Last article in this series we looked at the Rapture of the Church and how it is different from the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. This time we are looking at some signs of the coming world government ruled by the Beast. Remember, as I said, the closer these events come to unifying the world, it makes the Rapture much nearer. The Rapture can happen today or tomorrow because there is nothing preventing the Lord’s return.
Also last time we briefly looked at Revelation 13:16-17 that says, “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” We could see from this passage we can look for the establishment of a one world economy, a mandatory identification system, an ID that controls buying and selling, devices or technology that people use for commerce placed into the right hand or forehead, and other similar items or events.
This month we explore what is happening with DTV, RFID, WiFi, Enhanced Driver’s Licenses. Our first question this month is: Why is the United States Government is so interested in moving people toward Digital instead of Analog Television. Is the government really so concerned with the quality of your picture or the addition of extra channels? Is there another reason? A reason they don’t want you to know or are less willing for you to learn?
When you go to the official government website, DTV.gov, you can find a bunch of information. They tell you when the change will happen, how to attach your digital converter box, their partners in the transition, and how to get your $40 discount coupon. One question they are not answering is: WHY they are forcing this change. Here is what the official government website has to say: “Why are we switching to DTV? An important benefit of the switch to all-digital broadcasting is that it will free up parts of the valuable broadcast spectrum for public safety communications (such as police, fire departments, and rescue squads). Also, some of the spectrum will be auctioned to companies that will be able to provide consumers with more advanced wireless services (such as wireless broadband).”
Notice they start their answer by answering a question that has not been asked. The question was “Why are we switching to DTV?” Their answer fits the question, “What is an important benefit of the switch to DTV.” I don’t want to know an important benefit, I am sure there are many benefits of the switch, but WHY are we being forced to switch?
Here is the answer I found in my research. Back in the 1920’s when broadcast frequencies were being regulated, the government ordered certain wavelengths or frequencies to only be used for certain purposes by certain licensed organizations. If a company had a license from the government (FCC) for a frequency in the AM Radio range, they could broadcast an AM Radio program only on that frequency. This kept one station from using the frequency of another station. AM Radio, FM Radio, Television VHF and Television UHF were assigned their own frequencies. There was no thought given to the need for future needs generated by new technology.
Some time later a new broadcast signal was invented called WiFi. These radio waves were permitted at certain frequencies after most of the useable frequencies had already been assigned. Businesses liked WiFi because they could connect a computer to a printer, a scanner, another computer or even the Internet without using expensive and clumsy wires. WiFi quickly became very popular. It rapidly became a standard installation in most laptop computers. Next it moved into phones, making them able to access a computer or the internet without using a wire.
At the same time WiFi was becoming popular, another related technology started to grow. The Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chip was being used in pets, products, and people. The RFID chip emits a signal, like a tiny radio station, that can be read and tracked by a WiFi system. RFID chips are now found in many animals, attached to products, embedded into Driver’s Licenses and Passport Cards, and inserted into the hands and arms of humans. Each of these devices, when activated, sends out an identification number. When a computer receives this number it instantly matches it to a database of information. This system can take instant inventory of a whole palate of products by simply driving the forklift past a reader.
Currently RFID is being used in “Enhanced Driver’s Licenses”, Passport Cards, and Credit and Debit cards. As this technology will be ultimately used to identify every person in the world, and used for the buying and selling of every product, there is an immediate need to get usuable radio frequencies. Once analog TV frequencies are made available, RFID and WiFi can be used in a wider array of situations. This is the real reason for moving TV off the analog frequencies. The TV frequencies will be used for WiFi antennas to receive signals from RFID chips coming soon to your ID and banking cards.
Next article in this series we will look at how you will be able to purchase a loaf of bread with your driver’s license or buy merchandise with the wave of your hand. Revelation 13:17 says, “And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” Until next time, keep studying the Bible.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Here Comes the Change!
Hey America, you wanted change? Here it comes! This information is gathered from http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/ on January 20, 2009, at 10:47 PM.
Combat Employment Discrimination: President Obama and Vice President Biden will work to overturn the Supreme Court's recent ruling that curtails racial minorities' and women's ability to challenge pay discrimination. They will also pass the Fair Pay Act, to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work, and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: President Obama and Vice President Biden will strengthen federal hate crimes legislation, expand hate crimes protection by passing the Matthew Shepard Act, and reinvigorate enforcement at the Department of Justice's Criminal Section.
Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. President Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, President Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.
Fight Workplace Discrimination: President Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees' domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. The President also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: President Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.
Expand Adoption Rights: President Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.
What do you think will happen to preachers that preach from Romans 1:26-32.
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Or what if a preacher brought a sermon from 2 Peter 2:5-9?
2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
2Pe 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
2Pe 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
2Pe 2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
Or preach against the sin of Sodomy from Genesis 18:20 – chapter 19
Gen 18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
Gen 18:21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
Gen 19:13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
Once this CHANGE in our laws becomes a reality, preachers will either have to stop preaching the WHOLE Word of God or face the possibility of going to jail for a hate crime. Churches may even have to hire homosexual workers against their own moral stand.
Preaching against sin is not hate – it is the truest expression of love. When a parent tells a child to not swim in a sewer, is it a hate crime? If a parent protects a child from a higher rate of disease, sorrow and grief is it from hate or love? Sodomy is a sin. Sodomy is wrong. Anyone who engages in Sodomy will suffer under physical, mental and spiritual judgment. The good news is that Jesus Christ offers forgiveness and the opportunity to be free from Sodomy and experience a joyous relationship with the One True God.
Is it a hate crime to say this? It will be. Please pray for God’s protection to surround every Christian, and Church, not afraid to teach the WHOLE Bible.
Combat Employment Discrimination: President Obama and Vice President Biden will work to overturn the Supreme Court's recent ruling that curtails racial minorities' and women's ability to challenge pay discrimination. They will also pass the Fair Pay Act, to ensure that women receive equal pay for equal work, and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.
Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: President Obama and Vice President Biden will strengthen federal hate crimes legislation, expand hate crimes protection by passing the Matthew Shepard Act, and reinvigorate enforcement at the Department of Justice's Criminal Section.
Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. President Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, President Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.
Fight Workplace Discrimination: President Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees' domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. The President also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: President Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.
Expand Adoption Rights: President Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.
What do you think will happen to preachers that preach from Romans 1:26-32.
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
Or what if a preacher brought a sermon from 2 Peter 2:5-9?
2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
2Pe 2:6 And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;
2Pe 2:7 And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:
2Pe 2:8 (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)
2Pe 2:9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
Or preach against the sin of Sodomy from Genesis 18:20 – chapter 19
Gen 18:20 And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
Gen 18:21 I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.
Gen 19:13 For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is waxen great before the face of the LORD; and the LORD hath sent us to destroy it.
Once this CHANGE in our laws becomes a reality, preachers will either have to stop preaching the WHOLE Word of God or face the possibility of going to jail for a hate crime. Churches may even have to hire homosexual workers against their own moral stand.
Preaching against sin is not hate – it is the truest expression of love. When a parent tells a child to not swim in a sewer, is it a hate crime? If a parent protects a child from a higher rate of disease, sorrow and grief is it from hate or love? Sodomy is a sin. Sodomy is wrong. Anyone who engages in Sodomy will suffer under physical, mental and spiritual judgment. The good news is that Jesus Christ offers forgiveness and the opportunity to be free from Sodomy and experience a joyous relationship with the One True God.
Is it a hate crime to say this? It will be. Please pray for God’s protection to surround every Christian, and Church, not afraid to teach the WHOLE Bible.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Are you attracted to change?
My son, fear thou the LORD and the king: and meddle not with them that are given to change: For their calamity shall rise suddenly; and who knoweth the ruin of them both? Proverbs 24:21-22
Friday, January 09, 2009
Your Future (Part 1 - The Rapture)
What is the Rapture and how is it different from the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? What will happen after the Rapture and how close are we? Are you ready for the Rapture? Is the Beast alive today? Who is the Beast? Who is the False Prophet? Is America mentioned in the book of Revelation? In the next few articles, as the Lord wills, I will be examining these issues and looking at them from the Bible.
First question: What is the Rapture and how is it different from the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? The term “Rapture” is never found in Scriptures. This is also true with the words, “Trinity” and “Bible” as well as the terms, “Microwave” or “Electricity”. The concept of the Rapture is found and described both by what the Bible says and by what the Bible does not say. The word “Rapture” is the English version of a Greek word meaning to be “caught up” or to be “snatched away.”
The Rapture of the church is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Notice the emphasis here given to meeting the Lord in the air and meeting the others in the clouds.
Contrast this passage with one that describes Jesus’ Second Coming found in Revelation 19:11, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” And in verse 15, “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” Here there is no meeting in the air, only war on earth.
In the Rapture, Jesus comes to gather and in the Second Coming, Jesus comes to make war. As you read these passages you see two entirely different events. Another evidence is found in what is missing. Study the book of Revelation and you will find the term “church” used often in the first three chapters. From chapter 4 to the end, the church is not mentioned again. It is not an error in the text, it is because the church no longer exists on the earth. It has been removed prior to the plagues of Revelation.
Additional evidence is found in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. Notice what verses 6 through 8 say: “And now you know what holds back, for him to be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already working, only he is now holding back until it comes out of the midst. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of His mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming,”
Look again at the order of the events. First there is a person “he,” holding back the power of the beast from taking full power. The Beast is not permitted to take his full position as World Ruler until the restraining power, the Holy Spirit, is removed. Since Christians are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30), the Holy Spirit can not be removed without the Christians also being removed. Again notice how this event differs from the Second Coming of Christ when a war breaks out and a battle is fought.
It is clear in Scripture that no man knows the day or the hour of Christ’s return. However, we are encouraged to study the events happening around us and discern the times. Listen to what Jesus said, “And learn the parable of the fig-tree: when her branch is still tender and puts out leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, at the doors.” We can not know the day of the Lord’s return, but we can know the season and know when it is near.
When you look at the signs of future events you must remember you are looking at distant future and not near future. There are no events that need to happen prior to the Rapture. The Rapture can happen today or tomorrow because there is nothing preventing the Lord’s return. Signs we can look for are the preparation of the Earth for the rule of the Beast.
For example, Revelation 13:16-17 says, “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” From this passage we can look for a one world economy, a mandatory identification, an ID that controls buying and selling, devices or technology that people use for commerce placed into the right hand or forehead, and other similar items or events.
You have to remember, the Rapture will happen before these technologies and events are fully developed because they are used after the Rapture by the Beast for his reign. The closer these events come to unifying the world, it makes the Rapture even nearer. In the next article we will explore what is happening with DTV, RFID, WiFi, Enhanced Driver’s Licenses and why the United States Government is so interested in moving people toward Digital instead of Analog Television. Until next time, keep studying the Bible.
First question: What is the Rapture and how is it different from the Second Coming of Jesus Christ? The term “Rapture” is never found in Scriptures. This is also true with the words, “Trinity” and “Bible” as well as the terms, “Microwave” or “Electricity”. The concept of the Rapture is found and described both by what the Bible says and by what the Bible does not say. The word “Rapture” is the English version of a Greek word meaning to be “caught up” or to be “snatched away.”
The Rapture of the church is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Notice the emphasis here given to meeting the Lord in the air and meeting the others in the clouds.
Contrast this passage with one that describes Jesus’ Second Coming found in Revelation 19:11, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.” And in verse 15, “And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” Here there is no meeting in the air, only war on earth.
