WATCH THIS BEFORE YOU VOTE TOMORROW!!!!!!!
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Monday, November 5, 2012
The key word is Boldness when we Witness
Contrary to popular opinion, God has done more than give us good news He wants to get out. He has given us a manner that must accompany every method and a rationale for that manner.
The single term that best describes the way God wants his gospel given is boldness. And because it’s translated various ways, even faithful students of Scripture might overlook its frequency. Boldness (parrhesia) is used forty-two times in the New Testament. It is translated “openly,” “freely,” “plainly,” “with confidence” but most commonly some form of the word “bold.” A bold witness is not a pushy witness. A bold witness is not a loud witness, unless it needs to be. Boldness is not obnoxiousness. It’s not rude or demanding. Boldness is the furthest thing from some wild-eyed preacher screeching in the streets, “You’re going to hell!” Boldness is clear, direct communication in the face of potential opposition, nothing more or less. According to Proverbs 28:1, it is a characteristic of the God’s children: “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” Are you bold for Christ?
Objections to Boldness
Some suggest that boldness is a matter of personality or preference, not binding on all Christians for all time. Paul, however, clarified that boldness isn’t just a good way; it’s the right way, the God way, the biblical method for talking to people about Jesus. To the Ephesians, Paul disclosed his fear that he would fail in what God required, saying, “[Pray] for me … that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:18-20). Others will say that they prefer the method of Christ Himself whose distinguishing characteristic was … say, gentleness or probing questions. In reality, the disciples learned their boldness from watching Jesus’s boldness.
Jesus taught that boldness means speaking plainly: “And [Jesus] began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly” (Mark 8:31-32). That word plainly is the same one translated in other places as boldness. Boldness is simply speaking the Gospel plainly. How many Christians fear to speak for Jesus because they think they need eloquence when plainness of speech is all God needs: “God loves you. Jesus Christ died for you. He can change your life. He did it for me. He will do it for you.” That’s the garden-variety, plain-old, blue-jean boldness God blesses.
Jesus taught that boldness means speaking openly: “Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, ‘Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly?” (John 7:25-26) Hide it under a bushel? No! Again the word boldness, but here it’s the idea of freely expressing truth as you see it. It’s not preachy, arrogant, or force-feeding anything. Boldness is the way you would talk to someone with an urgent message. If you were vacating a building because there was a fire on your floor and you met some people in the lobby from your office walking toward the elevator, you wouldn’t hesitate for a second to freely express the danger of going in the wrong direction. You would know they were unaware and would never consider withholding something so obviously needed and unknown to them.
Jesus also taught that boldness means speaking clearly: “The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly” (John 16:25). Again it’s the same word, boldness; Jesus was declaring a time when figures of speech would be set aside in favor of plain, open, clear communication. That time is now!
The single term that best describes the way God wants his gospel given is boldness. And because it’s translated various ways, even faithful students of Scripture might overlook its frequency. Boldness (parrhesia) is used forty-two times in the New Testament. It is translated “openly,” “freely,” “plainly,” “with confidence” but most commonly some form of the word “bold.” A bold witness is not a pushy witness. A bold witness is not a loud witness, unless it needs to be. Boldness is not obnoxiousness. It’s not rude or demanding. Boldness is the furthest thing from some wild-eyed preacher screeching in the streets, “You’re going to hell!” Boldness is clear, direct communication in the face of potential opposition, nothing more or less. According to Proverbs 28:1, it is a characteristic of the God’s children: “The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion.” Are you bold for Christ?
Objections to Boldness
Some suggest that boldness is a matter of personality or preference, not binding on all Christians for all time. Paul, however, clarified that boldness isn’t just a good way; it’s the right way, the God way, the biblical method for talking to people about Jesus. To the Ephesians, Paul disclosed his fear that he would fail in what God required, saying, “[Pray] for me … that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:18-20). Others will say that they prefer the method of Christ Himself whose distinguishing characteristic was … say, gentleness or probing questions. In reality, the disciples learned their boldness from watching Jesus’s boldness.
