Knee-Mail: Dear Stephen
Sent: September 22, 2009
First Read: Acts 6:5 – 7:60
KH: Lord, what else could I have said?
God: Nothing, Son. Some just don’t want to hear the truth. It’s been this way since Cain killed Abel. No amount of logic will reach some people. Let’s go meet Stephen. He had the same problem… Ok, Son. That’s Stephen against the wall.
KH: It looks like he’s bleeding and the people around him are really mad!
God: That is correct, Son. He’s about to be stoned to death. I’ll freeze time for everyone except you and him so you can talk for a few minutes.
KH: But Lord, can’t You stop them?
God: Of course I could, but I know what is best. I know you can’t see it from your side, but it’s really precious when My children die for their faith (Ps. 116:15). You’ll see it clearly one day and it will all make sense then. For now, just trust Me to do right (Ps. 72:14; Rev. 14:13). Go talk with him, Son.
KH: Ok, Lord… Excuse me, Stephen, these guys look pretty angry and you look pretty peaceful (Acts 6:15). What’s going on here?
Stephen (ST): Well, it’s a long story. The church in Jerusalem is growing fast (Acts 5:42) and lots of widows who were Greek were being neglected when food was passed out (Acts 6:1) so the disciples selected seven Greek men to oversee that job so the apostles wouldn’t be distracted from their main job of preaching and teaching the Word.
KH: That seems like they were being more than fair to use Greeks to pass out food, since it was Greeks that complained.
ST: Oh, they were very fair! Everyone was happy. I was chosen to be one of those first deacons. God used me to do wonders and miracles (6:8), and many were being saved. This must have upset the Jews at the liberal synagogue in town, because they began arguing with me (6:9). All I was doing was telling them the truth from God’s Word.
KH: That’s all I try to do, too, and it sure makes some people mad! You should have seen the atheists at Berkeley University! They were livid! We’ve got it on video.
ST: Where is Berkeley? And what’s a video?
KH: Never mind. Berkeley won’t be started for 1,830 years and video for about 1,930. Never mind. Let’s just say that they were less than open minded to hear the creation message I gave there.
ST: That’s the same reaction I got today. I gave a very logical message from God’s Word showing that Jesus was indeed that Just One promised by the prophets (7:52). These guys know the Scriptures, and they know I told them the truth. I could tell it cut them to the heart (7:54), but instead of repenting and accepting Christ, they got angry and bit me!
KH: What else could you have said to them?
ST: I don’t think any words or scriptures or logic would have helped. They are set in their beliefs and don’t want to hear anything else. It’s been this way since the beginning. Nothing Moses said or did would have convinced Pharaoh. God finally had to take him out the hard way. Jezebel, Nabal, Belshazzar, and hundreds of others were the same way. All we can do is preach the truth. How they receive it is up to them. If they don’t like what you say, they will find a way to take you out.
KH: How did they “take you out?”
ST: First they falsely accused me of breaking some law. Then they got two false witnesses to lie about me (Acts 6:13-14). After that, they gave me a chance to give a defense (Acts 7: 1-53), but it was like I was talking to a wall. They had already made up their minds to kill me, so here I am.
KH: Does it bother you?
ST: I hate it for my family’s sake, but I ‘m excited to be a martyr for Christ. It’s precious in the sight of the Lord when one of His die (Ps. 116:15). He has lots of rewards for those who suffer for him. There is one more good thing about them stoning me today.
KH: What’s that?
ST: Do you see that young man over there where the witnesses are laying down their clothes?
KH: Yes, who is he?
ST: I don’t know, but I think God will use today to soften his heart. Watch him.
KH: I think you are right, Stephen. I think God has great plans for that young man (Acts 7:58; 9:1-18). Some hardened people can only be won this way.
God: Let’s go home, Son. You know how it turns out.
KH: I do, Lord, but I don’t know how mine turns out. They want to lock the ministry doors tomorrow. What will happen?
God: Just trust me, Son. Go to your class. I’ve got your back.
11 Responses to “Knee-Mail: Dear Stephen”
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Joshua Joscelyn
Said this on December 15th, 2009 at 12:17pm:About Dr. Hovind:
Dr. Kent E. Hovind is currently at the Edgefield Federal Correctional Institution in South Carolina. Please send postcards and letters to:
Kent E. Hovind #06452-017
FPC Edgefield D-2
P.O. BOX 725
Edgefield, SC 29824
Feel free to send Dr. Hovind a letter or postcard. Please understand he is not able to answer every letter he receives, but he certainly appreciates any support and encouragement. He can also receive new books, but only directly from bookstores. And no hardcover books are allowed. No DVDs, CDs, or anything hard or sharp such as staples, etc (no tracts with staples in them). Do not send more than one tract at a time, as all gifts containing more than one tract will not be allowed. Do not put “Dr.” on his name, or it may be discarded by the guards. They do not always return postal items that are not delivered to inmates, so you may want to save a copy before mailing, so that you might try again in the event that he was recently moved for example.