In the Rapture, Jesus comes to gather and in the Second Coming, Jesus comes to make war. As you read these passages you see two entirely different events. Another evidence is found in what is missing. Study the book of Revelation and you will find the term “church” used often in the first three chapters. From chapter 4 to the end, the church is not mentioned again. It is not an error in the text, it is because the church no longer exists on the earth. It has been removed prior to the plagues of Revelation.
Additional evidence is found in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2. Notice what verses 6 through 8 say: “And now you know what holds back, for him to be revealed in his own time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already working, only he is now holding back until it comes out of the midst. And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the breath of His mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of His coming,”
Look again at the order of the events. First there is a person “he,” holding back the power of the beast from taking full power. The Beast is not permitted to take his full position as World Ruler until the restraining power, the Holy Spirit, is removed. Since Christians are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30), the Holy Spirit can not be removed without the Christians also being removed. Again notice how this event differs from the Second Coming of Christ when a war breaks out and a battle is fought.
It is clear in Scripture that no man knows the day or the hour of Christ’s return. However, we are encouraged to study the events happening around us and discern the times. Listen to what Jesus said, “And learn the parable of the fig-tree: when her branch is still tender and puts out leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, at the doors.” We can not know the day of the Lord’s return, but we can know the season and know when it is near.
When you look at the signs of future events you must remember you are looking at distant future and not near future. There are no events that need to happen prior to the Rapture. The Rapture can happen today or tomorrow because there is nothing preventing the Lord’s return. Signs we can look for are the preparation of the Earth for the rule of the Beast.
For example, Revelation 13:16-17 says, “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” From this passage we can look for a one world economy, a mandatory identification, an ID that controls buying and selling, devices or technology that people use for commerce placed into the right hand or forehead, and other similar items or events.
You have to remember, the Rapture will happen before these technologies and events are fully developed because they are used after the Rapture by the Beast for his reign. The closer these events come to unifying the world, it makes the Rapture even nearer. In the next article we will explore what is happening with DTV, RFID, WiFi, Enhanced Driver’s Licenses and why the United States Government is so interested in moving people toward Digital instead of Analog Television. Until next time, keep studying the Bible.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Twenty Questions About Deaf Culture
It has been a while since my last post and I have been busier than a one armed paper hanger! I guess that is to be expected when you have 8 busy kids and an active wife. Well it is time to renew some activity with a few postings.
This set of postings will be about deafness and deaf history. Some of the content will be examined further in the book I am currently writing and some of the content I hope to present at the Association of Southern Baptist Interpreters for the Deaf (ASBID) Conference at the Southern Baptist Conference of the Deaf (SBCD) in St. Louis, MO, July 12 – 18, 2008. Go to www.sbcdeaf.org for more information.
Here is a little test to see how you do with Deaf History and Deaf Culture:
TRUE or FALSE? 1) Current authors about Deaf culture say, the Bible teaches Deaf people can’t be saved because they can’t hear.
TRUE or FALSE? 2) Currently there are no books that teach Christians still believe all Deafness is the result of sin.
TRUE or FALSE? 3) Many years ago all school interpreters believed the Bible.
TRUE or FALSE? 4) Two Christians brought an organized signed language to America for the purpose of evangelizing the Deaf community.
TRUE or FALSE? 5) The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf prohibits Christian Interpreters from using the Biblical model of correction before using the RID Ethical Practices System.
TRUE or FALSE? 6) There is a Christian Member Section in the RID.
TRUE or FALSE? 7) There is a Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, Intersexed, and Transgendered Member Section in the RID.
TRUE or FALSE? 8) Alexander Graham Bell would permit the use of the Rochester Method of sign language for people who were completely deaf.
TRUE or FALSE? 9) Alexander Graham Bell believed Darwinian Evolution and not the Bible.
TRUE or FALSE? 10) Alexander Graham Bell encouraged deaf people to marry deaf people.
TRUE or FALSE? 11) William (Bill) Stokoe is the “Father” of the Cultural View of Deafness.
TRUE or FALSE? 12) William (Bill) Stokoe believed the Bible and not Darwinian Evolution.
TRUE or FALSE? 13) Deaf people should focus on evangelizing and teaching deaf people and hearing people should focus on evangelizing and teaching hearing people.
TRUE or FALSE? 14) Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet changed his mind and did not become a preacher so he could educate deaf children.
TRUE or FALSE? 15) Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet’s goal for his school was to lead deaf children to Christ.
TRUE or FALSE? 16) After leaving his School for the Deaf in Hartford, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet became the chaplain of an insane asylum.
TRUE or FALSE? 17) There are two philosophies about deafness: Pathological and Cultural.
TRUE or FALSE? 18) Deaf people should learn to read, write and speak English.
TRUE or FALSE? 19) God will judge deaf people differently than hearing people.
TRUE or FALSE? 20) Non-Christian teachers teach lies to Christian Interpreters to use them for financial gain.
Tricky? Do you think you know them all? Do these questions make you think? I hope they do. Now for the answers. The answer for all these questions and many more will be taught at the ASBID Conference, July 12 – 18, 2008.
I will write a post after the conference with the answers and a short explanation for those people that could not attend. Here are a couple of hints: They are not all true or all false. There are 9 False statements and 11 True ones.
This set of postings will be about deafness and deaf history. Some of the content will be examined further in the book I am currently writing and some of the content I hope to present at the Association of Southern Baptist Interpreters for the Deaf (ASBID) Conference at the Southern Baptist Conference of the Deaf (SBCD) in St. Louis, MO, July 12 – 18, 2008. Go to www.sbcdeaf.org for more information.
Here is a little test to see how you do with Deaf History and Deaf Culture:
TRUE or FALSE? 1) Current authors about Deaf culture say, the Bible teaches Deaf people can’t be saved because they can’t hear.
TRUE or FALSE? 2) Currently there are no books that teach Christians still believe all Deafness is the result of sin.
TRUE or FALSE? 3) Many years ago all school interpreters believed the Bible.
TRUE or FALSE? 4) Two Christians brought an organized signed language to America for the purpose of evangelizing the Deaf community.
TRUE or FALSE? 5) The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf prohibits Christian Interpreters from using the Biblical model of correction before using the RID Ethical Practices System.
TRUE or FALSE? 6) There is a Christian Member Section in the RID.
TRUE or FALSE? 7) There is a Bisexual, Lesbian, Gay, Intersexed, and Transgendered Member Section in the RID.
TRUE or FALSE? 8) Alexander Graham Bell would permit the use of the Rochester Method of sign language for people who were completely deaf.
TRUE or FALSE? 9) Alexander Graham Bell believed Darwinian Evolution and not the Bible.
TRUE or FALSE? 10) Alexander Graham Bell encouraged deaf people to marry deaf people.
TRUE or FALSE? 11) William (Bill) Stokoe is the “Father” of the Cultural View of Deafness.
TRUE or FALSE? 12) William (Bill) Stokoe believed the Bible and not Darwinian Evolution.
TRUE or FALSE? 13) Deaf people should focus on evangelizing and teaching deaf people and hearing people should focus on evangelizing and teaching hearing people.
TRUE or FALSE? 14) Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet changed his mind and did not become a preacher so he could educate deaf children.
TRUE or FALSE? 15) Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet’s goal for his school was to lead deaf children to Christ.
TRUE or FALSE? 16) After leaving his School for the Deaf in Hartford, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet became the chaplain of an insane asylum.
TRUE or FALSE? 17) There are two philosophies about deafness: Pathological and Cultural.
TRUE or FALSE? 18) Deaf people should learn to read, write and speak English.
TRUE or FALSE? 19) God will judge deaf people differently than hearing people.
TRUE or FALSE? 20) Non-Christian teachers teach lies to Christian Interpreters to use them for financial gain.
Tricky? Do you think you know them all? Do these questions make you think? I hope they do. Now for the answers. The answer for all these questions and many more will be taught at the ASBID Conference, July 12 – 18, 2008.
I will write a post after the conference with the answers and a short explanation for those people that could not attend. Here are a couple of hints: They are not all true or all false. There are 9 False statements and 11 True ones.
Friday, December 21, 2007
The Golden Compass
The beginning of a new year is a good time to rediscover a few things we may have forgotten. We sometimes need to step back and get a proper perspective of ourselves and the world around us. Without looking back from time to time, we tend to forget boundaries God has clearly established and grey the black and white of morals.
We should never forget that while we are on this earth the Christian does not sin because they have to but because they want to. James 1:13-15 says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” God does not draw us away, our own lust does.
Sin is resistible. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer (allow) you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Every temptation can be resisted. We sin because we choose to commit the sin instead of choosing to resist.”
Temptation will come from many sources both internal and external. Man is a three part being and two of the three parts is able to be tempted. As a Christian, our soul is possessed by the Holy Spirit as it says in 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” Although our soul is complete we are still attached to a sinful, and sin prone, body and mind.
The body can become addicted to all kinds of sin and tempts us to continue in sin. We must be careful of giving the body too much of anything it enjoys. Romans 7:18 says, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Our minds can be fooled and justify sin. Proverbs 16:25 says, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
The world is not our friend, it is our enemy. The world has no interest in helping us to live godly, holy, righteous lives. James 4:4 says, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” The world offers many ways to stray from God’s laws and commandments. 1 Peter 1:14-16 makes it clear that God commands us to be holy. The world calls us to be unholy.
There will be many tools the world uses to draw us away from a renewed mind. A renewed mind is a mind that is being made new by the power of Christ by the Word of God. Colossians 3:1-17 is a great passage explaining the process of renewing our minds. Ephesians 5:25-27 says God uses his Word to wash the mind of man and make His church renewed. The world wants us to stay away from the Word of God and be disobedient to the will of God.
There are many movies and books the world will produce for the purpose of drawing us further and further from living a holy life. The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling is a blatant example of books and movies designed to make evil look good. In Hot Type, Evan Solomon interviewed JK Rowling who said, “Well, you see, Harry is good.” In the same interview she said, “I loved writing Dumbledore and Dumbledore is the epitome of goodness.” In late 2007, JK Rowling announced that Dumbledore was a homosexual and his nemesis was actually his ex-lover. This is proof JK Rowling calls evil good.
Scripture tells us in Isaiah 5:20, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” We need to watch out for those who, according to 2 Timothy 3:5, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” They say they are a Christian or say they love Jesus but they produce teachings which lead people away from godliness and holiness. We are to actively turn away from worldly entertainment.
Fables and parables can be used for good. Jesus often used parables, fables that have a moral message, to teach about the Kingdom of God. C. S. Lewis, a Christian and an author, wrote The Chronicles of Narnia which teach the truths and morals found in Scripture. But fables and parables are not always used to teach good messages. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
The world uses fables to teach their evil doctrine too. Along with Harry Potter, another worldly fable will be coming out in movie form soon. “The Golden Compass” is a fable based on Phillip Pullman’s book Northern Lights from his trilogy His Dark Materials. In this story, a girl travels through worlds of witches, armor-plated bears, and evil church-sponsored assassins to finally defeat the oppression of a senile God. At the end of the trilogy the main characters kill God.
The world loves their own. John 15:19a says, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own…” That is why this trilogy has received the Carnegie Medal for Children’s Literature in 1995, although the author, Philip Pullman, said, “I don't profess any religion; I don't think it's possible that there is a God; I have the greatest difficulty in understanding what is meant by the words 'spiritual' or 'spirituality.”