Jesus taught that boldness means speaking plainly: “And [Jesus] began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly” (Mark 8:31-32). That word plainly is the same one translated in other places as boldness. Boldness is simply speaking the Gospel plainly. How many Christians fear to speak for Jesus because they think they need eloquence when plainness of speech is all God needs: “God loves you. Jesus Christ died for you. He can change your life. He did it for me. He will do it for you.” That’s the garden-variety, plain-old, blue-jean boldness God blesses.
Jesus taught that boldness means speaking openly: “Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, ‘Is not this the man whom they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly?” (John 7:25-26) Hide it under a bushel? No! Again the word boldness, but here it’s the idea of freely expressing truth as you see it. It’s not preachy, arrogant, or force-feeding anything. Boldness is the way you would talk to someone with an urgent message. If you were vacating a building because there was a fire on your floor and you met some people in the lobby from your office walking toward the elevator, you wouldn’t hesitate for a second to freely express the danger of going in the wrong direction. You would know they were unaware and would never consider withholding something so obviously needed and unknown to them.
Jesus also taught that boldness means speaking clearly: “The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly” (John 16:25). Again it’s the same word, boldness; Jesus was declaring a time when figures of speech would be set aside in favor of plain, open, clear communication. That time is now!
Q and A
Q: Since individuals in the body of Christ have different functions, must all of us witness?
A: The main passage likening the Church to the human body is 1 Cor. 12:14–31, describing how each part fulfills its own function in a healthy body. But notice in v. 28 that this passage pertains to in-reach (within the local church), not outreach (evangelism). There is no mention of evangelists here because it is in the context of the Church coming together; when all those functions are working well, we have a healthy Church. Then, when the Church is healthy, it will (as one body) do what it has been commanded to do by the Head: to reach out to the lost.
We are like survivors in a lifeboat of the Titanic. All around us are drowning people. We need every hand onboard to help reach those who are dying and pull them into the boat. We think and move as one mind and one body. Nothing else matters. Love is our motivation. Every hand is needed—because there is a terrible lack of rescuers. Why? Because some think their role is to sit in the lifeboat, and, knowing that people are perishing, busy themselves polishing the brass.
If that’s the case, one has to question if they are really part of the body, because the Head has commanded us to reach out to those who are perishing (see Mark 16:15). A hand that doesn’t do what the Head commands it to isn’t healthy.
As we reach out to people, we must also be sure to do it the way the Bible instructs us to. Otherwise, we are just pulling corpses into the boat—and we see the fruit of this within the contemporary Church.
1 Corinthians 12:14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
A: The main passage likening the Church to the human body is 1 Cor. 12:14–31, describing how each part fulfills its own function in a healthy body. But notice in v. 28 that this passage pertains to in-reach (within the local church), not outreach (evangelism). There is no mention of evangelists here because it is in the context of the Church coming together; when all those functions are working well, we have a healthy Church. Then, when the Church is healthy, it will (as one body) do what it has been commanded to do by the Head: to reach out to the lost.
We are like survivors in a lifeboat of the Titanic. All around us are drowning people. We need every hand onboard to help reach those who are dying and pull them into the boat. We think and move as one mind and one body. Nothing else matters. Love is our motivation. Every hand is needed—because there is a terrible lack of rescuers. Why? Because some think their role is to sit in the lifeboat, and, knowing that people are perishing, busy themselves polishing the brass.
If that’s the case, one has to question if they are really part of the body, because the Head has commanded us to reach out to those who are perishing (see Mark 16:15). A hand that doesn’t do what the Head commands it to isn’t healthy.
As we reach out to people, we must also be sure to do it the way the Bible instructs us to. Otherwise, we are just pulling corpses into the boat—and we see the fruit of this within the contemporary Church.
1 Corinthians 12:14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
Worn Out by Worry
by John MacArthur
Worry is a common temptation for all of us. The source of the anxiety might vary from person to person, but no one is completely immune. For some, it’s even a favorite pastime, occupying large portions of their days by troubling over their doubts and fears about the future.
