Divine Nature

  The belief that baptism is necessary for salvation is also known as " baptismal regeneration ." It is our contention that baptism is an important step of obedience for a Christian, but we adamantly reject baptism as being required for salvation. We strongly believe that each and every Christian should be water baptized by immersion. Baptism illustrates a believer’s identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.   Romans 6:3-4   declares, “Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” The action of being immersed in the water illustrates dying and being buried with Christ. The action of coming out of the water pictures Christ’s resurrection. Requiring anything in addition to faith in Jesus Christ for salvation is a works-based sa...

Verse:    Isaiah 63:9 ‘In all their distress He too was distressed, and the Angel of His Presence saved them.’ - There is nothing as wonderful as the saving Power of God in our lives. - God’s understanding of the things we are going through, cannot be under-estimated. - In all that we face, we can know that He knows and understands. - He will send the Angel of His Presence to save and rescue you. PRAYER:  Lord, what a joy it is to know that You will never leave or abandon me, regardless of the issues I am facing. I pray that I will know Your presence and saving Power in my situation today. Amen. Have a great weekend.

Verse:    John 20:16 Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’ - In the moment of Mary’s greatest distress, her Saviour called her by name. - Today your Saviour calls you by your name. - He created you, He formed you and He knows you. - He has called you by your name and you belong to Him. PRAYER:  Lord, thank You that I belong to You. May I know that reassurance in my heart of hearts, that You are calling my name, and may I know that Your love is reaching out to me right now. Amen. Have an awesome Thursday.

  Christian baptism is one of two ordinances that Jesus instituted for the church. Just before His   ascension , Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” ( Matthew 28:19–20 ). These instructions specify that the church is responsible to teach Jesus’ word, make disciples, and baptize those disciples. These things are to be done everywhere (“all nations”) until “the very end of the age.” So, if for no other reason, baptism has importance because Jesus commanded it. Baptism was practiced before the founding of the church. The Jews of ancient times would baptize proselytes to signify the converts’ “cleansed” nature. John the Baptist used baptism to prepare the way of the Lord, requiring  everyone , not just Gentiles, to be baptized because  everyone  needs rep...

Verse:    John 18:36 Jesus said, ‘My kingdom is not of this world.’ - Sometimes we have to remember that we belong to another dimension. - This world is not our home, we are only passing through. - This temporary earthly life is nothing compared to the eternal life to come. - So don’t allow the things of life to overwhelm you, keep an eternal perspective. PRAYER:  Lord, thank You that I can look to You and the eternal dimension that awaits me, as Your child. May the things of this world grow strangely dim, in the light of Your glory and grace. Amen. Have a wonderful Wednesday.

    We find the setting for God’s judgment in   the flood   in   Genesis 6:1–7 : “When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.’ “The  Nephilim  were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, ‘I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—...

Verse:    Romans 15:13 ‘May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the Power of the Holy Spirit.’ - There is something so wonderful about simply trusting God. - As we trust in Him, we are declaring that He is willing and able to help us. - As we continue to trust in Him, our lives can be filled with joy and peace. - As trusting in Him becomes our lifestyle, we can overflow with hope. PRAYER:  Lord, thank You that I can place my trust and confidence in You, with child-like faith and expectation. Fill me with joy and peace, as I trust in You and may my life overflow with hope. Amen. Have a blessed Tuesday.

Verse:    John 15:4 ‘Abide in Me, and I will abide in you.’ - The unity between us and the Lord is vitally important. - Nothing must ever be allowed to upset this great connection. - Our lives should be lived because we know the Lord lives. - His life should flow through us, bringing us new life and hope. PRAYER:  Lord, I choose to stay connected to You. I hold onto You, knowing that You are holding me. May Your life flow in and through me, as I abide in You. Amen. Have a great week.

  Scripture often presents us with   uncomfortable events . Some, like the flood, involve incidents we naturally find gut-wrenching, such as infants and children drowning along with adults. Other examples include Israel’s conquest of the Promised Land, the destruction of   Sodom and Gomorrah , and   Korah’s rebellion . It’s important to realize that the Bible does not shy away from these events—but it does present them in a clear context. To properly understand how God’s goodness fits with His actions in those cases, we need to keep that context firmly in mind. Of course, that context is within the Christian worldview, but that is the only context that matters. A critic cannot attack the Bible for something it contains while ignoring the rest of its contents. That would be like criticizing a science fiction novel for being “unrealistic” when the hero is saved by a teleporter, on the grounds that teleporters don’t really exist. Whether a person believes God exists is ...

    Genesis 6   gives the sad account of the state of humanity prior to the worldwide flood during the days of Noah.   Genesis 6:5   states, “The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time.” The level of sin and corruption among the human population was staggering: people thought about doing evil “all the time.” The evil of humanity would have resulted in disease and bloodshed and death. The weak or unhealthy (babies, children, women, and the disabled) would have been exploited and constantly put in harm’s way because of the evil actions of others. In addition, “The sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose” ( Genesis 6:2 ). In the Hebrew language, these “sons of God” were “ bene elohim .” This term is usually applied to angels (see  Job 1:6 ). Genesis seems to be stating that, ...

Verse:    Matthew 6:34 'Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough trouble of its own.' - Living in the here and now, is a secret to success in life. - When we bring tomorrow’s worries into today, it robs us of our joy and strength. - Don’t waste today, use it to do what needs to be done. - Tomorrow will take care of itself and God will give you the strength you need. PRAYER:  Lord, forgive me for being overly anxious and concerned about tomorrow. Thank You for this beautiful day that You have given me, may I use it to achieve what You intended me to achieve. Amen. Have a great weekend.

