A boy collects candy as he goes trick-or-treating for Halloween in Santa Monica, California, Oct. 31, 2012.
While some Christians refuse to take part in Halloween celebrations, Answers in Genesis (AiG) president Ken Ham suggests that the occasion can be used to spread the gospel.
Based on the study of LifeWay Research in 2015, 54 percent of Christians in America see nothing wrong about celebrating Halloween “all in good fun” while 18 percent avoid taking part in the celebrations for the sole reason of its pagan origins, and 23 percent refuse to celebrate for the combined reasons of its pagan origins and other factors.
However, in an exclusive interview with Gospel Herald, Ham said that Halloween can be an opportunity for Christians to spread God’s word and that parents should take it upon themselves to decide if they allow their children to take part in the celebrations or not.
“I think parents should make their own decision before God as to what they’re going to allow their kids to participate in and why. More and more Christians are recognizing that this is an opportunity to use this time to witness to others,” Ham said.
Ham also pointed out that many churches these days have come up with an alternative to Halloween by adding a religious twist to it, such as the “reverse trick-or-treat” where Christians dress up in costumes, knock on their neighbors’ doors, and give them candy or home-baked goodies together with Bible Tracts.
Nonetheless, even if Christians opt to stick to the traditional trick-or-treat practice, Ham said that it can still be an opportunity to spread the gospel. According to Ham, who is also the president of the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter, he and his wife have made it a practice to give away not only candies to trick-or-treaters on Halloween but Bible Tracts, too.
“We have big bucket of candy and we also have some special gospel tracts that we give to them with the candy. We believe we are doing our best to get the message of God’s truth to people,” Ham said.
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This past summer, Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vermont, grilled President Trump’s pick for deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget over comments he made about Muslims.
In a conservative blog, Russell Vought, an evangelical Christian, defended Wheaton College for forcing out a professor who said Christians and Muslims worship the same God.
“I’m a Christian, and I believe in a Christian set of principles based on my faith,” said Vought at his confirmation hearing.
He added, “That post was to defend my alma mater, Wheaton College, a Christian school that has a statement of faith that includes the centrality of Jesus Christ for salvation.”
During Vought’s confirmation hearing, Sanders asked if the comments were Islamophobic. Sanders ultimately decided he would not vote for Vought.
Religious Beliefs Used as a ‘Litmus Test’ for Public Office
The attack against Vought shows just how tense the political environment has become for people of faith and the danger of using religion as a litmus test for public office.
“Christians are being discriminated against, and this is the hypocrisy of liberalism,” said Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress.
“Those who cry the loudest for tolerance are usually the most intolerant people when it comes to ideas with which they disagree,” he said.
Following Vought’s confirmation hearing, Jeffress demanded that Sanders apologize or resign.
Did Sanders Cross a Constitutional Line?
In an interview with CBN News, Jeffress said, “Here we had an evangelical Christian being questioned and Bernie Sanders got into the religious issue and took issue with this nominee’s belief that faith in Jesus Christ is the only to heaven. That is the foundation of biblical Christianity for 2,000 years, and Senator Sanders started to lecture this nominee and said he wasn’t sure he could vote for him.”
Jeffress, a member of the President’s Evangelical Advisory Council, said Sanders also crossed a constitutional line.
He explained, “Article Six of the Constitution says government cannot impose a litmus test, a religious litmus test for service. Now you and I can use whatever litmus test we want. But government can’t impose that, and that’s why I said Senator Sanders needs to apologize for what he said or he needs to resign.”
The mistreatment didn’t end with Vought.
Catholic Nominee Grilled Over Religious Beliefs
In September, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, applied her own religious test to federal appeals court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
Barrett, a law professor at Notre Dame and a practicing Catholic, felt pressured to explain how her religious beliefs might affect her legal decisions.
Feinstein specifically referenced a 2006 graduation speech where Barrett made several references to God.
In her speech, Barrett told graduates, “No matter how exciting any career is, what is it really worth if you don’t make it part of a bigger life project to know, love and serve the God who made you.”
She went on to encourage students to “pray about your career choices before you make them.”
Feinstein said in the confirmation hearing, “When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you, and that’s of concern when you come to big issues that large numbers of people have fought for years.”
Metaxas: Religious Tests Are ‘Frightening’
Conservative author and radio host Eric Metaxas calls what amounts to a religious test, troubling.
“To me the idea that U.S. senators are this ignorant about this incredibly, utterly central element in American freedom, I find frightening, and it should be a wakeup call to everybody,” he told CBN News.
