In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
Genesis1:1
Even those who have never read a single verse from the bible have (most likely) heard the first verse from the book of Genesis. However, God did not create man to act like robots. He did not create us to be pre-programmed to do His will or obey Him. God granted us with individual minds, feelings, and a free will to choose.
Without blinking an eye, we make thousands of unconscious decisions each day. However, God chose to give us the breath of life. God chose to put us on this earth and God chose for us to live in order to glorify His name. Obviously, we also have a choice to follow Him.
I will proclaim the name of the LORD.
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
Deuteronomy 32:3
With that being said, one question still remains...
If God created everything...Did God create Evil?
The following dialogue was provided by a new friend of mine (thank you Jan!) and with her permission I am posting it here. After you read this, it will make you think about things differently.
The Debate
At a certain college there was a professor with a reputation for being tough on Christians. At the first class, every semester, he asked if anyone was a Christian and proceeded to degrade them and to mock their statement of faith. One semester, he asked the question and a young man raised his hand.
The professor asked, "Did God make everything young man?" He replied "Yes sir he did!" The professor responded, "IF God made everything, then he made evil."
The student didn't have a response and the professor was happy to once again prove the Christian faith to be a myth.
Then another man raised his hand and asked, "May I ask you something,sir?" "Yes, you may," responded the professor.
The young man stood up and said, "Sir, is there such a thing as cold?" Of course there is, what kind of a question is that? Haven't you ever been cold?"
The young man replied, "Actually, sir, cold doesn't exist. What we consider to be cold, is really an absence of heat. Absolute zero is when there is absolutely no heat, but cold does not really exist. We have only created that term to describe how we feel when heat is not there."
The young man continued, Sir, is there such a thing as dark?" Once again the professor responded, "Of course there is."And once again, the student replied, "Actually, sir, darkness does not exist. Darkness is really only the absence of light. Darkness is only a term developed to describe what happens when there is no light present."
Finally, the young man asked, "Sir, is there such a thing as evil?" The professor responded, "Of course, we have rapes, murders and violence everywhere in the world, Those things are evil."
The student replied, "Actually, sir, evil does not exist. Evil is simply the absence of God. Evil is a term developed to describe the absence of God. God did not create evil. It isn't like truth, or love which exist as virtues like heat or light. Evil is simply the state where God is not present, like cold without heat, or darkness without light."
The professor had nothing to say...
Be full of Christ today, there is no room for anything else.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, August 28, 2009
Putting yourself in God's shoes
A man's wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.
Proverbs 19:11
We've all been there...
We've all had our moments when "enough was enough" and we've lashed out in frustration, anger, or even physical action. It might have been to a friend, loved one or even a stranger. But never-the-less we acted in a manner directly opposite of what God expects from us. There are countless stories where someone was victimized, either physically or emotionally and the perpetrator got away with it. Sadly, this is the world we live in...where our hearts, minds, philosophies, and goals are constantly influenced by the enemy.
4The 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.
2 Corinthians 4:4
What we must remember is that patience is of great importance to our spiritual growth. It's really easy for us to be the 'poster child' for patience when everything is going our way. The true test of tolerance comes when we struggle with events that greatly irritate us. Each and every one of us has a "button" or multiple "buttons" that once pushed, trigger irritation, anger, irrational behavior, and possibly even violence.
So, how do you think God feels when we sin and disobey His word? Sin is a direct offense and irritant to God...and He deals with it countless times a day AND has dealt with it since the dawn of time. I don't think we can even begin to fathom the amount of patience and love that our God has for us if we think about how frustrating it must be to watch the things that we do each and every day.
Can you imagine your son, daughter or a close loved one constantly disobeying you? It can be very frustrating and lead to actions that we later regret. Some people even go so far as to disown or even murder their their own blood out of anger or frustration. The bible tells us that we will have trials on this earth...
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33
And it is through the victory of these trials that we will grow and teach others...
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows
Corinthians 1:3-5
Final thoughts:
The next time we get angry, feel frustration or discomfort about a particular situation let's try to think about how God has felt with us throughout our lifetime. Think about all the mistakes that we've made and how He's forgiven us and permitted us to learn and grow from our mistakes. How easily would it have been for Him to strike us down and be done with it. But, He does not, for He is a loving and forgiving God.
