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(v. 14, NIV). Fresh and green. That is not the language of dignified decline; it is the language of active, ongoing vitality. And as a special note to my wife, no, it doesn’t mean eating more vegetables and salads. 😊Paul writes to Titus with clear expectations of older believers: that older men and women model godly character, sound faith, and love, serving as living examples and wisdom-bearers for the next generation (Titus 2:2–5). The church needs what only years can produce. The church and the world need godly elderly people And for those who are in Christ, all of this is held within a larger hope. Ageing is not a journey toward irrelevance. It is a journey toward resurrection. It is an increasingly transparent dependence on the One in whom all wisdom and knowledge are hidden – Jesus (Col. 2:3). The frailties of later life are, in that light, an invitation to trust more fully, to hold more lightly, and to radiate the kind of peace that only comes from a long walk with God.ConclusionGetting older is not the end of the story. It is, for many of us, the chapter where the deepest things finally come to the surface.Yes, fluid intelligence slows. Some things are genuinely harder. But crystallised intelligence blossoms. Wisdom deepens. Spiritual insight sharpens. And the years of faithful living begin to bear fruit in ways that younger people simply cannot replicate yet.This personal journey of self-discovery started when I asked whether I was getting ‘smarter’ or deluding myself. The answer is neither – I am just changing, and that in itself is encouraging. The invitation to us is to embrace both sides of old age honestly and hopefully: to accept the limits without pretending they are not there, and to celebrate the gifts without taking them for granted. In doing so, we can offer the church, our family, and future generations something irreplaceable — the fruit of a lifetime lived in the knowledge and love of God, and the abilities usually possessed only by the elderly.Please note, if you are reading this via email and it doesn’t look right or there are audio problems, please go to www.truthistheword.com to view and listen to the audio DeepDive online or go to the AudioVisual page where you can access any of the series posts and audio files from one place.
t look right or there are audio problems, please go to www.truthistheword.com to view the post online or go to the AudioVisual page where you can access any of the series posts and audio files from one place.
s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honour the king.’ (1 Peter 2:13-17) And remember that at the time these were penned, the known world was ruled by Rome and its emperors.So, the first point under this heading is ‘Engagement with governing systems is not only permitted but expected. Withdrawal from world systems is not the default Christian stance’ This same principle has to apply to AI because if it did not, then all of us would be either living as stone-age Neanderthals or outright idolaters! AI is more than a tool, but it is a very powerful tool. To choose not to use AI is to disadvantage yourself in many areas of daily life and business without benefit. Much like a Neanderthal offered a sharp knife, but deciding not to touch it because it might be from the thunder god in the sky who would kill him with it. So, my advice is: Use AI, but never let it use you. Always be in control....
s power looks like in action, we look at Jesus. His ministry was full of authority, but never manipulative. Full of truth, but never arrogant. Full of power, but never self-serving. He healed the broken, welcomed the sinner, confronted hypocrisy, restored the fallen, and moved towards people with both holiness and compassion.That means any ministry of the Holy Spirit that becomes harsh, theatrical, coercive, self-exalting, or spiritually abusive has already lost its way, no matter how impressive it appears.In the years ahead, the church may need more power than it has known for a very long time, but it will need that power to remain tethered to the character of Jesus Christ.We must honour both the person and the power of the SpiritThere is another imbalance the church must avoid. Some Christians become so cautious about excess that they speak of the Holy Spirit almost entirely in quiet, inward, non-disruptive terms. Others become so eager for spiritual experience that they speak as though the Spirit were just a kind of divine energy to be accessed, channelled, or displayed.Neither path is healthy nor biblical.The Holy Spirit is not an impersonal force. He is the divine person who teaches, convicts, leads, comforts, and glorifies Christ. He is to be loved, obeyed, and honoured. But the Holy Spirit also genuinely empowers. Scripture speaks of believers being filled, emboldened, gifted, and used in ways that clearly involve more than inward reassurance. There is real impartation, real anointing, real enabling for ministry.We need both truths together.If we lose the person of the Spirit, we drift towards spiritual technique. If we lose the power of the Spirit, we drift towards respectable weakness. But if we honour both the person and the power of the Spirit, we can minister with reverence and power at the same time.That balance will matter enormously in a world rattled by AI. People will not only need sound teaching. They will need churches where the Spirit of God is genuinely present and active — not in hype, not in showmanship, but in truth, holiness, love, and genuine power.A warning the church must take seriouslyThe possibility of revival should excite us, but it should also sober us.When spiritual power is active, human character matters even more, not less. The greater the gifting, the greater the need for humility, discernment, and accountability. One of the clearest lessons from the New Testament is that spiritual reality does not eliminate the possibility of human misjudgement. Power in human hands is never made safe simply by being spiritual.That is why the church must resist the cult of personality that often appears in revival settings. We must not confuse charisma with maturity, intensity with truth, or spiritual effect with spiritual health. Leaders must remain accountable. Discernment must remain active. Scripture must remain open. Jesus must remain central.If the coming years bring a fresh moving of the Spirit, we must welcome it gratefully, but we must also steward it wisely.What should believers do now?Preparation for revival does not begin when crowds arrive. It begins now, in ordinary obedience.We need churches that pray before they panic. Churches that learn to hear God before the crisis peaks. Churches that practise repentance, humility, generosity, and courage before disruptions force the issue. Churches that know how to care for the unemployed, the anxious, the confused, and the spiritually hungry. Churches that can preach the Gospel clearly and also minister the compassion and power of Christ personally. We also need believers who will not be intimidated by the future. The rise of AI may shake many things, but it does not dethrone Jesus. It does not weaken the Gospel. It does not reduce the Holy Spirit to irrelevance. If anything, it creates the very conditions in which the emptiness of a hyper-technological civilisation becomes impossible to ignore.That is not a reason for fear. It is a reason for readiness.A call to actionThe church must not sleep through this moment.If AI-driven disruption is going to produce deeper instability, then this is the time to seek God afresh. This is the time to repent of prayerlessness, spiritual passivity, and our dependence on methods that cannot carry the weight of what may be coming. This is the time to ask the Lord for clean hands, clear hearts, renewed boldness, and a greater filling of the Holy Spirit.Pastors must prepare their people. Leaders must cultivate discernment. Ordinary believers must learn again how to pray, how to listen, how to serve, how to witness, and how to minister in the Spirit without losing balance or humility....
It is the spirit of Babel reborn - a unified human attempt to achieve omniscience (all-knowing AI), omnipotence (agentic AI), and immortality (transhumanism) apart from the Creator.This spiritual driver explains the fervour of the age. It explains why brilliant men and women are building machines that they admit could destroy them. They are blinded by the promise of a counterfeit glory.At the surface, there are two main reasons offered by politicians and technology leaders for their hell-bent pursuit of developing powerful AI as quickly as possible. That AI is a good thing and will offer many wonderful benefits to humanity, ultimately ushering in a utopian age of heaven on earth. If ‘bad’ players achieve Superintelligence first, then they will subjugate all opposition.What they mean by this is that if their own corporations reach the goal first, then they will dominate and eliminate all opposition, but if the opposition wins the race, then their companies and personal wealth will be wiped out. At a national level, it is even starker. For the USA, if Russia or China win the race, then it is game over for American society.The stakes are high, but in the fog of war caused by these forces, few seem concerned about what the outcomes will be for ordinary people.I foresee a coming personal crisis of identity, worth, and purpose. If I no longer have a job, or just don’t need to work or achieve, struggle and overcome, innovate and create, then who am I, what am I worth, and what is my purpose in this world?So, whether we have a godless heaven on earth or a societal hell, the outcome for most people is likely to be the same. We are designed by the Almighty to be industrious people of clear identity and purpose. When we lose our sense of identity, worth, and purpose, then we inevitably fall into the pit of self-destructive despondency and hopelessness. The answers to the questions of “who am I, what am I worth,...
s democratic institutions, establishing a totalitarian dictatorship known as the Third Reich. His absolute rule lasted until his suicide in April 1945 during the final days of World War II. Hitler’s Nazi movement derived its DNA from the occult and particularly from Ariosophy and the Thule Society. Ariosophy, meaning ‘wisdom of the Aryans’. Aryan described a distinct, superior branch of humanity responsible for all major civilizational progress. The Thule Society (Thule-Gesellschaft) was a German occultist and nationalist-racialist secret society founded in Munich in 1918. They sought supernatural powers and prophesied the resurgence of a Nordic race of ‘god men’. Hitler believed this myth and saw himself as such a god-man. He also believed that inferior races polluted the pure Nordic strain and needed to be eliminated.Several authors have carefully documented the occult Luciferian doctrine and practices of Hitler and his Nazis....
s reaction was violent and disproportionate. They deployed troops into the affected regions and passed a law making ‘machine-breaking’ punishable by death.What They Stood ForWhile there are some similarities between the Luddites of 1811 and the white-collar workers of 2026, what they stood for is very relevant for us today: The destruction of human skill and dignity without consent or compensation. The breaking of the social contract between labour and management. The concentration of economic power in the hands of business owners who bore none of the social cost of disruption. State complicity through the deliberate removal of protective legislation. The instrumentalisation of human beings.Now, anyone familiar with the exponentially rapid development and deployment of AI will immediately recognise the stark similarities. However, two things are not at all similar: The first is that industrialisation developed and was deployed over roughly 150 years, whereas AI will be fully integrated into our lives, for better or for worse, within the next 150 weeks! Secondly, because people had time to adapt and reskill over a long period of time, the process was hugely beneficial to most segments of society. Industrialisation changed the nature of work and created more jobs than before. AI is almost certainly going to replace jobs at scale (lots and lots of jobs lost). Some ‘experts’ say that we will all be able to reskill ourselves to take on more advanced jobs, but AI will be able to do most jobs at all levels, and with the highest proficiency long before we can reskill.The heart of the problem is the super-speed with which AI is advancing on us, and our human inability to change that fast.As the character in the movie Apollo 13 said, “Houston, we have a problem!” Yes, indeed, we do have a problem!What The Luddites Can Teach UsAll the ground covered so far is to bring us to the critical questions: What can the Luddites teach us, and what should we be doing in response to this?Lesson One: Name the real questions accuratelyThe Luddites were an organised and determined people who asked the right question: ‘Who governs the terms of technological deployment?’ AI raises many important questions that we need to answer. Three of them are: Is it dangerous? Well, yes, it could be, but it could also be a benefit … eventually. How long will it be before it radically affects our lives? We do need an answer to this, but experts are divided, some saying very soon and others saying up to ten years. However, each of us needs to prepare ourselves, our families, and our income sources, and so our own answer to this question is important. A third question is the one we can borrow from the Luddites – who decides how it is deployed and over what period? As things stand at the moment, it is the AI company executives and the government officials who decide this. However, we all need to have something to say about this because we are the ones who will pay the price if AI brings anything other than utopia.Lesson Two: The dispossession of human agency is a theological problem Christian theological tradition insists that we are all made in the image of God and bearers of rationality, creativity, moral agency, and relational dignity (Genesis 1:26). Work, properly understood, is a participation in God’s ongoing ordering of creation. Beyond providing for us physically, it gives us dignity, purpose, and a sense of identity as responsible sons and daughters of the Almighty. If AI strips meaningful work from human beings, it is not just an economic problem; it is an assault on human dignity.Lesson Three: Productivity gains do not automatically distribute themselves evenlyThe Industrial Revolution ultimately raised living standards, but only after a century of struggle and hardships for many people. A major reason for this is that at first, the benefits all accrued to the business owners and governments. In the Luddites case, it was the mill owners and the British Crown. Currently, AI wealth is almost all going to a remarkably small group of AI executives, shareholders, and the governments that rake in the taxes payable by these elites. The amount of wealth accruing to these few is staggering! We cannot assume that this situation will self-correct, so we should be taking steps to earn income and accrue our own wealth by using AI for as long and as best we can. For instance, an administrator or office manager who uses AI proficiently will be more in demand than less AI-literate people.Lesson Four: Speed of deployment is a moral issueThe Luddites understood that the pace at which technological change is imposed is a moral and not just a mathematical problem.People and communities need time to adapt, retrain, redeploy, and reorganise.AI is coming at us at an exponential rate. There are options available - such as limiting its capabilities or slowing its rate of deployment - but we, ordinary people, have almost no say in this.A very small number of very knowledgeable AI insiders are warning the world right now and proposing alternatives to the AI industry and governments. Men like Dario Amodei (The CEO of Anthropic), Tristan Harris (ex Google), Roman Yampolskiy (AN influential AI safety researcher) and to a lesser extent Kai-Fu Lee (ex Google China). They can all be found on YouTube and have also written extensively over the last few years. We need to listen to them. All of us need to pay heed and speak supportively for AI safety and common-sense control where we can.So, what do we do about all this? Three things: Find out as much as you can about AI and become fully informed about the risks and the timelines. Speak about it within your circle of influence so that others become aware. Learn to use AI to do your job better and to earn income and influence.For my part, my son and I, using AI have written a book aimed at Church Pastors and Leaders, setting out what we have discovered, along with some suggestions on how this information can be used. It is called The Acts 8 Moment, and you can get a copy from https://shorturl.at/5pZmrConclusionBy now, you will realise why I titled this article ‘Resurrected Luddites Needed Now’. The Luddites provide us with historic principles, but we do not attempt to reproduce their approaches in our age. Just as the resurrected body will be recognisable but different from the body of flesh, so we should rise up in 2026 as recognisable but different Luddites – clear-eyed about technology, but committed to human dignity, justice, and Jesus-centred hope.In my next article, I want to introduce you to the three forces driving AI development and deployment, now and during the next few years.Please note, if you are reading this via email and it doesn’t look right or there are audio problems, please go to www.truthistheword.com to view the post online or go to the AudioVisual page (https://truthistheword.com/audio-visual/) where you can access any of the series posts and audio files from one place. The audio should be below:
of the AI age may be a return to the irreducible dignity of being made in the image of God, independent of output or efficiency. This is not a retreat, but a mission field.Another lesson from the Acts account is the nature and components of church life it reveals. We should aspire to this in the time ahead, but I will cover this in another article.ConclusionAI as we knew it a year ago is now a capable assistant; in another year, it will be a co-worker, and a year after that, it will likely have rendered traditional white-collar roles unrecognisable or obsolete. Humans have shown themselves to be very resourceful, and society will probably solve the scarcity needs in our world. There may be an extended period of chaos before this happens,...
ll be giving you glimpses into what we can reasonably expect regarding AI and some idea of the timelines involved. More than that, though, I want to bring you practical wisdom that will help build your confidence and strengthen your faith for the times ahead. Not a flimsy optimism based on hoping technology works out, but a deep hope rooted in the One who remains sovereign over every algorithm and every acceleration.God bless you, my friendAs with my last article, here is a debate by tw0 AI characters. Please drop me a line if you find this approach helpful or unhelpful.
I write a lot, so I will use that as an example. On one end of the spectrum is the use of spelling and grammar checkers in products such as Microsoft Word or Grammarly (forms of AI). I am both dyslexic and a lousy speller, so for me these aids are essential. They don’t save me time because I have to make so many corrections, but they save face and reputational damage. These aids are as necessary to me as audio-to-text applications are to some physically impaired people. I do not regard these aids as presenting an ethical problem. What is more, I have no problem with using AI to scan my work for tone or content that could cause offence or be misunderstood. I have, on occasions, also asked AI to adapt my writing to be better understood and related to by certain age groups or types of people. It is at this point that things get a little dodgy for me. Would I ask AI to write an article, or even a book, for me by just giving broad guidance and a few parameters? No, I wouldn’t normally do this, and if, for some reason, I did, I would clearly disclose that it was AI-generated. I would certainly never consider submitting an AI-generated document for peer review or educational credits. Publishers, writers’ associations, and educational institutions have already set clear standards, but we all need to settle for ourselves what is ethically and legally acceptable and what is not. And, of course, the same would apply to artistic works or innovations.The broader societal impact of AII have recently watched several AI experts talking about the future effects of AI on society. Some have waxed lyrical about the hugely positive influence AI is having in the fields of medicine, pharmaceutics, and so on, where it performs admirably in helping doctors diagnose more accurately and assisting surgeons in delicate and difficult procedures. It helps in developing aids for the disabled, finding new cures and seems to have many other clear benefits to humanity. I am sure they are right about this, and we will all benefit from the rapid advances being made. On the other side of the coin are the equally rapid AI-led advances in lethal arms development, narcotics creation, and techno-crime of every sort. AI is also being used to trick us into giving access to our banking accounts! I get about 5 emails or SMS attempts to defraud me every day, as well as sporadic telephone calls trying to get me to allow access to my bank accounts! Of late, they have been getting sophisticated and deceptive with the use of AI, making them even more convincing.Beyond financial deception, there is a more subtle and troubling effect of AI that impacts our mental and spiritual well-being. At this level, the impact of AI, as I experience it, is almost entirely negative.The other day, I stumbled on a YouTube video where a so-called professor of applied mathematics claimed to have had a near-death experience where Jesus gave him five warnings to the world. Strangely enough, he was presented as an avowed and vigorous atheist. He said that these warnings would be observed by everyone around the world and would all occur in January 2026. I used AI to research and analyse the video and unsurprisingly found it to be an AI-generated fake. I also discovered that there were dozens of variations of the theme flying around the internet – an imaginary elderly woman claimed a similar experience, as did a soldier, a Jewish scholar, a boy, a political advisor, and many more. This example is not an isolated incident, but part of a rapidly growing pattern. Why do people do this? The main reason is no doubt that they get paid money by advertisers and media companies, depending on the number of views they get and the duration of each view. Also, it is easy to get a suite of AI applications that produce high-quality and potentially convincing content. One person can produce up to ten of these videos a day by using AI! To make matters even worse, these videos can sow fear or morbid satisfaction for some folks – some even call it ‘fear-porn’, can you believe it?A global concernSome of what I have described so far may sound like a uniquely South African crisis, but the same dynamics are beginning to surface globally - and at a scale that could affect every nation.Some of the same AI experts I have mentioned watching also debated a big concern for all thought-leaders, politicians, and top business executives. If AI does away with as many jobs as it seems it will, then how do the jobless survive? The apparent answer is that the governments of the world will have to pay a universal income allowance to everyone on the planet- a sort of dole or social grant on steroids. So apparently, we will all be able to get along just fine without earning a living. But here is the thing. Who would pay for these multi-gazillion-dollar grants? Why the governments, of course. And where would they get the money to do this? Well, in taxes from the tech giants, who make obscene profits from producing the AI that is the cause of the problem. It sounds a bit like a snake-eating-its-own-tail metaphor. This whole scenario raises a question that is not merely financial, but profoundly human and spiritual.Beyond the economic questions lies a deeper human issue - one that goes far beyond employment figures and government policy....
s a good one containing encouragement and hope, so listen to it now by clicking the play button at the bottom of this post. If you would prefer to read the original post, then click HERE. “God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”Until next time, admin
ve not been following the series, visit the AUDIOVISUAL section and listen from part 1 there.Until next time, admin
Continuing on with the "Insights from Isaiah" series, in this TruthTalks audio file Dr Christopher Peppler shares one interesting and often misunderstood passage in Isaiah 6:9-10. If you have not been following this series, click HERE to go to the first written post or HERE to go to its audio page. All of Chris's posts can also be found in the AudioVisual section of the website along with some videos and other features so have a look some time.Just click the play button below to hear part 4 and until next time, remember,God is good and just, ALL the time.
Imagine God saying to you, “Come let us reason together.” The Lord tells the Israelites that he is prepared to make their ‘bloody’ sins as white as snow… IF they are willing and obedient, he will reward them abundantly, but IF they resist and rebel, then they will be ravaged by war. God was allowing them to decide for themselves, to choose his way by exercising their wills.God is shown to give choices to people throughout the bible. If he has offered to reason with you, which way have you chosen? To heed and obey or not.Dr Christopher Peppler takes these passages into the modern context and gives you examples of ways where you maybe accidentally not 'heeding'.If you would prefer to read this post, then click HERE. Also please note all the TruthTalks along with some YouTube video's, sermons, Q and A sessions and more can be found on the AudioVisual page HERE. You can also catch up on Part 1 and 2 from that link.Until next time
If God in the Old Testament sometimes feels less than all-loving to you, then you need to listen to this TruthTalk to find out something quite different.Dr Christopher Peppler talks on THIS post in the Insights from Isaiah series. If you have an interest in AI (in this case an engine called Perplexity) and how much you can trust it, then this TruthTalk will also interest you as Chris takes us through just what AI says about Isaiah too.If you missed the first part, it's not too late to hop on board. Click HERE to read Part 1 or HERE to listen to it.Click on the button below to listen now, or you can delve through all the AudioVisual content supplied including sermons, YouTube videos, sermon notes and more.Until next time.
Dr Christopher Peppler describes the book of Isaiah as being "... a ‘place’ where I often ‘hear’ the Holy Spirit speaking to me."To find out why listen to the first part of this series by clicking on the play button below or click here to read the original post.When you are in the mood to listen and watch the TruthTalks and sermons don't forget that they are all here in this handy AudioVisual library.
This is the third and final pillar in the series. Here, I speak on subjects such as the New Birth, Trichotomy, Spiritual Baptism and Infilling, practical dependence on the Holy Spirit, gifts, manifestations, and ministries, as well as the dangers of division and misunderstanding. The final section is a conclusion to the whole series, emphasising how the three pillars of truth stand together as foundations for the Christian Faith.You can find:PILLAR 3 Part 1 Video HEREPILLAR 3 Part 2 Video HEREPILLAR 3 Q&A Video HERERead on for a summary of the transcript of the two videos, which captures just the gist of the teaching.Finally, the TruthTalks Audio is HERE or at the very bottom of the page. Summary of Transcript: Pillar Three: Spirit-DependentIn this final part of the "Three Pillars of Truth" series, I focus on what it means to be Spirit-dependent. My aim isn’t to be dogmatic or try to dictate beliefs, but to encourage you to think deeply and perhaps differently about familiar topics.The New Birth: Where Dependence BeginsFor me, the most fundamental act of dependence on the Holy Spirit is the new birth. This is where spiritual life starts: the regeneration of a dead spirit, a supernatural work of the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus. As Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3, unless we are born again - born of water and the Spirit - we cannot even perceive the kingdom of God. Peter echoes this in 1 Peter 1:23, emphasising that this birth is not physical but spiritual. In my understanding, the process begins with conviction (a work of the Spirit), leading to confession, then a sincere request for new birth, and finally, spiritual regeneration. This sequence is vital to my theology and experience.Understanding Human Nature: Why Trichotomy MattersI subscribe to a trichotomist view of human nature: we are body, soul, and spirit. The spirit is the part of us dead to God until new birth. This distinction is crucial because it guards against a "mind-based Christianity," where faith is reduced to intellectual assent or cultural identity rather than spiritual transformation. I’ve seen too many people who identify as Christian but have never experienced the radical newness of being born again.Spirit Baptism and Infilling: Power for Life and MinistryThe new birth is the Spirit’s work in making us alive to God, but the infilling, or baptism of the Holy Spirit, is about empowerment for Christian living and ministry. As Jesus promised in Acts 1, the Holy Spirit gives us power. I believe the disciples were born again when Jesus breathed on them before he ascended into Heaven, but the day of Pentecost was about receiving power for ministry.Trichotomy best explains this: we need a living spirit to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit. This isn’t just theory for me; it’s shaped my ministry and my understanding of how God works in and through us.Practical Dependence on the Spirit I have experienced the Spirit’s guidance in life-changing decisions - leaving a secure corporate job to pastor a tiny church, for example. It wasn’t a whim; it was a clear conviction from the Holy Spirit, confirmed by my wife, others, and circumstances. I know I can’t transform myself; only the Holy Spirit can bring true, eternal change. Ministry without the Spirit’s power is empty. I’ve seen how sermons and church activities lack life-changing power unless they are Spirit-empowered. The Holy Spirit also illuminates Scripture for me. Even after years of study, it’s often the Spirit who brings understanding, sometimes years later. I can’t witness, minister, or even hope for resurrection apart from the Spirit’s power.Gifts, Manifestations, and MinistriesThere’s much confusion about spiritual gifts. I see a clear distinction between manifestations (Spirit-given actions for others’ benefit) and ministries (ongoing roles in the church). I don’t believe gifts are permanent possessions or badges ...
This week I am deviating slightly from the advertised plan. Instead of the videos now and the Q&A next week, I am giving you all three at once.You can find:PILLAR 2 Part 1 Video HEREPILLAR 2 Part 2 Video HEREPILLAR 2 Q&A Video HEREHere is a summary of the transcript of the two videos that captures just the gist of the teaching.The TruthTalks Audio is HERE or at the very bottom of the page.Summary of Transcript: Pillar Two - Jesus-CentredThis transcript presents Pillar Two of the "Three Pillars of Truth" series, focusing on being Jesus-centred as the central foundation for Christian faith and biblical interpretation. The three interconnected pillars are Bible-based (Pillar One), Jesus-centred (Pillar Two), and Spirit-dependent (Pillar Three), with Jesus serving as the focal point that connects all three.Why Jesus Must Be CentralWhile Scripture reveals God as triune (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), Jesus must be the primary focus rather than the Trinity as a whole. This is because: The Trinity is incomprehensible: As limited three-dimensional beings, humans cannot fully grasp the Trinity concept, making it unsuitable as a practical focus. The Father is unseen: Jesus explicitly stated that "no one has seen the Father except the one who came from God" (John 6:46), making the Father inaccessible as a direct focus. The Holy Spirit is ethereal: Compared to wind by Jesus, the Spirit has no bodily form and cannot serve as a tangible reference point.God the Father himself directed attention to Jesus, saying "This is my son whom I dearly love... Listen to him" (Mark 9:7). Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit's role is to "bring glory to me [Jesus] by taking from what is mine and making it known to you" (John 16:13-14).Jesus as God IncarnateJesus is the full manifestation of God as attested by several key scriptures: Colossians 1: Jesus is "the image of the invisible God" with "all his fullness" dwelling in him. Colossians 2: "In Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form." Hebrews 1: Jesus is "the radiance of God's glory, the exact representation of his being." John 14:9 “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”Critical ImplicationsSource of Truth: Jesus, not even the bible, must be acknowledged as the ultimate source of truth, though this truth is revealed exclusively through Scripture.Salvation and Evangelism: Belief in Jesus' divinity is essential for salvation. He cannot save if he is anything less than God, nor could he represent humanity if he were anything less than man.Transformation: The goal of spiritual transformation is to become more like Jesus, requiring believers to look to him as the model and example.Future Hope: Jesus himself, in his resurrected being, provides evidence and assurance of believers' future hope in the second coming.The Christocentric Method of Biblical InterpretationHere is a ‘three boxes (three-box?) model’ for Bible study:Start any subject with the Gospel revelation of what Jesus said, did, and displayed of the nature and character of the Godhead. Then, examine the Old Testament record to better understand why Jesus said and did what he did. Then, turn to the New Testament to appreciate how to interpret and apply what Jesus taught and modelled. This approach uses “Jesus spectacles” as a lens through which to interpret all Scripture, arguing that without this lens, biblical understanding becomes blurred.Practical ApplicationsDirect Applications include Jesus' teachings on Sabbath observance, adultery, and paying taxes, where he gives clear teachings on these subjects.Deduced Applications cover areas like sexual sin (modelled after Jesus' grace-filled treatment of the woman caught in adultery), the status of women (demonstrated through Jesus' respectful treatment of Mary and Martha), and self-defence (inferred from Jesus telling disciples to buy swords for protection).
I hope you enjoyed the first Pillar in our series. If you have questions, the link below will take you to the video on YouTube, and the audio track is at the bottom of this post. As always feel free to reach out and contact Dr Christopher Peppler HEREThe questions asked and answered are:1. How should we read and interpret texts about genocide in the Old Testament in the light of a Christ centred Bible understanding?2. How do we know when a text in the Bible is meant to be literal and when is it being figurative?Click HERE to go to the Q&AIf you would like to go to the first post in this series, then click HERE
Welcome to the first multi-media episode in the three-part”Three Pillars of Truth” series starting NOW! Each episode/Pillar will be broadcast on YouTube in 2 sections for your viewing convenience. Next week there will be a Q&A video for you. There is also a summary of the video transcriptions (below) and an audio link to listen to at the very end of this post. LinksPillar One, Part 1 airs on Tuesday the 20th of May at 09:00 and the link is here: PILLARS PART 1Pillar One Part 2 also airs on Tuesday the 20th of May, but at 09:30 and the link is here: PILLARS PART 2Obviously, if you are reading this after the premier times don't worry, everything will still be there.The Audio is at the very end of this post, so just scroll down to listen.I would like to extend my thanks to Crowded House Church for the use of their facilities and to Chris Botha, Richard Grove, Luke vd Merwe, and James Perris, who sat through the full presentation and asked such excellent questions in the Q&A. I would also like to acknowledge the excellent videographer and editor, Shaun Shaw. Thanks also to my dear daughter Karen for her great artwork.A summary of the transcript of both parts of Pillar One is as follows:Part 1"The Three Pillars of Truth," is a framework, based on 30 years of research, prayer, and experience in building both a church and a seminary. I hope to encourage you to deepen your understanding of Jesus and scripture through these pillars: Bible-based, Jesus-centred, and Spirit-dependent. These are not isolated concepts; they are interconnected foundations for Christian truth, with Jesus at the very heart. This discussion will focus on the first pillar: what I believe it truly means to be Bible-based.For us as Christians, I contend that truth rests on three foundations: the person of Jesus, who declared, "I am the truth"; the Bible, which we call the "word of truth"; and the Holy Spirit, known as the "spirit of truth".A Brief Historical OverviewTo grasp what "Bible-based" signifies, I find it helpful to look at a brief historical overview of how the Church's approach to scripture has evolved.Around 50 AD, I see a divergence in the early church. The Alexandrian school in Egypt emphasised mystical interpretations with multiple layers of meaning- literal, moral, and allegorical. Meanwhile, the Roman school was more pragmatic, eventually becoming increasingly sacramental and developing doctrines through synthesis, such as the idea of Mary as a co-redeemer. It also emphasised hierarchical structures.The Reformation in 1570 shifted the focus again, reacting against Roman sacramentalism and becoming intellectualised, analytical, and conservative. Then, in 1901, Pentecostalism emerged, which I see as reintroducing allegorical interpretations and an emphasis on layers of meaning, reminiscent of the Alexandrian school. The 1900s also witnessed the rise of liberalism, bringing with it scepticism, a demand for scientific validation for truth, and a downplaying of the supernatural. I've observed that these varied historical approaches and ideas continue to circulate in our churches and Christian literature today.So, to clarify what I mean by "Bible-based," I first want to outline what, in my understanding, the Bible is not:What the Bible is Not It is not a magic book from which we can pluck verses out of context to use as charms or mantras. It is not a theological dictionary or a systematic theology; it isn't structured into neat doctrinal categories. It is not a religious artefact or an object of worship. Crucially, in my view, the Bible is not the ultimate source of truth. Jesus Christ himself is that source, having stated, "I am the truth." The Bible is the written revelation of this truth, and I believe this distinction is important to prevent the scriptures from being perceived as superseding Jesus. It is not an infallible, word-for-word dictation from God,
In case you missed the post, or prefer listening to them, here is a TruthTalks podcast for the last of the Pearls from Peter series. Just click on the play buttonbelow and get listening.Don't forget that we have a great multimedia series coming up, "Three Pillars of Truth" so subscribe now or let us know if you would like to join the WhatsApp group to stay updated! TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us. See you there!
In this TruthTalks episode, Dr Christopher Peppler looks at the various ways Peter uses stones to illustrate important biblical principles. Did you know that YOU are a small stone that forms part of a huge temple?The book of Peter also references a tree. Why a tree? What is the symbolism here? Listen to the podcast to find out.If you missed Part 1 of the Pearls from Peter series, no problem, just click HERE and listen to it now, otherwise please go ahead and press the play button below to listen to this weeks episode.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Are you on-board the Pearls from Peter train yet? If not, catch up now by listening to the audio version of Part 1 below.You can also find the original article HERE, so hop on. Until next time, AdminTruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
This is the final episode of the Jewels from John TruthTalks series.If you missed the series and would like to read or listen to it then please go to the www.truthistheword.com homepage, or directly to the Audiovisual page HERE where, for each post, you will see: A newspaper icon taking you to the original written post, and A speach bubble which, if you click on it, will play the audio version.I hope you have enjoyed this series and watch out for the next one coming soon.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
In this second last TruthTalks listen in the "Jewels from John" series, Christopher Peppler discusses the true nature of sin, what it is and what it most definitely is not.Listen to this podcast to find out what the true nature of sin really is.If you have missed the series, or want to start from the beginning you can read all the posts starting HERE or listen to the podcasts HERE where you will find this series as well as all the other audio files, notes etc. you are free to read/listen to/share.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
If you have missed out on following this gem of a series called "Jewels from John" it isn't too late for you to start listening from part one HERE. If you have been listening along, click on the button below to play the latest TruthTalks podcast or read the post HERETruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Who do you think you are?This week we continue listening to the Jewels from John that Dr Christopher Peppler is bringing to us in a short series. If you missed the first 2 audio tracks, you can listen to them by clicking HERE for part 1 and HERE for part 2.To listen to the latest instalment - part 3 - simply click on the play button below or subscribe through any of your podcatchers. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Following THIS post covering the second part of the "Jewels from John" series, please find the podcast/audio file below.If you missed the first part, then please click HERE to listen to that now.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Whether we acknowledge it or not, every person born on Earth for the last two thousand years has benefited from Jesus Christ’s influence. His gracious words and deeds did not only affect his disciples or the people of his day. Indeed, individuals and civilisations over the ages have benefited from his influence.Based on THIS post which is the start of a short series entitled "Jewels from John", Dr Christopher Peppler talks on four passages from the book of John. Give it a listen, and if you like what you hear reach out, mail us, subscribe, and just generally get in touch.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
"Come and See is the heart of evangelistic witnessing"Dr Christopher Peppler gives us insights taken from THIS post on when, why and HOW we go about witnessing to someone. You may be surprised to hear why we witness... and why we don't. Give it a listen by clicking on the "play" button below.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Based on the insightful article you can find HERE, this TruthTalk is a great audio podcast on understanding the bible.You will hear answers to three important questions, but better yet, gain clarity into how to study the scriptures. You can listen by clicking on the play button below or subscribe from where you normally get your podcasts.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Did you know?There are seven crucial events in early Christian history, each occurring in a day, that set the Christian faith apart from all religious systems. They not only distinguished Christianity, but also changed the very nature and destiny of humanity. Furthermore, these seven events repeat in every generation of the church and in the lives of all who are followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. As such, they should be celebrated in the communal life of every church and in the lived reality of every Jesus-follower. In this post, Dr Christopher Peppler discusses them in the order in which they appeared on the timeline of history.Listen to the TruthTalk about this now by clicking on the play button below or click HERE to read the article this is derived from.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
In what has been described by almost all political pundits as the most important in South African history, the 2024 election needed to be discussed, so this is what Dr Christopher Peppler does by looking at what the bible, and Jesus say about elections, voting, and politics. We dive into the many reasons why your vote matters, as a Christian and as an ambassador of Christ!Read the original post here or simply click on the play button below to listen to the TruthTalks audio podcast now.See you at the voting stations South Africa and please PRAY!TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
In my albeit, non-theological brain, I knew there were books of the bible that had been considered for inclusion in the bible at some stage... but I had never heard the names of books such as Sirach or Baruch. In this TruthTalks audio, Dr Christopher Peppler goes down a rabbit-hole after trying to find the meaning of an old phrase, which takes him to...... The Hidden Books.So if you would like to hear more about these mysterious documents, click on the play button below or read about it HERE.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
The very first line in Psalm 37 is: "Do not fret because of those who are evil..."Well I'm already feeling inadequate because I fret, stress and get horribly angry over those who are evil! In this TruthTalks podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler breaks down Psalm 37 for us in a manageable way and shows us how to use it to enhance our lives and put the wisdom written here into practice. If you would prefer to read the post this is based on, please click HERE. By the way, if you read Psalm 37, you will be pleased when you get to verse 17 and further, as it shows us how many delights WE have to look forward to and live in as children of God.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.Please press the play button below to listen now or subscribe to TruthTalks on whatever you use to listen to your podcasts. Until next time, Admin
I remember when I (the admin) first heard about Maslow's hierarchy of needs - I probably nodded and thought "yes yes that makes sense" and then never REALLY went back to look at what this means to me as a Christian and someone trying to live in but not of this world.In this TruthTalks edition, Dr Christopher Peppler brings to light a whole new perspective on Maslow's theories, and it's a good one! Click on the play button below to listen now, and as always, interact with us in any manner you see fit, we love hearing from you.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Do you have a church you can call "home"?In this TruthTalks message derived from THIS post, Dr Christopher Peppler let's us into his life by telling us what happened and why he found himself temporarily "homeless". Listen now by clicking on the play button below and don't forget to subscribe from wherever you get your podcasts.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
How do you feel about 2024?In this fascinating TruthTalks episode, Dr Christopher Peppler talks us through 2024 and what to expect. If you would prefer to read about it CLICK HERE or otherwise click on the play button below to listen to it now.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.As always, please write, email or send us a note via courier pigeon ;P we always appreciate hearing from you. Until next time, Admin
Is God really good ALL the time? What about... ? In this TruthTalks audio Dr. Christopher Peppler addresses the "...?" of this sentence, so don't miss out and click on the play button below or download it from wherever you get your podcasts. If you would prefer to read the article this is based on you can do so here. Thank you for the comments, messages, and good will sent to TruthIsTheWord throughout 2023 - we appreciate you! May you all be blessed this season and the seasons to come.Admin
Matthew 6:14 - 15 says "For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."So forgiveness is imperative if we want to be forgiven for all our own misdeeds. But how? In this TruthTalks podcast, based on the post HERE, Dr Christopher Peppler tackles this topic, and the process we need to go through in order to positively resolve unforgiveness issues, so be sure to listen by clicking on the play button below.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Lately it hasn't been hard to imagine that Jesus' return is imminent and that the end of the world as we know it is just around the corner.Listen to Dr Christopher Peppler talking on this topic as he goes through what the bible tells us about it, and what we should do. Click on the play button below to listen now or read the article this TruthTalks audio is based on HERE.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
I bet most of you can recite "The Lord's Prayer" in your sleep, but here are some pertinent thinking points that you may not have considered.If you prefer reading the original post, you can find it HERE, otherwise click the play button to listen on this device and subscribe using your favourite podcast app.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
What do you do when you realise your homeland is on the brink of an Abyss?How do you deal with it as a God-fearing Christian? Do you: Keep out of politics (it's not your place you know) Pray quietly Listen to this TruthTalks podcast and then galvanize.I hope you chose number 3 ;) Click on the play button below to listen now or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts from. Alternatively, click HERE to read the original post.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Do you realise just how quickly our values are changing? In this TruthTalks audio podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler looks at the stats on this, referencing a US poll that was done. Listen to what the values polled were and think about how important they are to YOU and whether you reflect them in your actions. If you would prefer to read about this, please see the original article HERE.
