Sunday, 17 November 2013
Saturday, 16 November 2013
Some thoughts for Today, Romans 8
Romans
8
New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Deliverance from Bondage
8 Therefore there is now no condemnation
for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the
law of the Spirit of life [a]in Christ Jesus has set
you free from the law of sin and of death. 3 For what
the Law could not do, [b]weak as it was through the flesh,
God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of [c]sinful flesh and as an
offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so
that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not
walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. 5 For
those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the
flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the
Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death,
but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, 7 because
the mind set on the flesh toward God; for it does not subject itself to
the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, 8 and
those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 However, you are not in the flesh
but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if
anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. 10 If
Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is [d]alive because of righteousness. 11 But
if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He
who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal
bodies [e]through His Spirit who dwells in
you.
12 So then, brethren, we are under
obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— 13 for if
you are living according to the flesh, you [f]must die; but if by the Spirit you
are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For
all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For
you have not received a spirit of slavery [g]leading to fear again, but you have
received [h]a spirit of adoption as sons by
which we cry out, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit
Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and
if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if
indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified
with Him.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of
this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that
is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious
longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons
of God. 20 For the creation was subjected
tofutility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, [i]in hope 21 that the
creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the
freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For
we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth
together until now. 23 And not only this, but also
we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan
within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the
redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have
been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if
we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.
Our Victory in Christ
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps
our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the
Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for
words; 27 and He who searches the hearts knows
what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the [j]saints according to the
will of God.
28 And we know that [k]God causes all things to work
together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according
to His purpose. 29 For those whom
He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to
the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; 30 and
these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called,
He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
31 What then shall we say to these things? If
God is for us, who is against us? 32 He
who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how
will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who
will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who
justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns?
Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was [l]raised, who is at the right
hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who
will separate us from the love of [m]Christ? Will tribulation, or
distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or
sword?
36 Just as it is written,
“For Your
sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 But in all these things we
overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For
I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor
height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord
NIV
Application Commentary
Paul
concludes his celebration of God’s love for us in Christ with his own personal
testimony: “I am persuaded.…” The list following is arranged in four pairs,
with “powers” thrown in between the third and fourth pair. We can easily “over interpret”
such a list, insisting on a precision of definitions that misses the point of
Paul’s rhetoric. In general, however, “death” and “life” refer to the two basic
states of human existence. “Angels” and “demons” (archai, i.e., “rulers,” which
Paul uses to denote evil spiritual beings [see Eph. 6:12; Col. 2:15]) summarize
the entirety of the spiritual world.
A
few interpreters take “present things” and “coming things” (lit. trans.) as
spiritual beings too, but evidence is lacking for these as such titles.
Probably Paul chooses to summarize all of history, along with the people and
events it contains, in a temporal perspective. It is not clear why Paul
disrupts his neat parallelism with the word “powers” at this point, but the
word refers again to spiritual beings (1 Cor. 15:24; Eph. 1:21).
“Height”
and “depth” are the most difficult of the pairs of terms to identify. Since
these words were applied to the space above and below the horizon, and since
ancient people often invested celestial phenomena with spiritual significance,
Paul may be referring to spiritual beings again. Yet Paul uses similar language
in Ephesians 3:18 in a simple spatial sense. Thus, perhaps, he chooses yet
another way of trying to help us understand that there is nothing in all the
world—whether we are dead or alive, whether they are things we now face or
things we will face in the future, whether they are above us or below us—that
can separate us from the “love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” As the
chapter began with “no condemnation” (Rom. 8:1), so it ends with the bookends
of “no separation” (8:35, 39).
From
NIVAC: Romans by Douglas J. Moo. Published by Zondervan Academic.
Monday, 11 November 2013
Pentecostal Pilgrim: Celebrating My Heritage
Pentecostal Pilgrim: Celebrating My Heritage: My plan is to use this blog partly to engage in personal critical reflection on pentecostalism (note: critical here does not mean only sayin...
