Category: Biblical Studies

Go watch this movie as soon as you can. It is a great film.

God’s Not Dead movie

Today’s Encouraging Word on the KLOV radio station is Romans 10:13 –

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Rom 10:13)

It is the part of the letter to the Romans where Paul explains that all are welcome into God’s salvation.  They just must call on his name.  In order to do so, one needs to know God to believe in Him.  One needs to hear about Him. So someone has to preach about Him.  Maybe that is your calling, if so, go out and do it.

I just want to encourage everyone to get to know Him.  Read the book.  Learn what God is all about. Be encouraged and call on Him.

Your first question might be, “Good.  What is his name?”  It’s in the book.  Read it.

If you want a second or more witnesses from the same book, but different authors in different times.  This same information is found in Acts 2:21 (Dr. Luke), Joel 2:32 (Prophet Joel).

There is one character in the Christmas story that I believe gets a terribly bad wrap.  “The Innkeeper” is at worst trashed as a selfish degenerate and at best he is felt sorry for because he will never know joy.

and she gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a feeding trough, because there was no place for them in the guest quarters. (Luk 2:7) [emphasis mine]

I read recently one of those cute little holiday messages which tried to show that all the traditional Christmas decour was in the Bible. Well, it does turn out that the Christmas tree is in the Bible, but not where they listed it. Nor is the message about it a good one.

I was eating dinner today and thinking.  Trying to wade through all the mutual guilt, the man made religion the ritual and the prose.  I came up with some simple answers:  What does God want?

• He wants you to love Him above all else.
• He wants you to enjoy the life He has given to you. (This is for those who feel guilty about being successful.  Yea, you know who you are.)
• He wants you to help those you can reach.  Don’t fret that you can’t help everyone and every cause.  Help the ones you can reach.  Don’t let anyone else use guilt to make you feel otherwise.  There is but one judge and I guarantee that judge isn’t a human on earth today.

It seems to me that Casting Crowns never fails to make a good song.

Try this one out: (you may have to view a small ad, I am not responsible for the content of the ad.)

Tradition is a hard thing to let go of.  Born of good intentions, they morph info dogmatism.  People will even kill for their traditions.  Even when presented proof contrary to what is tradition, people will hold on to them nonetheless.

Have you ever had one of those moments when something you’ve read or seen or thought you learned suddenly crystalizes for you?  A moment that just clicks?

Just a note about the new link I added to the blog roll. I added North Point Community Church. I was introduced to Andy Stanley’s sermons by a work mate. I have to say, it is the first place I have worked that has actually had bible studies going on. I had heard about them but never was invited to one. Great stuff.

Also, I have been reading the Two Babylons by Alexander Hislop. It was first published in 1853. I have to say it is enlightening. I have asked my catholic family members about some of the stuff written in it and the consensus seems to be that while some of what is written there may have been true some has also been revised since the 1800s. It seems to be the result of activities engaged in, for the lack of a better term, during Vatican One.

The short of it is, some of the stuff written in the book seems to be different now. From doing further research it appears that some of these activities have changed. However, there is still much that has not changed. The basis of the changing of the holidays remains the same. So to are some of the disturbing revelations to be found in the book about the sources of many of the religions institutional practices that carry through to this day. Not to worry, protestant churches are derived from the practices of the Catholic church.

In the end, it is important to remember that no matter what church you attend, always check what they are telling you with the bible.

But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse! (Galatians 1:8)

It sounds harsh but we are talking about eternity here.

Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:11)

When reading the bible, ask the why question.  In hunting down the answer you will gain a deeper understanding and a deeper respect for the integrity of the word.  A respect for its content and possibly a revelation or two.  You are certain to learn something not usually taught in Sunday school.

If you have trouble finding the why, put Jesus in the middle of the question.  It will begin to clear things up greatly.

Be careful, you might learn things that make you uncomfortable.  Things directly confrontational with the teachings of modern religious institutions.

Some other keys to understanding:  Let go of your preconceptions.  Read the words on the page.  Do not take anyone’s word as a substitute for scripture.  Listen with an open mind, then look it up to see if it is true.