Thursday Evening Blog with Pastor Williams (September)
Posted on September 1st, 2007 by TADCCBLOG
Pastor Williams will be active on this blog site THURSDAY from 8:30 to 9:30pm. Please suggest topics or questions for discussion.
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Pastor Williams,
The righteous go to heaven when they die this physical death. The lost and unrighteous go to hell. If satan dwells in the second heaven, then , where is hell? Please explain the difference between hell and the lake of fire.
Hell is not the abode of Satan. Many myths such as Dante’s Inferno, written in the early 1300s popularized the idea that satan is ruling and reigning in hell.
In Scripture there are three words so rendered; sheol, hades and gehenna.
This word sheol is derived from a root-word meaning “to ask,” “demand;” hence insatiableness (Proverbs 30:15,16). It is rendered “grave” thirty-one times (Genesis 37:35; 42:38; 44:29,31; 1 Samuel 2:6, etc.).
The inhabitants of sheol are “the congregation of the dead” (Proverbs 21:16). It is (a) the abode of the wicked (Numbers 16:33; Job 24:19; Psalms 9:17; 31:17, etc.); (b) of the good (Psalms 16:10; 30:3; 49:15; 86:13, etc.).
Sheol is described as deep (Job 11:8), dark (10:21,22), with bars (17:16). The dead “go down” to it (Numbers 16:30,33; Ezek. 31:15,16,17).
The Greek word hades of the New Testament has the same scope of signification as sheol of the Old Testament. It is a prison (1 Peter 3:19), with gates and bars and locks (Matthew 16:18; Revelation 1:18), and it is downward (Matthew 11:23; Luke 10:15).
The righteous and the wicked are separated. The blessed dead are in that part of hades called paradise (Luke 23:43). They are also said to be in Abraham’s bosom (Luke 16:22).
Gehenna, in most of its occurrences in the Greek New Testament, designates the place of the lost (Matthew 23:33). The fearful nature of their condition there is described in various figurative expressions (Matthew 8:12; 13:42; 22:13; 25:30; Luke 16:24, etc.).
Gehenna is the Lake of Fire and is a place of torment for every being that enters, including Satan.
Mt 25:41
Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
Re 20:10
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Mt 10:28
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Although three words are translated as Hell they have different meanings. Whenever the underlying Greek word Gehenna is used it means Hell fire/Lake of Fire as in Matthew 10:28.
Luke 16 speaks of the rich man being in hell and looking up. Hell is a spiritual place that was created for the devil and his angels. Natural fire cannot destroy spirit therefore a special place of torment was created. Fire is used as a symbol because of its properties to consume, destroy and punish. The rich man who is disembodied is sent to hell and speaks of being in torment in these flames. Natural bodies cannot endure eternal flames, that is why people are cremated. Therefore there is not a physical or natural location for hell but spiritual. Notice the only people that visit or describe hell are in the Spirit.
Many believe that hell and the lake of fire are one and the same; however, Revelation 20:13-15 states “The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. 14) Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15) And anyone not found in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire”.
Oh, how I thank my Lord and Savior for saving me! JESUS, JESUS, JESUS! SAVIOR, SAVIOR, SAVIOR!! JESUS, JESUS, JESUS!!!
Pastor Williams
What should we do as Christians concerning racism in America. This email was sent to me. Should we participate?
FYI: PLEASE WEAR ALL BLACK ON THURSDAY SEPT. 20TH
Subject: Jena 6, Louisana young black boys
It’s 2007 and we are still fighting this bull. MLK started it and the struggle continues!!! Mark this day in your book.
>Michael Baisden is asking all to attend the sentencing of the Jena 6,
>Louisana young black boys on September 20, 2007. These boys can go to prison for life behind a high school fight against white students.
>This is serious family, and could be any one of our youths. If you are
unable to show up and send a message about Racisim than Michael
>Baisden is asking all to wear Black that day for Unity and send a
>silent or loud prayer to those young men who are fighting racisim on
>behalf of us all. Pass this important news to everyone. Spread the
word.
