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<title>My RSS Feed</title><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/index.html</link><description>Explore the Bible</description><dc:language>en</dc:language><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><dc:rights>Copyright 2010 Johnnie Byrd</dc:rights><dc:date>2011-09-01T16:38:10-04:00</dc:date><admin:generatorAgent rdf:resource="http://www.realmacsoftware.com/" />
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<lastBuildDate>Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:50:00 -0400</lastBuildDate><atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/explorethebible" /><feedburner:info xmlns:feedburner="http://rssnamespace.org/feedburner/ext/1.0" uri="explorethebible" /><atom10:link xmlns:atom10="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" rel="hub" href="http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/" /><media:copyright>Copyright 2010 Johnnie Byrd</media:copyright><itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit><itunes:subtitle>Explore the Bible</itunes:subtitle><item><title>Our 50th Anniversary: The Lord and Me, That Is</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Christian Living</category><category>Ecclesiology</category><dc:date>2011-09-01T16:38:10-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/our_50th_anniversary.php#unique-entry-id-62</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/our_50th_anniversary.php#unique-entry-id-62</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I had a fist fight with Robert Crenshaw after school one day for no apparent reason other than being egged on by some other passing boys, for which I was immediately, and have been permanently, remorseful and heartbroken and deeply disturbed at how I could have ever engaged in something like with anyone, much less a close friend. 

...One Sunday morning while I was killing time waiting for my sisters to get ready and make us late, I took my trusty Franklin pellet gun out in the back yard, and, I can hardly believe this now, almost as if in an out-of-body experience, I shot a Mocking Bird! 

...In the summer of 1961 there was a revival at church and being on the &lsquo;outs&rsquo; with my usual pew mates I actually listened to the sermon, possibly for the first time in my young life. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Unrestrained Passion</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Jeremiah</category><dc:date>2011-06-11T11:28:02-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/unretrained_passion.php#unique-entry-id-61</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/unretrained_passion.php#unique-entry-id-61</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Jeremiah reminds his listeners of how good it was when they were close to God, even in their desert wanderings God provided and protected them from all harm, eventually leading them into the Promise Land which flowed with milk and honey. 

...There was a time when America was unquestionably a &ldquo;Christian Nation&rdquo; but the advent of unprecedented individual wealth in the post-World War II era paved the way for Americans to forget God&rsquo;s grace in the pulpit and pursue the idolatry of full blown cultural relativism in its legal and educational institutions. 

...The &lsquo;living water&rsquo; that God spoke of in Jeremiah 2:13 is now available through belief in Jesus if we only have F.A.I.T.H.  which means that Forgiveness is Available, but not Automatic, because it is Impossible to have eternal life without Turning or repenting from our sin and self and turning to someone wonderful &ndash; Jesus &ndash; whereby we have Heaven? ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Jeremiah: Being Set Apart</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Jeremiah</category><dc:date>2011-06-03T21:56:02-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/jeremiah_being_set_apart.php#unique-entry-id-60</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/jeremiah_being_set_apart.php#unique-entry-id-60</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Well, it seems that Chris had the audacity to &lsquo;call out&rsquo; Republican State Senator Malcolm Beard for switching his vote and joining in the passage of a redistricting plan created by his former Democrat friends, thus setting back Republican chances to take over the legislature in 1992. ...  As punishment for his courage to speak out and put the spot light on the turn-coat Senator, the Democrats in the State Senate erased Chris Corr&rsquo;s entire House district from the new map created for the 1992 elections &ndash; in essence, Chris&rsquo; district disappeared; it vaporized. 

...The next time you see a courageous Christian going up against the seemingly overwhelming odds of American secular culture, stop and reflect on how God is willing to equip, protect and rescue you, too, so that you, too, can stand as a &lsquo;fortified city&rsquo; or &lsquo;iron pillar&rsquo; or &lsquo;bronze wall&rsquo; in the fight for the spiritual future of &lsquo;the nations&rsquo;, including America.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Art of Persuasion: Philemon</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Philemon</category><dc:date>2011-05-27T12:40:18-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/art_of_persuasion_philemon.php#unique-entry-id-59</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/art_of_persuasion_philemon.php#unique-entry-id-59</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Whether it is a group of constituents asking their legislator for help, or a lobbyist attempting to convince a legislator of the righteousness of a client&rsquo;s cause, or a legislator persuading a fellow member to vote a certain way, the art of persuasion is refined on a daily basis in our state and national capitols.

...It is presumed that Paul and Onesimus came to the decision over time that Onesimus had a moral duty to make things right with his owner, Philemon, who happened to be a leading member of the Christian church in Colossae. 

...Paul signed the letter as you or I would sign a promissory note at the bank, thus showing that he meant to be bound by his assumption of the debt just as Christ&rsquo;s death on the cross was proof of His assumption of our sin-debt so that our &lsquo;account&rsquo; will be marked &lsquo;paid in full&rsquo; when we stand before God. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Be Gracious</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Colossians</category><dc:date>2011-05-20T08:27:00-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/be_gracious.php#unique-entry-id-58</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/be_gracious.php#unique-entry-id-58</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[3 At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the message, to speak the mystery of the Messiah &mdash;for which I am in prison &mdash; 4 so that I may reveal it as I am required to speak. 

...It had to make an impression on the Colossians, who were living in the free world, that even while in prison Paul was praying for a &lsquo;door to open&rsquo; so that he could tell the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

...Pray, walk in wisdom, make the most of your time with nonbelievers, be gracious, be interesting in your Gospel presentation and the Holy Spirit will take it from there!
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>You Are What You Wear</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Colossians</category><category>Christian Living</category><dc:date>2011-05-13T00:05:24-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/you_are_what_you_wear.php#unique-entry-id-57</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/you_are_what_you_wear.php#unique-entry-id-57</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Of course, as an attorney, it wasn&rsquo;t much of a change for me to wear a suit and tie all the time, and like Abe Lincoln, I had to get rid of some of my old clothing and dress for success. 

...5 You must put to death, then, the earthly desires at work in you, such as sexual immorality, indecency, lust, evil passions, and greed (for greed is a form of idolatry).6 Because of such things God's anger will come upon those who do not obey him. 

