Tag: Christian

  • The Prince of Darkness and the Presence of Light

    The Prince of Darkness and the Presence of Light

    A reflection on Ozzy Osbourne, grace, and the mystery beyond the curtain

    I grew up in the 1970s & 80s, and if you knew me back then, you’d know Ozzy Osbourne was just about as far from my musical world as possible.

    While some of my friends were banging their heads to “Crazy Train,” their Walkman headphones thumping with power chords and rebellion, I was quietly tuning in to the soft sounds of WEZY, just two lakes over from our home. I was discovering Nat King Cole, Frank, and The Beach Boys. Gentle harmonies. Crooners. Music that felt like it came with manners.

    Ozzy? He was the anti-that.

    Ozzy Osbourne and the Masks We Wear

    He was wild, loud, and controversial. Known for biting the head off a bat and calling himself “The Prince of Darkness,” he was the poster child for everything my youth group was warned about. In my teenage mind, he wasn’t just different—he was dangerous.

    But over the years, something has shifted. Maybe it was time. Maybe it was grace. Or perhaps it was simply seeing people as people instead of headlines or stage costumes.

    I learned that Ozzy—behind the black eyeliner and outrageous antics—prayed before shows. That he called himself a Christian. That he believed in God. In one of his final interviews, he said, “I believe in God. I don’t go to church, but I do believe there is a higher power.”

    That sentence says a lot.

    Faith, Struggle, and Surprising Mercy

    He also made a point to publicly clarify: “I am not into Satanism. I am not a devil-worshipper. I have never been involved in black magic personally at all.”

    It turns out that the darkness was mainly a performance. An act. A myth built for arena lights and album covers.

    And isn’t that the case with so many of us? The mask may be theatrical. But the longing beneath it is real.

    C.S. Lewis wrote often about the masks we wear and the surprising reach of God’s mercy. He believed that hell was locked from the inside—but also that heaven would be filled with more unexpected souls than we dared to imagine.

    Ozzy’s life was one of tension between chaos and curiosity, spectacle and spirit. And maybe, just maybe, grace chased him down even as the crowd faded and the stage lights dimmed.

    Beyond the Stage: The God Who Sees Us

    Because I believe in a God who doesn’t just see the performance. He sees the person.

    He sees the boy before the band.

    The man beneath the makeup.

    The soul beneath the sound.

    And I believe that same God—the One Ozzy sometimes prayed to, however imperfectly—was waiting, arms open through Ozzy’s life, calling him toward truth.

    Because the truth is, none of us is the sum of our stage presence or our worst moments. We are shaped by the quiet cries we lift in the dark, the unseen prayers, the half-formed hopes that maybe—just maybe—God is real and good and still reaching.

    And if that is true, then it’s not just Ozzy’s story that offers us pause. It’s ours.

    We all carry shadows. We all build personas, hide behind noise, and wrestle with the gap between who we are and who we wish to be. But the gospel isn’t intimidated by any of that.

    It’s not a reward for the polished—it’s an invitation to the honest. And sometimes, honesty comes through eyeliner and distortion pedals, just as much as through hymns and halos.

    That’s not fantasy. That’s the hope we live by.

    So here’s to the mystery.

    To the mercy.

    To the possibility that, in the end, the “Prince of Darkness” was not so far from the light after all.

    Sharing His Wonder,

    Scott Humston

    Sources:

     Ozzy on Believing in God & Not Going to Church

    “I believe in God. I don’t go to church, but…”

    Source: Men’s Journal (2024 article reflecting on Ozzy’s later-life comments about faith)

    Also reported by:
    The Sun UK

     Ozzy on Satanism & Black Magic

    “I am not into Satanism. I am not a devil-worshipper. I have never been involved in black magic personally at all.”

    Source: 1989 Interview, resurfaced in Reddit quote archive

    Ozzy on Prayer & Christian Upbringing

    “I’m a Christian. I was christened as a Christian. I used to go to Sunday school.”

