This article is reprint of what was posted on Internet Monk on August 6, 2012. The author makes some insightful points about the state of the church in North America and how that impacts pastors. by Randy Thompson If it seems like your pastor might be crazy, it may well be that the poor […]
Revelation, Lesson 8: The Seven Signs, Part 1
July 31, 2012 by
The Seven Signs, Part 1 We now find ourselves seeing John receive four different visions in succession, each with seven signs each. The visions are not identical, but they appear to be related. And so, as a study vehicle, we will study these signs in parallel, including the two interludes within the seven signs. Because […]
Revelation, Lesson 7: Chapter 5
July 25, 2012 by
Heavenly Worship, Part 2 From the beginning, when we first see God give His people instructions on worship, we find worship to be liturgical (following prescribed patterns, not free form of one’s own choosing). After giving His people the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17), God told them to how to build an altar (Ex. 20:24-26). Then, […]
The Problem of Evil
July 24, 2012 by
This is our pastor’s next article for the Stone County Gazette, partly in response to the recent shootings in Aurora, Colorado. “If God was such a loving God, how could He allow…” You fill in the blank or the perpetrated evil. Such a question presumes that God should run the universe according to our […]
3 John
July 24, 2012 by
Author: The Apostle John The nearly identical style, structure, and length of 3 John to 2 John, and closely related material to 1 John, shows them to have the same author. Date: 90-95 AD Purpose: To encourage Gaius, to expose Diotrephes, and to recommend Demetrius to Gaius. Read 3 John 1:1 – What meaning […]
Revelation, Lesson 6: Heavenly Worship, Part 1
July 19, 2012 by
Chapters 4-5: Heavenly Worship, Part 1 We now find the Spirit giving John a glimpse of heavenly worship. The “things that are,” which he sees, include many worship scenes. John sees the throne room, depicting a reality that is both present and eternal. He sees an array of heavenly beings (angels) and saints worshiping the […]
2nd John
July 18, 2012 by
Author: the Apostle John Date: 90-95 AD Read 2 John 1:1-3 – What does the term “elder” mean in this context? “Elect Lady” John uses the term “elect lady” to refer to a local congregation. We see this further affirmed by a greeting from a sister community in verse 13. What we should take […]
Revelation, Lesson 5: Chapters 2-3
July 16, 2012 by
Chapters 2-3: The Seven Churches Now seeming to revel in the number 7, Jesus gives John a short letter to deliver to the “angel” of each of the seven congregations. But more than that, we have the seven letters organized into a seven-part pattern. This is seven on top of seven. As we learned earlier, […]
1 John, Lesson 4: Conclusion
July 3, 2012 by
Eternal Life, Prayer, and Sin Read 1 John 4:13 – Who has eternal life? – What does believing in the name of the Son of God mean? Read 1 John 5:14-15 In 1 John 5:13-15, John moves from the greater to the lesser. If God has given us eternal life in Christ, then […]
1st John, Lesson 3: God vs. Antichrists
June 27, 2012 by
Christ vs. Antichrists Read 1 John 2:18-23 Scripture predicts the coming of the Antichrist. The Apostle Paul warns about the “man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4). Yet, John refers to the coming of many antichrists—not just one. “Antichrist” means “one who takes the place of Christ.” So, anyone or anything that tries to topple Christ […]
