Author Archives: Dr. Mike

-Putting Christ and Merry Back into the Christmas Season

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                   (Image via Wikipedia)

There seems to be far fewer attacks upon Christmas this year. As I go out into the stores I now see a variety of signs greeting me including ‘Merry Christmas’ most of the time. Some of the same stores only had the perfunctory ‘Happy Holidays’ on their signs last year.

Maybe some of the business administrators read the same poll I did that 70% of Americans prefer the ‘Merry Christmas’ greeting to ‘Happy Holidays’. Maybe some of the businesses in their haste to be ‘inclusive’ and not to offend a few now realize they were actually offending the many instead.

Some other polls that I have read find that between 85-92% of the country celebrates Christmas in some form or another.

Even for those who are not really believers, the Christmas season still brings the story of the birth of Jesus to the forefront for a few weeks out of the years at least. Though a cursory inventory of the shows on TV demonstrates a continuing trend towards the myth of Santa Claus and his reindeer and away from the true miracle of the season. For some the season should probably be called ‘Santa-mas’.

One disturbing thing I found over the weekend is that my grandchildren really do not know very many of the old traditional Christmas carols. They stopped singing them in schools so their exposure to traditional Christmas music is now limited to home and church and the car radio.

This Christmas season is a time of economic difficulty for many. I know in our own family we will not be spending as much on gifts as we have in the past. Nevertheless, this Christmas will not be diminished in any way since we plan to emphasis the ‘merry’ and the ‘Christ’ during this season and reach out to others when we can.   

-Happy Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving-Brownscombe

(“The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth”: Wikipedia)

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours. The following is our traditional Thanksgiving message:

Thanksgiving is an uniquely American celebration that began nearly four centuries ago with a deeply religious people, the Pilgrims, giving thanks to God for preserving them though a very hard year and bringing them their first bountiful harvest which they gratefully shared with their indigenous neighbors.

It was our first President George Washington who proclaimed that our first official national day of public thanksgiving should be dedicated by observing and:

“…by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God.“

In recent years the ‘politically correct’/secular crowd has rewritten the history of the First Thanksgiving placing an emphasis upon the hand that the indigenous American Indians played in helping the original Pilgrim community to survive. In the process they have redirected the emphasis on thanks towards neighbors and friends and away from the providence of Almighty God.

While it is always good to be thankful for others who have enriched our own lives and certainly that has a good part to play in the celebration. Nevertheless the major emphasis of Thanksgiving should always be upon giving thanks to God along with our family and friends as it was on that very first occasion.

For my family and I, we will be praising and thanking the Lord God Almighty for the bounties and the providence that he has bestowed upon us this year in the name of his Son Jesus Christ. May Our Heavenly Father bless your family today and continue to bless all of us and this nation during this holiday season and in the year to come.     

–Oct. 31: Happy Reformation Day!

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(The door of All Saints’ Church, Wittenberg)

Happy Halloween –Happy Reformation Day!

I know. October 31st is known for witches, goblins, pumpkins, and trick or treat.

It is amazing to me how in the last 20 years or so Halloween has gone from a one night ‘celebration’ to become an entire ‘holiday’ season of it’s own with parties and decorations that span nearly an entire month. Plus it has become an excuse for every TV station to flood the air with the worst horror movies of all time.  Not a genre that I am particularly fond of.

However, this is also the anniversary of a real earth shaking -game changing- historical event that altered the face of Europe and forever changed the Christian Church. Over 500 years ago on this day- October 31, 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany starting The Reformation.

The enemy (Satan) likes to use this day for propagating his dark agenda but on this day a genuine move of God was initiated that still continues. The beginning of a revival right in the face of the enemy on his own day.

For years the church tried to redeem this day calling it- All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve with church services looking forward to midnight which began the traditional Christian celebration of ‘All Saints Day.’ However in our present culture the historical Christian observance of this day has been largely forgotten.

Let us redeem this dark day and pray for God to continue to reform and revive his church.  Let’s also in remembrance of the original Reformation pray today for a new awakening to begin in America. May a new door of renewal and revival open in America that no man can shut.  In Jesus name, Amen          

-Revival on Resurrection Day (Easter)?

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                                        (Photo Courtesy: Pastor Greg Laurie via X)

Churches all across America reported that this Resurrection Day (Easter) was special and saw larger crowds than usual for their Easter Sunday services.

Some churches even saw manifestations of revival breaking out with thousands coming to Christ. Read the following article from CBN:

‘We Are Seeing the Fires of Revival’: Churches Flooded on Easter in Widespread Sign of Awakening

-Christ is Risen!, He Has Risen Indeed!

