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[Khalifa Jayy]

Was pretty cool for me. I preach 3 or 4 times a year and this weekend was 1 of those times.

Whoa, we can't stop there. Share some of your sermon with us!

 

[Chaplain]

All, how was church this weekend?

I had to hear the sermon from home. Why? By the time my wife, her mother, and I arrived at the first service, my wife's migraine got so bad that I decided to turn around and drive straight back home. On the way home, she had me pull over and vomit. My assumption is that this is due to the drug that she takes (due to her disability) called Gattex wearing off (click on the link to learn about it). She is way better now, but was not doing well on Sunday morning.

I was also able to have someone cover my web-streaming duties that morning, due to being scheduled to be in the control room to practice on the new cameras and broadcasting equipment. See pics below:

 

[Superman x JLA]

Whoa, we can't stop there. Share some of your sermon with us!

I will be glad to. When I get a few minutes I will write a quick summary.

 

[Garryk]

I was planning on going out of town this weekend for the holiday, but God had other plans for my family. On Thursday night, my daughter woke up coughing so I went upstairs to see if she was ok. I get to her room and she's crying and telling me that she can't breathe between gasps. We took her to the ER and she ended up being fine. Turns out she had croup and that cough is the scariest/worst part of having it. She was completely back to herself the following morning.

My wife and I figured if she felt better the next day we could go out of town and just relax. I stayed home with my daughter, but while my wife was taking our son to daycare he started throwing up all over himself. She brings him home and he has developed a 102 fever (note: he was completely fine when he left the house). We take him to the pediatrician and they run some blood tests and find out he has bacterial pneumonia. We get him some antibiotics and his fever is gone the next day and he's back to himself by Saturday night.

I think God was giving us some not-so-subtle hints that we needed to stay put this weekend. It was quite the crazy experience, both kids in the hospital within about 12 hours of each other and completely back to normal the next day. Long story that lead to me ending up in church on Sunday.

The sermon was good as always.

 

[Chaplain]

I was planning on going out of town this weekend for the holiday, but God had other plans for my family. On Thursday night, my daughter woke up coughing so I went upstairs to see if she was ok. I get to her room and she's crying and telling me that she can't breathe between gasps. We took her to the ER and she ended up being fine. Turns out she had croup and that cough is the scariest/worst part of having it. She was completely back to herself the following morning.

My wife and I figured if she felt better the next day we could go out of town and just relax. I stayed home with my daughter, but while my wife was taking our son to daycare he started throwing up all over himself. She brings him home and he has developed a 102 fever (note: he was completely fine when he left the house). We take him to the pediatrician and they run some blood tests and find out he has bacterial pneumonia. We get him some antibiotics and his fever is gone the next day and he's back to himself by Saturday night.

I think God was giving us some not-so-subtle hints that we needed to stay put this weekend. It was quite the crazy experience, both kids in the hospital within about 12 hours of each other and completely back to normal the next day. Long story that lead to me ending up in church on Sunday.

The sermon was good as always.

Ty for letting us know what happened.

I just want to put this out there: my wife is on our churches prayer-team. If anyone ever needs prayer, please feel free to share it on here and we will lift it up to the Lord. She will also send out an email to all the people on the prayer-team and have people praying 24/7. I say this to say is even though we are all located on different parts of the earth, we can use this thread to pray for each others needs and intercede on behalf of others. ^_^

"Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

"Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart." Colossians 4:2

"Prayer gives us the opportunity to praise God and to request His divine intervention in our lives and/or the lives of others. Prayer allows us to glorify His Name and also provides an avenue for us to be filled with joy (based on Psalm 65:2, 145:1; Matthew 7:7; John 14:13, 16:23-24; Hebrews 13:15; James 1:5; I John 5:14-15)."

 

[Khalifa Jayy]

Was pretty cool for me. I preach 3 or 4 times a year and this weekend was 1 of those times.

I will be glad to. When I get a few minutes I will write a quick summary.

Hook me up, brother. Spill it.

 

[Superman x JLA]

Hook me up, brother. Spill it.

Here is a brief outline. I was preaching on putting on the Helmet of Salvation from Ephesians 6:17. This was an usual sermon for me because I when I preach I like to just take a text and preach it. In other words, give the original context and background and make applications from there. In this circumstance, all of the background and context have already been preached in this series since the previous 4 weeks have been spent on Ephesians 6:10-16. So I was just left with preaching on 5 words: “Take the helmet of Salvation”. So in this case, as much as I hate to do it, I went the topical route. So I just preached the meaning of salvation.

Introduction: I explained how helmet of salvation is also seen in 1 Thessalonians 5:8 and how it is referred to the helmet of the “hope” of salvation there. This set a context for making this a sermon about hope and dealing with discouragement. In the context of putting on the full armor of God, where we face spiritual attacks from the spiritual realm, a helmet covers our head. So putting on the helmet of salvation pertains to future hope of salvation as a means to encourage us during times of discouragement.

1. Salvation is a past event.
-Here I made the point that the world religions are based on ideas or philosophies. However, Christianity is based on an event that happened 2000 years ago and changed the world…the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. That was where Jesus paid the penalty for our sins. I shared a story about grace from Lee Strobel’s Case for Grace here. The application was an invitation to the unsaved to accept this grace and for the saved to pass grace on to others.

2. Salvation is a current Event.
-Here I talked about how salvation is also that is taking place right now through the Biblical concept of sanctification. Whereas the past event form of salvation takes care of our penalty for sin, sanctification deal with our ongoing daily struggle with sin. God gives us the strength to grow in our holiness through all of the things He has given us (Holy Spirit, church, bible, etc.) I likened this to a GPS device. The GPS gives us the tools to get the right place but we still have to turn the wheel. The key verse I used to explain this is 2 Peter 1:3-9 where we are told that God has given us everything we need for a godly life…but we need to make every effort to grow and use what He has given us.

3. Salvation is a future event
-This is more on point with the helmet of the “hope” of salvation. I really liked a teaching on this I heard from Andy Stanley and used 1 of his illustrations on this point. Here is an excerpt from the sermon on this point:

Let me share a story of dealing with discouragement from the Bible:

John the Baptist was a faithful man of God…and for all of his trouble he got thrown in prison.

That had to be a discouragement for John.
He had to question where things went wrong.
And while he was in prison he sent a message to Jesus:
“Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
Clearly….there was some level of doubt and discouragement to ask a question like that.

And the way that Jesus answers that question…is extremely profound.
Matthew 11:4-6
“4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

Isn’t it interesting what Jesus doesn’t say?
-He doesn’t say….”Yeah, I’m the One….and I’m breaking you out of jail tomorrow.”

Instead he says to John’s disciples:
“Go back and report to John what you hear and see”
-You see John had been in prison and was prisoner to what he heard and saw….which wasn’t good.
-And that can be our problem when we are going through hardship.
We can’t see outside the cell of our own circumstances.
-We need to step back and view things from an eternal perspective

Then He says:
“Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me”
-the warning is to not stumble or fall away on account of our relationship with Jesus.
-Our association with Him may cause us some hardship some times.
-That is especially true in our culture today.
-But don’t lose faith just because He hasn’t bailed you out of prison.
-Jesus had the power to bail John out of prison…but He chose not to.

-What that tells us is this:
-Our personal circumstances do not necessarily coincide with how God feels about you.
-After all, the Bible says that among those born of women…which is everyone…that John was the greatest man who ever lived.
-The proof of how God feels about you….is reflected by the cross.

So, to put on the helmet of salvation, we need to look past the right now
Past our current conditions.
…and have that confident assurance of the awesome blessings that await us.
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I mentioned last time I preached that I am learning karate now.
-It’s a lot of fun….but it’s also a lot of hard work and can be kind of a grind to get to the end goal of becoming a mature black belt.

I think the instructors recognize that so they came up with the black belt club.
-In this program they order your own personal black belt way ahead of time
-they put your name on it.
-and they hang it up in the dojo.
-Meanwhile, while you are putting in all of the hard work…you can look up and see the end goal.
-and it helps keep us motivated.

That’s we need to do as Christians…with our salvation.
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The Apostle Paul sums this up perfectly in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

“16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"The wisdom of this world teaches that many of your problems stem from a “bad selfimage” or “low self-esteem.” The natural man’s wisdom also states that you must learn to love yourself before you can love others, that you must raise your self-esteem, that your “perceived” needs must be met so you can help others, that you must forgive yourself before you can find peace, that you are of infinite worth because of “the god within” you, or that you must “get in touch” with yourself and your feelings before finding fulfillment in living. All of these views are in error, since they conflict with the truth of God’s Word. Therefore, self-belittlement, self-exaltation, and self-pity all indicate a preoccupation with self. Inordinate attention to self is the exact opposite of God’s commandments to love Him and others. A self-focus also prohibits the development of a Christlike servant attitude in you. If you try to save your life by focusing on self, you will reap a certain consequence; instead of saving your life, you will lose it (based on Matthew 10:34-39, 22:37-40; Luke 9:23-25)." (A Manual for In-Depth Discipleship)

Today's blog is on Acts 3 (A Lame Man Healed) verses 1-10: The healing of the paralytic at the Gate Beautiful.

Samples from the study:

"Peter and John were men of flexibility. When they saw this man, they could have said, “We don’t have time for him. We have to start the temple prayer meeting in just a few minutes.” But they realized what we all must learn: Interruption is often divine inspiration. For some of us, life is one bother after another. I have found that when I start a day, saying, “Nobody better bother me,” I find myself getting bothered at every turn. But if I expect to be bothered and remain flexible, I allow the Lord room to work in moments of the miraculous." (JC)

"Now any time you see a statement in the name of Jesus Christ, that has import. It is as if Peter said because of who Christ is, what He is, by virtue of His character, His authority and His power, rise up and walk. Peter is saying, I stand here in the place of Jesus Christ. Remember in John 15 when we studied how that Jesus said "If you ask anything in my name I'll do it." What did He mean by that? We studied the fact that He meant this. If you're praying in the name of Jesus Christ, you're praying like this. Dear Father, I am asking You this because this is what Jesus would want. That's in His name. So Peter is saying that. Rise up and walk I speak in the behalf of Christ. This is what He wants. Listen, they were so sensitive to what the Spirit of God was telling them that they were acting in the behalf of Jesus Christ. And dear ones that's what every spirit filled Christian does. He acts in the behalf of Christ. They were acting in the behalf of Christ, speaking for Him." (JM)

Other things discussed...

Why did Luke write about the healing of the paralytic?
A characteristic of all godly men and women.
Why did the early church still go to Jewish temple?
A paralyzed beggar asks for money at the Gate Beautiful.
Did the paralyzed beggar have faith in expecting help from Peter?
What is the churches' purpose when it comes to money?
Do all Christians have the authority of Peter and John to heal others?
Peter uses the gift of faith, Can all Christians have the gift of faith?
Luke uses medical terms to describe the healing of the lame man.
What does true worship look like?
Why did Jesus choose not to heal the lame man while He was on Earth?

Oxford University Apologetic lectures on CS Lewis:

Audio: CS Lewis on Reason and Imagination in Apologetics #5
Audio: Lewis on the use of Visual Metaphors in Theology #4
Audio: Myth and Demythologization: Lewis on theology and narratives #3
Audio: Reason, Imagination, and Faith #2

This lecture considers Lewis's distinctive approach to reason in the Christian faith, and notes the manner in which he integrates reason with imagination, thus avoiding the weaknesses and limitations of a rationalist apologetics.