Let us have patience with one another as God has had patience with us. Then let us use these lessons to teach others around us, for some of the greatest acts come from sharing what we have learned so that others may not stumble as harshly.
25Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
2 Timothy 2:25-27
To save your soul, you must save a soul
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Proverbs 19:11
We've all been there...
We've all had our moments when "enough was enough" and we've lashed out in frustration, anger, or even physical action. It might have been to a friend, loved one or even a stranger. But never-the-less we acted in a manner directly opposite of what God expects from us. There are countless stories where someone was victimized, either physically or emotionally and the perpetrator got away with it. Sadly, this is the world we live in...where our hearts, minds, philosophies, and goals are constantly influenced by the enemy.
4The 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.
2 Corinthians 4:4
What we must remember is that patience is of great importance to our spiritual growth. It's really easy for us to be the 'poster child' for patience when everything is going our way. The true test of tolerance comes when we struggle with events that greatly irritate us. Each and every one of us has a "button" or multiple "buttons" that once pushed, trigger irritation, anger, irrational behavior, and possibly even violence.
So, how do you think God feels when we sin and disobey His word? Sin is a direct offense and irritant to God...and He deals with it countless times a day AND has dealt with it since the dawn of time. I don't think we can even begin to fathom the amount of patience and love that our God has for us if we think about how frustrating it must be to watch the things that we do each and every day.
Can you imagine your son, daughter or a close loved one constantly disobeying you? It can be very frustrating and lead to actions that we later regret. Some people even go so far as to disown or even murder their their own blood out of anger or frustration. The bible tells us that we will have trials on this earth...
"In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
John 16:33
And it is through the victory of these trials that we will grow and teach others...
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows
Corinthians 1:3-5
Final thoughts:
The next time we get angry, feel frustration or discomfort about a particular situation let's try to think about how God has felt with us throughout our lifetime. Think about all the mistakes that we've made and how He's forgiven us and permitted us to learn and grow from our mistakes. How easily would it have been for Him to strike us down and be done with it. But, He does not, for He is a loving and forgiving God.
Let us have patience with one another as God has had patience with us. Then let us use these lessons to teach others around us, for some of the greatest acts come from sharing what we have learned so that others may not stumble as harshly.
25Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
2 Timothy 2:25-27
To save your soul, you must save a soul
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Here I am. Send me.
I want to thank gotquestions.org and Brent Barnett in advance for giving me inspiration on the content I’m about to share.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way…
Many times we end up waiting for someone else to share or preach the gospel to us. This is especially true when it comes to friends or loved ones, as they know our past and it’s often more difficult for them to “buy in” to a slow or sudden change in spiritual direction. Too often, our expectations are set that a pastor, priest, spiritual leader etc. should always be the one who shares or preaches the word of God. It’s seems easy to listen and support them, but it’s not always easy to lead others to Christ.
But have no doubt that God wants us to play a direct role in building up His kingdom. I’ll say it again… God wants us to play a direct role in building up His kingdom. It pleases Him to see us glorifying His name.
1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
Luke10:1-3
Throughout the entire bible God has called ordinary men to do extraordinary things. Let’s look at an example from the Book of Isaiah.
Isaiah was called by God to prophesy to the Kingdom of Judah. At that time, Judah was going through hard times and was threatened by many other kingdoms. Judah was in chaos and falling into despair. Yet, out of mercy God spared Judah from destruction.
Isaiah’s commission began the day that he saw God. It was then that Isaiah immediately realized how unclean his life and the life of the people of Judah had been. After feeling God’s presence, perfection and holiness, Isaiah was overwhelmed by his sinful ways. His guilt was so great that he thought he was going to die.
5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
Isaiah 6:5
But the Lord had other plans for Isaiah…
6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
Isaiah6:6-8
When the Lord asked who He should send (and “who will go for us” God was referring to the Holy Trinity), Isaiah immediately volunteered himself to take on whatever responsibility God would ask of him. Ultimately, he was charged with proclaiming a message of repentance from sin throughout the land of Judah and after witnessing the glory of God, Isaiah took it upon himself to deliver God’s message with every measure of his being.
Final Thoughts:
If we are willing to do whatever it takes to please God, follow His ways, and bring followers to Him, then we will be rewarded.
4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.
Leviticus 18:4-6
In the end we will be judged. We all will be charged to give a full account of our actions or lack of. So, I ask…would you rather lead, follow or get out of the way?
