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Shalom! Recently I conducted a Bible Study on Mark 4:1-20. Using "The Farmer in Bible Times" by The Way Magazine as a guide, the Holy Spirit revealed the powerful work of evangelism, salvation and sanctification. I look forward to sharing my findings with you and discussing your thoughts!

Is the 10/40 window term used by Christian missionaries to loosely define areas of the world with "highest level of socioeconomic challenges and least access to the Christian message and Christian resources on the planet" ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10/40_window ) , and thus areas that need missionaries sort of quaint and grossly oversimplified? Apart from the glaring error of the 10/40 window Not including the nation with the highest population of Muslims which is Indonesia, it also does Not include very poor Central American and some South American nations. Furthermore, the computer internet technology advancements that started around 1995 has led to smartphones, and rapid growth of the internet so a lot of poor nations even have access to the internet. Finally, it really is a gross oversimplification because a lot of European nations that are Culturally Christian like France, Sweden, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Eastern European nations,etc., have a lot of nominal Christians and atheists but said nations are Not in the 10/40 window. Could someone please provide their opinions on said topic?

Today I posted my 2000th post on Worthy Christian Forums. This is a milestone I have been somewhat regretting, There was a time, when hitting the milestone of 1000 posts, indicated to me, that I had no life, was spending far too much time online. On the one hand, let's say I spent 10 minutes on average for each post. I suspect my posts usually take far longer than that, but just for fun, 10 minutes it is. Ten minutes times 2000, it 20,000 minutes. That is 333 hours and 20 minutes. Another way of saying that is that it is equivalent to 8-1/3, 40 hour weeks, or about as much time as I would get in four years for vacation, when I was a working man. Again, this assumes only 10 minutes spent per post. I know my posts were longer than that. I am not one of those who goes into a thread and posts "I'm last" (well, maybe once or twice). Yes, you know who you are, LOL! Was my time well spent? Would it have been better, to help a neighbor clean up their yard, or even clean up my own yard? Could I have volunteered at a soup kitchen? Should I perhaps have used that time to preach the gospel to a dying world? Should I have spent time with family, instead of ignoring them?How about prayer, or reading the Bible, might I have used that time to improve my own relationship with God? Another way to ask these questions, is: "Is spending time this way, something that needs to be repented of?" Even more to the point . . .what about my time spent in the chat room here? For every minute I spend posting in the forums, I have hours logged in chat. I could not possibly come close to calculating that. To be honest with myself, and I am not saying this is true for anyone else, but . . . A lot of the time I spend at Worthy, is time spent avoiding things, (somewhat intentionally) that I know I should be doing instead. It is about entertainment, pleasure, etc. I do not think that all pleasure is wrong, by any means, but I do think that how we seek pleasure, can be an indicator of how messed up our priorities can be. Choices, we all make them frequently. Chocolate chip cookies with ice cream, or, fresh broccoli with unsweetened tea. Half an hour in prayer for those in need, or half an hour watching a rerun of "Friends" (okay, that one is easy - prayer is more entertaining). Well, this, like many of my posts and especially my blog, has no plan, no goal, it is just me starting with a seed of a thought, and then rambling on about it, just seeing where it goes. Not that it is important, but you get to see a little of what it is like to live in my head. After noticing that I just seem to be confirming something that is not news to me, that I waste a colossal amount of time engaged in being useless and exercising the gift of procrastination. Let's see if I can twist this slightly in another direction, seeing the glass as half full, instead of half empty. In the half full glass, 2000 posts in that amount of time, is only an average of one post every other day. Viewed in that light, it seems less excessive (as I slip into justification mode). However, it begs the question of what else I might I do with my time, and of any decision about repentance. Knowing that I am (as a now- more or less, self-admitted Calvinist) not naturally wired to seek what is best, I am going to partially repent. I am going to get off Worthy now, and go do something on my to do list. I am going to consider doing something 'radical', like endeavoring to tell at least one person about the gospel each day, even if I have to accost a stranger in the marketplace to do so, in this way there will be 365 less souls each year, uniformed due to my laziness. In celebration of my 2000th Worthy post, I am going to cancel my Hulu Plus subscription (right after I watch that last program waiting in my queue), and at least redeem time wasted there, replacing that time, hopefully, with Bible reading. There, a small bit of sanctification in real time, with little effort, and no pain. Contentment can be so easy!

Hi guys, I`m thinking about a project. Therefore I could use some input from you guys. Did you ever talk with some non-believers / non-Christians and were surprised by their questions about God? I therefore would like to know what you guys think are questions asked by non-believers/ non-Christians about life / God / church etc. If you only think about one question, that's also ok. I will kind of try to create a top 10 of the questions you come up with and try to order them in this first post. Top 10 asked questions by non-believers and non-Christians: 1. If God is good, why is there evil in this world? 2. I`m a good person, so why do I have to accept Jesus to go to heaven? 3. If God is so loving, why would He send someone to hell? 4. How do you know that God is real? 5. What about evidence in the Universe for the Big Bang? 6. Why did God create this world? 7. Who created God? 8. Why can't you prove there is a God? 9. Why do you say homosexuality is wrong? 10. What is "sin"? This is to prepare myself a bit and get the answers ready ;-) God bless you, Jona.

Brethren please I wanna ask, How do you deal with friends/Neighbours with very bad habits and doesn't wanna change, but rather want you to always be around them and get upset when you stay away from them?? Knowing that the bible told us to flee from such people, how do we manage their feelings so they dont feel rejected ?? Please share your experiences. Thank you.

Interesting video with Steve Cha, a Christian who witnessed to many in Hollywood.

This one is lengthy, almost 45 minutes, but I think it is worth your time. I found it fascinating and delightful, and should be encouraging and helpful to Christians. I was tempted to put it in the Bible Topics area, there is a not of Bible in it. However it is more of a testimony of the remarkable events of Corrie's life of how she came to be imprisoned in Nazi Germany for hiding Jews from persecution, and her experiences in concentration camps. Did you know fleas and lice, can be a blessing from God, and an ant can give you a sermon? There are lessons here, for any who might find themselves in persecution, (real persecution, not merely being ridiculed for your faith at the work place) to see how faith can see us through, should such events ever befall us.

