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Lent Day 19: Cyprian: On the Unity of the Church: 10-18

...ith their prayers in the fiery furnace, and Christ came among them to deliver them; and again in Acts 5:17-20 (or Acts 16:25-26) when the Apostles were arrested and put in prison, but then were delivered miraculously delivered because they, or the Church, were “simple-minded and of one mind” in what they asked. This single-minded unity of prayer and purpose is asked of by Jesus because “He is rather with two or three who pray with one mind, than with a great many who differ”. A powerful statement indeed, I think. But not only this, to ensure full unity within the Church body, Cyprian then says that when Jesus “gave the law of prayer”, he made sure...

Debunking the Myth: The Council of Nicaea and the Formation of the Biblical Canon

...e Lord in prayer that the inspired works be found on top and the spurious on the bottom. (Synodicon Vetus, 35) This account, propagated through various channels, found its way into the works of influential figures like Voltaire in the 18th century. In his Philosophical Dictionary, Voltaire perpetuated the idea that the fathers of the Council of Nicaea distinguished between authentic and apocryphal books through prayer and a miracle, further fuelling the myth. It was then later picked up and revived again in the 19th century by Christian radical Robert Taylor. Debunking the Myth The publication of Synodicon Vetus in 1601 by John Pappus, along with subsequent...

David, Saul, And How We Respond To Broken Leadership

...severe in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints; pursue hospitality to strangers.Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another; do not be arrogant, but associate with the lowly; do not claim to be wiser than you are. Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all. If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says the Lord.” Instead, “if your enemies are...

Fact-Checking the Viral Post Connecting Human Anatomy and the Bible

...show that prayer and meditation activate brain regions linked to focus, empathy, and emotional regulation. This fits well with Paul’s call to “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2) and to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). 7. “Tears contain different chemicals depending on if you’re crying from joy or grief.” This is also true: emotional tears carry different proteins and hormones than reflex tears. The Bible treats tears with deep tenderness — “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle” (Psalm 56:8), and “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes” (Revelatio...

Lent Day 22: Athanasius: Life of Anthony: Chaps. 11-20

...ne and in prayer, singing praises and hymns to God. When two decades has passed, he finally left the fort to find a great crowd had amassed waiting for him so they could learn of his discipline. On seeing Anthony, though, they were all amazed because he had the “habit of body as before, and was neither fat, like a man without exercise, nor lean from fasting and striving with the demons”; and being full of the Spirit, “through him the Lord healed the bodily ailments of many present, and cleansed others from evil spirits” and with godly wisdom he countless counselled many various people in need. He began preaching from Romans 8:32 about how God didn...

Lent Day 24: Athanasius: Life of Anthony: Chaps. 31-40

...imself in prayer, and the demons fled and disappeared “like smoke”. In all things he kept this one thing at the forefront of his mind, and we should to whether it be demons we face, or human persecutions, this saying rings true: Romans 8:3 Nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ I hope this has encouraged you to stay strong in Christ whatever the circumstances....