Christianity – Page 16 – Growing 4 Life

Serving All, All the Time

2 Comments / December 7, 2017 December 7, 2017

This is the time of year that we focus on giving. Much of the giving is focused on children. We fill shoe boxes and purchase toys to give to local charities. It is rewarding to watch our children’s excitement as they walk with us through the store and help to pick out toys and toothbrushes and socks for children across the world or in their own neighborhood. It is truly a wonderful opportunity to touch the world with the love of Christ.

Giving to children is so special. There is something especially delightful about it. And Christmastime is such a fun time to give. There are so many different opportunities available that it doesn’t take much work for us to be part of something greater than ourselves. Perhaps we should use this time of year as a catalyst for change– a change that yields a life that intentionally gives and serves all year long.

There are some things to consider as we evaluate our lifestyle of service.

Children are wonderful, but there are so many elderly people who have no family to visit them. They sit, sad and lonely, throughout the year, wondering if anybody cares. Do they have the same value as a child? We would answer of course because we know that is the “right” answer but do we live it out by our actions?

And do we give all year long or do we only serve and give during this one little window of time during the year? Are we practicing a life of service all year long or do we live a life of self-absorption that disappears for a short time at Christmastime?

Time goes so fast. We will be back to our normal routine again before we know it. This holiday season seems a good time to consider our patterns of giving and serving.

Many people have set examples for me in this area of serving others throughout the year, but one example that made an impact on me was something my mother-in-law did when I was a young mother. She would take my kids along with her to the local nursing home to visit a few of the elderly from our church. As a pastor’s wife, it was a way she could bring a little sunshine and joy to their lives. At the time, I didn’t realize just what a service of love this was. Most older people love kids. As I watched her set this good example and as I grew braver and more mature, I hesitantly decided to try it myself. I say “braver”, because my greatest fear was that I wouldn’t know what to say.

So one day I gathered my children and we set off in our minivan. How do you talk to an elderly person that you don’t really know? But what I found was that, especially with kids along, there is rarely an awkward moment. I figured out how to ask lots of questions and we would learn so much about the past. (The incredible upside of this is that so many of these older people have so much to teach us. If we will just take the time, we can learn so much.)

But this post is not just about giving of ourselves to elderly people. Are we serving and encouraging our pastors, and other church members such as the single parents, the downcast and depressed, the sick and weary, and those who are struggling financially? These should all be on our radar throughout the whole year.

There are many ways we can encourage, serve, and build them up. We can do this by sending a card or an email. We can do this by babysitting; providing meals, if needed; by just sitting and talking after church instead of rushing out the door. And, of course, we can do this by praying for them. There are many more ways we can love and serve others.

One of the things I try to do is to think about what I would want someone to do for me if I were in their situation. And you know what? Sometimes I am the one who needs encouraged. Sometimes I need to be the recipient of the love and service of my church family. I have been there, too. And this may be one of the best things about being part of a church family–the love and care we take of each other. Learning to receive gracefully and gratefully is a topic for another post.

As I write this, I can see how I have failed in this area of serving others in such a big way. I can be so blind. I often find myself so caught up in my own agenda that I lose sight of those who need to be encouraged, built up, and supported.

But scripture continues to prod me (and hopefully you, too!) into a holier and more obedient life that is filled with love for others. I Peter 4:10-11 exhorts us to serve one another–

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: ¹¹whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

I John 4:7-8 exhorts us to love one another–

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

And I Thessalonians 5:11 exhorts us to encourage one another–

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

These passages are particularly referring to the Church. This is our first priority–serving other Christian brothers and sisters, loving and taking care of each other in a way that unifies the church and causes the world to step back and wonder what we have that they don’t have.

Scripture will not let us go. It continues to draw us to a more mature faith, showing us how we fail and where we need to grow. Christmas season is a great time to evaluate our life of service.

May we broaden our horizons and see that needs abound across all classes, races, and ages of people. May we never miss an opportunity to share the Gospel as we give to those that don’t know Christ. And may we be especially sensitive to the needs of our Christian brothers and sisters both here and across the world as we faithfully serve and give throughout the whole year!

Freezing Out Fear

2 Comments / November 22, 2017 November 22, 2017

The other evening, as my family discussed the recent terrible church shooting, my father-in-law shook his head.

“Can you imagine discussing something like this twenty years ago??” he asked incredulously.

No, we can’t. Because we wouldn’t have. Oh, bad things happened and there have always been evil men and women. But this. This is just beyond anything we could have imagined.

And then someone else mentioned how frequent these things are becoming. The shock is almost wearing off because these types of events are becoming monthly–sometimes weekly.

And this can breed fear in some of us, making us wonder–when will it be us? Or someone close to us?

Or it could be something else that makes us fearful; some other anxiety that is stealing our peace and joy. There are innumerable causes for fear in our lives.

For some of us, this fear can turn into a life full of anxiety and worry, turning our happy smiles into frowns of concern. Fear is a mighty master, controlling our lives with an iron fist.

Of course, much of this comes from not taking Matthew 6:35-34 very seriously. As I have battled my own fears about a variety of things, these verses keep coming to mind–

Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? ²⁷Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

²⁸“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; ²⁹and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ³⁰Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

³¹“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³²For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. ³³But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ³⁴Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

But how do we freeze out the fear that threatens to undo us? What can we do to help eradicate the sins of worry and anxiety from our lives?

I believe one of the most underrated things we can do to help us overcome fear is to cultivate a heart of gratitude. We learn this from Philippians 4:6-7–

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Do you see that little phrase in there?

With thanksgiving.

How often do we practice this as we face our fears and anxieties? Do we come to God with a thankful heart or is gratitude crowded out by the fear that threatens to overwhelm us?

Because you can’t really have both. You can’t be fearful and thankful at the same time. They are mutually exclusive.

Have you ever thought about that before?

