Love? Or Knowledge?

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

A little girl was reading the Bible one day and came across a picture of angels. She asked her daddy, “What is the difference between a cherubim and a seraphim?” Well, this daddy didn’t know, but he took her to the encyclopedia and they looked for the answer.

He discovered the cherubim excelled in knowledge, and seraphim excelled in love.

The little girl thought for a minute and said, “When I die, I will be a seraphim. I’d rather love God than know everything.” That’s pretty good!

First Corinthians 13:2 says, “And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.” Love excels knowledge.

by Adrian Rodgers

Psalm 2012

Obama Is the shepherd I did not want.
He leadeth me
Beside the still factories.

He restoreth my faith in the Republican party.
He guideth me in the path of unemployment
For his party's sake.

Yea, Though I walk through the valley of the bread line,
I shall fear no hunger, for his bailouts are with me.

He has Anointed my income with taxes,
My expenses runneth over.

Surely, poverty and hard living will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will live in a mortgaged home forever.

I'm gladI am American,
I am glad that I am free,

But I wish I was a dog,
And Obama was a tree!

How can Obama be an effective Commander N Chief

Open the Windows—Let in the Light

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

If you want victory, you must expose the place of your doubts and fears. Many of us are not willing to do that. The devil has intimidated so many of us that we hide our eyes from the sunshine of God’s light. There is really nothing to be afraid of when it comes to the devil.

Do you know what fear is? False Evidence Appearing Real. You can be fooled by false evidence. Take a bank robber with his hand in his coat pocket pretending it is a gun. His power comes from the power of deception. His power is the power of fear!

Friend, victory’s arrows cannot be shot through closed windows. Is there any area of your life that you have been unwilling to open the window on? Turn your face to the light and give it to God.

Adrian Rogers

Every Spiritual Blessing In Is Christ

Often, I hear folks say, "I'm a Christian, I love Christ but I don't need the church." It is because of this wide-spread notion that I submit the following article. I hope it will convince those misguided folks of the truth about the church being the body of Christ and no one can be saved without that relationship. There are no spiritual blessings of any kind whatever, other than "in Christ." This is the keynote of Ephesians. The apostle Paul and his readers are `in Christ,' members of Christ, sharers of his resurrection life. The blessings "in Christ" are certainly those in his spiritual body, which is the church. The expression was evidently used by Paul to convey the idea that the totality of all blessings of a spiritual nature and having eternal value are to be found exclusively "in Christ." It logically follows that if one wants salvation as well as ALL spiritual blessings, one must be in Christ's body--His church. No other church will do.

Every Spiritual Blessing Is in Christ

By Jason Jackson
http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1206-every-spiritual-blessing-is-in-christ

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . " (Eph. 1:3). The word “blessed” is eulogetos — like our word “eulogy.” It means, “to speak well of.” There are related words for “blessing” men, but this word is only used of God in the New Testament. Men may be “praised” for their benevolent deeds occasionally, but God is “blessed” because of his intrinsic nature. He is, therefore, worthy of reverential praise.

God is the source of all spiritual blessings. As the apostle expounds the spiritual benefits of being in Christ in Ephesians 1:3-14, he relates these blessings to the nature of God. God blesses because of who he is. God’s redemptive blessings are “according to” his good pleasure, his grace, his purpose, and his will (Eph. 1:5,7,9,11). Paul shows that God is the source of all spiritual blessings by the phrase “according to” (Grk. kata). It means “in accordance with, in conformity with, corresponding to” (Arndt, et al., A Greek-English Lexicon, p. 407). He chose to bless us in Christ “according to” his nature and will. We ought, therefore, to praise him — him from whom all blessings flow.

Look through Ephesians 1:3-14 to see how many times phrases like “in Christ,” “in him,” or “in whom” occur. “In Christ” is the sphere in which God blesses. He chose us “in him.” He adopted us “through Jesus Christ.” God’s grace is given“in the Beloved.” Redemption is “in Him.” Forgiveness of sins is “in him.”God’s purpose is “in him.” Ephesians 1:3 plainly says "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ". Notice the word "ALL". Nowhere else can we find spiritual blessings but "in Christ".

As God alone is the source of spiritual blessings, so Christ is the only way to access them. The Lord Jesus said, “Except ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (Jn. 8:24). Likewise, He said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life: no one cometh unto the Father, but by me” (Jn. 14:6). “Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25).

Ephesians 1:7 identifies salvation as redemption — the forgiveness of sins. Salvation is not “closing the gap between our real and our ideal existence and thus achieving self-fulfillment” (Jack Cottrell, God the Redeemer, Joplin: College Press, p. 49). Salvation is not finding freedom from the world and its suffering through “self-migration.” Salvation is not human achievement. The Eastern Religions of Hinduism and Buddhism fail to identify the source of man’s problems, and they fail to provide the solution (ibid., p. 49ff).

God’s Word reveals man’s condition. It is one in which the moral law of God, our Creator and Ruler, has been violated. Salvation is redemption by God, the forgiveness of personal sins committed against God himself. It is accomplished by the in-my-place death of his divine Son who came in the flesh — Jesus Christ, whose blood averts God’s judicious wrath (Rom. 5:8-9; Rom. 3:26; Heb. 2:17; 1 Jn. 2:1; 4:10).

How does one get access to the grace of God through Christ? Paul discusses the salvation process in the book of Galatians. He said that the Galatian Christians “are all sons of God by faith” (Gal. 3:26). They were not children of God without faith, and the apostle did not say that they were children of God by faith alone. In fact, the next verse identifies how they became children of God by faith. Beginning with an explanatory term, Paul writes, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Gal. 3:27).

Notice the tenses of the verbs. They “are all sons of God by faith” -- present tense--for they “were baptized into Christ”-- past tense. Because they were baptized, they are children of God. When the Galatians were baptized, they were baptized into Christ. But when the Galatians entered Christ, they became children of God by faith. Therefore, when the Galatians were baptized, they became children of God by faith.

Expressing the same truth differently, we may say that the Galatians were children of God by faith because they were “in Christ.” But the Galatians were in Christ because they were baptized into Christ. Therefore, the Galatians were children of God by faith because they were baptized into Christ.

This agrees, of course, with the Lord’s command: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).

God chooses, adopts, bestows his grace, redeems and forgives sins “in Christ.”Every spiritual blessing is found in Christ, and the only way to get into Christ is by faith — believing in Christ and doing what he requires (see Matt. 7:21). Christ requires obedience (Heb. 5:9), and obedience necessitates baptism for the forgiveness of sins. When the penitent believer is baptized for the forgiveness of sins, he accesses the blood of Christ through the grace of God. At that time, God has decreed that he will redemptively bless. That is how the Galatians were saved, and this is how everyone enters into Christ to be blessed with every spiritual blessing.

Advanced music box

Blessed Be the Name of the LORD

This morning as I stood at my front door, morning coffee in hand, looking through the pouring rain at my neighbor's house, I was reminded of this passage in the book of Job:"Naked I came from my mother's womb and naked I shall return. The Lord has given and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord."

For the past year, Texas has been suffering through the worst drought in recent history. We prayed and prayed for rain and now the Lord is giving it. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!

My house was built in a new development in 1986 and one of my first neighbors to also build here was Manny. Through the years, he and his wife and family and mine shared many conversations and activities. He was kind, thoughtful and helpful. His wife passed a few years ago but Manny stayed in the house and continued being the kind, thoughtful and helpful person that he was. Like all of us, his health began to fail and he, too, passed away just recently.

Today, his family is having an estate sale to clear the house of all the things Manny and Jane accumulated over their lifetime together. Each and every item was given to them through the grace of the Lord and now they were being taken away.

Such it is with the human condition. We came into this world with nothing and when we leave, it is with nothing. No U-Haul follows us into eternity. The Lord blesses us with everything we have and He also takes it away. It is our choice as to how we use our blessings while we have them. Will we honor God with our blessings or use them selfishly?

God is giving us blessed rain for our thirsty land and He has given us His Son for our thirsty soul. God gave me a good friend and neighbor. Neither rain nor neighbors last forever, but God's ultimate gift is for eternity. I'd rather have Jesus.

"Blessed be the name of the LORD."

Obama and Bill O Reily

He Is

                                      He IS
When you are the neediest, He is the most sufficient.

When you are completely helpless, He is the most helpful.

When you feel totally dependent, He is absolutely dependable.

When you are the weakest, He is the most able.

When you are the most alone, He is intimately present.

When you feel you are the least, He is the greatest!

When you feel the most useless, He is preparing you.

When it is darkest, He is the only Light you need.

When you feel the least secure, He is your Rock and Fortress.

When you are the most humble, He is most gracious.

When you say that you cannot, remember that He can!

-Author Unknown

Wind And Waves

Title: Wind and Waves Here's an astounding statistic:
By the year 2020, depression will be the second largest killer--right after heart disease. The number of people (even children) who are sad, constantly in tears and feel they can't face another day is increasing. To them the world seems an unfair and scary place. They don't want to keep struggling day after day. Fifteen percent will take their own lives. You may be facing circumstances that have you discouraged or make you feel disillusioned with life. Oftentimes we, even Christians, allow our circumstances to impact our faith. We take our focus off the Lord and put it on our own situation. The apostle Peter did the same thing on one specific occasion recorded in the Book of Matthew. Let's see what happened to him. Receive Read this passage from Matthew 14:22-33 (ESV) and answer the following questions: "Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, 'It is a ghost!' and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, 'Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.' "And Peter answered him, 'Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.' He said, 'Come.' So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, 'Lord, save me.' Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?' And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, 'Truly you are the Son of God.'" 1. Where was Jesus when the disciples and the boat departed for the other side of the lake? 2. When the disciples saw Jesus walking toward them on the waves, what did they think? 3. What was Jesus' response to their thoughts? 4. When he heard Jesus' voice, how did Peter react? 5. What caused Peter to become afraid as he walked towards Jesus? 6. When Peter suddenly became afraid, what did he begin to do? 7. How did Jesus help Peter? 8. Why did those in the boat say to Jesus, "Truly you are the Son of God"?


