16. Apostles

[Pastor Ralph]

Please share your thoughts on one or more of the questions in this lesson. 

[haar]

1.    What kinds of situations face us today where all night prayer is appropriate? (6:12) There are many prayer needs do to so much challenges such civil unrest, disease outbreak like Covid-19 pandemic, natural disaster and more importantly, spiritual decadence is so much that require prayers. But there so much distraction and noise all around us in the daytime. Thus the need for all night prayers. 

2.    If there are full-fledged apostles today (and let's assume this for the sake of this question), who would be some of your nominees? People like Pastor Dr. Ralph and pastors who have gone through discipleship at seminaries and under the Lord Jesus Christ Himself in their private quiet time with Him. Why would you nominate them? Please see the b-part of my answer.

3.    Why do you think most of the apostles were martyred? For the same reasons they killed their Lord and Teacher. Can you think of any Christians in the twentieth century who were martyred? Many pastors and Christians in northern Nigeria, and in the middle east [eg. by ISIS], Asian countries etc. (Incidentally, they say that there were more Christian martyrs in the twentieth century than in all the other centuries combined.) When is martyrdom glorious? When the task of the martyred has been accomplished as it was with Jesus Who declared, "it is finished" as he hanged on the cross because He accomplished His mission for salvation of the world. When is it inglorious? I think when it is done before the individual completes his mission as Paul fought and finished the good fight. 

4.    Why do we tend to assume that miracles won't happen today? For me, I know miracles still happen as I have heard credible testimonies of healing and other happenings that were surely God's intervention in peoples lives.

5.    What would happen in your own local church if people began to get physically healed on a regular basis? Revival and harvest of new souls for the Lord. Who would it upset? Satan and his human agents What would result? Persecution of the church. How could we get our faith ready for such a happy event? By prayers like that by the Lord Jesus and prominent men of God who spent great time on their knees praying for revival/ new souls harvest for the Lord, and these came to past.

 

[AdventIlliniRx]

i don't support the Theology of Apostles living or existing past the original 12 which were Apostles chosen by Jesus Christ which the last one was Apostle Paul.  To suggest otherwise is taking a view that is extraneous to Scripture, which as a Protestant Christian who believe in "solo scriptora" Theology makes the Theology of Apostles living beyond the Apostle Paul and Apostle John gives credibility that is speculative.

 

[Irmela]

1. What kinds of situations face us today where all night prayer is appropriate? 

When people need to be chosen in positions of leadership, because many lives are affected by these. 

When there is a new job opportunity and the whole family will be uprouted because of this. 

Schools to be chosen for our children to attend. 

Direction to study in at a College or University. 

Pray about life partners or friends etc when this looms in our horizon be it for oneself, a child, a grandchild, a close friend etc, especially when there is uncertainty. 

Praying for healing or stopping of a pandemic etc 

 

 

[Irmela]

1. If there are full-fledged apostles today (and let's assume this for the sake of this question), who would be some of your nominees? Why would you nominate them?

I do not know the people that call themselves apostle this or that, so it would be hard to nominate. I do not really listen to the tele..... whatever they call it, often. What i have seen has almost scared me. If compared to how i understand Scripture it has not been a real parallel.

What I understand an Apostle to be, is one that would encourage others who came to Christ and where churches were planted and this person would then go from one place to the next teaching (sorting out where there are differences), guiding, encouraging etc. 

Reading about the missionaries that went out early last century, who planted churches and then went from one place to the next encouraging the new church bodies, I would say they had the apostolic mantle. 

[Irmela]

1. Why do you think most of the apostles were martyred? Can you think of any Christians in the twentieth century who were martyred? (Incidentally, they say that there were more Christian martyrs in the twentieth century than in all the other centuries combined.) When is martyrdom glorious? When is it inglorious?

They were bringing in a seemingly "wonderful, freeing, new thought" (faith in Jesus Christ) and it was setting people free from bondage to state and satan. Satan was mad and used his human pawns to try and stop the spreading of the message. The more that people were killed (martyred) for their faith, the more the msg spread and the more people latched on, as it were to this faith in Jesus Christ. 

