This is a new section that I have added to the weekly news letter... It can be fun while testing and expanding your Bible knowledge..
Jonesie
WHO AM I?
I am in the older part of the book. Approx 440BC. I was close to a king. I bore his cup. I was appointed a governor over an area in ruin. I had to survey the walls at night for my safety. I was an effective administrator. I was able to show that everyone has a job in an organization and that no job is unimportant.
I had lies told about me. The false witness said that I was trying to declare myself a king and create an uprising against a king. The false witness people tried to lure me out into the woods to kill me.
WHO AM I?
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Turmoil in Society by Chris Jones
I was doing some reading in God's word tonight. Here's something I often struggle with in my feeble mind. I say I have a feeble mind for a reason. I have NO where the knowledge of the Father. I do not understand how the universe works. I do not fully understand the battle of God vs. Satan. I would say that as my 1 year old daughter holds on to daddy for security, I try to hold on to Abba father for security. For in the ways of God and the greater divinity, our understanding is small and is parallel to my daughter holding on to daddy.....
I have oft wondered about the end times and why this world is gone, well for lack of a better word, spiritually stupid.
I was discussing with my best friend about how society would be much different if our government just applied the 10 Commandments to the way they govern..... No lying, cheating, stealing, envy, and so forth.
I think Paul pretty much nailed this in this part of Timothy.
2 Timothy 3
Godlessness in the Last Days
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
I have oft wondered about the end times and why this world is gone, well for lack of a better word, spiritually stupid.
I was discussing with my best friend about how society would be much different if our government just applied the 10 Commandments to the way they govern..... No lying, cheating, stealing, envy, and so forth.
I think Paul pretty much nailed this in this part of Timothy.
2 Timothy 3
Godlessness in the Last Days
1But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.
6They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over weak-willed women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth. 8Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these men oppose the truth—men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Persecution- Biblical Perspective by Pastor Dial
This is an expanded outline.
To Persecute
1. to put to flight
2. continue to pursue
3. to make suffer
2 Corinthians 4
7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
Insults lead to False Accusations leads to Bodily Harm leads to Death
Why we (the church) are persecuted
1. Because of Righteousness
2. Jesus
Who does the Persecution?
1. Satan
2. Satan's Demons
3. People under Satan's control
Matthew 5:11 best will summarize this sermon:
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
To Persecute
1. to put to flight
2. continue to pursue
3. to make suffer
2 Corinthians 4
7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
Insults lead to False Accusations leads to Bodily Harm leads to Death
Why we (the church) are persecuted
1. Because of Righteousness
2. Jesus
Who does the Persecution?
1. Satan
2. Satan's Demons
3. People under Satan's control
Matthew 5:11 best will summarize this sermon:
11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Reflection on Sin
I had a question put to me while I was away at the police academy. We were having a philosophical discussion.
I was asked the question.
IF an UFO landed when you were nowhere, no one saw it, no person would ever know, and the most beautiful female exited the UFO and wanted to have relations with you, would you do it? NO one would ever know.
My answer was no, I would not. I would Know and it would be a transgression against my then fiancee.
Another situation I heard about that puts this point home of how sin affects others. Again, this is no person in our church and not something obtained from confidentiality.
I was presented with the testimony of a middle age man. He started with The part where his spouse came to him and said where have you been. I just got back from the doctor and I have something...
The husband then confessed his sin. He was addicted to prostitutes. He had been in the company of prostitutes since he was 13 years old. He is now middle aged.
The spouse showed mercy and spiritual maturity. She said that if he was willing to get help that they would work through this and save the marriage.
I believed she showed incredible courage to save the marriage.
Summary,
Sin does not happen in a vacuum. It has a ripple effect. It WILL affect others.
I was asked the question.
IF an UFO landed when you were nowhere, no one saw it, no person would ever know, and the most beautiful female exited the UFO and wanted to have relations with you, would you do it? NO one would ever know.
