I Met A Dying Lady!

Last night I went to my favorite local market in an effort to satisfy my sweet tooth cravings. I have been craving a slice of yellow coconut cake. I know I should not have it now, with the holidays fast approaching. So I rationalized substituting Jell-O and Cool Whip for what I really wanted, coconut cake. After picking up the products and heading for check out, I chanced to pass the magazine section where several new publications caught my attention. So I stopped to look at a few of the magazines.

I was perusing a magazine on Apple Computers & Electronics, when a blond haired white lady stepped up and picked up the same magazine. As she looked through it she became excited and very animated about its contents. I could not help but smile at her jumping up and down in the isle and shouting out loud, “Oh My God!" She noticed me smile and holding the same publication and asked if I were a Mac or I Pad user? I replied “No, but I was thinking of purchasing an I Pad one day”. I asked if she was anticipating getting one for Christmas, since she was so enthusiastic about them. She said “No, I already have one; In fact, I have the I Phone too!”  Then out of the large shopping type bag she had in her shopping cart, she pulled out an I Pad and three I Phones, much to my surprise. I commented, Wow! You are really connected! That’s why you are so happy; you have all the latest toys!

She came down a notch in her voice and told me,   “I am always like this since I got home from the hospital!” I am so happy to be out and shopping for my family.”  I said, “Well thank God for that! I am happy for you and your family, having you home for Christmas.” She said, “Yes, I thank Him constantly! Thank you!” Then as I put my book down, preparing to leave, She said, “I don’t know why I feel so comfortable talking to you. My husband warns me all the time, not to talk to strangers! But you seem different! She went on to say that she needs all of these gadgets to keep up with her family and what’s going on in the world, because she spends 8 out of 12 months a year in a hospital.

She told me her name was Cheryl and much to my astonishment; she opened her coat, and pulled up her blouse to reveal bandages and a plastic tube extending from her stomach. She smiled and said “My family and friends call me “The Bag Lady”;  “I am dying!” Well at this point, my mind was racing. I could not grab hold of a string of words to save my life!  I finally stammered out, “I’m sorry to hear that!” She went on to explain that 4 years ago her gallbladder ruptured and she almost died from it. The doctors had to remove most of her stomach to save her and she only has about 4 inches of stomach left to process food and nutrients.

She said she used to be a “big girl”, weighing 245 lbs. and now she is barely 100 lbs.; Looking into her face, she reminded me of Jamie Leigh Curtis; only thinner.  She continued with her story, stating that she was dying from mal nutrition starvation and that’s the purpose of the feeding tube. She has to have a continuous supply of nutrients in order to stay alive. She goes into the hospital for various procedures to maintain her bodily functions, but eventually she will succumb because her vital organs cannot get enough nutrients to function.  She said, “Before you ask, there is nothing more the doctors can do!” I rely on God and family and I live each day to the fullest” Now my thoughts are really all over the place! I am holding down aching feeling in the bottom of my stomach! I am standing before a dying lady who is facing her future with such grace and joyfulness! What do I say since she felt the need to share this with me? There must be a reason that she chose to share such personal information with an unknown black man, in the middle of a supermarket isle! 

So, before saying anything further, I silently turned to the indwelling Christ and asked for the right words to relay to this child of His!  In total trust, I opened my mouth and said, “Cheryl, have you forgotten we serve an Almighty God? One who is Holy, Righteous and All Powerful; and desires most to come to the aide of His children! God is able to do more than you and I can dream or even think to ask!  God has always used supernatural powers to heal, according to the Bible.  We have not had any problem believing in the supernatural ways He has healed in the past. Nor believing He will one day return supernaturally powerful in glory, for His people. So why do we struggle with believing He can actually heal our bodies today, contrary to what doctors say? He desires to do so in order to show His love and onlookers will know that it is beyond human achievement! He will receive the Glory, not doctors!”

“I am so happy to meet you and I believe this encounter was not by accident!  God has a way of putting people in the right place at the right time, to fulfill His purposes. What we need is a fresh encounter with the Almighty God right here, right now! You have reminded me of the grace and mercy of God. I want to remind you of the power of Almighty God!  Will you go in prayer with me? First, to give Him praise and Honor; and secondly to ask His healing grace in your behalf?”

