The BlessedHope eNewsletter
Looking for that blessed hope…….…..( Titus 2:13 (KJV)
The BlessedHope enewsletter is an affiliate of Imitators of God Ministries Inc. We are a non-denominational, multi-racial and community driven church.
In this current issue
Why did God take my loved one (My spouse, my son or daughter, mother, father etc)?, really? Is it really God?
How was death introduced into the human race
Didn’t God kill people in the Old Testament
What are people saying about Pastor Emmanuel’s sermons
Our Community Outreach
Beloved we are in need your help
In the July 2015 Issue
God has a perfect will for your life; How do you get there?
Why did God take my loved one (My spouse, my son or daughter, mother, father etc)?
-Does God kill people?
Was it God who took (as in death) my loved one (spouse, mother, father, son, daughter etc)?
Recently, I was at a funeral and I heard a minister make this statement while he was praying, “God, why did you who takes our loved ones when they die? I guess it’s easier to do so than taking on the responsibility ourselves. I was about thirteen years when my dad died and was told that it was God who took him because he had a better place for him in heaven. For those of you who have not experienced such loss let me attempt to explain how this felt, especially to a thirteen year old. I felt betrayed, unbearable pain, bruised, hurt, angry, alone, heavy hearted and robbed, according to the minister. I experienced inconsolable grief, which led to bouts of depression. I did not pray for a long time and had lost confidence in God. The bible states that the glory (bravery, honor and majesty) of children is their fathers (Proverbs 17:3). My glory (bravery, honor and majesty) was stripped from me and I was asked to trust the one who took it from me. I could not trust the one who I was told took my dad. Consequently, I just existed as a Christian for a considerable amount of time. Years later when I began to read the word of God for myself, He revealed to me that it was not he who took my dad, but his illness. My Dad died from an illness called Sepsis, according to the death certificate. His body was invaded by pathogenic microorganism. The bible declares that God is love (1 John 4:7-8) and you will agree that there are some things that love will and cannot do; like putting sickness on someone to teach them a lesson. According to Jesus, if you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luke 11:13 (KJV). There isn’t one parent of whom I am aware, even if they had the ability to do it, would put sickness or disease on their children, so why do most people think that God would do it? Maybe because it’s preached from most pulpits. I certainly heard it preached from the pulpits of the churches I attended in the past.
According to the aforementioned verse, God is love and we are evil. And, those of you who believe that God would do something so heinous as putting cancer on someone because it is their time (this is just ridiculous), why do you fight cancer or any other sickness? Why do you go to the doctor? If you think it’s God’s will to kill somebody by plaguing them with cancer, just accept it and die. Do not fight God. We fight cancer and other life threatening sicknesses because we know its evil. God is love, that’s who God is; love is in his DNA and he will not put sickness on people. Gentle people, we live in a fallen world and bad things do happen to people. When the devil was cast down to earth, it was said woe unto the inhabitants of the earth because the devil was sent here.
According to Jesus in John 10:10, it is the thief (the devil) who came to still, kill and destroy, but Jesus said he came to give life and give it more abundantly. In John 6:14, Jesus said, I am the way the truth and the life. Jesus said he is the life. He did not come to take life. Additionally, he raised at least three people from the dead, the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:11-18), Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:35-43) and Lazarus (John 11:1-44). He does not kill people. He gives life.
How was death introduced into the human race?
Romans 5:12 (KJV) 12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
This verse clearly teaches that sin entered the earth through one man, Adam, and death is a result of that sin. Romans 5:15, bluntly states that through the offence (trespass, fault, error) of one man, many became dead. Therefore, we can safely conclude that it was not God who introduced death to the human race but Adam as a result of his disobedience. As stated above, our Lord was raising people from the dead, not taking people’s lives because he has a better place for them in heaven.
Didn’t God kill People in the Old Testament?
Yes. The two most popular accounts cited by people who make that claim are taken from 1 Kings, Chapter 2 and 2 Kings, chapter 19. Please read these scriptural accounts. 1 Kings, Chapter 2 records that the king of Israel, who was Ahaziah, at that period of time, was going to a pagan god to inquire about his health. He knew that the God of Israel had already pronounced the total destruction of Ahab’s house (Ahab was his father). Consequently, he chose to consult a demonic source with the hope of getting a better reception. He sent messengers to go inquire of Baalzebub, the god of Ekron, to see whether he shall recover from his disease.
