Nicene Creed (started in 325 AD)

We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father;

through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven,

was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary

and became truly human.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son,

who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy universal  and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

and the life of the world to come. 

Amen

What is a Christian?

Several years ago, some West Point cadets were sitting in their dorm room discussing all kinds of issues. It was one of those late night sessions where they were talking about anything and everything.
So the subject of Christianity came up and they asked the question, “What is a Christian?” And as they began to bat around the idea a bit, one after another gave his opinion on what a Christian is.
After a few hours of not really getting anywhere, one young cadet stopped the conversation dead when he said, “A Christian is Charles Jones.” Now, Charles Jones was a fellow cadet who was known for his kindness and willingness to go the extra mile for others because of his faith in Christ.
I wonder how that conversation would go if your friends were having a discussion over coffee and asked, “What is a Christian?” Would anybody mention your name? Are you so identified with Jesus Christ that people know who you are and what you believe?
Being a Christian is more than just lip service. It’s living your life in such a way that others see a difference in you. So as you go throughout your life, let others see God’s grace and love in you!
By Jack Graham

How Can We Evaluate Our Spiritual Growth?

When it comes to spiritual maturity, we can’t simply take for granted that we’re growing. To evaluate personal progress, I’ve compiled a brief inventory of spiritual benchmarks. Check the list for an idea of how you’re doing. But remember, these items are just a place to start; see the Bible for a complete growth chart!
We know we’re growing spiritually when we become increasingly aware of our sinfulness and weakness. As I read biographies of godly saints, it’s clear that they don’t “get better” with age and spiritual maturity. Instead, they become ever more sensitive to their dependence upon the Lord. Moreover, progress is apparent when we respond to sin with quick repentance. Failure to deal with sin is rebellion against God. Growing believers turn away from wrongdoing and embrace righteousness. As we live with the good results of dependence and repentance, our desire to obey intensifies, and the attraction of sin lessens.
Growth is also marked by an increase in two things—joy and struggle. Faith is often developed through hardship because living out the principles of trust and endurance help us “get it.” So we’ll see maturity in our relationship with God when we view trials and temptations as opportunities for growth.
Paul, David, and Daniel prove that adversity can help form spiritual giants. These men recognized sovereign God as the gatekeeper of their lives. We are maturing when we perceive whatever comes our way as being from Him, which also means that He’s working it for good (Romans 8:28).
By Charles Stanley

Taking up Our Cross?

Jesus said that if we are to truly be His disciples we are to “take up our cross daily and follow Him” (Luke 9:23). But what does that mean?
To understand that, we need to understand the meaning of the cross in that time and culture.
The cross has lost most of its original meaning today. It is shrouded in religiousness and mystery. It has become many things, from a religious icon to a fashion element.
When we see the cross today, it is a symbol of faith, particularly the Christian faith.
But in the time when Jesus made that statement, He had not yet died on the cross. So, in its original context, the cross was a symbol of death.
In fact, it was the symbol of a very cruel death. The Romans reserved it for the worst criminals. It was a form of torture and humiliation, ultimately leading to a long and painful death.
Why would He use the cross to illustrate what it meant to follow Him?
Jesus intentionally used a gruesome symbol to get the people’s attention. He did this to say that following Him was not “child’s play.” It is not a game and it is not easy. In fact, it will cost you to follow Him as a disciple.
By Randy Alcorn

John 13:34-35

"A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

امید Hope

مزامیر باب ۷۱

۵ چون تو ای خداوند، امید من هستی، از جوانی به تو توکّل نموده ام.
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مزامیر باب ۴۳

۵ ای جان من چرا افسرده و غمگین هستی؟ بر خدا امید داشته باش زیرا که دوباره او را ستایش خواهی کرد، چون او خدای من و مددکار من است.
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رومیان باب ۸

۲۴ زیرا با چنین امیدی بود که ما نجات یافتیم ، اما امیدی که بر آورده شده باشد دیگر امید نیست. چه کسی در انتظار چیزی است که قبلا آنرا یافته است ؟ ۲۵ اما اگر در امید چیزی هستیم که هنوز نیافته ایم با صبر منتظر آن میشویم.
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پطرس اول باب ۱

امید زنده

۳ سپاس بر خدا ، پدر خداوند ما عیسی مسیح که به لطف بزرگ خود به وسیله رستاخیز عیسی مسیح از مردگان تولد تاره و امید زنده به ما بخشیده است ۴ تا روزی تمام برکات موعود را به دست آوریم. این برکات در عالم بالا ، در جائی که خراب و ضایع نمی شود و از آب و رنگ نمی افتد برای شما نگهداشته می شوند.
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قرنتیان دوم باب ۴

ایمان، راهنمای ما در زندگی

۱۶ بنابراین ، امید خود را از دست نمی دهیم . اگر چه وجود ظاهری ما رفته رفته از بین می رود ، وجود باطنی ما روز به روز تازه تر می گردد. ۱۷ و این رنج و زحمت ناچیز و زود گذر ، جلال عظیم و بی پایانی را که غیر قابل مقایسه است برای ما فراهم می کند
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تسالونیکیان دوم باب ۲

۱۶ خود خداوند ما عیسی مسیح و خدای پدر که ما را دوست داشته است و از راه فیض ما را دائمأ تشویق کرده و امید نیکوئی به ما بخشیده است
برای مادعا کنید

