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[andthebeatgoeson]

What is a good place to start reading the bible? I belong to a church, and I go here and there, but I've yet to fully dive in to reading. Also, how do others feel about tithing?

I would suggest one of the gospels. The difference in Christianity from any other religion starts at Jesus. The more you understand Jesus, the better. I distinctly remember knowing the books of the bible and the stories of the old testament as a kid and couldn't tell you a lot about Jesus from my private, Christian education. That may have been more harmful.

Another great way to tackle the bible is a study or devotional book. Better to have one verse explained in detail than just reading it to check off a box. I've been going thru a 1 year devotional on just the gospels for about 3 years but each time I read it, I get a ton out of it.

Finally, it's not a race. Take it at your own pace. Do what feels good to you for reading.

 

[Zantetsuken]

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it."

Malachi 3:10

Your tithe supports not only your local church but also the community, missionaries, and charitable efforts worldwide. This is what we are called to do.

"But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him?"

1 John 3:17

But this does not mean money, correct? The verse only speaks of food. This is my issue. Where the 10 percent of money earned came from is where I scratch my head sometimes.

 

[Randolph Freelander]

But this does not mean money, correct? The verse only speaks of food. This is my issue. Where the 10 percent of money earned came from is where I scratch my head sometimes.

It's true, that verse speaks in terms of food and the original requirement in Leviticus is in terms of livestock and agriculture, for it was an agrarian society. The output from the land was the income.

"A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD." Leviticus 27:30

However, Jesus himself uses the concept of income while telling parables or admonishing the pharisees of his day.

Luke 18

9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 11:42

"Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

The point in these passages was not the tithe, it was knocking the pharisees down a level or two while warning against self-righteousness, but it's still interesting that the tithe was included and the direction was to add justice and love to it!

What you give is between you and God, but still, the point remains that we are instructed to love God and to love our neighbor, and to not let our neighbor be in need. We also like having houses of worship to attend, and we like having all the support structures those houses can provide. We like sending missionaries all over the world to spread the good news. We like supporting the community through outreach. In this world, all of these things take money.

I personally do not think the tithe to be a burden. In fact, if anything, it has helped me to be more prudent with my money, to live within my means, and not waste it unnecessarily on lavish things I do not need. And though none of my blessings are guaranteed, I also cannot discount the role the tithe has played with them.

 

[Chaplain]

Where the 10 percent of money earned came from is where I scratch my head sometimes.

The 10% tithe comes from Abram (Abraham) giving Melchizedek 10% of his finances in Genesis 14 (the first mention of the word tithe in the Bible).

Here is an article on tithing if you are still curious about it:

Does God require me to give a tithe of all I earn?

Two kinds of giving are taught consistently throughout Scripture: giving to the government (always compulsory), and giving to God (always voluntary).

The issue has been greatly confused, however, by some who misunderstand the nature of the Old Testament tithes. Tithes were not primarily gifts to God, but taxes for funding the national budget in Israel.

Because Israel was a theocracy, the Levitical priests acted as the civil government. So the Levite's tithe (Leviticus 27:30-33) was a precursor to today's income tax, as was a second annual tithe required by God to fund a national festival (Deuteronomy 14:22-29). Smaller taxes were also imposed on the people by the law (Leviticus 19:9-10; Exodus 23:10-11). So the total giving required of the Israelites was not 10 percent, but well over 20 percent. All that money was used to operate the nation.

All giving apart from that required to run the government was purely voluntary (cf. Exodus 25:2; 1 Chronicles 29:9). Each person gave whatever was in his heart to give; no percentage or amount was specified.

New Testament believers are never commanded to tithe. Matthew 22:15-22 and Romans 13:1-7 tell us about the only required giving in the church age, which is the paying of taxes to the government. Interestingly enough, we in America presently pay between 20 and 30 percent of our income to the government--a figure very similar to the requirement under the theocracy of Israel.

The guideline for our giving to God and His work is found in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7: "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver."

 

[Chaplain]

I thought it would be good to start posting currents events to keep everyone up-to-date on things going on around the world (current and past events). So, here goes:

Church Divorce Rate Way Lower than Anyone Thought
Netanyahu slams ‘disgracef​ul’ Presbyteri​an Church decision
Pedophiles Call for Same Rights as Homosexuals
Obama Anti-Discrimination Executive Order Will Make Homosexuality Like a New Race
North Korea Publicly Executes 80 for Possessing Bibles
Retired General: The Muslim Brotherhood Has Infiltrated the US Government
Hindus pressure police to arrest 40 Christians in Nepal
Ground Zero Cross: Court presses atheist group to explain why artifact is 'offensive'
The Crisis of Biblical Illiteracy
Nancy Pelosi Tried To Scare This Catholic Bishop Into Silence, But Oh Did It Backfire In Her Face
Rev. Graham: Muslims Who ‘Want to Practice Sharia Law’ Should ‘Go Back Where You Came From’
Greg Laurie on Current Political Events: America, This is Your Wake-Up Call
Presbyterian Church USA Defeats Motion to Care for Babies Born Alive After Abortion

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 22 verses 15-22

Things discussed:

The Pharisees and Herodians launch a counterattack on Jesus.
The Pharisees and Herodians use flattery to try and manipulate Jesus.
The Pharisees and Herodians try to trap Jesus with a question about paying taxes.
Jesus asks the Pharisees and the Herodians a question despite their wickedness and hypocrisy.
Jesus tells it like it is: give to Caesar what is his, but give to God what belongs to God.