Reflect Like Peter you might be facing "winds and waves" that have weakened your faith. Today, many are facing foreclosures, diminishing 401K plans, job losses--all kinds of circumstances that cause fear and uncertainty. Where is God, might be the cry of your heart. Hebrews 13:5 promises that God "will never leave you nor forsake you." That doesn't mean, however, things will always turn out the way you'd like. Sometimes we're required to cling to our faith even while we endure difficulties and trials. In Hebrews 11, you can read about those who kept their faith--even in distressing circumstances. Hebrews 11:33,36-39 tells us, "Through faith ... others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--of whom the world was not worthy--wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. "And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect." • What kinds of "winds and waves" are you facing? • How do you keep your eyes on Jesus, no matter what the circumstances? • How does your faith help you whatever happens? Respond Rejoice in the knowledge that if you love Jesus, your future includes heaven, and that while you may struggle here and now at times, Jesus is always with you. Rejoice that this life is just the blink of an eye compared to eternity. But keep that eye on Jesus rather than on whatever difficulties are causing your boat to rock furiously. By Woodrow Kroll

No Greater Love

John 15:12-14

Perhaps the most intense love and protective instinct in the experience of mankind is that of parents toward their children. There is little that most mothers or fathers wouldn't do for a baby. If a truck posed a threat to the little one, it wouldn't surprise us if they jumped in front of the moving vehicle without a second thought.

Wouldn't you like to be cared for with this kind of intensity? You are. In fact, the Lord's love toward you is far deeper and more secure than that of even the most caring, tuned-in human parent. And what God did for us is proof. Romans 5:8 says that while we were living in disobedience, He sent His only Son to die on the cross for us.

Think about a father giving up his child for people who choose to rebel against him. What a tremendous sacrifice and cost! Jesus' death took the place of the punishment that we deserved. If we accept this gift and decide to follow God, He no longer sees us as guilty. Rather, He justifies us, makes us righteous, and changes our ultimate destiny: instead of facing everlasting separation from Him, we will enjoy His presence eternally. What's more, almighty God adopts us as His children forever. Our heavenly Father guides, protects, and counsels us as we walk through life—and promises us that we are secure in Him throughout eternity.

How incredible that the Creator of the universe would love you and me in this way! Do you know and experience the security and sweetness of His care? Gratitude and praise should flow from your heart. In turn, love others deeply out of thankfulness for the love that you have received.  

The Pure Heart

“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to Thy word.” Psalm 119:9

A child delights in what he has.

A youth delights in what he does.

An adult delights in what he is.

The more mature you are, the more you will desire to be something—not just to have something or to do something, but to be something.

What do you desire to be today? Someone who is known for the way they dress? The deals they close? The house they live in? Or do you want others to know that you have a pure heart—a heart that is utterly devoted and surrendered to God.

Matthew 5:8 says, “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God.” They will know the unknowable, they will do the impossible, and they will see the invisible. I want to have a heart like that. What about you?

Risks of Afghan War Shift From Soldiers to Contractors

By ROD NORDLAND

KABUL, Afghanistan — Even dying is being outsourced here.

This is a war where traditional military jobs, from mess hall cooks to base guards and convoy drivers, have increasingly been shifted to the private sector. Many American generals and diplomats have private contractors for their personal bodyguards. And along with the risks have come the consequences: More civilian contractors working for American companies than American soldiers died in Afghanistan last year for the first time during the war.

American employers here are under no obligation to publicly report the deaths of their employees and frequently do not. While the military announces the names of all its war dead, private companies routinely notify only family members. Most of the contractors die unheralded and uncounted — and in some cases, leave their survivors uncompensated.

“By continuing to outsource high-risk jobs that were previously performed by soldiers, the military, in effect, is privatizing the ultimate sacrifice,” said Steven L. Schooner, a law professor at George Washington University who has studied the civilian casualties issue.

Last year, at least 430 employees of American contractors were reported killed in Afghanistan: 386 working for the Defense Department, 43 for the United States Agency for International Development and one for the State Department, according to data provided by the American Embassy in Kabul and publicly available in part from the United States Department of Labor.

By comparison, 418 American soldiers died in Afghanistan last year, according to Defense Department statistics compiled by icasualties.org, an independent organization that monitors war deaths.

That trend has been growing for the past several years in Afghanistan, and it parallels a similar trend in Iraq, where contractor deaths exceeded military deaths as long ago as 2009. In Iraq, however, that took place as the number of American troops was being drastically reduced until their complete withdrawal at the end of last year. And last year, more soldiers than private contractors died in Iraq (54 compared with 41, according to Labor Department figures).

Experts who have studied the phenomenon say that because many contractors do not comply with even the current, scanty reporting requirements, the true number of private contractor deaths may be far higher. “No one believes we’re underreporting military deaths,” Mr. Schooner said. “Everyone believes we’re underreporting contractor deaths.”

Qais Mansoori, 20, may have been among the uncounted. An Afghan interpreter employed by Mission Essential Personnel, a leading provider of interpreters in Afghanistan, Mr. Mansoori was killed along with five other interpreters when Taliban insurgents overran the military base where the interpreters were staying in the Mirwais district of Kandahar Province in July 2010.

That attack, typically, was scantily reported, since no soldiers died — although the death toll was 17, including an unidentified American civilian, according to Afghan officials and Mr. Mansoori’s friends and family.

Under the federal Defense Base Act, American defense contractors are obliged to report the war zone deaths and injuries of their employees — including subcontractors and foreign workers — to the Department of Labor, and to carry insurance that will provide the employees with medical care and compensation. In the case of foreign employees, which many of the dead were, survivors generally receive a death benefit equal to half of the employee’s salary for life; American employees get even more.

Mr. Mansoori’s brother, Mohammad, 35, an employee of a mine-removal charity in Afghanistan, said his brother’s employer, Mission Essential Personnel, promptly contacted the family and made a lump sum payment of $10,004, never mentioning the lifetime annuity to which they were entitled — which given Mr. Mansoori’s salary of $800 a month would have been closer to $150,000 over his survivors’ lifetimes. “I wish he was still here to look after my father and mother,” Mohammad Mansoori said. Their father is blind, and Qais Mansoori was his parents’ sole support, he said.

A spokesman for Mission Essential Personnel, Sean Rushton, disputed that, saying that his company has been making biweekly payments of $190 to Mr. Mansoori’s family and will continue doing so for 29 years. The $10,004 lump sum payment was a voluntary death gratuity paid by the company, Mr. Rushton said.

There were 113,491 employees of defense contractors in Afghanistan as of January 2012, compared with about 90,000 American soldiers, according to Defense Department statistics. Of those, 25,287, or about 22 percent of the employees, were American citizens, with 47 percent Afghans and 31 percent from other countries.

The bulk of the known contractor deaths are concentrated among a handful of major companies, particularly those providing interpreters, drivers, security guards and other support personnel who are particularly vulnerable to attacks.

The biggest contractor in terms of war zone deaths is apparently the defense giant L-3 Communications. If L-3 were a country, it would have the third highest loss of life in Afghanistan as well as in Iraq; only the United States and Britain would exceed it in fatalities.

Over the past 10 years, L-3 and its subsidiaries, including Titan Corporation and MPRI Inc., had at least 370 workers killed and 1,789 seriously wounded or injured through the end of 2011 in Iraq and Afghanistan, records show. In a statement, a spokeswoman for L-3, Jennifer Barton, said: “L-3 is proud to have the opportunity to support the U.S. and coalition efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. We mourn the loss of life of these dedicated men and women.”

Other American companies with a high number of fatalities are Supreme Group, a catering company, with 241 dead through the end of 2011; Service Employees International, another catering company, with 125 dead; and security companies like DynCorps (101 dead), Aegis (86 dead) and Hart Group (63 dead). In all, according to Labor Department data, 64 American companies have lost more than seven employees each in the past 10 years.

The American dead have included people like James McLaughlin, 55, who trained pilots on a contract for MPRI and was killed by a rogue Afghan pilot who also killed eight American soldiers last April; and Todd Walker, Michael Clawson and James Scott Ozier, employees of AAR Airlift, who were killed in a helicopter crash in Helmand Province last month for which Taliban insurgents claimed responsibility.

For every contractor who is killed, many more are seriously wounded. According to the Labor Department’s statistics, 1,777 American contractors in Afghanistan were injured or wounded seriously enough to miss more than four days of work last year.

Marcie Hascall Clark began the Defense Base Act Compensation Blog after her husband, Merlin, a former Navy explosives ordnance disposal expert, was injured in 2003 while working for an American contractor. She and her husband have spent the past seven years fighting for hundreds of thousands of dollars in disability payments and medical compensation. “It was quite a shock to learn how little my husband’s body, mind and future were worth,” she said.

Taimoor Shah contributed reporting from Kandahar, Afghanistan.

Truth, lies and Afghanistan

http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2012/02/8904030

The Beliefs of Orthodox Christianity Part 1

The Beliefs of Orthodox Christianity Part 1


1.
 conforming to established doctrine especially in religion b : conventional


OBJECTIVES (What we do hope to do in this Study):

To analyze critically the concept of "religion" as commonly understood in Western societies.

To be introduced to a number of "religious" traditions other than evangelical Protestant Christianity.

To develop skills as an empathic interpreter of "religious" traditions other than one's own.

To gain a clearer understanding of the impact of "religious" convictions and practices on everyday      life.

To gain an appreciation for the diversity present within "religious" traditions, as well as across them.

To gain a clearer understanding of some of the distinguishing features of the world's "religious"            traditions.

To gain a clearer understanding of some of the similarities among many "religious" traditions.

Having accomplished the above, to see one's own "religious" tradition with a new perspective and renewed appreciation.

NON-OBJECTIVES (What we do not plan to do in this Study):

To resolve difficult and important questions about the relationship between Christianity and other "religious" traditions.

To develop apologetic strategies for demonstrating the superiority of Christianity to other traditions.

To develop strategies for evangelizing those from other "religious" traditions.

In these studies we will focus on some of the major religions of the world.




The Basic Beliefs


For over two thousand years, the Christian Church has  held certain beliefs vital to ones faith.




While there is some doctrinal disagreement within the the three branches of Christendom -Roman Catholic,Eastern Orthodox and Protestant-there is a general agreement among them as to the essentials of faith.


We can find them in the:
Apostles' Creed1. I believe in God the Father, Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth:
2. And in Jesus Christ, his only begotten Son, our Lord:
3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary:
4. Suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, dead and buried: He descended into hell:


1.
Pontius Pilate was the fifth governor of the Roman province of Judaea.

Pontius Pilate was the Roman official who gave the final order for the crucifixion. According to the gospels, he actually believed that Jesus was innocent, and wanted to save him, but was pressured into ordering his death by the Jewish religious leaders and a disorderly crowd of spectators.


5. The third day he rose again from the dead:
6. He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty:
7. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead:
8. I believe in the Holy Ghost:
9. I believe in the holy catholic church: the communion of saints:
10. The forgiveness of sins:
1l. The resurrection of the body:
12. And the life everlasting. Amen.

God is the creator of all things whose fullness is beyond all human conceptions.

Trinity : God has revealed himself as three distinct persons of the Father,Son and Holy Spirit.

Jesus : Is the Promised Messiah, conceived of the Holy spirit; born of the Virgin Mary. He died for the sins of all mankind. He was crucified, died ,buried for the sins of mankind. He was resurrected on the third day and ascended into heaven, to return to establish the Kingdom of God.


The Holy Spirit is our Comforter promised by Jesus Christ,which lives inside of us, guiding us in all truths to salvation.

The Bible is the inspired , infallible and authoritative Word of God

Salvation is the deliverance from bondage of sin, our atonement to God with assurance of eternal life, coming from a voluntary sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross of Calvary for our sins.

Repentance: All humanity may receive salvation by Jesus, and be forgiven of their sins If they repent of their sins and confess their sins, and surrender their life to Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Grace: is free, unmerited gift of eternal life which God gives to those who have a change of heart and start a new life in Christ.

Christianity: Christians are people acting in faith who accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and in whom the Holy spirit lives inside creating a new birth and life. The new birth lives a different life following the footsteps of Christ and shows Christian fruits of the Holy Spirit as evidence.

Baptism is an outward expression and testimony of our life surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ; being symbolic of Jesus' death,burial and resurrection.

1. Doctrine of Authority

When it comes to a matter of final authority there is an agreement among the major branches of Christianity with regard to the divine inspiration of the Old and New Testaments.

However, the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox branches of the church go somewhat beyond the Bible as to their source of authority.

Roman Catholic

The historic Roman Catholic Church accepts the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God. Further they consider church tradition just as authoritative as the Scriptures.

Eastern Orthodox

The historic Eastern Orthodox church also accepts the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired revelation.
To this they add their church tradition as equally authoritative.

Protestant

The Historic Protestant church holds that Scripture alone is the final authority on all matters of faith and practice.

The Doctrine of God is the same in all three branches of Christianity.

One of the most misunderstood ideas in the Bible concerns the teaching about the Trinity.

The Bible teaches that there is one God and only one God.

Deu 6:4  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

1Ti 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Isa 44:6  Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God.

However, even though God is one in His essential being or nature, He is also three persons.

Gen 1:26  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Gen 3:22  And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us

Gods plural personality  is alluded to here, for he could not be talking to angels in these instances, because angels could not and did not help God create.

The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ , not the angels , created all things.

John 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Heb 1:2  Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;

In addition  to speaking of God as one, and alluding to to a plurality of God's personality, the Scriptures are quite specific as to naming God in terms of three persons.

There is a person whom the Bible calls the Father, and the Father is designated as God the Father.

John 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The Bible talks about a person named Jesus, or the Son, or the Word, also called God.

Jesus was also calling God His own Father, making himself equal with God.

Joh 5:18  Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

Act 5:3  But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
There is a third person mentioned in the Scriptures called The Holy Spirit, and this person-different from the Father and the Son-is also called God.

Act 5:4  Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.

The facts of the biblical teaching are these:
There is one God.
This one God has a plural personality.
This one God is called the Father, the Son,the Holy Spirit, all distinct personalities , all designated God.


The person of Jesus Christ

Over 2000 years ago, Jesus asked His disciples the ultimate question: "Who do you say I am?

Mat 16:16  And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Central to the Christian faith is the identity of its founder, Jesus Christ, and it is of monumental improtance to have a proper view of who He is.

Jesus Was Human

The Christian church has always affirmed that, although He was super-naturally conceived by the Holy Spirit, God in human flesh, Jesus Christ was also fully man.
The teaching of the Scriptures is clear with regard to His humanity.

He grew intellectually and physically

Luk 2:52  And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man

He desired food

Mat 4:2  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

Mat 4:2  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

He needed sleep

Mat 8:24  And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

He Cried

Joh 11:35  Jesus wept.

He died
Therefore, it is made plain by Scripture that Jesus was genuinely human. He possessed all the attributes of humanity.

Has anyone ever heard the phrase or even said that I'm only human?

Jesus of  Nazareth was a man but He was more than just a man. He was God in Human Flesh.

While the scriptures clearly teach He was  a man, They likewise make it clear that he was God.

Not part man and part God, But fully man and fully God.

Next week we will continue to study the attributes of the Divinity of Jesus.


Trivia

What religion believes that 144,000 people will go to Heaven and the rest will just vanish?

Who is the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints?

Learning to trust God

You may struggle to believe that the Lord will provide for your daily needs. Perhaps you're facing an overwhelmingly difficult trial—one which exhausts your resources. Or perhaps you wonder if He will ever fulfill your heart's desire in a particular area.

Lets look at the story of David and Goliath...

The story of David and Goliath illustrates the
importance of trusting the Lord completely—
especially when we face overwhelming
challenges. The Israelite army was at war with
the Philistines. For 40 days, a fierce warrior
named Goliath had challenged the Israelites to
send a soldier to fight him man to man. Since no
one responded to his challenge, the Philistine
ridiculed them. The entire Israelite army—
including the king—was terrified of this giant,
who was not only an experienced fighter but
more than nine-feet tall.
In contrast, David focused on the spiritual
nature of the battle. He asked, “Who is this
uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt
the armies of the living God?” (1 Sam. 17:26).
Later, he told Goliath, “This day the LORD will
deliver you up into my hands . . . that all the earth
may know that there is a God in Israel, and that
all this assembly may know that the LORD does
not deliver by sword or by spear; for the battle is
the LORD’S” (1 Sam. 17:46-47). After declaring his
victory, David killed the giant with one stone
from his slingshot.With their champion defeated,
the Philistine army quickly lost heart—enabling
the Israelites to overtake them and win the battle.
A shepherd boy with no armor, no shield, no
sword, and no javelin—armed with only five
smooth stones—was able to triumph over a much
larger, well-equipped, and experienced warrior.
That’s the power of faith in the one true God.

The secret of David's success was his ability to trust and obey God. How can you have the same kind of faith?

1. Recall past victories.

What triumphs did David remember (1 Sam. 17:32-37)?


How did these victories give him confidence against Goliath?


List a few victories from your own life that could serve as reminders of how God worked through you in the past.


2. Reject discouraging words.

No one from the Israelite camp encouraged David in his quest to defeat Goliath.

All of them saw a young, inexperienced man instead of someone God could work through. Why? They looked at David from man's perspective instead of the Lord's.

As this story demonstrates, some of our worst opposition and discouragement may come from those who should be on our side, such as family members or fellow believers.

Describe how you can respond when others give worldly counsel instead of encouraging you to obey the Lord.


3. Recognize the true nature of the conflict.

Whatever adversary you face, the real enemy is Satan. He wants to defeat you and discourage you from serving God. Certainly, you have a responsibility to address the practical aspects of your difficult situation. But remember that behind each challenge is a spiritual war. For instance, while you seek medical treatment, you might also need to wage a spiritual battle against discouragement and fear.

What do you think the Father wants His children to remember in the midst of conflict?


4. Respond to the challenge with a positive declaration of faith.

David asked the fearful Israelites, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should taunt the armies of the living God?" (v. 26). To Saul, he said, "The LORD … will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine" (v. 37). And in answer to Goliath's ridicule: "I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel" (v. 45). David firmly declared his belief. He wouldn't lose, because the Almighty was with him.

