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[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"The deep logic of God's truth can be expressed in both stories and arguments, by questions as well as statements, through reason and the imagination, through the four Gospels as well as through the book of Romans. This is one reason why C. S. Lewis has had such an enduring appeal. At times he was coolly rational, as in Mere Christianity, while at other times he engaged the imagination brilliantly, as in The Screwtape Letters or the Chronicles of Narnia. There is a time for stories, and there is a time for rational arguments, and the skill we need lies in knowing which to use, and when." (Guinness)

Today's blog is on Acts 17 (Paul in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens) verses 22-29: God’s work through Paul in Athens to convict the Stoics and Epicureans of their compromise (part 2).

Samples from the study:

In explaining God to them, Paul started at the beginning: God is the Creator, and we are His creatures. “This view of the world is very different from either the Epicurean emphasis on a chance combination of atoms or the virtual pantheism of the Stoics.” (Stott)

"God is our Creator. `The Unknown God is the God Who made everything,' Paul declared. `He's too big for any singular temple or any carved altar no matter how beautiful or impressive it might appear.' In Exodus 20, the Lord said, `An altar of earth thou shalt make unto Me. And if thou make an altar of stone, thou shalt not build it of hewn stone, for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it,'' (Exodus 20:24-25). In other words, the Lord said, `If you build Me an altar, make it very simple — preferably of dirt. If you use rock, don't carve or polish it. Keep it simple so that the attention of the people will remain focused upon Me instead of on the altar.' This gives me great hope because, although I want my life to be used by the Lord, I am increasingly aware of my plainness, my earthiness. I'm not very polished. I don't know if I'm `cut out' to do great things for God. Yet, according to Exodus 20, these very doubts make me eminently qualified! Paul said, `We have this treasure [Jesus Christ] in earthen vessels,' (II Corinthians 4:7). We're not fancy vases. We're just plain canning jars, boasting not of our exterior — but of Whom we have within. If you don't feel capable to share, witness, teach, or minister, you are an ideal candidate because God will get the glory, not you." (Courson)

"God made us to be spiritual beings. God made us to live after the Spirit and be ruled by the Spirit. But man fell from that and man followed after the flesh and was ruled by his flesh. And being a body-conscious being, he became as the animal, which is a body-conscious being, and so man looked around for identity and he says, "Oh, there goes my uncle, swinging from that tree!" Because all he thinks about is eating and existing. He has a body-conscious life. And all I need is a place to live and something to eat, you know. And so this body-conscious life, and thus, I relate to the animals. That's wrong. We are God's offspring. And I can never have a satisfactory relationship with the animal kingdom. I must relate to God to find myself. I will never find myself in the animal kingdom. I will only find myself as I am relating again to God. Now, I was created in the image of God. I fell from that image of God, but Jesus came in order that He might restore me into the image of God as I yield my life to Him. "So beloved, now are we the sons of God. It doesn't yet appear what we're going to be: but we know when he appears, we're going to be like him" (I John 3:2). For He is restoring us into that image. "For we with open face are beholding the glory of the Lord and we are being changed from glory to glory into the same image" (II Corinthians 3:18), because the Spirit of God is conforming me into the image of Christ. And thus, through the work of God's Spirit, that which man lost through the fall is being restored to Jesus Christ as man is being restored back into the image of God." (Smith)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Paul begins to speak on Mars’ Hill - the religious center of Athens.
Paul uses the idol of the Unknown god to begin his sermon to the Athenian philosophers.
Paul tells the Athenian philosophers about the greatness and goodness of God.
Paul tells the Athenian philosophers about the government of God.
Paul tells the Athenian philosophers about the glory of God.
Paul tells the Athenian philosophers about the grace of God.

New sermons (right click/save as):

8/18/15 - James 3:17-18
8/19/15 - Proverbs 10-11
8/19/15 - Isaiah 34-37
8/19/15 - The Watchman (Ezekiel 33:1-11)

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Article: Os Guinness: Why Balaam's Ass Is the Patron Saint of Apologetics and Christians Need to Recover the Art of Persuasion

"The patron saint of apologetics is Balaam's ass. The Lord used a dumb donkey to speak when the prophet was resistant to it. You can see there something that's very humble, somewhat ridiculous, and the Lord is able to use him. Many of us don't have the answers to all the questions but are we prepared to be used by the Lord. That is the key."

Article/audio: If God exists, then why doesn't He just stop evil?

If God is so powerful, why doesn't he stop evil and get rid of it once and for all? … on the one hand we say I want to do it my way … I don't want limits on my freedom. But on the other hand, this question asks that limits be imposed on human freedom.… There's a mismatch…. Do we want limits or do we want God to intervene and stop some stuff? It is allowing God to intervene in our heart … that brings about the greatest level of freedom – it is possible to have both.

Article: Truth, Faith and Hope in Life of Pi – A Philosophical Review

The Life of Pi – as both a novel and a recent Oscar winning 3D film – opens up the fascinating dialogue between the worldviews of Secular Humanists, Hindus and Christians. This article compares and contrasts how these three worldviews deal with the inter-related concepts of truth, faith and hope.

Article: Professor Antony Flew reviews The God Delusion

On 1st November 2007, Professor Antony Flew’s book There is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed his Mind was published by HarperOne. Professor Flew, who died in April 2010, has been called ‘the world's most influential philosophical atheist’, as well as ‘one of the most renowned atheists of the 20th Century’ (see Peter S. Williams’ bethinking.org article “A change of mind for Antony Flew”). In There is a God, Professor Flew recounts how he came to believe in a Creator God as a result of the scientific evidence and philosophical argument.

 

[Mariolee]

So what do ya'll think about this? http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1099682

I do think building relationships is important, and apparently Religious Education was basically just Bible class instead of a study of all religions.

 

[archnemesis]

So what do ya'll think about this? http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1099682

I do think building relationships is important, and apparently Religious Education was basically just Bible class instead of a study of all religions.

It seems like a poor idea. The purpose of religious studies varies a lot between different countries and schools. In general I think it is stupid to have classes to promote a specific religion, but having a more broad overview covering the popular world religions and modern religiousity is a great way to increase understanding between different groups.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

“Our claim is not that this tradition will make sense to anyone or will enable the world to run more smoothly. Our claim is that it just happens to be true. This really is the way God is. This really is the way God’s world is.” (Authors Stanley Hauerwas and William Willimon)

Today's blog is on Acts 17 (Paul in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens) verses 30-34: God’s work through Paul in Athens to convict the Stoics and Epicureans of their compromise (part 3).

Samples from the study:

"God may at one time have overlooked the ignorance of man, but not now. God is knowable. God has revealed Himself through Jesus Christ. That revelation has been made known to you, therefore you're inexcusable. You can know God; you should know God. There's no excuse for not knowing God. Knowing God is, no doubt, the greatest bit of knowledge man can ever attain. The most important knowledge man can ever attain." (Smith)

"Only God knows when that moment truly and completely comes. We will not always know, and it is not our business to know, but it is surely the moment when, before God, they know that from then on they are without excuse. They have seen the truth, they know the truth, and they are responsible to the truth that they now know. All fig leaves are stripped away, and all alibis exposed. In their heart of hearts they know where they stand, and they are fully responsible for the decisive moment of truth. As Franz Kafka noted, it is only the biblical view of time that makes it possible to speak of the Day of Judgment in the way the Bible does at the end of history. The Day of Judgment is also “a summary court in perpetual session.”" (Guinness)

“All Greeks thought that man was composed of spirit (or mind), which was good, and matter (or body), which was bad. If there was to be a life to come, the one thing they certainty did not want it cluttered up with a body.” (Boice)

“Like the biblical revelation itself, his argument begins with God the creator of all and ends with God the judge of all…The speech as it stands admirably summarizes an introductory lesson in Christianity for cultured pagans.” (Bruce)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Paul tells the Athenian philosophers that God calls all mankind to turn to His Son.
Paul tells the Athenian philosophers that God declares that all evil will be judged by Jesus.
Paul tells the Athenian philosophers that God gave proof of his claims through the resurrection of His Son.
The Athenian philosophers mock the message of the gospel.
Paul leaves the Athenian philosophers when Jesus is mocked.
A summary of Paul's sermon to the Athenian philosophers.
Was Paul's sermon a failure due to very few people coming to faith in Christ?

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Article: The Resurrection

If Jesus Christ was raised from the dead, never to die again, he is instantly marked out as being distinct from every other person in history. He would be unique. There would be something dramatically different about him. The only question remaining would relate to the nature of his uniqueness – a question which Christian theology has answered in the doctrine of the incarnation. Yet the apologist will be aware that the resurrection of Christ proves a major stumbling block to many people. The reasons for this centre upon three issues: the improbability of the event, the unreliability of the New Testament witnesses to the event, and its irrelevance to life. We shall explore some of these issues in the present section.

Article: The Uniqueness of Jesus Christ

Orthodox Christians believe that Jesus is the unique Son of God in human flesh. However, some unbelievers, who may or may not believe Jesus existed, do not believe that Jesus was necessarily a wise or a particularly good man. Others, such as Muslims, think that Jesus was a prophet, along with other prophets. Hinduism depicts Christ as one among many great gurus. Liberal Christians and many others hold Christ as a good human being and a great moral example.

Article/audio: Contemporary Scholarship and the Resurrection of Jesus

After an appraisal of recent scholarship on the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Professor William Craig contends that, “The resurrection appearances, the empty tomb, and the origin of the Christian faith – all point unavoidably to one conclusion: the resurrection of Jesus”.

Article: "That’s true for you, but not for me." (Relativism)

'Behind this line is fine' is fine, says the relativist. 'As long as you keep your opinions to yourself then we'll all get along' But does the relativist stay behind the line when he tells you to?

Article: What is the Image of God?

Firstly, the Image of God marks us out from all other living creatures, which by implication are not made in the Image of God. Genetically, we may be almost identical to our nearest animal relative, the Chimpanzee, but spiritually we are poles apart. So we will gain insight into understanding what the Image of God means, if we explore the differences between mankind and the rest of the animal kingdom. The second point of reference is of course God himself, so we will also understand the meaning of being made in his image if we explore what he has revealed of himself – in nature, in scripture and most especially in Christ. The image of God in man therefore distinguishes us from all other animals on the one hand and shows our family resemblance to our heavenly father on the other. I take it that the words ‘image’ and ‘likeness’ amount to the same thing. They are not referring to different categories but are intended to emphasise & clarify the central idea.

Article: The Counterfeit Christian

There are many obvious examples of people who pretend to be Christians as part of a conscious effort to undermine Christianity. But others actually start out with what seems to be a sincere belief before eventually selling out and going to work for the Enemy.

 

[Mariolee]

maybe a Tim Keller sermon will help you out some, hope you feel better however..the groaning of this creation...as we are subjected to futility is real...sucks but its real. Godspeed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts7F6dqrC-s

Just wanted to say this actually really helped me and I for some reason forgot to mention it. Thank you again!

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Whatever message the Church brings—whether a stringent morality or a liberal forgiveness—the children of each generation will seek to change it. For, if they can change the text they can rearrange the context, and give vent to their own pretexts. The message of the Cross often provokes one to anger if one worships his or her own autonomy, and the truth threatens that sovereignty. Speaking to the National Press Club, Ted Turner spewed out contempt for Christianity as he mocked Christians, ridiculed the Cross, and cavalierly stated his gleeful preference for Hell over Heaven. Such outbursts are not surprising (although one would hope that wisdom would dictate otherwise), for ridicule is only a short step away from hatred, the entailments of which could be very sobering. More to the point, in one word he branded the Christian message weird.”Truth,” said G. K. Chesterton, “will always be stranger than fiction, for we have made fiction to suit ourselves.” (Zacharias)

Today's blog is on Acts 18 (Paul in Corinth; the End of the Second Missionary Journey and Beginning of the Third) verses 1-5: Paul preaches the gospel in the Las Vegas of the first century.

Samples from the study:

"Corinth was a city with a remarkable reputation for loose living and especially sexual immorality. In classical Greek, to act like a Corinthian meant to practice fornication, and a Corinthian companion meant a prostitute. This sexual immorality was permitted under the widely popular worship of Aphrodite (also known as Venus, the goddess of fertility and sexuality)." (Guzik)

"Like all Jewish rabbis, Paul had a trade. To this day, the rabbis teach that every man — be they rabbis, teachers, or business executives — have a trade to fall back on should something unforeseen happen in their professions. Paul was a tentmaker, but as he sewed tents, he was primarily sowing seeds as he shared the truth of the Gospel with Aquila and Priscilla." (Courson)

"Suetonius, a biographer of Roman emperors, described what may have been the occasion for such a decree. In his Life of Claudius (25. 4) he referred to the constant riots of the Jews at the instigation of Chrestus. Possibly the name Chrestus is a reference to Christ." (Walvoord)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Paul arrives in Corinth.
Why was Corinth known as the Las Vegas of Paul's day?
Paul meets Aquila and Priscilla.
Why did Paul have a job as a tentmaker if he was in full-time ministry?
Why were Jews kicked out of Rome in a.d. 49?
Paul’s ministry among the Jews and Gentiles of Corinth.

