Tag Archives: Proclaiming Good News

Overcoming The Terror Of War

From the Bible we know that there will come certain times which shall not be pleasant, but shall be bringing much division and horror in this world.

We are not sure if those Times mentioned in the Scriptures have started now and shall bring God’s Plan into fulfilment. In case it will become that Third World War spoken of in Scriptures, we more than ever should know where our place is and which direction we want to go.
At that prophesied time, there shall come false Christs, and people trying to get people away from God, whilst many shall be suffering. But we should stay strong in our faith, living by the assured faith of hope in the Lord.

But it shall be also a time that we shall have to proclaim the Gospel, the message of Good News, even when many will not be willing to give their ear to it. It is for them and for all people in the world that our prayers should be directed to the Host of host, Jehovah our God, Who shall be willing to guide His people in those troubled times.

Let us be Good News Breakers in these troubled times and ask God to give strength to all who love Him.

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Find also to read

  1. About suffering
  2. Suffering
  3. Seems no future in suffering
  4. Learning from suffering
  5. Choices to make in suffering
  6. Words from God about suffering
  7. Clear words from God about suffering
  8. Different words from God about suffering
  9. Is God behind all suffering here on earth
  10. God’s instruction about joy and suffering
  11. Suffering continues
  12. Problems in the world
  13. Times to come
  14. Armageddon or the Great Tribulation
  15. Great tribulation and Armageddon
  16. Predictions
  17. Gospel or Good News
  18. Good News Breakers
  19. God’s Promises
  20. God’s promises to us in our suffering
  21. Looking for the blessed hope
  22. Hope for the future
  23. Offer in our suffering
  24. Miracles in our time of suffering
  25. Surprised by time in joys & sufferings
  26. Peace of Mind
  27. God’s Hope and Our Hope
  28. True Hope
  29. Working Of The Hope
  30. God’s Salvation
  31. Jehovah strength, armour and refuge
  32. Faith
  33. Faith – Concerning Faith and the Gospel
  34. Refuge of the saints
  35. Peace of God
  36. God’s coming reign

Becoming the Oil and the Wine

Uplifting Bible verses during times of war

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There are more unchurched people and more non-believing people in our world than ever before.



There are more unchurched people in our world than ever before.
There are also more non-believing people in our world than ever before.


Dear God
Give us enough opportunities and power
to go out in this world
to preach the Good News of your coming Kingdom

 

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Filed under Activism and Peace Work, Prayers, Reflection Texts, Religious affairs, Spiritual affairs, World affairs

Time to sit still or to pass on

The first week of the Summer holiday is already nearly gone. It goes so fast, perhaps before we know the three weeks shall be over and the roads in Flanders shall again pile up with pepole going to do their daily business, their worldly duties.

You would think they could have now some more time to take rest but also to spend more time reading in the Set Apart Scriptures.
These weeks people love it to find their work-life coming to a stand still. I wonder if they would remember how perhaps a whole world was like coming to a complete silent standstill. In the words of the Midrash about the Matan Torah:

When God revealed Torah at Mount Sinai, no bird sang, no cow mooed, no bad of grass rustled in the wind. (Shemot Rabbah29:9)

God giving the Torah on Mount Sinai

What God had to say was so important everything was like coming to a standstill. (Figuratively.)

There at Mount Sinai the Torah was given to the Am kadosh God’s People. though in fact it was not only for the Hebrews, but to all the nations of the world that God provided His Word. All should have to come to hear His Voice. God’s People should know the importance of it for them but also for the others around them. Though for those who call themselves People of God it can be a Hard Word.

God lifts Mount Sinai and holds it over the heads of the assembled Children of Israel.  Then God says,

either you accept and pledge to observe my Torah or I shall drop the mountain on top of you. (B. Shabbat 88A and B. Avodah Zarah 2B)

Would we like the world falling on our head? Are we getting God’s messages He gives throughout the many ages? Not many do!
It is all about bringing the Message of God further into the world. We may not forget the purpose of our people, to be teachers and examples of the ideals of Torah to the world. Indeed by adherence to these ideals we become in the words of the Prophet Isaiah;

“A light to the nations’ (Isaiah 49:6)

a worthy example for all. If we are not willing to accept the responsibility of adhering to the Torah’s ideals, there is no good reason for us to continue to exist.

Israel’s willingness to accept Torah was so important to God that the Almighty threatened to break the promise made after the flood never to destroy the world again unless Israel agrees to embrace the Torah and its ideals (B. Shabbat 88A).

So we should not fear to find the world coming to an end that way, but we may not forget that the Elohim warned us also for a terrible war going to come. Our eyes should be directed to those incredible difficult times, when there would be more natural disasters, children getting cross with their parents, people having no respect any more for each other nor keeping to ethic values, religion fighting against religion, nations against nations. It all shall end by a disastrous World War.

But before that time shall be so near that it would be to late to warn others, the people of God should spread the Good News and warn people to be ready.

We should show others how we as People of God want to be an example and demonstrate to God that we are worthy to receive His Torah.

When God asks us to offer guarantors of our worthiness, we offer the deeds of our patriarchs and our prophets but God finds neither of these acceptable.  Only when we pledge the loyalty of our children to God’s teachings does God reveal the Torah to our people. (Shir Ha ShirimRabbah, Chapter 1, Section 4, Midrash 1)

When we are free from daily work, having our Summer-holiday we should take time to tell others about that Word of God which might bring light and life for so many. Living in the hope (tikvah) that one day more people shall come to see and understand the Voice of God and be willing to go with us to the corners of the world.

“Thus says ADONAI-Tzva’ot, “In those days it will come to pass that ten men from every language of the nations will grasp the corner of the garment of a Jew saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’ ””
(Zechariah 8:23 TLV)

 

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Preceding articles

An uncovering book to explore

2016 Summer holiday

Holiday time reading time

Allow yourself a chill-out day

Shabbat Mevarchim opening to the Summer-holiday period

Summer holiday time to knock and ask, and time to share

Christians remaining hidden not sharing the gospel

Witnesses of Christ and of his gospel

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Additional articles to read

  1. Why think that (4) … God would reveal himself in words
  2. Why think that (5) … the Bible is the word of God
  3. How to Read the Bible (sequel 6) an after thought
  4. Bible Reading: is it worthwhile?
  5. God’s forgotten Word 2 Lost Lawbook 1 Who has still interest
  6. Today’s thought “Let’s be examples of disciples who spread the word about their Master” (May 17)
  7. Daily thought for July the 8th and the Summer months
  8. I can’t believe that … (4) God’s word would be so violent
  9. ….a powerful way to put the universe on notice….
  10. Making time for prayer in Summerholiday
  11. Holiday tolerance
  12. Will There Ever be Peace on Earth?

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Further related

  1. Leisure: Family friendly activities not to miss this summer
  2. Summer reality and summer dreams
  3. Podcasts for Summer
  4. Our Summer Trip: My Top 10 Favourite Things
  5. Mallorca – My Summer Holiday Highlights!
  6. Which books to read this summer: 5 tips!
  7. Moshe, Dovid, and What the Other Nations Rejected
  8. Yitro – The question of freedom of choice
  9. Shavuot: Now That’s The Spirit! 5779
  10. Rav Avigdor Miller on The Avos and Matan Torah
  11. Rav Avigdor Miller on The Nations Reject the Torah
  12. Rav Avigdor Miller on The Nations Reject the Torah
  13. Shavuot – The meaning of Har Sina
  14. Preparing to Accept The Torah: Part One
  15. Too busy?
  16. Being an Example; November 27, 2018
  17. A Living Example
  18. Pelted for the Gospel
  19. Who Follows You?

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Filed under Activism and Peace Work, Being and Feeling, Lifestyle, Religious affairs, Social affairs, Welfare matters

Need to reject an archaic, racist inspired interpretation of the Bible and animosity against other believers

In Belgium and France we see a growing hatred against lovers of the One and Only One True God, the Elohim Hashem Jehovah. Several Jews have been attacked physically or were made afraid by all kinds of threats or intimidations. That made many of our brethren and sisters leave for Israel. In France Jehovah’s Witnesses, Bible Students and Christadelphians are prohibited to proclaim the Good News or the Gospel of the Kingdom in public, for example by speaking to people on the street or by billing leaflets. In several regions people look down at Muslims or show their hate, giving the impression that they must be all so terrible or be believers of the faith IS promotes.

The Netherlands for years already had their very conservative Calvinist groups, but the last 30 years they were joined by other radical Christians. Many of those follow the Bible literally and can’t read in between the lines nor showing understanding Hebrew thinking or Hebrew way of talk.

As a college professor, the writer of Help from Heaven looks at this world and sees how we have come to a period people want to have eye-flaps, but also finds that the present youngsters could perhaps be more interested in and learning from stories that illustrated the teachings he was bringing but also about the teaching the Holy Scriptures wants to bring to mankind.

Is it

Archaic, bygone, ancient, passe, primitive, old. {Bonkers away blog: daily-prompt: Archaic}

that makes us not fitting in this world any more, giving us the impression it is becoming less accepting, more limited of views, less free thinking, more prudent, less receptive to other opinions. We clearly feel how youngsters today look more hostile to different thinking people, otherwise believers and to those who belong to a different culture.

Also certain communities are guilty of bringing limitations to free thinking. We even do not have to go far. In our own regions we have very conservative Jews who want to have the children over protected and also want them to believe in literal Biblical interpretation, holding fast on a six day creation and as such with their thought on the same line as the growing group of Christian Creationists. You may call it a response to modern evolutionary theory, which explains the emergence and diversity of life without recourse to the doctrine of God or any other divine power. Mainstream scientists generally rejecting creationism may find several believers in God joining them too, but worse is to see how by the growing pressure of certain religious groups trying to get diversion or war between other religious groups, we can see many more people getting fed up with religion and putting it aside.

Certain people want to to overwrite history and think they can make for it a better picture that covers the archaic marks and portray a new picture. They have the impression the strokes that they shall strike this time shall be much stronger and sharper just like the person they have become in the journey of their life … {“Life is like an Old Sketch”}

The article “The Racist Bible” brings a view of the recent problems our world is facing. There is written:

We live with such an archaic interpretation of the Bible. People interpreted the Bible in different ways 100 years ago, 500 years ago, and 1500 years ago. We need to know why those interpretations came into being. Once we do, we can see how it is hurting us. Only then can we move on to a powerful Biblical interpretation, one that is vibrant and appeals to the modern non-Christian. {The Racist Bible}

In several of the Jeshuaists their articles they try to bring a view how the ancient Hebrews saw the beginning of the world and how the Adonai handled the rebellion of man. We can see how by the years ‘Church‘ made use to bend words or twist interpretations to get people under the spell or in their ban. Several religious groups love to have control over their flock and found it most appropriate to do that with fearmongering and with hard language (sometimes even going so far to use abusive language or enormity). Scaring people or trying to intimidate them has become more popular these days. We can find certain preachers (like Mr. Dave Norris) happy to present all sorts of lies about other religious groups than their own church, (for Mr Norris: the Bible Church), which must be the only one true church every one should have to become a member, because otherwise they shall have to burn in hell for ever. Strangely enough in several articles he attacks groups which say we are saved but still have to do works.  He then claims (like Mr. Cross Roman)  we do not have to do any works any more because we are saved by Christ his blood. Norris also knows about the problems of human tradition and writes

All this is ridiculous and pits Apostolic Authority against scripture. Judaism regards the Torah or the first five books of the Bible highly but not quite as high as the Talmud which is Jewish tradition. Tradition can be classified as a philosophy written by men. Whether you believe it or not the Bible was not written by men per se but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Christadelphians and Bible students also follow their own traditions which supersedes the word of God and each Congregation of those bodies believe differently as there is no uniform Doctrine. Just like in the Book of Judges when everyone did what was right in their own eyes yes. I follow the word of God and place very little impetus on tradition. {Precious Spiritual Children- 2}

He tells others lies about the Belgian Biblestudents and Christadelphians, so called claiming Jesus would return a certain day or year (what they certainly do not)  but he himself writes that the Jewish people will accept a guaranteed peace covenant secured by the countries of the now 80% Islamic Roman Empire.

