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The Inquisitors

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Guest Postby Dave GriffithsHave you ever wondered about the inquisitors ? The three key officials at Jesus’ trial ? The three inquisitors were Annas, Caiaphas and Pontius Pilate.  It is these three men that made the final decisions leading to the crucifixion of Jesus. Annas was the patriarch of a powerful Sadducean family. He was high priest in Jerusalem for ten years until he was deposed by a Roman procurator. His five sons and son-in-law Caiaphas served as his puppet high priests. During his life, the Jewish people cursed him  and his entire family for their corruption and cruelty. After Jesus was arrested, He was first brought before Annas.This is what archaeology has to say about Annas; His final resting place for centuries has been used as a garbage dump. It has been occupied by squatters, horses, and goats.A construction crew accidently stumbled on a cave containing boxes called ossuaries with decomposed human skeletal remains. One of the boxes had Caiaphas’s name inscribed on it in Aramaic.It was Caiaphas who asked Jesus the greatest of all questions;- “I put you under oath by the living God; Tell us if you are the Messiah, Son of God “? Jesus said to him, “It is as you said, never the less, I say unto you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power and coming on the clouds of heaven”.  (Matt. 26:63-64)If anyone had “first hand” information, it was Caiaphas.  Judgement awaits Caiaphas when God raises him from the dead to stand before Him at the Great White Throne judgement. (Rev. 20:11-15).Most people know the name Pontius Pilate. He was governor of Judea and represented the might of imperial Rome.He said to Jesus;- “I have power to crucify you, and power to release you”. (Jhn. 19:10).  Pilate made the decision to crucify Jesus. It was after Jesus’ death and resurrection that Pontius Pilate was banished to Gaul, where he committed suicide. He awaits the Great White Throne judgement where he will meet Jesus again, face to face.This is the actual ignominious legacy of the three inquisitors who dared to interrogate the incarnate God. They are lost in history, yet Jesus is remembered by countless million as Prophet, Priest, and King. One day He will return to judge all who do not know Him, and then He will rule the world from David’s throne in the new Jerusalem.Dave

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Lean On Me

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by Graham MolThis morning the song Lean On Me by Bill Withers was going through my head. We used to sing the song in our primary school hymn singing. Although not a hymn itself, it does speak of the Christian quality of loving and supporting one another; about being there for each other. Something that we are called to do as the body of Christ, as brothers and sisters in Christ.Here are the lyrics to the song: Lean On MeSometimes in our livesWe all have pain, we all have sorrow.But if we are wise,We know that there's always tomorrow.Lean on me when you're not strongAnd I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry onFor it won't be long'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean on.Please swallow your prideIf I have things you need to borrowFor no one can fill those of your needsThat you won't let show.You just call on me, brother, when you need a handWe all need somebody to lean on.I just might have a problem that you'll understand,We all need somebody to lean on.Lean on me when you're not strongAnd I'll be your friend I'll help you carry onFor it won't be long'Til I'm gonna need somebody to lean onYou just call on me, brother, when you need a handWe all need somebody to lean on.I just might have a problem that you'll understand,We all need somebody to lean on.If there is a loadYou have to bearThat you can't carryI'm right up the roadI'll share your loadIf you just call me.There is such wisdom in these lyrics. It reminds me of the wisdom we find in the book of Eccelesiastes:Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. 10 For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they can keep warm; but how can one person alone keep warm? 12 And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)Both the song lyrics, and the verses from the Bible highlight the importance of being able to "lean on" each other. When you are weak, you can lean on that friend, and receive their support, they can lift you up when you fall. Likewise, when the situation is reversed and that friend is the one who is strong, you can be that person for them to lean on. This is why "two are better than one".Life can get tough and we're not always able to handle or carry the load. As the song states: "We all need somebody to lean on". It is also important that we ask for help. You have to "swallow your pride... for no one can fill those of your needs that you won't let show." So many go it alone because they don't want to admit that they need help. We justify this by saying that we don't want to burden others, but what…

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Who is the Word?

