Here’s a quick rundown of the top stories on charismamag.com:
Does God Tell You to Avoid Alcohol?
I am a Christian and I don’t drink. I am also an ordained minister and ex-alcoholic. I need to make that disclaimer right up front. Although it makes me biased, it also makes me an expert on this hotly debated issue.
Some of the worst “shudder moments” of my life have been under the influence, and as a pastor, some of the worst “shudder moments” I have witnessed in the lives of others have been because of alcohol. You have come too late to tell me it’s God’s best for a Christian to drink.
We are living in a church age where drinking has become “hipster” for some. Christian young adults post pictures of their signature drink on Facebook. Middle-aged Christian women name drop their favorite brand of Pinot Grigio to impress their wine snob friends. Churches send direct-mail postcards that read, “Give our church a shot!” featuring an edgy shot glass graphic. Even some pastors drink. Not this one.
God’s Perfect Timing: Spiritual Alignment for Your Circumstances Will Come
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Prov. 3:5-6, NIV).
I had a dream that I won’t go into, but the interpretation is all about God bringing alignment to us, but also through us—aligning ourselves to His plan. These alignments happen in so many different ways but today I want you to see it in relationships, finances, careers, health and circumstances, and learn how we can position ourselves to be in God’s perfect alignment.
Aligning with God’s plan and allowing Him to bring alignment to our lives means surrendering our own desires, ambitions and agendas to fully embrace and pursue what God desires for us. It involves acknowledging that God is actually a leader in our lives and we need to hear His voice and know that He has a plan that we can’t get to without our relationship with Him. We have to know deeply inside that His ways are higher and His plans are perfect, even when they may differ from our own good plans.
Pentecostal Bishop Unpacks Conflicts in Hutchins’ Church
In a recent Instagram Live session, Bishop Brandon B. Porter, a respected figure within the Pentecostal Christian community, addressed the ongoing conflict surrounding Bishop Derrick Hutchins’ church. The discussion was sparked by a call from Pastor D, who happens to be Bishop Hutchins’ brother. However, it was Bishop Hutchins Jr. who took to Instagram Live to express his grievances about a disagreement with his uncle regarding the church. During the enlightening live session, Bishop Porter shed light on the situation and provided an explanation based on documented evidence left behind by Bishop Hutchinson Sr., which entrusted the church to the brother instead of the son.
As Charisma News reported, Bishop Hutchins Sr. passed away in December of 2022 at the age of 65.
Throughout the conversation, Bishop Porter subtly hinted that the son had insinuated political motivations behind his uncle’s support, coinciding with the upcoming COGIC elections. Despite the strained relationship between the son and the brother, Bishop Porter expressed his love for both individuals and acknowledged their differences.