Obsessing over those doubts and fears shows blatant distrust for God’s power and His love. It essentially says, “God, I know You mean well by what You say, but I’m not sure You can pull it off.” It’s one thing to doubt a future decision or outcome—it’s another thing entirely to doubt the Lord. But in spite of its lack of subtlety, worry is a sin we fall into easily and often.
What’s more, it’s a sin that cruelly inflicts a severe toll on the sinner. The word worry comes from the Old English term wyrgan, which means “to choke” or “strangle.” Anyone who has dealt with serious anxiety knows that’s the exact impact it has in your life. It strangles your mind.
There are also physical repercussions. We’ve already talked about panic attacks, but even less-severe anxiety can have a negative impact on your health. Excessive worry causes some people to eat too much—others don’t eat well or enough when they’re locked in the grip of anxiety. In general, worry tends to interrupt most healthy patterns. Worriers get less exercise, less sunlight, and less interaction with other people as they withdraw into cocoons of anxiety.
Worst of all, worry does significant damage to your spiritual usefulness. As you read through the Scriptures, you see over and over that God wants His children preoccupied with Him, not with the mundane, passing things of this world. His command is clear: “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2).
That includes even basic necessities. In our society, most people don’t need to worry about their ability to find water or food on a daily basis. But those were present realities and concerns in the world of the New Testament, and Jesus’ teaching was clear that even those essential needs were not an excuse for anxiety (Matthew 6:25).
Today, people’s concerns and fears regarding those basic necessities are manifest in different ways—mostly in stockpiling. Some people stockpile food and water; others, money. But regardless of the object, the act of stockpiling is basically an attempt to determine one’s own destiny apart from faith and trust in God.
Even Christians can make that mistake. It wasn’t much more than a decade ago that many believers and even entire congregations were selling off their property and possessions and moving to bunkers in rural parts of the country in preparation for the impending Y2K disaster. That kind of myopic, obsessive anxiety about the future cripples your spiritual growth and stifles your usefulness to the Lord.
That’s not to say we shouldn’t make any preparation for the future. Believers are commanded to be financially responsible and care for their families (1 Timothy 5:8). Scripture does not imply that having a savings account, investing extra money, or owning insurance shows a lack of trust in God. Such provisions from the Lord are reasonable safeguards for the average person in any complex, modern society.
However, preparing for the future ought to be balanced with Jesus’ command to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) and to “lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven” (v. 20). We are not to lavish on ourselves what God has given us for the accomplishment of His holy purposes.
I believe in wise planning, but if after doing all you are able to, you still are fearful of the future, the Lord says, “Don’t worry.” He promised to provide all your needs, and He will: “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). That is His concern, not yours.
Worry is a common temptation for all of us. The source of the anxiety might vary from person to person, but no one is completely immune. For some, it’s even a favorite pastime, occupying large portions of their days by troubling over their doubts and fears about the future.
Obsessing over those doubts and fears shows blatant distrust for God’s power and His love. It essentially says, “God, I know You mean well by what You say, but I’m not sure You can pull it off.” It’s one thing to doubt a future decision or outcome—it’s another thing entirely to doubt the Lord. But in spite of its lack of subtlety, worry is a sin we fall into easily and often.
What’s more, it’s a sin that cruelly inflicts a severe toll on the sinner. The word worry comes from the Old English term wyrgan, which means “to choke” or “strangle.” Anyone who has dealt with serious anxiety knows that’s the exact impact it has in your life. It strangles your mind.
There are also physical repercussions. We’ve already talked about panic attacks, but even less-severe anxiety can have a negative impact on your health. Excessive worry causes some people to eat too much—others don’t eat well or enough when they’re locked in the grip of anxiety. In general, worry tends to interrupt most healthy patterns. Worriers get less exercise, less sunlight, and less interaction with other people as they withdraw into cocoons of anxiety.
Worst of all, worry does significant damage to your spiritual usefulness. As you read through the Scriptures, you see over and over that God wants His children preoccupied with Him, not with the mundane, passing things of this world. His command is clear: “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2).
