Dear beloved friends,
It is our delight to write to you of all the exciting things that are happening of late in the Embassy of the Blessed Kingdom of God for all Nations church!
Pastor Sunday was recently in Trinidad, San Fernando, ministering in various churches there.
Apart from preaching the life changing gospel to the local people of Trinidad and Tobago, Pastor Sunday also had the privilege of meeting with Prime Minister Patrick Manning.
The congregation of Point Fortin Open Bible Cathedral in Trinidad thanked Pastor Sunday for his presence and teaching at their church saying, .You really challenged our hearts and thinking. You motivated and inspired us in several ways. We have rededicated our lives to the work of God, in particular to missions..
During this trip Pastor Sunday also went to Philadelphia and taught the students of the History Makers Bible School. History Makers Bible School (www.hmbs.org) is a unique institute of training where students will learn how to take the doctrines of the Bible, get spiritual understanding of life and relationship with God, and how to use it to impress the Kingdom of God upon every area of society, bringing divine revolution into economic/business, educational, media, entertainment, political, sports and social/spiritual areas of life.
In September Bishop LaDonna Osborne was the teacher at the opening class. Pastor Sunday taught in October and will teach again in November on the subject: The Kingdom of God.
Classes are held every second weekend of every month by various world renown and seasoned teachers of the gospel.
While at the History Makers Bible School, Pastor Sunday formed a team of World Changers namely the HISTORY MAKERS TEAM. These are people who are already doing exploits for the Kingdom of God but wish to fall under the mentorship of dynamic leaders for a greater effect in different spheres of society.
The motto for the organization is self descriptive of their cause:
.Those who want to do and live for something larger, bigger and greater than themselves..
More exciting and breakthrough news for the Embassy of God church is that we have again made headline news on BBC World, the program being broadcast all day. The video is featured on our website, www.godembassy.org.
More information about the program will be sent to you shortly.
We give God the glory that there was also news broadcast featuring the Embassy of God on German TV channel 1 in August and in July, also French TV did a report. God is really doing something significant toward the end time furtherance of His Kingdom! Just recently we also had articles published in Associated Press, Reuters, Wallstreet Journal and Charisma magazine.
Our annual Winter Fast will be held from 7-14 December, 2006. This is a time or refreshing and restoration; a time of worship and seeking God.s face. For more information concerning this, please see our website www.godembassy.org.
We thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter and trust that it has been both informative and inspiring to you.
May you have a blessed and prosperous day in the Lord Jesus Christ!
This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it! Psalm 118:24
Remain blessed in Him!
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Friday, November 03, 2006
You Are The Only One Who Can Limit God
By Bishop Gaspar Anastasi
You are the only one who can limit God
Too many Christians are looking for God to do miracles in their lives, yet they have not made a full commitment to Him.
In other words, they want the blessings without the Blessor. And that won’t work.
You see, God wants complete access and freedom to live in us and manifest Himself through us. Many of us just want a quick fix for a certain trial we’re going through, when what we need is a complete overhaul. We need a new lifestyle that will enable us to steer clear of those perils and problems in the first place. But many of us don't want Jesus Christ at the helm. We don’t want Him directing our lives and calling the shots because we have no intention of stopping the sin we’re living in.
Fortunately for us, God doesn’t work that way. I say “fortunately” because if God did work that way, no one would give themselves over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. God blesses those whom He possesses.
Either Jesus Christ is Lord over all your life or He isn’t Lord at all. God won’t settle for anything less. He doesn’t want just part of you. He wants all of you. That’s what He means when He says, “I am a jealous God.” He won’t share you with anything or anyone, especially satan.
Many Christians don’t even realize that they are living in sin. They’ve gotten so used to complaining about their hard times and blaming others (including God) for their problems, that they can’t see that their own disobedience is to blame.
If your life is not reflecting the light of Jesus, and if God’s blessings aren’t flowing to you on a regular basis, examine yourself. See if Jesus really is Lord in your actions and in your relationships. He may not be. Before you point fingers at other people, realize that you are the only one who can limit God in your circumstances.
If you refuse to look at life through His eyes and rebel against His will (which is what you’re doing when you sin), you tie His hands and prevent Him from moving on your behalf the way He wants.Want to see miracles in your life? Want to see prosperity like you never imagined?
Want to have peace reign in your home instead of strife? Line your life up with God’s Word. How do I do that? you ask.Give Jesus first place in everything you do. Open up the Bible and spend time with Him when you get up in the morning. Before you spend time with the television or radio. Come before Him in honesty and simplicity.
There’s no use trying to hide your sins from Him. God already knows what you did. Ask His forgiveness and move on.Give over control to Jesus Christ. Only then will you begin to see growth and change in your life. If you have a problem, only the Master Mechanic knows how to fix it. But He can do only as much as you allow Him to.
Listen To Sermons
You are the only one who can limit God
Too many Christians are looking for God to do miracles in their lives, yet they have not made a full commitment to Him.
In other words, they want the blessings without the Blessor. And that won’t work.
You see, God wants complete access and freedom to live in us and manifest Himself through us. Many of us just want a quick fix for a certain trial we’re going through, when what we need is a complete overhaul. We need a new lifestyle that will enable us to steer clear of those perils and problems in the first place. But many of us don't want Jesus Christ at the helm. We don’t want Him directing our lives and calling the shots because we have no intention of stopping the sin we’re living in.
Fortunately for us, God doesn’t work that way. I say “fortunately” because if God did work that way, no one would give themselves over to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. God blesses those whom He possesses.
Either Jesus Christ is Lord over all your life or He isn’t Lord at all. God won’t settle for anything less. He doesn’t want just part of you. He wants all of you. That’s what He means when He says, “I am a jealous God.” He won’t share you with anything or anyone, especially satan.
Many Christians don’t even realize that they are living in sin. They’ve gotten so used to complaining about their hard times and blaming others (including God) for their problems, that they can’t see that their own disobedience is to blame.
