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Donald Trump answers Steve Strang's questions Christians are asking and that secular journalists ignore. Charisma Publisher Dr. Steve Greene looks on. (Taylor Berglund )
Donald Trump Deals With Issues of Faith, Family and Religious Liberty in This Exclusive Charisma Interview
There is a time-honored tradition in American journalism to endorse candidates for political office. Every four years since 1984, we've endorsed a candidate for president, the only election the readers of a national magazine share. This year we endorse Donald Trump. Our cover story and related articles in the October issue of Charismamagazine make the case for our decision.
Before we could write the cover story, we felt we needed to interview Donald Trump personally. We began asking for an interview in June. It happened on Aug. 11 in Orlando. Trump was in town to speak to some home builders and then to a group of about 500 pastors. He told the crowd he had just spoken to home builders, but that they (the pastors) were home builders, too, which got a great response.
Before Trump spoke without a teleprompter (he said the prepared speech was so boring it would have put everyone to sleep), he was introduced by former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. "Every year, everyone says it's the most important election of our lifetime, Huckabee said. "But folks, I'm not messing—this really is the most important election of our lifetime."
After his ad-libbed speech in which he talked about religious liberty issues and even repealing the 1954 "Johnson Amendment" that prevents any nonprofit, including churches, from making political endorsements, I met for 10 minutes in a back room with Trump for the interview. You can hear on it my Strang Report podcast on the Charisma Podcast Network.
I've interviewed a number of presidential candidates, governors and other politicians in my 45-year media career. But the opportunity to interview Trump in the midst of his unlikely campaign strikes me as markedly different.
With Trump, what you see on television is not what you get behind the scenes. A sense of humility surrounded the Republican nominee that many don't see in liberal media soundbites. He still shot straight, but his sincerity was far more striking than what we can portray in black and white in a magazine.
In my brief interview with Trump, I asked him the questions I thought mattered most to our Charisma readers. I believe his answers show a confident, determined man who truly is committed to making America great again through government based on principles that honor God rather than defy Him.
The full interview will run in the October issue of Charisma along with a package of articles that make the case for how God is raising up Trump at a critical period in history and, conversely, how voting for Hillary Clinton and the far left platform she endorses should be opposed at all costs. There is also an interview with Trump's running mate, Mike Pence.
While you must wait to read the interview, you can listen to it on my podcast. Dr. Steve Greene, who has his own popular "Greenelines" podcast, accompanied me to the Trump interview. He and I talk in the studio about the behind-the-scenes of how we got the interview, our observations of what happened that day and why we think electing Trump is right for America. (Charisma Assistant Online Editor Taylor Berglund accompanied us to the interview and wrote observations from a millennial point of view, which you can read here).
Recently, I got some podcast statistics, and Lance Wallnau's podcast on May 6—regarding how he believes God is raising up Trump as He raised up Cyrus—is far and away the most popular podcast ever. Last week, I recorded three more podcasts with Wallnau about what he believes God is saying in this election. If you missed them, you will want to listen. I also invited him to write the cover story about it in Charisma's October issue.
At the same time, Pastor Jim Garlow recorded a podcast about an article we posted 10 days ago about this election and makes the case for why Christians cannot sit on the fence. Already, it's been shared 766,000 times and has had more than a million page views. If you missed the article or podcast, you will want to check it out and also share it.
Finally, I posted an iPhone video of this interview (from which the audio was taken) on my Steve Strang Facebook page. I rarely push that page but you may want to "like" it to receive materials I believe are important. Plus, you can easily post your comments for me to read.
I hope you enjoy listening to my interview with Donald Trump and that you share this podcast with others.
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God will use our dreams to warn us. (Flickr/Creative Commons)
I had four warning dreams over two days that we would do well to respond to.
I've been talking to God recently about my desire to hear more clearly from him. It seems that I've been in one of those seasons where I'm left to respond to the revelation that has been communicated to me over the previous months and years instead of fresh, hot off the press news.
