Category Archives: Bible

Bible Study lessons and Theology

Poll Skewer

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Yesterday I had a man with a clipboard gingerly ask me if I would be willing to take a survey.  He identified himself as being with a group for equality something or other.  The survey was about how people felt about homosexuality.  Except they didn’t really want to know how I felt, they wanted yes or no answers.  They asked loaded questions that begged other questions they didn’t ask and they in the end handed out a 2 page pamphlet about discrimination.

I answered some of the questions one way and others another, not because I was trying to skew the poll, but because I knew that they were trying to polarize folks with the questions and I wasn’t going to buy into their game.  About half way through the, “Survey [that] won’t take less than a minute of [my] time,” the guy dropped the F-bomb.  So, since he felt free to be working and talking to the public and swearing I felt free to tell him that I had taught a Sunday School class on what the Bible says about homosexuality.  He then quickly finished the survey and took off 🙂  Why do they want skewed numbers for a serious poll… unless this isn’t a serious poll.

Happy Resurrection Sunday Day!

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Today is the day we commemorate the empty tomb. The tomb a rich man purchased for a Messiah who came to save a people who rejected Him because he wasn’t wearing Armani, healed people on the Sabbath and rejected their extension of the law to a point where love was not practiced and faith was rejected for bloodline. He fed many, he healed many, he corrected many and loved the children. He wasn’t a politician, He wouldn’t go along with the system. In many ways Christ was the rebel that people would have rejected on the onset because the culture had departed from the pattern God had set. His rightouesness was obvious, but infuriating, His words true yet hard for folks to understand because they had long rejected what God had spoken for newer ideas. To quote Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens), “God created man in His image. Man returned the favor.”

In the end the empty tomb is not our focus – the resurrected Son of God is our focus, and He’s seated at the right hand of God now… and those who believe? They are hidden in Him:
Colossians 3:3
For you are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

Good-Bye, Hiram, See You Soon

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My Grandfather-in-Law, Hiram Roach, the voice after whom the assistant coach character in the Movie Waterboy was modeled after has gone to be with Jesus. He died last night while everyone was sleeping. In our household we’re not sad. No, its not because were calous, but instead because we rejoice that his suffering is ended and he has gone to be with his savior, Jesus. It is hard to be sad when someone is not suffering any more and they are with God. Sure, he’ll be missed and his wife is probably broken hearted (we’ve been praying for her emotional well being), his children are sad, but in the eternal scheme of things he’s just beat us to the finish line temporarily 🙂

Update: I’m a remiss for not clarifying that Hiram died of cancer, but he’s been fighting various forms for about 5 years (to my recollection) so its good that its over.

Prayer Request

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One of the elders at our church, Hal, has just been diagnosed with acute leukemia. The doctors are predicting that if it goes untreated he may have aproximately one month to live. What is somewhat warming is the fact that Hal has spent so much time teaching others at the church about how God uses trials and suffering for our growth. I keep thinking, “Lord, I haven’t gotten to learn from Hal all that he knows so that I can pass it on.” Except that the doctors haven’t given him a treatment plan yet, so it could all turn around and be a non-issue if the cancer goes into remission.

Thanks everyone.

Randy (and the rest of the Petermans)

Randy Talks Trash Week One

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Well, yesterday morning I taught the first of two weeks on biblical sexuality verses the modern American culture’s views on sexuality. In front of my parents. That was a little awkward. It was also awkward to have almost no comments during the class. No questions. I asked a few simple questions to see if that would prime the pump, but I’m pretty sure that most people were not going to open up and pour out their thoughts on the subject. In the end, it was a pretty safe PG class and I did get to use a few clean jokes. Is “clean sex jokes” an oxymoron?

Being a Christian Does Not Mean Being Self Righteous

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Reading this article “Foes, soldier’s mother counter protesters at funeral” made me sick. As a Christian I find the actions of some who call themselves Christians (and undoubtedly some of them are, grace covers all sins, even those yucky ones you don’t want to talk about or that offend others) to be repulsive. If they think that God is striking this country down because it politically tolerates homosexuality then they can move to another, more righteous, country! But instead they insist that they will turn it around through mockery, insults and what could never be described as evangelism. Speaking of which Evangelism means ‘spreading the good news.’ How on earth do they present the good news at a funeral wherein they insult the decesed, the mother and all those attending? “Jesus doesn’t love you,” seems the wrong message to me.

So, I’m glad to say that the truth of the Christian message is that we all sin, but that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Even those of the homosexuals, those of the sickos who drag His name through the dirt at funerals, those who speed 5 miles an hour over the speed limit and those who rape murder and steel. Christ came to love – these people need to learn that.

