Jun
27
Religion in Spain
Filed Under News And Society | Leave a Comment
Kevin McNally
Religious beliefs in Spain are changing.
Although still about 90% of Spaniards are still Roman Catholics religion in Spain has begun to accept other religions in to their culture. In fact in Spain today you will find that there are about 300,000 Muslims living in the country along with about 250,000 protestants (Evengelists, Mormons, Lutherans, Baptists etc) as well as about 15,000 Jews who are most Sephardic. These particular Jews came from the countries of North Africa and have now settled in the large urban areas such as Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla and Cordoba.
One great big change that has occurred in the last few years is that many Catholics living in Spain no longer attend weekly services at their local change in fact only about 75% of the Catholics that live in Spain will attend church on a regular weekly basis.
However what you will find with Spanish Roman Catholics is that they are religious in a uniquely Spanish way and this religion continues to play a major role in the life of this country. Certainly the religion that you find in Spain today has been shaped by Roman control and only really begun to be established during the 2nd Century. Certainly for many centuries Spain is a nation born out of religious struggles between the Catholics, Islamists, Judaists and Protestants. It was during the Spanish Inquisition that Catholicism really took a hold as the Christian Spaniards fought hard to drive the Moors from the country. However the inquisition was finally got rid of in the 1830′s. However even after this religious freedom was often denied. Then in 1851 Catholicism became the states religion and a pact was signed by the Spanish Government (Concordat) which meant that Madrid had to pay the salaries of the clergy and to subsidize any other expenses that the Roman Catholic Church may incur in order to compensate them for the seizure of monachal property. However this pact was then renounced in 1931 and which threatened the very existence of the Church in Spain. Because of this the church provided support to General Franco during the uprising that occurred in 1936.
However both religious beliefs and religion in Spain is much more diverse and certainly things are slowly changing and there could be an even greater number of people who will be included into the Spanish culture who practice different religions in the future.
Religious beliefs in Spain are changing.
Although still about 90% of Spaniards are still Roman Catholics religion in Spain has begun to accept other religions in to their culture. In fact in Spain today you will find that there are about 300,000 Muslims living in the country along with about 250,000 protestants (Evengelists, Mormons, Lutherans, Baptists etc) as well as about 15,000 Jews who are most Sephardic. These particular Jews came from the countries of North Africa and have now settled in the large urban areas such as Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla and Cordoba.
One great big change that has occurred in the last few years is that many Catholics living in Spain no longer attend weekly services at their local change in fact only about 75% of the Catholics that live in Spain will attend church on a regular weekly basis.
However what you will find with Spanish Roman Catholics is that they are religious in a uniquely Spanish way and this religion continues to play a major role in the life of this country. Certainly the religion that you find in Spain today has been shaped by Roman control and only really begun to be established during the 2nd Century. Certainly for many centuries Spain is a nation born out of religious struggles between the Catholics, Islamists, Judaists and Protestants. It was during the Spanish Inquisition that Catholicism really took a hold as the Christian Spaniards fought hard to drive the Moors from the country. However the inquisition was finally got rid of in the 1830′s. However even after this religious freedom was often denied. Then in 1851 Catholicism became the states religion and a pact was signed by the Spanish Government (Concordat) which meant that Madrid had to pay the salaries of the clergy and to subsidize any other expenses that the Roman Catholic Church may incur in order to compensate them for the seizure of monachal property. However this pact was then renounced in 1931 and which threatened the very existence of the Church in Spain. Because of this the church provided support to General Franco during the uprising that occurred in 1936.
However both religious beliefs and religion in Spain is much more diverse and certainly things are slowly changing and there could be an even greater number of people who will be included into the Spanish culture who practice different religions in the future.
Jun
26
Jesus Christ – The Greatest Marketing Guru The World Has Ever Seen
Filed Under Applying Praying Power Secrets In Your Daily Prayer Life | Leave a Comment
Sanoj Jose
Hi friends! We all think of Jesus Christ as a great teacher, religious guru, son of the almighty God and above all a great person who lived in this world 2000 years ago. Of course he was all these. And being a Christian myself I love him and look forward to him as my redeemer. But is he worth only that much to be remembered as. I don’t think so. Whose name comes to your mind first when you think about the marketing gurus? Of course many and the foremost could be Philip Kotler – The father of marketing. Well, good enough but I can’t ignore Jesus Christ in that list. I think Jesus deserves a better place and name than all those. Probably the first and greatest marketing Guru who lived 2000 years back.
So what do I intend to tell here? Indeed no blasphemy. When you think about a marketing guru, what are the lists of things that come to your mind first? It could be laying down certain set of marketing principles, strategies and probably a leader by himself who lead by example by living his/her talk right. Okay let’s do some analysis here.
What did Jesus Christ do? He taught certain principles and a way of life. And the result is “Christianity” – the largest religion in the world today. Even Bill Gates or say Philip Kotler couldn’t build a brand so popular, lasting and recurring. Okay now, let’s take a typical corporates’ marketing division. What does the CEO of the company or other marketing heads down the line does to achieve the company’s objectives? Let’s list few major ones below:
A leader who leads by example by showing other how to perform (Many of them fail in this of course) Someone who motivates others to perform Someone who imparts confidence on his team members Someone who is a tree of confidence and belief in oneself Someone has a list of objectives that he makes his team members achieve Someone who walks his talk Someone who is ethical in his practices Someone who is a great strategist Who selects the best team and delegates efficiently Terminates someone who doesn’t perform
Okay it’s not all, but still hopefully I’ve covered the important ones. Now let’s take one by one.