I've learned over the years that some seasons are ripe for prophetic revelation while others are meant to steward what has already been given. I've also learned that I'll develop a yearning for the voice of God in a fairly intense way just prior to being given the pictures, words, mandates, dreams and visions that will propel me into the coming months.
That yearning resulted in a set of dreams I had over the past two nights.
At first glance, the dreams I had weren't something I was going to share, but after careful, prayerful review I felt it was important to get the message out there.
Jeremiah 23:28: "Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let him who has my word speak my word faithfully" (ESV).
As you read, keep in mind that God will often use family members and friends in my prophetic dreams to represent a certain type of person. Their roles in these particular dreams seem to be more significant than usual.
Dream #1—The Tour
My dad, who went on to be with Jesus several years ago, was the key player in my first dream. I believe my dad represented someone we all desire to trust deeply. My dad certainly was that type of person, and in real life, he was the one to lead many right into the presence of Jesus. He lived a remarkable life and there are countless people in relationship with Jesus today because of him.
In the dream, my dad represented a trusted fatherly figure who was leading a tour, or a journey, into a very dangerous Islamic region. I was terribly unsettled and concerned for all of our lives, but there was absolutely no concern whatsoever from my dad or any of the others who were on the tour with us. Nobody realized we were being led as curious, careless tourists to the slaughter.
The atmosphere was dark and foreboding, yet I was the only one who was alerted and discerning. I was struggling significantly to understand why nobody else saw the clear and present danger. Could someone I trusted so completely like my dad actually be deceived? Yes.
Fathers, leaders of our nation are doing this very thing right now. They don't understand the death that will result from an alliance with terrorists. The current Iran debacle is an excellent example.
Also, don't be surprised when people very close to us follow our nations leaders right into trouble. How many Christians are supporting politicians who are pro-homosexual, pro-abortion? They are being led by fathers into deception.
This truth applies to local situations as well. People we admire and consider to be fathers in the faith can fall. Will that devastate us? Will we follow them into destruction? When pastors fall into sin, many people become disillusioned and fall away. This is a very real risk and something we must consider. Love and honor people, but understand they are fallible. God alone is truly our Father and we must learn to follow his leadership. He can always be trusted.
Matthew 23:9 "And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven" (ESV).
Dream #2—The Accusation
My wonderful, amazing wife was the key figure in my second dream. It's a bit difficult to include my family members (especially my wife!) in a negative scenario because I know in reality they are nothing like the person they represent in the dream. I do have to trust God's wisdom, and it does make sense to me why He chose to communicate this way.
In my second dream, I was contending for revival and was investing passionately in the prayer movement and a resulting massive outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
My wife had a very casual, natural disposition as she was going about her daily duties at home. She looked at me and said, "You're just a Gnostic. You'er into Gnosticism."
I was heartbroken. I wept as I was dismayed at my wife's dismissal of legitimate encounters with Jesus as illegitimate whims. I cried out to her and said, "I know I can feel God! I know God. What about the peace that passes understanding? What about joy unspeakable and full of glory?"
The accusation was clear: I was being led astray by intuition and feelings and that I needed to come back to the real, natural world. I was wrecked. My heart longed for my wife to understand the wonder and awe of encountering God in a very real way. I earnestly desired her affirmation. Her rejection of my most passionate pursuit was heart wrenching.
However, I knew that I couldn't force my views on her. I could only pray. No amount of discussion or teaching would suffice. She needed an encounter and a revelation of God's tangible working.
Prepare your heart. Don't be surprised when your passion for Jesus is rebuked or dismissed by even your most valued family and friends.
1 Samuel 1:14-15 (ESV) "And Eli said to her, 'How long will you go on being drunk? Put your wine away from you.' But Hannah answered, 'No, my lord, I am a woman troubled in spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD'" (ESV).
Dream #3—The Betrayal
A very good, lifelong friend was the key player in this dream. My friend is a legitimate servant of Christ and has given his entire life to powerful, impactful ministry. In fact, he was a key, early mentor for me in my walk with the Lord.
