Monday, November 16, 2009

Clean and Confident, Part 1



 
Bill Rice Ranch - First Light Devotionals 
Psalm 17:3  "Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress."
 

Clean and Confident, Part 1

 

 
Sometimes at night when I go to bed, my body is worn out but my mind is just getting warmed up! Does that ever happen to you? Or perhaps your spouse wants to discuss a really wonderful topic when you are a few winks away from snoring. What normally happens to me is that my mind will replay an event from the day. It may have been a one-minute event, but it becomes a five-hour blockbuster movie when my mind gets finished with it!
 
 
Many times, replaying the day's events at night is a matter of conscience. You are not ready for sleep until you're ready for life, and you are not ready for life until you're square with God. David could have confidence because of a clean conscience. The greatest confidence in the world is the confidence that comes from a clean conscience.
 
 
You will not and cannot always have confidence that comes from doing great things, but you can always have confidence that comes from doing the right thing. A man who is not a good man is not a great man. Good has more to do with your relationship with God than how gifted God may have made you.

 
 
Anyone this morning, regardless of ability or responsibility, can have the great confidence that comes with a clean conscience. That is exactly what David mentioned in Psalm 17, verse 3: "Thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing."

 
 
Prayer Requests
:
- Revival services tonight in Starke, FL and Bradenton,FL
 
 
Check for revival services and events in your area on our website: billriceranch.org  
 
firstlight@billriceranch.org.
 
 
Bill Rice Ranch | 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road | Murfreesboro | TN | 37128

Saturday, November 14, 2009

QUESTION OF THE WEEK - Why do mutations pose a problem for evolutionists?


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November 14, 2009

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Q: Why do mutations pose a problem for evolutionists?

The mutations that we see in the world around us involve a loss of genetic information, not a gain. Mutations could never cause a species to gain genetic information and change into a more advanced species. This poses a problem for evolutionary claims that humans evolved from apes.
Mutations often pose problems for humans, in the form of birth defects. Some evolutionists claim that birth defects are the "trial and error" of evolution, and eventually this could create a new species or sub-species of human.
The reality is that the vast majority of mutations are detrimental (to some degree), and, thus, the genome of the human population is degrading. For more information regarding this, please see Dr. Georgia Purdom's recent article entitled Making the Evolution Pill Easier to Swallow, Part 2.

News to Note Quick Look

AP: "Vatican Looks to Heavens for Signs of Alien Life": For the Vatican, the question of whether "sentient life forms exist on other worlds" has yet to be answered. Read more.

ScienceDaily: "African Desert Rift Confirmed as New Ocean in the Making: Thousands of years ago, God parted the Red Sea. Is He parting Ethiopia now? Read more.

Also: Ancient Muscle Tissue Extracted from 18 Million Year Old Fossil, Fertile Ground for Creationism in Turkey, Planned Parenthood Clinic Director Resigns After Witnessing Abortion, and don't miss . . . . Read more.

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Want to learn more about how the Bible is confirmed by archaeology, science, and everything we see around us? Join us for a 6-week study in Creation Apologetics and the Bible. You will explore how we arrive at the age of the earth, the historical accuracy of the biblical record, the authority of Scripture, and more. Interact with other students from around the world and strengthen your faith as you dive deep into God's Word in this course.
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Friday, November 13, 2009

God in Camp



 
Bill Rice Ranch - First Light Devotionals 

 
Psalm 16:8  "I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved."

 
God in Camp

 
 
What kind of God do we need today? What we need is a God in heaven, not some little provincial idol that cannot see and cannot hear. The God of Heaven has a perspective and power that exceeds our own.
 
 
Not only do we need a God in heaven, but we also need a God incarnate. If God could help but didn't care to help, that wouldn't be a comfort or a help to you, would it?

 
 
I am thankful for the fact that God is in heaven and that Jesus is God Incarnate, but those two truths pave the way for what means the most today-God in camp.
 
