free vol. 13 no. 152 october 2015 tel:(718) 938
Transcription
free vol. 13 no. 152 october 2015 tel:(718) 938
“THE LORD GAVE THE WORD: GREAT WAS THE COMPANY OF THOSE THAT PUBLISHED IT.” PSALM 68:11 FREE VOL. 13 NO. 152 OCTOBER 2015 TEL:(718) 938-7966 | EMAIL: [email protected] NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, CONNECTICUT, RHODE ISLAND, PHILADELPHIA WASHINGTON D.C., MARYLAND, VIRGINIA, DELWARE, PHILADELPHIA, GEORGIA, NORTH CAROLINA, OHIO, KENTUCKY LIGHT OF THE WORLD “Spreading the good news to the world!” Page 2 Page 3 “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD LIGHT OF THE WORLD FEATURE “Spreading the good news to the world!” Page 4 CARSON DOUBLES DOWN ON ‘MUSLIM’ COMMENTS: ‘SHARIA INCONSISTENT WITH CONSTITUTION’ T he Islamic faith isn’t “consistent” with the U.S. Constitution, and a Muslim shouldn’t be president, Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson said. it should matter,” Carson said. “But if it fits within the realm of America and consistent with the Constitution, no problem.” Todd then asked whether Islam is consistent with the Constitution. “I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation,” Carson said on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ “No, I do not. I would not advocate that we put a Muslim in charge of this nation. I absolutely would not agree with that,” Carson said. Late Sunday, he doubled down on those comments in an interview with The Hill. “I do not believe Sharia is consistent with the Constitution of this country,” Carson told The Hill. “Muslims feel that their religion is very much a part of your public life and what you do as a public official, and that’s inconsistent with our principles and our Constitution.” But Congress is a different matter, he said. The only exception he’d make would be if the Muslim running for office “publicly Ben Carson rejected all the tenets of Sharia and lived a life consistent with that,” Carson told president is largely “irrelevant” because The Hill. no Muslims are running in 2016. He said the question, which Todd is posing to all “Then I wouldn’t have any problem,” he of the Republican presidential hopefuls said. who go on his show, “may well have Carson “sought to frame himself as one of been” gotcha journalism meant to trip the the few candidates running for president candidates up. willing to tell hard truths,” The Hill But he did concede that it “served a useful reported. purpose by providing the opportunity to “We are a different kind of nation,” Carson talk about what Sharia is and what their said. “Part of why we rose so quickly is goals are.” because we wouldn’t allow our values or “So often we get into these irrelevant principles to be supplanted because we things, because obviously if a Muslim were going to be politically correct… part was running for president, there would be of the problem today is that we’re so busy a lot more education about Sharia, about trying to be politically correct, that we Taqiya,” Carson said. lose all perspective.” Earlier, Carson told NBC’s Chuck Todd But he said the question of a Muslim that the religious beliefs of a president would matter if his or her faith was inconsistent with U.S. values. His view contrasted with that of Donald Trump, the billionaire front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, who said on the program that a Muslim as president is something that could happen in the future. Trump said he knows many Muslims who are “fabulous,” but there’s “a very severe problem” with some Muslims around the world -- comments he repeated on other broadcasts. “It depends on who that Muslim is and what their policies are. Just as it depends on what anybody else says. And if there’s somebody who’s of any faith but they say things and their life has been consistent with things that will elevate this nation and make it possible for everybody to succeed and bring peace and harmony then I’m with them.” Carson said he takes President Barack Obama at his word that he was both born in the United States and is a Christian. Trump declined to talk about either of those issues. The issues of Muslims in American politics came to the fore when Trump failed to correct a man asking a question during one of his rallies, who said that President Barack Obama is a Muslim. On “Meet the Press,” Trump said he wasn’t obligated to defend Obama. Carson, asked by moderator Chuck Todd “This is the first I’ve ever gotten into hot whether a presidential candidate’s faith water for not saying anything,” Trump said. Trump and Carson both said they should matter to voters, said it depends. believe Obama is a Christian. “If it’s inconsistent with the values and principles of America then of course SOURCE Newsmax.com POPE FRANCIS MET GAY COUPLE AT VATICAN EMBASSY IN US P ope Francis had a private meeting discuss gay issues. with a gay couple in Washington. Earlier it emerged that the pontiff met Kim A former student of his, Yayo Davis, the Kentucky clerk who refused to Grassi, told the BBC the Pope agreed to issue marriage licenses to gay couples. meet him to “give him a hug”. That news was greeted with anger by Mr Grassi and his boyfriend Iwan were many liberals and gay campaigners in the received at the Vatican Embassy where US. they discussed his business but did not Mr Grassi said he asked Pope Francis for “Just two friends meeting after a long an audience when he found out he was time,” said Mr Grassi. “We didn’t talk coming to the US and the pontiff agreed, about gay issues or anything like that.” saying he wanted to give him a hug. The Vatican confirmed the meeting took During their meeting, they caught up place and added: “The Pope, as pastor, has on each other’s lives and Pope Francis maintained many personal relationships asked him about his business, a catering with people in a spirit of kindness, company in Washington. welcome and dialogue.” KENNETH COPELAND LAYS HANDS AND PRAYS OVER DONALD TRUMP E arlier this month, we reported how Paula White set up an invitationonly meeting between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and evangelical pastors. him,” Copeland prayed. “And we thank You and praise You for a bold man, a strong man and an obedient man.” As we have reported, Trump’s campaign is pulling out all the stops to woo Christian That meeting happened recently—and voters. He recently told a rally his favorite plenty of Pentecostals were there to lay book is the Bible, but later refused to hands on the billionaire, make declarations share his favorite verse. over his life and pray. “During the meeting, he talked about his Beyond Paula White, also present were Christian faith,” David Brody, CBN News Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Jentezen chief political correspondent, wrote. “At Franklin, David Jeremiah, Jan Crouch, one point he admitted that he may not have Ken Copeland and Donald Trump Steve Munsey, Jews for Jesus Rabbi read the Bible as much as the pastors in Kirt Schneider, Bishop George Bloomer, the room. As the conversation continued, discussed trade, balancing the budget, Bishop Darrell Scott and Clarence a few of the ministers implored Trump to eliminating the deficit and tax reform.” McClendon. tone down some of his harsh rhetoric. Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also “No man can be successful as president of the United States without Your wisdom. And so we ask You today to give this man Your wisdom, boldly. Make sure and certain that he hears. Manifest Yourself to “As for additional subject matter, Trump told the religious leaders and pastors that he will be a strong supporter of Israel and that defeating ISIS would be a strong part of his agenda,” Brody continued. “He also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, co-founder of awakeningtv.com, on the leadership team of the New Breed Revival Network and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening; Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of God; The Making of a Prophet and Satan’s Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. Jennifer’s Periscope handle is @propheticbooks. SOURCE:Charisma Page 5 “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD FEATURE T 15 THINGS THAT MAKE CHURCH PEOPLE CRAZY MAD his fun list is meant to help us take a is a good thing, remember that look at the lighter side of our church pet 10. When a Visitor Sits in Your Seat peeves.Whatwouldyouaddtothelist? There are no assigned seats at church–or, 15. Loud Music at least there shouldn’t be. If your seat’s The book of Revelation is pretty clear— taken, just smile and find another. there will be LOUD worship in heaven. 9. People Using iPads Instead of Of course, we understand there’s probably a difference between the church youth “Real” Bibles band rocking out and the voices of angels, We get it, who’s gonna make sure they’re but still. not checking Facebook during the sermon? 14. Crying Babies Although, to be real for a second—God’s Word is God’s Word, whether it’s read on OK, crying babies can be loud at times, an iPad or in a 4-inch thick King Jimmie but moms gotta get their worship on too. Am I right? 13. Out Dancers of Page 6 Bible. 8. Coffee in the Sanctuary Let’s be clear: having a cup of joe in the sanctuary doesn’t defile anything or anyone—we’re not in the Temple era anymore, right? Jesus lives in us—not on stage in our churches. Although, we do understand it can be messy 7. Youth Group Attire hold on, is he trying to get in front of me?! OK, this one probably has some credibility. I don’t think so!” Not that I’ve ever said Although, if we’re calling out high school that personally students for the way they dress, we should 4. Pastors Asking for Money OK, we’re not talking about your huckster money-laundering televanglist here, but your everyday pastor talking about moula. This shouldn’t get us riled up, seriously. The Bible talks about money A LOT. The way we use our money says a great deal about our faith—whoops, sorry, started to preach on that one. Control Worship Because some things, like out of control dancers, just need more grace. 12. Awkward Pauses in the Message You know, that moment when the pastor tells a joke and no one laughs… Or that time when the worship leader greets everyone and no one answers… 3. Women in Leadership There are some pretty stellar examples of women leaders in the Bible. It shouldn’t surprise us to see a woman lead in the church today. 11. When the Youth Take Over the Service 2. Overly Happy Greeters The youth group just got back from Honduras, and they’re pumped to share their stories and slam on the drums… this Some church greeters are just waaaaayy probably do the same for mom jeans. Just too happy. This is church. We’re not in an idea. heaven yet. Save some for the after party. 6. Long Sermons 1. The Much-Feared Meet-n-Greet We shouldn’t complain, really. I mean, the Apostle Paul preached so long people were falling out of windows. Plus, it’s kind of what we’re there for (OK, that and worship and community and serving…) “Hi, how are you? Yes, I’m fluent in awkward as well.” OK, this shouldn’t be a big deal, really. After all, we’re going to spend eternity with these people sitting in front and in back of us. Might as well get to know ‘em now. 5. Church Parking Lots For some reason, the message on the Beatitudes gets chucked out the window when we hit the church parking lot. We’re all like, “Yes, the meek shall inher- … Brian More Brian is the founding editor of ChurchLeaders.com and Faithit.com. He works with creative and innovative people to discover the top stories, resources and trends to equip and inspire the Church. I WOULD RATHER BE CAUGHT BY ISIS THAN STAND WITH KIM DAVIS By Patrina Mosley D on’t panic; or maybe you should. The title of this article is based on the consensus I got from an overwhelming number of Christians. From fellow believers, the response to Kim Davis was surprisingly 50/50. Either she was a hero of the faith, courageous, and may we dare to think we ourselves would put our career on the line, much less be jailed, for our faith; or she was not a hero, she was not courageous, she doesn’t even represent the Christian faith, and I would rather be captured by ISIS than be identified as a homophobic Christian who won’t do their job. f you’re not familiar with Kim Davis, she is the Kentucky county clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples and was jailed by a pro-homosexual judge earlier this month as a result. I was shocked not by the media or the LGBT community, who were pretty lenient when the case was taken to court, but from Christians who did not support Kim Davis. The negative responses from Christians was interesting to me because most of us have heard of the Christian cake bakers being sued out of business, the Christian wedding photographer not diversifying their portfolio, and the Christian venue owners closing their doors. Christians were not okay with this and commended them for standing for the faith. But the county clerk going to jail? That lady should pay the price for “not doing her job”? Really? To believe that Christian cake bakers and wedding photographers should be exempt from losing their jobs, but Christian county clerks who have to issue same-sex “marriage” licenses should not, speaks discreetly to other underlying issues at stake here. For starters, do you believe in the First Amendment or not? “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...” The “free exercise thereof” protects not just