Here I am. Send me.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way…
Many times we end up waiting for someone else to share or preach the gospel to us. This is especially true when it comes to friends or loved ones, as they know our past and it’s often more difficult for them to “buy in” to a slow or sudden change in spiritual direction. Too often, our expectations are set that a pastor, priest, spiritual leader etc. should always be the one who shares or preaches the word of God. It’s seems easy to listen and support them, but it’s not always easy to lead others to Christ.
But have no doubt that God wants us to play a direct role in building up His kingdom. I’ll say it again… God wants us to play a direct role in building up His kingdom. It pleases Him to see us glorifying His name.
1After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.
Luke10:1-3
Throughout the entire bible God has called ordinary men to do extraordinary things. Let’s look at an example from the Book of Isaiah.
Isaiah was called by God to prophesy to the Kingdom of Judah. At that time, Judah was going through hard times and was threatened by many other kingdoms. Judah was in chaos and falling into despair. Yet, out of mercy God spared Judah from destruction.
Isaiah’s commission began the day that he saw God. It was then that Isaiah immediately realized how unclean his life and the life of the people of Judah had been. After feeling God’s presence, perfection and holiness, Isaiah was overwhelmed by his sinful ways. His guilt was so great that he thought he was going to die.
5 "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."
Isaiah 6:5
But the Lord had other plans for Isaiah…
6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?"
And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
Isaiah6:6-8
When the Lord asked who He should send (and “who will go for us” God was referring to the Holy Trinity), Isaiah immediately volunteered himself to take on whatever responsibility God would ask of him. Ultimately, he was charged with proclaiming a message of repentance from sin throughout the land of Judah and after witnessing the glory of God, Isaiah took it upon himself to deliver God’s message with every measure of his being.
Final Thoughts:
If we are willing to do whatever it takes to please God, follow His ways, and bring followers to Him, then we will be rewarded.
4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.
Leviticus 18:4-6
In the end we will be judged. We all will be charged to give a full account of our actions or lack of. So, I ask…would you rather lead, follow or get out of the way?
Here I am. Send me.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Favorite Verses part 1
In this posting I thought I'd share some of my favorite bible passages with everyone. When I say "favorite" I'm really referring to the ones that truly hit home and influence the way that I think and act. By no means is this a comprehensive list...but it's a start. I've highlighted in red the parts that really catch my attention.
I would enjoy hearing some of your favorite or most influential passages as well. So feel free to share!
The Narrow and Wide Gates:
13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matthew 7:13-14
Peter's Confession of Christ:
13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
14They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,the Son of the living God."
Matthew 16:13-16
Wealth:
24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
Matthew 19:24 (New International Version)
Jesus' Last Command:
19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:19-20
Paul's Vision:
9One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.
Acts 18:9
Believe and it shall be yours:
24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Mark 11:24
Job Praises the Lord (even after his family was killed):
18While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
19And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
20Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
21And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
22In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Job 1:18-22
A Criminal is Forgiven at the Cross:
38There was a written notice above him, which read:sc THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Luke 23:38-44
Christ is the Key:
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
I would enjoy hearing some of your favorite or most influential passages as well. So feel free to share!
The Narrow and Wide Gates:
13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Matthew 7:13-14
Peter's Confession of Christ:
13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"
14They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
15"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,the Son of the living God."
Matthew 16:13-16
Wealth:
24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
Matthew 19:24 (New International Version)
Jesus' Last Command:
19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matthew 28:19-20
Paul's Vision:
9One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.
Acts 18:9
Believe and it shall be yours:
24Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
Mark 11:24
Job Praises the Lord (even after his family was killed):
18While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
19And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
20Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
21And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
22In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Job 1:18-22
A Criminal is Forgiven at the Cross:
38There was a written notice above him, which read:sc THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!"
40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong."
42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
Luke 23:38-44
Christ is the Key:
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The Apostle John
The Apostle John was one of the sons of Zebedee and younger brother to the Apostle James. John is known as the “disciple that Jesus loved.” Church history tells us that the Apostle John lived into the 90's A.D. and was the last surviving apostle. John is the only one of the twelve Apostles to have died a natural death. Although he did not die a martyr's death, he did live a martyr's life. He was exiled to the Island of Patmos under the Emperor Domitian for his proclamation of the risen Christ. It was there that he wrote the last book in the Bible, Revelation.
