Norway’s diluted Bible

Posted on June 18, 2013 by

norwegian bibleIt may sound like an unlikely No. 1 best-seller for any country, but in Norway — one of the most secular nations in an increasingly godless Europe — the runaway popularity of this Bible has caught the country by surprise. The Scriptures, in a new Norwegian language version, even outpaced “Fifty Shades of Grey” to become Norway’s best-selling book

The sudden burst of interest in God’s Word has also spread to the stage, with a six-hour play called “Bibelen,” Norwegian for “the Bible,” drawing 16,000 people in a three-month run that recently ended at one of Oslo’s most prominent theaters.

Officials of the Lutheran Church of Norway have stopped short of calling it a spiritual awakening, but they see the new-found interest in this Bible as proof that it still resonates in a country where only 1 percent of the 5 million residents regularly attend church. Norway’s Bible Society promoted the new translation like a pop fiction novel.

Scholars aren’t surprised at the success of the plays or the new Bible translation, explaining that faith is a deeply personal matter in this nation of Scandinavians, who regularly withdraw from city life to spend holidays at remote cottages in the solitude of the mountains, fjords and forests. fiercely committed to jamming weekends with skiing, hiking and other outdoor activities, leaving little time other than Christmas or Easter to fill the pews.  Church attendance is not a good indicator of Norwegian faith.  Their religion has taken a back seat to other pursuits.  (Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together)

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People in Need Pastors’ Conference and Healing Crusade 2013 – India

Posted on June 18, 2013 by

Greetings from People in Need Ministries, India. We thank you for your wonderful prayers and support for the ministry.

Here is the report on Pastors conference & Gospel Healing Crusade 2013.

On dates 3-4-5 June 2013. Day time from 9 – 11am first session, from 11.15am to 1pm second session, we conducted Pastors conference. After 1pm we arranged lunch for all the Pastors came from far away villages.
In the every evening from 7pm till 9.30pm we conducted Gospel healing crusade. These three days we afraid of Rains because of lots of lightening from the sky and heavy wind. But thank God, no rains and the Pastors conference and Gospel healing crusade were successful. Glory to God!
All the Pastors are thanking the Lord for giving them good teachings, singing songs and worshiping together with living God. In the first day, we have given them a note book and a pen to take notes from Bible Teachers.

Since few days, we started receiving calls from the Pastors and from the people, informing us about how God healed their sickness and how He is doing miracles in their families. Such a great joy and happiness God left with us.
This is the work of the Lord. We request the God’s people to please pray for the expenditure that we have spent for:

1-   Afternoon meals for Pastors for who attended the conference and for our staff
2-   Drinking water for Pastors and for the public
3-   Lighting system for night meetings
4-   A 5KV Generator and Fuel
5-   A transportation rental vehicle for these three days
6-   Orchestra group

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Faith Child – “Who is Satan?”

Posted on June 18, 2013 by

Question: “Who is Satan?”

Answer:   People’s beliefs concerning Satan range from the silly to the  abstract—from a little red guy with horns who sits on your shoulder urging you  to sin, to an expression used to describe the personification of evil. The  Bible, however, gives us a clear portrait of who Satan is and how he affects our  lives. Put simply, the Bible defines Satan as an angelic being who fell from his  position in heaven due to sin and is now completely opposed to God, doing all in  his power to thwart God’s purposes.

Satan was created as a holy angel.  Isaiah 14:12 possibly gives  Satan’s pre-fall name as Lucifer. Ezekiel  28:12-14 describes Satan as having been created a cherubim, apparently the  highest created angel. He became arrogant in his beauty and status and decided  he wanted to sit on a throne above that of God (Isaiah  14:13-14; Ezekiel  28:15; 1 Timothy  3:6). Satan’s pride led to his fall. Notice the many “I will” statements in  Isaiah  14:12-15. Because of his sin, God barred Satan from heaven.

Satan  became the ruler of this world and the prince of the power of the air (John 12:31; 2  Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians  2:2). He is an accuser (Revelation  12:10), a tempter (Matthew 4:3;  1  Thessalonians 3:5), and a deceiver (Genesis 3; 2  Corinthians 4:4; Revelation  20:3). His very name means “adversary” or “one who opposes.” Another of his  titles, the devil, means “slanderer.”

Even though he was cast out of  heaven, he still seeks to elevate his throne above God. He counterfeits all that  God does, hoping to gain the worship of the world and encourage opposition to  God’s kingdom. Satan is the ultimate source behind every false cult and world  religion. Satan will do anything and everything in his power to oppose God and  those who follow God. However, Satan’s destiny is sealed—an eternity in the lake  of fire (Revelation  20:10).

Recommended Resources: Logos Bible Software and  The Serpent of Paradise by Erwin Lutzer.

While he  is not the author of every article on GotQuestions.org, for citation purposes,  you may reference our CEO, S. Michael Houdmann.