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 22 verses 23-33.

Things discussed:

Background on the Sadducees.
The Sadducees attempt to mock Jesus with the idea of the resurrection.
Jesus tells the Sadducees that have deliberately chosen to not understand God or His Word.
Will people be married in heaven?.
Jesus corrects the Sadducees regarding the existence of angels.
Jesus uses the Torah to prove to the Sadducees that the resurrection and the afterlife exist.

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 22 verses 34-46.

Things discussed:

The Pharisees gather together after finding out that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees.
A lawyer among the Pharisees attempts to trap Jesus with a question about the greatest commandment.
What does it mean to love God and our neighbor as ourselves?
The Old Testament is summed up in what word?
Jesus asks about the religious leaders about the lineage of the Messiah.
Why did the Pharisees identify the Messiah as only the Son of David?
Jesus uses the Old Testament to prove that the Messiah would be Man and God.
Why did Jesus' enemies retreat after their last dialogue with Jesus?

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 23 verses 1-4.

Things discussed:

Introduction to Matthew chapter 23.
Why does Jesus warn the crowds about the scribes and Pharisees?
Not many people know that there were seven different types of Pharisees.
Jesus gives us multiple signs for spotting false spiritual leadership.

 

[Chaplain]

The Third Jihad - Radical Islam's Vision for America - (A Clarion Project Film)
Iran is Preparing to Annihilate Israel
7 Good Reasons To Stop Looking at Porn Right Now
Black Pastor on Obama: ‘This is the Most Immoral President We’ve Ever Had’
US military personnel forced to submit to the sharia during Ramadan
Pope Francis Decrees That Individual Salvation Outside Of Roman Catholic Church Doesn’t Exist
Christian Father Commits Suicide After ISIS Members Rape Wife and Daughter in Front of Him Because He Couldn't Pay Poll Tax
Apostasy Rising: 4 Denominations In Less Than a Week Defy God's Word
Muslim Men Openly Raping Women in Iraq
Iraqi Christian Refugee: 'Our Future Is Unknown'
This Public Statement Will Send FEAR Shooting Up The Kidnapper’s Spines
Obama to Meet With Baptist Pastor Who Embraced Homosexuality After Son Came Out
Prayer Leader Of Scotland Mosque Who “Never Ever” Showed Signs Of ‘Radicalization’ Calls Upon Muslims To Wage Violent Jihad In Iraq & Syria
Public Documents Refute New Mexico Science Museum's Attempt to Whitewash Atheist Collaboration

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 23 verses 5-12.

Things discussed:

Jesus describes the scribes and Pharisees boastful works:
Jesus warns us of advertising (externally) our spirituality falsely.
What is wrong with having people admire a person's spirituality?
Why did Jesus not want His followers to call themselves teachers or father?
What is to God's definition of greatness?
What is Jesus' thoughts on Christians who exalt themselves?

 

[Chaplain]

A great article on God and suffering.

If God, Why Suffering?
Posted: 27 Jun 2014 11:15 PM PDT

In one of the first significant conversations I had on this topic, my Aunt Regina expressed to me how difficult it is to see her son Charles – my cousin – struggle with a serious mental illness.

Being more concerned at the time with the question than the questioner, I started spouting some of my abstract, philosophical ideas about why God might allow suffering. But after listening very graciously, Aunt Regina turned to me and said, “But Vince, that doesn’t speak to me as a mother.”

Suffering is very real and very personal, and since that conversation with my Aunt I am always hesitant to address it briefly. In what follows, I will try to provide some starting points for further thought and prayer, but please forgive me if anything I say comes across as if I am not taking seriously any real life suffering you are dealing with. My hope is that will not be the case, and that amidst the suffering of this world each of us will find strength, comfort, and meaning in the community of those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ.

Let me begin to sketch seven approaches to thinking about the challenge of suffering.

1. The Objective Reality of Evil

The challenge is often framed in this way: if a loving and powerful God exists, He would not allow evil to exist; evil does exist; therefore, there must be no God.

For evil to pose this problem for belief in God, evil itself must be real. But there is a serious question about whether atheism can account for the objective reality of the evil that motivates the problem of evil in the first place. And if you need a good God to account for evil, then you can’t disprove that good God with evil.

I recently came across an interview with Richard Dawkins in which the interviewer was challenging him about the implications of his naturalistic worldview. The interviewer said, “Ultimately, your belief that rape is wrong is as arbitrary as the fact that we’ve evolved five fingers rather than six.” To which Dawkins responded, “You could say that, yeah.”[ii]

I guess you could. I certainly don’t want to, and I don’t think it’s rational to, and having an objective, unchanging standard for morality in the existence of a loving God can help explain why we don’t need to. If a good and loving God exists then there is something we can appeal to beyond shifting cultural trends and arbitrary genetic programming as the basis of morality, as the basis for saying that some things really are objectively good and right, and some things really are objectively evil and wrong.

Alternatively, if what we call morality is just a byproduct of naturalistic evolution, then to say that something is moral or good is just to say that it is conducive for the survival of the human species. But that is not the morality we actually believe in. People are not morally valuable only insofar as they can be put to use for the survival of the species. No. Each and every individual has an intrinsic and inalienable moral worth. And this worth is no less when old age or disability or disease or any host of other things threaten to make us less useful for the evolutionary goal of survival.

