Kim Clement prophesying about Donald Trump 2007

The LAST prophecy: FUTURE of AMERICA (2017 ~ BEYOND) a Trey Smith docum...

TRUMP ~ Ancient Prophecy Documentary of Donald Trump

No Room - Losing Focus During The Holidays

No Room!

Christmas had come – by that I mean the real meaning of this season we celebrate had arrived. The Kingdom of God showed up at the door. What door? The Inn-keeper’s door. We don’t know too much about this Inn-keeper in Scripture; only that he informed Mary (the mother of Jesus) and Joseph (Mary’s husband) that there was “No Room” at the Inn.

The most important guest (ever) to arrive at an inn (throughout all history) arrived at Bethlehem Inn only to be told by the manager “No Room”. Isn’t that the tragedy of our day? So many of us have said the same thing in one way or another “No Room for you God”. And especially during the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season, commercialism, gift giving, tradition and religion has taken the place of the real meaning of the season. The order of the day in regards to Christ is “Sorry, No Room For You”. I pray this does not describe you.

Can We Engage Our World Through Christian Apologetics?

Apologetics & The Present Culture

Our generation does not embrace the Christian worldview as wholeheartedly compared to recent generations. As early as the 1960’s, Craig suggests that a contributing factor was the rise of atheist philosophers (Craig, 94). As the context of the question suggests “the atheists are striking back vigorously since the 9/11 attacks”. Apologist and author Ravi Zacharias has painted a vivid picture of the decline of our culture over the last few generation: He states that it is commonplace in our society that Christianity is attacked. “It is rampant” he says. “Unbelievers once revered the church, and its teachings, but today they scorn them. Films such as the Da Vinci Code and organizations such as The Jesus Seminar attack the credibility of Jesus and the Bible”. It is to this decline in a God-influence that Apologetics plays a very important role.

I really believe that at the heart of all this is the strategy of the enemy of God to win the hearts and minds of men, women, boys and girls. It is an attempt to suppress the reality of God and give license to all that the mind of men can conceive. The Bible states that the will of God is that men (the just) shall live by Faith (Romans 1:17). The Bible also describes the strategy of the enemy as a great exchange – God has revealed Himself to mankind, but their hearts became dark, they became fools (saying there is no God), leading to the exchanging of “the truth of God for a lie” (Romans 1: 18-25). Apologetics is needed to combat this rampant wave of attacks from the atheists, agnostics and secularists in our society who wish to silence the voice of absolute truth.

Should Christians celebrate Christmas?

Should Christians celebrate Christmas?

For My Friend Who No Longer Believes In God (Hypothetical)

I Have Lost My Faith In God!

A Letter To My Friend

Dear Lloyd,

                    How are you my friend? Hoping this letter finds you in peace today. I am so happy that you reached out to me with your concern. This is significant. Actually, this is major – a big deal! For your concern deals with life and death. Still, you’ve come a long way and I hope to encourage you on this Faith journey.

I see you have concerns about the existence of God – that you see no evidence to support your Faith. I am sorry to hear that. I pray by the end of this letter to have given you just a bit of information that may help you with the answers you seek. I know you are a reasonable person, so let’s see where the evidence leads. I know you have read the Bible before and in it you’ll find proof of God’s existence, but I’d like to address your concerns from a different angle.

Without a doubt, one of the best-known arguments for the existence of God is that of the “Moral Argument”. Over your many years of life, I am sure you realize that something inside of you differentiates between good and evil, right and wrong. This is called Objective Morals. These are “values we hold dear that guide our lives” (Craig, 172). If we start here, whether or not you agree, there are some things that are just wrong, and it is so “independent of what people think or perceive” (Craig, 173). Take robbing a store – If you decide to do this, already you know that such an act is wrong. While there are written laws on the books that punish such an act (confirming that robbing a store is wrong), your conscience will tell you “Lloyd, this is wrong”. Tied up in this Moral Argument are moral duties and moral values. Moral duties are concerned with that which is right or wrong, while moral values concern that which is good and bad (Craig, 172). During the time in which you had Faith, you surely can remember an internal compass guiding your behavior. You relied on that which was greater than you for discernment. That internal compass is God.

Here’s what philosophers call an ontological foundation in support of the existence of God through the existence of moral values:

2015 State of Atheism in America - Barna Group

2015 State of Atheism in America - Barna Group: This past year, Barna Group studied the unchurched—those who have not attended church within the past six months. Among the key findings, one of the most remarkable is that unchurched people are not always unbelievers: they just haven’t been to church in a long time. But what about atheists and agnostics? Are their numbers on the rise?

