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[Mariolee]

Yeah man we all struggle with this. Your talking with someone who knows all too well what it is like to doubt and wonder, and I'm sure there are plenty of others throughout the world who struggle just the same. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man." Thankfully that's why this thread exists, so we can help you out. Even if it is just through the Internet with people we don't really know we are still one body in Christ -- the Church -- and should support one another.

Thanks man, I hope you don't mind if I message you some more sometime haha

God is doing amazing things in places where people remain open to His Spirit. God will not force anyone to come to Him, and this is why you see people in the West being deceived on such a huge scale right now.

What I hope you take away from both sides of the argument is that both sides cannot prove their worldview. Both sides can offer evidence that ultimately leads a person to step out in faith (trust) to believe the evidence or reject it. Believing and rejecting whatever evidence is available is centered on faith. The Atheist has faith and so does the Christian. All worldviews require faith. That is just the way the world has been set up to work.

Thanks, I think I get this now more.

 

[Chaplain]

Thanks, I think I get this now more.

Your welcome bro. ^_^

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"The apostles were ordered not to preach in the name of Jesus. They refused and were imprisoned. On that occasion God supernaturally delivered them to preach again. But he doesn't always do so. We understand that Peter was eventually crucified for his faith, and John was banished to the island of Patmos. The thing that delivered them (and will deliver us) from fear was not knowledge so much, but what Peter says at the beginning of his exhortation in 1 Peter 3:15: in your hearts honour Christ the Lord as holy. It is our conscious dependence on Christ, and deliberately giving him the most sacred place as the chief value in our lives, that is the key to overcoming fear." (Lennox)

Today's blog is on Acts 10 (Cornelius, Peter, and the Conversion of Gentiles) verses 27-43: Peter shares the gospel with those who he had previously considered outside the bounds of God’s grace.

Samples from the study:

“The principle subject of this chapter is not so much the conversion of Cornelius as the conversion of Peter.” (Stott)

"Have you ever heard people say God doesn't hear the prayers of unbelievers? This passage says otherwise, for although Cornelius was not yet a believer, an angel appeared to him saying God had heard his prayers." (Courson)

“The apostle was not long in his address before he came to the doctrine of the judgment of all men by Jesus Christ. He says that he was commanded to preach it, and therefore he did preach it.” (Spurgeon)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Peter proves that God had changed him (converted his heart and mind) by entering a Gentiles home.
What does Peter's previous vision have to say about Christians eating non-kosher foods?
Does God hear the prayers of unbelievers?
Is God present with people when the gospel is preached?
What makes a great preacher?
Is it true that God loves the Jews but hates Gentiles?
Why did Gentiles hate Jews and vice versa?
Does Peter declare that God saves people without the gospel of Jesus?
Peter calls Jesus God.
Peter’s short sermon summarizes the person and work of Jesus.
Why does Peter tell Cornelius about the doctrine of the judgment of all men by Jesus Christ?
Is the gospel for a select few or for all mankind?

 

[Mariolee]

Probably been posted before, but I've been encouraged by Rice University's findings that In the U.S., 76 percent of scientists in the general population identify with a religious tradition. I was really discouraged before when Neil DeGrasse Tyson stated that only 7% of the scientific elite believe in a god, which I haven't found the number of. Idk, I just like not feeling alone. Still have anxiety about death, but this helps.

 

[archnemesis]

Identifying with a religious tradition could just mean that they celebrate Christmas. It doesn't mean that they actually believe in the existence of gods.

Edit: This figure from a 2009 study is often used.

PewResearchCenter | Scientists and Belief (2009)

 

[Mariolee]

Welp there goes my confidence and welcome back anxiety. That info seems to be at odds with the new pewforum report that in 2014 only like 60% Americans say that they're Christian while 22% are unaffiliated.

 

[archnemesis]

By posting in this thread you are shielding yourself from non-Christian arguments. If you are honestly interested in learning then I suggest you make a thread about your anxiety so that you can get input from people with other perspectives.

 

[Mariolee]

By posting in this thread you are shielding yourself from non-Christian arguments. If you are honestly interested in learning then I suggest you make a thread about your anxiety so that you can get input from people with other perspectives.

I've pushed myself to do that in the past but I just feel I'm pretty emotionally compromised due to not having many Christian people around me recently to back me up. That's why I've stayed in this thread, as I feel I need to recover first before I can handle other perspectives again if that makes sense. Perhaps this isn't that healthy though.

What are your beliefs?

 

[archnemesis]

What are your beliefs?

I'm an atheist living in one of the least religious countries in the world, working in one of the least religious fields.

 

[DoktorEvil]

Welp there goes my confidence and welcome back anxiety. That info seems to be at odds with the new pewforum report that in 2014 only like 60% Americans say that they're Christian while 22% are unaffiliated.

Like any poll, they are subject to bias and discrepancies. What about Baha'i, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Judaism, Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism, and Zoroastrianism? Christian nowadays in the US means little because of the numerous Christian denominations that compete for your right to find salvation.

I'm not sure I understand where the root of your anxiety comes from. You have to consider that GAF skews young(20s-30s) and might have different experiences with world religion. Most people also come from different countries where their ideals are different then American ideals.

You have to consider the whole picture here. If you have anxiety about your faith, consult your priest and have a heart to heart. Ask yourself the tough questions about your faith.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

“What has happened to create this doubt is that a problem (such as a deep conflict or a bad experience) has been allowed to usurp God's place and become the controlling principle of life. Instead of viewing the problem from the vantage point of faith, the doubter views faith from the vantage point of the problem. Instead of faith sizing up the problem, the situation ends with the problem scaling down faith. The world of faith is upside down, and in the topsy-turvy reality of doubt, a problem has become god and God has become a problem.” (Guinness)

Today's blog is on Acts 10 (Cornelius, Peter, and the Conversion of Gentiles) verses 44-48: God-fearing Gentiles receive Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Samples from the study:

"Jesus never came to establish a government upon the people by force. He did not even talk about political systems. He came to rule in the hearts of people, and not by the establishment of political power. He asks to live in you, not to control your state.” (Zacharias)

"Christ stands - waits long, at the door of the sinner's heart; he knocks - uses judgments, mercies, reproofs, exhortations, to induce sinners to repent and turn to him; he lifts up his voice - calls loudly by his word, ministers, and Spirit." (Clarke)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

God-fearing Gentiles are filled with the Holy Spirit.
At what point does a person become saved?
God-fearing Gentiles speak in tongues after receiving Jesus into their hearts.
What is the purpose of the gift of tongues?
Why were Jewish Christians shocked that God saved Gentiles?
Was the entrance of Gentiles into the church promised in the Old Testament?

New sermons (right click/save as):

7/12/15 - Revelation 16:1-12
7/12/15 - The Friend of Sinners (Mt 9:9-13)
7/12/15 - Matthew 8:1-9:17 (Mt 8:1-9:17)
7/12/15 - Luke 11:1-4
7/12/15 - Genesis 8
7/12/15 - The Loveless Church (Revelation 2:1-7)
7/12/15 - Contrasting Destinies (I Thessalonians 5:4-11)
7/12/15 - The Kingdom Age for Israel (Hosea 5:15-6:3)
7/12/15 - Hosea 6:4-7:16

 

[Garryk]

Welp there goes my confidence and welcome back anxiety. That info seems to be at odds with the new pewforum report that in 2014 only like 60% Americans say that they're Christian while 22% are unaffiliated.

In my opinion there are 5 different beliefs you can have:

1. You believe that God exists, and are at peace because there is an afterlife and you know that you are going to Heaven.

2. You believe that God exists, but are overcome with anxiety because, in your mind, you don't know if you could ever be deserving of going to Heaven.

3. You don't know if God exists and are overcome with anxiety because you don't know what happens when you die.

4. You don't believe that God exists and are overcome by anxiety because you are scared that this is all there is and death is the end.

5. You don't believe that God exists and are at peace because you realize that your existence was a byproduct of chance and you were lucky to be alive in the first place.

I think, at a high level, this covers the spectrum of belief: a whole lot of anxiety book-ended with peace. To be set free from anxiety, you are going to have to make a leap of faith in one direction or the other. Either choose a life where you are trying to fulfill a God-given purpose, or a life where you are trying to make the most out of the time you have. Those two options don't sound that much different in essence: do the most you can with the time you have. But they ultimately offer polar opposites in terms of your final destination. And to be clear I'm not talking about Heaven or Hell. If you are an atheist, then you believe that you will simply cease to exist consciously. If you believe in God, then death is just a necessary step to eternal life.

At the end of the day, this is a choice that you are going to have to make yourself. If you let one of us or GAF convince you, then you are still going to be wondering if it was the right choice because you couldn't decide for yourself. I was going to try to avoid quoting scripture, but this one sticks out in my mind. Hope it helps.

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

[Chaplain]

At the end of the day, this is a choice that you are going to have to make yourself. If you let one of us or GAF convince you, then you are still going to be wondering if it was the right choice because you couldn't decide for yourself. I was going to try to avoid quoting scripture, but this one sticks out in my mind. Hope it helps.

I would like to add that Christ doesn't ask us to follow anyone but Him. This means that regardless of what a person says, each person has to make up their own mind on the evidence they have found and come to their own conclusion. Jesus is not an idea but a person. In order to have a relationship with any person we must open ourselves to them. If we remain closed then no one can ever get to know us. This applies to Jesus. He will not come into our lives until we ask Him. This is where the evidence comes in. It can be used to allow Him to come into our lives or to keep the door closed so that Jesus never comes into our lives.

“There have been men before … who got so interested in proving the existence of God that they came to care nothing for God himself… as if the good Lord had nothing to do but to exist.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Great Divorce

“When you come to knowing God, the initiative lies on His side. If He does not show Himself, nothing you can do will enable you to find Him. And, in fact, He shows much more of Himself to some people than to others—not because He has favourites, but because it is impossible for Him to show Himself to a man whose whole mind and character are in the wrong condition. Just as sunlight, though it has no favourites, cannot be reflected in a dusty mirror as clearly as in a clean one.” —C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

 

[Chaplain]

10 personal questions to ask ourselves about where we are in our relationship with Jesus.

