Happy Father’s Day!

The Brownsville Revival began on Father’s Day, June 18, 1995. The historic spiritual awakening broke out at the Brownsville Assembly of God in Pensacola, Florida. Led by evangelist Steve Hill, pastor John Kilpatrick, and worship leader Lindell Cooley, the movement lasted for five years. It drew millions of visitors and recorded over 150,000 conversions to Christianity.

That was then this is now. J. Lee Grady, of CBN wrote the following article titled, What Happened to Brownsville’s Fire? stating: “….my heart is still grieved that the church where this marvelous outpouring occurred is now a burned-out shell. The pastor of the church during the revival, John Kilpatrick, resigned in 2003 and told parishioners he planned to remain at the church in an apostolic role. Kilpatrick installed Randy Feldschau as the new pastor, then this year Kilpatrick shocked the congregation by starting a new church in Daphne, Ala., 50 miles west of Pensacola. Feldschau resigned a few months ago and moved to Texas, and Brownsville’s attendance has dipped below 400. One former staff member told me that a large group of Brownsville members now attend a local Southern Baptist church in the city, while many others don’t go anywhere. “People have been leaving for three or four years,” the pastor told me. “Some are not in church at all, including some who were on staff. I don’t know anyone who has not been hurt.”

What is it about human nature that grows accustomed to the other worldly? The supernatural? The Manifest Presence of God? We criticize the Israelites in the wilderness who grumbled at the supernatural provision of manna, or had the audacity, and presumption to challenge Moses’s leadership. (The one who was meeting with God daily – “talking face to face as friends.”) This same human tendency was manifested during Jesus’ earthly ministry. Religious leaders and common folk alike ridiculed, criticized, and condemned the ministry, miracles and teachings of Jesus eventually crucifying Him for telling them the truth: I AM God! Familiarity breeds contempt. Obviously we become too familiar with an unfamiliar God. BUT…? Often we overlook the manifestations of God in the ordinary; taking them for granted just as Israel had done, and is still doing, with God. What am I referring to? The fathers in our lives. Though they have feet of clay, and have often disappointed, they still reflect the goodness of God in many ways. Yet we live in a culture that blames everything on them. As a culture we will do anything that will keep us from taking responsibility for our own actions, and choices. The most privileged people in the entire world are the least grateful for the everyday things they readily, and freely take for granted. As a young teen all I could do was find fault with my parents, especially my father. But as I grew older, and saw my actions and reflection in his, I realized he was doing the best he could. Recently I was humbled to realize any fool can criticize. But it takes a humble person to acknowledge the good things – the God things that flow from some of the most ordinary places and the most ordinary things. And some of the most ordinary are our fathers. I realized that gratitude and honor were intimately connected. Why didn’t I honor my father as a teen (or for that matter as a young adult)? I failed to be grateful for the things he had given me. I failed to acknowledge that every good thing is from above (it sure isn’t from the devil). As I take stock of those things over the years I realize that even the bad things are what made me who I am today. I realize, and I am grateful that my Dad chose me. (In a day when parents murder their unborn children like they are taking out the trash – that’s something I can honor my Dad for). My Dad worked hard to provide me with food, shelter, clothes, education, water to drink, etc. – everyday. He sacrificed his life in order that I might have life. I can honor my Dad for that. My Dad chose to follow Jesus and led my Mom, sister and I in following Jesus too. My Dad loved the Word of God. I love the Word of God. My Dad faithfully served in the church and faithfully served pastors (still does). My Dad gave me a work ethic. I could keep going but I will spare you the obvious. Maybe you didn’t have the example I did but you had someone. There is someone who may have taken the place of that father. You can honor them.

