ICC Groups :: Christian Group

Description: For discussion of Christian issues. For criticism of religions, go to channel 103, not to this group. Membership list is not public. Private channel is 303. Operators are OGO and timaska.
Operator: ChristianOps
Channel: 303

Page Contents: Rules, Group Philosophy Statement, Membership Requirements, Quote, Scripture Passage, A Thought Group News, Article, The Funny Bone, Web Links

Philosophy of Channel 303: Channel 303 is a place where Christians can gather to fellowship and chat or to discuss/debate Christian issues and doctrine in an atmosphere of mutual courtesy and respect. It is NOT a channel that is rigidly doctrinaire. The membership requirements listed below are intentionally structured to include as many as possible. Consequently you will find a very broad range of beliefs and backgrounds represented. Do not take it personally if your beliefs are challenged, but be prepared to defend what you believe in the manner of I Peter 3:15-18.

CHANNEL 303 RULES

To be invited:

1. You must profess to being a Christian.

2. You must believe that the Bible is inspired by God.

3. You must believe that there is one God who is tri-une in nature: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, three persons, yet one God.

4.You must read and agree to the Philosophy Statement above.

5. You must read and agree to abide by the ICC atmosphere policy which can be found by typing help atmosphere on the ICC Main Console.

The operator reserves the right to make exceptions when deemed appropriate.

Quote:

Whatever you learn from the word, labour to put it into practice...No wonder those people get little insight into the Bible, who make no effort to practice what they know. --Thomas Boston

Scripture Passage

II Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.(NKJV)

A THOUGHT

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Daniel 6:24 And the king gave the command, and they brought those men who had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions - them, their children, and their wives; and the lions overpowered them, and broke all their bones in pieces before they ever came to the bottom of the den. (NKJV)

While Daniel was brought safely up out of the pit, Darius made other arrangements for those conspirators who deceitfully used the power of the king to plot the elimination of Daniel, and to further advance their own ambitions and political positions. All of them, along with their wives and children met the gruesome fate that they had intended for Daniel. There was no one to stop the mouths of the lions when they were thrown in.

Daniel came out of the pit in the same unharmed condition as Meshach, Shadrach, and Abed-Nego when they emerged from the fiery furnace years before. And the writer of Hebrews noted Daniel among those heroes of the faith who "stopped the mouths of lions" (Hebrews 11:33).

Romans 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

just a thought,

jack

Group News

I have begun to write a daily 'e-votional' titled THOUGHTS. I am sending it out to everyone on my email list who requests it. If you'd like to be included, message me with your email address. OGO

Article

USEFUL DIRECTIONS FOR READING AND SEARCHING THE SCRIPTURES

by THomas Boston 1676-1732

1. Follow a regular plan in reading of them, that you may be acquainted with the whole; and make this reading a part of your private devotions. Not that you should confine yourselves only to a set plan, so as never to read by choice, but ordinarily this tends most to edification. Some parts of the Bible are more difficult, some may seem very barren for an ordinary reader; but if you would look on it all as God's word, not to be scorned, and read it with faith and reverence, no doubt you would find advantage.

2. Set a special mark, however you find convenient, on those passages you read, which you find most suitable to your case, condition, or temptations; or such as you have found to move your hearts more than other passages. And it will be profitable often to review these.

3. Compare one Scripture with another, the more obscure with that which is more plain, 2 Pet. 1:20. This is an excellent means to find out the sense of the Scriptures; and to this good use serve the marginal notes on Bibles. And keep Christ in your eye, for to him the scriptures of the Old Testament look (in its genealogies, types, and sacrifices), as well as those of the New.

4. Read with a holy attention, arising from the consideration of the majesty of God, and the reverence due to him. This must be done with attention, first, to the words; second, to the sense; and, third, to the divine authority of the Scripture, and the obligation it lays on the conscience for obedience, 1 Thess. 2:13, "For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe."

5. Let your main purpose in reading the Scriptures be practice, and not bare knowledge, James 1:22, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves." Read that you may learn and do, and that without any limitation or distinction, but that whatever you see God requires, you may study to practice.

6. Beg of God and look to him for his Spirit. For it is the Spirit that inspired it, that it must be savingly understood by, 1 Cor 2:11, "For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God." And therefore before you read, it is highly reasonable you beg a blessing on what you are to read.

7. Beware of a worldly, fleshly mind: for fleshly sins blind the mind from the things of God; and the worldly heart cannot favour them. In an eclipse of the moon, the earth comes between the sun and the moon, and so keeps the light of the sun from it. So the world, in the heart, coming between you and the light of the word, keeps its divine light from you.

8. Labour to be disciplined toward godliness, and to observe your spiritual circumstances. For a disciplined attitude helps mightily to understand the scriptures. Such a Christian will find his circumstances in the word, and the word will give light to his circumstances, and his circumstances light into the word.

9. Whatever you learn from the word, labour to put it into practice. For to him that has, shall be given. No wonder those people get little insight into the Bible, who make no effort to practice what they know. But while the stream runs into a holy life, the fountain will be the freer.

The Funny Bone

THE GRACIOUS HOST

Having moved into his first apartment, our son invited my husband and me for a visit. As we walked in, our son asked if we'd like a cold drink. Mentally patting myself on the back for teaching him to be such a gracious host, I said, "Yes, what do you have?" He walked over to the refrigerator, opened the door, studied the contents, and replied, "I have pickle juice or water."

REGULATIONS

Hospital regulations require a wheelchair for patients being discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman--already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet--who insisted he didn't need my help to leave the hospital. After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator. On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him. "I don't know," he said. "She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown."

ABSOLUTELY

At my granddaughter's wedding, the DJ polled the guests to see who had been married longest. It turned out to be my husband and I. The DJ asked us, "What advice would you give to the newly-married couple?" I said, "The three most important words in a marriage are, 'You're probably right." Everyone then looked at my husband. He said, "She's probably right."

NOW SLEEPING IN GARAGE

My wife chewed me out at the company picnic a while back. "Doesn't it embarrass you that people have seen you go up to the buffet table five times??? "Not a bit," I replied. "I just tell them I'm filling up the plate for you!"

MAKES SENSE

We encouraged our 18-year-old daughter to find a job to help pay for her college education. One day she came home with five applications, and later that evening we read them. Under "Previous Employment," she listed "Baby-sitting." And under "Reason for Leaving" she wrote, "They came home."

Recommended Web Links

Apologetics: Stand to Reason, Answers In Action, Apologetics.org, Apologetics Index

Christian Resources: Gospelcom.net, Christian Answers.Net

Christian Database: Crosswalk, Phil Johnson's Bookmarks

Teaching/Preaching Ministries: David Hocking, John MacArthur, Charles Stanley, D James Kennedy, Koinonia House

Theology: On Doctrine

Evangelism: Living Waters

Southern Gospel Music: Paul Heil and the Gospel Greats

Just for Fun Google Earth Download the "Free Version"

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