Do you ever practice living a Christian life of faith? Huh? Practice? What’s to practice? Doesn’t the Holy Spirit just kind of come in and take over? Why do I need to practice anything? I’m too busy practicing for my career to worry about this kind of thing!
We move on to the fourth of the seven letters in Revelation. This time, the letter to the corrupt church in Thyatira. Jesus has good things to say about the church in Thyatira. Some bad things as well. So once again, part of the examination will be about the relationship, if any, between the good and bad statements.
The letter to the corrupt church in Thyatira – Revelation More
Advent is the time when Christians celebrate the first coming of Jesus. But that’s only part of Advent. Old Testament prophecy told the people at that time about the promised first coming of Jesus. God sending a Messiah to save His people. And an offer of salvation to those who weren’t (yet) His people.
Old Testament prophecy on the first coming of Jesus More
Rule over the earth: COP26, climate change, lies and money. Given that COP26 just ended, let’s not forget that either. Not that much, if anything has changed. Sadly, it’s little more than time to say that old adage, the more things change, the more they stay the same. In other words, the more the climate changes, the more entrenched the most powerful world leaders become. Therefore, the more rule over the earth comes to mean destroy the earth.
Rule over the earth: COP26, climate change, lies and money More
How did Christianity get to be like this? You ask, Like what? Let me answer, initially, with a hint, rather than a direct answer. Some think one of the worst things to happen to Christianity was when Roman Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity. As history is showing, that’s more significant that most people probably realize. The parallels to what’s going on in the U.S. today are incredible.
Historians now debate whether “the first Christian emperor” was a Christian at all. Some think him an unprincipled power seeker. What religion he had, many argue, was at best a blend of paganism and Christianity for purely political purposes.
How did Christianity get to be like this? More
The Trinity: Is there one Christian God? In other words, do you agree with the following statement? There is one true God in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Would you believe, only 56% of Americans strongly agreed with that statement? As of 2019, about 65% of the population of the U.S. claims to be Christian. That means at least 9% of them don’t agree that there is one Christian God, made up of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Oops.
Truth is, that number could be over 9%. There are likely quite a few non-Christians that would know Christianity teaches about the Trinity: one God in three Persons. Even Muslims know about the Trinity in Christianity, even though they teach it’s not correct. Oops again.
Messed up American Theology: Is The Trinity One Christian God? More
If you’ve got that feeling to do good things, even with the potential cost to you, with no ulterior motives, with nothing but unselfish love for someone like your elderly neighbors that you’re shopping for, why not acknowledge that’s God? Jesus told us He’d try to get our attention.
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
Why not open that door and start bringing an end to the suffering for doing good?