Why America’s ‘nones’ left religion behind

Why America’s ‘nones’ left religion behind: With the percentage of U.S. adults who do not identify with a religious group growing, we asked these people to explain, in their own words, why they left.

The Sin Struggle

A Daily Walk:    To Sin Or Not To Sin

What happens to the individual who becomes a Christian? Is there an instant cessation of sinning? Is there mastery of addictions? What of the effects of sin – are they erased? John Frame in his excellent presentation on Presuppositional Apologetics (213) provides us with an excellent insight on the issue at hand. He says “No. Becoming a Christian does not immediately erase all sin and its effects”. You see, God forgives our sins, but we will not be perfect till we get to heaven. Christians will sin. But we can choose not to:

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.  (1 John 1:8-9)

The journey is a lifetime of pursuing Christ and His righteousness. We still struggle to overcome temptations and we still commit sin, both with the mind and the body. It is God who deals with all sin as He “forgives our noetic sins in Christ” (the nature of unbelief that affects our reasoning and knowledge, disobedience to God’s words). Frame describes the Christian as “regenerate, born again and a new creation: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17). So how is the believer different from the unbeliever? 

The Bible as an historical document

Can we trust the Bible?

The foundation of the Christian faith is belief in Jesus Christ – His birth, life, death and resurrection. The Christian believes in obtaining righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ; that he or she is sanctified in Christ Jesus by His calling (1 Corinthians 1:2). Therefore, the words of Christ upon which this faith relies must be trustworthy, and Christ has made it so. The words of the Bible are supported by eyewitness testimonies (first hand, recognized by scholars) and the revelation of His deity and resurrection; by manuscripts attesting to the Bible’s claims; by historical sources (confirmed by credible historians), not the least of which are historians from the first and second century. Christ ensured His claims are never left without a witness.

We also see throughout the Scriptures God making the claim that the words thereof are “inspired or God breathed” (2 Tim. 3:16-17) and that He is speaking (Gen. 1:3; Lev. 26:2b). Not to mention the fact that He supports His own existence through miracles. Surely such a God would make provisions for claims and attacks against His word. Jesus told His disciples His words are life (John 6:63) and Paul affirmed that the mysteries of God were not left up to chance but carefully given to Apostles and Prophets to record for the benefit of all (Eph. 3:1-5). The words of God are trustworthy, it is men that reject it.

Blacks in the Scriptures: Blacks in the Bible

Best Video on Love and Marriage Ever by Dr. Myles Munroe

Kirk Franklin Salute To The Godfather Rev. Timothy Wright

In Your Preaching, Aim for Holistic Application

In Your Preaching, Aim for Holistic Application

University of South Florida - Rosaria Butterfield LGBT Q&A

02 My Train Wreck Conversion (LGBT Topic)

Youth Ministry Can Get Tough

Common Issue Faced by Youth Leaders

I recently conducted interviews with 3 seasoned Youth leaders in two countries - The Bahamas and The United States. By far, the most common issue faced by all three Youth leaders is that of Team Motivation or a lack thereof. In the next few paragraphs I will attempt to provide encouragement for ministry leaders on the subject of Team Motivation and setting some boundaries to prevent burnout and loss of integrity.  Life in ministry can get difficult at times. It gets even more difficult when we do not have the right support system in place. Ministry was not designed to be a one man show. Take a page out of Pastor Moses’ book. He got to a place of frustration where the next thing to do besides blame God was to quit the job:

¹¹ So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You been so hard on Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all this people on me? ¹² Was it I who conceived all this people? Was it I who brought them forth, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land which You swore to their fathers’?¹³ Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me, saying, ‘Give us meat that we may eat!’ ¹⁴ I alone am not able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me.¹⁵ So if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness.”  (Numbers 11:11-15)

It does not have to get this way for any ministry leader. God in his wisdom provided Pastor Moses with a solution:

¹⁶ The Lord therefore said to Moses, “Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you. ¹⁷ Then I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you will not bear it all alone”. (Numbers 11:16-17)

God provided Pastor Moses with a team. We need people to be successful at ministry. In fact, “People are the Plan” (Robbins, 526). If we are to be successful at building a team, consider these seven competencies a leader should have:

Pentab Ep 88 Get Rid Of The Filth - Pastor John Mark Bartlett

Single Again - Dr Myles Munroe

Living By Principles or Facts - 1 Corinthians 7

Life Application Bible Studies                                                        The Way Ministries.

