Question #1:
Hello Dr. Luginbill
I wanted to put this out there for members of the community that may not be
aware of the challenges your site has for many people. I read in last week's
posting, this statement: "Everything needed for salvation and spiritual growth
is already easily accessible at Ichthys, people just need to have the want to."
While I agree that everything needed for salvation and spiritual growth is here
at Ichthys, I would argue that it is not easily accessible to possibly 1 in 5
people, which is a common estimate of the number of dyslexics that go through
the public school system. You do have the audio files and I am personally very
grateful for them and use them often as I have told you before. I have talked to
others that cannot seem to listen to them due to the robotic nature of the
computer-generated voice. Also, the ability to pause, rewind or reread a
statement or paragraph is difficult to say the least. Again, I love the mp3
files and listen to them when driving, showering, cleaning house etc. But to be
my only source of access to the site would be difficult.
Another issue is the high-level text. For folks (this may include myself) that
have been primarily non-readers their whole life, the vocabulary of your
writings can be another obstacle. It's not impossible by any means but I would
not call it easily accessible. I am not criticizing you or your ministry. Truly,
the opposite! If you were not such a "studied" man, then you would not be able
to learn yourself and then teach in such in-depth the way that you do. Not even
mentioning the depth of your faith which is obvious in everything you write.
I just want to encourage those who have the gift of teaching to not dismiss the
need that does exist out there. They don't need to reinvent the wheel so to
speak, you have all the material they need to teach. They just need to present
the information in a different format with a human voice and stay faithful to
your materials. Don't try to make some sort of ground shaking new content when
you've not put in the time and effort it takes to be Dr. Robert D. Luginbill.
Just wrap it in a pretty bow and give it freely to those who do want it. The
time is short, stop putting it off. Stop saying no one is interested. Many
prophets had few if any followers, they still did what they were given to do.
Now go and do likewise!
You, along with the help of Steven Tammen,
Odii Ariwodo and
Mike Ceja have drug
me kicking and screaming all through these studies and I've not completed them
yet. I can't seem to do it by myself, and I don't trust any other place but
ichthys. Praise the Lord for their help but they can't do it alone. There is
simply too much material for one person to cover in the time remaining. And woe
to those who do not take advantage of this time to dig deep into all you have
here to offer before everything starts shaking.
Praying for you always,
Response #1:
Thanks for this!
I think you are right about everything you say (especially the part about how
dense and often difficult my writing is), and would be delighted to have more
people like yourself ministering the Word through using these studies, whether
in a house Bible study or putting something "out there" in cyber-space. I
certainly agree that such efforts don't need to wait for perfection to launch.
Blessedly, perfectionism is at least one fault I don't possess (as any regular
reader of Ichthys knows)!
I am extremely grateful to all of the now fairly many who have taken these
studies and used them to minister the truth to others. I am particularly
grateful to Chris B. who has turned these into MP3's for us I assure you that
it hasn't been easy nor quick (nor free) for him to so do, and also that without his
efforts, there wouldn't be any audio files at all (that is not something I have
the time to do through personal dictation nor the skill to do through the
conversion process he has laboriously undertaken in a labor of love).
In addition to our brothers you list (and I have linked them for the benefit of
other readers; please see also the list on the
Special Topics page
at the link), I would be remiss not to point out that Jordan B. now also has his
web-ministry up and running (link),
and that another brother is in the process of attempting to do exactly what you
are suggesting, namely, to do a friendlier YouTube version of these studies
(look for an announcement of this later this year).
We have also had some individuals who were doing this sort of thing but who
pulled their materials off of the web, I believe because they didn't think the
materials were "up to snuff" but I was thrilled to have them out there. We are
all on the same team and our objective is one of as much salvation and spiritual
growth as possible. If we're not careful and if we wait too long because of lack
of perfection, we may find that time runs out on us altogether (as you suggest).
So again, thanks for your frank and encouraging words! I'll be posting this
soon.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #2:
Hi Bob,
I may get back to you on the other set of questions. Lots of irons in the fire
right now, and none of that stuff was particularly urgent in terms of my list of
things that need to get thought-through more at present.
So this new email is for something completely different. We had a conversation
recently on the WhatsApp group about whether things should seem hard or
effortful for us as Christians, or easy given that we have the help of the Lord.
A bit of background on the conversation (I am heavily, heavily paraphrasing, but
attached the whole thing, in case you'd like to see the actual statements):
I asked for prayer since I was (and am) having a hard time getting myself to
finish some of the admin/organizational headaches between me and fully launching
my ministry site. Feels kind of like dragging myself through mud. I commented
that it doesn't seem to be a tiredness or burnout thing for me so much as one of
discipline. It seems like these are some things I just need to grit my teeth and
tough out, but I'm having a hard time applying myself as I ought to. Hence
asking for prayer.
__ commented something along the lines that I should make sure to set relaxation
time for myself and rest properly and such. I said, sure, some, but we can't
excuse laziness on our part. We should never make peace with wasting time and
say "God made me such and such way so I can't do better by nature," but always
be striving to make better use of the resources we've been given. We should
never completely be satisfied with what we've accomplished, since we are in fact
called to perfection. (At the same time, we shouldn't be unreasonably hard on
ourselves either. The point is just to never lower one's sword from the
battlefield and stop treating things like a fight, instead of finding excuses to
not do more). __ also commented something along the lines that if we are finding
a path very difficult to walk, we should probably stop trying to walk it,
because God's probably trying to speak to us to tell us it's not the right path.
Something along the lines of struggling very heavily with something is a sign
you aren't doing the right thing. I can see the wisdom in this in some
circumstances, but pushed back strongly against viewing it as an absolute.
We then traded statements back and forth after this for a time, him arguing that
things should be a breeze for us if we are properly trusting in the Lord,
leaning on His strength, and doing what He wants us to be doing, while I argued
that this is not at all the tone of our experience, but that we should instead
expect to have to put forth great struggle and toil to gain ground on the
battlefield we find ourselves on. The two positions are very much mutually
exclusive, as it seems to me.
This last bit in particular is the thing I would wish to have a sanity-check on.
None of what you say to me will be brought into the conversation we are still
actively having ipse dixit style ("Well, Dr. Luginbill says X, so you're
wrong"), but I just want to double-check and make sure I'm firm on my own
understanding before continuing to go back and push harder on things.