Listen to this thought-provoking talk by clicking on the play button below.
TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
How much do YOU know about the latest in the technological AI field? Do you find it a lot to process, do you embrace the bytes or does it scare the bits out of you? In this TruthTalks podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler goes into detail about what it is and what it isn't and how, as Christians, we should feel about it and react to it.
Click on the play button below or listen to it with your favourite podcast app.
TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us. Also feel free to contact us by commenting on TruthisTheWord.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
Until next time, Admin
On Saturday the 6th of May 2023 Prince Charles was coronated. It got Dr Christopher Peppler thinking about the parallels between the King of England and the King of Kings.He looks at the correlation of both events, albeit 2000 years apart, and draws modern-day practical learnings for disciples like us. Click on the play button below to listen to this now, and be sure to check out all the other audio recordings and podcasts at truthistheword.com/audio-visual.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
What do you think about near-death experiences?Have you met or experienced anyone or do you in fact have a story about heaven to tell us? In this TruthTalks audio podcast Dr Christopher Peppler talks about the fascinating 'phenomenon' of having a near-death experience and gives us his Biblically-based opinion on it. If YOU have a story to share, please do so on Facebook, or on www.truthistheword.com just under the post. We look forward to hearing from you.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Easter weekend is upon us again. I don’t much like the term ‘Easter’, but so many people refer to Passover Weekend by that name that I will let it stand … for now.Please note that I have included the podcast along with this post, so scroll down or look out for it on your pocast listening deviceThe Sunday Service See the scene played out at countless Easter Sunday services throughout the world. The place is packed with three types of attendees. There are the: Committed followers of Jesus, Christmas-and Easter-attendance-only religious folks, Reluctant agnostic relatives.Some services are preceded by a hushed time of religious respect, but most are abuzz with happy and vocal people. The place is full of, “He has risen” with the response “He has risen indeed” accompanied by a brotherly hug, or the simple “Happy Easter” and a brisk handshake. There are happy hymns or clapping-accompanied spiritual songs, and then the preacher takes centre stage. Likely as not, he (or she) speaks about how Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead so that we might have life … or variations on that theme. Now my question is, how do the three types of attendees respond to this sort of message?Different Responses to the Easter Message The, hopefully, largest, group will respond with nods, beaming faces, and silent or proclaimed “Amens”. The Christmas and Easter brigade will most likely respond with self-satisfied semi-smiles manifesting a comfortable and pious “I don’t really care because I am a good religious person” attitude. The third group, the reluctant relatives, either doesn’t care or silently disagrees with the ‘gospel’ message. Members of both of the last two groups do not believe that they are sinners (Can’t even define true sin), doubt or repudiate the reliability of scripture, and don’t care much anyway.So, what should the preacher be telling them that will cause them to comprehend and be open to accepting? Closer to the bone, what can you be saying to them when you, a believer, sit at lunch with them afterwards?A Funny Story with a Powerful Message. A dear friend of mine sent me a dated video clip of a man telling the following story:One of the two thieves crucified to the left and right of Jesus arrives at the Pearly Gates. The angel on duty asks him why he should let him into heaven. The man replies that he really doesn’t know why. He had not read the scriptures, nor had he mixed with ‘church’ folk in Jerusalem. He hadn’t been baptised and he wasn’t even Jewish, so he just stared blankly at the angel. This flummoxed the angel who called for his supervisor. An important-looking angel arrived and asked the man: “Are you not clear on the doctrine of justification by faith?”. The man gave him the same confused look and so the Boss-angel said, “So why should I let you in?” And the man responded “I don’t know, but the man on the middle cross said I should come!”Jesus – It’s All About Jesus OK, so it’s a mildly funny story (especially in the way the man in the video clip told it) but it conveys a profound truth – It is all about Jesus. It is not about church attendance, observance of sacraments, family affiliation, or correct doctrine – its about Jesus!The Easter message is, or at least should be, about Jesus. Not the horror of the cross, nor the wonder of the empty tomb, but about the man who hung on the cross and who walked out of the open tomb - Jesus Christ of Nazareth.What Paul Has to Say In 1 Corinthians 1:18 – 2:5 the Apostle Paul develops some of the things I have been pointing to so far in this article. Here are parts of three verses cobbled together for effect: ‘For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing … Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles … ’In my example of the Easter Sunday service,
Last week we read about Revival and Revolution HERE. This week we get to hear Dr Christopher Peppler talking us through it in this TruthTalks podcast.If you would like to hear other posts in audio form, we have an extensive library HERE or look for us on your podcatcher of choice.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Have you ever realised, sometimes too late, that you had missed an opportunity not knowing that it would be the last time you had it? Dr Christopher Peppler has, so have I, and so probably have you. Taken from THIS post, this TruthTalks podcast centres on how Jesus dealt with one of His last times, sharing a meal (the Passover with His disciples) and how we avoid missing ours. Due to copyright laws I can't add Mike + The Mechanics song "The living years", but give it a listen sometime, it says it all. But first, listen to THIS podcast grinTruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Why Does Dark Matter; Matter? While scientists use physical and natural efforts in their attempts to find "God", spiritual people employ metaphysical and supernatural means as a way of encountering God.But is there any merit in the scientific approach and can it live arm-in-arm with spirituality?Dr Christopher Peppler answers all these questions in this TruthTalks podcast in which he verbally expands on THIS post.If you would like to listen to other podcasts and audio talks by Dr Peppler, please have a look HERE or subscribe using your favourite podcatcher.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.Until next time :)
The nature of the bible is an important subject because it is so little understood by many of today’s Christians.This is how Dr Christopher Peppler starts off this TruthTalks podcast He then goes on to explain to us: What the bible is not What the bible is, and What we can do with this knowledge (practical applications).For further information on this topic go to www.truthistheword.com where the link will take you to all relevant articles, or consider buying the books Truth is the Word and Prayer, Power, and Proclamation on Kindle or paperback.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
What we believe, largely determines how we live. Have you ever wondered:
What exactly theology is, and Why it's so important?
If you have, then you will enjoy this TruthTalks podcast episode where Dr. Christopher Peppler addresses these and many other issues around theology. Based on his article written HERE you may come to appreciate why theology is so important to us all - theologians and non-theologians alike. Press the play button to listen now, or download this episode and please support us on whatever channels you have access to.
TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Until next time, admin
Have you ever read a book that has completely changed your perspective on everything? That has opened your mind to a new way of thinking? In this TruthTalks podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler tells us about 9 books that have played pivotal roles in his life, both before becoming a Christian right up to being a Theologian. We would love you to let us know what books have impacted YOU so feel free to drop us a note.
TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Please press play to listen now or download this TruthTalks message. You can also subscribe to ensure you don't miss the next one.
Until next time, Admin
In this TruthTalks audio, Dr Christopher Peppler sets out to give us an overview of 6 of the worlds religions and how they differ, and sometimes not, from Christianity. The source for this TruthTalk can be found HERE.
I apologise for the clicks and pops that can be heard about a minute in (they could not be fixed) – but please don’t stop listening, they only last for 10 seconds.
To listen to this great podcast click on the play button below or subscribe with your favourite podcatcher.
TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Greetings! After a week off due to illness (please note the little frogs here and there as a nod to a still sore-throated Dr Christopher Peppler) we bring you the TruthTalks podcast on this important subject.
The audio for this talk is based on THIS article as well as a previously written book titled "Prayer, Power and Proclamation" which you can view, along with Dr Peppler's other books HERE, or buy directly from Amazon HERE.
This audio in essence asks: Where are the miracles nowdays and how do we get them back? A valuable listen to both leaders as well as all Christians. Simply click the play button below. I do hope you benefit greatly from this listen.
TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Until next time, Admin
Have you Heard About the Metaverse? Trying to keep track of all the new technological developments can be difficult in these weird days, but there is one emerging trend that Christians should keep an eye on, and that is the Metaverse which Dr Christopher Peppler wrote about HERE.
Described as a virtual-reality cyberspace in which users can interact with a computer-generated environment and with other users in an online 3D universe that continues to exist in cyberspace whether or not individuals are logged into it I recommend you stay up-to-date with it and listen to the TruthTalks podcast below. What will this new 'universe' have on our spiritual wellbeing? TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us or consider buying one of Dr Peppler’s books HERE.
Until next time, Admin.
Are we living in the end times? If we are, what can we do about it? In this TruthTalks podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler talks about that very matter, citing what Jesus had to say about the end of days, referencing and explaining biblical sources. If you have your bible handy while listening, turn to Matthew 24 so you can follow along.
If you suspect that we ARE indeed living in those times, or even if you don't, this TruthTalk is worth a listen! Simply scroll down and click on the play button below, download the audio, or subscribe to our podcast feed and get them delivered directly to your phone. By the way, a map is referred to during this TruthTalks audio, and you can view it in the previous article HERE.
TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us. Alternatively you can show your support by buying one of Dr Peppler’s books HERE
Critical Race Theory (or CRT) is a complex issue. In this post Dr Christopher Peppler takes the subject head-on, so join him in exploring it's meaning and nuances. Please click HERE if you would like to read the original post, otherwise click the play or download button at the bottom of this to listen to this TruthTalks offering online.TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Better still, go deeper into the subjects at hand and buy one of the many books available which you can find out more about HERE
Last week Dr Christopher Peppler wrote THIS post called "How to Evaluate Truth Claims", this is the audio version of that post. So, I have to ashamedly put my hand up when asked if I have ever bought into conspiracy theories. Sometimes the world seems just crazy enough that my thought process (for example) is thus: "So my friend sent me a warning about people dressed as bunnies hijacking cars now" - "hey, why not?" (shrug).
Of course, I am in the great position of asking Christopher Peppler (Dad) to do the grunt work of researching these furry felons, and in this TruthTalks podcast he tells us how to do just that.
By the way, you too can ask him for clarity on anything if you can't find the answers yourself - it always works for me. Please scroll down to listen to the audio here, or subscribe using the top buttons and never miss an episode. TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Last week, Dr Christopher Peppler told us about another question he was asked pertaining to being slain in the Spirit, speaking in tongues and being tested. If you have ever felt like:
You were being tested after growing closer to God, or Why you can't speak in tongues, What it means to be slain in the Spirit, etc.
then this TruthTalks podcast is for you. If you would prefer to read the original article please click HERE now, but we do urge you to spread the word – be it the podcast, the website, or any articles. You will find many sharing buttons on this site as well as social media platforms and we rely on you to help us tell others about www.TruthIsTheWord.com
Until next time, click the play button below to listen here, or pick up this TruthTalks podcast on whatever audio catcher you use.
In this TruthTalks audio podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler addresses three questions recently asked of him.
In reality, he answered about twenty-two questions but here he looks at three of the "deeper" questions many Christians have concerning their and their loved ones' lives. Topics such as promiscuity, divorce, church friendships and baby baptisms were some of the concerns brought up when he spoke at a ladies' meeting recently. If you listen to this podcast or read this post and have your own burning questions, please don't hesitate in asking by leaving a comment here, on the Truth is The Word Facebook page or even on Dr Christopher Peppler's page - we would love to hear from you. As always I would like to say that this podcast and the whole TruthIsTheWord Repository is a ‘labour of love for the Lord’, so please help share it with the world by passing it on.
Press play below to listen to this message online now.
Last week, in THIS post, Dr Christopher Peppler spoke of the importance of being in the middle of the curve. He states that Bell Curve people with Jesus at the centre can, over time, change the state of a nation, a business, or a church. He invites you to take inventory of the curve of YOUR life and ask yourself things like: ‘Do I have a central pillar at all or do I stand at an extreme in this area (A Well Curve sort of person)? And, does my central pillar stand on biblical Jesus-centred truth or on something relative or socially conditioned? To listen to this fascinating journey and participate in some introspection, just click on the play button below. By the way, please don’t stand in the middle of your curve ringing your bell… we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
We are sometimes asked, in our day-to-day lives, "what can I do for you?" But can you imagine if God actually asked YOU "What can I do for you?" How would you answer? Is it impertinent to even answer? Does this ever happen?
In this TruthTalks audio, Dr Christopher Peppler asks just that and the answers may surprise you! If you prefer reading to listening, please click HERE for the original post.
TruthIsTheWord.com is non-profit and we rely on YOU to help us spread the word, so please like, comment, subscribe and interact with us.
Click on the play button below to listen to this message here.
Hello and welcome to the final episode of our Hebrews bible study. Session 9 is available on YouTube from 12h00 on Tuesday 12th April 2022: click this link to go directly there… https://youtu.be/vnGTiErWvAg or to set a reminder for yourself for when the session is live.
This final session covers a concise 12-step plan on how to live a good Christian life, so if you are a 'practical side of living biblically' fan, this session is for YOU. We also end with a summation of the book of Hebrews.
This is the final session in the Hebrews series, but don’t forget that you can view all of the videos at any time on my YouTube channel at https://tinyurl.com/58zr8zys. Alternatively, if you are a late arrival then welcome, and click HERE to go to the first post of the series whereafter you can simply quick NEXT at the top or bottom of the post to move on to the next one.
I do hope you have gotten something from it and that your questions have been answered, if not please feel free to reach out here in the comments section, on Facebook or email me at drchrispeppler@gmail.com.
If you prefer to listen to the bible study as an audio-only version, just click on the play button below.
How are you enjoying the Hebrews bible study? What have you learned? Has anything been put on your heart during this time that you can share with us?
Session 8 is available on YouTube from 12h00 Tuesday 5th April 2022: click this link to go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr_OkZm53OM. It is also the second last in this study, so be sure to join us for this, and the final one next week.
This session covers Hebrews Chapters 11 and 12 and it contains an important analysis of the concept of ‘faith’. What faith is and what it is not is something that has confused individuals and entire church groups. Chapter 11 starts with: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see". How do YOU experience faith? If you prefer to listen to the bible study as an audio-only version, just click on the play button below.
Please share this post with those who would benefit, and also subscribe, like and comment on this as well as our podcast channel.
Session 7 is available on YouTube from 12h00 Tuesday 29th March 2022: click this link to go directly there… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKp5kJy5kxc Hebrews 10:19-39 is built around five exhortations all starting with the words ‘Let us’: it is all about Jesus-centred Christian living, such as: 'And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds’
If you prefer to listen to the bible study as an audio-only version, just click on the play button below. Please share this post with those who would benefit, and also subscribe, like and comment on this as well as our podcast channel.
Session 6 is available on YouTube from 12h00 Tuesday 22nd March 2022: click this link to go directly there… https://youtu.be/NppqfxKe2E8
In this session there are no solemn warnings from Hebrews, but we rather focus on some wonderful and uplifting topics. I cover a lot of ground but the highlight is the description of how the Tabernacle is a model and shadow of a heavenly reality. - you don’t want to miss the revelation of ‘the moving Altar of Incense’ and what it means to us today.
If you prefer to listen to the bible study as an audio-only version, just click on the play button at the end of this post. You can follow along in your bible in Hebrews 8.
Please share this post with those who would benefit, and also subscribe, like and comment on this as well as our podcast channel.
Session 5 of the Hebrews bible study goes live on YouTube at 12h00 Tuesday 15th March 2022: click on the link/video below to go directly there where you can set a reminder to view it "live" while I am in the room, or watch it later, whatever works for you.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvMMVzr8r7k
In this session I deal with two important subjects:
The nature of prayer (why we pray and why we pray the way we do), and Whether believers can lose their salvation.
If you prefer to listen to the bible study as an audio-only version, just click on the play button below. Please share this post with those who would benefit, and also subscribe, like and comment on this as well as our podcast channel.
I hope to see you on Tuesday!
Hello all, I hope you are gaining something from the series as it's time for the next episode of the Hebrews bible study and you can access it on
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tHgL6j6m40
As usual the video will go live on my youtube channel at 12h00 Tuesday (08/03/2022) and if you attend at that time (you can set a reminder to do so) you can say hi on the chat and I will be there to wave back and answer any questions you may have. We are on Hebrews chapter 3 so get your bibles bookmarked. In this session the two main themes are:
Jesus our superior king (leader) and The second of the five solemn warnings.
This session was the most technically challenging of all so far. Things just did not work the way they should have and after trying five times to record, I managed to knock my glass of water all over my work surface…grrr. Anyway, we all like bloopers so here is one of the lighter moments in the recording saga:
https://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Blooper-edited.mp4
As always, if you prefer to listen to the bible study as an audio-only version, just click on the play button below.
Please share this post with those who would benefit, and also subscribe, like and comment on this as well as our podcast channel.
Tuesday 1st March is International Pancake Day (yum), but it is also when Session 3 of the Hebrews bible study goes live. If you view it at 12h00 noon on Tuesday you will be able to interact with me and others via the chat feature, but you can watch it anytime after that.
The Link is https://youtu.be/UQbznOyq75U This session is about how Jesus is superior to angels because they are messengers of the Word of God but he is the Word of God – they are servants but he is The Son. Hebrews 1:4 to 2:18 also contains the first of five solemn warnings not to drift away from the Christian Faith and it is as much for us as it was for the Jewish Christians of Paul’s day.
As always, if you prefer to listen to the bible study as an audio-only version, please click on the play button below. Please share this post with those who would benefit, and subscribe, like and comment on this and our podcast channel. Thank you.
Session 2 of the Hebrews bible study goes live at 12h00 Tuesday 22nd February 2022. As of Saturday, over 200 people had viewed the Session 1 video, so thank you for your support. If you know anyone you think would like to watch the series then please send them this link:
https://tinyurl.com/2p8spncy
And if you missed the first session, you can also view it on the above link, or listen to it, see the structure, read the post and view it from my AudioVisual page on www.truthistheword.com Session 2 deals with Jesus as superior to the Old Testament prophets but focuses on the first three verses of the book which culminate in the glorious statement that ‘the Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being’. The link to this Tuesday’s noon video is below, so click on it now and set a reminder that will alert you before the session starts:
https://tinyurl.com/2wnskhc2 Don’t forget that if you watch the feed as it goes out live you will be able to interact with me and other viewers in the chat feature. If you miss it, you will still be able to watch the video at any time you choose by following the same link that I have provided above. As usual, the link to the podcast (and audio-only version) is below. I am looking forward to continuing the journey through Hebrews with you.
Join me for the Premier of the Hebrews bible study! The Hebrews bible study is about to start! The first session will premier on YouTube Tuesday 15th February 2022 at 12h00 (noon) and here is the link: https://youtu.be/1vgy2oJ7GEs. You can go there NOW and set a reminder for Tuesday to enjoy the experience as a group.
This first session introduces the series and covers such things as the need for this study, who wrote the book and when, and the structure of its content.
The audio track is right here at the foot of this post and on all the major podcast platforms. A document setting out the structure of the book of Hebrews is HERE This fascinating book contains several unique insights and also links the Old and the New Testaments. Moreover, it boldly declares the supremacy and centrality of the Lord Jesus Christ. I do hope that you will come with me on this journey through the book and that you will invite others to join us.
See you there!
In his post last week, Dr Christopher Peppler shared five points worth a better look at from the book of Hebrews. These are sometimes glimmers and sometimes rays of bright light to what he described as not only a fascinating doctrinal discourse as well as a source of practical direction and encouragement. Here, you can download and listen to the audio of that post. As always, please don't forget to like, share, subscribe, and generally pass the word along.
Please note: The bible study by Dr Christopher Peppler about the book of Hebrews starts on 15th February 2022 with each session being about 30 minutes long and will be linked to a YouTube video. If you would like to be reminded by WhatsApp, please leave a comment or email Chris directly with your phone number so he can add you to the group and you will receive updates on episodes etc.
Click on the PLAY button below to listen to the audio on "Glimmers from Hebrews" now to get you ready for the upcoming Bible Study.
See you there!
Admin
Last week, Dr Christopher Peppler wrote THIS post on how to apply the often heard sayings "Live for Today" or "live in the moment", "seize the day" etc. For those of you who are more inclined to listen to this great advice then please click on the play button below. If you enjoy TruthTalks, pass them along, like them, subscribe to them, or leave a comment, they are always welcome.
One last thing, living in today happens to be living in a day very close to Christmas and since TruthIsTheWord will be in recess until the end of January, now is my last chance to urge you to improve your life by purchasing the eBook or print version of "Revelation, in the Light of the Stars", or any of Christopher's other books. Don't forget to scroll down to listen to the TruthTalks podcast online. Until next time, Admin
Click HERE to purchase directly from Amazon or HERE to read more about the books first on the site. You can purchase from this page too.
Have you ever wondered about heaven? In this TruthTalks podcast Dr Christopher Peppler goes through the scriptures referring to heaven (Shamayim). So, if any of these thoughts have wandered through YOUR mind, then do listen to this podcast based on THIS post:
Will I be the ME I am now in heaven? Will I recognise people? Will I do things like learn? What does heaven look like anyway? Will I have a body or just float around?
If this subject interests you, please consider purchasing the below, and as always share, like, comment, subscribe to TruthTalks, we need you! Don't forget to scroll down for the TruthTalks Shamayim episode!
Until next time, Karen
Last week Dr Christopher Peppler wrote on it being darkest before dawn.
This gave us a different perspective on the current situation in South Africa and the world. You can read that HERE.
Now you can also listen to this message in Audio form by clicking on the play button below.
If you feel hopeless or helpless about the state of things this is something you should listen to as well as pass it on to those who can benefit.
As always, we love to hear from you so please Like, Subscribe, Share, or get in touch.
Until next time, Admin
Why am I here? What is the point? And of course "Whoooooo aaaaaaam I?" are thoughts that sometimes go through one's mind. Last week, Dr Christopher Peppler wrote on The Power of Purpose, which you can read HERE. If you have found yourself asking the above questions and prefer to listen to the posts, please click on the play button below.
Please like, subscribe and share this podcast with anyone you think would benefit from it. Alternatively, you can support us in maintaining this blog for you by purchasing one of Chris’s eBooks or Books. They can all be found HERE. The Book on Revelation in the Stars as well as Truth is the Word are must-reads.
Until next time, admin
Last week Dr Christopher Peppler wrote a post called His Unmerited Kindness. This is the audio version of that for those of you who prefer to listen to the TruthTalks versions. This is the last in the "Captivated by Jesus" Series which is a short series where Christian thought-leaders were interviewed by Chris's son Lance Peppler, and then Dr Christopher spoke on the key aspects of the character of Jesus. If you missed this series and would like to listen from the beginning through the site please click HERE to go to episode 1 and then next to either read along or listen along
Of course we are counting on YOU to share this with those you think would benefit. If you have any comments or notes to make on this, be sure to go to www.truthistheword.com and email or comment there, or simply underneath this post.
Until next time, Admin
This is the third and last interview in the Captivated by Jesus series. We have found that the transcripts of these interviews have not served much purpose and so for this one we are going straight to the audio version. Please scroll down and click on the play button to listen, or subscribe using the buttons at the top of the site. Wade Trimmer is the founding pastor of Grace Fellowship of Augusta. After serving 30 years as the pastor, he left to devote the rest of his life to the training and discipling of pastors and key lay leaders. You can find more information on this HERE.
If you would like to read more on what he feels about Jesus, then click HERE
Without further ado, here is the podcast with Lance Peppler and Wade Trimmer:
Last week, Dr Christopher Peppler wrote THIS article on the amazing wisdom of Jesus. Listen as he talks us through the examples of this as well as his personal experiences with Jesus' wisdom.
Please subscribe, like, comment, and generally pass on this message to those around you.
Until next time, Admin
This week we listen to the TruthTalks interview that we wrote about here. It is the second interview in the "Captivated by Jesus" series, that Lance Peppler has held with prominent Christian leaders and contains deep and pertinent questions including:
The role Jesus plays in churches of today How the churches and the world would change if Jesus was placed in the centre of the church Where the Holy Spirit comes into the equation
and more.
Please click on the play button below to listen to this interview and like, support, follow, subscribe, and do what you can to get this podcast audio post to as many people as possible. We are counting on you to help us spread the word.
Welcome to the audio version of the post by Christopher Peppler on one of the many attributes of the Lord Jesus Christ. Part of the 'Captivated by Jesus Series', this TruthTalks audio file follows this post written last week and picks up on some of the ideas presented in the first interview of this series with Lance Peppler and Alexander Venter. Next week you can look forward to a new international Christian thought leader being interviewed, followed by the podcast and then Christopher will add his thoughts. In this podcast, we hear about the attributes of Jesus as described in the Bible, and look at how these are manifested in churches today. Click on the play button below to listen and don’t forget to subscribe to the TruthTalks podcast series, and pass on the word.
We also always love hearing your thoughts. Until next time, admin.
In case you missed the last few posts (where have you been?) this is a series where Lance (Dr Christopher Peppler's son) interviews Christian leaders and transcribes the interviews, whereafter we air the interview as the podcast.
If you missed last weeks post then please click HERE. It contains more information on Alexander and his ministry and some thoughts from Dr Christopher Peppler, though you will read and then hear more next week. If you were wondering, Lance is the guy on the left grin
In this interview, Alexander shares with us
How he became a believer, How he loves Jesus, The role of Jesus in the church, and The impact on the church and world if Jesus was made the centre and focus of the church.
Below is the Audio version (TruthTalks episode) and as always...
… please like, comment, share and help us get the word out on these important Christian issues and don’t forget to subscribe too.
Until next time, admin
Last week we started the "Captivated by Jesus" series. Below is the audio version of the post. For those of you not yet along for the ride, get on board as this is a 12-week series, with Dr Christopher Peppler sharing his thoughts on different “attributes” of Jesus and then relating a personal story on where he has seen Jesus show this “attribute” in his life. The other part of this series consists of Lance (Chris's son) interviewing Christian thought leaders from around the world on their thoughts on Jesus and his position in the church. So step up and subscribe to the podcast HERE or simply click the play button below to listen to it. We are looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this generational discussion which should give plenty of food for thought and nourishment for the soul. As always, please share with those who need to hear it, help us get the word out, because Truth... IS the Word.
After what has been a harrowing month for South African's we take a look back, and forward on to what WE can do. When the rioting first began, Dr Christpher Peppler wrote THIS article. Ten days later, he wrote an article aptly titled "Ten Days After the Perfect Storm" where he tackled it from the perspective of "What can WE do now?"
It’s a confusing and frightening time for many, as well as a cold and hungry time and I urge you to listen to this podcast and to pass it on to anyone you may think needs to hear it. We gain no monetary profit from www.TruthIsTheWord.com or the TruthTalks podcasts, so please support us by getting the word out. Below is the audio.
Until next time, admin
Last week, Dr Christopher Peppler wrote THIS POST about how Revelation 2 and 3 record seven letters that Jesus dictated to seven existing churches in Turkey. One of those letters was to Pergamum (AKA Bergame) and applies equally to us. Jesus outlines the conditions he found in the church of Pergamum and it is a reality that we need to look at in our churches, and ourselves, to this day.
Listen to Dr Peppler as he expands on some of the infiltration tactics being used today to weaken the church, and how to defeat them. This was a sermon shot from his home and if you prefer to watch it you can do so HERE. Click below to listen, and please like, subscribe, comment and pass this along to anyone you think may be interested. YOU are our marketing. Until next time, admin
Hi all, Admin here I am so pleased that many of you read last weeks post on Dr. Christopher Pepplers testimony to Jesus. Thank you for your comments, they are appreciated.
This week I bring you the audio version of this post - read by the author, so if you missed last week or didn't get a chance to read the full post you can listen to it here.
Please remember YOU (yes YOU) are our advertising so we would love it if you could subscribe, share, comment and generally help spread the word.
With thanks, Admin
Hello all,
Last week Dr Christopher Peppler opened his post on Pentecost and Babel with the following:
"...the Tower of Babel sheds wonderful light on the glory of Pentecost. My last article covered two important aspects of the Day of Pentecost: The memorial of the birth of the church and the celebration of the day that the Holy Spirit inhabited the church as the presence of God among men. The additional aspect of Pentecost I introduce in this article comes from a comparison of the Tower of Babel disaster with the triumph of Pentecost."
On Sunday he then expanded on this face to face (mask to mask) when he preached at Lonehill Village church.
If you would like to watch this sermon on YouTube click HERE. If you prefer to hear it as a TruthTalks audio version, you can either listen to, download and subscribe to the TruthTalks podcast or you can click on the play button at the end of this post.
Please share with those you think would benefit and comment on iTunes or your podcatcher – the more people we can reach the better.
Thank you for your interest in this important ministry,
Best, Admin (Karen)
Hello! Last week Dr Christopher Peppler wrote THIS article about Jesus and Pentecost. On Sunday he preached about it at The Village Church. Here is the audio version for you to download or listen to online. Incidentally, if you would like to watch this, or other sermons and addresses given by him, you can view them on YouTube HERE.
Please like and subscribe on iTunes and all your other streaming programmes and podcatchers, and pass this on to whoever you feel needs to hear it. www.TruthIsTheWord.com is self-funded and we rely on you to help us advertise it.
Until next time, with thanks, Admin
Last week, Dr Christopher Peppler wrote about how we only need to look to Jesus as an example of ministering in THIS post. In today's TruthTalks podcast and audio file, he expands on the topic of walking in the footsteps of Christ.
I was reminded of the lovely "The Footprints Prayer" or "Footprints in the Sand" writing. I won't recreate it here but it was written in about 1936 and still applies today. You can look it up but in essence, the writer sees his walk with Jesus as footprints in the sand and notes that in the most difficult time he appeared to be walking alone. It ends with this statement: "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you." Please click on the play button below or download the MP3 file to listen to how, when we aren't being 'carried', we can do right by following the footprints in the sand. Also, please remember that TruthIsTheWord.com is a completely non-profit website so show your love by subscribing, giving us a good iTunes review, sharing with your friends, and doing your bit.
Until next time, admin
Last week, Dr Christopher Peppler wrote THIS, slightly formidable in length I can't help but feel, but very important article on' and what it means to be 'born again'. If you felt this was a bit of a meaty read, then we give you the audio/podcast version, so you can listen while you drive, do chores, or just carry on with your day while still getting the message. Please click on the "play" button below, and SHARE, RATE, SUBSCRIBE etc. please as this is a self-supporting operation and YOU are how we get the word out.
Until next time, Admin
On the 23rd of March, Dr Christopher Peppler wrote THIS article on Legalism, License, Lodges, and LGBT. Since then, there have been other issues pressing on his heart which he wrote about, but now it's time to circle back and publish the podcast (audio) based on the post. Click on the play button below to listen or download and please be sure to share, like, subscribe, and get the word out in any way you can.
Until next time, admin
Walking (and TruthTalking) With Jesus If you missed last weeks post HERE, I highly recommend you listen to this audio version which you can subscribe to through Podcast Addict, Podmania, iTunes, or whatever you use. As always, Dr Christopher Peppler delves into the scriptures and then gives us practical advice for living in today's confusing world.
The dog barking in the background at odd moments is a bonus to enjoy grin
Please remember we work on a self-supporting basis and would love it if you recommend and pass this on to your friends.
Until next time, your Admin
Last week Dr. Christopher Peppler surprised some people by posting this image to Facebook and linking it to the post found HERE.
If you were one of the people who immediately responded with "are you smoking your socks?" replies because you didn't read the actual post, then luckily we have it in easily accessible audio format. Simply click on the "play" button below to listen to this TruthTalk episode now, or you can always download it and listen later.
At the risk of repeating myself, please remember that TruthIsTheWord.com is a completely non-profit website so show your love by subscribing, giving us a good iTunes review, sharing with your friends, and doing your bit.
Thanks all, and until next time, Admin
In the last TruthTalk, Are These the 'End of the Days'? Dr Christopher Peppler talks about the destruction of the temple in 70 AD and promises to go into more detail about it. This is the detail. Based on the post 'The Three Temples' we get to hear all about it from the horse's mouth (so to speak), so click on the play button below to listen to this enlightening talk on the topic.
So, if you've ever wondered where The Rapture or the 1000 reign fits into Armageddon times, and indeed where Armageddon fits into our times, listen to this podcast.
Please like and subscribe on iTunes and all your other streaming programmes and podcatchers, and pass this on to whoever you feel needs to hear it. www.TruthIsTheWord.com is self-funded and we rely on you to help us advertise it.
Until next time, Admin
I'll admit it, during the last year of COVID and other world madness, I've often wondered if we are in the end times. In fact, some days I've been frankly quite surprised to NOT see the four horsemen riding in or Jesus descending down. Dr Christopher Peppler discusses THIS post about what to look out for and biblical explanations regarding the end times to help us understand if now is a good time to build that bunker or not ;P
Please like and subscribe on iTunes and all your other streaming programmes and podcatchers, and pass this on to whoever you feel needs to hear it. www.TruthIsTheWord.com is self-funded and we rely on you to help us advertise it.
In case you find yourself reaching for your Bible to look up the book of Revelation to help understand, please remember that Dr Christopher Pepplers book on it can be found HERE.
