Thursday Evening Blog with Pastor Williams (September)
Posted on September 4th, 2006 by TADCCBLOG
Pastor Williams will be active on this blog site THURSDAY from 8:30 to 9:30pm. Please suggest topics or questions for discussion.
Filed under: Discussion Topics, Live Blog on Thursday
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Disasters
We recently observed the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina devastating New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Next week will be the five-year anniversary of 9/11. The outcry has come from New Orleans that enough has not been done by the Federal and State governments to overcome the suffering of those in these devastated areas. Reports are continuing to come out about the role Osama Bin Laden played in the 9/11 terrorist attacks and how much of threat terrorism is to the United States of America today
Defending the U.S. government’s response to Hurricane Katrina, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff argued September 5, 2005 that government planners did not predict such a disaster ever could occur. As far back as Friday, August 26, 2005, the National Hurricane Center was predicting the storm could be a Category 4 hurricane at landfall, with New Orleans directly in its path.
ABC News report on the Pentagon Documents, 5/1/01, details America’s top military leaders drafted plans to kill innocent people and commit acts of terrorism in US cities to trick the public into supporting a war against Cuba in 1962. This plan was called Operation Northwood and some believe that the US Government used a similar ruse with 9/11.
Is there something God is trying to tell us as a nation, or are these mere coincidences? Is the government keeping things from us and if they are how should we respond?
As believers we must trust and believe that we are not of this world but of the Kingdom of God. We have a King and His name is Christ Jesus. Why do we continue to look to political leaders and the government for answers when God has all the answers in His Son Christ Jesus. Jeremiah 33:3 says call unto me and I will answer thee and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not. Governments have purpose but they should never replace our trust in God.
Romans 13th chapter states the reasons for governments. Governments’ purposes are to maintain laws and civility and to punish the evil doers. However, even with this there will be wicked leaders of governments. Daniel 4:17 speaks to evil rulers when it states that God rules in the Kingdom of men and sets up leaders as he choose, even the worst of men.
If we truly believe that God is our King and that He rules in the Kingdom of men why do we take sides on issues that do not matter to us.
Colossians 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,
If our trust is in God He is able to supply all our needs. Not the government. Yes we can get things from the government, but our dependence should never be to the point that we believe that the government is our only source of help.
1 Timothy 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;
Hebrews 11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
There is also another element. God punishes the people that will not honor Him through righteous living. He will use natural disasters to get the attention of a world gone after sin. Are these disasters a result of God pleading with the United States of America to turn to Him? God controls the winds and the storms. God showed us through Katrina and other strong storms what He can do to a disobedient people. When the storn hit New Orleans the city was preparing for the annual celebration of the gay decadence parade.
Psalms 148:8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapour; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
Psalms 83:13 O my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind.
14 As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the mountains on fire;
15 So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm.
16 Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O LORD.
17 Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish:
18 That men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the most high over all the earth.
Turn to God and trust Him. He is the sustainer of life and not government or man.
The Pope of the Catholic Church is being criticized for comments made about Islam and its terrorist beginning. Read the following. It is from Bible Probe.com
This article is intended to warn Christians who may be “fooled” into
Islam, because they did not have all the facts. The immortal souls of
billions of individuals are involved here. To good Muslims I say; “I
have sympathy with your having to grow up in a closed society — where not
embracing Islam would have gotten you shunned or even killed”. According
to many interpretations of the Qur’an (aka: Koran), conversion to a faith
other than Islam is punishable by death.
The god of Muslims is revealed as a tyrant who demands Muslims submit to
him. Whereas in the New Testament, Jesus revealed to Christians a God who
is a loving Father, who wants us to come to Him via free will. In the Old
Testament (Exodus 34:6) the real God revealed Himself as “merciful and
gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth”.