Philip Pullman is open about how his writings are anti-religion and anti-God. In a 2003 interview, Pullman said, “My books are about killing God" and in a 2001 interview he said he was "trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief." Can it be any clearer? If you open your mind to these stories, their message gets in and makes you spiritually weak.
There is no reason for a Christian to watch worldly movies, free or otherwise. Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” And finally, Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
We should never forget that while we are on this earth the Christian does not sin because they have to but because they want to. James 1:13-15 says, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” God does not draw us away, our own lust does.
Sin is resistible. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer (allow) you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Every temptation can be resisted. We sin because we choose to commit the sin instead of choosing to resist.”
Temptation will come from many sources both internal and external. Man is a three part being and two of the three parts is able to be tempted. As a Christian, our soul is possessed by the Holy Spirit as it says in 1 Corinthians 3:16, “Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” Although our soul is complete we are still attached to a sinful, and sin prone, body and mind.
The body can become addicted to all kinds of sin and tempts us to continue in sin. We must be careful of giving the body too much of anything it enjoys. Romans 7:18 says, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.” Our minds can be fooled and justify sin. Proverbs 16:25 says, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
The world is not our friend, it is our enemy. The world has no interest in helping us to live godly, holy, righteous lives. James 4:4 says, “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” The world offers many ways to stray from God’s laws and commandments. 1 Peter 1:14-16 makes it clear that God commands us to be holy. The world calls us to be unholy.
There will be many tools the world uses to draw us away from a renewed mind. A renewed mind is a mind that is being made new by the power of Christ by the Word of God. Colossians 3:1-17 is a great passage explaining the process of renewing our minds. Ephesians 5:25-27 says God uses his Word to wash the mind of man and make His church renewed. The world wants us to stay away from the Word of God and be disobedient to the will of God.
There are many movies and books the world will produce for the purpose of drawing us further and further from living a holy life. The Harry Potter series by JK Rowling is a blatant example of books and movies designed to make evil look good. In Hot Type, Evan Solomon interviewed JK Rowling who said, “Well, you see, Harry is good.” In the same interview she said, “I loved writing Dumbledore and Dumbledore is the epitome of goodness.” In late 2007, JK Rowling announced that Dumbledore was a homosexual and his nemesis was actually his ex-lover. This is proof JK Rowling calls evil good.
Scripture tells us in Isaiah 5:20, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” We need to watch out for those who, according to 2 Timothy 3:5, “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” They say they are a Christian or say they love Jesus but they produce teachings which lead people away from godliness and holiness. We are to actively turn away from worldly entertainment.
Fables and parables can be used for good. Jesus often used parables, fables that have a moral message, to teach about the Kingdom of God. C. S. Lewis, a Christian and an author, wrote The Chronicles of Narnia which teach the truths and morals found in Scripture. But fables and parables are not always used to teach good messages. 2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
The world uses fables to teach their evil doctrine too. Along with Harry Potter, another worldly fable will be coming out in movie form soon. “The Golden Compass” is a fable based on Phillip Pullman’s book Northern Lights from his trilogy His Dark Materials. In this story, a girl travels through worlds of witches, armor-plated bears, and evil church-sponsored assassins to finally defeat the oppression of a senile God. At the end of the trilogy the main characters kill God.
The world loves their own. John 15:19a says, “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own…” That is why this trilogy has received the Carnegie Medal for Children’s Literature in 1995, although the author, Philip Pullman, said, “I don't profess any religion; I don't think it's possible that there is a God; I have the greatest difficulty in understanding what is meant by the words 'spiritual' or 'spirituality.”
Philip Pullman is open about how his writings are anti-religion and anti-God. In a 2003 interview, Pullman said, “My books are about killing God" and in a 2001 interview he said he was "trying to undermine the basis of Christian belief." Can it be any clearer? If you open your mind to these stories, their message gets in and makes you spiritually weak.
There is no reason for a Christian to watch worldly movies, free or otherwise. Colossians 3:2 says, “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” Romans 12:2 says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” And finally, Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Who is the Elohiym of Genesis 1?
The Hebrew word “Elohiym” is used throughout the Old Testament. What does this term mean? Who did it identify in Genesis 1? Does it refer to the Trinity?
Genesis 1:1 says:
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
This verse makes a declaration that God (Elohiym) created the heaven and the earth.
Elohiym is defined in the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible’s Hebrew Dictionary as:
H430; אלהים; 'elohiym; el-o-heem'; Plural of H433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative: - angels, X exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.
As you can see in this definition there are many uses for this term. It can identify the Supreme God, to gods, to angels, to human judges, and even to large cities.
In Amos 2:8, Elohiym is used of a false god:
“And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.”
In Nahum 1:14, Elohiym is used for false gods:
“And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.”
Elohiym is also used to describe a very large city in Jonah 3:3:
“So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.”
There are many things called Elohiym in the Old Testament – but what about in Genesis 1? Although the word Elohiym could mean many different objects and people, in Genesis 1 it only had one intended meaning. This is true of any biblical passage, each has only one intended meaning although there may be many applications.
The individual writers were moved by the Supreme Author to write one intended meaning, as explained in 2 Peter 1:20-21.
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
The application could be for a limited time to a limited number of people. Such is the case with the Mosaic laws on divorce. The application may be wider, applying to the reader at the time of the writing as well as applying to the reader of today.
The use of the term Elohiym, in Genesis 1, can only have one intended meaning. Who or what was meant? Could the term have meant any of the definitions equally? Could it mean, “Take your pick” as to the meaning of Elohiym? What was the singular intent of the Supreme Author when guiding Moses to use this term exclusively in Genesis 1?
One of the keys to unlocking this question is stated in several texts of the Old Testament. Notice how Elohiym is used in the book of Jonah 1:9:
“And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.”
Here Jonah is describing to the pagans which Elohiym he worshipped. This is the LORD (YHWH), the Elohiym of heaven, the maker of the sea and the dry land.
Jonah feared THE YHWH, THE Creator Elohiym. This connects with passages in Genesis:
Genesis 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Elohiym is used exclusively to refer to the Creator God from Genesis 1:1 through Genesis 2:3. From Genesis 2:4 the term YHWH Elohiym is almost exclusively used for this same being.
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Genesis 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
This was not just any Elohiym creating the heaven and the earth, it was the YHWH Elohiym.
Why was Elohiym used as the exclusive name for God in Genesis 1? Elohiym embodied the essence of God – a plural name, not for a plural God, but for one God, and yet look at this one God:
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
God – YHWH Elohiym was present
The Spirit of God – Ruach of Elohiym was present
And according to John 1:1-3 the Word of God – Logos Theos was present
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
From Matthew Henry’s Commentary:
"(2.) The author and cause of this great work - God. The Hebrew word is Elohim, which bespeaks, [1.] The power of God the Creator. El signifies the strong God; and what less than almighty strength could bring all things out of nothing? [2.] The plurality of persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This plural name of God, in Hebrew, which speaks of him as many though he is one, was to the Gentiles perhaps a savour of death unto death, hardening them in their idolatry; but it is to us a savour of life unto life, confirming our faith in the doctrine of the Trinity, which, though but darkly intimated in the Old Testament, is clearly revealed in the New. The Son of God, the eternal Word and Wisdom of the Father, was with him when he made the world (Pro_8:30), nay, we are often told that the world was made by him, and nothing made without him, Joh_1:3, Joh_1:10; Eph_3:9; Col_1:16; Heb_1:2. O what high thoughts should this form in our minds of that great God whom we draw nigh to in religious worship, and that great Mediator in whose name we draw nigh!"
This presence of the Godhead is also verified in Romans 1:20:
“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”
Without a doubt, the Elohiym of Genesis 1 refers to the Triune God. The word Elohiym does not only refer to the Triune God, but the word Elohiym in Genesis 1 can refer to no other being.
There is only one God as stated in Deuteronomy 6:4:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:”
The YHWH our Elohiym is one YHWH.
This One, Triune, Eternal, Creator, God is the one and only Elohiym of Genesis 1.
Genesis 1:1 says:
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
This verse makes a declaration that God (Elohiym) created the heaven and the earth.
Elohiym is defined in the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible’s Hebrew Dictionary as:
H430; אלהים; 'elohiym; el-o-heem'; Plural of H433; gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative: - angels, X exceeding, God (gods) (-dess, -ly), X (very) great, judges, X mighty.
As you can see in this definition there are many uses for this term. It can identify the Supreme God, to gods, to angels, to human judges, and even to large cities.
In Amos 2:8, Elohiym is used of a false god:
“And they lay themselves down upon clothes laid to pledge by every altar, and they drink the wine of the condemned in the house of their god.”
In Nahum 1:14, Elohiym is used for false gods:
“And the LORD hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.”
Elohiym is also used to describe a very large city in Jonah 3:3:
“So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days' journey.”
There are many things called Elohiym in the Old Testament – but what about in Genesis 1? Although the word Elohiym could mean many different objects and people, in Genesis 1 it only had one intended meaning. This is true of any biblical passage, each has only one intended meaning although there may be many applications.
The individual writers were moved by the Supreme Author to write one intended meaning, as explained in 2 Peter 1:20-21.
“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
The application could be for a limited time to a limited number of people. Such is the case with the Mosaic laws on divorce. The application may be wider, applying to the reader at the time of the writing as well as applying to the reader of today.
The use of the term Elohiym, in Genesis 1, can only have one intended meaning. Who or what was meant? Could the term have meant any of the definitions equally? Could it mean, “Take your pick” as to the meaning of Elohiym? What was the singular intent of the Supreme Author when guiding Moses to use this term exclusively in Genesis 1?
One of the keys to unlocking this question is stated in several texts of the Old Testament. Notice how Elohiym is used in the book of Jonah 1:9:
“And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.”
Here Jonah is describing to the pagans which Elohiym he worshipped. This is the LORD (YHWH), the Elohiym of heaven, the maker of the sea and the dry land.
Jonah feared THE YHWH, THE Creator Elohiym. This connects with passages in Genesis:
Genesis 1:24 And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, and beast of the earth after his kind: and it was so.
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Elohiym is used exclusively to refer to the Creator God from Genesis 1:1 through Genesis 2:3. From Genesis 2:4 the term YHWH Elohiym is almost exclusively used for this same being.
Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.
Genesis 2:19 And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof.
This was not just any Elohiym creating the heaven and the earth, it was the YHWH Elohiym.
Why was Elohiym used as the exclusive name for God in Genesis 1? Elohiym embodied the essence of God – a plural name, not for a plural God, but for one God, and yet look at this one God:
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Genesis 1:2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
God – YHWH Elohiym was present
The Spirit of God – Ruach of Elohiym was present
And according to John 1:1-3 the Word of God – Logos Theos was present
John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.
John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
From Matthew Henry’s Commentary:
"(2.) The author and cause of this great work - God. The Hebrew word is Elohim, which bespeaks, [1.] The power of God the Creator. El signifies the strong God; and what less than almighty strength could bring all things out of nothing? [2.] The plurality of persons in the Godhead, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. This plural name of God, in Hebrew, which speaks of him as many though he is one, was to the Gentiles perhaps a savour of death unto death, hardening them in their idolatry; but it is to us a savour of life unto life, confirming our faith in the doctrine of the Trinity, which, though but darkly intimated in the Old Testament, is clearly revealed in the New. The Son of God, the eternal Word and Wisdom of the Father, was with him when he made the world (Pro_8:30), nay, we are often told that the world was made by him, and nothing made without him, Joh_1:3, Joh_1:10; Eph_3:9; Col_1:16; Heb_1:2. O what high thoughts should this form in our minds of that great God whom we draw nigh to in religious worship, and that great Mediator in whose name we draw nigh!"