Naturalistic evolution cannot explain the intrinsic dignity and worth of every single person. What can explain this is that each person is created in the image of a good God, and is fully known and unconditionally loved by Him.

2. The Limits of Human Knowledge

One of the assumptions smuggled into the thought that suffering disproves the existence of God is this:

If God has good reasons for allowing suffering, we should know what those reasons are.

But why think that?

When parents decide to move their family from one city to another, this can genuinely be very difficult on a young child. It may be experienced by the child as the absolute worst suffering that could ever occur. In the moment, the child might be certain that all happiness is behind him, that his parents hate him, and that for all practical purposes his life is over.

And yet even such outrage on the part of a child does not mean that the child’s parents are wrong to make the move, and it does not mean that they don’t love him. In fact, it’s very likely that it was precisely the good of their children that weighed heavily in the parents’ decision.

You can see the analogy: if parents’ reasons are sometimes beyond what a child can fully grasp, why then should we be surprised when some of God’s reasons are beyond what we can fully grasp? This general approach is referred to as ‘Skeptical Theism’ in academic philosophy. But it’s not a new idea:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the LORD.”

“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)[iii]

If God is as great as Christians claim He is, then sometimes not fully grasping the fullness of His reasons is exactly what we should expect. And if it’s exactly what we should expect to find if God does exist, then our finding it can’t be strong evidence that God does not exist.

3. A Response of Freedom

What kind of world God would have made depends on what God values. According to Christianity, what God values above all is relationship. But for relationship to be meaningful, it must be freely chosen; for relationship to be freely chosen, there must be the possibility of it being rejected; and wherever there is the possibility of rejecting relationship, there is also the possibility of pain and suffering.

The Bible affirms this truth from its very first pages. We find a story of people who are in intimate relationship with God, and who know what He has asked of them. But then they hear this voice in their ears, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1). And they begin to doubt God. They begin to doubt that He knows what’s best for them; they begin to doubt that He is for them; ultimately they begin to doubt what He has actually said – His word.

And then they sin.

They do what they know deep down they should not do. Not a big sin, just eating a piece of fruit that they were told not to eat. No big deal, right? But it starts them down a path. First we’re told that they felt shame. They were convinced that God wouldn’t want anything to do with them anymore, and so they hid themselves from God. Then they began accusing each other. Adam pointed at Eve and said “She did it!” (in essence pointing his finger at God as well by referring to Eve as “the woman you put here with me” (Genesis 3:12)) and Eve pointed at the serpent and said “He did it!”

From temptation to doubt to disobedience to shame to hiding to finger-pointing to suffering – is there really a question about whether this story speaks the truth about the human heart? When I read it, I have to admit that it resounds with the truth about me.

But here’s the most amazing part of the Fall story. The first persons have rejected God. They’ve decided they’d rather be their own gods. And how does God respond? He goes looking for them; he pursues them; he calls out to them: “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9).

Then, after their first interaction with God after they had sinned, Adam names his wife “Eve.” It’s a name of great honor. It is often understood to mean “breath” or “life,” and it is given to her “because she would become the mother of all the living” (Genesis 3:20); symbolically, it connects her with God’s breathing of life into Adam. And even the spellings of the names Eve and Yahweh show similarities in the original Hebrew.[iv] They have the same ending. In English, it would be something like a daughter Hanna having a mother named Joanna.

This is probably not the name Eve expected to be called after helping to cause the Fall of all humanity! But even then, in her moment of great sin, she gets the honor of a name that symbolically connects her with God Himself. Even amidst the consequences of the Fall, how generous and loving must God’s interaction with them have been for Adam to choose that name for his wife?

Next we’re told that God “made garments of skin for Adam and [Eve].” In an ancient Near Eastern culture this is the exact opposite of what should have happened. Their clothes should have been torn to symbolize their disgrace. Instead God makes garments for them. And not only that but the text gives this beautiful detail: “and [He] clothed them.” Imagine the intimacy of God pulling a shirt over your head and carefully guiding your arms through the sleeves, before kneeling down to tie your shoelaces.

God dressed Adam and Eve himself, so that they would not be ashamed, foreshadowing that one day he would clothe us in Christ (Galatians 3:27), with the best robe (Luke 15:22), with power from on high (Luke 24:49). Right from the very beginning, it is in God’s response to suffering that we see the love of God most clearly, a love that refuses to give up on us even when we use our free will to cause great suffering.

4. What It Takes To Be You

It’s typical to think of the problem of evil like this: we picture ourselves in this world of suffering; then we picture ourselves in a world with far less suffering. And then we wonder, “Shouldn’t God have created us in the other world – the world with far less suffering?”

That’s a reasonable thought. But it’s a thought that relies on a philosophical mistake. It relies on the assumption that it would still be you and me who would exist in that other world. And that is highly controversial. Let me explain.

There was a pivotal moment early on in my parents’ dating relationship. They were on their second date. They were standing on the Brooklyn Bridge, overlooking the picturesque New York City skyline, and my dad noticed a ring on my mom’s finger. So he asked about it, and she said, “Oh, that’s just some ring one of my old boyfriends gave me. I just wear it ‘cause I think it looks nice.”

“Oh, yeah, it is nice,” my dad said, “let me see it.”

