Category: Freedom

Destroying Faith |New Zealand Massacre

I read the news this morning about a horrific massacre in New Zealand where gunman went into a mosque and killed 49 people. This act shows how depraved human beings can be to one another. All the Social Media outlets and news organizations are airing or posting about this.

I believe that all lives matter, no matter the ethnicity or faith of a person. I am praying for all those who have lost loved ones through this atrocious act of violence.

  • Having said this, I also believe that there is an unfair balance of reporting. This tragedy and all like it, should never be swept under the carpet.
  • Yet, had it been a Christian church, would we have the same world-wide coverage?

— Everyday, muslim extremists in the Mid-East and Africa, burn down churches and kill Christians just because they will not submit to their religion.

— I have not heard from most of the big news organizations or even local news or social media outlets making any effort to report these horrendous acts against Christians. Only a few big News outlets have ventured into reporting this atrocities.

— Radicals in India are doing the same thing to Christians in their country.

— Atheist governments like China and N. Korea are destroying churches and are vowing to rid their countries of Christian and Western influences once and for all.

— The big news organizations and social media outlets are for the most part silent in their reporting.

  • One mosque is hit with awful violence, and the reports are all over the place.
  • Why is the ongoing extermination of one faith less important than another faith?
  • Why do the media outlets who should be reporting on all tragedies, keep quiet about what is happening to Christians in the Mid-east, Africa, India and China?
  • Thousands of Christians have been killed all over the world?
  • Nigerian Christians have been killed regularly by Muslim  extremist and yet, the news and social media outlets are mute!

I feel for all loss of life. I detest violence and hate hearing tragic news like the New Zealand mosque massacre.

  • But what I can’t stand even more than this is the silent apathetic mental disorder our media shows when it comes to reporting truth.

— Truth is, more Christians have died all over the world at the hands of extremists, than another group of people. Yet the media outlets are silent.

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— An extremists goes into one mosque, commits a heinous act against a group who is worshipping their god, and every news outlet reports on the tragedy.

  • I applaud the media outlets for reporting this.
  • I only wish they did their job correctly and report the truth of what’s happening to Christians, with the same commitment and fervor of reporting which they showed for the LBGT bar and Mosque shootings.
  • All shootings are tragic and evil. This is why it’s important for the world to know the truth on what’s happening to Christians….but because they are Christians, the media outlets are silent…Just remember what happened in the 1940s…when all the world stood silent and left the Jewish people to die in agonizing and horrific ways…
  • Once the world is rid of Christians, who will they go after next? Apathy leads to death….shame on you major news and media outlets….

 

References:

PICTURE – https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/

Christian Persecution by Country— https://www.americamagazine.org/faith/2018/01/11/top-10-worst-countries-christian-persecution

One of the few who has reported Christian Persecution is Fox News— https://www.foxnews.com/world/christian-group-warns-of-sharply-rising-persecution-in-these-countries-in-2019

 

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Words Which Bring You Peace, Grace, joy & Set You Free |The Bible

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John 8:34-36 NKJV

  • Words are powerful, they are precise.
  • Words can make you climb the highest mountains or leave you crawling the lowest of valleys.
  • Words can build up or destroy. They say that violence is the reason for so many deaths in this world and that guns kill.
  • What they have missed is the rhetoric on both sides of the political aisle.
  • They also have missed the constant and systematic social media onslaught of making people who have differing views hate each other.
  • Words. Words unite. Words divide. Words hurt. Words heal.
  • The Word of God in His scriptures does both. We must have the full counsel of God to know what we as humans are capable of. Left to our own free will and thinking, we are then left to our own demise.
  • Free will and thinking can only coincide within us when there is a Higher Power that has given us limits on what we can and can’t do.
  • I know you are thinking, “How can you say that we are free people who have free will and thought if you are saying that we need a Higher Power to tell us what we must and mustn’t do?”
  • This is where Moral Law and Truth come in.
  • We can’t have a free society without morals. Morals are taught and practiced.
  • We also need civil law to keep society in order.
  • The less government intervention, the better. Let me explain. How can people be a free society if every action is dictated by the government? The more government interferes, the fewer people are free to think for themselves and make the right decisions. Because human laws are imperfect, no matter how good they seem.

  • Why? Because human beings have both good and evil inside of them.

  • Words. Words can teach, or make people ignorant.
  • The Bible is still the most read book in human history. It has founded societies and has made more people free.
  • The words inside have changed lives. This book has withstood the test of time.
    There are more copies which prove how close to the original writings of the Old and New Testaments they are than any other book out there.
  • Even the skeptics are unable to say otherwise. The critics have tried saying that we can’t trust the Bible because it was written by men and the writings are so old, we can’t believe what the original manuscripts.
  • Yet, the more they fight this Book, the more the Bible verifies itself, more than any other book out there (See References below).
  • Words. The Bible has words. If you read them and acknowledge what these words say, it brings new life to the person reading it.
  • Words inside this beautiful, awe-inspiring Book have led more people to be free, than any other book in History.