I have been studying eschatology for more than 30 years now. Originally I believed in a pre-tribulation rapture because frankly it was the only view I had ever heard. One day I was listening to the radio and heard a man mentioning the fact that there were other views on the topic. This got my curiosity up and I decided to study the Bible myself and see if I could discover what the Bible itself actually taught about these things. I was really serious about it. The method I chose to employ was to read the Bible from Genesis through the Book of Revelation and write down every verse or passage that I believed spoke to the issue of the timing of the sequence of the Rapture of the Church with respect to the Great Tribulation. This took me eight months to accomplish. Once I had all of my notes, I copied them onto Post-it notes so that I could arrange them in a chronological sequence if something in the verse or passage had a clue about the order in which it fit with respect to the other verses and passages. This was done on a 4' x 8' sheet of particleboard laid out on a folding table. I tell you this in case you want to try this yourselves sometime to let you know what it takes and what you will be in for. My wife died recently and I myself am aging and have had some recent health issues. This has brought into focus the fact that my own time on earth may be limited. Actually this is true of every one of us, no one knows the time of their own death. You could have a stroke, or be in a car accident tomorrow. In Eschatology, the study of the last things, we usually think in terms of things prophesied in the Bible that are yet to come. Things like the Rapture of the Church, the Great Tribulation, the Second Coming of Jesus, Armageddon, the Millennium, these sorts of things. While many of us believe that Jesus could come at any moment, few of us really live as though we expect that to happen. We understand that it has been about 2000 years so far, and that casts some doubt our hearts and minds about whether he will really come today or tomorrow or even in a week or this year. Though I have always realized intellectually that my personal time on earth, my own life, could end in a moment, it is the events of this last year but it made me thoughtfully confront the reality of my limited time. What this means then is that no matter how delayed Jesus second coming might be, I will likely be face-to-face with Jesus within 10 or 20 years. Eschatology is then therefore not limited to the study of the last things predicted in the Bible, but we each have our own personal last days which are contained within our natural lifespans. Some people say that if it is true that Jesus will not be coming back until after the great tribulation that that removes the motivation to live as we should so that we will be found doing what we should be doing when he does return. I want to say to you that if that is what you think: "Shame on you!" The motivation to live correctly should not be a concern to not be caught failing to live as we should be living when Jesus comes at the end of the age. Jesus suffered and died on the cross for our sins. Gratefulness for our undeserved salvation should be more than enough motivation to live within the will of God without concern of the question of when Jesus will return. When we are not living correctly, we have already been 'caught'. The Holy Spirit is inside us if we are believers. God is omnipresent. Whatever we do, we drag Jesus with us. Nothing we do, nothing we say, nothing we think, goes unnoticed by God. So I think then, that for those of us who think that a pre-tribulation rapture of the church is a motivation to live rightly, with that thinking we are inclining ourselves to living wrongly. Rather than to live holy lives out of the gratitude we have for what Jesus has done for us - rather than live as dedicated servants who owe him everything - rather than realize that we are not our own but have been purchased - some of us shamefully take his grace as a license to sin because we know we have been forgiven. We live worldly lives because we think in our hearts that our master is delaying his return, even while we say with our lips He might return at any moment. Those of us who think and act in this manner are self deceived and we are hypocrites. In June of 2014, a couple months ago as I write this, I had the great privilege of delivering a sort of eulogy at my wife's memorial service. Gathered there were friends and family some of whom are believers, some who were not, and some who think they are believers and don't even understand what the difference is. It had been on my wife's heart for years that many of her family were likely destined to suffer in eternity. I know that like me, she was dissatisfied with the fact that it is easy to avoid speaking of spiritual things with loved ones because it feels awkward. Personally I feel shame that I have too often avoided that awkwardness and instead of demonstrating love by informing people of their peril, I have been willing to risk their eternal destiny for the sake of my temporary comfort . This is a great sin and I confess that as such and am attempting to repent of it. The eulogy I gave was the first significant step in telling people to re-examine their hearts and their lives and their need of salvation from their sins . This had been on my mind for years but having so many people as a captive audience at a time when the temporary nature of life was so obvious, was an opportunity that could not be passed up. What I was saying then was not just a recap of my wife's life, it was an expression of things that she had left unsaid. Confronting the fact that no matter how long it is before Jesus returns, it is true that we all have limited time left. So I realized that there are two kinds of the end times. There is the near-term end time which is represented by our limited lifespans, and there is the end times for mankind itself which began while Jesus still walked the earth and which we are in today as well. Both types of end times carry the same implications. Time is short, and there is a dying world out there that needs to understand that. Jesus himself near the end of his life told us to go out into the world and to preach the gospel to everyone. This was not a suggestion. Not just a nice idea. It's not optional. It is a command to every believer. Failing to do this is disobedience. It is sin. It is unloving. Penn Gillette, a self-professed atheist, said to the effect: "How much do you have to hate someone to believe that eternal life is possible and then not tell them how to obtain it?" I think those are pretty profound words on the topic for an atheist. It is too bad so many Christians don't get it. I have been one of them. So, in these last days of my own life I have determined to try to improve in a lot of things, but most specifically two things. The first is to be more active, perhaps even aggressive or at least assertive in evangelism. People need to understand that they are sinners. People need to know that their sin separates them from God. People need to understand that unless Jesus saves them from their sins, that separation from God is a permanent condition. They need to understand that that separation from God is a separation from everything good. Imagine if you will, what it would be like to spend eternity apart from good. Where there is no good, only evil remains. I believe that this concept of hell is accurate. I don't even like to think about it. When I try to imagine it, what I imagine is an eternity of suffering and pain, a despondent existence, a type of suffering worse than anything we have yet experienced in our lives while all the time knowing that this condition will be never ending and could have been avoided. What if life was so bad, that you never wanted to awaken, and you could never fall asleep again? If I really consider this all I can do is loathe my own evil and selfish heart, and at the same time feel an indebtedness and gratitude for the Savior who spares me from the eternity that I deserve and am apparently willing to let others earn for themselves. So, evangelism it is. I have to tell people. If I don't, I am a morally hideous monster. We do not need to have any special calling on our life to be ministers of the gospel. Where are all supposed to be evangelists. We do not have to wait for a leading of the Spirit to talk to a person about these things. We have already been told to just do it. Thing is when we realize what is at stake, we should not even have to be told. So then, the most important task that I have in my last days, the thing that I really want to be found doing when Jesus returns or when I go to be with Him if His return is delayed, it is to be telling others about God's love for them in the person of Jesus Christ who suffered and died for their sins to spare them from an eternity separated from God's love and goodness and filled with despair. When Jesus told us to go out into the world and preach the gospel to every creature he did not say to limit ourselves to evangelism. The purpose of evangelism is to make disciples, to make other followers of Jesus, and to teach them everything he taught us. One of the areas that Jesus taught about, that His apostles taught about, and that both Testaments of the Bible speak about frequently, are the end times and especially about warnings not to be deceived in them. So, because I have spent so much of the last three decades studying this area of Scripture, and because there are so many warnings not to be deceived, I feel a special responsibility to obey Jesus and tell other disciples about this topic because some are underinformed while others are deceived. I may at times sound arrogant due to the confidence I have in my understanding of eschatology, the study of the last things. I admit it, I am opinionated, passionate, and confident. When you put those three things together in one person, you have qualities which others may consider to be arrogance, maybe it is. Nevertheless I cannot in good conscience fail to attempt to pass on what I believe I have learned. I have been preparing questions for a trivia game on the topic of eschatology. While doing this I have been studying and reading the writings of others whose views are different than my own. There is one theologian in particular widely regarded as the foremost scholar on his particular viewpoint of eschatology. I have always had great respect for this man even though I disagree with him. He does deserve respect for his love of the Savior and his hard work and dedication to study. This is true of a lot of ordinary Christians as well. However after just having reviewed one of his books, I am finding so many unfounded presumptions, and faulty exercises and logic, that although I may respect his hard work, I have to reject his conclusions. Maybe I really am arrogant. However, even though I know this is redundant, I have to follow my convictions and make disciples, teaching them everything that Jesus taught his first disciples to teach other disciples in an ongoing chain until his return. Perhaps with this you can understand my focus. I hope that you can be patient with me while I am living out my faith and while the process of my own sanctification continues. I urge you, to also consider the shortness of time and make efforts to reach out to those you come in contact with and make a few disciples yourselves. Thanks for listening.