...12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Jesus, You Complete Me!</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Colossians</category><dc:date>2011-05-07T09:55:45-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/you_complete_me.php#unique-entry-id-56</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/you_complete_me.php#unique-entry-id-56</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[8 See to it, then, that no one enslaves you by means of the worthless deceit of human wisdom, which comes from the teachings handed down by human beings and from the ruling spirits of the universe, and not from Christ.9 For the full content of divine nature lives in Christ, in his humanity,10 and you have been given full life in union with him. 

...When you look at the picture of the Cross from that perspective it brings it home &ndash; we should be eternally grateful for a God who loved us so much that He gave His one and only son so that we would not perish, but have eternal life in Heaven with Him.


...16 So let no one make rules about what you eat or drink or about holy days or the New Moon Festival or the Sabbath.17 All such things are only a shadow of things in the future; the reality is Christ.18 Do not allow yourselves to be condemned by anyone who claims to be superior because of special visions and who insists on false humility and the worship of angels. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Why Are You Crying? It's Easter!</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Easter</category><dc:date>2011-04-23T20:00:21-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/why_are_you_crying.php#unique-entry-id-55</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/why_are_you_crying.php#unique-entry-id-55</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Every politician has a box mementos filled with unused campaign literature, hats, t-shirts, buttons and door-hangers; letters and notes from various dignitaries, including pictures with the President and lesser known political 'big wigs'; at least 10 plaques naming you as 'Legislator of the Year' for every year served; and most of all, tons of yellowing newspaper clippings. 

...It was my hometown paper, the Brewton Standard, from 1984 containing a front-page, above-the-fold article about a million-dollar jury verdict that I obtained for a local widow in a wrongful death case. 

...From Esau&rsquo;s loud and bitter cry at his disinheritance, to Joseph&rsquo;s being overcome to tears at the sight of his brother, to Hannah&rsquo;s pouring out of her tears despair to God, to David&rsquo;s weeping over the kidnapping of his family, to Peter&rsquo;s bitter weeping when his eye&rsquo;s met Jesus gaze at hearing the cock&rsquo;s third crow, to Mary&rsquo;s broken heart for the man who&rsquo;s feet she washed with her tears of joy for her liberation from sin, the Bible documents the range of human emotion.  
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Stay Grounded, Brothers &amp; Sisters!</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Colossians</category><category>Christian Growth</category><dc:date>2011-04-16T14:52:24-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/stay_grounded_in_your_core_beliefs.php#unique-entry-id-54</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/stay_grounded_in_your_core_beliefs.php#unique-entry-id-54</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, 10 so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing [to Him], bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God. 

...22 But now He has reconciled you by His physical body through His death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before Him. 23 if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith, and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. 


...As a Christian if you get the feeling that some faction or gaggle in your church or Sunday school department profess to be closer to God or in possession of some higher order knowledge of what it means to be a &lsquo;true&rsquo; Christian&ndash; run for the foot of the cross! ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Press and the Power of Pessimism (or Optimism is Overrated)</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Philippians</category><category>Christian Growth</category><category>Christian Virtue</category><dc:date>2011-04-09T13:37:51-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/power_of_pessimism.php#unique-entry-id-53</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/power_of_pessimism.php#unique-entry-id-53</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[	&bull;	Lovely - For the term &lsquo;lovely&rsquo; Paul used the Greek word &lsquo;prosphilḗs&rsquo; which means worthy of personal affection; that is, something or someone who is worth the effort to have and embrace. 

...Knowing the life experiences of Peter and Paul and how both of them, like you and me, fell short of the Glory of God, I praise our God who forgives us when we decide to turn from sin and self and trust the Lord Jesus.   I can&rsquo;t imagine the broken hearts of Peter and Paul as they considered how they had let Jesus down, but I can understand the joy of knowing that all is forgiven and having a renewed desire to share that Good News.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Future: It's Priceless</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Philippians</category><category>Christian Growth</category><dc:date>2011-04-02T11:49:37-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/the_future_its_priceless.php#unique-entry-id-52</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/the_future_its_priceless.php#unique-entry-id-52</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[When a person turns from sin and self to trust in Christ Jesus there remains the human need to put our past life into a &lsquo;box&rsquo;, that is to deal with the guilt when we are able to see our past for what it was &ndash; sinful and self-centered. 

...You may not have attained your life goals in your marriage, business, family, politics, community or church because of a mistake or wrong turn along the way, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean you cannot dream and work for a better future, if not for yourself, at least for those you love.


...13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>To Will and To Do His Good Pleasure</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Philippians</category><category>Christian Growth</category><dc:date>2011-03-27T09:40:30-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/to_will_and_to_do.php#unique-entry-id-51</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/to_will_and_to_do.php#unique-entry-id-51</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I believe the better way is for government to simply get out of the way of the forces of &lsquo;compassionate conservatism&rsquo; - inspired and caring individuals working through their churches and charitable organizations whose purpose in life is to help others through the potent resources of faith, family and friends. 

...Yet, no matter how our faith makes itself manifest we should go about our works for Christ with fear and trembling, that is, the reverence we would have if we found ourselves in the presence of God. 

...If you are in a reading mood, try on Ohio Governor John Kasich&rsquo;s book &lsquo;Courage is Contagious: Ordinary People Doing Extraordinary Things&rsquo;  Each chapter in Kasich&rsquo;s book documents a community or faith based organization and how one person made a difference and changed the people around them. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Are You Bringing Honor to Christ?</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Philippians</category><category>Christian Growth</category><category>Christian Living</category><dc:date>2011-03-18T20:15:51-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/bringing_honor_to_christ.php#unique-entry-id-50</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/bringing_honor_to_christ.php#unique-entry-id-50</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[One notable example was when the trial lawyers with the aid of their friends in the Florida Legislature slipped a last minute, late hour provision into a bill that stripped tobacco companies of many of their rights, thus setting the stage for all of the tobacco litigation.

...The Florida constitution&rsquo;s &lsquo;three-day rule&rsquo; only applied to the appropriations bills, not ordinary bills, and over the years the state senate developed a pattern of holding thousands of pages of legislation until last day of the legislative session only to send these voluminous bills down to the House for last minute approval. 

