Marketplace Evangelism Today

Happy Thanksgiving: What are you thankful for?

Today, I wished many people Happy Thanksgiving! I did this because I love these people and hold them in high regard. I am thankful for my wife and daughter, my family, friends, and clients. I praise God for my relationships. Most of all, I am thankful for God’s love, where He allowed His Son, Jesus Christ, to shed His blood for the redemption of our sins. I am thankful for my salvation through Jesus Christ.

Today, I asked many friends from Facebook what they are thankful for. Here are a few of their responses:

Carol H wrote, “Jesus and a caring and patient and helpful husband and son.”

Cindee wrote, “Life.”

Carol B wrote, “Thankfulness…….I’m Thankful first of all for the Grace and Mercy of another day and a Heavenly Father who loves me. We are never promised tomorrow so be Thankful for his Graciousness. I’m Thankful for family, friends, miss my Dad, but I know he is with JESUS and that’s what matters. Make this a Thankful Day and forget all the craziness this world tries to make us think that the “Materialistic” makes us happy….it doesn’t….happiness can only be found in a relationship with “JESUS” and then he makes everything else in our lives something to really say Thanks For!”

Karen wrote, “I am thankful for my beautiful family and all my friends old and new. God Bless.”

Beckie wrote, “I am so thankful for being raised in a Christian family and knowing that my parents and grandparents daily prayed for all of our family – kids, grandkids etc. what a blessing!”

Kathy wrote, “Many blessings! Friends and family and friends who are like family.”

Michele wrote, “I’m so thankful for a wonderful, loving family and friends. I’m so thankful for God’s healing power.”

With all that is going on in our world, please take a moment to tell your loved ones that you love them. Give your family a hug and tell your children you love them. No one knows how long they have on this earth.

The staff of The Lantern & Shield Times wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving! May God Bless each of you! We value your followership!

Joseph T. Lee, © November 23, 2017, The Lantern & Shield Times LLC.

Movie Review: “The Man Who Invented Christmas”

One of my favorite things to do leading up to Christmas is to Watch “A Christmas Carol,” which was written in book form by Charles Dickens in the 1840s. The Puritans, who believed Christmas was pagan and tied to Roman Catholicism, left some influence on Britain, where the holiday was not widely observed at the time. Dickens, as he’s portrayed in this movie, writes a book that ignites the celebration of Christmas in England.

It was a refreshing movie. It contains no curse words and gives a glimpse into a producer of British literature at a time when our culture is coarse and many things European are disparaged.

Starring the British actor Dan Stevens, the movie tells of Dickens actual life and adds his interaction with his strong imaginary characters. “The Man Who Invented Christmas” even gives a glimpse into character development as a writer might do.

While the movie’s target audience would not be children, it contains child actors, who play their parts well. There’s nothing vulgar in this flick. Parents can feel very comfortable taking their children to see this movie. If you wish to teach your children English literature, this movie could act as a good introduction to that. The movie shows the influences upon Dickens’ life and how he developed ideas for characters through people he met.

The story Dickens writes, which the British call “Scrooge,” is not meant to teach Christian theology. The necromancy suggested is fanciful and harmless within its context. It’s a movie the whole family can enjoy together.

I recommend taking the whole family to see this movie. I give it Four out of Five Stars.

Breaking: 1970’s Teen Idol and Heart Throb David Cassidy Dies at 67 Years Old

David Cassidy, star of The Partridge Family, dies at 67 years of age. Cassidy was a teen idol and heart throb for the hit TV series in the 1970’s. He died in a Fort Lauderdale hospital due to kidney failure and multiple organ failure.

Cassidy played Keith Partridge on ABC’s sitcom about a family band. Two of their songs, “I Think I Love You” and “I Woke Up In Love This Morning,” became major hits. After Partridge Family, Cassidy recorded solo albums. Later in his career, he was plagued by personal problems. He racked up at least three DUI arrests within five years, filed bankruptcy, went through three divorces, was charged with hit and run in 2015, and had problems with alcohol. In February of this year, he admitted to having dementia and was going to stop touring.