Read more: 
http://www.gotquestions.org/who-Satan.html#ixzz2WKCCAoMW

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He Is Waiting For You

Posted on June 18, 2013 by

I am well aware that Richard Marx sang this song as a love song between a man and a woman. But, let’s take the same song and imagine God is singing this to you, His child..whether you’ve walked away from God and He’s calling you back to Him, or maybe you are just going through a hard time with something…it doesn’t matter.  Listen to these lyrics, even if you know the song by heart. Watch the video, and imagine God is singing this to you.  Because you know what?  Wherever you are at, no matter what you are going through, He loves you very much.  Run to Him with open arms.  He’s right there within reach, waiting for you.  Ready to take your hurts and give you peace in return.

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EU 11 – Leading Together in the Home

Posted on June 18, 2013 by

Leading Together in the Home

by  Marg Mowczko


http://newlife.id.au/equality-and-gender-issues/leading-together-in-the-home/

[This article is also available in Urdu here.]

I was reading Leviticus recently and I came across this verse: “Every one of you shall reverence his mother and father. . .” Leviticus 19:3a (NASB.)

I was intrigued that “mother” was mentioned before “father” so I decided to search for other verses in the Bible that might also mention “mother” first.  I couldn’t find any.  But what I did find surprised me.

I found over a dozen verses which command honouring, respecting and obeying your father and mother, with both the father and mother always mentioned together.[1]

I had anticipated that in Bible times, when the culture was predominantly patriarchal, that the Old Testament authors (in particular), might have written verses that just mentioned honouring and obeying the father – leaving out the mother.  However it seems that under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they were careful to always include honouring and obeying the mother as well.

The only exceptions that I could find (please let me know if you find others) is in Malachi 1:6 and Hebrews 12:5-10. Here “mother” is not mentioned at all because God is using the example of honouring and respecting fathers as an analogy of honouring God as “Father”.

I then decided to look at the book of Proverbs because I knew that there were verses there about heeding a father’s teaching.  Again I was surprised.  While I did find two passages about paying attention to the father’s instruction with no mention of the mother,[2] I found two others which included the mother’s teaching also:

Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Proverbs 1:8-9
My son, keep your father’s commands and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Proverbs 6:20

So what is the purpose of pointing out these scriptures?  To try to address the imbalance that over-emphasises the husband’s leadership in the home and family while under-estimating the wife’s leadership.

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I lift up my eyes – Psalm 146:5-10

Posted on June 18, 2013 by
courtesy of mishhyyy-dreambigdreams

courtesy of mishhyyy-dreambigdreams 

Psalm 146:5-10

5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God:

6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:

7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The Lord looseth the prisoners:

8 The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down: the Lord loveth the righteous:

9 The Lord preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.

10 The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the Lord.

From Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
http://www.christnotes.org/commentary.php?com=mhc&b=19&c=146

The psalmist encourages us to put confidence in God. We must hope in the providence of God for all we need as to this life, and in the grace of God for that which is to come. The God of heaven became a man that he might become our salvation. Though he died on the cross for our sins, and was laid in the grave, yet his thoughts of love to us did not perish; he rose again to fulfil them. When on earth, his miracles were examples of what he is still doing every day. He grants deliverance to captives bound in the chains of sin and Satan. He opens the eyes of the understanding. He feeds with the bread of life those who hunger for salvation; and he is the constant Friend of the poor in spirit, the helpless: with him poor sinners, that are as fatherless, find mercy; and his kingdom shall continue for ever. Then let sinners flee to him, and believers rejoice in him. And as the Lord shall reign for ever, let us stir up each other to praise his holy name.

Response:

O Lord, You are all I need.
Thank You.
Praise You.

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An Anchor For Our Soul

Posted on June 18, 2013 by

SIH WP PromoButton 800x400Today’s world is in a state of upheaval and constant change.  With such an uncertain future lying ahead of us, it is wonderful to know that we have an anchor that can be relied upon to give us security, stabilization and peace in the midst of the storms of life.

This anchor is described in the Biblical book of Hebrews as “an anchor for our souls”.  What is this anchor consisting of?  What effect does this anchor have on our life? Let’s answer these, and other, questions as we begin today’s study of God’s Word.

THE SCRIPTURES:

Heb 6:13-20 (KJV)

13) For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself,

14) Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee.

15) And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise.

16) For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmation [is] to them an end of all strife.

17) Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed [it] by an oath:

18) That by two immutable things, in which [it was] impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

19) Which [hope] we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;

20) Whither the forerunner is for us entered, [even] Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

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Child of the world – Another Tower of Babel experience for mankind?

Posted on June 17, 2013 by

Man was scattered and confusion reigned – when man  built the Tower of Babel. What will be the consequence of the following effort?