...When I was elected Speaker of the House in 2002, I finally had the opportunity to re-write the House rules and prohibit a vote on all last minute bills sent to the House from the Senate unless the House members had at least two days to review the bill. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Motivation</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Christian Living</category><category>Motivation</category><category>Bible Study</category><category>Philippians</category><dc:date>2011-03-11T13:17:01-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/motivation.php#unique-entry-id-49</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/motivation.php#unique-entry-id-49</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[As we continue our study of Paul&rsquo;s letter to the Philippians, Paul describes his house arrest in Rome and how it served to advance, not deter, the spread of the Gospel. 


As Paul describes his conditions while under house arrest in Rome, he alerts his readers to the fact that some evangelists of that day were believers, and others were deceivers, but the message of Christ was proclaimed in any event. 

...We know that in every Christian group there are those people who serve out of goodwill and those who are going through the motions for recognition, power, self-aggrandizment, financial gain or other motives that are anything but Christ-centered. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Keep the Faith, Baby! Philippians 1</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Philippians</category><category>Christian Growth</category><dc:date>2011-03-04T09:35:13-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/keep_the_faith_baby_philippians.php#unique-entry-id-48</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/keep_the_faith_baby_philippians.php#unique-entry-id-48</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Over the course of my tenure we had such notable free-market thinkers as Steve Moore from the Club for Growth, Grover Norquist from the Americans for Tax Reform, Arthur Laffer noted for the &lsquo;Laffer Curve&rsquo; (tax cuts increase, not reduce government tax collections and &lsquo;supply-side&rsquo; economics), and many other respected Republican leaders and representative of conservative think tanks.


...9And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, 10so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; 11having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God. 

...We need to have a &lsquo;heart&rsquo; for our fellow Christians and do our part to make sure that new Christians develop their understanding or the word and how to apply it wisely - until the day of Christ. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>So Judah Went Into Captivity</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Second Kings</category><category>2 Kings</category><dc:date>2011-02-25T21:30:31-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/so_judah_went_into_captivity.php#unique-entry-id-47</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/so_judah_went_into_captivity.php#unique-entry-id-47</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[As a result God allowed the Assyrians to conquer and disperse the people of the northern kingdom; however, God withheld his judgment on the southern kingdom of Judah whose capital was Jerusalem.    In spite of their being several good Kings in Judah who led the people to religious revival at one time or another, evil eventually prevailed over good in the southern kingdom as well.  

...Although it is distressing to read of the physical sacking of the temple, it is even more distressing to read how the Babylonians killed Seraiah the chief priest, his assistant priest and the other temple workers.  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What Moves You? Fear?</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>2 Kings</category><category>Leadership</category><dc:date>2011-02-19T12:51:15-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/what_moves_you_fear.php#unique-entry-id-46</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/what_moves_you_fear.php#unique-entry-id-46</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[4 It may be that the LORD your God will hear all the words of the field commander, whom his master, the king of Assyria, has sent to ridicule the living God, and that he will rebuke him for the words the LORD your God has heard. 

... 5 When King Hezekiah&rsquo;s officials came to Isaiah, 6 Isaiah said to them, &ldquo;Tell your master, &lsquo;This is what the LORD says: Do not be afraid of what you have heard&mdash;those words with which the underlings of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. 

...From the accounts of President Obama giving nuclear secrets to Russia, to President Clinton&rsquo;s giving hi-tech secrets to China, to our present Congress and their short-sighted refusal to address entitlement programs we cannot afford which threaten to destroy our economy, to the accepted short-range approach to problem-solving in state capitols across the nation, Hezekiah&rsquo;s sentiment typifies the outlook of political leaders for thousands of years. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Have a Nice Day of Reckoning</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>2 Kings</category><category>Israel </category><dc:date>2011-02-12T15:10:20-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/have_%20a_nice_day_of_reckoning.php#unique-entry-id-45</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/have_%20a_nice_day_of_reckoning.php#unique-entry-id-45</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[4 But the king of Assyria discovered that Hoshea was a traitor, for he had sent envoys to So[a] king of Egypt, and he no longer paid tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. 

...Today, because of God&rsquo;s decision to provide His son as our savior, we are in a different paradigm; we have been bought with a price; and for those who believe, we are redeemed by the blood of &lsquo;the lamb of God&rsquo; and reconciled to God through Jesus. 


...&nbsp;25 I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Unbridled Passion</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>2 Kings</category><category>Passion</category><category>Old Testament</category><dc:date>2011-02-03T22:15:04-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/unbridled_passion.php#unique-entry-id-44</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/unbridled_passion.php#unique-entry-id-44</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Now, Jehu possessed a chilling fusion of the qualities of reckless abandon, ambition and a remarkable thirst for blood that would sustain him in his quest to eradicate once and for all the household of Ahab and Jezebel, as well as the worship of the pagan god Baal. 

...In sum, Jehu&rsquo;s means to the end of cleansing Israel of the pagan god Baal and its proponents was accomplished, but as always Jehu&rsquo;s unchecked passion led to his falling back into another form of idol worship in short order.

...In his essay entitled &lsquo;Abortion and the Conscience of the Nation&rsquo;, As President Reagan wrote, &ldquo;Abraham Lincoln recognized that we could not survive as a free land when some men could decide that others were not fit to be free and should therefore be slaves. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Compassionate Character of God</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>2 Kings</category><category>God's Character</category><dc:date>2011-01-28T00:24:03-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/compassionate_character_of_god.php#unique-entry-id-43</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/compassionate_character_of_god.php#unique-entry-id-43</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[As my senior law partner had taught me years earlier, whatever they were advocating for was the most important thing in the world to them at that moment &ndash; I tried to make it mine, too.


...I looked at an older woman who looked like the leader of the group and said, &ldquo;Ma&rsquo;am, I am going to put you in touch with the state representative who represents you so that he or she can work on your issue. 

...Perhaps the most profound picture of God&rsquo;s compassion is embodied in Jesus&rsquo; parable of the prodigal son: &ldquo;But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Elisha: Grace and Greed</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>God's Character</category><category>2 Kings</category><category>Old Testament</category><dc:date>2011-01-20T21:36:35-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/elisha_grace_greed.php#unique-entry-id-42</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/elisha_grace_greed.php#unique-entry-id-42</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[If I went along with this deal, not only would a very bad gambling bill pass, but the Senate would tell the press that I was a hypocrite on my anti-gambling stand, selling out my anti-gambling principles for Alzheimer&rsquo;s money. 