He said acts like this must be called out by all sides.
“Americans should not allow leaders to not understand this,” said Metaxas.
“You can have different views of faith or whatever, but when you don’t understand that that is sacrosanct, [it’s a problem]. In America, for 240 years, we have said you never go there. That is pure bigotry.”
While liberals might consider their actions as just political posturing, Metaxas sees the problem as much more serious.
“When Sen. Feinstein did this recently, I thought, she actually thinks that what she’s saying is OK. She thinks it’s just politics. It’s not just politics. It’s fundamentally unconstitutional,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jeffress believes the problem is likely to get worse.
“I don’t believe that is the call for fatalism, and I see that in too many Christians,” he said.
“They just throw up their hands. It’s all going to go to hell in a handbasket: Let’s just get in our holy huddles and try to encourage one another and hope nobody does anything bad to us. That is not what Christians need to be doing. We are to be on the offense,” said Jeffress.
Metaxas says the best way to do that is through prayer.
“The one thing however that we have as Christians is we have the power of prayer, and we need to pray against this.”
He added, “This is not God’s will. It’s God’s will that everyone be genuinely free, and we need to pray hard that in this nation that this would be preserved,” he said.
Reprinted with permission from CBN.com. Copyright The Christian Broadcasting Network, all rights reserved.
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Topic: I Know Your Works V [Friday 20, October 2017] Memorise: “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” – Matthew 26:41
Read: Revelation 3:1-6
1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Bible In One Year: Mark 14. Hymn: Sing Hymn 4 – Take My Life And Let It Be
MESSAGE:
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the most practical personality that has ever lived on earth. This should not be surprising; since He is both God and man; He came to show us the way to live a victorious and fulfilled life. He affirmed that He came that we may have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). Our compassionate Lord, who would not want anyone, particularly those who have confessed Him as Lord to perish, is here in today’s reading, warning the Church to remember how they started and hold fast the Word of truth.
Another interesting lesson we must learn from today’s reading is that the Almighty God knows the state and details our lives, both spiritually and physically. However, you have to watch over your soul in this perverse generation and pray always if you will be worthy at the end of time. Moreover, the Lord promised that He would judge individuals in the church according to each person’s deeds. There shall be no collective responsibility when it comes to spiritual accountability.
Action Point: Since the Lord knows your works; take a self-examination of yourself and see where you need to repent, watch and pray for restoration.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional for Teen’s guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.
Topic: Expect Wonderful Things In Christ — Friday October 20, 2017.
“…and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”(Isaiah 9:6 KJV)
If you have had an encounter with Jesus, you are not ordinary. Therefore, don’t expect things to happen to you as they happen to others. What you expect is what you get. The bible says his name shall be called wonderful, meaning you will be a wonder to behold. If you go for an interview you will be successful. If they put you behind the line, God will bypass the line and place you ahead of them. The enemy wants you dead, but God will disappoint their devices. People are watching around you, but the more they look at you the more beautiful you are. His name shall be called wonderful. This means you should expect wonders! It is your birthright because Christ in you is the hope of glory. Expect glory and not shame. I proclaim boldly, that the shame is over. You cannot see shame. You are called for glory.
Beloved, the names of Christ are his attributes. They point you to what you should expect. His name shall be called Counselor! In other words God intends to let you know what will happen at all times, how and where, what to do, where to go, what to sell and what to invest in. When Christ was to feed five thousand people, He knew what to do. Jesus does not want us to beat about the bush. From this moment forward you won’t beat about the bush. You will be on target. His name shall be called Counselor. That means he will counsel you. He will tell you about your husband, about your wife, how to live with them, about your academics and about every area of your life. He will let you know all you need to know. Expect these for they are yours in Christ.
Further Reading: Matthew 14:15-21, John 14:26, John 16:13
Written by Dr. Mike Okonkwo; Is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM); a versatile man of God with over 30 years of dedicated service unto the Lord.
Abuse happens in the church, too, and we cannot ignore it. (Public Domain Pictures)
I actually wrote this article four weeks ago but did not feel led to release it until a more appropriate time. In light of the sexual abuse scandals exploding in Hollywood (most recently Harvey Weinstein), I believe now is the appropriate time to also deal with the subject of sexual predator pastors.
My objective in writing this article is not to be negative about church leadership (an overwhelming majority of spiritual leaders I have met and/or know do not fit in this predator category!) but to help bring discernment, repentance and to uncover the works of hell that traumatize many saints. Also, the following missive should not upset spiritual leaders who have nothing to hide.