And so this week of Thanksgiving, I want to encourage you (and me, too!) to give our hearts and minds to developing a spirit of gratitude. To truly live out Philippians 4 and to be be anxious for nothing, but instead making our requests be known to God with a spirit of thanksgiving. And that is when fear will be frozen out and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds.

Remembering the Reformation: What’s It Have To Do With Today?

5 Comments / November 16, 2017 November 16, 2017

In honor of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, I have dedicated about three posts to remembering just what happened during that time. My plan was to delve a little deeper into it and expand–until I recognized a couple of things. First, most of my readers were generally uninterested in reading about the Reformation and so I was doing a ton of research and work for only a few. Which is fine, if not for the second thing I recognized: There are many good people who already did the research and wrote about it. And so, for those of you who are interested, I am going to provide some great places to go to learn more.

But before I do, I want to clarify why I was writing on the Reformation to begin with. My main purpose in writing this series is because the church in 2017 has walked far away from what took place 500 years ago. During the time of the Reformation, Five Solas were developed that took the church back to biblical theology and principles. They were–

Sola Scriptura(Scripture Alone)
Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
Solus Christus (Christ Alone)
Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be Glory)

(You can read a little more about these Five Solas here.)

In practice, the modern day church has left many of these Solas covered in dust behind them. For example, in its efforts to toss tradition and be modern, the church is uniting with religions that require works for salvation and in its efforts to gratify a congregation that is obsessed with feelings, they are encouraging the people to believe that their personal experiences are the valid and authoritative words of God. And, yet, we can see that if we understand these Five Solas, so much of the confusion in the church today is clarified. It serves us well to reflect on church history as we navigate the current church waters. I found this wonderful article entitled Ten Reasons Why The Reformation is Not Over by Josh Buice over at Delivered by Grace that expounds this thought further. Here are ten reasons why he believes the Reformation isn’t over (and I agree!)–

The Roman Catholic Church has not repented of their perversion of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Preaching is not, in many evangelical circles, the central mark of the local church.
The present state of the evangelical church is filled with a love for pragmatism and a distaste for robust theology.
The holiness of God is barely referenced much less understood among many evangelical churches.
Worship has become man-centered as opposed to God-centered.
Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are often trivialized and minimized.
Church discipline is a missing mark in most evangelical churches in our present day.
Evangelism has been replaced by gimmickry and superficial methods that seek immediate results as opposed to genuine conversion.
Holy living has been replaced by a loose antinomian approach to redeeming the culture.
Church membership has become a shadow of indulgences — one’s ticket to heaven in many evangelical churches.

*pragmatism is doing what works (as opposed to what’s right)
*antinomianism is the belief that Christians are released by grace from the obligation of observing the moral law

(Read the rest of this article here.)

And so we can see that the Reformation will never be over. As long as sinners are at the helm of the church, there will be deception, chicanery, and corruption. While we should never expect a perfect church, we can and should stand and fight for the truth, as it is necessary. The Five Solas can help us understand exactly what is going on and where the church is going wrong. A study of the Reformation is very worth your time and I highly recommend it!

Here are the resources I promised (it is by no means an an exhaustive list, but it will get you started)–

Resources

Luther and the Reformation Series (YouTube series by R.C. Sproul)

Church History Lectures (YouTube series by Ryan Reeves)

The Reformers (Book containing short readable biographies; edited by Chad Stewart)

The Reformation (Book by T.M. Lindsay)

The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World (Book by Stephen Nichols)

Reformation Hardware: The Truth Behind Church History’s Greatest Revival (Podcast by Nathan Busenitz)

Celebrating the 500 Years of the Reformation (Video by Nathan Busenitz)

Five Reformation Questions (Video Lecture by Nathan Busenitz)

Misunderstanding the Five Solas (Blog series by Josh Buice)

A List of False Teachings in the Roman Catholic Church (Article at CARM)

The Sufficiency of Scripture (Part 1) (Article by Gary Gilley)

The Sufficiency of Scripture (Part 2) (Article by Gary Gilley)

*Please note that I have not read or listened to all of these. Please, as always, be a Berean and compare all you hear and read to the Bible.

Balanced is Beautiful

Leave a Comment / November 13, 2017 November 13, 2017

Have you ever met someone who has a pet topic? Whether it is their kids, their job, a particular sport– they just seem obsessed with this one thing and can hardly keep from talking about it.

We Christians can be like this, too. We should be passionate about Jesus Christ and His Word–that goes without saying, really–but sometimes we can become so passionate about a certain spiritual (and worthy) thing to the point where we are indifferent about all other topics. This can lead us to be very unbalanced as believers.

This is something I have noticed in others and also fight regularly myself. We become passionate about a certain topic (such as discernment, orphans, mission work, the unity of the church, etc…) to the point where we become very one dimensional as believers.

Of course, God uses our different passions to accomplish much for His kingdom. It is not wrong to be passionate about a particular subject. I am thankful for those who are passionate about discernment for they help us to stay on the straight and narrow and spot the falsehood abundant in the church today. I am thankful for those passionate about orphans and missions for they keep us aware of what’s going on and encourage us to make a difference with our prayers, our money, and even our time.

But my caution here is that we don’t become so enamored with one particular topic that we neglect all others completely. We can be wonderfully passionate about finding homes for orphans and still practice discernment. We can practice discernment and still show concern for missions. These things are not mutually exclusive. And yet so often we act like they are.

Of course, the biggest problem facing the church today is probably not even this, is it? As I am thinking about this, I recognize that the thing many people are most fascinated and passionate about is…themselves. I struggle with this, as well. We lose our balance because we are only concerned with our own affairs. We rarely think outside of ourselves and our own needs and when we do, we give ourselves a huge pat on the back and then go on our merry way.

