An Apostolic Man In An Apostate World Friday, Mar 3 2023 

Biblical history and Doctrine and Family and Marriage and Motivational and New Testament and Old Testament kennethbow 9:28 am

An Apostolic Man In An Apostate World

What is an Apostolic man? Very simply he is a follower of the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ. The current fads and social ideas swirling around him do not faze him. He is Apostolic in his thinking.

He is Apostolic in his doctrine. He is not confused by false teaching or fake Pentecost or plastic Christians. He has read his Bible, studied the doctrine, listened to his Pastor, and there is no doubt in his heart that he is an Apostolic man. 

He is proud to be an Apostolic. Not a sinful pride that would contaminate his Holy Ghost. But a pride born of thankfulness and gratitude, that in a world full of false religion, God has singled him out to be a bearer of the torch of truth. 

Apostolic men are not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

  • They will stand in the defiant face of an atheist and proclaim that God is. 
  • They will openly laugh at  an agnostic when he says he is confused whether or not there is a God. In fact a true Apostolic man will lift his voice and tell anyone, I know there is a God for I felt him. I know him and He is personal to me.

The Apostolic man of 2023 does not hide behind the walls of his local church fearful and afraid. He rises each morning to put on the armor of God, and walks into a dark world as the bearer of light of the one true God Jesus Christ.

He looks like an Apostolic man. No punk hairdos or crazy life styles because he represents Jesus Christ. He refuses to disfigure Jesus Christ to the world. He does not get tattoos or earrings or foolish trivial things that contaminate his tabernacle. His appearance is clean, clean shaven, no beards or mustaches or goatees, simple, and godly. When the legions who live in darkness see him, they see a clean wholesome man that represents true manhood. There is no trans gender confusion in the way an Apostolic man dresses and walks through his world.

He acts like an Apostolic man. A true apostolic man puts a bridle on his tongue so that he speaks a language that edifies Jesus Christ. He has put away lying, gossiping, critical words, curse words, and he uses his voice to lift up the name of Jesus Christ~ at home and at the workplace. His speech and his words do not betray his testimony.

He leads like an Apostolic man. He surrenders his self will so he can lead his family in the things of God. He loves his wife, and prefers his wife, for he has read the instructions in the Holy Book, husbands love your wives. He does not provoke his children to wrath for the same Holy Book teaches him he must be gentle unto all men. He does not drive his family, he leads them. He leads them in prayer,  he leads them in being consistent,  he leads them in submitting to authority, and he is an example to his wife and family.

The Apostolic man is not confused. The shifting winds of social change do not deter his course. He has set his sails and he is headed for the Celestial City. His mind is made up, his gait is steady, his direction unswerving. He knows who he is in an apostate world. 

The Apostolic man of 2023 accepts his role of following in the footsteps of the truly great Apostolic men of the past. It began with the Apostles, Peter, John, and Paul. It has continued now for 2000 years and the Apostolic man of 2023 is not about to drop the torch of truth on his leg of the race. 

He is not intimidated by the challenge for he is of a rare breed of men that has survived for over 2000 years, and is as strong today as it has ever been. He is a warrior in the model of Shamgar, Gideon, and David. The Apostolic man does not cower in the shadows, he steps out into the bright sunlight of his world and continues the destiny of Apostolic men for the last 2000 years.

You are an Apostolic man in 2023. Stand strong. Be brave. Walk with confidence in a changing world. 

Stand beside your Pastor and hold his hands up as we continue the march of great Apostolic men of the last two millennials. 

Our forbears all handed us a trail that they blazed as surely as Lewis and Clark made the Northwest Trek. 

Today we proclaim here to reaffirm our commitment to being an Apostolic man in 2023.

 

The Temple Wednesday, Nov 5 2014 

Doctrine kennethbow 8:36 am

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. 1Corinthians 3.17.

While reading this today I looked up the word temple and was surprised at the meaning. The metaphorical meaning is: the spiritual temple consisting of the saints of all ages joined together by and in Christ.