Topic:     Principle or Fact Series                                                     Text: 1 Corinthians

Principle:   “A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a belief system     or a chain of reasoning” (Google)

Fact:    “Something that is true or can be proved with evidence” (Google)

Do I live my life on Facts or Principles? How does living a Principled life influence kingdom living? How did the Apostle Paul address the Corinthian church in light of the facts?

Facts or Principles: The Principles of Being Single (Dr. Myles Monroe)

o   Principles have been in existence long before we were born

o   Principles are interesting – The are unmoved (remain in place), never change, silent. Principles are there before you make a decision and remain in place after you’ve made that decision

o   Stick to the Principles (God’s Principles) – You will give yourself to anyone when the Facts look right [Principles thrown out the window]

o   God encourages us to keep His Principles (We keep on experimenting with the Principles) Deuteronomy 12:28

Be careful to obey all these words that I command you, that it may go well with you and with your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the Lord your God.

• If you know how to read a principle you won't get lost. Everyone should bow to the principles of God in your life
• Principles don't change or shift
• Anywhere on this planet, God's Principles don't change. They apply at all times everywhere.
• God's principles are universal - no consideration for cultures or place. God's answers are the same for all people everywhere
• God's words supersede culture

o   A Fact is the present state of things (I bought a bright red shirt. This has to be my all time favorite shirt. I wash the shirt with some of the other all-time favorite things. The shirt gets washed out; my other all-time favorite things are messed up). Facts change!

o   The Facts will make you nervous

Ø  Don’t devalue yourself because of facts

Ø  Don’t reduce your value to satisfy an immediate need

o   If you live by Principles then Facts cannot control you (remember, the Facts are temporary)

Ø  Whatever we are facing right now is temporary (another door will open – wait [actively?])

Ø  The Fact is that “It is raining” – The sun will shine again!

The Principles Of Being Single ❃Myles Munroe❃

Defending The Faith

In Defense Of The Christian Faith

Brothers and Sisters, we are called to defend the faith. It is not enough to gather in our Christian circles, having Christian fellowship, and calling for a separation from the world. We are called to engage in apologetics of the Christian faith. The Bible calls us to action. Consider the following biblical texts:

^15 “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…”                      

                                                                                                                                  (1 Peter 3:15)

 ^7 “It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel”

                                                                                                                                  (Philippians 1:7)

So Agrippa said to Paul, “You have permission to speak for yourself.” Then Paul stretched out his hand and made his defense:

² “I consider myself fortunate that it is before you, King Agrippa, I am going to make my defense today against all the accusations of the Jews,³ especially because you are familiar with all the customs and controversies of the Jews. Therefore, I beg you to listen to me patiently”

                                                                                                                                   (Acts 26:1-2)

I, Paul, myself entreat you, by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold toward you when I am away!— ² I beg of you that when I am present I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. ³ For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵ We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, ⁶ being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

                                                                                                                           (2 Corinthians 10:1-5)
2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead...17 So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons, and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there...8 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God...23 When they had appointed a day for him, they came to him at his lodging in great numbers. And he expounded the matter to them from morning till evening, testifying to the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus both from the law of Moses and from the prophets. 24 And some were convinced by what he said, while others disbelieved.
                                                                                     (Acts 17:2-3,17; 19:8; 28:23-24)

(Written by Kevin A. Hall      10.21.17)

GoogleImage

Considerations For Evangelism

A Model For Effective Evangelism for the 21^st Century

Vision Statement:

Develop devoted and passionate followers of “The Way” (Acts 9:2; John 14:6).

 Mission Statement:

Identify the gifts and talents of our people and to provide a platform in which they can become spiritually mature at all age levels, working together to impact their culture and the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).

Values:

·         We will be Incarnational and Inspirational  

Ø  Following Jesus’ model (John 1:14), we will endeavor to be a presence within the community – seeking to understand their world, ministering to their needs, answering their questions, easing their doubts and providing a safe space in which to grow. We will be Inspirational by adhering to the Bible as the normative source for all of living.

·         We will be Missionally driven

Ø  Answering God’s call (Exodus 19:6; 1 Peter 2:10), we will endeavor to be “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation”

·         We will be intentionally prayerful

Ø  Following Jesus’ example (Matthew 9:35-10:5), we will have compassion for the community and prepare and send workers out into the harvest.

