Need Healing? Read This!

We, as Pentecostals, in my opinion, have neglected some of the cardinal doctrines that made us great. Divine healing, I believe, is one of them. My desire is for you know the joy of God's great love for you. I don't want to hold out false hope, but I do want to encourage you not only to continue to seek His blessing and but also healing for your body when needed.

May, I give you a personal testimony, and then share some Scripture verses with you?

For sometime I was the director of one of the largest drug and substance abuse programs in the United States. Many who take drugs contract AIDS. One young man came to us and had been diagnosed with AIDS on at least 3 different occasions. We prayed for him, and he was tested 5 times after that and there was no sign of AIDS. There are other similar stories. Some people were not healed, however. And, I can not explain that, other than God knows why.

I do know, however, that God still heals! If you are sick, let's believe He will heal you.

Jesus is the Great Physician. His knowledge of the human mind and body is complete. He can do more for the sick and diseased that can all earthly doctors and surgeons combined. He created us: is it not reasonable, then, to believe that He can heal us when we are sick?

The provision of healing is found in Scripture. Christ's suffering and death purchased healing for us-physically, mentally, and spiritually. "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows…With his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:4-5). This promise definitely includes physical healing, for the Gospel of Matthew says this passage was fulfilled by Christ's healing of people who were sick: "He cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknessess" (Matthew 8:16-17). (See also I Peter 2:24).

The healing ministry of Christ did not end with His earthly life; it is part of His work in the church today. He promised, "These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils… they shall pay hands on the sick, and they shall recover" (Mark 16:17-18). Listed among the gifts of the Spirit for the present-day church are "the gifts of healing" (I Corinthians 12:9).

James 5:14-15 presents God's plan for divine healing: "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up." Laying on of hands and anointing with oil usually accompany prayer for healing, in accordance with God's Word and to focus faith.

Faith in the Lord is the key to receiving healing. The Gospels record that Jesus healed people according to their faith. (See Matthew 9:29; 13:58; Mark 2:5; 5:34, 36; 9:23-24; 10:52.) By the power of God the Apostle Paul was able to raise up a lame man at Lystra because he perceived that the man had faith to be healed (Acts 14:8-10).

Prayer for healing, like all prayer, must be offered by faith in the name of Jesus, with proper motives, from a repentant heart, and in submission to the will of God (Acts 3:16; James 4:3, I John 3:21-22; 5:14-15). God does not always answer in the manner and time that we expect, but we must always keep our trusts in Him, even when we do not understand circumstances. Moreover, whatever healing or release from handicaps and weaknesses that Christians to not receive in this life, they will obtain in the resurrection, for their mortal bodies will be glorified and given immortality, and death itself shall be destroyed (I Corinthians 15:26, 49-57).

Healing in Bible Times is abundant. God gave the first recorded promise of divine healing soon after He brought the Israelites out of Egypt. He told them, "I am the LORD that healeth thee" (Exodus 15:26). Psalm 103:3 describes God as the One "who healeth all thy diseases."

The Old Testament records a number of miracles of healing and even raising of the dead. For example, God used the prophet Elijah to restore a dead child to life (I Kings 17:22). Through the prophet Elisha He raised a child to life and brought cleansing to Naaman the leper (II Kings 4:32-35; 5:1-14). God healed King Hezekiah in response to his prayer and added fifteen years to his life (II Kings 20:5).

The New Testament records many healings in the earthly ministry of Jesus, and He performed many that are not individually recorded. "Jesus went about all Galilee….healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people" (Matthew 4:23). He gave sight to the blind, unstopped deaf ears, cleansed lepers, made the lame to walk, and raised the dead (Matthew 11:4-5).

After Christ's ascension, He continued His ministry of healing through His apostles and other disciples. Working through Peter and John, He healed a lame man who had never walked (Acts 3:6-8). Many miracles occurred in Stephen's ministry, and many people were healed during Philip's revival in Samaria (Acts 6:8; 8-7). Through God's power, Peter raised Dorcas from the dead (Acts 9:36_42). And God worked special miracles of healing in the ministry of Paul (Acts 19:11-12).

Comparatively few healings of that time were recorded, for Acts 5:16 states, "There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed wit unclean spirits: and they were healed every one."

God still heals today. Many contemporary instances are documented in two books published by Word Aflame Press: Miracles in Our Day and God Answers Prayer.

These examples demonstrate that God's promise of healing is still being fulfilled.

The good that medical doctors and medicines do is to be appreciated, for God is the ultimate source of all healing. It is He who has given doctors skill and intelligence, and it is He who created the substances from which medicines are extracted or manufactured.

Doctors and medicines, however, can only assist the human body in renewing the natural healing power invested in it by the Creator. Even when a person receives medical assistance, he can still look to God for divine healing. God can heal with medical help, but He also can and often does heal miraculously without any human assistance.

Many people can testify to being miraculously healed by God. And what God has done for others, He will do for you. Whatever your sickness or disease. He can make you whole. Look to Him today for your healing.