Until next time, click the play button or download below. Best, admin
"This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5 Last week, in THIS post, Dr Christopher Peppler wrote about the Tri-unity of God. He uses the example of a light wave as one way to explain this principle. Listen to the TruthTalks podcast to gain insights into the Trinity, and please remember to like, subscribe and pass this on to those who would benefit from hearing it.
Stay safe. All the best, Admin
P.S. If Dr. Peppler sounds a little hoarse or gravelly, don't worry, he is well, just ultra-diligent in recording this TruthTalks podcast at 4 am or so... I don't think he understands the concept of retirement grin.
In THIS post, Dr Christopher Peppler wrote about the Lingering Aroma of Christmas - the "scent" that was the life of Jesus and how we carry it, or should carry it now too.
He also preached this sermon for The Village Church in Lonehill, so you can choose to either watch (and listen) to it below, or simply listen to it as an MP3 (scroll down and click play below).
I do hope you gain nourishment for your soul and can move forward with the incense of Christ surrounding you.
Please remember that www.truthistheword.com is self-supporting so there are no advertisements on this or the podcast and we ask for no donations but just that you pass the message on.
Until next time, Admin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvU1yLVdaDI
Happy New Year! In December, Dr Christopher Peppler wrote THIS post about the current situation in our nations and what it means globally as well as biblically. Think radical socialism for a start! Listen to him expand on this by clicking on the "play" button below. Big things are happening, but do not fear: '...God has a third and final Great Reset planned; it goes by several names but is most often referred to as ‘the great and awesome day of the Lord’ (Malachi 4:5). Please like, comment, share and subscribe to the TruthTalks Podcast. Best, admin
Recently, Dr Christopher Peppler preached on Immanuel, God with us, at Lonehill Village Church. A great message for the season we are in, so watch the sermon below or view other videos on his YouTube Channel HERE.
In this sermon, Christopher also talks about "The Great Reset" which you can read about in full HERE.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o4Fp3LLf-c
To listen to the TruthTalks (audio only version) please click on the play button below or subscribe through the big button at the top of the page and have it automatically appear on your podcast listening device to stream or download.
Until next time, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all. Thank you for supporting www.TruthIsTheWord.com
Admin
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. NKJ
Let's talk about the insanity of the world we are living in and what to do about it. How do we react in a world gone bonkers? Listen to this TruthTalks podcast by Dr Christopher Peppler to find out how!
Please help us continue what we are doing by subscribing to the podcast, sharing this post with friends and helping others stay sane!
Last week Dr Christopher Peppler wrote THIS article about Jesus and His Bible. What did he use before the full Bible (Old and New Testaments) was available? How did He interpret the texts that He did have at His disposal? What do we learn from this?
Listen to this great podcast by clicking play on the media toolbar below, and if you like it, please subscribe, pass it along and enjoy. Have you bought all Your Christmas Presents Yet? There are now currently nine books available for sale for your Christian friends (or yourself). 4 Major works, 4 Christian QuickReads, and the Compendium which features all four of the QuickReads series in one book.
To read about them click HERE or to go directly to the Amazon page where you can download them HERE (as a gift even) in Kindle or Paperback form. You will also be giving TruthIsTheWord.com the gift of helping us stay financially self-supported.
Please don't forget to scroll down for the current TruthTalks audio!
Until next time, Admin
At the start of last week's post, Dr Christopher Peppler says: "However, as you read further, you will realise that I do not believe that prayer has any innate power at all". Intrigued? Read the original post HERE, or listen to the TruthTalks topic on it below.
Please like, support, follow, subscribe, and do what you can to get this podcast audio post to as many people as possible. We are counting on you to help us spread the word.
Following on from THIS post, Dr Christopher Peppler clarifies, in a TruthTalks Sermon, and expounds on the great points made about what is happening in the world right now.
This applies particularly to South Africa, but can equally be helpful wherever you live. You can download or listen to the mp3 below. If you prefer to watch the sermon then access it on his YouTube Channel HERE.
Please remember, we are relying on YOU to get this message to the people you know need to hear it. Be a part of this ministry by sharing, subscribing, commenting, and participating.
Until then, Admin
How do we react to the death of a loved one? How do we prepare for our own unavoidable demise? In THIS post, Dr Christopher Peppler answers all of these questions and more for us. Here, he discusses it and goes into a bit more detail on this difficult subject, looking at things both from the spiritual/biblical view and from a practical perspective. A very timeous message considering our current COVID circumstances. Click on the play button at the end of this short post to listen to the audio of this powerful message or to download it to listen to later.
Please share, like or subscribe to help us spread this message to those who need to hear it
Until next time, Admin
Psalm 121 Says (1) I lift up my eyes to the hills — where does my help come from? (2) My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. (3) He will not let your foot slip — he who watches over you will not slumber; (4) indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. (5) The LORD watches over you — the LORD is your shade at your right hand; (6) the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. (7) The LORD will keep you from all harm — he will watch over your life; (8) the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
In this TruthTalks Sermon, Dr Christopher Peppler goes into this passage and looks at its meaning and what WE can take from it and use in our lives today.
Click on the play button to listen to the audio or go HERE to view the sermon on YouTube.
As always, please subscribe, share, comment, and engage with us - we WANT to hear from you and if you post a review to iTunes or your podcatcher it will help spread the word.
Many thanks, Admin
Following THIS post about how Jesus reveals Himself, Dr Christopher Peppler preached on John 21:1-14 for the Village Church.
You can listen to the audio below, and please like the podcast, subscribe to it and pass it along to those who need to hear it.
With thanks
Karen, Admin
How do YOU read and understand the Bible? In this TruthTalks podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler, based on THIS post, "unpacks" Luke 4:14-30 for us. He goes through the full meaning of these verses and then most importantly, he explains how WE can also read the Bible and understand passages the correct way. I know I tend to either:
Skim through, or, Get bogged down in the detail, wandering off into paths that lead me away from the passage I'm studying and create more confusion.
So for me it's great to hear this and also how to apply a passage of the bible's practical application in my life. Listen below and please like us, write a review on iTunes, subscribe... just get the word out, because of course... Truth is The Word.
Until next time, Admin
In this TruthTalks podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler talks about the current climate and the amount of loss people are experiencing. From major losses of loved ones and income, to loss of being able to touch, and meet and see people.
How do you deal with loss? How does anyone?
In this TruthTalks broadcast, which is based on the post "Dealing With Loss" we hear about what Peter had to say regarding this. His wisdom is also put into context and applied to our lives now. I hope you get some hope back from listening to this inspiring message. Please share it with those who need to hear it.
Hello all, your friendly admin here.
Just wanted to let you know that we have totally restructured the www.truthistheword.com website to provide you with an easier, more modern and interactive way to access our resources. Here's a short video explanation of our new home.
Stay tuned to get some highlights in the upcoming weeks.
Please SHARE this with anyone you think could benefit from our site, it makes a big difference to us and the buttons are right there on the bottom of every post grin. Oh, and my apologies for the branding on the video, we are self-supporting so use the tools available.
Until next time, Admin
In the last post "Before the Lamp of God Goes Out" we mentioned that the audio would be available for download or streaming online should you not be keen on reading the entire post.
As some of you may have noticed, we didn't send out the audio last week as we have been doing new and exciting things and re-invented www.TruthIsTheWord.com for a better, easier to use, experience for you, so do let us know. This is an important post, so please share it to whoever you feel needs to hear it. You will find links at the bottom of each post which allow you to share by email, post to your social media, or simply print it. We urge you to become lamps of God by sharing this word. We will be unveiling and highlighting aspects of the new site in the coming weeks, but in the meantime please feel free to have a look and let us know what you think. In the meantime, here is the audio version as promised.
Click here
Many thanks as always
Karen (Admin)
How do you define a true friend? In last weeks post, Dr Christopher Peppler wrote on this topic and asked us to consider how we characterise true friendship. The following week, he preached a sermon on this topic, expanding on the idea and including what Christ says about friendship and also what our relationship with Him should look like.
Click on the play button below to listen to this and please like, subscribe and share. If you would prefer to watch this sermon, please click HERE to view in YouTube.
‘Wisdom has built her house. She has hewn out its seven pillars’. In THIS post Dr Christopher Peppler talks about the possible origins and links between the pillars found on earth today and then reflects on what he considers the true biblical meaning of the seven pillars of wisdom.
If you have ever wondered about the reference to wisdom in Proverbs 9:1, or are curious about the strangeness of the 7 major obelisks found around the world today and their heritage, then you will love this TruthTalks podcast episode. Please subscribe, like, and let others, and us, know if you do.
Click on the play button to listen or go to www.truthistheword.com for more. Until next time, Admin
covid #endtimes #RaptureAnxiety
1 Peter 4 :7-11 summarises as ‘pray to God and love each other’ In times of confusion and crisis, it is difficult to know what to do. Are the end times upon us? How do we handle ourselves and speak to others? Should we warn them or fill them with hope? Is this perhaps an opportunity as well as a trying time? Is there good news at the end of this all?
In THIS post Dr Christopher Peppler offers practical advice and good Godly sense on how to get through this new society we have found ourselves in. To listen to the podcast which talks of it and goes into a bit more detail please click on the play button below.
And of course subscribe, like and share with others. Until next time, Pray to God and love each other, Admin
The Lord Jesus gave two insignificant disciples the bible study of all bible studies while they walked together from Jerusalem to Emmaus. He gave them perspective on the historic things happening around them and filled them with hope and courage. The perspective he gave them is what we need in these COVID-19 days.
This is the audio track from a videoed sermon broadcast to the Lonehill Village Church on May 17th 2020 from Luke 24:13-24. Listen and share because we all need a Jesus perspective in these troubling times.
I co-authored this article with my M.Th student Malcolm Black and we published it in the SATS Conspectus in March 2008.
This article briefly examines the current return to apostolic Christianity in various parts of the world and references three earlier Christian movements that came into existence at approximately 100-year intervals, beginning with the Methodist movement in the 1700s, culminating with observations of a current apostolic movement that began in the early 1980s, known as New Covenant Ministries International, in an attempt to ascertain how they embraced early apostolic principles.
The article highlights the strengths of several movements but also makes observations about how these movements lost their initial effectiveness by becoming institutional and, in many cases, forfeited their initial vision of impacting the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We examine possible reasons why these movements lost their fervour and discuss possible ways of how current movements could learn from their mistakes not only maintain their spiritual fervency but sustain their vision and momentum of reaching the nations with the gospel to succeeding generations.
HERE is the full article.
I co-authored this article with my M.Th student Hugh Goosen and we published it in the SATS Conspectus in May 2015.
Vagueness exists amongst Christians with regards to what it is like to experience divine guidance practically. This problem is aggravated by conflicting perspectives on the will of God, whether or not His will is discoverable, and how Christians are to go about seeking it. This article seeks to reveal what we can reasonably expect to experience when God speaks by considering (1) perspectives on the will of God and its discoverability, and (2) the levels of awareness and certainty of divine communication as evidenced by select biblical characters. The article shows that the ways in which Christians experience divine direction are as unique and varied as each individual relationship with God is unique and varied. It shows, furthermore, that we should have, as our primary concern, a focus upon fostering a deep and intimate relationship with God, out of which direction and instruction will naturally and invariably flow. Finally, it shows that the primary way in which God communicates with us today is by means of the subtle and unobtrusive guidance and direction of our hearts and minds by the Holy Spirit.
HERE is the full article
I wrote this as a chapter in the book ‘A Student’s Guide to New Testament’ published by SATS Press in 2019.
While 1 and 2 Corinthians are presented as two separate letters in the New Testament it is convenient to deal with them together in an overview of this nature; the two letters were written to the same local church within a fairly short period of time, and in addition to this it is possible that they are both compilations of several letters.
Almost all scholars agree that Paul is the author of these letters. Both the external and internal evidence is overwhelmingly strong (Morris, 2000). There is, however, some debate concerning when they were written, with estimations as early as AD 53 and as late as AD 57. The general opinion is that 1 Corinthians was written from Ephesus (1 Cor 16:8) in AD 54, and 2 Corinthians a year later, probably from Philippi (Belleville, 1996). Paul therefore appears to have pastored the Corinthian church for between 18 months and three and a half years.
Some commentators argue for a unifying theme holding 1 Corinthians together which several suggest is an extended appeal for unity. Others believe the theme to be the idea that Paul is countering the infiltration of secular values (Johnson, 2004). However, Thiselton contends that there is a lot more to these letters than correction of problems arising from factions, discord and worldliness (Thiselton, 2000).
These letters open a window into the life of a first century local church. The Corinthian church had its problems and challenges, as do churches in our day, but it was full of spiritual vitality. Paul had to counsel moderation in the application of spiritual manifestations whereas if he had been writing to many of today’s churches he might have had to admonish them for quenching the Spirit.
The letters also provide fascinating insights into Paul’s temperament and personal challenges. In some places his own feelings of hurt, anger and frustration come through so clearly (2 Cor 10-11) that they beg a productive debate on just how God chose to inspire the writing of the scriptures. More than this though, the letters speak right to the heart of current church life. The problems and possibilities are cloaked in the culture of that time, yet the underlying issues and principles remain pressingly important today.
HERE is the full article
In confusing times it's hard to know what to pass on, and what is a lie and could cause harm. In this TruthTalk podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler talks about how to assess the information we receive, and what to do with it. As Christians, we have a responsibility to decide what information received via social media channels to pass on.
Click HERE for the original post, and please like and subscribe:
Keep safe, Admin
There is an elaborate forty-day liturgical build-up to Easter, but very few people ask themselves: Who did Jesus choose to talk to in the forty days after His resurrection – and why did He choose them? In this TruthTalks podcast, based THIS post, Dr Christopher Peppler takes us through the accounts of Jesus' appearances during the few precious days before he returned to be with his Father in heaven. Could some have been to ordinary folk like you and me?
Listen to this TruthTalk by clicking on the play button below and please like, subscribe, and pass this on to anyone who you think may need to hear this uplifting message.
Best wishes, Admin (Karen)
If you are struggling to stay upbeat in the strange landscape that is the World and COVID-19, and if you even sometimes feel a little hopeless, then do yourself and favor and listen to this TruthTalks episode. It gives us not only hope but also direction on how to keep your spirits up. How are YOU dealing with it?
How do you think God wants us to deal with it? The original post is HERE, otherwise, take a listen to Dr Christopher Peppler talking on this subject by clicking on the play button below.
The Covid-19 virus has now hit South Africa, as it has so many other parts of the world. Instead of panicking, we should look to the Lord Jesus both as our example and object of faith.
I was so pleased to have been able to preach the first sermon from our church’s online platform designed especially for the period of national lock-down. The text is Mark 4:35-41 and the title says it all.
You can listen to the sermon by clicking on the “play” button below and if you want to share it with your friends and family then please do so by simply clicking on one or more of the social media icons at the foot of this post.
If you prefer watching me preaching this message (although I don’t know why anyone would want to ) then just click HERE. You can also read the article I wrote as a transcription of the sermon by clicking HERE. May God be with us all and keep us safe and spiritually vigorous during these very challenging times.
In naming this article ‘A Rant Today to Keep the Devil Away’ I am not just butchering a common adage, but summing up my purpose in writing this post. I don’t rant often, however when I see the word of God tortured and butchered, then ranting seems most appropriate. By ‘Word of God’ I mean, firstly, the Lord Jesus Christ, and secondly, the inspired scriptures (the bible) that reveal His nature, character, principles, and priorities. Hardly a month goes by that I don’t come across some or other form of ‘Word butchering’, but when I am personally impacted in one week by not one but two such acts of spiritual brutality, then I feel its time for a bit of a rant.
My first encounter of the week was with an attempt to build a theological foundation for dominion theology almost exclusively on the authority of three very well known charismatic teachers, one now departed and the other two alive and kicking. The second encounter was with someone who had taken issue, ever so kindly, with the leader of the small group they are attending. Before I give examples and analysis, I must first make a disclaimer. Why I Don’t Name Names I very seldom call a person out by name when I write or preach into what they say or do. There are two main reasons for this:
The people who teach aberrant theology, prominent as they may be, are not the focus of my attention. I am more concerned about helping folk to recognise false teaching and false prophets than I am on naming and shaming the culprits. Before I would think of calling someone out I would need to carefully study their teachings and practices in context and then, preferably, have interacted with them personally at some level. I have not met either of these preconditions concerning my sources for this article.
The Big Bad Picture I am aware that for some readers, too much detail and too long an article, detracts from their appreciation of the content. For this reason, I will first describe the overall problem and the heart of my rant. After that, I will give some details of the encounters with the faulty theology and biblical interpretation I have recently encountered.
I have previously written about Hyper-literalism and flawed semantics HERE, so I won't bang on about these issues again in this article, although what I want to highlight does flow from these two poisoned wells. The people whose faulty interpretations and theology I am ranting about here all claim to respect the inspiration of the bible and to love Jesus. They make a point of stating that they are both biblical and Jesus-centred in their approach. However, being truly ‘biblical’ does not allow taking texts out of context, creating elaborate and ultimately illogical word chains based on a word or two in the original languages, or leaping to unwarranted conclusions in order to make the text mean what they want it to mean (eisegesis). And to be Jesus-centred does not allow detracting from His uniquely divine-human nature, nor playing fast and loose with what He taught.
One of the key proof-texts for a brand of theology that is the cause of my current distress is the last part of Psalm 138:2, which the NKJV translates as ‘For You have magnified Your word above all Your name’. This is a carry-over from the KJV of the bible translation and is regarded by every major theologian I have consulted as a very poor translation of the Hebrew. The NIV translates this verse far more accurately as ‘for you have exalted above all things your name and your word’. The bible does not proscribe God, but He, through the agency of His Word (Bible and Jesus), proscribes all other things. From this deformed root has grown a theology that teaches that what certain people understand of the scriptural revelation binds God and proscribes what He can and can’t do. For instance, they claim that God cannot do anything on earth without the participation of human agencies… because He has said that man has sole dominion over the earth.
When it comes to understanding the bible, we sometimes encounter things we don’t know we don’t know. Because we do not live in early church times, we sometimes don’t appreciate the different cultural and religious contexts of scripture. It is hard for us to grasp the things that the people of Jesus’ day would have readily understood.
In this TruthTalk Dr Peppler gives an example from John 6:1-15 and then explains what we should do when we come to a part of the biblical text where we suspect that we just don’t know what we don’t know.
This sermon is both interesting and spiritually inspirational. If you want to share it with your friends and family then please do so by simply clicking on one or more of the social media icons at the foot of this post.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/TruthTalksSermon_WeDontKnow.mp3
Renewed in the Spirit of your Mind In this TruthTalks Sermon, Dr Christopher Peppler shows us the topical image of the typewriter that has just been donated to the South African Holocaust and Genocide museum to show us how great idea's and inventions can be used for horrific purposes. So, how do thoughts become realities? He looks at Proverbs 23:7 where it states that "For as he thinks in his heart, so is he..." (NKJV) and how this is taken out of context. If you look at just the verses before and after 7 we see the meaning of this text: "Do not eat the bread of a miser, Nor desire his delicacies; 7 For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, But his heart is not with you. The morsel you have eaten, you will vomit up, And waste your pleasant words". A very different meaning to what we often interpret as 'your thoughts become your realities' don't you think? Yet, we know that our thought does have some kind of profound influence on what we do. What does the Bible say? So instead, we are led to focus on Ephesians 4:17-24
To discover the Biblical truths found in this verse, and how it is applicable to today's society, listen to the TruthTalks Sermon by clicking on the "play" button below, and please like, subscribe and share with others. Other sermons by Dr Christopher Peppler can be listened to or downloaded HERE.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/Renewal-in-the-Spirit-TruthTalks-Sermon.mp3
Until next time,
Karen (Admin)
Dr Christopher Peppler looks into the night sky and what it reveals and asks: How many people have gazed in awe at the scope and grandeur of God’s creation? Millions and millions of people, all looking at what is in essence declaring that “the heavens declare the glory of God. The skies proclaim the work of His hands” (Psalm 19:1) Many of the ancient people who looked up into the night sky not only saw the stars, but also the story of creation and redemption, and passed this knowledge on from generation to generation. Today this revelation is used to identify the constellations, but the real story is still there and it is all explained in "The Book of Revelation: In the Light of the Stars"
This book is the culmination of many years work and study and is a phenomenal read. But don't take my word for it, listen to Dr Chrisopher Peppler's presentation to the faculty of the South African Theological Seminary (SATS), which is included in this podcast, along with a great overview of the book. I urge you to purchase his book to fully understand the fascinating last book of the Bible.
Click on the play button below to listen or save this TruthTalks audio podcast, and please comment, share, and pass this along. The book is available HERE and the additional resources that accompany the SATS presentation can be found HERE.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/TruthTalks-A-Book-that-Reveals.mp3
Until next time, thank you for your continued support, love Admin
The Book of Revelation in the Light of the Stars It is not often from where I live that I can look up into a clear night sky, but when this is possible I am amazed by the sheer number of stars and planets that exist out there. I wonder how many people have gazed in wonder and awe at the scope and grandeur of God’s creation? Millions upon millions spread over the hundreds and thousands of years all confirming what King David declared when he wrote, "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands" (Psalm 19:1).
What you may not know is that many of the ancient people saw even more than grandeur and glory in the night sky, they saw a profound story. A story written in the stars? Well, you see, writing only arrived in the biblical lands between 1700 and 1500 BC, so how then did God communicate the story of creation, sin, and redemption before then? The obvious answer is that it was passed on from generation to generation using stories, but just how did these verbal stories stay true to the original and all come together in one grand narrative?
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/RevelationGif.mp4 How did Word of Mouth Stay Accurate The answer that I propose is that the ancients, under God’s direction, drew a series of pictures in the night sky by imagining lines joining prominent stars. Each picture told a sequenced part of the grand narrative and acted as a memory aid to all in every generation initiated into this ‘secret’. These star pictures (constellations) are still used in our day by astronomers to map the heavens. In my book ‘The Book of Revelation: in the Light of the Stars’, I show how these star pictures can be read to reveal the amazing story of divine redemption. Interesting as this may be, it doesn’t mean much to us as present-day disciples of the Lord Jesus because we now have all sixty-six books of the bible as our grand narrative of God’s redemptive story. However, these same scriptures contain many references to the ancient star-story and you can find some of them in Job 9:9, 26:13, 38:31-32, and Amos 5:8. However, when we come to the last book of the bible, the Revelation of John, we find that it is rich with references and allusions to the star-story.
What is more, chapters 12,13, and 14 of the book of Revelation are very difficult to understand without reference to the star-story. Not only do these chapters validate the authenticity of the star-story, but we need an understanding of this story to more fully understand them. So, my book is both a commentary on the book of Revelation and a disclosure of the star-story. It is, as far as I know, a unique contribution to evangelical biblical interpretation. Now Revised and Updated This book is a revision of what I wrote several years ago under the title ‘Revelation in the Stars: the Sidereal and Written Word’. I have tried to clarify difficult portions and I have also updated where necessary. After a lot of hard work by myself and my daughter Karen the revised edition is now available on Amazon Kindle.
To get an idea of the book’s main themes and contribution, listen to my presentation to the faculty of the South African Theological Seminary AUDIO HERE and have a look at the PowerPoint slides that accompanied it SLIDES HERE.
Please consider reading the entire book as I believe that it will both enlighten and encourage you in living out your Christianity in a world that seems to be winding down into chaos. Oh, and it will encourage you because the story has a happy ending as God wraps up this sin-sick world and creates a new HeavenEarth where He lives forever with His faithful children. Click HERE to go straight to the Amazon preview of the book, look at its content and introductory pages and hopefully purchase the book.
Ever find yourself arguing with another Christian about Biblical matters? Me too. In this TruthTalks episode on Faulty Bible Interpretations, Dr Christopher Peppler expands on THIS post about how we can sometimes misinterpret the Bible. Find out about how to establish:
Whether you are misinterpreting the Bible, and What to do about it if you are.
If you are interested in finding out more about this, visit us as www.truthistheword.com or purchase the book Truth is The Word HERE.
Click on the play button to listen now and please subscribe, like, share and generally help us spread Truth Is The Word.
With thanks, and until next time.
Karen (Admin)
Looking Forward - Lights in the Darkness At the end of 2019, Dr Christopher Peppler wrote a short message on being a light in the darkness despite our current circumstances. In this TruthTalks Sermon, he significantly expands on THIS post.
Preached at The Village Church in Lonehill, this message is for those, especially in South Africa, who despair of the current state of the nation. It is intended to bring you some light and show you how to bring your own light in the darkness... load-shedding or not!
Click on the play button below to listen to this great sermon.
HERE is the PowerPoint presentation used for this sermon
Until next time,
Admin
Here is a short message we put together for you our friends and friends of Truth Is The Word. If you have any troubling viewing it please let us know.
There won't be a post next Tuesday but we look forward to welcoming in the New Year with you, but in the meantime, all blessings to you.
Admin
Have you ever left a church because it was too imperfect? In this podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler discusses the matter of finding yourself hurt, angry or in disagreement with your church and leaving. If you, or anyone you know has had this thought, or are thinking of leaving then you need to ask yourself...
…am I perfect?
You also need to listen to THIS podcast.
The original (written) post is HERE, but if you prefer to listen to the posts, please click on the play button below.
Until next time, Admin
Talking to children about salvation In this TruthTalks audio podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler talks about children and the gospel. We hear about what he discovered when reading through a children's gospel tract. We also learn the big truths about what children need to know to enable them to become adults with an understanding of what a relationship with Christ is.
You can read the original post HERE, listen to, or download the TruthTalks message below.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/TruthTalks-Old-Old-Story.mp3
All the best with telling the old old story to the kids in your life!
Best, admin
More and more scholars are writing and teaching on the centrality of Jesus and I am convinced that this is a subject currently on God’s heart. Part of this focus is the belief that Jesus is the full, and not just the fullest, presentation of God’s nature and character. This TruthTalk combines my two latest articles on this subject, ‘Jesus the Full Representation of God’ and ‘A Two-faced God?’ In the first part of the podcast (below) I speak about;
Why the distinction between full and fullest is important. The meaning of Colossians 1:19 and 2:9 What Jesus said about himself
In the second part of the message I deal with;
Jesus in the Old Testament and in the book of Revelation The reason why some folk hold to a ‘two-faced’ view of God How I understand a Christocentric interpretation of scripture
Click on the play button to listen to or download the TruthTalk.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Centrality-of-Jesus-TruthTalks.mp3
If you would like to subscribe to future podcasts then just click HERE
Several mountains feature in the Bible and take their significance from what happened on them. For instance, Mount Moriah where Abraham took his son to sacrifice to Yaweh, Mount Sinai where God gave Moses the tablets of stone, and Mount Carmel where Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal. However the two most significant mountains of the New Testament are Mount Zion, where Jesus died for the sin of the world, and Mount Hermon.
At Paneas, on an extended ridge of Hermon, the Lord Jesus confirmed that He was the long-awaited Son of Man, and further up Hermon, God the Father confirmed that Jesus,was the Son of God.
Click on the audio button below to listen to the podcast of the article on this fascinating subject.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/The-mountains-of-the-Lord.mp3
A dictionary definition of Apostasy is ‘an act of refusing to continue to follow, obey, or recognize a religious faith’ and I will leave it to those who know Hillsong's Marty Sampson and his circumstances to determine the extent of his ‘falling away’. In this TruthTalk, Dr Christopher Peppler deals with certain aspects of the recent apostasies reported in the news. If you missed the original post of this please click HERE. If you would like to listen to the audio of this post with added explanations, press play on the button below.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/TruthTalks-Apostates-in-the-News.mp3
Thank you for taking the time to listen to this TruthTalk.
Kind regards, Karen (Admin)
Of late there have been several apostates in the news. Most recently, two fairly well known ‘Christians’ proudly declared that they had renounced their Faith. One of them was Hillsong's Marty Sampson who recently announced on Instagram, “I’m genuinely losing my faith.” Christianity Today has reported on his apparent apostasy, so I won’t attempt to summarise or evaluate Marty’s reported utterances. A dictionary definition of Apostasy is ‘an act of refusing to continue to follow, obey, or recognize a religious faith’ and I will leave it to those who know the man and the circumstances to determine the extent of his ‘falling away’. One Reason for Modern Apostasy What I want to pick up on is Marty’s reported frustrations about the Christian faith and apparent contradictions in the Bible. He posted “"How many miracles happen. Not many. No one talks about it. Why is the Bible full of contradictions? No one talks about it. How can God be love yet send 4 billion people to a place, all coz they don't believe? No one talks about it”. Well, I want to talk and write about it, but perhaps from a perspective that may be different to that of the many critics of people like Marty Sampson.
Marty is a high profile representative of an alarmingly large group of intelligent men and woman who fall away, to one extent or another, from orthodox Christian belief. Many of them suffer a crisis of faith because they cannot reconcile the biblical record with science, modern morality, or common sense. They learn of the well-established theory of macroevolution, but then their Christian mentors tell them that the cosmos is really just a few thousand years old because the Bible ‘says so’. The Old Testament appears to them to depict God as wrathful, petty, and vengeful, yet their pastors tell them that although God is love He also has an ‘angry’ face. They identify anomalies in scripture that seem to be distinct errors yet their theologians inform them that the Bible is inerrant and that ‘errors’ are just the perceptions of uninformed and spiritually immature readers. And these are just some of the more obvious issues that trouble many people, not to mention Hell, evil, predestination, and so on. My Position on Scripture For any reader who doesn’t already know where I stand, let me state that I believe in the inspiration of the Bible and regard it as entirely trustworthy. However, I differ from many of my contemporaries in my understanding of the Bible’s purpose and how it we should understand what it is saying. Although I may differ from some orthodox theologians on these matters, I am in good company - actually, the best company. We just need to read the Sermon on the Mount to realise that the Lord Jesus affirmed the inspiration of scripture yet, almost in the same breath, informed the learned men of His day that they were misunderstanding what the scriptures taught.
Let me state my essential thinking on the Bible’s purpose and my thought on how to understand what it teaches. If you want my abbreviated statement on the purpose of the Bible, then click HERE. In brief, my understanding is as the Apostle John put it: “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30–31). My essential view of biblical interpretation flows out of this in that I regard the Lord Jesus as both the author and primary interpreter of scripture. If you want my full view on this then click HERE. The Nature of the Bible I believe that the Bible is a divine-human collaboration primarily designed to reveal the character and nature of Almighty God, pre-eminently through His self-revelation in and through Jesus of Nazareth. The Bible is exactly what God wants it to be, apparent anomalies and all. It’s divine purpose includes revealing the sinful ways of humanity,
Last Sunday I preached a sermon, ‘If Your Brother Wrongs You’, from Matthew 18:15-35. This passage records how the Lord Jesus set out the perfect process for conflict resolution among His disciples. Just click on the "play" icon below to listen to the sermon. You can also follow along using the sermon notes that I have linked for you below.
Until next time.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/If-Your-Brother-Wrongs-You.mp3
Sermon Notes: If your brother wrongs you mtt 18 vs 15 to 35
If you would like to watch a video of the sermon then click HERE
In His great Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave full meaning to the Law of Moses. In doing this, He exercised His divine prerogative of interpreting scripture by explaining how to properly understand the Old Testament Law. In this TruthTalks podcast, Dr Christopher Peppler addresses the issue of Jesus, the interpreter of the Bible. If you missed the original post, “Jesus gave full meaning to the Law of Moses”, please click HERE. Enjoy the podcast, by clicking the 'play' button below, and do like, share, subscribe and interact with us. Your comments are most welcome.
Until next time,
Admin
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/TruthTalks-Sermon-on-mount.mp3
Dealing with things like the Sabbath, Sticks, Stones, and Sacraments through the Jesus Perspective. This TruthTalks podcast is based on THIS post and deals with two troublesome passages of scripture by looking at them from the perspective of what Jesus taught. Dr Christopher Peppler talks on the incident of the man stoned to death because he worked on the Sabbath. He also deals with the passage in 1 Corinthians describing the fate of sacrament violators.
Simply click on the play button below to listen to this enlightening talk.
Please feel free to comment or subscribe to the podcast feed or the post.
The words Sabbath Sticks, Stones, and Sacraments sound strange as a title for an article, but let me explain. The Old Testament contains the disturbing story of a man stoned to death for picking up sticks on the Sabbath. A millennium and a half later the Lord Jesus addressed the matter of Sabbath Law violations (Matthew 12:1-8). Despite this, many today still read 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 as an early church example of a sticks-and-stones judgment. However, this time for violating a sacrament. In this article, I am attempting to deal with these troublesome passages from a Jesus perspective. Hence the title, Sabbath Sticks, Stones, and Sacraments. The Jesus Perspective If you have read my books and articles, you will know that I am a passionate champion of Christocentricity. In essence, this word signifies a focus on the Lord Jesus Christ as the ultimate revelation of the Godhead. What I refer to as the Christocentric Principle is an approach to biblical interpretation that seeks to understand all parts of scripture from a Jesus-perspective. In other words, it is a way of interpreting scripture primarily from the perspective of what Jesus taught and modelled, and from what He revealed concerning the nature, character, values, principles and priorities of the Godhead. Raising a red flag In terms of this principle, when we encounter things in life or in the scriptures that do not seem to conform to what Jesus revealed, then we need to ‘raise a red flag’. By raising a flag, I mean that we should recognise that we need to understand more about the troublesome text or circumstance. What Jesus said, did, and revealed of the Godhead is the standard against which we weigh everything. So, we need to rigorously interrogate anything that appears contrary to this.
If, at this point, you want to understand more fully what I mean by Christocentricity and why I hold this view, then please read my academic article HERE. The man stoned for picking up sticks on the Sabbath I have commented on this incident before in a post titled ‘The Bloodthirsty Warrior God of the Bible’ but here is the gist what I wrote:
Numbers 15:32-36 reads: ‘While the Israelites were in the desert, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, and they kept him in custody because it was not clear what should be done to him. Then the Lord said to Moses, “The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp.” So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the Lord commanded Moses’.
We don’t know why the man was violating the commandment not to work on the Sabbath. Perhaps he needed to make a fire to cook his food, but had been too sick to gather the wood earlier. We just don’t know. However, it seems that Moses enquired of God what to do and believed that God’s answer was that the poor man should be stoned to death! Now, what are we to do with this?
Perhaps God was setting an example of what would happen to defiant Sabbath-breakers? But hang on a moment... didn’t Jesus Christ later say; “If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath”? (Matthew 12:7-8) Moreover,He also said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28). Jesus teaches on Sabbath violation Matthew 12:1-8 contains the full account of this event: Jesus and His band of disciples had been travelling through some grainfields on the Sabbath. This in itself was problematic for the religious teachers of the day because their theologians had ruled that walking anything more than a few paces on a Saturday was a violation of the commandment not to work on the Sabbath. Yet Jesus’ disciples went one step further (excuse the feeble pun) by picking heads of grain to eat. Now they were not only travelling on the Sabbath, but they were also harvesting!
What happens when we take a Bible verse completely out of context? We get Gateways that go nowhere! We also get someone else's philosophy thrust onto us, often convincing, but always based on a verse pulled from the Bible and used to communicate the author's agenda. But how do we know if what we are reading (or listening to or watching) is true?
In this TruthTalk, Dr Christopher Peppler goes into detail about how to recognise these 'gateways'. If you would prefer to read the post this is based on, then click HERE, otherwise click on the play button below to listen to this TruthTalk.
Recently, I was challenged to name the four things I am sure of about God. It was an interesting and revealing exercise not only because of what made it into the top four, but because of what did not make it. I considered some of the attributes of God such as His omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience, but did not select any of them. For those folk not familiar with theology-speak, these three divine attributes are that He is everywhere present, all-powerful, and all knowing. So, why didn’t I settle on these three plus, say, His sovereignty? I think it’s because they are too incomprehensible and abstract for me; I cannot grasp them sufficiently to be sure of, and they are too intangible for me to even describe adequately. As the author of Proverbs 30:18 wrote, ‘There are three things that are too amazing for me, four that I do not understand.’ What are the four things? The first thing I know with absolute certainty about God is that all good and perfect things come from him. James 1:17 ‘Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows’
The second is that He is with us through all the things in life that are neither good nor perfect. Psalms 23:4 ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’
The third thing I know for certainty about God is that He desires to communicate with us. Hebrews 1:1-2 ‘In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.’
