And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle
of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing
of abominations (detestable things) will come one who makes desolate (causes
horror), even until a great destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on
the one who makes desolate (causes horror). (NASB)
We have just gone into a new year. New year resolutions were made (Many have
been broken already).
Matt 7:1-5 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you
judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be
measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye
and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your
brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a
plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye,
and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye."
Why did our Saviour have to be born of a virgin? In the OT God had also promised
several people that the Messiah would be one of their descendants. In order to
prove this descent, it was necessary to keep genealogical records. But who was
Joseph's father - Jacob or Heli? What is of particular interest is the 5 women
mentioned in Matthew's genealogy. Normally women were seldom mentioned in these
lists, so the choice of these somewhat disreputable women is intriguing.
What is the trinity and where did the word come from? Do Christians believe in
one God or three? What did the early church in the first 3 centuries after
Christ believe about this? What prompted the Council of Nicea and who were Arius
and Athanasius? Most importantly, what do the Scriptures say in this regard?
Did Charles Darwin believe Blacks and Aborigines were on the same level as
gorillas? How did the early proponents of the theory of Evolution justify their
blatant racism? How did Hitler and the Nazis use the theory of evolution to
support their belief of the superiority of certain races and ultimately to
justify the genocide of 6 million Jews - besides their euthanasia program which
entailed murdering the aged, retarded and disabled. Is racism defensible
genetically, morally and Biblically? What was the mark of Cain and the curse of
Ham (Canaan) that racists in their ignorance use to
support their prejudices? How should we treat aliens? Is racial inter-marriage a
sin? What does the Bible mean when it says we must love our neighbour? Who is my
neighbour? Will heaven be segregated?
Who is "the beast"? Was Nero the Antichrist that John referred to? What is the
meaning of the 666? Will Christ return as a baby or "as lightning that comes
from the east"?
(Gavin Paynter)
In Matt 24:5 Jesus predicted many false Christs, "For many will come in my name,
claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many."
(Gavin Paynter)
Matt 6:22-23 The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole
body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be
full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that
darkness!
What does this passage mean? There is disagreement about the meaning of this
saying of Jesus.
(Gavin Paynter)
William Ward said, "Worry is wasting today's time to clutter up tomorrow's
opportunities with yesterday's troubles." Worry not only affects us mentally,
emotionally and physically - it also affects us spiritually. said, "So do not
worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we
wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows
that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all
these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about
tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of
its own." (Matt 6:31-34)
(Ken Paynter)
Does God curse us for the sins of our fathers? Do Pentecostal and Charismatic
Christians also have Biblically unfounded superstitions?
Gavin Paynter)
Raptus is Jerome's translation of the Koine Greek word harpazo, which means
'caught up' or 'taken away.' 'Harpazo' is also used in Acts 8:39 where it
describes the transporting of Philip suddenly from Gaza to Azotus. Harpazo is
used of Paul being caught up to the third heaven (1 Cor 12:2). And again harpazo
is used of the man-child being caught up to the throne of God (Rev 12:5). In
similar fashion, 1 Thess 4:17 tells us that we who are still alive at the time
of Jesus' coming will be "caught up" (harpazo) in the clouds to meet the Lord in
the air.
(Gavin Paynter)
In the Old Testament, a kinsman redeemer was a close relative who could come to
your assistance when you when you had lost your LAND, LIBERTY, LIFE or LEGACY.
Jesus became the Son of Man so that he could be our kinsman redeemer and restore
what the devil had stolen.
(Warren Paynter)
John declares that this book is a revelation given by God (the Father) to Jesus
Christ, to show his servants those things which were to take place in the
future. The Greek word apokalupsis translated revelation, is compounded from the
words apo ... from, and kalupto ... to cover or hide, thus the meaning is the
'unveiling' of that which was previously hidden. (The Greek word prototokos
translated firstborn seven times, and first-begotten twice. The Lord Jesus is
the first in the new creation, just as Adam was the first in the Edenic
creation. The new creation begins with him. This headship of the new creation
does not in any way compromise his eternal power and godhead.)
