God’s Blessing of Motherhood

By Alice | July 3, 2023 | Comments 0 Comment

Motherhood is both a privilege and a blessing from God. Unfortunately, not every woman gets to receive this blessing for various reasons that only God knows.

Even women who are faithful followers of Christ are not exempt from this reality. We hear a lot of Christian couples testify that they fasted and prayed for many years to get pregnant. Yet, God did not grant them their hearts’ desires. This often leads us to doubt God.

Come to think of it; there are a lot of women out there who seem to conceive easily. But in the end, they chose to get rid of their baby through the sin of abortion. Why won’t God just give that privilege to women who badly want to have children?

Receiving God’s Gift of Motherhood

If you are a regular visitor to this website, you must have noticed that I stopped publishing new articles on March 10, 2023. This is because I am not able to juggle between taking care of my newborn son and managing this site.

Since the arrival of my baby on March 13, 2023, I had to either pause or cancel all scheduled activities. Yes, I received the gift of motherhood after so many years of praying and waiting. Being a mom for the first time is such a joy that I can never compare it with anything else.

I remember being asked all the time when I am going to have a baby during the first 5 years of my marriage. After that, I guess, people got fed up asking. But it’s easy to guess what’s on their mind when they see me and my husband together without kids. It’s tough when people question why you don’t have children after being married for many years.

Receiving the gift of motherhood for the first time after 16 years of marriage is something I never expected to happen. But I am serving a big God who can do even the impossible.

I suffered a miscarriage with my first pregnancy in July 2007, but I never stopped trusting God. Looking back, I should have had a 15-year-old kid by now. Nonetheless, I don’t want to live in the past. I believe that God knows what’s best for me and will always have my best interest at heart.

Children are a Gift from God

I often read and hear stories of women who very much want to have children but are unable to conceive. What I find interesting is that some of these couples do not have any infertility issues. In other words, their doctor does not see any problem with their reproductive system.

Yet, they fail to get pregnant after many years of trying. The doctor then gives them several options such as IVF, surrogacy, or adoption. The first two are quite costly while the third one could take some time because of the paper works, screening/home study, and other requirements.

Did I ever doubt that I will become a mother? I won’t deny it! There have been times when I told myself, “Perhaps, motherhood is not for you. You just must accept that!”

I am sure many women can relate to my experience and almost gave up on their dream to become a mom. You can add to that the fact that many people are so insensitive. Do they have to state the obvious that you don’t have children, thus, your marriage is incomplete?

They say that you are not a “family” if you have no kids. Some even go as far as to say that barren women are cursed.

Children are, indeed, a gift or heritage from the Lord (Psalm 127:3). But it does not mean a woman who cannot have children is cursed. We may never understand why God closed the womb of some women. But we can trust God because He loves us so much that He cares about our happiness.

God sees the desires of our hearts but more importantly, He knows exactly what we need.

IVF, Surrogacy, and Adoption

I mentioned earlier these three options for couples who have difficulty conceiving. Adoption is generally acceptable, but I cannot say the same for IVF and surrogacy, especially for the latter. Let’s face it; there are countries where surrogacy is not allowed, particularly outside of the West.

What does the Bible say about women who opt to preserve some of their viable eggs while they are young and healthy? They do this so that whenever they are ready to have kids, they can just get them fertilized. What about surrogacy where somebody else carries to full term and delivers the offspring of a couple? Are we playing God by doing this?

I must admit, I have thought of IVF and surrogacy as an option for me and my husband. IVF is more affordable, but it would still cost money and there is also no guarantee that the first implant would be successful. This means one must be ready to spend money and go through the procedure several times.

Surrogacy, on the other hand, could cost up to a million pesos (Philippines Peso) or even more. This is because, most probably, they will not do the procedure here but overseas. Also, the couple should make sure their surrogate stays healthy throughout her pregnancy. It means they must pay for everything the surrogate needs and has to pay her a large sum of money for her “service.”

The Joy of Motherhood

Since the arrival of our son Zander in March, things have been different for me and my husband, in a hasty manner, of course. We now see things from a different perspective because, in every plan we make, we have to include our son.

It has been only the two of us for the last 15 years but now, it’s about our son and his future. Of course, we entrust him to the Lord because God knows what is best for our family.

Zander did give me the joy of motherhood that I have been longing for. I love him so much that I put my interests aside just so I can take care of him. Now, more than ever, I understand the kind of sacrifice mothers make for the sake of their children.

We often hear people say, “Enjoy your kids while they are young. Spend quality time with them now because the time will come when they would want to be on their own.”

This is exactly what I am doing now. I don’t mind putting aside everything else for Zander’s sake, especially now that he is completely dependent on me. I know that as he grows older and needs less attention, I could resume my pending activities.

Final Words

To the women who are still waiting for God’s blessing of motherhood, do not ever lose hope. If God did it for me, He could do it to you too. You need to keep believing that, “With God, nothing is impossible” (Luke 1:37).

Maybe, you’re waiting for many years already. Do not ever lose hope because we serve a God of the impossible. Our God is a miracle-working God who loves us so much that He desires our happiness. Trust God and let Him work things out for you.

Do I recommend adoption, IVF, or surrogacy? Since the Bible does not specifically say anything against these options, I also choose to be silent. All I can say is, you must pray about it. Go to God and seek His will for you.

If God is leading you to adopt, go for it. Should you undergo IVF or surrogacy? If God favors any of these procedures for you, He will make things smooth and stress-free.

For readers who would like to share their thoughts and/or experience regarding this matter, please use the comment section below.

God bless!

Recommended Resource:

Infertility – Finding God’s Peace in the Journey by Lois Flowers

Foreword by Dr. Gary Oliver, nationally known counselor, Bible teacher, and director of the Center for Marriage and Family Studies.

One in ten Americans of childbearing age has fertility problems. From her own experience, Lois Flowers understands the struggle and anguish these readers go through, and she gently points out some strategies that will help bring true peace and joy in the midst of the disappointment:

Making biblically informed decisions about medical treatments lays the groundwork for future contentment.
Working out practical ways to deal with family and friends can make reminders of infertility less painful.
Praying for God’s will–even in the middle of infertility–brings great peace and freedom in all areas of life and a deeper, more authentic experience of God’s love and compassion.

A Testimony of the Grace of God

By Admin | March 15, 2022 | Comments 2 comments

God has blessed us so much in many ways and we ought to bless others as well. One way of doing this is through our testimony and sharing our journey to faith in Christ.

It is an honor for us here at Biblical Christianity to publish the testimony of a brother in the Lord, Carlo Caputo.

Dear Fellow Christians,

I was a Christian for over a year before I realized I was a true child of God. At the age of 34, God graciously gave me eternal life according to His promises in the Holy Bible. I had always thought I was a Christian and that I would go to heaven when I died because of my Roman Catholic heritage.

I now realize that despite all my church attendance, sacraments, and commandment keeping, I would have gone straight to hell. It’s because I was trusting in my own merits to earn salvation, rather than depending on Jesus to save me.

It seems that everyone strives for two goals in life – security and significance. If a person would honestly analyze their motives, I believe that they would see that all their activities in life fall into these two categories.

The need to feel accepted by others (security) and the need to feel important (significance) are our two main driving factors.

How I Became A Roman Catholic

Although my parents were not practicing Catholics, they sent me to Catholic schools. And I received the sacraments as I grew in age: Infant Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, etc.