    Source: The Guardian interview, 2014

  • To There & Back Again

    To There & Back Again

    Dear Praying Friend—

    August is now almost over and three weeks ago my son and I returned from a 47 day, 3500+-mile trip. Whew! Lots of driving! And five different flights —in six different states. Joy was spread. Wonder shared. His truth proclaimed. We saw many hearts come to know Christ. And many recommitments, too! In the last six weeks I’ve ministered with:

    Trevecca Community Church, Nashville, TN
    Real Life Community Church, Portage, IN
    First Baptist Church, Tuscaloosa, AL
    Lake Forest Ranch, Macon, MS
    First Baptist Church, Lesterville, MO
    South Missouri Baptist Camp, Van Buren, MO
    Philadelphia Nazarene District Children’s Camp, Stevens, PA
    Grace Church, Columbia, TN
    North/East Texas District, Scottsville, TX
    People Of Faith Church, Children’s Lighthouse, Winter Garden, FL

    Here’s what Pastor Scott Marshall, from Real Life Community Church in Portage, Indiana said about our family outreach event:

    There several extraordinary things happening in the work of this ministry! Let me share with you a couple of them:

    As of July first, New Dimensions has brought under our ministry umbrella FaithKidz. Faithkidz was started by long-time friend and mentor, Steve Pennington. Steve has had a stellar record on staff as children’s pastor at Saddleback Church (California) and Highland Park Church (Florida) and is currently at Trevecca Community Church in Nashville. FaithKidz creates and develops curriculum for children. AND is actively training the next generation of Children’s Ministry Leaders. A recent report from faith research company, Barna, stated:

    “Fewer churches emphasize and equip people for evangelism these days, and the results are obvious and undeniable. The implications of ignoring gospel outreach – especially among children, who are the most receptive audience to the gospel – are enormous. All the ‘church growth’ strategies in the world cannot compensate for the absence of an authentic transmission of the good news of what Jesus Christ has done for humanity.” (source: Barna.org)

    At our core, NDE is all about partnering with churches to reach communities. Much of our mission is aimed at families and children. Bringing FaithKidz into our fold allows us to go deeper, build larger and proclaim stronger the Good News! Steve is the director of the FaithKidz project with NDE. Thanks to Trevecca Community Church and Jones Legacy Foundation in Nashville for financially supporting this endeavor!

    You are a vital part of this ministry. In case you don’t know, this is not a “big ministry” operation. We have less than 100 people a year that financially give to this work. I believe that God has directed me to build toward 200 in 2020. If we had 100 more folks that would stand by this work at least once-a-year…I believe we could be so much more effective! Would you join in me praying that by the end of 2020 we’d have an additional 100 supporters?

    Please continue to lift up this work in your daily prayers!

    Sharing His Wonder,

    Scott Humston

    If you’d like to learn more about how you can be a vital part of this ministry please go here.

  • Straitjacket Straights

    Straitjacket Straights

     The following excerpt is from my forthcoming book, due out this Christmas… I hope it is a fun read and a blessing to you, today! Let me know what you think!

    One particular effect I was enamored with was the Straitjacket. Having first read about Houdini in Walter Gibson’s Master Magicians I have been fascinated by his life. Some boys have sports heroes since I had a “sports bypass” as a young man—meaning I had no interest in sports—I chose America’s first real superhero.

    The jacket arrived, and I was ecstatic. Better than Christmas morning. The box from Daytona Magic was waiting for me as I arrived home that afternoon.

    But this isn’t the kind of thing I can “practice” by myself.  I can’t even get in it by myself. I’d have to be strapped into it, not unlike a seat on one of those leg-dangling roller coasters.  

    And so I asked, “Dad, can you put this straitjacket on me?”  

    I can imagine the joy of most dads when their teenage son asks to wrapped up, wholly confined and unable to move inside a straitjacket! My pastor-father a rather quiet, non-excitable man wasn’t jumping for joy — but I have no doubt there was a tiny, almost imperceptible smirk on his face.  

    After a basic review of the jacket and the little warning tag on it that said “WARNING: Patient Should Be Checked Frequently.”, Dad began to strap me in. First, the jacket goes on backward. I extended my arms out and slipped into the sleeves. Then up around the shoulders. Now, this is where it gets interesting. My arms, inside the sleeves, hang down to the sides of my body; while my Dad begins to buckle the top horizontal strap, just at the back of the neck. Once he finishes that one, there are three more horizontal straps to go. 

    Then, just above the last horizontal strap, is the vertical buckle. This buckle is where the remaining strap, hanging down in front, will be pulled up between the legs and buckled. Not such a dignified moment for anyone. 