A leader who leads by example by showing other how to perform – Jesus Christ never Read more on this article at http://sanojjose79.blogspot.com/2010/01/jesus-christ-greatest-marketing-guru.html
Hi friends! We all think of Jesus Christ as a great teacher, religious guru, son of the almighty God and above all a great person who lived in this world 2000 years ago. Of course he was all these. And being a Christian myself I love him and look forward to him as my redeemer. But is he worth only that much to be remembered as. I don’t think so. Whose name comes to your mind first when you think about the marketing gurus? Of course many and the foremost could be Philip Kotler – The father of marketing. Well, good enough but I can’t ignore Jesus Christ in that list. I think Jesus deserves a better place and name than all those. Probably the first and greatest marketing Guru who lived 2000 years back.
So what do I intend to tell here? Indeed no blasphemy. When you think about a marketing guru, what are the lists of things that come to your mind first? It could be laying down certain set of marketing principles, strategies and probably a leader by himself who lead by example by living his/her talk right. Okay let’s do some analysis here.
What did Jesus Christ do? He taught certain principles and a way of life. And the result is “Christianity” – the largest religion in the world today. Even Bill Gates or say Philip Kotler couldn’t build a brand so popular, lasting and recurring. Okay now, let’s take a typical corporates’ marketing division. What does the CEO of the company or other marketing heads down the line does to achieve the company’s objectives? Let’s list few major ones below:
A leader who leads by example by showing other how to perform (Many of them fail in this of course) Someone who motivates others to perform Someone who imparts confidence on his team members Someone who is a tree of confidence and belief in oneself Someone has a list of objectives that he makes his team members achieve Someone who walks his talk Someone who is ethical in his practices Someone who is a great strategist Who selects the best team and delegates efficiently Terminates someone who doesn’t perform
Okay it’s not all, but still hopefully I’ve covered the important ones. Now let’s take one by one.
A leader who leads by example by showing other how to perform – Jesus Christ never Read more on this article at http://sanojjose79.blogspot.com/2010/01/jesus-christ-greatest-marketing-guru.html
Jun
15
The Freedom of Religion
Filed Under News And Society | Leave a Comment
We were all taught in school that our forefathers left England to escape religious dictatorships. Okay, there was a lot more to it then that, but it was a big enough deal that they made sure it got honorable mention in our rulebook. They clearly made the point that we were to have freedom of religion here in America. They also used the word “God” in some of their formal paperwork and even on our money. I don’t want to argue politics here, but rather semantics. They didn’t say “freedom of Christianity,” they said “freedom of religion.” The boys who wrote up all of our formal paperwork were wordsmiths and they debated long and hard to find the perfect set of words to govern ourselves by. It wasn’t decided that we had the freedom to choose whichever form of Christianity that we liked, but whichever form of religion. Religion is in and of itself a much broader concept then Christianity. “God” can mean a lot more then just the Christian definition too.
No, I don’t agree with all the bickering and arguing over whether or not there should be prayers in school or if the Pledge of Allegiance is constitutional. You can’t stop someone from praying whenever or wherever they choose. Nor can you force a prayer out of someone either. It’s a dumb thing to argue about and not worth being offended over either way. I think it’s important to teach out children what our country’s Pledge of Allegiance is, but I don’t know that it’s right to force anyone to state a pledge, especially children. Seems a bit dictator like and kind of like brainwashing. Teach them what it means. Teach them what prayer means. Teach them what making a pledge of any kind means whether it’s a pledge of one’s allegiance to their country’s flag, a pledge of fidelity to a spouse, or a pledge of loyalty to a boss. But also teach them that in this country we have the freedom to make pledges or not. Teach them that in this country we have the freedom to pray to whoever or whatever we like and the freedom not to pray. Teach them just how important that freedom is.
I’m saddened when I hear of Pagan’s being persecuted for their spiritual beliefs in this country. Did the Sunday school teachers forget to mention that using the colors green and red for Christmas is Pagan? Did they mention that Christmas lights, yule logs, and wreaths are all Pagan? Did they mention that almost every single Christian holiday is celebrated ironically on top of a Pagan festival? Why do you think we have bunnies, baby chicks, and pretty flowers as part of our Easter celebration? Because it coincides with the Pagan’s celebrations of Spring’s renewal. From what I can see, Pagans aren’t all evil ugly witches anymore than all Christians are white supremacists.
I don’t have a deep knowledge of all of the different religions of the world, but I can tell you that it doesn’t take much research to see that they’re all very much the same. Get past which church uses which secret handshake and which rule book you should follow, and you find that they’re all teaching us to respect each other, to love each other, to conduct yourself with honor, and to be good to the planet and animals that we’re blessed with. The rest is all dogma and debatable. Nobody has any real concrete proof that their particular form of God is the only one. Who’s to say that God or Jesus isn’t wise enough to visit more than once using different names and different forms? Wouldn’t it make sense given the size of the planet that the rest of the world would need to be given a fair chance at knowing about God too? Is Buddha so very different from Jesus? Their teachings are incredibly similar. Why limit God to a concept that only fits what your particular culture or region of the world knows about?
Another thing that always puzzled me is why prophets and seers are allowed to channel holy books and tell of the Messiah’s coming, but then we’re told by the churches that being psychic is demonic? It seems a bit contradictory to me. Every psychic I’ve ever met lost power over their visions if they weren’t acting in the highest good. Most of the psychics I’ve met believe very deeply in a form of God or some sort of a higher magical loving guidance over us. They’re visions into the other side created that belief. There’s nothing quite like chatting with the All-Mighty to make a believer out of you. Isn’t prayer in and of itself a form of telepathic psychic connection with the other side?