Acts 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.
This form of racism is not biblical or godly. When the bible speaks of nations (ethnos). It is talking more about culture of a people rather the color of the skin. Ethnos is the Greek word for nation in the following verse, is where we get the word ethnic. Ethnic speaks of shared cultural values.
Matthew 24:7 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
What we see today is another tool for unbelievers to keep the Body of Christ divided. We as believers should always stand for what is right, however, we need to be careful we do not fall into the trap of pitting one against the other based on skin color.
Within the last 2 years, I lost a career job that I loved due to politics and I have gone through a seperation after almost 25 years of marriage. Many Christians would argue that my faith is being tested but my response to that would be why did faith allow this to happen. People suggest there is some overall plan for one’s life that God has developed, but when these things happen in such a short period of time, you really want to tell faith to take a hike. Rather than finding comfort in a church family, you find more comfort in being alone with a bottle of the cheap stuff at the local ABC store.
People may not understand why you feel this way, but after 25 years of doing what you thought was right and experiencing this kind of outcome, you just say I’ll go through the motions of going to work and coming home. Faith, love, family, etc can all go away because it didn’t work the first time and I’m too old to get it back!
Within the last 2 years, I lost a career job that I loved due to politics and I have gone through a seperation after almost 25 years of marriage. THOSE YEARS OF MARRIAGE ARE MONUMENTAL!! THANK GOD FOR 25 YEARS. WHAT GOD HAS JOINED TOGETHER LET NOT MAN PUT ASUNDER Many Christians would argue that my faith is being tested I AGREE THAT GOD HAS WAYS TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THE WISE but my response to that would be why did faith allow this to happen. FAITH IS NOT TO BLAME. WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD. WHERE IS YOUR FAITH? IS IT IN PEOPLE, THINGS, OR GOD? People suggest there is some overall plan for one’s life that God has developed, ACTUALLY THE BIBLE SAYS BEFORE WE ARE FORMED IN OUR MOTHER’S WOMB GOD KNOWS US AND HAS ORDAINED THE BELIEVER WITH PURPOSE AND DESTINY but when these things happen in such a short period of time, you really want to tell faith to take a hike. IT’S NOT FAITH YOU ARE TELLING TO TAKE A HIKE BUT GOD Rather than finding comfort in a church family, you find more comfort in being alone with a bottle of the cheap stuff at the local ABC store. VERY UNUSUAL… MISERY NORMALLY LOVES COMPANY. THE WORD OF GOD ASSURES THE BELIEVER THAT WE ARE NEVER ALONE. HE WILL NEVER LEAVE US NOR FORSAKE US. GOD IS OMNIPRESENT. HE SEES ALL, KNIWS ALL AND WANTS TO DWELL IN YOU. HIS HOLY SPIRIT IS OUR COMFORTER IN TIMES LIKE THESE.
People may not understand why you feel this way, GOD UNDERSTANDS LIKE NO ONE ELSE CAN DO but after 25 years of doing what you thought was right IT IS RIGHT. GOD ORDAINED MARRIAGE. MARRIAGE IS HONORABLE and experiencing this kind of outcome, TROUBLE COMES IN OUR LIVES TO MAKE US STRONGER IN THE LORD you just say I’ll go through the motions of going to work and coming home. SEPARATIONS ARE HURTFUL. BE STRONG. TAKE ONE DAY AT A TIME. BE ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING BUT PRAYER, AND SUPPLICATIONS TO GOD. LET YOUR REQUEST BE KNOWN Faith, love, family, etc can all go away DON’T LET GO OF ANY OF THESE. WE NEED FAITH IN GOD FOR EVERYTHING, WE NEED THE LOVE OF GOD IN OUR LIVES. AND FAMILY IS FOUNDATIONAL FOR EVERY ASPECT OF LIFE. DON’T GIVE UP. WEEPING MAY ENDURE FOR A NIGHT BUT JOY COMES IN THE MORNING. because it didn’t work the first time and I’m too old to get it back! AGE IS JUST A NUMBER. DON’T TURN TO THE CHEAP BOTTLE OF SPIRITS BUT TURN TO CHRIST JESUS. ALTHOUGH THINGS ARE NOT THE SAME NOR MAY EVER BE IF YOU PUT YOUR TRUST AND HOPE IN HIM PEACE CAN BE YOURS.
