That is a very interesting question! And, it’s also a very hard question to answer because we really don’t know! We can get an idea from reading the Holy Bible, but even then it is hard to know for sure.
Here’s what we do know: According to Paul, in the book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, our heavenly bodies will be very different from our natural earthly bodies. Our earthly bodies eventually die but our resurrected bodies cannot die. Also, our earthly bodies get old and weak but our resurrected bodies will be perfect!
Another big difference is that we will have a spiritual body rather than a natural body. That doesn’t mean we’ll be like ghosts just floating around; it means we will have a body like Jesus’ resurrected body (1 John 3:2). If you remember, after Jesus’ resurrection, He showed that He could be touched and that He could eat (Luke 24:37-43). We get a little bit of a glimpse of what our bodies will look like when we read Luke 9:28-36. Jesus went with three of His disciples up to a mountain. There he changed incredibly as His divine nature shone through His human nature. Moses and Elijah came from Heaven to talk to Him and their appearance was just as wonderful! In fact, the Bible says they, “appeared in glorious splendor” (Luke 9:30).
The Bible also says we will know each other. This tells us that somehow we will be recognizable. The Bible clearly shows that Jesus was recognizable after His resurrection (John 20:16, 20; John 21:12; 1 Corinthians 15:4-7) so that would lead us to believe we will somehow be recognizable in our new bodies. How that will be is uncertain. We may just know or we might look like our old selves; the Bible doesn’t really say.
Whatever our bodies look like and however we will able to recognize each other is an amazing mystery of Heaven. But, remember, Heaven is far more about God and far less about us, so maybe it won’t really matter anyway!
Showing posts with label 1 Corinthians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1 Corinthians. Show all posts
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Saturday, 16 April 2011
Is suicide a sin?
Wow. Thanks for a tough question! I believe the Bible is very clear on this matter: the answer is Yes. But, don’t forget, suicide is just one of a number of sins mankind has committed against God. To God, suicide is the same as stealing, worshipping false gods, not honoring your parents and even taking the Lord’s name in vain. He doesn’t make one sin worse than another. To God, sin is sin.
Let me explain why the Bible says it’s a sin. In the New Testament, there are two places in 1 Corinthians where I believe God speaks to this. First off, let me just say that the word “suicide” is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. But, listen to these two verses:
“Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
The Apostle Paul is telling the people of Corinth that their bodies are temples of the Lord and that the Holy Spirit lives in that temple. Basically, your body is sacred and God won’t take kindly to anyone who destroys His temple. Furthermore, God really stresses that we’re to honor Him with our bodies. Killing our own bodies does not honor God and also violates one of God’s original commandments:
“You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13)
Remember, God is the One who decides how long your life will be (Psalm 139: 15-16, Psalm 39:4). When a person decides to commit suicide, they are taking that decision away from God. Is that a sin? Absolutely. It also the ultimate waste of a life that Jesus gave His own life for! He didn’t suffer and die on the cross just to have a person throw away the life He gave everything for. So, yes, suicide is a sin.
But, also realize that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23). The Bible also tells us that there is no one righteous, not one! (Romans 3:10) The only person who was completely perfect and lived without sin was Jesus Christ, who was crucified for all of our sins. He paid the price for all of us so that we could have eternal life with God, the Father. And it is through the power of His resurrection that we are saved! The Holy Bible is very clear on this:
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
So, if you admit your sins, believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and then commit to repenting (or turning away from the sins) and following Jesus, then you become God’s child. And, because you are God’s child, you are an heir to the inheritance of eternal life with Him in Heaven!!! Isn’t that awesome???
Let me explain why the Bible says it’s a sin. In the New Testament, there are two places in 1 Corinthians where I believe God speaks to this. First off, let me just say that the word “suicide” is not mentioned anywhere in the Bible. But, listen to these two verses:
“Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
The Apostle Paul is telling the people of Corinth that their bodies are temples of the Lord and that the Holy Spirit lives in that temple. Basically, your body is sacred and God won’t take kindly to anyone who destroys His temple. Furthermore, God really stresses that we’re to honor Him with our bodies. Killing our own bodies does not honor God and also violates one of God’s original commandments:
“You shall not murder.” (Exodus 20:13)
Remember, God is the One who decides how long your life will be (Psalm 139: 15-16, Psalm 39:4). When a person decides to commit suicide, they are taking that decision away from God. Is that a sin? Absolutely. It also the ultimate waste of a life that Jesus gave His own life for! He didn’t suffer and die on the cross just to have a person throw away the life He gave everything for. So, yes, suicide is a sin.
But, also realize that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23). The Bible also tells us that there is no one righteous, not one! (Romans 3:10) The only person who was completely perfect and lived without sin was Jesus Christ, who was crucified for all of our sins. He paid the price for all of us so that we could have eternal life with God, the Father. And it is through the power of His resurrection that we are saved! The Holy Bible is very clear on this:
“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.” (John 1:12)
So, if you admit your sins, believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins and then commit to repenting (or turning away from the sins) and following Jesus, then you become God’s child. And, because you are God’s child, you are an heir to the inheritance of eternal life with Him in Heaven!!! Isn’t that awesome???
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Monday, 31 January 2011
How do we know if God is real?
Awesome question! So, let me answer your question with a question. How do we explain the complexities of our world and how everything just all seems to work together? Think about it … the DNA molecule, as small as it is, has more information in it than the most powerful computer microprocessor. How can we explain that? Think about our universe … did you know that there are over 350,000,000,000 galaxies in our universe? Think about the lowly caterpillar…did you know that it has 228 distinct and separate muscles in its head? Your own body is the most complex piece of engineering ever created; even the most advanced robots can’t duplicate everything your body can do or experience.
So, how did this all happen? Was it all just by luck or happenstance? Think about this planet. Why does it rotate at just the right speed and how does gravity work so that we aren’t all flung into space? Our planet spins at 1000 mph! Try staying on a merry-go-round without holding onto something and see how long you last. Why are there seasons? How does a plant defy gravity by drawing water upward from the ground into their stems and veins? Why don’t spiders get stuck on their webs???
I could go on and on but here’s the Biblical answer to your question: We know that God is real because He reveals Himself in three ways: in His creation, in His Word, and in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:20 puts it this way, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”
Look at the history of humans. Every culture or every civilization throughout history has valued certain moral laws and they are surprisingly similar from culture to culture. For example, the idea of love is universally esteemed while the act of lying is universally condemned. How do we explain this morality – this knowledge of what’s right and wrong -across cultures unless we can point to a Supreme Moral Being who gave us such scruples.
Also, if you look at all the different cultures from the most primitive bush-people in the remotest parts of the world to our most advanced countries, we all have cultivated a system of worship. Yes, it may vary, but almost every civilization believes in or has a sense of a “higher power” that is an undeniable part of being human. Those of us who know Christ understand that God created us “in His own image.” (Genesis 1:27)
Next, we have to look at the Bible and see how God revealed Himself to us through His Word. Throughout the Bible, the existence of God is a self-evident fact. Just look at Genesis 1:1 or Exodus 3:14.
Finally, God reveals Himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ. There is no doubt, even among secular (non-Christian) historians that Jesus Christ existed. Did you know that Jesus fulfilled every single one of the Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah? Did you know that Jesus also kept the Old Testament law perfectly? How about all the miracles he performed? Everything Jesus did authenticated, or proved, He was the Son of God. The most important being that three days after he was crucified, Jesus rose from the dead, a fact affirmed by many witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6).
Of course there will be many skeptics and the Bible also addresses those people (Psalm 41:1, 1 Corinthians 1:18). No matter how much evidence is presented, they will choose not to believe.
The bottom line is this: It all comes down to faith. Do we choose to believe in the Bible or do we choose to believe something else? Hebrews 11:6 addresses this perfectly:
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
I believe in the God Most High. I believe that He sent His One and Only Son to die for my sins. I believe that through the power of God’s forgiveness of sins, I am saved and that I will have eternal life with God in Heaven when my time here on earth is done. And, I believe that God’s gift of grace and mercy is given to anyone and everyone who will accept it. You don’t have to earn it! God willingly gives it to you; all you have to do is accept it. Are you ready to accept God’s gift to you?
So, how did this all happen? Was it all just by luck or happenstance? Think about this planet. Why does it rotate at just the right speed and how does gravity work so that we aren’t all flung into space? Our planet spins at 1000 mph! Try staying on a merry-go-round without holding onto something and see how long you last. Why are there seasons? How does a plant defy gravity by drawing water upward from the ground into their stems and veins? Why don’t spiders get stuck on their webs???
I could go on and on but here’s the Biblical answer to your question: We know that God is real because He reveals Himself in three ways: in His creation, in His Word, and in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Romans 1:20 puts it this way, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”
Look at the history of humans. Every culture or every civilization throughout history has valued certain moral laws and they are surprisingly similar from culture to culture. For example, the idea of love is universally esteemed while the act of lying is universally condemned. How do we explain this morality – this knowledge of what’s right and wrong -across cultures unless we can point to a Supreme Moral Being who gave us such scruples.
Also, if you look at all the different cultures from the most primitive bush-people in the remotest parts of the world to our most advanced countries, we all have cultivated a system of worship. Yes, it may vary, but almost every civilization believes in or has a sense of a “higher power” that is an undeniable part of being human. Those of us who know Christ understand that God created us “in His own image.” (Genesis 1:27)
Next, we have to look at the Bible and see how God revealed Himself to us through His Word. Throughout the Bible, the existence of God is a self-evident fact. Just look at Genesis 1:1 or Exodus 3:14.