religious beliefs but actions informed by those beliefs. Should Kim Davis just have “done her job” and left her faith at the door? No. And sadly, not only do we now have the Supreme Court Justices and the homosexual community telling Christians to leave their faith out of the public sector, we now have woefully misguided fellow Christians telling other believers the same thing! Have we really bought into the lie that your faith is private, or is there a slight elitism of mainstream Christianity that says if you “look like us, talk like us” and “don’t come from back-woods, no-name, religious places” then we’ll accept you as a martyr on “our team.” Hmmm? The Kentucky judge and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) wanted to mock and scare this lady for exercising her faith and make an example of her to all Christians — call it an “immoral morality lesson” of what could happen to you if you don’t leave Patrina Mosley your faith at home. it before the rooster crows. Are you really Places like Iraq and Syria don’t get like it ready to be beheaded before being called is today overnight. It happens slowly over homophobic? time with freedoms being restricted one Answer carefully before making such broad regulation at a time. Today it’s Kim Davis; comparisons. tomorrow it could be you. Patrina Mosley servers as the Young How much do you value the God-given, Women for America Regional Coordinator constitutionally protected freedom to live under Concerned Women for America and out your faith everyday, everywhere? If holds a Specialization in Biblical Studies your faith is required to be “private,” then and a M.A. in Public Policy from Liberty this freedom means nothing ... to you or University. anyone else. If it is a Biblical faith, one that Jesus describes as public and costly, then Christian Post you need to evaluate what you really believe and how far you’re willing to go to defend Page 7 “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD LIGHT OF THE WORLD FAMILY MATTERS “Spreading the good news to the world!” Page 8 CAN TWO WALK TOGETHER? mos 3:3 asks a pertinent question: There are some people who will only tell Do two walk together unless they you what you want to hear. That type of people will not help you in your growth in have agreed to do so? all areas of your life. A friend who could As couples, there are certain questions help you if both of you are sincere with we need to ask ourselves as we relate one another and be truthful to one another. with other people: Is this person accepts me as I am, even when things are bad? Whatever I am today apart from God Does this person knows me well and likes are made possible through some of the me anyway? Does he / she knows me friends I have and some from high school intimately and is committed to my best and some from college. We are able to tell under all circumstances, regardless of the each other the truth and nothing but the truth but not necessarily what we want to risk to the relationship. hear. These types of friends are those that Is the person a trusted confidant to whom can help you to move to the next level. I am mutually drawn as a companion, who loves me not for my performance, According to Sabrina D. Black, loving and whose influence draws me closer to confrontation between friends causes us to Christ? Answers to the above questions lay aside our masks. Iron sharpeneth iron, lead to another question, who is a friend? so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friends (Proverbs 27: 17). The phrase; A friend is someone who challenges us ‘iron sharpen iron’ refers to a friend who and encourages us to grow spiritually. If can counsel you according to God’s word. our relationship with our friends are just So when you think about your friends, ask to share jokes and kind words, never see yourself: does this friendship cause both anything wrong with each other or never my friend and I to draw closer to God or have anything to say to help each other to draw you afar from God grow spiritually, it may just be cover up. A As Christians we need to carefully consider who our friends are. With whom are you sharing the things that are going on in your marriage? Why are you sharing the things that are going on in your marriage? Is it because he or she will affirms your action or because he / she will give you genuine advice that you may not like but could help you in development. What kind of character do these friends have? A woman was sharing this story in a book. She said she called her special friend to engage her in conversation. According to her, the friend said she would call her back because she has not spent time with the Lord that day. According to the friend, spending time with God for her is utmost importance and critical. Is spending time with God an utmost importance or engaging in unproductive activity? It is important to make sure that our friend is someone who is concerned about Godly things – a person who knows the word of God and who will turn to it when you call. Keep in mind that friends are people who Pastor Olusola Oloidi should draw you closer to God. Therefore, if they are telling you something that is contrary to the words of God, then they are not really your friends. Don’t make a costly mistake by moving with the wrong crowd, because your friends can make or mar you. Olusola Oloidi, is a certified Pastoral Counselor and a zonal coordinator at RCCGNA based in Glassboro New Jersey. He can be reached on (856) 906 – 4745 or solaseminary@ hotmail.com for relational issues. Confidentiality is guaranteed. 15 WAYS TO FIGHT LUST WITH THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT t is almost impossible in the Western world to escape sensuality. Sex is on the television, in the movies and in our music, on the side of buses, during halftime shows, in our books and in glossy close-ups at supermarket check-out. Sex is all around us in the mall, dripping off every beer commercial, and two stories high on our billboards. Sexual sin is walking around our high schools, flaunted across our universities, and hiding in our churches. I conceives and gives birth to sin (sin in the flesh or sin in the mind). Sin then grows and matures and leads to death. It is not lust to be attracted to someone or notice he or she is good looking. It is not lust to have a strong desire for sex. It is not lust to be excited about sex in marriage. It is not lust to inadvertently notice a woman bathing on the roof. It is sin to keep noticing and start scheming. Stoke the fires of this lustful passion and it will bring forth death. Just ask King David. And of course, sex is on the Internet. Pornography and sex-related sites make up 60 percent of daily web traffic. Of Internet users in the U.S., 40 percent visit porn sites at least once a month, and that number increases to 70 percent when the audience is 18- to 34-year-old males. Half of hotel room patrons purchase pornography from their rooms. Ninety percent of 8- to 16-year-olds with Internet access have viewed pornography online, and the average age of exposure is 11. 6) Hebrews 2:17-18 “Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Jesus was tempted, not as we are from a sinful nature. But there were external voices calling him to sin. Let us not underestimate the real nature of his temptations and undercut his sympathy and his ability to help. Jesus was hungry in the wilderness. He had a desire, a want. He was enticed to make the stones bread so he could enjoy the pleasure of food. But he told the devil, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Matt. 4:1-3). In our moments of sexual temptation, we need to think, “Flesh does not sustain me. Jesus does.” The seventh commandment is not just broken in this country; it’s being smashed to pieces. And sexual sin is not just an “out there” problem. Any pastor will tell you stories about how sexual sin has destroyed people in his congregation. None of us are immune from the dangers of sexual immorality. In a Christianity Today study from several years ago, 40 percent of clergy acknowledged visiting pornographic websites. Another survey found that 21 percent visit regularly. Yet another survey at Pastors.com found that 50 percent of pastors reported to viewing pornography in the previous year. And then there’s the underlying issue of the heart. The seventh commandment doesn’t just forbid adultery and pornography. It forbids every action, look, conversation, thought or desire that incites lust and uncleanness. So how in the world, in this world we live in, and with our sex-saturated hearts, can we obey the seventh commandment? decades.” Think about today. The Lord has given you grace for this day and he Let me suggest 15 passages of Scripture will give you grace for every subsequent that can help us fight lust and the day in which you follow God in the midst temptation to sexual immorality. of unmet desires. 1) Proverbs 5:18-19 “Let your fountain 3) 1 Peter 3:15 “In your hearts regard be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of Christ the Lord as holy, always being your youth, a lovely deer, a graceful doe. prepared to make a defense to anyone Let her breasts fill you at all times with who asks you for a reason for the hope delight; be intoxicated always in her love.” that is in you.” Before you take a second This may seem a strange text for fighting look or dress yourself so that others will, sexual temptation, but married couples think: “Will this make me more ready to need to know they have delight at their talk to someone about Jesus?” Sensuality lawful disposal. We need to know that sex deadens the spiritual senses and makes us is good, intimacy is good, bodies together less courageous and effective witnesses in marriage are good. Good, glorious sex for Christ. is spiritual warfare for the married couple. 4) 2 Peter 3:10-14 “But the day of the Lord 2) Lamentations 3:25-27 “The Lord is will come like a thief … Therefore … be good to those who wait for him, to the soul diligent to be found by him without spot or who seeks him. It is good that one should blemish, and at peace.” Do you want to be wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. cheating on your husband, masturbating It is good for a man that he bear the yoke or watching Game of Thrones when in his youth.” This a verse is for singles. Christ returns? Granted, this passage isn’t talking about waiting for a spouse. It’s about waiting on 5) James 1:14-15 “But each person is the Lord. But that’s the point: The Lord is tempted when he is lured and enticed good to those who wait for him. He knows by his own desire. Then desire when it what you need. The preceding verses tell has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin us, “The steadfast love of the Lord never when it is fully grown brings forth death.” ceases, his mercies never come to an end; This passage helps us understand how they are new every morning; great is your temptation works and reminds us that faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, says feeling tempted is not necessarily the my soul, therefore I will hope in him.” same as sinning. Temptation beckons Don’t think, “How can I live without us to do what we should not do. That’s sex for another year or decade or two not sin. When the desire is nurtured it 7) Romans 14:21 “It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.” As Christians, we want to help each other avoid sin, not lead one another into it with flirting, coarse joking and immodest dress. 