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"If Christians would really live according to the teachings of Christ, as found in the Bible, |
The newest items of interest are added at the top of this list.
Some people believe that the earth is heading toward a destructive end. Others believe God wants to establish a heavenly kingdom on earth. What is the appropriate Christian viewpoint regarding care of this planet? The following is an excerpt from the Purpose Ministries newsletter by Brad Sherman:
Did You know that the Bible never says we are leaving the planet? In fact it teaches just the opposite. Proverbs says, "For the upright will dwell in the land, And the blameless will remain in it; But the wicked will be cut off from the earth, And the unfaithful will be uprooted from it." (Proverbs 2:21-22 NKJV). This is what Jesus taught in the parable of the tares saying that first the wicked will be gathered from among the righteous and then the righteous will shine forth as the sun" (see Matthew 13:30, 43).
Jesus also compared the end times to the days of Noah. In Noah's day, the wicked were removed from the earth and righteous Noah remained. Proverbs again says: "The righteous will never be removed, But the wicked will not inhabit the earth." (Proverbs 10:30 NKJV).
Then there is Jesus' prayer that directly contratdicts the escape rapture teaching. He prayed to the Father: "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one" (John 17:15 NKJV).
For more information visit the Purpose Ministries website at GetPurpose.org
Pacific Theatre in Vancouver is one of North America's preeminent Christian Theatres. Click the image below to learn more...
December 2006. Sojourner's recently conducted an audio interview with Moby. You're sure to be inspired by Moby's genuineness and sincerity as he shares about his Christian faith.
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Below you will find a brief introduction to the beliefs and goals of Christianity. We hope that the information presented here helps you walk more fully in Christian character and applying Biblical principals to your daily life. Please continue to refine your study and growth in light of of the concepts presented here.
What is the most important Christian teaching or belief? According to Jesus, the most important teaching or belief (the greatest commandment) is: " 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." [Mark 12:29 / Matthew 22:37-40 NIV] Other scriptures central to the message and life of Jesus are:
How does one become a Christian? There are many views of what is required to become a Christian. Some believe an elaborate and lengthy processes of conversion and indoctrination is necessary. Other authorities insist such indoctrination is not necessary and recognize an individual's freedom to independently proclaim and express their faith. It is this more simplistic approach that we will be affirming here. With that in mind, to become a Christian, you can simply say a sincere prayer to God that is in your own words from your heart expressing your desire for God to have influence in your life to help you live a life that is responsive to the teachings and life of Christ. The more personalized, intimate, and unique your prayer the more effective it can be. Here is an example of such a prayer, "Dear God, I want to be the best person I possibly can and have the most positive impact possible upon my family, my friends, my community, and the world. Please show me how to do this. Please give me insights, reveal the meaning of the Bible, and show me the meaning of Christ's life and death and what that means for me."
What is the goal of Jesus and his followers? The message, mission, and purpose of Jesus is displayed in his life, in his teachings, and in the prayer that is accredited to him: "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is in Heaven." Christianity is the pursuit of a Christ-like life for the purpose of helping to establish the Kingdom of God (global utopia for all people) on earth.
How are Christians to live in order to achieve their goal? The essence of Christian life can best be defined by the following New Testament Bible Verse: "clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord (God) forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." [Colossians 3:12-14 NIV] With the above scripture as a focal point, we hope that the the limited resources available here will be an encouragement to you. Through these resources our hope and goal is three-fold:
(1) Help people understand and grow in "Christian Character" - to be more like Jesus.
(2) Help people appreciate, learn about, understand, value, and be supportive of the Jewish faith that is central to the life and message of Jesus.
(3) Help people use their God-given gifts and abilities to improve their own life, their family, their community, and the world.
(4) Fellowship and community involvement are very important to living a balanced and healthy life. In addition to the materials available here, we especially encourage you to make use of the resources available through your church -- let friendship and fellowship help you grow and keep you accountable and responsible. To continue growing and increasingly benefiting from your faith it is helpful to have regular study of scripture, prayer, and fellowship with people who inspire you. Find people who can help you learn more and who can show you through their example and in other ways how to apply what you lean in your own life in practical ways.
Study of the Bible is an important way to allow God to speak into your life. The reading of scripture is the act of 'spiritual eating' where the words themselves are food for your spirit and soul. This gives your spirit and soul strength and helps you grow. Allow what you read to have a positive impact on your thoughts and actions. This plan identifies seven sections of the Bible which are to be studied daily. Progressively read one chapter from each section every day. Once you have read all the way through a particular section, you can start over again.
Using this plan, you will read a Psalm, Proverb, and Gospel scripture every day. These three sections are the smallest and therefore will be the most repetitive, giving them the most emphasis. For example, with 31 Proverbs, you will read each chapter about 12 times per year. As you continue to read from different books in the Bible, you will begin to see the continuity of the Bible.
As prompted by the Holy Spirit, pray in agreement with what you are reading in the Bible before, during, or after your reading. This is very helpful and important. For example, in reading the following scripture: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." [Galatians 5:22-23a NIV] an accompanying prayer might be "God, please help me to grow and mature in my own character so I increasingly exhibit the fruit of the Spirit to those around me."
Prayer is very important. In addition to spontaneous prayer before, during, and/or after study of scripture it is also very helpful to pray at other times for various concerns and to give thanks. To learn more about prayer, please visit the Prayer Center at Resources for Life.
First they came for the socialists,
and I did not speak out -
because I was not a socialist.Then they came for the trade-unionists,
and I did not speak out -
because I was not a trade unionist.Then they came for the Jews,
and I did not speak out -
because I was not a Jew.Then they came for me -
and there was no one left to speak for me.-- Reverend Martin Niemoller, Germany 1937
The Missing Link. No. We're not talking about evolution. We're looking for the missing links that should be in our list of Internet links. Know of one or more? Let us know. Click here for the feedback form. Thanks!
The Bible describes that God has provisions for our our spiritual body as well as our physical body. Consider and study the following spiritual provisions and begin to recognize them in your own life.
There is a teaching from the Bible (found in Matthew 19:16-26, Mark 10:17-27, and Luke 18:18-27) in which Jesus speaks of wealthy people and their ability to get to heaven (or get heaven to earth). The story is often reduced to one sentence when retold and therefore misunderstood when it is out of context.
In Matthew 19:24 Jesus states, "I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." In the very next verse we read, "When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, 'Who then can be saved?'"
We learn a lot about this teaching from the reaction of Jesus' disciples - they were astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?" The disciples didn't reply, "Yeah, we knew that rich people can't get to heaven and that only poor folks can get into heaven."
It was understood that a wealthy person had the time and financial resources required to fully follow the Biblical prescription for charity and worship. Even today, many poor working people can't take time off to fully participate in all of the Biblical holy days and festivals. Many wealthy people have worked hard to achieve and maintain their wealth. The Bible teaches that wealth is obtained through living an upright life and being submitted to God. So, wealth isn't a sign of debauchery, but of discipline and order. The young wealthy man in Jesus' story had followed all of the commandments since his youth. So, it was with this in mind that the disciples were astonished and asked, "Who then can be saved?'"
In recent years it became popular to wear bracelets, t-shirts, and other items displaying the letters WWJD, posing the question: What Would Jesus Do?
Perhaps a new trend should be started with items that display the letters WWJRD to ask the question: What Would Jesus REALLY Do?
The answer might surprise you.
Gandhi once stated, "If Christians would really live according to the teachings of Christ, as found in the Bible, all of India would be Christian today."
Historically, there are actually two Gospels relating to Jesus: (a) The Gospel about Jesus, and, (b) The Gospel of Jesus.
(a) The "Gospel About Jesus" is what most Christians are familiar with. This consists of the observations that others have had regarding the life of Jesus. It is a message that was elaborated on by his followers and those who lived after him up to this day. The present-day Christian religion includes additional teachings, texts, and lessons from Church history over the past two millennia. The "Gospel about Jesus" is predominantly focused on the birth (Christmas story) and death (Easter story) of Jesus. For this reason, the symbols of modern-day Christianity are that of the manger and the cross. The holidays of Christmas and Easter are perhaps the most observed Christian holidays.