New sermons (right click/save as):

8/23/15 - A Sight For Sore Eyes (Proverbs 15:3)
8/23/15 - Luke 13:1-19
8/23/15 - Baptism
8/23/15 - The Dead Church (Revelation 3:1-6)
8/23/15 - God’s Calling Our Response (II Thessalonians 1:11-12)

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Audio: Ravi Zacharias - Raised to Run (23/08/2015) (right click/save as)

Ravi Zacharias, Founder and President of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM), teaches us some lessons through the life of Jacob.

Audio: Ravi Zacharias - Jesus Among Other Gods (23/08/2015) (right click/save as)

Ravi Zacharias, Founder and President of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM), shows us the uniqueness of Jesus Christ and why He was different from other religious figures.

Audio: Michael Ramsden - Questions and Answers in a Culture of Confusion (22/08/2015) (right click/save as)

Michael Ramsden, International Director of RZIM and joint Director of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics, speaks on some questions and answers that are found in a culture of confusion.

Audio: Ravi Zacharias - Lessons from History - The Tale of Two Men (22/08/2015) (right click/save as)

Ravi Zacharias, Founder and President of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM), teaches us some lessons that are applicable to our lives by looking at the lives of two kings and how they changed their particular times.

Audio: Is atheism a belief system? Andy Bannister vs Ed Turner (8/22/2015)

Andy Bannister is the author of ‘The Atheist Who Didn’t Exist’. Its amusingly titled chapters include ‘The Scandinavian sceptic (or: Why atheism is really a belief system)’. Andy holds a PhD in Islamic studies, a topic on which he has taught extensively. He has spoken and taught at universities across Canada, the US, the UK, and farther afield on both Islam and philosophy and is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Islam and Other Faiths at Melbourne School of Theology.

Atheist Ed Turner last did battle with Andy several years ago on the show. He returns to debate who has the burden of proof when it comes to belief/unbelief in God and whether atheism is or isn’t like being a non-stamp collector.

Get the MP3 (right click/save as)

For The Atheist Who Didn’t Exist: http://theatheistwhodidntexist.com/

For Ed Turner: https://edthemanicstreetpreacher.wordpress.com/

 

[Mariolee]

I'm sure ya'll know since it's trending, but Mayim Bialik of Big Bang Theory who plays a scientist on the show and is a neuroscientist in real life is also a practicing Jew and is trending right now for her interview with Fox News about how Hollywood and religion don't mix. Although she is not Christian, I feel that we share enough with Judaism that we can still relate to her.

Mayim Bialik is best know for her role as "Blossom" on the NBC sitcom of the same name and as the quirky Amy Farrah Fowler on "The Big Bang Theory," but the 39-year-old is also known as a person of faith in Hollywood.
...

"I've gotten a lot of negative attention for visiting Israel," she told FOX411. She was visiting a friend in the Israel Defense Forces. "That’s what's amazing...simply by going to Israel this summer and saying nothing more than, 'I've gone to Israel,' I got the same amount of hatred and threats and anti-Semitism for actually making a statement trying to support people whether I like it or not are serving in an army."

She continued, "That reveals the truth. It really doesn’t matter what I support or believe the fact that I'm Jewish and go there is enough – that should be alarming to most people."

While the threats she received were from fans, Bialiak said the entertainment industry isn't friendly to people of faith either.

"I think in general it's never going to be trendy to be observant or religious in Hollywood circles," she said candidly. "There are people I know of faith and we tend to congregate together. I study Jewish texts weekly. That's something really positive to me when you're a person of faith, it stays with you all the time."

The California-native explained that while she doesn't like "the bureaucracy of organized religion," she does "believe in a power greater than" herself.

"I have an unwavering faith in a power greater than myself and I don't think that will change any more than my belief in gravity will change," she stated. "In terms of observance, my social media shuts down for [the Sabbath] and sometimes we go to synagogue, sometimes we stay at home and we do [Sabbath dinners]...I believe in [Jewish law] but I also believe in the permeability and changeability in the structure of Jewish law and I think Judaism has always adjusted to the times that it lived in and it’s adjusting in the time we are in now."

Bialiak said her belief in God is often questioned by people who point to her degree in neuroscience and ask how she can believe in both God and science.

"Being a scientist and a person of faith, people want to know how that is. It leads to a lot of interesting conversations that I welcome but a lot of people want to open up a conversation just to tell you, you're wrong."

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day on the purpose of suffering:

"Around me were "Jobs"-some much more afflicted than Job had been. But I knew the end of Job's story, how he received twice as much as he had before. I had around me men like Lazarus the beggar, hungry and covered with boils. But I knew that angels would take these men to the bosom of Abraham. I saw them as they will be in the future. I saw in the shabby, dirty, weak martyr near me the splendidly crowned saint of tomorrow. But looking at men like this-not as they are, but as they will be-I could also see in our persecutors a Saul of Tarsus-a future apostle Paul. And some have already become so. Many officers of the secret police to whom we witnessed became Christians and were happy to later suffer in prison for having found our Christ. Although we were whipped, as Paul was, in our jailers we saw the potential of the jailer in Philippi who became a convert. We dreamed that soon they would ask, "What must I do to be saved?" In those who mocked the Christians who were tied to crosses and smeared with excrement, we saw the crowd of Golgotha who were soon to beat their breasts in fear of having sinned. It was in prison that we found the hope of salvation for the Communists. It was there that we developed a sense of responsibility toward them. It was in being tortured by them that we learned to love them. A great part of my family was murdered. It was in my own house that their murderer was converted. It was also the most suitable place. So in Communist prisons the idea of a Christian mission to the Communists was born." (True stories from the book Tortured for Christ)

Today's blog is on Acts 18 (Paul in Corinth; the End of the Second Missionary Journey and Beginning of the Third) verses 6-11: Lessons to learn on dealing with oppression and fear.

Samples from the study:

"Paul fulfilled the spirit of what Jesus said in Matthew 7:6: Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. When people are determined to reject the gospel, we shouldn’t keep trying with them until the door is open again." (Guzik)

"The promise of God’s nearness is one that Christians rightfully utter as encouragement and cling to in joy, in fear, and in sorrow, knowing the face and character of the one who is near. When God promises his presence in Scripture it is more than just a promise of proximity and intimacy. There is a purpose for God’s nearness, the pledge of relationship, the promise of community. It is not an empty or superficial presence, having taken on the things humanity itself to draw intimately near. As the Father reminded the prophet Jeremiah so God assures us, the promise of proximity is more profound than we can fathom: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…Do not be afraid…for I am with you to deliver you” (1:5-7)." (Carattini)

"Now looking at the people and the way they lived, you wouldn't guess it, I'm sure. But yet, God is able to work in those cases that we are so often prone to classify as hopeless. And God has saved so many people that I have given up on. So many people that I have declared, "There's no way that they could ever be saved." And yet God saved them anyhow in spite of my judgment. So the Lord said, "Go ahead, speak out, Paul. Don't be afraid. I've got a lot of people in this city. No one is going to be able to hurt you."" (Smith)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Why did the Jews accuse Paul of blasphemy?
Are we responsible for someones life when they reject Jesus?
A ruler of a synagogue believes in Jesus.
Is baptismal regeneration required to be saved?
God’s special encouragement to Paul in Corinth: trust me and stop being fearful.
What is the cure or the answer for fear?

New sermons (right click/save as):

8/23/15 - Revelation 19:11-16
8/23/15 - The Baptism with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-8)
8/23/15 - A Departing and a Return (Ho 1:1-14:9)
8/23/15 - Joel & the Day of the Lord (Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14)
8/23/15 - Joel 1

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Article: How Were the New Testament Books Compiled?

The inspiration of Scripture is connected to the canon. We might make the case that the New Testament is inspired by God. We see God’s fingerprints on it, but exactly what books would fall into that category? How were the New Testament books chosen as part of the canon? This was a complicated process in some ways, but there are some general guidelines that drove the process.

Article: Ancient Evidence for Jesus from Non-Christian Sources

Although there is overwhelming evidence that the New Testament is an accurate and trustworthy historical document, many people are still reluctant to believe what it says unless there is also some independent, non-biblical testimony that corroborates its statements.

Article: Did Einstein Believe in God?

According to Richard Dawkins, the gifted exponent of evolution, Einstein was an atheist: “Einstein sometimes invoked the name of God, and he is not the only atheistic scientist to do so, inviting misunderstanding by supernaturalists eager to misunderstand and claim the illustrious thinker as their own.” Dawkins gives a definition of atheism as believing that there is “nothing beyond the natural, physical world, no supernatural creative intelligence lurking behind the observable universe.”

 

[kinggroin]

So are homosexuals going to hell or not? There's a back and forth amongst believers of the Christian bible as to whether it explicitly states eternal damnation for being a homosexual.

 

[Chaplain]

So are homosexuals going to hell or not? There's a back and forth amongst believers of the Christian bible as to whether it explicitly states eternal damnation for being a homosexual.

Any person that does not accept God's pardon will be forced to live in isolation for eternity. God will not force any person to be with him: meaning, he will not violate their will by forcing them to be with him presently or the afterlife.

For people who have received his pardon, those that practice sexual immorality (a heterosexual having relations outside of marriage) is warned that their actions do not line up with their claims that they know Christ as Lord and Savior. Those who make the claim that they know God and love Him will obey God because they love God. This means that they will stay away from all selfish actions that God says are sinful, and will replace those actions with behaviors that are centered on pleasing God and others.

 

[kinggroin]

Any person that does not accept God's pardon will be forced to live in isolation for eternity. God will not force any person to be with him: meaning, he will not violate their will by forcing them to be with him presently or the afterlife.

For people who have received his pardon, those that practice sexual immorality (a heterosexual having relations outside of marriage) is warned that their actions do not line up with their claims that they know Christ as Lord and Savior. Those who make the claim that they know God and love Him will obey God because they love God. This means that they will stay away from all selfish actions that God says are sinful, and will replace those actions with behaviors that are centered on pleasing God and others.

OK, so you're saying inherently (genetically) being gay does not mean hell? Let's take a homosexual who's accepted Jesus Christ as their lord and saviour.

 

[Chaplain]

OK, so you're saying inherently (genetically) being gay does not mean hell? Let's take a homosexual who's accepted Jesus Christ as their lord and saviour.

Correct. According to the Bible, every person is genetically born with the virus of sin (its genetic... like a selfish gene). The only way a person goes to hell is for rejecting God's pardon (His cure) for their sins. Once a person is saved (a relationship with God based on what Jesus did for them), there should be evidence (internal that leads to external actions) that God is transforming a person's life (heterosexual or homosexual). If a person continues disobeying God and committing acts that God has declared as sinful, then Jesus and the Apostles declare that they do not know God and are deceived.

 

[StaffyManasse]

OK, so you're saying inherently (genetically) being gay does not mean hell? Let's take a homosexual who's accepted Jesus Christ as their lord and saviour.

We are all inherently sinners in need of salvation is what I believe. So no, being gay does not mean hell, being a sinner does. Good thing there is forgiveness from sin to be found in Christ.

 

[Chaplain]

For those interesting in serving those that are hurting, I wanted to pass along about an organization that I learned about from a brother in the Lord who volunteers with me as a volunteer Chaplin at a local hospital. Its called Stephen Ministry.

Stephen Ministry congregations equip and empower lay caregivers—called Stephen Ministers—to provide high-quality, confidential, Christ-centered care to people who are hurting.

Stephen ministers serving others hurting in the church.

Care receivers are people—congregation members and others in the community—who receive care from a Stephen Minister. These are people struggling through a difficult time in life—experiencing grief, divorce, job loss, chronic or terminal illness, or some other life crisis.

Here is the information for those that are interested:

Stephen Ministry Introductory Workshops are half-day events where you and others from your congregation can:

catch a vision for lay caring ministry;

experience a sample of Stephen Minister training; and

learn the basics about Stephen Ministry—how it works, the benefits it offers, and how to bring Stephen Ministry to your congregation.

Three Engaging Sessions

Saturday workshops run from 9:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M., Sunday workshops run from 2:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. All workshops are hosted by Stephen Ministry congregations.

Each workshop has three sessions:

SESSION 1: Ministering to Those Experiencing Grief

Sample the quality of Stephen Minister training firsthand

Develop grief ministry skills you can put to use right away

SESSION 2: An Introduction to Stephen Ministry

Explore the life-changing value of this ministry

Discover how to bring Stephen Ministry to your congregation

SESSION 3: How to Care in a Distinctively Christian Way

Learn to integrate faith into everyday caring and relating

Experience the Christ-centered nature of Stephen Ministry

Workshop Dates and Locations

Stephen Ministry Introductory Workshops are hosted at Stephen Ministry congregations across the United States.

