10 Oct 2017 - The Multiplying Community (pt 1)

Radical ch 5 - The Multiplying Community (pp. 85-93)

"He was not only optimistic enough to think he could actually affect the world around him, but he was also confident enough to know how he was going to do it. He really believed that in obeying Jesus' command to make disciples, he was going to impact the world." - p. 86

Man, what happened to us as the American church? This is a kid in Sudan speaking with such confidence and assurance that he would make an indelible mark on the world following Christ!

"I am concerned about a general vagueness that has existed in contemporary Christianity regarding the next step." - p. 87

"You don't need to have inordinate skill or unusual abilities to make disciples. You don't need to be a great communicator or innovative thinker to make disciples. That's why Jesus says every Christian must do this." - p. 90

 Acts 2:1-13

"When the day of Pentecost had arrived, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like that of a violent rushing wind came from heaven and it filled the whole place where they were staying. And tongues, like flames of fire that were divided, appeared to them and rested on each of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages, as the Spirit gave them ability for speech. ... And they [the crowds] were astounded and amazed, saying, 'Look, aren't all these who are speaking Galileans? How is it that each of us can hear in our own native language?'" - vv. 1-4, 7-8

God didn't leave us on our own on this work of obedience in discipleship. He provided His Spirit to empower and guide us. We're not going blind or running on our finite energy. God is in the business of seeing His work through.

9 Oct 2017 - The Great Why of God (pt 3)

Radical ch 4 - The Great Why of God (pp. 78-84)

"I have blessed you for my glory. Not so you will have a comfortable life with a big house and a nice car. Not so you can spend lots of money on vacations, education or clothing. Those aren't bad things, but I've blessed you so that the nations will know me and see my glory. - p. 84

Acts 1:15-26

8 Oct 2017 - The Great Why of God (pt 2)

Radical ch 4 - The Great Why of God (pp. 69-78)

"The message of biblical Christianity is not 'God loves me, period," as if we were the object of our own faith. The message of biblical Christianity is "God loves me so that I might make him - his ways, his salvation, his glory, and his greatness - known among all nations.'" - pp. 70-71

"It's a foundational truth: God creates, blesses, and saves each of us for a radically global purpose. But if we are not careful, we will be tempted to make exceptions. We will be tempted to adopt spiritual smoke screens and embrace national comforts that excuse us from the global plan of Christ." - pp. 71-72 

"But where in the Bible is missions ever identified as an optional program in the church? ... We have taken this command, though, and reduced it to a calling - something that only a few people receive." - pp. 72 -73

"Certainly there are great needs here. But must we insist on dividing the Great Commission into an either-or proposition? Who told us that we had to choose to have a heart for the United States or a heart for the world?" - p. 76

 Acts 1:9-14

"All these were continually united in payer, along with the women, including Mary, the mother of Jesus, and His brothers." - v. 14

7 Oct 2017 - The Great Why of God (pt 1)

Radical ch 4 - The Great Why of God (pp. 61-69)

"God blesses his people with extravagant grace so they might extend his extravagant glory to all peoples on the earth. This basic, fundamental truth permeates Scripture from beginning to end. Yet I wonder if we unknowingly ignore the great why of God." - p. 69

 Acts 1:1-11

6 Oct 2017 - Beginning at the End of Ourselves (pt 2)

Radical ch 3 - Beginning at the End of Ourselves (pp. 53-60)

"The church I lead could have all the man-made resources that one could imagine, but apart from the Holy Spirit, such a church will do nothing of significance for the glory of God." - p. 54

"God our Father delights in this. He delights in giving us himself. He puts his very power in us so we might have all we need to accomplish his purposes in the world." - pp. 58-59 

"Surrounded by the self-sufficiency of American culture, we can convince ourselves that we have what it takes to achieve something great. In our churches we mimic our culture, planning and programming, organizing and strategizing, creating and innovating - all in an effort that will show what we can accomplish in our own ability." - p. 59

Titus 3:1-15

5 Oct 2017 - Beginning at the End of Ourselves (pt. 1)

Radical ch 3 -  Beginning at the End of Ourselves (pp. 43-53)

"This is how God works. He puts people in positions where they are desperate for his power, and then he shows his provision in ways that display his greatness." - p. 48

Titus 2:1-15

3 Oct 2017 - Too Hungry for Words (pt 2)

Radical ch 2 - Too Hungry for Words (pp. 33-41)

"At the Cross, Christ drank the full cup of the wrath of God, and when he had downed the last drop, he turned the cup over and cried out, 'It is finished.'" - p. 36

"You will not find a place where a superstitious sinner's prayer is even mentioned. And you will not find an emphasis on accepting Jesus. We have taken the infinitely glorious Son of God, who endured the infinitely terrible wrath of God and who now reigns as the infinitely worthy Lord of all, and we have reduced him to a poor, puny Saviour who is just begging for us to accept him. Accept him? Do we really think Jesus needs our acceptance? Don't we need him?" - p. 37

"Biblical proclamation of the gospel beckons us to a much different response and leads us down a much different road. Here the gospel demands and enables us to turn from our sin, to take up our cross, to die to ourselves, and to follow Jesus. These are the terms and phrases we see in the Bible. And Salvation now consists of a deep wrestling in our souls with the sinfulness of our hearts, the depth of our depravity, and the desperation of our need or his grace. Jesus is no longer one to be accepted or invited, but one who is infinitely worthy of our immediate and total surrender." - pp. 38-39

"We realise that we are saved not just to be forgiven of our sins or assured of our own eternity in heaven, but we are saved to know God. So we yearn for him. We want him so much that we abandon everything else to experience him." - p. 39 

Titus 1:1-16

1 Oct 2017 - Too Hungry for Words (pt 1)

Radical ch 2 - Too Hungry for Words (pp. 23-32)

"What if we take away the cool music and cushioned chairs? What if the screens are gone and the stage is no longer decorated? What if the air conditioning is off and the comforts re removed? Would his Word still be enough for his people to come together?" - p. 27

"We already have a fairly high view of our morality, so when we add a superstitious prayer, a subsequent dose of church attendance, and obedience to some of the Bible, we feel pretty sure that we will be all right in the end." - p. 32

"The modern-day gospel says, 'God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Therefore, follow these steps, and you can be saved.' Meanwhile, the biblical gospel says, 'You are an enemy of God, dead in your sin, and in your present state of rebellion, you are not even able to see that you nee life, much less to cause yourself to come to life. Therefore you are radically dependent on God to do something in your life that you could never do.'" - p. 32

2 Timothy 4:9-22

30 Sept 2017 - Someone Worth Losing Everything For (pt 3)

Radical ch 1 - Someone Worth Losing Everything For (pp. 12-21)

"[W]e are starting to redefine Christianity. We are giving in to the dangerous temptation to take the Jesus of the Bible and twist Him into a version of Jesus we are more comfortable with. A nice, middle-class, American Jesus." - p. 13

"We are molding Jesus into our image. He is beginning to look a lot like us, because, after all, that is whom we are most comfortable with." - p. 13 

Some things that are just too long to quote touched on the value of the exchange, the promise of Christ that surrendering everything to Him yields benefit in eternity. For example, in the parable of the field with the treasure, the man sells everything he owns for what appears to be an empty, barren field, but the man knows that in that field lies a greater reward than the value of everything he just sold. That needs to be our approach to Christ. In His demand of sacrifice and His promise of reward, we need to keep the perspective that the eternal reward of Christ is far greater than the sum of all our lifetime possessions and assets.

2 Timothy 4:1-8

"For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves, because they have an itch to hear something new." - v. 3

"But as for you, be serious about everything, endure hardship , do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." - v. 5

28 Sept 2017 - Someone Worth Losing Everything For (pt 2)

Radical ch 1 - Someone Worth Losing Everything For (pp. 4-12)

"Become homeless. Let someone else bury your dad. Don't even say good-bye to your family. Is it surprising that, from all we can tell in Luke 9, Jesus was successful in persuading these men not to follow him?" - p. 8

"Give up everything you have, carry a cross, and hate your family. This sounds a lot different from 'Admit, believe, confess, and pray a prayer after me.'" - pp. 10-11 

"[T]he kind of abandonment Jesus asked of the rich young man is at the core of Jesus' invitation throughout the Gospels. Even his simple call in Matthew 4 to his disciples - 'Follow me' - contained radical implications for their lives. Jesus was calling them to abandon their comforts, all that was familiar to them and natural for them. He was calling them to abandon their careers. ... Jesus was calling them to abandon their possessions. ... Jesus was calling them to abandon their family and their friends. ... Ultimately, Jesus was calling them to abandon themselves." - pp. 11-12

 "In a world that prizes promoting oneself, they were following a teacher who told them to crucify themselves. And history tells us the result. Almost all of them would lose their lives because they responded to his invitation." - p. 12

 I guess the big question echoes the chapter title. Is Jesus someone worth losing everything for? Is He worth losing my wife and/or unborn child for? Is He worth losing my schooling and future job for? Is He worth losing my home and possessions for? Is He worth losing my abilities and faculties for?

With my head, I know the answer is yes, but in my heart, I'm trying to intellectualise it so I don't feel the weight of these questions. My heart is in denial somewhat that the cost of following Christ could be this big.

God, please help me to let go. Please help me to put you in a place of higher honour and esteem in my heart, that my affections would not be fixated on these worldly treasures - relationships, people, jobs, income, senses - but on you. Teach me to be poor in spirit, holding the gifts and blessings you have given with an open hand, content in you, such that, should you take them, my joy and satisfaction would still be full. Oh Lord, allow me to sing to you the hymn: "Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart. Naught be all else to me save that thou art. Thou my best thought by day or by night. Waking or sleeping thy presence my light." Amen

27 Sept 2017 - Someone Worth Losing Everyone For (pt 1)

Radical ch 1 - Someone Worth Losing Everyone For (pp. 1-3)

"I am convince that we, as Christ followers in American churches, have embraced values and ideas that are not only unbiblical, but that actually contradict the Gospel we claim to believe." - p. 3

2 Timothy 3:10-17

"But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured! Yet the Lord rescued me from them all. In fact, all those who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted." - vv. 10-13

26 Sept 2017 - What Is My First Step?

A Practicing Christian ch 23 - What Is My First Step?

Questions

1. Look at Acts 2:21-27 and describe some of the healthy characteristics of a local congregation.
1. I'm not sure this is the right passage. Perhaps 41-47?
2. They devoted themselves to meeting, to teaching/learning, to community, remembrance of Christ, and to prayer. They performed miracles. They donated their possessions to the poor. They were joyful in praising God.
2. There is a problem developing in the Jerusalem church in Acts 6:1. What is the problem?
1. The widows of Greek Christians were being overlooked in fvour of Jewish Christians
3. How was the problem addressed in Acts 6:2-7? What was the positive outcome?
1. They appointed specific, trustworthy individuals to oversee that ministry
2. The church continued to grow

2 Timothy 3:1-9

25 Sept 2017 - Do You Let Your Emotions Get the Best of You?

A Practicing Christian ch 22 - Do You Let Your Emotions Get the Best of You?

"I knew I held on to some bitterness against someone, but there was no way I was going to admit I was wrong and ask for forgiveness. I thought the other person should be the one at my doorstep."

Questions

1. How does Philippians 4:8 relate to a Christian having healthy emotions?
1. Paul gives here a list of qualities to use as a checklist or standard of comparison for the things we dwell on. I think this can be particularly useful when addressing "stewing" emotions, like anger, bitterness, frustration, irritation, shame, guilt - all these negative, unpleasant emotions that we feel we can't actually express and so, end up in the emotion pot, being stewed, ruminated on, and dwelt on.
2. Explain what we are to do with bitterness in light of Ephesians 4:21.
1. "Assuming you heard about Him and were taught by Him, because the truth is in Jesus." I don't think this is the scripture intended. Verse 31, maybe? "All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice."
2. It's pretty straightforward, if this is the verse intended. We are to rid ourselves of bitterness.
3. What does the author of Hebrews mean by "root of bitterness" in Hebrews 12:15?
1. I would guess he means any source of bitterness, though the imagery of a root is very appropriate, making me think of a dandelion's tap root - it is extremely long and difficult to remove and, if it is not removed in its entirety, will result in a new dandelion growing back in its place.
   Bitterness is like that. The long root worms itself delicately into deeper corners of our hearts with small filament strands that are difficult to pull up without disturbing the soil, without bringing the contents of one's heart to light, sometimes painfully.

2 Timothy 2:14-26

"The Lord's slave must not quarrel..." - v. 24

But, God... Don't you see the foolishness of this people? The injustice? The idolatry?

"But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they breed quarrels. The Lord's slave must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient, instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth" - vv. 23-25

So, God, what you're saying is we need to leave the heart work to you? Just take our time teaching gently and leave the conviction all in your hands? That's hard to do sometimes...

24 Sept 2017 - What's on Your Plate?

A Practicing Christian ch 21 - What's on Your Plate?

Questions

1. How does Philippians 4:4 relate to enjoying and utilizing all the opportunities God sets before you?
1. "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I say rejoice." If we're going to rejoice in something, we celebrate it in its entirety. If we are going to be rejoicing in God, then we are praising him for the fullness of Himself, the blessings He's poured out, the work He has accomplished, and for the blessings and work he will complete in the future.
2. Why do some Christians not move forward when they know God is calling them?
1. Fear and doubt.
1. They fear the response and negative consequences that may come from being a bold witness
2. They doubt the sufficiency and will of God to see His work through and to provide what is needed. So, they say "I can't", because, in their doubt, they see no way it can be accomplished
3. Give an example where you have responded in faith to an opportunity God has given you.
1. Honestly, I'm not sure. For a very long time, I've been a fear and doubt Christian, not one walking in faith, trust, and courage.

2 Timothy 2:1-13

"Keep your attention on Jesus Christ as risen from the dead and descended from David. This is according to my Gospel. I suffer for it to the point of being bound like a criminal, but God's message is not bound. This is why I endure all things for the elect: so that they also may obtain salvation, which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." - vv. 8-10 (emphasis added)

23 Sept 2017 - Are You Pretending to Be Someone You're Not?

A Practicing Christian ch 20 - Are You Pretending to Be Someone You're Not?

Questions

1. How have you "put on a mask" pretending to be someone you're not?
1. I try not to do this anymore and just be myself, but I sometimes find myself hedging whenever I find myself doing poorly, whether academically, financially, spiritually, emotionally, etc. I don't want people to realise what state I'm in; I'd rather them think I'm keeping up with the pack.
   Increasingly, though, I find I have more freedom in being transparent of where I am.
2. How can being phony hurt your Christian witness?
1. How we deal with hardship is part of our witness. How can we show the power of God in every situation if we mask the situations in which we need God?
3. Relate 1 Samuel 16:7 to how we sometimes judge others by outward appearances.
1. I mean it's pretty clear. God has indicated that He considers the contents of a person's heart to be of greater value than their external appearance. To judge by outward appearance it to judge incompletely or too early.

2 Timothy 1:13-18

"Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard, through the Holy Spirit who lives in us, that good thing entrusted to you." - vv. 13-14

Something that stands out here is the example Paul makes of Onesiphorus in contrast to the believers who have left the faith. Onesiphorus, it appears, was a great comfort to Paul in Rome, seeking him out to share in his company and encourage him while he was imprisoned/under house arrest .

20 Sept - Who Do People Say You Are?

A Practicing Christian ch 19 - Who Do People Say You Are?

Questions

1. How do we "pull people down" to our level when we sin?
1. We justify our sins by comparing them to worse or equal sins in others.
2. What does it mean from a Biblical perspective to have a spotless reputation?
1. To have a spotless reputation means that Christ is giving Hi reputation on our behalf, because, "There is no one righteous, not even one." - Rom 3:10
3. Must we attain perfection to have a good gospel witness?
1. No, but we must be willing to be transparent in seeking forgiveness for our faults.

2 Timothy 1:8-12

19 Sept 2017 - Do You Need to Hold Your Tongue?

A Practicing Christian ch 18 - Do You Need to Hold Your Tongue?

Questions

1. According to Psalm 19:14, what we focus on (meditations of my heart) and what we say (words of my mouth) are elated. How are they connected?
1. Well, Jesus himself said that out of the overflow of the mouth, the hearts speaks. What you are dwelling on and investing in will prove itself in your speech.
2. What steps should a Christian take if he or she is prone to saying offensive words or foul language?
1. Hold your tongue. Consider whether what you are about to say is edifying to you, the person you're talking to, or to God. If the answer is "no" to any of those, then perhaps you should reconsider.
3. Is it wrong to lose your temper?
1. Short answer, yes.
2. Long answer, let's take a look at what temper is. Nowadays, we just use temper to mean our anger, but temper, in this context, is a loanword from blacksmithing, it's also used in music. In blacksmithing, after the tool or blade has been shaped, ground, and hardened, it is then tempered, which means is undergoes a second head treatment that prevents the metal from being so hard is shatters with forceful impact and so soft it bends or dents. We see the same meaning applied when talking about tempered glass - it's glass that has been made to be able to withstand extremes of temperatures and rapid changes in temperature. In music, a "well-tempered" instrument is an instrument made and tuned in such a way that it sounds in tune when played in any key.
   So, then, one's temper, emotionally, is the internal fortitude to withstand extremes of emotion. It's theoretically possible to lose one's temper in extremes of sadness or joy, but the expression nowadays refers to that anger that is so intense it surpasses the threshold of one's temper, such that, like a metal that loses its temper, they snap.
   In that context, keep in mind the verse that says, "In your anger, do not sin."

2 Timothy 1:1-7

17 Sept 2017 - Are You Greedy?

A Practicing Christian ch 17 - Are You Greedy?

A lot of thoughts here...

"People's lives have a tendency to get wrapped up in accruing possessions, and they lose focus on life's main objective, or at least what should be their objective. For an example, take a person who works from sunrise to sunset trying to get ahead in life ... That person's reasoning is they want to provide the very best for their family - most of the time it's a house bigger than they need with a two car garage filled with very expensive cars."

In many ways greed is like Anorexia Nervosa. Just as in AN, where an already-underweight person is convinced they're overweight and need to lose weight, so with greed a person who already has sufficient wealth is convinced he or she doesn't have enough.

"A good Christian saves and invests for the future, but there are extremes to greediness."

There's a difference between wise stewardship of the financial gifts God has given and the selfish accumulation of money and assets. The former puts the gift of God to work to reap better returns for the kingdom, while the latter sacrifices time, energy, and sometimes relationships to fill an eternal void with finite material.

"The Bible teaches us to trust God for our needs as the birds of the air do, because we are more important to Him than the birds." 

Right. God is the Father, the Author of all things, the Shepherd. In none of these roles does He neglect His creation or His children.

"The problem we have is that we want to live better than He may provide for us, or we simply don't trust Him as we should."

We humans are so easily dissatisfied, comparing our blessings with those given to others, desiring what we don't have or consoling ourselves that we have more than the person next door. Not to mention that, in the cycle of greed, we gradually take our eyes off of God as our provider and we begin to view our gifts as things we worked for, that we would have more if we just worked harder. Of course, that's not how God works - we could never work hard enough to merit any blessing. So, then, we should learn to be satisfied with what God has given at each stage of life, trusting that it will be sufficient for our needs.

"Nothing is wrong with wealth, except when it takes time away from God and you lose your focus of why you were put here on this earth."

Bingo. Wealth is ultimately a tool to be used for furthering the kingdom. Many times, Christians vilify those who have wealth as though they are some kind of evil, immoral people. God's Word says, however, that it is the love of money that is the root of all evil, not the money itself. Money is the currency by which the world runs. So, why would God not gift certain of His children with wealth so that they could contribute to the spreading of His word? It's only when we begin to love money, when we begin to put it above God, our callings, our families, etc. that it becomes an idol.

Questions

1. How are "covet" and "greed" related in the context of Exodus 10:17?
1. Coveting is wanting what someone else has. Greed is not being satisfied with what you have. In that sense, covetousness is a subtype of greed.
2. Re-read Matthew 25:14-29. How does this parable relate to greed and good stewardship?
1. I don't se the relation to greed, but I definitely see the command to steward money well - as with any other gift, for that matter - that it may return to the master having grown in value and impact.
3. Is greed idolatry according to the Bible? Why? 
1. Yes. When one is greedy, one places himself as the provider, instead of God. Additionally, when one is greedy, one spends all of one's attention focused on ways to satisfy that greed - essentially worshipping it - sacrificing one's life at greed's altar. Lastly, when one is greedy, one values the object of desire above God and attributes to it qualities that belong to God only.

1 Timothy 6:17-21

"Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be arrogant or to set their hope on the uncertainty of wealth but on God, who richly provides us with all things to enjoy." - v. 17

Basically, what was said above. I need to take this to heart, though, because, while I may not be rich right now, later on in life, compared to most of the world and much of the US, I will be and I need to learn now that my wealth is not the end, but merely something transient and temporary, as fleeting as this present life.

"Instruct them to do what is good, to be rich in good works, to be generous, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good reserve for the age to come, so they may take hold of life that is real." - v. 18

To continue from the thought above, my wealth is not the end, but merely a tool to God's ends. This statement encompasses what the godly use of financial resources and blessings looks like.

 

16 Sept 2017 - Have You Read Anything Good Lately?

A Practicing Christian ch 16 - Have You Read Anything Good Lately?