That would mean if I defile this temporal temple I not only defile myself but all the other men and women who have stood for truth throughout the ages. Sin brings contamination to the entire temple and the multitudes who have lived clean in centuries past.

We are compelled to live soberly, righteously and godly in this present age, not just for ourselves, but for all those who have gone before us holding up the torch of Godliness.

Thanks for reading today!

 

The discarded Christian trait…. Friday, Aug 1 2014 

Doctrine and Motivational kennethbow 11:42 am

Ephesians 4.32 “And be ye kind one to another”

I Corinthians 13.4 “Charity suffereth long and is kind”

Kind: To show oneself mild, to be kind, use kindness.

I see a social phenomenon that troubles me. It is the habit some develop under the guise of humor or teasing that puts another person down so the person with inferiority can feel better about themselves.

Many barbed statements are communicated and then at the end, the attached “lol” is supposed to soften or deny the intent of the barb. By this means many people who do not feel good about themselves, or feel inferior, seem to put others down so they can feel better about themselves.

In my opinion this habit of teasing has a subtil purpose. Possibly it becomes a habit and the person may not ever realize they do it. Possibly they are in an environment where it is constant so they join the verbal fray. Whatever the reason it goes against Biblical teaching of honoring and esteeming one another.

I will possibly be looked at in this post as a “knit picker” or overly critical or even someone who cannot take the banter. However, let me take a Biblical approach. That is always safe 🙂

Is there Biblical teaching on this matter? Yes, there actually is. As a christian we are instructed to act and speak to one another in kindness. We are made to know from many places in scripture that our words are important. They can heal and they can wound.

There are times when the person who is the butt of the remark smiles and shows a good spirit, but down inside they feel the sting or hurt.

Are we big enough as Apostolics to look in the mirror and acknowledge this is part of living for God also? There are some inward standards that are important as well as our outward standards of dress and life style.

Putting another child of God down through humor or teasing them can indeed have consequences spiritually. We are judged by how we judge others. If we criticize, demean, make unkind jokes, and generally speak unkindly of others, well that is what gets delivered in our spiritual mailbox!

Colossians 4.6 Let your speech be always with grace…(grace here means: that which affords joy, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness).

I am an advocate of kind words, upbuilding words, words that encourage another pilgrim on the road to the Celestial City! Let’s help one another get to heaven by making their journey lighter and easier!

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord…

Thanks for reading today…

 

Mark Thursday, Feb 17 2011 

Biblical history and Doctrine and New Testament kennethbow 8:54 am

My last blog was about Matthew, today is Mark.

I will post Luke and John next.

The Gospels.

Four books that the Holy Ghost approved out of the 200 gospels written about Jesus.

Mark

Mark’s gospel was the first gospel written in 50 AD. It was written to the Roman world. It came at a very critical time! The Caesars were killing the Christians in Rome and there was fear and consternation across the empire. Nero was on a rampage! The need was for direction. And the need was now!

So we have the Gospel of Mark. It is the shortest Gospel because time was of the essence. It is the fastest paced Gospel. It uses hurry up adverbs 42 times. Words like immediately, and straightway are the norm.

I am convinced Mark’s Gospel was dictated by Simon Peter. This was a commonly held belief well into the second century. Papias says this in AD 60-150. Papias call Mark Peter’s interpreter. Probably Peter spoke in Aramic and Mark translated into Greek. Finally, Peter calls Mark his “son”, 1 Peter 5.13.

Mark is the timeline that Matthew and Luke work off of. 90% of his gospel is found in Matthew and Luke. He is fast. He has three miracles in the first chapter. The other writers wait until chapter three before introducing a miracle.

Because it is to the Roman world, Mark quotes the Old Testament only one time. He ignores the Mosaic law, then explains the Jewish laws and the passover. Once again, time was pressing them to get this message into the hands of suffering Christians.

It is the shortest gospel, and is proclaimed by an eyewitness, so hence the nod goes to Peter. Matthew repeats over 90% of Mark in his gospel and Luke repeats over 53%,(330 out of 660 verses).

It is interesting to me that Mark does not mention anything about Jesus before Jesus’ baptism. No birth, no early years, or any other information.