When the word worship is mentioned in a Christian context I wonder if playing music and singing are the only things that come to mind. Of course there is a lot more to worship than music and singing. In addition to doxa referring to honour in Luke 14:10, five other Greek words used in the Bible variously translate into the English word worship as follows:

Posts in this series are aimed at helping those defending the Gospel message understand how to respond to popular but fallacious arguments raised against theism. Atheist have a variety of arguments, but the New Atheists use a large number of fallacious arguments and my goal is to poison the wells to such a waste of time and effort. In 2006 Wired Magazine author Mark Wolf coins the phrase, "New Atheist." The author described Richard Dawkins arguments as "logical," demonstrating that journalism schools don't require one to have even a basic understanding of logic. Once open to scrutiny, professional philosophers that shared the atheistic worldview, but not the propagandistic approach, started speaking out. Michael Ruse, atheist, philosopher of biology at Florida State, and author of hundreds of popular and scholarly papers, observes in an article about the new atheists, "I have written elsewhere that The God Delusion makes me ashamed to be an atheist. Let me say that again. Let me say also that I am proud to be the focus of the invective of the new atheists. They are a bloody disaster and I want to be on the front line of those who say so." Read more at Why I Think the New Atheists are a Bloody Disaster - Science and the Sacred There are a host of rhetorical tricks played by so-called New Atheist and their fundamentalist followers these days. These tricks have leached into intellectually-challenged minds for decades and have achieved a certain acceptance by tweeting millennials and their ilk. The goal of this series will be to help Christians defend against the rhetoric with rationality. There is much to be discussed with "Seekers," but little or none with "Seekers In Name Only," referred to as SINOs. I will arrange these threads by the logical fallacy deployed by these New Atheists in order to serve as both a critique but also to familiarize the reader with plenty of examples so as to not follow in their footsteps. Definitions are a good place to start. Dictionaries used to be a good resource but slang and Wikipedia have led to equivocation in favor of definitions that are not either historical or very descriptive. You get to define the terms of an argument but when making truth claims make them clear by defining terms. "God exists," is a truth-claim. "God does not exist," is a truth-claim. In both cases a truth-claim is being made. In both cases the truth-claim must be defended. Now historically they were defended. But recently, the last few decades, the New Atheist says, "Atheism is the lack of belief in Gods," by this redefinition they hope to avoid the burden of proof. But it muddles the meaning of "atheism," quite badly. On this view, my cat and dog are "Atheists." I'm sitting on an "Atheist," chair as I write this thread on my "Atheist," ipad. If we wanted to join the New Atheist in their word games we could say that "Theism is the lack of belief that their are no gods," BAM we no longer have to defend our claim because I is stated in the negative! Just kidding here. We do not have to act as if we haven't ever had a philosophy 101 class. We can take an intellectual honest route of defending our claims. Of course we would give various arguments such as: Cosmological (Leibniz/Kalam) Teleological (fine-tuning or design inference for life from DNA etc.) Moral Existence of miracles/ fulfilled prophecy Various arguments from desire (no atheists in fox holes) Now to my theist friends I give the following advise: 1 - Learn how to spot logical fallacies and not use them in an argument. 2 - We can be generous to those who are genuinely seeking. If you were unaware of some of these tricks so too may some of the seekers be. 3 - If the advice above fails to help, you may just have to disengage. I often link debates and other critical peer-reviewed discussions so my opponent can engage the real argument and not play tricks. But many of these individuals are SINOs as mentioned above. You will determine this lack of intellectual engagement by their refusal to do the smallest amount of research on topics. A blanket statement advising a philosophy 101 course at their nearest jr. college when they are finally motivated to get up off their couch should suffice as an exit strategy. We are generous to genuine seekers, but to fakers and pharisees no such consideration is warranted. 4 - Remember that you engaged the conversation in good-faith and have been manipulated by propaganda. Propaganda is a shortcut for the intellectual lazy or intellectually challenged. You don't (I hope) use propaganda to manipulate the seeker, you deserve the same respect. Don't be bullied by ignorant fools. This advise cuts both ways. Ray Comfort, Ken Ham, Duane Gish all use similar fallacious propagandistic approaches to manipulate people to adopt the Christian Worldview. 5. We are not "proving anything!" Since Descartes modern philosophy has shown that we can't "prove" we are not a brain in a vat being manipulated to experience everything we experience. In fact we can't "prove" we live in an external world, with other minds (people), or that the past is real, or that the world operates consistently over time. In none. Our most foundational knowledge assumptions are "provable," what are the chances of proving theological truths based on historical information, especially given all the competing explanatory inferences? So don't get drawn into "proving" just focus on theism being the best explanation of the things we experience and the concepts we know. For theists, I recommend anything by William Lane Craig, his site is a valuable resource for beginners and advanced apologetics. For atheists, I recommend Graham Oppy, J.H. Sobel, Quinten Smith, Kai Nielsen, J.L. Mackey, Michael Ruse, and the most prolific of the bunch (before he abandoned atheism), Antony Flew. People to avoid due to propagandistic approaches: Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, Dennett, Atkins, Krauss, Coyne. For good programming that engages these issues from a rational standpoint I advise a program called, "Closer to The Truth."

Hello everyone, So, I was just wondering since Jesus told us not to bring anything when we preach the gospel in Luke 9:3, then how does that view fit into our modern society? We have Bible apps now and faith-based mobile games like Blue Letter Bible, OnePassion Ministries, Play The Bible, GLOW: Guardian Light Of the World, Reborn Crosswords and others. How do we know what the red line is? Or whether we crossed it unknowingly? Or does the red line even exist? The reason why I'm asking these questions is because some churches are using Christian apps to do evangelism and I'm not saying that it's wrong, because I don't see anything wrong with it, I'm just confuse since I'm only a baby Christian and I don't feel that it is in line with what the Lord Jesus said. But if I have a wrong notion about this stuff, then by all means please correct my thinking. I hope to see your opinions on the matter. Thanks!

Revelation 21:5, 6 - "Behold, I make all things new.....It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely." The cry from the One who sits on the throne in Revelation 21:5 is about making all things new. It doesn't say He is making "all new things," rather He is "making all things new." The Kingdom message is beginning to prevail in greater ways, because the Kingdom is all about RELATIONSHIP, not about gold streets and mansions. It is about a prepared place with Christ before the Father, even in the present moment. Evangelism is not just the work of a committee at an institutional church. Evangelism is becoming the by-product of a called-out company of the renewed saints who will return to being a "witness" of the Light in the presence of the darkness. A RISK-TAKING COMPANY There is a deeper work of the Spirit that will be an earmark in the coming days. There is a "making new" of the Lord's wineskin, His elect, His "called out company," who, as their Savior did, look out over the fields that are white unto harvest. and see them as distressed and downcast, as sheep without a shepherd. And, like their Master, this renewed company will bemoved with compassion and bring a new level of healing and wholeness to those who cry out for answers, for peace, for hope, and for deliverance! It will take a courageous, risk-taking company of the people that know their God to boldly go out to where the sinners are and speak to them of the One who is already working at some level in their lives, in order to bring them to the knowledge of the truth and the light of the glory of God in the face of the Son of God. RISING OUT OF DEAD THINGS Resurrection is becoming more than a doctrine, it is becoming a way of life. As the consumer-driven culture is losing hope in "things" and asking if there is not more to life than this, a renewed company of the elect are going to be RISING OUT OF DEAD THINGS and pressing to the mark of the prize of their high calling (their DESTINY). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Job 1:10 - "Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land." As God built a hedge around Job, which limited Satan, so today He will do the same for any child of God who applies the blood to a given situation. The blood is the hedge that stops the Destroyer. Revelation 12:11 - "And they overcame him by the BLOOD of the Lamb and by the WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY, and they did not love their lives to the death." Exodus 12:7,13 - "And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side-posts and on the upper door post of the houses....And the blood shall be to you and for a token upon the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt." Confessions: I OVERCOME ALL FEAR, DEPRESSION, UNBELIEF, WAVERING AND HALFHEARTEDNESS, DISCOURAGEMENT, TEMPTATION, AND SICKNESS BY THE PRECIOUS BLOOD OF JESUS AND THE WORD OF MY TESTIMONY. MY SOUL IS FILLED WITH LOVE AS I GAZE ON JESUS' PRECIOUS BLOOD. BECAUSE I BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF THE BLOOD IN MY HEART, I APPLY THE BLOOD WITH MY MOUTH OVER THE DOORPOSTS OF MY LIFE. Luke 5:4 - "When Jesus had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, 'Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."' Luke 5 is a great example of the Church in our day. We have been fishing all night and have not caught much. Many of us have not ventured out of the shallow water, out of the zones of safety and comfortableness, to find the fish where they are. The fish are in the deep water; they are outside the Church, and outside our opinions and prejudices. As we are obedient to God's call and venture into the deep water and into relationships with people "on the streets," we will be overwhelmed by the response and will need to network with other churches to accommodate the great numbers of people who will come to Jesus. Matthew 4:19 - And Jesus said unto them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." "Then, knowing what lies ahead for you, you won't become bored with being a Christian, nor become spiritually dull and indifferent, but you will be anxious to follow the example of those who receive all that God has promised them because of their strong faith and patience." - Hebrews 6:12 (Living Bible) Now is the time to press into the Lord for Fresh Empowerment and Activation for harvest in the coming season. We need to see a tremendous outpouring of the Power of the Holy Spirit for our current Time. As we go into this season we pray to see a notable increase in the Power of the Lord from the Fire of His Presence that will cause many to turn to Him. We need to pray for these seven blessings: 1. Greater Power 2. Greater Anointing 3. Greater Favor 4. Greater Flow of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit 5. Greater Evidence of the Fruit of the Spirit 6. Greater Doors and Influence through the favor of the Lord. 7. Greater Harvest Albert Finch Ministry