    “Hey, Dad,” I said, wondering how this could turn out funny, “Don’t pull that one too tight, please.”  

    Picture it now: My teenage boy arms, encased in the straitjacket, cross my body in the front. The long strap on the right sleeve is met at the back of the jacket with the buckle from the left sleeve. This is where the jacket becomes exceptionally tight. There are about seven reinforced holes, with grommets — like holes in a belt — to adjust the tightness. My dad got it all the way to the last hole. I was skinny. But it was tight.

    So, there I was, bound in the jacket — in my room — not sure what to do next. It was, after all, my first time to attempt an escape of this magnitude. And not that an average 16-year-old boy would know this, but theory and reality are often entirely different.

    [bctt tweet=”but theory and reality are often entirely different.” username=”scotthumston”]

    Just then, my dad says, “I need to run a couple of errands. I’ll be back in a little while.” And just like that, he left! Honestly. He went downstairs, I heard the front door open and close.  Still be able to walk, I went over to my bedroom window, peering out, watching him back out of the driveway. Gulp.  My mom wasn’t home from her high-school English teacher’s job; neither sister lived at home any longer. So, it was just me. In the jacket. Crap.

    “Uh… Well, I guess I better learn to get out.” 

    And so, I began. Wiggling. Jumping. Twisting. Had anyone been there to see the commotion, I must’ve looked crazier than that man that Houdini observed in the Asylum ninety-two years earlier.

    I knew from studying that the key to escaping is slack. But, how was I going to get that strap loose? Thinking. Trying not to panic, I opened the bottom drawer of my dresser with my feet.  I placed the end of the arm strap in the drawer and pushed against with my back.  Using the dresser drawer to help hold it, to create some slack. You’ve got to have slack to be able to maneuver the jacket.  Once I was able to get my arms loose, and in front of me, I use my teeth to unbuckle the arm belt. From there, it’s a tight reach to the vertical buckle and strap that runs between the legs. Unfortunately, you have to pull that one a bit tighter, to get it to loosen. No pain. No gain. Once that strap is unbuckled, it’s back to the top. I reached behind my neck, to unfasten the top horizontal belt, that takes some arm twisting, too.  By the time I am getting the top buckle undone, I am bent over at the waist, thrashing and swinging to use gravity to remove the jacket from my torso. Tired. Hot. Sweaty.  It was the longest thirty minutes of my sixteen-year-old-life.

    The truth is, if my dad had stayed around, I probably would have begged him to let me out.  But, I was left with no real choice.  Using what little knowledge I had about the method — and faced with no other alternative — I strained, pulled, tugged out of that tripled layered canvas contortion device and into glorious freedom. I had escaped.  

    Eventually, after a couple of years of performing the escape, I was able to get out of it in just about 60 seconds, I closed the majority of my shows with the straitjacket escape.  Why? In part, I suppose, because — at least at times — the straitjacket is the perfect metaphor for life. In fact, I’m confident Houdini knew this as he watched that man in the asylum wrangling on the floor screaming trying to free himself from such impossible shackles. The massive crowds that watched as Houdini freed himself, while hanging upside down, knew this too. To see someone struggling against the odds. Something is mesmerizing about the struggle for those who aren’t doing the struggling. And for those who overcome in adversity — for those who come out on the other side — that’s also pretty wonderful to witness.

    [bctt tweet=”Something is mesmerizing about the struggle for those who aren’t doing the struggling. And for those who overcome in adversity — for those who come out on the other side — that’s also pretty wonderful to witness. ” username=”scotthumston”]

    The bondage of life can entangle us pretty quickly. A job that doesn’t meet the bills. A relationship that doesn’t build us up. A career that we hate.

    Sometimes it’s a mess of our own making — because, well, many times we asked for it, not thinking of where our choices would lead or whether or not we could handle the consequences when we got there.

    Jesus spoke about a young man who was tired of living at home, following the rules. He wanted to be free from the bondage of responsibility.  He went to his father and asked for his share of the inheritance early.  Wanting to please his son, the father gave him what he asked. The son took the money and ran.  

