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Discovered Being Ministry Incorporated, P. O. Box 2284, New York, NY (2026)

06/05/2026

Church Protocol And Etiquette (Explanation and Meaning)

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

Church protocol and etiquetterefer to the formal rules of order and the expected respectful behavior observed during worship services and church-related events.

These guidelines ensure that services are conducted "decently and in order" while fostering a reverent environment for the congregation and clergy.

Observing the right manners creates a welcoming and distraction-free space for everyone.

Key aspects of church etiquette and protocol include:

1. General Congregational EtiquettePunctuality:

Arriving a few minutes early shows respect for the service and prevents disrupting the opening prayers or worship.

Attire:

Dress modestly and respectfully out of reverence for the sacred space.

Distraction Management:

Keep cell phones completely silenced.

Avoid whispering, chewing gum, or eating during the sermon.

Participation:

Stand, sit, or kneel when the congregation does, and participate in the hymns or prayers as you feel comfortable.

Child Management:

If your child becomes restless or cries, politely step out into the foyer or a designated cry room so others can focus on the service.

2. Physical MovementsEntering Late:

If you arrive after the service or scripture reading has started, wait at the back or near the doors until there is a natural break (like a congregational hymn) before finding a seat.

Crossing the Altar:

In many traditions, it is customary to bow slightly or genuflect when walking in front of the altar, a crucifix, or the tabernacle out of reverence.

Communion/Eucharist:

Follow the usher's guidance.

When approaching the altar rail or receiving the elements, do so respectfully and wait for the appropriate queue.

3. Ministerial and Staff ProtocolsRespecting Leadership:

Protocol in many churches dictates showing deference to the pastor, clergy, and guest speakers.

This includes standing when the pastor or bishop enters or exits, depending on the denomination.

Protocol Teams:

Many larger churches have dedicated Protocol Officers or Greeters who manage guest ministers, VIP seating, and maintain ceremonial order so church leaders can focus on the spiritual service.

Specific protocols can vary significantly between denominations (such as Orthodox, Catholic, Anglican, or Pentecostal traditions).

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/05/2026

What Did Jesus Mean When He Said It Is Easier For A Camel To Go Through The Eye Of A Needle Than For A Rich Man To Get Into Heaven?

There are several different schools of thought on what Jesus was referring to in saying it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to gain eternal life (Matthew 19:24; Mark 10:25; Luke 18:25).

The Persians expressed the concept of the impossible by saying it would be easier to put an elephant through the eye of a needle.

The camel was a Jewish adaptation (the largest animal in Israel was a camel).

Some theorize that the needle Jesus was speaking of was the Needle Gate, supposedly a low and narrow after-hours entrance found in the wall surrounding Jerusalem.

It was purposely small for security reasons, and a camel could only go through it by stripping off any saddles or packs and crawling through on its knees.

The problem with this theory is there is no evidence such a gate ever existed.

Beyond that, what sane camel driver would go through such contortions when larger gates were easily accessible?

Others claim that the word translated “camel” (Greek: kamelos) should actually be “cable” (Greek: kamilos).

Then the verse would read that it is easier for a cable (or rope) to go through the eye of a needle.

To believe this, however, brings up more problems than it solves, namely casting doubt on the inerrancy and inspiration of Scripture.

The most likely explanation is that Jesus was using hyperbole, a figure of speech that exaggerates for emphasis.

Jesus used this technique at other times, referring to a “plank” in one’s eye (Matthew 7:3-5) and swallowing a camel (Matthew 23:24).

Jesus’ message is clear, it is impossible for anyone to be saved on his own merits.

Since wealth was seen as proof of God’s approval, it was commonly taught by the rabbis that rich people were blessed by God and were, therefore, the most likely candidates for heaven.

Jesus destroyed that notion, and along with it, the idea that anyone can earn eternal life.

The disciples had the appropriate response to this startling statement.

They were utterly amazed and asked, “Who then can be saved?” in the next verse.

If the wealthy among them, which included the super-spiritual Pharisees and scribes, were unworthy of heaven, what hope was there for a poor man?

Jesus’ answer is the basis of the gospel:

"With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God" (Matthew 19:26).

Men are saved through God’s gifts of grace, mercy, and faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Nothing we do earns salvation for us.