See the nationwide schedule of upcoming workshops.

Use your state or zip code to search for a workshop in your area.

 

[That1BlackGuy]

I'm sure ya'll know since it's trending, but Mayim Bialik of Big Bang Theory who plays a scientist on the show and is a neuroscientist in real life is also a practicing Jew and is trending right now for her interview with Fox News about how Hollywood and religion don't mix. Although she is not Christian, I feel that we share enough with Judaism that we can still relate to her.

Thank you for the share, that last sentence especially is truth.

 

[ST2K]

I'm sure ya'll know since it's trending, but Mayim Bialik of Big Bang Theory who plays a scientist on the show and is a neuroscientist in real life is also a practicing Jew and is trending right now for her interview with Fox News about how Hollywood and religion don't mix. Although she is not Christian, I feel that we share enough with Judaism that we can still relate to her.

Good read, thanks.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day on the meaning of sin:

Adam and Eve's "disobedience entailed two things that are now characteristic of all humans. On the one hand, sin is the claim to the right to myself, so to my way of seeing things, which—far more than class, gender, race and generation—is the ultimate source of human relativity. On the other hand, sin is the deliberate repudiation of God and the truth of his way of seeing things. If my way of seeing things is decisive, anyone who differs from me is wrong by definition—including God. No, especially God, because his way of seeing things is more powerful and therefore more threatening than anyone else's. His word, our interference." (Guinness)

Today's blog is on Acts 18 (Paul in Corinth; the End of the Second Missionary Journey and Beginning of the Third) verses 18-22: Paul concludes his second missionary journey.

Samples from the study:

"Usually the time of the Nazarite vow was for thirty days. So at the beginning of the Nazarite vow, you would shave your head and then you wouldn't take a razor to your head for that thirty days, nor would you eat any meat, nor would you drink any wine during the period of the thirty days in which had this vow of consecration to God. Then at the end of the thirty days, you would shave your head again, whatever hair had grown during that period of time, and you would burn it as an offering unto the Lord." (Smith)

"God has a special timing for everything in our lives. If Paul could have discerned it, the Holy Spirit was really saying, “wait” when he wanted to go to Ephesus, instead of “no.” Sometimes God says, “wait” and He always knows what He’s doing when He says it."

"It is nothing but sheer arrogance that makes us think that we can live and move and have our being independent of God. This boastful arrogance is the essence of sin: a proud independence, the root of all sin, as was the case with Lucifer (Isaiah 14:12-15) and Adam (Genesis 3:5-7). "

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Paul leaves the city of Corinth with Aquila and Priscilla.
What is the Nazirite vow?
Why did Paul take the Nazirite vow if we are not under the law anymore?
Paul finally gets to preach in the city of Ephesus.
Why did the believers in Ephesus want Paul to stay longer?
Why is it arrogant to make any promise independent of God?
Paul returns to his home church at Antioch of Syria.
Why does God have different types of people in the church?

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Article: Dr Who - More to Learn

A sample chapter from Back in Time: A thinking fan's guide to Doctor Who.

Article: 'Feeling The Force' - Star Wars and Spiritual Truth

It’s 30 years since George Lucas first brought Star Wars to our cinema screens. Lifelong fan John C. McDowell hails a blockbuster rich in spiritual truth.

Article: A Biblical View of Disability

Sometimes in discussion with antagonistic unbelievers a charge will be levelled against the Bible that it discriminates against disabled people. Frequently they will cite verses such as Leviticus 21:16-23.

Audio: A Wasted Life? Aren't Christians Missing Out?

Michael Ramsden asks whether Christians are wasting their lives by missing out on pleasure and happiness. Are Christians ignoring what life is all about? Using the parable of the Prodigal Son, this talk asks about the most important things in life and whether those are really at the centre of the Christian's life.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"The idea of apologetics as a necessary part of one's faithful walk is new to most Christians. They understand the need to worship God, to live a set apart life, and even the command to evangelize given by Jesus in the Great Commission. However, learning apologetics isn't something preached from most pulpits today. Yet, in the first few centuries, apologetics and evangelism were inter-reliant. In fact, when you look at the writings of the early church fathers, you see how big a role apologetics played in their interaction with the outside world… Just as the Christians in the second century faces a culture hostile to the teachings of Christ, so Christians today find themselves in a post-Christian (and post-pagan) culture. Apologetics is therefore necessary to fulfill our faithfulness to The Great Commission. We see it in the examples of the Church Fathers. We would do well to follow them." (Esposito)

Today's blog is on Acts 18 (Paul in Corinth; the End of the Second Missionary Journey and Beginning of the Third) verses 18:12-17; 24-28: Paul’s third missionary journey begins in the regions of Galatia, Phyrgia, and the city of Ephesus.

Samples from the study:

"The Jews charged Paul with persuading the people to worship God in ways contrary to the Roman law. Rome did not permit the propagation of new religions. Judaism was an accepted and established belief. These Jews were saying in effect that Christianity was a new and different cult, distinct from Judaism. However, Gallio saw it differently. To him Christianity came under the aegis of Judaism and therefore was not a matter to be settled in a civil court. This decision was crucial for it was tantamount to legitimatizing Christianity in the eyes of Roman law." (Walvoord)

"Apollos was a man who is mighty in the scriptures. He is a man who is fervent in Spirit. He's eloquent; he's brilliant, and yet two of the people who were there listening to him understood more fully the things of which he spake than he did himself. For through Paul, they had come to know that Jesus was the Messiah, and the empowering of the Holy Spirit in their lives. And so, I admire Apollos that he was willing to listen to a couple of the congregation who understood more completely than did he the ways of the Lord. I also admire Aquila and Priscilla for taking this eloquent man and sharing the way of the Lord with him." (Smith)

"Apollos greatly helped those who had believed through grace … showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ. Through grace people believe in Christ, and through grace they come to understand His will by grasping the instruction of the Bible. And through grace God gives us gifted teachers to help us understand." (Stanley)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

The Jews of Corinth attempt (unsuccessfully) to convict Paul before the civil authorities.
Who was Apollos?
The ministry of Apollos in Ephesus focused on John the Baptist's teachings.
An example of mature Christians: Aquila and Priscilla help Apollos grow in his knowledge of God.
Apollos immediately shares the gospel after learning the ways of God more clearly.
What does the Bible say about pastor-worship?

New sermons (right click/save as):

8/26/15 - Proverbs 12
8/26/15 - Set Free
8/26/15 - Proverbs 30:7-33
7/26/15 - The Battle for Marriage (Hebrews 13:4) (Marriage Study)
8/22/15 - A Satisfied Home (Marriage Study)

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Video: Real Answers to Tough Questions: A Talk with J. P. Moreland

J. P. Moreland is Distinguished Professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University in La Mirada, California where he has taught for 25 years.He has authored, edited, or contributed papers to ninety-five books, including Does God Exist? (Prometheus), Universals (McGill-Queen’s), Consciousness and the Existence of God (Routledge) and Blackwell Companion to Natural Theology (Blackwell).He has also published over 85 articles in journals such as Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, American Philosophical Quarterly, Australasian Journal of Philosophy, MetaPhilosophy, Philosophia Christi, Religious Studies, and Faith and Philosophy.He has also published 120 articles in magazines and newspapers.

Academic Journal: The Resurrection of Jesus: a Clinical Review of Psychiatric Hypotheses for the Biblical Story of Easter by Joseph W. Bergeron, M.D. and Gary R. Habermas, Ph.D. - Irish Theological Quarterly (PDF File) (right click/save as)

Jesus’ resurrection to bodily life after death by crucifixion is foundational to orthodox Christianity. The disciples had encounters with Jesus after his crucifixion which caused them to believe he had been bodily resurrected to life again. Psychiatric hypotheses have been proposed as naturalistic explanations for his disciples’ beliefs, which include hallucinations, conversion disorder, and bereavement experiences. Since they propose hallucinatory symptoms that suggest the presence of underlying medical pathology, clinical appraisal of these hypotheses for the disciples’ encounters with the resurrected Jesus is warranted. Psychiatric hypotheses for the disciples’ belief in Jesus’ resurrection are found to be inconsistent with current medical understanding and do not offer plausible explanations for the biblical story of Easter.

Short answers to tough questions:

Video: Is the Bible even true?
Video: "If God appeared to me, I'd believe in him!"
Video: What if I have doubts about God?
Video: Hasn't Christianity done more harm than good?

 

[ST2K]

This may be of interest to some of you. John Piper on discussing homosexuality in an online environment.

My personal highlight of the piece:

Let it sober us that Christians represent God. We are Christians. We are walking representatives of Christ. We shouldn’t be just slinging around opinions without some sense of sobriety and responsibility for why we hold them and what effects they are going to have and what truth they might encourage or discourage. Therefore, it is different to have a merely personal opinion that is not rooted in God’s Word and to have what I would call a conviction that we believe is deeply and truly rooted in God’s Word.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Christian advocacy is a lover's defense, a matter of speaking out and standing up when God is framed unjustly and attacked wrongly. The New Testament describes it as a task for all followers of Jesus, not just some, and certainly not for intellectuals only. Peter's admonition, "Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you." (1 Peter 3:15 HCSB), was written to young Christians in all the first-century churches, not just to church leaders, let alone intellectuals." (Guinness)

Today's blog is on Acts 19 (Paul in Ephesus) verses 1-7: Ephesian disciples are baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Samples from the study:

"The Greek preposition means "upon or over," and as I said, I have translated it, "overflows you." When you're so full you cannot contain it anymore, and it just starts to flow out from your life and continues to flow out until it becomes like a river of living water. And if you cannot look at your life and say that, "In my life there is a flowing forth from my life of the Spirit of God, like a river of living water." If you cannot say that of your life, then God has a deeper relationship for you to experience in the power and anointing of His Spirit upon your life. There is something more for you. That gift of the Holy Spirit, where He becomes that empowering force as a river of living water now gushing forth out of your life, and the thirsty world around you being touched and ministered to from that overflow of God's love in your own heart.' (Smith)

"Maybe the people you work with, or those in your Bible study group, are devoted to the Lord and disciplined in their walk — but there's no light in their lives, no sparkle in their eyes. Worship is a drudge and witnessing a chore. There is about them a lack of boldness, a dearth of excitement, an absence of enthusiasm. To them, Paul would probably echo the same question he asked of the Ephesians: `Have you guys received the Spirit since you believed?'" (Courson)

"John's baptism was in preparation for the Messiah.
Jesus' baptism was in celebration of the Messiah.
John's baptism was a sign of repentance.
Jesus' baptism was a sign of regeneration."

"The laying on of hands may have been in conjunction with the baptism or more probably afterward. As a result the Holy Spirit came on these disciples and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. The subject of tongues in Acts confirms Paul’s statement that tongues “are a sign … for unbelievers” (cf. comments on 1 Cor. 14:22). The purpose of tongues was to overcome unbelief. It should also be noted that the reception of the Holy Spirit in Acts does not follow any set pattern. He came into believers before baptism (Acts 10:44), at the time of or after baptism (8:12–16; 19:6), and by the laying on of apostolic hands (8:17; 19:6). Yet Paul declared (Rom. 8:9) that anyone without the Holy Spirit is not a Christian." (Walvoord)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Paul finds some disciples who had not yet received the Holy Spirit.
A detailed explanation on the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
What are the differences between the baptism of John and baptism in the name of the Jesus?
The twelve Ephesian disciples believe on Jesus, are baptized, and receive the Holy Spirit with His gifts.
Were the twelve Ephesian disciples Christians prior to believing in Jesus?
Does God want stagnant Christians?

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Article: "What's Wrong with Sex Before Marriage?"

How on earth can you answer this question? It is the 21st century after all; surely God doesn't hate you enough to make you say something so ridiculous and old-fashioned that you will lose all your friends! In the gospels, Jesus was asked many difficult questions and he frequently responded with a question before answering more fully. He did this so often that I think we are probably meant to notice it and learn something.

Audio/article: "The Bible is Out Of Touch on Sex!"

We should probably start by looking at what the Bible actually says about sex before we decide whether or not this is out of date. God thought of sex – he gave us this wonderful expression of love for another.
There is a whole book of the Old Testament which is devoted to extolling the beauty of sex and showing God’s delight in what he has made pleasurable and good. (Song of Songs)

This may be of interest to some of you. John Piper on discussing homosexuality in an online environment.

My personal highlight of the piece:

Ty bro.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

'If all that exists in Nature, the great mindless interlocking event, if our own deepest convictions are merely the by-products of an irrational process, then clearly there is not the slightest ground for supposing that our sense of fitness and our consequent faith in uniformity tell us anything about a reality external to ourselves. Our convictions are simply a fact about us – like the colour of our hair. If Naturalism is true we have no reason to trust our conviction that Nature is uniform. It can be trusted only if quite a different metaphysic is true. If the deepest thing in reality, the Fact which is the source of all other facthood, is a thing in some degree like ourselves – if it is a Rational Spirit and we derive our rational spirituality from It – then indeed our conviction can be trusted. Our repugnance to disorder is derived from Nature’s Creator and ours' (C.S. Lewis, Miracles, p.109).