۱۷ شما را نیز تشویق و تقویت کند تا آن چه را که نیکوست بگوئید و به عمل آورید.
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افسسیان باب ۱

۱۸ و از او می خواهم که چشمان دل شما را روشن سازد تا به چگونگی امیدی که خدا شما را به آن دعوت کرده است و به ثروتمندی و شکوه به هره ای که خدا به مقدسین خود وعده داده است
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قرنتیان اول باب ۱۵

۱۹ اگر امید ما به مسیح فقط منحصر به این زندگی باشد از تمام مردم بدبختتر هستیم !
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رومیان باب ۱۲

۱۲ امیدتان مایۀ شادی شما باشد و در رنج و مصیبت صابر باشید و از دعا کردن خسته نشوید.
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رومیان باب ۱۵

۳ زیرا مسیح نیز در فکر راحتی خود نبود چنانکه کتاب مقدس می فرماید :« اهانت های آنانیکه بتو اهانت می کردند بمن رسید .»
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عبرانیان باب ۱۱

شاهکارهای ایمان

۱ ایمان اطمینانی است به چیزهائی که به آن امیدواریم و اعتقادی است به چیزهائی که نمی بینیم.
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رومیان باب ۱۵

۴ زیرا هر چه در گذشته در کتاب مقدس نوشته شد برای تعلیم ما بود تا بوسیلۀ بردباری و دلگرمی ای که کلام خدا میبخشد امیدوار باشیم.

مزمور داود 14:90

صبحگاهان ما را از رحمت خود سير كن تا تمامی عمر خود را ترنم و شادی نماييم.

 

 Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days

 

Faith

"A little faith will bring your soul to heaven, but a lot of faith will bring heaven to your soul."

Martin Luther King, Jr.

 "When you put faith, hope and love together, you can raise positive kids in a negative world."

Zig Ziglar

Bernice Johnson Reagon

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are."

Three Proofs that Jesus Really Existed?

Jesus walked upon this earth. He was born and He died. How do we know this? We know it for three reasons.

The Personal Witness Of The Saints

Acts 10:39-41 says, "And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and showed Him openly; not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with Him after He rose from the dead."

Over 500 people saw Jesus after His death and most of these died because of their belief. Let me say, a man may live for a lie, but would he die for one?

The Prophetic Witness Of The Scriptures

Acts 10:43 says, "To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins." When the writer says "all the prophets," he is talking about the prophets from Genesis to Malachi (remember, the New Testament hadn't been written yet).

In Genesis 3, we read about the One who will bruise the head of the serpent. In Genesis 12, He is going to come from the seed of Abraham. In Genesis 22, we read about the sacrifice of Isaac on the very mountain where Jesus was later crucified! The entire book of Leviticus is filled with pictures of blood-atoning sacrifices for sin. You'll read about the prophetic crucifixion of Jesus in Psalm 22. In Micah 5:2, it is told clearly that Jesus will be born in Bethlehem.

I could go on and on, but the bottom line is: there is but one plan of salvation in all the Bible and that is through the blood-atoning sacrifice of the God-Man, Jesus Christ.

The Powerful Witness Of The Spirit

The Holy Spirit takes the Word of God and says, "Amen. It is written. It is truth." I thank God that I don't have to try and talk you into believing Jesus. If there's anything I can talk you into, there's someone who can talk you right out of it!

1 John 5:9-11 says, "If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He that believes on the Son of God has the witness in himself: he that believes not God has made him a liar; because he believes not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son."
By Adrian Rogers

با انجيل زندگي کن و از آن حرف بزن

برخي مي گويند که زندگي مسيحي و خداپسندانه شان در اين زمينه کافي است؛ احتياجي

نيست که چيزي بگويند. مشکل چنين نظري اين است که بر اساس کتابمقدس نيست و

فرد با اين سخن بيشتر خود را گول مي زند. مسيحيان اوليه گرچه براساس انجيل زندگي

مي کردند، ولي منتظر نمي ماندند که ديگران نزد آنها بيايند. در بيان اينکه زندگي آنها چطور

چنين بنيادي عوض شده است، خود پيشقدم مي شدند. در محتواي انجيل و در جوهر آن

چيزي هست که با مشاهده تنها کشف نمي گردد. احتياج به توضيح دارد.

برخي ها بي آنکه به انجام زندگي مسيحي تأکيد کنند، دائم روي اعلان انجيل آن اصرار دارند. اعمال

بيشتر از کلمات با ديگران حرف مي زنند، ولي فردي که مي خواهد شاهدي مؤثر براي مسيح باشد،

به هر دو احتياج دارد. عيسي و ايمانداران اوليه در هر دو نمونه بودند: با انجيل زندگي و از آن

صحبت مي کردند

1Corinthians Chapter 13:1-2

اگر به زبانهای مردم و فرشتگان سخن گويم و محبّت نداشته باشم، مثل نحاس صدا دهنده و سنج فغان كننده شده ام. و اگر نبوّت داشته باشم و جميع اسرار و همه علم را بدانم و ايمان كامل داشته باشم بحدّی كه كوهها را نقل كنم و محبّت نداشته باشم، هيچ هستم

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing