Results 281 - 300 of 465
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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Author: Parable Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
281 | love's sacrifice, God's grace to us | 1 John | Parable | 76712 | ||
1 John 3:16-23 "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers." This is a hard saying not because we don't understand it, but rather because we understand it all too well. John understands our situation. He goes on to provide for us, knowing that all but a few will fall short of Christ's example and will not become martyrs. We are aware of the persecution of others, yet seldom sacrifice ourselves for their sake. We don't proactively seek/create opportunity to do so, and more usually, we withdraw to avoid those opportunities we could engage. What does John suggest? 1 John 3:17-18 "If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." From the reference to material possessions and pity on others in need, I infer John calls us to give our material possessions freely to others in need. He continues... 1 John 3:19 "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence 20 whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." From this I infer that when we feel we are not loving enough, because we don't willingly die for others, we can be assured that God accepts our sincere charity as righteous, for He knows our limitations and by grace forgives us for falling short. More importantly, this acceptance and forgiveness brings us closer to him, as John explains... 1 John 3:21-23 "Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God 22 and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him. 23 And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us." As we continue to grow in Him, we become more Christ-like and thus better able to obey His command to love others as He loves us. |
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282 | Searching for the truth | Matt 28:19 | Parable | 76633 | ||
Of course, the needs of each congregation vary. At my church, we have about 30 min of praise and worship, i.e. music and song to get people to open up to the Lord, then 45 to 60 minutes for the message and any drama or dance that support the message. Also, the words to the songs and any scripture verses presented are shown on a projection screen to facilitate easy following. Finally, the message follows a handout that has blanks for the congregation to fill in at the right time. This fill-in sheet requires prior preparation and serves as a way for the pastor to stay on track, then provides something for the members to take with them, talk about at home, build their own knowledge base, etc. You might also consider an alternative experience for people who don't like the traditional sunday morning service, either on Sat night or Sun eve. Taize prayer (chanting verses) during the week is yet another way to reach people. |
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283 | Searching for the truth | Eph 5:21 | Parable | 76628 | ||
I believe the following will serve well: extreme professionalism, competence through extensive preparation, documented policies and procedures, opportunities for continuing education, consensus building, creative progressive leadership, transparent organization, striving for quality in everything, focus on biblical truth, tolerance of different Christian traditions, unconditional love for all sinners, invited speakers from other churches, community outreach, support for missions, always have a project for people to work on, celebrations for little successes, thoughtful challenges to spiritual pride, formulate a well-articulated statement of purpose, summarize the foundational truths, and finally, the pastor needs to cultivate friendships and a life that don't depend on him being a pastor. |
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284 | Searching for the truth | Matt 28:19 | Parable | 76623 | ||
Rapid growth is not so important as steady, solid growth. Many a venture has failed because it expanded too quickly to manage properly. Churches grow one person at a time. Each member is as responsible for the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19) as the pastor. So, the key is to have each member bring a new friend. This means they must establish meaningful relationships with unbelievers, and at the right time, invite them to church. The friends are most likely to come if they see the light of Christ in the person who invites them. Also, the church needs to establish a nurturing children and youth program in which the kids bring their friends, who later get their parents to come. Finally, the pastor must periodically provide sound teaching on the spiritual discipline of giving, being clear about its benefits to everyone and its importance to Kingdom work, but not nagging the congregation about it. Visitors should be encouraged to refrain from giving until they become members. Parable |
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285 | Searching for the truth | Eph 5:21 | Parable | 76562 | ||
Further thoughts on potential problems in small churches. The best solution is prevention. The main issues are misconduct, in the following areas: money, sex and political power. MONEY: Because they often lack resources, finances can be a source of strife. Proper accounting practices and sound budgets are vital. The books should be open to anyone who wants to see them and the church should be audited each year by an independent CPA. Also, the accountant should be the only one who knows how much each person gives. The pastor should not seek to know who gives what. Such knowledge can lead to favoritism, even in the best of us. SEX: The pastor should observe strict rules regarding where, when and how time is spent with members alone. Such rules preclude opportunities for accusations and temptations for either party. When people know these rules are in place, they are more likely to address accusations rationally rather than emotionally. Even so, any appearance of impropriety should call for immediate action, although it need not always be public. POWER: Mechanisms for accountability and an atmosphere conducive to open dialogue are fundamental to smooth operations. The pastor must encourage people to share their concerns and address them in a meaningful way. The pastor must delegate authority and tasks to others, then let them serve in their own way, intervening only if there is a real need. |
