Eastern Orthodox poet Scott Cairns reflects on his new collection, his journey of faith, and poetry's capacity to apprehend inexhaustible realities.Fans of the Harry Potter series might recall the magical tents from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. In the film version, when the Weasleys take Harry and others to the Quidditch World Cup, the audience sees rows and rows of small tents, seemingly designed to sleep only one or two people. Harry is confused as he witnesses the others walk into a single tent, which can hold much more than its external size betrays. Once Harry follows suit, he stands in awe at a spacious interior containing several bunkrooms, a dining room, and a large living room.This scene gives a helpful image for the ideas and realities Scott Cairns takes up in his new collection of poems, Lacunae. Cairns is an Eastern Orthodox poet whose work, besides ten poetry collections, includes essays, a spiritual memoir, and the text of two oratorios. Many of the poems in Lacunae concern the mystery of divine things, infinite in scope, somehow fitting within finite spaces and times. Just as Harry Potter was surprised to find all that was contained within an ostensibly small tent, one is shocked to find the fullness of God contained in Mary, and even more so, contained within every Christian by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.Joey Jekel, a writer and classical educator in Texas, spoke with Cairns about Lacunae, as well as the nature of poetry and the theology that informs his own.To borrow language from Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov, could you give a brief account of your “sacred history?”I was raised as a Baptist, albeit a Baptist of what we might call a particularly brittle sort. I suppose the saving grace of those years was that my parents wore our community’s fundamentalism relatively lightly. My father liked saying that a ...Continue reading...
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A Muslim man in eastern Uganda is suspected of killing his mother last week by putting pesticide in her food for refusing to leave her Christian faith, a relative said.
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? Temple Baptist Church - 4-14-2024Psalm 119:113-120? Introduction:? A.? Psalm 119 – The Magnification of the Word of God.? 176 verses broken down into 22 stanzas with each stanza containing 8 verses.? Each stanza begins with one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet with each verse of the stanza in Hebrew beginning with the correlating letter.? An Acrostic. A masterpiece that only God the Word could have given to us.? B.? SAMECH – infinity or infinite – also used for support or ladder – The 15th? letter of the Hebrew alphabet – its numerical number is 60 which represents completeness.? It is one of the two closed letters with the other being found in MEM in its final form at the end of a word.? It is circular in form with no beginning or end and protects that which is within.? C.? We understand that we live in a sinful world and in sinful times.? ? 1.? In my lifetime, I have seen the world changing in so many ways as it downwardly spirals into utter depravity.? As God's children, we try to abstain from all appearance of evil while living in the midst of it.? 2.? More than ever before, we need to realize that God holds our lives in His hands.? We have a promise of perpetual protection as we walk with God within the Word of God.? ? 3.? We need to make sure that we remain within the “hedge” that God has placed around us.? Through willful sin and willful ignorance, we often remove ourselves to some degree out of the protection of our Lord.? D.? In Jewish tradition, SAMECH represents one's inner journey.? Verse 113 begins with the words “I hate vain thoughts.”? ? These words show the importance of maintaining the invisible man as well as the physical man.? Proverbs tells us “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” (Proverbs 23:7)? E.? While we can only see the outside, God is a Discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.? Who we are is what we are inwardly!? This 15th stanza shows the believer that there are Divine inner and outer protection available and this protection is found in God's Word.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? F.? God affords the believer “layers” of protection that will help to keep one's heart and mind (1) Stable and therefore (2) Stayed upon the Lord.? Then there is the outward layer of protection afforded the believer.? 1.? ? Verse 113.? Our Spirit.? The Word of God protects our thought life.? The godly man's hatred of vain thoughts.? Vain – to no avail or worthless.? The most dangerous battlefield known to man is the struggle of good and evil thoughts.? The greatest wars are waged in the mind of the believer.? Inherently, man has a God given understanding of both right and wrong.? I heard it said that man does not have a problem knowing right from wrong.? The struggle is choosing right over wrong.? Here, we once again find the love of God's Law as the deciding factor in our thought life.? ? 2 Corinthians 10:3-5? For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:? (4)? (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)? (5)? Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;? 2.? Verse 114.? Our Surety.? God protects our temporal life.? The child of God is hated by Satan, the world.? God is our infinite Refuge during the hard times of life, but it is through God's Word that we find our sanctity and peace.? When everything is going wrong in life, everything we need is in our hand tonight.? Protection from temporal calamities and persecutions.? God's Word is our chamber of retreat where we hide and find safety both physical and spiritual.? It is in the Word of God that we hide while taking the “shield of faith” in our hands.? The Word of God? supplies us grace, strength, light, life, and comfort here, and for glory hereafter.? Psalms 9:9? The LORD also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.? 