Can You Handle the Truth?
From the beginning there has been a "disconnect" between God's creation (man) and the truth. Paul accused the creation (man) of changing the truth of God into a lie. Our duty is to worship and serve the Creator, not the creation.
Jesus is God's Son Jesus owed his existence to Him who giveth to all life. Jesus is the SON of the Highest. His years are few in number compared to his Father's. Why should we be satisfied with counterfeit teachings of the world, when we can have the real genuine teaching of the Bible? Don't accept pseudo-religion. Read More
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Can You Handle the Truth? Audio mp3
Very few will buy into the idea of "absolute truth." Everything is "relative". Is "Bible Truth" "absolute" or "relative"? Does the Bible preesent something for us to believe in? The format (Audio mp3) of this presentation is different from what you might be used to but it is worth the listen.
Jesus Is Still a Jew
Anthony Buzzard, a leading scholar in Christology, takes time to address the "real Jewishness" of Jesus the Messiah.
The presentation touches the very heart of one of the greatest theological issues of our time - Who was Jesus and what was his message?
Finding Truth Without Knowing Hebrew or Greek Audio mp3
We are so fortunate to have among us, people who have applied themselves to understand why the translators of the Bible translated the verses in the Bible as they did. Is it at all possible for those of us who have not so applied ourselves; to understand what those who wrote the pages of the Bible really meant when they penned those pages? This audio presentation might offer you a slant on that question.
We are confronted with so many choices today. Do you like cheerios? Guess what? You can have plain old Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Multi Grain Cheerios, Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, Banana Nut Cheerios, Chocolate Cheerios, Multi Grain Cheerios with Peanut Butter, Frosted Cheerios, Fruity Cheerios, Cheerios Crunch, Yogurt Burst Cheerios, Cinnamon Burst Cheerios, or Dulce de Leche Cheerios.
If you need to see a doctor you can choose from GP, Internist, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat, Ophthalmologist, Dentist, Dental Surgeon, Gynecologist, Podiatrist, Geriatric Physician, Urologist, Dermatologists, Cardiologists, Endocrinologists, Allergists, Audiologists, Hematologist, Obstetrician, Neurologists, Oncologists, Pediatricians, Rheumatologists, and the list goes on.
If you need a detergent you can choose from Tide, Fab, Gain, Clorox, Cheer, Arm & Hammer, Purex and the list goes on.
While we do have these great lists from which to make our choices, it requires that we do the research, listen to the hype, ask our friends and ultimately to make our personal choice: a wise choice is preferable.
Joshua was 110 years old. He had followed the Lord, making wise choices throughout his life. He had worked with Moses as they led the children of Israel out of Egypt into the wilderness. He had accepted the mantle of Moses leadership to lead the people into the land of promise and had helped them to divide the land and to settle in. Joshua was coming to the end of his life and proceeded to offer them his farewell address. Be sure to read it all realizing this was possibly Joshuas last opportunity to impress upon the people he had known and loved for all those difficult and trying years to make a personal and lasting commitment to God. It is a touching sermon. We would do well to accept it as our own encouragement as well.
And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. 2And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods. 3And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. 4And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. 5I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. 6And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea. 7And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season. 8And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you. 9Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: 10But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand. 11And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand. 12And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow. 13And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat. 14Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 15And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Josh 24:1-15 (KJV)
The Israelites had made many choices up to this point. They had chosen to listen to Moses as he came to them in Egypt with his plan to deliver them from the hand of Pharaoh. They had made a choice to ultimately leave the land of Egypt and follow Moses into the wilderness. They made a choice to follow Moses in the wilderness journey for 40 years. After the death of Moses they chose to follow Joshua into the land of promise. During all this process however they had not fully decided to let go of the past and to follow God. They still retained the gods of their fathers and of the Egyptians in their belongings. Joshua, being the wise man that he was, knew they needed to make the ultimate choice to serve the Lord; to completely rid themselves of their former gods and to do it on his watch. Joshua made it plain that was exactly the choice he and his family had made and encouraged them to make the same choice as well.
Moses had similar remarks to the children of Israel before his death, just before he appointed Joshua as leader of Israel:
For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. 12It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 13Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? 14But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it.
Death and life are set before them
15See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; 16In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. 17But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; 18I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. 19I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: 20That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them. Deut 30:11-20 (KJV)
It falls on us to make the same choices in our lives today. Like Joshua we can make that choice for ourselves and our families. But we can only do that for so long. The time comes when each of them too must make the same choice. Life and death are in our choices. The children of Israel chose to stand with Moses against Pharaoh; to stand firm in their decision to stand against the Egyptians and leave Egypt; and to make the commitment to follow Moses into the wilderness and on to the land of promise. Similar choices confront us every day of our lives it seems.
(Picture yourself on the deck of a sinking ship. Its ultimate demise is clearly evident and imminent, as is apparently yours. But, a lifeboat is available, with a space left for you. What choice will you make?
God extends a life and death offer to all people. And, make no mistake: it is a clear choice of one or the other that we each must definitively make. His offer is gracious, but it is absolute. A choice must be made. Astoundingly, many choose to remain on the proverbial sinking ship. The enemys deception is to convince many that this present world system is not a sinking ship, but spiritual insight proves otherwise.
Life and prosperity is far more appealing than death and adversity, but the real challenge is to see that this is the choice. Given that information, no one would choose the latter. It is imperative that we face each day seeing the clarity of the choice, and choosing wisely. Then, as the people of God, we are called to clearly represent these choices to those He places in our pathway today. The choice for them will be equally obvious when the options are abundantly clear. Steve Taylor)
Jesus made it very clear and very plain. He instructed his disciples to go out into the world and give the people a clear choice. Preach to them the gospel, giving them the opportunity to choose life or death for themselves.
Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. Mark 16:15-16 (KJV)
It seems that the Corinthians were involved to some degree in a baptism by proxy program:
Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they then baptized for the dead? 1 Cor. 15:29 (KJV)
I know of no such method offered in the gospel. Each of us has a choice we must make individually. No one can make that choice for us. It requires us to step out our self. Parents can't take that step for us; no matter how much they would like to. Our spouse cannot make that choice for us either; love will not fathom that gulf. Remember the words of Joshua; "choose you this day whom you will serve". The prodigal son finally "came to himself" (Luke 15:17) and discovered exactly what was missing in his life. He "finally" made the right decision.
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Luke 15:18-24 (KJV)