Thursday, February 21, 2013

God's Goodness

I had the question posted in Twitter by someone from Utah. Is God Good? God's goodness is everlasting, the Bible says.
   He got you up this morning. He is good. He allowed you to see another day. God's goodness is everlasting. He has provided to those who recive Him Eternal  Life. A relationship with Him. God is good.
     He gives you feet to walk on. God is good.
    You can wear Nikes or Puma Shoes  when you take that walk. God is good.
    And if you should decide to do a Bible study today and you get your pens and paper from OfficeMax thank God for He is good. God's goodness is everywhere.  For my Bible study I prefer the English Standard Version. Very accurate and up to date. Try it for yourself.                                    
  


                                       

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Group Bible Study

       To properly know the Bible you must study it. The best thing you can do is join a small group bible study. 
     The purpose of a small group is to get to know others and get support. You will be closely knit.
     The version you use is not as important as the fact that it is God speaking to you. I hold that God has spoken. He has told us what He wants us to know. He has caused special selected people to write down what He has said and what He wants us go know. All we need to know to live a God pleasing life is found between the two covers.
     In group Bible Study the object is not so much interpretation as it is application.
     You no doubt have a sound Bible teaching Church you attend on Sunday.      
     This small group bible study  is for find out what does God want me to do.
      You will be asking who, what, when, where, why and how does it apply to my life.
      Along with that Bible you will need a notebook to jot down ideas and observations. The notebook you can get at places like OfficeMax. WHen hyou jot down the observcations make it personal.
      Once you get into the habit of noting what you find in your group bible study  you may start to notice a tgrend. Something will keep popping up. If this is so, pray about it.
    God hears prayers of his people. And He will answer.

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Study To Show Yourself Approved

   God has said in the Bible, His word, that you are to study to show yourself approved. This means to really do more with your Bible than just read a daily portion and then walk away.
     No, you should look on the Bible as your instruction book.
    If you are a Christian you were put in a relationship with God in order to grow.
     That would mean that God has spoken and has told us how to live this life He has given us. I belive that the Bible is His word. He has spoken and throughout the years used certain men to write down what He has said.
      In order for us to see and remember what He has said and instrructed us we will need tools.
       A Bible is number one.  Get a good one. I suggest the NIV or the NASB or the ESV.
        You will also need a good notebook to put down what He has said to you. This would mean you will also have pens .
          You can get these at an Office Max. A pen and a blank book. It can be lined or unlined.
           Open your Bible and read and ask what is it saying? When was it said? Who is it speaking to? Is there anything there that tells me about God? About man? About Sin? Is there something there for me to know?
           If possible, form a Bible study group and study in pairs. This will help in Christian Growth. Open with prayer and study together. Share needs for each other and for yourself. There is power in prayer.
         This is what I do.
         I have a time in the morning in which I pick up the Bible and read three chapters from a Bible book. I also read a psalm of the day.
         I would pray before I start that God would help me to see somethinng today that He was saying to me.
         For example on the first day  I may read three chapters in the Gospel of John. And I would also read Psalm One.
          I would take my notebook and a pen. In my notebook I would put down what impressed me that day in my reading. I would add a scripture verse of the day that I had just read. I would note any thing that I could pray about that day.
          I would pray. Thanking Him for what I had observed today.
          Then I go out to faced the world. I am equiped.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Pope Benedict XVI Steps Down

     Everyone has heard by now. Pope Benedict XVI Steps Down from his Pope-ship.
    After all,  the Pope is just a CEO of the company
    Of course if you are a member of the Catholic Church you expect the Pope to die in office and then have the Cardinals gather together and vote in another CEO or Pope
     That is the way it is according to the rule book.
      No, not the Bible.
      The Bible nowhere talks about the office of Pope.
      Sure, if you are a member of the Roman Cathoic Church and have sent your child to be taught at a Catholic School, you know the story of Jesus asking the disciples who do the people say I am.
     And they tell Him people say he is a prophet or Elijah or whatever.
    Jesus asks them who do you say I am?
    This is where Peter says, you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
      Jesus says, blessed are you,Simon Bar Jonah for neither flesh or blood has told you but my Father who is in heaven.
 .  Now this is the place the teachers of religion classes slip in that Jesus gave him,-- Peter,-- the keys that made him a Pope.
    Wrong.
    Any person who studies the Bible, and they don't, knows that you have to interpret a passage by the context. The church that was to come is not in view in this passage. What we have is leadership . Peter would be the one in the early church that would open the door to the gentiles.
     Getting back to  the stepping down of Benedict from the Popeship. He is not going to be the first.. He joins three others in the history of the Roman Catholic Church.
      In 1045 Benedict IX sold the popeship to his godfather before resigning. In 1294  Celestine V was so overwhelmed by the job that after  five months he stepped down. In 1415 a Pope Gregory XII stepped down in order not to cause a schism in the church.
     So the present Pope in in a group of leaders who didn't die in office.
     He will be missed as are all leaders of some sort or another.

Monday, February 11, 2013

I Prefer the ESV

 Some people will ask me  , so Dane, what Bible should I read and do my study from? You push the study of the Bible.
   I have many versions as I read and compare. But I have found the English Standard Version to be a good mstgudy Bible.
   Yes, I prefer mthe ESV for my study times.
   It is easy to read. You don't get so hung up on the thees and thous of the ancient King James Bible. Not even the New King James is much better.
        If you like to have an acurate Bible I would like you to look at the New American Standard.
     But for study Bibles I prefer the ESV.

Friday, February 8, 2013

The Sin Of Roger Mahony


Surprise!!
     You have heard. You would have to not have been aware of the sin of Roger Mahony. What he did not only hurts Roman Catholics but True Christians.
      It was bad enough that he hid the pedophile life style of those he was placed in authority of, but he lied. He lied by not allowing the crime committed toward the young people to be known, but by saying he represented God's people.
      It was wrong to not report the priests who were molesting the children.  It is wrong to write about it and then bury the criminal under the umbilla of church protection.
     He is as guilty of the crime as those who did it.
     Be sure your sin will find you out. Also these things which are done in darkness will be brought to light.
     Now that it is known and his part in the crime is exposed, he should be stripped of his position and sent to do time in prison. He is not above the law.
     As I see it the problem with the Roman Catholic Church is that its' leaders think themselves above the law.
      Okay, maybe I shouldn't put the blame on the organization. It was Mahony  who did the crime.
      Think of the people whoes lives he ruined.
      You see, Roman Catholic mothers feel that their child is safe when they allow a priest-- a so called man of God-- to be alone with the child. Nothing can happen since the priest is so holy and would not ever think of doing anything to the child.
       Having been a Roman Catholic I can tell you that it just aint so. Having gone to Catholic schools and suffering under the educational system that allows the nuns and brothers to beat the child if there is a slight infraction,or even a bit of forgetfulness, -- as if the child belonged to the system and not the parents..I understand the underside.
       But Thank God that He and I met back in 1969 and He forgave me all my sins. It was the sins that kept me from heaven. Sin bears guilt. Guilt demands a punishment. That punishement being death or eternal separation from God.
       God wants a relationship. Sin keeps a person from that relationship.
       It is Christ not the Church that saves.
       It is that truth that makes the Roman Catholic Church not the true church but a cult.
      One of the signs of a cult is when they say they are the only true church.
      A relationship with God obtained by a relationship with Jesus who said " I am the way, the truth, and the life, No one comes to the Father by through me". that puts you on the road to heaven.
      I will let you think about that.