So, I am going to pray for you, believing that God will heal you. Please contact me and give me the results.

PRAYER

Father, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, I pray that according to your word, you will completely heal our dear friend and deliver them from this terrible disease as a testimony of your love for them. In the Name of Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. AMEN

P. S. Now, on a personal note: I must tell you that I have seen more people brought to Christ among non-Christians as a results of Divine healing than I have through any other method. Healing is an expression of His great love for us and as such an integral part of God's eternal purpose.

Who's The Smartest?

Recently, reading my devotions, I was struck by the kind of matter of fact way that Paul went about doing missions. A prime example, I believe is found in Acts 14, where it is recorded that,

Paul and Barnabas returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. Saying, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.” Then, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust. (vs. 21-23)

Contrast that with the missionary mentality of some today who feel that the national church is never quite ready to take on the responsibilities of nurturing and growing the indigenous church and are not smart enough to take on such responsibilities.

A case in point, I was flabbergasted sometime back when a newly appointed missionary ask me (in all sincerity, I am sure) which of the many countries that I had served in had the “dumbest” nationals?

Really? I thought, this fellow can’t be for real. But he was.

I tried to give a thoughtful reply because I am well aware that sometimes a foolish question is often wrapped in a cloak of sincerity.

 “Well,” I replied, “really, wherever I have worked, I have found some pretty smart people. As a matter of fact, I think that I have learned as much . . . perhaps, more . . . from my national brethren than I have from my own missionary colleagues. There are cultural differences, but basically mankind is pretty much the same wherever you are. So, I have always followed the advice of my dear father-in-law, Alfred Cawston, who said to me when I started out as a missionary: ‘Jim, if you ever have to make a choice that does not involve morals or ethics that you know may potentially divide the work, always take the side of the nationals.’”

Apparently, the advice rang true, not only for me, but for my young colleague. Not long afterwards, I was happy to see that this young fellow had teamed up with one of the nationals that he felt wasn’t capable of handling the work.

Why do I say all of this? Let me assure you, it is not to be critical of any colleague living or dead. I must admit that I had to at times reach back into my memory and bring out my father-in-laws’ advice and take a good long hard look at it. For, more often than not, the nationals had it right. They understood their people much better than I did.

So, where does this bring us to as missionaries and financial contributors to missions programs that some of us will never see?

It brings us right back around to where Paul and Barnabus were, we must “with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.” (v. 23)

Happy 4th of July, 2012!

Patriotism in a nation of bigots can be a very dangerous thing. Nazi Germany and Fascists Italy are proof of that ~ not to mention Imperial Japan, or a nation run by ayatollahs and their cohorts like Iran. The truth is you can hop-scotch around the globe and find dozens of nations loyal to the most outlandish ideologies and dictatorships.

Fanaticism, unfortunately, is latent in the heart of some of the most sincere people on earth. Think about it!

Sincerity breeds fanaticism if not properly directed. Believe me, I know. In my desk files are a series of photographs of decapitated Christian corpses that sincere Hindus decided needed killing. Sincere Muslims do the same thing, as do the Buddhists on occasions. And, in all truth, we can not stop there. Some sincere people, rallying under the banner of Christianity and patriotism have done as badly.

This brings me to the point. Why do people behave like this? The answer is simple. They have lost their moral moorings. They are not anchored in truth. However, as G. K. Chesterton so aptly put it:

“We ought to see far enough into a hypocrite to see even his sincerity.”

And, where there is sincerity, there is hope in spite of the fact that it may be cloaked in fanaticism or even hypocrisy.

I am convinced that even in the heart of the most recalcitrant is a seed of sincerity. The criminal may believe there is genuinely no hope in or reason to obey the law, but they are sincere about it. Now, I know in generalizing we can run into problems, but I will point out that even men like Ted Bundy (accept it or not) reportedly repented and received Christ just before his execution. Think about Saul of Tarsus, or John Newton (1725–1807) the slave trader who wrote Amazing Grace.

So, as long as there is breath, there is hope.

Now, just before I put the missions squeeze on you, let me ask you a personal question: “Did you ever pray for the now deceased Osama Bin Laden’s salvation? What about the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, or the late Ayatollah Khomeini? Ever offer up any prayers for these fellows?”

I’ve got to be honest with you, I did; however, I will admit it was through clinched teeth at times. A man like Bundy hardly seems worth praying for; yet, Christ died for him as well as for other notorious characters listed above.

Better yet, what about the millions of pagans that have never heard of Christ?

My purpose is not to put you or anyone else on a guilt trip. My purpose is to bring a glaring opportunity to you and me to express our patriotism to a far greater Kingdom through obedience to our Lord and Master, who said for us to:

“[G]o and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20 NIV)

Now, in closing, I wish you a Happy 4^th of July, and may God bless you and America! Let us always remember that it is through Christ that all nations are blessed!

Keeping God Informed

Someone has said, we cannot tell God anything He doesn't already know. When we pray, we simply put into words what He's been aware of all along. 

Missions is no exception, either.