·         We will embrace a Servant Leadership model

Ø  Following Jesus’ example (Mark 1), we will make the effort to “Identify with the people we serve, get our priorities straight, rely on the Bible, believe in our message and minister to our team members” (Robbins,74-76).

Deepak Chopra vs Christian Apologist (Chopra loses)

Gregory Koukl: Tactics for Discussing Christian Convictions

Christians Living In Two Worlds

The Sacred-Secular Split

Ever asked yourself the question after engaging someone “I thought they were Christians?”

It is common among believers to operate one way in the world and another within church circles. It’s almost like changing into one set of clothes for work and another to go to the gym. I recall dealing with this issue at work – one of the biggest challenge of my adult life came at the hands of a Christian brother who does missionary work. Because I was his boss, he was required to sit down and talk it through (otherwise, this would not happen). I remember taking him to MacDonald’s for lunch (had to do this in a public space as he was notorious for twisting words and giving alternate facts. I said toward the end “You’re a Christian, right?”. He said “Yes, and I apologize for all this”. Then I asked “What were you thinking? I was only looking out for you and your staff”. He said “I don’t know. I guess I just got caught up.” One thing is for sure, If I had a dollar for every time I was disappointed with a Christian hire, I’d have a good sum in the bank. The root of this bent toward two different worldviews, is referred to as “The Sacred-Secular Split”. We will unpack this further at a later date. For now, I’d like to give an overview.

Spirit Baptism

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/is-spirit-baptism-the-privilege-of-every-christian

A Perspective On A Pastor's Income

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/piper-on-pastors-pay

The Plan Of Salvation

GOD’S PLAN OF SALVATION

Many people believe in God. Some believe there are many gods. Christians believe there is only One God and He commands men and woman from all nations to worship Him only. The Biblical text of Luke, chapter 4 and verse 8 (Luke 4:8) states “It is written, you shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only”. Christians also believe that the Bible is the normative source for Theology – The God of heaven is the ultimate source of His own theology, even though others have suggested many possible sources of revelation about God. God reveals Himself to us through the works of His hands (Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:18-20), through the “built in knowledge of His moral laws” (Romans 2:15), through general and special revelation, and through tradition. We cannot rely on “subjective general revelation” as this can lead to error – “We exchange God’s truth for lies in order to justify our unbelief and to excuse our sinful ways” (Romans 1:25) [1].

The Bible affirms that God is its author (Matthew 15:6) and urges us to live by “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). Jesus when He was on the earth calls the word of God “His words” (John 5: 38-39) and the Apostle Paul calls the writings of the Bible “The very words of God” (Romans 3:2). The Bible therefore, is “inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness (the ways of God) and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16). The Bible then is the divine authority of the God of heaven (2 Peter 1:20-21) and gives instructions to man as to the need for salvation.

Sickness in the life of a Believer

https://www.gotquestions.org/sickness-will-God.html

Youth Ministry Can Be Challenging

Navigating The Rough Rivers of Youth Ministry

(Written by Kevin Hall  09.18.17)

We are encouraged not to think inside a closet. “The Bible is not an exhaustive revelation about everything we might need to consider” (246), as it is silent on many issues. Often times, Christian leadership calls for separation from the world, including its philosophies and practices of culture. But Robbins encourages otherwise. There are lessons on the impact of culture that can better shape of ministry effectiveness. These include:

(1)    Look beyond the surface movement of the river – We need to be sensitive about the culture around us. When we investigate and reflect we will find clues that influence our young people outside of the doctrine we feed them weekly: “Notions about God and spirituality, tribal affiliations (wear black), escape patterns (cutting themselves after a break-up), assumptions (this is what is fun these days)

Should We Consider Culture In Ministry?

Random Thoughts of The Impact of Culture On Ministry

(Written by Kevin Hall  09.16.17)

Consider the impact of the culture on the way we conduct Youth Ministry and for that matter, overall edification. In his book “This Way To Youth Ministry”, Robbins states that as a person experiences individuation they come to terms with three main questions: (1) Who am I? (2) Where am I going? and (3) How do I relate to other people?” (227). I believe, the answers to these questions are shaped in part by “culture”. This is why ministry workers should invest time, effort and resources into understanding the culture.