Finally, God reveals Himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ. There is no doubt, even among secular (non-Christian) historians that Jesus Christ existed. Did you know that Jesus fulfilled every single one of the Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah? Did you know that Jesus also kept the Old Testament law perfectly? How about all the miracles he performed? Everything Jesus did authenticated, or proved, He was the Son of God. The most important being that three days after he was crucified, Jesus rose from the dead, a fact affirmed by many witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6).
Of course there will be many skeptics and the Bible also addresses those people (Psalm 41:1, 1 Corinthians 1:18). No matter how much evidence is presented, they will choose not to believe.
The bottom line is this: It all comes down to faith. Do we choose to believe in the Bible or do we choose to believe something else? Hebrews 11:6 addresses this perfectly:
“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”
I believe in the God Most High. I believe that He sent His One and Only Son to die for my sins. I believe that through the power of God’s forgiveness of sins, I am saved and that I will have eternal life with God in Heaven when my time here on earth is done. And, I believe that God’s gift of grace and mercy is given to anyone and everyone who will accept it. You don’t have to earn it! God willingly gives it to you; all you have to do is accept it. Are you ready to accept God’s gift to you?
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Tuesday, 13 July 2010
In heaven the souls look different so how do you know who's who?
Wow!! That is an amazing question! This is also a question that has been debated between biblical scholars. The Holy Bible makes it pretty clear that we are able to recognize people even in their glorified bodies. Remember when Jesus reappeared to His disciples after He was crucified? Look at what the Bible has to say about that:
“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” (John 20-19-20)
It appears, by this passage, that the disciples recognized Jesus and were overjoyed. Next, look at what it says in the Book of Acts:
“After his suffering, He (Jesus) showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3)
Obviously, Jesus was recognizable to everyone He came into contact with after He had risen.
There is also the story of the rich man and Lazarus in the Book of Luke, Chapter 16. Look at these passages:
"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire. But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.” (Luke 16:22-25)
It appears that the rich man, while in Hell can see and recognize Abraham and Lazarus, the poor beggar, in Heaven. It also implies that Abraham can recognize the rich man in Hell. Also, Abraham tells the rich man to “remember” the things in his lifetime which tells me that the rich man will have the memories of his life.
In Mark 9:4, the disciples somehow recognize Moses and Elijah when they were with Jesus on the mountain. Moses and Elijah presumably were in their “glorified” forms.
But, according to scripture, we also get “glorified bodies.” These are new bodies and are called “Heavenly bodies” according to 1 Corinthians 15:40 which says, “There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another.”
After Jesus died on the cross many of the saints of God who had died before his crucifixion, rose in their bodies from their graves and were seen and recognized, presumably before they were taken up into heaven. They arose because their graves had been disturbed by what seems like an earthquake at the moment of Jesus’ death.
Jesus also said that we would be like the angels of heaven; well, what did they look like??? For one, they appeared and disappeared like Jesus. They appeared in human form like us; they ate, drank and talked like mankind. (Genesis 18 & 19) Sometimes they appeared in radiant garment like Jesus when He appeared on the mount of transfiguration. In the book of Revelation angels some times appear as giants standing astride great masses of land. (Am I confusing you yet?)
The Bible only gives us glimpses of what is to come and what our heavenly bodies will be like, and it remains one of the mysteries of our faith. But it seems to me from the little evidence we have in the Bible, we can rest assured we will know each other in heaven!
“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.” (John 20-19-20)
It appears, by this passage, that the disciples recognized Jesus and were overjoyed. Next, look at what it says in the Book of Acts:
“After his suffering, He (Jesus) showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3)
Obviously, Jesus was recognizable to everyone He came into contact with after He had risen.
There is also the story of the rich man and Lazarus in the Book of Luke, Chapter 16. Look at these passages:
"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire. But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony.” (Luke 16:22-25)
It appears that the rich man, while in Hell can see and recognize Abraham and Lazarus, the poor beggar, in Heaven. It also implies that Abraham can recognize the rich man in Hell. Also, Abraham tells the rich man to “remember” the things in his lifetime which tells me that the rich man will have the memories of his life.
In Mark 9:4, the disciples somehow recognize Moses and Elijah when they were with Jesus on the mountain. Moses and Elijah presumably were in their “glorified” forms.
But, according to scripture, we also get “glorified bodies.” These are new bodies and are called “Heavenly bodies” according to 1 Corinthians 15:40 which says, “There are also heavenly bodies and there are earthly bodies; but the splendor of the heavenly bodies is one kind, and the splendor of the earthly bodies is another.”
After Jesus died on the cross many of the saints of God who had died before his crucifixion, rose in their bodies from their graves and were seen and recognized, presumably before they were taken up into heaven. They arose because their graves had been disturbed by what seems like an earthquake at the moment of Jesus’ death.
