The Bible and Life

Saturday, February 26, 2022

Cowboy Belief

Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!

Atheist On A Plane Says There’s No God But A Cowboy’s Reply Shuts Him Down Quick
By Mel Johnson On September 22, 2021, In Funny Stories

In this funny short story, an atheist and cowboy wind up sitting next to each other on a plane. And when the atheist wants to try and argue the existence of God, the cowboy knows just how to shut him down!

When flying solo, some passengers like to keep to themselves. Others prefer to pass the time chatting with the stranger sitting next to them. But what happens when those two passengers have completely opposing views on life?

“An atheist was seated next to a dusty old cowboy on an airplane and he turned to him and said, ‘Do you want to talk? Flights go quicker if you strike up a conversation with your fellow passenger.’

The old cowboy, who had just started to read his book, replied to the total stranger, ‘What would you want to talk about?’

‘Oh, I don't know,’ said the atheist. ‘How about why there is no God, or no Heaven or Hell, or no life after death?’ as he smiled smugly.

‘Okay,’ he said. ‘Those could be interesting topics but let me ask you a question first. A horse, a cow, and a deer all eat the same stuff – grass. Yet a deer excretes little pellets, while a cow turns out a flat patty, but a horse produces clumps. Why do you suppose that is?’

The atheist, visibly surprised by the old cowboy’s intelligence, thinks about it and says, ‘Hmmm, I have no idea.’

To which the cowboy replies, ‘Do you really feel qualified to discuss God, Heaven and Hell, or life after death, when you don't know crap?'”

We hope this funny story brightened your day. Be sure to share the atheist and cowboy joke with someone who could use a smile!

“There is for us only one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we are for him; and one Messiah, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we have our being through him.” 1 Corinthians 8:6.

If you enjoyed this story and want to read more, click on the follow button at the top of the homepage. If you have any comments, please feel free to tell us about it in the comments section.

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Saturday, February 19, 2022

Feed My Sheep

Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!

This is a personal testimony of the actor Denzel Washington that he gave to the Christian Post writer Chris Fields.

Denzel Washington says God has been telling him to 'feed my sheep,' tells men who are looking for success to 'stay on your knees.'

It has been a rough season — COVID, political fights, racial protests, increased violent crime — and no one is immune.

Not even a superstar celebrity like Denzel Washington.

So, what has he been during these trying times? Praying.

Now he's sharing what he has been praying about, what God is revealing to him, and what he believes others should be doing if they want to find true success and peace.

What did Denzel say?
At "The Better Man Event," a Christian convention for men, in Orlando, Florida, last weekend, Washington spoke to tens of thousands of attendees.

In a conversation at the event with Pastor A.R. Bernard from Brooklyn's Christian Cultural Center, the Christian Post reported, Washington said that he has dedicated himself to spend the rest of his life helping others — and all because God has made it clear to him that it's time to feed God's "sheep."

"At 66, getting ready to be 67, having just buried my mother, I made a promise to her and to God, not just to do good the right way, but to honor my mother and my father by the way I live my life, the rest of my days on this Earth," the Hollywood star told the audience of men. "I'm here to serve, to help, to provide."

Whenever he prays, the Lord has been making it clear what He expects from the actor.

"In every prayer, all I hear is: 'Feed my sheep.' That's what God wants me to do," he said, the Post reported. He added that in order to understand what that means, he has sought counsel with Christian leaders.

Through those discussions, he has learned that because there are "all kinds of sheep" and "the world has changed," men need to understand their role and use the gifts God gave them.

"What is our role as a man?" Washington asked, and then added, "Strength, leadership, power, authority, guidance, patience are God's gift to us as men. We have to cherish that, not abuse it,"

Washington, who has had more personal success in the entertainment industry than nearly any other living actor, offered some advice when it comes to humility and success.

"It [the Bible] says in the last days we'll become lovers of ourselves," he reminded the audience. "The number one photograph now is a selfie. So we all want to lead. We're willing to do anything — ladies and young men — to be influential."

"Fame is a monster," Washington warned, "and we all have these ladders and battles, roads we have to walk in our given lives. Be you famous or whoever's out there listening, we all have our individual challenges. It's cliché, [but] money don't make it better. It doesn't. Fame just magnifies the problems and the opportunities."

For those seeking true success, Washington offered this: "Stay on your knees."

"I hope that the words in my mouth and the meditation of my heart are pleasing in God's sight, but I'm human," he added. "I'm just like you. What I have will not keep me on this Earth for one more day. Share what you know, inspire who you can, seek advice. If you want to talk to one someone, talk to the one that can do something about it. Constantly develop those habits."

If you have any comments about this subject, please tell us in the comments section. If you enjoyed this testimony by Denzel Washington and want to read more stories like this one, Just click on the follow button so that you can catch them all.

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Saturday, February 12, 2022

Holy Spirit Fire

Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!