It is the poor in spirit who inherit the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:3), those who recognize their spiritual poverty and their utter inability to do anything to justify themselves to a holy God.

The rich man so often is blind to his spiritual poverty because he is proud of his accomplishments and has contented himself with his wealth.

He is as likely to humble himself before God as a camel is to crawl through the eye of a needle.

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/05/2026

🔔The OFFICIAL announcement you all have been waiting for🔔

06/04/2026

What Is Prayer?

The most basic definition of prayer is “talking to God.”

Prayer is not meditation or passive reflection; it is direct address to God.

It is the communication of the human soul with the Lord who created the soul.

Prayer is the primary way for the believer in Jesus Christ to communicate his emotions and desires with God and to fellowship with God.

Prayer can be audible or silent, private or public, formal or informal.

All prayer must be offered in faith (James 1:6), in the name of the Lord Jesus (John 16:23), and in the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26).

As the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia puts it, “Christian prayer in its full New Testament meaning is prayer addressed to God as Father, in the name of Christ as Mediator, and through the enabling grace of the indwelling Spirit” (“Prayer” by J. C. Lambert).

The wicked have no desire to pray (Psalm 10:4), but the children of God have a natural desire to pray (Luke 11:1).

Prayer is described in the Bible as seeking God’s favor (Exodus 32:11), pouring out one’s soul to the Lord (1 Samuel 1:15), crying out to heaven (2 Chronicles 32:20), drawing near to God (Psalm 73:28, KJV), and kneeling before the Father (Ephesians 3:14).

Apostle Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).

Worry about nothing; pray about everything.

Everything? Yes, God wants us to talk with Him about everything.

How often should we pray?

The biblical answer is “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

We should keep a running conversation going with God all day long.

Some find the ACTS formula of prayer helpful, but there is really no special formula for how to pray in the Bible.

We should just do it.

We can pray under any and all circumstances.

Prayer develops our relationship with God and demonstrates our trust and utter dependence upon Him.

Prayer is the Christian’s way of communicating with God.

We pray to praise God and thank Him and tell Him how much we love Him.

We pray to enjoy His presence and tell Him what is going on in our lives. We pray to make requests and seek guidance and ask for wisdom.

God loves this exchange with His children, just as we love the exchange we have with our children.

Fellowship with God is the heart of prayer.

Too often we lose sight of how simple prayer is really supposed to be.

When we make petitions to God, we let God know exactly where we stand and what we would like to see happen.

In our prayers, we must admit that God is greater than we are and ultimately knows what is best in any given situation (Romans 11:33–36).

God is good and asks us to trust Him. In prayer, we say, essentially, “Not my will, but your will be done.”

The key to answered prayer is praying according to the will of God and in accordance with His Word.

Prayer is not seeking our own will but seeking to align ourselves with the will of God more fully (1 John 5:14–15; James 4:3).

The Bible contains many examples of prayer and plenty of exhortations to pray (see Luke 18:1; Romans 12:12; and Ephesians 6:18).

God’s house is to be a house of prayer (Mark 11:17), and God’s people are to be people of prayer:

“Dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love” (Jude 1:20–21).

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/04/2026

"I AM WHO I AM" (Explanation and Meaning)

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

The phrase "I AM WHO I AM" comes directly from Exodus 3:14 in the Bible.

The Context of Exodus 3:14

In this verse, God is speaking to Moses at the burning bush, commissioning him to go to Egypt and free the Israelites from slavery.

When Moses asks God what name he should tell the Israelites when they inquire who sent him, God replies:"God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.'

And he said, 'Say this to the people of Israel, "I AM has sent me to you."'" (ESV)

Meaning and Significance

Self-Existence:

The name (often translated as Yahweh) means that God exists entirely on His own.

He has no beginning, no end, and is not dependent on anything or anyone else for His existence.

Eternal Presence:

It emphasizes that God is the ever-present, unchanging, and absolute Creator."

I AM" in the New TestamentIn the New Testament, Jesus uses this same divine title for Himself, shocking the religious leaders of the time by claiming the eternal identity of God (e.g., “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am” in John 8:58).

