Are humans born sweet and innocent, but learn how to be sinful or are we born with a sinful nature? This is how I phrase the question of Original Sin. I heard an illustration that makes it rather clear, I think.
Once upon a time there was an old woman who owned a farm. On this farm she had a chicken coup. Surrounding this farm was a wooded area that was inhabited by weasels. The weasels liked to eat the chickens. So the old woman would set traps for the weasels. When she caught one, she would get her hoe that was filed down to a sharp point and kill the weasel.
One day she happened upon a nest of baby weasels. She did not say, “Oh what cute little weasels, they have never done anything wrong. They are so sweet and innocent. I will just let them be.” She said to her helper, “Go and get my sharpened hoe and I will stay here and make sure the babies do not get away.”
The point is that a weasel is going to be a weasel and humans are going to be humans. Unless we change from the inside out by the power of the Holy Spirit and put on a different nature (the nature of God by faith in Jesus Christ) then we will suffer the same fate as the baby weasels.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
The Healing Rooms of Louisville at the City of Hope Have First Testimony of Healing
The Healing Rooms of Louisville KY openned last week. The City of Hope located at 1909 Standard Ave has its first testimony of a healing. Larry says he was at the City of Hope for other reasons than the healing room but ended up getting some of his hearing in his right ear, which never had any hearing before.
The current schedule is:
Wed - City of Hope, 1909 Standard Ave., 1pm-3pm
Evangel at 6900 Billtown Rd., 5pm-7pm
Thurs - Evangel North, 1430 Cedar St., Clarksville, IN, 6pm-8pm
Fri - Evangel at 5400 Minors Lane, 5pm-7pm
Sat - Evangel North, 1430 Cedar St., Clarksville, IN 12 noon-2pm
Come and see the power of God either by receiving a healing or learning how to prayer for the healing of others; body, soul, and spirit.
The Healing Rooms of Louisville welcomes you.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
What is the Bible all about - Mick's Theology
There is One True God.
Deut 6:4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
NKJV
Apart from Him there is no other.
Isa 45:5-6 5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; NKJV (Actually all of Isaiah chapter 45 is good)
He is Spirit.
John 4:24 God is Spirit, NKJV
He created all things, spirit and material. Nothing exists that He did not make.
John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. NKJV
One of God's greatest angel's decided to sin and was thrown out of Heaven onto the earth.
Isa 14:12-15 12 "How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. 13 For you said to yourself, 'I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God's stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. 14 I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.' NLT
God created mankind in God's own image.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. NKJV
Satan tempted mankind and mankind chose to sin and is now separated from the Creator God by sin.
Gen 2:16-17 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." NKJV
Gen 3:1-7 3:1 Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures the LORD God had made. "Really?" he asked the woman. "Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?" 2 "Of course we may eat it," the woman told him. 3 "It's only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God says we must not eat it or even touch it, or we will die." 4 "You won't die!" the serpent hissed. 5 "God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil." 6 The woman was convinced. The fruit looked so fresh and delicious, and it would make her so wise! So she ate some of the fruit. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. Then he ate it, too. 7 At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they strung fig leaves together around their hips to cover themselves. NLT
The wages of sin is death.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death… NKJV
The Creator God has then made a way back to Him by taking the punishment for sin upon Himself for us.
Isa 53:4-6 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. NKJV
He did this in the form of Jesus Christ the Son. Jesus paid our sin debt for us by suffering, dying on the cross, and raising again from the dead.
1 Cor 15:3-4 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, NKJV
Now that Jesus has ascended to the Father, He has sent us the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts us of the Truth that Jesus is the Promised Savior.
John 16:7-11 It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. NKJV
It is by having faith (which means trusting) in Jesus that we are saved.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. NKJV
It is not just any kind of faith that saves us, even the demons believe, but it does them no good. A saving faith is the kind of faith that changes us from desiring to do bad things into desiring to do good things.
James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! NKJV
James 2:16-17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. NKJV
When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior then our spirit, that was dead (meaning separated from God by sin), becomes alive, new (meaning connected to God by the Holy Spirit.)