This presence of the Godhead is also verified in Romans 1:20:
“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:”
Without a doubt, the Elohiym of Genesis 1 refers to the Triune God. The word Elohiym does not only refer to the Triune God, but the word Elohiym in Genesis 1 can refer to no other being.
There is only one God as stated in Deuteronomy 6:4:
“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:”
The YHWH our Elohiym is one YHWH.
This One, Triune, Eternal, Creator, God is the one and only Elohiym of Genesis 1.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Public Schools try again to silence Christians
Liberty Counsel
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT - 800-671-1776
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 2, 2007
Twelve Students Receive 10-Day Suspension for Praying Before School
Vancouver, WA - Today twelve high school students at Heritage High School were suspended for ten days for gathering to pray before school. Liberty Counsel is providing legal assistance to the students who were suspended.
A few weeks ago, the students tried to start a prayer club, but the school's vice principal, Alex Otoupal, would not let them meet in a private room. The students gathered in the cafeteria before school to pray, but a Satanist student went to the school office and complained. As a result, Vice Principal Otoupal told the Christian students they could not pray in the cafeteria but would have to go outside. After the students insisted on praying in the cafeteria because of inclement weather, Otoupal suspended them for ten days.
Anita L. Staver, President of Liberty Counsel, commented: "It is absolutely outrageous that the school allowed one Satanist student to exercise a heckler's veto over the other students' speech. This situation underscores the ignorance of school officials regarding the constitutional rights of students."
Staver concluded: "Most of the students who were suspended are immigrants from Russia. We must show them that America is still the land of the free. School officials must immediately reverse the suspensions."
For more information go here: http://www.lc.org/index.html
For a secular view of the same event go here: http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/03022007news110888.cfm
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT - 800-671-1776
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 2, 2007
Twelve Students Receive 10-Day Suspension for Praying Before School
Vancouver, WA - Today twelve high school students at Heritage High School were suspended for ten days for gathering to pray before school. Liberty Counsel is providing legal assistance to the students who were suspended.
A few weeks ago, the students tried to start a prayer club, but the school's vice principal, Alex Otoupal, would not let them meet in a private room. The students gathered in the cafeteria before school to pray, but a Satanist student went to the school office and complained. As a result, Vice Principal Otoupal told the Christian students they could not pray in the cafeteria but would have to go outside. After the students insisted on praying in the cafeteria because of inclement weather, Otoupal suspended them for ten days.
Anita L. Staver, President of Liberty Counsel, commented: "It is absolutely outrageous that the school allowed one Satanist student to exercise a heckler's veto over the other students' speech. This situation underscores the ignorance of school officials regarding the constitutional rights of students."
Staver concluded: "Most of the students who were suspended are immigrants from Russia. We must show them that America is still the land of the free. School officials must immediately reverse the suspensions."
For more information go here: http://www.lc.org/index.html
For a secular view of the same event go here: http://www.columbian.com/news/localNews/03022007news110888.cfm
Friday, February 16, 2007
Is Fasting Required?
Fasting is not glamorous or easy but for a Christian, it is necessary.
Jesus fasted:
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. Matthew 4:1-2
Jesus commanded fasting:
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:16-18
Jesus also spoke of fasting as a thing that will happen when He is gone:
Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. Matthew 9:14-15 (Mark 2:17-20; Luke 5:31-35)
There is even special spiritual power connected to fasting:
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. Matthew 17:19-21 (and in Mark 9:28-29)
Notice these other Scriptures on fasting:
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. Acts 13:2-3
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. Acts 14:23
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. 1Corinthians 7:5
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2Corinthians 6:3-10
Is there any reason to believe that fasting is not a part of the normal Christian life?
What is fasting? Abstaining from all food except for water for a period of time.
See: http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=110&o=91786
When Jesus and the disciples fasted they did not stop watching TV (although that is not a bad idea) or refrain from eating chocolate. Fasting is limiting your intake to water only. The disciples ate nothing for the time they were fasting.
Fasting may be from Sunrise to Sunset (12 hours), Sunset to Sunset (24 hours), or for several days. You may want to talk to your doctor before embarking on an extended fast but the 12 hour fast is a good place to begin.
Remember, fasting is not only abstinence from food but it also involves prayer and quiet time to study God’s Word. It is for the purpose of drawing near to God for His special power to meet the challenges ahead of us.
Are you a fasting Christian or a Christian in need of fasting?
Jesus fasted:
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred. Matthew 4:1-2
Jesus commanded fasting:
Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou fastest, anoint thine head, and wash thy face; That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly. Matthew 6:16-18
Jesus also spoke of fasting as a thing that will happen when He is gone:
Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not? And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast. Matthew 9:14-15 (Mark 2:17-20; Luke 5:31-35)
There is even special spiritual power connected to fasting:
Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. Matthew 17:19-21 (and in Mark 9:28-29)
Notice these other Scriptures on fasting:
As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away. Acts 13:2-3
And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed. Acts 14:23
Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. 1Corinthians 7:5
Giving no offence in any thing, that the ministry be not blamed: But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. 2Corinthians 6:3-10
Is there any reason to believe that fasting is not a part of the normal Christian life?
What is fasting? Abstaining from all food except for water for a period of time.
See: http://www.askmoses.com/article.html?h=110&o=91786
When Jesus and the disciples fasted they did not stop watching TV (although that is not a bad idea) or refrain from eating chocolate. Fasting is limiting your intake to water only. The disciples ate nothing for the time they were fasting.
Fasting may be from Sunrise to Sunset (12 hours), Sunset to Sunset (24 hours), or for several days. You may want to talk to your doctor before embarking on an extended fast but the 12 hour fast is a good place to begin.
Remember, fasting is not only abstinence from food but it also involves prayer and quiet time to study God’s Word. It is for the purpose of drawing near to God for His special power to meet the challenges ahead of us.
Are you a fasting Christian or a Christian in need of fasting?
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Inform and Activate Your Public School Students
Here is some information from the United States Department of Education for the Students, Teachers, and Administrators of the Public Schools.
You can read it yourself at:
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html
Section 9524 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act ("ESEA") of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, requires the Secretary to issue guidance on constitutionally protected prayer in public elementary and secondary schools. In addition, Section 9524 requires that, as a condition of receiving ESEA funds, a local educational agency ("LEA") must certify in writing to its State educational agency ("SEA") that it has no policy that prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in public schools as set forth in this guidance.
Students may pray when not engaged in school activities or instruction, subject to the same rules designed to prevent material disruption of the educational program that are applied to other privately initiated expressive activities. Among other things, students may read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace before meals, and pray or study religious materials with fellow students during recess, the lunch hour, or other noninstructional time to the same extent that they may engage in nonreligious activities. While school authorities may impose rules of order and pedagogical restrictions on student activities, they may not discriminate against student prayer or religious speech in applying such rules and restrictions.
Students may organize prayer groups, religious clubs, and "see you at the pole" gatherings before school to the same extent that students are permitted to organize other non-curricular student activities groups. Such groups must be given the same access to school facilities for assembling as is given to other non-curricular groups, without discrimination because of the religious content of their expression.
However, where student groups that meet for nonreligious activities are permitted to advertise or announce their meetings—for example, by advertising in a student newspaper, making announcements on a student activities bulletin board or public address system, or handing out leaflets—school authorities may not discriminate against groups who meet to pray. School authorities may disclaim sponsorship of non-curricular groups and events, provided they administer such disclaimers in a manner that neither favors nor disfavors groups that meet to engage in prayer or religious speech.
Teachers may, however, take part in religious activities where the overall context makes clear that they are not participating in their official capacities. Before school or during lunch, for example, teachers may meet with other teachers for prayer or Bible study to the same extent that they may engage in other conversation or nonreligious activities. Similarly, teachers may participate in their personal capacities in privately sponsored baccalaureate ceremonies.
Students may express their beliefs about religion in homework, artwork, and other written and oral assignments free from discrimination based on the religious content of their submissions. Such home and classroom work should be judged by ordinary academic standards of substance and relevance and against other legitimate pedagogical concerns identified by the school. Thus, if a teacher's assignment involves writing a poem, the work of a student who submits a poem in the form of a prayer (for example, a psalm) should be judged on the basis of academic standards (such as literary quality) and neither penalized nor rewarded on account of its religious content.
Where student speakers are selected on the basis of genuinely neutral, evenhanded criteria and retain primary control over the content of their expression, that expression is not attributable to the school and therefore may not be restricted because of its religious (or anti-religious) content.
Is your school cooperating? Are you using the laws we have to exercise the Christianity you have?
If you need to enforce your rights I encourage you to contact the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) at:
http://www.aclj.org/
American Center for Law and JusticeP.O. Box 90555Washington, DC 20090-0555
Legal Helpline Phone: 757-226-2489Legal Helpline Fax: 757-226-2836
Radio call-in number: 1-800-684-3110 (from 12-12:30 PM EST/EDT.)
Now go out there and be the Christian the Public Schools need.
You can read it yourself at:
http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/religionandschools/prayer_guidance.html
Section 9524 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act ("ESEA") of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, requires the Secretary to issue guidance on constitutionally protected prayer in public elementary and secondary schools. In addition, Section 9524 requires that, as a condition of receiving ESEA funds, a local educational agency ("LEA") must certify in writing to its State educational agency ("SEA") that it has no policy that prevents, or otherwise denies participation in, constitutionally protected prayer in public schools as set forth in this guidance.
Students may pray when not engaged in school activities or instruction, subject to the same rules designed to prevent material disruption of the educational program that are applied to other privately initiated expressive activities. Among other things, students may read their Bibles or other scriptures, say grace before meals, and pray or study religious materials with fellow students during recess, the lunch hour, or other noninstructional time to the same extent that they may engage in nonreligious activities. While school authorities may impose rules of order and pedagogical restrictions on student activities, they may not discriminate against student prayer or religious speech in applying such rules and restrictions.
Students may organize prayer groups, religious clubs, and "see you at the pole" gatherings before school to the same extent that students are permitted to organize other non-curricular student activities groups. Such groups must be given the same access to school facilities for assembling as is given to other non-curricular groups, without discrimination because of the religious content of their expression.
However, where student groups that meet for nonreligious activities are permitted to advertise or announce their meetings—for example, by advertising in a student newspaper, making announcements on a student activities bulletin board or public address system, or handing out leaflets—school authorities may not discriminate against groups who meet to pray. School authorities may disclaim sponsorship of non-curricular groups and events, provided they administer such disclaimers in a manner that neither favors nor disfavors groups that meet to engage in prayer or religious speech.
Teachers may, however, take part in religious activities where the overall context makes clear that they are not participating in their official capacities. Before school or during lunch, for example, teachers may meet with other teachers for prayer or Bible study to the same extent that they may engage in other conversation or nonreligious activities. Similarly, teachers may participate in their personal capacities in privately sponsored baccalaureate ceremonies.
Students may express their beliefs about religion in homework, artwork, and other written and oral assignments free from discrimination based on the religious content of their submissions. Such home and classroom work should be judged by ordinary academic standards of substance and relevance and against other legitimate pedagogical concerns identified by the school. Thus, if a teacher's assignment involves writing a poem, the work of a student who submits a poem in the form of a prayer (for example, a psalm) should be judged on the basis of academic standards (such as literary quality) and neither penalized nor rewarded on account of its religious content.
