Tag Archive for: argument

Life Before Birth: God’s Plan for Every Child and the Truth About Abortion

“On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.” – Luke 2:21

I am not an expert on abortion, nor a Christian counselor in this matter, but I do have my own opinions and beliefs, which align with the Word of God. God is pro-life and commands us not to kill. However, when we decide on something—such as taking a life—we often engage in philosophical arguments, attempting to justify our actions. We create self-deceptive justifications that trap us in situations we mistakenly label as freedom and compassion.

Abortion is the act of ending the life of a human being who cannot defend themselves. In today’s world, we hear countless arguments trying to justify the termination of a conceived child. Many oppose late-term abortions because the baby is fully developed, while some accept early-term abortions, believing that the child is not yet clearly formed. However, whether it’s an early or late-term abortion, it remains an act of killing—a crime.

In Luke 2:21, the Lord named His Son Jesus BEFORE He was even conceived!!! To God, the unconceived child is already an existing being. He sees beyond the early days of conception or late-term development; He views a child as an existing entity even before conception. Now, isn't that something?

Consider the story of the prophet Jeremiah too:

“The word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.'” – Jeremiah 1:4-5

Shall I say it again? “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you!” Who forms the baby in the womb? God. “Before I formed you.” When you abort a baby, you are interrupting this miracle in progress. You are interfering with God as He forms a life inside the womb! Can you imagine entering the workshop of an artist, destroying the painting he just started creating, and convincing him to be comforted because his artwork is just in the beginning of it? You would be in jail. No one accepts that under any justification, it is still a destruction. Now what about lives, human beings, who are more than a piece of art in a workshop?

God regarded both Jesus and Jeremiah as existing beings even before they were conceived. Not only that, He had a destiny and calling planned for each of them! Isn’t that incredible?

So, if you are still attempting to reason or rationalize that abortion is not an act of killing at any phase of conception, remember that, in God's eyes, it goes beyond conception itself!

Stop deceiving yourself: “You shall not kill.”

I understand the “compassionate” justifications, like suggesting a woman should abort the baby if it is the result of rape. We all feel compassion and sorrow for raped women, but aborting a baby is still an act of killing—a crime.

Instead of taking a shortcut and acting out of anger on an innocent being who is now in the process of being formed and is not at fault, we need to seek deeper solutions. I am not here to provide those solutions, but perhaps you can share some ideas in the comments below.

For instance, what if the government funded the upbringing of this child and covered all the expenses? What if the child could be given up for adoption at birth? What if the baby could be transferred to the womb of a woman who longs for a child? IF WE ARE COMMITTED TO NOT KILLING, WE CAN DEFINITELY THINK OF SOMETHING THAT CAN EASE THE SITUATION AND SAVE THESE PRECIOUS BABIES THAT ARE FULLY FORMED BEFORE GOD EVEN BEFORE CONCEPTION.

Feel free to share this article with your church, a friend who may be misled, or even a politician still debating when to legalize the killing of a baby.

Leave your comment below or maybe your prayer!

God bless you,
Tony Francis

Lose the Battle, Win the War

Reflecting on the legendary battle at Thermopylae, where 300 Spartan soldiers faced insurmountable odds against the Persian army, one cannot help but admire their courage and sacrifice. Despite their eventual defeat, their actions paved the way for the ultimate victory of the Greek forces in the war against Persia.

The memory of the brave Spartans inspired the Greeks to persevere, even in the face of overwhelming opposition. This historical event teaches us a profound truth: sometimes losing a battle is a necessary step towards winning the war.

Dear readers, let us pause and contemplate the paradox of losing a battle. While it may seem counterintuitive, there is beauty in embracing defeat for the sake of a greater victory. As Apostle Grace Lubega eloquently preached, we must learn to lose battles to achieve the grander vision of winning the war.

Consider the everyday battles we face in life. A young man may win a trivial argument with an elder but lose the opportunity to honor and respect wisdom. Similarly, fleeting gains obtained through deceit or conflict often result in long-term losses of trust and integrity.