We covered a lot of ground already in the disagreement (as you'll see if you
skim page 11 and following), but just to cut right to the main point:
Among other passages, I see Hebrews 12:4 (resisting to the point of blood) as a
rather clear evidence that we need to be willing to grit our teeth and buckle
down, and that it won't be at all easy or effortless. __ has quoted Matthew
11:28-30 to support his position that we shouldn't be finding things very hard
to do if we are properly trusting the Lord. (And that therefore if we are
finding something very hard, we aren't doing the right thing).
My main argument is that things don't become easy just on account of God being
on our side, because He doesn't always interfere to make our paths smooth and
obstacle-free. Instead, he tests us to refine our faith through suffering --
sometimes even sending extra suffering our way (as in the case of Job). As I
understand it, too, obviously we will only be able to get through these sorts of
things by leaning on God, but even so, that doesn't mean it isn't exceptionally
difficult for us. It wouldn't be actual suffering if it wasn't actually hard for
us, right? So God doesn't wave a magic wand the second we put our trust in Him.
Obviously, __ never said everything was a walk in the park -- that somehow we'd
experience pain and such "but things would still be a breeze". I confess to not
really understanding the position entirely, probably. But I still do not believe
that God puts His hand on the scale to the degree that things are even remotely
easy for us. Even if we trust Him perfectly, with a perfect attitude and
acceptance of His Will over ours, we will still have to sweat and bleed for it.
This seems to me to be a very important thing to get right, and a worthy
conversation.
What are your thoughts?
In Him,
Response #2:
I think this is just a question of two sides of the same coin. I never thought
of any of this preparing for and engaging in ministry as easy. On the other
hand, I never thought of it as impossible, given the Lord's help. This is
reminiscent of many of the conversations I had with my seminary buddies wherein
both sides of the argument have some truth to them but really the balanced
approach is in the middle. On the one hand the yoke is easy and the burden light
but it is still a yoke (getting out of it and goofing off is clearly wrong)
and still a burden (putting it down is clearly wrong). On the other hand, we are
encouraged to resist to the point of blood, but still, doing the right thing is
probably not going to kill us (and if we are about to have a nervous breakdown
or a physical collapse we're no doubt pushing too hard). So since these two
scriptures say what they say, and since scripture doesn't contradict itself, it
seems to me that this is the right way to see things: i.e., walking with the
Lord and doing what He wants us to do is indeed hard and requires sacrifice but
it is do-able with His help; it is also easy, in the sense that the Lord brings
us through impossible situations if we keep fighting the fight, so that if we
hold onto the heavenly perspective we will find that even in the midst of great
opposition we can "run and not be weary, walk and not faint" (Is.40:31).
Same thing on the approach we should take. We should want to use our time as
best we can (Eph.5:16; Col.4:5); we also have to allow for the facts that 1) we
are human beings with human limitations; and 2) what we might be able to do
tomorrow after further growth and experience in this fight, we may not yet be
able to do today. Also, lest we forget, we are all different with different
skills and gifts and with different capabilities. What might be refreshing for
me might be a burden for you; what might be needful of greater rest for me might
be no sweat for you and vice versa on both propositions.
In Philippians 4:11-12, Paul says he "has learned" how to do what he did in
fighting the wonderful fight he fought; it wasn't instantaneous or automatic.
And Paul also tells us that he "worked harder" than the other apostles with
the help of the Lord. But then we still, we have an indication of relative
effort, even among that elite group and relative capacity for that effort too.
But Peter and the others will also be in for top rewards at the judgment seat of
Christ (Rev.21:14), so perhaps instead of fretting about small differences in
how we see and approach these issues, we should focus on the blessing we share
of being ministers of the Word of God and the great opportunities that offers to
help others and earn eternal rewards.
This is a matter of application. I don't think anyone is saying we don't have to
break a sweat (nor do you); and I don't think you're saying that if we ever take
a coffee break we're out of line (neither, I'm sure, does __). So what we're
talking about here is a matter of degrees in personal application. Since this is
situational and personal and related to application, arguing this as a matter of
absolute principle is probably not your (pl.) best bet.
We are rewarded for the effort we put in, effort that is empowered by the Spirit
and not of the flesh. Classicists put out prodigious scholarly effort (the
fabled ones, at any rate) but for what? If they are (were) Christians, then they
have the benefit of reward for doing a good secular job (Eph.6:8), a job as unto the
Lord, but not for anything that directly benefited His Church (1Cor.3:8; 3:14).
Paul worked harder than anyone else, and he clearly suffered much in trying to
do a great job for the Lord (as our Lord had prophesied: Acts 9:16). So Paul
will have a wonderful reward, one of the biggest and the best. But the other
eleven apostles will also have their names on one of the foundations of the
gates of New Jerusalem.
This being perhaps the best example of "max effort" and yet still not
achieving absolute perfection we can see from comparison that we are likely to
fall short. In my humble opinion, on the one hand we should avoid being too hard
on ourselves about not being "as good as we can possibly be"; and on the other
hand, we should also avoid excusing ourselves when our consciences in the Spirit
inform us that we ought to be doing better.
For what it's worth, I'm very proud to be associated with both of you two fine
Christian pastor-teachers.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #3:
Greetings Professor,
I hope all is well with you and yours! I give thanks daily to God the Father of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ for your incredible ministry, and all your
hard work to produce your materials. They have been such a blessing to us and of
course to my Bible study group. The spiritual growth I have seen in my own life
and the lives of my study group is a true testimony to the truth of God's word
illuminated by your teaching! Just wanted to encourage you since you don't
always get to see the fruits of your labor!
It's been a while since we corresponded so here is an update. I am getting ready
to lead the group (of ten) through your Pneumatology
study after having finished Peripateology just
before the holidays begun. I gave the group a little break after having gone
through Theology, Hamartiology,
Eschatology and
the Peter series. We all needed it!
Lots to absorb! Not sure I have enough time to give them your complete
Bible Basics series before the big show
begins! But I am going to try! Anyway, please pray for my group and I that the
Lord would open the eyes of our hearts in all wisdom and understanding, while
working through this study. I certainly need all the help I can get! Lol! (FYI,
I don't email you with many questions because I found that if I look hard enough
on your website, I usually find the answer! Thanks for that!)
Have a great week Professor!
In Christ!
Response #3:
Thanks so much for the wonderful report, my friend!
There is a lot to get through. Kudos to you for having at it and keeping up the
good work of feeding the sheep the Lord has entrusted to you. That is the way to
a good report on "the day" and a good reward.
I am keeping you and your group in my prayers daily, my friend. I greatly
appreciate the update.
