What do you think of when you hear the word “satan” or “devil”?

My guess is, there is likely a red figure, maybe horns and a pitchfork are included. This image is drawn directly from fan fare and modern imaginings. If we look to the Bible, we see Paul point out that “Satan himself masquerades as an angle of light” (2 Cor. 11:14).

This is an example of the many things we can slowly divert from truth on because of the imagery around something or even the language.

In this article, centered around the Apostles Creed, ancient in its reciting by Christians all over the world and in wide use today, the same issue is present. As disciples today, we need to do some digging to cut to the truth, and make sure that what we teach and store up in our hearts is in accordance with sound doctrine.

One point requiring absolute clarity is that “descended into hell” did not mean, until Calvin, “descend into the place of torment.” The creedal Latin varies between ad inferna (“descended into hell”) and ad inferos (“descended to the dead [ones]”), but these are synonyms until the Reformation.

You can read the article here.

From Stan Rodda’s article “Our Apologetics Must Surrender to the Transformative Power of Jesus Christ!”

If you’re thinking about taking the One Year Challenge and being on mission for God, you are thinking of how you can lead people to Christ, let this man’s insight and experience enter the discussion!

Tyler (not his real name) is an environmentalist, evolution believing, democrat voting, self-identified “none.” He and I started having faith conversations around six months ago. As he explored, he immediately jumped to the common questions. “Well, if I talk to you about this, am I going to have to change my beliefs about evolution? And what about how I vote? I have deep convictions about voting to save the environment from climate change.”

What I heard was, “If you tell me that following Jesus means I have to vote Republican and suddenly believe the earth is 6000 years old, I’m out.”

Where would you begin with a person like Tyler? Likely with some sort of argument beginning to break down evolution. And if you went after how he votes first thing, you’re probably going to lose the opportunity to share Jesus. I don’t know anyone saved who was argued out of how they prefer to vote. Even a guy with no current framework for religion or faith in his life, was expecting our conversations to be somewhat confrontational and to debate these deeply held convictions and beliefs.

I think my response to Tyler took him by surprise. My first response was, “Tyler, I believe that someday you will stand before God. And when you do, He won’t ask you how old the earth is. He also won’t ask you how you voted. He will ask you what you did with Jesus. Are you open to discovering Jesus with me?” He said, “Yes.”

Read the full article HERE.

At a meeting of Baptist leaders in the late 1700s, a newly ordained minister stood to argue for the value of overseas missions. He was abruptly interrupted by an older minister who said, “Young man, sit down! You are an enthusiast. When God pleases to convert the heathen, he’ll do it without consulting you or me.”

That such an attitude is inconceivable today is largely due to the subsequent efforts of that young man, William Carey.

You can read the full article here.

William Carey had an impact on India and the world that is still very much alive today. He and his team faced countless trials, fruitless years and extreme opposition as they brought the gospel to the people of India. In a time filled with prejudice, the caste system and division, their living according the the eternal word completely defiant to the status quo and current.

Today, the status quo and current might be less rapid in the other direction, and it may look different, but the world is certainly not aligned with God’s will. So we must ponder what it means for us today to be transformed in the renewing of our minds, and not conforming to the world.

https://mailchi.mp/6bd77b69f445/gods-word-comes-alive

Scholar Douglas Jacoby’s weekly newsletter has just concluded a 20 part series on “Old Testament Passages Good for Everyone to Know”, this is part 20.

If you’re thinking of taking the One Year Challenge, knowing your bible is key, and we shouldn’t neglect the Old Testament. Become more familiar with the story God is telling and has told, you wouldn’t be content to just watch the last few seasons of a tv series and skip the first few, right?!

To say we should dump preaching in favor or drama, video, discussion, music, or anything else is to misunderstand the nature of the church and her work. In bringing us into his church, God calls us out of ourselves. Statistics show that the average American adult spends 10 hours a day connected to media; are churches wise to accommodate that trend? Wouldn’t it be better to call us away from our smartphones and tablets for two hours each week (out of 168) to hear a word from the Lord?

Genuine Christian worship is not an experience that can be simulated (or replaced) by any manmade thing, no matter how ingenious. Yes, we’ve become a visual culture, but Christianity is a verbal faith, so we must not let the visual eat up the verbal.

If you’re thinking of taking the One Year Challenge, this article can help you to understand that God can use those who aren’t fine tuned to achieve perfection. He doesn’t require the most skilled or wise, the most educated, God’s way is not the world’s way. In this article Jeff Robinson discusses the disinterest modern people can have for the same old things, but that we can’t sacrifice God’s way for the world’s.

Read the full article here.

“There’s this idea that to live out of conformity with how I feel is hypocrisy; but that’s a wrong definition of hypocrisy,” Thoennes said. “To live out of conformity to what I believe is hypocrisy. To live in conformity with what I believe, in spite of what I feel, isn’t hypocrisy; it’s integrity.”

If you’re thinking of taking the One Year Challenge, it’s a decision that shouldn’t be lead or controlled by a feeling of fitting with who you are, that will change, but it can be conformed with God’s word and command and power.

You can read the full article here.

https://www.crossway.org/articles/how-hudson-taylor-shocked-people-out-of-indifference-about-missions/

Please take the time to read this article. A message coming from a man that inspired many modern missions. If you are thinking of taking the One Year Challenge, this is a really important read.