Should We Forgive Terrorists?

The front page of our local newspaper carried the story of peace activists protesting the use of bombs to fight international terrorism. The article included a photo of a child carrying a sign asking, “What Would Jesus Do?” The question on the sign is important. Jesus said that if we don’t forgive others, the Father in heaven will not forgive us (Matthew 6:14-15). But was He telling us to forgive those who have not had a change of heart? Not according to the rest of the Scriptures. Continued

A Silent Night Surprise in Times Square | #LightTheWorld

The Giver of Good Things

 James 1:17 has a lot to tell us about God. First off, James tells us that God is the one who gives good and perfect gifts. Everything starts with God, so all good gifts and blessings in life come from God.

In addition to that, it is God who gives us salvation, which is the greatest gift. He freely offers us eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ as the One who saves us. God not only gives perfect gifts, but He also is the perfect Gift. 

The next thing we learn about God in this verse is that God reigns from heaven but has also come down from heaven to us. God rules and reigns from His throne in Heaven (Psalm 103:19). He is the perfect gift that has come down from heaven.

Lastly, we learn that God is unchanging. Humans are constantly changing. God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow, and His character never changes. 

The God who loves us and gives us grace today will do the same tomorrow.

So take some time today to thank God for who He is and what He has done for you. Thank Him for the gifts and blessings He has given you. Thank Him for the gift of salvation. 

Source: YouVersion Bible App

The Kingdom of Light

When we talk about the gospel of Jesus, we most often talk about Jesus’ crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection. As Christians, these are the truths that we believe in that grant us salvation, and are an important part of the New Testament message. 

But there is more that happens behind the scenes of Jesus’ death. Paul unpacks some of those things in the letter he writes to the Colossian church.

Through his resurrection, Jesus conquered the evil supernatural powers that oppose God. Jesus proved Himself victorious over death and darkness—they cannot defeat Him or overthrow His Kingdom.

This is why Paul says that we have been rescued from the dominion of darkness. Before we were part of God’s family, we were held captive in darkness by our own way that opposed God. In fact, later in the same chapter of Colossians, Paul says:

 "Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior." Colossians 1:21 NIV 

 However, since Jesus conquered death and was victorious over the kingdom of darkness, we too are rescued and freed from our old ways as well. We are forgiven in Christ and given a new life in God’s kingdom–this is what Paul calls "redemption."

 Death has no dominion over us, if we accept the life Jesus freely offers to us.

 We are now called a new creation in Jesus, and the Spirit of God dwells within us, guiding us toward what God planned for us.

 Take a moment to consider the greatness and goodness of Jesus. Thank Him for all that He has done for you, specifically for making a way to have a relationship with Him, free from your old ways.

 What steps can you take today to continue to walk in the kingdom of light rather than the kingdom of darkness? 

 

 Source: YouVersion Bible App

Christ Came to Disarm Rebellious Sinners, But Not to Disempower Them

A meditation on the line between good and evil that runs through each person. Fleming Rutledge|December 24, 2021

 

In any polarized situation, the overriding human tendency is to draw a line with oneself and one’s allies on the good side and the opposing party on the wicked side, with very little attempt made by either side to understand the other. As these positions harden, it becomes almost impossible to achieve the insight necessary for a breakthrough.

For some years now I have kept a file that I call “The Line Runs Through.” This title is from Václav Havel, former president of the Czech Republic and one of those who resisted the Communists and was put in prison for his activities. When he came to power after the “Velvet Revolution,” Havel was conspicuously forgiving toward his former enemies and other collaborators. Some blamed him for this, but he maintained his position. In the central European regimes of the ’70s and ’80s, Havel said, “The line [between good and evil] did not run clearly between ‘them’ and ‘us,’ but through each person.”

The line between good and evil runs through each person. These words find an echo in Paul’s letter to the Romans: “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. … I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I that do it, but sin which dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand” (7:15–21, RSV throughout). Is there anyone who does not recognize this? Continued, here.

Chinese Christian Media Ministries Face Bitter Winter of Censorship

Many Chinese Christians are lamenting that the winter of internet mission in China is entering its darkest and coldest hour. This week, Chinese state media reported the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA) has announced its “Measures for the Administration of Internet Religious Information Services,” which will come into effect on March 1 and will restrict online ministry to Chinese government-approved religious groups with special permits on government-approved websites.

