Posts filed under ‘Emotional virtue’
Why Does the World Hate Christians, Part 1?
Being issue-oriented has pitted Christians against the world so is it any wonder the world hates us? When we see groups like Westboro Baptist Church with their signs filled with vulgar language stating God hates certain groups, this furthers the problem. It engenders hate and the world couldn’t care less about trying to distinguish between Westboro and other conservative or even authentic Christians. Interestingly enough, they can do this where Islam is concerned and we’ll talk about that later because it indirectly ties into the second and third reasons for why the world hates us.
Let’s Take the Great Commission from the Top, Part 3
Once a person becomes a Christian (having been made a disciple), the obligation is to do the next thing. New converts were to be baptized and taught what it means to be and live as a Christian. Being baptized with water does not save a person. It publicly signifies to whom that person is affiliated. This should be done publicly as a testimony to all that the new convert to Christianity is claiming association with Jesus (which is why one is baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit), to separate them from other religions, sects, and cults that existed then (and now).
Let’s Take the Great Commission from the Top, Part 1
There is clearly a difference between Jesus’ authority before His death and resurrection and after it and Jesus is stressing that point when He makes the statement to His disciples. He specifically uses the word “all” which literally means all. There is nothing that He does not have authority over now. Not one thing.
Christian You Have an Eternal Purpose Here and Now
This means, if I have the opportunity to fill some of the needs of people in my church who have true needs, I should do so. It also means that I should reach beyond the walls of my own local church to reach people who are unchurched but whose needs are just as real, just as palpable. If I can meet some of those needs, I have an obligation to do so. The Christian’s purpose is two-fold: 1) to take care of those within the Body of Christ, and 2) to reach out to the lost. This is built into the Great Commission. If you’re “going it alone,” you’re doing it wrong, I’m sorry to say. Concerned about what your local church teaches or believes? Find another. Can’t find one? Then start a group in your home with other like-minded Christians. We are a body, connected with one another. We are not meant to “go it alone.”
How to Ignore the World, Its Lies, Its Folly in All Forms
What else has all of this information overload done for us? Aside from keeping us in a constant state of worry and fear, we have lost our ability to evangelize the lost, if we’d ever had it. That’s on the back burner because there are more pressing things for us to we believe. We’ve got to change society. We’ve got to elect the “right” politician and for many Christians right now, that correct politician is Donald Trump. Why? Because several “prophets” and “apostles” have said so, that’s why.
It’s All About Dominionism, Kingdom Now, and the New Apostolic Reformation, Part 8
As I’ve stated before, the overall problem with human attempts to institute a “Christian theocracy” especially using Old Testament laws to do so, is that the concept of grace is gone. Beyond this, people involved in this movement are actually declaring that God is incapable of doing it Himself. Moreover, the question of who – or which group – would actually be in charge of such a system also needs to be asked. Unlike Israel of old, we do not have an “urim and thummin” as was used by the Old Testament Jewish priests. Even if we did, we have no clue how the priests determined God’s will from using it. Colossians 2:17 tells us these things were merely a shadow of the things that were found in Jesus. They are gone. North wants to bring them back.
Signs, Wonders, Tongues, and Miracles of Today, Part 2
This is the problem with “voices,” signs, wonders, and dreams. How are we to accurately interpret them? In the Old Testament – and even in the New to a certain extent – those folks did not have the Bible to refer to, which is at least why, in a few cases, “fleeces” were used by petitioners to God in prayer. Since there was nothing written down to which worshipers of the One true God could look, God chose – at that time – to use dreams, visions, signs, and wonders. He also used prophets whom He raised up to be His voice to many in the nation of Israel. Because there was nothing written to which those folks of old could refer to, it seems likely that God would have offered some measure of protection from the enemy to keep deception away. This was even done to some extent in the situation with respect to Balaam (cf. Numbers 22). God would only allow the deception to go so far and deliberately kept Balaam from being thoroughly involved in it.
Signs, Wonders, Tongues, and Miracles of Today, Part 1
If you look carefully at the many spiritual movements that are afoot today throughout society, they all seem to have one thing in common, in my opinion. They cause people to turn inward. Admittedly, my involvement in the Charismatic Renewal movement was because I wanted to draw closer to God and I thought that to do that, I needed to learn how to worship properly, speak in tongues, and be around other people who were more sensitive to the workings of the Holy Spirit. In the end, as I look back at that, I fully realize that I was becoming very “me” centered. I wanted the experience of knowing God because I thought that would grant me the power to witness and to live a life that pleased God and brought Him glory. In the end, it didn’t and that’s not from a lack of trying. The reality is that whatever little bit you manage to receive in that movement, it’s never good enough and you must press on for more.
It’s All About Dominionism, Kingdom Now, and the New Apostolic Reformation, Part 7
The world is rapidly moving toward that time when it will become one in purpose. A one-world government will come about as the final version of the fourth beast first spoken of in Daniel 2. This final version of the fourth beast – some call it the Revised Roman Empire because it connects back to the Roman Empire – will come into existence and be used by Antichrist as his footstool where he will control the world, with a special eye on Israel. This is all clearly spelled out throughout the Old Testament and even in what is known as Jesus’ Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21). Many continue to miss it because of the way they view things.
Coming Out of the Box with the Last Reformation?
This is extremely important: Notice they did not seek a “voice,” sign, wonder, or other miracle, to authenticate Paul’s teachings. They went back directly to the Scriptures they had at the time. We are to do the same thing and we have the greater responsibility because we have the entire Canon of Scripture, yet today we are too often told or expected to simply believe a person when they say God has revealed something to them or spoken to them directly. No thank you. I’ll stick with God’s written Word. If it was good enough for the Bereans, it’s most definitely good enough for me.
StudyGrowKnow 