Where student speakers are selected on the basis of genuinely neutral, evenhanded criteria and retain primary control over the content of their expression, that expression is not attributable to the school and therefore may not be restricted because of its religious (or anti-religious) content.
Is your school cooperating? Are you using the laws we have to exercise the Christianity you have?
If you need to enforce your rights I encourage you to contact the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ) at:
http://www.aclj.org/
American Center for Law and JusticeP.O. Box 90555Washington, DC 20090-0555
Legal Helpline Phone: 757-226-2489Legal Helpline Fax: 757-226-2836
Radio call-in number: 1-800-684-3110 (from 12-12:30 PM EST/EDT.)
Now go out there and be the Christian the Public Schools need.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
NFL Throws Flag at Church Superbowl Party
The National Football League (NFL) has pulled the plug, not just on one church but on all churches using the Superbowl as a means to evangelize.
Get the story here:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6436876
and here
http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com/6959.article
According to my understanding, here’s the criteria:
1) Does your church plan to show the Superbowl (or any NFL game) on a TV screen, or a projected image, larger than 55 inches?
2) Any time during the program (during commercials, half-time, etc) will your church divert the attention of the attendees away from the televised program to a message of your own?
3) Will your church show the game on more than one source? (i.e. a TV and a Bigscreen)
4) Will your church be taking an offering or a collection of any kind at the event?
If your church party answers yes to any of the above questions then your church will be violating the NFL copyright law.
Here’s the exception:
Are you a sports bar?
If you are a bar or a tavern you have no restrictions like a church. You may charge for people entering your establishment (cover charge), someone may carry on a conversation about other things and divert your attention away from the game, they may present the game on more than one source, and they may have viewing sources larger than 55 inches.
If you want to do something about that here’s the contact information for the NFL commissioner:
Roger Goodell
Commissioner
National Football League Inc.
280 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10017
NY Tel. 212-450-2000
Fax 212-681-7599 or 212-681-7573
Here’s a little about the Commissioner:
This is from
http://www.answers.com/topic/roger-goodell
Roger Goodell was born on February 19 1959. He became the Commissioner of the National Football League on August 8, 2006. He began his tenure on September 1, 2006. Goodell was born in Jamestown, New York and is the son of former New York Senator Charles Goodell. The Goodell family moved to Bronxville, New York, in 1971, where Roger graduated from high school. Goodell is a 1981 graduate of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania with a degree in economics.
Goodell is married to Fox News Channel anchor Jane Skinner and they have twin daughters. He has four brothers, among them are Tim, a member of the worldwide executive committee of international law firm White & Case; and Michael, long-time partner of Jack Kenny, creator of the short-lived NBC series The Book of Daniel. The Goodell family was the inspiration for the Webster family on the show.
Don’t like what the NFL is doing? Tell them.
Get the story here:
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/6436876
and here
http://www.floridabaptistwitness.com/6959.article
According to my understanding, here’s the criteria:
1) Does your church plan to show the Superbowl (or any NFL game) on a TV screen, or a projected image, larger than 55 inches?
2) Any time during the program (during commercials, half-time, etc) will your church divert the attention of the attendees away from the televised program to a message of your own?
3) Will your church show the game on more than one source? (i.e. a TV and a Bigscreen)
4) Will your church be taking an offering or a collection of any kind at the event?
If your church party answers yes to any of the above questions then your church will be violating the NFL copyright law.
Here’s the exception:
Are you a sports bar?
If you are a bar or a tavern you have no restrictions like a church. You may charge for people entering your establishment (cover charge), someone may carry on a conversation about other things and divert your attention away from the game, they may present the game on more than one source, and they may have viewing sources larger than 55 inches.
If you want to do something about that here’s the contact information for the NFL commissioner:
Roger Goodell
Commissioner
National Football League Inc.
280 Park Ave.
New York, NY 10017
NY Tel. 212-450-2000
Fax 212-681-7599 or 212-681-7573
Here’s a little about the Commissioner:
This is from
http://www.answers.com/topic/roger-goodell
Roger Goodell was born on February 19 1959. He became the Commissioner of the National Football League on August 8, 2006. He began his tenure on September 1, 2006. Goodell was born in Jamestown, New York and is the son of former New York Senator Charles Goodell. The Goodell family moved to Bronxville, New York, in 1971, where Roger graduated from high school. Goodell is a 1981 graduate of Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, Pennsylvania with a degree in economics.
Goodell is married to Fox News Channel anchor Jane Skinner and they have twin daughters. He has four brothers, among them are Tim, a member of the worldwide executive committee of international law firm White & Case; and Michael, long-time partner of Jack Kenny, creator of the short-lived NBC series The Book of Daniel. The Goodell family was the inspiration for the Webster family on the show.
Don’t like what the NFL is doing? Tell them.
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Circles of Inclusion
When you read my last posting, you may feel I am encouraging unity at any price, but that is not what I said. Unity in the Christian body is important but there are times when you not only should divide but you must divide.
There are circles of fellowship that are built on a biblical model and there are those who are not in any of our circles. For example, within the twelve Jesus had the three but Jesus did not embrace the wolves in sheep’s clothing.
The first circle of inclusion is to determine whether or not the person is a Christian. This is determined by how a person talks and walks.
A person can not be saved and deny the deity of Jesus Christ according to 1John 4:2-3.
Hereby you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1John 4:2-3
In addition, Jesus requires us to be “fruit inspectors” by determining the strength of the relationship based
upon the persons actions.
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. Matthew 7:15-20
A part of confessing that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is recognizing the source from which we learn about Christ is authoritative. Accepting the Inerrancy of the Scriptures is key to embracing the Jesus Christ of the Scriptures.
If you do not accept the truth and reliability of the Scriptures, Jesus Christ may be redefined to mean another person than the God Incarnate, Word who became flesh, who is the only way to God the Father.
There are people today who are working at forming alliances between “Baptists.” They do so embracing other “Baptist” but overlooking the Word of God. Their common ground is not Scripture, or the Jesus Christ of Scripture, they wish to stand on the basis of their own preferences.
Here are some quotes from an article in the Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/20/AR2007012001295.html
Former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton are leading an effort to forge dozens of small and medium-size, black and white Baptist organizations into a robust coalition that would serve as a counterweight to the conservative Southern Baptist Convention.
The new coalition, which is Carter's brainchild, would give moderate Baptists a stronger collective voice and could provide Democrats with greater entree into the Baptist community. But Carter and other organizers are trying to walk a fine line, insisting that the alliance is not directly political while touting its potential to recast the role of religion in the public square.
The covenant would not be not a new denomination but a coalition of four historically black Baptist churches -- including the 7.5-million-member National Baptist Convention USA and the 2.5-million-member Progressive National Baptist Convention -- and several predominantly white Baptist groups, including the 1.4-million-member American Baptist Churches USA and the 500,000-member Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
Together, they have more than 20 million members, outnumbering the SBC, which was not invited to the Atlanta meeting.
Make no mistake about it, this coalition is not based upon Christ but upon a political cause. This cause is not scriptural; it is purely anti-SBC.
I have no doubt this new coalition will have some success in their political agenda – but only for now. Most of this coalition will still be here after the Christians are removed in the gathering, spoken of by Paul.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1Thessalonians 4:16-17
I do not fear this new group; I do not embrace them or their cause either. I do, however, embrace all Southern Baptists who stand with me inside the circle of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.
That document can be found here:
http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp
There are circles of fellowship that are built on a biblical model and there are those who are not in any of our circles. For example, within the twelve Jesus had the three but Jesus did not embrace the wolves in sheep’s clothing.
The first circle of inclusion is to determine whether or not the person is a Christian. This is determined by how a person talks and walks.
A person can not be saved and deny the deity of Jesus Christ according to 1John 4:2-3.
Hereby you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof you have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1John 4:2-3
In addition, Jesus requires us to be “fruit inspectors” by determining the strength of the relationship based
upon the persons actions.Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them. Matthew 7:15-20
A part of confessing that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is recognizing the source from which we learn about Christ is authoritative. Accepting the Inerrancy of the Scriptures is key to embracing the Jesus Christ of the Scriptures.
If you do not accept the truth and reliability of the Scriptures, Jesus Christ may be redefined to mean another person than the God Incarnate, Word who became flesh, who is the only way to God the Father.
There are people today who are working at forming alliances between “Baptists.” They do so embracing other “Baptist” but overlooking the Word of God. Their common ground is not Scripture, or the Jesus Christ of Scripture, they wish to stand on the basis of their own preferences.
Here are some quotes from an article in the Washington Post:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/20/AR2007012001295.html
Former presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton are leading an effort to forge dozens of small and medium-size, black and white Baptist organizations into a robust coalition that would serve as a counterweight to the conservative Southern Baptist Convention.The new coalition, which is Carter's brainchild, would give moderate Baptists a stronger collective voice and could provide Democrats with greater entree into the Baptist community. But Carter and other organizers are trying to walk a fine line, insisting that the alliance is not directly political while touting its potential to recast the role of religion in the public square.
The covenant would not be not a new denomination but a coalition of four historically black Baptist churches -- including the 7.5-million-member National Baptist Convention USA and the 2.5-million-member Progressive National Baptist Convention -- and several predominantly white Baptist groups, including the 1.4-million-member American Baptist Churches USA and the 500,000-member Cooperative Baptist Fellowship.
Together, they have more than 20 million members, outnumbering the SBC, which was not invited to the Atlanta meeting.
Make no mistake about it, this coalition is not based upon Christ but upon a political cause. This cause is not scriptural; it is purely anti-SBC.
I have no doubt this new coalition will have some success in their political agenda – but only for now. Most of this coalition will still be here after the Christians are removed in the gathering, spoken of by Paul.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1Thessalonians 4:16-17I do not fear this new group; I do not embrace them or their cause either. I do, however, embrace all Southern Baptists who stand with me inside the circle of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000.
That document can be found here:
http://www.sbc.net/bfm/bfm2000.asp
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
A Few Facts You Might Not Know.
Paul required Timothy to be circumcised before they worked together.
Acts 16:3
Paul called on the power of the Holy Ghost to strike Elymas with blindness and that was the event that immediately preceded John Mark leaving Paul.
Acts 13:7-13
Paul was so mad at John Mark for leaving that he would not permit him to go on his next missionary journey.
Acts 15:37-41
Paul believed it was necessary to shave his head and take a Jewish vow.
Acts 18:18
No one ever asked for John Mark to be removed from his apostleship.
No one ever asked for Paul to be removed from his apostleship.
Almost everyone knows Peter denied Christ and repented but few know that Peter liked to go fishing naked.
John 21:7
When Peter put on his clothes and swam to shore to meet Jesus, Jesus did not ask him why he was fishing naked.
The great preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, smoked a cigar.
http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/cigars.htm
Spurgeon’s picture was also used on a card to advertise for the sale of tobacco.
Here’s what the card said: “When I have found intense pain relieved, a weary brain soothed, and clam refreshing sleep obtained by a Cigar, I have felt grateful to God and have blessed His name.”
http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/cigars.htm
He also owned a slave named George.
http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/cigars.htm
Many preachers who do not support the use of tobacco or owning slaves often quote Spurgeon.