8) Matthew 5:27-30 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And cont pg. 18 Page 9 “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD LIGHT OF THE WORLD AFRICAN NEWS “Spreading the good news to the world!” Page 10 NIGERIA’S PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI: ‘END UNRULINESS’ igeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Nigerians to stop their “unruly behavior” to achieve progress. N failure to appoint a cabinet some four months after taking office, saying he did not want to act in a “haphazard” way. “To bring about change, we must change ourselves by being law-abiding citizens,” he said in an address to mark 55 years of independence. Mr. Buhari said the nation would have to “face squarely” the economic crisis caused by the sharp fall in oil prices. It would require “prudent housekeeping”, and tackling corruption in the oil sector, Mr. Buhari added. Mr. Buhari was a military ruler in 1984 and 1985, and returned to office in May after winning democratic elections. He has said that he will personally keep control of the oil ministry. Nigeria is Africa’s most populous state, and the continent’s main oil producer. However, most of its citizens live in poverty, and the country often faces President Buhari fuel and electricity shortages. “We must change our unruly behavior in schools, hospitals, market places, “Change does not just happen,” Mr. motor parks, on the roads, in homes Buhari said in his first address to the and offices,” he added. nation since becoming president. Mr. Buhari is the first Nigerian to become president after defeating the incumbent in elections. He beat Goodluck Jonathan by a comfortable margin in the March He did not give any details of policies polls. he would introduce to encourage the change of behavior. Mr. Buhari strongly defended his BURUNDI’S NYAMITWE ACCUSES RWANDA OF TRAINING REBELS B urundi has accused neighboring Rwanda of training rebels seeking to destabilize the country. Since then, relations between the two presidents have gone downhill, leading to the current diplomatic tensions. It is hosting Burundi’s failed coup leader, and helping rebels launch cross-border attacks, Foreign Minister Alain Nyamitwe told the BBC. Rwandan foreign ministry official Olivier Nduhungirehe accused Burundi of harboring rebels from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) group, which was linked to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. Rwanda denies the allegation, and says Burundi is trying to deflect attention from its own problems. Mr Nyamitwe said a fact-finding team, sent to Burundi by regional leaders, found there was no truth to the allegation. The two governments have a tense relationship, with both countries sharing a similar ethnic make-up. Burundi has been hit by a spate of assassinations and attempted assassinations since President Pierre Nkurunziza won disputed elections in Old friends, now foes July. service that Rwanda was “facilitating” He survived a coup attempt in March. attacks that the coup plotters were It was led by renegade Gen Godefroid orchestrating in Burundi. Niyombare, who opposed his bid for a “We also have extensive information about third term. recruitments in refugee camps, especially Gen Niyombare has not been seen in in Mahama refugee camp, where refugees public since then. are taken for military training, and some of the trainers are Rwandans,” he added. About 70,000 Burundians are living in refugee camps in Rwanda after fleeing Pierre Nkurunziza and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame were once on the unrest. good terms, even playing football together Mr Nyamitwe told the BBC Kinyarwanda The team visited Burundi after Rwanda made similar allegations in the past, he added. when they visited each other’s countries. This changed in November 2012, when the two disagreed sharply over the M23 rebel group in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. Mr Nkurunziza opposed the M23, which, according to the UN, had Rwanda’s backing. Both Rwanda and Burundi have long experienced ethnic conflict between a Hutu majority and a Tutsi minority, which has traditionally been dominant. Rwanda sees the mainly Hutu FDLR as a major threat to its stability, and is pushing for its disarmament. Mr Nkurunziza is a Hutu former rebel leader, while Mr Kagame is a Tutsi. The two leaders clashed at a meeting of However, the unrest in Burundi is not regional leaders over the issue, prompting linked to ethnic divisions, analysts say. Mr Nkurunziza to walk out before the talks ended. BURKINA FASO COUP LEADER GEN DIENDERE ‘HELD’ G en Gilbert Diendere - the leader residence of the Vatican’s representative of last month’s short-lived coup in in Burkina Faso, reports say. Burkina Faso - is in the custody of Details of his reported surrender are still the country’s security forces, sources say. unclear. Some reports suggest he earlier The financial assets of Gen Diendere surrendered at an unnamed diplomatic and another 13 people suspected of mission in the capital Ouagadougou. involvement in the coup were frozen last Interim President Michel Kafando was week. reinstated a week after intervention from Separately, the first full meeting of the army and West African leaders. the government since Mr Kafando’s The presidential guards’ unit that carried reinstatement decided to disband the out the coup is to be disbanded. presidential guard (RSP) and to dismiss the minister in charge of security. “He [Gen Diendere] has been handed over to Burkinabe authorities,” a judicial The RSP - a unit of 1,200 well-armed source was quoted as saying by Reuters. and well-trained men - is loyal to Blaise Compaore, the country’s long-time ruler The general had earlier taken refuge at the who was ousted in a popular uprising last year. They were unhappy about being integrated into the regular army. Members of the unit stormed the cabinet room on 16 September, seizing Mr Kafando, the prime minister and others. A week later, when it became clear they did not enjoy popular support and after a threat from the regular army to step down or be ousted by force, the RSP withdrew from the capital. An emergency meeting of the regional bloc Ecowas also helped to bring a smooth end to the crisis. At least 10 people were killed and more than 100 injured in clashes during the takeover, which Gen Diendere later described as “the biggest mistake”. Coup leader Gen Gilbert Diendere Page 11 “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD Page 12 WORD L istening recently to an anointed preacher, Pastor D. Akerele, I learned something about “the pattern in the bloodline”. He said everyone should take note of whatever is happening to him or her that may be traceable to one’s generations. As you read, please pause and think through: What’s happening to you now that has always happened to everyone down your generational line? Medically speaking, doctors sometimes do blood work on people to find out what’s wrong with them. They draw blood and run it through tests to determine cause of sickness. So should you should allow Jesus to run your blood work today and fix whatever is in your bloodline, which does not glorify God. Whatever sin, wickedness, disease or mishap have been running in your family, it won’t continue with you or your children. Jesus is able and willing to intercept every inherited evil in your life today and liberate you. Just to clarify what I am saying, look at the some bloodlines here: Abraham begat Isaac. Isaac begat Jacob. The preacher says that Abraham lied about his wife in Genesis 12:11-13; Isaac also lied about his wife in Genesis 26:6-9. They lied because of beautiful women and the fear of human beings; Jacob, the third generation, was also a liar and supplanted who deceived his father and stole his brother’s birthright. O See Genesis 25:29-34 & 27:18-41. Well, Jacob was also deceived by both his fatherin-law and his own children. Here we see generations of people who were deceivers. Do you notice that your children lie a lot? Have you lied to parents? Could they also have been liars? Ishmael, Abraham’s first born never mattered. Esau, Isaac’s first born never mattered. Abraham’s wife was initially barren; many of these men also had barren wives. In fact, they all had extra-marital affairs. Many things continued to happen down the line but they did not take note to stop this kind of evil pattern in their bloodline. Ask yourself, ‘what are the patterns in your bloodline. Do you need blood work? Jesus is ready right now to remove every evil pattern that you have inherited. Rev. 12:11 Tap into the power of His WORD, you will be released. Jesus has redeemed all believers from the curse of the law and all iniquities. See Galatians 3:13 & Titus 2:14. If you already have Jesus, then take authority over lineage problems. You don’t have to continue under that suffering. The Bible says, “a bastard shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord; even to his tenth generation shall he not enter into the congregation of the Lord” Deut. 23:2. It was Judas the son of Jacob who sinned and no king could come from his generations until the tenth generation when Jesse was born. Jesse was the one who finally produced a king (David) in Pastor Abraham Obadare of Christ Apostolic Church WOSEM the generations. Mt. 1:2-6 continuity in your life today and begin to You should be the one upon whom evil and curse the curse of your life in Jesus name. curse would stop. You should be the one You shall be set free. who won’t go through divorce, diseases or I am Pastor Abraham Obadare, bringing you the words of God. untimely death. Pray to Jesus now. You are invited to worship with me at 108-02 Sutphin Blvd., You may have been hated and forsaken Is bareness traceable down the line in before, but the bible says you will become your family? Do people die young in your an eternal excellency and a joy of many bloodline and you are now afraid for your generations. Isaiah 60:15 life? Is there a particular disease in your lineage and you already have or expect it? Is everyone always afflicted in your Do people always divorce in your family? family? Affliction will no longer trouble This is not your portion. Don’t settle for it. you. Isa. 60:14says, “The sons also of them Fight and stop it before it transfers to your that afflicted thee shall come bending children. Jesus could intervene today; just unto thee; and all they that despised thee accept Him as your personal savior. Call shall bow themselves down at the soles on Him to prosper your health and soul. of thy feet; and they shall call thee, The 3 John 2 city of the Lord…” Be angry against evil Jamaica, NY 11435 or reach me at 718-658-8981. In other areas of New York City you can worship with us at: 611 Williams Avenue, Brooklyn, NY; 442 E. 183rd Street, Bronx, NY; 37-21 Rockaway Beach Blvd., Far Rockaway, NY. Dial 712.432.9932 for 24/7 Christian Radio programs or visit www.eagernessofgod.org. You may also watch us on www. worldtv.com/eagerness_of_god_tv. Our website address is www.wosem.org - where you can watch on demand videos for your enrichment, watch our live streaming or read past messages / articles. You may also visit www.thewayoutforyou.com for more words of life. TEN GIFTS YOUR PASTOR WILL LOVE ctober is Pastor Appreciation month. This is the month when many churches will take some time to show their appreciation to their pastor for his love and ministry over the past year. Some churches will take up a love offering for their pastor. Many will put a basket in the vestibule in which members can place cards with kind sentiments they want to share with their pastor. A few churches may even have a dinner or a reception, a nice time to get together, to express their feelings for their pastor. All of these things are nice and good. In fact, I believe it is a great idea for a church to take one month out of the year to do something special to show just how much they appreciate the time and effort, love and concern their pastor has for them. I know I’ve been blessed in recent years by a church that does just that. Now, it wasn’t always that way. When I first came to Temple, I remember when one of our new staff members, who had come from a larger church in North Carolina that evidently knew how to show their love for their pastor, approached Temple’s deacon chairman and asked him if the church ever had some sort of a pastor appreciation day. The chairman got a funny look on his face and said: “No. We never have. We just always paid ‘em good.” My new associate shared how strange that sentiment was to him. He just couldn’t understand how a man so successful in the business world could overlook something so simple as expressing love and appreciation for a year’s worth of ministry. I remember him telling me how his former church would try to outdo themselves every year when it came time for Pastor Appreciation month. I know that pastor had to appreciate all the possibility he might just be human too. Maybe, like you, he actually has good days and bad days. You never know what burden he might be carrying, what issue he’s having to deal with. It might be something at church or at home. So, give a little grace and cut him some slack. You would want him to do the same for you. 5. A “good word” to your pastor to read minds. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve received a card expressing a As I was driving to the office this morning, member’s love and prayers just when I I was thinking through some of the gifts thought nobody in the church liked me, I know I have appreciated over the years much less loved me. as a pastor and thought that I would share what I believe are the top 10 gifts you 3. Your unconditional support should give your pastor, not just during Dr. Jim Henry told our deacons recently Pastor Appreciation month but the other that researchers say that other than being 11 months of the year as well. the president of the United States, the 1. Your prayers most stressful “job” is that of being the pastor of a local church. I remember years This is the greatest gift you can give your ago when one of our associate pastors was pastor. If you don’t love him like you preaching, he made a statement that at should, begin to pray for him and you first made me think he was going to have will. Of course, if you already love him, to make a trip to the pastor’s office. He then you’ll naturally want to pray for him. said, “The pastor is not always perfect I’ve had several of our senior adults tell …” I knew that. Everybody knows that. me when I call just to check in on them I just didn’t think somebody would say it how they pray for me every day. That’s from the pulpit. Then he added, “But he is fuel for more ministry! always the pastor.” they did to show him their love. 2. Your love A pastor who really shepherds his people will expend a great amount of love. His heart will be stretched and often broken. Next to your prayers, the greatest thing you can give your pastor is your love. By the way, if you love him, let him know it. Despite what some people think, I don’t know of any pastor who has the ability 4. A little grace I’m amazed at how often people get their feelings hurt in church. Often it is because of something somebody did or said, or didn’t do or didn’t say. Sometimes that somebody is the pastor. The next time you start to get upset with your pastor, take just a minute, breathe and consider Everybody likes to hear when they’ve done something right or been a blessing to somebody. Maybe the sermon spoke to you. Perhaps the service blessed you. Maybe you appreciated his call or visit, or you just like his tie. In a given week the average pastor hears a lot of things he’s done wrong. Take a moment and share something he’s done right. 