GLOBAL CHRISTIAN AWAKENING
In addition to wars and societal chaos predicted for the last days, the Bible also predicts great Spiritual activity at the time of the end--an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all flesh and the world-wide preaching of the gospel (see Matt. 24:14 & Acts 2:17). This blog is dedicated to encouraging Christians around the world to pray and believe for a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit on their land and in their churches.
Friday, November 8, 2024
POLITICAL COALITION OR CHRIST-CENTERED UNITY?
Wednesday, October 30, 2024
POPE FRANCIS, MARTIN LUTHER AND THE QUEST FOR CHRISTIAN UNITY
October 31, 2024 will mark the 507-year anniversary of
Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg church door and igniting
the Protestant Reformation. It also presents another opportunity for Pope
Francis to demonstrate that he is truly serious about unity.
Pope Francis has made Christian unity a major theme of
his administration. He has reached out to leaders of the Eastern Orthodox
churches and to Protestant leaders, including those from the
Pentecostal-Charismatic movement. A July 10, 2014 article in Charisma News
carried the story of a cordial meeting of the pope with Kenneth Copeland and
James Robison, which included prayer and high fives.
I commend Francis for his efforts, but if he is truly serious about Christian unity, he can highlight it with a clear and unequivocal statement on this 507-year anniversary of the Reformation. He can do this by lifting Martin Luther’s excommunication and removing his label as a heretic
Luther, after all, was a devout Roman Catholic priest who
never wanted to leave the Catholic Church. He wanted to see the Church reformed
according to Scripture but was excommunicated and labeled a heretic for his
efforts.
As a Professor of Bible and Theology at the University
of Wittenberg, Luther began to see how far the medieval Catholic Church had
moved away from the Gospel. He began to boldly teach that Scripture is our
final authority, not the pope. He also taught that we are saved through faith in
Christ alone apart from church appointed works and sacraments.
When he was ordered to stop teaching these doctrines, he
refused, now convinced that he was on the side of Scripture. He was hauled
before a religious court—the Diet of Worms—where he faced the highest
dignitaries in the Church and the Emperor himself. He was ordered to recant his
teachings, but refused, saying,
I can believe neither pope nor councils alone, as it
is clear that they have erred repeatedly and contradicted themselves. I
consider myself convicted by the testimony of Holy Scripture, which is my
basis. My conscience is captive to the Word of God; thus I cannot and will not
recant anything, because acting against one's conscience is neither safe nor
sound. Here I stand! God help me! Amen!"
Luther was declared a heretic and an order issued that
his books were to be confiscated and burned. He would have been arrested and executed
but for the protection of the powerful German prince, Frederick the Wise.
Luther did not recant because he was convinced that he
was on the right side of God and history. The late Dr. Hans Kung, the most
widely read Catholic theologian in the world today, agreed, saying,
And from a historical
perspective there can be no doubt that it is not Luther but Rome which bears
the chief responsibility for the way in which the dispute over the right way to
salvation and practical reflection on the gospel very rapidly turned into a
fundamental dispute over authority in the church and the infallibility of popes
(Hyatt, Infallible Pope: Key to Unity or Source of Division, 54).
So, despite all the good efforts toward unity, Luther
remains a heretic according to Catholic doctrine. And, according to Catholic
doctrine, Protestant believers are not fully Christian but are “separated
brethren” and Protestant churches are not true churches but mere “Christian
communities.”
So, here are three things Pope Francis could do that
would show the world he is truly serious about Christian unity.
1. Remove
Luther’s excommunication and label as a heretic.
2. Recognize
Protestant churches as true churches rather than mere “Christian communities.”
3. Recognize
Protestant believers as full and complete Christians through faith in Christ rather
than “separated brethren.”
I do not expect any pope to declare numbers 2 and 3 for
that would mean dispensing with the "hallowed" Roman Catholic Church doctrine
that she is the only true church. However, acting on number one would show that
there is an element of seriousness to the talk of love and Christian unity.
Dr. Eddie L. Hyatt is a historian, Bible teacher, and
revivalist. This article was derived from the books, Infallible Pope: Key to Unity or Source of Division and The Charismatic Luther, both available
from Amazon and his website at www.eddiehyatt.com.
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
HOLDING THINGS TOGETHER
“Holding
things together is not an easy thing to do” are the words from a popular country
song from the 1960s. It is about a man who is fighting to “hold things together”
after his wife has left him, leaving him to struggle alone to raise their two kids.
