Modern Names of Places Mentioned in the Bible

 

Numbers 13:22 Zoan (Muhafaza as Sarqiya, Egypt)

1 and 2 Thessalonians Thessalonica (Thessaloniki, Greece)

Acts 21:7 Ptolemais (Acre, Israel)

Titus 3:12 Nicopolis (Prevesa, Greece)

Ezekiel 38:13 Dedan (al-Ula, Saudi Arabia)

Ghosts!!!!!

The Bible is clear that we are surrounded by hosts of supernatural beings, both benevolent and malevolent.  A less clear question is whether or not any of these beings are what we would call “ghosts,” the disembodied spirits of dead humans.

There are numerous mentions of “ghosts” and “spirits” and an “after-life” in the Bible.  (Deuteronomy 18:9; 1 Samuel 28:7-25,  Matthew 14:25-27, 2 Corinthians 4:13-18, 5:1,6-8, 11:14; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, John 10:10, 19:30, Mark  5:1-20, 15:37-39, Luke 23:46, 24:39  1 John 4:1,  

There are various Christian interpretations which have been put forth:

1.     “Ghosts: are demons in disguise, hoping to lure us away into error.

2.     “Ghosts” are not personal beings, but are traces or ripples we leave behind in the space-time continuum., especially after intense emotional experiences.

3.      “Ghosts” are what many believe them to be, the disembodied spirits of dead humans, trapped in the material and unable to “move on.”

4.     “Ghosts” are the product of superstition or very “active imaginations.”

5.     “Ghosts” are an utter fabrication produced by persons wishing to profit in some way from gullible people.

My own take on ghosts is that they do not exist.  When we die, we immediately are in the presence of the Lord (Luke 23:43).  There is nothing in the Bible about the spirits of the dead walking the Earth.  The witch of Endor who called up Samuel the Prophet (1 Samuel 28) was shocked when he actually showed up.  She was accustomed to dealing with someone or something else.

If ghosts did exist, Christians would have no need to fear them.  We are indwelled by the Mind of Christ and demons, as well as angels, must obey us.  The demon’s only other recourse would be to run away. (James 4:7)

Below are links to sites exhiiting the world’s extreme interest in ghosts and hauntings.

http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-seven-most-haunted-spots-earth

http://paranormal.about.com/od/hauntedplaces/ig/World-s-Most-Haunted-Place/

http://www.letitflow.com/most-haunted-places-usa/

http://inventorspot.com/articles/13_real_haunted_places_2532

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_reportedly_haunted_locations_in_the_world

One United Church of Christ pastor , The Paranormal Pastor, definitely believes in ghosts:.

http://theparanormalpastor.blogspot.com/2008/08/bible-and-paranormal-part-1-ghosts.html 

And, The Haunted Places Directory.

http://www.haunted-places.com/ 

What Does It Mean?: Apostle

ἀπόστολος  The Greek word apostolos (apostle) comes from the words “apo (away from)” and “stellein (to send),” meaning, “sent off.”  The idea is that of an “emissary” or “messenger,” sent with a message.  The designation of “apostle” was a function, not an office or position. Sometimes apostles were elected and at other times they were appointed. (Galatians 2:8; Romans 11:13; 1 Corinthians 4:17; 2 Corinthians 5:20, 8:18-23, 9:13; 1 Thessalonians 3:2.)

Remember that the early Christians operated from a Jewish understanding.  The Greek "apostle" is equivalent to the Hebrew “shaliah.” A shaliaḥ (שָלִיחַ‎; pl. שְלִיחִים, sheliḥim) was a Jewish legal emissary or agent who performed an act of legal significance for the sender(s).

The Twelve Apostles were called “emissaries” when they were “sent” (Matthew 10:1-8) They were usually called “the Twelve (τοῖς δώδεκα)” or “followers” (mathetai, μαθηταὶ). They were not leaders of individual churches, and others (Junia, Andronicus, Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Apollos, and Paul himself) were called apostles.