According to reports, Cassidy is survived by his son, Beau; a daughter, actress Katie Cassidy; and three half-brothers, Shaun, Patrick and Ryan.

Joseph T. Lee, © November 21, 2017, The Lantern & Shield Times LLC

Breaking: Charles Manson Dead at 83 Years of Age

Charles Manson, known for the brutal and horrific murder of Actress Sharon Tate and six other people; died Sunday in a California hospital. Manson was imprisoned over forty-five years after he led his mostly female followers to kill Tate and six other people at Roman Polaski’s home. He ordered the killing of two other people as well. He received nine life sentences for his crimes.

While in prison, Manson was denied parole twenty-two times. According to the Los Angeles Times, “he had hundreds of violations including possessing a cell phone and an assortment of weapons. He was unrepentant for his crimes and was not a model prisoner. He was hospitalized for an unknown condition on Tuesday. He died of natural causes at Kern County Hospital at 8:13 p.m Sunday, according to Vicky Waters, a spokeswoman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He was 83 years of age.”

Reference:
The Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-charles-manson-20171119-story.html

Joseph T. Lee © November 20, 2017 The Lantern & Shield Times LLC

Interview with a Pastor: The Making of an American Pastor

I most recently had a candid interview with a pastor about his ministry and what it was like leading a church. My questions are in BOLD TYPE. His answers are in regular font. The name of the pastor has been omitted as well as the church. If you are thinking of going into the ministry as a pastor, the answers to these questions may help you with your decision. I hope that you enjoy this article.

Tell me about your call to pastoral ministry. I surrendered to Christ at age six through a desire to be a part of God’s family. Earlier than that, I longed to preach because my Dad was a preacher. At age twelve, I came to an understanding and asked the Father, “Is this what you want or what I want? If this is what you want, then speak to be as clearly as you did for salvation and make me miserable again like that.” And he did, and at age thirteen, I surrendered to ministry. I was fortunate to have a Dad who would honestly mentor me in real time of the things he was going through.

Which pastoral responsibility do you enjoy the most and why? I would say the preaching, because of the deep passion for scripture. I would say the leading, because of the longing to follow Christ. I would say the disciple making because of the pouring into others and seeing the transformation that only happens in them but also happens in me when we have those discipling times. Any other ones? Because of our services, I don’t get to do this as much, but I enjoyed doing baptisms. That is a sweet moment with God smiling on an individual for their obedience in baptism.

Which pastoral duty do you enjoy the least and why? Anything dealing with confrontation. One of the things in ministry that drains the most is disappointment. You must weigh through the disappointing responses, disappointing perspectives, where you realize it’s not a biblical perspective or response. It’s not a response that’s a surrender to Christ. It’s not a humbled response. And when you see that among God’s people, that’s one of the hardest things to wrestle through. I talked with and read Macel Falwell’s biography of her husband Jerry Falwell. And she rightly said, He could handle the push back and the criticism by those who had no relationship with Christ. What wounded him the most was heavier and harder for him to carry were the negative comments of those who were followers of Christ.

Describe the amount of time you spend each week in ministry preparation. The average week is about twenty hours. Other times it could get heavier and be more intense. That’s a lot of hours. Yes, but that is the key moment that you must minister to everyone. And you can have counseling moments. You can have committee meeting moments. But the one moment where you pastor and minister to everyone is that sermon. And furthermore, it must be a message from the Father and not your message to the people. So, you have to be with the Father as the herald to hear the message. To pray it through with Him so to make sure that it’s His message, not yours.

Describe the amount of time you spend in the week in administrative responsibilities. Oh goodness! Probably almost all the time, isn’t it? Yes. And particularly at our church. You also have ministries connected to you beyond our church. I would say forty hours. Wow! No, let’s make that thirty because you have moments like this as well. And we will say another twenty in pastoring with one on one. This is just a rough estimate.

Describe the amount of time you spend each week in personal devotions and prayer. Here’s the thing. It has to be every day. And I would say every day, at least an hour. I imagine that you are praying without ceasing too. There you go. There you go! Everyone that comes into my office, they don’t come in without prayer and they don’t leave without prayer. That’s the same truth for every meeting that we have, administrative meeting. But that’s beyond what I need to have in the morning and what I need to have at night, and during the day. Like yesterday, I had to get away and get into the sanctuary and just pray.