1. Do I look forward to just being alone with the Lord?
2. Do I want to open up and pour out my heart to the Lord?
3. Do I get excited about Him through the reading of His Word?
4. Do I love people more because of Jesus?
5. Do I hurt when I sin against Jesus?
6. Do I find myself talking to Him during the day and night?
7. Do I find it hard to express all the love that I have for Him?
8. Do I ask, "What do you want me to do Lord; How can I serve you better?"
9. Do I ask how could He love me?
10. Do I want others to know Him?

Solution for those with sin in their lives:

1. Being Busy In The Things Of The Lord Is Not The Same As Being In Love With The Lord.
2. Getting Back The Love – Recount Your Sins And Remind Yourself Of What Jesus Has Done Through His Forgiveness. Repent And Redo.
3. Love Will Die If It Is Not Continually Nourished By Contact: Reading God’s Word, Prayer, Christian Fellowship, And Serving The Lord.

Psalm 51

1 Have mercy on me, O God,
because of your unfailing love.
Because of your great compassion,
blot out the stain of my sins.
2 Wash me clean from my guilt.
Purify me from my sin.
3 For I recognize my rebellion;
it haunts me day and night.
4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;
I have done what is evil in your sight.
You will be proved right in what you say,
and your judgment against me is just.
5 For I was born a sinner—
yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.
6 But you desire honesty from the womb,
teaching me wisdom even there.
7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Oh, give me back my joy again;
you have broken me—
now let me rejoice.
9 Don’t keep looking at my sins.
Remove the stain of my guilt.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Renew a loyal spirit within me.
11 Do not banish me from your presence,
and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and make me willing to obey you.
19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit—
with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings.
Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

Can someone help with this?
I was at a Anime convention during the memorial day weekend, and there were a bunch of protesters outside telling us to stop sinning. I asked what is it we're doing is a sin? They didn't answer me and just run their mouths.


How is Cosplaying a sin? (assuming)

 

[ST2K]

Can someone help with this?
I was at a Anime convention during the memorial day weekend, and there were a bunch of protesters outside telling us to stop sinning. I asked what is it we're doing is a sin? They didn't answer me and just run their mouths.


How is Cosplaying a sin? (assuming)

They could be thinking so many things:

- Anime inspires experimentation with witchcraft and demonology.
- Sexy cosplay inspires lust.
- Manga is just porn and porn is bad.
- Anime, manga, cosplaying, etc. isn't a godly pursuit for some reason or another.

It's difficult to say without context and knowing what they said. I've heard these types of things said in archconservative Christian circles though.

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

They could be thinking so many things:

- Anime inspires experimentation with witchcraft and demonology.
- Sexy cosplay inspires lust.
- Manga is just porn and porn is bad.
- Anime, manga, cosplaying, etc. isn't a godly pursuit for some reason or another.

It's difficult to say without context and knowing what they said. I've heard these types of things said in archconservative Christian circles though.

Do you watch Anime and go to cons?

 

[ST2K]

Do you watch Anime and go to cons?

The former, not the latter.

If you're asking if I agree with your protestors, that's likely not the case and I doubt you'll find many who share their opinion.

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

The former, not the latter.

If you're asking if I agree with your protestors, that's likely not the case and I doubt you'll find many who share their opinion.

Oh okay. I've never seen a protest before in person so I had to ask.

 

[entremet]

Can someone help with this?
I was at a Anime convention during the memorial day weekend, and there were a bunch of protesters outside telling us to stop sinning. I asked what is it we're doing is a sin? They didn't answer me and just run their mouths.


How is Cosplaying a sin? (assuming)

Already answered above, but sadly many Christians think it's effective to focus only on proposed moral issues, missing Christ, who is the foundation of our faith.

I used to be an atheist and sining doesn't really makes sense without the foundation of grace.

Also, unfortunately, anime may have PR issues due to the whole little girl stuff and hentai. They're probably attaching themselves to that.

However, it's still a terrible of approaching evangelism. You can't shame people into the gospel. I wish more Christians would understand this.

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

Already answered above, but sadly many Christians think it's effective to focus only on proposed moral issues, missing Christ, who is the foundation of our faith.

I used to be an atheist and sining doesn't really makes sense without the foundation of grace.

Also, unfortunately, anime may have PR issues due to the whole little girl stuff and hentai. They're probably attaching themselves to that.

However, it's still a terrible of approaching evangelism. You can't shame people into the gospel. I wish more Christians would understand this.

How can we fix this?

 

[entremet]

How can we fix this?

No idea honestly. Many Christian groups have protested about media for decades now. Anime just seems like another in a long line of social protests, which I believe aren't really effective forms of Christian witness.

I'm not aware if you're a believer or not, but if you're the former, I wouldn't worry about it. Enjoy your anime and conventions.

If you're the latter, just remember that Christians are far from perfect in both their strategy and tactics in engaging this world.

 

[injurai]

Can someone help with this?
I was at a Anime convention during the memorial day weekend, and there were a bunch of protesters outside telling us to stop sinning. I asked what is it we're doing is a sin? They didn't answer me and just run their mouths.


How is Cosplaying a sin? (assuming)

Probably the pokemon. Nothing good comes from pokemon.

But in relation to what can be done to "fix" those mentalities. I'm not sure if really anything can be done. But Christianity offers guidance on how to improve your life. People take this touchstone points of the faith and will try to shame anyone for not being "up to date" as it where. You get bad apple's in any group. Pop culture can having fleeting value and vapid undertones, so it's no wonder it ends up being the low hanging fruit that fundamentalist go after. The behavior should be concerning to Christians and non-Christians alike. If you ever want to see someone change, you have to first understand what it's like to be them and what makes them the way they are. Something that people forget regardless of belief or background. But there will always be those crazed proselytizers in every camp.

 

[Chaplain]

Today's quote of the day is on the difference between the original definition of tolerance and today's definition of tolerance:

"What does tolerance mean? The original meaning of the statement "I tolerate you" was famously (and perhaps rather extremely) expressed by Voltaire: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." Tolerance asserts the right to have convictions, to make judgments about right and wrong, which differ from those of others. It also asserts the right to express those views without fear. The new tolerance, however, is completely different. It seizes on the idea of offence and holds that I must not ever offend anyone else by expressing disapproval of any aspect of his or her behavior or ideas. The new tolerance approves of all absolutes except this one: you will be tolerant of everyone else's view. You must, however, be intolerant of intolerance. This means that criticism is forbidden, and must be replaced by unrestrained affirmation and praise, or silence. The new tolerance is intolerant of the old, and indeed negates it. To put it another way: the old tolerance accepted the existence of other views while disagreeing with them; the new tolerance insists on accepting the views themselves and not merely their existence. if we are not allowed to make judgments or have convictions any more, then all that is left is for us to descend to a kind of ethical neutrality. In the end, tolerance simply becomes a synonym for unconditional approval." (Lennox)

Today's blog is on Acts 11 (Defending Ministry to the Gentiles) verses 1-18: God uses Peter to show Christian Jews that His gospel is for all mankind.

A summary of the study:

The good news of the Messiah would go out beyond the walls of Israel to the “remotest parts of the earth.” What is often not realized—as modern people living in a pluralistic and multicultural world—is that taking the gospel to the remotest parts of the earth would have been bad news for those who believed the Messiah was only for Israel.

To understand why this mission of the Holy Spirit was so radical, we have to understand how religious Jews viewed Gentiles in the first century. Gentiles were unclean and Jews had no dealings with them. Jesus was often criticized for ministering to Gentiles or to Samaritans—half-breeds—who were also despised by the Jews. This background gives understanding for a conflict in the earliest Christian community in which the Hellenistic Jews (Jews from Greece) were angry at the native Hebrews for overlooking their widows in the serving of food. Outsiders in general were treated with inferiority.

It also helps us understand the strange vision of the great sheet covered with unclean animals that appeared to the disciple Peter. In the vision, Peter is commanded to “kill and eat” what would have defiled him according to Jewish law. Peter cries out when he is told to kill and eat, “By no means, Lord, for I have never eaten anything unholy and unclean!” This was not merely a protest against a new dietary law; Peter could not conceive of bringing the gospel to those he would have considered unclean. The narrative tells the reader that at the same time of this vision, Cornelius, a Roman solider was praying—praying as it turned out for Peter, his reluctant evangelist.

As a result of this vision, Peter later declares about the Gentiles, “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the one who fears God and does what is right is welcome to God. The word which God sent to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ…of him all the prophets bear witness that through his name everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins.”

Peter ministered to those who were considered outside the bounds of God’s grace. And when he returned to Jerusalem, the Jews took issue with him over his “eating with the uncircumcised.” Peter explained the events and the Jews eventually declared, “God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life.” The gospel had pushed outward beyond the walls of Jerusalem! The words of the prophet Joel were being fulfilled: “In the last days, God says, I will pour forth my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, and your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams” (Joel 2:28-32).

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Why did Christian Jews object to Peter's association with Gentiles?
Why does the Holy Spirit repeat the account from Acts 10:9-43 in Acts 11?
Peter explains his ministry to the Gentiles.
Were any prophecies fulfilled by God saving Gentiles?
A lesson to learn from Peter.
Jewish believers praise God for saving Gentiles.

Nabeel Qureshi (from RZIM) recently posted the following:

Sorry if I'm bothering you with this, family, but I got an unusual request: One of my spiritual advisers, Ed Komoszewski, wrote a book called "Putting Jesus in His Place," which really equipped me as a new believer. He also contributed as one of the experts in my book, Seeking Allah Finding Jesus.

Now he needs our help. His health has declined rapidly, and he has no way to pay for his medical expenses. Can you chip in a little bit to help someone who has helped me, and the church, with so much of his heart and mind?

http://www.gofundme.com/za2t467y

Audio: The Voice of the Martyrs - Chiapas: They Lost Everything

Most American Christians think persecution is something that happens only in far-off places. Many don’t realize that Christians in Mexico—right next door—can face persecution. In Chiapas, Zapatista rebels pressure those who choose to follow Jesus to renounce their faith in Christ and return to the traditional religion and superstitions of the area. Christians are kicked out of their homes and villages, left with nothing. “Ivan” oversees VOM’s ministry to these bold believers, and this week he shares about meeting with them and how God continues to work in spite of the persecution they face.