If your life is not reflecting the light of Jesus, and if God’s blessings aren’t flowing to you on a regular basis, examine yourself. See if Jesus really is Lord in your actions and in your relationships. He may not be. Before you point fingers at other people, realize that you are the only one who can limit God in your circumstances.
If you refuse to look at life through His eyes and rebel against His will (which is what you’re doing when you sin), you tie His hands and prevent Him from moving on your behalf the way He wants.Want to see miracles in your life? Want to see prosperity like you never imagined?
Want to have peace reign in your home instead of strife? Line your life up with God’s Word. How do I do that? you ask.Give Jesus first place in everything you do. Open up the Bible and spend time with Him when you get up in the morning. Before you spend time with the television or radio. Come before Him in honesty and simplicity.
There’s no use trying to hide your sins from Him. God already knows what you did. Ask His forgiveness and move on.Give over control to Jesus Christ. Only then will you begin to see growth and change in your life. If you have a problem, only the Master Mechanic knows how to fix it. But He can do only as much as you allow Him to.
Listen To Sermons
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Let Us Give Free Copies of the Holy Bible To Everyone Who Does Not Have One
In the Almighty name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Saviour and Messiah, I invite you to join me and my brethren to spread the Word of God all over the world to reach the unreached.
As they say that charity begins at home, we are starting next year 2007 in Nigeria and we need as many copies of the Holy Bible as possible in English, Hausa, Arabic, Yoruba and the Igbo languages and distribute them free to those who are willing to accept the awesome gift of the Word of God.
We need up to 10 million copies of the Holy Bible for Nigeria.
You can donate copies of the Holy Bible for this divine mission of the Great Commission of our Messiah Jesus Christ.
Just send them!
God bless you as you do so.
As they say that charity begins at home, we are starting next year 2007 in Nigeria and we need as many copies of the Holy Bible as possible in English, Hausa, Arabic, Yoruba and the Igbo languages and distribute them free to those who are willing to accept the awesome gift of the Word of God.
We need up to 10 million copies of the Holy Bible for Nigeria.
You can donate copies of the Holy Bible for this divine mission of the Great Commission of our Messiah Jesus Christ.
Just send them!
God bless you as you do so.
Friday, September 15, 2006
See Even The Dog Believes In God And Prays
See how the innocent dog joins the innocent child to pray.
How about you?
1. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
~ Psalm 14:1-7 (Holy Bible, King James Version)
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Dear Pastors in Nigeria
Dear Pastors,
I greet you by the grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord and Messiah.
I have joined the Deeper Christian Life Bible Church, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Assemblies of God and others to testify of the good news of the gospel of our Saviour Jesus Christ since 1988 to date, both in Lagos and on Bonny Island, Rivers State. I was baptized in the Deeper Life on December 1, 1990 when I was living in Lagos where I became the house fellowship captain and visitations team leader. I preached the good news on public transport buses, on the streets and in homes for over 11 years and I enjoyed doing so to the glory of the Almighty Jehovah God.
I believe we are all educated and enlightened enough to understand what I am going to address in few words.
Please, do you know about Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria?
Please, do surveys of all the churches in each of these countries and do a survey of the number of churches in Nigeria.
Then, analyze the GDP and GNP of each of them and compare them to Nigeria.
Analyze the living standards in each of them and compare them to Nigeria.
Analyze also the level of corrupt practices in each of them and compare them to Nigeria.
What are their resources and compare them to Nigeria.
We preach and preach and preach in a million and one churches in every nook and cranny of Nigeria as the so called Christian churches are competing more for the Guinness Book of Records than for the Kingdom of God on which of them has the biggest church building or largest congregation as if the population of church goers is the indicator of true Christians.
We also preach our own theology more than we preach the truth of Jesus Christ.
One church preaches that you cannot receive Holy Ghost Baptism except you have been first baptized by immersion in water as if the church does not know about Cornelius And His Household?
PETER COMMANDS THEM TO BE BAPTIZED...
1. How could anyone forbid water to those who had received the
Spirit just as the apostles did? - Ac 10:47; cf. 11:17-18
2. So Cornelius and his household were commanded to be baptized
in the name of the Lord - Ac 10:48
http://www.bible.ca/eo/ba/ba_06.htm
Were they baptized by immersion in the swimming pool of Cornelius or by sprinkling water on their bowed heads?
We see all the social and economic inadequacies, inefficiencies and failures in Nigeria as spiritual problems caused by both visible and invisible evil demons and spirits instead of saying the truth that our corrupt government has failed to utilize our vast resources for the common benefits of all Nigerians, to create good jobs for the millions of school leavers and graduates who are now applicants and millions of them have been forced to do odd jobs instead of practicing what they studied in schools. And instead of asking them their academic or technical qualifications, many fake pastors or ministers lie to them that household wickedness, marine spirits and other generational curses are holding them in bondage from getting their dream jobs, dream wives and even visas to flee Nigeria.
To get a good job in Nigeria, you need to fast and pray and if you get it, it is a miracle!
To get a good spouse in Nigeria, you need to fast and pray and if you get one, it is a miracle.
To get a good accommodation in Nigeria, you need to fast and pray and if you get it, it is a miracle.
To even pass your examinations in Nigeria and gain admission into primary school, secondary school or post-secondary institution, you need to fast and pray and if you get it, it is a miracle.
Lest I forget to get a Visa to flee or travel out of Nigeria, you need to fast and pray and if you get it, it is a miracle.
Pastors and ministers even prescribe the dosage of fasting and prayers depending on what they assume is the gravity of your sickness, disease or problem.
These erroneous and ambiguous sermons have only led millions of the ignorant masses astray and worsened the social, economic and academic state of Nigeria to make Nigeria become one of the poorest countries in the world.
A pastor says sexual immorality causes poverty and millions of pious Nigerians who are even Christians live in abject poverty.
