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Lena VanAusdle

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  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "Can You Hear the Horsemen Coming?"
    Hi Frank! Luke 10:18 says, "And He said to them, 'I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.'" Jesus said this because He was there when it happened. Notice John 1:1-3, 14, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made... And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." Before Satan became Satan, he was Lucifer: Ezekiel 28:14-15 says: “You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; you were on the holy mountain of God; you walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, till iniquity was found in you.” Iniquity, or sin, was found in Lucifer. A further study shows that it was specifically pride that was Satan’s downfall: “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High’” (Isaiah 14:12-14). I hope this answers your question.
  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "Follow Me: Learning to Love All Over Again"

    Hi Marsha,
    I think you're correct... just like a marriage, our love for God grows and matures, and gets deeper; rather than just a flush of emotion. The key is holding on to the commitment and love you have for Him over the long term. We're glad that you've returned to your first love!

  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "Quiz: Bible Study Course Lesson 1"

    Hi Sylvia, for a fuller explanation, I recommend you read this article: https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-study-course/bible-study-course-lesson-1/answering-the-great-mystery-why-did-god-create-man.

    But briefly, the Bible tells us that the reward for His saints is a resurrection to eternal life. This resurrection doesn't take place until the return of Jesus Christ (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). The Bible doesn't support an immediate change upon death.

  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "The Truth About Heaven Is Better Than You Think"
    Hi Faith! There's a couple of things to consider when answering your question. First, the Bible doesn't contradict itself... this means that if a verse doesn't seem to fit with the rest of the Bible, we may need to adjust our understanding. Jesus Christ said, "No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven." And throughout the Bible, death is described as sleep (Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10; Daniel 12:2; Job 3:11-17; John 11:1-14; 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17). The next thing to understand is that the Bible was written in Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. These languages have different rules of grammar and punctuation than English, so the translators made choices on where to place punctuation. The verse that you mention, Luke 23:43, says, "And Jesus said to him, 'Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.'” Since we don't know where the commas would go, and the Bible can't contradict itself, this verse would be better rendered, "Assuredly, I say to you today, you will be with Me in Paradise." Jesus indicating that He was telling the thief today that when Jesus Christ returns and sets up His Kingdom on earth that the thief would be resurrected and with the Family of God.
  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "Roe v Wade Repealed"

    Hi Karen! I would probably point out a couple of things... First, Adam was an exception to the rules of conception; he couldn't have been knit together in a womb, since no womb existed. The exception doesn't change the rule.

    Second, we can't take a single verse out of the context of the entire Bible. We have lots of other verses that talk about life in the womb. In addition to the verses included in the video above, I would point you to Jeremiah1:5 and Psalm129:13-18 that talks about the prophet being formed in the womb and Psalm refers to David being knit together in the womb. Then in Luke 1:41-44, John leaps in his mother's womb! and in verse 15 it says that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit before he was born!
    We know so much about the development of a baby in the womb; we know that the baby has it's own distinct DNA from conception. We know that it has a heartbeat at five weeks. It's thought that a baby can feel pain at the seven-week mark. Brain activity can be detected at the end of week five.
    The Bible and science both back the claim that human life begins at conception, rather than at first breath.

  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "A Touchy Subject: Hand-holding, Hugging, Kissing and More..."

    Hi Samantha! There's no one path for a relationship to follow, that's something that you and your friend need to discuss. I would ask why you cut communication completely? What's the purpose behind it? Any strong relationship should be built on a foundation of friendship. Since you're a good distance away from each other, it's a great opportunity to build your friendship even stronger as you prepare to have a more serious relationship in the future.

  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "Christians Who Don’t Celebrate Easter: What Do They Know?"

    Hi Charming Chum,
    If you read Leviticus 23, you will find that God outlines His Feasts (verse 2), and they are referred to as "sabbaths" (verses 3, 23, 32, 39). There are seven of these Feast days that occur throughout the year. For example, this year the Feast of Trumpets (2022) falls on September 26 (a Monday); there will be two Sabbaths during that week. I hope this helps!