  • Words. Can transform a person from the inside out.

  • I invite you to read the Bible yourself.
  • You will find the words refreshing.
  • Start with the Book of Psalms and Proverbs.
  • Once you are there, you can jump into the Gospel of John.
  • Then you can go to Romans where the words will give you what people without God are like.
  • What people with God plus regulations are like.
  • Finally, what people who have a lasting personal relationship with Jesus, the Savior of the world are like.

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You see, words can be read and interpreted in personal fashions. But once you understand God’s word, there is only one way you can learn it.

  • You can read it for the task of reading through it like any other book. You can read it and see how God gave us do’ and don’ts, and try incredibly hard to abide by God’s Commandments.
  • Or, you can take those same Commandments and read what Jesus said about them in his Gospels and in Acts, Romans, 1st, and 2nd Corinthians, Galatians,, etc..
  • Once you read the explanations of the God’s Word and Commandments in these Letters, you will be set free.
  • And once someone is set free in Christ, the person is forever free, no matter what governing bodies are in charge.
  • No matter what words anyone uses against the person that has been set free through Jesus the Savior of the world.
  • Remember, words can hurt, divide and misinform.

  • But the Word of God heals, unites and points you to the grace, peace, and joy of knowing God wholly, through a personal relationship with His Son Jesus.

I invite you to know Jesus and ask Him into your life. I encourage you to be indeed set free…

Get know God & be truly free:

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

 

REFERENCES:

BibleAsk.com

Dead Sea Scrolls

New Testament Writings Research

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Point Them To God’s Mercy Road |Letters To My Kids Series

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Dear children,

— Always remember two things:

     — Listen to what your elders teach you, because they have gone through the two roads in life.

  • The First Road is the way to Salvation, Grace and Peace. This is God’s Mercy Road. You will never get lost on this road. There will be times that you may think you’re lost, but trust in God’s road always. Don’t veer to your left or to your right. Just remain faithful in journeying through God’s Road.
  • The Second Road will lead to destruction. This is the World’s Road. This one is easy, everyone will pass this road in their lifetimes. There will be many times where you’ll be standing at the intersection where God’s road passes the World’s road. You will have to decide which to take.  Sometimes some of your friends will want you to take the easy road. They will want you to go with them to places that are on this road.
  • Never ever listen to those people who want you to go along the second road. This road may seem to be the easiest and quickest road to your destination, but it’s not. Remember this.

—If ever you get stuck on what road you’re on, ask your elders.

  • Your parents, grandparents, fellow Christian friends and family. 
  • They have been trained in the way they should go on their journey through God’s Road. They know how to manuever through that first road.
  • They also know the pitfalls of the second road that most people decide to take.

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  • ONE THING YOU CAN’T DO:
  • Never ask anyone who does not know Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.
  • Why can’t you ask them? Because they are not on the first road.
  • They would not be able to give you precise and concise directions to where you need to get. 
  • They may have an inkling of where you are headed and what your final destination of rest is, but they cannot give you exact directions how to get there. Only those that have been trained to go on the First road’s  journey can show you the way. 

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If you ever get stuck. Look to the Bible. Look to your mom and dad. And always look for Nana and Poppa. because as long as I am able to breathe, I will make sure you and the rest of my kids will take the First Road. God’s Mercy Road ...

For anyone who may not know how to get on God’s Road, here are links on how to know God. I invite you to come along with me and journey on God’s Mercy Road. I promise you will not regret it!

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

References:

Deuteronomy 6

Proverbs 22

Matthew 7:14

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Tale of 2 Cities & 1 Person |Functional-Dysfunctional

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Gal 1 NKJV

I have started my personal devotion in Galatians and what Paul is writing to them. Most people will read the harshness of Paul’s intent to the “bewitched” Galatians. But I have dug a little deeper and am reminded of the Great Antioch church saints who prayed, fasted and laid hands on Paul. Where he would go to Galatia and preach in different cities while passing through another Antioch (Pisidion Antioch, Galatia).

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Galatian Antioch

One of the names that popped out at me was Manaen. Who was from the Syrian Antioch where Paul stayed for a year. We read about this in Acts 13:1-3:

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Syrian Antioch

“….Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod, the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.”