Calling of the first disciples:
18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 20At once they left their nets and followed him.
21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Matthew 4:18-22
It seems that John had a closer relationship with Jesus than any of the other disciples. Jesus and John were essentially “best friends.” Jesus entrusted John with the care of His mother, gave John the vision of the transfiguration and allowed John to witness His most amazing miracles.
During the crucifixion:
26When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
27Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
John 19:26-27
Other references to the disciple that Jesus loved:
The Last Supper:
23Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
John 13:23
Jesus appears a third time after rising from the the Dead:
5Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
6And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
7Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
John 21:5-7
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Calling of the first disciples:
18As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. 19"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 20At once they left their nets and followed him.
21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, 22and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Matthew 4:18-22
It seems that John had a closer relationship with Jesus than any of the other disciples. Jesus and John were essentially “best friends.” Jesus entrusted John with the care of His mother, gave John the vision of the transfiguration and allowed John to witness His most amazing miracles.
During the crucifixion:
26When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
27Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
John 19:26-27
Other references to the disciple that Jesus loved:
The Last Supper:
23Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
John 13:23
Jesus appears a third time after rising from the the Dead:
5Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.
6And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.
7Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
John 21:5-7
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
At Calvary
Years I spent in vanity and pride,
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died on Calvary.
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty at Calvary.
By God’s Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary.
Now I’ve given to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing of Calvary!
Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary!
Song written by William R. Newell, 1895
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Caring not my Lord was crucified,
Knowing not it was for me He died on Calvary.
Mercy there was great, and grace was free;
Pardon there was multiplied to me;
There my burdened soul found liberty at Calvary.
By God’s Word at last my sin I learned;
Then I trembled at the law I’d spurned,
Till my guilty soul imploring turned to Calvary.
Now I’ve given to Jesus everything,
Now I gladly own Him as my King,
Now my raptured soul can only sing of Calvary!
Oh, the love that drew salvation’s plan!
Oh, the grace that brought it down to man!
Oh, the mighty gulf that God did span at Calvary!
Song written by William R. Newell, 1895
God bless you. And this is for His Glory!
Monday, August 17, 2009
The Apostle Peter
"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."
But he replied, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death."
Jesus answered, "I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that
you know me."
Luke 22:31-34
All too often we associate St. Peter with denying Jesus Christ. But, he did so much for the glory of God that it cannot all be outlined here. Peter was not only "the rock" as Jesus called him; but, he was the leader of the Apostles for many years. Peter and the other apostles were charged with spreading the word and works of Jesus throughout the world. They also had the responsibility of writing the first writings of scripture, so that future generations would not be corrupted by false teachings
"In short, it was the apostles themselves who saw the need for a New Testament canon of scriptures and it was they who produced it."
About Simon Peter:
It is said that the apostle Peter was a slender person, of a middle size, inclining to tallness, and that his complexion was pale, almost white. It is also said that he had a short, thick, curled beard, thin eyebrows, or no eyebrows at all. Peter's eyes were black, but flecked with red due to frequent weeping.
Born at Betsaida in Galilee to a fisherman by the name of Jona, Peter would eventually follow his father into this profession. He, and his brother Andrew, became partners with Zebedee and his sons James and John in a fishing business. All four, Peter, Andrew, James, and John, were to become disciples of Jesus; later to be appointed as apostles by Him. So firm was Peter's faith that Jesus gave him the name of Cephas, meaning, in the Syriac language, a rock. Peter is the Greek translation of Cephas.
The house in which Peter lived in, in Capernaum, is still standing; in the 5th century AD, however, a Christian church was constructed over it. It was Peter who preached to the masses in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost following the Lord's ascension to heaven, and it is his message which is recorded in the New Testament of the Bible, the book of Acts, chapter 2. In fact, much is written about the apostle Peter in the first 12 chapters of the book of Acts in the New Testament. Peter is, also, the one who prompted the disciples to choose a replacement to take over the apostolic ministry of Judas Iscariot (after his betrayal and death); and it was Peter who healed a man over 40 years of age who had been crippled from birth with but the words, "Silver and Gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk."