Then, when they complain to their pastors, the fake pastors will now claim to discern the generational curses or household wickedness to blame for their poverty. And will not interview the poverty-stricken members of their church to know their real economic, social, academic and technical causes of their poverty. Instead they lie to them to hope for miracles of dream jobs or windfalls to make them rich overnight.
Churches have become fund raising centres or NGOs competing for the best tactics to extort money from both members of their congregation and invited guests including pagans, crooks, rogues and Moslems.
More millions have been spent on competitions to build the best magnificent church buildings than on evangelism or on the economic empowerment of the economic handicapped poor and needy among us.
Most churches hate to see beggars and paupers coming to their church on Sunday.
The more posh cars and jeeps they see parking in front of their churches the more elated they are and they praise and shout more "Hallelujahs!", because the sight of these posh cars and jeeps is the evidence of the miracles of prosperity God is doing for their churches. And they fail to see the corrupt government officials, shylock landlords, wicked employers who pay their poor employees meagre wages and come to bribe their pastors with fat offerings and tithes and ask for dedications for their new cars and jeeps bought by cheating and exploiting the poor and needy ones they employ and by fraudulent means. And the churches expected to alleviate the suffering of the common man will give him excuses and lies on how the sin in his life is the cause of his poverty.
Even if he repents, they will say repentance is not enough, that he must undergo 7 to 70 days fasting and praying for deliverance before he can be saved from his perpetual poverty.
I wonder when Jesus Christ gave such excuses?
Let us all stop deceiving ourselves and Nigerians and tell the ignorant masses the truth as Jesus Christ preached and practiced by his exemplary life and not competing for who is going to be the pastor of the most magnificent church building, largest congregation of owner of jeeps in Nigeria or Africa.
It is even easier to see God than to see many of the celebrated General Overseers of the churches in Nigeria. You have to book an appointment weeks in advance. And I don't know how many poor members of their congregations the GOs have been humble enough to visit and spend some time to know how they are faring?
We must realize that the social, political, economic, academic and other similar woes plaguing Nigeria today are not caused by evil spirits, carry-over generational curses, marine spirits and demons but by the hypocrisy, kleptocracy, cheating, greediness, wickedness, bribery and corruption of most Nigerians in both the private and public sectors.
If you are threatening the poor masses with your competitive doctrines and continue to keep them in ignorance of the truth, remember the sermons of Jesus Christ on the generation of vipers, "Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Mark I 1: 17).
May God help us all.
Yours faithfully,
Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.
August 2006.
I greet you by the grace of God in Jesus Christ our Lord and Messiah.
I have joined the Deeper Christian Life Bible Church, the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Assemblies of God and others to testify of the good news of the gospel of our Saviour Jesus Christ since 1988 to date, both in Lagos and on Bonny Island, Rivers State. I was baptized in the Deeper Life on December 1, 1990 when I was living in Lagos where I became the house fellowship captain and visitations team leader. I preached the good news on public transport buses, on the streets and in homes for over 11 years and I enjoyed doing so to the glory of the Almighty Jehovah God.
I believe we are all educated and enlightened enough to understand what I am going to address in few words.
Please, do you know about Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Austria?
Please, do surveys of all the churches in each of these countries and do a survey of the number of churches in Nigeria.
Then, analyze the GDP and GNP of each of them and compare them to Nigeria.
Analyze the living standards in each of them and compare them to Nigeria.
Analyze also the level of corrupt practices in each of them and compare them to Nigeria.
What are their resources and compare them to Nigeria.
We preach and preach and preach in a million and one churches in every nook and cranny of Nigeria as the so called Christian churches are competing more for the Guinness Book of Records than for the Kingdom of God on which of them has the biggest church building or largest congregation as if the population of church goers is the indicator of true Christians.
We also preach our own theology more than we preach the truth of Jesus Christ.
One church preaches that you cannot receive Holy Ghost Baptism except you have been first baptized by immersion in water as if the church does not know about Cornelius And His Household?
PETER COMMANDS THEM TO BE BAPTIZED...
1. How could anyone forbid water to those who had received the
Spirit just as the apostles did? - Ac 10:47; cf. 11:17-18
2. So Cornelius and his household were commanded to be baptized
in the name of the Lord - Ac 10:48
http://www.bible.ca/eo/ba/ba_06.htm
Were they baptized by immersion in the swimming pool of Cornelius or by sprinkling water on their bowed heads?
We see all the social and economic inadequacies, inefficiencies and failures in Nigeria as spiritual problems caused by both visible and invisible evil demons and spirits instead of saying the truth that our corrupt government has failed to utilize our vast resources for the common benefits of all Nigerians, to create good jobs for the millions of school leavers and graduates who are now applicants and millions of them have been forced to do odd jobs instead of practicing what they studied in schools. And instead of asking them their academic or technical qualifications, many fake pastors or ministers lie to them that household wickedness, marine spirits and other generational curses are holding them in bondage from getting their dream jobs, dream wives and even visas to flee Nigeria.
To get a good job in Nigeria, you need to fast and pray and if you get it, it is a miracle!
To get a good spouse in Nigeria, you need to fast and pray and if you get one, it is a miracle.
To get a good accommodation in Nigeria, you need to fast and pray and if you get it, it is a miracle.
To even pass your examinations in Nigeria and gain admission into primary school, secondary school or post-secondary institution, you need to fast and pray and if you get it, it is a miracle.
Lest I forget to get a Visa to flee or travel out of Nigeria, you need to fast and pray and if you get it, it is a miracle.
Pastors and ministers even prescribe the dosage of fasting and prayers depending on what they assume is the gravity of your sickness, disease or problem.
These erroneous and ambiguous sermons have only led millions of the ignorant masses astray and worsened the social, economic and academic state of Nigeria to make Nigeria become one of the poorest countries in the world.
A pastor says sexual immorality causes poverty and millions of pious Nigerians who are even Christians live in abject poverty.