Also, Mark deals with Jesus’ humanity. Mark shows Jesus tired, weary and hungry. The Roman world and the new Christians needed to be reminded He was the Messiah. The Avatar, the highest form of God in humanity.

In all probability, the Christians of that day expected the return of Christ any day. They no doubt saw no need for a record of his life, for they would all remember. However when He did not return quickly, it became obvious a whole new generation needed the facts to be recorded.

It is certainly reasonable to assume that Mark knew all the early church leaders and populace. He was a relative of Barnabas and traveled with Barnabas and Paul on their one and only missionary journey together.

Mark is also believed to be one of the few men who accompanied Simon Peter to Cornelius house in Acts chapter ten.

So it was the first Gospel written of the four in your Bible.

It is authored by Mark and dictated by Simon Peter and inspired by God himself!

Thanks for reading today!

 

Matthew Wednesday, Feb 16 2011 

Biblical history and Doctrine and New Testament kennethbow 3:28 pm

Matthew

The Bible is the best selling book of all time. Therefore it is reasonable that the Bible is the most read book of all time. Statistics say that Matthew is the most read book of the Bible for almost everyone starts there!

Now if you or I were going to write a book that we knew more people were going to read more than any other book in the history of the world, would we start it out with a long list of names that no one can even pronounce? Yet God in His wisdom does just that! Why?

Well, one supposition is that He loved the Jewish nation and preferred them with the first Gospel in honor to His commitment to them through the centuries. One thing is for sure; Jesus was not the Messiah they were looking for! He did not fit the image of their expectations!

The Jewish nation were looking for someone to come in and overthrow the Roman grip on their land. Jesus came to overthrow the grip Satan had on their land. So we have the Gospel of Matthew…

• Matthew was a tax collector, therefore he speaks of money more than any other writer, (example, Peter go catch fish and there will be a coin in it’s mouth)

• He starts his genealogy with Abraham instead of Adam because his book is to the Jew

• He has 31 passages unique to him, 10 parables, 2 miracles, 9 discourses, 6 events

• He is the only gospel writer to mention the church

• Uses the term Kingdom of heaven because the Jews did not use the name “God”

• Writes like a tax collector, Example 8 beatitudes at start of book and 8 woes at

end, like bookends

• His style is narrative, discourse. Jesus’ story then, speech or sermon. 5 times says “when Jesus had ended these sayings”

• Quotes the Old testament more times than any other New Testament writer (129 times)

• 16 times says “that it might be fulfilled”

• 2 great sermons, sermon on the mount, and Olivet discourse (one at beginning of book, one toward end of book)

There had been 400 years of silence! Then Matthew’s gospel pulls it all together.

It is the bridge.

Matthew portrays Jesus as the King of the Jews. His gospel is considered as the most important book in Christendom by the French skeptic Renan!

One of the great contributions of Matthew to oneness people is his information on the transfiguration. In chapter 16 Matthew begins the story of Jesus leaving the area of Galilee and going north to the regions of Caesarea Philippi. Jesus literally turns His back on the country of Israel and goes to a gentile region and spends about 8 days with His disciples.

After 6 days of rest and relaxation, He poses the question to them, who do men say that I am? It is a supreme moment in Jesus’ earthly journey. For 3 1⁄2 years He has prepared this select group of men for this revelation. They offer the current scuttlebutt of names, and then Simon Peter makes the famous reply, “Thou art the Christ”.

Jesus no doubt breathed a sigh of relief knowing they had truly got the concept of His being the messiah. Two days later is a remarkable event. I call this “When a good Jewish son took over the family business”.

The event is called the mount of transfiguration. Jesus waits another 2 days and then takes Peter, James, and John with Him up on the mountain. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all inform us what happened there.

Jesus is transfigured before them and Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus. The disciples are speechless, and stunned. Peter finally blurts out an inane babbling, something about three temples.

These three disciples are witness to the transfer of all spiritual spokesman ship from the Father to the Son! A voice booms from the heavens and says, “This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him”.