Quote from Yahoo Singapore 17 June, 2013

Russian tycoon wants to move mind to machine

Immortality by 2045 or bust: Russian tycoon wants to transfer minds to machines

Associated PressBy Peter Svensson, AP Technology Writer | Associated Press – Sun, Jun 16, 2013 6:03 AM SGT

Related Content

  • <p> Russian billionaire Dmitry Itskov speaks at the Global Future 2045 Congress, Saturday, June 15, 2013 at Lincoln Center in New York. Some of humanity’s best brains are gathering in New York to discuss how our minds can outlive our bodies. The conference is funded by a Russian billionaire with an aggressive time schedule: immortality by 2045. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)View PhotoRussian billionaire Dmitry Itskov speaks at the Global Future 2045 Congress, Saturday, June 15, 2013 at Lincoln Center in New York. Some of humanity’s best brains are gathering in New York to discuss how our minds can outlive our bodies. The conference is funded by a Russian billionaire with an aggressive time schedule: immortality by 2045. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)

 NEW YORK (AP) — Can the City That Never Sleeps become the City That Never Dies? A Russian multimillionaire thinks so.

Dmitry Itskov gathered some of humanity’s best brains — and a few robots — in New York City on Saturday to discuss how humans can get their minds to outlive their bodies. Itskov, who looks younger than his 32 years, has an aggressive timetable in which he’d like to see milestones toward that goal met:

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Faith Child – “What are the different types of angels?”

Posted on June 17, 2013 by

Question: “What are the different types of  angels?”
Answer:  Angels fall into two categories: the  “unfallen” angels and the fallen angels. Unfallen angels are those who have  remained holy throughout their existence and accordingly are called “holy  angels” (Matthew  25:31). In Scripture, generally when angels are mentioned, it is the class  of holy angels in view. By contrast, the fallen angels are those who have not  maintained their holiness. Holy angels fall into special classes, and certain  individuals are named and mentioned. Michael the archangel is likely the head of  all the holy angels, and his name means “who is like unto God?” (Daniel 10:21; 12:1; 1  Thessalonians 4:16; Jude 9; Revelation 12:7-10).  Gabriel is one of the principal messengers of God, his name meaning “hero of  God,” and was entrusted with important messages such as those delivered to  Daniel (Daniel 8:16;  9:21), to Zacharias (Luke 1:18-19), and to Mary  (Luke  1:26-38).
Most holy angels are not given names but are described  only as “elect angels” (1 Timothy  5:21). The expressions “principalities” and “powers” seem to be used of all  angels whether fallen or holy (Luke 21:26;  Romans 8:38; Ephesians 1:21; 3:10; Colossians 1:16; 2:10, 15; 1 Peter 3:22). Some angels  are designated as “cherubim,” which are living creatures who defend God’s  holiness from any defilement of sin (Genesis  3:24; Exodus 25:  18, 20; Ezekiel 1:1-18).  “Seraphim” are another class of angels mentioned only once in Scripture in Isaiah 6:2-7 and are  described as having three pairs of wings. They apparently have the function of  praising God, being God’s messengers to Earth, and are especially concerned with  the holiness of God. Most of the references to holy angels in Scripture refer to  their ministries which cover a wide field of achievement. They were present at  creation, the giving of the Law, at the birth of Christ and at His resurrection,  at the Ascension, and they will be present at the Rapture of the Church and the  Second Coming of Christ.
In stark contrast to the company of holy  angels, the fallen angels are also innumerable and are described as fallen from  their first estate. Led by Satan, who was originally a holy angel, the fallen  angels defected, rebelled against God, and became sinful in their nature and  work. Fallen angels have been divided into two classes: those who are free and  those who are bound. Of the fallen angels, Satan alone is given particular  mention in the Bible. When Satan fell (John 8:44; Luke 10:18), he drew after  him one third of the angels. Of those, some are reserved in chains awaiting  judgment (1  Corinthians 6:3; 2 Peter 2:4;  Jude 6), and the remainder are  free and are the demons, or devils, to whom reference is constantly made  throughout the New Testament (Mark 5:9, 15; Luke 8:30, 1 Timothy  4:1). They are Satan’s servants in all his undertakings and share his doom  (Matthew  25:41; Revelation  20:10).
Recommended Resources: Logos Bible Software and  Angels:  Elect & Evil by C. Fred Dickason.

While he is not the author of  every article on GotQuestions.org, for citation purposes, you may reference our  CEO, S. Michael Houdmann.

Read more: 
http://www.gotquestions.org/types-of-angels.html#ixzz2WFtjCvzq

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Beatitudes Series: “Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit”

Posted on June 17, 2013 by

I am starting a series today on the Beatitudes Jesus taught in His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:3-12. The series will run every Monday for eight weeks. Today we start on Matthew 5:3:

 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

I used to think that poor in spirit meant saddened and downcast. I thought it meant we are to feel down because we are sinners.

The Amplified Bible explains the true meaning of the poor in spirit:

Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous-with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!

The poor in spirit are the humble. The humble are not downcast or saddened; they are filled with the joy of the Lord. The humble, those who rate themselves insignificant, seek to lift Christ up instead of lifting themselves up. The humble live to make Christ known, not to make themselves known.

I read a sign once that said, “It’s better to be faithful than to be famous.” We are to strive to be faithful, not strive to be popular with the world.

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