Sunday, 10 November 2013
No more Namby Pamby Christianity
- Too long have we been waiting for one another to begin! The time of waiting is past! The hour of God has struck! War is declared! In God's Holy Name let us arise and build! 'The God of Heaven, He will fight for us', as we for Him. We will not build on the sand, but on the bedrock of the sayings of Christ, and the gates and minions of hell shall not prevail against us. Should such men as we fear? Before the world, aye, before the sleepy, lukewarm, faithless, namby-pamby Christian world, we will dare to trust our God, we will venture our all for Him, we will live and we will die for Him, and we will do it with His joy unspeakable singing aloud in our hearts. We will a thousand times sooner die trusting only our God, than live trusting in man. And when we come to this position the battle is already won, and the end of the glorious campaign in sight. We will have the real Holiness of God, not the sickly stuff of talk and dainty words and pretty thoughts; we will have a Masculine Holiness, one of daring faith and works for Jesus Christ.
Saturday, 9 November 2013
Thursday, 7 November 2013
Views, Visions and Values.: Blackpool Rocks, What I learned on a trip to Blac...
Views, Visions and Values.: Blackpool Rocks, What I learned on a trip to Blac...: On Monday, I decided after a few tough weeks, that I needed a change of scene and considered what I could do, I did consi...
Wednesday, 23 October 2013
Saturday, 19 October 2013
Tuesday, 8 October 2013
Different Kingdom: The Importance of Changing Beliefs
Different Kingdom: The Importance of Changing Beliefs: Some time ago I heard it suggested that leaders who changed their beliefs were unreliable leaders; that to change your mind about something ...
Monday, 7 October 2013
Britain has no obligation to help Syrian refugees
WITH the French riot police standing near there is a palpable sense of tension in the air.
Different Kingdom: The Theological Journey - We All Do Theology!
Different Kingdom: The Theological Journey - We All Do Theology!: A few posts back I outlined what I think have been the 4 journeys - or, more accurately, the 4 aspects of the one journey - that I think so...
Sunday, 6 October 2013
Friday, 4 October 2013
Different Kingdom: Connections and Covenant
Different Kingdom: Connections and Covenant: Oh dear! A week has gone by and I haven't posted! Thank God I am free from guilt. I just wanted to post one more thought on connection b...
Saturday, 28 September 2013
Friday, 27 September 2013
Different Kingdom: Connections and Calling
Different Kingdom: Connections and Calling: This is a really tough one. I think it lies at the heart both of our own personal growth and the functioning of an effective, growing church...
Thursday, 26 September 2013
What Makes a Full Atonement Full?
What Makes a Full Atonement Full?
I can illustrate the relationship between the theories with a cake. Christus Victor is the cake itself—the thing that Jesus was doing on the cross. Penal substitution supplies the ingredients, the flour and sugar. And moral influence and example are the frosting, the lingering sweetness of our great salvation. The cross assures us that we are loved, and it motivates us to love others as God has loved us.
Christus Victor explains why Jesus died, penal substitution explains how his death worked, and the double-sided moral influence and example theories explain what we should do in response.
WHAT I WISH I’D KNOWN ABOUT JESUS, PRAYER, MISSION, AND LOVING PEOPLE Judah Smith »
Judah Smith talks about timing his prayers, saving the world, and what he wishes he had known about Jesus, prayer, mission, and loving people. Pastor Judah is the exclusive live speaker at theResurgence Conference broadcast location in Bellevue, WA.
WHAT I WISH I’D KNOWN ABOUT JESUS
I wish I had known that Jesus is first, and Jesus is enough.
When I was a youth pastor, I remember talking with a lot of young men about issues they were going through. My stock answers to their problems were prayer, Bible reading, and sheer grit: “You’re struggling with purity issues? How much are you praying every day? Ok, pray twice that much, read your Bible—three times in the Old and two in the New—and I’ll see you next week.”
My intentions were good, but my advice missed the point. I thought that if I focused on righteousness and behavior, people would grow closer to Jesus. In reality, it’s when people grow closer to Jesus that true change happens.
We don’t expect good things because we are good—but because Jesus is good
Matthew 11:29–30 says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” As I’ve come to know who Jesus is and what he has done for me, my focus has shifted from my sin to his grace and from my works to his perfect, finished work. Now I understand: Jesus is enough.
WHAT I WISH I’D KNOWN ABOUT PRAYER
I wish I would have known that prayer is about intimacy, not about impressing God.
