Where Happiness Comes From

“The happiness the Bible advocates isn’t dependent your circumstances. It comes from living in relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” -- Hugh Whelchel

New Graphic - The Gift of God - English & Romanian

Here is the newest graphic I made in English and Romanian. They are 1920 x 1080 (HD sized). You can download them here: English Romanian. If you click directly on the photo Blogger will open it and you can right click and download it that way as well but they will be a bit smaller (1600 x 900). Here is a link to all the graphics I have made so far: William's graphics

Photo by Coralie Mercier

Why Did Jesus Come?

Have we lost sight of what Christmas is all about? What did Jesus say about why He came? This is the Toastmaster speech I did for Project 9, Persuade with Power, on December 23, 2014.

Related Link

Why Did Jesus Come Bible Verses

Thanksgiving Graphic

Here is a Thanksgiving graphic I made in English and Romanian. They are 1200 x 830. You can download them here: English Romanian. Here is a link to all the graphics I have made so far: William's graphics. Photo by Teo

The Story of the Messiah (5:47)

The story of the Messiah as told in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. What does Messiah mean? Check the link to find out.

Other Videos in the Bible Project Series
The Story of Heaven and Earth (6:42)
Genesis Chapters 1-11 (6:11)
Genesis Chapters 12-50 (5:06)

Iran & Israel & Bible Prophecy - 100 Huntley (Parts 6-10)

Mark Hitchcock, author of the book Iran & Israel, Wars and Rumors of Wars continues sharing about  Iran and Israel in light of End Times prophecy.

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Part 9

Part 10

Related Links

Iran & Israel & Bible Prophecy - 100 Huntley (Parts 1-5)

Iran & Israel & Bible Prophecy - 100 Huntley (Parts 1-5)

Mark Hitchcock, author of the book Iran & Israel, Wars and Rumors of Wars shares about how what is going on between Iran and Israel today fits into End Times prophecy.
                
Part 1

 

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4 

Part 5

Related Links

Iran & Israel & Bible Prophecy - 100 Huntley (Parts 6-10)

New Graphics - Psalm 113:3 - English and Romanian

Here are the newest graphics I made based on Psalm 113:3. They are 1500 x 1000. You can download them here: English  Romanian. If you click directly on the photo Blogger will open it and you can right click and download it that way as well.

Related Links

Graphics on God's Will

What is the Gospel? Daniel Strange (9:43)

Daniel Strange suggests that Paul's speech to the Areopagus (Acts 17) is not the good news but rather the bad news. What he says gives those whom he is speaking to a context for understanding the gospel.

Gospel Quotes - What Exaclty is Belief?

Here is a quote from J. D. Greear's new book Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart: How to Know for Sure You are Saved which will be coming out on February 1 this year.

Here is how many Christians think of “getting saved:” You realize you’re a sinner and you need Jesus to save you. So you approach Him and ask. Of course He says, “Yes,” writes your name in the Lamb’s book of life, and gives you a “certificate” of salvation. If you begin to doubt whether or not you are really “saved,” you go back and replay the moment of your conversion.

Wrong image, I believe. Here’s the problem with it: What if you begin to ask, as I did, “Did I really feel sorry enough for my sin? Did my life change enough after I asked Him into my heart? Did I understand enough about Jesus, or my sin, or grace, when I prayed?” Uh-oh. Better ask again. Back you to go to Jesus, asking Him again to save you, and you feel better for a while. You can do this as much as you want until you meet Jesus in heaven, at which point you might finally be absolutely assured that you’re going to heaven.

That’s not how the Bible depicts salvation. Re-imagine the above example, but this time when you come to Jesus, instead of asking Him for a “certificate” of salvation, you tell Him that you believe what God’s Word says about His Lordship and His completed work at the cross. You then hop up into His arms, now depending on Him to carry you to heaven. You are leaning your weight on what He did, not on what you will do, to get you there.