Article: The New Totalitarians Are Here

Totalitarians want their rule, and their belief system, to be accepted and self-sustaining - even if it takes bludgeoning every last citizen who disagrees.

A picture worth 1000 words:

 

[Mariolee]

Still feeling depressed without an excitement for life. Can't see the doc for another month. Need some Christian words of encouragement.

Edit: My depression seems to have subsided for now after taking a nap and listening to a lecture by NT Wright.

 

[Dicktatorship]

I had a slightly confrontation run-in with some Southern Baptists where I brought up how unethical some of the things they said were, and how ethics (even secular) brought people closer to God. Since then I started thinking about Kierkegaard's belief that the religious life is superior to that of the ethical one I've chosen and I feel confused. What do y'all think?

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"One major negative effect of the Enlightenment was the propagation of the idea that all true knowledge was factual, value free, and objective. By contrast with facts, values were held to be subjective, essentially a matter of taste. The conviction grew that religious belief belonged to the realm of private values rather than public truth. Link that with the increasing notion that human beings are autonomous and emancipated, and you have a potent recipe for banishing God. The attempt to eliminate God will eventually lead to - not freedom, but incalculable oppression. Atheists like Nietzsche saw this clearly - the "death of God" would not lead to human freedom but to nihilism and loss of everything, including meaning. (Lennox)

Today's blog is on Acts 11 (Defending Ministry to the Gentiles) verses 19-31: The Church in Antioch.

A summary of the study:

"In whatever gathering of Christians we associate ourselves with, it is important that others be able to see the grace of God among us. They should not see an emphasis on self, on man-made rules, on human performance – but on the glorious grace of God. It will make them glad." (Guzik)

"It's the heart that's important, folks — not the mind. `For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness,' (Romans 10:10). Why is the Lord so interested in the heart? Because the mind can change very quickly, and very easily. I can change my mind about something 100 times in a given day. I can go back and forth and back and forth depending on what I hear, the conclusions I make, the information I have. But the heart does not change easily. Think of that time, guys, when the girl of your dreams told you to pack sand — or girls, when your boyfriend walked out of your life. Your mind may have accepted it — but your heart was broken. It didn't let go that easily. The Lord isn't after an intellectual assertion. He desires heartfelt unification. That's why He says, `Open your heart to Me — not your brain, but your heart.' You see, the Lord knows that if my faith is intellectual only, academic arguments about evolution or existentialism will cause me to get confused and to vacillate. But if my heart is His, even though I may not be able to counter intellectual assaults, my relationship with Him will remain secure." (Courson)

"Antioch “had the greatest preachers – in the first century Barnabas, Paul, and Peter; in the second Ignatius and Theophilus; in the third and fourth Lucian, Theodore, Chrysostom, and Theordoret.” (Hughes)

"Eusebius, the famous early church historian, described a believer named Sanctus from Lyons, France, who was tortured for Jesus. As they tortured him cruelly, they hoped to get him to say something evil or blasphemous. They asked his name, and he only replied, “I am a Christian.” “What nation do you belong to?” He answered, “I am a Christian.” “What city do you live in?” “I am a Christian.” His questioners began to get angry: “Are you a slave or a free man?” “I am a Christian” was his only reply. No matter what they asked about him, he only answered, “I am a Christian.” This made his torturers all the more determined to break him, but they could not, and he died with the words “I am a Christian” on his lips. (Eusebius, Church History)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

The church in Antioch grows as Gentiles turn to the Lord.
Antioch's historical background.
The ministry of Barnabas in Antioch.
Is it possible to see the grace of God over someones life?
What do godly leaders called to do with congregations?
Why does God want us to primarily surrender our hearts to Him instead of just our minds?
Why did Barnabas go on a laborious search looking for Saul?
Barnabas and Saul model the the order of effective ministry: preaching, encouragement, and teaching.
The first mention in the Bible of believers being called Christians (Jesus People).
A prophetic word is given by Agabus that announces a famine is coming to the Roman Empire.
The disciples respond to the news of the famine by collecting money and sending Barnabas and Saul to deliver it to the Judean believers.

New sermons (right click/save as):

7/14/15 - James 2:18-23
7/15/15 - Psalms 140-144

Audio: The Voice of the Martyrs - Afghanistan: “What It Means to Die for Jesus”

One of the great blessings of traveling for VOM is meeting bold and on-fire believers serving Jesus in hostile and restricted nations. That great blessing comes with a heavy burden, though. Especially when those believers—people we know and love, people with whom our staff have shared fellowship—come under severe persecution. This week on VOM Radio, Jeremy, part of VOM’s international team, will tell us about that burden. We’ll learn what it’s like to get that phone call that says one of our partners—and a close friend—has been gunned down in Afghanistan.

Article: How Wide the Divide: Sexuality at the Forefront, Culture at the Crossroads

There are three starting points that separate the historic Christian view from those who called for the legalizing of gay marriage that is now the law of the land, albeit by one vote.

One, we come from two different definitions of what it means to be human. For the Christian, life is in the soul. The body is the temporal home. George MacDonald said it well: “You do not ‘have’ a soul; you ‘are’ a soul, and ‘have’ a body.” For the one living with a secular worldview there is no such thing as the soul. To be sure, that is not true of all in that disposition. I know many who would not deny the essential spirituality of human life and will admit to a deep struggle between their attractions and their cautions. Strangely, there has also arisen a strained view that seeks to justify the marital bond between any two consenting adults as biblically permissible. I shall not wander into an apologetic countering that. But there are those within their own ranks who seriously challenge such distortion. Fine theologians have argued and demonstrated the cracks in their foundations.‎ ‎

Two, the Christian believes in absolutes. For the secular person, moral relativism is the only absolute. No one ever really says what something is relative to, but the implication here is that there is no boundary for behavior. Even the economic destruction of those with whom they disagree can become the water-boarding and the slow kill of the secular armory. For the relativist, no decision is determined by a transcendent definition of life, and where there are no absolutes, there had dare not be any prohibition by anyone else. The banner of the atheistic society in England during Christmas two years ago said it all: “There probably is no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.” Relativism is the open door to fun, absolutes the closed door that destroys fun. That is the way it is seen.

Three, the defender of sexual freedom sees a parallel between what is seen as anti-gay prejudice today and racial prejudice as it was practiced at its lowest point decades ago. Here, a word game has entered the vocabulary. Relativist convictions are supposedly prejudice-free, while absolute convictions are branded as phobias. Any stigma can lick a good dogma, it is said. With that verbal deconstruction of a worldview, all questioning of sexual freedom is castigated as a phobia. Quite amazing that atheists are not called “theophobes” or that those against Christians are not called “christophobes.” Pejoratively, the counter positions have been appended with phobias till we may have a whole new polyphobic dictionary.

Video: 27. Why are Christians so judgmental?

Video: Give Me an Answer - #2014 - We Were Created With Worth

 

[Mariolee]

I had a slightly confrontation run-in with some Southern Baptists where I brought up how unethical some of the things they said were, and how ethics (even secular) brought people closer to God. Since then I started thinking about Kierkegaard's belief that the religious life is superior to that of the ethical one I've chosen and I feel confused. What do y'all think?

That does seem odd. Anything specific you talked about?

 

[Dicktatorship]

That does seem odd. Anything specific you talked about?

Just morality and ethics, both of which they deemed kind of irrelevant to salvation. In their eyes atheists or other groups of people are doomed even if they don't believe, which for a religion that stands for love, redemption, and treating others how you want to be treated this didn't sit with well with me. Then I brought up how certain Christians use the "i'm good with Jesus" as a get out of jail free card to forgive their constant immoral, unethical, and not very Christ-like behavior. I get that we are all sinners, I really do: but anyone that says they can continue to be assholes without serious attempts to change themselves JUST because they believe in God is an asshole and IMO not adhering to the gospel. They literally just shrugged it off.

 

[legend166]

Just morality and ethics, both of which they deemed kind of irrelevant to salvation. In their eyes atheists or other groups of people are doomed even if they don't believe, which for a religion that stands for love, redemption, and treating others how you want to be treated this didn't sit with well with me. Then I brought up how certain Christians use the "i'm good with Jesus" as a get out of jail free card to forgive their constant immoral, unethical, and not very Christ-like behavior. I get that we are all sinners, I really do: but anyone that says they can continue to be assholes without serious attempts to change themselves JUST because they believe in God is an asshole and IMO not adhering to the gospel. They literally just shrugged it off.

Salvation is always presented in scripture as more than just a simple head belief or knowledge about God. As James wrote, even the demons believe.

Jesus teaches over and over that salvation is a supernatural work performed by God in the life of the sinner. We are born again. That phrase is almost one of ridicule now in secular culture, but it's the very heart of the gospel. I think the seeker-sensitive movement has placed salvation too low. Millions believe they are saved because they put their hands up during a sermon, responded to an altar call or recited the sinners prayer when they were teenagers. And then what happens is they take that time of their life and throw in the doctrine of the security of the believer and therefore no matter what they do they're fine with God and God is fine with them.

But that is why we are told to examine ourselves and our works to see if we are producing the fruit of salvation. Because that's what happens when we are born again: we become bearers of fruit. Of course, it's important to measure ourselves and others against God's commands, not the world's. Excusing sin is what the world counts as Christian love - that's not what scripture says.

So if someone tells you that they can do whatever they want because they're 'saved', they need to read their Bible's more carefully.

But saying all that, it's made very clear that without the supernatural salvation of God, without the sacrifice of Jesus, good works mean nothing. The atheist can not find salvation in good works. The Christian cannot find salvation in good works. Christ taught this plainly. Paul taught this plainly. God's standard is perfection. If we are to throw this out this doctrine, then we may as well throw the whole thing out. If there was a path to salvation that didn't involve Christ on the cross, it seems mighty cruel to have Him die at all.

Anyway, I sort of agreed and disagreed with you there. Sorry I couldn't get references, I'm on my phone. If you'd like me to I'd be happy to grab them when I'm on my PC. I guess I can summarize in this: There is no other name given amongst men by which we can be saved except the name of Jesus.

 

[Dicktatorship]

Salvation is always presented in scripture as more than just a simple head belief or knowledge about God. As James wrote, even the demons believe.