Imagine the joy of indulging in immediate pleasures, only to realize the cost of sacrificing long-term blessings. These stories serve as cautionary tales, reminding us of the importance of discerning between temporary victories and enduring triumphs.

For instance, let's reflect on the scenario of a young man who carelessly argues with an elder over an issue in which he is technically correct. Yes, he may win the battle of the argument, but in doing so, he loses the deeper respect and wisdom that come from honoring one's elders. The principle of respecting elders, often touted in various cultures, is not merely about winning or losing arguments but about nurturing relationships and gaining invaluable insights for the future.

Similarly, consider the allure of immediate gratification at the expense of long-term consequences. Stealing a few coins from your boss might provide temporary financial relief, but it jeopardizes the trust and integrity crucial for sustained professional growth and advancement. In essence, the fleeting gains of the present can pale in comparison to the enduring losses of the future.

Furthermore, think about the dynamics of personal relationships. Insulting an adversary might offer a momentary sense of satisfaction, but it plants seeds of bitterness and resentment that can haunt us indefinitely. The power of words, whether used to uplift or tear down, carries lasting consequences that shape the course of our interactions and connections.

Even in seemingly trivial situations, the principle holds. Imagine the joy of indulging in a sumptuous meal on Christmas day, having slaughtered a cow for the occasion. However, in doing so, one sacrifices the milk and sustenance that the cow would have provided for the entire following year.

If you fought for ice cream with a young child, you'd get the ice cream with its sweetness and lose the Child with their love and trust.
These examples illustrate the trade-offs we face between immediate gratification and long-term sustainability in various aspects of life.

In conclusion, let us strive to adopt a perspective that transcends the momentary struggles and setbacks we encounter. By surrendering our desire for immediate gratification and trusting in the greater plan, we can truly lose the battle to win the war.

To delve deeper into this topic, I was inspired by a sermon preached by Apostle Grace Lubega of Phaneroo Ministries International at the 2018 annual Men's Conference themed “Eye Can See.” You can watch the sermon here.

Warm regards,

Bethwel Kiprono K.

The Shocking Truths About Porn

Sex is godly; porn is not.

I am not an alien writing to expose the shocking truth about porn; I know what I am talking about. You have suffered from it, and I did, or maybe you are still struggling with it. There is HOPE! What do I mean by sex is godly, and porn is not? Sex is a GOD idea, and he designed it as a means to serve intimacy with couples of covenant, the married people, and for the multiplication of God's love from one generation to another. Porn is the devil's means to pervert all that is holy, pure, and powerful.

For every sound truth doctrine, there is a demonic doctrine to match. Spiritual warfare is about that, creating an opposite doctrine to a godly one. Jesus said about the devil that he is a liar and the father of liars, and he kills humans with a lie. Many things in my life died and got twisted because of demonic lies: my identity, dreams, personality, relationship with the Lord, and every other thing that God meant to be GOOD for me. The devil can't create; he is not a creator, but he can appear as an Angel of light to deceive, to push you away from the truth. You never know if it is a lie because it sounds LIGHT, kind thought, pleasant experience, freedom of choice, acceptance of the rejected, etc. The devil doesn't only present his thoughts as “life-giving” but he raises prophets of the dark to change the wordings of sin to draw you and hook you for example it is not the killing of infants, it is abortion; it is not homosexuality but gay, and the word in Arabic for homosexuality means twisted but was also changed to same-sex attraction; also sex before marriage is not adultery but making love and on. Why do you think the devil invested strongly in changing the wording of all those words? Because it works. “He appears as an Angel of light.”

I was introduced to porn when I was a teenager. I was pure like a white snowball until my friend from school exposed me to it through the internet. The internet at that time was primitive but it was there and at my house. I remember going through trauma when my friend introduced me to porn websites. I forgave him a long time ago!

Seeing gay activities and lesbians and straight sex was too much for me. It never crossed my mind that there is something like that and that we have the potential to taste those experiences. I felt the shattering of my innocence! I was not transitioned into the subject of sex in my life but was introduced to it instantly and in the most unclean ways. The enemy knows about the power of trauma and how it creates a landing strip for slavery, addictions, and the demonic. I went into denial at first for some time, and after a while, I was drawn to start navigating porn websites on my own at night when everyone in my family slept.

