Wednesday, October 30, 2013

TECHNO-FAITH - CURRENT GENERATION STEPS IT UP?


100 MILLION DOWNLOADS IN LESS THAN 7 YEARS. DEVOTIONALS, READING PLANS 
More and more people, (including yours truly) are reading the Holy Scriptures - the BIBLE - on mobile PDA's than ever before. The Word of God is reaching literally the ends of the earth faster than your local cable company can lay the fiber optics in the ground. There are more free downloads of the wildly popular YouVersion app around the world than Justin Bieber songs!

Just as an FYI, YouVersion was developed by a pastor with ties to Central Illinois named Bobby Gruenewald who in a long line at O'Hare airport in Chicago, wishing he had a small bible in his pocket to help him pass the time! One thing led to another and the idea to have a bible which anyone can access at any time, anywhere was born! Six years later, the 37 year old now innovation pastor at LifeChurch.tv has the most popular application in the world in over 600 versions and 375 languages! As of July 2013, there have been over 100 million free downloads of the app from iTunes and elsewhere. Apart from just the Biblical Text now, YouVersion is now offering manageable bible reading plans and free devotionals from Chris Tomlin, Casting Crowns and others among a myriad of other features.

Because of popular discipleship tools like this (YouVersion), Bible reading is now at an optimum! It is estimated that within twenty years, more people will be accessing the worldwide web (internet) via Tablet and/or Smartphone, than the old fashioned desktop computers! In fact, mainline computer manufacturers like DELL, Gateway and others are seeing their share of the market fall as iPad; Google Nexus; Kindle HD Tablet and others zoom in sales and popularity. As a future ebook publisher and current fan of ebooks, I can testify that an ebook is a lot easier and faster to read than a traditional hard or paperback book.
FREE APPS FOR YOUR SMARTPHONE & TABLET - LOGOS, GLO BIBLE ETC....
Here are some of the key findings just released by him in October 2013:
- 70% of church-going Millennials (those born around 1986) read the Scriptures on the screens of a smartphone or tablet and laptop.
- 54% of church-going Millennials watch teaching, music and other faith-based videos online "religiously"
- 56% of church-going Millennials use the web to research churches to determine their next Sunday morning destination or a future church home.
- 59% of church-going Millennials use the web to find resources and information on spiritual matters and to connect with various instruction. More and more, we find many are also joining discussion forums like Rapture Forum, Crosswalk etc to connect with others and discuss Faith.
- 38% of church-going Millennials check online for verification of what they hear immediately upon hearing it.
- If they are reached properly and approached about giving, 20% of church-going Millennials will donate to a church or faith-based organization via text or online.
This is all great news as more and more young people are accessing God's Word, both here in the USA and mainly in the Far East and eastern Europe where there is an availability of electronics. Here in the US, the Oklahoma based LifeChurch and others encourage congregants to tweet bible verses during the sermon or nuggets gleaned from the teaching. During the regular week, Twitter (and Facebook to a lesser extent) has become the popular repository of quick bible verses and online chats to share Scripture verses and other forms of Faith-based encouragement among believers.  All the user needs is a hashtag (#) to join the conversation of a certain group.

This is all amazingly encouraging stuff, until we discover that there is a disconnect between the wide distribution of the electronic Biblical teaching. This is not to put a damper on all this great technological advancement in the Faith. But the disconnect appears in the fact that only 9% of American Christians have a Biblical worldview! These are the latest numbers.  According to Barna, the numbers have gone from 7% in 1995 to 10% in 2000 to 11% in 2005 and now 9% in 2009! (The survey is conducted almost every five years). 

A Biblical worldview is defined by Barna for these surveys (and which have also been confirmed by the Pew Foundation) is "believing that absolute moral truth exists; the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches; Satan is considered to be a real being or force, not merely symbolic; a person cannot earn their way into Heaven by trying to be good or do good works; Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; and God is the all-knowing, all-powerful creator of the world who still rules the universe today...."


The best explanation I can offer for this kind of disparity in the massive influence of "techno-faith" and "true faith" is one word - DISTRACTION.  All of this wonderful activity has its place, its potential and its own power. But during a supposed time of worship, praise and preaching, taking one's focus OFF the Worship of the One True God to monitor your tweets and share thoughts on the message or the communion devotion online is almost, well, disrespectful to the Savior.