...A compelling story of grace and greed is told in 2 Kings 5:1-27 which relates how God&rsquo;s gracious healing of Naaman, an foreign army commander, exemplifies the free gift of salvation God provides to those who humble themselves, the only quid pro quo being to trust Him. 


...What I would give to have seen the tears of joy in Naaman&rsquo;s eyes and heard Naaman&rsquo;s spontaneous cry that, &ldquo;Now I know that there is no God in all the world except in Israel!&rdquo; 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Sanctity of Life Sunday - King Josiah's Revival</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>2 Kings</category><dc:date>2011-01-13T22:32:11-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/sanctity_of_life_sunday_king_josiah.php#unique-entry-id-41</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/sanctity_of_life_sunday_king_josiah.php#unique-entry-id-41</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The biblical view of life is a core value that has led Christians throughout the centuries to establish hospitals and leper colonies; to create soup kitchens and poverty relief programs; to lobby for the passing of child-labor laws and abuse hot lines; to work to outlaw slavery; and, more recently, to become advocates for children in the womb by taking a stand against abortion and by providing care as well as adoption services for those who may be considering an abortion. 

...The ensuing clash between the courts, the governor and the legislature over end-of-life issues brought about by the euthanasia of Terri Schiavo is well-documented history ( just Google her name), but the real life-lesson I learned from the Schiavo case is found in the age-old question: Under what circumstances and what conditions will a person step forward to protect the sanctity of human life?


... 7 He took the carved Asherah pole he had made and put it in the temple, of which the LORD had said to David and to his son Solomon, &ldquo;In this temple and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my Name forever. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Elijah's Agony and Ecstasy</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>1 Kings</category><category>Biblical Principles</category><category>God's Power</category><category>God's Character</category><category>God's Plan</category><dc:date>2011-01-07T17:08:28-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/elijah_agony_ecstasy.php#unique-entry-id-40</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/elijah_agony_ecstasy.php#unique-entry-id-40</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Whether it was whom they were going to vote for to become Speaker or how they were going to vote on a bill or amendment, it was just exasperating to deal with a &lsquo;weak kneed&rsquo; and often &lsquo;two-faced&rsquo; Member. 

...36 At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: &ldquo;LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. 

...2 So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, &ldquo;May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.&rdquo;
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Burden of Bad Decisions</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>1 Kings</category><dc:date>2010-12-31T11:19:23-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/burden_of_bad_decisions.php#unique-entry-id-38</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/burden_of_bad_decisions.php#unique-entry-id-38</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[The old leaders didn&rsquo;t have much of an &lsquo;ax to grind&rsquo; so they gave some pretty good &lsquo;unvarnished&rsquo; help, but, my contemporaries always told me just what I wanted to hear &ndash; in fact, I&rsquo;ve never been told how smart, handsome, and wise I was before I met those folks! 

...3 So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel went to Rehoboam and said to him: 4 &ldquo;Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.&rdquo; 

... 10 The young men who had grown up with him replied, &ldquo;These people have said to you, &lsquo;Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but make our yoke lighter.&rsquo; ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Looking for the Unexpected this Christmas</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>God's Character</category><category>God's Plan</category><dc:date>2010-12-23T14:24:37-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/merry_christmas_2010.php#unique-entry-id-37</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/merry_christmas_2010.php#unique-entry-id-37</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[ 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, &ldquo;Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 

...Wether it is God letting the Old Testament Judge Deborah predict that a &lsquo;woman&rsquo; would save Israel (just not Deborah), or God&rsquo;s sending an angel to call Gideon a &lsquo;mighty man of God&rsquo; while Gideon was hiding in a hole in the ground, or God&rsquo;s enlisting an ordinary Christian like Ananias to save a scary guy like Saul of Tarsus, or the totally unexpected things God does in your life - it&rsquo;s awesome to see!


...(John 1:46) Well, it&rsquo;s interesting to note that King Solomon&rsquo;s friend and trading partner, King Hiram of Tyre, was the one who gave that area of Israel the name &ldquo;Cabul&rdquo; which means &lsquo;good for nothing&rsquo; when Solomon tried to repay a debt to Hiram by giving Hiram several cities in Galilee, one which was probably Nazareth. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Where Compromise Leads</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>1 Kings</category><category>Solomon</category><dc:date>2010-12-17T07:59:23-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/where_compromise_leads.php#unique-entry-id-36</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/where_compromise_leads.php#unique-entry-id-36</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Congressman from Pensacola and one of the most principled conservatives I served with in the Florida House, had to say about the pressure to compromise when he said, &ldquo;But recently it seems that each time I vote, I am being asked to compromise my conservative ideals and my commitment to the American taxpayer simply for the benefit of political gain.&rdquo;


...Do not give your daughters to their sons or take their daughters for your sons, 4 for they will turn your children away from following me to serve other gods, and the Lord&rsquo;s anger will burn against you and will quickly destroy you. 

...11 So the LORD said to Solomon, &ldquo;Since this is your attitude and you have not kept my covenant and my decrees, which I commanded you, I will most certainly tear the kingdom away from you and give it to one of your subordinates. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Solomon's Dedicates God's Temple with Prayer for You and Me</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>1 Kings</category><category>Prayer</category><category>Old Testament</category><dc:date>2010-12-11T16:13:56-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/solomon_temple_dedication_prayer.php#unique-entry-id-35</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/solomon_temple_dedication_prayer.php#unique-entry-id-35</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[ 22 Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven 23 and said: &ldquo;LORD, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below&mdash;you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. ...  25 &ldquo;Now LORD, the God of Israel, keep for your servant David my father the promises you made to him when you said, &lsquo;You shall never fail to have a successor to sit before me on the throne of Israel, if only your descendants are careful in all they do to walk before me faithfully as you have done.&rsquo; 

...41 &ldquo;As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name&mdash; 42 for they will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm&mdash;when they come and pray toward this temple, 43 then hear from heaven, your dwelling place. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Be Like Solomon: Ask for Wisdom</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>1 Kings</category><category>Prayer</category><dc:date>2010-12-04T21:42:30-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/be_like_solomon.php#unique-entry-id-34</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/be_like_solomon.php#unique-entry-id-34</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[There are so many deep lessons to be found in the history of God&rsquo;s chosen people, especially how they acted when God gave into their wish to have a king like other nations. 

