Ephesians 6:13-14: The Armour of God: Part One
Holy War means two different things depending on whether you are living in the OT or the NT. In the OT the armies of Israel were God’s rod of judgement putting on an end times display of what the final judgement will look like. The land, which represented the new creation was wiped clean of all idolaters. The Israelites were to take up literal sword and shield and apply the death that sin deserves to all sinners in the land. When anyone attacked God’s land or people, the armies of Israel had every confidence that God would bless their...
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Ephesians 4:25: No More Lies
A British survey in 2008 reported that people lie on average 4 times a day, which is at least 1460 times a year and 88,000 times in 60 years. In 2002 a study done by a university concluded that 60% of people cannot have a 10 minute conversation without telling a lie, averaging 2-3 in a ten minute period. In a 2014 survey of 1,200 adults 76% said it was ok to lie sometimes. Lying is a destructive sin that dominates the human heart and has been the source of wars, divorce, murder, suicide and many more instances of...
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Ephesians 3:2-6: Steward of the Mystery of Christ
The word mystery has various connotations. If you are a book lover it may cause you to think of a favourite genre of who-done-it crime thrillers. The common English word means something that is difficult or impossible to understand it, it is often used in the sense of defeat: ‘It is a mystery, we will never know.’ In the ancient world there were various mystery religions who had secret knowledge which only the initiated could understand. The mysteries were the secret truths revealed to those who had proven themselves worthy of ascending to being indoctrinated in this higher knowledge....
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The Objection of Homophobia
Introduction: A major reason why people will not become Christians and have less and less time for the Bible and Christianity is the objection of homophobia. It will not be long in any conversation about the bible today that someone will ask you, ‘Do you believe that gay people are going to hell?’ The accusation in the question is clear and a wrong answer will immediately shut down the conversation. For many today this is a gatekeeper issue, if you don’t tick the right box you are not worth continuing the conversation with. To disagree on this issue demonstrates...
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Ephesians 4:25: Our Debt of Truth: Part Two
Outline Putting away falsehood Speaking the truth Introduction Imagine a world with no lies and no liars. Imagine how the politicians would speak as they propose the best ways to make a better country, think of the nature of their promises, how they would represent their opposition, and describe the true problems we have. Think of the newspapers and how they would be unbiased in their reporting, the normal leftist leaning reporting that demonises the non-liberal would discuss the really important issues in fair ways presenting both sides. Advertising would stop using the language of worship for trivial things,...
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Ephesians 4:25: Our Debt of Truth: Part One
Outline Putting away falsehood Speaking the truth Introduction Imagine a world with no lies and no liars. Imagine how the politicians would speak as they propose the best ways to make a better country, think of the nature of their promises, how they would represent their opposition, and describe the true problems we have. Think of the newspapers and how they would be unbiased in their reporting, the normal leftist leaning reporting that demonises the non-liberal would discuss the really important issues in fair ways presenting both sides. Advertising would stop using the language of worship for trivial things,...
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Revelation 2:1-7: Ephesus Part 1
Introduction: Your greatest strength can become your greatest weakness, this is the lesson of the letter to Ephesus. One of our great weaknesses as finite sinners is that we cannot multitask the good. We focus in on one good thing but we do so to the neglect and at the expense of all the other good. Ephesus was good at doctrine and discernment, and this strength became their weakness. They became a loveless head church, an abomination of a floating bloated head with no heart of love. I said that I felt this was the church more than any...
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