Audio: C. S. Lewis’s discovery of the Christian Faith: Issues and Debates #1

Video: Success or significance - Can you have both? Kyle Westaway and Erin Beck Discuss at the University of Oregon, 2015 Veritas Forum

Ravi discusses the only way we can remain uncompromised, so that God can use us as His instruments.

Audio: Ravi Zacharias: Living the Faith We Defend (Daniel 1, Deuteronomy 8) #1

New sermons (right click/save as):

5/23/15 - Attractive Behavior in Wives, Understanding & Honor in Husbands (1 Peter 3:1-7) - Marriage Ministry
5/24/15 - Remembering the Lord's Work (Jsh 4:4-8)
5/24/15 - Revelation 11:15-12:6
5/24/15 - Obadiah
5/24/15 - The Apostate Church, Laodicea (Revelation 3:14-22)

 

[Chaplain]

Prayer request.

I need God's Wisdom on which seminary to attend. I am looking at Fuller Seminary or Hope International University. Both are liberal in their theology, but those are really my only two options for online universities. I will start a Masters of Divinity program at the beginning of 2016.

Thanks. ^_^

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"God’s forgiveness is an outpouring of abundant grace and mercy that provides pardon to the guilty. Although God’s forgiveness does not necessarily release the offender from the physical or material consequences of his sin, it provides full release from the guilt of the wrongdoing. For you to practice biblical forgiveness, you must understand and accept God’s gracious forgiveness of you and must follow His example in providing forgiveness to others (based on II Samuel 12:13-14; Psalm 103:10-14; Luke 23:39-43; Romans 5:8, 8:1; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:12-14,25)." (A Manual for In-Depth Discipleship)

Today's blog is on Acts 3 (A Lame Man Healed) verses 11-15: Peter second sermon #1.

Samples from the study:

"People have the tendency to exalt the instrument because they can see, touch, and feel the instrument. Though we may feel God, it's hard to see Him and it's hard to touch Him except through the eyes of the Spirit. And thus, man has the tendency to exalt the instrument rather than God who has used the instrument. But if you are an instrument that God uses, be careful that you don't take glory for the work of God. "Why look on us, as though through our power or holiness this man was healed?" (Smith)

"This does not mean that the Jewish people of that day alone were responsible for the death of Jesus. They Romans – Gentiles – were also responsible. The Romans would not have crucified Jesus without pressure from the Jewish leaders, and the Jews could not have crucified Jesus without Roman acceptance of it. God made certain that both Jew and Gentile shared in the guilt of Jesus’ death. In fact, it was not political intrigue or circumstances that put Jesus on the cross; it was our sin. If you want to know who put Jesus on the cross, look at me – or look in the mirror." (Guzik)

Other things discussed...

How is the story of the lame man a picture of our own lives?
Do miracles save people or does the gospel save people?
Peter and John reject taking credit for God's healing of the paralyzed man.
Does God look at our position in life when answering prayer?
Why people marvel at God's miracles?
Peter preaches Jesus and His resurrection.
Peter calls out both Jew and Gentile for murdering Jesus.
Why is Jesus called "the Prince of life"?

New sermons (right click/save as):

5/26/15 - James 1:5-11
5/27/15 - Isaiah 13-14
5/27/15 - Proverbs 20
5/27/15 - Psalms 115-117

Video: 20. Isn't belief in the Trinity irrational?

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Biblical repentance results in a change from disobedience to biblically obedient behavior (Psalm 51:12-13; Matthew 3:8; Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20). Biblical repentance acknowledges sin and takes personal responsibility for it (Psalm 51:1-6; I John 1:8-10). Biblical repentance results from a sorrow for sins committed against God and others (Psalm 38:1-18, esp. verse 17; II Corinthians 7:9-10). Biblical repentance results in a broken (sorrowful for the sin) and contrite heart (completely putting away or crushing any previous reliance on self) (Psalm 51:16-17; James 4:8-10). Biblical repentance removes reminders of past sins, since these reminders themselves often provide temptations to sin (based on I Kings 15:12; Jeremiah 4:1; Acts 19:8-19, esp verses 18-19)." (A Manual for In-Depth Discipleship)

Today's blog is on Acts 3 (A Lame Man Healed) verses 16-26: Peter second sermon #2.

Samples from the study:

"The gift of faith: it is the faith that is by Him. He's the one who gave me the faith. When Peter was walking up, he saw that man and the Lord gave him the faith. He said, "Peter, give him what you've got." What did he have? God gave him at that instant the faith for the man's healing. So Peter said, "Hey, I don't have silver and gold, but what I have I'll be glad to give you." And took him and lifted him up and said, "In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth stand up." The power of the name. Faith in the name. The faith that God gave Peter at that moment." (Smith)

"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 number of other things threatens to make us less useful for the evolutionary goal of survival. Other worldviews cannot explain the intrinsic dignity and worth of every single person. Only the Christian worldview can explain that each person is created in the image of a good God, and is fully known and unconditionally loved by Him." (Vitale)

"The lame man at the Beautiful Gate wanted something; but God wanted to give him something much greater. The same was generally true of the Jewish people Peter preached to. They expected the Messiah in a certain way, but God wanted to give them something much greater. They looked for a political and military Messiah, and not so much one to turn every one of you from your iniquities. It shows how important it is for us to expect the right things from God." (Guzik)

Other things discussed...

Did Peter, or did Jesus, heal the lame man?
Is faith a gift given to each person by God?
A temptation that many believers walk into.
Why did Peter love those that murdered Jesus?
What is sinning in ignorance?
Was Christ's death part of God's prophetic plan?
Peter calls Israel to repentance.
What does it mean to be converted?
What happens when a person repents from their sins?
What is true doctrine of "the restitution of all things"?
Peter warns of the danger of rejecting Jesus.
Does God offer the gospel to all of humanity?
Why does God want all humanity to repent and turn to Jesus?

Article: The Hunger of the Spirit And the Ties that Bind

Article: Biblical Discovery Made in Egyptian Mummy Mask

Audio: Unbelievable? Is faith good for science? Ruth Bancewicz & Eugenie Scott
Saturday 30th May 2015 - 02:30 pm

Download MP3 (right click/save as)

Ruth Bancewicz of the Faraday Institute, Cambridge describes how the Christian faith of present day scientists has positively influenced their work in her new book “God in the lab: How science enhances faith”.

Eugenie Scott of the National Centre for Science Education interacts with Ruth and explains how as a non-believer she perceives the relationship between faith and science.

For Ruth’s book God in the Lab: http://scienceandbelief.org/god-in-the-lab/

For Eugenie Scott: http://ncse.com/about/speakers

New sermons (right click/save as):

5/27/15 - 1 Timothy 1:1-11
5/28/15 - The Messenger of the Gospel (Ephesians 3:1-2)

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

“Outside of the cross of Jesus Christ, there is no hope in this world. That cross and resurrection at the core of the Gospel is the only hope for humanity. Wherever you go, ask God for wisdom on how to get that Gospel in, even in the toughest situations of life."(Ravi)

Today's blog is on Acts 4 (Peter and John Face the Sanhedrin) verses 1-12: Peter preaches to the Jewish leaders.

Samples from the study:

"One of the subthemes of Acts is the growth of God’s Word in spite of opposition. Like a juggernaut the message irresistibly moved ahead. Two leading apostles were bound, but the Word of God cannot be bound! (Cf. 28:30–31; Phil. 1:12–14.)" (Walvoord)

"For in the law it declares that if someone comes and does a sign or a wonder before the people so that all the people are amazed at the wonder which is done, and if that person should seek to cause you to worship any other than Jehovah God, that person shall be put to death; he is a false prophet. Deuteronomy 13. So, by what power or by what name did you do this? Now Peter could've said, "I take the Fifth Amendment. I can't be required to testify against myself." Because they had the Fifth Amendment in their law. It was recognized you could not force a man to testify against himself. Peter could've taken the Fifth, but he didn't. He took rather the opportunity to share Jesus Christ with these fellows. And knowing that the question was a leading question, and knowing the consequence of telling the people another name other than... well, he actually, he told them of the name of Jehovah God, because he said it's through Jehovah-shua." (Smith)

"The unique thing about the Christian faith is that it is not based on our merit. It is based on the life and death of Jesus. However, many people believe God to be a bit like a University. You take exams to get in, you study, then there’s the final judgment. Along the way, you get nice mentors. The basic principle in our society is merit. People think it’s like that with God. But would you base your relationship with a human like that?” (Lennox)

Other things discussed...

Why did the religious leaders (11 different groups) hate Peter and John?
Peter and John are arrested for proclaiming the gospel of Christ
Why did God's church keep growing despite hostile opposition?
Peter and John are brought before the Sanhedrin.
Why did the Sanhedrin want to know who gave Peter and John their authority?
What is the only way to be courageous for Jesus?
Peter boldly preaches to the Jewish leaders about helping a cripple in need.
Why does Peter declare that Jesus is the only way to heaven?

Audio: 5/31/15 - Divine Activity in Us (I Thessalonians 2:13-20) (right click/save as)

Video: Give Me an Answer - #1814 - Did Everything Happen By Chance?

 

[entremet]

Prayer request.

I need God's Wisdom on which seminary to attend. I am looking at Fuller Seminary or Hope International University. Both are liberal in their theology, but those are really my only two options for online universities. I will start a Masters of Divinity program at the beginning of 2016.

Thanks. ^_^

Awesome!

I've considered it, but I don't want any student loans after paying back my undergraduate ones.

 

[bojie1986]

Hi brothers in Christ, i am new here in neogaf. I just found this thread and i just want to hear your thoughts about the metal gear solid series. It literally is the only video game series i play. I am so excited for the new one coming. My question is: as Christians, do we need to avoid these kind of video games because of its themes? Thank you guys in advance for your response. Also pardon my english for it is not my first language.

 

[entremet]

Hi brothers in Christ, i am new here in neogaf. I just found this thread and i just want to hear your thoughts about the metal gear solid series. It literally is the only video game series i play. I am so excited for the new one coming. My question is: as Christians, do we need to avoid these kind of video games because of its themes? Thank you guys in advance for your response. Also pardon my english for it is not my first language.

The Bible itself is pretty raw. There is rape, murder, maiming, and so on.

The fact is we live in a fallen world. Art, whether its a novel, movie, or a game, is a reflection of that.

This is where you need to examine yourself. If watching or experiencing violent things tempt you to be violent, you want to reexamine your exposure to it.

But I doubt something like MGS will affect you personally in that regard. It's quite outlandish and comic, but you never know. I can't speak for everyone. We all have our personal demons.

Alcohol is another example. Drinking alcoholic drink is not forbidden, yet if you have issues with alcoholism, abstaining from it would be wise choice.

As Paul says, we're called to freedom, but let's not use that freedom to indulge the sinful nature.

Hope that helps.

 

[bojie1986]

The Bible itself is pretty raw. There is rape, murder, maiming, and so on.

The fact is we live in a fallen world. Art, whether its a novel, movie, or a game, is a reflection of that.

This is where you need to examine yourself. If watching or experiencing violent things tempt you to be violent, you want to reexamine your exposure to it.

But I doubt something like MGS will affect you personally in that regard. It's quite outlandish and comic, but you never know. I can't speak for everyone. We all have our personal demons.

Alcohol is another example. Drinking alcoholic drink is not forbidden, yet if you have issues with alcoholism, abstaining from it would be wise choice.