 
Christ is not here; He left a Comforter. What we need is a God in camp-a God in us. Psalm 16:8 is a decision to acknowledge God's presence. Now, God is here whether we acknowledge Him or not, but it sure makes a difference when we do acknowledge Him!
 
 
"I have set the LORD always before me" is something that you consciously do. It is not just God in camp; it is God in me. And there are a lot of results in having a God that is present. David said, "Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved." That is, I am stable. Many things will bump up against you today, and they will probably be heavier than you are-either literally or figuratively. But when you put God before you, you are stable-"I shall not be moved."
 
 
Verse 9 continues, "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope."  You may not get a lot of rest today, but you can always rest in hope. That hope comes from the fact that God is not only in Heaven or in that He came in flesh; that hope comes from the fact that God is in me. When I set Him before me, I am stable and satisfied with gladness, rejoicing, and hope.
 
 
Verse 10 is one of the notable references in the Old Testament to resurrection. When God is before you, what is at His right hand is accessible. He is risen, so I will be too. All my goodness is in Him (verse 2), so He is my righteousness, sanctification, and (sometime in the future) my resurrection.
 
 
I am stable-I am satisfied-I am safe. All of these things are true, not only because I have a God that is in heaven and a God that came to earth, but because I have a God that is in me. And may God help us all to recognize that today.
 
 
 
 
Prayer Requests
:
1. Revival services tonight in Ripley, TN; Pittsburg, TX; and Colonial Beach, VA
 
2. Ranch evangelists traveling to services this weekend in Owensboro, KY; Ponca City, OK; Starke, FL; and Miami, AZ 
 
 
Check for revival services and events in your area on our website: billriceranch.org  
 
 
 
firstlight@billriceranch.org.
 
 
Bill Rice Ranch | 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road | Murfreesboro | TN | 37128

The Story of Nicodemus


Days of Praise
The Story of Nicodemus
 
November 13, 2009
 
 
"There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews." (John 3:1)
 
 
The man named Nicodemus appears only on three occasions in the New Testament, but these three reveal a most remarkable character. In a way, he has become a "type" of all those who come to Christ for salvation. This was not easy for him, both because he was a member of the Pharisees who vigorously opposed Jesus, and also because he was a member of the Sanhedrin, the governing council which would eventually vote to have Jesus executed.
 
 
First, Nicodemus was an interested inquirer, coming to seek an understanding of Jesus and His mission. Similarly, those who come to Christ today must come with an open mind and heart, willing to take the time to learn of Christ and of their own need of salvation.
 
 
The Lord told Nicodemus his need of regeneration and then of God's gift of eternal life to those who would receive Christ and His sacrificial death. Nicodemus evidently believed, for we next see him as a confessing convert, defending Christ in the midst of his own peers as they were seeking to arrest and imprison Him. "Nicodemus saith unto them, . . . Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?" (John 7:50-51). This was perhaps a weak defense, but Nicodemus was a new convert, and even this stand was resented and identified him with Christ in the minds of these powerful adversaries.
 
 

Finally, we see him as a devoted disciple, willing to suffer the loss of position and riches for Christ's sake—for this is undoubtedly what his action at the cross entailed. "And there came also Nicodemus, . . . and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus . . . for the sepulchre was nigh at hand" (John 19:39-42). HMM
 

 
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Thursday, November 12, 2009

The Absence of Sin



Days of Praise
The Absence of Sin
 
November 12, 2009
 
 
"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13)
 
 
For thousands of years the followers of God have battled against "principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world" (Ephesians 6:12) led by Lucifer, that old serpent, the arch rebel and self-appointed accuser of the saints of God. Although assured of the ultimate victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, Christians have often suffered cruelly at the hands of Lucifer and his followers.
 
 
As Christians, the aching longing in our hearts for peace is really none other than the Holy Spirit, Himself, grieving at sin, and our own new, holy nature "groaning" to be free in its expression of the divine nature. It is the nature of the child of God to "hunger and thirst after righteousness" (Matthew 5:6). It is the normal thing for one "raised" up and already seated "in heavenly places in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:6) to long for the shackles of the "body of this death" (Romans 7:24) to be loosened. Under ordinary circumstances, our spiritual being--"the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" (Ephesians 4:24)--knows that we are "strangers and pilgrims on the earth" (Hebrews 11:13). Such knowledge openly declares that we "desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city" (v. 16).
 