3.? Verse 115.? Our Sanctification.? God protects our interaction with the world.? The world is a constant distraction of God's people and the ultimate state becomes defilement.? Our protection is through the Word of God.? We that are saved are not only separatist, we are separated from.? In this verse, we see the desire of the godly to distance himself from those who do evil.? This does not speak of staying away from every sinner for the Bible says that we would have to leave this world to do so.? It means to stay away from those who have a pattern of life that is wicked.? “Evildoers” is a persistent condition.? The Power of the wicked:? Psalms 37:35? I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.? 4.? Verse 116.? ? Our Stability.? God protects our feebleness in life.? The Word of God is the “Rock” upon which we stand.? Unmovable, unshakable, unerring, an anchor is an ever changing world.? Through the Bible, we can be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord according to 1 Corinthians 15:58.? Paul said, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”? Psalms 94:17-18? Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence.? (18)? When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.? 5.? Verse 117.? Our Safety.? God protects us in the perils of life.? We live in perilous times.? In the news, all we hear is about the dangers of living in the greatest nation on earth.? Because sentence against evil works is not executed, people have no respect for law and order.? ? Ecclesiastes 8:11? Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.? Proverbs 21:31? The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.? 6.? Verse 118.? Our Sinfulness.? God protects us in our temptations in life.? One of Newton's Third Law of Motion states: “? For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”? Spiritually, though God is so often gracious to the sinner, with willful sin, for the most part it is followed by a willful judgment.? Their deceit is falsehood.? What they appear outward is not the reality of that which we see outwardly.? Hebrews 4:12? For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.? 7.? Verse 119.? Our Salvation.? God protects us from our enemies in life.? The Lord will take care of the wicked.? We just need to love and stay with the Word of God.? The wicked may seem to be on the winning side for a while but the justice of the Lord will be manifested.? Jeremiah 6:28-30? They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.? (29)? The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away.? (30)? Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them.? 8.? Verse 120.? Our Submission.? Our protection, “safety is of the Lord,” is perpetually in the hand of God.? Life is still hard at best, but remaining in the will of God through the Word of God affords the child of God a perpetual protection.? Proverbs 19:23? The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil.
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Have you ever asked yourself why you go to church? There are plenty of scriptures about meeting together, so, maybe it's out of obedience. Or maybe it's tradition, or maybe it's the fear of being accused of not being a good Christian. Maybe you go to church because it's something to do or it feels like a good thing to have some sort of faith-based support. Maybe you've formed good friendships, or you enjoy the programs churches have to offer. Maybe you like being part of a community of like-minded people. Maybe you've just always gone and so you continue to go out of habit or routine.? Everyone has their opinions about church, but does God have an opinion?Today, when churches almost everywhere are broadcasting online, does it really matter if you actually get dressed and head out on a Sunday morning or a Wednesday night? What about a Bible study, does that count? You can read the Bible alone and grow in your faith and you can pray alone and grow in your faith, and you can worship alone and grow in your faith. Yet each one of these faith actions has two sides: personal and inter-personal.? Most people are comfortable with reading the Bible and praying together, but worship is different. Why is that? People are sometimes less comfortable expressing themselves in worship when others are around than they are worshipping alone. But is one “better” or more spiritually beneficial than the other? Photo Credit:©GettyImages/CreativaImages
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Ngalakh combines baobab fruit and peanuts to end Easter in West African nation, reciprocated by the sharing of meat breaking Ramadan's fast.In Senegal, Muslims love to share meat. Christians share porridge.Ending the monthlong Ramadan fast this week, the faithful in the Muslim-majority West African nation invited Christian friends to celebrate Korite (Eid al-Fitr), focus on forgiveness and reconciliation, and share a wholesome meal of chicken.A little over two months later during Tabaski (Eid al-Adha), the mutton from sheep slaughtered in commemoration of Abraham’s sacrificing of his son will likewise be distributed to Christian neighbors. (Both feasts follow the lunar calendar and change dates each year.)But for Christians, the sign of interfaith unity is the porridge-like ngalakh.“Senegal is a country of terranga—‘hospitality’—and the sense of sharing is very high,” said Mignane Ndour, vice president of the Assemblies of God churches in Senegal. “Porridge has become our means of strengthening relations between Christians and Muslims.”Sources told CT the holiday treat is highly anticipated.In the local language, ngalakh means “to make porridge,” and the chilled dessert marks the end of Lent. Between 3 and 5 percent of Senegal’s 18 million people are Christians—the majority Catholic—and families gather to prepare the Easter fare on Good Friday.Made from peanut cream and monkey bread (the fruit of the famed baobab tree), these core ngalakh ingredients are soaked in water for over an hour before adding the millet flour necessary to thicken the paste. The dessert is then variously seasoned with nutmeg, orange blossom, pineapple, coconut, or raisins.Tangy and sweet yet savory, the porridge gets its brownish color from the peanut cream.The Christian community in Senegal traces its ...Continue reading...