Robert Skynner 166 Tamar House James Street Plymouth PL1 4HJ 15th February 2012 Dear Richard, I’ve been looking at the Scriptures for with regard to Michael the Archangel. Here is he result of my studies. Scripture mentions Michael five times at: Daniel 10:13, 21, 12:1, Jude 9 and Revelation 12:7. Michael is addressed as ‘Archangel’ (meaning the chief angel) at Jude 9. However, at none of these five verses is it stated or even hinted, that Jesus Christ is Michael the Archangel. From my copies of Russell’s (Zion’s) Watchtower, the Watchtower did for a long time teach that Michael was not the Michael: (Zion’s Watchtower, November 1879, page 48) – see the scan below: (unfortunately this scan won't copy from word). 1. At both Acts 17:31 and 1st Timothy 2:5, Jesus Christ in his post-resurrection state is described as ‘a man’ which is the Greek word ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos this word is numbered G444 in Strongs Concordance. However, the Watchtower contradicts this by claiming that Christ in the year 1914 defeated Satan as an angel, that is as Michael the archangel and not as a resurrected and glorified man: Revelation its Grand Climax at Hand, page 181, section 16. This claim is further undermined at Matthew 24:30, Mark 13:26 and Luke 21:27, where Christ is at his second coming is described with the messianic title; ‘The Son of Man,’ however, angels aren’t human beings and so angels cannot be described as the ‘Sons of men.’ 2. Hebrews 1:4 states that Jesus Christ isn’t an angel, because he is: “so much better than the angels.” The context is given at verse three, where the representation of an image made by a seal in wax is made, to illustrate the fact that Christ and the Father both share the same divine nature. This is why Christ is superior to the angels. 3. The angels always refuse to accept any worship which is directed towards them, see Revelation 22:8-9. And yet at Hebrews 1:6 God the Father directly commands the angels to worship his Son; Jesus Christ. “Let all the angels of God worship him” (Hebrews 1:6, 1961 edition NWT, also all other modern and ancient translations). 4. Michael the Archangel was unable to rebuke Satan, and instead he said to him; ‘the Lord rebuke you’ (Jude 9, TEB), also translated as ‘may Jehovah rebuke you’ (Jude 9, NWT 1961 edition). Yet Jesus Christ did rebuke Satan, and he clearly did so himself at Matthew 4:10, where the 1961 edition NWT states that Christ rebuked Satan by stating: “Go away Satan! For it is written, ‘it is Jehovah your God you must worship, and to him alone you must render service.’ ” 5. At Daniel 10:13 Michael isn’t identified as God’s Son, and neither is he spoken of as being unique in any sense whatsoever. For Michael is here identified in the plural as “one of the chief princes.” So because Michael is only one angel amongst a company of fellow senior angels, just as Daniel 10:13 states. So Christ, who is uniquely the μονογενής monogenēs ‘only begotten Son’ of God (John 3:16, 3:18, 1st John 4:9-14) and that by his uniquely (ontological) nature which he shares with the Father (Hebrews 1:3), cannot also at the very same time also be Michael, who is just one senior angel amongst a company of other similar (higher) angelic beings. 6. At Hebrews 1:13 God the Father here makes a direct quotation of Psalm 110:1 and he then directly applies this to Jesus Christ: “But to which of the angels said he at any time, Sit on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?” Now if Christ were really Michael the archangel, then this verse wouldn’t make any sense. For the entire purport of this passage is to state that Christ only sits at his Father’s right hand, which in Jewish terminology means a position of rank and authority, because he is uniquely God’s Son (which archangels are not). 7. We read at Hebrews 2:5 concerning the world to come, which Jehovah’s Witnesses interpret as the promised paradise earth that it won’t be a world which will be in subjection to the angels. However, at Hebrews 2:8, of this coming age we read that all things, which must surely include the new earth itself, will then be in complete subjection to Jesus Christ. So Christ cannot be an angel, or else they’d be a direct contradiction at Hebrews chapter 2 between verses 5 and 8. 8. How can Jesus be Michael the Archangel, when according to John 14:9 to see Jesus Christ is to see God the Father: “He who has seen me has seen the Father.” However, a mere archangel, who isn’t Yahweh God, cannot reveal Yahweh to us, for only Yahweh himself can genuinely reveal himself to us! Could you the reader, reveal Yahweh God to another by the sheer force of your own will? Of course not, and for the obvious reason that because the reader isn’t God therefore he or she cannot reveal someone who they are not, for it is only possible to reveal yourself to another. 9. 1st Corinthians 6:3 speaking of God’s people, states that they will soon judge angels: “Know ye not that we shall judge angels?” However, if Jesus Christ is the Archangel Michael, who became this angel once again after his crucifixion, when his body dissolved into gasses, but was then recreated by Jehovah as the archangel Michael. Then to be consistent shouldn’t Jehovah’s Witnesses claim that one day they’ll judge Jesus Christ, if he’s an angel himself, in the light of 1st Corinthians 6:3. 10. When Christ returns to this earth at his second coming, we are told at 1st John 3:2 of our own resurrections; “that we shall be like him.” However, as I’ve already mentioned, the Bible states very clearly at both: Acts 17:31 and 1st Timothy 2:5 that Christ in his post-resurrection state is described as ‘a man’ (ἄνθρωπος anthrōpos). However, the Jehovah’s Witnesses teach that Jesus Christ was recreated by Jehovah as an archangel at his resurrection (he was not resurrected as a man). Then because we shall be like him, if Christ is now an archangel, then that would mean that on their paradise earth, all Jehovah’s Witnesses would likewise also lose their human natures, being instead remade into angels themselves, just like their own version of Jesus! 11. The Revelation book on page 181, section 15, applies 1st Thessalonians 4:16 to Jesus and then makes the claim that this archangel is Jesus Christ. But this text does not state that the archangel is the Lord (Jesus) who descends from heaven, anymore than it states that the Lord (Jesus) who descends from heaven is a trumpet or a voice. The shout of the archangel and the trumpet of God both announce Christ’s return; but they are not Christ himself. If the Watchtower Society is to be consistent, they they ought to concede that if Christ is the archangel then he is also a trumpet! The – οῦ suffix ending in Greek, which is used of both the archangel ἀρχαγγέλου and also of God θεοῦ at 1st Thessaolonians 4:16, is a genitive singular which implies a grammatical possession. See the back cover of the Purple edition of the Kingdom Interlinear Translation where a grammar sheet is provided at the bottom of the back cover. So the shout is the archangel’s voice and the trumpet is God’s announcement according to the use of this genitive singular tense. Finally. Speaking of Jesus Christ’s human body, Paul at 1st Corinthians 15:44 does not claim that Christ rose from the dead as a ‘spirit,’ nut instead he tells us that at his resurrection, that Jesus rose as a ‘spiritual’ (πνευματικός pneumatikos) body (σῶμα sōma). This word pnumaticos means ‘spirit controlled,’ as in the instance of the rock which Moses struck 1st Corinthians 10:4, this rock was a literal rock and it wasn’t something composed out of spirit. The word ‘soma’ (body) in the singular tense always means a physical body, and this word never means ‘a spirit’ or something non-physical (such as a ghost), when its used in the singular, which is why Christ is then called a man (anthropos) three times at 1st Corinthians 15:47-49. So at his resurrection, from Yahweh his Father (who is a divine Spirit), and through Christ who is this same Divine Spirit; Jesus could now bestow everlasting life upon his elect, so he thus became a life-giving Spirit (verse 45), whilst at the very same time he also rose as a man with a genuine physical body (soma) which was spiritually dominated (pnumaticos) by the divine spirit. Thank you Robert XXXXX FOLKS, I SEE JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES OUT ON THE STREETS DOING THEIR CART WORK HERE IN PLYMOUTH, UK. WE NEED TO CHALLENGE THEM.

