Ask Me Anything About Christianity

[Jedi4Yahweh]

1 hour ago, NCAP said:

Acts 1:26. Who told them to cast lots?

We don't have everything recorded that was told to the Apostles by Jesus, but I am sure Jesus instructed them in the manner on how to select the replacement Apostle. I don't believe for one second they made this decision on their own.  Read the following:

Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: ... For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take. Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection. - Act 1:2-3, 20-22 KJV

They said the requirement for apostleship MUST BE be one that had accompanied them from the very beginning of Jesus ministry until the time of his ascension so they could be eye witness his ministry and resurrection.  Why "must be" unless they were instructed to. So they chose another Apostle based on those requirements.

Strange thing is Paul did not meet those requirements.  Paul's conversion was 4 to 7 years afterwards and was not a companion of Jesus ministry from the beginning, nor a eye witness of his death, resurrection, or ascension.  

Edited October 11, 2022 by Jedi4Yahweh

[NCAP]

Why would someone anointed with the holy spirit and power choose someone to betray someone anointed with the holy spirit and power? (Acts 10:38)

[Starise]

10 hours ago, NCAP said:

Why would someone anointed with the holy spirit and power choose someone to betray someone anointed with the holy spirit and power? (Acts 10:38)

To plan His own crucifixion. It had to happen. Jesus knew far in advance who this person was. The amazing thing is the opposing side was led to think they were gaining a huge victory.

Goes to show the limited knowledge the other side actually has when it comes to the Lord's business.

Edited October 11, 2022 by Starise

[Dan Knight]

20 minutes ago, Starise said:

To plan His own crucifixion. It had to happen. Jesus knew far in advance who this person was. The amazing thing is the opposing side was led to think they were gaining a huge victory.

Goes to show the limited knowledge the other side actually has when it comes to the Lord's business.

John 13:26-30

26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

[Starise]

John 6:70

69 We believe and know that You are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71He was speaking about Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. For although Judas was one of the Twelve, he was later to betray Jesus.…

[Dan Knight]

10 hours ago, Starise said:

To plan His own crucifixion. It had to happen. Jesus knew far in advance who this person was. The amazing thing is the opposing side was led to think they were gaining a huge victory.

Goes to show the limited knowledge the other side actually has when it comes to the Lord's business.

During this particular exchange something stood out to. It kept with me throughout the day. 

Acts 1:24 "...Lord you know the hearts of men..".

It struck me that they trusted in God to be the decision maker in this event. And they acted on that faith. ( James 2:17-faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.)

Jeremiah 17:10  I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

our deeds in life will reflect our true faith. 

" ..according to the fruit of his doings...". Sobering. 

 

[Starise]

17 minutes ago, Dan Knight said:

During this particular exchange something stood out to. It kept with me throughout the day. 

Acts 1:24 "...Lord you know the hearts of men..".

It struck me that they trusted in God to be the decision maker in this event. And they acted on that faith. ( James 2:17-faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.)

Jeremiah 17:10  I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

our deeds in life will reflect our true faith. 

" ..according to the fruit of his doings...". Sobering. 

 

To go along with this idea-

Psalm 139

1O LORD, You have searched me

and known me.

2You know when I sit and when I rise;

You understand my thoughts from afar.

3You search out my path and my lying down;

You are aware of all my ways.

4Even before a word is on my tongue,

You know all about it, O LORD.

5You hem me in behind and before;

You have laid Your hand upon me.

6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain.

7Where can I go to escape Your Spirit?

Where can I flee from Your presence?

8If I ascend to the heavens, You are there;

if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.

9If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle by the farthest sea,

10even there Your hand will guide me;

Your right hand will hold me fast.

11If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me,

and the light become night around me”—

12even the darkness is not dark to You,

but the night shines like the day,

for darkness is as light to You.

13For You formed my inmost being;a

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14I praise You,

for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Marvelous are Your works,

and I know this very well.

15My frame was not hidden from You

when I was made in secret,

when I was woven together

in the depths of the earth.

16Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all my days were written in Your book

and ordained for me

before one of them came to be.

17How precious to me are Your thoughts,b O God,

how vast is their sum!

18If I were to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand;

and when I awake,

I am still with You.

19O God, that You would slay the wicked—

away from me, you bloodthirsty men—

20who speak of You deceitfully;

Your enemies take Your name in vain.c

21Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD,

and detest those who rise against You?