 

If we have lost sight of the place that Jesus has gone to prepare for us, we become both forlorn and despoiled. But if we treasure the great truth that we will spend eternity with our Lord in His "new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness," we are comforted and encouraged, recognizing that both sin and all its effects will be absent. HMM III
 

 
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Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Just Another Day

Psalm 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

Pastor Rick Jackson

There are those who like to claim the early settlers in America were not particularly religious, much less Christian. Unfortunately for these modern day secularists the early settlers often left evidence of their Biblical faith. The Mayflower Compact is one such evidence. It reads as follows:

In the Name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten, the loyal subjects of our dread sovereign Lord, King James, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland King, Defender of the Faith, etc.

Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal laws, ordinances, acts, constitutions and offices, from time to time as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony: unto which we promise all due submission and obedience. In witness whereof we have hereunder subscribed our names at Cape Cod the 11 of November, in the year of the reign of our sovereign Lord, King James of England, France and Ireland the eighteenth, and of Scotland the fifty-fourth Ano. Dom. 1620.

So 389 years ago today by one calendar, these intrepid folk set their names to a document proclaiming themselves Christians and their mission, a Christian mission. To our secularist friends we say, quit lying, quit believing lies, and come to the knowledge of the Truth that is in Christ Jesus.

So what do we know about these Pilgrims?

I. THEY BELIEVED IN GOD'S PROMISES

1. They believed in the Name of God [1st line]

John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
John 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Acts 15:14 Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name.
Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
1 Timothy 6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.
Hebrews 6:10 For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

2. They believed in the Grace of God [1st line]

Acts 15:40 And Paul chose Silas, and departed, being recommended by the brethren unto the grace of God.
Romans 5:15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;
1 Corinthians 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
2 Corinthians 1:12 For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
2 Corinthians 9:14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you.
Galatians 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.
Ephesians 3:7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power.

3. They believed in the Presence of God

"and mutually in the presence of God, and one of another"

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Psalm 139:7-10 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

II. THEY BELIEVED IN GOD'S PROVIDENCE

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

William Bradford, one of the Pilgrims wrote in, Of Plymouth Plantation, Chapter 9

And I may not omit here a special work of God's providence. There was a proud and very profane young man, one of the sea-men, of a lusty, able body, which made him the more haughty; he would always be condemning the poor people in their sickness, and cursing them daily with grievous execrations, and did not let to tell them, that he hoped to help to cast half of them overboard before they came to their journey's end, and to make merry with what they had; and if he were by any gently reproved, he would curse and swear most bitterly. But it pleased God before they came half seas over, to smite this young man with a grievous disease, of which he died in a desperate manner, and so was himself the first that was thrown overboard. Thus his curses light on his own head; and it was an astonishment to all his fellows, for they noted it to be the just hand of God upon him.

After they had enjoyed fair winds and weather for a season, they were encountered many times with cross winds, and met with many fierce storms, with which the ship was shroudly shaken, and her upper works made very leaky; and one of the main beams in the mid ships was bowed and cracked, which put them in some fear that the ship could not be able to perform the voyage. So some of the chief of the company, perceiving the mariners to fear the sufficiency of the ship, as appeared by their mutterings, they entered into serious consultation with the master and other officers of the ship, to consider in time of the danger; and rather to return then to cast themselves into a desperate and inevitable peril. And truly there was great distraction and difference of opinion among the mariners themselves; fain would they do what could be done for their wages sake, (being now half the seas over,) and on the other hand they were loath to hazard their lives too desperately. But in examining of all opinions, the master and others affirmed they knew the ship to be strong and firm under water; and for the buckling of the main beam, there was a great iron screw the passengers brought out of Holland, which would raise the beam into his place; the which being done, the carpenter and master affirmed that with a post put under it, set firm in the lower deck, and other-ways bound, he would make it sufficient. And as for the decks and upper works they would caulk them as well as they could, and though with the working of the ship they would not long keep staunch, yet there would otherwise be no great danger, if they did not overpress her with sails. So they committed themselves to the will of God, and resolved to proceed.