The Lord has given me an absurdly supernatural testimony! And as a young Christian, it QUICKLY went to my head: "No one can deny my testimony, I have the greatest testimony ever, how could anyone ever deny my testimony?!" WELL, turn outs, THEY CAN! AND THEY HAVE! One of the things that the Lord deeply impressed on my heart not too long after my head inflated was that EVERYONE'S TESTIMONY OF THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST in their lives is INVALUABLE!!!!!!! And to encourage others to share their testimonies, especially if they believe that their testimony is not "spectacular" enough to share with the world! EVERYTHING JESUS CHRIST DOES IS SPECTACULAR! The Bible makes it clear how precise the Lord was about creating us to be exactly who we are, at the exact time and place we were born, for an exact and specific purpose of God! Our testimonies are the same way! No matter how big or small the SEEM, they are ALL INVALUABLE, every single one!!!!! Share your testimony as you go throughout your day! You'll be amazed at the lives He wants to touch at the supermarket, the gas station, while out on a walk, your workplace, while pulling up next to a homeless and broken man at a stop light! Start to ALWAYS look for the side missions while you are going about your life, those pulls on your heart, those times where you are moved by compassion to speak, to share, to pray, to hug, to love, to smile, to greet, to bless in Jesus' name, to spread joy, to conquer fear, hurt, pain, depression, to encourage, to lift up, to give rest! God is so good! We can't be so focused on ourselves and our own salvation that we forget to reach out and allow God to reach those around us! We know the truth!!!!! WHAT AN INCREDIBLE BLESSING!!!!!!! Trust the Lord will show us how to work out our salvation as we continue to pursue Him with all our heart (desire), mind (thoughts), soul (being), and strength (time and energy), and let's ALL be the city of the hill who's light cannot be quenched, in Jesus' mighty name! God loves you deeply! His glory is in the details of His plan for our lives! Learn the habit of praying without ceasing (talking with God about everything; it surely involves a lot more listening and repeating than speaking! ) and it is GOOD! Give yourself grace, it takes time to build a habit, but it CAN be built and it's BEYOND AMAZING to live this way; moving from GLORY TO GLORY in OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (like Paul talks about in his gospel; his good news of Jesus Christ in his life!)! Be intentional about continuing to form these habits when you find you have ceased instead of beating yourself up. Take joy with every step you take towards like the Lord like the Lord is taking from every step you take closer to Him!!!!! God is WONDERFUL, GRACIOUS, KIND, GENTLE, and full of love for you! Amen! ? ? ✝️ ? ? God bless you all, in Jesus' name! -Daniel

John 5:39 - "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." THIS SAYS CLEARLY THAT REVELATION IS MEANT TO BRING US INTO AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD, AND IF IT DOESN'T, IT ONLY MAKES US MORE RELIGIOUS. RENEWING THE MIND IS NOT MERELY READING WORDS ON A PAGE AND HAVING A MOMENT OF REVELATION ABOUT A PARTICULAR VERSE. RENEWAL COMES AS REVELATION THAT LEADS YOU INTO A NEW EXPERIENCE WITH GOD. MANY CHRISTIANS HAVE AT TIMES EMBRACED A ROUTINE OF READING SCRIPTURE WITHOUT LETTING THE READING LEAD TO EXPERIENCE. Affirmation: TO RENEW MY MIND I MUST NOT JUST THINK DIFFERENTLY BUT LIVE DIFFERENTLY, IN A NEW EXPERIENCE OF THE EMPOWERMENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Luke 14:26 - "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters - yes, even his own life - he cannot be my disciple." SOME OF JESUS' STATEMENTS ABOUT HIS OWN EARTHLY FAMILY WERE CONSIDERED MORALLY WRONG AND THE ULTIMATE IN DISHONOR BY THE CULTURE AROUND HIM. JESUS' STATEMENT WAS REVOLUTIONARY. THIS, HOWEVER, WAS NOT THE STATEMENT OF AN EXTREMIST. IT CONVEYED JESUS' JEALOUS LOVE FOR HUMANITY. HE LOVED US ENOUGH TO LEAVE HIS FATHER IN HEAVEN, AND HE EXPECTS NO LESS FROM US - ASKING US TO ABANDON ALL OTHER LOVES FOR HIM. Affirmation: AS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS I TREAT EVERYTHING ELSE AS LESSER IN COMPARISON TO HIM, THE GREATER. Luke 5:4 - "When Jesus had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, "Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch." Luke 5 is a great example of the Church in our day. We have been fishing all night and have not caught much. Many of us have not ventured out of the shallow water, out of the zones of safety and comfortableness, to find the fish where they are. The fish are in the deep water; they are outside the Church, and outside our opinions and prejudices. As we are obedient to God's call and venture into the deep water and into relationships with people "on the streets," we will be overwhelmed by the response and will need to network with other churches to accommodate the great numbers of people who will come to Jesus. Matthew 4:19 - And Jesus said unto them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

12 Steps that Show Christianity is True Here's a Twelve Step argument for the Truth of Christianity. This is adapted from an Apologetics workbook by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek. Truth about reality is knowable. The opposite of true is false. It is true that a theistic God exits. If God exists, then miracles are possible. Miracles can be used to confirm a message from God (i.e., as an act of God to confirm a word from God). The New Testament is historically reliable. The New Testament says Jesus claimed to be God. Jesus' claim to be God was miraculously confirmed by" His fulfillment of many prophecies about Himself; His sinless and miraculous life; His prediction and accomplishment of His resurrection from the dead. Therefore, Jesus is God. Whatever Jesus (who is God) teaches is true. Jesus taught that the Bible is the Word of God. Therefore, it is true that the Bible is the Word of God (and anything opposed to it is false). I will deal with each point in my Christian Apologetics podcast, Apologetics Evangelism. You can listen to my apologetics podcast on iTunes by clicking here. Or, you can listen on Podbean, my podcast website.