22I hate them with perfect hatred;

I count them as my enemies.

23Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my concerns.

24See if there is any offensive way in me;

lead me in the way everlasting.

[com7fy8]

30 minutes ago, Dan Knight said:

Acts 1:24 "...Lord you know the hearts of men..".

It struck me that they trusted in God to be the decision maker in this event. And they acted on that faith. ( James 2:17-faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.)

In that case, they used drawing of lots so the LORD would control who would replace Judas.

As we make choices all through each day, God can manage how things will come out. Things will turn out to fit with how we are and our motives.

We might not pray about every thing, but things work out. 

Of course, for us children of God, He can have things keep coming out better than what we were hoping, better than what I might be honest and honorable enough to think and to seek.

@Starise  Why does God keep blessing me better than I deserve?? After all, like Dan has said in the above post, God does render to us according to our ways. Not only this, but we are guaranteed that we will reap what we sow > Galatians 6:7-8. And I see people getting what they've got coming to them. So . . . why me? Why don't I get what I deserve??

Edited October 12, 2022 by com7fy8

[Dan Knight]

17 minutes ago, Starise said:

To go along with this idea-

Psalm 139

1O LORD, You have searched me

and known me.

2You know when I sit and when I rise;

You understand my thoughts from afar.

3You search out my path and my lying down;

You are aware of all my ways.

4Even before a word is on my tongue,

You know all about it, O LORD.

5You hem me in behind and before;

You have laid Your hand upon me.

6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,

too lofty for me to attain.

7Where can I go to escape Your Spirit?

Where can I flee from Your presence?

8If I ascend to the heavens, You are there;

if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.

9If I rise on the wings of the dawn,

if I settle by the farthest sea,

10even there Your hand will guide me;

Your right hand will hold me fast.

11If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me,

and the light become night around me”—

12even the darkness is not dark to You,

but the night shines like the day,

for darkness is as light to You.

13For You formed my inmost being;a

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14I praise You,

for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Marvelous are Your works,

and I know this very well.

15My frame was not hidden from You

when I was made in secret,

when I was woven together

in the depths of the earth.

16Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all my days were written in Your book

and ordained for me

before one of them came to be.

17How precious to me are Your thoughts,b O God,

how vast is their sum!

18If I were to count them,

they would outnumber the grains of sand;

and when I awake,

I am still with You.

19O God, that You would slay the wicked—

away from me, you bloodthirsty men—

20who speak of You deceitfully;

Your enemies take Your name in vain.c

21Do I not hate those who hate You, O LORD,

and detest those who rise against You?

22I hate them with perfect hatred;

I count them as my enemies.

23Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my concerns.

24See if there is any offensive way in me;

lead me in the way everlasting.

Lead me in the way of everlasting. 

                                -amen

[Starise]

14 hours ago, com7fy8 said:

@Starise  Why does God keep blessing me better than I deserve?? After all, like Dan has said in the above post, God does render to us according to our ways. Not only this, but we are guaranteed that we will reap what we sow > Galatians 6:7-8. And I see people getting what they've got coming to them. So . . . why me? Why don't I get what I deserve??

Great question!

I sometimes look at my two little Yorkies. I love those little dogs, yet what do they ever do for me? In terms of actually doing a physical thing that would be beneficial, other than a loving lick- Nothing. They can't cook, they can't do the dishes, they can't even talk to me. What they do offer is unlimited love and affection which means more to me than any of the other stuff they can't do.

They want nothing more than to see me come home and when I'm home all they want to do is hang out with me. Wherever I go they want to go.

I try to keep them in the fence, but if one escapes to the neighbors house and gets into a fight with another dog or gets into the brambles, they will pay the price for it. One fell in the pool once and would have drowned if I had not been there.

Like my attachment to those dogs, I think God wants our love and adoration. He wants our genuine respect and worship. He wants our obedience to Him. When we fall away, He is sad. He knows there will be repercussions. A life of sexual bondage or drugs will have consequences and He is glad when we move away from those things.

And while we generally reap what we sow on this earth, if we are His children, He has sent His son to cover an eternity away from Him.

I only want the best for my Yorkies, the best food for them, the best that life can be for a dog. This is what I think God desires for us. The best we can have down here, even though we live in a fallen world. He wants us top seek Him for all of our relationships, for all of our life choices since these will only be the best for us.