What is the area of pastoral ministry that you wish that you had been taught in school? Pain management. The reason I say that was my Dad was very honest when he mentored me. He said, I want to tell you what I am going through in real time. When you are knocked into the same ropes, you know that your Dad has survived and so can you. The ropes that I am getting hit against are not unfamiliar because I saw that happen to Dad. But one thing Dad could never convey was how hard the punches are, when you are getting knocked against the ropes. In my opinion Joe, if time is short, and I think it is, Satan is going to ramp up his attack on the Bride, and try to keep us less effective as possible. So, there is more spiritual attack and spiritual oppression that adds to that pain, that you have to learn how to manage, as Ephesians Six says, to stand.

Describe your ordination council. First of all, we want to make certain that they have displayed a call to ministry. There must be evidence that they have. When we have seen that, then we can put together an ordaining council that will be of pastors and ministers who are also ordained. And they will meet with the individual. The first one is to be ordained or licensed to ministry. We are going through theological things to determine if they can be licensed to ministry. After, there is an approval, then the church votes on whether to license to ministry. That gives you a window to watch whether they continue to display the characteristics to be licensed into ministry. Then we will convene the ordaining council. The ordaining council consists of pastors, ministers, and sometimes deacons. This council asks theological questions as well as the pastor-elect asks questions. This creates a mentoring moment as well, but through that time, the ordaining council must recommend to the church if the pastor-elect is to be ordained into ministry. This is a careful and cautious process before we recommend a man for ministry. How long does the ordination process take from the time the process is started until the time the pastor is ordained? If you go from the process of licensing until ordination, it could take a couple of years.

What is the one piece of advice you give to someone aspiring to become a pastor? Make certain the Father has called you. That is the very first thing my Dad said when I surrendered to ministry at age thirteen. We were in the car and he said, “Son, if there is anything else you can do, do it. But if you can’t, you know the Father has called you.” Make certain above all things that the Lord has called you, because it’s that calling that becomes the “not at the end of the road,” that causes you to hang on when you would love to let go.

In conclusion, I was made aware of the struggles of this pastor and what he goes through not only daily, but weekly, as the head pastor of his church. It was interesting to hear a pastor state that he surrendered to ministry when he made up his mind that he wanted to be a minister at the age of thirteen. One has heard the term surrendering to Christ, but I have never heard the term surrendering to ministry. I guess it is the same as “The Call.”

In reference to the pastor’s passion for preaching, he spends about twenty hours in preparation each week on average. It is evident that he pours into others when it comes to discipleship. Unfortunately, because of his schedule, he does not perform baptisms anymore.

It is evident that he does not enjoy confrontation. Confrontation can drain a pastor and they face disappointment almost on a weekly basis. He referenced Macel Falwell’s biography about the late Jerry Falwell and how Jerry could take the criticisms of unbelievers better than those who were followers of Christ. What can wound a pastor the most is the ugliness of those who are supposed to love you when they criticize. I see this constantly in ministry where Believers who may mean well constantly criticize and ultimately push pastors out the door of their churches because of the constant attacks. Although these people may not understand what they are doing, if not caught and these people counseled with, this can cause division in the church.

The pastor wished that he had been taught pain management in seminary. He gave an analogy of his Dad in a boxing ring, fighting with those who hurt pastors. He stated that “when you are knocked into the ropes that your Dad had survived, then you realize that you can survive as well (paraphrased).” This pastor feels the punches and they hurt when it is delivered from the loved ones, the congregants that are beating you up in the church. He feels that we are in the last days and that Satan is stirring up hate and dissention among the followers of Christ. The spiritual warfare adds to the pain. But the rewards can be sweet when those who he is pouring into comes to Christ and he can see heart transformations right in front of his eyes.