My answer was no, I would not. I would Know and it would be a transgression against my then fiancee.
Another situation I heard about that puts this point home of how sin affects others. Again, this is no person in our church and not something obtained from confidentiality.
I was presented with the testimony of a middle age man. He started with The part where his spouse came to him and said where have you been. I just got back from the doctor and I have something...
The husband then confessed his sin. He was addicted to prostitutes. He had been in the company of prostitutes since he was 13 years old. He is now middle aged.
The spouse showed mercy and spiritual maturity. She said that if he was willing to get help that they would work through this and save the marriage.
I believed she showed incredible courage to save the marriage.
Summary,
Sin does not happen in a vacuum. It has a ripple effect. It WILL affect others.
Poison in The Church
Previously we discussed the cause for fractures in the church.
This time, we are discussing how sins of Corinth was affecting the community and the church.
God hates sexual immorality.
What was happening in Corinth? The people, including some new church people were partaking in acts that are depraved.
Before the acts are listed, the following point must be made. Love the sinner, hate the sin.
What does the Book of Romans say about this. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
These are some of the depraved acts in Corinth:
Previously we discussed the cause for fractures in the church.
This time, we are discussing how sins of Corinth was affecting the community and the church.
God hates sexual immorality.
What was happening in Corinth? The people, including some new church people were partaking in acts that are depraved.
Before the acts are listed, the following point must be made. Love the sinner, hate the sin.
What does the Book of Romans say about this. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
These are some of the depraved acts in Corinth:
- Adultery
- Male Prostitutes
- Homosexuality
- Insest
- Bestiality
Here's God's comment on sexual immorality:
Romans 1
24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
26Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones. 27In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.
28Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.
Summary,
There was alot of controversial material in today's lesson. It can ALL be found in Scripture. It is how sin creeps in and destroys the church and its ability to survive and serve in this world.
Again, Love the sinner, hate the sin and May he who is without sin cast the first stone......
The Church Divided Week 1
Starting the new material on this section. I believe God has a purpose with this material to educate us on something that is a dirty little secret. Church Division.
To put things in perspective, God doesn't divide a church, Satan divides a Church.
Back ground History.
Corinth was a Greek city/state.
It was a place of moral flexibility to say the least. It has been described as a moral cesspool.
The city was inhabited by Jews, Pagans, and new Christians.
There was an immature New Testament Church that had leadership issues. The biggest problem is that the surrounding community saw the new church as a source to be made fun of due to their lack of direction.
I Corinthians 1:10-15
Divisions in the Church
10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas[a]"; still another, "I follow Christ."
13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into[b] the name of Paul? 14I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
When a church follows a person, they are going to fail. When a church is led by a pastor who takes his marching orders from the Holy Spirit (God), there is success around the corner.
In summary,
the church is not a building, it is the believers in Christ. The leader of the Church must be from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. IF NOT, it will be destine to fail because of the Great Accuser.
To put things in perspective, God doesn't divide a church, Satan divides a Church.
Back ground History.
Corinth was a Greek city/state.
It was a place of moral flexibility to say the least. It has been described as a moral cesspool.
The city was inhabited by Jews, Pagans, and new Christians.
There was an immature New Testament Church that had leadership issues. The biggest problem is that the surrounding community saw the new church as a source to be made fun of due to their lack of direction.
I Corinthians 1:10-15
Divisions in the Church
10I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought. 11My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas[a]"; still another, "I follow Christ."
13Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into[b] the name of Paul? 14I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15so no one can say that you were baptized into my name. 16(Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don't remember if I baptized anyone else.) 17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.
When a church follows a person, they are going to fail. When a church is led by a pastor who takes his marching orders from the Holy Spirit (God), there is success around the corner.
In summary,
the church is not a building, it is the believers in Christ. The leader of the Church must be from the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. IF NOT, it will be destine to fail because of the Great Accuser.
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