#Christmas #christmas2021 #Jesus #christmastime #birthday Christmas is about the birth of Christ. We celebrate with heaven in Luke 2 the long-awaited Messiah's return to save us from our sins. This time of the year we can share the gospel. Here are some facts about the history of Christmas. Most Christians were in hiding during the roman times not celebrating with the pagans because of severe persecution. No born-again believer would have celebrated a pagan holiday, just as none do today. So because a pagan holiday was near the celebration of the birth of Christ does not mean any believer was participating in it. The anti-Christmas crowd is focused on ancient history to make history fit their viewpoint. This is not the proper rendering of history and not proper bible study. Enjoy our article. Here is our research. https://biblestudycompany.com/blog/article/223

Folks here is my research on whether or not Christmas is pagan. First, we must say no. Christmas today is about the Gospel. The historical facts say no, that Christmas is not pagan and there is much research here which is my own. Whatever you decide about Christmas make sure it is based in facts. https://biblestudycompany.com/blog/article/223

Hey, Mary and I are doing an adult Sunday school class and we are talking about disciples in this class. You are welcome to join. Here is the link for the class this last week. https://biblestudycompany.com/blog/article/222

#Jesus #jesuschrist #GoDislove #Yeshua #whatissuccess #biblicalsuccess Happy Thanksgiving. Mary and I did a podcast. "What is success in God's eyes?" We all have a frame we look at life through. Even our Christian walk may be affected. Sometimes we have a frame that we are at the center. Let's call this the YouFRAME. This means we fit God into our will. Our wants, needs, "spirituality, and service are around the YouFRAME. But is this the Frame that God approves? Join us to find out. We have a theme-based study. https://biblestudycompany.com/blog/article/221

Hey everyone, latest podcast/video on Ephesians 1:15 and on. This shows us how to pray to "be in Christ". We need the eyes of our hearts opened. This portion of scripture, like the Lord's prayer, helps us learn to pray effectively. The prayers of Paul are divinely inspired. https://biblestudycompany.com/blog/article/220

"Bible Study Company: An online study Bible and social community@show

Monday, Dec. 06, 2021

I have yet to look more into meanings of 1. "An odour of sweet smell", 2. "A sacrifice acceptable", 3. "Wellpleasing to God".

My curiosities lie in the knowing/understanding a) why was an "odour of sweet smell" significant at that time in history? What can I compare it to in today's cultural experience (find an example of it being used)?

What does an acceptable sacrifice look like? Where does it come from? What can be compared to it in today's experiences? How do we know that we need an acceptable sacrifice? What could be the epitomize to bring us to that knowledge and longing?

What is well-pleasing to God? Did He tell us what it is/was? Or is this referring to the odour of a sweet smell that is a sacrifice created/found by us where we have then given it to God who finds it, (an odour of a sweet smell)  well-pleasing? If these items were sent to Paul, how do they look compared to how they would look if they were only being given to God?

Why did anyone, but in this case Epaphroditus, bring such gifts as these to Paul? Are they symbolic in some way?

 

 

 

Tuesday, Nov. 09, 2021

Look up what these 3 phrases mean:

"a fragrant aroma, =

an acceptable sacrifice, =

well-pleasing to God" =

WHERE:

 

Lexicon:

I looked at the entry in the Lexicon for Phillipians 4:18 For the opening phrase of the verse I was troubled with the description that is given:

 

VERSE PART	DEFINITION:	PART OF SPEECH:	STRONG'S:	GREEK:	TRANSLITERATION:
But I have received	to hold back, keep off, to be away, be distant

For example, at Dictionary.com, the word -received- is defined:

_________________________________________________ 

received

See synonyms for received on Thesaurus.com

---

adjective

generally or traditionally accepted; conventional; standard:a received moral idea.

______________________________________________________________________

At the end of this brief review of the word received I am not any further ahead in terms of understanding the Lexicon's definition of received being "to hold back, keep off, to be away, be distant".

Erv's cancer may be back. We are both scared but decide to worship during the news. Our Creator made us with a choice. To choose our will or His will. His will is we totally trust Him with our lives. We do so with worship in the midst of bad news. Worship with us. Grab your psalm and pray with us through this news. https://biblestudycompany.com/blog/article/219

Jehovah's Witnesses. Have you gotten a phone call or letter from them yet? They are calling and dialing because of Covid. What do you do? Do not throw the letter away. Answer it! Did you know they do not believe Jesus Christ our Lord, is God? This means they have no salvation! Yet they are witnessing? To recruit for what? Their religion? Share the gospel with them and I included a tool for you to use. Feel free to download and share. It has great theology in it that is helpful to all of us. https://biblestudycompany.com/blog/article/218

Ephesians Bible Study with Erv Puckett 1:8-12 Erv Puckett Bible Study Ephesians 1: 8-12 We are studying the next part of Ephesians. We learn about, 1. Redemption and what it means. The forgiveness of our trespasses (sins) against God's laws. The good news (Gospel) is that we cannot earn or work our way to a relationship with God. We need a rescue (redemption). Christ did it all. https://biblestudycompany.com/blog/article/216

Matthew 1:21 I have had this realization before but checking it out based on this verse. I feel kind of convicted in helping people understand that salvation is about not so much us being saved from sin, but saved from the wrath of God. Here's context of my thinking. The world is destroying itself in sin. We see sin destroys, but it is God who judges and God who actually destroys the world. It immediately brought into my mind Passover. I looked up verses to see how salvation is described, and this verse is the only one I've found so far that says we're saved specifically from sin. The rest I've seen just speak more generally of being saved, though I haven't looked very much. I have a bad memory so try to get things out before I forget. Just wondering if I should re-assess my thinking based on this verse because it's so strait forward. I looked a bit at what the word translated "from" can mean but I I am a bit uncomfortable with that, especially because i have preconceived notion. In one level it seems a bit like splitting hairs, but I personally find a lot of conviction in understanding that it is God who destroys sin, and so in Jesus I am saved from God. It just puts it into perspective a bit more seriously. I feel like people hear about God saving us from our sin so much they don't really understand the bigger picture of how God fits into that. I think it's too much self-focus in a culture that's selfish if that makes sense. People are getting so selfish, some don't care about their sin. We're losing a sense of shame or guilt necessary that helped us reach people in previous generations I think. As believers we understand He is saving us from sin, but the way God handles sin by destroying it has so many implications that in my heart I wonder if I'm being led to focus people more on that they need to be saved from the wrath of God. I think I'm being directed to focus more attention on Him than their sense of sin. I feel a sense of needing to direct people's focus to God instead of self. I think there's a spiritual shift we need to make maybe as sin is becoming acceptable more and more. I think He's calling me to start pointing the need for repentance out more in terms of being saved from His wrath then sin fewer and fewer people take sin seriously, but wondering how that fits with this verse. Just checking my convictions and sharing them as well. I feel there may be a shift we need to make in how we're called to address people now that there's no shame in sin and do much focus on self in the world. Think we need to start talking about salvation in terms of His wrath more than their sin. I just don't think many people want to be saved from sin. Honestly, we probably haven't been talking about sin right for a long time and that's why we find ourselves here. I'm not saying anything differently than what I see in the Bible. Typing this made me realize how really incomplete a Gospel we have generally shared in this nation. Even our Gospel has been kind of perverted I think to be too selfish - i used to think that's how it had to be to start out, but I don't after typing this. We have not shared the whole Gospel for longer than I know I think. We should fear God more than even our sin - it may be the only way some people can think about their sin if their conscience is seared. That's why I think there's a spiritual shift going on. Think God is telling me we're getting to that point in how He's teaching me.