Jesus teaches over and over that salvation is a supernatural work performed by God in the life of the sinner. We are born again. That phrase is almost one of ridicule now in secular culture, but it's the very heart of the gospel. I think the seeker-sensitive movement has placed salvation too low. Millions believe they are saved because they put their hands up during a sermon, responded to an altar call or recited the sinners prayer when they were teenagers. And then what happens is they take that time of their life and throw in the doctrine of the security of the believer and therefore no matter what they do they're fine with God and God is fine with them.

But that is why we are told to examine ourselves and our works to see if we are producing the fruit of salvation. Because that's what happens when we are born again: we become bearers of fruit. Of course, it's important to measure ourselves and others against God's commands, not the world's. Excusing sin is what the world counts as Christian love - that's not what scripture says.

So if someone tells you that they can do whatever they want because they're 'saved', they need to read their Bible's more carefully.

But saying all that, it's made very clear that without the supernatural salvation of God, without the sacrifice of Jesus, good works mean nothing. The atheist can not find salvation in good works. The Christian cannot find salvation in good works. Christ taught this plainly. Paul taught this plainly. God's standard is perfection. If we are to throw this out this doctrine, then we may as well throw the whole thing out. If there was a path to salvation that didn't involve Christ on the cross, it seems mighty cruel to have Him die at all.

Anyway, I sort of agreed and disagreed with you there. Sorry I couldn't get references, I'm on my phone. If you'd like me to I'd be happy to grab them when I'm on my PC. I guess I can summarize in this: There is no other name given amongst men by which we can be saved except the name of Jesus.

I see where you're coming from. I guess where we differ is in the dichotomy of the religious life and the ethical life as Kierkegaard believes it to be. I don't see the two as exclusive, and I usually pull from scripture when I justify that point. After all there are so many number of ways to read into the bible. Which feeds back into subjective and objective truths, another Kierkegaard thing. I actually believe in that one.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"To talk of another world beyond this one, and a resurrection in this world, is like waving red rags to the New Atheists. Well, perhaps not quite. They would be happy with other worlds on the basis of their conviction of a universal evolution that must have spawned life aplenty. But they are certainly not happy to envisage resurrection. By definition, a supernatural hole in history cannot be seen through the lens of a materialistic (or naturalistic) world-view. But that does not prove it isn’t there. A physical apparatus that is designed only to detect light in the visible spectrum will never detect X-rays, but it doesn’t prove that X-rays don’t exist. And there is such a well-attested hole in history, a singular point that does not fit into a reductionist theory of either history or science. As Cambridge theologian C. F. D. Moule has written: "If the coming into existence of the Nazarenes, a phenomenon undeniably attested by the New Testament, rips a great hole in history, a hole the size and shape of the Resurrection, what does the secular historian propose to stop it up with? … The birth and rapid rise of the Christian Church… remain an unsolved enigma for any historian who refuses to take seriously the only explanation offered by the Church itself." (Lennox)

Today's blog is on Acts 11 (Defending Ministry to the Gentiles) verses 1-2: The Apostles James is murdered by the moral relativist Herod Agrippa.

A summary of the study:

"This particular Herod was Herod Agrippa I. He was the grandson of Herod the Great who was the Herod at the time of the birth of Jesus. Herod the Great had ten wives. One of his wives, Miriam, had a son, Aristopollis that was murdered by Herod the Great, as was Miriam. He felt that they were conspiring against them and so he murdered them both." (Smith)

"Jesus promised no special protection for even His closest followers; He warned them to be ready for persecution (Matthew 10:16-26)." (Guzik)

"The Bible speaks of many who suffered on behalf on the gospel who were unwilling to abandon the precious faith entrusted to them. Consider the apostle Paul, who knew intimately what it was to write, “I bear on my body the marks of Jesus” (Galatians 6:17). Think of the stoning of Stephen and the heartache endured by those recorded in Hebrews 11. Furthermore, eleven of Jesus’s twelve disciples died a martyr’s death; not one of them anticipated how they would die when they came to him. If they had known where following Jesus would lead them, one wonders whether any of them would have started on the journey, for as they proved later, they were not particularly brave men. And yet, faithfulness over the long run is the shining example of what faith is meant to be. The story of the gospel in China is only one recent example. During the Cultural Revolution, Mao Zedong burned the seminary libraries, expelled Christians from the country, and declared that the name of Jesus would never be pronounced on Chinese lips again. He tried to bury the Christian faith completely. Today, the Chinese church is the fastest growing church in the world." (Zacharias)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Herod Agrippa's background.
Herod Agrippa harasses the church.
Why do Christians continue to be persecuted regardless of the time period they live in?
Why did Herod Agrippa murder the apostle James?
Did Jesus prophesize that James would be martyred for his faith?
God uses James' execution to save the soldier that was guarding him.

Article: Profiles in Faith - Justin Martyr (c.100–c.165)

Justin had to face charges of atheism, immorality, illegality, and irrationality. He countered all of these with powerful apologetic responses, not allowing people to go on rejecting the gospel for faulty reasons. What a challenge for us to present the claims of the One True God in the face of pluralism, to stand lovingly firm in contemporary clashes of morality and ethics, to rebut charges of irrationality and stupidity in response to the New Atheists.

 

[Mobile Suit Gooch]

No idea honestly. Many Christian groups have protested about media for decades now. Anime just seems like another in a long line of social protests, which I believe aren't really effective forms of Christian witness.

I'm not aware if you're a believer or not, but if you're the former, I wouldn't worry about it. Enjoy your anime and conventions.

If you're the latter, just remember that Christians are far from perfect in both their strategy and tactics in engaging this world.

Yup. I'm a Christian.

Probably the pokemon. Nothing good comes from pokemon.

But in relation to what can be done to "fix" those mentalities. I'm not sure if really anything can be done. But Christianity offers guidance on how to improve your life. People take this touchstone points of the faith and will try to shame anyone for not being "up to date" as it where. You get bad apple's in any group. Pop culture can having fleeting value and vapid undertones, so it's no wonder it ends up being the low hanging fruit that fundamentalist go after. The behavior should be concerning to Christians and non-Christians alike. If you ever want to see someone change, you have to first understand what it's like to be them and what makes them the way they are. Something that people forget regardless of belief or background. But there will always be those crazed proselytizers in every camp.

I wanted to call them Zealots but nah.

Spoiler

Almost done what that OT?

 

[Mariolee]

New religious thread on GAF: Who created God?

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1081772&page=100000

 

[Garryk]

New religious thread on GAF: Who created God?

http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1081772&page=100000

Funny to see even the atheists are thumbing their noses at the Hawking quotes.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

“There is no necessary conflict between science and God, the real conflict is between worldviews, atheism and theism. God is not the same kind of explanation as science is. God is the explanation of why there is a universe at all in which science can be done. Also, the playing field is not level since atheism has become so dominant....and is often regarded as the default position in the media. If we teach people that morality is an illusion, they will begin to believe it. Many already have with the result that our institutions are awash with scandal, families are increasingly fractured, people are lonelier than ever and trust is at an all-time low. We have sown a wind and are reaping a whirlwind.” (Lennox)

Today's blog is on Acts 12 (James Is Martyred, Peter Is Set Free) verses 3-5: The first church offers the first step in dealing with persecution.

A summary of the study:

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

"What would have happened had they prayed when James was in prison? I wonder. Why didn't the Church pray for James? Perhaps they thought, `Why pray? God's will is going to be done anyway.' The Bible says we have not because we ask not (James 4:2). Why are we so dumb? Why do we have to learn the hard way? Why does there have to be difficulty, sadness, and tragedy before we say, `You know what? I better pray'? What difference does it make if you pray? All I know is this: The Church didn't pray for James and he was sawn in half. They prayed for Peter, and he is about to be spared. You see, the Lord has sovereignly chosen to work through the avenue of prayer in order to teach us how to talk to Him, and depend on Him, so that in the ages to come when we rule on behalf of Him, we will already have established communication with Him." (Courson)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Herod imprisons Peter to manipulate the Jews.
The church offers constant prayer to God for Peter in jail.
What does it mean to earnestly pray to God about someone?

Article: Does Prayer Make Any Difference?

Prayer is far more complex than some make it out to be. There is much more involved than merely asking for something and receiving it. For every person who feels that prayer has not “worked” for them and has therefore abandoned God, there is someone else for whom prayer remains a vital part of her life, sustaining her even when her prayers have gone unanswered, because her belief and trust is not only in the power of prayer but in the character and wisdom of God. Taken from Has Christianity Failed You?

Article: The Spirit of Prayer

I marvel at the impact of praying with a hurting person. I have prayed many times with someone who has claimed to be a skeptic and is living in a manner that supports that claim, only to finish my prayer and open my eyes to see tears in his eyes. Although prayer remains a mystery to all of us but especially to one who lives apart from God, I have observed again and again that even the hardened heart retains a longing for the possibility of communicating with God.

Article: The Touch of Truth by Ravi Zacharias

Article: A response to Reza Aslan’s “Zealot” - Creative writing or influential anti-Christian apologetic?

The book is something of a tour de force, but it is largely a repackaging of well-known ideas of sceptical scholars. The particular thesis that Jesus was a revolutionary zealot was proposed by a Manchester professor, S. G. F. Brandon, in the 1960s, but scholars have almost universally found his arguments unpersuasive. What is true is that there was plenty of revolutionary resistance to the Romans in the period of the New Testament (including Barabbas, Luke 22:19), and also that the accusation against Jesus that justified Pilate’s execution of Jesus was that of sedition – claiming to be ‘king of the Jews’. But the case for Jesus being a nationalist zealot goes against a huge amount of evidence. Aslan present his case skilfully and confidently. But despite the confidence of his claims – positively about what happened negatively about the unreliability, indeed the absurdity, of the New Testament account – his arguments are seriously flawed. They are flawed in so many respects that it is hard to know where to start. There is, for example, the exaggerated impression he gives of first century Palestine as being so full of messianic pretenders and miracle-workers, that Jesus hardly stood out; there is his questionable assumption that Jesus would probably have been illiterate and uneducated, whereas it is likely that he would have had a basic education through home and synagogue.

