http://www.pastordanwalker.org Truth from Life Church St Louis Thu, 08 Dec 2011 23:02:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 Truth from Life Church St Louis Pastor Dan's Blog no Truth from Life Church St Louis http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://www.pastordanwalker.org http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/03/designed-to-shine.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/03/designed-to-shine.htm#comments Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:51:47 +0000 Pastor Dan http://www.pastordanwalker.org/?p=526

Finding Courage To Shine

Understanding the Darkness

What’s My Mission in Life?

]]> http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2010/03/designed-to-shine.htm/feed 0 current events,outreach Light is needed in dark places and the world today is a dark place. The Bible teaches that there are two kingdoms in conflict, the kingdom of light, God’s Kingdom and the kingdom of darkness, Satan’s kingdom. (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/100307.jpg)Light is needed in dark places and the world today is a dark place. The Bible teaches that there are two kingdoms in conflict, the kingdom of light, God’s Kingdom and the kingdom of darkness, Satan’s kingdom. The results of the kingdom of darkness are violence, death, sickness and sin of all kinds. We see the kingdom of darkness in action in the news all the time. This past week, the news headlines have shown: an earthquake in Chile, shootings, suicide bombings, violence, high unemployment, political fighting and so on. You might say that the news media is not a true barometer of what is going on in the world. I think there’s a certain amount of truth to that – seems like the only news fit for print is the bad news. However, you have to admit that everything is not right in our world – there is a lot of darkness, there is a lot of evil. It’s also in St Louis, Here’s local headlines: man shot to death in East St. Louis parking lot, officials point fingers in abuse case, video gambling puts Illinois governor on the spot. Looks like we’ve got plenty of problems, plenty of darkness right here in St Louis. Just because the world is a dark place, I don’t think that we need to throw up our hands and say that life is hopeless. I don’t think that we need to get down or depressed about the darkness. God wants us to live brightly in our dark world, He wants us to let our lights shine. He doesn’t want believers overwhelmed by the darkness. NIV Philippians 2:14-15 Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. In a dark world, a lot of people go around complaining about the darkness. In a dark world, a lot of people argue with others about their behaviors. God’s Word tells us that complaining and arguing don’t help at all, we shouldn’t do either. In fact, to complain or argue puts you right back into the darkness. But there’s a better way, a way to live a blameless and pure life, to shine like stars in a dark world. My message today is entitled “Designed To Shine.” It is no accident that you and I are living in 2010 in a dark world. God designed you to live in such a time of this. So no complaining or arguing. In this series, we’re going to look at a book in the Old Testament called Esther. If you’ve never read it before or not recently, I’d encourage you to read it this week. It’s only 10 chapters long. The book is about a young Jewish girl named Esther who was living in a dark world. Esther was part of the exiled nation of Israel living in captivity in Persia during the reign of King Xerxes between 486 and 465 BC. The story begins with King Xerxes throwing a royal banquet that lasted for 180 days, showcasing the enormous wealth and splendor of the kingdom. Near the end of the banquet, the King sent for Queen Vashti to parade her beauty before the guests, but she refused to come. Needless to say, she was removed from her position of queen and that’s where our story of Esther begins. The first lesson we can learn about bright living in a dark world is ... Listen to my March 7, 2010 message "Designed To Shine" ( (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/100103-message-notes.pdf)message-notes (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/100307-message-notes.pdf)). Pastor Dan's Blog no http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2008/11/hope-for-americas-future.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2008/11/hope-for-americas-future.htm#comments Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:14:00 +0000 Pastor Dan http://192.168.1.105/wordpress/?p=4

Can I Find A Lasting Hope?

Discover Hope For Your Life

Jesus Brings Hope

]]> http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2008/11/hope-for-americas-future.htm/feed 2 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2008/10/evil-of-proposition-and-gambling.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2008/10/evil-of-proposition-and-gambling.htm#comments Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:52:00 +0000 Pastor Dan http://192.168.1.105/wordpress/?p=6 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2008/10/evil-of-proposition-and-gambling.htm/feed 1 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2008/01/importance-of-character-in-leadership.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2008/01/importance-of-character-in-leadership.htm#comments Thu, 17 Jan 2008 01:10:00 +0000 Pastor Dan http://192.168.1.105/wordpress/?p=17