If you begin to doubt whether or not you really belong to Jesus, what should you do? Do you go back in your mind to that moment when you first hopped up into His arms? You could. But perhaps it would be easier simply to think about where you are currently resting your weight. “Belief” is resting your weight on Christ’s finished work, and that is something you never stop doing. The way you know you are doing it now is not by remembering when you first started doing it, but by reflecting on the present posture of your heart. Your present posture is better proof than a past memory.

Related Links

What Exactly is Belief?

Gospel Quotes - All Things New

“If you read the Bible from cover to cover you realize that it narrates (proclaims!) a true and cohesive story: the good news that  through Jesus Christ God has entered history to liberate and renew the world from its bondage to sin and suffering. This is the story of God, who pursues the restoration of his creation at the cost of his own life. He is making all things new (Rev 21:5)! That’s the simple and yet profound, life- and world-altering plotline of the Bible.” -- Michael R. Emlet

New Graphics - James 4:8 - English and Romanian

Here are some new graphics I made based on James 4:8. They are 1548 x 1080. You can download them here: English  Romanian. If you click directly on the photo Blogger will open it and you can right click and download it that way as well.

Three Ways to Live

Three Ways to Live

Here are the three possible ways there are to live in this world as I see it*:

1. Be your own god.
2. Make yourself right with God.
3. Trust Jesus.

Be You Own God

1. I live for me, myself and I.
2. I decide what is right and wrong.
3. I choose what to worship, what to live for, what to seek happiness and find satisfaction in.

Romans 1:18-20

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Thoughts

In these verses we see that people reject God because they love sin. They actively suppress their knowledge of God so that they can continue in sin. But they will be without excuse on judgment day because they should have realized that God exists from looking at what He created.

Romans 1:21-23

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

Thoughts

Paul shows us that when people reject God they become foolish and their hearts become dark. When they stop worshipping God they don’t stop worshipping they just turn and worship something else. Sadly, they settle for so little when they could have had the Creator of the universe.

Romans 1:24-25

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. 

Thoughts

When people reject God to be their own gods, one of the things that happens is that their sexual desires go out of control and become perverse. Why? Because the human body is the pinnacle of all that God created and because of that people are drawn to it in a powerful way.

Make Yourself Right with God

1. Live for self and God. 
2. Try to earn salvation – hoping good works will outweigh the bad.
3. Acknowledge God but only give Him part of heart – live a divided life.

Isaiah 64:6

All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away. 

Matthew 7:21-23

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Trust Jesus

1. Live for Jesus
2. Rest in the salvation Jesus made possible through His life and death.
3. Obey, serve and worship Jesus out of love, not out of duty.. 

John 6:28-29

Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?” Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”

Galatians 2:20

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

John 14:23-24

Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

Three Ways to Live

Choose wisely the way you want to live. Don’t deceive yourself. Then find out how to live that way. Remember there are consequences both now and in eternity for the choice you make!

* I got my ideas about this from Tim Keller, who got his ideas from C.S. Lewis, who was one of the great Christian thinkers and writers of the 20^th century. He wrote The Chronicles of Narnia, Mere Christianity, Screwtape Letters, and many more.

The Story of God

The Story of the Bible in 10 Minutes

Christmas and the Gospel - Scot McKnight

Here is a blog post from last December on the connection between Christmas and the gospel by Scot McKnight:

A friend of mine, John Frye, sent me these notes on how the gospel emerges in the Christmas story of Luke 2 (and he tied it to Acts 2).

LUKE 2
As the events unfold regarding Jesus’ birth in Luke 1 and 2, the angels appear to the shepherds with a declaration of the King Jesus Gospel. The angels report to the shepherds:

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12).

Good news: The term is ευαγγελιζομαι, the proclamation of joyful, historical news, that is, welcomed events.

For all people: The good news is not restricted to the 1st century plight of Israel, but a proclamation for all people including the Gentiles. This aspect has deep roots in the covenant with Abram (Genesis 12).

Town of David: The good news is indebted to Old Testament promises around King David and his heir.

Savior: In contrast to other political “saviors,” a child is born who will be the embodiment of God’s salvation.

Christ the Lord: Again, two terms pregnant with Old Testament meaning. The child will be God’s “anointed one”–the Christ, and with the term “the Lord” there is a hint that the Old Testament God himself is entering into the 1st century political and religious fray.