As Paul says, we're called to freedom, but let's not use that freedom to indulge the sinful nature.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for your reply brother. I just really appreciate the quality of these games and personally i consider them as works of art overall. Yeah you're right, i think whatever it is that we do, we must be careful and make sure that it won't have any negative effect in our life. Thanks again brother it really helped. We are blessed!

 

[Chaplain]

Awesome!

I've considered it, but I don't want any student loans after paying back my undergraduate ones.

Well, for my line of work, most of the jobs pay pretty well. So, even though I will pay $35,000 for the Masters degree, it shouldn't take to long to pay it back. At least that is how I see it after doing a lot of research on the subject.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

1 Timothy 6:11, “But as for you, O man of God, flee from all these things; aim at and pursue righteousness (right standing with God and true goodness), godliness (which is the loving fear of God and being Christlike), faith, love, steadfastness (patience), and gentleness of heart.”

Today's blog is on Acts 4 (Peter and John Face the Sanhedrin) verses 13-22: The Jewish rulers react to Peter’s sermon.

Samples from the study:

It is interesting to note what the Jewish leaders did not do: they did not make any attempt to disprove the resurrection of Jesus. If it were possible to do, this was the time to do it; yet they could not. “Had it seemed possible to refute them on this point, how readily would the Sanhedrin seized the opportunity! Had they succeeded, how quickly and completely the new movement would have collapsed!” (Bruce)

"If it was a question of choosing between obeying other people and obeying God, Peter and John were in no doubt as to what course to take. As the writer H. G. Wells said, ‘The trouble with so many people is that the voice of their neighbors sounds louder in their ears than the voice of God.’ The real secret of Christianity lies in that great tribute once paid to the Scottish reformer John Knox: ‘He feared God so much that he never feared the face of any man.’ (Barclay)

"Do you have a hard time speaking about the Lord? Perhaps it’s because you haven’t seen or heard much from Him lately. I find that my witness is proportional to what I am presently seeing and hearing from the Lord in my own life. If I am not seeing or hearing from Him, I find I don’t speak as boldly, as quickly, or as readily as during those times when I am hearing His Word and seeing His work." (Courson)

Other things discussed...

Does it matter that Peter and John were uneducated men?
Why were Peter and John not scared of the religious leaders?
What is the easiest evidence to spot that a person knows and walks with Jesus?
What happens when people see a miracle of God?
The Jewish leaders command Peter and John to stop preaching Jesus due to their sinful hearts.
Peter and John refuse to stop preaching Jesus.
Peter and John are released with threats of future punishment.

Article: An Uncompromising Faith Lived Out with Grace

Video: Michael Ramsden - Designed to Overflow

Video: The Concept of God in Islam and Christianity | National Religious Broadcasters Convention

New sermons (right click/save as):

5/31/15 - Esther 1-2
5/31/15 - An Influence for God (Mt 5:13-16)
5/31/15 - Matthew 5:1-20
5/31/15 - What We Must Do (Jude 1:17-25)
5/31/15 - Worship Jesus! (Revelation 5:1-14)
5/31/15 - What is Truth? (John 18:37-38)
5/31/15 - 2 Timothy 4: 1-5 (Part 1)

 

[entremet]

Well, for my line of work, most of the jobs pay pretty well. So, even though I will pay $35,000 for the Masters degree, it shouldn't take to long to pay it back. At least that is how I see it after doing a lot of research on the subject.

Ah. You're already working? I thought were graduating. I think I remember you talking about doing a Masters in Family Therapy. Maybe I'm mistaken.

35K isn't that bad. Last time I looked at Dallas Theological it was more than twice that.

That's actually decent, especially if you're thinking about a long term career change.

 

[Chaplain]

Ah. You're already working? I thought were graduating. I think I remember you talking about doing a Masters in Family Therapy. Maybe I'm mistaken.

35K isn't that bad. Last time I looked at Dallas Theological it was more than twice that.

No, not yet. I meant once I graduate with the Masters degree. I guess I should have worded it differently. lol

 

[Starphoenix]

Have this friend on Facebook who is a young pastor/evangelist with a lot of friends... There are 3 big atheists who comment frequently on his status updates; especially the ones where the comments to well into the double digits... However, I feel like he overly targets these people and argues in a way that makes it easier for them to dismiss the Bible, and the other "Christian" responses that follow are either borderline name calling or overly emotional...

It's aggravating to watch because it is like a train wreck on every side and, honestly, pains my soul to even read. Whomever mentioned earlier about not engaging in online debates was definitely onto something. :/

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Jesus said, “Your Father knows the things you have need of, before you ask him” (Matthew 6:8 NKJV). Your prayers aren’t for the purpose of informing God of your situation. He knows all your needs before you ever ask Him. But your prayers open the door and allow God the opportunity to do those things that He’s been desiring to do, but wouldn’t do in violation of your own free will. True prayer begins in the heart of God. God makes known to me what is His purpose, His desire, His wishes. I offer it back to God in prayer, and the cycle is completed. When I pray in this manner, I am in harmony with God’s will (1 John 5:14-15) Therefore, the true purpose of prayer is to get God’s will done—to open the door for God to accomplish that which He has purposed to do." (Having an "Effective Prayer Life")

Today's blog is on Acts 4 (Peter and John Face the Sanhedrin) verses 23-28: A model prayer for all Christians #1.

Samples from the study:

"Their praying was based solidly on the Word of God, in this case, Psalm 2. The Word of God and prayer must always go together (John 15:7). In His Word, God speaks to us and tells us what He wants to do. In prayer, we speak to Him and make ourselves available to accomplish His will. True prayer is not telling God what to do, but asking God to do His will in us and through us (1 John 5:14–15). It means getting God’s will done on earth, not man’s will done in heaven." (Wiersbe)

"Because they saw their circumstances in light of God’s Word, they could recognize that the wrath of man never operated outside of the sphere of God’s control; these enemies of Jesus could only do whatever the hand of God allowed." (Guzik)

“Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men and women. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks.” (Brooks)

Other things discussed..

Why do Christians lack urgency of being with other believers at church?
Having the same heart and mind in our prayers.
What is the purpose of acknowledging God's sovereignty when we begin praying?
Acknowledging God's sovereign creative power in our prayers.
Praying the Scriptures when we pray.
Praying the Scriptures allows us to see things from a Biblical perspective.
Praying that God will help (not change) our circumstances.

Article: The Spirit and the Letter

Article: Signs or Symptoms

Video: What Does the Quran Say About the Crucifixion of Jesus?

Video: Is God the problem? (The Big Questions, 31/5/15)

Last Sunday, Nabeel Qureshi and Alister McGrath were on the panel for BBC's The Big Questions on the question "Is God the Problem?".

 

[Chaplain]

However, I feel like he overly targets these people and argues in a way that makes it easier for them to dismiss the Bible, and the other "Christian" responses that follow are either borderline name calling or overly emotional :/

I think the following list will help your friend and our brother in Christ in His defense of the gospel.

1. The lordship of Christ: the term “heart” does not just refer to the seat of our feelings, but also of our thoughts. Every part of us needs to be under the authority of Christ.

2. The double-minded man (Book of James): someone trying to look in two different directions. He is caught between two opinions and has not made a commitment either way. In contrast, the man who asks in faith is stable, and his prayers for wisdom are effective. He has been persuaded, and has put his trust into that which is truthful.

3. We should speak from the context of holiness. Our attitude, our actions and how we treat other people is vitally important (1 Peter 3:8 onwards). Even when faced with persecution, evil is not to be repaid with evil. The reason for the persecution is not because Christians are not obeying God’s commands – it is because they are obeying his commands. 1 Peter 3:15 is saying that because our lives and attitudes are different, due to living in obedience to God’s commands, people will ask questions as to why and we should therefore be prepared. In other words, there should actually be a demand for an apologetic because of the quality of our lives.

4. The letter of 1 Peter is addressed to the church. The command to give an apologetic is not directed to a handful of carefully selected specialists. The command to give an apologetic is one that is directed to every single member of the body of Christ. No one who is a Christian can excuse themselves.

There is a difference between the process of evangelism and the gift of the evangelist. An evangelist is someone who has the gift of precipitating a decision in someone’s life concerning their standing before Christ. Not everyone has this gift. But we are all involved in the process of evangelism (e.g. asking someone to church). It is precisely in that process that apologetics plays a role. It is not a question of whether we engage in apologetics or not, but what kind of apologetic we give when the opportunity comes by.

5. We need to be prepared. The increasing complexity and diversity of the choices we face in life, coupled with a rapidly changing post-modern society, mean that the easiest course is to run away. However, the Christian is called to an engagement with, not a retreat from, the world.

The word translated “prepared” in the NIV has its root in the idea of being fit. Opportunities to share our faith should not be lost because we haven’t taken the time to think through what we would say.

We need to “stop thinking like children,” being like infants in regard to evil, while being like adults in our thinking (1 Corinthians 14:20).

6. We must give answer for the reason for the hope that we have. Peter is quite clear: believing that Christ died so that we might be saved is not a superstition. Instead there is a reason for the hope that we have – there is a logic behind the Gospel – there are reasons that can be communicated and explained concerning the atonement. We must be ready to give an explanation, a defence, of why the Gospel is true.

7. With the lordship of Christ in our own lives as the starting point for giving an apologetic, any apologia must therefore lead to or flow from the cross. The Cross and resurrection provide our hope, and there is no other reason for our confidence.

However, at the same time we must recognise that people may have other legitimate questions that need to be dealt with before they are prepared to give us a hearing. We need to deal with these issues so that we can clear away false ideas. Then Christ can be seen for who he is.

8. Our attitude: The Gospel is to be shared with gentleness and respect. The message that is brought claims to be one of grace and peace. The Gospel is not to be compromised in any way. But the way we present it must be consistent with its content.

Our confidence rests in the reality of the relationship we enjoy with Christ, the change he has brought into our lives and the truthfulness of his claims. Our confidence is not in a system of thought. It is in the person of Christ. That is why the Apostle Paul says, “I know whom I have believed,” and not what I have believed.

This is why we are also told that we should keep a clear conscience as we talk to others. We are not called on to pretend we know something when we don’t. Nor are we boasting of how great our own minds are, as if we had figured out everything by ourselves. With humility, fear of God and honesty, we testify to the truth and reality of the Gospel message, that Christ is still alive.

The Gospel promises to change lives. It is no surprise therefore that people expect to see lives changed. If our attitude indicates that Christ makes no difference to how we live or how we treat others, we immediately undermine its credibility. Ultimately, our goal is not to win arguments, but to see people come to know Christ.

link

 

[Starphoenix]

I think the following list will help your friend and our brother in Christ in His defense of the gospel.

That was a really good read. I appreciate it.

 

[Chaplain]

That was a really good read. I appreciate it.

Your welcome bro. ^_^

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Probably the best antidote to such spiritual calluses among loyal laborers in God’s vineyard is a healthy appreciation of the all-sufficiency of our Father and our exalted status as his humble children—a theological gem that is beautifully captured by C.S. Lewis in his book, Prince Caspian. When the children are reunited with Aslan after many years, Lucy expresses surprise that Aslan looks bigger. Aslan responds, “I am not. But every year you grow, you will find me bigger.” What a relief to remember that no amount of expertise on our part can ever diminish the glory of God or cause us to outlive God’s fatherly indulgence!” (Njoroge)

Today's blog is on Acts 4 (Peter and John Face the Sanhedrin) verses 23-28: A model prayer for all Christians #2 & The sharing heart of the early church.