And, yet, the Christian life is clearly to be full of personal growth in obedience and holiness (I Peter 3:10-16), concern for others (Philippians 2:3-4), concern for widows and orphans (James 1:27), separation from the world (James 1:27), a desire to discern truth (Hebrews 5:14), sharing the Gospel (Matthew 28:19-20), and unifying together as the body of Christ (Colossians 3:12-15)–to name just a few.

And that’s my point, exactly.

We must give efforts to all of these things. To all of these and to the rest of what scripture teaches. We never want to become spiritually unbalanced, only giving our attention to that which comes easiest or is the most appealing.

Not having the “gift of discernment” doesn’t give us the right to not practice discernment; not being comfortable with evangelizing doesn’t give us the right to not do it; being busy with our families doesn’t give us the right to be unconcerned with widows and orphans.

Being balanced is the key. Not letting ourselves get so caught up with one issue (or with ourselves) that we neglect the whole of scripture. Balanced is truly beautiful and is what we are called to be as believers–paying attention to all that scripture contains and not just our favorite topics and passages. It is in this way that we become well-rounded believers that bring honor to Christ and shine His marvelous light into the dark world.

A God-Centered Life

2 Comments / November 10, 2017 November 10, 2017

Have you ever stopped to think about what your motivation is for anything you do in life? Why do you take care of your kids? Why do you want to be financially well off? Why do you want to be kind to others?

And the question that begs to be asked is this:

Are we doing it for God or for ourselves?

Are we living a God-centered life or a self-centered life?

I am doing a Bible Study on Colossians right now (click here for this great resource) and I was really challenged by the author’s words in this week’s study. He first shared this about the fall of man that I never thought about before–

“The new creation is the result of Christ’s deliverance from the fall of Adam. In the Garden of Eden, Adam lived before God in a state of righteousness. However, he acted in disobedience, and the result of his sin was disastrous. His entire nature was transformed. He became a self-centered individual instead of God-centered. His sin also affected the entire human race. All men now bear the nature of Adam–sinfully depraved and spiritually separated from God.” p. 67* (italics mine)

I don’t think I ever thought about the fall in this way before.

So if along with our sin nature comes a self-centered life, this means that, after we are saved, we should be transformed from that self-centered, sinful creature into a new creation that is growing more like Christ and become more God-centered every day (2 Corinthians 5:17).

But is this what we are doing? Is this even something that we are being encouraged to do?

And let’s take it a step further: Even if we look like we are becoming more God-centered in our lives, is this actually true?

The author goes on to say–

“So often among Christians, character development takes on a self-centered orientation. We pursue it for our own benefit and self-improvement.” p. 70* (italics mine)

Oh my goodness. If that isn’t convicting, I am not sure what is. Oh, how often have I done this very thing? Claiming my desire is to be more like Christ but really simply desiring to have an easier/better/more fulfilling life.

This becomes very evident when we simply take a look at the Christian bestsellers on the book shelves (or on Amazon) today. There are books about how to have better relationships, better budgets, and better health. Books about how to fix our anxiety issues, our depression, our anger, our addictions. Most of these have one goal: To give us a better life.

But is this what the Christian life is all about? Is it a self-centered quest to have the best life we can have? And even if we say no to this question (because, obviously, we know from scripture that this is not our goal), are we living out what we say we believe?

Personally, I was really challenged by this. Even though I claim high and lofty spiritual goals, when I think of my desires in the light of biblical truth, I can see that they are tarnished with selfishness.

The problem is that, as sinners still stuck with our fleshly desires (I John 1:8), it is so hard to separate these two things. Of course we want to please the Lord. But it is natural to want to please ourselves. We wouldn’t be human if we wouldn’t want better lives. And so we have to sort through this messy dynamic.

And to complicate things further, even the most beautiful thing can be done for the wrong reason. Works of charity may be completed so that we receive personal glory. Supposed grace may just be a cover for our own desire to avoid conflict. Kind words may be a manipulative tool to get someone to do what we want. We want to kick our addiction, live within our means, or organize our homes to make our lives better and, often, glorifying God has nothing to do with it at all.

It’s just all so complicated.

And yet in Colossians 3:17, we can see that our motivation for everything we do–every word spoken and every action completed–should be based on our Lord Jesus–

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

In Colossians 3:23-24, Paul reiterates this–

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

Scripture makes it clear that our life is to be God-centered. And, yet, all around us is a Christianity that is self-centered.

So how do we A) evaluate our motives? and B) change in this area?

These are challenging questions for us, since, as humans, I am not sure we can ever get 100% beyond being tainted by personal motivation. And, thankfully, God–in His great kindness and mercy–actually makes our lives so much better when we follow Him. Isn’t that kind of Him? There isn’t anything innately wrong with wanting a good life, a better marriage, or to kick a sinful habit. These are good things to want and the fact that we receive joy and happiness from these things is exactly what God intended.

The sin enters in when we only do what is right when it conveniences or benefits ourselves. In fact, as I was thinking about this, I realized that this may be the best test for our motivation–

Do I stop doing what is right when I don’t get the results I want?

If I try to be a submissive wife (or a loving husband) but my spouse doesn’t respond the way I want, do I decide that obedience to the Lord just doesn’t work and forget about it?

If I work on a big charity project at church and I watch all of the credit and glory go to someone else who didn’t do near as much work as I did, will it keep me from ever doing it again?

If I have forgiven someone who has offended me but the person keeps offending me–over and over again–do I eventually give up and hold a grudge or do I continue to respond in a biblical manner?

If I have given all of my energy to change a sinful habit in my life and I am not getting the results that I hoped for, do I continue in a path of obedience or do I cave in a fit of hopelessness?

These are just a few examples. We can come up with dozens more we face each day. Are we doing what is right because we want to please our Lord or are we doing what is right for ourselves? What is our motivation?