    He wasn’t gone long before he discovered how much freedom costs. He took full advantage of his liberty and lived wildly, squandering all the wealth that was given to him. Far from home, destitute and hungry, he got a job feeding the pigs for a farmer. Jesus says the young man was so hungry; he wanted to fill his stomach with the slop the pigs were eating. In this desperate state, the young man realized that he was so bound up in this nasty life, he needed help. “Why am I here? He thought. “I should go back to my father’s house — even the servants there have food and are treated well.”

    Dirty and disheveled, as he approached home, his father saw him coming from a distance. The father ran to him and embraced his son, who asked for forgiveness and if he could return home to be a servant in his father’s house.  But the father was overjoyed that his son was home — he welcomed him back home with clean clothes, a ring, and a pair of new sandals. A huge feast was prepared, and a party ensued because his lost son had come back home.

    When my father returned home, I had freed myself from the jacket.  Had I still been writhing on the floor of my bedroom, trying to get out of that straitjacket, I know my father would have helped me. No doubt. He would’ve marched up the stairs, took one look at his son, flailing about on the floor and helped me to my feet. He would’ve turned me around and began unbuckling, unstrapping and freeing his boy. Why? Because he’s my father. And that’s what kind fathers do for their children.

    You and me and that young man Jesus spoke of — we all have something in common: we are in bondage to sin. Some of us enslaved to sin because we’ve asked for it. It’s how we live. We’ve been tricked to embrace the bondage, the hurt, the anger, the sin because we’ve been fed a lie that no one cares. We’ve been taught by example or through hard experience with others that we don’t matter to anyone.  That’s true deception. 

    The truth is, we all matter to God — you, me, and that young man feeding the pigs.

    Christ said, “I will not leave you orphaned. I’m coming back. In just a little while the world will no longer see me, but you’re going to see me because I am alive and you’re about to come alive. At that moment, you will know absolutely that I’m in my Father, and you’re in me, and I’m in you.

    “The person who knows my commandments and keeps them, that’s who loves me. And the person who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and make myself plain to him.” (John 13, The Message)

    Sharing His Wonder,

    Scott Humston

  • Jesus: Magician or God? By Andre Kole

    Jesus: Magician or God? By Andre Kole

    Jesus: Magician or God?

    By Andre Kole

    Years ago I was challenged, as a skeptic and as a magician, to investigate the miracles of Christ from the point of view of a magician. At that time, I took great pride in the fact that I had never been fooled by any other magician, so I had no intention of being deceived by any form of a first-century trickster, if that is all Jesus was.

     

    I began to make this investigation, and at first it was somewhat easy to rationalize some of the things Jesus said and did. But over a period of time, I discovered some things that made an impact upon my life.

    Jesus claimed to be God. The strongest evidence Jesus personally provided to support His claims were the miracles He performed – miracles that only God would be able to do. However, for centuries skeptics have responded by saying, “Those were not genuine miracles, they were only magic tricks that Jesus used to deceive ignorant people.””

    For most of the world, those who are not familiar with the history of magic and who are not aware of the limitations of a magician, the claim that “Jesus was just a magician”” seems to be a reasonable consideration. However, I believe that knowledgeable magicians, more than any other group of people in the world, are the most qualified to examine and determine if His miracles were illusions or reality.

    The Bible is specific in saying that Jesus was the visible expression of the invisible God. In other words, Jesus was God in the form of a man. I am very aware of the fact that through the years there have been many atheists and other skeptics who have denied the existence of God. And if there is no God, then obviously Jesus could not have been a manifestation of God in human form. In my audiences throughout the world, I have found that there are usually quite a few today who would consider themselves to be in the skeptical category, at least to some degree. Since I was a skeptic myself for many years, I never intend to be unkind to those who are sincere skeptics.

    The fact is that I encourage people to be skeptical; and in doing so, I challenge them to be genuinely honest skeptics. I do not mean the kind of skeptic who would say, “Don’t confuse me with the facts. My mind is already made up.”” As someone observed so well, “everyone has a right to their own opinion, but no one has the right to misrepresent the facts.” A good example to which I am referring is a skeptic who comments upon the Bible as being “just a book of myths.”

    This problem is solved with the realization that the Bible is not “a book,” but rather it is a library of books. It is a compilation of 66 books, written over a period of 1,500 years, by 40 different authors in three different languages. For the Bible to be a book of myths, someone would have needed to bring together all of the 40 authors from the 1,500 year period and to get them to all agree upon the same myth. This is an example of a situation in which the truth is presented, and there is a resulting consistency and harmony that emerges as the pieces of evidence dovetail together.