Predators are those who have a pattern of intentionally using their position of authority to take advantage of church members to gratify their own sexual desires. This pattern of abuse has been historically pervasive in all spheres of society—even in the church and ministry. This is because any narcissist (who usually has a sense of entitlement) tends to abuse the power entrusted to them, which results in taking advantage of those under their influence.
Since I have served primarily in full-time church ministry (not primarily marketplace ministry), I write this article from the perspective of a pastor. However, most of these following traits can be said of predators in any field of work.
In the context of this article, the word “predator” describes a pastor and/or church leader who sexually preys on vulnerable and/or willing congregational members. I have observed that it doesn’t matter how old or how physically unappealing a spiritual leader is—church members can be attracted to their anointing, title, and position of power.
To be fair—there are probably many more “predator church members” with a seducing spirit who sexually desire their pastor than there are predator pastors in the contemporary church; but the focus of this article is wayward spiritual leaders, not church members.
It is also possible that either a spiritual leader or a congregant can unintentionally fall into an inappropriate relationship because of the depravity of human nature, which doesn’t necessarily identify them as a predator. Hence, I do not believe that all spiritual leaders who fall into sin are predators— only those who intentionally use their position of authority to take advantage of a church member to gratify their own sexual desires.
The following are 10 traits of predator pastors:
1. Predator pastors plan a long-term courtship.
Just like those in any other field of work, predator pastors survey their surroundings and plan a long-term courtship that enables them to catch their prey. By courtship, I am referring to a slow, patient process of subtly interacting with a person they are attracted to. This can start off by intentionally bumping into them, having casual conversations that gradually progress from generalities to intimate interchange based on common goals, empathy or ministry collaboration.
This process can take months or even years—all the while, the unsuspecting person innocently plays along with said predator leader. At first, said pastor throws out general bait, then gets more specific if their targeted member takes the bait and grants them more personal access.
If this sounds devious and demonic, it is. Predators are as slow, deliberate and cunning as a serpent and will take sexual advantage of people when they can—no matter how long it takes.
2. A predator seeks out the vulnerable members.
Since pastors make a living observing human nature, they can easily spot a vulnerable member to whom they are attracted. Characteristics they look out for include, but are not limited to: those having marital problems, divorced, lonely singles who have never married, those experiencing great trauma and pain, those newly saved looking for a mentor and so on. Anybody under the purview of a leader that fits any of the above categories is a prime candidate to be sexually objectified by predator pastors.
3. A predator pastor seeks those infatuated with them.
A predator pastor is not stupid and can tell which people feel an attraction and/or are infatuated with them. Characteristics of those infatuated with them include those who incessantly try to make eye contact with them, those always coming specifically to the pastor for personal prayer after their Sunday messages, those always flattering them regarding their preaching and or appearance. Of course, not every believer who does some of the above is infatuated or has evil desires in their heart. Those a predator pastor deems infatuated with them will most likely be among their first targets, because they usually look for low-hanging fruit.
4. Predator pastors offer to pray for the unsuspecting.
Unfortunately, a predator will even make use of the sacred things of God such as prayer to ascertain a fleshly connection with unsuspecting members. In my opinion, it is rarely appropriate when a male pastor offers private prayer regularly to a female church attendee. In my book, this is a red flag in most cases, with few exceptions.
5. A predator offers to become a mentor or guide.
Many attractive members, young or old, would jump at the chance for their lead pastor to mentor them personally. While in many cases a seasoned male pastor can paternally mentor a lady as a spiritual daughter or apprentice, both the mentor and mentee should keep their discernment level at a peak so as not to allow the enemy and/or a predator spirit to enter the relationship.
6. A predator pastor often feigns concern for their victim’s family.
One of the biggest tricks up the sleeve of predator pastor is when they intentionally interact and minister to their victim’s spouse and family as a smokescreen that hides their true intentions. Remember, just because there is a close association with family members doesn’t negate the fact that a person in that family is a target of a predator.
7. A predator pastor justifies the relationship on biblical grounds.
I have heard of spiritual leaders and lead pastors saying that God gave them a “spirit wife”—which transcends natural marriage and justifies adultery. I have heard of pastors who taught that since the kingdom has no male or female—sexual relations have no negative consequence, because that comes under the purview of the world, not the kingdom. I have even heard pastors say that since King David had his Bathsheba without losing his throne, they can have their own mistress without losing their ministry (they say that no man or church can remove them from their pulpit).