Living a God-centered life is no easy task. Reading this chapter made me realize just how self-centered I still am. And, honestly, this is one area that you can really only judge yourself. We really can never know the motivations of someone else, as they are locked away deep in our hearts and minds. Sometimes we even have a hard time understanding our own motives, don’t we? Past experiences, choices, abuses, neglects, and sins are powerful contaminators of our motives. These things can heighten our desire to protect ourselves, to look out for number one, and to prove ourselves.

But this is in complete opposition to scripture, where we find that we are to become God-centered in all our decisions (which also means becoming others-centered). (Mark 12:30; Philippians 2:8-9; Colossians 3:12-15).

And, once again, biblical Christianity crashes headlong into cultural Christianity. Biblical Christianity says live for Christ (Philippians 1:21), deny yourself and take up your cross (Matthew 16:24) and do what’s right (John 14:23; James 2:20) and cultural Christianity says “you deserve to be happy” and “God wants you to fulfill your dreams”.

So how in the world do we remove the indoctrination of a culture that is speaking the opposite of what we are to actually be living? There is truly only one anecdote and that is the Bible. The Word is truly like a mirror, revealing our innermost secrets and motivations and giving us the hope for change through the Holy Spirit.

God has not said “fix yourselves” and then left us on our own. Instead, He has given us His Word and His Spirit to help us rightly divide the Word, which will, slowly and surely, transform us more and more into His likeness.

And, yet, so many of us simply spend such little time studying God’s Word. We cannot grow in this area of pure motivation without being in the Word. It is simply impossible.

Life is hard. And evaluating our motivations for purity makes it even harder. Why am I doing what I am doing? This is a critical question that we must ask ourselves if we are to live a holy and pure life that is centered on God.

* From Seeking Things Above by Steve Pettit

Living in the Last Days (Part 2)

2 Comments / November 2, 2017 October 29, 2017

Last time we took a look at I Timothy 3 and it’s timely counsel for us as we live in a culture that is speeding towards the last days. Today we are going to continue by looking at I Timothy 4. As Paul prepares for the end of his ministry, he is, in effect, passing the baton on to Timothy. What he tells Timothy applies to all of us, as well. Let’s take a look–

1. We are to preach the Word. (v.2)

The mandate is to preach the Word. It is not to feed the poor or to meet felt needs or to help dig wells. While nothing is innately wrong with these things, our main priority must be to preach the Word. If this is lost, all is lost.

2. We are to preach in season and out of season. (v.2)

MacArthur Study Bible has this to say about in season and out of season: “The faithful preacher must proclaim the Word when it is popular and/or convenient, and when it is not; when it seems suitable to do so, and when it seems not. The dictates of popular culture, tradition, reputations, acceptance, or esteem in the community (or the church) must never alter the true preacher’s commitment to proclaim God’s Word.”

I believe this applies to all of us laypeople, as well. We should be filled with a desire to share the Gospel and point people to the Word, being willing to sacrifice our comfort, convenience, and reputation. A difficult calling, to be sure. But when we remember what Jesus did for us, I am not sure how we can do any less.

3. God’s preacher or teacher is to use the Word to convince, rebuke, and exhort. This is to be done with great patience. (v. 2)

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at^[a] His appearing and His kingdom: ²Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.

4. For the time will come that people will not endure sound doctrine. (v. 3)

Paul says not only will they not endure sound doctrine, but because of their own selfish desires, they will actually turn towards false teachers and fables and turn away from the truth. These two verses are playing out before our very eyes today! All across the world, people are falling prey to the bewitching of false doctrine, because of their own desires. They desire a religion that will provide abundant material blessings, make their dreams come true, heal their physical bodies, and make life easy. And there is no dearth of teachers to feed those itching ears.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; ⁴and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

5. Be watchful in all things. (v.5)

Many Christians today would have you believe it is intolerant and unkind to be watchful. And yet, we know that we must be. Satan seeks to devour us! We must be watchful!

6. Endure afflictions. (v.5)

Afflictions are going to come. We are to endure through all of the normal storms of life, as well as through the persecution that will come (which is promised to all who desire to live a godly life in I Timothy 3:12).

7. Do the work of an evangelist. (v.5)

The word “evangelist” is used only two other times in the NT and it always refers to preaching the gospel to non-Christians. Witnessing should be an integral part of the fabric of our lives.

8. Fulfill your ministry. (v.5)

We are to fulfill whatever ministry God has given us.

But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

9. Like Paul, may we say at the end of our lives that we have fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. (v. 7)

If we take a moment and think about our lives, are we actually fighting the good fight? Or running a race? Sometimes we Christians get so caught up in our busy lives that we forget there is a spiritual battle raging around us. We forget that we are running a race and must intentionally work to keep the faith. These things don’t just happen. They must be done intentionally or we fall into a lazy, apathetic place from which it is hard to recover.

10. There is reward coming for those who loved the Lord and have served Him faithfully. (v.8)

Our reward is eternal. A good thing to remember when we feel battered by life’s storms and the world’s persecution.

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. ⁷I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. ⁸Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

11. There is no sin in naming names. (v.10-16)

Some Christians will try to convince you that it is sinful to name the names of false teachers or even those who are straying from the faith, and yet, here, below, we see that Paul does just that. He avoids slander and gossip, but simply states the facts: “Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world” and “Alexander the Coppersmith did me much harm…beware of him”

We can see from Paul’s example that it is not wrong to name names, but that we must do so carefully and without added unnecessary criticisms, personal attacks, and drama.

12. Paul had enemies, and we should expect no less. (v.10-16)

I think it is easy for us to raise Paul on a pedestal and think that he was so beloved that he never faced the heartbreak of betrayal, rejection, or abandonment. And, yet, in just a few short verses, we have a window into Paul’s experiences with others. Just as we all do, he had those who supported his ministry and those who desired to destroy it. He had those who were his friends and those who deserted the faith because of a love for the world. Doesn’t this sound so familiar? His experiences show us that this has been going on all through the ages and encourage us to keep our focus on the Lord, as we continue serving Him in a hostile world.

