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Showing posts from January, 2014

Is the Old Testament Necessary?

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I was asked the following question; "This year I decided to read through the Bible. I just finished up with Matthew's gospel, and now I am wondering, do I have to read the Old Testament also? I love reading about Jesus, but I don't like reading the Old Testament because it  seems so harsh and commanding." My encouragement to you is that you should read the entire Bible, Old and New Testaments. The Bible is clear that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Simply put, “all Scripture” is beneficial for spiritual growth and maturity in a believers’ life, and it helps equip and prepare us for every good work, and good works is what we have been created to do as believers (Ephesians 2:10). When we read through the New Testament, we discover that it

The Rich Man and Lazarus

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What is the meaning behind The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus? Who was Jesus talking to, disciples or the Pharisees? In order to best understand what is going on in the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, it is helpful to understand the situation surrounding this parable. The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus in Luke 16:19-31, is the final parable in a series of five parables that Jesus uses to address certain Pharisees and scribes who were upset with Him, because “the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him” (Luke 15:1), causing the Pharisees and the scribes to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:2). Though Jesus was speaking primarily to the Pharisees, scribes (Luke 15:2-3; 16:14), and His disciples (Luke 16:1), there were more than likely tax collectors and sinners who were listening as well (Luke 15:1). In response to the accusations of the Pharisees and scribes, Jesus shares five parables (L

The Power of Circle Prayer

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I was recently asked the following question regarding prayer: "The Israelites were instructed by God to walk circles around Jericho, and as a result God did something amazing for them. Is this example from the Bible a prescriptive method that we can copy and expect God to do amazing things in our lives as well? For example, will God give a group of Christians favor who circle a building in prayer, for the purpose of acquiring the building for ministry use?  When it comes to urgent and tenacious prayer is it fitting that a Christian's attitude should move beyond urgency to the point of "demanding" of God until He comes through?" Let me begin by asserting that when the walls of Jericho fell down after the Israelites had walked circles around the city for seven straight days (Joshua 6:20), it was not because the Israelites circled the city a set amount of times for a set amount of days, and in response to their faithful persistence, God blessed

Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of Expository Messages

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Originally published in 1980, Biblical Preaching: The Development and Delivery of ExpositoryMessages , has been a treasured companion for seminaries and pastors throughout the world, in helping us better understand and practice the art of expository preaching. In this classic guide, Robinson takes his readers through a step-by-step process of developing and delivering an expository sermon, and gives ample evidence of why this process is important to the preacher and his audience. In defining the expositional sermon, Robinson says, “Expository preaching is the communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality and experience of the preacher, then through the preacher, applies to the hearers” (p.21). I believe this book is an important read for every teaching pastor, seminary student, and would be Bible teachers, as

Hand of God spotted by NASA

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An  article  released on January 9th shows a photo taken by NASA dubbed the Hand of God.  The Bible tells us in  Isaiah 40:12  that  God's hand is much larger than this exploding star, spanning across the farthest reaches of the universe.  However, it is an incredible sight for sure!

What is Sexual Immorality?

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I was recently asked the following question about Sexual Immorality: "The Bible says sexual immorality is a legitimate reason for seeking divorce. My question for you is this, what constitutes as sexual immorality? Is kissing someone other than your wife/husband sexual immorality? is groping sexual immorality? is sexting them sexual immorality? What about flirting with them? What about a husband who's addicted to pornography? At what point does something become an act of sexual immorality that allows for divorce? " This is a great question and one that the Bible does address for us. In order to have a clear understanding of what sexual immorality is, it is crucial to understand what this word means, and how it applies to our lives. The Greek word for sexual immorality throughout the New Testament is porneia (cf. Mt 5:32; 1 Cor 5:1; 6:18; 7:2; 1 Thess 4:3), which is where the English word pornography is derived from. It’s important for us to know this, so that wh

Top 13 for 2013

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Living for Eternity was blessed to have readers  from all over the world visit in 2013. The top 13 most visitings countries outside of the United States came from  Australia,  Canada,  Colombia, France,  Germany, Ghana, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Here are the TOP 13 most visited blog articles from Living for Eternity for 2013. 1. New 'Left Behind' Movie starring Nicolas Cage 2. Born to Praise (Jeremiah's Story) 3. Which Jesus do you believe in? 4. Doctrine: Perseverance 5. Top 10 Quotes from Well-Intentioned Dragons 6. Doctrine: The Second Coming 7. Realities of the Sinner's Prayer 8. Eschatology (The Study of End Times) 9. The Divorce and Remarriage Dilemma 10. 8 Keys to an Effective Prayer Life 11. The Process of Sanctification 12. Will Tim Tebow join KISS? 13. Saving your Marriage from Disaster?