Encouraging comments on this blog are greatly appreciated, and Dr. Hovind does read all approved comments. But please write with the understanding that whatever you write could be subject to monitoring by the guards. Please do not write politically-charged or tax-related comments, etc. In the event that Dr. Hovind is moved to another facility, one can always check for his current address by using the Inmate Locator on the Bureau of Prisons website:
http://www.bop.gov/
CSE Blogs User Policy:
All comments are subject to moderation, and only positive notes to Dr. Hovind are permitted. Please refrain from posting lengthy letters via comments, negative criticisms, comments aimed at other users, or from using CSE Blogs as a platform to make an announcement. Blog comments should be directed to Dr. Hovind. This is a place to keep in touch with Dr. Hovind, and is not meant to be a public debating forum.
From the CSE team,
Thank you for your understanding and continued support.
Dave Basford
Said this on December 15th, 2009 at 4:34pm:Kent – I love your work but please don’t compare youself to Stephen or others like this.
Stephen would not have compared himself to any other follower that had died before him.
It was fun the last time you did it – but it’s starting to feel not so cool…
We are all judged by our commitment to do the will of God, as Jesus explained.
You do that, and have done that for a long time.
Don’t spoil it by comparing yourself to others, even in a fun way.
I hope you are well, and I hope you get my card within the next month or two
God bless you Brother Hovind
for Jesus' Name: PhillipGeorge (c)1974-2009
Said this on December 15th, 2009 at 9:02pm:Brother Kent and to All CSE staff and supporters,
from Australia wishing you all a very Joyous Christmas. may you hear ‘good tidings of great Joy which shall be to all people’ and may on earth there come ‘peace and good will toward all men’.
last night I had a dream about England so perhaps I’m off quickly now to that Egypt to exchange gifts with samphire and wish him well through all those differences.
in Jesus, Australian bro.
Jason
Said this on December 15th, 2009 at 10:52pm:Hi Kent,
I too really enjoy reading your work. It saddens me that I struggle to write you these days, but even so I never miss any of your posts here on this blog.
I totally relate to the underlying message in this story; Many people just don’t and won’t listen no matter how well founded the reasoning is.
The gospel of millions of years and evolution is pumped out as FACT as though it should be accepted as common knowledge and good sense, regardless of the huge gaping holes in the foundations of the THEORY.
It’s almost scary to open ones mouth about it. I ask people questions about their beliefs, not to tell them that they are wrong, but to ask why they believe what they believe; I in turn try to be open to the same level of questioning.
To simply ask, “Why do you believe in millions of years? Or, what do you think is the evidence for believing a dinosaur bone is x-million years old” can really upset people. Apparently I’m an “idiot” for not believing in evolution, and my questions are stupid, even though I bother to try and do the research and investigate the question. Again, apparently I am also closed minded and unable to think freely because I dwell to long on the flaws of the evolutionary argument rather than just accepting it as fact and trusting that it “Simply must be true”.
I get fed the gospel evolution and millions of years in so many ways/places and though so many people it makes my head spin, it is everywhere. Yet when I open my mouth to ask questions, I’m labelled as a God botherer, a Holy Joe, one of those fanatics, people groan and say, “I don’t talk politics or religion”.
I’m left speechless, thinking… “You’ve just told me that it’s a fact that some ancestor of mine had a tail and swung through the trees as an ape, but you don’t talk religion… that’s doublespeak, believing two totally opposite things at exactly the same time.
Where does one start with that…?
Oh yeah, I’m forgetting, I’m not allowed to speak am I…. hmmmmmm”
I try to remind myself that I was once just the same; I used to mock God and the very idea of God and anyone who professed a belief in God. And for me too, evolution and millions of years was an unquestionable fact.
‘One’ must continue to love, as God loved me even when I made myself his enemy.
Thank you for such interesting reading,
Lots of Love
Jason x
Mark Colegrove
Said this on December 16th, 2009 at 3:49am:Merry Christmas Dr. Hovind! May the Lord Jesus be with you this Christmas as He was with so many of the saints in captivity down through time. May you somehow experience the joy His children are supposed to receive upon recalling the announcement of a baby born over two thousand years ago, that would be Savior of the world. May the angels surround you and protect you and bless you and encourage you.
I am such a thankful fan, (may I use the term “fan”?) of yours. You see, a good friend pointed out a seemingly invisible timeline in the Bible and I began to see that we live on a young planet–not millions of years old, like I was taught in school and by geographic magazines. My friend then gave me a set of your DVDs, and I was sure that we live on a young planet and that the Creation story is 100% true, as the Bible describes it. I am embarrassed that I ever doubted God’s word to be filled with half-truths or metaphors. So thank you for your diligent work of putting your DVD set together to reinforce my faith, and the faith of thousands of Christians. I am truly grateful!
My heart goes out to you as I consider your current situation. I’ve often thought I would like to take some of your time you are serving so you might spend some time with your family and minister again. I imagine you must lean on the Lord more than any other time in your life. I can’t offer much encouragement, but want you to know I pray for you and your family, and CSE. That’s all I can do, and probably the best I can do.