This Fathers’ Day is THE FATHER’S DAY!  Revival comes to the thankful, the hungry, the thirsty, and those who know they are unworthy. May God revive honor in our hearts for the ordinary, mundane, everyday miracles that walk among us everyday. May God revive in us humble gratitude for the extraordinary kindness of God wrapped up in someone quite ordinary – our fathers. Hey and why you are at it. Pay some respect and gratitude to your spiritual fathers who made this way of life possible. We owe them our lives, respect and gratitude. I’m talking about Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Lincoln just to name a few. And never forget that how you treat those earthly fathers, and spiritual fathers is only a mirror reflection of how you treat your Heavenly Father. Try replacing your criticism with gratitude. Cease to participate with the Prince of the Power of the Air – the Second Heaven. Move beyond the Second Heaven into the Third Heaven and look at things from God’s perspective. Hey, and who knows, maybe this Father’s Day at Bethany Church can be a day we honor our Heavenly Father for visiting us with revival. (Crazy thought)

Paying What is Due! What You Deserve?

Revelation 4:11 Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and dominion, for You created all things; by Your will they were [brought into being] and were created.

I was reviewing some Scripture memory recently and this phrase stood out from Revelation 4:11: Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive… the honor. Jesus, among other things deserves honor. Many years ago, Chinese farmers theorized that they could eat their big potatoes and use the small ones for seed. Consequently, they ate the big potatoes and planted the small ones. As a result of this,  over the years, nature eventually reduced the size of all the potatoes they harvested to marbles. They learned through this bitter experience that they could not have the best things of life for themselves and use their leftovers for seed. The law of the harvest reflected the planting!

What is the original meaning of the Greek word for honor? A valuing by which the price is fixed; the thing prized; deference, veneration; the honor of one who outranks others, pre-eminence; preciousness. When we treat the precious things of God as if they were potatoes – we end up with a harvest of marbles. The temptation of life is to only give deference to the big things not realizing that it’s often the small things that carry far greater weight to God. Followers of Jesus often play marbles with diamonds. Those diamonds can come in the form of someone we deem insignificant – like the pauper in Jesus’ parable of the rich man and Lazarus. Or they can be found in a short, despised, tax collector climbing up a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus.

Jesus deserves honor or rather, He deserves gratitude. But like the Chinese farmers we save the big potatoes for ourselves and plant the small ones to harvest later. We fail to realize and recognize that He is in both and we owe Him our lives, and our gratitude, for all the good things He supplies. R.C. Sproul wrote: Religious people are always profoundly disturbed when they discover that they are not, and never have been, true Christians. Does all of their religion count for nothing? Those hours in church, hours spent doing good things, hours involved in religious activity—do they not count for something in the presence of God? Do they not enable me to say: “Look at what I have done. Don’t I deserve heaven?” Sadly, thinking that I deserve heaven is a sure sign I have no understanding of the gospel

Michael Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York City and candidate in the 2020 Democratic presidential primaries once stated: “I am telling you if there is a God, when I get to heaven I’m not stopping to be interviewed. I am heading straight in. I have earned my place in heaven. It’s not even close.” Regarding the arrogance of Bloombergs comment, Bill Muehlenberg observed: Indeed, when folks are dead in their trespasses and sins, they are in no position to do anything meritorious or to boast about anything. They can only cast themselves on the mercy and grace of God. Yet countless millions of folks somehow think they deserve to go to heaven and that they are somehow meritorious enough in themselves to please God. What do you and I deserve? The very thing the ignorant, arrogant sinner who has rejected Jesus time and time again. In comparison, what does the Lamb of God, the King of kings, and Lord of lords deserve? Honor and Gratitude of the highest levels – everyday, at all times, in all situations. It all comes down to what do you value. What is prized and precious to you? Who deserves pre-eminence  above all others? Take the time to honor Him today being grateful for the big and small “potatoes” – in whatever form they choose to express themselves.

 

 

“PRAY 9:29!”

Mark 9:29 states: “And He replied to them, This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer and fasting.”