Makes one think of a corn that is put in the ground and dies  ... before long that corn has sprung up new corn (much more than just one) 

Yes, the men who in 1956 attempted to contact the Auca tribe. (Through Gates of Splendour) Then also the many who gave their lives while not keeping quiet in Russia and China etc. 

[hanks]

1. What kinds of situations face us today where all night prayer is appropriate? (6:12)

Any major situation or decision should be grounded in prayer, and the current world-wide pandemic is such a situation and all-night prayer is not only appropriate but an urgent necessity.

[hanks]

2. If there are full-fledged apostles today (and let's assume this for the sake of this question), who would be some of your nominees? Why would you nominate them?

The true apostles, who God sends as an ambassador of Jesus Christ with a divine message, are normally the humble, the lowly, and the meek who have the power of God in them. My nominees would come from this group, and I feel that today there must be thousands if not hundreds of thousands, out there making a difference in this world of ours. But they never seek the limelight, but prefer for God to receive the glory. It would not be fair to mention only a few. Like the original 12 apostles they are busy turning the world upside down. Compare these with the false apostles who are so called Christian leaders, seeking the limelight and glorifying themselves, leading people astray with their false messages and teachings. They are normally motivated by their greed, ****, or power.

[hanks]

3. Why do you think most of the apostles were martyred? Can you think of any Christians in the twentieth century who were martyred? (Incidentally, they say that there were more Christian martyrs in the twentieth century than in all the other centuries combined.) When is martyrdom glorious? When is it inglorious?

They were martyred for their faith in Jesus Christ and the message they taught exposed the sinfulness of the world. Martyrdom is glorious when done for the glory of God. Once it is done in seeking one’s own glory it becomes inglorious.

[hanks]

4. Why do we tend to assume that miracles won't happen today?

I have read about and seen on TV, these fraudsters. This makes me suspicious of anyone claiming to do miracle healing. To me it is a big scam – robbing people that are in desperate situations. Of course, there are healings today, but these are done on a personal level by our Lord Jesus in answer to prayer.

[hanks]

5. What would happen in your own local church if people began to get physically healed on a regular basis? Who would it upset? What would result? How could we get our faith ready for such a happy event?

Recently we had a self-proclaimed prophet who claimed to do miracle healing, in our country. He was so popular and to accommodate the crowds, they had to use a stadium that was used in the Football World Cup 2010, South Africa – with a capacity of over 94000! I don’t know about any healings. He was however arrested for money laundering and managed to escape to Malawi, his home country. This gives me an idea of the response we would have. Our small local church would never be able to cope with the masses of people that would be attending. The result would be chaos. But of course, with Jesus anything is possible!

[Irmela]

4. Why do we assume that miracles won't happen today? 

They do happen. I know of many genuine miracles. 

[kreilly]

What kinds of situations face us today where all night prayer is

appropriate?

 

Our church hosted a 24-hour prayer event this past summer to pray about Covid, civil unrest, racism, and revival.  I also participated in a 24-hour prayer event by another church that was specific to Covid early on in the pandemic.  We tend to spend all night in prayer when something affects us personally in a negative way.  However, if you look at Jesus, He spends all night in prayer for the church and for God's guidance.  How different He is than us!  We need to try to be more like Him!

Can you think of any Christians in the twentieth century who were martyred? (Incidentally, they say that there were more Christian martyrs in the twentieth century than in all the other centuries combined.) When is martyrdom glorious? When is it inglorious?

There are many Christian martyred every day in the twentieth century.  I get a newsletter from Voice of the Martyrs that shares their stories.  You can look it up online.  Open Doors is another group that shares information about Christian martyrs.  Martyrdom is glorious when it is borne out of love.  It is inglorious if it is borne out of any other motive.  1Cor 13:3

Why do we tend to assume that miracles won't happen today?

I think we are trained from a young age to put our trust in science and medicine rather than God for healing.  That makes it hard for us to believe in miracles and then we look for other explanations.  We have to constantly remind ourselves that God is all-powerful and can do anything.  However, His glory is what we need to be seeking at all times not just a long and comfortable life for ourselves and our families.  