Be diligent to come to me quickly; ¹⁰for Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and has departed for Thessalonica—Crescens for Galatia, Titus for Dalmatia. ¹¹Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry. ¹²And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. ¹³Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments. ¹⁴Alexander the coppersmith did me much harm. May the Lord repay him according to his works. ¹⁵You also must beware of him, for he has greatly resisted our words.¹⁶At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them.

13. Our strength comes from the Lord and He will preserve and protect us until He calls us home (v.17-18)

When we think about the enemies we face in both the world and in the spiritual realm, it can be a bit daunting. Are there any more comforting verses to consider than these? Here we know that God will stand with us, strengthen us, deliver us, and preserve us, as we seek to glorify Him and share the Gospel. We are not alone!

But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all the Gentiles might hear. Also I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. ¹⁸And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!

14. God uses many people for His purposes and most of them are not famous.

Paul finishes this epistle with greetings and tidbits about other servants of Christ. Many of these we know nothing about. The early church was made up of thousands of people who daily served the Lord in their villages and homes. May we follow the same example as the men and women listed below–faithful servants that Paul would greet in a letter if he was still on the earth today.

Greet Prisca and Aquila, and the household of Onesiphorus. ²⁰Erastus stayed in Corinth, but Trophimus I have left in Miletus sick.²¹Do your utmost to come before winter.Eubulus greets you, as well as Pudens, Linus, Claudia, and all the brethren. Farewell

²²The Lord Jesus Christ^[b] be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen

I hope that you have enjoyed these thoughts on 2 Timothy. There was just so much to reflect on as I read those two chapters that I just felt compelled to share it here with you. I hope that this has encouraged and challenged you–not only to ponder on what I wrote but also to dig deep into the Word for yourself.

As we approach these last days, it is our only anchor in this crazy world. I don’t know if Jesus will return today or if it will be another one hundred years. But what I do know is that we are hurling at top speed towards one-world religion, one-world government, and one-world economy. The end is coming. And these two chapters in 2 Timothy help us to know how to live in this unprecedented time.

Living in the Last Days (Part 1)

1 Comment / October 30, 2017 October 29, 2017

So we might be living in the last days. Or we might not. There is no way to truly know. What I do feel safe in saying is that, if we aren’t experiencing the end times already, we are most certainly moving closer towards them each day. Some day soon I would like to write about how so many aspects of the last times foretold in the Bible are converging. It is really incredible and so confirming of scripture. But today is not that day.

A week or two ago, when we started reading our Bible Challenge passage for the week, chapters 3 & 4 of 2 Timothy, a friend texted me and said it sounds just like Paul was writing about our times right now. I couldn’t agree more! And so as we approach the last days, there is much gold to mine from the treasure of the Word, particularly in these two chapters. It helps us know what to expect and how to respond. There are some nuggets there to show us how to personally face our own last days, as well.

Paul wrote the letter of 2 Timothy as he pondered the nearness of his own death. He knew he wouldn’t be around much longer and so he wrote encouraging and challenging words for Timothy that were inspired by the Holy Spirit. If you haven’t read these chapters recently, I would encourage you to go do so now or after this post. They are pretty incredible.

I’d like to share some of what I have learned from chapter three of 2 Timothy today and then finish up with chapter four on Thursday. Please keep in mind that these are simply observations. I am no Bible scholar but I do believe that I am proof that you do not have to be a Bible scholar to read, study, learn about and benefit from the Bible. So here we go–

1. The last days will be perilous. (v.1)

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:

Perilous: full of danger and risk.

i.e. Not fun. Not full of chasing our dreams. Not wealth, health, and happiness. But danger. And risk.

2. Paul describes men and women in the last days and it reminds us so much of right now. (v. 2-5)

For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

This sounds pretty familiar. But, of course, things could get a lot worse.

3. People will call themselves godly but they won’t really be godly. (v.5)

4. In contrast to the popular message of our day, Paul tells us that we are not to unify with people like this. (v.5)

having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

5. Women are and always will be especially gullible to false teaching. (v.6)

For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,

Okay, I know women do not want to hear this, but, in many ways, we do tend to be more sensitive to spiritual things and this often puts us at a greater risk to be deceived. We must be so very careful. By the way, this is not a criticism of women. God purposefully designed us this way.

6. Many people learn about God, but they never study His Word with a submissive and obedient heart and this keeps them from the knowledge of the truth. (v.7)

⁷always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

7. Time and truth walk hand-in-hand (v.8-9)

Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; ⁹but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

Eventually false teachers are found out. They can pretend to be biblical teachers for awhile, but time eventually sells them out. Paul uses the example of Jannes and Jambres resisting Moses to make his point. We can see this same dynamic with the likes of guys like Rob Bell and William Paul Young. They pretended to be Christians, but eventually time showed everyone that they were preaching a very different Gospel.

8. Paul’s lifestyle was in direct contrast to a worldly lifestyle. He praised Timothy for following his example. We, too, should follow his example. (v. 10-11)

9. Paul endured much persecution but also experienced the Lord’s deliverance in mighty ways! We serve a mighty God who can do mighty things! (v. 11)

But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me.

10. If we desire to live a godly life we will suffer persecution. (v. 12)

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Not “might”; not “if”; not “could”, but WILL. We WILL suffer persecution. We may as well just expect it. In fact, if we know it’s coming, it should help us prepare to accept it with a spirit of grace, love, and forgiveness.

11. Evil men and imposters of the faith are going to get so much worse. The deception is not going to improve. (v. 13)

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Again–we see this so clearly in these days, don’t we? False doctrine abounds more than ever before. The authority of God’s Word has been cast aside for the sake of experiences, false unity, and social justice. It is so incredibly tragic but it’s going to keep getting worse until the appearing of our Savior. Again, we need to expect it.

12. Our only source for truth is the Holy Scriptures. We must continue to study the Bible and hide it in our heart, for this is what will keep us strong in these last days!

