Posted by: thaishin | August 11, 2025

What are the roles of deacons?

Open Line Radio on August 2, 2025 Hour 2 @1:44

Question:

In Acts when they chose the seven men, did they choose deacons then or were they servers, which is also the definition of a deacon and are deacons called to preach the word?

Answer from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=651232&hour=2

Summary of the answer:

In Acts 6, the bible did not use the noun, instead it uses the verb and is the same root word. What we have here are what would be precursors to be deacons. The choosing of the seven is taken from the synagogue structure. The synagogue have seven men who were overseeing the everyday working of the synagogue. They would care for the poor, the burial society that every synagogue had, the widows … . In Acts 6, the controversy was because there were Jews from the “diaspora”, the Hellenistic Jews and the Jews who were living in Israel and they were trying to get their communities all together.

If you read 1Timothy 3, the bible states that deacons are tasked to do the management of the congregation and elders are the ones who are the normal teachers of the word.

Scripture:

Acts 6

2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. -nkjv

2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. -kjv

2 So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables.  -nasb

2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. -niv

Leave a Comment

Posted in Church, Church Administration, Deacons | Tags: , , , ,

Posted by: thaishin | July 31, 2025

4th mark of Salvation: Forgiven Souls are Holy by J.C. Ryle

Forgiven souls are HOLY. Their chief desire is to please Him who has saved them, to do His will, to glorify Him in body and in Spirit, which are His. “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits?”
(Ps. 116:12), is a leading principle in a pardoned heart. It was the remembrance of Jesus showing mercy that made Paul in labors so abundant, and in doing good so unwearied. If anyone points out to me believers who are in a carnal, slothful state of soul, I reply in the words of Peter, “They have forgotten they were purged from their old sins.” (2 Pet. 1:9.)

But if you show me a man deliberately living an unholy and licentious life, and yet boasting that his sins are forgiven, I answer, “He is under a ruinous delusion, and is not forgiven at all.” I would not believe he is forgiven if an angel from heaven affirmed it, and I charge you not to believe it too. Pardon of sin and love of sin are like oil and water—they will never go together. All who are washed in the blood of Christ, are also sanctified by the Spirit of Christ.

Source: www. jcryle.info

Scriptures:

Psalm 116:12

What shall I render to the Lord
For all His benefits toward me? -nkjv

12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? -kjv

What shall I repay to the Lord
For all His benefits to me? -nasb

What shall I return to the Lord
    for all his goodness to me? -niv

2 Peter 1:9

9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. -nkjv

9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. -kjv

9 For the one who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. -nasb

9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. -niv

Leave a Comment

Posted in Holiness, Salvation

Posted by: thaishin | July 25, 2025

Sharing our faith

Open Line Hour 1 July 19, 2025

In the opening remarks on hour 1 of Open Line program, Dr Michael Rydelnik emphasized 3 keys to effective faith sharing:

  1. We need to tell our faith story (Paul tells his faith story in Acts 22, Acts 23, Acts 26)
  2. We need to communicate according to culture
  3. We need to keep the main thing the main thing (i.e the Gospel)

Exact words from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=650216&hour=1

Leave a Comment

Posted in Evangelism

Posted by: thaishin | May 21, 2025

3rd Mark of Salvation: Forgiven Souls Are Humble by J.C. Ryle

Forgiven souls are HUMBLE. They cannot forget that they owe all they have and hope for to free grace, and this keeps them lowly.
They are brands plucked from the fire—debtors who could not pay for themselves—captives who must have remained in prison forever—but for undeserved mercy—wandering sheep who were ready to perish when the Shepherd found them! What right then have they to be proud? I do not deny that there are proud saints. But this I do say—they are of all God’s creatures the most inconsistent, and of all God’s children the most likely to stumble and pierce themselves with many sorrows. We have nothing we can call our own–but sin and weakness. Surely there is no garment that befits us so well, as humility.

Source: http://www.jcryle.info

Leave a Comment

Posted in Christian Walk, Salvation

Posted by: thaishin | May 11, 2025

Discussion of whether Peter is the first Pope and are his bones buried at the Vatican now?

Open Line on May 3, 2025 Hour 2 @2:45

Listener:

With the Pope being in passing, being placed over what they say, he was lying in State, above the Saint Peters, who was supposedly the first Catholic Pope, his bones were buried and I found out that Peter never went to Rome at all and he was married. I don’t think he started the Catholic Church. I was reading James, the half brother of Jesus, was actually the head of the Church in Jerusalem. Straighten this out for me, where were the bones and I don’t think Peter became a Catholic.

Answer from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=643730&hour=2

Summary of the answer:

Acts 12 is where the transfer of leadership from Peter to James occurred. That’s when Peter was released from Prison. Acts 12 tells of how the angels rescued Peter from prison and Acts 12:17 says report these things to James and the brothers. At the point in Acts 12 when Peter is ready to go travelling, James takes over from Peter.

1Peter 5:13 mentions that a lady from Babylon greets Peter. Some people think that Babylon is code for Rome and according to early church history, Peter did go to Rome.

According to MBI church historian Brian Litfin, in his book “After Acts”, he makes the case that the bones of Apostle Peter is likely to have been buried in the Vatican.

One point to note: Dr Michael Rydelnik never explicitly admit that Peter is the first Pope.