Today's blog is on Acts 19 (Paul in Ephesus) verses 8-12: Paul teaches in a philosopher's school & God performs miracles through Paul's handkerchief.

Samples from the study:

"Paul taught daily. Considering his extended time in Ephesus, this meant many hundreds of hours of teaching. It is no wonder that the work in Ephesus was so broad and effective."

"The handkerchiefs spoken of here were actually the sweatbands Paul wore around his forehead when he laboured as a tentmaker. The aprons were not the kind June Cleaver wore in the kitchen. They were the leather aprons of a blacksmith.' (Courson)

"God will stoop down to meet us even in our crude superstitions. This never means that God is pleased with our superstition, but that in His mercy He may overlook them to meet a need."

"Now I am certain that there are many things about the power of God that we have so little understanding. God help us that we would not limit Him more by our unbelief, but we would just say, "Well listen, God can do anything." And just begin to expect God to do anything. And you know, if you'll just start expecting God to do anything, you will find He will begin to do something. He will begin to do an awful lot in your life if you just begin to expect Him. Release your faith; turn it loose. Take the bridle off from God and let Him begin to work freely. Don't be afraid of what God might desire to do in your life. Give Him that freedom." (Smith)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Paul begins teaching in the school of the philosopher Tyrannus.
Why did Paul stay in the city of Ephesus for two years?
Unusual miracles occur through Paul's handkerchief in Ephesus.
Why would God heal people through Paul's handkerchief?
Have there been any modern-day miracles through a person's handkerchief?
Unusual miracles and our own faith in God's Word.

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Article: The Question of Miracles: the contemporary influence of Hume

Christians claim: God is Creator and Upholder. Therefore he is responsible for the structures of the universe and the regularities that govern their behaviour. The heart of Christianity is the Incarnation and Resurrection of Christ – these do not fit into the regular patterns of nature and are rejected by many on the basis of arguments going back to David Hume.

Audio: Unbelievable? Can atheists have Meaning without God? Michael Ruse & Andy Bannister (8/29/15, 2:30 pm)

Atheist philosopher Michael Ruse joins Justin as we spend a second week looking at Andy Bannister’s new book ‘The atheist who didn’t exist’. Its amusingly titled chapters include ‘The Peculiar Case of the Postmodern Penguin (or: Why Life without God is Meaningless). Michael and Andy debate whether it’s a problem that atheists can’t have meaning with a ‘capital M’.

Michael Ruse, Ph.D. is Professor of Philosophy and Zoology at Florida State University. The author of many books including Mystery of Mysteries: Is Evolution a Social Construction? Monad to Man: The Concept of Progress in Evolutionary Biology, The Philosophy of Biology, and Taking Darwin Seriously. New publications forthcoming include Can a Darwinian be a Christian? The Relationship Between Science and Religion, The Evolution Wars, and Cloning (edited volume). He is also the founder and editor of the journal Biology & Philosophy, and editor of the "Cambridge University Press Series in the Philosophy of Biology" (8 volumes published and 10 more volumes contracted).

Andy Bannister holds a PhD in Islamic studies, a topic on which he has taught extensively. He has spoken and taught at universities across Canada, the US, the UK, and farther afield on both Islam and philosophy and is an Adjunct Research Fellow at the Centre for the Study of Islam and Other Faiths at Melbourne School of Theology.

MP3 Download (right click/save as)

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Faith is believing where there is no evidence. If you look at any dictionary you'll discover that is not the case, except for Websters dictionary, which puts in a separate little bit, it says faith is believing where there is no evidence. But in our normal use of the word 'faith', Rachael, I have faith in my wife, it's based on evidence, all sorts of things. In fact I put it to Dawkins in a debate, I said, 'Richard, what about your faith in your wife?' He said, 'A husband notices little things here and there,' you know, that kind of thing. And so I said, 'Your faith is then evidence-based.' He said, 'It's not faith,' but it was too late, the point had been got across. I use the analogy because I find this one of the hardest things to get across. Many of my colleagues under Dawkins' influence think that faith is a solely religious concept and it means believing where there is no evidence. And yet I take something like the banking crisis, we thought we could have faith in the bankers and we discovered that some of them weren't faith-worthy, so the whole thing collapses, but it is paralysed. Why? Because the evidence base is not there to trust it to get going again. Everybody understands what evidence-based faith means because that is the normal use of the word, it is trust based on a reason." (Lennox)

Today's blog is on Acts 19 (Paul in Ephesus) verses 13-20: Jewish exorcists encounter an evil spirit that leads people in Ephesus to repent.

Samples from the study:

"The magical tradition of the ancient world often involved invoking names of divine figures (as magical papyri and amulets indicate). There are numerous Jewish magical texts that attest to the interplay of magic and Judaism." (Walvoord)

"Because the seven sons of Sceva had no real relationship with Jesus, they had no spiritual power against the evil spirit. They left the encounter naked and wounded. It was dangerous for them to take the reality of spiritual warfare lightly." (Guzik)

"Many Christians had also been involved in sorcery and spiritism and they openly confessed their evil deeds. The noun translated “deeds” is praxeis, which probably describes magical spells and formulas. Giving out these secrets would cause them to lose their power." (Walvoord)

'If you're burned out with Bible study, prayer, or meditation — chances are it's because you need to burn something up. When my appetite is dull, when I'm not interested in spiritual things the way I once was, when I find worship a drudge or a discipline —inevitably I say, `Father search me and show me the junk in my life which has caused my appetite for You to be diminished.' And you know what? He does." (Courson)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Unsaved Jewish exorcists attempt to cast-out evil spirits by using Jesus' name.
Why would the evil spirit rebuke the seven sons of Sceva for using Jesus' name?
Why couldn't the Jewish exorcists defend themselves from the attacks of the evil spirit?
Why was Ephesus known as a stronghold of Satan?
What led the Ephesians to renounce their practice of sorcery and spiritism?
An example of true repentance.
Why are many believers spiritually weak?

New sermons (right click/save as):

8/30/15 - Revelation 19:17-21;20:1-3
8/30/15 - Ezra 5-6
8/30/15 - Maintaining the Spirit-Filled Life (Eph 5:18-21)
8/30/15 - God Goes First (1 Jn 4:19-21)
8/30/15 - Genesis 15-16
8/30/15 - The Faithful Church (Revelation 3:7-13)
8/30/15 - An Early Controversy Settled (II Thessalonians 2:1-3)

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Article: Keeping an Eye

Remembering how God has directed human history from the very beginning to the present serves as a powerful reminder that God is still in sovereign control over all. Even when it appears God has left us alone with our anxiety and God’s hand is far from our trying circumstance, our trust in God can be grounded in God’s goodness and faithfulness, and not on our limited sight of reality. Over time and eternity, who is more worthy of our confidence and hope?

Article: Stephen Hawking and God by John Lennox

Audio links on Church History.

Video: Who is responsible for evil?

In an academic environment where human nature is consistently described as a product of "social conditioning," Dr. Zacharias and Os Guinness seek to counter this notion from a theological and a historical standpoint.

Article: Why Atheism is Not a ‘Lack of Belief’
Article: “Atheism” Is Like the New “Literally”

Video: Patterns of Evidence: Exodus Documentary - Full Trailer

For more than 50 years, the vast majority of the world’s most prominent archaeologists and historians have proclaimed that there is no hard evidence to support the Exodus story found in the Bible. In fact, they say that the archaeological record is completely opposed to the Bible’s account. This view of extreme skepticism has spread from academia to the world. The case against the Exodus appears to be so strong that even some religious leaders are labeling this ancient account as historical fiction.

In the Nineteenth and early Twentieth centuries, European pioneers of archaeology came to the Near East with a shovel in one hand and a Bible in the other. At first, their discoveries seemed to be very supportive of the Bible. However, over the years, new findings and more exacting practices determined that the dates for many of the finds were actually from periods outside the biblical timeframe. In their zeal to prove their faith, it appeared that the previous generation had jumped to their conclusions prematurely. Is the Exodus just a myth, or is it possible that the archaeologists got it wrong?

Filmmaker Timothy Mahoney begins with the question, “Is the Bible just a myth, or did the archaeologists get it wrong?” He decides to tackle this issue with a deliberate scientific approach. After examining the details in the biblical text, he journeys across the globe to search for patterns of evidence firsthand. The result is the most in-depth archaeological investigation into the Exodus from Egypt ever captured on film.

 

[Chaplain]

Two quotes of the day today.

1.What happens when a Harvard professor's materialistic reductionist worldview influences his science?

"It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door...The primary problem is not to provide the public with the knowledge of how far it is to the nearest star and what genes are made of... Rather, the problem is to get them to reject irrational and supernatural explanations of the world, the demons that exist only in their imaginations, and to accept a social and intellectual apparatus, Science, as the only begetter of truth." (Harvard Geneticist Richard Lewontin, "Billions and Billions of Demons")

2. Oxford professor John Lennox exposes Lewontin's contradiction:

"And what, in any case is the precise force of the word 'cannot' in connection with allowing a Divine foot in the door? If, as Lewontin says, science does not force us to be materialists, then the 'cannot' clearly does not refer to science as being incapable of pointing in the direction of a Divine foot. It must simply mean that 'we materialists cannot allow a Divine foot in the door'. Well, of course, it is a tautology to say that 'materialists cannot allow a Divine foot in the door'. Materialism rejects both the Divine foot and, come to think of it, the door as well. There is after all, no 'outside' for a materialist - the 'cosmos is all that is, was, or ever shall be'. But that rejection carries no implications whatsoever about the existence of such a foot or door beyond the mere unsubstantiated assertion that Lewontin personally does not believe in either of them."

Today's blog is on Acts 19 (Paul in Ephesus) verses 21-28: An example of two clashing worldviews: Yahweh vs. Artemis.

Samples from the study:

"Paul wasn't talking about sight-seeing, but about soul-winning (for Yahweh). He wanted to go to Rome not to take in the Coliseum or catch a chariot race, but to share the Gospel and touch people. Indeed he did go to Rome as we will see — although not in the way he expected. He went as a prisoner of the Empire." (Courson)

"The Artemis cult here was part of a larger Greek Artemis cult (the “Great mother"). Two goddesses in Asia Minor were named Artemis. The one, a goddess worshiped in Greek culture whose counterpart in Rome was Diana, was the virgin goddess of the hunt. The other was Artemis of the Ephesians, a many-breasted goddess of fertility. Probably the original “statue” was a meteorite that resembled a woman with many breasts (cf. 19:35). Silver craftsmen made statues (silver shrines or idols) of this Ephesian goddess, but because of the power of the gospel their business had gone bad." (Walvoord)

"Their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see. They have ears but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell. They have hands but cannot feel, feet, but cannot walk. They cannot make a sound with their throats. Those who make them are just like them, as are all who trust in them." (Psalm 115:1-8)

"Christianity should affect the economy – not just personally, but in a community as well. This effect will not always be welcomed. In Ephesus, business was down at the pagan shrines because of the transforming work of the Jesus Christ. This happens again and again as Jesus does His work. For example, a Roman official named Pliny later wrote a letter to another official named Trajan, describing how people were not going to shrines anymore because of Christian influence. Pliny wanted to know what he should do about it." (Guzik)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

An example of Paul's heart for the church in Jerusalem and the gospel.
Paul’s companions leave him alone in Ephesus.
Paul faces opposition for the third time.
Historical background on the Artemis cult and the goddesses Artemis.
An example of economic and social changes due to people accepting Christ as Lord and Saviour.
Demetrius (a maker of idols) uses logical fallacies to attack Paul for losing money in his idol business.

New sermon (right click/save as):

8/30/15 - The Pouring Out of God's Spirit (Joel 2:28-32)

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Article: Hasn't Archaeology Shown That The Account of the Conquest of Jericho is Inaccurate?

Joshua 6 records the conquest and destruction of the city of Jericho. If this account is accurate, it would seem that modern archaeological excavations would have turned up evidence of this monumental event. However, haven't these investigations proven that the account in Joshua is inaccurate?

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"To follow Jesus is to pay the cost of discipleship, and then to die to ourselves, to our own interests, our own agendas and reputations. It is to pick up our crosses and count the cost of losing all that contradicts his will and his way - including our reputations before the world, and our standing with people and communities that we once held dear. It is to live before one audience, the audience of One, and therefore to die to all other conflicting options and assessments. There is no room here for such contemporary ideas as the looking-glass self, and no consideration here for trivial contemporary obsessions such as one's legacy." (Guinness)

Today's blog is on Acts 19 (Paul in Ephesus) verses 29-41: A riot ensues in Ephesus because the God of the Bible is preached.