In the dream, he and I and a few of his friends were hanging out. Everything seemed to be quite normal until there was an incident (that I wasn't a witness of). My friend immediately rose up and started violently beating someone nearby. The remaining friends joined in and aggressively attacked.
I was suddenly confused and disoriented. Why was such a good friend and such a godly man doing this?
The threat of assault and even death was all around. I crouched low and made my way to safety.
My friend started tracking me as I fled. After some time, we ultimately met and he was a different person. He turned on me and rejected me as a friend because I didn't join in his battle. He hurled insults and accusations my direction. His betrayal was fierce, hurtful and shocking.
Will the betrayals and failures of those we admire and consider to be mentors and close friends be enough to derail us?
Psalm 55:12-14 "For it is not an enemy who taunts me—then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me—then I could hide from him. But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. We used to take sweet counsel together; within God's house we walked in the throng" (ESV).
Dream #4—The Capture
Family and friends were in this dream as well, but they were minor participants. I was the primary focus this time.
We were in a large house when terrorists invaded and were capturing people as they went from room to room.
I had a high powered gun and I felt strong and empowered to move from room to room myself and take out the terrorists one by one. I felt as if I had ventured into a divine assignment and the grace to complete it was very powerful.
I somehow knew that the terrorists would be easy targets. My weapon was so precise and powerful that it had no match.
As I began moving through the house I entered the kitchen. Nobody was in there and I was very hungry. I saw the most delicious yellow cake with yellow frosting on the table. My cravings were intense!
I knew that I absolutely should not stop to eat. I also knew somehow that eating the cake would enrage the terrorist. I didn't know why, but I knew.
I was so confident in my gun however that I decided to grab a piece of cake and continue moving through the house.
Then, all of a sudden, with a messy piece of cake in my right hand a terrorist came around the corner. I struggled to get the gun back into my right hand and my cake into my left hand. It was too late. I was captured. All hope was lost.
Isaiah 47:8-9 "Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart, 'I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children': These two things shall come to you in a moment, in one day; the loss of children and widowhood shall come upon you in full measure ... " (ESV).
The Interpretations
The theme throughout the four dreams is improper trust.
The pressure to follow those we consider to be faithful fathers into unrighteous, dangerous spiritual situations will be intense.
Those we consider to be very close to us very well may choose not to affirm the callings on our lives. Some may betray us. Many will accuse us.
Even an overreaching trust in the power and grace of God can lead us into a casual, carefree state that gives the enemy a foothold. God will give us the assignment, the gun and the firepower but we must be alert and ready to pull the trigger. In the fourth dream I wasn't ready. God did all he needed to do and I was casual, focused on worldly desires.
There will be a great falling away and it's very hard to consider that many who fall away may be fathers, spouses, friends or even ourselves.
The pressure to follow those who are close to us, to follow comforts, to be casual will be extreme. What will you do when those you hold dear bow at the feet of the idol? Will you value your relationship with them more than your relationship and devotion to God?
Micah 7:5-7 "Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms; for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house. But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me" (ESV).
John Burton has been developing and leading ministries for over 20 years and is a sought-after teacher, prophetic messenger and revivalist. He has authored nine books, has appeared on Christian television and radio and directed one of the primary internships at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City. Additionally, he planted two churches, has initiated two city prayer movements and is currently directing a prayer- and revival-focused ministry school in Detroit called theLab University. John also has a web- and graphic-design business and is continually developing new and exciting ventures. He and his beautiful wife, Amy, have five children and live in the Detroit area. He can be reached via his website at johnburton.net.
Leo Tolstoy famously wrote, “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” The problem is that I’ve yet to meet a family that fits into Tolstoy’s tidy categories of “happy” and “unhappy.” The reality is far messier. Put tears and laughter, love and betrayal, fights and hugs into a blender and out will come a family. Even in homes where the walls are decorated with portraits of grinning moms and dads and kids, there’s usually a closet door that’s kept shut. Last week we were reminded of that, when the media flung open that door in the Duggar family home. And the skeletons came spilling out.
