Category: Subject Index

AOTS Number 54

Did God make the many different world religions? They are confusing, and God is not the author of confusion. The world’s religions were made by man. God intends all of us to follow His Son.

To listen to this Podcast, click here .

To subscribe to the AOTS feed, click here .

AOTS Number 53

Are there any Patriarchs around today? Maybe not, but their example to us is a powerful help in living our lives for Christ!

To listen to this Podcast, click here .

To subscribe to the AOTS feed, click here .

AOTS Number 52

Children want to know if their pet is going to heaven? Does God care about animals? Are we different than the animals? These are challenging questions, but fortunately, we have scriptural answers to give.

To listen to this Podcast, click here.

To subscribe to the AOTS feed, click here .

AOTS Number 51

Children ask interesting Questions. How about this one? Why does God allow people to die?

To listen to this Podcast, click here .

To subscribe to the AOTS feed, click here .

SAO PAULO (Reuters) – Supermodel Gisele Bundchen stepped into the debate over birth control and sexual behavior in Brazil on Tuesday, saying Church opposition to condom use was ridiculous and women should have the right to choose on abortion.

Gisele is idolized by many young women in Brazil, the world’s largest Roman Catholic country, where debate over sexual issues has intensified around a visit by Pope Benedict last month.

The Pope stressed the Church’s firm opposition to abortion and contraception and railed against sex outside of marriage.

The Brazilian beauty, one of the world’s top models, told Folha de S.Paulo newspaper in an interview that when the Church made its laws centuries ago, women were expected to be virgins.

“Today no one is a virgin when they get married … show me someone who’s a virgin!” she said.

Asked about abortion, she said a woman should have the right to choose what is best for her.

“If she thinks she doesn’t have the money or the emotional condition to raise a child, why should she give birth?”

Analysis:

There is a great deal interesting about this article. Notice first of all Gisele’s statement that “when the Church made its law centuries ago, women were expected to be virgins.” In fact, it has only been a few decades since women stopped being expected to be virgins. And by the way, it was not the Church that determined that women should be virgins, but rather God, as revealed in His word! “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).

Second, note that Gisele is “idolized” by many young women in Brazil. It is interesting how much influence and authority that the world places upon a model — a person whose job is to don the most scandalous of outfits (fashion models exhibit no modesty), and pose for pictures. There is obviously no premium on intelligence, and the lifestyle of a top fashion model is one characterized by debauchery and excess, and yet she is idolized and mimicked by millions of women! Note in contrast the true beauty of the godly woman, “Rather let it [adornment] be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God” (1 Peter 3:4).

Third, if a woman doesn’t have the money to have a child, or the emotional condition to raise a child, then why in the world is she engaging in activity that will cause her to conceive a child. In effect, Gisele is saying that a woman (and man) should have the right to act in inappropriate, immoral and immature ways, and not have to pay any consequence for the sin. Rather … kill the innocent, unborn child!

While it is not common today for people to remain sexually pure until marriage, and those who do are considered peculiar, it remains that God intends such faithfulness from His children. Gisele is wrong, and it is a shame she is listened to by so many. She is not wrong because the Catholic church says so, or the pope, she is wrong because the Holy Spirit says so!

The story is told of a daughter who asked her mother why she always cut the end of the roast off before cooking it in the pan. The mother didn’t know, that was the way her mother always did it. So, they called the grandmother, and asked her why she always cut the end of the roast off before cooking it in the pan. The grandmother said, “Because my pan was too small!”

There are two great dangers with tradition. (Though there is nothing wrong with tradition per se). First, if a person follows tradition blindly, without knowing why, he may be led to do something that is unscriptural. Something with which God is not pleased. Just because “that is the way we have always done it,” does not mean that it is acceptable to God!

Second, there is always the danger of elevating a tradition to a commandment. Jesus warned of this in Matthew 15, “And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrine the commandments of men” (vs. 9).

Many times we do things the way we do because it is a good way to do them. This is fine. But, we need always to be sure that our ways are God’s ways. And, we need to realize if our traditions are only our preferences, and if there are other, scriptural ways of doing the same things, we must not condemn others for expressing preferences that differ from our own.

False teachers and others who would influence you to sin can take your crown from you (cf. Revelation 3:11), but only if you let them.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Noah, Enoch, Caleb and Abraham each showed a willingness to surrender their wills to God, and to act upon their faith. Their attitudes toward godly service serve as a wonderful example to us.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

AOTS Number 50

Despite years behind the iron curtain, with faith in God a crime and a secular and atheistic government in control, Russians continue to hold their faith in the existence of the Divine creator.

To listen to this Podcast, click here .

To subscribe to the AOTS feed, click here .

Podcast Number 55

The apostle Paul describes the work of an evangelist in 2 Timothy 4:2-4 to be, in part, exposing those who teach error. The evangelist must do so readily, and with longsuffering. But, it must be done!

To listen to this Podcast, click here .

To subscribe to the podcast feed, click here .

AOTS Number 49

Peter affirmed that Jesus is the Annointed of God in Matthew 16. Jesus is described in a number of different ways in scripture.

To listen to this Podcast, click here .

To subscribe to the AOTS feed, click here .

AOTS Number 48

Evolutionists claim that Creationists take by blind faith what amounts to fairy tales. Well, the Evolutionist’s claims seem to stretch credulity themselves!

To listen to this Podcast, click here .

To subscribe to the AOTS feed, click here .

AOTS Number 47

People have many different reasons (excuses) for not coming to church, but none have any real validity. We should rejoice that we can be in God’s presence!

To listen to this Podcast, click here .

To subscribe to the AOTS feed, click here .

AOTS Number 46

We talk about the younger generation, asking, “Where will it end?” But, often the problems with youth come because the adults have failed to raise them properly!

To listen to this Podcast, click here .

To subscribe to the AOTS feed, click here .

Christ’s prayer to His father recorded in Matthew 26 reveals a man with pain and sorrow, burdened but willing to suffer the death of the cross for the redemption of mankind.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .