Monday, November 19, 2018
Saturday, November 17, 2018
Friday, November 16, 2018
Thursday, November 15, 2018
The Spanish-held Canary Islands, off the northwest coast of Africa, were home to small greenfinches. These birds were caught and caged and sold in England as “canary birds”; today’s domesticated canary bird is mainly yellow, not green, and is called a “canary” for short. However, the word "canary" itself originally meant something different. The Canary Islands were so called by the Romans because of a type of large canine found there (the Latin "canāarius" meant “of dogs”). From big dog to little yellow bird—that’s etymology.
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Monday, November 12, 2018
Sunday, November 11, 2018
If Jesus was God why did he tell the man who called him “good master” not to call him “good” (Mark 10:17-18) because accordingly, there is none good but his God in Heaven alone.
y Very simple: if you read the verse, Jesus doesn't tell the person asking, 'don't call me good'. He simply says, 'Why Why do you call me good'.
Then He adds, 'only God is good'.
The questioner was a Jew. Jesus simply meant to the Jew that if he (the Jew) thought that Jesus is good, then he would have to accept that Jesus is God, for only God is good.
Then He adds, 'only God is good'.
The questioner was a Jew. Jesus simply meant to the Jew that if he (the Jew) thought that Jesus is good, then he would have to accept that Jesus is God, for only God is good.
Friday, November 9, 2018
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
Philippines pulls out of joint naval drills with US after complaint by China
Philippines pulls out of joint naval drills with US after complaint by China
other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Drifting away from the Lord
I'm so glad you have recognized your "drift." This is critically important in getting back on track in your relationship with the Lord. It's something most Christ followers experience from time to time. Just like a drift in the water, we must intentionally re-route ourselves back to shore. There are many scriptures that remind us how to get back. James 4:8 says, to draw near to God and He will draw near to us. We do this mainly through reading the scriptures. So, what you can do is pick back up where you may have left off previously. Or, just begin a fresh Bible-reading plan. Find one here: https://www.biblegateway.com/reading-plans/
The next best action is to get connected in a local church community. If you are attending a church, inquire about the small groups they offer. This is also an important step in getting back on track. Because God designed the Church as a body, we need to be around other people to function with all the potential He created us with (Hebrews 10:23-25).
The final part of reconciling yourself to God is simply to talk to Him. Prayer is a two-way conversation between you and the Lord. He loves to hear from you anytime. There is no formal way to do this. It's just a matter of sharing your heart with His in a genuine manner (John 4:24, Romans 8:36). When we do these things, you will sense a change in your perspective. The closer you are to God, the better perspective we have on everything else. And, it leaves little room for the enemy to bring division. This is an ongoing practice—it's a discipline. But one that is produces internal peace and strength in your inner man. Nothing compares to being in the presence of God. And we can do that anywhere, anytime.
I'll leave you with this reminder: "Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! You have said, "Seek my face." My heart says to you, 'Your face, Lord, do I seek.'" Psalm 27:7-8
The next best action is to get connected in a local church community. If you are attending a church, inquire about the small groups they offer. This is also an important step in getting back on track. Because God designed the Church as a body, we need to be around other people to function with all the potential He created us with (Hebrews 10:23-25).
The final part of reconciling yourself to God is simply to talk to Him. Prayer is a two-way conversation between you and the Lord. He loves to hear from you anytime. There is no formal way to do this. It's just a matter of sharing your heart with His in a genuine manner (John 4:24, Romans 8:36). When we do these things, you will sense a change in your perspective. The closer you are to God, the better perspective we have on everything else. And, it leaves little room for the enemy to bring division. This is an ongoing practice—it's a discipline. But one that is produces internal peace and strength in your inner man. Nothing compares to being in the presence of God. And we can do that anywhere, anytime.
I'll leave you with this reminder: "Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! You have said, "Seek my face." My heart says to you, 'Your face, Lord, do I seek.'" Psalm 27:7-8
Monday, November 5, 2018
Sin,death
The Bible says that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). So the question becomes two questions: 1) who has sinned, and 2) what is death? The answer to the first question is given in Romans 3:23 – all have sinned. But what part of us has sinned? Every part of us has sinned; body, soul, and spirit. We cannot say that only our body and soul sinned but our spirit is righteous (or any claim that any part of us is sinless). Therefore, all of us must die to pay for that sin. So we must understand what death is. Death is separation from life. For our bodies and soul, this is what we customarily call physical death. But our spirits must pay the penalty for our sin as well. Our spirits will exist forever after our physical death, so physical death does not result in our spirits` death. Life for our spirits is communion with God, so death for our spirits is separation from God, which is also called "eternal damnation". Therefore, stating that the punishment for sin is death INCLUDES eternal separation from God. It is not a separate and added penalty.