I remember asking a new believer years ago how much he prayed every day. He looked at me blankly. “I don’t know—I’ve never timed it. Do you time your prayers?” It was an honest question, and I was embarrassed to realize I did time my prayers, and that that number was actually pretty important to me. For me, my prayer time represented my spirituality and therefore my right to expect good things from God.
It’s when people grow closer to Jesus that true change happens
But I was wrong. We don’t expect good things because we are good. What a depressing, dead-end way to live! We expect good things from God because Jesus is good, and he is our righteousness.
One of my dad’s favorite passages was Matthew 7:11, and the longer I pastor (and the longer I parent my three kids) the more profound it becomes: “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
WHAT I WISH I’D KNOWN ABOUT MISSION
I wish I had known that our mission as individuals and as a church isn’t complicated: it’s simply to show people who Jesus is. I love the simple way Philip tells Nathanael about Jesus (John 1:45–46). To paraphrase: “Hey Nathanael, we found the Messiah. Come and see for yourself!”
Our “mission” doesn’t have to be a ten-letter acronym, a three-part alliterated statement, or a doctrinal thesis. We just show people Jesus. It’s a privilege, it’s fun, and it’s way less pressure than carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders.
When Jesus looked at people, he didn’t see them through the filter of their sin
Don’t get me wrong—I’m not criticizing detailed mission statements or well-thought-out strategy. I believe God gives each church and ministry a specific calling and he reveals to us in detail what he wants us to accomplish.
But the bottom line is that our mission is more about Jesus than about us. I’m not smart enough to figure out how to save the world, my country, or even my city. The very idea is exhausting. But I can show people who Jesus is: one day at a time and one person at a time.
WHAT I WISH I’D KNOWN ABOUT LOVING PEOPLE
I wish I had known that it’s okay to love people even though they are still sinning. That sounds like a no-brainer, so let me explain.
I know I’m supposed to love everyone. I’m a Christian, and besides that I’m a pastor, so it’s pretty much in my job description. But in the past, especially when it came to people with blatant problems such as addictions or sexual sins, I felt like the relationships had to be filtered by their sin. I couldn’t enjoy their friendship or celebrate their successes without qualifying everything with, “Hey, that’s great and all, but you know, God wants you to change in this area.”
Our mission isn’t complicated: it’s simply to show people who Jesus is
But Jesus was actually famous for enjoying the company of sinners. Just look at the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19. Jesus clearly cared more about this man’s salvation than about his sin. He wanted his heart first, not his behavior.
When Jesus looked at people, he didn’t see them through the filter of their sin. He saw them through the filter of his grace. He knew he was the answer for their sin, and that freed him to love them right where they were. Sooner or later their behavior would catch up to the relationship.
I know we need to help each other grow in Christ, and I know there are times to confront sin. But that is not our first priority. We are called to love like Jesus: an ongoing, unconditional, extravagant, and even scandalous love toward those who deserve it least.
Wednesday, 25 September 2013
Tuesday, 24 September 2013
Different Kingdom: Connections and Continuity
Different Kingdom: Connections and Continuity: I still can't stop thinking about connections. And I have recently had a number of significant conversations with people about this; so ...
Monday, 23 September 2013
LEADING VOLUNTEERS, PART 1: WHY AND WHO
Why are we recruiting volunteers in the first place? Who are these people we’re recruiting? In this first of a two-part series, Mars Hill Deacon Brandon Andersen will cover some of practical tools to help organize and lead volunteers with a mind toward ministering to the volunteers themselves.
The most common mistake in leading volunteers is over-prioritizing a ministry objective and under-prioritizing the development of the volunteers themselves. A volunteer ministry is just as much about ministering to the actual volunteers as it is being in what they are doing. Balancing the two is the key to a healthy, fruitful volunteer ministry. I have been leading and utilizing hundreds of volunteers for many years and learned a lot of tough lessons along the way.
THE WHY
“Why are we doing this in the first place?”
Before you and your ministry team set out to do something, it’s a good rule of thumb to pin down why you’re doing it in the first place.
IT HAS TO BE FOR JESUS
Jesus needs to be the motivation for your team, and vision is the instrument to lead them there. A lot of what volunteers do is not glamorous, so if they don’t understand the importance and impact, their motivation will drift. Always begin with vision that what they are doing is to serve God out of gratitude and to serve his people. This needs to be established before you move to expectation and imperative.
IT’S ALSO FOR THE VOLUNTEERS
When recruiting, if you feel like you are twisting someone’s arm into volunteering, then you have the wrong view of serving. You are inviting them to be sanctified as they learn to serve like Jesus and participate in the work he is doing (Rom. 12:1–2). If you truly believe that it is for their good, your “recruiting” will turn into “inviting” and you will yield a better response.
THE WHO
Who will lead and who is being impacted?
GET THE RIGHT LEADER
You could have the best system in the world and the wrong leader and it will fail. Or you could have a horrible system and the right leader, and it will succeed. I am in no way advocating bad systems. I would however advocate for simple systems that allow right leader to get in place quickly, and enough flexibility to utilize their unique gifts.
MAKE GOOD, STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS
Invest in a few key people well, rather than many people poorly. In my experience, you can only invest well into about a half a dozen people at a time before you efforts become diluted. If you try to be everything to everyone, you will exhaust yourself and/or no one will be led well. Focus on the development of a few key leaders and teach them how to lead well through your example, so they can turn around and the same.
DON’T FORCE IT
Don’t try to make the wrong leader into the right leader by doubling your effort.
If you have leaders on your team who are OK with being unreliable, mediocre, and passing the blame, address this immediately and make adjustments as necessary. You will exhaust yourself trying to be someone else’s motivation. If they are not motivated enough by Jesus, then you probably need to remove them from leadership (Col. 3:23–24). I have spent months trying to make the wrong leader work, and when I replaced the leader, things turned around almost overnight.
This said, don’t give up on the removed leader: either place them under an inspired leader, or find a different role that more adequately suits their gifts.
DON’T RUN FROM PEOPLE’S LIVES
People are messy and amazing—usually at the same time. Don’t be afraid to get in the trenches and walk with them through their struggles (Prov. 27:23). It is ministry, after all. Remember, part of your ministry is to the volunteers themselves (Rom. 12:9–15).
DON’T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS ABOUT YOUR TEAM
If a volunteer skips a week of volunteering, don’t just assume it’s because they are lazy, but make sure you know the whole story (Prov. 25:8). It is more about their hearts than your objective. I would suggest the following dialogue:
Leader: “Hey, I noticed you missed last week, is everything alright?”
Volunteer: “Yeah, why?”
Leader: “Oh, since you missed last week, I figured something was wrong.”
It is kind of sneaky, but it also shows you care and communicates importance.
LEAD WITH STORIES OF WHO IS BEING CHANGED
The church has a lot of moving parts, all serving different purposes that impact countless lives. Not everyone gets to see the harvest, and some roles are simply farming. Volunteers need to hear stories about the fruits of their labor to reinforce importance of their role.
In the next post, Brandon will address the methods of what and how.
Saturday, 21 September 2013
Recovering From Church Burns: Advice for the Wounded
Recovering From Church Burns: Advice for the Wounded
If you've been burned by a pastor, you need a pastor.
"So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock. And when the chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble'” (1 Pet. 5:1-5, ESV).
Different Kingdom: Dealing with Disconnection
Different Kingdom: Dealing with Disconnection: I have said that I think God is doing something in terms of realigning parts of his Body in the UK for his purposes in our generation. I don...
Friday, 20 September 2013
Christian Piatt: Five Things that are Holding Christianity Back | Red Letter Christians
Christian Piatt: Five Things that are Holding Christianity Back | Red Letter Christians
I’m often asked about what trends I see within Christianity, both good and bad. So in my ongoing effort to help name trends and offer an alternative way of thinking about our faith, here are the five biggest things I’ve seen that tend to keep us from doing our best work as the living, breathing body of Christ in the world today.
Church Buildings - Many of our church buildings were established in a time when Christianity was booming numerically in the United States. We could hardly keep up with the growth, happening all around us. Understandably, churches popped up where the people were too, drawing many away from their old downtown churches to a more convenient suburban community. But as our numbers have dwindled – combined with the fact the we’re a much more mobile society now that ever before – many churches are becoming monuments to what has long since passed. They have become an albatross rather than an asset.