And this brings me to the fourth thing I know with certainty about God and that makes sense of everything else I know about God; God is Jesus. John 14:9 "Philip, don't you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father!”
If you want to know more about these important attributes of God, then listen to the sermon I preached on this by clicking on the audio link below.
In this third and final part of the Spiritual Gifts mini-series, TruthTalks looks at the differences between Gifts and the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Please click on the play button below to listen to this podcast.
If you have missed the first 2 TruthTalks on this topic then click HERE for part one and then just click on the "NEXT POST" button at the end of the pist to go to the next one. Please do subscribe to the podcast by going to www.truthistheword.com.
Don't forget, there is also a book on the subject of Gifts and Ministries written by Dr. Christopher Peppler available at Amazon Kindle now. It is in the QuickReads series (designed especially for folk who don’t have time or inclination to read hundreds of pages on a subject) and is well worth the read. You can find it by clicking HERE or on the image of the cover below.
Until next time, all the best and thank you for reading this and following us at www.truthistheword.com, Admin
This podcast briefly explores one of the difficulties we have in appreciating Spiritual Gifts, which is the lack of biblical definitions. The manifestations of the Holy Spirit are listed in 1 Corinthians 12, but nowhere described.
It is important for us to understand what the Spiritual Gifts are, because:
This affects how we appreciate them. Are they manifestations of the Holy Spirit through the ministry of a believer and therefore directly supernatural in origin and presentation? Or are they expressions of our human giftedness, leading, and experience enhanced perhaps by the gracious help of the Holy Spirit? It affects how we respond to them. Do we act only when the Holy Spirit directly motivates us to do so, or do we operate in the gifts as a normal part of our Christian life and ministry?
In this presentation I use just the first of the 9 Gifts of the Spirit as examples of some approaches to the matter at hand.
You can listen to or download this TruthTalk by clicking on the play button below.
Get the book now by going to http://truthistheword.com/revival-book-complimentary-access/
What are Spiritual Gifts and do we have them, or give them? In this and subsequent TruthTalks, I am looking at some of the underlying issues that make the subject important yet problematic to some.
In this podcast, I speak about the common misconception that Spiritual Gifts are supernatural abilities permanently conferred upon Christians. I argue that the key text of 1 Corinthians 12 points rather to The Holy Spirit temporarily entrusting gifts of healing, prophecy, and so on to believers to deliver to those in need of the gift.
You can listen to or download this TruthTalk by clicking on the play button below.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/TruthTalks-Spiritual-Gifts-Part1.mp3
Get the book now by going to http://truthistheword.com/revival-book-complimentary-access/
As I hit 'publish' on this podcast the national elections are just one day away. So, the best thing we as ordinary citizens can do right now is to pray and ask God to send revival to our nation… then VOTE.
Listen to theTruthTalk podcast based on THIS post plus a Q&A, by clicking on the play button below.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/TruthTalks-The-Moment-of-Truth.mp3
New Book Published Revival. It always comes back to this, so I have published a short book titled ‘The 12 Key Aspects of Revival’ that I am making available free to everyone within my circle of influence. All you have to do is CLICK on the link below and you can download your own no-strings-attached copy.
Passover weekend is fast approaching, so it’s time to consider again the wonder and glory of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. In this sermon, I give some fascinating evidences of the validity of the resurrection as well as insight into one of the strangest passages of the Bible, Matthew 27:52-53. Be blessed and encouraged as you celebrate again the earth-shaking event that changed our world forever. Kindest regards,
Christopher
You can listen to or download the sermon by clicking on the play button below or subscribing to the podcast. You can also listen or download other sermons HERE.
Passover, what happened on "good Saturday" and what is the significance of the shroud of Turin? Listen to theTruthTalk podcast based on THIS post, and covering these 3 questions, their answers, and more by clicking on the play button below.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/TruthTalks-Articles-for-Easter.mp3
Several weeks ago, I preached a sermon titled, ‘A Time for Prayer and Godly Action’ based on Nehemiah chapters 1 - 9. The purpose of the message was to encourage Christians to think and act positively in this time of national instability leading up to the elections. Simply put, our personal attitude in 2019 can either be ‘doom and gloom’ or bright Godly optimism in what we say and do. The account of how Nehemiah rebuilt the wall around Jerusalem contains several parallels between Israel then and South Africa now. For instance, the tactics of those who opposed national renewal are echoed today in South Africa, and some of the ways to counter these destructive tactics still apply. Some of the points made in the sermon are:
All responses to problems, crisis and the like, must start with a proper awareness of the problem: If we are not aware of the problem at hand then how can we pray, speak and act? However, after awareness must come informed knowledge of the actual conditions Nehemiah took the matter to God in prayer. He (a) Mourned – emotional engagement, (b) Fasted – physical response, and (c) Spoke – engaged with God. He also acknowledged to God his own role in the nation’s sorry condition and confessed that they had all offended God. Note particularly how his prayer concluded; Nehemiah 1:11 “O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man." I was cupbearer to the king’. He asked God to work in the mind and heart of the king, Nehemiah’s primary contact of influence.
We all have Circles of influence of some sort.
We expect instant responses, but Nehemiah only had the opportunity of speaking to the king three months later – a time of preparation of both the king and Nehemiah and then a Kairos moment when the time was right. After speaking to the king, Nehemiah acted; he asked for a letter of authority and resources, but then he ACTED – took his letters, gathered resources and left for Jerusalem Some of the principles and dynamics WE need to note and which apply to us today are:
Become aware, become informed, and give careful thought to our situation. Pray before and during the whole process in the assurance that God is favoring us. Pray and then act in word and deed – not one or the other, but both. Praying is not a substitute for action and action is not a replacement for dependent prayer. We pray and seek God’s wisdom, guidance, and intervention and then we act on His specific response and not just on standard principles or recommendations e.g. in the case of the South African May elections: inform yourself, pray for guidance, vote according to His response and not because of those who say that all Christians must vote for a particular party.
When Nehemiah arrived in Jerusalem, he first surveyed the situation and then he spoke to the people. Note how he spoke – positively and constructively. Not “Come let us flee” but “come let us build’. Witnessed to God’s favor. Immediately the opposition sprang into action but Nehemiah continued to pray, strategise, and work towards the reformation of Jerusalem.
Now, this is how the story of the wall ends: They competed for the wall Nehemiah 6:16 ‘When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realised that this work had been done with the help of our God.’ But wait, there is more! The exiles started returning And more! The nation publically returned to The Word of God. Are we not in such a time right now?… A time for Prayer and godly action! A time to oppose the enemies of our nation without violence. A time to turn as a nation to the Word God… The Bible and JESUS! We can adopt one of two attitudes: dark and gloomy or bright with hope, optimism, and trust in God ... It’s our choice.
Here is the audio of the last in the TruthTalks series: The Church Jesus would Attend. In this TruthTalk I take you through my final 3 criteria and give an overview and general conclusion. If you have missed this series and would like to start from the first post, click HERE, or the first audio post, click HERE. Then to follow the series chronologically simply scroll down to under the "Related Posts" section where you will see the NEXT POST button. Click this and it will take you to the next post in the series.
Do let me know your thought on the topic of "The Church Jesus would Attend" and, of course, all questions are welcome.
Click on the "play" button below to listen to the final word on this matter, for now.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/TruthTalks-Wrapping-up-The-Church-Jesus-would-Attend-Series.mp3
When Christians exercise the apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral, and teaching roles under the anointing and guidance of the Holy Spirit, then we are likely to encounter Jesus. When the Old Testament roles of King, Prophet, and Priest are applied with grace, power, and a focus on Jesus, then surely He is pleased to be in our midst and we are blessed to be in His presence.
If you want to find out more about this, or would like an expanded version of last weeks post on the same topic then click on the play button below:
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TruthTalks-Anointed-Leadership-The-Church-Jesus-would-Attend-Series.mp3
Why are gifts of the Spirit, signs of the presence of the Lord Jesus among us? What do we do when we are prompted by the Holy Spirit during a church service? In this podcast, I clarify and expand on last weeks post which can be found HERE. This is part of "The Church Jesus would Attend" series and if you've missed it you can catch the first one HERE. Then click "Next Post" to hear the rest, or otherwise listen to the audio of last weeks post by clicking on the button below.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/TruthTalks-Ministering-in-the-Power-of-the-Holy-Spirit-The-Church-Jesus-would-Attend-series.mp3
Last week we continued with the series "What kind of church would Jesus attend?" and wrote about Faith and expectation. If you would like to hear me expand on this topic or prefer the audible version of my posts, then simply click on the "play" button below:
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/TruthTalks-about-the-Church-Jesus-would-attend-Faith.mp3
If you missed the start of the series and would like to listen to the previous podcasts or read the previous posts on this series, go to THIS link and then click the NEXT button at the bottom of each post to go through them all systematically. God bless you.
Atheists claim to have no belief in the existence of any gods. Christians claim to believe in God, but what should we call those who believe in God yet live as if He doesn’t exist? Here is a sermon I preached a few weeks ago, based on Hebrews 11:6 and developing this very theme.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/TruthTalk-Sermon-Christian-Atheism.mp3
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Next week I will be resuming the series on 'The Church Jesus Would Attend' and the subject will be 'An Attitude of Faith'. The TruthTalks (Podcasts) will restart the week after next.
Hi everyone. I and the TruthisTheWord team will be on a seasonal break until 22nd January, 2019 so we want to wish you a blessed Christmas time.
Here is a sermon I preached the other day entitled 'God The Rock' and you can listen to it or download it below. If you want to read the sermon notes then just click HERE.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/TruthTalk-Sermon-God-the-Rock2.mp3
In this audio post I go through some of the finer points on the article I posted last week which can be found HERE. Do download or subscribe to the podcast HERE or from www.truthistheword.com if you enjoy it and would like to be kept up to date with these podcasts :)
Next week I will be publishing a sermon "God, the Rock" which I delivered recently and then the TruthTalks team will be on sabbatical until the 22nd of January 2019. Click on the play button to listen now.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/TruthTalks-about-the-Church-Jesus-would-attend-Preaching.mp3
Hi there! What do you think of the new look of the www.truthistheword.com site? Let me know if you like it :D In the meantime, here is the TruthTalk on corporate prayer as part of the series about the type of church Jesus would attend. I do hope you enjoy and if you would like to read the original post click HERE, otherwise click on the button below or download to your favourite podcatcher.
Until next time...
Christopher
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/TruthTalks-about-the-Church-Jesus-would-attend-Prayer.mp3
In this TruthTalk, I cover the topic of reverent and adoring worship, which I wrote about in my last article. This is part of a series that examines the Sunday service corporate expressions of church life.
What we sing, to whom we sing, and how we sing in our church services flows from our attitude towards The Lord.
Click play below to listen to the audio and please note that there will be no Q & A section on this or future audios in this current series. Let me know your thoughts on this if you are so inclined. ;-P
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/TruthTalks-about-the-Church-Jesus-would-attend-Worship.mp3
Following last weeks post, I talk briefly about the nine indicators of the presence of God in our church services. After that, Karen and I and have a lively (as always) question and answer session. Click on the play button below to listen and, as always, your comments and questions are most welcome :-)
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/TruthTalks-about-the-Church-Jesus-would-attend.mp3
My daughter suggested I write about the kind of church Jesus would attend. I have been thinking about it and I think it is something all Christians, and especially church leaders, need to consider. Attend is a rather formal word that evokes thoughts of annual general meetings and other formal business-like occasions, but it is an appropriate word that simply means ‘be present’. So what kind of church would Jesus attend? Well, I doubt very much if He would be interested in denominational labels or self-descriptors like Baptist, or Charismatic, or the like. I doubt too that any particular ethnic mix would especially appeal to Him, or the style and volume of the music, or the pulpit skills of the Pastor. Perhaps He would only attend an on-fire group of passionate disciples… what do you think?
Well, here is a shocker – Revelation 3:14-22 pictures Jesus trying to attend the lukewarm church of Laodicea. He wrote to this church; “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Revelation 3:20). So, it seems that the Lord Jesus is prepared to attend any church that would welcome him. But, and there is always a ‘but’, it seems that if they did not repent and welcome Him, then He was going to close them down (Revelation 2:5). So, perhaps a better way of framing the question would be; ‘what kind of church would Jesus be happy to attend regularly?’ This is a vitally important question because God designed ‘church’ to be the localised ‘body of Christ’, His temple and the place of His presence. If the Lord Jesus is not present in a church then how can we even call it a church? Club, mutual help organisation, religious school perhaps, but not a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). The focus of my thoughts A local church is more than just its Sunday worship service. During the week, it has other types of meetings, and it has structures, processes, outreaches, social works, and so on. However, its primary corporate expression is its weekly worship service. So, I have limited my thoughts and remarks, at this stage, to the presence of God in a church service.
This word, ‘presence’, is key. Thousands of years ago, Jacob encountered God in a visionary dream, and his account of this life-changing experience ends with the words; “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it… How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven." (Genesis 28:16-17). Then he named the place Bethel, set up a stone memorial, and made the vow that “this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house…” (Genesis 28:22). In a sense, Bethel was the prototype church, the house of God and gate of heaven… the place of the presence of God.
In later years, the temple in Jerusalem became the place of God’s presence and the Jewish scholars of that time regarded it as the location where Heaven and Earth came together. Then, just 40 years before this temple was destroyed by the Romans, the Lord Jesus Christ made the startling declaration to Nathanael that he would see “heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man" (John 1:51). Nathanael and the disciples would have understood this to be a clear reference to Jacob’s vision of some 1,800 years earlier. So, when Jesus lived in Palestine Heaven touched Earth, and in our day the corporate gathering of every true church is this interface… the place of the presence of Jesus.
Therefore, in this article, and in further articles in this series I will initially limit myself to the manifest presence of God in our corporate church meetings. Sensing the presence of God How do we know if ‘the Lord is in the house’? What are the indicators of His presence? I have identified nine, but I do not claim that this a comprehensive list. As I ponder on each of them, I realise that they are both indicators of and responses to God’s presence among His p...
Fake News is a manifestation of something more pervasive, misinformation. By misinformation I mean fabricated or manipulated information used primarily to influence people and further a specific agenda. Misinformation can have serious implications and devastating effects on the lives of millions... and we are are all potential targets!
Recently I preached on this topic under the following points:
Types and examples of misinformation How it is produced and spread Generational shifts aiding the process Strategies to fight against misinformation
Click HERE to read the article on which this sermon is based, or press play below to listen to or download the sermon.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/How-to-fight-fake-news.mp3
I recently presented an overview of the ‘gift’ of prophecy and I am sharing it here on Truth is The Word. Part One is just under an hour long and covers seven common questions:
What is prophecy? What forms does it take? How is it different to Old Testament prophecy? Why is it important to us? How are we to prophesy? How do we test prophecy? How should we respond to genuine prophecy?
The key scriptures I reference are 1 Corinthians 14:1-5, 29-33 1 Corinthians 13:9-12 Acts 11:28 21:10-11 In Part Two, I give just over half an hour to taking questions from the audience, but if you would like to listen to this you will need to click HERE. Below you will find the audio of the teaching itself.
Have a listen, and if you have any questions you don't feel I addressed, please feel free to post to my Facebook Page or email me at truthisthewordsite@gmail.com. Thank you for listening, here is the audio: http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Prophecy-P1.mp3
We just cannot avoid the fact that parts of the Old Testament depict God as a bloodthirsty warrior. As a continuation of last weeks post on the God of the Old Testament, Dr. Christopher Peppler goes into more detail in this audio file. In the Q & A session, we mostly discuss this statement:
"When we encounter these incidents [the seemingly extremely harsh incidents] in scriptures, we can respond in one of three ways.
We can reason that God must have had a good reason for acting no better than a pagan deity of the nations surrounding Israel; OR that we must just accept these portrayals of God because they are in the infallible scriptures and must, therefore, be true depictions of aspects of God’s nature; OR that something else is going on here that we need to understand."
What else IS going on? Listen to the TruthTalk by clicking the play button below. http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/TruthTalksWarriorGod.mp3
People who doubt the authenticity of the Old Testament or the divinity of Jesus should listen to this message. The Lord Jesus connects the dots between His life and key Old Testament events. By doing this He is in effect saying, "Yes, it is true, and I AM the one who did it!"
Click HERE to read the article on which this sermon is based or press play below to listen or download the sermon.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Connecting-the-dots.mp3
Should we be concerned when Andy Stanley, the leader of the biggest church in the USA, says that it is time for us to 'unhitch' from the Old Testament? Is he unhitched from truth, unhinged, or just misunderstood? This TruthTalk seeks to answer these questions and explores the relevance of the Old Testament and the nature and purpose of the whole Bible.
Click HERE if you want to read the article, or simply listen to or download the audio below.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/andy-stanley.mp3
Could it be that Legalism and Licence or Free Will and Divine Determinism are not as different as they first appear? This TruthTalk explores the fascinating idea that many apparent polar opposites are essentially similar when viewed from a different perspective.
If you would like to read the article this is derived from, you can find it HERE, otherwise Download or listen to it below:
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/TruthTalks-WhenOpposites-Arent.mp3
In this sermon, delivered at the Lonehill Village Church on Sunday 24th June 2018, I spotlight prophecy in the book of Acts and then extend the subject into the church of our day. Although by no means a comprehensive Bible study, this message includes insights from Paul’s treatment of prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14.
You can listen to the sermon here:
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Agabus.mp3
You can download the sermon notes HERE.
Please subscribe if you would like your podcatcher to notify you when we publish a new TruthTalk and, as always, feel free to make comments and suggestions.
Following THIS post on a rather contraversial theological statement made recently, Dr. Christopher Peppler (a.k.a. Dad) gives a summary with some extra details followed by a question and answer session with me (a.k.a. daughter/admin/non-theologian). I do hope you enjoy it and take up the challenge with me at the end of this podcast. Click below to listen now
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/TruthTalks-Exposing-Ourselves-in-Public.mp3
Until next time,
Karen
Unfortunately, it’s not only atheists, secular agnostics and so on who denigrate the Bible, it’s also several well-meaning ‘Christians’. Listen to Dr Christopher Peppler explore this topic in the latest TruthTalks summary and question and answer session.
If you would like to read the original article, click HERE, or if you would like to subscribe to this podcast through iTunes or any other podcatcher then please click HERE (or search for TruthTalks in your iTunes app.) Otherwise, hit the play button below and listen to this TruthTalk now.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/TruthTalks-Bible-Under-Attack-1.mp3
In this sermon (and I apologise for the not great audio quality in places) Dr Christopher Peppler looks at the life of Hezekiah. The first few minutes were not recorded, however, this is the background to the life of Hezekiah and describes what his father had done before Hezekiah became king. If you would like to read more about it you can at 2 Kings 1-20 and 2 Chronicles 28-30. Like most stories of biblical characters there is no ONE point we can apply to our lives, but MANY points of interest we need to apply to our modern-life context. It is astonishing how many similarities can be found in today's society with that of one thousands of years ago. The story of Hezekiah is of a young king who reopened the desecrated and abandoned temple, restored, reformed and revived the worship of Almighty God… a sort of Old Testament day of Pentecost for the people of God. Hezekiah - God has strengthened To listen to this sermon now click the play button below.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Hezekia.mp3
Blessings, Karen
Bezalel was an ordinary man who did something truly extraordinary - he crafted the tabernacle and everything inside it. You don't have to be a king or queen or ruler or anything other than "normal" to do something of immense significance. Last week Dr Christopher Peppler preached on this at the Village church, so if you would like to hear about the amazing life of Bezalel, then listen to this sermon below. Bezalel: In the shadow of the Almighty http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bezalel.mp3
If you would like to find out more about finding YOUR ministry click HERE to read the free booklet on www.truthistheword.com, or wait for it to come out on Amazon (soon).
If you would like to hear more sermons by Dr Christopher Peppler then you can find them HERE, or by subscribing to the podcast HERE where you will receive options to hear both sermons as well as the TruthTalks and Q & A sessions.
In this TruthTalk, Dr Christopher Peppler, covers the last two posts he wrote concerning Spiritual Warfare. If you missed them, and would like to read them, you can find them here:
Spiritual Warfare: Does the Church need to be Delivered from this? and, Spiritual Warfare: The Real Battle
If you would prefer to listen to a concise summary of both, in audio format, along with some extra information on them and a question and answer session with me (Karen) then please click on the play button below or subscribe here. http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/TruthTalks-Spiritual-Warfare.mp3
As always, do let us know what you thought, and do subscribe by going to www.truthistheword.com and clicking on the buttons in the top right. God Bless you!
We are living in a world where many regard truth as a quaint concept with little practical relevance. Yet, despite this, or perhaps because of this, people choose to become dogmatically committed to ideas that have little relationship to fact, logic, or divine revelation. However, in this TruthTalk (a follow-up to last weeks "The Basis of our Certainty") and subsequent Q&A, I explore the Christian sure basis for certainty.
Listen now by clicking the play button below and please do subscribe (buttons at the top of the www.truthistheword.com) to receive emails on each new post to this site.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/TruthTalks-The-Basis-for-our-Certainty.mp3
In this sermon, delivered at the Lonehill Village Church on Sunday 8th April 2018, I trace the life of Barnabas from Acts 4 to Acts 15. Barnabas' life is an example of how we should be encouragers instead of critics, but his story also contains vital truths concerning Christian leadership. In essence, all leaders, in church, ministry, business, or home, should give high priority to developing future leaders and releasing them into effective ministries.
You can listen to the sermon here:
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/Truthtalks-Sermon-Barnabas-Son-of-Encouragement.mp3
You can download the sermon notes HERE.
Even if you don’t think this applies to you, I am sure you know folk who would benefit from listening to it… so share it.
Also, please subscribe if you would like your podcatcher to notify you when we publish a new TruthTalk and, as always, feel free to make comments and suggestions.
Dad (Dr Christopher Peppler) and I discuss depression and how Christians can deal with it. So if you, or anyone you know is suffering from this malady then this TruthTalk could be very helpful to you. Listen now by clicking the play button below and do subscribe (buttons at the top of the www.truthistheword.com.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/TruthTalksDepression.mp3
Blessing to you all until next time
Karen (daughter and site admin)
To be dependent on the Holy Spirit is firstly, to enable us to live Jesus-manifesting lives in terms of our witness, values, priorities and general life-styles (Fruit of the Spirit) and secondly, to enable us to minister to others, in the power of the Holy Spirit (Gifts of the Spirit). Our dependence on The Spirit is not either for daily life or for spiritual ministry, but for both – fruit and Gifts. This TruthTalk and its Q&A session is about what it means to be dependent on the Holy Spirit and how this relates to the authority of the BIble and the centrality of the Lord Jesus.
Listen below, subscribe (buttons at the top left) and do let us know if this was meaningful to you.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/TruthTalksDependenceOnHolySpirit.mp3
Dr. Christopher Peppler (a.k.a. Dad) explores the topic of prayer in audio. The first half of this recording is explanations, along with some further explorations, on the topic of prayer, and the second half is me (Karen Peppler) quizzing my dad on the subject.
I do hope I ask some of the questions you, as a listener, might ask, so do let me know if you have anything to add or offer. Thank you for listening and please use the buttons on the top left of www.truthistheword.com to subscribe to the podcast, posts, YouTube Channels, etc. Here is the audio following the post about Prayer:
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/TruthTalks-What-is-Prayer.mp3
So many people in our day just do not grasp what Jesus meant when He said that in order to enter the Kingdom of God we must be Born Again. Nothing new here, because two thousand years ago, Nicodemus, the eminent Jewish scholar of his day, could not grasp this either. Yet it is a vitally important concept and I believe that a failure to understand and respond to Jesus’ words to Nicodemus account for the many nominal Christians that fill churches all over the world. I preached a sermon from John 3:1-5 titled ‘Nicodemus at night’ at the Lonehill Village Church on the 11th February 2018 and you can listen to it here:
Even if you don’t think this applies to you, I am sure you know folk who would benefit from listening to it… so share it, for ‘sharing is caring’ :)
Please subscribe if you would like your podcatcher to notify you when we publish a new TruthTalk and, as always, feel free to make comments and suggestions.
Last week Dr Christopher Peppler published a post about five "ill winds" blowing around and through churches and believers in recent times. If you read it and thought "Calvanism? what is that again?" and then perhaps even moused-over to see the definition and yet still felt un-enlightened (as I did) then this TruthTalk is for you. Do subscribe if you would like your podcatcher to notify you when a new TruthTalk is published, otherwise, as always, feel free to make comments and suggestions.
Here is the original post and the TruthTalk can be heard by clicking on the play button below. If you enjoy it, why not listen to another HERE.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/TruthTalksStandingTogetherAroundJesus.mp3
Until next time :) Karen (TITW Admin)
It is the beginning of a new year and so I thought it might be helpful to give you a brief overview of the 5 Freee online bible study tools I find the most helpful. Bible study tools are not just for serious scholars because they help us all to better understand the meaning of the biblical text. Also, most of the sites I am featuring have daily reading and devotional sections.
We are so blessed to have access to such comprehensive resources and it is easier than ever to comply with 2 Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth The only major flaw common to all 5 featured sites is that they use public domain commentaries. However, many of the old commentaries are very good although they tend to be weighted towards Reformed theology.
All 5 resources offer similar facilities, but their user interfaces, layouts, and ease of use differ.
HERE is a pdf document with details, comments, and screen-shots.
If you don't have time to read the whole article, or you are curious to know my personal favourite, it is the blueletterbible. Be blessed as you study and meditate on the written Word of God. [icon icon=icon-download size=14px color=#000 ] Online Bible Study Tools
On Sunday 7th January 2018 I preached a message of hope and optimism concerning our national condition. You can listen to it HERE: http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Shine-Jesus-Shine.mp3
You can also access the biblical text HERE. If you would like to listen to other sermons I have preached, you can find them HERE. I have included my sermon notes for those of you who would like to follow along as you listen to the message.
Well known hymn by Graham Kendrick, ‘Shine, Jesus, shine’ written many years ago but to appropriate to us today: [Say it with me as a prayer for SA] ‘Shine, Jesus, shine, fill this land with the Father’s glory. Blaze, Spirit blaze, set out hearts on fire. Flow, river, flow. Flood the nations with grace and mercy. Send forth your word Lord, and let there be light.’ In Nov 2016 I wrote an article ‘The worm has been turned’, but only published it in April 2017. • ‘I am convinced that we will look back on 2nd Nov 2016 as the day the worm was turned’; The Supreme Court order to release the Public Protractors ‘State capture’ report. • ‘Light is now shining brightly on the areas of corruption … the rocks are being turned over one by one and light is shining brightly on the worms beneath’. What we have witnessed since early April 2017, just 9 months ago, has been truly illuminating… here are just some of them: • The Gupta leaks – Eskom – SAA – SARS – SABC – Bell Pottinger – Trillion – KPMG – FBI investigations – Nuclear deal – Concourt rulings. How the light is shining and how the worms are wiggling – THANK YOU LORD! Shine, Jesus, shine! But now it’s the start of 2018 – what should WE be doing, saying, and hoping for? How should we be shining the light of Jesus into our land? Eph 5:8-21 [Read] Vs. 8 ‘You yourselves used to be in darkness’… now ‘you are in the light’ Why? Because of being ‘in the Lord’… Born again of the Spirit. The change agent from darkness to light for a person and for a nation is spiritual transformation… not ‘radical economic transformation’.. but At both an individual and national level, meaningful transformation at every level, political, economic, and social, flows from spiritual regeneration This text refers to the outworking of spiritual regeneration as ‘the good, righteous and true fruit of the light’. We have been praying for national revival for 8 years now – this is not the time to stop, but rather to pray with even greater passion and urgency – we start again this year on Mon 15th at 7h30 pm… come and join us. 1st thing WE can do in 2018. If praying for revival is the first thing we can do in 2018, the year of the fruit of the light, then the 2nd thing is to ‘find out what pleases the Lord’ (Vs. 10). This injunction is repeated in Vs, 17 ‘Do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is’ Vs. 11 mentions two things that please the Lord, that we can start with:• ‘Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness’• ‘rather expose them’
Thank God for the courageous whistle blowers, honest journalists, God-fearing politicians, and judges… they have been bright torches during 2017, shedding light on massive corruption, crime, and monstrous iniquity of all kinds.
So in 2018, we need to be praying for these brave people and organisations – supporting them financially – speaking well of them, and to them… We can ALL do this! 3rd thing Vs 15 ‘Be very careful how you live’ – in our financial dealings, moral stance, our example… BE LIGHT! Live as Christ-bearers in every circle of influence we have. 4th thing Vs 16 ‘making the most of every opportunity because the days are evil’.• We all have opportunities for being the light in the normal course of events.• But if we ask, the Holy Spirit will present us, each of us, with supernatural opportunities that we would otherwise not experience. That is why Vs. 18 ‘Be filled with the Spirit’ One last thing to take from this passage for 2018 is in Vs.19-21 [Read]
Greetings and welcome to 2018. May you all be blessed in this year and the ones to come. Today's post is a TruthTalk sermon called 'The Joy of our Salvation', which Dr. Christopher Peppler preached at Lonehill Village Church on Christmas day. In this TruthTalk we hear about what is described as 'a silver river of joy running through the bible' called JOY.
This is a wonderful message for those of us who need to remember what it is to be joyful and, more importantly, WHY. 1 Peter 1 is the main reference for this happy and hopeful sermon, so give it a listen now.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/The-Joy-of-our-salvation.mp3
Please CLICK HERE if you would like to listen to more of Dr. Christopher Pepplers sermons online or peruse his sermon notes. Happy and blessed 2018 to all!
Dad (Dr Christopher Peppler) and I will be taking a tiny bit of time off and there won't be any posts or podcasts until the 9th of January 2018. Until then, have a wonderful, joyful festive season.
For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. – Isaiah 9
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Christmas-away-2017.mp4
In this TruthTalks audio Dr. Christopher Peppler talks about divorce from the biblical perspective of what Jesus taught. The verses referenced are in:
Matthew 5 Matthew 19 Mark 10 Luke 16 Deuteronomy 24 Malachi 2 1 Corinthians 7
A must-listen for any Christians struggling with divorce. I do hope this helps. Click on the player below or subscribe to all of the TruthTalks HERE.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/TruthTalks-Divorce.mp3
Until next time
Following the post on "Death, the final frontier" we bring you the TruthTalks on this. After a short summary of the post, Christopher Peppler and I get into an animated (sorry for the interruptions Daddy) discussion on the topic of death, where we go, who goes where, what happens to our pets, etc. Listen here now or click on the subscribe button to receive notifications of new podcasts which come out every 2 weeks and sometimes more often. Thank you for taking the time to read and listen to this and God bless you!
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/TruthTalks-Death.mp3
Failure is not an end in itself, but a vital part of the transformation and learning process. Last week I published an article on this subject and Karen and I would normally chat about it this week. However, I preached on this subject on Sunday and thought that the sermon would be the best way of presenting it this week– so here it is.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Truth-Talks-Sermon-The-Transformative-power-of-Failuret.mp3
Dad (Dr. Christopher Peppler) and I discuss Judgement Day, after THIS post last week. Well, I say discuss, but it's more me trying to understand certain things, and asking Dad some of the most difficult questions I can think of. If you have any questions about the post, please give this a listen, and if you still have questions then let us know so we can find your answers for you.
You can stay up to date with the TruthTalks podcasts by subscribing to iTunes HERE, or with any other podcatcher HERE.
We also post regular updates to Facebook, so follow TruthIsTheWord by clicking HERE.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/TruthTalks-Judgement-Day.mp3
Until next time
Karen (admin and non-theologically minded questioner)
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Dr. Christopher Peppler and I (his daughter Karen) discuss Jewish Celebrations and in particular the feast of Tabernacles which is happening right now. Find out why YOU should find this important, hear about Christopher's supernatural experience in Israel, and (hopefully) have any questions you may have answered from this weeks audio post. My apologies for any clicks you may here in the audio, we have discovered the problem and hope to fix this for the next TruthTalks podcast, so please bear with us :)
Listen now by clicking the play button below, or subscribe by clicking HERE and subscribe to TruthTalks on iTunes or your favourite podcatcher.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/TruthTalksTabernacles2017.mp3
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“Everybody is a Genius. But If You Judge a Fish by Its Ability to Climb a Tree, It Will Live Its Whole Life Believing that It is Stupid”.
This is the correct quote attributed to Albert Einstein I was floundering to find while talking to Dr. Christopher Peppler in this TruthTalks episode where we discuss the negative effects of judging and making comparisons, how they affect us, and what we can do to stop ourselves from living this way.
If you would like read the original post on this topic, then click HERE otherwise listen to the new TruthTalks now by clicking on the play button below. Also, please subscribe by clicking HERE (or by subscribing via any of the podcatchers you use) to receive notifications of when a new TruthTalks comes out, which is about twice a month. Until then, Karen
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/TruthTalksComparisonsAreOdious.mp3
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What do we do if we find ourselves in a conversation about Jesus and realise the other person is of a totally different faith to our own and we know nothing about it? In this TruthTalk and Q and A session we talk briefly about 5 major religions, how they view Jesus, and how to "deal" with them. I also quiz Dad (Dr Christopher Peppler) about other religions, and we have an interesting conversation about what happens after we die, the second coming, and more. Give it a listen now and please share with your friends.
Until next time :)
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/TruthTalksReligionsViewsOnJesus.mp3
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All of us have experienced rejection in one form or another, but for some people rejection can be devastating. Unless we deal with it in a healthy manner, feelings of rejection can blight our lives and can even result in depression or a total breakdown of our sense of worth.
1 Peter 2:4-10 contains three antidotes to the negative effects of rejection: 1. Develop a biblical understanding of our identity in Christ Jesus 2. Forgive those who have rejected us 3. Receive God’s mercy so that our wounds can be healed Listen to this encouraging sermon and then share it with others. http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/TruthTalks-Sermon-Inverting-rejection.mp3
Doctrinal damsels and dames In this TruthTalks audio recording, Dad (Dr Christopher Peppler) and I change up the format a little and instead of having an overview of the post to open with we both dive headlong into talking about a couple of women in the Bible and what made them special.
It is a somewhat light-hearted take on this issue and I do hope you enjoy it! Listen now by clicking on the link below:
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/TruthTalks2SpecialWomenQA.mp3
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In this sermon, based on Acts 10:38, Dr Christopher Peppler, drawing on the gospels, talks about our dependence on the Holy Spirit and what that means. He shows us that:
As we learn to depend on the Holy Spirit we can grow both to be more like Jesus and to minister as He did. We can experience both the person and the power of the Holy Spirit – as Jesus did. And more
He also talks about HOW we respond to this truth... so give it a listen and do subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or whatever service you would like.
May it be a blessing in your life. Click below to listen now
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TruthTalks-Sermon-Dependence-on-the-Holy-Spirit.mp3
Dr. Christopher Peppler and I discuss women's role in the church as it was, is, and should be. Apart from really enjoying and gaining (in my opinion) much needed insight into my faith when I do these TruthTalks with Christopher Peppler, it can still feel disheartening when I think of how few people know about this podcast and therefore don't gain what I do from them.
As I edit the audio I try to remind myself that if just one person gains Spiritually, or sees things in a different light, then our work hasn't been in vain. Please note that you can now subscribe to the TruthTalks podcast directly from each post (just above the heading and top image) in a variety of ways and you will be notified when new TruthTalks are available (normally every second week). Oh, and how about sharing this with your friends.