Do feel free to write any time the site IS difficult to navigate (I have
trouble finding things on it sometimes myself).
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #4:
Dear Brother Bob, hope you are well.
I am always amazed at your high level of insight on the Bible, and how you are
able to make connections to multiple passages. I was just wondering if you can
share your process for Bible study? Sometimes I take a short passage or
sometimes a chapter, I go through it a few times, I ask some questions of the
text, make some observations, the process doesnt take more than ten minutes. I
want to go more in depth, but I am not sure how.
Thanks Brother Bob,
Response #4:
In seminary, many years ago, one of my professors who was very good at making
these sorts of connections was asked a similar question. His answer was, well,
you could look things up in a concordance or you could become your own
concordance by becoming very familiar with the Bible.
So I do read scripture daily in Greek, Hebrew and English. And also I do use
reference materials such as concordances to search for things I can't exactly
place. Of course this is just part of it. There are a lot of moving parts here.
The main things are 1) the ministry of the Spirit first and foremost (I could
never do anything worthwhile without His help); 2) the gift of pastor-teacher
which is inestimably helpful in finding things and figuring them out; 3)
preparation: the more one learns / has learned about theology, about ancient
history, about the original language, and about the Bible and biblical subjects
generally, the better all these things come together.
Finally, even with the above, it takes time and effort. In that regard,
consistency is the key. Plugging away day after day is necessary to ever get
anywhere in anything, after all, and especially in actually engaging in the
"studying and teaching" of the truth which activity is not without a certain
amount of "blood, sweat and tears", especially when there is a congregation
counting on us so that it's not merely a leisure activity.
Short answer: the more you do and the harder you work at it the better you get
if you are relying on the Lord and His Spirit.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #5:
Dear Brother Bob, hope you are well.
Thanks for sending the link to past emails and for the subject index.
My profession and background is in counseling in social work, I've always been
drawn to helping people but it has not been until recent years I feel out of
place in the secular setting.
My clinical supervisor at work got upset at me for praying for the client, even
though the client is Christian, and there is no rule about praying for the
client. (my supervisor one day sat in on a session). We usually end in prayer,
and I had a choice to do what I usually do or not pray on that day because the
supervisor was present.
I sense that you have been doing ministry for a long time. What would you say
are the joys and challenges of doing ministry?
I've served as a Sunday school teacher, Bible study leader, and in the prayer
ministry, but I have not had a pastoral role so far. I've been thinking a lot
about full time or bivocational ministry.
Love in Christ,
Response #5:
To be honest, I don't put much stock in traditionally defined ministry roles.
These are mostly the result of the way the church-visible has developed over the
centuries, and, as in all other respects, the way the institutional church has
come to see these things is flawed and blinkered in many ways. There's much
about this at the link in
BB 5:
Pneumatology, under "Spiritual Gifts".
If you have the gift of pastor teacher, then there's nothing better than
teaching the Word of God to those who may be interested in hearing it taught.
However, becoming a pastor in a traditional church nowadays offers little
opportunity for that, because, even though teaching the Word and being
encouraged through the Word is THE one and only reason for assembling, there is
little enough of that going on in pretty much all Protestant churches nowadays.
That goes a long way toward explaining why Ichthys is on the internet and why I
am not a traditional brick-and-mortar pastor (I work a full time job at the
university to earn my keep).
If you'd like to know more about these issues, this week's email posting is all
about that subject (at the
link); also for the details about ministering and
ministers please see mainly BB 6B: Ecclesiology (at the link).
Happy Thanksgiving!
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #6:
Dear Brother Bob, hope you are well.
That was an amazing response and application of Scripture, thanks for reminding
me of Philippians 1, when Paul was saying that whether it was bad motives, he
rejoiced that Christ was being preached, that is a great attitude and it applies
to my question about Christmas having pagan origins. I have been getting into
learning about Hebrew Roots for the past couple of years and there is a lot of
legalism there. When I was an undergrad at Berkeley, I was an English lit major,
and I noticed that the field of English lit is so broad that each professor
specializes in a specific area. I think you had mentioned that you also teach at
the university. What are your areas of specialization?
Love in Christ,
Response #6:
Yes, that movement has done a lot of damage (as all false paths do; see the link
re: Q/A #12).
I'm a Classics prof at U of L, which means I teach Greek and Latin (in our
scheme there is a Humanities division so they teach the "in English" classes).
My dissertation was on Thucydides, and my secular research is mostly on Greek
historiography and lyric poetry. It keeps my Greek tuned up nicely. And it pays
the bills so I can keep this ministry "on the air".
Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #7:
Dear Brother Bob, hope you had a nice Thanksgiving too.
Thanks for sharing that you teach Greek. I understand that Greek does not have a
similar alphabet to English, (the letters are graphics) and my speech software
does not recognize it. I am wondering if it is possible for a blind person to
learn Biblical Greek? I know our English translations are close to the original
Greek and Hebrew, but when we study a passage in the original language we pick
up on the nuances we would not find in our English translation.
Thanks Brother Bob,
Response #7:
Knowing Greek and Hebrew is a real boon to any Bible teacher, especially to a
pastor-teacher. It takes a good deal of time and effort, however, to get to the
point where a person really does know the languages well enough for that benefit
to be realized. A mere superficial knowledge can often do more harm than good
I have seen that many times.
In terms of resources for the blind and how to go about this, I can't say
because I have no experience with this. I am amazed at what you have
accomplished and continue to do without being able to see! You are really
special, and I'm happy to help you wherever I can. I'm not sure about this one
issue. The problems involved in learning Greek are not confined to the fact that
the alphabet is different. How to pronounce things correctly is critical in
Greek. The reader I'm using in teaching Greek 101/102 this year does have audio
files for some of the readings. They seem to have been of some help to my
students in working on pronunciation (but I do have to say that the particular
pronunciation that they use is a bit "off" and not the one I would recommend).
The book set is called "Reading Greek" (separate reader and grammar) from
Cambridge U. Press (and the tapes / CD's are not cheap). Here is one site I
found which has the GNT in audio (link).
It's not the best pronunciation either since it's half way to modern Greek.
There are probably other sites out there.
The bigger problem, I would think, is how your software or whatever you are
using to read texts renders Greek audibly and how you would interface with that.
Here I confess ignorance.
Greek is not an easy lift, but you clearly have overcome many obstacles so I
wouldn't bet against you! Let me know if you find something that works and I'll
put a link up on the website for others.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #8:
Dear Brother Bob, thanks for the encouragement.