At the Love Life Prayer Walk this past Saturday we were introduced to a new thrust that I want to invite you to be a part of. It’s called “PRAY 9:29” based on Mark 9:29 and these numbers symbolizing the busiest time that abortions are being performed here in Charlotte. What I want you to do is to follow the link below, sign up to pray at 9:29 everyday for one minute. Love Life will send out a daily prayer prompt to everyone who signs up. Follow this link I have provided:PRAY 9:29

Spielberg’s New Film Asks If Aliens Would Shatter Faith. The Bible Already Answered That Question

I typically don’t address issues like this one because I have a strong belief that if our relationship with Jesus is solid, i.e. I am constantly abiding in Him; – then I have no doubts of His existence or reality in my life. But for those who have never settled the issue of “aliens” I present to you this article. Once Billy Graham was asked about life on other planets and his response stunned the reporter. Billy said: The Bible doesn’t tell us whether or not there is intelligent life on other planets–although I find nothing in the Bible that would exclude the possibility. But if there is life on other planets, then God created that life, for God created everything.

Chuck Missler, former NASA engineer, did extensive teachings on the alien connection with the Nephilim of the Old Testament, stated: While the evidence examined in this article seems to confirm the antiquity of unusual aerial phenomenon and visitations by humanoid entities, their origin remains a topic of great controversy, even among experienced UFO investigators. The common view is that they are extraterrestrial visitors from another star system. However, the extraterrestrial hypothesis (ETH) has been seriously challenged in recent years by a number of prominent UFO researchers. Well-documented accounts of UFOs that change shape, dematerialize, and defy the laws of physics have challenged the extraterrestrial hypothesis and caused many researchers to speculate that UFOs and their occupants may not be extraterrestrial, but extradimensional beings from beyond the four dimensions of our space-time domain!

Even more important than the question of their origin is that of their purpose for these visitations and their agenda for mankind.

As we will see, an examination of the nature of their contact with mankind and their messages given to human contactees has caused many to suspect that their agenda is indeed sinister and that mankind is being programmed and conditioned for a great deception…

Whatever your belief may be regarding this issue we are about to see the manifestation of it’s reality. Why do I say that? Our culture, and the world has been being prepped by the god of this world for some time. Things are about to get real interesting and what church attenders really believe about the Bible and Jesus is about  to get real.

Israel 365 News, posted an article by Eliyahu Berkowitz, JUNE 14, 2026:

Steven Spielberg has spent half a century making movies about aliens. At 79, his latest — Disclosure Day, opening June 12 — may be the most theologically charged of them all. The film, starring Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor, follows a Kansas City weather personality who suddenly speaks foreign languages she has never learned and a rogue cybersecurity expert racing to release a massive trove of classified government UFO files. But the real story Spielberg wants to tell is about God.

“The movie also takes the position of the church,” Spielberg told CBS News. “What does this do to the fundamental beliefs that many of us have? Is God our God only on this planet, or is God a God for every system where there’s civilization, intelligent life, and even developing life?” One character in the film, a former Roman Catholic nun, warns that people will see the aliens as deities and “stop believing in God.” The villain, played by Colin Firth, is a Pharaoh-like corporate tyrant devoted to keeping humanity ignorant — a figure drawn, consciously or not, from the pages of Exodus.The film arrives at a culturally combustible moment. The U.S. government recently launched a UFO website and declassified UAP files, and the White House briefly teased a sci-fi-branded aliens.gov that turned out to be a site for tracking illegal immigrants. Politics and entertainment are blurrier than ever.

Spielberg is not hiding his personal convictions. In his CBS News interview, he said flatly: “I absolutely think that they have been here, and they are here.” He described Disclosure Day as “a summation of my life in science fiction,” rooted in what he calls a “foundation of truth” — not fiction, not speculation, but something he treats as settled. The 2017 New York Times tic-tac video, the 2023 House Oversight Committee testimonies under oath, decades of consistent eyewitness accounts — for Spielberg, the cumulative weight is overwhelming.

The reaction from religious communities was swift and, notably, far less panicked than Spielberg seems to have expected.

A clip of Spielberg’s remarks went viral on X, framed as a claim that extraterrestrial disclosure would shake Christian faith. Many users pushed back hard. “No, it won’t. Hollywood is obsessed with the idea that the discovery of aliens will rock Christian faith. It’s weird,” said Christian podcaster Josh Daws. “The only people who think the existence of aliens would mess with Christianity are non-Christians who don’t understand the first thing about Christianity,” said Eric Sammons, editor-in-chief of Crisis Magazine.

