Seeing the Big Picture When Healing Does Not Come

David L. Fauss

 

Two days ago my wife and I drove over 200 miles, almost without conversation, returning home from the funeral of Sharon Chance, wife of Pastor Mike Chance in San Antonio, Texas. Sharon surrendered to the arms of the Lord, at the age of fifty-eight, after battling cancer for several years. We and hundreds of others prayed for her healing. The church was packed and there were hundreds of ministers and friends there to bid her farewell and give support to her wonderful family. With four children, two of whom are pastors, and several grandchildren, she had so much to live for, yet God chose to take her. Though we were happy for her spiritual victory, we were deeply saddened by the tremendous loss.

 

When these things happen to someone near us, we cannot escape the human tendency to question. It is not wrong to ask questions. After seeing the tremendous miracle of healing from cancer that happened to my wife three years ago and the many miracles that have happened to those in our own church since, I too question why God would choose not to heal. How can we keep the balance of faith in the face of situations where those around us do not receive the desired outcome that a simple miracle of healing would bring? How can we continue praying for people, believing in His healing power, when there are times when it does not come? How can a family that has just lost a loved one to cancer rejoice with someone who just received a miracle?

 

In Acts 12, a similar scenario unfolds. Herod begins to persecute the church. He arrests James, the brother of John, and kills him with the sword. When he sees that this pleased the Jews, the Scripture says, “He proceeded further to take Peter also” (Acts 12:3). This is during the Passover. He intends to execute Peter as well. The church begins to pray for a miracle for Peter. Then, in the middle of the night, the angel of the Lord comes to Peter and leads him out of prison. When he arrives at the meeting place of the church, there is great rejoicing. Though the Scripture does not give us all the details, I wonder how the families of James and Stephen must have felt when Peter walked into the room very much alive. Why would God take these others and deliver Peter? 

 

First, it must be understood that we cannot see everything from our human vantage point. God has the advantage of seeing the “end from the beginning” (Isaiah 46:10). God’s work and plan in our lives are impossible to comprehend on the human level. In the plan of God, all things will be beautiful in the end. “God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end” (Ecclesiastes 3:11, NLT).

 

Paul said, “Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely, just as God knows me now” (I Corinthians 13:12, NLT). At best, all we have is a partial understanding of God’s plan and purpose for our lives. The glass we see through is sometimes cloudy and unclear. If the answers to our questions are apparent, then we are blessed. However, the answer to many questions will come only when we see Him face to face. What a day that will be!

 

Second, suffering brings a depth to our lives that nothing else can. The fragrance of a rose is much stronger as it is broken and crushed. Without exception, those precious saints of God I have watched go through suffering have offered up to the Lord a fragrant and outstanding love and devotion that could have never happened without the affliction. Though healing would have stopped the suffering, the suffering worked something so much greater and powerful than itself. Paul said, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (II Corinthians 4:17). If healing were to come, then the work that could have been fully accomplished would have been circumvented. When healing does not come, we should ask ourselves what good work the situation has brought to us.

 

Third, sometimes it is the will of God for us to go through suffering. Peter said, “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator” (I Peter 4:19). Peter’s miracle of deliverance from prison would not have been so spectacular without the backdrop of the death of James at the hands of the same man who had arrested Peter. Also, the suffering of those early martyrs drove the Christians to other parts of the world, thus, the great commission was accomplished. Jesus, in His teaching, taught His disciples that they would suffer. We have to see that God’s plan, even when it includes our suffering, never pales His faithfulness. He is always faithful. His salvation is just as real, no matter what happens in our lives. Paul said, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).

Last, when suffering seems to be there to stay, know that He is also there. Paul speaks of having a thorn in the flesh that evidently bothered him greatly, yet, after all the miracles wrought at the hands of Paul, he was not delivered from the thorn. Cloths were taken from Paul’s body and people were healed, yet deliverance did not come for him. The Lord spoke to Paul and gave him a special insight. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (II Corinthians 12:9). God will give you His grace to go through your suffering, and His power will continue to rest on you.