Eph 2:4-5 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
It is the person of the Holy Spirit (who is God), who lives in us, in our new, living spirit.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
1 Cor 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
But our minds and our bodies are not immediately renewed.
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. NKJV
Rom 8:13-14 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. NKJV
The work of the Holy Spirit is to sanctify us, meaning He renews our minds and curbs our fleshly desires. He is recreating us into the image of Jesus Christ.
2 Thess 2:13 because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
We assist (or allow) the Holy Spirit to do this when we practice the disciplines. I think the three most important disciplines are prayer,
1 Thess 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
scripture (read, study and memorize),
John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
Ps 119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
Ps 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
and witnessing.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.
We know this “sanctification process” is happening when we “naturally” demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit. It just flows out of us without us even trying to be good, it just becomes who we are to do good.
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
If we have the power of God “in us”, then what do we have power over? We have power over the most destructive force in the universe, which is “sin.” We have the power to stop sinning.
Rom 6:6-7 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.
That is enough to get you started. Just be aware, there is more. I will cover this in the future under something I like to call, "Something More."
Deut 6:4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!
NKJV
Apart from Him there is no other.
Isa 45:5-6 5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, 6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; NKJV (Actually all of Isaiah chapter 45 is good)
He is Spirit.
John 4:24 God is Spirit, NKJV
He created all things, spirit and material. Nothing exists that He did not make.
John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. NKJV
One of God's greatest angel's decided to sin and was thrown out of Heaven onto the earth.
Isa 14:12-15 12 "How you are fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to the earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. 13 For you said to yourself, 'I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God's stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. 14 I will climb to the highest heavens and be like the Most High.' NLT
God created mankind in God's own image.
Gen 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. NKJV
Satan tempted mankind and mankind chose to sin and is now separated from the Creator God by sin.
Gen 2:16-17 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." NKJV
Gen 3:1-7 3:1 Now the serpent was the shrewdest of all the creatures the LORD God had made. "Really?" he asked the woman. "Did God really say you must not eat any of the fruit in the garden?" 2 "Of course we may eat it," the woman told him. 3 "It's only the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden that we are not allowed to eat. God says we must not eat it or even touch it, or we will die." 4 "You won't die!" the serpent hissed. 5 "God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing everything, both good and evil." 6 The woman was convinced. The fruit looked so fresh and delicious, and it would make her so wise! So she ate some of the fruit. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her. Then he ate it, too. 7 At that moment, their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they strung fig leaves together around their hips to cover themselves. NLT
The wages of sin is death.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death… NKJV
The Creator God has then made a way back to Him by taking the punishment for sin upon Himself for us.
Isa 53:4-6 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. NKJV
He did this in the form of Jesus Christ the Son. Jesus paid our sin debt for us by suffering, dying on the cross, and raising again from the dead.
1 Cor 15:3-4 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, NKJV
Now that Jesus has ascended to the Father, He has sent us the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who convicts us of the Truth that Jesus is the Promised Savior.
John 16:7-11 It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. NKJV
It is by having faith (which means trusting) in Jesus that we are saved.
Eph 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. NKJV
It is not just any kind of faith that saves us, even the demons believe, but it does them no good. A saving faith is the kind of faith that changes us from desiring to do bad things into desiring to do good things.
James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe — and tremble! NKJV
James 2:16-17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. NKJV
When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior then our spirit, that was dead (meaning separated from God by sin), becomes alive, new (meaning connected to God by the Holy Spirit.)
Eph 2:4-5 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
It is the person of the Holy Spirit (who is God), who lives in us, in our new, living spirit.
Rom 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
1 Cor 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
But our minds and our bodies are not immediately renewed.
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. NKJV
Rom 8:13-14 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. NKJV
The work of the Holy Spirit is to sanctify us, meaning He renews our minds and curbs our fleshly desires. He is recreating us into the image of Jesus Christ.