This same voice had spoken at the baptism of Jesus, but had not said, “Hear ye him”. At that moment, the eternal spirit of God proclaimed His residence forever to be in the man Christ Jesus. Christ’s earthly ministry was complete. The only thing left was to be the perfect sacrifice.

Never since that moment has the voice of God ever spoken outside of Jesus Christ! The voice that spoke worlds into existence, the voice that spoke to Moses on Mt. Sinai, now speaks only through the mouth of Jesus Christ! He is God manifest in the flesh!

Go to your Bible and look. God has never spoken again outside the mouth of Jesus Christ! What a wonderful revelation to the oneness of God.

Truly in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily!

Thanks for reading today!

 

Kill The Indian Monday, Jun 28 2010 

Biographical and Doctrine and Motivational kennethbow 8:41 am

In the late 1800’s the United States government was faced with the issue of how to deal with the Native American.  It was a perplexing problem.

First of all there were many different tribes.  Then there was the distances and areas where the tribes lived.  Mostly there was the issue of war.  The native American was a formidable warrior!  If the Indian tribes had joined forces and fought the U.S. military as a coalition, who knows the outcome?

History tells us the Indian did not join other tribes to resist and consequently, the tribes were slowly methodically eliminated.

Their story is a long, brutal, heart wrenching story.  It is a sad epilogue on our government that they made promises and then broke those promises many many times.

If you have never read the story of the Nez Perce, it would be my recommendation to add it to your to do list of reading.  It is the story of Chief Joseph leading his people 800 miles to attempt to escape to Canada.  The Nez Perce chiefs astounded the Calvary over and over with their tactics.  They used brilliant manuvers like the best trained generals of the world.

Eventually Chief Joseph and his survivors were brought to bay, and his surrender speech is still a classic today.  You can google it and read it.  It will make you weep!

As the government wrestled with the problem of resettling the Indian, and signing treaties, a speech was given in Denver in 1892.  Captain Richard Pratt spoke and in his speech he made a statement that has entered into American lore.  He declared…

“A great general has said that the only good Indian is a dead one, and the high sanction of his destruction has been an enormous factor in promoting Indian massacres.  In a sense I agree with the sentiment, but only in this: that all the Indian there is in the race should be dead.  Kill the Indian in him, and save the man.”

There began an effort to change the Indian into a white man.  He was forced to no longer speak his native tongue.  He was forced to change his appearance to look like his white captors. It was an all out effort to kill the Indian, but save the man.

John 10.10 says our enemy is determined to steal, kill and destroy.  It is my opinion that Satan wants to kill the Apostolic, but save the christian.

Satan wants us to change our Apostolic appearance to look like the christians around us.  His desire is we become what everyone else is.

Satan desires that we surrender our Apostolic worship and adopt the more calm, respected ways of other churches.

Satan desires that we surrender our Apostolic doctrine of Acts 2.38 so we can live peacefully with those of differing views.

Satan desires to kill the Apostolic, but save the christian.

Just for the record, there is a small band of Apostolics in the Northwest corner of the United States that have decided we will not surrender!

We will not surrender our Apostolic appearance.  We will not surrender our Apostolic worship.  We will not surrender our Apostolic doctrine.

Like Chief Joseph, we have no desire to fight and war, but when Satan attempts to take away our identity, we have decided we will fight.

Thanks for reading today!

 

The Four Steps On The Journey Of A Reprobate Wednesday, Jun 16 2010 

Doctrine kennethbow 9:39 am

The four steps on the Journey of a Reprobate

Rom 1.28 God gave them over to a Reprobate mind

There is a difference between backsliding and becoming a reprobate! Reprobate means worthless, castaway, or rejected.

2 Thes 2.10-12 because they received not a love for the truth.

Lam 3.12 Marked for falling.

Jonah 2.8 Forsake their own mercy.

Spirits use people, the spirit wanders in dry places, seeking a dwelling place!  In John 13.27 Satan entered Judas.

Spirits looking for dry places, Mt 12.43, Luke 11.24 the spirit walks and looks.  The spirit is looking, looking, looking, are you exempt??