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The American Solidarity Party is a small but growing alternative to the Trump-Biden race.Charlie Richert would really like to stop voting for his dad.But in the last couple presidential election cycles, the 30-year-old attorney in Indianapolis has been unable to square his conscience with picking either the Republican or Democratic party nominee, so he’s resorted to writing in a name.“There’s no way I can escape having my faith inform how I vote,” said Richert, a nondenominational Christian who grew up Republican. “Unfortunately, we’ve been kind of stuck in a doom loop of candidates at the presidential level that I’ve just not felt comfortable voting for.”This year, he’s not drawn to alternatives like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or Cornel West. “Maybe I’ll write in Abe Lincoln this year. Sorry to my dad, but a new name to write in would be fun,” he said.He recalls seeking to convince his classmates in an eighth-grade mock election that they should support Mitt Romney, but his chagrin with the Republican Party’s presidential nominee tracked with the ascension of Donald Trump.In a year when both major party presidential candidates are viewed unfavorably by a quarter of Americans, many find themselves less excited about the two options at the top of the ticket. But, like Richert, that doesn’t mean they’re ready to go for third-party options.The third-party candidates running in 2024 span the ideological spectrum, from independents Kennedy and Princeton University professor Cornel West to Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Then there are the more obscure party or candidate options—the Prohibition Party, Andrew Yang’s Forward Party, Maryland politician Jason Palmer, and that man in Texas who changed his name to “Literally ...Continue reading...
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As a lifelong athlete and coach, I know sports build character. But I worry about the idolatrous, selfish culture of American athletics.When my wife told me that my son received an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at his football game, I was enraged. He’d aggressively thrown the ball back to the official he believed had missed a call. I flew into a lecture about leadership, respect for authority, and composure. I even called friends and family to register my disbelief and embarrassment.But before I got too self-righteous, my parents—always eager to come to their grandchildren’s rescue—reminded me of the times I was far from a model of sportsmanship. I’ve had my fair share of penalties and made hotheaded remarks. I’ve come a long way, but I still haven’t fully mastered the art of balancing passion and prudence in the arena.Accordingly, I beg your charity as I explain (and preach to myself) why I believe sports can be a helpful servant for Christians—and an awful master. We can value the virtues that sports teach and be encouraged when players like Justin Fields and Paige Bueckers boldly proclaim their faith while being wary of the culture of idolatry, pride, disrespect, and selfishness that crops up in every level of American sports, from peewee soccer to the NFL.As a former college football player and a current Little League coach, I’m convinced sports are a great way to build character in children and teach the value of leadership and institutions. Youth sports provide social proof that diligence and teamwork are essential aspects of improvement. Children learn real-world lessons by overcoming the mental and physical obstacles sports present. Truths that are difficult to communicate in theory suddenly make sense on the field.Sports are particularly valuable in a culture where ...Continue reading...
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? Temple Baptist Church - 4-10-2024John 15:1-11? Introduction:? A.? Last week, we saw the Prophecy of the True Vine.? Jesus Christ is the Root of the Vine and the Vine itself along with being the Branch.? This tells us several things about Christ: He was before all things, He made all things, He sustains all things, and He will be after all things.? B.? Tonight, we will look at the Purpose of the True Vine.? God does everything both Perfectly and with Purpose.? 1.? verse 1.? The Personality of the True vine.? a)? As the Root, Christ is the Anchor that holds the Vine.? He is the Chief Cornerstone of salvation.? He is the Rock of the believer.? As the Vine, Christ sustains the believer.? The Root supplies the nutrients along with the water necessary for spiritual growth and productivity through the Vine to the branches.? b)? As the Vine, Christ is Attributer that feeds the branches.? The sap flows through the vine to the branches.? The vines do not produce anything other than branches.? It is the branches that are responsible for bearing fruit.? c)? As the Branch, Christ is our Example of both life and fruit bearing.? 2.? Verse 2.? The Purpose of the True Vine.? Fruit!? Without fruit, the True Vine would have no reason to exist.? Jesus Christ has a reason for His being and we are that reason.? a) The Vine gives birth to the branches.? We are born again through the finished work of Jesus Christ.? b) The vine gives the necessities of fruit bearing to the branches.? c)? The Lord has and is doing His part because we are both saved and capable, as long as we abide in Him, of producing fruit.? C.? The Priority of the True Vine.? 1.? The Importance of Abiding in the Vine.? ? a)? These verses do not speak of being Attached to the True Vine.? Each of God's children get their live through Christ Jesus and are a part of the True Vine.? If you are saved, you are and always will be a branch.? b)? But not all branches continue to draw life from the vine for various reasons.? After a storm, we all find a lot of dead branches in our yards.? God uses storms and strong winds to prune trees and other plants.? Gardeners prune their plants to help the plant to produce maximum fruit.? 2.? How do we Abide in the True Vine.? ? a)? By drawing all that we need for life and godliness from the sap that flows from God to usward.? I use these verses often because of their importance to all of us that are saved.? 2 Peter 1:2-3? Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,? (3)? According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:? b)? God gives us everything that we need so it is Available.? 