I have never heard of anyone trying to kick out Spurgeon from the ranks of the Baptists. To the contrary, many in the ranks of Southern Baptists, especially Calvinists, embrace him as a spiritual father.
Acts 16:3
Paul called on the power of the Holy Ghost to strike Elymas with blindness and that was the event that immediately preceded John Mark leaving Paul.
Acts 13:7-13
Paul was so mad at John Mark for leaving that he would not permit him to go on his next missionary journey.
Acts 15:37-41
Paul believed it was necessary to shave his head and take a Jewish vow.
Acts 18:18
No one ever asked for John Mark to be removed from his apostleship.
No one ever asked for Paul to be removed from his apostleship.
Almost everyone knows Peter denied Christ and repented but few know that Peter liked to go fishing naked.
John 21:7
When Peter put on his clothes and swam to shore to meet Jesus, Jesus did not ask him why he was fishing naked.
The great preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, smoked a cigar.
http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/cigars.htm
Spurgeon’s picture was also used on a card to advertise for the sale of tobacco.
Here’s what the card said: “When I have found intense pain relieved, a weary brain soothed, and clam refreshing sleep obtained by a Cigar, I have felt grateful to God and have blessed His name.”
http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/cigars.htm
He also owned a slave named George.
http://www.spurgeon.org/misc/cigars.htm
Many preachers who do not support the use of tobacco or owning slaves often quote Spurgeon.
I have never heard of anyone trying to kick out Spurgeon from the ranks of the Baptists. To the contrary, many in the ranks of Southern Baptists, especially Calvinists, embrace him as a spiritual father.
The Reverend Elijah Craig, (1738-1808) a Baptist pastor from Kentucky, not only founded Georgetown College and built the first fulling mill and paper mill in Kentucky, drank whisky. Not only did he drink it but he was one of the original distillers credited with the creation of Bourbon Whisky from moonshine.
http://www.straightbourbon.com/articles/ccname.html
When Elijah Craig’s life was described in Cathcart’s Baptist Encyclopedia not one word about alcohol was mentioned.
http://www.21tnt.com/biographies.htm#CraigE
There were no Baptists trying to remove Elijah Craig from his pastorate for making, selling, and drinking Bourbon Whisky.
Charles Stanley was divorced in 2000 and yet is still the Senior Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Atlanta, GA
http://www.fba.org/
Charles Stanley is still listed as a pastor in the Southern Baptist Convention.
http://www.sbc.net/ministersearch/pastordetail.asp?pid=MTgyMDgy
Anyone can see God still using Charles Stanley to do a mighty work. God is using his son, Andy, to reach many people today also.
As you can see by the articles on my blog, I do not support smoking, drinking, divorce, and many other issues. I am not ashamed to say I am a conservative, fundamental, Southern Baptist.
I also understand that God has used, and continues to use, imperfect people. Just look at some of the people God used in the past – Rahab (a prostitute), Samson (a whoremonger), Paul (a legalist who called himself the chief of sinners), Peter (a denier who enjoyed fishing naked), and even you and me (a sinner).
Our Baptist Faith and Message 2000 is a good place to stand together as Baptists. It is not a creed, but a quoting of the fundamental doctrines found in Scripture. We must not be silent about sin, but let us follow the example given to us by Jesus in Mark 9. After the children were placed on Jesus’ lap, John makes an important statement:
“And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he does not follow us: and we forbad him, because he does not follow us.” Mark 9:38
John was upset that there was someone doing the work of God another way. This person did not eat the same food as John. This person did not walk the same way, or talk the same way. John saw this person in competition to their ministry.
Jesus quickly corrected his concerns:
“But Jesus said, Do not forbid him: for there is no man which will do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. For he that is not against us is on our part.” Mark 9:39-40
I believe the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 is a great statement of truths found in the Bible. I believe they are not to be used as a creed to divide us, but are a summary of the great doctrines of the Scripture which should unite us.
Someone does not have to be exactly like me for me to accept them as a brother in Christ. If we continue in the direction we are currently going, we will one day have a banquet where everyone attending will be sitting at a separate table because we can't get along.
Let’s make 2007 a year of unity within our Southern Baptist Convention.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Unity without Uniformity
Imagine being back in time just prior to World War II. Japan attacks Pearl Harbor and the nation is outraged. West coast states form their own armies and start attacking the Japanese. The east coast states start attacking Germany. The Mississippi Valley states attack Italy. Florida attacks Cuba. Texas attacks North Africa.
Would we have won the war? Would we even have a chance?
We won the war because we fought a unified battle. Every state had to overlook the issues that were separating them and come together for a greater good.
Jesus told us:
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:18-20
These are our marching orders and Jesus made it clear that unity is our method.
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. John 17:20-23
Does this mean we overlook sin in the camp? Are we suppose to embrace sin? In no way. God calls us to holiness.
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 1Peter 1:14-16
We also have the obligation to correct an erring brother:
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Matthew 7:3-5
This correction has a process:
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Matthew 18:15 - 17
Paul gives us additional instructions:
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. 1Corinthians 5:9-13
As we face a new year we must be careful to do all things decently and in order. We must love the brethren. We are to do good – especially to the household of faith.
We must be careful to have our facts straight before bringing an accusation against the leadership of a church or of our convention.
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward. Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. 1Timothy 5:17-20
If our leadership rules well – we need to compensate them well (and get out of their way, let them lead, and support them.)
If our leadership sins – we need to bring the witnesses and address the sin. The sin is addressed to correct the relationship and restore the fellowship. If the sin disqualifies the person from keeping their present position, replace them.
And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 2Thessalonians 3:14 -15
In the next few years we will be addressing the issues of:
Social Drinking, Speaking in Tongues, Tobacco, Gambling, Freemasons, House Churches, Saddleback, Elder Leadership, and even styles of music.
As you consider making resolutions and motions in our upcoming state and national conventions remember: what you propose will either unite us in the battle, or will divide and defeat us. Be very careful how you word your proposal and the intent of your action.
Ben Franklin said:
We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.
http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/quotable/quote71.htm
As Ed Young preached at the SBC Pastor’s conference: We must not get off onto side streets.
Would we have won the war? Would we even have a chance?
We won the war because we fought a unified battle. Every state had to overlook the issues that were separating them and come together for a greater good.
Jesus told us:
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:18-20
These are our marching orders and Jesus made it clear that unity is our method.
Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. John 17:20-23
Does this mean we overlook sin in the camp? Are we suppose to embrace sin? In no way. God calls us to holiness.
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. 1Peter 1:14-16
We also have the obligation to correct an erring brother:
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. Matthew 7:3-5
This correction has a process:
Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican. Matthew 18:15 - 17
Paul gives us additional instructions:
I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. 1Corinthians 5:9-13
As we face a new year we must be careful to do all things decently and in order. We must love the brethren. We are to do good – especially to the household of faith.
We must be careful to have our facts straight before bringing an accusation against the leadership of a church or of our convention.
Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward. Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. 1Timothy 5:17-20
If our leadership rules well – we need to compensate them well (and get out of their way, let them lead, and support them.)
If our leadership sins – we need to bring the witnesses and address the sin. The sin is addressed to correct the relationship and restore the fellowship. If the sin disqualifies the person from keeping their present position, replace them.
And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. 2Thessalonians 3:14 -15
In the next few years we will be addressing the issues of:
Social Drinking, Speaking in Tongues, Tobacco, Gambling, Freemasons, House Churches, Saddleback, Elder Leadership, and even styles of music.
As you consider making resolutions and motions in our upcoming state and national conventions remember: what you propose will either unite us in the battle, or will divide and defeat us. Be very careful how you word your proposal and the intent of your action.
Ben Franklin said:
We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.
http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/quotable/quote71.htm
As Ed Young preached at the SBC Pastor’s conference: We must not get off onto side streets.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Happy New Year!
My Bible passage for this year is:
Jeremiah 9:23-24
“Thus saith the LORD,
Let not the wise man
glory in his wisdom,
neither let the mighty man
glory in his might,
let not the rich man
glory in his riches:
But let him that glorieth glory in this,
that he understandeth and knoweth me,
that I am the LORD
which exercise lovingkindness,
judgment,
and righteousness,
in the earth:
for in these things I delight,
saith the LORD.”
May God richly bless you as you seek to know Him better,
May your worship cause God to delight,
And this year may you be a cleaner vessel than ever before.
Let’s get ready for Heaven in 2007!
Jeremiah 9:23-24
“Thus saith the LORD,
Let not the wise man
glory in his wisdom,
neither let the mighty man
glory in his might,
let not the rich man
glory in his riches:
But let him that glorieth glory in this,
that he understandeth and knoweth me,
that I am the LORD
which exercise lovingkindness,
judgment,
and righteousness,
in the earth:
for in these things I delight,
saith the LORD.”
May God richly bless you as you seek to know Him better,
May your worship cause God to delight,
And this year may you be a cleaner vessel than ever before.
Let’s get ready for Heaven in 2007!
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Say thank you to them by giving a generous donation.
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
What Does The Future Hold?
As we prepare to close one year and open another, it is a good time to realize we have only a few more years here on Earth until Christ returns. When you consider how close we are to the establishment of the Kingdom of God on Earth, it should make the start of each year more exciting than the previous one.
Everyone has a theory, or at least an idea, about when Jesus is to return. When Jesus left, the angels declared Jesus would return.
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:10-11
We were given a glimpse into the future in several passages, but the passage I like the best about the coming of the Lord is found in 2Thessolonians 2.
Let’s take a closer look at verses 1-12 and see what is soon to happen.
2Thessolonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
The coming of our Lord is His second coming when He actually touches His feet on the Earth again. Prior to that event there is a gathering of the church out of the earth before the tribulation.
Check the book of Revelation. Where do you find the church? From chapter 4 until chapter 22:16 the church is not mentioned. Why? We are not here. We have been gathered out.
Our gathering together unto Him is the event depicted in 1Thessolonians 4:16-17
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1Thessolonians 4:16-17
The fact that we are reading the newspaper before it happens should not scare us, as we are encouraged in the next verse:
2Thessolonians 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Jesus’ return to earth, when He actually touches the Earth, will not happen until there is an anti-revival. There will be the form of religion but people will actually be moving away from the true Christ. People will be teaching others to know about God without knowing God.
The second event to happen before Jesus returns to Earth is that the Beast (the man of sin) is revealed. At a particular point in time the Beast will be revealed as the one world ruler. The ruler of the one world government will also rule the one world religion.
Buddhists will see him as the reincarnation of Buddha.
http://peacejournalism.com/ReadArticle.asp?ArticleID=7018
Islam will see him as the 12th Imam.
http://www.al-islam.org/masoom/bios/12thimam.html
Jews will see him as the messiah and the “Christians” (who are not true Christians but only in name) will see this beast as the returned Jesus.
2Thessolonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Thessolonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Notice that this beast will be sitting in the temple of God. There isn’t a temple today, but there are plans for one.
When it comes to looking for the return of Jesus, I like to look for the return of the third Temple. The building of the third temple will be after the gathering (rapture) of the church so the closer the temple gets, the gathering of the church to Christ is even closer.
Here are some sites I like to watch for this event:
http://www.jewishmag.com/16MAG/TEMPLE/temple.htm
“It is, therefore, worth dedicating a few minutes to consider how the Temple relates to us today. By this, we mean, of course, the Third Temple, whose re-building and long-awaited presence will usher in the Messianic Era.”
http://www.templemountfaithful.org/
“…the home page of the Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement. The goal of the Temple Mount Faithful is the building of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in our lifetime in accordance with the Word of G-d and all the Hebrew prophets and the liberation of the Temple Mount from Arab (Islamic) occupation so that it may be consecrated to the Name of G-d.”