I have overcome a lot to be where I am at, by the grace of God. In the early
1980s when my parents saw that I did not have normal development, and I was
diagnosed with a rare eye condition, my parents did not have high expectations
on the life that I would live. It was not until age 34 until I found my first
full time job, (it took 11 years and many job interviews since my undergrad).
The more I listen to the Bible, the more I want to study the original languages.
I understand that you know Greek very well, have you also studied Hebrew? Do you
think it is easier to start with Biblical Hebrew or Greek? I personally do not
know of any blind people who are pastors. I know several blind people who are
Christians, but no one who has studied the Biblical languages.
Love in Christ,
Response #8:
You do have grit!
Hebrew is not only harder than Greek initially (later on, Greek is probably more
difficult to break through into the subtleties at the advanced level); also,
because of the concentration of doctrine in the New Testament (with the
revelation of the mystery of Christ), Greek is, I would argue, more important if
one has to choose between the two. I don't know, but I would imagine that Hebrew
would also be more difficult to learn without being able to see it. That is
because the vowel system in Hebrew is an "add on" scheme. The vowel signs were,
for the most part, invented much later than the consonantal text and are written
sub-linear and supra-linear as a result.
In terms of being a pastor-teacher, it all depends on what a person thinks that
position entails. Personally, I could not be and would not be a "pastor" in the
present and historical evangelical model of that job. In my reading of scripture
(see the link in
BB 6B),
the main duty of the pastor-teacher is feeding the sheep. Not many men out there
today are prepared to do that, even if they have the gift and not many
congregations are interested in having it done for them . . . which goes a long
way toward explaining why this ministry is on the internet and not housed
between four dedicated walls. If you are led to something similar, I'd imagine
that those you minister to might not even realize that you can't see. It's our
vision of the truth that really counts.
I'll be keeping you in my prayers, my friend.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #9:
Hello again Bob,
I am sorry to bombard you with so many emails but I am struggling at the moment.
[omitted: email about ministering to family exhausting time and energy for
anything else]
Response #9:
I certainly do understand your dilemma about trying to minister to unbelievers who may be hostile towards the truth.
I said, I will guard my ways,
Lest I sin with my tongue;
I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle,
While the wicked are before me.
I was mute with silence,
I held my peace even from good;
And my sorrow was stirred up.
My heart was hot within me;
While I was musing, the fire burned.
Then I spoke with my tongue:
Psalm 39:1-3 NKJV
Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the LORD has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name, his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.
Jeremiah 20:8-9 NIV
It's not easy being a prophet or someone who essentially has that role of
trying to turn unbelievers or wayward believers around. In terms of ministry,
true Christian ministry is always ministry to share or promote the truth. The
real question you have to answer and only you can answer it with careful
prayer and consultation with the Spirit is "who is my audience?" Or put
another way as you put it, what is the field the Lord wants you to work? Nothing
wrong with ministering to friends and family, even if they are not the main job
you've been given . . . unless that ministry supplants what the Lord wants you
to do entirely.
Once you've refined precisely what it is the Lord wants you to do, then it's a
question of drawing boundaries and proceeding with discipline, one day at a
time. When we do finally find ourselves in that good spot the Lord has for us,
we do experience peace and rest in Him, even if the storm is raging all around.
Keeping you in my prayers daily, my friend.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #10:
Thanks Bob,
What did you think of my previous email about my ministry and boundaries with my
family?
I was just thinking that I have very few people in my life now but I hope that
believers will come and fellowship with me once I put my ministry online.
With regard to unbelievers that are in my life (family and in laws etc), if they
behave really badly in my company, what should I do?
[omitted]
How should I react when they exhibit this behaviour? I know that I should still
show respect to my elders even if they behave badly but was wondering whether we
should speak out that this behaviour is wrong?
I went to see what the Word has to say about these things and I read this in
Proverbs..
Proverbs 9:7-8
Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.
Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
rebuke the wise and they will love you.
So that would mean that I shouldn't try to correct them on this behaviour at
all? As it will only encourage insults, abuse and their hatred of me. So is it
better to stay silent? It is easier for me to take my leave when I find it hard
listening but I am not sure what to do when they abuse others in front of me? Do
I still say nothing then? __ has regularly verbally taunted and abused __ in
front of me. Do I stay silent when this happens?
I also read this is Peter
1 Peter 4:4-5
They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and
they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready
to judge the living and the dead.
I have experienced this too. Abuse because I won't sin with them anymore. Again
is it best that I stay quiet over these things. After all the Lord will deal
with them on judgement day. I will continue then to behave in a way that
glorifies our Lord and is a witness to them. I guess that when we fail to join
them in sin then that is a form of rebuke by not listening to them and following
their behaviour.
Your guidance on this and feedback on my email about boundaries (the one before
the last) would be most appreciated my friend.
In our Lord,
Response #10:
You're most welcome.
If it were up to me, I'd recommend having as little contact with negative people
as possible, at least after they have demonstrated in no uncertain terms that
they are not and likely never will be interested in the truth you've been trying to
share with them. And when and if I did have to have contact with the ones
exhibiting the bad behavior you report, I'd want to be in a public place where
there would be some restraint on what they said and did.
It does seem clear to me that so far, while your motives have been pure and your
witness has been good, you have not budged the worst offenders, but you have
been hurt yourself. Since this has been going on for quite some time now, it's
probably not realistic to expect any sort of immediate change to this situation.
Of course we pray. Of course we trust the Lord. And if we HAVE to stay in some
situation that is toxic (i.e., because we're married), we do our best to
persevere. But if we are not absolutely obligated in terms of contact,
especially repeated and close contact, well then . . .
I know this is hard for you. Boundary setting here does seem prudent. But you
are the one who has to make the decisions and implement them, in consultation
with the Spirit, the scripture, and lots of prayer.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #11:
Thanks Bob,
[omitted]
Thank you so much for your kindness and wise words. I am moving forward with
boundaries.
Response #11:
So it seems that setting these boundaries isn't going to be easy for you for
reasons some of which are beyond your control. To compare this to a diet, people
who are serious about losing weight likewise set limits, and determine not to go
over them with any variations being on the less not the more side; people (like
myself) who are not serious enough, set limits, but often go over them on the
more side. Losing weight is tough. Limiting our contact with those we love and
with whom we are familiar but who are doing us damage is even tougher.
The most important thing in this life is our Lord Jesus Christ and our
relationship with Him, doing what He wants us to do (including in terms of
ministry of course). Everything else is only important derivatively.