The Bible says "Be still and know that I am God (Psalm 46:10). The Book of Revelation in chapter 4:8 gives us the awesome picture of what true worship is in Heaven, RIGHT NOW and it says "And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME." No tweeting or IOS 7 here, just the 6 Creatures and the 7 Spirits of God in full blown unspeakable reverence before Holy God.

One factor added to the distraction away from True Worship - which is awe in the Presence of the Holy - is DISCERNMENT! The internet is full of distortion and even disinformation about the Lord Jesus and the teachings of the Bible.  Unless some of these websites visited for more information are well known and as tested and true as Answers in Genesis or Probe Ministries (apologetics), we must be EXTREMELY careful about some of the research and information gathered online!  Over 80% of what passes for biblical teaching online should be addressed with a grain of salt.

These are some of the issues which Millennials will face increasingly, as they move into mature adulthood with their tech gadgets. The daunting task facing our young people is not just the high cost of a smart phone data plans, but these major theological points - distraction and discernment - and how it all fits in with God's plan for our lives. Our task, as the generation which is passing the torch to the Millennials, is to mentor and disciple them on how to balance all of this advancement with the required reverence, repentance and relevance of honoring our Father in Heaven; listening to Him and completely obeying Him.
THIS WEBSITE'S SCRIPTURES ARE REPOSTED FROM HERE: 
BIBLE GATEWAY: 

Sunday, October 27, 2013

FOUR PRINCIPLES OF SOWING FOR THE HARVEST


Galatians 6:9: "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up".

A wonderful friend of mine for almost 20 years who has been a faithful man of God for over 50 years owns a blessed and productive apple orchard. This apple orchard still supplies thousands of apples to an area business which makes up to 500 gallons of cider daily - pure, cool, refreshing tasty local cider! I don't think there is anything better in this world, except iced water, to sip on a beautiful fall day!

My friend planted those apple trees and nurtured them from the ground up for decades...and he still takes care of them as he did when he was in his thirties. Recently I was given a huge box of a variety lovely apples from his crop (which will become apple sauce by the way), and it got me thinking of reaping and sowing. I also contemplated thea legacy my brother in Christ and fellow warrior is leaving to the next generation.

Those who have built a booming business using his five-decade-old crop as a foundation are now providing employment for local men and women. Their store sells caramel apples, apple sauce, apple butter, apple cider, apple cider donuts and other local produce and meats from other local business. Anything from apples you can think off  - they have it. Even cold yummy apple slushies from $1 up so the smallest kid can afford it. This is the essence of America. So much came from one man who planted an apple tree and opened a small shop for his wife to sell apple cider! The real life example here, has provided the impetus for this teaching from God's word to enable common folks like you and I, to leave a legacy which is just as rich as the soil my friend's apple trees stand on.

The Bible says in Galatians 6:7 ESV Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. This second part of the verse is natural law, logic and plain old common sense. The first part reminds us that what we are seeing in America and the World today is both self deception and the surety of the Justice of God! In the wider societal sense, the political-academic-cultural axis of evil has deceived the majority of the country (and the world) into a certain mindset and lifestyle which is leading the majority to final judgment before God one day....then eternal separation from Him. 

There are many ways to look at the sure Word of God and its real-life implications in both a corporate (or societal) sense and then in a deeply personal sense. We have seen how the mocking and blaspheming of God by politicians, judges and the culture has sown a harvest of hell and damnation to each successive generation. We are responsible for that only in the sense of our voting patterns and how respond to it. What we are most responsible for before God, however, is our personal spiritual conduct in this sowing and reaping process.


There are a few takeaways we have to key in or focus on to grasp the Lord's teaching here, as relayed by Paul. The major points, in brief are:

1. The Sowing comes before the Reaping. 
Everybody sows or puts something into play in life. Many folks, since the existence of humankind, have grown up where either evil has been sown (alcoholism, immorality, unbelief, anger and hate) or love of family and/or God. By the sheer act of living, we sow a part of ourselves. We leave a footprint in our every action. It is completely up to us what kind of footprint we leave behind. Just as an apple seed cannot bear oranges. Function follows Form and therefore, if we sow love, we reap love. 
If we sow gossip, we reap gossip. 
If we sow lies, we reap lies. 
If we sow hate, we reap hate. 
If we sow the wind, we reap the whirlwind. 
So the first thing is - you and I reap only what we sow - that would preach - that's bible! 

