The Magnificat? Part-One.

Problems for Protestant Christians!

The main problem with the Song of Mary is that of her veneration by the Roman Church and other Orthodoxy, Coptic’s, Maronites, Armenian and so on?

But if these reformation ideas are explained and then excused we have a marvelous revelation of the humbleness and humility of this chosen young girl to allow the incarnate Jesus to enter into humanity!

The beginning of this song opens with exaltation to God, rather than the word praise that is used in many translation. There is an important deeper meaning to this interaction between humanity and eternity and next time we will see the problems of replacement theology that has done much damage to the misunderstandings by the commonwealth of Israel to the Jewish race?

Luke 1:46-56, Psalm 34:2-3, 102:17, 111:9, Isaiah 12:2-3, 45:25, 1 Corinthians 1:26-28, Jeremiah 10:6.

Preparing for Christmas!

A different kind of Year?

Many governments are still locking down places of worship and making it difficult for Christians, when pub, clubs, and shopping malls can be flooded with thousands of people? It reveals to us that in Britain and many other countries that our leaders are pagan in their idealism and hostile to the truth that points out their own failings!

Christmas and Easter are the large festivals for the Ekklesia, in relation to the birth of Jesus the Jewish Messiah and the Saviour of the world, while Eater marks that important death for the final atonement for sin and the promise through Jesus resurrection of eternal life.

We who preach, teach, witness and share have to be prepared well in advance for these holidays using traditional methods, but also allowing younger believers to use the latest in technology and the Internet?

Our mission field has expanded from the local community to the world and we must not be afraid, but rejoice in what God is doing in these last days!

Psalm 22:31, 71:17-18, Isaiah 3:9, 42:9, Matthew 10:7, Mark 16:15, Acts 26:23, Romans 4:17, Colossians 1:28, Titus 3:5, Hebrews 12:24, 1 John 1:5, Revelation 14:6.

Satan and the Devil. Three.

Halloween spooky Fun?

All Hallows is perhaps one of the most important lessons in the Church in relation to showing children and young people that the light of Jesus has victory over darkness, it also helps to show them good from wrong!

But the problem lays with us believers, since many today do not believe in the Devil, seeing him as a mythical or fun creature with hors, a tail between his leg and a pitch fork?

But we who have been attacked, who suffer intimidation, threats or many kinds from criminal gangs on estates, know better and really need to have a daily assurance from time to time that God is still there to hear us and help us!

Jesus came to save sinners, to save those in darkness, those in sexual deviancy, crime, prison and slavery, Halloween is a great opportunity not to be missed but used to cut crime and much more dishonesty in our community with village, stick or town!

Isaiah 42:7, 16, Matthew 6:13, Luke 1:79, John 8:12, 9:5, 12:46, 2 Thessalonians 3:13, 1 Peter 3:17, 2 Peter 1:19, Revelation 22:11.

Media Misinformation!

Christianity Blocked Off?

In some ways the whole world reports what their respective governments want us to here, rather than the whole truth! Perhaps what we have in the west is the freedom to debate and yet one is getting the feeling that this too is being controlled to a moderate or equal level that is not what it claims to be?

Fake news has come into the world vocabulary through a world leader that does not tell us much of any truth himself and the media circus loves it, as they love, Putin, N-Korea, Zimbabwe and now Belarus!

But the good news of Christian activity and the daily attacks world wide do not get reported in Christian countries, but to a select few radio stations, networks primarily in the U.S. and to newspapers and magazines!

The truth be told more Christians are suffering from Islamic inspired attacks in Europe, as in other parts of the world were it is expected?

Psalm 15:2, 25:5, 91:4, John 4:18, 8:32, Romans 2:8, 8:35, 16:25, 1 Corinthians 13:6, Ephesians 4:24, 1 Timothy 2:4, 6:5, 2 Timothy 4:4, 1 Peter 1:22, Revelation 7:14.

Mark 16! Part-Two.

Great Spiritual powers Displayed?

Many Christians today have grown dismissive of the impossible, of the power of healing and many other areas that seem to be very controversial when related to the work of the Holy Spirit within the believer!

Many are to comfortable in the Bible lesson preaching and not active in evangelism or sharing their faith, some of us have become lazy believing once we are saved we will just hang around in Church until Heaven?

These verses reveal the power of God at work in all believers who are open to serve Him and shows us that we are a protected people!

Yes we will suffer at times and be rejected by a hostile world that ridicules all that challenges its desire for sin and dishonesty, but in these last words in the gospel of Mark we are commissioned to go into community, work, family and share what God, what Jesus has and is and will be doing for us?

Mark 16:9-20, (17-18), Acts 28:3-5, 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28-30, James 3:8, Revelation 22:2.

Mark 16! Part-One.

The last twelve Verses?

Most believers do not see these technical sections of the scriptures, most denominational teaching cover them up for the lay Christian and since the Apostle Paul warned us about not getting into these arguments it is perhaps wise!

But as one grows and starts to preach and teach we learn some knowledge that can be troubling or debatable for those who like to question the context of the Holy Scriptures and the languages that they have been written in?

On reading these twelve verses, there is a different style to them from the rest of the Gospel of Mark and early Greek transcripts do not have them but that does not mean that they should not be there!

What they reveal is unbelief amongst the Disciples to Jesus rising from the dead and this is a understood state of mind, since most fled in fear from the garden when Jesus was arrested, even one in his birthday suit!

The others is of events that are related to the forty days that Jesus spent on the Earth in Israel between His resurrection and His Ascension!

Mark 16:8-20, Mark 14:52, John 20:15, 25, Acts 1:1-11, 1 Timothy 6:4, Titus 3:9.

Christian Martyrdom!

Being a Christian?

We would never consider that believers in Europe, Australia or N-America could be martyred for their faith in Jesus and that only happens in Africa, Asia or the Middle-East?

That has been the traditional view now for some two hundred years or so, but it is changing and not with the obvious threat of terrorism but more closer to home with the ideals of unbelief and secular humanism?

Nations are now being pressured by image, by feelings and what is expected of us in not offending anybody except those who hold to the Christian faith! The reason being that the Holy Bible always proves true in the falseness of human idealism and it selfishness to oppose the truth?

We do not think that their are many believers today, who live in comfort would consider making a stance for Jesus? But there are equally many inner city believers who suffer more so for faith in Jesus and some may be murdered for a plethora of reasons that either the state and the police refuse to accept as Martyrdom!

Job 2:10, Psalm 43:2, 107:39, Philippians 1:29, 2 Thessalonians 1:5-6, 2 Timothy 1:8, 4:5, Hebrews 13:3, James 5:10, 1 Peter 2:19-20, 2 Peter 2:13, Revelation 18:15.

Believers Baptism?

A tough area of Contention!

Should a Born-Again believer be baptised or not?

Is it important to be baptised and do we have too be?

These and many more complex questions have been debated in Ekklesia over the last two-thousand years, and even today there is no clear understanding that is acceptable to all sides!

Many of the early Churches from three-hundred Ad to the time of the German Reformation of Martin Luther went with child baptism, since it was easier and pleased most? The Church from that time kept an exclusiveness on the Scriptures, through the clergy and the common man had to take the word or control as it was distributed with local superstitions and curses?

The most tremendous fact about baptism is that of the thief on the cross who entered heaven, without being baptised! This perhaps is the best clarification on the matter that are faith is on Jesus and focussed on how we are lead by Him and will follow Him doing, loving, caring and showing concern, while witnessing His truth to the dying world around us!

Luke 23:43. Romans 5:21, 1 Timothy 1:15, Hebrews 7:25, Revelation 2:7.

Effective Ministry?

Many groups and Meetings!

Some fellowships do very little and rely on the community, others act in a silly way bringing golf and the funfair to their buildings in the hope of raising the attendance numbers? While others are full of activity, from house groups to meetings and yet there is no essential results of attendance or growth?

Good leadership is needed from the Pastor to the elders or deacons or what ever way you make that call! Organisation and review is as important, while the prayer meeting is one of the focuses of the believers to pray weekly on the events, the direction of the Ekklesia, the sick, troubles and the surrounding community!

Preaching the Gospel with emphasis on the Cross, the need for personal salvation and that believers share their faith at work, home, school and other without the fear of humans is the key to success!

Leviticus 19:15, Psalm 91:5, Isaiah 8:12, Acts 8:25, 1 John 4:18, 5:9-11, Revelation 22:20.

The Value of Preaching? Two.

The Altar Call?

At one time this was the essential of leading those who were ready to repent to faith in Jesus, despite the terminology it remained an effective tool in Evangelism to lead to the lost to Jesus!

The preaching of Jesus death and resurrection remains essential today in ever increasing hostile and anti-Christian world! Our societies are in a state of moral collapse and the world is justifying sin, since it sees the Church doing the same!

An active Church is one that is preaching and reaching, while also comforting and helping the needy of the believers conscience rather than some far flung government scheme! Prayer must not be used as an excuse not to talk to people and share our faith with them?

Colossians 2:12, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, 2 Peter 1:8, Revelation 1:4, 11, 20.