"There are times when each spouse needs to escape from the world by relaxing with a magazine or  book or a game. There is nothing wrong with that. You just need to be careful that it doesn't get out of control. It becomes wrong when all your other responsibilities are no longer priorities."

I can attest to this. Just this last week, I used amounts of time that should have been reserved for studying to take "reading breaks" to try and finish a book I was reading. As a result, while I am not behind, I am definitely more pressed to try and finish my work by the deadline.

"You become what you read and consume. ... If we are only reading things that are detrimental to our Christian walk, we will struggle to be practicing Christians."

What you sow is what you reap. If you are constantly filling your mind with ungodly concepts and items, then that's what's going to come out - and I don't mean just pornography. We need to be careful even when reading philosophy, science, economics, politics, etc. If the writer is an unbeliever, he or she will be speaking from a very worldly perspective, often with some very convincing arguments and it's easy to compromise our faith in favour of  these rational arguments.

 Questions

1. Why do we need to make the Bible part of our daily reading?
1. We need to do as the psalmist wrote: "I have hidden your word in my heart that I may not sin against You." We cannot obey God, we cannot know His voice if we do not spend time in His word.
2. How can some non-Biblical reading hurt our walk with Christ?
1. It can fill us with ungodly images or thoughts that can lead us to sin.
2. It can teach us ungodly manners of thinking that can lead us to trust in our own understanding and can lead us to ungodly premises and conclusions.
3. What does Mark 9:14 mean in the context of what we read?
1. I'm not sure that this is the passage the author intended, but I'll run with it. If we're not careful in how we read what we read, we can end up like the disciples within our own minds, surrounded by a crowd of spectators and debating with learned scholars, conflicted in the thoughts and ideologies we should use or ascribe to.

1 Timothy 6:11-16

"But you, man of God, run from these things, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness." - v. 11

It's interesting to me how these two segments have come together at the same time and when they've come together. I've just finished reading a rationality Harry Potter fanfic, called Harry  Potter and the Methods of Rationality (HPMOR). I have a decently strong history with rationality, logic, and logical debate/argument and have maintained a fairly strong interest in these things, wanting to learn the various aspects of philosophy and applied reasoning that contribute to ethics, metaphysics, origins, and epistemology, particularly in the public sphere and how we, as Christians, can better address the zeitgeist of modern society.

As I mentioned above, it can become very dangerous and tempting to drink deeply from the humanistic leanings of the rationality community, but it is important to remember that man is not the source of all wisdom, that all wisdom is God's wisdom and that, in learning the varying bits of jargon, thought experiments, and arguments, I need to remember that many of these authors do not appear to believe in God. In many ways, many of these thought experiments seek to provide deeper nuanced answers to things many believers take for granted, because we sometimes put them under the blanket explanation of "God made it that way," or "all of mankind is innately depraved and sinful." As such, many of these arguments unintentionally  seek to supplant God while they intentionally refuse to consider the existence of God as any contributing factor.

In addition, there can be a negative attitude towards the general society by some modern internet rationalists as "sheeple", unable to think and see clearly the deceptions and realisations of the governments, religions, etc., meanwhile thinking of themselves as the saviours of humanity, separate from the crowd and clear-sighted, sometimes blind to their own inabilities and faults. This, of course, stands in contrast to the word of God that all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God, that no-one is righteous, that Christ is the way, the truth, and the light, the only way to God, and that the attempts of man to reach Godhood, as evidenced by the tower of Babel, will ultimately fail.

So, then, the reminder to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness stands as a reminder to keep Christ as the focus and to measure the degree to which I buy into the arguments and explanations given, as some, but not all, may contradict with what God has written and I will need the God-given discernment to see what ideas fall into which camp.

 

15 Sept 2017 - Do You Share God with Others?

A Practicing Christian ch 15 - Do You Share God with Others?

Questions

1. How did the early church in Acts share the love of God? See Acts 2:41-47.
1. Amongst themselves, they met for the sake of fellowship, teaching, and prayer
2. Amongst others they performed miracles and were generous in giving to the needy
2. What are some ways you can share the love of God in your life every day?
1. First, I can testify to the changes that the love of God has wrought in my life and marriage. Second, I can share with others the truth that God does indeed love them and pursues a living relationship with them. Third, I can model the love of God in how I engage with and treat others.
3. What are some special initiatives you can make to share the love of God?
1. Honestly, I'm not sure. I'm still looking for the best opportunities to witness to the patients I see and the preceptors over me.

1 Timothy 6:2b-10