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  How long did it take Noah to build the ark?   The Bible does not specifically say how long it took Noah to build the ark. When Noah is first mentioned in   Genesis 5:32 , he is 500 years old. When Noah enters the ark, he is 600 years old. The time it took to build the ark would depend on how much time passed between   Genesis 6:14 , when God commanded Noah to build the ark; and   Genesis 7:1 , when God commanded Noah to enter the ark. Some scholars teach that it took Noah 120 years to build the ark, based on   Genesis 6:3 . Others say that it took 100 years, based on Noah’s age in   Genesis 5:32   and his age in   Genesis 7:6 . How long was Noah on the ark?  Noah entered the ark in the 600th year of his life, on the 17th day of the 2nd month ( Genesis 7:11-13 ). Noah left the ark on the 27th day of the 2nd month of the following year ( Genesis 8:14-15 ). Therefore, assuming a lunar calendar of 360 days, Noah was on the ark for approxim...

  here is your word for today:  Verse:    Proverbs 3:6 ‘In ALL your ways acknowledge Him, and He WILL make straight your paths.’ - In everything we do, we should put God first. - Every aspect of our lives should be guided by Him. - When we put Him first, He Himself comes to make our paths straight. - He is ready to level your paths and remove the obstacles in your way. PRAYER:  Lord, today I give You the place of priority in my daily life. I choose to submit myself to You and I ask that You would step into my life and make my paths straight. Amen. Have an awesome Thursday.

Verse:    Philippians 4:6 ‘Don’t worry (be anxious) about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.’ - When we are self-dependent, we have to be concerned about everything. - When we are relying on God, we do not need to be anxious and worried. - Sometimes we need to look back and remind ourselves of how faithful God has been. - Then we can look forward with the expectation that He will still be faithful. PRAYER:  Lord, I choose to trust and to place my cares and concerns in Your capable hands. Thank You for all that You have done for me, I look forward to Your faithfulness, now, and in the future. Amen. Have a wonderful Wednesday.

    Noah took two of every kind of animal into the ark, right? Not exactly. The Bible states, “Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth” ( Genesis 7:2–3 ). The Hebrew phrase translated “seven pairs” literally means “seven sevens,” so there is some question as to whether Noah took seven specimens of each “clean” species (three pairs and an extra) or seven pairs. Either way, he was told to take more clean animals than unclean on the   ark . Only the unclean animals came in pairs ( Genesis 6:19 ). Leviticus 11  defines the difference between clean and unclean animals, but Noah lived before the giving of the Law. We are not told how Noah knew which animals were clean and unclean, but he obviously knew the difference. Sacrifices to God were made before the...

Verse:    John 14:27 ‘Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.’ - To be unsettled, rattled, and disturbed is not God’s plan for you. - He comes to bring, and give you His peace. - He reassures you that He offers you more than the world can ever give you. - So let go of your troubled heart and do not be fearful. PRAYER:  Lord, thank You for Your gift of peace. Thank you that I can exchange my troubled heart and my fear for Your peace and comfort. You know all things, and therefore I do not need to be anxious and fearful, because You are with me, and Your peace drives away my fear. Amen. Have a blessed Tuesday.

  The topic of dinosaurs in the Bible is part of a larger ongoing debate within the Christian community over the age of the earth, the proper interpretation of Genesis, and how to interpret the physical evidences we find all around us. Those who believe in an older age for the earth tend to agree that the Bible does not mention dinosaurs, because, according to their paradigm, dinosaurs died out millions of years before the first man ever walked the earth. The men who wrote the Bible could not have seen living dinosaurs. Those who believe in a younger age for the earth tend to agree that the Bible does mention dinosaurs, though it never actually uses the word “dinosaur.” Instead, it uses the Hebrew word  tanniyn , which is translated a few different ways in our English Bibles. Sometimes it’s “sea monster,” and sometimes it’s “serpent.” It is most commonly translated “dragon.” The  tanniyn  appear to have been some sort of giant reptile. These creatures are mentioned n...

Verse:    Jeremiah 31:3 ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to Myself.’ - The love of God towards you is greater than you could ever imagine. - His love reaches to the greatest and the lowest places we find ourselves in. - God’s love for you endures and it stands the test of time. - You are loved by Him and His unfailing love will carry and sustain you. PRAYER:  Lord, thank You for Your great love towards me. May I never doubt Your endless, pure, and faithful love for me. May my heart be reassured and rest secure in Your boundless and limitless love for me. Amen. Have a great week.

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  When trying to distinguish between tithes and offerings, it is important to first understand the concept of tithing. Christians today often think that what they give to their local church is a tithe, when in reality it is an offering.   Christian tithing   is a misnomer because Christians are under no obligation to fulfill the command to tithe as given to the Israelites as part of the Mosaic Law. The tithe was a requirement of the Law in which all Israelites were to give 10 percent of everything they earned and grew to the tabernacle/temple ( Leviticus 27:30 ;   Numbers 18:26 ;   Deuteronomy 14:24 ;   2 Chronicles 31:5 ). The New Testament nowhere commands, or even recommends, that Christians submit to a legalistic tithe system. Paul states that believers should set aside a portion of their income as an offering, but this is not a tithe ( 1 Corinthians 16:1–2 ). God expected the Israelites to honor Him by giving the first fruits of what He gave to them....