Pastoring and shepherding is a lifelong commitment that is not for the faint in heart. It is a tough job and one that may not be highly paid. Many times, it goes without thanks and one can see that it could be a lonely occupation as to whom does the pastor trust? Besides his relationship with God and his wife and family, one can understand why pastors keep a distance from congregants in their church. That is why the pastor must stay in prayer and seek the Father’s will so that he can preach the message that is God inspired. It is only through this close relationship with God that the pastor can be successful in leading the lost to Christ.

If you love your pastor and care about him, please pray for him and his family. Please allow him the time he needs and give him and his family privacy. Do not be so demanding on him. God has called pastors to shepherd, but Christians are called to love one another as well as love their neighbor. Consider being a servant in your church by helping the pastor out instead of draining him dry. Consider praying for him before he gives his sermon so that God will speak through him. You can get engaged in your church and then see where God leads this ministry.

Joseph T. Lee © November 16, 2017, The Lantern & Shield Times LLC

Defeating The Adversary

The following is a discussion about Jerry Rankin’s book, “Spiritual Warfare: The Battle For God’s Glory.” The discussion pertains to how Satan tries to use one’s past and old nature to destroy a Christian’s walk with Christ and their testimony.

According to Jerry Rankin, our old nature is what comes natural for us. Our nature before Christ, our human and carnal nature loves satisfaction and gratification. We want what makes us happy and what feels good in the flesh. That is our old self, our old sinful nature, which is about our self. Suffering occurs because we must die to self and put on a new attitude, which is enriched in Christ. Satan loves to use our certain weaknesses to ensnare us in sin and make us feel defeated. Rankin quoted Romans 13:14, “But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no plans to satisfy fleshly desires.” We are to surround ourselves with Christ-like attitudes and remove ourselves from things that would temp us to sin. An example would be if a person had a problem with sex. Before Christ, one with this problem may have been indulged in numerous affairs or potentially had many sexual partners. The person may also have been addicted to pornography. After Christ, this same person should not want to continue with his or her illicit behavior. They should concentrate on Christ and strive to live for Christ everyday by praying and reading the Bible. But Satan knows their weakness and will try to destroy their witness by attacking them with opportunities to sin. A person who was addicted to pornography should not be watching television where nudity is included in the program. That in itself is like pouring gasoline on a house fire. Because people are human and have no power to save themselves, they must put on the full armor of God to avoid the traps and the fiery darts of Satan as described in Ephesians 6. If people do not want to fall back into a sinful lifestyle, they must change their habits and not watch or look at things that can cause temptation to sin and fail.

Rankin quoted a youth evangelist he knew as a child. The youth pastor stated, “If you don’t want your passions aroused in a way that would lead to hard-to-resist temptation, don’t put yourself in a situation where that is likely to happen by parking with your date in a dark car at a drive-in or anywhere else.”[1] “It comes down to the choices we make. If we desire to walk in the Spirit, then we have to choose to avoid situations that would cause the flesh to be tempted.”[2] People need to avoid situations that would lead them to lustful thoughts, which in turn may excite them or lead them to seek gratification. Of course, in the old nature, it is natural to want to do these things, but doing so is against God’s Law, principles, and will. That is why Jesus Christ came to take our sins, burdens, and our filthiness, and those sins and actions were already nailed to the cross with Christ. Jesus bore our sins and when we asked Jesus to come into our hearts and forgive us of our sins, He forgave us. God has forgiven us. But once we accepted Christ and started living for God, Satan was furious and wants to destroy our testimony so that we will become ineffective in the Great Commission. Therefore, Satan uses every means to attack us because we are representatives of Christ. Rankin states, “In emphasizing the victory of which we are assured, we must not diminish the reality of the warfare. There is an ongoing battle between the flesh and the Spirit. Satan is opposed to our doing anything that glorifies and exalts Christ. He uses that self-centered nature of the flesh within us and the carnal values of the world around us to defeat us and cause us to sin.”[3]