Article: Channel Four, John Humphreys and the new thought police

Recent interviews with Tim Farron demonstrate how 'intolerant, authoritarian and anti-Christian' British society is becoming, says David Robertson

Audio: The Voice of the Martyrs - China: Would You Give Your Life?

“Are you willing to go to jail for three years in order to keep working with us on this project?” It is an intimidating question, but those who secretly deliver Bibles to China’s Christians know that it is a very real risk. “Brother Joel” is one of VOM’s Bible distribution partners, helping deliver Bibles into every province of China. Every single year he asks each one of his workers that question: are you ready to go to jail to keep giving away Bibles? Listen in this week to learn about Joel’s work and how his workers answer that question. They aren’t worried about what their government says or does; they worry instead about what the Bible says and about reaching China for Christ. You’ll be encouraged and challenged as you hear what God is doing in China this week on The Voice of the Martyrs Radio.

Audio: The Supreme Court Redefines Marriage Part 1 (right click/save as)

Dr. Craig begins a series of podcasts examining the US Supreme Court's recent ruling on the definition of marriage.

New sermons (right click/save as):

7/16/15 - Proverbs 24:1-25:19
7/16/15 - 5 Witnesses Testify for God
7/16/15 - 1 Timothy 5
7/19/15 - Psalm 150
7/19/15 - Genesis 9
7/19/15 - Luke 11:5-28
7/19/15 - The Suffering Church (Revelation 2:8-11)
7/19/15 - Relationships in the Church

New Apologetic lectures (stream or download at each link):

John Lennox: Why the New Athiests are Missing the Target
John Lennox: Why? Considering the Goodness and Sovereignty of God in the Midst of Suffering
John Lennox: The Church Can't Ignore Christ's Return (Matthew 26:62-67)
John Lennox: Is Revelation Reliable?
John Lennox: Christ's Return - Myth or Fact? (2 Peter 1:16-21)
John Lennox: A City in Pain

Video: Manny Pacquiao & Tim Tebow discuss their faith in GOD

 

[Mariolee]

I was able to meet John Lennox, shake his hand, and talk to him in person when he came by UC Davis for this year's Veritas Forum. Such a nice wellspoken man.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

“The brilliant ancient historian Luke, a doctor trained in the medical science of his day, begins his biography of Christ by raising this very matter. He tells the story of a man, Zechariah, and of his wife, Elizabeth, who for many years had prayed for a son because she was barren. When, in his old age, an angel appeared to him and told him that his former prayers were about to be answered and that his wife would conceive and bear a son, he very politely but firmly refused to believe it. The reason he gave was that he was now old and his wife's body decrepit. For him and his wife to have a child at this stage would run counter to all that he knew of the laws of nature. The interesting thing about him is this: he was no atheist; he was a priest who believed in God, in the existence of angels, and in the value of prayer. But if the promised fulfillment of his prayer was going to involve a reversal of the laws of nature, he was not prepared to believe it. Luke here makes it obvious that the early Christians were not a credulous bunch, unaware of the laws of nature, and therefore prepared to believe any miraculous story, however absurd. They felt the difficulty in believing the story of such a miracle, just like anyone would today. If in the end they believed, it was because they were forced to by the sheer weight of the direct evidence presented to them, not through their ignorance of nature's laws. To suppose, then, that Christianity was born in a pre-scientific, credulous and ignorant world is simply false to the facts. The ancient world knew the law of nature as well as we do, that dead bodies do not get up out of graves. Christianity won its way by dint of the sheer weight of evidence that one man had actually risen from the dead." (Lennox)

Today's blog is on Acts 12 (James Is Martyred, Peter Is Set Free) verses 6-11: God sends an angel to free Peter from prison.

A summary of the study:

"It can't be real. These chains have fallen off; I'm walking past these guards. This can't be real; it's just a dream. This is just a vision, it's not really happening." That, to me, is very interesting how close the spiritual world was to these men. Where they really didn't know if it was reality or just some spiritual revelation. But they lived very close to the spiritual world, to the spirit world." (Smith)

F.F. Bruce relates the story of Sundar Singh, a Tibetan Christian who was likewise freed miraculously from a prison. For preaching of the gospel, he was thrown into a well, and a cover set over it and securely locked. He would be left in the well until he died, and he could see the bones and rotting corpses of those who had already perished in there. On the third night of his imprisonment, he heard someone unlocking the cover of the well and removing it. A voice told him to take hold of the rope that was being lowered. Sundar was grateful that the rope had a loop he could put his foot in, because he had injured his arm in the fall down into the well. He was raised up, the cover was replaced and locked, but when he looked to thank his rescuer he could find no one. When morning came, he went back to the same place he was arrested and started preaching again. News of the preaching came to the official who had him arrested, and Sundar was brought before him again. When the official said someone must have gotten the key and released him, they searched for the key - and found it on the official’s own belt. God is still writing the Book of Acts!

"The number of manuscripts of the New Testament, of early translations from it, and of quotations from it in the oldest writers of the Church is so large that it is practically certain that the true reading of every doubtful passage is preserved in some one or other of these ancient authorities. This can be said of no other ancient book in the world." (Sir Frederic Kenyon, Director of the British Museum and a leading authority on ancient manuscripts)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Why was Peter able to sleep the night before his execution?
Are miracles a violation of the laws of nature?
Why couldn't Peter tell that the angel that set him free was a hallucination?
Why do so many Christians end up missing out on God's adventures for their lives?
Why does God rescue some (Peter from jail) and let others die (James execution)?

Article/Video: Do the Laws of Nature Preclude the Possibility of Miracles?

Suppose I put $1,000 tonight in my hotel room in Cambridge and I put $1,000 in tomorrow night. One plus one equals two: that is $2,000. And on the third day, I opened the drawer and I find $500. Now, what do I say? Do I say, “The laws of arithmetic have been broken” or “The laws of the United States have been broken”?

Article: Autism doesn't stop me believing in a God I can’t see

Alex Lowery was diagnosed with autism at the age of four. Having made remarkable progress, the 21-year-old is now on a mission to help others understand the condition.

Article: Vicar criticised over involvement in marriage reality show

A Church of England priest is being criticised for taking part in Channel 4 reality show Married at First Sight.

Article: Planned Parenthood's logic is chilling but consistent

Peter D. Williams writes on the abortion video which has shocked Pro Life campaigners around the world

Also: Second Planned Parenthood Senior Executive Haggles Over Baby Parts Prices, Changes Abortion Methods

New sermons (right click/save as):

7/19/15 - Closer to God's Kingdom (Mk 12:26-34)
7/19/15 - Current Events
7/19/15 - Revelation 16:13-21
7/19/15 - The Destructiveness of Sin (Hosea 8:1-14)
7/19/15 - Hosea 8-10

New Apologetic lectures (stream or download at each link):

Michael Ramsden: Why Are We Here?
Michael Ramsden: Answering Challenges to the Christian Worldview
Michael Ramsden: The Christian Worldview - Arrogant, Ignorant or Accurate?
Michael Ramsden: God’s Answer for Man’s Fall
Michael Ramsden: Certainty in an uncertain world
Michael Ramsden: Broken world, Broken lives
Michael Ramsden: Ethos, Pathos, Logos
Michael Ramsden: God, the Three In One
Michael Ramsden: Apologetics (evening session)
Michael Ramsden: Apologetics Workshop (part-1)
Michael Ramsden: Apologetics Workshop (part-2)

 

[Mariolee]

Yet another religious thread. I've added my two cents to it on this page here: http://m.neogaf.com/showthread.php?t=1082519&page=100000#footer

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day on how to study God's Word:

We "need to be patient, to spend time motivated by the desire to hear from God through his Word. God is a person, not a mere set of propositions; and there is therefore a difference between seeking knowledge about God and seeking God himself. In more recent years, I found myself having to speak at the funeral of a lifelong friend from my Cambridge days. he was younger than me, and I had certainly not expected him to die before me. Some weeks before he died, I asked him what he would like me to say at his funeral. Without hesitation he replied: "Encourage them to do what we did when we were students. Tell them to read the Word of God together, discuss it, pray about it, and wait on God until his face appears." He paused, and then added: "And then they will have something to say." (John Lennox, p. 284)

Today's blog is on Acts 12 (James Is Martyred, Peter Is Set Free) verses 12-25: The church doubts God's power & God judges a blaspheming Herod.

A summary of the study:

"God does not want us to live by simply depending upon our feelings. While feelings are important, they do not tell us what is real. They supplement the other facets of how God has made us as humans. Thus, the oft-quoted verse comes alive with meaning in this context: “And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). Christians are invited to love God with not just their emotions, but also with all their bodily faculties, wills, and minds. As we observe God’s world and reflect on it, there are impressions of the divine formed in the eyes of our heart, which direct us toward the true God. Thus our minds, our emotions, our wills, and all our faculties are complementary components in our relationship, by faith, in Christ." (Georgeson)

These believers were praying fervently and intensely, but you cannot say they were praying the prayer of faith since they didn't even have enough faith to believe Peter was free when he was knocking at their gate! I like this story because I find myself praying a whole lot like them. I pray fervently, even intensely — but a lot of times I'm not sure anything's going to happen. This story tells me that's OK. God can still work through a tiny smattering of faith. Jesus said faith the size of a mustard seed — just a tiny bit of faith — can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). If you have faith enough just to pray, things can happen. Doors can open. Ask Peter!" (Courson)

"History is filled with the stories of men who thought they could fight God and succeed; their ruined lives are evidence that it can’t be done. Friedrich Nietsche was the philosopher who coined the idea that God was dead, and that Christianity was a despised religion of weaklings. Fighting God drove him insane, and he spent the last several years of his life in that condition. Sinclair Lewis won the Nobel Prize for literature, and fought against God in his book Elmer Gantry. The book was about an evangelist who was also an alcoholic and would sleep with any woman he could. Sinclair Lewis died a hopeless alcoholic in a clinic near Rome. Writer Ernest Hemingway lived his life of adventure and sin against God seemingly without consequences - until he shot himself in the head with a shotgun. Fighting against God just doesn’t work." (Guzik)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Peter presents himself to the believers at John Mark's house.
Is God upset with us when we wrestle with doubt?
Are there examples of prophets doubting God in the Bible?
he believers in Acts doubt God just like modern day believers do.
Did people in the first century believe in angels?
Background on James, the half-brother of Jesus.
The last time Peter is mentioned in the book of Acts.
Herod declares the execution of the soldiers who guarded Peter.
God judges Herod for his actions.
Can dictators and totalitarian regimes stop God's word and work?