    The following questions highlight important issues regarding the true identity of Jesus Christ. The corresponding articles present conclusions from historians and other scholars.

    Explore the evidence for yourself and decide: Who is the real Jesus?

    Extraordinary Claims

    Through the years I have had the opportunity to perform and speak on over 3,000 college and university campuses on five continents of the world. Everywhere I go, I tell students, “Whenever someone make an extraordinary claim, you need to demand extraordinary evidence before you accept that extraordinary claim.”

    Jesus made the extraordinary claim that He, Himself, was God. Jesus said, “I and my Father are one. He who has seen Me has seen the Father.” The extraordinary evidence Jesus provided to prove He was God were the incredible miracles He performed over a period of 3 1/2 years and witnessed by tens of thousands of people.

    A miracle has been defined as an “act of God”. It is something that only God can do. Anyone can claim to be God and quite a few have; however, only God can do what only God can do. Mohammed, Buddha, Confucius, Zoroaster or any other founders of the world’s great religions never claimed to be God. None of them ever claimed to be able to perform miracle. In all of human history, Jesus was unique.

    He could instantly heal every known sickness and disease of every person who came to Him. He could raise the dead. He could take a small boy’s lunch and multiply it to feed over 5,000 people. He could say to a raging storm, “Peace, be still” and the storm would instantly stop. But the miracle of all miracles was His own resurrection.

    To those who questioned His being God He made the issue very clear, direct, and concise. Jesus said, “Do not believe my words.” I repeat, Jesus said, “Do not believe My words — unless you see me do Miracles that only God can do.” Even the worst enemies of Jesus were never able to deny the miracles that He did. The religious leaders who plotted His death said, “If we do not stop this man the entire nation of Israel will believe in Him and follow Him because of the miracles He performs.”

    The enemies of Jesus did not deny that He performed miracles. Likewise, the leaders of other religions also could not deny His miracles. Since September 11th we have heard a great deal about Islam, the religion of Muslims. In their holy book, the Koran, their prophet Muhammad said this of Jesus: “Jesus was born of a virgin; He lived a sinless life; He performed miracles; He could give sight to the blind, cure lepers, and raise the dead.” Muhammad spoke more highly of Jesus Christ than he did of himself. Once again, the miracles were validated by leaders of other religions and could not be denied by His enemies.

    So for the atheist and other skeptics there is a big problem. If there is no God then what explanation can be offered in addressing the miracles that Jesus constantly performed that proved that He was and is God in human form? How do they do it? What tactics are used to minimize Jesus’ genuine miracles? Many have tried to suggest that Jesus was just a magician performing clever magic tricks. One of the most popular books atheists refer to was a book written by Morton Smith called Jesus the Magician in which he tries to convince himself and others that Jesus was just a magician.

    Two thousand years ago the Jewish religious leaders who rejected Christ as their Messiah also had to explain away the miracles of Jesus. How did they do it? In the Jewish Talmud, written following the death of Christ, they said, “Jesus was a magician who led Israel astray through his magical deceptions.” That statement not only confirms the historicity of Jesus, but it also provides evidence to the fact that He did amazing things that most people thought were miracles. So for 2,000 years skeptics who know absolutely nothing about the subject of magic have tried to explain away the miracles that Jesus performed by insisting that Jesus was just a magician.

    The choice was, and is, clear: either Jesus was a magician or else He was God as He claimed Himself to be.

    [bctt tweet=”The choice was, and is, clear: either Jesus was a magician or else He was God as He claimed Himself to be.” username=”andre kole”]

    Miracles or Illusions?

    I am a magician. I am not a preacher and I do not pretend to know a great deal about theology and religion. However, there is one subject that I do know a great deal about and that is the subject of magic. I have over 1,000 inventions in my field of magic. I used to discipline myself to invent at least three illusions a day, and I would not allow myself to go to sleep at night until I had accomplished that goal. The International Magicians’ Society presented me with an award naming me as “The Magical Inventor of the Decade.” All of the seven best-known magicians in the world today have performed some of my magical inventions.