We all face challenges in life and sometimes it seems that
life is flying apart, and we struggle to find a way to “hold things together.” Well,
only Jesus can hold things together and this is made very clear by a reality in
modern science and the words of Paul in his letter to the Colossians.
The Mystery of Dark Matter
Paul’s description in Colossians of the glorious risen Christ
gives an answer to a dilemma that is baffling modern science, particularly in astronomy.
It is what astronomers and astrophysicists call “Dark Matter.” Dark Matter is
an unseen force that is holding the universe together. It cannot be seen, and
astronomers don’t know what it is, but they say it is keeping the universe from
flying apart.
Our solar system, for example, is being held together by
the gravitational force of the sun. Since the gravitational force of an object
depends on its size, this means that our sun is the perfect size to keep the
planets in orbit. If the sun were smaller, the planets would wander off
aimlessly into space.
Furthermore, our solar system, along with billions of
stars and other celestial bodies, are
rotating around the center of our Milky
Way galaxy. And, beyond that, our Milky Way galaxy is part of a cluster of galaxies that are all rotating
around another center.
But here is the dilemma! According to astrophysicists and
astronomers, there is too much empty space in our universe for this to be
happening. There is not nearly enough matter or “stuff” to produce enough gravity to keep everything
from flying apart. There is some mysterious force that they cannot see or
explain that is holding everything together. So, they call it “Dark Matter.”
Paul’s Answer
for the Mystery of Dark Matter
Paul, in his portrayal of the transcendent majesty and power of the Risen Christ, gives a clear answer to this dilemma. He says that Jesus is not only the Image of the Invisible God and the Cause and Agent of Creation, but he also says, He was before all else began and it is his power that holds everything together. (Colossians 1:17, LB). The writer of Hebrews concurs, saying that Christ is upholding all things by the word of His power (Hebrews 1:3).
So, it is Jesus who is holding everything together. We must, however, distinguish between how He holds the universe together and how He will hold our life together. He holds the physical universe together by the direct action of His power on the heavenly bodies. Human beings, however, made in His image and likeness with free will, must voluntarily give Him that place of centrality in our lives.
He Will Hold Your Life Together
Just as the solar system is held together by the central position of the Sun, when we give the Son the place of centrality in our lives, we will find an invisible force, known as the Holy Spirit, working on our behalf and enabling us to “hold things together.”
In over 50 years of ministry and over 48 years of marriage, I have seen it happen again and again. Those times when it seemed that everything would fly apart, we have found that invisible force "holding things together." Yes! When we give Jesus that place of centrality in our lives, we will find the wisdom and power to “hold things together.”
Dr. Eddie Hyatt is an author, revivalist, Bible teacher and ordained minister. This article was derived from his book, Discovering the Real Jesus, available from Amazon and his website at www.eddiehyatt.com.
Thursday, June 20, 2024
IT'S TIME TO CONFRONT THE "SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE" MYTH
On Wednesday June 19, Governor Jeff Landry of
Louisiana signed into law a bill requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed
in all public schools. Secular organizations like the ACLU immediately threatened
lawsuits because, according to them, it violates the “separation of church and
state.”
However, the phrase
“Separation of Church and State” is nowhere to be found in America’s founding
documents. It was never used by any of the Founders. It is a myth created by
anti-Christian activists who want to purge the nation of its Christian
heritage.
A Manipulation of Jefferson’s Words
The phrase is a
manipulation of Jefferson’s words in a letter to the Danbury Baptist
Association of Connecticut dated January 1, 1802. In the letter, Jefferson
addresses their concerns about how they will be treated in the new nation.
They had reason for
concern for, throughout Europe, the Baptists had been an outlawed Christian
sect, severely persecuted by the state and the state-sanctioned churches, both
Catholic and Protestant. They were imprisoned and put to death because they
refused to conform to the official church doctrines and practices imposed by the state.
In his response, Jefferson
quoted that part of the Amendment which reads, “Congress shall make no law
respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise
thereof." He assured the Baptists that this meant that, in America, there
would be “a wall of separation” that would protect them from the intrusion of
the state.