You can't feed a beast without unleashing it to go for a hunt. As I kept feeding myself uncleanness ritually and regularly, I felt the craving and the groaning to be in the experiences I was watching. I wanted all my senses to endure that. So I moved from porn (the doctrine feeding) to boldness (the practice). Real-life fornication was never as ideal and good as the websites. So you become hooked on two realities, and you become addicted to online porn and your ongoing real-life attempts to match the professional porn stars, and you never make it. So you spiral down into disappointments and addictions to the deceiving lying web of porn.

I am not going to teach the spiritual aspects of what happens when you enter into dark unclean covenants with others. You can study the Bible and learn more about that. Nor will I mention why porn hooks us at the psychological level; you can research that too.

Porn and dishonoring your body and the one who made it is all about the spirit of rebellion.

Everything that is not a God covenant is rebellion because God is a God of Covenant. Breaking laws at your job has nothing to do with your detest of your job because they don't honor you or pay you enough, etc it is about the spirit of rebellion finding reasoning and an argument to make sense of it and birth itself. Everything man does is a hidden rebellion at its core. Sex “making love” outside of the marriage covenant is rebellion. You see, it is not just about the devil but also about your untamed rebellious nature. They both work together. Even if there is NO DEVIL feeding it and awakening it with deception, your rebellion will find a way one day to awaken itself.

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.” Romans 1:21-26

“And worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised.” Rebellion is all about self-worship, and the only way to be free from yourself is to fall in love with Jesus and worship him.

The more you grow in his love and worship, all the unclean byproducts of the spirit of rebellion lose their grip on you and fade away. Don't focus on your deliverance; put all your energy and frustration into loving Jesus and worshiping him. This is how you subdue rebellion and shatter self-worship!

Thank you, Jesus, because you found a way out of my porn addiction and adultery by drawing me to a life journey of ongoing ecstatic worship of your glorious love for me. Amen!

For those who are still going through it, I humbly advise you: FIX YOUR WORSHIP, NOT YOUR DESIRES.

God bless you
Tony Francis

Day of the Supernatural

God is a supernatural God, he was, he is and he will ever be. The supernatural may be new to some believers but this is who they are in Christ, supernatural followers!

It is important to know that how you see the Lord is how he manifests to you and through you.

The word of God urges us to “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:5. Why? Because there is a war to veil the knowledge of God in every aspect and area because once God's face is revealed you will believe and see his glory. For generations many believed that eternal salvation is earned, you do good, give your land to the church, etc. Unfortunately, that is wrong and many died in this deception because they couldn’t see Jesus Christ as the savior and that his eternal life is a FREE gift we can’t earn or work for. There was a war and still in this area for many! I am not under this war anymore, I believe Jesus as is, the Son of God, the Savior of the world, he died for my sins, forgave me, I gave him my life and I received eternal life from now. The devil has lost this war with me, which is a big one.

I can’t list to you the numerous battles, the arguments and imaginations that rose and still rising to veil and block the knowledge of God. Many are struggling to see Jesus as the healer, many can’t see him as the provider, or the Hope of Glory, etc. But when you break through and see God as he is, he will manifest to you and through you the way you see him according to your faith.

Can you see God as a supernatural God? Is it hard for you to see him this way? Remember, you are in a battle NOT to see him like that because once you engage you will see the glory of the supernatural manifestations of God and the devil doesn’t want that for you.

It is a day of the supernatural, Christ is this day, in him, there is no darkness, only light. God wants to deal with your wrong perceptions and touch the way you see him in this area because he wants you to know him as supernatural and he wants you to see his supernatural activity. He wants to express his love to you through supernatural means because it is all about his love for you and not the supernatural itself.

You will overcome the lies of the enemy in the name of Jesus. You will see the Lord and put a demand on his supernatural facet and expressions. He has so much in store, you can't bankrupt him. God wants you to believe he is and he will be a rewarder to those who diligently seek him, Hebrews 11:6.