So right there in the isle of the magazine section, we held hands and went before the Lord! In our praise and supplication we were oblivious to everything but the calmness of that moment in praise to God and the desire of our hearts for God to act in Cheryl’s behalf. While praying I felt a hand fall gently on both my shoulders. I continued to pray, hearing additional voices praising affirmations. When we concluded and opened our eyes, we had been joined by two other passersby. They had stopped their shopping to join with us in prayer! It was wonderful! We exchanged greetings, blessings and thanks with them and they continued on with their shopping.

I had never felt so confident and sure that this was the proper thing to do and that God would act, according to His will, in this lady’s behalf. In parting I reminded her to keep her faith solely in God and believe is His Almighty Power to heal her condition! You should have seen the smile on her face as we hugged good bye! It was like she had a new glow about her! A new confidence in the power of Almighty God!  I felt so thankful to have been a part of this divine encounter!  I could not hold back my joyous tears as I started my car to drive home. I was so full from this experience that I no longer had a sweet craving for a slice of Yellow Coconut Cake! God is sooooooooo GOOD!    Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

Your Brother, In His Service

Min. Douglas

Should Pastors have access to a individual's giving records?

I was asked this question on my FaceBook page, by a Pastor.  This was my response!

Dr. Williams:

You asked my thoughts on a two part question!

“Do you think pastors should have access to individual's giving records? If so, does this create the possibility for pastoral favoritism, or does this information provide an important discipleship tool? Your thoughts?”

My answer is NO! I don’t believe a pastor should have access to individual believers giving records! Besides affording the potential for error (evil) by pastoral favoritism; having access to them, one could potentially hold a believer up to ridicule; or exert undue pressure, leverage or compulsion! Furthermore, it is none of a Pastor’s business!

I believe a problem with church leadership today, is that too many Pastors want to be “hands on” in every aspect of the church’s structure and organization. They desire to micro-manage every board, ministry and organization, which comes into existence under “The Church”. They don’t trust the judgment of the people appointed to positions of leadership in the church. They want to be the Sheppard over everything except the one thing that they are called to…delivering the word and gospel of Jesus Christ and Ministering to His flock! 

The Body of Christ, that comprises “The Church”, was not centered on a person’s “monetary giving”! It was in the early church and it remains today; centered on “God Motivated Giving”! Giving comes from a heart motivation and it is Jesus who motivates our hearts to give in support of the Church, its programs and one another!

Belief is what motivates the giver! Belief in the life; death;  burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Believers are supposed to give to the church out of their love of God, coming from that belief!  There is no compulsion or pressure to give; nor dictates as to how much each person is to give, in “their giving”!

Contributing to the church is voluntary and freely given from an individual’s sincere desire to sustain the church, its programs and meet its needs. When we are saved by the preached gospel of Jesus Christ, we desire others to be saved also. So, we give what we can of our knowledge, energies, talents, and finances to ensure the church is maintained and able to fulfill this purpose.

There is indeed satisfaction and joy in giving!  But it comes from your “free will, cheerful, eager giving”! You find satisfaction in seeing that the support you gave to the church is used in a tangible, meaningful way to support the church, its programs and the saints. Hopefully, people are thankful for it! Hopefully it causes them to turn to God and “say the benefits of this ministry have truly ministered to me personally. Thank you Jesus for this Church being here!”

Some pastors have gotten the scriptures concerning giving, twisted!  They are preaching “Let’s Make A Deal” with God! If you give so much…then God will reward you with so much! They have turned simple heartfelt giving into some sort of “prosperity program” that benefits them and supports their lavish lifestyles. Jesus condemned the Pharisees and Sadducees of this in confrontations with them; And He condemns these modern day church leaders and teachers of the same today!  

Pastors should allow their Trustee’s, Deacons and Administrator’s to handle the Churches finances and corresponding records. Never should a Pastor inquire into who is giving and how much! Believers should never be compared with one another as to their giving. He should allow the Administrator and Trustee’s to report to the body and encourage giving for specific causes. If believers are being properly fed by the Pastor, from the Word, they will be eager, cheerful givers, correspondingly! I believe, in Churches today…there is too much emphasis on giving and finance; and not enough emphasis on Jesus and Service!