For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Philippians 1:21 NKJV
That is the truth, even if we often can't bring ourselves to accept it now. It will be absolutely obvious at the judgment seat of Christ.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others.
2nd Corinthians 5:10-11a NIV
But do take heart. It's not as if you haven't been making progress with
your personal spiritual growth. Clearly you have. And I am confident that you
will get all these other matters straightened out anon. Some things just take a
little longer for us to get to and to get through.
I'm encouraged by your determination and will be keeping you in prayer on this.
I'm praying for you in this, my friend thanks so much for your prayers as
well!
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #12:
Hey Dr. Luginbill,
You know that we have been talking about how we are going to start a house
church. I am aware of the discussion you and him have been having and we have
both been talking this out weighing our options. Since we are both involved in
this process, I came up with the idea to email you myself just to ask a few
questions. It seemed fair since ___ felt it would be a good idea if I jumped in
with some of my own questions to help the process along so that he doesn't have
to do all the work. I told him I wanted to email you but wasn't sure if you
would be ok with the both of us contacting you at once, so I hope I'm not
inundating you. Let me just say that I'm speaking for myself here. I really
don't want to overthink this whole process (we have already talked about it for
hours on end) and have given this so much thought already. We haven't decided on
anything yet, which is ok because we aren't rushing it. I understand that some
things just take time and that we don't have to have all this figured out right
now.
At present, it appears that we are trending in the direction of not physically
going to churches to try and get people to come out (though we are still
contemplating that). However, my question is, what if the Holy Spirit was
leading us not to go to physical churches and we went anyway? Would that
constitute sinful behavior? A good example we used was marriage. If someone
marries the wrong person the Lord did not intend for them, have they sinned? My
gut reaction was that, yes, they have. But some people claim ignorance saying
"there was only one way to find out because I just didn't know." But I don't
believe such a hypothetical situation exists because if someone made a wrong
move, it means they weren't heeding the Spirit and acting in faith.
The above is important because I don't want either myself or our brother to do
something we weren't supposed to do and end up sinning in the process. It just
seems to me that if the Spirit says "do this" and we do something else, that
could (in some cases) constitute sinful behavior.
I'm not really seeing us going the church route, but I personally don't believe
(nor could I prove) that God doesn't lead some individuals (a very small
minority I would imagine) to approach it this way. ___ did let me in on many of
the disadvantages you spoke of about going the church route, and I agree. I
think it would be a bad idea for most people to try it that way (though not all-
few as they may be as exceptions). Those aren't for me to say.
One last thing I wanted to run by you was cross-church Bible studies. Now, I
don't really know of any in our area because they are so rare and few and far
between. But I did know of (and rarely attended) one of these years ago that one
of my sisters was highly involved in. Basically, for most of its years, thirty
to sixty people would all come together in the basement of a building that a
community church rented out because they had no other place to assemble.
However, people from different churches would all attend for worship and Bible
study. I was never a fan of it for obvious reasons which is why I almost never
attended. But I will tell you that they disagreed on a lot of things (which I
couldn't stand but that is besides the point). Even the people who attended the
community church itself who weren't visitors disagreed with a few things taught
by their own congregation. The pastor leading the Bible study eventually stepped
down and allowed for anyone qualified to teach to step up to the plate. I don't
think beliefs were an issue. Instead, he just expected someone with the gift of
teaching to take over and start leading. In other words, he left the decision up
to all the attendees (many of whom he trusted and saw as very spiritually mature
individuals).
Do you think it would be a bad idea for us to get involved with a more loose
Bible study like the one described above (assuming we found one) where everyone
disagrees on so many things and shares their opinion? Being honest, I don't
think we are going to find such a setup where we are at. SISU (Staying In The
Spirit United) was a very different or unique group as far as setup and
organization were concerned, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask just in case.
The worst possible scenario could be that many people disagree with us and just
leave. But that could happen anywhere at any time.
Open to any advice and insight you have to give.
Response #12:
I have no problems with you emailing me about this too.
As to "sin or not", if it's something you know the Lord doesn't want you to do,
then whether or not it is technically a sin is moot in my view. If you know that
eating a half-gallon of ice cream after just polishing off an entire jar of
jalapeno salsa and chips is a bad idea for you personally, the fact that it
wasn't technically a sin will be cold comfort at three o'clock in the morning.
As I wrote ___, the apostle Paul was told by the Spirit not just personally but
through the agency of others (so that it was a public matter) on more than one
occasion that going up to Jerusalem was a bad idea (link).
But he wanted to do it so he went anyway. He ended almost torn apart by the
crowd, imprisoned by the Romans, nearly assassinated, having to defend his life
in a legal setting many times thereafter, shipwrecked after a terrible storm,
and then under guard in Rome for years thereafter. I'm not prepared to say that
it was sinful for him to go up to Jerusalem with no absolute necessity to do so
when there were at the very least "strong indications" that it was a very bad
idea (and, after all, he had experienced the ice cream / jalapeno salsa combo
before in the same place), but there is no doubt that not following the Spirit's
clear guidance had consequences. And one of the worst, IMHO: being put in a
situation where he was coerced into being involved in a Jewish ritual he knew
very well had been superseded (does the book of Hebrews ring a bell?). What were
Trophimus and his other gentile comrades to think of that? Are we back under the
Law now after all? Partially?
It's very hard for me to imagine going to one of these churches and not being
put in a similar situation, that is, finding oneself singing hymns one doesn't
agree with, watching water-baptisms and "dedications" one knows are wrong but
not saying anything about it. I could go on at length. And then asking others to
try something different, well, as I've told ___, it would be very easy to fall
into something questionable with that approach. I doubt you'd end up in jail,
but you might very well regret it. I can tell you that it does damage to one's
heart and relationship with the Lord to be "in" a bad situation like that and
not immediately bail on it:
. . . for through the things he saw and heard just by dwelling among them [in Sodom] this righteous man [Lot] was torturing his righteous heart day by day by [exposure to] their lawless deeds.
2nd Peter 2:8
No, it wouldn't be like Sodom. From my point of view it's worse, because these
are Christians who are embracing false doctrines and willfully not doing what
the Lord wants.
Could there be a ministry of "rescue" for the people there? Sure. Jeremiah and
most of the prophets had just such ministries. They were called to wake the
people up, to call them away from idolatry and back to the Lord. However, the
first thing to note is that all prophets of this type were called by the Lord to
that sort of very tough sledding; so one has to be very aware of just what his
ministry is and what it is not. The second thing is to remember that there are
consequences for such a ministry: many of the prophets, after all, were murdered
for their trouble.