 I like the way Robbins use the analogy of “fishing”: Jesus called us to be fishers of men “But if we are to be successful at fishing, we must give careful thought to the way we fish, the fish’ habits and where they swim” (247). In other words, if youth ministry is like fishing, then we must invest in learning “fishery”. Jesus was just as concerned for His people and the world – this is why he was incarnated. He was made a little lower, came to earth, took on flesh, lived among His people, experienced the culture, gave up His life for the people and the world, made provision for their redemption. “God became flesh” (John 1:14). This is getting to know one’s world as best as anyone could, and this is the ministry to which we are called.

The Challenges of The Ministry

The Challenges of The Ministry

 (Written by Kevin Hall   09.01.17)

Burnout related to the work of ministry is a reality one can avoid. The stats related to the issue say that over 57% of respondents would leave the ministry if they could; 71% struggle with depression; 80% leave within 5 years; 70% feel they have no close friends and 75% feel unqualified (lecture. Pape). These numbers do not bode very well for those considering entering the ministry, not to mention the fact that compensation may not be at the top of Glassdoor’s salary rank. Therefore, the work of ministry must be a calling. 

One must be sure of divine guidance to work the field.  The good news is that there are numerous steps one can take to reduce or prevent burnout – these include taking care of my health; having a hobby; making time for family and friends; keep the learning wheels turning (a leader must constantly learn new things) and having adult friends.

Now, one thing we should not do both personally and professionally is to “neglect the inner man” (96).

Free Will - Why It Matters

The Issue of Free Will

(Written by Kevin Hall  09.11.17)

If you peel away the layers of these worldviews outside of Christianity, one will find evidence of one main strategy – Explain away Creator God. They wish to “deny the Creator and to expropriate His divine power’ (174), many making this their life’s goal. Men like Francis Crick stated forcefully that “his goal was to explain away the origin of life and consciousness by reducing them into physical -chemical causes” (174). 

You see, if God is discredited as “first cause” or a “personal God”, then free will becomes a false idea

 which is denied, discredited, suppressed and is incoherent.

 With the Creator God and His truth denied, then mankind is free to live according to his own truth. Truth becomes relative – men become reduced to states lower than the creator intended. They become labeled as robots and machines who cannot be held accountable for their actions. The Apostle Paul said, “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened” (Romans 1:21).

Notice there is a definite strategy to deny God and to do so for selfish reasons. 

Reductionism At Work In Christianity

Along The Way – Reductionism and its effects on human nature?

(Written by Kevin A. Hall    08.25.17)

Whenever we try to explain away something that is true by dismissing or diminishing its existence, we are practicing Reductionism. Reductionism is defined as a means of “reducing a phenomenon from a higher or more complex level of reality to a lower, simpler, less complex level” (45). A main strategy of pushing this idea is to discredit that phenomenon. Reductionism happens every day all around us. 

     We may be practicing it in some form and not realize it. When people cannot explain something, they use the “debunk or discredit strategy”. We “put things in a box and dismiss it” (45), when things are difficult or we are opposed to it.

I will go as far as to say this plays out every day in the battle of God against the liberals. First, God is dismissed (there is no God [ultimate reality]; hence no one to give account to). Now that we no longer have the highest form of deity, we must replace Him with something else. We cannot make another God; therefore, we move to create other gods. The first one is the idea that man is his own god (a lower reality). Next, we make up gods, as many as we can imagine; we worship them, we create religions around these gods, we create philosophies to support our beliefs, our media and institutions are filled with people who can support and create stories to support these positions, and before you know it our lies become truths. Don’t forget, we have also made it clear “there is no such thing as absolute truth”.

Postmodernism and the Church

Along the Way – Is Postmodernism Affecting Us?

(Written by Kevin A. Hall   08.25.17)

Most of Western society has been affected by the Postmodern Bug. In fact, much of what we see going on right now and is being played out in the media is a direct result of Post-modern influence. Look at our colleges and universities. Listen to the language on the streets. Watch the attitudes in protests. Look at the trend in our churches. Listen to the songs being played in our time. Away with the old! There is no God! There is no absolute truth! Truth is whatever I say it is! 

Everything is moral! There are no rules! We have no real value! You have the right to believe what you believe! There is no heaven nor hell! We will all have a chance to live life over again when we are reincarnated!  Everything is relative!

These are just some of the beliefs of the postmodern generation. God has been thrown out, so there is no absolute source of truth. We order our own destiny, they say. We are our own gods. As a result, the postmodern “frames reality by naming aspects at his or her whim” (R. Zacharias; page 20). Nothing is sacred any longer and everything is viewed from the lens of the sensual. This would seem like Postmoderns are not interested in the gospel at all. I used to think that way. But after becoming exposed to what Postmodernism is and how it affects our lives, I truly believe that behind all the façade is a hurting generation that is seeking an answer to life and is dying for a new “metanarrative." Christianity is the only solution, but we must frame this story into a manner in which they can receive it. 