Jefferson’s “wall of
separation” was obviously unidirectional, in place to keep the government out
of the church, not the other way around. His own actions affirm this, for as president,
he took money from the federal treasury to pay for a missionary to the Kaskaskia
Indian tribe and to build a church building for them in which to worship (Hyatt,
1726: The Year that Defined America, 149).
The
View of the Founders is Clear
The words and deeds of the
Founders make it clear that they never intended a “separation of church and
state.” They did not want a national church like the nations of Europe since
Constantine, but they believed that only Christianity provided the moral and intellectual
underpinnings for a stable and prosperous nation.
Indeed, the day after
ratifying the First Amendment, the Founders proclaimed a National Day of
Thanksgiving and Prayer. John Adams expressed the consensus of the Founders
when he said, “Our Constitution was made only for a religious and moral people.
It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other (Hyatt, 1726: TheYear that Defined America, 168).
Their position was confirmed
by Joseph Story (1779-1845) who served as a Supreme Court Justice for
thirty-four years from 1811-1845. Commenting on the First Amendment, Story
said,
We are not
to attribute this prohibition of a national religious establishment to an
indifference in religion, and especially to Christianity, which none could hold
in more reverence than the framers of the Constitution (Hyatt, 1726: TheYear that Defined America, 152).
The
Summation of the Matter
Governor Jeff Landy is to be
applauded for his courage and insight. The removal of prayer, Bible reading,
and Christian symbols from the classrooms, beginning in 1963, has led to a
deadly deterioration of both morals and academic accomplishment. America’s root
problem is neither political nor economic but spiritual and moral. God bless
Governor Jeff Landy for taking steps to get at the root of the problem.
This article is derived from
Dr. Eddie Hyatt’s book, 1726: The Year that Defined America, available
from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.
Friday, June 14, 2024
THE SENSATIONALIZING OF A USELESS MANUSCRIPT
Sensationalized headlines
throughout the world introduced the story of a manuscript fragment discovered in
the library at Humboldt University in Hamburg Germany. The headline of CBS News
was typical, reading, “Newly deciphered manuscript is oldest written record of
Jesus Christ's childhood, experts say.”
The truth is that this fragment is useless when it comes to obtaining real knowledge about Jesus. It is part of a work entitled The Infancy Gospel of Thomas, which is a part
of a group of writings that emerged after the first century containing fanciful
stories and legends about Jesus. The authors of these spurious writings often
used the name of an apostle or other famous person to add a sense of
authenticity to their work.
These works are known as the Apocryphal New Testament and they
include such books as The Protoevangelium, The Gospel of the
Birth of Mary, The First Gospel of the Infancy of Jesus Christ, The
Gospel of Thomas, The Infancy Gospel of Thomas, and others.
Philip Yancey described these apocryphal gospels as “second-century counterparts to modern comic books about Superboy and Batgirl” (Hyatt, (Hyatt, Discovering the Real Jesus, 46-47). He is right!
For example, in The Infancy Gospel of Thomas, of which this fragment is a part, the boy Jesus makes clay pigeons but is rebuked by Joseph for making them on the Sabbath. Jesus then claps his hands, speaks to the pigeons, and they come to life and fly away.
This spurious gospel also tells of a young boy running and bumping into Jesus who curses the boy and causes him to die. When the boys parents and others in the village complain to Joseph, Jesus strike them all with blindness.
If
someone has read and studied the four Gospels, they will sense an immediate and
distinct difference when reading these works. Their stories come across as fanciful
and inauthentic. They do not have the genuine sense of the four Gospels, nor
are they inspirational and faith-building.
These and other apocryphal
writings were rejected by the earliest church fathers, such as Irenaeus
(125-200), Tertullian (160-240), and others.
In 367, Athanasius (298-373), Bishop of Alexandria,
wrote a letter in which he warned of these apocryphal writings. He listed the
27 books of the New Testament that were already accepted throughout Christendom,
and said,
Let no one add to these or take anything from them. No mention is to be made of the apocryphal works. They are the invention of heretics, who write according to their own will, and gratuitously assign and add to them dates so that, offering them as ancient writings, they may have an excuse for leading the simple astray (Hyatt, Discovering the Real Jesus, 47).
Cyril of Jerusalem (313-386) also warned of spurious gospels, saying,
Of the New Testament, there are only four gospels; for the rest are not genuine and are harmful. The Manicheans also wrote a “Gospel according to Thomas,” which, through the spurious odor of sanctity conferred by its title, corrupts the simple folk (Hyatt, Discovering the Real Jesus, 48).
