Nationalities of Biblical Persons if They Were Born Today

 

Jesus                                     West Bank Palestinian

Zechariah                            West Bank Palestinian

Ezekiel                                  Israeli

Lydia of Thyatira               Turkish

Paul                                     Turkish

Silas                                     Greek

Amos                                   West Bank Palestinian

Emperor Tiberius              Italian

Mary Magdalene               Israeli

Barnabas                            Cypriot

The Bible is a Weapon

 

The idea of the Bible as a weapon is played out in the science fiction film, The Book of Eli (2010).  The villain of the film is willing to resort to violence and murder to possess the book. He believes that, if he owns the book, he can have its power by using its words however he wishes. . Denzel Washington, the star of the film, says it is "a story about faith." Eli's mission is to protect the book and deliver it to a site out west. The film is seen by many as a caricature of real Christianity  I will let you watch the film and decide for yourself.

Some people call the Bible the Word of God, but John tells us that Jesus is the Word. The biblical understanding of the Bible as a weapon is more subtle. It is a sword, but it is not meant to kill. 

The Bible sometimes describes itself in military terms but it should never be weaponized against other people, backing them into corners, deriding them, manipulating them, forcing them to make decisions, abusing them, or attempting to silence them. We should never use it to "win." That spirit in a Christian is abusive and unhealthy, it is the sin of self.

See how Jesus reacted to the Rich Young Ruler.  He loved him and spoke the truth that the man needed to hear, even though that truth caused pain.

Mark 10:21; Ephesians 6:17; 2 Corinthians 6:7; Hebrews 4:12; James 4:11.

Modern Names of Places Mentioned in the Bible

 

Acts 11:26     Antioch (Antakya, Turkiye)

Hosea 10:14   Beth Arbel (Irbid, Jordan)

1 Chronicles 5:26   Gozan (Tell Halaf, Syria)

Acts 14:8   Lystra (Klistra, Turkiye)

Revelation 2:18  Thyatira (Akhisar, Turkiye)

Render Unto Caesar

 

 

The Pharisees tried to trap Jesus into saying something that would either violate Jewish law and anger the Sanhedrin or would alarm the Roman authorities and cause a brutal response against him. Either situation would have served their purposes.

 

They asked a simple sounding but highly loaded question. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar?

 

Jesus took a coin and asked whose image was on it. His answer was that Caesar has his place and God has his place. The authorities should be honored and obeyed, even those authorities with whom we personally disagree. Caesar’s image (Man) is on the coin; we are made in God’s image.

 

This passage means many things, many deep things, but it has temporal meaning also. Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s would mean that we are expected to be good peaceful citizens who fulfil their civic responsibilities and who avail themselves of their civic privileges. Paul exercised his right as a Roman citizen to appeal his sentence directly to Caesar.

 

This blog post is for every Christian in whatever political system they find themselves to be, but, right now, it is especially relevant to Christians in the United States of America. The election for President of the United States will be held on Tuesday 5 November 2024.

 

This particular election is being hotly contested and polling data shows that it is so close that it is statistically impossible to predict which candidate will win.

 

A very disturbing truth is that, apparently, many American Christians find both of the major candidates to be objectionable and have decided not to vote. I would urge them to listen to Jesus and to Paul the Apostle in Romans 13:1-7. Paul said this, and meant it, about a government which ultimately executed him. This was not blind obedience to a government but was a statement that government authority is to be considered to be legitimate.

 

The only valid reason to disobey the government is if, in order to obey the government, we would have to dishonor our ultimate allegiance to the Lord. Not liking the candidate choices available to us in an election does not seem to rise to that level.

 

Genesis 1:27; Matthew 22:15-22; Mark 12:17; Luke 20:25; Acts 25:6-12.