 

[Van]

http://rapzil.la/1Ij2LDH This happened the other day, loved it!

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day::

“Faith is knowing that God is real, and knowing that you can trust his promises. You cannot trust someone who isn’t there. You cannot rely on someone if you think that their promises are not reliable. This is why faith is talked about as the ‘substance’ of things not seen and as the ‘evidence’ of things hoped for. Both words carry with them a sense of reality … Faith does not make God real. Faith is a response to a real God who has made himself known.” (Ramsden)

Today's blog is on Acts 13 (Paul’s First Missionary Journey Begins) verses 1-3: Barnabas and Saul are called and sent by the Holy Spirit.

Samples from the bible study:

"`There were certain prophets and teachers.' Notice the distinction: Prophets are those who, under the inspiration of the Spirit, guide the Church as they speak the heart of God through edification, exhortation, and comfort. Teachers are those who ground the Church as they point out the ways and mind of God revealed through the Word. There are those in certain denominations who say that prophets and teachers are one and the same in the New Testament. Not so. Here in Acts 13, there's a clear-cut distinction." (Courson)

"These men were ministering to the Lord, but their ministry to the Lord involved their ministry to the people, because that's what the Lord had called them to do. Now Paul later writes and says, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all to the glory of God. And you're to do it as unto the Lord, knowing that of the Lord you're going to receive your reward" (Colossians 3:17, 23-24). And I think that this is an important point for anyone who endeavors any ministry for the Lord: that you recognize that God has called you to minister to people. But in reality, that's your job as His servant. In other words, as the servant of God, He has called me to minister to people." (Smith)

"Fasting, or voluntary abstinence from food, is also associated with prayer in 14:23 in the appointment of local church leaders, but otherwise is not attested as a practice of the early church (see, however, 2 Cor. 6:5; 11:27 for Paul’s own personal experience). Here it marks out the special significance of the occasion, when the church felt it necessary to lay aside even the demands of hunger in order to concentrate on serving God and receiving his guidance." (Marshall)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Introduction to Acts 13
Who were the people at the church in Antioch?
What is the difference between a prophet and a teacher?
What does it mean to minister to the Lord?
Is ministering to the Lord the same as ministering to people?
What does it mean to worship and fast for God?
How did the Holy Spirit speak to Barnabas and Saul?
The Holy Spirit calls Barnabas and Saul for specific work.
What does it mean to be separated to God?
The church in Antioch sends Barnabas and Saul out on their missionary journey.

New sermons (right click/save as):

7-21-15 - James 2:24-26
7-22-15 - Psalms 145-150
7-22-15 - 2 Samuel 14:1-33
7-22-15 - Proverbs 25:19-27:8

Free books by professors David W Gooding and John Lennox to download or read online.

David W Gooding, MA, PhD, professor emeritus of Old Testament Greek at Queen's University Belfast, is a member of the Royal Irish Academy. Professor Gooding travels extensively, giving lectures and, besides academic works, is the author of expository books on Luke, John 13-17, Acts and Hebrews.

John C Lennox, MA, DPhil, PhD, DSc, is Professor of Mathematics at University of Oxford, and Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy of Science, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford. He is the author of many academic works in his research field of pure mathematics, and travels extensively to lecture on mathematics and apologetics.

Key Bible Concepts

No one can call themselves truly educated without some acquaintance with the Bible. It was the first major book ever printed, and no other book has been read by more people and published in more languages. It has had, and still has, a profound impact on world thought.

But as we read it, we come across words and concepts which, though in some sense are familiar, we do not immediately understand since they are being used as technical terms. As in any other field, it is in getting to grips with the technical terms in the Bible that leads not only to a deeper understanding of them but also to an increased ability to communicate their meaning to others, thus opening a window for them on a whole new world.

Windows on Paradise

One of the most beautiful features of the Gospel of Luke is the way it depicts Christ as the Champion and Saviour of the outcast and the oppressed. Windows on Paradise contains a series of studies which examines in detail some of the case histories of people of this sort who were reclaimed and restored by Christ.

In the School of Christ

Just before His betrayal by a traitor and His arrest by the authorities, which led to His death, Jesus invited His disciples to join Him at a borrowed house in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. He used the occasion to teach them many memorable lessons concerning the very heart of the Christian faith.

When the time came to leave the house, He still had not finished His teaching and so, as they made their way through the darkened streets of Jerusalem filled with hostility to Him, He continued the lessons.

Jesus was the teacher, the disciples were His pupils. It was the school of Christ. Our purpose in this book is to join Jesus' disciples in His school and learn the lessons with them.

Unshakeable Kingdom

Among all the books in the Bible, Hebrews is often one of the most difficult to understand. An Unshakeable Kingdom is intended as a primer on Hebrews and is especially for those who are attempting to come to grips with the letter's major themes.

In contrast to a formal, exhaustive commentary, this book consists of a series of general introductory studies. Professor Gooding therefore concentrates on the letter's broad themes and also pays attention to passages that pastoral experience shows many people find difficult or even disturbing. In addition, he explores the rich Old Testament sources - history, prophesy, ritual and poetry - from which Hebrews draws so many of its insights. Above all, the author aims in this book to help the reader catch sight of the glory of the Lord Jesus: the splendour of God's supreme revelation in His Son eclipses the symbols and rituals of spiritual infancy, replacing them with the adult realities of eternal life in Christ.

According to Luke

In this fresh and original approach to the Gospel according to Luke, Dr Gooding uses a careful analysis of the Gospel's literary structure to bring out Luke's unique presentation of the person and work of Christ.

Luke presents his story in two parts - the coming of the Son of God from glory, and His return to glory. Within these two main sections of the Gospel are many interconnected themes which, while they show Luke's skill as a literary artist, in no way lessen the historical value of the sources he uses.

True to the Faith

In a vivid and original study of the book of Acts, David Gooding brings to life the world of the early church and leaves the reader with the clear vision of what it really means to be true to the faith.

Riches Divine Wisdom

The Wisdom of God is revealed in both Old and New Testaments, but it is impossible to appreciate that wisdom fully if the two are read in isolation. Sometimes the New Testament quotes the Old as authoritative. Sometimes it cancels things that the Old says. At other times it indicates that the Old was a type that illustrates New Testament doctrine. How are we to understand and apply its teaching? Is the New Testament being arbitrary when it tells us how to understand the Old, or do its careful interpretations show us how the Old was meant to be understood? Could it be that the New Testament’s many different ways of using some of its passages provide us with guidance for reading, studying and applying the whole of the Old Testament?

Drawing upon many years of biblical research and teaching, Professor Gooding addresses these issues by expounding key New Testament passages that use the Old Testament. First he examines the importance of the general relationship of the two testaments. He then considers five major thought categories of the New Testament’s interpretation that encompass the many insights that it employs as tools for harvesting the wealth of the Old. Finally he formulates guidelines for interpreting Old Testament narrative and illustrates them from three familiar passages. Taken together these insights provide invaluable help for appreciating the richness of God’s multifaceted wisdom, which has come down to us as the revenue of all the ages.

The Definition of Christianity

This book is a collection of articles which were prompted by a number of scientists who expressed an interest in knowing about the beginnings of Christianity, since they felt less than completely informed on the topic. The positive response showed that many others shared their interest. This fact has encouraged the authors to have the articles collected together in this more permanent form in order to make them available to a wider circle of readers at a time when it would seem that interest in these questions is even greater than before.

Christianity: Opium or Truth?

Many thoughtful people say they have difficulties which stand in the way of their accepting the Christian message. This book is designed to face those issues honestly and to show that these difficulties are not insurmountable. There is an intellectually acceptable way through to personal faith in Christ.

The first edition of this little book has by all accounts proved helpful to more than half a million people who have received it. This revised and enlarged edition, contains essays both by Professor David Gooding and by Professor John Lennox.

The Bible & Ethics

The 42 chapters in this book first appeared as articles in Uchitelskaya Gazeta, a newspaper for teachers in the former Soviet Union. They were written to present a survey of some of the leading historical events and people, ideas, poetry, moral values and ethics of both the Old and New Testaments.

Each chapter includes suggestions as to how the moral and spiritual implications of this material can be made relevant to students, whether in a Bible class, home group, or in their individual reading. They will also prove useful for parents who may need to respond to ethical questions that arise in family discussions.

How to teach the Tabernacle

The Tabernacle is a vital part of God's picture book, the Old Testament. It was built exactly according to the Lord's instructions to Moses, and it was designed to teach spiritual lessons to the people of God.

The Tabernacle can still teach spiritual lessons. In this booklet, Professor David Gooding, a teacher of many years' standing, shows how these lessons can be appropriately taught to children.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day::

"“Little” sins are not only the mere symptoms of a much bigger problem; they are also effective means of alienating us from God and other human beings. How many careers have been ruined only because of jealousy? How many people have been deprived of genuine help as a result of the seemingly side-comment of someone who secretly despised them? How many relationships have been destroyed by bitterness? How many churches have split up because of selfish ambitions couched in pietistic terms? How much evil has resulted from misinformation, a little coloring around the edges of truth? And have you noticed how much we can control other people just through our body language? From the political arena to the basic family unit, the worst enemy of human harmony is not spectacular wickedness but those seemingly harmless petty sins routinely assumed to be part of what it means to be human. According to a NASA scientist, a two-degree miscalculation when launching a spacecraft to the moon would send the spacecraft 11,121 miles away from the moon: all one has to do is take time and distance into account. How perceptive then was George MacDonald when he uttered these chilling words, “A man may sink by such slow degrees that, long after he is a devil, he may go on being a good churchman or a good dissenter, and thinking himself a good Christian”! Similarly, C.S. Lewis warned that cards are a welcome substitute for murder if the former will set the believer on a path away from God. “Indeed,” he wrote, “the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” (John M. Njoroge, Harmless Petty Sins)

Today's blog is on Acts 13 (Paul’s First Missionary Journey Begins) verses 4-13: Saul and Barnabas are used by God to confront evil in various cities.