2 Thess 2:13 because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
2 Cor 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.
We assist (or allow) the Holy Spirit to do this when we practice the disciplines. I think the three most important disciplines are prayer,
1 Thess 5:16-18 Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
scripture (read, study and memorize),
John 17:17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.
Ps 119:11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
Ps 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
and witnessing.
Rom 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Acts 2:21 And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.
We know this “sanctification process” is happening when we “naturally” demonstrate the fruits of the Spirit. It just flows out of us without us even trying to be good, it just becomes who we are to do good.
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Gal 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
If we have the power of God “in us”, then what do we have power over? We have power over the most destructive force in the universe, which is “sin.” We have the power to stop sinning.
Rom 6:6-7 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.
That is enough to get you started. Just be aware, there is more. I will cover this in the future under something I like to call, "Something More."
Monday, January 10, 2011
The Healing Rooms of Louisville with International Association of Healing Rooms
Healing Rooms open this week in Louisville, KY. Associated with the International Association of Healing Rooms
http://www.healingrooms.com/
The current schedule is:
Wed - City of Hope, 1909 Standard Ave., 1pm-3pm
Evangel at 6900 Billtown Rd., 5pm-7pm
Thurs - Evangel North, 1430 Cedar St., Clarksville, IN, 6pm-8pm
Fri - Evangel at 5400 Minors Lane, 5pm-7pm
Sat - Evangel North, 1430 Cedar St., Clarksville, IN 12 noon-2pm
Come and see the power of God either by receiving a healing or learning how to prayer for the healing of others; body, soul, and spirit.
http://www.healingrooms.com/
The current schedule is:
Wed - City of Hope, 1909 Standard Ave., 1pm-3pm
Evangel at 6900 Billtown Rd., 5pm-7pm
Thurs - Evangel North, 1430 Cedar St., Clarksville, IN, 6pm-8pm
Fri - Evangel at 5400 Minors Lane, 5pm-7pm
Sat - Evangel North, 1430 Cedar St., Clarksville, IN 12 noon-2pm
Come and see the power of God either by receiving a healing or learning how to prayer for the healing of others; body, soul, and spirit.
Friday, January 07, 2011
The Process of Sanctification
I define the Process of Sanctification as the process of changing one’s personality into the likeness of the personality of Jesus Christ.
I give credit to the accomplishment of this process entirely to the Holy Spirit. Our part in the process is to make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit so that He may accomplish His good work in us. This work will be completed in that day when we meet Jesus Christ Himself.
The only question then is: How do we make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit? Answer: By practicing the disciplines! The disciplines are not spelled out specifically in the Bible. This has led to many people developing their own “list” of disciplines. This is a very worth while exercise, which may be why they are not specifically listed. My list looks like this:
1. Prayer, with the goal of praying continuously2. Scripture; read, study, memorize and pray them (supercharging your prayers)3. Witnessing: in word and in deed
I break here to emphasize that these three are the most valuable of all the disciplines. If one were to only focus on these three, then one would do very well indeed. Twelve are hard to memorize, but just remembering these three is not so hard.
Why are these three more important?
Prayer: because it is the only one that can be done 24 hours a day. Yes, by practicing “praying continuously” prayer begins to penetrate your sleep and affect your dreams. C. S. Lewis said that anything that is living is either growing or it is dieing. So when we speak of a Spiritual Life we speak of something that is either growing or it is dieing. If you spend 15 minutes in Bible Study per day, great! You were growing for 15 minutes, but if you do nothing else you are dieing for 23 hours and 45 minutes. Praying continuously then is “the” way of growing all day long.
Scripture: because it is the anointed word of God. Get the Word inside you and it changes you from the inside out. You will not have to “act” like a Christian, you will “become” more Christlike. John 17:17
Witnessing, because it is part of the salvation process (Romans 10:9-10).
4. Meditation5. Worship6. Communion7. Repenting8. Giving9. Fasting10. Forgiving others
All of the above are disciplines that we initiate. The last two are initiated by God.
