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Ephesians 5:17-20 (New International Version) 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (King James Version) 17Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Being...

It is mind-boggling to think that our generation alone is uniquely standing on the precipice of time and where no generation has ever stood. We are living in the days spoken of by the ancient prophets. These prophets spoke of the Israelites being gathered back into their own land, in passages such as Ezekiel 37:21: This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them back into their own land. This began in 1948. The “dry bones” of Ezekiel 37...

Every Thanksgiving season, I am reminded of the ten lepers in John’s Gospel. You know these ten, Jesus is on his way to Galilee when they spot him and begin to cry out for a healing. Our compassion filled Jesus grants this request and the ten rush off to present themselves to the priest. They will be announced clean and allowed to return to their families, their faith, and their lives. One stops in the midst of the joy, realizing both the source of the joy and the importance of gratitude, and returns to express both realizations to his newfound...

The Jesus Story always ends in overcoming the enemy. Always. Then appropriate that overcoming-yet-to-be in the present tense by exclaiming "Thank you, Jesus."

In the past five years - before our very eyes - we have seen the nearly complete erosion and virtual extinction of conservative policies and programs in US politics. It seems that The United States is increasingly becoming more like a secular socialist State than the Representative Republic of "In God We Trust" that it was founded upon. Our Judean-Christian heritage, morality and values do not dominate our culture and society as they once did. Another reality is that many have never known any other kind of society than what presently exists. Accountability, responsibility and virtue are “hisses and by-words”...

Today's divine mercies are keeping the globe spinning upon its axis. God loves this globe. "For God so loved the world. . ."

It is God, the unseen partner of prayer warriors. Those who intercede on behalf of the Republic are not in need of a mortal leader at the moment. We are bereft of a mighty party spokesperson.

The Divine Christ and the Bible SACRED SCRIPTURE is made up of a number of books, different in many ways, but all brought together in Jesus Christ. From Genesis to the Apocalypse or the book of Revelation, Jesus Christ is the center. The story of the Bible is the story of Jesus Christ. In the old Testament we are prepared for the coming of Jesus Christ. In the New Testament Jesus Christ is with us, in His life on earth in the Gospels, in His life in the Church in the rest of the books. To grasp then what Jesus...

Testimony of the Evangelists by Simon Greenleaf (1783-1853)   Simon Greenleaf , one of the principle founders of the Harvard Law School, originally set out to disprove the biblical testimony concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was certain that a careful examination of the internal witness of the Gospels would dispel all the myths at the heart of Christianity. But this legal scholar came to the conclusion that the witnesses were reliable, and that the resurrection did in fact happen.   I n examining the evidence of the Christian religion, it is essential to the discovery of truth that...

EVIDENCE FOR THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST A Challenge for Skeptics [ NOTE: For a response to the book The Empty Tomb: Jesus Beyond the Grave (Prometheus, 2005) by Lowder / Price see the free 500+ page E-book This Joyful Eastertide: A Critical Review of The Empty Tomb  (PDF) by Steve Hays, et al (c) 2006 ] A reasonable challenge to the skeptic is this: If it can be proved that Jesus really rose from the dead, will you believe in him? For if he really rose, that validates his claim to be divine and not merely human, for resurrection from...

"EMPTY REPETITION. You see, I majored in religion. Had eyes, but no vision. And men? Men let me graduate. And I listened to you, as if you held the key to my fate. I listened to you as if you died on the cross for me. And I listened to you as if you truly care, where I spend eternity." "PLAGIARIZED SPIRITUALITY. A mask of glitter. Holding scriptures and plaster. You see, it was men I had my faith in. I was deceived by the thief near the Tree of Education. Flattery trapped me, rocked me to sleep. And I...

Why does God allow there to be evil in the world? Are we not all created in the image of God? Many ask, and few seem to have good answers, for the question of, "Why God didn’t just create us so that we would never have to experience pain, suffering, and sadness?" After all, He has the power to make the world free of evil, yet He chose instead to make us creatures with free will. Thus, free will was the door left open for the possibility of evil to exist. If we have the right to chose between...

Christ, Lunatic or God? If reason alone were all we had to establish the existence and essence of God, we might feel curiously dissatisfied. If God is a Supreme Spirit, omnipotent and of total benevolence, the origin and end of us all, why does He not speak and re-assure us? The Christian claim is that, in fact, God has spoken to mankind first in the prophets of the Old Testament and last of all through His Son made man. The historical existence of Christ is what we are now concerned with and also with His claim to be the Son...

An Ignorant Jesus?  Rev. William Most, Ph.d              Was Jesus confused? Did He know He was Messiah? or divine? Did He know much  about the afterlife? Did He have at least one superstition? Did He have only the mentality of a Jew of the first third of the first century? -- Wild as it may seem, some prominent scholars charge Him on all the above counts, and more too.              But: What does the Church teach on these things? Pope Pius XII, in his great Encyclical on the Mystical Body, on June 29, 1943, rejected all such charges. He taught:...