I turned to God early in life because I could not find love anywhere in the home, nor in the Brooklyn, New York neighborhood where I was raised. Violence and rejection were everywhere. So my attention was focused on trying to please the Lord to receive the positive reinforcement that I desperately needed.

My efforts were directed through the only way I knew – the Catholic Institution. “Mother Church” became my source of security, and, my devout adherence to its teachings became my source of significance.

I attended daily Mass and Communion for almost 25 years. If I missed mass during the week, I would try to make up for it by going to extra Masses on the weekend. Many a time, as a teenager, I would sit through four or five Masses on Saturday morning. Then say an entire Rosary at each Station of the Cross.

I would give up eating meat for the entire season of Lent. I say this not to boast of my piousness, but to show the utter futility of it all (see Ephesians 2:8-9 and Titus 3:5).

However, with all this religious activity, there was still an emptiness inside me that I could not explain. I thought I wasn’t doing enough for God, so I would make additional and countless sacrifices to make the Lord accept me.

But still, there was a void within me that I could not seem to fill. I did not try to find happiness by the sinful pleasures of the world and I continually strived to please God, but deep down inside I always felt I was missing the mark.

Considering Priesthood

While in college, I took Army ROTC and therefore incurred a military obligation after graduate school. After serving as a company commander at Fort Devens, Massachusetts, I volunteered for Vietnam and departed overseas.

At the age of 27, while still living a celibate lifestyle, I seriously considered the priesthood. I wrote to every diocese in the United States and every Catholic Religious Order. I already had eight years of college before entering the military. But to become a Catholic priest involved five additional years of postgraduate study in Philosophy and Theology, which did not seem appealing.

So, when I returned to the States from Vietnam, I became involved with numerous Catholic activities and was elected Parish Council President. I felt that I could serve the Lord without becoming a priest and avoid the time of additional education.

My Charismatic Experience

In the meantime, some sincere Catholic friends were telling me of a new life in the Spirit through the “charismatic experience.” After two years of being “witnessed to,” I received the “gift of tongues” during a Catholic Charismatic Renewal Conference.

The fact that this occurred on All Saints Day was a tremendous boost for my “spiritual ego.” Through this experience, I became a better Catholic. The Mass became more meaningful, the words of the priest became more profound and his sermons were a blessing.

I purchased a Catholic Bible and started attending Catholic Charismatic Bible studies and prayer meetings. There had always been a “missing link” in my search for the Lord and now I thought I had found it.

With the ecumenical flavor of the charismatic influence, it did not seem too great a sin to associate with Protestants, so, I started dating a Baptist. After we were engaged, she decided to become Catholic. She took instructions in the Catholic faith and we were married by a priest in a Catholic Church with full nuptial blessings.

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission when you use any links on this page to make a purchase, but at no additional cost to you.

Joining the Baptist Church

After a while, I joined the Baptist Church to get a better understanding of her background. About a year later we left the Baptist church and joined a Pentecostal fellowship where we remained for three years.

Although I was a very active member of these various churches, the gospel of salvation was never really explained to me,

and therefore I remained lost. All of this time, I still wanted to return to the Catholic Church. All of my formal education, except for fifteen years of post-graduate studies, was in Catholic schools, so my devotion to Catholicism was still very strong.

I was very uncomfortable with non-Catholics and grew very resentful towards Protestants in general. I was bitterly opposed to Fundamentalists, especially when they would oppose Catholicism, which I defended vehemently.

Frankly speaking, what I saw in Protestants made me want to return to the Catholic Church all the more. I didn’t realize at the time, that many Protestants are without Christ and also need to be “born again,” just like Catholics need biblical salvation.

Sinner Saved by Grace

Sometime later, my life started to change and I couldn’t understand why. Rock music became increasingly irritating, and I enjoyed driving the speed limit.

My greatest change was noticed in my desire to read the Bible. I had always found it difficult to study the Bible, but now I could not put it down. I suddenly had a deep hunger for TRUTH and I felt the Lord leading me to understand the basic doctrines of Biblical Christianity.

As I grew spiritually, I finally realized why my life was changing. A year and a half before this, I was reading a book on Basic Christianity. Here, I learned that I had a sinful nature. This rebellious nature of all mankind is the original sin of Adam & Eve. We are all born with it and will die with it and this is what causes us to sin (see Galatians 5:17).

While I was reading this book, I realized why I was a condemned sinner. And that I could never save myself by good works, but that Jesus Christ had to save me. At this point, I threw myself at the Lord’s mercy and cried out that I wanted to be born again.

I did not become aware that this act of faith is what makes one a Christian until later when I fully understood the meaning of salvation.

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Catholicism vs. Biblical Christianity

Further Bible study revealed some shocking differences from what I had been taught as a Catholic.

I could not find anything about monks, nuns, novenas, sacraments, indulgences, etc. Some would insist that these are part of “Catholic Tradition” which, is “sacred.” They would even refer to 2 Thessalonians 3:6 to justify that there is nothing wrong with this tradition.

I would agree, except when “Sacred Tradition” contradicts Sacred Scripture, then it becomes a serious issue, as warned by Jesus Himself in Matthew 15:6.

I discovered that the Catholic doctrine of:

salvation contradicts Romans 4:5, Ephesians 2:8-9; and Titus 3:5;
Purgatory contradicts 1 John 1:7;
confession contradicts 1 John 2:1
holy days of obligation contradict Colossians 2:16;
the office of the Pope contradicts 1 Peter 5:13;
mandatory celibacy for priests contradicts 1 Timothy 4:3;
the title for priest contradicts Matthew 23:9;
praying to saints contradicts 1 Timothy 2:5;
the Mass contradicts Hebrews10:10-18; etc.

It disturbed me that many Roman Catholic priests were speaking in tongues, yet hearing confessions. They were performing miracles, yet they were still teaching about Purgatory.

What was their source of power for the miraculous, I wondered? It could not be the Holy Spirit if they were still preaching a false way to heaven!

Protestantism vs. Biblical Christianity

I also noticed a familiar preaching style among Pentecostals. During my time in the Army at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, I was trained in Psychological Warfare.

I noticed that the same mind control techniques that I was taught to incite riots and rebellion were the same preaching techniques that Pentecostals were using in their sermons to manipulate their congregations. See 2 Timothy 4:3-4.

In addition, as I grew to understand the basic doctrines of sin and salvation, I found other charismatics in direct disagreement with the basic essential doctrines of Biblical Christianity.

They believed that it was possible to lose one’s salvation, which contradicts John 10: 28-29. They also believed that one can rise above sin, which contradicts 1 John 1:8.

Finally, I realized that if charismatics, who claim to be so “filled with the Holy Spirit,” could be in such Scriptural error, then what they had must be another spirit. And that the “full gospel” was “another gospel” (see 2 Corinthians 11:4).

It then became obvious to me that the Charismatic Movement is a clever Satanic move. This is the enemy’s weapon to get people to bypass Calvary and get them to the Upper Room where they can perform the “signs of an apostle” without being truly converted. See Matthew 7:21-23 and 2 Thessalonians 2:8-12.

It is noteworthy that the method, by which the Devil used to bring sin into the world, was to entice Eve to become more spiritual; and he still uses the same tactics today.

