Doses of Faith

February 26, 2016 Franklin Graham’s ‘Decision America Tour’ is the reason I’ve chosen to pray daily for our nation, our president, our leaders, the elections, my pastors, my state, and my home town during lent.   My eyes are being opened to what I need to be doing.  Purpose driven prayer is bringing me closer to God, and I’m realizing that prayer is the beginning, the first step.  In order for our nation to turn back to God, I must start witnessing and be constantly prepared to talk to people about Jesus.  In order to be prepared, I need to study the scriptures, memorize more scripture, and make a commitment to serve.  My daily prayer has opened my heart to make a change in my life, because change in our nation starts with each individual making a decision to serve. In Hawaii, college students organized prayer meetings for the ‘Decision America Tour.’  In “ ‘It Starts With Me’: Youth in Hawaii Lead by Example at Prayer Rally” article by Tiffa...

After an outreach project, a church had some members get upset because “grandpa would not want those people in our church.”  After proudly proclaiming that Great Grandpa was a charter member of the church, he announced that someone from his family has to be chosen to the Steward Board.  Pointing at the pastor, he blamed the new pastor for the new people without realizing some of those new people had been at more church services than any of his family members before the new pastor came.   Hate and bitterness in God’s house does not show true Christianity nor God’s love.   And, just who are they worshiping?  Great Grandpa? During the time of Jesus’ ministry, many Jews and leaders of the church worshipped, but did not truly worship.  They had a similar problem as the family who wanted the church to allow only those who would honor Grandpa’s legacy.  In John 8 verse 28 as Jesus was saying, “As my Father has taught me,” the Jews became confu...

A few years ago, I lead a beautiful young lady to the Lord.  She was a student in my Wednesday night class.  She came to me after class and told me she wanted to accept Christ into her heart.  I talked with her, because I wanted to make sure she was serious about salvation.  After sharing some scripture and asking her questions to make sure she understood what she was doing, she prayed from her heart asking God to forgive her sins and to come into her heart.  She was beautifully radiant.  Then, the next Wednesday night, she wanted everybody to accept Christ.  She was full of the Holy Spirit and approached every one asking if they knew God.  She was studying the Bible at home and growing spiritually.  She wanted everyone to have what she had.   Without realizing it, she was getting girls who have already made decisions to make decisions.  Some of the girls looked like the conversation was making them uncomfortable.  Why?...

Two brothers approach their friend and teacher with a request, “We want you to give us what we want.”  Here we go!  Pushing to be the teacher’s favorite!  At least the brothers did not have a sibling battle in process.  They only wanted to share some special seats. The teacher replied, “What do you want me to do for you?” “We want you to give us the seats on the left and right of your throne.” Do these brothers want to be advisers to a king?  Do they want the status of sitting close to the king? Oh!  Can we be so into our own selves sometime?  Give me the best seat.  Look at how important “I” am!  Do you know anyone like this?  Wait a minute!  Aren’t you the one with all the “SELFIES?”  Today’s culture promotes creating selves into celebrities.  The creation of “It’s All About Me, Y’all!”  Look at how important I am!  It is easy to become self-absorbed.  Surely, you are worthy of tho...

I yearn to have a “Servant Heart.”  I want to be less about me and more about others.  I’m preparing lessons with the theme of “It’s Not About Me,” and I want to be able to reflect what I teach.  So, for lent this year I’m praying for a “Servant Heart.” “A Servant Heart” brings me back to the legend of Merlin.  In the recent television series, “Merlin,” Merlin is King Author’s servant, and King Author considers Merlin to be an idiot, a dumb servant boy.  While Merlin uses his magic to save King Author in battle and in his many knightly quests, King Author looks like the hero.  In the end, as King Author is near death, Merlin reveals his secret and the king is shocked and scared.  The king wants to know why Merlin is a servant when he could have everything with his magic.  Merlin replies, “It is my destiny.”   It was Merlin’s destiny to serve King Author, the symbol of freedom, so they could defeat Morgana, the symbol of tyranny...

King Arthur: Faith and Believe Stories based on the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table are about the quest between good and evil.  I enjoy old literature such as “Le Morte D’Arthur” by Sir Thomas Malory and other books and tales based on the legend of King Arthur and Merlin.  Without a doubt, there would be no King Arthur without faithful Merlin.   I’ve been watching “Merlin,” a series on television, over the last few months.  Definitely, the series changes the station in society of the characters among other things, but each episode has the battle of Good versus Evil with Good winning.  In season five and the episode named “The Disir,” King Arthur has to choose between keeping the ban on magic or accepting magic in order to save Sir Mordred.  As Merlin and King Arthur are camping outside the cave of the Disir, King Arthur asks Merlin how he knew that they had entered sacred grounds.  Merlin replied, “I feel it.” ...