Conversations Concerning Us

  Introduction             The focus of this discourse is the practical application of a hymn presented by Paul in the book of Philippians. Paul inserted an old church hymn (or liturgical device) into his letter to the Philippian church. The goal is to seek guidance that is applicable in modern days. It is clear from the context that Paul is highlighting Christ as the centerpiece. Christ is the example each Christian should follow (v. 5). However, what is the example Christians are to follow? What is the attitude that we are to adopt? These are the questions that will be answered below. The intention is to bring to the surface what Christlikeness is and what Christians should expect from their personal walk with the Lord. Hopefully what follows is something that is Christ-centered and reflective of the character of our Lord. What is the Mind of Christ?             Bef...

  Introduction             In this discourse, the goal is to attempt a survey of Philippians, specifically the "hymn" embedded in the text. This portion of Scripture could be an early hymn or some type of liturgical device that was composed early in the church's birth. Some basic groundwork will be covered, such as attempting to establish authorship and dating of Philippians. These attempts will try to gain an understanding of where this insertion, made by Paul, has come from and if it is possible to know much about it. If certain aspects of this text can be confirmed (or at least reasonably known) then it is likely the modern person is looking at early creedal information about the nature and person of Jesus Christ. It is for this purpose that this hymn will be analyzed both historically and theologically. Suppose more evidence for the veracity of Christ can be established. In that case, it can be holstered in the apologetic...

Prior to entering into my thoughts I should preface this writing with a little background. Suffering is not something new in the world nor am I a stranger to mild forms of it. I have had to put my body through tough things and have had deep emotional scars due to the untimely deaths of many people I have worked with or considered friends. With that said, I see my life's sorrows and pains as but miniscule blips on the radar of some of my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, who have endured much for our Lord. Which leads me to this terrifying thought (which I am sure many will be able to relate too, especially in the west). Some of you reading this may be familiar with the Voice of the Martyrs, a ministry started by Dr. Richard Wurmbrand to speak for/ support those who suffer for the faith (if you are not I encourage you to look into this ministry and husband/ wife duo). There are Christians out there (I am aware suffering is not just a Christian thing but is relevant for me and m...

              So, the "pensées" series continues with this idea, the pride of life. This topic is coming from my personal life and thoughts and has plagued my mind for some time now. This is not directed at any particular individuals but rather at myself in hopes that my experience (and, in this case, failures) can help direct those who read this.             To ground this discussion, I want to provide a Scripture reference, 1 John 2:15-17, which states, " 15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  16 For   all   that is   in   the   world—   the   desires   of the   flesh,   the   desires   of the   eyes,   and   the   pride   of   life—   is   not   from   the   Father   but ...

 Have you ever taken a deep look at your life and thought, "I am just plain terrible at living for Christ. At ever turn, I find myself falling prey to my same weaknesses and/ or allowing physical pains to grab hold of me." If you have had these thoughts (or something similar) then you are in good company. Most Christians (and people in general I think) tend to be hypercritical of themselves. Sometimes it is for good reason and other times it is not. But I think in the writings of Paul we have a good guide to these kinds of situations. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul writes about a thorn in the flesh that he had prayed would leave him a few times. This thorn was presumably some sort of physical ailment. In verse 9 he gives this description of the answer he got regarding his healing,      "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ ...

 I have been struggling to maintain a level of consistency with my writing. With that said, I had an idea that might be of interest to some. This idea is not a new one but may spark inspiration, not only in personal development, but also in others interest in their own ideas. My idea was to start a new series of writings called (thoughts?) Diary of an Apologist. The name of it is not of great importance at this point. The important point is that it will be content delivered in a more consistent manner, be of personal thoughts on certain areas, and hopefully initiate the development of new arguments, theological insights, or just general edification of readers. If this idea sounds good please feel free to comment. I am also willing to make this a joint venture where others can join in and write their personal thoughts on topics they enjoy also. I want this to be an adventure and a chance to develop as thoughtful Christians. Will you join me on this journey?

Introduction              Within the confines of these pages will be the attempt at explicating a personal construal of how God relates to time. Subsequently, there must be an understanding of how this relationship to time will affect God’s knowledge. Before delving into the meat of the topic, it should be noted that there are far too many avenues, potential objections, and other areas on which this paper will not focus. The goal is to delineate areas where a conclusion is accepted without providing an extremely evidential case for why it is accepted. The intent is not to construct an evidentially weak view of God, time, and knowledge. However, it would be an impossible task to cover every bit of ground in short prose such as this. Therefore, just a few assumptions will be listed here (which may be defended to varying degrees throughout): (1) time is assumed to be dynamic, (2) God possesses ALL possible knowledge (approach de...