So mom took it off and handed it to him, and my dad hurled it off the bridge and watched it sink to the bottom of the East River! “You’re with me now,” he said; “you won’t be needing that anymore.”

And my mom loved it!

Now it was a pretty risky move my dad made hurling my mom’s ring off the Brooklyn Bridge. She loved it, but what if she hadn’t? What if she had concluded my dad was nuts and ran off with her old boyfriend instead? What would that have meant for me? (If you can believe it, fifty years later my dad still asks my mom who that old boyfriend was and my mom still flatly refuses to say!)

I might be tempted to think that if mom wound up with her old boyfriend I could have been better off. I might have been taller. I might have been better looking. Maybe the other guy was royalty. That would have been cool! I could’ve lived in a castle!

But, actually, that’s not right. There’s a problem with wishing my mom wound up with the other guy, and the problem is this: ‘I’ never would have existed.

Maybe some other child would have existed. And maybe he would have been taller and better looking and lived in a castle. But part of what makes me who I am – the individual that I am – is my beginning: the parents I have, the sperm and egg I came from, the combination of genes that’s true of me.

Asking “Why didn’t God create me in a world with less suffering?” is similar to saying “I wish my mom had married the other guy.” I’m sure my mom and her old boyfriend would have had some very nice kids, but ‘I’ would not have been one of them.

We often wish we could take some piece of suffering out of our world while keeping everything else the same. But it doesn’t work that way. Changing anything changes everything, and everyone.

Why didn’t God create a different world? Well, it depends on what God was after. It depends on what God values. And what if one of the things He values, values greatly, is you, and the people you love, and each person who will ever live?

Sometimes we wish God had made a very different sort of world, but in doing so we unwittingly wish ourselves out of existence. And so the problem of suffering is reframed in the form of a question:

Could God have wronged you by creating a world in which you came to exist and are offered eternal life, rather than creating a different world in which you never would have lived?

5. The Best Lives Thought Experiment

For a fifth response, think of what is, in your opinion, one of the greatest lives ever lived.

Consider it in detail. Think of the person’s character and how it was formed. Think of the person’s relationships. Think of his or her great triumphs, their sacrifices, their steadfastness for what is good and true.

Now, try in your imagination to subtract from that person’s life all possibility of suffering. Subtract the suffering that shaped the culture and family they were born into, the suffering that formed their character, the suffering they fought against, the suffering that they carried others through.

What happened to the life you were picturing? All of a sudden it doesn’t look anything like the great life that you were initially so inclined to celebrate.

Without the possibility of significant suffering, practically every great true story in history would be false. No one would ever have made a significant sacrifice for anyone else. No great moments of forgiveness and reconciliation. No opportunities to stand for justice against injustice. No compassion (because nothing to be compassionate about), no courage (because no dangerous situations requiring courage), no heroes, no such thing as laying down one’s life for another. Is it so obvious that God would create that world rather than our own?

Criticism without alternative is empty. It’s easy to get mad at the world God has made. It’s much harder to say the world God should have made instead.

6. The God Who Suffers With Us

A sixth response to the objection from suffering I take, somewhat ironically, from Friedrich Nietzsche. He 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 suicide, 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.

7. A Matter of Perspective

Finally, the challenge of suffering is in part a challenge of perspective, and it’s important to remember that our current perspective is not the full perspective.

The Bible says that the eternal life that God offers to every person will be one where “God will wipe every tear from our eyes,” where there will be “no more death or mourning or crying or pain” (Revelation 21:4).

Imagine aliens who somehow managed to tap into a video feed from earth, but all they could see was the hospital delivery room when I was being born. They watched as the doctors forcefully told my mom to do things that made her scream in pain. And then when she could take no more, the doctors got out a knife and cut right into my mom’s stomach. They took me out – blood everywhere – and even though my mom was reaching out for me and screaming for me, the doctors immediately rushed me away from her. What would the aliens think of the doctors?

If all the aliens saw were the first few moments of life, they might think that the doctors were utterly evil. Only from a fuller perspective would they be able to see that the doctors actually cared for my mother extremely well, and in fact saved my life.

On the Christian understanding of reality, what we currently see is only the first few moments of life – literally just the birthing process of human history! We will always come up short if we attempt to find the full explanation for suffering in this life alone. This life is only the smallest fraction of our lives. We are going to live forever. And even though right now we live in a harsh broken world, Jesus promises that one day “everyone who calls on [Him]” will live in a world that will be good to us (Romans 10:13, Acts 2:21, Joel 2:32).

“Do You Believe This?”

When things get worse before they get better, God is with us. And as we look to the future we can trust in the words of Jesus: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26).

Three weeks ago I shared these words with the father of my oldest friend. I grew up right next door to them. As I write this, my friend Chris’ father – Joe – is suffering from a brain tumor, and the doctors have given him two days to a week left to live.

When I walked in to see him, I didn’t know if he would want to talk about his approaching death. Joe had always been strong and capable. He had a voice so deep that no matter what he was speaking about, it resounded with confidence and authority, leaving little room for vulnerability.

But as soon as Joe saw me he said, “Hey Vince. Good, I’m glad you’re here. I told Chris I wanted to talk to you.” Joe went on to tell me that although he had always been confident that God exists in some way, he was finding himself increasingly scared about what comes next.