Follow The Leader

Character Qualities of a Disciple of Jesus

A Father’s Importance For A Child’s Spirituality

]]> http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2008/01/importance-of-character-in-leadership.htm/feed 3 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2007/04/lessons-from-virginia-tech-massacre.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2007/04/lessons-from-virginia-tech-massacre.htm#comments Fri, 20 Apr 2007 00:21:00 +0000 Pastor Dan http://192.168.1.105/wordpress/?p=54 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2007/04/lessons-from-virginia-tech-massacre.htm/feed 0 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2007/02/lost-tomb-of-jesus.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2007/02/lost-tomb-of-jesus.htm#comments Wed, 28 Feb 2007 15:32:00 +0000 Pastor Dan http://192.168.1.105/wordpress/?p=62

Why The Resurrection Matters

Who Is Jesus?

]]> http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2007/02/lost-tomb-of-jesus.htm/feed 2 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2006/05/laughing-at-da-vinci-code.htm http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2006/05/laughing-at-da-vinci-code.htm#comments Mon, 22 May 2006 15:19:00 +0000 Pastor Dan http://192.168.1.105/wordpress/?p=101 http://www.pastordanwalker.org/2006/05/laughing-at-da-vinci-code.htm/feed 0 current events This weekend the Da Vinci Code movie was released. It is based on the best-selling book by author Dan Brown which was first published in 2003. The book has sold over 40 million copies and will probably end up as the best-selling novel of all time. (http://www.pastordanwalker.org/uploaded_images/060521.jpg)This weekend the Da Vinci Code movie was released. It is based on the best-selling book by author Dan Brown which was first published in 2003. The book has sold over 40 million copies and will probably end up as the best-selling novel of all time. So why is the book so popular? Why am I talking about it in a Sunday morning message? What's it all about? The novel is so popular because it is not just a spell-binding novel, it presents itself as much more than fiction. The first word that one encounters in the book is the word "FACT". Later on author Brown writes, "All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents and secret rituals in this novel are accurate." The reason I'm talking about it on Sunday morning is that the theories spoken by the most educated characters in the novel call into question the basic elements of the Christian faith and a lot of people are taking these theories seriously. NIV Colossians 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. I don't want you taken captive or your faith shaken by the philosophy behind the Da Vinci Code. I also want each of us to be able to discuss these issues intelligently with others who may find the arguments compelling.What is the book all about? Sorry if you haven't read it yet or seen the film but here it is in a nutshell, blockbuster secret included. The story begins with the murder of the curator of the French Louvre Art Museum. The curator was also the head of a secret Catholic society called the Priory of Sion. The Priory of Sion guards a secret that if made public would destroy Christianity. Before he died, the curator tries to leave clues to pass on this secret to his granddaughter Sophie and Harvard professor Robert Langdon. The novel is about Langdon's search to discover the secret, which is the location and identity of the Holy Grail. The Holy Grail is not the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper but, and here is the blockbuster secret, The Holy Grail is Mary Magadalene. She supposedly was the wife of Jesus and bore him a child. The Priory of Sion is still guarding this secret and Jesus' bloodline continues to this day.How should we as believers respond to such a tale? A lot of Christians are getting all bent out of shape over it, but I just laughed. What a bizarre story. God laughs too. He laughs at every attempt of someone to cast aside His truth. NIV Psalm 2:1-4 Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One. "Let us break their chains," they say, "and throw off their fetters." The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them. Dan Brown takes his "novel" very seriously and wants to influence the world to his way of thinking. Don’t think just because a movie or book is fiction that the author doesn’t have an agenda. There is a diabolical agenda behind The Da Vinci Code. However, first of all today we just need to laugh at the big secret and at all the strange fictions that the book portrays as fact.To introduce the rest of my message today, I'd like us to watch a short video called "The Conspiracy Game (http://www.lifechurchstlouis.org/davinci.htm)." The Conspiracy Game is a satire of Dan Brown's book in the form of a game show. Each of the three contestants on the game show represents some of the fictional theories that are presented as truth in the book. The game show host is meant to satirize Dan Brown who collected all these conspiracy theories for his book. Now let's go into a little more detail about some of the fictions presented in the book and movie that challenge our Christian beliefs. We'll look at the facts from the Bible and church history so that you can be informed and help others find the truth. Pastor Dan's Blog no