In some cases, these financial burdens are being turned back into the soil as they are sold off, repurposed or given away to those who can do something relevant and exciting with them. For example, our new church start in southern Colorado benefitted from the gift of an old church building that hadn’t been occupied by one of our denomination’s congregations in more than fifteen years. In Amarillo, a church finally closed its doors and sold off their property, only to have it reinvested by their region into what is now called Chalice Abbey. With it, they are doing all kinds of nontraditional – and yet creatively sustainable – kinds of work within the community.
- See more at: http://www.redletterchristians.org/five-things-holding-christianity-back/#sthash.naqfqIJf.dpuf
Female teachers at Islamic school 'made to sign contract agreeing to wear headscarf even if they're NOT Muslim', Daily Mail
- Female staff at Al-Madinah School, Derby, claim they have been asked to wear hijabs and make females sit at the back of classes
- Non-Halal food and unacceptable jewellery also banned, it is claimed
- Muslim faith free school was established in 2012 and caters for 200 students aged four to 16
- National Union of Teachers have said they are 'worried over practices concerning discrimination at the school'
|
Claims: A member of staff from Al-Madinah School, some of whom are claiming they have been asked to wear headscarves
Female teachers at a Muslim school have been told to cover their heads with Islamic scarves during school hours - even if they are not Muslim.
Staff at Al-Madinah School, Derby, claim they have been told to sign new contracts agreeing to wear hijabs and even make girls sit at the back of classes.
The Muslim faith school, which caters for 200 students aged four to 16, is also thought to have forbidden teachers from bringing in non-Halal food or wearing unacceptable jewellery.
Non-Asian staff have been spotted removing the headwear immediately after stepping outside the school building during lunch hour, but today refused to reveal the extent of the school’s demands.
It is thought that at least five teachers at the school have complained to union bosses about the dress code change - which was introduced over the summer.
Stunned staff at the free school - who faced losing their jobs if they did not agree - are now working with the National Union of Teachers to seek legal advice.
Sue Arguile, branch secretary of Derby National Union of Teachers (NUT), insists that the possible breach of employment law is a result of the Al-Madinah's status as a free school.
She said: 'We have always had a number of concerns about this school ever since it was first set up as essentially they can do what they like.
'There is no buffer between them and the state and no protection for staff and pupils.
'Our understanding is that the teaching staff were told about the contractual changes over the summer in time for the new academic year.
'But at least five teachers - both male and female - have made complaints to the union of concerns about the school breaching employment law.
'We will now be seeking legal advice in order to determine what action to take - but it may very well be that teachers have to bite the bullet and agree.
'Free schools set their own rules, curriculum and dress codes and so long as pupils and staff are aware of them before joining then there is no upset.
'But forcing people to agree to contractual changes or face being out-of-work could breach employment law.'
Nick Raine, regional NUT officer, said: 'We are very worried about the school and the education of the 200 children there.
Banned: Non-Halal food is thought to have also been banned at the school, some of which is based in Norman House in Derby, pictured.
'It’s one thing to have a dress code which we can challenge and quite another to build it into a contract.
'The school is publicly accountable so there needs to be greater transparency.'
However, acting Principal, Stuart Wilson, says he has not received any complaints from staff.
He said: 'I've been told not to speak about the school's policy. I haven't received any complaints from members of staff.'
The school, which caters for primary-age children and secondary children, was set up in September 2012.
It is based in two different locations in Derby - one in Midland House, Nelson Street and the other in Norman House, Friar Gate.
The then head teacher Andrew Cutts-Mckay, who has left after less than a year in post, said at the time that the school was being set up so that ‘the timetable will be flexible with time for Islamic teaching but pupils will be able to opt out of this and there will be a chance to learn about other faiths’.
He said the school would ‘honour all faiths’ and that he envisaged a school where 50 percent of pupils are Islamic and the other half were not.
Allegations: The National Union of Teachers have said they are concerned about the school, the Midland House campus of which is shown above
The free school was initially scheduled to admit 120 reception and year-one children, together with 180 pupils into years seven and eight. Eventually, the all-groups school will have up to 1,100 pupils.
Al-Madinah is a new type of free school, which the government is allowing groups of parents, or interested parties, to set up.