Dr. Myles Munroe - How To Love Your Partner:Aloneness,Singleness.

Consider A Few Attributes Of God

Getting To Know God In Light Of Scripture

(Written by Kevin a. Hall    01.19.2017)

How can an understanding of God’s attributes help us to know God better?

I think of this one in relation to my marriage – I had better make every effort to know my wife or there’s a price to pay. Thankfully we are at a place where we often say the same things (together). I often mimic her words and she does mine. So it is with my relationship with God – I must seek to understand Him more and more to fully experience Him and His blessings. And he encourages us to imitate Him. Thankfully, we can learn about His nature through Scripture. We know that He is personal, indestructible, self-sufficient, immortal and because of this I am so happy “Those who trust in him do not trust in vain” (69).

 It is essential that we know Him so we can love, worship and confidently serve Him. Again, it is essential that we understand our God so that we can be in alignment with His will

Just imagine serving a real God who is creator of everything –

• Infinite (unrestricted, unbounded with His attributes the same – unlimited love, unlimited mercy, unlimited grace)
• Righteous (Consistent and true to Himself – always faithful, so we can trust that He will respond)
• Immutable (unchanging in His essence and character – He acts, is acted upon and reacts [79])

Many other attributes but you get the point… He is a living, breathing, holy, sovereign and good God. This is the only God I wish to serve.

How Is The Christian To Live In This World?

KINGDOM CHARACTER 

(Written by Kevin A. Hall   07.2017)

In search of instructions for my walk with Christ, I came across these powerful texts during Bible study. I had a few questions going into this search of scripture: How should I live in a world gone absolutely crazy? What will happen to me if I live like the world? Is the Christian walk supposed to be easy? What of the trend these days to deny what Scripture says about sin by placing more tolerant labels on our actions? Does God even care about my lifestyle?

 In light of all these questions…How should I walk?

The lure of sin is ever so close since globalization (the world at our fingertips and voice commands) and we can expect the pressure to live a compromised life to increase. Take courage my friend, God has a rhema word for us:

Believing God For A Change - The Account Of A Blind Man And His Friend

KINGDOM CULTURE:  The Healing of Blind Bartimaeus And His Friend

(Written by Kevin A. Hall   08.2016)

CAN GOD GIVE YOU SIGHT? CAN GOD PROVIDE AN ANSWER FOR MY NEED?

The story of blind Bartimaeus is a moving account of personal faith. What do you do when all the odds are against you? What do you do when no one else can believe with you for your breakthrough? What do you do when no one else embraces your vision or your dream? If you are a leader, this can be very frustrating. Ever wondered “These people just can’t seem to get it”. Well my friend, Bartimaeus has walked in your shoe.

Some background on this story. The setting is the city of Jericho. Jericho is located fifteen miles north east of Jerusalem. It is one of the major stops on the trade route to Arabia. It was nearing the time of the Passover Feast. Countless of people would pass this way toward the city of Jerusalem. Imagine the hustle and bustle. Imagine Bartimaeus ramping up his efforts to ask for money.
This was his way of earning a living. In fact, he was not by himself. There was another blind man with him, so this was one of their spots along the trade route. Matthew mentions the other man in chapter 20. Bartimaeus was no doubt the more vocal of the two. Let’s look at their story from all the gospel accounts:

Is There A Need Need For Organization In The Church?

Considerations for getting organized

(Written by Kevin A. Hall    04.2017)

There are some things that we take for granted when it comes to the operation of ministry. According to Getz there are 6 focus areas that church leadership can place an intentional effort in order to achieve their desired purpose and objectives - Evangelism, Edification, Leadership, Communication, Administration and Organization. In all these areas a few key questions should be asked to assess effectiveness: (1) How can biblical principles be translated into purpose? (2)  How can the goals, objectives and standards be formulated for the local church? As we make these assessments in all areas of the ministry, we cannot afford to allow ourselves to be in bondage to the culture and we definitely should not be separated from it. Every consideration we make should be done in light of scripture with the intent to build bridges.

As we consider the impact of culture, the church needs to look at her place within that culture. How does culture impact the worldview of its members? How does the church impact society? We need to provide outlets for the church to be incarnated into the society; adapting yet not compromising. This means ensuring our reach extends beyond the four walls to influence activities within the government, businesses, schools, the arts, our church programs and especially our homes.