6. A “good word” for your pastor If your pastor is a gifted Bible preacher, a visionary leader or a caring pastor, tell your friends. Invite them to come hear him preach, spend time with him. Brag on him. Make sure everybody knows just how great you think your pastor is. This will get out and back and will be a great gift of encouragement. 7. Your faithfulness Recently I had lunch with a pastor friend of mine who’s served the same church for nearly 20 years. He told me that instead of large receptions or lots of money, he’d rather just have his people be faithful. I completely agree. Money or cards don’t begin to say what a family’s faithfulness does. Your faithfulness to the ministry of your church says volumes about how much you really love and appreciate your pastor. Don’t just say it or give it—show it. cont. on Page 24 Page 13 “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD Elders (Pastors) who do their work well should be respected and paid well, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You must not muzzle an ox to keep it from eating as it treads out the grain.” And in another place, “Those who work deserve their pay!” 1 Tim 5:17-18 Happy Pastors’ Appreciation Month to all men and women of God in His vineyard! LIGHT OF THE WORLD “Spreading the good news to the world!” Page 14 Page 15 “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD LIGHT OF THE WORLD “Spreading the good news to the world!” Page 16 Page 17 “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD JOSEPH IN THE PALACE, EXACTLY WHERE HE BELONGS Steadfast and hopeful even when forgotten G oing through the scriptural references, one of the most painful waiting periods for Joseph was the two years after the restoration of the butler. Joseph painfully uttered the words (for the first time to anyone) Gen. 40:1415, “But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and shew kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house: For indeed I was stolen away out of the land of the Hebrews: and here also have I done nothing that they should put me into the dungeon”. This was certainly a very humble request by a dreamer, but even so, it was a request that was totally forgotten for 24 months. My honest assumption was for the butler to remember Joseph the very first time he served Pharaoh the royal cup after his release. And in case that did not happen, may be worst case scenario, within the first week. The butler is by far one of the closest aides of an emperor; in most cultures, he is the one that puts down his life everyday by tasting the king’s drink first. If the king would be poisoned at all, it can never happen without a butler’s involvement because he must sip the drink before the emperor does. Hence, the level of closeness between Pharaoh and the butler can only be imagined. The miracle of his restoration to the position came through the right interpretation of his dream by Joseph. It is commonsensical to assume that Joseph’s deliverance must be immediate. However, in the program of God, certain things occur to defy all logic and human reasoning. Waiting two more years is unbelievably painful, but time surely develops godly attitude and character, not diminish it. When the butler remembered Joseph, he uttered these words: “I do remember my faults this day” Gen. 41: It is definitely a fault in the lives of all that you have interpreted their dreams or helped and encouraged to reach greater heights; for individuals that drank from your cistern and have enjoyed from your generosity, to forget you and pretend like you have not been divinely positioned in their lives, and very instrumental in their lifting or deliverance. While the times may be hard now and you may be going through your dark moments, everyone that needs to be reminded to favor you, or put in a word for you, may have to be jolted by heaven’s electric shock, so that “they can remember their faults” Rejoice! Your deliverance does not come from any man. However, God has divinely positioned individuals who must put a positive word for you in this season to get you to the throne right from the prison. Your great testimony is here. It was delayed, but deliverance came! Gen. 41: 37 So the advice was good in the eyes of Pharaoh and in the eyes of all his servants. 38 And Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find such a one as this, a man in whom is the Spirit of God?” 39 Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. 40 You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” 41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” It is often said that a dream can be delayed, but God-given dreams are never denied. How faithful God is and will ever be, His ways are perfect and just, his manifestations completely different and mind-blowing. Joseph never for once gave up on his dreams no matter where he was. It will be good to note that before his rise to power and prominence: 1. He was hated, persecuted and ridiculed; 2. He was sold into a totally foreign land; 3. He refused to commit sin, or compromise; 4. He suffered wrongly but remained steadfast; 5. He enjoyed God’s presence and favor continually; 6. He had to interpret the dreams of colleagues (fellow prisoners); 7. He had to interpret the dream of his superior (Pharaoh); and 8. He decided to trust God all the way. God, in His magnanimity, had to take Pharaoh to the dreamland to have the kind of dream that no one else, but Joseph could interpret. It is good to note that astrologers in those days were very precise and accurate on many occasions and the reason Pharaoh summoned them all in the first place was because he was certain they would interpret his dreams. Unfortunately, in this particular situation, no one was able to, no one even tried. You see, on your way to the top, and when God is ready to place you on that pedestal of glory intentioned for you alone, He will divinely orchestrate riddles that you and you alone can solve. It was not just Joseph that enjoyed this in the scriptures; the same was true of Daniel and his three friends. It is interesting for me to state unequivocally that the reason some problems are not yet solved, codes not yet cracked and questions not yet answered is simply because God is repositioning His own children to come and be the riddlesolvers for the purpose of divine lifting. Time will fail to properly explain the great restoration Joseph withnessed when he was enthroned; the level of restoration was simply unbelievable. For a strange young man to rise to such level of prominence is only possible with God. Pastor Victor Adedokun Isn’t that the prayer of every dreamer and the sincere desire of every believer? Joseph summed up his lifting in two phrases, TO FORGET and TO BE FRUITHFUL. It is my sincere prayer that as you dare to dream bigger dreams even in the face of all oppositions, the Lord God will bring an unusual transformation and lifting your way this season. Whenever God restores an individual, he ends up in a far better place than where he was originally. True lifting and promotion from God takes you far beyond your expectation. The years spent in pain and agony can surely be quickly forgotten at the dawn of an unprecedented breakthrough. Welcome to your season friend! I decree and declare that you will be made to forget all the toils and hardship, made to forget the sorrows and pains, the heartaches and downfalls, as I join the To forget and to be fruitful. Gen 4150 And to Joseph were born two heavens in agreement to welcome you to sons before the years of famine came, your season of fruitfulness. whom Asenath, the daughter of PotiRejoice dreamer! Your lifting is now. Pherah priest of On, bore to him. 51 Victor Adedokun Joseph called the name of the firstborn Pastor, †he Redemption House Manasseh:[a] “For God has made me www.redemptionhouse.org forget all my toil and all my father’s Feel free to follow me at facebook.com/PastorVictor. house.”52 And the name of the second Comment as you deem fit; [email protected] he called Ephraim:[b] “For God has Victor Adedokun. caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction.” cont. on Page 20 MESSAGE FROM PASTOR SUNDAY ON NIGERIA’S INDEPENDENCE. W hen Nigeria got her independence on October 1st 1960, the few Nigerians who were privileged to be alive at that time, looked forward to building a great nation. They dreamt of a Nigeria that will make a mark in the history of our world. No doubt, a lot of Nigerians that were born much later have dreamt of the opportunity to have been alive during the independence. I personally have thought of the opportunity of living at the same time with the Founding Fathers of our country and how I could have contributed to our growth and development. Today however, I want to say a big congratulations to those Nigerians that are alive to witness the 55th Independence Anniversary of our great nation. Indeed God is a God of a second chance. That second chance is being offered to all of us today, to start afresh and build the nation of our dream. Why do I believe that this is a second chance for Nigeria? Why do I believe that the chance we have today is not worse than the one those who were alive at independence had? Most Nigerians would agree that the Nigerian project of the past 55 years failed mainly because of poor leadership. Everything rises and falls on leadership. That era of leadership failure is now surely coming to an end. I believe that the Almighty God himself has decided to have mercy on Nigeria. It is my firm believe that with this new leadership, Nigeria stands a good chance to forever re-address her point of failure. I strongly believe in the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice President. Even more comforting is the process by which our President is selecting his team. The fact that President Buhari is being so meticulous in selecting his ministers and other team members is a testament to the fact that Nigeria is about to come out of the wilderness of leadership failure. I pray God will help him pick the best people for the job. A popular Russian proverb puts it succinctly; “a fish begins to rot from the head.” In the Nigerian scenario since our leadership, the head of this country is whole and healthy, it indicates a sign of recovery, health and wholesomeness to the entire Nigerian polity. So congratulations dear Nigerians that we are all alive today. I want to encourage you to revive your faith in a great Nigeria. We stand a better chance today to build a great nation than our forefathers did. • Today Nigeria is the 7th biggest country in the world by population, 1st in Africa. • Today Nigeria ranks 6th in agricultural output worldwide and 1st in Africa. • Nigeria is the 21st largest economy by nominal GDP in the world and 20th by Purchasing Power Parity. • Our economy is one of the fastest growing in the world. According to Citigroup, Nigeria will record the highest economic growth in the world between now and 2050. • The Nigerian diaspora has become our second biggest source of foreign exchange with over $20 billion USD yearly remittance Pastor Sunday Adelaja to Nigeria. • Nigeria is one of only two African greater Nigeria than at Independence. Let us countries among 11 Global Growth not miss this opportunity. Generators countries Let’s believe in ourselves. In short, what I am trying to say is that our Let’s support our new government future is bright. In the words of Peter Eigen Let’s surprise the world. (Transparency International Germany) “IF Happy Independence Beloved Nigeria!!! NIGERIA DOES NOT SUCCEED WHO FOR THE LOVE OF GOD AND NATION ELSE CAN SUCCEED?” By Pastor Sunday Adelaja. We stand a greater chance today to build a “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD Page 18 15 WAYS TO FIGHT LUST WITH THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT CONT’D FROM PG.8 if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” We are not good fighters. We make excuses. We don’t get radical. We pray a few prayers, feel bad all the time, tell a friend to ask how we’re doing once in awhile and that’s it. We need more decisive action than that. Avoid the movies, get rid of your Internet connection, don’t kiss before marriage, throw out your t.v., tear out your eye—whatever it takes to battle lust. There are too many wholebodied people going to hell and not enough spiritual amputees going to heaven. 9) Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” There are often temporal consequences for disobedience. It could be STDs, baggage in marriage, a guilty conscience, getting mired in a deeper addiction, distraction at work, a pornography fetish you pass on to your children, destroying your family, your marriage or your ministry. There are also eternal consequences if you give yourself over to this sin. Galatians 6:8 “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” 10) 1 Cor 6:15-20 “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! … Or do you not know that your body is a temple P of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” We need a theology of the body: The body is good, but it’s not yours. Jesus didn’t just die to ransom our souls. He also died for your body. It belongs to God. It is a member of Christ’s body now. Surely, we don’t want to employ Christ’s body in some sexual escapade or his eyes in viewing pornography or his mind in sensual fantasy. 