Fortunately for us, God has provided a way (through Jesus) for our spirits' penalty for sin to be paid for us, so we don't have to face eternal separation from God. Jesus had no sin, so when He paid the penalty for sin, God imputed His righteousness to everyone who believes in Jesus. Our body and soul will still die, but our spirits will be able to enjoy communion with God.
Fortunately for us, God has provided a way (through Jesus) for our spirits' penalty for sin to be paid for us, so we don't have to face eternal separation from God. Jesus had no sin, so when He paid the penalty for sin, God imputed His righteousness to everyone who believes in Jesus. Our body and soul will still die, but our spirits will be able to enjoy communion with God.
Sunday, November 4, 2018
Friday, November 2, 2018
What does Mark 1:1 mean?
What does Mark 1:
1 mean?: The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. - What is the meaning of Mark 1:1?
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Monday, October 29, 2018
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Vasili Arkhipov
On this day on October 27, 1962, the Soviet Vasili Arkhipov saved the world from a nuclear war! ! The Cuban missile crisis began when the Soviet Union started installing nuclear missiles in Cuba. The US government started a naval blockade around the island. The Soviet submarine B 59 with nuclear weapons with Vasili Arkhipov second-in-command had the mission to break the American blockade. The captain Valentin Savitsky opted to launch a nuclear torpedo against a USS warship. Arkhipov refused and managed to convince the captain to emerge and wait for orders from Moscow. During those times of crisis, the Soviet officers, having lost radio contact with Moscow, wrongly concluded that World War 3 had begun. Only 15 minutes later, news arrived that the USSR and the United States had decided to end the Cuban missile crisis.
How we came to worship on Sunday
HOW THE SABBATH WAS CHANGED FROM SABBATH TO SUNDAY
From a historical point of view, the change from Saturday to Sunday was a process, it wasn't something to happen overnight. Before we take a look at that process I want to express that Sunday worships started not because of a biblical command. It started because of prosecution of the early church by Pagan Imperial Rome, and you can take a look at this for yourself. This process was in three parts,
(1) The early church kept Sunday because of prosecution,
(2) Constantine Passes Sunday laws to Christianize his pagan empire because Christianity was growing stronger and taking over his land.
(3) And the Catholic Church pass another Sunday law to strengthen Constantine Sunday laws because afterward, the early church was still keeping the Sabbath.
But let's take a look at the process, detail.
WHEN DID SUNDAY WORSHIP START. We have the process starting in 150 A.D. Why, because Justin Martyr records in the (Clark's Ante-Nicene Library, Chapter LXVII, p. 185, 1953 edition) the only authentic source where was the START OF THE CHANGE. The other sources like the Didache, or the Epistle of Barnabas, proven none authentic. Since Justin martyr has the only authentic source which is placed at 150 AD this means, it is the start of the process. Also, that proves the apostles and the early church kept the Sabbath not Sunday.
So from 150 and on the church started to keep Sunday, but they didn't only keep Sunday they kept Saturday Holy also, this is recorded in (—Church History, Apostolic Age to A.D. 70, Section 29.). There were three groups of Christians at that time. (1) You had the Romans Christians who kept Sunday. (2) You had the Gentile Christians who kept both days. (3) And you had the Jewish Christians who kept Sabbath. So from 150 to 321 AD many wars between the Jews the Christians in the Roman empire.
ENTER CONSTANTINE. Constantine saw this as a problem because he wanted to paganize his Roman Empire. Christianity was growing in his empire and it was starting to overthrow it, no matter how many prosecutions they did to it. So he passed into law in 321 AD for the first time, that they had to keep Sunday as a LAW or they will go to jail. Here is the law,❝On the venerable Day of the sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits: because it often happens that another Day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or for vine planting: lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost.❞
(—ii. Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church Volume 3 (Edinburgh: 1884): 380, note.) The early church, before this law didn't keep Sunday because it was a law or a command from the Bible, they kept it because of prosecution. The Jews and the Roman empire were at war a lot, and the early church since they kept the Sabbath, the Roman empire confuse them Jews and they were killing off the Christians thinking thus was Jews. So the EARLY CHURCH decided to keep Sunday, because of prosecution and wars, but from no a biblical command.
There were Christians who kept Sunday but also they were Christians who were true to the word of God and they kept Sabbath, this is the remnant that was alive at that time. Papal Rome saw this as a problem so they passed into law or once again to strengthen Constantine's laws, that the early church had to stop keeping Sabbath and start keeping Sunday, we see this here; ❝Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday (Sabbath), but shall work on that Day: but the Lord’s Day, they shall especially honor; and as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ❞
(—Rev. Charles Joseph Hefele, Henry N. Oxenham (trans.), A History of the Church Councils from 326 to 429 Volume 2 (Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1896): 316.)
And this is how the change came it was a process that happens gradually over time. And this was so effective that now we see practically the whole Christian world keeping Sunday and Sabbath.
