Results 1 - 9 of 9
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Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: ptr Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | has the church preaching remaind faithfu | OT general | ptr | 216639 | ||
Hi Debbie, If you compare our church with the Church of the Pharisees two thousand years ago, you will find that we are no different. With staggering growth of membership, financial stability and social influence, the church of the Pharisees would have been one of the most oustanding organizations in that day. Amidst the pomp and splendour of this and other apostate groups, there was a wayside preacher named John the Baptist. His audience basically was comprised of the lesser and social element of the Jewish society. (Matt 21:32). Unlike the seminary graduates of our day, John the Bapist's sermons were audacious and unapologetic. Ministerial ethics and pulpit manners were not the requirements of his ministry. He was the man God sent (Jn 1:16) to represent "the true church" at that time. During his six months ministry all other religious activities expressed apostasy. John and his followers were the present move of God for that time (2Pet:1:12). If you wanted to be a part of God's work, you had to follow John. Most of the churches today compromise the truth and Godly principles. When we insist on maintaining a standard of biblical truth and Godly hoiness, we are often faced with ridicules. Not only the world but christianity at large is spiritually stunted and asleep. As it was in the days of the early church, even so it is in our time. The church has fallen away from the truth (2Thess 2). Never before has darkness abound so much in "the church world" as today. The distance between us and God is growing steadily in our modern day idolatry, pomp and splendour. The church need to develope a Christ-like spirit, Godly lifestyle and maintain our faith in this present evil age. Jesus commands us to "strive" to enter in at the straight gate (Luke 13:24; Matt 7:13). God bless you. Ptr |
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2 | What was the year of Jubilee all about? | OT general | ptr | 216145 | ||
Hi humility, In Leviticus 25:2,God tells the children of Israel"..When you come into the land which I give you,then the land shall keep a sabbath unto the Lord". Verse 8-12, "And you shall count seven sabbaths of years for yourself, seven times seven years, and the time of the seven sabbaths of years shall be to you forty-nine years.....And you shall consecrate the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a Jubilee for you...For it is the Jubilee, it shall be holy to you, you shall eat its produce from the field". The land sabbath is a rest from tillage according to the command of God. When observed it would be to His honor and glory, and show that God is the owner of the land, and that the Israelites held it under Him by this tenure. Furthermore, the land sabbath allows Israel to consider the poor, and to give all Israel the oppertunity of listening to the reading of the law (Deut 31:10-13). Apart from the seventh year land sabbath, there was also instituted a fiftieth year of rest for the land. This was declared the year of "jubilee," and in which liberty was proclaimed in all the land of Israel (see Lev 25:8-17). Seven sabbaths of years were counted from one jubilee (jobel) to another, and the seventh is called the fifieth. The year of jubilee starts on the first day of the seventh month (Tishri or September). Though the trumpet was not blown, and the rights of the year did not begin till the tenth, it was proclaimed with the sound of trumpet in all parts of of the country (Lev 25:9). The trumpet was sounded in the close of the Day of Atonement, which was aptly done because on this day the children of Israel humbled and afflicted their souls for sin. When their peace was made with God, then liberty was proclaimed, therefore, at the sound of the trumpets national redemption began. All prisoners and captives were exonerated, slaves were declared free, and debtors were excused, and every inheritance (for whatever cause) throughout Israel was restored to its original owner. On the fiftieth year the land was neither sowed nor reaped, but allowed to enjoy with its inhabitants a Sabbath of rest. Its natural produce during this year was the common property of all. The fiftieth year sabbath then was designed to preserve the rights of freeborn Israelites; their property; prevent perpetual servitude and alienation of their estates; and to keep an economic equilibrium between rich and poor. But the real significance of this fiftieth year land sabbath predicts the true liberty and joy one receives at the coming of Jesus-a freedom from slavery of sin and satan. Yet the year of Jubilee anticipates a greater epochal event-full release, jubilation and the receiving of rewards in the Sabbatical Kingdom of the Lord,"knowing that of the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance, for you serve the Lord Christ (Colossians 3:24). God bless you. Ptr |