[Bailey]

1. Bailey 4/26/21 Greetings    what kinds of situations face us today where all night prayer is appropriate?  With the virus taking the lives of thousands of  people, citizens turning into mob violence thinking it will resolve their problems, people out of work, the government fighting among themselves, the displays of hatred among the various races, the battled at the border, the government violating the constitution and laws of the Bible by voting against  the Bible and endorsing all sorts of wrong.  The church not taking a stand against these issues/wrongs.  People are going without food and unable to pay for it.  
2. Why do we tend to assume that miracles won't happen today?  Given so much hatred and malice in the world that we live in, without prayer and some divine intervention it will take a miracle.  World Peace is much needed , calling on the Lord to heal the land, we must humble ourselves and seek his forgiveness.  Then we may receive a miracle. 

[Old Jerry]

What kinds of situations face us today where all night prayer is appropriate? (6:12)

 

A. When we are making a major decision like who to marry or whether to have children and even what church we should be associated with.

 

If there are full-fledged apostles today (and let's assume this for the sake of this question), who would be some of your nominees? Why would you nominate them?

 

A. I think that my pastor would be one of them. We can count on him to preach the bible at every service. The pastor of the Baptist church in Dallas, TX who seem to always be on the front line trying to lead people to Jesus.

 

Why do you think most of the apostles were martyred? Can you think of any Christians in the twentieth century who were martyred? (Incidentally, they say that there were more Christian martyrs in the twentieth century than in all the other centuries combined.) When is martyrdom glorious? When is it inglorious?

 

I think that apostles were martyred because they were spreading the truth and the world can’t stand to hear the truth. I think that those Christians that were martyred by having their heads cut off because they wouldn’t reject Christ.

 

Why do we tend to assume that miracles won't happen today?

 

I don’t assure that miracles don’t happen today. I see miracles happening all the time. We may not want to call them miracles but they still are like people being healed to the death bed.

 

What would happen in your own local church if people began to get physically healed on a regular basis? Who would it upset? What would result? How could we get our faith ready for such a happy event?

 

I think that if people in my church began to get physical healed on a regular bases the church would grow so fast that we wouldn’t keep up with it.

[Nana Karlsson]

There are different kinds of situations globaly that will make all night prayers appropriate, for example persecution of Christians,  global pandemic, political unrest,etc, etc.

I think the reason why we tend to assume that miracles won't happen today is first of all people limit the God that we serve. Secondly they do not believe miracle is for modern day christianity.They believe in medical doctors, science and technology more than the supernatural healing power of God.

[Godswriter]

1.    What kinds of situations face us today where all night prayer is appropriate? (6:12) Addictions, divorce situations, suicidal ideations, homelessness, and anything else could be overcome by Christ 

2.    If there are full-fledged apostles today (and let's assume this for the sake of this question), who would be some of your nominees? Some of the people in my ministry who have worked real hard to make it what it is today

3.    Why do you think most of the apostles were martyred? Because of the fact that they were hated by the world like the Lord said they would be. 

4.    Why do we tend to assume that miracles won't happen today? Because we believe that the miracles have ceased to occur since the apostes are no longer here

5.    What would happen in your own local church if people began to get physically healed on a regular basis? There would ber more repentance, deepr worship, more reverence and bigger overflow of the Spirit of the Lord. 

 

[pickledilly]

1. What kinds of situations face us today where all night prayer is appropriate? (6:12)

   Of course, the vast variety of disasters and troubles and major decisions in this world and our personal lives are worthy of this kind of intense prayer.  Jesus' example here specifically reflects His determination to seek the Father's will in selecting the leaders that would take the Gospel to the world.  The primary similar situation I think of in our day is selection of deacons. Some denominations like the one I grew up in ask the congregation for nominations, and unless there was some glaring reason to eliminate a candidate the names were all presented for a vote by the church. While I understand the desire for input from the people, I am certain that their votes on the whole were not bathed in earnest prayer like we see in Jesus’ example. And I certainly have to realize and confess that I never sought the Lord's leading back then the way Jesus did.  The church I belong to now selects deacons differently, with a structure that is not subject to an open vote by the membership, and I have every reason to believe it is based much more on careful prayer.

