Truth really can be stranger than fiction.
First Page - Now launched! All the stories are true, or based on real events. Unlimited reading for $4.99 / month. No downloads. Read on your phone, tablet or computer.
La verdad puede ser más extraña que la ficción.
First Page - ¡Ya está en marcha! Todas las historias son verídicas, o están basadas en hechos reales. Lectura ilimitada por $4.99 / mes. No hay que descargar nada. Lea en su teléfono, tableta u ordenador.
Manna Minutes Podcast: Eye-opening Bible study in less than five minutes! Access all episodes here.
Manna Minutes en español:
Estudio bíblico que nos hace abrir los ojos en menos de cinco minutos! Acceda a todos los episodios aquí.
Manna Minutes Podcast auf Deutsch:
Augenöffnendes Bibelstudium in weniger als fünf Minuten! Alle Episoden finden Sie hier.
Was There A Curse On Helen's Romantic Life?
The Third Man by Angela Sheffield is based on a true story. Read chapter one now!
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¿Qué tiene que ver conmigo? por Teófila Gottfried
Lo que leemos en la Biblia tiene que ver con todos los seres humanos, sean cristianos o judíos, ateos o agnósticos, budistas, musulmanes o adherentes a alguna de las filosofías o nuevas religiones que surgen en el mundo. ¿Por qué? Ver mayor información sobre este interesante libro.
Scripture of The Day - St. John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Escritura del día - San Juan 14,6
Jesús le dijo: Yo soy el camino, y la verdad, y la vida; nadie viene al Padre, sino por mí.
Bibelstelle des Tages - Johannes 14,6
Jesus spricht zu ihm: Ich bin der Weg und die Wahrheit und das Leben; niemand kommt zum Vater, denn durch mich!
As A Christian, How Can I Help The Helpless?
Twelve-year-old Naomi watched how Sister Clark slapped Donna, the three-year-old of brother Drake, her fiancé. The little girl and her newborn brother were left in Sister Clarks' care while he was at work. Naomi knew none of the church's members would listen to her if she tried to warn them of the woman's dislike for her soon-to-be husband's children. Not even her mother would entertain the idea of calling into question Sister Clark's integrity and reputation as a Christian. She asked herself, "As a Christian, how can I help the helpless?" But, she was without answers.
Christian Help for Real Life Problems
What you've just read is a true story. Names were changed to protect identities. Unfortunately, situations like these are often ignored by the church for many reasons: Not all who say they are Christian truly are. And, very few Christians know...or want to know how to apply biblical Scripture to life. Why? Perhaps to always distance themselves from problems, strife and tension. This is a most displeasing thing before the Lord, because it has caused many to ask, "Does God care about the abused and oppressed?" Yes, He does. We have many testimonies of God's deliverance. However, those stories are too far and few between.
Let's look at a few Scriptures that help us to answer the question: As a Christian, how can I help the helpless? First, the Bible tells us to warn people. What "Sister" Clark was doing was wrong. We read that we are to preach, "...warning every man." Scripture does not say "some people", but rather "every man." (Colossians 1:28). And, the passage of Ezekiel 3:18-21 speaks not only of warning the wicked, but also of warning who's supposed to be righteous. We read, "When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die, because thou hast not given him warning. He shall die in his sin...but his blood will I require at thine hand." (Ezekiel 3:20).
If twelve-year-old Naomi could have anonymously warned Ms. Clark, we believe she would have been doing what she could to help the innocent children. Scripture does not say we always have to warn someone to his face. And sometimes, that is not the best and safest way to warn. What else could Naomi have possibly done? The simplest and first action we can take as Christians when we see injustice against the innocent is pray. No wonder Scripture tells us to pray without ceasing. There's so much to pray against, and so many to pray for. But how many Christians even sincerely pray when they come into the knowledge of a bad situation in which innocent people are being mistreated. Very few, sadly. When the unjust government jailed the apostle Peter, he was as helpless in their hands as the little child and baby were in Ms. Clarks' hands. But prayer changed Peter's situation. God delivered him.
We read, "And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.... And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. Peter therefore was kept in prison. But prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. And when Herod would have brought him forth, the same night Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains. And the keepers before the door kept the prison. And behold, the angel of the Lord came upon him. And a light shined in the prison. And he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, Gird thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he saith unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and wist not that it was true, which was done by the angel, but thought it was a vision. When they were passed the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city, which opened to them of its own accord. And they went out, and passed on through one street. And forthwith the angel departed from him. And when Peter was come to himself, he said, Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews." (Acts 12:3-11).
Imagine the many victims of abuse who, if we prayed for them without ceasing, would be able to say: "Now I know of a surety that the Lord hath sent his angel, and hath delivered me out of the hands of my abusers."
Yes, you can do all these things as a Christian to help the helpless. But there's more. Sometimes we do have access to the victim. When we've done all we can do to help, and the victim is still in trouble, and if he's old enough to pray, we can teach him to clamor to God. Let's see what God said concerning the mistreatment of the widow and orphan who often are helpless victims of abuse. We read, "Ye shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child. If thou afflict them in any wise, and they cry at all unto me, I will surely hear their cry. And my wrath shall wax hot. And I will kill you with the sword. And your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless." (Exodus 22:22-23).
Whatever Happened To Fasting?
Pretty much gone are the days of fasting. Consequently, pretty much gone are the days of frequently seeing the power of God to rescue...as compared to what we read in the Old Testament and in the Acts of the apostles. Not only do few ask, "As a Christian, how can I help the helpless?", few are willing to even entertain the thought of turning down their plate of food for anyone or anything. Why? Unwillingness to be uncomfortable. And many nowadays are ravaged with multiple health issues: obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc. Many of those problems arose from an unwillingness to make uncomfortable diet changes. If one will not even make changes in his diet, we cannot expect that he'll turn his plate down to fast for someone else. But fasting and fervent prayer without ceasing is directly linked to being in a position to be used by God in His deliverance of others. Let's look at what we learn when we read of when the apostles could not cast out an evil spirit.
"And when he was come into the house, his disciples asked him privily, Why could not we cast him out? And he said unto them, This kind can come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting." (Mark 9:28-29).
Many times throughout history, the nation of Israel has been as helpless as a young child when oppressed by the pagan nations that hated her. The Old Testament book of Esther is the account of when a fast was called as part of the battle to save a nation. The Bible is our example of what God can and will do for and through His people, if they will do what He has told them to do.
Based on true events, The Third Man by Angela Sheffield, brings the Bible up close and personal as the characters face real issues of life: Betrayal, deceit, romance, bitterness, anger against God, hopelessness, will power, perplexity, triumph, unforgiveness, mental illness, and the "Alcohol made me do it" excuse. Read chapter one FREE now.
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