Peter was called by the apostle Paul a "pillar" of the church, and it was believed by the crowds that the mere casting of his shadow upon the sick was capable of bringing about miraculous healing. Peter is, also, the one who defended the inclusion of the Gentiles in the Christian movement at the Apostolic Council in Jerusalem. His ministry was primarily to the Jews, as Paul's was to the Gentiles.
After being imprisoned several times in Jerusalem because of his faith, Peter left with his wife and possibly others. It is believed that he ministered in Babylon to the Jewish colonists there, and it is also believed to be his location when he wrote his first epistle (1 Peter).Peter eventually went to Rome, and while there it is believed that Mark (the writer of the Gospel of Mark) served as his translator as he preached. It is, also, believed that as Peter told and retold his experiences with Jesus, Mark interpreted time and time again to Christian groups, and by so doing gave Mark an almost verbatim memory of Peter's recollections.
After Peter's death, Mark, realizing the value of Peter's first hand account, recorded what he remembered so clearly in what we know as the Gospel of Mark. In this manner, Peter became the source of our earliest Gospel.According to church tradition, the Roman Emperor Nero, publicly announcing himself the chief enemy of God, was led in his fury to slaughter the Apostles.
Because of the persecution, Peter was crucified upside down while in Rome. Concerning the last hours of his life, it is said that when Peter saw his own wife led out to die, he rejoiced because of her summons and her return home, and called to her very encouragingly and comfortingly, addressing her by name, and saying, "O thou, remember the Lord." Of the final days of the apostle Peter in Rome, Jowett wrote that Peter was cast into a horrible prison called the Mamertine and for nine months, in absolute darkness, he endured monstrous torture manacled to a post. In spite of all the suffering Peter was subjected to, he converted his jailers and forty-seven others.
Although, just before the Jesus’ crucifixion, Peter denied three times that he even knew Christ. After the resurrection he did not do so again. Peter, just as Jesus told him in John 21:18-19, was crucified by Roman executioners because he could not deny his master again.
According to Eusebius, he thought himself unworthy to be crucified as his Master, and, therefore, he asked to be crucified "head downward." Peter met his death at the hand of the Romans in Nero's circus, 67AD.
Source: The Search For The Twelve Apostles, William McBirnie, PH.D
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
Friday, August 14, 2009
The Twelve Apostles
The CEO of a company is only as good as the people that work under him. Nearly every great goal requires the efforts of many people to accomplish it. Using a sports analogy…a coach can practice his team for hours, can teach them proper technique, fundamentals, and implant wisdom as to how to strategically play the game. However, a coach cannot be on the field with his team. He must trust that his preparation, enthusiasm, hours of training, and knowledge is strong enough to give them the advantage they need to persevere and win. This situation is not very different from what the twelve apostles went through when they were called to follow Jesus. They were twelve ordinary men whom God used in an extraordinary manner.
What does "Apostle" mean?
It’s the Greek word apostolos, meaning "a sent one", (by the LORD). Today we may call them Missionaries: those who are sent into other countries to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Apostles are part of the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4:11 (Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers), and the word "missionary" is not found in the Bible.
The Twelve Apostles:
1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.
Matthew 10:1-4
After Jesus’ resurrection and before He ascended into Heaven, eleven of these men were commanded to “Go and Make disciples of all nations…”
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:18-20
Final Thoughts:
"It is believed that all but one of the Apostles suffered and died a martyr’s death (even if we can’t be sure of all the details). Amidst some uncertainty, one thing can be made certain…the reason for each of their deaths were the same in every account. They were killed because they proclaimed to have seen Christ die and then to have seen Him alive. They all died because of an unwavering, unrelenting claim that Christ rose from the grave. "
– Sam Shaw
In the next couple of postings, I’ll talk more about the life and death of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ and how they were charged with changing the world after Jesus’ ascension into Heaven.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
What does "Apostle" mean?
It’s the Greek word apostolos, meaning "a sent one", (by the LORD). Today we may call them Missionaries: those who are sent into other countries to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. Apostles are part of the five-fold ministry of Ephesians 4:11 (Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers), and the word "missionary" is not found in the Bible.
