Larry Kirkpatrick

A Positive Place on the Web for the Third Angel's Message

Self Control 101

2020-06-06

The Bible claims that Christians do not grieve as others (1 Thessalonians 4:13). And, of course not. Christians believe that this life is the doorway to eternity. I live now and then I am judged. Afterward comes the resurrection. This life is part--potentially--of a life that will measure with eternity. The Bible teaches not that we are immortal but that immortality is the gift of Jesus to the believer (1 Corinthians 15:53).

In other words, the Christian frame of reference for living takes in today, tomorrow, and eternity. I am accountable for my past actions, my present actions, and I will be accountable for my future actions.

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Sausage Rebellion

2020-05-30

To a hammer everything is a nail. To some nonbelievers, other people are mere objects to be fed into the ideological meatgrinder. They want you to adopt their view of reality--one which, in 2020 America, is almost entirely politicized. We are red state people or blue state people; red state governors or blue state governors; Republicans or Democrats. Had they their way they would hurry us safely into categories of their choosing, marked as allies or enemies. You have to fit into the slots that have been cut into their own minds.

God shows us a better way.

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Jesus and the Gates of Hell

2020-05-24

Jesus said that the gates of hell would not prevail against His church. This saying is interesting to consider today when certain voices have classified churches and their services "non-essential." I want to explore these two ideas today, the one, that the church is not essential for the well being of society, and the other, that the church is so enduring that the gates of hell will not prevail against her.

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The Escape Key

2020-04-25

Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will (2 Timothy 2:22-26 ESV).

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Acts: Repentance and More

2020-04-18

Our study is from the book of Acts. This week we are in Acts 5:12-42.

Jesus has been crucified--murdered--by the combination of church and state, Rome in connection with the local religious leaders. But, oops, Jesus was in fact God and after His crucifixion He rose again. He has launched His New Testament church and the authorities are having a bit of a time.

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Acts: Hypocrisy or Purity?

2020-04-11

The early church was not only busy, it was persecuted. We continue our study with chapter five. We recall the story of Ananias and Sapphira but often make the mistake of thinking of them apart from the very Scripture content that gives the incident its context. So we actually want to begin at Acts 4:32-37:

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Acts: The Church that Knows who is God

2020-04-04

Today, Acts 3-4: God's church is on the move! But the authorities are interfering. His church is preaching and teaching Jesus as Messiah. The secular authorities are uneasy. Why?

In our day we have to ask that question. That is because in our day, the state is, effectively, god. It decides, for example, which activities are essential and which, non-essential. Churches are closed by decree; abortion clinics are open by decree. The state decides we should keep six feet apart and we comply.

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