Norris on return of Christ + Jews+ Islamic world + doctrine of imminence+end-time prophesies

Some preachers, because they believe the world shall come to an end, try to call others false prophets and try their believers to belief that those groups would have prophesied such dates for the end of the world, whilst those groups, like the Belgian Bible Students and the Christadelphians already have spend many articles saying that we should be careful with people claiming that Jesus would return on such or such a day, because even Jesus did not know it and we also can not know the exact day of the return of Jesus. But for sure we may be sure that the world shall not come to an end, not because the Belgian Bible students and the Christadelphians belief so , but because that is just the biblical truth and God’s promise  to our Patriarch Abraham, that we may look forward to a big state of united people under God’s King his reign her on earth and in heaven.

Lots of present teachers attacking Jews, Non-Trinitarian Christians and Muslims do have much self-esteem and though they seem to recognise it as part of the possible signs of the end-times do not see the beam in their own eyes but blame the splinters in someone else’s skin, claiming that at all dates setters fail to do is to rely on the words of the scripture which they only are able to do, them being able to see how fast Satan is working to cause chaos and evil, deceiving this world (like Mr. Norris is doing), because all others are “kindergartners” or “have no brains” (Norris his words).

The kettle blames the pot that it looks black but does not see the beam in its own eyes while it complains about the splinters in someone else’s skin. Mr. Dave Norris blaming others to tell and warn about end-times sings, but giving himself also some recognition to those signs in his series over the The End Times (namely part 4)

It might look honourable when people try to talk about that nice prospect of their Messiah coming back. But then they would have to follow the footsteps of that Nazarene master teacher Jeshua, Jesus Christ, who preached peace and not war, like they are doing. So many preachers may be happy with the contemporary technology making it very easy to bring the Word of God all over the nations. To our regret we also find lots of people finding in it a tool to spit their gal and to do everything to have their poisonous words to obscure all reality and decency.

Internet evangelism is how the nations will have an opportunity to hear and receive the Good News. No longer can one person reach only as many as he knows or comes into contact with. Today one person, right out of the comfort of his home, can reach millions of people in places he has never been and most likely, never will go. One person can invest a little time, without investing thousands of dollars in travel expenses, and can do much more, plant more seeds, and encourage more brethren than if he were to board a plane and go somewhere. {Today’s “Roman Road” – the Internet}

But at the same time we can see how one person can manage to bring all sorts of writings on the different denominations which exist in the world of religion, to break them. He even attacks the people of God and let his readers believe that we give more attention to human teachings and traditions than to the Torah.

Dave Norris of the Bible Church on Jews + Talmud + Rabbinical teaching

Mr Dave Norris of an American bible Church wanting his readers and all people in the world to believe the Jews are using the goyim as their slaves and would find raping women and killing whites ok, clearly wanting to create hatred against the Jewish people (Picture from The Shocking Jewish Talmud Revealed)

Concerning founders Mr. Norris has shown, about other denominations too, he also has a strange view, him believing it were the Hebrews who founded Judaism, though it was the Most Almighty Elohim Who has chosen us as His people and promised us by the seed of Abraham a great nation.

He also seems to forget one of the main points of a monotheist religion, which according to him our ancestors would have created. In Judaism part 101-1 he mentions the essence of a monotheist religion, namely worshipping only One True God above all gods, whilst he is a worshipper not of “One and Unique” God, but of the trinity and as such worships three gods: a God the Father, god the son and god the Holy Spirit, and by doing so should fall under the polytheists. When he considers the Hebrew religion as the mother religion of his religion, we would like to ask him why he went so far away from his mother and betrayed her?

Judaism – Jews chosen by God practising and teaching monotheism

For Mr. Norris it seems to be clear that all those who preach peace between Jews, Christians, Muslims and non believers are oxymorons.

Mr Dave Norris finds all those who want to live in peace together and accept the other religious groups “biblical oxymoron” finding they falter between two opinions following Baal considering that (according to him) God and Baal are oxymorons as is this question of the agreement the temple of God has with idols. (Though he himself belongs to a church with several idols or gods.) (picture of his article: The Coexist Movement- 2)

Like he does not seem to see the many differences between the Bible students he also does not seem to know much about the different forms of Judaism, only mentioning three.

Dave Norris limited vision on Jewish groups

Though people like him are being followed by many as if they are the gurus of truth.

Perhaps he, living in the United States, feels united with the many creationists and conservative and fundamentalist Christians. Him also for the whites, thinking Jews love to kill them, can find  confirmation in the writing of the professor who writes

In fact, it was not until Luther that people started taking the Bible more literally. The Creationist movement, though, including the world-wide flood didn’t really take root until the southerners of 1850+ started promoting it. Thus, we had a racist theology demand that their interpretation was the only one. Many were convinced to write on it, without referring to slavery. Slowly the arguments strengthened, until many who are not racist accept the arguments. This, though has saddled us with a theology that contradicts science. Now, we have to invent miracles that are not mentioned in the Bible to fit this theology. For example, a single flood doesn’t leave layers, it jumbles up everything.  {The Racist Bible}

For the professor it might be clear that certain Western Christians have perhaps taken a too restricted look at the Scriptures and perhaps in their thought that the King James Bible is the only true Bible, many Americans even thinking those Hebrews, like Abraham, Isaiah and Jesus all had English Names and as such find, it can not be that the rebbe his name is Jeshua or that God is called Jehovah.

Perhaps it is getting time that people from the West Northern hemisphere start looking at the Bible with other eyes. They also should start questioning their attitude to Jews, real Christians, Muslims, other and non-believers. If they want to win souls or if they want to convert people, loving to see them as members of their Christian faith, it will certainly come down not to follow the way of preachers like Dave Norris serves his community of the Bible Church, because I think he is at the moment getting more people away from faith and religion than getting them in his group or into becoming a Christian. The way we see many Christians act against other Christians and how there is a growing number of Christians reacting cruel against other faith groups or pushing others not to believe in the existence of dinosaurs or that the earth is flat and that NASA would be fooling us about the round earth, it is understandable why so many Christians are leaving the Christian Faith.

We need to reject the archaic, racist inspired interpretation of the Bible. We need to look at it afresh. The interpretation I suggested is not necessarily right, but is a reasonable alternative. Right now, because we are stuck with the racist inspired creationism, we are losing Christians when they go to High School and college and study science. They see how the two conflict, and are rejecting the Bible in great numbers. If we study the Bible fresh, we will see that there are literal interpretations that do not conflict with science, and we can then focus on talking about Jesus without people saying, “I don’t believe that stuff. It is just an archaic myth that science has shown to be wrong.” {The Racist Bible}

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Preceding

Confrontation by people telling lies to force others to avoid the targetted groups

The written, the spoken, and the audible a part of the soul and a blessing to humanity but also the trigger to those who love Crusades and the Inquisition

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Additional reading

  1. Dave Norris and his writings on the Belgian Bible Students
  2. Trusting present youngsters who are not necessary evil
  3. Overprotection and making youngsters drifting away
  4. The way of looking at the Scriptures and the people in this world
  5. Knife-trust in democratic sore back
  6. Pushing people in a corner danger for indoctrination and loss of democratic values

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Related

  1. The Watchtower Belgian Biblestudents
  2. Comfort Zone Gospel
  3. Jonah; Wake Up
  4. The Missing Piece to Salvation
  5. Saved From What?
  6. Selling Jesus
  7. Think About It…
  8. Entering the Trail to True Freedom
  9. Main Reason to Share the Gospel
  10. Evangelism as a lifestyle
  11. How to Overcome Fear of Sharing the Gospel – The Story of the Waldensians
  12. Forgetting that the Gospel is Good News, Romans 1:7
  13. Salty Agape
  14. Communicating the Wondrous Truth of God’s Love and Mercy
  15. Eschatology for beginners (part 1)
  16. The Return of Yeshua Ben Joseph, also known as Jesus – by New Dimension – 12-23-17
  17. Exit Strategy End Times: “Unforgiveness and the Band Aid of agreement.” “
  18. This is NOT the Time to be SILENT
  19. Eastern Lightning | The Awakening of a Deceived Spirit (Part 2)
  20. Keep Racing!
  21. How to Teach About the Second Coming
  22. Today’s “Roman Road” – the Internet
  23. The Antichrist in the Holy Place Church
  24. The Historical Lesson Historians Need to Learn
  25. Scoffers
  26. Why Is Christ’s Return Not Widely Taught?
  27. The Beginning and the Ending
  28. Seven Reasons For Six Day Creation
  29. The Creationism
  30. Elmore Fundamentalism, Part 1: Matter
  31. More on Evolution: From the Mail Room, by Fred Reed
  32. Is There Biological Evidence of Life’s Recent Creation? – Part I
  33. Scientists Identify a Key Cognitive Error that Could Explain Why People Believe in Creationism and Conspiracy Theories
  34. Why Evolution is True Review
  35. Teleogical views predict not just creationism, but conspiracy theories
  36. A Creationist Surprise
  37. Is Creationism racist?
  38. God and Science
  39. Eric Hedin, prohibited from teaching intelligent design at Ball State, retires and moves to a Christian university
  40. Claim of creationism taught in school linked to National
  41. School response on creationism, claims evolution ‘controversies’
  42. School response on creationism, claims evolution ‘controversies’ — Your NZ
  43. Origin Story: A Big History of Everything
  44. There IS Purpose!
  45. Your Mythology is not Science
  46. Where Were You Radicalized?
  47. The Ends of the World
  48. Civil Debate? Catcall? Or Creationist Ruse?
  49. Faith abates reason at Edmonton’s first Flat-Earth International Conference
  50. #1: Inexplicable Species and the Theory of Evolution
  51. Evolutionary psychology: The naturalistic and agency fallacies
  52. A creationist makes the dumbest criticism of evolution ever
  53. Noah’s ark: the most ridiculed story in the Bible
  54. Tel Aviv’s new natural history museum (built to look like Noah’s Ark) deliberately omits mentioning evolution
  55. Why Do the Fundamentalists Love Tracey Ullman Now?
  56. InfightingNon-Physical Fighting 2
  57. Sikh Radicalisation in Britain
  58. Waitress Denied Tip for ‘not loving Jesus’
  59. Christian-hating transgender VT gubernatorial candidate DUPED by satire site: ‘Some evangelists just crazy!’
  60. The Nashville Statement (A Plain Language Translation)
  61. Love and Hate

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A vital question for believers

At Selah Ministries they ask

Do you believe in God, or do you believe God? {A vital question for believers}

And that is a question we should seriously take at heart. The same as atheists believe in many things we find people who say they believe in a god or believe in the God. When you question those who say they ‘believe in god’ or ‘believe in God’, we can hear many concepts or ideas about that god/God and find that several of those people believe in different gods than the others.

Lis from Selah Ministries which says it

is about bringing folks closer to God through His word and through experience, and recognising the works of satan in these days. {A vital question for believers}

brings up as next question

Do you believe what He put down in writing and preserved for two thousand years so that we could walk rightly with Him? Walking in obedience requires us to not just believe that God is real, but to believe what He says! {A vital question for believers}

When looking at Christendom, we see the great difference with those from Christianity. The majority who calls themselves Christian really do not follow Christ and even have not the God of Christ, but made Christ Jesus into their god.

Coming closer to the end-times, all people should come to know that it is getting high time that people should start thinking seriously about what they do want to follow, human doctrines or Biblical doctrines.