Luke 1:35 - The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God." We need to ask Him for a release of devine hunger that will drive us deeper into Him. Like Mary, it is simply through intimacy, engaging the realm of heaven, and declaring what we see and hear that brings heaven to earth. As Mary received Christ into her physical Body, we have received Jesus into our spirits. As she birthed Christ, our quest is to see Jesus unfettered from the womb of our religion about Him. Our destiny is not just to carry Christ inside but to reveal the fullness of His glory in this world. Mark 16:15 - He said to them, "Go to the whole world and preach the gospel to all mankind." Hebrews 11:6 - "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." One of the most crucial areas in which believers fall short in is pressing into God. Many pray briefly about decisions, then merely do what seems like common sense, not acquiring the mind of the Lord at all. But God must be sought. The temptation, when we first pray about something is to lose heart, or give up. But God will speak clearly to us if we press into Him. Often it is necessary to pray until you feel (and know) your spirit is breaking through. Affirmations: I CONFESS THAT I LIVE "IN" FAITH. I WILL NEVER RELINQUISH THE DREAM HE HAS PUT IN MY HEART. I WILL STAY IN THIS PLACE; I WILL USE MY FAITH; I WILL BE STEADFAST, UNWAVERING, AND COMMITTED TO SEEING HIS PROMISES COME TO PASS IN MY LIFE. BECAUSE I HAVE MADE THIS DECISION, I AM A PERSON WHO PLEASES GOD. Song of Solomon 3:2 - "I will rise now and go about the streets of the city. In the highways I will seek him whom I love. I sought him but did not find him." SINCE YOU NO LONGER FIND YOUR BELOVED (JESUS) IN YOUR RESTING PLACE, YOU ARE PERSUADED TO LOOK FOR HIM. THE CITY, WHICH IS THE WORLD, WILL BE WHERE YOU NOW LOOK FOR HIM. AS YOU LOOK IN VAIN YOU MAY BECOME OCCUPIED WITH THE WORLD WHILE YOU USE THE EXCUSE THAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR YOUR BELOVED. YOU DO NOT FIND HIM BECAUSE HE WISHES YOU TO SEEK HIM IN HIMSELF. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

"Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." - Matthew 9:38 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.." - Matthew 28:19 FOUR STEPS TO EFFECTIVE STREET EVANGELISM: 1) Pray! It's important to talk to God about people before you talk to people about God. Start out by prayer walking in the area that you want to do evangelism. Ask God for insight and direction. Pray for the people that you see. Pray for the Holy Spirit to go before you to prepare people's hearts, and to guide you to the people that are ready to hear. 2) Make contact: Still in an attitude of prayer, ask God to direct you to people. Introduce yourself and have an opening dialogue statement, like this "Hi, my name is __________, I'm here from Community Church to let you know that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life." Then allow the conversation to flow from there. Be sensitive to God's direction, and allow Him to speak through you (i.e. the gifts of the Spirit, etc). 3) Meal outreach--offering sacked lunches to the homeless. It's one thing to just pass out free food, its another to take time to sit and eat with someone, and spend the time talking with them. 4) Recognize that evangelism (especially cold contact evangelism) is a process of removing the walls and barriers that keep people separated from God. Think of it as a chain . . . sometimes you are the first link in the chain, sometimes you are the last (and have the privelege of actually introducing someone to a relationship with Jesus). Most often you are somewhere in between. You will reap where you did not sow, but you must also be willing to sow where you don't reap. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Acts 26:24,25 -- Now as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, "Paul, you are beside yourself! Much learning is driving you MAD! But He (Paul) said, "I am not MAD, most noble Festus, but speak the word of truth and reason." The words 'beside yourself' mean to rave as a maniac, and it's the idea of incessant craving. Festus accused Paul of being crazy. Modern culture is not drawn to Christianity because the little they are exposed to is not extreme enough for them. What the world really wants to see is a Christian who is totally enthralled with who Jesus is. Our spiritual learing shouldn't be just systematic theology books but a distinguishable crazy love that goes public. AFFIRMATION: I won't give up, let up, or shut up, until I get others to get up, rise up, and take up all who Christ wants them to be. 2 Corinthians 5:13 -- If I'm in my right mind, it's for your sake, but for God, I'm out of my mind. One of the great men of God of the sixteenth century, Francis Xavier, charged the apathetic European students of his day to "give up your small ambitions and come and preach the gospel of Christ." INTO ACTION: How can you express "crazy love" for Jesus today? Using your imagination, what are you willing to do to advance the Kingdom of God that involves stretching, risking and pushing your limits? ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Not all gospel messages are created equal. A god-shaped hole, a wonderful plan, and many others get pitched by well meaning Christians. What have you heard (or believed) that drifts from the gospel outlined in Romans, and by Paul in 1 Cor. 15??? Here's a podcast I did on this subject. Feedback welcome! http://apologeticsevangelism.podbean.com/e/episode-009-what-version-of-the-gospel-are-you-sharing/?token=9aa4ba458984739921bc97f1a4d4f2e2

John 4:23-24 "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (It is our destiny to worship God in the spirit.) Galatians 5:25 "If we live in the spirit, let us also walk in the spirit." Ephesians 4:23-24 "And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Put on the spirit man – you have to put it on – a decision.) Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." (Fruit of the spirit.) Romans 8:4-5 "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." (Since I put on the spirit, I chose not to walk after the flesh or senses.) 1 Corinthians 2:13,15 "And we are setting these truths forth in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Holy Spirit, combining and interpreting spiritual truths with spiritual language to those who possess the Holy Spirit. But the spiritual man tries all things, he examines, investigates, inquires into, questions, and discerns all things, yet is himself to be put on trial and judged by no one, he can read the meaning of everything, but no one can properly discern or appraise or get an insight into him." (We are to judge whether a thing is spiritual or of the senses – things coming at us everyday.) John 7:24 - "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." (What am I participating in? Is it spiritual or not?) ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

