Rajesh

Blog Update; New Guitar Music

November 29, 2011

My home internet provider, Open Range, recently went out of business. Between not having any home service and the holiday, I have not had the access to the Web that I would have liked to have had. I hope to resume posting regularly as I adjust my schedule to fit the times that I will have access elsewhere.

I recently produced a simplified version of O for a Closer Walk with God for my guitar students. It can be played as a duet or both parts can be played by the same student.

In Guitar Music

"Jesus Outside the New Testament"

November 25, 2011

What are the main lines to emerge in this study of Jesus outside the New Testament? The non-Christian evidence uniformly treats Jesus as a historical person. Most non-Christian authors were not interested in the details of his life or teaching, and they saw him through the Christianity they knew. They provide a small but certain corroboration of certain New Testament historical traditions on the family background, time of life, ministry, and death of Jesus. They also provide evidence of the content of Christian preaching that is independent of the New Testament. . . . Our study of Jesus outside the New Testament points at the end of the day to Jesus inside the New Testament.

–Robert E. Van Voorst, Jesus Outside the New Testament: An Introduction to the Ancient Evidence, 217

In Apologetics, Quotes

Will You Enter Paradise One Day?

November 22, 2011

Many human beings have spoken of and thought about going to places that they would consider a paradise. Some believe that everyone will enter into such a place one day.

Scripture reveals, however, that only certain humans one day will enter into the real place that is called Paradise: “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God” (Rev. 2:7). This statement teaches us key truths that anyone who would enter Paradise must heed.

First, a man must hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches. Entering Paradise, therefore, requires that a man must hear and attend to what the Spirit has to say; heeding human speculations about Paradise and how to get there will never get anyone there.

Second, the way to Paradise is a message that the Spirit has directed and entrusted to the churches of Jesus Christ. Those who would enter there one day should do all that they possibly can to affiliate themselves vitally with at least one of His faithful churches.

Third, the Spirit’s message about entering Paradise declares that a man must overcome. Because the Spirit has entrusted multiple messages to the churches of Jesus Christ (2:1-3:22) that explain various aspects of what it means to overcome, a man who would enter Paradise must heed the full content of those messages.

Fourth, those who overcome will receive as a gift (“To him that overcometh will I give . . .”) authorization (cf. “right to the tree of life” [22:12-14]) “to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” Paradise belongs to God, and only those whom He graciously authorizes to be there will be there. To enter there, therefore, you must receive that gracious authorization to do so.

Fifth, the glorified Jesus is the One who authorizes overcomers to be in Paradise (cf. 22:12-14). He is the Speaker of each of these messages to His churches. Only those who are willing to come to Him believing that He has that authority will enter there one day (cf. Luke 23:43).

Sixth, in this message, Jesus and the Spirit highlight the eating of the tree of life that is in the middle of God’s Paradise. To receive the blessedness of that privilege, a man must believe what the Scripture teaches about the tree of life, Adam and Eve, and how they forfeited eating from the tree of life through their sin.

Overcomers who believe and heed all these things will enjoy the very thing that Adam and Eve forfeited in the Garden of Eden–eating from the tree of life! They will do so in the only place that is truly a paradise.

Will you be one of those who enter Paradise one day?

To learn more about how you can enter Paradise one day, please see my post, The Salvation of a Crucified Thief.

In Evangelism, Interpretation

Evangelism Testimony 11.20.11

November 20, 2011

Today, I had one of the best opportunities to witness that I have had in a long time. My visitation partner and I met a lady today who did not seem to be very receptive at first. I was ready to leave and go to the next house after a brief time, but my partner started to talk with her after I had talked with her.

As he began to talk with her, she opened up and shared how she had just started reading a kid’s book about the Bible. I checked the book to see if it was sound. Looking over the book, I got the idea that I would try to witness to her again.

Basing my second attempt on what she had said she read in that book, I began witnessing to her about whether she knew that her sins were forgiven. Her answers revealed that she was uncertain. She thought that she had once been saved but was no longer saved because of how she was living now.

I took her to Ephesians 2:8-10 and explained carefully to her that she could not be saved by her works. She received that passage well, and I shared many other passages with her.

She shared that she had visited several churches and did not like them because what she heard there were stories instead of the Bible. She appreciated the witness that she received and said that she would like to visit our church.

I hope to follow up on her sometime soon. Please pray that she might come to church and be saved.

In Testimony

God's Dealings with Civil Authorities Concerning Their Unrighteousness

November 19, 2011

Scripture reveals that God has on many occasions dealt openly with civil authorities concerning their unrighteousness:

Genesis 20

God warned Abimelech, the king of Gerar, that he would die if he would commit adultery with Sarah (20:3-7). God had graciously kept him from sinning in that way (20:6) and now demanded that he restore her to Abraham (20:7). Abimelech heeded God’s warning and was spared (20:8-18).

2 Samuel 12

King David committed adultery with Bathsheba. Although God forgave him and spared his life, he suffered great consequences for his sinfulness (12:10-12; 14; 13:1-19:33). He continued reigning over God’s people until he died except for the time when Absalom took over the kingdom (15:13-17:29).

Daniel 4

King Nebuchadnezzar became proud and was warned by God’s prophet, Daniel. Daniel appealed to him to accept his counsel, break off his sins “by righteousness” and his iniquities “by showing mercy to the poor” (4:27). Nebuchadnezzar failed to heed Daniel’s warning (4:28-30). He was humbled by God until he acknowledged God aright (4:31-33). Following his abasement and repentance, God restored him and blessed him (4:34-37).

Daniel 5

King Belshazzar defiled the vessels of God’s house and praised man-made objects of worship (5:1-4). God confronted his wickedness through Daniel and removed him from his kingdom (5:5-31).

Matthew 15

John the Baptist, God’s prophet, rebuked Herod Antipas, the king, for taking his (Herod’s) brother’s wife (15:3-4). He declared that it was unlawful for him to have her. Herod had John murdered because he confronted him with his sinfulness. Scripture does not record Herod’s ultimate fate, but historical sources say that he “ended his days in exile” (New Bible Dictionary, 2nd ed., 481).

Acts 12

Herod Agrippa I, the king, failed to give God the glory on a public occasion and was immediately struck down by the angel of the Lord (12:20-23). He was eaten by worms and died shortly thereafter.

These accounts of God’s similar dealings with unrighteous kings who were over His people as well as with those who were over other peoples strongly imply that God demands righteousness from all civil authorities. Modern day believers should carefully take this evidence into consideration when deciding whether they will support a political candidate with a proven history of unrighteousness.

In Interpretation

Should a Proven History of Being Immoral Disqualify a Political Candidate?

November 17, 2011

Today, I had an animated exchange with another believer concerning whether a proven history of being immoral should disqualify a political candidate. I believe that it should and disagree with the notion that goes something like this: “I’m voting for a president, not a preacher.”

I’m interested in hearing and learning from the views of other believers on this important question, both pro and con.

In Uncategorized

Saying That Jesus is Lord by the Holy Spirit

November 15, 2011

Paul teaches that “no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is Lord, but by the Holy Ghost” (1 Cor. 12:3). Plainly, Paul does not mean merely uttering the words, “Jesus is Lord,” because multitudes of people, such as little children who have had no exposure to Bible teaching at all, can say those words without having any idea of what they mean and therefore say them without attaching the proper significance to those words.

What then does Paul mean by this statement? By looking closely at related teaching from Jesus, we allow Scripture to interpret itself:

“While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, Saying,’ What think ye of Christ? Whose son is He?’ They say unto Him, ‘The son of David.’ He saith unto them, ‘How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, “THE LORD SAID UNTO MY LORD, ‘SIT THOU ON MY RIGHT HAND, TILL I MAKE THINE ENEMIES THY FOOTSTOOL?”‘ If David then call him Lord; how is He his son?” (Matt. 22:41-45).

Here Jesus declares that David in the Spirit called Christ Lord. He then explained that David did so when he penned one of the most important statements in the OT, Psalm 110:1. This premier OT statement highlights the Father’s exaltation to His right hand of the One who was David’s Lord.

Interpreting 1 Corinthians 12:3 by Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 22:41-45, we understand that saying that Jesus is Lord by the Holy Spirit does not mean only acknowledging that Jesus Himself is God; rather, saying that Jesus is Lord by the Holy Spirit also entails acknowledging how God the Father has exalted Him to His right hand. This interpretation, therefore, underscores the importance of our testifying in evangelism not just the deity of Jesus, but also how the Father exalted Him after He raised Him from the dead (cf. “God hath made that same Jesus . . . both Lord and Christ,” [Acts 2:36]; “who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God” [1 Peter. 1:21]).