That doesn't make prayer unnecessary; rather, it encourages us to pray. We find relief in talking to Someone who knows us and our situation fully. It's a comfort to know that God's response arises not from information we give Him, but from His perfect knowledge of our circumstances. He knows all conditions-past, present, future-that bear on our well-being. 

"Your Father knows," Jesus said in Matthew 6:8. He knows our thoughts, out intentions, our desires; He is intimately acquainted with all our ways (Psalm 139:3). He knows the anguish of our heart, the strain of continual frustration, the enemies inside and outside that war against our souls. 

So, can we presume to dictate the time and terms of our deliverance from trials or adversity? Can we say our way is better, more likely to develop our soul? No, we cannot teach God anything. He alone knows the way to bring us to glory. Out of all possible paths, He has chosen the best, the route most adapted to who we are and what He has in store for us. 

We cannot teach God knowledge, but we can love and trust Him. That's all He asks of us.

After 40 years of missionary service, I can personally vouch for God's protection during times of intense bombings (in Egypt and Lebanon), kidnappings (our son. Greg was kidnapped), delirious illnesses in swamp infested jungles in the Philippines and in the mountains of Nepal. He was there. Protecting. Guiding.  Watching. Prompting faithful prayer warriors back home to pray.

Thanks for the prayers. And, thank God for the opportunity to pray! Knowing that He already knows and eagerly anticipates our prayers. Not to inform, but rather to prompt us to pray, so that we may draw closer to him and acknowledge our dependence on His saving Grace.

Committed For A Purpose

I know that some find it hard to believe that by nature I am not confrontational.  

Let me carry that just a little farther: I don’t feel that it is my duty to police the world as some kind of moral cop. Naturally, I feel obligated as a Christian living in a democracy to vote and lobby for change when necessary; however, when things don’t come out like I would like, my final recourse is always prayer.

Our weapons as soldiers of the Cross are not carnal, but spiritual according to Scripture. So, in so far as I am concerned that takes us off the hook as far as civil disobedience is concerned. Sorry it that offends some of my more fervent brothers and sisters in Christ.

Naturally, I am well aware of the fact that, as Paul put it:

The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6 MSG)

Consequently, our method and mission is therefore clear, in my opinion. Our methods are spiritual, and our mission is missions. We must confront corrupt culture, whether here or abroad, and with God’s empowering grace build up lives into an obedient maturity in Christ.

That may sound like a convoluted way to go about it, but it is God’s way.

The world must hear the Good News, before we can expect them to obey it! But, as Paul so aptly asks us, 

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”  (Romans 10:14 NIV)

Well, the truth is that we can not expect someone to believe until they have heard. Obedience is, and always will be, the key to success in the work of the Kingdom. And, obedience means going, or when necessary sending! 

Take Alfred and Elizabeth Cawston, my mother-and-father-in law, for instance. The Cawstons left Canada for India in the mid-30^ties just before the Second World War and Indian independence.  Naturally, they were caught in the middle of conflicting cultures and political ideologies. Yet, true to their calling and mission, they presented Christ as the only answer to the problems that plagued our planet by starting a small church above a dance hall in downtown Calcutta called the House of Prayer which eventually amalgamated with another small congregation to form what eventually became The Buntain Memorial Church in Calcutta.   

The Cawstons then moved to Ceylon to jump start the Assemblies of God Bible school that had been closed, where I now teach each year. Following that, against much opposition, both from some of the missionaries and the government of India, they opened a small Bible school which they called The Southern Asia Bible College in their home which now offers degrees through the doctorate; and on and on the work goes—to the Philippines (and a church of 10,000) then back to Iran to minister to a handful and then on to Bibles schools in Holland and Belgium. Eventually in their 80^ties they had to call it quits. A day I well remember.  

On that day, after having struggled for a full week to prepare for yet another trip to Sri Lanka, with the luggage packed and shut, ready to go, Pop sat down in his lounge chair and said, “Elizabeth, I just don’t have the energy. I’ll never make it.” He then made one of the hardest phone calls he had ever made. He called Jerry Parsley, the Area Director, and said, “Brother Parsley, I am afraid I am going to have to cancel this and any future trips overseas. I just don’t have the strength to travel like that anymore.” 

Today, only eternity will reveal what that one couple did to change the world that they touched into a better world, and those with whom they came in contact with into better people. And, they did it all with the word of truth with the prayers and financial help of people just like you. 

So, we must not falter. Although Bonnie and I are well past retirement age, we, too, must keep pressing on. Why? Because, we, as well as you, have a mission to accomplish, and it is not over yet. The Great Commission has not expired; nor, thank God, have we! 

Thanks for your prayers and financial help.

"I love you more!"

Right now, in my private devotions, I am reading through the Gospel of John, the disciple "whom Jesus loved." (John 5:23)

Now, I must admit that verse (and others like it) have often puzzled me. My question has always been, "Why did he love John any more than the other disciples?" However, I think I have the answer.

