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 Abraham factor… Thursday, Aug 21 2014 

Biblical history and Church news and Old Testament and Political kennethbow 2:20 pm

Abraham is the father of three world religions. How much more can one life contribute to planet earth?

Abraham is considered the father of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. This encompasses much of the population of earth. Geographically it is quite a large area covered by these three religions. I would imagine most countries of the world are affected by at least one or more of these religions.

I had a discussion with a young pastor on the east coast and he contributed an interesting observation.

Pastor Bart Adkins of High Point, North Carolina is one of the brilliant young Apostolics of this generation. He is also a talented musician, singer and speaker. He made this observation:

“I had a conversation with dad one day musing on the thought that God has
attempted to make himself known to all the peoples of the Earth. It is
interesting to me in thinking about Judaism, Islam, and Christianity,
specifically, as though each one almost displays a particular aspect of God’s
character. The Jews had His law and Word, to a science. The Muslims have His War
and Judgement. The Christians have seen the revelation of His Grace and Mercy.”

Thank you Pastor Adkins for that keen insight.

Thanks for reading today….

 

The Sower Thursday, Aug 7 2014 

Uncategorized kennethbow 11:32 am

Matthew 13:3 (KJV)
3 And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

It was the beginning of the second year of Jesus’ ministry. The religious leaders were growing increasingly wary of Jesus and began to pepper him with questions that illustrated their doubts. To avoid confrontation and debate that only led to confusion, Jesus began to speak in parables.

He had just been accused of working supernatural miracles by the power of evil, and while in this moment of confrontation, Jesus’ family arrived. Jesus throws down the gauntlet of future discipleship by declaring who his family was. His proclamation that his disciples were his family, separated him from the umbilical cord of family ties once and for all.

Matthew says “the same day”, Jesus began to speak the parables of Matthew 13. Jesus deliberately chose this method to reveal truth to his followers and conceal truth from his accusers.

The first parable Jesus spoke was about a sower that sowed seed in various places and the ensuing harvest.

I broach this subject today because it is my opinion many of us feel unqualified to teach a Bible study or witness or win a soul. This parable illustrates some interesting things to us.

For all of us who think we must be well prepared, intelligent, or qualified, to win souls, I want to point out some basic points.

The sower was not brilliant. In fact he/she was not a good sower at all! What sower with good sense would scatter seed where birds would immediately eat it up? If the sower was such a hot shot sower, why did he/she sow seed where the ground was stony and shallow? If Mr or Mrs Sower was as smart as we think we need to be to work with lost people, why did he/she sow seed among weeds?

I point out the obvious conclusion, the sower is not that important! The seed is what is important!

Even dumb sowers will get results if they just keep sowing. What would happen if all of us stopped making excuses about not knowing enough, or about being illiterate about the Bible, etc., and just sowed seed?

What if we stopped being soil analyzers and just threw seed there anyway? What if we stopped looking at the outward circumstances and just threw seed there anyway?

Maybe there is good ground not being reached because we analyze the soil before we sow? Maybe we feel like we need some kind of Union Card for Sowers International or something?

Maybe if we quit looking at the sower (us), and just threw seed everywhere like in the parable, maybe just maybe we would see more of a harvest?

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…

 

ALL ABOUT ME? Tuesday, Jul 8 2014 

Uncategorized kennethbow 2:08 pm

Guest blog…excellent material…

 

The Virtuous Woman Tuesday, Jun 17 2014 

Uncategorized kennethbow 5:41 pm

For over 38 years of preaching I have never stopped and looked up what a “virtuous” woman is by the Bible definition. I looked up Proverbs 31.10, “the virtuous woman” and I was very surprised at the Bible definition!

I confess I always saw this “woman” by the single, narrow interpretation the KJV translators gave us. Virtue: morally good behavior (Merriman-Webster dictionary).

Here is what the original language gives us when they translate this Hebrew word “Chayil“, When Chayil is translated, it is translated as …
army 56 times
man of valour 37 times
host 29 times
forces 14 times
valiant 13 times
strength 12 times
riches 11 times
wealth 10 times
power 9 times
substance 8 times
might 6 times
strong 5 times
miscellaneous translations 33 times
[Total Count: 243]

from (chuwl); probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue, valor, strength :- able, activity, (+) army, band of men (soldiers), company, (great) forces, goods, host, might, power, riches, strength, strong, substance, train, (+) valiant (-ly), valour, virtuous (-ly), war, worthy

Sounds like she was a woman of force, energy, capable, moral, strong, powerful, and a woman of substance in many many ways.

Maybe now we can now salute the forceful powerful women of the Bible without qualifying. Only one woman in scripture is called virtuous…Ruth!

So to these women who proved to be such a force in their world: Ruth….Sarah…Rachel…Hannah…Bathsheba…Mary…Martha…Phoebe….Priscilla…I salute you!