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/04/2026

Seek Ye The Lord While He May Be Found Call Upon Him While He Is Near (Explanation and Meaning)

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

These timeless words come from the prophet Isaiah in the Old

Testament, offering both a beautiful invitation and an urgent call to draw close to God.

The verse beautifully illustrates several central spiritual themes:

Urgency:

Life is unpredictable, and we are encouraged to seek God while the window of opportunity is open.

Accessibility:

It is a promise that God makes Himself available to us whenever we reach out to Him in earnest.

Repentance:

Seeking God involves a turning away from harmful ways and embracing His mercy and forgiveness.

The full passage in Isaiah 55:6-7 (KJV) expands on this thought:

"Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:

And let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/04/2026

What Did Jesus Mean When He Said, “Ask And You Shall Receive”?

Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” in John 16:24.

Similar statements are found in Matthew 7:7; 21:22; Mark 11:24; Luke 11:9; and John 15:7.

Is this a blanket promise with no conditions?

If we ask for three hundred pounds of chocolate delivered to our door, is God obligated to give it to us?

Or are Jesus’ words to be understood in light of other revelation?

If we assume that “ask and you will receive” means “ask for anything you want and I’ll give it to you,” then we have turned the Lord into a cosmic genie who serves our every whim.

This is the problem of prosperity gospel and word of faith teachings.

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus says that whoever asks receives, whoever seeks finds, and whoever knocks will find an open door (Matthew 7:7–8).

But with this and all other verses we must examine the context.

Jesus goes on to say that God will not fail to give His children good things (verse 11).

So, this is one condition to the promise of “ask and receive”:

what we ask for must be good in God’s estimation.

God will give advantageous gifts to His children; He will not give us bad or injurious things, no matter how much we clamor for them.

The best example of a good gift is the Holy Spirit, according to Luke 11:13.

We begin to see a two-fold purpose of prayer, to increase our understanding of what God calls “good” and to cultivate a desire in us for what is good.

Our prayers to God are not unlike our requests of men.

Our prayers are based in a relationship, as Jesus points out in Matthew 7:8.

If a child asks his father for something the father knows to be hurtful, the request is denied.

The child may be frustrated and unhappy when he doesn’t get what he asked for, but he should trust his father.

Conversely, when the child asks for something that the father knows is beneficial, the father will provide it eagerly because he loves his child.

We have another condition to the promise of “ask and receive” in John 14:14, “You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”

Here, Jesus does not promise His disciples anything and everything they want; rather, He instructs them to ask “in my name.”

To pray in Jesus’ name is to pray on the basis of Jesus’ authority, but it also involves praying according to the will of God, for the will of God is what Jesus always did (John 6:38).

This truth is stated explicitly in 1 John 5:14, “If we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

Our requests must be congruent with the will of God.

The promise of “ask and receive,” even with its conditions, can never disappoint.

There is no chance of things we need not being in God’s will.

He promises to supply what we need when we “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness” (Matthew 6:33).

Of course, what we want is not always what we need.

If what we want is not in God’s will, then we really don’t want to receive it.

God knows what is good for us and is faithful and loving to say “no” to selfish and foolish prayers, no matter how much we want what we’re asking for.

God will always give us good things.

Our job is to understand what is good, so that we know what to ask for.

The natural mind cannot understand this.

But, when we offer ourselves as “a living sacrifice” and are transformed by the renewing of our minds, then we “will be able to test and approve what God’s will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:1–2).

Then, asking for what we need in faith, we will have all we need for life, godliness, and fullness of joy (John 16:24).

The biblical instruction concerning prayer is that we pray for the good things that we truly need, according to the will of God, in the authority of Jesus Christ, persistently (see Luke 18:1), unselfishly (see James 4:3), and in faith (see James 1:6).

In Matthew 21:22 Jesus again emphasizes faith:

“If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Those who truly believe God will witness the amazing, infinite power of God.

However, comparing Scripture with Scripture, we know that the asking must be done within the will of God.

Part of having faith is acceding to God’s plan as best.

If we ask for healing, and that is the best thing for us, we should not doubt that God will heal us.

If He does not heal, then not being healed is a necessary part of a larger plan, one that is ultimately for our good.

Consider Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

This verse does not give us a way to manipulate God; nor does it mean that, if we obey, He will reward us with whatever treat we crave.

