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  1. Lukamu

    James 1 says "be quick to listen", but who or what should we not listen to?

    I'm leading a Bible Study on James 1 by asking/answering questions. One of the questions is: should we be quick to listen to everything and everyone? Or are there some people or situations where we should not be "quick to listen"? Some examples might be: gossiping, slander, crude humor...
  2. Lukamu

    Genesis "and it was good" problem:

    Genesis 1 describes how God created the heavens and the earth, "and it was good." This statement is repeated multiple times in Genesis 1. I've heard from many people (including myself) who believe that Creation, at the beginning, was perfect. Everything was good, and there was nothing bad...
  3. Lukamu

    A problem of evangelical churches...

    This may not be true for your church, but it is for the few that I have attended in the last decade. Every so often, the pastor will get on a streak about evangelism and preach about how my main purpose in life should be sharing the gospel with other people. That's a problem, because it's not...
  4. Lukamu

    Paying church musicians

    Do the musicians who lead worship at your church get paid for their services?
  5. Lukamu

    Freedom in Christ powerfully understood

    Freedom in Christ, rightfully understood, is not the freedom to continue sinning. The freedom of Christ is the freedom that allows me to choose, uncoerced, to do good. However, technically speaking, the freedom of Christ is the freedom to sin without fear of punishment. That is correct: you are...
  6. Lukamu

    Assurance vs. Insurance

    I have been a Christian for over 20 years, but I'm also the type of person who questions and looks at other points of view to try and get a fuller understanding. I have been born again, and I have rededicated my life to Christ several times at critical points in my life. So now that you know a...
  7. Lukamu

    What's the point of asking God for anything?

    I'm talking about prayer in this post. More specifically, I'm talking about those kinds of prayers that I hear all of the time known as prayer requests. For example, people praying for healing, praying for safe journeys, praying for rain, even praying for a good night's sleep. What's the point...
  8. Lukamu

    Sovereignty and Free Will as it relates to Salvation

    Is it right to believe that God is responsible for people who reject the gospel and die and go to hell? Two things to clarify first: God is sovereign and God is all-knowing. The first declares that all power and authority on heaven and Earth belongs to God alone. The second declares that God...
  9. Lukamu

    Should we ask someone to apologize?

    Forgiveness is probably my greatest weakness. I'm good at forgiving people when they ask to be forgiven, but I have a terrible time getting over someone who has done something wrong in my sight and doesn't recognize it or ask to be forgiven. I know that I have a problem, but I also have a...
  10. Lukamu

    Christmas, Love or Hate?

    This is important to understand: I am not talking about the birth of Christ when I say "Christmas" in this post. I am talking about the American holiday experience of taking the week off, spending time with family, decorating the tree, baking cookies, and giving gifts. I am going through a...
  11. Lukamu

    The "Righteous" Lie (Lying is always a sin)

    I would argue that the Bible teaches us that lying is a sin, and that there are no exceptions to this. Would someone with the opposing viewpoint, that lying can sometimes be considered righteous in the eyes of God, care to debate the topic? I've been trying to understand why some Christians...
  12. Lukamu

    The sin of favoritism

    After a brief discourse with people at work, and later reflection on the book of James, I am reminded how difficult it can be to show impartiality. It is human nature to treat good people better and bad people worse ("good" and "bad" describing the habitual choices of these people, not the...
  13. Lukamu

    Is there such a thing as a "righteous lie?"

    I believe that lying is a sin, no matter what. The first thing people who disagree usually ask me is, "What if thugs were at your door asking if your family was home in order to kill them - would you lie to save your family?" or similar questions involving murderers, Nazis, lawyers, etc. The...
  14. Lukamu

    The difference between praise and worship music

    They are both about praising and worshipping God, but they are two different categories, depending on how they're used and who they're performed by. Praise music is usually performed by a specific band or a cover band. It generally has more technical aspects to it that are difficult for the...
  15. Lukamu

    How are you spending your ____ according to the will of Christ?

    Money? Time? Talents? Possessions? This week, my pastor talked about submitting to the will of Christ. I'd like to go a little deeper into the details and get your ideas on how Christians should be spending these four things, according to the will of Christ. Money - I probably save more than I...
  16. Lukamu

    You have to try to go to hell

    An evangelist was talking to me about the passing of my Grandfather, who was not a Christian when he died. I had spoken to him about Christ before he died, but he rejected the idea of an afterlife and the need for a savior. The evangelist mentioned that I should hold on to the fact that he was...
  17. Lukamu

    Pride is a sin?

    Hello everyone, this thought has come back to me from time to time and I'd like to get your opinion (biblical or otherwise) on it. There are many verses in the Bible that say or allude to pride being a sin. Pride is sinful, and humility (being the opposite of pride) is a good Christian attribute...
  18. Lukamu

    Sleepy Church

    I've been at the same church for two decades and it has changed alot, but it is still my "home". In the last five years, attendance has dwindled but the people who remain are like a strong, dedicated family. Each Sunday, they come with their families and endure the music and the preaching. I say...
  19. Lukamu

    The Great Commission (moved)

    At the end of the gospels, Jesus tells his disciples to spread the gospel to the ends of the earth. Several pastors have told me how this passage applies to all Christians and how we should all be preaching the gospel, but I have always taken this passage in context to be part of the history of...
  20. Lukamu

    Let's talk about that, shall we?

    Hello, My name is Lukamu and I have been a Christian ever since I was little. I remember learning about God in church when I was little, and I went to Bible camps each summer where I learned more about the Christian faith and how it tells us to make important decisions and treat other people...