 

So, if God delivers you from your sickness, we can proclaim that He is a deliverer! However, if He chooses to deliver you through it, He is still a deliverer nonetheless! Will we stop preaching healing because someone was not healed? Absolutely not! Thomas believed because he saw Jesus. However, Jesus said the blessing was for those who do not see and yet believe. (See John 20:29.) We will believe it as long as it is in His Word! If He heals, we will rejoice in Him. If He does not heal, we will still rejoice in His grace! “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).

 

 David L. Fauss serves as pastor of Bethel Tabernacle in Houston, Texas

Evangelize the Lost and Convince the Gainsayers

Simeon Young Sr.

apologetic

adjective: acknowledging or excusing an offense or failure

noun: a reasoned argument or writing in justification of something, typically a theory or religious doctrine (New Oxford American Dictionary)

 

 

“Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (I Peter 3:15).

 

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 3-4.)

 

“Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers” (Titus 1:9).

Primitive apostolics were unapologetically proactive in proclaiming the gospel. Paul said “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). Believers in Jerusalem “went every where preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). Their aggressive evangelism earned the first apostolics the reputation of turning the world upside down. (See Acts 17:6.)

 

Not only were early Christians on the offense, they were often called upon to defend with vigor the message they proclaimed with boldness. Their message was embraced by multitudes that were transformed by its power, even while it was being fiercely opposed both by religious leaders and political leaders. Those early apostolics maintained a balanced tension between their proactive offense and their reactive defense.

 

The apostolics’ defense of the faith was articulated with clarity and conviction in the context of opposition on three fronts: false teachers in the church, religious Jewish leaders, and Gentile unbelievers. Regardless of how (or by whom) doctrinal error was presented, like Paul, they were “set for the defence of the gospel” (Philippians 1:17). Otherwise the seed of God’s Word sowed in human hearts would be stolen by stealthy means. (See Mark 4:4.)

 

The gospel has always needed defenders who are prepared to give a reason for their hope. And the gospel has always needed apologists who, without apology, hold “fast the faithful word … that [they] may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers” (Titus 1:9).

 

Evangelizing the lost and convincing the gainsayers are not mutually exclusive for the church today. We have been commissioned to go “into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15) and to defend the faith.

 

The false teachings the church opposes today are not exactly the same as those the apostles opposed, but they are no less heretical, dangerous, and pervasive. To name a few that are gaining traction in the Christian church: the resurgence of antinomianism, the attack on the inspiration of Scripture, the undermining of the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman, the debunking of the supernatural, the emergence of the emerging/emergent church, the growing trend to accept the theory of evolution, the absolute denial of absolute truth, the burgeoning accommodation of homosexuality, the trumping of pragmatism over principle, and the growing surrender to the pro-choice position on abortion.

 

The theme of this issue of the Pentecostal Herald is apologetics. Though we do not attempt to refute all theological error in one issue, our hope is that the articles this month will assist you in your personal defense of the faith. Share the magazine with believers and unbelievers alike.

 

The challenge to all apostolics: Proclaim and defend the faith, but never apologize for it.

Pentecostalism Still Burns

An annual report released this week about church growth highlights two Pentecostal denominations as the only faith groups of traditional Christian orthodoxy that increased church membership.

Feb. 26, 2009 – While membership in the nation’s largest Christian communions declined last year, two Pentecostal denominations showed an increase.

The Assemblies of God (AG) of Springfield, Mo., and the Cleveland, Tenn.-based Church of God were the only two denominations of traditional Christian orthodoxy among the 25 largest churches in the U.S. to report membership increases, according to the 2009 edition of the Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches, an annual chronicle of religious institutions edited by the National Council of Churches (NCC) and published by Abingdon.

The AG listed nearly 2.9 million members while the Church of God reported 1 million.

The ecumenical NCC reported the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Jehovah’s Witnesses as the only other church groups to show membership increases, even though most Pentecostals, and many mainline churches and orthodox Christians, would consider those two groups separate religions.

A slight membership decline among Catholic and Southern Baptist churches, according to the yearbook, raised eyebrows because both denominations have typically grown over the years. “Now they join virtually every mainline church in reporting a membership decline,” stated an NCC release.

In the bigger picture, the yearbook reported the small less-than-one-percent drop in membership in each denomination was not “earth-shattering” because there are still more than 67 million Roman Catholics in the U.S. and 16 million Southern Baptists.

Churches listed in the NCC yearbook as experiencing the highest rate of membership loss are the United Church of Christ, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

The Rev. Eileen W. Lindner, the yearbook’s editor, said there are no clear-cut theological or sociological reasons for church growth or decline. “Many churches are feeling the impact of the lifestyles of younger generations of church-goers,” Lindner said, “the Gen X’ers or Millenials in their 20s and 30s who attend and support local congregations but resist joining them.”

Giving in Tough Times

A study by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability found that 72 percent of surveyed ministries met, exceeded or came near their fourth-quarter contribution goals.

Feb. 24, 2009 – Despite the economic recession, ministry giving was higher than expected, according to a recent survey by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA).

In a survey of 300 member ministries, the ECFA found that 72 percent met, exceeded or came within 10 percent of their fourth-quarter contribution goals. More than a quarter -28 percent – were more than 10 percent below their goals.

 

“Many of the parachurch ministries we surveyed reported small donations [those between $10 to $100] were relatively unaffected, and in some cases, donations in this category increased,” said Dan Busby, acting president of ECFA. “In fact, some of our members had the strongest fourth quarter they’ve had in years and ended the year debt-free.”

Founded in 1979, the ECFA provides accreditation to Christian nonprofit organizations that comply with their standards for financial accountability, fund-raising and board governance.

The organization said some member ministries attributed the survey results to increased prayer and greater interest in supporting organizations that help the poor and disadvantaged.

More than half of member organizations said they increased one-on-one contact with key donors to buffer fund-raising during the economic downturn. More than 30 percent said they changed their message to donors about how the ministry was responding to a changing economy.

Despite the good news, half of those surveyed reported that their investments had lost 15 percent to 30 percent of their value. And many ministry leaders are concerned about how the recession will affect 2009 giving.

Most ministries are reducing costs, 41 percent have frozen or delayed salary increases, and 38 percent have frozen or reduced hiring.

Conference travel and capital projects have largely been reduced or delayed. Roughly 20 percent are sharing resources with other organizations and businesses.

“Most ECFA member ministries expect 2009 to be more challenging, primarily because major donors who made gifts in 2008 have expressed they may not be able to renew their financial commitments because of the economy,” Busby said. “But for leadership and staff members, this is ministry, not a job. Despite challenges, most remain committed to making positive operational and structural decisions, including developing contingency plans, which will enable them to continue to carry out God’s purpose despite limited resources.”

Holy Spirit’s Reach Studied

A Los Angeles-based university was awarded a $6.9 million grant this week to establish a Pentecostal and charismatic research center in the birthplace city of American Pentecostalism.

Feb. 24, 2009 – This week the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles received a $6.9 million grant to study Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity — one of the world’s fastest growing religious movements.

Awarded by the John Templeton Foundation, a natural and social sciences philanthropy, the grant is the largest amount ever given towards Pentecostal-charismatic research and will be used to establish the Pentecostal and Charismatic Research Initiative (PCRI) at USC.

“The growth of global Pentecostalism is one of the most remarkable religious transformations of the last century,” said Kimon Sargeant, vice president of human sciences at the John Templeton Foundation.

“The goal of this project is to further a better understanding of its significance in the social sciences in areas ranging from social capital to economic development and more.”

With as many as 600 million Christians worldwide claiming to be Spirit-filled, observers say Pentecostalism’s profound effect on cultures has forced the academic community to take note.

“We are excited that with the continued growth of the charismatic-Pentecostal movement around the world, scholars and universities are continuing to try to understand this phenomenon,” said the Rev. Billy Wilson, executive director of the International Center for Spiritual Renewal and chairman of the Commission on Holy Spirit Empowerment in the 21^st Century, which is examining the future of the Pentecostal-charismatic movement in partnership with Oral Roberts University.

“Our prayer is that this research will not only help people understand the charismatic-Pentecostal movement, but will also help more believers around the world be engaged in the Spirit-filled life,” Wilson said.

USC officials said the initiative would foster social science research in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the former Soviet Union, while continuing to study Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity in Los Angeles.