Why aren't the most common religious symbols of Christianity something representative of the life of Jesus such as a cup of water, a loaf of bread, a piece of woodwork, or a fish (other than the one stuck to the back of cars)? In some ways, it seems that modern-day Christianity is focused on the very brief bookend events that mark the start and end of the days Jesus lived on this earth. This seems odd. When we remember someone at a memorial service, we remember them for the life they lived - not the death they died. Why is the life of Jesus largely ignored by many who follow him?
(b) The "Gospel of Jesus" is different than the “Gospel About Jesus.” The “Gospel of Jesus” is the gospel message that Jesus preached and lived while on this earth. Paradoxically, it is this message that is quite different from the theology adhered to by many present-day followers of Jesus. We know that Jesus was born Jewish. He was raised Jewish. In his adult life he lived as a Jew and his central message was that of Jewish renewal. He quoted exclusively from Jewish sacred texts even though other religious texts would have been available in his day. Even unto death, Jesus never renounced Judaism. Since Judaism was central to his faith and life, it's perplexing that the followers of Jesus today don't pursue the study and practice of Judaism.
Today, it is primarily Jewish people who continue to preach the "Gospel of Jesus" which is a gospel about the Kingdom of Heaven becoming manifested upon the earth. This is the Jewish message of Tikkun Olam - the earth being healed and repaired by people who are empowered by God. By contrast, many Christians preach that the earth will be destroyed by an end times war - and they, subsequently, seem to live in a way that would help expedite the fulfillment of that vision. This is troubling. More about the gospel that Jesus preached can be found here: http://www.resourcesforlife.com/groups/jesusforjudaism/
It's been suggested that ignoring Judaism (the actual faith and religion of Jesus) may have contributed to corruption in the Church throughout history. Even among top leaders in the Church today we've recently seen indiscretions such as illegal drug use, adultery, married men pursuing sexual relations with other men, and men in top leadership positions seeking sexual encounters with teenage boys. These people are not hypocrites. These are not people pretending to be Christians who really aren't. The fact is that many people who are thoroughly indoctrinated in modern-day evangelical Christianity are failing to live a life consistent with the principles of Jesus.
Within the study of Christian Eschatology much attention is given to the character referred to as the Anti-Christ. It is believed by some that an Anti-Christ will rise up in the "last days" to deceive many. Some have suggested that the "Jesus" people are following today is, indeed, the Anti-Christ. They would say that the modern-day Jesus we have fashioned with our own hands is a kind of Golden Calf that we worship. Yet, his image (and message) is quite different from the true Jesus of 2000 years ago.
Just as a child has a spirit or soul before it is physically born, it is believed that an Anti-Christ would need to exist in spirit form prior to becoming physically manifested. Some believe that an Anti-Christ could simply exist in spirit form and never take on a physical form. They believe that the Anti-Christ would (in spirit-form) simply influence people in positions of power to do its bidding. As an example, some believe that Hitler was not the Anti-Christ, but instead a leader who was controlled by the Anti-Christ spirit.
The Anti-Christ is understood to be an entity that is the opposite of Christ. So, before being able to understand the nature of the Anti-Christ, one must know the true person and spirit of Christ. There are many aspects of Christ's life and message that one could compare and contrast. These are clearly presented in "The Gospels" found in the New Testament. Some of the most salient themes to Christ's life are: (1) the importance of worshipping God alone, (2) the importance of Judaism, and (3) establishing Heaven on Earth.
(1) Worshipping God Alone. One of the central messages of Jesus' life and teaching was that he did not want to be worshipped. He encouraged people to worship God alone. However, today, many people worship (and pray to) Jesus rather than God - or they worship Jesus as God. The danger in this practice is that if an Anti-Christ type of character were to rise up today and deceive people into believing he was the Messiah, people would begin worshipping him as God. The practice of worshipping an invisible Messiah as God prepares people for worshipping a physically manifested Messiah as a God. This, indeed, has already happened with "pied pipers" such as Jim Jones and David Koresh whose devotees followed them to a less than heavenly end. I personally have met and interviewed people who follow spiritual leaders and they pray to those religious leaders (even when they are not present) as if they were deities. This is precisely the practice that Jesus was intent on preventing. What Would Jesus Really Do? He would encourage people to worship God, and not himself. This is, in fact, what he did while he was alive.
(2) The Importance of Judaism. Jesus was in a position to create an entirely new religion that could have been as multi-faceted as the hundreds of colorful and wildly creative deities found in Hinduism. He could have been the central figure of this new religion. Instead, he called his student and critics to follow Judaism and worship the one God of Judaism - a deity which seems to encompass all the traits and powers of Brama, Shiva, and Vishnu combined. When Jesus was asked what the most important teaching is, he quoted the Shema (“Shema Yisrael Adonai Elohenu Adonai Echad”) – the central prayer of Judaism that is recited every day. Since Judaism was the central message of Jesus, it is understandable that the core principle of the Anti-Christ agenda would be manifested as anti-Semitism. So, the modern-day expression of anti-Semitism is essentially rooted in an Anti-Christ mentality. World-wide, anti-Semitism is at an all-time high. The president of Iran recently organized a Holocaust Denial conference. While the president of Iran denies that a Holocaust could happen, at the same time he publicly calls for the destruction of all Jews and appears to be taking the initiative to accomplish such an end. The Jewish people are a living testament to the existence of God. For this reason, those who hate God also hate the Jews. At the core of the Anti-Christ mentality is Anti-Semitism, and at the core of anti-Semitism is "anti-Godism" - a denial of God and God's people. So, ultimately, anti-Semitism isn't about anger directed toward Jewish people, but rather it is about anger directed toward the God they represent. Worldwide, acts of anti-Semitism are at very high levels as reported in a recent documentary by Two Cats Productions:
http://www.twocatstv.com/antisemitism21st.php
(3) Heaven on Earth. The life and message of Jesus Christ can be summarized quite simply and succinctly. Jesus believed that people who worship God (and focus on the positive attributes of God) within the context of Judaism, will be transformed in a positive way that can bring about Heaven on Earth. In the "Lord's Prayer" Jesus teaches that we should pray for God's Kingdom to come to earth. The message of Jesus does not necessarily exclude other world religions. For example, principles presented in in Buddhism are consistent with the teachings and life of Christ. Numerous books have been written on this topic. There are many other examples of how various religions are identical in their mission, goals, methods and beliefs. We all recognize that cooperation, peace, kindness, gentleness, forgiveness, mercy, grace, understanding, and love are common among all world religions which pursue a more equitable and joyful world. These positive attributes are also central to the lives of many non-religious people. So, most of humanity (religious and non-religious) are actually united by a belief in these positive traits. Unfortunately, there are some people who don't want Heaven on Earth. I was recently visiting the website of The Foundation for a Better Life which is part of The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. As I was exploring the site, it soon stopped working. At that moment I witnessed the website become hijacked and defaced by hackers. What kind of person would want to destroy a site dedicated to kindness? This year, the film Black Christmas is due out in theaters across the nation on Christmas day. It is the violent antithesis of the Christmas message. There are also "Eight Films to Die For" - a series of other horror films being released in theaters nation-wide from October through December like a time-released venomous message that clearly contradicts the message offered by Jesus (the Prince of Peace, not violence) and Judaism. These films are totally inappropriate anytime of year, but particularly offensive during Thanksgiving, Chanukah, and Christmas. This is perhaps the worst year in history in regard to violent films. Unfortunately there are people intent on promoting and profiting from violence and destruction rather than promoting peace and healing. War is perhaps the most obvious manifestation that contradicts the message of heaven on earth. For this reason, it's perplexing that, some of Jesus' most ardent followers today are the greatest proponents of war. Quotes about war can be found here:
http://www.resourcesforlife.com/groups/activist/newsarchive.htm
Some people preach that "the End is Coming." According to Jesus (and Judaism), the only end that is coming is an end to suffering on earth and a beginning to peace and heaven on earth. As we head into 2007, I believe that world-wide peace, rationalism, and cooperation will be on the rise as heaven is seen to become more manifest on earth through the principle of eminent domain. I believe that the elements fueling Anti-Christ, anti-Semitic, and anti-God thinking and action will diminish.
More information about the "Gospel of Jesus" can be found here:
http://www.resourcesforlife.com/groups/jesusforjudaism/
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