11) 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Cultural liberalism says, “Just be yourself.” Self-help doctrine says, “You can find a better you if you just dig deep enough.” Moralism says, “Be a better person.” The Bible says, “You are a new person by God’s grace, now live like it.” “Be who you are” is the gospel motivation for holiness. 12) Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day approaching.” No one fights a war by himself, and no one will have victory over sexual sin on his own. You need to talk to others about your struggles and listen just as well. Be honest. Ask good questions. Don’t just confess and feel better. Repent and change. Don’t just sympathize; admonish. Follow up with your brothers and sisters. Pray and remind each other of the gospel. 13) James 4:6 “But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” God always gives more grace. So keep coming to him with your sin and all your commandment violations. Confess like David in Psalm 51 that you have sinned against God. Confess that God is the most offended party as a result of your sin. And then believe like David in Psalm 32: “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity.” We will never experience growing victory over sin unless we are quick to turn to Christ all the times we fail. 14) Matthew 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” This has been the most helpful verse for me in fighting lust and the temptation to sexual immorality. We need to fight desire with desire. Satan tempts us by holding out something that will be pleasurable to us. We aren’t tempted to gorge ourselves on liverwurst, because for most of us, it doesn’t hold out the promise of great pleasure. But sex does. Pornography does. A second look does. The Bible gives us many weapons to fight temptation. We can tell ourselves it is wrong, it is sinful, it will lead to bad things, it isn’t what I should do as a Christian. All of those are helpful. But the one weapon we rarely use is more pleasure. We need to fight the fleeting pleasure of sexual sin with the far greater, more abiding pleasure of knowing God. The fight for sexual purity is the fight of faith. It may sound like nothing but hard work and gritting your teeth—the very opposite of faith. But faith is at the heart of this struggle. Do we believe that a glimpse of God is better than a glimpse of skin? Do we believe that God’s steadfast love is better than life (Psalm 63:3)? We’d probably sin less if we spent less time thinking about our sins, sexual or otherwise, and more time meditating on the love and holiness of God. 15) Ephesians 1:19-21 “… and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.” The great power that created the world, and saved us, and raised Jesus from the dead—that same power is now at work in you. We must believe that God is stronger than sexual temptation, sin and addiction. If you believe that God brought a dead man back to life, you should believe that you can change. Not overnight usually, but from one degree of glory to the next. Work out your salvation from sexual sin with fear and trembling, for God’s power is already at work within you. Kevin is the Senior Pastor at University Reformed Church (RCA) in East Lansing, Michigan, right across the street from Michigan State University. He has been the pastor there since 2004. More from Kevin DeYoung or visit Kevin at http:// thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/ 7 SUBTLE SYMPTOMS OF PRIDE ride will kill you. Forever. Pride is the sin most likely to keep you from crying out for a Savior. Those who think they are well will not look for a doctor. As seriously dangerous as pride is, it’s equally hard to spot. When it comes to diagnosing our hearts, those of us who have the disease of pride have a challenging time identifying our sickness. Pride infects our eyesight, causing us to view ourselves through a lens that colors and distorts reality. Pride will paint even our ugliness in sin as beautiful and commendable. We can’t conclude that we don’t struggle with pride because we don’t see pride in our hearts. The comfortable moments when I pat myself on the back for how well I am doing are the moments that should alarm me the most. I need to reach for the glasses of Christ-like humility, remembering that nothing good dwells in my flesh, and search my heart for secret pride and its symptoms. In his essay on undetected pride, Jonathan Edwards points out seven sneaky symptoms of the infection of pride. 1. Fault-Finding While pride causes us to filter out the evil we see in ourselves, it also causes us to filter out God’s goodness in others. We sift them, letting only their faults fall into our perception of them. When I’m sitting in a sermon or studying a passage, it’s pride that prompts the terrible temptation to skip the Spirit’s surgery on my own heart and instead draft a mental blog post or plan a potential conversation for the people who “really need to hear this.” Edwards writes, The spiritually proud person shows it in his finding fault with other saints. … The eminently humble Christian has so much to do at home and sees so much evil in his own that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts. 2. A Harsh Spirit Those who have the sickness of pride in their hearts speak of others’ sins with contempt, irritation, frustration or judgment. Pride is crouching inside our belittling of the struggles of others. It’s cowering in our jokes about the ‘craziness’ of our spouse. It may even be lurking in the prayers we throw upward for our friends that are—subtly or not— tainted with exasperated irritation. Again Edwards writes, “Christians who are but fellow-worms ought at least to treat one another with as much humility and gentleness as Christ treats them.” 3. Superficiality When pride lives in our hearts, we’re far more concerned with others’ perceptions of us than the reality of our hearts. We fight the sins that have an impact on how others view us, and make peace with the ones that no one sees. We have great success in the areas of holiness that have highly visible accountability, but little concern for the disciplines that happen in secret. 4. Defensiveness Those who stand in the strength of Christ’s righteousness alone find a confident hiding place from the attacks of men and Satan alike. True humility is not knocked off balance and thrown into a defensive posture by challenge or rebuke, but instead continues in doing good, entrusting the soul to our faithful Creator. Edwards says, “For the humble Christian, the more the world is against him, the more silent and still he will be, unless it is in his prayer closet, and there he will not be still.” 5. Presumption Before God Humility approaches God with humble assurance in Christ Jesus. If either the “humble” or the “assurance” are missing in that equation, our hearts very well might be infected with pride. Some of us have no shortage of boldness before God, but if we’re not careful, we can forget that he is God. Edwards writes, “Some, in their great rejoicing before God, have not paid sufficient regard to that rule in Psalm 2:11—‘Worship the Lord with reverence, and rejoice with trembling.’” Others of us feel no confidence before God. Which sounds like humility, but in reality it’s another symptom of pride. In those moments, we’re testifying that we believe our sins are greater than his grace. We doubt the power of Christ’s blood and we’re stuck staring at ourselves instead of Christ. 6. Desperation for Attention Pride is hungry for attention, respect and worship in all its forms. Maybe it sounds like shameless boasting about ourselves. Maybe it’s being unable to say “no” to anyone because we need to be needed. Maybe it looks like obsessively thirsting for marriage—or fantasizing about a better marriage—because you’re hungry to be adored. Maybe it looks like being haunted by your desire for the right car or the right house or the right title at work: all because you seek the glory that comes from men, not God. 7. Neglecting Others Pride prefers some people over others. It honors those who the world deems worthy of honor, giving more weight to their words, their wants and their needs. There’s a thrill that goes through me when people with “power” acknowledge me. We consciously or unconsciously pass over the weak, the inconvenient and the unattractive, because they don’t seem to offer us much. Maybe more of us struggle with pride than we thought. There’s good news for the prideful. Confession of pride signals the beginning of the end for pride. It indicates the war is already being waged. For only when the Spirit of God is moving, already humbling us, can we remove the lenses of pride from our eyes and see ourselves clearly, identifying the sickness and seeking the cure. By God’s grace, we can turn once again to the glorious gospel in which we stand and make much of him even through identifying our pride in all its hiding places inside of us. Just as my concealed pride once moved me toward death, so the acknowledgement of my own pride moves me toward life by causing me to cling more fiercely to the righteousness of Christ. Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting! (Psalm 139:23–24) Fabienne (Fabs) Harford (@fabsharford) is a writer, speaker, and counselor, serving on staff at The Austin Stone Counseling Center in Austin, Texas. She writes regularly at www.fabsharford.com. ore from Fabienne Harford or visit Fabienne at http://www. fabsharford.com Page 19 “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD Page 20 7 SPIRITUAL CONSEQUENCES OF LIVING A HURRIED, BUSY LIFE In 1967, experts on time management delivered a report to the U.S. Senate. These experts believed the speed of technology, satellites and robotics would present a big problem for the American workplace in the years to come. The problem? People would have too much free time. Here’s what they concluded: the mechanism.” In other words, create a “tunnel vision” where you see nothing but the catcher behind home plate. When your life moves at freeway speed, you have no time or energy to consider the world outside of your lane. You become desensitized or unaware of brokenness in the world. Your heart becomes calloused to the things that break God’s heart. The Syrian refugee crisis. The abortion of millions around the world. The heinous treatment of God’s people by ISIS. “By 1985, people might have to choose between working 22 hours a week, 27 weeks a year or retiring at 38.” Good call, “experts.” If I had a time machine, I would fire all of you. Almost 50 years later, we’re moving faster than ever. We’re addicted to speed, obsessed with hurry. This addiction now has a name … ”hurry sickness.” Hurry sickness is defined as “a continuous struggle to accomplish more things and participate in more events in less time, frequently in the face of opposition, real or imagined, from other people.” If you’ve ever laid on the horn because the person in front of you didn’t turn fast enough, switched lanes to avoid slow drivers, or changed lanes at the grocery store because another lane had fewer people, you might suffer with hurry sickness. Our pace is out of control. And, if we compare our pace to the pace of Jesus’ life, there aren’t many similarities. Jesus was never rushed. He didn’t cater to the demands of the world. He wasn’t overwhelmed by life, even though he had an enormous mission to complete in a very short period of time. Jesus never rushed because he moved at God’s pace. You see, hurry isn’t from God. It’s the world’s pace. It’s Satan’s pace. Psychiatrist Carl Jung said, “Hurry is not OF the devil. Hurry IS the devil.” Culture’s obsession with busyness and hurriedness isn’t just a scheduling problem. It’s a heart problem. It’s time to consider what a hurried life is costing us. And, make no mistake, the cost is enormous. Here are seven consequences of living a hurried life. 1.) A hurried life relationship with God. destroys your Wing Mandao, a Chinese pastor, said, “We have so much to do that we never really commune with God as he intended in the Garden of Eden.” Intimacy with God requires stillness, attentiveness and silence. You must get off life’s busy freeway to grow closer to God. Jesus frequently removed himself from the world. He spent time alone in prayer and solitude. And in these moments, Jesus received the strength to fulfill his mission, the confidence to continue his mission, and the wisdom to discern the ways of God from the ways of the world. Unless you spend extended periods of time alone with God through prayer, solitude and sabbath, the speed of the world will skew your understanding of God. Anxiety, unrest and discontentment will hover over your life like a dark storm cloud. As Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” 2.) A hurried life feeds “approval addiction.” When your life moves at a hurried pace, you seek validation and approval in a hurried way. This explains why social media resonates with so many people. The Instagram photos and Facebook posts give you instant validation. No need to invest in relationships where people actually know you. That’s time consuming. Our culture is “in bed” with large followings and spotlights. The short-term result is validation. But the long-term consequences are burnout, loneliness and over-commitment. You see, crowds are fickle. Followings are self-seeking. They love you … until you say something they disagree with. I’ve seen this in ministry. A new family places membership, gets plugged in, becomes frustrated with an individual or church philosophy, then strikes out to the door down the road. Jesus never catered to the crowds. He often retreated from crowds to be alone. He gave his most controversial sermons when the largest crowds gathered around him. In fact, on one occasion in John 6, Jesus said something so controversial that many of his disciples left and never followed him again. That type of behavior is foreign to American Christians. Our churches often cater to crowds. We love the instant validation from a packed auditorium on Sunday morning. But Jesus didn’t care about Facebook likes or packed auditoriums. Jesus knew you couldn’t point a crowd to God if you needed their approval. You can’t point people to Jesus if you need their approval. American Christians could learn something from Jesus. Are we attracting crowds to fill our self-seeking desire for quick validation? On a personal level, are you living the life you proclaim? You can’t preach the difficult message of self-denial if you attract people on the basis of self-interest. You can’t embrace the scandalous, radical life of Jesus if you need the approval of others. Jesus knew this. That’s why he disengaged from the crowds. He wanted to be driven by God’s desires, not the crowd’s demands. 