In the biblical sense, it is entirely appropriate to refer to Padraig/Patrick (ca 387 - 493) as the Apostle to the Irish; John Eliot (ca 1604 -1690) as the Apostle to the Indians; and John G. Lake (1870-1935) as the Apostle to Africa. 

A NASCAR Prayer That Got Everyone Talking

You will have to decide for yourself what you think about this.  I, myself, love NASCAR.


NASCAR (The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) is a multi-billion dollar business owned and operated by the France family of North Carolina.  The business is stock-car racing.  Something that anyone who watches the races notices immediately is that every NASCAR racing event is begun with a public Christian prayer, usually by a pastor who lives in the community near the racetrack.

This year, in Nashville, Tennessee, a Baptist pastor caused quite a sir with his prayer .  He took quite literally the instructions of 1Thessalonians 5:18, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."  The phrase, "Boogity, boogity, boogity!" was popularized by retired NASCAR racer, Darrell Waltrip , an outspoken Christian.

Here is the full prayer.

More about Darrell Waltrip:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darrell_Waltrip

More about NASCAR:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nascar

What Eventually Happened to the Apostles Named in the Bible?

What eventually happened to the Apostles named in the Bible?

According to Christian tradition:

1.    Peter (aka: Simon bar Jonah, Simon bar Jochanan, Cephas, and Simon Peter), a fisherman from Bethsaida in Galillee, was crucified upside-down in Rome c. AD 64-67.2.    James, son of Zebedee was beheaded in AD 44 in Judea.

                       John, son of Zebedee, no biblical record of death, he is believed to have died of natural causes due to old age.  The only one of the original Twelve not to be martyred.  He apparently died ca 100 at Ephesus (Efes, Turkey) and is buried at Selcuk.

Andrew, Peter's brother and also originally a fisherman, was crucified upside-
down on a diagonal or X-shaped cross in Patras.

Philip, from Bethsaida in Galilee, was crucified in AD 54 -80, probably in Hierapolis
Bartholomew (aka: Bartholomew, son of Tolmai/Talemai; Nathaniel) was skinned 
alive and then beheaded; possibly in Derbend (a city in Dagestan in Russia) or 
in Albanopolis (near Zgerdhesh), Armenia.

Matthew (possibly also known as Levi), the tax collector, was killed by an axe in AD 
60 near Hierapolis in Ethiopia.

Thomas (aka: Judas Thomas Didymus, Didymos) was killed by a spear in 
Mylapore, Madras, India in AD 72.  Didimus (Greek) and t’oma (Aramaic) both 
mean “twin.”

James, son of Alphaeus (aka: James the Less, James the Just) was , beaten to death 
with a club after being crucified.

Jude was crucified.  Possibly the same man as Thaddeus (aka: Lebbaeus) 
Armenian tradition says he was martyred in Beirut ca. 65.

Simon the Zealot (possibly also known as Simeon of Jerusalem or Simon 
the Cananean) was crucified in AD 74.

Judas Iscariot (Judas the son of Simon), according to Matthew, hanged himself 
after betraying Jesus. In Acts, he is described as falling in a field and bursting open.

Matthias, the replacement for Judas Iscariot picked by the surviving  
eleven original Apostles, was stoned and beheaded, possibly ca, 80,
at Colchis (in modern Georgia.)

Barnabas (Acts 14:14), a Cypriot, was martyred in 61 at Salamis, Cyprus.

Andronicus (Romans 16:7), was probably the husband of Junia.

Junia (Romans 16:7) is the only woman named in the Bible as an apostle.  The 
name is clearly female, the male form of the name would be Junius.

Silas (1Thessalonians 1:1 and 2:6) was Paul’s travelling companion.

Timothy (1Thessalonians 1:1 and 2:6) was close enough to Paul to be called his “son.”

Apollos (1 Corinthians 4:9) is thought by some to have been the author of Hebrews.

Paul (aka: Saul of Tarsus) was, according to Christian tradition, he was beheaded ca. 67, in Rome. 
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I edited this post because the formatting didn't look right. JFM