Samples from the bible study:

“Paphos was infamous for its worship of Venus, the goddess of [sexual] love” (Barclay). “Athanasius styled its religion ‘the deification of lust.’ Neither men nor women could resort to the shrine of Venus without being defiled in mind and depraved in character.” (Spurgeon)

"If one wants to commit spiritual suicide, that’s one thing. But it is never right to bring others down also. If you want to give up on the things of God and grow bitter in your heart against Him, that’s your choice. But it is a heavy sin to draw anyone else away with you, either with your words or your example." (Guzik)

"It interests me that Luke didn't say Sergius Paulus was astonished at the miracle which took place. No, Luke said he was astonished at the doctrine of the Lord. `You mean God loves me?' Sergius Paulus must have wondered in amazement. `Became a Man and died in place of me? You mean I can be forgiven and saved — made right and redeemed?' May we never become so accustomed to hearing the story of the Cross that we become hardened. The wonder of it all! Amazing grace! O, Lord, keep us astonished." (Courson)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

An important truth in learning to discern God's will for our lives.
Why would the Holy Spirit send Barnabas and Saul to Seleucia and Cyprus?
The Holy Spirit sends Barnabas and Saul to Salamis.
The Holy Spirit sends Barnabas and Saul to a place known for great immorality.
Why did Elymas the sorcerer oppose Saul and Barnabas?
The first time Saul is called Paul.
Was Paul mean to the sorcerer for calling him a deceiver?
How did Elymas the sorcerer commit spiritual suicide?
Why did the Roman Sergius Paulus believe in the gospel?
John leaves Paul and Barnabas.

Audio: 7/23/15 - The Ministry of the Gospel, Pt. 1 (Ephesians 3:8-10) (right click/save as)

Videos:

Cadbury Lectures: God Over All | 1. Divine Aseity | University of Birmingham, UK
Cadbury Lectures: God Over All | 2. The Challenge of Divine Platonism | University of Birmingham, UK
Cadbury Lectures: God Over All | 3. Anti-Platonic Realism | University of Birmingham, UK
Cadbury Lectures: God Over All | 4. Making Ontological Commitments | University of Birmingham, UK
Cadbury Lectures: God Over All | 5. Just Pretend | University of Birmingham, UK

In March 2015, Dr William Lane Craig was invited to give multiple lectures at the Cadbury Lectures at the University of Birmingham in England. The honor of being invited to deliver these prestigious lectures was especially meaningful because this is where he did his doctoral studies in philosophy in the late 1970s.

Video: 28. Can we be good without God?

 

[Haden]

Just wanted to check in and say while I don't post here I regularly check in to see what is going on.

Being a Christian on the internet is quite lonely at times but you guys are doing a great job, I will try and contribute a bit when I get a chance.

Cofe English Christian is my background and I am a big fan of Lewis

 

[StaffyManasse]

Just wanted to check in and say while I don't post here I regularly check in to see what is going on.

Being a Christian on the internet is quite lonely at times but you guys are doing a great job, I will try and contribute a bit when I get a chance.

Cofe English Christian is my background and I am a big fan of Lewis

Nice to internet-meet you.

Related to being a Christian on the internet, according to OT we are all brain washed and/or scrubs who can't handle reality and need a comforting imaginary friend-god. Also we are possibly dim witted and maybe crazy.

Nothing new as far as being a believer living in this dying world.

I was moved by a song I heard on a gig I was two days ago. A secular band, but one that has all kinds of spiritual themes in their lyrics (pretty much everything from alchemy to christianity and everything in between), that one can interpret however they wish. I have known and liked the song for more than ten years, but now, somehow a few lines clicked. It's originally in Finnish, and I will probably bastardise this by my translation, but bear with me.

There comes a battle about believing
About things worth dying for
Even if you are wrong
A stranger in the eyes of your time

So yeah...even if the world sees us as strangers who are wrong in our beliefs, keep up the good fight

 

[Chaplain]

Two new episodes of the podcast Unbelievable have been posted that are worth a listen (I just finished the second one today). Make sure to pray and ask the Lord to help filter the truth from the lies. ^_~

Unbelievable? Bart Ehrman vs Tim McGrew - Round 1 - Can we trust the Gospels?

Well known critical bible scholar Bart Ehrman discusses whether the Gospels are reliable historical records of Jesus’ life with Christian apologist and academic Tim McGrew.

They debate whether inerrancy makes any difference, the authorship of the Gospels and apparent contradictions between them.

Get the MP3 (right click/save as)

For Bart Ehrman: http://www.bartdehrman.com

For Tim McGrew http://wmich.edu/philosophy/directory/mcgrew

See Tim McGrew at Unbelievable? the Conference 2014 http://www.premierchristianradio.co...deos/Panel-Discussion-Unbelievable-Conf.-2014

Unbelievable? Ehrman vs McGrew - Round 2 – Do undesigned coincidences confirm the Gospels?

Bart D Ehrman and Tim J McGrew return to debate research by McGrew on the so-called ‘un-designed coincidences’ between different Gospel accounts that give them the ring of truth.

They also debate whether historical research can ever validate miraculous conclusions as they differ over accounts in the book of Acts.

Get the MP3 (right click/save as)

For Bart Ehrman: http://www.bartdehrman.com

For Tim McGrew http://wmich.edu/philosophy/directory/mcgrew

Read Tim McGrew on Un-designed Coincidences http://www.christianapologeticsalliance.com/2013/09/01/undesigned-coincidences

A video of another debate Barth Ehrman had at Kings College, UK: Theodicy, God and Suffering - A debate between Dinesh D'Souza and Bart Ehrman

On Thursday, November 11, 2010 Dinesh D'Souza, former White House domestic policy analyst and recently appointed president of Kings College, debated Bart Ehrman, James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The debate was sponsored by the Center for Christian Studies.

Named by the New York Times Magazine as one of America's most influential conservative thinkers, D'Souza is a former policy analyst in the Reagan White House and served as John M. Olin Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Newsweek listed him as one of the country's most prominent Asian Americans.

A graduate of Wheaton College (Illinois), Ehrman received his Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary and has published extensively in the fields of New Testament and Early Christianity. Among his fields of scholarship are the historical Jesus, the early Christian apocrypha, and the manuscript tradition of the New Testament.

An article that discusses Bart Ehrman’s latest book, How Jesus Became God: Easter Skeptics

Just wanted to check in and say while I don't post here I regularly check in to see what is going on.

Welcome to this thread. I am always glad to meet another brother in the Lord who loves Him and is living for His kingdom. I hope that the resources in this thread help you grow in the Lord, to share His gospel with the people He places in your life.

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"A common mistake of some apologists is to reduce people to their worldviews or philosophies. I love James Sire’s book The Universe Next Door, but it’s a mistake to see people as perfect examples of card-carrying humanism, Hinduism, or whatever. Someone’s worldview is rooted in their life story. And there are things that matter to them supremely. Our Lord immediately knows that for the rich young ruler, the treasure of his heart was his love of money. To really speak to someone we’ve got to love them, listen to them, pray for them, and ask the Lord to show us what is the treasure of their heart, the thing that makes all the difference in the world." (Guinness)

The Twisting of Scripture - Genesis 1:27:

“Modern-day vampires trace their origins to this verse and the mythical figure of Lilith, who was supposedly created before Eve. The legend of Lilith derives from a theory that Genesis has two creation accounts (this verse and 2:7,20-22). The two stories allow for two different women. Lilith does not appear in the Bible (apart from a debatable reference comparing her to a screech owl in the Hb text of Is 34:14) Some rabbinic commentators, however refer to Lilith as the first created woman, who refused to submit to Adam and fled from the garden. Eve was then created to be Adam’s helper. After their expulsion from the garden, Adam reunited for a time with Lilith before finally returning to Eve. Lilith bore Adam a number of children, who became the demons of the Bible. According to kabbalistic legend, after Adam’s reconciliation with Eve, Lilith took the title Queen of the Demons and became a murderer of infants and young boys, whom she turned into vampires.” (Apologetics Study Bible)

Today's blog is on Acts 13 (Paul’s First Missionary Journey Begins) verses 14-29: Paul's first sermon ever given at Pisidian Antioch (Part 1).

Samples from the bible study:

"Here is Paul's first recorded sermon — remarkable in its similarity to Stephen's sermon in Acts 7. As Stephen was going down, had he glanced in the direction of Paul, who was holding the garments of those throwing stones, no doubt he would have thought, `I failed. These people aren't receiving or responding to my message.' But since the Word of God will not return void (Isaiah 55:11), Stephen's words rattled around inside Paul and fourteen years later, guess what came out of Paul's mouth: a repeat of Stephen's sermon. This gives me great hope because, although sometimes when I share with people and feel that no one is listening, that none are responding, Hebrews 4 says the Word of God is living and powerful sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12)." (Courson)

"This survey of Israel’s history demonstrates that God has a plan for history, and we need to sense a connection to that plan. Jesus is the goal of history, and as we are in Jesus, we are in the flow of God’s great plan of redemption." (Guzik)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Why did Paul always share the gospel with Jews first?
The customary invitation in the synagogue gives Paul an opportunity to preach Jesus.
Paul goes through the history of Israel in his first recorded sermon in the Bible.
Paul explains how God’s work throughout Israel's history leads up to Jesus.
Paul shows how people both received and rejected Jesus using the examples of John the Baptist and the Jewish rulers.
In what way did Jesus fulfill Deuteronomy 21:22-23?