Jesus also said that we would be like the angels of heaven; well, what did they look like??? For one, they appeared and disappeared like Jesus. They appeared in human form like us; they ate, drank and talked like mankind. (Genesis 18 & 19) Sometimes they appeared in radiant garment like Jesus when He appeared on the mount of transfiguration. In the book of Revelation angels some times appear as giants standing astride great masses of land. (Am I confusing you yet?)
The Bible only gives us glimpses of what is to come and what our heavenly bodies will be like, and it remains one of the mysteries of our faith. But it seems to me from the little evidence we have in the Bible, we can rest assured we will know each other in heaven!
Friday, 14 May 2010
Why did Jesus rise three days later instead of one?
Wow. Interesting question!!! First of all, did you know that there are over 300 Messianic prophesies that Jesus fulfilled? What that means is that in the Old Testament there are over 300 verses that specifically predict Jesus as the Messiah. Of those 300 prophesies, I counted 33 that specifically addressed his betrayal, death and resurrection. Remember, that the last book of the Old Testament was written nearly 400 years before Jesus’ birth!
Unfortunately, the Old Testament scriptures don’t specifically refer to the three-day resurrection. However, Jesus, Himself, predicted that He would be betrayed, crucified and killed then rise on the third day. Take a look at Matthew 12:40, which reads:
“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
John 2:19-22 says it this way:
“Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”
The Apostle Paul wrote, in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, the following:
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”
But this doesn’t really answer why three days, right? And, quite frankly, I couldn’t find a compelling reason either. There are several theories and I’d like to offer you two that I believe are significant. First, back in the day of Jesus’ death, it was Jewish custom to wait three days before declaring someone dead. I guess they figured after three days in a tomb, you had to be dead and you just weren’t sleeping! So, by coming back to life after three days, Jesus proved that He truly did “rise from the dead.”
Unfortunately, the Old Testament scriptures don’t specifically refer to the three-day resurrection. However, Jesus, Himself, predicted that He would be betrayed, crucified and killed then rise on the third day. Take a look at Matthew 12:40, which reads:
“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
John 2:19-22 says it this way:
“Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days." The Jews replied, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?" But the temple he had spoken of was his body. After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the Scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.”
The Apostle Paul wrote, in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, the following:
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”
But this doesn’t really answer why three days, right? And, quite frankly, I couldn’t find a compelling reason either. There are several theories and I’d like to offer you two that I believe are significant. First, back in the day of Jesus’ death, it was Jewish custom to wait three days before declaring someone dead. I guess they figured after three days in a tomb, you had to be dead and you just weren’t sleeping! So, by coming back to life after three days, Jesus proved that He truly did “rise from the dead.”
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Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Why did God send Jesus into the desert to be tempted by Satan?
That is an awesome question! If you read the very first line of the Book of Matthew, Chapter 4, Verse 1, it says, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”
So, just by this verse alone, we learn two things: 1, God (the Spirit) was involved in this plan and 2, He allowed Jesus to be tempted. And you’re saying, “Okay…but why???”
God sent Jesus to show us how to resist the devil. Remember, Jesus is God so, if He wanted, He could have made Satan disappear with just a thought. But, instead (and this is the part I love), He responded to Satan as a human to set the example for the rest of us humans. He showed us through His actions how to resist temptation!
And, if you were listening real close you heard how Jesus set the example for us. Do you recall? He accessed God’s strength. He used the passages from the Bible to give Him the strength He needed to resist Satan’s temptations. He turned to God’s Word. He did that to show us that if we can access God’s strength through prayer or knowing God’s Word and trusting in God’s Word that we can also resist temptation. Because, guess what? We can’t do it alone. And Jesus was showing that He couldn’t do it alone as a man.
Remember 1 Corinthians 10:13? It said, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But, when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” That is a promise from God to you. God knows we can’t do it alone. Jesus knew it and that’s why He showed us how to resist temptation by turning to God and by turning away from Satan and to keep walking away from him.
So, that’s why God sent Jesus into the desert to be tempted by Satan. It was to demonstrate to us how we can beat Satan by turning to God and by turning away from the temptation of the devil. Remember Philippians 4:13…”I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.”
So, just by this verse alone, we learn two things: 1, God (the Spirit) was involved in this plan and 2, He allowed Jesus to be tempted. And you’re saying, “Okay…but why???”
God sent Jesus to show us how to resist the devil. Remember, Jesus is God so, if He wanted, He could have made Satan disappear with just a thought. But, instead (and this is the part I love), He responded to Satan as a human to set the example for the rest of us humans. He showed us through His actions how to resist temptation!
And, if you were listening real close you heard how Jesus set the example for us. Do you recall? He accessed God’s strength. He used the passages from the Bible to give Him the strength He needed to resist Satan’s temptations. He turned to God’s Word. He did that to show us that if we can access God’s strength through prayer or knowing God’s Word and trusting in God’s Word that we can also resist temptation. Because, guess what? We can’t do it alone. And Jesus was showing that He couldn’t do it alone as a man.