John is writing from a personal perspective. He was completely devoted to Jesus. He was one of only two disciples to follow Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard on the night of his trial. The other, Peter, denied that he knew Christ; however, John remained loyal. And, I believe that one of the major reasons that Jesus asked John to take care of his mother after he was crucified was because he knew he could depend on him to take good care of her because of John's loyalty to him. (John 19:25)

I don't believe, however that he loved John more than the other disciples. John thought so, though.

Let me throw some light on the story by telling you of an incident that happen at my own mother's funeral. When our eldest daughter gave her eulogy she mentioned (halfway teasing, yet somewhat seriously) that "Grandma love me more than her other grandchildren. I was her favorite," she said.

Well that set off a chain reaction with each of the succeeding grandchildren saying the same. Naturally, they could not all be right. But in a sense they were. She loved them equally and that made them think they were the favorite.

Looking back on my childhood, I must admit that I always knew that I was her favorite. Yet, that was not true. That fact was brought home to me in particular when I over heard her tell a friend one day that she loved my older half-brother just as much as any of her children. As far as she was concerned, he was as much hers as me or my other brother and sisters were. So, although, she had not given birth to him he was just as special to her as were we.

Reflecting on that, I, too, must at times remind myself that Jesus died for the whole world. Not just for me. Not just for the Christians, or the morally good. No, he died for all. Why? Because he loved them, John says,

Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. (John 13:1 NLV) Paul puts it this way,

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.(Rom. 5:6-8 TLB)

Now, the beautiful lesson we learn from all of this is simply that God loves us all equally, including the skid row drunk, or the wild-eyed jihadist. Some of us disappoint him; but his arms are always open to embrace those that sense and cultivate that love.

The sad facts are, however, that much of the world, including our own part, do not really know how much Jesus loves them. You and I have the privilege, and, yes, an obligation to show them that love. Missions is a vital part of that process, too. So, whatever you do, pray for and support missions! It's God's way of sharing His great love to the world.

The Nature of God (Allah) Explained

The Nature of God (Allah) Explained:  

Several attempts have been made to describe the Trinity. The one that I like most is perhaps the analogy of H₂O as an example of how something that is one can be three.

 

Water is composed of H₂O, ice is composed H₂O, and vapor is composed of H₂O. None of these is considered to be separate in essence from H₂O. All are H₂O. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not parts of God—that is separate parts; each of them is God. However, keep in mind that we are not capable of describing God, we must allow him to do that.

 

God describes himself in Scripture (Deuteronomy 6:4; 1 Corinthians 8:4; Galatians 3:20; 1 Timothy 2:5) as in essence one—yet, we must keep in mind that God is in essence a trinity (Genesis 1:1, 26; 3:22; 11:7; Isaiah 6:8, 48:16, 61:1; Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). Just like in essence H₂O is potentially three, water, Ice and vapor, we can easily reason that God is capable of a Trinity of Divine essence.

 

Now, the word Trinity is not found in Scripture, it is only a word used to express what God’s essence is.

Christians do not worship three gods. They worship only one God (Allah) who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are one, so that is why we use the term Trinity to describe who God is.

For example, traditionally Muslims attribute 99 names to Allah to describe Him; yet no one that I know accuses a Muslim of worshiping 99 gods. More specifically, however, Christian scholars, just like Muslim scholars distinguish between the attributes of God and His Divine essence, as I have illustrated above. Christians also ascribe many attributes to God. However, when we Christians refer to The Trinity we do not talking about His attributes—that is, His names or what He is like; but rather Who He is—His Divine essence. 

A man, for instance, is a body, a mind and a soul; but man is not three men, he is one. Similarly, God is the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. In other words, that is His essence, just as the essence of man is what man is.  Therefore, we must carefully distinguish between what God is like from who He is.  Christians believe that He is in essence One, just as Muslims do; and that essence is expressed in and through who He is. Stop and think for a moment. Since God is self-sufficient and has never had to depend on anyone or anything for his total existence, does it not seem reasonable to believe that He had the capacity to communicate before creation?

Now, if this is true, then to whom did He communicate prior to the creation? He must have communicated with someone other than His creation. The Bible (the Holy Injil)  and the The Qur’an  clearly tells us that God is the Creator  and that absolutely nothing was created without Him. How then is God complete unless He is fully capable of communicating both within Himself and to us His creation? In regards to what I have just said in the preceding paragraph, consider what both the Bible and the Koran say about God:1.   

The Qur’an recognizes The virgin birth of Jesus was a sign from God. The Qur’an says, "And (remember) her who guarded her chastity: We breathed into her of Our spirit, and We made her and her son a sign for all peoples." (Qur'an 21:91) So, my question is, “To whom was God referring to when he said, “Our spirit” in the sura 21:91? We know that God is one, so why would he associate himself as “our” spirit?2.    We

Christians believe that when the Bible says that God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." (Genesis 1:26) The “let us” is referring to his triune nature.3.   

Jesus said, ‘He who has seen me has seen the Father’ (John 14:9), and ‘I am the way and the truth and the live. No one comes to the Father except through me’ (John 14:6)4.    Jesus also said that “God is a Spirit’ (John 4:24).