IF YOU HAVE NOT ACCEPTED JESUS AS LORD OF YOUR LIFE, REPENT AND INVITE HIM INTO YOUR HEART. ASK FOR HIS FORGIVENESS ASK FOR HIS PEACE–ASK FOR HIS JOY–ASK FOR HIS LOVE–ASK FOR HIS SPIRIT. THERE IS MUCH TO LIVE FOR WHICH IS FULFILLED IN OUR HEAVENLY FATHER THROUGH HIS SON OUR SAVIOR CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD.
BE ENCOURAGED. I WILL BE PRAYING FOR YOU.
Psalm 139:1-14
1 O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7 ¶ Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10 Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Rom 1:17 Tells us that the JUST shall live by FAITH. And we know that God gives us a test to give us a testimony so we must always examine ourselves and ask if we are being faithful to God. Life throws many distractions our way to test our resolve and faithfulness to God. Just as Abraham was tested as an OLD faithful man. After years of faithfulness and righteousness his wife finally conceived and bare a son. Abraham was 100 years old.
God exists outside of time as we know, He only knows that his Word will not return to him void. Thats why our relationship and worship is so important so that we are intune to what the Spirit of the Lord is saying to us.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to your own understanding. Proverbs 20:7 tells us that the just walk in integrity and his children are blessed. Proverbs 12:21 tells us that no evil shall happen to the just, but the wicked will be filled with mischief. So don’t turn to the lonely confines of a deserted room, but surround yourself with righteous believers that will support you and pray you three.
Matthew 18:20 tells us that where two or three are gathered, God will be there in the midst. So turn to company of believers so that they can touch and agree with you and have Jesus Christ dwell in your midst.
Like song the song says “turn it all over to the Lord, He’ll work it out.” I’ll be praying with you and for you direction. Psalms 119:105 reminds us that God’s word is a lamp unto our feet and a LIGHT unto my path.
Interesting, thoughtful and sincere comments back to my email of yesterday. Here’s why it won’t work. To do all these things you suggest means you have to basically say that I failed at my approach to life and I need to surrender to a higher being and let him take over and direct me. Sorry, but I don’t think this works for me. I am not ready to admit to or commit to something that you say will guide me through these times and lead to a better life. I’ll take my chances on my own and hope it works out. At least then I have no one to blame but me
Anonymous,
You have done no less than countless others before you when you say you have failed. Every person in his pursuit of God must admit that he has failed. God is so holy, that to come to him any other way would be an insult to Who He is.
I am not referring to a higher being. You must surrender to Christ Jesus the Son of the Living God. He has a name and so does His Father and it is not higher being. To call the name signifies relationship.
The only way to find happiness is to admit that you are lost. You have tried things your way all of your life. What have it gotten you. It has made you bitter towards God, cynical of people and feeling hopeless — when you haven’t tried Him. How can you possibly lay any of the blame at the feet of Jesus when you have not done the things He requires of you.
That is why the pitfalls of life are wreaking havoc in your heart. Because you did it your way. Now you want to blame God for the mess you have made.
Obviously you are not in relationship with the Heavenly Father through His Son Christ Jesus. For if you were in relationship you would appreciate the blessings He has given you. It is a poor or non-existent relationship that looks back on life and makes everything bad because things may not currently be going your way.
The definition of an unsucessful person person is one that does the same things and expect different results. You have taken your chances and look at what happened. Continue to deny the Lord and the same will continue to happen. Misery loves company and obviously you love your company.