Remember 1 Corinthians 10:13? It said, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But, when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” That is a promise from God to you. God knows we can’t do it alone. Jesus knew it and that’s why He showed us how to resist temptation by turning to God and by turning away from Satan and to keep walking away from him.
So, that’s why God sent Jesus into the desert to be tempted by Satan. It was to demonstrate to us how we can beat Satan by turning to God and by turning away from the temptation of the devil. Remember Philippians 4:13…”I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.”
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Wednesday, 29 July 2009
How old was Jesus when he made the Bible?
Actually, Jesus didn’t make or write the Bible. The Bible includes the life of Jesus, and of course, that’s WAAAAYYYYY important, but it also contains stories of others. Adam & Eve, Noah, Joseph, Moses, Joshua – remember all those guys? They all lived before Jesus walked the earth.
The Bible is God’s story. God used many men and women to tell his story over many thousands of years. The best part of that story, though, is that Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, then was crucified, and rose again. His victory over death proves he was everything he said was – God’s Son. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
And if we will believe in him, he will call us God’s children, and we can live with him forever. That is amazing! Read John 1:12.
The Bible is God’s story. God used many men and women to tell his story over many thousands of years. The best part of that story, though, is that Jesus came to earth, lived a perfect life, then was crucified, and rose again. His victory over death proves he was everything he said was – God’s Son. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.
And if we will believe in him, he will call us God’s children, and we can live with him forever. That is amazing! Read John 1:12.
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
What if we are not doing the right religion?
This is such a good question. The answer can be found in the Word of God. Any other religion could argue that THEIR “bible” contains the truth and they might ask, “Why do you think “YOURS” is the absolute truth?” I’ll just share with you a few pieces of Scripture so you can see what God says about Himself and His Word.
He both speaks directly and uses others as His mouthpiece. For instance, this is what the apostle Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable (useful) for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man (or woman or girl or boy!) of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (New American Standard Bible).”
Here are some more:
“The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony (evidence) of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts (instructions) of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes (Psalm 19:7, 8)”
In verses 9-11, King David goes on to describe what it’s like to follow the Word of God:
“The fear (reverence, worship, respect) of the Lord is clean, enduring forever, the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”
Jesus prays for His disciples in chapter 17 of John. In verse 17 He says, “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.”
There are so many scriptures in the Bible that confirm the fact that this truly is THE very word of God. We’re even told that He holds His Word above His name. One fun thing for you to do would be to look up “word” in a concordance (ask me if you don’t know this word) and check out some of the verses.
Again, it is important to believe that the Bible we read and reference is really true because it provides us with the very foundation of our faith. Another aspect of our faith has to do with the fact that Jesus is the only “religious” leader who rose from the dead. With all other beliefs, the spiritual leaders died, were buried and their graves still hold their bones.
Colossians 1:15 tells us that Jesus is the “image of the invisible God.” Hebrews 1:1-3 says, “God…..in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world, and He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature…” These are just a few of the verses that verify the fact that Jesus truly is God.
There are also many scriptures that confirm to my spirit that THIS God, the One who gave His life for us, is the One true God. This is important to believe because so many other religions will say that THEIR God or religious hero is the REAL one and ours is false.
Listen to what God says about Himself in Isaiah 45:5-7: “I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God. I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.” That’s just one teeny weeny portion of all God says about Himself in Isaiah.
Isaiah is a GREAT book in the Bible. If ever you want your socks blown off about the reality of God, go ahead and read Isaiah 40-50. Some parts might be hard for you to understand because they contain prophecy, but other parts are clear as a bell!
You already know that when we ask Jesus to live in our hearts, He sets His Spirit in us. We’re told in John 16:13 that when “He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide [us] into all truth.” The Holy Spirit is the mouthpiece of Jesus. He speaks to our hearts and reminds us of all that Jesus desires of us. Listen to what Jesus says in John 10:1-5: “Truly, truly I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep, to him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own (sheep), he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” In this passage, Jesus is the Shepherd and WE are the sheep. When the Holy Spirit indwells us, we fully recognize the voice of our Shepherd. This mouthpiece of God is only given to those who confess that “Jesus is Lord.”
You know, I could go on and on—but at least what I’ll do is jot down a few verses for you to check out on your own and you can see how the Lord speaks to YOU on the topic (or topics):
--Jeremiah 31:33
--Jeremiah 10 (the whole chapter is full of good stuff)
--Jeremiah 23: 16-24
--1 Corinthians 1:18
He both speaks directly and uses others as His mouthpiece. For instance, this is what the apostle Paul writes to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable (useful) for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man (or woman or girl or boy!) of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work (New American Standard Bible).”