In sundry of these storms the winds were so fierce, and the seas so high, as they could not bear a knot of sail, but were forced to hull, for divers days together. And in one of them, as they thus lay at hull, in a mighty storm, a lusty young man (called John Howland) coming upon some occasion above the gratings, was, with a seele of the ship thrown into the sea; but it pleased God that he caught hold of the topsail halyards, which hung overboard, and ran out at length; yet he held his hold (though he was sundry fathoms under water) till he was hauled up by the same rope to the brim of the water, and then with a boat hook and other means got into the ship again, and his life saved; and though he was something ill with it, yet he lived many years after, and became a profitable member both in church and commonwealth. In all this voyage there died but one of the passengers, which was William Butten, a youth, servant to Samuel Fuller, when they drew near the coast. But to omit other things, (that I may be brief,) after long beating at sea they fell with that land which is called Cape Cod; the which being made and certainly known to be it, they were not a little joyful. After some deliberation had amongst themselves and with the master of the ship, they tacked about and resolved to stand for the southward (the wind and weather being fair) to find some place about Hudson's River for their habitation. But after they had sailed that course about half a day, they fell amongst dangerous shoals and roaring breakers, and they were so far entangled therewith as they conceived themselves in great danger; and the wind shrinking upon them withal, they resolved to bear up again for the Cape, and thought themselves happy to get out of those dangers before night overtook them, as by God's providence they did. And the next day they got into the Cape-harbor where they rid in safety. A word or two by the way of this cape; it was thus first named by Captain Gosnold and his company, Anno. 1602, and after by Captain Smith was called Cape James; but it retains the former name amongst seamen. Also that point which first showed these dangerous shoals unto them, they called Point Care, and Tucker's Terror; but the French and Dutch to this day call it Malabar, by reason of those perilous shoals, and the losses they have suffered there.

Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof, again to set their feet on the firm and stable earth, their proper element...

May not and ought not the children of these fathers rightly say: "Our fathers were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord, and he heard their voice, and looked on their adversity, etc. Let them therefore praise the Lord, because he is good, and his mercies endure forever. Yea, let them which have been redeemed of the Lord, show how he hath delivered them from the hand of the oppressor. When they wandered in the desert wilderness out of the way, and found no city to dwell in, both hungry, and thirsty, their soul was overwhelmed in them. Let them confess before the Lord his loving kindness, and his wonderful works before the sons of men.

III. THEY BELIEVED IN GOD'S PURPOSE

1. They Believed in living for the Glory of God

"Having undertaken, for the Glory of God"

Romans 16:27 To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1 Corinthians 1:31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 1:20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
2 Corinthians 4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
2 Corinthians 10:17 But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Galatians 1:5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Galatians 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

2. They Believed in Living for the Furtherance of the Christian Faith

"Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith"

Philippians 1:12 But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

3. They Believed Government Should Encourage Those Goals [Rm. 13:1ff]

"Covenant and Combine ourselves together into a Civil Body Politic, for our better ordering and preservation and furtherance of the ends aforesaid; and by virtue hereof to enact, constitute and frame such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general good of the Colony"

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Power(less) Tools


 
Bill Rice Ranch - First Light Devotionals 

Isaiah 10:15 "Shall the axe boast himself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? as if the rod should shake itself against them that lift it up, or as if the staff should lift up itself, as if it were no wood."
 
It's interesting how we as humans are. When things are not going right, we are very quick to say that we are not in control-we have no power over what is going on. But when everything seems to be going right, we are very quick to take the credit and say that we have control over what is happening!
 