Josh Duggar, now twenty seven, the oldest son in TLC’s hit show, “19 Kids and Counting,” sexually abused five underage girls—four of them his sisters—when he was in his early teens. On the family’s Facebook page, Josh, his wife, and his parents have acknowledged this, as well as described how they addressed the abuse a dozen years ago when it occurred. Josh, who had been a lobbyist in Washington D.C. for the Family Research Council, has since resigned his position. And TLC will not be airing any episodes of “19 Kids and Counting” for the foreseeable future.
What happened within this family is many things—tragic and abusive, shameful and selfish, destructive and deceptive. It is all manner of evil, no matter how you look it. But there is one thing that it is surely not: it is not surprising. Not in the least. The only ones stunned by this revelation of abuse are most likely those who assume that the Duggar family image on their reality show does, in fact, accurately reflect reality. But there is no reason why this family’s secret should be shocking, especially to the Christian. The Duggars are not the pristine, ideal family that their television show portrays them as being. They never have been, nor will they ever be. Nor is any family. They are parents, sons, and daughters who have a civil war raging within each of them. It just so happens that Josh’s particular battles, and the pain he inflicted upon others as a result, have taken center stage.
Consider these words: “I don’t understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” These are the words of Paul, the one we’ve dubbed Saint Paul. He frankly admits that he’s anything but a model of moral perfection. “I do the very thing I hate,” he admits. He’s got a civil war raging inside him, too. He’s fully sinful in himself and fully righteous in Jesus Christ, all at the same time. He is what the Reformers called simul justus et peccator (simultaneously saint and sinner). What Paul’s particular struggles were, what those things he hated were, he doesn’t say. He doesn’t have to. He’s simply upfront about his condition—the fallen, curved-in-on-itself human condition.
As it was with Paul, so it is with the Duggars, and so it is with every Christian: each of us lugs around an old corrupt nature that we won’t shed this side of the grave. Of course, that nature rears its ugly head in different ways with each person, sometimes in ways that must be addressed with spiritual as well as psychological help. With Josh, sadly, it was through sexual abuse; with others it’s through addictions and greed and hate and selfishness of every kind. But one thing is certain: not just Josh but all of us harbor our demons. And the sinful nature within us is daily clawing its way out to manifest itself in ways great and small, public and private. Only liars and fools pretend otherwise.
The sooner we as individual Christians, as Christian families, and as churches present ourselves to the world that way, the better. Believers face more than petty allurements, make more than “mistakes.” We fail and fall in mega ways.
Dear world, do you struggle with alcohol or drug abuse? So do we believers. Dear world, has your family been wounded by infidelities? So have ours. Dear world, have your children hurt each other through sexual abuse? Yes, ours too.
Dear world, do your families members commit crimes and end up in prison? Ours too.
Dear world, do you have a closet full of skeletons? So do we Christians.
The greatest witness that Christians can present to the world is not their own morality, their ideal family, or their dream marriage, but their weaknesses and sins and failures, all of which have been atoned for by the crucified and resurrected Jesus. Our witness is never, “Look at how well we’re doing at being good,” but always, “Look at the good Savior who died for our evils.”
Here’s what happens inside the closed doors of Christian families: sinners live together in very close proximity. And you know what that means. Husbands who are righteous in Christ, but sinful in themselves, do and say mean and hurtful things to their wives. Wives who are righteous in Christ, but sinful in themselves, do and say mean and hurtful things to their husbands. Christian children mess up big time, rebel, and yes, sometimes sexually abuse others. We do terrible things. Tempers flare, eyes lust, tongues yell. In other words, sinners act the way sinners are. We are no better than the world is. Nor should we claim to be. We are far from perfect. We are by nature sinful and unclean. And because of that, we return, again and again, to the blood Christ shed that atones for our sins—the same blood, dear world, that has atoned for yours as well.