2. The Sowing of Bad seed can lead to devastation.
When King David lusted after another man's wife - Bathsheba - killed her husband to cover up his adultery and lied to himself for two years before Nathan confronted him, he set a series of events in motion which still has impact today. Solomon, the once wisest man who ever lived, was the product of that union. His immorality and pagan worship led to God splitting the Kingdom and judgment on the followers of the Law when God let the Romans completely destroy the Temple in Jerusalem in AD 70. 
The seeds to that destruction were sown 1000 years before, when King David crossed the line. The Land of Israel has never recovered for that act, almost 3000 years ago and is now a 70% secular country. The good news for them is that on the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, one third of Israel will be saved from the fires of hell by the Messiah!!! (See Zechariah 13:8 here)

3. The Fruit from the Sowing may not be immediately seen.
We have all heard the stories of grandmothers or parents and prayer warriors praying for the salvation of a loved one, or even a fellow co-worker....and then never living to see this or that person come to a saving knowledge of Christ....in the praying person's lifetime. Then this same person, let's call him "Person A" being prayed for runs into another along the line who waters that evangelistic prayer seed....then this same unsaved person comes to either a dramatic "come-to-Jesus" moment and surrenders to Jesus, repents and gets saved AND THEN gets baptized. This entire procedure has been witnessed by the High Court of Heaven. 
Each person along the course of Person A coming to salvation, sowed into Person A's life. This will then be evident on the Day of the Lord, in God's Courtroom, when the righteous stand before Jesus to be judge for our works. It may only be evident there that Person A we met on a train to New York or at the State Fair in line to buy ice-cream or at the Godmobile, actually remembered what you said 20 years before he gave his life to the Lord! THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN, so look forward to it! Can you imagine the Joy you will have in heaven when Melissa or Joan or Jackson comes up to you and says "it was YOU who led me to a saving Knowledge of Jesus Christ, and I wish to thank you for it"!!! Factor this!

4. Correct missed opportunities to sow, by planting NOW!
Everyone of us have messed up! I don't know how many times I have figuratively kicked myself in the shin for neglecting to tell this or that person an encouraging word from the Lord. How many times have we ALL said "I wish I had said "something or other" and maybe this or that person would have felt better, gone away less confused or even believed the Gospel and would have been saved? How many times? Well, the answer is too many to count.
Is God a hard taskmaster sitting up on the Throne saying "I am going to get him or her, and show them they can't just do this and get away!" Does He do that? No! In His Mighty and Merciful Grace, He gives us one opportunity and another to make it right until we get it right! You and I cannot revisit the past and correct the errors of omission we committed, when we were either too chicken to talk to whomever, about what Jesus has done for us or how theLord Himself transformed us. What we can do, if we are wise, is to learn from our disobedience and folly. We can evaluate the following:
 - the environment in which we missed it. Could it be a place we felt it was not appropriate or even against some degree from the boss not to talk about Jesus at work? If this makes you uncomfortable - immediately ask this person if you can speak to him on your break time away from your place of work, or after work for a cup of coffee or iced tea.
 - the circumstances in which we missed it. Could it be you do not feel qualified to address someone who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer or heart disease and is in a panic? If so, while it may not be the same thing, speak about hope, the expectation of hope and the need to NOT lose courage.  Do not use "religious lingo", just be human and loving in your natural self and watch the Lord use this willingness to even open the eyes of the person you're witnessing to maybe allow them to see you care about them and their emotional well being than they could ever imagine! If it is a serious medical situation, here is the place you may ask, in private, if you can pray for her/him.
 - the words we used or did not use when we missed it. As we all know, we cannot live in the past or walk around saying "if I had only......"! We can become more acquainted with HIS WORDS - through intentional/devotional/relational reading of the Holy Word of Truth - the Bible and then Prayer! Because we know we have missed several opportunities in the past, we now double down and vow not to do it again but to proactively pray for God to send you more divine appointment this day or when He wishes, so you can share what He has done for you! If you do this and everything else He instructs you....if you are filled with the Knowledge of the Holy....if you are ready, willing and able...ALL you have to do now is trust, obey and step out of the way. Then watch Holy Spirit speak directly through you as you mouth His Words! 