  • “Manaen. A foster-brother of Herod Antipas, but unlike him in character and end: Manaen was a minister of Christ at Antioch; Herod was guilty of the blood of both Christ and his forerunner, Acts 13:1″
  • Imagine living with all the Herodian family. When I hear people say that families cannot change I just smile. This was the family whose patriarch killed John the Baptist and had a hand in Jesus’ crucifixion.
  • Manaen grew up steeped in corruption, double-crossing, fornication, adultery, and intrigue. He could write a few books about how dysfunctional his family was.

  • If there was ever a person That could say on judgment day, “Lord look what family You put me into! What did You expect?”— It was Manaen.

  • And yet, we see the contrast in him in Acts 13, Manaen is, steeped, bathed, drowned deeply by the filling of the Holy Spirit. Fasting, praying, prophesying & serving the church.

  • Manaen was an elder of the church in Antioch. The same church which was on fire for the Lord.
  • This is the first church which was so Christ-like to everyone it came across, that unbelievers called them Christians, after Christ.
  • Nowhere Else was the church called after their Lord and Savior. This is where the Name came from.

  • What I’m trying to say is this— no matter where you come from or who your family is, no matter your circumstances or economic level, you can reach out to Christ.

  • You can call on Jesus and ask to forgive you of everything you’ve done wrong in this life.
  • You can ask Him to guide and teach you.
  • You can ask Jesus to come into your life and commit yourself to wholly being his follower.

—Manaen made the choice of calling on Jesus to save him, and his life was changed forever, literally, for eternity.

Manaen became who he was supposed to be. He was and still is filled by God’s unquenchable love and peaceful joy. He is in God’s presence doing the same thing he was doing in Acts chapter 13. Serving, praying, praising and listening to His Creator.

If you don’t see yourself being able to get out of your circumstances, ask Jesus to come and set you free of those burdens. He will take them from you. He will make your tough situations more bearable. He will see you through them. And like Manaen, He will delete your history. Even if you come from a dysfunctional family like Manaen…as do many of us….

Need God?

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

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Your Kingdom Above All Else |Prayer Series + Life Series

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Gospel of Matthew 6:33
  • What better way for me to start this year by doing something with prayer.
  • Praying intentionally requires us to get rid of all the white noise around us.
  • What is white noise?

  • Anything that keeps us from concentrating and giving our full attention to the LORD.

  • I am talking about your:
  • Cell phones
  • Radios
  • TV’s
  • Video games
  • Significant other
  • Family
  • Kids
  • Sports
  • Food
  • Drinks
  • These are just a few of our favorite things that need to be less while we communicate with our Maker.
    I have found that the times I want to get rid of all the above, and more:
  • Someone will call or text me.
  • Or I get a text saying something about this politician or that sports team.
  • I may get a call from someone I haven’t heard in a while.
  • Or, I can all of sudden hear something happening outside.
  • Whatever it is, I have learned to drown out the noise. All that white noise is not good for us. This is not the way were created.

God had something perfectly planned for all of us in the Paradise our forefathers called the Garden.
Yet, we managed to kill a good deal…and before blaming Adam and Eve, I often wonder how we ourselves would do in that place. Walking and talking with God and taking Him for granted.

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    —All this to say—
  • What is your weakness?
  • Whatever it may be, God has it covered.
  • If you feel you can’t sit and pray, stand and pray!
  • If you can’t sit or stand to pray, go for a walk and pray!
  • If you need music to pray, play that funky music.
  • As long as you are not caught up in the action instead of the worship and communication.

Remember, first make God your priority. With Him, in Him and through Him in Your prayers. That’s all he’s ever wanted. Your undivided attention, adoration, and communication…

 

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Pray Intentionally |Prayer Series

“Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees.”—Corrie ten Boom

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—Lord, may we be extremely intentional when it comes to communicating with You above all else.

—May we not forget to listen to what You have to say to us.

—May we sit still enough to hear Your Spirit and be filled by You so that we could have our full warrior armor on! because the only way we can pray in the Spirit at all times is by having our warrior armor on!

If you want to pray intentionally and you don’t know how.  Start here:

How Can I know God?

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

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Go & Sin No More! |Jesus the Redeemer

…15 So He (Jesus) touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she got up and began to serve them. 16 Whenevening came, many who were demon-possessedwere brought to Jesus, and He drove out thespirits with a word and healed all the sick. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: “He took on our infirmities, and carried our diseases.”… 

— Matthew 8:16

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“…20 which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule andauthority, power and dominion, and every namethat is named, not only in this age, but also in the one to come. 22 And God put everything under His feet and made Him head over everything for the church,..”…—Ephesians 1:21 Berean Study Bible

 

Let Jesus Set You Free:

Need God?

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

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