...Today, as those who were elected during the Republican resurgence of 2010 prepare to take their oaths of office at the state and national level, some good &lsquo;bedtime&rsquo; reading would be the story of Solomon&rsquo;s answer to God&rsquo;s offer. 

...11 So God said to him, &ldquo;Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, 12 I will do what you have asked. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Armor of God Held Up with Prayer</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Ephesians</category><dc:date>2010-11-24T11:13:24-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/armor_of_god.php#unique-entry-id-33</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/armor_of_god.php#unique-entry-id-33</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 

...Yet, as &lsquo;girded up&rsquo; as we may be, Paul makes the final admonition that none of this spiritual &lsquo;armor&rsquo; is effective against the attacks of Satan without the presence of the Holy Spirit through prayer.

...Notice that the prayers are not just for ourselves to &lsquo;stand&rsquo; against the Devil, but more importantly to prayer for our fellow Christians and their struggles to resist the flaming arrows of the evil one. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Honor Your Father and Mother - Cure Alzheimer's Disease</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Ephesians</category><category>Alzheimer's disease</category><dc:date>2010-11-19T21:39:24-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/honor_father_mother.php#unique-entry-id-32</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/honor_father_mother.php#unique-entry-id-32</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I also learned that there are millions of right-thinking Americans who are dedicated to finding a diagnosis, prevention and cure for Alzheimer&rsquo;s disease who are in the fight for all the right reasons, the main one  being to respect and honor our parents.

...11 But you say, 'If a man tells his father or mother: Whatever benefit you might have received from me is Corban ' " (that is, a gift [committed to the temple]), 12 "you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. 

...In the days of Jesus it was called &ldquo;Corban&rdquo; or &ldquo;Korban&rdquo; and came about through the legal fiction that if the adult children had pledged their future earnings to the church, they did not have any responsibility to help their parents.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Ideal Christian Marriage</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Ephesians</category><category>Paul</category><dc:date>2010-11-12T15:44:58-05:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/ideal-christian_marriage.php#unique-entry-id-30</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/ideal-christian_marriage.php#unique-entry-id-30</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[To say the least, former Senator Sullivan was unready and unwilling to submit to the new paradigm in which he found himself, and as a result he was terribly frustrated and left the House a short time later. 

...If they would read on they would learn that these verses say much more about loving husbands and their imitation of Christ as the head of the church than about the submission of wives to husbands. 

...The Christian ideal of newly weds separating from their mother and father and starting a new, distinct family is not a suggestion, but a principle espoused by Christ Jesus who told us this is the model, and Paul reconfirms it. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Times are Evil</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Ephesians</category><category>Wisdom</category><dc:date>2010-11-05T21:15:19-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/the_times_are_evil.php#unique-entry-id-29</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/the_times_are_evil.php#unique-entry-id-29</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Finally, as Christian witnesses we may not be dealing with multi-trillion dollar budgets like the US Congress; however, we are responsible for something even more valuable &ndash; the eternal life or not of those who would accept Christ as their savior. 


...I sat down and used the time God has given me to write her a loving response that pointed out that Christ saves individuals, not societies, and that no matter how much we give to the less fortunate, that will not make us right with God because we can&rsquo;t earn it, and government certainly can&rsquo;t earn it for me or her.   Thus, I believe that less taxes and welfare spending is perfectly consistent with a loving God&rsquo;s plan for our world where individuals make individual decisions to follow Christ and to help the poor through individual donations or through their church.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Imitate God - Walk in Love</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Elections</category><category>Ephesians</category><category>God's Love</category><category>Christian Living</category><category>Imitate God</category><dc:date>2010-10-29T22:27:51-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/be_imitators_of_god.php#unique-entry-id-28</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/be_imitators_of_god.php#unique-entry-id-28</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Most veteran legislators who successfully navigated the &lsquo;process&rsquo; without being corrupted by it were able to do so by emulating a respected senior legislator or even a former legislator from their district who served, but remained pure to a higher moral standard. 

...5 For know and recognize this: no sexually immoral or impure or greedy person, who is an idolater, has an inheritance in the kingdom of the Messiah and of God. 

...One Monday morning I was approached by the chair of the judiciary committee who said he felt that a certain circuit judge should be impeached because of the judge&rsquo;s admitted sexual immorality and the reluctance of the judicial branch to take any action to clean up their own house. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>What is the Christian Calling?</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Ephesians</category><category>Unity</category><category>The Christian Calling?</category><dc:date>2010-10-15T09:26:39-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/christian_calling.php#unique-entry-id-25</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/christian_calling.php#unique-entry-id-25</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[So, the first thing the newly formed legislature does every two years at its organizational meeting on the third Tuesday in November is to elect a leader (called &ldquo;the Speaker&rdquo; in the House and &ldquo;the President&rdquo; in the Senate) whose job is to assure &lsquo;order&rsquo; and to agree upon a set of rules of procedure, followed by organizing the members into various committees. 

...I look forward to that time when God himself will be with you and me, when God himself will wipe away every tear from my eyes and your eyes, when there will no longer be any death, mourning, crying, or pain. 

...As he confirmed to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 12:4-31) and other early churches, Paul assures the Ephesians that each believer possesses some gift that was given by Jesus, and that all of these gifts are needed for the mission of the church. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Lemon Juice &amp; the Holy Spirit</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>Ephesians</category><category>Holy Spirit</category><dc:date>2010-10-09T11:07:16-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/lemon_juice_holy_spirit.php#unique-entry-id-24</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/lemon_juice_holy_spirit.php#unique-entry-id-24</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Thinking of those days of &lsquo;shear terror&rsquo; reminds me of another apt observation of human character I heard, &ldquo;If you squeeze a lemon you get lemon juice, and when you squeeze a person you also get what&rsquo;s on the inside.&rdquo; 

...14For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, 16that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; &hellip; Ephesians 3:14-17a


...Turn over your life to Christ and you will find that the Holy Spirit will fill your inner person resulting in a springing forth of the fruits of the Spirit whenever you are squeezed like a lemon by everyday stresses. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Discouraged? Take Heart! There's Good News!</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>Ephesians</category><category>Discouragement</category><category>Apostle Paul</category><dc:date>2010-09-30T10:57:12-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/take_heart_good_news.php#unique-entry-id-23</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/take_heart_good_news.php#unique-entry-id-23</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[ 1 When I think of all this, I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus for the benefit of you Gentiles . . . 2 assuming, by the way, that you know God gave me the special responsibility of extending his grace to you Gentiles. 