Are there other sorts of ministries which might legitimately do what is being
contemplated? Perhaps if a person is called to apologetics. I have known of
individuals who deliberately confront people going to this or that church which
is not doing what they think is godly. Whether or not any of them have been
acting on the Spirit's guidance is another question. Again, we do what we are
called to do; if to prophecy, we prophecy; if to witness, then we witness; if to
teach the Word of God . . .
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
Romans 12:6-8 NIV
If either of you is being called by the Spirit to go into these lions' dens and
rescue whoever is worthy of rescue, you should do it but it likely won't be
easy and there likely will be consequences. We are willing as Paul said "not
only to be bound, but also to die . . . for the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts
21:13). But as in the example of Paul, if the dangerous or at least questionable
thing we are attempting is not of the Lord then how can we expect Him to keep us
from all harm in the endeavor?
So as usual it's all about God's will so we do it if it is His will and avoid
it if it is not.
The same thing applies to the open Bible studies you are asking about. There may
be venues where you could make clear the sort of thing you are teaching and get
the word out about it. For that matter you could start an impromptu mini-study
in the town square or the mall or the park. As mentioned to ___, I'm no expert
on this sort of thing. What I do know is what you discovered in this parallel
you adduce: if the message is befuddled and/or the teaching is not good, few
people, even potentially positive people, will be likely to keep up with it.
This is not a problem in a "church" because people don't go to church to be
taught. They will put up with ten to thirty minutes or so of an "inspiring"
harangue, especially if it consists mostly of some funny or otherwise
interesting stories cobbled together. But they want to "nod to God" and in the
process have social interaction with other people. It's the people, the
building, the music, the entertainment and the experience generally which
decides where they go not any great desire for learning the truth of the Word
of God.
I do understand what the two of you are saying. If a person is going to a "Bible
study", well, that may mean that they are searching for the truth but just
haven't found the right place yet. Maybe. But I have to tell you, most of those
situations are as you described them: people who love to air their opinions,
with others have mixed motives too which do not at all necessarily including
really wanting to learn and accept the truth.
*In fact, the most common story I hear from folks who come to and become
interested in Ichthys is that they stopped going to those churches / Bible
studies precisely because they WERE interested in the truth and could not abide
the opposite (which is what they were getting).
So you guys might also want to consider that if you did go either of these two
routes, you might also be looking in the wrong place. If anyone really were
interested in the truth, a place where no truth was being taught might not be
the most likely place to find them.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #13:
Doc...why so some people not want to forgive? Do they not realize they'll never
be free, always enslaved to hate if they don't? Do they know yet not care?
I want to forgive even though these people have done the worst things...so many
would consider them no longer human, yet I know it's worse than that, there's
almost no end to the depths of depravity man can conjure in their heart...but
that means they're still human and, and can be helped. I'm scared for these
people, both the offenders and those who won't forgive...please pray for them.
Speaking of which, I just made a new community on Reddit: forgivethem. It's a
community dedicated to helping people like myself who have those they want to
forgive but feel like they can't.
I'm hoping I can finally get in some good work for Christ with this. Please pray
for me, that this community will work for God's Glory.
Response #13:
While I commend your good intentions to do something for the Lord, it is my duty
to point out that for the most part the Lord uses the spiritually prepared.
There is a reason for that. The ministry angle you are contemplating is no doubt
replete with hidden "rocks and shoals", with all manner of false brethren
lurking there (cf. 2Cor.11:26).
You are making good progress, but spiritual maturity and the seasoning that
comes from the tests which temper that spiritually maturity does not happen
overnight. So you will need to be extra-careful in doing this. I would
recommend, in fact, using the time and energy to read more of Ichthys and to
concentrate on your necessary secular tasks such as exercise, employment,
education, etc.
Ministry is a consequence of growth, not a means to it.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #14:
Hi Bob,
Hope you've had a good weekend. Loved the emails again this week. Just a few
typos for you.
I read about your correspondent reading through
Curt's tongues special. I read
this too a few years back and remember his views on "the perfect". But I also
listened to his 1st Corinthians lessons later on about his views on the
completed canon being part of the meaning of the perfect. For me personally, I
always believed what you taught about it from the start anyway.
I've been reading Zechariah in my Bible and thought I'd listen to
Curt's lessons on this book to
help me to understand the meanings of the eight visions. It's been very helpful.
I listened to lesson five today and it just so happened that he talks about how
he too believes that mystery Babylon will be the United States and how you and
he agree that the Tribulation will start very soon (he recorded this lesson four
years ago). He said that it's an educated guess from the standpoint of studying
scripture and reading the current events and that if we read your notes
carefully, you pin it down in 2026.
So I just thought that was interesting after reading some of the emails this
morning about teaching the Word. I'm still plugging away at
CT too! We are so spoiled with
such wonderful teaching and I want to make the most of it. I'm very thankful to
the Lord.
Doing an extra day at work this week - I'm sure I'll survive!.
Keeping you in my prayers, Bob!
In Jesus
Response #14:
Thanks for the info on Curt's
ministry. I'm glad you're making use of it. As he wrote and I believe I
posted a few weeks back, even though we're doing "the best work" we've ever
done, it doesn't mean that there are many more interested. There are not. But I
(and I'm sure he) would be happy to do these ministries if there were only a
small handful willing to benefit if that is what the Lord wanted. We are all
here to please Him, after all. Doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. So I draw
great encouragement from your fine attitude, my friend, and thanks again for
your wonderful help.
I'll say a prayer to help you get through the week. Here's hoping you get a few
holiday breaks the month!
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #15:
Hi Bob,
I just wanted to say how sad it was to read about the decline in interest in
yours and Curt's ministries.
It seems we are seeing even more clearly the effects of Laodicea. Maybe we
shouldn't be so surprised because of how close we are to the end. But what
really matters is that even in spite of how things look, you and Curt are "doing
the best work" you've ever done. That is a great example and so encouraging to
me. You're continuing to serve the Lord faithfully and wholeheartedly and you're
doing the same for those of us who ARE hungry for the truth and who do want to
grow spiritually. If it's only a small handful of believers then they are still
very important to the Lord.
Curt wrote about "the great drop off of people who actually will listen to an
entire lesson. Less than half than before covid and not improving". And how you
would expect an increase of interest in the truth as times get tough but it
appears to be the opposite. I thought there would be more interest too. I'm sure
there are some who in the hard covid times did come to the Lord and were saved.