Rankin quoted 1 Peter 5:10, “Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Jesus Christ, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little.”[4] Peter states that we suffer a little in contrast to Christ suffering to the point that His blood was spilt which lead to His death and resurrection. Our sufferings pale compared to giving up one’s life for the sins of the world. We will suffer if we follow Christ because the world, in which Satan currently has dominion over, will see to it that we are tempted and that we will struggle for the cause of Christ. “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few” (Matt. 7:13-14). Living for Christ is hard because of our old sinful nature. The road traveled for Christ is narrow and few will find it. The road to the wide gate of worldly pleasures is easier to follow because one does not have to make any sacrifices and give up their old nature. But if we stand firm in our faith, Christ will deliver us. “Be sober! Be alert! Your adversary the Devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are being experienced by your brothers in the world.” (1 Pet. 5:8-9)

I agree with Rankin that if we put to death deeds, inclinations, and desires of the flesh, then we will suffer because this is not easy. Self-denial does cause suffering because of our old nature and the wants of self-centeredness. If we concentrate on serving Christ and loving others, then the desires of the flesh are greatly diminished. Getting serious about serving God means that one sets aside time everyday to pray and seek the face of God. Then we must also study God’s Word. To fight against Satan, we must get into God’s Word and really study. We must seek a relationship with God. We must walk in the Spirit and live our lives in a manner that is pleasing to God, in public, in private, and in secret. Our lives should be the same in all three categories. God sees all, even what is done in secret. Putting on Christ means that we are living our lives for Christ everyday in all that we do. We are to show love to everyone and grant grace and forgiveness. If not, Satan will use that as a foothold to try to destroy our lives and our testimony for Christ.

From the reading, one application I can implement into my prayer and ministry is to start fasting and praying more in order to get to know God better and to seek a closeness with Him. I have fasted in the past and did see answers to prayer, but Rankin indicated that fasting can bring us closer to God and “…demonstrate our longing and need for God through the denial and sacrifice of normal fleshly desires in our battle and victory over the flesh.”[5] This in turn could bring an outpouring of God’s blessings. I desire to be closer to God and want that intimate relationship with Him.

What about you? Do you desire a personal walk with the Savior, Jesus Christ? If so, then stop right where you are. Talk with the Father. That is called praying. Pray to Him and ask forgiveness of your sins. Ask Jesus to come into your heart and live in you. Then seek out a Bible believing church. Get involved in a church and in a Bible study so that you can be discipled in how to live a Christian life.

[1] Jerry Rankin, Spiritual Warfare: The Battle For God’s Glory (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2009), 140.

[2] Ibid., 140.

[3] Ibid., 141.

[4] Ibid., 155.

[5] Ibid., 164.

Joseph T. Lee, © November 14, 2017, The Lantern & Shield Times LLC.

Christian Free Speech Is Being Silenced by the Politically Correct!

I just learned recently that a conservative Christian political journalist has been silenced by the Political Correctness Police on certain social media websites. Yes, it is true! If you are a Believer in Jesus Christ, and you are a conservative, and you post your true beliefs on certain social media sites, you may find your account blocked because your message may differ from their political agenda. The truth is that evil continues to prevail in our society. And it will only get worse when American’s continue to cave in to those who are pushing their unholy agendas down our throats.

So, how do we combat this? How can we overcome? The first way is to become grounded in the Word of God. Look at Ephesians 6:10-20 (English Standard Version). It reads, “¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. ¹¹Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.¹²For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. ¹³Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. ¹⁴Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, ¹⁵and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;¹⁷and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, ¹⁸praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, ¹⁹and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.”

Once one has put on the whole armor of God, they can withstand the fiery darts of Satan, which, in my opinion, are not only the attacks of the Politically Correct, but any temptation that can cause you to stumble. Becoming grounded in God’s Word can help you when you are being spiritually attacked. Praying to God on a regular basis helps to overcome evil as well as it builds a stronger relationship with God. Prayer does work and the Holy Spirit will intercede for us.

We should also live our lives in a manner pleasing to God. Let’s look at Ephesians 5:1-21 (English Standard Version). It reads, “5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. ²And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. ³But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. ⁴Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.⁵For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. ⁶Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. ⁷Therefore do not become partners with them; ⁸for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light ⁹(for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), ¹⁰and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. ¹¹Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. ¹²For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. ¹³But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, ¹⁴for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper,
and arise from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

¹⁵Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, ²⁰giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, ²¹submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

Following these instructions will help you live a life of Christ. There are many other Scriptures I could mention, but these are great guidelines to start with. Therefore, do not allow the Politically Correct perversions to overcome you, but stand firm in God’s Holy Word. Continue to practice by loving your neighbor as yourself as well as praying for one another.