The angel of the Lord sent Elijah to intercept the messengers. Ahaziah got infuriated and therefore sent three sets of 50 men with three different captains to arrest Elijah and possibly have him killed. The first two captains and their 50 men came with much pomp and pride. The text seems to suggest that they both referred to him sarcastically as “thou man of God” and commanded him to descend from the hill top where he lodged. Elijah responded, “If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty.” And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty (vs. 10). This happened to the first two captains and their 50 men. Verse 12 records, and I quote, “And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.” The third captain took a different approach.
2 Kings 1:13-15 (KJV) 13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be precious in thy sight.
14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.
15 And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king.
So yes, God did killed men who aligned themselves against him. As I stated above, vs. 12 indicated that it was the fire of God who slew these men. These men had adopted the practices of the pagans who surrounded them. Israel under Ahab’s reign, with Queen Jezebels influence, had degenerated to the point where they offered (killed) their babies to idols. God protected Elijah especially as Elijah was one of the only men who stood up against Ahab and spoke the word of God.
However, the New Testament indicates that it was never God’s intention to kill the first two captains with their 50 men. Some of these men probably were husbands and fathers who never made it back home. Beloved, we’ve got to be careful who for whom we work and what we do on the job. It may lead to the death of one’s career, character etc. In John, Chapter 9 from verse 51 to 56, after the Samaritans refused to extend hospitality to Jesus and his disciples because they learned that he was on the way to Jerusalem, James and John, knowing what Elijah had done to the captains and their 50 men as recorded in the Old Testament, wanted to rain fire from heaven on the Samaritans. They wanted to repeat what Elijah did, but as I stated, that was never God’s will. Jesus, who revealed to us a perfect representation of the Father’s heart, an exact replica of the father responded, “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them (verse 55-56). Interpretation according to Emmanuel, you guys are mentally ill. You think like murderers. I did not come to kill people (the very thing most people think God does) but to give life, save them. Beloved, I have so much to share with you. Keep looking for our next upcoming issue of the blessedhope.
Emmanuel J. Williams, Pastor
Bond Servant of the Most High God
This is what people are saying about Pastor Emmanuel’s teachings
That was some sermon yesterday. It really moved me. I have been in church for years and have never heard some of these things ….…….Mike
His teachings are empowering and refreshing. And the people are so sweet. I really felt the love of God in that church. I have never learned so much in one service ……….Jeff
Our Community Outreach
On an annual basis, we do a back to school drive in August; during which time we give away book bags and school supplies to families in our community. Last year our church was able to give away 50 book bags filled with supplies to families in our community. We want to significantly increase this amount this year.
We also give away Gifts to the Kids in our community during the Christmas season. Through a joint effort with one of our partner agencies we were able to give away gifts to approximately 45 children last year. We would like to give gifts to 100 children this coming Christmas.
We have partnered with second harvest and other generous community donors and through our food and clothing bank we currently feed approximately 75 to 100 families (approximately 300 to 400 individuals), every 3rd Saturday of the month. Yet, despite our best efforts, we still turn away countless families. Therefore, the year ends we want to feed about 100 to 150 families (approximately 400 to 600 individuals). We also want to feed biweekly instead of monthly.
We have had numerous opportunities open to us to strategically position ourselves to establish the ministry in order to pierce the darkness in this world with Good News.
a) We have found a building and land to purchase where we can house the ministry to serve our community. We need to have a certain percentage of the funds on hand to complete the purchase.
b) We are in pursuit of an opportunity to go on one of the most prominent radio stations. We can potentially reach millions of homes with this good news but we need your help. I was not aware of how expensive it is to get the gospel out to the masses. The gospel is free but the means to get it out to the masses is very expensive.
Beloved we are in need of your Help
In order to help us achieve our goal in serving our community we are asking you to join us by making a biweekly or monthly donation of any amount $2, $5, $10, $20, $30 or more. As little as you can give or as much as you can give, we would deeply appreciate it.
We are in search of 10,000 partners who will commit to give $10 monthly to help us make manifest the vision the Lord has laid on our hearts. Will you be one of them?
We have a mandate from God to share the good news to the lost in our community and to help our fellow Christians worldwide to become biblically literate.
A Personal Invitation
Lastly, I would like to extend an invitation to those of you who do not have a
church home. We are commanded by the Lord, not to forsake the assembling ourselves together as we see the day of redemption drawing close (Hebrews 10:25). I guarantee that you will experience the true love of God and a fresh exposition of God’s word. Please send us your questions and comments. We will attempt to address them in upcoming newsletter. Love you and we’ll see
you next time.
Finally, beloved if you know anyone who would benefit from the information contained in this article, please forward it to them. We would deeply appreciate it.