Christians families do not live on the mountaintop of morality but at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ. In his shadow is shelter from the burning sun of iniquity. Whatever repercussions Josh may experience from what he’s done, he will find at the foot of the cross a God who does not punish him, but says, “I love you. I have forgiven you. My blood has made you whiter than snow.” If this seems scandalous, then you’re beginning to understand the grace of Christ. Christ’s love is a scandalous gift. He didn’t die for the not-so-sinful portion of humanity. He was crucified for all. He died for sexual abusers, murderers, gossips, hatemongers, adulterers, pornographers, and you—whoever you are, whatever skeletons may be piled in your family closet.
But there’s still more that Jesus did. Christ took upon himself the shame that others inflict upon innocent victims. He lived and died and rose again for the girls that Josh abused. The battered wife, the rape victim, the child whose bedtime lullaby was the screams of a drunk father—these who have been physically, emotionally, and psychologically harmed by the evils of others, they too find peace and wholeness in the battle-torn, broken body of the Son of God. He didn’t just die to forgive us for the wrongs we do, but to provide us with healing from the wrongs others do to us. For in Christ, the Spirit puts us into communion with a restoring God. He gives us the peace that passes understanding. Not the evil that others have done to us, but the good Christ has done for us, is what defines who we are. We are God’s sons and daughters. We are adopted into the family of a Father whose greatest joy is loving and embracing us as the dearest things in all creation to him.
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have said, “We pray that as people watch our lives they see that we are not a perfect family.” We would echo that prayer, and add to it. I would pray that as people watch their lives—and as they watch the life of my family as well—they would see families that boast only of their weaknesses, that do not deny their flaws, and that find peace and healing only in Jesus Christ.
We are all the Duggars. We are all dysfunctional sinners living in flawed families upheld by grace. There is only one who is perfect, the one who became our sin, that in him we might become the righteousness of God. And in his wounds, bleeding with love, all of us find healing.
Point guard Stephen Curry led the Golden State Warriors to their first spot in the NBA Finals in 40 years.
Curry has been called one of the best pure shooters in basketball.
"He is an unbelievable competitor. He wants to win. But more important than anything is his relationship," the team's longtime chaplain, Earl Smith, told CBN News.
"He is what you see. He lives it fully and he enjoys life because he has peace with his life," Smith added. "He has a relationship that far exceeds a three-point shot, far exceeds the accolades that are in the arena. He is a family man. He loves his wife. He loves his daughter."
Curry's 2-year-old daughter scored the most attention at the post-game news conferences. That's had some turning up the heat on the young stand-out, who champions his Christian faith, his family, and fatherhood.
Reporters have criticized the Warriors MVP for the daddy-daughter time in front of the camera.
One reporter tweeted, "Curry's kid is cute. That doesn't mean she should have been at the presser."
"The celebration that we had after game five with my family and be as normal as possible and obviously she has got a personality that is pretty electric and loves that scene, but there is no motive," Curry told reporters, following game five of the western finals. "It's just me and her hanging out."
The criticism also didn't sit well the team's chaplain.
"That really bothered me and the reason it bothered me is because of the question that keeps coming up, where are the fathers? Where are the dads?" Smith told CBN News. "And here was a guy that truly had a daughter that was loving on her dad, loving to be with her dad."
At a time when athletes routinely make headlines for abuse, Smith calls these moments a "missed opportunity."
"Maybe the interview should have changed. Maybe it should have taken a different direction and talked about at a time when there is questions about athletes and a questions about fathers and their relationships with their children," Smith suggested.
"I am going to enjoy those times with my daughter, no matter how much pub she gets, regardless of what cameras are pointed my way because that is a special time," Curry said.
Curry's post-game press time could get a little more crowded soon. He and his wife are expecting their second child in July. Watch video: Steph Curry - Golden State Warriors
James Dobson: The Fall of the Family Means the Fall of Western Civilization
Dr. James Dobson believes if the Supreme Court rules in favor of gay marriage, it's the end of society as we know it.