I hope and pray that you will enjoy this weeks TruthTalk, which came out of THIS post, because I believe that it really helps clear up misconceptions about women's role in the church of today.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TruthTalksWomenInMinistry.mp3
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Last week Dr Christopher Peppler (a.k.a "Daddy") wrote THIS post about debunking myths about Christianity. In this audio episode he goes into some more detail and then I get to have a Question and Answer session with him where we end up discussing the topic, along with Jewish folk, and C.S. Lewis vs. Lewis Carroll. I do hope you enjoy it and God bless you. http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/TruthTalks3MythsQA.mp3
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Money permeates much of our everyday lives and how we use it provides a strong indicator of our attitude towards giving and generosity. Jesus often used money as everyday illustrations in His teachings, but He didn’t address the topic itself that much. In this sermon I link together Luke 16:13 and Luke 6:38 to present The Master’s class on financial giving.
For those disillusioned souls who have suffered the ‘tithing’ abuse all too common in churches today, this message will bring you freedom and joy.
Financial giving is important, but it is supposed to be a means of blessing, freedom, and joy, and not guilt, obligation, and hardship.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/20170625-08h00-Chris-Peppler-Money-Masterclass.mp3
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In his post from last week, Dr Christopher Peppler wrote about dilemma's facing church leaders and made suggestions on how to handle them. In this TruthTalk he addresses this topic in more detail. After this I barge in with my usual volley of questions. I try to focus on the more practical side of things in these question and answer sessions from the perspective of a church member as opposed to Dad's position of being in leadership positions most of his life. I do hope you get something out of these and SUBSCRIBE, or simply leave a rating or comment on whatever you use to listen to your podcasts as this is the main way we can get this podcast out!
To listen to the TruthTalk from here, simply click on the play button below:
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/TruthTalkTheBorgDilemma.mp3
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Does our general lack of awareness of Ascension Day mean that the Ascension is relatively unimportant? Or does it indicate our lack of appreciation of just how important it actually is? The early creedal hymn of 1 Timothy 3:16 places the Ascension on the same level of importance as the Incarnation and the Resurrection: ‘Most certainly, the mystery of godliness is great: He was manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the Gentiles, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.’ Manifest in the flesh – the Incarnation; justified in the Spirit – the Resurrection; taken up in glory – the Ascension. All three are important and have a profound effect on our lives both now and eternally.
Here is the audio of the sermon I preached on this at the Lonehill Village Church on Sunday 28th May 2017. If you enjoy this you can subscribe HERE or find TruthTalks on all the major podcast catchers. Here's the sermon:
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/20170528-10h00-Chris-Peppler-Ascention.mp3
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In last week's post "Young People Arise" Dr Christopher Peppler noted the role of the role of young people in past revivals. He also commented that Jesus' disciples were all quite youthful, and I (Chris's daughter) had questions like:
How young is young? How today's youth are supposed to "arise" in a practical way, and What about us folk who fall into the "not so young" category, what is our role?
Listen to the TruthTalk podcast and please let me know (truthisthewordsite@gmail.com) if you have any comments or other questions you would like me to address on your behalf in future TruthTalks.
We are working with new hardware so I must apologise that the Q&A section's audio quality is not as good as I would like, but we will be addressing this.
Click 'play' (below) to listen to this TruthTalk, and don't forget that you can subscribe, and automatically know when a new TruthTalk is dropped, by clicking HERE and choosing your podcatcher of choice. We would greatly appreciate you rating, reviewing, and spreading the word of the TruthTalks podcasts so that more people can get to hear them. Thank you so much.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/TruthTalkYoungPeopleArise.mp3
Many Blessings,
Karen - Truthistheword.com Admin
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What did Jesus teach during the last 40 days before His ascension? Surely He reiterated what He believed to be most important for His disciples to know as they went out into the world to establish His church and extend His kingdom. Last week’s post consisted of a written version of the sermon I preached in the Lonehill Village Church the Sunday before, and here is the audio of the sermon itself.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/20170430-10h00-Chris-Forty-days-of-Kingdom-teaching.mp3
The seven main teachings covered in this material are:
One – The Kingdom of God is not political or material. It is not of this world, and our job is to witness to this as ambassadors of Jesus, the king of the unseen but eternally real Kingdom of God. Two – We will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to be witnesses. Three – We are sent into the world as Jesus was sent into the world to proclaim the Kingdom of God, its truth, and its reality… to represent Jesus in the world. Four – Rebirth of the spirit is required to enter the Kingdom of God and to be Jesus witnesses… not just commitment, but new spiritual life. Five – We can proclaim forgiveness to all who truly repent and believe in Jesus. Six – Miraculous empowerment and signs accompany the proclamation of the Good news. Seven – The primary duty of church leaders is to care for Jesus’ people.
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On the 22nd April 2017, over one million people converged on a farm just outside Bloemfontein to interceded for the nation of South Africa. This TruthTalk is an account and evaluation of this momentous event. Things in South Africa have already started changing! The Q&A session that follows the audio presentation deals with some issues which arise when we consider a gathering of this nature. We explore to what extent churches and individual Christians should be involved in politics, our role in national affairs, and our responsibility to speak truth to power.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/TruthTalkNationReborn.mp3
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Angus Buchan has called for one million Christians to gather for prayer on the 22nd April 2017 to ‘call upon The Lord to bring justice, peace and hope to our beloved South Africa‘. Why should we go? Let me say up front that I support this initiative, and the reason I am not going is because my wife and I are caring for our two small granddaughters so our son and daughter-in-law can go.
In Old Testament times, the whole nation of Israel was sometimes called to assemble, either to hear what God had to say to them or to intercede in a time of national calamity. The New Testament people of God responded to crisis in the same way. When the authorities commanded Peter and John to stop preaching about Jesus, the Christians assembled and ‘raised their voices together in prayer to God’ (Acts 4:24). This was their first response to crisis, but not their only response. Listen to how they concluded their prayers:
“Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." (Acts 4:29-30) In other words, they asked God to empower them to speak His Word and then to do what they couldn't do and perform a miracle! And God responded straight away by physically shaking the place where they were meeting and by filling them with power from on high. Does God need a certain number of people to agree together before He decides to act? No, I do not believe this for a minute. Will the prayers of many release sufficient power to enable God to move in our nation? No, God does not need our prayers in order to accomplish His mighty deeds! Prayer is talking reverently with God – no less and no more than that.
Why then should Christians go in their hundreds of thousands to the ‘It’s time’ prayer gathering?
A huge gathering like this represents the church across the nation and declares with one voice “Almighty God, we are dependent on you. We can do little without your intervention and we acknowledge this.” There is the request on behalf of the whole church; “Father God, please speak to us and to our nation for we are desperate to hear from you Lord.” There is the urgent plea of “In Jesus mighty name, please come, Holy Spirit of the living God, and fill us with power from on high so that we can proclaim your Word with boldness and effectiveness.”
My expectation is that God will respond to the prayers of His people and I am anticipating a miraculous change in the spiritual condition of our country resulting in big changes to government and society. My fervent hope is that the 'It’s time' national day of prayer will mark a decisive turning point in the downward trajectory of our nation, ushering in a new dispensation for ALL our people. Greed turned to giving, hate to compassion, fear to hope, poverty to earned prosperity, and godlessness to righteousness. Could it be that the ‘It’s Time’ gathering will usher in a mighty spiritual revival in South Africa? I have been part of a group of about 20 people who have been getting together every week to pray for revival – for such a time as this? In genuine Holy Spirit, Jesus-centred revival God the Father moves miraculously on even the hardest hearts. He could convict members of parliament to act with integrity and to heed their consciences. He could bring confusion and calamity to the recalcitrant, and He moves powerfully and decisively in many other ways. It is indeed time for the church of the Lord Jesus Christ to come together and pray with one mind and voice. It is indeed time for all Christians in our land to raise our voices and speak into whatever our circles of influence may be. It is indeed time for us to have faith in Almighty God to intervene decisively in our nation. It is indeed time.
‘“But for you who revere my name, the sun (Son) of righteousness will rise with healing in its (His) wings.
This is the second part of the 2 part series of TruthTalks by Dr. Christopher Peppler. If you missed part 1 and would like to catch up, please click HERE. The “It’s Time” prayer gathering event is just around the corner and next week we are going to be writing, and talking about this and we would love to have YOUR thoughts on it which we can address in the question and answer session of the TruthTalks podcast, so please go ahead and let us know. CLICK HERE and answer some questions for us - it would be great if we could pick up on your responses in our next Q&A.
Are you planning on going to the "It's Time" event? What is your motivation fro going or not going? What are your expectations?
In this, the second part 2 of the 2-part Revival series we hear about the state of Christian Theology and the church today and how much we NEED revival! Take up the challenge and search your heart for what YOUR beliefs on revival are, then let us know.
Listen to part two of the Revival Revisited message below.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Revival-Revisited-Part-2-TruthTalks-Sermon.mp3
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Talking about Revival! A million people are expected to attend the “It’s Time” prayer gathering event happening in South Africa soon. So, next week we are going to be writing, and talking about this and we would love to have YOUR thoughts on it which we can address in the question and answer session of the TruthTalks podcast. Please CLICK HERE and answer some questions for us - it would be great if we could pick up on your responses in our next Q&A.
Are you planning on going to the "It's Time" event? What is your motivation fro going or not going? What are your expectations?
This week we are listening to two teachings Dr. Christopher Peppler gave from Isaiah 61 concerning Revival. In the first teaching, he also asks if we believe you will see revival in OUR day. He uses the Hebrides and the local Kwazisabantu revivals as interesting case studies.
Listen to part one of the Revival Revisited message part 1 below.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Revival-Revisited-Part-1-TruthTalk-Sermon.mp3
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Talking about what we hold dearest in our hearts... The full title of this post is "The importance of staying true to Core Values" and in this podcast Dr Christopher Peppler goes into more detail about that and then he and I get into an interesting discussion about this, both:
In your own self, and how to judge whether you are drifting from your personal core values, and also In your church, how the church family can do this and what to do if you have a drifting of, or opposing view to the church values
In this conversation we refer to a diagram (a pyramid) representing core values which I have added to this post too in case you missed the first post on Core Values. As always, feedback appreciated!
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/TruthTalksCoreValues.mp3
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"Able" = an expansion of the Greek word ‘dunamis’ = miraculous power. In this sermon Dr. Christopher Peppler, drawing from the book of Jude, talks about our everyday lives and the troubles we face, how we feel we fall short of being better disciples, etc. But he explains that God is ABLE. He is able to...
Speak to us when He needs to Intervene in our lives when He chooses to Heal and even create something out of nothing when He decides to Keep us from falling And more
There are no restraints or limits on His ability and His miraculous power. This is a particularly good message to hear if you are feeling "unable" as we are given insight into all that God is able to do for us when we can't. We all stumble through our lives as disciples of Jesus – over sinful behaviours, bad attitudes, and life circumstances,but God is able to keep us from falling away from faith in Him. ROM 8:39 nothing is ‘able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.’
GOD IS ABLE! ‘To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Saviour be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen’. (Jude 24-25)
Listen to this truth talk below and feel free to comment on www.truthistheword.com.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/God-is-Able.mp3
This sermon is all about how we interpret things demonstrated with music, and it's role in the bible and how the music in OUR lives sounds. In this sermon Dr. Christopher Peppler reads from Psalm 139, using this as an example of showing us the difference between how when we internalise this, or any other verse and how we can interpret verses in either a major or minor key. He also demonstrates, using his "beater to better" guitar project, how something that other's can't see any value in, can be raised to be a thing of beauty and great music.
Some of us come into our lives:
with imperfections, great but we get beaten up by life
But, for all of us... …when Jesus breathes new life into us, we are in the hands of a Master Craftsman and He will transform us. Listen to the sermon (under the images of the "beater to better" project). Incidentally, the guitar found a new owner who cherishes it, even knowing it's former condition... like Jesus does with us.
The $50.00 "Beater" guitar as purchased
The "Better" version, after lots of loving attention
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/20160522-08h00-Chris-The-touch-of-the-Masters-Hand-3.mp3
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Ai-sh, can it be true? Yes, yes it can! Maybe even in our lifetime! Last week we posted a sobering article on Artificial Intelligence and how it could impact us on many different levels. If you missed that post don't worry, you will get a summary of sorts at the beginning of this audio file, otherwise, you can find it HERE or simply navigate to http://truthistheword.com/ai-sh-can-it-be-true/. In this follow-up audio TruthTalk, Dr. Christopher Peppler talks about the post and goes over some of the details he didn't include. After that, there is a question and answer session by his daughter (yours truly) where I try to ask the kind of questions I hope I'm not the only one asking. I try to catch him off-balance and often ask incredibly stupid questions (I realise in hindsight after he's answered them), but it helps me understand some of these bigger concepts and I do hope it assists you too.
So, if you like your food for thought taken aurally (and not orally) then simply click on the link below to listen now. We love getting your comments, so if you do have one, please comment at the bottom of this post, email us HERE, or post on our Facebook page which is https://www.facebook.com/truthistheword/.
Here is the TruthTalk:
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/TruthTalkArtificialIntelligence.mp3
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But why did this have to happen? Where was God? Dr Christopher Peppler talks about the distressing events we face in everyday life and how to handle them. Chris looks at questions like "why do bad things happen to good people?" and "why didn't God intervene?" Listen to this sermon preached at the Village Church on the 26th of June 2016 to hear answers to these, and other important questions that we may, on occasions, ask ourselves. Jesus answers these questions in John 13-16 and we are taken through those verses as well as how we are expected to cope with suffering and evil in this world and how to find peace in it all.
You can listen to this TruthTalk Sermon here:
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/In-the-World-Trials-Preached-26-June-2017.mp3
To listen to other sermons by Dr Christopher Peppler, go to http://truthistheword.com/my-sermons/
God Bless you!
Lent is upon us… well, it’s upon those who observe lent. The word Lent originally meant ‘lengthen’, as in the daylight hours of Spring, but in the more traditional Christian world, it has come to signify the 40 days of preparation for Easter. The main idea is that Christians should examine their lives, repent of sin, and attempt to present themselves as pleasing to God. One of the main ways they try to achieve this is by fasting.
In Old Testament times good Israelites fasted for several different reasons, but the most common reason was to demonstrate their grief and anguish of heart. When someone died, the family would fast as a way of evidencing their grief. When the nation disobeyed God and the people then realised their error they would fast to demonstrate their repentance. However, the religious leaders gradually replaced this fasting-from-the-heart with an ostentatious style of fasting designed to demonstrate their personal piety. So, the Pharisees of Jesus’ day would fast on one or two days a week to show others just how ‘holy’ they were, and they made sure everyone knew that they were fasting. Jesus addressed this religious pride and hypocrisy when He said, “When you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:16–18).
When today’s Christians wish to justify why they fast, say for Lent, they often quote this passage because Jesus said “When you fast” and not “if you fast” and was thus endorsing the practice for His followers… so they say. However his teaching was part of the well-known Sermon on the Mount, and although His disciples were present Jesus was addressing a large crowd of traditional Jewish folk (Matthew 7:29). They understood the why and how of fasting. To take Jesus’ acknowledgement of the practice of fasting in this passage as an endoresemnt for the ongoing practice of fasting is really biting off more than we should be chewing. Matthew 9:14-17 records how on another occasion Jesus addressed the issue of fasting: ‘Then the disciples of John came to him [Jesus], saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”’ Once again this is commonly used to support the idea that today’s believers should fast because did not Jesus, the groom, leave us to go back to heaven? But do we not believe then that Jesus is with us now in spirit? I would have thought that the more obvious way of understanding this passage was to take the comparison between John the Baptist’s Old Testament followers and Jesus’ disciples as a rejection, and not an endorsement, of Christian fasting.
I have sometimes fasted from all foods for up to a week, but in my later years have come to realise that fasting, other than for health reasons, is problematic on a number of grounds:
First is the lack of any reasonable biblical endorsement, let alone encouragement. Second, are the dubious motivations and practices that are so common when it comes to fasting. If we, as Christians, do decide to fast then the only legitimate spiritual motivation I can see is the desire to use abstinence as a way of drawing closer to Jesus. This means that we would need to use the mechanism of fasting in a conscious way ...
Do you know the origin of the expression ‘a red herring’? = ‘something that distracts from the main issue’ New England settlers who went hunting in the forests left pieces of smoked Herring on their tracks to confuse any wolves trying to track them. John chapter 7 contains some Red Herrings and we must not be distracted by them. Listen to this sermon by Christopher Peppler concerning reading the scriptures, avoiding the "red herrings" and ultimately revealing Gods Glory!
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Revealing-His-Glory-Preached-13-November-2016.mp3
On Sunday 2th Feb 2017 I preached on a very important topic, the difference between Knowledge and knowing. Many people who attend churches throughout the world have the terrible misconception that the essence of Christianity is knowing, doing, and committing the will. However, Jesus said, “You must be born again” and this re-creative miracle is a work of the Holy Spirit, by virtue of the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.
Listen to the sermon here, or download it from www.truthistheword.com
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Knowing-vs-Knowledge-Preached-26-February-2017.mp3
Why do church members think that they can, or should, ask their pastors for counselling? Why do pastors think that they are equipped or mandated to provide counselling? A retired pastor I know used to spend an average of 16 hours a week counselling. The man who took over from him when he retired is experiencing the same sort of counselling load. Why? Why spend so much time ‘counselling’ when there are so many other functions that need a leader’s focus and priority, like leading, preaching, teaching, and praying. I have difficulty justifying the current role of Pastor (with a capital ‘P’) because I just do not see it in the New Testament church or in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ, the head of the church. Ask a Pastor how he spends his time and you will find that his days are filled with administration, meetings, weddings, funerals, baby blessings, more meetings, preaching, and yet more meetings… and counselling.
In 2002 Frank Viola and George Barna wrote a controversial book titled ‘Pagan Christianity?’ In their chapter dealing with the Pastor’s role they write; ‘There is not a single verse in the entire New Testament that supports the existence of the modern-day pastor! He simply did not exist in the early church.’ Now if Pastors, as we know them today, did not exist in the early church, and their role is not even hinted at in the New Testament, then why do they dominate local church culture throughout the world? However, this article is not about the Pastor’s role in general, but about one of his or her main functions… counselling.
The definition of counselling is, ‘giving advice, giving professional psychological help, or recommending a course of action’.
Church members queue up to seek these things from their local church oracle called The Pastor: “Pastor, should I take this job offer or stay where I am?", and, "Pastor, my husband drinks and is having an affair, what should I do?” The ‘pastor’ either groans inwardly while offering up the plea, “What am I supposed to say Lord”, or he puffs himself out and pontificates. However, what appropriate education has our Pastor received that qualifies him as an 'expert' advice-giver? Perhaps a course in Nouthetic counselling, or a couple of days training in Theophostic prayer ministry, or a 12 credit course from his seminary? Many of today’s pastors are young and inexperienced, have yet to raise their own families, and most have never had to deal with the harsh realities of business life. Yet people expect counsel from them, and they in turn feel obliged to provide it.
Surely, we can see that there is something very wrong with the picture I am presenting. Perhaps I have it all wrong, but then I do have 30 years of pastoral leadership experience and the scars that go with this.
Here is what I think: ALL mature Christians should be available to others to help and comfort, and to pray with those who are confused or in emotional pain. Teachers within the Body of Christ, and that includes the ubiquitous ‘Pastors’, should teach what the Bible sets out as principles for living, point those in need to Jesus, and pray for the infilling presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives and situations. However, sometimes people are traumatised by the problems that confront them and need what I would call crisis counselling. But in my book, this form of counselling should seldom stretch beyond three sessions altogether and can and should be conducted by ANY mature, biblically literate, Jesus-centred, and Spirit-filled believer. Other than genuine crisis situations, most genuine disciples of Jesus know what they should or should not do and it doesn’t really help them to have a Pastor reinforce what they already know or refuse to ‘know’.
Now, consider the unfortunate Pastor who has to soak up hours and hours of bad news, negative emotion and angst… almost every day! Is it any wonder that more Pastors fall into sin, burn out, or give up in disillusionment than any other profession… other ...
Chaos reigned in parliament before the South African president’s latest state of the nation address. The Chief Whip of the opposition rose to state why his party could not remain to listen to the president, but the ruling party benches drowned him out with a loud and angry chorus of “racist”. Is this an acceptable expression or is it a form of hate speech?
Just weeks ago a crowd of gay activists gathered outside the largest church in Soweto to protest a recent sermon censoring homosexuality. Was such a sermon ‘hate speech’, or was the protest an attempt to curtail religious liberty?
Gay ‘rights’ are a contentious issue in many countries around the world but in South Africa activists are gaining traction and attention by aligning themselves as victims of hate speech. Two things appear to me to have sponsored the current emphasis on ‘hate speech’:
A number of racially prejudicial remarks in the social media, and, The ruling party’s opportunism in using this as an election campaign theme.
What then are gay rights, hate speech, and freedom of religion and expression, and how do these function together? I am neither a lawyer nor a lawmaker but as a Christian thought-leader, I do have opinions on these important issues.
In 2013 the Freedom of Expression Institute published ‘Hate speech and freedom of expression’ and I am drawing on this as a primary source for this article. Our Constitution with its Bill of Rights is the foundation for all rights and freedoms in South Africa. In 2000 parliament passed the ‘equality bill’ and there are two other concerning draconian bills nearing finalisation, but all such acts of parliament must conform to the provisions of the national constitution. So what does the constitution state concerning these matters? It states that Freedom of Expression cannot extend to expressions that enlist, among other things, ‘advocacy of hatred that is based on race, ethnicity, gender or religion and that constitutes incitement to cause harm’. The two parts of this are advocacy of hatred and incitement to cause harm. In terms of this, preaching against the practice of homosexuality surely cannot be anything other than a form of free expression. Section 15 of the Bill of Rights protects freedom of conscience, religion, thought, belief, or opinion. Therefore, a preacher is within his rights to state what he believes the Bible teaches and to voice his opinion based on this belief. But, it is one thing to preach on a biblical interpretation of a practice and quite another to make damaging statements concerning the individuals or groups that are deemed to violate the preacher’s beliefs.
At present I know of no officially accepted definition of hate speech but the following serves well: ’speech or expression which is capable of instilling or inciting hatred of, or prejudice towards, a person or group of people on a specified ground including race, nationality, ethnicity, country of origin, ethno-religious identity, religion, sexuality, gender identity or gender.’ Once again, the key phrase is ’speech or expression which is capable of instilling or inciting hatred of, or prejudice towards, a person or group of people’. Surely we, as Christians, can and should separate our strongly held opinions of what we consider to be unbiblical practices from derogatory, insulting and demeaning personal or group references? The national constitution also gives us the right to freedom of association and so we can stipulate membership criteria of our church associations and so on, based on our biblical beliefs and not on our prejudice against individuals.
Jesus said, “Whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council…” (Matthew 5:22 ESV). It is wrong to insult other people or to incite others to be insulting, however, the Lord Jesus used the expression "I tell you the truth” countless times and we are called to emulate Him as truth-tellers. But, the truth we tell must be a thoughtful, love-inspired,
Dr. Christopher Peppler talks about the fruit of the vine using the scripture John 15 as reference and covers things like the fact that Jesus likens himself to a grape vine and His disciples to the branches of the vine, He explains the meaning of the analogy. Branches need to be attached to vine (him); Father the vine-dresser; purpose of vine and dresser is to produce abundant and good fruit, opposition to disciples (branches) because of their union with Him (vine), and the role of the Holy Spirit (the sap in the branches of the vine). Listen to this TruthTalk to hear the full sermon.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161016-10h00-Chris-John-15-2.mp3
Part 2 in the 2 part series by Dr. Christopher Peppler focusing sing on Revival in the church, how it has occurred in the past, what exactly this involves, and what to expect when we experience revival in the church.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/06-November-PM-2016-Final-Small.lite_.mp3
Dr. Christopher Peppler preaches on the topic of Revival. In Part one we look at Isaiah 61 and ask ourselves what revival is, what it isn't and why we need it. We also look at past revivals in the church and what we should expect when revival comes!
Another year has started! A time of considering and praying about what lies ahead – plans, priorities, budgets. But as Christians we don’t just think and plan, we seek God’s counsel and approval (don’t we)… but how do we expect Him to respond? Psalm 25 gives some importance guidance in ‘hearing God’’. It’s a big subject and I will limit myself to what the first 15 verses of this Psalm teach. Based on Psalm 25:1-15, this sermon by Dr. Christopher Peppler covers how God speaks to us and how we should listen!
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/20170108-10h00-Chris-Show-me-your-ways-Lord.mp3
Can something that gives us life and health also cause us harm? Sadly, yes. Take water for example. H2O is necessary to sustain life but too much of it, too fast, can cause hyponatremia, or ‘water intoxication’, a very unpleasant condition that can be fatal. A similar condition, but of the spirit, can result from too much ‘grace’.
Grace is to the spirit what water is to the body. It is God’s grace that gives us spiritual life, and it is His grace that preserves that life for eternity. We are all familiar with the catchy definitions of grace like, ‘God’s riches at Christ’s expense’ and ‘unmerited favour’, but any way we define it, it comes down to one thing – grace is God reaching out in love and mercy to the undeserving. Now how could we have too much of that?
Not too long ago a new, yet old, doctrine became popular in parts of the church, and it did not take long for its critics to give it a name, ‘hyper-grace’. On the face of it, hyper-grace seems to be an overdose of grace, but it’s a little more complicated than that. The foundational teachings of hyper-grace are, more or less, as follows:
When we are saved by faith in Christ Jesus, we become one with Him, and as a result become blameless and ‘perfect’ in the Father’s eyes. Jesus paid for all sins when He died on the cross, and ‘all’ means past, present and future sins. Confession of sin is therefore inappropriate and an offence to God who has already dealt with all our sins. Because of this, the Holy Spirit will never convict us of sin. Because He sees only Jesus in us, God the Father cannot ever be angry with us and will not punish us or even hold us accountable for any ‘sinful’ behaviour. How can He if He has already forgiven us and even wiped our present and future transgressions from His memory? The Christian life should be effortless because God does it all and we just receive grace upon grace.
To believe all this, and at the same time confess that the Bible is inspired and authoritative, requires considerable mental gymnastics. Paul’s writings are complex and sometimes convoluted and therefore provide wiggle-room for those who want to slip through the cracks and ‘spin’ the scriptural message in favour of their teachings. However, Jesus’ teachings are in many ways clearer and so the Gospels are seldom referenced by hyper-grace teachers. And as for the Old Testament, well that’s just ‘law my brother’. Paul, of course, teaches extensively on sin, confession, repentance, and restitution. However, the hyper-grace guys write all that off as applying only to some mythical gnostic influence in the early church which doesn’t apply to us nowadays. Sigh!
I don’t think we can have too much biblical grace, but a myopic focus on a redefined grace can do us great harm. It’s not too much water than can kill us, it’s what too much water does to vital chemicals in our brains that causes us such great harm. Too much water flushes out salt and sodium from our system and this can cause a weird drunkenness of mind leading to coma and even death. Just consider what gets flushed out if we imbibe the hyper-grace I have described:
We would have to ignore the biblical teachings on conviction, repentance, confession, and restitution. We would select which texts to believe and which texts to discard as irrelevant. We would reject the conviction of the Holy Spirit as a false voice to rebuke rather than obey. We would ‘rest’ in our salvation with little or no attempt to work in partnership with the Holy Spirit in becoming more like Jesus in this lifetime. A sin committed would become an ‘oops, thank heaven I am already forgiven’ rather than a cause of repentance and confession. Making things right with those we have sinned against would seem pointless in the light of our great relief that God does not even remember the offence, so why should I?
God’s grace towards us is wonderful and indispensable, but our focus must not be on grace, either biblical or hyper,
In today's world, most people associate ‘supernatural’ with ghosts, séances, and Harry Potter. To say that Christianity is a supernatural relationship sounds both confusing and heretical. But it is! The meaning of the word ‘supernatural’ is ‘relating to an order of existence beyond the visible observable universe’ The Bible is full of accounts of supernatural events. Jesus ministered supernaturally, and the re-birth of the spirit is a profoundly supernatural phenomenon. The word ‘metaphysical’ is more or less a synonym for supernatural and is defined as ‘relating to the transcendent or to a reality beyond what is perceptible to the senses’ Yet, here again, it is usually connected in Christian circles with cult systems or Word of Faith extremes. Yet, Christianity is metaphysical. We cannot see God, who is Spirit, yet we have a relationship with the triune Godhead in and through Jesus Christ. We cannot test or measure the manifestations of healing and miracles yet we experience them and gladly accept them… or do we? Some Christian folk reject outright anything, spiritual gifts included, that appear to be supernatural. Words of Knowledge are to them simply intellectually informed teachings, Words of Wisdom are wise utterances, Prophecy is preaching, and so on. Such people are commonly termed cessationists in theological circles; they believed that the ‘Gifts of the Spirit’ have ceased. I have read as much as I choose to about the justifications for holding such a belief, but I find them wanting. Although theologians of this persuasion often claim that their theology is based on a sound exposition of scripture, nothing could be further from the truth. The New Testament is replete with references to the supernatural, and the claim that 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 supports cessationism is, in my opinion at least, just foolish and irresponsible. Actually, the real argument that the supernatural Gifts of the Spirit have ceased is based on a selective reading of history and not on biblical interpretation.
On the other side of the spectrum are those who claim to operate supernaturally as disciples of Jesus, but evidence magical manipulation rather than spiritual ministry. I am referring here to such things as crowd mesmerising, leg-stretching, mantra shouting, gold dust materialising, angel feather falling, religious slight-of-hand. I regard this as a perversion and not a spiritual reality, and as mind-craft, not supernatural ministry. Neither cessationism nor charismania are valid expressions of biblical Christianity.
If these two positions represent the end-points of a horizontal line, then the middle point, pulled up to form a triangle, must be intellectual knowledge-based pseudo-Christianity. In terms of this belief system, re-birth is just a euphemism for commitment of the will, spirituality consists of Bible study and prayer, church is an organisation akin to a school, and evangelism is a call to embrace a way of living and a denominational doctrinal statement. To my way of thinking, this too is a parody of New Testament Christianity. Cessationism, charismania, and intellectual pseudo-belief form a baleful triumvirate in current Christendom. Jesus modelled a supernatural faith relationship with His Father, the Holy Spirit, and His disciples. Read through the Gospels and observe how He ministered supernaturally, and how He positioned faith, not as a force to be manipulated, but as a the catalyst of metaphysical relationships. Take note of His profound lecture to the intellectually religious leader Nicodemus. Read on through the book of Acts and note how the early church functioned. Note also how Paul explained the work of the Holy Spirit in and through the church (1 Corinthians 12 & 14).
Surely, Christianity is essentially a supernatural metaphysical faith relationship with the triune God in and through Jesus Christ, and with others in and through the Body of Christ the church.
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Giving to the local church is biblical and important, but tithing is a self-serving remnant from a long distant age. On numerous occasions, I have sat through Sunday services where there have been two sermons; one on tithing and the other on whatever topic the preacher had on his heart. I am not being facetious or sarcastic here, but some churches preach on tithing every Sunday. The exhortations I have heard on this subject usually take one of two forms:
There is the appeal to God’s Law, routinely built around, what I call ‘Malachi’s mallet’; "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me." But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse — the whole nation of you — because you are robbing me” (Malachi 3:8-10). Then there is the... ...‘let’s do a good deal with God’ approach, and here the continuation of the Malachi passage works well; “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the Lord Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it” (Mal 3:10-11). So, great, let's give 10 and He will give us 100... a good deal indeed!
Does the Bible insist that disciples of the Lord Jesus give a tenth of whatever they earn? Are pastors righteous when they insist that their members tithe to their local church? Should we be financially funding our local church? My answers are No… No… and Yes! Tithing, which is a word describing a tenth of something, has its origin in the life of Old Testament Israel and was what we today would understand as Income Tax. The tithe paid for Israel’s system of government before the advent of kings and kingdoms. The priests administered religious ritual and the judges administered justice and provided national leadership. All adult citizens paid the tithe to fund the religious and judicial systems (Leviticus 27:30, Numbers 18:26).
Do we find the concept of tithing in the New Testament? No, we do not, but we do find a few references to it. Its first New Testament appearance is when Jesus was declaring dire woes on the Pharisees; "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone” (Luke 11:42 and also in Matthew 23:23). Advocates of tithing often link this to what Jesus said concerning the Law; “I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). Here, Jesus is not only said to be endorsing the tithe, but also claiming that non-tithers will not go to Heaven! But is this honestly what these texts mean? I don’t think they do; in fact I think that this understanding is as back-to-front as ‘ehtit’! The address to the Pharisees consisted of woes, not affirmation. The Matthew 23 passage starts with Jesus telling His followers that they were to obey the Pharisees, despite their hypocrisy, because they were the custodians of the Law of Moses. Before Jesus died to settle the demands of the Law, the Jews were still under the Law and could only be deemed righteous before God if they obeyed all of its requirements. His statement recorded in Matthew 5:20 simply reinforces this truth. However, Jesus put to death the demands of the Law when He died on the cross of Calvary. Paul wrote of how Jesus abolished ‘in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations’ (Ephesians 2:15). He also wrote, in Romans 3:21-22 that ‘now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe’. Jesus was not endorsing the law of tithing for His followers, He was simply pointing out that outside of salvation in Him there was no righteousness for t...
“Say to them, 'This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction’. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips’” (Jeremiah 7:28) These are the words of the prophet Jeremiah speaking to the nation of Israel about 2,600 years ago, but they may just as well have been spoken to the nations of the world now.
Tell me honestly; do you know what is true any more when it comes to the news, political utterances, and social media?
I don’t! It disappoints me, but I have to admit that I have become sceptical to the point of cynicism. When it comes to most politicians and most news media, I have moved from ‘not easily convinced’ towards ‘distrustful of human sincerity and integrity’.
The Oxford Dictionaries word of the year for 2016 is ‘post-truth’. They define this composite word as describing ‘circumstances where objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief’. Perhaps I would not have taken this too seriously if I had not been closely following both the Brexit bruhaha and the US elections rumpus. I watched with amazement as internationally recognised news anchors and political commentators displayed the most blatant bias in their reporting. They rephrased items of ‘fact’ and added an obvious spin accompanied by sneers, smirks and dismissive gestures. My amazement turned to outrage, and finally to sadness.
The first of the ‘post’ words that demanded my attention some years ago was the word ‘post-modern’, commonly referring to the last quarter of the twentieth century. Post-modern would at least mean ‘an era after the modern one', however, we seldom use it in this way. More often, we refer to post-modern as an era of radical reappraisal of modern assumptions about culture, identity, religions, and so on. During this period philosophers, and even some church leaders, sowed the poisonous seed of what would later grow into a post-Christian worldview. For at least the last 20 years there has been a definite shift away from the predominance of Christian beliefs and ethics in politics, economics, and sociology. This erosion has resulted in the loss of the primacy of the Christian worldview in political affairs in favour of secularism and nationalism. The result is what some social commentators have labelled a ‘post-Christian’ worldview.
During the 20th century, some church leaders tried to ‘save’ the Bible from scorn and disuse by attempting to de-supernaturalise it. People, like Bishop Spong, believed that only a scientifically validated faith could survive the times. I remember attending a faculty meeting of the theological department of a public university where some of the professors were arguing that for Christian theology to survive we would need to align it closely with the sciences. Later came the seeker-sensitive substitute for the Gospel, emergent church liberalism on the one hand, and a warmed up version of dominionism going under the label of the New Apostolic Reformation.
From these post-modern seeds grew the weeds of relative truth and individualistic or group norms for belief and righteousness.
It isn’t hard to see how this would grow into what is now termed the post-truth era. If truth is relative to circumstances and subordinate to expediencies then the lines between right and wrong, moral and immoral, true and false, become so feint that they all but disappear. ‘Fake news’ inundates the media and the internet and social media are replete with irrational and often mischievous announcements and ‘revelations’. The American Intelligence chiefs use uncorroborated information as part of their presidential briefings, newspapers publish it, TV hosts discuss it with panels of so-called experts, and the public believes it... Well not all of us. In addition, this morass of half-truth, untruth and misinformation even extends its swampy reach to the church. Ministers of the Gospel pull people’s legs and claim that they are ...