Perhaps it’s time to walk away from church doctrine, and to get into the word of God? He preserved His word for you so that you could know how He wants you to live. {A vital question for believers}

Many in this world are been deceived. Lots of people are caught up in the human doctrines and tangles of their church. In the Book of books, the Bible or Holy Scriptures, already in the first book (Genesis) it is explained why things are today like they are. In many of the following books is given direction why and how we may have hope for the future and for better things. In that compilation of books (hence: Library or bibliotheca = Bible) mankind is able to see how it is necessary that the Most High God shall come to be known all over the earth. Lots of people do not see how important it is for them to fear the right person and to spend more time and attention to Some One Who can not be seen but Who is a serious reality of the universe. It is Some Supreme Being Who shall be willing to draw close to you when you are willing to come to close to Him. That Most High Supreme Being has given His Word, but not many people are really interested in reading it. Though they would better  do that so that they may come to see the truth and unmask all those who are against that Biblical Truth, but also react strongly against those who proclaim that Biblical Truth. It is even told in the Bible, God’s infallible Word that close to the end-times more people would react against those lovers of God and against those who spread the Gospel.
For that reason recently there has been created a new website, to show how those adversaries of God sent all sorts of false sayings or untruths in the world. At that new website, Unmasking the anti-Jehovah people, a first series has been started to show how the Bible has all the truth in it and how we as human beings best should read those ancient books, which form perhaps the most interesting and most important Bestseller of all times. The first articles are already published, and we would kindly advice you to have a look at them ( A Book to trust #1 Background book for debate and A Book to trust #2 Book of Truth) and to follow up the coming chapters.

There are people who say

Faith can not come by hearing

and partly they are right but also partly wrong. Hearing is an important factor to come to the truth. Without willingness to hear and to see one can not come to the truth. Hearing is an essential part in the formation of faith. Without hearing the Word of God or without hearing preachers to confess how people can be saved, and without coming in contact with people who proclaim the Kingdom of God, telling the Good News and presenting the Gospel to man, it is much more difficult to come to know the Bible and to come to know the Most High God.

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Preceding

Consider your own journey in life

May we have doubts

Hatred and hostility against God

Arguments about believe and About Christianity versus Atheism

On the Edge of Believing

Fear in your own heart or outside of it

When believing in God’s existence and His son, possessing a divine legislation

Mishmash of a legal code but importance of mitzvah or commandments

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Additional reading

  1. A world with or without religion
  2. How importance on religion is placed
  3. Non-practicing Christians widely believing in a god or higher power
  4. Gates to different belief systems in this world
  5. Meet the atheist … who believes in God
  6. The post-Christian world
  7. Have you also been deceived
  8. Looking for something or for the Truth and what it might be and self-awareness
  9. An openingschapter explaining why things are like they are and why we may have hope for better things
  10. Fearing the right person
  11. God loving people justified
  12. Blinkered minds
  13. Do you purpose that your mouth will not transgress
  14. I Only hope we find GOD again before it is too late !
  15. Necessary to be known all over the earth
  16. This month’s survey question: Does God Exist?
  17. Can a scientist believe in God
  18. Back from gone #2 Aim of godly people
  19. Back from gone #4 Your inner feelings and actions
  20. Today’s thought “Man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of Jehovah” (April 24)
  21. Memorizing wonderfully 48 John 16:33 That you may have peace
  22. Memorizing wonderfully 66: Galatians 3:8-9 Justified receiving blessing of Abraham’s faith
  23. When having found faith through the study of the Bible we do need to do works of faith
  24. Measuring Up
  25. Some one or something to fear #6 Faith in the Most High

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Related

  1. Farewell to Those Days of Wrestling With Fate
  2. There is a God
  3. A Two-Word Sermon: But God!H-o-l-y-b-i-b-l-e
  4. Review of Faith in God: Interpreting the True Meaning of Faith in God | Eastern Lightning
  5. Embarking on the Path of Belief in God (Part 2)
  6. Facts and Revelation Made Me Seek; God’s Word Made Me Fall Before Him
  7. Establishing a Proper Relationship With God | As a Christian, Regularly Attending Gatherings Cannot Be Neglected!
  8. The “Rural” Mom Meets the “Urban” Daughter-in-Law
    How to Keep Faith in God When Mother Got Terminal Lung Cancer
  9. Finding the Salvation of the Last Days on Facebook (Ⅱ)
  10. Competing in This Way, I Benefit Tremendously! (Audio Article)
  11. I acknowledge the words expressed by Almighty God as the truth, but my family have been confused by rumors disseminated by the CCP and by pastors, and they do all they can to obstruct me getting in touch with Christians from the Church of Almighty God. I don’t dare to investigate Almighty God’s work of the last days, but neither do I want to lose the chance to be raptured and saved by God. How should I solve this problem?
  12. Word of GOD: Wisdom
  13. Truth and Righteousness versus Lies and Wickedness.
  14. Rejecting and Reinterpreting
  15. Doctrine of Christ or AntiChrist?
  16. Clear doctrine strengthens the church
  17. Spiritual War: Truth versus Lies. Life versus Death.
  18. A world of Foolishness (1 Corinthians 3:19)
  19. A Lamp for my Feet and a Light on my Path
  20. Limited Atonement and the Divine Command to Believe Falsehood
  21. Lucifer’s Desideration: God of gods (5)
  22. Jehovah’s Witness Myopic View Of Jesus (I)
  23. Bible Contradictory: Light of Truth is Within
  24. Behaving as a Christian is an Act of Worship
  25. Walking In Obedience
  26. Series: Saying Yes to God!
  27. Faith Cannot Come by Hearing
  28. Is Jesus Christ an Imposter?
  29. Truth or Lie Pick One
  30. What Are The Father And The Son’s Name?
  31. Is The Law Done Away With?
  32. On going to church (or not), church, connecting to God, and prayer

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Preach

Too many people who call themselves Christian do forget who Jesus really was and which tasks he had given to his followers. Today true Christians still should follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and should proclaim the hopeful message of the coming Kingdom.

Real Christians should be heralds of the Gospel, eager to tell the people about the Good News, of salvation and about the hope for mankind given by the Grace of God.

As forerunner or herald Christians should be portent or indicators of something important or calamitous about to occur, perhaps an omen in the eyes of many, but for others an insurmountable event to look forward even when it might bring lots of suffering and an incredible violence. therefore we should warn the people of that last and third world war which is insuperable.

By sharing the agape love and bringing more people to see that Jesus is the way to God and the way to life, the Christian herald shall be able to make many stronger and secured against the coming disaster. Out of love for others we should tell others about the love of God, about what Jesus has done, but also about the return of Jesus and what to expect of that time of his return.

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To remember

  • Greek word most often translated as ‘preach’ is κηρύσσω – kérussó (Strong’s 2784) = Koine = ‘to be or act like a herald’ or ‘to proclaim’.
  • role of a herald or Old French heraut from Frankish via herewald, literally ‘war-ruler’, > martial or commander > 3 distinct contemporary meanings:
  1. A messenger
  2. A harbinger
  3. A steward (of heraldry -a rank/position at the College of Arms)
  •  ‘preacher’ of the Gospel, = entrusted (stewardship) with a message of coming of the Kingdom of God.
  • ‘to herald’ =  ‘sing the praises of’
  • idea that a Christian should ‘preach the Gospel’= frowned upon. >  conjures images of street corner evangelists ranting at passing ‘sinners’
  • Christian organisations involved in social action ministry > running night shelters, to discourage volunteers from speaking about Jesus – some even require a signed commitment to not proactively mention the Gospel.

What has gone wrong?  To paraphrase Peter (Acts 5:3), how has Satan so filled the hearts of Christians?  How is it that Christians feel confident enough to defy God and disobey the Great Commission?

Go into all the world and proclaim (kérussó) the gospel to the whole creation. (Mark 16:15)

‘preach’ is not:

  • convicting people of their sin and telling them they are bound for hell
  • talking down to people from a position of self-righteousness
  • a slick presentation, a hectoring declamation or a well-honed argument.

Preaching = heralding = speaking joyfully of Jesus, singing his praises; telling people of how people are transformed in Christ, and how they can be also, through faith.

best witnesses to Christ = demonstrate love +  speak of its origin, which is Jesus; perhaps the Great Commission was given as command because Jesus knew that it would be challenging.

If witness speaks from love about hope + declares that Jesus = source of hope => herald will have done his work faithfully.

 

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Additional reading

  1. Two new encyclopaedic articles
  2. Breathing to teach
  3. “I Die Daily”
  4. To create a great journey

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Related

 

  1. What is meant by awareness, or witnessing?
  2. Witnessing the Destruction of Nature around the Planet.
  3. Man I sure wish I would’ve had one of my witnessing cards just now to send with a man.
  4. A witnessing prayer
  5. Witnessing the Secret Creator
  6. ” Witnessing “
  7. As the clock strikes 12…
  8. Hope is an anchor
  9. Reject And Correct Christian propaganda
  10. Families embrace their community for the gospel
  11. Bold to Witness
  12. Being a One Talent Church
  13. Come and see…
  14. Hold Up The Light
  15. Are You An Ambassador For Christ?
  16. Are You Ready for the Harvest?
  17. First Things First
  18. Talking About Jesus
  19. You Are Ready To Go – By Laurence Torr
  20. Christianity’s Most Essential Verse

God Breathed Words

raffaello-sanzio-da-urbino-st-paul-preaching-at-athens-cartoon-for-the-sistine-chapel.jpg Raphael’s depiction of Paul preaching in Athens

Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.  (1 Thessalonians 2:9)

The Greek word that is most often translated as ‘preach’ is κηρύσσω – kérussó (Strong’s 2784).  The word in the Koine

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Preaching as Public Speaking

Jesus has given his followers the task to go out into the word to preach the Good News of the coming Kingdom of God.

2020 years after the master teacher his birth the Church has gone fare away from his teachings. In many church-groups or denominations we can find that human doctrines have won and that the people in the congregation or church community prefer to keep to human tradition instead of holding to the biblical teachings and Godly holy days.

"I want to preach a sermon. . ." - N...

“I want to preach a sermon. . .” – NARA – 514567 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Disappointed by the many contradicting teachings, ideas and having seen so many pastors, ministers and priests not living according to the Law of God and the law of human decency, lots of people got enough of the hypocrisy of those churches. Today we can only see (nearly) empty churches all over West Europe.

For sure the Body of Christ needs some fresh blood and some good ‘Punch’. Anno 2017 it looks like the church is gone ‘pubering’ again and in need of some acné products, trying to get rid of the puperal pimples or the sickness of the capitalist world where man has increased his position to godly status, so many thinking they are god themselves and play for god.

This world need preachers or speakers who are not afraid to give those immature consumers a tick on their bum. some even can use some figurative slap in the face to wake them up.

Most important to come over as some one sincere and credible is that the one who wants to speak for God he or she, himself or herself beliefs in the Most High and in His only begotten son. In the preacher has to burn the light of faith before he can go to others for trying to convince them to see that light in the darkness.
First there has to be conviction and persuasion in the preacher’s heart, glowing very strongly, to have the fire in the eyes, with such a kind and sweet heart that people would become eager to taste that sweetness and listen to what that person has to tell.

With the hate and vile language we can find lots of Christians spreading today on the internet and in common speech on the streets, they shall not be able to attract others to love them or to love what they tell.

Today we also find lots of Christians who preach there has a war started by the Muslims against the Christians. They forget that lots of Christians are setting themselves against the Islam. They do not see they have fallen in the trap of the false Muslims who not only have done a lot of damage to Islam but also want to destabilise the whole world.

It is up to the preachers who call themselves Christian to show the love of Christ and to share that agape love with all people around them, atheists, other believers (be them Muslims or from an other faith).

Without the love of Christ and without the burning fire of faith in the own heart, the preacher his gained ‘technique’ shall be quickly uncovered by the truth, so let him first get to the core of the Bible and teach that biblical Truth instead of human doctrines, and let he or she be unbiased, open to all people and not to just a few of a certain race or group.