Samples from the study:

"The Lord’s answer to the believers’ prayer for boldness was preceded by a shaking of their meeting place. The answer also included a supernatural filling with the Holy Spirit (cf. v. 8). When Luke, as here, used a verb form to refer to believers being filled with the Spirit, he usually said the filling was bestowed sovereignly by God. This is in distinction to the imperative in Ephesians 5:18 which states that Christians are responsible for being Spirit-filled." (Walvoord)

"Two things are to be noted about them. (1) They had an intense sense of responsibility for each other. (2) This awoke in them a real desire to share all they had. We must note one thing above all—this sharing was not the result of legislation; it was utterly spontaneous. It is not when the law compels us to share but when the heart moves us to share that society is really Christian." (Barclay)

Other things discussed..

Why did the early church pray for boldness, healing, and more persecution?
God answers the prayer of the early church.
How many times can a believer be filled with the Holy Spirit?
What is the purpose of God giving us boldness?
A summary of the early churches prayer.
Why did the early church share their material possessions?
Was the early church communist?,
Does God command ALL believers to sell their material possessions?

Article: The Purpose Of Sex: Homosexuality And The Bible
Article: The Divinity Of Jesus & 5 Reasons It Matters
Article: Ravi Zacharias interviewed by the Baltimore Post-Examiner: ‘We are being trapped in the quicksand of the absence of objective truth’
Article: In This Place

Where do you belong? Does the reach of the house of God extend to the displaced, disconnected, or abandoned?

Video: Michael Ramsden & Vince Vitale Q&A: Suffering, Trusting, Science, & More…
Video: 21. Why is there so much violence in the Bible?
Video: "Why Suffering?" UK Book Launch | Ravi Zacharias & Vince Vitale

New sermons (right click/save as):

6/2/15 - James 1:12-15
6/3/15 - Psalms 119-124
6/3/15 - Proverbs 21-22:6

 

[entremet]

Finished Mere Christianity by CS Lewis. Such a great introduction to Apologetic discourse.

Most know Lewis from the Chronicles of Narnia, but he wrote a good amount on his fatih.

I relate to him a lot since he was a former atheist that converted. I love the illustrations he shows in explaining his faith.

Highly recommended. I dogeared and highlighted my copy frequently.

 

[DoktorEvil]

Finished Mere Christianity by CS Lewis. Such a great introduction to Apologetic discourse.

Most know Lewis from the Chronicles of Narnia, but he wrote a good amount on his fatih.

I relate to him a lot since he was a former atheist that converted. I love the illustrations he shows in explaining his faith.

Highly recommended. I dogeared and highlighted my copy frequently.

You'll appreciate this quote:

"The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being corrected."

-G. K. Chesterton, Catholic Apologist.

Hi brothers in Christ, i am new here in neogaf. I just found this thread and i just want to hear your thoughts about the metal gear solid series. It literally is the only video game series i play. I am so excited for the new one coming. My question is: as Christians, do we need to avoid these kind of video games because of its themes? Thank you guys in advance for your response. Also pardon my english for it is not my first language.

Late to this, but I can chime in as both a Catholic and a MGS fan.

Metal Gear Solid 1 features a walking dinosaur tank, a cyborg ninja, a man single handedly taking down a tank, and a spiritual medium who can read people's minds.

Yet, the theme present in the game are of optimism and for a better future, away from bureaucracy and lies and coverups.

What you should ask yourself is if your life in Christ infringes on your ability to enjoy works of fiction.

Just my 2 pennies.

 

[Mariolee]

Guys, I'm really feeling anxious about my faith and not in a good way. I'm reading all of the typical Christian apologetics and am simply not being convinced like I used to. Just looking at the statistics that faith among scientists as well as the general population is decreasing and how little the Bible links up to scientific dogma without a ton of mental gymnastics and massive reinterpretation of what the Bible says about the world, it is killing me.

I want there to be a God so badly and pray every day that he would convince me. I've read the typical apologetics stuff (C.S. Lewis, Veritas Forum (this is the most persuasive). Lee Strobel, all the stuff Game_Analyst showed me, Godandscience.org (everyone comes off as jerks on that website to the people seeking answers imo), etc.) and it's just not really doing much for me. I think what really has restarted this doubt again is watching Neil DeGrasse Tyson, who I extremely respect, and his lectures on the religious. Particularly this one and this one.

Help me guys, please.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Postmodern thinking makes us all aware of hypocrisy but gives us no standard of truth to expose and correct it. Both hypocrisy and evil depend on lies. Hypocrisy is a lie in deeds rather than in words. And evil always uses lies to cover its oppressions. Only with truth can we stand up to deception and manipulation. For all who hate hypocrisy, care for justice and human dignity, and are prepared to fight evil, truth is the absolute requirement." (Guinness)

Today's blog is on Acts 5 (The Church Grows Despite Opposition) verses 1-4: Ananias' lie to the apostles.

Samples from the study:

"This is one of the stories which demonstrate the almost stubborn honesty of the Bible. It might well have been left out, because it shows that even in the early Church there were very imperfect Christians; but the Bible refuses to present an idealized picture of anything. Once, a court painter painted the portrait of Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector of England. Cromwell was disfigured by warts on his face. The painter, thinking to please the great man, omitted the disfiguring warts. When Cromwell saw the picture, he said: ‘Take it away, and paint me warts and all.’ It is one of the great virtues of the Bible that it shows us its heroes, warts and all. Also, there is a certain encouragement in this story, for it shows us that even in its greatest days the Church was a mixture of good and bad." (Barclay)

"Whenever Jesus came upon an adulteress, or murderer, His response was always compassion and forgiveness, with one exception. There is one sin that he invariably used the harshest words against: the sin of hypocrisy. (Cf. Mt 23:13-31; Jn 8:18-19, 41-44, 56-58)" (CM).

"All sin in a Christian's life is against the Holy Spirit. Because all Christians are the temple of what? Of the Holy Spirit, and whenever you sin, you are sinning against the Holy Spirit. Directly against Him." (JM)

Other things discussed..

Why did Ananias and Sapphira sell a piece of their land?
Why does the Bible tell us that there were good and bad people in the early church?
How was Ananias hypocritical with the apostles?
Why was Ananias' wife also guilty of the sin of hypocrisy?
An example of loving money will grow into multiple sins.
Peter uses the gift of knowledge to confront Ananias' sin.
Does Satan influencing Ananias mean that freewill doesn't exist?
Why is lying to the Holy Spirit mean that we are lying to God?
What was at the root of Ananias' sin?
Were the early Christians required to sell their possessions and give the income to the apostles?

Apologetic lectures that can be streamed or downloaded:

Tom Price: Dealing With Doubt
Michael Ramsden: Logic and Fallacies - Thinking Clearly
John Lennox: Engaging Hearts and Minds - Is Faith a Delusion?
Dr. Andy Bannister: Why I’m Not an Atheist
Michael Green: Confidence in the Gospel of Jesus Christ
Amy Orr-Ewing: Why Trust The Bible?
Nathan Betts: Do Not Be Conformed (Romans 12)
Michael Ramsden: Doubt - The Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-7)
Michael Ramsden: A Matter Of Convenience
John Lennox: Is God A Delusion? Part 1 (9-11-2014)
John Lennox: Is God A Delusion? Part 2 (9-11-2014)
John Lennox & Michael Ramsden: Has science made God irrelevant?
Ravi Zacharias: Worship As A Clue To Meaning In Life (Malachi 1:1)

 

[Chaplain]

Guys, I'm really feeling anxious about my faith and not in a good way. I'm reading all of the typical Christian apologetics and am simply not being convinced like I used to. Just looking at the statistics that faith among scientists as well as the general population is decreasing and how little the Bible links up to scientific dogma without a ton of mental gymnastics and massive reinterpretation of what the Bible says about the world, it is killing me.

When people get these doubts, there is usually an underlying issue in their own life that leads them to the despair you are describing. The root issue not being statistics or scientific dogma. So, what is going on in your life that is influencing you to think what you presently think?

I want there to be a God so badly and pray every day that he would convince me.

God says to cast our cares and anxiety to him. He says this so that he can help us: not by removing the difficulties, but to meet us in/through them. This will increase our faith through the experience of His help in our struggles.

I think what really has restarted this doubt again is watching Neil DeGrasse Tyson, who I extremely respect, and his lectures on the religious. Particularly this one and this one.

There is nothing wrong with doubting. Most if not all of our brothers and sisters in the Bible dealt with doubt. Those that had victory over these things talked to the Lord about their doubts. Those that didn't kept their doubts within themselves.

That said, your spirit is at war with your flesh. Whatever you are feeding the most will be influencing your thoughts, that will eventually influence your will. The flesh always wants to focus on the bodies needs and has plenty of tools to hinder the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives:

If you even begin to think sinful thoughts in this unforeseen circumstance (such as doubting God’s loving care or spending time in self-pity), confess them to the Lord (I John 1:9).

You will lose the joy of your salvation (based on Psalm 51:8-12; I John 1:4) and may doubt that you have a regenerative relationship with the Lord (i.e., that you are a believer) (based on I Corinthians 6:9-10; I John 2:4; 3:4-10).

Ty for sharing your heart with us. You will be prayed for.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"There is much good in the world but there is also much evil – poverty, suffering, violence, war, exploitation, slavery, fear, discrimination and abuse. And who of us would dare suggest that there is nothing from which we need to be saved – anger, lovelessness, destructive desires, egocentricity, greed, spite, envy, dishonesty and hypocrisy to name but a few? Surely we would agree with G K Chesterton who in response to a question in the Times: “What is wrong with the world?” wrote to the Editor: “Dear Sir, I am, Yours faithfully, G K Chesterton." (Lennox)

Today's blog is on Acts 5 (The Church Grows Despite Opposition) verses 5-11: The consequences of Ananias and Sapphira's lies and hypocrisy.

Samples from the study:

"Sapphira had no idea about what had happened to Ananias. Why? Because Satan always keeps his victims in the dark. Perhaps there was a time when you were involved in an area of sin, and although others prayed for you, talked to you, and were concerned about you, you remained in the dark until everything came down on top of you.” (Courson)

"In noticing the comparison between the incident of Ananias and Sapphira and Achan in the Book of Joshua, it is interesting also to look at the contrasts. In Joshua, God expected the people of God themselves to execute the judgment upon the offender. But in Acts, God took this type of judgment out of the church’s hand and did it Himself. This shows that the church has no place in administering such punishment itself or in having civil authorities do so for them." (Guzik)

Other things discussed..

Is Peter to blame for Ananias' death?
Why did God kill Ananias?
Why do revival and God's judgment always come together?
Peter confronts Sapphira over her hypocrisy.
Are any facts known about Ananias and Sapphira's marriage?
The death of Sapphira, Were Ananias and Sapphira not saved?

Video: Why Science Needs Faith and Faith Needs Science | Alister McGrath, PhD

Video: Professor John Lennox on Daniel in Babylon

Audio: Os Guinness: Follow Me - Two Words that Changed the World (right click/save as)

 

[legend166]

You'll appreciate this quote:

"The whole modern world has divided itself into Conservatives and Progressives. The business of Progressives is to go on making mistakes. The business of the Conservatives is to prevent the mistakes from being corrected."

-G. K. Chesterton, Catholic Apologist.



Late to this, but I can chime in as both a Catholic and a MGS fan.

Metal Gear Solid 1 features a walking dinosaur tank, a cyborg ninja, a man single handedly taking down a tank, and a spiritual medium who can read people's minds.