That includes even basic necessities. In our society, most people don’t need to worry about their ability to find water or food on a daily basis. But those were present realities and concerns in the world of the New Testament, and Jesus’ teaching was clear that even those essential needs were not an excuse for anxiety (Matthew 6:25).
Today, people’s concerns and fears regarding those basic necessities are manifest in different ways—mostly in stockpiling. Some people stockpile food and water; others, money. But regardless of the object, the act of stockpiling is basically an attempt to determine one’s own destiny apart from faith and trust in God.
Even Christians can make that mistake. It wasn’t much more than a decade ago that many believers and even entire congregations were selling off their property and possessions and moving to bunkers in rural parts of the country in preparation for the impending Y2K disaster. That kind of myopic, obsessive anxiety about the future cripples your spiritual growth and stifles your usefulness to the Lord.
That’s not to say we shouldn’t make any preparation for the future. Believers are commanded to be financially responsible and care for their families (1 Timothy 5:8). Scripture does not imply that having a savings account, investing extra money, or owning insurance shows a lack of trust in God. Such provisions from the Lord are reasonable safeguards for the average person in any complex, modern society.
However, preparing for the future ought to be balanced with Jesus’ command to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33) and to “lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven” (v. 20). We are not to lavish on ourselves what God has given us for the accomplishment of His holy purposes.
I believe in wise planning, but if after doing all you are able to, you still are fearful of the future, the Lord says, “Don’t worry.” He promised to provide all your needs, and He will: “My God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). That is His concern, not yours.
Let God Handle it
Cease striving and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10
Sit down. Thatʼs right, my friend, sit down!
You have run far enough. You have stood long enough. You have fought, pushed, and manipulated your way for too many years. God has finally grabbed your attention. He is saying, "Quit! Stop! Let Me handle it! Sit there on the hot sands of the desert where you have brought yourself. Look at what lies next to you. It is a well, full of fresh water.ˮ
Soon it will be Godʼs delight to bring that bucket up and refresh your soul. Sit still. Stay there. Be quiet.
Cease all the striving. Relax. Be contented by that well, and drink deeply.
You are thirstier than you realize.
Psalm 46:10
Sit down. Thatʼs right, my friend, sit down!
You have run far enough. You have stood long enough. You have fought, pushed, and manipulated your way for too many years. God has finally grabbed your attention. He is saying, "Quit! Stop! Let Me handle it! Sit there on the hot sands of the desert where you have brought yourself. Look at what lies next to you. It is a well, full of fresh water.ˮ
Soon it will be Godʼs delight to bring that bucket up and refresh your soul. Sit still. Stay there. Be quiet.
Cease all the striving. Relax. Be contented by that well, and drink deeply.
You are thirstier than you realize.
Assurance in Trials
Read | Romans 8:32-39
We all experience hardship, and trials can shake us unless we cling to truth. Let me share three assurances to remember when troublesome circumstances arise.
First, God will always meet our needs. This doesn't mean He provides everything we want. Instead, the Lord will bless us with all that is necessary to fulfill His purpose for our lives. His goal is to sanctify us, not simply to satisfy each immediate desire.
Second, we're never alone. God promised to be with us always (Heb. 13:5). Loneliness often accompanies hardship, so we may feel deserted or opposed by family and friends. But our Father has sent His Spirit to be with us and in us, until the day He brings us to heaven (John 14:16-17). He is all we need--our advocate, guide, helper, and comforter. Recognizing His intimate presence gives us confidence in the midst of trials.
Third, God's love is eternal. Regardless of our circumstances or poor decisions, His care is unconditional--even when He reprimands us. Loving parents allow disobedient children to experience the consequences of wrong choices; they recognize the benefit of learning from mistakes. Of course, there are also times when we are negatively affected by others' wrong actions. Even then, God is sovereign and allows only what will bring good in His followers' lives.
In difficult times, we can remember that God will meet all of our needs, is always with us, and loves us forever. Though Jesus said we would face troubles in this life, He offered encouragement: The ultimate victory is His. So keep in mind that trials are fleeting, whereas our Father's love is forever.