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To remember

  • preaching = divine task + form of public speaking
  • preaching involves spiritual dynamics + oratory skills = technical aspect of preaching < form of public speaking => skills revolving around use + proper utilization + creative use of voice, eye contact, facial expressions, gestures + movements.
  • no methodology holy
  • Only written words of God in Bible are holy

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Preceding articles

Several Christians fail to recognise the Chosen ones of God and are not taking on a Christian attitude

To proclaim the day of vengeance

What makes you following Christ and Facebook Groups

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Additional reading

  1. The business of this life
  2. The task given to us to love each other
  3. Parish, local church community – Parochie, plaatselijke kerkgemeenschap
  4. People who know how to pray to move God to take hold of our affairs in a mighty way
  5. Pulpit reserved for the pastor
  6. Notification and news feed for Facebook users
  7. Bring praise to the Creator
  8. The essence of church

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Further reading

  1. Why are Christians so nosey about other peoples affairs
  2. What, we agree? Compatible issues in a disagreeable world
  3. Is a Religious War in Europe Imminent?
  4. Bias, and Disagreeing with Something
  5. Can we not be civil and simply disagree?
  6. “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give”
  7. Are you ready for this?
  8. On the Power of Hospitality…
  9. “When I Could Stand it No Longer….”
  10. Proclaim
  11. Politics and Preaching
  12. Good enough for ministry?
  13. What builds the Church?
  14. Back to Baby Steps
  15. Book Blurb: Biblical Preaching
  16. 3 Steps to Make the Message Stick
  17. 5 Lessons from the Mission Field
  18. Owen on Preaching, Sinclair on Children and Christ
  19. Finding My Voice
  20. The Foolishness of Preaching
  21. Jonah — Belief Contradicted by Behavior! (Part 3)
  22. Calvin: Ministers Ought Not to Steal
  23. Preaching to the Late Modern Mind: Five Cultural Narratives to Know
  24. Preparing to Preach
  25. Preaching and Faithfulness
  26. The Courage to Preach
  27. Pastoral Theology
  28. Reflections
  29. Charles Spurgeon on Spiritual Gleaning
  30. The Dispensation of Grace
  31. Stirring the Pot with Grace…
  32. Psalm 64:9 Pondering God’s Work
  33. How to Have a Successful Ministry

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Worship and the Christian Life

1

True, preaching is a divine task, yet basically it is also a form of public speaking. A true preacher will eventually realise that as much as preaching involves spiritual dynamics, it also certainly includes oratory skills. These oratory skills constitute the technical aspect of preaching.

Before I tell about this technical aspect of preaching, or the oratory skills, which make us realise that preaching is a form of public speaking, let me tell first some important points to consider.

The first point is that though the technical side of preaching is important, still the spiritual side is more important. Preaching is firstly divine, then secondly it is public speaking. Preaching achieves eternal spiritual fruits, something that ordinary public speaking can never produce.

The second point to consider is that no methodology is holy, no matter how helpful it is in preaching. The techniques of delivering a sermon are never holy…

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Witnesses of Christ and of his gospel

At the beginning of this Summer we made a call to all our readers to open their ‘heart and soul’ to those they are going to meet on their holiday trips. Now having not to go to work lots of people have much more time to talk to their neighbours and to meet other people. When on holiday we can show others we are of the world or we can show them we are not from this capitalist materialist world but partakers of a world of loving people striving for a better world and spreading the hope for a peaceful world.

It can well be that several people – now having more time to relax – love to enjoy more the extravaganzas and want to look for receiving kicks by doing dangerous things or just by exaggerating the ‘moments of fun’ in entertainment parks. Several people also shall love to talk in a bad way about others, finding more time to gossip and to give negative critic on others. Lots shall not mind to show their ungodly attitudes . Perhaps not much has changed with previous times. Jeremiah also complained already that people “love to have it so” (Jeremiah  5:31). Many do not want to think that their world shall pass. Though we can be sure and must take it serious and can wonder “what will we and them do when the end comes?”

When we do have a personal knowledge of Christ, and continually love to feel that we are sincere partakers of the Body of Christ we do know we are coming closer to the end-times and that we should not find any excuse to withdraw from the task Jesus has given to not only his close disciples, but to all his followers.

Though many people around us may already know about Jesus, having heard about him, having different impressions about him, but not really knowing him and not believing in what he might mean for the world.

Therefore we should take up our task to let them know its getting time to really coming to know Christ. For us that also means

knowing Christ and not just knowing about Christ.

A passionate pastor, teacher, author and academic who believes in ‘Preaching‘ as the means of translating God’s timeless truth in scriptures across the globe, writes

You must know Christ in order to be his witness.
You must believe in Christ, that he is the Son of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, that he is the way, the truth and the life.

Not forgetting that

Knowing Christ, having a personal relationship with him to be his witness is very important because to witness for him is not by human knowledge or power.

When we go out in this world and feel the necessity to make Christ to be known, we too may count on the helper Jesus has asked his heavenly Father to send to this world. Also today the Power of God is available for those who want to receive that Power. The Holy Spirit is ready to enter each heart that is willing to open for It.

It was not only for the time of the prophets and of the apostles that

Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days (Joel 2:28-29).

In our days too we may find people being blessed with the power of God, having the Holy Spirit providing them with the necessary words to tell others about the Work of God and the Work of Christ.

As Christians, we need the enabling power of the Holy Spirit to live our Christian life, we need the Holy Spirit to empower us to be witnesses for Jesus Christ our Lord, we need the holy Spirit to empower us in making decisions; we need the Holy Spirit in all of our lives. We are like plants that needs to bear fruit, as plants can but only bear fruits if well supplied with water and minerals; we can also but only bear fruit when full of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us produce this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT). {Following Jesus’ example through Prayer – I}

The Holy Spirit empowers feeble men to bold men, he strengthens the tongue of the stammer to proclaim his good news. You don’t have to worry of what you will say or how you will witness, only avail yourself to be a witness and the Holy Spirit will empower you to witness in ways known to him. And you will be a

Witness for Christ everywhere and every time

There is no particular place and time to witness, witnessing for Christ should be everywhere and every time. Witnessing for Christ is by both word and deed. We must not reduce witnessing for Christ to either of the two, they are sides of the same coin. We must live like Christ, in this way, the world will know that we are his disciples and we shall make him known to the world. {Witnesses for Christ: everywhere and every time}

Read:

Earnest prayers yields miraculous results

Witnesses for Christ: everywhere and every time

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Preceding articles

Go and make disciples of people of all the nations

What Should I Preach ?

Daring to speak in multicultural environment

Crisis man needed in this world

Refusing to Be Silent

Go Ye!

To proclaim the day of vengeance

Proclaiming: a task given to Christians

Go! Proclaim! Testify!

Scriptures and Thoughts about: Proclaim

Summer holiday time to knock and ask, and time to share

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Additional reading

  1. Looking to the East and the West for Truth
  2. Positive Preaching Day 2015
  3. Germinating small seeds, pebble-stones, small and mega churches and faith
  4. Being in isolation #7 Mission work

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Go and make disciples of people of all the nations

Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations.—Matt. 28:19.

Consider the preaching of the good news that Jesus would have his followers do.

Zinzendorf preaching to people from many nations

Zinzendorf preaching to people from many nations (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The method and the scope of the preaching work were new. In earlier centuries, people of the nations were welcomed when they came to Israel to serve Jehovah. (1 Ki. 8:41-43) That was before Jesus gave the command found in today’s text. Jesus’ disciples were told to “go” to all people. On the day of Pentecost 33 C.E., there was an early evidence of Jehovah’s changed strategy — that of a global evangelizing work. His holy spirit empowered about 120 members of the new congregation to speak miraculously in different tongues to Jews and proselytes. (Acts 2:4-11) Next, the territory expanded to the Samaritans. Then, in the year 36 C.E., it was further expanded to include the world of uncircumcised Gentiles. You might say that the field of preaching enlarged from a “pond” of Jews to an “ocean” of mankind. w16.03 4:12

A man from Jews for Jesus handing out flyers i...

A man from Jews for Jesus handing out flyers in Tel Aviv, Israel. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Dutch version / Nederlandstalige versie: Gaat daarom en maakt discipelen van mensen uit alle natiën

Preceding articles

What Should I Preach ?

Daring to speak in multicultural environment

Crisis man needed in this world

Refusing to Be Silent

Go Ye!

To proclaim the day of vengeance

Proclaiming: a task given to Christians

Go! Proclaim! Testify!

Scriptures and Thoughts about: Proclaim

Summer holiday time to knock and ask, and time to share

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Additional reading

  1. Necessity of a revelation of creation 8 By no means unintelligible or mysterious to people
  2. Necessity of a revelation of creation 11 Believing and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of God
  3. Blogging in the world for Jesus and his Father
  4. Sharing thoughts and philosophical writings
  5. Going deep into cultures to reach lost people
  6. Engaging the culture without losing the gospel
  7. How do I know if I’m called to ministry?
  8. Priest, scribes and others with authority
  9. Learn how to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News of the coming Kingdom
  10. Oratory Style
  11. What Should I Preach ?
  12. When not seeing or not finding a biblically sound church

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Further reading

  1. An Imperfect Man Writing the Perfect Message of God
  2. The Courage to Preach
  3. Street preachers in the UK win their appeal
  4. Peddlers of God’s Word or Preachers of Christ?
  5. Biblical Preaching: For the LoveSend Josh to London to preach
  6. Don’t Just Pray for Your Pastor
  7. Resources from the Wilderness
  8. Ebenezer Porter and Homiletics
  9. Some Ideas For Preaching God’s LoveWhen They Just Don’t Get It
  10. Choosing Wholeness – Sermon Transcript
  11. Ten Steps You Can Take to Make Your Sermons and Preaching Better! (Part 6)
  12. Ten Steps You Can Take to Make Your Sermons and Preaching Better! (Part 7)
  13. Ten Steps You Can Take to Make Your Sermons and Preaching Better!” (Part 8)
  14. Ten Steps You Can Take to Make Your Sermons and Preaching Better! (Part 9)
  15. Ten Specific Steps You Can Take to Make Your Sermons and Preaching Better! (Part 10)
  16. 7 Things Preachers Never Say – pt.2
  17. 7 Things Preachers Never Say – pt.37
  18. Things Preachers Never Say – pt.4
  19. Thinking out loud about Women, Preaching, the Bible and 1 Timothy 2
  20. Exhortations to a Christian worker (2 Timothy 2)
  21. Called to be Watchmen—Preaching Repentance
  22. The Senders Are Sleeping
  23. Confessions of a Young Preacher
  24. Believe and Confess (Part 4 of 7)
  25. Feed My Sheep
  26. Keep it Simple
  27. Meet People Where They’re At

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Related articles

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Scriptures and Thoughts about: Proclaim

Mankato Church of Christ

Old Testament concepts:
To cry out (as the prophets)
To call upon one (often God) for help
To read aloud, or to appoint, or to be summoned

New Testament:
Kerusso – “to be a herald, to officiate as a herald; to proclaim after the manner of a herald, always with the suggestion of formality, gravity, and an authority which must be listened to and obeyed; to publish, proclaim openly something which has been done; used of the public proclamation of the Gospel and matters pertaining to it, made by John the Baptist, by Jesus, by the apostles, and other Christian teachers.”
Does everyone have a responsibility to proclaim the gospel?

(Matthew 5:16) In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

(Matthew 28:16-20) “But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the…

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Go! Proclaim! Testify!

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Preceding

High time to go out telling the world about Jesus

7 Ways To Become A Better Christian

What Should I Preach ?

Daring to speak in multicultural environment

Crisis man needed in this world

Refusing to Be Silent

Go Ye!

To proclaim the day of vengeance

Proclaiming: a task given to Christians

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Proclaiming: a task given to Christians

Christians get their title by their baptism in the Body of Christ (the Church). By receiving that title normally they are supposed to recognise Jesus Christ as the Messiah and to be willing to follow him.

In this world we do find lots of people who call themselves Christian but do not follow Christ and often even do not keep to the teachings and ordinances of their so called church or denomination. We may find lots of people who say they are a Christian but who live contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Their lives are rooted in the world. They keep to heathen festivals and when they worship some one it are a three-headed god and saints, instead of keeping to the only One True God of Israel, the God of Jesus. By living a contrary life Jehovah God will not know them and they will not be saved. There are people that go to churches that teach doctrines contrary to the Bible and by continuing to go to them they are distancing themselves from the Only True God.