(Gavin Paynter)
The Bible gives a good deal of attention to the reality of suffering. It does
not regard it as an illusion as some religions and sects do, nor deal with it
superficially. CAN SUFFERING BE GOD'S WILL? YES! Peter writes, "So then, those
who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful
Creator..." (1 Pet 4:19) It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing
good than for doing evil. (1 Pet 3:17)
(Gavin Paynter)
The Da Vinci code - FICTION BASED ON FICTION. In this revival of the old 2nd
and 3rd century Gnostic heresy, Dan Brown presents a new, yet old, conspiracy
theory. How do scholars of history, Christian and secular alike, view the claims
of these pseudo-experts? Find out why Brown is so selective in his quotations
from the Gnostic gospels.
(Gavin Paynter)
Are Allah and Yahweh one and the same? Do Muslims accept Jesus' claims about
his deity and resurrection? Was Muhammad influenced by the Bible or by heretical
Gnostic sources? What is the significance of the crescent moon used on Islamic
mosques and minarets? Did Jesus and Muhammad have similar teachings?
(Gavin Paynter)
What is the hope that all true Christians have and what are our grounds for
believing in the resurrection? Will we be resurrected spiritually, bodily - or
both? Will our resurrection bodies look the same as they do now? Will the wicked
also have a bodily resurrection? What is the importance of Jesus' resurrection?
(Warren Paynter)
In the Old Testament there are many Scriptures concerning the coming of the
Lord, but in all of them, no distinction is made between the First Coming and
the Second Coming. In their reading of the Scriptures, they had found no
indication that there were two comings of the Messiah, separated from each other
by some two thousand years.
(Gavin Paynter)
We saw last time how Jesus is greater than the angels because he is the SON OF
GOD. Now we are shown how he also was the SON OF MAN and became "a little lower
than the angels". Jesus is not ashamed to call us (humans) his brothers. In the
NT Jesus is referred to as: - Son of God: 38 times, most of these references by
others. - Son of Man: 84 times, most of these references by himself.
(Gavin Paynter)
Paul speaks of people in the last days being pre-occupied with having a
positive self-image (lovers of themselves): "People will be lovers of
themselves... boastful, proud..., conceited..." (2 Tim 3:1-5) This preoccupation
with self is the result of the godless psychology which has crept into Christian
theology and counseling.
(Gavin Paynter)
Should Christians keep the Sabbath (7th day), Sunday (1st day) or doesn't it
matter? Did 'the Pope' change the day of worship or perhaps Constantine? What
can we learn from Jesus, the apostles and the early church in this regard? What
do we find regarding this matter in the earliest Christian writings?
(Gavin Paynter)
What is the source and purpose of temptation? Is temptation sin? How should we
respond to temptation? What is Satan's strategy and what should our
counter-strategy be? What are strongholds and how do we break them down using
spiritual warfare?
(Gavin Paynter)
A consolidated view of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
(Gavin Paynter)
Will a loving God send sinners to hell? Who spoke the most about hell in the
Bible? Was the story of the rich man who went to hell a parable? Is there
consciousness in hell, "soul sleep" or annihilation? We look at the death of the
godless and the godly including deathbed quotes from Cesare Borgia, Mahatma
Gandhi, Napoleon Bonaparte, Charles IX, Sir Francis Newport, Thomas Carlyle,
Honore Mirabeau, David Strauss, Josef Stalin, Thomas Hobbes and Robert Ingersoll
- contrasted with D.L. Moody, John Leland, John Newton, Adoniram Judson, King
David, the martyr Stephen, the apostle Paul and Jesus Christ.
(Gavin Paynter)
The JW's and SDA church claim that Jesus is the archangel Michael. But we're
given 7 facts about the person and work of Jesus to show His superiority to the
angels.So we are privileged to have Jesus - the very 'Son of God' - as our
covenant mediator and the one who delivered God's final revelation to us.
However with greater privilege and knowledge comes greater responsibility - and
the potential for greater judgment if we become desensitized and take our
privileges for granted.
(Gavin Paynter)
Not only does God have a Son, but His Son is greater than all the prophets (not
just a prophet amongst many as Islam teaches). We're given 7 facts about the
person and work of Jesus to show His superiority to the prophets.
(Gavin Paynter)
Jesus taught 7 consecutive parables in Matthew 13 about the kingdom. The
parables, if understood, reveal the secrets of "the kingdom of heaven" (Matt
13:10-11). The 7 parables refer to 7 church ages. The seventh parable of "The
Dragnet" covers the period from approximately 1900 AD - present or the Apostate
Church. What is the Biblical perspective on the widespread teachings of Positive
Confession and Prosperity? We need correct teaching based on the Bible, not
psychology, humanism or cultic philosophy.