So, we see that God has an essence of three personas—or as some Christian theologians say, persons. However, when we use that word, we do not mean three separate individuals; but three personas, or relationships—He is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and we relate to Him as such, that is His essence.

Christians believe that the Father, The Son (Isa) and The Holy Spirit are the Divine essence of God and, therefore, present at creation and could be the only “Our spirit” worthy enough to form a union with God and man.  Could it be, therefore, that God  and Jesus in this instance is the Divine “our” which sent forth their spirit? Why would any creature’s conception be described in this manner unless they were indeed Divine? I am from my father, as was Jesus. I was not created; neither was Jesus. Adam was created from dust, I was not; neither was Jesus. Jesus, came from and was God (Allah). 

John, one of the early disciples of Jesus put it this way in the Holy Bible, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1-2)  It is also very interesting to note that the Qur’an refers to Jesus as a Word from God.

Here is the sura 003.045 translated by three outstanding Arabic scholars:

1. YUSUFALI: Behold! the angels said: "O Mary! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him: his name will be Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and of (the company of) those nearest to Allah;
2. PICKTHAL: (And remember) when the angels said: O Mary! Lo! Allah giveth thee glad tidings of a word from him, whose name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, illustrious in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near (unto Allah).
3. SHAKIR: When the angels said: O Marium, surely Allah gives you good news with a Word from Him (of one) whose name is the '. Messiah, Isa son of Marium, worthy of regard in this world and the hereafter and of those who are made near (to Allah).

And, who is this Word? Both the Bible and the Qur’an say that this is Jesus (Isa). It is interesting to note that the Qur’an seems to recognize Jesus as the Christ, which most definitely is to associate Him with Divinity.

So, since this declaration is a fact agreed upon in both the Bible and in the Qur’an, how do we then reconcile this with the contradictions we find in both texts?  Admittedly, we cannot reconcile all of these contradictions, but in this instance, reason alone argues that you cannot have the “our spirit” entering Mary to conceive a child—whom both the Bible and the Qur’an call “the word of God”—without that Word (Isa) being in the form of God. This fact of reason, however, we must accept by faith. So, although, we may not be able to describe God completely we do know that we can relate to Him personally since the Word became flesh and lived among us.

Furthermore, many of us have also experience God’s great mercy in the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ, the Son or Word of God. Otherwise, how can we say with any confidence that as the Koran states that God is The Most Merciful in Essence, The Compassionate, the Ever Forgiving, or The Loving and the Kind One  unless we have some visible proof that He is. 

Jesus is that proof!

Jesus came as God in the flesh; and, although, he never sinned (which the Koran confirms) and he was willing and did become our Savior by dying on the Cross suffering our punishment for us and was affirmed as such by God the Father when He raised  Jesus the Son from the grave by the power of His Spirit. 

I do trust this will satisfy a curious mind; however, if one wishes to argue, it will be absolutely impossible to convince them.

 

Has Sex Gone Viral In America?

Has Sex Gone Viral?

I don’t know, but are people more sexually charged than they were say, when I was a young man?

Great day in the morning, it seems that almost everyday some well known figure is accused of sexual harassment. Well, I should be quick to add, not only accused, but in far too many incidences the accusations are actually proven.

Today it is Herman Cain’s 15 minutes of fame. Tomorrow, who knows?

Then there are the cases involving school teachers. Now, we are not just talking about testosteroned charged football coaches talking trash in front of innocent little cheerleaders—no, not on you life—we’re talking about genders of both sexes, male and female. And, they are not just talking trash, they are actually bedding up with students, some as young as 13 and 14 years of age.

Excuse me, but what brought this perversion on?

Well, if you listen closely to what the perpetrators are saying, usually they blame it on an abusive childhood, or a manic depressive disorder, or some other nonsense. Reminds me of the day when Flip Wilson in character as Geraldine used to say, “The Devil made me do it!” At least he didn’t blame his parents or genetics.

Flip, however, was also wrong. It wasn’t the Devil, it was Flip that made him do it.

James wrote a long time ago:

A man must not say when he is tempted, “God is tempting me.” For God has no dealings with evil, and does not himself tempt anyone. No, a man’s temptation is due to the pull of his own inward desires, which can be enormously attractive. His own desire takes hold of him, and that produces sin. And sin in the long run means death—make no mistake about that, brothers of mine! (James 1: 13-16) (J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)

Now, let me get quickly to the real issue here. One’s sexuality may be the by-produce of many contributing factors—hormone levels, learned behavior, cultural mores, and a host of other causes; however, in the final analysis individuals hold the lasting responsibility. Unchecked lust is a disaster in wait. Garbage in, garbage out is still a fact. In the words of Scripture, “For as [a man or woman] thinks in his heart, so is he.” (Prov. 23:7)

Hope you didn’t miss the words “thinks in his heart” because these words are very important. Thinking governs us and in turn society. Flip through any secular magazine, look at a preponderance of advertisements and it is obvious what inspires the average consumer to take a closer look at the product—in a word, sex. Sex sells. Why? The blunt answer is, because modern society's mind is in the gutter.