The Truth Has Set Me Free

I thank God every day for my deliverance from Romanism and Pentecostalism. I now fellowship and worship in an independent, fundamental, Christ-honoring assembly where the Word of God is our sole authority.

It is only through the true power of the Holy Spirit that I could have been freed from the bondage of all the heresies and unsound teachings to which I had been exposed.

The Lord Jesus promised, “You shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall make you free” (John 8:32). I had sought the Lord since I was a child and God honored my search.

Many Roman Catholics may probably think that I have “abandoned my faith” but that’s not the case. In reality, I have forsaken any hope of achieving heaven by my own good works. Instead, have put my trust in the complete and finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I came to believe that Jesus Christ did all the penance for my sins. And the only thing left to do to go to heaven is to have faith in the crucifixion of Christ as a complete atonement for my sins.

In my life without Christ, I had no real peace or joy in my heart. I was a loner and felt very uncomfortable around unfamiliar people. I was extremely insecure and had many fears inside of me that I tried to overcome by being boisterous and aggressive.

Due to the hostile environment of my youth, I was a very angry person and became easily upset with trivial matters.

Living a New Life in Christ

Now, by the abundant grace of God, I find myself being able to build relationships with all types of people. I have become secure in Christ, not in any religion or church. Having the assurance of eternal life and knowing Christ personally as a friend, has given me significance.

It is my prayer, that all who read this may find their security and significance in the Christ of the Bible. Receive God’s gift of eternal life by placing your complete trust in Jesus Christ and look forward to being with Him throughout all eternity.

AMEN.

Your brother in Christ,
Carlo Caputo

The Power of Waiting On the Lord

By Alice | April 1, 2019 | Comments 10 comments

Ever find yourself standing in front of the microwave oven saying, “Hurry up?” Or push the elevator call button every five seconds while waiting for the elevator to arrive? Waiting is said to be one of the most difficult things to do. I know, it’s a tough assignment.

We get impatient waiting; we hate to have to wait for our ride to arrive or our food to be served, and even for our prayers to be answered. But let us not forget that the Bible promises power to those who patiently wait upon the Lord (Isaiah 40:31). More importantly, we do not survive spiritually if we do not learn to wait.

We Renew Our Strength by Waiting on the Lord

It’s important to note that the strength we have right now that needs to be renewed from time to time is not our own strength. It is the strength that we received when we first came to the Lord in weakness.

Unless we first acknowledge that we are weak, we will never admit that we need the Lord’s strength. For “God’s strength is reserved only for those who know they are weak and know they have no might” (David Guzik).

So how do we receive this “new” strength from the Lord? We receive it by waiting. We need to understand that waiting on the Lord does not mean sitting around until the Lord does something.

Indeed, God gives us strength but we should not expect it to come as if He were just pouring it into us while we sit passively. We receive God’s strength as we continually seek Him and rely on Him, instead of our own strength.

How to Wait on the Lord

A. Wait with Patience

We should wait on the Lord with patience.

When we do not know what to do about something, we should wait. Often times we get caught up in just doing something that we neglect to hold still, listen and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10).

So many of us are waiting for something and as we wait, we can become discouraged and start asking when the waiting will ever end. Will God ever answer my prayer?

When the pieces of our lives are not fitting together the way we want, we get busy and start trying to force things to work, as Abraham and Sarah did.

B. Wait in Prayer

We should wait on the Lord with prayer.

The first step in getting answers to our prayers is to pray. When we face trials, prayer should be the first we head. Psalm 130:1-2 is a prayer for God to listen to. The psalmist is so consumed with despair, asking God to listen to his requests.

Do you know that failure to pray is a sin? 1 Samuel 12:23-24 says, “Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you; but I will teach you the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.”

Twice the psalmist says in Psalm 130:5-6 that his soul waits for God’s response. Consider also the repeated phrase, “more than those who watch for the morning. The psalmist is so eager for the Lord’s presence that he says it twice for emphasis.

Are you praying while waiting on the Lord?

C. Wait on Purpose

We should wait on the Lord on purpose and make God the focus of our lives.

Divorce, addiction, emotional disorders, and criminal records are evidence of lives torn apart because someone decided on pursuing to follow some voice other than God’s, some counsel other than God’s, and some plan other than God’s.

In Psalm 62:5-6 David wrote, “My soul, wait silently for God alone. For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.”

We also read in Psalm 1:1-3 that there is a blessing for those who do not seek the counsel of the wicked. Clearly, the righteous man and the ungodly (wicked) man are different in the way they think and behave.

The Christian knows that God’s word is always the best counselor, and godly counselors will always bring the truth of God’s word to help someone who needs counseling.

My Personal Testimony

Seven months ago, I submitted my resignation letter because I truly believed that I am not properly compensated for the work that I do and have been doing for 8 long years. I have been praying and asking God for a raise for more than 2 years but it seemed like God was silent.

So I took that as a go signal from God for me to resign and apply to another company that is willing to pay me more than what I was currently making. Upon handing in my resignation letter, HR called me to his office and asked if I would consider staying. In return, they will give me a pay raise.

What he offered was much lower than what I was expecting. But because I have not heard from the companies I applied to and my resident visa is expiring in a few days, I took the deal.

Today, I still feel like my salary isn’t worth the workload that I do. Was I impatient for doing things my way instead of waiting on the Lord? Maybe! Today, I take delight in the great and mighty things that God is doing n my life and church ministry. God is still good and He is good all the time.

And through all that, I have learned that if we take the time to pursue God’s direction and wait for His response, we will get much better results.

Are we weak? It is because we are not waiting on the Lord.

Closing Words

God loves us and He wants us to live with joy, hope, and victory. But at the same time, God desires for us to wait with patience, in prayer, and on purpose and He will answer.

There is power in waiting on the Lord. It gives us the benefit of getting our strength renewed. The basic meaning of the word renew is to change; it means to keep putting on fresh strength.

But we also have to remember that the Lord gives us strength not to show off but to move forward and progress for Him and in our walk with Him.

Reference:

NKJV Prophecy Study Bible, 2015 Edition {Diamonds for Living} by John Hagee, ed.

The prophecies of the Bible assure us that God will prevail. The NKJV Prophecy Study Bible, 2015 Edition has hundreds of pages of special features that offer a broad understanding of prophetic themes, salvation, covenants, and other important doctrines of the Christian faith.

Why Not Just Friends?

By Michael Heilman | March 2, 2019 | Comments 0 Comment

Over the last few years, I have come to realize the phrase “just friends” is a lie. In the modern vernacular it actually means “just acquaintances.” Most of the time for me, after getting put in the “friend” zone, I never hear from or talk to them again. That is not a friend. That borders on an enemy.

Bible Verse: Proverbs 18:24 (NKJV)

“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.”

Reflection and Challenge

While it’s usually true that “a multitude of counselors” assures a wise decision, at the same time, we must avoid running from friend to friend asking for advice. This may indicate that we’re trying to find somebody who will tell us what we want to hear!

We need more than friends; we must have a friend who will stand by us and “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). We can tell a “real friend” by how close he or she is to adversity.

My Story

I am a Christian millennial, but I do not understand why we are putting off marriage or even just friendship. If my assessment is accurate, Christian singles classes always have two cliques: the boy clique and the girl clique. If I didn’t know any better, the Red Sea has been parted.