THE HIJAB: 'A SYMBOL OF MODESTY'
A hijab is typically worn by a Muslim female beyond the age of puberty in the presence of adult males - it covers the head and chest, but not the face.
It not only refers to the physical body covering, but also a state of mind, where al-hijab refers to ‘the veil which separates man or the world from God’.
Hijab can also be used to refer to the seclusion of women from men in public.
Most often, it is worn by Muslim women as a symbol of modesty, privacy and morality. If differs from a burqa, a veil that covers the entire body head and face, and the niqab which covers the entire head and face except for the eyes.
These operate in much the same way as private schools, outside local authority control but qualifying for government funding.
Sue Arguile, the branch secretary of Derby National Union of Teachers, added: 'There are worries over practices concerning the discrimination between male and female pupils in the school, with the girls being told to sit at the back of the class regardless of whether they can see the board properly.
'This school was first launched as based on Muslim principles and not as a Muslim school.
'If the school is not sticking to the original reasons behind why it was set up, then it does call into question whether public money is being used properly and for its intended purpose.'
The school has yet to receive an inspection by the Office for Standards in Education, but is due one this academic year.
However, the inspection could be brought forward in view of representations from the teaching unions and the city council.
An Ofsted spokeswoman said: 'As schools are only notified the afternoon before inspections begin, we would not be able to let anyone know when the school is being inspected.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2426626/Female-teachers-Islamic-school-sign-contract-agreeing-wear-headscarf-theyre-NOT-Muslim.html#ixzz2fSHeus9E
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Some Thoughts for Today, Hold Fast
2
Thessalonians 2
New
American Standard Bible (NASB)
2
Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the [a]coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2 that you not be quickly shaken from
your [b]composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a [c]message or a
letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3 Let no
one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the [d]apostasy comes
first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction,
4 who opposes and exalts himself above
[e]every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the
temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5 Do you not remember that
while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6 And you know what
restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed.
7 For the mystery of lawlessness is already at
work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8
Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath
of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His [f]coming; 9 that is,
the one whose [g]coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power
and [h]signs and false wonders, 10 and with [i]all the deception of wickedness
for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as
to be saved.
11 For this reason God [j]will send upon them
[k]a deluding influence so that they will believe [l]what is false, 12 in order
that they all may be [m]judged who did not believe the truth, but [n]took
pleasure in wickedness.
13
But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord,
because God has chosen you [o]from the beginning for salvation [p]through
sanctification [q]by the Spirit and faith in the truth. 14 It was for this He
called you through our gospel, [r]that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus
Christ.
15 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to
the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter
[s]from us.16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has
loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, 17 comfort and
strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.
The Bible Panorama
2 Thessalonians 2
V 1–4: DON’T BE DECEIVED Continuing teaching on the second coming of
Christ, Paul deals with those who have been deceived into thinking that ‘the
day of Christ’ has already come, because of the tribulations they are facing.
He tells them to stay firm: that day will not come without a falling away, and
the revelation of the man of sin who will oppose everything
to do with God, and exalt himself. He will even sit in the temple of God
claiming to be God.
V 5–12: REMEMBER MY REMINDERS Paul
reminds them that he had often told them what would happen before the second
coming of Christ. (The verb for ‘told’ is in the imperfect tense, indicating he
kept on doing it.) As God withdraws His restraining influence (thought by some
to mean that the Holy Spirit will withdraw), the lawless one (the man of sin) will be revealed. God the Son will consume him with the breath of
His mouth and ‘destroy him with the brightness of His coming’. The lawless one
will perform satanic works and lying wonders with great powers and signs. Those
who are perishing will be deceived. Having rejected God’s truth, He will send
them a delusion that they will believe. Condemnation awaits them.
V 13–15: SALVATION AND SANCTIFICATION Paul
thanks God that the Thessalonian Christians have been chosen for salvation to
be sanctified through God’s Holy Spirit and a belief in the truth of His word
and His gospel. This glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ, and he urges them to
stand fast in these godly traditions.
V 16–17: GRACE OF GOD Grace from
the Father and Son will give those Christians consolation and comfort,
establishing them in ‘every good work and word’. Paul prays for this for them.
The Bible Panorama. Copyright © 2005 Day One
Publications.
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