Assassins of Faith Vs Keepers of Faith - A Study

Excerpt from the Author's Explorations of Faith: Studies of the Heroes of Faith in Hebrews 11 (2009)ASSASSINSKEEPERSDoubtDesireDivisionConfessionConductCommunionTHE SCRIPTURE warns us not to be slothful but to be diligent in faith (Heb. 6:12; Judg. 18:9). Faith is not only to be guarded (Rev. 14:12) but also to be contended or fought for (Jude. 3); for it is only by fighting that one keeps one’s faith (2Tim. 4:7). The crisis of faith is a condition...

Read More

Augustine On The Invisibility of the Trinity

One key challenge that Augustine counters in Book II of his On Trinity is the question regarding the invisibility of Jesus in His essential nature. The antagonists argued that Jesus as the Son of God was always visible to the Father; therefore, this visibility also implies mortality and changeability. Two texts that Augustine quotes are: Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever....

Read More

A Morning Song

 My heart is filled with praises to You,O Lord, Maker of my soul!Your grace is fresh like the morning dew;Each day, goodness You unfold.We hear the song of birds singing,As they rise up each morning.Their heart is secure in Your care,O Infinite One, You are everywhere!Sunlight fills the morning sky,Bringing light to every eye.Kids arise, off blankets they shake.The night is over, it's time to wake.You fill our homes with laughter and joy,Our tables abound with food.You watch with fondness every girl and boy,You teach us what is good.O Lord,...

Read More

The Courageous

 The world may be divided into two camps of people; those who are courageous and those who are timid.The courageous are fearless to take risks. They are not the brash and the provoked whose vice is pride and not the virtue of courage. The courageous act in wisdom and right faith, not out of foolish impulse and arrogance.It is not timidity to wisely deal with a challenge. The Chinese military general Sun Tzu wrote: It is the rule in war, if ten times the enemy's strength, surround them; if five times, attack them; if double,...

Read More

Was John 7:53-8:11 in the Original Text?

 This famous well-beloved section, known as the Pericope Adulterae, has been the subject of not only many sermons but also many theses and dissertations. Some of the newer Bible versions try to place a footnote stating that the segment is not present in the more ancient available manuscripts. A number of commentators have tried to avoid commenting on it. Some regard the style and theme to be Johannine and opine that perhaps it was omitted in some early manuscript by a copyist and the error carried on into later manuscripts.  Some think...

Read More

Prophets, Apostles, and Canonicity of the Bible

The Bible contains 66 books that are considered together to be the canon (i.e. standard rule). There were many other books which the church fathers did not include into the canon because they failed to fulfill the 5-fold criteria of canonicity. The 5-fold criteria was: Authorship: It should be authored by an apostle or a prophet or a holy man of God. Local Church Acceptance: It should have been accepted in the local churches of First Century Christians...

Read More

Were Peter and John Illiterate?

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus. (Acts 4:13)The phrase "uneducated and untrained" can be also rephrased as "not educated in rabbinic law nor professionally trained in matters of religion." But, certainly, it does not mean that Peter and John were illiterate. They were literate enough to write epistles and professionally...

Read More

The Scattered but United Church

 Biblical unity is not organizational unity, but a spiritual  one. Jesus did not intend the church to be centralized under Peter. Paul doesn't mention Peter as the one who sent and commissioned him. In fact he writes,"But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called [me] through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor...

Read More

Narrative Criticism

Narrative criticism is a form of literary criticism applied to biblical studies that developed in the past few decades since the 1970s. As a method of approach, it  focuses more on stories, events, people, discourses and settings. According to A Dictionary of the Bible,  "The main thesis is that readers (e.g. of the gospels) should read the narratives and respond to them as the authors hoped." The previous approaches to biblical criticism,...

Read More

Why Am I Still Alive?

"All Who Are Among The Living Have Hope." (Eccl.9:4)The very fact that we are alive is proof that God has a reason to keep us alive, a plan and a purpose He’s busy about even if we aren’t able to see that now! That realization is summed up in the word HOPE.As Viktor Frankl said, do not ask, "What can I expect from life?" Rather ask, "What does life expect from me?" In his words, "Ultimately, man should not ask what the meaning of his life is, but rather must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he...

Read More

Blessings - Julian Hawken

1. Why blessing is so important?The Hebrew word "to bless" means "to bown down", "to prostrate". When you say "bless", you are respecting that person and holding him in high esteem.In General 27 we find Isaac giving a very special blessing to his son, Jacob. This established a pattern for imparting blessing on loved ones.Gen.27:28-29. Therefore may God give you Of the dew of heaven, Of the fatness of the earth, And plenty of grain and wine. 29 Let peoples serve you, And nations bow down to you. Be master over your brethren, And let your mother's...

Read More

Can Satan Read Our Minds?

Quickly, the answer is No. 1 Kings 8:39 tells us that only God knows our heart and 1 Corinthians 2:11 asks, "For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him?"But, this raises a number of questions: How do angels and demons hear or communicate? Do they have a language? Is that language verbal or mental? What is the anatomy of their hearing? Do they have ears (of spirit-substance) that can pick up material soundwaves...

Read More

How to Receive from God our Father

​1. Those who ASK will receive what they ask for if they ask in humility and submission to the will of God(Mat 7:7) "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.2. Those who generously GIVE will receive in good measure(Luk 6:38) "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."3. Those who have, that is, are wise and faithful stewards of what is...

Read More

Personal and Mass Evangelism

 "Cast in a hook, and take the fish.." (Mat.17:27)"Cast the net.. and you will find some." (Joh 21:6)Personal evangelism is like fishing with a hook. Mass evangelism is like fishing with a net. But, it's more important to drag the net to the shore and bring the fish home.Both require focus, accuracy (guidance), and patience. Both involve the idea of catching and being catchy. Evangelism fishes souls out of the sea of sin and damnation and draws them out into salvation. The fish hook/net is the message of the Gospel that saves them.Both are...

Read More

Did Moses Change God's Mind Through Intercession?

Then the LORD said: "I have pardoned, according to your word." (Num.14:20)After the 12 spies returned from Canaan with their reports, things began to turn negative in the Israelite camp. Ten of the twelve spoke words of fear and discouragement that made the people want to go back. Only Joshua and Caleb stood in faith in the power of God. But, the Israelites gave in to the counsel of the ten and began to wail and weep and suggest to return to Egypt....

Read More

Are There Money Bags in Heaven?

 "Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys." (Lk.12:33) Jesus didn't tell His disciples to sell everything they had and give alms. The New Testament records Jesus going to homes, being supported by people, some who were rich, the church meeting in houses, and so on, which proves that Christians did have possessions. Some even had slaves.Jesus didn't say that disciples should not have possessions. However,...

Read More

Understanding Tithes and Firstfruits in the New Testament

 Firstfruits as offerings to God, in the Bible, acknowledged God as the owner of all things and one who must be served first before the servants can eat after they have laboured. Imagine a servant who has worked hard on his master's field; then, at the time of harvest keeps the firstfruits for himself and brings leftovers for his master. Or think of a servant who cooks food in the master's house and eats himself of it first before serving the master. Humans who think that all their labour on earth is for themselves and all the wealth they...

Read More