As Christians, we not only think about and plan for the year ahead, we seek God’s counsel and approval… don’t we? But how do we expect Him to respond to us when we ask? The comedian Lily Tomlyn once quipped; “Why is it that when we speak to God we are said to be praying, but when God speaks to us we are said to be schizophrenic?” Perhaps there is some truth in this because unsaved people generally accept prayer as a socially acceptable practice, but tend to regard people who claim to ‘hear God’ as distinctly strange. However, the Lord spoke to Peter, and Paul, and countless other biblical characters, so what’s strange about hearing God? In my experience, though, many Christians do not experience God speaking to them in any direct and clearly identified way. Perhaps if we do not ‘hear God’ in some tangible way we should ask ourselves how we expect the Holy Spirit to guide and counsel us. King David obviously expected God to respond to him because in Psalm 25 he wrote, ‘Show me your ways O Lord, teach me your path’ (vs. 4). It is not clear from this Psalm just how David expected to hear from God, but I do believe that it should be clear to us.Our ability to hear God depends a lot on our expectation and our spiritual condition.
In verse five of Psalm 25 David writes, ‘guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my saviour’. So, David’s expectation of hearing God was based on the fact that he was in a saving relationship with the almighty. The Hebrew word he used here for ‘saviour’ leads us to Jesus. When the angel appeared to Mary he said, “You are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Now the name Jesus is a Greek form of Joshua, which comes from the same Hebrew word for ‘saviour’ that David used in his psalm. This Jesus, this saviour, is recorded in John 3:3 as saying to the Hebrew scholar Nicodemus; “I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again he cannot see (perceive, discern) the Kingdom of God”. Then He went on to say, “You must be born again”. The foundational basis for hearing God is the spiritual rebirth into a saving relationship with the triune God in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. If we are to hear Him then we need to be born again.
The words ‘born again’ are not just code for church membership or a commitment to live a good life, but rather express a metaphysical reality. You see, thanks to Adam and Eve, all people are born physically into this world spiritually dead to God. To relate to God, who is a spiritual being, our dead spirits must be ‘born again’ from above. I use the word metaphysical because it expresses something beyond and transcending the physical. You see, Christianity is not a system of behaviour, religious ritual, philosophy, or social dynamics; it is a spirit-to-spirit relationship between Jesus and His disciples. I am making this point so definitely, because there are many in our churches who adhere to a Christian religious world-view, and have even been brought up in Christian-type homes, yet have never asked the Holy Spirit to give them new spiritual life in Jesus’ name. These same folk are often the ones who don’t hear God, no matter how hard they pray.
To be born again is the first condition for hearing God, and verse 2 of Psalm 25 gives the second condition; ‘In you I trust, O my God’. Now, if you do not trust God, then why would you want Him to guide you, and why would you follow His guidance even if He did speak to you? Our trust in God is based on our firm belief that, as David said, ‘No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame’ (vs. 3). Jesus revealed that God the Father is merciful, loving, and truthful. Therefore, we know that He can be trusted, that He is not playing cosmic chess with us in which we are the pawns, and that He will not set us up just to witness our humiliation.
Verses 7 and 11 of Psalm 25 point us to the next condition for hearing God – confession of known sin.
Have you ever wondered if Jesus was really born on the 25th December? Would shepherds and their sheep be outdoors in the fields in the middle of winter? And what are we supposed to make of the cynics who say that the Christmas birth story is just a variation of the ancient myth of the god of wine, Dionysus (also known as Bacchus, or Iacchus) supposedly born of a virgin mother on that day? Perhaps we, like the ancient Magi of the Christmas story, should look to the heavens for the answers.
The autumn equinox in the northern hemisphere is on the 22nd September, and this month is a far more likely candidate for the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ than is December, here's why: Interestingly, on the 22nd September 3 BC the planet Mercury was in the constellation of Virgo at sunrise (as seen from Bethlehem). Above Mercury stood Venus, in almost perfect alignment, and above that, in the constellation of Leo, stood Jupiter in conjunction with the star Regulus. This would have been a significant astronomical event to the ancient wise men, the Magi, who would probably have attributed great religious significance to it. One week earlier, the planets Venus and Mercury were in perfect conjunction at dawn, and this would also have attracted the attention of ancient astronomers. So, if we are looking for a suitable date for the birth of Jesus Christ, the 22nd September 3 BC would fit nicely.
There has been a lot of speculation about the nature of the Star of Bethlehem. Some think it was a comet, others that it was a supernova, and yet others that it was a specially created miraculous stellar phenomenon. I have read several articles on this subject, but none of the explanations given satisfies me.
The biblical data is as follows. The wise men reported to King Herod that they were searching for the recently born Jewish Messiah because they had seen ‘his star rising in the east…’ (Matthew 2:2). The account in Matthew’s Gospel goes on to say that Herod inquired of these Magi the ‘exact time the star had appeared.’ On the advice of his scholars, he then directed the Magi to Bethlehem, and the star ‘went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was.’ The wise men then entered the house where Mary was. Note the use of the word ‘house’ and not ‘stable’. The account tells us that the Magi saw a ‘child’, not a ‘baby’, and bowed down and worshipped him. The wise men then did not tell Herod where the child was living, and so the evil king ordered the slaughter of all boys of two years old or under living in or around Bethlehem.
What we can glean from this data is firstly, that the star was observed ‘rising in the east’. The Magi most probably came from Babylonia, where the priestly class of scientists studied astronomy. Their practice was to observe the heavenly bodies at dawn each morning. They noted and interpreted the meaning of the constellation and planets which appeared on the eastern horizon as the sun rose. To them, each star sign signified a nation, and each planet and first order star had a special significance. The ancients regarded the planets as ‘wandering stars’ because they did not know the scientific differences between stars and planets, and merely observed that the planets appeared to wander across the night sky while other stars stood still in the heavens. The second piece of information we have from the biblical data is that the star of Bethlehem appeared to move and then to stand still. This rules out the supernova theory, because that would appear as a sudden and stationary burst of light in one particular location. The third thing we can gather from the data is that Jesus was no longer a newborn baby when the Magi visited. Mary was living in a house, not a stable, and Herod ordered the murder of all boys of two years old and under. Had Jesus been a baby, then it would have sufficed to kill only babes in arms. After all, Herod knew the exact time the star signalling the birth of the Mes...
On the 25th December each year most Christians choose to celebrate the birthday of the Lord Jesus Christ.Shopping malls used to be festooned with decorations, Christmas trees stood in the windows of most stores, and carols filled the air. Not any more. Now, at best, you see a token decoration and a ‘Happy Holidays’ sign in the odd shop window. But do you remember the little carved nativity scenes? The baby Jesus in a crib, donkeys and assorted livestock peering in along with a token shepherd; Oh, and Joseph and Mary standing behind the crib. Mary doesn’t usually feature much in our modern Christmas celebrations but I want to focus on her in this article… and no, I haven’t converted to Roman Catholicism :)
The Gospels record two genealogies for Jesus of Nazareth.
The one in Matthew starts with Abraham, through King David, and ends with Jacob. Well, actually the last person mentioned in the royal line is… Mary. Joseph is simply listed as ‘the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ’. The other genealogy, recorded in Luke’s gospel, starts with the words, ‘He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli…’
The reason for the way these lists are presented is that Joseph was not Jesus’ biological father. Mary was a virgin and the angel Gabriel foretold her divine impregnation with these wonderfully mysterious words; “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35). Joseph provided Jesus’ valid claim to the throne of David, but God the Father provided the divine lineage. Mary played a hugely important role in the unfolding of God’s great plan of salvation. In Eden, Adam and Eve rebelled against the Almighty, and as a result became separated from God's life, knowledge, and presence. But from that horrendously fateful moment onwards, God initiated a plan to bring His lost children back into relationship with himself. This plan took thousands of our years to play out and involved the cooperation of a nation, a tribe, and a person. The nation was Israel, the tribe was Judah, and the person was… Mary.
Mary was the finest product of humanity as represented by the Old Testament people of God. She was a very special young lady. The angel greeted her with these words; "Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you." (Luke 1:28) and this surprised the humble Mary and made her fearful. The angel then explained that God himself was going to cause His son to be born into the world with and through her. Her response to this marvelously outrageous news was simply, “I am the Lord’s servant”. I wonder how a less pure, humble, and dedicated person might have reacted. Over her remaining life, Mary saw and heard many wonderful things which she treasured in her heart (Luke 2:19,51) but she also had to deal with the incomprehensible and the emotionally painful. Perhaps when she had given birth to Jesus she had whispered to herself ‘It has started’, but just over 33 years later she heard her beloved son say “It is finished” (John 19:30).
No, Mary was not herself born without a human father, and no, Mary did not ascend bodily into heaven without dying, but nevertheless Mary is to be honoured and remembered; she herself declared that, “from now on all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1:48)
When I consider the life of Mary I am always freshly impacted by two things.I am awed by God’s meticulous plan for saving humanity from rebellion and shame. How patiently and perfectly He worked with Israel, His chosen people, until all things were ready for the coming of the Saviour into the world. And all the threads of destiny came together in one young woman, Mary. The other thing that impresses me so is that God, who can do anything to anyone at any time and in any way, selected a method of bringing about reconciliation and new life that involved a woman. Without a woman’s willing participation there would be no Jesus of Nazareth,
It is one thing for us to claim that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, and quite another to assert that we are interpreting it correctly.
‘Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth’. 2 Timothy 2:15-16 (HCSB)
I have written on this subject before but it is so important that it warrants repeating.
I am currently helping a colleague develop a two-day workshop on Bible interpretation for church leaders who have English as a second or third language. Most of them have a low level of formal education, and a further challenge is that many of them have only been exposed to topical or allegorical preaching. Those who do not interpret the Bible allegorically, have been taught to take everything at face value and very literally. Perhaps I should give an example of these two types of ‘interpretation’: The story that Jesus told of the good Samaritan has often been interpreted allegorically. Some teachers have claimed that the two coins given to the innkeeper to provide for the injured man’s board and lodging stand for baptism and holy communion. The idea being that these are the two ordained church provisions for the ‘sinner’. But there is no end to what the two coins could be taken to represent; Old and New Testaments, Apostles and Prophets, and so on. The problem is, of course, that the original context of the passage plays little role in this form of interpretation, and nor does the first intended meaning.
A couple of years ago I came across a rather extreme yet nevertheless real-life example of literalistic interpretation. One of our preaching team members was ministering at a church in a nearby informal settlement. During the service, a young woman started to manifest signs of demonic interference, so... the church leaders immediately tied her up with ropes! The visiting preacher demanded that they release her and asked why they had tied her up. They answered that the Bible said they should because "Jesus said in Matthew 12:29 that they should ‘bind the strongman’." Once again, the context and first intended meaning of the scripture in question had been ignored.
So, what are the most fundamental processes for interpreting the Bible? For me, there are just three – Context, Christocentricity, and Exhaustive Reference.
In the majority of cases, the context of a text yields its fundamental meaning, in other words;
Look at the verse's position within the larger portion of scripture in which the text is set. Observe the literary type or style of the passage. Is it poetic, or prophetic, a parable, or a historical account? For instance, we get into all sorts of trouble when we read the book of Revelation as a chronological history. Finally, note the cultural, geographic, and historic setting.
Determining the context of a passage helps us answer the key question, ‘what is the first intended meaning of this portion of scripture?’ A helpful way of getting to an answer to this question is to consider what the first listeners or readers would have understood as the meaning.
Where the meaning of a passage is still not clear, even when considered within its various contexts, then we need to ask a further question; ‘what light does the life and teaching of the Lord Jesus shed on my understanding of this passage?’ Did Jesus teach this? Did Jesus do what the text appears to teach? Is what Jesus presented as the nature, character, and values of the Triune God consistent with what this text appears to be saying? Jesus Christ is the full manifestation of the Godhead (Colossians 2:9) and we can be sure that His life and teachings constitute the primary key to understanding the Bible. One of the most dramatic examples of the need for this Christocentric principle is the sad story of Ananias and Sapphira who appear to have been struck down by God for not fully disclosing their donation to the church (Acts 5:1-11).
I find it hard to believe that Evangelical Christians are divided, and passionately so, over whether planet Earth is 6,000 years or 4 billion years old. Indeed, Jon Greene writes that it is ‘one of the most polarizing and divisive issues within the Christian community’. In the past, local churches and even entire denominations, have divided over issues such as baby baptism, speaking in tongues, and even end-time scenarios. But to divide over the age of the Earth seems even more pathetic!
In 2012 Joy! Magazine was buzzing with articles and letters to the editor about this issue, and so they asked me to write a ‘calming’ article which I titled ‘The great creation debate’. Now it seems that things are hotting up once more, and so I feel the need to make some observations… again.
To get up to date I watched a number of YouTube debates between people like Kent Hovind and Ken Ham on the Young Earth side and Hugh Ross, and Hank Hanegraaff on the Old Earth side. All the Christians I have heard, or read, who are involved in the controversy believe in the inspiration of the Bible and, strangely enough, they all seem to agree that Darwinian Evolution (change through unguided naturalistic processes), as it is commonly understood, is neither biblical nor logical. Yet Kent Hovind called Hugh Ross a heretic, to his face, claimed that the God he worshiped was not Hugh’s god and that the graciously tolerant Dr. Ross was a cult leader. What on earth (pun intended) is the cause of such insecurity and animosity? Trying to make sense of the debates on this issue can be confusing and frustrating. On the one side, the arguments often devolve into “God’s Word says so, so that’s the way it is” statements, and on the other side the many references to quasars, the speed of light, quantum mechanics, and so on can be a little overwhelming. Debaters tend to argue at length (Pun intended once more) whether the meaning of the word translated as ‘day’ in Genesis Chapter One can indicate a long period instead of a 24-hours. Ken Ham accuses Old Earth Creationists of arguing from the basis of science and then trying to make the biblical account conform to the so-called evidence. Dr. Ross, however, claims that he is equally committed to the inspiration and authority of the Bible, but that he sees no conflict between a reasoned interpretation of the scriptures and the scientific evidence. But is the real driving issue the matter of WHEN God created? Is it really? I don’t think so.
Ken Ham states that his concern is not so much the age of the earth as it is the authority of scripture, and I think that here he puts his finger on the underlying issue. The 20th century scientific age ushered in aggressive atheistic criticism of biblical authority, and even within the church liberal scholars undercut the belief that the Bible is divinely inspired. Charles Darwin’s theories of natural evolution added to the controversy and so several ‘fundamentalist’ Christians dedicated themselves to the task of defending the inspiration and authority of scripture against science in the face of humanistic scorn and derision.
Darwinian evolution, although taught in most schools as ‘fact’, has now been largely abandoned by most informed scientists, and so the battle front has shifted to the matter of the age of the cosmos in general and the earth in particular. Young Earthers contend that a ‘plain reading’ of the English translation of Genesis One necessitates belief that God created the world in six consecutive 24-hour days some 6,000 years ago. Old Earthers, on the other hand, claim that a literal reading of the Genesis creation account, in its original Hebrew, leads to the understanding that the world was created by God over very long periods of time. So, both sides believe that God created all things, and both sides believe that the Bible is inspired and authoritative, yet they differ vehemently on how to interpret the inspired scriptures. Dear, Oh dear,
What do you understand by the word ‘glory’? praise, honour, or distinction? Great beauty and splendour? A state of great gratification or exaltation? These are dictionary definitions and if we applied them to God then we would most likely define His glory in a way similar to John Piper’s ‘the infinite beauty and greatness of his manifold perfections’. But perhaps a more relevant question for us to ask is ‘how is God’s glory best displayed?’
From my interactions with Christians over many years it seems to me that many, if not most, people understand God’s glory as something that manifests in displays of His power, irresistible will, or supreme authority. Of course, God, being God, is the all-powerful, supreme authority over all creation and nothing can resist Him when He decides to act in a particular way. But is this how His glory is best revealed?
At the local church, I attend we are currently working our way through the Gospel of John and this last Sunday it was my privilege to preach on Chapter 17. On the surface, the subject matter appears to be Jesus’ prayer to The Father concerning their relationship, the 11 apostles, and all future believers. However, in His prayer, He uses the word ‘glory’ or ‘glorify’ 8 times and this gives us insight into the underlying substance of His prayer. He speaks of His glory, The Father’s glory, and His disciples’ glory. So what exactly is this ‘glory’ that that Father and Son display and that we, as His disciples, are expected to display? The first biblical reference to glory that I can find which concerns the personal attributes of God is in Exodus 33. Moses approaches God for help in leading the Israelites and the Lord responds with the words, “My presence will go with you” , or as the New Living Translation puts it “I will personally go with you”. To which Moses comes back with one of the most presumptuous requests in the Bible; “Now show me your glory”. The Hebrew word he uses here is transliterated as ‘kaw-bode’ which, in this context, is best translated as ‘substance’. Is Moses really saying, “Okay, so you say that you will go with me, but what is your essence? What defines you?” In other words, “can I trust your motive and character?’ It seems like this is what Moses is implying because God responds in an unexpected way; He says “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you. ”And then He amplifies the idea of goodness with the words mercy and compassion. Then God explains to Moses that no human being can look upon the radiance of His countenance and survive and so He demonstrates His goodness, mercy, and compassion by shielding Moses in order to protect him.
So, is God’s glory manifest in His total control of all things, or His immutable decrees and commands, or in the exercise of His irresistible power? No, God’s glory is best displayed in His goodness, compassion, and mercy. This should not surprise us because the Old Testament is replete with references to these divine qualities. And when we get to God’s self-revelation in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, the nature of God’s glory becomes obvious to all. John describes the coming of God the Son into the world with the words, ‘The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth' Hebrews 1:3 states that ‘the Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being’. When we consider the life of Jesus and ponder on His words then we can have no doubt that He is the personification of divine goodness, mercy, and compassion. Oh, and in Jesus, we can look upon the face of God and live!
The most powerful demonstration of the glory of God was the crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. On the cross of Calvary God demonstrated the extreme extent of His goodness and through the death of His Son provided life with himself for all who will believe.
Now, in our day,
I believe that only genuine Holy Spirit, Bible-based, and Jesus-centred REVIVAL can rescue the church and nations from the darkness that has fallen upon us. On Sunday morning and evening I preached at the church of a dear friend; my text was Isaiah 61 and the subject matter was ‘revival’. In the morning I described the Kwasizabantu Zululand revival of 1966 as an example of what can happen in times of revival, and in the evening I detailed the wonderful revival of 1949 that took place in the Scottish Hebrides. You can listen to these sermons by clicking on the audio player links provided at the bottom of this post. For those of you who prefer a quick read to a long listen, let me outline the ground I covered. What is Revival? First allow me to say what revival is NOT:
It’s not a special rally as in “We are holding a revival Friday through Sunday” It’s not a period of growth and health in a local church. It’s not a hype and drama signs and wonders promotion – a sort of show-and-tell what God is doing in OUR church.
No, Revival is so much MORE than any of these things.
It is a sudden and sovereign move of God. It is a visitation from God: “When God stepped down” It is an acute and sustained church-wide, and often country-wide sense of the presence of God. It is when a community is saturated with Holy Spirit. It is a dramatic return to Acts 2 Christianity. It is a Reformation, Restoration, and Renewal of the CHURCH that then extends to society at large. It is when Jesus manifests himself gloriously in and through His church.
Brian Edwards describes revival in his book ‘Revival – a people saturated with God': A true Holy Spirit revival is a remarkable increase in the spiritual life of a large number of God’s people, accompanied by an awesome awareness of the presence of God, intensity of prayer and praise, a deep conviction of sin with a passionate longing for holiness and unusual effectiveness in evangelism, leading to the salvation of many unbelievers. Revival is remarkable, large, effective and, above all, it something that God brings about. It is quite impossible for man to create a revival. Though men may prepare and pray for it, revival is the work of the sovereign God, not primarily for the benefit of his people, but for his own honour and glory.
Why do we need revival?
After considering the nature of revival it should be obvious but allow me to spell it out.
In Isaiah’s day Israel and the nations were in great spiritual darkness Ref. ISA 60:2 ‘See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples’ Just so today – look around at ecology, economy, politics, the state of the church! ISA 59:14-15(a) ‘So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey.’ Just so today!
But it’s not just the world around us that is in darkness for the church too has generally lost its way.
The church has lost its focus on Jesus!
Jesus as only Saviour Jesus as effective Lord and head of our churches. Jesus as our model for life and ministry. Jesus as our interpreter of scripture.
The only thing that can bring the church back to the centrality of Jesus is REVIVAL!
And the only thing that can bring light to our dark world is a revived church!
The Revival I believe is at the door of the church is not ‘just’ like the great Protestant reformation, or the many restoration movements of the past, or the Azusa type outpourings but ALL THREE – Reformation, Restoration, and Revival. But more than anything else IT WILL BE A JESUS REVIVAL! So what can we expect at a personal level when revival comes?
It will be emotionally volatile It will be messy and spontaneous It will not be within our ability to control It will call for humility and transparency as sin issues are revealed It will demand our time and energy It will be all consuming
Ever since I have known him Len Sweet has boldly declared that the church is suffering from a ‘Jesus deficit disorder' I met up with him again a few weeks ago and asked him if this was still the case. His response was, “It’s even worse now than it was two decades ago”. Is his view correct? Well, those of you who regularly read my posts know that I agree with Len 100%, that the church appears to have lost its focus on The Lord Jesus. But is there hard evidence to back up these claims? Yes... and here is one example.
Ligonier Ministries have recently released their latest survey, ‘The state of theology’ in the United States of America. Ligonier is part of the teaching ministry of Dr R.C.Sproul, a well-known Calvinist theologian. Some of the statements posed to the 3,000 Christians polled are phrased from a Calvinist perspective, but most are not and therefore give a good idea of general Christian thinking rather than just ‘reformed’ thinking. Here are some of the statements that relate to the Lord Jesus Christ, along with the responses:
Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God… 67% agreed or were not sure. So, two-thirds of evangelical Christians in the USA believe that Jesus was and is a created being like some sort of super angel! The great historic creeds state the exact opposite. For instance, the Nicene Creed states that ‘we believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds; God of God, Light of Light, very God of very God; begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father, by whom all things were made.’ Of course, the Creeds are merely statements of biblical truth written in order to combat error, truths such as Hebrews 1:2-4; ‘in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs’. There are several other scriptures I could quote but the point is made.
So, here’s the thing, the majority (67%) of American Christians believe that Jesus is less than God despite the biblical evidence to the contrary. The response to the next statement confirms this terrible heresy.
Jesus is truly God and has a divine nature, and Jesus is truly man and has a human nature… 37% disagreed or were unsure! Over a third of those polled either believe that Jesus does not have a divine nature, or that He doesn’t have a human nature. Yet in Colossians 1:19 Paul boldly asserts that ‘God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him’. The very salvation that Jesus came to earth to procure for us depends on both His divinity and His humanity. So it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to see the responses to the next statement. Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only sacrifice that could remove the penalty of my sin… 38% disagreed. Yet John the Apostle wrote that Jesus ‘is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). And Paul wrote, ‘for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood (Romans 3:23-25). Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone as their Saviour receive God’s free gift of eternal salvation… 44% disagreed! O my, O my… I don’t need to comment further.
So has the American evangelical church lost its focus on Jesus? Is it suffering from a Jesus Deficit Disorder? The evidence confirms this deadly malaise in the Body of Christ. And don’t be too quick to think that this is just an American phenomenon because the anecdotal eviden...
What do Mohammad and Jesus have in common? Absolutely nothing. In the religion of Islam, Jesus is honoured as a messenger of Allah but Muhammad is revered as his last and greatest messenger. Biblical Christianity, on the other hand, gives no credence to either the god of Islam or Muhammad. Islam only emerged onto the world scene late in the sixth century and has no roots in biblical history. Some like to claim that Islam is the third monotheistic (Abrahamic) religion standing alongside Judaism and Christianity, but it really has no theological common point of origin and its god is certainly not just another name for Jehovah of the Old Testament and the Father of the New Testament.
A few weeks ago I attended a very informative day-long presentation by a man who understands Islam both at a scholarly and practical level. Dr Mark Durie describes himself as ‘an academic, human rights activist, Anglican pastor, a Shillman-Ginsburg Writing Fellow at the Middle East Forum, and Adjunct Research Fellow of the Arthur Jeffery Centre for the Study of Islam at Melbourne School of Theology’. I was very impressed with both his mastery of his subject and his demeanour. You can access his work at www.markdurie.com I learned from Dr Durie that in Islam the essential relationship between Allah and his followers is that of master to slave. Original sin is not presented as rebellion against a loving Father, resulting in spiritual death, but is seen as a stepping off the path (Sharia) set by the creator, leading to punishment. The solution to ‘sin’ in Islam is not spiritual rebirth, but knowledge and adherence to the ‘straight path’ set out in its holy book, the Quran.
The three pillars of knowledge and understanding in Islam are the Quran, the life of Muhammad, and the doctrine of the ‘infallible’ teachers. The Quran is said to have been spoken out by Muhammad under the inspiration of an angel named Jibril, memorised by the first audience, and then later written down by them. The life of Muhammad was only documented in a form acceptable to the majority of Muslim leaders some 200 or so years after his death. The Quran is not compiled in any sort of chronological order and so the authorised life history of Muhammed is used to determine which of his pronouncements were earlier and which later. This is an important issue because an interpretive rule for understanding and applying the teachings of the Quran is that later pronouncements supersede earlier declarations and abrogate any contradictory earlier statements. Muhammad started his career in Mecca, but after 12 years and much persecution he and his followers fled to Medina. The later (Medina) pronouncements in the Quran are far more militant and harsh than the earlier (Mecca) declarations. These later teachings are regarded as abrogating earlier, more tolerant verses, and thus largely determine the essential nature of Islam. I also learned from Dr Durie that Islam cannot be reasonably viewed on the basis of the Quran and its established interpretive principles as a moderate and peace-loving religion. The ‘radicals’ who are currently trying to establish an Islamic Caliphate are in fact endeavouring to act with hideous integrity to the religion of Islam. Modern followers of Muhammad who espouse moderation and peace either do not understand the established teachings of their religion, or they are being disingenuous. I also learned that these key teachings were settled many hundreds of years ago and that as a result the doctrines and interpretative methods of Islam are, in the view of many, if not all Muslims, set in stone and not open to further inquiry.
I started this short article by asking what Muhammad and Jesus have in common, and then answered ‘absolutely nothing’. A dramatic, and in many ways definitive example of this is what the two taught concerning enemies. I quote here, not from Dr Durie’s material, but from www.thereligionofpeace.com: ‘The Quran contains at least 109 verses that ca...
If you missed Christopher's sermon on John 15 (Fruit of the Vine) then you can listen by clicking the play button below. It may be a well known verse, but there are new insights if you allow the Holy Spirit to let you hear with new ears.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/20161016-10h00-Chris-John-15-2.mp3
If you would prefer, you can download his sermon notes HERE, where you will get an overview of the sermon as well as the biblical verses referenced in the sermon.
Of course, you can find many more sermons, along with their notes in the SERMONS section.
God Bless you.
When it comes to local churches, is big always best, or is small better, or does size just not matter at all? Three decades ago I had the privilege of being called to pastor a tiny but rapidly growing local church. The shack in which we were meeting was scheduled to be demolished to make way for a town house complex and so we had to find other accommodation. The property developer who was demolishing the shack offered us the choice of two plots of land on which we could build; one, a huge area right on the main road through the suburb and opposite the shopping centre, the other was a much smaller stand right in the heart of the residential area. The choice between these two options forced me and my eldership team to think and pray intensely about the nature of the church which any proposed building campus would house. The large site was ideally suited for a big, attractional church model and the smaller site would almost ensure that the church located there would be small, organic, and relational. This led me into a fresh study of the New Testament to discover the principles and values of local church. This is just a sample of what I found:
Other than the first expression of church life in Jerusalem, the local churches were small and intimate extended families. Advocates of larger churches point to the 5,000 member first church that met in Solomon’s porch in the temple campus (Acts 5:12). The problem is of course that the apostles seemed to have got some fundamentals wrong in those early days and it would be unwise to use the early Jerusalem church as a model. For instance, Jesus had instructed them to go into all the world (Mark 16:15), yet they remained in Jerusalem until persecution forced them to obey (Acts 8:1). The churches they then established outside of Jerusalem were small, and we can deduce this from at least two main clues:
We know from historic evidence that there were no large meeting places that would have been available to the early Christians. Paul’s teaching concerning the church is intimate and community/family oriented and he even makes mention three times of the church meeting in private homes (Romans 16:5, 1 Corinthians 16:19, and Philemon 2).
The problem with this sort of reasoning is that it is by no means exhaustive or conclusive. For instance, the church, in say Corinth, may have had to meet as small groups in homes simply because there were no viable alternatives. One cannot conclude from the evidence that large church meetings are unbiblical or inherently ‘wrong’.
For me, it is far more important to try to understand, from the biblical evidence, the dynamics and underlying core principles of local church life. The questions to be answered would then be, ‘what size and type of local church would best serve these values, and what type of local church would erode these values’? The New Testament presents three main analogies of local church - Body, Household, and Temple.
The figure of a BODY is a wonderfully descriptive illustration of the functionality of the Church. 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14 develop the concept considerably, as does the book of Ephesians. Individual believers, in this analogy, are like single cells within a body. Each has the complete DNA blueprint of the whole body, yet each is specialised and developed to fulfill a specific function within the body. Each is interdependent, relying on others in order to exist and function. Even the ‘ascension gift’ ministries fit into this paradigm; Prophets, for instance, are like nerve cells which convey information to and from the brain; Pastor and Teachers are like red and white blood corpuscles carrying nutrition and oxygen to the other cells, removing waste, and combating sickness. And so on. The concept of the Church as a body reveals its functionality, inter-relatedness, and organic unity.
A second biblical analogy for the church is HOUSEHOLD. In Matthew 10:25 Jesus refers to his disciples as members of his household,
Congregation size versus ‘church’ size I define a local church as any local expression of the Body of Christ. It may meet in one building or several buildings, and it may maintain several Sunday services and any number of other gatherings or ministries. What makes it one cohesive local church is (a) one constitution, purpose, and set of values, and (b) one united eldership team. However, when it comes to numeric size, the key gathering is the congregational worship meeting. A local church may consist of 360 members but if these are distributed into, say, 3 congregations of 120 each then, for the purpose of these discussions, I would consider the church as ‘small’. However, I would consider 360 people consistently meeting in one congregation as constituting a ‘large’ church. In terms of the points I am making, there is little value in differentiating between, medium, large, and mega congregations. Participation/involvement ratios In a small congregation, people can easily participate in the worship services by praying aloud, reading out pertinent texts, prophesying, ministering to others, giving testimony… and so on. In a large congregation, such involvement is very limited or even restricted to church leaders and pre-approved congregants. In addition, the number of people performing serving functions constitute a smaller percentage of total attendance in large congregations. Let’s say the number of people participating as members of the worship group, preachers, duty elders, greeters, communion facilitators, those taking up the offertory, etc. come to 20 for a congregation of 100 and 30 for a congregation of 400. In the small congregation 20% of the people are serving in these ways but in the large congregation, the percentage is just 7.5% (economies of scale). This is also true for other church gatherings such as Junior Church, Mens and Womens ministries and so on. Another observable phenomenon is that the more paid staff there are, the fewer people volunteer for service. Group boundary numbers There are no ‘magic’ barrier numbers, but my observations, and the findings of some church growth researchers, have yielded the following:
Seven to 12 people and no more than 30 in attendance at any one time constitute a fellowship/life/cell group. Jesus had a group of 12 disciples although more than this number followed him as He travelled across Israel. In this kind of group, the key elements/dynamics are intimacy, accountability, nurture, the exercise of spiritual gifts, and the practical application of the message preached in the congregational meetings. The next boundary number is 120 people at any one service, and this constitutes the ideal congregation. There were about 120 people in the upper room on the Day of Pentecost when the church was born. A minimum number of people for a congregation is about 30 and the maximum number around 160 in any given meeting. The key elements/ dynamics of a congregation are the preaching of the Word of God, each person known and knowing others, pastoral care, high participation, and many people involved in ministries in and through the church. Somewhere between 120 and 160’ish the dynamics of the meeting change considerably. People are no longer known and they don’t know most of the others in attendance; opportunities for participation and involvement become limited, strictly controlled, and rule-bound; initiative is taken almost exclusively by designated leaders, and both style and tone of the service become front-led and pre-planned.
Perceived advantages of large churches The larger the church the more immediate influence it can have in a community, the more resources it can muster, and the more people it can attract to its services. Such churches, because of their size and complexity, operate as organisations rather than organisms and require formal structures (usually hierarchical) and highly paid management and specialist staff. In these structures,
Over one million people worldwide commit suicide every year, and for every one of those, there are another 25 people who attempted suicide but failed. But surely, you say, this problem does not exist in the Christian community to anything like the same extent. Well, according to an article in Christianity Today ‘suicide occurs among Christians at essentially the same rate as non-Christians’. As a retired Pastor, I just hate to acknowledge that suicide is a problem for Christians… but it is. Just over a month ago I spent two days ministering to a beautiful young Christian woman who had attempted to take her life three times in as many weeks. This last Sunday a Christian man gave testimony in the church service of how Jesus had recently changed his life, and then mentioned that just a couple of years ago he had tried to end it all. The reality is all around us and we dare not ignore it!
Some folk who believe in ‘the perseverance of the elect’ don’t believe that a Christian is not capable of committing suicide. So, if someone in their circle takes his own life, then he is deemed to have been ‘unsaved’ and his family and friends have to bear the pain of this judgement along with the agony of loss and guilt. I think that this sort of denial is singularly unhelpful, and actually very cruel.
The Roman Catholic church used to deny burial to those who took their own lives: They still hold that suicide is a mortal sin but have softened in how they deal with this tragedy. Some‘evangelicals’ are, I am sad to say, even more hard-line than 19th century Roman Catholics and label suicide as ‘a quick ticket to Hell’.
Is suicide offensive to God? Yes, I believe it is; it is a violation of His command not to murder (Exodus 20:13), and suicide is self-murder, and it is also a rejection of His gift of life. The violation of any of the Ten Commandments is surely offensive to God so why then is self-murder regarded as an irredeemable sin condemning the offender to Hell but, say, giving false testimony is not? The answer given by the ‘fast ticket to Hell’ brigade is that a person who commits suicide has no opportunity to repent and thus cannot be forgiven. But what then do Pauls’ words mean when he says; ‘For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 8:38-39)?
When I counsel a woman wanting to divorce her husband, I tell her that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16) but that it is not the unforgivable sin and it will not consign her to Hell. Similarly, I would beseech someone contemplating suicide to NOT DO IT, and would certainly point out that it is offensive to God and devastating to loved ones… but I would NOT tell them that they will go to Hell if they act out their morbid wishes.
It is commonly said that suicide is the most selfish of sins because it leaves behind so much hurt and devastation in the lives of others, so why do people take their own lives? Here are some of the reasons I have encountered:
Some Christians are so beset by demonic powers, and so unaware of the authority they have in Christ Jesus, that they succumb to the voices in their heads and act to end their lives. Others are brought so low by addictions and failures that they just cannot see a way to rise above the chaos they have created for themselves and others. Yet others have come to the end of their resources and cannot face another day of living with crushing pain, poverty, or guilt.They are not will not be able to see even a glimmer of the hope we have in Jesus Christ and find thus their lives unbearable. Some people even take their own lives because they truly believe at the time that it is the best solution to the problems confronting those they love most. In many cases, it is a combination of several of these factors,
We should all be interested in homiletics because what is preached to us is of great importance, and how it is preached affects how we comprehend what we hear. Incidentally, if you would like to hear this post as spoken word, please scroll down to listen.
In a previous article, I gave a very brief evaluation of the three main styles of preaching currently popular – narrative, expository, and topical. However, I didn’t deal with how Jesus preached. He is our model in all things and so in our appreciation of preaching we need to be guided by His methods and practices.