Consider the plumbline in Amos 7.7-9.  No one ever knows when God walks away.  He said it concerning Israel, then 800 years later he silently walked away in Matt 23.37.  The nation of Israel never knew when he left.  That is the way God walks away from a reprobate.  They never know the moment, and believe things are the same as always.

Jesus called the temple “my house”, and then finally with tears and sadness, the last thing he said of it was, “Your house is left unto you desolate”.  He simply turned and quietly walked away. To this day the nation of Israel does not recognize the moment.

No one used of Satan ever thinks they are, Rom 1.28, 2 Tim 3.8,Tit 1.16.

Years ago I talked to a woman on ferry.  She was living in a sinful relationship. Yet, she was convinced God approved of how she was living.  She even quoted scripture to defend her sinful life style. This shows me the power of the human mind to convince itself that it is right!!

The journey of a reprobate is a slow road!  People who backslide quickly come back to church often, but slow measured, calculated backsliders drift away, and many times become reprobate.

The road to being a reprobate always involves feelings toward the pastor or someone else. A reprobate never sees or understands what is happening to them.  People who backslide quickly can turn it around but there are reasons why a reprobate never returns to God.  There are steps in the journey.

Step one is Eph 4.30, Grieve the spirit (spurn an object of love).

Step two is 2 Tim 3.8 Resist the spirit, make excuses – argue with God (holiness, etc)

Step three is 1 Thes 5.19 Quench the spirit (cut off) stop it, won’t yield, override feelings

Step four is Heb 10.29 4) Blaspheme the spirit (refuse the only help available)

– 1. Trodden underfoot the Son of God

– 2. Counted the blood unholy

– 3. Done despite unto the Spirit of grace

No more sacrifice for sin!

Consider the 10 virgins, 5 were wise, 5 were foolish.

Someone is gonna be a foolish virgin! Go ahead walk out, let God mark you as a target.  Let God draw a bullseye on your back, draw his bow, set you for a mark, start the journey of a reprobate.  Not me, I’m going to find a place to pray!

A reprobate loses sense of time. They say not today, not now.

Rom 1.28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper. (NAS)

Rom 1.28 Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. (NIV)

Rom 1.28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting. (NKJ)

Rom 1.28 When they refused to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their evil minds and let them do things that should never be done. (NLT)

Rom1.28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a base mind and to improper conduct. (RSV)

Rom 1.28 So it was that when they gave God up and would not even acknowledge him, God gave them up to doing everything their evil minds could think of. (TLB)

Verses for journey of a reprobate

Rom 1.28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (KJV) reprobate mind = rejected, worthless, castaway

II Th 2.10-12

10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because the received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:  (delusion – to stray from orthodoxy or piety)

12 That they might be damned who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.  (sentenced, condemned, judged)

Lam 3.12-13

12 He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow.

13 He hath caused the arrows of his quiver to enter into my reins.

Jonah 2.8

8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

John 13.27

27 And after the sop Satan entered into him.  The said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

Matt 12.43-44

43 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none.

44 Then he saith, I will return unto my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished.

Amos 7.7-9

7 Thus he shewed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand.

8 And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou?  And I said, A plumbline.  Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more:

9 And the high places of Israel shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.

Rom 1.28

28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

2 Tim 3.8

8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.

Titus 1.16

16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

Eph 4.30

30 And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. (Step #1 – Grieve the Spirit – spurn an object of love)

2 Tim 3.8

8 Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.  (Step #2 – Resist – make excuses, argue with God – holiness etc)

1 Thes 5.19

19 Quench not the Spirit.  (Step #3 – Quench – cut off – stop, won’t yield, override feelings)

Heb 10.29

29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shal he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?  (Step #4 – Blaspheme).

A reprobate resists the only cure for sin, Jesus.  And thus completes the journey of a reprobate.  They step into the horrible land of the living damned.

God help me to never start down the steps on the journey of a reprobate!

Thanks for reading today!

 

Are You Surviving or Thriving? Friday, Apr 23 2010 

Biblical history and Doctrine and Family and Marriage and Motivational kennethbow 1:15 pm

Are the tears you shed for your marriage happy tears or sad tears?