As to whether a Pastor having this information, provides an important discipleship tool? I cannot see where it does! Any pastor having access to an individual’s giving records does not provide a tool for discipleship. It has no relationship to making Disciples for Christ.  Where in the Bible does Jesus state giving as a prerequisite to discipleship? No where!  In fact, Jesus states just the opposite! He directs listeners to divest themselves of wealth and property, and then come follow Him!

Although I am not a pastor of a church body, I believe having this information opens a Pastor up to the potential of misuse. Even if there is no impropriety, Pastors should avoid the “appearance” of impropriety at all cost! It also puts the Pastor in a position to judge a believers faith, based on his ability to give. This is not biblical! The information could potentially be used to discriminate against believers seeking positions of service in the church. Tools for discipleship are found in “teachable moments” derived from fellowshipping; believers sharing their testimonies, and are supported by scripture. Teachable moments are lessons applicable to our spiritual growth; emanating from the Word of God and through the guidance of The Holy Spirit!

Your brother, In His Service

Min. Douglas Daniels

A Message For Believing Christians with Unbelieving Spouses

Do not forget Jesus Christ lives in YOU and YOU are an instrument through which He expresses His life and love. Because He is in you, you take Him everywhere you go. Remember, we are IN  Him, and that is always true. Jesus Christ continually engulfs your life just like the air that sustains you physically. Wherever you are, He is! He is in you!  Even if you were to go to a place not compatible with the righteous nature you have in Him, He would still be in you!

The Bible teaches that you have been sanctified. The word suggests that you have been miraculously made holy by virtue of the fact that He has set you apart for Himself. You are a container and conduit of the very life of Jesus Christ. You take holiness with you everywhere you go therefore; “you sanctify” your environment because of Him.

Scripture describes a situation in which a believing wife is married to a man who doesn’t yet believe in Christ. The apostle Paul said that the “unbelieving husband is sanctified through his wife.” And “unbelieving wife is sanctified through her husband.”   (1Corinthians 7:12-16)  In other words “EACH ONE IS A MARKED PERSON!” Marked by God Himself! Just as the believing spouse is marked;  In God’s time, the unbelieving spouse will come to believe also. MANY   A HUSBAND OR WIFE HAS COME TO BELIEVE IN CHRIST BECAUSE OF THE GODLY INFLUENCE OF A BELIEVING SPOUSE!

Walk the walk and talk the talk! Keep trusting God and His Holy Spirit and soon you will be   rejoicing as your unbelieving spouse, becomes a believer. Remember Saul who was the foremost persecutor of Christians and how he became Paul, the foremost Apostle of Christ! The hardest heart will soften under the love of Christ, reflected by YOU!

Bless you, Saints of Christ!

Your brother, In His Service

Min. Douglas

Superstition Vs. Belief In God

I receive a great deal of forwarded e-mails from well intentioned people, requesting me to forward to my friends and not to break the chain with predictions of dire consequences, if I do and don’t forward the material. Some of these forwards have gone so far as to question my beliefs, if I don’t act immediately or send it to a certain number of people, by a certain time. I am just waiting for the one that tells me if I don’t forward this e-mail, I am going to die immediately, go to hell and burn forever! I have always thought this sort of thing was no more than amusing and people were just promoting their own agendas by faithfully forwarding. I did not take it seriously.

Some of this forwarded material is political or addressing some social issue. These I have found to be more informative and helpful than annoying. However, the ones that contain obvious religious implication with dogmatic statements give me cause for concern. I did not think people really believed that by continuously forwarding these messages, they were effecting some supernatural change in their own lives or the lives of someone else. After taking a look at my inbox over a period of 30 days, I found that over 1/3rd of my e-mails were forwards of this nature. I know that some of these well intentioned people are Christians or they belong to some religious group, (non-Christian) whose primary belief is in a deity of some sort. While this discourse is specifically directed to Christians; the group of believers I belong to; it is no less intended for all other people who receive and forward as well.