“Our goal is to inspire research partnerships around the globe and fund projects that will shape the discussion for years to come,” said Donald Miller, executive director of USC’s Center for Religion and Civic Culture and author of Global Pentecostalism: The New Face of Christian Social Engagement.

“We are interested in understanding why Pentecostalism is growing so rapidly, what impact it is having on society and how it is different in various cultural settings.”

With the largest charismatic populations in the “global South,” including nations such as Brazil, Guatemala, Kenya and the Philippines, scholars say the movement is making Christian converts ubiquitous, which in turn affects not just cultures but governments too.

The Pentecostal-charismatic movement “has far-reaching implications for international politics and interactions among religious groups,” said Brie Loskota, program officer at PCRI. “Studying Pentecostal and charismatic Christianity is critical to understanding the ways in which religion shapes our world.”

John Green, senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, agrees that the research initiative will allow for a more in-depth study of global Spirit-filled movements. “It will expand the boundaries of knowledge about these key religious developments that are central to the spread of Christianity in the 21st century,” Green said.   —Paul Steven Ghiringhelli

Join Us This Sunday For Church

Have you been baptised in Jesus Name according to Acts 2:38? Have you received the gift of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in tongues according to Acts 2:4? I’d like to extend a warm invitation to MY CHURCH, the best church on this side of heaven which is none other than Atlanta West Pentecostal Church. You’ll get fed The Word Of God, you’ll be able to dance and shout and run the aisles, and since Jesus shows up EVERY TIME we are in church, you can get your breakthrough, miracle and deliverance just like the Bible teaches you can have. Enjoy Pentecost with us each Sunday at either our 10:15am worship or our 4:15pm worship (Lord I feel like dancing right now) because THIS IS THE PLACE TO BE. I LOVE MY CHURCH (and you’ll love it too) but ya gotta come. See you soon!

And remember, there is always a place “a place for you” at Atlanta West!

Man Commits Suicide in Televangelist’s Cathedral

Man Commits Suicide in Televangelist’s Cathedral
from The Christian Post

A man shot and killed himself in front of a cross inside televangelist Robert H. Schuller’s Crystal Cathedral on Wednesday as a nearby volunteer told a group of visitors about the church’s suicide-prevention program, police and church officials said.

The man handed a note and his driver’s license to two ushers, walked to the cross and then shot himself in the head as he appeared to be praying, Senior Pastor Juan Carlos Ortiz said.

The Orange County coroner’s office identified the man as Steve Smick, 48. Church spokesman Mike Nason said there was no record of Smick at the cathedral.

Betty Spicer, a volunteer usher at the famous sanctuary, said she greeted Smick when he entered. She said he handed her a folded note with two cards inside as the man told her: “You may want this.”

Spicer said he then walked to the foot of the cross. She and Yvette Manson, another volunteer, said they thought Smick was praying when they heard a pop.

The man used a semiautomatic handgun, said police Lt. Dennis Ellsworth.

A tourist, one in a group of several visitors from Canada, told Manson the man had shot himself.

“I didn’t realize it. I thought he was praying,” Spicer said.

Manson said she “had just finished telling them about our intervention hotline that we have — suicide prevention on the fifth floor — and all of a sudden I heard this pop, a loud pop, it almost sounded like a firecracker,” she said.

Spicer said one of Smick’s cards was a driver’s license, and that the note mentioned a pickup truck in the parking lot.

Cathedral spokesman John Charles said none of the tourists was injured.

The glass-walled, 10,000-member megachurch in Orange County is home to the “Hour of Power” broadcast, an evangelism staple aired internationally for more than three decades. Thousands visit the cathedral to see where the broadcast is filmed before a live congregation.

After the shooting, police could be seen through the cathedral’s glass doors investigating the scene and taking photographs before the body was removed. They also searched his pickup truck, Ellsworth said.

There have been two other shootings at the church in recent years.

In December 2004, Crystal Cathedral Orchestra conductor Johnnie Carl, 57, killed himself at the complex after a standoff that began when he opened fire in offices before a Christmas pageant. He had been hospitalized for severe depression.