Surviving or Thriving?

Somewhere around 3000 years ago a giant named Goliath walked out on the battlefield and challenged the armies of Israel. The gauntlet was thrown down and the challenge was bellowed.  The terms of conflict were clear for everyone.

It was winner take all and no survivors!

I am convinced today there is another challenge, on yet another battlefield.  Satan struts out on the battlefield of America and throws his challenge.  The battle in 2010 is for our homes.  Satan attacks with technology, with Hollywood, with busyness and time constraints, and stress.

One of his most effective attacks is on marriages.  He has rolled out the big artillery the last few years.  He is after the family values in America.

In 2009 there were 2,162,000 marriages in America.  The marriage rate was 7.1 per 1000 people.  The divorce rate was 3.5 per 1000 people.

In the 1996 presidential election 50% of the electorate said moral values were one of the most important issues.  In the 2004 presidential election, that percentage stood at 34 %. In 8 years 16% of support had eroded.

From the 2000 election to the 2004 election, support for gay marriages increased 50% in America.

For the last 30 years moral values have been some of the most important factors in elections.

In 2005, 11 of 17 states amended their state constitutions to prohibit gay unions or gay marriages.  Satan is attacking the Biblical ideal of marriage between a man and a woman.

But he does not stop there.  Satan also attacks the marriages of Christians.

Some statistics say the divorce rate for conservative Christians is higher than the rate for atheists and agnostics.  Others say the opposite.  Tom Ellis, Chairman of the Southern Baptist convention’s council on the family says the true fact is 1 in 39,000 marriages, end among conservative Christians. That is 0.00256%.

The question in your marriage is, are you surviving or thriving?

Are you and your spouse meeting each others personal needs?

Here we are in mainstream America where prayer is illegal, and abortion is encouraged.

Where, if you resist the gay marriage deluge, you practice hate speech, and you are homophobic!

Where our kids walk through metal detectors to get on the school ground and are handed condoms.

Does anybody believe me when I scream….the battle is raging?

If anyone is naïve enough to think you can ignore your marriage, and it will thrive on it’s own, by simple church attendance, you are sadly mistaken!

On January 31, 1996, I ended a journey of 9048 days of marriage.  Over 25 years.  I dated in the church, I married in the church, and was finally divorced in the church.  On that January day in 1996, I started a journey that has now stretched to 5,192 days, over 14 years of living alone.

If I could help even one person to not go down that road, it would be worth it all.  But even more, what if I could I help those still in the marriage, to make that marriage all God intended it to be?

I was driving down the road with Martyn Ballestero a few weeks ago.  We were on main street in Sumner Washington, right in front of McDonalds, in the left turn lane.

God spoke to me.  God said “What did the children say of their mother in Proverbs chapter 31?” In my mind I answered, they called her blessed.  And God said, “What did her husband do?”. I answered he praised her.  God told me to look it up and see what kind of praise the man gave his wife.  I did, and Brother Ballestero wrote a wonderful blog on it.

I hope you will click on the link, go to his blog site and read the blog on how to have the best wife in the world!

http://martynballestero.com/

Thanks for reading today!

=

 

The Book Of Acts, The Bridge. Sunday, Apr 11 2010 

Biblical history and Doctrine and New Testament kennethbow 6:53 am

Acts

Oft times I have wondered about certain books of the Bible.  I have thought, what if we did not have this book in our Bible?  How would that affect the whole?  When I place the book of Acts on that pedestal, and consider, I am certain of the answer.

Only Acts and Genesis seem to hold the place of absolute.  Without them we simply could not survive.  They are both irreplaceable.

The book of Acts was written by Luke.  Luke is the only Gentile writer in the Bible.  It is interesting to me that Luke is responsible for 25% of the New Testament.  His two books equal one fourth of the volume of the New Testament.

I am not positive, but it appears to me that Luke wrote at the bequest of a wealthy patron named Theopholis.  His two books address this individual.  This was a common practice that carried well into the middle ages.  A wealthy patron would sponsor someone to write a book or thesis. This is how men like Voltaire and Rousseau were supported financially.