Yes, it is important how you see the Lord, very important that’s why sound theology, doctrine, and teachings are to be the foundation, the kickstart of your encounters with supernatural Yahweh. Are you under the right anointed teachings? Does your church forthtell raw truths about who God truly is? Through what lens do you look at the Lord? It is time to remove the old unbiblical lens and behold the glory of the Son of God, he is supernatural, it is a day of the supernatural!

God is counting on you to believe him as supernatural, he wants his people to pioneer in this belief and manifest him. The world is looking, searching, trying different unclean things and are groaning for the manifestations of your glory, Romans 8.

Thank you for reading.

Tony Francis

 

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3 Things Every Christian Must Know During COVID-19

By Robert Hotchkin

We are in the midst of some really interesting and challenging times.  There is all sorts of information, theory, confusion, opinion and conjecture swirling about in regards to this COVID-19 CCP Coronavirus pandemic.

Some voices are shouting that the virus is a man-made conspiracy meant to “thin the herd” with a bio-weapon.  Other voices are barking that it is a natural occurrence and evidence that the earth is trying to “shake off” humanity so it can rebalance its ecosystem.  Then there are voices screaming that this is the judgment of a wrathful God.  And others blaring that it is all a scam – just a deep state power grab and suppression of civil rights.

On top of all that, we also have a cacophony of opinions about the best way to deal with the virus.  Some say masks and gloves help.  Others say they have little or no effect.  There are those who claim ventilators are part of the solution.  Others say, no, ventilators might actually work to weaken the lungs.  And then we probably don’t even have room to get into all the conjecture, theories and arguments about the best drug treatments and vaccine approaches.

What are we to listen to?  What can we trust?  What are we to believe?

As is always the case for Christians, the best person to listen to is Jesus.  He actually taught into this very type of situation more than 2,000 years ago in Matthew 16:13-20.

Remember the story?  He and the disciples are coming into the region of Caesarea Philippi.  As they do, Jesus asks His followers what the report of the world is about Him.  The disciples tell Him that some sources say He is John the Baptist, while other voices are declaring he is Elijah, and then there are those who say He is Jeremiah, and still more proclaiming that He is one of the other prophets.

Jesus gives no heed to any of that.  He doesn’t even address all the theories and opinions being blared out by His day’s version of CNN, MSNBC and Fox.  Instead, He asks them, “Who do you say that I am?”

When Simon Peter responds that Jesus is the Messiah, the Lord says something truly profound that speaks into the very situation we are facing with the swirl of COVID-19 news, media, theory, information and conspiracy:

 

“Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:17-18 NKJV emphasis added)

 

Jesus is giving Simon Peter kudos for being able to “hear” past the noise of all the voices and opinions and conjecture and agenda and politics of the world, and instead tune into what heaven is speaking and revealing about the situation.  Jesus is showing His disciples then, and all of us now, that the key to thriving and even being blessed in challenging times is to focus on heavenly truth as opposed to earthly debate.  When we do this, He reveals, we will be established in truth, built upon the rock, and empowered as His church and Body. The result will be that nothing of hell will be able to prevail in the earth no matter how well fortified those demonic strongholds seem to be.

So, with that in mind, let’s look at three key heavenly truths that are critical for every Christian to know, and live from, right now. 

 [1]  WHO GOD IS

Who do you say God is during this pandemic?  In seasons of great challenge and need, what you believe about God is huge.  The Lord is the same yesterday, today and forever (see Hebrews 13:8).  That means we should not allow our temporary circumstances to impact our revelation of who God is and what God is like.  Just the opposite.  We should allow our revelation of who God always is, and what He is always like, to impact our circumstances.  No matter what is going on in the ever-changing happenings in the earth, the one thing we can count on is that God is the Lord and He does not change (see Malachi 3:6).  That means that God is still God.  He is still healer.  He is still deliverer.  He is still provider.  He is still protector.  He is still good, and He is still well able to bring about the very best results in this current set of circumstances.  COVID-19 has not changed who God is to you, for you, or with you.