Christ and the Christian It would be impertinent to speak of a Christian without first trying to find out about Christ. Calling someone Christian only indicates that in some fashion he resembles Christ. But Who is Christ? Why are there millions of people who call themselves Christians? Philosophers have given their name to disciples who follow their system of thought Platonists, Thomists, Kantists, Marxists. None of these, however, have attained the prodigious continued devotion that Christ inspires in His followers. Even Buddhism, which demands a total surrender to its rules, has very little to say about Buddha himself, whose image...

The Brothers and Sisters of Jesus   There is absolutely ho historical evidence that Mary, the mother of Jesus, had other children. The Catholic Church teaches that Mary was a Virgin before, during, and after the birth of Jesus.The belief in Mary’s perpetual virginity (which necessarily includes her virginity after the birth of Christ) has been so deeply rooted in Catholic Tradition from the very beginning, that the Fathers of the Church instinctively and vigorously rose to its defense every time early heretics questioned it. Among the many witnesses that could be mentioned in this connection are: Origen, St....

Christ Is Necessary for You MILLIONS OF MEN have lived in this world yet only one Man could say in His own right and back up His words with proof: "Which of you can convict me of sin" (John 8:46)? Hundred of men over the ages have been teachers of their fellowmen, hundreds have pointed out the way life should be lived, hundreds have led others of their fellow beings, but not one of them dared say of himself as did this Man: "I AM the way, and the truth and the life" (John 14:6). Many claimed to be sent...

Have you ever given it much though about the phrase, “Lift Christ up with Praise�? Quite often you will here a pastor use this phrase as he instructs you to give glory to God though His Son. But have you ever really consider what the phrase means to you and and the significance of it? Give me a moment of your time and allow me to introduce you to something very few Christians have actually ever considered when hearing this phrase, “Lift Christ up with Praise�. Most people know the verse John 3:16 , many have even memorized it....

The Hidden Truth About Halloween: Behind the Mask Does the Bible have anything to say about the strange customs surrounding Halloween? In fact, it does—and none of it is good.While God's Holy Days in the Bible celebrate the role of Jesus Christ in bringing mankind to salvation in the eternal family of God (as explained in the following article and our free booklet God's Holy Day Plan: The Promise of Hope for All Mankind), Halloween is a celebration of the opposite—of demonism, witchcraft, death and evil spirits.God's Word makes it clear that no one should dare entertain witchcraft or act...

Larry David would think heaven itself had fallen on him if he had used a picture of the prophet Muhammad instead of Jesus to urinate on.. Larry David is either a coward or afraid his head would be separated from his neck if he had done so.

What Is the Gospel that Jesus Christ Taught? If we are to understand the point of Jesus' teachings, message and mission, we need to be sure we understand the gospel—the good news—that He taught. by Scott Ashley What is the message Jesus Christ brought and taught? It seems like a simple enough question, but most people don't give it much thought. They know Jesus preached a "gospel"— which comes from the Old English godspel, meaning "good news" or "good message"—but what is that message? This is where things can get a little murky. Many think that the gospel of Christ...

As we enter the holiday season I would like to encourage you to consider starting a new tradition in your family. Seeing as how Christmas is all about the birth of Christ and not any of us I have been a little baffled as to why we get the gifts. Now I am not trying to take away from the childrens excitement. However, this could be the year to start a new tradition that teaches and encourages missions and giving...

Joint combined retrofitting of my body and church is aggregating into its finished mold now " The Bride of Christ " , for all things foreign to my body are being dismembered and the ambiguity taking away from the clear view of all she is in this hour is being dissolved , leaving a clarity of the heart and spirit of My Bride so " The Mind of Christ " in all its manifold wisdom and glory may be revealed no longer "The Hidden Manna" but but a pronounced finality about to evolve completely true and faithful . So posture...

LONDON – The head of the World Council of Churches has called upon Christians to live out the core message in Jesus’ parable of the Good Samaritan and treat others as their neighbors. The Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia was speaking at the opening of the WCC’s conference on the response of churches to racism and other forms of discrimination and exclusion. Pointing to the unprecedented gains of anti-immigration parties in the recent European Parliament election, Kobia warned that racism was “still alive” in the world. He urged some 50 church leaders and theologians convening in Utrecht, in the Netherlands, to...

What's Wrong With Our Governments? Democratic societies fervently promote their favorite candidates at election time yet are almost always disappointed when they fail to come through on their promises. Why does it seem this never changes? What's the fundamental problem with human government? by Jerold Aust New York City has long had a problem with United Nations diplomats who park wherever they want and claim diplomatic immunity when ticketed for breaking the parking laws. In one recent five-year period, diplomats racked up more than 150,000 unpaid tickets resulting in over $18 million in unpaid fines.Here we see a microcosm of...