Rather, it means that, when we delight ourselves in God, then we will find everything we want and need in Him.

The key here is that the heart of the seeker is changed, when we delight in the Lord, God’s desires begin to become our own.

When our desires match God’s, then our prayers are automatically aligned with His will.

Among the most important prayers in the life of a Christian are “Teach me to love you above all else” and “Cause me to want what you want.”

When we truly desire God, when we are passionate to see His will accomplished in this world, and when we ask for what brings Him glory, He is eager to give us anything we ask.

Sometimes the things that glorify God are pleasant, a marriage or a child.

Sometimes they are difficult for us, a failure that humbles us or a physical weakness that makes us more dependent upon God (see 2 Corinthians 12:7).

But, when we pray within His will, in the authority of Jesus, persistently, unselfishly, and in faith, we will receive what we need.

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/04/2026

What Does It Mean To Seek First The kingdom Of God?

Jesus said to seek first the kingdom of God in His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:33).

The verse’s meaning is as direct as it sounds.

We are to seek the things of God as a priority over the things of the world.

Primarily, it means we are to seek the salvation that is inherent in the kingdom of God because it is of greater value than all the world’s riches.

Does this mean that we should neglect the reasonable and daily duties that help sustain our lives? Certainly not.

But for the Christian, there should be a difference in attitude toward them.

If we are taking care of God’s business as a priority, seeking His salvation, living in obedience to Him, and sharing the good news of the kingdom with others, then He will take care of our business as He promised and if that’s the arrangement, where is worrying?

But how do we know if we’re truly seeking God’s kingdom first?

There are questions we can ask ourselves.

“Where do I primarily spend my energies?

Is all my time and money spent on goods and activities that will certainly perish, or in the service of God, the results of which live on for eternity?”

Believers who have learned to truly put God first may then rest in this holy dynamic:

“And all these things will be given to you as well.”

God has promised to provide for His own, supplying every need (Philippians 4:19), but His idea of what we need is often different from ours, and His timing will only occasionally meet our expectations.

For example, we may see our need as riches or advancement, but perhaps God knows that what truly we need is a time of poverty, loss or solitude.

When this happens, we are in good company.

God loved both Job and Elijah, but He allowed Satan to absolutely pound Job (all under His watchful eye), and He let that evil woman, Jezebel, break the spirit of His own prophet Elijah (Job 1–2; 1 Kings 18–19).

In both cases, God followed these trials with restoration and sustenance.

These “negative” aspects of the kingdom run counter to a heresy that is gaining ground around the world, the so-called "prosperity" gospel.

A growing number of false teachers are gathering followers under the message “God wants you to be rich!”

But that philosophy is not the counsel of the Bible and it is certainly not the counsel of Matthew 6:33, which is not a formula for gaining wealth.

It is a description of how God works.

Jesus taught that our focus should be shifted away from this world, its status and its lying allurements and placed upon the things of God’s kingdom.

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/04/2026

What Does It Mean That The House Of Prayer Had Been Turned Into A Den Of Thieves?

About a week before His arrest and crucifixion, Jesus went into the temple and cleared it out of “all who were buying and selling there.

He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves” (Matthew 21:12).

Jesus then spoke to the startled crowds:

“It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves” (verse 13, KJV).

The same incident is recorded in Mark 11 and Luke 19.

John 2 records similar actions of Jesus at the beginning of His ministry.

In speaking of a “house of prayer” and a “den of thieves” (the NIV has “den of robbers”), Jesus cited two passages from the Tanakh.

In Isaiah 56:7 God says, “These [faithful foreigners] I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer.

Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

Twice in this verse, God’s temple is called “a house of prayer.”

God’s design was for His house in Jerusalem to be a gathering place for worshipers from all nations, a place where prayers would rise like incense from the hearts of the faithful to the presence of the living God.

The phrase den of thieves comes from Jeremiah 7:11, where God says, “Has this house, which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you?

But I have been watching! declares the Lord”

The prophet Jeremiah was rebuking the temple leaders for their abuses.

Even as they continued going through the motions of their religion, they were oppressing the needy and violently taking what was not theirs.

God saw through their pretense, however, and promised to deal with the thieves in His sanctified house.