In my previous post, I shared about my failed relationship with Jo Ann and how I ended up brokenhearted. So now that I have reentered the single category again, my dad given me some wisdom. “Start as friends.” He heard that from Christian counselors.

They are not talking about the “just friend” category though. You wonder why the homosexual and lesbian population is exploding, all of our friends are of the same sex and we have forgotten how to have relationships with the opposite sex.

One aspect of this problem is we have forgotten how to be friendly toward the opposite sex. Isn’t it interesting how friendly and friends have the same root word?

That is where Proverbs 18:24 comes in. Jesus is the perfect example. If you are a born-again Christian, Jesus is supposed to be your best, best friend even if you are a woman. Jesus knows everything about you. Do you have any opposite-sex friends that know everything about you? Doubt it.

This is why I try to be an open book to everyone. The problem I come across is so few people want to read me. That would mean they would have to be friendly to get to know me. I am not talking about chit-chat or small talk either. Nobody gets to know anyone with those.

Another example would be the numerous times that my sister and I have been mistaken for being husband and wife because we spend a lot of time together. Whatever happened to a male and female spending quality time together without assuming a serious relationship?

Honestly, I believe women are way better at conversations than men. That is why I have way more female friends than male friends. You cannot have a good friendship without in-depth conversations.

As I said before without in-depth conversations, we end up judging a book by its cover, because we have no idea what its pages say.

We all have a story to tell. If you listen to theirs, they might listen to yours.

Jesus is the calm at the center of my storm

Jesus, You are the Calm at the Center of My Storm

By Alice | October 29, 2018 | Comments 0 Comment

Living in a country that is visited by an average of 20 typhoons every year, I can understand the fear that the disciples felt when a furious storm suddenly came up while they were inside a boat in the middle of the sea (Matthew 8:23-27 & Mark 4:35-41).

It’s pretty scary because you never know if you’re going to make it after the storm is gone. But if Jesus calmed the storm by rebuking the wind and the waves, He can also calm whatever storm we are facing.

The Bible tells us that Satan is the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4). So it’s no wonder that most of the time the world is in chaos. Living in a world that is ruled by the prince of darkness, we cannot expect things to get better, it could even get worse.

Every day we learn of terrible things that happen everywhere around the world and Christians wonder when this will ever end. But in the midst of all the troubles, we can always turn to Jesus, the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6) who will calm us even in the middle of a terrible storm.

Calm at the Center of my Storm Lyrics & Chords

It’s been a year since I published a post about how God sustained me physically, emotionally and spiritually. It was definitely one of the toughest times of my life in as far as my day job is concerned. It even came to a point where I thought I couldn’t take it anymore and all I could think about was quitting.

Praise the Lord Almighty for giving me the strength to keep on. I may be weak but God is strong and He will give me the grace to overcome every hurdle that I may have to face. I’m blessed to share with you that what I’ve been through has made me a lot stronger and taught me to trust God all the more.

*Here’s the article: Yes, I can Do All Things Through Christ Who Gives Me Strength

Another Year, Another Challenge

So I thought everything was going very well. Ministry is flourishing, my website is getting better with traffic (meaning visitors), I’m learning a lot more about and growing in His grace and knowledge and the extra working hours in my day job have been reduced.

There’s just one problem, a couple actually: I am in conflict with the head of my department (I call him Doc T) and my employers are having financial difficulties. In regard to the former issue, I’m not sure when and how things started to go south between me and Doc T.

We actually started out on a positive note; we were communicating very well, we were comfortable with each other. We even became friends while at the same time maintaining a professional relationship – that of a superior and subordinate. I very much appreciated how principled he was and wanted nothing more than equality among everyone in the team, regardless of race, nationality, and religion.

Then came that unfortunate day when my roommate/colleague and I got into some kind of conflict with a junior local staff, a big NO–NO, I must say! This is one thing a foreigner should never do in a country where discrimination is very common and rampant. Admittedly, it was a huge mistake for me to get involved and I had to learn my lesson the hard way.

In all fairness, Doc T tried his best to make it look like the problem is nothing more than a plain misunderstanding when we were called in for a department meeting with the HRO (Human Resource Officer). But after that, it became even more obvious that the management has sided with the junior staff, because she’s a local.

Well, Doc T got the message loud and clear from the HR: locals are privileged in this medical facility and you have to abide by that rule if you want things to go smoothly for you. And that’s when Doc T started treating me and other foreigners in our department differently.

How to Respond to People Who Do Not Treat You Well

Since then, Doc T would do anything just to please the locals, even at the expense of the foreigners (myself included). This was not only physically and mentally draining, but it was emotionally painful too. I tried to remain polite and respectful towards him, and so as my colleagues. But as they say, every person has his limit.

As a follower of Christ, I should know better than to get in conflict with anyone, especially with my superiors. And so I tried to keep my distance from Doc T, which he took as a sign of disrespect and animosity towards him. He even went as far as to accuse me of influencing our junior staffs to give him the “cold treatment.”

I was like, “What? Are you kidding me?” I was appalled, disappointed and troubled. I admit, I tend to overreact at times, especially when the attack is personal. Imagine being called “evil” (behind your back) by your superior just because you only talk to him when necessary, meaning, as it relates to work. I wonder if this is what they call “character assassination.”

Anyway, I thought it’s best to just let things subside, for now. I recognize that this is another bump on the road, which happened a week after I delivered God’s message in our local church on “The Christian’s Response to Trials.”

If you are being used by God behind the pulpit, you know for certain that whatever sermon you preach, God will allow you to experience it firsthand. The word of God also exhorts us to live at peace with everyone, if it is possible (Romans 12:18 & Hebrews 12:14).

Choosing to Move Forward

Just because we’re followers of Christ doesn’t mean that we won’t have storms in our lives. But following Jesus faithfully will give us peace, even in the midst of those storms.

As for me, I could choose to wallow in despair or rejoice in tribulations. Bottom line is whatever storm I am facing right now, I am confident that God will help me through it, because you, Jesus my Lord, are the calm at the center of my storm.

Have you had experiences like this within your family circle, friends or colleagues? How did you handle the situation? Your testimony is very much welcome in the comments below.

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Just Turned 1 Year Today

By admin | June 27, 2018 | Comments 8 comments

One year ago today, I put up this website with the goal of sharing and spreading the love of God to the world, and also to encourage fellow believers in the Lord Jesus to continue running the race of faith to the end, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 9:24; 15:58). It was a great 1st year indeed, praise God!

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” – 1 Corinthians 9:24 (NLT)

Having a platform to share everything I learned (and still learning) from the Bible through personal Bible study and meditation, and listening to respected Bible scholars and theologians, was truly one of the desires of my heart since God started using me in the teaching and preaching ministry.

The Challenges

A few months before this website came into existence; I didn’t know anything about website building, themes, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and the proper use of keywords. To be completely honest, I had zero knowledge. So I prayed and asked God to guide me through the proper channels and sure enough, He did.

But before I will tell you all about this platform that has taught me everything I needed to know about building and maintaining a website, I would like to encourage everyone who also has the desire to put up a Christian website to pray about it and ask God for guidance.

I know that God will honor your heart’s desire. The world needs more Christian bloggers to spread the Word of God with the use of technology. If the devil is working double time to deceive people using technology such as the internet, then by all means, Christians should also be using technology to work double or even triple time, to usher in more souls into the kingdom of God.

“Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” – Psalm 37:4

We are living in the last days and no matter what our present situation is, we must never forget God’s mandate for us – to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). We will not all be able to stand before people to preach, or join mission teams. But we can always share the Gospel using any means such as the internet.

My Number One Recommendation

As I said, I had no idea how to build a website, let alone maintain it. So I asked Mr. Google to show me how. As expected, many articles came up as I typed in: “How to build a website.” I clicked on several articles and also checked out a few YouTube videos. Sure, they were all very informative and useful. There’s just one problem, they won’t tell you everything you need to know without inputting your credit card number.

A week later, I still could not decide what program to avail until I read a review about a platform that allows you to build 2 websites for free. Not only that, they will also host your websites (for free) and will give you 10 free certification lessons that will teach you how to build a profitable business online.I am talking about Wealthy Affiliate, where you will not only learn to build your own website, it will also teach you everything you need to know to start an online business and scale it. To date, this platform has allowed many people to start their online business, quit their full time job and be financially free.

By the way, you may wanna check out my review on Wealthy Affiliate when I was just two months into the program.

Although I did not intend to make money through this website, some of my articles contain affiliate links of my recommended products that you can check out for further research and study on the topics I talked about in the said articles. When you purchase any of the recommended Christian products, you are not only buying them with no extra cost to you; you are also helping maintain this website.

You can read my affiliate disclosure here: Website Affiliate Disclosure

Website Update

As of today, biblical-christianity.com has a total of 58 blog posts, with four of them written by guest author Bro. Jess Cortez. The number of daily visitors has increased since May this year and is now ranging between 80 to 120. I know, this figure is low compared to other Christian sites. But I consider this a huge blessing and a confirmation from God that this website is on the right track.

So on behalf of the authors and contributors of this website, I want to thank everyone who is taking time to read and leave comments. It’s a blessing to read your comments, and if you are gaining additional biblical knowledge from the articles in this website, we too are learning and growing in knowledge on the Word of God as we write these articles.

*Join Wealthy Affiliate today for free, click here!

We are very grateful for your continued love and support and please know that we are always open to sharing and discussing with you about any topic that has something to do with God and the Bible.

Admittedly, there are Christians who hold a view that’s different from us on certain biblical topics and doctrines of the Christian faith. One particular disagreement is in regard to Sabbath keeping and the Lord’s Day. This is also the post that has received the most comments.

While many believe that the Law of Sabbath keeping isn’t binding to Christians today, there are Christian denominations who believe otherwise.

Here’s the article: What is the difference between the Sabbath and the Lord’s Day

Bottom line is, we can agree to disagree. What matters is that we will all continue to work together, united in the Body of Christ, to spread the love of God that has caused Him to sacrifice His only begotten Son for the salvation of everyone who believes (John 3:16).

Looking Forward to the Future

There are at least 15 articles or topics that are due to be written and published, and God-willing, I will publish at least 1 article every week and try to maintain this publishing frequency.

I would also like to take this opportunity to ask you, our dear readers for a favor. If you have a gift in writing (actually, you don’t have to be a writer) and you wish to share your reflections on Bible verses, your personal study and exegesis of Bible passages, you are very much welcome; biblical-christianity.com will publish your articles under your preferred author/user name.

As biblical-christianity.com turns 1 year old, I would like to thank the Lord for His faithfulness; for it is only by His grace and wisdom that we are able to do what we are doing. We hope to continue serving you by writing inspirational messages and articles that will help you in your search for truth about God and to help you grow in your faith in Jesus.

Should you have any topics in mind that you want us to tackle, please let us know through the comment section. You can also reach out to us through email using the contact form available in the “About Me” page. You are also welcome to share your thought and insights on any article that interests you by leaving a comment.

Shalom, may the good Lord bless us all!

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Do Pets Go to Heaven when They Die?

By Alice | March 12, 2018 | Comments 25 comments

One question that Christians have often asked over the years is whether or not there will be animals in heaven. Do pets or any animals go to heaven when they die? And if you have researched this topic, I’m sure you have seen and heard many different answers and opinions.

Most people have pets and they love them dearly like family. Couples who are childless even consider their pets as their own children. Our family has pets, cats and dogs, and we love them like family. Unfortunately, we have lost quite a number already. And I am left wondering if I will ever see my dearly departed pets again.

We know from the Bible that there are only two destinations for man when he dies, heaven or hell. Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Clearly, man faces judgment immediately upon death. In other words, we will know right away where exactly we are headed the moment our physical life on earth ends.

A Very Sad Day

The day that I had to fly back to the Middle East where I am currently based, our one-month-old puppy Darna succumbed to her death due to dysentery. It was already too late when we realized what was going on with her. Had we known earlier that she was terribly ill; we would have done something to save her.

Everybody was sad, especially my mom, because she was the one who adopted Darna. Our neighbor’s dog gave birth to four lovely puppies and decided to give one to us. Mom named her Darna and we all thought it was perfect for her. We all loved and adored her even though she was a bit stubborn at times.

But after just a month or so, we had to say goodbye to her. It was a very sad day indeed, because not only did we lose the newest member of the family, but it was also the day that I had to go away again because my vacation days are over.

Maybe some of you are thinking, “C’mon, it’s just a dog.” You know what; the pain of losing anyone of our pets is real. If you are a pet owner, I’m sure you can totally relate. We are deeply affected by the loss of our pets because we love and treat them as family, especially when they have been with us for years.

What Does the Bible Say?

While many Christians believe that God will allow our pets to cross over into heaven after they die, there are also a significant number of Christians who believe otherwise. But what does the Bible say?

It is very difficult to give a precise answer to this question because the Scriptures do not conclusively tell us whether our pets will make it to heaven. God does not specifically say one way or the other whether or not any of our personal pets, or any animal for that matter will be crossing over to be with us in heaven.

Many of the noted Bible scholars and theologians also agree with this opinion as they could not find any passages or verses in the Bible that gives us a definitive answer to this question. Nevertheless, I believe that the Bible does provide us with some significant clues on the subject matter.

But before going any further, it is very important to state that if pets do go to heaven, their owners will also have to go to heaven to see them and be with them. The Bible makes it pretty clear that the vast majority of people won’t make it to heaven (See Matthew 7:13-14 and Luke 13:23-25).

The road to heaven is extremely small and most people, even those who call themselves Christians, will not find it. In fact, even people who think they will go to heaven just because they call Jesus “Lord,” and have done many wonders in the name of Jesus may not make it (Matthew 7:21). That’s why it is critical that we get right with God, otherwise, our chances of seeing our dearly departed pets are zero.

What Does the Bible Say about Animals?

First of all, the Bible does not explicitly say that animals have souls. However, it states that both man and animals have the “breath of life;” (Genesis 2:7; Genesis 1:30; Genesis 7:15, 22) that is, both man and animals are living beings. While I agree that animals are not saved, applying general biblical principles, I believe we can conclude that animals do have souls. They have the capacity to think and feel.

The primary difference is that man is made in the image and likeness of God, while animals are not. And being made in the image and likeness of God, man, like God, is capable of spirituality, with a mind, emotion, and will and they have a part of their being that continues after death. Man has the capacity to choose or reject God’s gift of salvation while animals do not.