Some may consider it a little bit close to the religious comparison lines, but it is FUNNY. please take it as such.

Despite a large public outcry over its decision to censor Bible verse banners held by high school football cheerleaders on the playing field, a Georgia school board is refusing to change its mind. However, the controversial policy has compelled many students to passionately defend their free-speech rights and proclaim their Christian beliefs.

By hiram569 at 2009-10-12 Something for Christians to think about Many people in the world have already declared Barack Hussein Obama to be their messiah. Obama has never refuted such claims and has made fun of the Bible and of Jesus Christ. Many people blindly follow Obama to wherever his teleprompter leads them. I am not a theologian, nor do I pretend to be anything but a simple man. Jesus however, plainly warned us that many would come along and say that they were Christ and what would occur because of that. Here is an example from the Bible, located...

“Wherefore whoever shall eat this bread, and drink of this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 11 Verse 27 Now that’s heavy! The Corinthian’s were characterized for their unruly behavior at their agape´ suppers. Some were irreverent and self centered in their manners. There were divisions among them in the church. Some ate without thought for others who went hungry and humiliated those who had nothing… and then they proceeded to take part in the Lord’s Supper.

The Feast of Tabernacles: Jesus Christ Reigns Over All the Earth God's plan for mankind involves restoration. The Feast of Tabernacles symbolizes the restoration process. In his first inspired sermon after receiving the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, the apostle Peter summed up God's instruction for mankind: "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken...

We all know the story of Lazarus. By the time in the story when Jesus is weeping, he is fairly clear about the fact He is going to raise Lazarus from the dead. Thus the tears are not necessary for grieving Lazarus. So, why the tears? Why does Jesus weep? Perhaps the tears are a result of Jesus feeling the pain of grief on two close friends. Seeing the hurt in their own lives, the pain present in their eyes and their voices might cause Jesus to weep. He might hurt because two of his friends hurt, and when we...

Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” In reading about the life of Stephen, I asked myself this question. How would I like to be full of faith and power, and do great wonders and signs among the people? (Acts 6:8) Do you know that this is possible, even today, especially today? I have some good news for you. Flowing in the power that Stephen did is available to us right now. To understand about the faith that Stephen operated in, listed are types of faith described in Scripture....

Last night I was watching a Fox News report of the recent drying of the River Euphrates which extends into Iraq and Iran. I thought to myself: well that sounds familiar ... where have I heard that before? One Google search later, I was confronted with a Bible verse from the book of Revelation, 16:12.

Community members are rallying around Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe High School cheerleaders after they were banned from displaying signs with Bible verses urging fans and players to “commit to the Lord” and “take courage and do it.” The banners — the paper ones that football players crash through at the beginning of games — have been common sights in the school’s football stadium since 2003, local officials say. “The cheerleaders are not trying to push a religious cause, to shove religion down someone’s throat,” said local youth minister Brad Scott, who was LFO High’s class president in 2004. “The cheerleaders are just...

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."Matthew 28:19-20 These were the last words Jesus spoke to His disciples before He ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. While it would eventually take the stoning of Stephen to actually force His followers to obey His commandment, many Christians would answer the...

In an interview with the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Jeb Bush criticizes the "national party" (meaning the National Republican Senatorial Committee) for throwing its support behind Charlie Crist in the Florida Senate primary: Bush said national party leaders should not be trying to push Crist as aggressively as they have. He said Rubio deserved a fair shot against Crist in a primary. "I think he should be given a chance. I think that the idea that the national party would pick a winner a year and a half before an election is the wrong way to go." This isn't the game-changing formal...

John 20:18-20 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the LORD, and that he had spoken these things unto her. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the LORD. Jesus never hid his scars from His disciples,...

Philip Pullman / Bishop David McGough Related articles: The Divinity of ChristHow to Talk to an Atheist about ChristianityBiblical Book Names & AbbreviationsSt. Cyprian, Bishop, Martyr Birmingham, England, Sep 15, 2009 / 03:04 am (CNA).- Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham David McGough has criticized a new book by the atheist author Philip Pullman, saying that his contention that St. Paul invented the divinity of Jesus would not be held by any respectable scholar of Scripture.Pullman’s upcoming book, titled “The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ,” claims that St. Paul transformed the character of Jesus and bestowed divine attributes to...

I saw the Father in the Garden with Jesus and the Father had a shofar in his left hand . My sons and daughters of Zion ( hebrews 12:23 )it is time to unite as one with me The Father for we are advancing inward to penetrate the last strongholds . See them in the center for we have them surrounded , yet many within this circle that have resisted me and my will " Jesus " shall soon be inialted OR come into this very army I have formed as My Bride and soon there shall be a great...