It just seems to me that if we quit arguing over what words, labels, and names we give these concepts and quit arguing over methods of prayer and such that we’d see that we’re all so much more alike then we are different. I’ve known three different Catholic men who fell in love with the Buddhist faith because it so beautifully highlights the teachings of Christ. I really believe that is what we’re meant to do. All of the holy books tell us to love one another. You can’t truly love someone if you don’t take the time to really get to know them and what they stand for. Shouldn’t we learn about each other from a place of love rather than from a place of judgement? Nobody can prove that anyone else’s religion is wrong and nobody can prove that theirs is right. Too many translators over the course of history to be able to be 100% sure about anything any more. We can’t really assume that the others are completely wrong and we can’t assume that our own religion is completely right. Religion and God is so much more than we can fully understand at this time.
Copyright 2004, Skye Thomas, Tomorrow’s Edge
Jun
14
Jesus Marveled and Said: I Have not Found so Great Faith, No, not in Israel
Filed Under Why Had The Centurion Such Big Faith That Is Not Found Even In Israel | Leave a Comment
anonymous
Comparative Study between the Bible versus the Quran (51) – B:
The second part
(Chapter 51:1-10)
The Old Testament verses from 1-10 say that the Israelites outnumbered the Egyptians (See: A: The first part).
The New Testament verses from 1-10 are states that Jesus said: I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
The Noble Quran Verses from 1-10 are talking about different subjects, one of them is that the promise of the Afterlife is a true one (see: C: The third part – I and II).
————
New Testament
Chapter 51 in the New Testament is Luke 7;
it is composed of 51 verses.
Verses from 1-10 are talking about:
When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” So Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
———-
These verses illustrate that the centurion respects Jesus very much.
He sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.
But he realized that he does not deserve to have Jesus come to him.
Jesus considered that an outstanding faith.
Jesus said: I have not found such great faith even in Israel, because the Jews showed no respect to him.
According to the saying of the Lord Jesus, all the Muslims have more faith than the centurion; why? Because:
all the Muslims respect the Lord Jesus and his mother very much
None of the Muslims dares to ask the Lord Jesus to come to him
None of the Muslims dares to say to the Lord Jesus: “I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
It follows that, according to the saying of the Lord Jesus, all the Muslims have an outstanding faith more than that the centurion had.
==========
Luke 7 (King James Version)
1] Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
2] And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.
3] And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.
4] And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:
5] For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.
6] Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:
7] Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
8] For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
9] When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
10] And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.
==========
The smart reader is better postpone answering this question: “Is the Quran quoted from the Bible?” until he reads the first and the third parts of this article (C: The third part – I and II).
Comparative Study between the Bible versus the Quran (51) – B:
The second part
(Chapter 51:1-10)
The Old Testament verses from 1-10 say that the Israelites outnumbered the Egyptians (See: A: The first part).
The New Testament verses from 1-10 are states that Jesus said: I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
The Noble Quran Verses from 1-10 are talking about different subjects, one of them is that the promise of the Afterlife is a true one (see: C: The third part – I and II).
————
New Testament
Chapter 51 in the New Testament is Luke 7;
it is composed of 51 verses.
Verses from 1-10 are talking about:
When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. There a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” So Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
———-
These verses illustrate that the centurion respects Jesus very much.
He sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.
But he realized that he does not deserve to have Jesus come to him.
Jesus considered that an outstanding faith.
Jesus said: I have not found such great faith even in Israel, because the Jews showed no respect to him.
According to the saying of the Lord Jesus, all the Muslims have more faith than the centurion; why? Because:
all the Muslims respect the Lord Jesus and his mother very much
None of the Muslims dares to ask the Lord Jesus to come to him
None of the Muslims dares to say to the Lord Jesus: “I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
It follows that, according to the saying of the Lord Jesus, all the Muslims have an outstanding faith more than that the centurion had.
==========
Luke 7 (King James Version)
1] Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.
2] And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.
3] And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.
4] And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:
5] For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.
6] Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:
7] Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
8] For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.
9] When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
10] And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.
==========
The smart reader is better postpone answering this question: “Is the Quran quoted from the Bible?” until he reads the first and the third parts of this article (C: The third part – I and II).
Jun
10
In the Bible: Jesus Said that the Disciples Have so Little Faith
Filed Under Jesus Made Clear The Sign Of The Little Faith | Leave a Comment
Prof.dr. Ibrahim Khalil
The mustard is mentioned five times in the Bible, all of them are in the New Testament being not mentioned at all in the Old Testament.
The mustard is mentioned two times in the Quran.
Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?
Jesus replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
The Quran mentions more miracles that have been done by the Lord Jesus e.g. when he talks while he was a new born.
In addition, The Lord Jesus put two difficult criteria for a faith that is as small as a mustard seed.
According to the Lord Jesus, you will never ever find a Christian who has a faith as small as a mustard seed.
The Quran does not put such criteria for a small faith.
In addition, the Quran says that Allah shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least, and if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, Allah will bring it (to account): and enough are we to take account.
================================
The Mustard in the Bible:
Matthew 17:20
New International Version
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
New American Standard Bible
And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.
English Standard Version
He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
King James Version
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
———-
Luke 17:6
New International Version
He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
New American Standard Bible
And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.
English Standard Version
And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
King James Version
And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
================================
The Mustard in the Quran:
Chapter 31: LUQMAN (LUQMAN)
Verse 31:16
QARIB:
On the day of resurrection we shall set up just scales, so that no soul shall in the least be wronged, even though it be the weight of a grain of mustard seed we will bring it we suffice as reckoners.
SHAKIR:
And we will set up a just balance on the day of resurrection, so no soul shall be dealt with unjustly in the least; and though there be the weight of a grain of mustard seed, (yet) will we bring it, and sufficient are we to take account
PICKTHAL:
And we set a just balance for the day of resurrection so that no soul is wronged in aught. though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard seed, we bring it. and we suffice for reckoners.