Dear Anonymous,
You have spoken correctly…you have no one to blame but yourself!! God gives all of us free choice to choose to submit to His will and Word through His Son Christ Jesus, or to be prideful and do it our own and reap the everlasting devestating consequences. If we truly believe in Christ Jesus and have faith in God’s word, then we would understand that we’re not in battles and trials alone, but God will give us peace and joy in the midst of our trials. However, if we’re not in relationship with God or don’t have Faith in God and His word, then we will like you, have a pity party and try to blame everyone and everything else for our failures and shortcomings in life.
Christ wants everyone to be yoked up and believe in Him because his burden is light. Yes, there will be trials and tribulations in life, that was inherited from Adam, but we can have peace, joy and assurance during those trying times, if we trust in Christ Jesus and believe in the Word of God….But, it’s up to you, you must choose who you will serve, the pride life or Christ Jesus, who wants to be your Lord, Savior, and Deliverer.
Love you with the Love of Christ!!!!
ANW
Sylvester,
Well said my man! See you tomorrow-
Anonymous,
You do not state whether or not you are a Christian, so , my response to your e-mail is based on the assumption that you are not. Therein lies the first mistake.
We were all created by a loving God, who placed within each of us a space/place/void that can only be filled by Him. Many try to fill His “space” with careers, wealth, fame, family, friends and material gain. Many take credit for these “successes” themselves, never realizing or acknowledging that it is because of the grace of God.
Have you ever noticed how some of the wealthest people are also some of the most loneliest, unhappy and troubled people? One would think these people would not have a care in the world, that all is right with the world and that they are having a wonderful life…WRONG…! No matter the amount of worldly possessions or associations, NOTHING nor NO ONE can fill the “space” intended for God in our lives.
You mentioned the loss of a job that you loved. Did you thank God for your job and the successes on that job, or did pat yourself on the back and boastfully declare “Look at me and what I’ve accomplished”.
Your marriage of 25+ yrs; did you take the time to thank God for your marriage and the fact that you and your spouse had remained together for all those yrs?
How have you shown your gratitude and appreciation to God for blessing you when times were good? Did you praise Him? Did you and your family pray together and acknowledge Him as Head of you and your home? Did you seek Him for guidance when things started falling apart or did you blame Him for the trials that have befallen you?
So many of us forget about Him when times are good and going our way. Then when troubles creep into our lives we want to call upon Him, using Him like an umbrella. And guess what? God has been patiently waiting for us to reach out to Him with a repentive heart. You see, God loves us so much that He did something so selfless.
Over 2000yrs ago, He allowed His only Begotten Son, Christ Jesus, to step out of Glory/Heaven and take on the form of sinful man in order to become the Sacrifical Lamb of God. You see, through Adam sin entered all mankind, and because of that sin, daily and yearly sacrifices had to be made to atone/pay for our sins. But Praise God, Jesus was willing to pay/atone/redeem mankind’s sin debts by giving HIS own life, shredding HIS sinless blood as a ransom for us. We did not deserve such love/sacrifice then and we don’t deserve it now. Without the shedding of sinless blood, there is no remission of sin. Only Christ could do such a great thing as this, and we get to reap the benefits! Our sin debts are paid in full, once and forever by Jesus Christ!
I guess by now you are wondering what does all this has to do with you. Well, there is no greater love than the Love of God. Not your parents or your spouse or even self-love. Your answer is not in a bottle of booze. Your completeness in life is not your career or your spouse. Now ,we are right back to where we begin! ONLY FATHER GOD through HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST, can complete you!!
We were all sinful and headed to hell, much to satan’s delight, but God said that “Whosoever will, let him come to me.” Revelation 3:20 “Behold, I stand at the door(of your heart) and knock. IF anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
Anonymous, you are in need of the Savior, Christ Jesus our Lord!! HE loves you and He’s waiting for you. Humble yourself and seek Him with child-like faith, knowing that He never left you but you left Him. Fear and hurt will oftentimes cause us to build up walls of defenses, to keep out further harm. But we should never keep out Jesus!! HE is the Author and Finisher of our faith. Your faith is stuck behind those walls of defenses. It can not blossom and grow hidden from God marvelous and perfect Light!