A virtuous woman is more than just moral!

She is a powerful force to be reckoned with.

Thanks for reading today….

 

A fresh look at the Judges Friday, Apr 18 2014 

Uncategorized kennethbow 5:26 am

A fresh look at the Judges!

I have read the Bible through over twenty times now and I am always amazed at the new and inspiring things I read each time.

While participating in our local church program this year called “Early Morning Light”, I took a fresh look at the Judges of Israel.

I confess I have always seen these freedom fighters we call Judges, as being listed in chronological order from early until late as the book unfolds. Recently I began to look at a different possibility.

It appears that they possibly are listed not in chronological order, but in the region of the country they lived and served. The book would in this case be given to us in a region by region account for no Judge ruled over all twelve tribes. Their battles when viewed on a map certainly cover different regions of the nation.

If this supposition is accurate, then rather than Samson being at the end of the reign of Judges, he would actually live during the last twenty years of Eli’s time of Judging Israel. This would also, by the longevity of his tenure, push him into the years of Samuel as Judge as well.

For me, this is a radical transition from a lifetime of thinking. Is it possible? Probable? Some scholars seem to believe it so.

If this format holds true, the book of Judges would deal with the Northern most territories first with the major campaign being actioned by Deborah and her great battle and ultimate victory. Bible historians list this as the first major section of the book.

The book would then shift eastward and relate to us the important battle of that region with the campaign of Gideon. This would be seen as the second great period of history.

This would be followed by the Southeastern region of this nation wide recording of the Judges and finally end with the Southwestern area and Samson. This would be the third and final time of historical reporting of the Judges.

If this hypothesis is accurate, the battle at which the Ark was captured would coincide with Samson’s capture, Eli’s death, and the years of Philistine supremacy. It would also mean that the book is not chronological as much as it is a regional accounting of the campaigns of the Judges that possibly overlapped or coincided at times.

I do not know if this thinking is accurate or even relevant. I know it provokes me to want to know more, think more, and meditate more.

The Bible is the greatest book in my life. Nothing else is even in the comparison. It stands alone, mammoth, towering, and sublime.

To study the Bible, to ponder it, to discuss it, to debate it, is truly one of my life’s greatest joys!

If these few paragraphs stimulate thought or debate, then I am content. For what can be more worthy of discussion and thought than the immutable Word of God.

To discuss this grand Word is truly exciting and invigorating! May it ever live in your heart and mind!

Thanks for reading today!

 

Introvert Tuesday, Mar 25 2014 

Uncategorized kennethbow 8:02 am

Some excerpts from the Matt Walsh blog “to the quiet boring girl in class”,(recommended by my good friend Nichole Criss, …thanks Nichole)
Introvert

Shyness and introversion aren’t a packaged deal.

Being shy means you have social anxiety.

Being introverted means you are energized by being alone, or in small groups, where you can hear those wonderful thoughts spinning around in your head.

You prefer intimate and meaningful communication over small talk. You’re more likely to have a limited collection of loyal friends than a large gaggle of friendly acquaintances.

Sound familiar?

That’s all it means to be an introvert.

Introversion is not to be overcome. Please don’t try. I beg you. Don’t try. I mean, where would we be if societies in the past had employed our modern strategy of treating introversion as a character defect?

I can tell you we might not have been blessed with the historical contributions of noted introverts like Einstein, Newton, Yeats, Proust, Shakespeare, Orwell, Edison, Plato, Mother Teresa, and Ghandi. In fact, many (if not most) of humanity’s greatest inventors, engineers, creators, thinkers, writers, artists and revolutionaries were and are introverts.

It isn’t a disease or a weakness. It’s a strength. Seriously, a strength. Your mind works differently, you see the world differently, you interact differently, and that is a magnificent thing. Your differences make you indispensable.

Let them call you quiet. Pretty soon, you’ll be climbing mountains and they’ll still be down at the base, talking about the weather.

I have come to accept I am an introvert. Thanks for reading today.

 

Listening for the 7th Trumpet Tuesday, Jan 28 2014 

Uncategorized kennethbow 9:02 am

I am listening for the Seventh trumpet.

It is amazing to me how this number seven is associated with nearly everything sacred.

Through out the Bible, the scriptures rest upon it with peculiar emphasis.

It was on the seventh day that God ceased his work of creation and hallowed a rest, which has made the counting of time by septenaries of days the common and universal method from that day until now.

Seven days were given to Noah to gather in the tenants of the ark; and with him came over the flood seven persons, and sevens of all the clean animals. On the seventh month the ark rested On the earth again, and on the seventh day the dove was sent out.

Seven years of plenty and seven of famine were sent upon Egypt, as the Lord signified through Joseph.

Seven priests, with seven trumpets, were to encompass the walls of Jericho seven successive days, and the seventh day it fell into the hands of Israel.