As we spoke, what became clear to me was that Joe’s understanding of the central message of Christianity – of what it takes to be right with God – was that you should try to do more good than bad in your life, and then just hope that in the end your good deeds will outweigh your bad deeds. If they do, something wonderful awaits. But if they don’t, you’re in trouble. And as Joe reflected back over his life, he recognized that if that was the case, then he – like the rest of us – had reason to fear.

I was never so incredibly thankful to be sitting before someone as a Christian. Other ways of seeing the world would have had nothing to say. As an atheist, I would have had to say there is no hope at all beyond the grave. If I adhered to almost any other religion, I would have had to tell Joe that he was basically right, and had every reason to fear what is next.

Only as a Christian could I explain to Joe for the first time that while Christianity does say that God wants us to do good, that is not what makes us right with God. I was able to share with him that the message of Christianity is that what makes us right with God has nothing to do with anything we do or ever could do, but rather with what Jesus has already done—once, and in full, and for all. I explained that if we trust in Jesus Christ, we no longer need to fear judgment, because on the cross Jesus has already taken the judgment for everything we have ever or will ever do wrong.

I explained this at length, and when I asked Joe if this made sense, he responded – in classic New Jersey fashion – “That’s a hell of a realization.” Emphatically he said it again, “That’s a hell of a realization,” and then continued, “69 years and I never thought of that. I thought Christianity was one thing, but it was something else entirely.” There was an extended pause, and then Joe said, “You know, Vince, you spend your whole life trying to make up for your [mess] ups, but this finally explains how we can deal with guilt.”

I asked Joe if he wanted to pray with me to accept this gift from God – to trust in Christ’s sacrifice and not in our own works – and he said he did, and with great conviction he thrust out his arm to me. We clasped hands, and we wept, and we prayed, and as we finished praying he exclaimed a loud “Amen.”

Joe asked me if my wife Jo knows this great truth about Christianity as well. I said that she does, and he said “It must be a happy life.” And then, after a thoughtful pause, “Now I’m actually looking forward to what’s next.”

When Joe’s family saw him the next day and asked how he was, for the first time in a long time he responded, “Wonderful.” The transformation in him was so visible that his family called me immediately and wanted to know every word that I had shared with him.

Life after death, on its own, does not bring hope. Only grace brings hope. I know of no grace as extravagant as the grace of Jesus Christ. And as grace upon grace – because Jesus has already done everything necessary for us to be right with God – this greatest of all hopes can be received with a simple heartfelt prayer.

I have suggested that the rationality of Christian faith is not undermined by the existence of evil and suffering. But the challenge suffering poses to belief in God is not the only problem of suffering. There’s also the problem of how we’re going to deal with suffering, and that’s a problem for every one of us, regardless of what we do or do not believe about God.

Some think the problem of suffering should push us away from God. For me, it’s precisely because I feel the problem of suffering so severely that I am led to trust a God who can do something about it.

Each one of us is going to deal with significant suffering in our lives. And, one day, each of us is going to have to deal with the reality of death. When suffering comes, when death comes, who will bear it with us? Who will see us through it?

Jesus will, if we ask Him to. He won’t force Himself into our lives. But if we invite Him, then we will never be alone in our suffering, and we can trust that we will spend eternity in a place where suffering will be no more.

Vince Vitale

Senior Tutor, OCCA

 

[eddfromtheriver]

Guys anyone here kind enough to explain how God can "speak" to you trough his scriptures?, I've been told to read the bible because he speaks to us that way... but it's hard for me to understand.

 

[Chaplain]

Guys anyone here kind enough to explain how God can "speak" to you trough his scriptures?, I've been told to read the bible because he speaks to us that way... but it's hard for me to understand.

What are problems are you having when it comes to understanding?

 

[eddfromtheriver]

What are problems are you having when it comes to understanding?

Well whenever i pray, i cannot understand how he's going to answer... they say he does that trough his word, but how?, those are things that already happened.

 

[Chaplain]

Well whenever i pray, i cannot understand how he's going to answer... they say he does that trough his word, but how?, those are things that already happened.

A few things.

1. Read the following verse:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Trust in the Lord. Even if it doesn’t seem to make sense, follow the leading of the Lord according to His Word.

When I went skydiving, a man on the ground held a big arrow that he turned to show which way the wind was blowing and which way we were to go to catch it. I remember that when I regained consciousness after jumping out of the plane, I saw the guy turning the arrow. But I thought his direction was wrong, that he was leading me into a power line. His direction didn’t make sense to me. Do I follow the arrow? I wondered. Or do I follow my own judgment? For a moment, I ignored the arrow. And then I thought I’d better follow it. So follow it I did—flying right over the power lines and landing in the right spot.

It’s tempting to think we know more than the arrow. It’s tempting to think, “Well, Lord, I know I’m not to lean on my own understanding. I know I’m to trust You. But what You’re doing doesn’t seem to make sense.” At that point, we have a decision to make—whether to follow the arrow or to do our own thing.

How I encourage you to follow the arrow, gang. Even if you can’t figure it out, follow the leading of the Lord according to His Word. You’ll dodge the deadly power lines of the wicked and land right in the center of the field every time..

2. Usually God speak in many ways to us. Through his Word (a verse will specifically apply to something we are going through), through others, or through a small voice that we hear in our minds (like don't go there, a bible verse being brought into our minds, etc.)

3. "those are things that already happened." What do you mean?

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 23 verses 13-14.

