Week four of radiation treatment for prostate cancer begins in a few hours. Last week I wrote about time to give thanks. About prayers to God. When God answers our prayers, we do give thanks. Don’t we? But do we always recognize when and how He answers our requests?
radiation treatment week 4 – have my prayers to God been answered? More
We move on to the fifth of the seven letters in Revelation. We’re on the home-stretch. This time the letter to the dead church in Sardis. Jesus has very little in the way of good things to say about the church in Sardis. And, of course, bad things. In this church, the examination will again be about the relationships between the good and bad statements. But this time, Jesus very clearly points out the differences to the church. And therefore, to us as well.
The letter to the dead church in Sardis – Revelation More
Does going to church make you feel good? Going to church and feeling like we just had a good cup of coffee really shouldn’t make us feel the same way. Either we’re way too focused in on coffee, or we’re really not that into going to church!
Does going to church make you feel good? More
Jesus told parables. Lots of them. But what exactly is a parable? What’s the point of them? Are parables to tell us something? Or are they to hide something from us? Either way, how much do we really understand of the parables Jesus told us? That’s a lot of questions! Let’s get some answers.
Jesus told parables. Was He hiding something? More
What happened to Christian transformation? You know – becoming more Christ-like? It used to be important. But now, does it mean anything more than switching to a church that we like better? One that supports our view of God, the way we created Him? That’s as opposed to a church that teaches and helps us to become more like Jesus. The Jesus Christ who’s the namesake of the Christianity.
What happened to Christian transformation – becoming more Christ-like? More
There’s no reason to think the actual beast in Revelation exists today. There are prerequisites, events that must take place before the antichrist makes his or her appearance.
So why go through all this if the beast doesn’t exist yet? Well, because it matters. If we can be deceived today, what hope do we have when the events in Revelation start to unfold?
Given that we’re so easily deceived today, it’s critically important that we learn to listen to the Holy Spirit. In church-speak, to be able to discern the difference between truth and lies. Not on our own, but with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s look at a few examples of things that deceive Christians, even today
As I said, these examples are important. The things that deceive Christians today are from “ordinary” people. In other words, they aren’t from the antichrist. Not from the beast in Revelation.
Will the beast in Revelation be able to deceive Christians? More
Blessed are the pure in heart. What does that even mean? In this day and age, do we even know what the word “pure” means? And what’s meant by the word heart? We hopefully know it’s not about someone with a healthy heart pumping pure blood without infections, foreign matter, or other impurities. But what is it?
Blessed are the pure in heart More
Which god provides salvation for us? Different people have different “gods” or deities. Even those who claim to have no “god” have one – maybe they view themselves as “the deity” of their own world. From there, we should recognize that outside of people who believe this life is “all there is” – we want something from our deity. One of those things we want from our “god” is “salvation” – we want that “god” to save us from something.
Which god provides salvation for us? More
Have you ever heard of a Grown-again Christian? Me neither. But the Apostle Paul did. “But for right now, friends, I’m completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealings with each other and with God. You’re acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing much more than nursing at the breast.” The Message