Yet, the theme present in the game are of optimism and for a better future, away from bureaucracy and lies and coverups.

What you should ask yourself is if your life in Christ infringes on your ability to enjoy works of fiction.

Just my 2 pennies.

I disagree with this. I think the better question to ask is will enjoying a work of fiction infringe on your life in Christ.

The whole idea of what media is healthy to consume for a Christian is something I've grappled a lot with in the last few years. And obviously the line is going to be different for different people, but I know in my life up until a couple of years ago (and I think generally in the Christian community), we look for every excuse and reason that will allow us to consume basically anything we want short of hardcore porn (which is another topic altogether and a huge problem, but I'd trust most people would agree that's something we shouldn't be consuming).

The Bible talks about putting our mind on heavenly things. I think we're kidding ourselves a bit if we think we can watch/read/play anything and everything, the vast majority of which is full of sin and the glamorisation of sin, and think it doesn't have an effect on our thoughts and our Christian walk in general.

Like I said, I think the line would be different for everyone and it can fall into the realm of Christian liberty. But I've found in my own walk I've drawn closer to God after getting rid of some of the stuff I was watching/reading/playing that really wasn't beneficial.

 

[Chaplain]

Like I said, I think the line would be different for everyone and it can fall into the realm of Christian liberty. But I've found in my own walk I've drawn closer to God after getting rid of some of the stuff I was watching/reading/playing that really wasn't beneficial.

You are 100%. God calls us to walk blameless and pure before him daily. The early church showed what happened, the consequences, of people putting God first in all that they did: resulting in power and purity that was a witness to people who didn't know God. The closer we walk with God, the more the things of the world do not satisfy and lose control in in our lives. This is the battle each of us is in.

My prayer for each of us this day is that all of us would walk with the Lord and remain blameless until the day of His return. May the following song sung by pastors last month express what I mean more clearly:

Pastors sing a benediction to each other

I also think today's quote of the day shows why we should set ourself apart for use for the Lord, and the benefits of doing this:

"If you keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work. Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts." 2 Timothy 2:21-22

Today's blog is on Acts 5 (The Church Grows Despite Opposition) verses 12-15: How purity and power in God's church are intimately linked together.

Samples from the study:

"Now you'll remember that they had been told they couldn't preach, publicly. They were threatened, no public ministry at all. Nobody can say anything about resurrection and so forth and so on, but there's no way that you're ever goin' stop power from flowing through a pure church. When the church is pure, it just, you can't stop it, you see? And so it flowed, and they were bold and the power burst was astounding." (JM)

"The Book of Acts illustrates how intimately purity and power are linked together. Many times, we sing, “More love, more power…” when in reality our need is less sin and less carnality. A wise and loving Father, knowing the results of the misuse of power, will not give it to those who are not pure." (Courson)

Other things discussed..

God's power is always shown through miracles and unity of believers.
Why did believers gather together at Solomon's porch?
The early church’s reputation of power and purity.
The consequences of a pure church.
Why did sick people expect to be healed by touching Peter's shadow?
Did Peter's shadow have the power to heal people?
Why did people come to the apostles instead of the apostles going to them?

New sermons (right click/save as):

6/7/15 - Esther 3-6
6/7/15 - Luke 1:26-38
6/7/15 - In This Manner Pray (Mt 6:9-13)
6/7/15 - Matthew 5:21-42
6/7/15 - A Beautiful Life (Psalm 131)
6/7/15 - Revelation Of Jesus Christ (Revelation 1:1-3)
6/7/15 - Pauls Care of the Church (I Thessalonians 3)
6/7/15 - Hosea the Prophet (Selected Scriptures)
6/7/15 - Introduction to Hosea
6/7/15 - 2 Chronicles 20:1-22

Article: Things Forgotten and Endured

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Love is joyful when truth is known, even when it may lead to adverse circumstances, reviling, or persecution. Speak with a blessing even when insulted or persecuted (based on Proverbs 20:22; Romans 12:14; I Peter 3:8-9). Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:44). Be prepared to be reviled and to suffer persecution because of your commitment to Jesus Christ and your faithfulness in being obedient to God’s Word (based on Matthew 5:10-12, 10:16-28; II Timothy 3:12; I Peter 4:12-19). If you should endure suffering for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed of the Lord (based on Matthew 5:10-12; Luke 6:22-23; James 5:10-11; I Peter 3:13-17, esp. verse 14; I Peter 5:6-10)." (A Manual for In-Depth Discipleship)

Today's blog is on Acts 5 (The Church Grows Despite Opposition) verses 17-23: The Consequences of Living a Life of Obedience to Christ: the apostles are imprisoned by the Jewish rulers.

Samples from the study:

The later history of these apostles – and others associated with them in the early church – shows that sometimes God delivers by a miracle, sometimes He does not. According to fairly reliable church history and tradition, miraculous angels did not always deliver them.

Matthew was beheaded with a sword.
Mark died in Alexandria after being dragged through the streets of the city.
Luke was hanged on an olive tree in Greece.
John died a natural death, but they unsuccessfully tried to boil him in oil.
Peter was crucified upside-down in Rome.
James was beheaded in Jerusalem.
James the Less was thrown from a height then beaten with clubs.
Philip was hanged.
Bartholomew was whipped and beaten until death.
Andrew was crucified and preached at the top of his voice to his persecutors until he died.
Thomas was run through with a spear.
Jude was killed with the arrows of an executioner.
Matthias was stoned and then beheaded – as was Barnabas.
Paul was beheaded in Rome.

This reminds us that we should trust God for miraculous things and wish to see them more and more; but knowing that He also has a purpose when He does not deliver with a miraculous hand. We also see that we, like the apostles, are set free for a purpose – not merely to live for ourselves.

Other things discussed..

Why did the religious leaders imprison all of the apostles?
Why do some people hate those that help others?
Angelic intervention frees the apostles.
Why did God tell the apostles to return to enemy territory?
Does God always deliver believers from persecution?
The apostles obediently continue sharing the gospel.
Do we limit God's work when we procrastinate?

Right click/save as:

Ravi Zacharias - Who are you, God? #1 (6/7/15)
Ravi Zacharias - Who are you, God? #2 (6/7/15)

 

[Garryk]

There's been a bit of discussion in the thread lately on games, tv, etc. interfering with our relationship with Christ. I know a lot of us rationalize these things (I'm at the top of this list!) so I've been thinking and praying on the matter.

Let me start off by saying that video games have always been an important part of my life. Both of my parents worked when I was a kid so it was something I could do without getting into too much trouble. They got me an NES for my 10th birthday and that was that. I've loved games since then; reading, playing, thinking about them when not reading or playing. They were never really a bad influence though. I played Nintendo consoles; voice-acting and violence weren't really part of the equation yet.

Looking back, there were definitely times in college that playing games became destructive: skipping class, getting angry at online gaming, proliferation of violence and profanity. Probably ruined one or two relationships, but I'm okay with that because I've found the person I'm supposed to be with. Getting married, having kids, getting older/maturity... all these things have led to me spending less time on games. Growing in my relationship with Christ has caused me to lose interest for games where violence, profanity, and sexuality take precedence over gameplay and story.

My love for gaming is still there though. I browse NeoGAF (a little too much according to my wife), E3 is one of my favorite times of the year, and even though I don't have that much time for them I own all the new gen systems. I still have all of my old systems and games too which I guess are more of a collection now.

My concern now is are they too much of a distraction? Yes, they take time away that I could be spending with my wife or learning more about God and Christ, but are they any more of a distraction than say reading or exercise? I feel like I might be overreacting because I'm definitely at the point now where I spend more time reading about games than I do actually playing them. I might play 5 hours a week, but I spend at least an hour a day reading about them (which probably exposes me to more Rated M content than playing them ).

I can be a very impulsive person so I really need to think and pray on this. I don't want to just say "gaming is holding me back," and turn around and sell all of my stuff. I'd love to hear anyone's thoughts and I would appreciate your prayers.

For others struggling with gaming/tv interfering with your Christianity, I found this to be a good read.

Every now and then a passage jumps up and sticks with me. Right now it's Romans 14. The entire chapter is summed up in the very first verse,

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. -Romans 14:1

If there ever was a disputable matter, it's video games. I've been a gamer my entire life. I've also been a Christian my entire life. The games I've played run the gambit from educational to religious to violent to outright demonic. However, no matter what, there's never been a game that's been able to distract me from God. If anything, there were games I put down because my relationship with God made playing them uncomfortable. But my point here in the next few verses.

2 One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them. 4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. -Romans 14:2-4

I can handle games, video or otherwise, without losing sight of God and his purpose for me. And there are plenty of Christian game makers and gamers unions that say I'm not alone. But, here in Romans, Paul says that we shouldn't judge one another for what our faith allows us to do. Just because I play games, I'm not going to sit here and insist that playing games isn't a sin. Because while I can play a game without being desensitized to violence, death, and disobedience to God, that doesn't mean everyone can. I shouldn't judge them and they shouldn't judge me because both of us go before God who is our master and he makes both stand.

But, and this is how you know I'm a Methodist, it goes so much farther than I think it's right and you think it's wrong and we should all be OK with that. When I was 19, my father forbade me to bring my Magic: the Gathering cards into his house because he thought they were tarot cards. My father, the nerd, who handed me my first video games and my first fantasy novel couldn't wrap his mind around a card game because it said Magic on it. But, I never brought my cards to his house again because of what comes next in Romans 14.

14 I am convinced, being fully persuaded in the Lord Jesus, that nothing is unclean in itself. But if anyone regards something as unclean, then for that person it is unclean. 15 If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. -Romans 14:14-15

Methodists were among the biggest supporters of the prohibition movement. The lasting effect on us is that we hold Romans 14 and other similar passages to heart especially this next bit.

19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. 20 Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. All food is clean, but it is wrong for a person to eat anything that causes someone else to stumble. 21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.

We know some people can't handle alcohol so we ask our Elders not to drink in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are struggling with addiction. We use grape juice and not wine in worship because it's better to make worship easier for those who are struggling than it is to follow the church traditions.

Now, I'm not giving up video games (or alcohol) anytime soon, but, I am aware of of the effect games have on others. I have put games up for the sake of other people and played them elsewhere. I also help my friends with kids to be aware of the content of certain games so they can make informed decisions about what their kids play. I'm something of an advocate for age appropriate play to help protect games from being judged en masse. That and this entire post is how I best understand Romans 14:16-18.

16 Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18 because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.

 

[Khronico]

An issue has been deeply troubling me and I thought I'd ask for some advice on the matter:

My best friend that I've known since early childhood is talking frequently of suicide. Long story short, he's an extremely strong christian but has suffered for years from depression due to many factors (parents had a messy divorce when he was young, family is constantly at odds with each other, father is completely overbearing, bad living conditions, etc) that have recently been exacerbated by him and his family moving to another state (He's in california, I'm living in washington) and him struggling at the university he's been going to.

He told me he has gone and asked for advice/help at the church he currently attends but none of it has helped him. I've been praying for him and trying to support him through texts but I feel like he has completely lost hope.

I'll be asking for advice from some other trusted christians in my life but I figured asking for advice here would also help.

 

[Necromanti]

My best friend that I've known since early childhood is talking frequently of suicide. Long story short, he's an extremely strong christian but has suffered for years from depression due to many factors (parents had a messy divorce when he was young, family is constantly at odds with each other, father is completely overbearing, bad living conditions, etc) that have recently been exacerbated by him and his family moving to another state (He's in california, I'm living in washington) and him struggling at the university he's been going to.