Also that year, a man was wounded by a plainclothes police officer in the cathedral parking lot. Authorities said the man was meeting his mother, but the officer didn’t know they were related and intervened in what he thought was an argument.

Wilmington Chester Mass Choir Ready to Record

The Stellar award winning aggregation the Wilmington Chester Mass Choir is ready to enter their tenth recording session on Mar. 28, 2009. The live recording will emanate from the Antioch Baptist Church in Camden, NJ. Joining the choir for this effort will be Maurette Brown Clark, Stephen Hurd, and Lecresia Campbell. The choir’s 2007 release It’s Not Over garnered two Stellar award nominations while the choir was inducted into the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2008.

Apostolic Doctrine: 60 Questions on the Godhead

Read the answers to sixty questions concerning the Godhead as found in the Bible.

1.  Is the word trinity in the Bible? No.

2.  Does the Bible say that there are three persons in the Godhead? No.

3.  Does the Bible speak of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost? Yes.

4.  Do these titles as used in Matthew 28:19 mean that there are three separate and distinct persons in the Godhead? No, they refer to three offices, roles, or relationship to humanity.

5.  Does the Bible use the word three in reference to God? Only one verse in the entire Bible does so-I John 5:7. It speaks of the Father, the Word (instead of Son), and the Holy Ghost, and it concludes by saying, “These three are one.”

6.  Does the Bible use the word one in reference to God? Yes, many times. For example, see Zechariah 14:9; Malachi 2:10; Matthew 23:9; Mark 12:29, 32; John 8:41; 10:30; Romans 3:30; I Corinthians 8:4; Galatians 3:20; I Timothy 2:5; James 2:19.

7.  Can the mystery of the Godhead be understood? Yes. Romans 1:20; Colossians 2:9; I Timothy 3:16.

8.  Has the Christian only one Heavenly Father? Yes. Matthew 23:9.

9.  Then why did Jesus say to Philip, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9)? Because Jesus is the express image of God’s person. Hebrews 1:3. The Greek word for personin this verse literally means “substance.”

10.  Does the Bible say that there are two persons in the Godhead? No.

11.  Does the Bible say that all the Godhead is revealed in one person? Yes, in Jesus Christ. II Corinthians 4:4; Colossians 1:19; 2:9; Hebrews 1:3.

12.  Is the mystery of the Deity hidden from some people? Yes. Luke 10:21-22.

13.  Who is the Father? The Father is the one God, particularly as revealed in parental relationship to humanity. Deuteronomy 32:6; Malachi 2:10.

14.  Where was God the Father while Jesus was on earth? The Father was in Christ. John 14:10; II Corinthians 5:19. He was also in heaven, for God is omnipresent.

15.  Did the prophet Isaiah say that Jesus would be the Father? Yes. Isaiah 9:6; 63:16.

16.  When God said, “Let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26), was He speaking to another person in the Godhead? No. Isaiah 44:24; Malachi 2:10.

17.  How many of God’s qualities were in Christ? All. Colossians 2:9.

18.  How may we see the God who sent Jesus into the world? By seeing Jesus. John 12:44-45; 14:9.

19.  Does the Bible say that Jesus is the Almighty? Yes. Revelation 1:8

20.  Whom do some designate as the first person in the trinity? God the Father.

21.  Whom do some designate as the last person in the trinity? The Holy Ghost. But Jesus said that He was the first and last. Revelation 1:17-18

22.  How many persons did John see sitting on the throne in heaven? One. Revelation 4:2.

23.  If Jesus is the first and the last, why did God say in Isaiah 44:6 that He was the first and the last? Because Jesus is the God of the Old Testament incarnate.

24.  Did Jesus tell Satan that God alone should be worshipped? Yes. Matthew 4:10

25.  Does the devil believe in more than one God? No. James 2:19.

26.  Does the Bible say that God, who is the Word, was made flesh? Yes John 1:1, 14.

27.  For what purpose was God manifested in the flesh? To save sinners. Hebrews 2:9, 14.

28.  Was Jesus God manifested in the flesh? Yes. I Timothy 3:16.

29.  Could Jesus have been on earth and in heaven at the same time? Yes. John 3:13.

30.  Does the Bible say that there is but one Lord? Yes. Isaiah 45:18; Ephesians 4:5.

31.  Does the Bible say that Christ is the Lord? Yes. Luke 2:11.

32.  Does the Bible say that the Lord is God? Yes. I kings 18:39; Zechariah 14:5; Acts 2:39; Revelation 19:1.

33.  How could the church belong to Jesus (Matthew 16:18) and yet be the church of God (I Corinthians 10:32)? Because Jesus is God in the flesh.