Things discussed:

Jesus' woes to the false leaders of Israel:
Why did Jesus call the scribes and Pharisees hypocrites?
False Spiritual leaders keep people from going to heaven.
False Spiritual leaders steal from widows with no remorse.
False Spiritual leaders pretend to pray to God to build a false spiritual image
False Spiritual leaders will suffer more in Hell (receiving a greater damnation) than others.

 

[eddfromtheriver]

"those are things that already happened." What do you mean?

Thanks for the reply, and nevermind what i said, i came to realize that i was wrong.

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 23 verses 15-24.

Things discussed:

Jesus' woes to the false leaders of Israel:
False Spiritual leaders lead their converts away from God and into darkness.
What does it mean that false spiritual leaders make their converts into children of hell?
False spiritual leaders use false and deceptive oaths to cover up their lies.
False Spiritual leaders obsess over things that God does not care about.

 

[Chaplain]

Thanks for the reply, and nevermind what i said, i came to realize that i was wrong.

Your welcome. ^_^

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 23 verses 25-36.

Things discussed:

Jesus' woes to the false leaders of Israel:
False spiritual leaders are only concerned that they give off the appearance of holiness.
Jesus calls all of us to true righteousness (inside and out).
False spiritual leaders use deception to fool people.
False spiritual leaders pretend to be something they are not.
Jesus prophesies about the true intentions of the false spiritual leaders of Israel.
Why does Jesus call the false spiritual leaders of Israel children of Satan?

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 23 verses 37-39.

Things discussed:

Why did Jesus cry for the religious leaders that were going to kill him?
What does Jesus think about people who reject him?
What did Jesus think about freewill?
Jesus discusses when Jewish people will finally believe in Him as Messiah.

 

[Chaplain]

Ravi Zacharias at James Madison University (7/4/2014)

The Problem of Pleasure - An Open Forum with Ravi Zacharias

“Whatever your calling, it will test your character,” said Zacharias. “Any pleasure, however good, if not kept in balance will distort reality or destroy appetite.”

 

[Chaplain]

What does "Freedom is Knowing Sound Doctrine" mean?

Take a listen.

link

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 24 verses 1-8.

Things discussed:

Jesus' Olivet Discourse:
Jesus leaves the temple and religious leaders for the last time.
Background on the second temple in Jerusalem.
Jesus predicts the literal destruction of the second temple in Jerusalem.
The disciples ask Jesus two questions about the end times.
Why does Jesus seem to be so vague concerning His second coming?.
Jesus warns us not to be deceived by counterfeit/false Messiahs.
Jesus describes general world conditions during the period between His Ascension and the time immediately preceding His second coming.

 

[ICKE]

So confirmation school, how common is it outside Finland?

I was just thinking about this as my nephew will have his confirmation celebration next weekend and family members will go there with gifts. 80% of the population go through this thing; It is mostly about memorizing bible verses and spending one week in a summer camp of sorts. People are eventually confirmed as "adults" by the priest (which means that they can have a Church wedding).

Dat Christendom....

 

[archnemesis]

The tradition is, unsurprisingly, identical in Sweden.

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 24 verses 9-15.

Things discussed:

Jesus describes what His disciples must expect during the time between His Ascension and Second Coming:

Is believer persecution a specific sign of the last days?
Is deception by false prophets a specific sign of the last days?
Is the increase of sin in society a specific sign of the last days?
Will every person on earth be given a chance to reject or accept Jesus before the end of the world?

Jesus describes the sign of His coming:

What is the abomination of desolation?
Where does the abomination of desolation take place?
Has the abomination of desolation already taken place (been fulfilled)?
Why does Jesus want us to read and understand what the abomination of desolation is about?

 

[NEOPARADIGM]

What Role Should the Bible Have in Society?

Some smart dudes.

 

[Chaplain]

What Role Should the Bible Have in Society?

Some smart dudes.

Agreed. One of those guys though is part of the Emergent church (postmodern christianity). Here is some info on Brian's beliefs:

One of the most disturbing I have found is his endorsement of a book by Alan Jones called Reimagining Christianity. McLaren wholeheartedly approves of the book, and yet in this book Alan Jones says that the vicarious atonement of Christ is not a vital doctrine. He casts strong doubt over the Bible's reliability, denies the virgin birth, says Christianity is sadomasochistic, affirms evolution, and sees religions such as Islam and Buddhism as equally valid compared to Christianity. In my assessment, Alan Jones is not a Christian and no true Christian should ever support the book Reimagining Christianity.

But, what does Brian McLaren actually teach? Some pretty disturbing things! He states things like Christianity is a little true, that perhaps our understanding of Christianity is wrong, that masculine pronouns used to describe God should be avoided, that we probably haven't got the gospel right yet, that understanding nothing is good, that Gandhi followed the way of Christ, that being saved is not being saved from God's damnation, that we haven't got the homosexuality issue right, and that systematic theology is a practice in arrogance.

Therefore, I can only conclude that Brian McLaren is a dangerous teacher.

Ravi Zacharias on the the Emergent Church (Brian Mclaren). Go to 5:49.

 

[Chaplain]

"Shocking moment ISIS militants take sledgehammers to Mosul tomb of Prophet Jonah as more than 50 blindfolded bodies are found massacred south of Baghdad."