2 Peter 1:2-3? Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,? (3)? According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:? c)? There are two aspects of our spiritual drawing from God.? To ignore either of these will cause the believer to become unproductive.? 1)? The Word of God.? I cannot over emphasize the importance of our Bible!? I do not “major on a minor” as it is the “MAJOR!”? It is the “sap” that we draw from reading, studying, listening to, and rightly applying the Word of God.? God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.? 2)? The Spirit of God.? The second way that we draw “sap” from the True Vine is through the presence of and obedience to the Holy Spirit which indwells us.? He is our Teacher, Comforter, Guide, and Friend.? 3.? The branch that does not produce fruit is broken off by men and cast into the fire.? ? John 15:6? If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.? (Notice that it is still a branch and the men who break them off and burn them shows the chastening rod of God.? “And many sleep!”? D.? Verses 2-11.? The Product of the Abiding Branches.? We now understand that failure to abide in Christ causes lack of fruit and possibly physical death.? ? John 15:5? I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.? 1.? Verse 2, 4-5.? ? The Qualification of the Fruit.? The branch must be attached to the Vine!? ? If you are not in the Vine, then there is no way for you to share in the Vine's life. This is all about a vital union between the believer and the Lord Jesus Christ, the True Vine.? a.? The Purging of the Vine.? John 15:2-3? Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.? (3)? Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.? b.? We must have a close relationship with the Vine.? Prayer, Bible reading and study, self-denial.? c.? We must be available for use by the Vine.? Availability and dependability are the greatest abilities.? This in all God needs.? 2.? The Quality of the Fruit.? Fruit!? The grace extended is all the same.? The faith exercised is all the same.? The salvation given is all the same.? a.? The quality of the fruit is not necessarily the responsibility of the branch.? The quality of fruit depends upon the quality of the Vine.? ? b.? God reproduces His life through our lives.? As salt and light, the world sees our good works and glorify the Father in heaven.? c.? This has been called a “Liberating Truth!”? We are free from the consequences of their personal choice.? We cannot save, we can only give savor and light.? 3.? The Quantity Of Our Fruit.? ? a.? ? So many people whip themselves because of a lack of visible results but there are those who plant, those who water, and only God can give the increase.? This? is not the responsibility of the branch. Some will produce much; some will produce little.? b.? The fruit, more fruit, and much fruit depend upon the will of the Vine. I have known some of the godliest, best missionaries and pastor who have spent their lives with little seeable fruit.? ? 4.? The Quandary of the Branches.? ? John 15:5? I am the vine, ye are the branches:? He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.? a.? Not every branch is what God intended for it to be.? Our relationship to the Vine is what we make of it.? b.? This branch is still attached to the Vine but is not abiding in the Vine.? Let me explain.? ? 1)? It is the Husbandman who Purges the branches: to wash them through the Word of God.? 2)? It is the Husbandman who Prunes the branches by breaking the branches OFF from the Vine.? c.? Our duty is to abide in God and allow God to abide in us!? Conclusion:? Not abide in Christ:? a.? Loss of Fellowship – “cast out”? b.? Loss of Living – “withered”? c.? Loss of Reward – “burned'
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An evangelist was slain, and a mother and her 10-year-old daughter suffered serious burns for their faith in separate incidents last month in eastern Uganda.
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Ngalakh combines baobab fruit and peanuts to end Easter in West African nation, reciprocated by the sharing of meat breaking Ramadan's fast.In Senegal, Muslims love to share meat. Christians share porridge.Ending the monthlong Ramadan fast this week, the faithful in the Muslim-majority West African nation invited Christian friends to celebrate Korite (Eid al-Fitr), focus on forgiveness and reconciliation, and share a wholesome meal of chicken.A little over two months later during Tabaski (Eid al-Adha), the mutton from sheep slaughtered in commemoration of Abraham’s sacrificing of his son will likewise be distributed to Christian neighbors. (Both feasts follow the lunar calendar and change dates each year.)But for Christians, the sign of interfaith unity is the porridge-like ngalakh.“Senegal is a country of terranga—‘hospitality’—and the sense of sharing is very high,” said Mignane Ndour, vice president of the Assemblies of God churches in Senegal. “Porridge has become our means of strengthening relations between Christians and Muslims.”Sources told CT the holiday treat is highly anticipated.In the local language, ngalakh means “to make porridge,” and the chilled dessert marks the end of Lent. Between 3 and 5 percent of Senegal’s 18 million people are Christians—the majority Catholic—and families gather to prepare the Easter fare on Good Friday.Made from peanut cream and monkey bread (the fruit of the famed baobab tree), these core ngalakh ingredients are soaked in water for over an hour before adding the millet flour necessary to thicken the paste. The dessert is then variously seasoned with nutmeg, orange blossom, pineapple, coconut, or raisins.Tangy and sweet yet savory, the porridge gets its brownish color from the peanut cream.The Christian community in Senegal traces its ...Continue reading...
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Legendary actor Dennis Quaid calls his new gospel album an “autobiographical” record, saying it tells the story of a man searching for purpose until he filled his “God-sized hole” through his Christian faith.
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89-year-old Pat Boone not only has a new album with 25 songs, he has a new faith-centric book, If, that urges readers to consider their eternal destiny.