[Lottie]

1.What kinds of situations face us today where all night prayer is appropriate? (6:12) I think one where a person's life is in danger, or they are their life is hanging in the balance. From either an accident or illness or tragedy. Other times we might pray for young people who have left the home or are missing. Or maybe for times when tragedy hits a town either weather wise or through people.

 

2.If there are full-fledged apostles today (and let's assume this for the sake of this question), who would be some of your nominees? Why would you nominate them? I think of Mother Teresa in India. She spent her life helping others.

 

3.Why do you think most of the apostles were martyred? I think because the people did not want to hear about Jesus. They were evil and wanted to rule their own lives and hated God as well. Can you think of any Christians in the twentieth century who were martyred? (Incidentally, they say that there were more Christian martyrs in the twentieth century than in all the other centuries combined.) I can think of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Luther King and Jim Elliot. When is martyrdom glorious? When one is doing it for the glory of God and not self. When is it inglorious?

It is inglorious when other members of cults and religions blow themselves up or kill themselves for the sake of their beliefs and also end up killing others as well.

 

4.Why do we tend to assume that miracles won't happen today? Because we think that it is past the age for miracles. That they happened years ago and we'd rather rely on doctors for a cure for our ailments and diseases. We no longer have faith in miracles anymore.

 

5.What would happen in your own local church if people began to get physically healed on a regular basis? Who would it upset? What would result? How could we get our faith ready for such a happy event? I think people would be shocked. It might upset some who don't believe God heals anymore or thinks it is fake. It might bring unbelievers to God and bond families together more. It might make the church stronger and help us reach out to others. I think we would need to pray more and listen to what God wants us to do. We would have to cast aside our preconceived notions about healing and follow Him. We would have to learn to get along better with other members in order for it to happen. And invite all people in not just the rich or good looking but the poor, destitute, downtrodden ones and the homeless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[George L]

1. What kinds of situations face us today where all night prayer is appropriate? (6:12) Major decisions and crisis situations for others.
2. If there are full-fledged apostles today (and let's assume this for the sake of this question), who would be some of your nominees? Why would you nominate them? Apostle is a certain area of gifting. Prophetic insight, discernment, apt to teach. Able to establish and or build up a minister or church. Correct drift from true gospel doctrine as Paul did in his letters and travels. I have not seen apostolic minister, evangelism and many who teach and travel. But arrive to build a work for some time, them move to the next. Have not become aware of any yet.  
3. Why do you think most of the apostles were martyred? The world and religion hate ruval power to theirvpolitics and public acclaim. Can you think of any Christians in the twentieth century who were martyred? (Incidentally, they say that there were more Christian martyrs in the twentieth century than in all the other centuries combined.) Many in foreign lands where eastern religions prevail.  When is martyrdom glorious? When is it inglorious? I will not judge that. Historic glory is when the death by a loving apostle causes salvations and turns the hearts of the perpetrators. Inglorious may be when one goes off on his or hervown initiative notblead by the holy spirit.bDeath with no positive result for the kingdom.
4. Why do we tend to assume that miracles won't happen today? Many people have not seem one to believe. Scripture lines up the good news was preached and confirmed with signs and wonders following. I am one medically. I am not satisfied with our church family’s success rate. In prayer the answer was “More Jesus”. Our problem, we have lost our foundation, Crisp and him crucified.  
5. What would happen in your own local church if people began to get physically healed on a regular basis? They do. Who would it upset? I am sure there are critics of the full gospel approach. What would result? There are always critics. The doubters, critics, nay sayers can have their little cliques. God’s work will succeed without them. Rebellious sheep and goats should be sent on their way, they are in rebellion to God. How could we get our faith ready for such a happy event? God sent me to this church to pray. God wants to raise the power level of anointing, power their evangelistic outreach. Begin to polish the skills of our young gifted. It shall come to to pass if we allow the refining power of the Un-compromised word and allowing the holy spirit guidance in what must go and what to learn.