Is Your Faith Worth Defending!?

Why should Christians should learn Apologetics or how to defend their faith!?
2 Simple reasons: The bible commands it and the World Demands it!

Bible Commands It: "But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence" -Peter 3:15

"Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person."- Colossians 4:6

World Demands It: People have alot questions that keep them from coming to Jesus that they may have LIFE and People also have objections to Christianity and what we believe, we have to defend. We can't just expect people to take a blind leap of faith.

Let HIS name be Great among the Nations from Sunrise to Sunset(Malachi 1:11),
Tom

What! You too?

“Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one” -C. S. Lewis

It's nice to know others that are unashamed in their love for and pursuit of God :)

Proverbs 17:17 "A friend loves at all times ..."

-Lisa

A little push...

Praise God that ((BibleTalk)) has been growing stronger as the weeks go by. Honestly, last night I took a moment to just stop the responsibilities on my mind and take a look around. I couldn't help but smile and be at peace as I saw people conversing, fellowshiping, laughing, and writing down those things on our prayer wall to bring home with them. I couldn't help but smile at the fact that this was only the roots of a community, and that the tree is yet to be grown.

17 weeks & counting

We uploaded a couple more videos up on the teaching page. Including yesterdays awesome study on the word "Blessing" by George Dawson. We also put up Jason Philips teaching on Trust from Season 1 Meeting 9 & Happy's teaching on The Ten Lepers from meeting 12.

check them out for sure. I've learned in school that once you learn something, you have 8 hours to review it before it leaves your mind.

ha, It's been more than 8 hours. I think we all need some reviewing.

We'll post up all the videos from season 1 in time, including our time of worship from this week. Like I said before, it's just going to take some time because we can only upload a certain amount of videos each week.

but anyway, the the real reason I started writing this post...

was to leave you with a verse that was I turned to this morning, as I do every morning before I take a step out of my home, or every moment before I step up on a public platform to share or lead in worship.

"That they may know that thou alone, whose name is Jehovah, Art the Most High over all the earth."
[Psalms 83:18]

Everything that we're doing should come down to this reason. Every action, every step, every word should be based around this reason.

Asaph :) this guy...

Invest some of your time today into an unbeliever. Even if its a simple phone call, tutoring session, e-mail, music lesson, basketball game, or just getting together, spend some quality time with that person. I mean whatever you do, don't make it a facebook message :)

Point is...You never know what kind of impact it may make. I've been surprised when people have told me years later that a phone call I made to them just to say "hi" still effects them to this very day. You can rest assured that if the reason that you're investing that time is for the above reason that we find in that verse, it will leave an impact.

especially if you are that morning without clouds (2nd Sam 23:3-4)

don't believe me? try it and see what happens

I'll be right here to hear all about it

- Ben Thomas

Verse

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 1 John 3:2-3
-happy

If this dont challenge you, I dont know what will!

You may all know or have heard of C.T. Studd, he was the famous British athlete and founder of Worldwide Evangelizaton Crusade, he gave up all his achievements in this life for Christ's sake. He was challenged to his commitment by an article written by an atheist.

That article in part said:“If I firmly believed as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, then religion would mean to me everything. I would cast away earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought, and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labor in its cause alone. I would take thought for the morrow of eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering. Earthly consequences would never stay my hand, or seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its griefs, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon eternity alone, and on the immortal souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable. I would go forth to the world and preach to it in season and out of season, and my text would be: “WHAT SHALL IT PROFIT A MAN IF HE GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD AND LOSE HIS OWN SOUL?” - An Unknown Atheist

Many know that Christ died for our sins(1 Cor 15:3). But many do not know that Christ died "that we should no longer live for ourselves but for Him"(2 Cor 15:5)

All because of Jesus,
Tom

Hey Guys

Hope you guys are having an awesome day even though its raining outside. I just wanted to drop some verses that were on my heart through these weeks in the hospital and out

*Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10

*Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:8-9
 
*What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?  For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; Psalms 8:4-7
                                                                                                                    --JIVIN :)

The Sun Can Still Shine On a Rainy Day

hey guys, I hope that your being productive with the time given to you, I hope your learning all that you possibly can in the situations that are literally provided for you by God himself.

I just wanted to shoot out a quick post to just update you guys that I figured out a way to get the song sheets up, so that should be coming soon.

Also we just updated the teaching section by adding Know God Know Peace from Season 1 Meeting 13. I encourage you to take a listen to it when you get a chance to just be refreshed by what we learned.

I took a listen to it this morning when I got up, and I can tell you personally it was an awesome start to the day.

Keep it real today, and don't let this be like any other day.

Be that morning without clouds (2nd Samuel 23:3-4).