3.) A hurried life decreases your capacity to love others. It’s not a coincidence that the great love passage, 1 Corinthians 13, begins with “Love is patient.” Love isn’t easily angered. Love doesn’t leave at the first sign of trouble. It doesn’t rush to judgment. Love and hurry can’t co-exist. Matthew Kelly, in The Rhythm of Life, says relationships can only thrive under “carefree timelessness.” And this is something hurried people don’t have. The more you increase the speed of your life, the less capacity you have to love others. Considering the two greatest commandments are to love God and love others, you need to consider whether your hurried life is costing you more than you realize. It saddens me to think about the failed marriages that are the product of an impatient culture. I think about the prodigal Christians that have been abandoned because we have no capacity to wait. Love is patient. Are you? God’s heart breaks for injustice and oppression. If your heart doesn’t break for the things that break God’s heart, it’s time to slow down and consider the world outside of your lane. 6.) A hurried life increases narrowmindedness and legalism. Superficiality is the curse of our age. Richard Foster A hurried life promotes a shallow, narrow-minded understanding of God. Information is at your fingertips. Any podcast from almost any preacher can be accessed with a few clicks. You can purchase books with your phone. Type in any question, Google will answer it in seconds. all this information, you would think 4.) A hurried life increases the power of With Christians would know more about God temptation. Why did Jesus wait until he was 30 to begin his ministry? Why did he immediately go into the wilderness with the Spirit for 40 days after his baptism? Through my American lens, it seems like Jesus wasted most of his life doing nothing. He could have performed miracles long before 30, and his following might have been larger. Who knows, more people might know Jesus today if he started his ministry earlier. That’s a no-brainer, God. Why can’t you see what I see? Because I’m moving at the world’s speed. The 30 years Jesus spent in relative obscurity weren’t wasted years. God was developing an important virtue in Jesus … patience. Through temptation, Satan tries to decrease the time between impulse and action. And, in our instant gratification culture, Satan has masterfully deceived people. So many of my mistakes—sex before marriage, stealing, drunkenness, porn addiction—are the result of looking for instant gratification. Could it be that Jesus lived a perfect life largely because he started his ministry with a strong understanding of patience and waiting? These virtues take time to build. When you nurture patience, you trust God to give you the things IN TIME Satan says you need NOW. 5.) A hurried life numbs you to injustices that break God’s heart. Hurry is a desensitizer, snuffing out moments of intimacy with life to the point that we get used to living day after day with little deep feeling. Kirk Jones I was a pitcher in high school. When I pitched, my coach always told me not to worry about the crowd. Instead, he said to focus on locating my pitches. In the movie For the Love of the Game, Kevin Costner’s character called this “clearing than ever. But that’s just the problem. Information teaches you ABOUT God. Information increases knowledge. But knowledge alone leads to legalism. Truly knowing God requires discernment and wisdom. These grow incrementally through reflection, solitude, prayer and Christ-centered community. The difference between knowledge and wisdom is the difference between “God can’t work that way,” and “I can’t believe God worked that way.” It’s the difference between “either/or” and “both/and.” It’s the difference between the disciples, having minimal knowledge about God but recognizing Jesus when he approached them, and the Pharisees, having a wealth of knowledge but crucifying Jesus when he approached. The Spirit’s upside-down ways are foreign to people living a hurried life. Wisdom is slow. It can’t be microwaved or manufactured. Don’t expect to understand the upside-down movements of the Spirit if you move at the world’s speed. 7.) A hurried life clouds your purpose and diminishes your passion. “Purpose” is a trendy word in today’s culture. It’s also more elusive than the Loch Ness Monster. “What is my purpose?” is one of the most popular questions I hear as a college/young adult pastor. Many college and young adults consider their life’s purpose in this season because they’re choosing a career. And, in a hurried culture, your life’s purpose is determined by what you do. Your career. It’s all about what you can see. What you can hold. But God’s idea of purpose isn’t about DOING. It’s about BECOMING. So, the ultimate question when considering your purpose isn’t, “What do you DO?” Instead, the question is, “Who are you BECOMING?” God is concerned about who you’re BECOMING, not what you’re DOING. LIGHT OF THE WORLD “Spreading the good news to the world!” Page 21 Page 22 “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD OPRAH WINFREY GETS EMOTIONAL TALKING ABOUT JESUS, HER DAILY SPIRITUAL PRACTICE O prah Winfrey will premiere the seven-night OWN television event “Belief” this month, an interfaith program that claims to examine “humankind’s ongoing search to connect with something greater than ourselves.” In a video posted to YouTube, the media mogul became emotional while sharing her own belief practice. She also spoke about her understanding of God and how, as a child, she grew up learning biblical stories before nursery rhymes. In the lead up to the show’s October premiere, the former daytime talk show host has been promoting the program by sharing a series of videos with the hashtag #beliefstories in which she openly discusses her Christian faith and her interpretations of Jesus Christ and the Bible. Winfrey got teary-eyed while answering the question “What is my belief practice today?” in a video shared with her 10 million Facebook followers “Today, I feel the fierce love of all that is God,” the OWN network CEO said with a brief pause while choking up. “… So deeply. So strongly and so purely in my heart that it lifts and carries me and sometimes I actually feel weightless in the love that is God, because I feel it in all things. I’ve reached a point in my life where I actually pay attention to every breath and my spiritual practice is that I awaken and the first thought is ‘thank you’ and the next thought is ‘I’m still here in this body.’ And my heart’s desire is to want to live and be in this body fully present to everything, to not miss this experience of being here now on the planet we call Earth.” The global icon was raised in the church as a young child and said the Bible taught her how to surrender to Jesus. “I grew up with the stories of Elijah and Elisha and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fire,” said Winfrey. “All of these biblical characters and stories were what I learned before I learned nursery rhymes or before I learned fairytales. … I learned what it means to rely on Jesus, and not to rely on your own power. Because of those stories, I grew up knowing that real fear was trusting in only Oprah Winfrey myself and that being fearless was being In a separate video, Winfrey, whose able to release my fears to that which is until age 6, said. “Not growing up with a empire has an estimated net worth of $3 greater than myself and let God handle it.” father, I heard in church that God was my Father and that God was the Father of us billion according to Forbes, credited her Also , Winfrey sparked an online all and that Jesus was God’s son. So, in my Christian faith for keeping her grounded discussion about the Christian doctrine imagination, my way of thinking about after years of great business success. of the Holy Trinity after recalling a time God was ‘God is my Father and Jesus is “Everything that I am has come from that she once considered Jesus Christ to His Son, so I am His child which makes my belief in that which I call God,” she be her brother. She spoke candidly about me His daughter, which makes Jesus my shared. “My idea of what that is, is no how growing up without her father led her brother.” longer a person out there or in the sky, to faith when she was between the ages of but my belief in understanding that there 3 to 7 years old. In 2012, the TV mogul declared: “I am was a force, a presence, a power, a Divine a Christian. That is my faith” during her “For the earliest part of my life, I didn’t Entity, a being that loved me. And the very “Oprah’s Lifeclass: The Tour.” know my father,” Winfrey, who was idea of being loved into being is what has By Benge Nsenduluka , CP Reporter raised by her maternal grandmother up kept me grounded, centered and strong.” SHOULD I WATCH THIS? A CALL TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF ENTERTAINMENT ON YOUR LIFE O n June 7, 2003, Devin Moore entered a Fayette, Ala., police station on suspicion of stealing a car. He had no criminal history, and showed no signs of agressive behavior. Then, inexplicably, he snapped. Grabbing a police officer’s gun, he proceeded to shoot and kill three people. All three were shots to the head. After being captured, Devin Moore said this, “Life is like a video game. Everybody’s got to die sometime.” Moore spent hours upon hours playing Grand Theft Auto, a video game that has we desensitized? Are we rebelling against sold millions of copies and grossed over the uber-conservatives who believe any $2 billion. movie, song, etc. is a work of Satan? What you allow into your mind and heart And, if we’re rebelling, I get it. On a list shapes your life. of things I dislike most, the “movies are a This is an extreme example of an work of Satan” crowd comes in at number important truth: Your life is shaped three, behind cats and green bean baby by what you allow into your mind and food. Movies and music aren’t bad. In heart. Relationships. Movies. Books. fact, the opposite is true. They are good Video Games. All of these impact the gifts from God. They can reveal powerful person you are currently and the person qualities of redemption and truths about you will be in the future. Neurologist God. They can help you see God’s creation Dr. Richard Pellegrino said it this way, in new ways. “You can pour messages in, and if you This post isn’t my attempt to convince pour the wrong messages in, they take a you movies are evil. It is a call to see particular power—more than the listener the importance of intentionality and understands.” discernment. It’s a call to stop swinging If you don’t believe videos and music shape on a pendulum from “almost everything your mind, consider the companies who goes” to “all movies are from Satan.” It’s a cut $3 million checks for a 30-second ad call to embrace the “gray area.” It’s in this during the Super Bowl. Three million … area that you must deal with your heart for 30 seconds?! That’s crazy unless these and motives. companies are confident that showing you Should I watch this? Here are seven a glimpse of their product will influence questions to help you answer that question. your mind and increase their revenue. 