Stand firm and walk steady with Christ. Jesus Christ will never fail you or leave you! Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one shall come to God the Father, except through me.”

Just remember, as a Christian, you still have rights in our great nation. If you feel your rights have been violated, then you should consider contacting The American Center for Law and Justice to see if your religious freedoms have been violated. Christians, do not allow the politically correct to silence your message. You have rights under free speech as well as freedom of religion. Stand firm in God and continue to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Joseph T. Lee, © November 11, 2017, The Lantern & Shield Times LLC

What Is Marketplace Evangelism and the Power of One?

Someone recently asked me what Marketplace Evangelism was? This is my definition, but first, let me tell you what it isn’t. Marketplace Evangelism is not standing on the street corner and preaching to people in the street. It is not forcing Jesus Christ down people’s throats. Marketplace Evangelism is loving people at the job, career, or workplace; by living your life in a manner that is pleasing to God. It is espousing the love of Christ so that others will see something different in you. An example of this is going to see a co-worker or client who is hospitalized and visit and pray for them. It is opening yourself up, in faith, and only when truly led by the Holy Spirit, accept divine appointments to share your faith and how Christ has helped and changed you with those in your environment. It’s living your life in a manner, striving to be Christ incarnate, so that others may see Christ in you, because you may be the only Jesus anyone will ever see. It is making a difference in people’s lives one life at a time!

I know many people will not want to stand out in a crowd because of ridicule. I know this personally, because I have lived 59 years, being afraid to share my faith because of rejection. Being afraid because I did not want to “offend” anyone or I did not want to say the wrong thing. I know what other Christians think, because I have lived a lifetime not sharing the most wonderful gift that God has ever given to me, from His Son, Jesus Christ. That gift was forgiveness of all the terrible and sinful, dark, sins that I have ever committed or thought. That gift made me whole and changed my life. That gift is still changing my life every day. Do I still sin? Yes, I do. I am human and live in the same dark world as before. There is one exception. I have God’s forgiveness, have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of me, and have conviction when I sin, which tells me that I need to stop and ask forgiveness from the one I sinned against and to God.

A few years back, when I finally got serious with what God had been calling me to do, my life changed dramatically. It changed in a way where my eyes were opened wide to the “TRUTH.” That “TRUTH” helped me to overcome my fears, so that I could do the work that I was called to do, right here in my own town. But God wants all Christians to get serious with what He has called all of us to do. Look what it says in Matthew 28:16-20, “¹⁶Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. ¹⁷And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. ¹⁸And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Jesus gave us something called the “Great Commandment.” According to Matthew 22:36-40, ³⁶“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” ³⁷And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.³⁸This is the great and first commandment. ³⁹And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love your neighbor as yourself. What does that mean? It means that we are to care and treat our neighbors the way we would want to be treated by doing for them when we see their time of need. Who is our neighbor? Our neighbor is everyone who we encounter. Our neighbors are our co-workers, managers, employees, customers, waiters, waitresses, dry cleaner employee, anyone in the marketplace, the vagrant on the corner, everyone.

When we understand that our Christian walk is not only how we live our life in a pleasing manner to God, but we are to also step out on faith and tell someone about that saving grace that rescued us from a burning hell, then we are fulfilling the other commandment that Christ gave to us. Look at Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Our Jerusalem is our own neighborhood. Our Samaria is our own town or city. Our Judea can be our state or nation. These places can also be in the marketplace, where we live, work, and play. Don’t you see what Christ and our heavenly Father is asking us to do?

Have you ever heard of the power of one? I will post the excerpt from “Evangelism Is” written by Dave Earley and David Wheeler.

THE POWER OF ONE

“One Samaritan woman testified to her town, and many believed in Jesus.

One man, Noah, built a boat that saved the human race.

One man, Moses, stood up to Pharaoh and delivered the Hebrews from Egypt.

