In my work with the church throughout my life so far, I have talked about religion and faith with many age groups--including adolescents. When conversing with these young adults, I have found that unlike many of the elders in our Christian faith today (including the Pope, young people are not afraid to ask questions as to whether their faith is "real" or whether God has listened to their prayer requests. However, I have never given great in depth thought to these questions, that is until my dream or perhaps "vision" one night.
This particular dream/vision God sent me has been of great interest to me and at the same time, a great fear of the fate of Christianity has begun to grow within my heart. My vision went as follows:
Three young adults were standing in a room. This room contained two unfamiliar objects which I shall try to describe: the first object was a sliver-colored large box, but one side of the box was missing- instead, there was what looked like a glass-panel upon which picture s of people were moving and speaking; the second object was also a box, yet smaller, and had no screen but instead had all sorts of buttons and dials. Noise of music and singing was blaring from within this box. The volume level which was issuing from these two boxes was very great.
Meanwhile, the three teenagers standing in the room were talking to each other amidst the noise. I then heard the girl say, "I think that God is there to help me when I ask Him to- but otherwise He just lets me live my life". One of the boys then spoke, "Yeah I totally agree with you, God is, like, just a therapist who fixes all my problems or whatever. He just wants my life to be good and happy and stuff". The other boy then added, "Yeah dude, we just need to be good and nice to people- then we can go to heaven when we die". After this last person finished speaking, the volume from the devices around the people grew even louder and more distracting.
I woke up.
What I conclude from this dream or vision is that maybe this is what the future is going to look like. If this is indeed a glimpse of the future, I must confess that though I am fleeing for my life right now, I am glad I live now, not then. How could these people take so much of their "faith" for granted? DO they honestly believe that God exists, if at all, only to serve them? These people of the future must remember that our purpose in life is to glorify GOD, the one who came to save us from our iniquities, and not ourselves!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Compare the Bible's definition of "Faith" as found in Hebrews 11:1. I rely on the original Greek whilst the King James and Rheims reverts to Latin
"FAYTH is a sure confidence off thynges which are hoped for, and a certayntie off thynges which are not sene."
--Tyndale, 1534
"NOW faith is the substance of things hoped for, the euidence of things not seen."
--King James, 1611
"AND faith is, the substance of things to be hoped for, the argument of things not appearing." --Rheims (Catholic), 1582
--Tyndale, 1534
"NOW faith is the substance of things hoped for, the euidence of things not seen."
--King James, 1611
"AND faith is, the substance of things to be hoped for, the argument of things not appearing." --Rheims (Catholic), 1582
Sunday, April 20, 2008
"If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scripture than thou doest."
"I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds. But the word of God was not bound. Herefore I endure all things, for the elect's sake, that they might also obtain that salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory."
2Timothy 2:9&10- Tyndale Translation (1534)
In the translation of 2Timothy 2:9&10, I have found even greater comfort in God's words..."for if God be on our side, what matter maketh it who be against us, be they bishops, cardinals, popes..." Even though men and the government has forced me to flee England and as ordered my arrest, I still believe that God has called me to fight out in His Holy name.
Copies of my translation began to reach the common people of England in March of 1526. In October, the Bishop of London collected as many copies as he could and publicly burned them. He even arranged to buy copies abroad, which he also burned, but the money went to me, to be used in the production of more copies.
The most recent actions of my living out 2Timothy 2:9&10 has been my participation in ongoing theological debates, and the publishing of several short tracts, which has helped bring my work to the attention of Catholic clergy and scholars.
2Timothy 2:9&10- Tyndale Translation (1534)
In the translation of 2Timothy 2:9&10, I have found even greater comfort in God's words..."for if God be on our side, what matter maketh it who be against us, be they bishops, cardinals, popes..." Even though men and the government has forced me to flee England and as ordered my arrest, I still believe that God has called me to fight out in His Holy name.
Copies of my translation began to reach the common people of England in March of 1526. In October, the Bishop of London collected as many copies as he could and publicly burned them. He even arranged to buy copies abroad, which he also burned, but the money went to me, to be used in the production of more copies.
The most recent actions of my living out 2Timothy 2:9&10 has been my participation in ongoing theological debates, and the publishing of several short tracts, which has helped bring my work to the attention of Catholic clergy and scholars.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
My new book...and its popular reader.
I have just recently written a book on The Obedience of a Christian Man. I described the obedience of children, servants, wives, and subjects. I then went on to speak of God-ordained duties for husbands, masters, landlords, judges, and king's officers. As I spoke of previously in my profile, I have written against the abused powers the papacy has over the "common people". The fight for translations has been difficult, but very uplifting news has reached my humble ears- I have heard that Queen Anne Boleyn has ordered for herself an ornate, gilded edition of my book "The Obedience of a Christian Man." I pray that the good queen might let my words reach our beloved King Henry VIII noble ears. God bless their Majesties and the people of England.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