The New
Testament canon is one thing about which all sectors of Christianity agree. Catholics, Protestants, and Eastern Orthodox
all agree that the twenty-seven books of our New Testament comprise the canon
and are authoritative for all followers of Christ.
Despite
the evidence, modern Gnostics and New Age types tend to embrace these
apocryphal writings since they undergird their own
esoteric, mystical theories. They publish them with enticing titles,
such as The Lost Books of the Bible, The Missing Books of the Bible, and The Jesus Papers. However, they are not lost or missing,
and they tell us nothing about the real Jesus. They were rejected as spurious and inauthentic from the very
beginning.
This article was derived from Discovering the Real Jesus by Dr. Eddie L. Hyatt and is available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.
Sunday, June 9, 2024
WHY I CANNOT CELEBRATE PRIDE MONTH
To my LGBTQ Friends,
I have no ill will
toward you and I pray you will have the best life possible. However, I cannot
celebrate your view of marriage and sexuality as I am convinced that our
Creator, in the beginning, designed marriage to function between one man and
one woman (Genesis 1-2). Jesus confirmed this original design in Matthew 19
where He pointed His listeners to this original model and quoted Genesis 2:24,
saying,
Have you not read that
He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, “For
this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife
and the two shall become one flesh?” So then they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together let not man put asunder (Matthew
19:4-6).
In his Word Studies
in the New Testament, the noted Greek scholar, Marvin R. Vincent, points
out that Jesus says “what” God has joined together, rather than “those.” He also
notes that the passage is in the aorist tense, pointing to an event at some past time. He, therefore, concludes that Jesus is not referring to an individual
marriage, but "to the original ordinance of God at creation."
The famous Biblical scholar, the late Dr. F.F.
Bruce, arrived at the same conclusion. He says that Jesus is not here saying
that every marriage is made in heaven but that the original design was made in
heaven and should never be put asunder, separated, or discarded.
The LGBTQ view of
marriage “puts asunder” this original marriage design and the results can only
be harmful to individuals and society. So, although I respect you as a human being
and desire your well-being, I cannot celebrate your view of marriage and sexuality.
Dr. Eddie Hyatt is an
author, biblical scholar and historian. His books are available from Amazon and
his website at http://eddiehyatt.com,
Saturday, May 11, 2024
THESE WORDS OF JESUS WERE LIFE-CHANGING FOR ME DURING A RECENT FIERY TRIAL OF FAITH
During
an intense three-month battle for my health, the words of Jesus concerning the
woman who had been bent over for 18 years became a significant source of faith and encouragement that catapulted me into complete victory (Luke 13:10-16). Jesus said that she “ought” to be healed and the Greek
word from which “ought” is translated is edei, a very strong word that
speaks of “necessity” and could be translated as “must.”
My Fiery Furnace
Beginning on November 22 of last year, I was suddenly hit with a series of health challenges that began with a serious bladder infection followed by an enlarged
prostate that completely blocked my urinal flow. This resulted in six visits to
the ER, three visits to a urologist, and having six different catheters
inserted before the urologist finally decided to do surgery. This was followed a
urinary tract infection that hospitalized me for one week and delayed prostate
surgery. This was followed by the Covid virus which delayed the surgery a second
time. I finally had prostate surgery on February 27.
Now, three months later, I can testify that I am in better health than before going through this fiery
furnace. My faith is also stronger, and I am more convinced than ever that God
wants His people well. Jesus’ words to the bent-over woman in Luke 13:10-16, that
she “ought” to be healed, played a major role in building my faith for a
complete recovery.
Jesus Explained Why She “Ought” to be Healed
Beginning at Luke 13:10
we read the story of Jesus teaching in a synagogue one Sabbath day and a woman was
there who had been bent over for eighteen years, caused by a spirit of
infirmity. Jesus called out to her and said, Woman, you are loosed from your
infirmity. He then laid His hands on her and she was made straight and
began glorifying God.
The ruler of the
synagogue was angry because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath. He exhorted the
people that there are six days for people to work and come and be healed on any
of them, and not on the Sabbath day. Jesus responded by calling the
ruler of the synagogue a “hypocrite” and then said,
Does
not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his ox or donkey from the stall, and
lead it away to water it? So ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan has bound—think of it—for eighteen years be loosed from this bond on
the Sabbath?
