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JOP

Obama invokes Jesus more than Bush

Eamon Javers Eamon Javers – Tue Jun 9, 5:09 am ET

He’s done it while talking about abortion and the Middle East, even the economy. The references serve at once as an affirmation of his faith and a rebuke against a rumor that persists for some to this day.

As president, Barack Obama has mentioned Jesus Christ in a number of high-profile public speeches — something his predecessor George W. Bush rarely did in such settings, even though Bush’s Christian faith was at the core of his political identity.

In his speech Thursday in Cairo, Obama told the crowd that he is a Christian and mentioned the Islamic story of Isra, in which Moses, Jesus and Mohammed joined in prayer.

At the University of Notre Dame on May 17, Obama talked about the good works he’d seen done by Christian community groups in Chicago. “I found myself drawn — not just to work with the church but to be in the church,” Obama said. “It was through this service that I was brought to Christ.”


......... read the rest: (http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090609/pl_politico/23510)

Living with Urgency: 2009 Start a Church Sunday

This year’s theme is Who? Where? When? We have provided several free, downloadable resources that each church can use to inspire and equip believers to learn about the diverse people and needs of their communities. This understanding can lead to new, biblically faithful and culturally appropriate small groups and churches being started. Can you imagine a time when ordinary believers, led by God, were at the forefront of church planting, connecting lost people to a relationship with Jesus Christ, forming faith communities based on relationships, and multiplying themselves to reach those furthest from God? To learn more click here.

Get Involved Church Planting

North America is in need of new churches. Every congregation can get involved in seeing new churches started. Below are five ideas for become a church planting congregation.

Engage in strategic prayer for new churches Share your facilities with a new church Include a new church in your budget Adopt a church planter and his family Plan a mission trip to a help a new church

The Church Planting Group has created a tool to help churches interested in sponsoring new congregations. It's called Kingdom Builders. Download

Popular Resources

• 21 Church Planting Designs

• 7 Steps to Church Planting (Partner)

• Basic Training

• Basic Training II

• Build Your Own Web Site

• Compass I

• Constitution and Bylaws

• Ecclesiological Guides

• Multi-Site Church Planting

• Partners in Church Planting

• People Groups

• Resource Guide

• A Field Partner's 7 Steps to Planting Churches

New Multihousing Resource Is your church considering planting a congregation in a multihousing community? If so, you'll want to get a copy of the updated resource "We Call it Church." Copies are available without charge by calling the resource line: 888-7497479. Download

Baker's Evangelical Dictionary
of Biblical Theology

Envy [N] [T]

Sin of jealousy over the blessings and achievements of others, especially the spiritual enjoyment and advance of the kingdom of Christ freely and graciously bestowed upon the people of God. Old Testament examples of the sin of jealousy include the rivalry of Joseph's brothers over the favor that Joseph received at the hand of God (Gen 37:12-36; Acts 7:9), and Saul's animosity toward David for his physical and spiritual prowess (1 Sam 18). Envy inevitably leads to personal harm and debilitation, affecting one's physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being (Job 5:2; Prov 14:30). Unchecked, it gradually leads to a destructive and remorseful way of life (Prov 27:4), and ultimately, to estrangement from God (Rom 1:28-32).

Envy manifests the insidiousness of sin and human depravity apart from the intervention of God's redeeming grace. As a sin of the flesh, envy characterizes the lives of the unregenerate. Envy is one of the traits of the Christian's former way of life (Rom 13:8-14; Titus 3:3). Those who practice envy and strife are barred from the kingdom of heaven (Gal 5:19-26). Indeed, the unregenerate nature ever tends toward envy, manifesting the unbeliever's rejection of God, his truth, and his will for human conduct (James 3:14,16).

The way of true wisdom counsels the faithful to avoid the company of such godless people (Prov 24:1). Envy is listed among the sins of the flesh that must be conquered through the power of the Holy Spirit (1 Col 3:3; 2 Col 12:20; 1 Peter 2:1). "Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord" (Prov 23:17). Love is to have majesty over envy (1 Cor 13:4).

As an example from former days, the righteous judgment of Yahweh against Edom was measured out in accordance with the measure of Edom's jealousy toward the people of God (Eze 35:11). But the mercy of God brought about the healing of animosity between Ephraim and Judah by means of God's righteous act of salvation (Isa 11:13). In the time of Messiah's earthly ministry it was the envy of the Jews that led to the rejection and betrayal of Jesus into the hands of Pilate for crucifixion (Matt 27:18). Nevertheless, in the providence and foreordination of God, what the wicked intended for evil was destined to be the instrument of God's redemption of his elect through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Paul points out how the good news of the gospel was preached at times out of envy and strife (Php 1:15). Yet in spite of the envious motives of the false apostles, Paul rejoiced that Christ was being proclaimed. Like Christ, the apostle in his ministry of the gospel experienced the hatred and jealousy of the Jews (Acts 13:45). This did not deter him from his divinely ordained mission. There were other times, however, that false teaching led to controversy and envy among the people of God (1 Tim 6:4). Genuine, unfeigned love for God and his word prompts the disciples of Christ to proclaim and defend the full counsel of God's truth. Loving and consecrated devotion to Christ and his kingdom dissipates the sins of envy and jealousy.