...Paul assures that Ephesian Christians that their unprecedented unification of Jews and Gentiles into one church was no coincidence, but the revelation of God&rsquo;s heretofore hidden plan to unite both Jews and Gentiles in order to form one church, one family of God through Jesus Christ. 

...God&rsquo;s plan to use the church &ndash; that&rsquo;s you, me and other believers &ndash; to tell those who need God about His &lsquo;endless treasures&rsquo; available through Jesus is indeed Good News. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Church: God's United People</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>Unity</category><category>Ephesians</category><category>Paul</category><category>Ephesus</category><dc:date>2010-09-25T17:24:59-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/church_gods_united_people.php#unique-entry-id-22</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/church_gods_united_people.php#unique-entry-id-22</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[My teacher would eventually become a lawyer and be able to afford a fancy birthday party at any restaurant he wanted, but for persons of color in Alabama there was a wall of separation standing between them and the hope of a better life for them and their families. 

...And what a marvelous plan it is as God came down in human form to show us that His love cannot be confined to a physical temple or a select group, but is freely available to all who believe. 


...As God&rsquo;s temple, the church must not only have something that others see and want to join, but we must reach out and tear down all barriers between the church and those who are on the outside looking in. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Dead in Sin, Alive in Christ</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Ephesians</category><category>Explore the Bible</category><dc:date>2010-09-19T18:19:15-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/dead_in_sin_alive_christ.php#unique-entry-id-21</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/dead_in_sin_alive_christ.php#unique-entry-id-21</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Whether the subject was my bill in defense of traditional marriage (one man and one woman), or the bill requiring parental notification of a daughter&rsquo;s abortion or the bill banning partial-birth abortion, the debate from the liberals across the aisle was something to the effect that either the world would end or life will not go on as we know it if those bills passed.


...7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus. 

...When I was running for office one time a prominent pastor made it a point to meet with all of the candidates, asking each one whether they were going to heaven, and if so, what they had done to deserve it? ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Power of the Handwritten Note</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Ephesians</category><category>Power of Prayer</category><category>Spiritual Weapons</category><dc:date>2010-09-03T20:17:43-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/power_%20of_the_handwritten_note.php#unique-entry-id-20</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/power_%20of_the_handwritten_note.php#unique-entry-id-20</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[ 15 Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God&rsquo;s people everywhere, 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. ...  18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called&mdash;his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. 

...At the end of each conversation we asked whether the person we called had any special prayer requests&hellip;. and these folks poured out their hearts, such as the man who was on a waiting list for a kidney transplant, or the couple whose granddaughter was in surgery right at that minute, or the young mother who was yearning for God&rsquo;s forgiveness for putting up her daughter for adoption because she couldn&rsquo;t support her. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>God's Mighty Weapons</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>2 Corinthians</category><category>Paul</category><category>God's Power</category><dc:date>2010-08-28T10:48:04-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/gods_mighty_weapons.php#unique-entry-id-19</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/gods_mighty_weapons.php#unique-entry-id-19</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[4 You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. 

...Each Christian is armed with at least one gift that can be used as a powerful weapon &lsquo;knock down&rsquo; every obstacle hurting people put up to avoid surrendering to God.   Whether it is teaching, preaching, singing, or ministering, we each have gifts powered by the Holy Spirit that are more powerful than any rhetoric or self-help concept that has been or ever will be conceived by man.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Giving - Finish What You Started</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>Giving</category><category>2 Corinthians</category><dc:date>2010-08-20T21:43:23-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/giving_finish_what_you_started.php#unique-entry-id-18</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/giving_finish_what_you_started.php#unique-entry-id-18</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[For example, out of the misguided respect for the &lsquo;dignity&rsquo; of welfare recipients, we do not require them to do anything for what they receive, much less acknowledge that the payments they receive come from the blood, sweat and tears of other Americans, most of whom are trying to stay afloat financially from payday to payday.

...5 They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do. 

...If you are depressed about your finances and recent losses, and the bleak prospects ahead, God has a message for you: This is no time for the church to let down all those who are suffering around the world and in your own community. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Christian Power of Persuasion</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>2 Corinthians</category><category>Persuasion</category><dc:date>2010-08-14T21:12:17-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/christian_persuasion.php#unique-entry-id-17</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/christian_persuasion.php#unique-entry-id-17</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Truthfully, I didn&rsquo;t know that I would be come an ideologue, a &lsquo;believer&rsquo; in the righteousness of the conservative cause, convicted to share the message of personal freedom and free market economics with others. 

...Thousands of &lsquo;how to&rsquo; books on the &lsquo;power of persuasion&rsquo; line the shelves of bookstores and pop up on an Internet search, but it doesn&rsquo;t take an expert to know that sincerity is the key to persuasion. 

...God doesn&rsquo;t need us, but he has decided to work through us &ndash; who wouldn&rsquo;t be crazy with joy about being selected as Christ&rsquo;s ambassador with only one simple task &ndash; reconcile people to God. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Christian Endurance - 2 Corinthians 4</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>2 Corinthians</category><category>Endurance</category><category>Faithfulness</category><category>Persistence</category><dc:date>2010-08-06T00:18:43-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/christian_endurance.php#unique-entry-id-16</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/christian_endurance.php#unique-entry-id-16</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[One by one, Irv told each of his fellow legislators the heart wrenching story of how his 14-year-old daughter had been killed in a tragic 1996 auto accident while her seat belt was unbuckled. 

...As the apostle Paul ministers to the new Christians in Corinth he expresses his determination to never give up or give in to those persons and circumstances that would drag him down. 