YUSUFALI:
we shall set up scales of justice for the day of judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least, and if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, we will bring it (to account): and enough are we to take account.
The meaning of the verse:
And Allah shall set up the just balances for the Day of Resurrection; on the Day of Judgment, there will be a balance which will weigh only good and bad works (so that no soul is wronged in aught) no one will have his good works diminished nor his evil works increased. (Though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard seed, Allah will bring it; He requites for it.
And Allah suffices for reckoners to count all things; Allah is enough as Preserver and Knower.
================================
Back to my question to the smart and interested reader:
Is the Quran quoted from the Bible?
The mustard is mentioned five times in the Bible, all of them are in the New Testament being not mentioned at all in the Old Testament.
The mustard is mentioned two times in the Quran.
Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment.
Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?
Jesus replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.
The Quran mentions more miracles that have been done by the Lord Jesus e.g. when he talks while he was a new born.
In addition, The Lord Jesus put two difficult criteria for a faith that is as small as a mustard seed.
According to the Lord Jesus, you will never ever find a Christian who has a faith as small as a mustard seed.
The Quran does not put such criteria for a small faith.
In addition, the Quran says that Allah shall set up scales of justice for the Day of Judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least, and if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, Allah will bring it (to account): and enough are we to take account.
================================
The Mustard in the Bible:
Matthew 17:20
New International Version
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
New American Standard Bible
And He said to them, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.
English Standard Version
He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
King James Version
And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
———-
Luke 17:6
New International Version
He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.
New American Standard Bible
And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and be planted in the sea’; and it would obey you.
English Standard Version
And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
King James Version
And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.
================================
The Mustard in the Quran:
Chapter 31: LUQMAN (LUQMAN)
Verse 31:16
QARIB:
On the day of resurrection we shall set up just scales, so that no soul shall in the least be wronged, even though it be the weight of a grain of mustard seed we will bring it we suffice as reckoners.
SHAKIR:
And we will set up a just balance on the day of resurrection, so no soul shall be dealt with unjustly in the least; and though there be the weight of a grain of mustard seed, (yet) will we bring it, and sufficient are we to take account
PICKTHAL:
And we set a just balance for the day of resurrection so that no soul is wronged in aught. though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard seed, we bring it. and we suffice for reckoners.
YUSUFALI:
we shall set up scales of justice for the day of judgment, so that not a soul will be dealt with unjustly in the least, and if there be (no more than) the weight of a mustard seed, we will bring it (to account): and enough are we to take account.
The meaning of the verse:
And Allah shall set up the just balances for the Day of Resurrection; on the Day of Judgment, there will be a balance which will weigh only good and bad works (so that no soul is wronged in aught) no one will have his good works diminished nor his evil works increased. (Though it be of the weight of a grain of mustard seed, Allah will bring it; He requites for it.
And Allah suffices for reckoners to count all things; Allah is enough as Preserver and Knower.
================================
Back to my question to the smart and interested reader:
Is the Quran quoted from the Bible?
Jun
9
Barack Obama: Prayin’ to Jesus. Signs of the Jesus-only Trend
Filed Under Mythology And The Gospel Writers | Leave a Comment
Fern Holm
Barack Obama: following the Jesus-only trend?
If it doesn’t really matter whom we worship,
or address our prayers, or thank (as the Source) within the Trinity… then why not just worship Jesus, just pray to Jesus, as Barack Obama professed on national television recently:
“I’ve been in the same church for 20 years, prayin’ to Jesus.”
- and just thank Jesus? That was a question on a new game show the other night:
“How many of the audience polled said that if they won an award, they would publicly thank Jesus?”
It was a very high percentage.
—————————–
I see a progression in thought which has lead any Christians to a popular belief that Jesus, alone, is their God (a contemporary version of the old heresy of Modalism, where One person fulfills all 3 offices or ‘modes’ of the Trinity). Followers of this belief perceive that when they pray to the Father, they are in reality praying to Jesus in His capacity as ‘Father’, and they also see the ‘Holy Spirit’ as the spirit of Jesus – Therefore Jesus IS the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We do have churches [some would say cults] which openly claim this as their belief system, such as the UPC (United Pentecostal Church), but my concern is that mainstream Christianity has also absorbed this theology to a large extent – without even being cognizant of the change, because it happens in such a subtle way. These churches would never SAY that they believe in anything but the traditional doctrine of the Trinity, but their actions speak otherwise.
Before I share the tangible evidence I’ve gathered, I’d like to encourage you to ask your colleagues and friends to watch for these things with you – especially if they attend different types of churches.
The non-denominational/charismatic/”community” churches seem to be the most obvious in their prayers to Jesus in Jesus’ name, worship songs that acknowledge Jesus as their God, etc., but, as you’ll see in the quotes given below, traditional denominations are ‘morphing’ into Jesus-Only churches as well.
1) There is evidence that contemporary worship music now used in mainline churches has Jesus-only connotations:
Quote: Updated July 12, 2006 (first published May 30, 1997) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns.wayoflife.org;
“It is a strange but true fact that many Bible-believing churches that are strongly opposed to charismatic DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE are being influenced by charismatic MUSIC… THE “JAZZED-UP HYMNS” HAVE GONE MAINSTREAM and have swept throughout much of the Christian world… Many of the most popular “praise songs” today were composed by men and women involved with the Oneness Pentecostal movement, which denies the Trinity and which baptizes only in the name of Jesus. A recent article in Charisma magazine (June 1997) noted that “most popular praise anthems sung in charismatic and evangelical churches today were composed by Oneness believers.”