The Israelites were the same way. They had been conquered and were convinced that it was the Assyrians who were really in control of things. Even the Assyrian king himself was convinced that he was the powerful ruler in control. But God said, "I will punish the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks. For he saith, By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom; for I am prudent: and I have removed. . . I have put down . . . my hand hath found . . . I have gathered. . . ." (Isaiah 10:12-14)
 
It is true that pride is provincial. If we narrow down our scope enough, we can make ourselves look quite important. For example, we could say, "I am the richest person in my neighborhood." Is that big news? If you widen your scope just a little, you will see that there are many people who are far richer than you. If we widen our scope all the way, we will see that we are nothing compared to our God!
 
Contrary to what both Israel and Assyria thought, God was the One who was in control. Though He was working behind the scenes, He was working everything according to His plan. No matter what is going on in your life right now, remember that God is always in control. And God's bidding will be done, whether by those that are obedient to Him or by those who are rebelling against Him. Pharaoh scoffed at God's warnings, and yet God's purpose was fulfilled through Pharaoh! It would do us well to recognize that we are not in control-ever. We are simply tools in the hand of God.
 
Notice what God says in verse 15: "Shall the axe boast itself against him that heweth therewith? or shall the saw magnify itself against him that shaketh it? . ." How silly it would be for a tool like an axe to think that it had any power in itself! Just like these tools, we are useless without God's enabling power. Anything useful and good that is accomplished through our lives is a direct result of God's working through us. A tool has no power in itself.
 
In addition, every tool has a purpose. No tool is made to just sit on the shelf-every tool has a specific purpose. So it is with every human being. God wants to use you! He has a specific plan for you-not just in the future but today.
 
Nothing is ever out of the control of God. Remember to give God the credit He deserves in your life, and then rest in His control when life seems to be out of control. Also be careful not to rely on God's tools instead of God Himself. Don't become self-reliant--be a surrendered tool in the Master's hand today.

 
 
Check for revival services and events in your area on our website: billriceranch.org  
 
firstlight@billriceranch.org.
 
Bill Rice Ranch | 627 Bill Rice Ranch Road | Murfreesboro | TN | 37128

Monday, November 09, 2009

Separation from God

Days of Praise
Separation from God
 
 
"And Cain went out from the presence of the LORD, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden." (Genesis 4:16)
 
 
This is a very sad and ominous verse, foreshadowing the tragic fate of all those who "have gone in the way of Cain" (Jude 11). "A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth," God had said (Genesis 4:12), destined to a restless life of moving to and fro in "the land of Nod" (literally, "the land of wandering") all the rest of his days.
 
 
Cain's basic sin was not just the murder of Abel. "And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous" (1 John 3:12). "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts" (Hebrews 11:4). Abel's work of sacrifice was judged righteous by God, and Cain's was not, because Cain "was of that wicked one" (1 John 3:12). He had refused to offer the blood of an acceptable sacrifice for his sins (and thus forfeited God's witness that he was righteous), instead offering the fruits of the cursed ground, produced by his own efforts. But then Abel's shed blood entered that ground, so even it could " ;not henceforth yield unto thee her strength" (Genesis 4:12), and Cain became a wanderer.
 
 
Thus it will be in eternity for all those who refuse to come to God through the blood of the one acceptable Sacrifice, His own righteous Son. They shall "have no rest day nor night" (Revelation 14:11), like "wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever" (Jude 13), "who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord" (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
 
 

Such eternal separation from God is the very essence of hell. In glorious contrast to such a prospect, all who come to God through Christ will "ever be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:17). HMM
 

 
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Sunday, November 08, 2009

A SALVATION WORTHY OF THE NAME [2]

1 PETER 1:5-17

Pastor Rick Jackson

I. IT’S GREATER THAN THE WORLD’S SO-CALLED SALVATION [v. 5-16]

1. It’s Based on Knowing Not Ignorance [v. 14, 18]

2. It’s Bought with Value Not Profitless Things [v. 18-19]

phthartos, fthar-tos'; decayed, i.e. (by implication) perishable:--corruptible.
mataios, mat'-ah-yos; empty, i.e. (literally) profitless, or (specially), an idol:--vain, vanity.
timios, tim'-ee-os,; valuable, i.e. (objectively) costly, or (subjectively) honored, esteemed, or (figuratively) beloved:--dear, honourable, (more, most) precious, had in reputation.