When a Muslim declares that Islam is a religion of peace, he/she is either
ignorant of the Koran (Qur’an), or is deceitfully thinking of this
“peace”, as it extends only to those within the Muslim Community. The
deceit is that they will not tell you exactly what they mean. According to
the Qur’an: “Muhammad is the Apostle of Allah. Those who follow him are
merciful to one another, but ruthless to unbelievers” Sura 48:29. “Kill
the Mushrikun (unbelievers) wherever you find them, and capture them and
besiege them, and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush…” Sura
9:5. Also see Sura 9:29 Please note that there is not a single verse in
the entire Christian Bible that contains this “open-ended”, universal
command to kill/or be ruthless to unbelievers.
The Muslim Qur’an (Koran) and Muslim Hadith are unique among all the
sacred writings in the entire world — because they alone counsel
its followers to make war on unbelievers.
As you will see below, the Qur’an is a made up book of gibberish, of
evil versus abrogating holy versus.
Both Muslim holy books (Qur’an/Koran and Hadith) contain commands
for Muslims to subjugate the world, militarily. Muhammad commanded
Muslims to spread Islam through Offensive Jihad; or conquest of
non-Muslim lands. Muslims are also commanded to take back any land
that was formerly Muslim, such as Israel.
Radical Muslims believe that they are Mujahideen, or “holy warriors
of Allah”. Their goal, like Islam’s goal is to establish the entire
world as a pure Islamic state (a Khalifah), which conforms to
Islamic laws.
CAIRO, Egypt, Dec. 11, 2005 In a taped message Ayman
al-Zawahiri, urged all Muslims to take up arms and said their
refusal to join the fight against “the Cross and Zionism” was
a “malignant illness” that would only lead to the defeat of
militant Islam.
Pastor Williams,
How does the African American Muslims’ beliefs and practices differ from the other Islamic sects? Does the Koran or Hadith mention Jesus in any context?
The African American Muslims or the Nation of Islam, as one group is called was started by Elijah Muhammed. Supposedly a person by the name of Farad was responsible for him becoming a Muslim. Farad which some believe to be an incarnation of God later disappeared.
Malcolm X was with the Nation of Islam until he went to Mecca. There he saw that Muslim were all skin colors. This did not fit with the Black Muslims teaching that the white man came from an animal and that they are all devils. It was this revelation some believe that got him killed by Black Muslims.
This group would be considered a heretic in Orthodox Islam. They believe in the Koran and Muhammad the founder of Islam. They also believe that Elijah Muhammad, Farad and Louis Farrakhan are gods which would put them at odds with traditional Muslims.
They also tend not to be as traditional as Orthodox Muslims in observance.
Traditional Muslims are divided into two groups which are promoting the sect violence in Iraq. The Sunnis believe that the educated Muslims should lead the Muslims. Shias or Shiites believe that you must be a descendant of Muhammad’s family to be a spiritual leader.
The differences are almost like Catholics and Protestants. The Shias like the Catholics believe in reverencing dead Muslims and even setting up shrines to them. The Sunnis think this type of worship is based on idolatry and do not consider the Shiites to be true Muslims.
The Nation of Islam with their celebration of All Souls Day, whereby they reverence the departed Elijah Muhammad puts them more in line with the Shiites.
The Koran are words spoken by Muhammad and recorded by someone else. He was illiterate. The Hadith are sayings collected and elaborated on by others in support of Muhammad teachings.
The Koran refers to a person being born by a virgin. He is called Isa in the Koran. Some believe this is referring to Jesus the Christ because of the many allusions to the New Testament scriptures. Isa’s mother name is Mariam or Mary. She was a virgin when she had Isa. Isa says in the Koran desist to say that I am three. Meaning do not say that there are three gods of which I am one. He goes on to say they said that of me, but I never said that I was the Son of God.
The Koran referred to the Trinity as including God the Father, Isa and Mary.
They mistakenly believed that Christians worshipped Mary.
The teaching also among Muslims is that Muhammad is the comforter that Christ Jesus spoke in the Gospel of John chapters 14-16.
They believe in the end of time Isa will return with the Mahdi, a descendant of Muhammad, to turn the whole world over to Islam.