Others have used Old Testament Scripture to justify touching the thigh of a church member as a sign of a biblical covenant between them (I kid you not—I have heard it all!). Pastors who twist Scripture to justify aberrant sexual relations with church members are predators and should be removed from their ministry and defrocked until recognized spiritual leaders attest on their behalf that true repentance has occurred. (Ministerial restoration in these extreme cases should only take place after years of walking in a process of restoration and proper biblical indoctrination.)
8. Predator pastors abuse their position of authority.
As noted in the introduction, clerical predators utilize their ecclesial title to gain access to the personal lives of those they sexually target. The unsuspecting naively think that just because a person has the title of a spiritual leader, they must have others’ best interests in mind. interests in mind.
9. Predator pastors have low self- esteem and go after those under them.
Often, predators suffer with low self-esteem and try to sexually connect only with those they deem inferior (inferior either spiritually or in knowledge and experience). Each sexual conquest they experience makes them feel better about themselves and feeds their ego. Not every pastor with low self-esteem fits this category—but most predators in general probably lack a sense of inner worth and use these illicit dalliances to mollify their inferiority complex.
10. Predator pastors are repeat offenders.
Unfortunately, as with all predators, there is usually more than one victim. If a pastor has been found to prey on one individual, there is a great chance there are several other victims in the congregation. (Each victim thinks they are unique to said predator, but the sad reality is that they were objectified to satisfy predator lust—with the absence of true biblical love).
Finally, may the Lord root out and expose predator pastors who function more like wolves than as shepherds. To repeat what was already stated in a previous point: Just because a spiritual leader falls into sexual sin with a church member does not make them either a wolf or a predator. A predator pastor is one who intentionally uses their position in the church to take advantage of people on a regular basis. And may the Lord guard all of our hearts so that we never fall away from our call as pastors to feed (not objectify) the flock of God, which was purchased with the blood of Jesus (1 Pet. 5:1-4; Acts 20:28).
Dr. Joseph Matterais an internationally known author, interpreter of culture and activist/theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence nations. He is renowned for addressing current events through the lense of Scripture by applying biblical truths and offering cogent defenses to today’s postmodern culture. He leads several organizations, including The United Coalition of Apostolic Leaders (uscal.us). He also has a blog on Charisma News called “The Pulse.” To order one of his books or to subscribe to his weekly newsletter go to josephmattera.org.
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Topic: The Transformational Power of Positive Information [Friday October 20, 2017]
Scripture:So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul: when thou hast found it, then there shall be a reward, and thy expectation shall not be cut off. Proverbs 24:14
Thought For The Day: Quality information is the secret of destiny transformation.
It has been established that information has the power to transform a person’s life. There is something you will hear or read that will change your life for the better. Quality information is the secret of destiny transformation. Behind every form of deliverance is information or a revelation. It is revelation that removes evil blindfolds and breaks the chains of bondage off people’s lives. The woman with the issue of blood in Luke 8:43-47 heard about Jesus. It was this information that sparked a revolution in her life; it set her on a path to freedom from her affliction of twelve years. Her case is an example of positive outcome from an encounter with positive information.
Naaman’s miracle and deliverance also happened at the frequency of the information he heard from the lips of his wife’s young maid who informed them that he could be healed by the prophet Elijah (2 Kings 5:1-5).
Pharaoh also heard from his palace attendants that there was a prisoner who could interpret his dreams (Genesis 41:9-14).
The challenge with this generation is the negative attitude that people have towards information or information acquisition. People are lazy; they do not seek information anymore. This is the reason for the prevalence of bondage in diverse areas in our generation, but I want you to know that the hunger for positive information will overwhelm you in Jesus’ Name.
Remember This: Quality information is the secret of destiny transformation.
Assignments:
1. Seek to learn continuously.
2. Be open to receive quality information that will transform your life and destiny.
Prayer: Help me Lord to contact and acquire relevant information for the transformation of my life and destiny, Lord, in Jesus’ Name.
FOR FURTHER UNDERSTANDING, GET THIS MESSAGE: PRESERVATION POWER OF FAITH.
Daily Reading: Jeremiah 35:1 to 36:32, 1 Timothy 5:1 to 25, Psalm 89:14 to 37, Proverbs 25:25 to 27.
Quote: A wise man places value on wisdom and on knowledge, a fool does not. Therefore, avoid the error and improve your life. Culled from 21 FOOLISH THINGS PEOPLE DO by Dr Paul Enenche. Today In History: 20/10/1979 – The John F. Kennedy Library in Boston was dedicated.