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An excerpt from The Sacred Chain: How Understanding Evolution Leads to Deeper Faith.I sat by myself at one end of the boardroom, fidgeting with a few notes on the table in front of me. At the other end were about ten older men in suits and ties peering over their tables, arms crossed. It wouldn’t have been difficult for someone just walking in to determine which end of the room held the power.After my brief opening statement, the rest of our time was set aside for “discussion.” The two-hour meeting felt more like an inquisition. The first questioner hardly let the silence settle after I spoke: “Jim, I went to school with your father. We even went on a mission trip to Mexico together. I’ve known you since you were a kid. What happened to you?”I’ve replayed this scene in my head a hundred times, varying what I say in an attempt to get my accusers to stand up, shake my hand, and say, “Oh, now we see. That makes sense. Sorry for the trouble.” But every time it ends the same way: I have to give up my position as a tenured professor of philosophy and leave the college I’ve served for 17 years.My crime? Believing what 99 percent of those who have a PhD in biology or medicine believe: that human beings evolved over time and share common ancestors with every other life form on the planet. But this was a small Christian college, one of the places where evolutionary theory is deemed incompatible with Christian beliefs. And not just incompatible—evolution is considered dangerous. These men believed that hearing anything positive about evolution would make students doubt the Bible. If you can’t believe the creation account in the very first chapter of the Bible, their thinking goes, then why believe any of it?I do not believe ...Continue reading...
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Fractured TrustDr. John GoetschThu, 04/11/2024 - 00:10 Every relationship is formed and perpetuated by an invisible link called trust. That binding link is forged through loving communication, meticulous integrity, and honest transparent motives.Trust is defined as “confidence, faith, belief, sureness, reliance, certitude, and conviction.” By its very nature, trust is generally built over time, yet it can be fractured instantaneously by a single word, action, or attitude. Though it's not impossible to rebuild trust, once it has been fractured, it's like a fractured bone—it doesn't heal immediately, and it has a huge impact on every aspect of one's life.? Our relationship with Jesus Christ is built on this trust factor. Most of us did not get saved the moment we first heard the gospel. It took some time for the Holy Spirit to gently draw us to the honest truths of God's Word as they were preached or shared with us. We listened to others share their testimonies of their confidence in God and eagerness to grow in their relationship with Him. We realized something was missing in our life, but we wanted to be certain that our faith was based on something concrete, real, and trustworthy. We recall the overwhelming assurance we received from God the moment our sins were forgiven and we became a child of God. Our trust then grew as we worshiped Him, obeyed Him, and served? Him.? Satan knows that the only way we can truly please God is with this whole-hearted trust and unwavering faith. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews? 11:6). Because Satan knows this, he is wholly and completely set on fracturing our trust in God. Note that he is not content with a slight stress fracture of your spiritual pinky finger. He has a sledgehammer, and he wields it with every intent to break every bone in your spiritual being. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).How exactly does Satan go about fracturing our trust? Let's go back to the beginning. God provided a beautiful place called the Garden of Eden for the first man and woman to live. After placing them there, He gave them a commandment: “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). This was a simple command, and in it God emphasized the freedom He was giving man: of all these trees “thou mayest freely eat.” God was in no way prohibiting man, but rather protecting him through His guidance and instruction.? When Satan enters the Garden in Genesis chapter 3 his strategy is quickly seen. He begins by planting a doubt in Adam's and Eve's minds about God. “. . . Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?” (Genesis 3:1). He plants the thought in their minds that God is not trustworthy—that He is perhaps withholding something good from them and that He really does not have their best interest in mind. Satan then proceeds to suggest the opposite of God's words: “And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die” (Genesis 3:4). He is slandering the very character of God by challenging His holy integrity and the trustworthiness of His Word. Adam and Eve took the bait, and the entire human race plunged into sin. All because of a fractured trust!Now let's be honest: we are not looking at a myriad of trees in a garden trying to figure out what we can eat and what we cannot. But the subtle strategy of Satan never changes, and we must likewise guard against a fractured trust.? We clearly read in God's Word that God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1), but we entertain thoughts of perhaps other possibilities based on scientific theories.? We read that God made two genders—male and female (Genesis 1:27)—and we look in the mirror and know that we are one or the other yet wonder if perhaps we should choose the opposite.? We read that “marriage is honorable” and sanctioned by God (Hebrews 13:4), but we imagine we might be missing out on something by remaining faithful to our spouse.? We read that God founded, empowers, and protects the local church (Matthew 16:18), but we think we might be happier with less involvement or commitment.? Once we allow ourselves that sliver of doubt, uncertainty, question, fear, suspicion, or distrust—we are in trouble. We then begin to look at everything in God's Word through that lens of uncertainty.? So, what do we do when we have allowed Satan to fracture our trust in God? What do we do when we find ourselves with doubts that are subtly displacing the solid trust we had in? God?The answer is simple: we go back to the truth. We remind ourselves that it is never God who fractures our trust. “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19). Indeed, we serve a God who “cannot lie” (Titus 1:2).? Jesus Himself is the truth: “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Rebuilding trust in God is a matter of turning to Him in faith and getting to know Him as He is. “And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee” (Psalm 9:10).Just as it would be nearly impossible to walk a mile with two broken legs or to carry a heavy object with two broken arms, it is impossible to love God and live wholeheartedly for Him with a fractured trust. But when we turn in trust to God, we are blessed. “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psalm 34:8).? ? Category Christian Living Tags Faith Christian Living
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The American Solidarity Party is a small but growing alternative to the Trump-Biden race.Charlie Richert would really like to stop voting for his dad.But in the last couple presidential election cycles, the 30-year-old attorney in Indianapolis has been unable to square his conscience with picking either the Republican or Democratic party nominee, so he’s resorted to writing in a name.“There’s no way I can escape having my faith inform how I vote,” said Richert, a nondenominational Christian who grew up Republican. “Unfortunately, we’ve been kind of stuck in a doom loop of candidates at the presidential level that I’ve just not felt comfortable voting for.”This year, he’s not drawn to alternatives like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or Cornel West. “Maybe I’ll write in Abe Lincoln this year. Sorry to my dad, but a new name to write in would be fun,” he said.He recalls seeking to convince his classmates in an eighth-grade mock election that they should support Mitt Romney, but his chagrin with the Republican Party’s presidential nominee tracked with the ascension of Donald Trump.In a year when both major party presidential candidates are viewed unfavorably by a quarter of Americans, many find themselves less excited about the two options at the top of the ticket. But, like Richert, that doesn’t mean they’re ready to go for third-party options.The third-party candidates running in 2024 span the ideological spectrum, from independents Kennedy and Princeton University professor Cornel West to Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Then there are the more obscure party or candidate options—the Prohibition Party, Andrew Yang’s Forward Party, Maryland politician Jason Palmer, and that man in Texas who changed his name to “Literally ...Continue reading...