CBN’s Billy Hallowell noted that what people identify as “aliens” may actually be phenomena rooted in the spiritual realm — angels and demons. He pointed out that the Bible focuses on the salvation of human beings: Jesus came to die and save people, not other creatures or entities.

Christian author and UFO researcher L.A. Marzulli called the film “very disturbing,” arguing that Spielberg is “filmically signaling” a coming global event. “Cling to Jesus,” Marzulli urged. “Understand that what was foretold is unfolding. Do not be deceived.”

One Christian reviewer who attended a press screening noted something unexpected: unlike films on similar themes from the 2000s and 2010s that would have placed Christians firmly on the side of bigotry and fear, in Disclosure Day Christians are without exception portrayed in a positive light. The theologically grounded nun character, Sister Maura, ultimately steers the more fearful ex-novitiate toward confidence rather than panic — a portrayal reviewers across the spectrum found surprisingly generous.

Jewish tradition, it turns out, had already grappled with this question long before Spielberg reached for his iPad to write the story. Jewish scholars have contemplated extraterrestrial life and concluded it poses no theological crisis. As one rabbi put it plainly: the discovery of extraterrestrial beings “would pose no more of a threat to Judaism than would the discovery of a new species of rabbit. It would be limiting God’s power to say that He could not have placed life on other planets.” Notably, the Talmud itself identifies a place called Meroz, referenced in Judges 5:23, as a star — and treats it as inhabited.

Kabbalistic and traditional Torah texts, including Rabbi Pinchas Eliyahu Horowitz’s Sefer HaBris, entertain the idea of advanced, “super-intelligent” beings dwelling on other planets.

Exotheology is a word that sends the etymological geek-meter spinning, and very few can claim to have even a passing knowledge of this esoteric field. Dr. David Weintraub, professor of astronomy at Vanderbilt University and the author of Religions and Extraterrestrial Life: How Will We Deal With It?is uniquely qualified to answer questions on the subject. His book presents a staggering array of opinions, ranging from Aristotle’s premise that extraterrestrials cannot possibly exist, to the more recent Enrico Fermi, who, over 600 years later, came to the same conclusion.

Dr Weintraub reassured Breaking Israel News that Judaism is spiritually prepared for little green men.

“Judaism accepts the possibility of extraterrestrial life. At this level, Judaism is similar to most, but not all other major religions. A few other religions clearly demand and embrace the idea that extraterrestrial life exists.  Except for a few extreme kabbalistic interpretations of a few passages in the Talmud, Judaism does not go that far,” he said.

The professor states that Jewish theology may actually require a belief in extraterrestrials since “there are no limits on the power of the creator. Thus, for Jews to say that no life beyond the Earth could possibly exist would be unacceptable, as such an idea would appear to place shackles on God’s creative power…the universe belongs to God (or is God) and God can do what God wishes to do with the universe.”

The film’s final word — spoken by an alien — is “listen.” Spielberg is drawing unmistakably from Shema Yisrael, the declaration that stands at the center of Jewish life: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is One” (Deuteronomy 6:4). The Shema is not a call to doubt. It is a call to attention. The God of Israel is not diminished by a large universe. He made it.

The deepest irony of Disclosure Day is that the question Spielberg poses — would the discovery of other intelligence unsettle everything we believe? — was answered definitively by the prophet Isaiah thousands of years ago. “I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22). Not “none else on this planet.” None else. The scope of creation does not threaten the Creator.

Spielberg himself has attributed his fascination with aliens partly to his Jewish identity and his childhood experiences of being “othered” — a sense of solidarity with fantastic beings from elsewhere. That instinct is authentically Jewish. But the tradition he comes from already knew: a God vast enough to create the cosmos is not rattled by what the cosmos contains.

 

 

Prayer for Brad McClendon and God’s Message to Our Church Body

Brad McClendon will be our special speaker this father’s day, June 21, 2026. Please keep him and our church in your prayers. Pray that God will deliver through Brad the encouraging word our fellowship needs.