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286 | Searching for the truth | Eph 5:21 | Parable | 76497 | ||
Problems come when any church is not based in scripture, not centered on Jesus and not filled by the Spirit. This is not to say that people never disagree, but the kinds of problems that tear a church apart are characterized by pettiness, selfishness, pride, hidden agendas, gossip, greed and lust, among other things. The solution is to bow before the Lord, remain humble in spirit and set aside that which detracts from Kingdom work. The church leaders must create an environment in which everyone is able to "speak the truth in love" (Eph 4:15) and "submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." (Eph 5:21) Parable |
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287 | Should I Look For Another Church? | 1 Thess 5:12 | Parable | 76492 | ||
We are called to respect the judgment of church leaders. "Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you." - 1Thess5:12. There may be good reasons your pastor is not yet willing to marry the two of you. If so, those reasons won't change if you go to another church and it would be unwise to get married anyway. The decision to look for another church should be based on severe problems that cannot be resolved, rather than one decision that you don't like, especially if that decision relates to something as important as marriage. Parable |
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288 | C harles Stanley abusing the Bible? | 1 Tim 3:2 | Parable | 75800 | ||
I believe it is wrong to use scripture in the way you describe, i.e. to judge others. See Matthew 7:2. In my opinion, the highest test should be this: Does waging war with Iraq demonstrate love for God and love for others? See Matthew 22:37-40. A case can be made that it does and a case can be made that it doesn't. It depends entirely on the motives behind the actions, the contents of our hearts. If the President is lead by the Spirit to wage war in an effort to end tyranny and bring justice, peace and love to an oppressed people, then he should wage war. But he should do so in the most just and righteous way, including the occupation/rebuilding afterward. In this case, protestors would do well to examine what drives their actions. If protest is for selfish reasons or out of fear, then the peace they seek is not possible. On the other hand, if the President is driven by impure motives, such as arrogance, economic self-interest or revenge, then any actions taken would be made in vain, including efforts to wage peace. In this case, protesting his motives would be proper. Parable |
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289 | Plants were created, and then stars? | Gen 1:14 | Parable | 73659 | ||
Yes, Lionstrong, I also enjoy sharing on this forum with you. I have learned much from your many postings and this one is no exception; your reply about the duration of creation events is cogent. However, I'd like to clarify a point. I said: "Our scientific understanding of nature is consistent with what the bible teaches, if the Genesis texts are understood from the perspective of an observer on earth at a time after the planet had formed. Ross suggests there is nothing in scripture that precludes this "observer perspective" and "system initial condition". In your reply, you said: "Positively let me start by saying that it is false that nowhere in the text are we given information that refutes or supports either a six-day creation or a many-years creation. The plain reading of the text supports a six-day creation." The point of the original question for this thread is about the order of events, not how long they may have taken. Ross' contribution is his explanation of how the order of creation events, as suggested by planetary geology, are the same as the order given in Genesis, if one adopts the perspective and initial conditions he describes, which to me are not unreasonable. In your conclusion, you said it well "we must honestly deal with the Scripture even though it may seem to go against the prevailing doctrines of our day." In this matter of creation sequence, Ross' exposition clearly demonstrates that God's word is indeed true. To me, it is a simple question of what is meant by "plain reading". I submit that Ross' reading is plain, but it just has a different perspective and initial condition than what most people impose on the text. Peace, Parable |
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290 | Plants were created, and then stars? | Gen 1:14 | Parable | 73415 | ||
Not exactly. I concur with Dr. Ross that there is nothing in scripture that refutes our scientific understanding that the earth is very old and indeed, what scripture describes agrees with what nature itself has revealed to us through science. His argument is this: Our scientific understanding of nature is consistent with what the bible teaches, if the Genesis texts are understood from the perspective of an observer on earth at a time after the planet had formed. Ross suggests there is nothing in scripture that precludes this "observer perspective" and "system initial condition". I agree with him that this is a not a "non-biblical imposition" on the text. I say this because I believe this perspective is just as valid as the conventional interpretion unknowingly imposed by modern readers that the text was written from the perspective of a detached observer somewhere in the cosmos at or before the beginning of universal space-time. Nowhere in the text are we given information that refutes or supports either of these positions, so Ross' approach could be valid. A fellow committed Christian and PhD physicist with many years in advanced research once told me this: "If your television works, the earth is old." By this he means that the science that produces such demanding technology is the exactly same science that suggests an ancient earth, for both are derived from the same observations and reasoning. Regarding the many scientific dating methods, I agree that this forum is not an appropriate venue to dispel the fallacious arguments that have been put forth to discredit them. As far as I am concerned, they are as sound as any other scientific technique we use. Any errors in results are due to sample conditions that do not meet the requirements of the technique rather than any flaw in the method. For example, we cannot date a mineral that has melted after its original formation because the process of re-melting re-sets the ratio of isotopes that is used to mark time zero. Hence, we can only date the most recent melting. Peace, Parable |
