CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – It’s considered a beacon of light and signature of hope. The church has often served as a place of refuge in times of tragedy or despair.

For African Americans, the church represents something more.

“The African-American church has sustained the moral, spiritual and even survival and even the process of the African-American community. This doesn’t mean that the church has been perfect and on point for every step of the way,” said Rev. Otis Moss, Jr.

For a quarter century, Reverend Otis Moss, Jr. led parishioners at Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland.

When he spoke people listened. His message was unwavering. His voice assertive. The plan was always clear. All of these characteristics that made Rev. Moss a great leader in Cleveland were learned in college.

It was also there where Rev. Moss first became acquainted with a Civil Rights icon.

“You could not attend Morehouse, without becoming acquainted with the King family. We had already celebrated him at Morehouse before the movement, because he was this young, dynamic graduate of Morehouse,” said Rev. Moss, Jr.

Rev. Moss would soon lean on Dr. King as a friend and mentor, even officiating Moss’ wedding.

He would see Dr. King in more serious times during the Civil Rights Movement, with his demeanor and calmness.

Understanding the significance of the moment, which would shape him as a future church leader.

“Day after day the message of the Freedom struggle was before us,” said Rev. Moss, Jr. “It was on our agenda, it was in every classroom, it was in the dining room, it was in the lunch room, it was in our discussions, before, during and after class. So we were involved in the movement, both in the perspective of our own lives and heritage, from the church and from the classroom. You could not miss it.”

Millions saw African American’s determination and courage during the Civil Rights movement. It was the black church that served as a meeting place to plan and pray. Contrary to popular belief, not everyone was willing to make that sacrifice.

“All of the pastors were not candidates for jail and protest and risking their lives,” said Rev. Moss. “A few bold and daring and dedicated pastors and congregations, represented the whole community. Not always with the backing with the support of the whole community, but they became that image.”

Since the Civil Rights Movement, an evolution has taken place within black churches around the country, that would change the relationship with the church and the community.

“You take away the black church and you have no Civil Rights movement,” said Rev. R.A. Vernon. “There was no Rocket Mortgage Arena, there was no Cleveland State Convention Center. There was no city-wide convention places to meet. When you met, you met at the largest church in the city.”

Rev. Vernon is the pastor and founder of The Word Church in Cleveland. Rev. Vernon, who like Rev. Moss, was also trained in the religious doctrine of civil rights.

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The recent news reports about Christian persecution coming out of Nigeria are horrifying.

On December 26, extremists who identified themselves as part of ISIS/ISIL murdered 11 Christians in Nigeria.

A few weeks into the new year, on January 19, the Islamic State of West Africa released a video of a child — who looked to be around 10 years old — executing a Christian man in Borno, Nigeria.

A few days later, on January 22, a Nigerian pastor, Rev. Lawan Andimi, was beheaded by Boko Haram’s militants. The murder of Rev. Andimi triggered protests in 28 of Nigeria’s 36 states, drawing an estimated 5 million people to denounce violence against Christians.

While the world has been consumed by news about Iran, China, and conflicts in other regions, militant and extremist groups in Nigeria have waged a campaign of death and devastation against Christians.

More than 7,000 Nigerian Christians have been killed for their faith in the past five years alone, according to persecution monitoring groups such as Open Doors and UK-based Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust. Many of these bloody attacks have been instigated by Boko Haram and ISIS-affiliated militants, groups that have tragically become household names.

But there is another extremist group operating in Nigeria that is just as deadly — and many people probably have never heard about them.

Fulani extremists in the central region of the nation assault, torture, and kill hundreds of Christians every year. Most recently, on January 26 and 27, the Fulani attacked two villages, setting a church building ablaze and killing at least 26 people in the process.

Not long ago, a team from World Help had the opportunity to travel to Nigeria and meet with a prominent Christian leader to discuss the situation. “Our people are being killed,” he said. “They are being hacked to death. Entire communities, hundreds, have been sacked — destroyed and taken over by Fulani herdsmen.”