Hinduism’s Kuma Satra pales in the face of all the trash portrayed in our media where homosexuality, transvestism, transgenderism, polygamous marriages (the list goes on and on) are promoted as an acceptable alternate lifestyle. Morality is no longer an absolute, you can just pick and choose which style you think fits best.

Let’s face it, modern society’s thoughts are all wonky. Why? Because people's hearts are all wrong.

Cases in point. You can’t smoke on television, but you can fornicate. You can’t use the “n” word (and you shouldn’t); but you can defame the name of God. You can’t blow up Brooklyn Bridge (and you shouldn’t); but you can write a book on how you can. Parents can’t stop a minor daughter from getting an abortion, but she generally needs permission to get her ears pierced.

Want more? How about locking up people for smoking pot, unless they bought it at the local pharmacy? Show me any logic in any of that and I will eat my hat.

No wonder our kids are confused.

Do the ungodly have a Constitutional right to pursue that lifestyle? Sure they do, if we can protect the innocent. However, there is where the rub comes in—you can't. So, the question is mute, as far as I am concerned.

So, what am I saying? Simply this: until individuals in society change society by first changing their hearts, we are in for some rough sledding ahead as a nation and as a community of Christians.

An Opportunity That Obligates

Imagine a scenario in which Paul had not taken time to train Timothy, or Barnabus had not nurtured his homesick nephew Mark back into spiritual health.

Think of how different our lives would be today. There would be no books of Timothy, or Gospel of Mark. As a matter of fact, the New Testament would no doubt be radically different—not doctrinally, but in detail. Most scholars agree that the Gospel of Mark served as a template for the synoptic Gospels; and the book of Timothy is an invaluable pattern of instruction for any young pastor to follow. All of which, of course, illustrates the vital necessity for each of us to follow our Master’ command to:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matt. 28:19-20)

Yet—now, I have to be honest with you—I am amazed at the number of Christians who have yet to disciple one person, or express their concern to see that others do. The Great Commission does not stop at the word “go”. No, the word “teach” is also there; as a matter of fact, it is there twice: “Go teach all nations . . . teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”

So, to just send an evangelist out to the mission field to draw big crowds, have a healing service, and take pictures of people responding to a generic altar call is not fulfilling the Great Commission. Building a viable church on the mission field requires much more. Others must be taught, so that they in turn may teach others.

There is no simple solution, either. This requires long diligent preparation, planning and instructions. Training others to train others is not accomplished over night. This takes months, sometimes years. It requires stick-to-itiveness. It require (now for the dirty word) money. Teachers must eat, have a place to live, transportation to get there. We don’t need to be told that, but it does not hurt to remind ourselves from time to time that these things are necessary. And, to complicate matters, they are not always easy to come by.

This is why Jesus asks us to “pray that the Lord of the harvest would send forth laborers into the harvest field.” (Matt. 9:38) Accomplishing the task requires prayer and hard work. Both are equally required; neither outweighs the other.

I am no fund raiser. That is a gift that I seemed to have missed out on. But, I can and do pray. So, I am asking you to join with me in sincere prayer that God will bring in the necessary funds for us to travel once again to Sri Lanka to continue training laborers for the harvest in that needy country. As fellow workers, we have no choice—this is not just an opportunity, it is an obligation.

Thanks for your prayers. And, thanks for your support. Both are appreciated and necessary.

What Shall We Do With All These Ilegal Wetbacks That Have Invaded Our Country?

Today, on my daily prayer and power walk—at this age I must walk and pray, because if I kneel I fall asleep!— I passed one of the men that routinely keep the lawns on public property trimmed and mowed in our neighborhood. Without hesitation I said, “Hace frio!” (It is cold) And, not surprisingly he answered me in Spanish.

I though, “Probably an illegal alien.” And, you know what? I was most probably right! Heaven only knows how many are in this country. Not only from Mexico or Latin America, but from around the world. Anyway, to get to the point, I immediately thought of presidential contender Herman Cain who suggested (in humor, he said) that we not only build a fence on our southern border but we should also electrify it and put a coiled string of sharp barbed wire along the top.

Sounds like the man is serious, doesn’t it?

Well, excuse me, because I would listen a whole lot closer if someone would come up with a plan to bring all of our jobs back home. Geography is not the problem. A foreign labor force is.

Let’s imagine for one minute, what would happen if suddenly we shipped all the illegals back to where they came from. Well, most probably most of them eventually would take the same type of jobs they already have here and ship the produce back to us.

Why?

I hope you are ready for this. The answer is that the average out of work American will not work on our farmland; and, furthermore, those illegals holding choice jobs would simply shift geographically back to their homelands to do the same thing and our mega corporations would just lease more super tankers to ship the stuff back to America. And, of course, not only would we lose the tax base, but we would allow the goods through our borders at nominal (if any) tariff rate.