    For the past 20 years one of my closest friends in magic has been David Copperfield, who most people agree is the greatest magician who has ever lived. Through the years David and I have collaborated on over 100 different illusions for his stage and television shows. We have worked together on accomplishing some of the greatest magical illusions in history, including making planes and trains and the real Statue of Liberty completely disappear for a period of time.

    I have also developed seven methods for making the moon disappear — the real moon. One of the latest illusions I have developed is a magical way to make the Washington Monument levitate high enough for a long string of people holding hands to walk under it while it is levitating above their heads.

    I am a Christian. David Copperfield is Jewish. But together as magicians we probably know more about the subject of magic than any other two people in the world today. We are both in total agreement that Jesus could not have been, in any way, shape, or form, a magician and accomplished what He did by magic.

    Recently in a worldwide television program, David Copperfield made this statement:

    “The miracles of the Bible go beyond anything that any magician or illusionist could ever perform, but greater than any physical miracle was the ability of a man named Jesus to bring purpose and meaning to the lives of millions of people throughout the centuries.”

    I carry tons of equipment to present my magical programs throughout the world. In order for David Copperfield to accomplish his “miracles”, he presently carries over 30,000 pounds of equipment with a staff of at least 40 people

    The point is obvious. In order for Jesus to have been a magician and to do what He did by magic, you would have to visualize Jesus and the disciples walking through the dusty streets of Galilee in their long robes and sandals 2000 years ago — with three diesel trucks following along behind to carry all of the equipment Jesus would have needed to perform His miracles by magic!

    For anyone to even suggest that Jesus could have been a magician is to demonstrate an absolute, complete, total ignorance of the subject of magic. Conversely, magicians, perhaps more than most people, have the capability of differentiating between the genuine and the imitation, truth and fiction, the authentic and the counterfeit, reality and illusion.

    For over 100 years, Christians and skeptics have been arguing over the subjects of creationism, evolution, intelligent design, and a half dozen other controversial issues about God. However, the greatest evidence for the existence of God is the person of Jesus Christ. And the greatest evidence that He was and is God were the incredible miracles that He performed. These miracles were witnessed by tens of thousands of people over a period of 3 years.

    Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come into a personal relationship with God except through me.” Either that statement was the biggest lie or it was the greatest truth that has ever been spoken by any person in the history of the world. Following that statement Jesus said, “If you have a difficult time believing my words – then believe because of the mighty miracles you see me do.” The miracles confirmed the fact that Jesus was and is God.

    As a magician I deal with many illusions in my business, but in my own experience I discovered that God is no illusion; rather He is a reality, and that Jesus Christ truly is the “magic ingredient” Who really makes life worth living!

    Andre’ traveled around the world for more than thirty-years presenting spectacular illusion shows. Sponsored by CRU. Andre is in retirement, but his legacy in the world of illusionist and outreach will be remembered for many years. He was a good friend, to my mentor, Felix Snipes.

     

  • Remembering To Forget

    Remembering To Forget

    “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

    As John Haggai often says when quoting this verse, “There are some things we should NOT forget.” Such as what we were before Jesus saved us; the grace that God extended to us when He saved us; the incredible forgiveness we have in Him. And the blessings given to us by family and friends along the way; the richness of His daily love to us in so many ways … and so many other good things we SHOULD remember.

    The things we should forget; the failures that would oppress us; our disappointments which can destroy faith; our accomplishments which can cause pride; our defeats which can hinder initiative; the hurts we feel we have received from others which can destroy love. The misunderstandings which usually ruin relationships; the defeats or victories of others which often confuse us, hate and prejudices which destroy us from within. The family conflicts which make life miserable for ourselves and others as well, suspicions which torpedo trust, etc.

    In other words, we should forget anything that does not make us a better person and remember everything that does improve us.

    Because happiness is not caused by what happens to us … it is only achieved by the right attitude toward whatever happens to us.

    [bctt tweet=”Because happiness is not caused by what happens to us … it is only achieved by the right attitude toward whatever happens to us.” username=”scotthumston”]

    The Apostle Paul is talking about our mental attitudes here. Are mental attitudes “spiritual?” Where else is spiritualty than in the mind? You say it is in our actions; However, ALL actions come from our mental attitudes.