According to World Watch Monitor, the Fulani are the “world’s largest nomadic group,” and they believe they have the right to take any piece of land in Nigeria and use it to graze their cattle.

“It is a concept in Islam called ‘sacred space,’” said one Nigerian pastor. “According to this concept, all land has been given by Allah to the Muslims, and the Muslims have a right to claim any piece of land. And most of the areas that the Fulani are attacking are Christian communities, so it is very easy to see that what is happening is ethnic cleansing to advance the cause of jihad.”

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Welcome to the Literature and Spirituality podcast #47. My name is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International. Literature is defined as “imaginative or creative writing, especially of recognized artistic value.” Spirituality is defined as “the quality or state of being concerned with religion or religious matters.” The purpose of this podcast is to examine how these two subjects intersect with one another and how they relate to our lives.

Our Passage from the Word of God today is Proverbs 18:15 which reads: “The heart of the prudent getteth knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeketh knowledge.”

Our quote today is from Emily Dickinson. She said: “I know nothing in the world that has as much power as a word.”

In this podcast, we are reading The Confessions of St. Augustine. This is part 11.

Behold, O Lord God, yea, behold patiently as Thou art wont how carefully the sons of men observe the covenanted rules of letters and syllables received from those who spake before them, neglecting the eternal covenant of everlasting salvation received from Thee. Insomuch, that a teacher or learner of the hereditary laws of pronunciation will more offend men by speaking without the aspirate, of a “uman being,” in despite of the laws of grammar, than if he, a “human being,” hate a “human being” in despite of Thine. As if any enemy could be more hurtful than the hatred with which he is incensed against him; or could wound more deeply him whom he persecutes, than he wounds his own soul by his enmity. Assuredly no science of letters can be so innate as the record of conscience, “that he is doing to another what from another he would be loth to suffer.” How deep are Thy ways, O God, Thou only great, that sittest silent on high and by an unwearied law dispensing penal blindness to lawless desires. In quest of the fame of eloquence, a man standing before a human judge, surrounded by a human throng, declaiming against his enemy with fiercest hatred, will take heed most watchfully, lest, by an error of the tongue, he murder the word “human being”; but takes no heed, lest, through the fury of his spirit, he murder the real human being.

This was the world at whose gate unhappy I lay in my boyhood; this the stage where I had feared more to commit a barbarism, than having committed one, to envy those who had not. These things I speak and confess to Thee, my God; for which I had praise from them, whom I then thought it all virtue to please. For I saw not the abyss of vileness, wherein I was cast away from Thine eyes. Before them what more foul than I was already, displeasing even such as myself? with innumerable lies deceiving my tutor, my masters, my parents, from love of play, eagerness to see vain shows and restlessness to imitate them! Thefts also I committed, from my parents’ cellar and table, enslaved by greediness, or that I might have to give to boys, who sold me their play, which all the while they liked no less than I. In this play, too, I often sought unfair conquests, conquered myself meanwhile by vain desire of preeminence. And what could I so ill endure, or, when I detected it, upbraided I so fiercely, as that I was doing to others? and for which if, detected, I was upbraided, I chose rather to quarrel than to yield. And is this the innocence of boyhood? Not so, Lord, not so; I cry Thy mercy, my God. For these very sins, as riper years succeed, these very sins are transferred from tutors and masters, from nuts and balls and sparrows, to magistrates and kings, to gold and manors and slaves, just as severer punishments displace the cane. It was the low stature then of childhood which Thou our King didst commend as an emblem of lowliness, when Thou saidst, Of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Yet, Lord, to Thee, the Creator and Governor of the universe, most excellent and most good, thanks were due to Thee our God, even hadst Thou destined for me boyhood only. For even then I was, I lived, and felt; and had an implanted providence over my well-being—a trace of that mysterious Unity whence I was derived; I guarded by the inward sense the entireness of my senses, and in these minute pursuits, and in my thoughts on things minute, I learnt to delight in truth, I hated to be deceived, had a vigorous memory, was gifted with speech, was soothed by friendship, avoided pain, baseness, ignorance. In so small a creature, what was not wonderful, not admirable? But all are gifts of my God: it was not I who gave them me; and good these are, and these together are myself. Good, then, is He that made me, and He is my good; and before Him will I exult for every good which of a boy I had. For it was my sin, that not in Him, but in His creatures-myself and others—I sought for pleasures, sublimities, truths, and so fell headlong into sorrows, confusions, errors. Thanks be to Thee, my joy and my glory and my confidence, my God, thanks be to Thee for Thy gifts; but do Thou preserve them to me. For so wilt Thou preserve me, and those things shall be enlarged and perfected which Thou hast given me, and I myself shall be with Thee, since even to be Thou hast given me.