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

KILLING JESUS - AN HISTORIC, INSPIRING & DELIGHTFUL READ

REVIEW BY AN O'REILLY SKEPTIC
Anytime a mainstream-type celebrity writes a book or makes a movie about Jesus Christ, the Bible or another biblical hero, the natural tendency of true believers is 100% skepticism. Those of  us who have been transformed from the realm of darkness and hell, into being sons and daughters of the Most High immediately get our backs up when we hear folks "diss" both Christianity, Creation and the Christ. We get our backs up when a member of the elite or the chattering class or even so-called Christians call us "dummies" or "ignoramuses" for not believing in random evolution and allegory as they do.
So it was with this frame of reference that I changed my mind and ended up purchasing Fox News Channel top-ranked TV personality Bill O'Reilly's new book- Killing Jesus! I had resisted purchasing O'Reilly's other "Killing" books or any other merchandise but this book tugged on my spirit.  Personally, I cannot forget O'Reilly's insults to those of us who believe the Bible is the 100% Literal, Holy Spirit -inspired Word of God. He does stand up for cultural Christianity - one of the few to do so in public life. So that is one in his plus column. But after a couple weeks of self-debate, I sensed what the official East Coast media about "there being no smoking gun" about who or what "killed Jesus" could not be right. Bill had his ace researcher Martin Dugard do extensive research in places most mainstream investigative journalists would never venture. Both O'Reilly and Dugard come from a traditional religious background left then open to wherever the research led...which was all the way from Judea to Rome. (They are both Roman Catholics).

What I soon discovered was that the most impressive part of this best-selling book, is a captivating narrative founded on historical truth, gifted wrapped to the world as an amazing "page-turner" of a package. To say "Killing Jesus" is very well written is an understatement. What will grab the reader, should he or she stay with the "reading plan" is a brief set-up on the person of Jesus Christ, why Herod was hunting him and the relational history of the crucial Roman Empire (crucial because it was the Romans who brought Christianity to the West after the 4th century).

The brutal (and often R-rated) history of the Roman Emperors from Julius Caesar to Tiberius is stunning to read as Dugard's research into two thousand-plus year old documents revealed. A substantial amount of  the first third of the book is dedicated to this particular period before the Birth of the Son of God on the earth.....thereby setting the stage and the atmosphere/environment into which Jesus was born. To this end, this book is NOT recommended for kids. There is too much about brutality and the weird sex lives of ancient historical figures.

The main advantage of this historical setting is the background  O'Reilly used to show the troublesome and oppressive corrupt state of Judea, into which this humble carpenter from Nazareth launched His brief, world-changing ministry. While he kept saying on his top-rated FNC show - "The O'Reilly Factor" - that this was a "history" and not a "religious" book, after reading it with a keen eye for Biblical accuracy, I have to affirm that I find no fault with that statement! In fact, I am now ecstatic that it is a quote "history" book because it portrays not just the character and life of Jesus, but the accurate events of His Miracles and teachings as the confirmed FACTS they are! The committed Christian, who is skeptical as I originally was about reading this, should take heart. Apart from the historical records of Rome and the Middle East (including what is left in Jerusalem) both Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard used the text of the NIV Study Bible as back up!

There were times in the early going of reading "Killing Jesus" where I got really frustrated with all the exhaustive Roman historical background. It was then the Lord spoke to me through His Spirit, Who lives within me. So when He said that "many will be reached with this book", I was immediately encouraged and set at ease! That was it! There was no smoke from heaven or lightning....just the Lord setting me straight. The book has sold over 500,000 hardcover books . But what I know the Lord will be happy about is the children's version which will take this thing over the million mark (similar to Killing Lincoln etc)! In the Spring of 2013, tens of millions of Americans and many more than that watched Mark Burnett and Roma Downey's version of the Bible, which did contain a few glaring errors. I did not read Killing Jesus with an eye to scrutinize every interpretation, but I do know enough of the Bible to recognize Biblical error when I see it.

ERRORS IN "KILLING JESUS"
He had Jesus at 36 years old when He died. Jesus was 33. There were several disturbing glaring omissions by the authors as to the Final Words of Jesus. They left out Jesus' quotes from the Cross "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do". They left out the conversation about the thieves on the Cross. They left out Jesus telling His disciple John to take care of Mary (which is a Jewish custom). 