Samples from the study:

"It has often happened in the history of Christianity that when God moves among His people and they become very serious about their Christianity, that it affects the livelihood of those who trade in vice or immorality. For example, in the early years of the Salvation Army, they were so effective that pimps and bar owner organized a “Skeleton Army” to oppose them with threats and violence – and even a few Salvation Army workers were murdered."

“This chapter teaches us all a permanent lesson: that when disciples have a true revival, society gets a revolution. When the Spirit moves mightily upon children of God we may look for other might mighty movements among unbelievers, and need not be surprised if the devil himself comes down, having great wrath, as though he knew that his time were short.” (Pierson)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

One of the reasons for all anti-Christian and anti-Semitism hate.
The riot builds momentum to protect the idolatry of a false god.
The city clerk is able to calm the passion of the crowd.

New sermons (right click/save as):

9/2/15 - Proverbs 13:1-16
9/2/15 - Isaiah 38-40
9/2/15 - Proverbs 31:1-10
9/2/15 - 2 Samuel 15:1-37

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Video: "Only Jesus Can Make Me Whole" - Jackie Hill Perry

What is the most important thing church leaders can do to help people in their congregations who struggle with same-sex attraction?

Video: Apologetics Seminar: I'm Happy As I Am, Why Do I Need God? - Michael Ramsden

Video: Apologetics Seminar: One God, Many Paths - Michael Ramsden

Audio: What is Vital Signs? (right click/save as)

Many people are discouraged by today’s cultural climate. It’s hard to overlook the fact that what occupies the popular imagination is increasingly sensational, vulgar, and decadent. Consequently, many of us are tempted to give up and withdraw entirely. This podcast asks whether things are really quite that bad. Is all cultural news bad news? Are there signs of life in today’s culture? Most importantly, what’s worth paying attention to nowadays?

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

“Humanity’s mystery, can be explained only in the mystery of the God who became human. If people want to look into their own mystery—the meaning of their pain, of their work, of their suffering, of their hope—let them put themselves next to Christ. If they accomplish what Christ accomplished—doing the Father’s will, filling themselves with the life that Christ gives the world—they are fulfilling themselves as true human beings. If I find, on comparing myself with Christ, that my life is a contrast, the opposite of his, then my life is a disaster.” (Oscar Romero)

Today's blog is on Acts 20 (Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders) verses 1-6: Paul in the region of Macedonia again.

Samples from the study:

"Now at that time it was the feast of the Passover and Paul was probably wanting to get back to Jerusalem for the feast of the Passover. But thousands of Jews would come for the feast of the Passover from all over. And there would be many chartered type ships coming from Greece, from Athens, from... to go to Jerusalem, they would be filled with Jews coming for the feast. And Paul, no doubt, got wind of a plot to throw him overboard from one of these ships filled with Jewish pilgrims that were coming back for their holy days. And so rather than getting on a ship and being thrown overboard in the middle of the night, Paul took the wise course and rather than coming by ship back to Syria to go to Jerusalem, he went up then again through Macedonia and he went by land on up again to Macedonia. And evidently, the churches there realized that there were real threats being made upon Paul's life, and so there were several brethren from the different churches that accompanied Paul, in order, no doubt, to afford him a certain amount of protection." (Smith)

"As the entourage headed for Jerusalem, they sailed from Philippi to Troas in five days. This intrigues me, because in Acts 16:11 we read they made the same journey going the other direction in only one day. So too, sometimes, in our journeying, we experience seasons of smooth sailing. Other times, it's tough going. Some of you may be in rough waters right now. Take heart: It doesn't mean you're out of the Lord's will. Be like Paul, and keep sailing." (Courson)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

What was Paul's reasoning for traveling back to Macedonia?
Paul travels through Greece and Macedonia.
Paul learns that certain Jews planned on assassinating him.
Fellow believers accompany Paul for the purpose of safety as well as of accountability and unanimity.
Paul arrives at the city of Troas.

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Video: Is There a Role for Faith in a Scientific Worldview? Hutchinson and Norman at Carnegie Mellon

A Christian Nuclear Scientist and an Atheist Philosopher of Science Discuss @ The Veritas Forum at Carnegie Mellon, 2015.

Article: For a Despairing Humanity

The recognition of one’s humanity can be an uncomfortable pill to swallow. Life’s fragility, life’s impermanence, life’s intertwinement with imperfection and disappointment—bitter medicines are easier to accept. The Romantic poets called it “the burden of full consciousness.” To look closely at humanity can indeed be a realization of dread and despair.

Article: The Bird Still Sings: Why Christianity Cannot Be Silenced

In America now it is fashionable to mock the bird of evangelicalism and try to silence it. But the song is being sung on other boughs and historic movements are taking place. In China, Korea, and the Middle East, places where once the gospel’s saving message seemed to be extinguished, churches are packed with hungry hearts, the youth listening to the gospel message with rapt attention. In countries where there was once hostility, crowds fill the auditoriums. In Romania, where to believe in God was once to put one’s life at risk, ten thousand filled the auditorium in which I spoke. From senators and other political leaders there we heard of the dark days of the past and of the shining hope of the future. We prayed in chambers once inhabited by a tyrant and were told this was probably the first time a prayer had been publicly uttered. They have witnessed what Christ-less lives can birth, shattering their countries and their hopes. They can now see that the only possible hope for transforming a heart is Jesus Christ.

Article: Dust and Ashes

Dietrich Bonhoeffer eventually would be arrested by the Nazi regime for aiding Jews to safety. And while he embraced the risk of peace and dared to love in the face of one’s enemies, he would be implicated in a plot to assassinate Hitler and executed at the age of 38. In fact, it was not until after his death that Bonhoeffer’s ministry and influence had its most potent force. Many are now familiar with his books The Cost of Discipleship and Life Together. He has been a theologian of immense influence, not just for students of theology, not simply for Christians yearning to grow in their understanding of discipleship, but for a watching a world full of questions about injustice and suffering. In his letters and papers published posthumously, Bonhoeffer argued that the will of God and the way of discipleship would not always lead to self-preservation or advancement. The will of God involves giving our lives for the sake of others (which Bonhoeffer believed would be the case for his action against Hitler). He wrote, “Christ’s vicarious deeds and particularly his death on our behalf, become in turn the principle and model of the self-sacrifice that makes community possible… [T]he church is the church only when it exists for others.”

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Philosopher Aldous Huxley's public confessional: "The philosopher who finds no meaning in the world is not concerned exclusively with a problem in metaphysics. He is also concerned to prove that there is no valid reason why he personally should not do as he wants, or why his friends should seize political problem and govern in a way they find most advantageous to themselves." Atheist philosopher Thomas Nagel is equally candid. He admits his deepest objection to the Christian faith stems not from philosophy but fear. "I am talking about something much deeper–namely, the fear of religion itself. I speak from experience, being strongly subject to this fear myself: I want atheism to be true and am made uneasy by the fact that some of the most intelligent and well-informed people I know are religious believers. It isn’t just that I don’t believe in God and, naturally, hope that I’m right in my belief. It’s that I hope there is no God! I don’t want there to be a God; I don’t want the universe to be like that." At least there is no pretense in such confessions. As Pascal wrote long ago, "Men despise religion. hate it and afraid it may be true." There is no clearer confession of what Ludwig Feuerbach called "projection," Friedrich Nietzsche called the "will to power," Sigmund Freud called "rationalization," Jean-Paul Sartre called "bad faith," and the sociologists of knowledge call "ideology" - a set of intellectual ideas that serve as social weapons for his and his friends' interests. As Huxley trumpets his position proudly as a manifesto. "For myself, no doubt, as for most of my contemporaries, the philosophy of meaningless was essentially an instrument of liberation." " (Scholar Oz Guinness)

Today's blog is on Acts 20 (Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders) verses 7-17: A man is raised from the dead and Paul sends for the elders of the church in Ephesus.

Samples from the study:

"In two of Paul's epistles he makes mention of the fact that it really doesn't matter which day you worship the Lord. As he was writing to the Romans he said, "One man esteems one day, another man esteems another day. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind." In other words, it really doesn't matter. Some people esteem one day above another, some esteem another day above another, you know. Whatever, you know, pleases you." (Smith)

"The word, `elder', describes the man. It doesn't speak of chronological years, but of spiritual maturity. The word, `bishop', describes the ministry. `Bishop', or `episkopos' means `overseer'. The word, `pastor', describes the method. `Pastor' means `feeder' or `shepherd'." (Courson)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

On what day of the week did early Christians worship together?
What the purpose and meaning of the Sabbath for Christians?
Eutychus falls to his death while listening to Paul's sermon.
God uses Paul to raise Eutychus from the dead.
Why would God bring some people back to life?
Paul comes to Miletus and sends for the elders of the church in Ephesus to meet him there.
Are there any differences between elders, bishops, and pastors?

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Audio: The Voice of the Martyrs - Missions: “God Had Their Back”

Jesus told his disciples to “Go into all the world.” He didn’t say it would be easy. Verne and Denny Johnson have experienced the joy of seeing people come to Christ while serving as missionaries in Ivory Coast. But they’ve also experienced dark days. They watched their children almost die from malaria. War forced them to evacuate their home and leave the people they loved. But God even used those dark times to bring blessings into their lives, and to open the door for further ministry. Listen as Verne and Denny share their story, and share specific ways for you to pray for missionaries and gospel workers around the world.

Audio: Unbelievable? Should China’s future be atheistic humanism or Christianity? John Lombard vs David Marshall (9/5/2015, 2:30 pm)

China is experiencing rapid Christian growth, with more Christian believers today than members of the Chinese Communist party.

John Lombard is an ex-Christian and David Marshall is a Christian apologist. Both work in China. John believes that, despite the state sanctioned atheism of China’s communist party, secular humanism has never really been tried in the country, and is the best way forward. David Marshall believes that the growth of Christianity is a good thing for China, and that atheism has been show to have failed in the country.

Get the MP3 (right click/save as)

For David Marshall: http://christthetao.blogspot.co.uk/

For John Lombard: http://wrestinpeace.com

 

[Chaplain]

Two quotes of the day:

"Labor Day offers us a chance to reflect on how the holistic nature of the Christian faith extends to a believer's vocation. You see, the faithful Christian cannot separate his life into sacred and secular, worship and work. A Christian does not cease to worship the Lord when he or she goes to the workplace. Romans 11:36 says, "For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen." As Christians we are called to do all things to the glory of God, including -- perhaps especially -- our work." (Zacharias)

"If the policy of the government upon vital questions, affecting the whole people, is to be irrevocably fixed by decisions of the Supreme Court, the instant they are made, in ordinary litigation between parties, in personal actions, the people will have ceased to be their own rulers, having to that extent practically resigned their government into the hands of that eminent tribunal." (First Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln)

Today's blog is on Acts 20 (Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders) verses 18-24: Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian elders (Part 1).

Samples from the study:

"Humility of mind (KJV) of mind means truly esteeming others better than yourself (Philippians 2:3). Humility of mind means not finding fault with a brother or sister, but finding fruit — approving those things which are excellent within them. Humility of mind means realizing it's the grace of God, not our own merit, which allows us to know Him and walk with Him. Be like Paul. Serve the Lord with humility of mind, and watch out for those times when you think you are being spiritual, lest an entirely different form of pride surfaces." (Courson)

"When people think of the crucial decades that have shaped American history after 1776, they automatically think of the Civil War, the two World Wars, the Depression era, and so on. But in my estimate, the decade of the Sixties and the so-called “counterculture” ranks with the most important of these, and is even more consequential than the Depression era. It stands as a deep and savage sword thrust through American history and culture. Too often the Sixties are dismissed in terms of “hippies, drugs, sex, rock and roll, war protests,” and so on, as if that was all there was to it. But in fact much of the best and worst of where we are today can be traced back to the Sixties. On the “for better” side of the ledger, we owe to the Sixties the great achievements of the Civil Rights movement and such stunning successes as the Apollo moon landing. On the “for worse” side of the ledger, there was the utopianism, the violence and the humiliations of the Vietnam War, and of course the excesses of the sexual revolution, the stupidities of the new entitlement era, the rise of the culture wars, and the nihilism of postmodernism, all of which are producing such a dark harvest today." (Guinness)

"What is the gospel of the grace of God? God loves you, no matter how badly you failed. No matter how deeply you have sunk into sin, God loves you. But God hates sin because He loves you. And God knows what a destructive force sin is. And because God loves you so much, He doesn't like to see you being destroyed. And so He hates that which is destroying you. God loves the sinner. God hates the sin. Because He loves the sinner. And He sees what sin is doing. The blighting, damning influences of sin on a person's life. And so God hates the sin, because He loves the sinner. And so God has made provision to free a person from that power of sin, by sending Jesus Christ, His son, who took our sins and died in our place. That by our believing in Him we can be forgiven from whatever sins we may have ever committed. And through faith in Him can receive power over that bondage to corruption. And one day, as we are translated by the spirit into His presence, we will be freed from even the presence of sin. So that is the gospel of the grace of God. Not because I deserve it, not because I merit it, but just because God loves me. It was necessary that Paul should testify of the gospel of the grace of God, because nature, though it reveals God to man, does not reveal the grace of God to man. There is no gospel of grace in nature. Nature testifies to the God of law; to the God of power; to the God of wisdom; to the God who loves beauty; to the God of orderliness. But there's no testimony in nature to the gospel of the grace of God, and that is why God has called men to bear testimony of the gospel of the grace of God. And this testimony began with Jesus Christ. For the law came by Moses, but grace and truth by Jesus Christ. And so Paul testifying the gospel of grace." (Smith)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Paul begins his farewell to the elders of Ephesus by recounting his work among them.
Humility is visible evidence that a person has had a true encounter with God.
The difference between Biblical love and Self-love.
Paul’s model of true leadership and purpose.
Paul’s own example of a true shepherd of God.
Paul's example of unshakable faith despite the reality of pain and suffering awaiting him.
Why is western culture so focused on self-entitlement?
Paul exposes the timeless myth that it is God's will that no Christian should ever suffer.
Why are so many Christians missing joy from their lives?
A test for all Christians: Is the gospel you preach worth dying for?
What is the gospel of the grace of God?