A. In the Garden of Eden

Before God even created man, there were already animals and various types of living creatures in the Garden of Eden. God had literally created the animals before creating Adam. Perhaps God did this so Adam would have everything he would need to be happy and fulfilled.

Although God saw that Adam needed a helper comparable to him (Genesis 2: 18) besides the animals, the fact that God had created animals and these living creatures in the first environment He had set up for us speaks volumes of their importance in living with us on this earth. If God did not think animals were important in the big picture, He would have never created them in the first place.

Adam and the animals in the Garden of Eden — Photo Credits: The Atlantic

B. In Heaven

God did not only put all these animals on earth but there may also be animals living up in heaven right now.

Revelation 19:11-14 describes Jesus Christ riding on a white horse as He comes back to earth in His Second Coming. And not only He will be riding on a white horse, but so will all of His saints who will be coming back down with Him.

If Jesus and all of His saints are going to be coming down from heaven on these white horses, then there literally has to be white horses up in heaven right now. And there could easily be other types of animals and creatures living up there as well.

C. In the Coming Millennium

Scripture tells us that not only has God put animals upon this earth when He created it and has kept them here after Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden, but He will also still allow animals to exist in the coming millennial kingdom where the King, our Lord Jesus will be ruling the entire earth from the city of Jerusalem.

Isaiah 11:6-9 says that there are going to be wolves, lambs, leopards, goats, calves, lions, cows, bears, and cobra snakes in the coming millennium kingdom. And there are probably going to be a lot of the animals that God has created in the past as well.

And take note that these wild animals that existed during the millennium will not be wild and won’t be attacking anyone like many of them do today.

Will There be Animals in the New Heaven and the New Earth?

Will our pets be with us?

Revelation 21:1-2 describes a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away. God will also be bringing with Him the holy city of the New Jerusalem where both He and Jesus will rule forever and ever.

But is God still going to have animals, like our pets, existing and living among us in this New Heaven and New Earth?

The Bible does not give us a clear and definite answer to this question and tradition has often leaned more toward a “No.” However, I do think there are good grounds to hope that God will raise our deceased friends.

The Bible says we only “know in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9-10) while we are living down here on this earth. So yeah, the question of whether pets go to heaven is probably one that we will have to wait until we get to heaven in order to see who has guessed it right.

In Romans 5:5, the apostle Paul says, “Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” I believe we can rest on the certain truths that whatever heaven is like and whatever God has decided on this or any issue for that matter, it will be good, perfect, and without error.

Three Reasons to Hope that We will See our Pets in Heaven

1. God Loves Animals too and has Ensured their Survival.

Going back to the creation narrative in Genesis, God releases His blessings for the first time to the animals He created (Genesis 1:21-22). God not only saw His work as “good,” but He blessed the creatures He has made.

Did you know that this is the first time the word “bless” is used in the Bible? God’s blessings enabled the animals and other creatures to reproduce abundantly and to enjoy all that He had made for them.

God’s blessing of progeny is later given to man in Genesis 1:28 with the added gift of “dominion” over all creation.

Later in Genesis 6:18-19 when God decides to destroy the earth with a flood because of its increasing wickedness, God makes a covenant with Noah reaffirming the blessing to be “fruitful and multiply,” at the same time ensuring the survival of every kind of animal.

Animals in Noah's Ark — Photo Credits: ArchitectureIMG.com

2. Animals are an Integral Part of the Bible’s Story.

Can you honestly tell the story of the Bible or the story of the cross without animals? Animals are interwoven into Scripture narratives either as actual actors or important metaphors.

Here’s to name just a few:

a) Many of the plagues of Egypt include animals as servants of God’s will (frogs, lice or gnats, flies, livestock, locusts).

b) Jonah is swallowed up by a large sea creature (Jonah 1:17).

c) Balaam’s donkey displays the power of God by speaking (Numbers 22:27-30).

d) Jesus rides as King on a donkey in Jerusalem (Matthew 21:4-7).

e) The Devil takes the form of a serpent (an animal) in order to deceive Adam and Eve.

f) Jesus is described by John as the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29) and the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5).

With all these references to animals, many of which are integral to the story of the Scriptures, it seems strange for God not to make a way for them to be with us in the afterlife. God obviously loves animals and He knows that we do too.

3. God is Good and He Loves Us.

God loves us and He wants us to be happy. God demonstrated His love for us while we were yet sinners, by giving His only begotten Son to die on the cross to pay for the penalty of our sins so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life (Romans 5:8; John 3:16).

To want to see our dearly departed pets and ask that they’ll be with us in the future is not to say that God is not enough to make us happy and content. Of course, in the presence of God, there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:110) but God also promised that He will make everything new.

Will our pets be present in God’s new kingdom? We do not know for sure. But if animals populated the Garden of Eden, there is a precedent for believing that they will populate “restored” Eden as well.

Conclusion

In closing, I would just like to say that while we cannot say for certain if the pets we enjoy today and those we have lost will make it to heaven, some of the keenest thinkers like C.S. Lewis and Peter Kreeft are convinced that not only animals in general but pets in particular, will be restored in the resurrection.

Listen to what Dr. Michael Brown, a Jew who believes in Yeshua as the Messiah, has to say as regards the question of pets going to heaven.

If God will be giving us all a glorified body at the resurrection, who is to say that God cannot resurrect our pets so they will be able to live with us in heaven and then eventually in the New Heaven and New Earth for all eternity?

God resurrecting our pets would be in total keeping with His overwhelming grace, love, and goodness. Do I hope to see my pets in heaven? Absolutely! I could be wrong, but I personally trust God that at the end of the day, He knows what makes me happy and always has my best interest at heart. So no matter what, I know it will be what’s best.

Do you also hope to see your pets in heaven? Please do share with me your thoughts by leaving your comments below.

Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a commission when you use any links on this page to make a purchase, but at no additional cost to you.

Recommended Resource:

Signs From Pets In The Afterlife: Identifying Messages From Pets In Heaven by Lyn Ragan

Signs from beloved pets are seen by thousands every day.

Some communications are received in ways that do require an acute awareness as well as more interpretation. From the Heavens above, signs are shared by deceased pets to connect with the families they left behind.

Many times, these gifts are unseen or are difficult to identify. Learning to speak the Language of Spirit requires practice but once identified, the joy of hearing from your pet in spirit can bring great comfort.

This book is an ABC narrative for identifying signs, messages, and signals from the afterworld. It shares a simple way to look for, and read, communications from pets in the hereafter.

For anyone looking to continue their relationship with a beloved pet in the afterlife, this book can help you identify their gifts from heaven.

Love lives forever… and so do our souls…

Yes, I can do all things through God who gives me strength

Yes, I Know I Can Do All Things Through Christ Who Gives Me Strength

By Alice | October 26, 2017 | Comments 6 comments

Coming to work tonight, (I work night shifts) I was expecting another change in my work schedule for the coming weeks and I couldn’t help but think, “How am I supposed to survive a 12-hour shift every day, 7 days a week?” As two of our own are going from here this week, back to their country for good, next week which starts tomorrow, will mark what I call the toughest and the most hectic schedule for me to date since coming to the Middle East 7 years ago.

As I am writing this blog, I am trying to recount the several occasions where I almost couldn’t feel my legs as a result of excessive walking as part of my job. How did it come to this? Honestly, I couldn’t even remember when was the last time I was on an 8-hour shift for a whole month, and this is mainly due to the shortage of staff not just in our department but in the entire hospital workforce.

