The Great Story – Week 01: From Adam to Noah (Genesis 1-10)

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The Bible Story starts off with a declarative statement, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth”. This is not a story about a Big Bang. This is not a story that details a period of billions and billions of years. This is the account of the foundations of the universe being laid as God spoke, saying, “Let there be…” According to the Bible, the earth, the universe, everything that is seen and unseen was Created by God (Colossians 1:16) about 6000 years ago during a 6 day process. Jesus said that from the beginning of Creation, God made them male and female (Mark 10:6). There are no billions of years to accommodate an evolutionary process. God doesn’t need random chance or a slow, guided mutating process to arrive at what we witness in the world around us. In the beginning, He created it exactly how He wanted…and then mankind messed everything up.

The Fall was not an unplanned event that caught God by surprise. The Bible tells us that the kingdom has been prepared for the saints since the Foundation of the world (Matthew 25:34). God knew that mankind would sin and thus separate themselves from the perfect relationship they once experienced with the Creator. God had worked out the plan for Salvation through the death of Jesus Christ, the perfect lamb, long before the Creation. Today, we live in a world that is affected by sin. Everything is falling apart and there is a growing denial of the One, True God. One day, the Lord will return and set straight this world which is corrupted by sin. Oh Glorious day…

The story of Cain and Abel gives us the first account of human death in the Bible. Because of Cain’s jealously over Abel’s sacrifice being accepted while his own being rejected, he killed his brother. Then in the ultimate act of foolishness, he attempted to deny his crime to God. We cannot hide our sin from an omnipotent God. We have to confess our sin and ask for repentance. There is always an accounting and judgment for sin. The only way we can make a repayment for our transgressions is by accepting Christ and be covered by the Lamb’s blood.

Finally we come to Noah. Noah was a righteous man, the last righteous man in all of the earth. The Lord destroyed the entire earth in the Flood, preserving only Noah and his family. Even with this fresh start, the Creation was still effected by sin. We can look around today and see a corrupted world. I can’t help but think every time I see people blatantly sinning and celebrating in it, “DO YOU NOT REMEMBER THE FLOOD?” God gives us all the chance to repent from our sins. In Noah’s day, he gave the people 120 years while Noah was building the ark. Then he gave 7 more days after Noah and his family went into the ark. No one responded to the call of repentance in Noah’s day. God is calling out to you today as well. One day this world will undergo His judgment…will you not Call Upon The Name of The Lord to be saved? Please do. <3

Visit “The Great Story” page to download your weekly study guide or listen to the audio version of the study: The Great Story

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The Great Story – The Bible

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A new online Bible Study has been launched on CallUponTheLord.com. The name of the study is “The Great Story“. This series is designed for new Christians who may not know the Biblical Stories, current Christians who would like to hear them again, and Christians that want to dig a little deeper into the doctrine and theological themes presented in the Stories. This study is being presented in a video format which is available at our YouTube Channel: CallUponTheLordVideo. A new video will be uploaded every Thursday. This is a 31 week study, so tune in every week for the latest video in the series!

You may find the accompanying study guide and an audio version of the study at:
http://www.calluponthelord.com/corywiggington-thegreatstory/

I hope you are blessed by the material that we are studying here! 🙂

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Rosh Hashanah – The Feast of Trumpets

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Once again this year, I attended the Rosh Hashanah service at a local Messianic Jew church (http://www.facebook.com/TheCongregationOfTheOneNewMan).

Rosh Hashanah is known as the Feast of Trumpets. It’s feast name is Yom Teruah. The feast has prophetic significance in that it is the feast that no one knows the day or hour of. Traditionally speaking, the feast does not begin until three witnesses all agree that they have seen the first sliver of the new moon. Depending on the weather conditions, the sighting could occur immediately or it may take several days for the moon to be visible.

Since Jesus said that no man would know the day or hour of His return, many Christians believe that the Lord will return during Rosh Hashanah.

I enjoyed my evening with the One New Man congregation. The sounding of the shofar was particularly exciting. If you have never heard one, you should go look it up, it’s quite unique. Everyone should hear it so they know what to listen for upon the Lord’s return! After the service, the entire congregation was invited to stay and eat honey and apples. This is supposed to signify blessings for the new year. The people there were very welcoming and there is a great love for our Messiah here. 🙂

Please visit their Facebook page to learn more.

A Christian Look at the Basics of Islam

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Have you ever been curious as to what Muslims believe in relation to Christianity. This new, two-part Bible Study by Cory Wiggington gives an introductory look to Islam. In addition to enlightening the reader/listener to the basic beliefs of Islam, the ensuing discussions and scriptural references demonstrate where it differs from Christianity. If you are looking for a place to start, this is it.

A Christian Look at the Basics of Islam

The Starfish Ministry – Prayer in the Park

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I am a member of the Starfish Ministry at our church. If you are unfamiliar with the starfish story, you may read about it here. The basic concept of this ministry is that if we can help just one person come to Christ, then everything we do is worth it. As such, we will occasionally go out to a local park to both feed and witness to whomever we find there. Typically, we encounter many homeless individuals, but given the close proximity to Indiana University, we often meet wayward college students as well.