A lot of christians do not mind to keep their faith for themselves, not sharing it with others. They forget that the Nazarene master teacher Jesus wants his followers to help connect all people to the life-giving message of him. Jesus wants as many as possible to experience God and having them to find freedom, have them to discover purpose and to make a difference in our world.

Jesus wants us to say on each day

“Give thanks to Jehovah; praise Him and proclaim His name! Celebrate His works among the peoples – make his deeds known. Tell the nations how glorious how great He is and declare that His Name is exalted. {Isaiah 12:4}

All people should come to know that authority has been given to Jesus (in heaven and on earth) and therefore we should not hesitate to proclaim the message of the Good News, and should also make disciples of[f] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything Jesus has commanded his disciples. {Matthew 28: 18-20}

15 Jesus said to them, “Go everywhere in the world, and ·tell [preach; proclaim] the ·Good News [Gospel] to ·everyone [all creation]. 16 Anyone who believes and is baptized will be saved, but anyone who does not believe will be ·punished [condemned]. 17 And those who believe will be able to do these things as ·proof [signs]: They will use my name to ·force [drive; cast] out demons. They will speak in new ·languages [tongues]. 18 They will pick up snakes and drink poison without being hurt. They will ·touch [lay hands on] the sick, and the sick will ·be healed [recover].” {Mark 16:15-18 EXB}

Believers in Christ and his God should not be afraid of the badness which may surround them. They should show that they might be stronger than it when trusting in the Most High God. Not by our own means can we do things but we must count on the power of the Holy Spirit (God’s Force).

It is no difference than in the time of Jesus Christ. There is no reason at all to think there has to be done no preaching any more. The opposite, today it is even of more utmost importance than in the time of Christ Jesus. When Jesus was walking around in the planes of Jerusalem and Galilee he could perhaps encounter much more believers in the Only One true God than we can today in our regions. Today, around us are much more unbelievers and worshippers of binary, trinary and other multiple godheads, than in the region where Christ walked around.

Today there is also a much more hostile environment for those who want to worship the Only One True God, Jehovah. Already by hearing the Name of God lots of people raise their voice.

Let us take at heart what Jesus said to his disciples:

Jesus sent out these twelve men with the following ·order [instructions]: “Don’t go ·to [L on the way/road of] the ·Gentiles [non-Jewish people] or ·to [L enter] any town where the Samaritans live. But go to the ·people of Israel, who are like lost sheep [L lost sheep of the house of Israel]. When you go, ·preach [announce; proclaim] this: ‘The kingdom of heaven is ·near [at hand].’ Heal the sick, raise the dead to life again, ·heal [L cleanse] ·those who have skin diseases [T the lepers; see 8:2], and ·force demons out of people [L cast out demons]. ·I give you these powers freely, so help other people freely [L Freely you have received, freely give]. Don’t ·carry [or acquire] any money ·with you [L in your belts]—gold or silver or copper. 10 Don’t carry a ·bag [traveler’s bag; or beggar’s purse] or ·extra clothes [L two tunics] or sandals or a ·walking stick [staff]. Workers ·should be given what they need [deserve to be supported; L deserve their food/sustenance].

11 “When you enter a city or town, ·find [seek out] some ·worthy [honorable; respected] person there and stay in that home until you leave. 12 When you enter that home, ·give it your blessing [L greet it; C typically, “Peace be with you”; see Luke 10:5]. 13 If the ·people there welcome you [L house is worthy], let your peace ·stay there [L come upon it]. But if ·they don’t welcome you [L it is not worthy], ·take back the peace you wished for them [L let your peace return to you]. 14 And if ·a home or town [L anyone] refuses to welcome you or ·listen to you [heed your words/message], leave that ·place [L home or town] and shake its dust off your feet [C in protest and as a warning of judgment]. 15 I tell you the truth, on the judgment day it will be ·better [more bearable/tolerable] for the ·towns [L land] of Sodom and Gomorrah [C evil cities destroyed by God; Gen. 19] than for the people of that town. {Matthew 10:5-15 EXB}

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Preceding

To proclaim the day of vengeance

Not all christians are followers of a Greco-Roman culture

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Additional reading

  1. The Nazarene master teacher learning people how they should behave
  2. As Christ’s slaves doing the Will of God in gratitude
  3. Back from gone #2 Aim of godly people
  4. Breathing to teach
  5. Blogging in the world for Jesus and his Father
  6. Sharing thoughts and philosophical writings
  7. Going deep into cultures to reach lost people
  8. Engaging the culture without losing the gospel
  9. How do I know if I’m called to ministry?
  10. Priest, scribes and others with authority
  11. Learn how to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News of the coming Kingdom
  12. Oratory Style
  13. What Should I Preach ?

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Further reading

    1. What Does the Lord Require? :: Prayers of the People
    2. A Day in Capernaum: Proclaiming Release to the Prisoners
    3. Send us Out
    4. Evangelize: Downtown Boise With Love
    5. Feed on His Faithfulness
    6. Attitude is Everything
    7. When Does Grace Run Out?

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Filed under Activism and Peace Work, Lifestyle

To proclaim the day of vengeance

The Christadelphians do follow a Bible reading plan called The Bible Companion. Their first reading for today July the 5th is 1 Samuel 17 where is seen “the day of vengeance” of Israel upon the Philistines due to the wonderful faith of a youthful David.

David had his three eldest brothers watching him. Throughout the stories of the Bible we are given example after example of how we should not fear even the strongest of men if we fear the Most High God.We are also given examples of people of God who think they can do nothing. Lots of people may think like the ones in our first reading

17:3333 And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.

and of Numbers 13:31 saying

‘We be not able to go up against this people’.

we come to see that Saul had fallen into the trap of the nation of Israel when they were at the border of the land for the first time.Also in our world today many have fallen in the trap of the adversary of God (the satan) and do believe they can not do anything against those who do not believe in God

We do live in a world where ‘goliath of godlessness’ is filling the earth and defying and destroying human thinking, as is evidenced in nearly all human talking, attitudes and activities. Just switch the television on and you can see how the world has gone far away from the godly way of living.

Our soul may rejoice in our Adonai for He has clothed us in salvation, but what may we do with that salvation if we do not show it to others? We have the the covering for our sin – that which allows us to stand before God’s throne and be classed as righteous by His grace. This covering is our salvation. It is good that we are reminded of it in so many places. But we should know that we also should remind others of it.

In the second reading of today we hear Isaiah telling the world

61 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

Also Jesus comes to read that passage in the synagogue, which we can read in Luke 4:18,19.

18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

But Jesus only read as far as

“… to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour”.

He stopped and did not read the words that followed – but he is returning soon

“to proclaim … the day of vengeance of our God” (verse 2).

We are not talking here about the six-issue comic book limited series written by Bill Willingham, with art by Justiniano and Walden Wong, published in 2005 by DC Comics the “Day of Vengeance” – #1, (June 2005), cover art by Walt Simonson.

This was not the purpose of his first coming! But will be the purpose, to begin with, of his second coming! And we know how much our world deserves this “day of vengeance”!

Jehovah God has put His Spirit in the master teacher Jeshua (Jesus Christ) because Jehovah appointed the Nazarene to tell [proclaim; preach] the Good News [Gospel] to the poor. [L anointed; C at Jesus’ baptism he was anointed by the Spirit as the Messiah, meaning the Anointed One] He has sent us to ·tell the captives they are free [proclaim liberty/release for the captives/prisoners]

God asked Jesus also not to forget to tell the blind that they can see again [Is. 61:1] and not to overlook the deaf, letting them become aware of the message which has to reach all people all over the world.

The Nazarene master teacher tells the people around him that it is Jehovah God Who has sent him to free those who have been treated unfairly [the oppressed; Is. 58:6] and to announce [proclaim] the time [year] when the Most High Elohim will show His kindness [favour; Is. 61:2; C an allusion to the release of slaves during the Jubilee year; Lev. 25].

Isaiah 61:6 King James Version (KJV)But ye shall be named the Priests of the Lord: men shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves.

When you are calling yourself a Christian, are you really a follower of Christ Jesus and willing to follow up the tasks he has given his disciples?

Are you willing to be called “the Lord’s priests”? We when calling ourself Christian should be worthy followers of Jesus Christ, adhering the same God as Jesus worshipped (his heavenly Father, the God of Israel) and should present or offer ourselves as

“slaves or ministers of our God”.

We should put on that the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that we and those around us might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified. (Isaiah 61:3)

Oak at Schönderling

In Flanders we can see the strong oaks in our woods. They are masters of stories, telling a long history. We should be like them “Trees of Justice”, not allowing ourselves to be carried away by worldly temptation and favouritism. As those oaks are mostly not standing on their own in solitude, we too should make sure that we have many brethren and sisters around us proclaiming the Good News, so that those called and taught by us might be called terebinths of righteousness, the planting of Jehovah, that He may be glorified.

Everyday we should work at it to have “trees” planted to show Jehovah His greatness [glory; C manifest presence]. Like we use the vegetable juices and oils of several trees in our surroundings for our healing, we too should bring people around us

“the oil of gladness … the garment of praise … that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified” (verse 3).

so that they may be healed from the wounds of the ungodly actions.

When Jesus first stood up to address his Jewish brothers he introduced himself with the reading of Isaiah, giving an indication that he was a sent one from God coming with His authorisation to tell the people he came to proclaim

“the day of vengeance of our God”.

In stopping where he did, he brought the audience onto his side. The record says that they “marvelled” at the things he said, and the way he said them. Yet Jesus had an ace up his sleeve. Suddenly, when the audience was at it’s most appreciative, marvelling at the way he opened up Isaiah’s prophecies to them, he deliberately turned on them, pressing what he knew to be a sore spot: even the gentiles are more worthy of the Messiah than you are!

Why did he do this? Well, the answer as always is in the prophecy he was quoting. Verses 1-2 speak of the year of Jubilee. We know this because of the reference to a specific year where liberty would be proclaimed. In quoting this passage Jesus changed one of the words:

“to set at liberty those who are oppressed”.

This is because he was specifically referring to the year of Jubilee and what it was designed to liberate. Have a look in Leviticus 25.

“You shall consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land” (v10). “You shall not oppress one another” (v14)

and again in v17

“you shall not oppress one another”.

We should not be afraid to go kindly to others and to tell them in a friendly way what we might expect and how we can avoid troubles in our life today and how we may prepare ourselves for a better life. Never need we to put pressure on others. We can tell them what the Word of God says; They may believe it, take it or ignore it. When they do not want to hear it we should allow it to be so, and let them be with their own thoughts. Perhaps by giving them (lots of) time they may be gained by the Word of God and in the end may come to see the Truth. We should show patience all the time.

The Jubilee was designed by God to be a year where all the land and property of a man was returned to him. Thus, if you bought a man’s field, you were in effect only renting it from him for the remainder of the current 50 year cycle. This ensured that the inheritance of the poorest people still remained with them, and that the rich didn’t oppress the poor in taking away all their livelihood.

“The day of vengeance” will be turned into victory for those who truly serve their lord today – until he come. Let us help each other in doing this, having laid up for ourselves “treasures in heaven” (as we read today in Matthew 6:19-21) which Jesus will bring with him (Revelation 22:12) – learning the lesson every day that

“where your treasure is, there your heart will be also”.

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Preceding articles

Justification – salvation is by grace through faith – JI Packer

Is being a humanitarian enough to convey the full love of Christ?

High time to go out telling the world about Jesus

7 Ways To Become A Better Christian

What Should I Preach ?

Daring to speak in multicultural environment

Crisis man needed in this world

Witnessing because we love

Refusing to Be Silent

Go Ye!

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Additional reading

  1. We should use the Bible every day
  2. Bible in the first place #2/3
  3. Necessity of a revelation of creation 8 By no means unintelligible or mysterious to people
  4. Necessity of a revelation of creation 11 Believing and obeying the gospel of the Kingdom of God
  5. Fragments from the Book of Job #3: chapters 21-26
  6. Blogging in the world for Jesus and his Father
  7. Sharing thoughts and philosophical writings
  8. Going deep into cultures to reach lost people
  9. Engaging the culture without losing the gospel
  10. How do I know if I’m called to ministry?
  11. Priest, scribes and others with authority
  12. Learn how to go out into the world and proclaim the Good News of the coming Kingdom
  13. Oratory Style
  14. What Should I Preach ?