But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

13. Scripture is all we need to know God and to live a holy life that is pleasing to Him.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Through the years, Satan has tried to eradicate, hide, bury, twist, destroy, mangle, convolute, minimize, and change the Word of God. He gets how powerful it is. He understands that the power for the Christian life is there. He knows that it is God’s very Word to the human race.

Unfortunately, humans–even many believers–don’t get this. They don’t understand that the Holy Scriptures are the only way to know God. They are what make us complete and thoroughly equipped for every good work. They are an amazing treasure!

There is much to learn in all of scripture, but I believe that 2 Timothy 3 & 4 is especially encouraging, challenging, and convicting for this time on earth. It is from this passage that we understand the world isn’t going to get better. We can see that it isn’t our job to bring God’s Kingdom to earth (a very popular message these days) but that we are to hold on to scripture tightly, while we preach the Word (ch. 4 will talk about that) in the midst of such dreadful wickedness and apostasy. We learn that we are to expect persecution– not material health, wealth, and fulfilled dreams.

These two chapters offer encouragement and challenges for us in this age–whether Jesus returns tomorrow or one hundred years from now. Keep looking up!

Weathering the Storms of Life

5 Comments / October 26, 2017 May 23, 2024

Trials in life generally do not fit into our well-laid plans, do they? Along with wreaking havoc to our schedules and in our families, they also tend to fill us with uncertainty, doubt, frustration, and hopelessness.

But should this be our response? What part does faith actually play as we face real-life trials?

This past Sunday my brother, Pastor Dean, preached two sermons on weathering the storms of life. In listening to them I was challenged, encouraged, and convicted. Mostly convicted. Sometimes God brings something my way that affects me profoundly. This was one of those times.

The fact that Pastor Dean and his family are currently experiencing their own considerable trial gave these sermons a notable authenticity. These two sermons, given from his own search of the scriptures as they weather their storm, take us beyond the typical platitudes as he unpacks what the scriptures have to say about trials and our response to them.

And so for today’s post, I want to refer you to these two sermons by Pastor Dean. Be encouraged and uplifted–and perhaps also challenged and convicted–as you weather your own storms, whether they be small or large. This is for those experiencing small trials (like a car that won’t start) and large trials (like an unexpected health diagnosis) and everything in between. In other words, this is for all of us believers. I am confident that you will find these worth every minute of your time. I truly hope that many of you will take the time to listen to these.

Part 1:

WEATHERING THE STORMS OF LIFE

Part 2:

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY IN THE STORMS OF LIFE

Click here if you’d like to listen to more sermons by Pastor Dean.

Learn to Discern: When You Need a Little Help

Leave a Comment / October 23, 2017 February 17, 2023

Sometimes we know that something is off with an author but we just can’t put our finger on it. Something is most definitely wrong…but what is it? What do we do?

I have been saying for years now–and not just in this series–that we must judge all we come across by the Word of God. Acts 17:11, I Thessalonians 5:20-21, and I John 4:1 make it clear that God expects us to do this. But often we don’t know the Word of God well enough ourselves and we need a little help to discern if that new teacher is someone we can trust or that latest trend is something we can join.

Someone asked me recently if I could share some of the trusted sites I use to help me to discern. As I prepared to reply, I realized that perhaps she isn’t the only one who would like to know where to go for help.

And so I’d like to list a few trusted sites and authors. But before I do this please keep these things in mind, even as you do your own research and come across others discernment sites–

Continue to be a Berean, even with a trusted site or author. As we have seen over the past few years, teachers, authors, and websites are falling for false doctrine and joining with false teachers at record speed. It’s a little surreal, actually. All that to say: While the sites I have listed here have a great track record and I have been using them for years, keep your eyes and ears open and don’t trust blindly. The days of blind trust are over. (But perhaps there never really were any…? That’s probably how Christianity got to this place to begin with!)
Some discernment sites can be rather unkind and harsh. While I don’t condone this kind of attitude and I generally try to avoid these sites, the tone of a post or article does not change whether something is true or not. Always look for truth. Whether it is cloaked in love or not doesn’t change whether or not it is true. I have tried not to recommend this kind of site, but as you do your own research you may find this kind of site. Let your guiding principle for a site be its clear examination of a teaching as compared to scripture.
Avoid sites that are “witch hunts” or centered around personal attacks. While naming names is not a sin (we see Paul do this several times in scripture), it should not be done lightly. We are called to compare a teacher’s doctrine to scripture and to examine their lifestyle in the light of the Word. We are not called to tear them apart with abundant criticism and to create our own personal vendetta against them. Watch out for sites and authors that do this and avoid them completely.
Keep learning the Bible more and more, so that it becomes natural to discern on your own. You will find out that as you do this, you will need these sites less and less. When you study the Bible with a spirit of submission and obedience to all it says (even the parts you don’t like!), you will find that you will be able to more quickly spot the deadly philosophies that are slithering into our homes and churches.
Don’t let discernment become your main thing. As my pastor says, “Keep the main thing the main thing.” All too often, people get so caught up in research that they let their Bible study dwindle. Our power for the Christian life lies in knowing the Word. Discernment is not a bad thing, but if it overtakes your life and that becomes all you focus on, it has been used by Satan to distract you from what is most important. Be careful not to let that happen.

Okay, now that we have those guidelines in place, here are a few sites and authors that I have come to know and trust as I have learned to discern. Please do not take my word for it. Speakers and authors change constantly. So much so that I can’t possibly keep track. I will try to make changes here, as things come to my attention but if something looks like a red flag, I encourage you to follow it up–

WEBSITES–

Growing4Life Biblical Evaluations of Popular Teachers and Movements— I started this page in 2021 to aid my readers in discernment and have been continually adding to it. I hope it is a blessing to you!

Berean Research — This is a well-rounded site that has frequently help me to discern or confirm whether or not someone or something is false.