Last December was my first experience with the Starfish Ministry. That was a very special event for me as I had never “hit the streets” to witness before. We were in the park for over three hours in sub-freezing temperatures. We gave away hot soup all day from a variety of crockpots and pray for needs of many people. It is an amazing feeling of peace and humility that you receive when lifting up others in prayer to the Lord. I believe that it prepared me for what happened next.

I encounter many unbelievers and outright atheists in the course of my day. Sadly, it is sometimes difficult to find the opening and engage these individuals in a good theological discussion. As such, I am not as well practiced as I would like to be. I am eternally thankful to the Holy Spirit for guiding me as I encountered Max.

Max was an atheist. While he inquired about what I, and Christians in general, believe, I could tell that he had some prior knowledge. After I had described something to him, he began trying to find the weak points in my argument and exploiting them. It was at this time that I was thankful for David Ball’s “Defending the Faith” series (if you haven’t listened to it, do so…now). Every question from “How do you know there is a God”, to “What makes the Bible different from any other book”, and “Well, that’s a good truth for you, but doesn’t every religion claim to be the true and only path to heaven?” To date, I had never been challenged so hard on my beliefs by a person who had obviously constructed their own reasonable defenses.

I knew that Max was solid in his atheistic belief and nothing I said was going to change that. After struggling for a little bit after our conversation, trying to think of something I could have said that may have swayed his opinion, I remembered Matthew 10:19, where the Lord says, “When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.” I began to understand that everything that I said was what I should have said. Only the Lord offers salvation, and the only way Max is going to find it is if the Holy Spirit leads him to it. I now pray for Max that the Lord will lead him to Righteousness.

This past Sunday, August 26th, we again visited the park. This time, it was pizza and prayer, with much more acceptable weather conditions (85 degrees and sunny). We had more volunteers show up to help witness this time than any previous time we had gone out. I again had the opportunity to witness to people that may not otherwise hear the Good News. While I was not challenged to the extent that I was in December, I was still able to speak with at least one person who had some sincere questions and wanted a dialogue. I praise God for that blessing and pray for the Holy Spirit to guide Kenneth to salvation.

So, now the question is…What are YOU doing for Christ? We are all called to spread the Gospel using whatever means that we have. There is enough work that all of us can find something to do. An old preacher once said that even if you know very little about the Word, go out and find someone to share that knowledge with…they likely know less than you. The question is, if you are a Christian and you are not doing service for the Lord, what would you say you are doing? Just something to think about… 🙂

God – Part 3: Lord and God of All

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God is the Lord and Ruler of everything. Psalm 90:2 tells us that God is God from everlasting to everlasting. Before Creation He was God, and when heaven and earth pass away, He will still be God. As the Creator of all things, He has infinite authority over what was made.

Isaiah 45:6-7 – That people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.

The Bible is full of instances where God interacted with His Creation in a supernatural way so that His will was accomplished. From the Flood (Genesis 7), to the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14), to the Resurrection of Christ (Matthew 28) the Bible consistently demonstrates that God is omnipotent and in complete control of everything and everyone.

Romans 9:21 – Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?

This verse from Romans clearly references back to Isaiah 64:8. Here, mankind is likened to clay that was molded by potter. The clay has no influence over what the potter makes, but rather the clay conforms to the potter’s will. This verse also opens up discussions on Predestination and the Doctrine of Election (Ephesians 1:4). Proverbs 16:4 tells us, “The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” It is clear from these verses that God has a plan for everything. Both the Righteous and the wicked abide by the will of God. The Lord did not simply create this existence and then turn His back. He is active in His Creation and uses each person to fulfill His sovereign plan; a plan that was established before the foundations of the earth was laid.

Psalm 8:1-4 – 1O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.2Out of the mouth of babies and infants, you have established strength because of your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. 3When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,4what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?

When put into perspective, the fact that we exist at all seems pretty inconsequential in comparison with the rest of Creation. The Psalmist even asks why God cares for us given everything else that He made. Later in Psalm 113:6, it is described how God has to “stoop down” just to interact with us. We are created infinitely low compared to our infinitely supreme God. The mere idea that we somehow can mock His ways, deny His existence, and escape His Judgment is the pinnacle of human arrogance. “The Fool says in his heart that there is no God” – Psalm 14:1

God rules beyond contestation in His Creation. Everyone and everything is subject to His will. Colossians 1:15 describes Jesus as being the “firstborn of all creation”. This statement speaks of His singular authority over the Creation. Unbelievers may contend that “He is not my God”, but when the Day of Judgment comes, all of Creation will be held accountable to Jehovah God. There is no “opting out”. If you haven’t done so already, I encourage you to search the Scriptures so the truth of God will be revealed in your life. God Bless You!