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Further reading

  1. Here for a cause, anointed with a message the world needs to hear
  2. Scriptures and Thoughts about: Proclaim
  3. Go! Proclaim! Testify!
  4. Power from Heaven for Believers
  5. Proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes back
  6. To the Unknown God
  7. I Was Singing This When I Woke Up
  8. Two Different Ways to Look at the Great Commission
  9. Share Jesus
  10. High mast as I give allegiance to Jesus my King…the breeze carries far for all to hear echoes of His salvation
  11. June 30 – Ruth 4

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High time to go out telling the world about Jesus

“6  When they therefore had come together, they asked of Him, saying,

“Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?”

7 And He said unto them,

“It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in His own power.
8 But ye shall receive power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you;
and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.””

(Acts 1:6-8 KJ21)

*

Here we are hearing the last words of rabbi Jeshua before he left his apostles.
It is not because Jesus was going to send a Helper, that they had nothing to do. The opposite this Helper would make work light for them. They would get an attitude of willingness to follow up that what Jesus asked from them.
English: Trip to Jerusalem Trip to Jerusalem p...

Taking all sorts of occasions to go out and talk to others about the Messiah and the coming Kingdom of God. –  Trip to Jerusalem Trip to Jerusalem pub reputed to be the oldest inn in England – established 1189 A.D. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In Acts 1 we see that the disciples were hoping the kingdom would be established right then (verse 6); but no, they were to be witnesses, beginning “in Jerusalem … to the end of the earth” (verse 8).

Shouldn’t this last words before Jesus was taken up to come to sit next to his heavenly Father in heaven, be of our first concern. Clearly that  command given to his disciples was not only for them, but for all those who were going to claim to be a follower of Christ. Those who now  call themselves Christian, should have to go proclaiming that what Jesus also preached, to the places near them, but also to places not so near.
Today we may notice a lot of turmoil and probably can come to see some signs which may give us the understanding some important events started already. We are given signs by the Most HighCreator so that we can prepare ourselves for the difficult times to come. We better make sure we are ready.
Jesus asked his followers to prepare not only themselves but also the world. They had to go out and teach the Gospel, telling others about what Jesus had done and what they should do to receive an entrance through the small gate to the Kingdom of God. How he is the Way to God and how this God wants all people coming close to Him.
Let us not postpone the work for God and show our love for Him and His son to the whole world.
May we be God’s witnesses to those around us, while we wait for the Kingdom to be established.
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11 Comments

Filed under Activism and Peace Work, Lifestyle, Reflection Texts, Religious affairs

7 Ways To Become A Better Christian

Having the Spring-cleaning it is also not bad to do some Spring cleaning in the heart and mind.

Coming closer to the days for which the Bible warns, looking forward to be able to cope in harder times to come, we should work on it to become a better Christian and to get others into the faith. Attracting others to the right faith can only be done by giving a good example and by a good knowledge of the Right Faith and sharing the Truth.

In the knowledge that religion is a man-made thing we should take care to be grounded on Biblical teaching, liberated from all those human doctrines, which only are a burden to the fulfilment of our religious ways of living.

Lets make sure that more people can hear the Word of God and come to see “Who is who” and get to understand that there is only One True God (Jehovah) and only one mediator between God and man (Jeshua = Jesus Christ, the Messiah).

 

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Preceding

Get the lenses out to getting closer again

Happy First Day of Spring: Spring Cleaning!

Something Needs to Change!

The works we have to do according to James

Your Future

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Reggz Magazine

There are a myriad of ways in which one can become a
better Christian. Outlined below are some ways to attain a better relationship with God.

1. Devote every second of your life to Him and His
ways.

2. Keep your trust in the Lord.

3. Read the Bible day and night, as stated by
Joshua chapter 1 verses 8.

4. Understand that there is no such thing as a ‘utopian society’. Thus, as Christians, we are soldiers of God and should preach the word to those who have fallen behind.

5. Do not be a sanctimonious Christian. We are all humans. We all sin. We are far from flawless. If you become a sanctimonious Christian, there is a possibility that you will turn people away from God rather than towards Him.

6. Have faith not in religion, for it is man-made. It is a tool employed by humans to…

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Filed under Lifestyle, Re-Blogs and Great Blogs, Religious affairs, Spiritual affairs, Uncategorized

Is being a humanitarian enough to convey the full love of Christ?

We always have to speak the truth and shame the devil in a kind manner loving God’s Word more than the words of human beings.

The task given to his followers, by Jesus, is one which should have our hearts burning with a kind lovely fire, attracting those who want to hear the call of the Lord.

*

To remember

to receive full benefits of Christ’s completed work on the cross => declared righteous, acceptable, freely + fully forgiven

reality of Christ made known through God’s Word + revealed through transcendent grace = moment where  invisible became visible through change of a hardened man into a tender + active soul

grace means undeserving love

  • concept of universal justification = God’s way of saying “You have won the lottery! Now, come and receive the prize!”
  • Faith = only winning ticket that is considered redeemable <= Faith alone receives that gift
  • by faith, we receive the free + full forgiveness of sins.
  • Come + claim prize = Believe in Lord Jesus Christ + you will receive gift far greater than anything that the earth can produce.
  • Share gospel to listening ears = speak truth prompted by love + concern for the soul
  • Demonstrations of love =one of those ingredients that God mixes together with truth + speak => one of these ingredients forgotten or not used = ruins whole recipe.
  • Not enough for a Christian to be a humanitarian, nor is it the role of an evangelist to meet people’s needs. To fully love our neighbour means to share message of salvation + rescue them from the eternal consequences of sin.

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Preceding

Preaching Christ Is Not Enough

Witnessing because we love

Beautiful feet of those who announce the good news

Preaching by example

A Christian has to have eyes and ears and a tongue to use in good ways

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WITNESS WELL

Jesus’ greatest command is for Christians to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

We see images of destruction caused by natural disasters and are dismayed by the loss. Homes are destroyed. Families are left with nothing. Prompted by love, we extend a hand by offering financial support or materials goods to help those in need. Some are even willing to travel long distances to help pick up the pieces.

Are these demonstrations the type of love Christ is looking for, or is He calling on Christians to do something more?

In this growing impersonal and materialistic world being enveloped by today’s technology, perhaps Christians have lost touch on what Christ means to love our neighbor.

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Witnessing because we love

Yesterday we saw how Jesus spoke about God His second commandment and how Jesus ordered us to keep to a Royal Law.

In the readings of this week we can find an other work than the brotherly love we have to do. Though that work should be part of brotherly love. Out of love to others we should go out into the world and proclaim the Good News. Witnessing to others is a way of showing our love to them, because we want them also to be saved.

God’s abundance is for the furthering of His will here on earth. God wants all people to know Him and to worship Him. We, when we are thankful for what God provided for us, will love to serve our God and shall do our best to be workers in the name of Jesus, following his orders to preach.

The Lord Jesus stripped himself of everything save love, that he might more readily meet each human soul on its own level. Jesus emptied himself, humbled himself, only wanted to do the will of God, his heavenly Father and asked us also to put our own selfish will aside. That will demand some work. Like Jesus became obedient unto death, even the death at the stake, for our sakes, we should offer our selves, working hard to bring others also into the knowledge of God.

Jesus was set on proclaiming the Gospel so that even the dying thief might enter Paradise, and that not one prodigal in all the human family should think that he had sunk too low or gone so far as to be excluded from the hope of salvation.

One of the duties of friendship is just to lend an ear to others and our second duty is to try to give them right answers. Those answers are given by God in His Book of books, the Bible, which we should carry in our heart. To keep it only for ourself is selfish. We should share it with others around us.

The first followers of Christ Jesus were very well aware of their responsibility. They also knew it was God Who had given Jesus authority and also given them responsibility of serving His church by proclaiming the word of God in its fullness. Paul wrote.

Colossians 1:21-29 The Scriptures 1998+  (21)  And you, who once were estranged and enemies in the mind by wicked works, but now He has completely restored to favour  (22)  in the body of His flesh through death, to present you set-apart, and blameless, and unreprovable before Him,  (23)  if indeed you continue in the belief, founded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the expectation of the Good News which you heard, which was proclaimed to every creature under the heaven, of which I, Sha’ul, became a servant,  (24)  who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in Messiah’s afflictions, for the sake of His Body, which is the assembly,  (25)  of which I became a servant according to the administration of Elohim which was given to me for you, to fill the word of Elohim,  (26)  the secret which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His set-apart ones,  (27)  to whom Elohim desired to make known what are the riches of the esteem of this secret among the gentiles: which is Messiah in you,1 the expectancy of esteem, Footnote: 1See Messiah in you in the Explanatory Notes.  (28)  whom we announce, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, in order to present every man perfect in Messiah יהושע {Jehsua},  (29)  for which I also labour, striving according to the working of Him who works in me in power.

Even when the mystery may have been hid from ages and from generations, now for us it should be clear, having been made manifest to the Elohim His saints. When having received the blessings of the offering of Jeshua we, out of thankfulness should be pleased that we got to know what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the non believers. Having Christ in us we do have the hope of glory and should be so overtaken by joy that we shout it out and call others to become partakers of the same joy.

Faith belief D will do rightIt is that Messiah, given to us, without us having to do something for it, that now our turn has come to do something in return. The Grace is given for free, but now we have to act when we have come into the faith and want to make the faith alive. It is the Messiah whom we should preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus, whereunto the apostles also laboured, striving according to his working, which works in believers of Christ mightily.

The message kept secret for centuries and generations past has been revealed to God’s people. And the secret “Christ in you is the hope of glory!’”  should be sounding all over the earth.

Our task is to get this hope of glory with Christ in us. Having his presence and power in our life, because it is the only way we will ever become all that God has created us to be. That is the great secret that is now made known to all! And this is why we we have to do the work of faith proclaiming Jesus, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully grown, mature and complete in Christ. It is to this end we like the apostle Paul have to labour, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in the followers of Christ.

Like it was the great Life Lesson Philemon learned from Paul, and how it has made all the difference for him in everything he did, we too should be inspired by Jesus’ teachings and by the power of God’s Spirit should inspire others as well.

We were made for a purpose; one that will never be realized apart from our Lord Jesus Christ. Once Christ puts his presence and power into our lives – then we can do whatever Christ can do through us if we are opening ourselves to him! Paul’s timeless words should become our very own,  so that we too can say

‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!’

This is our hope of glory!

In Christ – the defeated become victorious; the weak become strong; the poor become rich! In Christ – the lame are made to leap and dance; the blind are made to see; the enslaved are set free and rejoice!

In Christ – the lowly are raised up; the brokenhearted are healed; sinners are forgiven, and backsliders are restored! In Christ –dreamers are envisioned; builders are empowered; and all are strengthened with might in their inner man!

To become in Christ we should give ourselves to him, which demands works.

To bring others to Christ also demands works. Though we do have to show others others that Christ is the Way.

We do have to open our ears so that others can open their hearts. We then should try to show them the answers God provides. Like David did not brood on his problems in solitary bitterness we with those around us should bring them before God.

We ourselves must not be ‘puffed up’ because of the way our careful reading of God’s word has led us to increasingly comprehend the ‘big picture’ of the meaning of life and the spirit of genuine love for God that must be part of this.

Let us be like the scribe who knew that there is only one God; and there is none other but He and to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength. To love God demands action or work. But when we do love we first of all have to love His creations as well because when we do not love our neighbour as ourself, we do not show appreciation for the creation of God, because each person is a created being, allowed to live here on earth by God.