Stevie Wonder had a very popular song in the 1960’s entitled Superstitions! Some of its lyrics proclaimed the very profound observation, “When you believe in things that you don’t understand, then you suffer! Superstition’s not the way!” I imagine he wrote this song after taking note of our superstitious beliefs and ignorant practices. The practices of superstition and its rituals, have ingrained themselves so deep into our lives, that we take little notice of them, unless someone calls them to our attention. We laugh about them and try to convince ourselves that they are harmless acts. However, in our true thoughts, they have much more significance and we continue to do them. As a Christian, can you believe in Jesus Christ and the power of black cats to bring you bad luck, too? Do you wear a cross about your neck and carry a rabbit foot or lucky charms also? Can you believe in the healing power of the Holy Spirit and the power of breaking a mirror and causing 7 years of bad luck?

Are Christians trying to serve two masters? Outwardly professing belief in God, but paying homage to the gods of superstition also! How it is that we Christians have become so hypocritical in our professed beliefs? Speaking with our mouths, what our hearts and mind don’t truly believe? Making outward shows of godliness in public, but practicing superstitious rituals in our everyday lives? How can we say that we believe in God Almighty, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit! Yet we are afraid to walk under a ladder; allow a black cat to cross our paths; split a pole while walking; step on a crack in the sidewalk; break a mirror or see a bride in her wedding dress before the wedding. We are fearful of the dreaded “Bad Luck.” We really appear foolish when we believe that inanimate objects, animals and rituals have some supernatural power over us and can affect our future lives.

Let’s examine some of these popular common superstitions and their origins. Perhaps we can discover enough truth discard our superstitious beliefs and return back to believing totally in God.

Most of our modern day superstitious beliefs have their origin in the customs of primitive peoples in the early history of mankind.. Man’s greatest attempt has always been to influence his fate or obtain the favor of the Gods. He created rituals, amulets and charms for the express purpose of influencing the Gods and warding off so called “Bad luck” or attracting so called “Good luck”. Because of our immature and primitive thinking, when “Bad things” happen, we attribute them to the providence of “Bad luck.”  We believe we experience “Bad Karma” for something we did previously or God’s anger and wrath with us because we fell short of His set of laws. We committed some sin! When “good things” happen to us, we attribute them to the providence of “Good luck” or God’s favor and reward for some presumed “good deed” or as reward for our “righteous” living.

Numerous books have been written in an attempt to explain “Why bad things happen to Good People,” The explanations run the gamut from God’s displeasure with an individual, to the devils efforts to afflict mankind. Is there a definitive answer? In this regard, consider two aspects…..inevitability and decisions! To my knowledge and understanding, bad things happen to us as a result of these two things. Bad things are either caused by the decisions and behaviors of people, including ourselves; or they occur from “inevitable natural causes”. If you live long enough, something bad is going to occur in your life. It is an inevitable result of being a human and living on this planet. It is no great mystery!

People get in the way of natural phenomena! God is not pointing an arbitrary finger and causing storms, floods, tornados and earthquakes to kill people. These are “natural events” occurring as some of the element in His creation of the earth. These Acts of nature, erroneously called “Acts of God”, are “totally indifferent” to people, places or things period! The acts of nature that befall us all are like the rain. “It falls upon the good and the bad alike, without hatred or preference”. Nature acts and we either enjoy or suffer as a result of nature’s actions.

God is not pointing an arbitrary finger and causing traumas and tragedies in the circumstances of our lives either! Bad things do occur. People get hurt, either physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, or in any number of ways from “bad things”. However, when bad things happen to us, it is not an indication that God is angry with us. God is perfect! God loves us! In perfect love there is no anger. There are only the blessings from His Grace! We need to remember, God is not impulsive, unpredictable, or fluctuating. He is constant and perfect in all His ways. God will not and does not intervene in the self-willed decisions of His people, either to ‘cause’ or ‘prevent’ the tragedies of mortal life!

Considering that our decisions and actions can be intentional or unintentional; personal or impersonal; bad things caused by human behavior can be very complicated. However, in none of these cases are “bad things” caused by God. Bad things caused by people are the product of “our independent will”. God created you and me with free will prerogatives.  We make the choices to do or not do a particular thing. He will not interfere with our decisions of any sort; after giving us the right to make our own decisions, from our own free will. Even though, He knows we just may make a decision that is contrary to our own good of His will!  Wow! You mean God has that kind of trust in us? Yes, He does! The tragedies and traumas in our lives are caused by the “willful decisions and actions of people, period! However, you should remember also, that God reserves the right to convert our self made “bad things and tragedies” into something for “Greater Good, Meaning and Value!” AND HE DOES DO THIS!