Swallow your pride, humble yourself, repent and ask Father God to forgive you for lack of faith, a “poor, pitiful me” mentality and being self- centered. YES, I said self-centered! Your situation did not happen suddenly. Rarely are they resolved instantaneously. Trust in God and do good, to yourself and others. When we get our minds off of ourselves and start thinking about what we can do for others (without any thought of reward), we will find ourselves feeling so good about helping others that we, for a while, forget about our troubles.
Find a church of Believers who truly trust in God through Christ Jesus our Lord. Surround yourself with positive-minded people. Remember that as a child of God, we MUST walk by faith (believing that HE is working things out for our good behind the scenes) and not by sight. AND, thank Him for things being as well as they are. You could be blind or not in your right mind. You could be on a bed of affliction, not able to care for yourself.
This world and all its troubles are only temporary. We all will spend Eternity somewhere, either in Heaven with Father God and Christ or in the lake of fire with the devil and his demons. Choose to serve God!!! You’ll be glad you did!
I’ll be praying for you. Seek God! HE’s waiting!
God Bless!!
(Comments on article in newspaper)
This is the reason I try to approach the Bible from a realistic point of view instead of parables. The further you get from the truth the harder it is to get back to it. One ingredient that is left out is the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 2:14 says the Bible is spiritually discerned.
This piggy-backs off the Bible Study last night. I want us as leaders to be answerable to God. We cannot answer to God if we do not know what His Word says. With so many supposedly “contradictions” how do we know the truth. Christ Jesus our Lord said “continue ye in my word and you shall know the truth…”.
This is why it is important to not only know what the word of God says but also to apply it. One person said that when the evidence goes against our interpretation of the Bible, then we need to re-examine our interpretations. The Bible as the Word of God is true.
We often times try to interpret it in lens of current culture rather than letting the Word of God interpret itself. Ask many people how many kings came to visit the Christ Child with gifts as he lay in the manger. Even though most churches read the Christmas story every year, most people will stay say three kings were present while the Christ Child was in the manger. No where in the Bible does it say they were kings, or that there were three of them, or that Christ was a baby in a manger when the gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh were given.
It is culture that overrides the true message and the same thing is happening with other passages of scripture in the Bible.
While studying the Bible, also invite the Holy Spirit to give discernment so as not to be waylaid by the wisdom of men.
Pastor Sylvester Williams
—–Original Message—–
From: adandewilliams@hotmail.com [mailto:adandewilliams@hotmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 03, 2007 10:31 AM
To: Williams, Sylvester
Subject: heraldsun.com article
Hello,
This is an automated e-mail from heraldsun.com. Adande has asked us to send you the following article, which can also be found online at: http://www.heraldsun.com/durham/4-886209.cfm?.
—–
The Bible — errors made by scribes
October 2, 2007
By Dawn Baumgartner Vaughan, The Herald-Sun
Ross Baker brought her copy of Bart Ehrman’s “Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why” to the UNC Chapel Hill professor’s talk Tuesday night in Durham.
Ehrman, a UNC religious studies faculty member since 1988, is a religious scholar whose work has been discussed around the world. His lecture and question-and-answer session at Healthy Start Academy was a fundraiser for Urban Ministries of Durham.
Baker, a Chapel Hill resident, underlined passages in “Misquoting Jesus” that she wanted to remember. She also has Ehrman’s “Truth and Fiction in The DaVinci Code” and his New Testament textbook for the class he teaches at UNC. When she found his class was full, she bought the textbook anyway.
“I think he’s a true scholar. He’s gone back to the original documents and I believe he knows what he’s talking about,” she said. “I wish more people could go back to the original Greek or Hebrew and see what was really said.”
In “Misquoting Jesus,” Ehrman explains the discrepancies between the thousands of handwritten copies of the books of the New Testament. The vast majority, he said, are insignificant, simply mistakes made by scribes. There are no originals, he said, just copies of copies of copies — many dating several centuries after the originals were written.