Mark 12:26-33 The Scriptures 1998+  (26)  “And concerning the dead, that they rise – have you not read in the book of Mosheh, at the bush, how Elohim spoke to him, saying, ‘I am the Elohim of Aḇraham, and the Elohim of Yitsḥaq, and the Elohim of Yaʽaqoḇ’? (27)  “He is not the Elohim of the dead, but Elohim of the living. You, then, go greatly astray.”  (28)  And one of the scribes coming near, hearing them reasoning together, knowing that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first command of all?”  (29)  And יהושע  {Jeshua} answered him, “The first of all the commands is, ‘Hear, O Yisra’ĕl, יהוה {Jehovah} our Elohim, יהוה {Jehovah} is one.  (30)  ‘And you shall love יהוה {Jehovah} your Elohim with all your heart, and with all your being, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first command.  (31)  “And the second, like it, is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other command greater than these.”  (32)  And the scribe said to Him, “Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth, for there is one Elohim, and there is no other besides Him.  (33)  “And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the being, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbour as oneself, is more than all the burnt offerings and offerings.”

We should clearly understand what is being said here. There is only One True God the Elohim Hashem יהוה {Jehovah} and this we should believe and practice with all our heart, offering our love for God to others.

Do we feel as thankful as we should for the wondrous blessing of being spiritual children of God – in this godless world? Let us make sure that we do – and then – how soon will we see and experience – for ever – “the salvation of God”.

Paul challenges us when he looks at the call of Christ to go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. He expresses this responsibility in the bluntest terms,

1 Corinthians 9:16 The Scriptures 1998+  (16)  For if I bring the Good News, it is no boasting for me, for necessity is laid on me, and it is woe to me if I do not bring the Good News!

Youngsters listening to a preacher

Youngsters listening to a preacher

Let us not overlook that it is for necessity is laid on us as well.  ‘A necessity’, etc.: i.e. having no choice. The compelling force was twofold, love of god and love of Christ plus fear of being held responsible for the loss of souls. Woe: calamity, in this case, eternal death. So explicit and solemn was Christ’s commission that Paul could not retain his favour if he refused to obey it. 1 Corinthians 9:17 shows how this impending woe, and the necessity it laid on Paul, make the mere fact of his preaching no ground of exultation. For if we do this of our own will, we shall have a reward. But if not of our own will, we will have a stewardship entrusted to us.

1 Corinthians 9:17 The Scriptures 1998+  (17)  For if I do this voluntarily I have a reward, but if not voluntarily, I am entrusted with a management.

Stewardship “stresses obligation, responsibility, and faithfulness of the servant to his master in carrying out the entrusted task” (Rienecker and Rogers, p. 415). In other places such as Luke 16:2-4 this same term is used to describe the management of property.
We have to do the preaching or witnessing as a matter of duty, because God has entrusted us with this task.  And this is something too many Christians forget or do not want to see.

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Preceding

Your position about materialistic desires having conquered the world

When believing in God’s existence and His son, possessing a divine legislation

Looking for a shepherd for the sheep and goats

A Royal Rule given to followers of Christ

First man’s task still counting today

He who knows himself, is kind to others

Luther’s misunderstanding

January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works

Our life depending on faith

Romans 4 and the Sacraments

Is Justification a process?

Letter to the Romans, chapter 3

Letter to the Romans, chapter 4

Additional comments to the 3rd Letter to the Romans

Additional comments to the Letter to the Romans 4

Comments to James remarks, about Faith and works

Which is worse–works without faith, or faith without works?

Leading people astray!

Crisis man needed in this world

Preaching Christ Is Not Enough

Beautiful feet of those who announce the good news

Preaching by example

A Christian has to have eyes and ears and a tongue to use in good ways

Daring to speak in multicultural environment

Perishable non theologians daring to go out to preach

What Should I Preach ?

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Additional reading

  1. A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
  2. Bible in the first place #2/3
  3. Hope by faith and free gift
  4. Salvation, trust and action in Jesus #3 as a Christian
  5. The Right One to follow and to worship
  6. Illuminating our minds and watching out
  7. Those who love Jesus
  8. Follower of Jesus part of a cult or a Christian
  9. Paulus to Philemon
  10. Bringing Good News into the world
  11. Proclaiming shalom, bringing good news of good things, announcing salvation
  12. First Century of Christianity
  13. Looking on what is going on and not being of it
  14. Let us make sure we are not stiff-necked
  15. Priest, scribes and others with authority
  16. Breathing to teach
  17. Witnessing
  18. How should we preach?
  19. Showing by the scriptures that …
  20. Necessary to be known all over the earth
  21. Church sent into the world
  22. How do I know if I’m called to ministry?
  23. Not all ability to preach
  24. A Synod to speak freely and to listen without reservations
  25. Preachers should know and continue the task Jesus has given his followers
  26. Necessity of a revelation of creation 10 Instructions for insight and wisdom
  27. Risen With Him
  28. Looking for True Spirituality 7 Preaching of the Good News
  29. Missionary action paradigm for all endeavours of the church
  30. Engaging the culture without losing the gospel
  31. Counting sands and stars
  32. The Big Conversation
  33. The Big Conversation – Christadelphians in the United Kingdom
  34. The Big conversation – Antagonists
  35. What Should I Preach ?
  36. How to Choose a Bible for Preaching
  37. Positive Preaching Day 2015
  38. Soviet Witnesses
  39. Using the name Jehovah but not a witness of that name
  40. Why we do not have our worship-services in a church building
  41. Why we do not keep to a Sabbath or a Sunday or Lord’s Day #5 Not law binding
  42. Sunday 7 September service: Imitate prophets and Paul
  43. Begin by carrying away small stones to remove a mountain
  44. Signs of the Last Days

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Further related articles

  1. The Sum of our Stories
  2. The Gospel Addresses the Culture
  3. Baptism and Temptation
  4. Are You Ready For Jesus’ Return?
  5. Can you be faithful?
  6. Learn It, Do It, Teach It …Preach it?
  7. Preaching on the Subject of Heaven
  8. John Newton on the Practical Effects of Faith
  9. “forgiveness is not a legal action”
  10. Into the Wilderness
  11. 1 Peter 2:1-3, What about Milk?
  12. Preaching
  13. The Power of Place and Story in Preaching
  14. Consecutive Expository Preaching
  15. Stop Teaching
  16. What’s red and furry and climbs trees? (avoiding the Sunday School answer)
  17. Train of Thanks 14-15
  18. ‘Body Language’ in 1 Corinthians
  19. Sound Bytes or Substance? (Part 2)
  20. The Essential Element to Church Health and Success
  21. Sermon in a Sentence
  22. What’s Pastor Kevin Reading: Will Willimon’s “How Odd of God”
  23. Dulcis Loquela, Dulcis Oratio, or Un-Umming Your Speech
  24. Preaching – Prof K J Mathew – Shalom Night Vigil – February 2016
  25. Preaching – Fr. Roy Palatty – Shalom Night Vigil – February 2016
  26. “Today You Will Be With Me” – A Sermon Starter
  27. “Where is the promise of His coming?” (part 2)…
  28. Expository Preaching
  29. New Network Show; Preachers of Infernum
  30. Dressing for Church: Which Way Does One Go?
  31. How Will You Listen to Your Pastor This Weekend?
  32. 3 Essentials of A Good Sermon
  33. QotD – Speaking from the Heart – 2.11.2016
  34. Almost Spiritual, Almost Revived
  35. My Library // Dangerous Calling: Confronting the Unique Challenges of Pastoral Ministry
  36. One Anothering – The Ministry of Mutuality
  37. “Powerful Preacher”
  38. 6 Ways Bible Reading Enhances Your Church Experience
  39. One wild preacher!
  40. The Dilemma of Balance in Preaching
  41. Unlawful Arrest for Preaching Gospel
  42. Post-Preaching Inscape
  43. Benefits of Expository Preaching
  44. 4 “Non-Sin” Sermon Practices
  45. Are Red Letters More Important than Black Letters?
  46. Preacher, Do You Tremble before the Word You Preach?
  47. A Christ-Centred Life And A Christ-Centred Ministry
  48. The Ministry of Reconciliation
  49. Acts 4
  50. Acts 10
  51. Challenge: Find Somebody to Love
  52. Time for a Great Poem (evangelism)
  53. Don’t just give up, give out! #Lent
  54. Faith’s Checkbook: A Constant Witness
  55. Simon Peter
  56. When We Struggle
  57. February 8th-Love your neighbor as yourself. And, our unruly society has about as much difficulty with that as did His chosen people back then. Yet, as His children, we are required to be different.
  58. Leading Souls to Christ, Part 6 (Onward Christian Soldiers #116)
  59. Are You Sitting?
  60. We Are The Body!
  61. Equipping the Saints (Part 2)
  62. Life Expectations
  63. Rude Witnessing
  64. Feb 4 – That’s What Friends Are For
  65. Thankful
  66. How evangelism rests on trust and what you possess
  67. Eleven Trust in Jesus
  68. So, What Is Good News?
  69. Parking Lot Salvation
  70. My Utmost For His Highest: The Key To The Missionary’s Message
  71. Friendship Born By God
  72. He Died For Us Let’s Live For Him
  73. Is being a humanitarian enough to convey the full love of Christ?
  74. Go Ye!
  75. Let’s Proclaim The Gospel to The World
  76. 1 John 1:3 What To Proclaim
  77. 2016- A year to teach the masses about our Lord!
  78. Rejoice, Not Criticize
  79. εὐαγγέλιον – And God Ordained Encounters
  80. The Work of God
  81. #AdventWord #Proclaim
  82. Get The Word Out
  83. Joy Never Goes Silent
  84. Good News From The Bad News
  85. Walk before many people with good tidings and the gospel of peace
  86. There Is A Fire
  87. God Energizes Our Efforts August 27
  88. Refusing to Be Silent
  89. How Beautiful
  90. A Passion To Proclaim Him

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Justification – salvation is by grace through faith – JI Packer

Today there is still lots of commotion about works and faith. Still too many Christians do think they do not need any works.
The Catholic church, we must say, has from the beginning seen that certain works were necessary. One can not become a Christian without putting the previous life of sin away by having regret, asking for forgiveness of sins and taking steps to show regret (an act to be taken), opening oneself for remission by going for a baptism (a work).

Not only Rome sees baptism as a channel of sanctifying grace, as the primary instrumental cause of justification, and the sacrament of penance, whereby congruous merit is achieved through works of satisfaction, as the supplementary restorative cause whenever the grace of God’s initial acceptance is lost through mortal sin.

Not only for the Roman Catholics believers save themselves with the help of the grace that flows from Christ through the church’s sacramental system. Several other denominations request that people change their life once baptised (which sometimes demands lots of works). Other protestants groups do forget that it is impossible that a Christian would keep living the same sinful life as before his or her baptism. It is an illusion to believe that we are saved by the blood of Christ and would not have to do any works any more because we would go to heaven or always will be allowed to enter God’s Kingdom.

First of all the Kingdom will be here on earth for most of us. And Jesus showed us with his parables the danger of loosing the entrance through the small gate of life in eternity.

Justification may be given free, like people can win a lottery, but if they do not do anything with the price, they will be nothing with it.

For example if I would give you a limousine you are nothing with it if you do not use the key and turn the motor on (a work). Before you can go into the traffic you have to learn the road code and have to learn to drive. Then you will have to drive (doing a job) and shall have to be careful in traffic (taking attention), going to some place (trafficking).

Also with faith we do need to come into the faith (a work), trafficking, having to keep our faith (demands work), read the Word of God regularly and study it (demands work) we have to be careful to keep the code of God, His regulations and ordinances (keeping to the commandments requires work). Jesus also gave the order to go out in the world to proclaim the Gospel of the coming Kingdom (which demands a work) and to come together regularly, i.e. meeting with each other, which demands also some work.

For those who think they do not have to have self-control (which demands work) we must disappoint them. If they keep lying, bullying, stealing, fornicating, murdering, they shall miss the entrance of the coming Kingdom.
If they think it will be so easy in this system of things, we also must disappoint them, because also when baptised there shall be temptations, suffering and so on, which demand stamina to continue (work) in the faith.