Then, when they complain to their pastors, the fake pastors will now claim to discern the generational curses or household wickedness to blame for their poverty. And will not interview the poverty-stricken members of their church to know their real economic, social, academic and technical causes of their poverty. Instead they lie to them to hope for miracles of dream jobs or windfalls to make them rich overnight.
Churches have become fund raising centres or NGOs competing for the best tactics to extort money from both members of their congregation and invited guests including pagans, crooks, rogues and Moslems.
More millions have been spent on competitions to build the best magnificent church buildings than on evangelism or on the economic empowerment of the economic handicapped poor and needy among us.
Most churches hate to see beggars and paupers coming to their church on Sunday.
The more posh cars and jeeps they see parking in front of their churches the more elated they are and they praise and shout more "Hallelujahs!", because the sight of these posh cars and jeeps is the evidence of the miracles of prosperity God is doing for their churches. And they fail to see the corrupt government officials, shylock landlords, wicked employers who pay their poor employees meagre wages and come to bribe their pastors with fat offerings and tithes and ask for dedications for their new cars and jeeps bought by cheating and exploiting the poor and needy ones they employ and by fraudulent means. And the churches expected to alleviate the suffering of the common man will give him excuses and lies on how the sin in his life is the cause of his poverty.
Even if he repents, they will say repentance is not enough, that he must undergo 7 to 70 days fasting and praying for deliverance before he can be saved from his perpetual poverty.
I wonder when Jesus Christ gave such excuses?
Let us all stop deceiving ourselves and Nigerians and tell the ignorant masses the truth as Jesus Christ preached and practiced by his exemplary life and not competing for who is going to be the pastor of the most magnificent church building, largest congregation of owner of jeeps in Nigeria or Africa.
It is even easier to see God than to see many of the celebrated General Overseers of the churches in Nigeria. You have to book an appointment weeks in advance. And I don't know how many poor members of their congregations the GOs have been humble enough to visit and spend some time to know how they are faring?
We must realize that the social, political, economic, academic and other similar woes plaguing Nigeria today are not caused by evil spirits, carry-over generational curses, marine spirits and demons but by the hypocrisy, kleptocracy, cheating, greediness, wickedness, bribery and corruption of most Nigerians in both the private and public sectors.
If you are threatening the poor masses with your competitive doctrines and continue to keep them in ignorance of the truth, remember the sermons of Jesus Christ on the generation of vipers, "Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves" (Mark I 1: 17).
Matthew 25
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
1"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish and five were wise. 3The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. 4The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. 5The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
6"At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
7"Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. 8The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.'
9" 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.'
10"But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
11"Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!'
12"But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.'
13"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.
The Parable of the Talents
14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. 15To one he gave five talents[a] of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. 17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'
21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'
23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'
26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
The Sheep and the Goats
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'
44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'
45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'
46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Footnotes:
Matthew 25:15 A talent was worth more than a thousand dollars.
Isaiah 58
True Fasting
1 "Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the house of Jacob their sins.
2 For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.
3 'Why have we fasted,' they say,
'and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?'
"Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.
4 Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.
5 Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for a man to humble himself?
Is it only for bowing one's head like a reed
and for lying on sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the LORD ?
6 "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness [a] will go before you,
and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the LORD will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.
"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The LORD will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
13 "If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,
if you call the Sabbath a delight
and the LORD's holy day honorable,
and if you honor it by not going your own way
and not doing as you please or speaking idle words,
Footnotes:
a. Isaiah 58:8 Or your righteous One
Salt and Light
13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:13-16 (New International Version)
May God help us all.
Yours faithfully,
Ekenyerengozi Michael Chima.
August 2006.
Sunday, May 14, 2006
President on the National Day of Prayer
Remarks by the President on the National Day of Prayer
WASHINGTON, May 4 /Christian Newswire/ -- The following text is of remarks
by President Bush on the National Day of Prayer:
East Room
9:44 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT:
Welcome to the White House. I am really glad you're here.
Thanks for coming. And I'm honored to join you for the National Day of Prayer.On this special day, we give thanks for the many ways that America has been blessed, and we acknowledge the Almighty, who is the source of these blessings.
I appreciate the Chairman of the National Day of Prayer, Shirley Dobson. I notice you brought your old husband with you, too. (Laughter.) Thank you for organizing this event here at the White House and around the nation.
Mrs. Bright, it's good to see you. Thank you, welcome. I'm glad you're back again. Dr. Blackaby, thank you very much, sir, for being the Honorary Chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. And we welcome Marilynn, as well.
I want to thank the members of the Cabinet who are here. Thank you all for coming. I appreciate you taking time out of your day to be here to join.
I'm glad to see my friend, Archbishop Demetrios. How are you, sir? Thanks for coming. I appreciate the military chaplains who are here. Thanks for administering to the needs and souls of the men and women who wear the uniform. Yours is an important job, and I'm grateful, as your Commander-in-Chief, for what you do.
I want to thank Rabbi Ciment, Father Connor, and Jay Dennis for joining us. Thank you for your prayers and your strong statements.
I thank Rebecca St. James for your beautiful music. We're proud you're here. I want to thank those who accompanied you. About the coat -- (laughter) -- your answer is, it's the voice that matters. (Laughter.) And the spirit behind the voice.
And Gail, thank you for coming, as well. We're proud you're here. Thanks for sharing with us.
America is a nation of prayer. It's impossible to tell the story of our nation without telling the story of people who pray. The first pilgrims came to this land with a yearning for freedom. They stepped boldly onto the shores of a new world, and many of them fell to their knees to give thanks.
At decisive moments in our history and in quiet times around family tables, we are a people humbled and strengthened and blessed by prayer. During the darkest days of the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress and George Washington -- I call him the first George W. -- (laughter and applause) -- urged citizens to pray and to give thanks and to ask for God's protection.
More than two centuries since our first National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving, we continue to ask for God's guidance in our own lives and in the life our nation. Each year, thousands of citizens write letters and send cards to the White House that mention their prayers for this nation and this office.