The Twelve Apostles:
1 And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him.
Matthew 10:1-4
After Jesus’ resurrection and before He ascended into Heaven, eleven of these men were commanded to “Go and Make disciples of all nations…”
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:18-20
Final Thoughts:
"It is believed that all but one of the Apostles suffered and died a martyr’s death (even if we can’t be sure of all the details). Amidst some uncertainty, one thing can be made certain…the reason for each of their deaths were the same in every account. They were killed because they proclaimed to have seen Christ die and then to have seen Him alive. They all died because of an unwavering, unrelenting claim that Christ rose from the grave. "
– Sam Shaw
In the next couple of postings, I’ll talk more about the life and death of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ and how they were charged with changing the world after Jesus’ ascension into Heaven.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Joke of the Day
Every so often it's good to share a little humor in our lives. With that being said, here is my joke of the day.
A high school senior came to his dad a few months before graduation and said “Dad, I think I deserve a new car.” The father had the financial means to make it happen and he looked at his son and said, “Son, I’ll get you that new car, but first you need to do three things. Number one - bring your grades up. Two - read your bible more. Three – You’ve got to get a haircut.”
After a few months it was right before graduation and the boy went back to his father and asked if he was going to get the car or not?
His father said, “Well, son…you’ve brought your grades up from an average of a C to an average of A- and I’m proud of that. I’ve also noticed when I walk by your room in the morning that you’ve been studying and reading the bible more, so I’m happy to see that. But, son… you still haven’t gotten a haircut.” The son said, “Dad, I’ve been studying the bible and I’ve noticed that everywhere Moses is depicted he had long hair and even Jesus is shown with long hair.” His father looked his son square in the eye and said, “Son, you have to remember that Moses and Jesus walked everywhere they went. And so will you if you don’t get a haircut.”
Special thanks to Dr. David Jeremiah for telling that joke.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
A high school senior came to his dad a few months before graduation and said “Dad, I think I deserve a new car.” The father had the financial means to make it happen and he looked at his son and said, “Son, I’ll get you that new car, but first you need to do three things. Number one - bring your grades up. Two - read your bible more. Three – You’ve got to get a haircut.”
After a few months it was right before graduation and the boy went back to his father and asked if he was going to get the car or not?
His father said, “Well, son…you’ve brought your grades up from an average of a C to an average of A- and I’m proud of that. I’ve also noticed when I walk by your room in the morning that you’ve been studying and reading the bible more, so I’m happy to see that. But, son… you still haven’t gotten a haircut.” The son said, “Dad, I’ve been studying the bible and I’ve noticed that everywhere Moses is depicted he had long hair and even Jesus is shown with long hair.” His father looked his son square in the eye and said, “Son, you have to remember that Moses and Jesus walked everywhere they went. And so will you if you don’t get a haircut.”
Special thanks to Dr. David Jeremiah for telling that joke.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Jesus' First Miracle
In John 2, Mary, Jesus and his disciples attended a wedding in Cana of Galilee. It is assumed that Mary might have been in some way related to the family of the bride or groom. This makes even more sense when Mary tells Jesus that the wedding party had run out of wine. Jesus responds by saying…
4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? Mine hour is not yet come.
At that time, the term “Woman” was used out of respect and it seemed that Jesus was either implying that his time to work public miracles had not yet come, or that the time for Him to die for our sins had not yet arrived. Either way, Mary turned to Jesus for help as she certainly believed that he could do something. So, Mary turned to the servants and said...
5 Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
Then Jesus said…
7 Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
Essentially, this was Jesus’ first miracle where he turned over 30 gallons of water in fine wine and it was the beginning of a very long string of miracles that he performed while He was with His Apostles. For the Gospel says...
11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
The Executive
The Executive:
Josh McDowell writes "An executive 'head hunter' who goes out and hires corporate executives for other firms once told me, 'When I get an executive I'm trying to hire for someone else, I like to disarm him. I offer him a drink, take my coat off, then my vest, undo my tie, throw up my feet and talk about baseball, football, family, whatever, until he's all relaxed. Then when I think I've got him relaxed I lean over, look him square in the eye and say - what's the purpose in your life?' It's amazing how top executives fall apart on that question.' Well, I was interviewing this fellow the other day, had him all disarmed with my feet up on my desk talking about football. Then I leaned over and said - what's the purpose in your life, Bob? Without blinking an eye he said, 'To go to heaven and take as many people with me as I can.' For the first time in my career I was speechless."
There are basically five reasons why we don't share our faith more often, and not one of them will hold up when we stand before Christ:
(1) We think it's the preacher's job.