Article: Christ: The Fulfillment of Prophecy by D. James Kennedy

Article: Os Guinness: Welcome to the 'Grand Age of Apologetics'

Audio: The Supreme Court Redefines Marriage Part 2

"This is an effort to condition the public into automatically equating faith with bigotry…lawsuits against small business [are] resting on the notion that acting on genuinely held faith is bigotry per se. Under these rules, freedom of conscience is squashed under the JACKBOOT of liberals, all in the Orwellian name of ‘equality and fairness.’ Horribly, the gay civil rights movement has morphed into a Gay Gestapo. Its ranks will now do the punishing of those who dare to be different or dissent from the approved leftist dogma. The real target is the church and temple. If the left can convince our society to force people of faith to violate their sacraments in the name of ‘equality,’ why would we allow that to stop at the church door?" (Tammy Bruce, Lesbian Talk show Host)

Apologetic lectures:

Michael Green: Are you Trying to Convert me?
Michael Green: Can we really trust the New Testament?
Michael Green: How Can We Preach Sin in Today's Culture?
Amy Orr-Ewing: Why Trust The Bible?
Ravi Zacharias: Need God, What If I Don't?
Ravi Zacharias: The Barriers to Evangelism
Ravi Zacharias: Is Jesus the only way to God?
Ravi Zacharias: Apologetics in the 21st Century
John Lennox: Christ's Return - Myth or Fact? (2 Peter 1:16-21)
John Lennox: 1 Peter 3 & Apologetics
Michael Ramsden: Conversational Apologetics
Michael Ramsden: The Biblical Mandate for Apologetics
Michael Ramsden: Why do I need to bother with God? (John 3)
Michael Ramsden: Isn't the Gospel Foolishness?
Michael Ramsden: Courage, Christ, and Finishing the Mission

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"I well recall an exchange I once had on the campus of the University of the Philippines in Manila. A student from the audience shouted out that everything in life was meaningless. I responded by saying, “You do not believe that.” He promptly retorted, “Yes, I do,” to which I automatically countered, “No, you don’t.” Exasperated, he said, “I most certainly do; who are you to tell me I don’t?” “Then please repeat your statement for me,” I requested. “Everything in life is meaningless,” he stated again without qualification. I said to him, “Please remain standing; this will only take a moment. I assume that you assume that your statement is meaningful. If your statement is meaningful, then everything is not meaningless. On the other hand, if everything is meaningless, then what you have just said is meaningless as well. So in effect you have said nothing.” The young man was startled for a moment, and even as I left the auditorium, he was pacing the floor and muttering, “If everything is meaningless, then …” And so it went!' (Zacharias)

The Twisting of Scripture - Genesis 3:15:

"Many Pentecostal oneness sects use this verse to promote the serpent seed theory. William Branham, a faith healing evangelist of the 1940s, taught that Eve's sin in the garden was an illicit sexual affair with the serpent, resulting in her pregnancy. Such teachings and twisting of God's word is not found in other references in the bible. The serpent's seed was Cain and his descendants are unscriptural. Scripture is very clear and consistent that the first sin was not sexual and no where is it mentioned as such in the scripture but rather consisted of Adam's disobedience to God's command not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil." (Apologetics study Bible)

Today's blog is on Acts 13 (Paul’s First Missionary Journey Begins) verses 30-41: Paul's first sermon ever given at Pisidian Antioch (Part 2).

Samples from the bible study:

“Christianity is not just a philosophy or a set of ethics, though it involves these things. Essentially Christianity is a proclamation of facts that concern what God has done.” (Boice)

“[T]he challenge [of the resurrection] comes down to a much narrower point, not simply to do with worldviews in general, or with ‘the supernatural’ in particular, but with the direct question of death and life, of the world of space, time and matter and its relation to whatever being there may be for whom the word ‘god,’ or even ‘God,’ might be appropriate. Here there is, of course, no neutrality.” (N.T. Wright)

"Arius of Alexandria envisioned Christ as superior to creation yet neither fully God nor of one substance with the Father. The Council of Nicaea rejected such thinking. On grounds of Scripture, reason, and historical belief, they acknowledged Christ as the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, “God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God.” The Council recognized in the affirmations of the earliest Christians (including baptismal creeds that spoke in the name of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) a distinct acknowledgement of Jesus’s divinity. If Jesus was not fully God, of one being with the Father and Spirit, he was not really God at all and to worship him was idolatry. But, if Jesus’s own words were to be weighed, if the extra-biblical writings and the overwhelming affirmations of antiquity were to be taken seriously, then Jesus is indeed Lord, the very Word of God sent from the Father, illumined by the Holy Spirit." (Carattini)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Paul preaches the historicity of the resurrected Jesus.
Was Jesus created like Mormon's and Jehovah Witnesses' claim?
Paul applies the truth of who Jesus is and what He did for us.
An example of what it means to be justified by Faith.
Paul gives a warning to those who reject Jesus.

Article: What Truth Costs
Article: A Mustard Seed

New sermons (right click/save as):

7/26/16 - History of Ezra & Nehemiah
7/26/16 - Revelation 17:1-7
7/26/16 - Genesis 10-11
7/26/16 - Where will you spend Eternity?
7/26/16 - The Worldly Church (Revelation 2:12-17)
7/26/16 - Truth in Turmoil (Pr 6:12-19)
7/26/16 - Jesus' Answer to a Crisis of Faith (Mt 11:1-6)
7/26/16 - Fire in Our Hearts (I Thessalonians 5:19-28)
7/26/16 - A Thief on the Cross (Selected Scriptures)
7/26/16 - Why the Cross Offends Man! (Selected Scriptures)

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"It does not seem accidental that the night Gautama Buddha left his palace to pursue an answer to pain and suffering was the very night his wife was giving birth to their son. In his quest to eliminate suffering, he actually walked out and left his wife alone in the throes of her pain. Contrast this with the God of the Bible, who came into this world Himself in the person of His Son to suffer on the cross, to embrace pain and suffering for the sake of humanity. Buddha walked away from his son and from pain. In Christianity, God is part and parcel of the solution." (Why Suffering?, p. 131)

The Twisting of Scripture - John 1:1-2,14

"These verses refute Unitarian and cultic efforts to strip Jesus of His deity. They, also hint at a Trinity. As the Word, Jesus "was God" (v. 1) and was "with God" (v. 2), indicating that the eternal Godhead consists of more than one person. The Word was incarnated as a human and dwelt among us (v. 14).

Today's blog is on Acts 13 (Paul’s First Missionary Journey Begins) verses 42-52: Jews reject and Gentiles receive the gospel.

Samples from the bible study:

"Set up standards of legalism, and you'll keep your little rules and regulations for a month or two or three. You'll walk around with your nose in the air and your heart bitter and hardened, saying, `Who can I rebuke? Who can I correct?' Then, because no one can keep the Law, you'll eventually break your own rules and say, `Woe is me. I'm such a miserable failure. I'm such a loser. I'm not going to church anymore. I don't belong there. I don't belong anywhere. Nobody likes me.' That's what legalism does. Up and down, up and down, up and down we go until the day comes when at last we understand what justification is all about — that our Lord, our Love, Jesus Christ fully paid the price when He said, `It Is Finished.'" (Courson)

"Many can look at the world around them and despair over human differences which feel insurmountable. There is so much that can engender cynicism and a sense of futility. Yet, for those who would seek a different story, there is a house in which tearing down dividing walls that segregate human beings from each other and from God is the only appropriate response. Built upon the foundation that is Christ Jesus, this house has walls of restoration and renewal, forgiveness and reconciliation, generosity and grace. No one is shut out, and all may come in." (Shull)

"A man judges himself. As you judge Jesus Christ. Pilate said, "What shall I do with Jesus who is called the Christ?" He made his judgment. But in reality he was judging himself. That question of Pilate is one that every man faces. Every one of you must face the question. What am I going to do with Jesus? I mean, every one of you must face that question. That isn't for Pilate exclusively, that's your question. What are you going to do with Jesus who is called Christ? You must judge yourself what you are going to do with Him. But in reality, in judging Him to be either the Son of God or not the Son of God, the Savior or not the Savior, in reality, you are judging yourself. Because you are the one whose destiny will be determined by your decision." (Smith)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Many people, both Jews and Gentiles, express interest in Paul’s first sermon.
Why does God's Word warn us to avoid legalism by choosing to continue in God's grace?
An example of the power of the word of God.
Envy and hate fills the hearts of the Jews.
The Jews rejected Paul's message due to their worldview being under attack: that God loves Gentiles.
Paul and Barnabas respond to the Jewish opposition by letting them know that their rejection of Jesus means they have judged themselves.
The Gentiles are filled with joy that God does not hate them.
Is Our Future Determined or Free?
Blessing and opposition to the gospel.
Paul and Barnabas react to their expulsion from the city of Pisidian Antioch.

New sermons (right click/save as):

7/29/15 - Isaiah 29-30
7/29/15 - Proverbs 1-4
7/29/15 - Proverbs 27:9-28:13

 

[Chaplain]

Quote of the day:

"What about the radical sceptic? … Peter Berger puts it very simply: the way to talk to a radical sceptic who says everything's relative and there's no such thing as truth, is to relativise the relativiser. Relativists cheat. They're not consistent. They apply their relativism to everybody else, not to themselves…. And when they're pushed to be true to what it is they believe, you always see the point at which they don't like it and they re-think. The fact is the higher the education, the more brilliant the mind, often the slipperyer the rationalisations. In other words, humans are not only truth seekers we're also, let's be honest, truth twisters. And there's two ways you can always handle truth. We can try and make the truth conform to our desires of reality or make our desires conform to the truth of reality." (Os Guinness)

The Twisting of Scripture - Exodus 31:12–17

"According to the Seventh-day Adventists and other sabbatarian sects, the fourth commandment is an eternal decree to be obeyed by all throughout the ages. Since the Sabbath is Saturday, the sabbatarians deduce that Christians should be worshiping on the seventh day of the week, not the first. This passage, however, was not addressed to the church but to the children of Israel. Being under the new covenant, Christians are freed from the law of Moses (Rm 6:14; 14:5; Gl 3:24). The primitive church worshiped on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7; 1 Co 16:1–2), commemorating the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ."

Today's blog is on Acts 14 (The Conclusion of the First Missionary Journey) verses 1-6: Paul and Barnabas are met with opposition in the city of Iconium.

Samples from the bible study:

'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." (Ramsden)

“For no apostle could work a miracle by himself; nor was any sign or wonder wrought even by the greatest apostle, but by a special grant or dispensation of God. This power was not resident in them at all times.” (Clarke)

Other things discussed in greater detail...

Paul and Barnabas have evangelistic success in Iconium.
What are some key principles in sharing our faith?
Successful ministry creates opposition for Paul and Barnabas.
Does the preaching of the word of God proceeded miracles?
Are there different groups of apostles mentioned in the Bible?