3) Examples of Jesus-only worship songs, used widely among denominational and non-denominational churches:
“Here I Am to Worship”:
Light of the World
You stepped down into darkness (refers specifically to Jesus)
Open my eyes
Let me see
Beauty that made
This heart adore You
Hope of a life
Spent with You
Chorus:
Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that YOU’RE my God (refers again just to Jesus)
You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
King of all days Oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in Heaven above
Humbly You came
To the earth YOU created (Jesus is our Creator)
All for love’s sake became poor.
Another song: “And I surrender to your ways”
“It’s all about you, Jesus.
And all this is for you.
For your glory and your fame.
It’s not about me, as if you should do things my way.
YOU ALONE ARE GOD, and I surrender to your ways. ”
– PASSION
I Could Sing of Your Love Forever (disc 1)
FURTHER EVIDENCE:
4) Some of the highway billboards, especially in the Bible Belt, provide another compelling visual sign of the Jesus-Only trend. The slanted theology, hidden in their towering slogans, can have a subtle effect on one’s thinking, similar to absorbing subliminal messages or slowly being brainwashed. I’ve asked my son, who is an over-the-road truck driver, to take pictures of them as he travels around the U.S.! The effect is multiplied by bumper stickers, T shirts and other message-bearers that mobilize the movement toward Jesus-only religion. Aside from its unChristlike sentiments, think about the subtle inference contained on this T-shirt logo: “My Jesus can beat up your Allah”. My GOD can beat up your God, correct?
5) Ironically, much of the programming on TBN (Trinity Broadcast Network) has a Jesus-only slant, which again provides a subtle influence, as do a number of the TBN-produced movies, such as “The Apostle Paul”, which is based on the book of Acts but identifies Jesus as “our Lord and our God” and shows a young woman fervently praying to Jesus in His own name. Please note the TBN “prayer of salvation” quoted in the excerpt from my book that follows – definitely Jesus-only!
6) A movie produced by a BAPTIST (mainline) church focuses on “Jesus only” Christianity, as noted by the MPAA:
Facing the Giants
Rated PG for some thematic elements.
reviewed by Christopher Lyon
“It’s almost unbelievable. A Baptist church in Georgia makes a feature-length Christian movie for the tiny amount of $100,000 and that film ends up getting released in nearly 500 theaters around the country… You might have heard about some of the controversy over the film’s PG rating. Apparently, the MPAA originally suggested that the rating had to do with the film’s focus on “Jesus only” Christianity.”
7) EVIDENCE that LINES ARE BEING BLURRED and the CHRISTIAN CULTURE AT LARGE may be unable to discern that a new theology is taking root:
America’s ‘Most Influential Black Spiritual Leaders’:
Published February 15th, 2007 by Editor in General News, Christian Research Net : *Oneness Pentecostal*and Word Faith teacher T.D. Jakes tops the list according to this report from the Christian Post. The report also notes that “Jakes was also named last year’s most influential Christian by The Church Report.”
Of the TOP 50 most influential Christians in 2006, 17 of them are regulars on TBN (Trinity Broadcast Network):
Coffee Talk #77
November 21, 2002
By Rick Walston, Ph.D. CES.ColumbiaSeminary.edu
TV Pentecostals: “Next, what are those TV Pentecostals? We’ve all seen them. In my humble estimation, so-called Christian television is one of the biggest culprits of “Pentecostal homogenization” in the minds of people. On TBN, all of the camps mentioned above are often represented. They even have Oneness Pentecostals on their programing! More than a few people have mentioned the irony of a TV program called “Trinity Broadcasting Network” having modalistic, Oneness Pentecostals on their programs.”
RELEVENT EXCERPT from PIVOT POINT, a creative nonfiction by Fern Holm
“Possibly paving the way for a movement toward Jesus-only, Jesus-is-our-God religion, the evangelistic church at large has preached a gospel that has at least the potential to lead people to Christ alone. Some samples of the gospel message and the recommended prayer of salvation, publicly displayed on the website of each of these organizations, are quoted below.
AFLC: Association of Free Lutheran Congregations: To receive Christ as Lord and Savior right now, you might pray a prayer like this:
“Lord Jesus, I come to You a lost and lonely sinner. I confess that only You can take away the burden of my sins. I believe You died on the cross for all my sins. Come into my life right now. Forgive all my sins. I surrender my life to You and want to receive You as Lord of my life. Please give me the assurance of the Holy Spirit that I belong to You. Amen.”
SBC: Southern Baptist Convention: “Salvation”
Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, sanctification, and glorification.
Salvation Army:
“Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.”
BGEA: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association:
“Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
TBN: Trinity Broadcast Network:
Prayer of Salvation: “Dear Jesus, I believe in You. I believe You are the Son of God, that You died for my sins, and that You were buried and rose again as written in the Bible. I’m sorry for the things I’ve done that hurt You. Forgive me for all my sins. Come into my heart, take charge of my life and make me the way You want me to be. With Your ever present help, I renounce all my sinful practices of the past. Cleanse my heart with Your precious blood. Write my name in Your Book of Life. I confess You now as my Lord and Savior. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Thank You, Jesus! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Although it is certainly true that faith in Jesus is the only way we can be reconciled to God (“No one comes to the Father but by Me”), shouldn’t there at least be some mention here of the One to whom we are reconciled? Can you see the total focus on Jesus in each one, even praying to Jesus in Jesus’ name? Something is definitely missing in this circular prayer that seems to fold in upon itself. Jesus is “the Way”—not the Destination. An arrow, not a circle. There’s a mystery here, one that’s begging to be solved. Something is missing, but what is it?”