 “No organization or individual shall preach on the Internet, carry out religious education and training, publish sermon content, forward or link to related content, organize and conduct religious activities on the Internet, or live broadcast or post recorded videos of religious rituals…” without approval, stipulates the new regulation jointly formulated by five government bodies, including the Ministries of Public and National Security. 

A few months ago, I had a dream in which this passage of Scripture came up repeatedly: “Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations” (Ps. 90:1). In the dream, I thought “Lord, what is this to remind me of?” Then I woke up and learned that our ministry’s second main WeChat channel had been permanently shut down by the Chinese government, less than a month after our first channel was removed. Hundreds of thousands of followers just evaporated overnight. Having both major channels blocked meant it would be extremely hard for our ministry to regain as much influence as before.  

Continued

 

 

ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: What Happened to Lazarus After He Rose From the Dead?

ORTHODOX CHRISTIANITY THEN AND NOW: What Happened to Lazarus After He Rose From the Dead?: By John Sanidopoulos Lazarus was a close friend of Christ, from Bethany, about three kilometers east of Jerusalem. He lived there with his...

Should a Christian Date or Marry a Non-Christian?

 

What Does the Bible Say about Women Pastors?

 There is perhaps no more hotly debated issue in the church today than the issue of women serving as pastors. As a result, it is very important to not see this issue as men versus women. There are women who believe women should not serve as pastors and that the Bible places restrictions on the ministry of women, and there are men who believe women can serve as pastors and that there are no restrictions on women in ministry. This is not an issue of chauvinism or discrimination. It is an issue of biblical interpretation.

The Word of God proclaims, “A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent” (1 Timothy 2:11–12). In the church, God assigns different roles to men and women. This is a result of the way mankind was created and the way in which sin entered the world (1 Timothy 2:13–14). God, through the apostle Paul, restricts women from serving in roles of teaching and/or having spiritual authority over men. This precludes women from serving as pastors over men, which definitely includes preaching to them, teaching them publicly, and exercising spiritual authority over them.

Continued

Why wasn't Jesus named Immanuel?

In the prophecy of the virgin birth, Isaiah 7:14, the prophet Isaiah declares, “The Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” This prophecy had an initial fulfillment during Isaiah’s day, but it ultimately refers to the birth of Jesus, as we see in Matthew 1:22–23: “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).” This does not mean, however, that the Messiah’s actual given name would be Immanuel.

There are many “names” given to Jesus in the Old and New Testaments, and Immanuel is one of them. Isaiah elsewhere prophesied of the Messiah, “He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Jesus was never called by any of those “names” by the people He met in Galilee or Judea, but they are accurate descriptions of who He is and what He does. The angel said that Jesus “will be called the Son of the Most High” (Luke 1:32) and “the Son of God” (verse 35), but neither of those was His given name.

The prophet Jeremiah writes of “a King who will reign wisely” (Jeremiah 23:5), and he gives us the name of the coming Messiah: “And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness’” (Jeremiah 23:6, ESV). Jesus was never called “The Lord Our Righteousness” as a name, but we can call Him that! He brings the righteousness of God to us. He is God in the flesh, and the One who makes us righteous (1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

George Herman Ruth was named George, of course. But we can call him other things, and we’re talking about the same person: “Babe,” “the Bambino,” “the Sultan of Swat,” or “the Colossus of Clout.” The names for Babe Ruth multiplied due to his personal history and his signature talent on the ballfield. In a similar way, we can call Jesus by His given name, but we can also call Him “Immanuel.” Or “Wonderful,” “Counselor,” “Prince of Peace,” or “The Lord Our Righteousness.” The names of Jesus Christ multiply due to His divine nature and miraculous work.

To say that Jesus would be called “Immanuel” means Jesus is God, that He dwelt among us in His incarnation, and that He is always with us. Jesus was God in the flesh. Jesus was God making His dwelling among us (John 1:1, 14). God keeps His promises. The virgin Mary bore a son. Two thousand years ago, in Bethlehem, we see that baby born and lowered into the hay for a resting place. That baby, as incredible as it seems, is God. That Baby is God with us. Jesus, as our Immanuel, is omnipotence, omniscience, perfection, and the love that never fails—with us.

