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Earthen Vessel Journal
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The Virgin-Born Saviour - Timothy CrossThe ‘Virgin Birth’ of Christ - by which we mean the ‘virginal conception’ of Christ - came to be regarded as fundamental to the Faith, and hence included in the church’s creeds. If we deny that Christ was virgin born, we are at odds with the historic Christian Faith and cannot really claim to be a Christian. posted 12/21/2011 |
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Santa or Saviour? - Timothy Cross(Brought back by popular demand) For the Christian, it is the Lord Jesus Christ Who is the centre and focal point of Christmas, not Santa. And a comparison of the two is very revealing. posted 12/21/2011 |
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Gospel Meditation #6: Acts 2:42 and 4:23-30 - Kent Allan PhilpottContext: The Pentecostal church, new and alive, focused on the priorities, one of which was prayer. They were devoted to it. It was a continuation, an extension of the time the apostles had spent with Jesus personally. In Acts 4 is an example of the early church's prayer life; study the way it prayed. posted 12/21/2011 |
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The Twleve Days of Christmas - Timothy CrossThe Twelve Days of Christmas comes over as a jolly song and somewhat light hearted. But there is more to it than meets the eye. Once we know its hidden meaning, we will never sing or hear it in the same way again... posted 12/7/2011 |
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What Every Parent Should Know about the Internet - Part 8: News and Views - David ClarkThe news is becoming...something to be set up to reflect your tastes and interests, a means not only of receiving stories from around the world, but...also of being able to interact with people....[N]ews can be made to reflect the views of the reporter, selectively presenting ‘facts’ from a perspective that only emphasizes certain aspects....What does this all mean for the Christian community? posted 12/7/2011 |
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Launched into a New Life (Part 8 in The Jesus People Revolution) - Dave HoytBeing able to read and understand the Bible was the third indicator and sign of God’s work in me. There was no denying it – the light-switch had been turned on! The more I read in the Bible – the harder I found to put it down. No wonder it’s considered the greatest book of all time! I’d enjoyed reading different books in the past – but never had an insatiable hunger to read any book like–the Bible. posted 10/17/2011 |
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Ruth: A Guide for Life's Troubled Times: "Declaration of Dependence" (Chapter 6) - Brian BaileyRuth said, I will go where you go…where you lead me, in other words. This is a clear declaration of faith and obedience to Yahweh God. Ruth placed herself at the direction and disposal of Naomi and her God. She would go and stay where directed; she would live and fellowship with Naomi’s people. She left the world she knew for a new world and a new faith. posted 10/6/2011 |
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Are You Really Born Again?: "How False Conversion Occur" (chapter 8) - Kent Allan PhilpottThe methodology of the church-growth movement may result in false conversions when churches want to make it easy for people to become members... Church-growth techniques seem to work, while preaching a straightforward gospel message often drives people away. ..Those who are satisfied with their own righteousness will baulk at the truth, which declares that they must either come to Jesus and his cross for forgiveness, or else they will be lost forever. posted 10/5/2011 |
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Praying the Saviour's Way: (4) "Thy Will Be Done" - Timothy CrossPraying ‘Thy will be done’ implies a readiness and willingness to actually do God’s will, as well as know it – or at least the desire ‘to be willing to be willing.’ James wrote ‘But be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves’... posted 8/1/2011 |
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How Christians Cast Out Demons Today: "A Theology of the Demonic" (chapter 4) - Kent Allan PhilpottThe devil’s name is Satan, meaning adversary, opponent, or enemy; Satan wars against God and His creation. The word “devil” is best understood as slanderer or accuser. He was thrown down to the earth along with his angels who are created, intelligent beings who have a measure of free will, demonstrated by their capacity to rebel against their Creator... posted 1/23/11 |
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If the Devil Wrote a Bible: "Experience as much of life as you can" (Chapter 3) - Kent Allan PhilpottDevil: Experience as much of life as you can. All that really matters is your happiness anyway. Remember the grave is the end. Therefore I command you, reject religion, which only mires you down in rules and guilt. Explore every choice and live free. posted 10/9/10 |
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Are You Being Duped?: "Do you think the grave is the end?" - Kent Allan PhilpottHow sure are you, if you believe that the grave is the end, that you are right? Oh, you may believe it with all your heart and soul! But how do you know you are right? Do you have anything to prove your position? Are you willing to risk absolutely everything? |
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For Pastors of Small Churches: "Examine Yourself" - Kent Allan PhilpottWe must be sure of our own conversion. To be engaged in pastoral ministry and yet be unconverted--this is a great tragedy. Many think they are converted on the basis of church membership, baptism, good deeds, holding to orthodox creeds and doctrine, and so on. In fact, some mistakenly believe they are truly converted because they are ministers. |
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How to Care for Your Pastor: "The Pastor is Growing" - Kent Allan PhilpottI have known pastors who have changed in some point of theology and have had to resign as a result. Their congregations were not mature enough to work through a very natural and necessary experience or did not have the personal and spiritual security to allow the pastors to work out their salvation with fear and trembling. |
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Tales from San Quentin: "First Day of Baseball Tryouts" - Kent Allan PhilpottFebruary 27 turned out to be a cold and rainy day, but we went on with the tryouts anyway. About forty men came out. There were a few guys I cut on that first day—anyone would be able to see that baseball was not their game. There were five of these, older convicts, who wanted to be part of this most elite group in the prison, a team that had received national attention more than a few times. Making cuts is the most unpleasant part of... |
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Reforming: "Early Confusion" - Kent Allan PhilpottI slowly began to understand. Grace was not grace if salvation depended upon human action. Were we really dead in our trespasses and sins or not? If there was no free will to enable one to make a decision--what was to be done? It was at this point that I began to talk to other evangelical pastors and ask their opinion. Each one I consulted admitted that it was obvious that repeating the sinner's prayer was no sure fire means of conversion, and these were all pastors holding to an Arminian theology. Anyone who had been a pastor for very long saw it plainly... |
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The Third Sex? revisited: "Born Homosexual or Not?" - Kent Allan PhilpottI came to the conclusion that being born gay was little more than a cultural myth in the homosexual community. “I was born gay, homosexuality is natural for me” was an identity marker that went with the territory... What counts for me is what God has revealed. Of course, if one does not have a high view of the Scripture, then what I am presenting will be next to meaningless... |
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Why I Decided Not to Kill Myself: "Carla's Story" - Kent Allan PhilpottQuickly, too quickly, I jumped into a rebound relationship, and when that one came to its inevitable end, I crashed. I felt the full force of being alone in the world and was not prepared for it. I was depressed, and I began to think about suicide. I remembered something from the recovery workshop—90% of the people who go through divorce seriously consider ending it all... |
| Of Other Interest | |
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Islam Insights: A Collection of Essays over time - Kent Allan Philpott
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A "New Calvinism" - Kent Allan PhilpottApparently there is renewed interest and attraction to Calvinistic or Reformed theology. In this article I want to comment on how one person came to embrace the doctrines of grace—this is my own story. |