We all know that Jesus often used parables and in essence, a parable is a story and so we could think that Jesus was simply a narrative preacher. But He didn’t just tell stories, He also asked questions to lead into his subjects, on occasions He expounded Old Testament scriptures, and at other times He just addressed a topic in a straightforward manner. Jesus was a narrative preacher, an expository preacher, and a topical preacher. But here is the thing, each time He preached He chose the method best able to meet his objectives. For instance, in his well-known Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) He addressed topics and also expounded on Old Testament scriptures. (Other examples of topical and expository preaching are in Matthew chapters 11, 12, 23, and 24). What is more, when Jesus preached/taught in a style other than parables, He did so with authority and clarity. Matthew 7:29 notes that He taught ‘as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law’. The Pharisees derived their authority from what previous theologians had taught and Jesus criticised them for this when He quoted from Isaiah 29:13, ‘their teachings are but rules taught by men’. (Matthew 15:9). But when Jesus spoke He used words like “I tell you” and his interpretations and declarations were definitive. Why then did Jesus speak in parables so frequently? This question was obviously on his disciple’s minds for they asked him, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?" (Matthew 13:10-17). His answer was surprising and even shocking; “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you but not to them” And then Jesus paraphrased Isaiah 6:9-10, ‘though seeing they do not see; though hearing they do not hear or understand’. A parable is a story that can be understood at more than one level. At a superficial level it can, for instance, be a story about a farmer sowing seed in his field, but at a deeper level, it teaches important kingdom truth. Those antagonistic to him and his teachings would understand the story but not the underlying truth, but his disciples would have insight into the truth. The parable of the types of soil is a good example of this. After Jesus had told this parable to the crowds the disciples came to him and asked him why he spoke in parables. I have quoted his answer above, but then He added, “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means:” (Matthew 13:16-19). Jesus then went on to explain to his disciples the spiritual truth that the parable contained. The purpose of the parables was not just to hide truth from the opponents of the Gospel, but also to present truth to disciples and genuine enquirers. For the disciples, they form the rich soil for the seeds of revealed truth, and to the uneducated and uninformed they present a way to gradually and progressively comprehend. Often Jesus would conclude a parable with a clear statement of the main point (i.e Luke 12:40) but on other occasions, He would tell similar parables that when taken together would make it easier for an enquiring soul to comprehend the sub-surface truth. This revelational aspect of the parables is captured in Mark 4:33-34; ‘With many simila...
The two worst diagnosticians in the world are Dr. Google and Dr. Hearsay. Dr. Google gives so much information that it is easy to believe that you only have days left to live from whatever ailment you manifest. Dr. Hearsay, on the other hand, gives no information at all and consists entirely of recommendations such as “It worked like a charm for me”.
Towards the end of my fourth run-in with the vicious viral infections that have been raging this winter, my wife arrived home with a Dr. Hearsay remedy which, according to a friend, was guaranteed to fix me up. I looked at the description on the box and immediately recognised it as a homeopathic formulation. It appears that this form of quackery has now attained the level of acceptance required for it to go commercial on a grand scale, so I decided to write a short article of caution. And I have to say that writing has proved more therapeutic than ingesting the sugar pills.
A decade or two ago I tended to accept ‘naturopathy’ while rejecting ‘homeopathy’, but the definitions have changed over time and I now reject both. Naturopathy has become a catchall category for alternative medicine, including homeopathy. I don’t have any problem with the idea that natural plants and minerals can serve as valid medications, but I have several problems with the non-natural holistic pseudo-medical ‘sciences’ that fall into the naturopathy basket.
Homeopathy is based on two scientifically disproven claims – firstly, that like cures like, and secondly that the substance used as the basis of the cure imprints itself on the water used to carry it even when there is no longer any observable trace of the original substance. To use the ‘medicine’ that I was given as an example, the producer claims that it is an extract of Muscovy duck liver and heart diluted to 1 part to 10 to the power of 400 parts of water. Yes, that is ten cendotrigintillion times dilution!
I am not going to comment on the scientific invalidity of homeopathy because there are many articles available that do this most ably. For instance, a recent article in Smithsonian.com starts with the words ‘a major Australian study analysing over 1,800 papers has shown that homeopathy, the alternative treatment that relies on super-diluted substances and the principle of “like cures like” is completely ineffective’. Read more HERE.
As my reading audience consists mainly of Christians, I want to pose a question from that perspective that goes to the heart of the homeopathy delusion. If, as science ably demonstrates, there is no logical or medical support for homeopathy, why do so many followers of Jesus Christ not only accept it but swear by it? The usual response is, ‘It appears to work' and 'Dr. Hearsay recommended it’. But this is a ridiculously naïve and uninformed view. Let me illustrate this with a story that has been around for decades:
A man wanted to make some quick money so he advertised his special ‘pregnancy prediction pills’ for just $10. If a woman took a blue pill each morning for the first 40 days of pregnancy, then she was guaranteed a boy baby, and a pink pill would produce a girl child. If, in the unlikely event that it wasn’t effective then he would give a full refund. What a scam! For starters, there was a 50:50 chance that it would appear to work, and if it didn’t then there would be very few ladies prepared to admit that they had been silly enough to believe that it would work, and thus the refunds would be very few indeed.
Along the same lines, I was amused to read the claims on the packaging of my Dr Hearsay homeopathic sugar pills: No drowsy (sic), no side effects, no drug interactions.’ Duh!... they are just tiny sugar pills after all!
But there is a darker side to homeopathy. What if there was some validity to the idea that like cures like and that diluting sufficiently while hitting the solution repeatedly against a leather block releases a spiritual essence/imprint with the power to heal?
The South African social media is currently buzzing with comments about the planned visit by an American homophobic ‘pastor’. By the time you read this article he might already have been banned from entering the nation because of his reported hate speech, but whether he comes or not, the issues he is stirring up still need to be addressed.
I do not have the stomach to spend hours listening to the man’s pronouncements, but the statement of faith of the church he leads gives me enough information to go on for the purposes of this post. Their doctrinal statement consists of 11 clauses, but only two are statements of orthodox Christian belief; the other nine concern fringe rather than fundamental issues. For instance, that the King James Bible is ‘the Word of God without error’, and that ‘life begins at conception’. Three of the clauses are rejections rather than affirmations and one of them reads ‘We believe that homosexuality is a sin and an abomination which God punishes with the death penalty. [See HERE for the full statement]
The book of Revelation (22:15) contains a statement of those excluded from the fellowship of heaven and its earthly shadow, the church. It reads, ‘Outside are the dogs, the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying’.HCSB So first off, if we consider ‘exclusions’ then we should not treat sexual immorality differently from the other items in the list. Those who love to lie, for instance, would include a horrendous number of politicians, salesmen, and others. In my opinion, homosexuality would certainly be included in the ‘sexual immorality’ category, but then so would fornication and adultery… oops, there goes another huge percentage of the population.
A second consideration worth thinking about is the supposed duty of Christians to pass judgement on non-Christians and their behaviour. This is just plain wrong thinking because Paul writes very explicitly; ‘What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside’ (1 Corinthians 5:12-13). When it comes to those who profess to be Christians and who seek church fellowship then we certainly have an obligation to correct, counsel, admonish, and even exclude - if all else fails. Paul deals with this in an equally forthright manner: ‘’I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people – not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case, you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat” (1 Corinthians 5:9-11). Of course, for me, the model for our attitude towards the perceived sins of others is… Jesus. His attitude towards sexual immorality, in particular, is captured in His interaction with the woman caught in the act of adultery. His final words to her were, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin." (John 8:10-11). He neither condemned nor condoned, but instead He saved… and that says it all. In fact, Jesus seems to have reserved His condemnation exclusively for the Pharisees who regarded themselves as the pious servants of God yet were filled with religious hate... men much like the American ‘pastor’ who triggered this article.
Just in case I am misunderstood or misquoted, let me place on record my attitude towards homosexuality:
I do not regard homosexuality (and that includes lesbianism) as a natural, normal, or biblically supportable practice. However, I do not regard it as worthy of being singled out and raised into a category of misconduct more detrimental than other practices such as drunkenness, lying,
NEW SITE CONTENT If you have been enjoying the narrative sermon style that The Village Church has been using to go through the book of John then CLICK HERE to listen to Christopher's sermon on John 9. You can also find lots of his other sermons to listen to HERE.
Of course if you prefer reading short articles, there are a wealth of them HERE for you to enjoy.
Do visit www.truthistheword.com and leave a comment which are always welcome. Until next time, Admin
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Hi all, your Truth Is the Word Administrator here with a little update. As Christopher has been ill four times in the last 2 months it has been decided that he is going to minimise his appointments, writing, etc. for a short while, so please be patient. Programming will resume as normal in 3 weeks time.
Meanwhile, if you are looking for something to READ then please feel free to peruse some of the shorter articles Christopher has written HERE or LISTEN to sermons HERE. I will be updating both of these sections of the www.truthistheword.com website regularily during the next few weeks, so keep checking back in and also watch for the start of a new season soon!
“If Jesus is not the Jewish Messiah then He is nobodies Messiah” Dr Michael Brown. For the last several weeks we, in Lonehill Village Church, have been preaching through John’s Gospel using a first-person narrative style as posted in my last message, but, If you missed the message I preached on John 4 (from the woman at the well's perspective) then click here. One aspect of this is the effect it has had on the preaching team. Each of us has found that in looking at the text through the eyes of someone in the story we have come to clearly perceive things that were previously vague. To tell the story effectively we have had to ask questions like “Why did Jesus say that the way He did?” and “What would the people then have understood him as saying?
Two things emerged with real clarity as we progress through the Gospel series:
How Jesus repeatedly declared himself to be God incarnate, and, how offended the Pharisees were because of this.
Last week someone emailed to me about my position on the future of Israel – i.e., does God still have a special role for them as a physical nation? This, together with a reignited interest in the Jewish Pharisees sparked by our narrative experiences of John’s Gospel, led me to view several debates on YouTube concerning Jesus as the Jewish Messiah.
The three debates I watched are;
Is Jesus the Messiah? Michael Brown vs. Rabbi Tovia Singer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOifPwOvd58 Who Is Jesus? Michael Brown vs. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S4X0v-vFpI Is Jesus the Jewish Messiah? Michael Brown vs. Rabbi Immanuel Schochet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cz5FY958FvQ
Each of them is very long, but they make for interesting and informative viewing. Dr. Michael Brown features in all three and his main website is https://askdrbrown.org/. I appreciate Dr. Brown very much, not only because he is extremely knowledgeable, but also because of his humble and friendly attitude towards debate opponents who at times are bombastic, rude and dismissive. You can find some information on this remarkable man at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_L._Brown and https://askdrbrown.org/biography/
I don’t intend to rehash or even comment on the substance of the debates. Instead, I want to describe the overriding emotion I experienced as I watched and observed. I want to do this because I think it may influence the way some of my reader’s regard both Jewish people and the nation of Israel.
In the Gospels, the Pharisees displayed extreme offense at what Jesus proclaimed himself to be. Not only was He claiming to be the Messiah but, more than that, He declared himself in many ways to be God Incarnate. The Rabbis I observed debating with Dr. Brown are the modern-day descendants of the Pharisees of New Testament times… and they are as offended by Jesus as were their forefathers.
To them, then and now, Jesus’ claims to divinity were the highest form of blasphemy eliciting emotions ranging from extreme irritation to rage. For them, it is inconceivably foolish to consider Jesus the Jewish Messiah, let alone God in human form. But of course, if Jesus is not the Jewish Messiah then He is nobodies Messiah. No amount of debate and logical argument will convince them otherwise for they are in the thrall of a spiritual blindness. John stated the problem by quoting from Isaiah the prophet; ‘they could not believe, because, as Isaiah says elsewhere: “He has blinded their eyes and deadened their hearts, so they can neither see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor turn — and I would heal them.” (John 12:39-40). A major contributing factor to the blindness of today’s rabbis is that they consider the oral tradition of the teachers of Israel to be as God-given as the Old Testament itself. As a result, they place the interpretations of past Rabbis above the obvious context and import of many Old Testament scriptures. Of course, they regard the New Testament as irrelevant.
Preaching delivery can generally be categorised into one of 3 styles: Narrative, Expository, and Topical. Narrative preaching is basically a fancy name for biblical storytelling. Expository preaching consists of taking a portion of scripture and expounding (presenting and explaining) it's meaning. Topical preaching consists of selecting a specific subject and then applying the major biblical texts that relate to it. Narrative preaching takes a passage of scripture and presents it as a story seen through the eyes of either someone observing the action (3rd person) or a character in the story itself (1st person). The strengths of narrative preaching are:
It engages the people listening – who doesn’t like a story dramatically told. It involves the listeners in an emotional or sense-based encounter with the characters in the story. Stories are fairly easy to remember. In an illiterate community, it serves as a partial substitute for the Bible.
But narrative preaching does have weaknesses:
It is not at all effective, and sometimes impossible, to present the teaching-rich portions of the Bible. Imagine trying to convey the meaning of chapters 14 to 17 of John’s Gospel, let alone the Letter to the Romans, using only a narrative style. It is difficult to emphasize the key truths of a passage without breaking the flow and interest of the story. The danger is that listeners may benefit to some extent from the story but not comprehend the truth that the story is supposed to incorporate. Application to current living is also mainly absent from narrative preaching and the listener can get lost in biblical time without appreciating how to apply the contents to modern life. Not all topical or expository preachers are good story tells and the style can easily degenerate into amateur dramatics.
In our church, we are currently preaching through John’s Gospel using the first-person narrative style. My contribution to date has been to tell the story of the woman at the well from John chapter four. Have a listen and see if you agree with my analysis of this form of preaching.
To start listening, simply click on the play button below, or click HERE. If you would like to listen to other sermons I have preached, you can find them, along with sermon notes HERE.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/20160724-18h30-Chris-John-4.mp3
We have come to the end of the Revelation Revisited series which started in April 2015 and consisted of over 60 articles. For those of you who journeyed with me through this wonderful last book of the Bible – thank you. I do hope this series has been of benefit to you. I will be videoing a summary of the last half of the book, as I did for the first half, but in the meanwhile HERE is a printable document containing all the posts in the series for you to read (offline if you prefer) at your leisure.
Do you have any questions on the topic of Revelation? If you do, please insert your question into the comment section (under this post) and I will do my best to answer it.
In the near future, I will be starting a series called Truth Talks, which are short essays on topics of interest. These posts will be linked to audio interviews on the same topic which will in future become podcasts but are currently downloadable in the same way as podcasts. The articles will range over categories like Christian Living, the church, the Bible, Science and Faith, The Lord Jesus, The Holy Spirit, and Doctrinal aberrations. Here are just some of the topics you can expect:
Suicide Divorce and remarriage Homosexuality and Gay marriage Women preachers Biblical inerrancy Artificial intelligence Word of Faith teachings Roman Catholicism Islam Suffering and evil
I would love your feedback on these topics, so If you have any specific topics that you think would interest many then please would you comment on this post, describe what you have in mind, and I will give consideration to writing about it.
In any event, if you have any questions please just ask.
It is often said that sex and politics should be taboo topics in the church, so should politics be off-limits for preachers? Politics is commonly defined as ‘the activities associated with the governance of a country or province’. If this is how we understand ‘politics’, then of course all Christians should be interested and concerned with how their country is governed. In Romans 13 Paul instructs believers to submit to governing authorities, and in 1 Timothy 2 he urges us to pray for everyone in authority ‘that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness’
If you would prefer to HEAR this message, you can click on the play button below and listen to this short (7 minute) interview I gave on this topic..
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/TruthTalks1-Politics.mp3
If you prefer reading it, then continue on...
...On this basis, Christians should engage with politics. The extent of this engagement will range from simply being good citizens, all the way through to being career politicians. However, Christian leaders and preachers are not primarily politicians, and rather have the responsibility of helping their people to determine what constitutes good governance and what role they, as individuals, need to play in the political life of their nation. They also need to teach into how we are to react and respond to ungodly government. However, when it comes to preaching, there does seem to be a line that the church should not cross; the line between national or provincial politics, and party politics.
Just as the pulpit should not be a forum for selling things or promoting secular interests, just so it should not be used for peddling a particular political persuasion. In South Africa we are about to hold provincial elections and I, like all responsible citizens, will be casting my vote. I have a decided preference for one of the political parties contesting the elections and I feel at liberty in sharing my views, on a one-on-one basis with friends and family. However, I would be abusing my privilege and mandate as a preacher if, in a sermon, I tried to persuade the congregation to vote for the party of my choice. Rather, my role within the church should be to set out the values and principles that govern how a Christian should vote. What then are these principles and how should we apply them?
We as Christians have a duty to cast our votes. Abstaining is, in almost all circumstances, just a way of shirking the responsibility of being a good citizen, and we as Jesus-followers should be exemplary citizens. We need to evaluate the political parties competing for our votes and decide which one is worth supporting. When there is more than one party that has a decided chance of winning then we should vote for the party that best embraces core biblical governmental values and has sincere believers in its executive.
What do I mean by core biblical governmental values? I mean things such as integrity, honesty, work ethic, economic common sense, freedom of religion and expression, accountability to law and constitution, lack of corruption, lack of racial or minority group prejudice, and so on. As Christians, we all have views on things such as gay marriage, abortion,capital punishment and things of this nature, but I do not see these as ‘core’ governmental values. But if you do, then you would need to add them to your set of criteria against which to evaluate each political party.
When there is little to no chance of any party other than the majority or ruling party winning the elections, and that particular party fails to meet core Christian values, then we need to give serious consideration to voting for a strong opposition party. The proviso of course is that the opposition party needs to meet the same criteria established for your evaluation.
If there is an ostensibly ‘Christian’ party in the running then they should be worthy of support provided they have shown themselves to be t...
Why do bad things happen to good people? Shouldn't God be stopping them? I preached on this topic in a sermon titled ‘In the World, trials and sorrows; In Jesus, peace’ when I realised that I had been asked this question more times than I can remember and yet my response has always been the same. John 13-16 is the last long conversation Jesus had with His disciples before His crucifixion, and we draw from the end of chapter 16 to find His answer to the question of suffering. Listen to my sermon if you would like to know what I believe to be the answer by clicking on the play button below.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/In-the-world-is-suffering-but-in-Jesus-is-peace.mp3
You will find many of the sermons I have preached along with their notes on THIS page, so listen to any you may have missed or would like to listen to again HERE. They include:
The Touch of the Master's Hand Isaiah speaks to our Nation The Great Victory The Great Commission
and many more.
On www.truthistheword.com you can also find many articles I have written over the years for various publications. Most are short articles sharing a specific message so they won't take you long to read, so:
Are you feeling worried? Click HERE Do you know what it is to be filled with the Spirit? Read about my personal experiences concerning it HERE Want to live debt free? Click HERE for some tips Feel like God isn't there? It may help to read this article HERE.
Other topics which may be of interest to you include 'Women in Ministry', 'God is not a User!', 'How to discern a Move of God' and many, many more.
PLEASE NOTE with regards to the articles: Because I am still uploading many of these I can't DATE them correctly (it's technical), so please don't try to find an article by how "current" it appears to be. Some of my most current articles, for example, are dated 5 years ago, so a much better way to find what you are looking for would be to use the Search button found on any of the listed article pages or simply browsing through them from here.
May God bless You!
Christopher
Jacolene Spangenberg
Actually, ‘winner’ is not an appropriate word because this wasn’t a competition. Rather, I wanted the guitar to go to someone who would appreciate it and use it, and I also wanted it to be a truly Spirit-led exercise. Thank you all for writing in – if I had half-a dozen more guitars available I would have been delighted to give them away because your stories were so sincere and from the heart.
In case you haven't been following this, it all started HERE, with my "Beater to Better" project, along with a sermon I preached on this topic, The Touch of the Masters Hand, which you can listen to HERE, or click HERE for more images of the “Beater to Better” transformation in PowerPoint.
If you would like to view all the comments submitted, take a look at THIS post.
Here is Jacolene’s letter which I posted on the site as ‘Anonymous’ because she sent me a private email. She has subsequently given me permission to use her name, and here is her original email: “I am too shy to share my bit on your blog (hence the reason I am sending this mail). I adore beautiful music. Always wanted to learn to play an instrument like a guitar or harp, but never got the opportunity (I only played on organs and piano's when I was a child). Then about a month ago a Christian lady told me out of the blue that she will teach me how to play a guitar. I was so touched by the offer, but had to be honest and I told her that I do not own a guitar. She simply said, wait onto the Lord. It really felt this morning that my heart was going to jump out of my chest when you made the announcement of the guitar. The voice was like "Write a mail. Write a mail" nonstop. I am just always so shy and not sure what words to use; not sure if my message will be clear. Now its late (23:47) and I can't sleep. I'm tossing and turning. I still have that pressing of the Spirit on my heart about your announcement and that's why I'm writing to you. I just have to obey God. He shall do the rest. I can only say that I want to be obedient to God. If He want me to play a guitar' I shall do it with all the love, energy and power He provides. In my eyes the guitar shall always be "God's guitar; so I shall be looking and caring after it like I do with all things God trust in my hands. And everything involving the guitar shall be done to the Glory of His Kingdom.” Jacolene, may this guitar bless you and all those who get to hear you play. Isn't God wonderful! Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Psalm 100:1&2
The Bible is full of music from Exodus 15 right through to Revelation 15. Of course, the book of Psalms is the richest portfolio of songs in the scriptures, and Psalm 139 is among its greatest. The problem for us when it comes to the music of the Bible is that we are given the lyrics but not the melody, key, or tempo; we have to decide these for ourselves. For example, Psalm 139 can be sung slowly in a minor key as a lament, or it can be sung brightly in a major key as a song of praise. I think that David intended his Psalm to be sung in a major key, but I suspect that many of us hear it in our heads as a lament.
We could interpret the first four verses as “O God, you know everything about me; all my weaknesses and faults, and I am not happy about this… sigh”. But, we could also read it as, “O Lord, nobody knows me like you do, and I am so glad of this.” Equally, verses 5 and 6 could be sung as, “God, you have trapped me and your hand is raised to punish me! I just don’t get it! Why me Lord?” But I am convinced that David intended us to sing, “You go before me to guide me and behind me to protect me. Your hand of blessing is upon me. I don’t understand why you should care for me like this but it’s just wonderful!” I think that the key sentiment of the song is captured in the words, ‘you have laid your hand upon me’. When I read this in the context of a song, and knowing that David was a musician, I see Jesus, the Master Craftsman and Maestro Musician taking me up in His hands to play the music of heaven in, through, and with me.
With this sort of understanding of God, it is hard to continue to sing Psalm 139 as a lament. How can we sing verses 7 to 12 as “I just can’t hide from you Lord” when it is so obvious that we should be singing, “Lord, there is nowhere I could go in life that you would not be with me, guiding me and holding me fast.”
David’s song presents a wonderful truth: God created us and cares for us, and nowhere is this clearer in the Psalm than in verses 13-18 I want to use a recent project of mine as an example of how this truth applies to our lives. Beater to Better A few months ago I bought the cheapest new Classical Guitar I could find on the internet ($50) and set myself the following challenge: make this poor guitar look better, play better, and sound better, without spending any more money on it.
THE BEATER
Here is what it looked like when it arrived. At first glance, it looked OK but closer inspection revealed rusted strings, high and tarnished frets, an unplayably high action, and layers of plastic/varnish complete with blemishes and missed spots. I later discovered that it was made of three-ply Basswood, totally unsuitable for a classical guitar. I played a short classical piece on it and someone remarked that it sounded like rubber bands on a cigar box!
Most of us look a bit like this guitar. Some are born into this world with imperfections but many more are beaten up by life itself. Circumstances, other people, or our own poor attitudes and decisions leave us tarnished, pitted with blemishes, practically unplayable, and our life-song sounding weak and toneless. But all this changes when we are in the hands of The Master. When we come to Jesus to receive new spiritual life, He breathes eternity into us but then He does not set us down; He works on us constantly to transform us into His image – so that we will look, play and sound better.
THE BETTER
As I worked on the flawed guitar, I realised I was, myself,demonstrating a small and imperfect example of this transformational process. I stripped and scraped all the gunky paint from its soundboard and sanded it down until the original wood was exposed. Surprisingly, the plywood that was exposed responded to the ever finer sanding and started to look quite pretty. I also knew that the thinner, cleaner soundboard would vibrate more freely and produce a much better tone. I took off the rusty strings,
The second beast of Revelation 13 is connected to the constellation Taurus, the great earth monster of the night sky. This ‘load of bull’ depicts Religion in all its forms and anyone who has been following this series already knows what I think of religion. The word 'religion' itself is mostly used in a benign way as a label for the various ways humans worship God and seek to serve Him, but I use it in an entirely negative sense as man’s attempt to make a god in our image and then to prescribe a way of worshiping this idol. In essence, religion is the enthronement of Satan and the denial of God.
The bull was the animal associated with the Canaanite god Baal and this was why the Israelites made a golden idol in the form of a bull when Moses didn’t return to them from the mountain. Here are three strong clues from Revelation 13 that the Earth Beast represents Religion:
The beast looks like a lamb but speaks like a dragon. The lamb is an animal chosen to symbolise Jesus, and the Earth Beast cunningly presents itself as The Christ, but it’s evil and destructive words betray its real identity.The lamb is an animal chosen to symbolise Jesus, and the Earth Beast cunningly presents itself as The Christ, but it’s evil and destructive words betray its real identity. It operates under the authority of worldly leaders and governments (the first beast) yet it leads its followers to worship humanism. Religion and Government have always been powerfully evil partners. Worldly authority enables religion to operate, protects, and even funds it, and religion endorses and elevates worldly authority to almost god-like status. The idea of separating church and state in national affairs is a recognition of the danger of unholy alliances of this kind. It performs deceiving miraculous signs. Miracles are not necessarily signs of god-approved spiritual activity, yet most people think they are. Miracles are wrought through the application of spiritual power and the devil is spiritually powerful. This is why we are instructed to ‘test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world’ (1 John 4:1)
John gives another important feature of the work of the Earth Beast when he writes that it forces every unregenerate person to ‘receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead’. (Revelation 13:16). Now, instead of trying to argue that in a future cashless society we will all have to have a smart-card chip embedded on the back of a hand and foreheads, it is far more productive to seek to understand what John had in mind here.
Devout Jewish men of John’s time wore little boxes, called phylacteries, when they went to pray. These little boxes were bound with leather strips to their right hands and to their foreheads and contained small portions of the Jewish scriptures. This custom arose from a literal interpretation of Deuteronomy 6:8 and 11:18 where they had failed to see that God was simply instructing them to keep His word in their hearts and minds. Nevertheless, the association of God’s Word and the forehead and hand symbolism became a religious cliché. So, to the original readers of Revelation, to bear the mark of the beast on hand and forehead was a symbolic way of saying ‘think and live according to Satan’s word and not God’s word’.
Paul used the ‘seal’ imagery in a positive sense when he stated that born-again Christians are sealed by and with the Holy Spirit.
A follower of Jesus thinks and acts under the prompting of the Holy Spirit and according to the Word of God; a follower of the devil thinks and acts under demonic prompting and instruction. Disciples of Jesus are sealed with the Spirit of God while disciples of Satan are sealed with his evil spirit. One last point of interest in this chapter of Revelation is the unveiling of the Unholy Trinity. The Holy trinity consists of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but the unholy trinity consists of the dragon,
Last week I published THIS POST, a Word of Witness, which I feel is so very vital and relevant to us in today's uncertain times. On Sunday, I preached a similar message under the title of 'Isaiah Speaks to Our Nation'. The other sermon offered here, 'The Great Victory', was preached on Resurrection Sunday and is also designed to give hope in our current circumstances.
. Isaiah Speaks to Our Nation Click to play, right click to download save
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/20160424-10h00-Chris-Isaiah-speaks-to-our-Nation.mp3
Sermon Notes: Isaiah speaks to our nation Isa 59 vs 12 to 16
The Great Victory Click to play, right click to download save
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160327-10h00-Chris-The-great-Victory-.mp3
Sermon Notes: The great victory Col 2 vs 13 to 15
To listen to other sermons and download notes, click HERE
God Bless, Yours in hope and strength,
Christopher
I had the privilege of preaching at our local church on Resurrection Sunday and I picked up on the victorious aspect of the Cross and the empty tomb. It is quite easy to miss this aspect when we read the Gospel accounts but not when we read Paul’s letter to the Colossians.
My sermon was a partial exposition of Colossians 2:13-15 and I linked it to the portion of Revelation Chapter Twelve that I covered in my last post in the Revelation Revisited series. I think you will appreciate this message in a brief pause from the Revelation Revisited series this week, so please click on the play button below to hear the sermon. The another link is to the sermon notes in case you would like them as well. Next week I will return to Revelation Chapter Twelve. Be blessed.
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/20160327-10h00-Chris-The-great-Victory-.mp3
SERMON NOTES: The Great Victory (click to open or download)
If you would like access to other sermons or sermon notes then click here.
Hi there! In case you missed any of the sermons I have preached recently I have uploaded them to The Sermons Page. Additionally, here are some more of my published articles. Sermons The whole of the Great Commission I have summarised what this means by referencing Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24, and John 21. Our Great Commission may seem daunting, BUT God has equipped us to join with Him in His Mission of drawing people to himself. Signed, Sealed & Delivered The Revelation Revisited Series is still underway, so if you have not joined with us on this exciting journey then please do so by having a look at the Summary Video on YouTube HERE, or downloading the text summary HERE.
This sermon addresses Revelation 7 and also includes a reminder of how to understand the book of Revelation. Jesus, the Spirit & Us Drawing from Matthew 3:13 to 4:1 I speak of baptism, both of the Spirit and in water. The bible is clear on this - just do it! If you have given your life to the Lord Jesus Christ then you MUST be baptised in water because this is what we are told to do! When Jesus was baptised by John he went humbly to him, got baptised, and then spent time in prayer with His Father and our Father. Articles The Rose Among the Thorns
What do we do in times of affliction? Who can we blame? God? Ourselves? Our Parents? The devil? Why do we even have to go through afflictions, and most importantly, how do we deal with them? Prisoners of Our Past
I understand that trauma, neglect, and abuse of any kind can leave emotional scar tissue, and that even late in life these negative legacies can trigger defense mechanisms in us. This I get. What I don’t get is why anyone should believe that they are a prisoner of their past. I look at Ephesians 4:22-24 to find out how to escape from this self-made prison. The Light of the World
'Light' is a common theme in the Bible, right from book 1 (Genesis) when God commanded 'let there be light', and in Exodus where the Israelites followed the pillar of light in the desert. In this article I look at light and it's association with God and compare it to what we know in physics about its properties. In this article I reveal how in Jesus we see the light of God!
Hello everybody. I have uploaded some more sermons onto THE SERMONS PAGE. These are also accompanied by the SERMON NOTES I used while preaching them for those of you who prefer to read rather than listen. The sermons are: The Gift of Fire
Luke 12 verses 49 and 50. What is the gift of fire exactly? Are we to embrace or resist fire? Jesus said “I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and what constraint I am under until it is completed!” Listen to this sermon to find out what it all means, the origins of spiritual ‘fire’ and what ‘strange fire’ is.
Grace Upon Grace
There are so many false teachings around in this day, one is based on Grace - “May the Grace of the Lord Jesus be with you”. This is a quote which comes up all over the bible. But what IS and ISN’T the grace that the bible speaks of? John 1 verses 16&17 says: ”Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Listen to the sermon to find out more.
Ask Seek Knock
Predictions and promises are not the same thing. The ‘Sermon on the Mount’ in Matthew 7: 7-11 talks about asking, seeking, knocking, and of course finding. The condition of this promise of finding is that we persevere! There is no value in instant gratification! Ask and keep on asking, knock and knock some more, seek and then seek again. It is a a process. First we ask God for what we seek, clarifying what it is we are looking for. James says that we don’t have because we don’t ask, but when we ask it is for the wrong motives. Seek the correct motive and commit to it, God will give us the directions in which to seek. If we seek God’s face and His Kingdom with all of our hearts we will find what we have asked for.
Then we have some of my published articles which can be found HERE for your reading enjoyment. These include: Our Way or God’s way
Published in 2008, this article talks about why is it that we so often find ourselves going down our own way, rather than God’s way? I don’t think it’s because we don’t want God’s way, or that we don’t pray or read the Bible enough. I think the prime reason is that we just don’t understand God’s ways. His ways are so different to what we are accustomed, what we have been taught through the educational system, and what we see modeled all around us. We need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). But how do we do this? How do we reform our mindsets? Read this article to discover a simple 3-step process.
The Secret
Do you remember when the DVD series called “The Secret” was on everyone’s lips? Well, some people still use this as their ‘guide to life’. Based on what the author calls ‘The Law of Attraction’ (believe it and it will materialise into your life like magic) this ‘secret’ falls apart when subjected to both reason and biblical revelation. Read this article to learn more.
Interpreting the Bible
Despite the eroding influence of some aspects of post-modern thinking, most of you reading this will agree with me when I declare the Bible to be divinely inspired and authoritative. However, we may well differ in how we interpret the inspired written Word of God. This article outlines the three key interpretive principle which you can follow to arrive at a sound interpretation of the bible.
My last regular Revelation Revisited post before Christmas concerned the second of the Woes described in Chapter Nine, and I asked you to consider the following graphic:
If you have not yet caught up to where we are in the book of Revelation, please have a look at the video overview on the website HERE or YouTube HERE. You can also view the summary as a pdf HERE Some readers might have recognised the constellations of Sagittarius and Scorpio and others may have wondered if I had been smoking my socks. :) I have already mentioned in this series that there is strong evidence that John keyed his inspired writing to the astronomical constellations as seen from his location in the Northern hemisphere. The use of a Sky Map identifying the visible stars in the night sky dates back to at least 2500 BC and there is abundant evidence that the ancient Mesopotamians made use of it to calculate seasonal occurrences. However, they also believed that it portrayed divine purposes and thus contained insights into the progression of the history of nations. For them, the science of astronomy was intertwined with their religious belief system.
The ancients regarded the southernmost constellations, as observed from locations such as Babylon and Jerusalem, as the gateway to a dark spiritual underworld. Scorpio, as its name suggests, is the great scorpion of the heavens. This arachnid appears in the scriptures in a number of places as a symbol of danger (Deuteronomy 8:15, Ezekiel 2:6). The Lord Jesus used it to depict demonic evil when he said to his disciples, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:18-20). In the book of Revelation Chapter Nine, the scorpion features in aspects of the demons that rise up from the pit of Hell - the First Woe.
The constellation to the left of Scorpio is Sagittarius, the Centaur, half man half horse, with a drawn bow in its hands. With the exception of Chiron, the centaurs of Greek mythology were barbarous beasts given to drunkenness, debauchery, and rape and this would be a good description of what demons do. The book of Revelation describes a Second Woe, the horde of demons released by the sixth angel, as horses and riders.
Right at the bottom, the southernmost border of the Star Chart, is the small constellation Ara, pictured as a small upside-down altar of some sort. The Greeks had a goddess named Ara, and she was the personification of destruction and revenge. The Hebrew words Aram and Mara incorporate the same root and mean ‘utter destruction’ and ‘a curse’. I have already noted in my previous post (found HERE) that the second demonic plague of Revelation Chapter Nine, pictured as grotesquely mutated horses, is connected in some way to the Altar of Incense (Revelation 9:13) which we know from Revelation 8:3-4 is a symbol of prayer and worship. Revelation 9:20 strengthens this connection by declaring that the victims of these invading demons are caught up in idolatrous worship.
“But wait, there is more” as the Home Channel gizmo salesmen are famous for saying; Pictured in the Star Chart, just above Scorpio, is a depiction of a man with a huge snake in his hands. They represent the intertwined constellations of Serpens and Ophiuchus, which in Aramaic are called ‘The accursed reptile and the strong one’. The Greek construct for Ophiuchus is Æsculapius and the historian Hislop describes Æsculapius as the Epidaurian snake which the Romans worshipped along with fire as the child of the sun. He records the story that in a time of deadly pestilence this ‘god’ boarded a ship and traveled from Epidaurus to Rome and that when it slithered off the ship the plague stopped. The ancient Aramaic name itself means ‘the instructing snake’,
Hi folks, as we are going to continue going through our Revelation Revisited Series, I thought it would be a good idea to do a summary of what we have discussed so far. If you have fallen behind, please use this week to catch up so that we are up to date when we re-commence next week. There are a number of ways you can do this, for example, going through the posts on the Truth Is the Word website blog. However, to make things easier I have two additional ways you can get 'up to speed' with the rest of us.