3. It’s Based on Obedience to Truth Not Adherence to Fables [v. 13-17]

II. IT IS PROVIDED BY THE GREAT GOD

1. The Work of the Father [v. 2-3, 17]

2. The Work of the Lord Jesus Christ [v. 2-3, 7, 11, 18-20]

3. The Work of the Holy Spirit [v. 2, 11-12, 21-22]

III. IT IS REVEALED IN THE GREAT WORD

1. It is Incorruptible [v. 23]

2. It is Alive [v. 23]

3. It Abides [v. 23-25]

A SALVATION WORTHY OF THE NAME

1 PETER 1:5-17

Pastor Rick Jackson

IT’S A GREAT SALVATION [v. 5-16]

I. Its Finish is Great [v. 5-9]

1. Guarded by God [v. 5]

2. Ready to be Revealed [v. 5]

Ephesians 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

3. Guaranteed Goal [v. 6-9]

Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

II. Its Fans are Great [v. 10-12]

1. Prophets [v. 10-12a, Ps. 22]

2. Preachers [v. 12b, Rm. 10:14-15]

3. Angels [v. 12c, Heb. 1:14]

III. Its Fashion is Great [v. 13-17]

1. Think in a Serious Fashion [v. 13]

2. Think in a Separated Fashion [v. 14]

3. Think in a Sanctified Fashion [v. 15-17]

Saturday, November 07, 2009

Question of the Week - How do recent Egyptian archaeological discoveries relate to biblical history?

Answers Weekly

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November 6, 2009

a weekly look at answersingenesis.org

top leftIn this issue . . .

Q: How do recent Egyptian archaeological discoveries relate to biblical history?

Adults and children alike are fascinated by Egyptian civilization. But most modern archaeologists have lately tried to use Egyptian chronology to dispute the biblical record. Secular textbooks and videos challenge the faith of students and discredit the biblical account of Exodus.
However, Authors John Ashton and David Down provide fascinating information about the architecture, timelines, and culture of Egypt during the times of Moses, Joseph, "King Tut," and others, in their book Upwrapping the Pharaohs. This book delves into the secret rooms of the pharaohs and finds an astonishing connection to the biblical chronology.


To read a chapter from this book, see The Greatest of All Pharaohs.

News to Note Quick Look

Pizzly or grolar?: If you're in the forest, beware the menacing pizzly bear. Or is it a grolar bear? Read more.

Proceratosaurus or Tyrannosaurus?: What's the cause for our sixth mention of T. rex in seven weeks? A new study of the famed dinosaur's "most ancient fossil relative" that is "exquisitely" preserved. Read more.

Also: Ape or human? Animal or robot? Sacred or profane? and don't miss . . . . Read more.

Prayer Requests

View the current prayer requests to keep track of and pray for current ministry needs. Thank you!

Answers ... with Ken Ham radio program

After Eden

Don't Miss Out!

The next session of our online education courses begins soon and registration is open until November 23. Foundations in Creation Apologetics is a 12-week course designed to equip you to defend your faith in an evolution-dominated world that is increasingly hostile to Christianity. Each weekly lesson is designed so that you can work at your own pace, so it is ideal for both students and working people. The lessons focus on helping you understand the issues involved and how to use the information you learn to share your faith with others. As a student, you will be involved in reading articles, watching videos, discussing ideas with classmates and instructors, and applying what you have learned in the assessments.
Want to learn more about how the Bible is confirmed by archaeology, science, and everything we see around us? Join us for a 6-week study in Creation Apologetics and the Bible. You will explore how we arrive at the age of the earth, the historical accuracy of the biblical record, the authority of Scripture, and more. Interact with other students from around the world and strengthen your faith as you dive deep into God's Word in this course.
For more information about these learning opportunities, visit edu.answersingenesis.org.

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