Saturday 1:40 AM CDT
4 September 2010
If you’re searching for …
Faith rather than simply religion
Virtue rather than simply values
Relationship rather than rule-keeping
Divine help rather than self-help
Then we may be the place for you!
Tags: contrast community, welcome
Our relationship with God inspires us to undertake the spiritual transformational journey Paul writes about in Romans Chapter 12. He makes it clear that our ultimate goal is to be pleasing to God and, therefore, we are motivated to become more Christ-like every day. In this way we are transformed into the spiritual beings God created us to be.
In the opening scenes of the story, a treasure hunter/archeologist is searching for an item of great value. To the natives who worship it, it is a god. To the one who is seeking it, it carries intrinsic value beyond the precious metal from which it is shaped. The idol is from an ancient time, wrapped in mystery and danger. The idol serves as master over both the natives who worship it and the man who seeks it.
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to provide critical commentary on the associated film qualifies
as fair use under U.S. copyright law. Any other use may be
copyright infringement
There was a time when the phrase “let your conscious be your guide” was considered sage advice. If you are like me you’re old enough to remember when that saying was popular in American culture; the names Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket still bring a smile to your face.
Original theatrical release poster– from Wikipedia
Following is a quote from “The Ghost and the Darkness,” screenplay by William Goldman:
“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” (Hosea 4:6)
Hosea blames the priesthood– Horne, C., & Bewer, J. (1909; 2009).
The Bible and its Story, Volume 7: The Prophets, Isaiah to Ezekiel.
Francis R. Niglutsch; New York, NY.
War was a way of life for Israel in the days of Saul. He fought against all his enemies — Moab, Ammon, Edom, and the Philistines. I Samuel says, “Wherever he turned, he inflicted punishment.” The war against the Philistines waged all the days of Saul’s reign. Saul had three sons; Jonathan was most prominent.
Public domain from Wikipedia
We’ve all heard the saying “use it or lose it. That adage very much applies to knowledge. If knowledge is not used or passed on it tends to get lost in history. For instance, when I was a child every boy knew how to make a homemade kite out of newspaper and tree branches. Today, however, with the invention of video games, computers and iPods, making and flying kites is a lost art.
When the occasion arises, I relate briefly the story of my birth to unsuspecting visitors to San Antonio by saying, “I remember the day I was born! …
… From the ninth floor window of the Nix Hospital, I was able to see red powerboats motoring up and down the San Antonio River.”
Many years ago George Santayana wrote . . . “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
George Santayana (1863-1952), Spanish-American
philosopher, essayist, poet, and novelist
As Americans everywhere pause to honor their fathers, on Father’s Day, it is good to remind ourselves of its beginning.
Sin always has consequences — sometimes in the present and sometimes in the future.
The prophet Nathan accuses King David
Throughout history God has used messengers or prophets to engage the culture on his behalf.
The Prophet Jonah by James Tissot
“God whispers in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but he shouts in our pains: it is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” C. S. Lewis’ The Problem with Pain
In Paul’s letter to the Colossians he commends them because, even though they are under significant pressure from the surrounding culture to leave the truth of the gospel for false doctrines, they refuse to give in.
Tel Colossae near the modern town of Honaz, Turkey.
Easley, K. H. (2002). Holman QuickSource Guide to
Understanding the Bible (313).
Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
Sanctify the Lord in your hearts and always be ready to give an answer to everyone who asks you for a reason regarding the hope that is in you, yet answer with gentleness and reverence”
(1 Pet 3:15).
Peter’s instructions to believers to engage culture with an answer for our hope can be one of our most challenging tasks, especially when the question is why is there evil in the world?
A fellow named Erwin W. Lutzer once said, “Discipline is a proof of our sonship.”
Unfortunately today the predominant culture in America is no longer Christian.
The Greek word “atheoi,” as it appears in the Epistle to the Ephesians (2:12)
on the early 3rd-century Papyrus 46. It is usually translated into English as
“[those who are] without God.”– from wikipedia.org
There is a short story written by Zane Grey called “Monte Price’s Nightingale.”
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