‘Trust in You’ – Chris Sayburn

Critics Of Bible Silenced Once Again: Archaeological Discoveries Prove Old Testament To Be Accurate

https://www.christiansinpakistan.com/critics-of-bible-silenced-once-again-archaeological-discoveries-prove-old-testament-to-be-accurate/

July 18 – Unjust Punishment

~ Beejai

He was handed over to die because of our sins, and he was raised to life to make us right with God. (Romans 4:25)

Relate: Some times life just is not fair. I had a strong sense of the injustice of the world even at a tender age. I was probably eight at the time. I was making some toast in the kitchen when my sister came in and got a drink. She came in through the dining room door, poured herself a glass, then left out towards the office without shutting the fridge. Not thirty seconds later my mom appeared in the kitchen through the dining room door. She saw the open door and me buttering my toast and set in on scolding me for leaving the door open. My protestations of innocence only added lying to my crime which made the entire situation far worse. I don’t remember what my punishment ended up being… probably I had to wash the dishes for the next few days. All I remember was the injustice.

Growing up, I was the brat, my sister was the angel. If I did something wrong I would get in trouble. If she did something wrong, if there was even a sliver of uncertainty of who the culprit was, I would get in trouble. Though she will deny it to this day, we both know there was more than a few times I took the punishment on her behalf. The thing is, I don’t ever think I took that punishment voluntarily. Let me take that a step further: I am absolutely certain there was not one instance where she was getting in trouble and I volunteered to take her place. To be fair, the opportunities for me to take her punishment were few and far between. I was getting punished far more often than she was but despite the far greater number of opportunities, she never volunteered to take my place either.

We didn’t because people don’t. It just isn’t done. Maybe on occasion a spouse or a parent or child will take this noble walk, but even then it is a very rare thing. Yet we were strangers to God when He took our place. We were considered his enemies when He died for us. That is beyond my comprehension.

Continue reading:

https://theriverwalk.org/2017/07/18/july-18-unjust-punishment/

Entertainment and Worship

https://pjcockrell.wordpress.com/2017/07/13/entertainment-and-worship/

4 Essentials for Spiritual Maturity

From Kent Hughes

When the New Testament addresses spiritual maturity, it uses the common Greek word teleios, which means “perfect” or “complete.” When it is applied to Christian growth, it indicates spiritual maturity in contrast to childlike immaturity as, for example, in this command from Paul: “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature (teleioi).” (1 Cor. 14:20; see also Heb.5:13–6:1). Sometimes it indicates perfection, as in Jesus’ summary command in the Sermon on the Mount: “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly father is perfect” (Matt.5:48). Spiritually, it always references solid, biblically informed understanding and conduct in Christ—spiritual adulthood.

Significantly, the job description for pastors is freighted with the responsibility of bringing the church to spiritual maturity, as stated in classic words to the church in Ephesus:

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ, until all attain to the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature [teleion] manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. (Eph. 4:11–13)

The question for all pastors and elders is How? Here, we suggest four essentials.

Read them: http://www.ligonier.org/blog/4-essentials-spiritual-maturity/

Jesus

(Podcast) “5 Signs of a Healthy Church” (Acts 2:42-47)

Acts 2:42-47

1. A healthy church holds the sign of APOSTOLIC THEOLOGY (2:42a, 43).
2. A healthy church holds the sign of UNITED FELLOWSHIP (2:42b, 44-45).
3. A healthy church holds the sign of JOYFUL WORSHIP (2:42c, 46).
4. A healthy church holds the sign of DEVOTED PRAYER (2:42d, 46).
5. A healthy church holds the sign of INTENTIONAL EVANGELISM (2:47).

https://bellatorchristi.com/2017/07/20/podcast-5-signs-of-a-healthy-church-acts-242-47/