This will be too long to interest most of you, but it is a Topical study, and as it is, I left things out. It was prepared for a live, in class study, not as a Forum post. Bible Study Notes – All verses NIV Discipleship/Evangelism 10/10/2015 – Omegaman 3.0 We may not be able to get through all of this material, I am not well known for keeping things short. However, if we do not get through all of this in our discussion, you may follow through on you own with the rest of the material. Matt 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” “Make disciples” is the Greek word “mathēteusate“, (math-ayt-yoo'-sayt-eh) to disciple (as a verb), IE. helping someone to progressively learn the Word of God to become a matured, growing disciple (literally, "a learner," a true Christ-follower); to train (develop) in the truths of Scripture and the lifestyle required, IE. helping a believer learn to be a disciple of Christ in belief and practice. (from Helps Word Studies) Notice in v. 19 that these disciples, are to be baptized, so we are talking about believers here not merely people who learn about things (students). Question 1. What commands did Jesus give in verse 19? Question 2. What command did He issue in verse 20? Question 3. If disciples are to make disciples, and they are to be taught to obey commands . . . then what things are we (as disciples) also told to do in obedience? Question 4. If disciples are to make more disciples, and teach them to obey everything that Jesus commanded, is merely telling someone a basic Gospel message, really fulfilling this great commission? When we tell others about Jesus and His Gospel, we refer to this as evangelism. Sometimes we call this witnessing. The word “evangelist” comes from the Greek word “euangelion” or “euagglion” (yoo-ang-ghel'-ee-on). Question 5. What 5 letter English word do we see in both “evangelist” and in “euangelion”. Question 6. That word, comes from the Greek word “angelon”. What does that word mean or what is it that an 'angelon' does? The prefix in 'euangelion', “eu” it means common (as in common, not ordinary) or good. So, an evangelist, is one who brings a message of good news. Romans 10:14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” So we have seen that disciples, us, have been commanded by the Lord Himself, to make more disciples, and that this means not only bringing them good news, but teaching them everything He taught his Apostles, to obey. Question 7. If we do not do that, which better describes us?: a. obedient followers b. rebellious excuse makers Back to the topic of “good news”, we sometimes call that the Gospel. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, the word gospel is a word of Anglo-Saxon origin, and meaning "God's spell", IE., word of God, or rather, according to others, "good spell", IE., good news. It is the rendering of the Greek evangelion, IE., "good message." It denotes (1) "the welcome intelligence of salvation to man as preached by our Lord and his followers. When we see the word “gospel” in the Bible, it is a translation of that same Greek word, that we get the idea of evangelist and evangelism from. They are extremely linked ideas. When Jesus tells us to make disciples, and to teach them to obey everything that He told the Apostles, we need to consider that Jesus told the apostles to preach His gospel. Therefore, He has commanded us also, to be evangelists. Eph 4:11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Question 8. According to Eph 4:13, at what point is Christ's gift of evangelists, for the equipping of His people for works of service and the building up of the body of Christ finished? Are we there yet? Some see that evangelists are a gift, then say “I do not have the gift of evangelism.” Now it could be argued whether “evangelism” is a gift, or if only “evangelists” are a gift. People have seen this both ways. Let's look though at what Paul said to Timothy in 2 Tim 4: 3 For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5 But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. Question 9. According to verse 3 and 4, of 2 Tim 4,what will happen? Question 10. Has that time come, do you think? Question 11. Can you think of any of these doctrines that tickle or scratch itching ears? Name a few. Question 12. What can we do to counteract these false teachers? Question 13. In verse 5, do you see the word “gift” anywhere? Question 14. In verse 5, what sort of work is to be done? Question 15. Is it possible to do the work of an evangelist without being specifically gifted in that? Question 16. What sorts of things, do you believe hinder people from doing the work of an evangelist? Question 17. What are some ways we could overcome these issues? Question 18. What do you think the Gospel actually is? What is it that we need to be telling people? Question 19. Part of Jesus great commission that we looked at in the beginning, included us teaching the disciples we make, everything He taught. Does standing on a corner with a bullhorn, or leaving a gospel tract with someone, accomplish this part of Jesus command? Question 20. If not, what are some ways we compensate for that shortcoming? One thing that the bible tells us also, is the idea of preparation. 1 Pet 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16 keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. Question 21. What is the first thing we are told to do in the above passage? What is the second thing we are told to do and in what manner are we to do this? 2 Tim 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. Question 22. How does 2 Tim 2:15 relate to 1 Pet 3:15? How much effort does the Timothy verse imply? That word “reason” in 1 Pet 3:15 is a translation of the Greek word “apologian”, we get our word apology from this. However, this does not mean to say “I am sorry”. It means to provide a defense – that is to say to present a reasoned case, as an attorney would in a trial. We also get our word “apologetics” from this. Apologetics, the science of defending ideas, Christian apologetics, is a sub-species of evangelism. However, it is a back-up to witnessing, It is a legal term, just as the word witness is a legal term. Witnesses, give testimony to what they know. That is where we start. We testify of Jesus, and when necessary, we defend our faith, but always circle back to the gospel, and not be distracted from what our hearer really needs. Jesus, is the issue, being able to defend how all of the animals could fit on the ark is getting side tracked, and will not win anyone to the gospel. There are other ways not to to evangelize. You may have heard someone say, perhaps you have said it yourself: “Preach the Gospel, if necessary, use words”. Some believe that if they just live their lives in a holy way, people will see Jesus in them. There is a technical, theological term for this: “Horse feathers”. No one is going to see you order a diet cola at a restaurant when they order a glass of wine and think: “Gee, this person is really different, I think I will give my life to Jesus!” It is a great idea to live a holy life, failing that does tend to discredit your message, but success at it, will not convince someone of the truth of the gospel, let alone inform them of what the gospel is. Similarly, a rational person can look at the marvelous design and vastness of the universe, and reasonably conclude that there must be a brilliant and powerful creator. That means they have no excuse not to seek God, but it does not reveal what God requires of us, that is where we come in, that is our job, to present the problem, and provide the answer. So, preach the Gospel, if necessary, use words. However, realize that in order to preach the Gospel, words are always necessary. Living it out is also necessary, in order to add credibility to the message. When we fail to proselytize, we are demonstrating that we do not take our faith seriously, because we are disobedient to our God. We are also demonstrating that we do not care enough about others, to put out a little effort to insure that they are adequately informed to inherit eternal life. Question 23. What are two things you can do, to either increase your efforts at evangelism, of make yourself more effective at evangelism? Question 24. If the gospel is “good news:, is there also bad news? What is the bad news? Should people be told the bad news as well? Why or why not? Question 25. Do you personally, feel, that you do not know enough about the Bible or how to defend your faith? Was there a time, when you did not know how to drive a car? What changed? More to think about Penn Jillette, atheist, said something very profound and haunting: “I’ve always said that I don’t respect people who don’t proselytize. I don’t respect that at all. If you believe that there’s a heaven and a hell, and people could be going to hell or not getting eternal life, and you think that it’s not really worth telling them this because it would make it socially awkward—and atheists who think people shouldn’t proselytize and who say just leave me alone and keep your religion to yourself—how much do you have to hate somebody to not proselytize? How much do you have to hate somebody to believe everlasting life is possible and not tell them that?” Roman 1:14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the Godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. Matt 10:32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. James 4:17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. Some Final Thoughts What we have seen, is that it is not our job to save people. It IS out job to tell them. We have seen that it is not optional, it is a command. We may understand that God chooses people for salvation, apart from our efforts, and be tempted to conclude, that God does not need us. It is true that God does not need us, but He has given us the task to preach to everyone. We do not know who the chosen are, that is why we need to get the message to all. We should not see this, as a chore, we should see it as a privilege to be included in God's plan, to be used for His purposes and His glory. Do not be anxious, just trust the Lord, and be obedient. He can bring the right things to say to mind at the right time. How much better though, if you take the trouble to prepare and learn about the things you need to say. Memorizing scripture, and apologetic techniques and information, is not only for others, it builds your own faith and knowledge as well. You will have more confidence, and feel better about yourself, knowing that you have made efforts to be faithful. Matthew 25 14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,a each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16T he man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24“Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “ ‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’