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“For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him might not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3:16)Because of the influence of modernism, and of psychology upon the biblical understanding of many, even within evangelicalism, the whole concept of the love of God has been distorted. People import their own humanistic understanding of what love is, into texts such as John 3:16. For example many modern pastors and teachers say something to the effect that the cross shows us the measure of our value. As one popular christian teacher put it,...

I was asked by a reader of my Sunday Messages, “How do I love someone I don't like, and if I can't love them does it mean I do not love God?” I decided to tackle this question because there are many Christians who find it difficult, if not down right impossible, to love those they don't like. We are told by John that, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1John 4:8 John goes on to write that it is impossible to love a God you cannot see, if you do not love...

That's it Folks wow Chicago tossed out in the FIRST round!

Bank of America Accused in Ponzi Lawsuit By LESLIE WAYNE Bank of America effectively set up a branch in a Long Island office that helped Nicholas Cosmo carry out a $380 million Ponzi scheme, according to a class-action lawsuit filed in federal court. The lawsuit, filed in Federal District Court in Brooklyn late Thursday, contends that Bank of America “established, equipped and staffed” a branch office in the headquarters of Mr. Cosmo’s firm, Agape Merchant Advance. As a result, the lawsuit contends that the bank knowingly “assisted, facilitated and furthered” Mr. Cosmo’s fraudulent scheme. “Bank of America was at the...

ROME, MARCH 24, 2006 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of a commentary by Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa on next Sunday's liturgical readings. He is the preacher to the Pontifical Household. * * * Fourth Sunday of Lent (B) (2 Chronicles 36:14-16,19-23; Ephesians 2:4-10; John 3:14-21) God So Loved the World! In this Sunday's Gospel we find one of the most beautiful and consoling phrases of the Bible: "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." To speak to us of love, God has made use...

When Denise and Roger Friesen planned a Valentine's Day dinner for their Omaha, Neb., church, they immediately knew their theme: the Song of Solomon -- sometimes called the Song of Songs -- the sexiest book in the Bible. "O, that you would kiss me with the kisses of your mouth!" says a woman to her lover as the book begins. "For your love is better than wine." Later language compares male legs to alabaster columns and female bosoms to clusters of fruit on a tree. The Friesens, both 47, credit the little book in the Hebrew Bible with helping to...

Folks, as we have discussed at various times before, Pope Benedict's choice to discuss the meaning of Love as the theme of his first encyclical is no accident. In my humble opinion, it was quite inspired. I want to share with you my own brief meditations on the subject Christian Love. Biblical departure pointI want to start with the relevant Bible verses, first, from the First Epistle of St. John the Apostle, 4:8:Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God. Whoever is without love does not know...

Love should not be confused with lust, says PopeBy Hilary Clarke in Rome(Filed: 18/01/2006)Pope Benedict XVI's first encyclical, expected in the next few days, warns believers not to confuse love with lust or degrade it "to mere sex".   It is Pope Benedict's first encyclical The encyclical, a papal letter to bishops that sets out Roman Catholic policy, discusses the relationship between "eros", or erotic love, and "agape", a Greek word referring to unconditional, spiritual and selfless love."It is not totally negative on eros," a Vatican source said. "It argues that eros under the right circumstances is OK."But the Pope...

The Mark of the Christian Francis Schaeffer PART TWO A Delicate Balance The first commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind. The second commandment bears the universal command to love men. Notice that the second commandment is not just to love Christians. It is far wider than this. We are to love our neighbor as ourselves. I Thessalonians 3:12 carries the same double emphasis: "And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you." Here the order is...

QUESTION: What about the "nuggets" found only in the Greek? ANSWER: Why settle for "nuggets" when you can own the whole mine?