Results 361 - 380 of 729
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Results from: Notes Author: charis Ordered by Verse |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
361 | will the world end soon | Matt 25:13 | charis | 17282 | ||
Dear Hank, Amen! "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34 NASB For those of you that might say this is out of context, remember that Jesus was speaking about tomorrow's food, clothing and shelter. To those who constantly worry about the details of the end-time, it seems as if they place more importance on the 'coming' days than the present day. Certainly they discuss it more. :-) I am certain that if we serve God now, we will serve Him on that glorious day, and all the tomorrows in between. In Christ Jesus charis |
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362 | Why did Jesus not answer charges? | Matt 26:62 | charis | 6707 | ||
Amen, retxar! Truth needs no advertising. Our Lord's life spoke His holy answer to all charges. In Jesus' name, charis |
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363 | What happened to the disciples? | Mark 3:16 | charis | 7090 | ||
Dear Joe, 'Foxe's Book of Martyrs' by John Foxe was written in 1583. An updated version is available through Amazon. Martydom viewed through Protestant eyes, starting with Stephen, and giving as much detail as is available. (unfortunately, for the apostles it is not much, mostly tradition) The book traces martyrdom through the reign of Queen Mary, and is not for the faint at heart. We require our high school students to read it, and it opens their eyes! Foxe himself was 'on the run' from those who wanted to add his name to the book. In Christ Jesus, charis |
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364 | How to sharpen service skills? | Mark 9:35 | charis | 29604 | ||
Dear Emmaus, Greetings in the name of Jesus! C'mon, brother (right?), be bold! :-) Of course, we could just say that the entire Bible was given to us that we might learn how to serve God and His people, and leave it at that. I think it is a valid topic to pursue here on a Bible Forum: How do we serve God and His church in a practical, daily sense? Blessings in Christ Jesus, charis |
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365 | How to sharpen service skills? | Mark 9:35 | charis | 29637 | ||
Dear Emmaus, Greetings in Jesus' name! I'm sorry if my post came off as cryptic. I guess I was 'fishing' with the wrong bait! :-) I was trying to find practical ways to express and improve our service to one another in the context of the local church. Many church 'services' are institutionalized into 'dead works,' with little heart, just programs intended to make people feel good. I have seen that many shepherds are 'professional' hirelings that do not have a sense of commitment to the flock other than as a 'step to the next rung.' Likewise, many sheep treat their shepherd as a 'public servant' with little commitment to him other than as required by social propriety. Some even treat paid ministers as an intrusion upon their little community fiefdom. As I see it, the Bible encourages us to have a strong sense of family among the brethren, not just a Sunday morning 'hello.' It is this thing that I inquire about. What does the Bible say about shepherd/sheep and sheep/sheep fellowship? Does that clarify my question, or just muddy things further? :-) In Christ Jesus, charis |
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366 | 'Practical' service? | Mark 9:35 | charis | 29639 | ||
Dear Mike, Greetings in the name of Jesus! Trust me, my friend, I was not seeking philosophical answers. Nothing could be farther from my intent! I was actually asking for things a lot simpler that you answered. :-) In 1) you came very close when you said the word 'church.' I was indeed asking about our attitude of service to and in the local church, to our leaders and our fellows. 2) What about commitment, responsibility, and orderliness? 3) Do we not also serve God by serving His church, His body? Our portrayal of the Gospel to lost and to the saints is a form of service, too. Please be patient with me! :-) In Christ Jesus, charis |
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367 | 'Practical' service? | Mark 9:35 | charis | 29647 | ||
Dear Mike, Greetings from Yokohama in the name of Jesus! Friend, don't I know it about 'hidden agendas!' ;-) I assure you my agenda is bound on my hand and as a frontal on my forehead, all in plain view! I am a minister of the gospel called to shepherd a local church. I attempt to do so by the leading of the Holy Spirit, and in accord with the Bible, making good use of the bountiful gifts and grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. As I am far away from 'mainstream American Christianity,' my posts may seem a bit dated or unorthodox. In addition, my personality is a bit warped from an appreciation for the irony of human hypocrisy, arrogance and bigotry (a.k.a. humor). Finally, I live in an environment that is decidedly hostile to Christianity and does not have a lot of tolerance (or appreciation) for 'spiritual' talk, so I tend to have more interest in the 'practical' side of faith in the Lord Jesus. That said, your answers were very good. Thank you! I agree with your comments on faithfulness. Sadly, this attribute seems to be on the wane in the church today. We could ALL use more patience, yes? :-) Blessings and love in Christ Jesus, charis |
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368 | How to sharpen service skills? | Mark 9:35 | charis | 29792 | ||
Dear Emmaus, Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus! Sadly, you are correct, at least in my estimation of the situation here in Japan. Even more sad is that it appears that churches 'idolize' and import American 'Contemporary Christian' fads, attitudes and even 'super-ministers.' I might add that this seems to be the situation in much of the Orient, as I have contacts in Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, the Philippines and China. I hear from others that the same can be said of much of Africa, and Eastern Europe. It seems that many 'modern' missionaries are more (short-term) ambassadors for American Contemporary Christian Culture than they are (life-term) ambassadors for Christ, committed to the people God has sent them to. :-( Happily, we do not have (a lot of) this kind of problem in my own fellowship! We are a lay church, and our focus is on mutual commitment, healthy family, outreach and fellowship with our neighborhood, and have a church school (all parents are 'volunteered' :-)) to nurture (evangelize) our own children to Christ. We chose to be 'out of touch' with the latest 'foreign' fads. :-) Blessings in Christ Jesus, charis |
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369 | Why doesn?t God just show himself to tho | Mark 11:22 | charis | 66368 | ||
Dear cwade, Greetings in the name of Jesus! Pardon me for interjecting my own comments here. Please know that I am not answering for my good friend Hank. (in fact, I would like to know his thoughts on this matter.) When in a position of speaking the Gospel, you must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit! There is no set 'way' to it. If you get yourself into a 'rut,' you will not be able to minister effectively. Use the senses (and sense!) that God gave you to measure circumstance and the 'target' of your ministry. Listen carefully to hear what this person (or persons) is seeking. Always pray that the Lord would guide you. (I often pray at the start of my day that He would lead me to those who need Good News, then give me the appropriate words for that person or persons) If you find yourself saying the 'wrong' thing, take a breath and ask for the 'right' one. Finally ask that all you say and do be to the glory of God. There are times that we think we 'blew it,' but it is the Lord that works in the heart, not our 'explanations.' There are also times that we thought we did great, only to find rejection. If we speak with humility and faith, it is the Lord who is rejected, not us. Be at peace. Learn to speak with humility and faith, repent of unseemly behavior, and be at peace that we are not 'responsible' for the salvation of the world. (Never take credit for salvation, either!) God is well able to save those He calls, and not one will 'slip through His fingers.' As to whether or not to 'use Scripture,' it really depends on the 'audience.' Some are receptive to 'quotes from the Bible' because they are familiar with them, i.e. brought up in a Bible-believing home, so they have honor for the Word. Some have rejected the Bible for one reason or another, and need to hear common sense. (Notice that I did NOT say logic or philosophy! Though these words sound 'authoritative,' both are usually just emotional 'vehicles' for opinion.) Many will be more impressed by the testimony of your example than any words you say. Remember that a true testimony is the sum of your life in Christ, not a specific story or event. My brother, I hope these few musings would be of help to you. Many blessings to you and yours. In Christ Jesus, charis |
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370 | Politics source? | Mark 13:28 | charis | 33195 | ||
Dear SRN, Greetings in the name of Jesus! I am aware that politics played a role in this event. But weren't you talking about some specific group? I am still interested to know the meaning of "Your Spirit in the Spirit" (?) It is unique! In Christ Jesus, charis |
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371 | Experience Hell? | Mark 15:34 | charis | 1191 | ||
Friend, though I (obviously) agree with the scriptures you quoted, I asked about the 'experienced Hell' part because I do not think He did experience damnation. I agree that Jesus bore our sins and experienced death. I believe He rose on the third day. But I think His experience in Hell was as a 'Conqueror.' He went down to the abyss specifically to take away the power of death. It was no 'close thing,' but a one-sided rout against Satan's authority. This is just my idea of what happened, and theological statement. In Christ Jesus. | ||||||
372 | Question not answered..... any help? | Mark 16:16 | charis | 40189 | ||
Dear Luke, Greetings from Japan in the name of Jesus! Ok, let us say that believers are wrong for a moment. I have spent more than half of my adult life starting and pastoring a church here in Yokohama. Would I consider this a waste? No way! I have preached a noble and worthy message of hope, lifted up a standard that promotes maturity health, true love and responsibility. I have comforted those dealing with death and serious illness, I have served those who needed help, I given wise counsel and positive direction to those in despair, and I have helped confused and rebellious young people to adjust to real life and responsibility. I have spoken common sense and mutual respect to a society that has lost these things that all desire in their hearts. Wasted? Hardly! :-) You see, my friend, I DID waste a lot of time until I was 25 years old. I served myself, and myself ONLY! When it was to my advantage, I put on a good show of helping others. I even lied to myself in order to pump up my self-esteem. But I was always ill-at-ease. The proof is in all the things I did to ruin my mind and body. Inhaling the smoke from dried vegetable matter in order to find peace and relief from stress all day long. Drinking or swallowing legal and illegal substances to numb myself from truth and responsibility virtually every night and most of the weekends, only to be sick because of my excesses. And all around me were billboards and commercials that told me this lifestyle was COOL and FUN! Sure I had more money at those times. But that was just because I had no morals at all, and felt justified in doing whatever it took to make money to support my lifestyle (sin). Talk about wasted years! You may consider yourself a 'good' person with none of the vice I described. And I will just have to call you a liar. :-) You, and every other man since the fall, were born in sin. God, the God I AM, has made a way for your personal salvation from this condition. Call upon the name of Jesus the Christ, and your eyes will be opened to the truth that believers are RIGHT! Jesus IS Lord and Savior! Bless you in Christ Jesus, charis |
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373 | Merry Christmas !! | Luke 2:11 | charis | 27966 | ||
Dear Saints, Fellows, Friends and Colleagues, Christmas Day Greetings to all, in the name of Jesus! May He be the center of each day, of each action, of each conversation, of each thought, just as He is the center of our fellowship here, the Bible, the holy Word of God! I thank God for every one of you, and pray that all be at peace this day, and all days hence. From the Land of the Rising Sun (we get Christmas before most of you! :-)), would the Risen Son bless you, and fill you, and guide your path! In Christ Jesus, charis (Randy) |
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374 | Demon-possessed believer? | Luke 4:33 | charis | 4720 | ||
Dear WTE, No, my friend, I do not personally struggle with this question. I am with you and JVH0212 on this one. But I have seen things here that would make you shudder! (dramatic pause) Not from the 'supernatural activity of demons,' but from the gullibility of God's saints and the misleading antics of God's servants. I do believe that satan (I am joining Nolan Keck in boycotting the capitalization of our enemy's name) and his minions are still around, and have a knack for deception. Even Christians can believe these lies, and sadly, often do. But as far as indwelling or possession of the believer, I cannot find Biblical evidence. Nor have I met any reliable witnesses or supposed 'dual (or multiple!)-indwelt saints. I agree heartily with your note. Please don't apologize for length, as I know what happens when I get going :-) Blessings in Jesus' name, charis |
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375 | What do you mean? | Luke 4:33 | charis | 4721 | ||
Dear melchizedekau, Though I respect your opinion on this matter, and cannot judge your experiences, I disagree that a born-again believer in Christ Jesus can be possessed by a demon. I fully believe that a Christian can be influenced and deceived by the enemy and his fallen servants. I think that the battle rages without, not within. Nonetheless, a battle does rage around us, and we are assured that our Lord will prevail! If we just go forth trusting in that holy truth, we do not need to worry about demons 'coming into' us. I, too, have seen many things, and even witnessed 'deliverance' sessions. Though some were obvious shams, some were very sincere. However, what I have seen was clearly of an emotional, soulish nature, not a spiritual happening. I have prayed in Jesus' name for saints to be freed from deception, and seen good effect. I think this is the limit of the power of satan, and I believe he is overcome by simple faith and prayer. I think that it is not wise to give our enemy more power than he really has. It is equally unwise to underestimate the subtle power of deception. So...believe on Jesus, and don't give the devil the opportunity of ignorance or foolishness. I very much appreciate your input, and look forward to more. Blessings in Christ Jesus, charis |