One woman, Deborah, delivered Israel from the Canaanite oppression.

One man, David, defeated the Philistines when he killed their champion, Goliath.

One woman, Esther, had the courage to approach the king and see her nation spared from extermination.

One man, Peter, preached a sermon that led 3,000 to be saved.

One salesman and Sunday school teacher, Edward Kimball, led a young man named Dwight to Christ. Dwight Moody became a blazing evangelist who it is said, led one million souls to Christ in his short lifetime. Wilbur Chapman received the assurance of his salvation after talking with Moody and went on to become a noted evangelist himself. The drunken baseball player Billy Sunday was an assistant to Chapman before becoming the most famous evangelist of his day. One of the fruits of Sunday’s ministry was the forming of a group of Christian businessmen in Charlotte, North Carolina. This group brought the evangelist Mordecai Ham to Charlotte in 1934. A tall awkward youth named Billy Graham was converted during those meetings. According to his staff, as of 1993, more than 2.5 million people had “stepped forward at his crusades to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Millions of souls trace their spiritual lineage back to the influence of one man, a simple Sunday school teacher, Edward Kimball.

Someone said, “To the world you may just be one person, but to one person you may be the world.” To this we might add, to you they may seem like just one lost soul, but to God that may be a soul who can shake the whole world.” ~ Dave Earley & David Wheeler

Let me ask you one last question. Why are you not sharing your faith? You never know. You may be the only “Jesus” anyone will ever see. You may be the one who shares your faith and the love Christ has given to you to a lost person who may become the one who God will use to shake the world! When I realized this, that was the turning moment in my life where I could no longer be a bench seat player in the “World Series” of our Christian faith! I could no longer sit still. I had to do something. What will you do to help spread the love and saving grace of Jesus Christ? When I think of all the time I have wasted in life and not have done what God called me to do so long ago, I grieve and become emotional. I have realized that although I have been a bench seat Christian all my life, and the time God has given me for the remainder of my life, I am to serve Him and be the evangelist He has called me to be. What about you? When will you get off the bench and get into the game?

Excerpt Credit:

Dave Earley and David Wheeler, Evangelism Is: How to Share Jesus with Passion and Confidence, (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2010) 133-134.

Espousing Hatred Versus Love

November 8, 2017: Just recently, a woman was seen riding by President Trump’s motorcade as he was in route to a meeting. The woman then stuck her middle finger up at the President of the United States of America. I must say, one must have a lot of guts to do that! Either they do not respect the office of the President of the United States or they are filled with so much hatred, that they just want to tell the President to go to hades!

I visited her Facebook page and she has this picture posted as her Cover Picture on her wall. She apparently is very proud of this because she appeared to enjoy the kudos from her friends and fan base. So many people congratulated her on her actions to the President. Unfortunately, we are seeing this behavior all over the nation. What is so appalling is that this woman was the former Community Liaison Officer for the United States Embassy in Riga, Lativa from September 2007 to May 2009; which was found on her Facebook “About” page.

According to Curt Autry’s NBC12 Facebook page of Richmond, Virginia; this picture was captured by a White House Photographer, which ultimately went viral. It was reported that the bicyclist posted this picture on her Facebook and Twitter accounts and then her employer found out about it. Autry reported that her employer fired her over it because they are a government contractor. She embarrassed them with this gesture. Although she may have had the right to make gestures, she embarrassed her employer, which they in turn terminated her employment.

What would make this woman do this? Hatred is being espoused and spewed from peoples lips every day. It is apparent that the ways of God are not the ways of our nation. People place their political candidates on a higher level than they place God. People have fallen away from the ways of God. I see no love being espoused from the lips of the generation we are living in today. I see brothers turning on brothers and sisters turning on sisters. What has happened when the man or woman in the highest office on earth has become the most despised and hated?

Isn’t it wonderful that we can live in a country and can say the hurtful and mean things about the President and other political leaders and not worry about losing our lives over what we say. After all, we are protected by free speech, right? Why not vomit hatred and disparaging remarks on social media? After all, it is free speech, right? You know, I believe it just shows the true “heart” and a dark heart that has no love. I am tired of seeing people post hateful things on social media that are hurtful all for the sake of a political agenda. But I guess the people who do this feel that their political beliefs outweigh their Spiritual beliefs. You would be surprised to see what some people write.