Regarding Evangelism, we need to consider our role in contributing toward the Great Commission. Does the mission of the church extend into the local community and beyond? Is there an effort to encourage corporate witnessing? Is the church just a “Saving Station” or is it a “Place of Empowerment – A Bridge to the World”? How are we doing in reaching families, households and single individuals? Are we actively seeking to identify, develop and to deploy our members’ gifts? How about our New Convert Care – what happens after we have made converts? Is there a strategy in place to “disciple” our brothers and sisters?

Covenant Theology

 Covenant Theology

(Written by Kevin A. Hall  04.2017)

One thing is clear, the Lord made covenants with man throughout history. We can call them reminders of God’s gracious promises. The first time I notice the word being used is during the time of Noah where God declared “I will establish my Covenant with you, and you shall go into the ark – you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you” … We call this the Noahic covenant. Ketcherside states that God has chosen to relate to man on the basis of covenants. 

In the case of the Nohaic covenant, we see the God – man stipulations: God sets the conditions; He gives the terms; He signs the covenant. 

This approach is repeated throughout human history in a series of other covenants -The Abrahamic, the Mosaic, the Davidic and the New Covenant.

The Mosaic covenant is called the First covenant. It is also called the Covenant of Law or the Mosaic Law. Deuteronomy 4:11-13 attests to that. There is enough evidence to support the argument that the Law is not simply the first 39 books of the Bible.  One example is reference to Jeremiah 31:31 which proves that the people had already broken the First Covenant and 31:32 which states that the first covenant was made when “God took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

The Law was considered faulty (Hebrews 8:7). We could not be justified by it (Galatians 3:10). The Law itself was not weak, but man was as he was, was not able to keep it perfectly (Romans 8:1-3). The Law itself could not give life, nor could it effect the forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 10:4).  Man was aware that he needed something more. Even though “he went away from the worship services having met its requirements, he was conscious that it could not fully meet the needs (Reese, 150). Therefore, the Lord sought a more excellent way. This was prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34. The benefits of this New Covenant would include (1) The Forgiveness of sins; (2) Direct and personal access to Almighty God; (3) Reconciliation – God makes the promise that He will be our God as we become His people; (4) The Ministry of the Indwelling Holy Spirit that will govern us from the inside. This is the source of our Christian Liberty.

I Refuse To Be Like My Father! - King Hezekiah

Along The Way:  King Hezekiah - A Different Path

(Written by Kevin A. Hall     07.04.17)

To be or not to be like my father – That is the question Hezekiah must have asked himself many times. His father was King Ahaz, one of the most evil kings of Judah. Hezekiah must have been aware that his father sacrificed his brother to a heathen god. His father made sacrifices and burnt offering in high places “on the hills and under every green tree” (2 Kings 16:4). His father introduced pagan customs and made major changes to the house of God for his personal benefit. 

Under his father, “Judah’s religious system became shambles” (Nasb). His father was also weak; so was the high priest (Urijah) during his reign (2 Kings 16:16). The nation followed his father’s lead.

At some point, Hezekiah chose not to follow his earthy father’s example, but to embrace his heavenly father as his model for living. We too, can choose our own path. Hezekiah did not have the privilege of the indwelling Spirit, but he chose to follow God. We have God’s Spirit as guide if we submit.  

Pride Will Ruin Your Life! - King Uzziah

Along The Way: Pride Will Ruin Your Life!

 (Written By Kevin A. Hall   07.03.17)

“He was marvelously helped until he became strong”!

Imagine this statement being written on our tombstone. We ran well until… This story is repeated over and over in the human experience without fail, but should not be the story of our lives as children of God.   This statement was made of King Uzziah:

 He did right in the sight of the Lord according to all that his father Amaziah had done. He continued to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding through the vision of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God prospered him (2 Chronicles. 26:15).

 He was 16 when he began to reign with his father King Amaziah, taking full control after his father’s death. His great dedication to God included a deep respect for and partnership with the prophet Zechariah. As long as he remained connected to God and His servant, he was blessed. There's an abiding principle here regarding one's relationship to the church.

Like Uzziah, believers can hold on to God’s promise – “I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). We are blessed if we endure. However, blessings should never be defined by things or accomplishments. Uzziah was blessed but missed the mark – he became strong or very proud and corrupt. He achieved prosperity, influence, power, wealth and fame.