11. Challenges in life12. Punishment
I think Finney got it right when he said, he “believed that sanctification only occurred through the constant appropriation of faith through Christ. Christ then enabled the Christian’s moral self to become like His own.” The question then becomes, “how does one constantly appropriated his faith through Christ?” Practicing the disciplines is (in my humble and uneducated opinion) the “how.”
I give credit to the accomplishment of this process entirely to the Holy Spirit. Our part in the process is to make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit so that He may accomplish His good work in us. This work will be completed in that day when we meet Jesus Christ Himself.
The only question then is: How do we make ourselves available to the Holy Spirit? Answer: By practicing the disciplines! The disciplines are not spelled out specifically in the Bible. This has led to many people developing their own “list” of disciplines. This is a very worth while exercise, which may be why they are not specifically listed. My list looks like this:
1. Prayer, with the goal of praying continuously2. Scripture; read, study, memorize and pray them (supercharging your prayers)3. Witnessing: in word and in deed
I break here to emphasize that these three are the most valuable of all the disciplines. If one were to only focus on these three, then one would do very well indeed. Twelve are hard to memorize, but just remembering these three is not so hard.
Why are these three more important?
Prayer: because it is the only one that can be done 24 hours a day. Yes, by practicing “praying continuously” prayer begins to penetrate your sleep and affect your dreams. C. S. Lewis said that anything that is living is either growing or it is dieing. So when we speak of a Spiritual Life we speak of something that is either growing or it is dieing. If you spend 15 minutes in Bible Study per day, great! You were growing for 15 minutes, but if you do nothing else you are dieing for 23 hours and 45 minutes. Praying continuously then is “the” way of growing all day long.
Scripture: because it is the anointed word of God. Get the Word inside you and it changes you from the inside out. You will not have to “act” like a Christian, you will “become” more Christlike. John 17:17
Witnessing, because it is part of the salvation process (Romans 10:9-10).
4. Meditation5. Worship6. Communion7. Repenting8. Giving9. Fasting10. Forgiving others
All of the above are disciplines that we initiate. The last two are initiated by God.
11. Challenges in life12. Punishment
I think Finney got it right when he said, he “believed that sanctification only occurred through the constant appropriation of faith through Christ. Christ then enabled the Christian’s moral self to become like His own.” The question then becomes, “how does one constantly appropriated his faith through Christ?” Practicing the disciplines is (in my humble and uneducated opinion) the “how.”
Monday, January 03, 2011
Assurance of Salvation
Assurance of Salvation
How can I know for sure that I am saved? I got this answer from Les Feldick Teaches Through the Bible. It is a national television show. I hope it is as comforting an answer to you as it is to me.
There are only two types of spirits; The Spirit of Christ and the spirit of the anti-christ. Poor, pitiful creatures that we are, we have both spirits living in us. Our minds are the battlefield where these two spirits are at war with each other. So to determine which spirit has the upper hand in you, you need only answer these three simple questions.
- Do you enjoy spending time in prayer?
- Do you enjoy spending time in reading the Bible?
- Do you enjoy spending time with people who enjoy prayer and the Bible?
If the answer to all three of these questions is “Yes,” then the Spirit of Christ dominates in you because prayer, the Bible, and Christ’s people all have the Spirit of Christ.
If you said “No” to all three, then you are dominated, but not yet defeated by the spirit of the anti-christ.
If you said “Yes” to some and “No” to others then I would say that the Spirit of Christ is becoming dominate in you, but you still have a lot of growing to do. So start reading the Bible and Praying more often (with the goal of praying continuously) and watch yourself change from the inside out. Understand that this work of sanctification will not be complete until we see our Savior face to face.
Sunday, January 02, 2011
Read the Bible for Yourself
I used to think that I did not need to read the bible because I grew up in the church and had heard all the stories. So what is the point in reading them? When I began to read them for myself in 1999, I found that I had not heard all of the stories nor were the stories that I had heard written the way I had heard them. Here are some examples that may entice you to read them for yourself.
