1995 Dove Award. Another one called “You Are in Control” I heard many times at the Brownsville Revival in Pensacola, Florida.  Some Christians believe the Lord orchestrates every detail of a person’s life. Calvinists like to quote Romans 8:29-30, which talk about people being “predestined.” It would behoove Calvinists to read the previous verse. Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Notice this promise doesn’t apply to everyone but to those who love God . Man has free will and can choose to follow his own devices (Jeremiah 18:12). Therefore, he is responsible for his actions and cannot use the old Flip Wilson excuse “the devil made me do it.” Numerous Scriptures talk about self-control. Galatians 5:23 lists that as

Amen

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Last Sunday, a Methodist pastor turned politician said he was “honored” to deliver the opening prayer for the 117th Congress. Sadly, Emanuel Cleaver dishonored the true living God. While he did recite the Priestly Blessing in Numbers 6:24-26, Cleaver closed his prayer “…in the name of the monotheistic God, Brahma, and the god of many other faiths. Amen and A-woman.” Didn’t he learn in seminary “amen” has nothing to do with gender? Amen is a word of Hebrew origin that means, “so be it” or “let it be.” It’s something many Christians say when they agree with what a preacher says. “Amen” is sung at the end of some traditional hymns. It’s also a word found at the end of every book in the New Testament except for Acts, James, and 3 John. Some ministers preach that “amen” is not the closing word in the Book of Acts because God wants His people to continue ministering like the early apostles. I learned from a Christian software program of other significant uses of “amen.” In Deuteronomy 27:

Make a Move

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As a young Christian, I read many books by Kenneth E. Hagin and his son Kenneth Hagin, Jr. One of the latter was titled “It’s Your Move”, which compares our walk with the Lord to a chess game. When we make a move, then He makes a move. Dad Hagin often said, “It is easier to steer a car when it is moving than when it is parked.” I’ve seen this truth manifest many times during my missionary travels. Back in 2003, I flew to Berlin, Germany. After staying in a prayer house for nearly three weeks, two women invited the caretaker and me to go on a road trip with them to Nuremberg. I was reluctant to step out until one of the women said she knew a hotel owner that would provide a room for two nights. Upon our arrival in Nuremberg, we attended a church service. The first worship song I heard was based on Romans 8:1-2. I had read those same verses out loud in the car moments before. I also heard a minister say, “God moves with those who move.” That assured me I did the right thing. The next ni