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Guest Postby Dave GriffithsSome people insist that the Word is not God. They agree he is a god, which puts us in a dilemma.The bible clearly tells us that the Word is Jesus. The bible also tells us that in the beginning the Word was with God and the Word was God. (not a god), and, if the Word was with God then the Word cannot be God, hence there is more to this than meets the eye. The solution is to search and re-search the Scriptures. The Old Testament confirms the existence  of a single triune God. One God, three entities.The prayer of the Shema has always been a fundamental declaration of faith. It is a verse that calls the people of Israel to serve and worship one God ; “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one."The Hebrew words Adonai (Lord) and Eloheinu (Our God) use plural forms of the word God. Why does the Lord present Himself as plural? And why, after repeating the word God three times, does Deut. 6:4 end with the word one?The Hebrew word one is Ehad. An example is found in Gen. 2:24. “A man leaves his father and mother and is united with his wife and they become one (Ehad) The man and women are two people whose joining together creates one flesh.Further plural words for God are found in Gen. 1:26. “Let us make man in our image according to our likeness... He was not speaking to human beings because they were not yet created. Neither did He consult the angels because angels were not active partners in creation.  The Old Testament states clearly that God alone created the world. ( Neh. 9:6 ).  The New Testament confirms that God alone is the creator. (Col. 1:16-17).Therefore, in Ge. 1:26 the Lord was speaking to an entity or entities equal to Himself in image and in power to create. The word Creator appears in Hebrew in the plural form, indicating a plurality of creators. Since the Creator is God, there must be a plurality of entities in the one true God.Plural forms of words referring to God also appear in Isa. 54:5. The word Maker is plural.  In conclusion the word Ehad describes a wholeness that consists of several entities, and we must worship this wholeness. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Ehad, one God.Dave

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The Importance of Christian Fellowship

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by Luke KincaidOne of my favorite ministers is a gentleman by the name of Paul Tripp. Today I wanted to share with you a portion of a blog which he sends out every Wednesday. The title of this specific blog is “Are You A Disappointed Christian?” The following are the six signs which he offers of one who may struggle with their disappointment as a Christian:“1. Disappointment with God. Do you feel as if God has not given you the life that he has promised? If we misunderstand what God is doing in the here and now, we’ll live with the wrong perspective and expectations, so disappointment is bound to set in. Lack of motivation for ministry. If you’re disappointed with the life that God has provided, you’re unlikely to get excited about sharing that disappointing news with others! A life of vibrant ministry is not defined by formal training or paid vocation but the result of an overflowingly thankful heart. Numbing yourself. When you’re disappointed with your life, you will pursue ways to escape it. That may come in the form of working too much, a hobby or activity, endless entertainment, or overindulging on food, alcohol, medication, or illicit sexual pleasure.  Envy of others’ lives. If you’re disappointed with your life, you will scan the lives of others to see how they’re doing. Inevitably, you will discover someone near you who is enjoying the life that seemed to pass you by. Envy will cause you to doubt God’s goodness and wisdom while telling you that you deserve better than what you are getting. Letting go of the habits of faith. When you’re disappointed with something, you don’t want to invest in or participate in it. Why read God’s Word, why pray, why hang around with other believers, why read good Christian books, and why encourage others to believe when none of those things seem to make a difference? Greater susceptibility to temptation. Once you let go of the habits of the faith, you let your spiritual defenses down. You are no longer connected to resources that stimulate and deepen your affection for Jesus, so the things of this world that woo you to step outside of God’s boundaries are more enticing.”Maybe you have identified with more than one of these and now realize that you may be struggling with disappointment in your walk with Jesus. Paul Tripp offers a few ways in which you can begin to go about dealing with this disappointment. The main one I want to share with you today is to seek the company of those who have what you are lacking right now in this moment.Christian fellowship is one of the primary ways in which we can see us overcoming our disappointment as we find strength in our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ as we strive to live out the truth of Proverbs 27:17:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.So don’t be afraid to reach out to those around you. And if you…

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