Focus on the Family's Dr. James Dobson is sounding the alarms on the end of Western civilization as we know it if the Supreme Court's ruling on gay marriage comes to pass.
In a letter prepared for supporters of his ministry, Dobson not only bemoans the potential ruling, but how the ramifications will affect all of society.
"I do not recall a time when the institutions of marriage and the family have faced such peril, or when the forces arrayed against them were more formidable or determined," Dobson writes. "Barring a miracle, the family that has existed since antiquity will likely crumble, presaging the fall of Western civilization itself. This is a time for concerted prayer, divine wisdom and greater courage than we have ever been called upon to exercise."
For Dobson—and Bible-believing Christians—the ruling on same-sex marriage goes beyond a social and political statement.
He points to not only the foundation of modern society, but to creation, as well.
"At least 5,000 years have come and gone since that point of origin, yet every civilization in the history of the world has been built upon it," Dobson writes. "Despite today's skeptics who claim that marriage is an outmoded and narrow-minded Christian concoction, the desire of men and women to 'leave' and 'cleave' has survived and thrived through times of prosperity, famine, wars, peace, epidemics, tyranny, and every other circumstance and human condition."
And now, to make marriage a platform for politics not only trivializes the institution, but plays God in a way that will be the downfall of life as we know it.
However, Dobson is not giving up hope. He clings to prayer, knowing the Lord will listen to godly petitions.
Pastor of Air Asia Victims Encounters Heaven in Midst of Tragedy
Wreckage from the Air Asia 8501 (Reuters, Darren Whiteside)
When Air Asia Flight 8501 crashed into the ocean late last year, hundreds of families and friends suffered dear losses—but none so acutely as Mawar Sharon Church (Rose of Sharon), in Surabaya, Indonesia.
The congregation had 45 people—more than a quarter of the passengers—on the plane. But for Pastor Philip Mantofa, the loss has catapulted his church into the spotlight. Now, Mantofa is speaking out on how this tragedy has strengthened his faith and given him glimpses of heaven.
Charisma News: How has this loss affected your church?
Philip Mantofa: Our church has always been like a big family. Even though not everyone necessarily knows everyone, our sense of belonging as one body of Christ is strong since most of our members belong in small groups and ministries. This tragic loss has only increased our dependence on God and appreciation of each other. Love—God's love—is in the air!
Charisma News: What is the church doing to cope with the loss?
Mantofa:Firstly, first-aid. We were among the first to have arrived on the scene—at the departure area of our international airport—to meet the families of the missing passengers on the doomed plane. Then, we immediately set up a care center in which we provided an ongoing prayer/worship atmosphere to strengthen the faith of those who awaited the fate of their loved ones. Food and beverages were also provided to care for them physically, so none would fall sick.
We dispatched teams of trained, Christian counselors by shifts, standing by to help. Also, we assigned one pastor from our church for every mourning family, so we could customize to give the support they need. Particularly when the bodies of their family members were found and they had to identify them, we couldn't leave them to face these horrific situations alone. "Being there with them and for them" is our greatest ministry yet so far. Doesn't the Bible say we ought to cry with those who cry?
Charisma News: How will the church move forward?
Mantofa: No words can describe the feeling of loss we have all experienced here, especially the passengers' families. Unnecessary comments haven't help a bit, and we don't attempt to answer the big "WHY" question. However, the Holy Spirit has been real in our church as the Comforter. As their pastor, I must say that I couldn't be prouder of my members as they carried each other's burden without second thoughts. The most glorious moment was when I witnessed how one bereaved family encouraged and prayed for another out of their own initiative. I could say that I almost saw heaven in that situation. Yes, we are moving forward!
Charisma News: How has your faith aided you in such a tragedy?