It's just that the majority would have ended up in the church-visible which
isn't great. I also think about how the restrictions around that time forced
churches to either live stream their services or record them for people to watch
online. I think there's a possibility that some believers who seemed interested
in the truth but struggled with no face to face fellowship watched these kinds
of services online and were drawn back to lukewarm churches. Obviously I don't
know this for certain, but it does make me wonder. The opportunity to watch
online services wasn't there so much before but it was very easy to do during
the restrictions. Like Curt said, "the sheep themselves deciding that they like
the old uncommitted way of doing things. Being a little religious, learning a
little Bible". If you're not strong in the truth and committed to it then it
would be easy to get sucked back into believing the false teaching in these
churches as well which is a big concern.
We all have free will and we are all responsible for the choices we make. For me
personally, I just can't mix the two. It's one or the other and I choose the
truth. I refuse to compromise on that and so I accept no face to face
fellowship. I'm like you, I just can't watch or listen to it without it making
me feel sick. I also noticed certain churches at that time were putting more
videos online about "spiritual disciplines" like contemplative prayer etc. where
the person watching could do the practices/meditations being led by the
"spiritual director". I'm sure that movement gained more followers too. The
devil will use anything he can to pull people away from the truth and into a
"nice, comfortable" lukewarm church.
The battlefield I'm on is a tough one too. I've seen little to no positive
response from my unbelieving family and friends when I've shared the gospel with
them or tried to point them to the truth. In fact, I have just this minute found
an online webinar where ___ along with another "spiritual director" is teaching
about spiritual formation. I'm pretty sad to have found this after I tried so
hard to warn of the dangers of this and point to the truth. But I won't give up
praying for them and making the most of any opportunity that the Lord gives me.
We're here to please the Lord and not people. We rely on Him and not ourselves
or others. We fix our eyes on him and nothing else and we walk by faith and not
by sight. We're only here for a short time and so even more reason to have the
determination to keep going, to "press on towards the goal to win the prize".
(Phil.3:14) When the Lord calls me home or comes again, I want to be at the "top
of my game" just like you and Curt are now with producing your best teaching
yet! And to have hope that on that day we will hear our dear Lord say, "Well
done, good and faithful servant".
I was so happy to read that the only way you plan to "retire" from the ministry
is feet-first! I hope Curt does too. And I mean that in the nicest possible way!
I need you to help me to finish my race well too. I just don't trust anyone
else's teaching. I'm so thankful to the Lord for leading me to a place that
teaches the truth. He knows my heart and He answered my prayer.
Thank you so much Bob, for all that you do for us.
In our dear Lord Jesus
Response #15:
Wonderful words, my friend!
It's always a blessing and a great encouragement to see believers moving forward
spiritually "in ranks and in good order" (1Cor.14:40; Col.2:5), refusing to
deviate to the left or the right or even dream of turning back. Those who do as
you are doing are an encouragement and support to all on your left and your
right as we move forward together through whatever opposition the evil one
throws at us, and a protection too for those behind us who are moving forward
somewhat less resolutely and are thus in need of our prayer support and the
protection we afford by soaking up a lot of the devil's fiery arrows which never
get any farther than our own shields of faith (Eph.6:16). This is the way the
Church, the warrior assembly of our victorious Messiah, is supposed to operate
as we help each other in this advance.
The resistance we face may sometimes be quite tough. Everyone who is willing to
do what Jesus wants us to do will face the negative attentions of our adversary
(2Tim.3:12). But we know that the One we serve is more powerful than any
opposition, and to an infinite degree. We know that our victory has already been
unchangeably written in the perfect plan of God. And we know that if we but
persevere for a little while, it won't be long until the victory is won: "how
short, how short the wait" until we see our Lord (Heb.10:37)! Therefore we are
not of the number of those who retreat but of those who believe unto our coming
resurrection and reward (Heb.10:39).
Endure hardship with me like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.
2nd Timothy 2:3
And that is exactly what you are doing. Keep fighting your excellent fight, my
friend! That is the way to earn the three crowns.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #16:
Thanks and praise be to the Lord our God!
Brother Bob, I rejoice in this update of the Lords mighty deliverance in your
life. This encourages me immensely with the assurance that our praying without
ceasing, is heard by the Lord, and that in answering our prayers, He works
everything out for good for those who love Him.
If I recall my learnings in Ichthys correctly, praying on behalf of our
brethrens petitions before God, is also a form of ministry. In this regard,
your victory encourages me to continue ministering in this way to our brothers
and sisters, especially you, my dear Bible teacher.
Thank you for sharing this very encouraging and happy report.
Yours in Jesus our dear Lord and Savior,
Response #16:
Yes indeed. Prayer is ministry. As mentioned repeatedly in
BB 6B, traditional church-visible Christianity
tends to see "ministry" as that which is done by those in official and
traditional positions inside of a local church (and/or denominational
superstructure). This is not at all biblical. There are as many ministries as
there are believers (potentially we all have to grow to maturity and progress
in our walk with Jesus to come fully into what He has for us), and for many
believers, prayer support for others will be a big part of their role in the
Church militant's fight in this world.
So thanks again for your prayer support, my friend! It is greatly appreciated.
Keeping you and yours in my daily prayers as well. *[And thank you so much to
everyone out there who has "done battle" with me and for me and for this
ministry your support is greatly appreciated too!]
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #17:
Hey Dr. Luginbill,
Just reaching out to let you know I just launched my teaching ministry website
Bibledriven.org, (the link below). I
appreciate your ministry, as it was what helped make mine possible. Thank you
for all your time and patience answering my questions (although I'm sure I'll
have more in the future, lol!). I praise God for all He has done and thank Him
for bringing your ministry into my life (already been over six years now!).
https://www.bibledriven.org/
In His grace and power,
Response #17:
Fantastic!
Not only does it look great, it's simple and easy to use and a lot of great
content already!
Well done, my friend. I've taken the liberty of linking to it on Ichthys on both
the Special topics and the
email page.
Looking forward to watching this ministry develop and keeping you and it in my
daily prayers.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #18:
Hello friends,
I hope this email finds you well. I'm emailing everyone here today to announce
the launch of a Bible study website I've been working on for a few years now,
along with its associated YouTube channel.
Bibledocs
Just today I finished the intro video for the ministry, so anybody interested in
the website or channel might have a look at the intro video. It's a bit long,
but ought to truly explain what exactly it is that is launching here.