The Scriptures are full of promises: for guidance (Ps. 32:8), God's help (121:1-2), hope (Ps. 16:9), joy (Ps. 43:4), mercy (Ex. 20:6), the Father's care (1 Peter 5:6-7) and peace (John 16:33)— to name just a few.

Choose a verse that speaks to your need, and write it below.


When worry or frustration builds, recite encouraging scriptures aloud to yourself. Your faith will grow, and so will your peace.

5. Rely on the power of God.

David knew it wasn't his own reputation on the line; he also knew it was not his strength that would win the battle. Glory and victory belonged to the Lord alone.

What did David believe Goliath's defeat would show everyone who watched (v. 47)?


In John 15:5, Jesus said, "He who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing." In other words, we can do nothing of spiritual value unless we depend on Christ to work through us.

What would it look like for you to rely on Jesus in your present trials?


Conclusion: Every challenge presents an opportunity for the Father to display His faithfulness and love. Instead of yielding to thoughts of fear and failure, make a commitment to trust Him, even when you don't know what tomorrow will bring. Yes, you may experience failure, and life may not always turn out as you planned. But ultimately, God will be glorified, and you will be blessed.

The Wind Blows Wherever it Will John 3:8

The Wind Blows Wherever it Will John 3:8
The New Testament reveals four commands given to the Christian relating to the Holy Spirit. Two are positive and two are negative.
“Be filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18).
“Live by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16).
“Do not grieve the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:30).
“Do not quench the Spirit"(I Thessalonians 5:19).
I will spend the next few weeks talking about the Holy Spirit.  Please feel free to comment.  No need to !  And you may interject your thoughts at any time!
I. The Wind of the Spirit
Tonight we begin by looking at the words of Jesus in John 3:8. This verse occurs during the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, the ruler of the Jews who came to Jesus by night. When Jesus said, “You must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God,” Nicodemus did not understand the concept. So Jesus explained that flesh produces flesh (speaking of human birth), but only God’s Spirit could give new birth in the realm of the spirit (v. 6). Then Jesus added this word of explanation in verse 8: “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” Pay special attention to two words in this verse: “wind” and “Spirit.” Though they are two words in English, in Greek they come from the same word: pneuma. We get the English words pneumatic (an air-powered drill) and pneumonia (a disease of the lungs) from this Greek word. Depending on the context, pneuma can mean breath, wind or spirit. In this case, the same Greek word has two meanings in the same verse.
Wind serves as a particularly good symbol of the Holy Spirit. As Jesus points out to Nicodemus, wind by its very nature is invisible and unpredictable. The wind that blows today from the north may blow from the south tomorrow or from the east or west or not at all. We feel its effect and hear it whistling through the leaves, but the wind itself is totally free from man’s control. Wind exists everywhere on the earth, is continually in motion, and may be experienced in varying degrees—from a slight breeze to a mighty rushing wind to the destructive force of a tornado. In a closed room, the air soon becomes stagnant. But when the window is open, the incoming wind blows out the stifling air. On a hot summer’s day, a cool breeze refreshes everyone. Just as the wind is everywhere in the world, even so the Holy Spirit’s work is universal, not limited to one country, region, or race of humanity. Similar to the unpredictability of the wind, no one can say for certain where the Spirit will blow in great power today or tomorrow. As the wind is beyond man’s control, in the same way no one can control the work of the Spirit. As the wind blows from the heavens, so the Holy Spirit is sent from heaven.
According to Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper, “The Holy Spirit leaves no footprints.” Like the wind he is invisible, unpredictable and uncontrollable. Have you ever tried to catch the wind in a bottle?  It can’t be done. The same is true of the Holy Spirit. He is sovereign and will not be taken captive by any person. Like the wind, we experience it in different ways. So it is with the Spirit. He comes as he wills, and he manifests himself in different ways. And as the story of Nicodemus demonstrates, no one can predict when he will invade a human heart. Have you ever heard of a person that had responded to the gospel after just one invitation? Sometimes you have to talk to a person again and again, and even then, they may not respond. Why does one person respond immediately while others take much more persuasion? While there are many explanations, one part of the answer is the Holy Spirit. Like the wind, he blows where he wills, and no one can control his movements.
II. The Descent of the Spirit
Acts 2 describes the descent of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, as the small band of disciples waited and prayed in Jerusalem. According to Acts 2:1-4,
Then the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