Mantofa:Faith is the only thing I got. Though I can't quite make sense of it all, my faith in God has not been shaken. God is not evil, and surely this accident is not His fault. Could He not have prevented this? Of course, He can! But if He has not, He is greater than my thoughts. God has not promised us a smooth life in this imperfect world; but He has promised to be with us through it all. Here in Indonesia, Jesus isn't only to live for; He is to die for! I will follow Him no matter what, and others will follow me as I follow Christ. Finally, as His love is unconditional to us, so our faith should be unconditional to Him. The Lord gives, the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord!
Charisma News: What has the Holy Spirit taught you in this time?
Mantofa: That no one is exempt from suffering. That crash, it could have been me in it or anybody. Nobody is special, not even Christians or preachers—only Jesus is! We are only loved. The only thing that is certain in this life is our salvation. Blessed are they whose names have been written in the Book of Life!
Charisma News: Was there a spiritual purpose behind their trip? Some have speculated they were on a mission trip.
Mantofa:Mawar Sharon (Rose of Sharon) Church, which I pastor, has 45,000 members. For the numeric reason alone, it is quite normal to bump into our church members wherever you go in, around, and from Surabaya city. We have lost 45 beloved members which consisted of several family units who coincidentally took the same route and boarded the same jet to Singapore that dreadful morning. Many traveled on holidays and they didn't necessarily know the other families, though of the same church.
Charisma News: How has this affected your personal faith?
Mantofa:My faith in Jesus hasn't changed, for it is never circumstantial in the first place. Christ is my Lord in all the seasons of my life, whether joyous or sad. When my faith hits rock-bottom, then my bottom is the Rock. Then, my faith gets even stronger than ever!
Mantofa's Supernatural Vision from Heaven
Let Go & Let God!
"But I would not have you ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and arose again, so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus" (1 Thess. 4:13-14).
"Upon the accident which befell Air Asia flight QZ 8501 in December 2014, God showed me this imagery that you see on this canvas. On board the doomed plane were 162 passengers, and 45 of them are (not were, they are forever) our church members. Instead of grieving without hope as the godless do, we who believe in Christ have eternal lives.
"From the deep ocean, the souls of men and women deared to many and beloved by God ascended to heaven by the way of the cross. They marched into glory in white arrays.
"Though all human lives are but like smoke which evaporates too quickly, blessed are those whose names have been written in the Book of Life. The Lamb of God will wipe every remaining tear from their eyes, and they shall live as stars and diamonds in the sky, as angels on high, and as sons and daughters of the King of heaven. So, let go and let God!"
Pope Francis is meeting this week with 14 other religious leaders who share traditional beliefs about marriage and sexuality.
The three-day conference includes evangelicals like popular American Pastor Rick Warren, author of the Purpose Driven Life, and Russell Moore, head of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.
Moore addressed hundreds of leaders at the conference about the public importance of marriage. He joined CBN News from Rome via Skype to explain more about what the leaders hope to accomplish.
Click play to watch Moore's interview with CBN News' Charlene Aaron.
The conference, sponsored by the Vatican, also welcomed Muslim and Jewish leaders.
During the event, the pope is taking steps to reassure social conservatives in the Roman Catholic Church after a recent controversy.
Weeks ago some Catholic bishops proposed a radical acceptance of gays and divorced Catholics, which outraged the conservative base. The proposal was later shot down.
Now the pope is affirming conservative doctrine, saying marriage between a man and a woman is a "fundamental pillar" of society.
"Complementarity [between men and women] is the basis of marriage and the family," Francis told the conference Monday. "Children have the right to grow up in a family, with a mother and a father who can create a suitable environment for their development."
It was the second papal speech emphasizing traditional church beliefs in recent days.
On Saturday, Francis pronounced some of his strongest words yet opposing abortion, euthanasia, and in vitro fertilization, sounding more like his predecessor, Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI.
Pope Francis also sparked excitement in the United States by announcing he'll be visiting Philadelphia next year at a rally for families.
Rosh Hashannah (Feast of Trumpets) begins this Wednesday evening. This is the time when God calls for the shofar (ram's horn) to be blown to wake us up. Please pray as I will be blowing the shofar on an online Live event into families for salvation, healing, deliverance and restoration. The family is the core of a nation. As the family goes, so goes the nation. It's time! Join me Live online this Wednesday. Details are at the links below.