We will continue reading The Confessions of St. Augustine in our next episode.

Let’s Pray

Dear friend, if you do not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, may I encourage you to get to know Him today. First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9-13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Until next time,

God bless you!

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Welcome to The Evidence for the Truth of Christianity in Light of World Religions podcast. This is episode #13

I am your host, Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International.

Today’s passage of Scripture is Hebrews 11:6 which reads: “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Today’s quote is from Martyn Lloyd-Jones. He said: “Faith is this extraordinary principle which links man to God; faith is this thing that keeps a man from hell and puts him in heaven; it is the connection between this world and the world to come; faith is this mystic astounding thing that can take a man dead in trespasses and sins and make him live as a new being, a new man in Christ Jesus.”

Our topic for today is titled “Biblical Apologetics” from “The Encyclopedia of Apologetics”

William Edgar observes:

The theologians of the first generation after the close of the apostolic age are known as the Church Fathers, and they functioned primarily as apologists…Understandably, apologetics in this period aimed to prove the legitimacy of the Christian faith and had to respond to two major threats: persecution and heresy. In addition, the early church had to define itself in relation to Judaism, showing both continuity with the faith of the Old Testament and discontinuity with the hardened Judaism which had rejected Christ as Messiah.

Any legitimate understanding of biblical apologetics must take these matters seriously if we are to understand how the biblical writers used apologetics themselves. In addition to the challenges facing New Testament Christians (persecution and heresy), the Old Testament authors faced their own set of apologetic challenges as they defended their unique view of monotheism against the prevailing polytheism, paganism, and hostility of their neighbors. In a very real sense, both Christians and Jews were involved in more than a theological debate. They often were in a fight for their very lives. Therefore, we would do well to examine how they defended their beliefs within the parameters of the Old and New Testament Scriptures.

Lord willing, we will continue this topic in our next podcast.

Today, dear friend, we will continue reading “Book 1, Chapter 1” of “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis:

Now this Law or Rule about Right and Wrong used to be called the Law of Nature. Nowadays, when we talk of the “laws of nature” we usually mean things like gravitation, or heredity, or the laws of chemistry. But when the older thinkers called the Law of Right and Wrong “the Law of Nature,” they really meant the Law of Human Nature. The idea was that, just as all bodies are governed by the law of gravitation and organisms by biological laws, so the creature called man also had his law—with this great difference, that a body could not choose whether it obeyed the law of gravitation or not, but a man could choose either to obey the Law of Human Nature or to disobey it.

We may put this in another way. Each man is at every moment subjected to several different sets of law but there is only one of these which he is free to disobey. As a body, he is subjected to gravitation and cannot disobey it; if you leave him unsupported in mid-air, he has no more choice about falling than a stone has. As an organism, he is subjected to various biological laws which he cannot disobey any more than an animal can. That is, he cannot disobey those laws which he shares with other things; but the law which is peculiar to his human nature, the law he does not share with animals or vegetables or inorganic things, is the one he can disobey if he chooses.

