The posts which receive the most views always surprise me. They're never the ones where I'd shed the most tears in prayer and anguish writing them. They are never the ones I felt were spiritually necessary. They're never the ones I think will be the most edifying. They are always a surprise.
Blogger gives you the option for seeing statistics for the month, day, week, or all time. Not the year. So in looking at all-time posts here is the skinny.
ChurchChannel TV
The top posts of all time come from 2013 and 2011. I write in three categories; encouragement, discernment, and prophecy. Regarding discernment, I write about many famous individuals, comparing their doctrine to the bible's to see if they are presenting orthodoxy, heterodoxy, or heresy. To that end, I've looked at famous Rick Warren, Mark Driscoll, Beth Moore, Christine Caine, Sarah Young, Rachel Held Evans, and Billy Graham. The post in which I wrote about a person which received the most views are none of those. In 2011 I wrote about Jentezen Franklin and it is the post about him which still lingers near the top for most hits ever. Surprise!Remember the Daniel Plan? Not Rick Warren's Daniel Plan, Jentezen Franklin's. It was a heavy fad in 2011. I wrote about the Plan and about Mr Franklin's book in November 2011 and we were off and running.
Jentezen Franklin and his false teachings about fasting.
I started it this way:
"There are many churches today participating in the current fad known as The Daniel Fast. This is a man-made so-called spiritual activity that is supposed to automatically draw you closer to God by eating things that are on a list and not eating things that are not on a list."
So the Jentezen Franklin blog entry's high number of hits shows me that others are concerned, also. The Lord is gracious and wise, and I'm forever grateful for the experience I learned at that time. He gave me an opportunity to speak Holy Truth to carnal power, to learn many things doctrinal and heretical, caused me to search out the truth about this flavor of false doctrine, and help other people who struggled with the devastating effects of spiritual abuse.
Facepalm: man spends all his savings in advance of (false) May 21 rapture date
This is still the second most looked at blog entry. People are inordinately curious about dates, looking for clues as to "when", and constantly seek after people who claim to "know." (1 John 2:20). Many sought after Mr Camping when he said that he had unlocked the secret date from the bible, that the rapture would be May 21, 2011. His heart was in the right place, he sincerely wanted people to repent before it was too late, but his methods got tangled up. Later Mr Camping repented and apologized.
However, some sold all they had and waited, in vain of course. That was what the blog entry was about, that we all have the same Spirit and no one knows the date of His coming. No one has different knowledge than another who can also appeal to Him for illumination of His eternal truths. (1 John 2:20, John 14:26).
The top blog entry this year and also tops all others in terms of hits, by a lot, is the Sideways Necklace entry. I'm astounded at this. Of all things I've written about, prophetic, discernment, or encouraging, that this should remain the most looked at blog entry of all. I wrote it in March of this year, and despite its newcomer status, quickly outstripped the Ghost Horse of Tarhir Square, The Harold Camping rapture date debacle, and the Jentezen Franklin Daniel Fast, all of which were written several years ago and are also near the top in views.
When Egypt erupted in a violent overthrow
and its government fell in Spring of 2011 (Arab Spring)
some say they saw on video a Pale Horse ride
in Tarhir Square. No one debunked it, ever, and you know
how they love to do that
I wondered, is it because it is about jewelry and probably mostly women read this blog? Is it because (one may hope) that Christians don't want to bring shame onto the name of Jesus or His symbol by doing something wrong with it? Is it a cultural fad that goes deeper than I thought? Is it spiritual warfare on a scale I don't understand? All the answers to these questions I ask about this blog entry escape me. All I know is the blog entry caused and is still causing a stir. It sparked a forum war on the women's scrapbooking discussion page Two Peas. Twice. It was linked to on a Yahoo discussion page. Every day if I look at the stats page, there it is, topping the list. There is no doubt, a LOT of people want to know what the sideways cross means.
All this teaches me that there is no essay I can write about Jesus in His name or for His name that I can take for granted. NO! It teaches me caution, humility, and carefulness to a higher degree.
I was listening to a John MacArthur Q&A recently. Someone remarked to Dr MacArthur that all his sermons are online, the sermons he's preached since 1969, as well as commentaries, essays, and other writings. It is a massive volume of material that is accessible to the public, for our edification. He praised the Lord for the ability to reach people in this way, but then said with a seriousness to his voice, "It's a lot to be responsible for."
He sets a good example. We will be called to account for every idle word we speak (Matthew 12:36) so please let none of these words be idle. I should be just as careful to represent truth as best as I know and in grace and humility (but firmly) as I did when I started this blog 5 years ago. Let not familiarity with writing about Him ever breed contempt! Each and every word I write, no matter what the subject, which aims to edify, encourage, or rebuke should be done consciously and carefully.
Ultimately it's not a lesson in hits or views but a lesson in the road the Spirit takes. Some entries edify only a few people but in a deep way. That is satisfying. Some entries seem more superficial to me but affect many more people for longer periods. That is satisfying too. In the end it doesn't matter, because the Spirit is in charge and all He does, and all I hope to do through Him, is point to Christ. Jesus is the only subject that matters. Every subject is about Him. If anything I write, from jewelry to the Resurrection, points to His glory, justice, beauty, mercy, grace or any other attribute, then it is well with my soul.
Top posts of 2013
The latest Christian fad- Is wearing a sideways (horizontal) cross good, or bad?
Pope Benedict resigned
Why are there so many false prophets?
Part 1- Discerning a Gnostic conference called "Passion 2013," Jesus Culture and Kim Walker-Smith
Famous for being famous, some live unreal life on reality tv
Rachel Held Evans asks "What if my son or daughter were gay..." and gets a response from Dr Joel McDurmon
The rapidity with which the world is descending into chaos is amazing
Top number of comments
The Sideways Necklace and Jentezen Franklin posts received many comments, which I enjoy as an opportunity to point people back to Jesus and/or the scriptures, to correct misconceptions about the scriptures, or to learn something from readers. After 70 or 80 or 90 comments, though, I employ my old newspaper standard on whether to allow any more. If everything has been said, if the Gospel has been shared, if a wide range of questions has been asked, representing the likely range of future questions and comments, I turn comments off. I've done that for only a handful of posts, though. Including the Sideways Necklace and J. Franklin posts, the most commented posts were:
Pope Benedict Resigns, garnered the most buzz this year. No doubt because I'd stated that Catholicism is a false religion, AND I mentioned the Malachy thing. I wish I hadn't.
Rachel Held Evans asks "What if my son or daughter were gay..." and gets a response from Dr Joel McDurmon
People were really concerned about Comet Elenin. Many people commented.
Thank you brethren, mockers, atheists, and friends who read this blog. Thank you for commenting and most especially for praying for me! I'll be here at this blogspot for as long as the Holy Spirit can use me or wants me to write. Happy New Year and may 2014 be the year of the Rapture.