Samaritan’s Purse 2024 Gift Catalog

 

For Christmas gifting, many people shop online or from gift catalogs for gifts picked specifically for friends and loved ones. The gifting tradition has many historical origins but ultimately, for Christians, derives from the three gifts brought for the baby Jesus by the wise men from the East. The secular Christmas tradition completely forgets or ignores this.

The Samaritan’s Purse 2024 Gift Catalog is a Christian option. For full disclosure, I have no connection to Samaritan’s Purse except as a donor. The catalog turns gift-giving around. The gift to your loved ones is a gift in their name to a person, family, or community hurting and in need.

Samaritan’s Purse is a Christian organization operating in over 100 countries. It carries out mission activities and disaster relief efforts and is run by Franklin Graham, the son of evangelist Billy Graham (1918-2018). www.samaritanspurse.org   1-828-262-4980. 1-800-353-5957. Their physical address is:

            Samaritan’s Purse

            P. O. Box 3000

            Boone, NC 28607 USA

The gift items are listed on this web page: www.samaritanspurse.org/catalog24  The suggested donations can be from an individual or a group. $ = US dollars.

1.      Feed a Hungry Baby: baby formula for a week. Suggested donation: $6.

2.      Provide Hot Meals for a Child: hot meals for a week. Suggested donation: $7

3.      Rescue Children in Crisis: shelter and daily needs, education. Suggested donation: $75

4.      Care for an Orphan: support orphanages and children’s homes. Suggested donation: $35

5.      Help a Family Survive a Disaster: supplies, water filters, food, temporary shelter, cooking kits, hygiene items. Suggested donation: $45

6.      Put a Stop to Human Trafficking: education. Suggested donation: $125

7.      Serve Desperate Refugees: food, shelter, etc. Suggested donation: $125

8.      Feed a Family: after natural disasters or war. Suggested donation: $35

9.      Bring Clean Water to a Community: water filters, pumps. Suggested donation: $75

10.  Give a Filter to a Family: water filter for clean water. Suggested donation: $100

11.  Drill a Village Well: Suggested donation: $10,000

12.  Honeybees: hives, equipment, training. Suggested donation: $20

13.  “Jesus Loves Me: Lambs: toy lambs that play the song, “Jesus Loves Me.” Suggested donation: $10

14.  Baby Chicks: chicks, a coop, eggs to eat or sell. Suggested donation: $14

15.  Blankets and Bedding: Suggested donation: $6

16.  Bless the Marriage of a Married Couple: Alaska wilderness lodge, marriage classes, airfare. Suggested donation: $6,000

17.  Send Help to Mission Hospital: airfare and lodging for volunteer medical professionals. Suggested donation: $50

18.  Provide Life-Saving Medical Care: airlifts, medical care. Suggested donation: $100

19.  Restore Sight to the Blind: cataract surgeries. Suggested donation: $40

20.  Provide Life-Saving Medical Equipment: refurbished donated equipment. Suggested donation: $25

21.  Help Repair a Cleft Lip: surgery. Suggested donation: $250

22.  Mend a Child’s Heart: heart procedures, lodging. Suggested donation: $2,200

23.  Send a New Missionary Doctor: Suggested donation: $100

24.  Equip a Hospital Chaplain for Ministry: Suggested donation: $500

25.  Build or Improve a Mission Hospital: Suggested donation: $35,000

26.  Build a House of Worship: Suggested donation: $15,000

27.  Give a Copy of God’s Word: Suggested donation: $10

28.  Stand with Persecuted Christians: build churches, family care. Suggested donation: $40

29.  Adopt a Shoebox: Shipping and other costs for Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts: Suggested donation: $10

30.  Disciple a Child: material, teacher training, Bible. Suggested donation: $6

31.  Give a Dairy Goat: goat or other dairy animal for milk to drink or sell. Suggested donation: $70

32.  Give a Baby Kit: ultrasound, vitamins, diapers, wipes. Suggested donation: $75

33.  Plant a Grove of Trees: tree seedlings. Suggested donation: $45