Majority of our hospital staffs are working 12-hours shifts, some even 14-16 hours. But who is to blame? The management? The department heads? Or the government for coming up with several rules aimed at sending many foreign workers back to their land so they can give jobs to their own people? This is not the time to start pointing fingers because doing this won’t make the situation better but could even make matters worse.

I couldn’t even wrap my head around what the situation will be like if this goes on even for the next 2 months or so. Thankfully, I’ve been spared from additional paper works in preparation for the renewal of the hospital’s accreditation license to continue its operations. However, that does not mean I have more time for myself.

Prayer Life and Ministry

I must admit there have been times when I thought, “Okay, this is it. I couldn’t do this anymore.” I once thought of quitting just because I got home from work one day fully exhausted. But then God made me realize that making a major decision when you’re tired, upset, disappointed, or even when you’re over-joyed, is not a wise move.

About 3 years ago, I was given the huge responsibility to handle the Education Ministry in my local church, and although it’s an honor and a blessing to be able to serve God this way, I realized that this also comes with a huge accountability. I am fully aware that in order to teach, preach and disciple, one has to be able to handle the truth of God’s word correctly and to present himself approved to God (2 Timothy 2:15).

There were also times when I wasn’t ready to conduct our regular pre-worship Bible Studies because I got too busy with my work but thank God for the lives of some brothers who are always willing to step in to teach. It’s always a blessing to have brethren ever ready to help out no matter how busy they are with their works too. It’s my joy to hear them say, “Anything for the Lord sis, I am willing to do.”

What about my quiet time with God? I feel really guilty for not spending enough time with God, not having ample time to get in the word, to pray, listen to Him and worship Him. As a Christian, I know that it is crucial to spend time with God because communication and fellowship are the backbones of a relationship.

My Strength comes from the Lord

You know what’s keeping me together through all this time? It is knowing that the Lord my God will never leave me nor forsake me. I have the assurance that as a child of the Most High God, I am privileged; that I am blessed and I know that my Lord is always here to hold my hand and to help me get through every hurdle I may have to overcome.

Despite my unfaithfulness and failures, God is always faithful and He has shown me this many times over. In situations where I did not think I can get through it, I was able to conquer because my strength comes from God alone. Despite many of difficulties, I’ve learned to rest in God’s promises and rely on His strength.

One thing I am sure of, it is in my weakness that I can see the fullness of God’s strength. I maybe weak but God is strong. Yes, I know I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength (Philippians 4:13). There maybe tougher challenges waiting ahead but I know I can overcome anything because my confidence is in the Lord; I know that God has given me the victory through Christ Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:57).

Are you facing tough challenges which you think you are unable to overcome? Cheer up, trust in the Lord and praise Him for He is our strength, helper and shield (Psalm 28:7).

Declaring the Amazing Grace of God

By admin | October 14, 2017 | Comments 7 comments

One of the things I enjoy since becoming a Christian is listening to the personal testimonies of fellow believers in Christ; how they came to know the Lord and how God has dealt and is dealing with them. It always amazes me how God draws people to Himself and uses their own circumstances to showcase His unconditional love and amazing grace.

Today, I would like to share with you the testimony of a fellow believer in Christ named Linda. I’ve never met her in person but I was so blessed by her life story, how she is overcoming her struggles by the grace of God and how God is working mightily in her life.

May we all welcome her in declaring the amazing grace of God.

Dear readers,

Thank you for passing by.

I would like to bless you today with my testimony. Let me start out by introducing myself. My name is Linda and I am 27 years of age here in 2017. Many people question the existence of God because many people feel they need to see Him in order to believe. Well, let me tell you how I came to Christ.

I used to be Catholic. I grew up with the traditions of making your first communion, the confession and taking the bread and wine. However, each Sunday that my mom and I attended church, we left the same way we came in. When I turned ten, I decided to tell my mom I didn’t want to attend church anymore. So, we stopped and I never did the confirmation. We sought for a church for almost ten years. But each Catholic Church was the same and we stopped looking.

When I was 18 and had just graduated from High School, I met my Pastors outside of the congregation. They were neighbors of one of my mom’s friends. Mom and I started attending Bible studies with them at their home. About 6 months later, they rented a large room in a local hotel to start service. They had just moved from Mexico to open up a congregation for their calling.

We all have a purpose in life which is known as our calling. If you ask me; “How is it that you believed in something you did not see?” I’d reply, “I didn’t care about God when I was a Catholic. But later, life’s issues proved to me that God was real.” So due to my calling, I became spiritually thirsty. Everything I learned, I shared. I didn’t care if it was someone at a gas station I didn’t know. It was in me to share what I was learning. I was thirsty for the word of our Lord.

Months later, my pastors decided to make a retreat which is where I had my first personal encounter with God. It wasn’t called a retreat but a “calling.” During the calling in a moment of prayer, my tongue started rolling and I couldn’t make it stop. I was speaking another language or dialect. I began speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues means “speaking in the spirit.” Speaking in tongues is one of the spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:4; Acts 19:6; 1 Corinthians 14:2)

That is how I knew then and there, that everything in the Scripture was true. It proved to me that everything is real and God does exist. I immediately began to have even more thirst and craving for the Gospel. God had just been proven to me. Maybe I didn’t see Him but I experienced Him. This is only the beginning of my testimony.

Now I ask, do you need to personally experience His presence like I did as well? Or do you need to hear a life struggle to believe? What is it that you need?

With love,

Linda Monserrat

What about you? How did you come to know the Lord? What did it take for you to acknowledge that you are lost and in need of a Savior? How has God been working in your life, your job, ministry and family since surrendering to Him and receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life?

Please feel free to share your testimony by posting it on the comment section below.

May the Lord bless and keep you!

Politics and the Bible: Are they compatible?

By Alice | July 19, 2017 | Comments 44 comments

Have you ever had someone tell you that Christians and the Church should not get involved in politics?

Because accordingly, it’s in clear violation of the policy on separation of church and state. Some also argue that Jesus Christ never got involved in politics so neither should Christians. Still, others say that Christians should just focus on preaching the Gospel instead of meddling with matters of human government.

Christian involvement in politics has been a much-debated subject. And many Christians believe that they should not engage in politics because “faith and politics do not mix.” Probably as a result of the complex history between the two, Christianity and politics have since become a complex subject that often evokes strong opinions.

Fact or Fiction?

A few centuries after the birth of the church, Christianity became intimately intertwined with the politics of the Roman Empire. This happened immediately after Emperor Constantine made Christianity the empire’s official state religion. What took place over the subsequent centuries was not only unhelpful but damaging for Christianity. The fusion of religion and politics created an empire that in many ways did not reflect the values held and taught by Jesus Christ.

And that is why today, many Christians shy away from politics. Pastors do not talk about it from the pulpits and more and more believers do not cast their ballots anymore. They prefer to stay home during the elections because they see politics as nothing more than a “dirty game.”

They believe that most politicians seek government offices as a means to gratify their greed and hunger for position, money, and power.

Should Christians Get Involved in Politics?

If the answer is yes, to what extent?

While some may argue that we should just preach the Gospel and not be involved, others imply that having conservative Christian candidates elected is of utmost importance. So let us look at what the Bible says as regards politics and government.