How is the Holy Spirit like fire?

The Bible describes God as a "burning fire" (Hebrews 12:29), so it is not surprising that fire is often presented as a symbol of God's presence. Examples include the burning bush (Exodus 3: 2), the pillars of the cloud (Exodus 14: 19), the clouds over the tabernacle of martyrdom (Numbers 9: 15-16) and the attitude of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 1: 4). Often fire is the instrument of God's judgment (Numbers 11: 1 and 3; 2 Kings 1: 10 and 12) and is a sign of His power (Judges 13:20; 1 Kings 18:38).

For these obvious reasons fire was very important for Old Testament sacrifices. The fire on the altar of burnt offering was a divine gift that was primarily illuminated by God Himself (Leviticus 9:24). God commanded the priests to keep the fire which God had kindled always burning (Leviticus 6:13) and made it clear to them that fire taken by any other means would be unacceptable (Leviticus 10: 1-2 verses).

The altar can illustrate our commitment to the Lord Jesus in the New Testament. As followers of Jesus Christ, we are required to offer our bodies as "living and pure" (Romans 12: 1) sacrifices that are entirely dedicated to the divine gift, the unquenchable fire of the Holy Spirit. ۔ At the very beginning of the New Testament, the Holy Spirit was attached to the fire. John the Baptist prophesies that Jesus Himself will "baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3:11). When the Holy Spirit began His ministry in the early church, He chose to dwell on every believer in the form of tongues "bursting like a flame of fire." And on this occasion "they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with tongues, as the Spirit gave them power to speak" (Acts 2: 3-4).

Fire is an amazing picture of the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is like fire in at least three ways; It brings God's presence, God's passion and God's holiness. The Holy Spirit is an expression of God's presence because it resides in the heart of the believer (Romans 8: 9). In the Old Testament, God revealed His presence to the Israelites through the appearance of the cloud at the tabernacle. The presence of fire provided light and guidance (Numbers 9: 17-23). In the New Testament, God guides and comforts His people through the Holy Spirit, who dwells in our bodies - in the "tabernacle" and in the "Holy of Holies" (2 Corinthians 5: 1; 6:16).

The Holy Spirit creates God's passion in our hearts. Two disciples who traveled on the road to Emmaus after Jesus' resurrection talk to Jesus and later say, Weren't you? " (Luke 24:32). After receiving the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the apostles developed a zeal that lasted a lifetime and gave them the strength to speak God's word with boldness (Acts 4:31).

The Holy Spirit creates God's holiness in our lives. God's original purpose is to cleanse us (Titus 2:14) and in this regard the Holy Spirit serves to sanctify us (1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; 1 Peter 1:12). In the same way our God uses the Holy Spirit to take away our sins (Psalm 10:10; Proverbs 17: 3). His fire cleanses and purifies us.

I received this story from a friend, and the original author is unknown. If you have and comments or any additional information, you can tell me in the comments section. If you enjoyed this story you can click on the follow button to catch them all.

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Saturday, February 5, 2022

A Soul Leaving A Body?

Hello everyone. Praise the Lord!

I just watched a very interesting video on the news today. I don't have a link to the video, but I did post these two pictures of the same video. It shows a spirit leaving its body just after death of that person.

Ghosts and souls only exist in tales revolving around haunted houses and graveyards – after all, science says that the supernatural doesn’t exist. Other cultures prove otherwise, and argue that the dead could possibly live amongst us – as proven in a viral Chinese video which left us scratching our heads!

A hospital in China has recorded a shocking and perhaps eerie footage back in 2014, at 4 a.m. in the wee hours, right before dawn – and science could not explain why. It was first uploaded on Chinese social media platform Taobao, and netizens worldwide are now puzzled – was it a ghost, or something else?

I don't have a link to the video anymore. Even if I did, it might be expired by now. But these pictures are from it. The video clearly shows a white ghostly image rise out of the body! The white ghostly image then floats up and to the right, then disappears!

I have never seen a soul leave a body, but a friend of mine did on one occasion. This friend is now dead herself, but she was sitting by the bedside of her mother-in-law and she looked up. She saw a white shadowy image before her rise out of the body and float away!

Now back to the Chinese video. It's a very creepy video. If you do a search for the video you can easily find it. Have you ever seen a spirit leave a body? If you have can you tell us about it in the comments section?

William James Roop

The Bible and Life

Saturday, January 29, 2022

What Happened To Pontius Pilate?

This Roman governor is one of the most hated figures in the Christian religion

Pontius Pilate was definitely a real historical figure. We know this because in 1961, an inscribed slab of limestone was found in Caesarea Maritima (modern-day Israel) and it stated that he was the Roman governor of Judaea under the reign of Emperor Tiberius and during the time when Jesus was alive. Documents relating to his governorship have also been found among ancient texts in Rome.