We all experience hardship, and trials can shake us unless we cling to truth. Let me share three assurances to remember when troublesome circumstances arise.
First, God will always meet our needs. This doesn't mean He provides everything we want. Instead, the Lord will bless us with all that is necessary to fulfill His purpose for our lives. His goal is to sanctify us, not simply to satisfy each immediate desire.
Second, we're never alone. God promised to be with us always (Heb. 13:5). Loneliness often accompanies hardship, so we may feel deserted or opposed by family and friends. But our Father has sent His Spirit to be with us and in us, until the day He brings us to heaven (John 14:16-17). He is all we need--our advocate, guide, helper, and comforter. Recognizing His intimate presence gives us confidence in the midst of trials.
Third, God's love is eternal. Regardless of our circumstances or poor decisions, His care is unconditional--even when He reprimands us. Loving parents allow disobedient children to experience the consequences of wrong choices; they recognize the benefit of learning from mistakes. Of course, there are also times when we are negatively affected by others' wrong actions. Even then, God is sovereign and allows only what will bring good in His followers' lives.
In difficult times, we can remember that God will meet all of our needs, is always with us, and loves us forever. Though Jesus said we would face troubles in this life, He offered encouragement: The ultimate victory is His. So keep in mind that trials are fleeting, whereas our Father's love is forever.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
The Gospel (Paul Washer)
Make sure to 'like' us on Facebook, and become a 'Follower' here, or sign up for email notifications on the bottom right of this page. As always, thanks for stopping by, and may God bless you!-Walking In The Way
Saturday, November 3, 2012
The Problem with Unanswered Prayers
Many think God doesn’t exist because their prayers weren’t answered. Yet, we are warned in Scripture that if we have sin in our hearts, God will not hear our prayers (see Psa. 66:18; John 9:31; see also Prov. 28:9; Isa. 1:15). So rather than being disillusioned and thinking that God didn’t exist, they should have repented and trusted the Savior, and their prayers would have then been answered.
My prayers are always answered. Sometimes I know that God has said “Yes,” because He grants me my request. Sometimes I know that He has said “No” because He doesn’t grant them. However, when I don’t get an immediate response, I console myself with the thought that He may be saying, “Wait a moment.” The Bible tells us that we inherit the promises of God through faith and patience. That doesn’t come easy to the “give it to me now” generation that we have become. So “Yes,” “No,” and “Wait a minute” are all answers to prayer. They just may not be the answers we wanted.
But actually, the atheist has a problem with both unanswered and answered prayer. Here’s a scenario that no doubt happens daily somewhere in the world. A young boy becomes deathly ill. The entire family gathers for prayer. However, despite earnest and sincere prayer, the child tragically dies. Their explanation for the death is that God took him to Heaven because He wanted the child there. That’s seen by the atheist as “unanswered prayer.” Or the child miraculously makes a recovery, which the family hails as an evident miracle. God obviously answered the family’s prayers by saving the child from death. The atheist maintains that it wasn’t answered prayer but that the child recovered because his body healed itself.
Was the recovery a miracle? Perhaps. Then again, perhaps it wasn’t. Only God knows. The fact is that we have no idea what happened. However, one thing we do know is that answered or unanswered prayer has nothing to do with God’s existence. Let me explain. My wife has a Dodge Caravan. Let’s say it has a problem. What would be my intellectual capacity if I concluded that it had no manufacturer simply because I couldn’t contact them about the dilemma? The fact of their existence has nothing to do with whether or not they return my calls.
Neither does God’s existence have anything to do with the fact that there are those who have experienced miracles, seen visions, or supposedly heard His voice. The sun doesn’t exist because we see its light, or because we feel its warmth. Its existence has nothing to do with any human testimony. Nor does it cease to exist because a blind man is not aware of its reality, or because it becomes cloudy, or the night falls. The sun exists, period.
God’s existence isn’t dependent on the Bible or its authenticity, the existence of the Church, the prophets, or even creation. God existed before the Scriptures were penned, before creation came into being. Even if the Bible was proved to be fraudulent, God would still exist.
Adamant atheist April Pedersen writes, “The human trait of seeking comfort through prayer is a strong one.” This is true. However, April fails to see that human nature itself is very predictable. If men will not embrace the biblical revelation of God, their nature is to delve into idolatry. “Idolatry” is the act of creating a god in our image, whether it is shaped with the human hands (a physical “idol”), or shaped in the human mind through the imagination. Those who create their own god then use it as a “good-luck charm” to do their bidding. The idolater uses his god for his own ends. He calls on his god to win a football game, a boxing match, the lottery, or a war. Idolatry is as predictable as it is illogical.
Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.
My prayers are always answered. Sometimes I know that God has said “Yes,” because He grants me my request. Sometimes I know that He has said “No” because He doesn’t grant them. However, when I don’t get an immediate response, I console myself with the thought that He may be saying, “Wait a moment.” The Bible tells us that we inherit the promises of God through faith and patience. That doesn’t come easy to the “give it to me now” generation that we have become. So “Yes,” “No,” and “Wait a minute” are all answers to prayer. They just may not be the answers we wanted.
But actually, the atheist has a problem with both unanswered and answered prayer. Here’s a scenario that no doubt happens daily somewhere in the world. A young boy becomes deathly ill. The entire family gathers for prayer. However, despite earnest and sincere prayer, the child tragically dies. Their explanation for the death is that God took him to Heaven because He wanted the child there. That’s seen by the atheist as “unanswered prayer.” Or the child miraculously makes a recovery, which the family hails as an evident miracle. God obviously answered the family’s prayers by saving the child from death. The atheist maintains that it wasn’t answered prayer but that the child recovered because his body healed itself.
Was the recovery a miracle? Perhaps. Then again, perhaps it wasn’t. Only God knows. The fact is that we have no idea what happened. However, one thing we do know is that answered or unanswered prayer has nothing to do with God’s existence. Let me explain. My wife has a Dodge Caravan. Let’s say it has a problem. What would be my intellectual capacity if I concluded that it had no manufacturer simply because I couldn’t contact them about the dilemma? The fact of their existence has nothing to do with whether or not they return my calls.
Neither does God’s existence have anything to do with the fact that there are those who have experienced miracles, seen visions, or supposedly heard His voice. The sun doesn’t exist because we see its light, or because we feel its warmth. Its existence has nothing to do with any human testimony. Nor does it cease to exist because a blind man is not aware of its reality, or because it becomes cloudy, or the night falls. The sun exists, period.
God’s existence isn’t dependent on the Bible or its authenticity, the existence of the Church, the prophets, or even creation. God existed before the Scriptures were penned, before creation came into being. Even if the Bible was proved to be fraudulent, God would still exist.
Adamant atheist April Pedersen writes, “The human trait of seeking comfort through prayer is a strong one.” This is true. However, April fails to see that human nature itself is very predictable. If men will not embrace the biblical revelation of God, their nature is to delve into idolatry. “Idolatry” is the act of creating a god in our image, whether it is shaped with the human hands (a physical “idol”), or shaped in the human mind through the imagination. Those who create their own god then use it as a “good-luck charm” to do their bidding. The idolater uses his god for his own ends. He calls on his god to win a football game, a boxing match, the lottery, or a war. Idolatry is as predictable as it is illogical.
Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Halloween
The celebration can be traced back to the Druid festival of the dead. The Roman Pantheon, built by Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 100 as a temple to the goddess Cybele and other Roman gods, became the principle place of worship. In 609, Emperor Phocas seized Rome and gave the Pantheon to Pope Boniface IV. Boniface consecrated it to the Virgin Mary and kept using the temple to pray for the dead, only now it was “Christianized,” as men added the unscriptural teaching of purgatory. In 834, Gregory IV extended the feast for all the church and it became known as All Saint’s Day, still remembering the dead.
Samhain, a Druid god of the dead, was honored at Hallowe’en (“All Hallows Eve”) in Britain, Germany, France, and the Celtic countries. Samhain called together all wicked souls who died within the past year and who were destined to inhabit animals. The Druids believed that souls of the dead came back to their homes to be entertained by those still living. Suitable food and shelter were provided for these spirits or else they would cast spells, steal infants, destroy crops, kill farm animals, and create terror as they haunted the living. This is the action that “Trick-or-Treat” copies today. The Samhain celebration used nuts, apples, skeletons, witches, and black cats. Divination and auguries were practiced as well as magic to seek answers for the future. Even today witchcraft practitioners declare October 31 as the most favorable time to practice their arts.
Many Christians use Halloween as an opportunity to reach the lost by giving candy and gospel tracts to trick-or-treaters. What other day do scores of people come to your door for gospel tracts?
Samhain, a Druid god of the dead, was honored at Hallowe’en (“All Hallows Eve”) in Britain, Germany, France, and the Celtic countries. Samhain called together all wicked souls who died within the past year and who were destined to inhabit animals. The Druids believed that souls of the dead came back to their homes to be entertained by those still living. Suitable food and shelter were provided for these spirits or else they would cast spells, steal infants, destroy crops, kill farm animals, and create terror as they haunted the living. This is the action that “Trick-or-Treat” copies today. The Samhain celebration used nuts, apples, skeletons, witches, and black cats. Divination and auguries were practiced as well as magic to seek answers for the future. Even today witchcraft practitioners declare October 31 as the most favorable time to practice their arts.
Many Christians use Halloween as an opportunity to reach the lost by giving candy and gospel tracts to trick-or-treaters. What other day do scores of people come to your door for gospel tracts?
The Promises of God
Read | 2 Corinthians 1:18-22
The Christian life rests on a foundation of God's promises for today and for the future. We can trust everything that our heavenly Father has said because His Word shows Him to be...
Truthful. The Lord knows what is true and speaks honestly in all matters. We can be assured of this because He is holy; there is no sin in Him. He is also omniscient and understands everything (Heb. 4:12-13). His promises are based on His infinite knowledge and truthfulness.
Faithful. Scripture compares the Lord to a shepherd who "gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart" (Isa. 40:11 niv). What He has planned for us, He will bring to fruition (Rom. 8:28). Our heavenly Father does not waver in His intentions or will.
Loving. God's love for us was demonstrated at the cross. He sent His Son Jesus to die by crucifixion and thereby take the punishment for our sins. The Savior experienced God's wrath against iniquity so we might know only His love. This is the ultimate proof of His devotion to us.
All-powerful. Divine power created the world and raised the Savior back to life, so we know God has the ability to carry out all His plans. Our omnipotent Father can keep every one of His promises.
A promise is valuable only if the one making it has trustworthy character and the ability to carry through. Our heavenly Father is truthful, faithful, loving, and all-powerful. We can base our entire life on His promises, secure in the knowledge that He will do just as He has said.
The Christian life rests on a foundation of God's promises for today and for the future. We can trust everything that our heavenly Father has said because His Word shows Him to be...
Truthful. The Lord knows what is true and speaks honestly in all matters. We can be assured of this because He is holy; there is no sin in Him. He is also omniscient and understands everything (Heb. 4:12-13). His promises are based on His infinite knowledge and truthfulness.
Faithful. Scripture compares the Lord to a shepherd who "gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart" (Isa. 40:11 niv). What He has planned for us, He will bring to fruition (Rom. 8:28). Our heavenly Father does not waver in His intentions or will.
Loving. God's love for us was demonstrated at the cross. He sent His Son Jesus to die by crucifixion and thereby take the punishment for our sins. The Savior experienced God's wrath against iniquity so we might know only His love. This is the ultimate proof of His devotion to us.
All-powerful. Divine power created the world and raised the Savior back to life, so we know God has the ability to carry out all His plans. Our omnipotent Father can keep every one of His promises.
A promise is valuable only if the one making it has trustworthy character and the ability to carry through. Our heavenly Father is truthful, faithful, loving, and all-powerful. We can base our entire life on His promises, secure in the knowledge that He will do just as He has said.
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