34.  Will God give His glory to another? No. Isaiah 42:8.

35.  Was there a God formed before Jehovah, or will there be one formed after? No. Isaiah 43:10.

36.  What is one thing that God does not know? Another God. Isaiah 44:8.

37.  What is one thing that God Cannot do? Lie. Titus 1:2.

38.  How many Gods should we know? Only one. Hosea 13:4.

39.  How many names has the Lord? One. Zechariah 14:9.

40.  Is it good to think upon the name of the Lord? Yes. Malachi 3:16.

41.  Does the Bible say that God alone treads upon the waves of the sea? Yes. Job 9:8

42.  Why, then, was Jesus able to walk upon the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 14:25)? Because He is God the Creator. Colossians 1:16.

43.  Is God the only one who can forgive sin? Yes. Isiah 43:25; Mark 2:7.

44.  Why, then, could Jesus forgive sin in Mark 2:5-11? Because He is God the Savior.

45.  Is Jesus the true God? Yes. I John 5:20.

46.  If God and the Holy Ghost are two separate persons, which was the Father of Christ? Matthew 1:20 says that the Holy Ghost was the Father, while Romans 15:6, II Corinthians 11:31, and Ephesians 1:3 say that God was the Father. There is no contradiction when we realize that God the Father and the Holy Ghost are one and the same Spirit. Matthew 10:20; Ephesians 4:4; I Corinthians 3:16.

47.  When Paul asked the Lord who He was, what was the answer? “I am Jesus.” Acts 9:5.

48.  When Stephen was dying, did he call God Jesus? Yes. Acts 7:59.

49.  Did Thomas ever call Jesus God? Yes. John 20:28.

50.  How could Jesus be the Savior, when God the Father said in Isaiah 43:11, “Beside me there is no Savior?” Because “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself.” II Corinthians 5:19.

51.  Does the Bible say that Jesus was God with us? Yes. Matthew 1:23.

52.  Did Jesus ever say, “I and my Father are one?” Yes. John 10:30.

53.  Can it be proved scripturally that Jesus and the Father are one in the same sense that husband and wife are one? No. The Godhead was never compared to the relationship of a husband and wife. Jesus identified Himself with the Father in a way that husband and wife cannot be identified with each other. John 14:9-11.

54.  Does the Bible say that there is only one wise God? Yes. Jude 25.

55.  Does the Bible call the Holy Ghost a second or third person in the Godhead? No. The Holy Ghost is the one Spirit of God, the one God Himself at work in our lives. John 4:24; I Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19; 12:13.

56.  Can Trinitarians show that three divine persons were present when Jesus was baptized by John? Absolutely not. The one, omnipresent God used three simultaneous manifestations. Only one divine person was present–Jesus Christ the Lord.

57.  Then what were the other two of whom Trinitarians speak? One was a voice from heaven; the other was the Spirit of God in the form of a dove. Matthew 3:16-17.

58.  What did the voice say at Jesus’ baptism? “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Mark 1:11. As the Son of God, Jesus was the one God incarnate.

59.  Does the Bible say that God shed His blood and that God laid down His life for us? Yes. Acts 20:28; I John 3:16. God was able to do this because He had taken upon Himself a human body.

60.  The Bible says that God is coming back with all his saints (Zechariah 14:5) and also that Jesus is coming back with all his saints (I Thessalonians 3:13). Are two coming back? No. Only one is coming back–our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Titus 2:13.

*Taken from the Word Aflame Tract “60 Questions on the Godhead with Bible answers” #6125″

Youth Week March 5-8 @ Atlanta West Pentecostal Church

I’d like to extend a warm invitation to all of my friends in cyberspace to our Youth Week services we will be having on March 5-8, 2009 @ Atlanta West Pentecostal Church. See You There!