This law was called the Law of Nature because people thought that every one knew it by nature and did not need to be taught it. They did not mean, of course, that you might not find an odd individual here and there who did not know it, just as you find a few people who are colour-blind or have no ear for a tune. But taking the race as a whole, they thought that the human idea of decent behaviour was obvious to every one. And I believe they were right. If they were not, then all the things we said about the war were nonsense. What was the sense in saying the enemy were in the wrong unless Right is a real thing which the Nazis at bottom knew as well as we did and ought to have practised? If they had had no notion of what we mean by right, then, though we might still have had to fight them, we could no more have blamed them for that than for the colour of their hair.

Lord willing, we will continue reading “Book 1, Chapter 1” of “Mere Christianity” in our next podcast.

Let’s Pray —

Before we close, dear friend, if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, and you want to get to know Him today here’s how.

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9-13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Pray and ask Him to come into your heart and He will.

May God bless you and keep you until we meet again.

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

This is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International with the Whyte House Family Devotional Reading of Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening podcast. This is Episode #36.

Charles Spurgeon was a prominent English Particular Baptist preacher. He was very influential among the Christians of various denominations during his age and even today, and is commonly called the “Prince of Preachers”. After some time of alternately searching for God and running from God, he had a powerful encounter which led him to give his life to Christ. Spurgeon was only 16 when he preached his first sermon and he began publishing books shortly afterward. At the time of his death, he had preached nearly 3,600 sermons and published 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, anecdotes, illustrations and devotions. Spurgeon said, “encouraging thoughts are like honey to the heart”, and wrote this devotional in hopes that its uplifting messages for each day of the year would bring comfort and refreshment to our walk with God. He was inspired by Isaiah 50:4 which reads, “He wakeneth morning by morning. He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned” and Psalm 63:5-6 which says, “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips; when I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.”

Luke 24:27 reads: “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

The two disciples on the road to Emmaus had a most profitable journey. Their companion and teacher was the best of tutors; the interpreter one of a thousand, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The Lord Jesus condescended to become a preacher of the gospel, and he was not ashamed to exercise his calling before an audience of two persons, neither does he now refuse to become the teacher of even one. Let us court the company of so excellent an Instructor, for till he is made unto us wisdom we shall never be wise unto salvation.

This unrivalled tutor used as his class-book the best of books. Although able to reveal fresh truth, he preferred to expound the old. He knew by his omniscience what was the most instructive way of teaching, and by turning at once to Moses and the prophets, he showed us that the surest road to wisdom is not speculation, reasoning, or reading human books, but meditation upon the Word of God. The readiest way to be spiritually rich in heavenly knowledge is to dig in this mine of diamonds, to gather pearls from this heavenly sea. When Jesus himself sought to enrich others, he wrought in the quarry of Holy Scripture.

The favoured pair were led to consider the best of subjects, for Jesus spake of Jesus, and expounded the things concerning himself. Here the diamond cut the diamond, and what could be more admirable? The Master of the House unlocked his own doors, conducted the guests to his table, and placed his own dainties upon it. He who hid the treasure in the field himself guided the searchers to it. Our Lord would naturally discourse upon the sweetest of topics, and he could find none sweeter than his own person and work: with an eye to these we should always search the Word. O for grace to study the Bible with Jesus as both our teacher and our lesson!

PRAY.

Thank you for listening to the Morning and Evening podcast. If you do not know the Lord as your Savior, here is how you can be saved from Hell and walk with the Lord morning and evening until you go to that wonderful place called Heaven when you die:

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 18:8: “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at [email protected] and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

This is Daniel Whyte III, president of Gospel Light Society International with the Whyte House Family Devotional Reading of Charles Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening podcast. This is Episode #36.