No, Joseph did not name Jesus “Immanuel,” but Jesus’ nature makes Him truly Immanuel, “God with us.” Isaiah told us to watch for Immanuel, the virgin-born Son of God. He will save us; He will reconcile people to God and restore creation to its original beauty. We know Him as Jesus, but we can also call Him “God with us,” because that’s exactly who He is.

Continued

 

 

The Case for Christ

Lee Strobel, a Chicago Tribune journalist, spent two years of his life researching  the life of Christ trying to disprove  his deity and his resurrection. What he found in the process changed his life forever.

 

Dolly Parton - He's Alive

Don Stewart :: Is God the Father a Distinct Person from Jesus?

There are those who declare that God the Father and Jesus Christ, are the same person. They contend that Jesus is merely a manifestation or development or role of the Father. The Bible, however, says that
the Father and Jesus are distinct from each other. They are not the same person. There are several ways in which the Bible illustrates this truth.

1. The Father Sent the Son

Another distinction we have between the Father and the Son is that the Father is the sender and Jesus, the Son, is the one sent.

Jesus said that it was God the Father who sent Him into the world.

"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work" (John 4:34).

He emphasized it again

By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me (John 5:30).

Jesus made it clear the Father had set Him apart and sent Him into the world.

What about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, `I am God's Son'? (John 10:36).

Jesus said that His words came from the Father.

For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it (John 12:49)

The Apostle Paul also testified that the Father sent the Son into the world:

But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law (Galatians 4:4).

Continued Here: Blue Letter Bible 

How Can You Know the Will of God? | Cru

How Can You Know the Will of God? | Cru: The Bible teaches that God has a wonderful plan for your life. But how can you be confident you are living according to His will for you?

Absolute Proof

Living Changed: Spiritual Warfare • Devotional

  One of the most common ways we experience spiritual warfare is in the mind. The enemy is constantly hurling lies at us and trying to get us to agree with the discouraging, destructive, and dangerous things he says. 

But Satan isn’t creative. Creation belongs to God. So the best he can do is figure out which lies hurt us the most and torment us with them over and over again. The attacks impacting us most today are probably the same attacks he’s been throwing at us our whole lives. But his lies only have power when we choose to agree with them.

When we agree with a lie, we give it credibility. We internalize it and let it become a part of who we believe we are. You’ll know you’ve made an agreement with a lie because it will sound like the voice in your head. If we heard an evil, hissing voice like something out of a movie, we’d never listen to it. But because it’s in our own voice, we’re so much more willing to believe it as truth. 

When our thoughts are aligned with God’s word, the devil can’t lie to us. The apostle Paul encourages us to take our thoughts captive. That means not letting our thoughts run wild, but checking our thoughts against the truth of God’s word. He also urges us to think on whatever is true, noble, lovely, and praiseworthy. He understood the mind is a battlefield, and he wanted us to cast out everything that doesn’t line up with God. 

Again, taking thoughts captive and casting out lies is active. We can’t simply think “go away.” Satan can’t read our minds. Sometimes we allow him to influence our thoughts when we pick up the lies he hurls at us, but only God is all-knowing and able to hear our thoughts. When Jesus was in the desert being tempted by Satan, Jesus spoke Scripture and told him to go away. In the same way, we have the authority to command him to flee in the name of Jesus.

With practice, it gets easier to spot the inconsistencies between what you’re hearing and what God promises. You’ll get faster at taking thoughts captive, speaking against lies, and realigning with truth. Ask God to help you spot the lies and remind you of the truth so you can more easily fight back!

Source 

“Habit 1: Flip the Script”

If your life isn’t what you want it to be, it may be because you’re telling yourself the wrong story. You are not the mistakes you’ve made. You are not the labels put on you by other people. You are who God says you are. Anything less is false humility. If you want to change your life, start by changing your story! 

If you want to win the day, you’ve got to flip the script. How? The Bible is a good starting point. Scripture is more than our script; it’s our script-cure. And that’s more than a play on words. Scripture confronts the false identities and false narratives perpetrated by the Father of Lies. It reveals the heavenly Father’s metanarrative and the unique role that each one of us plays in it.