Here are some more:
“The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony (evidence) of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts (instructions) of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes (Psalm 19:7, 8)”
In verses 9-11, King David goes on to describe what it’s like to follow the Word of God:
“The fear (reverence, worship, respect) of the Lord is clean, enduring forever, the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Thy servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”
Jesus prays for His disciples in chapter 17 of John. In verse 17 He says, “Sanctify them in the truth; Thy word is truth.”
There are so many scriptures in the Bible that confirm the fact that this truly is THE very word of God. We’re even told that He holds His Word above His name. One fun thing for you to do would be to look up “word” in a concordance (ask me if you don’t know this word) and check out some of the verses.
Again, it is important to believe that the Bible we read and reference is really true because it provides us with the very foundation of our faith. Another aspect of our faith has to do with the fact that Jesus is the only “religious” leader who rose from the dead. With all other beliefs, the spiritual leaders died, were buried and their graves still hold their bones.
Colossians 1:15 tells us that Jesus is the “image of the invisible God.” Hebrews 1:1-3 says, “God…..in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world, and He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature…” These are just a few of the verses that verify the fact that Jesus truly is God.
There are also many scriptures that confirm to my spirit that THIS God, the One who gave His life for us, is the One true God. This is important to believe because so many other religions will say that THEIR God or religious hero is the REAL one and ours is false.
Listen to what God says about Himself in Isaiah 45:5-7: “I am the Lord, and there is no other; besides Me there is no God. I am the Lord, and there is no other, the One forming light and creating darkness, causing well-being and creating calamity; I am the Lord who does all these.” That’s just one teeny weeny portion of all God says about Himself in Isaiah.
Isaiah is a GREAT book in the Bible. If ever you want your socks blown off about the reality of God, go ahead and read Isaiah 40-50. Some parts might be hard for you to understand because they contain prophecy, but other parts are clear as a bell!
You already know that when we ask Jesus to live in our hearts, He sets His Spirit in us. We’re told in John 16:13 that when “He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide [us] into all truth.” The Holy Spirit is the mouthpiece of Jesus. He speaks to our hearts and reminds us of all that Jesus desires of us. Listen to what Jesus says in John 10:1-5: “Truly, truly I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep, to him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and leads them out. When he puts forth all his own (sheep), he goes before them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. And a stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” In this passage, Jesus is the Shepherd and WE are the sheep. When the Holy Spirit indwells us, we fully recognize the voice of our Shepherd. This mouthpiece of God is only given to those who confess that “Jesus is Lord.”
You know, I could go on and on—but at least what I’ll do is jot down a few verses for you to check out on your own and you can see how the Lord speaks to YOU on the topic (or topics):
--Jeremiah 31:33
--Jeremiah 10 (the whole chapter is full of good stuff)
--Jeremiah 23: 16-24
--1 Corinthians 1:18
Labels:
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Sunday, 12 July 2009
Two of my friends are growing apart and are talking badly about each other to me. What should I do? Should I even be involved?
That is a difficult question and situation, isn’t it? But, I have an answer for you! We have been studying about love these past few weeks and the Bible verse we’ve been looking at is 1 Corinthians 13:1-7. I want you to look at verse 5, in particular, which states, “It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs.”
If you truly care about these two friends, think about the words, “It is not rude.” Hmmm…I wonder what that means? Do you know? Well, here’s what it means: it means you shouldn’t listen to gossip. You should love your two friends and tell them that they need to talk to each other, not you. REMEMBER, do this with kindness and gentleness!!! Verse 1 says that, “Love is patient, love is kind.”
Your friends are trying to make you pick one of them over the other so that they can boast to the other that you are on their side. Yikes!!! You don’t want to be in that situation!
Here’s what I’d do: tell each of your friends that you love them both but that they need to talk to each other. Tell them that you’re gonna pray for both of them and hope that God helps them become friends again.
To answer your second question, unfortunately, because they are both coming to you and gossiping about the other…you are already involved. It’s kinda hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube once it’s been squeezed out! BUT, you can tell them that you are not choosing sides and you really don’t want to talk badly about one of them behind their back.
If they say, “Yeah? Well, this person is really stupid so I’m not going to be their friend anymore!” You should say, “Well, have you talked to them about this? I mean really talked to them?” Then tell your friends it makes you sad to see them fighting. Encourage them to talk to each other.
Now, having said all that, I want you to be prepared for the fact that they may not ever be friends again (which I pray doesn’t happen) but I also want you to realize it’s not going to be because of anything you did or did not do. Please don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself, okay?
If you truly care about these two friends, think about the words, “It is not rude.” Hmmm…I wonder what that means? Do you know? Well, here’s what it means: it means you shouldn’t listen to gossip. You should love your two friends and tell them that they need to talk to each other, not you. REMEMBER, do this with kindness and gentleness!!! Verse 1 says that, “Love is patient, love is kind.”
Your friends are trying to make you pick one of them over the other so that they can boast to the other that you are on their side. Yikes!!! You don’t want to be in that situation!