Contrary to popular opinion in American society, men and women can be just friends. (iStock photo)
Last week I was rejoicing with one of my single friends, Roman, because he believes he's found the girl he wants to marry. Naturally I'm excited for him and I hope I can attend his wedding. I want all my single friends to find mates.
But I'm also disturbed because I know many singles that would like to be married yet have very few close friends of the opposite sex. Something is built into our Christian culture that discourages normal guy/girl friendships. It's as if we're afraid they will hop in bed if they actually talk for an hour and share their hopes, dreams or struggles.
Meanwhile, we pressure guys and girls to marry if they become friends. ("Oooh, Gina, we saw you with Brad yesterday. Is something going on between you two?") Why can't Gina and Brad just encourage each other in their journey with God without turning their relationship into a big deal? Is it possible for Christian guys and girls to build healthy friendships without assuming they are headed to the church altar?
I believe it is absolutely possible. Here are six keys to developing these relationships:
1. View your friends as family. Paul told Timothy he should treat older women as mothers and younger women as sisters (see 1 Tim. 5:2). The same rule applies to girls: You should view your male Christian friends as brothers. Having this pure-hearted attitude makes real friendship possible. If a guy views his female friend as a sister he won't be lusting after her body; instead, his instinct will be to encourage her. If a girl views her male friend as a brother she will care about him and pray for him without expecting him to have sexual feelings for her.
2. Avoid "pair pressure." In many churches today there's a nagging pressure to find "the one" so you can take yourself off the market. If you are carrying this burden, every friendship with a person of the opposite sex can be a drain. "Is she the one?" "Does he like me?" "How should I dress?" These concerns morph into worries that suck all the fun out of life. Trust God with your desire for a mate. If you don't relax you will come across as desperate—and that's a big turn-off. Stop trying to make something happen and just enjoy getting to know a new friend. Remember Psalm 37:4: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."
3. Say goodbye to awkward. Before we married, my wife and I both dreaded the dating scene. Calling someone you barely know and asking them to dinner or a movie is scary—and it's the reason a lot of Christian guys are still single at 35. Meanwhile Christian girls have been told to wait for the guy to make the first move, so they are conditioned to wait for "the call." You can say goodbye to all this awkwardness by organizing group gatherings: Meet several friends for coffee, invite them to a cookout or throw a party. Then just enjoy each other's company. And girls: Feel free to initiate the invitation!
4. Rediscover the art of conversation. In today's media-soaked culture we've forgotten how to talk to each other. Many guys feel socially clumsy, so they become immersed in video games and become emotional hermits. They need friends—including female friends—to help them crawl out of their shells. Meanwhile both guys and girls are so addicted to their phones that they don't know how to talk for an hour without checking for text messages. If you want to be a good friend, learn to focus on the person you're talking to!
5. Don't allow a hint of seduction. The message we get from media today is that it's all about sex. But as a Christian you don't have to bow to that idol. You can have a meaningful friendship with a person of the opposite sex without ending up in bed together. But if you plan to keep it pure, you will have to put up some obvious boundaries. Use common sense. Don't wear revealing clothes. Don't touch each other inappropriately. And don't spend the night at each other's apartments in the name of "friendship." If you are true friends you will respect each other enough to avoid a sexual mistake that you will regret later.
6. Keep your friendships Christ-focused. Hebrews 3:13a says: "But encourage one another day after day." This verse applies to single men and women, too. We need each others' encouragement, and God wants the single members of the church to be involved in each others' lives. Your phone calls, notes and honest counsel may be what propels your friend into their life purpose; your kindness and prayers may be what gets them through a difficult crisis. Keep Jesus at the center of your friendships and don't miss out on the blessing those friends can be to you.
J. Lee Grady is the former editor of Charisma. He is the author of 10 Lies Men Believe and other books. You can follow him on Twitter at @leegrady.
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