Seven days were the Jews to celebrate many of their feasts; seven days were their priests to be in course of consecration; seven days were their unclean to be in cleansing; and seven animals were required in many of their sacrifices.

Seven days did Job’s friends sit with him, and seven bullocks were to be offered for their sins.

Seven years was Solomon’s temple in building; seven days was the feast of its dedication;

Seventy years was Israel captive at Babylon.

Seven years was Nebuchadnezzar degraded as a brute, and seventy weeks were determined until Messiah should be cut off.

Enoch, whom God translated, and the first man ever exempted from death, was the seventh from Adam;

According to Luke, Jesus was the seventy-seventh descendant of Adam.

Seven hours did Jesus hang upon the cross; seven times did he speak while hanging there;

Seven times did he show himself after his resurrection; and seven days after his ascension was the Holy Ghost poured out.

Seventy was the number of disciples whom he first commissioned.

Seven petitions are contained in the prayer which he taught his followers.

Seven lamps were in the Tabernacle.

Seven Churches of Asia;

In Revelation there are seven seals, seven vials, seven angels, seven Spirits of God.

And now we are waiting for the sounding of the seventh trumpet.

Leviticus 25:8-9 (KJV) 
8 And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. 
9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.

The Gospel is a trump of gladness, proclaiming liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison-doors to them that are bound.

Our great High-priest is still within the veil sprinkling the atoning blood. Sinners without are still afflicting their souls and waiting for his reappearance to pronounce upon them the life-giving benediction.

Bonds, trials, heavy sorrows, and pain still afflict the saints. Even the holiest Christians have not yet come to the fulness of their rest. The very martyrs, who laid down their lives for the testimony of Jesus, are represented as waiting and crying, “O Lord, how long!”

With all our peace in Christ Jesus, our lives are still connected with dust and tears.

The final Jubilee, therefore, is yet to come. Our priest must first come forth from the Holy of holies, where he has gone, and close the reconciliation day.

Then will our perfect rest rightly begin.

Jesus must first appear the second time, before our final release and salvation shall be complete.

Many a time have we heard the sounding trumpets of the Gospel. Long and loud has the summons to repentance been ringing in the ears of a drowsy world.

Many have listened, believed, and experienced the glad earnest of the appointed Jubilee; but there is another trumpet, “the great trumpet”,”the trump of God”, which yet remains to be sounded.

It is a trumpet which shall never be heard but once in all the the ages; a trumpet whose blast shall thrill worlds, and startle up the very patriarchs from their long-lost graves, and transmute time itself into eternity.

A trumpet which shall be blown throughout all the earth the moment our High-priest shall have appeared again. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise.”

“For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” And that trumpet is the true trumpet of the true Jubilee. When it sounds, the great Sabbath of the ages begins.

I am waiting for the 7th trumpet to sound!

Thanks for reading today!

 

The Apostle Paul’s Epiphany Friday, Jan 3 2014 

Biblical history and Biographical and Motivational and New Testament kennethbow 10:30 am

An epiphany is a sudden, intuitive perception of, or insight into the meaning of something, usually initiated by a commonplace occurrence or experience.

It seems to me that the Apostle Paul always traveled with companions, with one exception. We find him with Barnabas on his first journey. Silas is his traveling companion on his second journey. Then there is Luke, Timothy, Titus, Demas, and others at various times.

The only time I remember him tackling a city alone is when he scaled the heights of Athens. For whatever reason, he went there alone.

I present for your consideration this possibility: had Paul reached the place he felt he could handle it? Had his successes puffed him up to the point he felt, “I got this one boys”? Did he feel confident in his education and past success?

It seems to me this was out of his modus operandi. I cannot find any other place where he went one on one solo on a city. I wonder if he had gotten confident in himself?

One thing is sure, Athens handed Paul his “head in his hand” so to speak. He left Athens broken and defeated and discouraged.

Somewhere in the next 50 miles of road toward Corinth, his Athens experience changed him forever.

At his next location he is first of all surrounded with the greatest collection of names mentioned in his lifetime. Second he has his greatest revival in the history of the world. Is this a coincidence?

I offer for your consideration Paul had an epiphany at Athens!

He realized my success has not been in my ability, but in God. My education is laughable when placed next to God’s wisdom! My education may trump some earthly peers, but compared to God, I know nothing.

Paul the man, with only his ability, against Athens equals abject failure. Paul in humility with help from brethren, at Corinth equals world’s greatest revival!

It was after this epiphany at Athens that he wrote “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men”.

Paul learned the most important lesson of his ministry at Athens! He learned by myself I can do nothing. Through Christ I can do all things!

May God help all of us in 2014 to use his lesson so we avoid enduring the same fate when we believe “I got this one”.

Thanks for reading today!

 

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