You have a beautiful family. I have communicated with Eric and Tanya several times and they seem like wonderful people. You are a rich man because of your family. You must be very grateful for such an inheritance from God.
Again, I want to wish you a Merry Christmas! May God continue to bless your life with His presence.
Your Friend from afar,
Mark Colegrove
Susan - Jane
Said this on December 17th, 2009 at 5:28am:Dear Kent,
Thanks for such an interesting article. I really liked the way you described the Lord talking about Saul/Paul.
I haven’t got around to writing to you again, so thought I would type a short note up here in the meantime.
We are all praying for you. Perhaps it will encourage you to know that my little five year old nephew Joshua, has begun to watch your DVDs again. He did before but was too young to understand, this time it amazes me his level of understanding. The other day he became rather upset when he heard you say people believe “In the beginning dirt” – I asked him what was wrong , he said people should believe in the beginning God. I asked him ‘why?’ – he said ‘in the bible’ – God be praised his little mind is already learning to trust God’s word and not mans opinion! He can even give us little seminars – I think by the time he is 10, he’ll know the lines of by heart! If only all kids were like him (in this way).
God be praised for the work you have done, are doing and will do
He’s got your back!
love in Christ Susan-Jane
Leann
Said this on December 17th, 2009 at 9:54am:I, along with the last commentator, have wished I could relieve you by taking some of your prison time for you. I know I’d be miserable, but it’s so hard to know there’s nothing we can do to help, other than pray. I wasn’t sure what you meant in this writing, that the prison wants to lock the ministry doors. Are you saying you can’t preach/teach there anymore? I do hope that is not the case. That is THE redeeming quality of your being there. We in God’s family are all grateful for what you’ve done in the prison. We are also grateful that you’ve stayed in communication with all of us through this blogsite so we can know how you are coping and helping others. We are happy that you care about other inmates’ salvation enough to give us names of people to write to and help. If you have more names, let’s help others. I think it’s effective. God be with you in a surprise way today.
baycommander
Said this on December 19th, 2009 at 11:11am:I want to encourage Susan-Jane to keep it up with her son. My 20 year old memorized starting at 5 and can give all the seminar lectures. What a blessing to hear his reports of standing up to theistic evolutionists at his Christian college. With God’s blessing the lessons learned at home, your son can learn to be a majority of one. Thanks, Kent, with all glory to God. In Him, Kathy for the Jaggers Family PS I looked at the most recent post and am contacting my members of Congress. Alas, if they only represented me . . .
Ekkman
Said this on December 19th, 2009 at 9:38pm:Kent,
I liked your story in the sense when one’s mind is made up, there isn’t anything else to do but leave it in the Lord’s hands. NOT only in reference to Stephen or evolution but whether we are talking about pagan holidays like the one we are having this time of the year in regards to Christmas(s). People can come up with all kinds of “reasons” to justify what they are doing or what they want to do. So many Christians celebrate it not taking heed to what God has said about practicing the ways of the heathen. Whether we want to call it “Saturnalia” or “Christmas(s)”, neither are Christian. It is sad in many ways but the good side is the number is growing from what I read of believers coming out from the yoke of bondage in regards to these pagan holidays and but I think another big reason is not necessarily the truth of God’s word concerning them but the finanicial situation that many are getting in. The times are getting harder and harder and I would say based on the word of God, they won’t get any easier while we are here. It looks as though it is coming down.
Ekkman
robtzfamily
Said this on December 20th, 2009 at 4:52pm:Greetings Bro. Kent,
It was so nice to hear that you had received our letter & card.
We are assuming that Ricky, Brian & Jeff have also received theirs by now.
We are hoping that others too, find the time to write to these guys.
At first, we didn’t know what to write, but then realised that the importance wasn’t so much in WHAT we wrote, as it was, that we DO write to them (as you had suggested).
Of course, much prayer and consideration was included, when writing to them.
We continue to thank our Lord for you and the whole CSE Ministry.
We’ve already given out 200 of the “Confronting Evolution DVDs”. They are terrific. (Good job, Eric and CSE Team!)
Kent, keep up the good work and KEEP LOOKING UP! (Galatians 6:9-10 and John 13:34-35). We never cease in praying for you!
With lots of love, in Him whom we love,
The Roberts family
(AUSTRALIA)
cookster
Said this on December 21st, 2009 at 10:13pm:Dear Dr. Hovind,
God bless you this Christmas season. I love reading your posts and hope to see you again soon teaching the truth of creation!
As we celebrate the birth of Jesus this Christmas, don’t be deceived by Ekkman and others. As Christians we can and SHOULD celebrate Christmas. I know we can’t debate on this site, so check out my website in the next couple of days and I will put the truth about Christmas so Ekkman and others can’t deceive you.
Again, thank you for your awesome witness in spite of your circumstances Dr. Hovind. May the name of Jesus be lifted high!
In Christ, Steve.