*

To remember

Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” Galatians 3:11

=> =  we do have to be righteous to be able to live by faith

The author tells us:

  • doctrine of justification, storm center of Reformation = major concern of apostle Paul = heart of gospel (Rom. 1:17; 3:21-5:21; Gal. 2:15-5:1) shaping both his message (Acts 13:38-39) + his devotion + spiritual life (2 Cor. 5:13-21; Phil. 3:4-14).
  • > other New Testament writers affirm same doctrine in substance => terms in which Protestants have affirmed + defended it for almost five centuries are drawn primarily from Paul.
  • Justification = judicial act of God pardoning sinners (wicked and ungodly persons, Rom. 4:5; 3:9-24) > accepting them as just => putting permanently right their previously estranged relationship with himself.  > => justifying sentence = God’s gift of righteousness (Rom. 5:15-17) = his bestowal of a status of acceptance for Jesus’ sake (2 Cor. 5:21).
  • God’s justifying decision = judgment of the Last Day, declaring where we shall spend eternity
  • necessary means, or instrumental cause, of justification is personal faith in Jesus Christ as crucified Savior and risen Lord (Rom. 4:23-25; 10:8-13).
  • As we give ourselves in faith to Jesus, Jesus gives us his gift of righteousness, so that in the very act of “closing with Christ,” as older Reformed teachers put it, we receive divine pardon and acceptance which we could not otherwise have (Gal. 2:15-16; 3:24).

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Preceding articles

Luther’s misunderstanding

January 27, 417, Pope Innocent I condemning Pelagius about Faith and Works

Our life depending on faith

Romans 4 and the Sacraments

Is Justification a process?

Letter to the Romans, chapter 3

Letter to the Romans, chapter 4

Additional comments to the 3rd Letter to the Romans

Additional comments to the Letter to the Romans 4

Comments to James remarks, about Faith and works

Restitution

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Additional reading

  1. The business of this life
  2. A god who gave his people commandments and laws he knew they never could keep to it
  3. Believing in the send one and understanding that one does not live by bread alone
  4. Faith Alone Does Not Save . . . No Matter How Many Times Protestants Say It Does
  5. Not about personal salvation but about a bigger Plan
  6. People Seeking for God 3 Laws and directions
  7. People Seeking for God 5 Bread of life
  8. Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness
  9. Christ’s ethical teaching
  10. Being Justified by faith
  11. A Living Faith #3 Faith put into action
  12. Faith and works
  13. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #8 Prayer #6 Communication and manifestation
  14. Trusting, Faith, Calling and Ascribing to Jehovah #16 Benefits of praying
  15. Observing the commandments and becoming doers of the Word
  16. The first on the list of the concerns of the saint
  17. Running away from the past
  18. Malefactors becoming your master
  19. Be holy
  20. She who sows thistles will reap prickles
  21. Love for each other attracting others

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Further related articles

  1. No Regrets
  2. Day 19: Things to regret
  3. Access: Denied
  4. Giving our regret to God
  5. Reminisce
  6. Life is like a river
  7. Questions & Answers About Lent
  8. Godly Sorrow Leads Us on to a Glorious Celebration of the Gospel
  9. A Threefold Malice
  10. Reconciliation
  11. Penance – Chapter One
  12. Wednesday of Septuagesima week: O, Merciful God! Have Mercy On Me The Fallen One!
  13. CFP: Discipline and Excess (Cambridge Friday, April 15, 2016)
  14. That kind of Franciscan
  15. The Savior of the World
  16. (01/07/2016) Salvation Only Through Christ?
  17. My Take on the Gay Marriage Bill.
  18. Missing the Mark
  19. Leading people astray!
  20. Tips for Gracious Living: Bad Driving
  21. Unfaithful fornicating adulterating Christians will perish
  22. We don’t meet God 1/2 way.
  23. The Salesman
  24. Actions are the Megaphone of Words
  25. The Justification of Abraham
  26. (01/13/2016) How To Treat Unbelievers?
  27. Tuesday Devotional: Revelation 2
  28. Fashion advice?
  29. (12/31/2015) By Faith, Not By Interpretation?
  30. Faithfulness
  31. Seeing Christ
  32. Faith in Action

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Verlore seun

Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, “The righteous will live by faith.” GALATIANS 3:11

The doctrine of justification, the storm center of the Reformation, was a major concern of the apostle Paul. For him it was the heart of the gospel (Rom. 1:17; 3:21-5:21; Gal. 2:15-5:1) shaping both his message (Acts 13:38-39) and his devotion and spiritual life (2 Cor. 5:13-21; Phil. 3:4-14). Though other New Testament writers affirm the same doctrine in substance, the terms in which Protestants have affirmed and defended it for almost five centuries are drawn primarily from Paul.

Justification is a judicial act of God pardoning sinners (wicked and ungodly persons, Rom. 4:5; 3:9-24), accepting them as just, and so putting permanently right their previously estranged relationship with himself. This justifying sentence is God’s gift of righteousness (Rom. 5:15-17), his bestowal of a status of acceptance for Jesus’ sake (2…

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Filed under Being and Feeling, Lifestyle, Re-Blogs and Great Blogs, Religious affairs

Crisis man needed in this world

On Saturday the 10th of October Christadelphians come together at Dudley College in the United Kingdom to talk about the diminishing congregations in the United Kingdom. But it is not only there ecclesiae are struggling to make the ends meet and to have enough believers in Christ and in God in their meeting.

Many denominations in Christendom are victim of these times of ungodliness. It is also mainly that ungodliness that shows up in the families and in the behaviour of man. the difficulties people have in conversations and the wrong going communications have provided our world with many difficulties and lots of broken families and divorcees.

Lots of people who call themselves Christian are afraid to show others who they love and what they are standing for. Lots of Christians are afraid to let others know they are Christian. Less people are even willing to proclaim the Word of God and preach the Gospel of the Good News.

Our world urgently need men of God who are willing to go out in the world and preach that Gospel of peace and of hope in the future.

This world in crisis needs many “crisis man”. In this world where many want to be famous we need people who want to be more than a very well know figure and more than just a milepost-a marker on the road to destruction. A real follower of Christ should love it that people would be able to see Jesus in them.

Real followers of Christ should not be afraid to face the confrontation with non-believers or haters of God. They want them to be confronted with the decision to accept or reject the furious love of God.

meandyvettecraterlakeA missionary to Ethiopia, Ramon Mayo, pastor of a multiethnic Vineyard church, has now become a writer/editor in the South Suburbs of Chicago and probably sees a lot of problems in the poorer communities over there. Being rooted in blackness, following Jesus and embracing the world he is very well aware that everyone in the world is not like him and that the Church may be a bunch of people who are not like him worshipping the same God.

Like him we should know that everywhere may be different cultures and that around us we may find people who are not like us, act and behave differently than us. But somehow we should come to see that we all part of this world and that we all come from the same origin, the Base and the same divine creation.

In this world we may live and come to do things. We also have feelings for those around us and even for the place where we live in. But we should not forget where we want to place our loyalty.

Is it towards your country of origin or towards the new citizenship you have in God’s kingdom? {Are you an American or a Christian?}

Too many people have lost track of the main or the right road. It would be best if we could see some more people who are willing to help others to get back on track. Guides are needed to show people the Way again.

When the rubber hits the road and the values and priorities of America (or whatever country. You fill in the blank.) clash with the values of Jesus who wins out.

For me my loyalties lie with Jesus. The hard part is sorting out which values are his and which ones are part of the current government and culture I live in.

It’s hard to be in the world but not of it. {Are you an American or a Christian?}

We have looked hard for interested people who would like to join this platform writing about the way of life and preaching about the future hope, the Kingdom of God. But no other preachers showed up, who did not want to get paid like the other writers presented from the start. Most people want to receive a reward now and want to get paid for their writings. But preaching demands the love of giving to others without willing to receive something for it. Preaching is a free gift, for the free gift of grace we all have received. It is a way of showing thankfulness and appreciation for what Christ Jesus has done for us. Preachers should know and continue the task Jesus has given his followers.

In this ungodly world it is high tie we get more preachers on their feet and that those who call themselves Christian really show to the world what it means to be a follower of Christ.

if I believe Jesus is the way,the truth, and the life and without Him our lives are condemned and we are doomed then easy or hard the choice is simple. {Make me a crisis man}

We wonder who wants to come up for Christ and show others the Way. How many want to answer the call of Jesus Christ? how many want to be an encourager?

Do you want to just be a milepost or a fork in the road? {Make me a crisis man}

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Continue reading: The Big Conversation

Preceding: 72 Synod Fathers on the topic “The vocation and mission of the family in the Church and the contemporary world”

++

Additional reading:

  1. World Agenda for Sustainability
  2. Not many coming out with their community name
  3. Atonement And Fellowship 3/8
  4. Challenging claim 2 Inspired by God 1 Simple words
  5. God who knows the heart
  6. An anarchistic reading of the Bible—(1) Approaching the Bible
  7. Why we do not have our worship-services in a church building
  8. I remember you in my prayers
  9. Meet the atheist … who believes in God
  10. Called Christian
  11. Be an Encourager
  12. A Synod to speak freely and to listen without reservations
  13. Let us make sure we are not stiff-necked
  14. Many forgot how Christ should be our anchor and our focus
  15. Preachers should know and continue the task Jesus has given his followers
  16. Commitment to Christian unity
  17. Fellowship
  18. The Ecclesia
  19. The Ecclesia in the churchsystem
  20. The ecclesia or Christadelphian church
  21. Who are the Christadelphians
  22. Keeping an ecclesia in modern times
  23. Christadelphian people
  24. Christadelphians
  25. Christadelphians or Messianic Christians or Messianic Jews
  26. My faith
  27. A Living Faith #8 Change
  28. Priority to form a loving brotherhood
  29. Small churches of the few Christadelphians
  30. What Christadelphians teach
  31. About the Belgian Free Christadelphians
  32. 19° Century London Christadelphians
  33. Faith and works
  34. Breathing to teach
  35. Breathing and growing with no heir
  36. Perishable non theologians daring to go out to preach
  37. Belonging to or being judged by
  38. Good or bad preacher
  39. Jehovah’s Witnesses not only group that preach the good news

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Filed under Activism and Peace Work, Announcement, Lifestyle, Religious affairs, World affairs

Another Beginning

Having to go back to school gives us an occasion to meet more people than we would do when in our family, staying in our own habitat, enjoying our little cocoon.

A view of the academic wing of BOHS.

A view of the academic wing of BOHS. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Going back to school or to work shall bring us again on the streets, taking public transport, facing many different faces each day, meeting again old but also new faces.

In the school-year we shall have many occasions to meet people to hear to them but also to talk to them.
We also should take many opportunities to talk about that what is deep in our heart and gives us a fury love.

Being in the world does not mean we do have to be off the world and have to take part in all those things which we should consider not applicable. So, again we shall have to make choices and show to others which High-Way we want to go.
This shall create again some new important moments for us to witness.
Let us not forget to proclaim that Good News which gives us hope and gives us every time over and over again some new energy.

*

Remember:

  • reflect upon the summer and think about the hopes
  • encouragement can go a long way
  • a small hug or word can change an entire day around
  • make an effort to read Scripture every single day
  • do not walk in step with the wicked
  • do not stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers
  • set goals for yourself
  • Be an encourager

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Preceding:

Helping each other with prayer to start the new academic year

For mams and dads it is also back to ‘normal’

The Door is Open

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mingle with mo

Endings are a great way to begin. Today marks my last day of summer. I am sad to see it go, but I am happy to embrace the new school year ahead. Tomorrow morning I will be loading up the car, packing it extremely tight just to fit everything I “need” and I will make the journey back to campus.

As the handful of hours I do have left pass by, I cannot help but reflect upon the summer and think about the hopes I have for my sophomore year. I had a wonderful summer filled with work, trips, family and friends. I explored the west coast of Michigan, flew on 5 different planes, found out that LAX does not have a lot of food choices and a saw a black bear in the Smoky Mountains. This summer was special to me and it gave me a lot of memories…

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Filed under Educational affairs, Lifestyle, Re-Blogs and Great Blogs, Religious affairs