Acts 12

17 But motioning to them with his hand to keep silent, he declared to them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, “Go, tell these things to James and to the brethren.” And he departed and went to another place. -nkjv

17 But he, beckoning unto them with the hand to hold their peace, declared unto them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison. And he said, Go shew these things unto James, and to the brethren. And he departed, and went into another place. -kjv

17 But motioning to them with his hand to be silent, he described to them how the Lord had led him out of the prison. And he said, “Report these things to James and the brothers.” Then he left and went to another place. -nasb

17 Peter motioned with his hand for them to be quiet and described how the Lord had brought him out of prison. “Tell James and the other brothers and sisters about this,” he said, and then he left for another place. -niv

1 Peter 5

13 She who is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you; and so does Mark my son.

-nkjv

13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son. -kjv

13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you greetings, and so does my son, Mark. -nasb

13 She who is in Babylon, chosen together with you, sends you her greetings, and so does my son Mark. -niv

Correction:

There was a correction to the title and an addition of an observation statement at the end of the summary.

1 Comment

Posted in No Category | Tags: , , , ,

Posted by: thaishin | May 5, 2025

2nd Mark of Salvation: Forgiven Souls Love Christ by J.C.Ryle

Forgiven souls LOVE CHRIST. This is that one thing they can say, if they dare say nothing else—they do love Christ. His person, His offices, His work, His name, His cross, His blood, His words, His example, His ordinances—all, all are precious to forgiven souls.
The ministry which exalts Him most, is that which they enjoy most. The books which are most full of Him, are most pleasant to their minds. The people on earth they feel most drawn to, are those in whom they see something of Christ. He is their Redeemer, their Shepherd, their Physician, their King, their strong Deliverer, their gracious Guide, their hope, their joy, their All. Were it not for Him they would be of all people most miserable.

Source: http://www.jcryle.info

Leave a Comment

Posted in Jesus, Salvation

Posted by: thaishin | April 27, 2025

Significance of the shank bone on the Passover Seder

Open Line program on 19 April 2025 Hour 1 @12:45

Reflection on the significance of the shank bone on the Passover Seder by Larry Feldman and Dr Michael Rydelnik:

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=641094&hour=1

Summary of reflection:

There are many different elements on the Seder. Dr Michael Rydelnik personally finds that the most significant element on the Seder is the shank bone of the lamb. Dr Michael Redelnik comes from a tradition in his family where they never ate lamb. Since the destruction of the Jewish temple, many Jewish people don’t eat lamb at Passover. The Passover lamb is recorded in the commands in Exodus 12 and Deuteronomy 16 where Moses tell the Jewish people on certain days of the month, they should take the lamb and they should sacrifice it and they should eat the whole lamb. For Mr Larry Feldman, his family will go to the butcher and buy a shank bone and his father will have that on their plate and his father will hold that on their plate and he will say that they don’t have the lamb today. “We don’t have the sacrifice anymore”. All we have of the ancient sacrifice is the shank bone. Symbolically, the shank bone symbolically represents the Lamb that was slain at Passover. So the shank bone represents the Messiah that is yet to come. John the baptist when baptizing Jesus says: “Behold the lamb of God takes away the sins of the world”. Dr Michael Rydelnik says just as the angel of death pass over the firstborn of those households who has the blood of the lamb on their doorpost, so when we apply the blood of our Messiah on the doorpost of our heart, Jesus passes over judgement over us.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Jesus, Passover, Seder

Posted by: thaishin | April 18, 2025

Good Friday 18/04/2025

Remembering my Saviour and my Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth was crucified today.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Good Friday

Posted by: thaishin | April 14, 2025

First mark of salvation: Forgiven souls hate sin

Forgiven souls HATE SIN. They can enter most fully into the words of our Communion Service, “The remembrance of sin is grievous unto them, and the burden of it is intolerable.” It is the serpent which bit them—how should they not shrink from it with horror?
It is the poison which brought them to the brink of eternal death—how should they not loathe it with a godly disgust? It is the Egyptian enemy which kept them in hard bondage—how should not the very memory of it be bitter to their hearts? It is the disease of which they carry the marks and scars about them, and from which they have scarcely recovered—well may they dread it, flee from it, and long to be delivered altogether from its power! If you and sin are friends, you and God are not yet reconciled. You are not fit for heaven; for one main part of heaven’s excellence is the absence of all sin.

Leave a Comment

Posted in Salvation, Sin

Posted by: thaishin | April 7, 2025

Does Israel pray before they go to war?

Open Line on March 29, 2025 @23:10

Listener: When Israel is going to war ..

Dr Michael Rydelnik: You mean biblical Israel or modern day Israel?

Listener: Either or, are they suppose to gather together and pray about it before they go to war or just go to war?

Answer from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=638976&hour=2

Summary of Answer:

During Old Testament times, they have a prophet to tell them to go to war or not to go to war. For example, in Judges, the prophetess Debra indicated to Barak to go to war. Israel’s war with Hamas was biblical but it was not a direct command as Romans 13:4 would imply it is in God’s will to punish the wicked and protect the innocent. Ecclesiates 3 says there’s a time of peace and a time of war. After the attack from Hamas, there’s an obligation for Israel to go to war immediately, not necessarily waiting for a prophet to tell them to do so.

Romans 13

4 For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. -nkjv

4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. -kjv

4 for it is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a servant of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. -nasb

4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. -niv

Ecclesiastes 3

8A time to love,
And a time to hate;
A time of war,
And a time of peace. -nkjv

8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. -kjv

8A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace. -nasb

8 a time to love and a time to hate,
    a time for war and a time for peace. -niv

Leave a Comment

Posted in Israel, War | Tags: , , , ,

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Categories