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376 | Demon-possessed believer? | Luke 4:33 | charis | 27180 | ||
Dear Elizabeth, Greetings in the name of Jesus! Thank you for you reply, and for your blessings. I agree that there is a problem in answering my question because of the definition of 'believer.' Some would say that we are filled with the Holy Spirit upon 'accepting' Christ, while others believe this in-filling to be a separate event in our walk with the Lord. Then, of course, you would need to decide whether you believe that a person can lose his salvation or not. Which, of course, would lead us to the perennial debate over 'election' and 'free-will,' a.k.a. 'A vs C.' So if you thought MY question was hard... :-) Frankly, IMNSHO, I find some of the more 'polar' or 'absolute' arguments a bit complicated and inelegant. That is why I am known as a 'middle-grounder.' I prefer the term 'Jesus-centric.' :-) Merii Kurisumasu! Blessings and peace to you in Christ Jesus, charis |
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377 | Demon-possessed believer? | Luke 4:33 | charis | 27252 | ||
Dear Elizabeth, Greetings in Jesus' name! I will do my best to extend the benefit of the doubt that you did NOT mean to imply that 1) I am not yet filled with wisdom, 2) I have NOT yet 'truly partaken of the Holy Spirit of God and activated the power of the name Of Jesus Christ for the Glory of God,' and that 3) I have NOT seen healings and signs and wonders. :-) I assure you that I actively pursue and rejoice in all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. I disagree that 'it takes away the middle.' In fact, He IS the middle, holding a plumb-line in the midst of His people, setting a standard that men have strived for, and sometimes strived against since the very beginning. Man has a natural tendency to extremism, bias, and bigotry in all directions AWAY from God, and only the Holy Spirit can bring them back to the Lord in repentance. This is the polarism I spoke of. As to your comment that 'salvation is accepted by free will,' you will find more than a small amount of dissent on that point. The doctrine of sovereign election by the Lord God cannot be dismissed so easily. :-) Truly, we are saved by grace through faith, and no man can boast of any work toward the gift of salvation. Love and peace to you in Christ Jesus, charis |
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378 | Demon-possessed believer? | Luke 4:33 | charis | 27253 | ||
Dear Nolan, Greetings, my friend, in Jesus' name! Indeed, "Merii Kurisumasu!" is the Romanization of the Japanese phonetic pronunciation of the English phrase "Merry Christmas!" We sometimes say "Kurisumasu Omedetou!" instead, meaning "Christmas Felicitations." :-) Shu Iesu Kirisuto no shukufuku ga yutaka ni arimasu you ni! May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you in His abundance! charis |
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379 | Demon-possessed believer? | Luke 4:33 | charis | 124079 | ||
Dear WalkingTalkingBible, Greetings in the name of Jesus! Indeed, it does depend on how we define "demon-possessed." While much of what you said about believing in the lies of the enemy and his minions, you seem to be saying that we CAN be owned by or subject to them. To this I disagree. "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." Ephesians 4:30 NASB "In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation--having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory." Ephesians 1:13,14 NASB We are His. Otherwise, we are not His. True, we sometimes (too often!) allow our flesh and emotions lead us in the ways of the old man of sin and death (Romans 6:6 KJV, 2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV), but we are no longer subject to Satan, or possessed by him. To give Satan and demons any more credit than they deserve is faith-robbing. Instead of walking in fear of being "taken over" by demons, and-or saying "the devil made me do it," we should "fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith." (Hebrews 12:1,2 NASB) By the blood of the Lamb, by the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, and by the cleansing interaction of fellowship in the local church, we are set FREE! The enemy has no claim whatsoever on us. In Christ Jesus, charis |
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380 | Are there degrees of punishment in hell? | Luke 12:47 | charis | 4188 | ||
Dear Nolan Keck, Wonderful answer! I, personally, do not feel a need to distinguish between degrees of punishment in Hell, but I sense zeal and heart in your answer, and cannot but honor you in it. I would also like to say that I have read your postings, and they all convey this same zeal for the Lord Jesus. We are blessed by your participation. Blessings upon you, friend, in Jesus' name, charis |
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