    Therefore if we want our actions to be the kind that will honor and glorify Christ (and bring us happiness) then our mental attitudes should be the type of positive, Holy Spirit empowered, God-honoring attitudes taught in the Word of
    God.

    No matter how hard we try to achieve happiness, it only comes from being in God’s will. Then with the right attitudes (faith, expectancy, dependency on HIM, joy, victory) we reach forth and press on toward God’s prize … the Christ-like
    person to which the Lord has called us and to which He has planned for us to be conformed (formed into.)

    May this year, this month, this day— be one in which you and I are more perfectly molded into a Christ-like image!

    Sharing His Wonder!

     

     

     

     

    P.S. AND may this be the year when each of us, and “we” collectively (through New Dimensions Evangelism) win the MAXIMUM number of individuals to Christ! You have my deepest gratitude for the GREAT part you play in making this ministry possible. THANK YOU for your prayers and support!!! Both are urgently needed!

  • 3 Steps To Overcoming Sorrow

    3 Steps To Overcoming Sorrow

    There are so many reasons and degrees of sorrow. Sorrow is almost certain at the death of a loved one…many have experienced this. But there are many other types of sorrow which carry varying degrees of emotional response on our part. The loss of a mate or relative through a divorce, through either permanent or temporary separation such as one going off to military service, off to school or to a new job.

    A permanent loss brings greater sorrow than if we know we will regain that loved one in the future.

    If you were to lose your reputation, it would bring sorrow. This could be over something extremely serious such as our business being ruined or even as small as someone making a critical remark to or about us. There are so many reasons for sorrow we could not name them all.

    Let’s just look at some ways to handle them.

    The first and most important principle for us to KNOW is that God is still on the throne and He never makes mistakes. Often our sorrow comes because we think we know what is best for ourselves and others rather than trusting God with the details.

    Romans 8:28 is eternally true when God says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

    Since we cannot know God’s total purpose for us or others, it is best to trust Him for His details.

    Secondly, we need to determine if the sorrow we are experiencing is because we are at fault. Did we do something immoral, did we mistreat someone, did we break one of the God’ laws … resulting in circumstances that bring us sorrow? If so, our first step is to admit it to God (confess it) and claim His forgiveness; “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:9)

    The next thing is to try to clear this up with the ones offended and take steps to ensure that this habit/practice/attitude is no longer in our lives.

    The third thing to do when faced with sorrow is to re-program our minds and emotions with praise to the Lord … what better time to think about this than Thanksgiving!

    [bctt tweet=”God has made us in such a way that we cannot experience more than one emotion at a time. If we are experiencing “praise and thanksgiving” for His goodness, then the emotion of sorrow is eliminated from our lives.” username=”scotthumston”]

    “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” (Psalm 34:1) “Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.” (Psalm 147:1)

    To experience God’s “pleasant” and “beautiful” emotions, give praise to Him!

    “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on THESE things …. and the God of peace WILL be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)

    Sharing His Wonder,

  • “You Have To Do What’s Best For You”

    “You Have To Do What’s Best For You”

    Isn’t it incredible that we can believe that we know what it better for us than God does! However, Satan knows how to make us believe that. First, he raises questions in our mind about God’s command and then contradicts God’s word. To question God’s authority and veracity is one of the deceiver’s primary tools. If he can get us to question God, then he has begun his victory over us.

    The Bible shares many ways how the “great deceiver” will do just that. Here are four:

    (1) Satan raises a question in one’s mind as to whether or not God really gave a certain command (Genesis 3:1).
    (2) He makes an outright contradiction of God’s command (Genesis 3:4).
    (3) He convinces us that we will be better off if we go against God’s command (Genesis 3:5).
    (4) He makes us believe we can be gods ourselves if we will disobey God (also in Genesis 3:5).

    The world if full of individuals who are now openly contradicting God’s commands. Whether it comes from Hollywood, TV, social media outlets, internet stories, magazines, books… or from the life of another Christian who openly disobeys the Lord … we are constantly being told to do something contrary to God’s laws. Their message is often so subtle (frequently coming from someone whom we respect) that we usually do not even realize we are being told that God is a liar. In recent years, we all have become aware that the attacks have become more direct, with the production of several widely advertised books and movies denying the existence of God.