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Ngalakh combines baobab fruit and peanuts to end Easter in West African nation, reciprocated by the sharing of meat breaking Ramadan's fast.Muslims in Senegal love to share meat. Its Christians share porridge.Ending their monthlong Ramadan fast this week, the faithful in the Muslim-majority West African nation invited Christian friends to celebrate Korite (Eid al-Fitr), focus on forgiveness and reconciliation, and serve a wholesome meal of chicken.A little over two months later during Tabaski (Eid al-Adha), the mutton from sheep slaughtered in commemoration of Abraham’s sacrificing of his son will likewise be distributed to Christian neighbors. (Both feasts follow the lunar calendar and change dates each year.)But for Christians, the sign of interfaith unity is the porridge-like ngalakh.“Senegal is a country of terranga—hospitality—and the sense of sharing is very high,” said Mignane Ndour, vice president of the Assemblies of God churches in Senegal. “Porridge has become our means of strengthening relations between Christians and Muslims.”Sources told CT the holiday treat is highly anticipated.In the local language, ngalakh means “to make porridge,” and the chilled dish marks the end of Lent. Between three to five percent of Senegal’s 18 million people are Christians—the majority Catholic—and families gather to prepare the Easter fare on Good Friday.Made from peanut cream and monkey bread (the fruit of the famed baobab tree), these core ngalakh ingredients are soaked in water for over an hour before adding the millet flour necessary to thicken the paste. It is then variously seasoned with nutmeg, orange blossom, pineapple, coconut, or raisins.Tangy and sweet yet savory, its brownish color comes from peanuts.The Christian community in Senegal traces its origin back to the 15th-century arrival ...Continue reading...
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The American Solidarity Party is a small but growing alternative to the Trump-Biden race.Charlie Richert would really like to stop voting for his dad.But in the last couple presidential election cycles, the 30-year-old attorney in Indianapolis has been unable to square his conscience with picking either the Republican or Democratic party nominee, so he’s resorted to writing in a name.“There’s no way I can escape having my faith inform how I vote,” said Richert, a nondenominational Christian who grew up Republican. “Unfortunately, we’ve been kind of stuck in a doom loop of candidates at the presidential level that I’ve just not felt comfortable voting for.”This year, he’s not drawn to alternatives like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. or Cornel West. “Maybe I’ll write in Abe Lincoln this year. Sorry to my dad, but a new name to write in would be fun,” he said.He recalls seeking to convince his classmates in an eighth-grade mock election that they should support Mitt Romney, but his chagrin with the Republican Party’s presidential nominee tracked with the ascension of Donald Trump.In a year when both major party presidential candidates are viewed unfavorably by a quarter of Americans, many find themselves less excited about the two options at the top of the ticket. But, like Richert, that doesn’t mean they’re ready to go for third-party options.The third-party candidates running in 2024 span the ideological spectrum, from independents Kennedy and Princeton University professor Cornel West to Green Party candidate Jill Stein. Then there are the more obscure party or candidate options—the Prohibition Party, Andrew Yang’s Forward Party, Maryland politician Jason Palmer, and that man in Texas who changed his name to “Literally ...Continue reading...
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His Pentecostalism put him at odds with many but the Deliverance Church founder stood firm in his convictions “to bring back the glory of God back to the Church in these last days.”Joe Kayo, known by many as the father of the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement in East Africa, died on November 2, 2023. He was 86.Kayo founded churches in four countries: Deliverance Church Kenya, Deliverance Church Uganda, Juba Pentecostal Church in South Sudan, and Family of God Churches of Zimbabwe. At the time of his death, he was leading the Christian Family Church in Nairobi.Kayo described his ministry as a place “where the power of God is seen working with tangible manifestations, to bring back the glory of God back to the Church in these last days.”Kayo embraced his spiritual calling as African nations were gaining independence from their European colonizers. His vision of creating churches, led and financed by Africans, that contextualized the Christian faith within African culture caught fire throughout East Africa. It also was at odds with many of the churches that traced their roots back to Western missions and with which he tangled frequently over worship styles and the presence of the Holy Spirit.“This is the man God used to break barriers and rocks that stood in front of the charismatic movement and Pentecostalism in East Africa,” said J. B. Masinde, a bishop at a Nairobi congregation Kayo had founded, in 2019. “He paid a price … this man carries scars that some of you will never understand in your life.”The eldest of six children, Joseph Kayo Nyakango was born in Nyamira County, western Kenya on May 5, 1937. When he was 12, his mother died, and he dropped out of school prematurely due to lack of school fees. In despair, Kayo sank into drug abuse and petty crime. Later in life, he would narrate how he attempted to take his own life three times without success.More ...Continue reading...