1.) Does this movie or show celebrate sin Last night, I couldn’t sleep thinking about and make righteousness look strange? this. You see, I’m not sure Christians approach any other issue with as much For years, I heard, “You’re sinning if apathy and passivity as they do with you watch a rated-R movie.” Then, Mel their entertainment choices. This is Gibson filmed The Passion of the Christ, puzzling when you consider the potential and it was rated … wait for it … R. How entertainment has to shape our lives. Are could this be? freshmen at the University of Michigan who turned the college basketball world upside down in the early ’90s. The show was fascinating regardless, but when I saw it through a gospel lens, I noticed some truths about how people create movements. They build community. They stand firm in their values. They celebrate one another. They take risks. These are all truths from God. Truths that these five freshmen used to change college basketball. Here’s how. The Bible is littered with sin, from cover to cover (excluding, of course Genesis 1-2). In fact, if the Bible were made into a film, the rating would probably be worse than R. I mean, really, how would you even film the scene in Judges 19-21? But, here’s what the Bible never does. It NEVER celebrates sin. It NEVER champions sin, making it look normal. It NEVER paints righteousness as strange, boring or something only for Class A losers. This is the opposite of many (not all) movies and shows. The coolest people have the most sex. The most popular people degrade others. It’s normal to betray your friends to get what you want. And when someone tries to do the right thing, they are often painted as closeminded killjoys whose sole purpose is to rob everyone of fun. If you approach movies and TV with a gospel lens, truths about God will jump off the screen and into your heart. Doing this also focuses your mind on the positive, so when the movie is over, the images that stick aren’t ones of brokenness and sin, but goodness and beauty. I believe, as Christians, this is an important layer when it comes to consuming movies, music, etc. But it requires intentionality. 3.) Does this feed a struggle or temptation? Two years ago, while battling an addiction to porn, I made the decision to cut movies, TV and music unless they explicitly glorified God. I made this decision because my mind needed a detox. I struggled mightily with lust, and any image of a woman wearing slightly less than normal was a temptation. I firmly believe that decision played a major role in my recovery, and ultimately my freedom, The presence of sin in a movie isn’t from addiction. grounds to dismiss it. If that’s your filter, The question isn’t “Can you watch this dismiss the Bible as well. The question or listen to that?” the question is “Should that needs to be asked is, “Does this movie you watch it?” Some movies might celebrate sin?” portray truth, but contain scenes that feed 2.) Am I intentionally looking for truth a struggle in your life. about God? If you struggle with lust, it’s not a wise Several months ago, I watched a decision to watch movies that tempt you documentary about the “Fab Five.” The to lust. The same is true if you struggle show wasn’t about God. It was about five cont. on Page 25 LIGHT OF THE WORLD “Spreading the good news to the world!” Page 23 Page 24 “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD POPE FRANCIS SHOULD’VE BEEN MORE LIKE MOTHER TERESA IN MEETING KIM DAVIS P ope Francis made a powerful statement by meeting with gay marriage dissenter Kim Davis. But imagine how much more powerful it would have been had the meeting been public, rather than private. Pope Francis has come and gone. His fiveday sojourn in America started with a visit to Washington, D.C. (including speaking to a joint session of the U.S. Congress), continued in New York City (including a speech to the U.N. General Assembly) and concluded with a World Congress of Families in Philadelphia. What should one make of this historic visit? The mass appeal generated by the pope’s visit, symbolized by a millionperson mass in Philadelphia, was extraordinary by any standard or measure. The pope is a head of state (Vatican City), thus a political figure, but primarily and overwhelmingly he is an overtly religious figure in that he is the titular head of the world communion of Roman Catholics. The massive public outpouring of goodwill and visceral emotion generated by the visit of such an overtly religious figure reveals just how ultimately empty and unfulfilling millions of Americans find their secularizing lives and society to be. Multitudes are clearly yearning for spiritual sustenance. I cannot help but wonder how many in the left-leaning American secular mass media were mystified, if not down right alarmed, by just how popular Pope Francis proved to be to Americans, no matter how encouraging the media found his support of their political agenda to be. The incredible grassroots response to the pope’s visit certainly calls into question just how rapidly and irreversibly America is secularizing. In his speech to Congress, and later at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, the pontiff was more overtly political than many conservative Catholics and non- “By contrast, the Pope was explicit not only on immigration and climate change, Some of my conservative Catholic friends but on the death penalty and arms trading ranged from disappointed to grieved that ...” (Investor’s Business Daily, 9/28/15). Pope Francis was much more forceful and emphatic when speaking about climate It certainly appeared that the Pope was change, economic justice and peace- putting the emphasis on issues associated making (including positive comments with the left, at least in public. about the Iran deal), than he was when In private, it now surfaces, he secretly met dealing with the sanctity of human life, with Kentucky Count Clerk Kim Davis same-sex marriage and religious freedom. and her husband at the Papal Nunciature Why? in Washington, D.C. after his speech to a It is certainly true that the Catechism joint session of Congress. of the Catholic Church requires a On Wednesday it was revealed that he had “balanced” view of economic policy: met with the Davises, prayed for her and, “The Church has rejected the totalitarian according to Mrs. Davis, Pope Francis and atheistic ideologies associated in “thanked me for my courage and told me modern times with communism or to ‘stay strong.’” socialism. She has likewise refused to Why meet secretly? Imagine the impact accept, in the practice of capitalism, if that visit had been publicized while he individualism and the absolute primacy was still in the spotlight in America. of the law of the marketplace over human labor. Regulating the economy solely by I must confess that as I observed the centralized planning perverts the basis of Pope’s visit my memory kept going social bonds; regulating it solely by the law back to another visit from another world of the marketplace fails social justice, for renowned and beloved Catholic leader, there are many human needs which cannot Mother Teresa, who visited America in be satisfied by the market. Reasonable of 1994 to speak to speak at the National the marketplace and economic initiatives, Prayer Breakfast in Washington. in keeping with a just hierarchy of values Mother Teresa held the audience in a view to the common good, is to be spellbound as she made an eloquent plea commended” (Catechism of the Catholic for the sanctity of all human life from Church 2425; A, 10; 13; 44). conception to natural death with President Still, the Pope’s choice of emphasis Clinton and his wife Hillary sitting less concerned and disappointed many than six feet from the podium. No one conservatives, Catholic and Protestant who witnessed such brave, eloquent and alike. explicit speaking of truth to power will ever forget it. By the way, as Mother As liberal commentator Ruth Marcus Teresa spoke, the stone-faced First Lady put it: became more and more flushed. I actually “But for the most part, the statements thought she might spontaneously combust that put Francis in line with conservatives before the speech was over. were muted and indirect — and when, in a Here is some of what Mother Teresa year that saw the Supreme Court legalize said: same-sex marriage, he said ‘Fundamental relationships are being called into “But I feel that the greatest destroyer of question, as in the very basis of marriage peace today is abortion, because it is a war against the child — a direct killing of the and the family.’ innocent child — murder by the mother Catholics had hoped he would be. herself. And if we accept that a mother can kill her own child, how can we tell other people not to kill one another?” She then went on to say “any country that accepts abortion is not teaching people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. That is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion.” Then she immediately pressed the point home: “But what does God say to us? He says, ‘even if a mother could forget her child, I will not forget you. I have carved you in the palm of my hand.’ We are carved in the palm of His hand — that unborn child has been carved in the hand of God from conception, and is called by God to love and be loved, not only now in this life, but forever. God can never forget us.” Now that is a testimony of the value and dignity of human life. Imagine if Pope Francis had said that to the joint session of Congress, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi might have needed medical assistance. What a historic tragedy that Pope Francis did not seize his moment the way Mother Teresa did. Moral capital is like political capital. If you hoard it, and don’t invest it in worthy causes, it atrophies and dissipates. By Richard Land Christian Post TEN GIFTS YOUR PASTOR WILL LOVE CONT’D FROM PG.12 pastor and his family can have at least one week to get away on a vacation. In a day where most “faithful” church members miss at least one Sunday a month and take multiple trips or vacations a year, it’s not asking too much to make sure he and his family have at least one. 9. Time by himself 8. Time with his family He won’t be any good to your family if he’s not any good to his family. If you have a need that’s not an emergency, leave a message and tell him there’s no hurry. Or send an email or a direct message. No pastor minds taking a call or making a visit if there is a real need, but make sure it is a real need before you call in the evening or on the weekend when he’s with his family. Another good idea is to insist and, if funds are available, make sure the The demands of being a pastor today are exponentially greater than they were just 25 or 30 years ago. The pressure of meeting all the needs and living up to the expectations can get to the point that it just becomes too much to bear. This explains why so many pastors are burning out and quitting—often to never darken the door of a church with their families again. Let your pastor get away to a good conference where he can refreshed. Send him on a hunting or fishing or golf trip. Whatever he likes to do. Allow him to recharge his batteries so he can come back energized for the ministry the Lord has for him there. If your pastor is always available, he won’t be worth anything when he is available. giving a gift card for a nice meal. Or, even better, a little extra money to do whatever they want to do with it. Express your appreciation for the long hours of ministry and love he gives, not just during 10. A financial gift the month of October but the rest of the There is a reason why this is last—because year as well. it’s last. For most pastors I know and have These are just a few thoughts of a pastor talked to, a love offering is way down at who was raised in the home of a pastor the bottom of a list of things they would and loves pastors. like to receive from their church. Now, I’m not saying there aren’t those pastors What gift will you give to your pastor who are more like used car salesmen today? Every day? who are always out to get an extra buck Brad Whitt is the newly-installed pastor of the historic or two. I’m also not saying there are not Abilene Baptist Church in Augusta, GA. A leading young pastors who may have a financial need voice among Southern Baptists, Dr. Whitt recently moved the church doesn’t know about and a gift to Georgia following a ten-year pastorate in South Carolina right now would help them maintain their where he served as president of the SCBC Pastor’s self-respect or help them get ahead a just Conference. A former NAMB church planter, Brad is little bit. I’m just saying most pastors an avid outdoorsman and gifted speaker for crusades, don’t become pastors to get rich or have conferences and men’s events. He and his wife, Kim, live a lot of money. They do it because of the in the Augusta area with their 3 young children. call of God on their life. So, consider “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD LightSPORTS Page 25 FIFA BANS FORMER VICE PRESIDENT JACK WARNER FOR LIFE IFA has banned former vice president Jack Warner from the organization for life, the Associated Press reports. F in 2005 showing the sale of the 2010 and 2014 World Cup rights to Caribbean Football Union, which was controlled by Warner. On Tuesday, FIFA said Warner “committed many and various acts of misconduct continuously and repeatedly during his time as an official in different high-ranking and influential positions at FIFA and CONCACAF.” The sale totaled to $600,000. Warner then transferred the rights to his private company and sold them for about $20 million. Warner was also involved in the “offer, acceptance and receipt of undisclosed and illegal payments,” FIFA added. Jack Warner in Zurich with Sepp Blatter I guess that Warner posted a statement on his there is no such thing as a coincidence.” Facebook page in response to the ban. The decision to ban Warner over “[If] the FIFA wants to ban me for life misconduct comes as Swiss officials are without even a hearing then so be it,” investigating FIFA’s bidding process for Warner said, “I do not believe however the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. that this will