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Showing posts from September, 2020

The Great Confidence to Ask for Anything: Your Brother/Sister

  Dear Saints: Ask for Anything from God? Yes with a big yes! Ok, just a minute; Udo are you now into the nonsense prosperity gospel that says we must be healthy and wealthy if we are Christians and if not, it means we don’t have enough faith? God forbid! But of course God wants you to prosper and be in good health even as your soul prospers in the love and knowledge of Christ.  Ok, let me re-phrase as we continue our study of 1 John 5. Ask for anything according to God’s will. Yes, that’s what apostle John said and it’s in line with the words of Christ in the “Lord’s Prayer” He taught His disciples (Matthew 6:9-13). Prayer is seeing God's will done. “14  Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.  15  And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him .” 1 John 5:14-15. The Holy Spirit has already given us the greatest assurance...

The Great Divide and Your Oscar

Dear Saints: We live in a world of divisions and groupings of people into various kinds - race, wealth, age and etc. However, there is only one great divide that matters and that is:  " Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” No other categories matter except eternal life vs eternal death. This is very sobering when everyone living right now is reduced to these two categories. Can we start seeing people differently into these two categories especially in this era of racial/tribal tensions and hatred all over the world and particularly in the USA? When we do, we will take actions that help people experience true life and living. Last week one of my Muslim neighbors, a young man I have been praying for a couple of years lost a very close friend in a terrible car accident. I had spoken to him in the past and had arranged to go to a sit in lunch/dinner and then the COVID-19 came and restaurants were closed. I had another oppo...

The Holy Spirit In Us Is The Truth & The Witness

Dear Saints:  We continue our study of 1 John 5 today. The Holy Spirit in Us Is The Truth & The Witness.  We have a sure witness that we are “born of God” and  are children of God. “ This is one of the reasons why apostle John wrote the Letter to the Church. Be sure and assured  of your eternal life in Christ:  13  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life,  [ e ] and that you may  continue to  believe in the name of the Son of God.”  1 John 5:13. Let no one talk you out of your confidence in Christ as a child of God. Rather, allow the Holy Spirit in you to bear witness to others about the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit so that they  themselves will equally receive the gift of faith and be “born of God” as we are. Amen. More than ever before, our families, neighbors, co-workers, friends and the nation need faith in Christ. We are here to point ...

"Wakanda Forever" and RIP?

  Dear Saints Chadwick Boseman, known for his role in the Black Panther movie as the king of a futuristic African Wakanda kingdom died last week of colon cancer at the age of 43. I have thought more about him and have learned more about him. Maybe because we share a common background as the great Bisons, Howard University graduates. But it’s more than that.  What really caught my attention is the shock, surprise and hard to believe statements of many of us on the news of his death.  What really is the surprise and shock? Is it that Boseman should not have died having played hero figure for many?; Or he died too soon or we don’t believe we ourselves will die?  I started to read up about the real Boseman. Did he have a family? Did he believe and trust Jesus Christ as his Lord and savior? At this point of his death and our death, these are really the questions that matter. In our continuing study today, apostle John points us to Jesus who has overcome for us and ho...