Just because it's raining outside doesn't mean that the Sun still can't shine through.

- Ben Thomas

Good Morning

Just wanna say good morning to everyone. I woke up just praying to God the same thing, and what a blessing for God to just respond to our simplest words. God bless y'all :)

Ben G.

Glory be to God! Hallelujah!!! :)

Last Friday before going out to evangelize in the city, we were all very discouraged because of the heavy rain in the morning but God spoke to our SPECIFIC situation and encouraged us with a verse that been on Lisa's heart and she texted me that verse in the morning and it was

Isaiah 58: 8-11-"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." 

 
Thank you all for your much needed prayers! God began to open many doors for us to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ and unsurprisingly, we began to see principalities, rulers of the darkness of this world, spiritual wickedness in high places trying to hinder us from sharing the Gospel of Jesus but thanks to your prayers, nothing hindered us from sharing the Gospel to those who don’t know Jesus . God willing, this Friday October 15, 2010, we are planning to go to colleges and share the Gospel so if anyone wants to come just give one of us a call or just let me know! And Im letting you know 2 week in advance so if you could, make plans accordingly or try to schedule so you would have off that day.

Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest." Mathew 9:37, 38

" To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan into God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me." Acts 26:18

Until the nets are Full,

-Tom

One Spirit, One Mind, One Family in Christ

"Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast (persevere) in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith (truth, belief) of the gospel; And in nothing terrified by your adversaries: which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God"
-Philippians 1:27-28

May those who hear of our community rejoice in the work that God is doing in us. Let us live and walk in a way that others can't help but take note and be provoked to jealousy- that they would desire such a relationship with the Lord. I've been facing some challenging moments at work in terms of tough conversations with many of my coworkers but through it I rejoice because every conversation is an opportunity for me to defend the truth of the gospel and the love of my Savior.

Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching
-Hebrews 10:23-25

Provoke one another unto LOVE and GOOD WORKS. I look forward to Tuesday nights because I know every time we come together God moves and we witness and embrace His move and that is absolutely awesome! I encourage us to be faithful and consistent in our responsibility of lifting each other up to the Lord during the week (especially lifting up those who are serving by leading us) and to speak to one another as the Lord communicates to us. As a family, lets pray we are aware of one another's needs so we can be there for each other and let us, everyday, allow Jesus Christ to change us from the inside out. Be encouraged :)

-Lisa

prayer request

please pray for our church Long Island Brethren Assembly we are having our annual youth meeting, please keep in prayer...

- Alex George

keep in mind

Proverbs 24:33-34 (NIV)

³³ A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest-
³⁴ and poverty will come on you like a bandit
and scarcity like an armed man.

Use this day wisely, from the moment you read this post, to the moment you lay your head down on your pillow to rest - make the most out of this day.

I'll be excited to hear about it

- Ben Thomas

Hey!

Yo guys. Im getting used to the blog, I hope the rest y'all are enjoying this too.

I wanna use this time to just praise God because of the way he works. Just a couple of hours ago, I was sitting around really doing nothing, but literally passing the time. Im gonna honest with you guys, this happens to me frequently. Most my time is spent wasted while the remainder is spent just in regret for not doing anything.

It's really encouraging and joyful to me that I have close friends to confide in, knowing that if God hadn't brought them in my life, Id probably be doing something else right now. I see God working changes in my life through different things. I was talking with a good friend of mine, who just called to check up on me, see how I was doing and such. That one call turned into an approximate two hour conversation because for once, I was being honest with myself, with others around me, and more importantly God.

Words just aren't enough to express how joyous I feel now, because I was explaining some personal issues I was facing in life, and it was such an encouragement for someone to just hear and lead in me the right direction. You know for some time I've been living my own life, in the wrong direction. But now I wanna take take that step and move the right way, which is towards Jesus Christ.

You know all in all, I wanna grow in certain aspects of my life that I feel are lacking. I just need you guys to pray that God will help show me how to be a man of God. To just be a Man. This is something I've never shared before to anyone else, so im glad im able to do this with you guys. God willing I have more things to write about, but all in his time.

Hebrew 4:16 - "Let us approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

- Ben G.

He that winneth souls is wise

He that winneth souls is wise

And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever (Proverbs 11:30 & Daniel 12:3).

Today Jayson, Tom, Tony and I were able to evangelize to many people at Penn Station, and Praise God, Jay and Tony were able to lead one young man to Christ whom they will be keeping in touch with! He that winneth souls is wise!

-happy

and they're out!

The rain will not stop these guys as they go out to share the gospel with those who are in need of hearing it! Let's definitely uphold our guys in prayer as they make their way to the streets of NYC. Pray for their safety and just courage and boldness to not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ.