WHAT WE WANT TO HEAR

Ahab had four hundred prophets who all prophesied the things that Ahab wanted to hear. They all told Ahab to go into battle and be victorious. But Jehosophat was not convinced by the numbers and unity of Ahab's prophets, so he asked, "Is there not a prophet of the LORD here whom we can inquire of?" (1Kin 22:7) Eventually a lone prophet of the LORD, Micaiah, was called. His message was very different and foretold the death of Ahab and the scattering of Israel. It was the message Ahab was afraid to hear, yet it was the message of the LORD. Having heard it, Ahab instead decided to follow the predictions of the four hundred other prophets while taking precautions to try and foil the fulfilment of Micaiah's prophecy. It didn't work, and Ahab died in the battle.

We often need advice. We probably don't have multitudes of prophets to ask - or even one prophet. But even in asking advice from friends, family or work colleagues, we need to be careful. As Ahab discovered, the advice we want to hear is not always right nor is it always the majority who are right. But advice from the LORD will always be right. Let's make sure we do what is right and listen to the advice of the LORD above all else. Let's not base our decisions on the philosophy, opinions or wisdom of mere man.

Robert Prins [Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)]

CONFIDENCE IN PRAYER

When the prophets of Baal called to Baal, they used every way they could to get Baal's attention. They called on him, then they called louder, then they cut themselves to make him take notice. They frantically called to Baal all day, from morning to night, and still they had no response. But when Elijah prayed to the LORD it only took one short, relatively quiet prayer, for God to hear and respond to Elijah.

Elijah did not need to shout or draw attention to himself. He did not need to cry to God all day or choose the right time in case God was busy else where. He did not need to offer frantic prayers or have lots of speaking. Elijah knew that his God could hear and answer prayer from anywhere, at any time, even though the prayer might be said in just a whisper for only a second. Elijah had the confidence that the LORD his God was alive and cared enough to listen to his people and to respond to their prayers.

Elijah's God has not changed, and neither has Baal. Baal still will not hear, but the LORD our God can hear us no matter how short or quiet our prayers are, wherever they are said, and whenever we say them. Let's be as confident in the LORD our God as Elijah was.

Robert Prins [Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)]

Omnipotence of God

I am sure that never was a people, who had more reason to acknowledge a Divine interposition in their affairs, than those of the United States; and I should be pained to believe that they have forgotten that agency, which was so often manifested during our Revolution, or that they failed to consider the omnipotence of that God who is alone able to protect them.

George Washington

Thomas Was Not Speaking Of Christ's Deity

When Thomas referred to Jesus as “My God” he was not speaking of his deity.

John 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Thomas, a Jew, used a mode of expression common to the Old Testament. Angels are called God in Gen. 16:7 cf. vs 13. Often accredited representatives of God are referred to as “God”. Elohim translated “God” in many passages, refers to the judges of Israel in Psa. 82:1,6. Elohim is also translated Judges in Ex. 22:28.

Notice earlier in this chapter, Jesus told Mary, “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God and your God.” (vs. 17) Since Jesus was ascending to his God, then clearly he could not himself “Very God”. This passage clearly does not speak of the deity of Christ.

Acts 2:34-36 Does Not Speak of Deity

In Acts 2:34-36, Peter quotes Ps 110:1 to establish Jesus’ status as lord. Many take this to mean that Peter is attempting to establish Jesus' deity and they point to Ps 110:1 as proof.

Psalms 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

In this passage Yahweh (3068) said to Adoni (113) "Sit thou at my right hand..."

This passage is obviously messianic and Adown, the second "Lord," speaks of Jesus. Those who say that Peter is establishing Jesus' deity, say that because the Hebrew word Adown (113) is used, it means deity. What these folks fail to take into account is that Adown (113) is a common word for lord and had David (The author of Ps 110.) expected the Messiah to be God, he would have used the closely related word Adonay (136) which speaks almost exclusively of deity. A word study of Adown (113) and Adonay (136) will support this.

Considering the above, one cannot use these passages to establish the deity of Jesus.

Two Witnesses

Deuteronomy 17:6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.

It takes two witnesses to put a man to death!

Deuteronomy 19:15 One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.

But at the mouth of two or three witnesses shall the matter be established.

Below are eight witnesses saying there is but one God or alludes to it and of those eight witnesses, two of them say that the one God is the Father. How then can Christ be deity?

Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

Malachi 2:10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us? why do we deal treacherously every man against his brother, by profaning the covenant of our fathers?

Mark 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

1 Corinthians 8:6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Ephesians 4:6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

James 2:19 Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

My Father....is greater than all.

John 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

If the Father is "greater than all," is not the Father then greater than the Son? How then can the Son be co-equal as in the doctrine of the Trinity?

GRUMBLING

From the time Moses went back to Egypt until after they were settled in the promised land, a constant murmuring was heard in the camp of Israel. They were a nation of grumblers. If things were not just right, they would grumble against Moses and against the LORD. They grumbled about the work, the water, the food, the leadership, the desert, the giants in the land and it went on and on and on for more than forty years.

Having seen this characteristic in God's people Israel after they had been redeemed, we should look carefully at ourselves. After all, we are all human and what is a problem to one person is often a problem to more of us, though it is sometimes hard to see it in ourselves.

Take note of the tone of your conversation next time you find yourself talking about someone else. Are we praising them, planning encouragement or criticizing and complaining? Does it make a difference whether we think they deserve our criticisms or not? Israel seemed to think that Moses deserved their grumblings - and yet how wrong they were!

The bottom line is that God does not like us grumbling. It is a sin. Let's remove it from our lives and be positive. Let's encourage instead of complain, and share our needs with God instead of gossiping about things that have gone wrong.

Are you humbly grateful or grumbly hateful?

Robert Prins [Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)]

Tribulation

"God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain." C.S. Lewis

The Apostle Paul was not a Trinitarian

Paul, the most prolific New Testament writer, gave honor to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ in the introductory salutation of every one of his epistles. However, he did not mention the Holy Spirit. Why would he not honor the third person of the Trinitarian Godhead?

It is interesting to note that when he does include a third name it is not the Holy Spirit. Consider:

1Ti 5:21 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of His chosen angels,.....

If the Holy Spirit is the third member of the Trinity, why are angles mentioned in the place of it.

One can only conclude that Paul was not a Trinitarian.

The Only True God

John 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

These are Jesus’ words. He was speaking to his Father and called Him the only true God. How then can Christ be God?

Live as though Christ died yesterday, rose from the grave today, and is coming back tomorrow.

Theodore Epp

Power on Earth

In Matthew chapter 9 we see a story of a man sick of the palsy brought before Jesus. Jesus said to him, “Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.” (v. 2) The scribes got upset and considered this blasphemy. (v. 3) But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking said to them, “But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house.” (v. 6)

The Greek word for power, as in “power on earth” above, is expisoa. Thayer (1), and Strong (2)both say this Greek word means: power of choice, liberty of doing as one pleases; leave or permission.

It can be seen from the above definition of the Greek word expisoa, that although the word means “power of choice” there’s a strong sense of having “leave or permission”. In other words, this power of choice is delegated (3).

Delegated from whom? Leave or permission from whom? The answer can be found in verse 8, “and the multitudes having seen, wondered, and glorified God, who did give such power to men.” This power came from God!

If then, according to the doctrine of the deity of Christ, Jesus is co-equal with the Father, why did the power to forgive sins need to be delegated to him from God?

The answer can be found in verse 8. God gave “such power to men.” Jesus, although the Son of God, was a man and only a man. (See Rom 5:15, 1 Tim. 2:5,)

Reference:

(1) Joseph Henry Thayer, D.D., The New Thayer’s Greek - English
Lexicon of the New Testament (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers,
1981) p. 225

(2) God’s Word for Windows, Strong’s # 1849

(3) W.E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger and William White, JR., Vine’s
Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Atlanta: Thomas
Nelson Publishers, 1985), p. 479

The Creeds and the Deity of Christ

As alluded to in the Nicene Creed, and stated in the Athanasian Creed, “in this Trinity none is afore, or after other: none is greater, or less than another.” If then this is true, that the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are co-equal, “none is greater, or less than another,” why does Jesus say, “the Father is greater than I?” Consider:


John 14:28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come [again] unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.


If Jesus is co-equal with the Father, then why did he need to be taught by his Father? Consider:

John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am [he], and [that] I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.


These two passages are just the beginning of problems found in scripture with the doctrine of the Trinity and the deity of Christ as defined in the Creeds. In fact, for every so called “proof” text for the Trinity or the deity of Christ, there is a simple and reasonable way of looking at them that does not require the Trinity or the deity of Christ.

I believe in Christianity

I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.
C. S. Lewis

SAFETY FROM THE STORM

What a storm! It was one of the most dramatic events in the history of mankind when it rained for 40 days and 40 nights and the earth opened up and all the springs of water flowed to the top. This was the time that God flooded the earth to destroy sinful men. But Noah and his family were righteous so God told them to build an ark so that they would be safe from the storm that was coming. When Noah, his family and all the animals were in the ark, God shut the door and they were sealed in. Then it rained and water poured out on the earth from the springs while the ark and it's precious cargo floated safely, guided by the hand of God and protected from the water that destroyed every other living thing. Noah and his family did not avoid the storm but they were sheltered from its devastating effects. No doubt they were swirled and tossed around on top of the water, but they escaped death.

Jesus promised us peace if we put our trust in him. Storms of unrest may rage around us but in the midst of it all God's anchor holds and we can be saved from the devastation and have his peace in our hearts. So let's do what he tells us to do today and experience the peace of God even in the midst of a storm.

Robert Prins Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)

"My Father is greater than all"

John 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.

If the Father is "greater than all," is not the Father then greater than the Son? How then can the Son be co-equal as in the doctrine of the Trinity?

Worldwide protests denounce Israel

The headline reads, "Worldwide protests denounce Israel."

Why is it there are no worldwide protests about the rockets and mortars fired into Israel? Why is Israel the bad guy on the block? For months Israel has absorbed rockets and mortars and now they have finally responded they are at fault. Doesn't make sense to me.