ISIS militants filmed taking sledgehammers to tombstones in Mosul, Iraq
Donning balaclavas and black clothing, they swung weapons into tombs
One grave belonged to Prophet Jonah, revered by Muslims and Christians
Rebels believe special veneration of tombs is against teachings of Islam
Comes as more than 50 bodies have been found in city south of Baghdad
Most of the bodies were blindfolded with gunshot wounds, said authorities
Investigation is underway to establish the circumstances of the killings

link

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 24 verses 16-28.

Things discussed:

Jesus warns what should be done when the abomination of desolation appears: flee immediately.

Jesus warns Jews to leave Judea once the abomination of desolation happens.
Who will go through the great tribulation?

Coming after the abomination of desolation: great tribulation.

Jesus describes the great tribulation as the worst event in human history.
Is it true that the Bible calls three groups of people God's elect?
Jesus tells us not to fall for the deception and lies regarding His second coming.
A statement given by Jesus that is difficult to understand.

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 24 verses 29-35.

Things discussed:

Coming after the great tribulation: the return of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ returns after the great tribulation ends.
What sign appears in the sky when Jesus returns?
Have the events of Matthew chapter 24 been fulfilled already?

Jesus speaks more regarding the timing of these events.

Why is the fig tree the symbol of Israel (nationally, historically, and scripturally)?
Jesus outline for end-times events teaches us how to not be deceived about His second coming.
Which interpretation of the word "generation" is the correct one?

 

[Chaplain]

Some crazy news happening right now.

Australian judge says incest may no longer be a taboo
Muslims Take 20,000 Christian Families, Torment And Torture Them, And Force All Of Them Into Major Underground Islamic Slavery
Kindergartener Told He Can't Sing Christian Song At School
California Governor Signs Homosexual Bill Eliminating Terms ‘Husband’ and ‘Wife’
When Ted Cruz and the ACLU Agree Against the Government, People Should Listen
Guess Which Religious Group OVERWHELMING Applauds Obama’s Job Performance
Evolutionists Disproving Evolution
Senate Democrats Propose Bill to Gut Religious Liberty After Hobby Lobby Decision
PHOTO EMERGES: Bergdahl With Taliban Comrade
A chilling new front in the war on religious liberty
California Church Disaffiliates With the Calvary Chapel Movement Over Heretical Connections
Muslims Rape Christian Women - 600 Christians Take Up Arms And Make One Final And Heroic Stand Against Muslim Jihadists
Feds refuse pastors access to children in immigration camps
Does Disaster Strike America When It Pressures Israel?
Christian bookstores are the next gay-marriage battleground
Britain's Lost Freedoms: 'We're Living in a Mad House'
Obama’s 40 alarming quotes about Islam and Christianity
Blog - The Fall of Iraq, the rise of the Kurds and the coming attack from Russia, Turkey and Iran
Five Things Christians Need to Know about the Israel-Gaza Conflict
Obama Doubles Down on Treason… Keeps Money Flowing to Terrorists

"So the final conclusion would surely be that whereas other civilizations have been brought down by attacks of barbarians from without, ours had the unique distinction of training its own destroyers at its own educational institutions, and then providing them with facilities for propagating their destructive ideology far and wide, all at the public expense. Thus did Western Man decide to abolish himself, creating his own boredom out of his own affluence, his own vulnerability out of his own strength, his own impotence out of his own erotomania, himself blowing the trumpet that brought the walls of his own city tumbling down, and having convinced himself that he was too numerous, labored with pill and scalpel and syringe to make himself fewer. Until at last, having educated himself into imbecility, and polluted and drugged himself into stupefaction, he keeled over--a weary, battered old brontosaurus--and became extinct.” ― Malcolm Muggeridge

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 24 verses 26-39.

Things discussed:

Why does Jesus say that no person knows the day and hour of His return?
A problem regarding Jesus' second coming.
What did Jesus mean by saying that the world during His second coming will be like the world during the days of Noah?

 

[Calm Killer]

Just found this thread. Subbing. Thanks!

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 24 verses 40-51.

Things discussed:

Jesus cautions His disciples to be ready for an unexpected coming.

Two interpretations regarding the disappearance of two women in a field.
Are there two Second Coming's of Jesus' return?
Why does Jesus want us to be ready for His return?,

Parable of the two servant.

Jesus describes the duties and benefits of being God's faithful servant.
Jesus says only an evil servant believes that He (Jesus) is not returning soon.
Three ways in which an evil servant sins by not expecting Jesus to return.
Did Jesus say evil servants will receive rewards?

 

[Chaplain]

Good interview about what life is like for Christians who take a stand for Christ in Iran.

Greg Laurie Interviews Naghmeh Abedini

Greg Laurie interviews Naghmeh Abedini, the wife of American Pastor Saeed Abedini who is currently imprisoned in Iran's notorious Evin Prison.

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 25 (Jesus' Olivet Discourse Part 2) verses 1-13.

Things discussed:

The parable of the ten virgins:

What is the theme of the parable of the ten virgins?
What are the three stages of a Jewish a wedding?
Ten virgins go out to meet a bridegroom at a wedding.
Why are five of the ten virgins foolish?
Is there any difference between the wise and foolish virgins falling asleep?
Five foolish virgins are caught unprepared for the wedding
Why is oil in the Bible a representation of the Holy Spirit?
Why were five of the virgins denied entry into the wedding?
A short summary of the meaning of the parable of the ten virgins.