  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "The Irrelevant Commandments"
    Hi Rajvir, the Sabbath is from sunset on Friday evening until sunset on Saturday evening. How people observe it will vary from family to family, but one thing in common is we should be studying God's word, singing His praises, and resting (not doing our normal work or housework or school work). We should also gather together with other believers. You can visit www.ucg.org/congregations to find the congregation nearest you where you can worship with God's people, or at least speak with the pastor of the closest congregation.
  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "Quitting Christmas"
    Hi Pat, based on the service of Abijah, it does seem likely that Jesus Christ was conceived in December. What day in December is impossible to know based on the information in the Bible and current historical records.
  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "The Sabbath: What It Means to Me"

    Hi Melinda,
    that's a tough spot to be in. I typically avoid events and parties on the Sabbath, but I understand how challenging it can be to explain to friends and family when you can't be at some events. I think it's also okay to back out of an event if you sincerely didn't realize it was on the Sabbath, and you just explain to your friends your belief. Praying it gets easier for you!

  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "What does the Bible say about women ministers (pastors or preachers)?"

    Hi Arrey,
    You might not find the act of a woman being ordained as a deaconess, however, you will find a woman holding the office of deaconess. If you notice, as Skip mentioned, Romans 16:1-2, " I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also." The word "servant" is the exact same word for deacon in the Greek. This sermon, by Steve Myers, might be helpful to you. https://www.ucg.org/sermons/the-new-testament-on-women

  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "Character of the New Man"
    Hey Deb, You may want to go and take another listen to this message. While, yes, Mr. Crane does mention several politicians in the first two minutes of his message, he never refers to a particular political party, nor does he mention political agendas or policies. What he did say is that various politicians put specific mandates in place during the pandemic, and all those he mentioned were caught breaking them in one way or another. He doesn’t mention whether the mandates are good or bad, just that they exist and that the folks that implemented them were caught breaking them. They’re considered role-models, but in these instances they were hypocritical. He then discusses a famous musician cross-dressing, before continuing on with the message on what our actual role model should be, and what kind of persons we ought to be. His entire introduction lasted 2.5 minutes.
  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "Who Is Jesus?"
    Hi Larry, I think Mr. Miller did an excellent job in explaining, but I thought I might add just a little. When we say, "Jesus is God of the OT" we mean, Jesus (the Word) is the God that interacted with human beings in the Old Testament. God the Father still existed, but as the New Testament describes, no one has seen Him or heard His voice (John 5:37; John 1:18). Jesus Christ (the Word) has existed eternally with God the Father (John 1:1-3, 14) and He has been the "spokesperson" of the God family throughout human history, particularly in regards to the nation of Israel (1 Corinthians 10:1-4). I hope this has been helpful.
  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "What Will They Get This Christmas?"

    Hi Evins5,
    It's tough to go against what everyone else is doing, but God will bless your efforts. You may be interested in reading this article, "Keeping Family When You Don't Keep Christmas" at https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/blogs/keeping-family-when-you-dont-keep-christmas. The author gives lots of practical advice, but I found this paragraph very compelling, "Throughout the year, I make a point to spend time with my family at other opportunities that are meaningful to all of us: Thanksgiving, birthdays, a summer family gathering, and other special events such as graduations and weddings. I make an effort to see them more often than before so they don't feel I'm pulling away from them. It's Christmas I've rejected, not them. You can keep the commandment to honor your parents and not keep their desire for Christmas."

  • Lena VanAusdle
    Lena VanAusdle in "Remember the Sabbath to Keep It Holy: Business Questions"

    Hi Grahame! It's wonderful that you are seeking to please our God! What kind of business do you own? The building has to remain open, but what is the reasoning behind you having to remain open as well? Is it feasible to relocate your business? Have you discussed with your landlord your religious convictions regarding the Sabbath? Do you have a local congregation to attend; if you do, have you spoken to your pastor about your situation? Or possibly other believers who have faced similar circumstances?