God Has My Hand, But Not My Heart - King Jehu

Along The Way: God Has My Hand, But My Heart?

 (Written By Kevin A. Hall  07.01.17)

The newly appointed King Jehu was zealous for God.  He assassinates King Joram (2 King 9:24); then King Ahaziah (1 Kings 9:27). He confronts Jezebel; encouraging loyalists to throw her from the window. He tramples her with his horse and carriage (2 Kings 9:33). He commanded the “slaughter of the 70 sons of Ahab” (2 Kings 10:7). The fear of the new king was upon the entire nation. No one dared oppose him. Along the way, he slaughters family members, wives, princes and princess of Ahab’s household. Finally, he assembles all the priests of Baal and kills them in one sitting, destroying the Baal pillars, altars and house. King Jehu “eradicated Baal out of Israel” (2 Kings 10:28) and he was faithful to kill “all who remained to Ahab” (2 Kings 10:17). In other words, he was faithful to do “according to the word of the Lord which He spoke to Elijah” (2 Kings 10:17b).
Even though he carried out God’s commands, “he was not careful to walk in the law of the Lord” for himself (2 Kings 10:31).  We can be faithful to works, yet be far from God. I struggled with Jehu's story for a while because he was appointed by God to fulfill this task. Let me go back for a little..What was his task?

Caring For Those We Work With - The Prophet Elisha

Along The Way: Leaders Who Care –Elisha

(Written By Kevin A. Hall   06.30.17)

Throughout Elisha’s ministry, we see the heart of a man who cares much for the basic needs his ministry partners. We should practice his servant leadership. He prayed to God for the deepest desire of the Shunammite woman – God gave her a son (2 Kings 4:17). When there was a famine in Gilgal, he was instrumental in providing a large pot of stew for the men at the School of the Prophets (2 Kings 4:38-41). When a stranger brought food to the school, he prayed and God miraculously stretched the food to feed everyone with leftovers (2 Kings 4:42-44). When the School outgrew its space, he agreed to supervise the work at a new location by the River Jordan (2 Kings 6:1-3). He was engaged and involved at all levels. How else will a leader get to know his people? We must enter their world. When the axe head fell in the river, Elisha was concerned and through another miracle, retrieved the borrowed axe head (2 Kings 6:5-7). There was no concern too small for him to take to God.

If Only I Could Punish My Enemies! - The Prophet Elijah

Along The Way: Desiring The Ministry Of Elijah?

(Written By Kevin A. Hall   06.20.17)

At first glance we see power on display – Elijah calls down fire from heaven to consume two units of 50 soldiers of the Baal influenced King Ahaziah

Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, “O man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’”  Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.  So he again sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he said to him, “O man of God, thus says the king, ‘Come down quickly.’”  Elijah replied to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty (2 Kings 1: 9-12)

Matthew Henry shares a powerful perspective on the confrontation: "Come down quickly, and do not trifle, the king’s business requires haste; come down, or I will fetch thee down.’’ Elijah relents not, but calls for another flash of lightning, which instantly lays this captain and his fifty dead upon the spot. Those that will sin like others must expect to suffer like them; God is inflexibly just”.

  A third commander showed humility to Elijah, bowing before him, asking “Please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight…” (1: 13b).There is no winning when we fight against God and His servants. Effective living begins with a right attitude toward God (Nasb). This third commander was wise enough to respectfully approach the man of God.  In this account we can learn two things: (1) God always protects His name and His people and (2) God responds to those who show humility.

Motivation For Christian Ministry - The Apostle Paul

 Along The Way: The Apostle Paul’s Motivation Project

(Written by Kevin A. Hall 07.25.16)

The Apostle Paul settled his identity in Christ.

Here’s a man who  knew his calling and so developed his Philosophy of Ministry. He considered himself a servant/bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ – Romans 1: 1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. He spoke often about his calling and commission during his ministry. In his letter to the Galatians he stated that the Gospel for the uncircumcised was committed to him (2:7) and many times in his defense, he repeated his commission from the Lord during his conversion – “He is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). In this he was confident.  His use of the titles servant/bondservant depicted a person dedicated to the cause of his master.

Because he was confident of his calling, commission and source, he easily declared the “true Gospel”. He could proudly declare his message without regards of opposers – “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ (Galatians 1:10). “He did not act in obedience to men, but to God, who had called him to this work and office. He did not seek to accommodate himself to the humors of persons, either to gain their affection or to avoid their resentment; but his care was to approve himself to God” (Matthew Henry).