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Christian writers and artists need communities of like-minded creatives so we can best serve both the church and the world.I can remember the moment small literary magazines entered my life and established a subtle but dominating influence. I was talking with my dad about some classes I was taking at the end of my undergraduate years, and I shared an idea that had recently popped into my head: “I want to start a magazine. I’ll invite some friends who like to write and are into photography to feature their work. I’ll print 10 or 20 copies and see what happens.”Surprised, he pointed at a maroon-covered, finely printed journal lying on his desk, the word Image emblazoned across the top. Below the title, a description: Art. Faith. Mystery. As the dean of students at a Christian liberal arts university, he knew his way around a landscape that I was just beginning to roam.The direction of my life was permanently altered at that moment. I found a world that took seriously the things I loved: faith, books, imagination, the creation of culture, and the development of craft. It lit a fire in my chest.But ten years later, it feels like that world is crumbling—or is at least on quaking ground. In February, Image announced it was shuttering after 35 years of operation for financial reasons—and then, in March, joyfully reversed its announcement after an outpouring of support. Other small magazines and presses haven’t made the same comeback, and Christians in the Visual Arts announced it was disbanding last year.From my vantage, these closures don’t demonstrate a lack of energy, talent, or interest in arts and literature in the church. In some ways, the arts and faith movement—led by writers, painters, poets, and photographers who live by a drumbeat not usually highlighted in Christian community—seems ...Continue reading...
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CT's outgoing Asia editor recalls how God led him to America, toward the Christian faith, onto the internet, and outward to serve the global Chinese church.I was born in southwest China, in the Ganzi (Garzê) Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Sichuan Province. Only a few days after birth, I was sent to Chengdu, the province’s capital city. My sister and I were raised by our grandmother while my parents, both medical doctors, were sent by the Communist Party to the rural Tibetan area many high mountains away from the city, where children could not get a decent education.I knew at a very young age that I had to get outstanding grades to enter college and avoid living in the cold and poor mountainous area. I studied hard and excelled in school.At age 16, I went to Shanghai to study chemistry at Fudan University, one of China’s top schools. This was in the 1980s, after China had opened its door to the world. At this time, Chinese universities were quite liberal and tolerant of free thinking, and Fudan was known as one of the most “Westernized” universities.In college, I began to rebel against indoctrination into official Communist ideology, and I wanted to learn more about Western thought and culture. But my worldview had been influenced by years of atheist education. I thought I did not believe in anything and had no interest in any religion.After graduation, I went back to Chengdu and started to work in a research institute as a polymer scientist. After work, I played a lot of mahjong with gambling late at night, but I was unhappy in my heart. After the crackdown on the student movement in Tiananmen Square in 1989, I was heartbroken and lost. (I witnessed similar forms of violent suppression on the streets of Chengdu.) I sank into deep darkness and hopelessness. I could not find an answer to my heart’s questions, and life became meaningless and ...Continue reading...
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CT's outgoing Asia editor recalls how God led him to America, toward the Christian faith, onto the internet, and outward to serve the global Chinese church.
