We Christians aren't dependent on physical evidence to support our faith, but when it comes along, as it does regularly, it's thrilling and welcome. The Shroud of Turin has been commonly ignored in the protestant world since it first began to make news. I confess to being one of those who didn't even bother to look into the claims of its origin. I've never been one for relics, ceremony, rituals or buildings, and when I heard that the shroud's authenticity had been all but debunked by radiocarbon-dating I was turned off it altogether... until recently. Now, I see myself as a believer in the shroud, with slight reservations. Click the title to read on.
The gift of speaking in tongues is often defined as the ability to speak in heavenly languages - the languages of angels or of the Holy Spirit Himself. Such languages are said to be powerful and carry more weight when it comes to prayer, healing, testimony and spiritual warfare. If this is all true, the believer with this gift is truly on a higher spiritual plain than those without the gift, and the motivation or even the obligation for all of us to receive it is great.
A passage of Paul's letter to the Romans is commonly held up as "exhibit A" in support of the practice of "praying in tongues". However, when you really look at it closely, you see that these verses have nothing to do at all with tongues.
Pre-Tribulation people tell us that the word "church" isn't used in Revelation after John is transported to heaven, and that therefore the Church will obviously be taken to heaven before any Tribulation events take place. In this article I will show that according to John's own commonly used words and phrases, they are wrong.
When I first imagined the following scene, I saw my favorite vocalist Jon Anderson, co-founding member of the band "Yes", being eternally lost and ashamed at the judgment seat of Christ. I saw his life's work being as being of no positive consequence because of his apparently universalist view of God, and because of his rejection of Jesus Christ as lord and savior. However, as I thought more about his heart, his life, and the testimony of much of his amazing music, and when I considered the mercy of God, I realized that he is not yet lost: the God who is Love has not given up on him. The following dialogue is how I prefer, hope and pray for his appearance at the throne to transpire.
Fuel for Faith, Food for Thought 