Ehrman said that most of the reaction he has received about “Misquoting Jesus,” published in 2005, has been positive. Hate mail was reserved for his 2006 book, “The Lost Gospel of Judas Iscariot.”
“Misquoting Jesus” is full of factual information, he said, but critics worry that he’s saying the sky is falling. Ehrman said that he does point out that most of the mistakes “don’t matter for anything.” More significant differences he presents include the addition of the story of Jesus and the adulterous woman, in which Jesus invites those without sin to cast the first stone. The incident was not recorded in early Greek copies of the Gospel of John.
Another example Ehrman offers are the 12 verses added to the end of the Gospel of Mark, chapter 16. The additional verses show disciples meeting with the resurrected Jesus. Earlier Greek copies do not.
Some discrepancies are argued among religious scholars, Ehrman said, like whether in the earlier versions of Mark, Jesus felt compassion or was angry as he agreed to heal a leper. He said scholars debate it at conventions every year.
“In some cases, we really don’t know,” Ehrman said. At the Tuesday night talk, as at previous talks and in “Misquoting Jesus” as well, Ehrman describes his own faith perspective. Ehrman was raised Episcopalian, became a born again evangelical Christian as a teenager and attended Moody Bible Institute. His interest in Biblical study led him to Princeton Theological Seminary for graduate studies. His time as a student raised enough questions to lead him from fundamentalist to mainline Protestant to agnostic.
Another Princeton seminary graduate, retired Presbyterian minister Norman Robinson, was in the audience at Ehrman’s talk. Robinson studied under the same professor — Bruce Metzger, to whom Ehrman dedicated his book — in the 1940s. Robinson said Ehrman’s work is scholarly and thought provoking.
“There are some questions you can’t answer,” Robinson said.
COPYRIGHT 2007 by The Durham Herald Company. All rights reserved.
I know of no other person (fictional or real) that has generated more debates and controversy that Jesus Christ. At the same time, no other book has been crutinized, analyzed, dissected, rebuffed, and outrightly called a book of fables as much as the Holy Bible.
WHY YOU MIGHT ASK?
BECAUSE, to adknowledge that Christ was a real person, sent by Father God to this sinful world to purposely sacrifice His life for all mankind, on a rugged cross as an atonement for our sins, would mean that everyone on the face of this earth has to accept the fact that WE are all sinners in need of the SAVIOR, CHRIST JESUS!
Mankind would have to acknowledge that Father God raised Jesus from the dead, and HE IS ALIVE, seated at the right hand of ALMIGHTY GOD in heaven.
To admit the existence of Christ (the Living Word of God) and to acknowledge the authenticity of the Holy Bible (the Written Word of God), would cause mankind to have to accept full accountability for its sinful behaviors.
Father God and His Son, Jesus, created this solar system and all the other yet to be discovered worlds by just speaking them into existence. Mankind knows the truth, they just can not handle the REAL TRUTH of the LIVING GOD!
1Cor 1:18 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God”.
1Cor 1:20 “Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world”?
1Cor 1:25 “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1Cor 1:27 “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty”.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for spiritual discernment, insight and understanding of Your Written Word.
KB,
It is through such expressions of faith that everyone that comes to faith in Christ Jesus has hope. The responsiblility for all Christians is to become Christ centered and God focused. Our lives and emotions should be dictated by the Word of God through faith in Christ Jesus. The world continues to try to diminish the authority of God’s Word by passing ungodly laws and allowing the proliferation of pagan ideas as sacred. It is only through seeking the Heavenly Father through His Son Christ Jesus that we as believers are able to rise above the fray and have contentment with great joy even though the world around us is suffering from the degradation of sin.
We truly are living in a separate world where our leader is King Jesus. We answer to the Heavenly Father through His most precious Son Christ Jesus our Lord. This is why it is important for us to cleave together and encourage each other in the faith. The world cannot understand or comprehend who we are because we are hidden in Christ Jesus. Let us stop trying to be accomodative to the world and let us strive the more to be pleasing to God. The world will never understand us but thanks be to God there is someone who does.