The superstitious practices and beliefs that we continue to follow, will only lead us away from God and totally believing and depending on Him and His power. If we recognize our error and rely totally on Christ, then we will have the faith and strength to let go of these primitive, superstitious beliefs. We will no longer give power and authority over ourselves to charms, amulets, spells, rituals, fetishes, spiritualist, chance and magic. We will stop believing in myths and folklore, no matter how many people attest to it or swear by it. It is all illusion, mysticism, deception and lies. They are devised to compromise your belief in God Almighty.

No matter how beautifully written, inspiring, encouraging and uplifting these forward messages are, that is just what they are, no more! If you are inspired, encouraged and uplifted as a result of reading them, this is good!  They have fulfilled their purpose. There is no power in them other than that!

However,  when the creators of these messages throw in the requirements of : “you must forward this immediately to X number of people”; “If you don’t forward this, you don’t love God”;  “So n’ So didn’t forward this on and they had a terrible accident”; “If you forward to 5 people, you will receive 1 blessing; If you forward to 15 people you will receive 5 blessings, and so on”; “If you forward this by a certain time or date, something good will happen to you  or you will receive a large monetary blessing”--- then these messages enter the realms of ignorance and superstition. These are not examples of people living by faith and trust in God. These are people living in the fear of uncertainty, compromising their faith; believing in mystical powers and gambling on fate and chance.

Are these types of forwards just harmless messages of inspiration? Or are they reinforcement of superstitious beliefs and practices that we should have discarded, once Christ filled our lives??

Some Superstitions & Bad Luck Omens are:

§  Black Cats     Black cats have long been believed to be a supernatural omen since the witch hunts of the middle ages when cats were thought to be connected to evil. Since then, it is considered bad luck if a black cat crosses your path.

§  Broken Mirrors     An ancient myth our ancestors believed was that the image in a mirror is our actual soul. A broken mirror represented the soul being astray from your body. To break the spell of misfortune, you must wait seven hours (one for each year of bad luck) before picking up the broken pieces, and bury them outside in the moonlight.

§  Ladders     In the days before the gallows, criminals were hung from the top rung of a ladder and their spirits were believed to linger underneath. Common folklore has it to be bad luck to walk beneath an open ladder and pass through the triangle of evil ghosts and spirits.

§  Owls     If an owl looks in your window or if you seeing one in the daylight bad luck and death will come to you.

§  Salt      At one time salt was a rare commodity and thought to have magical powers. It was unfortunate to spill salt and said to foretell family disarray and death. To ward off bad luck, throw a pinch over your shoulder and all will be well.

§  Sparrows     Sparrows are thought to carry the souls of the dead and it is believed to bring bad luck if you kill one.

§  Unlucky Number #13                 The fear of the number 13 is still common today, and avoided in many different ways. Some buildings still do not have an official 13th floor and many people avoid driving or going anywhere on Friday the 13th.

Some Superstitions & Good Luck Omens are:

§  Horseshoes     To bring good luck, the horseshoe must be lost by a horse and be found by you, with the open end facing your way. You must hang it over the door with the open end up, so the good fortune doesn't spill out… Another origin of the 'lucky horseshoe' is the belief that they ward off witches. Witches, it was once believed, were opposed to horses, which is why they rode brooms and pitchforks instead. By placing a horseshoe over a door, the witch would be reluctant to enter.

§  Four Leaf Clover     Clover is believed to protect humans and animals from evil spells and is thought to be good luck to find a four leaf clover, particularly for the Irish.

§  Rabbit's Foot      These lucky charms are thought to ward off bad luck and bring good luck. You must carry the rabbit's foot on a chain around your neck, or in your left back pocket. The older it gets, the more good luck it brings. It wasn’t too lucky for the rabbit!

§  Wishbones      Two people are to pull apart a dried breastbone of a turkey or chicken and the one who is left with the longer end will have their wish come true.

Your brother, In His Service 

Min. Douglas Daniels