In my travels across the great land, a comment that I hear often from our fellow citizens is, "Mr. President, I pray for you and your family." It's amazing how many times a total stranger walks up and says that to me. You'd think they'd say, "How about the bridge?" Or, "How about filling the potholes?" (Laughter.) No, they say, "I've come to tell you I pray for you, Mr. President."
And the only thing I know to do is to look at them in the eye and say, that is the greatest gift that a fellow citizen can do for those of us who have been entrusted to lead our country. And for that -- (applause.) And so I thank thanks -- I say thanks to the millions of Americans who pray each day for our nation, our troops, and our elected leaders.
Prayer is a gift from Almighty God that transforms us, whether we bow our heads in solitude, or offer swift and silent prayers in times of trial. Prayer humbles us by reminding us of our place in creation. Prayer strengthens us by reminding us that God loves and cares for each and every soul in His creation. And prayer blesses us by reminding us that there is a divine plan that stands above all human plans.
In the stillness and peace of prayer we surrender our will to God's will, and we learn to serve His eternal purposes. By opening ourselves to God's priorities, our hearts are stirred and we are inspired to action -- to feed the hungry, to reach out to the poor, to bring aid to a widow or to an orphan or to the less fortunate.
On this day, we also remember that we are a people united by our love for freedom, even when we differ in our personal beliefs. In America, we are free to profess any faith we choose, or no faith at all. What brings us together is our shared desire to answer the call to serve something greater than ourselves.
Over the past five years, I have watched the American people answer this call. Some serve their fellow man on distant shores, placing themselves in harm's way so that others might live in freedom. Others serve in our nation's armies of compassion, bringing comfort and kindness to suffering communities at home and abroad. In millions of acts of service, the American people have shown the good heart of our nation.
From our nation's prayerful beginnings, America has grown and prospered. Through prayer, we humbly recognize our continued dependence on divine providence.
I want to thank you all for keeping prayer a part of our national life. May God bless each one of you, and may God continue to bless our nation.
And now it is my honor to welcome Reverend Jay Dennis. (Applause.)
END 9:52 A.M. EDT
Washington Post Headline
Fired Officer Believed CIA Lied to Congress
BACK FROM IRAQ
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Dialoguing Da Vinci Code
By Paul Proctor
Apparently, the new feature film starring Tom Hanks, called The Da Vinci
Code, will start rolling in theaters on May 19th. Articles written by alarmed
Christians, challenging its heretical content, are already appearing on various
news and opinion sites across the Net; and I suspect will dramatically increase
in number over the next several weeks. It is, of course, a highly controversial film based on a best-selling book by Dan Brown that is sure to whet the appetites of conspiracy buffs worldwide, not to mention, fuel the already present doubts and misconceptions of those who do not know or believe the Word of God.
In my estimation, it's not really a quest for truth that will draw the mainstream to this movie but rather the marketing of excitement, adventure, crisis and rebellion, resulting in a greatly intensified polarity and outrage between Christians and the world, until a call for peace and unity goes out from the pulpits of America and a synthesized solution is offered by trained "Christian" facilitators waiting in the wings to help dispel our divisive differences and unite the "brotherhood of man."
Their solution?
Dialogue!
What I believe we are witnessing is the beginning of rather a large-scale exercise in the Hegelian Dialectic, orchestrated by the-powers-that-be to ignite hostilities between the religious and the secular for purposes of uniting them on the common ground of a convoluted Christ through Diaprax. Already Sony
Pictures has established a website they call "The Da Vinci Dialogue," where, according to Laurie Goodstein of The New York Times, they "will post essays by about 45 Christian writers, scholars and leaders of evangelical organizations who will pick apart the book's theological and historical claims about Christianity," many of whom come from the very heart of the church growth movement, meaning they are well versed in the dialectic process.
One such writer is the president of Fuller Theological Seminary, the birthplace of the CGM:
"Dr. Mouw, who contributed an essay on, 'Why Christians Ought to See the Movie,' said: 'It's going to be water cooler conversation, so Christians need to
take a deep breath, buy the book and shell out the money for the movie. Then we
need to educate Christians about what all this means. We need to help them
answer someone who says, So how do you know Jesus didn't get married?'" - Laurie
Goodstein.
See how the dialectic works? Hypothetical questions like the one Dr. Mouw
posed, shrewdly steer Christians away from faithfully proclaiming a positive to
instead, foolishly trying to prove a negative, something that is extremely
difficult, if not impossible to do; thereby abandoning the presentation of the
Gospel and the call to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ in order to
participate in conjecture and controversy that only results in diversion and
confusion.
It seems it's not enough anymore to merely proclaim the Word of God to the
lost as Jesus commanded. According to Dr. Mouw we must reward the writers,
producers, publishers and promoters for their blasphemous books and movies with
our purpose driven patronage so we can artfully engage the damned in dialogue
and field their foolish and distracting questions.
"But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and
strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain." - Titus 3:9
Christians are called to proclaim God's Word, not indulge the abstract and
obstinate. When we set aside the power and simplicity of the scriptures to try
and artificially accomplish from without what only the Holy Spirit can do from
within, we become sidelined by our own self-confidence, yielding nothing of
eternal value and bringing no glory to God.
"Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh
flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD." - Jeremiah 17:5
Just for the record, I do not believe The Da Vinci Code is going to convert
Christians into occultists anymore than The Passion of The Christ converted
occultists into Christians. Movies do not have the capability of regenerating or
degenerating hearts; they can only accentuate or aggravate what is already
there. The power that transforms the lost from death to life comes from the
Spirit-filled preaching of God's Word, not from the theater.
"For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it
pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." - 1st
Corinthians 1:21
Like modern day church growth dramas and productions, motion pictures just
manipulate feelings and emotions through a perceived reality using actors and
scripts that stir the passions and tickle the ears of willing participants until
the credits roll and moviegoers are forced to return to the real world in the
same spiritual condition they arrived in at the ticket counter. Does this make
it OK to watch films about a fabricated Jesus? Absolutely not! Only the
faithless and undiscerning are enchanted by lies.