– Excerpt from PIVOT POINT
*** In conclusion, when people make a conscious choice about their beliefs it’s one thing, but the evidence presented here exposes a subtle external influence that appears to be ever-so-slowly turning Christianity … in a direction it never planned to take.
Barack Obama: following the Jesus-only trend?
If it doesn’t really matter whom we worship,
or address our prayers, or thank (as the Source) within the Trinity… then why not just worship Jesus, just pray to Jesus, as Barack Obama professed on national television recently:
“I’ve been in the same church for 20 years, prayin’ to Jesus.”
- and just thank Jesus? That was a question on a new game show the other night:
“How many of the audience polled said that if they won an award, they would publicly thank Jesus?”
It was a very high percentage.
—————————–
I see a progression in thought which has lead any Christians to a popular belief that Jesus, alone, is their God (a contemporary version of the old heresy of Modalism, where One person fulfills all 3 offices or ‘modes’ of the Trinity). Followers of this belief perceive that when they pray to the Father, they are in reality praying to Jesus in His capacity as ‘Father’, and they also see the ‘Holy Spirit’ as the spirit of Jesus – Therefore Jesus IS the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We do have churches [some would say cults] which openly claim this as their belief system, such as the UPC (United Pentecostal Church), but my concern is that mainstream Christianity has also absorbed this theology to a large extent – without even being cognizant of the change, because it happens in such a subtle way. These churches would never SAY that they believe in anything but the traditional doctrine of the Trinity, but their actions speak otherwise.
Before I share the tangible evidence I’ve gathered, I’d like to encourage you to ask your colleagues and friends to watch for these things with you – especially if they attend different types of churches.
The non-denominational/charismatic/”community” churches seem to be the most obvious in their prayers to Jesus in Jesus’ name, worship songs that acknowledge Jesus as their God, etc., but, as you’ll see in the quotes given below, traditional denominations are ‘morphing’ into Jesus-Only churches as well.
1) There is evidence that contemporary worship music now used in mainline churches has Jesus-only connotations:
Quote: Updated July 12, 2006 (first published May 30, 1997) (David Cloud, Fundamental Baptist Information Service, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns.wayoflife.org;
“It is a strange but true fact that many Bible-believing churches that are strongly opposed to charismatic DOCTRINE AND PRACTICE are being influenced by charismatic MUSIC… THE “JAZZED-UP HYMNS” HAVE GONE MAINSTREAM and have swept throughout much of the Christian world… Many of the most popular “praise songs” today were composed by men and women involved with the Oneness Pentecostal movement, which denies the Trinity and which baptizes only in the name of Jesus. A recent article in Charisma magazine (June 1997) noted that “most popular praise anthems sung in charismatic and evangelical churches today were composed by Oneness believers.”
3) Examples of Jesus-only worship songs, used widely among denominational and non-denominational churches:
“Here I Am to Worship”:
Light of the World
You stepped down into darkness (refers specifically to Jesus)
Open my eyes
Let me see
Beauty that made
This heart adore You
Hope of a life
Spent with You
Chorus:
Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that YOU’RE my God (refers again just to Jesus)
You’re altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
King of all days Oh, so highly exalted
Glorious in Heaven above
Humbly You came
To the earth YOU created (Jesus is our Creator)
All for love’s sake became poor.
Another song: “And I surrender to your ways”
“It’s all about you, Jesus.
And all this is for you.
For your glory and your fame.
It’s not about me, as if you should do things my way.
YOU ALONE ARE GOD, and I surrender to your ways. ”
– PASSION
I Could Sing of Your Love Forever (disc 1)
FURTHER EVIDENCE:
4) Some of the highway billboards, especially in the Bible Belt, provide another compelling visual sign of the Jesus-Only trend. The slanted theology, hidden in their towering slogans, can have a subtle effect on one’s thinking, similar to absorbing subliminal messages or slowly being brainwashed. I’ve asked my son, who is an over-the-road truck driver, to take pictures of them as he travels around the U.S.! The effect is multiplied by bumper stickers, T shirts and other message-bearers that mobilize the movement toward Jesus-only religion. Aside from its unChristlike sentiments, think about the subtle inference contained on this T-shirt logo: “My Jesus can beat up your Allah”. My GOD can beat up your God, correct?
5) Ironically, much of the programming on TBN (Trinity Broadcast Network) has a Jesus-only slant, which again provides a subtle influence, as do a number of the TBN-produced movies, such as “The Apostle Paul”, which is based on the book of Acts but identifies Jesus as “our Lord and our God” and shows a young woman fervently praying to Jesus in His own name. Please note the TBN “prayer of salvation” quoted in the excerpt from my book that follows – definitely Jesus-only!
6) A movie produced by a BAPTIST (mainline) church focuses on “Jesus only” Christianity, as noted by the MPAA:
Facing the Giants
Rated PG for some thematic elements.
reviewed by Christopher Lyon
“It’s almost unbelievable. A Baptist church in Georgia makes a feature-length Christian movie for the tiny amount of $100,000 and that film ends up getting released in nearly 500 theaters around the country… You might have heard about some of the controversy over the film’s PG rating. Apparently, the MPAA originally suggested that the rating had to do with the film’s focus on “Jesus only” Christianity.”
7) EVIDENCE that LINES ARE BEING BLURRED and the CHRISTIAN CULTURE AT LARGE may be unable to discern that a new theology is taking root:
America’s ‘Most Influential Black Spiritual Leaders’:
Published February 15th, 2007 by Editor in General News, Christian Research Net : *Oneness Pentecostal*and Word Faith teacher T.D. Jakes tops the list according to this report from the Christian Post. The report also notes that “Jakes was also named last year’s most influential Christian by The Church Report.”
Of the TOP 50 most influential Christians in 2006, 17 of them are regulars on TBN (Trinity Broadcast Network):
Coffee Talk #77
November 21, 2002
By Rick Walston, Ph.D. CES.ColumbiaSeminary.edu
TV Pentecostals: “Next, what are those TV Pentecostals? We’ve all seen them. In my humble estimation, so-called Christian television is one of the biggest culprits of “Pentecostal homogenization” in the minds of people. On TBN, all of the camps mentioned above are often represented. They even have Oneness Pentecostals on their programing! More than a few people have mentioned the irony of a TV program called “Trinity Broadcasting Network” having modalistic, Oneness Pentecostals on their programs.”
RELEVENT EXCERPT from PIVOT POINT, a creative nonfiction by Fern Holm“Possibly paving the way for a movement toward Jesus-only, Jesus-is-our-God religion, the evangelistic church at large has preached a gospel that has at least the potential to lead people to Christ alone. Some samples of the gospel message and the recommended prayer of salvation, publicly displayed on the website of each of these organizations, are quoted below.
AFLC: Association of Free Lutheran Congregations: To receive Christ as Lord and Savior right now, you might pray a prayer like this:
“Lord Jesus, I come to You a lost and lonely sinner. I confess that only You can take away the burden of my sins. I believe You died on the cross for all my sins. Come into my life right now. Forgive all my sins. I surrender my life to You and want to receive You as Lord of my life. Please give me the assurance of the Holy Spirit that I belong to You. Amen.”
SBC: Southern Baptist Convention: “Salvation”
Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, sanctification, and glorification.
Salvation Army:
“Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.”
BGEA: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association:
“Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
TBN: Trinity Broadcast Network:
Prayer of Salvation: “Dear Jesus, I believe in You. I believe You are the Son of God, that You died for my sins, and that You were buried and rose again as written in the Bible. I’m sorry for the things I’ve done that hurt You. Forgive me for all my sins. Come into my heart, take charge of my life and make me the way You want me to be. With Your ever present help, I renounce all my sinful practices of the past. Cleanse my heart with Your precious blood. Write my name in Your Book of Life. I confess You now as my Lord and Savior. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Thank You, Jesus! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Although it is certainly true that faith in Jesus is the only way we can be reconciled to God (“No one comes to the Father but by Me”), shouldn’t there at least be some mention here of the One to whom we are reconciled? Can you see the total focus on Jesus in each one, even praying to Jesus in Jesus’ name? Something is definitely missing in this circular prayer that seems to fold in upon itself. Jesus is “the Way”—not the Destination. An arrow, not a circle. There’s a mystery here, one that’s begging to be solved. Something is missing, but what is it?”
– Excerpt from PIVOT POINT
*** In conclusion, when people make a conscious choice about their beliefs it’s one thing, but the evidence presented here exposes a subtle external influence that appears to be ever-so-slowly turning Christianity … in a direction it never planned to take.
Jun
9
The Evangelical Religion
Filed Under News And Society | Leave a Comment
Heidi Ball
Beginning in Great Britain in the 1700′s, Evangelicalism, which is a Protestant Christian movement, followers have the belief that they must be “born again”. It’s about personal conversion and focuses on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Being “born again” means rebirth. It is a spiritual birth by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. When we are first born, which everyone experiences, that is the birth of the flesh. To be spiritually reborn, one would accept Christ and therefore be able to go to heaven once life on this earth is complete.
The term “evangelical” is used by a number of different break offs mostly stemming from the Roman Catholic Church. The word itself comes from the Greek word for “Gospel” or “good news”. People who follow and evangelical faith have life principles founded on the New Testament and therefore are Christian.
Often times the Evangelical religion is classified as the middle ground religion between theological liberalism and Fundamentalist Christianity. This classification comes from the view that liberal parties seem to concede to the values of the world yet their fellow Fundamentalists have lost the Christ-like heart.
For those evangelicals in North America, their social views tend to be very conservative. We can see this especially in the aspects of marriage being defined between one man and one woman and also their views against abortion. Evangelicals oppose same *** marriage and tend to oppose laws that would permit abortion.
The influences from evangelicals during election times are great. There is always a large appeal of the Christian right in red states and there seems to be huge success when it comes to appealing to certain social agendas. It is believed that Christianity should have a place among public life since the Untied States was founded on principles surrounding religious freedom. This however doesn’t mean that all evangelicals lean towards the more conservative side when it comes to politics. There are members on both sides.
Beginning in Great Britain in the 1700′s, Evangelicalism, which is a Protestant Christian movement, followers have the belief that they must be “born again”. It’s about personal conversion and focuses on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Being “born again” means rebirth. It is a spiritual birth by accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. When we are first born, which everyone experiences, that is the birth of the flesh. To be spiritually reborn, one would accept Christ and therefore be able to go to heaven once life on this earth is complete.
The term “evangelical” is used by a number of different break offs mostly stemming from the Roman Catholic Church. The word itself comes from the Greek word for “Gospel” or “good news”. People who follow and evangelical faith have life principles founded on the New Testament and therefore are Christian.
Often times the Evangelical religion is classified as the middle ground religion between theological liberalism and Fundamentalist Christianity. This classification comes from the view that liberal parties seem to concede to the values of the world yet their fellow Fundamentalists have lost the Christ-like heart.
For those evangelicals in North America, their social views tend to be very conservative. We can see this especially in the aspects of marriage being defined between one man and one woman and also their views against abortion. Evangelicals oppose same *** marriage and tend to oppose laws that would permit abortion.
The influences from evangelicals during election times are great. There is always a large appeal of the Christian right in red states and there seems to be huge success when it comes to appealing to certain social agendas. It is believed that Christianity should have a place among public life since the Untied States was founded on principles surrounding religious freedom. This however doesn’t mean that all evangelicals lean towards the more conservative side when it comes to politics. There are members on both sides.
Jun
6
Christianity Versus Religion
Filed Under News And Society | Leave a Comment
Doug Chamley
I spent a good number of years debating the issues of what religion was and what Christianity was. After several years of debating I found that my interest in a religious life was not what I believed God wanted from his creation. I came to believe that God wanted a relationship with his creation and religion was only a way for man to artificially represent himself as an acceptable unit of creation to the Creator himself. It was not a relationship. Why?
Religion is a form of rules and rituals with the thought of pleasing or appeasing an unapproachable god and in some way through acts or actions earning his favor. Religion believes that “the best you can do is good enough.” Religion can’t seem to believe in a sovereign God who has already done all that is needed for the individual to be reconciled to Himself. He has provided the power to meet the demands of His loving ways and blueprints for life that He guarantees will produce the fruits of righteousness, love, joy and peace.
Christianity is not a religion, it is a way of life. Christianity is not a set of rules to obey, it is a relationship to be nourished with a real and living person. The very name identifies its followers as “Christ’s Ones.”
The true followers of Jesus have not just joined a church, they have made a thoughtful, conscious, life-changing decision to give up their normal, selfish life for the life of a slave, a servant of the most-high God. They have chosen, by faith to be children of God rather than to remain children of the world and the devil. Many have forsaken their earthly family to join the family of God. The true believer has experienced the pangs of worldliness and has felt the hot breath of the enemy on his neck. He has run for refuge into the arms of the One who has overcome those dangers.
The true believer has been captured by divine love only to be freed from worldly passion. He has been transferred from the domain of darkness into the Kingdom of God’s beloved Son.
True Christians are not better than others, they are just as much in need of being forgiven. The true Christian doesn’t gloat over his victories, he groans for those he has left behind. The true Christian is ever mindful of his past estate, and gloriously thankful for his present condition, often willing to express his gratitude to anyone at any time.
True Christians are motivated by the love of God and energized by the power of His Spirit. They would never consciously do anything to bring disrespect to the name of God, but rather seek to glorify Him in all their endeavors. They tend to live out their faith in every aspect of their lives, every day and towards everyone.
The true Christian lives by FAITH, trusting implicitly in the written word of God and continually seeks wisdom for discerning truth from error. The true Christian’s HOPE is not in his ability, his talents, or his resources, but in the exacting promises of a trustworthy God. Ever mindful of God’s unconditional LOVE, the truly redeemed one still strives to please Him in all that he does.
If you are mad at God or disappointed in your past church experience, perhaps it was because you weren’t exposed to true Christianity, but to a counterfeit “churchianity” which is prevailing in the modern world today. I would urge you to give God another chance with your life. Cast your past, your present and your future onto Him who is willing and “able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy!” If you do, one day you will joyfully shout with the redeemed of all ages, ” Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
I spent a good number of years debating the issues of what religion was and what Christianity was. After several years of debating I found that my interest in a religious life was not what I believed God wanted from his creation. I came to believe that God wanted a relationship with his creation and religion was only a way for man to artificially represent himself as an acceptable unit of creation to the Creator himself. It was not a relationship. Why?
Religion is a form of rules and rituals with the thought of pleasing or appeasing an unapproachable god and in some way through acts or actions earning his favor. Religion believes that “the best you can do is good enough.” Religion can’t seem to believe in a sovereign God who has already done all that is needed for the individual to be reconciled to Himself. He has provided the power to meet the demands of His loving ways and blueprints for life that He guarantees will produce the fruits of righteousness, love, joy and peace.
Christianity is not a religion, it is a way of life. Christianity is not a set of rules to obey, it is a relationship to be nourished with a real and living person. The very name identifies its followers as “Christ’s Ones.”
The true followers of Jesus have not just joined a church, they have made a thoughtful, conscious, life-changing decision to give up their normal, selfish life for the life of a slave, a servant of the most-high God. They have chosen, by faith to be children of God rather than to remain children of the world and the devil. Many have forsaken their earthly family to join the family of God. The true believer has experienced the pangs of worldliness and has felt the hot breath of the enemy on his neck. He has run for refuge into the arms of the One who has overcome those dangers.
The true believer has been captured by divine love only to be freed from worldly passion. He has been transferred from the domain of darkness into the Kingdom of God’s beloved Son.
True Christians are not better than others, they are just as much in need of being forgiven. The true Christian doesn’t gloat over his victories, he groans for those he has left behind. The true Christian is ever mindful of his past estate, and gloriously thankful for his present condition, often willing to express his gratitude to anyone at any time.
True Christians are motivated by the love of God and energized by the power of His Spirit. They would never consciously do anything to bring disrespect to the name of God, but rather seek to glorify Him in all their endeavors. They tend to live out their faith in every aspect of their lives, every day and towards everyone.
The true Christian lives by FAITH, trusting implicitly in the written word of God and continually seeks wisdom for discerning truth from error. The true Christian’s HOPE is not in his ability, his talents, or his resources, but in the exacting promises of a trustworthy God. Ever mindful of God’s unconditional LOVE, the truly redeemed one still strives to please Him in all that he does.
If you are mad at God or disappointed in your past church experience, perhaps it was because you weren’t exposed to true Christianity, but to a counterfeit “churchianity” which is prevailing in the modern world today. I would urge you to give God another chance with your life. Cast your past, your present and your future onto Him who is willing and “able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy!” If you do, one day you will joyfully shout with the redeemed of all ages, ” Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”