From a historical point of view, the change from Saturday to Sunday was a process, it wasn't something to happen overnight. Before we take a look at that process I want to express that Sunday worships started not because of a biblical command. It started because of prosecution of the early church by Pagan Imperial Rome, and you can take a look at this for yourself. This process was in three parts,
(1) The early church kept Sunday because of prosecution,
(2) Constantine Passes Sunday laws to Christianize his pagan empire because Christianity was growing stronger and taking over his land.
(3) And the Catholic Church pass another Sunday law to strengthen Constantine Sunday laws because afterward, the early church was still keeping the Sabbath.
But let's take a look at the process, detail.
WHEN DID SUNDAY WORSHIP START. We have the process starting in 150 A.D. Why, because Justin Martyr records in the (Clark's Ante-Nicene Library, Chapter LXVII, p. 185, 1953 edition) the only authentic source where was the START OF THE CHANGE. The other sources like the Didache, or the Epistle of Barnabas, proven none authentic. Since Justin martyr has the only authentic source which is placed at 150 AD this means, it is the start of the process. Also, that proves the apostles and the early church kept the Sabbath not Sunday.
So from 150 and on the church started to keep Sunday, but they didn't only keep Sunday they kept Saturday Holy also, this is recorded in (—Church History, Apostolic Age to A.D. 70, Section 29.). There were three groups of Christians at that time. (1) You had the Romans Christians who kept Sunday. (2) You had the Gentile Christians who kept both days. (3) And you had the Jewish Christians who kept Sabbath. So from 150 to 321 AD many wars between the Jews the Christians in the Roman empire.
ENTER CONSTANTINE. Constantine saw this as a problem because he wanted to paganize his Roman Empire. Christianity was growing in his empire and it was starting to overthrow it, no matter how many prosecutions they did to it. So he passed into law in 321 AD for the first time, that they had to keep Sunday as a LAW or they will go to jail. Here is the law,❝On the venerable Day of the sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed. In the country, however, persons engaged in agriculture may freely and lawfully continue their pursuits: because it often happens that another Day is not so suitable for grain-sowing or for vine planting: lest by neglecting the proper moment for such operations the bounty of heaven should be lost.❞
(—ii. Philip Schaff, History of the Christian Church Volume 3 (Edinburgh: 1884): 380, note.) The early church, before this law didn't keep Sunday because it was a law or a command from the Bible, they kept it because of prosecution. The Jews and the Roman empire were at war a lot, and the early church since they kept the Sabbath, the Roman empire confuse them Jews and they were killing off the Christians thinking thus was Jews. So the EARLY CHURCH decided to keep Sunday, because of prosecution and wars, but from no a biblical command.
There were Christians who kept Sunday but also they were Christians who were true to the word of God and they kept Sabbath, this is the remnant that was alive at that time. Papal Rome saw this as a problem so they passed into law or once again to strengthen Constantine's laws, that the early church had to stop keeping Sabbath and start keeping Sunday, we see this here; ❝Christians shall not Judaize and be idle on Saturday (Sabbath), but shall work on that Day: but the Lord’s Day, they shall especially honor; and as being Christians, shall, if possible, do no work on that day. If however, they are found Judaizing, they shall be shut out from Christ❞
(—Rev. Charles Joseph Hefele, Henry N. Oxenham (trans.), A History of the Church Councils from 326 to 429 Volume 2 (Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1896): 316.)
And this is how the change came it was a process that happens gradually over time. And this was so effective that now we see practically the whole Christian world keeping Sunday and Sabbath.
Friday, October 26, 2018
Oaths
Oaths
are not evil. God made an oath to Abraham (Hebrews 6:13-14). Since the
Lord is perfect, we must conclude that an oath is not sinful.
Jesus testified at His trial with an oath (Matthew 26:64).
Paul made an oath (2 Corinthians 1:23; Romans 1:9). He wrote these words by inspiration from God. Scripture warns against false swearers (1 Timothy 1:10). If all oaths were wrong then this verse would not be in the Bible.
I believe you are referring to James 5:12 and Matthew 5:33-37. They tell us not to swear by heaven or earth or any other oath. This does not mean sincere legal oaths. These verses are talking about the frivolous and profane use of Gods name.
Jesus testified at His trial with an oath (Matthew 26:64).
Paul made an oath (2 Corinthians 1:23; Romans 1:9). He wrote these words by inspiration from God. Scripture warns against false swearers (1 Timothy 1:10). If all oaths were wrong then this verse would not be in the Bible.
I believe you are referring to James 5:12 and Matthew 5:33-37. They tell us not to swear by heaven or earth or any other oath. This does not mean sincere legal oaths. These verses are talking about the frivolous and profane use of Gods name.
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Monday, October 22, 2018
Sunday, October 21, 2018
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