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=24662
“In what could trigger further violence between Jews and Palestinians, an Israeli organization says it has rescheduled earlier plans to "lay and anoint" the cornerstones for the "Third Temple of Israel."”
http://www.thirdtemple.com/photogallery.htm
Third Temple Photo Gallery
http://www.templemount.org/
http://www.templemount.org/tempprep.html
Preparations for a Third Jewish Temple
http://www.thesanhedrin.org/en/
This website is about the re-established Jewish Sanhedrin.
http://www.templeinstitute.org/
http://www.templeinstitute.org/events.htm
“In these days leading up to the celebration of Chanukah - the rededication of the Holy Temple in the days of the Maccabees, The Temple Institute is pleased to unveil two new exciting projects: the construction of a new, state-of-the-art kior - brass laver, and the building of King David's Lyre.”
We are living in exciting times!
Just remember, while the Holy Spirit is here, He is holding back the evil that can not have full power until He is taken out of the way. Since we are sealed with the Holy Spirit – His removal is when we will be leaving to meet the Lord in the air.
2Thessolonians 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Thessolonians 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Thessolonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
After this, the beast will finally be revealed for the Antichrist he really is:
2Thessolonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Thessolonians 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
Those who currently are not Christians and have heard the word of the truth, can only come to Christ before this event. After this event they are doomed to receive the recompense of their decision.
This takes care of anyone who says they will wait until after the Lord returns to receive Him as Savior. If you wait – you will loose the opportunity.
Every person refusing Christ now, left behind after the gathering, will be forever dammed.
2Thessolonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Thessolonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Thessolonians 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Now is the time we need to get busy and win as many as possible to the Lord. Time is passing faster than we choose to believe it. Let us not grow weary in well doing.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Everyone has a theory, or at least an idea, about when Jesus is to return. When Jesus left, the angels declared Jesus would return.
And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:10-11
We were given a glimpse into the future in several passages, but the passage I like the best about the coming of the Lord is found in 2Thessolonians 2.
Let’s take a closer look at verses 1-12 and see what is soon to happen.
2Thessolonians 2:1 Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
The coming of our Lord is His second coming when He actually touches His feet on the Earth again. Prior to that event there is a gathering of the church out of the earth before the tribulation.
Check the book of Revelation. Where do you find the church? From chapter 4 until chapter 22:16 the church is not mentioned. Why? We are not here. We have been gathered out.
Our gathering together unto Him is the event depicted in 1Thessolonians 4:16-17
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 1Thessolonians 4:16-17
The fact that we are reading the newspaper before it happens should not scare us, as we are encouraged in the next verse:
2Thessolonians 2:2 That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
Jesus’ return to earth, when He actually touches the Earth, will not happen until there is an anti-revival. There will be the form of religion but people will actually be moving away from the true Christ. People will be teaching others to know about God without knowing God.
The second event to happen before Jesus returns to Earth is that the Beast (the man of sin) is revealed. At a particular point in time the Beast will be revealed as the one world ruler. The ruler of the one world government will also rule the one world religion.
Buddhists will see him as the reincarnation of Buddha.
http://peacejournalism.com/ReadArticle.asp?ArticleID=7018
Islam will see him as the 12th Imam.
http://www.al-islam.org/masoom/bios/12thimam.html
Jews will see him as the messiah and the “Christians” (who are not true Christians but only in name) will see this beast as the returned Jesus.
2Thessolonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Thessolonians 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Notice that this beast will be sitting in the temple of God. There isn’t a temple today, but there are plans for one.
When it comes to looking for the return of Jesus, I like to look for the return of the third Temple. The building of the third temple will be after the gathering (rapture) of the church so the closer the temple gets, the gathering of the church to Christ is even closer.
Here are some sites I like to watch for this event:
http://www.jewishmag.com/16MAG/TEMPLE/temple.htm
“It is, therefore, worth dedicating a few minutes to consider how the Temple relates to us today. By this, we mean, of course, the Third Temple, whose re-building and long-awaited presence will usher in the Messianic Era.”
http://www.templemountfaithful.org/
“…the home page of the Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement. The goal of the Temple Mount Faithful is the building of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem in our lifetime in accordance with the Word of G-d and all the Hebrew prophets and the liberation of the Temple Mount from Arab (Islamic) occupation so that it may be consecrated to the Name of G-d.”
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=24662
“In what could trigger further violence between Jews and Palestinians, an Israeli organization says it has rescheduled earlier plans to "lay and anoint" the cornerstones for the "Third Temple of Israel."”
http://www.thirdtemple.com/photogallery.htm
Third Temple Photo Gallery
http://www.templemount.org/
http://www.templemount.org/tempprep.html
Preparations for a Third Jewish Temple
http://www.thesanhedrin.org/en/
This website is about the re-established Jewish Sanhedrin.
http://www.templeinstitute.org/
http://www.templeinstitute.org/events.htm
“In these days leading up to the celebration of Chanukah - the rededication of the Holy Temple in the days of the Maccabees, The Temple Institute is pleased to unveil two new exciting projects: the construction of a new, state-of-the-art kior - brass laver, and the building of King David's Lyre.”
We are living in exciting times!
Just remember, while the Holy Spirit is here, He is holding back the evil that can not have full power until He is taken out of the way. Since we are sealed with the Holy Spirit – His removal is when we will be leaving to meet the Lord in the air.
2Thessolonians 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Thessolonians 2:6 And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Thessolonians 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
After this, the beast will finally be revealed for the Antichrist he really is:
2Thessolonians 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Thessolonians 2:9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
Those who currently are not Christians and have heard the word of the truth, can only come to Christ before this event. After this event they are doomed to receive the recompense of their decision.
This takes care of anyone who says they will wait until after the Lord returns to receive Him as Savior. If you wait – you will loose the opportunity.
Every person refusing Christ now, left behind after the gathering, will be forever dammed.
2Thessolonians 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Thessolonians 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Thessolonians 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Now is the time we need to get busy and win as many as possible to the Lord. Time is passing faster than we choose to believe it. Let us not grow weary in well doing.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Is Heaven a Real Place?
Is Heaven a place or a relationship? Are there physical aspects to heaven or is it all metaphysical and allegorical? Is heaven a place we can touch?
Here are a few quotes from some wrong sources:
“Fundamentally, heaven is not a place at all. It is our definitive relationship with God, just as hell is the eternal severing of that relationship. 'Heaven' is where God is; and to be with God is to be 'in heaven'.”
“Thus, heaven is not a place, but "spirit." Heaven is not up or down, because Jesus was saying in Luke 17:20-21 that one cannot see heaven...it is not a physical place.”
“We talk about dying and “going to” heaven, as if we hop on a bus and ride from Point A to Point B. It may be that we better understand heaven as “the presence of the Lord, (Job 1:12)”.”
I have heard these claims myself. But I can assure you, there is a Heaven. It is a real, tangible place as much as St. Louis or Springfield. There is ample evidence in Scripture to support my view. We learn in Scripture about various places called heaven:
There is the first heaven, the atmosphere, where birds fly and clouds gather:
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. Genesis 1:7-8
And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. Genesis 1:20
And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 1Kings 18:44-45
Next is the second heaven, the stratosphere, where the Sun, Moon, and Stars are located:
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, Genesis 1:14-17
Finally there is the third heaven, the place of the Lord’s Throne:
The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. Psalm 11:4
But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Matthew 5:34
And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. Matthew 23:22
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. Revelation 16:17
The concept of multiple heavens is not unusual to the Scriptures:
Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. Deuteronomy 10:14
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 2Corinthians 12:2
People are often confused between “Heaven” and “Kingdom of Heaven”. This confusion is not necessary. The Third Heaven contains the Throne of God. God, as The King Eternal, is ruler over His Kingdom.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 7:21
This Kingdom is referred to as either the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven.
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19:14
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Mark 10:14
We become a part of this Kingdom when we acknowledge our sin and we humble ourselves and receive the payment for our sin made by Christ on the cross. We then are members of the Kingdom upon Salvation. Joining the Kingdom of Heaven does not mean we have gone to Heaven.
Heaven, the third heaven, is an actual place. God’s Throne is not just a symbol of God’s judgment, but it is a actual, tangible, throne located in a specific location. The Throne of God is located in the Temple of Heaven.
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. Revelation 16:17
We are given a better picture of heaven when we look at what Lucifer tried to do:
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Isaiah 14:12-15
In the north side (yes, there is north, south, east, and west in heaven) of the mount of the congregation (there are mountains too) Lucifer wanted to enter the Temple and assume the power and authority of the Throne of God. He failed. Even after his failure, he still stands before the Throne to give audience to the King as recorded in Job:
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. Job 1:6
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. Job 2:1 -2
There is evidence too we are going to heaven:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21
And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. Revelation 19:1 -5
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 2Corinthians 5:1-4
Heaven is a real place. In the future, we will be able to walk its width and breadth in our glorified body. This is the reality of Scripture.
Until Next Time, Keep Studying The Scriptures.
Here are a few quotes from some wrong sources:
“Fundamentally, heaven is not a place at all. It is our definitive relationship with God, just as hell is the eternal severing of that relationship. 'Heaven' is where God is; and to be with God is to be 'in heaven'.”
“Thus, heaven is not a place, but "spirit." Heaven is not up or down, because Jesus was saying in Luke 17:20-21 that one cannot see heaven...it is not a physical place.”
“We talk about dying and “going to” heaven, as if we hop on a bus and ride from Point A to Point B. It may be that we better understand heaven as “the presence of the Lord, (Job 1:12)”.”
I have heard these claims myself. But I can assure you, there is a Heaven. It is a real, tangible place as much as St. Louis or Springfield. There is ample evidence in Scripture to support my view. We learn in Scripture about various places called heaven:
There is the first heaven, the atmosphere, where birds fly and clouds gather:
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so. And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. Genesis 1:7-8
And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. Genesis 1:20
And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not. And it came to pass in the mean while, that the heaven was black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. And Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. 1Kings 18:44-45
Next is the second heaven, the stratosphere, where the Sun, Moon, and Stars are located:
And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so. And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also. And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth, Genesis 1:14-17
Finally there is the third heaven, the place of the Lord’s Throne:
The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. Psalm 11:4
But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: Matthew 5:34
And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon. Matthew 23:22
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. Revelation 16:17
The concept of multiple heavens is not unusual to the Scriptures:
Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the LORD'S thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. Deuteronomy 10:14
I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 2Corinthians 12:2
People are often confused between “Heaven” and “Kingdom of Heaven”. This confusion is not necessary. The Third Heaven contains the Throne of God. God, as The King Eternal, is ruler over His Kingdom.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 7:21
This Kingdom is referred to as either the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Heaven.
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 19:14
But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Mark 10:14
We become a part of this Kingdom when we acknowledge our sin and we humble ourselves and receive the payment for our sin made by Christ on the cross. We then are members of the Kingdom upon Salvation. Joining the Kingdom of Heaven does not mean we have gone to Heaven.
Heaven, the third heaven, is an actual place. God’s Throne is not just a symbol of God’s judgment, but it is a actual, tangible, throne located in a specific location. The Throne of God is located in the Temple of Heaven.
