Good morning friends,
Quotes of the week:
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Nobody’s perfect. The only One that ever was, was crucified. – Loretta Lynn
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Great winds and storms help fruit-bearing trees. So also do corruptions and temptations help the fruitfulness of grace and holiness. The storm loosens the earth around its roots, so the tree is able to get its roots deeper into the earth, where it receives fresh supplies of nourishment. But only much later will it be seen to bring forth better fruit. In the same way, corruptions and temptations develop the roots of humility, self-abasement and mourning—in a deeper search for that grace by which holiness grows strong. But only later, will there be visible fruits of increased holiness. – John Owen
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Now, here are your weekly links:
- What was the Crucifixion like? – This article is difficult to read, but it only speaks of the physical pain Jesus endured, not even what the sinless, divine Son of God experienced in bearing the weight of the sins of His people “in His body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24): https://crossexamined.org/crucifixion-like/
- Help! My Teen Is Losing His Faith! | Beyond Teachable Moments – I’m not sure if there is a more painful reality for a Christian parent to be confronted with than learning or observing that her child is losing, or has lost, his faith. Very few other challenges can raise as much anger, panic, or emotional turmoil in us as this one can. If you find yourself in this situation, here is a suggested course of action that you can take to address the changes you are seeing in your child. These are 6 good principles: https://beyondtm.wordpress.com/2014/11/12/help-my-teen-is-losing-his-faith/
- The Universe Had a Beginning – Cosmologist Alexander Vilenkin wrote a book in 2006 (Many Worlds in One) in which he refers to a theorem he developed with Alan Guth and Arvind Borde. Although not a believer in God but the mulitverse, Vilenkin says that their theorem proves that even if other universes exist there was an absolute beginning of them all. In other words, one cannot posit a multiverse, as atheists often do, to avoid an absolute beginning.: https://crossexamined.org/the-universe-had-a-beginning/
- Frank Turek & David Wood Respond to KJV Only Position – YouTube: https://youtu.be/1wQ-rvbc_rY?si=Uo8nDDu1WEdgleoW
- Atheist Myths and Scientism – Probe Ministries – What have atheists done to create a cultural milieu that is drawing more and more young Americans away from Christianity? In this article, we will focus on two prominent prongs of the attack against Christianity. Those prongs are: 1. Fabricating myths around the premise that Christianity and modern science are enemies of one another and have been so since the advent of modern science, and 2. Promoting the philosophy of scientism as the only way to view science.: https://probe.org/atheist-myths-and-scientism/
- Study: belief in free will linked to ability to behave morally and to help others | WINTERY KNIGHT – A while back I finished reading “God’s Crime Scene”, the new book by J. Warner Wallace. I wanted to post something about some studies he mentioned in Chapter 6, on free will. This is one of the places where he found evidence in a surprising area. Wallace says that free will makes more sense if theism is true, because we have non-material souls that interact with our bodies, but are not causally determined by them. On atheism, only matter exists, and you can’t get free will (or consciousness) from matter. So atheists like Sam Harris and Alex Rosenberg, for example, deny free will, because they are materialists and atheists.: https://winteryknight.com/2023/12/18/study-belief-in-free-will-linked-to-ability-to-behave-morally-and-to-help-others-3/
- Answering the Atheists: Stephen Hawking (Part 1) – YouTube – Join Frank Turek as he responds to Stephen Hawking’s book: The Grand Design Part 1 of 2.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tVO0-zYAvE
- Are Christians required to align with one of America’s two major political parties? Frank examines the purpose of government and lays out where he stands on today’s major issues.: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DYpCbxecM/
- Do you know what’s inscribed at the very top of the Washington Monument? America’s history of faith is literally etched in the blocks of metal and stone. Hints, it is all Biblical: https://www.facebook.com/firstlibertyinstitute/videos/1697672704535736/
- Why is it so tough for Christians to engage the LGBTQ+ community with the Gospel? One word – identity! Christopher Yuan, who formerly lived as a gay man, shares some tips on how to have meaningful faith conversations with people who are same-sex attracted.: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=887642667367999
- Christian PhDs: 5 New Discoveries That Have Atheists SCRAMBLING – YouTube: https://youtu.be/WTtRfwJQJhg?si=fNlA8h7s-z_uBBYF
- The Right and Wrong Reasons to Pursue Apologetics – THINKAPOLOGETICS.COM – There was an article by William Lane Craig about advice for people who want be an apologist. In all honesty, Craig probably knows many people who have come to him asking for advice. I think he would admit that many of them want to live the life he has and is living (e.g. lots of speaking gigs/debates, lots of fans, lots of attention, etc.). Here are some of the right and wrong reasons to pursue a career in apologetics. Or, perhaps here are some of the right and wrong reasons for being very active in the field of apologetics.: https://chab123.wordpress.com/2013/08/09/the-right-and-wrong-reasons-to-pursue-apologetics/
- Think the Bible Isn’t Scientific? This Video Will Change Your Mind! – YouTube – Since the Bible is God’s Word, it’s no wonder that it’s filled to the brim with fascinating scientific facts that humans often discovered hundreds, if not thousands, of years later. These 20 scientific facts from the Bible will amaze you!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fhe_V4_NoNE
- Do We Have A Duty To Give A Reason For Our Faith? (Video) – Cold Case Christianity: https://coldcasechristianity.com/videos/do-we-have-a-duty-to-give-a-reason-for-our-faith-video/
- How to speak truth in a post-truth culture. – YouTube – How do you speak truth in a post-truth culture? How do you stand up for your faith when the popular culture tells you to sit down? The good news? God wants ordinary people to share ultimate truth, and the Apostle Peter encourages every believer to shine and to share.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pJoehrRa8Q
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? Have you suffered so much for nothing–if it really was for nothing? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? Consider Abraham: “He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.” Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. Galatians 3:1-7
Blessings to you all