Jesus, first of all,
presents a logical argument for why this woman ought to be healed, and he
uses a Hebrew form of argument known as Kal Vechomer, meaning “from the
lighter to the heavier.” The lighter premise, which they all accepted, was that
it was right to loose their animals from the stall on the Sabbath and lead them
away to water. Jesus then moves them to the weightier conclusion by pointing out
that if this is the case with animals, then how much more should this woman,
whom Satan had bound, be loosed from her bond on the Sabbath day. This was a
powerful Kal Vechomer argument.
Jesus then gave the
Biblical basis for why she “ought” to be healed, pointing out that she was a "daughter of Abraham." As a daughter of Abraham, she was a rightful heir to the covenant blessings promised to Abraham and his descendants (Genesis 12:1-3), which
obviously included healing.
That Abraham had a
healing ministry was made clear when Abimelech, King of Gerar, took Sarah into
his harem after Abraham told him Sarah was his sister. Suddenly, all the women
of Abimelech’s family and kingdom became barren and unable to have children.
Genesis 20:7 tells of God
appearing to Abimelech in a dream and rebuking him for taking Sarah. He then
said to him, Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet and
he will pray for you and you will live. Genesis 20:17 says, Then Abraham prayed to God and God healed Abimelech,
his wife and his female slaves, so they could have children again.
The words of Jesus concerning this woman, reveal that being a daughter of Abraham brought more than the
mere right or privilege of being healed. It created a necessity and obligation.
In the words of Jesus, she “ought” or “must” be loosed from the bondage of
Satan on the Sabbath day.
I Told God that I “Ought” to be Healed
I recall lying in the
hospital bed day after day with an intravenous tube inserted in my left arm and
a catheter inserted up my urethral tube and unable to turn to the right or
left. But in that condition, I meditated on this passage for hours and found my
spirit lifted and my heart overflowing with gratitude and praise.
I also reminded myself
and the Lord of Galatians 3:29, which reads, And if you are Christ’s, then
you are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to the promise. I would say to
the Lord,
Lord,
I “ought” to be healed for I am a son of Abraham through faith in Jesus the
Messiah. Healing is as much mine as the bent-over woman in Luke 13, and even
more so, for through faith in Jesus, I am also a son of Almighty God. Lord, I
“ought” to be healed!
God brough me through the urinary tract infections and Covid and I was able to go home, but still wearing a catheter. The day arrived for my surgery and Sue drove me to the hospital at 5:30 am with my heart at rest and my mind at peace. I was convinced that I “ought” to be healed.
When the surgeon walked in I said to him, “I am here in great peace today, for I have great confidence in God and I have great confidence in you.” He responded by stepping to my bedside, taking my hand and praying in the name of Jesus for a successful procedure.
It was a successful procedure and I was released the following day. As I walked out the front door of the hospital, I felt that all of nature was praising God. Indeed, while in the hospital I had asked God if there was a particular Scripture for me for this time. Immediately, Isaiah 55:12 had come to mind, which reads,
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace;
The mountains and hills will burst into song before you,
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
That has been my experience. My heart
today is overflowing with thanksgiving for what the Lord has done. At 77 years of age, I have returned to my daily two-mile prayer walks and I am in better health now than before this ordeal. I just had my regular Veterans
Administration physical, and the doctor said I am doing great and have no need
of any medications. Hallelujah!
My Word to You
Having gone through this
ordeal, I am more convinced than ever that God wants His people well: physically, mentally, financially, and in every area of life. So, if
you are suffering ill health in any area of life, and you are a child of God through faith in
Jesus, “You 'ought' to healed!”
Put your case in His hands. If you do not see an instantaneous miracle, don’t be discouraged. Delay does not mean denial. Mediate on His goodness and trust Him to show you His personalized plan for your healing. Trust him to guide you to the right medical people who will help you regain your health.
Meditate on Luke 13:10-16.
Read it over and over. Incorporate it into your conversations with God. Remind yourself
continually that you too are a son or daughter of Abraham through faith in
Jesus, and that you “ought to be healed!”
Dr. Eddie Hyatt is an author, revivalist, and Bible teacher. His books on how America was birthed out of the Great Awakening are very timely for this critical time in the nation's history. 1726: The Year that Defined America, and others, are available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.