    When Satan has brought us this far, it is a natural step to convince us that we can do it better. If we just make our own decisions, do what we “know” is best for ourselves, and then we will be like gods. In fact, this is one of the most popular “pop-psychological” teachings of today; “You have to do what is best for you.”

    As if, it is OK to treat someone unkind as long as what I am doing is for my good. It is OK to fire that minister because I would like someone else better; or it is OK to leave my mate because “I think” I would be happier without him; or it is OK to cheat on my spouse because it will make me feel better; or it is OK for me to claim illegal deductions on my taxes because I need the money more than Uncle Sam does, etc. The person who is totally dedicated to Christ and is in the center of His will would never believe this… but after Satan has taken us through those first two steps, it then sounds so logical.

    Well, the fact is we can make our own decisions, we can go our own way no matter how it affects others…God allows us that privilege. However, just like Adam and Eve, we have to bear the consequences of our sin. Also, so many other innocent people are hurt because of our sin of trying to be our own boss, just as you and I have been hurt by the decision of Adam and Eve.

    We cannot break God’s laws with impunity. By way of illustration, we may think we are breaking the law of gravity by jumping off a 50-story building. We do not even feel any consequences of it immediately … only freedom as we race through space. However, we soon find out that we have not broken the law of gravity, but rather, IT has broken us.

    [bctt tweet=”God’s laws are not given to us to break, hinder, or hurt us…God knows that if we will faithfully follow HIS INSTRUCTIONS, we WILL experience real happiness and contentment. ” username=”scotthumston”]

    God’s laws are not given to us to break, hinder, or hurt us they are given to us because God knows that if we will faithfully follow HIS INSTRUCTIONS, we WILL experience real happiness and contentment.WE break ourselves (and hurt others) when we go against what God has told us to do!

    “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood (other Christians) in the world. (I Peter 5:8-9)

    Sharing His Wonder!

     

     

    Scott

  • Love One Another?

    Love One Another?

    “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”(John 13:35)

    Did you ever wonder to yourself why the peoples of the world cannot get along with each other? Why can’t the Arabs and the Jews settle their conflicts and live in harmony? Why can’t they settle the conflicts in Africa? Well, when Christians learn to live together in harmony, then maybe we can start working on the rest of the world.

    Whether it is over the divergent beliefs of the various denominations, the doctrinal variety within a denomination, differences of opinions as to how a local church should function … or as to how a husband and wife should relate to each other, Christians continually embarrass the Lord and hurt the testimony of Christ through their conflicts.

    Gandhi is quoted saying, “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” In our urgency to “DO IT MY WAY!’ we forget that what we do with each other has such a dramatic effect on where other may people spend eternity.

    OTHERS DO NOT KNOW WE ARE HIS DISCIPLES BECAUSE WE DO NOT HAVE LOVE FOR EACH OTHER!

    So what, if a person disagrees with you in the church? So what, if another seems to have things completely going his way instead of yours? Make no mistake about it… when we act like that or share our anger-filled views with the world, we most assuredly are doing more harm than all the supposedly false doctrine and unscriptural teaching we think we are fighting! We are contributing to the skepticism that the world has about all things related to evangelical Christianity!

    This is doubly true when those attacks are on a “high-profile” Christian leader in our community. That highly visible Christian leader represents the Lord in the eyes of the lost. When we say things about them that hurt their testimony (even if we are convinced we are saying the truth) we are destroying the Lord in the eyes of the lost. We MUST start living with ETERNITY’S VALUES IN VIEW!

    [bctt tweet=”The eternal soul of the lost is far more important than any idea or conflict we perceive!” username=”scotthumston”]

    Well, what is the proper way to handle differences? The Lord answered that when He said through the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:19-21, Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.  On the contrary:

    “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

    By the way, do not forget that God said this through a man who had been beaten, stoned and persecuted far beyond anything that a fellow church member or spouse has done to you. Could it just be possible that the Lord wants you to remain in an unpleasant situation with a fellow church member or a mate so that God can use you to be a blessing to them? Could it be possible that the Lord wants to “sand off some rough edges” in your life and “polish you up” for Himself by keeping you in a situation that you do not think is ideal?

    All growth comes through obstacles, trials, opposition and difficulty!

    Let us re-dedicate ourselves to LET CHRIST BE SEEN THROUGH US in ALL circumstances.

    Sharing His Wonder,

    Scott Signature In Blue