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3 | Mathew 4 | Luke | ptr | 216106 | ||
Hi Eng Yong, The temptation of Jesus was a testing permitted by God (Matt 4:1). The same Spirit that descended on Jesus at His baptism ( Matt 3:16), was the same Spirit that led Him up into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matt 4:1). The temptation of Jesus showed the cause of suffering to Him (Heb 2:18), and not a drawing away to sin. In all the temptations which Jesus endured, there was nothing within Him that answered to sin. There is no sinful infirmity in Him! While Jesus shared in our humanity (Heb 2:14-17), He was pure from human defilment. " Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth" (1 Peter 2:22). In the temptations, satan enticed Jesus to forsake His messianic commitment. Jesus however proved Himself loyal to the Father, He did not tempt God or put Him to the test. Knowing that Jesus was hungry after He had fasted for forty days and forty nights (Matt4:2), satan found an opportune time to tempt the Master. The first temptation, " Turn these stones into bread" (Matt 4:3), appeals to the fleshly hungar state that Jesus was in. Jesus knowing that there is more to life than satisfying the physical needs, answered him from the word of God, "Man shall not live by bread alone,...", for He lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt 4:4; Deut 8:3). When the appeal to the flesh failed, satan resorted to the pride of life, the second temptation. Taking Jesus up into the holy city and setting Him on the pinnacle of the temple, satan challenges Him to throw Himself down (Matt 4:5-6). He even quotes the scripture, purposely putting the Lord to the test. (Ps 91:11-12). Jesus once again anwered him from the word of God " Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God." ( Matt 4:7; Deut 6:16). The third temptation was to gain worldly possessions by worshiping satan. The devil again took Jesus up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and offered them to Him, if only He would bow down and worship him. (Matt 4:8-9). Jesus again answered him from the word of God, " Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and Him only you shall serve". (Deut 6:13). The motive behind all these temptations, is that satan was seeking to destroy the mission Jesus was sent to accomplish,and that was to overcome death. Jesus' death and resurrection destroyed satan's power. Having overcome the tempter, we could now look to Jesus our High Priest, to comfort and aid us when we are also tempted. " For in that, He Himself has suffered, being tempted,He is able to aid those who are tempted". (Heb 2:18). Praise God! God bless you. Ptr. |
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4 | Mathew 4 | Luke | ptr | 216105 | ||
Hi Eng Yong, The temptation of Jesus was a testing permitted by God (Matt 4:1). The same Spirit that descended on Jesus at His baptism ( Matt 3:16), was the same Spirit that led Him up into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matt 4:1). The temptation of Jesus showed the cause of suffering to Him (Heb 2:18), and not a drawing away to sin. In all the temptations which Jesus endured, there was nothing within Him that answered to sin. There is no sinful infirmity in Him! While Jesus shared in our humanity (Heb 2:14-17), He was pure from human defilment. " Who committed no sin, nor was deceit found in His mouth" (1 Peter 2:22). In the temptations, satan enticed Jesus to forsake His messianic commitment. Jesus however proved Himself loyal to the Father, He did not tempt God or put Him to the test. Knowing that Jesus was hungry after He had fasted for forty days and forty nights (Matt4:2), satan found an opportune time to tempt the Master. The first temptation, " Turn these stones into bread" (Matt 4:3), appeals to the fleshly hungar state that Jesus was in. Jesus knowing that there is more to life than satisfying the physical needs, answered him from the word of God, "Man shall not live by bread alone,...", for He lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt 4:4; Deut 8:3). When the appeal to the flesh failed, satan resorted to the pride of life, the second temptation. Taking Jesus up into the holy city and setting Him on the pinnacle of the temple, satan challenges Him to throw Himself down (Matt 4:5-6). He even quotes the scripture, purposely putting the Lord to the test. (Ps 91:11-12). Jesus once again anwered him from the word of God " Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God." ( Matt 4:7; Deut 6:16). The third temptation was to gain worldly possessions by worshiping satan. The devil again took Jesus up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and offered them to Him, if only He would bow down and worship him. (Matt 4:8-9). Jesus again answered him from the word of God, " Thou shall worship the Lord thy God, and Him only you shall serve". (Deut 6:13). The motive behind all these temptations, is that satan was seeking to destroy the mission Jesus was sent to accomplish,and that was to overcome death. Jesus' death and resurrection destroyed satan's power. Having overcome the tempter, we could now look to Jesus our High Priest, to comfort and aid us when we are also tempted. " For in that, He Himself has suffered, being tempted,He is able to aid those who are tempted". (Heb 2:18). Praise God! God bless you. Ptr. |