Has he been seeing a counselor or talked to a doctor about how he's been feeling? He should probably make an appointment with a school counselor/psychotherapist. And if it ever gets serious, then he should probably call a suicide hotline before he hurts himself (which would seem to be a recommended course in general if one doesn't know what to do and wants to seek help).

According to the Mental Health GAF thread, these seem to be some resources:

US National Suicide Hotlines: 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) or 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Hotlines by state

(There's more there in the OP.)

Depression can be due to a variety of different factors like having a biological cause, being exacerbated by people at risk (perhaps again due to biological factors) during trying and stressful times, due to illness or trauma, and so on. If it has gotten to the point where he is talking about suicide, then it is absolutely serious.

I'd say the wise thing to do would be to treat like an injury one has that is starting to get infected, and only getting worse and worse with time. Seeing a doctor would be the reasonable course of action. Depression is an illness (that, while maybe not curable, is definitely treatable and manageable). It's not easy, but there are options that can be explored and exhausted first. It can be a mixture of therapy (of various kinds) and medication. Not everything works at first. But leaving it to chance or prayer can only do so much.

 

[Khronico]

Has he been seeing a counselor or talked to a doctor about how he's been feeling? He should probably make an appointment with a school counselor/psychotherapist. And if it ever gets serious, then he should probably call a suicide hotline before he hurts himself (which would seem to be a recommended course in general if one doesn't know what to do and wants to seek help).

According to the Mental Health GAF thread, these seem to be some resources:

(There's more there in the OP.)

Depression can be due to a variety of different factors like having a biological cause, being exacerbated by people at risk (perhaps again due to biological factors) during trying and stressful times, due to illness or trauma, and so on. If it has gotten to the point where he is talking about suicide, then it is absolutely serious.

I'd say the wise thing to do would be to treat like an injury one has that is starting to get infected, and only getting worse and worse with time. Seeing a doctor would be the reasonable course of action. Depression is an illness (that, while maybe not curable, is definitely treatable and manageable). It's not easy, but there are options that can be explored and exhausted first. It can be a mixture of therapy (of various kinds) and medication. Not everything works at first. But leaving it to chance or prayer can only do so much.

Thank you for the advice, I have been researching the topics of depression and suicide over the past week in hopes of better understanding what my friend is going through. I have suggested talking with a doctor but he flatly refused the advice, saying he doesn't need it because he "isn't crazy" (We have differing views on the subject of mental health, as you can probably guess).

I did just have a long talk with him about his depression/thoughts of suicide and it seems to have helped him some (he recognizes that his current troubles with school are temporary, he does look forward to the future). It doesn't mean the situation is resolved of course but I think that was some minor positive progress.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier." (2 Timothy 2:3-4)

Today's blog is on Acts 5 (The Church Grows Despite Opposition) verses 24-42: The Apostles Keep Preaching Jesus Despite Persecution.

Samples from the study:

"That word "ought" there, again, is not a totally accurate translation. The Greek word is "must". We must obey God rather than men. "Didn't we charge you not to speak anymore in this man's name?" Their answer is, "We must obey God rather then men. We must obey God." Oh, that we would experience and feel in our own hearts that divine imperative, "I must obey God." Unfortunately, we take so oftentimes a careless attitude in the area of obedience, "Well, yes, I should be obeying. Oh, I ought to obey God. Yes, I know that I should." But these men felt it much deeper. They said, "We must obey God rather than men." And I think that this is the rule. " (Smith)

"Theudas came on the scene claiming to possess deep spirituality. He claimed to be a Messiah who would lead Israel into spiritual illumination. Judas of Galilee launched a political reformation based upon less taxation. He claimed to be a Messiah who would free Israel from Roman bondage. Both were phonies. It’s easy for you and me to spot a false Messiah, a false teacher, or a false leader. He will do the same two things that Gamaliel said Theudas and Judas of Galilee did: Like Theudas, he will “boast himself to be somebody,” claiming to have supernatural or special powers. Or like Judas, he will “draw away much people after him,” saying, “Follow me, and I’ll set you free.” " (Courson)

"In spite of the bloody beating, the apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing. Here again the theme of joy is evident in the Book of Acts. A victorious church rejoices in God’s working in spite of persecution—and even on account of it, as here. The apostles were honored to be suffering disgrace for the name. Later, Peter encouraged Christians to “rejoice” when they would “participate” in sufferings on behalf of Christ (1 Peter 4:13; cf. 1 Peter 2:18–21; 3:8–17)." (Walvoord)

"This challenges each of us as followers of Jesus. The apostles continued where we may have stopped. We often find the threat of social rejection enough to make us keep quiet about who Jesus is and what He did for us. We need to have the apostles’ courage and determination to stand firm for Jesus Christ." (Guzik)

Other things discussed..

The apostles are found and arrested again by the religious leaders.
Why did the apostles not refuse to be arrested?
The religious leaders accusation against the apostles.
An accusation that all Christians should have against them.
Why were the religious leaders avoiding the name of Jesus?
Christians are to obey their leaders/governments unless it is a sin to do.
The testimony of the apostles before the Sanhedrin.
Why did the religious leaders want to kill the apostles?
Who is Gamaliel the Pharisee?
Gamaliel’s advice to the Sanhedrin.
Why did the religious leaders flog the apostles?
The apostles resume preaching with joy after being beaten to death.
What is the difference between teaching and preaching?

Video: 22. Did Jesus really rise from the dead?

New sermons (right click/save as):

6/9/15 - James 1:16-20
6/10/15 - 2 Samuel 10:1-19
6/10/15 - Isaiah 15-17:1
6/10/15 - Phil 3
6/10/15 - Psalms 125-126
6/10/15 - Proverbs 22:6-21

 

[Chaplain]

"Does New Religion Study Show that God is Cleaning House?"

By now you have seen articles about a recent Pew Study report about the decline of Christianity and the rise of atheists, agnostics, and "Nones." Actually, what we are seeing is a spiritual house cleaning. Nominal Christians - Christians in name only - are becoming consistent with their shallow faith and are departing the church. "For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" (1 Peter 4:17)

There is no doubt that the first-century church had to contend with betrayal and apostasy from within, as Jesus had said it would: "many will fall away and will betray one another" (Matt. 24:10). In fact, one of His own hand-picked apostles betrayed Him (Judas). Those who once proclaimed the name of Jesus Christ went on to do harm to the church they formerly claimed as their own.

Paul stated, "All who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes" (2 Tim. 1:15). Demas, who was said to have "loved this present world," deserted Paul (4:10). This apostasy does not seem to have been an isolated event: "At my first defense no one supported me," Paul wrote, "but all deserted me; may it not be counted against them" (4:16). There were also Judaizers who were constantly distorting the gospel and preaching doctrine that opposed "the gospel of Christ" (Gal. 1:6-10). John described them as a "synagogue of Satan" (Rev. 2:9; 3:9).

Furthermore, Jesus' warning about the rise of false prophets (Matt. 24:11) soon proved to be true to that generation of believers (24:34). John reported, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). So even during the time of those who had witnessed the work of Jesus (Luke 1:1-4), there was a falling away from the faith. The Apostle Peter wrote that "false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves" (2 Peter 2:1).

Paul also described the Judaizing teachers as "false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ" (2 Cor. 11:13). The first-century church was warned that savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them" (Acts 20:29-30). It's not any different today. Entire denominations have apostatized from the faith. The most recent example is the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUSA). There have been others.

The true believers of these apostate churches find their way into Bible-believing fellowships. We know that these liberal churches are the ones losing members.

John also indicated that these deceivers rose up in the midst of the church: "They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they all are not of us" (1 John 2:19).

http://godfatherpolitics.com/22403/...at-god-is-cleaning-house/#tqZvZLJx1D1ZJ5B7.99

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Many Christians have so busied themselves with programs and activities that they no longer know how to be silent and meditate on God's word or recognize the mysteries that are in the Person of Christ." (Zacharias)

Today's blog is on Acts 6 (The Appointment of Deacons and the Arrest of Stephen) verses 1-6: The Apostles Counter Satan's First Attack on the Early Church.

Sample from the study:

"To this point in the Book of Acts, Satan’s attacks on the church came on many different fronts. He attempted many forms of direct opposition and intimidation, and he tried to corrupt the church from within. These strategies were all unsuccessful in stopping or slowing the work of the church. Now Satan hoped to “divide and conquer” by raising one group of Christians against another." (Guzik)

Other things discussed..

Satan attacks the first church with disputes and division.
Why did the Hebrews and Hellenists not like each other?
Why did the Hebrew and Hellenist widows complain about one another?
Why is prayer and the ministry of God's word the most important thing for all church leaders?
The apostles offer a solution to the widow problem: appoint deacons to serve them.
What does it mean to pray over someone and lay hands on them?
Why did Satan's attack on the church fail?

Article: Matt Redman on how executed prisoners sang 10,000 Reasons

Earlier this year, the worship song ‘10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)’ was sung by a group of prisoners as they faced a 13-man firing squad in Indonesia. Speaking to Premier, worship leader Matt Redman, who wrote the song with Swedish songwriter Jonas Myrin, described the incident as ‘profound’

Article: Ian Curtis and Ravi Zacharias: Dealing with Suicide

The question for the Christian is what are we to do to help those individuals in need?

According to an article by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, entitled, "Godly Wisdom for Suicide Prevention", the article gives concrete-spiritual advice-on helping folks deal with suicide:

One, offer hope to the person: "There is hope - eternal hope - in a relationship with Jesus Christ."

Two, help them recognise their need for Christ: "Put your faith and hope in Christ and His love for you. You are never alone if you know Him."

Three, give them an opportunity to turn to Christ: "Turn to Him today, and by faith ask Christ to come into your life."

In long-term situations, the Suicide Prevention Resource Center, suggests the following:

One, define the problem. Two, identify causes. Three, develop and test interventions. Four, implement interventions. And five, evaluate effectiveness.

For emergency situations, the World Health Organisation lists the following steps:

One, stay with the person. Never leave the person alone. Two, gently talk to the person and remove (I'm assuming if possible and safe for you) the pills, knives, etc. Three, make a contact with mental health professional or doctor immediately (and I'd throw in police). Three, inform the family and enlist its support.

And finally, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention gives the charge to learn: "90% of people who die by suicide have a diagnosable and treatable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death." The point: there is help, learn what it is.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Soak your minds and hearts in the Word of God until you see and hear the Living Word of God." (Nigel Lee word's that he asked John Lennox to say at his funeral)

Today's blog is on Acts 6 (The Appointment of Deacons and the Arrest of Stephen) verses 7-15: Stephen is arrested due to speaking the truth about God.

Sample from the study:

"The reward for faithfulness in service is greater service. Jesus came on the scene and said something radical when He said, “Happiness is found in losing your life, in giving yourself away. Happiness is found in serving, not in being served; in giving, not in getting” (see Matthew 10:39). Today if you’re feeling somewhat blue, perhaps it’s because you’re not engaging yourself in serving others. When you feel like throwing in the towel, take up the towel instead. Wash someone’s feet and suddenly you’ll be refreshed. Stephen modeled this beautifully. He began by serving tables, helping feed widows—not necessarily a glorious position, not an exalted ministry. But because he was faithful, he was then elected to the office of deacon (Acts 6:5)—one of seven men chosen by the early church as being a man full of the Holy Ghost, full of wisdom, and full of good works. Here, two verses later, we see him doing “great wonders and miracles among the people.” Stephen went from being a table server to a deacon to a miracle-worker because he was faithful at each step." (Courson)

“Stephen's description is of a person who is close to God and reflects some of His glory as a result of being in his presence (Exodus 34:29).” (Marshall)

“Men, when you teach on heaven, let there always be a glow on your face, a gleam in your eye, and a smile on your lips. When you teach on hell, your normal face will do fine.” (C. H. Spurgeon)

Other things discussed...