Alabama is a case in point. Last week one small time tomato farmer had already lost 20% of his crop and expected to lose the rest by week’s end. Why? The answer is not hard to find. Alabamians don’t want to pick tomatoes. They had rather join the unemployment lines than do that. Or if they could muster up enough energy, perhaps they would join the Occupy Wall Street crowd, I don’t know.

Paul said, if you are not willing to work, you don’t have a right to eat. Now, that’s Bible.

So, I said all of that to say this: If we are serious about this illegal stuff, then first of all we must get serious about not shipping all of our jobs overseas—that alone would bring back jobs and revenue that would be enough to turn this country around; furthermore, we should put the fence up but leave the doors open until we have enough men and women who are willing to work in these jobs. Otherwise, tomatoes will rot. Lawns will not get mowed. And on and on it goes.

Now, for the history buff, it may interest you to know (if you don’t already) that Spain faced a similar situation when their gentry class refused to dirty their hands following the loss of cheap domestic laborers. What began the downhill spiral that eventually turned Spain into a Third World County was not the defeat of the Spanish Armada (although, that helped) it was the gentry class’s refusal to work. Anybody that was somebody had a title. Sometimes everybody in whole provinces were declared gentry, as in the case of Biscay.

The results? Need I say? Crops were not planted. Roads were not built. Even castles began to fall apart around the super rich. And, for those of us who are missionaries, it should be noted that the Church went begging. Wealth is created by work, and work is created by the people’s desire to acquire something. Think about if for a moment.

Gold left in the ground has absolutely no value whatsoever until it is put to use, or someone is willing to work hard enough to either mine it and sell it or simply buy it. Somewhere along the line, work is required.

As a nation we must keep this in focus. Manna fell only once. And, that was a longtime ago. I don’t expect it will fall on America anytime in the near future, either.

Doing good for goodness sake!

Sometimes we Evangelicals get so carried away with our doctrinal position on sin that one would think we believe that man was made in the image of the Devil instead of God.

Don't get me wrong. Man is a sinner that can only be rescued by Divine Grace—but on the other hand, Man is not all bad, either. There is still a little virtue left in the human race.

For example when the Rich Young Ruler came to Christ with the very serious question of what must he do to inherit the Eternal Life, Christ replied in essence, “You have done well—there is nothing else for you to do, except to now go sell all you have and follow me.” (Luke 18:18-23)

My contention is that he was not far from the Kingdom because there was still a whole lot of good left in him. Of course, we all know that being good is not good enough. We must believe and follow Christ wholeheartedly to enter into His Kingdom and inherit eternal life.

Now, on the other hand there was still a lot of dignity left in the man. For he, like all of us, was created in the likeness of God—Christ, the Scripture says, even looked at him lovingly.

That to me, showed Jesus’ respect for the young man. For as the Scriptures plainly teaches, we demonstrate our love for God by how we treat one another. (1 John 4:20) And, in this case, Christ demonstrated His love of the Father by expressing His love for this young man.

A good friend of mine once said, “Jim, I judge a man by how well he treats little children and animals.”

I thought, ‘How true!’ We express our character by how we treat His creation, especially those that were made in His image.

In closing, may I ask you, when is the last time you prayed for the Taliban? Do the souls of those in error deserve any less love than the Rich Young Ruler or one of us? Do you love those that despitefully treat you, or is it pure hatred? Well, I’ll answer that for most of us, revenge not love is the emotion that is front and center. The old adage, however, is still true that we must love the sinner and hate the sin. We mustn’t confuse the two, either.

My prayer is that we will pray for those that persecute us (Matt. 5:44) and remember that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

Priorities Gone Wonky

Recently, I played the Good Samaritan role by helping someone pack and move. Everything had to go, so I went through the house with a fine tooth comb. Throwing away junk was the most fun. Things that had not worked in years hit the garbage can to be carted away to a new home—the city trash dump.

Then came the hard part—what to do with all the little gadgets and stuff that was purchased on impulse at the local Walmart. Most of the stuff still in original wrappers, I should add. There were back scratchers (probably 10 of those); computer stuff (including a much needed Norton’s virus protection disc); a Daddy Deep Fryer; motorized contraptions to cut meat, chop vegetables, or goodness knows what else. There was evan a device to shake water off washed lettuce, and a blender that is suppose to do everything on earth, except, perhaps fly. Great day in the honk, I never saw so much wasted money in all my life.

My moods swung from surprise to curiosity (is there more?) to boredom, then frustration and eventually to conviction. Why? Because in some sort of way this resembled my habits, too. On a smaller scale perhaps, but nonetheless, a reflection of some of the silly stuff I have collected over the years.

My, my, my—what a shame!