Charles Spurgeon was a prominent English Particular Baptist preacher. He was very influential among the Christians of various denominations during his age and even today, and is commonly called the “Prince of Preachers”. After some time of alternately searching for God and running from God, he had a powerful encounter which led him to give his life to Christ. Spurgeon was only 16 when he preached his first sermon and he began publishing books shortly afterward. At the time of his death, he had preached nearly 3,600 sermons and published 49 volumes of commentaries, sayings, anecdotes, illustrations and devotions. Spurgeon said, “encouraging thoughts are like honey to the heart”, and wrote this devotional in hopes that its uplifting messages for each day of the year would bring comfort and refreshment to our walk with God. He was inspired by Isaiah 50:4 which reads, “He wakeneth morning by morning. He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned” and Psalm 63:5-6 which says, “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips; when I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.”

Luke 24:27 reads: “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.”

The two disciples on the road to Emmaus had a most profitable journey. Their companion and teacher was the best of tutors; the interpreter one of a thousand, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. The Lord Jesus condescended to become a preacher of the gospel, and he was not ashamed to exercise his calling before an audience of two persons, neither does he now refuse to become the teacher of even one. Let us court the company of so excellent an Instructor, for till he is made unto us wisdom we shall never be wise unto salvation.

This unrivalled tutor used as his class-book the best of books. Although able to reveal fresh truth, he preferred to expound the old. He knew by his omniscience what was the most instructive way of teaching, and by turning at once to Moses and the prophets, he showed us that the surest road to wisdom is not speculation, reasoning, or reading human books, but meditation upon the Word of God. The readiest way to be spiritually rich in heavenly knowledge is to dig in this mine of diamonds, to gather pearls from this heavenly sea. When Jesus himself sought to enrich others, he wrought in the quarry of Holy Scripture.

The favoured pair were led to consider the best of subjects, for Jesus spake of Jesus, and expounded the things concerning himself. Here the diamond cut the diamond, and what could be more admirable? The Master of the House unlocked his own doors, conducted the guests to his table, and placed his own dainties upon it. He who hid the treasure in the field himself guided the searchers to it. Our Lord would naturally discourse upon the sweetest of topics, and he could find none sweeter than his own person and work: with an eye to these we should always search the Word. O for grace to study the Bible with Jesus as both our teacher and our lesson!

PRAY.

Thank you for listening to the Morning and Evening podcast. If you do not know the Lord as your Savior, here is how you can be saved from Hell and walk with the Lord morning and evening until you go to that wonderful place called Heaven when you die:

First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 18:8: “Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now that is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you believed in your heart that Jesus Christ died on the Cross, was buried, and rose again, allow me to say, congratulations on doing the most important thing in life and that is accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour! For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

If you accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior today, please email me at [email protected] and let us know. There is some free material that we want to send you. If you have a prayer request, please e-mail that to us as well, and we will pray for you until you tell us to stop.

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

All Content & Images are provided by the acknowledged source

This is Daniel Whyte III president of Gospel Light Society International with The Scripture & the Sense Podcast #421, where I read the Word of God and give the sense of it based on an authoritative commentary source such as the Bible Knowledge Commentary or Matthew Henry Commentary. This podcast is based upon Nehemiah 8:8 where it says Ezra and the Levites “read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.” The aim of this podcast is that through the simple reading of the Word of God and the giving of the sense of it, the church would be revived and the world would be awakened.

Today we are reading Amos 2:6.

6 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because they sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes;

________

That was Amos 2:6. Now here is the sense of it.

The Bible Knowledge Commentary reads:

Having shown that the Lord is sovereign over the universe and holds all nations accountable for their rebellion against Him, Amos now addressed the Northern tribes of Israel. His message was that God would also judge them, because they had broken His covenant, despite His gracious acts on their behalf. Israel had violated the Mosaic Covenant in several ways, including social injustice, legal perversion, sexual sin, abuse of collateral, and idolatry. The first charge against the Israelites is that they callously sold into slavery the poor who could not pay their debts. Honest people (the righteous) who could be trusted to repay eventually, were sold for the silver they owed. The desperately poor (the needy) were enslaved because they could not pay back the insignificant sum they owed for a pair of sandals. These sandals might refer to the custom of giving one’s sandals as a kind of mortgage deed or title to confirm the legal transfer of land. The meaning would then be that the poor were being sold for either money or land. Such hardheartedness against Israel’s own people, not against a foreign nation, was rebellion against God’s covenant which called for generosity and openhandedness toward the poor.