In a manger: God’s grand, climatic entrance into history turns the tables on the concept of power to change people, cultures, the cosmos itself. The Lord was placed in a stable manger (verse 12). God’s first earthly bed was a feeding trough.


Related Links

• The Christmas Mission (2:32)
• The Story of Christmas - An Animation (12:57)
• O Come All Ye Faithless (1:28)
• New Graphic Quoting C. S. Lewis - English and Romanian
• Christmas Graphic - Luke 2:11 - English & Romanian
• It's About the Cross - E Vorba Despre Cruce (4:07)
• Christmas Creed
• The Christmas Gospel | Scot McKnight
• The Unique Gift of Christmas | Tim Keller
• Christmas Spirit (The Right Way) 2:07
• The Christmas Story (3:53)
• Christmas in a Nutshell (2:00)
• Presence (2:16)
• 'Tis the Season (2:07)
• Christmas is About a Tree (4:10)
• A True Christmas Story (5:13)
• Come Thou Long Expected Jesus (3:07)
• The Christmas Scale (2:41)
• The Paradox of Christmas (2:28)
• The Innkeeper - John Piper (11:58)
• Rejoice! It's Christmas Time! (3:25)

Christmas Graphic - Luke 2:11 - English & Romanian

Here are graphics I made last year based on Luke 2:11. They are 1650 x 1100. You can download them here: English  Romanian. If you click directly on the photo Blogger will open it and you can right click and download it but the size will be just a bit smaller.

Related Links

• The Christmas Mission (2:32)
• The Story of Christmas - An Animation (12:57)
• O Come All Ye Faithless (1:28)
• New Graphic Quoting C. S. Lewis - English and Romanian
• It's About the Cross - E Vorba Despre Cruce (4:07)
•  Christmas Creed
• The Christmas Gospel | Scot McKnight
• Christmas and the Gospel - Scot McKnight
• The Unique Gift of Christmas | Tim Keller
• Christmas Spirit (The Right Way) 2:07
• The Christmas Story (3:53)
• Christmas in a Nutshell (2:00)
• Presence (2:16)
• 'Tis the Season (2:07)
• Christmas is About a Tree (4:10)
• A True Christmas Story (5:13)
• Come Thou Long Expected Jesus (3:07)
• The Christmas Scale (2:41)
• The Paradox of Christmas (2:28)
• The Innkeeper - John Piper (11:58)
• Rejoice! It's Christmas Time! (3:25)

November's Three Most Popular Posts

The three most popular posts that were posted in November were:

1. What is Grace? Joseph R. Cooke
2. The Secret to a Rich and Satisfying Life
3. It's About Jesus!

To see the three most popular posts of all time look in the sidebar to the right.

Why Did Jesus Come?

02. Why Did Jesus Come? from William Anderson

Here are the slides I used this last Friday night during our weekly outreach to the young people in Nouă area of Brașov. Last week we started a series on the gospel with them.

02. De ce a venit isus? from William Anderson

Gospel Quotes - It's About Jesus!

"Contrary to what many Christians have concluded, the Bible does not tell two stories: one about Israel in the Old Testament, another about the church in the New Testament. The Bible tells one story and points to one figure. It narrates how God rescues his world that we wrecked, and exalts Christ as the one who accomplishes the rescue. In the Old Testament God revealed himself through types and shadows, promises and prophecies. In the New Testament God reveals himself in Christ who is the substance of every shadow and the fulfillment of every promise and prophecy. The Old Testament predicts God’s rescuer; the New Testament presents God’s rescuer. Therefore, the whole Bible—both the Old and New Testament—is all about God’s rescuer. A gospel-fueled worship service tells and retells this unified story—highlighting the story’s infallible Hero—through song, sermon, and sacrament." -- Tullian Tchividjian

Graphics with Matthew 11:28 - English and Romanian

Here are graphics I made recently based on Matthew 11:28. They are 1712 x 1080. You can download them here: English  Romanian. If you click directly on the photo Blogger will open it and you can right click and download it but the size will be 1600 x 1009.