...How gullible the Corinthians had been, but Paul doesn&rsquo;t &lsquo;rub it in&rsquo; as he artfully expands on the issue of the letters of recommendation with an analogy &ndash; the Corinthians were Christ&rsquo;s letter of recommendation written on their hearts by the Holy Spirit! 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>God's Consistency - 2 Corinthians 1:12-21</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>2 Corinthians</category><dc:date>2010-07-30T22:37:08-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/gods_consistency.php#unique-entry-id-15</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/gods_consistency.php#unique-entry-id-15</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[One would think that sooner or later these slippery politicians would figure out that they can't have it both ways, and at some point they would  have to vote one way or another on a bill. 

...If was truly shameful to see a stampede of representatives running down to the clerk's desk right after a controversial vote so that they could switch their vote on paper in order to later argue that one or the other vote was their real vote, depending on who they happened to be with at the moment.


...Paul first emphasizes that he is confident of his sincerity and straightforwardness in all of his dealings, trusting in God's consistent and unwavering wisdom, not the ways of the worldly man who is likely to say 'yes' when he means 'no' and vice versa. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Resurrection - A Core Principle</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>1 Corinthians</category><category>Resurrection</category><dc:date>2010-07-23T09:38:31-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/resurrection_a_core_principle.php#unique-entry-id-14</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/resurrection_a_core_principle.php#unique-entry-id-14</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul reminds the new Christians at Corinth of how they first believed in the &lsquo;good news&rsquo; of the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ and His victory over death for them. 

...For those who had been saying that there was no bodily resurrection, Paul gave a methodical and logical explanation of how the resurrection is central to a complete faith in Christ.


...Paul&rsquo;s&rsquo; goal is to have these semi-believers &lsquo;come to their senses&rsquo; and realize that the resurrection of Christ was the central tenant of their faith and what a wonderful thing it meant for them, their families and all those Christians who would come after them. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Agape Love - Unity in the Community</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>Bible Study</category><category>Biblical Principles</category><category>1 Corinthians</category><dc:date>2010-07-15T08:50:48-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/agapeloveunity.php#unique-entry-id-13</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/agapeloveunity.php#unique-entry-id-13</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Whether a collegial body such as a church or the legislature can succeed at its work depends less on the individual gifts of its members than whether the members will embrace the higher need of unifying the majority behind common goal. 

...Paul teaches that although each Christian has one or more unique and special gifts given by the Holy Spirit available in reaching others for Christ, there remains a more excellent way&rsquo; to unify the church, and to live a Christian life for that matter. 

...As we read verses 4 through 7 each of us should find room for growth in our Christian love, and perhaps we will be convicted and pray for the spiritual gift of agape love. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>The Greatest of These is Love</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>Bible Study</category><dc:date>2010-07-09T12:16:14-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/thegreatestoftheseislove.php#unique-entry-id-12</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/thegreatestoftheseislove.php#unique-entry-id-12</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Assessing the strengths (and weaknesses) of the Members is a tough job, but the Speaker is charged with not only putting together a functional team, but dealing with the bruised egos of Members who did not get their ideal appointments, not to mention dealing with the condescension from those who did receive powerful positions. 

...Paul has to give them a lesson in working together as the whole &lsquo;body of Christ&rsquo; teaching them that all of their various spiritual gift came from the SAME source for the SAME purpose &ndash; leading others to Christ.


...28And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Christian Olympians</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Biblical Principles</category><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>New Testament</category><dc:date>2010-07-02T07:31:18-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/christian_olympians.php#unique-entry-id-11</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/christian_olympians.php#unique-entry-id-11</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I didn&rsquo;t have the heart to tell him he had it backwards, but keeping a straight face I told him that I was happy to write off his bill and wished him well in his new Christian life.


...It seems that some of the Corinthian Christians were so proud of their knowledge that eating meat sacrificed to idols was no big deal that they failed to consider how their example might be affecting some of the newer Christians that weren&rsquo;t so sure about the issue.


...21To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Mixed Marriages</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>Biblical Principles</category><category>Marriage</category><dc:date>2010-06-25T08:03:10-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/mixed_marriages.php#unique-entry-id-10</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/mixed_marriages.php#unique-entry-id-10</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Nurse Sara me the story of her and her husband and two young daughters having moved to Tampa from Indiana in search of better jobs and a better life for their kids (the same reason I moved to Florida in 1988). 

...Thinking of Peter&rsquo;s advice in 1 Peter 3, I suggested, &ldquo;Just get up this Sunday morning; dress yourself and your girls in your Sunday clothes; tell him that you are going to church; and, then, just go. 

...After thoroughly answering questions surrounding the question of whether it is good to be married, or remain single, Paul addresses the issue of &lsquo;mixed&rsquo; marriages - where one spouse was Christian and the other was not. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Sexual Immorality in the Church</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Biblical Principles</category><dc:date>2010-06-18T12:38:24-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/sexualimmoralityinthechurch.php#unique-entry-id-9</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/sexualimmoralityinthechurch.php#unique-entry-id-9</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[I was somewhat taken back at this condensed code of ethics (of course I didn&rsquo;t show it), but over time I heard this saying time and time again and always found it as crude and vulgar as having heard it for the first time. 


It is sad to say, but over my time in Tallahassee I saw more than a few legislators fall prey to the temptation of lobbyist provided sexual favors, in fact some legislators totally abandoned their families at home, divorced their spouses and married or &lsquo;took up with&rsquo; lobbyists who had been assigned to &lsquo;handle&rsquo; them by their employers.  

...This was bad enough, but Paul had learned that there was a case of shameless incest going on a family within the church, and no one had even seen this as a problem, much less confronted the situation. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Christian Followship?</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Bible Study</category><category>Biblical Principles</category><category>Marriage</category><dc:date>2010-06-11T09:06:28-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/christian_followship.php#unique-entry-id-8</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/christian_followship.php#unique-entry-id-8</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[As a relatively inexperienced legislator, I was surprised when Speaker Thrasher called me into his office and said, &ldquo;Johnnie, I am appointing you chairman of the judiciary committee for the next two years because I need someone who I can trust to push a pro-business tort reform package through the committee process.&rdquo;   Thrasher also told me that I would be working under the guidance of a senior legislator, Tom Warner, a lawyer from Stuart, Florida, who would be serving as chairman of the judicial council which was set up to supervise several committees, including the judiciary committee. 