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Thank you for listening to the Scripture & The Sense Podcast. Remember to read the Word of God each and every day and pray without ceasing to God for wisdom to understand it and apply it to your life. Most importantly, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Please stay tuned for a complete presentation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ so that you can get your soul saved from Hell to that wonderful place called Heaven when you die. May God bless you and keep you is my prayer.

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In the final days of the Soviet Union, Russian officials invited a group of American Christians to help build a faith-based university in Moscow. 

After seventy years of fierce religious persecution under communism, the Russian-American Christian University (RACU) was born. John Bernbaum helped start the school and he has written a book about the experience called Opening the Red Door.

For decades, the school grew in size and influence, but when the government started cracking down on evangelicals, it was forced to close. 

Bernbaum spoke to CBN News about the rise and fall of the faith-based university.

“Revolutionary changes that Mikhail Gorbachev made from 1985 to 1988 broke the relationship between communism and atheism. There was a realization of spiritual and moral values that needed to be rebuilt in Russia. That opened up the opportunity for educators to come to the US and ask the Coalition for Christian Colleges and Universities to help start a Christian university in Russia. It was an unbelievable invitation.” 

Bernbaum explained the goal of the university was for young people of faith to be the next generation of leaders in Russia.

“Our goal was to train a generation of young Christian kids whose parents could never get into universities – because they were people of faith – to train these young people to be the next generation of leaders in Russia. It was an attempt to equip them to be people of faith and to have a moral and spiritual foundation so they could become future leaders of the country,” he said.

Unfortunately, after Vladimir Putin came into power some of the finest students believed there were no opportunities for them in Russia and fled the country.

“In the first ten years, the Russians were very hospitable and welcomed us in under Boris Yeltsin. When Putin came into power, pressure began to turn against the west and it was increasingly difficult for these kids and some of our best and brightest kids fled the country…ending up in Germany, England, Canada or the US because they saw no opportunities in Russia.”

Bernbaum explained that some students had a difficult time as the pressure increased within evangelical churches. And more obstacles arose with the new millennium.

“During the construction of our building, the communist party and other radical right wing groups came over and broke windows, demonstrated on the streets in front of us and said ‘Americans, get out of the country.’ But the local government officials we worked with were very supportive of our school. Gradually over time, the pressure became too great and the security forces came in and interrupted our school and made life very difficult for us.”

Bernbaum said that increasing opposition from Putin led to the university’s closure.

“I think the philosophy of Putin is that if I can’t control it – I don’t want it. He could not control private universities and colleges or tell us what to teach. The effort was directed at all private schools. The hospitality that we experienced in the 1990’s was replaced by 2010 with open hostility and we were forced to leave.” 

He explained that Putin will not be in power forever and there is a bright future for Christianity in Russia.

“Putin is not going to last forever and we need to plant seeds for the next generation of people. It is difficult right now for them, but they have suffered so much before and they’ve heard stories from their parents and their grandparents about what it was like to live in Russia under oppression so it’s not a complete surprise for them,” Bernbaum said.

“I think a lot of them are quietly preparing themselves, trying to build up their churches so that when this new opportunity comes along they’ll be able to give some leadership and step up…that’s our hope.”

Opening the Red Door offers insight into the Russian culture and post–Cold War history but also reveals the dynamics within international educational institutions and their partnerships. 

“The book was designed to tell people how you deal with authoritarian governments or dictatorships. There are ways that you can make an impact, primarily by going through the churches, non-government associations and with people-to-people relationships,” Bernbaum concluded.

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