Stan Warford Makes a Point
A friend of my mother-in-law gave a speech recently at one of Pepperdine's regular convocation assemblies (Christian school attendees, think "chapel"). If you feel like being challenged on this, I highly recommend you check it out.
Here's the link for the text of the speech.
Even if you dispute the historical accuracy of his facts, or if you question his interpretation of the facts, you will find it much more difficult, as a Christian, to argue against his point that we must all deal with the scriptures as they appear at face value.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Your Government and You
It says that?! REALLY?!
This passage isn't new to me, but I just read it with fresh eyes.
Romans 13:1 - 2 -- Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
This passage isn't new to me, but I just read it with fresh eyes.
Romans 13:1 - 2 -- Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Silence: Restrictive or Permissive?
How do you view the silence of the scriptures? How did Jesus?
Scriptures to consider:
1 Corinthians 4:6 -- "Do not go beyond what is written." Paul gives a quote, not from scripture, but from somewhere else.
Revelation 22:18 - 19 -- This is the warning not to add or subtract from the words of the prophesy.
Our view of Bible silence has profound implications for us, and a deep impact on how we live with respect to the Lord.
Let's explore this.
Scriptures to consider:
1 Corinthians 4:6 -- "Do not go beyond what is written." Paul gives a quote, not from scripture, but from somewhere else.
Revelation 22:18 - 19 -- This is the warning not to add or subtract from the words of the prophesy.
Our view of Bible silence has profound implications for us, and a deep impact on how we live with respect to the Lord.
Let's explore this.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
What is God like?
How do we come to know God?
John 14:8 - 10 -- Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
Consider these passages.
Matthew 19:13 - 15 -- Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.3
Luke 7:11 - 15 -- Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." 14 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
John 2:7 - 10 -- Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
Luke 6:6 - 10 -- On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?" 10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored.
Luke 6:17 - 19 -- He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
What characteristics of God do these encounters with Jesus reveal?
John 14:8 - 10 -- Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." 9 Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.
Consider these passages.
Matthew 19:13 - 15 -- Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. 14 Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." 15 When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.3
Luke 7:11 - 15 -- Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the town was with her. 13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry." 14 Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, "Young man, I say to you, get up!" 15 The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother.
John 2:7 - 10 -- Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."
Luke 6:6 - 10 -- On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. 7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. 8But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there. 9 Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?" 10 He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored.
Luke 6:17 - 19 -- He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon, 18 who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured, 19 and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
What characteristics of God do these encounters with Jesus reveal?
Monday, January 19, 2009
Debate, Discussion or Stupid Argument?
At what point does a discussion turn into a debate? And at what point does a debate turn into a foolish and stupid argument?
Two springboard passages:
Acts 18:27 and 28 -- When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
2 Timothy 2: 22 - 26 -- Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
Two springboard passages:
Acts 18:27 and 28 -- When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.
2 Timothy 2: 22 - 26 -- Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. 23 Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. 24 And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
An errant brother (who happens to be a minister) with whom I have been hoping to study has lately refused me, giving as his reasons his very busy schedule and his desire to not become embroiled in debate. This last has been his reason in previous encounters for shutting me down, not letting me open the Bible to see what God's Word says about the issue up for discussion. When I persisted in opening the Bible or referring to the Scriptures, I was called "argumentative" and "divisive." So it's obvious he doesn't want to study with me.
That's fine, his choice, he has every right to refuse, etc. But it's got me thinking about where the lines are drawn between discussion, debate, and stupid argument. Can you debate gently, or must it, by definition, always be "vigorous refutation" as in Acts 18? Luke calls Apollos "a great help" because he debated.
So let's reason together. I'm sure that as time passes, those who choose to contribute here will come into disagreement with each other. I'm not afraid of that. Disagreements are welcome here, in fact. You may post anonymously or not, but let's remember Paul's direction to Timothy, and do our best not to be foolish or stupid with each other.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
A lesson from 2 Chronicles 20
When faced with a major challenge, King Jehoshaphat resolved to seek the Lord for guidance. That's always a good idea for us. The King began by acknowledging God's power and greatness, and a commitment to remain before the Lord, waiting for his salvation.
And so we begin by praising God for bringing us this far by his hand. We acknowledge his guidance and control in our lives, and affirm that there is no god but the one true God, King of Kings, over heaven and earth.
And so we begin by praising God for bringing us this far by his hand. We acknowledge his guidance and control in our lives, and affirm that there is no god but the one true God, King of Kings, over heaven and earth.
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