Pictures I Took While In The Bahamas

I just wanted to share with some of my readers (as requested) some pictures I took while on vacation. I hope you enjoy them.

Parents Its Important To Cover Your Children With The Blood Of Jesus Before They Go To School Each Day

I cant believe what I have read and seen happen at a Mobile, AL High School Basketball game. This is living proof that you need to cover your children each and every day with the blood of Jesus before they leave the house to go to school. I am so appalled and ashamed that children would have such rage and anger until the point where students would stomp one another into the ground at a High School basketball game just to prove a point. Click here to see video footage.

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – School officials are investigating after a big brawl broke out during a high school basketball playoff game in Montgomery. The fight cleared the benches of both G.W. Carver and Valley High schools and halted the semifinal game.The Central Regional Tournament of the Alabama High School Athletic Association game was being played at the Alabama State University Acadome on Tuesday afternoon.Valley’s Enrique Florence fouled Carver’s Roquez Johnson with 6:23 remaining in the fourth quarter. Johnson shoved Florence and both benches emptied.Fans poured out of the stands onto the court. Police ended fights on the court but more erupted in the stands. ASU spokesman Kenneth Mullinax said 10 to 12 juveniles were detained by Montgomery police. Mullinax said security was sufficient for the tournament and the fight was “a very rare event.”

Here is what the Bible says about training your children. Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. It is so important parents to train your children in the ways of the Lord. If these kids had any Christian morals or values instilled in them, I truly believe that none of this would have happened on yesterday. Now look, 12 kids are in jail because of this foolishness. If you are a child please take your bible out and read this passage.Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Did you know that the blood of Jesus cleanses you from all sin. Read this passage in the Holy Word.1 John 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. I am pleading with every parent that is reading this post. Pray with your children daily prior to them going to school (as my grandmother did it for me and Lord knows prayer does work). Children, be obediant to your parents so that the wrath of sin and shame does not consume your life. Remember, the blood of Jesus NEVER fails.

-The Pope Of Pentecost-

Youthful Praise to Record Live Set

Evidence Gospel recording artists J.J. Hairston & Youthful Praise are slated to record their next effort on March 15, 2009 at Cathedral of Praise in Bridgeport, CT. Special guests for this session include Dorinda Clark-Cole, Wililam Murphy III, Angela Spivey, and Lorraine Stancil. This recording marks the fifth project for the choir that produced such hits as “Deliver”, “Awesome God”, and “Incredible God, Incredible Praise”. The choir’s most recent effort Exalted: Live in Baltimore garnered the aggregation 2009 Stellar award nominations for Group/Duo of the Year and Contemporary Choir of the Year.

Dude, You Need Some Mid-Week Word In Ya. Come To Church With Me!

Join Atlanta West Pentecostal Church (affiliated with the United Pentecostal Church International) this Thursday for Bible Study @ 7:30pm. ¿Habla usted español? ¡Gran! Unanos cada el miércoles @ 7:30PM para nuestro Estudio español de Biblia.

DUDE, you know you need the Lord during the week too (smile). See you there (and bring a friend).

The Month of February in Pentecostal History!

2 Feb 1906—William J. Seymour arrived in Los Angeles, California.

24 Feb 1906—William J. Seymour preached the Pentecostal message in Los Angeles, California.

February 1908—G.T. Haywood was filled with the baptism of the Holy Ghost in a converted tin shop in Indianapolis, Indiana. The work was overseen by Elder Henry Prentice, who came to Indianapolis from the Azusa Mission.

7 February 1914—Frederick E. Kinzie, Pentecostal author and Toledo, Ohio pastor, was born in Bremen, Indiana.

17-27 February 1925—Pentecostal Ministerial Alliance formed in Jackson, Tennessee. Howard A. Goss is elected temporary chairman, before Lemuel C. Hall was named chairman.

4-12 February 1927—Southern Bible Conference held in Merrville, Louisiana under auspices of the Emmanuel’s Church in Jesus Christ. A committee was appointed to begin producing the first Oneness Sunday School literature.

February 1954—The Pentecostal Herald, the official organ of the United Pentecostal Church, increased in size from 16 pages to 24.