According to the Four Gospels of Christianity, Pilate oversaw the trial of Jesus after he had been accused of treason by the Sanhedrin Jewish council. The charges of treason existed because Jesus had called himself the “King of all Jews,” something that was illegal while Judaea was under Roman occupation. However, the council really wanted Jesus gone because he was gaining followers fast and they considered him a political threat.

Pilate had been the governor of that part of the Roman empire since 26 AD (and would continue to be until 36 AD). During that time, he hadn’t managed Judaea very well. He’d ordered the introduction of many pagan symbols in sacred Jewish institutions, thus angering the local populace. So by the time Jesus was brought before him, he wasn’t in a position to anger them any further.

He had a talk with Jesus and apparently, he initially found him innocent. But the crowd outside the courthouse shouted that they wanted him dead and Pilate eventually caved and gave them what they wanted. Jesus was whipped to the bone, made to wear a crown of thorns, and crucified. Then he rose again three days after his death, proving to his followers that he really was the son of God (again, according to scriptures).

And so Christianity continued to grow until it became the religion with the largest following in the world. But despite the important role Pontius Pilate played in its origin, the majority of people today don’t know anything about the rest of his life.

So What Became of Pilate After the Crucifixion?
According to most historical texts, Pilate and the Roman Empire as a whole were not particularly affected by the supposed miracle of Christ’s resurrection in 30 or 33 AD. The next few years were business as usual for them.

The Four Gospels may have maintained that Pilate was simply a ruler who could easily be swayed by public opinion — as outlined above — but other historical (non-religious) sources assert that he was quite heartless and brutal in general. There were numerous other accused rebels who subsequently met a similar fate to Jesus under his rule. You see, the Roman Empire had laws that outlined appropriate punishments for any crime, but those laws only applied to its citizens. And the people of Judaea were not citizens so Pilate could be as cruel as he wanted.

This narrative is supported by the writings of Philo of Alexandria — a Jewish philosopher — who summarized the governor’s reign in 50 AD as having been marked by “briberies, insults, robberies, outrages and wanton injuries, executions without trial, constantly repeated, ceaseless and supremely grievous cruelty.”

Other historical records also detail how at one point, Pilate stole funds from a Jewish temple and used them to build an aqueduct to Jerusalem. When the local populace found out, they protested outside Pilate’s town hall. So he had soldiers dressed as civilians infiltrate the unarmed crowd and then beat a bunch of the protesters to death using clubs.

As you can probably tell by now, Pilate was not really a benevolent or popular governor at all. But his crowning failure occurred when a bunch of Samaritans were looking for artifacts that were supposed to have been buried by the Prophet Moses near Mount Gerizim. Pilate mistook their gathering there as a potential insurrection so he sent his soldiers to massacre them — even though the Samaritans were unarmed.

Some of the survivors later complained about this to the Roman governor of Syria, Lucius Vitellius, and Pilate was soon recalled to Rome to be judged by Tiberius. That’s why his term as governor ended in 36 AD. However, while he was on his way, Tiberius died of old age and was replaced by Caligula. Most Roman emperors at the time were not in the habit of honoring all the appointments of their predecessors, and Caligula, in particular, was not too concerned with legal matters so the trial never happened.

Pilate just retired from politics and survived on a state pension and whatever money he stole from the people of Judaea. He died at an unknown date either in modern-day France or Switzerland.

After his death, a great amount of lore spread through Europe about Pilate. You see, the Roman Empire didn’t embrace Christianity until the rule of Emperor Constantine in the 4th Century. So the early Christians constructed a new narrative about Christ’s crucifixion that didn't portray the corrupt former Roman governor in a bad light. They just wanted to avoid being persecuted any more than they already were.

But this had unintended consequences: the Jews were blamed for Jesus’ death instead. Fake letters that were supposedly written by Pilate began to be circulated among believers as early as the 2nd century. They portrayed him as a kind soul who also converted to Christianity. Other accounts such as the “Acts of Pilate” detailed how Pilate supposedly said, “I have found in [Christ] no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”

But the Jewish crowd wanted him dead and argued against this by declaring, “His blood be on us and our children!” As in, they’ll take responsibility for killing the son of God. If this sounds ludicrous to you, that’s probably because it is. This quote was composed hundreds of years after Christ’s death and as already stated, its purpose was to shift the blame from Pilate to the Jews.

However, it was for this reason that during the subsequent millennia, Jews all over the world would often be persecuted by (some) Christians.

When the Roman Empire finally became Christian, the blame for Jesus’ death was reassigned to Pontius Pilate. Monks wrote new manuscripts which stated that he had been punished by God and was executed or committed suicide upon returning to Rome. But the damage — regarding the Gospels which blamed the Jews — was already done.

And in reality, for all the crimes he had committed, Pilate never suffered any punishment (except perhaps eternal damnation). This article was not written by me, but by an unknown author on the internet.

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Hospice Care and Life