HOPE EXCHANGE: DISCIPLESHIP GROWTH ENCOUNTER

 These were the words of Jesus Christ.  Let us review the principles and character of Christ revealed from his sermon on the mount.  What does it say? Blessed are the peacemakers...the humble in spirit...the meek...mourners...pure in heart.  Compare this with the love chapter, I Corinthians 13.  Observe the life of Christ who went about doing good, healing all who were sick and oppressed of the evil one.  Everything he did was a reflection in earthly form of the Heavenly Father.  He even said to Phillip, if you have seen me you have seen the Father.  How is it then that we want to lean to the the arm of the flesh--the sword--to protect us in the churches.  We build large cathedrals, value them at millions of dollars, take out huge insurance policies, hire armed guards, and begin to exclude people at the door for fear they might destroy our empire we have built with our own hands.  We set swords at the door and dare people to enter throug...

 Ive seen a new perspective on cast log out of eye.....its not condemning.  It is simply a proper order of things.   The plumber should fix his own pipes. The electrician his electrical systems. The computer technician his computer systems. Therefore likewise, a counselor must heed their own counsel.  And a leader must be able to follow direction himself, even sometimes his own leadership principles. 

  Quick thought about rebuke versus facilitation of remedy.  Rebuke is such a harsh word, but I want to include in the concept any time you lovingly try to correct someone.  For sake of discussion, consider the two polarities of a response: Either the person will receive it, possibly apologize, and generally reflect how he or she may improve;  or in the opposite, the person will reject, take offense, and possibly become angry or belligerent.   RECEIVE - HUMBLE, REPENTANT, TEACHABLE HEART  VS REJECT -  PROUD, ANGRY, HARD HEART The one giving the rebuke however ought to consider their job is not merely to point out the error, but to facilitate a resolve.  Now it may not be wrong to suggest or outright bluntly rebuke a person, but if done so with extremity of words, it may tip the person from one side to the other depending on where or whether they are walking with Christ.    In all cases, before a correction is made, the...

 In Genesis God creating things each day said, It is Good, and then suddenly he says in Gen 2:18, it is NOT GOOD for man to be alone.   The question posed is, how is it not good?   Qualitatively or Ethically?   Was God saying merely that his work was incomplete, and needed improvement, or that there was something unrighteous about Adam being alone? Dr.  Tackett argues that this statement is  ethically  not good because aloneness does not mirror the Divine social order.   We can see mentions of the Godhead saying, "Let us make man in Our image."   While God is well known in Hebrew, Echad, One, we know that in the New Testament Jesus reveals a Father, Son, Holy Spirit interaction with mankind.    It was not that Adam was imperfectly made, it was that a method of demonstrating family to parallel the family of God had yet to be created.  Eve was not made a separate man, but out of the man she was made, to b...

When engaging with the world, people will come from a world-view that is not Christian.  It is important that Believers not jump to the conclusion that they will reason in the same way as our Christian friends.  It has been a historical privilege in America that by and large our generations have been cultured in basic Bible understanding.  This is gradually dissipating and being replaced by what most call secularism, which is disguised anti-God theology.  The Truth Project exposes many of their subtleties, and offers the informed Believer tools to help refute underlying assumptions that turn a "well I don't know" into "absolutely not" or "affirmatively it must be this way."  Let your yes be yes, and no no, and be convinced thoroughly of who the Creator is and why it must be so. Truth #1: God's Existence is Plain as Day, Not Obscure  Nature does not whisper or hint about Creator God, it shouts.   Romans 1:20 states plainly (for the Believer to unde...

Consider this a sneak preview of Act 8.  Simon the sorcerer was saved, baptized, and still of a wrong spirit.  Here is the passage for your own reading: The Sorcerer’s Profession of Faith 9 But there was a certain man called Simon, who previously practiced sorcery in the city and astonished the people of Samaria, claiming that he was someone great, 10 to whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the great power of God.” 11 And they heeded him because he had astonished them with his sorceries for a long time. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. The Sorcerer’s Sin 14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and ...