O'Reilly had the wrong dates for the Prophet Isaiah's time (off by 100 years). He incorrectly had the Philistines defeating the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722 BC when that could be easily cross checked with secular Jewish history (along with the Old Testament) that it was the Assyrians and not the Philistines.  There are some others which have to do with a misunderstanding of the Harmony of the Gospels. Any serious Bible student will not these. 

The thing to note here is these men are not born-again bible believing Christians and never claim to be. Their claim is to be authors of a "history book". In his CBS 60 Minutes interview with Norah O'Donnell, Bill O'Reilly made it clear that KILLING JESUS does not make the claim that Jesus is Messiah. That is a personal declaration to which he is accountable. To those of us who read and even enjoyed this book, regardless of these errors - JESUS CHRIST IS THE MESSIAH - HE IS MY MESSIAH - HE WILL ALWAYS BE AND I WILL SCREAM IT FROM THE MOUNTAINTOP - JUST LIKE RIGHT HERE, period!

RECOMMENDED?
In these troubled times, this historical account of the Last Days of Jesus and the culture in which He lived,  will encourage any seeker of Truth, wavering Christian or even a mature believer, who ever doubted this historicity of both the Bible and its account of the Greatest Man Who ever lived! Share this book with a friend who is not a Christian or even an atheist. The history alone, therein, will interest just about any curious human being.

You know, it really does takes MORE faith to be an atheist than it does to believe the simple Truth of the Gospel of Christ. This book will both inform, interest and inspire anyone who approaches it with an open mind. There is only good that can come out of reading this with one eye on history and the other eye on His Story!

Sunday, October 20, 2013

KEYS TO A GODLY LIFE PART 12/12 - JUDGMENT DAY COMING

THE DAWN OF GLORY SERIES:

PLEASE READ THE PASSAGE, THEN - WATCH THE BRIEF EXPOSITION FROM THE PLUMBLINE VIDEO:

2 Peter 3:1-16

This is now, beloved, the second letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your apostles.

The Coming Day of the Lord

Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.” For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water. But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day. The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.

A New Heaven and Earth

10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.

11 Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, 12 looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! 13 But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

14 Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless,15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 

17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away bythe error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, 18 but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation



Friday, October 18, 2013

KEYS TO A GODLY LIFE PART 11/12 - BE ON THE ALERT!

THE DAWN OF GLORY SERIES:
PLEASE READ THE PASSAGE, THEN - WATCH THE BRIEF EXPOSITION FROM THE PLUMBLINE VIDEO:

2 Peter 2:1-22

But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who willsecretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; and intheir greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority.

Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties, 11 whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord. 12 But these, like unreasoning animals,born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed, 13 suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children;15 forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.

17 These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved.18 For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 20 For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 21 For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. 22 It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

KEYS TO A GODLY LIFE PART 10/12 - OBEY THE WORD

THE DAWN OF GLORY SERIES:
PLEASE READ THE PASSAGE, THEN - WATCH THE BRIEF EXPOSITION FROM THE PLUMBLINE VIDEO:

2 Peter 1:12-21

12 Therefore, I will always be ready to remind you of these things, even though you already know them, and have been established in the truth which is present with you. 13 I consider it right, as long as I am in this earthly dwelling, to stir you up by way of reminder, 14 knowing that the laying aside of my earthly dwelling is imminent, as also our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will also be diligent that at any time after my departure you will be able to call these things to mind.

16 For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17 For when He received honor and glory from God the Father, such an utterance as this was made to Him by the Majestic Glory, “This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased”—18 and we ourselves heard this utterance made from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

19 So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts. 20 But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Monday, October 14, 2013

KEYS TO A GODLY LIFE PART 9/12 - MATURING IN GRACE

THE DAWN OF GLORY SERIES:
PLEASE READ THE PASSAGE, THEN - WATCH THE BRIEF EXPOSITION FROM THE PLUMBLINE VIDEO:
2 Peter 1:3-11

3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 4 For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. 


5 Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, 6 and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, 7 and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. 8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.


9 For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things, you will never stumble; 11 for in this way the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly supplied to you.

Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Saturday, October 12, 2013

KEYS TO A GODLY LIFE PART 8/12 - LIVING AS GOD'S PEOPLE

THE DAWN OF GLORY SERIES:
PLEASE READ THE PASSAGE, THEN - WATCH THE BRIEF EXPOSITION FROM THE PLUMBLINE VIDEO:

1 Peter 5: 1-10

Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Be of sober spiritbe on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 10 After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.
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