Herescope — This site has excellent articles. They are generally very long, but they are very well-written comparisons of modern day teachings to God’s Word. The site itself is very difficult to navigate and they don’t have a “search” button, but if you come across anything written by this site, be sure to read it.

Discernment Ministries, Inc. — This site, the parent site of Herescope, has some great resources, along with a monthly newsletter. It includes books and articles by Larry DeBruyn (mentioned up above with Lighthouse Trails) and Sarah Leslie (someone I have come to deeply respect).

Apprising Ministries — This site is made up of the archives of a man named Ken Silva, who did much helpful research before he died. You will find a lot of biblically grounded posts here regarding a lot of different topics.

CARM (Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry) — I have, thus far, found this site a safe place to go to for help in understanding doctrine, determining what false religions teach and why they are false, and factual examinations of false teachers.

The New Calvinists— This site is put out by E.S. Williams, who helps us see the grave biblical heresies in the teachings of the “New Calvinists” with a particular focus ono Piper, Keller, and Driscoll

Lighthouse Trails — This site is my first go-to. I appreciate their dedication to scripture and the kind tone with which they write. They have articles and books by several authors that I have come to deeply appreciate and trust, including Ray Yungen, Roger Oakland, Warren Smith, and Larry DeBruyn. These men have sacrificed their reputations to share some hard truths. I recommend reading any of their books. (2/28/18 author’s note: It has come to my attention that this ministry has determined to put out a book claiming that to believe in Calvinism is to believe in a false Gospel. I am deeply grieved by this for two reasons. First, scripture clearly teaches the doctrine of election. To deny it, is to deny God’s Word in its entirety. Election and free will work together in a way we can’t understand. Let’s just be humble enough to admit that. And, second, while they assure their readers that they are doing what “God wants them to do, after much prayer”, I would submit to you that Satan is using them to divide the body by their assertions that this is a false Gospel. It is one thing to argue from a viewpoint, acknowledging that we are all brothers and sisters in the Lord, and agree to disagree on this issue that no one can understand. It is quite another to claim from your soapbox that you have it all figured out and the other person is not only wrong, but heretical in believing as they do. I will keep them on this list for the time being, as their work has been absolutely invaluable in the field of discernment, but please do not use Lighthouse Trails for your doctrinal education. Their error in this issue proves them to be quite untrustworthy in the field of theology.)

(A note as of February 17, 2023: I have updated this page today and have removed several links that have been on here for many years. I have been dismayed to watch some of the sites and blogs I formerly recommended show signs of compromise or a proud, unloving spirit (and sometimes both!) and I can no longer recommend them. Please feel free to contact me if you have any particular question and I will do my best to try and find a trustworthy resource for you.)

If I think of any others, I will add them, but this should give you some helpful resources to get you started as you learn to discern! I hope that this list is a blessing to you as you strive to discern in this age of abundant heresies and unprecedented apostasy. I leave you with these words from 2 Timothy 3:13-15–

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

________________________

Remembering the Reformation: A Timeline

3 Comments / October 19, 2017 October 20, 2017

As I have been filling my head with information about the Reformation through websites, podcasts, YouTube videos, and books, I have realized something: It is like a bottomless well of information and I am just touching the surface. I feel completely inadequate to even present a timeline. The more I know about the Reformation, the more I realize how much I don’t know. But I am going to go ahead and present a basic timeline of the most important events with just a bit of information about them. (If you think I missed something important please don’t hesitate to let me know so that I can add it). I hope this is a helpful resource as we continue our study on the Reformation.

One thing that is of important note before I give the timeline is just how much the Reformation changed Western culture. As one speaker put it: The Reformation is the foundation of Western Civilization. This period of time re-established the authority of scripture, the priesthood of the believer, and the importance of a personal relationship with God—all things taught in the New Testament but lost among the common man in the false religion of Catholicism. It also brought about the birth of free enterprise and highlighted the importance of education and literacy. And, let’s not forget–it changed how the culture viewed marriage and family.

It is safe to say that it would be a very, very different world, if not for the Reformation.

We tend to think of this time as religious only, but what I have realized is that God’s ways are perfect–not just for our spiritual health, but in all ways. The Bible teaches us tools for all of life and we can see this truth when we look at the Reformation.

Here is the timeline–

1440— Somewhere around 1440, Johannes Gutenberg invents the printing press. I include this as the first item on this timeline because without a printing press there would not have been a Reformation. It was this machine that enabled Luther’s 95 Theses and other writings to be spread across the land.

1517–Luther nails the 95 Theses on to the church door at Wittenberg

Luther becomes distressed at how the pope, Leo X, has decided to use indulgences to raise funds for his dwindling coffers. A guy by the name of Tetzel is Leo’s representative in the region where Luther lives. Tetzel comes up with a little jingle (that rhymes in German as well as in English!): Every time the coffer rings another soul from purgatory springs. With his coffer and jingle, Tetzel travels the countryside, convincing people that their dead loved ones will remain in purgatory unless they pay to get them out. It is specifically in response to this unbiblical practice that Luther writes his 95 theses. He takes them and nails them to the door of the Wittenberg church. He actually receives little notice from the academic world (his intended audience), but a few students find them, copy them into common vernacular, and disseminate them all through Germany.

1519– Leipzig Debate

Luther is invited to debate Johann Eck at the Pleissenburg Castle in Leipzig, Germany. Here they discuss many different topics of the Catholic religion. There is one thing that Luther says during this debate that fans the small flame he had started two years before with his 95 theses and it is this: Scripture is the sole authority in the life of a Christian and that Christ is the true head of the Church. This statement is considered heresy, since the Pope is viewed as the sole authority for all people and also as the head of the church (and, by the way, he is still viewed that way in Catholicism today). These statements by Luther start the fires of the Reformation to start sweeping across the land.