Amazing Fact: It takes up to 6 months for a fingernail to grow from root to tip.
Don’t Forget To Attend: The Home Church meeting by 6:00pm tomorrow at a Home Church near you. Invite your friends and loved ones.
Dunamis International Gospel Centre (DIGC), is a powerfully anointed church, headquartered at Abuja, Nigeria, with Dr Paul and Becky Enenche, as the Senior Pastors. It is a power-packed arena where God’s Presence, Principles and Power are at work for the salvation, healing and restoration of human destinies and dignities.
Topic: Prescription for Life [Friday October 20, 2017]
If any one intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown and lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and…follow with Me. For whoever wants to save his [higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it…and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel’s will save [it]. – Mark 8:34-35, The Amplified Bible
When Jesus said those words, He wasn’t just giving us a prescription for getting to heaven. He was telling us how to live a superior life right here on earth. You see, there’s a high life that we can live right here, right now. But to get in on it, we have to lay down the way of life that most of us are accustomed to. We may have to let go of the very things we’ve been trying so hard to latch on to. We have to set our hearts instead on doing what God wants us to do.
That’s what Jesus did. He didn’t live His life for Himself. He lived it completely for God. He did only what the Father told Him to do—and He lived in total victory.
It’s time to realize that getting born again is not something we do just to miss hell. Our purpose is to please God—to lay down our lives in order to fulfill His desires. To be His special possessions in the earth and to do whatever He tells us to do. Our top priority is to give ourselves to Him and to live in communication with Him. To spend enough time with Him that we can hear His voice and respond in obedience.
Only when we do that will we be genuinely fulfilled. Only when we do that will we be able to live the high life we’ve been longing for.
Scripture Reading: Acts 20:7-24
This message was written by Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, the leader of the Kenneth Copeland Ministries (www.KCM.org) that specializes in teaching principles of bible faith – prayer, healing, salvation and other biblical topics.
Key Verse:“Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them”(Ezekiel 16:17).
In many nations, nowadays, what should ordinarily count as blessings to them have become sources of trouble or suffering. Some countries, blessed with rich natural resources, have allowed this to become a curse to the point that they no longer enjoy peace and a robust economy. Earnings from the natural resources are not put to proper use. Rather, various activities that did not elevate the worship of God are enthroned; idolatry is courted; greed and wickedness are elevated to statecraft. Often, the result is monumental crisis that has left such countries writhing in moral, social and economic decay. This was the case with Israel in the text. She used the bounty that was given to her by God as an opportunity to make trade alliances with the nations. The silver and gold that was given to her by God was used to make the idols. It was expected that when traders passed through Palestine, the Israelites would have an opportunity to talk to them about the living God.
Instead of being the international influence on other nations originally intended by God, she adopted the gods of the nations and played harlotry with them. She compromised her faithfulness to God, deteriorated morally to the point of offering her children in sacrifice to idols. Some category of believers are drifting into the world as a result of blessings that should ordinarily draw them closer to God. A good number of believers, who received God’s mercy in the area of financial blessing, appear to have forgotten. Regrettably, they embraced idolatry as a lifestyle.
They forgot that the Lord lifted them from the dungeon of poverty. Regrettably, they are subtly but progressively imbibing the lifestyle and practices of the world. Such people must retrace their steps, turn their focus on God and keep their eyes on the covenant they made to serve Him, in want and in plenty.
Thought for the day: Those who follow the way of the world, lose their rights before God.
Bible Reading in one Year: 2 Kings 18-19
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
Topic: Victory Over Temptation [Friday October 20, 2017]
. . . tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and hope maketh not ashamed . . . — Romans 5:3–5
God never promised to remove temptation from us, for even Christ was subject to it. The Bible says that “He was tested in all things, like as we, yet without sin.” There is no good reason why you should seek to escape, for such times of testing have beneficial effects. There is a sense of achievement and assurance that results from victory over temptation that cannot come to us otherwise. Temptation shows what people really are. It does not make us Christian or un-Christian. It does make the Christian stronger and causes him to discover resources of power. You can benefit from what might be tragedy, if you will only discover that in just such a time of temptation, Christ can become more real to you than ever, and His salvation will become more meaningful. Prayer for the day: In all times of temptation, may I remember Your example, Lord Jesus.
Written by Billy Graham, Founder of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association(BGEA). BGEA exists to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ by every effective means and to equip the church and others to do the same.
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