 [2]  WHO YOU ARE

There is a reason you did not go home to heaven as soon as you got saved.  It’s because you have a key role to play for the Kingdom here in the earth.  When you said yes to Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you were not only forgiven of your sins and restored to relationship with your Heavenly Father for all eternity.  You were also restored to the plan He has had since Day Six – to have children made in His image who operate in His deputized authority and Holy Spirit power as His dominion stewards in the earth.  You want to know what God’s plan is to deal with COVID-19?  Look in the Word (see Genesis 1:26-28).  Then look in the mirror.  It’s you!  He knows it (see Luke 10:19).  He needs you to know it.  So that you start operating in the power and authority He has given you to heal the sick, raise the dead, feed the hungry, bring peace to the panicked, send forth His never-failing Word in intercession, pray for our leaders, and basically arise and shine because there is darkness in the earth that needs dealt with (see Matthew 10:1, 8; Matthew 14:16; Isaiah 55:11; 1 Timothy 2:1-4; Isaiah 60:1-1, and John 14:12)!

 [3]  ALL THAT YOU HAVE

2 Peter 1:3 is a great scripture to be meditating on right now.  It reminds you that by God’s great and divine power, He has blessed you with everything pertaining to life and godliness.  Did you catch that?  EVERYTHING.  Isn’t that amazing?!  Whatever you need for everyday life – He has blessed you with it.  Whatever you need to put God on display through your life – He has blessed you with it.  Not will bless you with it one day in the sweet by-and-by if you are good.  But has blessed you with it here and now because He is amazing.  So no need to panic.  No need to fear.  No need to hoard.  You have it.  And He will lead you into all of it (see Psalm 23:1-3).  This will allow you to look, sound and act differently than the rest of the world right now.  To be at peace when others are anxious.  To be confident when others are shaken.  To be a source of blessing, encouragement, wisdom, solutions, love, compassion, joy and much, much more when others are feeling bereft.  As you look and sound different from the rest of the world, the world will eventually take notice and ask why.  That’s when you get to share with them the greatest thing you have been blessed with – Jesus!

Don’t let the WHO, Fox News, CNN, MSNBC, YouTube, your next-door neighbors, or anyone or anything else tell you what is true right now.  Let the Word of the Lord speak to you.  Let eternal truth remind you.  Let your Heavenly Father and His Holy Spirit edify, encourage and empower you.  Let them remind you who God is, who you are, and all that you have been blessed with in Christ Jesus.  Because when you do, COVID-19 will not stand.  And neither will anything else hell tries to send at you.

  

Robert Hotchkin is an author, minister, speaker and media host.  He is the founder of Men on the Frontlines, and one of the core leaders of Patricia King Ministries. He hosts the weekly Heroes Arise broadcast, co-hosts the show Propel with Patricia King, and is a regular guest and co-host of the show Supernatural Life on GodTV.  Robert’s newest book, 31 Decrees of Blessing for Men, is a powerful daily devotional that activates men to walk in all that they have been blessed with as sons of God.

Beholding the Father

“No one has ever seen God. But the unique One, who is Himself God (Jesus), is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us.” John 1:18

… “But the unique One, who is Himself God (Jesus), is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us”. It takes GOD to reveal GOD. Yeshua said if you have seen me you have seen THE Father.

The Holy Spirit clearly states in this verse that no one has ever seen God, no one can and no one will, only Jesus reveals him. We try so much to see GOD, to get to know him outside his only revealer, JESUS CHRIST. It has been down passed throughout generations that you can’t see God, you can’t know him and he doesn’t reveal himself to you. It is a lie from the opposer of divine revelations, the devil. God wants you to see him and know him, he created you and me for this lifetime and eternal journey but we can’t come to the FATHER but by Jesus Christ. He is the only door.

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” John 14:6

The devil works hard against that and when he wants you badly to believe a lie about God, he creates for you a religion and inspires spiritual doctrines which are wrong, twisted, and sick about God. And because it is a “religion” after all and a spiritual “man of God” teaching, then you have no choice but to swallow the lie.

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.” 2 Corinthians 4-6

“We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Jesus Christ, the Father’s revealer is your filter to every thought, revelation, argument, and perception about God. If it is not found in Christ, it is not found in God.

“The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” Hebrews 1:3

Jesus Christ is the only and continuous revelation of God.

Tony Francis