Abraham thought he was too old. Jeremiah thought he was too young. Moses thought he was unqualified. Joseph thought he was overqualified. Gideon had an inferiority complex. Jonah had a superiority complex. Peter made too many mistakes. Nathanael was too cool for school. Paul had a thorn in the flesh. And King David was the runt of the litter. 

None of that matters! Who you are is not the issue. What really mat­ters is whose you are. “If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). You are the apple of God’s eye. You are God’s work­manship. You are more than a conqueror, and nothing can change that. It is what it is; it is who you are. 

There never has been and never will be anyone like you. That isn’t a testament to you. It’s a testament to the God who created you. The sig­nificance of that truth is this: no one can take your place. No one can worship God like you or for you. No one can serve others like you or for you. Jesus doesn’t just live in us; Christ lives as us! 

Start living your life in a way that is worth telling stories about.

It’s time to flip the script!

Think on this: If you want to change your life, start by changing your story.

Source: A Bible Reading Plan By Mark Batterson

                                              

                                         

What does the Bible Say?

 Question: "What does the Bible say about Purgatory?"

Answer: According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Purgatory is “a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God’s grace, are not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.” To summarize, in Catholic theology Purgatory is a place that a Christian’s soul goes to after death to be cleansed of the sins that had not been fully satisfied during life. Is this doctrine of Purgatory in agreement with the Bible? Absolutely not!

Jesus died to pay the penalty for all of our sins (Romans 5:8). Isaiah 53:5 declares, “But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.” Jesus suffered for our sins so that we could be delivered from suffering. To say that we must also suffer for our sins is to say that Jesus’ suffering was insufficient. To say that we must atone for our sins by cleansing in Purgatory is to deny the sufficiency of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus (1 John 2:2). The idea that those who are saved by grace through faith have to suffer for their sins after death is contrary to everything the Bible says about salvation.

The primary Scriptural passage Catholics point to for evidence of Purgatory is 1 Corinthians 3:15, which says, “If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” The passage (1 Corinthians 3:12-15) is using an illustration of things going through fire as a description of believers’ works being judged. If our works are of good quality “gold, silver, costly stones,” they will pass through the fire unharmed, and we will be rewarded for them. If our works are of poor quality “wood, hay, and straw,” they will be consumed by the fire, and there will be no reward. The passage does not say that believers pass through the fire, but rather that a believer’s works pass through the fire. 1 Corinthians 3:15 refers to the believer “escaping through the flames,” not “being cleansed by the flames.”

Purgatory, like many other Catholic dogmas, is based on a misunderstanding of the nature of Christ’s sacrifice. Catholics view the Mass / Eucharist as a re-presentation of Christ’s sacrifice because they fail to understand that Jesus’ once-for-all sacrifice was absolutely and perfectly sufficient (Hebrews 7:27). Catholics view meritorious works as contributing to salvation due to a failure to recognize that Jesus’ sacrificial payment has no need of additional “contribution” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Similarly, Purgatory is understood by Catholics as a place of cleansing in preparation for heaven because they do not recognize that because of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are already cleansed, declared righteous, forgiven, redeemed, reconciled, and sanctified.

The very idea of Purgatory and the doctrines that are often attached to it (prayer for the dead, indulgences, meritorious works on behalf of the dead, etc.) fail to recognize that Jesus’ death was sufficient to pay the penalty for ALL of our sins. Jesus, who was God incarnate (John 1:1, 14), paid an infinite price for our sin. Jesus died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3). Jesus is the atoning sacrifice for our sins (1 John 2:2). To limit Jesus’ sacrifice to atoning for original sin or sins committed before salvation is an attack on the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. If we must, in order to be saved, pay for, atone for, or suffer because of our sins, then Jesus’ death was not a perfect, complete, and sufficient sacrifice.

For believers, after death is to be "away from the body and at home with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23). Notice that this does not say "away from the body, in Purgatory with the cleansing fire." No, because of the perfection, completion, and sufficiency of Jesus’ sacrifice, we are immediately in the Lord’s presence after death, fully cleansed, free from sin, glorified, perfected, and ultimately sanctified.