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Article: New research may support ancient claim that people have an inherent sense of God

In a 2011 study from Oxford, titled “Humans ‘predisposed’ to believe in gods and the afterlife," it was found that across a wide variety of cultures, people are not only instinctively prone to a belief in gods, but also in a dualistic nature – that humans are both physical and non-physical in nature. “The researchers point out that the project was not setting out to prove the existence of god or otherwise, but sought to find out whether concepts such as gods and an afterlife appear to be entirely taught or basic expressions of human nature.” The study found that, no matter the culture, human instincts tended to be the same when it came to concepts of God and the afterlife.

Article: Why I'm not Bertrand Russell (or an atheist)

In 1957 Bertrand Russell published his essay Why I Am Not a Christian which is still cited to this day as a popular anti-Christian apologetic. Briefly here is why I, unlike Russell, am unwaveringly Christian. I could make a plea to my supernatural experiences, which have certainly contributed to my stance. Yet for me rational reasons came first and continue to be the backbone behind my worldview.

Article: "The Gospel of Jesus' Wife": a forgery

it is now widely accepted that the Jesus' Wife fragment is in reality a recent forgery. That is the view taken by contributors to this issue of the journal, not because they are predisposed to reject the papyrus fragment on ideological grounds but because of quite specific features which appear wholly incompatible with an ancient origin. Forgeries corrupt – and are intended to corrupt – the scholarly work of those who may be deceived by them, and they need to be exposed as conclusively as possible.

Video: Give Me an Answer - #2214 - God's Character is Just

 

[Mariolee]

Hey guys, I wanted to discuss this trending news article with you. Apparently "Pastor Gottfried Martens of the evangelical Trinity Church said he has seen an increase in Iranian and Afghan asylum seekers becoming baptized at his church."

Hundreds of Muslim Refugees convert to Christianity in German church

Hundreds of Muslim refugees are converting to Christianity in a Berlin church.

Pastor Gottfried Martens has seen his congregation at the evangelical Trinity Church grow from 150 to more than 600 in just two years, describing the number of conversions as a 'miracle', according to Associated Press.


One of these converts is Mohammed Ali Zonoobi, a carpenter from Shiraz, Iran, who was recently baptised.

Zanoobi was introduced to the Bible aged 18 and attended secret services in Iran. When several of his Christian friends were arrested, he fled with his wife and two children to Germany.

For Zonoobi and his wife Afsaneh their baptism marks a new beginning. "Now we are free and can be ourselves," she said. "Most important, I am so happy that our children will have a good future here and can get a good education in Germany."

Zanoobi is one of hundreds of mostly Iranian and Afghan asylum seekers who have been baptised at Trinity Church.

However, there are concerns that some are not genuine converts, rather professing a Christian faith to boost chances of staying in the country.

In Afghanistan and Iran conversion to Christianity from Islam is punishable by death or imprisonment.

However, we shouldn't be foolish and assume this is all based on belief.

Congregation member Vesam Heydari told AP, "The majority of Iranians here are not converting out of belief... They only want to stay in Germany."

Martens acknowledges this possibility, but says once in church, most people do engage and that around 90 per cent of converts continue attending after they have been baptised.

"I know there are – again and again – people coming here because they have some kind of hope regarding their asylum," Martens said. "I am inviting them to join us because I know that whoever comes here will not be left unchanged."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said Islam 'belongs in Germany' and that claiming to be Christian does not guarantee a successful asylum application.

 

[StaffyManasse]

Hey guys, I wanted to discuss this trending news article with you. Apparently "Pastor Gottfried Martens of the evangelical Trinity Church said he has seen an increase in Iranian and Afghan asylum seekers becoming baptized at his church."

Hundreds of Muslim Refugees convert to Christianity in German church

However, we shouldn't be foolish and assume this is all based on belief.

I don't think I can write a comprehensive post about this, because I am at work, but here are some thoughts.

- God is the one who sees into the hearts of men, and ultimately this is between him and the converts.

- There is a cultural difference. In western countries, faith and being a Christian is nowadays more of a matter personal faith and practice, but in Islamic countries it is pretty much all-encompassing part of the society. Some might see converting as a mean to integrate into German society. Meaning there might not be ill-intent behind, even if the conversion is not honest.

- If 90 percent of the converts stay in touch with the Church after being baptized, I'd say it is a pretty good "attach rate".

- Word of God will do it's work when it is preached, even if we have our doubts.

 

[legend166]

I don't think I can write a comprehensive post about this, because I am at work, but here are some thoughts.

- God is the one who sees into the hearts of men, and ultimately this is between him and the converts.

- There is a cultural difference. In western countries, faith and being a Christian is nowadays more of a matter personal faith and practice, but in Islamic countries it is pretty much all-encompassing part of the society. Some might see converting as a mean to integrate into German society. Meaning there might not be ill-intent behind, even if the conversion is not honest.

- If 90 percent of the converts stay in touch with the Church after being baptized, I'd say it is a pretty good "attach rate".

- Word of God will do it's work when it is preached, even if we have our doubts.

Yep, spot on. Even if there are a lot of false conversions, these people are hearing the Word of God. Abs that's the only way a false conversion can become a genuine one.

 

[Chaplain]

Yep, spot on. Even if there are a lot of false conversions, these people are hearing the Word of God. Abs that's the only way a false conversion can become a genuine one.

Agreed.

"So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11)

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"No Christian should be surprised at the state of the world today; he should expect it." (D. M. Lloyd-Jones)

Today's blog is on Acts 20 (Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders) verses 25-27: Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian elders (Part 2).

Samples from the study:

"The temptation for teachers, parents, and Christian workers is to share only certain topics or subjects. I understand that. Certainly, there are parts of the Bible I would rather not teach and issues I would rather not deal with. But we need to have the full counsel of God. That is why I believe it is necessary for Christians to know the Bible from cover to cover, and for churches to go through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation — not skipping over any part, but dealing with every book, studying every chapter. I don't want to leave anything out. Like Paul, I want to be able to say, `To the best of my ability, by Your grace, Lord, I've declared Your full counsel — even those things I would rather not have preached or talked about. If it was in Your Word, Lord — we dealt with it.' Because the Bible is written in such a way that it contains the perfect proportion of encouragement and exhortation, I encourage you to get involved in a church or a Bible study which studies the entire Word systematically. I'm convinced the way to spiritual maturity and health is to study the Bible book by book, chapter by chapter." (Courson)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Are miracles more important than the life-transforming power of the word of God?
Paul announces that he probably won’t see the Ephesian elders again.
Similarities between Paul and Jesus' lives.
What does it mean to have a clear conscience?
Paul’s solemn declaration of his innocence before God.
What does it mean to teach the whole counsel of God?
Why are pastors/teachers guilty for not teaching the whole counsel of God?

New sermons (right click/save as):

9/6/15 - 1 Timothy 3:16
9/6/15 - Revelation 20:4-6
9/6/15 - Faith (Lk 7:1-10)
9/6/15 - Living in the Vine (Jn 15:1-8)
9/6/15 - Genesis 17
9/6/15 - Luke 14:1-24
9/6/15 - The Lukewarm Church (Revelation 3:14-22)
9/6/15 - Be Not Deceived (II Thessalonians 2:3-5)
9/6/15 - Is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit Important? (Selected Scriptures)
9/6/15 - The Reason Jesus Came (Mark 1:9-15)

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Video: Evidence, Knowledge and Science: How does Christianity Measure Up?

Tyler VanderWeele at the University of Chicago, April 10th 2015.

Tyler VanderWeele's Education:

Ph.D. (Biostatistics) 2006, Harvard University
A.M. (Biostatistics) 2005, Harvard University
M.A. (Mathematics) 2005, University of Oxford
M.A. (Finance) 2002, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
B.A. (Philosophy and Theology) 2000, University of Oxford
B.A. (Mathematics) 2000, University of Oxford

Audio: The Briefing 09-09-15 (Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr. president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) (right click/save as)

1) Lack of moral authority higher than individual choice evidence in attack on Ohio abortion ban

Does Down Syndrome Justify Abortion?, New York Times (Mark Lawrence Schrad)

2) Supposed popularity of sexual fluidity reveals pop culture as tool for moral revolution

Sexual Attraction and Fluidity, New York Times (Charles M. Blow)
Kristen Stewart, Miley Cyrus and the Rise of Sexual Fluidity, Wall Street Journal (Eric Sasson)

3) 'Divorce selfies' and celebration of divorce an undermining of basic significance of marriage

On the viral rise of divorce selfies (and the death of traditional marriage), Washington Post (Caitlin Dewey)

4) Elizabeth II becomes longest reigning British monarch today

Queen Elizabeth: The many world leaders she has outlasted, BBC News

Audio: Because Survival is Insufficient (right click/save as)

Emily St. John Mandel’s novel Station Eleven is a very unique take on the post-apocalyptic genre. It depicts a desperate world where survival would seem to be a person’s sole priority. Yet, one of the story’s major ideas is that true life is so much more than mere survival. This podcast looks at what it is that keeps us going. Are we just sophisticated animals trying to stay alive? Do we live by bread alone?

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"A key part of deception and self-deception is the fact that evil must imitate good, unbelief must copy truth, vice must mimic virtue. Thus whereas properly ordered love related everything to God in trust, gratitude and humility, improperly ordered self-love relates everything to itself in prideful self-love. Such pride works constantly on behalf of its own body and its own mind in two ways. First, it serves the self-love of its body through the pursuit of pleasures; and second, it serves the self-love of its mind through the pursuit of approval and honor." (Os Guinness)

Today's blog is on Acts 20 (Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders) verses 28-31: Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian elders (Part 3).

Samples from the study:

"Peter in writing his epistle said, "Feed the flock of God which is among you." Jesus said to Peter, "Feed My sheep." I don't know why pastors don't realize that this is the most important function of a pastor is to feed the flock of God. We have those who are seeking to entertain the flock of God. And then God help us, unfortunately we have those who are seeking to fleece the flock of God. But how few are really feeding the flock of God."

"Use this verse with your Jehovah's Witness friends who doubt the divinity of Jesus Christ. It is irrefutable that if God purchased the Church with His own blood, then Jesus — the One Who gave His blood — must be God."

"While David was in the palace conducting the affairs of state, his son, Absalom, sat outside the gate saying to passersby, `David doesn't have time for you, does he? If I were on the throne, it would be different. Your needs would be met. Your voice would be heard.' Ultimately, Absalom launched a full-scale rebellion against his father and drove him from the palace (II Samuel 14-15). `Not only will wolves from the outside sneak in,' warned Paul, `but perverse men, like Absalom, will stir things up from within.' "

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Paul encourages the leaders of the Ephesian Christians to take heed to themselves and to God’s people.
Why do so many churches and Christians lose track of what True ministry is?
Is the church a dictatorship or a democracy?
Godly leadership feeds God’s people God's Word and leads by example.
Does the church belong to mankind or to Jesus?
Paul warns that false believers would come into God's church to deceive God's people.
Paul warns that false believers would come from outside into God's church to deceive God's people.
Paul's final encouragement to protect God's people.

New sermons (right click/save as):

9/9/15 - Proverbs 13:17-14:5
9/9/15 - 2 Samuel 16:1-23
9/9/15 - Isaiah 41

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Testimony: Jewish man turns to Jesus and explains why in a way you never heard before!

Video: A Convergent Dichotomy John Lennox on the Axioms & Implications of Science

Video: Is Anything Worth Believing In? John Lennox at Yale University

 

[Mariolee]

Thanks for all the responses to my post guys! Definitely powerful how the Word of God can touch those who don't expect it or necessarily even want it that much.