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5 | 2nd greatest vs the new commandment | Mark 12:31 | ptr | 215994 | ||
Hi Azure, Just as parents would give instructions and orders to their children when taking leave of them, like- wise Jesus in John 13:34, taking leave of His disciples gave them His. Notice in vs 33,Jesus said, " Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer.. vs 34; a new commandment I give you, that you love one another..", as members in the same family, child- ren of the same Father,by staying together, pray- ing for one another, bearing one another's burden, forgiving one another and doing this in faith and holiness. This new commandment set forth by Jesus, "As I have loved you", is to be observed in a new manner, not " in the oldness of the letter (Lev 19:18), but " in the newness of the Spirit'. Though this commmandment is the same with that of Moses'(Lev 19:18), yet it bears more! The word 'neighbour', according to the way that the Jews understood it, meant " the children of their people" and their country men", wheras this new commandment reaches to any other person. " owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fullfilled the law". ( Romans 13:8). The motive here also is "new", for it is not now " as thy self " ( Mark 12:31), but " as I have loved you". As Christ loves all of His children without any distinction, so also He commanded His disciples to love one another, whether poor or rich, weak or strong,great or small. Christ loved His disciples not in word only, but in deed and in truth. Christians are a brotherhood in the service of Christ ( Matt 23:8); a family madeup of those who do the will of God. ( Matt 12:50; Mark 3:35; Luke 8:21). Jesus said to His disciples, " A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disiciples, if you have love for one another'. ( John 13:34- 35). A christian's love should extend beyond the family of Christ, however, to all people. Jesus said, " If you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? ( Matt 5:47). The christian is called not only to love his neighbour or his brother but also to love his enemy. ( Matt 5:44). God bless you. Ptr. |
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6 | Spirit after death? | 2 Cor 5:8 | ptr | 215857 | ||
Hi Kamran, We should first understand that the definition for the word 'death', means "the cessation of life". In other words, to be dead means to be dead. The concept of man's soul being immortal is not scriptual. In the creation of man, God breathed the spirit of life into man, and man became a "living soul" (Gen 2:7). When God takes the spirit(breath) from man, He does not remove a "live soul". Solomon says,"For what happens to the sons of men also happens to the animals, one thing befalls them, as one dies, so dies the other. Surely, they have one breath...(Ecc 3:19-21). He further says in chapter 12:7, " Then the dust (man) will return to the earth as it was (Gen 3: 19) and the spirit ( the breath) will return to God who gave it". Paul said, " Foolish one, what you sow is not made alive unless it dies (1 Cor 15:36). The book of Daniel states that, "Many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt (Dan 12:2). The word of God portrays life and death as the two ultimate ends to man's existence. Our final destiny depends on the choice of our life style. The scriptures state it clear, that " The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life" (Rom 6:23). Ezekiel declared that "The soul that sinneth shall die" (Ezek 18: 4;20). Thank God that our Lord Jesus became an offering for sin! "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him, He has put Him to grief, when you make His soul an offering for sin (Isaiah 53: 10; Matt 26:38). The reality of Jesus' death required the Father's power in raising Him from the dead (Rom 8:11; 10:9). Remember the fact that in his effort to deceive Adam and Eve, Satan twisted God's word by convincing them that death was not real. Gen 3: 4, "Then the serpent(satan) said to the woman you will not surely die". Death is real but in Jesus there is hope! Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in Me though he may die, he shall live" (Jn 11:25). Praise God! that for the believer, death does not sting! At that time we can finally say, "O death where is your sting, O grave where is your victory?". (1 Cor 15:55). God bless you. Ptr. |
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7 | what does having on the breastplate mean | Eph 6:14 | ptr | 215845 | ||