(2) We aren't sure of our salvation.
(3) We fear being rejected.
(4) We've never taken responsibility for learning how.
(5) Our love for Christ has grown cold.
But not Bob: he said, "Whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him."
Can you say that?
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Finding God in Walmart
This is a the fourth installment in a series I'm writing concerning the theme "Examples of Faith." I'm writing this one based on a recent personal experience.
The Cashier's story:
It never ceases to amaze me how easily it is for me to get caught off guard by the actions of others. Case in point:
I was walking through Walmart the other day....and before I continue let me stop here and say that I really try to avoid going to Walmart whenever possible. It's typically just too crowded for my liking. Anyhow, as I was checking out the cashier asked me how I was doing. Of course, I gave the predictable..."Good and you?" My mind was elsewhere at the time and for whatever reason I was a little zoned out, so I was not really even thinking of what I was saying, or even asking for that matter. The cashier immediately responded by saying, "Blessed by the best and praying for the rest." I was so taken back by this response that I didn't really comprehend all of it at the moment. At the time all I heard was "Blessed" and "Praying"...I really didn't even put the rest of her statement together until I was halfway out the door. I did, however, manage to tell her "God bless you" before I left. It was more an attempt to salvage a lost opportunity more than anything else.
As I left Walmart the significance of her words finally hit me. "Blessed by the Best". The "Best" referring to God and "Praying for the rest" is fairly self explanatory. As I drove off in my car I felt that this was not only a lesson, but also a missed opportunity.
The Lesson: One can find God even in places we would never expect to find Him. In my situation, I really don't like going to Walmart. So, my priority was to get in and get out as quickly as possible. I wanted to get in and out without much thought or interaction with another human being. Then God showed up (through the cashier) and reminded me that He is everywhere, even in places that we would never think to look.
The Missed Opportunity: I felt as though this was a missed opportunity because I didn't take advantage of the situation by expressing my delight and surprise after hearing the cashier's words. What boldness and great faith she showed to express her love for God in such an openly manner. I even heard her repeat it to the person checking out behind me as I walked away.
Final Thoughts:
Later that night, I asked God for forgiveness because I felt as though I didn't do or say enough during that situation. At this point, I'm still not sure what I would have said or done differently, but saying something (anything) would have been better than nothing. I'll be sure not to make the same mistake again.
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
The Cashier's story:
It never ceases to amaze me how easily it is for me to get caught off guard by the actions of others. Case in point:
I was walking through Walmart the other day....and before I continue let me stop here and say that I really try to avoid going to Walmart whenever possible. It's typically just too crowded for my liking. Anyhow, as I was checking out the cashier asked me how I was doing. Of course, I gave the predictable..."Good and you?" My mind was elsewhere at the time and for whatever reason I was a little zoned out, so I was not really even thinking of what I was saying, or even asking for that matter. The cashier immediately responded by saying, "Blessed by the best and praying for the rest." I was so taken back by this response that I didn't really comprehend all of it at the moment. At the time all I heard was "Blessed" and "Praying"...I really didn't even put the rest of her statement together until I was halfway out the door. I did, however, manage to tell her "God bless you" before I left. It was more an attempt to salvage a lost opportunity more than anything else.
As I left Walmart the significance of her words finally hit me. "Blessed by the Best". The "Best" referring to God and "Praying for the rest" is fairly self explanatory. As I drove off in my car I felt that this was not only a lesson, but also a missed opportunity.
The Lesson: One can find God even in places we would never expect to find Him. In my situation, I really don't like going to Walmart. So, my priority was to get in and get out as quickly as possible. I wanted to get in and out without much thought or interaction with another human being. Then God showed up (through the cashier) and reminded me that He is everywhere, even in places that we would never think to look.
The Missed Opportunity: I felt as though this was a missed opportunity because I didn't take advantage of the situation by expressing my delight and surprise after hearing the cashier's words. What boldness and great faith she showed to express her love for God in such an openly manner. I even heard her repeat it to the person checking out behind me as I walked away.
Final Thoughts:
Later that night, I asked God for forgiveness because I felt as though I didn't do or say enough during that situation. At this point, I'm still not sure what I would have said or done differently, but saying something (anything) would have been better than nothing. I'll be sure not to make the same mistake again.
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Psalm 23:3 (NIV)
God bless you. And this is for His Glory.
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