First, you can watch this 14 minute video I did explaining the series so far (up to chapter 9 of Revelation) by simply clicking the play button below:
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Revelation-Revisited-Summary-Part-1-1.mp4
You can also download the notes, with links to the posts by clicking HERE Do let me know if this has been helpful to you or if you have any questions, theories or thoughts so that I can address them before my next post. Until then, God Bless and surthrive!
The year 2016 is likely to be a challenging year for Christians all over the world, and particularly in South Africa. Here in my home country things are heating up politically and cooling down economically, and when fabric, even the fabric of society, is pulled at both ends it tends to tear.
How will we cope with a rip-roaring year? Our ability to surthrive (thrive as we survive) will surely depend largely on the underlying quality of our Christian Faith. If our basic understanding of Christianity is that it is a religion of learning and religious observance, then we will be hard pressed to hold things together in the year that lies ahead. If our understanding of Christianity is that it is a system of morals and good works, then we will most likely experience frustration and disappointment. Biblical, Jesus-centred Christianity is based on a supernatural relationship with a supernatural God. By ‘supernatural’ I don’t mean wooo-wooo strangeness, but rather that which is beyond and above the natural. If our relationship with Jesus is intimate and consistent, then we will surthrive. If we depend on the supernatural ability of the Holy Spirit, then we will surthrive. If we submit to the sovereignty and authority of God the Father, then we will surthrive. Just before Christmas I preached a sermon entitled ‘A Season of Miracles’ and although its context is the Christmas story, its message applies to the year that lies ahead of us – I would like to invite you to listen to it.
You can listen to it directly by clicking the 'play' button below:
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/20151213-10h00-Chris-A-Season-of-Miracles.mp3
Alternatively, go to My Sermons Page where you can download, or listen to, other sermons I've preached. And now, all glory to God, who is able to keep you from stumbling, and who will bring you into his glorious presence innocent of sin and with great joy. All glory to him, who alone is God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yes, glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to him, in the beginning, now, and forevermore. Amen. Jude 24-25 (NLT)
On the 25th December each year we choose to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. The incarnation of God the Son in the person of Jesus of Nazareth is the most profound supernatural intervention this world has ever experienced. I truly hope that the wonder of this miracle, this Good News, will grip your hearts and light up your eyes this Christmas time, and that you will be BLESSED! I have added some more sermons and articles, so if you find you have some down-time over the Christmas season then do have a look and a listen. Click a title below to listen to a sermon right now, or go to my Sermons page by CLICKING HERE where you will also find the sermon notes.
The Grace of Giving is based on 2 Corinthians 8 verses 1 to 15. Financial giving is important but is a grace, not a law or a means of getting back from God. This sermon is about the true nature and blessing of giving.
Glory Glory Hallelujah is from Matthew 17 verses 1 to 8 and unveils something of the transfigured glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. At Panias He asked His disciples who they though He was, and on Mount Hermon He showed them who He truly was!
Hope-Full is just that! I take a look at Romans 15 verse 13 to find hope in the Lord. My apologies for the muffled sound, as this is an earlier sermon and we hadn't quite got the noise reduction down yet, but all the later sermons are noise-free!
Then, if you would like to read some of the articles I have written you can access them all HERE or click on the topic below:
What we need most: Published in 2010 this article is still very relevant to today. The solution to the woes of the church, and hence our country can, I believe, be addressed only by a genuine and powerful Holy Spirit revival. Revival is an act of God. The sovereign Lord has already spoken to several of His people about His intention to send revival. Our response is to pray and to recommit ourselves to the authority of the Bible, the practical centrality of Jesus, and the empowering ministry of the Holy Spirit in our churches and lives. In this lies our hope for our nation at this time.
The Privilege of Prayer is an article in which I respond to the question why we, as Christians, are generally so passionless and powerless. I suggested that one of the reasons was that so many of us are confused concerning the nature of prayer, the stewardship of spiritual power, and the need to proclaim in word and ministry – Prayer, Power, and Proclamation.
And in keeping with the time of year, the last article is simply "Christmas". I was driving an ex-minister friend of mine to a Sunday service when he turned to me and said, “So what’s your doctrine of gambling?” He had just won a lottery and was wrestling with his conscience. Many Christians wrestle a little with Christmas. Should we celebrate it, because, after all many say it is just a pagan festival. Yes, of course we should, and it’s a great time to witness to unsaved family and friends.
Who says that trials and tribulations are a bad thing?
I was called upon at the last moment to fill in for our preacher who had fallen ill, and I decided to present a ‘behind the scenes’ look at Revelation Chapter Seven, the subject matter of this post. You can listen to the message Signed sealed and Delivered.
Chapter Seven presents a picture of two groups of people, one on earth and the other in heaven. In the sermon I describe a couple of the misinterpretations of the identity of these groups, so I am not going to repeat this here – suffice it to say that they are neither 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses, nor converted post-rapture Jews. Rather, the crowd on earth represent the church and the crowd in heaven represent Christians who have already died and are with the Lord. If you want more detail on how I come to this conclusion, then please listen to the sermon.
The two key truths revealed in this chapter are, firstly, that Christians on earth are enduring ‘tribulation’, and secondly, that we are ‘sealed’ by the Holy Spirit during this experience so that we can learn and develop through this experience.
Dispensationalists and some others teach that the tribulation referred to in Revelation is only something that will occur after Christians have been ‘raptured’ (snatched up into heaven) before the real trouble starts. But what does Jesus say about this? In speaking to his disciples about what would happen after he had left them he said: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33). The word translated as ‘trouble’ in the NIV is thlipsin, a Greek word rendered in many bible versions as ‘tribulation’. Paul and Barnabas understood what Jesus had meant by his use of this word because Acts 14:21-22 records that, ‘they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.’ (ESV).
Contrary to much popular teaching in our day, we are not guaranteed wealth, health, and comfort in this life. Quite the contrary, we are warned that we will experience ‘tribulation’ during our time on earth. Now there is a reason for this – earth is our training ground for eternity. We are here to come to know Jesus, become like him, and help others to do likewise. The questions the Lord will most likely ask us when we die will not have much to do with position, qualifications, wealth, or achievements: I strongly suspect that we will be asked something like, “Have you learned to Love me and others? Have you grown in faith in me? Did you come to understand that hope in an eternity with me is the only real hope there is?”
But here is the really good news! During our time in this School of Tribulation we are sealed by the Holy Spirit with the mark of divine ‘ownership’. The devil may afflict us, circumstances may batter us, ISIS may scare us…. but nothing in heaven or on earth can assault our spiritual identity – we are sons and daughters of the Most High God!
I explain the origin of the ‘sealing’ concept in my sermon but you might like to read Deuteronomy 6:4-8 and Ephesians 1:13-14. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come – 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 The revelation of the church already in heaven sheds its wonderful light on the darkness of a world in tribulation, and it is the hope of being part of that glorious multitude that draws us through to our journey’s end. But we also have this light within us now. The anointing and presence of the Holy Spirit seals and signs us as Children of God; an anointing that protects our spirits and helps us to learn and practice love, faith, and hope in this present tribulation.
Hi there
I've uploaded some new Sermons along with a few Articles which were published in Joy! Magazine. Please have a listen or a read, and as always your comments are welcome.
SERMONS: LUKE 15 'Lost and Found' The Prodigal son, the lost sheep and the missing coin are a trio of Jesus' parables. I realise these are well known and loved verses, but I would like you to listen to them with new ears - you may hear something you've not heard before if you listen to the sermon and, of course, the Holy Spirit.
LUKE 17 'Thank you Jesus' Remember the good Samaritan? This sermon will give you insight into the background and true meaning of this story. We find that we are all united in Jesus, no matter what our differences, customs or races. This has been the case since Biblical times and still is today, among believers from all 'walks' of life.
EPHESIANS 1 'Who are We in Christ' My apologies for the poor sound quality of this sermon. The first few seconds are very bad but it get's better, really! Ephesians 1 7-19 is the wonderful prayer of Paul to the Church in Ephesus and also to US. Ask yourself 'How well do I know God?" and "Who am I in Christ?" and listen to this message.
If you would like to hear more sermons, please CLICK HERE or on the SERMONS IMAGE to go the the main sermons page where you can listen to or download a number of other sermons.
ARTICLES: WHAT IS TRUTH is an article I wrote in 2006. If you haven't been paying too much attention to my ongoing talks and posts about truth :) then this short article should fill you in on my understanding of the nature of truth.
APOLOGETICS. Apologetics is the branch of Christian studies that deals with why we believe what we do. I dislike the word because it comes from the same root as ‘apologise’, which means essentially to defend something we feel guilty or embarrassed about. “Hey, I know this might sound foolish, but let me tell you why I believe in God… or the creation… or the Gospel”. This article challenges the very nature of apologetics.
A CONSIDERATION OF FRANK VIOLA'S 'BEYOND EVANGELICAL' is not a book review. I have written several book reviews, but this not one of them. In this article I am considering ‘Beyond Evangelical’, not reviewing it. My purpose is to reflect on some of the things written in this book from a positive perspective and leave the evaluation and critique to others.
If you would like to read more articles please CLICK HERE or on the ARTICLES IMAGE. Alternatively use the previous and next buttons at the bottom of each article.
Hi everyone, this week I am posting two new sermons onto the site which I think will bless you. Next week we will get back to the Revelation Revisited series.
The first sermon is an exposition of Luke 4:14-30. This portion of scripture contains several problems which I try to illuminate. For instance, the Isaiah text Jesus reads out in the synagogue does not exactly match either the Hebrew or the Greek Septuagint (early translation of the Old Testament) versions. Also, without appreciating the parallel accounts in Matthew and Mark it is difficult to make sense of the sudden change of the crowd’s reaction apparent half way through verse 22, and Jesus’ response to this. But the sermon is not just a background study of the passage because I pick up on three major points that come from the text; the anointing of the Holy Spirit, the really good news of the Gospel, and the danger of missing the Lords presence through familiarity and lack of faith. Here is the link.
I preached the second sermon just a few days ago. It is called ‘God is Able’ and is an exposition of Jude verses 24 and 25. God’s ability, His miraculous power, is not restrained by natural laws, supernatural forces, or by us. He is able to keep us from falling away from The Faith during this life-time, and when we die He is able to complete our salvation and present us faultless and acceptable to the Godhead. Here is the link to this sermon.
These sermons, and many more, can be found at www.truthistheword.com/sermons.
Next week I will be writing about the Lord’s letter to the church in Sardis, the church that thought it was alive and dynamic … but wasn’t.
Hi, I do hope you are gaining a lot from www.truthistheword.com. My goal is to let as many people know the glorious truth about the centrality of the Lord Jesus Christ as I can... but I need your help. How can you help? I have designed a Newsletter TruthNews in pdf format which contains highlights of various sections of my website, what's new in TITW world, Information on the current series, and more. Simply download and forward TruthNewsAugust2015.pdf using the send file function in your pdf reader, or forward this post on using any of the share buttons directly under this post. In this way you can forward the Newsletter to your friends and family (add a personal message if you like) - whoever you feel will be interested. You will be helping me and I hope blessing your friends and family.
And in appreciation… You can download the Revised Edition of "Truth Is the Word" (the book) in electronic format. This has been on-sale since publishing but I want to give you the opportunity to get it free. Each person you forward the newsletter to will also be able to download a free electronic copy of the book. Please check your downloads if either TruthTalks or the book don't open automatically.
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Click here to access my latest sermon, the title is Jehovaha Shamma which means 'God is there'. The message is about the importance and dynamics of a gathered meeting of the church.
Alternatively you can listen to it by simply clicking the play button below
http://truthistheword.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/20150614-10h00-Chris-Jehovah-Shammah-2.mp3
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I have added two new sermons to the site. Both are designed to encourage and inspire.
The desires of your heart is based on Psalm 37:3-6 - Trust in the Lord, roll your burdens onto him, and find your satisfaction in a personal relationship with Jesus… and he will give us the desires of our hearts.
Circles of influence is a collection of stories about four biblical characters know by few; men and women with small circles of influence but great impact. Exodus 35:30-35; Ruth 4:13-15; Luke 22:7-13; Romans 16:22
Before building a house on an old developed site one needs to knock down the existing faulty structures and clear the ground of rubble. That’s what I need to do first, so this post will deal with the interpretive schemes for the book of Revelation which constitute the largest and most obstinate faulty foundation stones. One of the characteristics of the 20th century was the bias towards reductionism (the tendency to break everything down into simpler parts in order to understand it). However the elements of life are complex and interwoven and so attempts to reduce it to its component parts usually confuse and add even more complexity. The same applies to the complex and mysterious book of Revelation.
. Over the centuries scholars have devised many systems of interpreting Revelation. Some have attracted many adherents over the centuries and they in turn have added to the detail and depth of the system. Today, these interpretive schemes are often presented as exclusively ‘correct’ ways of understanding the book. Believers grow up in churches that adhere exclusively to one or other of these schemes and soon come to the mistaken belief that their way is the only correct way of understanding Revelation. This is a huge stumbling block.
. There are four main interpretive schemes, each having a few variations and sub-systems.
The PRETERIST scheme holds that the book of Revelation was applicable to John’s day only. The word ‘preterist’ means ‘past’. For sake of clarity I will oversimplify, but the essential view here is that all of Revelation, with the possible exception of chapters 20 to 22, were descriptions of the 1st century Roman oppression of the church and that any prophetic content was fulfilled in the destruction of the temple of Jerusalem in AD 70.
. The HISTORICIST scheme holds that Revelation covers the whole of the church age from John’s day till the end of the age. It presents Revelation as a sort of 2,000 year calendar and claims that we can locate the pivotal events of (European) history within its pages.
. A third scheme is called the FUTURUST view which holds that chapters 4 to 22 are all descriptions of the end-days and are located some time in our future. A key tenet of this scheme is that everything in Revelation should be taken literally (the text means just what it describes and no more) unless the text itself indicates otherwise. So, the description of demon locusts are John’s attempt to describe 20th century helicopter gunships in 1st century language and imagery, and so on.
. The IDEALIST/SPIRITUAL scheme contends that the symbols, numbers and narratives of Revelation simply represent the ongoing struggle between darkness and light, the devil and the church. This scheme uses an allegorical approach to biblical interpretation.
. Now here are some questions for you to consider: Q If a book of the Bible only applies to believers living in John’s day, then of what real value is it to us today, and what does this say about the value of the Bible in general? Q If, on the other hand, the book deals only with events of the end-times and in 20th century terms then how were earlier generations supposed to understand it and what does this say about the Bible?
. Here’s a thought – perhaps all four schemes contain elements of truth and if embraced holistically may yield a fuller and more valuable understanding for believers both past and present. If this is indeed so then we need to knock down the neat little interpretive ‘boxes’ and rebuild one big box, don’t you think?
. In my next post I want to describe two keys - one unlocks only one of the small boxes I have described in this post, but the other unlocks the big box. You will find them both in Revelation 1:19-20. Why not read these verses and see if you can spot the keys, and as always I welcome your comments.
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This article was published in Conspectus, the peer-reviewed journal of the South African Theological Seminary. The paper deals with same-sex marriage from a Biblical Christian perspective. It is not a treatise on homosexuality from either a Biblical or sociological point of view. The article deals with homosexuality, per se, only in as much as is necessary to examine the question of the Biblical Christian stance concerning same-sex marriage.
. The article starts with a brief overview of the South African civil legal history of same-sex ‘marriage’ partnerships leading up to the current ruling by the Constitutional Court. The debate then starts with the Biblical definition of marriage before mining down to the two main arguments in favour of same-sex marriage and the homosexuality that underpins it – the appeal to the concepts of justice and love. Only then does the focus turn to the Biblical prohibitions concerning homosexual activity.
. The second part of the article deals briefly with implications for church life, firstly from the perspective of how the church approaches same-sex marriage in general society, and then from the perspective of those within, or seeking to join, the church.
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Click here for the full article
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It is hard to describe my 16 day experience of building the guitar of my dreams – a once in a life-time experience will have to do.
. It started at 08h00 on a Tuesday morning. Three men, all over 60, committed to building a guitar and eager to accomplish this. The other two were very experienced carpenters but I was not – let’s say I knew that a chisel had a sharp end and a handle but I had no idea how to use it, and that sort of summarises my knowledge and skill level.
. We started with a clean work station on which lay several pieces of wood. Indian Rosewood for back and sides, Engelmann Spruce for top, African Mahogany for neck, and lengths of spruce for the internal support struts. And so it began.
The raw materials on Day One
. It would be tedious for many if I described the whole process from start to finish but if you are interested in this then you can follow the day-by-day summary and photographs on the Guitar Venture facebook page (scroll down to view each days progress). Let me rather write about some of the things that struck me as interesting in the actual construction of the instrument. In my next post I will write about some of the life lessons I learned from the experience.
. It became obvious very early on that precision is a key issue in guitar construction. Everything is measured to within 1 mm or less and every join has to be a precise. All the parts fitted so snugly that it seemed that the glue we applied was just a belt-and-braces precaution. But precision was also important to ensure that the instrument was properly aligned and centred. Inaccuracy in the early parts of construction yields instability, lack of symmetry and playability issues later on.
. As the guitar slowly came together another key concept immerged – all the parts play a role in producing form, sound, and playability. The beautiful female form of the classical guitar is not just in its obviously curved body. The neck too is sculpted and smoothly curved. Inside the sound box are a couple of dozen struts, each of which is carved into curving tapers and rounded edges. If I had understood this from the start I would have named my guitar ‘Lady P’ and not ‘Dr Peppler’ (My wife Pat would have liked that I think). The finished product is of course an instrument designed to be played but it also something very beautiful.
The Dr Peppler handmade classical guitar
The sound that the instrument produces, its ‘voice’, also depends on many influences. The woods used are called tone woods because they have the characteristics that produce good clean sounds. The Engelmann Spruce top vibrates when the strings are plucked, the Rosewood back and sides reflect the sound back and out of the sound hole. The strutting attached to the inside of the top channels the sound and forms it, and even the neck vibrates in resonance with the notes produced. Any residual glue inside the sound box will impede the flow of sound. The strings, the struts, the neck, the top, the sides, and back all play a role; all the musician has to do is to initiate and order the sounds produced.
. I also learned that even the wood itself has a definite tone. Tap the soundboard before it is built into the body and it rings with a discernible note. My guitar sounded a clear C below middle C. There is a lot of debate about the significance of the ‘tap tone’ but the fact remains that the wood itself ‘sings’.
. Playability is also determined by a combination of several things. The fretboard must be angled slightly above the line from head (nut) to 12th fret. Each of the frets must be spaced down the fretboard to very precise measurements and they must be of exactly equal height. The bridge must be located at precisely the scale length (645 mm in my case) from the nut. The saddle must be just high enough to produce a clearance of between 3.5 and 4 mm between the 6th string and the 12th fret. The slots cut into the nut for the strings must be the right uniform depth.
The word ‘new’ is being attached to many philosophies and movements nowadays. One of the newest News is a militant form of atheism promoted by people such as Richard Dawkins.
. I have written this short article to provide some background reading into one of the better known books coming out of the New Atheist camp; ‘The God Delusion’ by Richard Dawkins.
. I am not an apologist; and I make no apology for this. An apologist is a person who offers an argument in defence of something, and in theological circles that ‘something’ is the Christian Faith. I do not believe that God needs defending: the very idea is as absurd as an ant attempting to justify to another insect that Richard Dawkins exists (comparison intended). And that brings me to the subject of this post.
. A short while ago I chanced upon a televised interview of Professor Dawkins. I knew of him but hadn’t taken time to read his books, so I stayed tuned and listened for a while. A number of things struck me but I have already mentioned these in a sermon I preached that same week, so I will only cite two here – his very narrow world-view and his obvious contempt for those who include a spiritual dimension to their concept of reality.
. The Dawkins world-view has no room for anything beyond what can be scientifically observed and quantified. I, on the other hand, believe in a spiritual realm on a number of grounds. I have experienced it, it makes sense to me, the bible describes it, and Jesus spoke much about it. Of course folk like Dawkins regard the bible as a collection of ancient myths and theologians as benighted souls who peddle these myths. This is what he says; ‘I have listened to theologians, read them, debated against them. I have never heard any of them ever say anything of the smallest use, anything that was not either platitudinously obvious or downright false’. He has indeed debated with some church men but seems to carefully avoid those who could easily refute his views. Dr William Lane Craig is a highly trained and articulate theologian who has repeatedly, but unsuccessfully, attempted to engage Dawkins. In his justification, ‘Why I refuse to debate with William Lane Craig’ Dawkins writes; ‘Don't feel embarrassed if you've never heard of William Lane Craig. He parades himself as a philosopher, but none of the professors of philosophy whom I consulted had heard his name either. Perhaps he is a "theologian"’. Note particularly the dismissive use of inverted commas.
. For interest I looked up the Wikipedia entries for both Dawkins and Lane Craig. The article on Dawkins contains a mere 6 lines describing his education. Lane Craig on the other hand… well see for yourself – I know whose CV impresses me the most: No wonder Dawkins does not want to debate him!
. Here is Lane Craig’s evaluation of Dawkins’ logical argument – as they say in my part of the world, “Ag shame”. By the way, I borrowed the title of this post from this particular article although I doubt if Lane Craig is the only one to use the catchy description of Dawkins Think.
. As one of the despised theologian class I of course heartily agree with Lane Craig, but I chose rather to consult some non-Christian critics in order to get a non-spiritual view of the Dawkins Delusion. Robert Stewart, writing in the Journal of Evolutionary Philosophy, produced a detailed summary and review of Dawkins’ book ‘The God Delusion’. In this paper Stewart points out that Dawkins claims that he can prove that the probability of God’s existence is almost zero. He goes on to mention that Dawkins based the entire credibility of his book on his ‘proof’ of God’s non-existence, but that the only proof that he delivered was a rhetorical hypothesis… Again, “Ag shame”.
. I went one step further and downloaded a Kindle book titled ‘Illogical Atheism’ by a doctor of Laws writing under the name of Bo Jinn. The book’s title speaks for itself but just to clarify one reviewer wrote; ‘In his book Illogical Atheism,
Published in SATS 'Pastor to Pastor' Harold Camping is the Calvinist radio Bible teacher based in California. He has sprung to notoriety by predicting that the Rapture would occur at 6 pm on 21st May, 2011. The day has come and gone and the Christian world is left puzzling over the question of how he could have got it so wrong.
. Apart from radically reinterpreting Jesus words, that no one knows the day or the hour, as applying only to the disciples of His time, Camping fell on the sword of his faulty interpretive method. He uses and abuses a method commonly referred to as allegorical interpretation, but he is not the only teacher who does this. Several years ago I heard the leader of a major church group preach on how the twelve gates in the walls of ancient Jerusalem each stood for a particular church age. He went around the gates in a clockwise direction and concluded that we were currently in the age signified by the Dung Gate – phew!
. Camping uses an extreme form of allegorization but there are several variants in today’s church, and so it would be useful to examine the issue and come up with a balanced approach to biblical interpretation
Click here for full article
Published in SATS "pastor to Pastor' I grew up in a conservative Methodist home and during my childhood years would sometimes hear disparaging comments about ’holly rollers’ who, I was told, were Pentecostals who rolled wildly on the floor talking in tongues. At the age of thirty I ‘got saved’ and my wife and I started attending an Assemblies of God church. I didn’t see anyone rolling on the floor but I did hear tongues, both spoken and sung. The singing was beautiful and inspiring and I had no idea at that stage that speaking in tongues was a contentious issue for so many Christians.
. Some six months later we joined a small charismatic Methodist church near our home. By interacting with the leaders I started to understand that many folk in the traditional non-Pentecostal denominations felt that tongues-talkers saw themselves as superior Christians. Some of those I spoke to even told me that they had been told that they weren’t even saved because they didn’t speak in tongues.
. I started reading into the issue many years later and discovered that there are several grouping of views concerning tongues. Among Pentecostals and some charismatics there are those who believe that all Christians need to experience ‘the baptism in the Holy Spirit’ and that this is evidenced by speaking in tongues. A minority of Pentecostals hold the view that unless you are baptised in the Spirit, and thus speak in tongues, then you are not saved; but this is a very small group. Most believe that the baptism in the Spirit is an empowering experience necessary for Christian life and ministry. Among these folk there are those who teach a one-off experience, while others contend that the initial experience needs to be followed by constant ‘infillings’.
Click here for the full article
Many years ago the Holy Spirit led me into an appreciation of the key dynamics of church life that has served my local church well for more than two decades. I call the concept ROADS – Relationship, Outreach, Anointing, Doctrine, and Structure. How the five dynamics relate to one another Before I develop each of these dynamics, I need to comment on how they relate to each other as parts of a whole. All five dynamics need to be equally strong driving forces that energize the local church. If a church has great relationships both with God and its members, but gives little attention to outreach, then it will inevitably implode into a holy huddle. If it functions gloriously in the gifts and anointing of the Holy Spirit, but is light on sound doctrine, then it will most likely fly off into some form of charismania. If it gives much attention to doctrine, but little energy to anointing, then it will probably calcify into some form of religious legalism. Even if a local church is strong on relationships, outreach, anointing, and sound doctrine, yet lacks biblical church structure, it is unlikely to be able to sustain itself over time or to reproduce itself in kind. All five dynamics are needed in equal measure for a church to be healthy and effective.
Click here for the full article
Published in SATS 'Pastor to Pastor' During the 2012 Leadership Summit Bill Hybels spoke about how he and his elders had recently embarked on a leadership succession process. He mentioned that there are thousands of mega churches around the world who are currently led by pastors in their sixties. In his opinion, most of these churches are in for troubled times because few have considered passing the leadership baton and even fewer know how to do it. I have no way of gauging how accurate his information is, but one thing is obvious; leadership succession, like death, is inevitable. Therefore, all churches, big and small, need to give serious attention to how to transition from retiring to younger leadership.
I am 65 years of age and for the last two years or so I have been engaging my eldership on how we are going to transition the church when I retire. To exacerbate the situation, our other senior pastor is due to retire in two years’ time, just when I am planning to scale down my involvement. Because we are currently dealing with the realities of leadership transition I thought that it might be useful if I wrote an article for the benefit of other churches in a similar circumstance.
Click here for the full article
If I asked you why you enrolled with SATS in the first place most of you would mention such things as; the convenience of being able to study at a distance, the excellent quality of the accreditation, or the fine curriculum and coursework. Some might even mention the fact that the academic faculty are so good looking. However, most of you would probably say that it was because we are theologically evangelical.
When SATS was founded, it was clear what the word ‘evangelical’ meant, but recently it has become so broadly defined that it no longer means what it used to. It no longer adequately defines our theological blood type. However, if you look at our website you will see that we define ourselves with the words; ‘We are Bible-based, Christ-centred, Spirit-led, distance and online learning specialists, accredited to the PhD level. The last part of that statement speaks to what we do, but the first part speaks to who we are; Bible-based, Christ-centred, and Spirit-led. These are the three foundational principles on which we build SATS some 16 years ago; the unique authority of the Word of God the Father, the lordship and centrality of Jesus Christ, and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. We have tried to incorporate these three principles into the structure and content of our courses and assessment criteria.
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This article was published in Joy! Magazine We have all heard the quote, ‘God helps those who help themselves.’ Some of us facetiously add the reference, Hezekiah 4:13, because anyone who thinks the quote is from the Bible will probably also not know that there is no book of Hezekiah in the Old Testament. But my theme for this article is not the spurious use of the Bible to authenticate a folk saying, but the misquoting of what is actually in the scriptures.
Many misquotes result from poor translations or a lack of understanding of the biblical languages. One example is the often quoted Psalm 121:1-2. The problem started with the King James Version translation, ‘I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth’. This could give the impression that our help comes from the hills, or the god of the hills. However, this is not the intent of these verses. In Old Testament times the pagan priests erected shrines and altars on top of hill, and other high places, and the devotees worshipped their false gods there. The Living Bible captures the real intended idea when it translates the text as; ‘ Shall I look to the mountain gods for help? No! My help is from Jehovah who made the mountains! And the heavens too!’
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This is an article published in Joy! Magazine I have written several book reviews, but this not one of them. In this article I am considering ‘Beyond Evangelical’, not reviewing it. My purpose is to reflect on some of the things written in this book from a positive perspective and leave the evaluation and critique to others.
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An introduction to Systematic Theology, Published in 'A Student's A-Z of Theology' Ed. B. Domeris and K.Smith by South African Theological Seminary Press. Theology is, in essence, ‘faith seeking understanding’, and SystematicTheology is the discipline that seeks to bring together scriptural and church Faith in an organised and life-relevant way. God did not design the Bible as a comprehensive theological dictionary and so Systematic Theology plays an important role in making biblical truth accessible in a holistic and comprehensive fashion. As a discipline, it links with Biblical and Practical Theology to form a theological educational trinity. However, Systematic Theologies are written from historic, cultural, and dogmatic perspectives and so should be carefully evaluated against biblical truth. Good evangelical Systematic Theology is an indispensable part of any serious study of the nature, purposes, and ways of Almighty God.
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An introduction to Homiletics, the study and practice of preaching, Published in 'A Student's A-Z of Theology' Ed. B. Domeris and K.Smith by South African Theological Seminary Press. Homiletics, like many other Christian disciplines, is hard to define adequately, but in essence, it is the study and practice of the preaching of the Word of God. There is a strong biblical basis for preaching, both in precedent and in injunction, and it has been a central feature of the church throughout all ages. The history of homiletics reveals a general shift of focus from the text, to the preacher, and then to the audience. Concerning the text, although there are several different terminologies, the main divide in approach is between expository and topical sermon form. The focus on the preacher, rather than the text, highlights the key issue of the source of authority for preaching. Concerning the audience, it is obvious that preaching is always in the context of a group of listeners and so their needs must be an area of concern. However, needs and cultures should never override the primary preaching responsibility of fidelity to the Word of God. While preaching cannot be divorced from its audience, neither should it be separated from the contexts of sound hermeneutics and of church worship and ministry. . Click here for the full article
An urgent call to teach creative and critical thinking I wrote this article in 2004. Now, in 2014 the rate of change is even greater and societies and economies have become increasingly unstable and unpredictable.
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Church unity is so important yet so illusive. In this article I attempt to describe some of the parameters for unity, its continuum and its locus, before coming to the tentative conclusion that networking seems to provide us with the only viable working model available. Having come to this point in my search I then sketch some simple building blocks . In the final analysis, only the Holy Spirit can forge a functionally united global church. Our responsibility is to seek the Lord's will and to be sensitive to His voice. We also need to place ourselves into interlinking relationship networks thereby making all of the church potentially available to all of its parts
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This article was published in Conspectus, the peer-reviewed journal of the South African Theological Seminary. There are many different understandings of the word 'Christocentric' both among past and current scholars. In this article the author aligns with those who regard the life, teaching and person of the Lord Jesus Christ as the locus of doctrinal formulation and proclamation but applies this approach specifically to the hermeneutic enterprise. The key contention is that scripture should be interpreted primarily from the perspective of Jesus' character, values, principles, and priorities as revealed either directly or indirectly by the biblical revelation of what he said and did. This is called the Christocentric Principle. The article proceeds from interacting with other scholars who hold a similar view, to identifying the biblical support for the argument, to a brief example of how the principle can be applied. Before concluding, the author deals briefly with some objections to the central idea espoused.
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Conspectus, the academic journal of the South African Theological Seminary (SATS), recently published an article of mine advocating the interpretation of scripture from a Christocentric perspective.
What I refer to as the Christocentric Principle is an approach to biblical interpretation that seeks to understand scripture from a Jesus-perspective. In other words, a way of interpreting scripture primarily from the perspective of what Jesus taught and modelled, and from what he revealed concerning the nature, character, values, principles, and priorities of the Godhead. The significance of this article is not that it is likely to make headlines but rather that that it provides a peg in the ground, paving a way for argument and debate within Christian academic circles on the centrality of Jesus in our theology, church and everyday lives.
In the article I argue vigorously for the restoration on Christ-centred hermeneutic approach to the interpretation of the scriptures and their application in everyday life. The article crystalises a year's worth of dialogue with SATS' leaders and academics, and will now become prescribed reading for SATS' students.In these discussions with the SATS’ academic team, I constantly posed the question: what does it means for us to be Christ-centred? For me it means:
In all we do, we seek to give due honour and glory to the Lord Jesus Christ. The goal of the Christian life is to become like the Lord Jesus Christ. The person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ is central to all Christian life, doctrine, and ministry. The nature of God as revealed in the words and works of the Lord Jesus Christ is a lens for interpreting God’s word and discerning his will.
In my recent address to SATS graduates at the recent graduation ceremony, I urged them to oversee the restoration of Christocentricity to the church, to apply the principles to their lives, to pass them on and to influence others to do so too.Will you faithful readers of my blog do the same? Download the article here -> http://www.satsonline.org/userfiles/Peppler, The Christocentric Principle-A Jesus-Centred Hermeneutic.pdf
“Pssst! Let me tell you a secret” It seems that there is a secret on everyone’s lips nowadays. Some, like the ‘The Secret Message of Jesus’, are interesting if a little controversial, but the latest ‘secret’ is just offensive. An Australian TV producer and a number of positive thinking ‘gurus’ have collaborated to produce a high profile book and DVD called ‘The Secret’. In their promotional material they claim that ‘The Secret is the answer to all that has been, all that is, and all that will be.’ Now where have I seen a phrase like that before? O Yes, in Revelation 1:8, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty”. Hmmmm! First there was Theosophy, then Christian Science, then Napoleon J. Hill’s Think and Grow Rich, then Positive Confession, and now… The Secret. It seems that what the promoters claim to herald in as a new era for humankind is just a super slick remake of a concept that is as old as humankind itself. The ‘great secret of life’ turns out to be what the authors term The Law of Attraction. Simply put, the idea is that the universe is a great magical mirror that reflects and transmutes the thoughts we project onto it. It converts thoughts into things. The way we achieve this mind-magic is by applying the Law of Attraction. This ‘law’ states that whatever we think, consistently and with feeling, will materialise in our lives. Think rich and you will attract riches to you, a gift from the universal Genie. The promoters claim that ‘the law of attraction will give you what you want, every time.’ Well, well… and I thought that there was no such thing as a ‘free lunch’!
The whole thing just doesn’t stand up to reason let alone biblical revelation. However, what is most offensive to me is that it is a blatant attempt to remove God from our thinking, to turn the focus from giving to inwardly directed self-gratification, and to position sinful humans as creative ‘gods’. The Bible has a name for this, ‘the secret power of lawlessness’ (2 Thessalonians 2:7). It is just that ancient old lie of the devil, ‘you can be as God’!
What is equally offensive to me is that Christians, disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, are falling for this rubbish. No, dear fellow believer, we cannot just replace the word ‘universe’ with ‘God’ and then accept The Secret as truth. God is not impersonal and undiscriminating! God is not a magic Genie that gives us whatever we think of! Why pick through a plate of poisoned food in order to find a wholesome morsel? We have a banquet of truth before us, the written Word of God, the Bible. 1 Corinthians 2:12 says "We have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us". What has he given us? Well He has not given us the magical power to turn thoughts into things so that we can have more. No, He has given us His Spirit so that we can give more, now and eternally!
If you are interested in being privy to a secret then here is the real secret…’No one can deny how great is the secret of our religion: He appeared in human form, was shown to be right by the Spirit, and was seen by angels. He was preached among the nations, was believed in throughout the world, and was taken up to heaven.’ (1 Timothy 3:16) That’s Jesus! That is a real secret!
You will find a lot about truth and the real secret of life by reading my book Truth Is the Word. You can even download a FREE version in pdf format HERE