I think of Gigum in Arunachal Presdesh (tucked way up there in North India right next to China). He could use just $25 dollars a month. Then there’s Sanjay Christian in Ahmadabad, Gujarat, living in constant danger simply because he is a Christian. Kids in Ahmadabad need school supplies. Just a few cents a student would satisfy him. There is also Dr. Bal Krishna in Nepal who struggles monthly to keep a Bible school running in a formerly closed country. Of course, Dr. Willie Chelliah in Sri Lanka could use money, too. The Bible school he runs is constantly fighting for its very survival. Pakistan is another prime example. Essa Gull is stalled in its effort to reach flood victims there with the first Gospel message they have ever had a chance to hear. In this case, the only access to these Muslims is through humanitarian aid. A measly $20 dollars will provide food and the simple essentials of hygiene for a whole month.

Wow, I got carried away!

The point is, buys based on the compulsive impulses of a bored shopper are misplaced priorities. Is a Daddy Deep fryer worth more than a little kid getting a better education? Or a back scratcher of more importance than a struggling Bible school student? What about that motorized contraption that will do almost everything except fly? Do we really think that is should take precedence over the flood victims in Pakistan?

I know. I know. We dropped an offering in for missions last Sunday, or gave at the office. That salves our conscience, but conscience is not the question here. The question is humanity. It’s simply a matter of dignity. Do we place more value on things than eternal souls? Do we through our actions reduce human beings to something less than gadgets picked up at Walmart?

Don't get angry. I am just asking. For me, I must admit, I really need to rethink my priorities. I’ll leave the decision to you to yours—that’s between you and God.

But, the very thought should stop us all dead still in our tracks.

Old Frank and the Gospel (A tongue in cheek article by Jim M. Roane, Ph.D.)

Frank is my imaginary next door neighbor. He lives next door or just down the street from most of us Christians. You know him. Maybe not by name, but you know him.

Frank smokes. And that annoys the dickens out of me; especially when the stench wafts it way across my otherwise pleasant patio. Frank also cusses and uses a lot of four letter words, including the “n” word, occasionally. So, needless to say, there is nothing politically correct about old Frank. He’s an old curmudgeon when it comes to neighborhood get togethers, too. So, to be quite honest with you, I would not invite him to the annual neighborhood potluck, if I didn’t feel obliged as a Christian gentleman.

Oh, well, enough of Frank; let’s talk about his wife, Jing Lin (I had to spell that one phonetically). She’s Chinese, or Japanese, or something—maybe Korean, I don’t know and have never bothered to ask. I tried talking to her once or twice. Couldn’t decipher one word of what the woman said—although, she did smile a lot, so I know she is friendly. I keep saying to myself, I wonder why these people don’t learn to speak English; then I remember my old tongue-tied aunt that spoke English that you would swear was German. So, I give her some slack. Not much though.

Then there are their kids. Ones an emo, vampire looking and all that crazy stuff. The other studies Chinese medicine and wants to practice acupuncture on me. (Un’t uh. I don’t think so!)

Oh, yeah, one other thing, old Frank’s little Shih Tzu prefers to fertilize my lawn rather than his. Hard as I try, however, I can’t seem to lure the little rascal away long enough to twist his ears really good and hard.

Well, I’m a preacher so I feel a certain amount of responsibility for old Frank—for his soul and all. Jing Lin is Buddhist or something, I heard. So, I’m not sure I hold out much hope for her since she has been in this country for 20 or 30 years, or so. And, if she hasn’t heard a good gospel message yet, she hasn’t been listening.

In any event, old Frank is typical in many respects to the spiritually disenfranchised. Well, not all are as grumpy as he is but none-the-less they are disenfranchised.

Why do I say that? I say that simply because he doesn’t know—that is, he doesn’t really know that he has a vote. He’s got a choice. He can exercise his God given rights as a person for whom Jesus died and accept his citizenship in the Kingdom of God. Frank and Jing Lin both have that right. Problem is, no one has effectively told them so. They do not know.

Now, let’s leave Frank and Jing Lin alone for a moment. What about the millions of others who have not heard of this inalienable right—the right to be citizens in God’s kingdom? What about them?

To give you a sense of the magnitude of this challenge, I have included a worldometer link in the right hand column of this newsletter for your perusal. Click onto to it and watch it to get a sense of the challenge we face. Look at the death statistics. Those people are gone. They have met their maker. Now, look at the birth statistics. That’s only part of the challenge. These are the ones that need to hear, or see the love of Christ demonstrated. These are the reachable ones. We can reach them with God’s love through acts of kindness by mirroring the love that God has for them.

Right now, Pakistan needs your help—which presents another challenge. How?

Well, one of the best ways I know is to show the love of Christ than to minister to those that have never had a fair chance to hear the Gospel or see the image of Christ mirrored through his disciples?

We can do that by providing medical and hygenic assistance. So, consider this your chance to inform yourself of the need then respond with loving concern.

The homeless and destitute need our positive response right now.  

Before I sign off, however,  I want you to know that I did try "witnessing" to old Frank sometime back, but got absolutely no where. So, about all I have left is my silent testimony which includes a lot of smiles and not fussing about his little Shih Tzu fertilizing my lawn. I do have hopes though of getting through someday.

During the meantime whisper a prayer or two for me and Old Frank.