The danger that The Da Vinci Code presents is the same danger Eve faced in
the Garden of Eden. Like the Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil, it is not
the presence of this movie that is a threat; but rather our disobedient
dialoging with devils ABOUT IT; taking our hearts, minds and attention away from
God's Word and redirecting our focus toward doubts, desires and delusions until
they become stronger within us than our fear of the Lord.
"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
reprove them." - Ephesians 5:11
The Bible does not encourage us to dialogue with devils; we are instead
commanded to resist. That is accomplished by proclaiming the Word of God in the
face of evil like Jesus did Satan in the wilderness, not by conversing with
those who hate God's Word to try and build a relationship FIRST in hopes of
persuading them into cooperating LATER. If you do not resist evil, it will not
flee from you; it will only befriend you and distract you by your own
willingness to engage in faithless chitchat.
"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and
vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some
professing have erred concerning the faith." - 1st Timothy 6:20-21
While I share the indignation of my brethren over this made-for-profit
monstrosity that peddles yet another flesh-friendly Jesus for the Antichrist, I
have to ask: Why is the church so indignant over Hollywood's heresy and yet so
passive about its own? Why is it acceptable for church growth leaders to twist
and theorize their way around the eternal truths of scripture for the sake of a
better attendance and offering and not acceptable for Tom Hanks and Ron Howard?
I don't know about you, but I'd say The Da Vinci Code is looking more and more
like poetic justice for the postmodern church; returning to it a generous
portion of the same dialectic poison it's been serving seekers for years.
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall
he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life
everlasting." - Galatians 6:7-8
The Da Vinci Code's blasphemy is nothing new. It's just another highly
promoted, celebrity-enhanced, big budget effort to discredit Jesus Christ and
His Word. There can be no one-world religion until this happens. THAT is the
agenda.
Even so, I believe the half-truths and heart-felt heresies being sold to
seekers at church today are far more dangerous than the boldface lies blaring
away down at the Bijou because they come camouflaged as "Christian" and are
therefore more believable to the biblically ignorant and spiritually blind,
particularity in a church setting where gullible participants go along to get
along for the love and acceptance of a compromised collective.
So, with that in mind, if you're heart is set on seeing The Da Vinci Code,
just put your money away and be patient. I'm sure it will end up on the big
screen down at your friendly neighborhood mega church. I have no doubt that many
of them will start using it to draw crowds for more dialogue.
Sin, you see, has become an evangelical tool for the postmodern church.
"And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should
believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had
pleasure in unrighteousness." - 2nd Thessalonians 2:12
Cuban Pastor Imprisoned on Emigration Charges
Chinese Church Leaders May Face Death Sentences
Over 36 Arrested as Public Security Bureau Closes Christian School
Parents at your church need help
Their children are not getting Bible education in school.
- Help parents make up.
- Work only 2 hrs. Wed. 7 to 9 PM.
Lead children 11 up traveling through the Bible with Jesus.
Apparently, the new feature film starring Tom Hanks, called The Da Vinci
Code, will start rolling in theaters on May 19th. Articles written by alarmed
Christians, challenging its heretical content, are already appearing on various
news and opinion sites across the Net; and I suspect will dramatically increase
in number over the next several weeks. It is, of course, a highly controversial film based on a best-selling book by Dan Brown that is sure to whet the appetites of conspiracy buffs worldwide, not to mention, fuel the already present doubts and misconceptions of those who do not know or believe the Word of God.
In my estimation, it's not really a quest for truth that will draw the mainstream to this movie but rather the marketing of excitement, adventure, crisis and rebellion, resulting in a greatly intensified polarity and outrage between Christians and the world, until a call for peace and unity goes out from the pulpits of America and a synthesized solution is offered by trained "Christian" facilitators waiting in the wings to help dispel our divisive differences and unite the "brotherhood of man."
Their solution?
Dialogue!
What I believe we are witnessing is the beginning of rather a large-scale exercise in the Hegelian Dialectic, orchestrated by the-powers-that-be to ignite hostilities between the religious and the secular for purposes of uniting them on the common ground of a convoluted Christ through Diaprax. Already Sony
Pictures has established a website they call "The Da Vinci Dialogue," where, according to Laurie Goodstein of The New York Times, they "will post essays by about 45 Christian writers, scholars and leaders of evangelical organizations who will pick apart the book's theological and historical claims about Christianity," many of whom come from the very heart of the church growth movement, meaning they are well versed in the dialectic process.
One such writer is the president of Fuller Theological Seminary, the birthplace of the CGM:
"Dr. Mouw, who contributed an essay on, 'Why Christians Ought to See the Movie,' said: 'It's going to be water cooler conversation, so Christians need to
take a deep breath, buy the book and shell out the money for the movie. Then we
need to educate Christians about what all this means. We need to help them
answer someone who says, So how do you know Jesus didn't get married?'" - Laurie
Goodstein.
See how the dialectic works? Hypothetical questions like the one Dr. Mouw
posed, shrewdly steer Christians away from faithfully proclaiming a positive to
instead, foolishly trying to prove a negative, something that is extremely
difficult, if not impossible to do; thereby abandoning the presentation of the
Gospel and the call to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ in order to
participate in conjecture and controversy that only results in diversion and
confusion.
It seems it's not enough anymore to merely proclaim the Word of God to the
lost as Jesus commanded. According to Dr. Mouw we must reward the writers,
producers, publishers and promoters for their blasphemous books and movies with
our purpose driven patronage so we can artfully engage the damned in dialogue
and field their foolish and distracting questions.
"But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and
strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain." - Titus 3:9
Christians are called to proclaim God's Word, not indulge the abstract and
obstinate. When we set aside the power and simplicity of the scriptures to try
and artificially accomplish from without what only the Holy Spirit can do from
within, we become sidelined by our own self-confidence, yielding nothing of
eternal value and bringing no glory to God.
"Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh
flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD." - Jeremiah 17:5
Just for the record, I do not believe The Da Vinci Code is going to convert
Christians into occultists anymore than The Passion of The Christ converted
occultists into Christians. Movies do not have the capability of regenerating or
degenerating hearts; they can only accentuate or aggravate what is already
there. The power that transforms the lost from death to life comes from the
Spirit-filled preaching of God's Word, not from the theater.
"For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it
pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." - 1st
Corinthians 1:21
Like modern day church growth dramas and productions, motion pictures just
manipulate feelings and emotions through a perceived reality using actors and
scripts that stir the passions and tickle the ears of willing participants until
the credits roll and moviegoers are forced to return to the real world in the
same spiritual condition they arrived in at the ticket counter. Does this make
it OK to watch films about a fabricated Jesus? Absolutely not! Only the
faithless and undiscerning are enchanted by lies.
The danger that The Da Vinci Code presents is the same danger Eve faced in
the Garden of Eden. Like the Tree of The Knowledge of Good and Evil, it is not
the presence of this movie that is a threat; but rather our disobedient
dialoging with devils ABOUT IT; taking our hearts, minds and attention away from
God's Word and redirecting our focus toward doubts, desires and delusions until
they become stronger within us than our fear of the Lord.
"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather
reprove them." - Ephesians 5:11
The Bible does not encourage us to dialogue with devils; we are instead
commanded to resist. That is accomplished by proclaiming the Word of God in the
face of evil like Jesus did Satan in the wilderness, not by conversing with
those who hate God's Word to try and build a relationship FIRST in hopes of
persuading them into cooperating LATER. If you do not resist evil, it will not
flee from you; it will only befriend you and distract you by your own
willingness to engage in faithless chitchat.
"O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and
vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some
professing have erred concerning the faith." - 1st Timothy 6:20-21
While I share the indignation of my brethren over this made-for-profit
monstrosity that peddles yet another flesh-friendly Jesus for the Antichrist, I
have to ask: Why is the church so indignant over Hollywood's heresy and yet so
passive about its own? Why is it acceptable for church growth leaders to twist
and theorize their way around the eternal truths of scripture for the sake of a
better attendance and offering and not acceptable for Tom Hanks and Ron Howard?
I don't know about you, but I'd say The Da Vinci Code is looking more and more
like poetic justice for the postmodern church; returning to it a generous
portion of the same dialectic poison it's been serving seekers for years.
"Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall
he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap
corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life
everlasting." - Galatians 6:7-8
The Da Vinci Code's blasphemy is nothing new. It's just another highly
promoted, celebrity-enhanced, big budget effort to discredit Jesus Christ and
His Word. There can be no one-world religion until this happens. THAT is the
agenda.
Even so, I believe the half-truths and heart-felt heresies being sold to
seekers at church today are far more dangerous than the boldface lies blaring
away down at the Bijou because they come camouflaged as "Christian" and are
therefore more believable to the biblically ignorant and spiritually blind,
particularity in a church setting where gullible participants go along to get
along for the love and acceptance of a compromised collective.
So, with that in mind, if you're heart is set on seeing The Da Vinci Code,
just put your money away and be patient. I'm sure it will end up on the big
screen down at your friendly neighborhood mega church. I have no doubt that many
of them will start using it to draw crowds for more dialogue.
Sin, you see, has become an evangelical tool for the postmodern church.
"And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should
believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had
pleasure in unrighteousness." - 2nd Thessalonians 2:12
Cuban Pastor Imprisoned on Emigration Charges
Chinese Church Leaders May Face Death Sentences
Over 36 Arrested as Public Security Bureau Closes Christian School
Parents at your church need help
Their children are not getting Bible education in school.
- Help parents make up.
- Work only 2 hrs. Wed. 7 to 9 PM.
Lead children 11 up traveling through the Bible with Jesus.
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Rescue Hero
Rescue Hero
By Kirk Cameron
Before Katrina, I was walking toward my lunch table in a New Orleans seafood
restaurant. The ocean breeze was refreshing, the smell of good food was
everywhere, and the sky was beautifully painted with colored clouds and light.
But something else arrested my full attention and stopped me in my tracks.
Behind a glass wall, were thousands of poor little crawfish trapped on a
conveyor belt, struggling in vain to regain their footing on the slippery
surface and make their escape.
The ones that reached the end of the belt dropped helplessly into a pot of
boiling water, to be cooked and eaten by large, ravenous creatures (my lunch
mates) waiting to crack open their bodies and eat their flesh. My only
consolation was to know that death would come quickly to these little creatures
and end their unimaginable pain. I couldn't help but feel sick. I wanted to run
into the kitchen, break open the bags of imprisoned shellfish and yell, "Run!
Run for your lives!" I really did want to save them all. But I didn't. I
listened to the voice of reason and just stood there in horror, watching those
poor little animals head toward their doom.
I was stopped from being a shellfish rescue hero primarily because of my own
pride. I thought, "It would be ridiculous to try and save them. People would
think I've gone insane. Besides, nobody else is trying to save them. I can't
just run in there and release thousands of crustaceans. I'd be arrested. It
would hit the morning papers: Man Releases Crawfish--the Ultimate Shellfish Act.
Instead, I sat down at my table (along with my other heartless friends), ignored
the tiny cries emanating from the kitchen, and pretended to enjoy the view over
the Louisiana bay.
As Christians, we know what is waiting for each and every unsaved person.
"For it is appointed unto men once to die, and after that, the Judgment"
(Hebrews 9:27). All of humanity is on the conveyor belt of Time. Every moment
moves them closer to the edge of eternity. We see men and women struggle in vain
to find their footing in this world through self-help, worldly religion, and
good works. They are blind, disoriented, and have no idea what awaits them
below. The pit of Hell eagerly anticipates their arrival. Demons salivate to
break their bodies and devour their souls. The tiny creatures' feeble efforts to
save themselves are obviously futile and many professing Christians stand
motionless behind the glass wall of indifference and watch.