Mark W. Karlberg

Source: (http://www.biblestudytools.com/Dictionaries/BakersEvangelicalDictionary/bed.cgi?number=T227)

quote: (http://www.acts17-11.com/conviction_xtra.html)

Extra Stuff on Conviction Bible Study

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Extra Scriptures on Conviction

2 Cor 1:9 (NIV) Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

2 Cor 7:8-11 (Phi) ...I can see that the letter did upset you, though only for a time ...but it made you grieve for things that were wrong... The result was to make you sorry as God would have you sorry... You can look back now and see how the hand of God was in that sorrow.

1 Jn 1:7-8 (NIV) But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Whatever is True... is Where we Must Start

Phil 4:8 (GLT) For the rest, brothers, whatever is true, whatever honorable, whatever is right, whatever pure, whatever lovely, whatever of good report, if of any virtue, and if of any praise, think on these things.

Truth, Prophecy, Guilt, Humility, and Repentance

2 Ki 17:13 (NIV) The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: "Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees... that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets."

Ps 119:28-29 (NIV) My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law.

Isa 66:2 (NIV) ..."This is the one I [the Lord] esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word."

Ps 38:4 (NIV) My guilt has overwhelmed me like a burden too heavy to bear.

2 Chr 7:14 (NIV) "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

Isa 57:11-12 (NIV) "Whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have been false to me, and have neither remembered me nor pondered this in your hearts? Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me? I will expose your righteousness and your works, and they will not benefit you."

More on "Agents 0f Conviction"

Recently I was riding in a van with some business colleagues who were discussing how their teenage children were having sexual experiences, how this was fine as long as it was safe, how they had encouraged it, etc. I was listening, interested to see how they were rationalizing this and wondering if God might give me an opportunity to mention His opinion. All of a sudden, there was a pause for several seconds, and someone said, "But Dean would say that it doesn't matter what we think, because God forbids it." Another said, "No, Dean would say that we will have to answer at the judgment for the advice we've given our kids," and so on. I never said a word, but just sat there humored at how the Holy Spirit in me could convict others without the need for me to even speak!

Rom 1:32 (NEB) They know well enough the just decree of God, that those who behave like this deserve to die, and yet they do it; not only so, they actually applaud such practices.

Hosea 5:15 (NIV) Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me."

Jude 1:14 (NIV) ..."See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done..."

Ancient liturgical versions

Πιστεύω εἰς ἕνα Θεόν, Πατέρα, Παντοκράτορα, ποιητὴν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς, ὁρατῶν τε πάντων καὶ ἀοράτων.

Καὶ εἰς ἕνα Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ, τὸν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς γεννηθέντα πρὸ πάντων τῶν αἰώνων·

φῶς ἐκ φωτός, Θεὸν ἀληθινὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ, γεννηθέντα οὐ ποιηθέντα, ὁμοούσιον τῷ Πατρί, δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο.

Τὸν δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν κατελθόντα ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ σαρκωθέντα

ἐκ Πνεύματος Ἁγίου καὶ Μαρίας τῆς Παρθένου καὶ ἐνανθρωπήσαντα.

Σταυρωθέντα τε ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐπὶ Ποντίου Πιλάτου, καὶ παθόντα καὶ ταφέντα.

Καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς.

Καὶ ἀνελθόντα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς καὶ καθεζόμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Πατρός.

Καὶ πάλιν ἐρχόμενον μετὰ δόξης κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς, οὗ τῆς βασιλείας οὐκ ἔσται τέλος.

Καὶ εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ Ἅγιον, τὸ κύριον, τὸ ζωοποιόν,

τὸ ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐκπορευόμενον,

τὸ σὺν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ συμπροσκυνούμενον καὶ συνδοξαζόμενον,

τὸ λαλῆσαν διὰ τῶν προφητῶν.

Εἰς μίαν, Ἁγίαν, Καθολικὴν καὶ Ἀποστολικὴν Ἐκκλησίαν.

Ὁμολογῶ ἓν βάπτισμα εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν.

Προσδοκῶ ἀνάστασιν νεκρῶν.

Καὶ ζωὴν τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος.

Ἀμήν