Here’s what I’d do: tell each of your friends that you love them both but that they need to talk to each other. Tell them that you’re gonna pray for both of them and hope that God helps them become friends again.
To answer your second question, unfortunately, because they are both coming to you and gossiping about the other…you are already involved. It’s kinda hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube once it’s been squeezed out! BUT, you can tell them that you are not choosing sides and you really don’t want to talk badly about one of them behind their back.
If they say, “Yeah? Well, this person is really stupid so I’m not going to be their friend anymore!” You should say, “Well, have you talked to them about this? I mean really talked to them?” Then tell your friends it makes you sad to see them fighting. Encourage them to talk to each other.
Now, having said all that, I want you to be prepared for the fact that they may not ever be friends again (which I pray doesn’t happen) but I also want you to realize it’s not going to be because of anything you did or did not do. Please don’t put that kind of pressure on yourself, okay?
Saturday, 27 June 2009
If a baby dies at birth, how old will it be in heaven? Will it stay a baby and not know anything in heaven?
This is a set of big questions, and the answers are also big, so follow along with me.
First – how old will the baby be?
God is the Creator of everything – including time (and also matter, energy, space, relationships, intelligence, emotions, etc etc … really … everything.) And time helps us understand where we are in this physical world. Typically, we say we are in a place at a time. We have a place and a time where we are.
But that changes! God is outside of time, and eternity is outside of time. By “outside” of time I mean that you cannot measure it. Remember the beautiful song, “Amazing Grace”? Remember the words, "When we've been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we'd first begun"?
Read on to understand a bit better what we will BE like in heaven…
Second – will it stay a baby?
The answer lies in understanding Jesus after his resurrection. Here we go …
Read Philippians 3:20-21 starting with “And we eagerly await….” What will Jesus transform? [to transform is to change the form of something]
Put you answer here: __________________________
What will Jesus transform the “our lowly bodies” into? To be like his what?
Put your answer here: __________________________
Our lowly bodies, that is, our earthly bodies, whether baby or adult, will be transformed to be like his heavenly body! Wow, huh?
Now go to 1 Corinthians and read chapter 15, verse 35 through the end of the chapter.
Pretty cool, huh?
Did you notice the key 44th verse? There is a natural body, the one we live in now, and there is a spiritual body, the one we will after our earthly death!
Right now you know by experience that life is much more than just our physical body, right? We have an intellect, we have emotions, we have relationships, and we have a spiritual part of our being. Sooooo … wanna know what a baby’s new spiritual body looks like?
Go back to 1 Corinthians 15:49. “And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man [Paul is talking about the first created man, Adam], so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven [that is Jesus].
So the baby, and you, and me will all bear the likeness of Jesus after our earthly death.
So wanna know what Jesus looks like in his spiritual body? [If you don’t, just stop reading here, but if you do, keep reading …]
Go to the account of Jesus’ transfiguration. Read Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:3, and Luke 9:29. [The word “transfiguration” refers to Jesus’ appearance when the disciples saw him changed.]
What is wild, is that just as you have a physical body, so did Jesus. But when Jesus was transfigured, his disciples caught a glimpse of his spiritual body. We can’t know exactly what’s up with that body, and the disciples barely had words to describe it. We can’t really wrap our brains around what that new body will be like, but we do know that, “so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.”
Third, will the baby know anything?
Follow me carefully now … while we see a little baby, helpless, limited in knowledge & strength & intelligence, this is not what God sees. God sees a perfectly and completely formed spiritual being! [This may also help you understand how God sees disabled people, poor people, widows, orphans, and – honestly – all the rest of us who just ain’t exactly “perfect!”]
The theologian C.S. Lewis said that you will NEVER look upon an ordinary person. ALL of God’s children (doesn’t matter how old) are EXTRAORDINARY because they all bear the image of our Creator!!
The Bible doesn’t speak specifically to babies in heaven, but the nature and character of God point to that baby as someone who also has a spiritual body and who will share in the blessings of heaven. Cool, huh?
First – how old will the baby be?
God is the Creator of everything – including time (and also matter, energy, space, relationships, intelligence, emotions, etc etc … really … everything.) And time helps us understand where we are in this physical world. Typically, we say we are in a place at a time. We have a place and a time where we are.
But that changes! God is outside of time, and eternity is outside of time. By “outside” of time I mean that you cannot measure it. Remember the beautiful song, “Amazing Grace”? Remember the words, "When we've been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we'd first begun"?
Read on to understand a bit better what we will BE like in heaven…
Second – will it stay a baby?
The answer lies in understanding Jesus after his resurrection. Here we go …
Read Philippians 3:20-21 starting with “And we eagerly await….” What will Jesus transform? [to transform is to change the form of something]
Put you answer here: __________________________
What will Jesus transform the “our lowly bodies” into? To be like his what?