15 February 1964–Ila Ashcraft, second president of the Ladies Auxiliary of the United Pentecostal Church died. She wa ssucceeded by Vera Kinzie.

Byron Cage Set to Record

Multiple Stellar award winner and worship leader Byron Cage is set to record his next live recording on March 13, 2009 at Second Ebenezer Church in Detroit, Michigan. Special guests for this effort include Marvin Winans, Marvin Sapp, and Tye Tribbett, with 2009 Stellar Award Producer of the Year Aaron Lindsay handling production duties. Cage’s last recording Live at The Apollo: The Proclamation produced the hit “With All of My Might” and won Cage the 2009 Stellar Award for Contemporary Male Vocalist of the Year.

Deitrick Haddon Becomes Pastor

 

High Praise Church

 8809 Schoolcraft

Detroit, Michigan 48238

This Is An Apostolic Church!

Verity Records recording artist and popular urban gospel vocalist Deitrick Haddon has been elevated to the office of the Pastorate. Haddon along with wife Damita Haddon have returned to Detroit, Michigan to pastor High Praise Church. The Haddons begins serving on February 15, 2009. Haddon along with his long time group Voices Of Unity were 2009 GRAMMY nominees for Best Traditional Gospel Album for their album Together In Worship

COOLJC Event: COOLJC Planning Session 2009

Stop Glorifying Entertainers (i.e. Rap Stars, Singers And Sport Stars) And Glorify God!

When is it  ok to be a world class swimmer and use illicit drugs yet still remain an American Icon? Why do we allow young 19 year olds to beat on their girlfriends and just give them a slap on the wrist and claim its just being young and they will grow out of it? And since when is it ok to to put money before God until the point where the rich get richer and the poor remain destitute just so corporate management can get 1 million dollar bonuses. PEOPLE WAKE UP! Your serving the wrong God. Let this be a stern warning to those that consistently make money and people (i.e. super stars, singers and sports stars their god) in HELL WILL YOU LIFT UP YOUR EYES IF YOU DON’T SEE THE ERROR IN YOUR WAYS.

Its time to cry loud and spare not. Somebody has to do it. People need an education, family morals and values, and more importantly The Lord Jesus Christ in your life yet YOU continue to go to these basketball games and purchase these R&B artist albums that are not living a nickels worth of dog meat! On Sunday you’ll find these same people lifting their unholy hands to a holy God yet Monday – Saturday they live for the devil. SHAME ON YOU! 

Shame on you Chris Brown for hitting a women. Shame on you Michael Phelps for smoking your illicit drugs. Shame on all the radio DJ’s across America (Michael Baisden) who force people to call into your radio shows to talk about teachers both male and females who seduce children into sex and then you laugh about it. SHAME ON YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so disgusted by the way we are living here in America. Where are your priorities????? Where is your dignity????????? Where is your respect for the young minds that find your trashy internet sites as you post pictures of entertainers doing everything under the sun!

With that said, AMERICA ITS TIME TO REPENT and turn from your wicked ways before its too late. Ohhhhh how I wish we could go to the cemetery right now and talk to those 6 feet under and see how if they “could” do it all over again they would.

As long as their is life there is hope. Repent from your sins. Turn from your wicked evil and perverse ways and watch the one true living God Lord Jesus Christ give you a brand new life in Him. Oh yes there is hope. Oh yes ! You CAN win! You can make it. But the only way you will win and make it is if you serve GOD and not MAN! Put those idols away (buddah dolls and your statues of Mary) and turn to the One True God Lord Jesus Christ. Get baptised in His Name. Receive the Holy Ghost speaking in tongues. There IS a better way than the way you are currently living. I beg of you. I plead with you, seek the Lord while He may be found before its toooooooooo late.

P.S. When you see your favorite American Icon acting a fool, ask yourelf this question “What would Jesus truly do? Does He really want you to support this type of act or lifestyle?” I can tell you one thing, as  for me and my house, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD! Remember there is still hope.

-The Pope Of Pentecost-

Welcome Home Pope Of Pentecost From Vacation

What a good God I serve. I am back from vacation. I took a cruise to the Bahamas and boy did I get a nice tan. Keep checking back as I update my blog later on today.