Have you ever noticed that every great artist has a trademark signature? Signatures can be an indicator of authenticity. As impressive as some artistic creations may be, there is no artist ever whose work can compare to that of Jesus Christ. Have you ever noticed how intricately things work together. It really is amazing. Collosians 1:17 states "He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." There is no more amazing evidence of this than in the case of laminin. You see laminin is a protein molecule that holds the very cells of our body together. Without...

Let’s question the “common-sense” double-standard. Folks, I was reading this article published today in Time Magazine online, entitled, The Burial Box of Jesus' Brother: A Case Against Fraud, because the controversy has been around for a while and of course, because of the significance of the artifact were the claims to its authenticity be proven beyond reasonable doubt. Nevertheless, the introductory paragraph disappointed me, although I am already used to this case of disappointment coming from the so-called mainstream experts. Check it out: The world of biblical archaeology was stirred in 2002 by the unveiling of a limestone burial box...

Lunch time rolls around for me at work and it is time for me to grab up some grub, get a cold diet coke, and close the door to my office to work on this blog or to read up on the Volunteers for a little while. It's the 30 minutes or so of solitude in an otherwise crazy hectic day for me. So today as I sit down to eat a spicey italian from Subway I am in a football frenzy. It is just 2 days till the Big Orange hit the field and so I journy over to...

Over the past few years I have collected a lot of tools. With each move, my dad brings tools just in case things need to be fixed around the house. When he leaves, the tools stay behind, so I end up with a new saw, screwdriver or wrench. Then there are the tools that fix the sprinkler system, the tools that come with ‘some assembly required’ furniture, bolts that hang heavy pictures, bolts to hang light fixtures, and then just plain old regular bolts. Oh, and don’t forget the nails… tiny nails all the way up to the amazingly huge...

According to tradition St. Thomas Aquinas once asked St. Bonaventure how he had acquired the deep theological wisdom he displayed in his writings. St. Bonaventure pointed to a crucifix and said that he had learned all he knew from contemplating it.   If there are any prayerful Catholics in our pews with St. Bonaventure's talents or dispositions, they are going to be deprived, for it is nearly impossible to find a crucifix in a Catholic Church in the United States. This became quite clear to me when I visited Mexico. The large crucifixes there, suspended over the main altar,...

The wonder of your love The comfort of your love The breadth of your love I stand in awe and know that you are here. In the sad times and the bad In the sorrow of my pain In the darkness of the night Oh, how I love the presence of my Lord. When fear and terror falls When anger turns to wrath When evil seems to reign You are always there to calm me down.

Focusing on the needs in Uganda the International Mission Board, the sending arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, sends missionaries for two years through their Journeyman Program. The Journeyman, such as Chris Bosson, shadow a church and primarily start new churches and equip them with everything from food, medical care, to Bible resources. Chris Bosson's time was spent ministering to the youth in villages by showing the Jesus Film, leading youth Bible conferences, and teaching a weekly youth Bible Study out of his home. This weekly Bible Study-Crossover continues today under Pastor Enoch Kategaya's oversight.

Some people are just really good at giving gifts. My friend Tan is one of those people. Shortly before I left on vacation a few weeks ago, Tan and I were having a conversation about babies, which led to a discussion about Blake’s nighttime routine. To sleep soundly, she requires a noise machine and music. I was lamenting the fact that we did not have a viable gadget on which to play music while we were on vacation, and we were worried that she might regress in her sleeping habits. Tan listened and said he knew what I was talking...

I waited patiently for the Lord. (Psalm 40: 1) Be patient… Patience is a virtue...Patience, Patience, Patience! Having patience is really difficult! Isn’t being patient (waiting on God) much harder than walking out in our faith? It seems that some of us have been waiting forever for our circumstances to change. We can feel trapped. And feeling trapped makes us wonder what is actually going on behind the scenes, and why aren’t our circumstances changing? Even though I suffer with having a rare form of Muscular Dystrophy, I can sit here and say that God has been quite merciful and...

I have a canteen sitting on a bookshelf in my office. It is a reminder of what I carry with me each and every day. The canteen belongs to a friend. I have seen him use it on several occasions and always thought it was a rather smart item to possess. There have been moments when he and I were somewhere outside and the canteen that he carried held the only available water source – our life source; thus a smart item to carry around. This weekend, I was with a friend who I deeply admire. Her spirituality is real...

My shaking of the heavens and the earth is in conjunction ( balance ) with my children's hearts in the heavenlies and those yet earth bound for truly a day in my courts is where I would have all my creation come and abide with me for my word is not ( non ) sense for as My Word I am seeking those that would worship me in spirit and in truth . So come " Abide " for truly I AM here waiting for you and this place IS " The mind of Christ " Your Zion on earth...