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291 | Plants were created, and then stars? | Gen 1:14 | Parable | 73379 | ||
Greetings Lionstrong, It has been some time since I have posted to this forum. Since then, I have been exploring your question. I can't speak for Dr. Ross, but I think the following are true and speak to your question: 1) God created Adam. Gen 2:7 God planted the Garden of Eden. Gen 2:8 Scripture does not say how long it was between the time of Adam's creation and his arrival in the Garden. 2) God created Eve in the Garden. Gen 2:22 Scripture does not say how long Adam lived before God created Eve. 3) Adam and Eve disobeyed God. Gen 3:6 Scripture does not say how long Adam and Eve lived in the Garden before they disobeyed God. 4) God walked in the Garden and Adam and Eve hid themselves from him. Gen 3:8-9 Scripture does not say how long it was after eating the apple that Adam and Eve hid themselves from God. 5) Because of the serpent's role and the disobedience of Adam and Eve, the world was cursed by God. Gen 3:14-19 The curse brought humanity: conflict with the serpent (Gen 3:15), pain (Gen 3:16), dominance of the husband over the wife (Gen 3:16), surviving on the meager fruits of painful toil (Gen 3:17), and death and decay (Gen 3:19). 6) The curse is contrasted sharply with the Garden, implying life in the Garden had none of the troubles of the Fallen world, most notably death and decay. As these are how we measure time, in both the cosmic and personal sense, our Fallen understanding of time is wholly inadequate to understand time in the Garden, before the Fall. Peter alludes to God's view of time in 2Peter3:8b "... with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day." 7) Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden and entry was barred by cherubim and a flaming sword. Gen 3:23-24. 8) We are the decendents of Adam and Eve, Gen 3:20. We live in that same Fallen world and likewise cannot access the Garden in ANY way, including through the use of logic to infer anything about the timing of Creation or the nature of the Garden, as might be extrapolated by science after examination of the Fallen world. I conclude: Science is constrained to reveal the nature of the Fallen world only and cannot address it before the Fall in any way whatsoever. If the Fallen world appears by all scientific measures to be very old, that fact has no bearing on when Creation was established nor the nature of the Garden before the Fall. Peace and Blessings, Parable |
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292 | big-bang theory | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 66791 | ||
Greetings Lionstrong, The thesis of Dr. Morris' article is "the Big Bang model for the origin of the universe certainly does not come from Scripture." On this point I certainly agree with Dr. Morris. My response was to a different question, "is the big-bang theory even remotely realistic?" According to science, it is. I am not surprized that Dr. Morris sees things differently. After all, he is a Professor of Geology at the Institute for Creation Research, an organization that, to my knowledge, has yet to publish a peer-reviewed article in a reputable scientific journal. For a critical review of the ICR, especially its reputation in the science community at large, see "Tower of Babel" by Robert T. Pennock. Blessings, Parable |
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293 | big-bang theory | Bible general Archive 1 | Parable | 66606 | ||
You should discuss this with an astro-physicist or astronomer, not bible forum expositors. But, since you ask....yes, the theory of the Big Bang is a reasonable projection into the past, a logical extrapolation based on well-established astromical data. It's generally accepted by those in the field, although like any healthy academic discipline, there is continuing debate and revision whenever some new observation comes to light, no pun intended. To me, BB confirms the universe was created from nothing, on a scale commensurate with the magnificence of God and with beauty commensurate with His holiness. The theory suggests that before the event, absolutely nothing physical existed, i.e. no matter, space, energy nor time. Yes, it is theorized that time and space themselves were created at the BB; it is not correct to say that before Creation there was just empty space. Then, at the beginning, our universe appeared in an infinitely dense, infinitely hot, zero-dimensional singularity. This is the point where the equations break down. As a committed Christian, I know God created the universe, as revealed in His Word. As a scientist and educator at a university, I accept the understanding of Creation afforded by modern science. There are some who suggest these two views are mutually exclusive, perhaps because their understanding of science does not fit with their understanding of scripture. I note that there are also some, whom we rightly call heretics, who say that Jesus cannot be both God and man. |
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294 | Who is God using? | John 3:16 | Parable | 55894 | ||
I agree that we must act knowing the Lord will return at any time. This inspires us to be bold. Yet, there is another equally important attitude we must hold if we are to be loyal servants. That is, we must act not knowing when He will return. This inspires us to be patient. Each attitude is needed for each task the Lord calls us to do, i.e. to reap and to sow. Yes, we are called to preach the gospel and make disciples, yet we are also called to be in the world but not of it. To me, this means that while we do not endorse worldly values, we cannot do our appointed tasks if we are in a hurry to leave. If there are to be effective harvesters, there must also be those who do the hard work of cultivating and sowing, and this work can only be done with an attitude that the labor may not bear fruit for a season, a year or even a generation. Yet, sowers work in the knowledge the harvesters will indeed come. There is an excellent discussion of the balance between sowing and harvesting in "Finding Common Ground -- How to communicate with those outside the Christian community...while we still can", by Tim Downs. Grace and Peace, Parable |
