The Faith Of the Fathers

2021-12-10 14:11:09 “I want to die in the open.”

As a kid and up into my early twenties, I avoided the subject of mortally serious Christian persecution. I had already experienced minor persecution while playing sports, but nothing like what I heard from some missionaries. It made me fearful to hear about the tortures and abuses inflicted on people like me around the world. I guess it must have been my Dad’s death that gave me the courage to face more of my fears because Dad’s death is what I feared the most and it happened.

The only way to deal with fear, in my opinion, is to face it head on, armed with the Gospel of truth. I now find Joy in facing cold hard facts with the knowledge that Jesus will always be a greater presence than my fears or foes. Fear is a liar but a powerful one if not confronted with truth. This is one reason that worship music is so important to me. Worship is truly warfare.

Courage is also courageous. I now draw strength from my brothers and sisters who walk through the valley of the shadow of death and emerge with greater power and joy. I love to hear their stories. I try to make the testimonies of our persecuted family part of my personal devotions.

Brother Dinaw’s testimony from Ethiopia encouraged me recently:

“When asked why he has stayed in his village, under continual threat of death, Diane explained that he has no fear of death. “My life belongs to God, and I believe He put me here,” he said. “If He allows me to be killed, I am ready to die. If He wants me to save the whole village, then I have to just be patient. Jesus died in the open on the cross, not underground, so I want to die in the open.”

Courage is courageous. I want to live with the abandon of brother Dinah. Open / Comment

2021-12-10 00:27:58 Quick political assessment Open / Comment

2021-12-10 00:27:57 “LGBTQ is the gateway to pedophilia.” 100% agreed Jarrin.
Pedophilia is age beginning point and the ending point of LGBTQ. To embrace sexual perversion as “normal” is suicide. Open / Comment

2021-12-09 15:32:44 I would rather succumb to this stupid virus than indefinitely suffer these ridiculous measures.

Either get busy living, or get busy dying. Life is not about preventing yourself from dying or suffering harm.

It’s about being who you were created to be and making an impact. Open / Comment

2021-12-09 15:32:44 Amen to this!!
Life is not about trying not to die! Open / Comment

2021-12-09 15:30:35 I wish I could do more to save our country, like running for the Senate against my election fraud denying Senator Chuck Edwards. But no one person can do everything and I believe that God has called me to evangelism and discipleship (though I still do all that I can to aid political movements and efforts with a righteous cause.)

Conversely, regardless of our other callings, we are all also called to be evangelists as we go about our business. As a matter of fact, the “great commission” can be read “As you go into the world, make disciples of all the nations...”
No matter what you are doing, evangelize as you go.

William Penn, the Quaker founder of Pennsylvania, said, “Governments, like clocks, go from the motion men give them...Wherefore governments rather depend upon men, than men upon governments. Let men be good and the government cannot be bad...But if men be bad, the government will never be good...good men will never lack good laws, nor allow bad ones.” (William Penn Quote courtesy of David Barton.)

To win men to Christ is the foundation of all good government. Open / Comment

2021-12-09 14:29:57 And always...the Doxology is appropriate for the evening’s finish. Open / Comment

2021-12-09 14:29:57 A little more worship from last night. Open / Comment

2021-12-09 14:29:31 “Give Me A Sword”

Give me a sword
And let me wield it
Give me a target to strike
Give me a hammer
And the strength to swing it
Give me a weapon in this fight

This is a poem from thoughts that continue to come to my mind in prayer. I want a weapon and a chance to do harm to the works of the devil.

I feel fulfilled and that my prayers are answered when we do worship events like our Christmas Caroling last night.

I feel like I have hurt the enemy when I minister to a survivor of abuse who walks away from our meeting with more joy and more freedom.

I feel successful when it is clear that my children feel loved and love my presence as a result.

Of these things, I cannot get enough.

Give me a sword, Lord, and I will wield it! Open / Comment

2021-12-09 05:30:50 Christmas Carols as so powerful. Every song explains the Gospel. We were doing musical evangelism tonight! The world needs more of this! Folks were rolling down their windows to listen to the message of the Gospel! Open / Comment