Pastor Williams,
Even among the most primitive cultures, there is the awareness of a supreme power governing the order of our existence. It appears that the more “civilized and intellectual” the cultural environment, the less one’s need of or acknowledgement of the importance of God. Man begins to envision himself as self-sufficient, self-enpowered, self-sustaining with no need of a god because he is his own superior, supreme being. How sad! The god of this world has so decieved the “intellectual man” with temporal and material gain, that man has lost his focus on the true worth in life. Christ Jesus so loved us that He willingly stepped out of Heaven with Father God and became flesh for the sole purpose of redeeming us back to God. He saw the value in us, but most of us fail to see the value in Him. But the day will come when every knee is going to bow before Him. Some will be rewarded for accepting Him as Savior and Lord of their lives, living righteously and honorable before Almighty God. Others too, will be rewarded for failure to accept Him as Lord. That reward is eternal seperation from God and everlasting torment with Satan in hell. It is so very sad to gain the world’s wealth and recognition, and lose the most important thing; eternal fellowship with God. Jesus gave His life for us, a very selfless and sacrifical gift to mankind. Why not be selfish and give our lives back to Him.
Kathrine,
Very well said. The illusions of the world are so deceptive. The more money you have the happier you are. Beauty and good looks are the key to relationships. Happiness should be obtained at any cost. All these are deceptive tools used by the enemy to ensnare us.
The lay person may not know the deceptive ways of the enemy. However those in leadership should know. Instead of warning the sheep about the pitfalls in life, they are leading them into it.
Prosperity is not a gospel. Why do so many preachers preach this message, when this message will not send you to heaven or to hell.
Why is there such a heavy focus on people being happy with earthly things? Especially if this happpiness is at the expense of somone else. This is one of the main reasons for divorce and breakup of families. Someone is not happy with the relationship. Therefore the way to happiness is through divorce or separation. Indeed the Bible said that those that live Godly shall suffer persecution. Where is the patience and the endurance for righteouness sake?
Why is the message of the Gospel being trivialized when it comes to sin? Why is there the push to be politically correct at the expense of the Gospel?
What has happened to the voice of believers when God wants us to cry out now like never before?
Why do we deny the contribution that the Heavenly Father through His Son Christ Jesus has made to civilized societies?
The answer can be traced back to a denial of Christ and the unwillingness to suffer as a servant of His.
If you can endure hardness as a good soldier; if you can count it all joy when you fall into divers tempation; if you can rejoice and be exceedingly glad when you are reviled or evil spoken of; then you can know the true joy that comes from having a relationship with Christ Jesus.
A joy and peace that passes all understanding. A joy that the world did not give and the world cannot take away. Oh how wonderful and joyous it is to love the Lord Jesus with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.
Truly He is our rock.
Thank you so much Pastor Williams for your words of encouragement. You have reminded me of a fact I know all too well, that being; “I can do (and endure) all things through Christ my Lord who strengthens me.” It’s easier to just give up on an unsaved loved one, especially after years of praying for their salvation yet they continue to seek after/obsess over the things of this world, than to hold on steadfastly. I try to share the gospel with my unsaved loved ones, but oftentimes I feel so discouraged. I know they can see, or should see, the changes that the Lord has made in my life. Comments that I used to make, attitudes that I used to project, rarely occur. There are occasions when my faith is challenged by their reminders of how I used to be. Thank you for reminding me that persecution in the life of a believer should be anticipated/expected. My question: because God gives to each of us freewill to choose or to reject Christ Jesus, can a believer’s prayer of salvation for unsaved loved ones supersede their freedom to not choose Christ? Is there ever a time when you should stop praying for them to come to the saving knowledge of Jesus? Much prayer has gone forth for many years. At this particular time, they show little to no interest.
Kathrine,
Revelations speaks of the patience of the saints when tribulation is all around us. Matthew 5 speaks of rejoicing while going through.
What we don’t realize is that sometimes our suffering is to help others. The only way some people will know that the Gospel is real, is not through reading the Bible, but through a personal testimony of someone going through. And believe this, Hebrews says that everyone that comes to the Lord is chastened or scourged by Him. Therefore every believer will go through something.
I Corinthians says that a sanctified wife can sanctify the husband - not save the husband. I believe this applies to unsaved loved ones too. God does not force us be saved. However your prayers can serve as a hedge to keep the unsaved loved one from being further enticed by the enemy.
Christ Jesus our Lord prayed for Peter when Satan desired to sift him as wheat. His prayer did not keep Peter from cursing and denying the Lord. But it did allow Peter the space to come to his senses and return to God. That is what your prayers do. It keeps the unsaved loved one from totally giving up on himself.
Continue praying until God tells you to stop. The nation of Israel were in Egypt for over four hundred years before they were delivered. Abraham and Sarah did not have Isaac until ten years later. The whole time Israel and Abraham prayed. There is no limit as to how long you should or should not pray for a person. However, God did instruct Samuel to cease praying for King Saul after Samuel continued to disobey God. Therefore continue praying until God tells you to stop.
The writer of Ecclesiates says there is a time for everything under the sun. For some it is a little longer than others. The Apostle Paul said he was chosen from the foundation of the world in Christ Jesus. But it was only when he was a grown man and blinded by the light of God that he made a change.
The Bible says the effectual fervent prayers of a righteous man availeth much. To be effective in prayer means to intimately know what a person is experiencing, where he is going, what his problems are. After you know what these problems are then pray according to God’s word for each issue.
God may not save the loved one, but he can sanctify the person that he/she will bring you peace.
The word sanctify means to be set apart for God’s service. Or as the Bible says, God will make your enemy your footstool.
Pastor Williams,
I heard something rather interesting this morning. A radio announcer on a christian station was commenting about how a person who has filed bankruptcy is not suppose to tithe or give firstfruits offerings. Legally, he is by law suppose to repay his creditors before giving to the church or to charities. Reason behind this ruling is; if you have money to “give away”, you can pay your bills. I know that not all information given out on the airwaves is factual. Have you heard anything about this? If this is true, how can the government regulate what one gives to the church? If this is true, should’nt this issue fall under “seperation of church and state?”
KB,
Bad information. Bankruptcy is a process that can help people or businesses repay their debts under the protection of bankruptcy court or wipe out their debts completely. As soon as you file either type of bankruptcy, your creditors are no longer allowed to take action to collect debt from you without court approval.
With reorganization, you file a repayment proposal with the courts, which results in you repaying some debts in full, repaying others partially and repaying some not at all. These payments plans usually run from three to five years.
It is important to realize that some debts cannot be forgiven through bankruptcy. Check out the following list:
- Debts you forget to put on your bankruptcy papers
- Alimony or child support
- Debts incurred through injury or death resulting from drunk driving
- Most types of student loans
- Any fines imposed for breaking the law
- Any tax debts incurred
As long as you satisfy the court requirements for your bankruptcy you can dispose of the remaining money to your choosing. It is not illegal. The court systems tries to allow for a person to maintain some semblance of the life the person had before filing bankruptcy. Therefore the courts will not take away all discretionary spending.
I assume that the announcer is Christian. If this is the case he is probably referring to a Christian being honest in his legal obligations and taking care of those before giving money away.
The Bible speaks to Bankruptcy in two ways. The Book of Ruth fourth chapter it speaks of the kinsman redeemer. If a person could not afford to redeem land that had been sold the next of kin with the wherewithal would redeem it for that person.
During the year of Jubilee an Israeli was to be released from servitude and debts that were incurred during the previous 49 years.
In either case it allowed the person a fresh start without being encumbered by guilt for not living up to his/her financial obligation.
Giving is a directive from God. Man or courts cannot supersede what God has said. I believe we worry too often about what the courts say and not enough about what God says. Acts 5:29 says we ought to obey God rather than man.