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 25 (Jesus' Olivet Discourse Part 2) verses 14-30.

Things discussed:

The parable of the talents:

Jesus describes a master who gives instructions to his servants before departing on a long journey.
What is a talent?
Has God given each person the same abilities?,
Two servants immediately put their talents (money) to use.
The third servant hides the money given to him due to the fear of losing it.
The master of the servants returns to settle accounts with them, How were the first two servants judged and rewarded?
What is the joy of the Lord and why is it a reward?
Are we judged individually or as a group in the afterlife?
The third servant gives account of his financial failure by blaming his master.
The master judges the third servant for evil and laziness.
Why would Jesus take away what we have if we don't use it?
Why was the third servant cast into Hell?

 

[Chaplain]

A Christian radio show that has some good stuff on it.

Blood Moons Rising (right click save as)

Signs in the heavens are God's billboards for epochal events on earth. Are four blood moons a sign that we are in the Biblical countdown to the end times? NASA reports that four blood moons will occur on Jewish holy days in 2014 and 2015. The rapture is on God's calendar, but what are the signs that it's coming? Pastor Mark Hitchcock, prophesy expert and author of Blood Moons Rising- Bible Prophecy, Israel and the Four Blood Moons, says Jesus tells us what the signs are for the end of this age. Where does Armageddon, The Great White Throne Judgment, and the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven all fit in?

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 25 (Jesus' Olivet Discourse Part 2) verses 31-46 (The judgment of the nations).

Things discussed:

The nations are gathered before God's throne and separated.

What happens after Jesus has returned to earth?
Was Jesus a megalomaniac?
Is the judgment of the nations and the great white throne judgment the same event?
Why does Jesus gather the nations into two categories and then judge them?

The judgment and reward of those on the right hand.

Why does Jesus call Himself King when He has returned to earth?
What reward do the sheep receive from God?
What did Jesus judge the sheep for?
Loving people should mean we are loving Jesus.

The judgment and condemnation of those on the left hand.

Why does Jesus judge and condemn those on His left hand (the goats)?
Who was hell created for and is hell eternal punishment?

 

[Chaplain]

Some stuff to think about:

Matthew West - Do Something

Lectures recorded on 7/18/2014.

Is Christianity Beautiful? - Cameron McAllister
Answering Doubts Q&A - Speaker Panel

Lectures recorded on 7/19/2014.

The Problem of Truth - Alycia Wood
Can We Know if God is Real? - Nabeel Qureshi
Media and the Gospel - Cameron McAllister
Why Do I Need God? - Alycia Wood
Answering Doubts Q&A - Speaker Panel

 

[AZUMIKE]

Considering this is NeoGAF, perhaps it would be also helpful to discuss how Christ might be shown in how someone plays games. I'm quite sure there's lots to discuss on that front.

 

[Chaplain]

Considering this is NeoGAF, perhaps it would be also helpful to discuss how Christ might be shown in how someone plays games. I'm quite sure there's lots to discuss on that front.

Here is a good site discusses how God/Christ is shown in games.

http://christandpopculture.com/category/games/

Two articles from their:

How “Religious Folk” Made Bioshock Infinite Better, and How We Can Make Other Games Better Too
How “The Walking Dead” Solved Videogames’ Christ-Figure Problem

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 26 (Jesus' Betrayal and Arrest) verses 1-5:

Things discussed:

The stage is set for the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus.

Jesus ends His preaching and teaching ministry.
Jesus reminds His disciples of His coming suffering and crucifixion.
The religious leaders of Israel plot to murder Jesus.
Why didn't the religious leaders of Israel want to murder Jesus on Passover?

 

[Chaplain]

Prayer is need for our brothers and sisters in Iraq, for the men murdering them to come and know God's love and forgiveness offered to them if they are willing.

A DESPERATE CRY FROM IRAQ'S CHRISTIANS
Execution or exodus, Iraqi Christians face grim choice
SEBASTIAN GORKA: CHRISTIAN HOLOCAUST UNDERWAY IN IRAQ, USA AND WORLD LOOK ON

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 26 (Jesus' Betrayal and Arrest) verses 6-16:

Things discussed:

A woman anoints Jesus before His death.

Who is the woman that anoints Jesus before His death?
Why did Judas criticize Mary for anointing Jesus with fragrant oil?
Did Jesus criticize or look down upon the poor?
Why did Mary anoint Jesus for His burial?
Why did Jesus memorialize Mary's actions?

Judas makes a sinister agreement with the religious leaders.

Theories on why Judas made a sinister agreement with the religious leaders to betray Jesus.
Judas fulfills prophecy for betraying Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

 

[Chaplain]

The new free issue of Ravi Zacharias Ministries' magazine is out.

Link

 

[Chaplain]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 26 (Jesus' Betrayal and Arrest) verses 17-25:

Things discussed:

The Last Supper with the disciples (Part 1):

Did Jesus and His disciples eat the Last Supper meal before, during, or after the Passover?
Jesus announces to His crew that there is a backstabber in their company.
Judas hypocritically asks Jesus if He is the backstabber.
Jesus gives Judas a last opportunity to repent.
Time Dimension Paradox: Fate vs. Free Will

 

[emb]

New blog is up on Matthew chapter 26 (Jesus' Betrayal and Arrest) verses 17-25:

Things discussed:

Do you write for this thing? If so, what are you covering after Matthew?