...So, Paul asks the Corinthians not to jump to any conclusions about who is and is not approved by God as a faithful servant leader because the answer will not be revealed until Jesus comes in judgment to make known everyone&rsquo;s true motives. 
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Factions - Is Christ Divided?</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Church unity</category><category>Bible Study</category><category>Factions</category><category>New Testament</category><category>1 Corinthians</category><category>Paul</category><dc:date>2010-06-04T07:15:56-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/factions_is_christ_divided.php#unique-entry-id-7</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/factions_is_christ_divided.php#unique-entry-id-7</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[50-55, Paul&rsquo;s ministry had taken him to Corinth, in what is now Greece, where Paul spent eighteen months living, working and preaching amongst its inhabitants in order to establish a church of believers who were literally &lsquo;pulled&rsquo; out of a world of pagan immorality. ...  Understandably concerned, Paul wrote what is now 1 Corinthians as an admonition to the church at Corinth, beginning with a logic-filled and self-effacing explanation of why there was no place for cults of personality in the church of God.

...Yes, we need to grow up and remember that first and foremost, we are &lsquo;of Christ&rsquo; who is &lsquo;of God&rsquo; and, in the words of Disraeli, we should strive constantly to avoid the infantile temptation to &lsquo;fashion our own divinities&rsquo; from the personalities surrounding us.
]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Year of the Jubilee</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Compassion</category><category>God's Character</category><category>Leviticus</category><category>Slavery</category><dc:date>2010-05-28T07:54:48-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/year_of_the_jubilee.php#unique-entry-id-6</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/year_of_the_jubilee.php#unique-entry-id-6</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Webster laid out the conservative principles that would guide the new Republican leadership: every measure that was to come before the new Republican led House would have to promote the principles, and it would not matter if a member was a Latino, African-American or Anglo, Democrat or Republican, if he or she had a good idea that promoted conservative principles. 

...26 If, however, a man has no one to redeem it for him but he himself prospers and acquires sufficient means to redeem it, 27 he is to determine the value for the years since he sold it and refund the balance to the man to whom he sold it; he can then go back to his own property. 

...Unfortunately, as time went by there is no record of the nation of Israel ever celebrating the year of the Jubilee because they turned out to be unwilling or unable to commit themselves to God&rsquo;s core principles in dealing with each other and God. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>God's Principles for Living</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Leviticus</category><category>Temptation</category><category>Sin</category><dc:date>2010-05-21T07:37:41-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/gods_principles_for_living.php#unique-entry-id-5</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/gods_principles_for_living.php#unique-entry-id-5</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Just as my fellow conservatives were tempted to follow the tax and spend traditions of Tallahassee, the &lsquo;stiff-necked&rsquo; people of Israel were instructed by God to turn away from unholy practices from their past culture and separate themselves from the culture of their new neighbors in the Promised Land. 

...The Israelis might be drawn backward into sin out of nostalgia for their past life or they would fall prey to the allure of the pagan culture of their new neighbors, the Canaanites. 

...4 He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Asking Forgiveness - Leviticus 6</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>Leviticus</category><category>Biblical Principles</category><category>Leadership</category><category>Sacrifice</category><category>Bible Study</category><dc:date>2010-05-14T11:34:42-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/asking_forgiveness_leviticus_6.php#unique-entry-id-4</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/asking_forgiveness_leviticus_6.php#unique-entry-id-4</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[After a few months, the Lord laid it on my heart to meet with some of my legislative colleagues to make sure there were no lingering hard feelings, and if there were, to ask for forgiveness so we could put the episode behind us. 


...On the day of our meeting the lobbyist walked into my office and started by saying, &ldquo;I have wanted to ask you to forgive me for some of the negative things that I said about you while you were serving in the legislature&hellip;&rdquo; 


...1 The LORD spoke to Moses: 2 &ldquo;When someone sins and offends the LORD by deceiving his neighbor &hellip; or defrauds his neighbor; 3 or finds something lost and lies about it; or swears falsely about any of the sinful things a person may do&mdash; 4 once he has sinned and acknowledged [his] guilt&mdash;he must return what he stole or defrauded, &hellip; He must make full restitution for it ... ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>Giving From the Heart</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>Bible Study</category><category>Biblical Principles</category><category>Giving</category><category>Charitable Giving</category><dc:date>2010-05-07T06:42:38-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/givingfromtheheart.php#unique-entry-id-3</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/givingfromtheheart.php#unique-entry-id-3</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[&ldquo;If you were given $500 that you had to give to a poverty-fighting group of some kind--governmental, religious, community, whatever--how many of you would send it to the federal government&hellip;? 

...The exact opposite of the direction in Washington under the current regime, the idea of compassionate conservatism is the straight forward concept that American social ills are best addressed by persons to whom the such work is a &lsquo;cause&rsquo; for, not a &lsquo;caseload&rsquo; of a government bureaucrat. 

...Everyone who is willing is to bring to the LORD an offering of gold, silver and bronze; 6 blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; 7 ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows ; acacia wood; 8 olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; 9 and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece.&rdquo;  ]]></content:encoded></item><item><title>A Leadership Void</title><dc:creator>Johnnie Byrd</dc:creator><category>Exodus</category><category>God's Character</category><category>Explore the Bible</category><category>Bible Study</category><category>Redemptioin </category><category>Forgiveness</category><category>Biblical Principles</category><category>Leadership</category><dc:date>2010-03-14T12:15:29-04:00</dc:date><link>http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/leadershipvoid.php#unique-entry-id-0</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.johnniebyrd.com/explore_the_bible_files/leadershipvoid.php#unique-entry-id-0</guid><content:encoded><![CDATA[Secretary of State Al Haig&rsquo;s &lsquo;I am in control here&rsquo; declaration following the assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan will go down in history as one of the most ridiculed attempts to fill a leadership vacuum. 

...1 When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, &ldquo;Come, make us a god  who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt&mdash;we don&rsquo;t know what has happened to him!&rdquo;&ensp;

...That is God&rsquo;s character, and that is the character of Godly leadership - being slow to anger, rich in faithful love and truth, and forgiving wrongdoing rebellion and sin.
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