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Happy Resurrection Day! Here’s a great article for today: “Did Jesus Really Rise from the Dead?”  by William Lane Craig, professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, California. His answer to the question is obviously yes!

clip_image002Dr. Craig takes a look at all the facts surrounding the resurrection of Jesus. This is probably the best and most concise summary of the event that I have ever read:

“To answer the question of Jesus’ resurrection from a historical standpoint, we must first determine what facts concerning the fate of Jesus of Nazareth can be credibly established on the basis of the evidence and second consider what the best explanation of those facts is. At least four facts about the fate of the historical Jesus are widely accepted by New Testament historians today.”

<Read the Whole Article>           

-Holy Week (Easter) Bible Study

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An 8 day devotional Bible study for each day of the Holy Week (Easter). Starting with Palm Sunday and ending with Resurrection Day (Easter):
-Palm Sunday: The Prophetic Entrance Into Jerusalem
-Holy Monday: Jesus at the Temple
-Holy Tuesday: The Temple Leaders Confront Jesus
-Holy Wednesday: The Betrayal
-Maundy Thursday: The Last Supper
-Good Friday: The Trial and Death of Jesus
-Holy Saturday: While Jesus Was in The Tomb
-Resurrection Day (Easter)

-Revival Gatherings in Europe

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(Photo credit: This Is the Day!)

Thousands recently gathered in four different European countries; demonstrating that there are hungry folks for a genuine move of God in places many have given up on—France, Italy, Hungary, and the Netherlands.

Read about the gatherings in Italy and Hungary in this CBN article: “‘Fire of Revival’ Spreads in Europe as Thousands Pack Stadiums in Hungary and Italy”

According to International evangelist Jean-Luc Trachsel “the power of the Lord” moved at two huge conferences in Hungary and Italy where over a thousand were saved, healed, and delivered:

“Fire of revival is spreading everywhere in Europe to hungry and thirsty people,” he wrote on social media. “Stop to watch and dare why it’s not coming to your place. Go to your knees and cry out to The Lord of the harvest to save your region.”

On Pentecost Sunday, over 63,000 also gathered for Christ in the Netherlands and another 700,000 witnessed it online. Here;s a statement by the sponsoring organization- the Opwekking Foundation:

“Revival means following Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit. This is our desire: The Netherlands full of Jesus,”

Read about it also on CBS.

Also 2 weeks ago over 25,000 gathered for the ‘March for Jesus’ on May 25, 2024 and worshipped in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France. Read about that gathering:  “March for Jesus France sees record attendance of 25,000”

God is now moving all around the world, even in Europe. We are beginning to see a demonstration of the Great Harvest which will touch every nation and people.

-Move of God Continues: University of Georgia

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(Stegeman Coliseum @Wikipedia)

The revival that started at Asbury University last year and then to Auburn University and others, including Florida State and Alabama U., continues to spread to numerous colleges across the country. The most recent was at the University of Georgia. Thousands of students showed up for worship services at Stegeman Coliseum and over 150 were baptized. From the Christian Post:

“…Unite US held an event at Stegeman Coliseum, near the University of Georgia, with around 150 people being baptized in the beds of pickup trucks for want of a traditional baptismal setting.  …

In addition to the spontaneous baptisms, Prewett told CP that her organization was also engaged in following up with the students who made their public professions of faith.

“We were able to get every name and number for each student who was baptized,” said Prewett regarding last week’s event in Georgia.

“Our organization will follow up with each student and will provide a list of every church and campus ministry in the area. For students who requested to be connected with a local church or ministry we will send their name to that ministry.”

<Read the whole article>

Response: Continue to pray for this move of God to touch every school in America.

-I Know That My Redeemer Lives

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I Know That My Redeemer Lives

Once I was asked on my Bible answers website: “Why do you Christians keep celebrating Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus- something that happened 2,000 years ago and seems rather impossible?”

My Answer: Because Jesus Christ is still alive today and still appearing to folks and changing lives.

In fact, there has never been a generation in 2,000 years when Jesus hasn’t appeared to somebody.  Church history records a number of those appearances.

Lately, I have read the testimonies of a number of Muslims who converted to Christianity after Jesus showed up in their bedrooms. I also personally know a number of folks, even in my own family, who have seen the Lord and I have heard of many others.

Finally, I myself must testify that I have seen my Lord and talked to Him. Therefore for me this goes beyond faith or even strong conviction-

I Know That My Redeemer Lives