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Rihanna is causing significant outrage among Catholics after she posed for a photoshoot that mocked the Catholic faith. The photos […]
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Today's category: Church SignsChurch Signs 1? ? ? ? ? ? 1) Free Trip to heaven. Details Inside!? ? ? ? ? ? 2) Try our Sundays. They are better than Baskin-Robbins.? ? ? ? ? ? 3) Searching for a new look? Have your faith lifted here!? ? ? ? ? ? 4) An ad for a Church has a picture of two hands holding stone tablets on which the Ten Commandments are inscribed and a headline that reads, "For fast, fast, fast relief, take two tablets.? ? ? ? ? ? 5) When the restaurant next to the Church put out a big sign that said, "Open Sundays," the church reciprocated with its own message: "We are open on Sundays, too."? ? ? ? ? ? 6) Have trouble sleeping? We have sermons -- come hear one!? ? ? ? ? ? 7) Come in and pray today. Beat the Christmas rush!? ? ? ? ? ? 8) Sign broken. Message inside this Sunday.? ? ? ? ? ? 9) Come work for the Lord. The work is hard, the hours are long and the pay is low. But the retirement benefits are out of this world.? ? ? ? ? ? 10) If you're headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns.View hundreds more jokes online.Email this joke to a friend
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? Temple Baptist Church - 4-7-2024Hebrews 13:1? Introduction:? A.? Chapter 13 is the “capstone” of the Book of Hebrews.? ? 1.? As all Hebrew Christian Epistles, the Book of Hebrews is a transitional book.? ? 2.? By interpretation, the Book of Hebrews is written to the Jewish believer.? ? 1 Peter 1:1? Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,? 3.? By application, the Book of Hebrews is written to every believer.? B.? It helped the Jewish believers transition:? 1.? From the Old Covenant to the New Covenant? 2.? From Law to Grace? 3.? From Mount Saini to Mount Zion? 4.? From “DO” to “Done”? 5.? From Atonement to Propitiation? 6.? From the Temple to the Local Church? 7.? From the Levitical Priesthood to the Individual Priesthood of the Believer? 8.? From the Mediation of Moses to the Mediation of Christ? 9.? From Individualism to Corporatism.? ? 10.? From Abraham's Bosom to Heaven? C.? Chapter 13 is all about the unity and innerworkings of the local church and the individual responsibilities within the body to each other, to the pastor, and to the church.? ? Paul begins this chapter with the “tie that binds our hearts in Christian love.”? The spiritual “glue” that holds together the individual pieces, believers, into a single piece, the local church.? Hebrews 13:1? Let brotherly love continue.? (Let or let not!? Let means to allow something to take place that would not naturally occur.)? 1.? In order to continue in love, you must start in love.? ? 1 John 4:7-8? Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.? (8)? He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.? 1 John 5:1? Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.? a.? So many profession believers have no real desire to be close to those who possess salvation.? You can tell by their desire to assemble or lack thereof.? You can tell by their distancing or closeness.? b.? They come to church because they feel that they must to be right with God but have no love for the church nor its people.? c.? “Have you started right?” is a question that needs to be answered as eternity hinges on it.? D. Temple Baptist Church cannot have unity, nor can it survive without Christian love permeating its pews.? The Bible says so much about this love that must continue so, let's let God define brotherly love for us.? John 13:34-35? A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.? (35)? By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.? John 15:17? These things I command you, that ye love one another.? Acts 2:1? And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.? Acts 2:46-47? And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,? (47)? Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.? Acts 4:32? And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.? Romans 12:9-10? Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.? (10)? Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;? Galatians 5:13? For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.? 1 Thessalonians 4:9? But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.? 2 Thessalonians 1:3? We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;? 1 Peter 1:22? Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:? 1 Peter 3:8-9? Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:? (9)? Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.? 1 Peter 4:8? And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.? 2 Peter 1:5-8? And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;? (6)? And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;? (7)? And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.? (8)? For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.? 1 John 2:7-10? Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning.? (8)? Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.? (9)? He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.? (10)? He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.? E.? Brotherly love is also found in the word? charity.? ? 1 John 4:7-8, 12? ? (3)? Beloved, let us love one another:? (1)? for love is of God; and (8)? He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love ... ? (12)? No man hath seen God at any time.? (2)? ? If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.? 1.? Brotherly love issues from God –? “for love is of God”? 2.? Brotherly love is instilled in the believer by God –? “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.”? 3.? Brotherly love must be maintained by the believer –? “Beloved, let us love one another:”? F.? Brotherly love must be a universal love, a consistent love, an overlooking love, an equal love of the brethren.? ? 1.? Brotherly love has nothing to do with social status.? 2.? Brotherly love has nothing to do with financial clout.? 3.? Brotherly love has nothing to do with ethnicity.? 4.? Brotherly love has nothing to do with gender.? 5.? Brotherly love has nothing to do with faithfulness.? 6.? Brotherly love is uniform from the pulpit to the pew.? From the pew to the pulpit.? From the back pew to the front pew.? ? G.? 1 Corinthians gives a Biblical definition of Charity or Brotherly Love.? I will not take the time to do a verse by verse exposition of chapter 13 but will give you the gist of it.? Brotherly love is the binding love of the brethren.? It is what holds the local church together.? ? 1.? Charity is longsuffering.? 2.? Charity is kind.? 3.? Charity is unselfish.? 4.? Charity behaves itself.? 5.? Charity is overlooking.? 6.? Charity hates evil but not the sinner.? 7.? Charity loves in truth.? H.? ? Brotherly love? is an unfailing love.? Times change but biblical charity endures.? 1.? In 1 Corinthians, chapter 13, Paul names three remaining gifts: faith, hope and charity.? 1 Corinthians 13:13? And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.? 2.? The greatest of the three remaining gifts is charity: brotherly love.? Our faith and our hope are anchored in the greatest of the three, Charity.? 3.? Over these past 37 years, we have had a multitude of people come THROUGH our church.? We were not what they were looking for!? Our church has endured a lot of things: trials, division, etc.? ? BUT? our church has endured because of its love for Christ and love for one another!? 4.? ? “LET BROTHERLY LOVE CONTINUE!”? ? I do not know what the future holds for Temple Baptist Church, but I do know that our love for Christ and each other will carry us through whatever comes our way.? a)? Let means that brotherly love may or may not continue.? Think about it.? b)? Let means that we, each one of us, has control of brotherly love's continuance.
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The oldest man in the world, who died this week in Venezuela, attributed his longevity in part to his strong Catholic faith and love for God.
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