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295 | Who is God using? | John 3:16 | Parable | 55775 | ||
While I agree with your basic theme, I disagree with your closing remarks. As I understand your exhortation, it is similar to Paul's instruction in Titus 3:9 "But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless." Your advice to stop the seemingly endless debate over technicalities has merit. However, you close with "Time is running out..." and "it seems to me that Christians are too busy rearranging the pictures on the wall while the house is burning down." Peter cautions against putting too much emphasis on external events, at least in our personal suffering for Christ. 1 Peter 4:12 "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you." As for world events, I believe there is nothing humanity can do to trigger Christ's return or in any way influence God's timing. Psalm 144:3-4 "O Lord, what is man that you care for him, the son of man that you think of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow." Jesus cautions against thinking we know when the end will come, for even He did not know. Matthew 24:35-37 "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man." Finally, for us as workers in the Lord's field, there is at least one problem with assuming we are close to the last harvest. It is that we stop cultivating/sowing and focus solely on those ready to be harvested. Any farmer will tell you, if you don't plant for the next season, this year's harvest will indeed be the last. By proclaiming the end times, you proclaim that there is no point to invest in next year's fields. |
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296 | what is your point? | Gen 1:12 | Parable | 55568 | ||
May your recovery glorify God and serve His Will in the lives of all you meet! Amen. |
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297 | what is your point? | Gen 1:12 | Parable | 55561 | ||
I can understand your distaste for "new age funk". It sounds like the NA group has departed significantly from the original 12-step design of AA, which is faith oriented, but does not adopt any particular belief system so as to avoid keeping people away. There are some who interpret the 12-step approach as incompatible with Christianity, but according to a friend of mine, who is a mature sponsor and very faithful Christian, this is an unfortunate misperception and does not acknoweldge the many lives that have been saved and many addicts who have become born again. Overcomers sounds good, being Christian, yet my recommendation to enlist the services of a qualified substance abuse professional still stands. Finally, sin IS slippery, but don't dismiss secular counselors entirely. I'm all for Christian fellowship and pastoral care, but a there are non-religious issues that a well qualified professional counselor is well suited to address. |
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298 | what is your point? | Gen 1:12 | Parable | 55177 | ||
Yes, support from others is a good thing. However, your wife and friends are not professionals qualified to help you confront your deeper issues in a meaningful way. This takes special training. I've read some of your other posts and from what you describe, you are in deep and long. Don't be offended at what I'm about to say, but in all probability, your wife may be enabling your addiction and she may need counseling to understand how this could be possible. NA is good, if you sincerely work the program with a mature sponsor and don't just attend meetings and listen. But more importantly, you really need to have your program under the supervision of a qualified professional substance abuse counselor that you meet with in addition to your sponsor. Once you have completed the program, then you will be ready to be salt and light for others, perhaps by being a sponsor to them. Stop putting it off. Make an appointment. Go. Maybe even take your wife. How many reasons can you list not to do this? If you're like most addicts, you can find lots of reasons not to. This is the one reason you must. Its clear you have submitted yourself to Christ, now submit yourself to another person who can hold you accountable and help you constructively overcome what you have not yet dealt with. Clearly, you are highly intelligent, but this can be a stumbling block. There is such a thing as being too smart for your own good. I'm a good example :) Parable |
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299 | friends with weed are friends indeed? | Gen 1:12 | Parable | 55108 | ||
You said "I have tight friends who have known me for years and would do anything for me...they just happen to be ocasional pot smokers.." Sounds great! But, I wonder, will these friends quit smoking pot for you? Parable |
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300 | what is your point? | Gen 1:12 | Parable | 55090 | ||
I meant no disrespect, but rather to speak the truth in love and sometimes, the truth is not always "uplifting" nor "attractive". What I said applies to one degree or another, regardless your circumstances. The dynamics of drug abuse are well understood; they don't change much from person to person, although they do vary in intensity and consequences. The point is, your chances of conquering this on your own are slim and worse if you remain around those who are content to continue with pot. There is a reason good people spend years in graduate school to learn how to help others deal with problems like this. If you think you can make it alone, you have not reached even the first step in your recovery, i.e. humble acceptance that you are not in control. | ||||||
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