First, the Scriptures clearly state that governments by nature are God-ordained and thus accountable to God (Romans 13:1). Interestingly, believers who claim submission of their lives to Christ tend to forget about His lordship once the subject switches to politics. Christians must also allow Jesus to be Lord of their political views.

Romans 13:2-3 warns that those who resist authority are in effect resisting that which God has instituted. Consequently, they bring judgment on themselves for rulers will not punish those who do good but the evil.

Second, God ordains the government to promote justice for all (Romans 13:4 & 1 Peter 2:14). The government does this, at least partially, by legislating morality. Laws against murder, rape, assault, and many other crimes are moral issues commanded in the Bible to protect citizens.

The Issue on Moral Standards

Well, people might say, “Don’t try to impose your morality on me because I’m not trying to impose my morality on you.” Hey, you know what? You do not need the Bible to know that murder and rape are wrong. The question now is, which moral standards should the government legislate?

Third, the relationship between the church and government or state is not total separation nor total identification, but education and confrontation. There is no such thing as total separation of church and state. It’s important to note that the phrase doesn’t occur anywhere in the U.S. Constitution. It is a phrase that was made up to explain the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.”

There is nowhere in the constitution that forbids individuals from mixing faith and politics or from sharing their faith in a state-related function or location. Historically, no one interpreted the First Amendment to exclude religion from the political sphere. People have seriously misunderstood what “separation of church and state” means.

The founding fathers created the First Amendment to keep the state out of the church, not the church out of the state.

Why Christians Should Be Involved in Politics

As Christians, we need to be involved because we believe in a God who cares passionately about this world and consequently how it is run. We should get involved because the Bible is hugely political – in that it is about how God wants people to behave and act towards Him. Does God have a hand in politics? Daniel 2:21 says, “It is God who sets up kings and deposes them.”

Politics gives all individuals the right to vote on issues that they believe will affect them, including Christians. Although Christians do not have to vote as their church or pastor tells them, they should be involved in the sense that they first seek to be informed and then make up their minds.

With all the present matters of human trafficking, persecution of minorities, tyranny, and many other cases of inhumane acts, the need for Christian involvement in politics should be obvious. It should also be evident that Christians are the most ideal people for this role.

Was Jesus a Political Person?

The Bible says that “only the righteous is concerned about justice for the poor” (Proverbs 29:7). Some may argue that Jesus Himself was never politically involved. But didn’t He often confront the Pharisees who were the religious and political leaders during His time?

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

The Bible also includes other incidents in which God was not opposed to His people’s using political influence. Bible greats such as Joseph, Daniel, and Esther were all elevated to positions of political power so that God could carry out His will. Even the apostle Paul’s Roman citizenship played a major role in the spread of the Gospel (Acts 22:25; 26:32).

It is, therefore, a mistake for Christians to completely isolate themselves from the realm of politics. When believers do not take it upon themselves to vote or run for office, they carelessly leave the fate of future generations in the hands of wicked and immoral men.

Christian Apologist Dr. Frank Turek explains further why Christians should get involved in politics.

Church Pastors and Leaders in the Political Arena

When Bro. Eddie Villanueva ran for the Philippine presidency for the first time in May 2004 many Church leaders supported him. Villanueva is the president and founder of Jesus is Lord Church Worldwide (JILCW), one of the largest Bible-based, full-gospel Christian Churches in the world,

Indeed, church leaders did not directly advise their congregation and Church members to vote for Villanueva. But they encourage them to vote for a political candidate who is God-fearing and with high standards of morality.

Unfortunately, Bro. Eddie lost to then-incumbent President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who was seeking a full six-year term as President. Arroyo succeeded ousted President Joseph Estrada who was impeached with charges of plunder and corruption.

Bro. Eddie ran again for the 2010 presidential election and lost for the second time. This is despite the huge support from the Philippine Evangelical movement.

God’sWill in Politics

This led many born-again and evangelical Christians to conclude that it is not God’s will for church leaders and pastors to get involved in politics. Why? Simply because politics is a dirty game. They concluded that, yes, Christians must exercise their right to vote. But they should not run for public office because it is not God’s will for Christians to serve in the government.

Instead, they should just focus on sharing and preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ because they might get compromised after exposure to politics.

There is some validity to this caution. Some believers entering the political arena have become so politically focused. As a result, they have compromised their teachings which are fundamental to the Christian faith. Some Christians also made the mistake of resting all their hope on politicians and government at the expense of morality and godly living.

The Example of Daniel

Christians who hold positions in the government should follow the example set by Daniel. Daniel was given great authority in the ruling government of his day. He used his position to influence the king and others. But he never set his hope on Babylon, and this enabled him to be a prophetic witness towards Babylon. He was also able to serve under Persia.

Daniel used his influence as much as possible for good while never setting his hope in these kingdoms. This is because he understood that the advancement of the kingdom of God does not ultimately depend on political failures or political successes.

Politicians who are Christians should work as much as they can within their authority to promote righteousness and restrain evil. Yet they must never forget that the government cannot ultimately bring righteousness to the earth. Only God Himself can do that.

Christians Can Serve in the Government

The Bible shows us that God does put people in places of authority and influence for His sovereign purpose. However, it’s not a biblical mandate to seek authority and influence in government.

Christians must see government and authority in society as the means to advance the Gospel. At the same time, they should encourage Christians in authority to use their position for influence. If godly men and women can serve in places of leadership then, by all means, let them pursue it.

However, we should also not get disappointed when believers fail to come into places of influence. We should rejoice when a believer becomes president. Yet, we should not consider it a failure to advance the Gospel when a believer loses the election.

Conclusion

Yes, Christians must get involved. Christians must let their voice be heard by casting their ballots. They must, by all means, support, and vote for the candidate who could best represent them. Christians should elect those who will strongly stand for the right to religious freedom, the right to life for the unborn, and the God-ordained marriage.

And yes, Christians should spend time on their knees praying for the right candidate to win the elections. But they must also do their part by casting their vote.

One more thing, Christians must remember that although they are commanded to submit to the authorities and rulers and to pray for them (1 Timothy 2:1-2), their hope resides in the protection that only comes from God. Political entities are not the savior of the world.

The salvation of mankind is accomplished only through the life and works of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Recommended Resource:

Politics – According to the Bible: A Comprehensive Resource for Understanding Modern Political Issues in Light of Scripture by Wayne Grudem

A variety of perspectives exist within the Christian community when it comes to political issues and political involvement. Comprehensive and readable Politics According to the Bible presents a political philosophy from the perspective that the Gospel pertains to all of life and therefore argues that Christians should be involved in political issues.

In brief, this is an analysis of conservative and liberal plans to do good for the nation, evaluated in light of the Bible and common sense.

In this ground-breaking book, recognized evangelical Bible professor Wayne Grudem rejects five mistaken views about Christian influence on politics: (1) compel religion, (2) exclude religion, (3) all government is demonic, (4) do evangelism, not politics, and (5) do politics, not evangelism.

Grudem proposes a better alternative: (6) significant Christian influence on government. Then he explains the biblical teachings about the purpose of civil government and the characteristics of good or bad government. Does the Bible support some form of democracy? Should judges and the courts hold the ultimate power in a nation?

Wayne Grudem makes frequent application to the current policies of the Democratic and Republican parties in the United States, but the principles discussed here are relevant for any nation.