On that note, has anyone watched the Joe Biden interview on Colbert where he talks about his faith. Incredibly emotional and sincere. Will post once it goes up online.

 

[Chaplain]

Two quotes of the day:

"Man's love of truth is such that when he loves something which is not the truth, he pretends to himself that what he loves is the truth. And because he hates to be proved wrong, he will not allow himself to be convinced that he is deceiving himself. So he hates the real truth for what he takes to be, in his heart, the truth in its place." - Confessions Book X, Augustine

"Man is a thought adventurer. He has thought his way down through the ages. Which brings us to the real dilemma of man and his long adventure. He is a liar – a liar to himself. And once he's told himself a lie, round and round he goes after his favourite lie, as if it was a bit of phosphorous on the end of his nose.... But man, the longer he follows his lie, becomes all the surer he's seen a light." - D.H. Lawrence

Today's blog is on Acts 20 (Paul’s Farewell to the Ephesian Elders) verses 32-38: Paul’s farewell address to the Ephesian elders (Part 4).

Samples from the study:

"Hey, fellows, you've seen the calluses; I've worked with my own hands. I've took care of myself and those that were with me. I, you know, I earned my living. I didn't covet your silver or gold or apparel. I wasn't here to rip you off or to fleece you. I was here to minister and to feed you." Now he was telling them that because those false prophets are always seeking to fleece the sheep. Always some new gimmick to take a second offering or a third offering. Always the emphasis upon your giving to God rather than what God has given to you. Watch that one who is constantly emphasizing what you ought to be giving to God. The New Testament emphasizes what God has given to you."

"Without a heart of sacrifice there can be no real effective, eternal ministry – and it should be a glad sacrifice, knowing the blessedness of it all."

"An organization in Wheaton, Illinois, named Empty Tomb, computed that if Christians would tithe, in two years — every church facility in the world would be paid for; every church ministry would be functional and out of debt, every Christian University, Bible school, and training center would be funded; and every hungry person in the world would be fed."

"It may well be that in their zeal to fight against false doctrine – which they seemed to do well – they left their love for Jesus and their love for one another behind. It’s a great illustration of the principle that the devil doesn’t care which side of the boat we fall out of, just as long as we’re in the water and not in the boat."

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Why is God's Word and God's grace enough to build us up?
What does it mean to be a hard worker for God?
How to spot godly and false leaders in the church.
Paul’s conclusion: Remember a heart of sacrifice is what God desires for all believers.
Why is Tithing so important?
Paul’s tearful good-bye to the Ephesian elders.
Why does Jesus tell the Ephesians (30/40 years later) that they walked away (turned) from His love?

Video: Billy Graham’s 9/11 Message from the Washington National Cathedral

"Billy Graham’s remarks given at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on Friday, September 14, 2001, brought hope and healing to the shocked nation. His words are still powerful, 14 years later."

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Audio: What is the essence of apologetics?

In the first part of this series of talks, Os Guinness asks what is the essence of apologetics? He considers reasons that some people are wary of apologetics and highlights some of the limitations that can apply to apologetics. As we listen, it is worth considering to what extent these criticisms and limitations of apologetics apply to our own application of it.

Audio: A Biblical basis for apologetics

In Part 2 of this series, Dr Guinness considers whether there is a Biblical basis for apologetics, from both Old and New Testaments.

Audio: How to communicate in apologetics

In Part 3 of this series, Dr Guinness considers how to communicate effectively in apologetics.

Audio: Persuading the hard-hearted

In Part 4 of this series, Dr Guinness considers how to persuade those who appear 'hard-hearted', to awaken an awareness of their need for the Gospel through various creative means.

Video: Why the New Atheists are Missing the Target | John Lennox | 05.02.15

Video: Why Science Needs Faith and Faith Needs Science | Prof. Alister McGrath | 18.05.15

Thanks for all the responses to my post guys! Definitely powerful how the Word of God can touch those who don't expect it or necessarily even want it that much.

Your welcome.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

“Sometimes life gets overwhelming, and we realize we could use a little help. So we pray for our health to get better, for our marriage to work out, for success in our work that has taken a turn for the worse. There is nothing wrong in praying for these things, but they are not what our salvation is about. Don’t expect Jesus to save us by teaching us to depend on the things we are afraid of losing! He loves us too much to let our health, marriage, or work become the savior of our lives. He will abandon every crusade that searches for salvation from anything or anyone other than God. So he delays, he watches as we race down dead-end streets, he lets our mission du jour crash and burn. To receive Jesus as Savior means recognizing him as our only help. Not our only help for getting what we want. But our only true help.” (Barnes)

Today's blog is on Acts 20 (Paul Arrives In Jerusalem) verses 1-9: Paul travels from Asia Minor to Caesarea.

Samples from the study:

"This group of believers, like another group we'll see further on in the chapter, traveled with and stood by Paul — even though they didn't agree with the direction in which he was going. Why? Because they loved and respected him in the Lord. It would be radical if here at church, we would put away the need to be heard and simply say, `Here's my opinion, here's my perspective; but I respect you in the Lord, regardless of your decision.'" (Courson)

"In all of its expressions, whether halting and short or flowing in beautiful, well-structured phrases, prayer is simply a conversation with God. If we turn prayer into a monologue or use it as a way to showcase our gift with words or as a venue for informing or instructing others who may be listening, we defeat the very purpose of prayer. The Bible makes it clear that prayer is intended as the line of connection from the heart of the praying person directly to the heart of God. Jesus himself practiced a lifestyle of prayer and urged his disciples to imitate him by making it part of their daily existence. His prayers represented prayer at its best and most sincere." (Zacharias)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Paul leaves Miletus and the meeting with the Ephesian elders.
Should we ever take a break from church?
The Holy Spirit warns Paul again in the city of Tyre.
Are `family time' and church attendance mutually exclusive?
What is the purpose of prayer?
Paul arrives at Ptolemais.
Paul arrives at Caesarea and the home of Philip the evangelist.

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Audio: Unbelievable? Can Christians & atheists stop fighting? Randal Rauser & Alom Shaha (9/12/2015)

Christian theologian Randal Rauser's new book "Is the atheist my Neighbour?" says that Christians often fail to extend respect and love towards atheists.

Atheist contributor Alom Shaha interacts with Randal as they discuss the good, the bad and the ugly when it comes to atheist/Christian dialogue and debate.

Get the MP3 (right click/save as)

For Randal Rauser: http://randalrauser.com/tag/is-the-atheist-my-neighbor/

For Alom Shaha: http://alomshaha.com

For more faith debates visit http://www.premierchristianradio.com/Shows/Saturday/Unbelievable

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Friedrich Nietzsche wrote: “The gods justified human life by living it themselves—the only satisfactory [response to the problem of suffering] ever invented.” Nietzsche is actually writing of the ancient Greeks here, and in his bias he doesn’t make the connection to Christianity. But as a Christian, I am very pleased to agree with him and then point emphatically to the cross where Jesus died. The night before his death, as Jesus wrestled with what He knew the next day would bring, Jesus said to his friends, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow, to the point of death” (Matthew 26:38). Think about it. The God of the Universe, the Creator of all things, saying He is overwhelmed with sorrow, even to death…. If you’ve ever experienced deep depression or thought about dying, Jesus is right there with you. There is no depth of agony and helplessness we can experience in this life that He doesn’t understand. At the Cross, we see the absolute uniqueness of the Christian response to suffering. In Islam, the idea of God suffering is nonsense—it is thought to make God weak. In Buddhism, to reach divinity is precisely to move beyond the possibility of suffering. Only in Christ do we have a God who is loving enough to suffer with us. The loving parent is not the one who never allows suffering in a child’s life. The loving parent is the one who is willing to suffer alongside their children. And in Christianity this is exactly what we find." (Vitale)

Today's blog is on Acts 20 (Paul Arrives In Jerusalem) verses 10-14: A Prophet warns Paul of future suffering.

Samples from the study:

“Prophecy is the voice that God has lent to the silent agony, a voice to the plundered poor, to the profaned riches of the world. It is a form of living, a crossing point of God and man. God is raging in the words of the prophet.” (Heschel)

“To choose to suffer means that there is something wrong; to choose God’s will even if it means suffering is a very different thing. No healthy saint ever chooses suffering; he chooses God’s will, as Jesus did, whether it means suffering or not.” (Chambers, cited in Hughes)

" Isaiah 53:10-11 says, “It was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer…. After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied.” Of course this passage is talking about Jesus, but as a child of God, the Bible says that I am a joint heir with Christ to God’s promises and resources. 1 Therefore, those promises apply to me as well. Though God leads me into suffering—dare I say designs the suffering for me—I will have victory in it. I will see the light of life, my soul will be satisfied, and I will worship God." (Zacharias)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Why does God uses prophets as his messengers?
Agabus warns Paul of the prophecy he was given about Paul's suffering.
Was Paul masochistic for wanting to suffer for Jesus?
Is Jesus the God Who Suffers With Us?
Is it God's will that Christians suffer?

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Video: The Abortion Debate - Scott Klusendorf vs James Croft

Human life is a continuum beginning at conception and ending at natural death. You did not come from a zygote, you once were a zygote. You did not evolve from a fetus, you once were a fetus. This position is both scientifically and philosophically sound. -Scott Klusendorf.

Article: Faith leaders "registering" to thwart extremism

Priests, rabbis and imams as well as other religious leaders will have to join a national register for faith leaders as part of the Home Office's plan to tackle extremism.

New sermons (right click/save as):

9/8/15 - James 4:11-17
9/13/15 - Genesis 18-19
9/13/15 - Going To Heaven (Revelation 4:1-11)
9/13/15 - Now is the Time (II Thessalonians 2:3-7)

 

[aly]

So my cousin and her mom were hit by some idiot in a police chase and now she's in critical care and her mom is dead. I just feel awful right now. They were just such nice people and it just hurts to think about. I can only pray that she makes a recovery cause I don't know what else to do. Just needed to get that off my chest here.

 

[StaffyManasse]

Hey guys, I wanted to discuss this trending news article with you. Apparently "Pastor Gottfried Martens of the evangelical Trinity Church said he has seen an increase in Iranian and Afghan asylum seekers becoming baptized at his church."

I just learned the Church in question here is actually a "sister congregation" to the one I am part of. Here is a Pastor Gottfried Martens talking about the topic.

So my cousin and her mom were hit by some idiot in a police chase and now she's in critical care and her mom is dead. I just feel awful right now. They were just such nice people and it just hurts to think about. I can only pray that she makes a recovery cause I don't know what else to do. Just needed to get that off my chest here.

I'm sorry to hear aly.

 

[Mariolee]

If you guys are interested you should post up in the State of the Bible Canon thread!

So my cousin and her mom were hit by some idiot in a police chase and now she's in critical care and her mom is dead. I just feel awful right now. They were just such nice people and it just hurts to think about. I can only pray that she makes a recovery cause I don't know what else to do. Just needed to get that off my chest here.

Oh my, that is horrifying. I'll keep her and her family in my thoughts and prayers. Just remember we're thinking about her. Is there some sort of GoFundMe set up that we can donate to?

 

[aly]

I'm sorry to hear aly.

Oh my, that is horrifying. I'll keep her and her family in my thoughts and prayers. Just remember we're thinking about her. Is there some sort of GoFundMe set up that we can donate to?

Thanks guys, that makes me feel so much better. I was in the dumps yesterday but sitting down and asking for peace and praying about helping her put me in a much better place.

 

[StaffyManasse]

If you guys are interested you should post up in the State of the Bible Canon thread!

Read through it.

Sometimes is feels like my faith is too simple for GAF and I would just be ridiculed and torn apart by the more intellectual members.

I mean I believe in creation. I believe we are all fallen and sin is part of us we cannot escape. And I believe in forgiveness and salvation in Christ.

 

[legend166]

Read through it.

Sometimes is feels like my faith is too simple for GAF and I would just be ridiculed and torn apart by the more intellectual members.

I mean I believe in creation. I believe we are all fallen and sin is part of us we cannot escape. And I believe in forgiveness and salvation in Christ.

Meh, don't get fooled by a lot of them. They speak authoritatively on subjects they really don't know much about. I mean there's one guy trying to tell me that orthodox Christian belief states that Jesus didn't have to die on the cross and that's not even why He came in the first place.

Then the other guy who talked about the NT being written hundreds of years after the life of Jesus, and people who think the Bible has been translated too many times so we can't trust it.

These are typical internet atheist talking points (well, except the first one. I've never heard that before) that aren't based on any solid research or even a basic understanding of Christian history & theology.

Reading through that thread just solidifies my belief that the Christian church has done a terrible job in the last few decades explaining what it believes in. A lot of that comes down to who the world sees as 'the church' these days, I guess.