If you want to join the community forum/discussion groups (which is necessary if
you are interested in participating in our community's weekly meetings over
Zoom, as the community Zoom link is not posted publicly), there is a
registration form for that too. If you are worried about the time commitment (I
know I sure would be, absent any other information), don't worry. Let me assure
you that there is no time obligation whatsoever in signing up, and plenty of
folks in the community are already happily lurking. So you'll be in good company
if that will describe you, given your circumstances and no doubt very busy
schedule. We'd still love to have you.
Finally, if I might be selfish, content visibility on the internet is largely
driven by software algorithms that track things like engagement. So if anyone
interested could bookmark the website, subscribe to the
YouTube channel (and like any of the videos on there, if you find them
useful), like the Facebook page, follow the Twitter account, and share any of
these things word-of-mouth with others you also think might be truly interested,
that would help out lots. Thanks!
Well, I will say it has been quite a while since I've chatted with some of you,
so I'd love if people dropped a line to say hello and catch up, if you're
interested. You can reach me at steven@bibledocs.org
All the best,
Response #18:
Great news about your website launch! I took the liberty of linking it (on
the special topics page), and I'll
put up your email on a coming posting with the link as well.
Very professional! And clearly a lot of good hard work has gone into it over
many years.
Keeping you and your ministry(s) in my prayers, my friend.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #19:
Hi Bob,
You brought happy tears to my eyes! It means everything to me to be part of the
Body of Christ and to be able to help the Body. And I still love that the Lord
gave me this opportunity to help you. It's a privilege and a joy and it's
important to me too.
The 25th anniversary of Ichthys - that's amazing! Congratulations, Bob! Does it
feel like 25 years to you? I'm sure you've seen lots of changes over those
years.
I know I've said all of this to you before but I want to say it again. I thank
the Lord for you and for the gifts and ministry He has given to you. I thank and
praise Him for leading me to you and to the truth you teach. You've helped me to
grow spiritually and you've been gentle and patient with me in that time. I
appreciate that so much. None of us are perfect and we all make mistakes along
the way but your encouragement and prayers have been a massive help in keeping
me moving forward. I'm so thankful for your friendship and for how you make me
laugh! Thanks for everything you have done for me and for everything you are
still doing for me!
Something you wrote a couple of weeks ago in the email postings really touched
my heart. You wrote,
I, for one, am deeply grateful to the Lord for all the wonderful things revealed in His Word, and it is the earnest desire of my heart to learn them and share them, regardless of their reception. Because "the time is near"..... Even from among those who used to be overjoyed to have found this ministry, a goodly number have turned aside, going back to inferior spiritual fare, "returning to their own vomit", as scripture puts it (Prov.26:11; 2Pet.2:22). That makes me sad. But it's not going to stop me from digging as deep into the truth as I can get before the Lord calls me home and sharing what I find with the few sheep who are interested in being fed.
It makes me sad too. There's nothing more important to me than the truth. I'm
one of those few sheep who are VERY interested in being fed the truth. I'm here
and I'm not going anywhere and I'm very happy to know that you're not going
anywhere too - until the Lord calls you home. The "time is near" but I'm very
thankful for the time we do have left to feed on the truth you share with us.
And then to share that truth we have learnt with others - plenty of
opportunities for that coming up soon in the Tribulation!
When Ichthys started 25 years ago, I was far away from the Lord. Who would have
thought I'd be here now, zealous for the Lord and helping you out like this. But
the Lord knew. Our God is so good!
In our dear Lord Jesus
Response #19:
Thank you for all you do!
Thanks also for your very encouraging email, my friend. You have been a real
"trooper", sticking with it through thick and thin and there's been a lot of
that on both sides of the Atlantic. When I started this ministry, all I had were
about two dozen Peter lessons, and as
you know the early ones are pretty short. But before I got on with
Peter (and that took a LONG time to
finish), I decided that I needed a "basics"
for folks to reference when they wanted more detail on particular doctrines.
BB 1, Theology, ran longer and took longer than I ever
imagined but I think it's the shortest one! And before I finished
basics (and that took a LONG time to
finish too), the imminence of the Tribulation prodded me to want to get to
CT but that required
SR first as the prologue. That's
how we got to where we are. Now I have the opportunity of doing something along
the lines of what I'd intended all along, along the lines of
Peter, that is [Hebrews
now at the link].
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #20:
Thanks for sharing how Ichthys all came together. All those years of labouring
in the Word and teaching and it's all there for free. I'm so very grateful to
you.
It got me thinking today about how the Lord has blessed us with so much and we
are responsible for what we have been given. If we are blessed with having the
Bible so easily available to us and in different translations, blessed with so
much wonderful teaching, with talents and time and spiritual gifts, then I want
to make sure I'm being faithful in using what I have been given to glorify the
Lord and benefit others. We all get times when we become weary, but we haven't
got long now and I want to continue to press on and use everything the Lord has
given to me wisely all the way to the finish line.
Thanks for being such a great example to me, Bob!
In Jesus
Response #20:
Excellent testimony, my friend!
We all ought to have that same attitude, all the time. Life is messy and it's
easy to get distracted. Thanks so much for your wonderful "reminder" here of
what is truly important.
Keeping you in my prayers too.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #21:
On ministry, nothing yet Dr. I have been busy with work and getting situated
last year. I have been praying for ministry opportunities but nothing as of yet.
I not part of any church so I don't know where to start. I was thinking YouTube
channel but not sure.
Keep praying for me the Lord will open a door and that I will have enough
courage to move into it.
Thank you
Response #21:
I can imagine you're busy! Keep growing and the Lord will open up the right
thing at the right time.
Re: "I not part of any church so I don't know where to start." Given the
present climate of the church visible of Laodicea, that is generally a good
thing. Hard to find any place that is not lukewarm; impossible to find any place
that will not gladly put you to work doing things that don't really edify you or
the Church of Jesus Christ.
I know for sure that you have tons of courage. Better to lean in the direction
of not walking through the wrong door that only wastes time.
Keeping you in my prayers on this, my friend.
In Jesus,
Bob L.
Question #22:
Hi Dr,
Have you ever thought about putting your studies on YouTube?
The way most people learn nowadays is not through reading unfortunately. It is a
lost art.
I know Curtis Omo has a
YouTube channel but you have excellent studies.
If you don't have the time or capacity, I wouldn't mind taking up the effort.
Using your material for teaching like I did before.
Let me know and may the Lord bless you.
Response #22:
Excellent idea!
I'd be happy to post links and promote whatever you come up with.
Hope you and yours are having a nice, relaxing long weekend!
In Jesus,
Bob L.