Hello friends. 2024 year has been rocked by more scandals and big exposures in the evangelical Christian community. I’m not going to summarize every scandal but I want to share a few resources for your review. Please make time to hear these podcasts because foreknowledge is essential in order to keep you safe in a church community. 

The topic of Christian cults came up in our parent prayer group because a former student of IU came into our Facebook group to warn us about a local church who actively recruits in the student community. She was involved with this church group and she informed us that ex-members are now working together to warn parents and students about this church.

From their church website, they appear biblically sound but ex-members say that the leaders are very controlling and isolate their members from their families and friends. That is a very big no-no! In addition, the church leadership is exposed for sexual misconducts and other dark secrets. This exposé report is written by the student newspaper. Thank goodness for brave young student journalists.

Here is the article – https://specials.idsnews.com/members-allege-spiritual-abuse-high-rock-church-bloomington-network/

Warren Buffet has been in the news recently. He is 94 years old. He is a very wise and successful man in investing and business management. I thought his advice in this article for parents was very good. 

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/25/warren-buffett-one-thing-all-parents-should-do-with-their-estate-plan.html

This exert from Warren Buffet’s article on CNBC stands out to me:

“In his letter, Buffett recalled that over the years he witnessed “many families driven apart after the posthumous dictates of the will left beneficiaries confused and sometimes angry. Jealousies, along with actual or imagined slights during childhood, became magnified.” 

I was just thinking about how much practices, anticipations and studies that football teams do before their games. Likewise, if your family get-togethers are not the easiest then please pray ahead for peace and unity, and your self-control. Please practice in your mind what you will do if the conversation goes the wrong way. Stakes are high in family relationships and so, sometimes it’s better to not talk about matters that divide the relationship. I think the same goes for church members too since we are a spiritual family.

MLK Jr.

I signed up for an online course on Martin Luther King Jr. to read and discuss his famous letters, speeches and sermons compiled in the book “A Testament of Hope”.

I did some research on the lives and legacies of MLK Jr and Malcolm X. Both men gave their lives to advance the civil rights movement in America. However, their approaches were different and their spiritual beliefs were very different too. I also looked into their descendants and how they are today. Whatever works that we do in our lives, produces a fruit that our descendants will eat from. I came to the conclusion that MLK Jr chose the better way to combat injustice and left a better legacy or fruit for his family. That’s why I’d like to learn more from his writings. (I read that in 2027 the FBI will be required to release all their surveillance recordings on him. I’m sure there will be many more books that will be written about him once these recordings are released.)

Hello friends. If you are wondering why I keep on focusing on revival, please watch this hour-long documentary about Keith Green. He was the poster child of a hippie culture in California of the 1960/70s. 

https://youtu.be/4nLRCIzNI5c

I was thinking about Alice Cooper yesterday and discovered that Pastor Greg Laurie came out with a new interview with Alice Cooper that is 30 minutes long. He was quite a controversial entertainer of my generation with his satanic looks and performances. He and his wife are both pastor’s kids. That tells you that no matter how far someone appears to have gone away from their upbringing, God is faithful. Don’t ever stop praying and believing for your children and grandchildren. 

https://youtu.be/qDAzBhc-KSU

If you are interested in watching testimonial films of the famous Johnny Cash and Steve McQueen:

https://watch.harvest.org/harvest%20films/playlist/55

Hello friends. I was speaking with a friend recently on how I navigated through some very difficult relationships and seasons. I realized that it was as simple as “just stay put.” That means I don’t make any changes in my position and plans during this period of distress. And if I do sense that I need to make a change then I surround myself with wise people in the church who can pray for me and advise me. I also wait for confirmation from God through the Bible. In very important matters, I notice that I receive signs from my surroundings or from the preaching of God’s Word or even a dream or visions or impressions during personal and corporate prayer times. Mainly, I rely upon God’s instructions in the Bible since signs can be disceptive and the enemy can use signs to mislead you. 

Hello everyone. It’s November! Yay! 😃 This year’s October was probably the worst one I’ve ever experienced. Thank you for your support and prayers for me and my family. 

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. – 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (NLT)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%204&version=NLT

Over the last 13-14 years I’ve been studying the Bible immensely. I get into discussions with church friends about Bible theology and doctrines. Sometimes our conversations can get a little heated as we are defending our position. However, we never allow ourselves to severe our friendship. Always remember this –  “We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.” (1 Corinthians 8:1 (NKJV)).