 

[StaffyManasse]

Meh, don't get fooled by a lot of them. They speak authoritatively on subjects they really don't know much about. I mean there's one guy trying to tell me that orthodox Christian belief states that Jesus didn't have to die on the cross and that's not even why He came in the first place.

Then the other guy who talked about the NT being written hundreds of years after the life of Jesus, and people who think the Bible has been translated too many times so we can't trust it.

These are typical internet atheist talking points (well, except the first one. I've never heard that before) that aren't based on any solid research or even a basic understanding of Christian history & theology.

Reading through that thread just solidifies my belief that the Christian church has done a terrible job in the last few decades explaining what it believes in. A lot of that comes down to who the world sees as 'the church' these days, I guess.

Yeah, they don't really challenge my faith all that much. That's a job my old self does way better anyway.

It's just frustrating to see how much echo they get with their misguided ideas of Christianity, and when someone post something more closer to simple core of gospel, they get ignored.

But I guess in the end it comes down to this:

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God

 

[Mariolee]

Thanks guys, that makes me feel so much better. I was in the dumps yesterday but sitting down and asking for peace and praying about helping her put me in a much better place.

I'm glad!

Read through it.

Sometimes is feels like my faith is too simple for GAF and I would just be ridiculed and torn apart by the more intellectual members.

I mean I believe in creation. I believe we are all fallen and sin is part of us we cannot escape. And I believe in forgiveness and salvation in Christ.

Just read a lot more and if something seems wrong to you just research and call them out on it. A lot of the times it feels like intimidation tactics (that's not to say that a lot of the time they don't have well constructed arguments), so don't be afraid to stand up to them or enter a thread and have your faith questioned. Doing so has the possibility of making your faith stronger. If for nothing else in my opinion, it is useful to just post what you think just to show that there are Christians on GAF in the first place. Atheists occupy a lot of the public square on GAF which is why their intimidation tactics work on people of faith, but if you just buck up and introduce a well constructed counter argument or even just state your opinion it has such a profound effect on those lurking. Let God use you!

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Relativism would indeed be devastating if it were true, but relativism is always inconsistent, and relativists always cheat at some point. They relativize the views of others, but not their own. ("Well, of course, you’d see it that way. You’re a Westerner/middle class/older generation.") They relativize the past, but not the present. They relativize us, but not themselves. Their relativism is always an escape, but not a solid position that can be examined. ("I was born that way. We're wired differently. It's a generational thing. You wouldn't understand.")" (Scholar Os Guinness)

Today's blog is on Acts 20 (Paul Arrives In Jerusalem) verses 26-40: A mob attempts to have Paul killed over a false assumption.

Samples from the study:

"Here's the question: Where were the Jerusalem believers? Paul had come bringing an offering for them. He had shown flexibility in doing what they asked of him, even though it wasn't his conviction — and now he was getting beat up as a result. Where was the Church when Paul was in trouble? Nowhere to be found. That's what happens whenever legalism and compromise begin to set into a church or an individual. Energy and commitment are replaced by traditionalism and ritualism, and the Church becomes the `frozen chosen'. How I pray we will continually be adjusted as a church and as individuals. `Lord, don't let us care more about external regulations and forms than we do about love, commitment, and standing by each other when someone's getting beaten up.' It's a tragic commentary that in Jerusalem, it was the Romans — not the Christians — who saved Paul." (Courson)

Similarities between Jesus and Paul as shown in Acts 20 and 21:

Like Jesus, Paul traveled to Jerusalem with a group of disciples.
Like Jesus, Paul had opposition from hostile Jews who plotted against his life.
Like Jesus, Paul made or received three successive predictions of his coming sufferings in Jerusalem, including being handed over to the Gentiles.
Like Jesus, Paul had followers who tried to discourage him from going to Jerusalem and the fate that awaited him there.
Like Jesus, Paul declared his readiness to lay down his life.
Like Jesus, Paul was determined to complete his ministry and not be deflected from it.
Like Jesus, Paul expressed his abandonment to the will of God.
Like Jesus, Paul came to Jerusalem to give something.
Like Jesus, Paul was unjustly arrested on the basis of a false accusation.
Like Jesus, Paul alone was arrested, but none of his companions.
Like Jesus, Paul heard the mob crying out, Away with him!
Like Jesus, the Roman officer handling Paul’s case did not know his true identity.
Like Jesus, Paul was associated with terrorists by a Roman official.

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Why did Paul sponsor and join some Christians in a Jewish purification ritual?
False assumptions lead Jews from Asia to stir a mob against Paul.
Roman soldiers rescue Paul.
Why did the church (Jerusalem believers) leave Paul to die in the hands of the mob?
Paul calmly tells the Roman commander that he is not a terrorist.
Paul is permitted to address the mob that wanted to kill him.
What similarities do Jesus and Paul share?

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

In less than two hours there will be a live streamed Bible conference that starts at 9am PST that goes until 3pm PST. Here is the info:

On Saturday, September 19th, (9:00 am – 3:00 pm) – Calvary Pasadena presents “The Word Of God and Prayer.” An opportunity to cultivate in our hearts the eternal importance of God’s plan for the ages. Our special guest speakers will be Pastor Chris Quintana (Calvary Chapel Cypress) and Pastor Jack Abeelen (Morningstar Christian Chapel), with worship by The Heritage Band.

Live stream link

Audio: Unbelievable? Up the Ladder in Hyde Park – Muslim & Christians in debate (9/19/15)

The feature “Up the Ladder in Hyde Park”, originally broadcast in 2008, sees Justin meet Muslims and Christians engaged in rowdy debates at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park, London.

Can these shouting matches be fruitful? Are they Christ-like? Justin meets the participants and Jay Smith the Christian evangelist who believes they are an important way of sharing the Gospel.

Download MP3 (right click/save as)

New sermons (right click/save as):

9/13/15 - Which of These Two? (Ac 1:12-26)
9/13/15 - Ezra 8
9/15/15 - James 5:1-6
9/16/15 - God, Where Are You?
9/16/15 - Proverbs 14
9/17/15 - The Reasons for Unity, Pt. 1 (Ephesians 4:4-6)

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"There are five gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and the life of the individual Christian. Most people will not read the first four" (Andy Bannister)

Today's blog is on Acts 22 (Paul’s Jerusalem Sermon) verses 3-11. Paul’s Jerusalem Sermon #2: Paul's Jewish upbringing and background, his persecution of Christians, and his meeting with Jesus.

Samples from the study:

"C.S. Lewis, the self-named most reluctant and dejected convert in all England, penned this now famous and oft-quoted account of his conversion. Unlike some who decided to follow Jesus with urgency and willingness of heart, Lewis came kicking and screaming! Some may resonate with Lewis’s dogged reluctance, whereas others gladly pursue the path home. Lewis’s reluctant conversion fascinates me, but I am even more moved by the glimpse into God’s character his story affords. Lewis reminds us of the love of God that relentlessly pursues even the reluctant prodigal who would turn and run in the opposite direction in order to try and escape God’s gracious embrace. The God revealed in Lewis’s account is a God in pursuit. Perhaps this God is even particularly enamored with the reluctant prodigal, leaving the ninety-nine sheep, as Jesus insists in Luke’s Gospel, to pursue the one lost sheep." (Shull)

“God does not abandon the godless to their evil but gives the divine self for them in order to receive them into divine communion through atonement, so also should we—whoever our enemies and whoever we may be” (Miroslav Volf , A Theological Exploration of Identity, Otherness, and Reconciliation, p. 23).

"God said to Abraham, "Get out of the land of your fathers and journey to a land that I will show you." So by faith, Abraham left the land of his father’s not knowing where he was going. Now that's real faith. "God just told me, 'Get out.'" "Where you going?" "I don't know." "Why are you leaving?" "God told me to leave." "But where are you going?" "I don't know." "Man, that doesn't make sense." It does if you're a servant of God and you're getting your orders from Him. He'll give you step two when you've taken step one. And so we must step out in faith. If God has given us step one, then step out in faith. Take that which you understand and know at this point and when you get there, God will give you the next step. He leads us step by step. The will of God is usually a progressive revelation to each of our hearts. It is a continuing progressive revelation." (Smith)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Paul gives his testimony of his Jewish upbringing and background before Jesus saved him.
Paul tells how he persecuted and murdered Christians before Jesus saved him.
Paul describes his supernatural experience meeting Jesus on the way to Damascus.
Why does God’s love pursue people who reject Him?
Progressive revelation of God's will: Why does God often lead us just one step at a time?

New sermons (right click/save as):

9/13/15 - The Government of the Millennium (Joel 2:25-27, 3:17-18, 20-21)
9/13/15 - Joel 3
9/20/15 - Bill Federer - History of Islam
9/20/15 - Worthy Is The Lamb (Revelation 5:1-14)
9/20/15 - All Parties Present But One (II Thessalonians 2:3-8)

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

“If truth doesn’t exist, then it would be true that truth doesn’t exist, and once again we arrive at truth. There is no alternative; truth must exist.” (Nabeel Qureshi)

Today's blog is on Acts 22 (Paul’s Jerusalem Sermon) verses 12-18. Paul’s Jerusalem Sermon #3: Jesus uses Ananias to help Paul and speaks to Paul directly about not going to Jerusalem.

Samples from the study:

"When was Paul saved—on the Damascus Road or at Judas’ house? Several factors suggest he was saved on the Damascus Road: (1) The gospel was presented to him directly by Christ (Gal. 1:11–12), not later by Ananias. (2) Already (Acts 22:10) Paul said he had submitted in faith to Christ. (3) Paul was filled with the Spirit before his baptism with water (9:17–18). (4) The Greek aorist participle, epikalesamenos, translated calling on His name refers either to action which is simultaneous with or before that of the main verb. Here Paul’s calling on Christ’s name (for salvation) preceded his water baptism. The participle may be translated, “having called on His name.” (Walvoord)

"It sounded like, from the text here, that Paul returned immediately to Jerusalem from Damascus, but that was not so. He stayed in Damascus for a short period of time, but then he went out into the desert. He went out into Arabia, and there he spent close to three years as God revealed to Paul during that period God's will for Paul's life as God corrected his whole understanding of the Old Testament scriptures. Paul returned from Arabia to Damascus, began to preach Christ boldly in the synagogues, got the Jews all upset who decided to kill him. So his friends let him down over the wall in a basket so he could escape from Damascus, because the Jews were waiting at the gate of the city to ambush him when he went to leave. And so he came down to Jerusalem, but that was some three years later. But Luke passes it all over, leaves a lot of the history absent, and perhaps Paul did in his witness here." (Smith)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

When did Paul become a Christian?
Paul describes his response to the supernatural experience in Damascus.
Why did Paul attend temple after he became a Christian?
Jesus speaks to Paul in a trance at the temple in Jerusalem.

New sermons (right click/save as):

9/19/15 - Two Ways to Pray (“The Word Of God and Prayer” Conference)
9/19/15 - The Essentials of Doctrine (“The Word Of God and Prayer” Conference)
9/19/15 - Prayerfully Watching (“The Word Of God and Prayer” Conference)
9/19/15 - The Uncompromising Word (“The Word Of God and Prayer” Conference)
9/20/15 - Ezra 9-10
9/20/15 - Revelation 20:7-10
9/20/15 - The Day of Pentecost Fully Come (Ac 2:1-18)
9/20/15 - Trust in the Lord (Pr 3:5-6)
9/20/15 - Amos, the Country Prophet (Selected Scriptures)
9/20/15 - Introduction to Amos

Resources to help us answer tricky questions:

Video: Give Me an Answer - #2314 - Science vs. Faith

Audio: Amy Orr-Ewing answers atheists' questions

Amy Orr-Ewing is an evangelist and apologist with the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. She is a speaker at Unbelievable? The Conference 2013

Amy takes calls from 3 atheist listeners. Trevor asks whether we can trust the Gospels as eyewitness accounts? Rachel asks whether Christians can learn from other spiritual practices? Jay asks why Christians are so divided in the US culture wars.

Get the MP3 (right click/save as)

Article: A Freedom That Enslaves

In a recent and defining move for a globally controversial issue, an international council for Amnesty International voted to develop a policy calling for the decriminalization of all aspects of consensual prostitution. To clarify, this is distinct from legalization, as legalization is accompanied by regulation. The committee said their findings revealed that regulation placed sex workers in unsafe and compromising situations, and so two years of research and evaluation resulted in a decision they defend as reflective of their conviction to protect the human rights of sex workers, a group extremely vulnerable to human rights abuses, such as exploitation and violence.

 

[kinggroin]

Everything you do is appreciated GameAnalyst. Don't stop.

 

[Gwanatu T]

Game Analyst, thank you. My wife actually just bought the Tortured for Christ book not long ago based on stories we'd heard from the Voice of the Martyrs podcast. We haven't had a chance to read it yet but the excerpt from the top of this page makes me want to go home and read it asap. Please continue sharing these things, it's a wonderful light for everyone.