serve as the distraction to On Friday, the Swiss attorney general the FIFA’s present problems as the FIFA announced that FIFA president Sepp wishes it to be. Given what is happening Blatter was also under investigation In 2011, following his departure from FIFA after he was implicated in bribery, Warner claimed that FIFA agreed to give him cheap World Cup rights in exchange for helping Blatter continue to win for criminal mismanagement and elections. misappropriation. Those charges stem from the “unfavorable” contract Blatter Warner is one of 14 former FIFA officials forged with the Caribbean Football Union who were indicted and charged with and Warner in 2005, as well as from racketeering, wire fraud and money suspected “disloyal payment” to UEFA laundering conspiracies by the United States on May 27. He is currently in president Michel Platini. Trinidad, fighting extradition. On Sept. 11, Swiss broadcaster SRF published a document signed by Blatter - Erin Flynn CAMEROON: NEW FA CHIEF TOMBI A ROKO SIDIKI VOWS TO UNITE BODY N ew Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot) president Tombi A Roko Sidiki has vowed to unite the body and restore his country's sporting pride. Sidiki was elected on last month and will take over from the Fifa-appointed Normalisation Committee that has run Fecafoot since July 2013. "We must all sit together and talk if we want to rebuild," he told BBC Sport. "I will bring everybody to the project to work together to make Cameroonians proud of the football we all love." Tombi A. Roko By successfully holding elections, Cameroon met a Fifa deadline to avoid a ban from world football. "Nobody would be left aside but they are free to accept the hand of fellowship or not And Sidiki has been quick to make a - and we welcome constructive criticism start on healing the divisions that have that would help us advance." threatened Fecafoot and Cameroonian football. As part of an 11-point agenda, Sidiki revealed he would ensure there is He reached out to former international development of infrastructure in regions goalkeeper Joseph-Antoine Bell, a vocal that would not benefit from the 2019 critic of the Cameroonian game who Nations Cup, as well a plan to construct failed in his bid to stand as a presidential new Fecafoot offices. candidate, to work with the new Fecafoot. The 52-year-old also intends to place an "I would call on those who nursed emphasis on youth football and develop ambitions in different sectors with an programme of of social responsibility contradicting views, Joseph Bell Antoine that would apply particularly to former among them, to collaborate because footballers. football is made up of 11 players but By Leocadia Bongben requires teamwork. BBC Sport, Yaounde SHOULD I WATCH THIS? A CALL TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF ENTERTAINMENT ON YOUR LIFE CONT’D FROM PG.22 feeling toward someone. Reality says love is a decision and a commitment. I wonder how many marriages fail because someone jumps into a relationship believing a person will complete them. I wonder how many people never experience intimacy in a relationship because they equate love with emotions and feelings? Let’s remember this. Movie producers aren’t interested in portraying the truth. They’re interested in selling tickets. If you’re always discontent, you could have an unhealthy level of entertainment consumption. If you’re always discontent, struggle to build healthy relationships or would rather be the lead character in your favorite movie than play the lead role in your own life, maybe your consumption of movies is unhealthy. 5.) Would I watch this if it happened in my living room? Events and circumstances become more real to you as you move closer to them. For example, a million pictures of orphans in China won’t impact your life the way flying to China and seeing those orphans personally will. I would rather see Tiffani for a day than look at dozens of different pictures of her for months. So, if you’re struggling with whether a movie celebrates sin, ask yourself this question: If it happened in my living room, would I watch it? 6.) Is this the BEST use of my time? How you spend your time is a stewardship issue. The trendy phrase is “redeeming the time.” What you call it doesn’t matter, the important thing is that you understand God will hold you accountable for how you use your time. So, although entertainment is inherently good, the real issue becomes how you use God’s good gift. Are you using it to wind down and refresh your mind? Are you looking for elements of God’s character? Are you consuming it in excess? Are you watching it to fill your selfish pleasures? These questions matter. And there’s no cut-and-dry answer, unless, of course, you’re binge-watching 30 episodes of Breaking Bad. Hard to justify that. What’s entertainment and refreshment for me might be gluttony and filling of selfish pleasures for you. So, you must examine your heart and check your motives. 7.) Am I watching this because I am bored? Boredom, in essence, is a lack of interest or apathy with your current situation. In my teenage years, I experienced boredom quite often. But, in the last several years, I can count on my hands the number of times I’ve said, “I’m bored.” Here’s why. I’m doing work that I love. I enjoy getting up every day. I love ministering to the next generation. I love writing. I love spending time with my family. Here’s another way to say it: I’m living out my purpose and doing meaningful work. You see, boredom is a product of overconsumption and/or laziness. You won’t hear world-changers say they’re bored very often. They’re too busy doing meaningful work. They’re too busy impacting lives. You see, the remedy to boredom isn’t to consume more. The remedy is to create something. Do something meaningful. The remedy to boredom is to do something meaningful with your life. I love this question because it reminds you that God created you for a purpose. He didn’t create you to simply exist. He created you to … create. So, next time you’re bored, rather than running to Netflix or the local movie theater, try doing something meaningful. When it comes to the movies you watch, intentionality and purpose must factor in the equation. “I probably shouldn’t watch it, but …” “I’m trying to relate to my non-Christian friends” or “It’s harmless entertainment” aren’t sufficient answers. Neither is “I just don’t watch movies or TV.” This isn’t THE guide for choosing which movies to watch. It’s an open door for discussion. What you allow into your mind shapes your life. Let’s consider that as we choose how we consume any form of entertainment. What do you think? How should Christians approach entertainment? Leave a comment below. I love you all. To God be the glory forever. Amen! Frank Powell serves in the Campbell Street Church of Christ in Jackson, Tenn., ministering to college-age and young adults. More from Frank Powell or visit Frank at http:// frankpowell.me Page 26 “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD SEVEN LESSONS FROM BURKINA FASO’S SEVEN-DAY COUP Bbc West Africa Correspondent Thomas Fessy Looks At The Lessons We Can Learn From The Coup In Burkina Faso, Which Has Been Reversed Just A Week After The Presidential Guards Seized Power: 1 The coup was a waste of time and life They recommended that Mr Compaore’s allies be allowed to run in the elections and offered an amnesty to the soldiers behind the coup. General Gilbert Diendere’s mea culpa - however sincere it may be - contains, perhaps, the first lesson of this coup. This proposed plan didn’t go down well in Burkina Faso. It prompted regular troops who sided with the protesters - to march on the capital city, Ouagadougou, to face Gen Diendere’s men. “Human lives were lost,” he said, admitting that seizing power had been “a waste of time and resources for Burkina Faso.” Between 10 and 20 people were killed (the exact death toll is still unknown) and more than a hundred more were left injured with bullet wounds. Coups often have a human cost that is unnecessary. BURKINA FASO’S COUP: WHO’S WHO? People expect stronger regional institutions. The population of Burkina Faso want the men who grabbed power and shot civilians dead to face justice. Some civil society activists were strident in their criticism of the coup plotters In October last year, when former President 2 The goals behind the coup will not necessarily Compaore tried to change the constitution be achieved so he could run for another term in office, people took to the streets and forced him out. After all, the presidential guard nearly trashed months of national and international violently resisted months of popular efforts to organise elections - why would discontent earlier this year. He eventually got they get away with it? his third term in office but at a bloody cost dozens have been killed. His move sparked anger within the international community, including some African countries. Civil society groups, and the youth in particular, have shown that in one of the world’s poorest countries, democracy may In the Democratic Republic of Congo, come from grassroots initiatives rather than grassroots activists have received support from their counterparts in Burkina Faso and built by a power-hungry elite. Senegal but some of them have been jailed. THE ‘HEROES’ OF BURKINA FASO’S REVOLUTION President Joseph Kabila is widely believed to 4 ...and they may herald the beginning of the want to try to play with the election schedule end of coups in Africa to extend his rule. Gen Diendere has admitted his actions In today’s Africa, there are military coups President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, too, has Burkina Faso avoided rival wings of the armed forces coming into open conflict were a mistake 6 Dialogue prevailed, even within the army Gen Diendere explained that the coup was precipitated by the interim authority’s decision to prevent associates of former President Blaise Compaore from taking part in the elections, and by a plan to disband the elite presidential guard. There were many fears of a descent into armed conflict when Ecowas mediators failed to reverse the coup over the weekend. Army chiefs sent regular troops to Ouagadougou but called on Gen Diendere’s men to return to their barracks rather than leading a straight offensive to forcibly disarm them. It remains to be seen whether the transitional government will now allow Mr Compaore’s allies to contest the elections, while the role of the presidential guard within the army will certainly be redefined. A tense stand-off ensued for 24 hours. But dialogue prevailed throughout as rival “The biggest mistake was to carry out this generals spoke several times and sought coup,” he said, “because nowadays, when to find a peaceful solution to avoid further President of Benin Thomas Yayi Boni (third from left) is one of the leaders who has we talk about democracy, we can’t afford bloodshed. had to change their plans in the light of events in Burkina Faso such acts.” Burkina Faso’s army chiefs have given and what many call “constitutional coups”. yet to clarify whether he will seek an extra term despite laws that prevent him from The Burkinabe example has certainly spread running again. democratic hopes and actions in Africa. 5 African institutions have yet to show their Benin’s President Thomas Yayi Boni teeth has since abandoned plans to change the constitution. In a rare show of strength, the African Union referred to the soldiers behind the coup as Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo-Brazzaville “terrorists”. has just announced that he will hold a referendum over the very same issue. Let’s The AU’s condemnation showed no room see whether the vote is free and fair. for compromise. Mogho Naba played a crucial role in mediation efforts The situation threatened to spiral into 3 Grassroots activists can make a difference... He played a key role in appeasing tensions at a time when Burkina Faso could have slipped into serious violence. Of course, it doesn’t work everywhere on the However, West African leaders from the conflict before a deal was agreed continent yet but citizens are mobilising. regional bloc Ecowas sent mediators who This was Gen Diendere’s third coup. He were seen as giving in to the coup leaders’ African armies a very important lesson Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza helped Thomas Sankara take power in 1983 demands. in showing restraint and trying to avoid and he then overthrew him, along with Mr confrontation at all costs. Compaore four years later. 7 Traditional leaders still play a key role Whether you look at Cpt Sankara’s popular As rival senior officers gave dialogue a support or at the 27 years that Mr Compaore priority, they involved the traditional leader, spent in power, you may conclude that Gen or Mogho Naba, a well-respected, symbolic Diendere’s first two coups were successful. and neutral figure in the country. This one was not. The Mossi king brokered a non-aggression “We have taken lessons for the future,” Gen deal between the presidential guard and the rest of the army, clearly avoiding the worst. Diendere went on to say. This is the second time in less than a year that the people of Burkina Faso have succeeded in ousting those who they saw as trying to confiscate power. Members of the presidential guard LIGHT OF THE WORLD “Spreading the good news to the world!” Page 27 Page 28 “Spreading the good news to the world!” LIGHT OF THE WORLD