Stephen’s powerful witness for God.
Why was Stephen able out-debate others?
What are Satan's three strategies to destroy God's church?
False accusations are used to sway popular opinion against Stephen.
Why was Stephen filled with peace as the religious leaders lied about him?

Audio:

6/11/2015 - Paul, the Messenger of the Gospel, Pt. 2 (Ephesians 3:3-4) (right click/save as)

Unbelievable? Does archaeology support the New Testament? Shahar Shilo & Byron
Saturday 13th June 2015 - 02:30 pm

A conversation on whether modern archaeology support the New Testament accounts. Two experts join Justin to talk about exciting recent finds and the kind of discoveries that both confirm and cause us to see in a new light certain parts of the Gospel accounts of Jesus.

MP3 (right click/save as)

Recent studies from a missions and pastors conference (stream or download at links):

Pastors' conference

#1 Missions in the Middle East: Jesus Appearing to Muslims in Dreams (1 Thessalonians 1)
#2 Psalm 119 Part 1
#3 Psalm 119 Part 2
#4 Philippians 1:1
#5 Preach The Word: Encouraging and Rebuking Pastors: (2 Timothy 3-4)

Missions conference

#1 - 1 Corinthians 1:8-11
#2 - Serving The Sawi People
#3 - Inklings Of God & His Law Across The Gentile World
#4 - Encouraging Missionaries, It Makes A Difference
#5 - Getting The Most Out Of Your Short Term Trip
#6 - 2 Corinthians 1:8-11
#7 - Closed Doors, Vision, And Faith (Acts 16)

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Atheism offers a bleak trajectory of steady decay that culminates in the eventual collapse of our universe. In the end, we face total annihilation. Pantheism offers scant comfort when it comes to our final destiny. Our individuality is devoured by the oneness of God, a place that houses everyone from Hitler to Mother Teresa. Polytheism mimics the marketplace with gods in excess of a million. Islam offers a deity who may shut the believer out of heaven even under the best of circumstances. Christianity, on the other hand, offers the hope of a future resurrection in which all believers participate, receiving new bodies and a continuous and personal relationship with Jesus Christ for all eternity." (Bannister)

Today's blog is on Acts 7 (Stephen’s Response to the Council) verses 1-5: Stephen gives the story of Israel beginning with Abraham..

A summary of the study:

"So now begins Stephens' defense before the council, which is going to lead to his death. He is going to so anger them that they are going to pick up stones and gnash their teeth against him and stone him. It is interesting that in his defense he is, first of all, the accused. They have made these accusations against him, but before he is finished with his defense, he becomes the accuser and he accuses them. And his accusations of them was something that they couldn't handle, and they took up stones and killed him. So he starts his defense in recounting their history. And as he recounts their history, going back to their father Abraham, whom they all acknowledged as the father of their nation, how that God had called him out of the land of his fathers to come to a land that God would ultimately give unto him and unto his seed for a possession. How that he journeyed to Haran until his father died, and then came on to the land that God had given to him. However, though God had promised him the entire land, he did not personally gain any inheritance in the land. Except that when his wife died, he bought a cave to bury her in, and that was the only part of the land that Abraham ever possessed--the burial cave that he had purchased from the people of the land. But then God had told Abraham that his seed was to go into a strange land where they would dwell for four hundred years. At which time God would deliver them from that land, and at that time He would give to them the land that He had promised unto them. And, that God would then judge the nation that had made them serve in such terrible bondage." (Smith)

Other things discussed...

The High Priest invites Stephen to speak about Jesus.
Stephen gives the religious leaders history lesson in Biblical theology starting with Abraham.
Did Stephen make a mistake about God’s call to Abraham?
God’s promise to Abraham was based on Faith.

Video: Gay Christian Theologian Says Marriage Should be Heterosexual

Audio: 6/14/2015 - Leading Lives Pleasing to God (I Thessalonians 4:1-12) (right click/save as)

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"Even wrestling through belief and experience, contradiction and discord, God can give new perspective and a deeper understanding. Joseph later tells the very brothers who betrayed him, “It was not you who sent me here, but God.” Elsewhere he insists, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Life doesn’t always go as planned, but the plans of God are sufficient. Joseph witnessed the sovereign hand of God, though probably not in the way he first imagined it. Perhaps we, too, need to look again at our discordant intersections of faith and experience. Often it is God Himself who stands at the crossroads." (McAllister)

Today's blog is on Acts 7 (Stephen’s Response to the Council) verses 6-16: Stephen gives the story of Israel beginning with Abraham up until Joseph.

A summary of the study:

"So what has Stephen done in the beginning of his message? He has first of all answered the charge of blasphemy against God. Watch this. Secondly, at the same time, he has maintained their ears and their attention, because he's been talking about what they care about, themselves and their history and the great things that they adore. The third thing he has done is indict them by showing, first of all, the blasphemy of their own fathers in rejecting God's chosen one. The fourth thing he did in the beautiful picture of Joseph was present the Messiah. And so Stephen begins what climaxes in a great statement about Jesus Christ Himself."

Other things discussed...

Why did Stephen remind the religious leaders that God warned Abraham that his descendants would go into slavery?
What was the meaning of circumcision in the Old Testament?
How could Stephen say that God was with Joseph when others forced evil onto him?
Why is Joseph a picture of Jesus?
Did Stephen make two mistakes about Old Testament history?
What is Stephen trying to get say to the religious leaders by bringing up Abraham to Joseph?

New sermons (right click/save as):

6/14/15 - Revelation 14
6/14/15 - Narrow But True (Mt 7:13-14)
6/14/15 - Matthew 5:43-6:15
6/14/15 - Genesis 5-6:2
6/14/15 - Luke 8:41-56
6/14/15 - From God With Love (Revelation 1:4-8)
6/14/15 - Backsliden, Unfaithful Israel (Hosea 2)
6/14/15 - Hosea 1-3

 

[Mariolee]

When people get these doubts, there is usually an underlying issue in their own life that leads them to the despair you are describing. The root issue not being statistics or scientific dogma. So, what is going on in your life that is influencing you to think what you presently think?

I'm not sure. I've talked with you at length about this before, but I've not made any real changes I suppose. I am sincerely afraid of death. Every time I think about it I get anxiety attacks. It's because I enjoy my life right now, but I realize that everything I look forward to ends. For an innocent example, take E3. I said to myself the past few weeks that I'll look forward to watching the E3 press conferences, and then I'll be satiated and satisfied. But now they've come and gone and I still feel unsatisfied. I've grown up with the church telling me that this will happen, and that only God will fill that "God-shaped" hole in my heart but I don't feel like he would.

This anxiety attacks also come with seeing people forgotten. With NeoGAF, people are forgotten all the time. People come and go whether it's because they get busy, they get banned, or they die. Even famous GAFfers like Vox-Pop just drop off the face of the earth and no one really asks around anymore which is strange because Vox-Pop was known to have had a disease. Or even seeing entire forums abandoned gives me anxiety attacks. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I'm anxious of the fact that them being gone was like there were never there at all. Perhaps that's why I'm afraid of death?

I dunno, I think I'm afraid of death because to be honest, my life is good right now and I'm enjoying it and I would hate for it all to end. And yet, at the same time I feel unfulfilled because with every good thing I check off my list I still feel the need for more.

That's why I desperately want God to be real: if He's real then there's an afterlife and I wouldn't have to worry about this. I realize how shallow that sounds and I wish I wasn't that shallow, but that's just the way it is. However, I look at what the Bible teaches (as I have gone to Christian school, still go to Church, listen to apologetic lectures) and it all screams to be illogical. I don't mean to offend at all either.

I just don't know.

God says to cast our cares and anxiety to him. He says this so that he can help us: not by removing the difficulties, but to meet us in/through them. This will increase our faith through the experience of His help in our struggles.

There is nothing wrong with doubting. Most if not all of our brothers and sisters in the Bible dealt with doubt. Those that had victory over these things talked to the Lord about their doubts. Those that didn't kept their doubts within themselves.

That said, your spirit is at war with your flesh. Whatever you are feeding the most will be influencing your thoughts, that will eventually influence your will. The flesh always wants to focus on the bodies needs and has plenty of tools to hinder the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives:



Ty for sharing your heart with us. You will be prayed for.

Maybe that's my problem? I'm not working towards finding God for myself as I'm already feeling like it's not worth it if He doesn't exist. If He does exist then I feel as if He should come to me and reveal Himself since He's the one with endless power. Again, a very shallow view that my Christian side can come up with counter-arguments for, but that is sincerely how I feel.

My psychology is pretty messed up at the moment haha

Thanks again for listening, Game_Analyst. I know you are going through much tougher situations than I am right now and I pray and hope things are looking up and getting better.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"The greatest of loves will never come cheaply. The greatest of loves that you and I can ever experience is an intimate relationship with God, who has given everything for us. And yes, sometimes, it takes everything you’ve got to honor that love and it takes everything you’ve got to honor that trust. Look at any athletes who have succeeded. Discipline and perseverance are indispensable parts of their lives unless they cheat. When you have discipline, you have the marks on the body to demonstrate it. There is always the temptation to misjudge the cost halfway through the journey. God reminds us again and again that the true measure of gain is only calibrated at the destination. That is why even Moses, when he asked how he would know that God had called him, was told, “When you get there you will know it.” That’s not the answer he wanted but that was the profound lesson he learned." (Zacharias)

Today's blog is on Acts 7 (Stephen’s Response to the Council) verses 17-34: Stephen gives the story of Israel from the time of Moses.

A summary of the study:

"Moses life is treated in three parts, corresponding to each of the three periods of forty years that made up his life (see verse 23). The first period is that of his early life in Egypt. The description is given in terms of a formal threefold pattern and deals with his birth, his early upbringing and his education (see 22:3 and note). When he was born, he was a comely child (Exod. 2:2; Heb. 11:23). The addition before God may mean that he found favour with God (cf. 23:1) or it may reflect a Hebrew idiom and simply mean that he was a very fine child. After resisting the decree that they must expose their infants for three months, his parents eventually did so, but the child was discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter who brought him up (Exod. 2:1–10). Although the Old Testament does not expressly relate it, Stephen follows the tradition, attested in Philo, that Moses would naturally be given a thorough Egyptian education." (Marshall)

"One of the fundamental distinctives of the Hebrew way of thinking that we find in the Scriptures is the understanding that the knowledge of truth comes by obedience. Christians regard faith as “belief” or “trust,” as the Greek word in the New Testament is often translated. And yet, the word for “faith” in the Old Testament is rendered as “faithfulness,” suggesting that obedience builds and strengthens one’s faith. A classic demonstration of this principle can be seen in the encounter between God and Moses. When Moses demanded proof that God had indeed called him, God said, “I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain” (Exodus 3:12). The proof of God’s call was after the obedience, not before." (Zacharias)

Other things discussed...

What was the early life of Moses like?
Why did Israel reject Moses?
What two things were Moses' early ministry focused on?
God appeared to Moses at Mount Sinai.
Why does God strengthen our faith only when we obey Him?