In Evangelism, Interpretation

The Father Will One Day yet Give Jesus of Nazareth the Earthly Throne of His Father David!

November 14, 2011

God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary to declare to her a glorious message:

“Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call His name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: And He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:30-33).

A key statement in this message made known that the Lord God would exalt Mary’s Son by giving Him the throne of His father David (1:32c). The throne in view here is clearly not the throne of heaven because that throne was never David’s (and never could be). What throne then did Gabriel prophesy that God would give to Jesus of Nazareth?

The only throne that David ever occupied was his throne as the king over God’s kingdom people, the Jews. This promise to Mary about her Son, therefore, was a promise that one day Jesus would be enthroned as the King of the Jews.

During Jesus’ earthly life, He never sat on the throne of His father David. In fact, He was crucified for His claim to be the King of the Jews (John 19:14-22).

In Jesus’ future earthly rule from Jerusalem over the Jews (as well all other nations; cf. Zech. 14:9; 16-17), God will fulfill Gabriel’s prophecy as well as His promise to David that his throne would be established for ever (2 Sam. 7:16). Then the One who was “born King of the Jews” (Matt. 2:2) will finally be given the homage that David wrote of as essential for all people to give to the LORD’s King whom He has set on His holy hill of Zion (Ps. 2:6, 12).

By establishing Him in that day in Jerusalem as the King of the Jews, the Father will vindicate His Son’s claim to be the One who was born to the end that He would be the King of the Jews (cf. John 18:33-37), which claim was rejected by the Jews and led to their clamoring for Him to be crucified (19:14-22). The full truth of the superscription of His Cross, “JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS” (19:19) will then finally be acknowledged by the world!

“Even so, come Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).

In Interpretation

Jesus' Followers Must Continue Preaching the Kingdom Gospel to the Entire World Until the End!

November 13, 2011

The Gospels record two important statements by Jesus about worldwide preaching of the gospel:

“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come” (Matt. 24:14).

“And He said unto them, ‘Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mk. 16:15).

Unlike the former statement, the latter statement does not specify the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom; it only speaks of the apostles preaching the gospel. Several facts, however, make it clear that it was a command to the apostles to preach the kingdom gospel.

First, Jesus gave the Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24-25) late during His time on the earth, and He commissioned His apostles (Mk. 16:14-18) during the forty days between His resurrection and His ascension. Because the Scripture does not indicate that He gave any intervening teaching about the content of the gospel, we are justified in concluding that both references pertain to the gospel of the kingdom.

Second, Acts 1:3 highlights Jesus’ “speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom” during the forty days between His resurrection and His ascension. Because Mark 16:15 records a key statement in seminal teaching that Jesus gave His disciples during that period, we are justified in identifying it as part of the key teaching that Jesus gave about the kingdom.

Third, Luke’s recording that Philip preached as the gospel “the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12) makes it certain that the gospel that he received from the apostles was the kingdom gospel. The gospel that they themselves, therefore, were commanded to preach by Jesus must have been the kingdom gospel.

We thus conclude that Jesus commanded the apostles to preach the kingdom gospel to the entire world (Mk. 16:15). Furthermore, because He also taught that the end will only come after the gospel of the kingdom will have been preached in the entire world for a witness to all nations (Matt. 24:14), His followers must continue preaching that same kingdom gospel to the entire world until the end!

In Evangelism, Gospel, Interpretation, Ministry, Preaching

Speed-Kub

November 12, 2011

I recently came up with a variation of the game Rummikub that I call Speed-Kub. This variation takes far less time to play, making it ideal for playing at times when you know that you will not have time to play the regular game.

Speed-Kub has only three simple rule changes, making it an easy variation to play:

–Each player starts with 10 tiles (instead of 14).

–To start playing, a player needs to lay out one or more sets (a group or a run of two or more tiles) totaling at least 20 points (instead of one or more sets of three or more tiles totalling at least 30 points).

–On any turn, a player can make groups or runs of just two tiles (instead of having to make groups or runs of at least three tiles each).

These changes make the game go much faster and also make Speed-Kub a good variation to play with younger players!

In Uncategorized

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