Do you ever feel a pain in your heart to try and save one of those little
ones? The Bible says they are "held captive by the Devil to do his will" and
that Jesus came to "seek and save the lost" and "set the captives free". Could
you ever see yourself as a Christian rescue hero, intentionally entering
someone's life to show them the way of escape and how to live forever? Do you
regularly share the gospel with sinners, throwing caution to the wind for their
sakes and for Jesus' sake, or do you listen to the voice of "reason," who says,
"It would be ridiculous for you to try to save people now. Who do you think you
are? You've got no training. You've been a Christian for many years and never
shown any real concern; people would think you've gone insane. Your friends and
family will think you've lost your mind! Besides, nobody else seems to being
trying to save them. Why should you try and be a hero?"
You have two choices. You can stay seated in the pews week after week (along
with your other heartless friends), ignore the cries of humanity coming from the
office, your community and home, and try to enjoy the view of Heaven on Sundays.
Or, you could begin to throw caution to the wind, stop caring what other people
think of you, let love swallow your fears, and run to a lost and dying world
with the message that can save them. Join the Apostle John and "save [them] with
fear, pulling them from the fire, hating even the garments spotted by the flesh"
(Jude 1:23). How do you do that? Do what Jesus did. Learn how to use the Moral
Law to bring the knowledge of sin and make grace amazing to a sinner. Go on. Be
a hero. Perhaps then, one day you will have the privilege of looking into the
tear filled eyes of one you led to the Savior, and hear the grateful words
whispered, "Thank you."
----
Kirk is best known as the lovable teen heartthrob Mike Seaver, of the award
winning series "Growing Pains". He entertained audiences worldwide as the charming troublemaker. He is also known to every Christian as "Buck Williams" from "Left Behind: The Movie" based on the NY Times runaway best selling novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.
For Evangelism Resources, please visit The Way of the Master
By Kirk Cameron
Before Katrina, I was walking toward my lunch table in a New Orleans seafood
restaurant. The ocean breeze was refreshing, the smell of good food was
everywhere, and the sky was beautifully painted with colored clouds and light.
But something else arrested my full attention and stopped me in my tracks.
Behind a glass wall, were thousands of poor little crawfish trapped on a
conveyor belt, struggling in vain to regain their footing on the slippery
surface and make their escape.
The ones that reached the end of the belt dropped helplessly into a pot of
boiling water, to be cooked and eaten by large, ravenous creatures (my lunch
mates) waiting to crack open their bodies and eat their flesh. My only
consolation was to know that death would come quickly to these little creatures
and end their unimaginable pain. I couldn't help but feel sick. I wanted to run
into the kitchen, break open the bags of imprisoned shellfish and yell, "Run!
Run for your lives!" I really did want to save them all. But I didn't. I
listened to the voice of reason and just stood there in horror, watching those
poor little animals head toward their doom.
I was stopped from being a shellfish rescue hero primarily because of my own
pride. I thought, "It would be ridiculous to try and save them. People would
think I've gone insane. Besides, nobody else is trying to save them. I can't
just run in there and release thousands of crustaceans. I'd be arrested. It
would hit the morning papers: Man Releases Crawfish--the Ultimate Shellfish Act.
Instead, I sat down at my table (along with my other heartless friends), ignored
the tiny cries emanating from the kitchen, and pretended to enjoy the view over
the Louisiana bay.
As Christians, we know what is waiting for each and every unsaved person.
"For it is appointed unto men once to die, and after that, the Judgment"
(Hebrews 9:27). All of humanity is on the conveyor belt of Time. Every moment
moves them closer to the edge of eternity. We see men and women struggle in vain
to find their footing in this world through self-help, worldly religion, and
good works. They are blind, disoriented, and have no idea what awaits them
below. The pit of Hell eagerly anticipates their arrival. Demons salivate to
break their bodies and devour their souls. The tiny creatures' feeble efforts to
save themselves are obviously futile and many professing Christians stand
motionless behind the glass wall of indifference and watch.
Do you ever feel a pain in your heart to try and save one of those little
ones? The Bible says they are "held captive by the Devil to do his will" and
that Jesus came to "seek and save the lost" and "set the captives free". Could
you ever see yourself as a Christian rescue hero, intentionally entering
someone's life to show them the way of escape and how to live forever? Do you
regularly share the gospel with sinners, throwing caution to the wind for their
sakes and for Jesus' sake, or do you listen to the voice of "reason," who says,
"It would be ridiculous for you to try to save people now. Who do you think you
are? You've got no training. You've been a Christian for many years and never
shown any real concern; people would think you've gone insane. Your friends and
family will think you've lost your mind! Besides, nobody else seems to being
trying to save them. Why should you try and be a hero?"
You have two choices. You can stay seated in the pews week after week (along
with your other heartless friends), ignore the cries of humanity coming from the
office, your community and home, and try to enjoy the view of Heaven on Sundays.
Or, you could begin to throw caution to the wind, stop caring what other people
think of you, let love swallow your fears, and run to a lost and dying world
with the message that can save them. Join the Apostle John and "save [them] with
fear, pulling them from the fire, hating even the garments spotted by the flesh"
(Jude 1:23). How do you do that? Do what Jesus did. Learn how to use the Moral
Law to bring the knowledge of sin and make grace amazing to a sinner. Go on. Be
a hero. Perhaps then, one day you will have the privilege of looking into the
tear filled eyes of one you led to the Savior, and hear the grateful words
whispered, "Thank you."
----
Kirk is best known as the lovable teen heartthrob Mike Seaver, of the award
winning series "Growing Pains". He entertained audiences worldwide as the charming troublemaker. He is also known to every Christian as "Buck Williams" from "Left Behind: The Movie" based on the NY Times runaway best selling novels by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.
For Evangelism Resources, please visit The Way of the Master
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