Video: Does God Love Trekkies? | Vince Vitale

Audio: Michael Ramsden: The Pursuit of Happiness

Article: Dealing With Doubt and Imposing False Patterns

Article: Hell Is Other People

 

[Chaplain]

I'm not sure. I've talked with you at length about this before, but I've not made any real changes I suppose. I am sincerely afraid of death. Every time I think about it I get anxiety attacks. It's because I enjoy my life right now, but I realize that everything I look forward to ends. For an innocent example, take E3. I said to myself the past few weeks that I'll look forward to watching the E3 press conferences, and then I'll be satiated and satisfied. But now they've come and gone and I still feel unsatisfied. I've grown up with the church telling me that this will happen, and that only God will fill that "God-shaped" hole in my heart but I don't feel like he would.

This anxiety attacks also come with seeing people forgotten. With NeoGAF, people are forgotten all the time. People come and go whether it's because they get busy, they get banned, or they die. Even famous GAFfers like Vox-Pop just drop off the face of the earth and no one really asks around anymore which is strange because Vox-Pop was known to have had a disease. Or even seeing entire forums abandoned gives me anxiety attacks. I'm not sure why. Maybe it's because I'm anxious of the fact that them being gone was like there were never there at all. Perhaps that's why I'm afraid of death?

I dunno, I think I'm afraid of death because to be honest, my life is good right now and I'm enjoying it and I would hate for it all to end. And yet, at the same time I feel unfulfilled because with every good thing I check off my list I still feel the need for more.

That's why I desperately want God to be real: if He's real then there's an afterlife and I wouldn't have to worry about this. I realize how shallow that sounds and I wish I wasn't that shallow, but that's just the way it is. However, I look at what the Bible teaches (as I have gone to Christian school, still go to Church, listen to apologetic lectures) and it all screams to be illogical. I don't mean to offend at all either. I just don't know.

Ultimately, if you continue on the route that you are on, you will just be confirming what Jesus said about those that live their lives centered on themselves for their primary purpose of existence. As with the story of the woman at the well, nothing satisfied because she was living for things that could never bring any ultimate fulfillment in her life. That is why she was blown away when Jesus exposed the root of her problem. Jesus always gets to the root of our problems. Why? Because our habits and actions are only symptoms of what is really going on. Your fear will continue to grow until you allow God to help you. How? When we worry (due to fear) this reveals that we do not trust God. Jesus said this is a sin, and since you have said that you are presently planning to continue living how you want to live (in fear), you will be unable to escape its grasp until repent by turning to Christ.

Any time we live for ourselves, from what scripture says and my own experience, nothing ever satisfies and this has led me into enormous amounts of extra pain and suffering. I am not saying that pain and suffering do not exist when we obey and put Christ first, but there is a huge difference in that I am given strength and assistance to deal with things all people (believer or nonbeliever) deal with.

Maybe that's my problem? I'm not working towards finding God for myself as I'm already feeling like it's not worth it if He doesn't exist. If He does exist then I feel as if He should come to me and reveal Himself since He's the one with endless power. Again, a very shallow view that my Christian side can come up with counter-arguments for, but that is sincerely how I feel.

Interesting that you said this, because I read something today that talks about what you said:

"Sometimes we lose our ability to sense God or see Him at work because we choose not to obey Him. The inherent danger within all of us is that no matter what God does, we may wish He had done it differently. The gift of faith is precisely what makes it possible for us to accept that God works in his own way (which is not always our way), in his own time, and for his purpose." (Zacharias)

Thanks again for listening, Game_Analyst. I know you are going through much tougher situations than I am right now and I pray and hope things are looking up and getting better.

We are all going through tough situations. I suffer and lose it like everyone else at times. However, what we share in common is that we have brothers and sisters in church to help keeps us accountable, God's word to renew our minds and help us grow to become like Christ, and the Holy Spirit to empower us to obey God and His Word.

One final quote that sums up what I said:

"If we are to handle the problems that we face in a way that pleases God, we must grow spiritually (2 Pet. 1:5-8; Jas. 1:2-5) through obedience to the Word of God (Col. 3:16; Acts 20:32; 2 Tim. 3:16-17) as the Holy Spirit works in our lives (Gal. 5:16, 22- 25; also see Heb. 5:12-14). This method of change and growth may sound simplistic and superficial to a world, and all too often a church, duped by psychological theories, but it is the biblically prescribed methodology and has been recognized as such by the evangelical church throughout history."

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"We can speak of idolatry in functional terms a the centering of human life around some perceived power. We thereby are provided a diagnostic tool of the first importance for the life of the Spirit. Idolatry in this sense is not an abstract set of erroneous opinions, but the most concrete structuring of human life...And since idolatry is essentially a form of compulsion protecting us against existential fear, we can also move analytically from the deployment of our defenses to the point of our greatest vulnerability...We each structure our lives to possess what we regard as most powerful and important, or conversely, to avoid what we most fear." (Johnson)

Today's blog is on Acts 7 (Stephen’s Response to the Council) verses 35-41: Stephen continues the story of Israel from the time of Moses.

A summary of the study:

The religious leaders "knew everything about Christ, and if they looked at the facts they'd see that Christ paralleled Moses in every way. You see? That's the point. They knew all the facts. For example, Moses was a deliverer from among his own people, a Jew. So was Jesus Christ. Moses came down from a palace to release men in bondage. He condescended. So did Jesus Christ. Moses offered himself to Israel and was rejected and then went and raised up seed among the Gentiles. Now you know why verse 29 is in there. So did Jesus, didn't he? Rejected by Israel, he turned and raised up seed in the church, the Gentiles." (JM)

"One of the accusations against Stephen was that he blasphemed the temple. It wasn’t that Stephen spoke against the temple, but against the way Israel worshipped the temple of God instead of the God of the temple. Just as Israel worshipped the calf in the wilderness, so now they were worshipping the works of their own hands." (Guzik)

“The attempt to not face the face of God or face ourselves as we are begins the process of idolatry. An idol is something within creation that is inflated to function as a substitute for God… Since an idol is a counterfeit, it is a lie. Deception is its very identity.” (Dick Keyes’ essay “The Idol Factory”)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Moses was Israel’s deliverer despite their previous rejection of him.
What did the Jews reject Moses and Jesus?
What are the parallels between Moses and Jesus?
Why did Moses call Israel the Church?
Is the church Israel?
Why does the rejection of God always lead to idolatry?

Article: Idle Time, Idol Affections: Jonah's Rebellion Against God

Free book in pdf: Finish the Mission: Bringing the Gospel to the Unreached and Unengaged (right click/save as)

This is no ordinary missions book. The theme isn't new, but the approach is refreshing and compelling, as contributors David Platt, Louie Giglio, Michael Ramsden, Ed Stetzer, Michael Oh, David Mathis, and John Piper take up the mantle of the Great Commission and its Spirit-powered completion.

From astronomy to exegesis, from apologetics to the Global South, from being missional at home to employing our resources in the global cause, Finish the Mission aims to breathe fresh missionary fire into a new generation, as together we seek to reach the unreached and engage the unengaged.

“The goal of missions is the worldwide worship of the God-man by his redeemed people from every tribe, tongue, and nation. The outcome of missions is all peoples delighting to praise Jesus. And the motivation for missions is the enjoyment that his people have in him” (p. 14).

Audio: Michael Ramsden - Courage, Christ, and Finishing the Mission (right click/save as)

"If, deep down, you are unconvinced of the truthfulness of the gospel, it is unlikely that you will live or suffer for it." link to the article that accompanied the study.

New sermons (right click/save as):

6/16/15 - James 1:21-27
6/17/15 - Psalms 127-128
6/17/15 - Isaiah 17-22
6/17/15 - Proverbs 22:6-21

Live stream tonight: Unlimited? The Challenge of Human Freedom Live Stream

We continually push the envelope and redefine society to match our cravings to be free, but is it good for a person to have freedom to do whatever he or she wants? And how does God fit into the picture?

On June 18, author and apologist Ravi Zacharias and author and social critic Os Guinness will speak on the challenges of unlimited human freedom and on the importance of Jesus, as fully God and fully man.

The event begins at 7:30 p.m. EDT at Georgia Tech’s Ferst Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"…fictional gods may well be enemies of reason: the God of the Bible certainly is not. The very first of the biblical Ten Commandments contains the instruction to 'love the Lord your God with all your mind'. This should be enough to tell us that God is not to be regarded as an enemy of reason. After all, as Creator he is responsible for the very existence of the human mind; the biblical view is that human beings are the pinnacle of creation. They alone are created as rational beings in the image of God, capable of a relationship with God and given by him the capacity to understand the universe in which they live." (Lennox)

Today's blog is on Acts 7 (Stephen’s Response to the Council) verses 42-53: Stephen proves to the religious leaders, through their history, that they have always rejected God's servants.

A summary of the study:

"Who was Moloch? He was the god of prosperity and success. He was the god to whom parents would offer their first-born children and watch them die believing their families would be more prosperous and their businesses more successful as a result. Moloch is still worshipped by many today even in America. `We'll abort the baby so we can have more success and prosperity. We don't have time for children — we're climbing the corporate ladder.'" (Courson)

"If we reject Jesus, what will we be given up to? To whom does your heart belong? How will you know the answer to the question? It is what Solomon said: “In all your ways acknowledge him.” It is the path that you choose, the decisions that you make, the way that you live. If you do not acknowledge God, then your heart belongs to something or someone other than to Him."

"On a more subtle level, many Christians do the same thing. It may not be the worship of a church building (though certainly that does take place from time to time), but it is the confinement of God to one place. In other words, the only place they meet God is at the church. As far as they are concerned, God is absent from the rest of their lives. In the minds and lives of some today, God might as well only live at the church." (Guzik)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Why did Israel choose to follow material gods instead of Yahweh?
What can happen to the believer that continues to reject God.
Is there any help for the believer that has been in rebellion against God?
Can idols help a person not reject God?
Stephen sums up his sermon to expose the heart of the religious leaders.
Why did Stephen call the religious leaders stiffnecked and uncircumcised in their hearts and ears?

Article: Our Disappointments Matter to God

Regarding our disappointments, there are two critical points. The first thing is this: when you speak of disappointment, it is impossible to think of it outside of the philosophical issue of suffering itself. That is, it is not just that you’re disappointed in a job interview. It is not just that you’re disappointed that you went on a journey and it turned out to be something other than what you thought it would be. It’s not just that you bought a car and found out it was a lemon.

Second, the question is not only more complex philosophically; the question’s more complex experientially. You see, most people end in despair not from disappointment through pain but disappointment with pleasure. The loneliest moment in life is when you have just experienced what you thought would deliver the ultimate—and it has let you down. That’s the reality. Oscar Wilde once suggested, “There is no passion that we cannot feel, no pleasure that we may not gratify, and we can choose the time of our initiation and the time of our freedom.” He was the quintessential hedonist, yet he confessed that “desire at the end was a malady, madness, or both.” He said that he had become numb to feeling; he’d lost the capacity to feel pleasure. At the end of his life, he sent for a minister and admitted that only Christ was big enough to forgive his sin. This was the definitive man on sensuality. Thus, the question is far more complex philosophically and experientially.

Video: Unlimited? The Challenge of Human Freedom (6/18/2015)

Ravi Zacharias and author and social critic Os Guinness spoke on the challenges of unlimited human freedom and on the importance of Jesus, as fully God and fully man.

Video: Is America Really Christian?