Did you know there is a story about Isaac in the bible? Not a story about Abraham and Isaac. Not a story about Isaac and Jacob and Esau. A story about Isaac, as the leader of the clan, after Abraham and before Jacob and Esau. If not, then there are stories in the bible that you have not heard; see Genesis chapter 26.
Did you know that Jesus was not born in a manger? I still hear “Jesus was born in a manger” frequently in Sunday School. Go look it up; Luke 2:6. The manger is a feeding troth not a building.
The Ten Commandments are written in Ex. 20. If you read Ex 19 you will not see Moses on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights. You will not see any reference to 2 stone tablets. No writing on tablets with the finger of God. You will see God coming down on the mountain and speaking the Ten Commandments to the people. Where did the tablets come in? Read the rest of Exodus and Deut. 5. By the way, there are two sets of two tablets.
The Garden of Eden story is interesting. Remember the story? God created Adam and Eve and told them not to eat from the tree in the middle of the garden. They ate and were kicked out of the garden. Is that right? If you read it for yourself you will find that there are two trees of importance in the garden and that one of them pops up again in The Revelation.
You have heard that the bible says, “The last shall be first and the first shall be last.” Well in Matthew 19:30 it says, “But many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first.” There are actually four different times this line appears in the Gospels. It is interesting to see all four in their different forms and the differences between other translations.
There are many other interesting things waiting for you in the bible. I hope that these have sparked an interest in you.
Something More
Having good bible knowledge is cool but I found that something more happens when you read the bible for yourself. I have found that you begin to change from the inside out. I am fully convinced that the bible is the anointed Word of God. If you get His Word in you for the purpose of knowing Him more fully then His Holy Spirit uses those words to recreate you into the image of Jesus Christ.
You no longer have to try to be a good person because “you are a Christian and you are supposed to be good.” What happens is you become a good person. You get the spirit of Jesus Christ in you and you become more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. You do not become perfect but you will notice that you are changing and growing into His Perfection, which will be completed on that day when we meet Him face to face.
Did you know there is a story about Isaac in the bible? Not a story about Abraham and Isaac. Not a story about Isaac and Jacob and Esau. A story about Isaac, as the leader of the clan, after Abraham and before Jacob and Esau. If not, then there are stories in the bible that you have not heard; see Genesis chapter 26.
Did you know that Jesus was not born in a manger? I still hear “Jesus was born in a manger” frequently in Sunday School. Go look it up; Luke 2:6. The manger is a feeding troth not a building.
The Ten Commandments are written in Ex. 20. If you read Ex 19 you will not see Moses on the mountain for 40 days and 40 nights. You will not see any reference to 2 stone tablets. No writing on tablets with the finger of God. You will see God coming down on the mountain and speaking the Ten Commandments to the people. Where did the tablets come in? Read the rest of Exodus and Deut. 5. By the way, there are two sets of two tablets.
The Garden of Eden story is interesting. Remember the story? God created Adam and Eve and told them not to eat from the tree in the middle of the garden. They ate and were kicked out of the garden. Is that right? If you read it for yourself you will find that there are two trees of importance in the garden and that one of them pops up again in The Revelation.
You have heard that the bible says, “The last shall be first and the first shall be last.” Well in Matthew 19:30 it says, “But many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first.” There are actually four different times this line appears in the Gospels. It is interesting to see all four in their different forms and the differences between other translations.
There are many other interesting things waiting for you in the bible. I hope that these have sparked an interest in you.
Something More
Having good bible knowledge is cool but I found that something more happens when you read the bible for yourself. I have found that you begin to change from the inside out. I am fully convinced that the bible is the anointed Word of God. If you get His Word in you for the purpose of knowing Him more fully then His Holy Spirit uses those words to recreate you into the image of Jesus Christ.
You no longer have to try to be a good person because “you are a Christian and you are supposed to be good.” What happens is you become a good person. You get the spirit of Jesus Christ in you and you become more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. You do not become perfect but you will notice that you are changing and growing into His Perfection, which will be completed on that day when we meet Him face to face.
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