And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. Revelation 16:17
We are given a better picture of heaven when we look at what Lucifer tried to do:
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Isaiah 14:12-15
In the north side (yes, there is north, south, east, and west in heaven) of the mount of the congregation (there are mountains too) Lucifer wanted to enter the Temple and assume the power and authority of the Throne of God. He failed. Even after his failure, he still stands before the Throne to give audience to the King as recorded in Job:
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. Job 1:6
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the LORD. And the LORD said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. Job 2:1 -2
There is evidence too we are going to heaven:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:19-21
And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. And the four and twenty elders and the four beasts fell down and worshipped God that sat on the throne, saying, Amen; Alleluia. And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. Revelation 19:1 -5
For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 2Corinthians 5:1-4
Heaven is a real place. In the future, we will be able to walk its width and breadth in our glorified body. This is the reality of Scripture.
Until Next Time, Keep Studying The Scriptures.
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Fighting Demons with Daisies
Recently, we as Christians have been threatening, and employing, boycotts as weapons to bring about moral change. Not only are we aiming at the wrong target, but we are using the wrong weapons as well.
Corporate policies will only really change when the hearts of the owners have been transformed by the power of Christ. The hearts of the owners will be won to Christ by the power of God and our use of the spiritual weapons He has given.
As long as there have been businesses selling things, and consumers buying things, there has always been the opportunity for the consumer to punish the business with their purchasing power. This power has been used, from time to time, to change the direction of corporate policy and corporate behavior.
Personally, I avoid any movie made by Martin Scorsese. His movie, “The Last Temptation of Christ” repulsed me so much that I stay away from anything upon which he puts his name. I also do not watch any program, or movie, with Adam Sandler in it because I have found him to be a vile, nasty, anti-Christian actor. He reminds me of all the vile filth that stands against God.
I do not avoid them, however, because I am trying to bring economic ruin upon them. I know they will live just fine without my money. I do not buy from them for the same reason I don’t buy candy at a liquor store, and I don’t go into a porn store to find a newspaper, or for any reason. The liquor store and the smut shops will have to survive without me. The main reason I don’t go there is because the environment repulses me.
With this understanding in mind, I ask this question: Who made the economic boycott a weapon of spiritual warfare? What Scripture tells us to wage spiritual war by the use of the dollar? What true, lasting benefit to the Kingdom of God will come from any boycott?
To my knowledge the Jews in the Old Testament never boycotted anyone. In the New Testament, people bought meat offered to idols from the shambles. Paul never instituted a boycott against the shambles. Paul never boycotted Alexander the Coppersmith. Alexander became angered because people stopped buying idols. If Alexander made candle holders or copper trays, he probably would have still made a good income.
I understand the need for good stewardship in the use of our money, but what can you buy that has absolutely no profit for the pagans? When you purchase a car, you either purchase from a supporter of homosexuals, or a follower of Shinto. Do we forgo medication because the drug company owners are not Christians? Are every one of your doctors Christian? Of course not.
I have an idea, make a list of all the companies completely owned by Christians and produce a product completely made by Christians. Now buy from only the companies and products found on your list. What would you have to do without? Almost everything.
When we use the wrong weapons we lose the tactical advantage of the right weapons God designed for our warfare. God gave us specially designed weapons to fight this spiritual battle, and those weapons have nothing to do with the physical world around us.
“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2Corinthians 10:4-6
What are our weapons? Removing pride, bringing every thought into obeying Christ, and putting on the whole Armor of God.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” Ephesians 6:10-18
You want real spiritual power? Live a holy, pure life. Pray and fast. Give generously to those who can not pay you back. Live with the courage to judge sin and show compassion to the sinner. Live a disciplined life of moderation. Evangelize. Forgive others the way you want God to forgive you. Serve. Be kind. Then rebuke, reprove, and exhort with all longsuffering and patience. These are the real sources of spiritual power.
When we try to use an economic boycott to transform the heart of a company, or an individual, we end up with the same results as fighting demons with daisies.
Corporate policies will only really change when the hearts of the owners have been transformed by the power of Christ. The hearts of the owners will be won to Christ by the power of God and our use of the spiritual weapons He has given.
As long as there have been businesses selling things, and consumers buying things, there has always been the opportunity for the consumer to punish the business with their purchasing power. This power has been used, from time to time, to change the direction of corporate policy and corporate behavior.
Personally, I avoid any movie made by Martin Scorsese. His movie, “The Last Temptation of Christ” repulsed me so much that I stay away from anything upon which he puts his name. I also do not watch any program, or movie, with Adam Sandler in it because I have found him to be a vile, nasty, anti-Christian actor. He reminds me of all the vile filth that stands against God.
I do not avoid them, however, because I am trying to bring economic ruin upon them. I know they will live just fine without my money. I do not buy from them for the same reason I don’t buy candy at a liquor store, and I don’t go into a porn store to find a newspaper, or for any reason. The liquor store and the smut shops will have to survive without me. The main reason I don’t go there is because the environment repulses me.
With this understanding in mind, I ask this question: Who made the economic boycott a weapon of spiritual warfare? What Scripture tells us to wage spiritual war by the use of the dollar? What true, lasting benefit to the Kingdom of God will come from any boycott?
To my knowledge the Jews in the Old Testament never boycotted anyone. In the New Testament, people bought meat offered to idols from the shambles. Paul never instituted a boycott against the shambles. Paul never boycotted Alexander the Coppersmith. Alexander became angered because people stopped buying idols. If Alexander made candle holders or copper trays, he probably would have still made a good income.
I understand the need for good stewardship in the use of our money, but what can you buy that has absolutely no profit for the pagans? When you purchase a car, you either purchase from a supporter of homosexuals, or a follower of Shinto. Do we forgo medication because the drug company owners are not Christians? Are every one of your doctors Christian? Of course not.
I have an idea, make a list of all the companies completely owned by Christians and produce a product completely made by Christians. Now buy from only the companies and products found on your list. What would you have to do without? Almost everything.
When we use the wrong weapons we lose the tactical advantage of the right weapons God designed for our warfare. God gave us specially designed weapons to fight this spiritual battle, and those weapons have nothing to do with the physical world around us.
“(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2Corinthians 10:4-6
What are our weapons? Removing pride, bringing every thought into obeying Christ, and putting on the whole Armor of God.
“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” Ephesians 6:10-18
You want real spiritual power? Live a holy, pure life. Pray and fast. Give generously to those who can not pay you back. Live with the courage to judge sin and show compassion to the sinner. Live a disciplined life of moderation. Evangelize. Forgive others the way you want God to forgive you. Serve. Be kind. Then rebuke, reprove, and exhort with all longsuffering and patience. These are the real sources of spiritual power.
When we try to use an economic boycott to transform the heart of a company, or an individual, we end up with the same results as fighting demons with daisies.
Monday, November 27, 2006
What About Drinking Alcohol?
For the Christian, drinking alcohol is only permitted as a medication, and then only when necessary.
Jesus did not drink, Timothy did not drink, and we are not to drink either.
How do we know Jesus did not drink? The Bible says so.
First, remember who Jesus is: He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Our Great High Priest, Prince of Peace, The Holy One, Mighty God, The God-Man, and The Pure Lamb of God.
Jesus is perfect – always was, always will be.
As the King of Kings, and Prince of Peace Jesus was bound by:
“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:” Proverbs 31:4
As the Mighty God – Man, Jesus was bound by:
“Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:” Isaiah 5:22
As the All Wise God, Jesus was bound by:
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1
As our Great High Priest, Jesus was bound by:
“And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:” Leviticus 10:8-9
As the Holy One and the Pure Lamb of God:
“And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.” Leviticus 10:10-11
Look how Jesus is described in this office of Great High Priest from Hebrews:
“But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” Hebrews 7:24-26
As our Great High Priest, Jesus would also be bound by:
“Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court.”
Ezekiel 44:21
Why?
“And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Ezekiel 44:23
Jesus is not the only bound by the Leviticus law for the priests. We are a priesthood of believers:
“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” 1 Peter 2:9
We are commanded to be holy.
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (behavior); Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16
As a Priest in the Kingdom of God we are required to abstain from all alcoholic beverages. Timothy understood this requirement. Timothy did not drink alcohol. No wine. No mingled wine. No strong drink.
Timothy even refused to drink wine when there was a medical necessity. That is why Paul had to tell him:
“Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.” 1 Timothy 5:23
Paul told him to use wine, but only permitted its use for medicinal purposes. Is there a reason Paul did not open the issue any further than he did? Yes. Paul did not support recreational drinking.
Here are further instructions:
"Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine." Proverbs 23:29-30
That was the observation – Here’s the command:
"Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright." Proverbs 23: 31
The command is don’t even look at wine with desire. Why?
"At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again." Proverbs 23:32-35
Are Christians permitted to drink socially or recreationally? No.
The miracle at Cana, Jesus being called a wine-bibber, and the fact that the general population of Israel drank intoxicating drinks can not change the facts presented above.
Since Scripture does not contradict itself, those events must be understood in light of these laws and not in ignorance of them.
Don’t Drink. Until Next Time: Keep Studying the Scriptures.
Jesus did not drink, Timothy did not drink, and we are not to drink either.
How do we know Jesus did not drink? The Bible says so.
First, remember who Jesus is: He is the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Our Great High Priest, Prince of Peace, The Holy One, Mighty God, The God-Man, and The Pure Lamb of God.
Jesus is perfect – always was, always will be.
As the King of Kings, and Prince of Peace Jesus was bound by:
“It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink:” Proverbs 31:4
As the Mighty God – Man, Jesus was bound by:
“Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:” Isaiah 5:22
As the All Wise God, Jesus was bound by:
“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Proverbs 20:1
As our Great High Priest, Jesus was bound by:
“And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:” Leviticus 10:8-9
As the Holy One and the Pure Lamb of God:
“And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean; And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.” Leviticus 10:10-11
Look how Jesus is described in this office of Great High Priest from Hebrews:
“But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;” Hebrews 7:24-26
As our Great High Priest, Jesus would also be bound by:
“Neither shall any priest drink wine, when they enter into the inner court.”
Ezekiel 44:21
Why?
“And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” Ezekiel 44:23
Jesus is not the only bound by the Leviticus law for the priests. We are a priesthood of believers:
“Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:5
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” 1 Peter 2:9
We are commanded to be holy.
“But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation (behavior); Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16
As a Priest in the Kingdom of God we are required to abstain from all alcoholic beverages. Timothy understood this requirement. Timothy did not drink alcohol. No wine. No mingled wine. No strong drink.
Timothy even refused to drink wine when there was a medical necessity. That is why Paul had to tell him:
“Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.” 1 Timothy 5:23
Paul told him to use wine, but only permitted its use for medicinal purposes. Is there a reason Paul did not open the issue any further than he did? Yes. Paul did not support recreational drinking.
Here are further instructions:
"Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine." Proverbs 23:29-30
That was the observation – Here’s the command:
"Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright." Proverbs 23: 31
The command is don’t even look at wine with desire. Why?
"At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again." Proverbs 23:32-35
Are Christians permitted to drink socially or recreationally? No.
The miracle at Cana, Jesus being called a wine-bibber, and the fact that the general population of Israel drank intoxicating drinks can not change the facts presented above.
Since Scripture does not contradict itself, those events must be understood in light of these laws and not in ignorance of them.
Don’t Drink. Until Next Time: Keep Studying the Scriptures.
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