four things happened in this order:
A. The sound of a violent, rushing wind filled the house.
B. Tongues of fire rested on each of them.
C. They were filled with the Holy Spirit.
D. They began to speak in other languages.
Wind … Fire … Holy Spirit … Languages. Later Peter preached the gospel, 3,000 were saved in one day, and the Christian church was born. Note the sequence again:
Wind … Fire … Holy Spirit … Languages … Preaching … Conversion.
Why does the wind come first? Because the Holy Spirit begins his work by blowing through each heart, preparing them for further work to come. So it is with us today. We need the wind of the Spirit to blow through our hearts,
Replacing fear with faith,
Replacing anger with forgiveness,
Replacing doubt with hope,
Replacing anger with love,
Replacing judgment with grace,
Replacing bitterness with trust,
Replacing pride with humility,
Replacing envy with kindness,
Replacing cowardice with courage,
Replacing impatience with perseverance,
Replacing harshness with compassion,
Replacing selfishness with generosity.
We need the wind of God to blow through our midst today. All our work will come to nothing without the Holy Spirit to bless our efforts. We may plan and organize and strategize and publicize to our heart’s content. We may meet and write papers all night and all day. We may discuss and ponder and consider all the alternatives. We may use all the wisdom we can muster, but unless we are changed on the inside by the Holy Spirit, nothing will change and our work will mean nothing for the sake of the Kingdom.
We need the Holy Spirit to come in a new way because there is always more of God to experience. In Ephesians 3:19 Paul prayed that his readers might be “filled with all the fullness of God.” This is the whole goal of the Christian life. Don’t water it down. The word for “filled” has the idea of being dominated by something. If you are filled with rage, then rage will dominate your life. If you are filled with love, then love dominates your life. If you are filled with joy, then joy dominates your life. When you are filled with God, then God himself will dominate your life. It pictures the total transformation of the human personality by virtue of the presence of God in your life. This is an amazing thought—to be filled up with all the fullness of God. Don’t shy away from the implications of this truth. As believers we have been created to be the containers of God. He desires to pour his life into ours and to fill us until we’re full. This prayer will never be completely answered in this life. And in eternity we will continue to experience more and more of the “fullness of God,” and we will never (not even in eternity) come to the end of who he is.
No one will ever come to the end of the Holy Spirit.
No one will ever come to the end of the Lord Jesus Christ.
No one will ever come to the end of God the Father.
It is the work of the Holy Spirit to bring us continually into a deeper, more profound experience of who God is. He brings more of God to us as we bring more of us to him.
III. The Sovereignty of the Spirit
Jesus applied the image of the wind of the Spirit in the last phrase of verse 8: “So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus did not come that night intending to be converted. But that is what happened. The Spirit drew him to Jesus and he came. The same is true for everyone who comes to Christ. In John 6:44 Jesus declares that “no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” The Father draws sinners to the Son by means of the Holy Spirit. And all those who are drawn will in fact come to Jesus, and those who come will never be turned away (John 6:37).
We must change and only God can change us. This is the testimony of the entire Bible. Because we are sinners, we cannot come to God bearing our own sins. If we come with our sins, he will turn us away for sinners will gain no admittance to heaven. Here is the Bible’s testimony as to the true condition of all humanity apart from Jesus Christ.
� Blind: “The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (II Corinthians 4:4).
� Captive to Satan: We should pray that unbelievers might “escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (II Timothy 2:26).
� Condemned: “Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son” (John 3:18).
� Dead: “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins” (Ephesians 2:1).
� Bound for hell: “Whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36b).
� Helpless: “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him” (John 6:44).
� Hopeless: “Without hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12).
� Without understanding: “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned” (I Corinthians 2:14).
A whole study could be taught on any one of those verses. Taken together they show how desperate is the plight of those without Christ. They are blind and think they can see. They are dead and think they are alive. They are captive and think they are free. They are helpless and think they can do anything. They are without understanding and think they know everything. They are bound for hell and think they are going to heaven.
Please understand. We all were once in the “they” of the last paragraph. Apart from Jesus, that’s our natural condition in the world. That is what we were. And now through the power of the Holy Spirit, this is our converted condition:
Once we were blind, now we can see.
Once we were condemned, now we are forgiven.
Once we were dead, now we are alive.
Once we were captives of Satan, now we have been set free.
Once we were bound for hell, now we are going to heaven.
Once we were helpless, now Christ lives in us.
Once we were hopeless, now we have hope in God.
Once we were without understanding, now we have the mind of Christ.
All this comes to us because of the Holy Spirit. This is the true power of the new birth. When Jesus said the Holy Spirit is like the wind, he meant that the Holy Spirit is sovereign, free, unpredictable and uncontrollable. He blows where he wills.
What should we learn from this? This truth should humble us because it means that our salvation depends on God, not on us. You have heard this before.  It is no secret to those who have been around for awhile.  It gives us great incentive to pray because even the most hardened sinner may yet encounter the saving power of the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the gospel. It ought to make us both bold and patient as we speak the gospel, knowing that after we have done our part, the work of conversion rests with the Holy Spirit. Our words have no power to convert anyone. Finally, this truth of the Spirit being like the wind ought to make us hungry for the Spirit to blow upon us once again.

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