Hi Pray4me, As preparation is necessary for physical warfare, even so it's necessary to prepare for spiritual warfare. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,agaist powers, agaist the rulers of the darkness of this world.. ( Eph 6:12). It is important to have the right armor when fighting the enemy. Paul writes, " Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Eph 6:10). This armor is not of man, but of God! Note that Paul used the word 'finally', implying that the armor of God is to be worn by those who understand and follow what was said in the preceding chapters in the book of Ephesians. The armor is for those who, (1) accepts Christ's plan for salavation (Eph 1), (2) understand your position in Christ (Eph 2), (3) implement the prerequisites of walking with Christ (Eph 4-6:1-9). The armor of God does not give us strength but protection. Our stength comes from the Lord. David said. "for thou has girded me with strength unto battle...(Ps 18:39). The garments and weapons that Paul described for spiritual battle analogues to the armor of a Roman soldier. He said, " Stand therefore,having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, above all taking the shield of faith ..and take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God..." ( Eph 6:14-17). The girdle of truth holds the rest of the armor of God together and provides support and security for the sword of the spirit. It is subjective truth that Paul writes about. Truth that trans- forms by the renewing of the mind (Rom 12: 1-2). Jesus said, " And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free (Jn 8:32). Truth frees us from sin-without the girdle of truth, we'll be fighting an unsucessful warfare! To address your question about the breastplate of righteousness...The breastplate protects the vital organs such as the heart and lungs as well as the upper arms and a part of the back. These organs as you know, are essential to life and if not properly protected, injury and death are inevitable. In Illustrating the importance of the heart, the Lord said,"For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications,thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things which defile a man ( Matt 15:18-20). After the heart is cleansed by asking for forgiveness, it is necessary to protect it from the intrusion of the enemy. David said, " Create in me a clean heart O God, and renew a right spirit within me....(Ps 51: 10-17; Romans 10:10). I hope that you will find Ephesians 6:14 to be a little clearer from the scripture verses that I've shown you. God bless you. Ptr |
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8 | Do we understand suffering in delighting | Ps 37:4 | ptr | 215843 | ||
Dear Momma, I am convinced that suffering is a part of the christian life, whether it be physically, emotionally,chastening or trials. Many christ- tians believe that suffering is evil and originates from the devil, while good health wealth and happiness come from God. This is true to a certain extent. " every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of light... (Js 1:17). Consider this verse, " Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers" (3 Jn 2). Every child of God must experience suffering in some form. This will result in humility and change of attitude towards other sufferers. Paul writes, " The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him that we may be glorified together ( Rom 8:16-17). Spiritual growth results from suffering and trials. James states, " Count it all but joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" ( Js 1:2-4). The author of the book of Hebrews suggests that we look to Jesus as an encouraging example of suffering. "Looking to Jesus who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame...( Heb 12:2). Our Lord is indeed the remarkable example! Mamma, Jesus who understands the agonies of suffering has offered His compassion and help to every suffering child of God. Jesus said, " Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and my burden is light ( Matt 11: 29-30). God bless you. Ptr |
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9 | Why was John the baptist so important? | Bible general Archive 4 | ptr | 215821 | ||
Hi Humility, John the baptist was the last and greatest of the prophets (Matt11:13). Jesus said "Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the baptist (Matt11:11). The popular belief held by the Jews at that time was that, Elijah would return to prepare the way of the Messiah (Mal4:5-6; John1:21; Matt17:10). Instead,John was chosen by God to be the forerunner of Christ (Matt3:1;17:10-13). John understood his ministry to be one of reform and preparation,for the One who was to come after him (Mark1:7-8). He acted as a mediator between the old (mosaic) law and the new (Christ's) law. He was a forerunner of Jesus not only in his ministry and message (Matt3:1;4:17) but also in his death. Not until John's arrest did Jesus begin His ministry (Mark1:14). John the baptist is therefore important be- cause he ended the Jewdaic law or system, which is lesser than Christ's. God bless you. Ptr |
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