The very freedoms a US Citizen has in America was won on the deaths and sacrifices of the US Armed Forces. Before criticizing your President and other political leaders with hateful remarks, why not consider praying for him? After all, we are called to pray! We are called to pray for our neighbors and get this, even our enemies. Regardless of your political stance, why not consider espousing LOVE as opposed to hate? It is easier to forgive than to carry the burden of a grudge.

What is even more startling is proclaimed Believers are participating in this type of behavior. This means that they still have a heart problem. Maybe they truly are not “real Christians.” Maybe they are even using “Christianity” as a political tool. Whatever their motive, by speaking “evil words” against a man or a woman means that one does not have the Love of Christ in their heart.

Last night, in Virginia, the Democrats won in all three of the highest offices, which are Governor, Lt. Governor, and Attorney General. This is what the people asked for and what most Virginians wanted. But instead of Republicans being angry and throwing hateful and mean spirited slurs at them, they must come together and pray for our leaders. We must all come together and pray. Whether you are Republican, Democrat, or Independent; prayer will make a difference.

I don’t know what kind of god you worship or affiliate with? But my God can heal hearts! My God can forgive trespasses! My God can help people to overcome! Why should we pray for a man or woman in leadership whom we do not care for? Because by praying for them, we are asking God to intervene for us that they will do the right thing. My God can change hearts and can save people from their sins.

Why pray for leaders to fear God? When someone leads and lives fearing God, they experience:

1. Wisdom
2. Knowledge
3. Understanding
4. Eternal Praise
5. Victory
6. God’s Protection
7. A Blameless Walk
8. Length of Life
9. Wealth and Honor
10. Humility
11. The Avoidance of Evil
12. Being Untouched by Trouble
13. The Saving of a Crushed Spirit
14. A Life That Lacks Nothing

(Credit: Dr. Mark Becton taken from sermon preached on 01/22/2017, The Victory Hour, Grove Avenue Baptist Church.)

These fourteen points is all the reason to pray for your leaders, regardless of whether you like them or not. We are called to pray and to show the love of Christ to those who do not know Him, even if it is the President of the United States of America, Governor, Lt. Governor, or the Attorney General.

By praying for them, we are asking God to guide them and lead them to make the correct choices. By praying for them, God can change their hearts and hopefully, they will lead the people in a way that is honorable.

James 5:16 says, “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”

1 Timothy 2:1 says, “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.”

Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

Matthew 18:19, “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.”

Matthew 6:9-13, “Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Remember, before criticizing others, look at your own life. If you are without sin, then cast the first stone! But in reality, your life is just as filthy as the life that you are criticizing. Look at Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We all have sin in our own lives. So, before you criticize the President, Governor, Lt. Governor, the Attorney General, or any other leader; consider cleaning up your own life before trying to straighten out the lives of others! This is exactly why we must be praying for others as well as have others to pray for us!

References:

Dr. Mark Becton taken from sermon preached on 01/22/2017, The Victory Hour, Grove Avenue Baptist Church.

Joseph T. Lee Blog, WordPress, “My God Can!”

Curt Autry NBC12, Facebook Page, November 6, 2017.

Breaking: Church Massacre Shooting Suspect Identified as Devin Patrick Kelley

Sutherland Springs, TX: The First Baptist Church shooting suspect was identified as Devin Patrick Kelley. Kelly’s picture was obtained from Facebook and has been confirmed by other news agencies. Kelley was in the Air Force for eight years and was dishonorably discharged after being court-martialed in 2014 according to CBS News. His social media showed an AR-15 in his cover photo which was posted on October 29th, 2017. Kelley’s Facebook page has since been taken down from public viewing.

Photo Credit: Facebook

Kelley was married and lived in New Braunfels, a suburb of San Antonio, TX. Among those who were killed was the 14-year-old daughter of the church’s pastor, Frank Pomeroy. The shooting victims’ ages range from five to 72.