Sneaking One In

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Normally I post all of my theological stuff (of the last year or so) on my Bible blog, but today I heard a quote that I think should be thought provoking for all readers of this blog. I have been listening to MP3’s from Alistair Begg, a reformed theologian (no, I don’t abide by all reformed theology, but Alistair is atypical in many regards because he understands and teaches clearly about the position and identification of the believer with Christ… but I digress), he was discussing the errors of legalism within the church and the world and had this to say about the attraction of rules to new Christians and those who are old Christians who unfortunately don’t know any better (for a long time I fell into this latter camp):

It wasn’t that they were susceptible to a sub-standard Christianity they were susceptible to the notion of a super-standard. That incidentally is why the cults always fish on the fringes of Faith [I Want to know Christ – Part A]

The problem for many people is that they hear that Christianity will make people ‘better’ instead of recognizing that Christianity merely puts all believers on one level: they recognize their failure as humans to be perfect and their need for Christ’s righteousness. You don’t get a “Power Up” or an extra life, or a raccoon tail, you get your sins paid for, even the ones you’re going to commit. There is no super-Christian, and there are no below average Christians, what makes you a Christian is faith and not actions. Salvation has never been by any works that we do with the simple exception of one: having had faith in what God says He will do.

This quote really grabbed me, I hope you like it 🙂

You Might Be a Postmodernist if…

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Well, I got a strange complement yesterday on the phone talking to my friend Krystal. She had said that one of the elders’ wives had told her she really needed to listen to a recording of the first apologetics class that I’ve been co-teaching with my dad. I said, “Wow, that wasn’t even one of my better prepared classes.” She clarified that the reason she had been told to listen to it was this: that it was hilarious. Apparently instead of preparing people for the contents of the class I was comic relief. Such is life, I suppose it could be worse and people could be warning, “Stay away from that class – Randy’s boring and has no clue whatsoever about anything that comes out of his mouth.”

I’m actually excited about teaching this class because its full of things that I haven’t thought about in a while and I’m re-learning and learning new things about my faith in God and in my understanding of the way the human mind works. Maybe in the future there’ll be some good recordings available as MP3’s on the church website.

The Latest Catastrophe

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I’m amazed at the number of lives that have been lost in the latest quake over in Pakistan and India. I’ve prayed specifically for them several times now during family prayers and each time I see news reports or some sort of reminder I’m boldly going before the throne of God to (Hebrews 4:16) to ask for the safety of those who survive and for quick aid and medical attention. I’m also praying for the missionaries that are in that area because right now there are a mixture of religions, lots of tension and a lot of social and spiritual things to try to handle at once.

Fortunately, I know God’s big enough and infinite enough to be ‘up to the task.’

Grover Levy: Wrestling Angels

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There is an album in my collection that I love. I think its one of the best Christian albums from the 90’s. When I first heard it I wasn’t impressed with the musical style because I was looking for Nirvana (the band, not the spiritual place). However, now that I’ve matured and widened my musical tastes I have to say that this album rocks. Sell a kidney, appendix or some of your lesser quality albums and find this one to buy used online. The album is out of print but is worth owning.

This album has lyrics that are so well thought out. There are polemics to encourage you to not fit into the status quo of Christendom, but also one song that stands out: “If You Want to Lead Me To Jesus” is just brilliant. Its about the Christian’s attitude towards evangelism. I have to confess that I often have thought that Christianity has become so generic in popular 1st world culture that there is no compelling reason for people to even look at it as a viable solution to the problem of sin and as a source of eternal purpose. This song is a kick in the shins to get you to think – check out lyrics like this:
(verse)
Your Message is clear
you sound so sincere
your intentions are good:
forgieveness of sin
life without end
I’d believe it if I could
But I’ve watched from afar
and I’ve seen how you are
with the people around
And I don’t see a trace
of the love and the grace
you talk so much about

(chorus)
If you want to lead me to Jesus
you better find a better way
‘Cause your life is speaking so loud
I can’t even hear a word you say

If winning the duel is your golden rul
no matter the cost
then you may win the day
but the price you pay
is the greater war that’s lost
you would not believe
how different it seems
from the outside looking in
but the louder you shout
the more I tune out
and the less I am convinced
(bridge)
I want to believe but I’m gonna need you to work with me here
word with me here, work with me here

Mark Townsend, a brilliant guitarist and musician in his own right, plays guitars on this and added a quality influence to the music. You can’t lose if you pick this album up, its just about my favorite album of the 90’s (in hindsight).  If you like the wit of Steve Taylor… then this album is for you.