Put your answer here: __________________________
Our lowly bodies, that is, our earthly bodies, whether baby or adult, will be transformed to be like his heavenly body! Wow, huh?
Now go to 1 Corinthians and read chapter 15, verse 35 through the end of the chapter.
Pretty cool, huh?
Did you notice the key 44th verse? There is a natural body, the one we live in now, and there is a spiritual body, the one we will after our earthly death!
Right now you know by experience that life is much more than just our physical body, right? We have an intellect, we have emotions, we have relationships, and we have a spiritual part of our being. Sooooo … wanna know what a baby’s new spiritual body looks like?
Go back to 1 Corinthians 15:49. “And just as we have borne the likeness of the earthly man [Paul is talking about the first created man, Adam], so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven [that is Jesus].
So the baby, and you, and me will all bear the likeness of Jesus after our earthly death.
So wanna know what Jesus looks like in his spiritual body? [If you don’t, just stop reading here, but if you do, keep reading …]
Go to the account of Jesus’ transfiguration. Read Matthew 17:2, Mark 9:3, and Luke 9:29. [The word “transfiguration” refers to Jesus’ appearance when the disciples saw him changed.]
What is wild, is that just as you have a physical body, so did Jesus. But when Jesus was transfigured, his disciples caught a glimpse of his spiritual body. We can’t know exactly what’s up with that body, and the disciples barely had words to describe it. We can’t really wrap our brains around what that new body will be like, but we do know that, “so shall we bear the likeness of the man from heaven.”
Third, will the baby know anything?
Follow me carefully now … while we see a little baby, helpless, limited in knowledge & strength & intelligence, this is not what God sees. God sees a perfectly and completely formed spiritual being! [This may also help you understand how God sees disabled people, poor people, widows, orphans, and – honestly – all the rest of us who just ain’t exactly “perfect!”]
The theologian C.S. Lewis said that you will NEVER look upon an ordinary person. ALL of God’s children (doesn’t matter how old) are EXTRAORDINARY because they all bear the image of our Creator!!
The Bible doesn’t speak specifically to babies in heaven, but the nature and character of God point to that baby as someone who also has a spiritual body and who will share in the blessings of heaven. Cool, huh?
Labels:
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Friday, 19 June 2009
How could Jesus be tempted?
That is an awesome question! If you read the very first line of the Book of Matthew, Chapter 4, Verse 1, it says, “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.”
So, just by this verse alone, we learn two things: 1, God (the Spirit) was involved in this plan and 2, he allowed Jesus to be tempted. You see, it is not a sin to be tempted. The sin is giving in to that temptation.
You wanna know what’s really cool? Jesus is God. And, Jesus is man. I’m telling you this because, if Jesus had wanted, he could have made Satan disappear with a thought or the blink of an eye. But, instead (and this is the part I love), He responded to Satan as a human to set the example for the rest of us humans. He showed us through His actions how to resist temptation!
Jesus set the example for us. He accessed God’s strength. He used the passages from the Bible to give Him the strength He needed to resist Satan’s temptations. He did that to show us that if we can access God’s strength through prayer or knowing God’s Word and trusting in God’s Word that we can also resist temptation. Because, guess what? We can’t do it alone. And Jesus was showing that He couldn’t do it alone as a man.
Remember 1 Corinthians 10:13? It said, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But, when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” That is a promise from God to you. God knows we can’t do it alone. Jesus knew it and that’s why He showed us how to resist temptation by turning to God and by turning away from Satan and to keep walking away from him.
So, how could be Jesus be tempted? Because God allowed it to show us how we can resist the devil. The key is that Jesus did not give in to the temptation and He turned away from it.
So, just by this verse alone, we learn two things: 1, God (the Spirit) was involved in this plan and 2, he allowed Jesus to be tempted. You see, it is not a sin to be tempted. The sin is giving in to that temptation.
You wanna know what’s really cool? Jesus is God. And, Jesus is man. I’m telling you this because, if Jesus had wanted, he could have made Satan disappear with a thought or the blink of an eye. But, instead (and this is the part I love), He responded to Satan as a human to set the example for the rest of us humans. He showed us through His actions how to resist temptation!
Jesus set the example for us. He accessed God’s strength. He used the passages from the Bible to give Him the strength He needed to resist Satan’s temptations. He did that to show us that if we can access God’s strength through prayer or knowing God’s Word and trusting in God’s Word that we can also resist temptation. Because, guess what? We can’t do it alone. And Jesus was showing that He couldn’t do it alone as a man.
Remember 1 Corinthians 10:13? It said, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But, when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” That is a promise from God to you. God knows we can’t do it alone. Jesus knew it and that’s why He showed us how to resist temptation by turning to God and by turning away from Satan and to keep walking away from him.
So, how could be Jesus be tempted? Because God allowed it to show us how we can resist the devil. The key is that Jesus did not give in to the temptation and He turned away from it.
Labels:
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