To me, Acts is about three men.  Those men are Simon (Peter), Saul (Paul), and Stephen. The book is evenly devoted to the ministry of Peter and Paul with Stephen being the bridge from one to the other.

The contrast of these two men is stark.  Peter is a country fisherman.  Paul is a polished cosmopolitan.  Peter was ignorant and unlearned.  Paul was a trained rabbi, having studied at the feet of Gamaliel. Peter spoke Aramaic, the common language.  Paul could speak that language, as well as Greek.  Peter was a country Jew, Paul was a Hellenistic Jew and a Roman Citizen.

The first twelve chapters of Acts are about Peter.  In chapter 13 the spotlight shifts to Paul and never moves back to Peter again.  Peter, the great apostle fades from view in Acts.

How important is Acts as a book?  It is irreplaceable! Without the book of Acts we would go from the Gospels to Romans.  We would wonder who is Paul?  What is the church?  How did it start?  Acts is the link to all of the New Testament.

Acts begins with the ascension of Jesus.  It moves on to choosing Judas’ replacement. It then tells of Pentecost, the beginning of the church, and eventually documents the church’s emigration to the Roman Empire.

Christianity conquered the Roman Empire, period.  The Roman Empire paved roads, established peace and continuity, and through this open door walked the church.  The church flourished during the Pax Romana, the empire wide peace. Within 300 years 10% of the Roman Empire was Christian.

The book of Acts documents the beginning of this conquest of the church.

When the spotlight shifts to Paul in chapter 13, Luke begins to relate Paul’ missionary journeys.  Paul made three journeys.  ( Some scholars say up to five).  The dates of these journeys are:

  • 46-48, first journey
  • 49-52, second journey
  • 53-57, third journey

It is simply amazing that in 47AD there were no churches in Asia Minor.  In ten years there was a ring of churches that included every major city in Galatia, Macedonia, Asia and Acacia.  This remarkable achievement has never been repeated anywhere globally.

On his first journey, when he gains his first convert, the Apostle Paul jettisons his Hebrew name Saul, and forever becomes know as Paul.  He was the Apostle to the Gentiles and he bore his Gentile name to his death.

Luke is a gentile, writing a book about the gentile revival by the Apostle to the gentiles.  This fact shows up in the book repeatedly.  It is very clear in the story of the appointment of the deacons.  When the division came and the controversy showed itself, out of the seven men chosen, 5 were Greeks according to their names.  Luke makes this point, or rather the Holy Ghost does.

The final chapters of the book of Acts are concerning Paul’s last days.  I am left with one of the biggest questions of my life as to why the book ends so inconclusively.  With the Holy Ghost inspiring the man called Luke, why no closure?

My only hypothesis is that the book is still being written in heaven.  Maybe the final words were something like “to be continued”.

What chapter will you write to add to the book of Acts?

Thanks for reading today!

 

You are invited….. Tuesday, Apr 6 2010 

Biographical and Doctrine and Family kennethbow 7:18 am

First Pentecostal Church will be holding it’s

39th Annual Services April 9~11, 2010.

We would like to extend a cordial welcome to all who would like to attend!

First Pentecostal Church of the Puget Sound

Schedule of Guest Speakers:

Friday  7pm:

Garry Streeval,

Noblesville, IN

Saturday  6pm:

Jerry Rowell,

Yuma, AZ

Sunday 10am:

Martyn Ballestero,

South Bend, IN

Sunday 7pm:

Glen Burgess,

Chehalis, WA

Saturday Night following the service,

a Panamanian meal will be served at

Brank’s Restaurant.

Come celebrate 39 years of  ministry of

Kenneth Bow & First Pentecostal Church .

  • Recognition of visiting ministers.
  • FPC Choir,
  • Chorale
  • & Orchestra
  • will be singing and playing nightly.
  • Fellowship for all age groups.

For information about lodging please call our church office~~~ 253 862 4314.


Where truth still takes  center stage!

 

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