Jesus takes these two verses from the Old Testament and applies them to His day.

One verse was full of purity and promise: God’s temple would be an inviting house of prayer.

The other verse was full of conviction and warning: people had perverted God’s right purposes for their own gain.

In the courts of the temple, people were being taken financial advantage of, being cheated through exorbitant exchange rates and being compelled to buy “temple-approved” animals for sacrifice, on the pretext that their own animals were unworthy.

Jesus denounced such greedy goings-on and physically put a stop to the corruption.

In His righteous indignation, He quoted Isaiah and Jeremiah to show that He had biblical warrant for His actions.

What should have been a sanctuary for the righteous had become a refuge for the wicked, and the Son of God was not going to put up with it.

God’s design for the temple was that it be a house of prayer, a place to meet with God and worship Him.

But when Jesus stepped into its courts, He found not prayer but avarice, extortion, and oppression.

It’s always good to remember the Lord’s purpose for what He makes.

Whether it’s the temple, the church, marriage, the family, or life itself, we should follow God’s design and seek to honor Him.

Any twisting or perverting of God’s design for selfish purposes will draw the Lord’s righteous anger.

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

06/04/2026

Who Were The Money Changers In The Bible?

The Bible records two instances of Jesus cleansing the temple of money changers and those selling sacrificial animals.

Jesus’ first encounter with money changers was at the beginning of His three-year ministry (John 2:14–16).

He made a whip of cords and drove them out.

The second time He confronted the money changers was the week before His trial and crucifixion.

Seeing that the money changers had come back, He again drove them out, saying, ““It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it ‘a den of robbers’”” (Matthew 21:13).

Because Jewish law required a temple tax of a half-shekel (Exodus 30:11–16), Jews and visitors from other nations came to pay their taxes when they offered their sacrifices.

But foreign coins with the likeness of pagan emperors would not be accepted in God’s temple.

So money changers exchanged those foreign coins for Jewish money, but they did so at an exorbitant profit.

Rather than provide this service as a business in another part of town, they exploited the religious zeal of the visitors to Jerusalem and did their business on temple grounds.

Because they determined their own exchange rate, money changers easily took advantage of the poor and the foreigners pouring into Jerusalem for Passover.

These same money changers were associated with others who engaged in shady business practices in the temple courts.

Some sold sacrificial animals, overcharging people who did not bring their own.

Others were in charge of examining the animals to be sacrificed, and it was a simple matter to declare an animal “unapproved” and force the worshiper to buy another animal at an inflated price, from the temple vendors.

Such goings-on, exploiting the poor and the foreigner, angered the Lord Jesus and was strictly forbidden in the Mosaic Law (Exodus 22:21; Leviticus 19:34).

The money changers in the temple courts were similar to tax collectors in that they extorted money from their own people.

They were more than ordinary businessmen.

They were seeking to profit financially from the worship of God.

Wherever passion and zeal are found, there will also be those who seek to profit from that zeal.

Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about such people, false teachers who found a way to make a fortune off the gospel (1 Timothy 6:5).

Modern versions of the money changers flood the airways, promising to exchange your hard-earned dollars for blessings, healing, and God’s favor.

For a suggested donation, they will supposedly pray for you or promise virtually anything you want.

For another twenty bucks, they will sell you a book about how to wrangle prosperity, health, or spiritual insights from God.

And, like the simony of the first-century money changers, the practices of modern religious price gougers only aid those worshipers who have enough cash to purchase their wares.

Paul often clarified the difference between his ministry and that of false teachers by pointing out their greed.

In 2 Corinthians 2:17 he wrote, “Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit.

On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.”

Apostle Peter also warned that one way to spot a modern-day money changer is to notice his or her fascination with financial gain (2 Peter 2:3).

Jesus hated the money changers’ exploitation of the devout two thousand years ago, and He still hates it.

We may not have shady characters collecting temple taxes outside our places of worship, but we have them invading our homes through radio and television.

We are wise to remember how Jesus reacted to such selfish swindlers.

With no apologies, He drove them out of His Father’s house.

When we identify a modern money changer, we should do the same.

Yours in Jesus Christ,

Bishop William B. Caractor

Discovered Being Ministry Incorporated

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