1519– Ulrich Zwingli starts preaching expositionally through the New Testament

While Luther was causing people to re-think religion in Germany, Zwingli–completely independent of Luther–was doing the same thing in Switzerland. His sermons through the New Testament would serve as the catalyst for the changes he would bring to religion there. In a few years he would write his sixty-seven theses against many of the man-created Catholic church practices.

1520– Luther publishes the Christian Nobility of the German Nation

It is in this publication that he teaches the priesthood of the believer.

1521– Diet of Worms

In 1520, Pope Leo had issued a papal bull calling Luther a heretic and so the Holy Roman Emperor at the time, Charles V, calls for the Diet of Worms which will serve as an inquisition into the accusations against Luther. Here Luther reaffirms his commitment to scripture and confirms that he will not recant. He is quoted as saying– “Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen.”

1522– Luther publishes the German Bible

Luther is captured on his way home from the Diet of Worms by Frederick the Wise, in an effort to protect his life after his refusal to recant. During his ten month captivity in Wartburg Castle, he translates the New Testament from Ancient Greek into German in just ten weeks.

1525– Luther marries Katherine Von Bora

Katherine is a former nun and wastes no time making a godly home for Luther. Together they completely change how the culture views marriage and family, particularly for the clergy. Before their marriage, women and marriage were viewed rather negatively. Luther proclaims that marriage is a God-given blessing and then lives this by his example. We cannot underestimate the importance of the Luthers’ godly marriage and loving family. I know it sounds redundant but it is worth repeating: The Luthers were critically instrumental in changing how Western culture views marriage and family.

1526– William Tyndale published the first English Bible

Tyndale, driven by a like-minded conviction as Luther to make the scriptures available to the common man, was the first to translate the scriptures into the English language. This was condemned not only by the Catholic Church but also by the King of England, Henry VIII.

1531– Zwingli is killed in battle

Preaching the Gospel in Switzerland is prohibited and a few are even being martyred as heretics for their stands against the Catholic church. This eventually leads to the Battle of Kappel and Zwingli falls while defending Zurich against Catholic forces.

1534– Ignatius of Loyala founds the Society of Jesus (Jesuits)

This Roman Catholic missionary organization was part of an effort to create a Catholic counter-reformation and parts of Poland, Hungary, and Germany are recovered from Protestantism back to Catholicism. This society is still at work today and there is much that could be written, but you will have to research the Jesuits on your own (a very interesting and fascinating study, to say the least!)

1534– Henry VIII declares himself Head of the Church of England

Disgruntled at the Pope’s unwillingness to grant his divorce from Catharine of Aragon, Henry breaks from the Catholic church and creates the similar “Church of England”. The Act of Royal Supremacy restores the power of the church back to the King of England where, according to this document, it had been before it was supposedly usurped by the Roman Catholic Church.

1536– Tyndale is martyred

Tried and convicted on a charge of heresy, he is burned at the stake. His last words were “Lord! Open the king of England’s eyes!”

1536– John Calvin publishes the Institutes of Christian Religion

This systematic theology encompasses all of Protestant beliefs into one work. Calvin–so sadly known often only for his stand on pre-destination–wrote many other wonderful and edifying books about the Christian faith. He was a truly gifted man who was used by God to change the world. (I will write more about him later.)

1545-1563– Council of Trent

This council meets to reform and clarify Catholic doctrine. Incidentally, the modern day Catholic church has never rescinded the extra-biblical and unbiblical doctrines and beliefs confirmed during the Council of Trent and therefore must be viewed as a false religion.

1560– Geneva Bible is published

This is the first English edition to use chapter and verse divisions.

1611– The King James Bible is published

King James of England orders this new translation to try to unify the various religious factions of his kingdom and to replace the controversial Geneva Bible, which had included revolutionary notations (not part of the original manuscripts) in the margins. In fact, he specified that there were to be no notes in the margins of this new translation!

1618-1619– The Synod of Dort

The Dutch Reformed Church holds this Synod to discuss the issues raised by the supports of Jacobus Arminius. At the synod, five-point Calvinism is upheld in opposition to Arminianism. (It is worth noting that it is at this time that John Calvin’s name becomes so associated with this doctrine. This leads many who could grow spiritually from his many worthwhile books to avoid them. It is quite unfortunate.)

Wow! That is a lot to take in. If you are still reading, I am impressed! Of course, Church History doesn’t end in 1619 and there are so many events and people worthy of blog posts. I didn’t even touch on the Puritans, who were so incredibly instrumental in upholding literal interpretation of scripture and were most surely reformers in their own right. I also didn’t get into anything regarding the Anabaptists, led by Menno Simons and also worthy of note during this time. As I have time to learn more I may come back and add more to this timeline. But, for now, I do hope that this will be a helpful resource to you and that you have learned something new today.

I will be taking a break for a few weeks from this series as I will not have time over the next few weeks to do the research necessary. But when I return, I will be covering some individuals and the part they had to play in the Reformation. In these posts, I will give more detail than I was able to give here. Hope you will stick around as I continue the series!

If you’d like to know more, these are most of the resources I used. I especially recommend the lecture by Nathan Busenitz (the first link) and the video by Ryan Reeves (the second link)–

https://www.gracechurch.org/sermons/13326

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn0QlENHlrQ&t=61s

https://www.tms.edu/preachersandpreaching/the-fire-that-fueled-the-reformation/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qrSgNbeG5E&t=1228s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Faf6ISLbPQ8

http://www.ligonier.org/store/luther-and-the-reformation-download/

https://www.thelocal.de/20150717/this-week-in-history-martin-luther-and-the-leipzig-debate

http://www.ligonier.org/blog/zurich-revolutionary-ulrich-zwingli/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wartburg

http://discerninghistory.com/2015/08/ulrich-zwinglis-death-at-kappel/

https://www.gotquestions.org/Tyndale-Bible.html

http://protestantism.co.uk/timeline.html