Recommended Resource: Heaven by Randy Alcorn

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Source: Gotquestions.org                                     

Finding Peace

Living in Peace With Others

It’s a challenge we each face regularly: How can we live in peace with other people and restore peace when conflict erupts?

The fact is, God desires for us to live in peace with others. He also knows that we’ll not always be at peace with others. Conflicts occur. At times, conflicts aren’t easily resolved. In fact, there are occasions when conflicts cannot be resolved. However, God wants us to do all we can to be at peace with everyone.

We who are followers of Christ know full well that when God isn’t in full control of our lives, we can act just as despicably as an unbeliever. Our salvation doesn’t automatically keep us from being mean, jealous, hateful, or angry. It’s only as we ask the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us, only as we yield our nature to His nature, only as we seek to be His representatives on this earth in every relationship we have that we’re going to move beyond pride into the behaviors that establish peace.

So how do we deal with conflict when it arises and establish a peaceful outcome?

First, determine the value of the relationship. If you’re going to live in peace with another person, you have to decide, “Is this relationship valuable enough to me to preserve it? Am I willing to compromise on some things to make the relationship work?” I firmly believe that those who are saved by grace and indwelled by the Holy Spirit can find genuine peace in their relationship when both value the maintenance of the relationship.

Second, start talking … and keep talking. When two people are talking—and willing to keep talking and listening to each other—they’re much more likely to quickly find resolution to their conflicts and live in peace with each other.

Third, be transparent. You can’t have a hidden agenda or a manipulative scheme at work in the back of your mind and hope for a peaceful relationship. Being open and honest with others when conflicts arise helps you to reach peaceful solutions in your relationships.

Finally, get to the core of the problem. As you communicate openly with others, taking an honest look at what is at the root of the conflict, you’ll be better able to work through any difficulty and establish peace.

As you strive to live at peace with others, standing on the truth of God’s Word, know that God stands with you. He will turn any conflict or persecution you experience to your eternal benefit. He’ll bring about spiritual growth, greater faith, and stronger enduring power within you.

Source: Finding Peace by Dr Charles Stanley

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Archbishop Viganò’s powerful letter to President Trump: Eternal struggle between good and evil playing out right now

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò warns the president that the current crises over the coronavirus pandemic and the George Floyd riots are a part of the eternal spiritual struggle between the forces of good and evil.

Mr. President,

            In recent months we have been witnessing the formation of two opposing sides that I would call Biblical: the children of light and the children of darkness. The children of light constitute the most conspicuous part of humanity, while the children of darkness represent an absolute minority. And yet the former are the object of a sort of discrimination which places them in a situation of moral inferiority with respect to their adversaries, who often hold strategic positions in government, in politics, in the economy and in the media. In an apparently inexplicable way, the good are held hostage by the wicked and by those who help them either out of self-interest or fearfulness.

These two sides, which have a Biblical nature, follow the clear separation between the offspring of the Woman and the offspring of the Serpent. On the one hand there are those who, although they have a thousand defects and weaknesses, are motivated by the desire to do good, to be honest, to raise a family, to engage in work, to give prosperity to their homeland, to help the needy, and, in obedience to the Law of God, to merit the Kingdom of Heaven. On the other hand, there are those who serve themselves, who do not hold any moral principles, who want to demolish the family and the nation, exploit workers to make themselves unduly wealthy, foment internal divisions and wars, and accumulate power and money: for them the fallacious illusion of temporal well-being will one day – if they do not repent – yield to the terrible fate that awaits them, far from God, in eternal damnation.

 In society, Mr. President, these two opposing realities co-exist as eternal enemies, just as God and Satan are eternal enemies. And it appears that the children of darkness – whom we may easily identify with the deep state which you wisely oppose and which is fiercely waging war against you in these days – have decided to show their cards, so to speak, by now revealing their plans. They seem to be so certain of already having everything under control that they have laid aside that circumspection that until now had at least partially concealed their true intentions. The investigations already under way will reveal the true responsibility of those who managed the Covid emergency not only in the area of health care but also in politics, the economy, and the media. We will probably find that in this colossal operation of social engineering there are people who have decided the fate of humanity, arrogating to themselves the right to act against the will of citizens and their representatives in the governments of nations.

Continued