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Showing posts from July, 2021

Love Thy Neighbor?

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As a minister of the gospel, one thing that irritates me is when people handle the word of God deceitfully (2 Corinthians 4:2) to get something they want without acknowledging all of its commands. Sometimes I deal with pushy panhandlers who insist the Bible commands me to “feed the poor.” I reply by pointing out the Bible also says, “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10)  During a recent vaccine mobilization event in Detroit, Vice President Kamala Harris declared we should all get vaccinated because it is “…the very essence of what the Bible tells us when it says, ‘Love thy neighbor.’ Right?” Wrong! Jesus actually said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Yes, we should look out for the welfare of others. That doesn’t mean we have to neglect our own. If vaccinations are so wonderful, why are vaccinated people still getting COVID-19? Others who have gotten jabbed have experienced side effects and even died! On a related note, I’m s...

Building a Building

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Among my favorite Bible teachers is Perry Stone . While watching one of his “Manna-Fest” programs on YouTube a few years ago, I noticed another viewer posted the following comment: “It is NOT time to build a building, it’s time for winning the souls!” This was in response to brief remarks Perry made about a building project for his ministry. No financial appeals were made while computerized graphics of his ministry center were shown. As an evangelist, I agree it's time for winning souls. God doesn’t want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9). But if the Lord continues tarrying His return, where will all the new converts be discipled…outdoors? That would be comparable to a farmer who reaped a huge harvest of wheat but had no barn to put it in. Some will argue the early Christians met in people’s homes. Churches today sometimes start off as home bible studies. But if that group grows too large, a person’s house won’t have enough room to accommodate everyone. The above photo is part of a ...

True Humility

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One of my Facebook friends recently posted a meme with this prayer: “Lord, empty me of me so I can be filled of You.” Technically, this is impossible. We are all unique individuals with talents, hopes, and dreams. God didn’t create us to be robots. A Christian can pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit and then obey His promptings instead of fulfilling selfish desires.  A personal example that comes to my mind happened over twenty years ago. While walking around my neighborhood, I saw five boys playing football in a church parking lot. A thought crossed my mind that when their football landed by me, that would be a sign to witness to them. Seconds later, the football bounced my way when one of the boys made a bad punt. However, I wanted to be by myself and went straight home. God kept telling me to go back. So I put my shoes on and hurried to the parking lot where the boys were still playing. After one of them scored a touchdown, I asked the boys to take a time-out. All five got b...

Foundations of a Nation

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July 4th is a memorable day for me not only because I’m an American. It was also my grandmother’s birthday. Leah Post was born on this day in 1908 (she passed away 92 years later). My family often got together with her on Independence Day before seeing fireworks that evening. My grandparents were devoted members of a Methodist church (though Grandpa Post wasn’t sure of going to heaven until I prayed with him in 1996). One gift they gave me as a boy was a storybook based on these words by Jesus in Matthew 7… 24   “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:  25  and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. 26   “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand:  27   and the rain descended, the floods cam...